Tuesday, February 22, 2005
1st Independent Food Festival Awards
Not that anyone asked, but I thought I would throw in my two cents on the 1st Independent Food Festival Awards (being the cheeky girl I am) and give my own little award to “The Best Spicy Condiment that Doesn’t Come in a Bottle”
And the winner is: Sunchang Gochujang (Hot Pepper Paste) a Korean condiment par excellence….like a little bit of spicy heaven in every bite. I assume this is not a small company, but since it is not well known (outside of the Korean community, I suppose) or widely available here in Los Angeles (booming metropolis that it is) I figure they can get an award anyway...
So what are the ingredients in this fine, fermented product? Sweet White Rice, Red Pepper Powder, Soybeans, Salt and Water. AKA, all natural. Akin to miso in texture, but a touch denser, it is a thick, heady paste you can use in almost anything that you want to perk up with some sweetness and heat, and a bit of thickening. It beats out the (I find) overpowering taste of most other hot sauces that tend not to meld in as much as declare their presence. Soups, salad dressings, roast meats, in sauces and over steamed vegetables, you name it they all take to this great stuff. If you are shy about things getting too spicy, just put in a touch at first, much more and it gets firey for sure. And the bonus is that it comes in the cutest little plastic tub…
If you can find it locally, please do try it. They also have an adorable website with some good recipes…
I will post a recipe later, but in the mean time, enjoy!
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Lima beans were named after the capital of Peru.
Crudo is the Italian word for uncooked and, in Italy, applies most often to cured meats like prosciutto.
A Portobello is a mature, fully opened crimini mushroom
Monday, February 21, 2005
Dried Plums with Cognac and Walnuts
Last night, I was out with my adorable (boy who is a) friend when we were stopped from entering a bar because I (yes, I know this is silly), didn’t have any ID. In lieu of my having proof I am not 20 or younger I was asked trivia questions presumably designed to determine my age (in retrospect, what would have worked best would have been for me to have said “If you want to discuss trivia, I’ll be inside.”) Well dear reader, in case you are ever in Silverlake, and find yourself face to face with the trivia obsessed bouncer at 4100 Bar, here is the answer key: Dynamite was invented by Nobel, Samuel Beckett was never James Joyce’s secretary, Walter Mondale was the VP under Carter (who was President when I was THREE…exactly how does knowing this prove I am legal to drink?) And Brandy is a liquor distilled from wine or other fruit juices, that is aged in wood. Cognac is a type of brandy made in western France, while Armagnac is type of brandy from Gascony. Now, speaking of cognac, here is a recipe from my amazing cousin Claudia who makes these every year for the holidays and lights up my world.
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons honey
30 Dried Plums
30 walnut halves
¼ cup Cognac
Melt the butter in a pan over low heat, when melted add the honey and stir until it is incorporated. Add the walnuts to this mixture and stir to coat. Remove from the pan from the heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile, make a small incision in the dried plum (aka Prune), big enough to fit the walnut piece. When the walnuts are cool, stuff the dried plums with the walnuts. In a shallow container, with a lid, layer the dried plums and add the cognac. Allow the mixture to sit in the fridge for 4 days, stir daily. Serve at room temperature.
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In 2001 The Food and Drug Administration granted the California Prune Board permission
to use "dried plums" as an alternative name to "prunes." The CPB requested the name change
after research showed that the name "dried plum" offers a more positive connotation than "prune."
The name "brandy" comes from the Dutch brandewijn , meaning "burned (distilled) wine."
Since Laura Bush fired 11-year White House chef Walter Scheib earlier this month, his replacement
has been sought under the kind of secrecy accorded Cabinet appointments or Oval Office scandals.
