May 18 is World Whiskey Day. If you’re not normally a whiskey drinker, why not take a vacation from the tequila and vodka and sip a glass of:

A shot of Irish whiskey with a wee wedge of lime. Photo courtesy Jameson.
.  
Whiskey is a spirit, or alcoholic distillate, made from a fermented mash of grain or malt and aged in barrels. The brown color comes from barrel aging. Each different type of whiskey is distinguished by the type of grain (barley, corn, rye) used in the fermentation process, as well as the distinct distillation and aging process.

Australia, England, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland and Thailand, all strong markets for whiskey, now produce their own. Regardless of the variety or country of origin, a general rule of thumb is that all straight whiskeys must be aged at least two years in wood, generally oak. Each nation has its own rules and regulations about what constitutes a true whiskey.

Whiskey sales have skyrocketed in the past year, in both the U.S. and abroad. In the U.S., bourbon and Tennessee whiskey led the growth. American whiskies also accounted for 70% of the total U.S. spirits exports for 2012.

See all the different types of whiskey in our Whiskey Glossary.

If you don’t want to drink a glass, use whiskey in a recipe. It adds dimension to sauces for meats and in desserts like cake, ice cream and mousse. You can even make a whiskey vinaigrette: Add a tablespoon to any recipe.

WHISKEY VS. WHISKY

Canadians spell “whisky” without the “e,” as do the Scots and most other countries except Ireland and the U.S.

Scholars can’t determine why the “e” was dropped by the Scots many centuries ago. One theory is that the Irish made whiskey first and pronounced it with a broad “e.” When the Scots began to make it, they dropped the “e” to differentiate their product.

A 1968 directive of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms specifies “whisky” as the official U.S. spelling, but allows the alternative spelling, “whiskey,” which most U.S. producers prefer.

Healthier cupcakes cut down on the refined sugar. Photo courtesy Dole.com.  

In the search for healthier cakes and cupcakes, recipe developers have replaced some of the refined sugar with the natural sweetness of applesauce and bananas.

Another way to eliminate calories is to cut the sugar- and fat-laden frosting. Instead, use a few chocolate chips or chopped nuts to add a flourish to the top.

Hmm, this looks like a muffin, you say; and you would be correct. The difference is that cupcakes have a less dense, finer crumb, more sugar and a frosted top.

But it all comes down to marketing: Call them cupcakes and your family will be just as happy to eat them.

This recipe for Black Magic Banana Cupcakes is from Dole, which has many tasty recipes on its website.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Stir together bananas, egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla in large bowl; set aside.

2. COMBINE sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; stir into banana mixture. Stir just until moistened.

3. LINE 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Lightly coat with vegetable spray and fill two-thirds full with batter.

4. BAKE 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Halfway through baking, sprinkle chocolate chips or nuts on the top.
 
CUPCAKE HISTORY

Cupcakes originated in the U.S. in the 19th century. The name is derived from the teacup: Before the advent of muffin tins, cupcakes were often baked in individual tea cups (as well as ramekins).

Cupcakes became popular because they baked more quickly than cakes. Equally as important, before the advent of the modern oven in the 20th century, a long-baking item like a cake could burn easily.

Muffin tins became popular by the beginning of the 20th century, and provided an easier baking receptacle. Paper and foil liners were created for easier removal of the cupcakes from the pan.

   ]]> http://blog.thenibble.com/2013/05/17/tip-of-the-day-healthier-cupcakes-2/feed/ 0 http://blog.thenibble.com/2013/05/16/tip-of-the-day-homemade-ketchup/ http://blog.thenibble.com/2013/05/16/tip-of-the-day-homemade-ketchup/#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 12:32:43 +0000 admin http://blog.thenibble.com/?p=41142

A while ago, we tasted 32 different tomato ketchups to find “the best” (here are the ketchup reviews).

Many of these were small, artisanal brands and more pricey than supermarket ketchup. But one of the top winners, Muir Glen, is widely available (at most stores that sell natural and organic foods; we get it at Whole Foods), one of the least expensive, and is both organic and kosher.

But how about making ketchup at home, just as you make salad dressing. It’s just as easy. There are five basic ingredients: tomato paste and purée, vinegar, sweetener and seasonings.

