What is bisque?

Bisque is traditionally a seafood-based soup, specifically shellfish. Typically, the kind of shellfish used varies between lobster, prawn, crab, shrimp, and crayfish. Though, you will occasionally see modern bisques made with terrestrial ingredients like tomato or butternut squash. 

If you can’t tell by the name already, this concoction comes from France. So it makes sense then that bisques contain quite a large amount of cream; in fact, there is often more cream in a bisque than there is in any “cream of” soups, like celery, mushroom, or broccoli.

What is in a bisque?

The purest form of traditional bisque starts with your shellfish of choice. They are cooked with the shells on. Then, the meat is removed from the shells and set to the side. The shells are then cooked further in a 

mirepoix (diced onions, carrots, and celery), butter, wine (sometimes brandy, as well), and a variety of spices.

At this time, the cream is added and the whole mixture is left to simmer for a while. Then, the shells and (most of) the solid ingredients are strained out and the remaining soup is pureed, then restrained to become the thick, creamy bisque we know and love. If you haven’t already eaten the cooked meat from earlier, you can sprinkle it on top as a garnish.

This is a pretty intricate process and can get expensive depending on your access to fresh shellfish. You could certainly do a quick and dirty version of a bisque at home with some frozen lobster meat and store bought seafood stock. Or, just buy a can of it; there are several options you can find in most grocery stores.

What does bisque mean?

In France, there is the Bay of Biscay—a huge gulf in the Atlantic ocean along France’s western coast that curves all the way down to northern Spain. It’s highly likely that the word bisque is derivative of Biscay.

Oh, and the pronunciation is “bisk.” Like whisk with a “B.”

What is the difference between soup and bisque?

I’ve already delved deeply into the differences between stew and soup, so where does bisque fit into this spectrum?

In the soup/stew dichotomy, bisque is solidly in the soup realm; it eschews the big hunks of meat and vegetables for a much smoother experience. However, bisque does stand out from other soups thanks to its extra thickness from the cream. 

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What is chimichurri sauce?

Chimichurri is a South American sauce that can be used as a cooking ingredient or as a table condiment for grilled meats. It mostly likely originated in Argentina, but can be found in neighboring countries like Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil. Its popularity has spread throughout South and Central America to the point where you can find it in many Latin American cuisines.

What is in chimichurri sauce?

Similar to the salsa rojo and salsa verde distinctions, there are two kinds of chimichurri sauce: green and red. Recipes vary, but green chimichurri tends to be some combination of the following, in order of importance: chopped parsley, garlic, olive oil, chili peppers, red pepper flakes, oregano, red wine vinegar, and red onion. 

Red chimichurri switches out the parsley-heavy recipe of the green version for roasted red peppers, more chilis and red pepper flakes, and paprika. Both versions are thick and chunky with loads of flavor.

What does chimichurri taste like?

Speaking of flavor, chimichurri is loaded with it—but the precise flavor profile depends on the version you have. Green chimichurri is herby and bright, with a bit of kick from both the acid in the vinegar and the spice from the peppers. 

Red chimichurri maintains all these flavors, but it will be heavier on the heat than the herbaceousness, thanks to the prominence of the red peppers. The peppers also give it a tinge of sweetness.

Is chimichurri spicy?

Again, this depends on green vs red and which recipe you follow. Anytime you are adding ingredients like chilis and red pepper flakes, there’s going to be some heat. But in green chimichurri, it’s balanced really well with the other flavors. 

Red chimichurri can bring the spice, but it still doesn’t compare to sriracha or most hot sauces. It’s a nice combination of chili spice with the herbs and acids added from the other ingredients. Chimichurri sauce, red or green, has never made me sweat or reach for the milk.

How do you use chimichurri?

The main use for chimichurri is on grilled meat: chicken, steak, goat, etc. The meat can be basted with chimichurri during the cooking process, or a dollop of the sauce can be tossed on top of it after the cooking is done.

Chimichurri has diversified over the years and has become a standard condiment that can be used where any other condiment may come in handy. For example: eggs. Slapping down some verde on your hangover brunch will cure what ails you. 

Other uses for chimichurri include taco sauce, roasted vegetable drizzle, chip dip, salad dressing, baked potato fixin’, ice cream topping. The world is yours.

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What is Just Egg?

When you’re cruising your grocery store’s egg section, you may notice a shelf above all the cartons that have what look like pints of milk. But in reality, they are containers of liquid eggs. But be forewarned. Some of those containers of liquid eggs aren’t actual eggs at all.

