Fast Track Stuffed Figs
These are delicious, can be served cold or at room temperature and are easy to make. These are both sweet and savory, so can be included in the Tailgate menu and serve as a desert if so desired.
John Peppin is a physician with over 30 years of clinical experience. John has published over 90 articles and books in the medical field. He has also been a home cook for most of his adult life, taking a great interest in a variety of cuisines and cooking techniques. He is a voracious cookbook reader with an intense curiosity about cuisines around the world. Wrapping and the stuffing of foods has become an overwhelming focus for John, and he has researched recipes from around the world. A self-taught home cook who loves new ways of cooking. Food, good wine and friends, la dolce vita!
Cookware
Things Every Home Cook needs I feel that one’s brain and hands are the most important tools required to succeed at anything, and cooking is no different. Certainly, this is true with medicine, music, and goldsmithing; all three of which I have apprenticed in and achieved some measure of success. In modern times, unfortunately, we…
Wrapping up the cooking of Bacon
Who doesn’t like bacon. Well there are those who don’t, but not this author. So what is bacon? It is salt cured pork typically from the pork belly or back. You will frequently find bacon used in this blog, on this web site and in my books since it is used to wrap all kinds…
Preparing to Cook
You are ready to cook, or are you? Many of the things I have learned in life have usually come through mistakes and errors. Preparing to cook is no different, I have made tremendous errors but always learned from my mistakes. They are hard lessons to learn at times but necessary for progress in one’s…
Banana Leaves
Banana trees have more than just bananas The Banana plant is a flowering herbaceous plant. It has a central stalk and blades (leaves) on all sides. These leaves can grow to a very large size up to 6 ½ feet (2 meters) in length. Banana leaves are used throughout Asia to wrap food. They do…
Onions:
Although I love garlic, onions come in a close second. A member of the allium genus family, onions are related to garlic, leeks and chives. Onions are found around the world and the “common onion” is the most frequently cultivat-ed. This vegetable is mentioned as far back as 5000 BC and was probably originally cultivated…
Tips for Deep Frying in Oil
What is deep frying? This technique has been called deep fat frying, frying, deep oil frying and other names and is the cooking method of submerging food in very hot oil, 350-357 degrees F. The oil quickly cooks the outer layer of the submerged food, sealing the center and resulting in a moist interior and…
Injuries in the Kitchen: 20 Steps to a Safer Kitchen
The kitchen has always been a major area of fellowship in the house, a center for love, warmth and joy. However, it is also the room with the most hazards and risks. Most of these issues come from poor design, poor ergonomics, or lack of attention and planning. Shelves too high or too low, high…
Tim Gallaway, Chef
Interview with Chef Tim Gallaway On Thursday September 2nd I had the pleasure of interviewing Chef Timothy Gallaway. We discussed food, cooking and “wrapping it up”. Tim was the youngest of 3 brothers, all of whom had daily chores. His included cooking, whereas his brothers set the table and did dishes. So he has early…
Garlic
A little package with great big flavor Every time I cook, I learn something new. Early on in my cooking career I would carefully peel the husk from garlic cloves, which would take lots of time. Since I love garlic and when a dish called for multiple cloves, it seemed I spent an inordinate amount…