Culinary Know-How

Understanding Eggs: Behind the Ingredients

February 25, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 2 Comments

There is a lot of freedom in knowing how key ingredients work the way they do. Leave the guesswork behind in the first of this Behind the Ingredients series where we dive into learning about the humble egg.

`Photo by Natalie Rhea Riggs on Unsplash`

THE HUMBLE, YET MIGHTY EGG

Almost all of us have eaten eggs at some point in our lives and many of us reach for the egg carton first thing in the morning. Apart from making bacon and eggs, why is it that eggs are called for in so many recipes? What is it about eggs that keep us hungry for more?

Well, for one, eggs are a complete protein checking off all the essential amino acids. Eggs also have a number of B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, minerals, and other nutrients you can easily look up online. They’re nutritious, they keep us full, and they’re relatively inexpensive.

We don’t usually think about these things when we fry, scramble, or poach these edible gems. They’re humble in that they’re depended on, yet overlooked. When’s the last time you’ve been grateful for eggs? During rationing in WWII, eggs were a precious commodity and unless folks kept their own chickens, dried egg powder took the forefront. Gross. Indeed, eggs are humble, but they’re also mighty.

RELATED: Sauerkraut and Bacon Quiche

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How do I Quarter a Chicken?

February 14, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 6 Comments

Buying and quartering a whole chicken is a lot more economical than picking up a couple of chicken breasts. When you make the switch from purchasing pieces to a whole bird, the question needs to be asked: How do I quarter a chicken?

kefir brined chicken on carrots and onions

READY, SET, QUARTER

So you went to the grocery store and bought a whole chicken, now what?

First off, look at you, you savvy shopper! Buying a whole chicken is a much more economical option in the long run because you can get three or four meals out of it and you won’t need to buy chicken broth if you make your own.

There are so many options when you bring home a whole chicken.

One route to go is throwing it in a roaster with some veggies, herbs, and salt and pepper, like my paprika roast chicken recipe.

Another is to quarter up the bird for more meal variety and more flavourful stock. Let’s take a look at what we will need to get started.

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10 Baking Tools Every Baker Needs

January 14, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 1 Comment

Are you an aspiring baker, or know someone who is? Here’s a quick list of 10 baking tools every baker needs to get the job done as functionally as possible.

10 tools every baker needs intro picture

THE 10 BAKING TOOLS VIDEO

If you prefer watching to reading, here’s the video to go with this post. If you like what you see, I hope you’ll subscribe to my YouTube channel!

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to purchase something after clicking on one of the links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

WHY ONLY 10 BAKING TOOLS?

When it comes to baking (or any industry, really), there are all kinds of doodads that crop up on the scene. These items promise to make your life easier, but then you use them once and they hog up space, only to resurface after an afternoon of reading Marie Kondo. We’re going back to basics here. Together, we’ll go over the 10 baking tools that will help you get the job done. There’s no fluff here, only function. And we’re talking baking here, not decorating, not bread making, just baking in general.

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Easy Roasted Garlic for Big and Bold Flavour

November 12, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 3 Comments

These roasted garlic cloves are big on flavour and make a healthy condiment you don’t want to be without. The next time you fire up the oven, toss in a couple of heads of garlic for the easiest roasted garlic you will ever make.

the easiest roasted garlic tutorial ever

THE EASIEST WAY TO MAKE ROASTED GARLIC

Easiest roasted garlic, you say? Well, here’s a new flash: all roasted garlic is the easiest!

Considering the beautiful simplicity of this flavourful bulb, it doesn’t seem to be used very often except by restaurants and the consumer packaged goods industry. And why not?

If you had to choose between plain hummus and roasted garlic hummus, which would you choose? Or what about butternut squash soup and roasted garlic butternut squash soup? Unless you’re a purist, the chances are you’d be reaching for the latter in both cases. Not only is it delicious added to recipes, it even sounds good.

HOW TO MAKE ROASTED GARLIC VIDEO

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10 Reference Books You Need For Your Kitchen

October 29, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 12 Comments

Here are ten kitchen reference books everyone should have on their shelf. From cooking, baking and fermenting, to general culinary know-how, there’s a bit of something for everyone. How many of these are on your shelf?

JUST THE FAVOURITES

I read a lot of culinary books. As a bibliophile and a lover of food, it’s perfectly natural that one of my reading interests include perusing kitchen reference books from cover to cover.

Over the years I have amassed quite the collection of cookbooks, so I thought it would be fun to cover some favourites. Some of these books were recommendations, others I checked out from the library before purchasing, and two of these were gifts.

In my humble opinion, books make the best gifts, especially cookbooks. They’re so practical and inspirational! Even if you know your way around ingredients and don’t need a recipe tying you down, there’s plenty to be learned from the titles I’m sharing with you today.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to purchase something after clicking on one of the links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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Making Pumpkin Puree from Scratch and Roasting Seeds

October 4, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 4 Comments

Making pumpkin puree at home doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it’s easier than you might think. Preheat your oven, gut your pumpkins, and get ready to cozy up to fall with these minimal waste pumpkin practices…

Making pumpkin puree is one of my favourite ways to ring in autumn.

The days are cooler. Green leaves adopt the colours of fire before falling to cold concrete sidewalks and pavement, blanketing lawns with a cozy comforter for the winter season.

The nights are cold and I can see my breath in the brisk morning air, my car windows weeping with condensation.

I don’t dare go outside without a jacket anymore.

My yearnings for gallons of old-fashioned lemonade and ice cream sandwiches are now cravings for tea, spicy baked goods, and everything pumpkin.

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