Category Archives: Culinary

Yorkshire Pudding

By | |
Leave a comment
Yorkshire Pudding

When do you enjoy a Yorkshire pudding?

  • Yorkshire pudding is a flour-based culinary dish that has been commonly eaten in Great Britain in Europe.
  • Yorkshire pudding is typically made of a batter of eggs, flour and a liquid, commonly milk or water, or a combination of the two, and it is traditionally cooked in fat.
  • ‘Yorkshire pudding’ is a ‘batter pudding’, and it is also known as ‘dripping pudding’ due to it being originally cooked in dripping, a fat from meat, and it is believed to have originated in northern England.
  • Most often, Yorkshire puddings are served as a side with a main meal of roast beef, or other roasted meat, although they can be served as an entrée, a main meal in themselves, or even dessert.
  • There is evidence of a recipe of a Yorkshire pudding that was published in 1737, in the book The Whole Duty of a Woman, and it is one of the earliest known written records of the pudding.
Yorkshire Pudding, Wheat, Pile, Food, Culinary, Ten Random Facts, Trivia
Yorkshire Puddings
Image courtesy of Sam Greenhalgh/Flickr
  • Yorkshire puddings are often tall and have a puffy texture, while the early versions where quite flat in comparison.
  • Hannah Glasse, who wrote the book The Art of Cookery made Plain and Easy in 1747, recorded her own version of the Yorkshire pudding.
  • Gravy or other sauces, especially those made for meat or from meat juices, are commonly eaten with Yorkshire pudding.
  • Yorkshire pudding varies in size and shape, although it commonly has a somewhat sunken middle and is often cooked in the oven in small tins for individual serves, that have sides to increase the height of the pudding.
  • Many peasant families ate Yorkshire pudding as the main meal due to its inexpensive nature, and it was usually served with a sauce, often a gravy made from roast meat.
Bibliography:
Challis C, The History of Yorkshire Pudding, 2015, BT, https://home.bt.com/lifestyle/the-history-of-the-yorkshire-pudding-11363958395461
Yorkshire Pudding, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshire_pudding
The Yorkshire Pudding- Where Did It All Begin?, 2014, Yorkshire Pudd, http://www.yorkshirepudd.co.uk/yorkshire-pudding-history/

Amazon:       

Cheddar Cheese

By | |
Leave a comment
Cheddar Cheese

Have you ever seen a mouse nibbling on cheddar cheese?

  • Cheddar cheese, also known as ‘tasty cheese’ and ‘cheddar’, that is also commonly called by the simple term ‘cheese’, is a firm cheese made from cow’s milk, that is highly popular around the globe, and it is commonly purchased in large rectangular blocks.
  • Cheddar cheese is typically a cream colour or a light yellow, and the variants in colour can be a result of the diet of the cows, although the cheese is sometimes coloured yellow-orange, generally due to a colouring agent.
  • The 1100s saw the invention of cheddar cheese, first made in Somerset’s Cheddar, a village in England, Europe, made in caves where cheese maturing conditions were superb.
  • In the 1800s English dairyman Joseph Harding of Somerset devised a modern process to make cheese, especially cheddar cheese, which led him to be named ‘Father of Cheddar’.
  • Cheddar cheese is made like typical cheese – heating the milk curds and whey, although it also includes a process of turning the curds, and adding salt, and the entire cheese-making process takes 3 to 18 months.

Cheddar Cheese, Tasty, Food, Dairy, Culinary, Ten Random Facts, Homebrand,

  • The flavour of cheddar cheese can be sharp, tasty or mild, and the taste varies depending on the length of the maturing process, with the mild version being ready the quickest; and the cheese may also contain spices or other organic items to alter and enhance the taste.
  • In Australia, cheddar cheese is the most commonly eaten cheese, with a share of more than 50% of the market, while in the United States cheddar is the second most popular cheese, behind mozzarella.
  • The United Kingdom produced around 262,000 tonnes (258,000 tons) of cheddar cheese in 2008, while the United States produced roughly 1,467,000 tonnes (1,443,000 tons) in 2010.
  • In 1989, the heaviest cheddar cheese was made by members of the Federation of American Cheese-makers, weighing 25,790 kilograms (56,850 pounds).
  • Cheddar cheese is normally very high in calcium and high in protein, phosphorus, sodium, riboflavin, vitamin A, zinc and selenium, and it is also high in fat, like most cheeses.
Bibliography:
Cheddar, 2011, Saputo, http://saputo.ca/FoodieLounge/Detail.aspx?id=762
Cheddar, 2015, Cheese.com, http://www.cheese.com/cheddar/
Cheddar Cheese, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheddar_cheese
Why is Cheddar Cheese Orange?, 2015, Wonderopolis, http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-is-cheddar-cheese-orange/

Amazon:       

Vinegar

By | |
Leave a comment
Vinegar

Versatile vinegar!

