Game Meat – Is it for you?

September 11, 2024August 26, 2024 culinaryjourneysllc

Some of you probably grew up eating at least some game meat, and some of you probably continue to do so. Others of you may have never tried game meat. Should you? What does it taste like? An introduction to game meat is the subject of this Cooking Tip.

Game meat refers to the meat obtained from animals typically hunted in their natural habitats. Today, the term is applied to those same animals raised on farms. In fact, according to the USDA, “Game species raised on farms under appropriate regulations can be sold. Wild game species that can be legally hunted under Federal or State regulatory authority cannot be sold but can be harvested for personal consumption.” What can be sold and where will vary by state. This is to ensure the sustainable use of game meat and that they are handled in such a way as to prevent food safety issues.

Before I discuss different game animals, there are some generalities about game meat.

Game meat, whether farm-raised or wild, will taste different than meat from domesticated animals. This is mainly because wild animals have different diets and activity levels. Meat from domesticated animals will have the mildest flavor, whereas the wild game has the most robust flavor, with the farm-raised game having intermediate flavor.
Many call the flavor of this meat “gamey.” The flavor profile often is described as strong, musky, and earthy. This flavor is not an indicator of the meat’s freshness or safety. As opposed to some of the cliches, game meat does not taste just like chicken or beef, although they may share some similarities.
Proper handling of the meat from harvest to plate and the cooking method will help decrease the gamey flavor.
Game meat is typically lower in saturated fat and calories than domesticated meat.
Because of the lower fat content and the fact that game animals get more exercise, game meat can be tough if not handled properly. This type of meat generally benefits from cooking slowly or in a pressure-type environment.
All game meat is a good source of protein and vitamins.

Here are some suggestions for reducing the gamey flavor.

The gamey flavor comes from the fat. Removing the fat can remove some of this flavor but also decreases juiciness and tenderness.
Chefs use spices, herbs and marinades to help with these flavor challenges.
Soaking the meat in a solution may help. Make sure to cover the game completely in the solution and discard the solution after soaking. Small animals may only need 8-12 hours, while larger ones may benefit from a 24-48-hour soak. Here are some ideas from game experts.
- Salt solution – use ¼ cup kosher salt per quart of cold water.
- Vinegar solution – use one cup per quart of cold water.
- Milk solution – cover with milk and soak.
- Red wine solution—This is good if you will then cook your meat in a stew. Those who advocate this method recommend boiling the wine, cooling it and then using it for the soak.

Cooking temperatures—Just as with meat from domesticated animals, it is best to use a food thermometer to ensure the meat’s safety.

According to the USDA, fresh game should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. They note that the meat may still be pink in the center, but it will be safe to eat if it reaches that 160°F mark.
For the most tender meat, they recommend cooking at this 160°F temperature for more extended periods or even cooking to higher temperatures to break down the tough connective tissue.

Types of game meat

Here is an interesting tasting chart from Fossil Farms from New Jersey that breaks down the flavor profiles for 16 different types of game. Below is a discussion of a few of the most common.

Venison

Although we think of venison as deer meat, that term can also be applied to meat from elk, moose, caribou, antelope and pronghorn.
It is a type of dark meat.
It is rich in flavor.
It has less fat marbling than other meat, so it is leaner but still tender.

Wild boar

This is the meat from an undomesticated pig.
It is leaner than regular pork, making it tougher. Therefore, it is often cooked with pressure or in a slow cooker.
The meat is darker with more robust flavors.
It is one of the gamier flavors with nutty tones.

Bison

It is also known as an American buffalo.
Common cuts include bison steaks, chili/stew meat and ground meat for burgers.
It is slightly sweeter than domesticated beef.

Elk

The meat is similar in texture to beef.
The flavor is deeper and bolder.

Antelope

It is similar in flavor to deer meat.
It is leaner than deer meat.

Rabbit

This white meat is lean but tender.
It has a somewhat delicate flavor but is stronger and earthier than chicken.
In cooking, it is often treated similarly to poultry.

Goat

Goat has a very distinct taste that many do not like.
It is rich with an unpleasant smell and aroma. To reduce this, it must be treated before cooking, which also tenderizes the meat.

Pheasant

It is a white meat that is leaner than chicken or turkey.
It has a relatively mild taste.
It is often roasted like a chicken/turkey or made into sausage.

Quail

A very small and delicate bird that has a sweet but gamey flavor.
It is often served roasted whole.

Duck

There are both domesticated and wild ducks.
It is very rich in flavor.

Are you a game eater? If you do not hunt or have a hunter that gives you the game, it may be hard to find in a typical supermarket. In my area, it is very easy to find different forms of bison. It is not true of other types of game.

Game does show up on restaurant menus, particularly those establishments in the same area as where the game live. Are you a fan? Are you even interested in trying game meat? Have fun and experiment with these other flavors!

Strawberries – The Epitome of Summer

September 4, 2024August 30, 2024 culinaryjourneysllc

Image by July Salomena Trujillo Reyes from Pixabay

My husband has been harvesting strawberries since June. He has four different varieties growing; they mature at different times and have different flavors. If you do not have a garden, what can you do to ensure you are getting the best strawberries you can? That is the subject of this Cooking Tip.

Strawberries are a member of the rose family and are Native to North America. The large majority of US strawberries come from California, with Florida being a distant second.

Varieties

As with so many produce items, there is not just one strawberry, although you may think so if you only buy them in the supermarket. There, you will find what is known as the Garden Strawberry (Fragaria Ananassa). However, there are said to be over 1,000 different varieties grown worldwide.

If you are a gardener, you will have a myriad of choices to plant. They are broadly broken into two categories.

June-bearing – these produce the largest berries over a 2-3 week period during June/July.
Everbearing strawberries generally produce two harvests a year – one in the spring and one in later summer/fall. Their fruit is usually smaller.

