Florida Agenda

Fudge is a crystalline sweet, and controlling the sugar solution crystallization is the key to delicious, smooth fudge. One of the most important aspects of any sweet is the final texture. It’s the temperature that separates hard caramels from fudge and tiny microcrystals of sugar in fudge gives it its firm but smooth texture. The [...]

Gazpacho is a cold Spanish tomato-based raw vegetable soup, originating in the southern region of Andalusia. It is widely consumed throughout Spain and neighboring Portugal and parts of Latin America. Gazpacho is mostly consumed during the summer months, due to its cold temperature and acidic bite. This soup has ancient roots; there are a number [...]

By Jean Doherty The origins of vichyssoise are a subject of debate among culinary historians; Julia Child calls it “an American invention”, whereas others observe that “the origin of the soup is questionable in whether it’s genuinely French or an American creation”. Louis Diat, a chef at the Ritz-Carlton in New York City, is most [...]

By Jean Doherty Cauliflower is the edible flower of Brassica olearacea botrytis, a variety of cabbage, with an edible head of condensed flowers and flower stems. It’s normally creamy white in color, although some cultivars have green or purple flowers. Broccoli is the horticultural variety; both were cultivated in Roman times. Varieties that mature in [...]

Compared to green peppers, red peppers have more vitamins and nutrients and contain the antioxidant lycopene. The level of carotene, like lycopene, is also nine times higher in red peppers. Red peppers have twice the vitamin C content of green peppers. Also, one large red bell pepper contains 209 mg of vitamin C, which is [...]

The word scone may derive from the Gaelic term “sgonn,” meaning a shapeless mass or large mouthful. The German term “Schönbrot,” meaning fine bread, may also have played a role in the origin of this word. Or, perhaps, the word is based on the town of Scone in Scotland. The pronunciation of the word varies. [...]

Butternut squash (also known in Australia and New Zealand as Butternut pumpkin) is a type of winter squash. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin. It has yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp. When ripe, it turns increasingly deep orange, and becomes sweeter and richer. It grows on a vine. [...]

The cartoon character Popeye is portrayed as having a strong affinity for spinach, becoming physically stronger after consuming it. A frequently circulated story claims that this portrayal was based on faulty calculations of the iron content. In the story, German scientist Emil von Wolff misplaced a decimal point in an 1870 measurement of spinach’s iron [...]

A croque-monsieur is a hot ham and cheese grilled sandwich. It originated in France as a fast-food snack served in cafés and bars. The cheese is typically emmental or gruyere and it’s coated in a Mornay or Béchamel sauce. The name is based on the verb croquer (“to crunch or bite”) and the word monsieur [...]

It is sometimes claimed that the ancient Romans, as well as medieval cooks, stuffed animals with other animals. An anonymous Andalusian cookbook from the 13th century includes a recipe for a ram stuffed with small birds; and a similar recipe for a camel stuffed with sheep stuffed with bustards stuffed with carp stuffed with egg. [...]