As every person knows bread is an important part of our lives. As every foodie knows a person can't live on white bread alone. Nowadays there are so many different kinds to choose from round loaves to artisanal whites.What to choose? They're all good and delicious.
The French have cornered the market on many different varieties ofpain. The French make their bread without any fat hence the reason why it is so crisp and delicate in flavor. Usually a baguette or long bread lasts only a day otherwise it will get hard (but you cna grind up the stale baguette for some awesome bread crumbs).A sliced baguette is perfect for any kind of sandwich because the taste doesn't overpower the sandwich's filling. There is also the thinner version known as ficelle which means string. There is also the pain viennois. This is a softer, fatter version of the average baguette. The French also love a good chewy peasant loaf known as or ball. This is perfect for sopping up gravies or even for making French toast. The French also put raisins or nuts in their bread for an extra treat as well as making a type of focaccio with bacon, onions and herbs known as .
fougasee.
Italians are also passionate about their pane and every good Italian bread store has a huge and calorie lethal assortment.There are over 350 types of bread, each region making its' own special recipe. My Piedmontese ancestors were the first to sample the breadstick, a specialty of the royal city of Torino. These long sticks were made by a clever Piedmontese baker,Antonio Brunero, in 1679 to tempt the appetite of an ailing young Savoyard prince. The grissin strat became such a big hit that city states copied it. However for the real thing it's best to head to Piedmont and have them. Other Italian breads include the herbed focaccio , popular in central Italy and variations of pizza bread from Naples and other parts of Southern Italy. There is also the Sardinian flat bread that puffs to a nice golden brown when rebaked.
Other countries have contributed to the world's bread basket. Germany has given us rye and Easter sweet bread while India has given us nan. The US has contributed with sourdough and a variety of different breads such as banana nut and zucchini.
The next time you're in the mood for a good slice of bread, think about the different types. Don't just go all white bread. Choose a crusty baguette or a dark satisfying rye. Vary your bread basket.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Wild Honey
The flowers are in bloom and the bees are buzzing about our gardens and fields. What does this mean? Honey. It's been around for centuries, sweetening everything from food to beverages along with acting as a natural antiseptic. Nowadays there are so many different types. Foodies can have a field day picking out the various traditional and gourmet ones.
What is honey? It's a sweet and viscous fluid produced by honey bees and derived from flower nectar. It consists of sucrose which give its it intense sweet flavor. It contains minute amounts of vitamins and minerals as well as small amounts of antioxidants (chrysin, pinobanksin, vitamin C, catalase, and pinocembrin). It's been around since ancient times with records showing that there were beekeepers as early as 700 BC. It was used in ceremonial and funeral rites because it was rare and also symbolized the sweetness of life. The ancient Greeks and Israelites used it regularly as did other civilizations. It was the sweetener of choice until the 1700s when sugar from beets could be processed. Now many people use it to help lower cholesterol and lose weight. Honey is also the preferred method to suppress coughing in children.
Like any other food honey has become gourmet in the past few years. Yes, you can still buy the regular golden honey in your local supermarket but there are also artisanal ones as well.A lot of foodies lust after honeys that have been made with lavender or heather. Some even have been infused with herbs to zests to add more zing to them. There are also honey sticks and hard honey candies to satisfy any one's natual sweet tooth.
Honey has been around for centuries and it will continue to be popular. This natural sweetener is perfect on anything and even tastes good alone. Try some during this flower filled May.
What is honey? It's a sweet and viscous fluid produced by honey bees and derived from flower nectar. It consists of sucrose which give its it intense sweet flavor. It contains minute amounts of vitamins and minerals as well as small amounts of antioxidants (chrysin, pinobanksin, vitamin C, catalase, and pinocembrin). It's been around since ancient times with records showing that there were beekeepers as early as 700 BC. It was used in ceremonial and funeral rites because it was rare and also symbolized the sweetness of life. The ancient Greeks and Israelites used it regularly as did other civilizations. It was the sweetener of choice until the 1700s when sugar from beets could be processed. Now many people use it to help lower cholesterol and lose weight. Honey is also the preferred method to suppress coughing in children.
