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What is Allspice Seasoning?

March 3, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Allspice (one word, not ‘All Spice’) is a superb spice to use in savory cooking. Allspice is made from the dried pimenta fruit of the evergreen myrtle plant Pimenta Dioica. The pimenta tree is native to the West Indies, Southern Mexico and Central America, but from what I understand is mainly cultivated in Jamaica and, therefore, has the alternate name Jamaica pepper. The allspice berries are cultivated before they ripen and are dried in the sun, causing them to turn brown. If you’ve seen them whole on the store spice racks, you’ll notice they look a lot like peppercorns (see allspice picture below)—although it’s typically sold as ground allspice. I think the best way to describe the taste is as a mixture of nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon (in fact, that’s what I thought ground allspice was at first).

The uses of the allspice seasoning are quite broad. Perhaps some of the more common dishes that use allspice are pumpkin pies, desserts, cookies, sausage entrées, hams, and smoked meats. Allspice is also used when preparing pickles. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on dried allspice tree leaves, they can be used like bay leaves to flavor your stew or stock. Both the ground allspice and the allspice tree’s wood can be used to smoke jerk.

If you don’t have any allspice at home (you should get some), you can also create a similar flavor by combining equal portions of cinnamon and ground cloves and then add a small amount of nutmeg. All these spices pack quite a punch, so I’d recommend starting with just a little bit of each—maybe ½ to 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and ground cloves and just a pinch of nutmeg. I’ll post some allspice recipes in the near future.


Dried allspice berries. Photograph by Jonathunder.

Filed Under: Kitchen Sink, Tips & How To...

Some Down-Home Beginning Cooking Advice

March 1, 2009 by Leave a Comment

If cooking intimidates you because you lack cooking experience and cooking terms look like a foreign language, don’t worry there’s still hope.  Many experienced cooks all around the world have been down that same road a time or two.  Even they had to start somewhere, you know.

I’ve been asked many times where I learned to cook, and I almost always provide the same answer: my mom taught me when I lived at home (my mom is an excellent cook). She taught me the basics plus some, the rest I learned through study and making mistakes.

Unfortunately, it’s the basics that so many people are missing, and that’s one reason this blog exists. In time, we’ll uncover and chat about all the basics, but until then, here’s some basic cooking advice to wet your palette.

One thing you must remember is that you’re going to mess up. Pessimistic, I know. Life will go on, I promise. Various versions of this Thomas Edison quotation exist, but I like this one the best, “I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb.” This can be applied to anything, observe: “I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT flip an egg.” Having this attitude will help you out when you burn your 5th crape in a row.

Cookbooks can be your best friend. Don’t buy a gourmet cookbook if you’re just starting out. They’re a lot of fun to look at, but you need something practical for every day kitchen cooking. “A Taste of Home” produces seasonal magazines that include recipes from regular cooks, just like you. That’s a great place to start. There are also hundreds of recipes on-line. When you find a cookbook that appeals to you, stick to the recipes. Resist the urge to experiment because you want to be an amazing chef—it will come with time. Following recipes teaches you what types of spices and foods mix well together as well as appropriate temperatures and baking times—an essential skill.

You need a crock-pot. If you don’t have one, stop reading this article and buy one. You can make almost anything in a crock-pot (pot roast and stews are my favorite) with little preparation and hardly any maintenance. It’s almost as easy as breathing. Another plus about crock pots is that if they’re large enough you can make enough for 2+ meals all at once. I’ll be posting some of my crock-pot recipes on this blog later.

Take some risks and learn to laugh. This seems contradictory to what I said earlier about following the recipe exactly, but that’s okay. Experiment with recipes you’re comfortable with or with more common foods that don’t take a lot of preparation and are cheap. As a kid I could never get my eggs to flip without breaking the yolk, so one day I went through two egg cartons (sorry mom) until I figured out how to get them to flip and not break the yolk. Do the same. Live free. At the same time, keep it simple. Experimenting too much may lead you back to frustration. If one of your experiments ends up filling the house with smoke, laugh it off and start again.

Everyone has to start somewhere, and for most people it’s at the beginning. With each step in the right direction, you’ll find that cooking can be a lot of fun and you’ll take pride in every tasty meal you make.

Filed Under: Kitchen Sink, Tips & How To...

Onions on the Go! How to Freeze Onions

February 28, 2009 by 1 Delicious Comment

Fresh onions make a great addition to many foods, but they can be a pain to cut up, and there are often leftovers. Freezing them is an excellent solution for when you need fresh onions on the go, or you have left-over onions when preparing a meal. Frozen onions are excellent in cooked meals such as meatloaf, stews, soups, ground-meat mixtures, casseroles, and crock-pot meals. Here’s how to do it:

(Note that freezing onions works best when they’re fully mature. This works for most types of onions.)

