Corduroy Orange

I can’t stand bad tomatoes. You know the ones I’m talking about: available year-round out of California, always the same quality no matter what the season. Available on salads everywhere, used simply to add color because the only favor they can contribute is somewhat rancid in nature. It’s no wonder some people don’t like tomatoes, if those are the only tomatoes they’ve been exposed to. The state of our agriculture would be improved tenfold if people didn’t have it in their fool heads that tomatoes are a right, not a privilege.

But enough of the rant, I’m no muckraker. The solution is obvious: plant a few fun varieties of tomatoes in your backyard and experience the harvest for yourself.
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How do you think cardamom would work with grilled fruits?

I think cardamom would work quite well with grilled fruits, though personally I tend to only use cardamom with apples.  I’m not sure why that is, except that I haven’t really experimented with that spice too much, beyond discovering what happens when you use too much of it: a bitter, astringent flavor dominates the dish.  Therefore, if you’re going to use it, I’d recommend that you don’t use very much: about the same amount as you use nutmeg (~1/4 tsp for most purposes).

I mentioned in my grilled peaches post that I tend to use the same spices for most fruits, but I didn’t explain how or why I adjust what spices I use and in what ratios.  Basically, I try to use more of the spices that I think go well with a particular fruit.

For the peach spice mix, I used a teaspoon of ginger.  Sometimes, for peaches, I might even use more than that: I like how peaches and ginger taste together.  For blueberries, I usually ease up on or eliminate the ginger, but emphasize the cinnamon and allspice.  For apples, I’ll add in about as much cardamom as I use nutmeg.  I use about the same spice mixture when I roast winter squashes (such as pumpkin, acorn, butternut, and hubbard), too: about equal on the ginger as I use for peaches, plus I’ll add in some cloves, but not too much because they can dominate a dish.

Have a question about something culinary?  Email me!  I’ll research the matter and post a response.

When you’re using black or white pepper to flavor what you sauté, add it to the hot oil before you start adding the food. The oils from the pepper will dissolve into the sauté oil, infusing it with the spicy flavor. As a result, the same quantity of pepper packs more of a punch than if you add it later in the cooking process.

Be careful, though–this rule doesn’t apply to crushed red pepper flakes. Unless you’re planning on an extremely short cooking time, it’s best to add them later in the process, though before you deglaze the pan. If you add them first, they’re likely to scorch, thereby infusing your dish with a bitter, burnt flavor on top of the spiciness.