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Monday, 18 May 2015

Coffee time


Coffee time

Originally shared by Jon “the chef” Hole

FIRST ADVERTISEMENT FOR COFFEE—1652
Handbill used by Pasqua Rosée, who opened the first coffee house in London From the original in the British Museum

It reads :
The Vertue of the COFFEE Drink
First publiquely made and sold in England, by Pasqua Rosée.

The Grain or Berry called Coffee, groweth upon little Trees, only in the Deserts of Arabia.

It is brought from thence, and drunk generally throughout all the Grand Seigniors Dominions.

It is a simple innocent thing, composed into a Drink, by being dryed in an Oven, and ground to Powder, and boiled up with Spring water, and about half a pint of it to be drunk, fasting an hour before, and not Eating an hour after, and to be taken as hot as possibly can be endured; the which will never fetch the skin off the mouth, or raise any Blisters, by reason of that Heat.

The Turks drink at meals and other times, is usually Water, and their Dyet consists much of Fruit, the Crudities whereof are very much corrected by this Drink.

The quality of this Drink is cold and Dry; and though it be a Dryer, yet It neither heats, nor inflames more then hot Posset.

It so closeth the Orifice of the Stomack, and fortifies the heat within, that it's very good to help digestion, and therefore of great use to be taken about 3 or 4 a Clock afternoon, as well as in the morning.

It much quickens the Spirits, and makes the Heart Lightsome. It is good against sore Eys, and the better if you hold your Head over it, and take in the Steem that way.

It suppresseth Fumes exceedingly, and therefore good against the Head-ach, and will very much stop any Defluxion of Rheums, that distil from the Head upon the Stomack, and so prevent and help Consumptions; and the Cough of the Lungs.

It is excellent to prevent and cure the Dropsy, Gout, and Scurvy.

It is known by experience to be better than any other Drying Drink for People in years, or Children that have any running humors upon them, as the Kings Evil,&c.

It is very good to prevent Mis-carryings in Child-bearing Women.

It is a most excellent Remedy against the Spleen, Hypocondriack Winds, or the like.

It will prevent Drowsiness, and make one fit for business, if one have occasion to Watch; and therefore you are not to Drink of it after Supper, unless you intend to be watchful, for it will hinder sleep for 3 or 4 hours.

It is observed that in Turkey, where this is generally drunk, that they are not trobled with the Stone, Gout, Dropsie, or Scurvey, and that their Skins are exceedingly cleer and white.

It is neither Laxative nor Restringent.

Made and sold in St. Michaels Alley in Cornhill, by Pasqua Rosée, at the Signe of his own Head.

#coffee   #coffeethursday   #21stcenturydigitalfood

Friday, 15 May 2015

Umami all the way.

Umami all the way.

Umami /uːˈmɑːmi/,
a savory taste, is one of the five basic tastes (together with sweet, sour, bitter and salty).

A loanword from the Japanese (うま味?), umami can be translated as "pleasant savory taste".

This particular writing was chosen by Professor Kikunae Ikeda from umai (うまい) "delicious" and mi (味) "taste". The kanji 旨味 are used for a more general sense of a food as delicious.

People taste umami through receptors for glutamate, commonly found in its salt form as the food additive monosodium glutamate (MSG).
For that reason, scientists consider umami to be distinct from saltiness.
#Umami

Originally shared by Lynn Keller

Why You Should Hard-Cook Lots of Eggs and Soak Them in Soy Sauce
After peeling the eggs, you move them to marinate in the fridge in a small vat of soy sauce, sherry vinegar, and sugar for a few hours. (I’ve left them overnight too, which I actually found to be extra salty and delicious.)

The soak isn't just about salting them, but a more rounded seasoning—a little sweet, a little tangy, but mostly a lot of umami. You can vary the marinade as you like—add sake, scallions, ginger, mirin, garlic, chiles, or rice wine vinegar. What’s to stop you?

Since these will be your new weekly fridge companion, you’ll have plenty of opportunity.

Momofuku's Soy Sauce Eggs
Adapted slightly from Milk Bar Life by Christina Tosi
Makes 6 eggs

6 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
¾ cup soy sauce
6 large eggs
Maldon or other flaky salt, for serving
Black pepper, for serving

#eggs   #hardcookedeggs   #momofuku  
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/05/14/momofuku_s_soy_sauce_eggs_recipe_the_perfect_protein_supplement_for_any.html?wpsrc=fol_tw

Tuesday, 12 May 2015

Mmmm Super Choc ♥♥♥

Mmmm Super Choc ♥♥♥

Originally shared by Lynn Keller

Yes.

