Hi! I am Shari Sweeney and
here on A Certain Aesthetic I’m serving you elevated food, mindful experiences and the beauty of living in Okinawa, Japan!
All in Food & Beverage
The weather is beautiful right now and that means summer is quickly approaching! Even though we are the middle of a pandemic, it’s important to find ways to enjoy the coming of this new season. A great way to do that is to indulge in delicious grilled meat on a stick so these rosemary and lemon shrimp kabobs are perfect for this occasion!
Let’s talk about how to do something that most of us detest...peeling and deveining head-on shrimp! It can be a rather cumbersome task and it’s worth it to ensure your meal is top-notch!
Dealing with head-on shrimp can be a bit intimidating to some because you’re seeing everything such as eyes, antennae, legs, and all! However, there is a bonus to purchasing head-on shrimp, which is the ability to use them in multiple ways. Once you peel the shrimp you can of course eat the meat in a myriad of delicious ways. You can also save the shells and heads to make a flavorful seafood stock that is perfect for sauces, soups, and stews. Let’s say you peeled some shrimp for dinner but you didn’t have the time to make a stock. You can always store them in the freezer and make the stock at a more convenient time in the future.
Making your own vinaigrette is easy and delicious! In this recipe shallots are the shining star because they bring a small amount of bite due to their onion-like flavor and texture to the dressing. What’s special about this vinaigrette is that it’s well-rounded with a pop of brightness from the coriander seeds and it has a great mouthfeel…
Let’s talk about Shallots, shall we?!
When you’re in the grocery store or the farmer’s market, have you ever seen some palm-sized brown clusters that are nearby the onions and garlic? If so, these are called shallots! They are like the mild-mannered cousin of the sharp flavored onion. When you are choosing shallots, you want to find a tight cluster that is firm when squeezed. Once you bring them home, they can last for weeks in a basket on your countertop. However, it’s preferable to store them in a dark, cool, and dry place with great ventilation for longer storage.
Heavy cream is an amazing ingredient that is versatile beyond measure. It is used to make so many of our favorite comfort foods like ice cream, whipped cream, creme fraiche, ricotta cheese, caramel and so much more. You can even make your own butter at home by churning heavy cream in your stand mixer! This would be something fun to do to pass the time and you can even add some fresh herbs to make a compound butter for your steaks and roasted veggies. Yummm!
