Egyptian hieroglyphs (3400 BC), a visual recipe, depicting the preparation of food, are the first known recipes.

And just a few years later, the first known American-written cookbook by Amelia Simmons, "American Cookery," was published in 1796.

A simple book by publishing standards of the time, it was a paper-bound 48 pages of "cooking" of the time in the new world. I received a copy of the 1963 edition of this cookbook in the mail as a gift.

This edition is in a modern binding while maintaining the character of the original. Using the same typeface, Baskerville, and the traditional long "f" and not the new conventional round "s" of the time.

I bring this up because, as you read this cookbook, it is more like a novel about a time before, and the font and the "f" play a major role in the storyline. The foreword to this version by the author, Amelia Simmons, is also enlightening about how she managed to put this book together, no small feat.

The interminable title of the book is: American Cookery, or the Art of Dressing Viands, Fish, Poultry and Vegetables, and the Best Modes of Making Pastes, Puffs, Pies, Tarts, Puddings, Custards and Preserves, and All Kinds of Cakes, from the Imperial Plumb to Plain Cake, adapted to This Country and All Grades of Life." In a time when short is revered, I rather like this length of title.

Perhaps the best way to understand differences is the singular page of corrections that were made at the end of the original book, referred to as the "Advertisement," with an explanation as to why there are corrections. Here are the first 2 corrections listed:

"Page 63 - Rice pudding, No. 2: for 1 pound butter, read half a pound. - for 14 eggs read eight. No. 5: after half-pint rice, add 6 ounces fugar.

"Page 64 - a nice Indian pudding, No. 3: boil only 6 hours." Please note that Indian is referencing Native Americans, not Indians from the continent."

I have 22 feet of my favorite cookbooks enshrined in a bookshelf with glass doors close by so that I can find answers to questions, find inspiration, and get respite just by their presence.

For me, I like to try anything that is old, that is new, unexplored.

And I like what I make, even when it is not so good. And even if it is really, really bad, my squirrel still enjoys it, filling his cheeks with joy as he scampers off to hide and share the leftovers later. So success comes in all flavors.

Food, dishes, thus recipes, we can love and hate without remorse and without offense. If I like anchovies and you do not, we can still find common ground over a cup of coffee.

Food bridges gaps and can clear the way for great conversations.

From generation to generation, from culture to culture, from friends to foes, recipes, and the dishes themselves in all their glory, we can share with one another.

Happy Happy to everyone from all of us at ChefShop.com! Happy cooking and wishing that the best recipes come your way!

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Panettone, the wonderful butter-rich Italian Christmas cake, is very often consumed straight without leaving a crumb. But should you find yourself with the chance half loaf left, this recipe will turn a celebratory cake into a memorable dessert centerpiece! Lemon panettone bread pudding is a perfect holiday dessert or breakfast on Christmas morning.

Ever since we discovered the divine Sorrento Lemon Panettone from Albertengo, it's been our favorite for this recipe. But, any of the wonderful panettoni will work great. This Italian bread pudding recipe is so divine you'll want to buy two panettone just to make sure you have enough!

See the Panettone Bread Pudding Recipe here!

Think Beluga, think small, think black, and you have these fabulous non-GMO lentils! This time of year, when our plates of food seem to be covered in lighter-colored foods like turkey and mashed potatoes, it's nice (and screamingly easy) to add a little color to the plate.

These black lentils add beautiful color and contrast to a pork chop dinner with green peas. Or, if you want to confuse your guests, a nicely cooked white fish topped with black caviar truffles on a bed of black lentils is not only gorgeous but also makes the Black Caviar Truffles pop!

Shop now for Black Caviar Lentils!

I met Dana some 20 years ago at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. This recipe is from Dana Cowin's cookbook, Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen. Ms. Cowin was the Editor-In-Chief at Food & Wine Magazine for 21 years, transforming it into a Food Lifestyle magazine. As you can imagine, she met a lot of the who's who of food personalities over the years. Her cookbook is a fun conglomeration of Chefs' tips and recipes from her life.

See the Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Caper Raisin Sauce Recipe here!

Recca capers are grown on the island of Pantelleria and preserved in native sea salt by Agostino Recca. The island of Pantelleria is 70 km away from Africa and 85 km from Sicily. It is considered by many culinary aficionados as the ultimate source for capers.

These are small "non-pareil" Pantescan capers, full of flavor. Being preserved in sea salt means that none of the aromatic flavor has been lost. These Agostino Recca non-pareil Pantescan capers are a fabulous find indeed!

Shop now for Recca Pantescan Salted Capers!

Nothing like the ones we had for snacktime in the little box as a child!

Whether you soak them in gin made with juniper for drunken raisins or eat them out of the bag in the palm of your hand, these raisins are so much better than the raisins in the little box you had in your lunch at school!

