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| Finding the Best Recipes by Keith Kingston Finding the Best Recipes Keith Kingston Trying to find a dynamite recipe to wow guests or cook up a special supper for your special someone Finding the best recipes is simple. First, perform a careful analysis of the situation for which you are cooking to narrow down the search. Cookbooks are very specific, so whether you are a hometown soup cook, a college student, or a soon-to-be fine cuisine artist, there is a cookbook for you. Find your niche, and get cooking! Weight loss cookbooks are currently all the rage among dieters. There is a cookbook for every new fad diet around, be it South Beach, Atkins, or Weight Watchers. These cookbooks contain ideas for recipes that help you forget you are on a diet. Magazines like Cosmopolitan and Shape also contain delectable, yet guilt-free recipes if you are watching your waistline. The downside of these cookbooks is that you will spend a fortune purchasing all the diet-friendly ingredients. Another large recipe market is the young-person-learning-to-cook cookbook. My favorite in this group is A Man, A Can, A Plan. This book contains simple recipes for the most novice of cooks. It details how to make delicious and filling dinners using mostly canned ingredients. Cooking for Dummies makes even the most exotic of dishes attainable, and these books come in several subgroups for ethnic recipes as well. Several cookbooks exist on that limit the supplies needed to a meager four ingredients, perfect for those twenty-somethings who cannot cook and feel strapped for cash. For a special occasion, cooking shows are a fabulous resource to find recipes to amaze your guests. These recipes tend to be a bit more complicated and are not for the weak of heart, but if you are feeling up for a challenge, tune into the food network for an afternoon of yummy learning. Be sure to make notes, as there will be several ingredients to remember as well as cooking strategies and techniques that may be unfamiliar. These shows often supply other trade secrets as well on topics such as creating an atmosphere to compliment your cooking. The true secret for finding the best recipes is to use personalized cookbooks. Everyone has them. You know, the church fundraiser where everyone turned in their favorite recipe and sold the compiled book to foot the youth groups bus bill to Habitat for Humanity The inherited cookbook that gets passed through the generations of your family is another great place to find scrumptious recipes. Often these homemade cookbooks contain the best recipe secrets because they are unique. Also, people relate food to emotions, so when you cook Great Aunt Sallys famous meatloaf, a certain joy comes from the connection one feels through creating a dish that was created long ago by a special relative.
About The Author Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher offering tips on easy chicken recipes, chocolate chip and salad recipes http://recipes.allspecialoffers.com |
| Bada Bing Dinner Theater in Las Vegas by Linda Lane Bada Bing Dinner Theater in Las VegasRead Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.comTo read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link:http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/shows/vegas/badabing/bada.htmlAmerica's love affair with The Sopranos, The Godfather, Goodfellas, and a host of equally thrilling mobster tales can be satisfied vicariously by spending an evening at "Ba-Da-Bing", the interactive dinner musical at the Orleans Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.The show is a clever marriage between Gustav Mauler's Italian eatery, Sazio's, and the Ba-Da-Bing repertoire company of wise guys and slick chicks. The occasion is a surprise birthday party for Mr. Big, the Godfather of Las Vegas, and as his guests, audience members get to join one of the families. Mike Hughes, general manager, stage manager, and Mr. Big's Bookie, explained that they have been performing for three years. They've been at Sazio's one year and have become so popular that instead of five nights, they are now running seven nights a week.Certainly, the food plays a major role in the gangster comedy's success. There is a three-course dinner beginning with a crisp, freshly tossed Caesar salad and homemade bread. Black and white helium balloons and stars float above tables reserved for: the Pizza Family, the Antipasto Family, the Pepperoni Family, and so on. The dialogue may be tongue in cheek but the atmosphere is authentic down to the spats, the big rocks, and the pistol packin' mamas. The show's publicist, Bobbie Katz, explains that Ba-Da-Bing is the only interactive musical in Las Vegas. It is more intimate than Tony and Tina's wedding. And thanks to Gustav Mauler's cuisine, the food is far better than most catered dinners.Even Lisa, our waitress, was Jersey through and through, her voice, resonating with Sopranos inflections. "Okay, tonight we got the Chicken Marsala with garlic mashed potatoes, the Meat Lasagna, the Grilled Ribeye Steak