Like any other food honey has become gourmet in the past few years. Yes, you can still buy the regular golden honey in your local supermarket but there are also artisanal ones as well.A lot of foodies lust after honeys that have been made with lavender or heather. Some even have been infused with herbs to zests to add more zing to them. There are also honey sticks and hard honey candies to satisfy any one's natual sweet tooth.
Honey has been around for centuries and it will continue to be popular. This natural sweetener is perfect on anything and even tastes good alone. Try some during this flower filled May.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Chinese Cuisine - From Ancient Times To Modern Day
Recently our thought and prayers have turned to China and its' devastating earthquake. This proud , ancient land has survived a lot over the centuries from natural disasters to barbaric regimes. Yet the Chinese maintain the grace to survive and with it their love of their heritage. This heritage includes an amazing history of culinary dishes that people the world over love.
Most Americans have grown up with Chinese restaurants and take out food. I bet a lot of you foodies may not know that four regions make up the bulk of Chinese dishes. They are Szechuan, Canton, Peking and Shanghai.Most Westerners are most familiar with Szechuan and Cantonese dishes. These areas produce the most fruits , vegetables , spice and seafoods in the country. Szechuan is known for its' fiery cuisine thanks to its' native peppercorns. Canton has provided the world with sweet and sour pork as well as chow mein. Peking is known for its duck but also for its' sesame shrimp toast and drunken chicken. Shanghai is known for its' fish dishes but has also given us the delicious bean curd soup.
Anyone can create this cuisine at home. You need a good cast or steel iron wok. There are Teflon and aluminum ones out there at much lesser prices but these really aren't the best choice. You're going to need a heavy duty one that will stand up to oils and heat. Not only will you be able to stir fry but you can also steam rice and warm soups in it as well. Another must is a bamboo steamer. You can steam vegetables and rice in it, and the bamboo imparts a special flavor all its' own to it. A steamer consists of a domed lid and a circular slotted bottom or basket.These come in a variety of sizes so you can easily buy a smaller one if you have very little or no storage space. Most department and specialty shops such as Williams and Sonoma and even some Targets will carry steamers. Another must are good knives for cutting. Chinese dishes tradionally have bite size pieces of meat, tofu and vegtables as opposed to larger stalks or cuts.
Chinese cooking is a noble ancient cuisne. It is rich and varied , bringing together a unique union of meats, seafood and vegetables. It has always been with us and will continue to for future generations of Chinese nationals and foodies alike.
Most Americans have grown up with Chinese restaurants and take out food. I bet a lot of you foodies may not know that four regions make up the bulk of Chinese dishes. They are Szechuan, Canton, Peking and Shanghai.Most Westerners are most familiar with Szechuan and Cantonese dishes. These areas produce the most fruits , vegetables , spice and seafoods in the country. Szechuan is known for its' fiery cuisine thanks to its' native peppercorns. Canton has provided the world with sweet and sour pork as well as chow mein. Peking is known for its duck but also for its' sesame shrimp toast and drunken chicken. Shanghai is known for its' fish dishes but has also given us the delicious bean curd soup.
Anyone can create this cuisine at home. You need a good cast or steel iron wok. There are Teflon and aluminum ones out there at much lesser prices but these really aren't the best choice. You're going to need a heavy duty one that will stand up to oils and heat. Not only will you be able to stir fry but you can also steam rice and warm soups in it as well. Another must is a bamboo steamer. You can steam vegetables and rice in it, and the bamboo imparts a special flavor all its' own to it. A steamer consists of a domed lid and a circular slotted bottom or basket.These come in a variety of sizes so you can easily buy a smaller one if you have very little or no storage space. Most department and specialty shops such as Williams and Sonoma and even some Targets will carry steamers. Another must are good knives for cutting. Chinese dishes tradionally have bite size pieces of meat, tofu and vegtables as opposed to larger stalks or cuts.
