What would a dinner table be without its salt and pepper? They've become so ubiquitous in everyone's kitchen. However, we rarely wonder why. Both were heavily used in cuisine for hundreds of years, but so were several other spices. What made people focus on salt and pepper?
The story begins with salt. In Ancient Rome, it gained popularity as a condiment. Italians during the Renaissance served salted dishes at the same time as sugared dishes. It was not until the 17th century that the French created a salt-sweet divide. Salted foods were eaten throughout the meal because they stimulate the appetite. Sweet plates were served at the end; they satiate the appetite and shutdown our desire to eat.
It was in France that salt met its inevitable spicy partner, pepper. 17th-century Classic French cuisine, which developed at the court of Louis XIV, considered pepper and parsley as superior to the various spices imported from the Middle East. In fact, it viewed all spices as vulgar ingredients masking the true flavor of a dish. Pepper was the only spice acceptable. And, it eventually attained the same status as fine herbs which were thought to be more wholesome and exquisite. The French heightened the importance of pepper giving it the status it has today.
I first experienced the combination of hazelnut purée and dark honey at Slow Foods' cheese festival in Italy. The Piedmont region of Italy is known for its hazelnuts. You can find the most succulent rich hazelnut cakes and cookies. My favorite hazelnut concoction was hazelnut purée and dark honey. My first taste on toast brought about a dionysian state of gastronomical enchantment. The sweet nutty flavors and intensely smooth creamy buttery texture were all so overwhelmingly perfect!
When I returned from my trip, I looked all over NY for another hazelnut and honey mixture. And, I was surprised by the many shops that carried this delicious treat. Recently, Time Out New York had an article about one in particular from southern France called Avelline. This was probably my favorite one that I tried.
How does one enjoy hazelnut purée and dark honey? Besides eating it plain on toast, you can use it as a condiment with cheese. I suggest you pair it with Montgomery's farmhouse cheddar or Stilton Colston Bassett. You can even pair it with a variety of nutty pecorinos.
Ah, where to begin with my long-lasting love affair with the crêpe, the delicately thin French pancake? I think it started with a photo my parents showed me of them eating crêpes with my older sister in Paris. Perhaps, it was the toppings that attracted me. Since I have such an insatiable sweet tooth, it didn't take long for me to get hooked.
I recently crafted some crêpes with just a few different berries, raspberry coulis, and lemon curd. It was the first time I used raspberry coulis in a crêpe. It was perfect. Raspberry coulis is a fruit sauce made from puréed raspberries. It's often used on desserts. The sweetness and tartness added just the right amount of flavor to the crepe without making it overwhelmingly sweet. Although, I have to admit that it takes a lot of sugar to overpower my palate.
And, the addition of lemon curd was superb! It not only enhanced the creaminess, but it also created an exquisite looking crêpe. As if I hadn't already added enough sweetness to the crêpe, I sifted sugar over it for the finale. The recipe I used to make the lemon curd and other dishes that call for lemon curd can be found after the jump.
Click on the gallery below to see the beautiful colorful process I was fortunate to experience in order to decorate and flavor the crêpe.
I remember the first time someone clued me in that it was possible to make salsa at home, I was agog (I was 13). It took me a few minutes to wrap my head around the fact that it didn't need to come from the grocery store in a jar or a tub. Even more amazing was that the ingredients were fairly basic and easy to come by. Fast forward about fifteen years and homemade salsa fresca is one of my favorite summer treats. Here's what you do.
Pull out a mixing bowl. Take 1 huge tomato to two medium-sized ones and cube them into 1/2 inch square (no need to be perfect). Mince up an onion, seed and dice a jalepeno (if you don't want your fingertips to burn for the rest of the day, wear gloves), crush two or three cloves of garlic and top it off with a handful of chopped cilantro. Hit the veggies with the juice of one lime and a generous pinch of salt. Stir it and let it sit for a while (I recommend at least an hour before eating). I make it in a lidded bowl, so that I can mix and store it easily. Eat it with tortilla chips, over scrambled eggs, on top of beans and rice or simply with a spoon, straight out of the bowl.
