Category Archives: Culinary

Food Hamper

By | | ,
Leave a comment
Food Hamper

Food to last you a week: a food hamper.

  • Food hampers are typically a basket, bag or box of food, but the contents are not restricted to food items, and are often given as gifts in the United Kingdom, Australia, and other western countries.
  • A ‘hamper’, derived from the old French word ‘hanepier’, meaning ‘a case for goblets’, in British English, means ‘a basket for food’.
  • Food hampers were traditionally a wicker basket full of items, and baskets were used because they were a lighter weight material than other options, like wood, available at the time.
  • Food hampers are often given as a gift to family or friends, or by businesses to their workers, although historically they were often given to those who were poor, or under financial difficulty, and this is often still the case.
  • Food hampers are usually given to the recipient in person, even if to a stranger; so this generally limits the size of the hamper.

Food Hamper, Christmas, Wicker Basket, Pudding, Chocolate, Sweets, Ten Random facts, Gift ideas

  • Shops typically sell custom or ready-made food hampers, particularly during occasions such as Christmas.
  • Food hampers are commonly given away as competition prizes, particularly raffles or competitions hosted by retailers.
  • Throughout history, food hampers were commonly given by the rich, to the workers of the household, as well as to those in need.
  • It is said that food hampers originated in France, and by the 1100s they were seen in England, but they only became popular for gift giving in the mid to late 18oos.
  • Popular edible additions to food hampers include wine, occasion-related foodstuff, crackers, coffee, chocolate, lollies or other long-lasting items.
Bibliography:
Hamper, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamper
Hurst M, The History behind Christmas Hampers, n.d, Christmas Spirit, http://christmasspirit.soup.io/post/251403767/The-history-behind-Christmas-hampers

Amazon:      

Pfeffernüsse

By | | ,
Leave a comment
Pfeffernüsse

Delicious pfeffernüsse cookies, perfect for Christmas.

  • Pfeffernüsse are cookies that are made of flour, sugar and spices, often pepper, and sometimes ground nuts.
  • Pfeffernüsse are generally believed to be of German origin, although some people believe they are a Dutch cookie known as ‘pepernoten’, however, a number of Scandinavian countries have their own recipes of a similar named and tasting cookie, which is probably the main cause for confusion.
  • ‘Pfeffernüsse’ are also known as ‘peppernødders’, ‘pfeffernusse’, ‘peppernuts’ and ‘pebernødder’.
  • Pfeffernüsse are popularly and traditionally eaten during holidays, particularly at Christmas or during the Christmas season.
  • Pfeffernüsse were traditionally eaten at special feasts in Germany, Netherlands and Belgiums on the 5 and 6 of December, and are similar to the German ‘lebkuchen’, a type of gingerbread.

Pfeffernusse, Christmas Cookies, Peppernut, Ginger, Pepper, White, Brown, Broken, Oval, Snow, Ten Random Facts, treat, Aldi

  • Pfeffernüsse are sometimes bitter due to the spice combination, so are often coated in powdered sugar (icing sugar).
  • Pfeffernüsse are traditionally very hard and firm once cooked, so they are typically dunked in liquid prior to consuming.
  • Pfeffernüsse are typically ginger-coloured, with a snowy white coating, and home made cookies are best left to develop their flavours and soften for a few days before being eaten.
  • Pfeffernüsse are among the biscuits with the least amount of fat, as they generally lack butter and oil, although recipes vary greatly, and some do use butter.
  • Pfeffernüsse are generally shaped as round balls or drops, and can be often purchased from supermarkets and other shops, although these are usually soft cookies.
Bibliography:
Pfeffernüsse, 2012, The Chic Brûlée, http://thechicbrulee.com/2012/11/30/pfeffernusse/
Pfeffernüsse, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pfeffernusse

Amazon:     

Fruitcake

By | | ,
1 Comment
Fruitcake

Fruitcake may sound healthy… But it has lots of sugar!

  • Fruitcake is typically made of dried and/or candied fruit, with added spices, flour, sugar, egg, butter, and often nuts.
  • ‘Fruitcake’ is also known as ‘fruit cake’, ‘Christmas cake’ and ‘black cake’.
  • Fruitcake is a cake that is commonly eaten during the Christmas season or at weddings, and sometimes at other occasions including special anniversaries.
  • Fruitcake, in some countries, is covered with icing, or marzipan, or eaten with cream or similar, while many countries eat it plain.
  • Fruitcake started to become popular during Ancient Rome, where preserved fruit was made into a cake with other ingredients.

Fruitcake, Christmas cake, Sultana, Fruit, Slice, Ten Random Facts, Dessert, Food,

  • Many countries of the Commonwealth cook dark brown coloured fruit cakes, known as ‘traditional fruit cakes’, that emphasize the use of nuts and fruit, and light fruit cakes are sometimes baked in these and other countries.
  • Some Christmas cake recipes use alcohol, like rum, brandy or whiskey, to enhance the flavour and extend the shelf-life of the cake.
  • Fruitcake has been used as a tossing item in competitions, particularly in the tossing tournament in the US’s Colorado.
  • Once candied fruit was being produced in the 1500s, fruit cake became more common and cheaper.
  • Fruitcake can be preserved for over 20 years with the use of alcohol, even without refrigeration, and has been used by soldiers due to its long shelf life.
Bibliography:
Douglas J, Ultimate Guide to Fruitcake, 2013, TLC, http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/menus/fruitcake1.htm
Fruitcake, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruitcake

Amazon:     

Sausage

By | |
Leave a comment
Sausage

Will these sausage facts make you lose your appetite?

