Tag Archives: Culinary

Fairy Bread

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Fairy Bread

No Aussie party is complete without a bit of fairy bread.

  • Fairy bread is a food, generally considered a sweet snack, that is typically bread decorated with a sprinkled topping.
  • Fairy bread is usually made of white buttered bread, topped with hundreds and thousands or other types of sprinkles that stick to the butter or margarine.
  • Most commonly, fairy bread is triangular in shape, and is generally a full bread slice chopped in halves or quarters, however other shapes can be made using a knife or cookie cutters.
  • Parties for children in Australia and New Zealand often have fairy bread as a type of party food, as it is usually popular with children and quick easy to make; while one of the only cafes known to serve fairy bread in 2015, was in Sydney, Australia, and its name was the Parliament on King.
  • Fairy bread is relatively unknown outside of Australia (and New Zealand), where it was invented, and one of the first mentions of sprinkling buttered bread with 100’s and 1000’s was in 1921, as part of an advertisement for Perth’s Plaistowe and Co’s nonpareils, and by the late 1920s and early 1930s the snack was used as a party food.
Fairy Bread, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Sprinkles, Dessert.Party, Australia
  • A poem written by Robert Louis Stevenson, published in 1885, referred to ‘fairy bread’ as a term, and it is believed to be the food’s inspiration, however at least one other author of that era also used the term in their works.
  • In the 1920’s in Australia, ‘fairy bread’ was the name of plain wafer-thin bread that had been dried in an oven; and it was not until the early to mid 1930s that this term was used in reference to the now common buttered bread version.
  • It is thought by some that fairy bread is a variant of the Dutch hagelslag, which is simply a slice of buttered bread with chocolate sprinkles (various flavours now exist) on the top, however, chocolate hagelslag was not invented until 1936.
  • Unlike many bread spreads, stacking pieces of fairy bread on top of each other without pieces sticking together is possible, due to the sprinkles themselves.
  • Fairy bread comes in a variety of colours, stereotypically rainbow, although the bread can be decorated in bright blues, greens, pinks and other colours.
Bibliography:
Fairy Bread, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_bread
Hurst P, Australia, We Need To Talk About Fairy Bread, 2015, Munchies, http://munchies.vice.com/articles/australia-we-need-to-talk-about-fairy-bread
What is Fairy Bread?, 2015, WiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-fairy-bread.htm

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Capsicum

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Capsicum

Capsicums may not by spicy but they certainly help spice up a meal.

  • A capsicum is a species of fruit that is popularly eaten as a vegetable, and is native to tropical areas of North and South America.
  • ‘Capsicums’ are also known  as ‘peppers’, ‘sweet peppers’, and ‘bell peppers’.
  • The scientific name of a common capsicum is Capsicum annum and it is from the family Solanaceae, the family of nightshades.
  • The colour of capsicums ranges greatly, though they are more commonly red, green or yellow in colour, but purple, brown, white and orange varieties are also available.
  • China was the largest producer of capsicums in 2007, with a total production of 14,033,000 tonnes (15,468,700 tons) out of the world total of 26,056,900 tonnes (28,722,800 tons).
Capsicum, Vegetable, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Red, Bell Pepper, Green, Vivid, HealthyCapsicum
Image courtesy of Live4Soccer/Flickr
  • Red capsicums, compared to green, orange and yellow ones, are the sweetest, especially if they are not picked until ripe, while the green coloured fruit are the least sweet and are often just unripened red fruit.
  • It is thought that capsicums where first cultivated around 5000 BC, and the first European to discover the fruit was Christopher Columbus, when he visited the West Indies.
  • Capsicums, or sweet peppers, are unusual in that they do not contain capsaicin, which gives others in the genus of the same name, including chili peppers, a hot spicy flavour.
  • Capsicums are extremely high in vitamin C and high in vitamin A, and depending on the variety, they may also contain significant quantities of vitamins B6 and K, and folate, and they also contain many other vitamins and minerals.
  • Capsicums are eaten both raw and cooked, often as a side vegetable, especially due to the vegetable’s crispiness.
Bibliography:
Bell Pepper, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_pepper
Capsicum, 2011, Fresh For Kids, http://www.freshforkids.com.au/veg_pages/capsicum/capsicum.html
Capsicum, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsicum

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Fennel

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Fennel

Funnelling your throat with fennel is probably not the safest idea.

