Nowadays, people are well aware of what and how to eat, what food is healthy, which is a rare delicacy. Restaurateurs go off their feet to surprise their sophisticated and demanding customers with new combinations of tastes. But it was not always so. Our ancestors made fundamental discoveries when they found a new way of cooking or found out which fruits are edible and can kill.

Unique and strange products that we eat

We at Bemorepanda have selected unique and strange products that are now well known to everyone. But how did people learn about their properties for the first time? How could one guess what to do with coffee beans, that honey is edible, and poisonous fish can be eaten? Internet users tried to answer these and other questions, and we share their answers with you. How do you think our ancestors learned about edible products? Share your opinion in the comments.

1. Oysters

Someone looked at the mucous contents of an accidentally broken shell, and suddenly a bright thought came to his mind: “Let me taste this rubbish! ... Look, it's not bad! — youdontknowme6 / Reddit

2. Coffee

What genius managed to pull off an experiment with coffee beans? After all, they first need to be fried. And then to realize that they can be ground ... Still tasteless. What if you add some water and boil it? Well, that's already something! This is how our ancestors came up with coffee in the morning! — OriginallyFromNYC / Reddit

3. Dogfish

Only a tiny part of this fish of the pufferfish family is edible, and the rest of the features are deadly poisonous! So how did the first gourmets of humanity know which piece of fish was edible? They probably cried and injected themselves, but ... they continued the experiments! — Michael_Stone_UDA / Reddit

4. Lobster

Most likely, the fisherman who caught such a lobster decided and took a chance: “Well, he looks terrible with these claws of his. Let me try and see how it tastes...” — quoted / Reddit.

5. Gympie Gympie

The Gympie Gympie tree, or stinging tree, grows in Australia. It is also known as the suicide plant because its burn is so painful that local sources have reported that people and animals have even committed suicide to avoid the pain. This pain can last for weeks, months, or even years.

Stinging tiny hairs cover the entire plant, but someone (perhaps a smart native) discovered that if each hair was carefully removed from a mulberry-sized fruit, it was quite edible! Imagine how much people worked to ensure that the fruit could be eaten! — __hey__its__me__ / Reddit

6. Chili pepper

Imagine that you find this bright pepper pod, bite it with an appetite ... and feel that a volcano has flared up in your mouth! But this does not stop you, and you decide he is perfect! You start adding it to your dishes like a spice. -Edgar- / Reddit

7. Bread

All the sky stars must converge so that someone would be the first to suddenly think of combining the ingredients and baking bread! He took flour and yeast from somewhere, got salt - and here you are not a cake, but a loaf! spheroid / Reddit

8. Honey

When you meet a swarm of aggressive wild bees in the forest, which are so easy to anger, it will forever discourage you from climbing into their hollow. But someone took a chance and climbed in, giving humanity sweet fragrant amber honey! Thank him very much! — coconut-greek-yogurt / Reddit

9. Mushrooms

People have always picked mushrooms. But how can you tell what is edible from what is not? No way - only guided by bitter experience. Take some pretty mushrooms, eat them raw, or even cook them, and you'll die. But if you boil them 3-5 times, everything will be in order! — anon/Reddit

10. Snails

The French must have been omnivores or very hungry since it occurred to them to collect slugs and cook hearty dishes from them! Not only that, but they also declared them a delicacy! — anon/Reddit

11. Cassava

An exotic root crop from the South American continent is like our potato. It is common in hot countries, just like our potatoes. There is the same side dish, and they make flour from it.

But cassava is poisonous unless it is peeled and thoroughly cooked. If eaten raw or improperly cooked, one of its chemical components will be attacked by human digestive enzymes and release the deadly poison cyanide. Just two cassava roots can contain a lethal dose. But one ancient Indian from Peru or Bolivia still figured out how to cook cassava properly! — Nuovo/Reddit

12. Castoreum

Castoreum, or beaver stream, is a sweet-tasting exudate released from the glands of the beaver, with which the animal marks territory. It has a powerful creosote odor and is used as an odor fixative in perfumery. And it is also used by some culinary specialists (though secretly).

For example, Blue moon contains the secret ingredient that gives Blue Moon its vanilla and berry flavors - gourmets suspect the product is spiced with castoreum. Who came up with the idea to add this “beautiful smell” to food? — BCProgramming / Reddit

13. Yogurt and cheese

At first, people drank fresh milk directly from under the cow. But they wanted to save some for later, and that's how sour cream, butter, cheese, and yogurt were born. Or maybe everything is more straightforward - the products turned sour, and I had to strain my brains and prepare fermented milk products. — NCCAM/Reddit

14. Blue cheese

The first one who declared it a cool delicacy, most likely, got hungry and went to the pantry for cheese. There he saw that the cheese was covered with mold, absolutely all! “So what? I’ll eat it anyway,” the gourmet decided and ate it. And so as not to point fingers at him, he declared moldy cheese the most expensive and best. — chayne108 / Reddit

15. Hakarl

This Viking dish is, in fact, rotten and then dried shark meat. Shark meat is unsuitable for food, but the ancient Icelanders were not at a loss and came up with a way to cook it - do not throw away the caught fish!

