Category Archives: Blog

Etiquette is something very important, and when it comes to eating is no exception, that is why there are a few meals that should be eaten in a certain way and with certain utensils. So, in this article we will tell you a little about the cutlery foie and for other spreads, which you should use to eat them properly.

Cutlery foie, pâté, or similar preparation

It is usually spread with a small, flat, blunt cutting knife, especially for spreading this type of food as well as other preparations of a similar texture.

Cutlery Foie

Here we are going to introduce you to the cutlery you need to assemble your perfect foie tasting set:

 

• Foie lyre: It is ideal for cutting thin slices cleanly for a good presentation. Its all-stainless-steel handle allows an easy and stable grip. Its stainless-steel wire guarantees a clean cut without breakage. A good alternative to a knife whose blade must first be heated. In addition, it can also be used for cutting cheese.

·         Foie cutting knife: A foie knife will allow you to serve and present your product with elegance, as it will be the perfect size and will not crush the product.

·         Foie Jar Opener: This jar opener will allow you to open your foie jars easily, effortlessly, and safely. The jar opener is an essential kitchen utensil.

·         Foie shovel: An essential accessory to sublimate your foie. It will serve to neatly arrange your beautiful, thin, and regular slices of foie on the plates.

·         Foie spreader: With the spreader, the foie spread is quick to prepare and will produce a great effect for any meal on a festive occasion.

·         Foie serving tray: You can find trays of any material suitable to put your foie there. Having a tray inside your set will allow you to serve your product in an elegant  and tidy way.

How to serve foie correctly using the perfect cutlery

Foie is not a simple pâté to spread on toast. Tasting it correctly is a whole process, and that is why at FoieGood we offer the following tips to taste it like a true Gourmet:

• Chill the foie before tasting. Although whole foie is preserved at room temperature, try to chill it in the refrigerator one hour before serving. This will help it to have a better consistency and texture.
• Use a lyre to cut slices. Try not to make the slice too thin but keep it light. Instead of a lyre, you can use a knife if it is very thin, flat, and well sharpened, after soaking it in hot water.
• Clean your tool after each cut. Irregularities in a knife can cause foie to crack, so wipe your tool after each cut.
• Use the right bread like biscotti, toast and seeded breads usually have too much flavor, and can cause you to lose some of the delicate flavor of a good foie.
• Do not spread the foie. Place the sliced foie on the bread, without squishing or spreading it. Texture is as important a part of the experience as the flavor itself, so it is important that the slice be a solid piece with a certain thickness.

 

Finally, we can recommend you accompany the foie with sweet and soft flavors. Fruity drinks are a good choice, as well as the classic Perigord salad. If you are going to serve stronger foods, make sure that they follow the foie, to avoid their flavors overshadowing its texture.

 

Modern consumers are increasingly becoming selective in their shopping and eating habits. With easy access to information about lifestyle diseases, sustainability, and global cuisines, consumer food preferences have shifted, leading to new food trends worldwide. More people are making conscious decisions to purchase foodstuffs that are more nutritious, and lead to a better quality of life.

Unlike in the past, modern food consumers are driven by comfort, healthy, sustainable, and diversity. From trying new flavors, and lesser-known cuisines, and embracing food from different cultures to using science to create healthier foods, consumers have played a significant role in developing new, healthier, and sustainable food trends across the globe. In this article, we will discuss food trends and explore popular food trends worldwide.

Popular food trends in the world

The following are food trends in the world.

Shift towards whole ingredients

In the last few years, food consumer trends have shifted towards whole-grain diets. To escape from processed food and the dangers they can have for health, due to the large amounts of salt, sugar, or fats they contain. The term “whole ingredients” or “whole food” refers to items that are very close to their natural state, like meat, nuts or minimally processed dairy products.

Rise of exotic and sour flavours

Technology and global tourism have facilitated access to exotic and new flavours that were previously unheard of or too difficult to access. Food merchants can now access flavors from different parts of the world, giving consumers a wide selection of rich and exotic flavours to choose from.

