Stock versus Broth? This is often the most pondered question when it comes to this pantry staple. The difference between the two has to do with how each one is made. Stock is created by simmering, in water, left over bones, trimmings of meat and/or vegetables making a mild flavored base for soups. When making [...]
Black pepper is known to be one of the world’s most traded spices, making it almost a given that it would be a part of the Pantry 20. Native to southern India and Indonesia, and grown as the fruit of the Piperaceae vine, grape-like clusters are picked and dried, becoming what we know as peppercorns. [...]
As you scan the ingredient lists from your Fresh 20 meal plans each week, you’ve probably noticed we use whole wheat flours for more than just baking. Maybe you hadn’t considered using them when making a roux, as a breading for chicken breasts, or as a thickener when making sauces. Are you’re left wondering if [...]
Oregano became popular in the United States during World War ll. Soldiers returning referred to it as, ‘The Pizza Herb’, after enjoying in the cuisine they ate while stationed in southern Italy. Today, we enjoy this marjoram relative for the fragrant, warm flavor it’s dried leaves bring to not only Italian dishes, but Latin and [...]
Paprika is often the spice we associate as the red adornment sprinkled atop deviled eggs. While that is true, there’s so much more to this spice than that. Made from the dried fruit of a variety of bell peppers and chilies paprika is a deep red-orange spice with a mild, smoky flavor that adds little [...]
Tomato paste is a thick paste created by cooking down tomatoes, to reduce their juices, then straining and cooking again to further reduce. The result, is a thick, deep red, concentrated paste of rich, tomato goodness. At the Fresh 20 you’ll find tomato paste used in a variety of ways. To punch up the flavor [...]
A super oil from a super food! Avocado oil is a versatile, heart healthy and delicious cooking oil. Fun fact: it’s the only oil made from the pulp of the fruit versus the pit or the skin, carrying over many of the avocado’s super food benefits right into your cooking. While the flavor is [...]
When it comes to pantry items, balsamic vinegar is a must have. The dark, tangy vinegar, a result of fermented white grape juice, has soared to popularity in recent years. Now, it’s not just used by chefs in fancy restaurants, but by home cooks as well. Traditional balsamic vinegar made in regions of Italy, went [...]
Each week, as your Fresh 20 menu lands in your mailbox, you’ll often see many of the same ingredients listed under Pantry staples. What may be new to you is how these common ingredients can be used in ways you may not have tried before. For example, white wine vinegar. Sure, it’s rather neutral flavor, [...]
Soy Sauce is a condiment, often associated with Asian cuisine. Invented over 3,000 years ago, it is made by a fermentation process that includes soybeans, roasted grains (often wheat) , brine and various yeast molds. After fermentation has taken place, the mixture is pressed, resulting the dark brown, salty liquid we are familiar with. In [...]