Just a few are satisfying and good for your brain, and your teeth, too!

Munch on a bag of raisins to curb your candy desires!

When Thompson grapes dry, the high concentration of sugars produces nature's candy, called raisins, which are 70% fructose.

Raisins contain iron, vitamin C, calcium, boron (essential for bone health and osteoporosis prevention by helping absorb minerals like calcium and magnesium), kaempferol flavonoid (may reduce your risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease with its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent), quercetin (antihistamine properties), catechins phytonutrient (may help to oxidize fat and improve your cognitive power!), and oleanic acid, which makes this candy a fighter of tooth decay by attacking the bacteria that causes cavities.

Golden raisins (which, because they are organic, are actually light brown) have more of the above than dark raisins, except for the nutrient that makes you "smarter."

The difference in the raisins, dark (Thompson) and golden (White Muscat or Thompson), is the drying process. The dark is dried by the sun, and the golden are dried indoors, most often in ovens.

These drunken raisins for arthritis are NOT treated with sulfur dioxide to keep them light golden in color during the drying process - instead, they are lightly brown. (About 1 in 100 people have some allergy to sulfur dioxide.)

Drunken raisins for arthritis are an interesting "cure," perhaps a bit like the "snake oil" of the Wild West; it has a strong following and is believed to help alleviate the pain associated with arthritis.

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence showing this to be true, with many people talking about how it works for them. And, there are others that poo-poo it, saying it's nothing but a placebo.

I suppose if it works for you, you might not care how these drunken raisins for arthritis work, right? Arthritis pain is like a cold 40º day in the Northwest, where your skin is warm but your bones ache and there seems like there is nothing you can do about it!

Drunken Raisins for arthritis are pretty simple to make; it just takes a little time. In a jar or dish that can be left open, place "golden" raisins and cover with gin that is made from juniper.

Let the mixture sit a week to a month to let all the alcohol evaporate, then eat about 8 raisins a day.

I had a friend who was in terrible pain, and when he started this process, I thought he was joking, thinking it was just a "gin" excuse until he told me that you wait until the alcohol is gone.

Perhaps the benefit is a combination of the ritual of taking matters into your own hands, the "golden" raisin's health benefits, and the juniper in the gin. Try it and let us know. It's only "golden" raisins and gin...either way, it can't be bad.

Shop now for Organic Thompson Raisins!

This vinegar started with a very famous vintner in the Oak Knoll region of Napa Valley who offered Albert, 2 years ago, a Pinot Noir wine. Normally, Albert stays away from Pinot Noir as it will lose its vim (and vigor) when it converts to a vinegar.

This one caught Albert's taste buds, and he took a chance. The result is here, where the classic Pinot Noir flavor is present with a sweetness that is colorful and airy, still red in color and personality.

To the nose, past the tingly acidic notes, it’s pretty light and fluffy; it is rosy.

To the mouth, it is still a vinegar with some sharp edges, yet it is sweet and unlike many sherry or red wine vinegars, it doesn't punch you or make your eyes well up with tears.

It is mouth, cheek, lip, and tongue-smacking good. You really want to get every little bit of the Pinot Noir vin you can. With notes of berry, pomegranate, and sweet spices.

This is a one-time, extremely limited run. There may be (at least 2 years away) other vinegars like this from special wines in the future, but who knows. This is a vinegar worth having in your pantry. I am making room in my milk crate of vinegars for this one!

To make a perfect vinaigrette it must have the very best ingredients to be wowza! The basic rule is 1 part acid to 3 parts fat. We recommend a Katz Chef's Pick and this Pinot Noir Vinegar. With Fallot Dijon Mustard acting as the emulsifier to keep the mixture "together".

Measure the vinegar, thoroughly blend in the mustard with a whisk, stick blender, or a blender. Add 1/3 of the oil slowly into the blend. Then, transfer to a bowl, and while whisking vigorously, slowly drizzle the remaining olive oil in to create the short-lived emulsion. Store for up to 2 weeks. Shake or stick blend to bring it back to an emulsion. Salt your salad before. And pepper after if you so desire.

This is the perfect vinegar to start (or to add) your collection of vinegars! Like a rare wine, this is a one-time vintage of Vinegar.

Shop now for Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Vinegar!

This recipe is from our friend Chef Michael Natkin's cookbook "Herivoracious". One of the great characteristics of his recipes is that they are easy to make along with tasty success.

See the Chickpea Fritters Recipe here!

Northwest-grown Garbanzo Beans, also known as Ceci, chickpeas, or garbanzo.

Chickpeas (aka Garbanzo) are a regular staple in American cuisine. Almost everyone has a favorite hummus recipe or three, and they're an almost ubiquitous feature of the supermarket salad bar.

