The Spice Road: Coriander

The Spice Road: Coriander

Certain foods inspire strong reactions in people.  For example, many people either love or hate cilantro.  Its prevalence in salsas and Mexican sauces make it easily recognizable to most diners. On the other hand, coriander is more of a stealth ingredient,...
The Heat of Ginger

The Heat of Ginger

Ginger: Ginger is a root, the rhizome of Zingiber Officinale, and grows in fertile, moist soil (definitely not where I come from). Unlike most spices when ginger is used fresh, not dried, it is still called a spice. Typically the root is dried, and ground to a powder,...
Spicing up your Cuisine: Exploring the World of Spices

Spicing up your Cuisine: Exploring the World of Spices

Spices Spices make up the “palette” of a chef. They have a long and intriguing story of travel; how they spread out from a point of origin to all over the globe. Each culture treats these spices a little differently, yet there seems to be several common...
Stevia and the Sugar Debate

Stevia and the Sugar Debate

There is a debate running about sugar and alternative sweeteners. The general agreement is that refined white sugar is unhealthy for our bodies. It contains empty calories and active agents that rot our teeth and help increase the rate of diabetes in our population....
Chile Ristras, A String Story

Chile Ristras, A String Story

In the American Southwest, chile peppers flourish between September and October. In New Mexico, they are sold by the bushel, not the pound. Sacks of green, and then red chiles appear in the markets–and for around $20.00 you can take that bushel home. The chiles...