licorice,cubebpiper,dill,hints for using herb & spices...

CubebPiper cubebaFam Piperaceae
Native to Indonesia, particularly Java, cubeb came to Europe via India through Venetian trade with the Arabs, Javanese growers protected their monopoly of the trade by sterilizing the berries by scalding, thus ensuring that the vines were unable to be cultivated elsewhere. Its main use appears to have been in medicine, although its similarity to pepper made it a handy substitute.
Spice DescriptionThis is the small, red-brown irregular seeds of a cardamom-like plant. The seeds are 3-4 mm (1/8”) in diameter and are numerously contained in a brown wrinkled, fig-shaped dried capsule about 30mm (1-1/4”) in length; they have a white kernel. They are rarely found in the West.Bouquet: Pungent, slightly camphorous, with a touch of nutmedFlavour: Peppery, aromatic and slightly bitterHotness Scale: 3Preparation and StorageAs with other pepper, grind as necessary; ground pepper rapidly loses its aroma.
Culinary UsesCubeb is used in local Indonesian cookery, especially in Indonesian gulés (curries). It was once popular in Arab cooking. Although there are no specific uses for cubeb in modern Western cookery, it was popular in the Middle Ages and in moderation may still be used to effect both as a spice and a pepper substitute. Because of its aromatic qualities, cubeb would go well with meat, cheese and vegetable dishes. It may be substituted for pepper in spice mixtures such as quatre-épices for flavouring patés, sausages, gingerbreads and spiced biscuits. Another use for cubeb is in place of allspice, where it will give a more peppery flavour.
Attributed Medicinal PropertiesCubeb and its oil are carminative, diuretic, stimulant and antiseptic and were employed as genito-urinary antiseptics and especially for clearing up gonorrhea. Extract of cubeb is also expectorant, being helpful in pulmonary infections such as bronchitis.
Plant DescriptionA tropical, climbing perennial vine with a round grey stem. The leaves are smooth and ovate with a pointed tip. The small white flowers are arranged in spikes that later develop into an aggregate of berries along the central axis. The fruits are brown.
Other namesJava Pepper, Tailed Cubebs, Tailed PepperFrench: cubèbeGerman: KubebeItalian: cubebeSpanish: cubebeIndonesian: tjabé djawa
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DILL WEED
Dill was once used to induce sleep. It was believed to work as a charm against witches. It is said that mystics could combat an "evil eye" spell by carrying a bag of dried dill over the heart.
HOW TO STORE:
Fresh leaves can be kept in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. To freeze, chop finely and mix with water; freeze in ice-cube trays. Dried leaves and seeds should be stored in airtight jars in a cool, dark place.
USING DILL:
For best flavor, use fresh dill leaves. Since cooking diminishes the flavor of fresh dill, add just before serving. Dried leaves do not retain much flavor, so it can be used generously in your recipes.
When mincing fresh dill, preserve the flavor by snipping it with scissors rather than cutting.

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The term "spices" is often used broadly to include all seasonings. Spices come from the bark, roots, leaves, stems, buds, seeds, or fruit of aromatic plants and trees with usually grow only in tropical countries. Pepper, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, and turmeric are spices.
Herbs are soft, succulent plants which usually grow in the temperate zone. Until recently cooks have had to make do with very few fresh herbs, such as sage, parsley, and thyme. Nowdays you can also find fresh basil, coriander, chervil, tarragon, rosemary, and dill. Since herbs are at their best when they are young and freshly picked, it is well worth growing your own.
Hints For Using Herbs and Spices:
Dried herbs are stronger in flavor than fresh leaf herbs. When adding dried leaf herbs to a recipe that calls for fresh ones, substitue 1/3 the amount called for in the recipe.
When using dried herbs, crush them in the palm of your hand or between your fingers. This will releasse the flavor quicker. Use only one strong-flavored herb (rosemary, sage, winter savory, etc.) in a food. A strong-flavored seasoning may be combined with several mild-flavored ones. Whole herb leaves are a better choice than ground or powdered herbs because they hold their flavor longer in storage; pulverize just before using.
When adding whole spices to a recipe that calls for ground spices, use 1 1/2 times as much as the recipe call for. When doubling a recipe, do not double the herbs and spices. Increase them by 1 1/2 times and then taste, adding more if necessary.
Don't season more than one dish in a meal with the same herb. Also, every dish on the menu does not need to be herbed - two or three at the most is enough.
Use only one (1) strong-flavored herb (rosemary, sage, basil, mint, dill, marjoram, tarragon, thyme, etc.) in a dish at a time. However, a strong-flavored herb may be combined with several mild-flavored ones (chervil, chives, parsley, savory, etc.) for delightful dishes.