Scheib, hired from the Greenbriar resort in West Virginia by Hillary Rodham Clinton in 1991,
brought modern American cooking to the White House after a long reign of French cuisine initiated
by the Kennedys. He survived the first Bush term but not the second. Pastry chef Roland Mesnier
was replaced last year. Scheib told the New York Times that his sin was failing to "satisfy the
first lady's stylistic requirements." - NYTimes
Thursday, February 17, 2005
How to read a recipe.
A sweet friend of mine wanted to cook a meal for his honey the other night (On Valentines day actually...doesn't that just melt your heart?) and went online to find some recipes that sounded do-able. Turns out there wasn’t anything he felt he could make, due to his limited kitchen skills, so he called me up (since I do teach cooking for a living and all) and had me walk him through it. The meal turned out fantastic, but made me realize it might be helpful to post some basic thoughts on reading a recipe. (I realize most people who read food blogs already know these things, but here it is again, just in case…)
Always read the entire recipe before you start. There may be things you don’t know how to do, there may be typos (16 pounds of butter for one pound of pasta may be excessive, or a typo…) and there may be constraints (let marinate for 12 hours) that you didn’t anticipate.
Make sure you have all of the ingredients, or substitutes you feel comfortable with. Keep in mind, the higher quality the ingredient, the higher quality the outcome. Also, many recipes (mine, for certain) in the ingredients list will call for things to already be done (I.E. “one onion, minced”; not for “one onion.”) Take the time to do all of these things and gather all of your ingredients ahead of time. This is called Mise en Place in French, and is a great way to streamline your cooking by having everything (pots, pans and spoons too) out and ready.
Measurements and abbreviations. Most measurements are metric or standard, so hopefully you are already familiar with that…just keep in mind, fluids and solids are measured in different units. The best recipes use weight measurements, because that is the most accurate, a great reason to invest in a scale. As for the abbreviations, the most common are these:
Tsp or t = Teaspoon
Tbsp or T = Tablespoon
C. = Cup
btab = Bring To A Boil
evoo = Extra Virgin Olive Oil
S and P = Salt and Pepper
Oz = ounce
Common methods:
Al dente – “To the tooth” A term used for pasta that is cooked just enough to still have some texture or bite.
Bake – To cook by surrounding the product with indirect dry heat.
Boil – Water heated until full bubbles break the surface (at 212 F at sea level)
Braise – To cook by surrounding with indirect, dry heat (in the oven), but in a covered container to retain moisture.
Broil – To brown with direct exposure to flame/heat source (from above or below)
Brown – Causing the surface of the food to turn brown while the interior stays moist.
Chop – cut into small (bite sized) pieces
Covered – Pot or pan with a lid on. Conversely, uncovered means without a lid
Cube – to cut food into ½ inch pieces (ostensibly, cube shaped)
Dice – to cut food into 1/8 inch or smaller cubes
F0ld – to gently incorporate two ingredients together. Starting at the back of the bowl, a rubber spatula is used to cut down vertically, across the bottom of the bowl and up the nearest side.
Fry – To quickly cook food in a large amount of oil
Mince – cut into very small pieces
Puree – To mechanically combine until all ingredients are smooth and indistinguishable (a blender or a food processor are typically used)
Reduce – To allow liquid to evaporate while boiling. Used to thicken sauces
Roast – To cook by surrounding with indirect, dry heat (in the oven), in an uncovered container
Sauté – To quickly cook food in a small amount of oil
Sear – To brown quickly using high heat
Simmer – lower heat than a boil. Small bubbles will break the surface
Stir – To agitate with a spoon
Stir fry – To quickly cook food in a small amount of oil in a wok, while stirring constantly
Sweat – To cook, uncovered, over low heat, coaxing out the moisture, but not allowing to brown (the moisture from the food makes it almost steam)
Whip – To incorporate air, using a tool called a whisk.
Don’t stress out. Cooking is an art, while baking is the science. Making a meal is fun and rewarding. Just go slowly and follow your instinct, and don’t be afraid to make changes. Think about what is in your pantry that might make a good addition, or take out what you don’t like from the recipe…nothing is set in stone.
