At my local farmer’s market, there is stand dedicated to Asian produce. I’ve found some interesting vegetables there, and the other week I saw what looked like ginormous white carrots (reminiscent of Bunnicula, the vampire rabbit who sucks the juice out of vegetables). It turned out to be daikon. Daikon literally means “large root” in […] Read more…
Kiwano: A Failed Kitchen Adventure
This is a kiwano, also known as horned melon. It already looks like some exotic, potentially dangerous (don’t worry, those spikes aren’t really sharp) fruit, right? Cut it open, and you find this craziness: Yes, it comes pre-filled with lime jello. Well, not quite. It does have a lime green center filled with little sacs […] Read more…
Week 12: Tiny Poached Quail Eggs
I found myself near a Whole Foods recently (there are none where I live) and popped in to see if they had anything unusual. Lo and behold, in the bulk egg section (which was across the store from the packaged eggs) I found quail eggs! I have been searching for these, as my local supermarkets […] Read more…
Bacon and Chocolate Cupcake
I’ve been wanting to try baking with bacon for a while. Salty and sweet is a classic combo; there is caramel with fleur de sel, pretzels dipped in chocolate, etc. My local cupcake bakery Let Them Eat Cake! beat me to it by making “Fat Face Bacon” (named for the sandwich shop next door): a dark […] Read more…
Week 11: A Childhood Nightmare Made Delicious
Now, I know what you’re thinking – Brussels sprouts aren’t unusual! But the mission of 52 Kitchen Adventures is to demystify ingredients that you may overlook or avoid in the market and Brussels sprouts get such a bad rap. In reality, they are actually really good! However, if overcooked, glucosinolate sinigrin is released, which makes them […] Read more…