How To Preserve Fresh Herbs:
The faster the herbs dry, the more flavorful the resulting dried herb will be.
Conventional Oven: Place clean dry herb sprigs on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at the lowest setting until herbs are dry and brittle. This should take about 12 hours. Strip leaves from stems & place in small airtight storage containers.
Air Drying: Tie small bunches of herbs with string and hang upside down by the stems in a dry warm spot out of direct sunlight. Be sure air circulates freely around the bunches. Let dry till leaves are brittle. This usually takes a few days to a week, depending on the thickness of the leaves. Pick off the dried leaves & store in tightly covered containers in a cool, dry place about two weeks or till dry and brittle.
Microwave Drying: Pick when the dew has just gone off. Put on paper towels on a plate in the microwave. Zap on high for a minute to start (at that point they appear "wet"). Stir them, zap again for another minute, move around again, and zap approximately 30 seconds more or until they are dry and crumbly. Rub between your hands to break up, pick out any twiggy parts and put in small jars or baggies.
Freezing Herbs: Wrap in foil or plastic wrap.You can also chop clean herbs, place in ice cube trays & fill with water. When needed remove herb ice cubes and drop into hot cooking liquid. You can also wrap bunches of fresh herbs in foil or plastic wrap and freeze them for several weeks. You should expect some discoloration of frozen herbs. Mark the date on the container of your dried herbs. They can be kept for one year. Heat, moisture and light rob herbs of flavor. You can also make herb butters and herb vinegars.

Handling and Storage of Herbs and Spices:
Whole spices will keep their flavor indefinitely as long as they are kept in tightly closed containers away from heat and light. Herbs in leaf form will keep longer than herbs in ground form. Ground spices and herbs will keep their flavor for up to a year after purchase (whether opened or unopened), as long as they were fresh when purchased and kept in tightly closed containers in a cool place. If kept at room temperature, in a pantry for example, herbs and spices will keep for only 6 months.
Never store herbs and spices next to or above the stove (this will shorten their life). To tell if a herb or a spice has lost its flavor, smell it - if it has no aroma, it should be discarded.