Wandering the aisles of my local Acme (part of the Albertsons chain for you west coast dwellers), I stumbled across a clever packing idea. The folks at Heinz have bundled three bottles of condiments into a single unit*, making it easy to grab everything you need for a picnic or cookout. I used to organize monthly potlucks for a large collection of friends, and during the summers we'd make a point of meeting at a local park for frisbee and grilling. I would have happily grabbed one of these packs in those days, as some how we always found ourselves with relish, but no ketchup. So if you've got a big food event coming up and have been charged with bringing the condiments, keep your eyes peeled for one of these packs.
*Yes, I realize that there are four bottles in the picture above. I couldn't find an image of the exact unit I saw at Acme and but was able to find this one over at the Sam's Club website. I guess wholesale food clubs get an extra bottle of ketchup.
I've become obsessed with wasabi. I love the stuff. I don't remember quite how it started, but after having something with the flavor, I've tasted everything with wasabi that I can buy or whip up, from delicious wasabi-covered almonds to wasabi mashed potatoes to tasty lumps of it with sushi. However, did you know that it's not only a spicy, tasty nose-cleaner, but something that can also improve your health?
That's Fit recently posted an ode to wasabi that gives the low-down. If you buy the good stuff, and not the cheap, fake substitute, the tasty condiment can offer a variety of perks due to it containing Isothiocyanates, powerful antioxidants, as well as Potassium and Calcium. It can help slow down cancer, fight teeth rot, help prevent ulcers and parasites, has antimicrobial benefits, might help heart disease, and is good for detoxing.
The wonderful benefits of industrial food! According to a recent New York Times article, it turns out that vinegar and a mix of other ingredients make the majority of commercial brands of mayonnaise protect against food spoilage. So, this summer, when you make sandwiches for a picnic, you can use plenty of mayonnaise without wondering whether or not it will cause food to rotten and cause food poisoning.
During the summer, many of us get concerned that in the scorching heat food will turn on us. And so, considering the fact that one of the ingredients in mayonnaise is uncooked egg yolk, it makes perfect sense that we'd assume that mayonnaise can cause diseases, like salmonella. Of course, one needs to differentiate between the mayonnaise you make at home and the one you purchase in the grocery store. But, so long as the eggs are pasteurized and you make sure to use vinegar, another basic mayonnaise ingredient, you will be fine!
So, this summer, do not fret over mayonnaise! Make your own mayonnaise! Foods that cause food poisoning are often made up of low-acid ingredients and involve improper storage and handling.
Every July 4th, I find myself at a barbecue eating the usual: a hamburger, a hot dog, some potato chips, guacamole, and a few beers. This year, I want to celebrate Independence Day the same way, but with the best condiments, drinks, and chips. Below are 8 delicious foods that are perfect for July 4rth:
Chips d'Allauch - What could be more patriotic than honoring the French who helped us fight the war of independence? These French potato chips are the best I have ever tried. They come from Provence and are made from golden yellow Bintje potatoes that are fried in peanut oil. They're only available at Formaggio Kitchen.
June Taylor tomato ketchup - The mixture of rich organic tomatoes, spices, and vinegar make this ketchup the ideal accompaniment with your burger, barbecued chicken, and hot dog. You can purchase it from June Taylor online.
Bar Harbor blueberry Ale - The Atlantic Brewing Company crafts this beer in Bar Harbor, Maine. Enjoy this creamy fruity American ale that has a blueberry aroma.
Vegeta's cranberry mango salsa: This zesty sweet and spicy salsa is sure to rock your palate this July 4rth! You can purchase it from Amazon.com.
Peter Luger Steakhouse old-fashioned steak sauce: This classic sauce for chicken and hamburgers is also great over fresh tomatoes.
