What is it about food?! Mexican food!
New Mexican food! Mexican American
food! I've heard tell that food is one of
the great identifiers of a given culture.
Having enjoyed all three of the above
foods in my lifetime, I get a kick out
of the similarities, the crossovers, the
identifiers. It's rather like the same
dish made by three different cooks . . .
and yes, you can tell the identifying
features of each.
I can't help but wonder if the secret
is in the seasoning?! One uses sweet
basil, another likes oregano and yet
the third will use cilantro. The other
ingredients may be similar or even
the same, but the spices are what
gives that distinct flavor to each.
I would add that using herbs and/or
spices is the defining factor 'twixt a
cook and a chef. And not to forget,
in days of yesteryear, they were even
used in barter and trade. Hark back to
today . . . all of us involved in high
cuisine share spices and herbs back
and forth!
Sooooo, try adding bay leaves to your
over easy eggs next time. Sweet basil
enhances the oregano in a spaghetti
sauce. Cropped chives give cottage
cheese a whole new dimension. Anoint
your bird with olive oil, rosemary and
thyme before baking and you'll discover
an entirely new flavor. And, don't even
get me started on chilis . . . another
day, perhaps.
the song says it all
parsley sage rosemary thyme
tis the spice of life
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