Review : Morimoto - The New Art of Japanese Cooking 4

For me this is an orgasmic book of unmeasured proportions. I have loved Iron Chef. I have loved Japanese cooking and finally the two have merged and come full circle. On viewing the book it's self - wow. A nice presentation. A heavy slightly over sized cookbook. 

Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking.

Morimoto

The editing of this book is very well done. Nice graceful modern designs. Page after page of glossy step by step images and techniques, and notations on traditional Asian ingredients and how that translates to using and accessing them (or a finding suitable substitutions) in the US . If I ever wanted to publish a cookbook, it would be in this style.

This book showcases why Chef Morimoto^w is at the axis of a foodie empire, in this creative and intuitive take on Japanese cuisine. When I read this cookbook, I felt like the foodie version of Being John Malkovich , as this book allows you to peer inside the thoughts and actions of this culinary genius.

In relation to skill level, I would recommend this book to people who have at least an intermediate knowledge of culinary techniques. The beginning home cook might not know how to utilize or apply the techniques Chef Morimoto has outlined in this book.

It would be wise to do some further research on Japanese Culinary techniques also, as this book can only highlight certain facets of the cuisine itself and not act as a reference manual or course book on Japanese Cuisine as a whole.

If you have ever had an inkling of adoration for Asian style cuisine, or are awestruck at the complexities of the full spectrum of Professional Japanese Culinary , as I am, you would enjoy this book.

Highlights of this book include:

• An in depth look at how the Japanese chef works his knife magic to create beautiful Sashimi ^w and Sushi ^w works of art out of various ingredients - parts of fish, Octopus , and Various Vegetables .
• Recipes that are full of depth and charisma.
• Master recipes of various sauces and marinades.
• Text about the origins and importance of ingredients utilized in Japanese cuisine.
• Beautiful photography displaying the frame by frame procedures for each culinary technique, and the eloquent plate presentation for each recipe.
• A glossary of Japanese terms , as well as a source guide for obtaining specialty ingredients.

Overall this book is a wonderful culinary journey that enables the reader to cultivate a better understanding of chef Morimoto, Japanese cuisine and the culinary revelations that Morimoto has contributed to todays culinary field. I loved this book!

The Culinary School of Thought : Why Food Blogs should not "tickle-me-emo" 1

Should food blog authors talk about drama in their personal life , in their posts ? What separates a foodie post from an average blog post? Is it the willingness to obsess over food? Or is it the absence of teenage angst?

Something keeps me from describing my year. A year I will never forget. I could divulge the sketchy details...let them consume the page until your eyes grow watery and strained --- but something tells me to move on to less polluted and more food oriented subject matter.

I am really torn on posting events of my private life on this blog. Especially since in 2008, I have committed to being a better food blog author. It is kind of like I've taken an oath to blog food - and nothing but the food.

2007 was a year that did not slip quietly into the realms of ordinary. Not a chance, there was no meager repose. Topsy-turvy. Not only for the rest of the world, these indeed are strange times. Elections. World in Crisis. Fashion disasters. Inventions aimed at making people more lazy. Uncertain economy. Dollar value plummeting.


So I digress. This is a food blog after all, not a "tickle-me-emo ^w" teenager-on-Myspace sob-fest. As Jim Rome ^w would say:

"That IS NOT a reason to GO!" --- Jim Rome

So on a lighter , more nostalgic note - I have had a lot of time to think about blogging and what I am wanting to do with my food blog in the future. I have had this blog since Dec. of 2004 (WOW!) and in that time the blog has gone through many stages of metamorphosis - from template design - as I discover new info on html design ; to advertisements; to the content its self.

The readership has grown (THANKS!) and I think the blog template has become a more mature version of former ones . I have always tried to distance myself from blogging the same content as food blogs that fellow foodie Mahanandi says are:

"....traditional "always-all things-all-purpose flour" corporate promoted cooking..."

and in a way that suits my style of writing very well.

The thing that stays constant is my love of writing and the insatiable passion of learning everything I can about culinary : whether that means food / technique / history.

Merriam Webster lists the term Disciple as :

Main Entry:
dis·ci·ple
Pronunciation:
\di-ˈsī-pəl\
Function:
noun
1: one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines ^MW of another: as b: a convinced adherent of a school or individual.

That is one reason I leave "student" in my blog description --- I will and continue to be a life long disciple of the culinary school of thought.

