By JANET K. KEELER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 24, 2002

A weekly serving of food news and views

deconstructing
explanations from the inside out

hoisin sauce

Hoisin (HOY-sihn) is a thick, reddish-brown sauce mostly used as a table condiment for dipping skewered, grilled meat and as a flavoring in meat, poultry and shellfish dishes.

Hoisin, also called Peking sauce, is a Cantonese version of sweet bean sauce predominantly found in northern China.

The spicy-sweet sauce, which is served room temperature when it's not used as an ingredient, is made from fermented soy beans, salt, wheat flour, sugar, vinegar, garlic, chili and sesame oil. Depending on the manufacturer, it might include pumpkin.

The dipping sauce offered in many Asian restaurants for spring rolls has a hoisin base but may be mixed with soy sauce, more garlic, red pepper flakes and chopped peanuts.

Bottled hoisin can be found in Asian markets and many large supermarkets. Once opened, it should be refrigerated; it will keep for about a year.

constant comment

"Cooking drunk was as dangerous as driving." -- Ruth Reichl in Tender at the Bone (Broadway Books, 1999)

this web site cooks

www.alternativebaking.com

Alternative Baking offers wheat- and dairy-free cookies made with barley flour and canola oil. They come in flavors called Hula Nut, Choco Cherry Chunk, Peanut Fudge Fusion, Mac the Chip and Snickerdoodle. The cookies are entirely vegan, which means they contain no dairy, eggs or artificial ingredients, guaranteed. On its home page, a daily quote, such as "When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained" by Mark Twain, provides words you can eat like alphabet soup.

cooking class

Choosing a pineapple can be daunting, with its spiky crown and knotty skin. The common advice -- that a pineapple is ripe if you can easily pluck out a frond -- is unreliable. A better method is to select fruit with a lush top that feels heavy for its size, then turn it upside down and take a big whiff. If the pineapple has a full, fruity perfume, it's ripe and sweet. Steer clear of those with any hint of booze in the aroma; they are over the hill and beginning to ferment.

now, that's italian

To longtime Pinellas County residents, the name Capa means sausage. From 1976 to 1993, Rosemarie Palma and her family produced hundreds of thousands of pounds of sausages every week and delivered them to major grocery stores, among other retail outlets. The family opened a deli in 1983, and for 20 years they've been making the same sausage on a smaller scale at Capa Italian Delicacies in Largo. The deli sells prepared food, sandwiches, wine, cheeses and Italian grocery items. We enjoyed Palma's spicy sausage and orichette salad. Capa is at 10839 Ulmerton Road, Largo; (727) 518-6222.

we still love milanos

We don't think Pepperidge Farms will ever top its phenomenal Milano cookie, but its new offering tries. Dessert Bliss cookies come in three flavors, Pralines & Creme, Cookies & Creme and Chocolate Almond, and the flavors are nestled in crisp cookie cups. We liked the rich, creamy fillings even though most tasters weren't ready to give up other favorite Pepperidge Farms flavors for Bliss. Look for a chocolate mint variety soon. Dessert Bliss sells for $2.99 a bag.

bam for kids

Emeril Lagasse rivals the Energizer Bunny in the endless movement department. The latest project from the busiest man in the kitchen is a cookbook designed for kids. Lagasse's Emeril's There's a Chef in My Soup! (HarperCollins, $22.99) features 224 pages with chapters on breakfast, lunch, pizza and pasta, and main dishes. The book teaches kids to be safe in the kitchen and includes how-tos and cooking basics.

sweet alchemy

King's Hawaiian, producer of Hawaiian Sweet Bread and Hawaiian Sweet Rolls sold at many grocery stores, is offering a recipe booklet featuring the baked items. Some of the creations, accompanied by color photos, include Scalloped Apples and Sausage Strata, Pull Apart Loaf and Baked French Toast With Berry Compote. For a free copy, send a self-addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope to King's Hawaiian Recipe Book, 406 Amapola Ave., Suite 100, Torrance, CA 90501.

- Compiled by Janet K. Keeler, from staff and wire reports

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