THE NIBBLE BLOG: Products, Recipes & Trends In Specialty Foods
Also visit our main website, TheNibble.com.
|
September 26, 2011 at 7:56 am
· Filed under Meat & Poultry, Tip Of The Day
|
You can buy cubed chicken for kebabs and
stir-frys, or you can cut them yourself from boneless breasts. Photo by G. Vision | SXC. |
|
Do you know the difference between a boneless chicken breast and a cutlet? A broiler and a roaster? Chicken nuggets versus chicken popcorn?
A reader recently asked us to create a glossary of chicken parts. We were happy to oblige and have just launched it to celebrate National Chicken Month (September).
Wild chickens were domesticated in Asia, possibly as far back as 7000 B.C.E. Easy to transport and care for, the tasty birds were next transported to Africa, and from there to Europe.
Celebrate National Chicken Month by trying a new chicken recipe. You can find one from just about every cuisine in the world.
Email friends for their favorite chicken recipes, cut and paste them together in a Word document and send the compiled recipes back to everyone who contributed.
|
Find our favorite chicken recipes and product reviews.
|
|
|
Permalink
|
|
September 25, 2011 at 7:57 am
· Filed under Books, Tip Of The Day
|
|
Ever wonder where our foods came from? Fascinated by facts?
The tomato originated in Peru as a yellow cherry tomato, and was brought back to Europe by the Conquistadors. But Europeans refused to eat it, thinking it was poisonous, so it was used as an ornamental houseplant for centuries until a famine drove desperate peasants to eat it—and live to tell about it.
The lemon originated in the Assam region of northern India and northern Burma, then traveled through China and Persia to become an ornamental plant in the Arab world. It arrived in Rome in the first century C.E.
The original macaroni and cheese comprised sheets of pasta dough cut into two-inch squares, boiled and tossed with grated cheese (probably Parmesan).
The dog was the first domesticated animal, used for work and companionship, but the first food animal to be domesticated was the sheep (as far back as 11,000 B.C.E.), followed by the pig (9000 B.C.E.), goat and cow (both about 8000 B.C.E.).
|
|
Lemons originated in Assam, but arrived in the Middle East around 600 C.E. as ornamental plants. Eggplant is also native to India, cultivated from prehistoric times, but it didn’t reach Europe until about 1500 C.E. This book tells all. |
Any food lover who wants to know where our foods originated—including the how and the why—should pick up a book or two on the history of food. While Michael Pollan’s books, such as The Omnivore’s Dilemma, are very popular (and very worthwhile reads), they just touch on the fascinating history of our food.
Numerous books on food history can be more academic—which is to say, dry—than others. But two we like very much—and often give as gifts—are from authors who are not just expert in their topics, but gifted storytellers as well. They’re page-turners that provide many a happy hour of exploring our food history:
A History Of Food by Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat. First published in France in 1987 and now in its second edition, this is the go-to tome for people who want the facts. The information is staggering: not just how bread came to be, but the social history of who was able or allowed to eat what.
Moveable Feasts: From Ancient Rome to the 21st Century, the Incredible Journeys of the Food We Eat, by Sarah Murray. Journey through the fascinating history of food. Even with rickety boats, peppercorns from India were delivered to demanding ancient Romans. The invention of the barrel in third-century Rome revolutionized transcontinental trading and vastly improved the art of winemaking, which previously relied on clay amphorae. And yes, there’s a lot that takes place in Rome—there’s nowhere else like it.
If you’d like to browse, head to your nearest bookseller or to Amazon.com.
|
|
|
Permalink
|
|
September 24, 2011 at 6:23 am
· Filed under Entertaining
|
Spend a lovely afternoon in an apple
orchard. Photo courtesy
KuipersFamilyFarm.com. |
|
How can you entertain without having to tidy up the house?
Head off premises: go to the nearest apple orchard.
It’s a winning way to spend an afternoon with friends and family; you’ll enjoy the fresh air, exercise and new opportunities to bond in a beautiful orchard. Then there’s the bonus of taking home the fruit of your labors (pun intended).
In case the weather isn’t great on the day of your event, pick a rain date. And if it’s still raining, have a Plan B: Find an activity that can be done at home, like Pictionary. Order in pizza and have a bowl full of apples as a consolation prize.
But let’s plan for good weather:
|
|
Look online to find an apple orchard that lets you pick your own. Check to see if they have picnic facilities (most do).
Tell everyone to dress in layers and wear shoes that are suitable for uneven and damp terrain. Bring a cap, scarf and gloves to be on the safe side.
Plan a picnic spread. In addition to cold drinks, include a thermos of herbal tea or soup in case the group gets chilly.
Establish a carpool plan.
Send a confirmation to all participants, including departure time and driving instructions.
Invite people to bring their favorite apple recipe, with enough copies for all the adults.
And have a terrific time!
|
|
|
Permalink
|
© Copyright 2005-2026 Lifestyle Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. All images are copyrighted to their respective owners.