Chinese cooking is a noble ancient cuisne. It is rich and varied , bringing together a unique union of meats, seafood and vegetables. It has always been with us and will continue to for future generations of Chinese nationals and foodies alike.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Gourmet Lollipops - They're Not Just For Kids
There's something satisfying and comforting about a lollipop. It brings us back to our childhoods while letting us take a mini break from our daily, hectic adult lives. Luckily the sweet treat has emerged into something that appeals to adult tastes and trends. It's not just a fruit flavor kiddie sucker anymore.
Lollipops in some form or another have been around since pre historic times. Cavemen routinely put something sweet such as honey on a twig and ate it. During the Middle Ages , candies was placed on small sticks and eaten. Later boiled sugar treats were favored in the American colonies and then in 1908 the modern lollipop was born. Both California and Wisconsin can lay claim to it. A Russian immigrant, Samuel Born, made a automated lollipop machine around the same time as the Racine Confectioners Machinery Company did. The last was known for making up to forty pops per minute.
Today candy companies have gone a step further and introduced all sorts of interesting flavors to the lollipop. Instead of the usual fruit flavors such as grape or cherry, they now come in banana, chocolate mint, bubble gum, cinnamon, cotton candy and root beer float. For real foodies there's Chupa Chups, those Spanish lollies that were first made in Barcelona, Spain fifty years ago and became a worldwide sensation. This favorite of Madonna's has different tastes such as cola , chocolate and vanilla. For a really wicked treat try Lollyphile's absinthe lollipops(they also sell maple bacon flavored ones too). They are candies made with that taboo liquor absinthe (the same one that practically did in poet Oscar Wilde). You won't get the same hallucinatory kick as sipping a glass but you'll feel something. There are also margarita lollies (covered in salt) and tequilas ones complete with a worm in them from the online candy company Lollies Galore.
Foodies everywhere - indulge your inner child with one of these grown up suckers. They not only fun but kind of naughty in a good way!
You can order the absinthe lollies at www.lollyphile.com. Tequila and margarita lollies can be bought at www.lolliesgalore.com
Lollipops in some form or another have been around since pre historic times. Cavemen routinely put something sweet such as honey on a twig and ate it. During the Middle Ages , candies was placed on small sticks and eaten. Later boiled sugar treats were favored in the American colonies and then in 1908 the modern lollipop was born. Both California and Wisconsin can lay claim to it. A Russian immigrant, Samuel Born, made a automated lollipop machine around the same time as the Racine Confectioners Machinery Company did. The last was known for making up to forty pops per minute.
Today candy companies have gone a step further and introduced all sorts of interesting flavors to the lollipop. Instead of the usual fruit flavors such as grape or cherry, they now come in banana, chocolate mint, bubble gum, cinnamon, cotton candy and root beer float. For real foodies there's Chupa Chups, those Spanish lollies that were first made in Barcelona, Spain fifty years ago and became a worldwide sensation. This favorite of Madonna's has different tastes such as cola , chocolate and vanilla. For a really wicked treat try Lollyphile's absinthe lollipops(they also sell maple bacon flavored ones too). They are candies made with that taboo liquor absinthe (the same one that practically did in poet Oscar Wilde). You won't get the same hallucinatory kick as sipping a glass but you'll feel something. There are also margarita lollies (covered in salt) and tequilas ones complete with a worm in them from the online candy company Lollies Galore.
Foodies everywhere - indulge your inner child with one of these grown up suckers. They not only fun but kind of naughty in a good way!
You can order the absinthe lollies at www.lollyphile.com. Tequila and margarita lollies can be bought at www.lolliesgalore.com
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Summer Seafood Dishes
Now with the warm weather here, everyone's mind and palate turns towards the briny deep. Summer usually means the beach and with it a taste for fresh seafood. There are so many different types of it, from lobster to shad that a foodie can spend an entire season just enjoying fish as the main dish. There are also a variety of ways ot enjoy it as wellfrom salads to barbecue. Each way is fun and flavorful, the perfect way to start the season.
