This page is for the curious kitchen snoop or anyone who can never take anything at face value especially if it's anything that's about to go into their mouth; food people, f-o-o-d, ya know, that other  four letter word.....

Browsing Archive: June, 2009

Vinegar

Posted by Kmk /dd on Monday, June 29, 2009,


The term "vinegar" originates from the French "vin" (wine) and "aigre" (sour). Vinegar probably was discovered about 10 000 years ago, when a barrel of wine developed a crack. The wine was exposed to the air, went stale' (fermented), and turned to vinegar.  The fact is if you leave out a bottle of unfinished wine, in a slightly warm room, unstoppered, it will in about a week, turn to vinegar, when acetic acid is produced through the action of aerobic bacteria on the alcohol in the wine, in th...


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Pilaf

Posted by Kmk /dd on Friday, June 26, 2009,


A pilaf is in essence, rice cooked in fat, often with a little chopped onion before being simmered in a flavourful (usually meat) stock. Additions such as spices, chicken or lamb, dried fruit and nuts are common and such embellishments make it a meal in itself.

The origin of the word "pilaf", which is the name most commonly used in English, can be traced to the Turkish "pilav" (often mistakenly thought to be Russian) and many other forms of the name such as pilau, pulao, plov and pilaff exist...


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Oranges and Lemons

Posted by on Wednesday, June 17, 2009,


Oranges and lemons,

Say the bells of St. Clement's

You owe me five farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's

When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.

When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney

I do not know,
Says the great bell of Bow

Here comes a candle to light you to bed
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!


This British nursery rhyme, as are many nursery rhymes, is thought to be disguised social and political commentary rather than jus...


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