One of them is Just Egg, a plant-based replacement for chicken eggs. The company Eat Just was formed in 2011 by two entrepreneurs both named Josh. I think it’s a missed opportunity to call their product Josh Egg, but I ain’t no businessman, so what do I know?

The product was an instant success, and they expanded to make other easy-bake egg-like products and even Just Mayo, an eggless mayonnaise substitute. The company has also been fraught with lawsuits about false advertising and weird business practices. But hey, at least they make a good egg-like product, right? Right?!

What is Just Egg made of?

The food science behind Just Egg tries to replicate the same physical properties of eggs while using plant proteins instead. So, where did they turn? Mung beans, the grossest sounding of all the beans. The rest of the ingredients are the following: water, expeller-pressed canola oil, dehydrated onion, gellan gum, carrot and turmeric extracts (for color), potassium citrate, salt, sugar, tapioca syrup solids.

Compared to other kinds of processed foods, this ingredient list doesn’t seem too bad; there are only one or two things that sound like they were engineered in a lab. 

Is Just Egg vegan? Is Just Egg gluten free?

Not only is Just Egg vegan and gluten free, it is also cholesterol free, and safe for people who have egg allergies. 

How much Just Egg equals one egg?

It’s said that three tablespoons of Just Egg equals out to one chicken egg, and there are resources out there that claim not only can it be used as a straight-up breakfast egg replacement, but also it can be used as an ingredient in baking. I’m skeptical about this; most vegan baked goods I’ve had are super dense and don’t taste great. So, sure, you can use Just Egg, but I’ll probably pass on that muffin.

Can you freeze Just Egg?

Just Egg explicitly states that they don’t recommend freezing. However, that just applies to the liquid version. They do sell a frozen folded egg version of the product that you can just toss in the microwave. 

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What is labneh cheese?

The first time I had labneh cheese, I thought, “Nah, this ain’t cheese. It’s delicious, but it’s not cheese.” Of course, I was wrong. Labneh is classified as a cheese but it’s made from yogurt instead of straight from milk. 

The resulting consistency is similar to cream cheese and it retains some of the refreshing tartness you get from the source milk. Cow’s milk is the traditional source, but there are also sheep and goat milk versions. I even saw somewhere online that some labneh is made from camel’s milk, which I would love to try just to say I did.

Armenia isn’t the only country that enjoys labneh. Many countries in the Middle East have it on their menus: Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey each have a version of labneh which often has another name. Labneh is also popular in Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus.

How is labneh cheese made?

I mentioned before that labneh cheese is made from yogurt, but how’s that happen? Milk is fermented with bacteria to get to the yogurt phase. After that, the yogurt is mixed with a dash of salt, then wrapped in a cheesecloth and allowed to strain.

The straining process can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours. The cheesecloth bundle is hung over a bowl and the whey from the yogurt slowly seeps out of it. What’s left in the cheesecloth is the labneh. It’s drier than the yogurt but still easily spreadable. It’s actually quite a simple process that you can do at home, if you aren’t lucky enough to live near an Armenian or Middle Eastern grocery store.

How do you eat labneh cheese?

Labneh is an easy substitution for cream cheese, so any place you might use that you can switch it up. It fits in perfectly with a traditional mezze, snuggled right in between the tzatziki and the tabouli. Sometimes, labneh is rolled in balls, dusted with herbs, and jarred in olive oil as a means of preservation. It’s almost like those little mozzarella pearls you might fight in your local cheese section.

The flavor of labneh is so good, that I often find simplicity is the best. I like to use it as a dip with pita chips or as a spread on lavash bread. A common way for labneh to be served as a spread is with mint, za’atar, and a drizzle of olive oil. It tastes bright and refreshing; it’s a real nice change of pace from those usual cheeses you might have on your typical charcuterie spread. I highly recommend it.

How do you pronounce labneh?

The inclination might be to say LAB-NAY, but in Arabic it is more like LEB-NE, which is actually an alternative spelling of the word.. 

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What are adaptogens?

The word adaptogen refers to several kinds of plants and mushrooms that are purported to have medicinal properties which help to regulate the body. While they are recognized by the FDA more as a homeopathic remedy, they have been used for thousands of years by a wide array of cultures as natural cures for what ails ya.

What do adaptogens do?

The main focus of adaptogens is returning the body to homeostasis; it’s kind of like a reset button on a PS5. This “reset” includes a whole host of purported benefits, including: reducing stress, anxiety, and fatigue, balancing hormones, boosting the immune system, improving concentration and endurance, and even fighting some cancers.

