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By JANET K. KEELER, Times Staff Writer
deconstructing jam vs. jellyIt's the texture of the finished product that tells you whether you've spread jam or jelly on your toast. Jam has bits of fruit in it; jelly does not. The origin of jam and jelly is somewhat of a mystery but food historians suspect that they were first made centuries ago in the Middle East, where sugar cane grew abundantly. Sugar is an integral ingredient in both spreads. (Sugarless jams and jellies have no processed sugar but do contain natural sugars from the fruit.) It is believed that returning Crusaders brought jam and jelly to Europe and from there they made their way to the New World with explorers. Jelly comes from fruit juice while jam is made with fruit pulp or crushed fruit, which is why it's looser than jelly. Either way, the fruit is cooked with sugar and pectin. Pectin is found in the cell walls of most fruit. When heated with sugar in water, it congeals. Pectin is purchased in powder form. Most experts agree that preserves are more like jam than jelly. Williams-Sonoma's Kitchen Companion, a thorough equipment and ingredient guide, uses the term preserves to refer to jams, jellies and marmalades. Other reference books, however, specifically say preserves are not jams but rather jelly with bigger fruit pieces. Marmalade is a fruit spread that contains pieces of fruit rind, usually citrus, and is more bitter than sugary jams and jellies. The original marmalades were made from quince. Now, however, Seville oranges are the most popular fruit for marmalades. this web site cooksThis site is more like an online newspaper food section than any other we've come across. There are lots of articles, cookbook and restaurant reviews, recipes, wine columns and food news. Globalgourmet.com, a product of the rich Southern California food scene, celebrates its seventh year on the Internet this month, which makes it a senior citizen on the here-today, gone-tomorrow Web. Editor Kate Heyhoe writes knowledgeably about food and we love her what's hot (designer tamales, wonton skins and brined turkey) and what's not (tortilla wraps, designer pizza and deep-fried turkey) list for 2002. constant comment"It's bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children's health than the pediatrician." -- actor Meryl Streep cooking classHere is a quick, easy way to add garlic flavor to sauteed greens, such as spinach or escarole: Spear a peeled clove of garlic onto the tines of a fork. Stir the fork through the greens as they wilt and cook until tender. The greens will be pleasantly garlicky without you having to chop or mince a single clove. of pretzels and presidents
good wine, good foodWine is a key ingredient in a myriad of dishes, from coq au vin to port poached pears. A wine destined for cooking should be good enough to drink, but priced reasonably enough so you don't feel bad pouring it into a pan. Avoid any product labeled "cooking wine" -- they're awful. A good all-purpose red wine for cooking is fruity pinot noir and for white, a pleasantly acidic sauvignon blanc. slice of florida
unnecessary, but cute
Put Williams-Sonoma's $19 stainless-steel herb mill in the You Don't Need It But It Looks Cool category. Cleaned, fresh herbs are dropped into the mill and small rotary blades mince the parsley, basil or tarragon into itty-bitty pieces. It's nothing that can't be done with a sharp chef's knife and some effort. However, the mill, which you hold in one hand and turn the crank with the other, can mince and sprinkle at the same time, much like a hand-cranked cheese grater. - Compiled by Janet K. Keeler, from staff and wire reports
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From the Times Taste section From the features wire |