The most popular seafood , without a doubt is lobster. Everyone enjoys a fresh cooked one dripping with melted butter. This cousin of a spider (yes spider, it's part of the arachnid family)is best served steamed (if you're an animal rights activist, please don't read on)as New Englanders and lobstermen did. It then should be served with freshly melted butter. However you can also chill the lobster meat and mix with mayo and celery. Serve this on a hot dog bun for the quintessential lobster roll. This is popular through the Hamptons and there are roadside stands featuring it with a side of potato chips and a Coke. if you're feeling more adventurous then try making lobster thermador which is steamed lobster with a richly spiced bechamel sauce. This does take a lot of work and ingredients plus a hot oven to create and you make want to stick with an easier dish. Lobster salad is always good. Just prepare a regular tossed salad with an oil and red wine vinegar dressing and add the cooked lobster chunks. It makes a light but elegant dinner.
Another summer seafood favorite is shrimp. With this you can grill it, turn it into a salad or just eat it boiled with a homemade or prepared hot sauce. You can also fry up popcorn shrimp which is simply the fish dipped in egg and breadcrumbs. This is a great dish for any out door party because it can be the main meal too. Serve it with three or four dipping sauces along with some fresh veggies. Remember that in preparing you have to devieln the shrimp. Most stores such as Williams and Sonoma along with Target sell shrimp deveiners but you can also use a small paring knife for this task. First peel off your shrimp's back and legs and then slice into the exposed portion. Carefully lift the vein that resembles black thread running through the meat and discard. Put deveined shrimp on ice until ready to prepare.Crab is another warm weather favorite.It can be used in salads or just boiled and served with melted butter similar to lobster.
If you're thinking of making fish dishes this summer then try grilling .You can get fresh seasonal fish at your local market. Don't opt for the whole fish however. Buying fillets would be a better choice. You can marinate them and then grill later. Try lime or lemon with oregano for a tasty and flavorful marinade.
Summer usually means heading to the beach and enjoying the ocean. You can also enjoy its' fruits the next time you make a warm weather seafood feast for yourself and friends.
The most popular seafood , without a doubt is lobster. Everyone enjoys a fresh cooked one dripping with melted butter. This cousin of a spider (yes spider, it's part of the arachnid family)is best served steamed (if you're an animal rights activist, please don't read on)as New Englanders and lobstermen did. It then should be served with freshly melted butter. However you can also chill the lobster meat and mix with mayo and celery. Serve this on a hot dog bun for the quintessential lobster roll. This is popular through the Hamptons and there are roadside stands featuring it with a side of potato chips and a Coke. if you're feeling more adventurous then try making lobster thermador which is steamed lobster with a richly spiced bechamel sauce. This does take a lot of work and ingredients plus a hot oven to create and you make want to stick with an easier dish. Lobster salad is always good. Just prepare a regular tossed salad with an oil and red wine vinegar dressing and add the cooked lobster chunks. It makes a light but elegant dinner.
Another summer seafood favorite is shrimp. With this you can grill it, turn it into a salad or just eat it boiled with a homemade or prepared hot sauce. You can also fry up popcorn shrimp which is simply the fish dipped in egg and breadcrumbs. This is a great dish for any out door party because it can be the main meal too. Serve it with three or four dipping sauces along with some fresh veggies. Remember that in preparing you have to devieln the shrimp. Most stores such as Williams and Sonoma along with Target sell shrimp deveiners but you can also use a small paring knife for this task. First peel off your shrimp's back and legs and then slice into the exposed portion. Carefully lift the vein that resembles black thread running through the meat and discard. Put deveined shrimp on ice until ready to prepare.Crab is another warm weather favorite.It can be used in salads or just boiled and served with melted butter similar to lobster.
If you're thinking of making fish dishes this summer then try grilling .You can get fresh seasonal fish at your local market. Don't opt for the whole fish however. Buying fillets would be a better choice. You can marinate them and then grill later. Try lime or lemon with oregano for a tasty and flavorful marinade.