It’s fun to make ketchup. You can cut back on salt, avoid high fructose corn syrup and reduce the sweeteners in general, while adding favorite spices.

WHAT’S IN COMMERCIAL KETCHUP?

Heinz Ketchup contains tomato concentrate, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, salt, spice, onion powder, and natural flavors.

Homemade ketchup is a worthy match for a top-quality hot dog. Photo of Fearless Franks courtesy Niman Ranch.  

The ingredients are pretty much the same for Hunt’s Ketchup: tomato concentrate, high fructose corn syrup, distilled vinegar, corn syrup, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and natural flavors.

Del Monte Ketchup uses regular con syrup instead of HFCS. Otherwise, the list looks familiar: tomato concentrate, corn syrup, distilled vinegar, salt, natural flavorings, onion powder, spice and garlic powder.

These ketchups tend to deliver sweetness first, then tomato flavor, and not much else. You can greatly improve the flavor of homemade ketchup by using:

Romaine, tomatoes and cannellini beans—
with some leftover pasta as a bonus.
Photo courtesy Galli Restaurant | New York
City.  

Want an easy way to add flavor, fiber, protein and other great nutrition to your diet? Eat more beans: affordable, versatile and toothsome.

Simply add them to your daily green salad. Toss them with the greens or sprinkle them on top as a garnish. For variety you can hold the lettuce and make a bean, corn and onion salad or an ever-popular three bean salad.

Beyond the familiar—such as black, cannelini, garbanzo, lima, kidney, navy and pinto beans—there are dozens of varieties waiting to make your acquaintance. Take a look at adzuki beans, anasazi beans, purple runners, scarlet runners, yellow eyes and one of our favorite beauties, Good Mother Stallards.

FRESH & DRIED BEANS VS. CANNED BEANS

As with almost every food, fresh (or dried) is better than canned. Not only are the flavor and texture superior, but canned beans are typically packed with a lot of sodium.

At farmers markets, look for butterbeans, cannellini beans, cranberry beans and others, fresh in the pod. Shell and simmer them in lightly salted water for 30 minutes. They’re a real treat: Fresh beans have a wonderfully creamy texture that will open your eyes to the beauty of beans.

Look for beautiful heirloom beans from Rancho Gordo and Zursun. Their selections of beautiful beans will make you want to cook them every day. We love giving bags of heirloom beans as gifts.

 
CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEANS IN OUR BEANS & LEGUMES GLOSSARY.

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Large and small meringue cookies top a bin
of chocolate chip gelato. Photo courtesy
Vivoli.it.  

We were inspired by this photo from Italian gelato maker Vivoli, who decorated a bin of straciatella (chocolate chip) gelato with large and small meringue cookies.

For an easy fancy dessert, simply serve a scoop of ice cream, gelato or sorbet with airy meringues. They’re easy to make, fat- and cholesterol-free and lower-calorie than other cookies.

The classic way is to serve meringue and ice cream is to create a meringue shell or nest, known as a pavlova, a dish created in honor of the ballerina Anna Pavlova (1881-1931) during a tour to Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. The shell could be filled with ice cream or other soft dessert and topped with berries.

But that approach is old school. A scattering of mini meringues, white and/or colored, is the way to go now.

White meringues are perhaps the most elegant, but you can tint the meringues with food colors. They can also be flavored, and you can add mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts. The instructions are included below.

MERINGUE COOKIE RECIPES

Ingredients

 
*For flavor, use 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon coffee extract, mint extract or other extract.

A sprinkle of parsley adds garnish glamour to
this plate of pasta. Photo courtesy Galli
Restaurant | New York
City.  

We love garnishing dishes with fresh herbs: We snip them onto everything from breakfast eggs to soup, salad and sandwiches to main courses and sides. But what if you don’t have any on hand? Reach for the dried herbs and spices.

If you frequent finer restaurants, you may notice that the chef sometimes sprinkles dried herbs or spices as a garnish around the rim of the plate or bowl.

Why? It ads artistry and color as well as flavor; you can dip forkfuls of food into the garnish.

You can use fresh or dried herbs or spices, chopped nuts or seeds. How many of the following do you already have in your pantry?

Look for a small Fair Trade logo that
identifies fairly traded products. Photo
courtesy Green Mountain Coffee.  

Today’s tip is to purchase a Fair Trade product. May 11th is World Fair Trade Day.

