Category Archives: The Culinary Alphabet

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Carol Taylor’s – Culinary A – Z Rewind – X,Y,Z for Xawaash Spice, Yams and Zabaglione.

Good morning from down under…where the Autumn sun has just started to appear it looks like it will be another lovely autumn day…I am coming to the end of my break, but we have had a fabulous time just being with family, exploring some new places, and seeing my favourite roos…this little fella greeted us morning and evening to say hello while we were visiting Kalbarri…

May be an image of kangaroo and wallaby

Today I am sharing the final post in my first A-Z that Sally of Smorgasbord Magazine has been rewinding …I have loved rereading these posts. If you have been with us for a while I hope you have too …Thank you, Sally, for rewinding this A-Z which has a surprising amount of goodies that begin with X, Y and Z…

To read the full original post please click the highlighted link below…see you there the coffee is hot…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2023/05/24/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-carol-taylors-culinary-a-z-rewind-xyz-for-xawaash-spice-yams-and-zabaglione/

 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Carol Taylor’s – Culinary A – Z Rewind – ‘W’ for Wakame, Wasabi, Walnuts, Watercress, and Wax Beans

Welcome once again to Smorgasbord Magazine where Sally is sharing one of my first A-Z’s…Today in my culinary trawl we have the letter W for Wakame, Wasabi, Walnuts, Watercress, and Wax Beans etc…so many food favourites begin with the letter W and I can’t thank Sally enough for sharing as I am loving the rewind…I haven’t made watercress rice for a while so that will be back on the menu it’s making my water just thinking about it…walnuts I munch on regularly and use in cooking the live fish I still give it a miss-smile.

To read the original post please click the highlighted link below and come and say hello the kettles on…See you there xxx

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2023/05/10/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-carol-taylors-culinary-a-z-rewind-w-for-wakame-wasabi-walnuts-watercress-and-wax-beans/

CarolCooks2 weekly roundup…30th April-6th May 2023-Monday Musings…dissolvable vaccine patches, Making merit(Buddhism), My Green Kitchen,Thursday Thoughts, The Lady of Dai, Smorgasbord Health, our Immune System…

 

Welcome to my weekly roundup of posts just in case, you are like me and find a roundup helpful especially when the week has been busy…Starting with Monday Musings where my muse pinpoints anything exciting or unusual I have read, seen or experienced during the last week it could be anything that piques my interest…we are now in May and our temperatures have taken a hike upward it was 44C yesterday and predicted to be the same today…to say I am melting and only want cold drinks and ice cream is an understatement…a cup of tea is most certainly not on my agenda…

Monday Musings:

Last week Monday Musings was a mix of invention and the ancient art of Buddhism…the idea of 3D dissolvable vaccine patches is fantastic all you need is a printer a step forward for outlying areas and for anyone with a needle phobia…then I shared a Buddhist practice where anyone who passes away and has no family are tended by volunteers… Thai volunteers exhume the bones of the nameless dead, who have no one else to care for them, the remains are washed and laid out to dry then they perform a ceremony on the remains to aid the deceased in their spiritual rebirths…it is a beautiful ceremony performed with love and respect…

Monday Musings…1st May 2023…May Day, Disolvable Vaccines Plasters, Making Merit(Buddhism)…

My Green Kitchen…

Where I shared one of my favourite recipes for using up cold rice…whenever I make these and take a bowl if we are going out they just disappear they are such a lovely snack with all the different textures the crunch from the lettuce or white cabbage the heat of the chill and the ginger and the lovely rice balls they are truly a beautiful bite of food…

Potato peels make lovely crisps and are far healthier than the processed nasties as you are in charge of the salt and the fat which is why they can be a tad healthier if you air fry them but they are also delicious if you cook them in the oven which I have to at the moment as I don’t own an air fryer…

Coke and other sodas the amount of sugar and other things make them one of the unhealthiest drinks and I’m not talking about the odd glass of Coke but that is all some drink and drink bottles of this every day…

Carol Taylor’s Green Kitchen…May 3rd 2023…Potato Peel Crisps, Spicy Red Curry Balls, Organic Garden Fertilizer…

Thursday Thoughts:

Thursday Thoughts…the start of another month…May is National Walking Month-(UK) big smile- as you know I love to walk…walking is a fantastic way to keep active and maintain a healthy heart as it is fun, flexible and free…

When you think of mummies Egypt always springs to my mind..the pyramids, the Pharaohs and their Queens however this particular very well-preserved mummy was found quite by chance in China…

The Lady of Dai is one of the best-preserved mummies ever found. The condition is owed to the fact that her body had been swaddled in 20 layers of silk and she was found in 80 litres of an unknown liquid that was mildly acidic with some magnesium in it. She was placed within four layers of coffins, which were within an airtight, clay-lined burial vault 12 meters underground.

