The Holidays at Downton Abbey: Spoon Bread

Perhaps now is a good time to start enjoying the foods which would be popular during the holidays at Downton Abbey. So between now and the day Santa visits the Abbey, we'll help get you into the mood with some classic holiday dishes from the Downton era.

Spoon Bread, as it is known in America, is actually a lush and delicious cornmeal souffle. Don't let the word "souffle" scare you, it is actually quite easy to make and a wonderful side dish for your holiday Downton table or an incredible light dessert when drizzled with some pure maple syrup (see the last picture in the set).

You will not need any special tools or cookware to make this dish. During the Downton era this was made in a simple deep cake pan. Since this is a souffle (meaning it is a risen dish), you will want to present it at the table right out of the oven before it deflates -- so make sure your footmen are nearby!

You can get the FREE recipe for for Spoon Bread from The Food of Downton Abbey @ http://on.fb.me/1l0VqR1 

 

A Taste of Korea: Korean Short Ribs

You have probably seen these thin little ribs at your market and wondered what they are. They are known as Korean Short Ribs and when paired with a Korean marinade, they are quite tasty!

This is one of those dishes which is economic (these short ribs are very inexpensive), simple to prepare and only takes a few minutes to make once the short ribs hit the wok. A perfect dish for the upcoming busy season.

You can find our recipe for Korean Marinade right under this recipe or go to the link http://on.fb.me/1MpUXDS

You can find the FREE recipe for Korean Short Ribs from Fusion Asiana @ http://on.fb.me/1Offprq

The Flavors of Korea: Korean Marinade

Korean food is becoming quite popular and for very good reason, it is one of the most vibrant foods in the realm of Asian cuisine. One of the most popular elements of Korean food is their famed marinade and today on Fusion Asiana, we'll show you how to make it!

If you have been to an Asian market lately, you might have seen the bottles of Korean marinade on the shelves. It is quite expensive for a small bottle and loaded with unnatural ingredients. You can make it at home easily and quickly and using all natural ingredients.

This recipe will make about 3/4 cup of Korean marinade. Simply keep it in a bottle or jar in the cupboard until you're ready to use it.

You can get the FREE recipe for Korean Marinade from Fusion Asiana @ http://on.fb.me/1MpUXDS 

The Food of Downton Abbey: Ham and Cheese Bread (Biscuits)

Have you ever had a dinner party and had leftovers? Well, the same thing happened at the Abbey's and what the cook would do with the leftovers is make food for the downstairs staff. If one of those leftovers were ham, then Ham and Cheese Bread (biscuits) would be on the menu.

In doing the pictures for Ham and Cheese Bread (biscuits), we decided to make them just as Mrs. Patmore would. We used a whisk, a pastry blender (pastry fork) and kneaded the dough by hand. It is kind of fun!

The cheese used for this bread (biscuit) would have been a natural Cheddar, which is white in color and not the orange you find in markets today. And yes, if you're in America, you are allowed to call these a biscuit!

You can get the FREE recipe for Ham and Cheese Bread (Biscuits) from The Food of Downton Abbey @ http://on.fb.me/1Wb1syZ 

Time for Dinner: Sweet Soy Ginger Pork Roast

Whenever there is a gathering of four or more people for a dinner, you can never go wrong by preparing a roast. It is simple, it gives you time to be with your guests and if it is a Sweet Soy Ginger Pork Roast, it will be delicious.

When you prepare a roast of any kind which has been marinated, when it comes to roasting it you do not have to do anything but place it in the oven. How easy is that? This recipe (the marinade) can be used for any type of roast, whether it be pork, beef or lamb. You can even use it for chicken!

Serve Sweet Soy Ginger Pork Roast with some steamed jasmine rice and a vegetable or two and you will have a truly memorable meal.

You can get the FREE recipe for Sweet Soy Ginger Pork Roast from Fusion Asiana @ http://on.fb.me/1KwWtfW

The Ice Creams of Asia: Black Seed Malted Vanilla Ice Cream

It doesn't matter where you go in the world, when it comes to ice cream the most popular flavor is vanilla. When you are traversing Asia, the vanilla ice cream takes on a different flavor and texture with the addition of a malt powder and some black seeds!

This homemade ice cream is very simple to make and you can find all the ingredients at your local market. The addition of black seeds (one of the most nutritional seeds on the planet), gives this ice cream a nice crunch and a slight nutty flavor. The malt powder is the same powder you use to make the famed American ice cream beverage called a vanilla malt.

There are no eggs used in this ice cream and there is no cream. The base of the ice cream is half-and-half and this means the fat intake is lowered without taking away from the creamy texture.

For the FREE recipe to make Black Seed Malted Vanilla Ice Cream, go to Fusion Asiana @ http://on.fb.me/1W5Ubk7 

 

From the Streets of Vietnam: Vietnamese Street Ribs

One of the great joys of traveling throughout Asia is enjoying the incredible street foods, often considered the best in the world. One of my favorite street foods from Vietnam are these Vietnamese Street Ribs -- so tasty and so simple to make at home.

The meat used here is a short rib but not the usual American type of short rib. This cut is known as a "Korean short rib" and you can find them at most markets. It is a very thin cut and grills or cooks in just a few minutes.

The flavor for Vietnamese Street Ribs come from the marinade -- a little spicy and a little sweet. In Vietnam they will grill these right on the street and serve them with rice. At Fusion Asiana, we stir-fry them in a very hot wok.

For the FREE recipe to make Vietnamese Street Ribs go to Fusion Asiana @ http://on.fb.me/1PCiJw0

 

From the Ovens of China: Tiananmen Roasted Chicken

A perfectly roasted chicken always makes for a wonderful dinner and when that chicken is prepared the way the Chinese do, it's even better! Tiananmen Roasted Chicken is truly one of the best in the world.

What we are going to do here is very simple. We are going to marinate a whole chicken and then let the heat of the oven to the rest of the work. Yes, it is that simple.

Serve this with some steamed jasmine rice and some steamed bok choy and celebrate the flavors of Asia!

You can get the FREE recipe for Tiananmen Roasted Chicken from Fusion Asiana @ http://on.fb.me/1Rh2brH 

 

The Food of Downton Abbey: Apple Cider Pork Chops

One of the more popular beverages in England during the Downton era was apple cider. Various varieties of apples were grown on the Abbey grounds and every part of them were put into full use (peels for tea, seeds for re-planting, cores to feed the pigs, etc.). The cider was also used in cooking some wonderful dishes including this delicious dish featuring pork chops.

Once the apple cider was made, it was turned into two things: Hard Cider (alcohol) and Cider Vinegar. Hard Cider was a popular beverage for the downstairs staff. The vinegar was very popular in the kitchens.

When preparing pork chops at the Abbey they never used a chop with a bone in it. You would never let your guest have to cut around a bone! Their chops were actually cut from the tenderloin of the pig, which also results is a much more tender and moist chop.

This is a very simple dish to make at home and makes for a great dinner when served with some applesauce and a simple salad.

You can get the FREE recipe for Apple Cider Pork Chops from The Food of Downton Abbey @ http://on.fb.me/1hKjDbQ