WHAT IS HALLOUMI? If the fate of the world hung in the balance, you’d need a cheese that wouldn’t “crumble” under pressure! Wow, that sucked. Ok, let me try again. Picture a movie theater turning dark. The announcer’s deep baritone leaps at you from the shadows. “In a world torn in half, two cheese’s united […]
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TOP 7 “INGLORIOUS BASTERDS” RECIPES (NON-KOSHER)
7. Lieutenant Aldo “The Apache” Raine’s Ramp Salad This soldier from Maynardsville, Tennessee has switched over to a new line of business, “and cousin, business is a-boomin’.” Before becoming the leader of the Basterds, Aldo ran moonshine in the mountains. Back there ramps (also known as hillbilly truffles) are a popular staple of local cuisine. In […]
FOOD FIGHT!! SCARIEST – Blood Soup vs. Broccoli
Welcome ladies and gentleman to the main event of the week! In the category of Culinary Boxing here at Chef’s Mandala, we have weighing in at 8 oz from the slaughterhouses all over the world, please welcome Blood Soup! His opponent, weighing in at exactly 9.2 oz from Italy, please welcome Broccoli! LET’S GET READY TO […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Ramp
WHAT IS A RAMP? These wild onions are native to North America and are also known as wild leeks or ransoms. Often described as tasting like a mix of garlic and onion, they’re only in season for a few weeks each Spring. They have 1 to 2 broad, green leaves and can grow up to […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Tomme de Savoie
WHAT IS TOMME DE SAVOIE? Skimmed cow’s milk is used for this natural rind cheese, resulting in a relatively low-fat content. After being aged for several months, this semi-soft tomme can develop a greyish white outer mold. The flavor of this fromage can vary depending on whether the cows were grazing outdoors or on indoor […]
TOP 7 “30 ROCK” JACK DONAGHY CORPORATE TITAN RECIPES
7. Sex Pheromone Truffles Donaghy: “When you’re handsome nobody ever tells you the truth. For years I thought I spoke excellent French.” (30 Rock Season 3 Episode 15) Fresh black or white truffles (less than 7 days old) emit a powerful odor that can include the molecule androstenol. This is a sex pheromone in pigs […]
FOOD FIGHT!! DEADLIEST – Blowfish vs. “Vulgaris” Beans
Welcome ladies and gentleman to the main event of the week! In the category of Culinary Boxing here at Chef’s Mandala, we have weighing in at 15 oz from Peru, please welcome Phaseolus Vulgaris! His opponent, weighing in at 8 lbs from the Sea of Japan, please welcome Blowfish! LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE ON […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Yellow Squash
WHAT IS A YELLOW SQUASH? Also known as a summer squash, they are similar in appearance and size to a zucchini. Whereas their green cousin is uniform in shape, a yellow squash tapers to a narrow top and tends to have larger seeds. Be careful not to confuse a yellow squash with a yellow zucchini (their […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Kefalotyri
WHAT IS KEFALOTYRI? A sheep and / or goat’s milk cheese from Greece and Cyprus, it is usually made from raw milk. Kefalotyri is a hard cheese with a natural rind that dates back over a thousand years ago. This is another cheese that can be fried in olive oil for Saganaki, or used in […]
TOP 10 “HANNIBAL” DINNER RECIPES
10. Foie Gras au Torchon What delicacy could be more appropriate for a posh cannibal? Serious Eats has the best description of this classic French recipe, “..a cured, fattened duck liver barely cooked and rolled up in a kitchen towel? What the heck kind of a dish is that?” While it is painfully expensive, stick […]
FOOD FIGHT!! EXTRUSION – Bronze vs. Steel
Welcome ladies and gentleman to the main event of the week! In the category of Culinary Boxing here at Chef’s Mandala, we have weighing in at 431 lbs/ft2 from 4 B.C., please welcome Bronze! His opponent, weighing in at 384 lbs/ft2 from 1913 A.D., please welcome Stainless Steel! LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE ON FOOD!!! […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Squid
WHAT IS A SQUID? These cephalopods have 8 arms and 2 longer tentacles. The origin of the name isn’t known. Some though have guessed that sailors originally called them “squirts” due to their habit of squirting ink when frightened. The name was thought to have gradually evolved into the present day “squid.” They basically look […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Graviera
WHAT IS GRAVIERA? Graviera’s name has led to some confusion with Swiss Gruyere. While they are both very popular in their native countries, they don’t have much else in common. Graviera is a sheep’s milk tupi (cheese) aged for almost half a year on Crete, but other milks and ages are used elsewhere and tastes can […]
TOP 10 “JASON BOURNE” RECIPES FOR VIOLENT AMNESIACS
10. Salmon So whether you’re a violent ex-spy on the run, or just someone with a bad memory, the B12 vitamins and Omega 3s in fatty fish like salmon are some of the most important nutrients for brain health. This recipe from Neurocore Brain Performance Centers is a fiesta for the brain with blueberries, leafy […]
FOOD FIGHT!!! EMMENTAL CHEESE – France vs. Switzerland
Welcome ladies and gentleman to the main event of the week! In the category of Culinary Boxing here at Chef’s Mandala, we have weighing in at 198 lbs from France-Comte, please welcome French Emmenthal cheese! His opponent, weighing in at 202 lbs from the Canton Bern, please welcome Swiss Emmental! LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MUSHROOMS – Portobello
WHAT IS A PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM? Much like with Chilean Sea Bass, the name Portobello was created several decades ago to help sell promote sales. The correct spelling per the Italians is Portabella, however I’m using the more popular spelling here. These mushrooms are the mature form of several different strains of the same species. WHY […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Caerphilly
WHAT IS CAERPHILLY? This crumbly, British cheese is made from cow’s milk and is in the Cheddar family. Like many cheeses from that isle, historically there was more of a blue collar clientele for local cheeses. Consequently in the case of Caerphilly, it was popular with coal miners since it was more affordable then Cheddar […]
TOP 5 “EBONY & IVORY” RECIPES
https://youtu.be/fXAlfh6QKQs 5. Ebony and Ivory Cupcakes Long before Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder partnered up for this classic, black and white foods have been popular for their stark color contrast. Avoid adding other colors if possible, the stark impact of the color contrast isn’t as impressive. This cupcake recipe is easy to follow. 4. Ebony […]
FOOD FIGHT!! CHEESE – Grana Padano vs. Parmesan Reggiano
Welcome ladies and gentleman to the main event of the week! In the Italian cheese category of Culinary Boxing here at Chef’s Mandala, we have weighing in at 60 pounds from the Emilia Romagna, Italy, please welcome Grana Padano! His opponent, weighing in at 84 pounds from Parma, Italy, please welcome Parmesan Reggiano! LET’S GET READY […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Ditali & Ditalini
WHAT IS DITALI? Ditali is Italian for “small thimbles” due to its small, tube-like shape. Ditalini is a smaller version of ditali (like all pastas ending in “ini” being a smaller version of their predecessor.) It is very popular in soups and has also been called baby penne or very small macaroni. Pasta e fagioli is […]