Each morning Americans of all shapes and sizes start their daily engines with a cup of coffee. In doing so we assign coffee a permanent place in our minds as a drink only, which can lead to coffee discrimination. And for those who know it’s wide breadth of flavor options aside from the base for a super-sweetened latte, we experience coffee shaming. Espresso, which is more of a coffee-making method than an ingredient, is usually considered only a beverage. You just don’t think twice about where it belongs. Don’t call the AFLCO just yet. I think I can clear this up quickly with the ingredients in my newest recipe just invented last night. It is my Espresso Balsamic and Chipotle Chili Marinated Pork and Tomato Sauté. And it literally changed the way I look at flavors for meat for EVER. You see, coffee’s place in the world is much broader than to receive four pumps of vanilla syrup. It literally has something for everyone. And here’s a little history to get us started. To quote theexoticbean.com we read, “It all started in Africa, or so the story goes. An Ethiopian goatherd was intrigued by his goats’ behavior after they ate the cherries that were sourced from a specific bush. That bush, Coffea Arabica, is now grown in a narrow band all around the world and drunk in myriad ways anywhere people happen to be living.” Treehugger.com states, “Legends and various reports about coffee can be traced back as far as the 10th century. While those stories can't be verified, what's known for sure is that the undomesticated origin of coffee stems from the high mountain rain forests of the southwestern Ethiopian province of Kaffa. These mountains are home to a tree species, Coffea arabica, that produces a fruit called a coffee cherry. “The fruit gets its name because it turns a bright red when it is ripe and ready to pick. The skin has a bitter taste, but the underlying "cherry" fruit is sweet. In fact, Francine Segan, a food historian, and author wrote recently in Zester Daily that it was because of the fruit aspect of the coffee cherry that coffee started out as a food, not a drink. A thousand years ago in Africa, locals would mash the ripe "cherries" from wild coffee trees to create a dried traveling food packed with protein and nutrients. It was, Segan mused, sort of an early version of the breakfast bar.” I think you’re beginning to see why I was so excited to use the Espresso Dark Balsamic vinegar in my recipe development! It’s true. Espresso Balsamic was divinely created for sauces that go with meats. As a marinade this is going to be my NEW GO-TO ingredient for beef or pork. The blend is perfect. You don’t taste each ingredient individually. Rather they form a unified element of perfection that coats the mouth in happiness. This dish is bold, slightly hot, perfectly acidic, and offers just a touch of sweet. Using the tenderloin of pork means it just melts away in your mouth. As far as the labor involved? If you can mix and use a sauté pan, you’re in business. Let’s get to the important element, which is the recipe so you can undo your coffee assumptions and start enjoying experimenting with this delicious ingredient! RECIPE: Espresso Balsamic and Chipotle Marinated |
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Don't tell anyone, but some days I don't feel like high maintenance cooking. And with Pork Loin, I like to make them with a Mushroom Port Wine Reduction as a reward for surviving Winter, and because I love how the wine sizzles when you add it to the mushrooms. When faced with these slabs of luxurious pig, I realized I wanted something, or someone to do it for me. Which is why God invented slow cookers, and why I knew it was time to figure out how to make shredded meat carnitas enchiladas at home because it's one of my husband's favorite 'eat out' meals.
The following was a sure thing. Moist, tender, flavorful and super duper easy. The spice was perfect, the tanginess balanced, the cumin unobtrusive but present. You don't HAVE to use pork tenderloin, indeed this is a bit of a luxury for peasant food, but I'm telling ya, it really makes a difference in the sweetness and the texture of the entire meal.
Ole, Dad. And Gracias for another great gift!
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Meet the Cook...
My name is Camine Pappas and I love to create beautiful and delicious food that anyone can make. My signature style centers around a love for combining things in a way you might not expect as I work to find a hidden combination of colors, textures and flavors from the things that are in my pantry and/or easy to obtain.
Want to get spontaneous with me? It's pretty exciting. Let's all find out what happens when, "I Feel Like Cooking."
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