The Four Natural Enemies of Olive Oil

A high-quality extra virgin olive oil is a must-have staple in many kitchens, partly because its delicious flavor and versatile nature allow it to be used in countless ways. For starters, extra virgin olive oil is perfect in homemade salad dressings, on roasted vegetables and as a key ingredient in a wide range of recipes.

In addition to tasting great, olive oil is also good for you. Naturally low in saturated and polyunsaturated fats, it is a healthy alternative to margarine and many other vegetable oils. Versatility, great taste and a healthy profile make it easy to see why many cooks and chefs always have a bottle close at hand.

What many people do not realize about olive oil, however, is that it is actually a perishable fruit juice with some finicky preferences. This mean proper care and precautions must be taken in order to keep your olive tasting and smelling the way it should, and preserve its health benefits.

The Four Natural Enemies of Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. Time. Because it is a perishable fruit oil, olive does not have an unlimited shelf life. Try to choose bottles with a clearly marked “harvest date” and make sure that date occurred within the last 18 months to 2 years. It is also recommended that you only buy as much olive oil as you can use within 30 – 60 days of opening.

2. Temperature. Heat will cause olive oil to degrade quickly. Therefore, do not store your olive oil near your oven or cooktop because the higher ambient heat in those areas will cause it to break down faster.

3. Oxygen. Like a fine wine, exposure to oxygen for any length of time will cause your olive oil to turn rancid. To prevent this, store your olive oil in an airtight container with the lid securely fastened whenever it is not in use.

4. Light. Exposure to light will also cause olive oil to degrade more quickly. Avoid storing your olive in clear bottles or out on your counter tops. Dark green bottles are the best for blocking out sunlight, but other dark bottles will also work. Storing bottles inside a cabinet when not in use can also prolong the life of your olive oil. A cool, dark place is your best bet to prolong the life of your oil.

Like any rancid oil, rancid olive oil is not healthy to consume. Avoiding the four natural enemies of olive oil will keep it fresh, healthy and full of flavor for a longer period of time. With a little bit of effort, you can preserve the delicious natural flavors and healthy properties of your quality olive oils.

Let Your Inner Chef Blossom: Creating Gourmet Salads With Edible Flowers

We've probably all seen beautiful wedding cakes with real flowers on top, but did you know that edible flowers can also be used in other dishes?  A simple green salad is instantly turned into a gourmet delight with the addition of just one edible flower.  But, you don't have to be a master chef for this gourmet trick. Just take a look in your own flower garden.

First, a Word of Caution

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To begin, let's be clear that one should never pick flowers to eat from alongside a road or other right-of-way. These areas are typically sprayed with poisonous chemicals to slow the growth of weeds. Only eat flowers that have been cultivated in an environmentally clean area or organic garden.

Do the research first to make sure the species you are entertaining eating is, in fact, edible.  Some regions produce both edible and inedible varieties of similar plants.  Your county's extension office may be a good place to start, as well as a local nursery.

Also, if you have allergies, specifically to pollen, be aware that even if you aren't allergic to a particular flower you are about to eat, that flower may be related to a plant you are allergic to. Even though you remove the stamen and pistil, the pollen is part of the flower structure itself, and may cause a negative reaction.

Once you have determined that a flower is safe to eat, and that you not allergic, you are ready to learn how to find, clean, serve, and enjoy these edible flowers.

Pretty Tasty Bouquets

There are many flowers that have wonderful color, flavor, and design that aren't found in exotic locations.  These flowers are often found in country gardens, window boxes, or even hanging baskets. Let's take a look at some of the more familiar flowers that can provide your salads with a gourmet twist:

Bachelor Button, or Cornflowers, are well known for their bright blue color and best described as having a clove-like flavor that is a bit sweet and spicy at the same time. Although they are often used just as a pretty garnish, when cleaned, the little petals can be sprinkled over a bed of mixed greens for a pretty and spicy touch.

Fuchsias are those exotic-looking brightly colored flowers that you'll often find in hanging planters, most likely around Mother's Day. The blossoms are a little on the bitter side, but make a nice addition to a savory salad such as a spinach salad with a tangy dressing. You can also use the blossom to compliment a buttery or sweet lettuce salad, playing the gentle sweetness off the somewhat bitter surprise from the pretty blossom.

