çikolata parçalı kurabiye

chocolate chunk cookie

This cookie was invented in Massachusetts in Toll House Inn in 1939. During WW 2 soldiers receiving care packages from Massachusetts shared these cookies with fellow soldiers and helped spread their popularity beyond the east coast. It's said that Ruth Wakefield gave Nestle the recipe for her cookies and the use of Toll House name and was paid with a lifetime supply of chocolate from the company.

As the original recipe goes half of the amount of sugar is white and half is real brown sugar. Since it's hard to find real brown sugar, I prefer to use white and add molasses.

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tarhun

tarragon

Posted on by Zehra

There are two known types of this plant of Central Asian or maybe Siberian origin. The “French” tarragon is the tasteful one. Russian tarragon is easier to cultivate but is not favored for its taste and aroma. It is believed to have been brought from Central Asia to Persia and Anatolia by the Turks during their migration and carried to Europe during the Crusades. As the seeds of the plant rarely reproduce, it is usually grown by dividing the roots.

The old Hellenic name of tarragon is drakon, which is in fitting with the widespread belief that it cures snake bites and keeps off reptiles and dragons. It is interesting to note in Hittite and Assyrian chronicles between 1440 BC. to 600 BC. that the weather goddess was named Tarhun (tarragon in Turkish). It was believed that she was the one to bring fertility to the dry Anatolian lands by sending rain. The authority of the king was thus strengthened.

Tarragon was first discovered in the Middle Ages through its medicinal use.

Tarragon has a sweet aromatic anise taste that goes well with chicken, eggs, fish, lemon juice, parsley, seafood, mushrooms and tomato. Broccoli soup is a recipe that you should try with tarragon.

You may know of tarragon, which has a special place in French cuisine, from the famed Sauce Béarnaise. It is also an important element of spice mixtures like herbes de Provence, fines herbes and bouquet garni.

It's not that easy to find this herb at supermarkets. You may try to grow at home (link is in Izmir, Turkey).like I do.

Put a handful of fresh tarragon in a bottle. Fill the bottle with good quality white wine vinegar, if you can get it, or apple vinegar and close the bottle tightly. Keep in a dark place for 1 -2 weeks, or for a longer time, according to the strength you prefer. Drain and transfer the liquid into a clean bottle. You can use it in your salad dressings.

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balkabaklı cupcake

pumpkin cupcake

Cupcake appeared in world food scene beginning of 19th century and it's said that the name derives from the teacup it's baked in.

Baked pumpkin mücver recipe has short info on uses and benefits of pumpkin that works perfectly in this recipe.

sebze tajin

vegetable tagine

North African dishes cooked tagine style were mentioned in The Thousand and One Nights stories collection of the ninth century.

The dish is named after the cooking pot. The earthenware pot functions like an oven over open fire, the lid drips the collected steam onto the food allowing cooking with very little liquid thus a perfect vessel for cooking tough cuts of meat.

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otlu piadina

herb piadina

This flatbread had been around for centuries in Emiglia-Romagna region of Italy and was accepted as an alternative to bread once. Today both the flatbread itself and the sandwich made with it are called piadina in Italy.

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kişniş

cilantro

Posted on by Zehra

Cilantro is supposed to be the most widely used herb in the world. It is known to have grown in the middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean and Greece since ancient times. Cilantro is a relative of parsley.

The leaves (cilantro) and seeds (coriander) have entirely different flavors. It was grown for a long time mostly for its seeds. Coriander seeds are mentioned in early Sanskrit manuscripts. They have also been encountered in Egyptian sarcophagi dated to 900 B.C.

Although this herb appeared originally in the Mediterranean region, it is widely used in Indian, Far Eastern, Chinese and Latin American cuisine. It has been available in Mediterranean and European markets only in the last five years. Getting used to the flavor of cilantro requires some time. Its taste is sometimes even described as “soapy”. It is also rumored that liking cilantro or not has a genetic root.

Guacamole is the Latin American recipe for which cilantro leaves are mostly used.

The root is only used in Thailand.

It is thought that the Turkish word of “kişniş” comes from the word “gishniz”, which was used in Central Iran. Coriander is mentioned in the old Testament as spiritual food.

As cilantro leaves quickly loose their flavor when heated, they are added when cooking is ended. It is mostly used in salads and in recipes that do not require cooking. Using cilantro in a dish with hot chili refreshes the palate.

I can still remember the taste of sugar coated coriander seeds that street vendors used to sell in front of my primary school. They are consumed in India to prevent bad breath.

Z If you are invited to a Passover dinner in a Jewish home and you remember to bring cilantro, your host will be very surprised. Your knowing that one of the bitter herbs eaten at Passover in ancient times was cilantro will certainly impress all the guests.

elmalı turta

apple pie

The oldest written apple pie recipe was published in the United Kingdom during 1381. Sugar was called white gold during those days, therefore pies were sweetened with dried fruit like figs & raisins and with spices.

As always I am sharing a recipe subjected to my adaptations.

 

If you can find the pastry tool called the "dough blender" please buy one. It is an excellent tool for rubbing butter into flour. It is also efficient when you do not want to work the gluten in tart and quick bread dough.

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ramazan pidesi

ramadan pide

Ramazan ayının olmazsa olmazı pidesidir. Burnumuzda tüten kokusu, damağımızdaki kendine has lezzeti uğruna fırınların önünde uzun kuyruklar oluştururuz. Şimdilerde bazı fırınlar 12 ay yapsa dahi bu pideyi ramazanda yemenin hazzı bir başkadır. 🙂

I would advise you to try this dough though it is a bit of a labor of love even if it’s just for smelling this sweet scent rising from your ovens.

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