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Licorice
Glycyrrhiza glabraFam Leguminosae
Licorice gets its name from the Greek glyks, meaning sweet and rhiza meaning root. It is the sweet tasting rhizomes (underground stems) and roots that are used as flavourings. Licorice is native to south-eastern Europe and the Middle East, where it grows wild. It was known to the Greeks, mentioned in the Hippocratic texts, and to the Romans, who made licorice extract as we do today. Ancient Chinese herbalists used licorice, distilling the root’s essence and prescribing it for a wide range of conditions.Licorice is particularly well known for its use in confectionery. It was cultivated in England since the 16th century by Dominican monks in Pontefract, Yorkshire, where the confectionery trade began.
Spice DescriptionLicorice is the rhizome of a bean plant, both the vertical main tap root and horizontal subsidiary rhizomes being used. The dried roots look like pieces of dried wood, very hard and fibrous, about I cm (3/8”) in diameter, with brown skin and a yellow interior. It is available as dried, woody pieces of root, as a powder and as solid sticks of concentrated essence which are glossy black, sweet and partly soluble in water.Bouquet: medicinal and highly aromatic.Flavour: sweet tasting, similar to anise, with a slightly bitter, slightly salty aftertaste. When chewed on its own it seems to get sweeter and sweeter.Hotness Scale: 1
Preparation and StorageThe dried root need only be kept dry and will store indefinitely. It can be sliced or ground before using. Powdered licorice should be kept in air-tight containers.
Culinary UsesLicorice is known mostly as a confectionery flavouring, especially Licorice Allsorts or Pontefract cakes. Licorice candy actually rarely has more than 2% natural licorice extract, usually taking most of its flavour from anise or a synthetic substitute. Ninety percent of all natural licorice employed as a flavouring agent is used in tobacco (cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco).The sticks of licorice essence may be dissolved in hot water and drunk as a tisane and the roots may flavour fruit juices, syrups and for flavouring drinks like sambuca and beers like Guinness.
Attributed Medicinal PropertiesThe strong smell and distinctive taste of licorice is often used to mask unpalatable flavours in cough medicines and throat lozenges It can be chewed to relieve a sore throat and gargling with an infusion of the root relieves a dry cough and oral inflammations. As it soothes irritation caused by acids, it is prescribed for gastric ulcers.Licorice has an ancient reputation as an aphrodisiac; the Kama Sutra and Ananga Ranga contain numerous recipes for increasing sexual vigour which include licorice.Large or frequent doses of licorice can lead to acute hypertension.
Plant Description and CultivationA tall erect legume, standing up to 1.5 m (5 feet) tall, the plant bears small spikes of lilac-coloured flowers that bear bean-like pods which contain 3 or four seeds. The root descends about 1 m (3 ft) underground, sending out an extensive network of rhizomes, which are grown for three to five years before they are harvested. The roots and rhizomes are cleaned, pulped, then boiled and the licorice is then concentrated by evaporation.
Other NamesBlack Sugar, Licorice Root, Liquorice, Sweetroot, SweetwoodFrench: reglissGerman: LakritzeItalian: liquiriziaSpanish: regalizIndian: muleth

