Definition of truth as defined by AI - A theory of reality and facts.

Definition of fact as defined by AI - An objective reality or truth that can be verified based on independent personal beliefs or opinions.

Definition of fiction as defined by AI - Fiction contrasts with fact, as it is primarily invented and does not claim to represent actual reality.

Definition of history as defined by AI - History is both, the record of past events and the academic discipline that examines and interprets them.

The definition of math as defined by AI - A theoretical discipline that explores fundamental concepts of logic and reasoning.

Do numbers lie according to AI? - While numbers themselves don't lie, how they are handled, represented, or explained can lead to false or misleading ideas.

The definition of diet as defined by AI - The everyday food habits of an individual or a prescribed eating plan designed to achieve a specific taste goal.

My diet for the last 30 years has been try, try, try everything! I have tried so many, many amazing foods from all over the world.

And the fact is, almost absolutely everything has been fantastic tasting.

Of all those things just a few have been unbelievable, outside the norm, beyond expectation and, in some cases, they slap your forehead and say, "Oh, that's what it's supposed to taste like." Those are the ingredients we share with you here.

Now, 30 years later, I think of the word diet differently. I've gotten choosier, more particular, more specific about what I put in my mouth.

Let's face it, age, weight and consumption all play a factor into our choices.

Unfortunately, the total number of calories that go in our mouths and subsequently our fat matter.

With these thoughts it dawned on me this morning as I was doing last night's dishes (yes I know it's appalling to some to wait till the morning) that running a partially filled dishwasher is not efficient and exposes my food choices.

Why not, as the week goes on, as the days pass, choose the food to make based upon what room is left in the dishwasher. Is there room on the top rack for small bowls and glasses or is there room on the bottom for large mixing bowls and plates?

So my plan is to check the dishwasher, choose the food and then over the course of a week I am betting my caloric reduction will happen in an anamorphic way. That's my new diet plan.

The definition of anamorphic by AI - The intentional distortion of an image that can be restored to its correct form through a specific perspective, lens, or method of viewing creating a new truth (see above).

The definition of AI by AI - There are two main types of AI: Narrow AI (Weak AI): General AI (Strong AI). AI is smarter than you.

FYI - COLOMBA tasting in the shop on Saturday the 12th.

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This is what I made in college. I didn't have a clue on how to cook chicken. My goal was to have it taste good and make it quickly.

A broiling pan or any pan will work. Keep the pieces apart for even cooking. Turn the broiler on and....

See the Easy Broiled Chicken with Fennel Pollen here!

Fennel pesto is a lot like the more typical basil pesto. Although the addition of fennel pollen gives it an extra boost of flavor and aroma. Delicious.

See the Trofie with Fennel Pollen Pesto Recipe here!

So crazy easy for fantastic results makes the mundane go away with ease.

See the Fennel Pollen Roasted Chicken Recipe here!

Mahi-Mahi is a wonderful, meaty white fish. Like halibut, Mahi-Mahi works well as a base for other flavors.

See the Fennel Pollen Encrusted Mahi-Mahi Recipe here!

Fennel seed comes from the tall, leggy fennel plant that grows wild throughout Eastern and Western Europe, India, North Africa, and Japan.

Though it has a pleasant, sweet, and cool flavor that is often compared to anise, no other spice comes close to matching its uniquely camphoric, mellow profile.

Fennel seed is exceptionally good with fish, especially very oily varieties, reeling in heavy flavors with its clean taste. Pork and lamb are also traditionally seasoned with fennel, and it adds significant flavor to simple salad dressings and egg sauces.

It lends a crisp flavor to curry powders and other traditional spice mixes and is a necessary ingredient in European breads, sausages, and pickles.

Use sparingly in foods that could use a little "lift."

Shop now for Whole Fennel Seeds!

Chinese Five Spice is a distinctive and aromatic blend with a history that spans thousands of years in Chinese culinary tradition.

Rooted in the principles of traditional Chinese philosophy, the blend is designed to represent the five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal, and water—each symbolized by a unique taste.

