Garlic

Allium sativum aka Garlic.

Grown for over 6000 years and native to Central Asia, garlic maybe the king of the kitchen. Garlic is a fundamental ingredient in many cuisines. It is often paired with onion and tomato. In addition to bulb, the flowers and leaves are sometimes eaten.

Outside of the kitchen garlic is claimed to prevent stomach and colon cancer, help to prevent heart disease and regulate blood sugar. It is an antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. Health tip - you can alleviate garlic breath by eating fresh parsley. To your health!

April 19 is Garlic Day

Sourdough Bread

There is nothing like cracking open a crusty loaf of bread, that is unless it is sourdough bread. The airy and tangy crumb is pure delight.

Sourdough is the oldest and most original form of leavened bread. All you need is grain, water and air to sit at room temperture. The wild yeast in the air will settle in the mix, eat the natural sugars and convert them into lactic acids which give it a sour flavor. They also give off alcohol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is what will cause the bread to rise.

All this science yields one delicious bread.

April 1 is National Sourdough Bread Day

Paella

The ultimate one-pot dish has to be paella. Rice, onions, red peppers, sausage, chicken and shrimp. All infused with the prized saffron, the queen of spices.

Paella, Valencians' national dish, originated in the country outside the city. It was the farmers who were the first to make this dish over an open fire in a flat pan. The main ingredient, of course, is rice. With many variations throughout Spain, you are sure to find something you enjoy in this dish. Perhaps, you like the rabbit, chicken, mussels or shrimp.

The best part of paella is the sharing. The prepared dish is always placed in the middle of dining table and eaten straight from the pan with a wooden spoon. Comer!

March 27th is National Spanish Paella Day

Blueberry Popovers

What could be better than a popover, with its crisp golden shell and airy middle? A blueberry popover! I typically make savory versions of popovers with cheese or herbs. So, when I saw a blueberry popover recipe I decided to give it a try.

The blueberry popovers did not rise as high as original popovers. Perhaps it was due to the weight of the blueberries. I used one cup of fresh berries. The blueberries were soft, sweet and tart. Dried berries may solve the weight problem, but I am not sure they would be soft and sweet. A future test is worth a try. For now, I will enjoy my fresh blueberry popovers with a ice cold glass of milk.

March 10 is Blueberry Popover Day

Blueberry Popovers

1 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp melted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 450. Mix milk, extract, butter, salt and sugar in large bowl. Stir in flour. Add eggs until just combined. Add cinnamon and blueberries. Spray popover tin with cooking spray. Divide batter evenly into the tin. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and bake for 15 minutes longer. Enjoy.

Banana Bread

Why is it that the only time people make banana bread is when they are left with very ripe bananas? It's unfortunate that banana bread is very often an after thought, something you do with brown bananas. Banana bread is so quick and easy, it deserve more attention.

I recently made a delicious and healthy banana bread, which I planned before the bananas went south. The healthy side is due in part to using whole wheat pastry flour. The delicious part is all banana. Go buy some bananas and give it a try.

Banana Bread Day is February 23rd

Banana Bread

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup butter, softened

3 ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup sour cream

1 large egg

1 egg white

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add bananas, sour cream and eggs. Mix well. Combine four, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Stir well. Add the flour to the banana mixture. Stir until well blended. Pour into a 9 inch loaf pan which has been coated with cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour or until done.

Peppermint Patty

If you love peppermint and dark chocolate, then you must adore peppermint patties. You can thank Henry C. Kessler of The York Cone Company for this love affair.

In 1940, Henry Kessler wanted to expand on the ice cream cones that were made at The York Cone Company and came up with The York Peppermint Patty. The original was firm and crisp and was an immediate hit.

February 11th is Peppermint Patty Day

Irish Coffee

If you are a fan of Irish Coffee, and who isn't, you can thank Daveina Davidson, the head chef at Foynes, County Limerick. Foynes' port was the precursor to Shannon International Airport. The coffee was conceived after a group of American passengers departed from a Pan Pam flying boat on a dreary winter evening in the 1940's. Davina added whiskey to the coffee to warm the passengers. The passengers asked if they were being served Brazilian coffee. Davenina said no, it's Irish coffee.

So, go ahead and warm your bones with an Irish Coffee is winter. Afterwards, you may just want to find an Irishman, and thank him with a big kiss for this very fine drink!

January 25^th is Irish Coffee Day

Irish Coffee

1 ½ oz Irish whiskey

1 teaspoon brown sugar

6 oz hot coffee

heavy cream

Combine whiskey, sugar and coffee. Stir. Add cold cream on top. Do not stir, sip and enjoy.