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 Lake Titicaca in Peru, please welcome Quinoa! His opponent, weighing in at less than an ounce from the islands of Japan, please welcome Fish Oil! LET’S GET READY […]
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ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Croaker
WHAT IS A CROAKER? The Atlantic croaker, also known as whiting or corvina (a different fish) is a ray-finned fish famous for the sound they make when they vibrate their swim bladders (gas filled organs that help fish to control their buoyancy) during mating. Growing up to 2 feet in length, they have a silver […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Rhubarb
WHAT IS RHUBARB? While rhubarb might look like large, red stalks of celery have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. A vegetable that’s often paired with strawberry (since both are among the first to be available) and sugar in pies due to its tart taste. However it’s also excellent for picking or […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – drumstick (chicken)
WHAT IS A DRUMSTICK? A drumstick is a term for the calves of any bird, though the term is only applied to edible fowl. A dark meat cut, the muscles here are actually different then the upper body white meat portions. The legs are used much more frequently and for longer periods of time then […]
TOP 10 “SMOKIN’ ACES” LAST MEALS
10. Darwin Tremor’s Redneck Quiche Shooting a bunch of people and dumping them in a lake can work up a man’s appetite! This Spam & Velveeta Quiche recipe has all the ingredients a growing hillbilly needs! 9. Lazlo Soot’s Rumbledethumps Lazlo is an assassin of a thousand faces with a Scottish accent and Glasgow […]
FOOD FIGHT!! CHEESE – Italy vs. Argentina
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 83 pounds from the Italy, please welcome Parmesan Reggiano! His opponent, weighing in at 15 pounds from the Argentina, please welcome Reggianito! LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE ON […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – t-bone steak (beef)
WHAT IS A T-BONE? A t-bone steak is cut from the muscle attached to the spinal vertebrae of the cow between the rib cage and pelvis. The bone attached to this muscle when cross cut (with a saw) has a t-shape giving rise to its name. But it’s actually two delicious yet different steaks in […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Pollack
WHAT IS POLLACK? Depending on which side of the Atlantic you’re on, this whitefish goes by many names including Silver Bill, Boston Blue or Lythe. To make this even more confusing, pollock and pollack fish are slightly different types of cod. Delicate yet flaky, pollack is low in oil, making it less healthy but its flavor […]
TOP 7 AMERICAN PSYCHO “NOT QUITE DORSIA” RECIPES
7. Swordfish Meatloaf Well, there seems to be an idea of a swordfish meatloaf but no actual recipe. No one, psycho or otherwise, so far has been brave enough to create it. However there is a variation from Just a Pinch that uses salmon instead. Substitute swordfish in this recipe et voila! 6. Squid […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – striploin steak (beef)
WHAT IS A STRIPLOIN STEAK? This cut is also known as a NY strip, sirloin, and NY roast. In France where cuts can be a little different, this is called a contre-filet. They are a boneless cut from the short loin of the cow, yielding a great balance between flavor and tenderness. These steaks like […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – New York strip steak (beef)
WHAT IS A N.Y. STRIP? This cut is known by many other names including strip loin, Kansas City strip, Omaha strip or ambassador steak. A favorite among food professionals, it’s a sub-primal cut taken from loin primal cut. The cut is about a foot long and yields about a dozen steaks. There is a trade-off […]
TOP 10 FATHER’S DAY RECIPES FROM KYLO REN
10. Beer Can Chicken When you’re Star War’s hero and smuggler Han Solo, hiding in who knows what or where, flexibility in your dining choices is an occupational requirement. But ever wonder where he got the idea to stick his best friend up into that giant Tauntaun snow lizard? Leave it to Han to shove […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Gherkin (Cornichon)
WHAT IS A GHERKIN? Members of the gourd (a.k.a. cucumber) family, the gherkin is a small fruit that’s often used in pickling. With a warty, greenish appearance more suitable to a frog then a food, it’s thought this fruit was first pickled by workers building the Great Wall in China. Partial to warm climates, these […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Pickles
WHAT IS A PICKLE? The name describes both an ancient method of food preservation as well as the finished product. Today pickles are made by soaking fruits and vegetables like cucumbers in a vinegar or brine solution with various herbs and spices. Fermentation then occurs where microbial organisms already present on the skin consume sugar […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF BREAD – Graham Cracker
WHAT IS A GRAHAM CRACKER? The graham cracker is made from coarse ground whole wheat flour. This means that the bran, endosperm and germ are all milled as well. The brown coloring is due to the fact that the flour is unbleached. Religious in nature like Ezekiel wheat bread, it was invented by Sylvester Graham […]
TOP 10 “MOBY DICK” SEAFOOD RECIPES
10. Spotted Dick This famous British desert was invented right around the same time that Moby Dick was published. Whether it is New England or just England, this desert became popular among celebrity chefs of the time. Click here to see the recipe from the Daring Gourmet. 9. Clam Chowdah (Chowder) Click here for […]
FOOD FIGHT!! MILK – Cow vs. Goat
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 1,300 pounds from the U.S.A., please welcome cow’s milk! Her opponent, weighing in at 80 pounds from India, please welcome goat’s milk! LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE ON […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – short ribs (beef)
WHAT ARE SHORT RIBS? A sub-section of ribs in general, short ribs are the ends of the ribs that are closest to the breastbone. They are called “short” because the long rib is chopped up into “shorter” pieces, each about the size of your hand. Basically there is a muscle that is well marbled and […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – prime rib steak (beef)
WHAT IS A PRIME RIB? The primal rib is the first part of the cow removed in the butchering process, and the meat attached to it in turn is called a prime rib. However it’s also known by several other names. It can be called a standing rib roast because the meat is cooked “standing” […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Trout
WHAT IS A TROUT? This member of the salmon family is found mostly in freshwater. However some species such as Rainbow trout will spend 2 to 3 years at sea before returning to freshwater to spawn. Depending on the location, the colors and patterns that camoflauge this fish can dramatically vary. They generally prefer cooler […]