Although the typical strawberry is red, there are green and white berries. The greens are unripe berries, and the whites have been cultivated so as not to develop the typical red color.

Picking Ripe Strawberries

Because strawberries (as with so much fruit) do not continue to ripen after harvesting, you want to pick the ripest you can when you buy them to get the sweetest and most strawberry flavor. The best way to test the flavor of a strawberry is by tasting it, something that you probably cannot do in the supermarket, although you may be able to do so at farmer’s markets.

Apart from tasting, a deep red color is another indicator of flavor. However, strawberries will continue to redden after being picked, even though they do not continue to ripen. Therefore, color alone can be deceiving. One strawberry grower recommends looking to see how red they are all the way to the top, under the leaves. The redder they are in this area, the sweeter & juicier they will most likely be.

Another tip is to smell them. They are much more likely to have good flavor if they have a wonderful strawberry scent.

Another interesting point comes from America’s Test Kitchen. They tell us that the flavor of a strawberry is related to its aroma, and the aroma is related to temperature. A room temperature berry will likely taste sweeter than one just out of the refrigerator. Too much heat, though, is not good, as it can drive off much of the aroma. Therefore, rather than cooking strawberries, they like to macerate them by tossing them in a bit of sugar and letting them sit until they soften and the liquid starts to come out.

Hulling Strawberries

When you are ready to eat or use the strawberries, after washing them, you will want to hull them, which means removing the leaves and the core. There are different methods for this.

Paring knife
- This doesn’t require any equipment other than what you already have. It does, though, take away more of the berry than other methods.
Straw
- Insert a sturdy straw into the strawberry’s point. Push the straw through the berry, and it will remove the leaves with the hull attached. This method does work, although it is easy to go off-center and miss the hull.
Hullers
- Spruce Eats tested several different hullers and found that the Oxo Good Grips Strawberry Huller worked the best. They liked its nonslip grip, easy cleaning, and ability to use different-sized berries. The only negative was that it was hard to store.

Roasting Strawberries

Roasting strawberries is an interesting way to try to enhance their flavor by intensifying the natural sugars present in the berries. To do this, toss the berries in about two teaspoons of sugar per cup of berries. If desired, add a touch of acidity with a bit of lemon zest. Roast in a 425°F oven for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Although you may or may not want to eat them out of hand, you can use them in baked goods or as a topping.

Dried Strawberries

Making dried strawberries is not difficult. If you have a food dehydrator, follow the instructions for that appliance. You can still dry them in a low oven if you do not have one. After washing and hulling the berries, cut them in half or quarters. Place the berries on a baking sheet, cut side up. Place in a 200°F oven for about 3 hours. Allow the berries to cool and crisp up, and then store them in an airtight container for up to a week.

Storing Strawberries

We all know just how perishable strawberries are. How can we make them last the longest? There are all sorts of recommendations out there. Three that seem to stand out as the best are the following.

Do not rinse them until you are ready to eat them. Rather, pick out any berries that are going bad, put the rest back in the container and store them in the refrigerator. Some recommend storing the container upside down to encourage airflow. This way, your berries should keep up to a week.
A second method is to wash them in a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water, drain them and dry them thoroughly before putting them in the refrigerator. One method of drying is placing them is in a paper-towel-lined salad spinner and gently spinning them until dry.
A final method is to soak them for about 5 minutes in a mixture of 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per cup of water. Drain, rinse, dry and place in the refrigerator. The proponents of this method say that the salt is abrasive, and therefore, it cleans better than water alone. This same source does not like using baking soda or vinegar, as these ingredients can be absorbed into the berry and not rinse off completely, possibly compromising flavor and texture. As can be seen by the second method, though, not everyone agrees with this caution.

Freezing Strawberries

For more extended storage, strawberries can be frozen.

Remove the tops.
Chop them as you prefer – quarter, slice, etc. You can leave very small berries whole.
Freeze in a single layer.
Transfer to a freezer bag/container.
Use within a few months as their quality deteriorates after about six months.
Some like tossing the berries in sugar before freezing, as this preserves the color and texture. However, it does limit how you can use them later.
Great uses for frozen strawberries are smoothies, jam, ice cream, fruit topping, and strawberry sauce.

Measuring Strawberries

Although you do not always have to be exact in measuring when using strawberries in a recipe, it is nice to know how many cups are in that container you pick up in the store. The Spruce Eats has put together some conversion figures to make your life easier.

1 cup whole strawberries is equivalent to:

8 large strawberries
5 ounces by weight
½ cup strawberry puree

1# strawberries is equivalent to:

2¾ cup sliced strawberries
3¾ cup whole strawberries

1 pint of strawberries is equivalent to:

12 large strawberries
24 medium strawberries
36 small strawberries
¾# by weight
1¼ cups puree
2½ cups whole small strawberries
1½ to 2 cups sliced strawberries

Now that you know how to pick ripe strawberries, clean them, store them and use them, there is one last important tidbit. Do you know what the fear of strawberries is called? It is “Fragariaphobia.” That is bound to be helpful in your kitchen!

Cooking Tips · Ingredients

Crabapples – Ornamental or Edible?

August 28, 2024August 11, 2024 culinaryjourneysllc

Sitting at my desk this morning, I looked out the window towards our backyard where the chickens roam, the bees buzz, the flowers bloom, and tree fruit is trying desperately to ripen in Colorado’s less-than-ideal growing conditions. As I look, I see a beautiful green tree with deep red crabapples on it. That is the subject of this Cooking Tip. Are those apples just ornamental, or are they edible? (See this Tip for a discussion on apples in general.)

According to the experts, crabapples are not a different type of fruit than other apples. However, one distinction is that they are the only apple native to North America. What determines if it is a crabapple is its size. If it is under 2 inches in diameter, it is called a crabapple. If it is larger, it is an apple.

