[1] A bottle of Yondu seasoning concentrate (photo © Yondu | Serpio).

[2] Pasta and other sauces will taste better. Spaghetti With King Trumpet & Maitake Mushrooms (photo © Yondu).

[3] Splash some Yondu into a stir-fry to heighten the flavors (photo © Yondu).

[4] Three-minute vegetable soup with Yondu. The recipe is below (photo © Yondu).

Some home cooks have kitchen secrets for enhancing the flavor of cooked foods.

For my mother’s generation, it was MSG, created in Japan in 1908 by a biochemist who was trying to duplicate the umami taste of kombu, a seaweed used as a base for many Japanese soups.

He found that MSG balanced, blended, and rounded the perception of other flavors in the food.

When it became broadly used in the U.S. in the 1960s, MSG was found to add more flavor than the time-honored bouillon cube or broth.

But it affected some people negatively. Its use became controversial.

So many people returned to the bouillon cube and broth; and over time, other alternatives entered the flavoring mainstream.

Today, many kitchens add flavor with fish sauce, flavor bases, miso, oyster sauce, soy sauce, tamari, umami powders, and lesser-known flavor sauces like coconut aminos and liquid aminos.
 
 
2020: YONDU SEASONING

A favorite new discovery, Yondu* is a versatile savory seasoning from Korea that brings out the inherent flavor of your ingredients.

It’s a premium plant-based seasoning concentrate that’s an all-purpose, instant flavor booster.

It enhances the flavors of each individual ingredient in your dish, while balancing the overall taste with delicate flavor.

We love it!

Yondu provides natural umami flavor by slowly fermenting and simmering its ingredients:

 
The company uses the term “vegetable essence” to describe its product, but we’re not sure how that translates to most people.

Even though one of the meanings of essence is “an extract or concentrate obtained from a particular plant or other matter and used for flavoring or scent,” we don’t think it’s a common use in the U.S. for food.

The magical combination of ingredients delivers layers of flavors that we just can’t get from the herbs and spices on our shelf.
 
 
YONDU USES

Even if you don’t use flavor bases, your eyes will be opened when you add a couple of teaspoons of Yondu to your cooking. It instantly seasons:

 
And when we have no fresh herbs in the fridge, we toss in a splash of Yondu.

For a low-calorie pick-me-up, microwave a cup of water with some Yondu for a terrific broth that tastes like it’s been simmered for hours (and in fact, it has been so simmered).

You may find yourself buying bottles as stocking stuffers for friends who cook or are dieters.

Check out more about Yondu on the company website, Yondu.us.
 
 
RECIPE #1: 3-MINUTE VEGETABLE SOUP

Water + Yondu = delicious vegetable broth (photo #4). Make this 3-minute soup: You’ll have a major “aha!”
moment.
 
Ingredients Per Serving

 
Preparation

1. BOIL for 3 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon Yondu. That’s it!
 
 
RECIPE #2: YONDU VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients Proportion

 
Preparation

1. WHISK vigorously to combine.
________________

*Yondu Vegetable Essence has no relation to Yondu, the Marvel Comics character.

Plan ahead to enjoy this delicious sandwich on St. Patrick’s Day.

It was created by DiBruno Bros. in Philadelphia, where it’s called the Irish Hoagie.

The biggest challenge is finding a pumpernickel baguette in our area. We did find pumpernickel rolls.

If you can’t find anything similar, a pumpernickel bagel (cultural fusion!) or a loaf of sliced pumpernickel bread will do.

(We’re using the bagel. One of our colleagues couldn’t find a recipe for pumpernickel baguettes, so she’s baking this pumpernickel loaf recipe and cutting it horizontally to emulate a hoagie roll.)
 
 
RECIPE: IRISH HOAGIE

Ingredients

 
________________

*Have fun with this Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Slaw.
________________

To Drink

 
Preparation

1. SLICE the bread as desired. Layer the mustard, corned beef, and cabbage slaw.

 
PUMPERNICKEL BREAD HISTORY

Pumpernickel is a type of rye bread that originated in Germany, possibly in the Westphalia region, where a print reference dates to 1450.

Westphalian pumpernickel uses coarse rye meal and a very long baking period to give the bread its characteristic dark color. It is traditionally made with an acidic sourdough starter.

It is a typically heavy, slightly sweet rye bread traditionally made with sourdough starter and coarsely ground rye. Today, it is often made with a combination of rye flour and whole rye grains.

Traditional German pumpernickel contains no coloring agents, instead relying on the Maillard reaction to produce its characteristic deep brown color, sweet, dark chocolate, coffee flavor, and earthy aroma.

To achieve this, loaves are baked in long, narrow, lidded pans for 16 to 24 hours in a low-temperature steam-filled oven (120°C or 250°F).

