Tag Archives: Culinary

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:   

Salt

By | |
Leave a comment
Salt

Can you pass the salt, please?

  • ‘Salt’ is also known as ‘table salt’, ‘common salt’, and ‘sodium chloride’, and depending on where it was sourced, ‘rock salt’  or ‘sea salt’.
  • Salt is a chemical mineral that is produced in saltwater lakes, rivers and seas (sea salt), and it can also be found in the sedimentary layers of dried-up lakes, or ‘halite’ as the mineral is called (rock salt), from where it is mined.
  • Salt is made of the elements sodium and chlorine, and when combined they make ‘sodium chloride’ or ‘NaCl’.
  • Salt is an important ingredient in a balanced diet and in human health, although the recommended daily intake is no more than a teaspoonful, or 4 g (0.14 oz), but most people who eat processed food, will consume much more than that each day.
  • Too much salt can increase the risk of heart disease or the risk of stroke, as well as increase blood pressure and can cause other health issues.

Salt, cubic, ground, white, three types, medium, large, Ten Random facts, Seasoning, Australia

  • Salt can be used as a food preserver, and was commonly used for this purpose before refrigerators were invented and before canning became popular.
  • Salt is typically small, white or clear coloured cubes, that may be tinted purple, blue or other colours due to contaminants.
  • In history, salt was a vital commodity, and essential to many communities’ survival, due to the need to preserve food to get through winter and bad seasons, and for this reason it has been used as money, and at one stage, was worth as much as gold.
  • Table salt is a popular addition to processed foods and is a popular seasoning.
  • Out of the total salt production on earth, only 6% is consumed by humans, while 68% is used in manufacturing processes, which includes the making of plastics, detergents and soaps, and numerous other products.

 

Bibliography:
Salt, 2011, Better Health Channel, http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Salt
Salt, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt

Amazon:     

Vegetable Peeler

By | |
1 Comment
Vegetable Peeler

What would you do without a vegetable peeler?

  • ‘Vegetable peelers’ are also known as ‘potato peelers’ and ‘peelers’.
  • Vegetable peelers are a kitchen utensil, typically used to peel the skin off fruit and vegetables.
  • A vegetable peeler is typically a steel blade with a handle, that is usually made from wood, steel or plastic, some of which have ergonomic features.
  • The handles of vegetable peelers generally are straight, ‘C-shaped’,  ‘U-shaped’ or ‘Y-shaped’, with the straight peeler more like a knife, the C-shaped is like the letter C with a handle, the Y-shaped like a safety razor, and the U-shaped similar but shaped like a ‘U’ rather than a ‘Y’.
  • A vegetable peeler blade usually has a slot, that has one side that is sharp to peel the food, and the other side stops the blade digging into the food as you peel it.

Vegetable Peeler, Potato, Y-Shaped, Swivel, Stick, Long, Blade, Blunt, Steel, Plastic, Green, Yellow, Blue, Ten Random Facts

  • Vegetable peelers have been reinvented hundreds of times in history with numerous patents taken out for various styles, and in the 1800s alone, 500 peeler inventions were patented.
  • Some industrial vegetable peelers have rubber bumps that peel the skin off potatoes or other round foods.
  • Most vegetable peelers have a sharp point or other feature to remove the eyes from potatoes or gouge out other unwanted parts of the food.
  • Many vegetable peelers has a swivel blade, which allows more flexibility for following the curves of the food, making it easier to use.
  • Blunt vegetable peeler blades are more dangerous as they slip easier than sharp blades.
Bibliography:
How do I choose the best vegetable peeler?, 2013, WiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.com/how-do-i-choose-the-best-vegetable-peeler.htm
Peeler, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peeler

Amazon:     

Alfalfa Sprouts

By | |
3 Comments
Alfalfa Sprouts

Sprout the facts like alfalfa sprouts.

  • ‘Alfalfa sprouts’ are also known as ‘lucerne sprouts’ and their scientific name is Medicago sativa.
  • Alfalfa sprouts belong to the family Fabaceae, which is the family of legumes, beans and peas, and are thought to be native to Iran.
  • Alfalfa sprouts start as brown seeds that germinate, within 1-2 days after watering, and the shoots, white with tiny green leaves, are ready to eat after 3 to 5 days.
  • Alfalfa sprouts are sprouted alfalfa or lucerne seeds and are easily grown at home in a jar, or special sprout grower.
  • Alfalfa sprouts are high in vitamin K and also contain other beneficial nutrients.

