This is very close to the seasoning used at the famous Bookbinder’s in Philadelphia.
1 1/2 tablespoons celery seed
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 tablespoon dry English mustard (Colman’s)
1/2 tablespoon whole thyme
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger
2 whole bay leaves, crushed
Grind all ingredients in a food processor. Store in a covered container.
5 teaspoons ground anise (aniseed)
5 teaspoons star anise
2 tablespoons whole cloves
1 (5-inch) cinnamon stick
7 teaspoons fennel seeds
Process all ingredients in a blender container until finely ground. Store in an airtight jar up to 3 months. Use to flavor fish or pork.
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Mix all ingredients; store in airtight jar in cool place. Makes 1/4 cup.
To make chili, cook 3/4 pound ground beef in a large saucepan, stirring occasionally, until meat loses its red color. Stir in 2 tablespoons cornmeal or flour, then add 1 can drained kidney beans, 1 can stewed tomatoes and 1 tablespoon Chili Mix. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serves 4.
To make Chili Mac, cook 3/4 pound ground beef in a large saucepan, stirring occasionally, until meat loses its red color.
Add 1 can stewed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon Chili Mix and 1 cup macaroni, cooked until tender in boiling, salted water. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serves 4.
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 vanilla bean
For an intense flavor, grind the bean and blend with the sugar in a small coffee grinder. The flavor increases with time, and will exude into foods when baked. The bean can be used for other purposes as well.
This sugar is delicious sprinkled on fresh berries or used in shortbread cookies that call for confectioners’ sugar. It is also wonderful in homemade lemonade.
1 cup tightly packed, unsprayed,
fragrant rose petals*
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Mix together rose petals and sugar in glass or stainless bowl. Cover bowl halfway with plastic wrap. Let stand 2 days in dry place, stirring every day.
Then toss, cover completely with plastic wrap and let stand 4 to 5 days longer or until petals and sugar are dry, stirring every day or so. If sugar has stuck to bottom of bowl, gently tap bowl on counter to loosen.
Process mixture in blender or odor-free coffee grinder in small batches until sugar is powdered and no bits or lumps remain. (If using blender, process sugar in about 3 batches. If sugar has a hard time getting going in blender, shake blender cup with lid on and blend on high. You may need to shake it a couple of times before it gets going.)
Place sugar in glass jar with tight-fitting lid and keep in cool dry place up to about 9 months. Yields about 1 1/2 cups.
* Be sure to use unsprayed rose petals and, after you rinse them, let the petals get thoroughly dry before you add them to the sugar. Old-fashioned and heirloom roses produce very fragrant blooms that will perfume the sugar best.
Use in place of plain sugar, in baked goods and in tea, and for sweetening berries and fruit salads.
1 pound granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh or dried lavender buds
Mix sugar and lavender. Store in an airtight, dry container.
As you need it, sift the sugar to remove the lavender buds. The sugar will become more fragrant the longer it sits.
1/3 cup ground coffee
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring/extract
1/2 teaspoon nut flavoring/extract
Blend coffee and dry ingredients in a blender, process until powdered. Blend in flavorings and extracts, scrape sides of blender and blend 15 seconds more.
Makes 8-cup pot.
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