Food Articles
Blessed Art Thou Who Eat Buffalo Wings (FoodArticles)Posted 2 March, 2006 by PAF-News By Eric Vinje, Cosmic Chile
http://www.cosmicchile.com/
We can thank Mother Teressa for Buffalo chicken wings. No, no, no. Not that Mother Theresa, the nun known for helping the poor and dying in India.
This Mother Teressa hailed from Buffalo. She is the patron saint of those who crave a hot, flavorful snack also known as Buffalo Wings - those spicy chicken wings that come with celery sticks and Bleu Cheese dressing.
While most people agree on when Buffalo Wings were created - 1964 - and where - The Anchor Bar, then owned by Teressa and Frank Bellisimo in Buffalo, NY - there are several different versions on how buffalo wings came into being.
The most popular story has Teressa making Buffalo chicken wings as a late night snack for her son Dominic and his friends. She was just about to make chicken stock with a bunch of wings and instead turned them into a snack by broiling them and then sprinkling them with hot sauce and serving them with some celery sticks off the bar's antipasto plates and using the bar's bleu cheese dressing as a garnish.
Teressa, her husband and her son have since gone on to their final rewards, but Dominic told Calvin Trillin a different version, which Trillin wrote up in the New Yorker magazine in the 1980s. In Dominic's version, he wanted to do something for his patrons on a Friday night. Many of the folks in the bar were Catholic and back in the 1960s couldn't eat meat on Fridays. So Dominic asked his mom, Teressa, to devise a snack, which she did, then served it at midnight when the meat fast was over.
Teressa's husband Frank told yet another version of the tale. In this one, the bar got a delivery of chicken wings instead of the backs and necks needed to make the bar's spaghetti sauce. The chicken wings were cheap - back in 1964 they cost five cents per pound - and Teressa ended up creating buffalo wings because of the wrong delivery.
No matter how they were created, buffalo wings today mean unbreaded chicken wings, deep fried and coated in a cayenne pepper sauce to which butter and vinegar have been added. Many restaurants serve different "heat" levels for buffalo wings including mild, medium, hot and suicidal. The more butter added to the sauce the less spicy it is. Unless they make their own, most restaurants and bars use cayenne hot sauces as the base for their spicy buffalo wing sauce.
According to buffalo wing ordering protocol, a "single" order is 10 wings, a "double" is 20 and a "triple" is 30. They can also be ordered by the "bucket" in quantities of 50 or more.
To this day you can still visit the Anchor Bar in Buffalo and order up some buffalo wings. (Nearby Duff's just outside of the Buffalo City limits is also known to have great Buffalo wings.) Reportedly, many celebrities and politicians including Vice President Mondale, First Lady Hillary Clinton and Los Angeles Dodgers Coach Tommy Lasorda, have all ordered buffalo wings from the Anchor Bar when in the upstate New York birthplace of the Buffalo chicken wings.
Buffalo chicken wings are also a staple at many bars and restaurant chains including Hooters, TGIFs, Bennigans and so on. Many pizzerias including Dominos and Pizza Hut have them on the menu. Even KFC - formerly Kentucky Fried Chicken - has gotten into the game. Many serve traditional Buffalo wings, but there are many derivations, including some with Asian soy sauce or other non-spicy marinades. 
Wine is What To Serve with Spicy Food (FoodArticles)Posted 2 March, 2006 by PAF-News By Eric Vinje, Cosmic Chile
http://www.cosmicchile.com/
You don't have to forgo wine while eating a hot ethnic dish. The rules around wine and spicy food have relaxed. It used to be that people would drink anything but wine while eating a hot curry or a spicy chicken jerk. But now even connoisseurs of good taste like “Food and Wine” magazine are featuring stories on what wine to serve with which spicy dish. Below are several strategies for figuring out what wine to drink with spicy food and which types of wines should be avoided if you're having a spicy meal tonight.
Seek out low-alcohol, fruity white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or rose. These won't compete with your food and, instead, will act as a foil and a good back-drop.