The Greenland shark is gutted and decapitated, then placed in a shallow hole, covered with sand and gravel, and pressed down with rocks to drain the liquid. So the shark is fermented for as long as 6-12 weeks, after which the carcass is cut into strips and hung to dry for several months. The crust on the meat is removed and then cut into small pieces and served. — msvivica / Reddit

16. Pokeberry

The plant, which lives in the southern United States, has edible leaves. Well, how edible? Eating them raw will make you sick or even die, as the whole plant contains a neurotoxin that causes respiratory paralysis. The toxin will still kill you if you boil or fry the leaves.

How can this be edible? The Indians found the recipe! If you boil three times, drain the water three times, and only then fry the leaves, then perhaps you will eat and stay alive! — Kulladar / Reddit.

17. Maple Syrup

It was invented where a lot of maples grow - in Canada. A curious mind suggested: "Let's poke a hole in this tree, collect the juice, boil it for three days and see what happens!" — lovelyb1ch66 / Reddit.

18. Rice

It's just a cereal that grew itself and did not touch anyone. But a wise guy looked at a bunch of thick grass and thought: “Let me take these spikelets and dry them, break them, then polish them and cook them. Let's see what happens!" And the result was a lumpy and tasteless mess that has been feeding countries such as China and Indonesia for millennia. — snortypuff / Reddit

19. Artichoke

Walking along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the first connoisseur of artichokes was very interested in the weed - prickly purple thistle: “What a wonderful plant! I’ll take it and start growing it, so it later becomes a gourmet delicacy!” — Sidmesh / Reddit.

20. Durian

A prickly and smelly fruit that is difficult to open. But, oddly enough, it has a very delicate vanilla taste. Someone hungry ate it for the first time, holding his nose with his fingers! — yirao / Reddit

21. Nopal

The cactus, known to us as prickly pear, whose fruit has been a staple food in Mexico for thousands of years. They still eat it now, cutting off the thorns - it tastes like green beans, and the texture is tender, crispy, and juicy. The first gourmets did not see that the cactus pads were covered with sharp thorns. "It's nothing! I bet this cactus tastes amazing!” — ThePeasantKingM / Reddit.

22. Truffles

It is now truffles served in Michelin-starred restaurants for big money, and the first person who appreciated them most likely herded pigs in an oak grove. “What is it that my piglet is rummaging under a tree and eating with appetite? It must taste damn good if pigs eat it!” — anon/Reddit.

23. Cranberry

Having tried cranberries directly from the bush, you can wrinkle - the berries are tart, sour and bitter. But someone did not look at it and began to use cranberries in pastries and salads - and it went! Yummy, what else to look for? — ctophermh89 / Reddit

24. Onion

How can one recognize the current favorite and leader in cooking in this nodule with a terrible smell and tears when cut? No way! But it occurred to someone to dig, remove the husk, chop, and put the onion in the stew. — dogsolitude_uk / Reddit

25. Chocolate

A true genius has created this sweet masterpiece from bitter cocoa beans! But how did he know? — Skitzcordova / Reddit

26. Lutefisk

Fish in lye is another strange Scandinavian masterpiece. First, you go to the fish store. Then you leave it hanging on a stick for a few months to dry. Then put in water for a couple of days. Then you put it in lye water for a couple more days. And at the end, you put it back in clean water, cook, and eat. Why so much work to spoil the fish? — anon/Reddit

27. Noodles

Five points to the one who first thought of rolling out the dough thinly, then cutting it into long strips. It turns out delicious! buzzbuzzwakeup / Reddit

28. Sea urchin

The first person to taste a sea urchin most likely dived into the depths of the sea and suddenly saw ugly prickly lumps at the bottom. "Remove anyway!" thought the diver, piercing all his hands. — Miryam / Reddit

29. Palm's heart

“Something this year is a crop failure of coconuts! Let's eat the whole coconut tree! No, only the core is better, and we will throw everything else away! — Cracked_Emerald / Reddit

30. Acorns

You can't eat them straight from the tree. But how hungry you must be to figure out how to grind acorns into powder or leach tannins three times! And then they can make flour or "coffee." — mobiusteph/Reddit

31. Aki fruit

Even though most of this fruit is poisonous, it is still eaten. In Jamaica, aka is considered the national fruit and delicacy. They do not cook poisonous seeds but fresh hard peel. How was anyone able to figure this out in the first place? Xero-theory / Reddit

32. Caviar

It is hard to believe, but there used to be so many sturgeon, beluga, and stellate sturgeon that caviar was the food of poor fishermen. Once upon a time, they walked knee-deep on it ... - jack28415 / Reddit

33. Guinness, cola, or any black drink

How did these drinks become popular? They were created by accident, and the sales went: “Look, this is not so bad for our business!” — Zeruvi/Reddit.

34. Olives

They are so tasteless on the tree that someone decided to pickle them: maybe at least they can be eaten like that? Or crush and get oil? This ancient Greek was a genius. — _thatsmeinthecorner_ / Reddit

35. Pufferfish

How did people know that only a certain part of the pufferfish is not poisonous if cut properly? — SuccessfulFailure9 / Reddit

The most expensive spice in the world is also one of the most useful and versatile in taste. It is self-sufficient, its rich tart and slightly burning intense taste is highly valued, and saffron also gives dishes a beautiful warm yellow color. What kind of spice is saffron - find out in our interesting facts.

Facts about Saffron

This spice is dried stigmas of flowers.