Alfalfa Sprout, Green, Shout, Bundle, Handful, Plate, Focused, White, Green, Ten Random Facts, Legume, Australia

  • In 2006, the total world production of alfalfa was 395 million tonnes (436 million tons) in weight.
  • Traditionally, alfalfa was used medicinally, although no significant medical properties have been discovered, although consuming significant quantities of alfalfa sprouts may lead to autoimmune type disorders in some people.
  • Alfalfa is the most common legume grown in the world, mostly grown as stock feed.
  • Raw alfalfa sprouts can contain bad bacteria, particularly salmonella, although this can generally be avoided if they are kept in the fridge and thoroughly washed before eating.
  • Alfalfa spouts are commonly used as a sandwich filling or salad addition.

 

Bibliography:
Alfalfa, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfalfa
Smith M, Are Alfalfa Sprouts Safe to Eat?, 2010, Food Safety, http://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/sprouts.html

Amazon:     

Mayonnaise

By | |
Leave a comment
Mayonnaise

No salad is complete without mayonnaise.

  • ‘Mayonnaise’ is also known as ‘mayo’, and became popular in France, eventually spreading to many countries throughout the world.
  • Mayonnaise is typically a condiment that has a thick, creamy texture, and is generally made of egg yolk, oil and an acidic solution such as vinegar or lemon juice.
  • Mayonnaise is usually white, cream or white-yellow in colour, and sometimes includes whole eggs, rather than just the yolk.
  • Mayonnaise is often used as a base ingredient in other condiments, a common sauce being Thousand Island dressing, which is mayo usually mixed with tomato sauce and a few other ingredients.
  • It is not certain who invented mayonnaise, or when or where, but it is considered a Spanish or French concoction, with its origin between the 15th to the 18th centuries.

mayonnaise, condiment, bowl, blue, Ten Random Facts

  • Mayonnaise is high in vitamin K and E and has a high fat content, reaching up to 85% fat in some formulas.
  • Mayonnaise became commercially available and popular in the United States in the early 1900s.
  • Raw egg was traditionally used in mayonnaise, but is now less frequently used due to possible food poisoning from salmonella bacteria.
  • Mayonnaise is often used in or on salads, as well as dressings, sandwiches and dip.
  • It is said that mayonnaise has a number of unusual uses that includes applying it like shampoo conditioner, using it for sunburn relief, and for treating head lice.
Bibliography:
Mayonnaise, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayonnaise
What are Some Uses of Mayonnaise?, 2013, WiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-some-uses-for-mayonnaise.htm

Amazon:      

Pumpkin (Winter Squash)

By | |
Leave a comment
Pumpkin (Winter Squash)

Pumpkin… a versatile vegetable.

  • Pumpkins are also known as ‘winter squash’ depending on where you live, and are part of the Cucurbita genus, which also includes gourds and summer squash.
  • Pumpkins are typically roundish-flat with indented stripes, have thick skins that allows them to be stored longer than summer squash, and generally deep orange to strong yellow, but sometimes red, green, greenish blue, cream or white, in colour.
  • Pumpkins are from the family Cucurbitaceae, which is the family of gourds, and are mostly native to Central America, especially Mexico.
  • Pumpkins are generally eaten cooked, and can be served as a cooked vegetable, or be made into soup, puree, baked goods like bread, or a sweet pie.
  • Pumpkins are commonly carved, and lighted, to make Jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween, or made into pie for Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States.

Pumpkin, multiple, Orange, Spherical, Seven, Box,Ten Random Facts, Halloween, Australia

  • Pumpkins grown on large vines, usually on the ground, and once a fruit has matured it will generally weigh between 2.7 to 8.2 kilograms (6 to 18 pounds), depending on the species.
  • ‘Pumpkin’ came from the word ‘pepon’, meaning ‘large melon’ in Greek.
  • Pumpkin weighing competitions are common across the globe, with a world record set in 2012 for the heaviest pumpkin ever grown, being 911.3 kilograms (2009 pounds) in mass, and was grown by Ron Wallace from Rhode Island, United States.
  • Pumpkins are made up of approximately 90% water and are extremely high in vitamin A, and a good source of vitamin C.
  • The flowers of pumpkin plants are sometimes eaten, and the seeds are commonly consumed as a snack, and they can also be ground into meal or flour and used in baking.
Bibliography:
Curcubita, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucurbita
Pumpkins, n.d, Hospitality Services Group, http://www.hsgpurchasing.com/Articles/pumpkin.htm

Amazon:     

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...