with Whiskey Peppercorn Sauce, and the Salmon with Honey Basil Sauce. There's homemade Tiramisu for dessert so save room. And, everybody gets a glass a champagne to toast Mr. Big, the godfather of Las Vegas. Drinks are extra."As we ordered our entrée actors and actresses looking like they came out of a vintage Godfather epic roamed the private dining room, dubbing one man at each table Don for the night. Others were enlisted to participate in one of the sketches. Frankie Marone, or Moron as he's often called, played by Ted Davey is Mr. Big's former right-hand man. Frankie is hosting the boss's surprise party "so's he can get back in the Don's good graces." His former girlfriend, Chickie Parmesan, played by Carrie SaLoutos, happens to be Mr. Big's favorite entertainer. Her version of "Santa Baby" brings back the warm, sultry sounds of Eartha Kitt.Pepper Vega, played by Karin Denise, is a well trained singer/comedienne. Her timing is sharp and her personality vivid enough to be memorable. Her husband, Johnny Vega, Mr. Big's favorite comic, played by Ted Wallek, keeps the show zipping along with fast paced banter, jokes, and colorful tiffs with Pepper.During the main course, Frankie Marone sings a smooth rendition of "Mack The Knife", tells everyone that the Lasagna's never got along with the Pizzas, and the Spaghettis never got along with anybody! He invites all the Don's to stand up while goombas holding machine guns flank a life-sized cutout of Warren Beatty from "Bonnie and Clyde". The keyboardist, Michael Dowe, takes his cues from the action, lending a sense of authenticity and drama.I had the Salmon with Honey Basil Sauce, and much to Gustav Mauler's credit, the fish was fresh, flaky and moist. The sauce was tangy with a hint of sweetness. My new family members at the Antipasto table were very pleased with their entrées. Beer, wine and alcoholic beverages are extra."So it all started with the BadAssio Brothers", Frankie tells the crowd who are well into their main courses. "I need some help up here." He scans the diners and walks over to a beautiful, young woman who he coaxes and cajoles up on stage."Your name?""Yvonne.""So, Yvonne, Where are you from?""Russia. I'm here celebrating my divorce!"The guests are now in full party mode; they cheer and applaud. Eventually they discover that Yvonne is not just an accidental tourist, she is a long-legged, professional dancer who adds more spice to an already hot line-up. Between dinner and dessert guests find themselves singing and dancing the Tarantella.Homemade Tiramisu is served and champagne is poured as the long anticipated moment arrives—Mr. Big, the Godfather of Las Vegas makes his grand entrance. Mr. Big, who is sometimes played by Ben Morgan, the show's producer, or by a guest, is thrilled with the party. There is more tongue-in-cheek mobster humor, vaudevillian jokes and singing. Love is in the air.After the show, guests can take pictures and chat with the actors.To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link:http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/shows/vegas/badabing/bada.htmlLinda Lane, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com About the Author Linda Lane, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Leave your email next to the logo for FREE e travel newsletter. |
| How to Cook Lobster by Michael Sheridan French chefs plunge them into boiling water; English ones, in an attempt to appear more humane, drive kitchen knives through their skulls before doing the same thing. No wonder the miserable creatures go red. They’re mad as hell. What a way to treat the king of crustaceans. Let’s make a pact. From now on let’s treat the lobster with the respect (and humanity) it deserves. Here’s how: Use a pan deep enough to hold 6 liters of salted water to which you have added some shredded onion, a garlic clove or two and a bay leaf. Purists who live by the sea also like to add a pint of seawater. People like me, who’ve seen what gets washed up as a result of coastal run-off, don’t. Put a trivet or round roasting rack in the bottom of the pan, on which you will place the lobster. You do this so that it is not touching the bottom of the pan and will not be burnt as the metal heats up. Does this improve the flavor? No, it’s purely for the comfort of the lobster. So, this is what you have – a pan of cold brine, seasoned, in which a lobster sits on a trivet as happy as a sand boy. How do I know this? Because lobsters have two states of being – they’re either happy or they’re dead. Now, using a gentle heat, gradually raise the temperature of the water to around 90°F, at which point the lobster will be fast asleep and sweetly dreaming. It will never wake up. You can now turn up the heat until the water reaches a gentle simmer and cook the lobster for around 8 minutes a pound. Drain and plunge into iced water. Let it cool in there before draining again and transferring to the fridge until needed. The lobster will reward you for this kindness by being succulent and tender. It won’t be stuffed with adrenalin and its meaty fibers will not