Monthly Archives July 2019

Happy Martini Day! A classic martini is gin or vodka, a splash of dry vermouth and an olive or a lemon twist garnish. Many stories are surrounding the history of the martini.

Did you know that Italian immigrant bartender Martini di Arma di Taggia from New York City invented the drink around World War I? Many think the name martini came from a British-made rifle called a Martini & Henry. The English army used it around the 1870s because of its kick. There is also a fun story that John D. Rockefeller brought the martini to Wall Street, establishing the three-martini lunch. It’s a dated phrase used to describe a leisurely, indulgent lunch enjoyed by business people or lawyers.

And, contrary to how James Bond likes it, a shaken martini becomes ‘bruised’ or watered down...

Eli Brown wrote in Cinnamon and Gunpowder that “it is, admittedly, a base foodstuff, but lobster, well prepared, can nevertheless be made to satisfy the distinguished gourmand.” There’s never a wrong time of year to have lobster, and if you throw the steak on the grill during your next barbecue, consider sectioning off a place to grill lobster tails. I’m Kathey Jo, and I’m going to tell you a few ways to eat lobster.

Did you know? The lobster was so inexpensive and plentiful that during colonial times, prisoners, apprentices, slaves, and children ate them. These people became tired of eating lobster!

As you’re aware, we’re all about eating healthy here at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. It’s all about incorporating good eating habits in a natural way...

It’s that time of year for strawberries! And today at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, I’m going to tell you all about this versatile fruit. Did you know that shortcake is a sweet biscuit? You make it with flour, sugar, baking powder or soda, salt, butter, milk or cream, and sometimes eggs. Today’s shortcakes use biscuit or sponge cake as the base. In early American recipes, the pie crust was in the round or broken up. This style remains in the South.

What’s great about the shortcake dessert is that you can use peaches, blueberry, chocolate, or any other filling. It’s also common to see a recipe that recommends flavoring the shortcake with coconut. The way that people know shortcake in America varies in the U.K. where it’s known as shortbread.

The most famous dessert is – obviously – strawberry shortc...

Everybody knows the aroma of cooking meat on an open grill. It quickly reminds you of summers gone by here. But have you wondered about the other side of barbecuing? Today at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, we’re talking about food safety and how to incorporate it in your next barbecue. It’s something that’s always on our minds but do we ever stop and think about what those issues are? Between 2013 and 2017, fire departments across the nation reported an annual average of 10,200 home fires involving barbecues, grills, and hibachis per year. This figure included 4,500 structure fires and 5,700 unclassified fires. These fires caused ten civilian deaths, 160 civilian injuries, and $123 million in direct property damage on average.

Just because it’s outside doesn’t mean we should let up on what we know ...