Whether you are looking for African, South American, Arabic, European, or Caribbean flavors, you can get them at your local food store or order from a delivery app. The demand for new, foreign, and exciting flavors has made them popular, making flavors one of the most popular food trends.

Diverse cuisines

Have you ever sampled Vietnamese cuisine? What about Moroccan dishes? For a long time, the food market was dominated by a few cuisines such as Italian, French, Indian, Thai, and Chinese dishes. However, as consumer demands shift towards diverse cuisines, dishes from different parts of the globe have become a hit, especially in metropolitan cities.

Food lovers are willing to explore cuisines from different cultures, leading to the popularity of cultural foods in the hotel industry. Whether you are seeking to sample Ethiopian, Hungarian, Malaysian, Filipino, Turkish, or Lebanese cuisine, you can easily get what you are looking for. Hoteliers are keen to cater to emerging customer trends to survive in the hospitality industry, which is competitive.

Organic meats

We are in a world where the consumers are more conscious about what they eat, and how the food was treated before its in their plate. Nowadays, food lovers prefer to eat organic meat which is known as healthier and tastier meat, and where the animals have been grass fed and free ranged.

Is sustainable food consumption important?

Yes, sustainable food consumption could not be more important in the changing global climate. Sustainability involves responsible use of natural resources and reduction of pollutants to protect the interests of current and future generations. Food sustainability involves producing and consuming food that is healthy for us without harming the environment. Sustainable eating promotes the production and consumption of food in a manner that protects healthy living, the environment, and the well-being of future generations.

Food trends are continuously changing across the globe as consumer tastes shift to meet their evolving needs. As more consumers become conscious of the safety, health, diversity, sustainability, and nutritious value of foods, there is a significant shift in purchases, resulting in new food trends.

If you have dined in high-end restaurants, you have probably sampled upscale meals like boeuf bourguignon, oysters, foie gras, and coq au vin. But did you know that some of these gourmet meals were considered the “food for the poor” not so long ago? Rillette, a popular dish in the mediterranean cuisine -and very popular in France- has been gracing dining tables as far as the 14th century. While rillettes are commonly found in high-end restaurants, what you might not know is that you can easily prepare the meal from the comfort of your home kitchen.

Continue reading to learn more about rillettes.

What are rillettes?

Rillette, also known as potted meat, is a classic Mediterranean cuisine that includes slowly cooked meat, flavored with mild herbs and seasoning. Rillettes are also a preservation method that involves cubing, seasoning, and slowly cooking meat in fat, for an extended period, usually around 5-10 hours. The shredded meat is then packed in sterile jars containing fat and stored, where it remains in perfect condition for several months.

The origin of the rillettes

Before the invention of freezers and cold rooms, people used traditional charcuterie crafts such as rillettes to prepare and preserve meats. The word rillette is derived from the rille, a term from the old French dialect that has virtually become extinct. Although rillettes are available in most restaurants around the world, they first became popular in the cities of Tours and Reins in France.

How to prepare them

Who said you must break your bank account to enjoy rillettes? Rillettes are easy to make at home, and although rillettes are usually made from pork, you can use various types of meat, including fish, rabbit, ham or you can also enjoy duck rillettes. So, how exactly do you prepare this amazing delicacy?

Cooking rillettes is fun, seamless, and rewarding because the end product is delicious, nutritious, and contains flavors that will leave you craving for more. Preparing rillettes involves cooking well-seasoned meat in low heat for an extended period.

Here is a simple guide to help you prepare meat rillettes:

Gather your ingredients

The great thing about rillette is that it requires relatively few ingredients to prepare. Choose a boneless piece of meat, clean water, and different spices, including thyme, salt, black pepper, and salt.

Season the meat

Cut your piece of meat into reasonable cubes and place them in a mixing bowl. Pour your spices and herbs on the meat and thoroughly mix and place the mixture in a cooking pot. Ensure you spread the spices evenly so that all the pieces are seasoned adequately.