I author this blog not only to give me an outlet for my writing, but also to make note of things maybe other foodies can relate to, or to offer some info on certain techniques or info that may be more in depth than say that page on "recipes-gone-wild.com", all the while documenting and archiving my school notes for reference at a later date.

I do interlace my love of photography and music throughout this blog and can't help throwing in a smidgen of sarcasm or poetry or irony, it's my nature.

I am here to let you know my food blog is here for the long haul. I will be introducing more content, more frequently in 2008 and hope this is a year to awaken more creativity and foodie fabulous.

Happy New Year!

My Recipe : Curried Asparagus 8

This is a tasty side dish. It has gotten raves from my friends and family. It may seem a bit salty at first glance but take into consideration the liquid added washes the flavor out a bit , so there needs to be enough salt to bring out the curry flavors. Enjoy!

Green Asparagus by Gunnar Magnusson

You Will Need:

• a nice bunch of Asparagus (1-2 #s)
• 1/4 - 1/2 of a stick of butter
• a good curry powder (look for these ingredients : coriander seed, chili, cumin seed, fennel seeds, cinnamon, poppy seeds, star anise seeds, turmeric, mustard seeds, white pepper and peanut -- You can buy this mixture at an Asian market, regular grocers tend to have a diluted curry powder lacking depth)
• balsamic vinegar (a splash about 1-2 TB)
• porcini mushroom flavored oil (a bout 1/4 TB
• rubbed sage (about 1/4 - 1/2 tsp)
• onion salt (1/2 tsp)
• garlic salt (1/2 tsp)
• kosher salt (1 tbs)
• water (enough to cover asparagus)

Heat your pan on medium high and allow the butter to melt completely. After washing & breaking the fibrous bottoms off your asparagus stalks -- add them to the melted butter. Add 1 tablespoon of curry to the pan, mix into the butter to form a paste. Sprinkle balsamic vinegar over the whole pan. Drizzle your asparagus with the porccini oil. Dust with rubbed sage. Sprinkle salt , onion and garlic salt (a few shakes , as water will be added later). Stir briskly. Add 1 tsp more of the curry. Add enough water to barely cover the stalks. Cover and allow to simmer.

When done the asparagus will take on the yellow color of the curry, and they will appear slightly wrinkled/wilted.

Recipe : Gulab Jamun | Indian Sweets 2

Gulab Jamun. An Indian treat

gu·lab ja·mun (plural gu·lab ja·muns)

Indian dessert: Deep-fried dough served in a sugar syrup flavored with rose water.

[ Hindi translation = [gulāb] ="rose water" + [ jāmun]= "fruit"]

Indian sweets are generally based on thickened milk (khoya) and rice flour ---" Chaval ka atta" (in Hindi) or "arisi mavu" (in Tamilamil) . This combo has many uses : Crispness can be obtained if added to deep fried vegetables .

Used as a thickener in South Indian cuisine --- dishes such as kolambu, gotsu and rasa vangi which are then served with plain rice. IA thick batter can be made with urad dal for dosas and idlis. In Northern Indian cuisine it is used mainly in a pudding called phirni .

If your path takes you to East, Middle or West India --- it is the base of various pancakes, dumplings, fried snacks and sweets.


Rice flour is also used in painting 'kolam's' or alpanas, (mandalas) attractive designs fused with flowers on the thresh hold of traditional homes..

OR chickpea flour. --- a.k.a Gram flour, made from chickpeas (chana dal), is used as a binding agent for Koftas (meatballs or vegetable balls), or as a batter for fritters and as the base savory snacks like Dhokla (steamed dumplings), Bonda (spiced potato curry balls dipped in a batter of besan and deep fried), or Sev (fine, fried strands or sweets like ladoos.

Besan is used in many beauty related recipes : homemade masks , face scrub and toner,It is mainly mixed with malai (cream) and drops of rose water, or plain water.

Cardamom, almond, raisin, saffron, jaggery, rose-water and a hint of camphor are some of the commonly used flavorings used to scent Indian sweets. Bengali confections are favored all over India, especially sweets which use cottage cheese (paneer) or khoya as a base ingredient.