And the most important thing (at least, according to the chefs at my cooking school) is to taste. Taste everything to see if it is coming along the way you want it to. (No, don’t taste all of the raw product, I mean taste things as you are cooking.) Adjust seasonings as you go. Only you know what is going to appeal to you in the end.
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Banana trees are botanically classified as herbs
Cinnamon, chili powder and seasoned salt are the three most common seasonings in North American homes (after salt and pepper.)
No one knows if there really was a Dr. Pepper. The company has collected over a dozen different stories of the name's origin.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Linguini with Tuna and White Bean Sauce
Some days I have a terrific recipe, and nothing much to say (for people who know me, that seems impossible, and yet it's true), while on other days, I seem to have plenty to babble about, but nothing much in the way of a recipe. Today is a recipe without thoughts day, primarily so my last post isn’t about a holiday that has past. This is a recipe I make when I haven’t gone to the market, and have to rely on what is in my cupboard. Simple and basic, yet delicious. Serve with garlic bread and a great salad and you are good to go. Enjoy!
4 tbsp best quality olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced fine
1 large onion, minced fine
1 teaspoon of crushed fennel seeds
zest of one large orange, minced fine
red pepper flakes, to taste
1 large can of crushed tomatoes, drained of almost all the juice
½ cup of white kidney beans, drained (also called canellini beans)
2 cans of tuna fish in oil, drained and roughly chopped
salt
12 oz. dried linguine
black pepper and parsley for garnish
In a large sauté pan, heat the oil, and cook the garlic and onion for a minute or so, until softened. Add the crushed fennel seed, orange zest and red pepper flakes and let cook for another minute or so. You want to soften, not brown. Add the tomatoes and beans. Let simmer for about five – ten minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente (per the directions on the box – usually about 12 minutes.) About two minutes before the pasta is done, add the tuna to the tomato sauce. Let heat through. Serve over the drained pasta with pepper and parsley for garnish.
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Two hot peppers have 357 percent more vitamin C than an orange
Florida avocados have half the fat of California avocados
Teetering doughnut chain Krispy Kreme will show 25 percent of its employees the door in
an effort to save about $7.4 million a year, the company said. The cuts are expected to affect
roughly 1,750 people. Krispy Kreme also warned in a press release that it remains in serious
financial peril, saying it is unable to borrow money.
New (to me) blogs that I love: Third and Fairfax, Nosh and The Food Chronicles
Monday, February 14, 2005
A Valentine's Day Salad
The beauty of a blood orange cannot be easily captured in a photograph (especially when orange after orange refuse to be overly juicy), but I do think they are so amazingly gorgeous, I had to take a try. Below is the result. I was fully intending on making a blood-orange vinaigrette for my avocado and red onion salad last night, but was only able to use the segments themselves due to the aforementioned lack of juice. I am using these oranges not only because they are in season (and for some reason or another there are $.50 avocados in the market. Lusciously creamy and ripe ones.) but they sort of have a Valentines day feel to them. Enjoy and Happy Valentines Day!
3 large, ripe avocados cut into chunks (my goodness, I do not like the word chunk…)
2 small red onions, sliced thin and soaked in ice water until use
Segments of four medium blood oranges
¼ cup pistachio nuts (shelled, obviously)
juice from a blood orange or one large lemon
4 tablespoons best quality olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
On a platter, arrange to avocado, the drained onion and orange segments. Scatter the pistachios over that, then sprinkle the juice and oil over everything, season with salt and pepper and serve.
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Seven billion pounds of chocolate and candy are manufactured each year in the United States.
The aztec word for chocolate was "xocalatl" means bitter water.
The "chocolate bar" was discovered in the nineteenth century when chemists found that they could extract the fat from cocoa beans and mix the resultant cocoa butter with sugar into a thin paste, then mold it into bar-like shapes.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Friday, February 11, 2005
Food And Music
A lot of food blogs this week have been posting answers to some questions about their music listening habits and whatnot. (See my answers below) which inspired me to post the lyrics to that rare thing, a song about food. (wink) “I Can Cook, Too”, From On The Town.
