WHAT IS AN ALEPPO PEPPER? This pepper is originally from the northern Syrian city of Aleppo! A member of the Burgundy chili family, it’s less spicy then the red chili pepper flakes commonly used in cooking. This makes it a great addition when building up more complex flavors in recipes that need a touch of […]
Blog
TOP 10 “TRUE BLOOD” FINGER FOOD RECIPES
10. Jessica’s Severed Toes in a Blanket Jessica Hamby, the rebellious vampire equivalent of a teenager who already knows everything. If she wants to sulkily munch on someone toes, be prepared for a lot of whining if you say no. From Woman’s Day comes this fun recipe. Click here to see it! 9. Bill’s Bony […]
TOP 9 “INDIANA JONES” DINNER OF DOOM RECIPES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APyz8Ye0IxE 9. Rocky Mountain Oysters (Bull Testicles) Also known as bull’s eggs and cowboy caviar, bull testicles have been served by ranchers for hundreds of years. How many of their guests actually knew what they were eating is a different story. This is definitely a dish worthy of Indiana Jone’s Temple of Doom meal. From […]
FOOD FIGHT!! MUTE FOOD REVIEWS – Wife’s Eye Roll vs. Husband’s Shrug
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 120 pounds from most married couples, please welcome Wife’s eye-roll! Her opponent, weighing in at a lot more from a few feet away, please welcome Husband’s shrug! LET’S GET READY TO […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERBS & SPICES – Guajillo
WHAT IS GUAJILLO? Second only to ancho in popularity, the guajillo chili pepper is a staple of Mexican cuisine. Called a mirasol pepper in its raw form, when dried it’s then called guajillo. After drying it has a dark, red leathery appearance. With a sweet, fruit flavor and mild level of heat, it’s often used […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERBS & SPICES – Horseradish
WHAT IS HORSERADISH? Horseradish is a root vegetable relative of broccoli. Capable of growing up to 5 feet tall, this plant is cultivated for the root at its base. Untouched, the root by itself has little to no aroma. But once cut, the enzymes within the plant produce mustard oil. This defensive measure irritates and […]
TOP 5 KILL BILL’S RECIPES FOR THE HEART
5. Butternut Squash Soup While the number 1 cause of cardiac arrest is heart disease, in Bill’s case it was the 5 Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique. Rich in fiber, butternut squash is also low in fat making it a delicious and heart healthy alternative. From the American Heart Association comes this recipe that does […]
FOOD FIGHT!! BREAD – White vs. Multi-Grain
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 14 ounces from Italy, please welcome White Bread! His opponent, weighing in 8 ounces from Egypt, please welcome Multi-Grain Bread! LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE ON FOOD!!! […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – filet mignon (beef)
WHAT IS A FILET MIGNON? The file mignon is one of the most expensive cuts on the cow. Because of its small medallion shape, the French named this cut “mignon” a.k.a. small or dainty. It’s the most tender and one of the smallest parts of the tenderloin. Accounting for only about 2% of the entire […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Seaweed
WHAT IS SEAWEED? Seaweed is a generic name for a large group of aquatic plant life including kelp that are composed of algae. There are three basic types, red, green and brown. Each plant is composed of a root structure, a stem and blades where most of the photosynthesis occurs. Beds of seaweed play a […]
TOP 10 “GAME OF THRONES” FAMILY RECIPES
10. Ned Stark’s Decapitated Head Pops The Game of Thrones is a brutal one as the Hand of the King found out. From Popsugar comes this recipe that fits in with any Halloween motif while immortalizing poor Ned. 9. Jon Snow’s Honey Roasted Fowl When your pet and lifelong friend is a giant wolf, […]
FOOD FIGHT!! FAT – Lard vs. Cocoa Butter
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 10 pounds from pigs everywhere, please welcome Lard! His opponent, weighing in at 2 pounds from the equator, please welcome Cocoa Butter! LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE ON […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERBS & SPICES – Harissa
WHAT IS HARISSA? A north African chili paste, harissa is a recipe made from roasted or dried red peppers. Along with garlic, caraway, coriander, cumin, olive oil and other hot peppers are often used. Local variations use other ingredients such as rose petals, lemon juice or mint. Industrial versions will often substitute tomato paste as […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERBS & SPICES – Smoked Salt
WHAT IS SMOKED SALT? There are several methods to infuse salt with aroma, and one of them uses smoking. Unlike blended salts that use high mineral content ingredients like Hawaiian red clay, wood smoking involves immersing the salt for up to 2 weeks to imbue a savory flavor. These in turn enhance the inherent flavors […]
TOP 5 “TAKEN” RECIPES ON THE GO
5. McRibs That’s right, reconstituted meat, invented by the U.S. Army, available in McDonald’s across the world to go when in pursuit of evil kidnappers who’ve Taken something of yours! Or make your own with this Serious Eat’s family-friendly recipe. 4. Weaponized Garlic You’re on the run, sprinting after evil-doers, and you don’t have […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERBS & SPICES – Hawaiian Red Salt
WHAT IS HAWAIIAN RED SALT? Hawaiian red salt is also known as Alaea salt, Haleakala Ruby or Molokai Red. It’s a mix of ocean water sea salt and volcanic red clay. The rich iron content gives the clay it’s scarlet hue. However not all red salt is automatically from Hawaii. Industrially produced salts re-create this […]
FOOD FIGHT!! GOD SAID SO – Halal vs. Kosher
Welcome ladies and gentleman to the main event of the week! In the category of Culinary Boxing here at Chef’s Mandala, from Saudi Arabia,please welcome Halal! His opponent from Israel, please welcome Kosher! LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE ON FOOD!!! In the Red Corner – HALAL While in the Quran (Muslim bible) halal […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – tri tip (beef)
WHAT IS A TRI TIP? Tri tip is also known as a California cut, Newport or Santa Maria steak. It’s a triangular shaped sub-primal cut that comes from the tri-tip roast. It’s both one of the more flavorful and less expensive cuts giving the most value for the money. Furthermore this lean cut has decent […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF BREAD – Cream of Tartar (powder)
WHAT IS CREAM OF TARTAR? Cream of tartar is the scientific name for potassium bitartrate. Basically this is an acid that’s actually a by-product of making wine. Most often used to help egg whites keep their firm texture when being whipped, it has other uses such as leavening bread or cleaning household items or even […]
TOP 5 “PULP FICTION” BURGER & SHAKE RECIPES
5. Shake Shack-Style Hamburger Famous restaurateur Danny Meyer is the founder of the fast casual Shake Shack chain. Opening his first N.Y.C. restaurant the Union Square Cafe at age 27, he immediately started recruiting renowned chefs such as Michael Romano. The result today is a restaurant empire that crisscrosses the globe. Shake Shack in particular […]
