Although this web site and it’s attached blogs are about wrapping food for the home cook, this blog will provide some of my favorite unwrapped recipes, as well as tips, tricks and product recommendations.
The first mention of pasteles occurred in 1843 however, the first recipe in a cookbook was in the 1930s. Pasteles were influenced by the indigenous peoples of Puerto Rice, West Africa and Spain. It has been suggested that pasteles originated from the American Taino Native American tribe. These are “tamales” for want of a better…
Sushi Rice is used in many different types of wraped dishes in Japanese food. Sushi rice appears simple, but there are aspects to its preparation that are a bit more complicated. Since I cook lots of rice, and like things like congee, I splurged and purchased a great rice cooker. It makes all kinds of…
Years ago, when I was studying martial arts, I developed a deep interest in Japan, it’s history, language and food. I even studied Japanese for about 7 years. I remember thinking I was pretty hot speaking Japanese and the first time I arrived at Norita airport, I asked a worker there where the bus was…
I obtain great joy and satisfaction when I prepare and serve friends a 5 or 6 course formal dinner. It has taken me years to come up with a process that allows me time with my guests, and good food for us all to share. I have made blunders and had failures, however there have…
The use of rice flour in the US is unfamiliar. It is becoming, and has become, more common in those groups who adhere to a gluten free diet however. When I originally started using rice flour for some of the wrapped recipes you will see in this website and in the book series, I didn’t…
Daikon is a well known vegetable in asia. It is frequently used as a pickle, as we describe below. When julienned and pickled, these pickles are wonderful on salads, on sandwiches or in sushi. The Japanese have a sushi made with sushi rice and pickled daikon called, oshinko sushi. In Korea they make a type…
These are GREAT! My sister and I were shopping one day and I asked her to get onions. She brought a bag of red onions and I had wanted Vadalia’s … So I was wondering what to do with them, and pickles came to my mind. I found a recipe and after playing with it,…
Sauerkraut is one of my favorite ways to eat cabbage. During the winter when fresh vegetables are harder to get, fermented or pickled vegetables offer great alternatives. Plain cabbage sauerkraut is one of my favorites, and I go through quarts of the stuff. However, I have tried and enjoyed other types of sauerkraut. The following…
I am a pickle-holic! Olives, Dilly beans, Diakon and Dill PIckles are part of my diet. I have tried all kinds of recipes for dill picklets both pickled and fermented. I have never been able to get the fermented pickles to taste good. Not sure what I am doing wrong, as my SauerKraut and Kim…
fragrant Sichuan pepper on white acrylic background. How to Prepare and grind Sichuan Peppercorns Sichuan peppercorns are a wonderful spice. A bit of heat, a bit of pepper, a bit of licorice, just heaven in a dish!! These can be added directly to oil, and then removed, giving the oil a wonderful and complex taste…