“Purported” is an essential word here. I am never one to discount herbal medicines; I think there’s a reason that these plants have been used for their health benefits for so long by so many people. However, there is a lack of sufficient scientific study about the health effects of these plants, so they must come with a caveat.

What are adaptogenic mushrooms?

I thought I was taking adaptogenic mushrooms once when I was in college. However, instead of reducing my stress, it made me see my entire life up until that point as if I were looking at a mountain range. And let me tell you, that was pretty damn stressful.

Mushrooms that have purported adaptogenic properties include lion’s mane, cordyceps, maitake, lingzhi, shiitake, turkey tail, chaga, and oyster mushrooms. Are you going to find any adaptogens in canned and jarred mushrooms? Unfortunately no. However, several of these mushrooms are sold in your neighborhood grocery store, so try them out.

What are adaptogens in drinks?

The easiest way to consume adaptogens is in drinks. Perhaps the most common adaptogen is ginseng, which is a common ingredient in many herbal teas. Other adaptogens that appear in tea blends include ashwagandha, rhodiola, holy basil, schisandra, and licorice. 

What is adaptogenic coffee?

There’s a recent trend of mushroom coffee. If that coffee is made with one or several of the mushrooms listed above, you’re getting some adaptogens in your morning java.

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What are giblets?

Giblets is a blanket term for the edible organs of birds and it includes the liver, heart, and gizzard, among other things. The gizzard is a special organ found in birds that helps grind up the food they eat because they don’t have teeth. When it comes to turkey giblets, the neck is also included as part of the “package deal.”

Now, you may be asking yourself, “Why is my turkey filled with a bag of garbage?” Giblets can be turned into some delicious foods—just get over the knowledge of what they are…and what they look like.

What do giblets look like?

Ok, so they aren’t very appealing. The various organs look like unidentifiable hunks of meat that could be from anywhere. And if you’re talking about turkey giblets, the neck is…obscene. Just look up a picture of it online and see what I mean. But here’s an important reminder: It’s just meat! If you’re ready to eat the carcass of a dead bird, why turn your nose up at these other parts?

If you are thoroughly repulsed at this point, perhaps you should invest in a vegan turkey this year. For those who are brave enough to accept the giblets into your home, read on.

What do you do with turkey neck and giblets?

So, you have your sack of organ meats that you pulled out of your dead bird. What do you do next? Traditionally, the giblets were an ingredient in stuffing—though often folks excluded the liver because its flavor is a bit pungent. You can chop the giblets up, saute them, and then mix with the stuffing.

The giblets can also be used to make a gravy. You essentially use the giblets as a base for stock, then strain it and thicken with flour and turkey drippings. Or you can use the giblets to make turkey stock along with the turkey carcass when the meal is done. 

It’s also not uncommon to pickle gizzards. In fact, you can even buy pickled gizzards in a grocery store if you look hard enough. I have actually tried this and it tastes pretty much like turkey in pickle juice. It’s not bad, trust me!

How do you pronounce giblets?

The word giblets has a soft “g” that sounds like a “j.” Think of it this way: It’s not giblets as in “garbage food that belongs in the garbage.” It’s giblets as in “just try it already, you coward.”

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What is nutmeg?

You know that brown dusting on the top of your pumpkin spice latte or eggnog? That’s nutmeg. It starts as the inner pit of the fruit that grows on the nutmeg tree. And it ends up as either a ground spice or it can be purchased as is—sometimes it comes with a real cute little grater. 

If you crack open a nutmeg fruit, the inside looks freaking crazy. The nutmeg core is surrounded by a bright red covering called an aril. But the aril doesn’t entirely cover the inner pit; it looks like paint was dripped onto the pit and allowed the trickle down the sides. This aril is also the source of another culinary spice: mace. That’s right, nutmeg is a two-in-one deal.

Nutmeg is used in desserts in many countries. In America, we probably know it best as a key ingredient in a pumpkin pie. It’s also used in rice pudding quite often. But it is not limited to sweets. Many savory dishes also use nutmeg to enhance the flavors in potatoes, vegetables like Brussels sprouts, and a wide array of meat dishes. And nutmeg accompanies certain drinks like the aforementioned eggnog (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties), and tiki cocktails.

Where does nutmeg come from?

True nutmeg comes from trees that are native to Indonesia, making the country the primary producer of the spice throughout the world. Over time, the trees have been cultivated in several other countries, including Malaysia, southern India, and Grenada in the Caribbean.