Avoid high-alcoholic, tannic reds or high-powered whites like an “oaky” Chardonnay. A big wine will battle with your hot food in a taste war and you won't be a winner in this fight. In addition, the spice in the food will make tannins in a strong red wine more pronounced and will make an okay oaky wine taste too oaky.
Try a slightly sweet wine to offset the spice in your food. Off-dry whites such as Rieslings and Chenin Blancs (as well as many sweeter roses) will balance well with hot dishes.
Pair a spicy dish with a spicy wine. Some wine sommeliers recommend spicy red wines like Zinfandels or Rhones which can blend with the spice in your dish. This is particularly true for red meat dishes.
Forget subtle wines which will be knocked out by the flavor in your hot food. If nothing else, a hot dish will numb your taste buds making it difficult to really take in the subtle flavor of a mellow wine.
When in doubt, head for the bubbles. Champagne or other sparkling wines will contrast favorably with a hot dish. The acidity of the wine will balance the alkanity of the capsaicin in your dish.
How to Grow Your Own Chillies (FoodArticles)Posted 2 March, 2006 by PAF-News By Eric Vinje, Cosmic Chile
http://www.cosmicchile.com
If you’re an aficionado of hot sauce and salsa, chances are you’ve thought of growing your own chile peppers. You’re not alone. More backyard farmers are growing peppers. According to Colorado State University (CSU), cultivating peppers is second only to growing tomatoes in terms of popularity. CSU cites two reasons for the surge in chile pepper cultivation: the hundred of varieties available and the fact that peppers are prolific producers.
If you’ve successfully grown tomatoes, you can grow hot peppers. They require similar care and conditions. Here are some tips on how to grow the chile peppers that you love.
Warmer is better both for hot sauces and for growing conditions. Hot peppers crave warmth. Ideally they need temperatures between 60 degrees Fahrenheit (at night) and around 80 degrees Fahrenheit (during the day.) They don’t do well when the temperature dips below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. They germinate at soil temperatures of 75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures of more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit during flowering can result in the plant’s blossoms falling off and affecting yields. (A shortage of water can also diminish your crop.) In areas where warmth is a problem, consider growing them indoors and then transplanting outdoors once the threat of frost is past. When starting plants, also consider using a heating pad to keep the soil warm. Keeping a plastic cover over your soil until your seeds sprout is another good idea. If you live in the northern latitudes of the United States like Cosmic Chile, which is based in chilly Bozeman, Montana, consider keeping your pepper plants indoors, growing them in a cold frame or cultivating them indoors in either a sun room or in a greenhouse. Remember to cover your plants if the temperature dips below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Picking planting time. The Chile Pepper Institute of New Mexico State University recommends starting seeds indoors about eight to 10 weeks before the last expected frost in your area. Generally that will mean starting plants in mid-May to late June.
Matching your climate to the right pepper. According to eHow.com, if you live North of United States Department of Agriculture Zone 4, you’ll get better results with short-season varieties such as Long Slim, Hungarian Wax and Gypsy. The Ohio State University Horticulture and Crop Science department also recommends Long Red Cayenne and Large Red Cherry for cooler climates. If you’re blessed with hot weather, consider planting peppers with a “TAM” or “NuMex” in their names, eHow.com says. “They’ve been bred to produce well in very high temperatures,” the web site notes. Regardless of what variety you choose, look for disease and insect free plants.
What about water? While chile pepper plants don’t need a lot of water and dislike soggy water-logged soil, they do need moist soil to thrive. A shortage of water at bloom time can result in blossom drop or a failure to “set” fruit.
Soil wars. Chile peppers prefer well-drained, sandy or silt-loam soil. Soil should be moist, not wet, when planting. Before planting your chile peppers, enrich the soil with manure or compost. Most peppers prefer soils with a pH range of between 6.0 to 8.5. Also consider dusting your planting surface with a fine layer of Epsom salts and work it into the soil. According to eHow.com, the Epsom salts will provide magnesium “which peppers need for good development.”
