Spices 101: What is Sansho Pepper?
Recently we went over the interesting quirks behind black pepper, and how it’s not really a pepper but really more of a berry, and how they start off as these weird little green things, and so on and so forth. You may remember that red peppercorns weren’t really technically peppercorns, but were instead a similar berry from a different plant. Today we’re going to learn about yet another look-alike (taste-alike?) of black pepper, sansho pepper.
Sansho
Origin: Japan
Appearance: Light green powder OR small green berries
Scent: Fruity, zesty
Taste: Citric, spicy, warm
Foods: Japanese, other Asian
Rareness: Rare
Valentine’s Post: How To Cook As A Couple!
Today we’re gonna talk about cooking as a couple. Working together as partners. Being a team in the kitchen. And actually I have to admit I’m surprised we haven’t really written about this subject yet considering we’re called Poor Couple’s Food Guide. But I guess the last three years have just been busy.
(Actually, no, we just keep forgetting to)
Test the Recipe: Peas with Sesame Butter
“Test the Recipe” is a recurring column on PCFG where we test vintage (anything published before 1990) recipes and see if they stand the test of time or need updating. In this post we test the recipe as exactly as possible for the most accurate outcomes. Those recipes that need updating will be featured later in a “We Can Do It Better” post.
I realized when looking through recent posts that the first two “Test the Recipe” posts were desserts. Not that there’s anything wrong with dessert, but we here at Poor Couple’s Food Guide believe in eating a balanced diet. So for this edition I turned to veggies. It was actually harder to find a good recipe to test than I thought it would be. There was a fair amount of vegetable recipes, but I had to narrow it down to ones that seemed quick, since this was going to be a side dish and not a main course, and also contain vegetables that everyone eating dinner would eat (which is easier said than done). There were a lot of recipes for vegetables I don’t like. Why so many asparagus and mushroom recipes guys? There weren’t even any I really wanted to use in the first book I looked through, but luckily I found one I felt like testing in Betty Crocker’s Working Woman’s Cookbook from 1982. I’ve always been a fan of sesame, so peas with sesame butter it was.
Super Bowl Snack Round-Up
The big day is almost here! The most anticipated day in sports is just around the corner. That’s right; I’m talking about the Puppy Bowl. Oh yeah, and there’s some football thing going on too. Whichever you’re watching, it’s a day to indulge in some classic snack/party foods. If you’re scrambling to find good food to serve to all those people you have coming over, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. We’ve rounded up some of our best game day snacks into this convenient post.
Basic Guacamole
If you’re putting out tortilla chips, you need to put out something to dip them in. That’s where this guacamole recipe comes in. It’s easily doubled, or tripled if you have a crowd to serve.
Perfect for dipping.
Chicken Nachos
If you’re feeling more ambitious you can make some nachos for your guests. Be prepared for them to go quickly though. They’re really good.
Dig in!
Shredded Taco Chicken
If you want to set up a taco/burrito bar for your guests, be sure to include this shredded chicken as a filling option.
Don’t feel like going Mexican? Don’t worry; there are other options as well!
Food 101: How To Make Oven Fries
French fries are pretty much perfect. They’re delicious, easy to make, and it’s almost impossible to screw them up. The only real criticism you could make against them is that even though homemade fried foods aren’t inherently “bad” for you, they still are a few more calories compared to their baked counterparts. So if you’re looking for a diet-friendly alternative to french fries, there’s always oven fries!
Also, there’s potatoes. Just… raw-ass potatoes.
The Poor Couple's Food Guide 
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