The development of inari sushi originated in the Edo Period of Japan, 1603-1868. It is named after the Shinto deity of rice, Inari Okami (kami means deity/god). Fried tofu was offered in Shinto Shrines initially, and they stuffed with newly harvested rice, all leading to Inari Sushi. It has become a convenient “fast food” in…
The history of galettes is, as with most wrapped dishes, a bit confused. However, there is a very interesting web site that discusses the galettes and the differences between galette and crepe, “Crepes Magiques” (https://www.crepesmagiques.com/en/the-true-history-of-french-crepes-and-breton-galettes/). It appears that galettes date back to 13th or 14th century. This was determined using mass spectrometry on terracotta galette…
The origins of “Toad in the hole” is a bit obscure. Most publications suggest that the use of baked puddings became popular in the 18th century, partly due to financial considerations. It was cheaper to make a pudding with a cheaper cut of meat, or without meat as a main meal. So a way to…
Stuffed cabbage rolls are ubiquitious throughout the world. It is most famous around the Meditteranian Ocean. However, these are found in multiple other regions of the world. The Chinese version of stuffed cabbage is a bit of a mystery. In Japan they were brough in the 1800s and it may be that they came to…
Anyone who wants to develop any skill in fermenting needs to realize the most important single aspect to this skill, cleanliness. When I ferment, I wash all the jars, tops, glass weights and nipple tops in the dishwasher on the “sterilize” setting. When the dishwasher is finished, I prepare the vegetables, in this case the…
This recipe is my variation of two presented by Martha Stewart in her book “Appetizers“. The empanadas are fast friendly, if you use the aquafaba (garbanzo liquid, see below). There are a number of different sauses you canuse with these empanadas, either sweet or savory. The following cranberry apple sauce seems to go very well…
Potted shrimp is thought to have originated in Lancashire during Tudor times. It was a way to preserve food as the butter will keep the shrimp for some time without refrigeration. The classic recipe uses brown shrimp, since Morecambe Bay in Lancashire is renowned for its brown shrimp. These small shrimp are still caught in…
Cong you bing is Mandarin for the classic Chinese scallion pancake. The scallion pancake has been present in Chinese and Taiwan cuisine for centuries. Myth suggests that the pancake originated in Shanghai. This pancake is similar to the Indian paratha and there are many Indian peoples in Shanghai. There is a further legend that Marco…
Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, are beans and very high in protein. This bean has been cultivated for about 10,000 years. It is used extensively in Mediterranean cuisine. The tan bean, kabuli type, is the most common. There is a black variety, rarely used beyond Southern Italy. The chickpea can be ground into a flour, and…