With Miso Glazed Butternut Squash Sandwich & Roasted Garlic Spread La Habana Ooh Na Na! A Bit of History: Habanero peppers take their name from Havana (La Habana), Cuba. According to many sources, the spicy peppers exited the Port of Havana on trading vessels. While, habaneros do not play an important role in Cuban cuisine,…
It Ends in a Gift Shop… A Bit of History: In previous posts, we discussed the history of sweet potatoes and BBQ sauce, therefore, today I decided to explore another ingredient. Since, a mustard-based sauce adds flavor and binds my Ultimate Veggie BBQ Burgers, it is the perfect focal point. While the Romans first used…
You Can’t Beet These… A Bit of History: Back in the early 1970s, a “veggie burger” indicated a meat patty topped with a few token vegetables. However, in the early 1980s, changes appeared on the culinary horizon. While disputes rage over who deserves credit for the first veggie burger. Both the Smithsonian Magazine and Wikipedia,…
Frankly Speaking… A Bit of History: A bit of a debate rages about the origins of sausages, which of course are a precursor to processed hot dogs. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council site credits Homer’s Odyssey with mentioning sausages, thus dating them back to the 9th BC. On the other hand, historians credit…
“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…
Circling Back… A Bit of History Gyro, a popular street food, in Greek, Turkish, and Arab cultures takes its name from the Greek word gyro meaning to circle or turn. Aptly named, traditional gyros contain meats such as beef, lamb and pork cooked on a vertical, oscillating rotisserie. Inspired by the wonderful spices and flavors…
Top Ten Lists… A Bit of History The BLT, (classic bacon, lettuce, and tomato), consistently ranks in the top 10 list for popular sandwiches in the USA. In addition, BLT sandwiches celebrate their own national month in April. In 2019, BLT sandwiches claimed the second spot just behind the grilled cheese. However, since then, BLTs…
The House of Orange… A Bit of History Wild carrots sport colors of white or yellow, did you ever wonder why we typically consume orange ones? Over thousands of years of domestication, carrots evolved from a bitter, pale, root into a sweeter, orange version with more beta-carotene compared to their wild cousins. This turned out…
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,…
For Lisa.. A Nightstand Worthy Sandwich… A Bit of History: As a college student, my dormitory mates and I always looked forward to Thursday night TV. On Thursdays, new episodes of Friends, Seinfeld, and ER would air. We would all gather in Lisa’s room to enjoy our favorite episodes of “shows about nothing.” While working…