Summer usually means heading to the beach and enjoying the ocean. You can also enjoy its' fruits the next time you make a warm weather seafood feast for yourself and friends.
Monday, May 19, 2008
French Bistro Food
Recently I wrote about the cuisine of Southern France's Provence. Today we're going to explore another facet of la cuisine francaise - bistro cooking. This is what the everyday Parisian is eating, basically simple foods yet just as tasty and well made as the Gallic haute cuisine. It may be for the common folk but it's extraordinary.
Bistro cooking is not unlike the British pub grub. I think the English stole this concept from the folks across the Channel because the French have offered good quality lunches and dinners at low prices for some centuries now. It's sometimes referred to as grand-mere cuisine or grandma's cooking. This is another name for comfort food, warm, rich and satisfying. It could include onion soup, that French classic which is redolent of caramelized onions in beef broth, topped with a rich coat of Gruyere cheese. It could be as simple as those tasty sandwiches the croque monsieur or croque madame. The first is essentially a grilled cheese made with creamy Swiss , and a slice of fresh ham on two slices of white bread. This is then fried in butter and served. A croque madame is the same except that chicken is used instead. Another bistro favorite is steak avec frites - in other words steak, usually well seasoned with shoestring potatoes. All these meals are usually accompanied by a good glass of red or white wine and a freshly tossed salad.
Bistro food can be slightly more complex. There are crepes, a street favorite throughout Paris and the Ile de France. These can be served plain with just lemon and sugar or stuffed with ratatouille, that Provencale classic along with various meats, vegetables and seafood. There is also coq au vin, which is a slow stewed rooster and burgundy stew.Cassoulet is another hearty favorite. This is simply a melange of white beans, pork sausages. chicken or duck slow cooked for hours. For somewhat lighter fare bistros will serve Coquille St. Jacques, scallops served in a cream sauce on a giant cockle shell.
French bistro cooking reflects French tastes but also the true Gallic passion for earthy foods that are filling and comforting. They satisfy a need not just for a flavorful dish but something familiar and soothing.
Bistro cooking is not unlike the British pub grub. I think the English stole this concept from the folks across the Channel because the French have offered good quality lunches and dinners at low prices for some centuries now. It's sometimes referred to as grand-mere cuisine or grandma's cooking. This is another name for comfort food, warm, rich and satisfying. It could include onion soup, that French classic which is redolent of caramelized onions in beef broth, topped with a rich coat of Gruyere cheese. It could be as simple as those tasty sandwiches the croque monsieur or croque madame. The first is essentially a grilled cheese made with creamy Swiss , and a slice of fresh ham on two slices of white bread. This is then fried in butter and served. A croque madame is the same except that chicken is used instead. Another bistro favorite is steak avec frites - in other words steak, usually well seasoned with shoestring potatoes. All these meals are usually accompanied by a good glass of red or white wine and a freshly tossed salad.
Bistro food can be slightly more complex. There are crepes, a street favorite throughout Paris and the Ile de France. These can be served plain with just lemon and sugar or stuffed with ratatouille, that Provencale classic along with various meats, vegetables and seafood. There is also coq au vin, which is a slow stewed rooster and burgundy stew.Cassoulet is another hearty favorite. This is simply a melange of white beans, pork sausages. chicken or duck slow cooked for hours. For somewhat lighter fare bistros will serve Coquille St. Jacques, scallops served in a cream sauce on a giant cockle shell.
French bistro cooking reflects French tastes but also the true Gallic passion for earthy foods that are filling and comforting. They satisfy a need not just for a flavorful dish but something familiar and soothing.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Oh Fudge!!!
It's amazing how the world's most simplest candy has the most complex taste. I'm talking about fudge - that rich amalgam of cream, butter and cocoa.It brings back good memories (especially if you went down to the Jersey shore every year for vacation). Fudge may not be as exotic as today gourmet chocolates with their wild mix of spices and deep cacao but it's still good. It brings back a simplicity of another era.
