It’s Pumpkin Time!!

The pumpkin.  It has become a symbol of harvest, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, and can be found in a variety of colors: orange (the one everyone knows), white, tan, and rarely seen red, and blue.  But what exactly is a pumpkin?  According to Wikipedia, “a pumpkin is a gourd-like squash…and is native to North America.”  The University of Illinois published a list of facts about pumpkins, which includes how they “…contain potassium and vitamin A….are used for feed for animals….Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine.”  And so, the tradition continues with stores everywhere displaying bountiful arrangements of pumpkins signaling the upcoming holidays.  Growing up, I always looked forward to this time of year with the smells of baking bread, cinnamon, cloves, apples, and pumpkin greeting me as I arrived home from school.  Weekends were spent playing with friends, running and trudging through piles of orange and yellow leaves or visiting family. 

The Art of Handcrafted Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise.  We’ve all seen it and eaten it, or know someone who has an aversion to it (possibly).  But what exactly is mayonnaise; where did it come from?  Well, first, it is a condiment.^[1]   Multiple sources state that it is a cold emulsion of egg yolks and oil, flavored with vinegar (or lemon juice), seasonings and spices.  It is one of the classic Mother Sauces (along with Hollandaise) because it is used as a base for so many things, such as salad dressings and dipping sauces.^[4]  The origins of this are credited to multiple people:  the personal chef of Louis-Francois-Armand de Vignerot du Plessis, duc de Richelieu in 1756; the French chef Marie Antoine Careme; the French cities of Bayonne and Les Mayons; in 1589 after the Battle of Arques in honor of Charles de Lorraine, duc de Mayenne.^[1,3]  According to the website, whatscookingamerica.net, “In 1910, Nina Hellman….made a dressing that her husband used on the sandwiches and salads he used in his New York delicatessen.”^[3]  He sold it to customers, and eventually in 1912, Hellman’s® Mayonnaise was officially for sale.

Homemade Brown Sugar

Mmmmm, brown sugar.  Just the words conjure images of baked deliciousness.  So many recipes use this wonderful brown sweetness – from bacon to desserts to chicken.  Try to imagine your favorite chocolate chip cookies without it.  Horrifying!  But what exactly is brown sugar?  I found a couple interesting links.  One, from www.ehow.com states that it’s “made from sugar cane or sugar beets…cut and squeezed for their juice, which is boiled until it thickens to molasses.”¹  It is then stripped and dried.  Foodtimeline.org is another site that always has such interesting information as well.

General Tso’s Chicken

Of all the recipes I have tried, the one I return to regularly is my adaptation for General Tso’s Chicken.  I took for granted that this delicious concoction would be available wherever I went.  After relocating to California I could not find a version of the dish I remembered and previously enjoyed.

Cedar Park Farmers Market

Farmers markets are a great way to meet and patronage local businesses.  According to Wikipedia, “Farmers markets are a traditional way of selling agricultural and home manufactured products.”¹  Whenever cruising the aisles at a farmers market, one will often see for sale – local produce, baked items, beverages, and crafts tables.  Some markets are also fortunate to have available local honey, meats, nuts, and food trucks.

Having been in the Austin area officially four months, it was time to pay a visit to the local farmers market.  First up – the Cedar Park Farmers Market, located at the Lakeline Mall in…Cedar Park.  How have I missed this wonderful gathering of local farmers and business for the last four months?

Macaroni and Cheese

 

Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate American comfort food.  Many people grew up enjoying the stuff from the Kraft ® Macaroni & Cheese box.  But, did you know that while many believe this is an American dish, it actually originated in Italy?  Oh, and the ingredients did not come from a box.  Shocking, right?  Well, according to TLC on their “How Stuff Works” page, “back in the 13^th century an Italian cookbook, Liber de Coquina (Book of Cooking), included a recipe that food historians believe is the first macaroni and cheese recipe.”¹    There are multiple stories on the internet that credit Thomas Jefferson with bringing the recipe and a pasta machine from Italy home to his daughter, Mary Rudolph, who then made it for White House dinner parties.  According to the Monticello website, Mr. Jefferson brought neither the recipe nor the pasta machine.  The machine was shipped from Naples to Paris, and eventually listed among Mr. Jefferson’s household items shipped from Philadelphia to Monticello in 1793.  He did make the recipe popular by serving it to dinner guests during his presidency.²  Apparently the original cheese (possibly Parmesan) was replaced with white American cheese.    In 1937 Kraft foods introduced Mac & Cheese during the Great Depression, selling 8 million boxes that year.³  And a brand was born.