Foodiefy by Goddess of Scrumptiousness

GREEN TEA Green tea is made solely from the leaves of Camellia...

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 01:28:58 -0400

Tea plant.

The appearance of green tea in three different stages (from left to right): the infused leaves, the dry leaves and the liquid. Notice that the infused leaves look greener than the dry leaves.

The tea fields in the foothills of Gorreana, Azores Islands, Portugal: the only European region to support green tea production.

GREEN TEA

Green tea is made solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates in China and has become associated with many cultures throughout Asia. It has recently become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally consumed. Green tea has become the raw material for extracts which are used in various beverages, health foods, dietary supplements, and cosmetic items. Many varieties of green tea have been created in countries where they are grown. These varieties can differ substantially due to variable growing conditions, horticulture, production processing, and harvesting time.

Over the last few decades green tea has been subjected to many scientific and medical studies to determine the extent of its long-purported health benefits, with some evidence suggesting that regular green tea drinkers may have a lower risk of developing heart disease and certain types of cancer. Although green tea does not raise the metabolic rate enough to produce immediate weight loss, a green tea extract containing polyphenols and caffeine has been shown to induce thermogenesis and stimulate fat oxidation, boosting the metabolic rate 4% without increasing the heart rate.

According to a survey released by the United States Department of Agriculture in 2007, the mean content of flavonoids in a cup of green tea is higher than that in the same volume of other food and drink items that are traditionally considered of health contributing nature, including fresh fruits, vegetable juices or wine. Flavonoids are a group of phytochemicals in most plant products that are responsible for such health effects as anti-oxidative and anticarcinogenic functions. However, based on the same USDA survey, the content of flavonoids may vary dramatically amongst different tea products.

HISTORY

Tea consumption has its legendary origins in China of more than 4,000 years ago. Green tea has been used as both a beverage and a method of traditional medicine in most of Asia, including China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea and Thailand, to help everything from controlling bleeding and helping heal wounds to regulating body temperature, blood sugar and promoting digestion. A book written in the Tang Dynasty of China is considered one of the most important in the history of green tea. The book was written by Lu Yu and is called the “Tea Classic” or “Cha Jing”. It was written between 600 and 900 AD and spoke about exactly how and where one could enjoy a fine cup of green tea. The Kissa Yojoki (Book of Tea), written by Zen priest Eisai in 1191, describes how drinking green tea can have a positive effect on the five vital organs, especially the heart. The book discusses tea’s medicinal qualities, which include easing the effects of alcohol, acting as a stimulant, curing blotchiness, quenching thirst, eliminating indigestion, curing beriberi disease, preventing fatigue, and improving urinary and brain function. Part One also explains the shapes of tea plants, tea flowers, and tea leaves, and covers how to grow tea plants and process tea leaves. In Part Two, the book discusses the specific dosage and method required for individual physical ailments.

BREWING AND SERVING

Steeping is the process of making a cup of tea; it is also referred to as brewing. In general, two grams of tea per 100ml of water, or about one teaspoon of green tea per five ounce cup, should be used. With very high-quality teas like gyokuro, more than this amount of leaf is used, and the leaf is steeped multiple times for short durations.

Green tea steeping time and temperature varies with different tea. The hottest steeping temperatures are 81°C to 87°C (180°F to 190°F) water and the longest steeping times two to three minutes. The coolest brewing temperatures are 61°C to 69°C (140°F to 160°F) and the shortest times about 30 seconds. In general, lower-quality green teas are steeped hotter and longer, while higher-quality teas are steeped cooler and shorter. Steeping green tea too hot or too long will result in a bitter, astringent brew, regardless of the initial quality. It is thought that excessively hot water results in tannin chemical release, which is especially problematic in green teas, as they have higher contents of these. High-quality green teas can be and usually are steeped multiple times; two or three steepings is typical. The steeping technique also plays a very important role in avoiding the tea developing an overcooked taste. The container in which the tea is steeped or teapot should also be warmed beforehand so that the tea does not immediately cool down. It is common practice for tea leaf to be left in the cup or pot and for hot water to be added as the tea is drunk until the flavour degrades.

Featured Beverage : Green Tea

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:47:40 -0400

Featured Beverage : Green Tea

HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY JULIA CHILD!!!

