Monthly Archives: February 2018

The smallest member of the onion family, Chives resemble hollow little blades of grass and taste of delicate, mild onions. Chives’ distinctive smell and taste is derived from a volatile oil, rich in sulphur and common to the onion family, but milder and more subtle in chives. Chives are native to Asia and Europe, andContinue reading “CHIVES”

Chervil. Maximilian Stock Ltd./Getty Images Chervil (pronounced SHER-vil) is a delicate culinary herb used frequently in French cuisine. It is a member of the parsley family with a mild flavor. This spring herb is often used in egg dishes. It is sometimes called French parsley. Chervil is native to the Caucasus region of Eastern Europe and wasContinue reading “CHERVIL”

According to the American Pie Council, the pie came to America with the first English settlers.  The early colonists cooked their pies in long narrow pans calling them “coffyns” like the crust in England. As in the Roman times, the early American pie crusts often were not eaten, but just designed to hold the fillingContinue reading “CHERRY PIE DAY!!”

This holiday has been set aside for all the chocolate mint lovers to eat their favorite treats all day long.  Who are we kidding…we eat chocolate mint treats all YEAR long. 🙂 The Aztecs and Mayans are given much credit for their ways with chocolate, and while chocolate was brought back to Europeans, they wereContinue reading “CHOCOLATE MINT DAY!!!”

Celery seed has a strong celery flavor without the crunch or bulk of the vegetable, and gives off a faint hint of spiciness.  Related to the vegetable celery, the little brown celery seed comes from a different kind of celery plant, Apium graveolens.  Modern-day French cuisine often incorporates celery seed, as does Cajun cuisine. PhotoContinue reading “CELERY SEED”

Tortellini are ring-shaped pasta, sometimes also described as “navel shaped”, hence their alternative name of “belly button”. They are typically stuffed with a mix of meat or cheese. Orgin:  Emilia-Romagna, Italy Legend claims that Tortellini was inspired by the goddess Venus’ navel. An Italian medieval legend tells how Venus and Zeus, weary one night after theirContinue reading “TORTELLINI DAY!!!”

Bay leaf, also called laurel leaf, leaf of the sweet bay tree, Laurus nobilis, an evergreen of the family Lauraceae, indigenous to countries bordering the Mediterranean. A popular spice used in pickling and marinating and to flavor stews, stuffings, and fish, bay leaves are delicately fragrant but have a bitter taste. They contain approximately 2 percent essential oil, theContinue reading “BAY LEAVES”