Like the French pain de mie, Westphalian pumpernickel has little or no crust.

At one time pumpernickel was traditional peasant fare as were all brown breads.

Until the Industrial Revolution, the brown endosperm and germ of grain had to be removed laboriously by hand, in order to get white flour. As a result, white flour goods were very expensive.

With the German immigration in the late 19th century, various forms of pumpernickel became popular in delicatessens and other food markets.
 
 
Pumpernickel is made with pumpernickel flour, which is made from coarsely ground whole rye berries.

There is often confusion about dark rye bread, which is made from the ground endosperm of the rye berry (the outer endosperm.

 
In present-day European and the U.S., pumpernickel differs in several characteristics. In the U.S. mass-produced pumpernickel has:

[1] DiBruno Bros. makes these wonderful pumpernickel baguettes, but we can only find pumpernickel rolls (photo © DiBruno Bros.).

[2] Pumpernickel loaves. Here’s the recipe from Red Star Yeast (photo © Red Star Yeast).

[3] Pumpernickel baked in a tube. Here’s the recipe from Thrive Cuisine (photo © Thrive Cuisins).

[4] Pumpernickel loaf (photo © Eli Zabar).

[5] Pumpernickel bagels may be the best choice if you can’t find a baguette (photo © New Yorker Bagels).

 
The result is a loaf that is often indiscernible from dark rye bread.
 
 
Oh: and the name, pumpernickel?

Pumpern was a New High German word for being flatulent. Nickel was a form of the name Nicholas, commonly associated with a goblin or devil (e.g. Old Nick, a familiar name for Satan).

Hence, pumpernickel means “devil’s fart.” Why? The loaf was not easily digested, leading to flatulence.

Some shops and boutique bakeries in America still use the old recipes. If you can find them, you’re lucky!

Otherwise, for a true pumpernickel experience, search out boutique bakeries on your next trip to Germany.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] Cream cheese pound cake. The recipe is below (photo and recipe © The Baker Chick).

[2] Maple pound cake. Here’s the recipe (photo © King Arthur Flour).

[3] Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake. Here’s the recipe from Spice Islands (photo © Spice Islands).

[4] Pound cake with berries and whipped cream (photo © Knudsen Dairy).

[5] Pistachio Chocolate Chip Pound Cake. Here’s the recipe from King Arthur Flour (photo © King Arthur Flour).

[6] Turn a pound cake into a layer cake with a berry-whipped cream filling. Here’s the recipe from The Baker Chick (photo © The Baker Chick).

March 4th celebrates one of our favorite holidays: National Pound Cake Day.

We admit to fighting the trend, and would much rather have a dense slice of pound cake than an airy cupcake.

Pound cake is a loaf cake, although some people make them in Bundt pans.

The original pound cake, buttery and moist, recipe was made with one pound each of butter, flour, sugar and eggs (that’s about eight eggs)—hence the name.

Vanilla or lemon are the classic flavors added to pound cake flavors, but quite a few variations have evolved through the years. See the history of pound cake, below.

This recipe from The Baker Chick adds a later addition, cream cheese, which first appeared in the 1880s (the history of cream cheese).

There’s a vanilla bean glaze, but the gustatory experience is just as wonderful without it.

Thanks to The Baker Chick for the recipe. Sign up for her emails and get a steady stream of irresistible sweet and savory recipes.
 
 
RECIPE: CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE

Ingredients

For The Glaze

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 325°F. Spray well or grease a 10-inch bundt cake pan.

2. CREAM together the butter, cream cheese and sugar for about 5 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Stir in the extracts.

3. ADD the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.

4. TURN the mixer to low speed and add the flour slowly and gradually. Do not over-mix (it toughens the crumb‡).

5. POUR the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 325°F for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. MAKE the glaze: Pour the milk into a glass measuring cup and scrape in the vanilla bean. Let the bean steep for an hour to give the milk mixture a strong vanilla flavor. (If you start the glaze it when the cake goes into the oven, it will be ready as the cake is cooling.)

7. ADD the powdered sugar and whisk with a fork until the glaze is thick and the right consistency for drizzling. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
 
 
Baking Notes

* Use cake flour for the perfect velvety texture. If you don’t have it, you can use all-purpose and subtract 3 tablespoons of flour. Substitute 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and gently whisk together before using.

† You can substitute a mixture of lowfat milk and heavy cream for whole milk.

‡ The crumb is the professional term for the inside of a bread or cake. Depending on the recipe, the crumb can be soft or firm, dense or full of holes.
 
 
MORE POUND CAKE RECIPES

 
POUND CAKE HISTORY

The original recipe, developed in England in the 1700s, made a very large and dense cake, like fruit cake. By the mid-1800s, the ingredient proportions had been adjusted to make the smaller, relatively lighter cake we know and love today.