Lyrics by Betty Comden + Adolph Green + Leonard Bernstein. Thank you to my dear, sweet, musical-lovin' friend Claire for telling me about this song. It's a riot. Enjoy!
Oh, I can cook, too, on top of the rest, My seafood's the best in the town.
And I can cook, too.My fish can't be beat, My sugar's the sweetest around.
I'm a man's ideal of a perfect meal, Right down to the demi-tasse.
I'm a pot of joy for a hungry boy, Baby, I'm cookin' with gas. Oh, I'm a gumdrop,
A sweet lollipop, A brook trout right out of the brook,
And what's more, baby, I can cook!
Some girls make magazine covers, Some girls keep house on a dime,
Some girls make wonderful lovers, But what a lucky find I'm.
I'd make a magazine cover, I do keep house on a dime, I make a wonderful lover,
I should be paid overtime!
'Cause I can bake, too, on top of the lot, My oven's the hottest you'll find.
Yes, I can roast too, My chickens just ooze, My gravy will lose you your mind.
I'm a brand new note, On a table d'hôte, But just try me à la carte.
With a single course, You can choke a horse. Baby, you won't know where to start!
Oh, I'm an hors d'oeuvre, A jelly preserve, Not in the recipe book,
And what's more, baby, I can cook!
'Cause I can fry, too, on top of the heap, My Crisco's as deep as a pool.
Yes, I can broil, too, My ribs get applause, My lamb chops will cause you to drool.
For a candied sweet, Or a pickled beet, Step up to my smorgasbord.
Walk around until, You get your fill.Baby, you won't ever be bored!
Oh, I'm a paté, A marron glacé, A dish you will wish you had took.
And what's more, baby, I can cook!!
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1. Total amount of music files on your computer: OH dear, I just looked, I have 5900 songs! Wow.
2. The last CD you bought was:... Wait, I know this…I went to Ameoba and bought…wait, wait,
OH, I remember! The Trash Can Sinatras. I wanted to hear the song, What Women Do To Men. I love it.
3. What is the song you last listened to before reading this message? Golden Touch – Razorlight
4. Write down 5 songs you often listen to or that mean a lot to you:
Fresh Feeling – Eels (This song is partly why I called my company Fresh Approach.)
Question – The Old 97’s (Possibly the sweetest proposal ever sang)
Sympathy for the Devil – The Rolling Stones (The greatest rock and roll song ever)
Feeling Good – Nina Simone (The best song to sing in the car)
Fall At Your Feet- Neil Finn
You Know So Well – Sondre Lerche
She Divines Water – Camper Van Beethoven
(OK, that was seven songs, but I couldn't resist. What can I say, I love music almost as much as cooking.)
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Ammo Restaurant
Let's just imagine for a minute you went out to a chic little French bistro for dinner with a peach of a man, you laughed and ate, (he offered to split everything because you wanted to try it all), he plied you with wine and champagne and then over a perfect tart tatin, proposed marriage. Then you stay up all night having more drinks and planning your pending nuptials and don’t get to sleep until 4 am. That would be a good thing right? Of course it would!
The only trouble is, the next day you are hung over as can be (did you know girls become hung over more easily and more extremely than men? See below.) and have dinner plans early the next evening with a friend who is a wild and crazy rock and roll goddess who you never can manage to pin down (so you cant possibly flake out) and your head feels like it's under two tons of cement even if your heart is a-flutter. Then what? WELL, if it were ME (and I’m not saying it was), you would end up eating at the first Italian restaurant that comes to mind. For instance AMMO, on Highland Ave in Hollywood. A restaurant dedicated to using organic and seasonal ingredients served in a quiet setting with soft light, carbs galore, a compassionate waitstaff and a full bar for all of your hair-of-the-dog needs. In other words, an all around excellent dining choice.
