Orange Flavor

Orange Flavor

Dried orange zest can add flavor to a savory dish or a sweet one. It can be used as an addition to seasonings for fish or chicken or in breads or muffins along with cinnamon or cardamom.

Choose an orange with a nice thick peel and cut the peeling into small pieces. Place the pieces on a baking sheet and let them dry. If you have high humidity, you may need to put them in a warm oven for a few hours. 

Once they are dry, grind them in a coffee grinder and store them in an air tight container. You can do this with lemons and limes, as well. The flavor is slightly more intense than fresh zest, so you won't need very much,

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Holiday Pancakes

Holiday Pancakes

Pancakes can be made with whatever you have handy - a few eggs, a bit of ground grain or seed, some flavoring and salt and as much liquid as you need to make a pour-able batter. Whether or not you add some baking powder depends upon how fluffy or dense you like your pancakes.

In this instance, I ground some oat flakes, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and slivered almonds in a coffee grinder and added them to three beaten eggs and about a third cup of coffee liqueur. Some salt and cardamom for flavor and the pancake batter is complete. To quote Ina Garten, "How easy is that!"

The ratio of eggs to flour to liquid depends a little on what kind of grains and seeds you use. Chia seeds absorb a great deal of liquid, so only about a cup and a half of the flour mix is used. As your batter sits, it may thicken. Just add any liquid: water, milk, or a nut milk if you prefer.

I like a dense, high protein pancake, so I usually start with 3 or four eggs. Then add a small amount of liquid - about a half cup. Then add flour until the batter is the right consistency.

Fry in a neutral oil such as avocado. Silver dollar sized pancakes are nearly always easier to flip and cook, especially if you use an alternative flour.

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An Infusion of Color

Whether you want to infuse vinegar for a salad dressing or vodka for a cocktail, gorgeous color and delicate flavor can be had very simply. This infusion was done with some chopped cranberries. Pour the vinegar or the liquor over the berries in a glass jar and let it sit overnight in your refrigerator. Strain the liquid and discard the berries. 

The flavor is mild and cranberries are a little tart, so sweetness has to be added with another juice. This drink is made with cranberry infused vodka poured over ice and sweet grapefruit juice. Just a couple of tablespoons add plenty of flavor and color.

Cheers!

The only thing new in the world is the history you don't know.   Harry Truman