No shocks to the system. If you start plants indoors, get them adjusted to outdoor temperatures slowly. Don’t just plunk them in soil outdoors. Instead, let them sit outside in their containers for ever longer lengths of time so they can acclimate to the great outdoors and its cooler temperatures. Start the acclimation process about two weeks prior to planting in the garden. Try to avoid root damage when transplanting from containers to soil. Soil should be at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit before transferring plants outdoors.
A site for hot chiles. Choose a garden site that gets full sun and has well-drained soil. Raised beds are a good idea since chile papers need warm soil and air to thrive. Plant your peppers 18 inches apart with rows three feet apart, according to CSU.
Perfect planting. Provide support for varieties that grow to more than a foot tall. Also keep different varieties apart. Not that they’ll squabble, but peppers crossbreed easily so if you’re growing a hot variety as well as some bell peppers keep them far apart (at least 900 feet apart) or put in a buffer plant. If you plant sweet and hot peppers too close together, your bell peppers may end up being hotter than you want and your hot peppers may be more like lukewarm peppers. If you are using seeds that are older than a year, sow more plants to ensure a good crop and then thin if necessary.
Controlling pests. Ohio State University recommends controlling weeds by hand-pulling or shallow cultivation to avoid injury to the plant roots. To avoid your plants becoming diseased, properly space plants and water sufficiently and early in the day so leaves dry quickly. Growers also have to be on the look out for aphids which may carry viral diseases that can infect pepper plants. European Corn Borers are a special threat since they can drill small holes near the pepper’s steam and cause internal fruit rot.
When to pick a pepper? Start picking hot peppers when they’re still green if you want a milder flavor or for use in salads, relishes or stuffing. For full-throttle heat and flavor wait until they’ve turned their final color. Be careful when picking peppers as their branches are usually brittle. Hand clippers or pruners can be a good choice in order to avoid excessive branch breakage. Once you’ve picked a pepper, it will only last one to two weeks. Keep picked peppers in the fridge under cool, moist conditions to increase shelf life.
Follow these tips and you’ll have your pick of peppers from your own garden.
The Care and Storage of Seeds
The good news is that pepper seeds are the “geezers” of the plant world. They are known for their longevity and can be fertile for five years or more. That said, the better you care for them, the longer they will live and be fertile.
When it comes to seeds, first bought should be used first. Try to plant seeds within a year of purchase. Don’t hoard different varieties. Instead plant and then harvest seeds at the end of the growing season to use the following year. If you buy plants from a supplier, check the date on the packet. The package directions should indicate when the seeds were packed and should also give a deadline for when they should be used.
Store seeds in a dry and cool place. For example, put them in an airtight container and then keep that container in your refrigerator. You can also try putting silica gel packets, powdered milk or even dry rice in with them to keep humidity levels low. When you’re ready to use your seeds, let them warm up inside the storage container before opening. (This will minimize condensation on the inside of the container or on the seeds themselves.)
Where to Buy Seeds and Supplies
The web is well populated with hot chile pepper seed purveyors. Here are some sites to get you started on your quest to grow your own. Most of these give some interesting background on the peppers, where they are suitable to be grown and, perhaps most important, most list how hot they are:
http://www.PlanetNatural.com. Your online garden supply store offering organic fertilizers, natural pest control, organic gardening equipment and more. Everything you’ll ever need to grow chile peppers...indoors or out!
http://www.Burpee.com. The mother of all seed sites, Burpee offers reliability, a well-recognized name and a decent selection (around 22 varieties) of hot peppers including the Hot Pepper Biker Billy Hybrid which Burpee bills as “A blazingly hot jalapeno – the hottest we have ever tasted.”
http://www.ChocolateHabanero.com. Name the chile pepper and you’ll probably find it on this site, including its namesake the Chocolate Habanero which is known as being “very” hot even for a habanero. In addition to a full line of habanero peppers, this site also stocks the Naga Jolokia Pepper which comes from India and is also known by its Indian military designation of PC-1 and the rare Yatsufusa Pepper, a Japanese variety.
Pepper Joe’s at http://www.pepperjoe.com. This web site proudly displays kudos from newspaper sites such as the “Los Angeles Daily News,” “The Philadelphia Inquirer” and “The Arizona Daily Star.” It features drawings rather than actual pictures of peppers, but it has an interesting assortment, which includes the Bulgarian Carrot – so named because it looks remarkably like a carrot – as well as the Tazmanian Habanero and the Yellow Jellybean. The site designates “organic” peppers.