have contracted into something resembling India rubber. The next step is to cut the lobster in half and to clean it. Lay it on its back and use a strong, very sharp, knife to cut it in half from tail to head. You will easily see the stomach bag at the back of the head and the blackish gut running the length of the body. Remove these and discard. You may also, if you wish, discard the greenish liver, although aficionados hold this to be a delicacy. It’s certainly edible, but personally I chuck it because I don’t like the color. And that’s it. You can now serve your lobster cold with some freshly made mayonnaise, or indulge in one of the more fanciful hot dishes for which some restaurants have become famous. About the author: During the 1990s Michael Sheridan was head chef of the Pierre Victoire restaurant in London's West End, specializing in French cuisine. An Australian, he is a published author on cooking matters, and runs a free membership club and cooking course for busy home cooks at http://thecoolcook.com |
| Is Your Cookware Poisoning You? by Michael Sheridan For over 40 years scientists have known that the fumes from hot non-stick surfaces can kill birds such as canaries. So just how dangerous are they to you? Several studies have been conducted into health concerns surrounding Teflon, the coating invented and patented by DuPont. The results have been disturbing, if somewhat inconclusive. While the lethal effect on birds is well documented and not in dispute, much of the other evidence tends to be anecdotal at best. And some of it is downright confusing. For example, the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is usually cited as the villain of the piece and the root cause of the illnesses that have allegedly appeared in some users. However DuPont claims Teflon doesn't contain this chemical, although it is used in the manufacturing process. Whatever the truth of that may be, it’s certainly accurate to say that there have been a number of health issues emerging in the community immediately adjacent to the DuPont factory in Parkersburg, West Virginia; more about that later. There also seems to be some disagreement among authorities as to the temperatures at which the bird-lethal fumes are given off. These are quoted as ranging from 285°F to 475° and more. Since both these figures are well within the smoke points of edible oils such as avocado and safflower, keeping your budgie in or near the kitchen is definitely not good for his health. But what about your health? Human victims have complained of flu-like symptoms, some leading to respiratory complications, after using non-stick cookware. Some reactions have been reported as "severe"". At least one report suggests that the fumes may be cancer inducing after prolonged exposure, although none suggest that Teflon itself is harmful if swallowed. If the fumes are harmful to humans, then there is much more to consider than just kitchen items. Some brands of light bulb, portable heaters and even Gore Tex clothing are all produced using PFOA, the same reactive agent used in the case of Teflon. Not surprisingly, DuPont denies there is any problem; but this hasn't prevented the company from paying out millions of dollars in compensation, not only to their employees but to 50,000 people living in the vicinity of the Parkersburg factory. You have to ask yourself "why?". Complaints have included accusations of water pollution, high infant mortality rates and a greater than normal incidence of cancer among the local population. DuPont has never admitted liability in any of these cases. While the jury still seems to be out on the safety or otherwise of Teflon in the home, even DuPont's own experts advise caution when using non-stick items, particularly with regard to high cooking temperatures. And this is something you can rely on: when Teflon and similar coatings are heated to a certain point, fumes are given off. These fumes will kill pet birds that inhale them. It’s therefore reasonable to suppose that other forms of life may also be at risk. You can get more information on the Teflon debate from this address http://www.ewg.org/reports/toxicteflon/es.php For a definitive article on the effects of Teflon fumes on birds, visit this site http://www.theaviary.com/teflon.shtml About the author: Michael Sheridan was formerly head chef of the Pierre Victoire restaurant in London's West End, specializing in French cuisine. An Australian, he is a published author on cooking matters and runs a free membership club and cooking course for busy home cooks at http://thecoolcook.com |
