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Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

Pectin and Jam-making

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One of my earliest culinary memories is my grandmother making pineapple jam during summer. My grandmother’s pineapple jam is the product of what has become a ritual in our family, and one that signals that yes, summer is here.

I may not have had the same interest in the culinary arts at that young age but the process of making jam was still interesting enough to warrant my attention. One thing that I found curious at that time was her addition of pectin to the jam. I’ve always wondered what it was for. At that time I thought it was an ingredient that added flavor to the jam. Only when I got older and starting reading about the stuff did I find out that pectin is used to help thicken the jam. [Read more…]

The Lowdown on Washing Meat

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I’ve noticed that there are two kinds of habits I see whenever I watch my friends cook. During ingredient preparation, I have friends who take out the meat from the fridge and rinse it first before cutting the meat. But I also have friends who immediately work on the meat straight out of the refrigerator – they don’t wash or rinse the meat.

This has left me with a nagging question in my head. Do we need to wash meat we buy at the butcher shop or supermarket? [Read more…]

How to Serve a Cheese Platter

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If you want to really impress your dinner guests, or provide some fancy nibbles at your next party or get-together, why not learn how to put together a sophisticated cheese platter?

Complements

A cheese platter is an assortment of cheese, sometimes served with fruit, nuts or other finger foods which serve to complement the flavours of the cheese. Cheese platters usually also include crackers or other flat breads to eat the cheese with.

Of course, anyone can throw a few crackers on a plate with a few slices of orange cheddar and pass it around the table, but preparing an elegant and professional looking cheese platter is somewhat of an art. If you want to go the extra mile and perfect your cheese platter, here are some special tips: [Read more…]