NEWS FLASH - Remember the bees that were dying in mass quantities? Remember I said that our food supply would be affected? Well yesterday (Feb. 18, 2008) on national news it was announced by Haagen-Dazs ice cream that the lack of honey was affecting their ice cream production. That 40% of their ice cream products use honey, so the price is going up.
Quiz: What 4 spices are mentioned in a popular song, with the spices repeated 5 times.
Answer: The song was "Scarborough Fair", by Simon and Garfunkel, more than 40 years ago. The 4 spices were Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. You can still hear it today on the radio. They were only together from 1964 to 1970. So lets go with parsley this time. In the U.S. parsley is most popular as a garnish, but it has many other attributes. It was cultivated by the Romans as early as the third century B.C. It is a biennial herb, but is also used as a spice. Its vibrant taste and excellent healing properties are often overlooked in its role as a table garnish. There are more than 30 varieties, but the most common is the curly-leaf and the more pungent flat-leaf. There is also a third variety grown for its root. It is an excellent source of vitamins K, C, and A as well as a good source of folate and iron. It is a rich source of Anti-oxidant nutrients, and a protection against Rheumatoid Arthritis. An added touch is parsley's legendary ability to cleanse your palate and your breath at the end of your meal.
Smooth Parsley Sauce
Ingredients: |
This adds a delightful change to your favorite mild fish plate.
- 1/4 stick of butter (1 ounce).
- 2 teaspoons plain flour.
- 1 Tablespoon fresh finely chopped parsley.
- 10 fluid ounces of milk.
- Salt and pepper to your taste.
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Directions:
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In a medium pan, over low heat, melt the butter, but do not brown.
Slowly add the flour and stir until smooth.
Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring all the time.
Now add the milk a little at a time, continuing to stir.
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for another 3 minutes.
Now add the salt, pepper and parsley and gently cook for another 3 minutes or until it thickens.
Spoon the sauce over the cooked fish platter. Double the recipe as needed
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Unusual Kitchen Item:
It takes 12 pounds of fresh parsley to make 1 pound of dried. Use one teaspoon of dried parsley to one tablespoon of fresh, but remember, don't use dried if you can use fresh.
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