FOOD HISTORY: Champagne: Part 1

The Champagne region of France existed long before it it became famous for it's sparkling wine since it lay art the crossroads of northern Europe with it's river valley to the south, leading to the Mediterranean ocean and to the north, to Paris and the English channel. Because of its location it became an access point, the pathway for may invaders for hundreds of years being destroyed by armies from many countries' marching back and forth over its land. For this reason it became a center of European trade when the local medieval Counts became strong enough to encourage commerce and trade by providing protection to traveling merchants. It’s importance was enhanced when its Cathedral of Reims became the site of the Coronation of French king Hugh Copet  in 987 AD. Thirty-seven subsequent French kings were coronated in the same cathedral. Because of this, local Champagne region wine-makers, envious of the reputation of wines from the Burgundy region of France, trying to emulate the wines from that region, established a wine industry, mostly in monasteries. These flourished with the financial help of the Crown. The wine, which was highly regarded by the Nobility, became very popular. These, however, were light red still wines, not the sparkling wine, Champagne, for which the region later became world famous. However, the northern climate of that region presented a unique set of challenges in making red wine - grapes would struggle to ripen and had  high acid level and low sugar levels. When cold weather prematurely stopped fermentation in barrels in the cellar, dormant yeast cell remaining awakened in the spring during the bottling process. In the bottles, they started the fermentation process once again, releasing carbon dioxide gas which, in many cases, burst the bottles ( French wine bottles were quite weak) although  bubbles remained in some of the bottled wines. The Champagne wine makers were horrified over this happening - they considered this a fault. They liked their wine to be still and thin. Even into the 17th century, the Champagne wine makers were trying to rid their wines from bubbles. However, bottles which retained their bubbles that were sent to England were greeted with pleasure - they were very happy about the "fault" " in the wine; the sparkle a desirable trait. However things change! The years 160 -1720 marked a turning point in Champagne history, when  when  the production of sparkling wines became a deliberate choice in the region. Before then, effervescence (bubbles) in the wine depended on the variable external conditions. This was the first time  wine had been produced from a single region, Champagne, and identified. as such. Until then, al wines produce in France were referred to as, "French wines".

COOKING TIP(S): Baking

 COOKING TIP(S): Baking:

To make a perfect "press - in" pie crust rather than a rolled and crimp kind, take about 2/3 of the dough and press, evenly, around the sides of the pan. Make a little thicker than the bottom will be for greater support. While saving a small amount of dough for for patching, press remaining dough into the bottom of pan with your fingers. Use a floured straight edged measuring cup or a 4 oz glass to compact, smooth everything out and "seal'  bottom dough to the dough on the sides of the pan.

To keep your banana, zucchini or other baked goods fresher longer, slice an apple in half and place it in an airtight container with the baked goods. Moisture from the apple will keep baked goods fresher for 3 - 4 days longer than without it. Check on apple each day to make sure it isn't starting to rot. Remove and replace if it is soft and starting to go bad. EAT the other half!

 For the crispest cookies, use white sugar. Brown sugar, molasses or honey will absorb water from the air making the cookies soft.

When making cookies using brown sugar, the darker the sugar, the more chewy the cookie will be.

When a recipe calls for scalding milk, DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! Scalding denatures whey proteins which makes the milk a better “food” for the yeast so that proofing occurs faster. This gives a larger volume and a fluffier product and, therefore, makes for a smoother dough with better moisture retention.  Place an inside - out plastic bag on your hand to scoop up butter to grease baking pans. When finished, turn the bag right side out, seal and discard if no butter is left or freeze for the next usage if butter still remains in bag.

Place an inside - out plastic bag on your hand to scoop up butter to grease baking pans. When finished, turn the bag right side out, seal and discard if no butter is left or freeze for the next usage if butter still remains in bag.

FOOD TRIVIA: British Tea with milk and Desserts (Puddings)

 FOOD TRIVIA:  British Tea with milk and Desserts (Puddings)

British put milk in tea  because in the 17th - 18th centuries, tea was served in China cups that were so delicate they often cracked when boiling tea was poured straight into them. Milk was put in cup,  prior to adding the hot tea, to cool the tea, thus preventing the cups from cracking. Soon milk in tea became the preferred way to drink it. While teacups are not so fragile now, most English tea drinkers still put milk into their tea. Tea etiquette suggests that you put enough milk in the bottom of a teacup, “to cover just the bottom of your teacup or mug” before pouring in the tea.