Carnations are eaten by separating the sweet petals from the white base, which is very bitter. Scatter the petals on top of a bed of romaine lettuce and add complimentary flavors of both sweet and tangy ingredients and a light dressing. There are a wide range of colors so you can find something for any salad.

Chrysanthemums are big, bold, beautiful flowers that have big, bold, beautiful flavors. In colors ranging from reds and oranges, to creams and yellows, these edible favorites have a somewhat peppery taste. The petals may be lightly blanched in boiling water before adding to your salads. The base of the flower is very bitter, so be sure to use only the petals.

Day lilies. (Photo credit: wallygrom)

Day Lilies are a favorite in many gardens because they are easy to grow and very showy. But, with their sweet flavor, they are now one of the most popular edible flowers.  Again, you want to remove the petals from the bitter base.  The wide variety of this flower can actually provide a wide variety of flavors. The large petals are somewhat chewy and make a real statement on any salad.

English Daisies are so familiar to us that we often walk right by them without noticing.  Pick the petals off (he loves me, he loves me not) and sprinkle on top of an ordinary green salad and you'll have something unexpected.  The flavor is rather mild, so they are used mostly for the pretty gourmet look they give a salad.

Johnny Jump-Ups are another very familiar flower that often goes unnoticed.  Similar in appearance to pansies only very tiny, the blossoms have a slightly minty or wintergreen taste, making them perfect as a garnish for a fresh cucumber salad. Just imagine the pale purple petals sprinkled over the green cucumber slices. Very pretty, and tasty, too!

Pot Marigolds are a common flower with uncommon flavor and color. These flowers were used for many years to add color to soups, and now are often enjoyed sprinkled over salads to add a citrus-like flavor. Use on any salad you would squeeze a lemon or zest an orange over.

Of course, there are more exotic flowers that add unique flavor, color, and overall design impact to a simple salad.  But, these flowers are the ones many of us can grow in our very own gardens.  With just a little imagination, you can plan, plant, and harvest a floral bouquet to turn any salad into a gourmet specialty to rival any professional chef!

A Quick World Tour of Kitchen Seasonings

Herbs, spices and other seasonings are a natural and healthy way to add a lot of flavor to your recipes without adding a lot of extra calories. With a little practice, you can create an endless variety of delicious recipes, such as Mediterranean-inspired favorites bursting with the fresh flavors of lemon, garlic and rosemary and spicy Mexican dishes featuring cilantro, cumin and chili powder.

Spices (Photo credit: srqpix)

Of course, your options won’t end there. A wide range of herbs, spices and seasonings are used throughout the world to make food taste better, and in some cases, last longer. Over time, certain flavors have come to represent the culinary identity of the areas where they originated. In large part, the seasonings you choose will define the direction of your own culinary development, as well.

With a little creativity, you can put a fresh spin on some of your favorite tried-and-true recipes by simply swapping out the herbs, spices and seasonings you use. For example, if you add fresh or dried basil or oregano to diced tomatoes, chopped onion and finely minced garlic, you have the makings of a wonderful red Italian pasta sauce. On the other hand, if you replace the basil and oregano with cilantro and lime juice, those same ingredients become the foundation for a fabulous homemade salsa recipe.

To help inspire you, the following chart shows some of the most popular culinary ingredients based on geographic region.

Most Popular Kitchen Seasonings From Around the World

Italian
basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, parsley

French
thyme, French tarragon, rosemary, basil, sage, mint, marjoram

Greek
dill, lemon, oregano, fennel

Spanish
saffron, smoked and regular paprika, rosemary, thyme

German
mustard, rye, caraway seeds, borage

Mexican
cilantro, chili powder, cumin, Mexican oregano

Indian
curry powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric

Chinese
five-spice powder, star anise, fennel seed, cloves, cinnamon, ginger

Thai
Thai basil, cumin, turmeric, lemon grass, cinnamon

Of course, this chart is far from comprehensive, but it can serve as a good reference point for assembling your own collection of must-have herbs, spices and seasonings.

Harvesting Herbs (Photo credit: Chiot's Run)

Keep in mind, some herbs, spices and seasonings, such as salt, black pepper and garlic, have an almost universal appeal that isn’t limited by geographic borders. Chances are you will notice those items popping up in recipes from all over the world. As a result, you may want to keep an adequate supply of these basic ingredients in your own pantry or spice rack.