Cook the meal

Preheat your oven to around 320 F -3230 F. Cover the cooking pot with an airtight lid and cook until the meat starts falling apart. Ideally, you should cook rillette for around 4-6 hours. You can serve rillette on a plate by spreading the meal lightly across bread or garnishing it with vegetables.

What is the difference between rillettes and pâtés?

Rillettes and pâtés are pretty like very subtle differences. The main difference between rillettes and pâtés is in the texture. Pâtés are often doused with milk, which gives the meals a smoother texture. While rillette has a chunky texture, pâtés have a smoother texture. Another difference is in the type of meat that is found in rillettes and pâtés. Pâtés are made from meat such as liver, while rillette is made from chunks of meat harvested from a leg, breast, rib, or thigh.

Rillette, a common delicacy in Mediterranean cuisine has become popular with food lovers because of its juicy flavors and chunky textures that make it appealing to people with enlightened palates. Rillette is easy to make because you only require a handful of ingredients, and the steps are easy, making it an ideal meal to cook at home. Sound good? Don’t miss out.

Spanish cuisine is famous for its unique flavors, health benefits, and rich ingredients resulting in a unique taste you can’t find anywhere else. Spaniards have perfected the art of producing quality and nutritional olive oils for more than three centuries. From making toast for breakfast, and salads for brunch, to creating different recipes for supper, olive oil is an essential ingredient in Spanish kitchens. Spain’s olive oil, often called Spain’s liquid gold, is the most sought after because of its wide variety, high quality, and numerous health benefits. With over 300 million olive trees, a perfect Mediterranean climate ideal for olive trees to flourish, high-tech harvesting techniques, and dozens of olive oil varieties, it’s no surprise that Spain ranks high among the world’s largest producers of olive oil.

Properties of olive oil

Here are some properties of olive oil:

Anti-inflammatory components

Olive oil contains anti-inflammatory components such as oleocanthal, which reduce inflammation in the body. Olive oil can reduce chronic inflammation preventing the risk of developing chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or cancer.

Healthy Monounsaturated Fats

Olive oil contains a high percentage of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that contains numerous health benefits, including reducing risks associated with cancer.

Rich in antioxidants

Olive oil contains antioxidants that protect you against chronic illnesses. The large amounts of antioxidants prevent blood oxidation, reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

How to distinguish a good olive oil?

Have you ever looked at rows of olive oils at your local store and wondered which one to choose? It’s challenging to select a good olive oil, especially when numerous oil brands hit the market yearly. So, how do you choose good olive oil?

The best olive oil depends on when it was harvested, how many times it was pressed, and the quality of the olives. Good olive oil doesn’t contain chemicals or additives, has no defects in smell, color, taste, or smell, is pressed within 24 hours after harvest, and must not exceed 0.8 percent acidity.

Olive oil in the Mediterranean diet

Spanish liquid gold is an essential component of the Mediterranean diet because it emphasizes important aspects of a healthy diet and lifestyle. The Mediterranean diet involves consuming traditional foods, including vegetables, legumes, fruits, and healthy oils such as olive. The versatility of olive oil and its health benefits allow the oil to be used in various ways while making Mediterranean-themed dishes. You can fry, cook, sauté, or bake using olive oil, which contains health benefits such as reducing the risk of developing chronic illnesses and enabling you to live a healthy lifestyle.

H2 How can olive oil be used in cooking?

The great thing about olive oil is that there are several ways you can use it in the kitchen for your maximum pleasure. Here are several ways you can use olive oil in the kitchen:

Dressing salads and vegetables

You can use crude olive oil to dress your sandwiches, vegetables, or salads. Whether you are a vegetarian or vegan or like to prepare healthy vegetable dishes and salads, crude olive is a perfect addition to your kitchen.

Cooking and frying

If you are looking for an oil that enhances the gastronomical qualities of your cooking ingredients, you can’t go wrong with olive oil. Using olive oil to cook or fry your food can help improve the flavor of your meal, enhance the aroma, and retain nutrients in the ingredients. Olive oil is also ideal because it has several health benefits that maintain your overall health.

At Foiegood we use olive oil in the production of our products. This is part of the secret that has allowed us to produce an alternative foie gras, with 48% less fat, 40% fewer calories and 67% less fat.

