As home cooks and gardeners, we know plant growth and agriculture directly relate to geography and climatic conditions. For this reason, herbs and spices directly influence a region’s culinary fare. When creating delicious dishes at home, it is important home chefs familiarize themselves with the different herbs and spices. Through experimentation and practice, you will find yourself developing a feel for seasonings that will enable you to produce more consistently good flavor in your meals. Basic Principals for Herbs and Spices There are some basic guidelines in using spices and culinary flavors. The most important principal is herbs and spices should enhance the natural flavor of food, rather than dominate…
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7 Tips For Spring Edible Gardening
It is almost April 15th and where I call home, it is time to begin my spring edible garden! I kinda get a chuckle, at my expense when it comes to gardening. When I was much younger, in grammar school, my parents had a garden. We grew corn, beans, and a few other vegetables. We had a huge apple tree and prosperous grape vines; so I grew up knowing where food comes from. When I was 10 years old, we moved and no longer had a garden at our house, however, my grandparents still had thriving gardens. They enjoyed all sorts of greens, beans and squash. During my teenage years,…
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Let’s Get This Garden Started!
Growing up in suburban Georgia, with parents whose childhood immediately followed the Great Depression, there was always a vegetable garden. Whether it was at my maternal grandparents, who mainly planted a few vegetables and all types of beans – to – my paternal grandparents, who grew everything under the sun – to my parents’ corn and bean garden.. I worked in a garden from my grammar school years until I was old enough to drive – and I drove AWAY from gardening! Far, far away…I swore off gardening FOREVER! I was sick of it! Okra pricking my fingers; shelling butter beans until my thumbs were blistered; stringing green beans…
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7 Types of Basil for Spring Gardening
Used in many Italian dishes or to add springtime freshness to any culinary concoction, basil comes in many varieties, each with their own characteristics. Basil is one of the most fragrant and easiest of all the herbs to grow in your spring garden. Introduced to England in the 16th century, it made its way to America in the 17th century. It flourishes in the warmth of the Mediterranean countries, where it is so successfully combined with sun-ripened tomatoes. The famous, basil pesto, was created in Genoa (northern Italy), usually consisting of crushed garlic, basil, pine nuts, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, blended with olive oil. 7 Types of Basil Plants 1. Genovese …
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Garlic Adds Depth to Dishes
My absolute favorite aroma from the kitchen occurs when I am sauteing butter, onions and garlic. Garlic is one – if not – the most versatile seasoning agent in the food world! A member of the lily family, garlic is a cousin to leeks, chives, onions and shallots. The edible bulb, or “head” grows below the ground. The bulb consists of sections called cloves, each encased in its own parchment like membrane. Types of Garlic In the United States, there are three major types of garlic; Buying Garlic Fresh garlic is available at your local supermarket year round. Purchase firm, plump bulbs…
