On Punctuation - Victor Borge

So this has nothing to do with food, but last Thursday was National Punctuation Day, or something like that. And, I love this Victor Borge sketch. . .

Rainbow Carrots and Garden Potatoes

Carrots and potatoes from our garden. . . and they were so very good and sweet. I steamed the carrots lightly, and boiled the potatoes. Sounds like an old Scottish or Irish tune. . . "Steam the Carrots Lightly, and Boil the Potatoes, for I'm a Comin' Tru' the Rye. . ." or summat like that.

More from Cookus Interruptus - Sweet Glazed Nuts

I'm fast falling for this weekly video, etc.



Now, visit their site for the recipe for Sweet Glazed Nuts:

http://cookusinterruptus.com/#

Lego Cupcakes - Lego Ice Tray

Lego Cupcakes!, originally uploaded by lilmizzc00kie.

Here's the ice tray used to create the Legos.

Photo note:

"I was so excited to make these for my knitting group friend, Michelle. She and her husband love Legos!

The Legos are made with candy melts in a silicone Lego ice tray ordered from amazon.com. I think the tray is discontinued on the Lego website."

Lego Cupcakes!

Lego Cupcakes!, originally uploaded by lilmizzc00kie.

Photo note:

"I was so excited to make these for my knitting group friend, Michelle. Her and her husband loves Legos!

The Legos are made with candy melts in a silicone Lego ice tray ordered from amazon.com. I think the tray is discontinued on the Lego website."

food porn

food porn, originally uploaded by .Ward ..

So, so gorgeous!

Strawberries over whipped cream against a lime green background.

This pops!

food porn 1

food porn 1, originally uploaded by petebeck.

I really ought to go to bed, but I just found this gorgeous image.

Photographer's note:

"another food porn shot, taken yesterday at the work photoshoot.
(see the first shot here) http://flickr.com/photos/petebeck/243651758/

Koolickle

Koolickle, originally uploaded by grnybeanie.

I remember seeing this episode of Alton Brown's show Feasting on Asphalt, last year while at the gym. Quite amazing - pickles soaked further in Koolaid.

I knew it made good yarn dye. . .

Koolickle - a Kool-Aid Pickle. A Delta Specialty.

Koolickle - a Kool-Aid Pickle. A Delta Specialty., originally uploaded by Deep Fried Kudzu.

Truly wild~

Note:

"Koolickles are made when you remove at least half the juice from a pickle jar and replace it with Kool-Aid (red or grape, etc). I've only seen these in the Delta."

radioactive mango koolickle

radioactive mango koolickle, originally uploaded by chotda.

Photo note:

"you've seen the koolickle, right? i made my own version with green mangoes, tropical punch kool-aid®, vinegar, sugar, and li hing mui powder. sweet, sour, fruity, li hing muiey, and really, really, red.

i don't think they have this in hawaii, but it has all the elements of favourite hawaiian snacks--fruit punch, mango, li hing mui, red pickled mango....why not put it all together? totally ono."

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deepfriedkudzu/291437045/

Alton Brown: 'Feasting on Asphalt,' Town by Town : NPR

Alton Brown: 'Feasting on Asphalt,' Town by Town : NPR

Shared via AddThis

March 30, 2008

For food commentator and author Alton Brown, the best roadside food ranges from alligator tail to "koolickles" — dill pickles soaked in cherry Kool-Aid.

Brown found his eclectic picks after he spent 26 days on a motorcycle, tracing the course of the Mississippi River. Along the way, Brown and his crew visited big-city restaurants, small-town diners, barbecue joints and even an alligator farm, where he discovered Louisiana-style grilled alligator tail served with lemon and butter.

His book about the journey, Feasting on Asphalt: The River Run, is a companion to the six-part Food Network series that aired last fall.

