Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 14, 1993 TAG: 9304130249
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Toni Burks
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
VANILLA ADDS A TOUCH OF MAGIC
There's a good reason vanilla is the world's most popular flavoring. Like magic, it makes frostings, puddings, ice cream and other desserts just taste better. Even chocolate recipes benefit from the addition of some vanilla.You may be most familiar with vanilla extract, but actually you can choose from four different kinds of vanilla, with a range in price and flavor.
Vanilla beans: These long, thin, dark brown beans come from a tropical orchid plant. The beans cost more and aren't as easy to use as the extract, but food hobbyists swear by them for fuller, richer flavor. You can find them in specialty food shops. Use fresh beans in foods where the vanilla flavor should predominate, such as vanilla ice cream, custard and pudding.
To prepare vanilla beans, split a bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape out the powder-fine seeds. Add the seeds to your recipe. The seeds from one vanilla bean are equivalent to 2 to 3 teaspoons of extract. Store vanilla beans, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Pure vanilla extract: Some home cooks rely on handy vanilla extract, which comes from the costlier beans. Pure vanilla tastes less intense than fresh beans, but its flavor is still pronounced. Use the pure extract as you would beans - in recipes where you'll appreciate its flavor, such as ice cream, puddings, milkshakes, or custards. Store it in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
Imitation vanilla: Made of artificial flavorings, imitation vanilla tastes stronger and harsher than pure vanilla. It's also the cheapest form and the most commonly used. Use it in recipes where the vanilla flavor doesn't predominate - in cakes or cookies, or in recipes using spices, citrus, or chocolate. Store it as you would pure extract.
Mexican vanilla; When traveling to Mexico or the Caribbean, you may be tempted to bring back inexpensive bottled vanilla that's labeled as "pure." Don't! The United States Food and Drug Administration cautions that some of these vanillas may contain coumarin, a flavoring ingredient banned in the United States because of possible long-term toxic effects. Pure vanilla is expensive to produce no matter where it is made. If the price is too good to be true, it's probably not pure. - Associated Press
\ MICROWAVE IT The steamy, creamy meat-and-noodle casserole Mom used to pull from the oven can be yours again, even on busy weeknights. The microwave oven cuts the casserole's baking time from about an hour to mere minutes. Canned soup and corn make the preparation time speedy too.
Hearty noodle casserole
3 ounces medium noodles(1 3/4 cups)
1 11-oz. can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1 2 1/2-oz. jar sliced mushrooms, drained
2 Tbsps. chopped pimiento
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. dried minced onion
2 cups diced cooked beef, pork or ham
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. margarine or butter, melted
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. In microwave-safe 2-qt. casserole combine soup, milk and sour cream. Stir in celery, mushrooms, pimiento, parsley flakes and onion. Stir in cooked noodles and meat. Cook, uncovered, on high (100 percent power) for 10 to 12 minutes or until hot, stirring twice. Combine bread crumbs and margarine; sprinkle over the casserole. Cook on high for 30 seconds more. Makes 4 to 5 servings. - Associated Press
\ MARKET SHOPPING Loads of vegetable and flower plants are available at farm markets now, and growers say there's still time to get cool weather-loving vegetables in the ground. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, onion and berry plants are plentiful.
There are lots of tomato plants, too, but it might be just a bit early to trust the tender plants to the weather. If you choose to plant them, farmers caution that you should be ready with protective covering should temperatures drop. If you want really early tomatoes, farmers suggest patio plants which can be taken inside if necessary.
Pansies, geraniums, snapdragons and marigolds are just a few of summer's favorite flower plants that are available now. There's a nice selection of herbs, too, and a collection of hard-to-find perennials and wild flowers.
Eggs, home-cured meats, herb-flavored vinegars, seasoning blends, horseradish and sassafras are some of the food items available. Asparagus, strawberries, greens, potatoes, sweet potatoes, apples, dried apples, jams, jellies, pickles and relishes are more good things. Look, too, for early season produce coming from warmer growing areas.
Cut flower bouquets, shrubs, vine creations, pottery and fancy decorated eggs are among the other market offerings.
\ TRIM THE FAT Why mess with frying when you can bake fish until it's golden and crispy? Baking at a high temperature means cooking without all the oil of skillet-frying. Just brush the fish with a very small amount of oil, then dip it into tangy sourdough crumbs and herbs.
Crispy baked halibut
1 1/4 lbs. fresh or frozen halibut steaks (thawed), 1 inch thick
3/4 cup soft sourdough or other bread crumbs
2 Tbsps. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon, crushed
1/2 tsp. paprika
Dash pepper
2 tsps. cooking oil
Fresh tarragon sprigs (optional)
Lemon wedges (optional)
Cut fish into 4 portions; pat dry. In a shallow baking dish stir together bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, tarragon, paprika and pepper. Brush both sides of fish with oil. Dip fish into crumb mixture to coat both sides. Arrange pieces in 12x7 1/2x2-in. baking dish. Sprinkle any leftover bread crumb mixture on top. Bake, uncovered, in 450-degree oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Do not turn during baking. If desired, garnish with fresh tarragon and serve with lemon wedges. Makes 4 servings. - Associated Press
\ A LOAF OF BREAD . . . Baking bread may stimulate the tastebuds, but 34 percent of Americans also describe the aroma as "the scent of seduction."
Of course, this study of 1,000 people was done by Bread du Jour, the home-baked bread company. And if true, how would our nation's bakeries ever manage to keep its staff out of the back room? But in the interest of reporting the news, here's the rest of the Bread du Jour survey:
- 45 percent of Americans still believe the way to a man's or woman's heart is through his or her stomach.
- More than 25 percent have used a "good home-cooked meal" as a way to seduce a lover or spouse.
- One in five would rather eat a good home-cooked meal than make love.
- Seven percent admit they married someone because of his or her talent in cooking meals.
- 80 percent say they prefer home-cooked meals to dining out.
- 2 percent left a lover or spouse because he or she could not or would not prepare home-cooked meals.
Yikes! - Knight-Ridder Newspapers