Tasting

            Tasking takes time.  Allow the food time to register on the taste buds. Smell is an important part of tasting and it is the first step in tasting.  Begin by absorbing the smell.  What can you determine from the scent or aroma? Take small bite.  Chew slowly moving the food around the mouth.  When we taste there is a combination of several of the tastes.  Taste is a chemical reaction to substances in the food being tasted.

 

 

Sweet

            Sweet is determined by the presence of various sugars.   It is usually considered very pleasant.  Sweetness can come from processed substances like sugar or syrups, but it also occurs natural in fruits and vegetables.

 

Salty

            Salty is determined by the presences of ions.  It can be a pleasant taste, but it can also overwhelm other flavors.  It enhances flavor in food and is a necessary part of nutrition.  Some foods love salt and need more than most foods, like potatoes and pasta.

 

Sour

            Sour is determines by the presence of acids, particularly hydrochloric acid.  It is commonly found in citrus and other fruit and some fermented substances like vinegar or wine. Acid has a way of making foods more vibrant in flavor and sometimes in color.  It is important in balancing the flavors on the plate.

 

Bitter

            Bitter is determined by a variety of substance.  It is often considered unpleasant or sharp.  It is considered the most sensitive of tastes and this may be due to many toxic substances are bitter.  Bitter is found in coffee, cocoa, olives, and some alcoholic beverages.

 

Unami

 

            Unami is a savory flavor.  It is a Japanese word that means pleasant savory taste. It is determined by the presence of glutamates.   It is present in meat broths and fermented foods like soy sauce.  Unami is also found in fish, seafood, mushrooms tomatoes and cabbage.

 

Other related taste sensations

Some of these can fit into the above categories.  Astringency is an aspect of sour and has to do with a pucker feeling and is often described as rough, dry, harsh and tart. Pungency describes the spicy hot that comes from capsaicin found in chili peppers and other ingredients like black pepper and other spices.  Metallicness is sometimes detected in food.  Coolness describes the sensation of cooling as associated with mint.

 

This Week’s Challenge

 

            The challenge for this week is to really taste at least one meal a day for the week.  It doesn’t have to be an elaborate meal.  Slow down and enjoy what you are eating.  If you think you need a checklist or some other aid, research evaluating food online.  Record what you experience.  Make notes on what you learn from each tasting.  Focus on the tasting rather than the evaluating of the food. If you can, explore new tastes or cuisines this week.

           

This Week’s Tip

            Some tastes are opposite or counteract other tastes.  For instance if you are using a sweet ingredient and expect that it will make the dish unbalanced add a sour ingredient like lemon juice or vinegar counteract the sweetness and bring the dish into balance.  Sweet and sour are opposites.

           

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

           

Caribbean Chicken Curry

 

1 qt.                 Chicken broth or water

12 oz.             Chicken, cooked and chopped into bite-size pieces

½ med.           Onion, diced

1 C                  Squash, sliced

2 C                  Pumpkin, diced or other winter squash

1 C                  Okra, sliced, fresh or frozen

1 T                   Caribbean Curry Powder

                        Salt and pepper to taste

 

1.    Place a heavy pot over medium heat and add the broth.

Chicken in the broth

 

2.    When the broth begins to simmer, add the vegetables and cook for 20 minutes.

Sliced onion.  Also add sliced squash, diced pumpkin
and sliced okra.

 

3.    Add the chicken and seasonings and cook another 10 minutes.

4.    Taste and adjust seasonings.

 

Note:  The okra will thicken the curry.   A tablespoon of corn starch dissolved in a little water can be added with the chicken.   Other vegetables can be added.

 

 

 

            Mexican Wedding Cookies

 

1 C      Butter, softened at room temperature

½  C    Powder sugar

1 t        Vanilla

2 ¼ C  Flour

¼ t       Salt

¾ C     Chopped pecans

 

The ingredients

1.    Mix butter, sugar and vanilla thoroughly.  Add flour and salt. 





Soften butter and powder sugar.

Creamed with vanilla added.



Nuts added.

Add the flour gradually.

 

2.    Mix thoroughly.  Add nuts.  The dough may be crumbly.  This is okay. 

3.    Chill dough for two hours.

4.    Heat oven to 400 degrees. 

5.    Roll the dough into one inch balls.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about an inch apart.  The cookies do not flatten or spread out.