| Oil or Butter? They Are Both Fat! by Michael Sheridan Newsflash: there is a world beyond olive oil. Look, I like olive oil as much as the next person and I use it extensively in my cooking. However there are alternatives and there are very good reasons for using some of them. But let’s just stay with olive oil for a second or two longer. How often have you seen this statement in a recipe; ”use the best olive oil you can afford.” Well I’m here to tell you that is nonsense. The quality of olive oil is not determined by its price, nor by its fancy packaging. It’s determined by its flavor and what you propose using it for. For example, while extra virgin olive oil is perfect for salads, there is absolutely no point in using it for high temperature cooking. When heated beyond a certain point it loses its flavor and most of its characteristics, although not its nutritional value. You might just as well use the home brand oil of the store you’re shopping in. What’s more, the store’s own brand of extra virgin olive oil will be every bit as good as those costing many dollars more. I never buy anything else, and I have yet to come across anyone who can tell the difference. Just don’t let them see the bottle. Adding flavor I mentioned before that with high temperature cooking, such as frying, olive oil quickly loses its flavor. Fortunately, all fats are not the same and the best way to overcome this problem is to mix the olive oil with something else. You could use sesame oil for example, or add a knob of butter which will not burn because, although the oil reaches its smoking point at a higher temperature than animal fats, the overall cooking temperature will be reduced by the butter. This is not always a disadvantage and I frequently use butter instead of oil for much of the cooking I do. However I use clarified butter, or “Ghee”, which is simply the Asian form of clarified butter and is usually sold in tins. Clarified butter is butter with the milk solids removed so that it can be heated to a high temperature without burning. It’s also much better for you than the full fat alternative. You can make it yourself simply by bringing ordinary butter to the boil, skimming off the solids which rise to the surface and then filtering the remainder. But for the life of me I cannot imagine why you would want to do that when you can buy a tin of it that will just about last for ever if kept in the fridge. The great thing about using Ghee is that it retains its flavor no matter what temperature you cook it at without overpowering the rest of the ingredients. Dangerous liaisons Despite what the recipes may tell you, olive oil is worse than useless when used in egg liaison sauces. It makes them taste bitter. For things like mayonnaise and hollandaise sauce, I invariably use grape seed oil. I find this has a light, clean finish and produces perfect results every time. Corn oil and canola, which is called rape-seed oil in Britain, tend to be rather too oily and I also find them very bland. As a matter of fact, I never cook with either of them. Even my deep fat frying is done with olive oil. Which brings me to another point. Fats and oils in cooking are mainly used for either deep or shallow frying. In both cases the food that results, with just a few exceptions such as omelets, should be crisp and fat free. The main reason this doesn’t happen is because the fat was not able to get hot enough before the food was added. Don’t let this happen to you. Heat your frying pan until it begins to smoke. Then remove it from the heat for a minute before adding food. Do the same with your wok, and make sure that your deep fat fryer has reached full temperature before you even think about adding the tiniest morsel. If you have any trouble judging the correct temperature, drop a small scrap of fresh bread into the fat and see what it does. It should sizzle immediately and crisp up in a couple of seconds. Remember that all fats are not the same. Refined oils such as sunflower, peanut and corn are best for frying because they reach a smoke point of 450°F, while olive oil – which is what I use for general cooking – comes in at 410°F. To give you some idea of the difference in cooking temperatures, ordinary butter has a smoke point of around 300°F. One more point. Don’t try to cook too much food at once. If you do, you will find that the temperature will drop rapidly, the food will shed water and instead of frying your chicken or whatever, you will stew it. Better by far to cook small amounts at a time, allowing the oil to reheat between each batch. Do this, and you will avoid the limp vegetables and soggy chips (French fries) that bedevil so many home cooks. About the author: Michael Sheridan was formerly head chef of the Pierre Victoire restaurant in London's West End, specializing in French cuisine. An Australian, he is a published author on cooking matters and runs a free membership club and cooking course for busy home cooks at http://thecoolcook.com |
