Cinnamon in the Cupboard Real or Imposter
I have a bone to pick about cinnamon. How many of you really know what spice you have in your cupboards. Are you sure it really is cinnamon.
We in the U.S. are having the wool pulled over our eyes about cinnamon. What we commonly know in the U.S. as cinnamon is actually Cassia (cinnamomum aromaticum). It is a relative of true cinnamon, but not the real thing. The rest of the world uses true cinnamon (cinnamomum verum), in their cooking or baking, yet here we are sold something completely different.
As background, I first found out how much difference there was between these two spices when I lived in Guatemala. The cinnamon there tasted very different from what I knew growing up in Ohio; making things like an apple pie or apple crisp just tasted different. They were very good, but didnt taste like what had known. I chalked it up to differences in quality of product, or maybe my baking skill was inadequate. Any typical Guatemalan foods I ate or made with cinnamon tasted just fine of course, with nothing to compare.
That was back in the 1970s, and it wasnt until much later, when once again living in the U.S., I tried making a Guatemalan dish, Platanos en Mole (Plantains in Mole Sauce), using the cassia available. The dish just tasted wrong. I couldnt understand it. I had made this dish many times in Guatemala. I had a lot more cooking and baking skill by this time. What was wrong? I started checking into spices in general, with an eye to those things I knew were different, and discovered that we in the U.S. are being marketed a completely different product.
Cassia cinnamon is a very good spice, of course. I do not for a second propose we do away with it! What would our apple pies taste like without it. It is a wonderful spice, worthy of the space in our cupboards. However, I propose that true cinnamon have an equal place.
Cinnamon of either kind is the bark of the tree. The bark is peeled off and dried, curling into what are known as quills or ground into powder. This is where the similarity ends. Cassia quills are very thick curls, strong and sometimes even hard to break. It has a stronger taste, warmer and more potent. There is some very good quality cassia to be found these days, such as Korintje AA. A lovely spice to perk up anything you commonly make with cinnamon here.
For my cooking classes I always take both types of cinnamon: a high quality cassia quill and ground Korintje AA cassia, alongside true cinnamon quills and ground cinnamon. True cinnamon quills are curled and layered together in a tight roll, are very thin and easily crushed. The flavor is lighter and more delicate, with a somewhat lemony quality. I set the quills side by side and demonstrate the differences, first breaking a cassia quill, with the ensuing loud snap when it breaks. Then I show the cinnamon quill, layered together, and how very easily it breaks and crumbles. With the ground version of each side by side, I ask the class members to smell the two; first the cassia that is the most familiar, and then the cinnamon. The startled reactions when they realize exactly how big a difference exists between these two spices, is quite rewarding.
I would liken this before the U.S woke up and smelled really good Arabica coffee. Once we found out about good coffee, the tide turned. I believe this country is in the process of bringing true cinnamon into the light. It is found in most any Mexican grocery section these days. Good quality spice shops carry excellent quality cinnamon and also excellent quality cassia. If you want to make any ethnic food from anywhere else in the world, or just become familiar with a new flavor go for true cinnamon. Its worth the effort.
Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.
Cooking Tips
Have you been frustrated by cracks in the top of your cheesecakes? Would you like tips to make flaky biscuits? Or would you just like to know a bit more about sweet potatoes? Try these cooking tips from the Good Cooking Central website today for better results in your kitchen endeavors:
BISCUIT TIPS:
If you want biscuits that are crispy on the outside and flaky on the inside, you roll the dough thinly and fold it over once before cutting out the biscuits. They will then split open easily when you’re ready to butter them.
To re- heat biscuits, put them in a well-dampened paper bag. Twist the bag closed and put in a 300 oven for several minutes or until warm.
For soft-sided biscuits, bake them in a pan with sides and put the biscuits close together. For crusty biscuits, bake them on a cookie sheet and separate them from each other.
PREVENTING CHEESECAKE CRACKS:
Grease the sides of the pan before adding batter. The surface will not stick to the sides of the pan and crack when the cheesecake starts shrinking as it cools.