ΜΠΑΧΑΡΙΚΑ

Allspice
Pimenta dioicasyn: Pimenta officinalis, Eugenia pimentaFam: Myrataceae
Allspice takes its name from its aroma, which smells like a combination of spices, especially cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. In much of the world, allspice is called pimento because the Spanish mistook the fruit for black pepper, which the Spanish called pimienta. This is especially confusing since the Spanish had already called chillies pimientos. Lets also thank the Spanish for centuries of linguistic confusion created by naming all the natives they met ‘Indians’.Allspice is the only spice that is grown exclusively in the Western Hemisphere. The evergreen tree that produces the allspice berries is indigenous to the rainforests of South and Central America where it grows wild. Unfortunately the wild trees were cut down to harvest the berries and few remain today. There are plantations in Mexico and parts of Central America but the finest allspice comes from Jamaica where the climate and soil are best suited to producing the aromatic berries.Allspice was used by the Mayans as an embalming agent and by other South American Indians to flavour chocolate. The name ‘Jamaica’ comes from Xamayca, meaning ‘land of wood and water’ in the language of the Arawaks. These natives used allspice to help cure and preserve meats, sometimes animals, sometimes their enemies. The allspice cured meat was known in Arawak as boucan and so later Europeans who cured meat this way came to be known as boucaniers, which ultimately became ‘buccaneers’.The spice was imported to Europe soon after the discovery of the new world. There were several attempts made to transplant it to spice producing regions of the east, but these trees produced little fruit. Despite its rich fragrance and a strong flavour resembling other more coveted spices, allspice never had the same caché in Europe as cinnamon or pepper. The English started making regular shipments to England in 1737, but by that time the lust for spices been eclipsed by other New-World products like sugar and coffee. It was quite popular in England though, where it came to be known as ‘English Spice”.In the Napoleonic war of 1812, Russian soldiers put allspice in their boots to keep their feet warm and the resultant improvement in odours is carried into today’s cosmetic industries, where pimento oil is usually associated with men’s toiletries (especially products with the word ‘spice’ on the label).
Spice DescriptionDried allspice berries resemble large brown peppercorns. Unripe berries are harvested and sun dried until the seeds in them rattle. They vary in size between 4 to 7 mm (1/8 - 1/4 in) in diameter and are dark brown with wrinkled skins. The outer case contains two dark, hard kidney-shaped seeds. Allspice is available whole or ground. Sometimes the whole berry will be called ‘pimento’.Bouquet: pungent and aromatic, like a combination of nutmeg, clove , ginger and cinnamon.Flavour: warm and sweetly pungent like the combination described above with peppery overtones.Hotness Scale: 4
Preparation and StorageWhole dried allspice will keep indefinitely when kept out of light in airtight jars. It can be ground in a spice mill or an electric coffee grinder. The ground spice loses flavour quickly.
Culinary UsesJerked meats like pork, chicken and kid reflect the Spanish/Jamaican background of Allspice. It is a particularly popular spice in European cooking, an important ingredient in many marinades, pickling and mulling spices. Many patés, terrines, smoked and canned meats include allspice. A few allspice berries are added to Scandinavian pickled herring, to Sauerkraut , pickles, soups, game dishes and English spiced beef. Traditionally, allspice has been used in cakes, fruit pies, puddings ice cream and pumpkin pie. Some Indian curries and pilaus contain allspice and in the Middle East it is used in meat and rice dishes. It is also used in liqueurs, notably Benedictine and Chartreuse.Allspice can be used as a substitute, measure, for measure, for cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg. Conversely to make a substitution for allspice, combine one part nutmeg with two parts each of cinnamon and cloves.
