All posts filed under: Food Musings

Something’s Fishy

Published by Kathy Hunt

With Christmas Eve and the Italian-American “Feast of the Seven Fishes” a week away I’m in the mood to chat about fish. Truthfully, at times selecting seafood seems about as baffling as choosing a new car. There are so many questions to be answered. Should I buy farm-raised or wild? If I opt for wild-caught, is it at risk of being over-fished? If I go with farmed, how do I know which countries practice safe aquaculture techniques? And shouldn’t I be stocking up on local rather than imported seafood? Once I tease out the correct answers, I have to determine which fish possesses the greatest health benefits and fewest health risks. Add in concerns about oil-contaminated Gulf Coast catches and I’m tempted to skip cooking and order a pizza instead. Thankfully, healthful and eco-friendly seafood does exist. The wild European anchovy sits at the top of the Environmental Defense Fund’s “eco-best” seafood list. Although this small, omega-3-rich fish swims in all warm oceans, the most prized come from the Mediterranean Sea. Here the supply is …

Holiday Gifts for the Cook: Kitchen Gadgets!

Published by Kathy Hunt

If you cook, write about food or just enjoy a good meal, chances are that you own a kitchen tool or two. If you fall into all three categories, then you may be like me — swamped with cooking gadgets. Over the years I’ve compiled a mental list of what’s fun, what’s functional and what’s foolish for the home cook. Below are some of the best that I’ve collected. Relatively inexpensive and easy to find, they’re bound to delight you and/or the food lovers in your life. I love a little kitsch in the kitchen. Hence my delight over these quirky kitchen timers. Functional and fun, no one will mind owning more than one. Along with lady bugs and cats, chickens, cows, frogs, dogs, ducks and portly chefs all can keep track of your cooking times. How could you not enjoy cooking with these cheerful guys taking care of your casserole count down? I can’t help it — graters are great! Although you truly only need one all-purpose, hand-held grater, I’ve ended up with five. …

The Perfect Holiday Gift? Edible Treats!

Published by Kathy Hunt

Sometimes it feels as though I’ve spent a lifetime rooting around jam-packed stores, searching for, but never finding, the perfect holiday gift. That’s why I’ve started giving edible presents. Who can resist a basket filled with tea, coffee, candies, cakes and breads or bottles of local wine, liqueurs and infused oils? In my case, no one. Whether homemade or store-bought, gourmet edibles satisfy everyone on my shopping list. Giving food is not a novel idea. During the Viking Age the Norse god Odin traveled across the cold winter landscape with his reindeer to deliver fruit and corn. Centuries later Saint Nicholas took over Odin’s route and filled European children’s shoes with sweets. In Colonial times old Saint Nick brought American youth cakes and fruits while they in turn left out hay and carrots for his faithful white horse. As a little girl, I often heard tales of how my uncle and mother would bound down the stairs on Christmas morning to find their stockings bulging with oranges, whole walnuts and penny candy. The oranges were …

Talkin’ Sides for Turkey Day

Published by Kathy Hunt

Since virtually every food writer in America is talking about Thanksgiving this week, I’ve decided to jump on the bandwagon and share a bit about turkey day. As you’ll see, the history lesson is short. The recipes, however, are plentiful. As most may know, Thanksgiving didn’t become a national holiday until President Lincoln declared it so in 1863. Even so, early 19th century Americans still gave thanks for successful harvests and other welcomed events with sumptuous meals. These celebrations featured an array of meats such as pork, venison, duck, goose, chicken and turkey. They also included sweets such as dried fruit, plum puddings, fruit pies and tarts. Missing, though, were many of the delicious side dishes that I so enjoy. While these dinners lacked my garlic-chestnut Brussels sprouts and three cranberry conserve, they offered something that the present holiday doesn’t – a strong religious tone. This was particularly the case in New England where colonists spent their days of thanks in church rather than at the table. By the late 19th century the religious aspect …

Salty Like the Sea

Published by Kathy Hunt

One of the essential minerals and oldest seasonings has gone gourmet. Forget about the white, fine-grain, mass-produced salt crystals of the past. Chunky sea salts in hues of beige, pink, red and black have taken over kitchens, tabletops and gourmet grocery aisles around the globe. Prized by chefs, connoisseurs and home cooks, they come from France and the Mediterranean coast, from salt pans in Tunisia and Majorca and from countless other sites, including Hawaii, Australia and Bali. In the Mediterranean sea salt is produced by an age-old technique. Here sea water is collected in shallow basins and allowed to evaporate in the sun. As it dries up, salt forms at the base of the pans. There it takes on the color of the clay or other natural materials found on the bottom. The salt at the top remains pure white. In France this delicate salt is known as fleur de sel. Light tasting and quick dissolving, it’s primarily used to finish dishes but it occasionally appears in baked goods. What do cooks do with all …

“A” Is for . . .

