Sorry for not posting but having a very busy week I'll be back next week

Spice guys

Bartholomew Diaz, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan and Vasco da Gama all have one obvious thing in common. They were all explorers. Why though? Were they looking for some excitement? Something to spice their up lives?  Spice, yes they were all looking for an alternate spice route.

Since the beginning of time man have used spices and herbs in food and for many other uses, medical or not.

The Ancient Greeks were fond of mixing herbs in their bathwater of r the pleasant aroma and students used to place rosemary wreaths on their heads as they believed this would increase their memory and powers of concentration.
 

In Europe, during the middle Ages, mothers were said to have stitched cloves of garlic into their children’s clothing to protect them against epidemics throughout the long winter months. Sage was used to whiten the teeth and thyme and rosemary sprinkled over floors to perfume and disinfect rooms.

Many herbs have a turbulent history of love and passion, but perhaps the most well-known is basil. In Keat’s poem “Isabella, or Pot or Basil”, Isabella kept the head of her murdered lover in a pot of Basil and watered it with her tears!

However, since these times, the use of herbs as a food flavoring has increased and there is seldom a recipe that does not include a variety.

There was a point in history where the spice trade was done over land and was exceptionally expensive. The Ottoman Empire had taken control of Constantinople and was charging hefty taxes. This forced the Europeans to find a better route to India.

Portuguese first crossed the Cape of Good Hope in 1488 on an expedition led by Bartholomew Diaz Just nine years later in 1497 on the orders of Manuel I of Portugal, four vessels under the command of navigator Vasco da Gama rounded the Cape of Good Hope, continuing to the eastern coast of Africa to Malindi to sail across the Indian Ocean to Calicut in south India -the capital of the local Zamorin rulers. The wealth of the Indies was now open for the Europeans to explore; the Portuguese Empire was the earliest European seaborne empire to grow from the spice trade.

Vasco da Gama

Calicut

Christopher Columbus was the first to set foot on the New World when, in 1492, in an attempt to reach the Indies by sailing westward, he made landfall on an island in what is now The Bahamas. Believing to have in fact reached India, he named the natives "Indians".

By now the Portuguese had complete control of the African sea route and as such, the Spanish, if they were to have any hope of competing with Portugal for the lucrative trade, had to find an alternate route. Their first, early, attempt was with Christopher Columbus, but he ended up finding an unknown continent in between Europe and Asia. The Spanish finally succeeded with the voyage of Ferdinand Magellan.

Years later, 1924 Robertsons Spice Experts have journeyed around the world in search of only the finest and purest herbs & spices. The knowledge of Herbs & Spices have been handed down through the generations and the Spice People at Robertsons have proven through the decades to deliver only the very best to its consumers they offer their consumers over 60 different types of flavors and flavor combinations.

As a result, today Robertsons is South Africa’s biggest and best loved brand bringing the flavors of the world to our consumers spice racks.

We all love the Robertson Spices and it is a South African house brand and so in place in every home as chops on a rugby day.

So for the last year Reuben Riffel has been the face of Robertson Spices and at first, I must admit, I wasn't too excited about the advertisements that he did but it is now part of our evening. News at seven and a new Reuben combination.

Here is the great news....

You don’t have to wait for the advertisement to come on you can simply got to the Robertsons web site and get all you combinations on there. They have a few way of doing it. They have the normal day to day recipe’s, then they have a tab that says combinations so that you can go see what works together and then see what you have in the pantry. The best part for me about this site is the “I feel like” search tab. Here you can say steak, chicken or anything you want to cook and it gives you a few different recipes. I like this because we all have our range of recipes we try but this give us a option to try something different with the same old ingredients.

Here is the link

http://www.robertsons.co.za/

Happy cooking!

Hero unearthed

Fry them, boil them or mash them it doesn't matter potatoes are the staple in any house these days.

Potatoes are more than just a starch on the plate it’s the silent hero of the culinary world. The first potatoes were being grown by the Inca’s 2000 BC. The Inca’s believed potatoes helped with child birth (Don’t see how) and injuries. Potatoes were introduced to Britain and Ireland in the late 1500 s. It didn't go so well at first. Many people blamed them for diseases and condemned them because they weren't mentioned in the Bible. Both Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette wore potato blossoms to spiff up their outfits. (Partly to boost the crop’s popularity in France.)

Potatoes are loaded with Vitamin C and because of that they were eaten on trade ships to prevent scurvy. After conquering the high seas potatoes set its sites on a bigger project. Potatoes were the first plant to be grown in space.

After researching potatoes I found some really interesting facts about potatoes and apples. In French the potato is called pomme de terre, which literally translates as apple of the earth. I guess apple of the earth is just about an acceptable name for a potato but fries being called pommes frites is not. If I thought I was ordering fried apple I’d be a bit disappointed to see a plate of chips in front of me. The French aren't the only ones to associate potatoes with apples though. Back in Tudor Britain they were often referred to as “apples of love” and considered to be a natural aphrodisiac. Potatoes and Apples do seem to get on well. If you store an apple alongside your spuds it will stop them sprouting.