Attributed Medicinal PropertiesBecause of its eugenol content, allspice has attributes similar to clove. It is a digestive and carminative. The oil is classed as rubefacient, meaning that it irritates the skin and expands the blood vessels, increasing the flow of blood to make the skin feel warmer. The tannins in allspice provide a mild anesthetic that, with its warming effect, make it a popular home remedy for arthritis and sore muscles, used either as a poultice or in hot baths.
Plant Description and CultivationA tropical evergreen tree, growing 7 -13m (22-43 ft) in height. It has smooth grey bark, with elliptic, glossy leaves, dark green and glossy, up to 15 cm (6 in) long. It has small white flowers appearing in mid summer followed by green berries that turn purple when ripe. Trees are planted about 10m (30 ft ) apart, allowing room for a full canopy of fruit-bearing branches. Fruit starts to develop after about five years, and becomes full-bearing after twenty years.These plantations are not called orchards, but ‘walks” and in the summer, when whole trees are blanketed in aromatic flowers, the ‘pimento walk’ was a stroll through the grounds. The botanist Patrick Browne wrote in 1755: “nothing can be more delicious than the odour of these walks, when the trees are in bloom, as well as other times; the friction of the leaves and small branches even in a gentle breeze diffusing a most exhilarating scent.Berries are picked when they have reached full size, but before they can ripen. The height of the trees makes mechanizing the process difficult, so hand picking or pulling off branches is still common. Berries are then ‘sweat’ for a few days, then they are spread out on a concrete platform called a ‘barbeque’ where they are dried. Leaves from the male trees are also harvested for eugenol oil.
Other NamesEnglish Spice, Jamaica Pepper, Clove Pepper, Myrtle Pepper, Pimenta, PimentoFrench: pimenta, tout-épiceGerman: JamikapfeferItalian: pimentoSpanish: pimiento de JamaicaIndian: kabab cheene, seetful
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Basil
The Greek name for basil means "king", which shows how highly it has been regarded throughout the ages.
Italian cooks love this easy-to-grow herb and use it generously in their sauces. In Italy this plant is a symbol of love; a sprig of it presented to your lover bespeaks fidelity. When a woman puts a pot of basil on the balcony outside her room, it means that she is ready to receive her suitor.
Basil has become one of the most popular herbs in the garden today. It is my favorite herb, especially in the summer and autumn when vine-ripen tomatoes are available. There are many types of basil, which vary in size, color, and flavor. All can be used for culinary purposes.
If you're not lucky enough to grow your own basil, it can be found in your supermarket. Look for evenly colored, bright green leaves with no sign of wilting or dark spots.
Storing Fresh Basil
· Store fresh basil leaves in the refrigerator, wrapped in barely damp paper towels and then in a plastic bag, for up to four days.
· Store a bunch of basil, stems down, in a glass of water with a plastic bag over the leaves. Secure plastic bag to the glass with a rubber band. Refrigerate for up to a week, changing water every other day.
Preserving Fresh Basil
· To freeze, puree basil leaves with a little water and put into ice-cube trays. When frozen, the cubes can be stored in the freezer in plastic bags.
· To freeze, rinse herbs and let drain until dry. Lay in a single layer on baking sheets, keeping pieces slightly apart. Freeze on baking sheets just until herbs are rigid, about one hour. Place frozen herbs into small freezer plastic bags, press out air, seal, and return to freezer. To use, take out of the bag what you need, reseal, and immediately return to the freezer. Frozen herbs will retain flavor up to one year.
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DEFINITION
Chili is a stew-like soup made entirely with meat, chilies, or chili powder (or both) and according to what region of the United States that you live in, it can also include beans. "Con carne" means "with meat."