Popular sweets are Rasogullas and Gulab jamuns, these cottage cheese and khoya balls are soaked in scented sugar syrup. Favorite Indian delicacies include Jalebi (airy and light 'curlicues' of deep fried flour, soaked in syrup). Halwa (semolina pudding), Sohan halwa are very rich, chewy, nutty candies.
I discovered my love of all food Indian, through an old friend roommate. She had been heavily influenced by her father's stint in the South Pacific, adding his pastry chefs' flair and her mother's Asian roots , which acted as a gateway for the intermingling of Asian and Indian cuisines. She favored Vegetarian dishes best. So with the meeting of this friend and as our friendship flourished, I naturally developed a love affair with Dahl and curries .

This recipe was given to me from an an aging Indian woman who frequented our neighborhood. She was very happy to pass the legacy of her food filled past , however small , as she was saddened by the lack in interest from her grand-children.


Gulab Jamun
Ingredients:

• 4 oz. dried milk

• 2 level tablespoons plain flour
• pinch of bicarbonate of soda
• 4-5 tablespoons of milk
• 1 lb sugar
• 2 cardamoms
• rose water for flavoring
• 8 oz vegetable fat for frying

Mix the dried milk, flour and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl. Add fresh milk to make a soft dough; make thin 2 in long rolls.

Heat the fat, then cool and put over a slow fire. Put as many of the rolls as the pan will hold comfortably. Cook over a very slow fire till the jamuns are pale gold and have doubled in size.

While the jamuns are frying - add the sugar and 1/2 pint of water in a sauce pan and make a thick syrup. Add the cardamoms, either coarsely ground or whole, to the syrup.

Drain the jamuns and add the syrup, let stand for 5 minutes over low heat, then take off of the fire - add 1 tablespoon of rosewater and cool.

This should make 2 dozen jamuns. Serve hot or cold.

Yummy!!

You can learn more about Indian Confections here. There is also a wikipedia entry on Gulab Jamun . It is a small paragraph --- if you have info on the history of Gulab Jamune You you might want to contribute to building of the wikipedia page.

Recipe: Italian Turdilli 8

I have typically generalized on this blog, spoken not too specifically, mainly I have danced around the subject of my personal life. Well for those of you readers who know a little more about me then the words that glare at you from my blog pages, those that have emailed me or had fleeting cyber conversations...You are in for a treat.

Today I will share a small glimpse into that vault of memories from my childhood. A place I keep wrapped up --- to be reviewed when sorrows over shadow my life. I breathe in the smells of wheat farmed country sides, I eye the kitchen tools and ingredients that are all too familiar --- they create the foundation of food appreciation that I have today.

Of the many cultural influences in my life, there is one tributary branching off the meandering river I call my family heritage.

This tributary is peppered with Mediterranean accents. The migration of strong, willing inhabitants across a harsh sea. There is calling from the hills, to savor seasons! Making a life, if not harvests --- there is no discrimination from vine or fowl.

My maternal great-grandparents each made their own journey to America, they shuffled through Ellis Island. Into the dirty streets of New York. In search of a place that embodied the green rolling hills they had left behind.

They eventually settled, and indeed found their rolling hills. From the descriptions I have been given their farm was something of a foodies dream --- they made their own Italian cheeses,Prosciutto,salami & Italian meats and their own wines. There were great feasts to be had.





I grew up to appreciate little jewels of Italian heritage. One of my favorite sweets are Turdillis [pronounced TOR-DEE-LL-EEs]. We would get these at the annual Italian dance and festival. They are simple , but very suitable for any palate. The wine gives them a very pleasing contrast to the honey which they are rolled in. Enjoy!

Tordilli

1. 1 cup oil
2. 1 1/4 cup white wine
3. 2 cups flour, or more depending on consistency..
4. Pinch of salt
5. dash of nutmeg & cinnamon
6. 3 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
7. Plate of honey, heated for dipping

Bring oil and wine to boil, let stand for 5 minutes. Pour into a mixing bowl, add flour mixed with spices. Knead well, divide dough into thirds. Pin out (roll) to 1 1/2 inch thickness, you want long strips. Cut each strip into 2 inch pieces. Fry in deep hot oil. Cool and dip in hot honey.

Cook Book Meme - Long over due! 0

I have been devoting my time to school and other things, like Blogs That Flickr ,
sad to say even my photoblog has gotten more attention than RC. I'd like to say thanks for those that have added me to their links, and even deb has featured me as "site of the week" (*blushes*).

Thanks for the comments on my photography. My camera has broken recently, so it may be a while before I can collect funds to repair or buy another camera to take new pictures. If you wish to help out , visit my photoblog (link above) and click on "about" , there you will find links to donate or purchase pictures.All proceeds go to camera repair.

