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Recognizing, Picking and Using Miracle Leeks: You Should Know That

Miracle garlic is a relative of wild garlic. He convinces with his strong taste and a healing effect. Here you can find out what you need to look out for and how you can use magic leeks in cold dishes.

Recognizing miracle onions correctly

Miracle garlic, also known as Berlin wild garlic, is a relative of wild garlic. The plant originally comes from the Caucasus region and has spread across Central Europe over the centuries. You can recognize the herb above all by its intense smell, which is strongly reminiscent of onions or garlic.

Visually, the plant is characterized by green, narrow leaves – similar to grass – and white flowers. The leaves have no stalk and grow straight out of the bulb. Overall, the magic onion can grow up to 30 centimeters high. You can tell the herb from wild garlic by its narrow leaves, while real wild garlic has broad leaves.

Caution: Do not confuse the magic leek with the poisonous lily of the valley. In the latter, the leaves grow from a stem. In addition, the strong leek smell is missing.

Finding, gathering and processing Miracle Onions

Miracle leeks bloom from April to May and you can find the plant mainly in river meadows, forests and parks. You can gather the herb in forests. On the other hand, you should leave it near sprayed fields and where there are many dogs and cats.

By the way: You should not cultivate miracle onions in the garden, as the herb can spread quickly and uncontrollably. So it is an invasive neophyte.

Miracle leeks are ideal for cold dishes. The entire plant is edible, i.e. the leaves as well as the flower buds and bulb. You should not heat the plant, otherwise its aroma will be lost. If you can’t use the magic leeks fresh, you can simply freeze them.

Wunderlauch tastes similar to chives or wild garlic, but has a much milder aroma. It is therefore ideal for pesto, herb butter or cream cheese and quark preparations.

Ingredients and healing effects

Miracle leek has many positive effects: It is rich in allicin, essential oils, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial flavonoids and vitamin C. The herb thus has an appetite-stimulating, blood pressure-lowering, cholesterol-lowering and immune-boosting effect.

The herb is also often used to treat digestive problems. Whether raw or processed – the miracle leek has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract. The sulfur compound allicin, which is also contained in garlic, kills intestinal fungi, among other things. So far there have been no scientific studies on the medical effects of miracle leeks, but the herb probably does no harm.

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Food

Recognizing Good Coffee Beans: The 10 Most Important Quality Features

Coffee lovers know: the bean makes the difference! And not just with regard to whether you like it aromatically mild or strong in the cup. The quality of the beans can be clearly determined based on a few essential characteristics. So how do you recognize good coffee beans? Here’s the answer.

1. Good coffee beans are good guys

From time to time, broken specimens can also be found under freshly bought quality beans. Given the long journey they’ve had, that’s not unusual at first. However, if a large part of the beans are broken, this is an indication of inferior quality. For example, it can refer to so-called bulk goods: such beans are loaded in containers and without care. The rule therefore applies: the fewer broken beans in the package, the more carefully they were processed, stored and transported.

2. Good coffee beans don’t have holes

Some insects also love coffee, especially the coffee cherry beetle. The little creatures leave traces of feeding, which can be recognized as holes in the beans. Thanks to the roasting, such beans are not harmful to health, but the pest infestation affects the quality. So if the majority of coffee beans remind you of Swiss cheese, that’s a clear sign of poor selection – and inferior quality.

3. Good coffee beans are mold free

Not only the coffee cherry beetle leaves its mark. Even if mold has formed during the drying process of the cherries, this can still be seen later in the roasted beans: if they have hard-edged spots, this is a sign of an earlier infestation. As a rule, health is not damaged, since the high temperatures during roasting kill most of the spores. Nevertheless, the whole thing is not very appetizing – who would voluntarily drink coffee from rotten beans?

4. Good coffee beans belong to a quality variety

The type of bean is of great importance for the quality, there are about 40 different ones worldwide. The Arabica bean makes up the lion’s share of the harvest at around 60%. It impresses with a low caffeine content and a very fine taste with a variety of aromas. It thrives best at high altitudes, so the criterion “highland coffee” is definitely a quality feature for Arabica beans. In addition to Arabica beans, roasters, especially for espresso, like to use Robusta beans. They contain more caffeine than Arabica and have a slightly tart and fuller aroma – perfect for espresso that tastes very much like Italy.

5. Good coffee beans are gently roasted

High-quality coffee beans should be gently roasted in a drum roaster. In contrast to industrial processes, roasting takes longer and takes place at a lower maximum temperature. This affects the later taste: acids, especially tannic acid, can be broken down thanks to drum roasting. In addition, fewer bitter substances are produced.

6. Good coffee beans smell intensely of coffee – and of nothing else

Another important criterion for the quality of the coffee beans is their smell. They should smell intensely of coffee – and nothing else. If you notice other smells, this is a sign that the harvest, coffee selection or roasting were not ideal.

7. Good coffee beans are packaged to protect the aroma

The packaging of the coffee beans is also decisive for the quality. It should be resealable and have a degassing valve to allow the CO2 from the beans to escape from the pack. At the same time, high-quality packaging protects the coffee from oxygen. This is the only way to preserve the full aroma of the beans.