But what to have? First, I would suggest the gorgonzola pizza with pinenuts, baby spinach and fresh tomato sauce. It has about 6 smallish slices of ooey-gooey goodness with a thin and crisp crust cooked to perfection (though, for my taste, there were too many pine nuts. The Rock Goddess was ok with it), and a to drink, a refreshingly crisp Austrian Hirsch Gruener Veltliner 2000 to take the edge off that hangover.
Moving on the the second course, you can split the pappardelle with oven roasted eggplant, gaeta olives and a bolognese sauce and the rigatoni with spicy cauliflower and rapini, olives and breadcrumbs. The pappardelle is seemingly house made, and the eggplant melts (the way it should) in your mouth, the olives add just enough saltiness and the sauce is just the most glorious thing you ever ate. The rigatoni turns out to be orecchiette, but all is forgiven because the cauliflower is golden-roasted to its utmost sweetness and the entire dish is your idea of divinity (though, warning a girl there were large anchovy pieces in there might have been nice. I mean, I'm all for a good anchovy, but they should meld in, not be their own entity.)
But do you think that’s enough to cure what ails your aching head? Most likely not, in which case, I suggest another bottle of wine, maybe this time something French, from the Cotes de Provence region. Perhaps the Domaine Ott "Claire de Noirs" 2001 Rose, (I know what you are thinking, Rose? But it went so well with the next course!) and then dive into the Oven Roasted Organic Chicken served with farmer's market beets, carrots and heirloom potatoes and a side of mashed potatoes with horseradish creme fraiche. That chicken, I must admit was an entrée not to be missed. The chicken skin was crisp while the meat was still juicy and flavorful. Whoever is in charge of the ovens at Ammo should be congratulated, because after that chicken and those amazing beets, I think anyone’s hangover would be cured.
Of course after all that food you couldn’t possibly eat dessert. But your hangover is cured and that is what was most important, is it not? Especially when it turns out the proposal was all in fun, and the boy in question – while truly one of the best men ever – isn’t your boyfriend. (And you have a boyfriend, who you love, so it's ok) At least you had a great couple of nights out!
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There are more than 600 types of pasta worldwide
Canadians eat about 15 lbs. of pasta a year.
"The average weight difference between women and men is one reason why women tend to
get intoxicated faster, but there's more. Women also tend to have more fat and less muscle
than men, and because muscle tissue contains more water than fat does, and alcohol
dissolves in water the more water in the body the more it is diluted. With about ten percent
more water in their bodies than women, men can drink more alcohol than women before
becoming intoxicated. In fact, studies show that women suffer worse hangovers than
men too. Overall, women suffer more, dehydration, exhaustion, headaches, and nausea. "
From www.amos.indiana.edu/
Labels: Restaurants
Orecchiette
Orecchiette with spicy cauliflower and rapini, olives and breadcrumbs. Kind of an ugly picture, but I wanted to include it anyway.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Grapple
Yesterday I was saw something in the market (not my normal market mind you, I was in the infamous Rock and Roll Ralphs, market of choice for underfed wanna-be musicians and the Osbourne family alike) that made me stop and gasp. Packages of four ($5.00) seemingly innocent Fuji Apples, oddly, labeled “Grapples.” Upon further inspection I saw there was a list of ingredients, “Fuji Apples and artificial Grape Flavoring.” Yup, that’s right kids, in case you don’t like the taste of apples, or the juiciness of a grape, you can just bite into one of these frankenfoods instead! Whoo-eee. Amazingly, I resisted buying some because nothing could compel me to support the makers of this atrocity. Next up, Bluenanas!