 

Roll into one inch balls.  The will not
spread out.  Bake until just beginning
to turn brown.

While still warm, roll in powder sugar.

 

6.    Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until set but not brown. 

7.    While still warm roll in powder sugar.  The sugar will melt.

 

8.    Allow to cool. 

9.    Roll a second time in power sugar.  The first rolling gives the second sugar rolling to have something to hold on to.  This is the most important step it.

The cookies on the left have been rolled once. 
The cookies on the right have been rolled twice.

 

 

Makes about four dozen cookies.

 

 

The cookies may also be rolled in colored sugar.  Color sugar by place ½ cup granulated sugar in a jar.  Add a few drops of food coloring.  Close the jar and shake the sugar until all the sugar is colored.

 

 

 

Vegetable of the Week

           

Broccoli with Roasted Peppers

 

Steamed broccoli with roasted peppers

            Fresh broccoli, enough to provide the necessary servings.

1 jar     Roasted peppers or pimentos

2 T       Butter, melted

 

Ingredients

1.    In a saucepan with a lid. Place a steaming tray and enough water to cover the bottom of the pan with about an inch of water.

Cover the bottom of the pan with about and inch
water so that the water level is below the
bottom of the steam tray.

 

2.    Place the pan on high heat to bring the water to a boil.

3.    Clean and trim the broccoli into florettes.  Place the broccoli in the steamer and cover the pan with the lid.

Trim the florettes

 

4.    The broccoli will cook in a few minutes depending on the quantity.  It is important not to overcook it.  Remember it will continue cooking after it is removed from the steam.

Place the broccoli un the steam tray and cover.

 



Steam broccoli until almost done.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



While the butter melts, remove the broccoli
and peppers from the steam tray. 



Drain the peppers and place over the broccoli.
Cover and let the pepper warm up.



 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.    Remove the broccoli and place it in a serving dish.  Add the peppers and toss with the broccoli.  The hot broccoli with heat up the peppers or you can add them to the steamer a few minutes before the broccoli is done.

Remove from the steam tray to a serving dish.

 

6.    Add the melted butter and toss.  Olive oil and also be used.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Toss the broccoli and peppers very gently.
Sprinkle with a little melted butter and serve.

 

Sweet

            Flavor is an important part of successful cooking.  It is not the only thing that cooking is about, but your cooking decisions should be made to enhance and improve flavor.  This month we are going to explore ways to improve flavor.  This week we will talk about sweetness.

 

All cultures have sweet dishes. Even if desserts are not a big part of the culture there usually are some sweet treats.  The cravings for sweets are also defined by culture.  I’ve heard many times that American desserts are far too sweet.  So many of our processed foods are laden with sugar and combined by popular sugary drinks has dulled our ability to taste sweet. When it comes to sugar, less is better.

 

Spices

           

Use of spices should complement the dish.  This is true for sweet dishes as well.  In America common spices used in sweet dishes are cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg.  In some cultures cardamom and even pepper are used in sweet dishes. It is becoming more common to see herbs like mint, basil and lavender in sweet dishes.

 

Flavorings

 

Flavorings like vanilla and almond extract are also used in baking and sweet dishes.   I try to buy non-artificial flavorings.  Some you can find in most grocery stores, but they can be ordered online, too.  I use pure extract of vanilla and almond.  I rarely use citrus flavorings, because a more intense and true flavor can come from the grated peel.  I also never use reconstituted juice in my recipes.  I am fortunate to have an old lemon tree in my backyard and it is very prolific.

 

This Week’s Challenge

 

            Try a new sweetening agent.  I steer away from artificial sweeteners, but there are many sweeteners that are not artificial.  Some are corn syrup, honey, agave, and syrups like maple and molasses.  There are different kinds of sugars and honeys, too.  You may want to find a sweetener that I haven’t mentioned here.  Do your research and decide on a sweetener that you have not tried before.  Then make a recipe with that sweetener.

 

Tip for this Week – More lemon flavor

 

            When using citrus fruits and you want to intensify the flavor add more grated zest from the peel.  The flavor is in the oils in the peal.  Using a micro grater, grate the color portion the peel.  Try to avoid the white part of the peel just under the color as this is often bitter. Grate the peel before it is cut or removed from the fruit.