Saffron is made from a special kind of crocus. To get 1 kg of spice, you need to collect about 100,000 flowers, which are processed by hand and then dried over the fire or in braziers, where even one mistake will lead to loss of the crop. Such a laborious process makes it the most expensive spice in the world.

The highest quality and most delicious saffron is considered to be from Spain and then India. Crocus fields here are located in south-central Spain and in Kashmir. Less fragrant but inexpensive, is considered a spice from Iran, Pakistan, Italy and France.

Saffron is included in the recipes of all major growing regions - they cook paella, biryani, soups, stew meat, and poultry, and prepare curry with it.

Despite the mild aroma, it has a very intense taste. For one dish, you can take only 3-4 stigmas. The taste contains deep spicy overtones, and the aroma is vaguely reminiscent of laurel and flowers.

Saffron is an excellent natural preservative. Food prepared with it can be stored for a long time without refrigeration.

Saffron price

Saffron is a costly spice and is usually bought in grams. The price for one kg fluctuates, but usually, it is not less than a few hundred dollars.

The average price per gram starts from 6 dollars and depends on its quality and country of production.

With regards to the price per kilogram - you can find a spice at a price of around 205 dollars.

Where to add saffron

In ground form, it can be added during the cooking process, especially for stewing and boiling recipes.

Saffron stigmas need to be soaked before use. 3-6 stigmas should be poured with 20-30 ml of hot water or boiling water and let it brew for at least 5 minutes. Add orange concentrated liquid to the dish you are preparing.

The spice also has medicinal properties. In folk medicine, saffron has been used for many centuries, it is included in hundreds of recipes for treatments. The most distinguished are its disinfecting properties, a beneficial effect on the skin and the normalization of metabolic processes in the body.

Saffron can be found in dietary supplements - for example, iHerb sells vegetable capsules with the saffron extract.

According to the information from the manufacturer, the vegetarian dietary supplement increases energy and mental activity, supports the nervous system (which is important for perpetually twitchy office workers), improves mood and eliminates stress.

However, we remind you that dietary supplements are not a universal and individual thing, and it is better to consult a doctor before taking them.

What can replace saffron

There is a much cheaper analogue of saffron - turmeric. It is quite budgetary, is available in any grocery store and gives the dishes a pleasant tart flavor and beautiful color.

With regards to taste, it is better to combine turmeric with other spices for a richer taste of the dish. Alternatively, take a curry seasoning that contains turmeric and a mixture of other spices.

If you are looking for a substitute for saffron in paella or pastries, take turmeric - you will not lose.

The history of Saffron

This is the most aristocratic seasoning, which is often worth its weight in gold. However, saffron also has a hidden history. It has been used for centuries as a coloring agent, a luxurious self-tanner, and even as a serotonin stimulant. And this is true - all of the above refers to those very fragile reddish threads that are removed from the center of the purple crocus flower. 

The origin of saffron is a mystery. Contradictory statements name various regions of a wide semi-desert belt as the original place of growth of this plant, ranging from Greece in the eastern Mediterranean to Central Asia. Today, the vast majority of saffron is still grown in this belt, with Iran being the largest producer in the world.

However, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the center of the "saffron universe" temporarily shifted from the sun-drenched Mediterranean to rainy, foggy England. One particular region of England has become world famous for its saffron. In fact, every autumn its entire territory was covered with a carpet of purple petals. This fame was so great that the local trading town of Cheping Walden was eventually renamed Saffron Walden.

However, by the beginning of the nineteenth century, the saffron fields in Britain were completely destroyed. Two hundred years later, the restless British geophysicist David Smale decided to try again to cultivate English saffron. Theatlantic.com correspondents met with him right in the field, located in one of the protected corners of Essex, to learn how saffron is grown, how it is harvested by hand and dried, as well as about the "battle" that Smale is leading to to revive the lost art of successfully growing saffron in the damp soils of England.

Smale also said that "crockers," as the locals called the saffron pickers, have to take breaks during packing to keep from laughing. "This plant has a special aroma," said Smale. scientific data, and an absolutely amazing story.

Saffron - How is it stored?

Saffron should be kept away from light and extreme temperatures, tightly closed, preferably in a glass container.

Saffron - How is it used?

As much as possible, add it towards the end of the preparation period to avoid destroying the flavor.

The smell of saffron brings fresh earth, accompanied by a pleasant and refreshing breeze. The stamens are wide at the base and sharp at the tip when dry.

Saffron - the intensity of the pigment

The International Organization for Standardization imposes parameters that measure the intensity of the filament pigment: the more intense, the more valuable. The value scale is worthy of consideration especially when counterfeiting methods are so vast.

Saffron consists of the three pistils of the crocus. They are delicate, similar to filaments, each 2.5 - 4 cm long. They have an intense reddish-orange color, which is uniform for good quality saffron. Saffron with white stripes or discolored spots is of inferior quality, and when white threads appear in the saffron powder, this is a sign of counterfeiting. The aroma is strong, similar to that of honey and the taste is strong, honey, slightly bitter.

The benefits of saffron

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, a kilogram costing around 4,000 euros. About 150,000 flowers are needed to collect a kilogram of dried saffron. Luxury spice contains iron, volatile oils, proteins, sodium, potassium, vitamins B1 and B2, phytohormones. Here are some of the benefits of saffron:

1. Destroys cancer cells

According to The Telegraph, several substances found naturally in saffron have anti-cancer properties - inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.