Breeding is another difference. The apples we eat for lunch have been bred to be larger and better tasting. Crabapples are bred more for ornamentation. Some varieties are purely ornamental, with no or minimal fruit. Even those crabapples with fruit have not been bred to produce particularly great tasting fruit. Although edible, they are much tarter and sourer than other apples.

Some crabapple varieties are sweeter and better for culinary uses. The two that are described as the sweetest are the Dolgo and Centennial. The Chestnut and Whitney are especially good for other culinary purposes.

Dolgo

What I see when looking into our backyard is a Dolgo crabapple. Its size is larger, and its flavor is sweeter than other varieties. Besides eating, it is commonly used to make ciders, sauces and jams.

Centennial

Some like to eat the Centennial crabapple right off the tree, while others feel it is ideal for jam, jelly, or apple butter.

Whitney

The Whitney crabapple is a smaller tree that yields larger and sweeter fruit than many other crabapples. Its great uses include preserving, canning, and pickling.

Chestnut

The flavor of a Chestnut crabapple is described as sweet and nutty. It is well-suited to jams and sauces.

Uses for crabapples

Crabapple Jams & Jellies – the sourness of the crabapple will be offset by added sugar.
Crabapple Butter – Apple butter made from crabapples will be pink with a more complex and sweet-tart flavor.
Crabapple sauce
Crabapple fruit leather
Caramel crabapples
Pickled crabapples
Crabapple chutney
Crabapple syrup
Crabapple juice/cider
Crabapple liqueur
Crabapple crisp/tart/pie

Disadvantages of crabapples

One of the main disadvantages of using crabapples is the increased labor due to their small size. It takes more work to harvest a sufficient amount, and there is increased kitchen labor to get them ready for your desired dish.
As noted above, their natural flavor is sour and tart. This can be adjusted by adding sweeteners and spices, although the result won’t be exactly as it would be with regular apples.
The flesh will not get as smooth as other apples, even when cooked and pureed.

According to Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery in Michigan, winter is the best time to pick crabapples. Although they do ripen during the fall, “freezing temperatures make the crabapples soft and sweet.” Alternatively, they recommend picking them and putting them in your freezer for a couple of days before using them.

What about the myth that you might have heard that crabapples are poisonous? The peel and flesh of the crabapple are perfectly safe to consume. Like all apples, the seeds are toxic and should not be consumed.

If you do not have a crabapple tree growing in your backyard, where do you get them? You probably won’t find them in your general supermarket, but some farmer’s markets carry them. They should be able to tell you which variety they are so you can plan accordingly.

They are also a favorite of foragers since they tend to grow in all sorts of areas. As with any foraging, care must be taken. See this Tip for guidance.

Enjoy apple season, whether it is regular apples or crabapples!

Cooking Tips · Ingredients

Figs – A Mediterranean Delight!

August 21, 2024August 6, 2024 culinaryjourneysllc

I was at one of our local supermarkets earlier today. While there, I saw fresh figs on display. I was thrilled, as I love fresh figs, and they are not available very often in our area. They are delicious right out of the box and great for cooking/baking. This Cooking Tip will delve into figs, the varieties, how to choose them, how to store them and what to do with them.

Figs are typically found growing in Mediterranean countries. They like the warmer weather. In the US, the large majority of figs are grown in California.

There are thousands of varieties grown, although only a very few are found in our stores. The names of the figs can be confusing as the same fig grown in different areas might have a different name. In addition, when a fig is introduced to a location, it is not uncommon to coin a new name. For example, when introduced to California, the Smyrna fig’s name was changed to Calimyrna.

There are two harvest seasons for fresh figs. The first is short and occurs in early summer. The main season is from late summer through fall.

Most figs are tear-dropped in shape, although they may vary in size. The color of the skin can range from pale yellow or green to brown to red to purple to almost black. This color distinguishes the type of fig but tells you nothing about its taste. The fig’s interior or flesh will vary from a light amber to a pinkish-red to a darker red, almost berry-like color. Unlike the skin, the flesh color will give you an idea of its flavor.

According to The Fig Boss, the flavor profiles of figs can be broken into three categories – honey, sugar and berry.

Sugar – A fig with melon undertones, dried fruit “figgy” flavor, and often unique sugars.
Honey – Higher in melon flavor, accompanied by honey-like sugars and nectar.
Berry – Figs with pronounced berry or other fruity flavors

Although these are the main three flavor profiles that most experts will use, The Fig Boss likes to further refine the flavors into:

Sugar Berry
Melon Berry
Cherry
Complex Berry
Sugar Honey
Fruity Honey

Of the thousands of varieties, here are the ones you will most commonly find in grocery stores.

Mission (Black Mission)

If you are fortunate enough to stumble across fresh figs in your store, the most common variety you will find is the Mission fig. It is also known as the Franciscana fig, named after the Franciscan missionaries who cultivated it in California in the late 18^th century
It has purple or black skin with a light pink interior.
Its flavor is mellow with honey and earthy notes.
It will work well in most dishes that call for figs.

Brown Turkey (Turkish Brown Figs)

Another fig you might see in your stores is the Brown Turkey Fig.
It is larger than other figs with brown or reddish skin.
The flesh is light red to brown.
It has a mild flavor, much less sweet, less complex and less intense than the mission fig. The flavor notes are said to be of honey and hazelnuts.

Calimyrna

As noted above, this type of Smyrna fig was named Calimyrna when introduced to California. In grocery stores, it is often labeled Turkish figs.
Their skin is light green to yellow.
The flesh is pale pink.
It has a delicate flavor with nutty notes.