8. Good coffee beans have no unwelcome companions

Stones, twigs or other things in the package show that care was not taken when sorting the beans. And what’s even worse: Such foreign objects can damage the grinder of your fully automatic machine or your coffee grinder.

9. Good coffee beans have no off-flavors

In addition to varietal peculiarities in taste, there are aromas that definitely have no place in coffee, so-called off-flavors. The coffee tastes like leather, rubber or forest floor? Then it is an inferior product or a poorly balanced roast.

10. Good coffee beans come at a price

Last but not least, it should be noted: the coffee bean’s journey from cultivation to cup is long and error-prone. The manufacturers of quality beans monitor every single step with corresponding care – from harvest to transport in jute sacks to roasting, and as with everything, good work comes at a price.

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Cooking Tips

Recognizing Good Chocolate Directly – 9 Tips

Especially in the run-up to Christmas, it is literally on everyone’s lips: chocolate. With hardly any other confectionery, however, do you have to differentiate so much between sweets and luxury foods. The gap between mass and quality products is too big. Here are 9 tips on how to distinguish a high-quality chocolate from an inferior chocolate. One thing in advance: It is not always the price and noble brand image in advertising that indicate the quality.

Which seals can be seen on the chocolate?

Even a quick look at the packaging gives conclusions as to what is important to the manufacturer. If the organic seal is shown, only ingredients from organic farming are used. This excludes the use of plant toxins and guarantees biodiversity on the plantations. In combination with the Rainforest Alliance seal, social components are added, e.g. the exclusion of child labor. The Fairtrade seal also guarantees safe prices for the producers.

Does the manufacturer exclude child labor?

Child labor is a big problem – especially on the large cocoa plantations of West Africa. This is where most of the cocoa used worldwide comes from. Where does the cocoa come from and can the manufacturer prevent exploitative child labor? A look at the website should show whether something is actively being done in this area.

Questionable ingredients

Emulsifiers such as soy lecithin, the ecologically controversial palm oil or vanillin – a synthetically produced flavoring – should not appear in the list of ingredients. Conventional soy lecithin in particular is mostly obtained from genetically modified soy plants.

Around 80% of the soy grown worldwide is not grown sustainably and has a high level of pollution.

Cocoa butter or cheap fats?

An essential part of a good chocolate is the cocoa butter. This pressed fat from the cocoa fruit is a very high-quality raw material that gives chocolate a particularly intense melt. How much cocoa butter does it contain? The approximate amount can be derived from the position in the list of ingredients. Cocoa butter should be mentioned first.

Cheap chocolate often cheats with cheaper fats, such as butterfat or palm fat, the extraction of which is ecologically problematic.

Which sugar is used?

When it comes to sugar, there are some massive differences. Industrially processed refined sugar has often come under criticism. Better variants here are raw cane zocker or alternative natural sweeteners such as xylitol, coconut blossom sugar or agave syrup. Most of these original species still contain valuable minerals.

How is the chocolate packed?

Of course, the quality of the packaging does not determine the quality of the chocolate. Nevertheless, both should fit together. An organic chocolate thickly wrapped in plastic, lacquered or aluminum-coated composites raises critical questions. In general, there are now many ecological packaging alternatives (such as the compostable Natureflex film, which is used for VIVANI chocolates). Just ask the manufacturer or look it up on the website.

Is the chocolate produced sustainably?

If you are on the manufacturer’s website, it is also advisable to take a look at the place and type of manufacture. What do you find out about this? Is production climate-neutral? Do you pay attention to efficient energy management? Are sustainable packaging materials used and are mineral oil-free printing inks used in the packaging? If a lot of this is the case, the manufacturer doesn’t want to make a quick buck, but pays attention to the environment in a responsible manner.

The chocolate has turned white. is that mold

All clear: mold is not. But so-called fat bloom. This can form if the chocolate has been exposed to excessive temperature fluctuations. If it is stored too warm, the chocolate “sweats”. The fats come to the surface and are deposited as a whitish layer. The chocolate tastes rather bland and old and has a crumbly consistency. Nevertheless, please do not store chocolate in the refrigerator. It binds foreign odors.

Last but not least: the taste

In the end, of course, the all-important question: How does the chocolate taste? Does she have a fine enamel? Does the cocoa used have exciting aromas? Are there other ingredients that create sophisticated side effects? Do hazelnuts and almonds taste nice and roasted? Is the level of sweetness balanced? Of course, everyone has their own preferences and is their own – and also their best – expert.

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Food

Recognizing Good Ice Cream: You Have to Pay Attention to This in the Ice Cream Parlor

High, creamy mountains of ice in many bright colors – what looks delicious is often an indication of additives. We’ll show you what to look out for when you go to the ice cream parlour.

Treat yourself to a refreshment on hot days – the nearby ice cream parlor is just the thing. But how do I recognize high-quality ice cream that is free of additives? The inscription “from own production”, which adorns many ice cream parlors, could be a first clue. Or?

