February 2010
February 2010
Food for Thought
History Repeats
As the new 2010 calendar turned to January, record cold temperatures and snowfall gripped much of the United States. The news gave an abundance of horror stories of citizens driving and trying to survive in places accustomed to winter storms, and the disbelief of citizens living where inclement winter weather is almost never experienced. Suppliers of citrus and other crops, usually growing this time of year in warmer climes, were reaching for desperate methods to save their produce.
Nature has a way of spring surprises. Many People swear by the weather forecast in The Old Farmer's Almanac. It breaks the country into regions comprising a few states and gives long-range predictions of precipitation and temperatures for that area. For a couple of areas we spot-checked the record snowfalls were not predicted. In all fairness, our local TV weather people missed about as badly. We are always very pleased when their predictions of impending tornados and hurricanes turn out to be less severe. At least, with modern radar and advanced metrological aids, the forecasters can put us on notice. Oh, would there be some similar device to warn us of earthquakes about to strike in a specific area.
Present quirks of nature, especially the deep snow, brought us around to thinking about our recipe collection for January. Our parents and grandparents always had historical notes to relate to offspring of the winters they endured when the temperatures were sub zero and the snow chin deep. They survived with sensible clothing such as heavy overcoats, hats with ear tabs, fleece lined boots and, of course, plenty of hot stew on the hearth. Until the weather of this season, we thought those fables would die with our generation.
bon appetit
Recipes of the Month
Small, but mighty! February is only 28 days most years and will always be the mini-month of the year, even when it adds another day to its length once each four years. Small, but mighty, February, you are important! In February The Boy Scouts of America was founded, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington were born, and Christians begin to prepare for their holiest days. Don't forget, too, that everyone becomes a lover on Valentine's Day. And it was in February that America's leap into space began, with John Glenn. And in February, 1945 the raising of the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima forever reminds us of the bravery of America's fighting men and women. How small February, but how mighty.
THE FEATURED RECIPE USES ANCO CHILE POWDER
Devil's Food Cupcakes with Roasted Macadamia Nuts and Ancho Flavor
During February we begin to hope for better weather and, sometimes, think that a change in the kind of things we prepare in the kitchen might even hasten the day when spring will arrive. We don't know if usual dishes might influence meteorology, but why not take a chance. Here is a desert that surely is different.
The Cake
1 ¼ cup cake flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons Ancho Chile Powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temp
1 ½ cup sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup hot dark coffee
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
The Topping
½ cup raw macadamia nuts
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
½ cup whipping cream
Prepare the Cake
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Roast the raw macadamia nuts in the 350 degrees F. oven, turning once, until they just begin to color. Chop them coarsely and set them aside.
Set the oven to 375 degrees F.
Butter a 9" square cake pan, line the bottom with parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper. Set aside
Place 9 cupcake liners in a muffin pan and set aside
Sift the first six dry ingredients together. Repeat sifting 2 more times then Set the ingredients aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and continue beating until the mixture is light, fluffy and almost tripled in volume.
Fold 1/3 of the dry mixture into the butter, sugar, and egg mixture then add ½ of the buttermilk and ½ of the coffee. Fold in another 1/3 of the dry mixture to this batter then mix in the remaining buttermilk and coffee. Add the remaining dry mixture and the vanilla extract to the batter and mix.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake until cake springs back when touched lightly (30 - 35 min.). Then turn out of pan and leave on the rack until completely cool.
Use a 2 ½ inch cookie cutter to cut rounds from the cake. Place the rounds in the paper cupcake liners.
Prepare the Topping
Chop or very coarsely grate the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the whipping cream until it starts to boil and pour it over the chocolate. Let the mixture of cream and chocolate cool until it is still warm, then drizzle it over the cupcakes. Top with chopped macadamia nuts.
Yield: 9 servings
THIS RECIPE FEATURES PREMIUM GINGER ROOT POWDER
Sweet and Sour Tofu Morsels
The arrival of the first robin is said to be the harbinger of Spring, but it may well be that the profusion of diet and weight loss ads, seen at this time of the year, speak more loudly. Perhaps we all begin to feel a bit guilty for overindulging during the holidays and prepare to loose a few pounds before we try to fit into last year's bathing suit. And we ask: Why is it that those vegetarians don't seem to worry thusly? Want to follow their lead?