Part cookbook, part diary and part memoir, Brown's book features 40 original road-food recipes, along with stories about the people who dish out the flavorful fare. Brown and his crew start the 1,000-mile journey in the Mississippi Delta on the Gulf of Mexico and end near the river's headwaters in Minnesota.

Liane Hansen spoke with Brown about his delicious discoveries as he motored through the country's heartland.

---

Koolickles - Road Inspired

Jean Claude Dhien

Make up a jar and keep them on your counter or, better yet, in your fridge. I promise that unless you live in the Delta you'll be the first in your neighborhood to serve them. Strange though they are, these bright pink beauties are extraordinarily refreshing on a hot summer day.

1 gallon jar kosher dill pickles

2 packages unsweetened cherry Kool-Aid

1 pound sugar

Drain the liquid from the pickles into a large container. Add the Kool-Aid mix and the sugar to the liquid and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the pickles from the jar, slice them in half lengthwise, and return them to the jar. Return the liquid to the jar of pickles. Not all of the liquid will fit, but make sure the pickles are completely covered.

Place in the refrigerator and let sit for 1 week before eating.

Yield: 1 gallon Koolickles

A Sweet So Sour: Kool-Aid Dills - New York Times

A Sweet So Sour: Kool-Aid Dills - New York Times

Shared via AddThis

Dill Pickles - a video

Quick Dill Pickle recipe and instructions:

PIckle Making - a video

Check it out!

Pickle making at Kitchen Kettle Village

Pickle Belt (a poem)

Pickle Belt by Theodore Roethke

The fruit rolled by all day.
They prayed the cogs would creep;
They thought about Saturday pay,
And Sunday sleep.

Whatever he smelled was good:
The fruit and flesh smells mixed.
There beside him she stood,--
And he, perplexed;

He, in his shrunken britches,
Eyes rimmed with pickle dust,
Prickling with all the itches
Of sixteen-year-old lust.

Quickie Breakfast - Egg Potato Pancake

Want a tasty and satisfying quick-made breakfast? Have left-over potatoes and some fresh eggs in your fridge? Try this:

Egg Potato Pancake

Ingredients:

* About a cup of grated cold cooked potatoes (we used our homegrown ones, and have also tried russets - both work well)
* One beaten egg
* Cheese
* Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat an omelet sized pan on medium, then add a little butter or olive out. Put in the grated potato and let brown one minute. Pour egg over the top, and begin to form into a neat circle in the pan with a wooden spatula. Add grated cheese, if desired. Let brown a few minutes, then flip and brown on the other side. When finish, salt and pepper to taste and, if you're like my daughter, you might like a little catsup on the side. I myself like it plain, or with sausage.

For a variation, you might like to add red peppers, chopped onion, finely chopped ham or sausage. . .

Enjoy!

Cooks.com - Recipe - Ripe Cucumber Pickles

Cooks.com - Recipe - Ripe Cucumber Pickles

Shared via AddThis

The other day I received the gift of a bag of ripe cucumbers - about a dozen of them. I made two different batches of pickles - Refrigerator pickles, and these.

Click on the link above to view the recipe I used.

Spiced Apple Slices

These I canned a couple of days ago, using just-picked Liberty apples from our tree. The slices are canned in a syrup with cinnamon sticks and cloves, and are quite good!




Keywords: Canned Spiced Apple Slices, spiced apple slices, canned apples

Pickled beets and eggs

Pickled beets and eggs, originally uploaded by Pockafwye.

I love picked beets. . .

Note:

"I pickled some beets and eggs for my husband. They're just slightly spicy."

Low Sang in Setiawan !

Low Sang in Setiawan !, originally uploaded by Lydd_Nel.

Photo note:

"This was taken during my trip to Setiawan, Perak. For Chinese New Year.

"Low Sang" (cantonese language "Low" is mix, "Sang" is raw) is a Chinese New Year tradition - all related to "Abundance, Prosperity & Vigor". Th is was prepared by my mom-in-law. A vegetarian "low sang". Raw fish was not added. A labour intensiveness dish of chopping and finely slicing of ingredients.
She added lemon juice too.