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 02:43:00 -0400

Source : http://www.pbs.org/food/features/julia-child-quotes/

Photo

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 04:00:08 -0400

MODERNIST CUISINE : The Art and Science of Cooking

Tue, 08 May 2012 06:30:02 -0400

www.modernistcuisine.com

MODERNIST CUISINE

Tue, 08 May 2012 06:29:55 -0400

MODERNIST CUISINE

HISTORY OF CHEF AUGUSTE ESCOFFIER (1846-1935) Auguste Escoffier,...

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:38:30 -0500

HISTORY OF CHEF AUGUSTE ESCOFFIER (1846-1935)

Auguste Escoffier, was born in Villeneuve-Loubet, France in 1846. He is considered by many to be the father of modern day cuisine but is probably best known for having created the dessert Peach Melba for the singer Dame Nellie Melba. However there is much more to this master chef.

Prior to Escoffier, great chefs were only to be found in the kitchens of the nobility and royalty, but Escoffier was the first of the master chefs to work directly for the public, and was never employed in a private household. He started his career at the age of 12, when he entered into apprenticeship at his uncle’s restaurant in Nice, after which he went on to another apprenticeship in Paris at the age of 19.

At that time Grande Cuisine was composed of very complicated recipes, the dishes being adorned with rich sauces and garnishes which somewhat obscured the main ingredients. However, Escoffier’s idea was to simplify these extravagant dishes - a trend which was taken up my the culinary world. He also changed the practice of serving all the dishes at the same time ( à la française) to serving each dish in the order printed on the menu (service à la russe).

Whilst he was never employed directly by royalty or the nobility, his time at high-class hotels such as the Savoy, The Carlton House and The Ritz, found him cooking for and praised by royalty, heads of states, and many celebrities and in 1904, he even took charge of the kitchen on board The Imperator - a ship used by the German Imperial Family. It is reported that the Emperor of Germany was so impressed with the cuisine that he commented “I am the Emperor of Germany, but you are the Emperor of Chefs”.

His general philosophy on food had more far-reaching effects, in particular with regards to hygiene and work standards, which he found to be very poor in general. At the time, chefs were not highly regarded and it was Escoffier who made the profession more respectable by instilling a sense of pride in his subordinates. He also started the brigade system in his kitchenswhich is the practice of each section in the kitchen being run by a chef de partie (section head chef). He was also one of the first of the master chefs to take a true interest in the nutritional value foods.

Escoffier went on to write many articles and books on cooking, the most famous being Le Guide Culinaire and Ma Cuisine and in 1920, he was awarded the Legion of Honour for his services to French Cuisine.

Escoffier died aged 89 on February 12th, 1935 but in gastronomy circles, his legend lives on with the values he brought to to the art of cooking still in practice today.

Molecular Gastronomy by MOLECULE-R __ Cuisine R-EVOLUTION

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:26:53 -0500

Molecular Gastronomy by MOLECULE-R __ Cuisine R-EVOLUTION

Featured Chef : The Food and Photography of Chef Simon Sperling

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:51:18 -0500

I have to admit now that it was a wonderful blessing the day that I saw this on my dash “aperture24...

FEATURED RECIPE: Moroccan Lamb Loin Tagine by Chef Simon...

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:51:10 -0500

FEATURED RECIPE:

Moroccan Lamb Loin Tagine

by Chef Simon Sperling (aperture24 +FOLLOW)

I have visited Morocco only once, a long time ago, for a short vacation on the beach in Agadir. I don’t really remember too much of it honestly, except that the weather was mostly bad.

In more recent years though I have worked with many Moroccan chefs here in the Middle East and through them I have learned to appreciate the flavours of the Moroccan cuisine.

This vegetable tagine here oozes with the flavours of lemon, coriander, cumin and saffron and is served with a modern twist, along a pan seared lamb loin.

Ingredients:

For the Lamb Loin

0.800 kilograms (1.76 lb) lamb loin, cleaned of all fat and skin

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

For the Tagine

1 small onion, finely diced

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cm ginger, finely chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon green chili, finely diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 cup chick peas, cooked

1 large zucchini, diced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1 small green bell pepper, diced

6 pieces dates, pitted and coarsely diced

3 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon brown sugar

salt to taste

few threads of saffron

2 cups peeled tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

10 pieces lemon slices, grilled

fresh coriander sprigs (to garnish)

Preparation:

Lamb Loin:

Season and marinate the lamb loin for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.

Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil and sear the lamb for 2 minutes for each side.

Transfer to an oven at 140 C and roast the loin for another 5 minutes. Timing really depends on your oven. Remove from the oven, cover it and let it rest for a few minutes before carving.

Tagine:

Heat the olive oil in a shallow pot and sauté onion, garlic until a soft, but not brown.

Add ginger, chilli and other ingredients and simmer all until the vegetables are soft and the sauce has slightly thickened. Check seasoning.

Arrange the lamb slices on top of the vegetable tagine and garnish with some toasted sesame seeds, fresh coriander and the lemon slices.

Serves 4

All contents (photograph and recipe) of this post are courtesy of Chef Simon Sperling

BAKING SMARTS: TIPS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT COOKIES, BARS,...

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:19:00 -0500

BAKING SMARTS:

TIPS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT COOKIES, BARS, MUFFINS AND QUICK BREADS

I am a self-taught baker. I’ve been baking since I was 11 years old using an Toaster Oven. When I turned 14 years old I became decently good at baking (this means that the cookies and mini muffins I baked in our toaster oven were no longer like that of flat stones and cute hard weapons for throwing whenever I had those teenage tantrums) I was permitted to use a Turbo-Broiler (this baking/roasting appliance is now on display at the Smithsonian I believe! joke!). Then when I finally got my baking mojo at the age of 17 years old, my father bought me a mighty fine Italian made oven large enough to fit two baking sheets. I became more confident and have started modifying and creating my own recipes of cookies, cakes, muffins, tarts, candies and even flavor combinations (some were a success, others were absolutely, Yuck!)

I learned through Trial and Error. If the product came out not tasting and looking like I want it to taste and look like, I would analyze it and tweak at the ingredients, I add and deduct one or three ingredients and start over with the whole baking project again.

I also relied on as many baking books and magazines as I can learn and get techniques from. It was my absolute passion for baking that also lead me to pursue a culinary career.

Some people are quite intimidated with baking, and I believe it’s because most of them just look at the recipes and go through the whole ingredients list and procedure without having the proper understanding of the certain “behaviors” of some flours, the temperament, size, material of various cookie sheets and baking pans, and the “sensitivity” of different batters.

So I decided to share with you some mish mash of baking wiz I learned through the years.

_______________________________________________________

Cookies:

On Baking/Cookie Sheets

- Look for shiny, heavy-gauge cookie sheets with very low or no sides, this will ensure even browning of cookies.

- Avoid using dark cookie sheets (those teflon finished baking sheets), these kind tends to make the bottom of the cookies to overbrown.

- Instead of spraying your sheets with vegetable spray to avoid cookies from sticking, use either baking parchment or silicone mats (silpats) to line your cookie sheets. You will never have a problem taking out your baked cookies, plus you also don’t need to add fat (from vegetable sprays).

- Always let hot cookie sheets cool before you place another batch of cookie dough on it, otherwise the butter in the dough will instantly melt and separate.

- To avoid having your cookies fall apart when you take them off the cookie sheet, let them cool for a good minute to firm up on the sheet before removing them.

How come your cookies came out perfect and mine did not?

- Never substitute margarine or shortening when the recipe calls for butter. Because nothing beats the flavor and richness that butter adds to cookies and mostly other baked products. It also contributes to the texture and browning properties of cookies.

- When your cookie dough or baked cookies turned out dry, you may have been too heavy handed when measuring the flour. To measure properly, stir flour in the container to lighten it. Gently spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level the top with an off-set spatula or the back of a knife. Never pack the flour into the cup or tap the cup with the spatula or on the counter to level.

- Do not substitute baking soda for baking powder and vice versa.

Do not omit when the recipe calls for both or either of them.

Although it is true that both baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents and produce carbon dioxide which causes baked products to rise, each do not react the same way because they differ chemically.

- Do not replace a cup and a half of sugar in a standard recipe with 3-4 packets of sugar substitute. It will never work! Instead, find another low-sugar and/or sugar free recipe of the same kind of cookie or any baked product.

- Most if not all cookie recipe uses large eggs.

- I use an ice cream scooper to make my cookies in uniform shape and size… this might also tell you that I suffer from acute OCD! :)

Storing Cookies

- Most types of cookies keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

- Make sure cookies have completely cooled on a wire rack before storing them, otherwise they will stick together.

