Let’s start by making one distinction very clear. Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb. Not lamb or beef. Cottage Pie is made with beef. Simple, but it needs to be understood. That distinction is not always made clear, especially on the American side of the pond. Beyond that, there are differences in flavorings and...
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My research into Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie found that the basic thread is the same whether the intended audience is in the U.S. or the U.K. A meat stew, likely with some vegetables and covered with mashed potatoes. A complete meal in a dish. However, off of this theme, some interesting differences are...
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Good gelato is a great ending to an Italian meal. Lemon gelato might be even better. Light, fresh, and tangy. Just what you need if the main course is something like my Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Polpette al Sugo). With the right equipment and some secrets, you can come pretty close to the...
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Shepherd’s Pie with tomatoes is basically a lamb stew with a nice crunchy potato top. My research into this topic revealed a straightforward pattern to classify the Shepherd’s/Cottage pies. It works this way: lamb (Shepherd’s) or Cottage (Beef), then there is the issue of adding tomatoes or not. Lastly, the issue of do you...
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To use the formal British terminology, the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie is substituting beef for lamb. Basically, both are ground meat and vegetable stew covered with mashed potatoes and baked. Researching posted recipes shows a tendency to add more to the flavor profile when using beef. The use of flavorful Chanterelle...
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Banana bread is not the only use for ripe bananas. Consider banana gelato with chocolate chips and pecans. With the right equipment and some secrets, you can come pretty close to the Italian experience of gelato. After much research and much trial and error, I have developed some tips for successful gelato. Please check...
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This strawberry gelato recipe can be considered a starting point for any fruit gelato. You may have always thought that authentic gelato sadly is out of reach short of traveling to Italy, but you will be pleased with how close you can come. With the right equipment and some secrets, you can come pretty...
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Stracciatella Gelato is always a favorite. And yes you can make a good version at home. In fact, it is a good starting point for learning to make gelato. With strands of chocolate running through it, it resembles an Italian soup of the same name made with strands of egg and cheese. After much...
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Should you make your own gelato? If you live in Italy, then the answer perhaps is, “if you want to.” If you don’t live in Italy and if you want the next best thing, then the answer is “yes.” It is not really hard, it really doesn’t take much time. But it does require...
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A French Burgundian tomato mustard tart has made me a tomato lover. For years I never was much of a tomato fan. With the exception of cooked tomatoes, I usually took a pass. But now with all the new (actually old varieties) are available my opinion has changed. What once seemed sour and mealy...
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