Is nutmeg a nut?

Nope, nutmeg is a seed. But the line between nuts and seeds is very blurry and has confused people (mostly me) for centuries. I like to think of it like this: If it’s inside a fruit, it’s a seed. Now, I know this is not always the case. But the nutmeg tree produces a golden yellow fruit that looks like a pear. And the nutmeg seed inside it is where we get the spice. 

So, official declaration endorsed by Sporked scientists: Nutmeg is a seed, not a nut.

What does nutmeg taste like?

Nutmeg is so often an addition to foods that we rarely try it on its own. It definitely has a nutty taste—big surprise—but it also falls into that wider warm spice category like cloves. It’s just a touch sweet and a little bit peppery. There are also hints of coziness, hugs, and good cheer. All of these are legitimate flavors.

Does nutmeg go bad?

Nutmeg has a pretty long shelf life. If it’s kept in a cool, dry place, it can maintain its potency and flavor for 4-5 years. So you know that jar of nutmeg you bought to make a pumpkin pie last year? You can use it for this year’s Friendsgiving.

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What is a bao bun?

Bao buns are yeast-leavened breads that are usually filled with either vegetables, meat, or a combination of both. There are also sweet versions that are great as a dessert or a breakfast; kind of like a fancy Pop Tart. The fillings can be added prior to baking, creating more of a closed dumpling. Or, the buns can be baked splayed open so that they can be filled later, kind of like a sandwich.

One thing that makes bao buns stand out is that they are traditionally steamed after they are allowed to proof. The resulting bread is light, fluffy, and looks like a perfectly round marshmallow. Except it’s bread. 

Where are bao buns made of?

Bao buns start with the traditional bread ingredients: flour, water, yeast. This dough is then enriched with sugar and milk. This results in bread that is on the sweeter side and, along with the steaming, creates the fluffy texture that is the bao bun’s signature feature. 

The fillings can vary wildly depending on from where they originate. Ground pork is probably the most popular savory filling, mixed with greens and pickled vegetables. The sweet fillings include sweetened bean paste, lotus seed paste, pandan, coconut, chocolate, or fruit.

Where are bao buns from?

Bao is a shortened form of the Chinese word Baozi. The word dates back to the 10th century, when it was used as a catchall term to describe a filled bun. 

Over time, the Chinese bao bun was adopted throughout the country’s varied regional cuisines and even made its way into neighboring countries like Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, and Mongolia, to name a few.

How do you eat bao buns?

Ravenously, with your mouth watering.

Bao buns are a handheld food, making them great for on-the-go meals. For the enclosed buns, just grab it and take a big ol’ bite. You can now buy frozen buns at the grocery store which makes their preparation about as fool-proof as possible. The open bao buns are more like biting into a taco; it’s still pretty easy, you just have to be cautious about spillage.

In most cases, the traditional, Chinese-inspired fillings are the best. But don’t limit yourself to just those. Any East Asian cuisine will find its way into the snug interior of a bao bun and seem right at home. I’ve even seen bao bun burgers, which give them an American twist. Try them all; the world is your bun.

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Who owns 5-Hour Energy?

5-Hour Energy was introduced to the energy drink market in 2003 by a company called Living Essentials, LLC. The company’s owner, Manoj Bhargava is a very successful business man; by 2012 it was estimated that the 5-Hour Energy brand was worth $1 billion. 

The brand stood out in a bloated market of energy drinks. The tiny bottle made it not only easy to drink, but also made it very portable. Tucking one of these into your fanny pack during a hike is much easier than the standard 8-oz Red Bull.

There are four products in the 5-Hour Energy line: regular strength shots, extra strength shots, gamer shots—designed to attract the eSport population—and larger 16-oz cans that came out in 2021.

What is in 5-Hour Energy?

Each bottle of 5-Hour Energy advertises itself as being sugar free with zero calories. But the rest of the ingredient label reads like the shelf in a chemistry lab.

The primary ingredients are water, the artificial sweetener sucralose, and natural and artificial flavors. The Regular Strength 5-Hour Energy comes in several flavors: grape, berry, orange, pomegranate, watermelon, and strawberry lemonade. I guess these hide the chemical-y flavors, but not by much. (Sorry, I know I said I’d stay objective.)

When it comes to the “supplements,” there are some outrageous numbers that really made me laugh. First, you have 30 mg of Niacin, which is 188% of the recommended daily value. Then comes Vitamin B6 which, at 40mg, is a whopping 2353% of the RDV. And finally, there are 500 micrograms of Vitamin B12. 