Kadota

This fig goes by many names: Dottato, Florentine, White Texas Everbearing and Peter’s Honey Fig.
It has creamy amber or light green skin.
The flesh is light pink or amber.
It is a seedless variety.
Although less sweet than other varieties, it does have notes of honey and fruit.
It tolerates being heated, making it a good candidate for jams and preserves.

When picking out figs at the store, they should feel soft but not mushy. You do not want to buy figs that are hard as they will not continue to ripen. It is perfectly fine to have some slight cracking or wrinkling of the skin. If they are past their peak, they might have a sour smell.

The entire fig is edible, although most remove the dense, fibrous stem. Eating out of hand is my favorite way of consuming figs, but they are also wonderful in other applications. Fig jam and preserves are very popular. Serving them as part of a cheese/fruit/nut platter is also classic. They are an excellent addition to salads, especially if the salad includes goat cheese.

Figs are delicious in this Pork with Figs & Balsamic Dressing recipe from BBC Food. They also make a simple but elegant dessert, as shown in this Fig Compote with Honey Crème Fraîche from Williams-Sonoma.

Figs are very perishable. Once you get them home, leave them in their clamshell packaging and store them in the refrigerator. They will last up to about a week. They never last that long in my refrigerator, and not because they go bad. It is because they get eaten very quickly.

I have never frozen fresh figs, but experts say it can be done. If you wish to try, keep them whole. Remove any very soft figs. Wash and dry them thoroughly. Arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer, not touching each other. Freeze until sold and then transfer to plastic bags. They should keep up to 6 months. To use, thaw them and use them as usual. The texture will be softer, making them better for cooked applications than raw.

Are you lucky enough to have fresh figs on offer in your supermarkets? If so, grab them while you can. They won’t last long either in your store or your kitchen!

Cooking Tips · Techniques

American Cuisine – is it real?

August 14, 2024July 28, 2024 culinaryjourneysllc

When I say Indian cuisine, Mexican cuisine or even French cuisine, do certain dishes come to mind? How about if I say American cuisine? What dishes come to mind? Is there even such a thing as American cuisine? That is the subject of this Cooking Tip.

Many will say there is no such thing as American cuisine. Others will say nothing is more American than the “Golden Arches.” If there is such a thing as American cuisine, it has been influenced by the fact that we began as a country of immigrants, each of whom brought their own food to these shores. Recipes had to be adapted, though, as not all ingredients available in their home countries were available here. How many times have you heard that a restaurant serves “authentic Italian food” or that it serves “Americanized Italian food?” What is the latter? Is it Italian, or is it American? Very little of what we call American doesn’t have roots in other cuisines. Perhaps the most American food is corn, a staple of Native American cuisine for millennia.

What Americans eat has also changed through time. Think of what might have been on our dining tables in the 1950s and what is on our table today. Back then, there was Spam, tuna casserole, meatloaf and Jello. Today, dinner is more likely to consist of processed foods, food kits or restaurant delivery meals.

Our country is also vast, with differing geography, climate and people. This has led to a distinct regionality of the cuisine. Whereas the definition of American cuisine can be nebulous, we might more easily describe Southern cuisine, New Orleans cuisine or New England cuisine.

If we were to describe a typical American cookout, it would most likely include hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad and coleslaw. If you head to the Northeast, you will surely find many seafood dishes, such as clam chowder and lobster rolls. Quintessential Southern dishes include fried chicken, biscuits/gravy, fried green tomatoes, and grits, which are all very different but all very American.

I often think of American food as what you will find in diners in small towns across the US. I recall looking for a place to eat while driving through a small town in the Midwest. The local café boasted dishes such as chicken fried steak, cheeseburgers, and roast beef with mashed potatoes. There might have been spaghetti and meatballs, but it was an Americanized version. The other type of eating establishment we found is any number of fast food places.

Although that sounds very American to me, I might be a bit unfair. What are your thoughts? Is there an American cuisine? If so, what is it? What would you suggest if someone was visiting from another country and said they wanted to try American food? Let me know!

Cooking Tips · Techniques

Recipe times – why are they so often unrealistic?

August 7, 2024July 21, 2024 culinaryjourneysllc

When you make a recipe, do you rely on the times listed in the recipe, whether it be prep time, total cooking time or cook time for just one particular step? In my classes, I often find the students religiously using a timer and expecting it to tell them when a specific step is done. That is one thing that can lead to recipe failure in your kitchen. I have been known to take times out of a recipe to force students to rely on their other senses, such as sight, smell, hearing and taste. In this Cooking Tip, I will discuss the dilemma of timing in recipes.

Before we get into the timing issue, let me remind you that not all recipes you will find, especially online, are well-written and accurate. I have written a prior Cooking Tip on Recipe Cautions that you might want to read.

Most recipes list different times—prep time, times for individual steps, and total cooking time. When I read a recipe, I ignore the prep time, as it can be very misleading. I might glance at the total cooking time, but I pay more attention to the timing of different steps. Although they might not be accurate, they give me a better estimate of how much time I will need to prepare a dish.

Let’s discuss why the timing listed in recipes might not be correct and what you should do to be successful. Many variables affect how long it will take you in your kitchen to prepare a dish from start to finish, and those variables often mean your real cooking time is different from the recipe’s.

Organization – what the French call mise en place – is very important to how long it will take you to complete a dish.

If your kitchen is disorganized, you will spend more time looking for an ingredient, the correct pot/pan, or a kitchen tool. None of that will be included in the recipe’s prep time, as the writer assumes you have all you need readily available.
How quick and efficient are your knife skills? I do not advocate trying to be a lightning-quick chopper/slicer. However, the more you practice, the quicker you will naturally get. And, the more efficient you become in achieving the proper and similar-sized results, the less additional chopping you will have to do. The recipe writer probably assumes you have good knife skills. If you do not, you will need to add extra time to the recipe.

What is included in the prep time?