For me, the main reasons for doing this are; being surrounded by your relatives and friends (come together - come back from other states/countries), saying good wishes while mixing and tossing, and enjoying the food together.

This tradition is more widely known as "Yu sheng or Yee Shang".
(cantonese language "Yu" is homophone for the word for abundance - literally means Fish, "sheng/shang" is Raw)

The delicacy was invented 1,500 years ago in southern Chinese coastal areas such as Chaozhou and Shantou, during the Song Dynasty. According to legend, a Chinese female deity known as Nüwa (女娲) created mankind from clay and mud on the seventh day of the first month of the Lunar New Year. From then on, this day was known as the "Birthday of Man". It is believed that the fishermen and seafarers of ancient Southern China were very observant of this myth. On this day, yusheng would be prepared in feasts or religious ceremonies, not just to commemorate the event but also to show respect to Nüwa. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many of these fishermen immigrated to Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia and Singapore in search of a better life. They brought this traditional dish along with them.

Now, in the 21st century, "Lo Hei" -- tossing yusheng -- is a Singaporean/Malaysian Chinese New Year custom for families and friends to gather around the table and, on cue, proceeding to toss the shredded ingredients into the air with chopsticks while saying 吉祥话 (Jíxiáng Huà, auspicious wishes) out loud to mark the start of a prosperous new year.

Typical ingredients include: fresh salmon, daikon (white radish), carrot, red pepper (capsicum), ginger, kaffir lime leaves, Chinese parsley, chopped peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, Chinese shrimp crackers (or fried dried shrimp) or fried pieces of flour, five spice powder. The dressing is made primarily from plum sauce"

From : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yusheng
pachome2.pacific.net.sg/~willows5/singlish_Y.htm#yusheng
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickled_onion
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daikon = White Radish

homemade dill-pickled baby carrots & summer fruit compote (peach, strawberry, pineapple, watermelon, jalapeno, & raisins)

homemade dill-pickled baby carrots & summer fruit compote (peach, strawberry, pineapple, watermelon, jalapeno, & raisins), originally uploaded by methTICALman.

I would love to sample this. It's quite intriguing, and wonderfully bright.

homemade dill-pickled baby carrots & summer fruit compote (peach, strawberry, pineapple, watermelon, jalapeno, & raisins)

Fast & Easy Pickled Vegetables

Fast & Easy Pickled Vegetables, originally uploaded by beurremanie.

Fabulous colors. This is one reason why I love canning. It makes for a colorful pantry. Sometimes it's all I can do to put my jars on the shelves out of sight! I'd love to have a wall of pickled and canned things I could see during the day as well. . .

Photo note, and link:


for the recipe visit www.eddybles.com

A Sampler From the Pantry

A Sampler From the Pantry, originally uploaded by AlyssssylA.

Great work, and great ideas~

Note:

"It has been a busy summer and fall! And almost all this produce was either collected by me or Dave, bought at a farmers market or direct from the farmer. And I didn't use any white sugar, though I suspect Dave did for the watermelon rind pickles and the pears and peaches he did with his mom. We also have tons of dried pears and apples, fruit leather made from both fruits, dried plums, dried tomatoes and raisins. And then there's the alcoholic fermentes: grape, peach, apple, beer with local hops and local honey mead. And there are rosehips beconing me to turn them into jelly.
Christmas gifts, check! Sweet delights for cold winter days, check! :)"

Fried Pickle Day!

Fried Pickle Day!, originally uploaded by -Kerryn-.

Photo note:

"My flickr friend Tracie and I decided to experiment in the fine art of fried pickle making. I attempted mine tonight. I made two different batters, one with egg and one without, well actually I just added an egg to the original batter and more milk to thin it out.