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Star Spots At Rock and Roll Ralphs, last 6 months:
Lance Bass of N'Sync and aborted space flight, Sharon Osbourne, Shannon Dougherty,
Jerri from Suvivor, Steve Jones (Guitar player - The Sex Pistols. Also local radio DJ Indie 103.1)
Compared to Star Spots at Whole Foods, last 6 months:
Heather Graham, Mena Suvari, Michael Vartan, Courteney Cox Arquette
Annette Benning, Kathy Kinney (Mimi on the Drew Carey Show), Peter Falk
Jason Lee and an assortment of Wayans brothers
Whole Foods is the clear winner...
Monday, February 07, 2005
Drink of the Week: Lychee Cocktail
.
Happy Vietnamese Lunar New Year! It sure made for a great weekend! Inspired by a truly divine dinner at Umenehana in Beverly Hills, we decided to have lychee cocktails last night. What a fantastic concoction. Lychees are the incredible, sweet fruit of a Chinese tree and they are perfect for Valentines day! (Before you peel them, they are red, and when you peel them they are juicy and sexy as can be) There are lots of great ways to eat them, but this recipe is a nice introduction. If you can't find lychee liqueur, just use the syrup from the canned product. Works like a charm. Enjoy!
1 ½ shot best quality vodka
¼ tablespoon Soho Litchi Liqueur
Squeeze of lime
Lychees, for garnish
Ice
Combine vodka, liqueur or syrup, lime and ice and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with the lychee and serve.
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Shares in Allied Domecq (Malibu rum, Courvoisier and Stolichnaya - as well as Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins.) have risen on speculation that it could be the target of a takeover by France's Pernod Ricard. Reports in the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times suggested that the French spirits firm is considering a bid, but has yet to contact its target. Allied Domecq shares rose 4% while Pernod shares in Paris slipped 1.2%. Pernod's last major purchase was a third of US giant Seagram in 2000, the move which propelled it into the global top three of drinks firms. The other two-thirds of Seagram was bought by marketleader Diageo. –BBC.com
Happy Vietnamese Lunar New Year! It sure made for a great weekend! Inspired by a truly divine dinner at Umenehana in Beverly Hills, we decided to have lychee cocktails last night. What a fantastic concoction. Lychees are the incredible, sweet fruit of a Chinese tree and they are perfect for Valentines day! (Before you peel them, they are red, and when you peel them they are juicy and sexy as can be) There are lots of great ways to eat them, but this recipe is a nice introduction. If you can't find lychee liqueur, just use the syrup from the canned product. Works like a charm. Enjoy!1 ½ shot best quality vodka
¼ tablespoon Soho Litchi Liqueur
Squeeze of lime
Lychees, for garnish
Ice
Combine vodka, liqueur or syrup, lime and ice and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with the lychee and serve.
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Shares in Allied Domecq (Malibu rum, Courvoisier and Stolichnaya - as well as Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins.) have risen on speculation that it could be the target of a takeover by France's Pernod Ricard. Reports in the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times suggested that the French spirits firm is considering a bid, but has yet to contact its target. Allied Domecq shares rose 4% while Pernod shares in Paris slipped 1.2%. Pernod's last major purchase was a third of US giant Seagram in 2000, the move which propelled it into the global top three of drinks firms. The other two-thirds of Seagram was bought by marketleader Diageo. –BBC.com
Labels: Drink of the Week
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Tofu Curry
If I were a vegetarian, I would eat Wildwood Natural Foods products every day. Seriously. They have three things in particular that I totally love. I certainly don’t work for them, and have no interest in your buying their food other than I just really think there is something to be said for an exceptionally good product that is also environmentally friendly, healthy and tasty. The first (no surprise here!) is the Curry Tofu. It is just a block of their really high quality, fresh, firm, organic (gotta love that) tofu, but seasoned with curry powder turning it a really terrific shade of yellow and giving it that great kick. The second thing I love is their hummus and I’m sort of fussy about hummus if I didn’t make it myself. Some brands are too pasty, or too watery or sometimes it just tastes like garlic, but the kids at Wildwood seem to have it down just right. Its creamy, and tangy and fresh tasting. The perfect topping for a bagel or with carrot sticks. The last item, and this is the one I really wish everyone could try (but since I have no idea how far they ship their stuff, I don’t know if you can…) is the Original Tofu-Veggie Burger. Now I should clarify and say that I think a burger is a good thing and meat substitutes are pretty funky, but with this, you just have to just realize it is its own entity and not trying to be meat. What it is though is super-delicious. They are pattys of dense tofu with some carrots (that still have some texture of their own) and onions in them and they taste outrageously good. The outside is golden fried, (which might be the key to their yumminess) and has a good chewiness to it. Their website says they are like Egg Foo Young, and I think I agree. The color inside is also a little yellowish giving the feeling of eggs being included, but since they are vegan, there isn’t any. They are also only 110 calories each, which amazes me!