| Exotic Dining: Classic Indian Dishes Made Simple by News Canada Exotic Dining: Classic Indian Dishes Made Simple News Canada NC—Indias ancient cultures have left an indelible stamp on civilization but perhaps no single aspect has impacted day-to-day life in Canada quite as much as the cuisine of India. In cities and towns from Victoria to St. Johns Indian restaurants have sprung up and been eagerly embraced by a Canadian audience with an increasingly sophisticated taste for the new and exotic. More and more Canadians are discovering the astonishing range of Indian foods and how easy it is to prepare them at home. Indian food is much, much more than just a plate of curry. Regional and cultural influences Hindus do not eat beef, some are strict vegetarians who even shun eggs and fish; Muslims do not eat pork or shellfish have given rise to an immense number of dishes, some hot and spicy, others mild and velvety. What makes Indian cuisine so different from others is the skilful and imaginative use of blended spices and herbs in the preparation of food. Cooks add their own special ingredients and guard the secrets of their recipes. But all use various combinations of spices such as cardamom, cloves and ginger to add aroma to the dish; red peppers, ginger and mango powder for flavour; paprika, saffron and turmeric for colour. The best Indian chefs grind their own spices, shred their own herbs and can often take hours to prepare the selection of dishes that make up a meal. For cooks who do not have that much time, there is a simpler process. Sharwoods line of sauces make it possible to prepare a delicious Indian meal in minutes. Balti sauce, the newest in the line, is a rich tomato-based cooking sauce piquantly seasoned with coriander, red chillies and fenugreek. It can be used to give an entirely new perspective on chicken, lamb, beef or even vegetables. Butter chicken, a mouth-watering favourite in many restaurants, is made simple with Tandoori Makhani, in which cardamom and cream blend smoothly to produce a dish fit for the Moghul princes themselves. Tikka Masala is yet another rich sauce flavoured with caraway seeds and coriander - again, ideal with chicken. These sauces are far too delicious to waste so, to soak them up, Sharwoods has introduced Naan Bread Mix. Quick and easy to make, it adds a real home made feel to an exciting meal. All sauces come with simple directions and have a shelf life of 18 months unopened - seven days opened. If youd like to delve deeper into the secrets of this great cuisine, check out the wealth of information in the Internet at www.sharwoods.com. - News Canada
About The Author News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web. News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial "fill" items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services. |
| The True Hystory of Tiramisu by Anna Maria Volpi The True Hystory of Tiramisu Anna Maria Volpi Open an old Italian cookbook, browse through the index and… surprise! No Tiramisu’. My first encounter with Tiramisu’ was in 1985. I was in Italy at that time: A friend of mine told me about this new recipe she got. She was so enthusiastic about it that I felt compelled to try it immediately. The taste was unbelievably good, as never I had tasted before. Since then I fell in love with this dessert. Everybody knows by now that Tiramisu’ means “pick-me-up” in Italian, for the high energetic content eggs and sugar and the caffeine of the strong espresso coffee. There are many different stories about the origin of Tiramisu’. It is a layered cake; therefore some place its origin in Tuscany, where another famous layered Italian dessert is very popular. It is called “Zuppa Inglese” English Soup. It is not English and it is not a soup. Instead is a simple cake of ladyfingers or sponge cake, soaked in “alkermes” liquor, and alternated layers of chocolate and egg custard. Layered cakes have been around for long time. The brilliant idea in Tiramisu’ is not in the technique of layering, but in the components. The great invention of combining together coffee, zabaglione cream, and chocolate: This is the true innovation in Tiramisu’. I love to study history of food. In my book “The Timeless Art of Italian Cuisine – Centuries of Scrumptious Dining”, there is extensive information about culinary history of the various regions of Italy. I tried to trace the origin of Tiramisu’ investigating many Italian cookbooks. The first clue is by the famous Italian gastronome Giuseppe Maffioli. In his book “Il ghiottone Veneto”, The Venetian Glutton first published in 1968, he talks extensively about Zabaglione custard. The name of this cream originates from Zabaja, a sweet dessert popular in the Illiria region. It is the coastal area across the Adriatic Sea that was Venetian territory for long time during the golden age of the “Repubblica Serenissima” The Most Serene Republic of Venice. Zabaglione was prepared in those times with sweet Cyprus wine. “The groom’s bachelor friends”, says Maffioli, “at the end of the long wedding banquet, maliciously teasing, gave to him before the couple retired a big bottle of zabajon, to guarantee a successful and prolonged honeymoon”. “The zabajon”, Maffioli continues, “was sometimes added of whipped cream, but in this case was served very cold, almost frozen, and accompanied by the baicoli, small thin Venetian cookies invented in the 1700’s by a baker in the Santa Margherita suburb of Venice”. As we can notice, the addition of whipped cream, the serving temperature, the cookies, all these elements are close to the modern Tiramisu’ recipe. And even the allusion to the energetic properties of the Zabaglione, seem to refer to the