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dishBy Times staff © St. Petersburg Times, deconstructing/explanation from the inside outmascarpone
This buttery-rich, triple-cream cheese is Italy's version of cream cheese. Ivory-colored mascarpone has the consistency of room-temperature butter and is one of the primary ingredients in tiramisu, an Italian coffee-flavored layered dessert. Mascarpone (mas-kar-POHN or mas-kahr-POH-nay) is versatile enough and subtle enough to be used in both sweet and savory dishes. It is often mixed with fruit to make a spread. In Italy's Friuli region, a favorite blend is mascarpone mixed with anchovies, mustard and spices. Mascarpone is sold at Italian markets, gourmet shops and some grocery stores. If you can't find it, substitute 12 ounces of cream cheese blended with 6 tablespoons whipping cream and 1/4 cup sour cream. constant comment"I am not a vegetarian because I love animals. I am a vegetarian because I hate plants." -- humorist A. Whitney Brown cooking classIs the rise of your muffins or quick bread lackluster? It may be time to replace your baking powder or soda. These leaveners lose potency after opening, so check expiration dates on the packages before using. After three months, replace them. Test baking soda and baking powder by mixing 1 teaspoon with 1/2 cup of hot water. If they fizz, they are still active; if not, it's time to buy new. Old baking soda is still good for neutralizing odors around the house. this web site cooksTime is money and vice versa: That's the motto of this site that offers plenty of tips to help you save both in the kitchen and elsewhere in your house. Like nearly all media outlets, thriftyfun.com is reflecting the sadness and uneasiness of Americans in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. One article suggests that we should stock our cabinets with at least two weeks' worth of non-perishable food in case of service disruptions because of further attacks. For Florida residents, that means following hurricane preparedness guidelines: lots of bottled water, batteries, canned foods and "large trash bags that can be used for garbage, ground cover, bedding or rain coats." baubles for your bubbles
cooking quicklyFifteen basic recipes become 75 in the American Diabetes Association's Diabetes Quickflip Cookbook (McGraw Hill, $17.95). Each recipe can be prepared in up to five styles, including Asian, Greek, Southwestern, Irish, Cuban, Cajun, American, Japanese and Hawaiian. For instance, basic stew instructions are used to make Southwestern corn stew, then Mexican bean, Moroccan vegetable, Creole fish and African sweet potato. Lots of cooking tips and complete nutritional analyses are included. grab a clawThere are 4,000 varieties of crabs in the world, and aren't we lucky that the delicious stone crab is a Florida treat? The season opens Monday and runs through mid May. Expect to pay about $7.99 a pound this month for medium stone crab claws and $10.99 a pound for large and jumbo claws. The larger claws can be as much as $17 a pound later in the season.
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From the Times Taste section From the features wire |
Forget your jewelry. What will the fashionable wine or Champagne glass be wearing this winter? A tiny charm bracelet, it appears. Wine shops, gift stores and other retail outlets are awash in "glass identifiers," small jeweled loops that fit around the bottom of the glass stem. Most sets come with six, and each charm is different, allowing you to identify the glass with the banana as yours no matter where you leave it. GemWare is one such brand, and the sets retail from $11.99 to $49.99.