The actual origins of fudge are somewhat blurry . No one really knows how it was invented but speculation about it was from someone making a botched version of caramels and exclaiming "Oh fudge!". In 1888 a Vassar student's cousin sold fudge in Baltimore for 40 cents a pound and then gave the recipe to him. Another student, Emelyn Battersby Hartridge got her hands on said recipe and makes thirty pounds of it for an auction at the school. Other colleges soon followed this trend and schools such as Wellesley started to sell it too. The first commerical batch of fudge was made on Mackinac Island Michigan by Murdick's Candy Kitchen. The owners mixed everything on marble slab swhich set the standard for fudge makers all over. Shops all over, especially candy makers in Atlantic City such as James started selling varieties of fudge alongside their world famous salt water taffy.Ice cream shops also jumped on this new craze and around 1900 the hot fudge sundae was born.
Making your own batch is fun and easy to do. Use Miss Battersby Hartidge's recipe to produce the best because you'll get the perfect blend of chocolate and cream. You can add nuts such as walnuts or pecans if you want to. Other extras to add are coconuts and marshmallows for a Rocky Road fudge. Some foodies add mint extract or hazelnut for a more gourmet taste. There are also maple , peanut butter and vanilla fudge you can create however chocolate is the best.
Fudge is fun treat, simple to make but complex in taste.It is the perfect mix of all our favorite tastes rolled into one chunk of sheer perfection.
Emelyn Battersby Hartridge's Orginial recipe (taken from www.the nibble.com)
2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup whole cream
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped (use bakers chocolatefor this. Either Hershey's or Nestle's is very good).
1 tablespoon butter
Combine sugar and cream and cook over a moderate heat. Add the chcolate when this becomes very hot.Stir constantly.Cook until mixture reaches soft ball stages(about 234-238 degrees Farenheit). Transfer to a buttered tin or pan(a brownie pan would be the best) Cut into squares before fudge completely hardens.
You can add walnuts, pecans or even almonds if you like,to this.
The actual origins of fudge are somewhat blurry . No one really knows how it was invented but speculation about it was from someone making a botched version of caramels and exclaiming "Oh fudge!". In 1888 a Vassar student's cousin sold fudge in Baltimore for 40 cents a pound and then gave the recipe to him. Another student, Emelyn Battersby Hartridge got her hands on said recipe and makes thirty pounds of it for an auction at the school. Other colleges soon followed this trend and schools such as Wellesley started to sell it too. The first commerical batch of fudge was made on Mackinac Island Michigan by Murdick's Candy Kitchen. The owners mixed everything on marble slab swhich set the standard for fudge makers all over. Shops all over, especially candy makers in Atlantic City such as James started selling varieties of fudge alongside their world famous salt water taffy.Ice cream shops also jumped on this new craze and around 1900 the hot fudge sundae was born.
Making your own batch is fun and easy to do. Use Miss Battersby Hartidge's recipe to produce the best because you'll get the perfect blend of chocolate and cream. You can add nuts such as walnuts or pecans if you want to. Other extras to add are coconuts and marshmallows for a Rocky Road fudge. Some foodies add mint extract or hazelnut for a more gourmet taste. There are also maple , peanut butter and vanilla fudge you can create however chocolate is the best.
Fudge is fun treat, simple to make but complex in taste.It is the perfect mix of all our favorite tastes rolled into one chunk of sheer perfection.
Emelyn Battersby Hartridge's Orginial recipe (taken from www.the nibble.com)
2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup whole cream
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped (use bakers chocolatefor this. Either Hershey's or Nestle's is very good).
1 tablespoon butter
Combine sugar and cream and cook over a moderate heat. Add the chcolate when this becomes very hot.Stir constantly.Cook until mixture reaches soft ball stages(about 234-238 degrees Farenheit). Transfer to a buttered tin or pan(a brownie pan would be the best) Cut into squares before fudge completely hardens.
You can add walnuts, pecans or even almonds if you like,to this.
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