  • Step 1
    Wash, peel, and chop the raw onion into whatever size you need. Typically, you don’t want to chop them any smaller than 1/2” or they turn into an ice chunk in the freezer. Blanching them is not necessary.
  • Step 2
    Place the onions in a freezer bag. (Freezer bags provide the best results. They’re thicker and help prevent freezer burn and odor leakage.)  If you’re using a thinner bag, be sure to double-bag the onions or you’ll find your other freezer food tasting and smelling like onions.
  • Step 3
    If you’re brave, suck the air out of the bag and quickly zip it closed. Otherwise, just do the best you can to expel the air. Spread the onions flat in the bag, layering them no higher than 1/2″. This makes it easier to break off frozen sections as needed.
  • Step 4
    Place the bag of cut-up onions flat in the freezer, so that when they’re frozen, you can easily stack them. When it’s time to use the onions, simply break a portion off and thaw it out. Frozen onions thaw easily with or without a microwave. When cooking soups and stews, you can add the onion still frozen.

Frozen stored onions last up to 6 months.

Filed Under: Kitchen Sink, Tips & How To...

The Top 10 Rules when Using Nonstick Pans

February 27, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Nonstick pans are increasingly becoming more popular, even though they’ve been around for quite some time. There are basic rules for using nonstick pans that you should remember. Do your best to follow these rules and you’ll find that your nonstick pans will last longer and be more enjoyable to use when cooking.

  1. Don’t use metal on your nonstick pan.
    This is the most important rule to remember. Metal utensils will easily scratch and ruin the nonstick pan’s surface. This means do not cut your foods in the pan with metal knives or pizza cutters, do not turn your pancakes with metal spatulas, and definitely do not use a metal whisk or fork to stir your gravies or vegetable blends. Instead, use nonstick pan-friendly materials such as wood, rubber, silicone, nylon, or plastic.
  2. Avoid major water temperature changes.
    Taking a hot nonstick pan and subjecting it to cooler or cold temperatures can cause your frying pan to warp. Resist the temptation and don’t do it. Let your nonstick pan cool for a few minutes first. A warped pan keeps the heat from distributing correctly, and they’re annoying to cook with.
  3. Clean your nonstick pans with safe scouring pads.
    This is another big deal. Nonstick pan surfaces are sensitive to steel wool, metal scouring pads, sharp scrapers, and harsh cleaning detergents (more on detergents later). If your food is really stuck, allow the pan to soak for a bit. If you use a metal scouring pad, you may not see deep grooves in the nonstick coating, but it’s wearing off the coating a bit at a time. Use scouring pans that say ‘nonstick pan safe’ on them or a sponge instead.
  4. Keep bread pans separate from other nonstick pans.
    The nonstick coating in bread pans is made for that—breads. Don’t cook meats or highly acidic foods in them. Your asking for trouble if you do—the nonstick finish will wear off quicker (sometimes after the first use), the coating may flake, and your pan will rust easier. Your breads will also bake and release from the pan better if you use them only for breads.
  5. Store your nonstick pans properly.
    It’s best if you can store your pans hanging, with plenty of space between them. If you must stack them (which is the case for most of us), be sure not to place any sharp metal objects on the nonstick coating.
  6. Clean and dry your nonstick pans after using them.
    It’s best if you hand wash and dry your nonstick pans immediately after using them (but don’t forget rule #2). Waiting too long to clean your frying pan or washing in the dish washer increases the risk of left-over oils baking onto the coating and outside of the pan the next time you use it. The caramel color stains you see on your pans? Those are baked grease and oil spots, and they’re tough to get rid of and cause your food to stick. Hand dry your nonstick pans to prevent rust from forming. Consider washing your pan twice to eliminate the most grease.
  7. Don’t store food in your nonstick pans.
    It’s not what your pans are meant for, so don’t do it. It’s best to clean your nonstick pans after using them, and use Tupperware or baggies to store your food. Some people have complained that their food takes on a metallic taste after storing foods in their pans.
  8. Avoid high heats when using your nonstick frying pans.
    Too much heat on your nonstick frying pan can cause your fry pan to warp and the nonstick coating to bubble and lose some if it’s nonstick properties. Most nonstick cookware is made for low to medium heat cooking. As some nonstick pans are different, follow the manufacturer’s directions for the safest, best results.
  9. Use softer detergents to clean your nonstick pans.
    It’s best to use softer detergents on your non-stick pans. Most detergents used when hand washing dishes are considered soft. Dishwasher detergents, bleach, or cleaners can damage the nonstick coating.
  10. Don’t use your nonstick pots or pans under a broiler.
    Temperatures higher than 450 degrees may damage the nonstick surface, causing it to boil or flake. This may also void the manufacturers warranty. Once again, it’s best to check what the manufacturer’s recommendations are before subjecting your pot to extreme heat.
Filed Under: Kitchen Sink, Lists (Top 10 & Such)