Kitchen Knives

It is absolutely essential to have a decent set of kitchen knives.   After 40 plus years, I have recently replaced my set of knives and also an amazing state of the art knife sharpener which also sharpens scissors.   It does the job in seconds to razor blade sharpness.   The difference when preparing food is quite remarkable - I usually use a very large and heavy wooden chopping board, which is the best surface for preparation.

Before Starting a New Recipe

My main tip would be that before you start cooking, lay out all your ingredients neatly plus all the utensils and dishes so that nothing is forgotten.   When entertaining, write short notes for reminders and allow plenty of time so that you can relax and enjoy the dishes you prepare.   Try and prepare as much as you can in advance, especially the day before - even like laying the table etc.

I have invested in a set of 12 small glass dishes (Amazon) and always measure out my ingredients into these dishes, colanders, bowls depending on quantities before starting the cooking process.

PLEASE CHECK THE WEIGHT AND SIZE OF ALL FOOD PACKAGING

Since starting this website ten years ago, recent galloping inflation exacerbated by both Brexit and the Ukraine War has meant that pretty well everything is now being repackaged with LESS than the usual quantity but for either the same or a higher price.

It is essential to check the quantities when doing the shopping as the original recipes don't necessarily have the required ingredients in the same weight - which is incredibly frustrating!

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

Vegan:

This diet eliminates meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products, as well as other animal-derived products, such as honey. On this diet you are also restricted from rennet, gelatin, collagen and other types of animal protein; stocks or fats derived from animals.

Veganism also goes a little further than just dietary decisions. Strict vegans also extend their choices to any product that directly or indirectly involves the human use of animals. These products include leather goods, wool, silk, beeswax, cosmetics tested on animals, latex products that contain casein (which comes from milk proteins), and certain soaps and candles derived from animal fats.

Vegetarian:

Vegetarians abstain from the consumption of all animal flesh products, like red meat, fish and poultry. This may also include the abstention of by-products of animals processed for food. Apart from the health benefits of possibly reducing your risk of chronic diseases, it’s also adopted for ethical or environmental reasons.

There are several sub-types of vegetarians:

Lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet: Eliminates meat, fish and poultry but allows eggs and dairy products. 
Lacto-vegetarian diet: Eliminates meat, fish, poultry and eggs but allows dairy products. 
Ovo-vegetarian diet: Eliminates meat, fish, poultry and dairy products but allows eggs.

Some vegetarians also apply some of the vegan principles to their lifestyle, by avoiding goods involved in animal testing or created with animal-like leather goods.

What it means to be plant-based:

Being plant-based typically refers specifically to one’s diet alone.

Many people use the term “plant-based” to indicate that they eat a diet that either entirely or mostly comprises plant foods. However, some people may call themselves plant-based and still eat certain animal-derived products. 

Others use the term “whole foods, plant-based” to describe their diet as being made up of mostly whole plant foods that are raw or minimally processed.

Someone on a whole foods, plant-based diet will also avoid oils and processed grains, whereas these foods may be consumed on a vegan or otherwise plant-based diet. 

The “whole foods” part is an important distinction, as so many processed vegan foods exist. For instance, certain varieties of boxed mac and cheese, hot dogs, cheese slices, bacon, and even “chicken” nuggets are vegan, but they would not fit on a whole foods, plant-based diet. 

You can be both plant-based and vegan:

It’s possible to be both plant-based and vegan, as these terms are not meant to divide people based on the lifestyle they choose. 

Many people may start out as vegan, avoiding animal products in their diet primarily for ethical or environmental reasons, but then adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet to achieve their health goals. 

On the other hand, some people may start out eating a whole foods, plant-based diet and then decide to expand into veganism by aligning the rest of their lifestyle, avoiding animal products in other non-food areas as well.

Pescatarian:

This diet abstains from eating all meat and animal flesh (like red meat and poultry) with the exception of fish. A pescatarian is someone who maintains a vegetarian diet with the addition of fish and other seafood like shrimp, mussels, salmon, crabs and lobster.

However, a pescatarian is not considered a vegetarian—the diets are separate from each other. A vegetarian diet excludes all animals.

Pescatarians are allowed beans and legumes like tofu and tempeh, vegetables, grains, fruits and dairy products. One benefit of this diet is the moderate consumption of fish or fish oils, which are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, a necessary part of one’s diet.

Flexitarian:

This includes people who eat mostly vegetarian but occasionally eat meat which includes red meat, poultry, seafood and fish. Also referred to as a semi-vegetarian, when they do choose to meat, it’s sometimes free-range or organic animal products. There is no firm definition as to how much meat you should eat during the week, whether it’s once a day, once a week or occasionally, this diet is up to the individual person. 

Macrobiotic:

Popularized by the Japanese, the Macrobiotic diet isn’t just about eating certain foods, it’s also about achieving balance in your life through food choices. Macrobiotic dieters are encouraged to eat regularly, chew their food thoughtfully, listen to their bodies, be active and maintain a positive mental outlook.