The only thing certain about the origins of chili is that it did not originate in Mexico. Charles Ramsdell, a writer from San Antonio in an article called San Antonio: An Historical and Pictorial Guide, wrote: "Chili, as we know it in the U.S., cannot be found in Mexico today except in a few spots which cater to tourists. If chili had come from Mexico, it would still be there. For Mexicans, especially those of Indian ancestry, do not change their culinary customs from one generation, or even from one century, to another."
There are many legends and stories about where chili originated and it is generally thought, by most historians, that the earliest versions of chili were made by the very poorest people. J. C. Clopper, the first American known to have remarked about San Antonio's chili carne, wrote in 1926: "When they have to pay for their meat in the market, a very little is made to suffice for a family; this is generally into a kind of hash with nearly as many peppers as there are pieces of meat - this is all stewed together."
17th Century
1618 - According to an old Southwestern American Indian legend and tale (several modern writer have documented -or maybe just "passed along") this old story, it is said that the first recipe for chili con carne was put on paper in the 17th century by a beautiful nun, Sister Mary of Agreda of Spain. She was mysteriously known to the Indians of the Southwest United States as "La Dama de Azul," the lady in blue. Sister Mary would go into trances with her body lifeless for days. When she awoke from these trances, she said her spirit had been to a faraway land where she preached Christianity to savages and counseled them to seek out Spanish missionaries.
It is certain that Sister Mary never physically left Spain, yet Spanish missionaries and King Philip IV of Spain believed that she was the ghostly "La Dama de Azul" or "lady in blue," of Indian Legend. It is said that sister Mary wrote down the recipe for chili which called for venison or antelope meat, onions, tomatoes, and chile peppers. No accounts of this were ever recorded, so who knows?
18th Century
In the late 1600s and early 1700s, a handful of colonists arrived from the Canary Islands and settled in old La Villita just outside the Mission San Antonio de Bejar (known today as The Alamo) to build churches and cathedrals. The women of the village would make their "Spanish" stews at home in copper kettles. Around sundown, the women would take the kettles into the plaza and spread out their red cloths on the ground and build a little fire to keep the meal hot. People passing by were summoned to dine and they would sit on the ground and eat the "chili" from handmade earthen dishes.
19th Century
Some Spanish priests were said to be wary of the passion inspired by chile peppers, assuming they were aphrodisiacs. The priest's warning probably contributed to the dish's popularity.
1850 - Records were found by Everrette DeGolyer (1886-1956), a Dallas millionaire and a lover of chili, indicating that the first chili mix was concocted around 1850 by Texan adventurers and cowboys as a staple for hard times when traveling to and in the California gold fields and around Texas. Needing hot grub, the trail cooks came up with a sort of stew. They pounded dried beef, fat, pepper, salt, and the chile peppers together. This amounted to "brick chili" or "chili bricks" that could be boiled in pots along the trail. DeGolyer said that chili should be called "chili a la Americano" because the term chili is generic in Mexico and simply means a hot pepper. He believed that chili con carne began as the "pemmican of the Southwest."
It is said that some trail cooks planted pepper seeds, oregano, and onions in mesquite patches (to protect them from foraging cattle) to use on future trail drives. It is thought that the chile peppers used in the earliest dishes were probably chili piquns, which grow wild on bushes in Texas, particularly the southern part of the state.
There was another group of Texans known as "Lavanderas," or "Washerwoman," that followed around the 19th-century armies of Texas making a stew of goat meat or venison, wild marjoram and chile peppers.
1860 - Residents of the Texas prisons in the mid to late 1800s also lay claim to the creation of chili. They say that the Texas version of bread and water (or gruel) was a stew of the cheapest available ingredients (tough beef that was hacked fine and chilies and spices that was boiled in water to an edible consistency). The "prisoner's plight" became a status symbol of the Texas prisons and the inmates used to rate jails on the quality of their chili. The Texas prison system made such good chili that freed inmates often wrote for the recipe, saying what they missed most after leaving was a really good bowl of chili.
1880 - San Antonio was a wide-open town (a cattle town, a railroad town, and an army town) and by day a municipal food market and by night a wild and open place. Frank H. Bushick describes the market in his book Glamorous Days as "an open air bazaar for fakers, peddlers, and every variety of Bedouins of the night. . . The houses and saloon bars in the adobe buildings on the four sides of the square were concealed by thirsty humanity bellied up two rows deep."
Latino women nicknamed "Chili Queens" sold stew they called "chili" made with dried red chilies and beef from open-air stalls at the Military Plaza Mercado. In those days, the world "chili" referred strictly to the pepper. They served a variation of simple, chile-spiked dishes (tamales, tortillas, chili con carne, and enchiladas). A night was not considered complete without a visit to one of these "chili queens." In 1943 they were put out of business due to their inability to conform to sanitary standards enforced in the town's restaurants.
1890 - Chili historians are not exactly certain who first "invented" chili powder. It is agreed that the inventors of chili powder deserve a slot in history close to Alfred Nobel (1933-1896), inventor of dynamite.