Run a knife or a metal spatula around the edges of the pan immediately after removing the cheesecake from the oven.
Drastic temperature changes can also cause a cheesecake to crack. Avoid putting a warm cheesecake from the oven into the refrigerator.
To disguise cracks, top the cheesecake with fruit or some other topping.
SOUR MILK:
Since sour milk is not really sold in the grocery stores, when a recipe calls for sour milk, simply add 1 TBSP. of vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk. You can also use buttermilk to replace the sour milk called for in a recipes.
BAKING POWDER:
If you use too much baking powder in a recipe it will produce a product with a coarse grain, and will cause the product to eventually fall. If you use too little baking powder, the product will not rise enough and be heavy.
Baking powder tends to lose its strength over time and should be kept in a tightly covered container. Moisture will cause the baking powder to deteriorate faster.
When increasing the amount of eggs in a recipe, decrease the baking powder by 1/2 teaspoon for each extra egg added.
CUTTING FAT WITH APPLESAUCE:
To reduce the fat content in your baking recipes, substitute applesauce for half of the amount of vegetable oil called for in the recipe. Using all applesauce produces a low-calorie, moist product.
ADJUST TEMPERATURE FOR DIFFERENT PANS:
Keep in mind that the type of pan you use when baking can determine the outcome of your finished product. For glass pans, turn down baking temperature by 25?. If you substitute a shallow pan, reduce the overall baking time by one quarter. If you use a deeper pan than suggested in the recipe, increase the overall baking time by one quarter.
ALTERNATIVES TO COOKING WITH BUTTER:
When browning or sauting onions, hamburger, etc., replace the butter by spraying your skillet with non-stick spray or use chicken or beef broth instead.
[Top]How To Cook Salmon Tips & Methods
Salmon is a versatile fish for the reason that there are numerous ways to prepare the fillets. Its a healthy protein filled with Omega 3 Fats which have many health benefits, including enhanced brain function and overall wellness. Salmon is a flavorsome fish therefore can choose to cook it unseasoned or you can add a range of spices to add even more flavor. The most common ways of cooking salmon include baking, pan frying and poaching. Keep reading for a few helpful tips about how to cook salmon.
To bake the salmon, put the fillets in a dish which has been sprayed with olive oil apply or wrap the salmon in foil with various spices i.e. experiment with different spices and herbs or a squeeze of lemon juice or a hint of soy sauce. Bake the fish inside a pre-heated oven for about 15-20 min’s or until cooked the way you like (note – cooking times may vary depending on the size of your fillets). Serve the unseasoned salmon with mayo or djonaisse as well as a lemon wedge. For seasoned fillets, there is no need to serve with additional condiments. Serve the salmon with a mixed green salad for a healthy and also balanced meal.
Salmon is tasty pan fried or cooked on the Barbecue. As with the baking technique, you can pan-fry or BBQ salmon without seasoning or it is possible to add sea salt & spice up or even a herb crusting. Once pan-fried, the exterior of the seafood may become crispy, specifically if you maintain the skin. Spray the fish with extra virgin olive oil spray or brush it with olive oil just before cooking on a medium-high heat right up until it is cooked (generally about 4-5 mins on either side.) Serve the salmon together with your favorite mix of greens or perhaps vegetables.
The actual healthiest way to cook salmon would be to poach it. To get this done, fill a medium-sized pot with around 5 centimeters of water and bring this to the boil. Gently position the salmon in the water, then reduce the heat to a mild, simmer where tiny bubbles seem round the fish. Cook for about eight minutes, or before the trout becomes opaque. It is possible to flavor the liquid to give the trout additional flavor. Attempt poaching the trout in a some chicken or even vegetable stock, or even in milk using a bay leaf plus some peppercorns. Poached salmon is actually fantastic flaked or cut and used in eating salads, sandwiches and also stirred in pasta.
