Subtle, savory black magic: Linguine with Mushrooms and Black Garlic

Fermented black garlic, the mysterious ingredient that’s been exciting chefs for a couple of years, is now showing up in grocery stores. Here it works with just a handful of ingredients to create a rich, satisfying vegetarian meal. Recipe below.

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Umami. That savory, meaty fifth taste, only recently named. That’s what I smelled when I opened the bag containing two heads of black garlic. The smell of a really good consomme or perhaps the browned bits in the bottom of the pan after searing a roast.

blackgarlic-savoryspiceshopThe funny thing is, the only ingredients in black garlic are garlic, heat and time. No meat, no salt, no stock—nothing to impart that almost meaty scent. I can’t remember now where I first heard of black garlic, but it so fascinated me that I wrote about it for this week’s USA Character Approved Blog post. And I had to cook with it. Continue reading “Subtle, savory black magic: Linguine with Mushrooms and Black Garlic”

Colorful news for your kitchen: Green cutting boards and black garlic

Dishwasher-safe cutting boards made from sustainable bamboo and fermented garlic that delivers subtle flavors and a striking appearance are the subjects of my latest posts on the USA Character Approved Blog.

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Despite what a certain famous frog says, being green is easy, at least when it comes to cutting boards. TruBamboo has introduced handsome, durable cutting boards made from bamboo, the quintessential green renewable resource. And best of all, they’re dishwasher safe.

I mean, let’s face it—we all want to be greener in our daily lives, but not if it means using green products that require special care or, worse, don’t work well (I’m talking to you, eco-friendly window cleaners). Continue reading “Colorful news for your kitchen: Green cutting boards and black garlic”