WHAT IS A CINDERELLA PUMPKIN? This is a nickname for the famous Cheese Pumpkin, click here to find out more!
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FOOD FIGHT!! OLIVE OIL – Monovarietals vs Blends
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 8.8 ounces from local olive oil terroirs all over the world, please welcome monovarietals! His opponent, weighing in at 17.6 ounces from Italy by way of Spain by way of Tunisia, […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Tilefish
WHAT IS TILEFISH? Nicknamed the “clown of the sea” or the “Golden Snapper”, despite its tropical appearance the tilefish can be found as far north as Nova Scotia! Able to grow up to 4 feet (1.2 meters) in length, the larger the size the firmer the texture. With a diet that consists mostly of crustaceans, […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Mizuna Lettuce
WHAT IS MIZUNA LETTUCE? Also known as Japanese mustard greens or spider mustard, Mizuna has a slightly bitter, peppery taste. It’s great whether served raw or cooked like mustard greens! However ironically in its native Japan, it’s usually served cooked or pickled. Often mistaken for arugula (they’re related) with a similar coloring and sharp, pointy […]
TOP 10 “SCENES FROM A LONG ISLAND ITALIAN RESTAURANT” RECIPES
10. Spaghetti con Scungilli Italian American cuisine in Billy Joel’s home of Long Island is synonymous with the land itself. As Italian immigrants became more established, moving from the Manhattan to Long Island was a sign of prosperity and success. While Brooklyn Italians opted for the much closer Staten Island, in Long Island 25% of […]
FOOD FIGHT!! CHOCOLATE – Dark vs White
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 3 ounces from Switzerland, please welcome white chocolate! His opponent, weighing in at 3.5 ounces from the island of Trinidad, please welcome dark chocolate! LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE A SPIRITED […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – tomahawk steak (beef)
WHAT IS A TOMAHAWK STEAK? The tomahawk is a ribeye beef steak with the perfect mix of marbling, texture and flavor. But the rib bone is cut 5 inches longer then normal giving it an “axe-like” appearance. The extra bone is “Frenched” a.k.a. all of the meat is cleaned off the bone same as you […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Cheese Pumpkin
WHAT IS A CHEESE PUMPKIN? Also known as a Cinderella pumpkin, the cheese pumpkin is a Long Island native and relative of butternut squash. It is also one of the tastiest pumpkins in the gourd family and unlike other gourds with their stringy texture, the flesh of this one is smooth. Named due to its […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERBS & SPICES – Yellow Mustard Seed
WHAT IS YELLOW MUSTARD SEED? A relative of broccoli, the seeds of the mustard plant come in black, brown and yellow. Technically the yellow seeds come from the white mustard plant, but a natural coloring like turmeric is often added to give it a yellow color. The mildest in flavor of the 3 varieties, the […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Macoun Apple
WHAT ARE MACOUN APPLES? The Macoun apple, while not widely grown, are a favorite ingredient in pie recipes in the northeastern U.S. This is because during the baking process, the apple still retains a semi-firm texture. Descended from the Honeycrisp, it’s dark red in color with regal hints of purple and green. With a well-balanced […]
TOP 8 RECIPES FROM FAMOUS LIBRARIANS
8. Ben Franklin’s Suckatash While today corn is a staple of American cuisine, in Ben Franklin’s time it was something used as animal feed. From Spoon University comes this recipe that was a favorite of our founding fathers! And don’t be afraid to add some Parmesan cheese, also a Franklin favorite from his time in Europe! […]
TOP 10 “VANILLA SKY” WTF RECIPES
10. Cauliflower Tater Tots You’re having a Vanilla Sky moment when things are not what they appear to be. The French call it “trompe l’oeil” but closer to home in New York City we say W.T.F.!!!!? From the Food Network while these look like potato tots, this recipe is actually made from cauliflower! 9. Bloody […]
FOOD FIGHT!! RADISHES – Black vs. Red
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 1 pound from Europe, please welcome black radish! His opponent, weighing in at 1/2 a pound from southeast Asia, please welcome red radish! LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Bluefish
WHAT IS A BLUEFISH? Also known as elf, tailor or shad fish, these hungry predators are migratory in nature. Blue green in color, they have a jutting, muscular mouth filled with sharp teeth. Growing to over 20 lbs (14 kg.) in size, they’re highly aggressive and can be dangerous even to human swimmers who stumble […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF BREAD – Cornstarch
WHAT IS CORNSTARCH? It’s also called corn flour though technically the two are different. The starch comes from the corn kernel which is ground into a fine powder. Much like arrowroot, it’s a popular thickening agent in many recipes both in Europe and Asia. The process to make it was invented in the 1800’s in […]
TOP 7 “IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS” RECIPES
7. Pizza with Foie Gras & Morel Mushrooms Combine a popular Napolitan classic with fancy French fois gras, and you get the classic definition of a nouveau riche baller! From the site For The Love Of comes this recipe that wisely uses ricotta cheese in place of the traditional mozzarella blend. The morel mushrooms are […]
FOOD FIGHT!! MARINADES – Oil vs. Acid
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 3 ounces from Israel, please welcome oil! His opponent, weighing in at 2 ounces from Babylonia, please welcome vinegar! LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE ON FOOD!!! In […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Prune
WHAT IS A PRUNE? This relative to the cherry is a much aligned and mis-understood fruit. Recently (2001) it’s been re-branded as “dried plums” by the F.D.A. The association with constipation created a negative brand image in the eyes of consumers. While a prune is basically a plum that’s been dried, though see below for […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Caperberries
WHAT IS A CAPERBERRY? This pale green fruit of the caper bush is the result of letting a caper bud flower which produces a caperberry. About the size of a table grape, it’s more flavorful then a caper and should be used much like an olive. If the berry is pickled while still unripe, they […]
FOOD FIGHT!! RICE – Wild vs. White
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 1 pound from North America, please welcome wild rice! His opponent, weighing in at 1 pound from China, please welcome white rice! LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE ON […]
