So many kinds of peppercorns out there and it’s so easy to get overwhelmed trying to understand them all. Today we’re tackling red peppercorns, and also discussing how they’re different from pink peppercorns and Sichuan peppercorns, and how to tell all of these apart. What are red peppercorns ? Red peppercorns are the mature fruit …
Black peppercorns are what most people know and what most people think of when they see a recipe calls for pepper. But there are a few other options, and one of the is green peppercorns. This means there’s got to be some differences between green and black peppercorns, so here they are and what they’re …
Green peppers are a common item alongside many dishes, and often they’re found in dishes that are supposed to be hot. But as far as you know, green peppers are not ripe, and so are they even spicy ? Would a green pepper be sweet ? Is there a difference between a green hot pepper …
The bay leaf – many recipes call for at least one, most call for 2-3 pieces. You add them, not exactly sure why they’re supposed to go into the soup, but they must be doing something. Are they though ? What do they taste like ? Is dried bay more potent than fresh ? How …
Basil is one of the most fragrant herbs you could have in your kitchen (or garden) but it’s a very fickle plant, very sensitive and it’s quite tricky to keep alive and healthy. So you’ll often find yourself wondering if that brown spot on basil is fine to eat, or if that slightly wilted leaf …
Got a fresh mint plant at home, just waiting to be used for a drink of a fresh ingredient in food ? Then you’re going to need to pick some mint leaves ! Are some of them brown ? Are they entirely brown or just brown spots ? Are the stems dried up ? There …
We all hate the bitter taste, especially when it comes from something that is not supposed to be bitter, but why is ginger bitter sometimes and most of the time isn’t. Well, in this article, we will discuss if that’s normal or if you should throw away the ginger if it tastes bitter. For some …
One of my favorite things about traveling the world is having the opportunity to try new cuisines. I love experimenting with different spices and have found a lot of inspiration for cooking at home by trying all kinds of dishes on my trips. One thing that I’ve noticed in many cultures is that there are …
So often, when we think of turmeric, we actually think about the powder, so the question if turmeric can be eaten raw it’s not on our minds. But the first time when I saw turmeric root, this came as a question. Since it looks like the ginger root or a weird sweet potato, and those …
If you are a fan of Indian cuisine and have tried making your own Indian food at home. In that case, you probably notice that turmeric is almost always present in your ingredient list, and there are big chances that you asked yourself why it is so expensive compared to other basic spices. We are …
If you are in a situation where you have way too many serrano peppers, you probably won’t eat them in the next several days. You should not worry because there are a few ways to store them for longer. We will get to each of them in this article. I know how it is to …
To understand what dijon mustard tastes like, we have to know a bit of history about this so popular mustard type. Because the original recipe for dijon mustard is not the one that is most often used today. Dijon mustard origins Dijon mustard originates from the town of Dijon, the capital of the Burgundy region …
If you really like Indian food but have a hard time deciding what to order from an Indian restaurant, you are not alone. I know the feeling since there are a lot of different sauce types that have various ingredients, but the name doesn’t tell you a lot about what they are made of. This …
I heard some people on cooking forums questioning why sugar is considered a wet ingredient while salt is considered a dry ingredient. This is a very good question since it is pretty obvious that both of them are actually dry. The confusing thing is that in recipes, you categorize ingredients by wet and dry in …
Christmas time is a special, magical time when all of the most delicious flavors come to your kitchen. And one of the most iconic Christmas flavors is, oddly enough, peppermint ! It’s sweet, refreshing, and brings juuust the right note of nostalgia. But why is peppermint associated with Christmas ? You’d think something as cooling …
Licorice has a bad reputation among anyone who even remotely likes candy. You reach into the bag and hope for something delicious, and instead get a black licorice gummy. Disappointment ensues. But you’ve likely heard that despite the candy being licorice flavored, the actual flavor in it is not real licorice. Which begs the question, …
As fall rapidly approaches – summer is ending in a month, you know – our minds turn to rusty leaves, cool air, pumpkins and the ever-present spice mix that’s in everything, everywhere. We’re big fans of that, feel free to judge us. One thing that’s always in that spice mix is cinnamon, no matter what …
Sugar is a kitchen staple, to the point where even if you’re trying to not eat very sweet meals, you still have some sugar around the house. And if you’re any sort of home baker, you’re definitely well acquainted with sugar. And given sugar’s popularity, there should be no surprise there are so many sugar …
Anise, licorice, and star anise have always been lumped together in ‘love it or hate it’ category. You can easily find any of these three spices in candies, especially black licorice added in gummies. Anise and star anise a common flavorings added to mulled wine, and may sometimes be found in some pumpkin pies. But …
Spices can simply give life to our foods, which is why we’re taking such a serious interest in them these days. This time we’re looking at nutmeg vs allspice, two powerful and wonderful spices. You will find both of them in desserts and foods in the cold season, and they may evoke strong memories. Let’s …