I don’t purchase mixed seasonings such as rubs, dressing mixes or Italian seasoning as I prefer to mix them to my taste. Mixed seasonings almost always have a salt rather than seasoning base. By mixing my own seasonings I can adjust the ratio to our preferences, eliminate the sodium and experiment with new flavor sensations. Spices are also a lot less expensive if you mix the seasonings from bulk spices rather than purchasing the small supermarket jars. I buy bulk spices from the restaurant supply to mix all my blends, rubs and to make salad dressings. [...]
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The French us a different type of bacon than what Americans refer to as bacon; this is fine but some dishes need to use a lard de poitrine frais which is fresh, unsalted and un-smoked bacon. Lard de Poitrine Frais is needed to avoid a smoky taste which is un-desirable in many dishes. An example would be Quiche Lorraine which is a classic preparation of eggs, cream and bacon which is baked in a pate frais. Americans have come to expect bacon to have the smoky taste but un-smoked bacon imparts a delicious flavor to a dish on its own. [...] Béchamel is the most basic of sauces and a part of the mother sauces. It is the base for a number of other sauces such as Mornay sauce when made with cheese and Crème sauce when made with heavy cream. Classic preparation requires that it be made with a roux but a very adequate and close approximation follows in the recipe below. [...]
The “Biscuit Mix” was a commercial product, Bisquick, and I added 1 tablespoon of Seasoning Salt, big with us back then, and a couple of tablespoons of dried parsley. It was a success! Cute and well received. My mother-in-law loved it and asked for the recipe for a couple of years. [...] Herbes de Provence are called for in a lot of my recipes, and indeed, French recipes. Herbes de Provence mixtures are as varied as the number of cooks that comprise the recipes or the vendors who manufacture them commercially. There is no standard for Herbes de Provence. Traditionally, Herbes de Provence mixtures comprise a a large quantity of Thyme and a mixture of other herbs such as basil, marjoram, savory, rosemary and sage. I have created my own mixture based upon my, and my family’s, tastes. While I love lavender in many dishes I left it out of my herbs so it would be useful in a broader variety of dishes. Feel free to experiment to suit your own taste and the season. [...]
It can’t be simpler, just sift all the ingredients together and use in any recipe calling for self-rising flour. It is so easy that I will sometimes just make 10 cups to have on hand if I get a sale on flour. If making 10 cups make sure you mix all ingredients well. [...] |
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