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

            Lemon Bars

 

1 C      Butter                                     4          Eggs

½ C     Powder sugar                       2 C      Sugar

½ t       Salt                                         ½ t       Baking powder

2 C      Flour                                       ¼ C     Flour

½ C     Chopped nuts                      ¼ C     Lemon juice

The ingredients

 

1.    Combine all the ingredients in the first column, mixing well. 

Mix the dry ingredients working in the butter.

Add the chopped nuts.



It will be dry and crumbly, but will hold together
as it is pressed into the bottom of the pan.

 

2.    Press into the bottom of a 9 X 13 greased baking pan. 

3.    Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. 

4.    While this is baking, mix the ingredients in the second column. 



Mix the second group of ingredients.



Blend well and set aside until the crust is ready.








 

5.    When the crust is done, take it out of the oven and pour the second mixture over the hot crust. 

The crust will not be completely cooked.
It will finish cooking with the lemon layer.

 

Pour the lemon mixture over the hot crust
and return it to the oven.

 

6.    Return to the oven and bake 20-25 minutes.  Sprinkle power sugar over the entire surface. 

Sift powder sugar over the hot lemon bars.

Allow the lemon bars to completely cool.

 

7.    Allow the lemon bars to completely cool.

8.    Sprinkle power sugar over the entire surface. 

Before serving sprinkle with more powder sugar
and cut into the desired size.

 

9.    Cut into squares or bars.

 

            Lime Chiffon Dessert

 

¼ C     Lime juice, freshly squeezed

1 can  Condensed sweetened milk

1 t        Lime rind, grated

            Food coloring (optional)

2          Cool Whip 8 oz. containers, thawed.

2          packages of soft lady fingers, sliced lengthwise

The ingredients

 

 

1.    Line the inside of an 8 inch spring form pan with the lady finger with the cut side facing inside the spring form pan. 

Place the ladyfingers so the flat side is next to the filling.

 

2.    The lemon or lime juice must be fresh squeeze.  Reconstituted will not work.

Add the lime juice to the sweetened condensed
milk and bear with a mixer.  It will thicken.

Add the grated peel and a little food coloring.
I us one drop yellow and two drops green.

 

3.    Empty the condensed milk into a medium bowl. 

4.    Dump in the juice all at once and beat with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes.  The mixture will become thick.   

5.    Add the grated rind and a drop or two of food coloring.  The rind gives the lemon flavor so it is better to add more rind than juice. 

6.    Beat long enough to blend thoroughly, less than a minute. 

7.    Gently fold in one container of Cool Whip. 

Gently fold in the first container of cool whip.

Pour the lime mixture in to the
ladyfinger lined pan.

 

8.    Pour into the ladyfinger lined spring form pan and refrigerate at least two hours.

9.    Before serving top with the remaining container of Cool Whip and garnish with slices of lemon dipped in sugar.


 

 

 

Variations:  I usually make this as a lime dessert, but lemon works very well, too.  I have not tried pineapple or grapefruit.  The acid of the citrus juice reacts with the condensed milk.  That is why the juice must be fresh squeezed. Orange is not as high in acid and doesn’t do as well in this dessert.

 

If you can’t find lady fingers, slices of sponge or pound cake will work.  This filling makes a good pie, too.  Use a baked empty pie shell or crumb crust.

           

Holiday Brownies

 

¾ C     Butter                                                 ½ C     Cocoa

1 ½ C  Sugar                                                 ½ t       Baking powder

½ t       Vanilla                                                           ½ t       Salt

3          Eggs                                                   1 C      Chocolate chips

¾ C     Flour

The ingredients

 

1.    Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 8 x 8 baking dish. 

This is a baking sheet lined with
parchment paper and sprayed with Pam.

2.    In a medium bowl, melt the butter and add the sugar and vanilla. 

 

3.    Add the eggs and beat well with a spoon. 

 

4.    In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

 

5.    Gradually add to the egg mixture.  Blend well. 

 

6.    Add the chocolate chips. (This time I opted out of the chocolate chips and used mini M & Ms to decorate the brownies)

7.    Spread the batter into the baking dish.  Bake for 40-45 minutes until the brownies begin to pull away from the pan. 

Into the oven

Out of the oven

 

8.    Cool completely and then cut into squares. 

9.    Frost the brownies and decorate for the holiday. (I usually use canned frosting)

 

Once cooled, frost and decorate.

Decorated with mini M & Ms

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Note:  If you use a 9 x 13 pan use 1 ½ this recipe.

 

Happy Cooking!