Kitchen Encounters

~ Manchego Cheese -- What it is and How to Use It ~

It's my opinion that it's impossible for any one person to have one favorite cheese.  There are thousands of choices, with unique varieties available in in every region of  the world, with new varieties being created as we speak.  To name a few, are hard cheeses, soft cheeses, semi-soft cheeses, crumbly cheeses, spoonable cheeses, melting cheeses, grating cheeses and blue-veined cheeses.  There are cow's milk cheeses, sheep's milk cheeses, goat cheeses and vegan cheeses.  Some cheeses are processed, others are not.  Some are aged for a short time, some are aged for a long time.  The best one cheese lover can hope for is to sample as many as one can on his or her lifetime of travels, compile a list of favorites, and use them appropriately. 

Manchego is a Spanish, raw or pasteurized, whole Manchgo-sheep's milk cheese licensed to be made in four provinces in the La Mancha region (south of Madrid). Manchego is the undisputed favorite cheese of Spain.  Manchgo's texture varies depending on how long it is aged -- 60 days to 2 years. Manchego is semi-firm with a compact consistency.  It's color is white to ivory-yellow.  It has distinctive mild flavor -- fruity, nutty, tangy and sweet.  A fat content up to 57% contributes to its richness. 

The cheese curds, a 50-50 blend of the milk from the Manchego breed of sheep and calf's rennet, are pressed by-hand into specifically-sized cylindrical molds that are etched with a pattern that gives Manchego's edible red rind a pattern replicating the grass baskets the cheese was traditionally hand-pressed into. The most traditional use for Manchego is to eat it served with Spanish tapas. The thinly-sliced cheese is paired with Serrano ham and marinated olives, or, Serrano ham, figs and walnuts, and, bread. Because of its high fat content, it doesn't melt very well, but it ideal for shaving atop salad, vegetables or pasta.  To store, wrap Manchgo tightly in parchment, waxed or butcher paper and store in the drawer of the refrigerator for 4-6 weeks.

Try my ~ Manchgo, Apple, Prosciutto, Arugula & Fig Crostini ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~The Pineapple -- the Universal Symbol of Hospitality~

Pineapple was introduced to the United States in the mid 19th Century via South American trade routes north to the to the Caribbean and into the West Indies, where Christopher Columbus found them. In Caribbean native tongue, the pineapple's original name was "anana", meaning "excellent fruit". The European explorers called it the "pine of the Indies", and, when the fruit started being exported to English-speaking parts of Europe via The Columbian Exchange, the suffix "apple" was added (to associate it with their favorite "excellent fruit", the apple).

From there, the pineapple spread to other parts of civilization and was placed on sailing ships because, like oranges, they were found to prevent scurvy.  It was on one of these voyages the pineapple arrived in Hawaii, and, was presented to King Kahehameha by his Spanish advisor, Don Francisco de Paula y Marin. On January 11, 1813 the first pineapples were planted in Hawaiian soil.  In 1901, James Drummond Dole founded the Hawaiian Pineapple Company, and, within a few short years, the pineapple symbolized Hawaii. Canned pineapple entered the American marketplace in 1903 and it was a big deal.  It meant that pineapple was available to the home cook all year long -- it was no longer a rare, seasonal treat to be savored fresh.  It was very popular with the American housewife -- by 1925, recipes for pineapple pie and pineapple upside down cake began appearing on cans of Dole pineapple and Gold Metal flour.  To this day, here in the United States,  it is the most popular canned fruit next to applesauce and peaches.

If you have ever stayed in a historic bed-and-breakfast or a large trendy hotel, you have probably noticed a decorative-pineapple strategically-placed on a table, or, a picture of a pineapple hanging on a wall.  That's because the pineapple is the universal symbol of hospitality.  As the story goes, when early Imperial travelers arrived in remote Caribbean islands they discovered that natives with a pineapple hanging at the entrance to their abode were welcoming to strangers.  It wasn't long before the pineapple was widely considered a symbol of hospitality throughout Europe.  The concept traveled to America too, where almost all colonial homes had an image of the pineapple in the entry or common area. Southern plantations took up the trend too -- they began carving pineapple shapes into the columns of their grand entrances.  During these early American times, because a ripe, fresh pineapple was a pricey rarity reserved for the very wealthy, the pineapple also became a symbol for prosperity and extravagance too.

