Spices

Bread crumbs are one of those indispensable ingredients. They give gratins and casseroles their attractive topping, they give meatloaf its consistent texture, and they give fried chicken its trademark crunch. To accommodate these various roles, bread crumbs come in two styles: fresh (soft) or dried.

As the name implies, fresh, or soft, bread crumbs are fluffier and softer than their dried counterparts. Because of their consistency, they are frequently used as a binder in meatloaf and dumplings, or as a topping for gratins and casseroles. Dried bread crumbs, on the other hand, are finer and crisper than the fresh variety. Their crisp texture makes them perfect for breading meat and seafood. With the addition of herbs and spices, each variety can be transformed into seasoned bread crumbs.

Any good bread can serve as the raw material …

The expression “plain vanilla” strikes me as a bit of a misnomer.

The vanilla bean is the fruit of an orchid, and not just any orchid. Of the hundred or so species of vanilla-producing orchids, only two species produce a vanilla suitable for cooking. One species, vanilla planifolia, produces Bourbon vanilla, while the other species, vanilla tahitensis, produces Tahitian vanilla.

Bourbon vanilla and Tahitian vanilla are as exotic as they sound. That is, the varieties derive their names from their respective locales. Bourbon vanilla is produced from planifolia orchids grown on islands in the Indian Ocean, namely Madagascar, Comoros, and Réunion. Some three hundred years ago, Réunion was named Bourbon Island (Île Bourbon), in honor of the French royal family. Tahitian vanilla is produced from tahitensis orchids in French Polynesia (which includes Tahiti).

The different climates of each locale …

Homemade Bread Crumbs

Homemade Vanilla Extract