Perfection is lots of little things done well. — Fernand Point
Saffron – $2,000 to $10,000 a pound Saffron threads come from the stamens of a crocus, a flower which requires high maintenance. Each flower blooms for one week a year and produces only about three stamens, which must be picked by hand, hence the hefty …
Geography Greece is the southernmost European country in the Balkan Peninsula, and is bordered by Albania, Macedonia, and Bulgaria to the North and Turkey to the East. At 50,000 square miles and about the size of Alabama, Greece is the . About a fifth of the area …
This technique calls for a small amount of liquid that does not cover the item resulting in food cooked by both steam and liquid. Often the liquid is used in the preparations of the sauce-cuisson as there is a significant amount of flavor transferred between …
An emulsion is the even dispersal of one liquid throughout another immiscible liquid. If the drops of the dispersed liquid are small enough and well separated from each other, the mixture will be thicker than either liquid and will remain in solution, for a time. …
Cuttlefish, often mistaken for calamari or squid, has its own characteristics. The cuttlefish, with its shorter tentacles and relatively large, wide body, is also distinguished by the “cuttlebone (calcified cartilage, which is often given to caged birds). It has more flavor than its cousins and …
Polenta has similarities to the hominy grits that are popular in the Southern United States. In this way polenta, grits and other “mush” type foods share a common link as the food of poverty. However in ancient times, what would later be called polenta started …
Porcini belong to the Boletus genus of mushrooms, characterized by a soft, meaty white body that does not change color after it is cut (Boletus that change colors to blue when cut or bruised should not be eaten. Porcini grow in association of specific trees …
Capers are the unopened green flower buds of the Capparis spinosa (Capparidaceae – caper family – closely related to the cabbage family), a wild and cultivated bush that is grown mainly in Mediterranean countries (southern France, Italy, and Algeria) and also in California. Manual labor …
Anchovies are small saltwater fish; about 3 inches long and are related to Herring. There are about six distinct species of the fish worldwide and are all are harvested for consumption. They can be cooked fresh in areas close to their natural habitat such as …
Mascarpone is a rich, sweet, double- or triple-fat, fresh cow’s milk cheese, milky white in color and with the aroma of milk and cream. It spreads easily and is similar in texture to stiff whipped cream, making it great for pastry fillings, or served simply …