~ Eight Super-Delicious Recipes Using Pineapple ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ The Reason the Pineapple was Named Pineapple ~

I adore pineapple.  Spring and Summer, I'm rarely without some form of fresh pineapple in my kitchen or refrigerator.  Heck, my husband grows two or three in pots on our deck each year (see photo below).  Fall and Winter, I'm never without canned pineapple in in my pantry.  Fresh, it's my "go to" Summer tropical fruit, and canned (packed in 100% juice), it's not a compromise.

A bit about pineapple and pineapple pie:  Pineapple was introduced to the United States in the mid 19th Century via South American trade routes north to the Caribbean and into the West Indies, where Christopher Columbus found them. In Caribbean native tongue, the pineapple's original name was "anana", meaning "excellent fruit". The European explorers called it the "pine of the Indies", and, when the fruit started being exported to English-speaking parts of Europe via The Columbian Exchange, the suffix "apple" was added (to associate it with their favorite "excellent fruit", the apple). From there, the pineapple spread to other parts of civilization and was placed on sailing ships because, like oranges, they were found to prevent scurvy.  It was on one of these voyages the pineapple arrived in Hawaii, and, was presented to King Kahehameha by his Spanish advisor, Don Francisco de Paula y Marin. On January 11, 1813 the first pineapples were planted in Hawaiian soil.  In 1901, James Drummond Dole founded the Hawaiian Pineapple Company, and, within a few short years, the pineapple symbolized Hawaii.

Canned pineapple entered the American marketplace in 1903 and it was a big deal.  It meant that pineapple was available to the home cook all year long -- it was no longer a rare, seasonal treat to be savored fresh.  It was very popular with the American housewife -- by 1925, recipes for pineapple pie and pineapple upside down cake began appearing on cans of Dole pineapple and Gold Metal flour.  To this day it is the most popular canned fruit next to applesauce and peaches.

The pineapple is the universal symbol for hospitality too!

If you have ever stayed in a historic bed-and-breakfast or a large trendy hotel, you have probably noticed a decorative-pineapple strategically-placed on a table, or, a picture of a pineapple hanging on a wall.  That's because the pineapple is the universal symbol of hospitality.  As the story goes, when early Imperial travelers arrived in remote Caribbean islands they discovered that natives with a pineapple hanging at the entrance to their abode were welcoming to strangers.  It wasn't long before the pineapple was widely considered a symbol of hospitality throughout Europe.  The concept traveled to America too, where almost all colonial homes had an image of the pineapple in the entry or common area. Southern plantations took up the trend too -- they began carving pineapple shapes into the columns of their grand entrances.  During these early American times, because a ripe, fresh pineapple was a pricey rarity reserved for the very wealthy, the pineapple also became a symbol for prosperity and extravagance too.

Try ~ My Three-Four Bite Pineapple Meringue Tartlets ~:

Or my ~ Coconut & Rum Pineapple Upside Down Cake ~:

Or, my ~ A Simple, Summertime Treat -- Pineapple Cobbler ~:

How about some ~ Sweet Heat -- Mango or Pineapple Salsa ~:

Or, ~ Thai-Style Chicken & Pineapple Fried-Rice Casserole ~:

And there's ~ Sweet & Sour Shrimp w/Pineapple Kabobs ~:

Plus, ~ Mexican-Style Pork & Pineapple Tacos al Pastor ~:

Last, ~ Fresh vs. Canned -- How Pineapple Reacts w/Proteins ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~All-in-the-Pantry Easy Chicken & Rice-a-Roni Bowls~

Bone tired.  That was how my parents and grandparents sometimes described how they felt after a long day -- it didn't mean they necessarily had a bad day, meaning, if you think about it, even a day at the beach can leave one feeling bone tired when they return home.  It happens to all of us, and, on those days, bone tired does mean:  too tired to do one more thing.  That said, desperate times call for desperate measures and when your bone tired but hungry, head to your pantry.