Now that you know how to select a good olive oil and the health benefits you can derive by using it in your kitchen, you can explore making different dishes with Spain’s liquid gold. Spain’s liquid gold is an essential component of the Mediterranean diet that promotes a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Did you look at exotic dishes in food magazines or five-star catalogs and wish you could prepare similar meals in your kitchen? If you are a food enthusiast, then you have probably heard of or tried modernistic cuisines. One of the most modern techniques is the reverse spherification, which is a technique that can help you prepare gourmet meals easily and quickly from the comfort of your home. With reverse spherification, you can prepare your favorite purée or sauce and hold it inside a gel-like membrane that bursts to leave an explosion of flavor in your mouth. Sounds good? If you’re interested in giving your kitchen a sophisticated twist, don’t miss out on our range of duck products, bred and reared with the commitment to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare.

Continue reading to learn more about reverse spherification and how it can transform your home-cooked meals.

Discover reverse spherification

Reverse spherification is a technique in molecular gastronomy, which is a branch of science that approaches the preparation of healthy and nutritious meals from a scientific approach. The reverse spherification technique was patented by William J.M Peschardt, a food scientist, in 1942 but became popular through the efforts of renowned chef Ferran Adrià at El Bulli in the early 2000s.

But what exactly is reverse spherification? You must first understand what spherification is to grasp the details of reverse spherification. Spherification is a scientific method you can use to create a gelled sphere around a liquid. The technique involves creating spheres with a gel-like membrane with still liquid at the center. There are two types of spherification: direct and reverse. Reverse spherification is a technique that infuses a flavorful liquid with calcium and sodium alginate bath to create a gel membrane around your submerging liquid.

What do I need for reverse spherification?

When using a reverse spherification method to prepare spheres, you will need the following ingredients:

• Sodium alginate: Sodium alginate reacts with the calcium solution to form a gel membrane and adds viscosity to your submerging liquid.
• Calcium salt or calcium lactate: you infuse the calcium salt into a flavored liquid.
• Precision scales: Measuring scales are essential in ensuring you have the right ingredient proportions.
• De-ionized water/liquid: You can use distilled tap water because it usually contains calcium, which will react with sodium alginate.

Reverse spherification process

Simple steps for reverse spherification at home include:

1. Prepare the sodium alginate bath. For every liter of water, add 5 g of sodium alginate. Preferably, prepare the bath solution 24 hours before you start the process to let the air bubbles dissipate.
2. Add calcium lactase to the main liquid.
3. Scoop a spoonful of liquid and dip it into the sodium alginate solution. Ideally, it should gain a defined shape.
4. Leave the sphere in the bath for a specified period, then remove it with a metal spoon. Rinse the sphere in clean water, and you are ready.

How long can reverse spherification last?

While the reverse spherification technique has been synonymous with fancy hotels and exotic destinations, it has found its way into people’s homes. You can use this modernistic approach to prepare healthy, nutritious, and mouth-watering cuisines from the comfort of your kitchen. But how long does reverse spherification last when done at home?

Spheres made using the reverse spherification technique last longer than those made using basic spherification. Reverse spherification produces thicker membranes on your spheres, which means they are more durable. The technique is ideal when you want to prepare spheres in advance because you are assured, they can last for a relatively long period. If you make spheres in advance, you can store them in water or in another flavorful liquid to add flavor to your dish.

When is the best time to use reverse spherification?

The reverse spherification technique is more suitable when preparing large spheres. Larger spheres have a more liquid density, which enables them to penetrate the sodium alginate bath easily.

But of course, as with any other culinary technique, you choose the best time to use it. It’s your time to play in the kitchen and discover how far you can go. The surprise with your guests is guaranteed.

Boletus edulis, commonly referred to as the king mushroom, is one of the most esteemed fungi in the world. In Europe, Boletus edulis, also known as Porcini, Cep, or boletus bulbosus, is a staple ingredient when preparing gourmet meals in world-class five-star restaurants or in people’s homes. The Porcini is famous for its pleasant flavors, rich aroma, creamy texture, and high nutritional value, making it one of the most priced funguses in the world.