The batter without egg was definatley better, the pickles turned out crunchier than the batter with the egg. Next time though I am going to try them with this recipe, but dunk them only once as suggested. :-)"

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fried-Dill-Pickles/Detail.aspx

NYC International Pickle Day Pickles

NYC International Pickle Day Pickles, originally uploaded by Harris Graber.

Photo note:

"Pickles waiting to be bought.
Seen at the Sixth Annual NYC International Pickle Day."

Pickling Cucumbers

Pickling Cucumbers, originally uploaded by feministjulie.

This looks so good, and reminds me very much of pickles my grandmother used to make with dill, vinegar, water and sugar. As an extra touch we'd add cherry tomatoes from the garden.

Photo note:

"Pickling Cucumbers

Pickled Spicy Dill Cucumbers. Midwestern style. It was so fragrant. The sharp aroma of the vinegar-y brine with the crispness of the cucumbers were rounded out so deliciously with the warmth of the fragrance of dill and shallots.

Now to the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then they'll be ready to eat!

(I found a version in Cooking Light, but have changed a few small details to suit my memory's tastes. My Busia (grandmother, in Polish) would be proud :))

Recipe:

4 or 5 medium cucumbers (or 3 to 3 1/2 large), seeded and thinly sliced
4 or 5 shallots, thinly sliced
1/3 C. fresh, chopped dill
1 to 2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes (depending on your preference)
1/3 C. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 C. white wine vinegar
4 C. Water

In a very large non-reactive bowl, combine water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the dill and shallots, stirring in to combine. Finally add the cucumber slices.

Cover with plastic wrap (if available - foil or something else if not) and refrigerate 1 day before serving.

Transfer to an airtight container for keeping, up to about 2 weeks but not longer as the cucumbers will start to break down.

Yum! :o)
"

ミディトマトのピクルス / pickles

ミディトマトのピクルス / pickles, originally uploaded by yomi955.

Photo note:

" extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, water, sugar, salt, black pepper, rosemary. pickled yesterday. "

Wall of Preserves & Pickles

Wall of Preserves & Pickles, originally uploaded by Sifu Renka.

Oh, this is amazing!

Photo note:

"JK is known to serve its own pickles and preserves. Depending on which jars are opened, that's the treat that the diners would get for the evening."

Seen on: livingmyrichlife.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/tomato-relishev...

Pickled Radish

Pickled Radish, originally uploaded by sreelus.

Pretty pickled radish ~

To find out more, please visit:

sreelus.blogspot.com/2008/05/pickled-radish-uravesina-mul...

Pickling Olives - Aceitunas Jaen. Spain

Pickling Olives - Aceitunas Jaen. Spain-0317, originally uploaded by jmoranmoya.

Gorgeous photo~

Note:

"My father recently bought 4 olive trees.
Now we are pickling the olive with the traditional recipe, just adding salt in a jar.
Olive process:
If the tree is large, place cloth sheets on the ground and strip the fruit from the tree with your hands or with a rake with suitably spaced prongs. Collect the fruit from the sheet, remove odd stems and leaves and rinse olives in clean water in a bucket.

Place the olives on a clean stone surface or cutting board and bruise them with another stone or hammer. Alternatively prick several times with a fork, or make three slits in the skin of each olive with a small serrated knife while turning the fruit between the thumb and index finger. This bruising, pricking or cutting will allow the water and salt to penetrate the fruit thereby drawing out the bitterness and also preserving it."

My first pickles!

My first pickles!, originally uploaded by stephee.

This photographer / pickler says:

"Bread and butter pickles - 2 batches (regular and spicy!), and pickled banana peppers in the back. I now understand why people used to do a lot of pickling. This is how you keep from wasting food... pickle it and save it for later. We have been overrun with cucumbers and banana peppers from the Grow Alabama (http://growalabama.com/ ) lately, and I had to do something. If only I could think of something to do with the yellow squash... Hmm.

Assortment Of Japanese Pickles (Konomono)

Assortment Of Japanese Pickles (Konomono), originally uploaded by Umbradox.