2. Inhibits fat deposits and lowers cholesterol

Curcumin can also stop the spread of fat cells in the body.

3. Helps the heart and neurons

Added to food, saffron has a tonic effect on the heart.

4. Prevents blindness in old age

Several studies have shown that saffron improves vision and prevents macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness, especially in the elderly.

5. Treat depression

Saffron tea has long been used to treat depression.

6. Improves blood circulation and regenerates the skin

In Chinese medicine, saffron is used to improve blood circulation.

7. Helps digestion

Saffron infusion facilitates digestion and is a good natural remedy for those suffering from bloating or constipation.

8. Healing in erectile dysfunction

The Greeks and Arabs used saffron as an aphrodisiac because it has hormone-like properties.

9. Anti-drunk medicine

10-15 g of saffron pistils, soaked for 3-4 hours in alcohol (50 ml) and administered on an empty stomach before a party prevent the onset of drunkenness and can induce repulsion to alcohol abuse.

Contraindications

Do not consume more than two grams of saffron a day. Saffron can also cause abortion, so pregnant women should avoid it.

The fact that the French are reputed to be gourmets has probably been heard by many. In France, people's interest in delicious food is considered completely natural and perhaps even ahead of their love interest, in which, by world recognition, the French have no equal.

What defines French cuisine?

Naturally, in France, oysters are the most common dish. Connoisseurs consider these mollusks the most exquisite food. Oysters are grown in particular plantations with seawater, where the salt content is low, or they are caught in the tidal zone, near the mouth of the rivers. French flat types of oysters are called belon, marine, and Arcachon. 

They sell oysters by weight from September to October. When buying oysters, you must ensure their shells are tightly closed; if the shell is open, the mollusk is dead. There is a special knife for opening oysters. After opening the shell, you need to squeeze lemon juice and take it out of the shell. 

When preparing many dishes, the French put a small bunch of herbs in the pan, which gives the words a unique French flavor. It is called "bouquet garni" and consists of parsley, savory, and bay leaf. Before serving, the beam is removed. It is impossible to keep silent about the chic desserts, which the French undoubtedly know. This is cherry clafoutis pie, delicious Tarte Tatin - open fruit cakes, and of course, the famous creme brulee - cream baked with caramel crust - the king and master of all desserts.

What are the secret ingredients French chefs use?

Despite regional differences (and the cuisine of Provence and the cuisine of Burgundy differ significantly), a characteristic feature of the national French cuisine is the abundance of vegetables and root crops. Potatoes, green beans, varieties of onions, spinach, cabbage of multiple types, tomatoes, eggplants, celery, parsley, and salads are used for preparing snacks, first and second courses, and side dishes. Compared to other European countries, French cooking uses fewer dairy products. The exception is cheeses, famous all over the world. A dish with cheeses and a green salad are always served before dessert.

France produces at least 500 varieties of cheese. Almost every French village knows its unique recipe for making cheese. Among them are Roquefort, Gruyere, Camembert, etc. Omelets and cheese souffle are typical for the French table, which is cooked with seasonings and fillings: ham, mushrooms, and herbs. The quality and characteristics inherent in each product must be preserved. 

Of the first courses, leek puree soup with potatoes and onion soup seasoned with cheese is very favorite. Provencal thick fish soup bouillabaisse is also widely known. French chefs use various meat products: veal, beef, lamb, poultry, and game. Dishes from the sea and freshwater fish are trendy: cod, halibut, pike, carp, and seafood such as oysters, shrimps, lobsters, and scallops. The French are considered the inventors of sauces. In their preparation and invention of new recipes, you will not find their equals worldwide.

French cuisine – famous dishes

Describing French cuisine is a thankless task. Long considered one of the best in the world, it absorbed many peoples' culinary traditions and became a source of inspiration for followers from different countries. Suffice it to say that the names of several French dishes, wines, sauces, and the methods of processing and cooking products have entered many languages ​​​​and are understandable without translation. France is considered the birthplace of almost half of the most popular dishes and drinks in Europe, and many of its "works" have long become "their own" in the cuisines of other European nations, in some cases turning into world-famous trademarks (suffice it to recall mayonnaise, fricassee, champagne or cognac ).

Salmon En Papillote

Salmon, along with fried fennel, half-boiled potatoes, shallots, herbs, a piece of butter, and a small amount of white wine, is sealed “en papillote,” that is, in a parchment roll, and baked until the fish becomes tender. Each serving is served directly in the package. There are some advantages to this baking method: ease of preparation, clean dishes, fish and vegetables steamed with aromatic additives, which are very tasty, juicy, and healthy. Serve the packages sealed so that each guest opens their portion and enjoys the incredible aroma. And next to the table put a tapenade of olives. It complements the taste of salmon nicely.

