Today’s tip started out simply as an example of how to use fresh rosemary sprigs (photo #4) as a decorative herb over the holidays.

You can place a sprig in a cocktail or mineral water, use it as a plume for mashed potatoes, use it as skewers for olives or berries, and use it as a plate garnish, as in photo #1 where it’s used to separate hors d’oeuvre on a tray.

Rosemary, Salvia rosmarinus, is a woody perennial herb with fragrant leaves that resemble evergreen needles (no relation). It is native to the Mediterranean region.

Rosemary is a member of the Lamiaceae family, that also includes other aromatic culinary herbs such as basil, hyssop, lavender, marjoram, mint, oregano, perilla, rosemary, sage, savory and thyme.

The first mention of rosemary is found on cuneiform stone tablets from around 5000 B.C.E. The Egyptians used it in their burial rituals [source].

Much later, in 8th-century Britain, Charlemagne, who promoted herbs in general, ordered rosemary to be grown in monastic gardens and farms.

In Britain, rosemary became a popular seasoning in a variety of dishes: casseroles, chicken and other poultry, fish (especially stronger/oily fish), game, lamb, pork, salads, soups, steaks and stews.

Homeopathically, rosemary contains compounds that are help to improve digestion and increase circulation.
 
 
RECIPE: BRUSCHETTA WITH PORK AND APPLE-RAISIN COMPOTE

This recipe requires brining the pork loins 24 hours in advance. Then, the additional recipe cook time is 1 hour 45 minutes.

If you don’t want to spend the time cooking pork tenderloin, just substitute store-bought ham.

You can also make the apple-raisin compote in a few days in advance, further speeding up the prep.

This recipe is courtesy of chef/owner Natalie Niksa of La Saison in Napa Valley.

For a smaller crowd, it’s easy to halve the recipe.

She pairs it with Duckhorn Wines Sauvignon Blanc (photo #2—it’s one of our favorites as well).
 
 
Ingredients For 20 Servings (2 Pieces Per Person)

 
For The Brine

 
For The Compote

[1] Pork bruschetta with apple-raisin compote (photo © La Saison | Napa Valley).

[2] This vibrant Sauvignon Blanc has aromas of lemongrass, lychee, passionfruit, melon and pineapple, followed by hints of white nectarine and lime. The palate balances refreshing acidity with the citrus and tropical fruit flavors, with a bright, zesty finish (photo © Duckhorn Vineyards).

[3] For verve, mix purple raisins with golden raisins, a.k.a. sultanas—photo © California Raisins).

[4] Fresh rosemary. You can buy grown plants ready-to-plant from Burpee (photo © Burpee).

1. MAKE the brine for the pork. Combine all ingredients (except the pork tenderloin) in a medium pot, and bring to a boil. Steep for 20 minutes and then cool completely. Once the brine is cold, add the pork tenderloins and brine for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

2. MAKE the compote. Bring the water and sugar to a boil until large bubbles start to form and the sugar starts to caramelize (approximately 15 minutes). Be careful at this stage: The sugar is VERY HOT and can burn when making caramel. Once the water and sugar have formed large bubbles and have started to caramelize…

3. REMOVE the pot from the heat and slowly add the wine, using a wooden spoon. It is important to add the wine slowly so that the caramel does not seize. Stir until the wine and caramel are completely incorporated.

4. TURN the heat to low. Add the apples, raisins, bay leaves and ginger, and cook until the apples are tender (about 15 minutes). Remove from the heat and cool completely. Add the Dijon and apple cider vinegar. Season with salt to taste. If made in advance and refrigerated, remove to the counter to warm when you are ready to assemble and serve.

When ready to cook the pork…

5. DRY the tenderloins using a paper towel. Then let the pork sit out for 30 minutes to get to room temperature before cooking.

6. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. Slice the baguette into 40 slices, place on a baking sheet lined with foil and drizzle with olive oil. Toast for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove and set aside.

7. COOK the pork. Heat the oil in a medium-size pan lightly coated with the oil, and sear the pork on all sides until golden brown (approximately 7-10 minutes). Finish in the 350°F oven for 12 minutes until fully cooked and the pork registers 135°-140°F. The temperature will continue to rise after the pork is out of the oven.

8. MOVE the pork to a cutting board, cover with foil and rest for 15 minutes. Then slice to fit on top of crostini.

9. ASSEMBLE. Place the pork on top of the crostini and garnish with the apple compote.
  

[1] Drizzle some salsa on your avocado toast (photo © Eva Dilmanian | Dreams Aren’t This Good).

[2] Avocado toast “Caprese,” with mozzarella, tomato and balsamic drizzle. Here’s the recipe (photo © Two Peas In Their Pod).

We’ve seen many ideas for topping avocado toast, from spring peas and fried or poached eggs to:

 
 
But here’s a new one from Dreams Aren’t This Good: salsa.

Dreams Aren’t This Good is a salsa producer with five flavors:

 
A donation to a nonprofit is made with each purchase.

Each salsa has its own associated nonprofit; for example, Hunger Free America and Girls Up Campaign.

You can buy it on Amazon and the Dreams Aren’t This Good website.
 
 
> The History Of Avocados
 
 
> The History Of Avocado Toast
 
 
> The History Of Salsa

November 8th is Cook Something Bold & Pungent Day.

What is pungent food?

Pungent is one of the five tastes: bitter, salty, sweet, sour and pungent.