Published by Kathy Hunt

With World Go Vegan Week right around the corner I’ve been thinking quite a bit about animal-free meals. Since my household abhors tofu and seitan, the obvious vegan players are out of the picture for now. Instead I’ll be reaching for such protein-rich foods as beans, lentils and avocados. Native to Central and South America, the creamy, pear-shaped avocado has been cultivated for over 7,000 years. In spite of its long history and popularity the avocado didn’t pop up in North American kitchens until the late 1800’s. Europeans had to wait even longer, until the early 20th century, to enjoy this rich, luscious fruit. All avocados descend from three original types – Mexican, Guatemalan or West Indian. While there are now over 500 varieties, I usually look for a Hass. California’s main avocado crop, Hass possesses an oval shape and pebbly, greenish-black skin that peels easily. It’s in season from early winter to summer. In general, though, avocados are available year-round. Rich in fiber, potassium, protein and “good fats,” the avocado is most often consumed …

Pretty as a Persimmon

Published by Kathy Hunt

Sometimes we start off on the wrong foot with food. Such was the case with my husband and the pretty, leaf-topped persimmon. One bite of a firm, unripe persimmon and Sean swore never to touch this fall fruit again. Why such a negative reaction? Unless it’s ripe, this small, plump orb tastes as bitter as a harsh astringent. Persimmons peak in mid-October. By that point they’ve turned a beautiful brilliant orange and taken on a soft texture and honey-apricot flavor. Any picked and eaten before then run the risk of tasting tinny and, in Sean’s case, terrible. Early settlers learned this invaluable lesson about ripeness from Native Americans. They allowed the fruit to ripen fully and fall from the tree before consuming it. Even with this good example some colonists found out the hard way about young persimmons. In the 17th century Captain John Smith noted that ‘if it be not ripe it will draw a mans mouth awrie with much torment . …” Boy, does that sound familiar! A good persimmon requires only a …

Apple-licious!

Published by Kathy Hunt

Growing up in a small town in western Pennsylvania, I loved fall. Along with picture-perfect foliage, marching band practices, and Friday night football games I adored all the apples and apple butter, sauce and cider that the season ushered in. While my fruit treats came from the local temple to all-things-apple, Apple Castle, you could find a fresh, crisp, juicy apple virtually everywhere. Although I now live far away from Western Pa., I’m still crazy about fall and, of course, a good apple. Considered the most important fruit in North America and Europe, the apple has been cultivated for at least 3,000 years. Early trees produced hundreds of tiny, sour fruits. These little orbs resembled crabapples and possessed a large core with little flesh. During classical Roman times people discovered that they could produce heartier, tastier and more consistent apples through grafting. To do this, they took cuttings from healthy, productive trees and transplanted them onto sturdy roots. Their horticulture methods worked for today we have close to 8,000 varieties in existence. In the U.S. …

Chickpeas!

Published by Kathy Hunt

A few years ago I fell madly in love with a little falafel place in the East Village called Chickpea. Truthfully, it may have been the name rather than the food that drew me back again and again. I can’t help it. I absolutely adore those plump, firm, nutty legumes known as chickpeas. An essential ingredient in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Indian cuisines, the chickpea has existed since around 8,000 B.C. While Indians embraced it as early as 4,500 B.C., ancient Romans wrote it off as mere peasant food. Yet, this flavorful, protein-rich gem appeared in many early Mediterranean recipes, including pasta and chickpeas. In India chickpeas have long starred in fragrant dals and curries and as spiced snacks. When finely milled into a flour, called besan or gram flour, they have formed the batter for such fried favorites as pakoras, or fritters, and aloo bonda. In North Africa and the Middle East chickpeas serve as the basis for such classics as hummus and falafel. They also pop up in couscous dishes and in spicy …

Beet It

Published by Kathy Hunt

As a kid, I thought that beets were the coolest vegetable on the planet. Round, plump and reddish-purple, they possessed a sweet taste and soft, silky texture that I adored. Sweet AND purple! Who wouldn’t love that quirky vegetable? Today I appreciate these low calorie root veggies not only for their color and taste but also for their versatility. With beets you can cook the leaves as well as the roots. Just steam or saute the greens in garlic and olive oil for a warm salad or side dish. Roast, boil or steam the roots for sides or soups. One vegetable. Multiple recipes and techniques. Cultivated since 300 B.C., beets are descendants of a wild seashore plant known as the sea beet. This plant grows in clumps along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines of North Africa and Europe. Unlike its offspring, which can be as small as an orange or as large as a grapefruit, it has a small, skinny root. Thin or fat, beet roots have long been used in salads and soups. Seventeenth …