The mushroom is very difficult to domesticate and is commonly found in natural habitats in some parts of Europe, including Italy, France, Scotland, and Russia. You can use the Boletus edulis fresh or dry to make the flavors more potent.

Main features of Boletus Edulis

The shape of the cap

At a young age, the cap of Boletus edulis has a convex shape, which broadens when the mushroom becomes mature. The cap dimensions are between 5 to 20 cm but can stretch up to 30 cm. Boletus edulis cap has a greasy surface texture that looks like a penny bun and can weigh over 1 kg. The mushroom cap surface is yellow-brown or yellow-reddish and has a distinct light-colored margin.

The stem

The porcini stem is club-shaped with a white net pattern near the apex but is smooth and ridged on the lower side. The mushroom stem is yellow or white in color and has a dimension of up to 10cm in diameter and between 5 cm to 25 cm in height.

The flesh

The meat of the king mushroom is sweet, earthy, and smells fantastic. While Boletus edulis meat is tasty and smells pleasant when fresh, it becomes better and more refined as it dries. The porcini meat is white and immutable, meaning it doesn’t change color when you cut it.

Boletus edulis in European cuisine

Because of its rewarding flavors, versatile taste, and nutritional value, the king mushroom is no stranger to European cuisines. In France, the Boletus edulis, also Bouchon or cepes, is considered a fungus of choice because of its unique sweet meaty taste and a pleasant aroma. In Italy, the mushroom is a staple ingredient in Italian cuisines going by an assortment of names, including Porcini, porcino d’autunno, boletus bulbosus, and ceppatello. The king mushroom is also common in Swedish, Polish, and German cuisines.

In Spain, the king of the forest has also left its mark on gastronomy. Boletus can be found, above all, in the lush forests of the north and centre of the Iberian Peninsula, associated with beech and oak forests. Spain is also a country of reference in the production of Boletus and pioneering mycology projects are being developed in the cultivation of the fungus.

Boletus is used in many traditional recipes in Spanish gastronomy, from simple scrambled eggs to, of course, the legendary “croquettes”. It is also the main ingredient in many sauces used to accompany meat dishes.

Characteristics of the Boletus edulis flavor

Boletus edulis excels in several meals, ranging from omelets, sauces, meat, and risotto dishes. This mushroom has a nutty flavor, distinct aroma, and creamy taste that will excite your taste buds.

For a tastier, nuttier flavor, consider using a young but mature king mushroom when preparing your dishes. When dried, the porcini gains a more intense and pleasant flavor with a mushroom aroma that can transform your average dish into a five-star meal.

Boletus edulis habitat

The mushroom forms a symbiotic relationship with living trees, meaning it gets vital minerals from the soil through the tree’s roots. In return, the fungus delivers energy nutrients that can help in photosynthesis. Because of the symbiotic relationship with trees, the king mushroom grows around tree plantations and coniferous forests. The Boletus is commonly found in Asia, South Africa, North America and Europe

When can I enjoy the boletus edulis?

Because Boletus edulis is a symbiotic fungus, it’s almost impossible to domestic. If you want to enjoy this esteemed mushroom in your cuisine, you need to keep track of its peak seasons. Boletus edulis peaks in spring, autumn, and sometimes in the middle of summer.

Do you get intimidated when you look at your kitchen torch? Are you the type who uses a kitchen torch only to make a crème brûlée? Or maybe you are the type to stare at a kitchen torch at your local store but do not dare to bring it home because you don’t know what to do with it? You are not the only one. Unless you are a professional chef, elegant kitchen tools can be intimidating but the kitchen blowtorch can help you take your dishes to the next level of sophistication.

Contrary to popular belief, a kitchen torch isn’t reserved for professionals only. When preparing your meals, the uses for kitchen torch are unlimited. You can get a kitchen torch to prepare various entries that can enhance the dining experience for you and your loved ones.

