It Must be from Modena A Bit of History: Reading the ingredient list on the balsamic vinegar label, I wondered what exactly is grape must? Quite simply, grape must consists of freshly crushed grape juice, stems, and skins. Storing reduced grape must in wooden barrels eventually yields a beautiful, dark, and flavorful balsamic vinegar. Evidence…
La Dolce Vita A Bit of History: I love cooking with fresh rosemary, the smell is intoxicating and reminds me of Italy. Maybe that’s why rosemary symbolizes love and remembrance? Ancient Greeks and Romans often utilized rosemary. I particularly like the story of Greek scholars who donned a rosemary wreath to improve memories during academic…
Flying Purple Pasta Eaters A Bit of History: While cooking my Easy Italian Vegetable Soup, I can’t stop the 1950s song the Flying Purple People Eater from running through my brain! Especially since my kids started singing a modified version, aptly titled, the Flying Purple Pasta Eaters, after they saw the soup. The wonderful color…
“Secret’s In the Sauce…” A Bit of History: Every time I hear the words green tomato, my mind immediately recalls the 1991 movie Fried Green Tomatoes with Kathy Bates. Set in Alabama, the main characters operate a small cafe near a railroad, where they specialize in serving fried green tomatoes. While this movie contains many…
Not Just for the Fish… A Bit of History Traditional Romesco sauce hails from the Catalonia region of Spain, known as Tarragona. Originally, fisherman concocted this sauce to accompany their daily catch. Using a mortar and pestle, the locals ground stale bread, almonds or hazelnuts, roasted tomatoes, garlic, and Nyroa red peppers with olive oil….
Not Quite but More than Enough… A Bit of History Back in my Beantown days, I had the pleasure of eating at the Union Oyster House. This Bostonian landmark boasts a unique historical distinction as the oldest restaurant in the USA serving patrons since 1826. On a cold winter’s day in February, just before another…
Monkey Heads & Lion’s Manes…Vegan Mushroom Paella with Chorizo A Bit of History When it comes to naming vegetables, mushroom species definitely take the win for creativity and variation. Common mushroom names conjure up great visual images! In this version of vegan mushroom paella with chorizo, I chose Lion’s Mane mushrooms. Due to their strange…
The Nutty Pumpkin… A Bit of History Kabocha squash, a type of Japanese winter squash, is commonly grown in Japan, Thailand, Hawaii, Mexico, and parts of the USA. While scientists believe that most squashes originated in North and South America, Kabocha made its way to Asia and Europe via explorers in the 1500s. Often referred…
Lion’s Mane Buffalo Burgers… A Bit of History My curiosity peaked, while developing this recipe for Lion’s Mane Buffalo Burgers, as to how buffalo sauce acquired its name. Evidently, the name has absolutely nothing to do with buffalo or bison meat of any sort. The sauce made its debut at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo,…
A Golden Chalice with a Side of Gentleman’s Relish… A Bit of History: Whenever I hear the word “chalice,” I envision Harrison Ford portraying Indiana Jones. In The Last Crusade, Indy must correctly choose the Holy Grail from an assortment of cups and chalices. After a suspenseful moment, the guardian knight announces, “you have chosen…