Ingredients for the recipe:

Salmon

• 1 st. l. rapeseed oil, one fennel root, cut into 0.5 cm thick slices
• Two potatoes, peeled and cut into 0.3 cm thick slices
• Four skinless salmon fillets, 140g each
• 1/4 st. white wine
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp minced fresh tarragon, 1/4 shallot, minced

Tapenade

• 1 st. pitted manzanilla olives, rinsed, dried, and finely chopped
• 1 st. l. capers, rinse, pat dry, and finely chop
• One anchovy, minced
• One garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 st. olive oil
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 st. l. chopped fresh parsley

Recipe preparation:

Prepare salmon: Preheat oven to 150°C. Bring salted water to a boil in a saucepan. Place a skillet over moderately high heat and add vegetable oil. Sprinkle the fennel with salt and black pepper. Once the oil is hot, add the fennel and fry on one side until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the potato slices in water for 3 minutes, then drain. Cut out four pieces of parchment paper in the shape of a large heart, then fold them in half. Lift one side of each parchment heart, place some fennel in the center of the bottom half, then top with potatoes and salmon. Top each piece of salmon with a quarter of the white wine, butter, tarragon, and shallots: salt and pepper. Start closing the rolls of parchment, crimping the edges in small folds, so they are all tightly sealed. Place them on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes, depending on how you want them to be.

Make the tapenade: While the salmon is in the oven, toss the olives, capers, anchovies, and garlic in a bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, and honey and mix until smooth. Sprinkle the tapenade with chopped parsley. Open the packages with fish on the table and put a spoonful of tapenades in each serving.

Quiche Lorraine

Quiche is an open pastry pie filled with cheese, cream, eggs, and milk. It isn't easy to disagree with such a formulation of the question. We can only add that this dish is most likely of French origin, although some consider it English. In any case, perhaps the most famous variant of quiche in the world, Loraine quiche, comes from the French Lorraine, which is where the name, as you can see, comes from.

Ingredients:

For the dough

• Flour, 125g
• Salt, 1/2 teaspoon
• Butter, 100g
• Icy water, 3 tbsp. spoons

For filling

• Bacon, 6-12 pieces, to taste
• Eggs, four pcs.
• Heavy cream, 1 cup
• Milk, 1 cup
• Swiss cheese, 150g
• Onion, or shallot, a little (optional)
• Salt, 1/2 teaspoon
• Nutmeg, a little

Recipe preparation:

We make shortbread dough - add finely chopped butter cubes to the sifted and salted flour.

Then mix so that it turns out as homogeneous as possible, although you can’t do without lumps.

Then add ice water one tablespoon at a time and stir constantly. It is best to put a bowl of dough on ice in addition.

We interfere until a homogeneous mass is formed, from which we sculpt a ball and send it to the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, fry the bacon.

We cut the bacon into smaller pieces, do the same with the onion, and rub the cheese. Cheese is needed like Emmental or Gruyère.

We put good eggs in a bowl.

Add cream, milk, salt, and nutmeg. We mix.

Stir in the grated cheese as well.

When the dough is ready, roll it out and place it in a mold smeared with butter.

Spread the bacon and onion evenly on the bottom.

Then gently pour in the cream cheese mixture.

We cook for 15 minutes at 220 C, after which we reduce the heat to 160 C and cook for another 35 minutes.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Potatoes Dauphinoise

If you love potatoes, why not spruce up your "potato menu" with a good old French recipe. We offer to cook potatoes "dauphine" or potatoes "a la dauphinoise."

Ingredients:

• 500 g potatoes
• One egg
• One glass of milk
• 200 g grated cheddar cheese
• 45 g butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• a pinch of black pepper
• a pinch of nutmeg
• One garlic clove

Cooking:

Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices. Salt and pepper to taste, and add nutmeg and half of the grated cheese. Mix everything. Pour the milk into the potatoes and crack the egg. Mix well. Rub a dish for baking potatoes with garlic and brush with oil. Put the potato mixture in it, and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Cut the butter into small pieces and place it on top. Put the dishes with potatoes in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes. The word is ready when the potatoes become soft and a golden crust appears on top.

Bouillabaisse

When the Marseille fishers cooked soup from the remains of an unsold catch in the evening, they did not suspect that in the future, this dish would become a delicacy that would be served in the best French restaurants. The first Marseille bouillabaisse was made from pieces of dry bread, small fish, shrimp, squid, and shellfish, and now lobsters and expensive fish are added to this soup, so the cost of a bowl of soup sometimes reaches 200 euros. According to the French legend, the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite, was engaged in the preparation of bouillabaisse. She fed her husband Hephaestus with it because she was born from sea foam and the sea element was almost native to her. However, let's go down from Mount Olympus and go to the kitchen to understand how to cook bouillabaisse at home.

So, if you follow the recommendations of experienced chefs, to prepare a classic bouillabaisse, you will need:

• 2 kg of any medium-sized sea fish and some vegetables - fennel bulb
• Three tomatoes
• Three garlic cloves
• Two leeks
• Two heads of onion
• Three celery stalks

From spices, take a bouquet garni, which includes parsley, bay leaf, thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, sea salt, and olive oil will also come in handy.

Cooking method:

Finely chop the celery, the whole leek, one clove of garlic, and one onion. Fry, constantly stirring, vegetables in 7 tbsp. l. olive oil. Rinse the fish, clean it from the insides, remove the tails, heads, and fins, and place it in the pan with the roasting vegetables. Add water, so it is above the level of the fish trimmings, and then simmer for 20 minutes. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, remove the skin from them and grind the pulp into a puree. Finely chop the fennel, one more onion, and two cloves of garlic, and fry the vegetables in a pan in a small amount of oil. Add chopped tomato pulp to vegetables. Strain the cooled fish broth, remove the heads, and wipe the vegetable grounds through a sieve. Pour the broth into the fried vegetables, mix with the mashed vegetables from the broth, salt, and add seasonings. Put the pieces of chopped fish into the broth and cook it until soft. Serve the broth separately - with a toasted baguette and Provence garlic rui sauce, which you can cook yourself. The fish is laid out on a plate, and everyone adds it to the broth on their own.

