Month: February 2018
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CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE DAY!!!!
A soufflé [su.fle]) is a baked egg-based dish which originated in early eighteenth century France. It is made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites combined with various other ingredients and served as a savory main dish or sweetened as a dessert. FIVE THINGS TO KNOW: Supposedly, the first recipe for soufflé appeared in Vincent La Chapelle’s Le…
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DILL
Known as Anethum graveolens, dill is a relative to parsley and celery, though it is the sole species of its genus. The thin, feathery green leaves become the aromatic herb called dill weed (or dillweed), and the oval flat seeds the more pungent spice referred to as dill seed. It is native to the eastern Mediterranean…
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NATIONAL PISTACHIO DAY!!!
The pistachio tree is native to western Asia, from Syria to the Caucasus and Afghanistan. Archaeological evidence in Turkey indicate the nuts were being used for food as early as 7,000 B.C. The pistachio was introduced to Italy from Syria early in the first century A.D. Subsequently its cultivation spread to other Mediterranean countries. The…
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CUMIN
Cumin (pronounced “KYOO-min”) is a spice made from the dried seed of a plant known as Cuminum cyminum, which is a member of the parsley family. Cumin is commonly used in Mexican, Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines, among many others. Cumin is an ancient spice grown in Egypt and the Middle East. It has been found in…
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NATIONAL CHILI DAY!!!
Photo by: Anna Hattauer Most historians agree that the earliest written description of chili came from J.C. Clopper, who lived near Houston. While his description never mentions the word chili this is what he wrote of his visit to San Antonio in 1828: “When they [poor families of San Antonio] have to lay for their…
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CILANTRO/CORIANDER
If you’ve ever attended a dinner party featuring ethnic cuisine, you’ve undoubtedly sampled coriander. For a small green plant, coriander — or Coriandrum Sativum to call it by its scientific term — has made quite a name for itself. A member of the parsley family, both the plant and its fruit are featured extensively in Asian, Latin,…
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MARGARITA DAY!!!
“Wasted away again in Margaritaville…” ~ Jimmy Buffet The Margarita is said to be the most common tequila based cocktail served in the United States. Five things to know about Margaritas! The original recipe for the Margarita is equal parts tequila, orange liquor and lime, served in a salt-rimmed glass over ice. It has been…
Culinary Chick 