The original pound cake, buttery and moist, recipe was made with one pound each of butter, flour, sugar and eggs (that’s about eight eggs), plus flavoring—hence the name.

In fact, the British pound cake is actually a fruit cake, containing currants, raisins, sultanas (golden raisins) and glacé cherries. Pound cakes were the traditional wedding cakes.

Since the ingredients are so simple, it’s hard to make a bad pound cake—just use the freshest eggs and butter you can find, real vanilla extract, and don’t over-bake.

Today’s pound cake is a loaf cake, although some people make them in Bundt pans.

Vanilla or lemon are the classic pound cake flavors, but quite a few variations have evolved through the years, adding:

 
While a plain piece of pound cake is a joy, you can make the dessert fancier with:

 
No matter how you slice it, we’ll take a piece…or two.

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

WE’RE BULLISH ABOUT SHEEP…

…but not just any sheep.

We’re crushing on Sarda sheep, the lovely ovine ladies living the luxe life of Italy’s gemstone island, Sardinia (Sardegna in Italian).

What they produce is the extraordinary milk that makes the extraordinary Pecorino D.O.P (Denominazione d’Origine Protetta, or Protected Designation of Origin) cheese.

D.O.P.* is Italy’s version of France’s Appellation Controlee for wine: It denotes that the product can only be made in certain areas with specific terrain requirements.

The designation is a guarantee of cultural heritage and exceptional quality. You’ll find the best of it under the imprint of 3 Pecorini (#3pecorinicheeses).

A delicious recipe and the history of Pecorino cheese are below.
 
 
SARDA SHEEP PRODUCE GREAT MILK & CHEESE

Sarda sheep (photo #4) graze on herbs and shrubs and breathe the clean Mediterranean air of Sardinia’s valleys and mountains.

Their farmers and herders have inherited centuries of ancient techniques that have proved ideal for cheesemaking, resulting in unmistakable flavor (from mellow to tangy) and long-term storage capacity.

Trying to describe the multi-level flavor profile of sheep’s milk cheese depends on the changes that occur as it ages. Always, however, you’ll note an edge and complexity (experts call it “sheepiness”) that non-sheep milk cheeses miss out on.

If you grate heaps of fresh Parmesan onto your pasta, you’ll get fabulous flavor, but you won’t get that fascinating little tipping point gives Pecorino cheese its unique qualities.

Most pecorino cheeses are classified as grana and are granular, hard and sharply flavored.
 
 
HOW ENJOY PECORINO CHEESE

Look for Pecorino Sardo marked D.O.P. at a quality cheese store or counter. The label should state how long the cheese has been aged.

Taste-test the different ages of the cheese for comparison. The sharpness depends on the period of maturation, which varies:

 
There is also a P.D.O. Pecorino Toscano produced in Tuscany, that was not part of this tasting. Here’s more about it.
 
How We Enjoy It

 
 
RECIPE: BAKED ZITI WITH ASPARAGUS AND FIORE SARDO

Fiori Sardo is the finest Pecorino, but substitute Pecorino Romano if you can’t find it.

Prep time is 25 minutes, cook time is 20-25 minutes.

Ingredients For 4 Servings

________________

†The prosciutto will be salty, so use caution when adding salt to taste.
________________

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F.

2. PARBOIL the asparagus in a pot of salted water. Test the asparagus for doneness, but do not overcook (it should be slightly firm to the bite). Drain the asparagus, but save the water it was cooked in. Cut the asparagus into bite-size pieces and set aside.

3. HEAT the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and brown the prosciutto. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, but not browned.

4. ADD a small amount of water to the pan, lower the heat, and cook about 10 minutes. Add the asparagus pieces. Stir and season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. COMBINE the ricotta, bechamel, and the Fiore Sardo in a medium bowl. Stir in the asparagus and prosciutto mixture.

6. COOK the ziti in the reserved asparagus water until al dente. Remove to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and add the ricotta and bechamel mixture. Toss well until all of the ingredients are combined.

7. POUR the mixture into a buttered baking dish, dot the top with butter, and add some additional grated Fiore Sardo. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes, or until mixture is bubbling.
 
For The Bechamel Sauce

 
Preparation

1. MELT the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, stirring until you have a smooth white paste.

2. COOK, whisking constantly until mixture is very pale yellow (watch carefully so as not to overcook the flour). Carefully add the hot milk a little at a time, whisking constantly until mixture is smooth and creamy.

3. STIR in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.

— Rowann Gilman

 
THE HISTORY OF PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE

Thanks to the Consortium for the Protection of Pecorino Romano Cheese for this history.

