You may think that only Huck Finn was named Hucklebery. But BabyNames.com actually lists Huckleberry as “ primarily a male name of American origin that means Sweet Berry.” Most of the fruits we enjoy today were brought to America from Europe. North America’s native fruits* are a selection of berries: blackberries, black raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, […]
Mesoamericans “discovered” the avocado, which had grown there for perhaps 50 million years. They called it ahuacatl, ah-hwa-CA-tay, which the Spanish conquistadors transcribed to aguacate. Archaeologists have found evidence of avocado consumption that dates back almost 10,000. Initially, people simply gathered wild avocados. Mesoamerican tribes such as the Olmec and the Here’s more history of […]
[1] Mom’s Classic Cheesecake recipe is made in 6″ springform pans (both photos © Green Valley). [2] Green Valley Lactose Free Cream Cheese is also organic. Want to celebrate National Cheesecake Day (July 30th) but have lactose issues? There’s a great lactose-free cream cheese just waiting to be turned into cheesecake. Pick up Green […]
July 29th is National Chicken Wing Day, celebrating a dish that rose to prominence in 1964 when a bar owner in Buffalo turned the inexpensive cut of chicken into an impromptu bar snack: fried wings, blue cheese dressing for dipping and celery stalks on the side. The popularity of that bar snack turned Buffalo Wings […]
[1] Salmon sashimi with marinated cucumbers and caviar, recipe #1 (photo © Le Coucou | NYC). [2] Salmon sashimi on fancy tostadas, at LT Bar & Grill in Hackensack, New Jersey (photo © LT Bar & Grill). [3] Raw salmon fillet (photo © Sitka Salmon Shares). [4] Salmon caviar, called ikura in Japanese (photo © […]
July 27th is National Scotch Day. It’s a reason to pour yourself a dram (or glass, as we say in the U.S.) of your favorite amber libation. We’ve got some Scotch-infused fudge for you, below. But first, a bit about the whisky itself. While alcohol has been distilled since the eighth century, the first known […]
[1] A fish burger topped with sauteed mushrooms (all photos © Good Catch Foods). [2] Crab cakes in a ramen bowl. [3] A fish fillet bánh mì sandwich. [4] Fish stick kabobs with a harissa dip. [5] Make a tuna roll, with or without jalapeño. You’ve probably read about plant-based burgers and chicken, developed […]
July 24th is National Tequila Day. How about a “pot luck” tequila tasting? The idea is to compare different tequilas, and decide which brands you prefer. It can be as simple as tequila and tortilla chips get-together, or a tequila-and-dinner potluck. Call your favorite tequila lovers and ask them what brand(s) they have. Then, make […]
[1] The Jambalaya Hot Dog. You can use a Creole or Cajun sausage, or a good old American hot dog (photos #1, #3, #4 and #6 © McCormick). [2] A pot of jambalaya, served over rice (photo © Gelson’s Markets). [3] Zatarain’s smoked sausages, Cajun and Andouille. [4] Whip up jambalaya with a box of […]
July 21st is National Junk Food Day. Is this permission to chow down on our favorite junk foods? And what is junk food, anyway? When we drilled down, we were surprised. We’d always thought of junk food as empty calorie food: candy, chips and other salty snacks, cookies, fast food, foods baked or cooked with […]