Almond paste is marzipan’s firmer, ever-so-slightly less malleable cousin. For most of your decorating projects, you can substitute one for the other. However, in baking, if your recipe calls for almond paste, you will need to use it instead of the marzipan. Almond paste is a blend of ground almonds, confectioner’s sugar and corn syrup. …
DetailsSweeteners do more than sweeten: They promote tenderness in cakes and cookies, activate yeast, preserve, accelerate browning, and stabilize whipped egg whites. In general, liquid sweeteners can replace white sugar in baked goods, but they may have distinctive flavors, plus they’ll brown faster. For each cup of liquid sweetener you use, reduce the other liquid…
DetailsAlmond Paste: Almond paste is marzipan’s firmer, ever-so-slightly less malleable cousin. For most of your decorating projects, you can substitute one for the other. However, in baking, if your recipe calls for almond paste, you will need to use it instead of the marzipan. Almond paste is a blend of ground almonds, confectioner’s sugar and corn…
Details
Avocado is derived from the Aztec word “ahuacatl” and are native to Mexico and Central America European sailors on their way to the new world used avocados in place of butter and many people use it today much the same way as the European sailors did. The avocado is also known by the name “alligator…
Details
The state fruit of Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina, (these natives of North-West China) are among the most popular fruits grown in the United States. There are two main varieties: clingstones, which are most often canned, and freestones, which are easier to pit. Yellow peaches have a nice acidic tang coupled with sweetness; peaches with…
Details
What Plantains are not just another banana, they are savory and delicious when green, sweet and luscious when ripe, making this versatile Caribbean staple so much more. Often called “cooking” bananas because they can’t be eaten raw, plantains are the larger, starchier, and more versatile cousin of the common supermarket banana. They are also…
Details
Rhubarb is often called the “pie plant” for its most common culinary use; rhubarb is a vegetable from the buckwheat and garden sorrel family. This tart stalk was most often used for medicinal purposes until the 17th century, when the sugar needed to temper its bite became readily available in England. Rhubarb root produces a rich…
Details
Well it’s summer and, I as well as the majority of us are excited about being outdoors. We have been cooped up all year and we can’t wait to get ourselves outdoors, to plant a vegetable garden, to take a walk at dusk or to entertain family and friends n the sun or to gather…
Details
It’s the summer season and everyone loves and wants to cook outdoors. It’s fun and relaxing and a great way to spend time with family and friends. There a few safety tips to keep in mind when cooking outdoors. Remember you are always cooking with fire. When lighting a gas grill, always keep the lid…
Details
The Latin name for the bay tree comes from laurus, meaning “laurel,” and nobilis, meaning “famous.” In Roman and Greek times we find the winners of death-defying sports such as chariot races crowned with a wreath of bay leaves, in the same way as victorious soldiers. The terms “poet laureate” and “baccalaureate” come from the…
Details
The name basil is derived from the old Greek word basilikohn phyton, which means “Kingly herb”. The belief was that basil’s fragrance was so pleasing it was fit for a king’s house. Basil is still considered the king of herbs by many esteemed gardeners and cooks. In India basil was considered an icon of hospitality,…
DetailsPronunciation AH-nees or a-NEES Background: A Mediterranean plant, pimpinella anisum, of the parsley family, having loose umbrels of small yellowish-white flowers that yield aniseed. It is native to the east Mediterranean, Egypt, and the Levant. Anise has been used since the fourteenth century for culinary and medicinal uses. The Romans used anise to help with…
Details
Although allspice sounds like it’s a variety of spices it is not. It comes from a single berry from the Jamaican bay berry tree. When allspice trees are in bloom with their clusters of tiny white flowers, the warm, clove-like perfume in the air is one of the beautiful aromas imaginable. Also named Jamaica pepper,…
DetailsI have found that once I set my mind to making a dish i will. There have been on a few occasions where I found that I don’t always have all the ingredients required to make the dish I set out to make. I am hoping that the substitutions here, will help you in a…
DetailsThere have been on many many occasions where I need to convert a Swedish recipe to English, or vice verse and always I had to Google it to find the conversion. Many times I had to go to several sites to get all the measurements. It’s important to have the right measurements when baking. Here…
Details
When buying eggs your choices involve size, grade, color, conventional or organic. Size: Eggs are sold by total weight per dozen, not the size of individual eggs which may vary within a single dozen. Size Minimum Weight per dozen Jumbo 30 ounces Extra large 27 ounces Large 24 ounces Medium 21 ounces Small 18 ounces…
Details
Lemons remind us all of things fresh and sparkling. The best flavor and the most juice will come from small, round or oval smooth-skinned lemons. Store lemons at room temperature and you will obtain more juice from them. If you are not using them for a while you can also freeze them. Get the Best…
Details
Background Nutmeg, one of the spices that bring Christmas and the Holidays to life, whether it’s in an eggnog, cookies, cakes to main dishes people the world over have loved this valued spice. The English word Nutmeg comes from the Latin nux meaning nut and muscat, meaning musky. To gaze on a humble nutmeg today,…
Details
Saffron (pronounced saf-ruh-n) Background The first reference to the cultivation of saffron dates back to around 2300 BCE, in a palace of Minoan Crete. Alexander the Great discovered it growing in Kashmir in 326 BCE even though it was not indigenous to the region. Saffron was valued as a spice and a dye and for…
Details
De glazing by definition means to remove browned food particles leftover from sautéing various food items typically with wine, water, or stock. It removes the” fond” French word for “bottom” or “foundation” like the little pieces leftover from cooking; and adds flavor to your sauces or gravies. The flavor of the pan sauce is determined…
Details