You might think that the estimated prep time includes gathering all your ingredients and preparing them as instructed to get ready for cooking. It certainly doesn’t include the “gathering” stage.
Some recipes may include all the washing of vegetables, chopping, slicing, peeling, and measuring in the prep time, but others do not. When they do not, I am not sure what they think “prep” involves, but you are going to need to significantly lengthen their estimate for prep. Unfortunately, I have never seen a recipe that states what is and what is not included in prep time.
If the recipe says to use 4 tablespoons of butter at room temperature, most likely the recipe developer assumes the butter is at room temperature when you start cooking. If it is not, guess what? Your start-to-finish time will be longer as you wait for your butter to come to room temperature. And, yes, those recommendations are generally necessary to the recipe’s success. See this Tip for more explanation.

Equipment

A good recipe will include the type and size of pot/pan you will need. However, you will probably not have the exact same pot. Using a smaller or larger pot can affect the cooking time. A smaller pot decreases the surface area, and since the liquid in that pot will be deeper, it can take longer to cook. Cooking risotto in a smaller diameter pot will take much longer than if you cook that same risotto in a larger diameter and shallower pot.
How sharp are your knives? Just as with your knife skills, using a dull knife can increase the prep time, and that does not even talk about the danger of dull knives.
The oven temperature and its accuracy may greatly affect cooking/baking times. If your times are significantly different from the recipe, you should seriously consider checking the temperature of your oven with an accurate oven thermometer. Even if your oven registers the correct temperature, it may cook/bake differently based on its air circulation and whether you use the convection mode or not.
Cooktop temperature – low, medium, medium-high, and high on your cooktop can mean different things to different people, and even setting the dial at a similar setting as that recommended in the recipe can produce a different heat output on a different stovetop.

The Cook’s Skill

You get quicker at an activity whenever you are more skilled at it. Recipe developers are very experienced. Therefore, it probably takes them less time to go from start to finish than you will. It has been shown that cookbook and recipe writers frequently underestimate start-to-finish times.
This is especially true if you have never made the recipe before. If that is the case, add at least 15 minutes to the recipe’s timing.

Environment

The ambient temperature of your kitchen might mean it will take you longer than the recipe states. We all probably know that cooler kitchens lead to longer proofing times. However, cooler kitchens also mean your pantry ingredients, such as flour, will be cooler. Therefore, even if you place your item in a temperature-controlled proofer, cooler flour means a longer proofing time. The recipe writer is most likely making time estimates based on his/her environment, which may not match yours.
Altitude – those who live at a higher altitude know that certain dishes will take longer to cook, especially whole grains and beans. Unless the recipe states it was developed at a high altitude, assume it was not. That means more time for you.

Ingredients

Besides the ingredients’ temperature, the food’s size will also alter the cooking time. Does diced onion mean the same thing to the recipe writer as it does to you? If the food is larger than the one used in developing the recipe, cooking time can be longer.
The thickness of the meat is very important. If your meat cut is thicker than the recipe calls for, it can take much longer to cook.

Follow your senses, not your timer.

Because of the above, if a recipe says a specific step will take a certain amount of time, do not rely on that time. As Bon Appetit puts it, “When you’re following a recipe at home, cook to the indicator, not to the time.” For example, the recipe might say, “sauté onions for 3-5 minutes or until they are softened and golden.” The indicator after that “or until” is so much more important than the “3-5 minutes.”
Use your senses to tell when you have completed a particular step. Does your pan and the ingredients look as indicated? Is the aroma as stated? If the recipe says something like “softened,” taste it. There is no better way to determine texture than by tasting.

Timers

Does that mean you should throw your timers out? No, they have a place, especially when something is in the oven. I always set my timers for less time than the recipe states and then check what I am cooking.
For meat, invest in a good food thermometer. That is one piece of equipment that is bound to improve your results in the kitchen. It is not just for meat, though. Bread, casseroles, and candy are just some other items that will benefit from cooking to the proper temperature.
If a timer does nothing else, it will help you not forget that you have something on the stove or oven.

As I mentioned in the Tip on Recipe Cautions, a recipe failure might not be your fault. It might be the fault of the recipe writer. Timing is something over which you have control, and I hope this explanation will help you as you evaluate a recipe and its stated timing. It might not be what you expect!

Cooking Tips · Techniques

Kitchen Towels – more to them than you think

July 31, 2024July 28, 2024 culinaryjourneysllc

Do you give much thought to your kitchen towels? I have a drawer full of all kinds. Some are lovely towels that very good friends gifted to me. Others are ones I have had so long that I have no idea when or where I obtained them. Others are seasonal that I only pull out for Christmas, Thanksgiving or the fall season. I must admit that some of these towels are more absorbent and seem to do a better job. Are there certain things we should look for when buying and using kitchen towels? Are some brands superior to others? Let’s look at that topic in this Cooking Tip.

Before looking at what makes a better towel, reviewing my Cooking Tip on Kitchen Sponges would be helpful. Because of the risk of pathogens flourishing in kitchen sponges, we should probably use more kitchen towels instead of sponges as long as we take care of the towels properly.

As with sponges, towels can also be a breeding ground for pathogens. Wet surfaces are more susceptible to bacterial growth, so kitchen towels should always be laid out or hung up to dry between uses.

They should also be swapped out frequently, probably every few days. If they come into contact with raw meat or eggs, swap them out as soon as you wipe up the spills. They should be laundered and allowed to dry completely before being put back into use. For the best sanitation, a hot water wash is recommended. Hot water is also better for stain removal. The downside (besides the energy cost) is that hot water will lead to more shrinkage of the towels. I suspect most of us throw our towels in a dryer after laundering, but one advantage of air drying is that it reduces the piling of the towels.