I believe I could live on Rice-a-Roni.  I suppose I'd get tired of it eventually, but, it could be worth the experiment simply to see how long it would take.  I love the stuff, and, it's one of the few convenience foods I indulge in.  As a kid, if I was feeling under the weather, I always preferred a dish of chicken-flavored Rice-a-Roni over a bowl of Campbell's chicken noodle soup.  If that sounds odd, it's not, as the seasoning packet contains nothing more than dry chicken soup mix. As an adult, beef-favored and Spanish-style Rice-a-Roni have earned spots in my pantry too.

Rice-a-Roni -- The San Francisco Treat:

Italian born immigrant Domenico (Charlie) DeDomenico moved to California in 1895 to open a fresh produce store.  After becoming a successful businessman, he married Maria Ferrigno, an immigrant from Salerno, Italy, where her family owned a pasta factory.  In 1912, Maria persuaded Charlie to set up a similar business in the Mission District of San Francisco.  Gragnano Products, Inc., was born and began delivering pasta to Italian restaurants and stores throughout the area.

Maria and Charlie's sons, Paskey, Vince, Tom and Anthony worked in the family business, and, in 1934, Paskey changed the name to the Golden Grain Macaroni Company. Tom's wife Lois fell in love with a pilaf recipe she received from an Armenian immigrant, Mrs. Pailadzo Captanian, which she served at a family gathering.  After tasting the unique pilaf, which was made by sautéing a combination rice and pasta in butter before adding chicken broth and seasonings, Vince went to work developing a new product.  In 1958, his creation, named Rice-a-Roni, was introduced to the NW United States as "The San Francisco Treat".  Four years later, in 1962, it went nationwide.

Amongst Rice-a-Roni aficionados, chicken-flavored Rice-a-Roni is still the undisputed favorite.

One skillet & no stress = two hearty, weeknight meals:

2  large, boneless, skinless chicken thigh paillards (lightly-pounded chicken thighs)

freshly-ground sea salt and peppercorn blend, for seasoning chicken thighs

2-3  tablespoons corn or vegetable oil, for sautéing chicken thighs

1  6.9-ounce box chicken-flavored Rice-a-Roni

2 1/2  cups water

2-3  tablespoons salted butter, for sautéing the dry pasta and rice mixture 

2 1/2 cups water, for simmering the Rice-a-Roni

all contents from the seasoning packet

~Step 1.  To sauté the lightly-pounded chicken thighs, place 2-3 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil in a wide-bottomed 3 1/2-quart chef's pan with straight, deep side (or a 10" skillet with a tight-fitting lid) over medium heat.  Add the paillards to the hot oil in the skillet.   Season their tops (liberally) with freshly-ground sea salt and peppercorn blend.  Sauté gently until light-golden in color on both sides, turning only once, about 6-8 minutes per side, turning the heat down, if necessary, to prevent scorching.  Turn the heat off.  Using a fork, transfer the paillards from the skillet to a plate and briefly set aside (leave drippings in bottom of skillet).

~Step 2. Add butter to chicken drippings in pan. Melt the butter over low heat.  Add and stir in the pasta and rice mixture from the box.  Increase heat to medium- medium-high.  Using a large slotted spoon, stir constantly and sauté until rice and pasta are light golden, about 3-4 minutes.

~Step 3.  Slowly add the water to the pan of sautéing rice and pasta -- steam will billow up, so, be careful.  Add the contents of the seasoning packet.  Give the mixture a stir and wait for it to return to a simmer.  Adjust heat to a gentle but steady simmer.  Cover the pan and simmer until rice and pasta are cooked through and have absorbed all the liquid, about 14-16 minutes.  Turn the heat off and let rest on the warm stovetop about 5 minutes.

~Step 4.   While the Rice-a-Roni is simmering, slice the chicken thigh pillars into thin strips. Remove the lid from the pan and rake through the mixture with a fork to fluff and separate the rice grains and pasta pieces.  