Hot Sauce History 101 (FoodArticles)Posted 2 March, 2006 by PAF-News By Eric Vinje, Cosmic Chile
http://www.cosmicchile.com
Things may be heating up for hot sauces, but they’ve been around since humans first realized they could eat peppers. Bottles containing hot sauce have been recovered from archaeological digs as well as shipwrecks, according to “The Hot Sauce Bible,” The Crossing Press, 1996.
We have had a long love affair with hot sauces in the United States. Advertisements for cayenne sauces appeared in Massachusetts newspapers as early as 1807, according to some reports. In 1849, England’s Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce was first imported into the United States from Great Britain.
Many of the first homegrown hot sauces in the United States came from the South. Cajun cuisine and other fiery ethnic foods fueled the drive to make hot sauces.
One of the first mass manufactured domestic hot sauces was Edmund McIlhenny’s Tabasco® Brand Pepper Sauce, which came on the market in 1868 and is still made today. According to McIlhenny “family lore,” Edmund first bottled his Tabasco® sauce in recycled cologne bottles. The McIlhenny Company has trademarked “Tabasco,” which is why it’s the only Tabasco sauce on the market today. (Although it is trademarked by McIlhenny, Tabasco actual refers to a geographic and political region in Mexico – where the Tabasco pepper was said to originate.) Similar sauces can note they are made with Tabasco peppers, but can only be known at “hot sauce.” In addition, the McIlhenny Company is so proud of its heritage that it is opening a museum in 2006 in New Orleans.
McIlhenny’s initial success also spawned a raft of imitators particularly in the roaring 1920s including Trappey’s Hot Sauce (made by B.F. Trappey, an ex-McIlhenny employee) as well as Crystal Hot Sauce, according to Linda Stradley’s Whatscookingamerica.com web site. Jacob Frank started selling Frank’sTM RedhotTM Cayenne Pepper Sauce in 1920 and it was this hot sauce that French’s, the current owner of Frank’s Redhot Cayenne Pepper Sauce, proclaims as the “secret ingredient” in the original Buffalo Wings concocted in 1964 by Teresa Bellissimo at the Anchor Bar and Grill in Buffalo, NY. All three of these sauces are continued to be made and sold today.
Some hot sauces didn’t tickle the palate of consumers. Heinz, the condiment company based in Pittsburgh, produced a Tabasco Pepper sauce, but it failed to compete with McIlhenny’s original and was eventually taken out of production. Other early America hot sauces included a “Chilli Sauce” from E.R. Durkee & Company, which continues today as a spice and condiment company.
Like it spicy? ... Try MUSTARD! Find out more... (FoodArticles)Posted 25 July, 2002 by PAF-News The Main Mustard Ingredient
The main ingredient for any mustard is mustard seeds. There are white, yellow, brown and black seeds which come from the mustard plant. The most commonly found is the creamy yellow type, which is the least pungent. The brown type (or Indian mustard) is stronger in flavour, while the black mustard seed is the most powerful of all.
Whole mustard seeds have a pleasant nutty bite to them and can be used to add piquancy to salad dressing and hot sauces. They are especially good when served with fish, chicken and pork and are also delicious added to creamy potato salad, pickles and chutneys.
If you are new to using mustard seeds(especially the two hotter varieties) try with discretion to begin with, increasing the amount as you become more familiar with the flavours.
Dry mustard can be used as it is in cooking, or it may be mixed to a paste with a little warm water. Once mixed it should be left at least 10 minutes to allow time for the flavours to develop. It is only when the powder is mixed with a liquid that the essential oils are released, giving mustard its pungency and sensation of heat.
Types of Mustard
The variety of ready-prepared mustards come in a bewildering number of mouth-watering flavours. These can be made from milled mustard flour or from coarsely crushed seed (the proportions of which vary depending on the type). Some are mixed with vinegar, others with grape juice or wine (and sometimes beer), and often contain various spices, herbs and seasonings, such as honey and horseradish.