When you go to the store to buy kitchen towels, are you drawn to the pretty colors and patterns? I know I am. However, there are more important considerations, such as the type of fabric, the type of weave and the size. Let’s look at the pros/cons of different types before looking at favorite brands.

Fabric – Most dish towels are made of cotton, linen, microfiber or a blend.

Cotton

Pros – cotton towels will be soft, more durable than other fabrics, and very versatile.
Cons – cotton towels take longer to dry and are prone to piling and leaving lint behind.

Linen

Pros – linen towels quickly dry and are much less likely to develop piles or lint. They are also durable.
Cons – the major con is that they are pricey compared to cotton towels. They can also feel scratchy for the first few uses

Microfiber

Pros – microfiber towels are relatively inexpensive, very soft, and ideal for shining delicate glassware.
Cons – many people use their kitchen towels as pot holders to remove hot items from the oven. Microfiber can melt when exposed to high heat and should not be used for this purpose.

Weave – Towels can be woven in different patterns. They vary depending on how the strands of material are interlaced to form the fabric. There might be a simple, plain weave, a waffle weave, a basket weave or a terry cloth weave. Although you might not care about identifying the exact weave, the weave will manifest in how the towel looks, feels and performs.

Cotton towels with a plain weave will be thinner. They won’t be as absorbent, but they are great for delicate tasks such as drying glasses. They are also excellent for wringing out moisture from your shredded veggies (such as zucchini) or for just placing your washed produce so it can dry.
Waffle weave towels will have a square or rectangular pattern. They tend to be thicker and more absorbent.
A basketweave is said to strike a balance between strength and absorbency.
Terry cloth is the easiest to identify. It is very absorbent but is the most prone to piling and linting.

Size somewhat depends on your storage space and your personal preference. People who do a lot of towel drying of dishes like larger towels as they can dry more dishes with just one towel. America’s Test Kitchen prefers towels that are 30 inches long by 20 inches wide. Another consideration is to remember that most towels will shrink some after being washed. So, the size you end up with will be smaller than what you buy. For people like me, who do minimal towel drying of dishes, smaller sizes are better as they are easier to store and dry.

What should you look for in a kitchen towel?

Absorbency
Durability
Easy to clean
It is thick enough to use as a pot holder without being too bulky. This is a minor consideration for me, as I prefer using an oven mitt to a towel for hot items. Others tend to always use a towel, and for them, this is an important consideration.
Usage – Many, including myself, like to have different types of towels for different purposes.
- I always have one very absorbent, usually terry, towel dedicated for hand drying. That is the one I loop through my apron ties every time I cook. It is important, though, to keep that towel dedicated just to hands and not where it will come into contact with food or clean dishes.
- I then have simpler woven towels that I use to set dishes on as they air dry or to put my washed produce on. Since, as I said, I do minimal towel drying of dishes, these towels also work well enough for that purpose.

There are similarities and differences in results from outlets that have conducted rigorous testing of different towels. As you might expect, everyone has their favorite towel. A few towels, though, tend to rise to the top of the ratings over and over.

Zeppoli Dish Towels

These towels are considered the workhorse of many professional kitchens, particularly because they can be used for multiple tasks. They can be used not only for lint-free dish drying but also for hand drying, wiping counters or appliances and as potholders.
They are made of 100% cotton and are 14”X25”.
They come in a few different colors and are simple yet attractive towels.
They are relatively inexpensive as compared to other highly rated towels.
The one negative is that they can take a long time to dry.

Williams Sonoma Towels – multiple sources highly rated two different WS towels.

WS Classic Stripe Towels

Made of 100% cotton in a basketweave pattern, these towels are available in several different colors and the size is 20”X30”.
They are strong and absorbent, although not as much as terry towels.
Stains come out easily.
They dry more quickly than other towels.
They tend to be rough, but they will soften with washing.
They are more expensive than the Zeppoli.

WS All-Purpose Pantry Towels

Made of 100% cotton with a tighter weave.
Available in multiple colors with a size of 20”X30”.
They have a waffle texture on one side and terry on the other.
Top rated by TheKitchn.com and Wirecutter. The latter states they are the best combination of absorbency, durability, attractiveness and price.
They are very durable.
Some users preferred the classic striped ones, as the all-purpose ones are rougher and a bit thick for delicate drying tasks.

Utopia Towels Kitchen Bar Mops Towels—If you want an inexpensive towel for cleaning purposes, these bar mop towels may be the thing.

They are a terry cloth made of 100% cotton, making them very absorbent.
They come in multiple colors and are 16”X19”.
They may not be the best for dishes as they tend to leave lint on the surfaces. They are better for wiping up spills and drying hands.
Besides the lint, other negatives are that they are not the most durable, take a long time to air dry, and are not very attractive.

Different sources rate other towels as their favorite, but the above were the ones that were rated the highest and most often.

Do you give much thought to your dish towels? If not, maybe another look is in store for you. I hope the above information will be helpful as you replace some of your dish towels.

Cooking Tips · Ingredients · Techniques

Beets – Pretty, Nutritious & Delicious!

July 24, 2024June 30, 2024 culinaryjourneysllc

I am making a lovely tart for tonight’s dinner that contains two ingredients that can be polarizing for some people – beets and goat cheese. I have already written a Cooking Tip on Goat Cheese. In this Cooking Tip, let’s explore the wonderful world of beets, known in Europe as beetroot.

Beets are a root vegetable, but one in which you can eat the entire plant – the bulb, stem and leaves. They are full of healthful nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

There are different types of beets, but the ones we find in our stores and on our plates are garden beets. Other varieties include the sugar beet (from which we get 55% of our sugar) and mangold beets, which are used in livestock feed. Even among the garden beets, there are different varieties, although you probably won’t know the variety unless you grow them yourself or buy them from a farmer’s market.