Photo note:

"Starting at about noon are some tiny red pickled fish (they were sort of sweet). The purple to the right of it were some sort of pickled flower. The yellow below that is pickled radish, and the green at the bottom is pickled turnip. The cream color at about 7 o clock is some bamboo shoots, and finally the green above that are picked cucumbers. This was a fun dish to try many different pickled items."

Colourful Pickles, Damascus

Colourful Pickles, Damascus, originally uploaded by friend_faraway -EID MUBARAK everyone!.

Great photo!

Photographer's note:

"I was really amazed the way the pickles are being displayed in the market in Bab Jabir, Damascus. I haven't tried that yet though!

Location : Bab Jabiyye, Damascus Old City - Syria"

International Pickle Day

Alexandra and the Pickle, originally uploaded by ranjit.

So, what kinds of things do we pickle? As we head further into our canning season, I'll be looking at the different kinds of pickles we make, and how they vary.

The note on this image:

"Alexandra and the Pickle - at the 6th Annual NYC International Pickle Day"

Wow - I'd like to know more about this!

Vietnamese Seitan Baguette with Savory Broth Dip

Vietnamese Seitan Baguette with Savory Broth Dip, originally uploaded by tofu666.

So, in searching for tortilla meals, I got off on a Seitan Tangent! Here's another dish. . .

Photo note:

"a test recipe for Veganomicon -- seitan sandwich with cucumbers, onions, vegenaise and cilantro... yum!

the dip is spicy (veg stock, five-spice, red pepper flakes, etc) and balances the cool cucumber crunch when you dip your sandwich in it.


http://veganmenu.blogspot.com/

seitan escalope

seitan escalope, originally uploaded by VeganWarrior.

This looks so good!

Photo note:

"Seitan Escalope
recipe in English and Spanish
100% vegetarian

http://creativegan.net/news/archives/escalope-de-seitan/

Escalope de seitán
receta en castellano e inglés
100% vegetariano

Seitan - What is seitan? - Definition of Seitan - How to Make Seitan

Seitan - What is seitan? - Definition of Seitan - How to Make Seitan

Shared via AddThis

Seitan Tortilla Wraps

Seitan Tortilla Wraps, originally uploaded by Seitti.

We're making one of our staple dinners tonight - tortillas filled with rice, cheese, beans, and veggies, among other additions (subject to change, depending on what's on hand).

This photographer / cook says:

"Whole wheat tortillas with fried seitan (seitan recipe from Veganomicon), avocado, tomato, lettuce, salsa and soy yogurt sauce."

This sounds great, and using yogurt is wonderful. We make our own, and it's so good. . . more on *that* later.

Cookus Interruptus on NPR~ Packing a Lunchbox

I just discovered this short program on KUOW, our local NPR station, called "Cookus Interruptus," which combines humor with real recipes for hectic days.

For a quickie video on Packing a Lunchbox, take a look:

Refrigerator Pickles

Here are the simple refrigerator pickles I made last night:


I used 6 cups 1/4 in. sliced ripe (long) cukes, 1 cup sliced onion, celery seeds, salt, water and vinegar. Let sit a few hours, then bottle. Should keep in the fridge for a few months. However, in our house, they won't last the week - once they're ready to eat, that is.

Pickles!

Pickles!, originally uploaded by Meer.

These look great.

This photographer says:

"Decided to "preserve" some of the vegetables I'm getting from my farm as we get a little too much to eat in a week. Of course, now they still take up fridge space since I don't have a canner, but at least will stick around for 3 more months.

The pickle chips were made with some store-bought cukes I bought to supplement the batch and taste fine. The farm cukes (the spears) are bitter, and I don't know if it's the cucumbers, or the garlic I added only to the spears. *Sigh* Apparently I needed more controls on taste."

* * *

So, what does one do with the fruit that has steeped long in the juice?

