A cardoon is a vegetable, also known as the artichoke thistle, that looks a bit like celery on a bad day and has a flavor reminiscent of artichoke hearts and salsify.
Popular in Italy, Spain and France, the cardoon is related to the Globe artichoke. An invasive, frost-sensitive plant that needs a lot of space, the cardoon grows as a weed in the Argentine pampas, California and Australia.
Cardoons can be baked, braised or boiled, and it's often a good idea to blanch them for up to 30 minutes before using them. (Beware of sneaky thistles that may be lurking on the outer stalks -- it's best to peel the outside a bit.)
High in sodium, cardoons are nevertheless recognized as a good source of potassium, calcium and iron. Artichoke oil, which is similar to sunflower or safflower oil, can be extracted from cardoon seeds. It is currently being studied and tested for its biofuel potential.
Is making mayonnaise at home worth it? Yes. Yes, yes, yes!
Homemade mayonnaise is one of the easiest things you can make and the taste is far superior to the stuff in the blue-topped jars.
You can't buy the fresh lightness of a homemade batch of mayo, especially one spiked with some nice herbs, a little garlic or some cayenne. Two minutes with a food processor, and you're done. Take that time and try it for yourself.
Recipe: Fresh Mayonnaise(Cookthink)
Recipe: Shallot Mayonnaise(Cookthink)
Why is it called Worcestershire sauce?
Why is it called Worcestershire sauce?
This popular fermented sauce was developed by English colonists in India in the 19th century, and named after its original Lea & Perrins bottling location in Worcester, England. Lea & Perrins still bottles it there in Worcester, but the company also ships a concentrated form of the sauce to be bottled in other locations around the world.
Authentic Lea & Perrins Worcestershire contains vinegar, molasses, anchovies, tamarind extract, onions and spices. Generic Worcestershire sauce is referred to as "Worcester sauce," and may also contain soy sauce, corn syrup and other ingredients.
Worcestershire was preceded in history by a popular Greco-Roman fermented fish sauce by the name of garum. Tonkatsu sauce, also called sōsu, is a popular Japanese version take on Worcestershire. (Tonkatsu is a dish of bread pork cutlets.)
