Recipe: Tzatziki

Serious Eats posted a great recipe for tzatziki, the traditional Greek and Turkish dip.  I always preferred the store-bought Fage tzatziki, but it was sadly discontinued in Fall 2008.  This recipe is WAY better than my current store brand, Trader Joe's cucumber-heavy tzatziki.

Via Serious Eats

Image:  Tzatziki, by cathepsut

Recipe: Ginger Mayo

Here's a super simple recipe for some Ginger Mayonnaise.

Ingredients:

• Mayonnaise (1 jar, 15 oz. - I prefer Hellman's, and I used Hellman's Light for a slightly healthier mayo)
• Ginger powder (2-4 tbsp. to taste)
• Sugar (2 tbsp.)
• Black pepper (to taste)

 Mix well, chill and set for at least one hour.  Recipe courtesy of a delicious chicken sandwich served at Stoney's in South Orange, NJ.

Image: Mango Chicken Sandwich, by sheilaz413

HAZMAT Deployed for Rancid Mayo

A HAZMAT unit was deployed to several Florida homes after residents complained of "trouble breathing and burning eyes."

Turns out it was just some rancid mayonnaise! Yum!

Via Northwest Florida Daily News


Image: Hellman's mayonnaise, by jamesks

Miscellaneous: Salsa Negrita

I spend a lot of time in El Salvador; when the family who cooks for me realized how much I enjoy salsa negrita, they started leaving it on the table for every meal.

---

FLAVOR - Smoky vinegar tang, with an overall silky sweetness
CONSISTENCY - Thick and rich, with a very subtle grainyness
APPEARANCE - stark brown, almost to the point of black
SMELL - worcestershire & balsamic odors with an earthy undertone
AVAILABILITY - Limited availability

INGREDIENTS - Agua, azúcar, especias, vinagre, sal, harina, color caramelo

---

There is some cultural confusion when it comes to salsa negrita.  Specifically, I'm don't know exactly what it is.  The name means "bold sauce,"  but the bottle also calls it salsa inglesa (English sauce).  Salsa inglesa is the Spanish term for worcestershire sauce, but salsa negrita is different from any of the other salsa inglesas I've tried.  ¡Esto es loco!

Whatever the hell it is, salsa negrita is good stuff.  I've had it on just about every Central American dish there is.  Apparently, you can get it in some latino-centered grocery stores and bodegas in the States, but I have not independently confirmed this rumor.  There's also some internet evidence of salsa negrita being on the menu at several restaurants.

Miscellaneous: Sabrett Pushcart Style Onions in Sauce

Sabrett Onions in Sauce was invented by Alan Geisler (RIP 1/6/2009).  They're a staple for hot dog carts across the USA, and for a good reason.

---

FLAVOR - Strong onion flavor with a spicy/sweet tomato finish
CONSISTENCY - Whole pieces of chopped onion in a thin coulis
APPEARANCE - Orange-red color
SMELL - Spicy onion with a suggestion of tomato
AVAILABILITY - Readily available

INGREDIENTS - Onions, water, tomato paste, modified corn starch, salt, sugar, olive oil, fumaric acid, spices

---

It's not a hot dog unless it has Sabrett's Onions on it.  'Nuff said.