The combination of these flavors creates a harmonious balance of sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty notes.

The five key ingredients in this blend are star anise, which imparts a sweet, licorice-like flavor; Chinese cinnamon (or cassia), contributing warmth and sweetness; cloves, adding a pungent, spicy kick; Sichuan peppercorns, which provide a numbing, tingling sensation along with a peppery heat; and fennel seeds, which offer a sweet, licorice-like taste that complements the star anise.

In Chinese medicine, balance is paramount, and the five spices correspond to different internal organs and elements: star anise (Wood) is associated with the liver, cinnamon (Fire) with the heart, cloves (Earth) with the spleen, Sichuan peppercorns (Metal) with the lungs, and fennel (Water) with the kidneys. This alignment reflects the blend's use not only for flavor, but also for promoting harmony and balance within the body.

Chinese Five Spice is an essential ingredient in five-spice duck, braised pork belly, and stir-fries, where it imparts its signature flavor profile and healthful benefits.

Making your own recipe is easy and can match your own flavor profile!

See the Chinese Five Spice Recipe here!

Star anise (Illicium verum) is a spice that is widely used in various cuisines around the world, particularly in Asian and Middle Eastern cooking. It is native to China and Vietnam and is derived from the dried fruit of an evergreen tree belonging to the magnolia family.

Star anise has a unique star-shaped appearance, with eight pointed pods that are usually brown in color. Each pod contains a shiny seed, which is the part used for culinary and medicinal purposes.

The spice has a strong, licorice-like flavor and a sweet aroma, which is why it is often used as a flavoring agent in a variety of dishes.

The history of star anise can be traced back to ancient China, where it has been used for thousands of years. It was highly valued not only for its culinary properties but also for its medicinal benefits. In traditional Chinese medicine, star anise was believed to have numerous therapeutic uses, including aiding digestion, relieving coughs and colds, and promoting overall wellness.

During the Middle Ages, star anise gained popularity in Europe as a flavoring and medicinal herb. It was often used as a substitute for the more expensive spice, anise, due to its similar taste. However, it wasn't until the 17th century that star anise became more widely recognized and appreciated in European cuisines.

In Chinese cuisine, star anise is a key ingredient in many traditional dishes, particularly in the southern regions. It is often used in soups, broths, and braised dishes, adding a rich, sweet, and slightly spicy flavor. It is a primary component of Chinese five-spice powder, which also includes cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds.

Star anise has gained attention for its use in the production of the antiviral drug oseltamivir, commonly known as Tamiflu. The compound shikimic acid, found in star anise, is a key ingredient in the synthesis of Tamiflu.

Shop now for Star Anise here!

Sichuan peppercorns, also known as Szechuan peppercorns, are a key ingredient in Sichuan cuisine, which is a popular regional cuisine in China known for its bold and spicy flavors.

Sichuan peppercorns are not actually true peppercorns, but the dried berries of the Zanthoxylum piperitum plant, which belongs to the Rutaceae family, commonly known as the citrus family.

The flavor of Sichuan peppercorns is characterized by a unique combination of citrusy, floral, and lemony notes. They have a distinct aroma and taste that is not as pungent or spicy as black peppercorns. Instead, they provide a tingling, numbing sensation on the tongue, which is their most notable characteristic.

This numbing effect, along with their citrusy flavor, adds a distinctive and refreshing element to dishes. This lemony flavor is what makes them particularly appealing for brightening up sauces and meat and chicken dishes.

The peppercorns are harvested from the deciduous prickly ash tree, which is native to the Sichuan province in China. The berries are typically harvested when they are fully mature and have turned reddish-brown.

After harvesting, the shells of the peppercorns are split open, and the bitter black seeds inside are removed and discarded. The remaining outer husk is what is used for culinary purposes.

One of the unique characteristics of Sichuan peppercorns is the presence of hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, a compound that gives them their distinctive numbing sensation. This numbing effect is often combined with the spiciness of chili peppers in Sichuan cuisine, creating a sensation known as "ma la," which translates to "numbing and spicy." It is a defining feature of many Sichuan dishes.

