Whaddya Think, Doctor Fink?

  Take a bite. Savor the flaky, buttery crust filled with cream, eggs, cheese, and an assortment of ingredients conjured by a creative chef. Over the years, the recipe evolved. There are many twists and turns in this yummy slice of history. Let’s go to France and . . . wait. Did quiche come from France? According to The Kitchen Project, there was an ancient Roman dish called patina – a tart made from eggs and cheese. Autumn Swiers speculated

  *According to Cozymeal America’s most popular dessert is ice cream. *In the sixteenth century, sugar sculptures by famous confectioners could cost as much as a person’s average annual wage. *The modern concept of dessert applies to many sweets, including fruit, cheese, custard, pudding, cookies, pastries, pies, tarts, cakes, and ice creams. *In many cultures dessert may be served first or as part of the meal. *The word dessert comes from the French desservir meaning to “clean the table.” *Crème

  What’s your pleasure? A hot fudge sundae with whipped cream and a bright red cherry or a warm apple pie with a scoop of ice cream? Crème brêulée, strawberry shortcake, red velvet, or cheesecake? The choices are endless, with more “invented” every day. We’re wired to love sweet. Scientists found that taste buds develop in the eighth week of pregnancy. Unborn babies “smile” when exposed to sweet tastes in the womb; they “frown” at bitter tastes. See www.jerifink.com/born-to-be-sweet From

*Mousse means foam or froth in French. *The Palace of Versailles, in the early 1700s, often served savory salmon or goat cheese mousse at the royal banquets. *Many foodies believe that Henri Toulouse Lautrec, the famous post-impressionist painter, invented chocolate mousse in the late nineteenth century. He called his version mayonnaise de chocolat. Great story but it was around long before that time.     *Italian semifreddo is basically frozen chocolate mousse. *Mousse doesn’t have to be chocolate. Some people

  Legends can be as yummy as the food they describe. Take mousse. It’s a savory or sweet dish that uses air bubbles to give it a light texture. The word “mousse” means foam in French. Some foodies believe that the famous post-impressionist artist, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, invented chocolate mousse. Let’s check it out. Henri Toulouse-Lautrec was born into aristocracy in 1864. His parents were first cousins during a time when no one knew the dangers of inbreeding. It probably accounted

  *Avocados are single-seed berries (fruit) not vegetables. *You can ripen an avocado quickly by putting it in a bag with bananas. *Avocados provide “healthy fat” that reduces bad cholesterol. *Hass Avocado, the most popular variety in the world, was patented by Rudolph Gustav Hass in 1935.     *In Ethiopia, avocados are made into juice and mixed with sugar, milk, or water. *Avocados are very healthy – they have essential vitamins and minerals, high fiber, and healthy fat. *Avocado

  Avocados. They’re quite a mouthful with different names, colors, and shapes. Fortunately, under the peel they’re basically the same. Think it’s a vegetable? Wrong. An avocado is a single-seed berry (fruit); more like a mango than a celery stalk. The botanic name is persea americana. It’s a tropical tree native to Mexico, Central and South America. Today this green berry is grown around the world in subtropical climates. Avocados don’t like the cold. Ask Oprah. In an interview with

*The traditional (basic) recipe for churros has 3 ingredients: flour, salt, and water. *Mexicans eat shorter, thicker churros coated in cinnamon, sugar, and often dipped in chocolate sauce. *One theory claims that churros originated in China with the “Chinese cruller” or you tiao (below). Portuguese explorers brought them back to the Iberian Peninsula in the early sixteenth century.   *Churros are found around the world with local variations.     *Some chefs have even tried savory versions filling churros with

Churros. Who was first to savor these yummy treats? It’s a long, messy history with lots of versions. While many of us believe churros came from Mexico, its colorful story reaches way back in time. Churros are deep-fried dough. Food historians report that evidence of fried dough can be traced back to the ancient world, including Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Israelites in Canaan. Many of their recipes evolved into some of today’s favorite fried doughs, like fritters, funnel cake, doughnuts,

*Gelato is the common word in Italian for all types of ice cream. *One of the first gelato desserts was called fior di latte and served at the court of Catherine de Medici in the early 1500s. *Café Procopio was opened in 1686 by Procopio dei Coltelli, an Italian chef, and the man credited with inventing modern gelato. Many prominent people have dined there, including Voltaire, Robespierre, Napoleon, and Benjamin Franklin. It is still open today. *King Louis XIV (see