The Fort Worth chili buffs give credit to DeWitt Clinton Pendery. Pendery arrived in Fort Worth, Texas in 1870. It is said that local cowboys jeered his elegant appearance (he was wearing a long frock coat and a tall silk hat) as he stepped onto the dusty street. It is also said that he was initiated into the town by a bullet whipping through his coat. He casually collected his belongings and continued on his way, earning immediate popular respect. By 1890, after his grocery store burned down, he started selling his own unique blend of chilies to cafes, hotels, and citizens under the name of Mexican Chili Supply Company. Pendery's products are still sold today by members of his family. Pendery wrote of the medicinal benefits of his condiments and its acclamation from physicians: "The health giving properties of hot chile peppers have no equal. They give tone to the alimentary canal regulating the functions, giving a natural appetite and promoting health by action of the kidneys, skin and lymphatics."
San Antonio buffs swear that chili powder was invented by William Gebhardt, a German immigrant in New Braunfels, Texas (now a suburb of San Antonio) around 1890. He registered his Eagle Brand Chili Powder trademark in 1896, making it one of the oldest in the United States. In 1960, it was acquired by Beatrice Foods and is now known as Gebhardt Mexican Foods Company. The blend today is unchanged and is still one of the most popular brands used.
1893 - The Texas chili went national when Texas set up a state chili booth at the 1893 Colombian Exposition in Chicago.
1895 - Lyman T. Davis of Texas made chili in downtown Corsicana and delivered it by wagon to saloons where it was sold for five cents a bowl with all the crackers you wanted. He later opened a meat market where he sold his chili in brick form, using the brand name of Lyman's Famous Home Made Chili. In 1921, he started to can chili in the back of his market and named it "Wolf Brand" in honor of his pet wolf, Kaiser Bill. A picture of the wolf is still on the label. In the 1920s, Davis quit the chili business when his ranch was found to have lots of oil. The company is now owned by The Quaker Oats Company.
20th Century
Around the turn of the century, chili joints appeared in Texas. By the 1920s, they were familiar all over the West. The chili joints were usually no more than a shed or a room with a counter and some stools. Usually a blanket was hung up to separate the kitchen. The Dictionary of American Regional English describes chili joints as: "A small cheap restaurant, particularly one that served poor quality food."
1922 - Cincinnati style chili is quite different from its more familiar Texas cousin. It is unique to the Cincinnati area and it was created in 1922 by a Macedonian immigrant, Tom (Athanas) Kiradjieff. He settled in Cincinnati with his brother, John, and opened a hot dog stand with Greek food called the Empress, only to do a lousy business because nobody there at the time knew anything about Greek food. So, it is said, that they called their spaghetti "chili." He created a chili made with Middle Eastern spices which could be served a variety of ways. His "five-way" was a concoction of a mound of spaghetti topped with chili, then with chopped onion, then red kidney beans, then shredded yellow cheese, and served with oyster crackers and a side order of hot dogs topped with shredded cheese.
1962 - Chasen's Restaurant in Hollywood, California probably made the most famous chili. The owner of the restaurant, Dave Chasen, kept the recipe a secret, entrusting it to no one. For years, he came to the restaurant every Sunday to privately cook up a batch, which he would freeze for the week, believing that the chili was best when reheated. "It is a kind of bastard chili" was all that Dave Chasen would divulge.
During the filming of the movie "Cleopatra" in Rome, Italy, famous movie star, Elizabeth Taylor, had Chasen Restaurant in Hollywood, California send 10 quarts of their famous chili to her. She supposedly paid $200 to have it shipped to her in Rome.
Chauffeurs and studio people, actors and actresses would come to the back door of Chasen's to buy and pick up the chili by the quart. Other famous people craved this chili such as comedian and actor Jack Benny (1894-1974) who ordered it by the quart. J. Edgar Hoover (1895-1972), former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), who considered it the best chili in the world, and Eleanor Roosevelt (1894-1962) wife of the 32nd President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, sought the recipe but was refused it (a complimentary order was dispatched to her instead). It is said that Chasen's also send chili to movie actor Clark Gable (1901-1960), when he was in the hospital (he reportedly had it for dinner the night he died).
1967 - The first chili cook-off known to modern man took place in 1967 in uninhabited Terlingua, Texas (once a thriving mercury-mining town of 5,000 people). It was a two-man cook-off between Texas chili champ Homer "Wick" Fowler (1909-1972), a Dallas and Denton newspaper reporter, and H. Allen Smith (humorist and author), which ended in a tie. The cook-off challenge started when H. Allen Smith wrote a story for the Holiday magazine titled Nobody Knows More About Chili Than I Do, which claimed that on one in Texas could make proper chili. A reader suggested that Fowler answer the challenge, which he did. The cook-off competition ended in a tie vote when the tie-breaker judge allowed someone to ram a spoonful of chili into his mouth and promptly spit it all over the referee's foot and then he went into convulsions. He rammed a handkerchief down his throat and pronounced himself unable to go on and declared a one-year moratorium in the world championship chili cook-off.
The International Chili Society was formed by Francis Tolbert (1912-1984), famous journalist and author of A Bowl of Red, and continued to hold its annual cook-off in Terlingua until 1975, when it moved to Rosamound, California. Chili competitions are still held each year in Terlingua.
So passionate are chili lovers that they hold competitions (some local, some international). One organization is the Chili Appreciation Society International which has approximately 50 "pods" or clubs in the United States and Canada and supports over 400 sanctioned chili cookoffs involving thousands of participants each year. Chili competitions are held on a circuit each year (much like the system used for tennis and golf competitions).