4 creative uses for a kitchen torch

Most people assume a kitchen torch is a single-use item, which is not true. Once you acquire this culinary wonder tool, you will wonder what your kitchen life was before you bought a kitchen torch. So, what can you do with a kitchen torch?

Here are different creative uses for a kitchen torch:

You can use it to make crème brûlée

If you have a kitchen torch, you know it is the perfect tool to make crème brûlée. A kitchen torch is perhaps the only tool that can quickly transform a humble meal into a five-star culinary delicacy. For instance, if you have prepared a custard dish with a layer of sugar on top, you can enhance the meal by caramelizing the sugar with a kitchen torch. We invite you to give free rein to your creativity and experiment with your kitchen blowtorch and our duck escalopes.

To get a product that can make your taste buds sing, work the kitchen torch back and forth over the dish until the sugar melts and the toasty layer on top turns into a creamy delight.

It is useful when searing meat

When your steak comes out without the golden-brown crispy layer that your mouth salivates for, you can use a kitchen torch to perfect your meat. Ensure that your meat is well-cooked before you work the kitchen torch back and forth over the meat to produce a juicy brown crust.

Roast vegetables and fruits

Why cook vegetables using a pan when you can prepare them on an open fire? Cooking veggies using a kitchen torch is fun and gives them a unique smoky flavor that can only come from an open fire.

You can also set your fruits on fire to prepare quick delicacies perfect for breakfast when you are in a rush. Run the kitchen torch over a banana, peach, or fruit of choice to caramelize their natural sugars, and you are good to go.

Prepare s’mores

Who said you must wait for a camping trip or outdoors fire for you and your loved ones to enjoy your s’mores? With a kitchen torch, all that stands between you and delicious s’mores is creativity. To toast your s’mores, skew a marshmallow to a fork or a metal skewer and place it closer to your kitchen torch flame to heat until it turns brown.

How to use a kitchen torch

A kitchen torch is convenient because it brings excitement to your cooking experience and is easy to use. Tips for using a kitchen torch include:

• Double the kitchen torch on and off valves to ensure they work properly.
• Fuel your torch with lighter fuel.
• Ignite the torch and adjust the flame.
• Aim the flame at the food you are heating.
• Turn off the flame when you are done.

Is a kitchen torch safe to use?

Yes, a kitchen torch is completely safe. Using a kitchen torch to heat your food is a seamless experience as long as you pay attention to safety and fire hazards. Please note, however, that with many kitchen torches the flame size may vary. Make sure of the ignition position before switching it on.

Foiegood is a company defined by its responsibility towards the environment. We believe in a model based on sustainability. Respect for natural resources is an inherent part of our company philosophy. That is why Foiegood is proud to collaborate with the Tree-Nation project, a non-profit organization that enables citizens and companies to plant trees around the world and offset their CO2 emissions.

 

Did you know healthy forests can slow global warming by absorbing around 25 percent of carbon dioxide emissions? In a world where the global temperature is projected to hit 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2033, planting trees has never been more important.

 

The global community needs to plant billions of trees yearly to sequester a significant amount of greenhouse gases such as carbon from the atmosphere. So, if people know they need to plant trees to reverse the climate change damage, how come the process is slow? How can we encourage individuals, businesses, organizations, and governments to plant trees? A trendsetter in the campaign for climate change is Tree-Nation, a non-profit organization that has made tremendous progress in planting trees across the globe.

 

What is the Tree-Nation Project?

Ever wanted to plant a tree but didn’t know how and where to plant it? Do you dream about fighting for climate change justice but are unable because of a busy work schedule, school, or family? That’s where the Tree-Nation Project comes in. The Tree-Nation Project is a conservation and reforestation project with a mission to use technology to slow down climate change. The Tree-Nation Project was launched in 2006 by environmental activist Maxime Renaudin to combat climate change. To date, Tree-Nation has planted over 7 million trees across the globe to reduce carbon emissions to the atmosphere.

 

How can you be part of the Tree Nation Project?

Imagine helping the world become a safer and cooler place for present and future generations from the comfort of your home or office? Sounds awesome, right? The Tree-Nation Project allows every global citizen to actively make the world a better place by planting trees to fight climate change.