- Never store crisp cookies and soft cookies on the same container. As crisp cookies will absorb moisture from the soft cookies.

- Most drop, sliced, bar and shaped cookies freeze well. Place cookies in flat containers. Place the cookies in layers separated by parchment or wax paper so they won’t stick.

__________________________________________________________

Bars or Slices:

- Use the right size baking tin for your bars. A tin that is too small will make a thicker and more cake-like base, not a chewy one. A tin that is too large will make the base dry or brittle. And tins with dark color are usually non-stick, these make your bars cook faster and brown more quickly, so check the bar for doneness 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

- It is always the best idea to line your tins with baking parchment, doing so will prevent the bar from sticking to the tin and provide handles so you can lift the whole product out of the tin.

- Most bar recipes have a pastry base. When making pastry, butter should always be diced and well chilled. I find that the easiest way to make pastry and not make the butter melt is to just use a food processor.

- Blind baking - when a recipe ask for pastry base to be partially baked before the topping or filling is added. This ensures that the base is cooked and firm and not made soggy once the filling is added and baked in the oven. Method: once the uncooked pastry is in the tin, cover with a sheet of baking paper, then fill the top of the sheet with either uncooked rice or baking beans (this weighs down the pastry and prevents it from puffing up) and bake. Remove the beans or rice and cook the pastry again until lightly brown and firm.

________________________________________________________

Muffins and Quick Breads:

- The most important thing to remember about muffin and quick bread batter is that it requires minimum mixing and SHOULD look coarse and lumpy. A large spoon or serving fork is the best implement for mixing.

- Muffins and quick breads are cooked when they are browned, risen, firm to touch and beginning to shrink from the sides of the pan. You can also insert a wooden skewer in the center. When skewer comes out clean then it is done.

- I always bake my muffins in cupcake liners just to avoid the fuss and to just easily take them out of the tin once they come out of the oven. And for quick breads, I always use a baking parchment paper to line the inside of my loaf pan so that I can just easily lift out the whole bread out of the pan.

- Muffins and quick breads freeze well. Just wrap them really well with cling wrap and place inside a ziploc bag and can be kept in the freezer for 3 months.

- I find the use of sour cream or buttermilk in muffins and quick breads makes them more tender, moist and flavorful. :)

________________________________________________________

Ingredient Substitutes that works just as great:

No Buttermilk: I add the juice of half a lemon to evaporated milk to make a cup. Let stand for 5 minutes to curdle a bit and lightly stir.

No Self-Rising flour: Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to every cup of all-purpose flour. Sift thrice to blend.

No Cake flour: Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to every cup of all-purpose flour. Sift 3 times.

Article and Food Photography Credit: Jeannie Maristela (August 6, 2011)

VARIETIES OF PASTA

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:22:59 -0500

LONG PASTA SHORT PASTA SHORT PASTA MINUTE PASTA (PASTINA, PASTA USED FOR SOUPS) FRESH...

Bread-Baking Cheat Sheet: 13 Bread Terms to Know

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:22:00 -0500

Photograph: Donna Currie This isn’t a complete list and the definitions have been simplified,...

13 Cheeses Everyone Should Know

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 10:24:02 -0500

Where do you even begin when it comes to fancy cheeses? Which are mild, and which are stinky? Which...

NIGELLA EXPRESS - HOLIDAY SNAPS

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:00:47 -0500

NIGELLA EXPRESS - HOLIDAY SNAPS

PAELLA by Socarrat Make a sofrito with olive oil, onion,...

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:00:00 -0500

PAELLA by Socarrat

Make a sofrito with olive oil, onion, garlic, red pepper, and tomato; salt and pepper to taste. Mix with short grain (very important) rice and add chicken broth (2-3 times volume of rice) that has been infused with smoked pimenton (spanish paprika) and saffron. Add proteins (chorizo, chicken, and mussels) and vegetables (green beans) and cook until liquid is gone. Times are totally variable depending on your pan, heat source, ingredient volumes, etc, but as a rough guide figure 20-25 minutes. Make sure you cover with a towel (left out of video) this lets it rest and absorb all the flavors and remaining moisture. Garnish with lemon wedges and Italian parsley. - Socarrat

Organic - Food, Farming and Health by Earthbound Farm Of all...