  • Fennel is an edible perennial plant, which is used as a vegetable, herb and spice.
  • Fennel is believed to be native to the coastal areas of the Mediterranean region, and it has spread across much of Europe, and in some countries around the world, some varieties are considered a weed.
  • The scientific name of the fennel plant is Foeniculum vulgare, and it is from the family Apiaceae, the family of carrots, celery and parsley, and the bulbous variety of the plant is known as ‘Florence fennel’, ‘bulb fennel’, and ‘finocchio’, and has the scientific name Foeniculum vulgare azoricum.
  • The flowers, leaves, seeds, and bulbs of fennel can be eaten, and they are used mostly as a flavouring or spice, while the bulbous ends can be used raw, grilled, steamed, or cooked in other ways.
  • The bulbs of fennel are generally white in colour with a green stalk, while the flowers are coloured yellow, the leaves green, and the seeds brown to green.

Fennel, Food, Vegetable, Vegetation, Ten Random Facts, Trivia, Green, White, Bulbs, Shelf,

  • Fennel seeds can be used to spice up meat, especially fish, as well as egg, while the bulbs are popular in salads or as vegetable sides.
  • The bulb of fennel generally grows to be 8 to 12 centimetres (3 to 5 inches) in diameter, while the seeds reach 0.4 to 1 centimetre (0.15 to 0.4 inches) in length.
  • The smell and taste of fennel is notably similar to that of anise, and the bulb has a crisp texture and the leaves are feathery.
  • The Ancient Greeks considered fennel as a godly food, and it was believed that the vegetable distributed godly knowledge through charcoal in the vegetable’s stalks.
  • Fennel bulbs are very high in vitamin C, and are high in potassium, fibre and manganese, and contain many other vitamins and minerals.

 

Bibliography:
Fennel, 2011, Fresh For Kids, http://www.freshforkids.com.au/veg_pages/fennel/fennel.html
Fennel, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fennel
Fennel, 2015, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=23

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Artichoke

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Artichoke

Artichokes are somewhat a misnomer, though they will certainly choke you if they are swallowed whole!

  • Artichokes are the edible flower buds of a perennial thistle plant, native to the Mediterranean region in Europe, and they are generally considered a vegetable, and eaten as such.
  • The artichoke plant, also known as ‘globe artichoke’, has the scientific name Cynara scolymus and it is from the family Asteraceae, the family of daisies and asters.
  • The rough spherical shape of artichokes is constructed with scales that somewhat resemble diamond shapes, each of which are generally armed with a thorn on the tip.
  • The diameter of artichokes varies between 6 to 14 centimetres (2.4 to 5.5 inches), while the vegetable grows on plants that can reach 1.4 to 2 metres (4.6 to 6.6 feet) in height.
  • The colour of artichokes ranges from green to purple to a mix of both, depending on the variety, and they need to be picked before they flower, because they will become inedible.

Artichoke, Green, Vegetable, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Food, Stalks

  • Egypt was the largest producer of artichokes in 2012, with 387,704 tonnes (427,370 tons) of the world total of 1,634,219 tonnes (1.8 million tons), while Italy was not far behind with 364,871 tonnes (402,201 tons).
  • Artichokes are cooked generally by boiling or steaming, although they can also be baked, grilled and microwaved, and they are popularly eaten with other vegetables or meat, while the scales are often dipped in a sauce or butter.
  • The term ‘artichoke’ comes from the Northern Italian word ‘articiocco’, and originally from the Arabic ‘al-karšūfa’; and the vegetable has been cultivated for thousands of years.
  • Generally artichokes are prepared by snipping off the thorns, and after cooking, the flesh from the scales can be pulled off with one’s teeth, the internal ‘choke’ removed and discarded, and the stalk and internal heart can be readily eaten and are said to be the tastiest sections.
  • Artichokes are very high in fibre, antioxidants, folate and vitamin K, and they contain many other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Artichoke, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artichoke
Artichoke Nutrition Facts, 2015, Nutrition-and-You, http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/artichoke.html
Steele M, How To Use Artichoke, 2015, Jamie Oliver, http://www.jamieoliver.com/news-and-features/features/how-to-use-artichoke/#L3MgDid5A9S9Yb3t.97

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Rolling Pin

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Rolling Pin

Roll out the mix with a rolling pin.

