Ingredient Adventure

I like trying new things, especially when it comes to cooking. From time to time, I find an ingredient I have never used before and challenge myself to make something with it. I have not attempted anything too out-of-the-ordinary, but I have tried some things that are not part of every cook’s repertoire—artichokes, fennel, and cardamom, to name a few. The results of my past endeavors range from delicious (grilled figs with honey cheese cream) to disaster (a pie made with blackstrap molasses). Based on these experiences, I’m thinking that future ingredient adventures will make pretty decent blog fodder.

I went to the grocery store on Saturday, looking for the perfect food for my next adventure. The astounding number of options made me realize how inexperienced I am in the world of food: rutabagas, pomegranates, veal, quinoa, ... The list goes on. I found what I was looking for in the meat department—capon, something I had never even heard of. Perfect! I assumed it must be something duck- or goose-like since it was in the same freezer case as the geese. I almost went for a goose (since I have never cooked that either), but I could not pass up a complete unknown for half the cost. When I got my capon home, the research started. Joy of Cooking¹ let me down; there was no mention of capons. But Food Lover's Companion² came through for me. I must admit that I was a little disappointed when I learned that a capon is just a chicken. Well, actually, it is a castrated rooster that is fed a fattening diet, resulting in tender, flavorful meat, particularly suited to roasting. I already know how to roast a chicken, so this ingredient should not be too much of a challenge. Stay tuned to see how it goes ...

¹Rombauer, Irma S., Becker, Marion Rombauer, & Becker, Ethan. (2006). Joy of cooking (75th anniversary ed.). New York, NY: Scribner.
²Herbst, Sharon Tyler. (2001). The new food lover's companion (3rd ed.). Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, Inc.