It’s a surprise for many to discover one medium potato (5.3 oz) with the skin contains:

·         45 percent of the daily value for vitamin C

·         More potassium (620 mg) than even bananas, spinach, or broccoli;

·         10 percent of the daily value of B 6

…and all this for just 110 calories and no fat, sodium or cholesterol.

So next time you eat a plate of chips at the local watering hole think about how far this little spud has really come…

Here is a delicious recipe to make your spuds the hero it should be….

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/oct/13/how-to-cook-perfect-rosti

Jamie Oliver Inspiration

For my Birthday two weeks ago I received a Jamie Oliver cook book. It is called Cook with Jamie.

In my opinion it should be called Jamie's food hand guide. It has super recipes for the advanced chef and for the beginner cook; I am simply crazy about every recipe in this book.

Cook with Jamie

My guide to making you a better Cook

I can't tell you how long I've dreamed about writing this book. It's the biggest book I've ever done, and I've really tried to make it a timeless, modern-day classic. Whether you're a student, a young couple, an established cook, or a novice, I'll take you through a whole load of simple and accessible recipes that will blow the socks off your family and any guests you might have round for dinner. There's information on the equipment that I think you should have in your kitchen, advice on how to recognize and cook loads of different cuts of meat, as well as on how to get the best value and quality when you're out shopping. With all of us consuming more processed food than ever, it's a sad fact that most people just aren't confident enough to cook anymore. With this in mind, now is the time for you to get stuck in and reclaim your fantastic cooking heritage!

You know what . . . if you're going to eat three times a day for the rest of your life, you might as well learn to cook properly and enjoy it! So roll up your sleeves and let me help you.

P.S.: By the way, you should feel good about buying this book because every single penny I make from it will go toward training and inspiring young kids from tough backgrounds all over the world to have a career in food through the Fifteen Foundation. So on behalf of them, thank you.

So to no surprise allot of my new recipe's will come from this book as I am trying them all out.

I have adjusted the recipe (off course!!!) but it is still delicious here are mine and Jamie's both the same but also different in many ways.

Jamie’s recipe

Mine is the inserts in blue

Ingredients

1 chicken breast

1 large leek (half a leek)

A few sprigs fresh thyme

1 good lug olive oil

1 pinch salt

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 small swig white wine (leave out)

4 slices higher-welfare pancetta (Bacon works just as well)

olive oil

2 whole sprigs thyme

100g Butternut finely sliced

5 cherry tomatoes halved

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.

Make a tray out of foil (Jamie’s picture) or use those foil take away tray’s that you can find in any grocer these days (my picture)

 

The first picture Jamie's recipe (not cooked)
Second Picture my creation.

Make the tray small so that when serving the dish each person gets their own little package of joy.

Put 1 chicken breast, skin removed, in a bowl. Trim and wash a large leek, remove the outer leaves, then slice it into 0.5cm/¼ inch pieces.

Add these to the bowl with the leaves of a few sprigs of fresh thyme, a good lug of olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and a small swig of white wine and toss together. (In my recipe add the butternut and tomatoes to this and only half of the leek and leave out the white wine)

Place your leek and flavorings from the bowl into the tray, then wrap the chicken breast in 4 slices of pancetta (Bacon). 

How to wrap a chicken breast
STEP 1

STEP 2
Remember to season the chicken at this step.

STEP 3

STEP 4

This will not only flavor the chicken but also protect it while it cooks.

Try and bend the sides of the tray in towards the chicken so the leeks don't burn during cooking (not necessary with my recipe you need the heat on the butternut to cook)

Drizzle with olive oil, place a couple of whole thyme sprigs on top and cook in the middle of the oven for 25 to 35 minutes.

 ENJOY!!!

Berry Coulis (Sauce)

Ingredients

·         3 cups fresh, canned or frozen berries (one kind or mixed it doesn't matter. Here I used half strawberries       
      half blue berries)

·         3/4 to 1 cup sugar

·         1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

        Makes About 2 Cups

               Combine the blueberries, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and one tablespoon of the lemon juice in a jug or bowl and blend it well add the mixture to a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. simmer until the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes. 

 Taste the mixture and, if necessary, add more sugar. Continue to heat until any additional sugar is 
       dissolved. 

Strain the coulis through a fine-mesh sieve.

Store in a jars in the fridge and take it out to serve with cheese or fruit or yogurt. You can even use it to
       decorate your dessert plates....

Here are some good  ideas  of how to use on a plate

Simply paint it on the plate with a pastry brush

Simply drizzle on a plate in a circular motion

Put a nice tablespoonful on the plate to form a
circular puddle then with the tip of the spoon
form it into a tear drop shape.
 This takes some practice so do a few before
your friends arrive

Thank You

Thank You for everybody's support of the blog. Hope that you will enjoy the month of April with all that I have planned!

Vote vote vote!!!!!

Please go vote for our poll

Worlds easiest recipe's

Easy recipe's???????
Yes, we all love a easy and quick recipe that you can pull out and impress with. I have found a site that has all  the recipe's you are looking for. Cookies, cakes, stews and roasts. Cooking does not necessarily have to take 3 hours to taste great. a quick 30 min meal can be just as good.

And with a slogan like Any one can cook! I think we all can go and visit this site and see what tricks we can learn there.
http://www.easyrecipeworld.com/