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Oct 25

Facts Of Basics – Part 3, Eggs, Milk, and Flavorings

I know, I know!!  I’ve had several comments saying;”Enough already with these (yawn) posts about the facts of basic ingredients” and I promise to rest the subject after this week…. but the truth is prices are going up and you should know about the essentials in order to determine how to cope with the situation. Learning how the basic ingredients go from field to table helps you evaluate your options in replacing them and to recognize related products so you can anticipate their cost hikes as well. Read more

Oct 19

Facts Of Basics – Part 3, Fats

Sounds awful dosen’t it?  In fact F-A-T-S has become another of those four letter words not mentioned in polite company. Yet who can resist them? They give such wonderful color, flavor and texture to so many dishes from baked goods, to sautés to salads and everything in between. Actually, while some fats are contributors to heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol leading to stokes, especially in excess, others are nutritional necessities for the welfare of our nerves and muscles, including the brain and the heart, provide us with energy, produce hormones and help us absorb vitamins.  The trick is in knowing the difference. Just as with flour and sugar it’s best to start with an understanding of basic types, in order to choose the right substitutions for you and your family. Read more

Oct 11

Facts Of Basics – Part 2, Sugar


To refresh your memory, a friend asked, in view of the rising prices, if she had to buy all of the different types of the basic ingredients listed in the recipes she would prepare for the holidays, or if she could save a bit of money by making some of them do double duty.  I realize that “The Holidays” not only means those so many of us celebrate in December, but Thanksgiving and Halloween as well, which for lots of people involves cooking, especially baking, for classroom and organization parties in addition to family gatherings. It has become a long season! Read more

Oct 4

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Facts Of Basics – Part 1, Flour

A friend stopped in while I was writing last week’s posting and read what I was writing. She remarked that she loved, as she termed them ”mechanical tips” that make cooking easier, but would really like to learn more about her options among the ingredients she had to buy when preparing baked goods for the holidays. There are so many kinds of flour available now and types of sugar, she didn’t know if she had to buy everything stipulated in each recipe, or if some could do double duty and save a bit of money. This was true of other basic items required as well. So I promised to do what I could to help. Read more