Portion Rice-a-Roni into 2 pasta-type bowls & top each w/chicken strips from 1 thigh paillard.  Serve ASAP. 

All-in-the-Pantry Peasy Chicken & Rice-a-Roni Bowls:  Recipe yields 2 hearty servings.

Special Equipment List: 3 1/2-quart chef's pan w/straight, deep sides and lid; large slotted spoon or spatula; 2-cup measuring container; cutting board; chef's knife; fork

Cook's Note: Coming up with copycat recipes for three flavors of made-at-home Rice-a-Roni made for a fun few days.  Truth told, I love developing copycat recipes -- I'm good at it too.  From sea to shining sea, as items we've come to take for granted disappear from our store shelves, many have reached out to express appreciation for these recipes.  There's more.  Many have reached out to request these recipes. ~ Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix & My Copycat Recipe ~  is one example. Try my ~ Copycat Chicken, Beef and Spanish-Style Rice-a-Roni ~ recipes.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ Cheese on or w/Your Apple Pie -- Yes or No & Why ~

I love the combination of cheese and apples.  I love to put a slice of sharp cheddar on a fresh, crisp apple slice, and, I also adore them slathered with super-soft triple-creme Brie.  Apple slices and cheese are a delightful snack.  That said, I do not cotton to cheese served with or melted atop my slice of apple pie, nor do I want it baked into the pie pastry.  If offered anything with or on my pie slice, I'm all-in with a scoop of vanilla-bean ice cream, but, even that adornment is not necessary for me to be gleefully contented with a naked slice of fresh-baked apple pie.

Contrary to popular belief, apple pie was not an American invention.  Back in 14th Century England, farmers wrapped apples in dark, inedible containers.  When stored in a cool, 35°-40° place, these containers, referred to as "coffins", preserved the apples for several months.  (Fast forward to present day -- the best place to store apples is in the refrigerator,)  There's more.  The apples of yesteryear were quite bland (and that didn't change until the creation of the Red Delicious in the late 19th Century), so, often times they were cooked into various stews containing meat and vegetables.  The English of the same era were known for encasing all sorts of "fillings"(leftover stews, meat trimmings and/or on-hand vegetables. fresh or dried fruits, etc.) in rustic, crumbly, lard-laced pastry doughs.  These early form of "pies" got baked in the hearth until the filling was hot and/or thoroughly-cooked and the pastry encasement was golden.  Chunks of various salty cheeses, which were readily available throughout the English countryside, were commonly served alongside savory pies as an  accompaniment to an otherwise uneventful meal.

The pie concept reached the shores of the United States in the 1690s via European immigrants. We Americans quickly embraced the idea, and, in almost no time, creative cooks began serving sweetened fruit and/or custard pies for dessert -- these pies were considered a sign of prosperity and often reserved for company and special occasions.  The traditional concept of cheese served with pie came along for the ride to America with the immigrants too, and it too was embraced as a savory complement to the sweetness of any dessert pie -- until methods of  freezing were invented.  Sadly, in the era before freezers,  ice cream was not an option.  To this day, places in the USA with heavy concentrations of dairy farms are still crazy for cheese-on-apple-pie -- New England, Pennsylvania and the Midwest.  In other parts of the country, mostly metropolitan areas, like New York City and Los Angeles, fall squarely in the vanilla-ice-cream-on-apple-pie camp.

 Try my ~ Love is the Sweetest Personal-Sized Apple Pie(s) ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ Love is the Sweetest Personal-Sized Apple Pie(s) ~

The only thing that could possibly be more heartwarming than a home-baked apple pie for dessert on Valentine's Day, or almost any occasion, would be a personal-sized apple pie -- for me it would be absolute perfection.  The great part about serving personal-sized pies is they're so easy to serve -- no slicing and no transfer from pie dish to plates, which means no crumbs scattering all over.  The only things it requires (next to a good apple pie recipe) are the right size pie dishes and a foolproof formula that allows you to make as many as you want without waste.