Now, you may be wondering what you could DO with curried tofu…well, here is what I do. Its simple (or so I always claim) and tasty. If you don’t have curry tofu at your market, I guess you could ask them for it (now I DO sound like I am shilling for them!) or you could just add some curry powder to the dish.
¼ cup coconut milk
½ teaspoon fish sauce
½ cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
½ pound firm curry tofu, diced
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
1 chile pepper, minced
½ cup bamboo shoots
½ cup fresh (or frozen) peas
Combine the chicken stock, coconut milk and fish sauce in a bowl and set aside
In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat sauté the onions garlic and ginger in the peanut oil until soft and lightly browned (about 3 minutes). Add the rest of the vegetables and stir fry until just cooked (about three minutes). Add the stock mixture and allow to come to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened. Serve over white rice.
Makes 4 servings
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Taramosalata
It seems important to me to share that I found (Eureka!) the makers of the (now) infamous Gourmet Curry Gurken (for those not following, I bought a jar of pickles while on vacation in south America, became obsessed with them and am unable to buy them here, causing heartache and rationing.). I emailed the manufacturer and asked if they sell them in Southern California, and have not heard back. Don’t they know how much I love their pickles and want to hear from them? (I love their pickles so much I would write a song about them if I were at all musically inclined.) They are little and sweet, they are crunchy and have just the right amount of salt, plus a great curry kick. It is a dream combination to me. They are, in fact, the perfect pickle. On the other hand, Trader Joes Kosher Dill pickles are not so great. So, alas, my love goes unrequieted, and I must just blog about my woes until the good people of Nowkan write back or somebody in Germany takes pity on me and sends some along. In the mean time, I had some friends over last night for a little pre-drinks nosh (with drinks, of course) and made some taramosalata. If you’ve never had this Greek dip, I urge you to try it. It’s creamy (yet, dairy free) and salty and tastes like the sea. It's pink, which is such a sensational color and it's caviar (sort of) so it qualifies as one of the best things ever. I love it, and hope you enjoy!
Six slices stale white bread, crusts removed
(Or, one large cooked potato, skin removed)
¼ cup red fish roe
Zest and juice of one large lemon
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
First you must soak the bread in water for a few minutes, then squeeze the water out.In a blender add the bread and roe and puree. Add the olive oil slowly until the mixture seems almost creamy. Add the lemon zest and juice and puree to combine. Taste and add more oil or lemon juice as needed.
Some people add a small chopped onion, I leave it out. Serve with a parsley garnish.
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The Kabbalah Center is launching an energy drink.
“We’re going after the Red Bull market,” says spokesman Darin Ezra.
“But Kabbalah Energy Drink tastes better.”
A U.S. government ruling legally classified the paddlefish
(a fish found in the Mississippi river) a sturgeon, so paddlefish
(a cousin of the true sturgeon) roe can be sold as American caviar.
Did you hear the joke about the butter?
I'd better not tell you 'cause you might spread it around.
