Here in the Western world, we commonly use sugar made from sugar cane. But, did you know that in some parts of the world the most common form of sugar is made from beets?
Today, there are so many types of sugar readily available, unlike back in the day when it was so rare that is was referred to as “white gold.”
Sugar is most commonly thought of as a sweetening agent, but it is much more than that. When looked at closer, it plays many roles.
Over the last month, I’ve been cooking up Indian food at home. Up until this month, I had only tried making Indian food at home once, so this is all a fairly new experience for me. I have loved experiencing such new flavors. One thing that I’ve learned more about this past month is Garam Masala. (more…)
Chinese Five Spice Powder is a combination of five spices; star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and fennel. It is a spice combination you can use in many dishes, including baked goods and desserts. My father makes a really delicious ginger chicken dish, a favorite in our home, and I love using it in soups, cookies, and desserts.
Although the name describes the number of spices used, it actually represents the five elements (wu hsing) that are believed in chinese philosophy to create harmony in all of nature, specifically the human body. Because each element is represented in the powder, balance is created.
norecipes.com says of the spice mix:
“…these elements [wood, fire, water, earth, metal, and water] manifest themselves in various parts of the human anatomy and imbalances in these elements are said to be the cause of disease. Various herbs and spices have been used for thousands of years to restore balance to these elements which is how 5 spice powder came into being.”
It is easy to make yourself, and it should also be easy to find at your local asian market. Keep reading for the recipe to make it yourself, and some recipes that highlight five spice powder. (more…)
Have you ever seen a recipe that calls for superfine sugar, and thought to yourself “I don’t have any superfine sugar - I wonder if I really need to use superfine?” Because I don’t normally keep superfine sugar on hand, I’ve wondered that to myself on more than one occasion. (more…)
Ok, ok - I know that it is April. And I know you are probably wondering why I am posting about turnips in April, when really, they are best in the winter months. Well, it’s simply because I had my first turnip ever, and I’m so mad that I waited this long in life to try turnips! They are at the very end of their season, so they are still on grocery store shelves. (more…)
With recent natural disasters all over the world, the topic of stockpiling or storing food has probably come up in conversations. I know that I am trying to be more aware of being self sufficient if an event were to arise, and we needed to rely on our own resources. After reading accounts of individuals not receiving food or clean water for days in Haiti, or going to the grocery store during the snow storms in Washington DC only to find bottle water and many essentials cleaned out from the shelves; I am trying to be more aware of fulfilling the needs of my family if we found ourselves in such a crisis.
But where do you start? It is very overwhelming, and many people lack the storage space or resources to begin.
While trying to prepare my little food storage room [pictured above] over the past little bit, I have found the best place to start is to buy a little here and there.
Here are a few tips that helped me build a small supply of food:
We love adding sprouts to our salads, on sandwiches, baked potatoes, soups, and of course in many of our favorite asian dishes like phở or fěn, egg rolls, stir fry, and as a garnish. Cafe Zupas even adds them to some of their sandwiches. Sprouts are an important food for raw foodists and for good reason, sprouts have the highest concentration of nutrition per calorie of any food, and some even contain natural cancer fighting compounds. Who knew such a delicate and small plant could do such big things? Jack knew what he was doing when he traded that cow for those few magic beans.
keep reading to learn more about sprouts.
You just might want to stop by your closest natural foods market and pick up a handful on your way home tonight. (more…)
Buckwheat galettes are similar to a crêpe, but are savory and made with buckwheat flour. They come from the region of France where my father grew up, Brittany. So, this dish is a family favorite!
Galettes Bretonne are tasty and can be easily passed off for a delicious dinner.
My favorite way to eat them is with ham, gruyère cheese, and a fried egg on top. In France, they call this a galette complète. The best part is when you let the egg yolk run all over the galette. Pair it with a side of mixed greens and freshly made vinaigrette, and you’ll be speaking French in no time!
With so many cooking products out there, I thought it would be fun to do a few product reviews when I come across something I like.
I’ve known about Silpat for a while. It’s been around since 1965 to be exact. But, I never really thought I needed one, nor did I want to spend the money on a non-stick baking mat. Until, I recently found a good deal on one and decided to order it.
Well, I think I’m sold. It really is amazing!
My first experiment was with making empanadas on it. I’m new to making empanadas, so some of the egg and cheese came out onto the mat while cooking. And, no sticking! They came off the pan with no problem!
My only complaint is that they are not dishwasher safe. But, they are still really easy to clean.
And, it’s nice to be able to re-use it over and over, so they are more environmentally friendly instead of always using parchment paper.
Happy Baking!
Béchamel Sauce, (pronounced bay-shah-mel) or white sauce is one of the mother sauces of French and some Italian cuisine. It is typically used as a base for other sauces, and is traditionally made whisking scalded milk into a roux, or butter and flour mixture.
The origins of the sauce can be sketchy, but as far as we can tell it was invented by Louis de Béchameil, and it was an improvement of a sauce imported from Italy to France during the reign of the queen of France, Italian Catherine de Medici.