In Great Britain, what we call the last sweet course of a meal  "dessert", they call "pudding". The Brits eat a wide a variety of dishes called "pudding.";  their  sweet "dessert" ones are generically called, "pudding" -"What are we having for pudding (dessert) ? - while savory ones are defined  by a descriptive name; e.g. Yorkshire Pudding, Bacon Pudding, Black Pudding, Pease  Pudding, etc..

FUNNY NAMES OF BRITISH PUDDINGS (DESSERT) : SYLLABUB, a popular dessert in 17 - early 19th century England, is a mixture of whipped cream, whipped egg whites, juice and zest of lemon and white wine. The amount of white wine added determined whether the Syllabub was a popular punch or a creamy dessert, FOOL or FOOLE, whose name derives from the French word, “foule”, meaning, “pressed or crushed”, is made up of a combination of crushed fruits and thick cream. TRIFLE, a dessert which evolved from FOOL, consists of layers of sponge cake, moistened, and softened with wine followed by jam or fruit which is followed by custard and, finally, the whole thing is covered with whipped cream; candied rind or seeds, e.g. caraway, are added for decoration. ETON MESS, meringue, broken into pieces, mixed with  whipped cream and crushed strawberries, placed in to a bowl and covered with quartered strawberries,  SPOTTED DICK, a light dessert, steamed pudding, originally made with suet, (but now, probably butter) with dried currents suspended in it and served with a custard sauce. STRANGE NAMES! all TASTY . 

FOOD HISTORY: A BRIEF HISTORY OF MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD

 FOOD HISTORY: A BRIEF HISTORY OF MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD

Strict restriction on the eating of pork and no alcohol in the food is what one most thinks about when referring to Middle Eastern food and cuisine. However, while pigs were used as a food source by pre – Islamic pagans in the Middle East, because pigs were looked upon as dirty animals, both Jews and early Muslims were prohibited from eating pork. Although the Qur’an says that a starving Muslim, when no other food source is available, can eat pork and not be a sinner, in these circumstances, strict limitations and conditions apply. Concerning the topic of alcohol, the Quran did not ban alcohol from the beginning. The first verse on this topic (4:43) acknowledged that alcohol contained some good and some evil aspects but, “the evil is greater than the good”. It was only later in writings of scholars in the Haditha, (a collection of the sayings and actions of the prophet Muhammad, which are the major religious source of law and guidance for Muslims) that Muslims were ordered to totally abstain from alcohol (5:90-91). However, both Jews and Christians living in the Middle East not only allow the drinking of alcohol, but wine is also used in their religious services. Christians use it in their Communion sacrament and Jews even have a blessing over wine prior to its drinking. The foods eaten in the Middle East were contributed to by Ottoman Sultans, various Persian Shahs, the Moguls, and the flow of commodities from east to west. Food was used as an issue in both economics and politics. It was during the 1st Persian Empire (~550-330 BCE) that the foundation was laid for modern Middle Eastern food when rice, poultry and fruits were incorporated into the local diet. Later, wheat was first cultivated followed by lentils, barley, beans, pistachio nuts, pomegranates, figs, and other regional staples, while religion made an impact on meat eating, with lamb becoming the primary meat, since both Jews and Muslims avoided eating pork. All these food items are used in the modern dishes of many Middle Eastern countries. Augmenting the dishes with ingredients indigenous to each country’s climate and geography, provides a wide, vibrant varied array of delicious dishes to be found in Middle Eastern to cuisine.