  • Vinegar is an acidic liquid made of water and acetic acid, which has the chemical formula C2H4O2.
  • Vinegar is made by allowing wine, juice or cider to sit exposed to oxygen and aerobic bacteria, and the process can take many months or years, depending on the circumstances, although quick methods can result in the final product in three days.
  • Among the first discoverers of vinegar were the Babylonians in the Middle East, who are said to have used it before or about 5000 BC for its preserving, cleaning and perceived medicinal properties.
  • Vinegar can be made from a variety of substances, including but not limited to barley, rice, palm fruits including coconuts and dates, grapes and apples.
  • In the food industry, vinegar is used to add flavour or as a liquid base, and it is frequently used in condiments like salad dressings, is found in some drinks, is used for pickling particular vegetables, and is sometimes sprinkled onto potato chips or other vegetables.

Vinegar, Assortment, Chinese, Yellow, Black, Glass, Bottles, Culinary, Food, Acid, Ten Random Facts, Trivia

  • Vinegar has been used throughout history to treat ulcers, coughs, fevers, and bacteria, and as a neutraliser for certain jellyfish stings.
  • The acidic nature of vinegar is enough to cause teeth to decay, and remove sticky residue, among other substances, and is often used in conjunction with water to clean items, and the product is also able to kill mould.
  • Vinegar can be used to kill weeds, although a stronger dose may be required to completely destroy some plants, and the liquid can be used for various other purposes in the garden including killing or deterring pests including snails, slugs and ants.
  • Vinegar can vary in colour, and can be brown, deep red, black, yellow or colourless, depending on its origins.
  • There are various methods of producing commercial vinegar, and some produce more acetic acid than others, while bottles of the liquid commonly found in supermarkets usually contain up to 5% of the acid.
Bibliography:
Know how vinegar came into existence, n.d, The Human Touch of Chemistry, http://humantouchofchemistry.com/know-how-vinegar-came-into-existence.htm
Vinegar, 2015, How Products Are Made, http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Vinegar.html
Vinegar, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinegar
Vinegar History, 2015, Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits, http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/vinegar-history.html

Amazon:       

Cottage Pie

By | |
Leave a comment
Cottage Pie

Steaming cottage pie around the candle lit dinner table is a very homey picture.

  • Cottage pie is a pie that usually contains no pastry, and is made of meat filling, normally minced, and topped with potato.
  • ‘Cottage pie’ is also known as ‘shepherd’s pie’, and ‘potato top mince pie’.
  • Cottage pie is usually made with cooked and mashed potato, and cooked ground meat or meat chunks, with the addition of flavouring or sauce ingredients like tomato paste and beef stock.
  • Historically, cooked meat from leftover meals was the most common meat used in cottage pies, and the container the pie was cooked in was often lined with mashed potato.
  • The term ‘cottage pie’ was used in the 1790s and usually referred to a beef version of the dish, while ‘shepherd’s pie’ emerged in the 1870s in reference to a version using lamb or mutton.
Cottage Pie, Shepherd's Pie, Lamb, Trivia, Food, Culinary, Random, Slice, Ten Random Facts
Cottage Pie
Image courtesy of F_A/Flickr
  • European peasants favoured cottage pie as a meal, due to it being economical and its ability to maximise food resources, that is, leftovers.
  • The meat filling of cottage pie often has the addition of mushrooms, or vegetables like peas, carrots, celery, turnips, tomatoes and onion.
  • The 1790s saw an influx in cottage pie, primarily due to the increase in potato availability, and an abundant variety of recipes exist for the dish.
  • Once the cottage pie meat mixture and potato are cooked, the meat is placed in the base of a casserole dish, and spread with a thick layer of mashed potato, and baked in an oven for approximately 30 minutes.
  • Some versions of cottage pie, such as Cumberland, use bread crumbs in addition to potato, while a ‘cowboy pie’ has the addition of baked beans to the meat mixture.
Bibliography:
Cottage Pie, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cottage_pie
Cottage Pie, n.d, Hospitality Info Centre, http://www.hospitalityinfocentre.co.uk/British%20Dishes/Cottage%20Pie.htm
Shepherd’s Pie, n.d, Cook’s Info, http://www.cooksinfo.com/shepherds-pie

Amazon:        

Crème Caramel

By | |
Leave a comment
Crème Caramel

Crème caramel? Bon appétit!

