Christo from ChezWhat, who is never short on innovation, is back with a trio of dill pollen appetizers…

Ask ten people what goes good with dill, nine of them are going to say cucumbers and the tenth one will say salmon. Since majority rules I am going with cucumbers (but that doesnt mean I wont be doing a …

Chez What do you have for us next, Christo? Fennel Pollen butter with aged steak, you say? 

Fennel pollen is so rich and aromatic that it can hardly be compared to fennel the fresh vegetable. Immediately upon smelling it I knew I was going to have to make a compound butter and have it on a nicely …

Ingredients: (makes one 3.5oz drink)
2 1/2oz of good quality Bourbon (we recommend a sweeter variety)
1oz Orange & Anise Brandy  (Good Quality Brandy, Star Anise, Orange Peel)
½ of a Szechuan Button bud
1 Star Anise (for garnish)
Ice
Directions:
1. Steep the star anise and orange peel in good quality brandy for at least a month (proportions & steeping time depend …

Natasha from 5 Star Foodie brings her 3-course Fennel Pollen tasting menu to a close with pot de creme (a medium-rich egg custard).  If you’re just joining us, check out Natasha’s first two fennel pollen courses: cauliflower bisque & seared bay scallops!
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February Fennel Pollen Friday: Fennel Pollen Pot de Creme

In the final recipe of the fennel …

Natasha from 5 Star Foodie brings us the second round of her three course fennel pollen menu.  She started us off with her Cauliflower Soup Recipe, and finishes the meal with a Fennel Pollen Pot de Creme Recipe. 
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February Fennel Pollen Friday: Seared Bay Scallops with Fennel Pollen Air

Culinary foams help to concentrate a lot of flavor in …

Natasha from 5 Star Foodie is back with a trio of recipes for a complete three-course fennel pollen tasting menu.  She starts us off with a cauliflower soup that looks like just the thing to shake off the lingering cold weather.  Don’t forget to check our her entree- Seared Bay Scallops with Fennel Pollen Foam and dessert – …

Seafood boil seasoning is added to the giant pots of boiling water used for traditional seafood boils.  The contents of a seafood boil pot vary depending on where in the US you are, but can include Dungeness crabs, crawfish, shrimp, wild prawns, corn on the cob, new potatoes, onions, smoked sausage (particularly andouille) and/or clams …

Real vanilla beans are a fantasic ingredient (particularly for baking) that should not be overlooked.  They bring tremendous flavor to all sorts of desserts, from custards and mousses to ice cream & cakes.  Some chefs even use them in savory applications like sauces for lobster and veal.
Using Vanilla Beans:
1. Place the bean down on a cutting …

Far more than a simple chili powder, Japanese shichimi seasoning (aka Shichimi Togarashi or Yagenbori) is used all over Japan as a general purpose condiment.  Japanese often sprinkle some on finished dishes to spice up udon noodles, hot soba noodles, donburi (rice bowls topped with meat, onions, and sometimes egg),  ika karaage (fried cuttlefish tentacles) and other …

Pasilla Hot Chocolate with Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
Any variety of bulk dried chilies (consult our chile heat scale for help deciding) can be used to make this hot chocolate (although you’ll likely want to change the amounts to fit the chile heat you’re looking for).  Here we’ve used mild pasilla chilies for a fruity chile …