I was tagged in July with a cook book même by Food Chronicler. This is my first même. Sorry I am so late in delivery.

1. Total number of cookbooks I own: Well not nearly as many as I'd like. Only 30, I have just started collecting them in the last year or so.

2. Last cookbook I bought:

Bugalli on PastaOk ,I am a thrifty person when it comes to everything (I am a poor college student) so I frequent dusty little used book stores searching for deals. I bought this for $10 a couple weeks ago. To quote Jamie Oliver (a.k.a Naked Chef) on his thoughts on pasta, more specifically ravioli :

" They are sexy special little things, they're like little presents..."

I feel Pasta is rustic, simple and palate pleasing. For a pasta artisan to create the perfect zen like experience it must involve care and the right ingredients. I love pasta books.
3. Last food/cook book I read:

Bugalli on Pasta

4. Five (cook) books that mean a lot to me:

Cooking The Indian Way (1967) I found this book for $1 and It was such a find. There are a lot of traditional Indian entrees; desserts and appetizers. Plus it offers translations of Indian cooking terms. I love Indian food! I can envision the people who purchased this book in 1967, into a minimalist pad draped in and overflowing with orange color schemes with brass accents, no funiture just floor pillows and ambiance provided by soft citar music on the record player.




The Cake Bible
The Cake Bible .This book is fabulous and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in cake assembly/design- especially wedding cakes. The author offers really great tips for assembling wedding cakes and trouble shooting; her formulations in this book offer several types of buttercreams and ganache; even poured fondant. It was the book I referred to when doing my first wedding cake.




In The Sweet Kitchen
In The Sweet Kitchen One of the first baking books I have seen that isn't filled with a lot of what I call fluff (author quotes, full page photographs etc). It is filled with formulas that have great ingredients, and a good offering of history and info on the ingredients. When I think of baking for Christmas or other holidays, I search through formulas here first.


Professional Baking
Professional Baking This book is definitely a great one, with plenty of reference material; formulas and techniques. I will never get rid of it. All formulas use bakers percent. I really want the newest edition though --- it's even better!


The Professional Pastry Chef
The Professional Pastry Chef I received the 3rd edition as a graduation present from my uncle. He always supported my baking dreams whole heartedly. This book is indispensable. There are so many formulations and techniques outlined here. This has to be my favorite pastry book. The photographs are superb ---

5. Who would you like to see fill this out in their blogs:

J.T of Pastry Life. He has frequented here since I started this blog. He is always picking up some new culinary book...and now that he has graduated I wonder if this will start a new surge of buying needs ; )

Free association : First week of Summer Term 1

Monday started with a 5 a.m wakeup. I had class at 7 a.m. It was a very odd feeling to be attending school in the month of June. We will be attending class 4 days a week (7 hrs a day), for 8 1/2 weeks, which is 3 weeks shorter than the regular school terms.

When I wondered into the bakery...I felt as if I hadn't left for the 3 week hiatus. The benches and the flour bins sat empty of clutter, lifeless and sanitary. They begged to be slapped with mounds of dough and a film of powder.

The hearth oven loomed, lifeless and cold. How odd? Students trickled in, their chef hats crisp and unfettered. So little mess.


After surviving my first and only dull week --- I say dull due to the fact that we had 2 days of Demonstrations, mainly for the new students' benefit. We were split up into groups with at least 2 new students, so that the more experienced 3rd term (me)or Management students could act as guides. I was looking for any excuse not to stand around, watching my group. I was itching to start baking again.

I have to say that Summer Term is quite different. There is no retail sales on Friday. There are only 4 stations to rotate.

And the culinary dept.(other side) actually has been cooking some decent entrées. Tender meat and veggies, flavorful sauces! These meals normally are not much about palate pleasing, as far as the line is concerned. The Banquet hall is another story, they have excellent standards (but those meals are not covered in my tuition, as the line is.)

Today we slowly moved back into production. I am in the bread station. We made some beautiful Challah (snail shaped) and Sunflower-oat, which was shaped into batards.



I am no longer concerned with technical jargon, I am determined to use my baking intuition. So far I have learned that my note taking has paid off, all that knowledge is soaking into me and bleeding out, like an oil to cloth.

