Posts by The Culinary Chase

Macaroons are one of my favorite drop cookies and this recipe with the addition of lime makes for a delicious dessert. The original macaroon was a small sweet cake consisting largely of ground almonds similar to Italian or Moroccan amaretti (with a crisp crust and a softer interior).  Though the origins are vague, some culinary…

Parsley is the world’s most popular herb. A sprig of parsley can provide much more than a decoration on your plate. In addition to its volatile oils and flavonoids, parsley is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A ( two vital nutrients that are also important for the prevention of many diseases) and…

India is a country I’d very much like to visit and one of many cities on my list is Kerala. Kerala is named as one of the ‘Ten Paradises of the World’ and ‘Fifty Places of a Lifetime’ by the National Geographic Traveler Magazine. Keralan cuisine is influenced by its coastline and flavored by coconut…

Sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichoke, is a species of sunflower native to the eastern United States. Native Americans enjoyed digging up these delicious tubers and eating them for centuries before the colonialists settled. The main carbohydrate in sunchoke, inulin, is a prebiotic that breaks down into fructose instead of glucose during digestion. For diabetics…

Also known as a summer roll, this healthy version of finger food is a popular Vietnamese dish. This recipe is from Rick Stein’s cookbook, Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey. I’ve been following Mr. Stein for over a decade now and love his cooking shows especially those that highlight local producers. He’s a gentle soul to…

Shortbread is a dessert that was once reserved for Christmas but is now enjoyed on any occasion. It’s been with us for centuries and ancient records trace this cookie as far back as Medieval and Elizabethan times. Shortbread has been attributed to Mary, Queen of Scots who was said to be very fond of Petticoat…

Some say it’s the sauce that makes the ribs taste great but I believe it’s a combination of how slowly the meat is cooked with the addition of a sauce. This dish is a lip-smacking crowd pleaser and your family and friends will be doing an Oliver Twist rendition of, “more ribs, please!” The word…

Mushrooms are a valuable health food – low in calories, high in vegetable proteins, iron, zinc, fiber, essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. They have a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (6,000 years) and are known as some of the most potent immune boosters and disease fighters. Shiitake (for centuries called “Elixir…

Pissaladière is a simple tart and is sometimes referred to as a white pizza. It originates in the South of France and people buy it to eat on the street. The name is derived from the Provencal word pissala or pissalat which describes a richly-flavored paste made from the salting and fermentation of tiny anchovy-like…