Macrobiotic eaters can have whole grains, vegetables and beans. About 40-60 percent of the diet should be organically-grown whole grains, like brown rice, barley, millet, oats and corn. 20 to 30 percent of the diet should be vegetables (with a high emphasis on Asian vegetables like daikon and bok choy, and sea vegetables, like seaweed, nori and agar). 5 to 10 percent of the diet is dedicated to beans and legumes, like tofu and tempeh.

You can have fresh fish and seafood, locally-grown fruit, pickles and nuts. Rice syrup is one of the sweeteners you can have occasionally.

Macrobiotic eaters do not eat dairy, eggs, poultry, red meat, refined sugars along with tropical fruits, fruit juice and certain vegetables like asparagus, eggplant, spinach, tomatoes and zucchini. Also, anything spicy is strongly discouraged along with strong alcoholic beverages, soda, coffee and anything refined, processed or chemically-preserved.

This diet even goes as far as to determine which kind of kitchenware to use. Cooking utensils should be made from certain materials such as wood or glass, while some materials like plastic, copper and non-stick coatings should be avoided.

Ref. Healthonline

What’s the Difference Between a Brine and a Marinade?

By: MAX FALKOWITZ  Photo: DENNY CULBERT from taste.com

And why neither does quite what you think.

Whether you’re roasting a whole turkey or grilling a single flank steak, one of the keys to carnivorous cooking success is controlling the amount of moisture in your meat. The higher a piece of meat’s internal temperature, the tighter its muscle fibers become as proteins bind up and literally squeeze moisture out of the muscle.

Enter the brine, a salty bath in which you soak a cut of meat that uses osmotic pressure to literally push extra moisture into the muscle tissue. Brining acts as overcooking insurance, adding juiciness to meat with water and keeping it anchored there with salt.

Marinades, on the other hand, are primarily about flavoring. In addition to salt and liquid, they usually feature an acidic component, which cooks often claim is there to “tenderize” the meat.

In truth, the acid in vinegar or lime juice isn’t strong enough to do any real tenderizing in the 4 to 24 hours usually reserved for marinating. But the marinade does coat the surface of the meat with salt and flavorings. Those flavors don’t wind up penetrating very far into the muscle, but even a surface treatment can add the perception of extra flavor and juiciness on your tongue. And ultimately, that’s more important than any water retention percentage.

Common Spiralizable Vegetables

Following this alphabetical list is a complete, detailed description of each vegetable, including best practices for cooking and storing:

     Apple
     Beet
     Bell Pepper
     Broccoli
     Butternut Squash
     Cabbage
     Carrot
     Celeriac
     Chayote Squash
     Cucumber
     Daikon Radish
     Jicama
     Kohlrabi
     Onion
     Parsnip
     Pear
     Plantain
     Radish, black
     Rutabaga
     Sweet Potato
     Taro Root
     Turnip
     White Potato
     Zucchini + Summer Squash

     The vegetable cannot be hollow, seeded or have a tough core.
     The vegetable must be at least 1.5″ in diameter for best experience.
     The vegetable should be at least 2″ long for best experience.
    The vegetable must have a firm, solid flesh (no squishy, juicy fruits or veggies.)

 
You can make pasta strips using a veg peeler if you don't have a spiraliszer.    I initially bought a horizontal version, but it was very limiting and so took it back and bought the Japanese Benriner model which can spiralize 20 different veg!

A tip worth noting is that the plastic, horizontal spiralisers don't seem to cope with the harder vegetables!   It is quite hard work, but a great way to present vegetables differently and enjoy healthier eating habits.

20 CLEVER WAYS TO USE A SPIRALISER  - Click Here

Baking - Use silicon sheets for baking - food doesn't stick to these, or you can use greaseproof paper.

Casseroles - when cooking a casserole, before putting on the lid, make a cartouche with greaseproof paper or silver foil to help prevent evaporation of liquid.

Garlic - to bake perfect soft garlic to be used in sauces, casseroles and other dishes - simply take an entire whole head of garlic and then cut the tops of the garlic head off so that all the individual cloves are exposed, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in the piece of kitchen foil and place on the same tray for about 20 minutes.  The soft garlic is easy to squeeze out of the papery outer layers and also come away in whole cloves.  The foil protects the garlic from charring and the heat and moisture retained by the foil make the garlic soft, sweet and buttery.

Herbs - you can keep certain herbs like bay leaves, mint, tarragon and sprigs of rosemary and thyme in ziplocked bags in the freezer. 

Pastry - When making vegan pastry, always roll the dough between two sheets of greaseproof paper to avoid it sticking and falling apart and use the paper to help turn it out.

Shallots - easiest way to remove skins is to slice the top and bottoms off each shallot,  make a sharp cut from top to bottom on the remaining skin, cover with boiling water and leave for ten minutes.   The shallots will swell and the remaining skins will come away easily.

Tomatoes - make a cut in the shape of a cross on the top of each tomato.    Cover with boiling water for 5-10 minutes, the skins will then peel away effortlessly.