Just What Do Expiration Dates Mean?
Best If Used By/Before: Indicates how long the product will be at its best flavor or quality. After that date, it’s not necessarily unsafe to consume, but the quality might be degraded.
Sell By: Tells the store how long to keep an item on the shelf and when to take it off. Milk is a good example. A grocer has to sell a gallon of milk by that date, but milk past the sell by date is often still usable. When properly stored, milk, like other products will keep for several days after the sell by date. Before tossing, give it the “sniff” test. Odds are it’s still good.
Use By: Is the final recommended day to use the product for best quality. Eggs have a “use by” date which is similar to a “best if used by” date. That’s important; it’s hard to know when eggs go bad.
Absolute Dates: The expiration date on infant formula is absolute. Do not open or use expired formula.
“Work With What You Got!”
©Tiny New York Kitchen © 2020 All Rights Reserved
Japanese Pantry
Add these Japanese items to your pantry and you’ll reach for them again and again. Some of these items are common enough that you can find them at Whole Foods or your local health food store. Others might require a trip to an Asian grocery store or an online order. Your efforts will be richly rewarded.
Sake
You don’t need to spend a lot of money on fancy sake for cooking, but a decent bottle is tastier and more complex than cooking sake.
Kombu
This mineral rich dried kelp is what gives dishes depth. The sheets should be sturdy with fine sea salt on the outside. Look for labels that say “kombu.”
Bonito Flakes
Dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna (also known as katsuobushi) that is the yin to kombu’s yang in dishes. Quality ranges widely. You do get what you pay for here.
Rice Vinegar
Avoid seasoned rice vinegar, which has sweeteners and other additives in it. Choose a brand that lists rice and water as the only ingredients.
Miso
It encompasses a range of fermented soybean pastes, from younger fresh-tasting white to long-aged, funky red. The latter, which is mellow and sweet, is the best intro.
Mirin
Brewed from sticky rice, this cooking wine is sweeter and less alcoholic than sake. Pick one made with sugar rather than glucose or corn syrup because you can taste the difference.
Togarashi & Sansho
Make fruity togarashi chile powder your new Aleppo. Sansho, made from the husks of sansho peppercorns, lends tongue-tingling anise notes.
Short-Grain White Rice
With its pearly grains and subtle flavors, koshihikari is the crème de la crème of Japanese short-grain rice.
Usukuchi Soy
Lighter, thinner, and saltier than standard soy, usukuchi is perfect for seasoning dishes like yosenabe (hot pot) without darkening the color too much.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
New Canaan Farmers’ Market
I love going to farmers' markets, especially good ones. It's the closest to "farm to table" that I can get without growing my own fruits and vegetables. Yesterday was my first visit to the New Canaan farmer’s market. It’s a good one! I picked up beets, radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peaches and plums. Everything looked great and even though the vendors were busy they were very friendly and seemed happy to be there.
New Canaan Farmers’ Market
Saturday 10am to 2pm
May 12th Through October
Old Center School Parking Lot
South Avenue & Maple Street
www.newcanaanfarmersmarket.net
How To Use Victoria’s Dry Rub
Victoria’s Dry Rub has become very popular and orders are pouring in. I am getting a lot of emails about how to use this versatile dry rub. Dry rubs can be used dry or incorporated into a liquid. The liquid is usually olive oil or any other kind of oil that you choose. Combining the rub with a liquid is what is known as a paste or wet rub. The nice thing about using a wet rub is that it tends to stick better to whatever you are adhering it to.
I also like to mix the rub with mustard, mayonnaise or horseradish. The rub adds a little kick to condiments. Rub seasoned mayonnaise goes great on a steak sandwich.
Vegetable dishes like the rub as well. Sprinkle zucchini, peppers, asparagus or any vegetable that you can think of with the rub to add some flavor. You can even use the rub on salads by sprinkling a bit into the salad and then toss.
You can also use the rub in casseroles, stews, chili or soups. If you are using the rub in recipes that need a long time to cook in liquids it is best to add the dry rub in small amounts throughout the cooking process. Doing this helps keep the flavors at their peak.
Victoria’s Rub can be used on ANY meat of your choosing. It is great on fish, pork, beef, buffalo, lamb or poultry. Of course if you are lucky enough to have more interesting meats then by all means use the rub on your exotic meat as well.
It is always best to wash the meat and trim off any excess fat or fish skin. Make sure to dry the meat thoroughly. Generously sprinkle the rub on the meat. If you are using the wet rub you will have to apply with your hands or a spoon. Time to get your hands dirty. If you are using the rub on chicken gently put the rub under the skin as well as on top of the skin. You can also put the rub in the cavity for a fuller flavor. Whatever meat you are using the meat should be coated with a nice even layer of the rub or paste. Gently work the rub into the meat. It is like giving the meat a little massage! Wrap the meat in a plastic wrap and put in the fridge anywhere from 1 hour to overnight. If I am planning ahead I like to let sit overnight so the meat is full of flavor and nice and tender. It is not necessary, however, to let the meat sit after applying the rub. If you decide at the last minute to use the rub then that is A-OK. If you did put the meat in the fridge to sit for awhile, remove from the fridge and take off the plastic wrap and let the meat get to room temperature. This should be done about ½ hour before cooking. If you used the dry rub method then it will have become pasty from the juices of the meat. Be careful when picking up the meat so you don’t rub away any of the past. This tasty crust is what is known as the “bark.” If you decide that you need more rub then go ahead and ad more to coat for more flavor.
Be creative and make sure to send me emails of your ideas and photos of how you used Victoria’s Rub!
For a limited time this rub is available for $15.00 plus $3.50 S&H. This rub is perfect for beef, chicken, pork, vegetables or seafood. Everyone who has tried this rub absolutely loves it. Now you can too. Send an email to [email protected] to place your order.