Peach Brandy/Vodka Jam


Years ago I made my first batch of Peach Cordial, and the chopped peaches, when I took them out of the brandy and vodka, looked so fresh and beautiful it seemed a shame to toss them out. The color was vibrant, and the flesh still holding enough life to make something else.

I looked up the cooked jam recipe for peaches on my pectin packet, and my fruit was on its way to its final stage.

Peach Jam, with (more than just a little) Hint of Brandy and Vodka. Oh, so good. Good enough, in fact, that I had to do it again this year.

When I pulled the peaches out of the liquor, I had exactly one quart, packed. After crushing the fruit (which was sliced for the cordial) I had just enough (well, okay, a little more) for one batch of jam. The yield was supposed to be 7 cups; I got 8. And as it didn't have to cook very long, it still retained the essence of the brandy/vodka mixture. Most excellent, IMHO.

Peach Cordial - bottled

I'm just sieving my peach brandy, which has been sitting and steeping for almost 3 weeks. I've bottled it, and as I did last time, I've decided to keep the fruit for making jam. It's just too good to toss out!

Here is the brandy, bottled. It will now sit a month or more - let the remaining cloudiness settle out.

Brandied Peach Parfait

Brandied Peach Parfait, originally uploaded by Delicious Desserts.

Mmm, something to do with the peaches I've removed from the brandy / vodka mixture, (making peach cordial). If I have peaches left over from making jam, I might have to give this a try!

The Potato Eaters by Leonard E. Nathan : American Life in Poetry

The Potato Eaters by Leonard E. Nathan : American Life in Poetry

Shared via AddThis


Leonard Nathan is a master of short poems in which two or three figures are placed on what can be seen to be a stage, as in a drama. Here, as in other poems like it, the speaker's sentences are rich with implications. This is the title work from Nathan's book from Orchises Press (1999):

The Potato Eaters

Sometimes, the naked taste of potato

reminds me of being poor.

The first bites are gratitude,

the rest, contented boredom.

The little kitchen still flickers

like a candle-lit room in a folktale.

Never again was my father so angry,

my mother so still as she set the table,

or I so much at home.

The Potato Eaters

The potato Eaters, originally uploaded by mikepicos.

by Vincent Van Gogh

Potato Rolls

Potato Rolls, originally uploaded by alida saxon.

So many things to do with potatoes. I love making potato bread, and these rolls look fantastic.

This baker / photographer says:

"I've been trying forever to get a decent potato roll recipe and after so many duds I decided to make my own recipe. I used my foolproof pizza dough recipe (http://www.flickr.com/photos/seian/2125173209/in/set-201582/) as the base and worked from there. They make wonderfully tender rolls puff well and aren't at all cake-y like some potato recipes. There also isn't a ton of sugar like some recipes.

This is a very wet dough (it will seem almost frighteningly so, but with a dusting of flour and moving fast it's quite manageable and very similar to making Ciabatta. I use sweet potato for this recipe. It gives it a lovely golden-peach color and it's a healthier starch than the white potato.

Sweet Potato Rolls

1 c mashed sweet or white potato
2 1/2 c warm potato water
2 Tbsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp white or raw sugar
6 Tbsp olive or any vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
6 c all purpose flour
6 Tbsp wheat gluten

Peel and cut enough potato to make one cup mashed, boil until very tender. Do not discard the water. You will be saving this for the recipe. Yeast loves potato water. Mash or rice the potato without adding butter or milk. If you find it very dry, just use a little bit of your cooking water.

In mixing bowl put your reserved potato water, adding warm water if you don't have enough to make the full 2 1/2 cups. Add sugar and yeast and let it sit until frothy (5-10 min).

Throw everything else in but the salt. Start the mixer with your bread hook and when it's almost come together add the salt. mix on medium for 3-4 minutes scraping the sides and making sure there's no pockets of dry flour. Again, it will be a very wet dough. Don't panic and don't add more flour unless it's soupy.

