Food Quote du Jour

“I am not a glutton – I am an explorer of food”
― Erma Bombeck

Food Quote du Jour

Preserve and treat food as you would your body, remembering that in time food will be your body. ~B.W. Richardson

From The South to You

VANILLA BOURBON SWEET POTATO PIE

As Natchez, Mississippi nears its tri-centennial one of their true Southern desserts is featured in this blog.
Sweet potato pie is a traditional side dish in the Southern United States. It is often served during the American holiday season, especially at Thanksgiving, and is similar in many ways to pumpkin pie. Marshmallows are sometimes added as a topping, but this was adopted more in the Northern United States than in the South.
It is usually made as a large tart in an open pie shell without a top crust. The filling consists of mashed sweet potatoes, milk, sugar and eggs, flavored with spices such as nutmeg. Other possible ingredients include vanilla or banana extracts. The baked custard filling may vary from a light and silky to dense, depending on the recipe’s ratio of mashed potato, milk and eggs.
Though creamy vegetable pie recipes date back to Medieval Europe, sweet potato pie appears in the southern United States from the early colonial days.[1] Like many sweet potato recipes, sweet potato pie was likely developed by African-American slaves from traditional African cuisine, making it a staple of soul food today.[2] Recipes for sweet potato pie first appeared in printed cookbooks in the 18th century, where it was included with savory vegetable dishes. By the 19th century, sweet potato pie was more commonly classified as a dessert.

Ingredients
FILLING
3 large sweet potatoes (2 1/4 pounds)
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon bourbon or whiskey
2 large eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
CRUST
3 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 20 1/4 sheets)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
TOPPING
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup pecan halves
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon or whiskey

Preparation
1. Prepare Filling: Bring sweet potatoes, salt, and water to cover to a boil in a large Dutch oven over high heat; cook 35 minutes or until tender. Drain. Peel potatoes, and mash with a potato masher in a large bowl. Let cool slightly. Whisk together sugar, vanilla, bourbon, and eggs in a medium bowl. Stir sugar mixture into sweet potatoes. Stir in flour.
2. Prepare Crust: Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter; press mixture on bottom and up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Pour sweet potato mixture into prepared crust. Bake at 350° for 55 to 60 minutes or until center is set.

The Spice of Life – A Different Spice Each Day

AJI AMARILLO POWDER

Aji Amarillo powder is made from Aji Amarillo chiles. Aji Amarillo is also known as Aji escabeche. The Aji Amarillo is the most common chile in Peru. In the USA, it is sometimes referred to as the yellow chile or Peruvian chile. The pods are 4-5 inches long and deep orange in color when mature. The thin fleshed pods have a clearly pungent heat.Use on anything when you want to add a little heat and lots of flavor.

Usage:
Chile powders require no preparation. Add directly to recipes when a boost of flavor and heat are desired.

Food Quote du jour

The Spice of Life – A Different Spice Each Day

TUSCAN SEASONING

Tuscan Seasoning

Also Known As: Tuscan Spice or Tuscan Blend

Origin: Italian

Ingredients: Basil, Oregano, Red Bell Peppers, Garlic, Green Bell Peppers, Black Pepper, Fennel and Rosemary

Taste and Aroma: Rich, sweet, fresh and peppery.

Uses: All purpose blend great on pasta, chicken, vegetables, fish, salad and bread.

Substitutes: Italian Seasoning, Mediterranean Spice or Greek Seasoning

Fun Fact: It is appropriate that Tuscany, the origin of the renaissance movement, is responsible for this inspired spice blend!

Food Quote du Jour

I would like to find a stew that will give me heartburn immediately, instead of at three o’clock in the morning. ~John Barrymore

The Spice of Life – A Different Spice Each Day

WASABI

Wasabi is a plant of the Brassicaceae family, which includes cabbages, horseradish, and mustard. It is also called Japanese horseradish,[2] although horseradish is a different plant (which is often used as a substitute for wasabi). Its stem is used as a condiment and has an extremely strong pungency more akin hot mustard than the capsaicin in a chili pepper, producing vapours that stimulate the nasal passages more than the tongue. The plant grows naturally along stream beds in mountain river valleys in Japan. The two main cultivars in the marketplace are E. japonicum ‘Daruma’ and ‘Mazuma’, but there are many others.[3]

Wasabi is generally sold either as a stem, which must be very finely grated before use, as dried powder in large quantities, or as a ready-to-use paste in tubes similar to travel toothpaste tubes.[4] Because it grows mostly submerged, it is a common misconception to refer to the part used for wasabi as a root or sometimes even a rhizome: it is in fact the stem[5][6] of the plant, with the characteristic leaf scar where old leaves fell off or were collected.

In some high-end restaurants, the paste is prepared when the customer orders, and is made using a grater to grate the stem; once the paste is prepared, it loses flavour in 15 minutes if left uncovered.[7] In sushi preparation, sushi chefs usually put the wasabi between the fish and the rice because covering wasabi until served preserves its flavor.

Fresh wasabi leaves can be eaten, having the spicy flavor of wasabi stems.

Legumes (peanuts, soybeans, or peas) may be roasted or fried, then coated with wasabi powder mixed with sugar, salt, or oil and eaten as a crunchy snack.

Food Quote du Jour

“Anything is good if it’s made of chocolate.”
― Jo Brand

The Spice of Life – A Different Spice Each Day

BOUQUET GARNI- FRENCH HERB BLEND

Bouquet Garni, in this form, is referred to as “Hunter’s Style,” because it is slightly stronger in flavor than the traditional blend.

Literally meaning a bouquet for garnish, this mixture of basil, marjoram, rosemary, summer savory, thyme, tarragon, Greek oregano, Dalmatian sage and dill weed is strong enough to stand up to slow simmering dishes such as beef stew, chicken soup, poaching stock for fish, or roast chicken or venison. Makes a great salt-free rub for lamb or pork.