Broccoli, Tomatoes and Feta
A few nights ago, I taught a class for six people at the home of a really lovely (and young! so young!) woman who is a pediatrician. They were just really terrific people. She and her husband eat out most nights, or just get pre-made foods, and wanted to try something new. We all know how hard it is in todays busy world (lordy, what a cliché) to make food ahead of time, and how hard it can be to go to the store and actually buy things you are going to eat (and not go bad!) so as a little challenge, we made a few dishes using only what was in her pantry and refrigerator. This is what we came up with. Simple, tasty, elegant and of course, delicious. There is nothing better than fresh foods prepared with love. (Ah l’amour.)
1 pound broccoli florets, blanched in salted water
1 pint cherry tomatoes (red and yellow)
½ cup feta cheese, cubed
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted
¼ cup best quality olive oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
a pinch of dried oregano (or fresh if you have it)
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.
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Oregon's Willamette Valley is home to 99 percent of the U.S. hazelnut industry.
NBC announced Wednesday that Stewart will host ``The Apprentice: Martha Stewart.''
Apply Now! http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Apprentice_3/apply_now.shtml
The word feta comes from the Italian fette, meaning a slice of food
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Splenda, Part 2
I read this today, and wanted to make sure everyone sees it. Please see my earlier post on Splenda for additional information.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson is facing a raftof lawsuits over a marketing campaign related to its artificialsweetener Splenda, which accuse the company of misleadingbuyers to believe Splenda is a natural product.
Splenda, which has enjoyed rapid sales growth on the backof a boom in low-carbohydrate eating in the last couple ofyears, is marketed by J&J's McNeil Nutritionals Worldwide division with the line: "Splenda No Calorie Sweetener is madefrom sugar, so it tastes like sugar."
But the Sugar Association says the marketing pitch does notaccurately reflect the end product and is misleading because itgives the impression that Splenda contains natural sugar.
McNeil faces three class-action suits from individuals, onefrom the Sugar Association and one from Merisant Worldwide Inc, the maker of rival low-calorie sweetener products including Equal and Canderel.
"Johnson & Johnson is misinforming consumers about the reality of the chlorinated product Splenda," said James Murphy,counsel for the Sugar Association, whose lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, a nationwide injunction and corrective advertising.
"We feel the public needs to be aware that Splenda is anartificial chemical sweetener. Splenda is created withchlorine, and the final product does not have sugar in it," hesaid.
Splenda's Web Site (www.splenda.com) says the product is made "through a patented process that starts with sugar andconverts it to a no calorie, noncarbohydrate sweetener. The process selectively replaces three hydrogen-oxygen groups onthe sugar molecule with three chlorine atoms."
A spokeswoman for McNeil Nutritional told Reuters that thelawsuits had no merit.
"Consumers are utilizing no-calorie sweeteners versus othersweeteners like sugar, and you would have to draw your ownconclusions about why now these efforts are being launched."said Monica Neufang, director of communications for McNeil,
"We have never represented Splenda as being natural," shesaid.
Splenda has just over 50 percent of the U.S. market for low calorie sweeteners, based on dollar volume, according to datacollected by IRI and made available to Reuters by McNeil.
It is used in products which include Kool-Aid Jammers 10 tropical Punch drink, produced by Kraft Foods .
"Obviously, any organization that represents the sugar growers of the world would like to have people know what theyare buying when they are buying a sweetener," said DanCollister, attorney at Squire, Sanders and Dempsey, acting forthe Sugar Association.
Separately, the Texas Consumer Association said on Monday it had asked the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to investigate the Splenda marketing campaign.
"With consumers across the country concerned about theirhealth and trying to eat more natural foods, it is alarmingthat McNeil is engaged in an under handed campaign to confuse consumers into believing Splenda is natural," commented SandraHaverlah, president of the Texas Consumer Association.
Haverlah said she was working with the Consumer Federation Network and was not associated with the groups bringing suitsagainst Splenda.
No one from Merisant was available for comment.