  • Sausages are edible food products typically made of encased ground meat and often include seasonings, and thousands of years ago were originally used as a way to preserve meat, typically with salt.
  • Sausage casings were first made using cleaned intestines and hollow stomachs from the animals that were killed for their meat – generally sheep, cows, goats and pigs although other animals have been used.
  • ‘Sausage’ comes from the old French word ‘saussiche’, which has its origin in the Latin word ‘salsus’, which means ‘salted’.
  • Modern sausage casings are often manmade and the options include cellulose, collagen and plastic, although plastic casings are not usually used due to health concerns.
  • Sausage varieties can be made with different methods of salting, cooking, drying and smoking, or they can be raw and are edible due to a fermentation process.

Sausage, Long, Uncooked, Raw, Pink, Beef, Pile, Meat, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Some countries in Europe are the home of thousands of different sausage varieties that range in size, shape, taste, or other attributes.
  • Sausages can be made without a casing, and can be made vegetarian, with nuts, soya products, vegetables and tofu, and include ingredients that hold the sausage together when cooked.
  • Sausages generally have a significant fat content that makes up 20 to 50 percent of its weight, and they usually need at least 20% fat to stay moist after cooking.
  • Sausages are called many different names, depending on their method of production and their ingredients, and they include ‘hot dogs’, ‘salami’, ‘saveloys’, ‘pepperoni’, ‘bratwurst’, ‘cabanossi’ and many others.
  • Sausage casings are generally filled with meat, and then twisted at intervals to section off the big long casing tube, often into the size of an individual portion.
Bibliography:
Sausage, 2003, Encyclopedia.com, http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/sausage.aspx
Sausage, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sausage

Amazon:     

Peach

By | |
Leave a comment
Peach

Everything’s peaches!

  • Peaches are from the genus of cherries and plums, Prunus, and the family of roses, Rosaceae, and they typically have white, yellow or orange coloured flesh, with skin that is generally red or yellow.
  • Peaches are furry and feel like velvet, unlike nectarines that are the same species and are technically fuzz-less peaches, even though they are sold as two different fruits.
  • Peaches grow on deciduous trees with the scientific name Prunis persica, that grow to be 4 to 10 metres (13 to 33 feet) in height.
  • Peaches are stone fruits that have one seed that is 1.3 to 2 centimetres (0.5 to 0.8 inches) long, that is encased in a larger, hard, grooved shell.
  • The word ‘peach’ comes from the French word ‘pêche’, and the scientific name of peaches suggests the fruit comes from Persia, however, it is believed that the fruit is native to China.

Peach

  • Peaches often need to be eaten within two weeks after picking, as they continue to ripen after picking and they can spoil easily.
  • China was the biggest producer of peaches in 2011, producing just over half of the total world’s production of 21.5 million tonnes (24 million tons).
  • Peaches contain significant amounts of fibre, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C, with many smaller quantities of many other minerals and vitamins.
  • A peach can be either a ‘clingstone’ or a ‘freestone’, meaning that the flesh either ‘clings’ to the stone (seed case), or easily comes free from the stone, respectively.
  • Peaches can be eaten raw, canned, dried, cooked, used in baked goods, and made into sauces, and the juices and oil of a peach can be used as a moisturiser.
Bibliography:
Peach, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peach
Peaches, 2011, Fresh for Kids, http://www.freshforkids.com.au/fruit_pages/peach/peach.html

Amazon:   

Corn Flakes

By | |
Leave a comment
Corn Flakes

Pour a bowl of corn flakes.

  • Corn flakes are a breakfast cereal made primarily of corn and sugar.
  • Corn flakes were invented by the Kellogg brothers, John H Kellogg and Will K Kellogg, and their flaked cereals were first patented on 14 April 1896.
  • In the 1890s, in the United States, the famous Kellogg brothers took stale cooked wheat, rolled them into flakes and recooked them, which was a successful turn of events, and so other grains were experimented with, being cooked in a similar manner, which led to the invention of corn flakes.
  • Corn flakes are typically flakes that are orange-yellow in colour, have a crunchy texture, and soften with milk which is usually served in a bowl with the cereal.
  • The mascot of Kellogg’s corn flakes is commonly a rooster, while Sanitarium’s corn flakes has a kangaroo as a mascot.

Cornflakes, homebrand, Ten Random Facts, Cereal, Corn, Flakes, Australia

  • Corn flakes were first produced by Kellogg’s, but now there are numerous brands of corn flakes, including Sanitarium, generic brands, and gluten free brands.
  • Corn flakes are generally high in iron, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, thiamin, niacin and other vitamins.
  • In the 1920s, corn flakes were introduced to Australia, and became so popular that they have been manufactured there ever since.
  • Corn flakes were first sold publicly in 1906, and in 1909, a booklet was given as a bonus if  two boxes were purchased, with the offer lasting for over two decades.
  • Corn flakes can be found as a component in other packaged cereals, and made into snacks such as bars, cookies, or ‘honey joys’.
Bibliography:
Cornflakes, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_flakes
Kellogg’s Cornflakes, 2005, The Great Idea Finder, http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/kelloggcf.htm

Amazon:   

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...