In fact, the humble chickpea (or garbanzo, or ceci bean, or Indian pea...ad infinitum) is an international favorite. It turns up in cuisines from India, South America, Northern and Western Europe. Perhaps their popularity has something to do with their mildly sweet flavor or their unusual shape.

Chickpeas pair well with pastas, rice, and even heartier grains like hard wheat and farro. They make a distinctive dip, of course, but they're even better in a long-cooking stew. They can also be ground for flour, deep-fried, or even made into sweet pastes, candies, and puddings. For me, chickpeas were the gateway food that opened up my palate to all things Middle Eastern.

Shop now for Garbanzo - Chickpeas!

A one pot meal of Rice and Beans from Chef JJ Johnson's cookbook "Between Harlem and Heaven", a Winner of the James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook. He has a few places to eat in NYC and they are definitely worth the trip. The Chef's rice bowls are magical in how flavorful they are all the while being simple.

See the Jollof Rice and Beans with Tomato Sauce Recipe here!

The history of Tomato Paste in a Tube di Pomodoro dates back to the early 20th century in Italy. Tomato paste itself has been used in cooking for centuries, but the innovation of packaging it in tubes was a more recent development.

Tomatoes are native to the Americas and were introduced to Europe in the 16th century. Initially, they were regarded with suspicion and were grown primarily for ornamental purposes. However, as their culinary uses became more apparent, tomatoes gained popularity in Italian cuisine.

The process of making tomato paste involves simmering tomatoes for an extended period to remove the excess water and concentrate the flavors. Traditionally, tomato paste was sold in cans or glass jars.

In 1951, Ugo Mutti pioneered the packaging of putting the family's double-concentrated paste in tubes, which provided several advantages.

Packaging tomato paste in tubes offered convenience and practicality. Tubes were easier to handle and store compared to cans and glass jars. They also allowed for precise measurement and because the tube could be closed with a thimble sized cap it reduced the tomato concentrates exposure to the air allowing a longer life.

And, initially the housewives used the thimble, well as a thimble for sewing.

Tomato paste in a tube became popular not only in Italy but also in other parts of Europe. The company's success led to the widespread adoption of the tube packaging format by various tomato paste producers.

Over time, other brands started producing their own versions of tomato paste in tubes, and it became a common staple in kitchens around the world.

The introduction of tomato paste in tubes revolutionized the way people used and stored tomato paste, making it more convenient, economical, and accessible to home cooks and professional chefs alike.

Shop now for Tomato Paste in Tube!

This recipe comes from one of my favorite, reliable, home cooking cookbooks by Marion Burros, "Cooking for Comfort". In one of our very first cookbook events in the shop a long time ago, Ms Burros came, spoke and signed books launching this cookbook. These recipes are tried and true and the ones you can trust to make the foods we grew up with.

See the Picnic Fried Chicken Recipe!

This recipe is adapted from the Fog City Diner Cookbook by Cindy Pawlcyn (Ten Speed Press). One of the very first recipes that I made which was influenced by eating at the restaurant and a VISA commercial. And success, too! This cookbook is great! If you can find one you might want to grab it.

See the Pork Chops with Ginger Apple Sauce Recipe here!

Also better known as Kecap Manis (soy sauce sweet), this Ketjap Medja is imported from Indonesia via Holland (the Dutch occupied Indonesia from 1602 to 1949) and is sweetened with a syrup of palm sugar.

Thick, like dark amber, late harvest grade B or C maple syrup, this is very dark in color.

To the nose, it smells like soy sauce, less bitter, and though you can smell sweet, it doesn't smell sweet. Perhaps it does not smell refreshing or appealing. Quite frankly, it smells nothing like the taste.

To the mouth, you can take a spoonful without the fear of a salty bomb that soy sauce might instill upon you.

It is smoky, sweet, and finishes with this weird salty edge, like a candy of a Chinese preserved plum. And like the smell, the taste is hard to describe.

There is no pucker-producing bite to this quite delicious treat. This is the best secret ingredient when making a marinade for a flank steak. Drizzle it into fresh carrot soup. On its own, it leans sweet, with the salty undertones enhancing the flavor and less adding a pronounced salt.

Pairing it along with soy sauce, fish sauce, and/or sesame oil is my favorite way. A recent use has been to lightly fry tofu in ghee, and then finish with Ketjap Medja, Shoyu, and a touch of Black Garlic Molasses, along with a healthy sprinkle of sesame seeds on top of rice.

This dark sweet soy sauce is one of the few essential pantry items I do not like to be without!

Shop now for Ketjap Manis - sweet soy!

From one of my favorite little cookbooks "The Breakfast Book", by Marion Cunningham. This little (in size) cookbook packs a lot of nice recipes! And it's all for breakfast! There is also a supper book which is also great!

See the Orange Walnut Muffins Recipe here!