Let rise until double (1-2+ hours) Dust the counter or a tea towel with flour, scrape out the dough, dust it with more flour on top. Us a pastry scraper to divide the recipe into roll sized pieces. You should get at least 20 hamburger sized rolls out of the batch. Shape them and place on parchment paper lined baking trays. Let rise until double. (30min-1hr).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spritz the rolls and inside of oven just before putting rolls in to bake. Bake for 20-30 mins until puffed, golden and the bottoms are golden as well. Done!

Notes: I don't use the pizza stone for this. I find it pulls out too much moisture for these tender rolls - they come out very crispy and sort of flat. Still good, but not like it ought to. I use my airbake pans and cook on the middle shelf for this and it works very well.

If you've got bread flour, just use 6c and 6T. I just didn't have any on hand so I use the wheat gluten.

Leave the boiled potato whole until it's just about to go in. This way it doesn't suck up a lot of excess liquid and it doesn't create lumps in the dough.

I've never made these using potato flakes but I don't see why it wouldn't work. I just suggest replacing the milk the box calls for with more water.

If you like making your breads with a Poolish, the night before boil your potato, let it cool a bit then mash it into 1c warm potato water, 1c of the flour and 1/2 T of the yeast in a large bowl. This will froth up quite a bit. The next morning prepare the remaining ingredients like normal, scraping in the poolish after the sugar, remaining yeast and water has frothed. Using a poolish is not necessary, it's just the way I like to do it since I have to cook the potato ahead of time anyway."

Azabu Sabo - Green Tea Ice Cream and warm Sweet Potato

Azabu Sabo - Green Tea Ice Cream and warm Sweet Potato, originally uploaded by tychenyt.

This looks very interesting. I can totally see me trying it~

Note:

"One of my most favorite Japanese desserts when I go to Taiwan. It's a combination of warm sweet potato and topping it with ice cream and green tea syrup. Yummm..."

Potato, chorizo & rocket hash with a fried egg

Potato, chorizo & rocket hash with a fried egg, originally uploaded by Niamheen.

Beautiful presentation. Great idea for breakfast~

The photographer says:

"Recipe on my blog - eatlikeagirl.wordpress.com.
http://eatlikeagirl.wordpress.com/2007/07/02/chorizo-rocket-new-potato-hash-with-a-fried-egg/

This photo made flickr explore on July 1st #489.

And it is a wonderful photo. Great color!

what's for dinner? // mediterranean sweet potato pizza (vegan)

what's for dinner? // mediterranean sweet potato pizza (vegan), originally uploaded by dothezonk.

Okay, this looks very good~

Photo note:

"This was what I made for Geoff and Jess on LOST night.

The crust was made with stone ground whole wheat flour and mashed sweet potato. I think that next time it will look a lot nicer since I have a better idea of how it cooks up. I definitely definitely want to make it again, as it seemed to be a hit!"

For the recipe, visit:

http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/257/mckeith7.jsp

Potato flower - and a little bit about potatoes

Fior di patata (Potato flower), originally uploaded by Luigi FDV.

Photo note:

"The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family. The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species. Potatoes are the world's fourth largest food crop, following rice, wheat, and corn.
Wild potato species occur from the United States to Uruguay and Chile.Genetic testing of the wide variety of cultivars and wild species suggest that the potato has a single origin in the area of southern Peru, from a species in the Solanum brevicaule complex. However, although Peru is essentially the birthplace of the potato, today over 99% of all cultivated potatoes worldwide are descendants of a subspecies indigenous to south-central Chile. Based on historical records, local agriculturalists, and DNA analyses, the most widely cultivated variety worldwide, Solanum tuberosum tuberosum, is believed to be indigenous to Chiloé Archipelago where it was cultivated as long as 10,000 years ago.
The potato was introduced to Europe in 1536, and subsequently by European mariners to territories and ports throughout the world. Thousands of varieties persist in the Andes, where over 100 varieties might be found in a single valley, and a dozen or more might be maintained by a single agricultural household. Once established in Europe, the potato soon became an important food staple and field crop."