Fentimans Victorian lemonade: I know this is not an American lemonade, but it's so good! This British refreshment is mildly sweet and acidic and will definitely cool you off.
Grafton three year cheddar: This American cheddar from Grafton, Vermont is great melted on your burger.
Heritage burgers: Heritage Foods sells grass-fed beef burgers on their website. They're a must try this July 4rth at your barbecue.
If you're entertaining this July 4rth, I highly suggest the foods above. What items will you be eating this Independence Day?
Today is all about mixing sweetness into the usual savory fare. Above, you can watch Chef Johan Jansen make fruit pizza on the grill -- scone dough, berries, a cream cheese-based fruit dip, and whipped cream. It's basically a bbq'd dough topped with dessert goodies, but I wonder about switching it up a little to make an actual cheese pizza -- dough, fruit, and maybe some brie? Still, it looks darned good.
But I'm also going to alert you to one more that has an interesting idea, even if the cooking practices leave a little to be desired. PunkAssChef has posted a how-to for "Sticky Booty Burgers," which are peanut butter and jelly burgers. I just couldn't highlight a show that lathers peanut butter on a burger with a knife, and then dips it back into the jar, so I'm just including it as an add-on. (I'm a pretty easygoing kitchen person, but that just icked me.)
What'll ya have? those are the words I heard many a time when I approached the counter at the Georgia institution of hot doggery, The Varsity Drive-In. I lived in rural, middle "Joe-Ja" out on a hidden cove on Lake Sinclair near Milledgeville for two years of grad school. Broke, working on two masters degrees at the same time, my entertainment budget was nill. Cheap eats were the norm and my roommates (two pretty gals, a blonde and a redhead) raised a lot of our own food and hunted, fished, and bartered for the rest. Every now and then we'd take a road trip and go shopping and partying in Atlanta or Athens. On the way home it was almost mandatory to make a visit to The Varsity to fortify ourselves for the long drive home.
The default choice is a chili dog, if you ask for a hot dog that's what you'll get. A frank on a soft bun with mildly interesting chili meat sauce and a streak of yellar mustard along its back. Two of those, plus an order of the fries or the fantastic onion rings, a peach fried pie for dessert (I dream of those at times), and you were good to go. To wash down your chow it is a must to have an FO, a Frosted Orange, which is a super tasty and refreshing creamy orange drink that tastes sort of like a creamsicle.
There are six locations of The Varsity. The Mother Ship, which is the worlds largest drive-in at "more than two acres and can accommodate 600 cars and over 800 people inside," serves around 10,000 people a day, double or triple that on game days at Georgia Tech, handing over "two miles of hot dogs, a ton of onions, 2500 pounds of potatoes, 5000 fried pies and 300 gallons of chili... daily."
Today for lunch I'm having a local, Maine made dog, W. A. Bean & Sons Red Hot, that I'm cooking up myself for a change. Beans meats have been made in Maine since 1860. Red dyed, natural casing dogs are big up here, but this was the first time I have seen Red Hot's. Meaty pork franks, very mildly spicy at first, then with a bit of back of the mouth heat later. I wouldn't call them very spicy, but they're pretty tasty, especially with some of my spicy onion sauce. So far they are some of the best dogs I've ever had.
For those of you who can't get Sabrett's onions for your dogs at home, or want a tastier version of the sauce, here's my recipe that I've been making since I was a teen.
Foresters Spicy Hot Dog Onion Sauce This is a spicy version of the sauce. You can leave out some or all of the hot sauce if you like it milder, or add more for some real heat
1 large yellow or sweet onion, sliced and chopped 4 tbs of Heinz Ketchup or tomato sauce 1/4 cup of water 1-2 tbs of sugar 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of Sriracha sauce or chili garlic paste. I like the brand with the green rooster logo best. 2 tbs of vinegar 1/4 tsp of Worchestershire sauce 1/4 tsp of salt 1/4 tsp of black pepper 1/4 tsp of oregano
Place all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil and lower to a simmer and reduce until a medium thick sauce. Remove from heat and let cool. The sauce will thicken more as it cools. Serve warm on hot dogs. You can keep it in the fridge for a week.