The most common variety in the market is the red beet. Some markets may sell golden beets. A third variety is Chioggia, also known as Candy Cane Beets. They are an heirloom variety from Italy and have pink and white concentric circles on the inside. Although not impossible to find, they are much less commonly sold in the average supermarket.

Most stores also sell vacuum-packed cooked beets. Their flavor is comparable to fresh beets, but canned beets are not as good a substitute for fresh.

The flavor of beets is said to be sweet but earthy. Many ask if the different colored beets taste differently. America’s Test Kitchen tested red beets, golden beets and Chioggia beets. They tasted them raw, roasted and marinated. Their tasters thought that the golden beets were less sweet and more earthy. The Chioggia were rated mild but with a bitter aftertaste.

My husband grows both red and golden beets. I love the look of the different colors, but we also thought the red beets were sweeter in a side-by-side test.

When shopping for beets, look for medium-sized ones, about 2-3 inches in diameter. Larger ones may be a bit more tough. Look for ones without blemishes or dents. If you have the choice, buy them with the greens still attached, as they will probably be fresher. Once you get the beets home, cut off the greens and store them separately. Wash the greens, wrap them in paper towels and put them into a plastic bag. Store the beets unwashed in plastic bags in the refrigerator. The greens will last a few days in the refrigerator, but the beets can last up to a month.

Preparing them is not difficult, but it can take some time, depending on your chosen method. They do not need to be peeled, but leaving the skin on can result in a tough texture.

Roasting

This is my preferred method. It takes the longest but is practically hands-off. Wrap the beets in foil and put them on a sheet pan in a 400°F oven for about an hour or until they are tender. Remove them from the oven, allow them to cool and then rub away the skin. Quartering the beets before roasting will speed up the cooking time.

Microwave

Peel the beets, cut them into ½-inch pieces, put them in a microwaveable bowl with a splash of water and cook, covered, for about 15- 25 minutes, depending on their size.

Grill

Heat your grill to medium-low heat. Clean, peel and cut the beets horizontally into ¼-inch slices. Toss the slices in olive oil, place them on the grates, and lightly salt them. Cook for 8-10 minutes, flip and continue cooking until tender.

Steam

Cut the unpeeled beets into ½- to 1-inch cubes. Bring a small amount of water in a pan to a boil. Put a steamer basket in the pot, add the beets, cover and steam until tender, 10-30 minutes. Remove from the basket, cool and peel.

Boiling

Beets cooked in boiling water will be less intense in color and leach some nutrients into the water. However, many like this method. Place whole beets in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, 20-45 minutes. Remove the beets from the simmering water, put them into an ice bath to cool and stop the cooking, and peel.

Raw

Beets are perfectly edible in the raw state. However, as they can be tough, they should be sliced very thinly or grated. Another option is to use a spiralizer.

Instant Pot

If you cook your beets this way, there is no need to peel them. The skin is barely noticeable after cooking in an Instant Pot. Leaving the skin on also means extra nutrients.

Beet greens

The beet greens can be eaten raw, but others prefer a quick sauté in butter or oil. Garlic is also a nice addition. It helps to separate the stems and cook them for a few minutes before adding the greens.

Besides the storage advice given above, cooked, peeled beets can be frozen for 8-10 months.

Some people do not like the red beets because they stain hands and cutting boards. However, there are ways to deal with this.

To prevent staining:

Wear gloves.
Coat your hands in oil – just ½ teaspoon rubbed on your hands is enough.
Prevent your cutting board from staining by giving it a light spritz with a cooking spray before cutting the beets.

Removing beet stains:

Wash your hands as quickly as you can in hot, soapy water.
Scrub salt and soap into your hands and then wash.
Rub a bit of whitening toothpaste into the stain and then wash.

What is your favorite way to prepare beets? As mentioned above, I prefer to roast them. You can then eat them just with a bit of butter and lemon juice. Or, add the beets to salad greens and pour over a flavorful vinaigrette along with nuts and goat or feta cheese. Here are a couple of great recipes.

What a pretty and tasty way to get your nutrients!

Cooking Tips · Ingredients

Serviceberries – a less well-known delicious fruit.

July 17, 2024June 20, 2024 culinaryjourneysllc

What is your favorite fresh berry? Strawberry? Blueberry? Blackberry? How about Serviceberry? The latter is a fruit that many of us have probably never heard of. I would not have if not for my husband’s foraging on his work campus. Read on in this Cooking Tip to learn what it is and how to use it in your kitchen.

If you haven’t heard the term serviceberry, perhaps you have heard some of its other names, such as Juneberry, Sarvisberry, Saskatoon berries, Shadberry, and Pigeonberry. Its scientific name is Amelanchier. Genetically speaking, serviceberries are not true berries but rather pome fruits similar to apples and pears. I will refer to them as berries.

These berries grow on a shrub or tree, reaching up to 10 feet tall. These trees are native to North America and grow as far north as Alaska and as far south as Mexico. They produce pretty white or pink flowers in late April to May. The berries ripen from June to August and change from red to dark purple (the darker the color, the sweeter the flavor), and they are slightly larger than a blueberry. Later in the fall, the leaves turn a gorgeous profusion of reds, oranges and yellows.

Because this fruit is not found in supermarkets or farmer’s markets, if you want to try it, you will probably need to forage. Please see this prior Tip on Foraging before you venture out to do this. Make sure you know what you are foraging, as there are some poisonous plants out there that sport similar-appearing berries.

One expert describes the flavor as a “fusion of strawberry, blueberry and a hint of almond.” Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? Another claims it is “halfway between a blueberry and a grape … with a slightly nutty, almond-like aftertaste.” A third compares it to a cross between a blueberry and a nectarine.

The berries can be eaten raw but you can also use them in your kitchen in a cooked or dried form. You can substitute 1:1 for blueberries in your recipes, although some adjustments may need to be made as blueberries have a slightly higher water content.