Thursday Thoughts…4th May 2023…The Lady of Dai, National Walking Month(UK),

Smorgasbord Health Column 2023:

This week Sally would like to show you how your role in your immune system’s efficiency is critical and possibly life-saving.

You only have to look at stats and information on how health services are struggling to know that we can and should help ourselves as many lifestyle diseases are preventable…Sally has the knowledge and loves to share how we can help ourselves and unless we do we will become one of the statistics..so please click the highlighted link below it will take you to Smorgasbord Magazine…See you there…the kettle is on xx

Smorgasbord Health Column 2023 – The Body our Greatest Asset – The Immune System and our role in its efficiency by Sally Cronin

Thank you for joining me today as always I look forward to your comments…I have no objection if anyone adds a link to their comment if it is relevant to the post however I do not allow link-dropping…I have been quite nice about this but in future, I will send you to spam as it seems my request is being ignored…

A personal request from me…I would be so very grateful if any of you will add little 6yr old Lenny to their prayers and send positive thoughts he has been diagnosed with High-Grade Lymphoma you can imagine what a shock this has been for his mummy and the rest of my family as he has to have intensive chemotherapy and stay in hospital for at least 6 months until the treatment is finished…I just can’t believe how cancer is rampaging through our family…I am more than shocked and wonder whose next,,,

Thank you again for joining me today I hope you are all having a lovely weekend xx

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Carol Taylor’s – Culinary A – Z Rewind – ‘M’ is for Mayonnaise, Mango, Mousse, Morels, Khao Neow Manuang and Marengo

Today in my culinary A-Z it’s the letter M…for mayo, morrels, mango, mirin and miso plus more foods and food terms starting with the letter M…Please head over to Smorgasbord to read the original post kindly reposted by Sally just click the highlighted link below.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2022/12/07/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-carol-taylors-culinary-a-z-rewind-m-is-for-mayonnaise-mango-mousse-morels-khao-neow-manuang-and-marengo/

CarolCooks2 weekly roundup…20th- 26th November 2022-Monday Musings, #Thai Red Curry with Mushrooms and purple Eggplants, Culinary A-Z the letter L, #Christmas Gravy, #Edible Flowers #Saturday Morning Market……

Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup of posts you may have missed during the week…weather wise it has been heating up so much for being “winter”…its nice weather to walk in though especially in the early mornings before the sun gets high… I am increasing my daily steps gradually and feel much better it certainly clears the cobwebs …It is enjoyable walking in the early morning nice and quiet plus you get the best of the market ….

I have started testing the last of my Christmas dishes…next week I have Christmas menus to finish writing and have decided to do a vegetarian Christmas dinner for one as many of my friends are the only vegan or vegetarian in their family and their Christmas dinner is sometimes put on the back burner as they are so busy sorting out the menus for everyone else…

Due to family commitments, I am not spending as much time online but I am enjoying just being… cooking,  walking and enjoying life away from the screen …it clears the cobwebs and I can get my thoughts in order…x

The good news though and I am so excited as I was the only one who appeared to be concerned about her health in this house and often was scoffed at…Well, one’s hubby and son have decided that they need to be aware of their bodies thus they are letting me take their BP every day and listening to my advice although I have put the ball firmly in their court and told them that I am happy to help but it’s down to them..hubby has increased his exercise as has ones son and they are making a good attempt to cut down on the smoking…

I now have an early morning companion on my walks and today we have so far completed just over 20,000 steps(a record) for me which is over 13km…I am now relaxing and editing this post…

Monday Musings… this is where normally I share some things that have thrilled me, made me think or smile or even have a mini-rant but generally it is my happy place and I hope it is yours too…

