Lately, I've been rushing out the door each morning without having time to properly prepare breakfast. My favorite meal of the day is breakfast, and if I don’t get the chance to have it, it throws off my whole day. When in a hurry, fruits or bagels/toast are usually my go-to but that can get boring quickly. To spice it up, I’ve been sprinkling candied jalapenos on top of plain cream cheese on a toasted bagel. This sweet and mild spicy flavor adds a kick to my morning routine and Jalapeno Gold is one of my favorite products we sell at The Chopping Block.
Over time I think I’ve grown a mild healthy addiction to them, to the point where I’m testing them out on everything! The small jar is compacted with flavorful spices, the ingredients include: jalapeno peppers, sugar, vinegar, salt, onions and spices. It’s interesting how simple ingredients can add flavor to any meal and savory dish. My dull bagel in the morning has become a toasted candied jalapeno sensation with no extra prep time. It’s interesting discovering the science behind certain ingredients and how they blend together to complement a dish.
Jalapeno Gold can be the prefect appetizer spread over cream cheese and chopped up to garnish entrees. It’s the equivalent of having hot sauce in your purse as a safety precaution for an emergency flavor savor. Use it to make this Spicy Corn, Bacon, and Candied Jalapeno Dip or top Buttermilk Cornbread. You can even make it yourself if you want to try your hand at canning.
Learning how to become familiar with seasonings and spices, and how to quickly add flavors to your meals takes time to understand. Most people who are new to preparing things in the kitchen and aren’t familiar with the different chemistry of salts, oils, etc. put together, tend to shy away from them. Most are scared of over using salt, hesitant of making something too spicy, and it really takes away from the meal reaching its true potential.
If you want to learn the basic science and techniques all cooks should know about flavor combinations, check out our Flavor Dynamics class at our Lincoln Square location on Sunday, February 23 at 11am. It’s an interactive demonstration- style class where you will be able to observe and test out the different techniques of achieving taste and enriching your knowledge in flavors. While you're there, pick up a jar of Jalapeno Gold jar to try for yourself!