 

So, how can you become part of this noble initiative as an individual or a business? Simple, donate. You may not be able to plant a tree physically, but you can be the reason a tree is flourishing somewhere in the world. With as little as €0.15, you can become part of a global initiative to reduce carbon emissions in the atmosphere using trees.

 

To celebrate special moments with your loved ones, you can gift them a thoughtful gift by planting a tree in their honor. If you have a business, you can gift trees to your loyal customers by donating to the tree nation project. To donate, go to the Tree-Nation official website, Tree-Nation.com, register an account and donate. You can donate as many times as you want.

 

Why is planting trees important?

There is a close relationship between deforestation and the continued rise in global temperature. One inadvertent effect of the increase in the global population is the destruction of forests for agricultural purposes. While cutting down trees for logging or farming provides short-term economic benefits, in the long run, the practice is catastrophic. Trees are the best weapons to protect the world against the tragic effects of global warming. Trees naturally absorb greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. By planting more trees, you can reduce the rate of carbon building in the atmosphere, helping to reduce global warming.

 

Impact of the Tree-Nation Project on the environment

Benefits of planting trees include:

• Prevent soil erosion: The major causes of soil erosion are wind and water. Plants have deep roots that slow down landslides by securing the soil structure.
• Trees have medicinal properties: Some compounds of pharmaceutical medicines are extracted from trees. You can also use leaves, bark, or flowers as food or herbal medicines.
• Trees enrich the soil with nutrients: Trees help in creating healthy and lively soil. Trees have deep roots, which help break organic matter, enriching the soil with nutrients.

Did you know ancient Romans believed truffles had aphrodisiac, therapeutic, and medicinal properties? Truffles, also known as the diamonds of the kitchen, are among the world’s most elusive and rarest fungi and take years to mature. While the warty fungus has become popular in the culinary world in recent years, it has been around for centuries, with the earliest truffle recipe dating back to 400AD. Truffles are prized because of their rarity, elusive taste, hunting method, and worldly nature. Whether you want to taste this delicacy on your favorite fries or ice cream, the fragrant fungi taste will leave your taste buds craving more.

What is a truffle?

Truffles are edible fungi like mushrooms that take up to 10 years to mature and can weigh close to a pound. Unlike mushrooms, truffles grow underground in symbiosis with the roots of trees such as hornbeam and oaks. Undomesticated truffles are found in Mediterranean climates such as New Zealand, Italy, France, and Australia. Although several truffle species exist, the Tuber melanosporum (black truffle) and Tuber mangnatum (white truffles) are the most common.

Truffles are among the most expensive fungi globally because they are elusive, have a rich taste, and take close to a decade to mature. Suppose you want to enjoy the earthy aroma without emptying your bank account. In that case, you can purchase everyday products made with truffles, such as truffle cheese, truffle sea salt, truffle honey, truffle tapenade, truffle flour, and truffle butter. If you are cooking using fresh truffles, use a small portion because the aroma is pretty strong, so a little will go a long way in flavoring your meal.

Because the orchard of the truffle is underground, growers use pigs and trained dogs to harvest them. Trained dogs can easily trace the fungi flavor underground, while pigs are attracted to truffles because they emit a scent similar to porcine pheromones that are attractive to female pigs.

When is truffle season?

Truffles have a unique natural flavor that any other product cannot match. If you plan to enjoy these fragrant fungi flavors, knowing their peak seasons can help you get truffles at their strongest flavors. The good news is that you can enjoy truffles almost all year round because different types of peak at different seasons. The white truffles are in season from September to around December.

The black truffles are the most common because you can find them during winter and summer. You can find the black winter truffles in plenty between November and April because they peak around New Year. The black summer truffles are available between May and September, so you have something to enrich your dishes with a unique aroma until the white truffle peak around September.

Black and white (truffles)

While there are over 200 known truffle species worldwide, black and white truffles are the most common.

