WHAT IS A MONKFISH? The seafood equivalent of quince in terms of looks (ugly), monkfish goes by many names – anglerfish, frog fish and sea devil. With a gigantic head in proportion to its body and a tiny set of beady eyes, this fish immediately evokes caution. With such a viscous appearance, several species have become famous […]
GOURMET ARCHAEOLOGY
This section provides an introduction to the various ingredients that go into our everyday foods!
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Asiago
WHAT IS ASIAGO? These 20 pound wheels of cheese hail from the Asiago plateau in northern Venice (Veneto). They come in two types, d’Allevo and pressato. Both have been awarded D.O.P. status. Long ago these cheeses were made from sheep’s milk but that stopped sometime around the Renaissance. Today d’Allevo is the more artisanal of […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Grouper
WHAT IS A GROUPER? This legendary reef fish can easily weigh more then a small boat in some cases. This lethargic fish with their giant months are not built for speed or distance. What they lack in teeth they make up for with a vacuum-cleaner like mouth that sucks their prey in from a distance. […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Tete de Moine
WHAT IS TETE DE MOINE? French for “Monk’s Head” this cheese was invented in an abbey in the Swiss canton of Bearn almost a millennium ago. At one point in the 12th century monks even paid debts in cheese rather then money. Today when serving Tete de Moine, the rinded top is cut off similar […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MUSHROOMS – Lion’s Mane
WHAT IS A LION’S MANE MUSHROOM? The name is not a coincidence, this mushroom literally looks like the shaggy mane of a lion. Also known as a monkey head or pom pom mushroom, they In Asia they are native to Asia, Europe and North America. Not only are they popular in food, but this mushroom […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Cheshire
WHAT IS CHESHIRE? In the 1964 publication The Cheese Book, the author’s note that the French refused to call Cheshire by its proper name. Instead they called it “Chester”. But the writers Marquis and Haskell go on to mention that the British didn’t take any offense to this. They found it extraordinary that the French […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Quince
WHAT IS A QUINCE? This ancient ancestor of the apple looks primitive to say the least. A tough fruit, quince has really gone out of its way to discourage you from eating it. With “I’m not tasty” visual camouflage like an asymmetrical shape, uneven skin texture and color, the curious (and back in the old […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Langres
WHAT IS LANGRES? Langres philosophy on competition from other cheeses might best be described as “Holy calamity scream insanity all you ever gonna be’s another great fan of me!” (from the 1999 Handsome Boy Modeling School album). I’m not saying that Langres is vain or anything, but it would light itself on fire to get […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Mullet
WHAT IS A MULLET? This family of fish is found all over the world, but prefers warmer waters. They are the garbage men of their neighborhoods feeding on dead organic material and zoo plankton. Because of this they’ve developed especially muscular stomachs similar to a chicken’s gizzard. Mullets tend to prefer shallow shorelines where they […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Purple Peruvian Potato
WHAT IS A PURPLE PERUVIAN POTATO? For centuries this South American staple has also been called the “Food of the Gods.” Rich in marbled shades of blue and purple, this potato is generally oblong in size. Smaller in size then other potatoes, these tubers have a nutty flavor. In the 1500s Spanish sailors introduced this […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Morbier
WHAT IS MORBIER? A semi-soft cow’s milk cheese, Morbier like many other cheeses is named after the village of its birth. Some experts like to see that the cheese is “springy” or “supple.” Let’s be honest, it’s rubbery. It has a strong, creamy flavor and is great as a fondue melting cheese (much like Appenzeller). […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Lobster
WHAT IS A LOBSTER? These large, marine crustaceans have long, cylindrical bodies with five pairs of legs. In the same family as other invertebrates like shrimp, their skeletons are on the outside. In order to grow they must molt or shed their shells. While the term “lobster” is used in the names of similar crustaceans, […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Saint Marcellin
WHAT IS SAINT MARCELLIN? St. Marcellin has been around France for a long time. In 1447 King Louis XVI, as a child, went on a hunt and got separated from his group. Frightened, the Dolphin Prince (so nicknamed since his coat of arms was decorated with them) was discovered by two woodcutters. They took him […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Marlin
WHAT IS A MARLIN? This family of fish has 10 different species, all of whom can easily kill you in a fair fight! While these are deep sea fish, they prefer the upper more shallow waters where feeding is easier. They use their “swords” when swimming through dense schools of fish. They slash from side […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Bigoli
WHAT IS BIGOLI? Possibly from the word “bigat” or caterpillar, this pasta was traditionally made from whole wheat flour. Today though artisanal producers also use semolina and duck eggs. Bigoli was created as a deliberate regional play on spaghetti by making the tubes thicker. This cut become a local favorite during the 1600s in the […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Chaource
WHAT IS CHAOURCE? This soft ripened cow’s milk cheese is creamy and a little bit crumbly when young. It is similar to brie but much younger and saltier. This fromage’s flavor has a hint of mushroom. Unlike many other bloomy rind cheeses, Chaource’s heart doesn’t tend to mature due to its acidity. Despite being aged […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MUSHROOMS – Champignon
WHAT IS A CHAMPIGNON? Also called a white button mushroom, their popularity in retail stores is due to a combination of affordability and having a mild, non-threatening flavor. They are native primarily to North America and Europe. But champignon are grown commercially elsewhere. They come in both white and brown colors. These fungi are a […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHEESE – Coulommiers
WHAT IS COULOMMIERS? It is a soft ripened, cow’s milk cheese that takes a little over a month to ripen. An ancient ancestor of brie’s, it has a fat content of 40% (much lower than a double crème 60% brie). While Coulommiers might sound like a low-fat version of brie, it raw milk form still tastes […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Passionfruit
WHAT IS PASSIONFRUIT? In the last few years this tiny tropical fruit has rapidly grown in popularity. It comes in three types, purple, yellow or giant. The purple variety is native to Central and South America, while the yellow varietal favors a more tropical climate. Also known as liliko’i, maracuya or granadilla this fruit of the Passiflora vine […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Mahi Mahi (Dolphin Fish)
WHAT IS A MAHI MAHI? Also known as the dolphinfish or dorado, the name mahi mahi comes from the Polynesian language and means “strong strong.” This warm water fish doesn’t look anything like its namesake the dolphin. But they both make high-pitched underwater noises to communicate. And both creatures enjoy swimming ahead of ships traveling […]