Fair Trade is a practice that seeks to aid economically challenged, small-scale farmers around the world. Many of them labor in poverty to produce the cacao, coffee beans and other crops we take for granted. Because of the “system,” they often earn less than it costs to produce the crop.

While America’s small farmers often endure severe economic hardships, American children go to school and families have access to public health care and other assistance. In third world countries, however, these “essentials” can be hard to come by. And since school is not mandatory in certain countries, many children instead work in the fields to contribute to the household income.

Why is the situation so bleak? Most small family farmers live in remote locations and lack access to credit, so they are vulnerable to local middlemen who offer quick cash for their crops, at a fraction of their value.

Through Fair Trade, farmers and their families earn better incomes for their hard work. This allows them to hold on to their land, keep their children in school and invest in the quality of their harvest.

The Greek cousin of nachos. Photo courtesy Chobani Greek Yogurt.  

Today’s tip looks at adapting popular recipes to other cultures. As an example, we’re giving Tex-Mex nachos a Greek makeover—a fresh spin on a party classic that uses feta and naan or pita crisps instead of Cheddar or Jack cheese and tortilla chips. It also adds some heartiness with ground lamb.

This recipe, from Chobani Greek Yogurt, makes 6 servings. Enjoy it with beer, wine or iced mint tea.

GREEK NACHOS RECIPE

Ingredients

For The Yogurt Salsa

How bland would the fish and asparagus
look without the tomatoes? Photo courtesy
Galli Restaurant | New York City.  

Did you ever wonder why some restaurants throw slices of hard, tasteless tomatoes into a salad? The simple answer is: to add color, which makes the dish look more appetizing.

No matter how delicious a dish may be, the presentation needs a hit of color—green, red, yellow—to give it a lift.

That’s the rationale for the ubiquitous sprig of parsley and the red berry and/or mint leaf atop rice pudding and vanilla ice cream.

Much of the food we eat is beige or otherwise earth-toned. So do a color check on everything you serve.

If it’s a sweetened food—from cereal to apple pie—add some color with raspberries or sliced strawberries, or fan a large strawberry to top a piece of pie or pound cake.

RED GARNISHES ROCK

For savory dishes, use cherry tomatoes, sundried tomatoes or diced red bell pepper. Sliced red jalapeño works if you like the heat. All can be marinated first, in a vinaigrette or flavored olive oil. In essence, the garnish becomes a mini salad.

If you buy sundried tomatoes, look for a bright red color and use them up relatively quickly. They oxidize to a blackish red over time.

Other red garnish options: radish slices (or the retro radish rose) or a sprinkling of red spice (paprika, chili flakes, pink peppercorns) along the rim of the plate.

Shredded red cabbage, with or without a vinaigrette, and shredded radicchio leaves are other options. If you’re near a good farmers market, look for amaranth and red chard.

 
MORE GARNISH IDEAS

There are dozens and dozens of everyday ingredients that can be used to garnish. Check out our article, Garnish Glamour.

And beyond nutrition, color is another reason to add brightly colored vegetables to your meals.

   ]]> http://blog.thenibble.com/2013/05/09/tip-of-the-day-add-color-to-each-plate-of-food/feed/ 0 http://blog.thenibble.com/2013/05/08/tip-of-the-day-make-a-savory-yogurt-sundae/ http://blog.thenibble.com/2013/05/08/tip-of-the-day-make-a-savory-yogurt-sundae/#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 12:25:05 +0000 admin http://blog.thenibble.com/?p=41869

People regularly top plain Greek yogurt with fruit, granola and other sweet ingredients to create yogurt sundaes or parfaits.

But what about savory toppings?

When Pinkberry recently added conventional Greek yogurt to its frozen yogurt shops, among the fruit flavors were two savory yogurt sundaes:

 
We liked them, and they inspired us to use vegetables and other savory toppings on our plain Greek yogurt, as well as vegetable-fruit mixes. An ingredients template follows so you can do the same.

Pinkberry’s Tomato-Basil Yogurt Sundae. Photo courtesy Pinkberry.  
While it takes more time to chop, we like a smaller dice of vegetables and fruit, rather than large, chunky pieces. It’s more sundae-like, as opposed to salad-like.

Vegetables

 
Fruits

 
Sauces