The white truffle is more aromatic and has a more robust flavor. Though stronger in flavor, white truffles lose the aroma under heat and are more enjoyed when raw. They are commonly used as a garnish or shaved over a dish, such as pasta. The white truffle is a native fungus in the northern parts of Italy. You can also find the white truffle in other parts of Europe, including Serbia, France, and Slovenia.

The black truffles contain an earthy, rich aroma and are relatively less expensive than the white truffles. Black truffles are suitable for home use because they retain their unique flavor when heated. You can use black truffles to prepare sauce, butter, and risottos. Black truffle traces its origin to native France. In recent years, the warty fungus has been cultivated in many countries, including Chile, the United States, Spain, New Zealand, and Italy.

Did you know that the Umami flavor is one of the five universal basic tastes? The Umami flavor has been part of multi-cultural diets for centuries. The unique, savory, and earthy flavor was discovered in 1908 by Dr. Kikunae Ikeda, a Japanese scientist who identified and isolated the sensory taste.

Umami, commonly referred to as the fifth taste, is a natural taste that comes from compounds found in meat and plants. Like other basic tastes like sweet, bitter, sour, and salty, Umami serves an important function in providing food quality and safety. The flavor alerts you to the presence of proteins and amino acids, which are important to your health.

What is the Umami flavor, and how was it discovered?

Food enthusiasts have embraced the Umami taste since the scientific community formally recognized it. But what exactly is Umami, and what makes it so unique?

Umami is a Japanese term that means the essence of deliciousness. The Umami flavor results from the presence of amino acids, specifically glutamate, which occurs naturally in the food you eat every day, such as plants and meats. Umami flavor is so distinct and exciting because its taste spreads across the tongue, providing a mouth-watering sensation, and it’s more savory than other basic tastes.

While the Umami flavor has been part of different cultural diets, it was officially recognized as the fifth basic taste because of the efforts of Japanese scientist Dr. Ikeda. Ikeda discovered the Umami flavor in 1907, which became part of the Japanese dishes soon after. Though widespread and accepted as an independent flavor in Asia, the flavor was recognized globally as a discernable taste in 1985.

What does Umami taste like?

Delicious, pure, savory, and meaty are some words used to describe the Umami flavor, commonly referred to as the fifth basic taste. Although the Umami taste has become popular in recent years, it has been part of different cultural diets for generations.

What are examples of Umami foods?

The term Umami is thrown around so often that it can be confusing. If you want to acquire ingredients with an Umami taste, search for foods that age and ripen naturally because they contain high levels of amino acids. The savory and rich meaty flavor is imparted by the presence of amino acids glutamate, which boosts the Umami taste. The riper an ingredient is, the more savory it’s likely to be. Examples of foods packed with Umami flavor include:

• Mushrooms

Dried mushrooms have a high glutamate concentration, giving the dish a meaty, savory flavor. A mushroom stew is easy to make, and you can serve it with various dishes. Different types of mushrooms have varying concentrations of glutamate levels. For instance, shitake and porcini mushrooms have a strong Umami flavor. When Porcini, Shitake, and similar mushrooms are exposed to the sun, proteins break down into amino acids such as glutamate, producing a rich Umami flavor. Drying mushroom also increases nucleotide content in mushrooms which boosts their Umami flavor.

• Soy-based ingredients

Fermented soybean products such as soy sauce, miso, and tofu have high glutamate content. Fermentation breaks down proteins into amino acids such as glutamate, which boosts the Umami flavor.

• Green tea

While green tea has the basic bitter and sweet tastes, the Umami flavor dominates your taste buds. The addictive taste in green tea is imparted by the Umami flavor. Every 100 grams of dried green tea contains between 220 to 670 milligrams of glutamate. The presence of the amino acid Theanine also boosts Umami flavor by increasing Umami compound content.

Other common foods with high Umami content include:

• Seaweed
• Black olives
• Tomatoes
• Beef
• Sweetcorn
• Asparagus
• Aged Cheeses

The five flavors of Umami

Umami taste is the latest addition to the universal basic tastes. It became the fifth taste alongside salty, bitter, sweet, and sour flavors.