Food news antipasto

I am always delighted to learn new ways to use a kitchen tool I already own. This week’s lesson in that regard involves the humble grapefruit spoon. Obviously it works well to section grapefruit (although I struggle with not squirting myself in the eye with the juice), but there are other tasks that it handles with ease as well, such as getting rid of the seeds and membranes in peppers. Head to Food & Wine to view more clever ways to use grapefruit spoons.

Chances are that you are not familiar with the term ‘kitchen pepper,’ but it one you should get to know. A combination of many different spices, it is the ancestor of modern barbecue rubs and was a common seasoning in the 1700s, when many Black Americans created and cooked with their own unique blends, says Epicurious. “Its time has come to join the ranks of India’s fragrant masalas, the togarashi of Japan, French herbes de provence and others — not just for flavor, but for the history imbued in every sprinkle,” says food writer Ramin Ganeshram.

Australian gardeners are beginning to enter harvest season for a variety of fruits, and with the home canning craze still going strong, many are opting to preserve their garden’s bounty to enjoy summer’s gifts throughout the year. If you are looking for ideas and advice on canning, Good Food (Aus) offers a plethora of tips for making jams, relish, pickles, and chutneys.

As my grandfather lay dying several years ago, I made a 1,200 mile journey home to see him one last time. After he passed, I sat in the church basement with a heavy heart as women began bringing in food that mourners would eat following the funeral service. Seeing the familiar foods that appear during upper-Midwest funerals (copious numbers of Jell-O salads, ham sandwiches, cookies, and bars) evoked a feeling of peace, which was amplified after the service as relatives and friends swapped stories and shared hugs over the repast. With the world topsy-turvy due to COVID-19, mourners have been denied these small blessings, as The Guardian’s Grace Dent reveals when she discusses losing her mother to cancer. Dent eloquently discusses the intersection between grieving and food, turning to an old saying from Victoria Wood that “British grief centers mainly on making sandwiches.”