Cooking tips Archives

May312020 by foodtrotterNo Comments

A Guide to Basil Herbs & its History

It's hard to find a herb that tastes and smells nicer than basil. It's fresh and delicious. The name basil comes from the Greek basilica and the Latin basilica which both means royal. The scent has been described as a mixture of musk and carnation but is difficult to describe in words. The aroma comes from a volatile oil containing, for example, linalool (floral taste), estragole (found in tarragon) and eugenol (also in cloves), an exciting combination that has made the herb popular in many countries. Basil has been considered sacred in many cultures and often associated with religion and magic. Hindus reverence the herb and it has also been found in the tombs of the pyramids. It is said that basil grew around Jesus' tomb after his resurrection and the herb is included in the rit...

May262020 by foodtrotterNo Comments

A Complete Guide to Peppercorns

Cooking tips, Food cultures, Foods

The spiciness is one thing, but pepper has more qualities: its unique flavors! Peppercorns are not only about adding spiciness to your food, but also to provide rich and tasty aromas. The flavor sits in aromatic essential oils in the peppercorn husk, which is released only when grinding/milling. This is why freshly ground peppercorns always give the best taste. However, both taste and quality can vary considerably as the pepper fruit, like wine, is affected by the local climate and its soil. Pepper is the world's most used spice - but surprisingly forgotten and neglected even though it is found in almost every dish! Often pepper is only associated with heat and spiciness, but this "king of spices" has significantly more qualities. The unique pepper flavor comes from the bal...

May262020 by foodtrotterNo Comments

How much should You Spice Your Food?

Cooking tips

Is the amount of spices in a recipe something you should really follow blindly? In many recipes it is often advised to taste with salt and pepper. Why don't the recipes state the amount? The amount of these spices is so individual for each individual. Some like a little saltier food, while others like when there are some extra spices with the pepper mill. You've probably noticed that salt and pepper can often be seen at the restaurant tables? But when it comes to other spices, it can be good with a benchmark for how much to dose of, for example, chili. Is it stated in the recipe that you should have a spoon, but if you think it lacks heat, do you add some extra or do you satisfy with just one spoon? What about the spice in classic dishes? After all, there are lots of named

May262020 by foodtrotterNo Comments

How To Grow Your Plant Spices

Cooking tips, Foods

Small pot-grown herbs and lettuce in a pot are something we often buy in the grocery store, but wouldn't it be nice to continue growing them for a while? With just a little extra care they can live on and give new harvests for several weeks and maybe even months. Growing herbs for the sake of the scents is one reason, growing them for the taste of another. A spice land can look many ways. If you do not have the opportunity to grow outdoors, it is equally good to grow in a pot. The advantage of growing the spices in a pot is that you can place it near the kitchen or grill so that you can quickly access your spice storage. Also, that you can feel the scents as you pass by, simply by brushing them with your hand is just a bonus Some spices are annuals and can be sown directly on the p...

May172020 by foodtrotterNo Comments

Guide to Seasoning Food

Cooking tips

Seasoning food with spiced and herbs is an art. With hundreds of spices to choose from, the art of seasoning and using them in food is rather complex. At least if you want it to taste good. Most people stick to the few spices they know. This may include, for example, pepper, curry, ginger, Basil, to mention a few. But if that is you, you are missing out on amazing opportunities. Spices can completely change a dish and take it from mediocre to something absolutely extraordinary. But in the same way that spices can boost a dish, they can also completely destroy it if used incorrectly. To take advantage of the great benefits that spices have, you need to first learn what spices are available, and then which spices match with what dishes and tastes. Furthermore, you also need to lear...

May172020 by foodtrotterNo Comments

How to Use Fresh Herbs in Food (Herb Guide)

Cooking tips

When it comes to herbs, you should grow what you like. But fresh herbs and spices are also available to buy to a large extent in most grocery stores. Both pre-cut and growing fresh spices in pots. If you watch cooking shows on TV and listen to expert chefs, you will notice that they use, to a large extent, fresh spices and herbs in their cooking instead of dried. Fresh herbs and spices are rich in flavor and are great to use in cooking, but it is important to know how to use them properly in order to get the most out of them and to make the food taste delicious In this article, we will go through some common herbs to grow at home, as well as what you need to know when using them in cooking. When it comes to fresh herbs, what is important about these is that they should be adde...

May32020 by foodtrotterNo Comments

Dried or Fresh Spices- Which Should You Use?

Cooking tips

When is it best to use dried herbs? Do fresh spices always work best? A common question people have is whether you should use dried or fresh spices. And since they both co-exist, is there a particular time when dried spices are more appropriate than fresh, and vice versa. The answer to that question is that it depends. Both dried and fresh spices have their place in the kitchen, but the most important thing is to learn about their characteristics in order to know when to use them - and when not to. In this guide, we share everything you need to know about dried and fresh spices in order to get the most out of your cooking. Basil leaves top the freshly cooked pasta sauce. A bunch of thyme is pulled from the green twig and straight down into the mortar. A leaf mint will be th...

May32020 by foodtrotterNo Comments

Boiled Pig Feet Recipe (Food Trotters)

Cooking tips, Recipes

What are pig feet? Pig feet are also known as pig's trotters and are, as the name reveals, the feet from pigs, including the ankles. Pig feet are a delicacy that is widely eaten, but many people are deterred by the idea to eat pig feet. And this is actually not surprising, because looking at them, they do not necessarily look very appetizing. Just the thought of eating feet doesn't sound very appealing to most, but when cooked properly, they can actually be really delicious. Pig feet consists of thick skin and connective tissue. Because of this, they need to be cooked properly in order to become tender and delicious. The most common way to prepare pig feet is therefore to cook them slowly and long enough. When you cook pig feet, they give off gelatine. The gelatine is released from...

May32020 by foodtrotterNo Comments

A Guide to Food Trotters (Pig trotters)

Cooking tips, Recipes

Pig feet are the pig's forearm and lower leg with hooves instead of feet. The foot is fat and very brittle, the meat content is low. Few people have tried to eat pork feet, while others find the dish as very good, either cooked served cold in their shovel that solidifies into jelly, or breaded and fried. All pork in the store is generally poor because it comes from young animals. Pig trotters: Relative fat meat: Medium, 12-13%, of which saturated fat ~ 5%. Taste: Mild, musty. Medium marbling Sales: Occurs fresh or salted to and from the store, most frozen. Rare in the summer mostly for Christmas, when they can also be bought pre-cooked wrapped in jelly. Storage: Raw, salted or cooked goods have a good shelf life, a week or so stored in a refrigerator. Gelatin ric...

May32020 by foodtrotterNo Comments

Boiled Pig Trotters Recipe (And Complete Guide)

Cooking tips, Recipes

Pig Feet is an old classic dish. Often referred to as pig's trotters (trotters as in feet). It is also known as a pettitoe. Pig trotters are an interesting delicacy, to say the least. And as is often the case with delicacies, either you like it or either you hate it. Pig's feet are quite a special and unique delicacy due to the fact that many people would not even consider eating the feet of a pig. To many, it sounds rather disgusting. But pig's feet are a delicacy and can actually be really delicious if prepared properly. Don't let the idea of eating feet intimidate you. Usually, pig's feet are served cold with their solidified jelly, but like with most dishes, there are many variants and methods to cooking this delicacy. They are actually very delicious to eat warm, right...