Sichuan peppercorns are also valued for their medicinal properties. Traditional Chinese medicine utilizes Sichuan peppercorns for their warming and circulatory benefits, as well as their potential digestive and anti-inflammatory properties.

When using Sichuan peppercorns in cooking, it is common to lightly toast them in a dry pan to enhance their aroma before grinding or crushing them.

They are then added to dishes during cooking or used as a finishing spice. The tingling and numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns can vary in intensity, so it is advisable to start with a small amount and adjust to taste.

Shop now for Red Sichuan Peppercorns!

The date in history is one of royalty. This 50 million year old fruit, phoenix dactylifera, also known as the bread of the desert, is naturally sweet and full of goodness.

Believed to be full of nutritional value to fight all the bad things in life. High in fiber, with not only benefits one would "regularly" expect, dates are also known to help in shaping things to come and keep your sugar levels from spiking.

High in antioxidants to protect your cells from free radicals, to fight off chronic worries of Alzheimer's, diabetes and your heart.

In some studies they found that eating dates helped in natural child birth, from starting as expected, to shortening labor! At a minimum the natural sugar and calories keep your energy up.

And it has shown to remove plaque in brains. I am not sure what this means, but I expect it is good, though I haven't figured it out, yet. Perhaps I should eat more dates and it will make me smarter?

Dates are a natural sweetener with a bit of a flavor. Dates biggest enemy, for those that are not used to the bite, is the gooeyness and the pit. And that's where this date syrup comes into play. Easy to use or eat (a spoonful of date is the medicine that goes down), you can add date syrup as a topper to a squash soup, as a sweetener in places that call for sugar and in baking, not just as sugar but as a sweet deep flavor.

This date syrup is easiest to pour and fits in-between molasses and cane syrup in strength of taste.

It is a nice way to sweeten your life and your taste buds.

Shop now for Premium Date Syrup!

This very easy and straightforward recipe uses date syrup.

Date syrup, known as "Dibs" in Arabic, is a popular ingredient in Moroccan cuisine, providing a rich, caramel-like sweetness.

See the Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Dates Recipe here!

A simple version of a Chicken dish with spices utilizing date syrup.

See the Moroccan Chicken with Date Syrup and Almonds Recipe!

Turmeric is one amazing aromatic perennial herb of the Zingiberaceae or ginger family. This tuberous rhizome (root) is a flowering plant that grows in tropical locales, and is most often ground fresh like wasabi, or boiled, dried, and ground to make a powder.

Once upon a time it, was called Indian Saffron (in fact, it is still used to dye impostor saffron) for its deep orange color. It is also know for its powerful health benefits that Indian Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese medicine have been using for 4,000 years to reduce inflammation, help with toothaches, and jaundice. Perhaps the true route to its success is how it helps with flatulence and digestive issues.

Like a high-quality fresh olive oil, turmeric is showing that it might also be a fighter of Alzheimer's and diabetes. (Caution for diabetics as it can thin blood, always ask your doctor).

Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, and it is curcumin that is believed to destroy mutated cells associated with prostate, breast, and colon cancers.

But it's not just these reasons to have turmeric in your cupboard. It should be in your food for its palette enhancing pleasing bold color. And it's not just palette pleasing, it is also palate perfect for your lentils, for sprinkling on veggies, or to brighten your eggs up. Simply add it to your favorite dishes like Moroccan Fried Rice or Singapore noodles.

Shop now for Organic Turmeric!

So delicious! Perfect Italian Easter Colomba bread with candied cherries and little bits of chocolate.

FYI - COLOMBA tasting in the shop on Saturday the 12th!

Preorder now for Albertengo Cherry and Chocolate Colomba here!

Almond and hail sugar glazed Colomba (Panettone) with candied citrons and bits of chocolate.

FYI - COLOMBA tasting in the shop on Saturday the 12th!

Preorder now for Flamigni Citron and Chocolate Colomba!