  • Crème caramel is a European dessert known worldwide, and is made primarily of custard and caramel.
  • ‘Crème caramel’ is also known as ‘crema caramella’, ‘flan’, ‘crème renversée’, and ‘caramel pudding’.
  • Typically, to make crème caramel, sugar syrup is made and poured into a ramekin or other container, which is topped with an egg and milk-based custard, and then cooked in an oven in a water bath.
  • ‘Crème caramel’, when translated from French, literally means ‘caramel cream’, and the dessert is often prepared with cream, in addition to the milk.
  • Although very similar to crème brûlée, crème caramel is not the same, with the primary difference being the latter’s caramel’s softness compared to the former’s hard layer of caramel.

Original Vanilla Crème Caramel, Dessert, Food, Culinary, Custard, Sauce, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Crème Caramel
Image courtesy of L.A. Foodie/Flickr
  • Crème caramel is best presented cold, so it is usually refrigerated once cooked and cooled, and then flipped out of the container and presented on a plate with the caramel syrup sitting on top.
  • Fruit, mint, chocolate, or other sauces can be used to garnish crème caramel desserts, and vanilla is often used to flavour the custard mixture during preparation.
  • Crème caramel was popularised by restaurants in the late 1900s due to its relative ease to make and store.
  • While crème caramel is thought by many to be a French dessert, the country of its origin is disputable, and Spain and England also suggest that the dessert originated in their own country.
  • Crème caramel is especially popular after a hot main meal; and variations of the dessert are made in different countries.
Bibliography:
All Time Classic Crème Caramel, n.d, Culinary Flavors, http://culinaryflavors.gr/2014/10/all-time-classic-creme-caramel/
Crème Caramel, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cr%C3%A8me_caramel
What is Crème Caramel?, 2015, wiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-crme-caramel.htm

Amazon:        

French Fries

By | |
Leave a comment
French Fries

French fries have been influenced by the Americans, Belgians, French, British… and the list goes on.

  • French fries are sticks of potato that have been cooked, most often fried in oil, and are popularly eaten across the globe, while those living in Belgium are said to be some of the biggest consumers of the food in the world.
  • ‘French fries’ are also known as ‘chips’, ‘fries’, ‘finger chips’, ‘French fried potatoes’, ‘shoestrings’, ‘frites’ and ‘pommes frites’.
  • French fries are most commonly eaten as a side with a main meal, or as a snack food, and they are very frequently found in fast food outlets, and often accompany burgers or cooked fish.
  • Flavourings, including salt, vinegar, cheese, mayonnaise, ketchup and barbecue sauce, among other sauces, are commonly eaten with French fries.
  • French fries are traditionally coloured a light yellow to a golden colour, and normally are soft internally and crisply shelled.

French Fries, Food, Potato Chips, Crinkle Cut, Homemade, Cooked, Ten Random Facts

  • The country that invented French fries is highly debated, while both France and Belgium in Europe claim the creation is theirs, but whatever the case, there is evidence of their existence as early as 1775.
  • The McDonald’s Corporation has contributed significantly to French fries becoming one of the most popular fast foods in the world, and their original fries originated as simple hand-cut potatoes until the late 1960s, when a transition to factory produced frozen fries occurred.
  • French fries generally range from 0.3 to 1 centimetre (0.12 to 0.4 inches) in thickness, while the length generally varies according to the length of the potato, and they can be curved, straight or wavy in shape.
  • French fries are typically served hot, and they can be purchased ready to eat from fast food outlets, or from supermarkets where they are sold frozen in packets and are ready to be cooked or heated at home.
  • French fries are very high in carbohydrates, fat, and vitamin B6, and they are high in vitamin C, potassium and fibre, as well as acrylamides, a potentially harmful substance that may have negative effects on health.
Bibliography:
French Fries, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_fries
Hiskey D, The History of French Fries, 2010, Today I Found Out, http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/09/the-history-of-french-fries/
Sloam N, Things you didn’t know about French fries, 2014, Fox News, http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/07/17/things-didnt-know-about-french-fries/

Amazon:        

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...