I had never heard of a microgram before this, so I had to look it up. One microgram is the equivalent of 0.000001 grams. That’s 5 zeroes. That seemingly tiny amount of B12 translates into monstrous, Godzilla-sized, city-destructing 20833% of the RDV. It’s such a ridiculous number to see on an ingredient label that it simply has to be true.

The final supplemental element on the label is called Energy Blend and there’s 1780 mg of stuff (more on that later). What is the RDV percentage here? There isn’t one. That’s because the FDA hasn’t even come up with a number. Just a friendly reminder that almost all of these energy drinks are not FDA-approved.

How much caffeine does 5-Hour Energy have?

Now, let’s talk about that Energy Blend. The label claims that it has 200 mg of caffeine. This is the average amount found in an 8-ounce cup of coffee. So, this drink really does pack a punch in a small amount of fluid. 

But caffeine is not the only component of the Energy Blend. Also included are the following: taurine, glucuronic acid, malic acid, Citrocine, N-Acetyl, L-Tyrosine, and L-phenylalanine. Those last two are amino acids that are components of dopamine. Perhaps that explains why once you hit hour 6 after drinking one of these, you crash hard. 

What does 5-Hour Energy taste like?

I think the one positive thing about 5-Hour Energy is that it is only two ounces. It is quite easy to gulp down, allowing you to avoid the “flavor.” 

Even if you ask folks who do like energy drinks, 5-Hour Energy does not receive glowing reviews. Again, it’s not really meant to be slowly sipped. This is a quick shot. It’s often described as tasting like cough syrup or medicine or a concentrated energy drink. 

According to my sophisticated palate, 5-Hour Energy tastes like a 50/50 blend of cat piss and dog piss. Does this mean I have tasted both of these things separately? I’ll never tell.

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What is beef consomme?

If you can’t already tell by the name, beef consomme is French. The term “consomme” means perfect or complete. That’s quite a haughty claim for a food that is just liquid. 

Beef consomme is a clarified version of beef broth, meaning that it has gone through an additional process to eliminate fat and sediments from the original broth, resulting in a clear, amber brown liquid. Through this clarifying process, the consomme becomes rich in flavor with a thicker texture than regular broth. 

Making beef consomme is an incredibly intricate, lengthy process. In the restaurant world, that usually translates to something that has a hefty price tag. Traditionally, beef consomme was served as its own appetizer dish during a multi-course meal and it was drunk right from the bowl; no spoon required.

These days, people aren’t eating a ton of multi-course meals, so consomme has broadened its scope. It can be used as the basis for a soup or stew, or as a dip for something like beef on weck. And you can get pretty darn good store-bought beef consomme, too. 

What is the difference between beef broth and beef consomme?

There are a couple distinctions between beef broth and beef consomme, despite the fact that one is made from the other. A broth is categorized as liquid made from simmering meat and vegetables in water. On a whole, broth is easy to make; the simmering time is short and the steps required are doable by even the most amateur of chefs.

Beef consomme is made once the broth is completely cooled and the fat has been skimmed from the top of it. This broth is added to a pot of ground beef (complete with cartilage and tendons, if possible), mirepoix, tomato, and egg whites. 

Then starts the simmering process, which is long and requires frequent stirring. The acid from the tomatoes starts breaking down the impurities, which float to the top. As they continue to break down, the egg whites create a bond between them, resulting in a “raft” floating on the top. 

After simmering for a good hour, all the collected impurities are skimmed from the top. Once the simmering is complete, the consomme goes through several rounds of filtering to get as much of impurities from it. It can even be refrigerated, causing the remaining fat to congeal at the top for easier removal. Making a beef consomme at home could take you a whole day, and even then you might not get it right.

So why go to all this trouble? The results are in the flavor. Beef broth is salty, meaty, and watery. To me, it’s nothing to sneeze at; a decent beef broth hits the spot. (And, if you are sneezing, it’ll help you feel better.) But consomme, that’s a horse of a different color. It is a literal pure, condensed beef broth and, as a result, the flavor is also condensed and really packs a punch. Additionally, because of all the refinement, consomme has a thicker, almost viscous texture that you can feel in your mouth.

If you have the patience and will, you should really try out some beef consomme at home. It lives up to its fancier name.

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What is turmeric?

Turmeric is made from the rhizome, or root, of the turmeric plant. These plants exist in the same taxonomic family as ginger. The plant is native to India and several countries in Southeast Asia.