Other ideas are:

Muffins
Pies
Cobblers
Pancakes
Puddings
Soups
Sausage fillings
Syrups
Sauces
Ice Cream
Smoothies
Salad topping
Jams

Native Americans have been known to use them medicinally for earaches, gastrointestinal distress, fevers and coughs. The stems, branches, and wood have also been used to make baskets, ropes and furniture.

Like other berries, the serviceberry contains antioxidants and other nutrients.

Serviceberries can be refrigerated in a ziplock bag in your produce drawer for a week or two. At room temperature, they can last up to five days. They are very thin-skinned and, therefore, fairly perishable.

As my husband wanders around his work campus picking berries from the trees, others may look on and shake their heads. However, he is happy about that as it leaves more for him. Have you ever tried serviceberries? Look around your area to see if they are growing there, and see what you think!

Cooking Tips · Ingredients

Cucumbers – Edible Hydration

July 10, 2024June 17, 2024 culinaryjourneysllc

Cucumbers are a vegetable (more about that in a minute) that most of us probably don’t think about too much. We may eat them on a salad, but that is about it. There is more to understanding about cucumbers and how to use them. That is the subject of this Cooking Tip.

Because they contain seeds in their interior, cucumbers are botanically a fruit. We all, though, tend to consider them and use them as we would a vegetable.

Although there are about 100 varieties, our average supermarket will probably only carry two or three. Mine only has two varieties for most of the year. The size of these different types of cucumbers will vary from about 1 inch long to up to 20 inches in length. That is not the only difference in the various types.

Some people will put them in two general categories.

Slicing varieties
- These are meant to be eaten raw, although they can be used in other culinary preparations.
Pickling varieties
- These are small cucumbers that are cultivated specifically for pickling.

Within these two categories, we can find many different types. Here are the most common you will find in your stores or farmer’s markets

Garden Cucumbers

These are also sometimes called slicing cucumbers or American slicing cucumbers. These are the ones that are most commonly found in our stores.
The skin is smooth, but it can be tough.
They generally measure 6-10 inches in length.
The flavor is bright and refreshing, but it sometimes has a slight bitterness.
The most common uses are salads, sandwiches, and chilled soups such as gazpacho.

English Cucumbers

Other names for these cucumbers are seedless, hothouse, European, and burpless.
They are easy to recognize as they are longer (can reach 20 inches long) and slimmer than the usual cucumber.
They are usually wrapped in plastic to reduce bruising as the skin is thin and delicate.
Because the skin is thin, peeling before eating is unnecessary.
This variety contains very few seeds, which contributes to a milder flavor with a subtle sweetness and a less watery texture.
The best uses are in salads or sandwiches.

Persian Cucumbers

This variety is much smaller than other cucumbers, only about four to six inches.
Just as with English cucumbers, Persian cucumbers are known as burpless because they are easily digestible.
The skin is this but has a bumpy appearance.
The texture is crisp.
Their flavor is milder and sweeter than other varieties.
They contain minimal seeds.
Best uses are snacking, slicing, and pickling. This variety is a top choice for Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.

Kirby Cucumbers

This variety is known as the pickling cucumber.
They are small, usually under six inches in length.
The skin has a bumpy appearance, and the internal texture is firm and crunchy.
Their flavor is slightly sour, making them great for pickling, although some like to use them in salads and sandwiches due to their crisp texture.

Lemon Cucumbers

This is an unusual appearing cucumber due to its round shape and yellow color.
The flavor is slightly sweet with citrus notes.
They are best used raw in salads.

White Cucumbers

Another uncommon variety, it is sought out for aesthetic reasons due to its white skin.
It is best enjoyed raw but can also be used to make a white gazpacho.

Japanese cucumbers

Another name is a Kyuri cucumber.
They are long and slender with thin, dark green skins.
The texture is crisp, and the flavor is refreshing.
They are the variety often used in sushi or other Japanese dishes.

Nutrition

As with most fruits and vegetables, cucumbers are nutritious. By weight, cucumbers are up to 90% water, which makes them great for hydration. They also contain beneficial vitamins, especially vitamins A and C. The skin contains fiber and minerals, and they possess anti-inflammatory properties.

Culinary uses

Cucumbers are naturally waxy on the outside. This is generally removed during processing after harvesting. So, it is common for producers to add a waxy coating that mimics the natural one. If this wax coating is applied, the retailer should inform the consumer on the label or signage. Even though it is considered safe to consume, you can remove it with vigorous scrubbing and rinsing or by peeling. The peel does, though, add to the nutritional value of the cucumber.
Raw in salads or on sandwiches.
Infused water – slice and use in beverages just as you would use lemon slices.
Add to smoothies along with other fruits and veggies.
Tzatziki – a classic Green dip made with yogurt, cucumbers, and seasonings.
Hors d’oeuvres – slice about ½ to 1 inch thick. Scoop out seeds and fill with cheese, a dip or a relish.
Chilled soups
Pickles
Sorbets
Can be sauteed or braised as a side dish.
Make into pickles
Sorbets

Choosing cucumbers

Pick firm ones without soft spots or wrinkles, and a vibrant color.

Storage

Although they do not need immediate refrigeration, refrigeration is recommended if they are kept for more than a few days.
Some experts like to store them in the warmer part of their refrigerator, such as on a door or the upper shelves. They wrap them in a paper towel and put both in a sealable plastic bag.
If uncut and unwashed, they can be kept in the refrigerator for about ten days.
If sliced, they should be tightly wrapped and kept in the refrigerator for about five days.

Not everyone is a cucumber fan. If you are one of those, perhaps you haven’t tried the correct variety. Try to find some of these other types and see if they change your mind. Or, try growing your own. My husband grows a variety called Sweet Success and it is outstanding!