Potato Types and Varieties :: Harvest to Table

Potato Types and Varieties :: Harvest to Table

Shared via AddThis

Potato

Potato, originally uploaded by matisok.

Note:

"Our homegrown potatoes (are) a success"

Potatoes!

From The Hot Potato
http://www.thehotpotato.com/english/potato_facts.htm

Potato Trivia

• A potato is about 80% water and 20% solid.
• Henry Spalding first planted potatoes in Idaho in 1837
• "French Fries" were introduced to America when Thomas Jefferson served them at a Whitehouse dinner.
• United States potato lovers consumed more than 4 million tons of French Fries in various shapes and sizes.
• Potatoes are a powerful aphrodisiac, says a physician in Ireland.
• The average American eats 140 pounds of potatoes per year. Germans eat more than 200 pounds per year.
• The largest potato grown was 18 pounds and 4 ounces according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It was grown in England in 1795.
• The highest volume baked potato restaurant, The Hot Potato, is located in Plaza las Americas in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• 
  

* * * * *


From Cook's Thesaurus:
http://www.foodsubs.com/Potatoes.html

Best for baking: russet potato

Best for potato salads, gratins, and scalloped potatoes: Yellow Finn potato, new potato, red-skinned potato, white round potato, and purple potato

Best for mashing: russet potato, Yukon gold potato, Caribe potato, and purple potato

Best for soups and chowders: Yukon gold potato, Yellow Finn potato, red-skinned potato, white round potato, and purple potato

Best for pan-frying: red-skinned potatoes, white round potatoes, new potatoes, and fingerling potatoes

Best for French fries: russet potato, purple potato, Bintje potato

Best for purees: fingerling potatoes

Best for roasting: new potatoes, Bintje potatoes

Best for steaming: new potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes

Best for potato pancakes: russet potato, Yukon Gold potato

Home grown potatoes

Home grown potatoes 01-Jul-2009, originally uploaded by andy_0306uk.

We just harvested a few more potatoes this evening, and they look a bit like these in the photo. What we've eaten so far this summer has been every so tasty, and much better than any store-bought potato.

This photographer says:

"First batch of home grown potatoes grown in a large plant pot. Managed to get 20 salad potatoes"

Mini Red Potato With Sour Cream And Tobiko

Mini Red Potato With Sour Cream And Tobiko, originally uploaded by ComeUndone.

This looks wonderful - great color and presentation~

Note:


"This is a great made-ahead hors d'ouvre that's easy enough to prepare by a kid. Scrub the new potato well and boil them in salted water until tender. Slice off a bit from the top and a tiny bit from the bottom so the potato can stand still on a plate. Top each potatoe with a tiny quenelle of sour cream (or creme fraiche if you have it at home), a little bit of tobiko, and garnish with two tiny lengths of chives.

The colour contrast is beautiful and I guarantee that this dish will stand out on a buffet table!"

tornado potato

tornado potato, originally uploaded by superlocal.

While on the theme of potatoes:

Photo note:

"what a crazily amazing way to present (& cook) a potato!
more food theatrics, please! ^^

Hongdae"

What is Kombucha tea? What are the health benefits of Kombucha tea?

Here's another article regarding Kombucha tea, this time from the Mayo Clinic.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/kombucha-tea/AN01658

Kombucha

New Flavors, originally uploaded by capaqua.

I'm quickly becoming a fan of this drink. It's highly charged - so much so that the caps have to be sealed in extra plastic, and there is a warning on the shelf of the cooler where the drinks are kept. Do not shake. The high pressure inside has been known to "remove" the caps!

Anyway, next I'll post a link to an article I found when wondering about making this at home. I suppose the risks are somewhat akin to those of any home canning? Any thoughts on this?