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:38:00 -0500

Organic - Food, Farming and Health

by Earthbound Farm

Of all the different green options before you, the most important choice is what you eat. Not everyone can drive a hybrid or ride public transportation, but everyone can make choices about their food. Organic farming means farming with Mother Nature and the more people know about the benefits of organic, the better our environment will be. Let organic become the conventional of the future. The land depends on it. Our ecosystem depends on it. And the future of our children really depends on it.

COOKING 101 : COOKING WITH ALCOHOL Adding alcohol to recipes,...

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 07:53:49 -0500

COOKING 101 : COOKING WITH ALCOHOL

Adding alcohol to recipes, even everyday ones, adds another dimension to the taste and can even transform an ordinary recipe into something spectacular and worthy of dinner parties or special occasions. Its addition adds a richness and flavour which can’t easily be achieved by any other method and in some cases the alcohol doubles as a meat tenderizer.

One question which is often asked is whether the alcohol content remains in the finished dish. In most cooked dishes, a large amount, if not most of the alcohol is cooked off sufficiently as to not leave any significant alcohol residue. However, in some uncooked recipes, some alcohol content will remain, though in most cases, not sufficient to cause too many problems, in particular when it comes to being “over the limit” for driving purposes unless you add significant quantities. So, in general, the longer the recipe is cooked or the higher the temperature the alcohol is subjected to, e.g. flaming, the less alcohol will be present in the finished dish.

General tips when using alcohol in recipes.

If you can’t drink it - don’t use it in cooking
When flambéing heat the alcohol in a metal ladle or small saucepan before setting it alight
Add a splash of the original alcohol to soups, stews, sauces and casseroles just before serving to reinforce the flavour
Freeze leftover wine in ice cube trays for adding to stocks, soups and gravies
Buy miniatures or ¼ bottles of wines and keep in your store cupboard for use in the kitchen
When using alcohol in milk or cream sauces burn off the alcohol before adding to the sauce to prevent curdling
Because alcohol freezes at a lower temperature to other liquids, excessive use in frozen desserts is not advised.

Recipe Using Alcohol : White Wine

CHICKEN IN WHITE WINE

Ingredients:

100g/4oz Streaky Bacon, chopped

350g/12oz Button Onions

175g/6oz Button Mushrooms

4 Chicken Portions, halved

50g/2oz Plain Flour

Salt and Pepper

25g/1oz Butter

2 tbsp Oil

240ml/8fl.oz. Dry White Wine

240ml/8fl.oz. Chicken Stock

1 Garlic Clove, crushed

4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

2 Bay Leaves

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C, 325F, Gas mark 3. Heat a frying pan until hot then add the bacon and fry until the fat begins to run. Add the onions and fry until brown then add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer to an ovenproof casserole.

2. Season the flour with salt and pepper and use to coat the chicken pieces. Heat the butter and oil in the frying pan, add the chicken and brown on all sides. Transfer to the casserole dish containing the onions, bacon and mushrooms.

3. Stir the wine into the frying pan and bring to the boil, scraping up any bits. Boil for 2-3 minutes, add the stock, garlic, herbs and seasoning and bring back to the boil. Pour over the chicken in the casserole.

4. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour or until the chicken is tender. Serve hot.

Serves 4

Recipe Source here

Celebrating Food by Brian Wong Shot, Edited, and Directed by:...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:37:14 -0500

Celebrating Food

by Brian Wong

Shot, Edited, and Directed by: Brian Wong
Music: “Bicycle Riding” by Joel Hunger

How to Sous-Vide Mangalitsa Pork w/Chef Daniel Angerer of Klee...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:20:49 -0500

How to Sous-Vide Mangalitsa Pork w/Chef Daniel Angerer of Klee Brasserie

by SkeeterNYC

Now that you’ve learned all about how Mangalitsa pigs are raised in my last video on Mosefund Farm, it’s time to learn how to prepare it.

When cooking with Mangalitsa pork, you must choose methods that celebrate and preserve the juiciness of the pork fat - applying minimal heat over a longer period of time so that fat stays intact. Executive Chef Daniel Angerer of Klee Brasserie in NYC shows how easy it is to properly sous-vide and pair the pig with bright seasonal vegetables to cut through the richness of the fat.

If you don’t have specialty sous-vide equipment, Chef Angerer says you can apply the same methods/seasoning/timing with the meat & ziploc bag using a pot of water in the oven set at 180 degrees (the temperature at which fat does not melt).

Via Food Curated