Wizard Recipes

In ancient times, this thick, sweet, golden liquid was thought of as a healing agent, a gift from the gods, and a symbol of wealth.Today, this sweetener is still revered, although not as highly, for being a natural source of sweet flavor.

Honey is made by bees. The basic ingredient is nectar gathered from flowers. Enzymes in the bee’s saliva convert the nectar into honey. Essentially, this is a simple matter of chemistry, in which the sugar (sucrose) in nectar is converted into fructose and glucose.

As the phrase “busy as a bee” suggests, bees work hard to make honey. The bee must make up to 100,000 round trips fromhive to flower and back just to make a quart of honey.

Honey is divided into three basic categories:

• Liquid honey, which is extracted from the comb

• Chunk-style honey, a liquid honey with pieces of the honeycomb

• Comb honey, a square or round piece of the honeycomb, with the honey inside

Within these three categories are hundreds of different types of honey. Honey’s color ranges from light to dark. The flavor ranges from mild to strong and depends on the type of flower from which the nectar was taken.

In general, the darker the honey, the stronger the flavor. One tablespoon of honey has about 64 calories. Although sugar has about 48 calories per tablespoon, honey does have some advantages over sugar. Its sweetening power is stronger. And honey, unlike other sweeteners, does contain trace amounts of vitamins and minerals.

If kept in a sealed container and a cool dark place, honey can be kept for a long time. Cooler temperatures, such as in a refrigerator, may cause honey to thicken. Warming it up, however, restores honey’s appearance. Its taste is not altered. However, very warm temperatures can change honey’s flavor.

Preparation Tips

Most honey sold in stores is pasteurized, filtered, and blended. Some cooks buy honey directly from an apiary because they believe that these processes alter or dull honey’s delicate flavor.

Honey also can be used as a substitute for sugar (about 1/ 2 cup honey for 1 cup of sugar) in many recipes. Keep in mind, however, that honey may cause food to brown more quickly. In addition, you will need to reduce the liquid in the recipe.

Serving Suggestions

Honey adds moisture to cakes, breads, and other confections. It is also an excellent topping for most baked goods. One other common use is as a glaze for meats such as ham.

Sugar was once considered as valuable as gold because of its scarcity. Its use spread throughout the Western world after explorers, then armies, conquered parts of ancient Arabia. In early times, it was sold and traded in blocks, which were then ground into powder.

Although sugar is a carbohydrate that occurs naturally in every fruit and vegetable, it is found in the greatest quantities as sucrose in sugar cane, which is grown in the tropics, and sugar beets, which can be cultivated in colder climates.

Juice extracted from the crushed cane or sliced beets is then processed to make sugar. Typically, the juice is boiled, and then chemicals are added to the solution to purify it. The resulting syrup is known as molasses. Continued processing separates crystals from the molasses and other byproducts.The crystals are then dried and packaged as sugar.

The most common types of sugars found in supermarkets are as follows:

Granulated white sugar - Often referred to as table sugar, this is the most commonly used type of sugar. There are different grades of granulated white sugar, and the size of the sugar crystal determines how it is used. Regular, extra-fine, or fine sugar is the sugar found most commonly in the sugar bowl and called for in most cookbook recipes.

Superfine sugar or ultrafine sugar has the smallest crystal size and is often used in cakes and meringues and to sweeten fruits or iced drinks. Superfine sugar dissolves the most easily in water.

Brown sugar - Brown sugar is sold in dark and light varieties. It is simply white sugar crystals coated in a molasses syrup to add a natural mellow flavor and color. Dark brown sugar has more color and a stronger molasses flavor.

Its fuller flavor is called for in recipes for gingerbread and baked beans. Lighter types are usually used in baking. Neither type of brown sugar is considered raw sugar, although they do look similar to it.

Confectioners’ sugar - Also known as powdered sugar, this is granulated sugar that has been ground into a powder. A small amount of cornstarch can be added to prevent clumping. Confectioners’ sugar typically is used to make icing, in whipping cream, and as a topping for desserts.

Decorating or coarse sugar - Also called sugar crystals, decorating sugar has granules about four times larger than those of regular granulated sugar. It undergoes a special processing method to make it resistant to color change and breakdown at high temperatures. This makes it useful for making fondants or liqueurs.

Sanding sugar - Also called colored sugar, sanding sugar is used for decorating and is characterized by large crystals. This is desirable in decorating because it gives the food a sparkling appearance.

Flavored sugar - This is simply granulated sugar that has been combined or scented with various ingredients such as cinnamon or vanilla.

Fruit sugar - Slightly finer than “regular” sugar, fruit sugar is used in dry mixes such as gelatin desserts, pudding mixes, and drink mixes. The more uniform crystals prevent separation or settling of smaller crystals to the bottom of the box.

In addition to sweetening items, sugar plays an important role in making food. It is a critical ingredient in bread, in which it provides food for yeast and thus helps bread to rise. It also adds to the flavor and crust color of baked goods and helps extend shelf life.

In large amounts, sugar inhibits the growth of yeast and molds in jams and jellies. Sugar syrups protect frozen and canned foods from browning and withering. In ice cream, beverages, baked goods, and other products, sugar adds bulk, texture, and body. It is also used in many condiments, such as ketchup and salad dressing, where it blends flavors, reduces acidity, and helps create a smooth texture.

Sugar has a long shelf life. Kept tightly wrapped and in a cool, dark place, it will keep for months or even years.

Preparation Tips

Sugar adds flavor and calories but little else. Therefore, it is best for most of us to minimize its role in our diet. Make a little go a long way. To do so:

• Add spices, such as cinnamon or nutmeg, to foods to jazz up flavor while reducing sweeteners used in them.
• Add fruit or yogurt to foods such as cereal, instead of a sweetener.
• Avoid sweetened soft drinks, and minimize fruit juices with added sugar. Better yet, drink water.
• Check labels for sugar or any one of the chemical names for it: glucose, sucrose, lactose, or fructose, to name just a few.