My personal-sized pie dishes are made by Pyrex and they are 4 1/2 wide, which is the mose common size of individual dishes.  FYI:  Pie dishes, which all have slanted sides, which leave them smaller at the bottom than at the top, are always measured at the widest part of the top of the dish.  Personal-sized pie tins may ba substituted, but, I prefer glass because it allows me to keep an eye on the browning process as the pie bakes.  Pie dishes that might be a little bit larger or a little bit smaller will indeed affect outcome.

For each personal-sized apple pie you will need:

1, 8-9-ounce Granny Smith apple, peeled and thin-sliced

2  teaspoons Minute tapioca

2  tablespoons cinnamon-sugar

2  teaspoons granulated sugar

1/4-1/2  teaspoon apple-pie spice

1/4  teaspoon salt

1/2  teaspoon pure apple extract or lemon juice

1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract

1  store-bought Pillsbury pie pastry (Note:  Do not roll your eyes.  By all means, feel free to try these pies with your favorite homemade pie pastry, but, experience has taught that, in THIS instance, Pillsbury store-bought pie pastry gives me the foolproof thickness and consistency necessary for the success of this recipe.)

~Step 1.  Peel and slice the apple as directed, placing the slices in a medium bowl as you work.  Add the tapioca.  Using a large rubber spatula, fold the tapioca into the apples.  Add the cinnamon-sugar, granulated sugar, apple pie spice and salt.  Fold again, until the apples are evenly coated in spices.  Fold in the extracts.  Set aside.

~Step 2.  Using a small rolling pin, roll the pie crust to a 12" diameter. This will give you the surface area to make one personal-sized pie*.   Invert the pie dish, about 1" from the perimeter the pastry.  Using a paring knife, cut a circle of pastry about 1" larger than the perimeter of the dish.  Repeat this process with a second circle of dough (which will be come the top crust).  Fit one of the pastry circles into the bottom of the pie dish and using a pair of kitchen shears, trim it to hang slightly over the perimeter (about 1/8").  Spoon the apple pie filling to the pie pastry, mounding it towers the center*.  Cut a vent into the center of the second pastry circle -- I use a mini-mini- cookie cutter for this.  Place the second pastry circle atop the pie.  Using your fingertips, seal the two crusts together and form a decorative edge all the way around.

*Note & FYI:  Each 14-ounce box of Pillsbury pie crusts contains two pie crusts.  One box, two crusts, will be enough to make three individual-sized apple pies.  Simply do the math and increase the other ingredients accordingly.   

~ Step 3.  Bake on center rack of 350° oven for 30 minutes.  Reduce temp to 325° and bake 15 more minutes.  Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack to cool at least 20-30 minutes prior to serving warm.

Only one thing left to do -- open the ice cream! 

Everyone is going to adore their own apple pie!

Try my ~ Old-Fashioned Individual-Sized Chocolate Pie(s) ~ too:

Or my ~ Personal-Sized Pineapple-Meringue Tartlets ~:

Love is the Sweetest Personal-Sized Apple Pie(s):  Recipe yields instructions to make as many personal-sized apple pies as you want to make.

Special Equipment List:  vegetable peeler; cutting board; chef's knife; large rubber spatula; small rolling pin; paring knife; 4 1/2-sized pie dish, preferably glass; kitchen shears; mini-mini-heart-shaped or other shaped cookie cutter (optional); wire cooling rack

Cook's Note:  The best apple pie recipes aren't fancy -- they're special.  Just put one in the oven and see what happens.  Word travels fast.  Everyone wants a slice of old-fashioned appleiscious goodness. "It's as easy as apple pie."  Truth told, that's a kind of misleading statement.  Baking a really good apple pie is not as easy as "A, B, C", "one, two three" or even "snap, crackle, pop".  Too many people think that just because they've baked an apple pie it automatically qualifies for awesome apple pie status.  It does not.  I have encountered more than a few nasty renditions:  from overcooked to undercooked, sickeningly sweet to vapid, and, soupy to pasty -- anything but the "pleasant and accommodating" experience Mark Twain painted in his 1885 novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (the sequel to his 1876 novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer).  Try my ~ Nothing Fancy:  Old-Fashioned Autumn Apple Pie ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)