Few cheeses in the world have such ancient origins as Pecorino Romano.

For more than 2000 years, the flocks of sheep that graze freely in the countryside of Lazio and Sardinia have produced the milk from which the cheese is made.

A cheese variety of what might be considered the earliest form of today’s Pecorino Romano was first created in the countryside around Rome.

Its method of production being described by Latin authors such as Varro and Pliny the Elder about 2,000 years ago [source].

The ancient Romans were fans of Pecorino Romano. It was prized at banquets in the imperial palaces, and its long-term storage capacity made it a staple food for rations when the Roman legions marched.

Pecorino Romano was so much in use among the Romans that a daily ration of 27 grams was established for the Legionaries, as a supplement to their bread and farro soup.

The cheese was produced in Latium (modern Lazio), the region of central western Italy in which the city of Rome was founded, until 1884.

]
[1] Wheels of Pecorino Sardo and Pecorino Dolce (photos #1 to #7 and 10 © 3 Pecorini | Sopexa).

[2] Fiore Sardo Pecorino, the most aged and treasured by connoisseurs.

[3] Pecorino Romano with its protective wax coating removed.

[4] Fiore Sardo Pecorino, the most aged and treasured by connoisseurs.

[5] A simple cheese board (photo © Lydia Lee).

[6] Serve Pecorino Dolce with beer, cocktails and wine (photo © Lydia Lee).

[7] Pecorino is a favorite with pasta. See the recipe at the left.

[8] Fava Bean, Mint, and Pecorino Romano Bruschetta. Here’s the recipe from Martha Stewart (photo © Martha Stewart).

[9] Skillet-roasted Brussels sprouts with Pecorino. Here’s the recipe from Splendid Table (photo © Splendid Table).

Today, the cheese is produced exclusively from the milk of sheep raised on the plains of Lazio and in Sardinia. Most of the cheese is produced on Sardinia.

Per D.O.C. law, Pecorino Romano must be made with lamb rennet from animals raised in the same production area. Thus, is not suitable for vegetarians.
 
 
Comments From Homer & Columella

The processing of sheep’s milk was described by Homer (born sometime between the 12th and 8th centuries B.C.E.) It was codified in the following centuries. Columella (4 C.E. to 70 C.E.), a prominent Roman writer on agriculture, gives a detailed description in his “De re rustica”:

“…the milk is generally curdled using lamb’s or kid’s rennet….The milking bucket, when it has been filled with milk, should be kept at a medium heat. Do not let it come near sources of fire…rather keep it well away from fire, and as soon as the liquid is curdled, it should be transferred into baskets or moulds. In fact it is essential that the whey can drain immediately and be separated from the solid matter…. Then when the solid part is removed from the baskets or moulds, it should be placed in a cool, dark place so that it does not go off, on tables as clean as possible, and sprinkled with ground salt so that it can sweat.”
 
 
>>> CHEESE GLOSSARY: THE DIFFERENCE TYPES OF CHEESE <<<
 
 
>>> THE HISTORY OF CHEESE <<<
 
 
________________

*D.O.P., Denominazione d’Origine Protetta is the Italian certification of authenticity of origin. Some other countries in the European Union also use D.O.P. now, including Portugal. See also A.O.C. and D.O.

________________

[10] The three Pecorini from Sardinia: (photo © 3Pecorini).
  

[1 & 2] (photos © Vicia Restaurant | St. Louis).

[3] Serve ice cream in a quenelle shape for more sophistication. Here’s how to make it (photo © Lauren V. Haas | Breadhitz).

[4] A few fresh mint leaves add a colorful note to monotone dishes (photo © Good Eggs).

Some people fall in love with photos on dating sites.

We fall in love with cuisine on the websites of restaurants nationwide.

We long to visit St. Louis, for example, to dine at Vicia Restaurant.

Just about every photo on their website, Facebook page` and Instagram makes us want to drool.

Some of them are enough within our skill set to create copycats. We share this one with you.

Vicia describes this dessert as chocolate shortbread, burnt honey caramel, lemon verbena cream and cocoa nib ice cream.
 
 
RECIPE: RECIPE: CHOCOLATE COOKIES & CAKE WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS

Ingredients

Vicia makes everything from scratch. Our homage is half made, half bought.

When we couldn’t make it or buy it, we substituted it.

We don’t know what Vicia called this recipe, so the name is our own creation. Many thanks to the inspired chefs at Vicia.

 
Ingredient Cream Tips

 
Preparation

1. CRUMBLE the cookies and tear the cake into large, bite-size pieces. Place them in a shallow bowl or on a plate.

2. ADD the small scoops of pudding at intervals, as shown in the photo.

3. ADD the ice cream, followed by the whipped cream. Add herbs and serve immediately.