Herbes de Provence

When I started cooking for our family a few years ago I came upon many ingredients I had never heard of before.  One ingredient was Herbes de Provence.  Where is or what is Provence anyway?

A cookbook suggested it was a mix of Italian spices, so not having any Herbs de Provence on hand, I used dried basil and oregano for the recipe.

I now know the flavor is more complex and originated from the Provence area of south eastern France, adjacent to Italy. Herbes de Provence today is a blend of basil, thyme, fennel, (some also add savory) and lavender to be used on meat, fish, pasta and pizza.

The lavender was probably a later addition to the original blend.  Some suggest the truly original blend of dried herbs used in that region consisted of only sage, thyme and basil.

You can buy your Herbs de Provence pre-mixed, or acquire your own dried herbs and blend them yourself.

When a recipe calls for Herbs de Provence, don't substitute.  Try the real thing.  Your taste buds will be glad.

Are Corn Syrup and High Fructose Corn Syrup the Same Thing?

Karo Syrup doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup according the banner across the bottle I have in my cupboard.  And it's true.

Corn syrup is a liquid made from the starch of corn in the United States (wheat, potatoes or tapioca elsewhere where corn isn't the predominant crop) and is used to prevent sugar cystallization and to create a smoother texture in prepared foods.  It has a higher percentage of glucose than it's cousin high fructose corn syrup.  Both fructose and glucose are derivatives of the sucrose molecule (or sugar).

Fructose, or fruit sugar,  and glucose are naturally occurring substances found in fruit and vegetables and essential to the function of the human body.  Fructose is substantially sweeter than glucose and is quicker at being absorbed into the blood stream.  Fructose is taken in by the liver and converted to glucose -- leading some to believe that the increase in fatty liver disease is caused by a high intake of high fructose syrups.

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is most prevalent in the United States and can be found in many processed foods and drinks in the grocery store.  The sweetness of the product is addictive, perhaps driving over consumption.  Research on HFCS is inconclusive, but some have associated it to an increase in cavities, increased triglyceride levels, poor nutrition and weight gain.

Regardless of where the added sweetener is derived, the American Heart Association, recommends that women consume no more than 100 calories of added sweetener daily and men 150 calories.

If you prefer a sweetener from natural sources, consider honey that can be used 1-to-1 ratio, or replace 1 cup of light corn-syrup with 1-cup of white sugar and 1/4 cup water or 1-cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup water to replace 1-cup of dark corn-syrup.  I would suggest an organic cane sugar over the less expensive (but heavily processed) beet sugar.

On a final note, some food manufacturer's separate out their corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup if both are used.  But as a caution, the United States Department of Health and Human Services doesn't require the separation and companies can label high fructose corn syrup as simply "corn syrup" is they choose.

In the end, yes there are differences between corn syrup and HFCS, but it is wise to limit the addition and consumption of any sweeteners to your foods.  HFCS is almost entirely avoided in our house.  I do have that one bottle of Karo Syrup, but it's been in our pantry for a while.  We almost always choose a natural sweetener when needed and use plenty of raw honey for that purpose.

What is a "Meyer Lemon"?

I've read multiple recipes lately that call for a Meyer Lemon.  I always just use a regular lemon, not thinking there was a substantial difference.

I saw Meyer lemons in our grocery store last week and thought I better figure this out.

It turns out the Meyer lemon was brought to the U.S. in the early 1900's from China.  Compared to traditional lemon plants, the Meyer lemon is squat and considered an ornamental garden pot plant.

While still grown in China, California is a major supplier of our Meyer lemons.

Popularized by Martha Stewart, it is believed the Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and an orange, providing both flavor profiles.

I'm certain to try one in the future, but it seems to me that if a recipe calls for one, a mixture of orange and lemon juice will result in a similar flavor substitute.

Have you used a Meyer Lemon?

Aronia Berry -- the filler fruit

We made "blueberry pomegranate" juice from concentrate the other day.  Interesting that apple, grape and aronia juices were the first ingredients (ingredients are labelled from highest to lowest percentage) -- but that's for a different post.

What I really wanted to know was what is an aronia berry?

An aronia berry is inedible raw (except for the red variety) because of its astringency, though birds dine on them frequently as they cannot taste the astringency.

The berry can be found in the wild or as an ornamental shrub that many of us have seen in various parts of the U.S..  Perhaps you have this shrub in your own yard.  There are three varieties identified by color: black, purple and red (the red is edible raw).

The berry can be made into a jam, syrup or wine.  But why was it in my blueberry/pomegranate juice?

Aronia berry juice is a filler juice, that does have antioxidant properties, but who's value is a color enhancer in mass produced juices.

Now you (and I) know.

Spurtle for Oatmeal

I purchased a bag of Bob's Red Mill oats today and read they recently won the "golden spurtle" world porridge contest in Carrbridge, Scotland.

Winning the contest is great, but what in the world is a spurtle?

Dating back to at least the fifteenth century, a spurtle is a special wooden spoon (really more of a round stick) that is used to constantly stir and spin the oats so that it doesn't clump together.  This originated in Scotland and I assume the primary place for finding and using one.  But I had to wonder, does it really help make a better oatmeal?  Please chime in if you've used one.

It turns out these are hard to locate.  Amazon.com doesn't even offer an option.  I did find a handmade one here and here.

So I'm curious?  If you have one, what do you think?  Would you recommend to others?  Where did you get yours?  Are there other uses?