WHAT IS A BEEF SHANK? The more a muscle is used, the tougher (and therefore cheaper) that cut is. And when you see how big a cow is, the legs and butt are among the hardest working muscles around. This results in a cut of meat that is tough and requires cooking techniques that apply […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FOOD
ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERBS & SPICES – Chinese 5 Spice
WHAT IS CHINESE 5 SPICE? This quick and delicious Asian spice blend doesn’t always use the same 5 spices. Traditionally the concept is that each of the five flavors are represented salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and umami. The classic recipe consists of cloves, star anise, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorn, and fennel seeds. However ginger, nutmeg, tumeric […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – sausage (pork)
WHAT IS A SAUSAGE? This prepared food consists of minced meat generously seasoned and stuffed into an edible casing. Back in the day the pouches that house an animals internal organs were used. But much like today with rennet and cheese, modern casing are made from collagen and cellulose. Gluten-based fillers like breadcrumbs are often […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF BREAD – Cobb
WHAT IS COBB BREAD? This small, oval loaf of white bread has a thick crust with a diamond shape pattern on top. The classic version fits in the palm of both hands and was originally made with whole wheat flour. It was a simple, working man’s bread ideal when used for a lunchtime sandwich. Originally […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERBS & SPICES – Fenugreek Leaves
WHAT IS FENUGREEK? This savory herb is both bitter and sweet and is a great way to give some flavor to a bland dish. It’s especially popular in Indian cuisine as well as in homeopathic remedies. The name fenugreek originally meant “Greek hay” and both the leaves and seeds can be used (dried or fresh). […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Caviar
WHAT IS CAVIAR? The name comes from the Persian term for “cake of power” since it was reserved only for kings. Traditionally it’s made by curing the unfertilized roe (eggs) of wild sturgeon. Famous for being expensive, it’s actually quite difficult to get these fish eggs. An adult sturgeon can grow up to 3,000 lbs […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Rose Petal
WHAT IS A ROSE PETAL? Roses are a flowering bush that’s been cultivated for thousands of years. You’d never know it, but they are in the same plant family as strawberries. Different colors carry different cultural meanings – red for fertility, white for purity, yellow for friendship and wisdom, blue for secret love, pink for […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Foglie d’Ulivo
WHAT IS FOGLIE? This pasta, made in the shape of olive leaves, is an Apulian dish that has grown in popularity and can now be found throughout Italy. It is occasionally dyed green with vegetables such as spinach. This allows your dish to have a bit more color then normal in contrast to red tomatoes […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PULSES, NUTS & GRAINS – Pine Nut
WHAT ARE PINE NUTS? They are the edible seeds that are hidden in the overlapping scales of a pine cone. This is how a pine tree keeps its seed safe from cold temperatures, foraging animals and damp conditions where the nuts would decompose. Difficulty in harvesting these seeds is the main reason why they’re so […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – cheek (pork)
WHAT IS A PORK CHEEK? Also known as pork jowls, this lean cut is vastly underrated. When cooked properly it’s both moist and flavorful. In the States they’re often smoked while in central Italy the jowls are cured (called guanciale). According to Chef Marc Matsumoto “pork cheek is porcine perfection, taking the best qualities of a tasty […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Pici
WHAT IS PICI? It is a Tuscan chubby spaghetti. The name comes from the technical manufacturing term for making them “appiciare”. This is another pasta of the cucina povera (poor cuisine) family. Pici has been made with just flour and water for thousands of years. However you don’t need a machine or an Italian grandma […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Agnolotti
WHAT IS AGNOLOTTI? This little known cut is a circle of pasta folded in half with stuffing inside. Named after the chef who invented it, agnolotti is often served with butter and cheese (the custom with many pastas from that region). It is in the dumpling family of pasta so popular in the north. Ravioli […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF BREAD – Croissant
WHAT IS A CROISSANT? This puff pastry was invented in Paris by Austrian Chef August Zang in the 1800s. A descendant of the Austrian kipferl, this viennoiserie (means “things of Vienna”) pastry is a yeast-leavened dough. In between each layer is an additional layer of butter (called lamination). During baking the butter solid becomes gaseous, forcing […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Edam
WHAT IS EDAM? Once long ago, a semi-hard, sharp tasting farmhouse cheese was all the rage. But today Edam is an industrial cheese. Cannonball-shaped, this semi-hard cow’s milk cheese has a mildly spicy flavor and less rubbery texture then cheap gouda. The red wax is only for exports. Back home in the Netherlands they sell […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Port-Salut
WHAT IS PORT SALUT? The literal phrase port du salut roughly translates as a port of greeting or “hello.” This semi-soft cow’s milk cheese was invented by an abbey of monks. They trademarked the name and later sold the rights to an industrial producer. The original port salut, now sold as entrammes, has little in […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Sedanini
WHAT IS SEDANINI? These slightly curved short cuts of penne are named after the short stalks of celery they resemble. However a smooth version of sedanini was invented in Naples and nicknamed “elephant’s tusks” (starting to see a theme here? Napolitans were like the Einsteins of pasta). This cut comes in lisce (smooth) or rigate […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Manouri
WHAT IS MANOURI? Imagine if someone replaced the word “Philadelphia” on your cream cheese with “Athens” and you would have manouri. Also known as manoypi, it is a semi-soft, feta-like Greek cheese. Like French toast, this dairy delight allows you to use the leftovers from other recipes. Whey leftover from making other cheeses is used, […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Anellini / Anelloni / Anelli
WHAT IS ANELLINI? Anellini are tiny, little rings of pasta. Futhermore they are one of the first cuts that Italian children eat . Anelli is their bigger cousin, and Anelloni is like the calamarata (calamari) cut but has grooved ridges on the inside of the pasta. WHERE ARE ANELLINI MADE? These cuts originate from […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Montasio
WHAT IS MONTASIO? This raw, cow’s milk cheese from the Venice region of Italy has become more popular in export markets over the last decade. This formaggio is named after the Montasio mountain range in Friuli. As far back as the 1200’s, Benedictine monks in their mountain abbeys made Montasio. While production methods have changed, […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MUSHROOMS – Chanterelles
WHAT IS A CHANTERELLE? This mushroom is one of the most popular fungi on the shelves of your local retailer. Among other nicknames they are called egg mushrooms. Asian and European versions are much smaller then the giant North American variety. German chefs argue that tinier mushrooms in general yield more flavor (while French chefs […]
