COOKING TIP: Instant Flour

Instant flour (eg. Wondra) is a low-protein, pre-gelatinized wheat flour to which malted barley flour has been added. This allows it to dissolve quickly in either hot or cold liquids and, therefore, it can be used to thicken gravies and sauces without the likelyhood of forming lumps.

FOOD HISTORY: Milk Duds

Milk Duds,  bite sized, chocolate covered, caramel  candies, were created in 1928 by Hoffman and Co., one of the original inventors of chocolate covered caramels. The Hoffman Co. wanted to make a  round, chocolate covered, caramel candy confection but, no matter how they tried, their equipment could not make a perfectly round product. Therefore, they called these less-than-perfectly round candies "duds" and, further, because of the large amount of milk that went into their making, "milk duds'. In 1928, Milton J. Holloway purchased the Hoffman Co.and started to market the "defective candy duds" under the name, "Holloway's Milk Duds". This new candy became a world-wide favorite and sold particularly well in movie theater concession stands. In 1960, after Holloway sold the company, it has passed through several corporate hands and is now made by the Hershey Co. However, the current formulation for "Milk Duds" is NOT the same as tthe original Hoffman/Holloway product.

FOOD TRIVIA: "Cake" Expressions

The expressions,"Cake Walk", "A piece of cake" and "Takes the cake" probably derive from the 19th century African - American competitions where couples who strutted most gracefully and stylishly were awarded a cake as a prize.

COOKING TIP: Crostini vs Bruschetta

Originally, Crostini, "little toasts" in Italian, were thin slices of toasted bread drizzled with olive oil and served warm as a base for canapes made from a large variety of savory ingredients;  from meats to seafood to cheeses or vegetables.

On the other hand, Bruschetta comes from the Italian word, "bruscare" - to roast over coals. In Tuscany, the original Bruschetta were thick slices of rustic bread, toasted, rubbed with garlic cloves, with salt and pepper  added. Then, the bread was drizzled with the years new crop of olive oil. The point was to feature the flavor of the new oils. Sometimes a diced tomato salad was added onto the warm bread.

While both Crostini and Bruschetta were introduced into the US from Italy, over time  the original distinction between these two food items became blurred and now, frequently, the  names are used interchangably.

In any case, Bruschetta should be pronounced, "Brus' Ket. ta" since, in Italian, "CH" is always pronounced with a hard "K' sound, not an "SH' sound. In this regard, think of chianti, zucchini and Pinocchio.