ταξιδεύοντας με τον Μανόλη στις Ασιατικές χώρες

Άκου ρε φίλε
εσύ καλά κάνεις και τον γυρνάς τον κόσμο εμείς τώρα τι φταίμε και με τις φώτογραφίες σου θέλουμε να δούμε και να'ρθούμε εεε εεεε.
τώρα εδώ που τα λέμε δεν μας καρατάει και κανείς-οχι οτι δεν έχω πάει και γώ ταξιδάκια -αλλά λέμε τώρα....
Λοιπόν άντε ξεκολάτε να δείτε και κάτι διαφορετικό.

Υ.Γ.
Και να μην ξεχάσω,περιμένω καμιά φώτο.

ΚΑΛΗΜΕΡΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΒΡΟΧΕΡΗ ΚΡΗΤΗ

ακούω ραδιόφωνο και περιμένω να έρθει ο καιρός να πάω με την οικογένεια διακοπές.

περιμένω προτάσεις ???

σήμερα θα προσθέθω και μερικές φωτογραφίες από τον φίλο μου τον Μανόλη-από τα ταξίδια του στις ασιατικές χώρες
καλημέρα


Πίτα κολοκύθας θείας Έβελυν
3 αυγά
2 φλιτζάνια κολοκύθα
¾ φλιτζάνας καφέ ζάχαρη
1 κ.τ κανέλα
1/8 κ.τ μπαχάρι
1/8 κ.τ γαρίφαλο
½ κ.τ ginger
1 φλιτζάνα γάλα εβαπορέ
και αρωματίζουμε με ένα ποτό. Π.χ μπράντυ ή γκραν μαρνιέ ή οτιδήποτε άλλο θέλουμε εμείς να δώσουμε κατεύθυνση.
Πάστα φλώρα ή πατ φονσέ

ΕΚΤΕΛΕΣΗ
Καθαρίζουμε από τον φλοιό την κολοκύθα και την κόβουμε μικρά κομματάκια .
Την βάζουμε σε μία κατσαρόλα με πολύ λίγο νερό και την αφήνουμε να γίνει πουρές.
Χτυπάμε τα αυγά πάρα πολύ καλά σε μια μπασίνα μέχρι να αφρατέψουν μαζί με την ζάχαρη
Προσθέτουμε την κολοκύθα την κανέλα ,μπαχάρι ,το γαρίφαλο το ginger και το γάλα και ανακατεύουμε καλά.
Στρώνουμε την πάστα φλώρα σε ταψάκι και προψήνουμε για 10 λεπτά στον φούρνο 180 c και μετά τοποθετούμε το μείγμα και ψήνουμε στον φούρνο

ΧΡΟΝΟΣ ΨΗΣΙΜΑΤΟΣ 180 C 40 λεπτά

Συνοδεύομε με σαντιγί.

δεν ξέρω τι να γραψω

BIG TEAM IN KOS ISLAND
HOTEL KIPRIOTIS PANORAMA 2004

ΣΙΓΑ ΣΙΓΑ ΘΑ ΔΕΙΤΕ ΠΟΛΛΑ......

μόλις το έφτιαξα
λίγη υπομονή και .....έπεται η συνέχεια