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1.
Ancient traditions by the sea
The land of crêpes and galettes has a cuisine which is often underestimated ...read more
2.
Cakes, Tarts & Co.
The weekly bake is a thing of the past. Ranging from sweet to spicy, these treats will have you at your oven daily ...read more
3.
Nothing could be easier!
Fine, light and digestible meat dishes – served with crisp vegetables and fresh herbs ...read more
4.
The Flavour of the South
The food of the Southern states is considered to be the most original in the United States of America ...read more
5.
Large Loaves and Small Rolls
There are as many recipes for bread and rolls are there are families and bakers ...read more
6.
Tasty fish, fresh from the sea
Sometimes spicy and aromatic, sometimes fried crispy, but always surprising ...read more
7.
The Queen’s Jelly
Do you know of any product which has been sold on the market for 660 years, or since 1339 to be precise ...read more
8.
All of a flutter
The tender meat of chicken, duck and goose can be used in a variety of dishes ...read more
9.
The Weisswurst as Such
In matters of sausages the Bavarian knows no compromise ...read more
10.
Finger Food – from Hand to Mouth
Small servings are in and are part of an international trend ...read more
11.
Cheddar
... is as English as teatime, cricket and “The Last Night of the Proms ...read more
12.
Heaven can wait!
Scientifically speaking, the Mediterranean sea is an area of 2.5 million square kilometres of water ...read more
13.
The good things in life are still out there...
A culinary voyage of discovery in Sarthe, including rose liqueur ...read more
14.
Culinary Tenerife
Sometimes rustic and hearty, sometimes creative and fine ...read more
15.
Save the planet – eat more kangaroo!
Scientific research really is amazing! Latest reports announced ...read more
16.
Mad about chocolate
It can be white, brown or black, it melts in the mouth ...read more
17.
A juicy proposition: Apple delights
There’s something wonderfully familiar and comforting about apples ...read more
18.
Lisbon – City of Many Faces
Wallpaper, the British cult magazine, recently included Lisbon ...read more
19.
Culinary Vienna
The Viennese simply don’t like being hungry. They love “their” cuisine ...read more
20.
Omelette
Probably the easiest egg dish in the world ...read more
21.
Marseille – beyond Africa
France’s second city is a multicultural mix of Provence and Africa ...read more
22.
Something fishy
The life of an anchovy or sardine is short ...read more
23.
The marvel of Thai cuisine
Thai cooking is marvelled at as one of the most diverse in the world ...read more
24.
Fragrances of 1001 nights
Oriental cuisine is among the most sophisticated and richly aromatic ...read more
25.
Salad galore!
Dedicated cooks compose dishes like poems. The same is true to no lesser degree ...read more
26.
A flower for dessert
Flowers as a table decoration come as no surprise ...read more
27.
Keeping Fit with Vitamins
Not long ago scientists were firmly convinced that they knew every vitamin ...read more
28.
Pasta per tutti!
Pasta for everyone: made from water or eggs and diverse kinds of flour ...read more
29.
Desserts – the sweet finale
Dessert is considered the pièce de résistance of any bill of fare ...read more
30.
Main thing starters
Whatever your sensual pleasure, anticipation always plays an important role ...read more
31.
Tutti frutti – fruit passion
Ever since Eve tasted the forbidden fruit from the tree ...read more
32.
Tomatoes – heavyweights of healthiness
Tomatoes are among the most popular vegetables in the world. These red, yellow ...read more
33.
Hot stuff!
Why do some people like their food spicy – so spicy that it brings tears ...read more
34.
Condiments – a certain something
They are the final touch: sauces, pesto and chutneys ...read more

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COOKING STORY
Condiments – a certain something
Condiments – a certain something
They are the final touch: sauces, pesto and chutneys, but pickled fruit too, can give even the plainest food a certain kick. As well as making original small gifts.


What would cold roast beef be like without remoulade? Roast beef, that’s all. Not bad, but the spicy herb mayonnaise is what lends the sliced cold meat a certain something. Or pesto? Even the plainest pasta becomes poetry when mixed with a sauce of basil, pine kernels, parmesan and olive oil. What about rouille, the garlic paste from the south of France? Without it bouillabaisse would be no more than an ordinary fish soup.

Whether sauce, chutney or relish, mostarda, tapenade or aromatic olive oil – these “condiments” will refine all manner of food, can make the mundane seem sublime. They are the true magicians of the kitchen because they unveil a dish’s individuality. Besides which, you can use as much of them as you like, varyingly spicy, sweet, sour or salty. Needless to say, we’re not referring to the jars, tubes and tins crammed with preservatives and artificial aromas anonymously filled on assembly lines of undefined origin. No, only if it’s home-made can one taste the love in the choice of ingredients, the passion invested in its preparation and the personality of the cook.
Personality finds expression in style. Someone wearing an Armani jacket over an ordinary pair of jeans has style. As does someone who serves fried sausages with home-made onion confiture. When frying you have to trust in the quality of the meat the butcher sells you, but not when it comes to your sauce. This is where you can give full rein to your imagination, lend expression to your personal style, experiment with herbs and spices, fruit, vegetables and wine. Take pesto, for instance: to make a classical Pesto Genovese you’d use basil and pine kernels, amongst others. Our suggestion: instead of basil try rocket, sage, estragon, marjoram, flat-leaf parsley or chervil, and rather than pine kernels why not use walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts?
Maybe you feel like the Rhineland cook Joachim Becher – locally his name is pronounced “besher” – who composed a white sauce based on the German maxim that an extra “besher mehl” (beaker of flour) can never go amiss. The sauce is called “béchamel”.


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