English mustard is made from the yellow seed processed with black seeds, wheat flour and turmeric.
German mustard, which is mild and sweet-flavoured, is a mixture of brown and white mustard flour moistened with vinegar and flavoured with various spices.
The mild-flavoured American mustard, popular with children, generally uses only yellow mustard seeds with the addition of sugar, vinegar and salt.
Dijon mustard is made from milled, husked black seeds, flavoured with wine and spices.
The pungent and spicy grainy types of mustard are a mixture of whole, crushed black and yellow seeds with additional flavourings added for individuality.
Mustards of all types can be used to great effect, not only as a condiment, but also as a culinary ingredient. They add bite and piquancy to all types of savory dishes from scrambled eggs, sauces and dressings to barbecued food, soups, casseroles and cheesy biscuits.
Interesting and fun uses of potatoes (FoodArticles)Posted 9 July, 2002 by PAF-News The Incas used to use potatoes for healing:
- Raw slices placed on broken bones to promote healing.
- Carried to prevent rheumatism
- Eaten with other foods to prevent indigestion.
Various folk remedies use potatoes to:
- Treat facial blemishes by washing you face daily with cool potato juice.
- Treat frostbite or sunburn by applying raw grated potato or potato juice to the affected area.
- Help a toothache by carrying a potato in your pocket.
- Ease a sore throat by putting a slice of baked potato in a stocking and tying it around your throat.
- Ease aches and pains by rubbing the affected area with the water potatoes have been boiled in.
Some of the most famous potato dishes we enjoy today were created by mistake Collinet, chef for French King Louis Phillipe (reign 1830-1848) unintentionally created soufflés (or puffed) potatoes by plunging already fried potatoes into extremely hot oil to reheat them when the King arrived late for dinner one night. To the chef's surprise and the king's delight, the potatoes puffed up like little balloons.
In 1853 railroad magnate Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt complained that his potatoes were cut too thick and sent them back to the kitchen at a fashionable resort in Saratoga Springs, NY. To spite his haughty guest, Chef George Crum sliced some potatoes paper thin, fried them in hot oil, salted and served them. To everyone's surprise, Vanderbilt loved his "Saratoga Crunch Chips," and potato chips have been popular ever since.
Source: Potatohelp.com
Why are sardines so popular? (FoodArticles)Posted 5 July, 2002 by PAF-News Did you know that sardines are some of the most valued fish around the world?
The fact itself is surprising judging by the size of the fish and how many of them there are in the sea, but it's true nonetheless.
Sardines live together in large schools in temperate marine areas. They are known for living in schools numbering in the thousands. mostly in areas like the European, Australian, South African, Californian, and Chilean coasts. Sardines will only grow to about six or eight inches in length.
Why are they so popular?
Sardines are known as a delicacy to many worldwide. Because they are so desired in many parts of the world, sardines are netted thousands of them at a time. They are then cleaned up and shipped worldwide.
Sardines, especially when canned, are an extremely good source of Calcium.
Sardines are also desired as sources of food for other animals. Sardines are fed to dolphins, sharks, and other large fish that are held in captivity.
Sardines are also known as a source of oil extracted from their greasy body and as a ground fertilizer.
The main fact is that sardines are some of the few fish that have so many uses, which explains their high desirebility.
Asparagus - Choosing, Storage and Cooking Tips (FoodArticles)Posted 21 April, 2002 by PAF-News Buying Asparagus:
Green asparagus is the most common variety compared with the costly, imported white and the newly-developed red varieties. When buying asparagus, make sure they have firm, unblemished stalks with tightly closed tips. Stalk thickness is a matter of preference - thin stalks have a grassy, young taste and the thick - a bit more succulent.
Asparagus are available from March through June, although imported asparagus may be found all year round.
Storage:
To store asparagus - refrigerate, upright, in a container of water. If space is a problem, wrap bottom of stalks in a damp paper towel and seal in a plastic bag in the refrigerator up to four days.