You will also see a lot of crossover among dishes from countries that border one another. For example, French, Italian, Greek and Spanish dishes often feature many of the same herbs, such as basil, rosemary, oregano and thyme. Of course, this isn’t surprising when you consider how these populations interacted with and melded together over the course of history. Depending on your personal tastes and cooking habits, these ingredients may be good to keep on hand, as well.

While assembling your own collection of herbs, spices and seasonings from around the world, remember you can save money by growing your own! Fresh herbs are super easy to grow from seed or from cuttings in your own garden and many can be brought indoors for year-round enjoyment.

However, if growing fresh herbs isn’t your thing, many popular fresh and dried varieties are readily available. Dried herbs can be a great alternative to fresh, but take note of expiration dates and suggested storage methods. Dried herbs, spices and seasonings can be quite expensive, so buy smaller amounts at one time if you won’t be using them often.

Learn to Enjoy The Zest Of Citrus In Your Cooking

Zest is a funny word.  We can use it in many ways.  Is zest a noun or a verb?  Let's take a look at the essence of zest, what it can provide in the kitchen, and some techniques for gathering this tricky little super-flavor.

What Zest Provides

Using an orange zester to zest an orange. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The outermost rind of citrus is where you find zest for cooking. It is valued for the intense, fresh, and brightening flavor it imparts to food. That is thanks to an abundance of aromatic oils in the rind.
However, there is a sub-rind, also known as the pith, which is white in color and directly under the rind. This pith is very bitter and not desirable at all when it comes to cooking. The pith serves only one purpose; to help protect the fruit from predators.

Citrus zest is added in recipes to either add color, intensely strong flavor, or both. There are a number of methods and tools available to harvest the fruit’s zest. You can purchase dried zest in the spice section of the supermarket, but it doesn't hold a candle to the fresh zest you can easily make yourself.

Zesting Techniques

Before starting, be sure to scrub the fruit with a vegetable brush and warm, soapy water. This will help remove any chemicals or other contaminants which may be on the skin. Rinse very well under fresh, cold running water, then dry.

You want to remember when 'zesting' citrus, to be very careful about only zesting, or scratching off, the colorful outside layer. If you start getting into the pith, you have gone too far.

If you are using a traditional hand held zester, you will end up with long, skinny stands of zest. A traditional zester looks almost like a miniature back-scratcher. You can also use a pairing knife, but you will have to be incredibly careful only to get the colorful part of the zest and not the pith. If you don't have a zester or micro-plane grater as listed below, a better choice would be a sharp vegetable peeler - with a careful hand, you can get perfect thin peels of lovely zest. You will probably need to mince or chop them up afterward though.

A citrus zest grater (may also be used as a general purpose grater). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A micro-plane grater is basically a very fine hand held grater which can be used to produce finely grated zest. To use a micro-plane, simply rub the lemon or other citrus fruit against the small blades on the grater over a bowl. A micro-plane produces short pieces of zest which are ready to use without further chopping.

Of course, if you only have an old fashioned box grater, the type you know from grating cheese, you can zest citrus on that as well.  Just try the different grater levels and decide which works best for you.  There are times when you might want larger curls of zest and times when you want the zest to be tiny enough to be absorbed into a recipe.

When to Use Zest

Zest is a powerful ingredient you will want to get to know in the kitchen.  A little goes a very long way, so you have to know when to use zest.  So when should you use zest?  Your answer is easy – whenever you want to infuse a dish with incredible layers of citrus flavors.

For example, by folding a little citrus zest into ricotta cheese before making baked ziti or stuffed shells, you get a tangy note that works well with the pasta. Putting lemon or lime zest into olive oil and heating it just until it begins to sizzle will give you an incredible infused olive oil suitable for many uses. You can also mix zest with brown sugar or honey to use as a glaze.  Or, try stirring zest into cake or brownie batter for a surprising flavor 'pop' in your favorite dessert!

Zest is an incredible ingredient to lift and brighten many dishes.  Considering that we used to just throw the lemon or lime or orange rind away, this is an ingredient that is like 'found money'... or I should say 'found flavor!'  Enjoy the zest of citrus to add more zest to your meals.