Did you know we should November 8th is Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day? Little is left to the imagination, and celebrations are held by cooking bold and pungent foods. Or, in other words, food that will knock your socks off!
This includes any recipe with lots of Spices, flavorful condiments, or fragrances which can be considered bold. As for pungent, any food that has a strong smell will qualify, and the smell of Garlic, Mustard, or even Eggs can qualify as pungent. Cook Something Bold Day encourages us to experiment with our cooking and eating habits and not be boring with our food choices, even if it’s only for a day!
People are not sure how Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day came about, and the origin and the founder of Cook Something Bold Day are still unknown. However, Cook Something Bold Day was designed to show recognition and raise awareness for cooking something bold and pungent. Simply put, the primary intention of Cook Something Bold Day is to cook something original, Spicy, and even a bit offensive.
Cook Something Bold Day also intends to mark the use of Herbs including Garlic and Hot Pepper that add to a dish’s flavor and promote the health and longevity of those who eat the dish. Several recipes are bold and pungent without being overwhelming. The best thing about celebrating Cook Something Bold Day at home is that you can modify the level of Spices according to your preference.
Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day is a holiday that aims to inspire people to break out of culinary monotony. Cook Something Bold Day is the day to try something new and different, and the day encourages us to cook something extraordinary and maybe a little crazy. Use Cook Something Bold Day to make discoveries about interesting and different foods and find out how to make them both nutritious and delicious.
Cooking at home is one of the best things you can do for your health and well-being. When you cook instead of eating out, you get to have a say in what you want to eat, maintain proper hygiene, and even be sure of your food’s nutritional value.
Yet, we all know that cooking and eating at home can get boring, especially if we keep repeating the same meals. It’s nice to have a change in the menu occasionally. Dare to be brave and cook something bold and pungent that will be a shock to your system.
How To Celebrate Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day
- With a bit of imagination, you can create a surprisingly original, bold, and pungent dish and remember don’t be afraid to experiment with flavors, Spices, and aromas.
- Host a potluck with your friends and family and encourage everyone to try their hand at a bold and pungent recipe which is a great way to taste a variety of interesting flavors.
- If you have the means today take the opportunity to go shopping for Spices, essences, and flavorful Vegetables today. You will be surprised to find how well-stocked your local Grocery Store is and you might also be surprised at the strange and interesting foods you can find in Nature.
Facts About Our Tongue
- The tongue has between 2,000 and 4,000 taste buds.
- The little pink and white bumps on the tongue are actually called Papillae, hair-like projections that taste buds rest atop.
- The tongue is made up of eight different muscles.
- If you get fat, so does your tongue and here is a fun fact for you. The fatter the person, the fatter their tongue.
- You don’t sense different tastes in different areas of the tongue even though we grew up believing the tongue had four taste zones (sweet, sour, salty, and bitter), this is not the case.
Why People Love Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day
Most of us shy away from experimenting in the kitchen but on Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day it forces us out of our comfort zone and encourages us to cook and eat something new and exciting.
Many cuisines are naturally bold and pungent because the foods are cooked with various Spices and flavor enhancers and today is the day to try those dishes.
Hot & Spicy Soup
Ingredients
(Optional) Rehydrate (*Footnote 1)
- 1/3 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1/4 cup dried woodear mushrooms
- 1/4 cup dried lily flowers
Optional Marinate
- 1/2 lbs (230 g) pork loin (or chicken breast) cut into thin strips
- 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
Soup
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2 green onions chopped
- 2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
- 1 teaspoon white pepper powder (or 1/2 teaspoon white pepper powder for a less spicy dish)
- 6 cups water or chicken stock (*Footnote 3)
- 1/2 block (8 oz / 227 g) firm tofu, cubed
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce or soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
Gently rinse dried shiitake mushrooms, dried wood ear mushrooms, and lily flowers with tap water. Soak each of them with 1.5 to 2 cups warm water in three big bowls. Rehydrate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until tender. Slice mushrooms into strips. Snip off the tough ends of lily flowers and discard. Remove tough ends of wood ear mushrooms, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Reserve the marinating water from lily flower and shiitake mushrooms, 2 cups in total
Combine pork, Shaoxing wine, salt and cornstarch in a bowl. Mix well by hand. Marinate for 10 – 15 minutes.
Add Chinkiang vinegar and white pepper into a small bowl. Mix well until the white pepper is completely dissolved.
Add water or chicken stock, ginger, and green onion into a pot and heat over medium-high heat. If you reserved the marinating liquid from step one, you can add it plus 4 cups water or chicken stock.
Add rehydrated wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, lily flowers, and tofu to the pot. Cook until bringing to a simmer. Add soy sauce and turn to medium-low heat.
Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water in a bowl until cornstarch is fully dissolved. Slowly swirl the cornstarch slurry into the soup. Stir to thicken the soup.
Add the pork from step one into the soup, stirring several times to prevent the pork strips from sticking together. Add the salt. Slowly swirl in the beaten egg and stir well. The egg should be scattered and not clotted.
Remove the pot from stove. Add the vinegar and pepper mixture and stir to mix well.
Garnish with cilantro and drizzle with sesame oil. Give it a final stir. Taste the soup and add more salt if needed.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