Quantity and Nutrition:
1 pound is about 15 stalks
1 pound, trimmed and peeled equals 3 cups
1 serving is 1/2 pound
Asparagus are rich in vitamin A and C.
1 cup has 35 calories.
Cooking Tips:
When cooking, please note that asparagus stalks have an outer fibrous membrane that should be removed with a vegetable peeler before cooking. Snap off tough ends of stalks before cooking.
Cook in salted boiling water for three to four minutes or steam for five to six minutes.
What are ...Tapas? One aspect of Spanish Cuisine (FoodArticles)Posted 8 April, 2002 by PAF-News Originally, and in some bars today, tapas were served, which were simply a few olives or almonds. In some places a selection of cheeses, sausages, serrano ham were served as tapas, often free to accompany the drink before the main meal.
But nowadays, more restaurants serve tapas which are more or less any hot or cold dish that can be served in small portions, so a meal is made up of lots of smaller dishes.
Tapas are typically displayed along the length of the counter of a bar or café to be ordered in a group, or individually. A selection of tapas is ideal for an interesting informal meal, and they are also great for a any party, buffet, picnic or barbecue.
Most can be made quickly and easily. Many can be made in advance and served at room temperature. Others are partly prepared and then finished at the last minute before serving.
Typical ingredients for tapas include - olives, pickled fish, schrimps, octopus, sausages, ham, mushrooms, peppers, aubergines.
How old is ... the cheese? A bit of history... (FoodArticles)Posted 1 March, 2002 by PAF-News History of Cheese and Cheesemaking
According to most resources cheese was first made in the Middle East. The earliest type was a form of sour milk, which was discovered when domesticated animals were milked.
According to a legend, cheese was 'discovered' by an unknown Arab nomad. He is said to have filled a saddlebag with milk to sustain him on a journey across the desert by horse. After several hours riding he stopped to quench his thirst, only to find that the milk had separated into a pale watery liquid and solid white lumps. Because the saddlebag, which was made from the stomach of a young animal, contained a coagulating enzyme known as rennin, the milk had been effectively separated into curds and whey by the combination of the rennin, the hot sun and the galloping motions of the horse. The nomad, unconcerned with technical details, found the whey drinkable and the curds edible.
Cheese was known to the ancient Sumerians four thousand years before the birth of Christ. The ancient Greeks credited Aristaeus, a son of Apollo and Cyrene, with its discovery; it is mentioned in the Old Testament.
In the Roman era cheesemaking was done with skill and knowledge and reached a high standard. By this time the ripening process had been developed and it was known that various treatments and conditions under storage resulted in different flavours and characteristics.
The larger Roman houses had a separate cheese kitchen, the caseale, and also special areas where cheese could be matured. In large towns home-made cheese could be taken to a special centre to be smoked. Cheese was served on the tables of the nobility and travelled to the far corners of the Roman Empire as a regular part of the rations of the legions.
During the Middle Ages, monks became innovators and developers and so contributed to the many classic varieties of cheese marketed today. During the Renaissance period cheese suffered a drop in popularity, being considered unhealthy, but it regained favour by the nineteenth century, the period that saw the start of the move from farm to factory production.
Source: "The Cheese Book," by Richard Widcome. Chartwell Books (Seacaucus, NJ), 1978, and various other resources
Seafood Marinade (FoodArticles)Posted 1 February, 2002 by PAF-News Marinades are commonly used with seafood because they enrich the flesh helping to retain its moisture during cooking - over the intense heat of a charcoal fire, frying or baking. At the same time marinades add lots of flavour.
Marinade recipes can include so many different ingredients - coconut milk, citrus juices, herbs, wine, curry powder, even crushed raspberries. The addition of oil or melted butter helps conserve the moisture and succulence of the fish as it cooks.
In general, any marinade should include an acid ingredient (wine, citrus juice, yogurt, vinegar, spirits), a fatty ingredient (oil, butter, coconut milk) and flavourings (spices, herbs, fruit, garlic, mustard).
You could play around with favourite ingredients and create your own unique marinades.