I'm a big fan of Peruvian cuisine. It's considered one of the most varied in the world, with more dishes than French or any other. The reason for this is the cultural medley of Native Indians, Spanish, German, Italian, and other Europeans, African and Moors, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, and more. One dish that I first tried in a Peruvian restaurant, but is common throughout much of Central and South America is salchipapas.
Salchipapas is a relatively simple dish of cut up fried hot dogs and French fries. Simple, until you add a few condiments like chopped pickled onions, aji hot pepper sauce, etc. Then this dish becomes one of the comfort foods of the region.
Here's a gallery of photos of salchipapas.
Gallery: Mama, make me some salchipapas
But for some really great photos of the dish, plus recipes, visit Laylita.com where Layla, an American who spent much of her life in Ecuador, has done salchipapas proud. You won't belive how hungry you'll get or how often you'll visit her site for the great recipes, photos, and stories. If only she wasn't married...
Most of the time I like my dogs crispy and deep brown on the outside. But then there are the times I want my childhood comfort food, a dirty water dog. I remember the first one I had when i was a youngin' growing up in park Slope, Brooklyn. I was around five years old and my mom stopped by one of those small hand pushcarts, the real tiny one you don't seem much anymore where the yellow and blue Sabrett's umbrella is bigger than the cart, at the corner of Union Street and Seventh Ave.
They were a dime each, and seemed a bargain to me. My mom tried to order one for me with ketchup but they didn't have any and besides, I was already of the opinion that ketchup is for fries and burgers and would never let it dog my franks. I wanted the "other stuff," the bright yellow/brown "deli" mustard and the reddish, shiny stuff. So I had my first Sabrett's hot dog with mustard and Sabrett's onion sauce. It wasn't much to look at, kind of ugly and messy to tell you the truth, but it was mighty tasty and went down just fine, thank you. (By the way, I know that's a nasty photo. I wasn't able to take my own shot.)
I've mentioned NYC Dirty Water Dogs, but there is another big dog on the block in NYC, Nathan's Famous. First seen on the boardwalk in Coney Island at the amusement park in 1916, they later started a small chain of Nathan's with arcades and more types of food than you can shake a dog at. They make some mean pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, but it's the hot dogs that they are known for. Just ask the thousands who come out every 4th of July for the International Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Competition.
A Nathan's was just a mile or three up the road on Central Ave in Yonkers, NY; where I spent my teen years. I visited them by bus after school a few times to play some pinball, but it was when I was 16 and got my driver's license and started borrowing my folks car, that I started chowing down on Nathan's dogs on a regular basis. These are griddled dogs, fat, crisp and browned outside, and juicy. They set my standard for what a dog should be. I finally came to realize that the best part is the Nathan's mustard. Over time it has become my favorite mustard of all. I try many, my fridge is full of literally dozens of jars, but the only one I buy time and again is Nathan's.
My favorite way to have Nathan's dogs is to grab two and a small fries. The fries are fat, crinkle cut wedges that are crispy outside, fluffy inside, and the perfect complement to the dogs. At Nathan's you have a condiment bar stocked with mustard, ketchup, relish, and sauerkraut so you can help yourself and design your own dog. The sauerkraut is fresh, crunchy, tart n' tangy. I load down the dogs with mustard and kraut, fill a few small paper cups with ketchup and mustard for the fries, and dig in. First a huge bite of frank, then dip a fry first in the Nathan's spicy mustard, then a dip in the Heinz ketchup as well. A great flavor combo where they balance each other out magnificently, with a root beer to wash it all down.
Chocolate-stuffed bananas on the grill
Tyler Florence welcomes new daughter
Beware kids' menus!