Weekends exist for that, to sleep, relax and not spend a lot of time on a routine. But no one canceled delicious family dinners. Therefore, fresh ideas for easy-to-cook dishes will come in handy.

What are the best fast lunch ideas to try?

Lunch is a meal that some very busy people neglect. Other people make a fuss if they don't get a delicious meal. The dinner recipes that we have collected for you will seduce the former and appease the latter.

Easy Chicken Salad

A step-by-step recipe with a photo of cooking chicken salad in a fragrant dressing at home. The soy-lemon dressing adds a special piquancy to the dish, which favorably emphasizes the taste of the dish. Of course, the salad can be dressed with ordinary mayonnaise, sour cream or even sunflower oil. However, using the proposed sauce, you will bring new fresh notes. Moreover, such a sauce is universal, it can be seasoned with almost any salad, and familiar dishes that have become boring for a long time will sparkle with a new interesting taste.

Ingredients for preparing a tender chicken salad in a fragrant dressing:

• Boiled chicken fillet - 1 pc.
• Processed cheese - 100 g
• Eggs - 1 pc.
• Cucumbers - 1 pc.
• Green onions - 5-7 sprigs
• Mustard grain or pasty - 0.5 tsp.
• Soy sauce - 2 tbsp. l.
• Vegetable oil - 3 tbsp. l.

Recipe preparation:

Wash green onions, dry and chop finely. Wash cucumbers, dry and cut into cubes with sides of 0.5 mm. Boil eggs. Cool, peel and cut into cubes the size of cucumbers. Cut the melted cheese into cubes of the same size as all the products. Boil the chicken in salted water and set aside. Then cut into pieces or tear along the fibers. Combine all foods in one bowl. In a small bowl, mix the mustard, soy sauce with vegetable oil and season the ingredients. Toss the chicken salad in the soy-lemon dressing, chill and serve.

The Quinoa, Avocado, and Cherry Tomato Salad

The Quinoa, Avocado and Cherry Tomato Salad recipe is presented in the Salads category, and it will take you no more than 15 minutes to prepare this dish. To make this dish at home according to the recipe from the author Evtushenko, you will need: quinoa, ripe avocado, cherry tomatoes, quail eggs, a handful of salad mix, half a bunch of parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, dry Italian herbs, a mixture of ground peppers, salt.

Ingredients:

• 150 gr. kinoa1 pc.
• ripe avocado 250 kg.
• cherry tomatoes 6-8 pcs.
• quail eggs 3 pcs.
• salad mix to taste
• half a bunch of parsley
• 1-2 tbsp. l. lemon juice
• 2-3 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs to taste
• ground pepper mix
• salt to taste

Recipe preparation:

Rinse the quinoa with cold water (to remove possible bitterness), add water and simmer for 15 minutes. Salt at the end. Cut the avocado into small cubes, and cherry tomatoes in half. Boil the sawn eggs, you can leave the yolk slightly watery, it will be even tastier. Cut in half. Let's prepare the dressing. Chop the parsley very finely, add olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and Italian dry herbs to it. Add the dressing to the cooked and cooled quinoa, mix. Now add avocado, tomatoes and salad mixture, mix and taste for salt. Add if necessary. We spread the salad on plates, lay the quail eggs on top.

Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower rice is just a godsend for those who follow a healthy diet. Similar in appearance to rice or couscous, this vegetable side dish is much healthier, lower in calories, carbohydrates, and sugars, and higher in fiber. It goes perfectly with meat dishes, and in itself it turns out very tasty if you mix it with herbs and roasted almonds. In addition, cauliflower rice is a great way to introduce a healthy vegetable into the diet of children who, to put it mildly, do not favor it. Mix it in half with regular boiled rice and serve as a side dish. Little picky people are unlikely to notice that not all the rice in the plate is real.

Ingredients for the recipe:

2 small cauliflowers, broken into florets, strong stems discarded (about 8 cups florets)

3 art. l. olive oil

1 bunch green onions, chopped, white and green parts separated

1/4 st. chopped almonds

1/4 st. chopped parsley

Recipe preparation:

Pulse the cauliflower in the bowl of a food processor until coarse crumbs are about the size of a grain of rice (see note). It should turn out 6 - 7 tbsp. cauliflower rice. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat. Stir in the white parts of the onion and fry until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Add cauliflower, 1 tsp. salt and a little black pepper. Stir to coat cabbage completely with oil. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender but still crumbly, 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a small skillet over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the cauliflower from the heat and stir in the green onions, parsley and toasted almonds. Transfer to a large bowl and serve. 

Arugula, Tuna, and Avocado Salad

Easy, beautiful salad of tuna, avocado, tomatoes and arugula recipe. Ideal for a festive table, as a light snack. In general, this is a Spanish salad called "Timbal". It looks beautiful, it cooks very quickly (you don’t need to cook or prepare anything in advance), and most importantly, it’s tasty and healthy! Save quickly so you don't forget!

Ingredients

Avocado (large) - 1 or 1.5 pcs.

Cherry tomatoes (the sweetest) - 10 pcs.