Cast Iron Pans - Do you know all you need to ...? (FoodArticles)Posted 11 January, 2002 by PAF-News I recently purchased a cast iron pan because I've heard and read there is nothing better than food prepared in a cast iron pan. Apparently Mexican dishes, such as fajitas, sausages, eggs and few other dishes taste so much better compared to had they been cooked in a traditional cookware. Of course, it depends on the individual taste.
Because I like facts, I did a little more research to find more about cast iron cookware.
Why Cast Iron?
There are several reasons that people rave about cast iron cookware. It is not only an ideal heat conductor, but it heats evenly and consistently. In addition - it is inexpensive, and will last a lifetime with the proper care. When seasoned, a cast iron pan will be stick resistent and provide delectable meals every time.
Seasoning the Pan
When you season cast iron, you are embedding grease in to the pores of the cookware. Without proper seasoning, cast iron will rust after coming in contact with water. To season your cookware, first warm your pan, then rub a thin layer of oil all over the the surface of the pan, inside and out. Lay the pan upside down inside a 350 degree oven. Most cookware manufacturers suggest heating the pan for one hour, while some cooks suggest up to 4-5 hours for just the right amount of seasoning. This way, the oil will turn in to a non-sticky, hard coating. Allow the pan to cool overnight as it will be quite hot. Seasoning should also be repeated after each use.
Using Your Cast Iron Pan
The most important bit is to preheat your pan to the correct temperature. I read about a very interesting way to check this:
- Water droplets should sizzle, then roll and hop around the pan, when dropped on to the heated surface.
- If water drops disappear immediately after being dropped, the pan is too hot and will surely burn your food.
- If water only bubbles, the pan is not quite hot enough.
Caring For Your Cookware
Simply wash with hot water and detergent and avoid using hard brushes. Be sure to dry it thoroughly immediately after washing, as cast iron is prone to rust. Seasoning your cookware after each use is a must to retain the quality and life of the pan.
Advantages of Cast Iron
Very durable.
Improves with age.
Food has more flavour.
Good heat conductor, heats evenly and quickly.
Inexpensive.
Last a lifetime with minimal or no damage.
Disadvantages of Cast Iron
Very heavy - so take care when lifting.
The bother of repeated seasoning.
Not dishwasher safe.
After all, I thought the disadvantage of weight and repeated seasoning was too much bother - I've only used my cast iron pan once, and my steak burned so the taste wasn't improved at all. Perhaps I need to give it another go ... ?!?!
Parmesan or Parmegiano Reggiano (FoodArticles)Posted 7 December, 2001 by PAF-News There are many Parmesan cheeses, made all over the world, but did you know there is only one Parmigiano-Reggiano?
Although more expensive than the usual parmesan, this granular textured cheese whose processing method hasn't changed in the last 700 years, is usually aged for 2 years. If the parmesan is labeled 'stravecchio' then is aged 3 years, 'stravecchiones' has been aged for 4 years.
Two reasons why Parmigiano-Reggiano has better taste and consistency:
- The flavour of the milk which comes from cows with strictly controlled diets;
- When Parmigiano-Reggiano is made, strict cheese production methods, which haven't changed for centuries, are followed;
Only fresh milk, rennet, and salt are allowed in the dairy. However, in 1984 the laws changed to allow the entire years production be branded Parmigiano-Reggiano. Prior to 1984, only the cheese produced between April and November could be labeled such.
Banana Mad? Can't do without it? Read some interesting facts ... (FoodArticles)Posted 19 November, 2001 by PAF-News Don't you love bananas? I DO! I have one every day.
And I was really pleased when I found out that bananas are actually VERY good for one's health.
So.......
Bit of History
The banana is mentioned for the first time in history in buddhist texts 600 years BC. Alexander the Great discovers the taste of the banana in the Indian valleys in 327 BC . The existence of banana plantations could be found in China back in the year 200 AD. In 650 AD, Islamic conquerors brought the banana back to Palestine. The Arabic merchants finally spread the bananas all over Africa.
Only in 1502 the Portuguese start the first banana plantation in the Caribbean and in central America.
