For a typical seasoning, it is unlikely not to find annatto seeds on your kitchen shelves. When your recipe calls for the dark red hue, coming out as yellow or orange, you better have them on your jar, or you will certainly end up with a pale-looking dish. People have been using annatto seeds for …
Too bad guanciale is not easy to find in the USA. When you crave for carbonara or Amatriciana, you will have a hard time looking for it. This delectable, succulent piece of meat is the star of popular Italian types of pasta. We love it all for creating a mouthful of savory, buttery richness in …
If you are craving for tarragon vinegar-infused dishes or salad, and you suddenly have run of it in the kitchen or could not find it on its usual shelf in the market, you do not have to make quick changes to your planned recipe. You can use an alternative for tarragon vinegar, and no one …
When you suddenly crave for salad or slaw or simply want to roast some kohlrabi, it should be available in American grocery stores all year. You can find this not-so-popular vegetable on market shelves along with other cruciferous vegetables. Kohlrabi is cousin to broccoli and cabbage, and you can see their similarities from their leaves. …
Plum Sauce is commonly used for dipping, glazing pork, basting meat, and stir frying, plum sauce provides color and texture that can bring life to duck, moo shu, dumplings, noodles, and more. Running out of plum sauce may not be a reason to feel blue since there are other vibrant substitutes that you can choose …
As an appetizer, endive is a good choice, and it is an excellent replacement for lettuce. You can add it to your stir-fry dishes, or you can simply grill it. It pairs well with poached eggs, green beans, and potato gratin. But sometimes, you may have run out of endives or you can’t find any …
If you love a charcuterie platter, you might have eaten some little green pickles with your cured meats. These pickles are known as cornichons – literally, they are tiny pickles. Cornichons is a French word that means little horns. The English call these pickles gherkins. They are sweet with a hint of the spices added, …
Cane vinegar is actually commonly used in Filipino cooking, particularly in regions where sugar cane is grown. It is often called “sukang Iloko” in the Philippines, after of the province of Ilocos in the northern region. You can use cane vinegar to make your sweet and sour sauces, salad dressings, and vinaigrettes. You can use …
Borlotti beans are often used in Italian and Portuguese dishes, like stewed beans with olive oil and tomato, Borlotti beans and pumpkin farro soup, and Feijao a Portuguesa or Portuguese beans. Typically, Borlotti beans are sold shelled and dried. These beans should be soaked in water before cooking. Being a specialty item in the U.S., …
Anise extract has a strong licorice flavor that is strong, spicy, yet sweet and mild. It is commonly used in baking and cooking. Anise extract can be made from tincture from anise or star anise. The flavor of the anise extract pairs well with poultry, beef, ginger, citrus onions, nutmeg, and cinnamon. But it tends …
The texture of blue cheese depends on the variety. Some are crumbly, while other types are creamy or soft. Aside from the pungent aroma, the cheese has a sharp and salty flavor, making it a staple for cheese lovers in pasta, cheese boards, salads, sauces, dips, or dressings. If you are not a fan of …