Showing posts with label grocery stores. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grocery stores. Show all posts

Monday, September 17, 2012

Real Buttermilk's Comeback Story

2012_09_14-buttermilk.jpegIf you've ever tasted real buttermilk, you know it tastes nothing like the cartons you buy at major grocery stores. And the good news: Soon, the creamy, tasty real stuff could be much easier to come by.

Just so we're all on the same page, the buttermilk you likely buy in the store, explains New York Times writer Julia Moskin, "isn't really buttermilk. It is made from regular low-fat or skim milk, usually low-grade rejects from cheese and butter companies. The milk is inoculated with cultures to make it acidic, and thickened with additives like locust bean gum and carrageenan." It certainly works to fluff up pancakes and biscuits and is a quick ticket to creamy salad dressings, but not many folks would like to drink it straight.

Until now. Many creameries are starting to bottle their own buttermilk and sell it to some grocery stores and higher-end restaurants. This buttermilk is what remains in the churn after the butter comes together. It often has little chunks of butter actually floating in it, and boasts a tart yet light flavor. It's not seen as a by-product any longer, but as a sought-after ingredient in sweet and savory recipes that more and more U.S. chefs are starting to recognize and demand.

If you have a local dairy you like or folks that sell cheese and butter at your local farmers market, you could begin by asking them about real buttermilk. As the demand and curiosity grows, so too, eventually, will the supply.

Read More: How to Find (or Make) Real Buttermilk at The New York Times
Have you ever had real buttermilk?

Related: What is Bulgarian Buttermilk?

(Image: Megan Gordon)


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Wednesday, September 12, 2012

How Far Do You Travel For Groceries?

091012-groceries.jpgHaving grown up in Kansas City it wasn't uncommon for me to make a 40-minute trip to my local Whole Foods. Now living in Chicago there's a market on every corner and major grocery stores within an easy mass transit commute, but this weekend I still found myself driving 40 minutes to the suburbs. How far do you travel for groceries?

Although Chicago is littered with markets serving up international foods and things that might be hard to find in other parts of the country, there are a few specialty stores that serve all the Asian or Latin ingredients you could desire all under one roof. A recent trek out to the city of Niles landed me in just such a place.

I'm more than willing to travel to find exact ingredients to make a new dish, and even though I'm probably not making that journey every week, that doesn't mean I won't make the drive every few months for a few special items.

Friends think I'm ridiculous as they never leave the neighborhood for groceries and just eat what they can find around them. How do you find ingredients? Do you head to the local chain grocer no matter the distance? Shop the local corner store even if it's a little sketchy? Make long trips to the suburbs in the name of fresh tofu and live snails? Let us know below!

Related: Would You Pay Someone To Drive 253 Miles For Groceries?

(Image: Flickr member timsamoff licensed for use by Creative Commons)


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Thursday, August 16, 2012

Baking With Dates: Which Variety Reigns Supreme?

2012_01_20-BarhiDates.jpegDates have been on my mind. I'm in the process of developing a recipe for raw energy bars and have been experimenting with many different types of dates for flavor, texture and consistency. I found my very favorite for this particular recipe, but when I tried using them in other baking recipes, they fell short. I came to the quick conclusion that all dates are not, in fact, created equal.

In a well-stocked grocery store, gourmet food shop, or our cupboards as of late, you're likely to run across many different types of dates. While they're all wonderful to snack on, some are decidedly better than others for baking. Let's consider a few choices:

1. Medjool: These are the larger dates that you'll often see in plastic packages at the grocery store. They're incredibly soft and super sweet, wonderful for stuffing or using in shakes, smoothies or energy bars. I don't often reach for these first in baking recipes such as scones or quick breads simply because they're so moist and can be a little more difficult to cut uniformly. They can also be a touch more expensive than other varieties.

2. Deglet Noor: These dates are really easy to locate in most grocery stores these days. They boast a nice amber color and a chewier and much drier texture than Medjool dates, and keep a little longer. A great all-purpose date. We often have these in our cupboards to snack on.

3. Thoory: These dates are the opposite of Medjool dates: they're a very light brown and not at all sticky. In fact, they're much harder and have a distinctly nutty flavor. A great on-the-go snack, or wonderful in trail mixes, muesli, and granola because their low moisture content won't affect the freshness of the oats.

4. Halawi: Slightly smaller in size with a name that translates to "sweet" in Arabic, these have a really special caramel flavor that makes them popular paired with cheeses and savory fare.

The Winner? Deglet noor dates are my go-to date for baking. They're dry enough to chop and maintain their integrity in bread, cookie, or cake recipes while still maintaining that superstar, sweet date flavor. Plus, they're easy to find and often less expensive than other varieties.

What's your favorite variety for baking?

Related: Barhi Dates: The Fruit That Tastes Like Butterscotch Candy

(Image: Anjali Prasertong)


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