| |
 
| PICK
Your Cuisine |
 |
|
|
|
| |
 Rosemary, a Spice of Life
Rosemary, a Spice of Life.
It is no accident that the word spice is associated with other words like excitement, zing, zest, and pizzazz. Spices are what bring out flavors and aromas that make your taste buds sing. The old standbys, salt and pepper, are used by the most. Other spices such as cumin, tarragon, and rosemary, are foreign to most people. They smell tantalizing but people do not know what spices to use with what foods. Yet, spices can make boring foods more interesting. Experimenting with new spices, can create a fun-filled cooking experience.
Do not be afraid to try a spice that you have never used. Take rosemary for example. For the longest time, the only things I knew about rosemary were it was a plant, it was used on lamb (which I had never tried cooking), and there was a song about it and its three friends, parsley, sage, and thyme. It was only after a friend of mine introduced me to it that I fell in love with it.
Rosemary has a distinctly, robust, woody flavoring that melds nicely with many types of foods. It also has a slight mint that surprises the senses. It is no wonder that rosemary has always been linked to the magical. It is said, in an old myth, that it attracts elves. It was once used to represent love, faithfulness, and fertility. If you smell its aroma with your eyes closed you are instantly transported to a lush forests, it is almost as if you can feel a breeze.
If you wonder why I am obsessed with this particular spice then you obviously have never had the delight of using it in cooking or eaten anything that used it. Native to the Mediterranean area, rosemary is a member of the mint family, hence the slight touch of mint. Despite its beautiful purple flowers, it is the “pine needle” leaves that are the cherished spice. It can be used dried or fresh and compliments many dishes not just lamb.
Rosemary combines nicely with lemons and other citrus in dishes and drinks. Put some rosemary in your next batch of lemonade to add a new twist on an old favorite. Chicken, pork, beef, and vegetables are all complimented nicely by this herb. Rosemary added to breads and stuffings make them irresistible.
My favorite recipe is my friend’s mother’s (Mrs. Hyre), recipe for a lemon and rosemary pound cake. The flavors meld so nicely. It goes great fresh out of the oven with a cup of hot tea. Mrs. Hyre has graciously given me permission to use her recipe so that you too may begin to enjoy this wonderful spice.
Mrs. Hyre’s Irresistible Lemon-Rosemary Pound Cake
Ingredients
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, coarsely crushed, divided (you can use dried if need be)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup oil or 1 cup applesauce
½ cup and 3 teaspoons lemon juice (Mrs. Hyre says she uses fresh squeezed)
2 tablespoons lemon zest
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Directions
Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour a bundt pan. Sprinkle bottom of pan with 1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary. Combine 1 teaspoon of the rosemary with everything but the confectioner’s sugar and ½ cup lemon juice. Then beat on high for three minutes. Pour into the bundt pan and cook for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. About ten minutes before it is done, combine the rest of the lemon juice, rosemary, and the confectioner’s sugar together in a pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for one minute. When the cake is done, poke holes into it, and pour half of the glaze over it. Let the cake stand for ten minutes, then invert onto a plate, .finish by pouring rest of glaze over the top.
Make it for your family or for guests, everyone will love it. Everyone I know does.
Jennifer Wilson Freelance Writer
For Valleyx.com City2City Networks, Inc.
back |
|
|
|
|
December 2008
|
|
| M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
S |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
| 8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
| 15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
| 22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
| 29 |
30 |
31 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | View full Calendar |
|