Formula :Lemon curd , Lemon Tarts , Authentic Scottish shortbread. 5

Perhaps that most enlightening thing about fresh lemon curd is the way it pleasures the palate. Lemon flavor that is not sickenly tart, just a mellowed, yet tangy citrus. The mouth feel is gentle but still has substance. Lemon curd makes me crave summers of my childhood, the fields ablaze with bronze and brass hues; the skies deepening atmospheric blues that cried out for a good chasing. This same sky which engulfed my small piece of earth seemed to be never ending.

In this post I will outline formulas for :


Candied Lemon slices [can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 months; suspended in lemon simple syrup]
Authentic Scottish shortbread {NOT the americanized version}

Fresh lemon curd

You will enjoy these....

Please note ( # = lb) These formulas are in small production batches. Please convert to 1/3 for home use.


Candied Lemon Slices :


If assembling the lemon curd tarts ---make this at least 4 hours ahead of time.

Have a plastic container w/ lid handy. These can be preserved for up to 1-2 months if properly covered and refrigerated.

Simple syrup:

4 # cold water

2 # 1/3 sugar

juice of 5 lemons

To make the simple syrup: Combine the water, lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

While this is happening Thinly slice 4-5 additional lemons. You are looking for a round that is complete , Discard the ends or any pieces that are broken inside. Gently Remove seeds with the point of a paring knife.



Once the syrup has reached a rolling boil , turn down to low heat and add your lemon slices, lightly push into syrup with heat resistant spatula. Allow slices to simmer in syrup for up to 10 minutes --- this allows absorption of syrup into the citrus membrane / peel . The lemons slices will appear translucent, and the white membrane will look moist.



Remove from heat. Let cool. Gently remove the slices, laying them on a paper towel. Pour the syrup into a plastic container --- then carefully lay slices into the container, make sure the upper layers are under syrup. Put lid on and refrigerate.





Lemon Curd :


This lemon curd formula is very good. It was passed down from an English grandmother. It takes some preparation but it is worth it! I would prepare it the day before use.




Please not this is also a small production formula -- please convert to 1/3 .

[# = lb.]



Ingredients:


-- 12.5 oz Egg Yolk
1 # 4.5 oz Sugar
1 # .25 oz fresh squeezed Lemon Juice [ commercial lemon juice concentrate can be used for part of the amount , better to use all fresh]
-- 10 oz Butter
-- -- 3 Tbs, plus additional 1 Tb of lemon Zest

In non-corrosive saucepan , beat egg yolks and sugar until well blended. Add remaining ingredients except for zest. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly , until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.
DO NOT BOIL. If mixture begins to steam, pull from heat and continue to stir.

When finished, put immediately through a fine sieve, pressing with a spatula.
Discard all residues. Stir zest into curd, pour into an air tight container, cover and refrigerate.


English Shortbread:

Many shortbread formulas today are Americanized , with added shortening or lot's of sugar. This formula is authentic or what is also Called "true shortbread".

I have adjusted the ingredients for home use :

AP flour 8 oz.
Sugar 2 oz.
Butter 6 0z [COLD]

Below are ingredients for a small production batch. Use 20 qt w/ paddle.

[# = lb]

2# AP flour
-- 8 oz Granulated Sugar
1# 8 oz. Butter [COLD]

Put flour and sugar into mixing bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and add to mixing bowl. Mix in 1st speed until it forms a ball.

Block dough into a rectangle .Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for atleast 30 minutes.

To work, let warm up slightly before rolling out. Generously flour your work table. Flour top of dough . Apply pressure and pin in the center of your dough block, apply force while rocking the pin back & forth. The friction will cause the butter in the dough to soften.

Assembling Lemon Tarts :



Roll out your English shortbread dough to 1/4 of an inch, try to make it as circular as possible --- this will allow you to fill more tart shells. Place your tart shell bottom down on the shortbread. Using a paring knife cut out a circle 1/2 inch larger than the shell.






Lift your circle away from the main piece of dough press lightly into your tart shell --- rotating with one hand press dough into shell with your other hand.





After filling your tart shells, hold a shell in your hand - taking a paring knife in the other run the knife outward away from you, parallel with the edge of the shell rotating as you trim off the extra dough. Place prepped shells onto a baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes.



Blind bake tart shells for 15-20 minutes. They will be golden and slightly browned on the edges.
Fill baked tart shells with lemon curd. Take out one candied lemon slice , per tart [4 inch] more for 8", and drain on paper towel. Center the candied lemon over the lemon curd on each tart.