Also, watch for corn syrup or malt syrup, two more widely used sweeteners in food manufacturing.

Serving Suggestions

Manufacturers can reduce the fat in many foods, but it is hard to do without sugar. Sugar is a key component of baked goods and desserts and is used to enhance the flavor of everything from sweet-and-sour stir-fry to ham.

The amount of sugar used in a recipe often can be reduced by up to half without compromising the flavor. However, this is not always the case, so a bit of trial and error is required.

Caraway Seed
These aromatic seeds come from an herb in the parsley family. They have a nutty, delicate anise flavor and are
widely used in German, Austrian and Hungarian cuisine. Caraway seeds flavor many foods including cheese,
breads, cakes, stews, meats, vegetables and the liqueur Kummel. They should be stored airtight in a cool, dark
place for no more than 6 months.

Cardamom
A member of the ginger family, this aromatic spice is native to India and grows in many other tropical areas including Asia, South America and the Pacific Islands. Cardamom seeds are encapsulated in small pods about the size of a cranberry. Each pod contains 17 to 20 tiny seeds. Cardamom has a pungent aroma and a warm, spicy?sweet flavor. It’s widely used in Scandinavian and East Indian cooking. Cardamom can be purchased either in the pod or ground. The latter, though more convenient, is not as full?flavored because cardamom seeds begin to lose their essential oils as soon as they’re ground. The seeds may be removed from the pods and ground, or the entire pod may be ground. A mortar and pestle make quick work of the grinding. If using cardamom to flavor dishes such as stews and curries, lightly crush the shell of the pod and add the pod and seeds to the mixture. The shell will disintegrate while the
dish cooks. Be frugal when using cardamom — a little goes a long way.

Cinnamon
Once used in love potions and to perfume wealthy Romans, this age?old spice comes in two varieties — Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Ceylon cinnamon) and Cinnamomum cassia (cassia). Cinnamon is the inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree. The bark is harvested during the rainy season when it’s more pliable. When dried, it curls into long quills, which are either cut into lengths and sold as cinnamon sticks, or ground into powder. Ceylon(or tree) cinnamon is  buff?colored and mildly sweet in flavor; cassia cinnamon is a dark, reddish brown color and has a more pungent, slightly bittersweet flavor. Cassia cinnamon is used and sold simply as “cinnamon” in many countries (including the United States). Cinnamon is widely used in sweet dishes, but also makes an intriguing addition to savory dishes such
as stews and curries. Oil of cinnamon comes from the pods of the cinnamon tree and is used as a flavoring, as well as a medicinal.

Clove
Considered one of the world’s most important spices, cloves are the dried, unopened flower bud of the tropical evergreen clove tree. Reddish brown and nail?shaped, their name comes from clavus , the Latin word for nail.
Cloves are sold whole or ground and can be used to flavor a multitude of dishes ranging from sweet to savory.

Coriander
Native to the Mediterranean and the Orient, coriander is related to the parsley family. It’s known for both its seeds (actually the dried, ripe fruit of the plant) and for its dark green, lacy leaves. The flavors of the seeds and leaves bear
absolutely no resemblance to each other. Mention of coriander seeds was found in early Sanskrit writings and the seeds themselves have been discovered in Egyptian tombs dating to 960 b.c. The tiny (1/8?inch), yellow?tan seeds are lightly ridged. They are mildly fragrant and have an aromatic flavor akin to a combination of lemon, sage and caraway. Whole coriander seeds are used in pickling and for special drinks, such as mulled wine. Ground seed is used in  many baked good (particularly Scandinavian), curry blends, soups, etc. Both forms are commonly available in supermarkets. Coriander leaves are also commonly known as cilantro and Chinese parsley. Fresh coriander leaves have an extremely pungent (some say fetid) odor and flavor that lends itself well to highly seasoned food. Though it’s purported to be the world’s most widely used herb, many Americans and Europeans find that fresh coriander is definitely an acquired taste. Choose leaves with an even green color and no sign of wilting. Store a bunch of coriander, stems down, in a glass of water with a plastic bag over the leaves. Refrigerate in this manner for up to a week, changing the water every 2 days. Coriander leaves are used widely in the cuisines of India, Mexico, the Orient and the  Caribbean.

Cumin
Also called comino , this ancient spice dates back to the Old Testament. Shaped like a caraway seed, cumin is the
dried fruit of a plant in the parsley family. Its aromatic, nutty?flavored seeds come in three colors: amber (the
most widely available), white and black (both found in Asian markets). White cumin seed is interchangeable
with amber, but the black seed has a more complex, peppery flavor. Cumin is available in seed and ground forms. As with all seeds, herbs and spices, it should be stored in a cool, dark place for no more than 6 months. Cumin is particularly popular in Middle Eastern, Asian and Mediterranean cooking. Among other things, it’s used to make curries, chili powders and Kummel Liqueur.

Curry Powder

Widely used in Indian cooking, authentic Indian curry powder is freshly ground each day and can vary dramatically depending on the region and the cook. Curry powder is actually a pulverized blend of up to 20 spices, herbs and seeds. Among those most commonly used are cardamom, chiles, cinnamon, cloves coriander, cumin, fennel seed, fenugreek, mace, nutmeg, red and black pepper, poppy and sesame seeds, saffron, tamarind and turmeric (the latter is what gives curried dishes their characteristic yellow color). Commercial curry powder (which bears little resemblance to the freshly ground blends of southern India) comes in two basic styles — standard, and the hotter of the two, “Madras.” Since curry powder quickly loses its pungency, it should be stored, airtight, no longer than 2 months.