It is that time of the month when I am over at Esme’s Salon...This month I am exploring ingredients beginning with the letter W…
Can you believe it, we are getting close to the end of this culinary series.
Welcome to this month’s edition where I am exploring some culinary delights beginning with the letter W…
Walnuts
Classed as one of the world’s healthiest foods the Walnut originated in the Mediterranean region and Central Asia and has been part of the human diet for thousands of years. These nuts are rich in omega-3 fats and contain higher amounts of antioxidants than most other foods.
Walnut showing kernel.
If you’re looking for a snack food that lowers your cholesterol levels, research shows that you should get cracking! Ha Ha… In a study published by The Medical Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was found that people who munched their way through 1.5 oz of whole walnuts 6 days a week for 1 month lowered their total cholesterol by 5.4% and LDL cholesterol by 9.3%.
Wasabi
Wasabi aka Japanese Horseradish is so rare that the wasabi you eat with your sushi probably only contains about 5% wasabi. Wasabi is harvested by hand and takes about 18 months…That surprised me…Does it surprise you? It is hard to grow and takes time…Which in turn pushes up the cost to the consumer…
Photo credit: randomwire on Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-SA
Water Bath
Quite simply a water bath is simply a pan of hot water placed in the oven, this method has two benefits when baking. First, a water bath adds moisture to the oven and this is important for baking foods like cheesecakes, which tend to crack from the heat of the oven, or custards which can become rubbery without moist heat.
Water Chestnuts
Wandering around a food market in Wanon, Northern Thailand…and losing myself among the sights and smells of beautiful tempting Thai food. I spied a few fruits and vegetables which were unknown to me and this one. Although once I knew what it was then I recognised the taste ….without knowing the name I was puzzled I sort of knew the taste but didn’t connect the dots…lol
We were talking and looking for these a few weeks ago when were thinking about what to cook for dinner and reminiscing about the Chinese food we remembered having years ago with these crunchy water chestnuts in..you never got many just a few slices… I was then looking in the shops at imported goods to see if I could them and no luck…Then there they were the other day right under my nose and fresh ones….strange world… When your thoughts take you unexpectedly to what you were looking for.
Usually available in specialty groceries or supermarkets, they should be washed thoroughly and peeled with a sharp knife, especially if to be eaten raw. At this point, adding a few drops of lemon juice keeps them from turning brown when steamed or sautéed.
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About Carol Taylor
Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.
I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.
Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.
The environment is also something I am passionate about and there are now regular columns on my blog this year. It is important that we are mindful of the world we live in…
Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!
Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a creative week ahead xx
Retired? No one told me! 
I am a big fan of these culinary alphabets…so much great information!
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Thank you, John 🙂 x
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I left a comment on Esme’s site, dear Carol.
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Thank you, Dear Dolly 🙂 x
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My pleasure!
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I love the notion that you have been doing this once a month and now are approaching the end of the alphabet. Now you have to go through the alphabet again and choose out foods ending with each letter. No, I’m just messing with you, Carol. 😎
Walnuts—Finally, a food I like that isn’t bad for me.
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Haha…Now that would be a challenge,Pete… I’ll think on that one….I do love a challenge, people who know me never dare me…I know walnuts as well it’s nice when food you love and there are quite a lot 🙂 x..Just for starters…Pizza, Aquafaba, luffa, Yucca, cocoa, Okra, Kofta I think it is doable..Thank you for the idea Although A is the easy one methinks 🙂 x
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These are all great food items, Carol. I love walnuts but have never has the other two.
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I love walnuts as well.. Water chestnuts are normally the crunchy white slices you get in Chinese food but fresh they are beautiful really lovely I have only seen them fresh here on one market so don’t get them often bit love it when I do. I haven’t seen fresh wasabi but now I know I will be looking out for it but again it seems to be a rarity 🙂 xx
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