Little is known about the inventor of tartar sauce. The prevailing theory is that it was most likely from the French and was first made at some point after the 18th century. The reasoning behind this theory is that the …
Oyster sauce is a relatively modern seasoning, unlike many other traditional Chinese ingredients that have been around for centuries and sometimes millennia. Oyster sauce was invented by Lee Kum Sheung in 1888. Lee was the founder of the world-famous Chinese …
The turkey is the star of the Thanksgiving meal. A bad turkey equals a Thanksgiving failure even if everything else was successful. Whether or not the turkey you are cooking is for Thanksgiving, you will still need to season it …
Scorzonera hispanica (also known as black salsify) comes from the southern part of Europe, but you can also find it in parts of Western Asia. The hispanica part of its botanical name indicates that it most likely came from Spain, …
Sanding sugar belongs to a category of sugars called finishing sugars. Finishing sugars are added to food items right before serving them, similar to how finishing salts are used. Others in this category include pearl sugar. Sanding sugar is a …
Kokum refers to the fruit from one of the most important spice trees in India’s Western Ghats; however, it is not well known in other parts of India and virtually unknown outside of the Subcontinent. For example, very few Indians …
Maca — also called maca root or Peruvian ginseng — comes from the South American countries of Peru and Bolivia. Both of those countries are quite mountainous and maca grows best at high altitudes. Maca is a root vegetable in …
Elderberry is native to North America, Europe and Asia. Some varieties are believed to have been around as far back as 12,000 BCE. Elderberry seeds were found in Swiss dwellings from 2000 BCE. Pliny the Elder mentioned elderberry’s health benefits …