“Homemade ice cream” can mean many things

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy, because the terms “from our own production” or “homemade” are not legally binding. Making it yourself can mean a lot: Mixing ready-made powder, “refining” a ready-made base with fresh fruit or chocolate, or making your own ice cream from scratch. The consumer advice center is therefore calling for more transparency from ice cream manufacturers.

Then maybe a better look at the ingredients? This is not always possible either, because ice cream parlors are not obliged to provide them. They only have to declare allergens and individual additives, such as dyes. Bright, bright colors in the ice cream case are a possible indication that the ice cream was produced industrially and with additives. Even if the ice cream in the display case towers impressively, this is anything but a sign of quality. Rather, it is an indication of the use of emulsifiers.

Emulsifiers ensure that the ingredients mix well and the ice cream does not melt as quickly. But they also have downsides. The emulsifier polysorbate 80, which is often contained in ice cream, is suspected of promoting obesity and intestinal inflammation. Lecithin – the most common emulsifier – is harmless to health. However, it often comes from genetically modified soybean plants, which are grown in monocultures.

Under certain circumstances, the high ice towers also indicate insufficient cooling. You can also see how hygienic it is in an ice cream parlor by looking at the aprons, ice cream scoops and containers. If these are contaminated, there is a risk of an increased number of germs in the ice. During a hygiene check in Saarland, the ice usually did well. On the other hand, there were complaints about two out of three cream samples.

Nut ice cream – without nuts?!

Especially when it comes to nut ice cream, people cheat. It often doesn’t contain what should be in it: nuts. Pistachio ice cream, for example, is often tricked out by using flavors such as bitter almonds to compensate for the missing nut content or almost completely replace it.

In order to make the pistachio ice cream look like pistachios, manufacturers often help. Coloring plant dyes ensure a rich green and suggest pistachios in the ice cream. If chemical dyes are used, this must be stated on the label. So it’s best to take a closer look when you choose your ice cream in the ice cream parlour.

Note: If the sign says “pistachio-flavored ice cream” or “walnut-flavored ice cream” or something similar, you can assume that the flavor comes only from the added flavors and not from real nuts. Then you should rather reach for another ice cream.

If in doubt: ask or do it yourself

If you want to be sure what’s in your scoop of ice cream, you should check with the ice cream shop. You can also make ice cream yourself – even without an ice cream maker. Tip for vegans: sorbet should be free of milk components. But here, too, you better ask if you want to be on the safe side.

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Lifestyle

Recognizing Fresh Fish and Preserving Fish

Identifying fresh fish and preserving fish made it easy. Recognize the fresh fish with tips and tricks and avoid smelly fish. Also, make fish last longer and thaw fresh fish without loss of quality and bring it home after fishing.

How do you recognize fresh fish?

If you want to test whether the fish is fresh when you buy it, look closely at the scales. If the scales are shiny and fit snugly against the skin of the fish, this is an indication of freshness. The gills must not be grey. They should be red or pink in color.

Fresh fish without loss of quality

Freshly caught fish spoils quite quickly. Warm weather wears it out, guts accelerate spoilage, and pH levels quickly drop into the acidic range—if you don’t treat the fish you catch properly, you’ll have little pleasure in eating it. Freshly caught fish should be killed and gutted after being caught. Then wrap it in greaseproof paper and keep it cool. This means it can be taken home and processed there without any loss of quality.

Leave the fish in the water for as long as possible

When a nice fish has bitten and you want it to end up on your plate later, it’s best to put it back in the water – in a large and spacious keepnet, of course, so it doesn’t swim away from us. This allows the fish to stay alive for as long as possible and is therefore fresher.

However, caution is advised: In some federal states it is forbidden to keep fish in keepnets. Here the prudent fisherman should inquire sufficiently before fishing. In the worst case, fines and confiscation of the fishing equipment can threaten.

Chill the dead fish as much as possible

The fish should not be taken out of its net until the angler has gone home. The fish is to be stunned directly and without delay with a blow on the head. He can now be killed with a knife wound between the pectoral fins. The fish should be gutted immediately afterward. If the intestines remain in the fish for too long, they can negatively affect the meat quality.

Once the fish has been gutted (it can be worthwhile to remove the head and the roughest scales as well), pack it up. Please do not use foil for this. This packs the fish as airtight as possible and the dead meat cannot evaporate. Greaseproof paper or the small bags made of this material is definitely better. The fish is to be packed in it.

The best thing for the meat quality is to keep the fish refrigerated. Because as soon as it is dead, the pH value of the meat slowly drops and makes the fish sour and soon inedible. Either you wrap a wet, cool towel around it. Or you can put it together with the wrapped greaseproof paper directly in a cool box. You can use it to go home and eat the fish or freeze it. However, it should be processed after 2-3 days.

Eat frozen fish with no aftertaste

Fish will keep best if you freeze them. So that the frozen fish does not retain its frozen taste, you can defrost it in milk. The aroma of the fish is brought out again.

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