The process of caramelization primarily consists of heating sugars slowly to around 170 °C (340 °F). As the sugar heats, the molecule’s break down and re-form into compounds with a characteristic color and flavor. A variety of sweets, desserts, toppings, and confections are made with caramel, including tres leches cake, brittles, nougats, pralines, flan, creme brûlée, creme caramel and caramel […]
Salt is ubiquitous in today’s culinary world, but there was a time when it was a scarce and valuable commodity. In the era preceding the Industrial Revolution, salt mining was a perilous and labor intensive task, often relegated to slaves and prisoners. The hazardous conditions, including the risk of rapid dehydration from continuous exposure to salt and inhaling salt dust, […]
My mom always bought New Year’s Pretzels. We had a wonderful bakery that made them but they have closed. Popular in German-American communities like Pittsburgh and Sandusky, Ohio. ORIGINS & MEANING GERMAN ROOTS: The tradition comes from German immigrants, linking to the pretzels historical ties to religious observance and blessings. SYMBOLISM: The pretzels twisted shape signifies arms folded in […]
When I hear German Chocolate Cake, I think of a recipe from Germany. However, this is not the case. German Chocolate Cake is an American invention from Texas, named not for the country, but for Samuel German, an American baker who created the sweet baking chocolate used in the recipe for Baker’s Chocolate Company in 1852. The cake gained […]
Guinness Worl Record The largest gingerbread house in the world came in at 35.8 million calories. It covered an area of 2,520 square feet, or nearly the size of a tennis court. It was approximately 60 feet long, 42 feet wide, 20 feet high and 39,201 cubic feet. The gingerbread house was built in Bryan Texas, 90 miles northwest of […]
Nutmeg is a seed kernel of the evergreen Myristica. It can be a spice when ground from the seed. The nutmeg fruit resembles a peach or apricot. It splits open when ripe to reveal a reddish, lacy outer layer called mace, which covers a hard shell. The nutmeg spice is the seed found inside this shell. Mace is a separate spice […]
1. Listing the Sale Price for Multiple Items You’ve probably seen a sale tag that advertises multiple items at a certain price, like two cans of soup for $6.00, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to buy two to get the deal. Take a closer look, because chances are those cans are actually $3.00 each. It’s worth looking […]
Potatoes were the first food planted in space. Applesauce was the first food eaten in space. Pistachios aren’t a nut but a fruit. Broccoli contains more protein than steak. Raspberries are a member of the rose family. Cucumbers are 95% water. Honey is basically bee vomit, forager bees regurgitate it. Figs aren’t fruit, they are flowers. Popsicles were invented accidentally […]
Did you know you can use apple cider vinegar in so many ways? Check out some of them below. Deodorizer: Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial properties and claims to eliminate bad smells. Try it out by mixing apple cider vinegar with water to make a deodorizing spray. Foot Soak and Deodorant: You can mix it with water and Epsom salts […]
Old Bay Seasoning is a blend of herbs and spices. It is currently sold in the United States by McCormick & Company and originally created in Baltimore, Maryland where it was founded in 1939. The seasoning is a mix of celery salt, celery seed, red pepper, black pepper and paprika spices. Some of the other spices that may be used […]