  • Rolling pins are an invention of a cylindrical shape that are generally used to flatten and level out food, most often dough, although they are also commonly used to roll out icing for cake decorating purposes.
  • Sometimes rolling pins have handles attached to both ends of the pin, a long rod, although the handle can be a shaped part of the pin itself.
  • Rolling pins range from 2 to 10 centimetres (0.8 to 4 inches) in diameter, and they can be as small as 12.7 centimetres (5 inches) in length and as long as 51 cm (20 inches).
  • Thinner rolling pins are generally rolled using the palm, while wider rolling pins generally have handles and generally have a greater force behind the push.
  • Rolling pins can be made of plastic, glass, wood, ceramic, steel, marble and silicone; and some are designed to have anti-stick properties.

Rolling Pin, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Invention, Culinary, Assortment, Wooden, Plastic

  • Some rolling pins may be heated or cooled, or filled with warm or cold water, to achieve a better effect when rolling certain foods.
  • It is believed that rolling pins were first used by the Etruscan civilisation in ancient Italy from around 800 BC, and were used to flatten dough.
  • There is a popular stereotype of housewives brandishing a rolling pin as a weapon when angered.
  • One of the first rolling pins to have separately attached handles that moved independently of the pin was patented in 1879, by American Philip Cromer.
  • Some rolling pins have indents or extrusions on the pin surface that imprints designs and patterns into the food.
Bibliography:
Rolling Pin, 2015, How Products Are Made, http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Rolling-Pin.html
Rolling Pin, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_pin

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Prosciutto

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Prosciutto

Only prosecute someone who gives you nasty prosciutto.

  • Prosciutto is a ham that has gone through a dry-curing process, and it is commonly sliced in very thin pieces and generally not cooked before eating.
  • The term ‘prosciutto’ is derived from the Latin words ‘pro’ meaning ‘before’ and ‘exsuctus’ meaning ‘dried up’ or ‘without juice’, which comes from the word ‘exsugere’ meaning ‘to suck out moisture’.
  • Traditionally prosciutto is made of the hind leg or the thigh of pigs or wild boar, although this style of meat can be produced from other animals.
  • The process of making prosciutto generally involves pressing, salting and cleansing the raw meat from blood and other impurities for approximately two months, and then the meat goes through a drying and curing process that typically takes between 12 and 24 months.
  • Prosciutto is popularly eaten with melon, figs and other fruit; bread or bread sticks; wrapped around vegetables like asparagus; or as an addition to other dishes including pasta and pizza.

Prosciutto, Ham, meat, Food, Red, Strips, Green, Platter, Ten Random Facts, Trivia, Rolled

  • Prosciutto is historically an Italian product, and it has been produced in Italy’s city of Parma, from as early as 100 BC.
  • ‘Proscuitto crudo’ is the name for the raw version of the meat, and while the ham is commonly eaten uncooked, if added to other dishes it should only be cooked for short periods of time at low heat, to avoid destroying the flavour and texture.
  • Prosciutto is generally a combination of colours that may include white, pink, peach, orange and red in colour.
  • The sodium content of prosciutto is very high, while the meat is also high in fat and a good source of protein.
  • Sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate are occasionally used in the making of prosciutto, which often enhances the pink and red colours of the ham, however the use of these chemicals is not common in traditionally cured hams, and are absent from those that are produced in protected areas of origin in Italy.
Bibliography:
Ipatenco S, Is Prosciutto Healthy?, 2015, LiveStrong.com, http://www.livestrong.com/article/374315-is-prosciutto-healthy/
Prosciutto, 2015, Life In Italy, http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/prosciutto.asp
Prosciutto, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosciutto

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