My kitchen sink disposal has been on the blink for a couple of days, and of course it had to be on days that I was peeling shrimp and cleaning garden vegetables. I remembered something my mother did back in the Dark Ages and it works just fine…
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A bouquet garni is a bundle of herbs that is tied together or placed inside a small cheesecloth bag, used to flavor soups, stews and broths. The classic combination is parsley, bay leaves and thyme, but some cooks will also include whole peppercorns and sometimes other herbs, depending on the application and the flavors of the dish they are preparing. The herbs are tied or bagged together so that they might easily be lifted out of the prepared dish before serving.

Drawn butter IS the same as clarified butter and is quite easy to make. Simply melt unsalted butter over a low flame. The milk solids will separate (dropping to the bottom of the pan) and leave a golden liquid (your clarified butter) at the top. Just pour off this clarified butter and use in your cooking. You will find it helpful because it burns at a higher temperature than whole butter (since you eliminated the milk solids.) Clarified butter also keeps longer for the same reason. The only drawback to clarified butter in my opinion is that you lose some of that great, rich butter flavor — sometimes there is just no substitute.

My potted herbs are thriving and I can’t seem to keep up with the basil, Greek oregano, lemon thyme, and rosemay. I’m certainly not complaining, but I’ve become quite creative with my herb crop. Of course, the basil is fantastic with garden-fresh tomatoes. And I’ve found the other herbs are great with chicken…
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The truth is that many people in the late 80’s and the early part of the 90’s had claimed allergic reactions to food prepared with Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). Reactions included nausea, headaches and general feelings of discomfort. Although there is proof that a small segment of the population does suffer from an adverse reaction to MSG, it is also a little known fact that mushrooms are filled with natural MSG, and most people do not have any problems with them. MSG is a salt alternative that is used commercially as well as in a lot of Chinese cooking. It’s a lure that you can use to accent other flavors, without making them seem too salty.

Storing purchased bread in the refrigerator will prolong the life of it. So, if you plan on using it at a later date then storing it in the fridge would be a good idea. However, this really just prevents molding and does not preserve “fresh” quality. So, it’s best to using bread as soon as possible after purchasing or baking it.

You can call it sole, turbot, fluke or flounder—they’re all flatfish and are good eating. The flesh is delicate, sweet, flaky, and usually firm (halibut is an exception). Halibut usually appears in choweders in the Northeast. Down South, flounders stuffed with crabmeat is a local favorite. Use sole for amandine or Veronique presentations. Most flatfish can be easily prepared—baked or broiled with lemon butter sauce.

It’s summertime and there’s a whole lotta grillin’ going on! Here are a few tips that may help your grilling experience. Have the basic grilling tools, such as long-handled forks and spatulas, spring-loaded tongs, a clean paint brush for brushing items to be grilled with marinades or olive oil, and a wire brush for cleaning the grill.

Use strong metal skewers on which to thread chunks of beef, pork or chicken. If using bamboo or other wooden skewers, soak them in water for an hour or so to prevent them from burning. Thread whole mushrooms, chunks of vegetables, and cherry tomatoes on double skewers to make handling easier. Be sure to lightly oil fish before placing on the grill to prevent sticking. Toss vegetables in olive oil and chopped fresh herbs before grilling. Enjoy!

For pasta sauce to spread evenly, the pasta must be moist. Add up to one-third of reserved pasta cooking water if the pasta is dry or sticky.

Most kitchens at vacation condominiums or cottages usually lack kitchen gadgets. Sometimes one just has to improvise. For instance, if you need a biscuit/cookie cutter, remove the top and bottom of a six-ounce tomato paste can and use it to cut out biscuits or cookies. In a pinch, a wine bottle can serve as a rolling pin. Empty (and clean) yogurt containers can be used as measuring cups.