Canned tuna in oil - 1 can (170g)

Arugula - 1 bunch

Garlic - 1 clove

Lemon juice - 1-1.5 tsp

Olive oil - 1 tsp

Sea salt - to taste

Black pepper - to taste

How to cook tuna, avocado, tomato and arugula salad recipe step by step:

We cut the avocado in half, remove the stone, take out the pulp with a spoon and knead it with a fork / spoon in mashed potatoes. Add lemon juice, olive oil, crushed garlic clove. Salt, pepper and mix. ⠀ Cherry tomatoes cut into small cubes (you can also take ordinary large tomatoes, but they are less sweet and you will need to peel them, remove the hard core, seeds and drain the juice). We transfer the tuna to a plate and drain most of the oil (so that the salad does not float during assembly) and knead a little with a fork. I collected the salad in a serving ring, but it can also be served in portioned cups, here, as you like. Put a layer of mashed avocado on a dish, then spread a layer of cherry tomatoes, and on top - tuna. We take off the ring. Decorate with arugula leaves. ⠀

Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla

Quesadillas are especially popular in the southwestern United States. Here it is cooked like the traditional Mexican version, only sometimes local ingredients may be included. This recipe has a lot of vegetables and no meat. However, if desired, you can add, for example, cooked chicken. Sour cream sauce only enhances the pleasure of an already tasty quesadilla, which definitely cannot be called bland. If the dish seems too spicy, reduce the amount of dried red pepper. In any case, by preparing such a quesadilla, you can arrange a real feast for the taste buds.

Ingredients for the recipe:

Quesadilla

4 wheat tortillas with a diameter of 25 cm.

• 450 gr. black beans with spices, mashed
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil, extra for grilling 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3/4 st. corn kernels (about 1 ear)
• 2 tsp crushed dried red pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 st. chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 st. grated cheese

Sour cream with lime and cilantro

• 1/2 st. sour cream
• 1/4 st. chopped cilantro leaves
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• A pinch of salt

Recipe preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute bell peppers and onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add corn, dried red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Stir and sauté for 3 minutes. Move everything to a bowl and add cilantro. Heat a 2-burner long cast-iron grill or large skillet over medium heat. Lay 2 tortillas on a work surface and evenly coat them with the roasted black bean paste. Place the tortillas on the griddle, buttered side up (if using a saute pan, place one tortilla first). Cover evenly with the onion and pepper mixture, then sprinkle with cheese. Top with another tortilla, spread with black bean paste, and cook until cheese is melted, about 4 minutes. Turn the quesadillas over to fry them on the other side. Cut each into 8 triangles, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with sour cream sauce.

Each of us relates to coffee differently. Some brew coffee only on weekends and holidays. Someone cannot wake up without coffee and starts every morning with a cup of aromatic drink, while for others, coffee is a lifestyle, and they do not part with a glass of coffee all day long.

How to Choose The Best Coffee for Your Lifestyle and Preferences

The same kind of coffee can cause completely different feelings in two people: from delight to complete rejection. Each person has their taste preferences, habits, and sensitivities. For some, coffee must be vital. For some, it is light and with notes of honey, while others prefer a soft, balanced, and creamy taste. There can be a considerable number of requests, but, fortunately, there are so wide varieties of coffee and various mixtures that for everyone you can choose "your" coffee. So when selecting a combination, every nuance matters the type of coffee and its origin, the composition of the mix, the degree of roasting, and freshness. Knowing these features will help you better navigate the wide variety of blends in the future and find the proper coffee for you.

When choosing coffee, first of all, pay attention to the quality of the packaging.

For packaging their coffee, manufacturers use various materials: paper and plastic bags, foil, sealed packs with a valve, aluminum cans, and barrels.

Coffee in a paper bag cannot be stored for a long time. This type of packaging is not hermetic, and air quickly penetrates it, detrimental to coffee beans. After a few hours, the coffee will lose most of its aroma, and you won't be able to recognize its authentic taste.

Also, do not store coffee in a plastic bag. Light penetrating the package walls adversely affects the grains, changing their taste and aroma. In addition, coffee beans emit gases after roasting, and if they cannot get out of the package, the coffee will go wrong.

A tightly sealed bag with a valve is the most common type of packaging used by large manufacturers who monitor the quality of their products. This type of packaging protects coffee during transportation, does not allow air and light to penetrate inside the packaging, and excess gases escape through a special valve.

Only exclusive premium varieties are packed in aluminum cans and barrels. Canned blends have more protection than bags because the coffee is not subject to the physical impact of soft packs. Coffee in aluminum cans is costly.

Each mixture has an expiration date. The date can be written in paint or stamped into the pack. The date can be written in color or stamped into the box. Suppose the coffee is packed in a tight vacuum bag with a valve or aluminum can. In that case, the manufacturer guarantees the coffee will retain its taste and aroma throughout the shelf life.

Therefore, if the packaging has been broken or the expiration date has expired, do not hesitate to return the product to the seller. This coffee is not recommended to drink. Choose coffee in quality packaging.

10 best coffee brands you need to try

Big Island Coffee Roasters

The company's history began when the new owners renovated the ruined farm and started from scratch. Then they turned to un-studio with the task of developing a brand, including a logo, packaging design, and a company website, with a separate section of the online store.

Lavazza

Lavazza is not only excellent Italian coffee. This is Italian coffee culture in all manifestations. It is a never-ending story of quality, taste, and innovation. Lavazza is not limited to the Italian style of coffee making.