Ingredients
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
3 tbsp. Grand Marnier (or other orange-flavored liqueur)
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
4 oz. good-quality bittersweet chocolate (preferably Valrhona), coarsely chopped, plus shavings for garnish
2 eggs, plus 2 yolks
Instructions
Using a hand mixer, beat cream, confectioners' sugar, and Grand Marnier in a bowl until stiff peaks form; refrigerate until ready to use.
Heat oven to 450°. Grease four 6-oz. ramekins with butter and coat with half the granulated sugar; place on a baking sheet. Melt butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over low; add chocolate and let sit for 2–3 minutes. Stir until chocolate has completely melted; cool slightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine remaining granulated sugar, the eggs, and yolks; beat on medium until thickened and pale, 3–5 minutes. Slowly add the melted chocolate mixture, whisking until combined. Divide the mixture among ramekins and bake until just set, about 8–10 minutes. The tops will puff up slightly like soufflés but the centers will be deliciously soft and gooey. Cool on a rack for 10–15 minutes before serving, or bake before dinner and serve at room temperature.
To serve, arrange ramekins on dessert plates and top with whipped cream; garnish with chocolate shavings.
#chocolatelovers   #saveurmagazine   #dessertrecipes  
http://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/bittersweet-chocolate-pudding-cakes?4ZR2im0xJICp9o0g.30

Tuesday, 7 April 2015

Invention of cooking made having a bigger brain an asset for humans

Invention of cooking made having a bigger brain an asset for humans

Humans' move to a cooked diet, possibly first adopted by Homo erectus, and their bigger brains yet smaller bodies, left spare energy which allowed further rapid growth in brain size and the chance to develop the big brain as an asset rather than a liability, through expanded cognitive capacity, flexibility and complexity.

Human guts are about 60% of the expected size for a primate.
The small size of human guts (combined with our having the same basal metabolic rate as any other primate, relative to body mass) means that we have some spare energy, which contributes to explaining how we can afford a relatively large brain.
And the reason we have been able to evolve small guts is that we have been able to rely on eating our food cooked.
#ShotsofAwe  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pun6tbz8Rzw

Monday, 6 April 2015

I have a question


I have a question
What is wine?
There was silence.
Four seconds, five seconds, 10 seconds.
  
Finally, cautiously, someone offered, A drink?
  
Mr. Adrià's eyes widened. Maybe it is a drink if I put it in a cup

But what if I make it into a sauce and cook with it?
His voice was sharp.
More silence.

Mr. Adrià spun away and began walking again. Now he said over his shoulder as the crowd shuffled in his wake,
What if I turn the wine into ice cream?
What is it then?
Ferran Adria #21stCenturyDigitalFood  

Originally shared by Jon “the chef” Hole

Trend No. 137 - Digital Gastronomy

The celebrity chef, who closed El Bulli, widely regarded as the best restaurant in the world, last year, says his next recipe involves a sprinkling of algorithms, a pinch of digital technology, an emulsion of raw data, and a few generous glugs of innovation to create La Bullipedia

“Cooking shares many characteristics with the internet - both are the sum of many parts and both enjoy the rare gift of limitless potential. Digital technology, when combined with innovation, plays a key role to unlocking this potential,”

“We are taking fundamental aspects of digital technology such as algorithms and data and applying it to food. We are putting the combined knowledge of El Bulli online where people can adapt and modify it, and draw inspiration from some of the most innovative recipes ever created.

“We have journeyed part of the way to discovering the genome of cuisine. Digital technology will allow us to take the final step.”

Extracts from   ALEX WATTS blog  http://goo.gl/F6KO8

#21stcenturydigitalfood

Monday, 23 March 2015

Not chocolate salty balls from Jamie SCHLER

Not chocolate salty balls from Jamie SCHLER 
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin also said :
Nothing is more pleasant than to see a pretty woman
her napkin well placed under her arms, one of her hands on the table while the other carries to her mouth, the choice piece so elegantly carved
#Chocolate        #Truffles  
http://www.lifesafeast.net/dark-chocolate-sesame-truffles/

Saturday, 28 February 2015