Who doesn’t love chicken? No, really: who doesn’t? Most cultures seem to have embraced this bird as an important part of their gastronomic traditions. No matter where you are, you can rest assured that the locals have come up with an unexpectedly delicious way to serve chicken. The numbers support the importance of chicken. Poultry…
Cod is a popular fish found on both sides of the Atlantic ocean. Read on to learn more about this fish famous for its mild flavor and dense, white flesh. Atlantic Cod vs. Pacific Cod When we talk about cod we usually refer to the Atlantic cod (scientific name gadus morhua), a species found throughout…
Shrimp is one of the most popular types of seafood and is consumed widely all over the world. This comes as no surprise since shrimp is delicious and (as we are about to discover) also offers many interesting health benefits. A Great Source of Selenium Shrimp is a great source of selenium. For example, a…
Coriander and cilantro are two commonly confused terms, and with good reason: these words refer to different parts of the same plant. This is true at least in North America. In other parts of the world, however, people use the “coriander” indistinctly, which only adds to the confusion. In North America, “cilantro” refers to the…
Versatility is part of the beauty of tacos. Any kind of food put inside a rolled tortilla is a taco. So, the answer to the question “How many types of tacos are there?” would be that that number is almost infinite. However, no two tacos are the same, and some of them deserve closer attention…
What is Tofu? First things first: What is tofu? This is a product of relatively neutral favor, very popular in the cuisines of Japan, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Tofu is made condensing soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into cubes. The traditional coagulant used to make this traditional food is nigari, or…
You may be familiar with a recent (and surprisingly heated) debate: Does pineapple belong on pizza? The jury is still out regarding this specific question, but pineapple is a fascinating ingredient that can add excitement to any dish. The earliest written references to pineapple are found in documents by Christopher Columbus, and Sir Walter Raleigh,…
From sake to Mexican salsas, condiments have a way to concentrate and reveal the culinary personality of a country. Another good example of this phenomenon is aioli. This Mediterranean garlic sauce that has come to represent the soul of Provence, the historical and cultural region in Southeastern France. A Condiment Worthy of a Poet If…
“Braised”, “Braising,” and “Braised beef” are concepts you may have read poring over a menu or in cookbooks. These terms come from French cuisine, one of the world’s most interesting culinary traditions. “Live Coals” The French verb “Braiser” (a relative of the English word “Brazier”), means cooking food with vegetables and some form of liquid…