Tiramisu’ name. Later in my research the oldest recipe I could find was in the book by Giovanni Capnist “I Dolci del Veneto” The Desserts of Veneto. The first edition was published in 1983 and has a classic recipe for Tiramisu’. “Recent recipe with infinite variations from the town of Treviso”, says Capnist, “discovery of restaurants more then family tradition”. But the final word on the origin of Tiramisu’ is from the book by Fernando e Tina Raris “La Marca Gastronomica” published in 1998, a book entirely dedicated to the cuisine from the town of Treviso. The authors remember what Giuseppe Maffioli wrote in an article in 1981: “Tiramisu’ was born recently, just 10 years ago in the town of Treviso. It was proposed for the first time in the restaurant . The dessert and its name became immediately extremely popular, and this cake and the name where copied by many restaurants first in Treviso then all around Italy”. Still today the restaurant “Le Beccherie” makes the dessert with the classical recipe: ladyfingers soaked in bitter strong espresso coffee, mascarpone-zabaglione cream, and bitter cocoa powder. Alba and Ado Campeol, owners of the restaurant regret they didn’t patent the name and the recipe, especially to avoid all the speculation and guesses on the origin of this cake, and the diffusion of so many recipes that have nothing to do with the original Tiramisu’. I tried countless different recipes form the infinite variations of Tiramisu’, but the classic one, the recipe I show on my website, the recipe from the “Le Beccherie” restaurant, is still the one I prepare today and the one I prefer. As an example of one of the many delicious variation of Tiramisu’ I am showing on my website a step-by-step recipe for the “Tiramisu’ with Mixed Berries” that is quickly becoming a new classic. Anna Maria Volpi Nov.20, 2003
About The Author Anna Maria Volpi is a chef, award winning cookbook writer, and cooking instructor. Her website and newsletter http://www.annamariavolpi.com/page28.html has taken recipe-writing to a higher standard featuring step-by-step illustrated traditional Italian recipes. anna@annamariavolpi.com Please notify the author if and when you decide to publish this article. |
| The History of Thai Food by Andrew Hall The History of Thai Food Andrew Hall Thai food is famous all over the world. Whether chilli-hot or comparatively bland, harmony and contrast are the guiding principles behind each dish. Thai cuisine is essentially a marriage of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences harmoniously combined into something uniquely Thai. Characteristics of Thai food depend on who cooks it, for whom it is cooked, for what occasion, and where it is cooked. Dishes can be refined and adjusted to suit all tastes. The Tai people migrated from valley settlements in the mountainous region of Southwest China now Yunnan province between the sixth and thirteenth centuries, into what is now known as Thailand, Laos, the Shan States of upper Burma, and northwest Vietnam. Influenced by Chinese cooking techniques, Thai cuisine flourished with the rich biodiversity of the Thai peninsula. As a result, Thai dishes today have some similarities to Szechwan Chinese dishes. Originally, Thai cooking reflected the characteristics of a waterborne lifestyle. Aquatic animals, plant and herbs were major ingredients. Subsequent influences introduced the use of sizeable chunks to Thai cooking. With their Buddhist background, Thais shunned the use of large animals in big chunks. Big cuts of meat were shredded and blended with herbs and spices. Traditional Thai cooking methods were stewing and baking, or grilling. Chinese influences saw the introduction of frying, stir-frying and deep-frying. Culinary influences from the 17th century onwards included Portuguese, Dutch, French and Japanese techniques. Chillies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s by Portuguese missionaries who had acquired a taste for them while serving in South America. Thais were very adapt at adapting foreign cooking methods, and substituting ingredients. The ghee used in Indian cooking was replaced by coconut oil, and coconut milk substituted for other dairy products. Overpowering pure spices were toned down and enhanced by fresh herbs such as lemon grass and galanga. Eventually, fewer and less spices were used in Thai curries, while the use of fresh herbs increased. It is generally acknowledged that Thai curries burn intensely, but briefly, whereas other curries, with strong spices, burn for longer periods. Instead of serving dishes in courses, a Thai meal is served all at once, permitting diners to enjoy complementory combinations of different tastes. A proper Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with condiments, a dip with accompanying fish and vegetables. A spiced salad may replace the curry dish. The soup can also be spicy, but the curry should be replaced by a non-spiced item. There must be harmony of tastes and textures within individual dishes and the entire meal.
About The Author Andrew Hall http://www.all-free-recipes.com |