 

 

FOOD HISTORY: MAC AND CHEESE IN AMERICA

 FOOD HISTORY: MAC AND CHEESE IN AMERICA

There is no food more associated with America than apple pie but you probably don't know how and why mac and cheese became one of the most  popular and singularly American dish. While mac and cheese dishes were known as far back as 160 BC, in the Roman Republic, mac and cheese were first served in the United States at presidential dinners hosted by President Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson had served as American ambassador to both France and Italy. He was accompanied by his enslaved servant, James Hemmings, brother of Sally Hemmings, his enslaved mistress with whom he fathered several children. When he was in Italy Jefferson  was so taken by the macaroni dishes with cheese he was served,  that he bought a pasta making machine and Durum wheat for making macaroni, to bring back to the the United States on his return. When in France, his slave, Hemmings, curiously, was a "free" man, since France had already abolished slavery. Therefore, during their time in France, Jefferson allowed Hemmings to be trained as a French Chef. Upon returning to the United States and becoming president, Jefferson wanted to serve a macaroni and cheese to his guests at presidential dinners. Of course no member of the Jefferson family would ever get into the kitchen to cook. Therefore, it was James  Hemmings who developed and prepared the first American  mac and cheese dish called, 'Pie and Macaroni" that was served at presidential dinners. In 1874, the first American cookbook, "The Virginian Housewife", written by Mary Randolph, a White House cook is where Hemmings was finally given the credit for its development and the recipe presented.  Mac and cheese gained popularity  throughout the United States after that, and mac and cheese became a quintessential American dish. While Jefferson is given credit  for this, the fact is, that  the credit  really belongs to James Hemmings.,

FOOD HISTORY: ANCIENT GRAINS

 

FOOD HISTORY: ANCIENT GRAINS

Cereal grains are the seeds that come from grass. e.g., einkorn, emmer, wheat, Millet, rice, barley, Amaranth, Farro, corn, spelt, Buckwheat, etc. Initially, grains started to be eaten 75,000 years ago in certain areas of western Asia.  Ancient farmers began to cultivate, harvest, and eat the grasses that naturally grew near their own communities. Some of these grains, einkorn, and emmer, are the ancestors of the wheat we eat today. They could be eaten fresh or stored for use throughout the year. However, as time passed, some of these farmers moved on, trying the expand their food resources farther from their indigenous regions of origin. They took with them the knowledge of the cultivation of these indigenous grains and, in the process, created a world-wide food globalization process.  Wheat and barley moved from Southwest Asia to Europe, some forms of millet moved from China to the West, rice traveled throughout East, South, and Southeast Asia, while African millets and sorghum moved across sub-Saharan Africa and across the Indian Sea. Archeological evidence from Southwest Mexico confirms the early arrival of maize (corn) and DNA sequencing of charred whole wheat grains show they were there, in early ancient times, as well.  Farmers in these varied regions of the world expanded the cultivation of their own “domestic” grains by the “trial and error” method; planting new types of seed, changing planting locations, either higher up or lower down on mountainsides, shifting planting and harvest times to accommodate climate changes in their new environments and, thus, expanded the geographic areas of where they could grow certain plants in  today’s wide world. Most cultures rely on grains as the basis of their nutritional needs and more than 45% of our calories now come from them, However, this percentage comes from only three of the very many grains available - rice, corn, and wheat. While this is true, most ancient grains are, for all practical purposes, virtually unchanged over the centuries. Many of them have been popular and have been eaten over extremely long periods of time in many places all over the world (and still are) but are relatively new to the knowledge and tastes in the United States and the West.  In recent years, however, they have gained popularity as food importers scour the globe to “discover” new foods to appeal to the ever-changing tastes of the western world. - einkorn, quinoa, millet, teff and amaranth, to name just a few. All of them are all whole-grain and excellent nutritional sources, protein, fiber antioxidants and minerals.  In addition, they cover a wide range of textures and flavors.  For these reasons, they deserve consideration as part of a healthy and tasty modern diet.

FOOD TRIVIA: Nutmeg, Mace and Allspice

FOOD TRIVIA: Nutmeg, Mace and Allspice

The spices nutmeg and Mace come from the same evergreen tree, Myristica fragrans,. The seed of this tree is called Nutmeg. Mace is the lacy membrane that covers the seed, which is removed and dried producing the spice, Mace.

Nutmeg ie warm, slightly sweet, reminiscent of clove and allspice and is used in sweet dishes, traditional medicines and beverages. Mace is milder, more delicate, has a cinnamon/cardamom aroma and is used in savory dishes, liquors and perfumes.

Allspice is the berry ot the Pimente discia tree which are traditionally died in the sun., then used whole or ground into a powder. It has a warm, gently sweet aroma, reminiscent of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon. Even thought it is a single berry, because of this characteristic, it is called ALLspice. It is popular in Middle Eastern and Caribbean cooking where it is