Do you absolutely love olives but can’t really handle all that salt ? Understandable, lots of people find olives way too salty, especially green and kalamata olives. It seems black olives are the mildest around, and you can often find them in low sodium versions. But what if your favorites are green olives ? Why …
Were you looking to make the absolute best salad dressing out there, only to find your ginger has a blue hue to it ? This happens to those who don’t eat salad too, don’t worry. In fact, blue-tinged ginger is a thing. Whether it’s by accident or on purpose, ginger can and does turn blue. …
If you’re in love with sushi then you might make your own at home. In that case, you need all the assorted flavors and accompanying food items, including pickled ginger. But how long does pickled ginger last ? We ask because the only time you can get small packets of the stuff is with pre-made …
You’ve definitely heard of pepper, and you’ve definitely heard pretty much every chef ever, on every cooking show ever, recommending freshly ground black pepper. But did anyone stop to explain why fresh pepper is better ? And did anyone discuss the merits of pre-ground pepper ? After all, it’s on the market for a reason. …
Pepper is possibly the most common spice on the planet, not counting salt, which is more of a seasoning. You find pepper everywhere, in everything, even in some sweet dishes or drinks ! But why is pepper everywhere ? Why is it so common, and why pepper but not another spice ? It turns out …
If you have a nightshade allergy then you definitely need to know all the veggies you can’t touch. But does this include black pepper ? It’s possibly the most common spice ever used, at least in Western cooking. Trying to avoid something containing pepper is really difficult, so lets clear up whether black pepper is …
Do you love black pepper ? Do you love how absolutely peppery and sharp its flavor can get ? Oh it’s spicy, alright, and when it hits it’s really hard to miss. You can easily overdo pepper, especially if it’s freshly ground black pepper. But what makes pepper so peppery ? After all, it’s not …
It is rare these days, but in some recipes (like corned beef), you may come across an ingredient that you don’t have in your pantry: saltpeter. You may also find some instructions for curing meat at home that ask you to use saltpeter. Today, you probably will not even find it in a grocery store, …
If you’ve ever baked a thing in your life, then you’ve come across different kinds of sugar. While most folks end up using plain white sugar, there’s so many more sugar types out there. Most of them refer to how refined the sugar is, and how fine it is. So what do you do when …
Chances are, if you are looking for a tamarind substitute, it is because your recipe is asking for something called tamarind paste. Maybe you never heard of that before, or you just do not feel like going out to get some. If you are part of the first group and googled what tamarind is, you …
Anyone familiar with Latin American, Filipino, or Caribbean cuisines knows the importance of annatto for color, flavor, and spice. Annatto comes from the achiote tree, a tropical and lush plant grown in warm climates. So what do you do when you’ve got to cook something but don’t have this key ingredient? Luckily, there are a …
Ah, pumpkin spice ! It’s the heart of fall, there’s no walking around town without catching a whiff of it. You might even have some in your pantry right now. Pumpkin spice has become an essential part of fall, especially since Starbucks came out with their world-famous Pumpkin Spice Latte. But does pumpkin spice have …
Ever needed to make a quick pumpkin pie but got stock on the filling ? If you’re in a hurry you might not have noticed you picked up a can of pumpkin puree, instead of pumpkin pie filling. Does that spell trouble for your pie ? Is there any way you can use that puree …
Garlic salt and garlic powder are great recipe enhancers. They add more flavor to your ingredients and can even be that ‘secret ingredient’ that everyone’s begging you to tell them about ! But what if you don’t have garlic powder on hand ? Or garlic salt ? Can you substitute garlic salt for garlic powder, …
Looking to make those amazing coffee and vanilla bean cupcakes ? You’re going to need some instant coffee then. Wait, you’re out of instant coffee ? Then you’ll need some really good substitutes. Vanilla is a very forgiving flavor and will go with pretty much anything but if coffee is the flavor, coffee we need …
Looking at the spice shelves in supermarkets, you can’t help but notice one that stands out as very pricy. No, not the whole vanilla bean. Not the whole nutmeg either. The saffron. Why is is so darn expensive ? It’s part of a flower, what’s so special about it ? You don’t use saffron every …
Ah valerian. Who hasn’t heard of this efficient anxiety and insomnia relief, and who doesn’t know how absolutely stinky it can get ? Despite the smell valerian is heavily used and has been in use for centuries. So why does it smell ? Why des valerian root stink, and is there anything we can do …
If you’re trying to find a vegetarian or vegan substitute for chicken broth, you know it’s not exactly easy. As common as veggies are, a perfect substitute for chicken isn’t that easy to find or make. Still, we have a few ideas you may try and they’ll definitely be good for any vegetarian or vegan …
Wondering if cilantro and culantro are the same ? You’re not alone. They sound the same and for those who don’t know both herbs, it just looks like a typo. But as it turns out cilantro and culantro are not the same, not at all. They do have some things in common, but they also …
Looking for some hints about what fresh green cilantro smells like? Cilantro is one of the most popular fresh herbs in the world. It is used in millions of ways in almost all the kitchens. You can add it to your salads, salsas, curries, sauces, and whatnot. There are actually only two kinds of people, …