WHAT IS A GRANNY SMITH APPLE? While this seems like a red blooded American apple, it was actually invented in New South Wales, Australia! Ms. Maria Ann Smith cultivated it on the side while giving birth to 16 children. One day she threw out a box of Tasmanian French crab apples that had gone bad. […]
GOURMET ARCHAEOLOGY
This section provides an introduction to the various ingredients that go into our everyday foods!
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Swiss Chard
WHAT IS SWISS CHARD? This Mediterranean vegetable might not look like a beet, but it’s related to both beets and spinach. It goes by many names including Silverbeet, Seakale, and even Strawberry Spinach. The vibrant stems and leaves can be eaten. But while Swiss chard comes in different colors, they all taste the same. Growing […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Blueberry
WHAT IS A BLUEBERRY? These blue, black and purple edible fruits are from prostate shrubs that grow up to 13 feet (4 meters) in height. While they are native to North America, the blueberry didn’t become popular until the 1900s. Today North America produces over half of all the blueberries in the world. WHY […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Avocado
WHAT IS AN AVOCADO? This member of the berry family is actually a fruit! It comes in a variety of shapes (pear to round) and colors (green to black). They can weigh anywhere from a few ounces (few hundred grams) to several pounds (over a kilo). The avocado’s nickname is the alligator pear due to […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Coconut
WHAT IS A COCONUT? These tropical palm tree seeds look like tiny brown balling balls. They have a white, fleshy interior and coconut juice center. While it might sound like nature’s version of a bonbon, cracking open these shells is not easy. The three indentations that naturally form on the shell led Spanish explorers to […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Yellow Onion
WHAT IS A YELLOW ONION? These pale golden bulbs are among the most popular in the Allium family. Usually 2 to 3 inches in diameter, 90% of all the onions grown in the States are yellow onions. However humans all over the world have been munching on them since before recorded history. If a recipe […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Chitarra
WHAT IS CHITARRA? Chitarra comes from the Italian word for guitar. This pasta is made by running the dough through a board of “strings” which slices the pasta into individual strands. Traditionally this is an egg pasta. Also the guitar wires do not give the pasta the same texture as bronze extrusion does. Industrial versions […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF BREAD – Naan
WHAT IS A NAAN? The name itself is based on the Persian word for bread. A leavened dough with a squashed oval shape, it’s often made in a clay oven. Originally a delicacy for rich noble families, today in the poorer parts of Asia this flatbread is often made on the inside of used metal […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – ground beef
WHAT IS GROUND BEEF? Also known as minced, ground beef is made from the tougher and less desirable cuts of meat. Favoring mostly lean skeletal muscles like flank, fat is added to bring the mix up to 20%. While popular because it’s both cheap and quick to cook, the lower the fat content the less […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Cappelletti
WHAT IS CAPPELLETTI? Besides a love of consonants, these “little hats” are in the dumpling family of pastas. Originally they are from the northern region of Emilia-Romagna. Myth has it they are named after the pointed hats of Spanish soldiers from the 1600s. Though from a bird’s eye view, this cut looks a bit like […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Farfalle
WHAT IS FARFALLE? Also known as butterfly, bow-tie or strichetti pasta, this cut is made in different sizes but all of them have edges like the cogs in a watch. This pasta is in the family of cuts inspired by nature (conch shells being another example). According to The-Pasta-Project.com “today’s farfalle was invented by housewives […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Linguine
WHAT IS LINGUINE? The name translates as “little tongues” in Italian. However unless you’re the lead singer of Kiss, a 10 inch (26 cm) long tongue isn’t “little” for most of us. Compared to spaghetti, linguine has a flatter, more exotic look. But not as much as its’ big brother, the wider and even flatter […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Ossau-Iraty
WHAT IS OSSAU-IRATY? This is another delicious sheep’s milk creation from the Ossau valley in the French Basque region. Some people prefer to say ewe’s milk. That is what an adult female is called whereas “sheep” in general is a generic term referring to both genders. But since the only food you get out of […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Lasagna
WHAT IS LASAGNA? They are flat sheets of pasta that have a wavy edge (if sold in the States). Elsewhere in the world it’s flat. Invented in the 14th century the name comes from Latin where it was a cooking term for the pot originally used. Today this cut is popular in baked dishes all […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Brie de Meaux
WHAT IS BRIE DE MEAUX? This is a rare brie made in the Ile de France and mostly available today under the pasteurized brand Rouzaire. The white, bloomy rind is more prone to mottling. But remember brie ripens from the outside in so appearances are deceiving. Stories about this cheese date all the way back […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Burrata
WHAT IS BURRATA? This is Buffalo di Mozzarella’s #1 rival for your adulterous love of latte di mucca (cow’s milk). The stretching of curd technique used to make both cheeses is called pasta filata. The major difference between the two cheeses is the use of cow vs. buffalo milk, and burrata’s delicious filling, This is […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Camembert
WHAT IS CAMEMBERT? Cow’s milk is skimmed, curded, and pressed into small 8 oz wheels. They are then flipped a few times over half a day (think of them as the Normandy equivalent of flapjacks). Camembert’s snow white bloomy rind or “fleurie” gradually envelops this eight ounce wheel of cheese. A good, fuzzy fleurie takes longer […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Ricotta
WHAT IS RICOTTA? The name ricotta is from the Latin recocta or “re-cooked”. Originally it was a short shelf life cheese consumed by shepherds in old Rome. Today, like American Velveeta, ricotta is a byproduct of cheese production. Whey that is drained from the pressed curds of cheese isn’t thrown away. This powdery white liquid […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE- Beaufort
WHAT IS BEAUFORT? The Swiss have long been renowned for monster-sized cheeses. But their Alpine neighbors, the Savoie French, were not to be outdone. They created the raw milk cheese Beaufort. One wheel can easily weigh close to 100 lbs. And of course being La France, Beaufort is creamier and richer (having a higher fat […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Red Leicester
WHAT IS RED LEICESTER? The toughest thing about this cheese is pronouncing the name correctly when you don’t have an English accent. Formerly known as Leicestershire cheese, this is a crumblier, redder version of Cheddar. Typically aged for around 3 to 12 months, it is made in both block form and natural rind. Its’ unique […]
