WHAT IS CABRALES? Cabrales is a cave-aged Spanish blue cheese. It is a blend of raw cow with sheep and or goat’s milk (the percentages varying depending how much of each milk the small farmer has on hand). This queso is exclusively made in the mountains of Picos de Europa. Traditionally cabrales is then wrapped […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FOOD
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Cantaloupe
WHAT IS A CANTALOUPE? This superfood is in the same family as cucumbers, pumpkins and squash. While the cantaloupe is technically a vegetable, it’s eaten as a fruit for all intents and purposes. Famous for its’ sweet and juicy flavor, like most “fruits” once you pluck it off the vine they stop ripening. WHY […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Ubriaco
WHAT IS UBRIACO? This aged cow’s milk cheese is traditionally soaked in the grape remnants of wine making. The name “Ubriaco” translates as drunk in Italian. Apparently inWorld War I, Italian farmers started hiding their cheeses in wine barrels. This style of cheese can be found in various versions from the Spanish “Drunken Goat” to […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Kelp
WHAT IS KELP? In Western culture kelp has a bad reputation as a food source. This seaweed has long been thought to be more appropriate for fish then human beings. Shallow ocean beds that are rich in nutrients are necessary for it to survive. However once it starts, this algae can grow underwater to be […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Casarecce
WHAT IS CASARECCE? Casarecce are short cut pastas that have a cool “S” twist. This makes them look like an ink stamp for Superman. The name itself means “homemade”. While dies are used today, the shape was originally made with a busiate. This was a thin rod that the pasta dough was wrapped around, giving […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Raclette
WHAT IS RACLETTE? This natural rind, semi-hard, cow’s milk cheese is made in the Alps bordering Switzerland and France. Of the two types, Swiss raclette is more often made from unpasteurized milk. The flesh of the cheese doesn’t tend to separate when melted leading to its’ popularity in fondues. To buy this cheese click here! […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Mackerel
WHAT IS A MACKEREL? It is a type of pelagic fish which thrives in deep ocean or coastal water (avoiding the sea floor or coastline). Most mackerel species look similar with forked tails and vertical striping. When swimming in large schools (up to 20 miles / 32 km. in length), each fish uses this striping […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MUSHROOMS – Hen of the woods
WHAT IS HEN OF THE WOODS? Hen of the Woods is also known as ram’s head, sheep’s head or by the Japanese name maitake. These mushrooms look a bit like a clumped up mess. But they are delicious! Their caps grow in multiple, overlapping layers unlike most other mushrooms. Hen of the Woods has an […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Neufchatel
WHAT IS NEUFCHATEL? A soft-ripened cow’s milk cheese from Normandy, Neufchatel is a fun cheese that is over 1,000 years old. But honestly, cheese has taken great leaps since the early middle ages. Neufchatel doesn’t rank up there with the top 10 “Great” fromages. Ironically Philadelphia cream cheese was invented as a failed attempt to make […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Black Radish
WHAT IS A BLACK RADISH? This delicious member of the root family has a tough, black outer skin and a crisp, snow white interior. Larger then your traditional red radish, it goes by many names including Black Mooli and Gros Noir. Slightly bitter, this hardy and nutritious vegetable is a great food on it’s own. […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Bleu d’Auvergne
WHAT IS BLEU D’AUVERGNE? Bleu d’Auvergne is a pasteurized or raw cow’s milk blue cheese. Unlike many other blues it has a close to non-existent rind. The flesh is a pale white to yellow paste with cyan veining. These days though you tend to see this cheese a lot more in foodservice. Usually restaurants choose […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Jacksmelt (Silverside)
WHAT IS A JACKSMELT? Also known as jack silverside or a horse, blue or California smelt, they’re native to the Pacific Coast. Ranging from Oregon down to California, they have a grey coloration with a tint of blue and green and grow to over a foot in length. While a popular fish among anglers, the […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Castelmagno
WHAT IS CASTELMAGNO? This mixed milk blue cheese dates back to the 12th century. Back then it was used as a form of payment by farmers to work their land. A spicy, pungent formaggio, this is due in part to its’ washed rind. Castelmagno tends to be mostly cow’s milk with a dash of sheep […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Mussel
WHAT IS A MUSSEL? These bivalve mollusks are in appearance the ugly cousin to the more pristine clam. Different families can thrive in fresh or salt water environments (unlike the clam). In general their shells have a more oval, darker and asymmetrical appearance. The mussel is a filter feeder, attaching itself to any aquatic substrate […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Maasdam
WHAT IS MAASDAM? This cow’s milk cheese was created in the 1980s as a local equivalent to the Swiss original. Maasdam is named after the Maas river that flows through the Netherlands, emptying into the North Sea. The second half of the name “dam” refers to a wall that holds back water. Maasdam is very […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Mango
WHAT IS A MANGO? These Asian stone fruits have been grown in India for over 4,000 years. Back then before refrigeration existed, mangoes were pickled for long-distance transport. Their trees can grow to over 100 feet (30 meters) in height with hundreds of different species yielding fruit in different shapes and colors. It’s sweetness is […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Creste di Gallo
WHAT IS CRESTE DI GALLO? Gallo in Italian translates as “Rooster” or “Cock” (the bird, don’t be immature 😊 ). The crest shape of this short cut is named after this male chicken’s comb. One myth has it that the Medici family was saved from assassins when the family roosters screeched as the killers snuck […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Herring (Sardine)
WHAT IS A HERRING? While small in size, this tiny guy travels in very large schools of fish. They are sometimes confusingly called sardines (American “Atlantic Herring” vs. the European “Plichard” both of which are sardines). The deep, metallic hue of the herring’s silver scales and streamlined appearance seem more appropriate in a Mercedes then […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Roncal
WHAT IS RONCAL? This Basque cheese is made between December and July. Its’ natural rind molds easily, but can be quickly removed with a bit of vinegar or oil. A P.D.O. cheese, it is crafted from the sheep’s milk of Rasa, Latxa and Latxa Milchschaf cross breeds. The fat and protein composition of the cheese […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MUSHROOMS – Cremini
WHAT IS A CREMINI MUSHROOM? Creminis are white button mushrooms that are allowed to mature for a bit longer. That is why they are less white and more brown. Also known as baby bellas (from portobella), they are very similar to a young portobello. Cremini mushrooms are a good compromise both in intensity of flavor […]