There are thousands of recipes that involve wrapping up food. This Blog will give new recipes on a regular basis from around the world.
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…
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…
These are delicious pancakes and easy to make. They can be served as part of a dim sum lunch or as sweet dish after or during dinner. These are a variation, if you will, on the classic Chinese scallion pancake. First you make the pancake dough, these can be used for the scallion version so…
Vareniki are the Ukranian and Russian version of pierogi. Pierogi are the Polish dumplings that classically are stuffed with potatoes. Vareniki can also be stuffed with the potato and cheese mixture, however as with pierogi, they can be stuffed with meat, fish, other vegetables and cherries. Cherry vareniki are a wonderful dish that can be…
The Adzuki bean has a long history. Originally domesticated in china approximately 3000 BC. They are called “anko” in Japan and probably arrived in Japan from China in the 1600s. The original filling was made out of meat and vegetables, however to fulfil Buddhist vegetarian requirements the red beans made in a paste was used.Adzuki…