Bake for 8 additional minutes, or until set. Let the baked off tarts cool. To remove from metal shell --- take small offset spatula and firmly grip it while you run it around the edge of the shell. This should loosen it. Push the bottom upward and set aside the ring. Run your spatula using the same method in an even motion -- be careful not to thrust your spatula upward and break your tart into bits.






Mmm. The 4 inch tarts are suitable for 2 people, or if you want to be gluttonous --- one for you alone. Makes for an easy flavorful treat.

Recipe: Green Tea Sesame Sauce 4

O.k I live for asian flavors. I love green tea , & I partake in the tea drinking ceremony atleast twice a day. Here is a recipe that combines some of my favorite ingredients - green tea, garlic, chives & chili pepper. This is not so much a fire in your belly, but a gentle warmth. Serve among good friends.


Green-tea Sesame Suace
This is great with chicken, seafood or tofu.

• 1/4 Cup tahini, well stirred
• 1 TB exstra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 Cup brewed green tea
• 2 TB fresh lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 TB chives, minced.
• 1 tsp fresh chilli pepper, minced
• salt & pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. For thinner sauce add more green tea.

5 Strand, braided Challah 0

5 Strand, braided Chalah, originally uploaded by Culinarynovice.

Some of the beautiful challah we made today.

The Wandering Spoon 1

Follow me as I taste my way from Southeast Asia to India.

This website is great. Thy Tran brings his culinary adventures to your doorstep. He revels in bringing to you the sites and smells and views from his stops in Asian/ Indian providence. Illustrated through pictures, recipes and antidotes - anyone with a thirst for travel or culinary delights will love the simplicity of his journal.

unfortunately there is no RSS feed for ... The Wandering Spoon.

Napoleon 2

Napoleon, originally uploaded by abstract2concrete.

Here is a close up of a napoleon. We have been making so many good things lately...more to come.

Formula/Recipe: Wussel Bread 3

{this formula is for production [40qt] - home use [divide formula into ¼ ]
[#= lb]
Sponge/starter:

9 # 6 oz. Water

8#-- Bread Flour

--1 oz. Yeast

Mix and ferment on the floor [bench] overnight for 17 hours.

Dough:

To the starter add:

8#-- Bread Flour
-- 2 oz. Malt
-- ½ oz. Yeast

Mix for 3 minutes - Rest for 20 minutes

Add 3½ oz. Salt

Mix at low speed for about 5 minutes.

2 hour primary fermentation

Scale at 1#3oz.- make up units

Rest for about 20 minutes

Place on bread cloth & board

Retard- between 18-22 hours

Pull at 6:oo - warm at room temp.

Proof for 20- 30 minutes

Bake at 470°F with 30 seconds of steam for about 30- 35 minutes bake time.



This is very beautiful bread. Such wonderful texture! My favorite bread that I have baked so far. The outer crust is chewy, yet the inside is light & flavorful. Also it is versatile. It can be shaped into different forms .


as you see here the outside has quite the texture. When you take these loaves out of the oven they literally sing -- the outer crust is sizzling and screaming. Bread songs are magic for a baker.

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Green Cooking

What's Cooking is a Certified Green business that offers healthy and seasonal cooking classes and birthday parties to children of all ages in the San Francisco Bay Area. In our online shop you'll find unique sustainable gifts and party favors.

We also offer What's Cooking Weekly, our menu service offering recipes, grocery lists and tips on making cooking with your kids fun and simple.

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Rockin' Robin's Mexican Food Recipes. A collection of delicious Mexican recipes for the Mexican food lover. We've got enchiladas, Chile Verde, tacos, guacamole, salsas, desserts and much more.

ItalianHomeRecipes.com brings the flavors of Italian Cooking straight to your kitchen. Search our website for easy to make Italian Recipes and Cookbooks!







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Bulk Spices from Avon Spice Company.We buy quality in quantity and pass the savings on to you. Spice Company. Importers of rare herbs and spices, based in Brewster, NY.

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Cosmo Pages / Cooking. This page links to many home cooking and international cuisine sites, including but not limited to American kitchen, Mexican cuisine, Italian pasta, French cuisine, Australian tucker, English breakfast, Chinese cooking, Japanese sushi, Thai food art, and other Oriental cooking. Enjoy!

Note - If you will be doing a google search for this site for incoming links - Please use the title, Renaissance Culinaire, NOT the url , to get a more accurate result. Renaissance Culinaire is PR5 with a steadily moving Alexa rank . Thanks :)