Rapini is one of those great vegetables that is both familiar and exotic. It resembles a young, tender broccoli and has a freshness that is hard to resist. Often times it is sold with the edible … [more]
The condiment Vegeta originated in Croatia and is also popular in Poland. It a great all around spice, but do not use too much as it has a strong flavor. The ingredients of include: dehydrated … [more]
Chipotle chili is a smoked jalapeno chili. This chili is known for its earthy spiciness and almost chocolaty flavor. It is a key ingredient in Mexican cuisine with close to one-fifth of the national … [more]
An Italian delicacy with a smooth creamy texture is made by mixing cream with lemon juice. Traditionally the curdled mixture is hung up in cheesecloth to drain. More often than not commercially … [more]
Cointreau is a premium brandy-based orange liqueur that is central ingredient in a wide range of cocktails from Margaritas to Sidecars . Cointreau liqueur was invented in 1875 by Edouard Cointreau … [more]
Haricot vert is simply French for green (haricot) and bean (vert). In English speaking countries dwarf french beans are often sold as haricot vert. These dwarfs have long thin pods which are picked … [more]
Grades of Vermont Maple syrup (U.S.) Vermont Fancy (AAA) • Light Amber color, delicate maple bouquet • Delightfully mild maple flavor, excellent on ice cream or on foods which permit its subtle … [more]
Karo syrup is a line of corn syrups widely available in the United States. First introduced in May of 1903 by the Corn Products Refining Company of New York and Chicago. Until that time the grocery … [more]
Both the plant (stalks and leaves) and the seeds of this aromatic plant are used in cooking. The herb originates from the Mediterranean and is now widely cultivated throughout the world. And with … [more]
Groundnut is another name for peanuts. You can find the groundnut paste, which is not as sweet as regular peanut butter, in health food stores. Although called a nut, groundnuts are actually a … [more]
This edible fruit of the passion flower has a delightfully sweet acidic flavor. The orange yellow flesh contains small but edible crunchy black seeds. For many dishes such as passion fruit sorbet and … [more]
When cooked, the flesh of this creamy yellow winter squash separates into golden spaghetti-like strands. For a nice variation, these strands can be served with tomato sauce as if it were pasta. … [more]
This sweet and juicy pear is not only beautiful, but delicious as well. The Bartlett has a large bell shape and a yellowish green skin. Although is was developed in England in the 17th century by a … [more]
ColoRouge is available from the MouCo Cheese Company (www.mouco.com). It is a natural rind cheese that is mostly redish-orange in color with a slight white hazing. It starts with pasteurized whole … [more]
Still don’t know how much Turkey is enough? A general guideline is to allow ¾ to 1 pound of uncooked turkey (of course you will cook it before you serve it to your guest) per person (based … [more]
Miso is a bean paste that is a key ingredient to Japanese cuisine. Made from fermented soybean, it falls into three basic categories, barley miso, rice miso and soybean miso. [more]
Mirin is essential to Japanese cooking. It is a golden-colored wine made from glutinous rice. It adds sweetness to a dish. Typically, it is briefly boiled to burn off the alcohol. [more]
Star anise is similar in flavor to anise. It is a star-shaped (hence the name), dark brown pod which contains a seed in each of its segments. The pod is crushed to release its flavor. It is widely … [more]
This is also known as brown cardamom and gets its distinctive, smoky flavor from being dried over open flames. Because its flavor is very different to the more commonly used Indian cardamom, one … [more]