Mar 2023 | Culinary Lifestyle Round-Up
Spice Blends, Instant-Read Thermometer, Chocolate, and MORE...!
Each month, I gather helpful and interesting tidbits relating to food, wine, kitchen tools or tips, articles or books, and music that help shape my culinary lifestyle. Use them as guides and inspiration. And, feel free to share some of your own.
I currently receive no compensation for any products or brands listed here. I simply enjoy sharing the information.
FOOD
Spiceology Spice Blends
I am always on the lookout for high-quality spice blends. Lately, I have been playing around with a few offered by Spiceology, a chef-owned and operated company based in Washington state. Their wish is for home cooks and chefs to “experiment with flavor”.
Our blends are made with real flavors and real ingredients that surprise and delight through innovative combinations, not boring fillers like salt and sugar. They‘re ground fresh in small batches and shipped fresh from Spokane.
I find the blends to be unique, flavorful, and fun to use. So far, I’ve been reaching for the Rosemary Dijon (Ro) and Greek Freak Mediterranean (Gf) to quickly add zip to veggies, proteins, sauces, and marinades. I am looking forward to using others, as well.
SPECIAL OFFER FOR LCK Cooking Well READERS! Use promo code APPRECIATE10 at checkout to receive a 10% discount on orders* from Spiceology. (*limited number of orders per customer)
WINE
Soave
My first taste of Soave was at a wine tasting offered by a favorite local wine shop. It was such a favorite that my husband and I purchased many bottles of this pleasant wine over time, sometimes securing the last ones of their shipment.
Soave is an Italian dry white wine from the Veneto region. It is light-bodied with flavors of peach, melon, and citrus somewhat similar to Sauvignon Blanc. I have paired this wine with seafood, vegetables, risotto, creamy pasta dishes, fruit, and appetizers.
The particular Soave that I purchased is Tamellini Soave. Although I have not been able to find it in my local wine shops any longer, it appears to be available online. Others that are highly rated include:
Inama Soave Classico Vin Soave
Gini Soave La Froscà or Gini Soave Classico
Suavia Monte Riserva Carbonare or Suavia Monte Carbonare
HELPFUL KITCHEN TOOL
Many times we can determine if food is finished cooking by how it looks. But, when cooking meats, especially poultry, testing the internal temperature is an essential step. I highly recommend having a good quality Instant-Read Thermometer in your essential cooking tools kit.
Here are two that I recommend from my own experience, and that garner high praise from other chefs as well as Cook’s Illustrated.
Thermoworks ThermaPop
Thermoworks ThermaPen
ARTICLES
On the ever-advancing health and nutrition front, I was unaware until recently that there could be a problem with the dark chocolate I have in my pantry. Apparently, dark chocolate can contain heavy metals, particularly lead, and cadmium. Really? In chocolate?
A good friend first brought this to my attention a couple of months ago, and sure enough, I read several articles shortly thereafter. The general consensus seems to be that we don’t need to stop enjoying dark chocolate - it still has a good deal of nutritional value - yet we may wish to consider the amount we consume, and be aware of alternate choices. Some of my favorite brands are on the not-so-good list, so I plan to explore better options.
Check it out for yourself.
Wait . . . Is Dark Chocolate Bad For You? - by Miye Bromberg at America’s Test Kitchen, February 14, 2023
Do I Need to Avoid Dark Chocolate Now? - By Alice Callahan, New York Times, Feb. 9, 2023
Lead and Cadmium Could Be in Your Dark Chocolate - published by Kevin Loria in Consumer Reports, December 15, 2022
MUSIC
Take a listen, move to the beat, and maybe add this to your cooking playlist.
Circles by Post Malone
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