Last week it was info on the outcome of COP27, a warning form Clive(Take it Easy) to be aware of online scams he shares his experience plus Sally Cronin has published another book and as Sally is most generous with her promotion and sharing of other authors and bloggers it’s only right that I should return the favour…Sally’s new book is available on Amazon UK – and: Amazon US

Monday Musings…21st November 2022…COP27, Be a Lert and hot off the press…Variety is the Spice of Life: A Blend of Poetry and Prose –

These little purple eggplants are one of my favourites they stay whole in the curry and then release their beautiful insides with a little pop of flavour…Thai Red Curry with Mushrooms and Purple Eggplants…

CarolCooks2 in my kitchen…Thai red curry with Mushrooms and purple eggplants …

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Carol Taylor’s – Culinary A – Z Rewind – ‘L’ is for Lamb, Lavender, Lemon/ Lime Meringue Pie, Liquorice and Liver…

Welcome to a repeat of the series the wonderful Culinary A – Z and a reminder, not only of the amazing variety of food we have available to us today from around the world but delicious recipes to showcase them….Sally from Smorgasbord Magazine is repeating what is one of my favourite series and today it is the letter L…Lamb Flatbreads, Liquorice and lime/Lemon meringue pie are some of my favourite foods please click the link below and head over to Smorgabord to read the full original post…See you there…x

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Carol Taylor’s – Culinary A – Z Rewind – ‘L’ is for Lamb, Lavender, Lemon/ Lime Meringue Pie, Liquorice and Liver…

I still can’t get my head around the fact that it will soon be Christmas…Last week I started with the gravy for newbies at cooking a Christmas lunch it may be daunting and its good to have a trial run and a practice… for us experts..haha…I have certainly had some disasters over the years if we are super organised and I am not yet this year…sigh..it can be frozen..one less thing to worry about…

Carol Cooks in my Kitchen…Christmas Recipes… Gravy…

Last week it was the first instalment of edible flowers…flowers are used a lot in recipes here or as a decoration on a dish…but like anything, they have to be palatable and safe to consume…

Friday Food Review…Edible Flowers…Part 1…#Bee Balm, Squash Flowers and #Lavender Flowers

I love the markets here but one side is now being taken up by the annual furniture and fun fair plus lots of other bits and pieces..some of my fresh market people have taken up temporary residence down the soi’s(side streets) on the other side of the road but it’s not the same it means it will be much busier now …so maybe I will walk a bit further to another market maybe some of my regulars will be there..what an adventure changes are albeit they are temporary…

There are lots of flowers at the moment some I’m not sure what dishes they are used for I will have to ask my DIL…others I know and use and some I will share with you next week..

Saturday Morning Market…Day Lily, Water Chestnuts, Bamboo and Lotus Seeds…

Thank you for joining me today as always I look forward to your comments…I hope you are having a fabulous weekend wherever you are in the world…x

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Carol Taylor’s – Culinary A – Z Rewind – ‘J’ for Jelly Beans, Jalapenos, Jack Fruit and Jerky all with a little Jus

Welcome to a repeat of my A-Z  series …Sally who writes Smorgasbord Magazine is repeating the series for which I thank her it is not only a reminder for me, of the amazing variety of food we have available to us today from around the world, but delicious recipes to showcase them. I am enjoying the recap…I hope you are too…and for any new readers…Welcome 🙂

Today it’s the letter J…

Starting with one of my favourite little sweeties the Jelly Bean…

Jelly Beans are primarily made of sugar with jelly inside a candy shell…There are some awesome flavours…Tabasco Flavour, Chilli Mango, Marguerita and some beautiful fruity flavours…Cringe-worthy flavours like Earthworm, Earwax and vomit are for me a No No! But I suppose for Halloween revellers they will be on someone’s list…

Jelly:

Depending on where in the world you live Jelly can be a wibbly wobbly fruit jelly made with gelatin which in England is served with fruit and cream or used to make a trifle. In the US jelly is put on bread or toast or made into a tart and is what we Brits call jam…Are you confused yet?

Jellies are also sweets…fruit jellies of all shapes and sizes…They may be plain or covered in sugar but are what we call jellies in England

To read the original post please head over to Smorgasbord Magazine by clicking the highlighted link below…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2022/10/26/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-carol-taylors-culinary-a-z-rewind-j-for-jelly-beans-jalapenos-jack-fruit-and-jerky-all-with-a-little-jus/