Nutri facts
The banana is a highly nourishing fruit, contains NO fat, and because if its digestive properties, you can eat a banana at any time of the day. Someone told me once to avoid eating a banana before going to bed, as they usually release all the energy an hour or so later, while you will be fast asleep, so, if you are watching your weight, obviously this isn't a good thing to do - because the banana holds 23% of hydrocarbonate for 0,2% of fat. The cholesterol level is 0,00%; but best of all, 100 grams of banana provides you with the same low calories as 100 grams of yoghurt with fruit.
The banana is full of proteins , and the sugar provided gives a lot of energy to those practising sports requiring endurance. Also bananas contain magnesium, selenium, iron, a lot of vitamines, and is recommended for salt-free diets because of its low contents in sodium chloridium.
How do they grow'em?
The banana plant is not a tree, but a giant plant of the same family as lilies, orchids and palms.
There are about 400 varieties of bananas.
The rhizome is planted and gives a first shoot 3 or 4 weeks later. After 9 to 10 months a bud hangs on the plant. Few days after that, the bud turns red and starts opening. Very soon after, the leafs who covered it fall down and a couple of days later, the first banana hands can be seen.
Few more facts
The word banana is derivated from the Arabic meaning 'finger'.
Each banana stem consists of 10 to 14 hands each of them carrying from 18 to 20 bananas.
The harvest starts when the banana is still green.
Bananas for domestic consumption are cut green.
They can stay green only for about 3 weeks after they are picked.
Carefully washed, cut into smaller bunches, called 'clusters', they are then packed in carton boxes, and transported by refridgerated ships.
Love Potatoes? Get the facts ... (FoodArticles)Posted 13 November, 2001 by PAF-News Selecting potatoes
Potatoes should be fairly clean, firm and smooth with a regular shape so there won't be too much waste in peeling.
Avoid potatoes with wilted, wrinkled skin, soft dark areas, cut surfaces or with a green appearance.
Choose potatoes of uniform size for even cooking.
Storing potatoes
Store potatoes in a cool, dry, dark place that's well ventilated. The ideal temperatures are 45 to 50 degrees F.
At 45 to 50 degrees F potatoes will keep well for several weeks. It is not recommended to store potatoes at temperatures over 50F for more than a week.
Warmer temperatures encourage sprouting and shriveling. (Sprouting potatoes can still be used but there will be some waste. Simply remove sprouts and peel before cooking.)
Avoid prolonged exposure to light which causes potatoes to turn green. This green area should be pared off before the potato is used.
Don't refrigerate potatoes, otherwise they will develop a sweet taste, the result of an accumulation of sugars in the tubers. This increased sugar will cause the potato to darken when cooked.
How much do I need
Due to the many variables, such as moisture content, size and variety, it is impossible to give specific recommendations.
Approximate recommendations:
1 pound fresh potatoes equals:
about 3 medium potatoes
3 cups peeled and sliced
2-1/2 cups peeled and diced
2 cups mashed
2 cups french fries
1 bushel equals 60 pounds and fills 18-22 quarts
2 pounds medium potatoes equals about 6 servings potato salad (1 potato per serving)
Nutrition
Potatoes are a good source of vitamins. A medium-size potato provides 1/3 the vitamin C recommended daily for an average adult. Potatoes also supply thiamin, niacin, iron, carbohydrates and small amounts of vegetable protein.
Potatoes are low in sodium, virtually fat free and easy to digest. They are highly acceptable in almost any diet.
Preparation Tips:
Gently scrub potatoes with vegetable brush or cellulose sponge to clean.
Leaving skin on potatoes during cooking is an excellent way to conserve their nutrients (unless potatoes have sprouted - see section on storage).
If potatoes are peeled before cooking, use a vegetable parer, keeping peelings as thin as possible, since some of the potato's nutrients are found close to the skin.
Cooking Tips
Potatoes retain nutrients better if cooked whole. However, they may be halved, sliced or diced before cooking if shorter cooking time is desired.
Peeled potatoes turn dark if not cooked right away. To protect their whiteness, toss them with ascorbic acid mixture or a little lemon juice.
Prolonged soaking potatoes in cold water is not recommended as it can result in some vitamin loss.
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