Mint – An Aromatic Perennial Herb
Mint, a plant which is part of the Mentha genus and a close relative of basil and rosemary, belongs to a large family of herbs with hundreds of varieties. For the purposes of this culinary discussion we will be...
Garlic – A Potent and Pungent Aroma
Garlic, or Allium sativum, is a perennial plant in the Alliaceae (or lily) family and is closely related to the onion. It has been regarded as an invaluable kitchen and medicinal plant for thousands of years, and is one...
Cumin – Used for Millennia as a Medicinal Plant
Cumin, also known as cumin seed or cummin, is the dried, tiny seed of the Cuminum cyminum (a member of the carrot family), and is related to parsley. Native to Egypt and the warmer regions of the Mediterranean, cumin...
Basil – An Aromatic Herb in the Mint Family
Basil, part of the Ocimum genus, is an aromatic herb in the mint family. Native to warm climates like Africa and India, basils are a large group of herbs in and of themselves – there are over 150 species...
Chili Powder – Adding Heat and Flavor to your Food
Chili powder, made from the roasted and/or dried fruit of dozens of species in the Capsicum grouping, is a potent dust useful to many world cuisines. While chilies are native to South America, it is difficult to classify the...
Nutmeg – Myristica fragrans
Nutmeg, or Myristica fragrans, is an evergreen tree in the Myristicaceae family. The tree actually produces two spices used in the culinary world: mace and nutmeg, nutmeg being the seed of the tree (which is found at the center...
Cooking with Spices – Trivia and Information
The right combination of spices can add serious flavor to a dish just as fast as the wrong combination of spices can destroy a dish. Cooking with spices doesn’t have to be a scientific dissertation, but a few general...
Dill – Trivia and Information
Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a small, delicate, annual herb native to warm climates like Asia and India. A member of the carrot family and closely related to fennel, dill is the only member of the Anethum genus (a little-known...
Allspice – Pimento dioic
Allspice, or Pimento dioica, is a surprisingly fragrant spice native to the Western Hemisphere. Closely associated with Caribbean and island cookery, it has the distinctive aroma of blended spices though it is actually a single ground spice. Originally grown...
Cinnamon – A Distinctively Fragrant Spice
Cinnamon, a distinctively fragrant spice associated with warm baked goods and holiday cheer in the West, has the honor of being one of the most expensive and sought after spices in history. The bark of a pretty evergreen tree...
Sangria through the Eyes and Lips of a Successful Vintner
Merriam-Webster:
“Sangria” noun…/san-gre-a/”
: a usually iced punch made of red wine, fruit juice, and soda water
I have to admit that my past experience with Sangria has been a limited one, in fact little to none. On occasion I have had a taste, and just considered it to be a red...
How to Serve Wine – Are you Doing it Right?
Perhaps you have selected an occasion to open that special bottle of wine that you have been saving, or maybe you are hosting a dinner party. Knowing how to properly open, serve, and enjoy your wine will make the experience that much more memorable, as well as allow you...
Eating Healthy – Change to a Healthier You
As you walk out of your doctor’s office after your yearly physical, all the many warnings and recommendations on what you need to change are running through your head. But one stands out – four words that bring doom to even the stoutest of hearts.
You. Must. Eat. Healthier.
Does eating...