There are different interpretations of pungent, especially in ayurveda and diets that evolved from Eastern medicines.

For the purpose of the American diet, we propose that pungent food:

 
Depending on your palate and the particular food at hand, pungent can be a positive or negative word. “Whew, that’s pungent!” probably falls into the latter category.

> The year’s 12 hot and spicy holidays.

> The different types of chile peppers: a photo glossary.
 
 
PUNGENT VS. PIQUANT

Before hot chiles became prevalent in the American diet, “spicy” referred to strong spice flavors such as cinnamon, curry and garlic.

If the level of flavor is more moderate than “pungent,” use the term “piquant.”

Moderately sharp flavors fall into the piquant category: radishes, sauerkraut and strong raw onions, for example.

Examples of piquant spices include cardamom, cayenne, cloves, curry, ginger, mustard and paprika.

To sum it up:

 
Also:

 
Bon appétit!

[1] Hot chiles are pungent (here, jalapeño and habanero chiles (photo © Rick’s Picks Pickles).

[2] Sauerkraut: piquant (photo by Elvira Kalviste | © The Nibble).

[3] Epoisses cheese: stinky and absolutely delicious (photo © DiBruno Bros.).

*While most of us have never been near a durian, in Asia its potent stench has gotten it banned from public transportation, hotels and planes [source]. That’s a pungent aroma! However, the fruit inside has a sweet, custardy taste, often compared to creamy cheesecake.

†The western horseradish root, Armoracia rusticana, is a cousin of the Japanese root, Eutrema japonicum. Both are members of the Brassicaceae family, also called the Cruciferous family. Other cruciferous vegetables include arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mizuna, mustard greens, radish, rapeseed/canola, rapini (broccoli rabe), rutabaga, tatsoi, turnips and watercress.

[1] The Jerky Advent Calendar features an O Holy Cow stained glass window with a cow Santa, cow carolers and a cow snowball fight (all photos © Man Crate).

[2] The whole shebang: the flavors of jerky inside the box.

[3] A close-up on the packets of jerky and some of the ingredients used to flavor them.

Here’s a memorable gift for a beef jerky lover: a Jerky Advent Calendar with 25 flavors of jerky. But first:
 
 
WHAT’S AN ADVENT CALENDAR?

The Advent calendar dates to the beginning of the 19th century. A tradition begun by Lutherans in Germany, the first-known Advent calendar is from 1851. Its purpose: to count down the 24 days of December until Christmas.

Most Advent calendars begin on December 1, regardless of when Advent is celebrated in any particular year (it’s the fourth Sunday prior to Christmas, which can range from November 27th to December 3rd).

This means you need to get the gift now, so you can give it to the recipient before December 1st!

Advent, from the Latin word adventus, means “coming.” It’s a time of waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus, on Christmas Day.

An Advent calendar lets you mark the days with 24 closed windows, one to open each day.

Some Advent calendars are strictly religious in nature with a prayer or religious image. Others are secular. Children’s versions have pieces of candy or tiny toys affixed to a large cardboard.

The original versions were handmade. The first printed Advent calendar was published in 1908, and the now-familiar versions followed, with windows that opened out of the cardboard, revealing each day’s treat.

While a piece of candy, charm, mini toy or holiday-themed image (Santa, Rudolph) are the popular for kids, there are still inspirational versions. They can be basic or very elaborate.

In recent years there’s been a small trend to adult advent calendars, with bottles of beer, wine, fine chocolates, teas, and now…beef jerky.
 
 
JERKY ADVENT CALENDAR FROM MAN CRATES

In a fun stained glass motif with caroling and snowball-tossing cows, the Jerky Advent Calendar has 25 flavors of jerky, .5-ounce each.

In addition to Classic, the flavors include:

 
Get yours at Mancrates.com.
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF JERKY

November 6th is National Nachos Day.

Some nacho lovers we know have never made nachos at home.

They’re so easy that today’s tip is a basic recipe for nachos.

There are links to more nacho recipes below.

> The History Of Nachos
 
 
RECIPE: BASIC NACHOS

Prep time is 15 minutes, cook time is 10-15 minutes.

Want to make your own refried beans? Here’s a recipe from Serena Herrera of House of Yumm.

She says, “These are so easy and so so flavorful. You will never want to eat the canned refried beans again!”

Ingredients For 6-8 Servings

 
Optional Garnishes

While it isn’t “basic,” you can customize your nachos with:

 
If you’re serving nachos to a group, place some of these garnishes in ramekins and let people customize their own.

Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F. Scoop the beans into a small pot and add a few tablespoons of water. Heat them through, over medium heat, then remove them from the stove.

2. LINE a baking sheet with foil and lay out a layer of about half the chips. Spread about half of the beans on top of the chips and drizzle a few spoonfuls of salsa over the beans. Follow the salsa with about a third of the cheddar cheese, then add another layer of chips, beans, and the rest of the cheddar cheese.

3. BAKE for about 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and gooey. Sprinkle with the lime juice, then top with the scallions and cilantro and serve.
 

MORE NACHOS RECIPES

 
Plus

[1] No oven? Make them in the microwave (photo © Good Eggs).

[2] It’s easy to cook up some homemade refried beans. Here’s the recipe (photo © House Of Yumm).

[3] Cotija is Mexico’s favorite cheese for crumbling. Here’s more about it (photo © Bakeoff Flunkie).