1 pound tofu
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup tamari sauce
6 tablespoons water
¼ cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Ginger Root Powder
4 garlic cloves
8 scallions
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 pound mushrooms
1 cup toasted, unsalted cashews
Cut the tofu into small cubes; set aside.
Prepare the Marinade
Remove the outer covering from the garlic cloves and discard this covering. Finely mince the peeled cloves and set aside.
Combine the lemon juice, tamari, water, tomato paste, honey, Ginger Root Powder, and garlic; mix well until thoroughly blended.
Add the tofu to the marinade, stir gently, and let the tofu marinate for several hours. (The tofu may be marinated overnight in the refrigerator)
Prepare the Stir-Fry
Clean and mince the scallions and set aside
Cut the green and red bell peppers in half, clean out and discard the inner part (the seeds and pulp), cut the halves into strips about ¼ inch wide and set aside.
Clean the mushrooms and then cut them into ½ inch pieces and set aside.
In the oven, under a broiler, toast the cashews, being careful not to burn them. After toasting, coarsely chop the cashews and set them aside.
In a wok, or large skillet, over medium high heat stir-fry the scallions, bell peppers, and mushrooms in 2 teaspoons of oil.
After several minutes, add all of the marinated tofu along with the marinade mixture to the stir-fried vegetables. Lower the heat, continue to stir-fry until everything is hot and bubbly. Remove from the heat and stir in the cashews. Serve over rice.
THIS RECIPE FEATURES GROUND ROSEMARY
Avacado Dip
Another enemy of the waistline is TV at this time of year. Professional football has its last gasp of entertaining us with the Super Bowl, just in time to inundate us with basketball, both college and pro. There are more snacks consumed before these TV offerings, with too many calories, than during the lull of programming soon to come with the summer. If you have a mind to snack sensibly, try this recipe.
1 ripe avocado
1 medium size onion
1 cup mayonaise
¼ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon basil
¼ teaspoon Ground Rosemary
¼ teaspoon sage
¼ teaspoon marjoram
8 ounces sour cream
1 pound crackers, or chips (for dipping)
Peel and seed the avacado. Discard the seed and peel. Mash it, in a mixing bowl, and set aside.
Peel the onion, discard the peel; then finely chop the onion. Set it aside
In a the mixing bowl, with the avocado, Add the onion, mayonnaise, thyme, basil, >b>Ground Rosemary, sage, marjoram, and sour cream. Mix well. Serve with crackers or chips.
Yield: 2 cups.
THIS RECIPE FEATURES GROUND CUMIN
Roast Pork with Cumin Sauce
Still Hungry? Let's get down to some serious food like the ancient Romans ate, using that other white meat, pork. Some say that if you remove all of the fat from pork you have a more low calorie dish. Of course, what ingredients go into the dish are important, too. We can't say that all of these ingredients are intended for the strict dieter, but we know they make the dish taste great.
4 pound pork roast, bone in
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground celery seed
1 ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
¼ teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 pinch ground caraway seed
¼ cup pine nuts
¼ cup dates
1 tablespoon honey
1 ½ cup beef stock
1/8 teaspoon ground mustard
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
ground pepper, to taste
Heat oven to 325 degrees F
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin over the pork. Place the pork in a roasting pan and roast, uncovered, for 2 ½ hours
Prepare The Sauce
Chop the dates, finely, and set aside.
In a medium sauce pan combine the pepper, the celery seed, the remaining ½ teaspoon of the Ground Cumin, the fennel and the vinegar. Add the ground caraway seed, the pine nuts, the chopped dates, and the honey.
Season the beef stock with the ground mustard and add the stock, along with the olive oil, to the sauce. Bring the sauce mixture to a boil, add the juices from the roasting pan and simmer for 20 minutes. Thicken the mixture with flour, sprinkle with pepper and add to the hot roasted pork.
Yield: 8 Servings
Please note that any of the spices and spice blends shown in these recipes may be ordered from Mary Ann, along with your selection for this month, and you save additional shipping.
Save shipping charges by adding any other spices or teas to your monthly selection. For each dollar you spend for added products you also receive one bonus point which can be exchanged for more spices, teas or membership in the Spice Surprise Club. Details will be included with your order.