Normal caviar might have those connotations, but there is a special type of caviar from the American state of Texas that will totally change your concept of this food!

Texas caviar is a no-frills, easy-to-prepare dip that takes an ingredient that looks like caviar and combines it with vegetables and a vinaigrette dressing to make an addicting snack.

Black-eyed peas are a common thing to find in Southern cooking, and they are the star ingredient used in Texas caviar. These savory, slightly nutty peas are the base and the flavor that dominates the dip. Oh yeah, and their black “eyes” are what gives this dish its name due to their resemblance with caviar!

Other things you can expect to find in this delicious dip include black beans, corn, onions, green peppers, lime juice, tomatoes, olive oil, and red wine vinaigrette. More and more people have also begun using avocado in this dip, which gives it a new twist!

The most common type of chip to dip in Texas caviar is tortilla chips, whose crispy character pairs perfectly with the dip’s other ingredients.

Have you tried Texas caviar before? What did you think?

The post Texas Caviar is a Great Tortilla Chip Dip appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Cincinnati Chili can be found on seemingly every corner of this city, with restaurants offering up hot plates of this strange-looking and sounding dish to diners from near and far. What makes this dish so unique, and why is it so beloved?

Throughout its history, Cincinnati has been a city of immigrants. Plenty of Irish, Germans, and African-Americans have ended up in the Queen City over the years, but it’s a smaller and less well-known group that modified one of its traditional dishes to make what is now a favorite.

A group of Macedonian and Greek immigrants arrived in Cincinnati at the start of the 20th century and thought up a genius creation that modified a traditional dish from their homeland to adapt it to the diverse palates of their new city.

They modified saltsa kima, a traditional tomato and spice sauce used on spaghetti in their home countries, as the base for a new creation.

Cincinnati chili sauce contains ground meat, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and many of the ingredients used in saltsa kima. In addition, it is often topped with cheddar cheese, onions, and/or beans in order to give it a unique and distinct twist.

Now available on both pasta and hot dogs, this invention truly represents the United States’ immigrant and innovative traditions, adapting Old World dishes to a New World taste palate. Be sure to try it if you’re ever in Cincinnati!

The post The Story of Cincinnati Chili is Uniquely American appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Normal caviar might have those connotations, but there is a special type of caviar from the American state of Texas that will totally change your concept of this food!

Texas caviar is a no-frills, easy-to-prepare dip that takes an ingredient that looks like caviar and combines it with vegetables and a vinaigrette dressing to make an addicting snack.

Black-eyed peas are a common thing to find in Southern cooking, and they are the star ingredient used in Texas caviar. These savory, slightly nutty peas are the base and the flavor that dominates the dip. Oh yeah, and their black “eyes” are what gives this dish its name due to their resemblance with caviar!

Other things you can expect to find in this delicious dip include black beans, corn, onions, green peppers, lime juice, tomatoes, olive oil, and red wine vinaigrette. More and more people have also begun using avocado in this dip, which gives it a new twist!

The most common type of chip to dip in Texas caviar is tortilla chips, whose crispy character pairs perfectly with the dip’s other ingredients.

Have you tried Texas caviar before? What did you think?

The post Texas Caviar is a Great Tortilla Chip Dip appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Cincinnati Chili can be found on seemingly every corner of this city, with restaurants offering up hot plates of this strange-looking and sounding dish to diners from near and far. What makes this dish so unique, and why is it so beloved?

Throughout its history, Cincinnati has been a city of immigrants. Plenty of Irish, Germans, and African-Americans have ended up in the Queen City over the years, but it’s a smaller and less well-known group that modified one of its traditional dishes to make what is now a favorite.

A group of Macedonian and Greek immigrants arrived in Cincinnati at the start of the 20th century and thought up a genius creation that modified a traditional dish from their homeland to adapt it to the diverse palates of their new city.

They modified saltsa kima, a traditional tomato and spice sauce used on spaghetti in their home countries, as the base for a new creation.

Cincinnati chili sauce contains ground meat, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and many of the ingredients used in saltsa kima. In addition, it is often topped with cheddar cheese, onions, and/or beans in order to give it a unique and distinct twist.

Now available on both pasta and hot dogs, this invention truly represents the United States’ immigrant and innovative traditions, adapting Old World dishes to a New World taste palate. Be sure to try it if you’re ever in Cincinnati!

The post The Story of Cincinnati Chili is Uniquely American appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.