Regardless how you choose to cook your fish or the seasonings you add (or dont), once you know how to cook salmon, you can incorporate this particular delightfully flavorsome seafood in your family members diet on a regular basis.
[Top]How to Cook a Sweet Potato with Complete Ease
If you are in the market to find out how you can cook a sweet potato, then you will be glad to know that you can now find the best of ways via which you can become the ultimate chef. Thankfully, there are a host of options available that are able to focus on knowing which are the best of ways via which you can cook a sweet potato for those that want it.
One of the characteristic features of a sweet potato is that it can become remotely easy to find out which are the best of ways these delicacies can be cooked with complete ease. There are a host of these available in the market, each recipe being designed to help you find out how to cook a sweet potato in the easiest fashion.
There are a number of variations via which you can find out how to cook a sweet potato and then figure out which are the right ways via which you can give your recipe the ultimate advantage. Most chefs today believe that finding out how to cook a sweet potato is one of the key advantages and features via which you can get the best results in the kitchen.
The first step that you need to do in finding out how you can cook a sweet potato is by ensuring a means via which you can get the recipe to work according to your flavors. Once you are able to do so, you will be able to ensure a means that only you will be able to ensure.
What needs to be remembered in this fashion is that when it comes to knowing how to cook a sweet potato, there are a number of recipe books around that will know which are the best ones to work to your advantage. If you are keen about learning which are the best in the series to ensure you have the upper advantage on sweet potato recipes, you will then finally be able to master the art of preparation in the kitchen for any sweet potato recipe on the planet.
While it may not be applicable to know which are the best ones around, it has become imperative that you find out which are the best ones that will work perfectly to your advantage. There are a host of potato and sweet potato preparations available to choose from and once you have mastered the art of cooking a sweet potato, you will be glad to know that you shall also become the ultimate chef of your domain. If you have any questions on cooking a sweet potato, you will be glad to know that you can now find the best of ways to get all your answers on the web at the best recipe sites online.
[Top]How to Cook Pork Shoulder Its All In The Rub
Fall, Football and BBQ at the tail gate or on the patio; how can it get better than this?
Pork Shoulder is a great choice for a main fare feature at your next gathering and it has two great advantages. First, it is easy to prepare and second, you can feed a group for somewhere south of three dollars a pound. The pork shoulder is the front leg of the pig and comes in two different cuts. I like the butt cut, which is the top side of the leg and has less bone in it than what is called the picnic cut. The one we recently prepared was a six and a half pound roast, which served twelve people, with some left over.
Most pork shoulder recipes call for using a smoker, which is the key to cooking a pork shoulder, mainly because it is an indirect heat source and allows for a long slow cooking process. Dont have a smoker? No problem, neither do we. Just remember that the process requires indirect heat. Here are the keys to grilling a pork shoulder, using a three burner gas grill.
It starts with the rub. In a small bowl mix the following ingredients:
cup organic paprika
2 Tbs Salt
2 Tbs Pepper
2 Tbs organic cumin
2 Tbs organic garlic powder
2 Tbs. chile powder
3 Tbs brown sugar
Coat the pork shoulder with the rub. Be liberal. A 6 8 lb. roast should use the entire rub mix. By the way, dont cut off any of the fat on the roast. The butt cut usually has one side with a layer of fat and you want it. Once you have the roast well coated with the rub, put it in the refrigerator and let it set. Overnight works best, but if time does not permit, at least give it a couple of hours.
Using a three burner grill works great. You will need an aluminum pan, a raised rack and some foil. Follow these steps:
Turn the two outside burners on at low heat.
Place the pan, with the rack directly over it, on the middle burner.
Put your pork shoulder on the rack, fat side up.
Close the lid.
Dont open the lid for three hours. No peeking! At the end of three hours check the internal temperature of the roast. If its in the 130 140 range you are right on track and your roast should look like its done, but its not. Next, cover the roast with a tent of foil, reduce the heat to one burner and close the lib. In about 2 -3 more hours you should have a pork shoulder ready to serve at an internal temp of 185 degrees.
Enjoy!
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