Some Southern Food Tips for Ya All!

PECANS

Pecans are 70% fat.  Soaking pecans in salt water for several hours before shelling will make nut meats easier to remove.

PEACHES

Peaches must be picked fully mature, they do not get sweeter after being picked; they will get softer and juicier, but not sweeter. Cling or clingstone peaches have a pit to which the flesh 'clings'; freestone peaches have a pit from which the flesh is easily pulled away.

• The juice from canned peaches can be drained and thickened with flour or cornstarch to make a fruit sauce for ice cream or pancakes.

• Freeze the drained juice in an ice cube tray; use instead of ice cubes in cold drinks or iced tea.

• Use the drained juice as part of the liquid when making gelatin desserts.
 
• Slice peaches and add to your favorite cereal, or as a topper to pancakes or waffles.

• Take a peach or a cup of canned peaches to work or school for a lite snack.

• Include peaches in low fat yogurt or cottage cheese and put on toast.

• Combine peaches and other fresh fruits into a fruit salad and use as a dessert or appetizer before dinner. Keep it tasty and brightly colored by adding a bit of concentrated orange juice.

• Make a peach smoothie with yogurt and peaches in a blender for breakfast or a snack.

• Bake, grill, or broil and serve along with your favorite meat or fish dinners.

• As a dessert cut it fresh and add to angel food cake or over lowfat frozen yogurt

• Freeze a can of peaches in the freezer then open and blend in the blender for a great summer dessert sorbet.

HUCKLEBERRY

Blueberries and huckleberries although related, are not the same. One obvious difference is that the blueberry has many soft, tiny almost unnoticeable seeds, while the huckleberry has ten larger, hard seeds. Blueberries are more blue, while huckleberries are more blueish black.

HAM

The rainbow of iridescent color seen on slices of ham is caused by light refraction on the fat film on the ham slice. It does not indicate the ham is old, or spoiled. (Although spoiled ham can show this same iridescence).  Mainz ham is a German ham that is brined, soaked in brandy or wine lees (or a mixture of both) and then smoked for a long period.

Just to name a few things!! More to come!