Bizzy Coffee

Bizzy Coffee is made for busy people, by busy people - bringing you the highest quality cold brew coffee to make sure it fits into your busy life! Whether brewing Bizzy Organic Cold Brew Coffee or making grounds for the at-home brewers, we take special care in every process, from sourcing the highest quality ingredients to roasting and brewing each batch with meticulous detail.

La Colombe

La Colombe Fair Trade and Organic certified La Colombe is easily one of our favorite coffee purveyors. They work closely with the farmers who supply the beans, ensuring workers are treated fairly throughout the harvesting process.

Intelligentsia

Intelligentsia is a specialty coffee pioneer, rising from humble Chicago roots to a company driven by curiosity, empowerment, and the never-ending quest for the most extraordinary coffee globally.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters

With its innovative brewing technology, Keurig Green Mountain, Inc., a leader in specialty coffee, coffee makers, teas, and other beverages, has launched Green Mountain Coffee Organic—a new line of premium coffees that are both organic and Fair Trade Certified.

Melitta Colombian Supreme

It's a rich, full-bodied roast sourced from high-quality Arabica beans. To make this medium roast coffee, these beans are grown in the top coffee-producing regions of the globe. They're then batch roasted and ground down to create a pleasing, extra consistency that delivers a robust, full flavor.  This different fine grind means that you can make a satisfying Melitta Coffee Colombian Supreme cup with 30 percent less coffee. As a result, you get to enjoy a smooth, delicious, and refreshing coffee. For best results, use this fine-grind coffee with Melitta coffee filters, which are available separately, to ensure each cup is as pure and flavorful as possible.

Death Wish Organic Whole Bean Coffee

Death Wish Coffee is here to fuel your passion—basic brews are not invited. The highest-quality arabica + robusta beans are roasted to bold, never-bitter perfection. The result? Coffee that naturally brews double the strength of the average cup. 

Lavazza Espresso Italiano

Espresso Italiano is a 100% Arabica blend from Central and South America with highly aromatic notes, delicious flavor, and a rich body. The long-roasted coffee beans give it its distinctive Italian espresso taste.

Peet’s Coffee Big Bang

Peet's has incredibly fresh, high-quality coffee, and those new to the chain will recognize the superior quality on the first sip. It's no surprise that one of their top sellers is a single-origin coffee from Guatemala.

Are you a coffee lover? Try the 10 best coffee presented above

Choose the degree of roasting

Coffee beans are roasted to acquire a unique taste, which depends on the number of essential oils inside the bean (there are about 600 types) and the degree of their manifestation during the roasting process. In other words, the taste and aroma of the drink depend not only on the kind of coffee but also on the degree of roasting of the beans - this information is reflected on the packaging in the form of numbers - from 1 (weak roast) to 5 (strong roast). The choice, in this case, depends solely on taste preferences; however, pay attention to the date of roasting, remembering that roasted beans retain their aroma for a month, and the more time has passed from this moment, the more coffee loses its taste.

Roasting levels:

• Scandinavian (super-light) roasting gives the coffee tenderness and softness; the color of the beans is light brown, almost beige.
• American (medium) roast contributes to the appearance of a slight bitterness in the taste. The color of the beans is a rich brown. Still, this type of roast does not allow the manifestation of essential oils on the surface of the beans, so the taste and aroma are revealed only by a slight hint.
• Viennese roast - the beans darken and become shiny due to the manifestation of essential oils, and sweetish notes appear in the taste of coffee.
• French (strong) roasting gives the grains an intense chocolate color, and the taste acquires a pleasant bitterness and astringency.
• Italian (powerful) roasting is recognizable by black oily grains, and the drink acquires extraordinary expressiveness, velvety, and richness - this is a real bitter coffee in the classic version.

Ground or bean coffee

Since coffee begins to lose flavor immediately after grinding, it's best to buy whole coffee beans and grind them yourself before brewing - at least that's what fussy coffee drinkers do. If you prefer ground coffee, pay attention to the degree of grinding:

• Coarse grinding (the cheapest) lasts no more than 10 seconds, suitable for a piston coffee maker, and is infused up to 7 minutes.
• Medium grinding lasts up to 14 seconds, is suitable for any coffee makers and Turks, and infused up to 5 minutes.
• Fine grinding lasts 20 seconds, is designed for filter coffee makers, and infused for 3 minutes.
• Fine Espresso - This grind produces a coffee "ground" ideal for espresso coffee makers and Turkish coffee in a cezve.
• Unscrupulous manufacturers often dilute ground coffee with various mixtures that are easily detected at home - if you throw a pinch of coffee into a glass container with cold water. It turns brown. You have a fake that has nothing to do with real coffee.

Natural or flavored

The coffee departments offer a large selection of flavored coffees with hints of vanilla, Irish whiskey, orange, amaretto, and chocolate, but keep in mind that these are chemical and not natural additives. If you want to enjoy the real taste of coffee without extraneous notes, buy beans without additional aromatic "decor."

Winston Churchill said that coffee is a very personal drink, so, like good cognac, you should not drink it in giant mugs. And John Galsworthy believed that there are things that cannot be faithful - for example, coffee. However, if you belong to the category of gourmets who change coffee like gloves, treat each variety personally and do not neglect the quality. In this case, unearthly pleasure is guaranteed!