You know how raw ginger is a big, knotted root with a tough-ish brown skin? Turmeric is the same deal. However, instead of the pale-yellow color of ginger underneath, turmeric has a deep orange color similar to a sweet potato.  

When the turmeric root is made into a powder, it not only preserves its flavor but also its bold color. This results in some striking dishes that are feasts for your eyes and mouth alike.

Is turmeric spicy?

Turmeric does not have the same kind of kick as capsaicin-based spices like chili powder or paprika. But it still has some oomph that is more akin to a regular black pepper or mustard. But that’s not where the flavor stops. There are a lot of complex things going on in turmeric: earthy, bitter, a hint of sweetness. You’re getting a whole lot of flavor in one spoonful of the powder.

What is turmeric used for?

Because of its abundance in India and Southeast Asia, turmeric is often a primary ingredient in many curries. If a dish has a bright, orange color, the chances that it has turmeric in it are high. Beyond curry, turmeric adorns a host of rice dishes, soups, and vegetable medleys.

Turmeric is also used in many beverages, like turmeric lattes, “golden milk,” or teas. Similar to ginger tea, turmeric is purported to have a number of health benefits like assisting with digestion issues, fighting  arthritis and inflammation in the body, lowering blood sugar, and has even been suggested as a natural component of some cancer treatments. 

As with any health claims, you have to take them with a grain of salt (or turmeric, in this case). Sure, something like turmeric has been used medicinally for thousands of years. But you should always check in with your doctor if you decide to go on the all-turmeric diet.

How do you say turmeric?

I would have bet dollars to donuts that it was pronounced TWO-meric. That’s how I’ve been doing it my whole life. But somewhere along the way, they slipped that “R” in there. I am a fool! It’s TUR-MUR-ICK.

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What is spirulina?

Spirulina is algae. Hey, where are you going?! We’re steeling ourselves, right? Right?!

Specifically, spirulina is a dried version of several kinds of cyanobacteria; you can tell from the name that they are cyan, or blue-green, in color. These cyanobacteria grow in warm water—both fresh and salt—that have an elevated pH level. The “spiral” part of the name becomes apparent when the bacteria is viewed under a microscope; there is a unique corkscrew shape to each molecule. 

In the wild, spirulina looks like, for lack of a better word, slime. If you’ve ever sat by a babbling brook and watched water gently cascade over rocks covered in a bright green grass or moss, it’s kind of like that. Beautiful imagery but perhaps horrifying to consider eating it.

However, people have been eating spirulina for centuries. Different cultures throughout Mesoamerica harvested spirulina for food up through the 16th century. There are also much later reports of food made from spirulina in the African country Chad. It seems like people all over the world have parallel good ideas.

These days, spirulina is used primarily as a food source for animals like aquarium fish and poultry, often appearing as a supplement in their daily feed. But there is also a burgeoning industry surrounding the production of spirulina for human consumption, both as a health supplement and as a way to address food insecurity. The rationale: It’s cheaper to make than maintaining livestock and it’s extremely protein-rich. There are even scientists considering it as a food source for long-range space missions.

What is blue spirulina?

In many ways, blue spirulina is the same as the usual green version. However, it is bright blue in color, has a milder taste, and is made by extracting a specific protein from the cyanobacteria used to make the green.

What is spirulina made from?

The cyanobacteria is the base for spirulina, but you don’t just scoop it out of a river with your hands. Most commercial spirulina is harvested from special farms. It starts in these large pools that look like the now-popular green juice health trend.

This pool is a culture designed specifically to encourage spirulina growth. Once the pool hits the sweet spot, the accumulated cyanobacteria is separated from the culture, leaving a big pile of slime. Seriously, it looks like dark green applesauce or something. 

That spirulina slime is then turned into a powder, which is used in a variety of foods, such as smoothies, granola bars, energy balls, or salad dressings. Or you can just mix it in a glass of water!

What does spirulina taste like?

Like seaweed, the taste of spirulina will take getting used to. I think it is best described as grass that has been steeped in the ocean; it’s earthy, salty, and a little sulphuric. If you were to plop a scoop of spirulina powder into a glass of water and chug it down, you may find it unpleasant. However, as an ingredient in a smoothie or juice, it can be hidden pretty well.

What is a spirulina cracker?

Again, the comparison to seaweed continues. A spirulina cracker is a lot like the dried seaweed snacks in the grocery store. However, because spirulina is not as solid as seaweed, the crackers are often a combination of ingredients, meaning they can either look dark green and plant-y, or look more like a cracker with specks of green.

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