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Archive for November, 2009

Hunger: More than a Six-Letter Word

Nov 30

Posted by admin in Administration, food universe, news

The news gets more abysmal by the minute. In this formerly very wealthy county, record numbers of children go hungry. Now we learn that food stamp use is way up and those adults and families once averse to such a program are now willingly taking part in its offerings. This is no time to hide behind the wall of fear of notice. Estimates indicate that the food stamp program is still not reaching 100% of those in need. Going hungry has become a severe problem that continues to grow daily.

In schools the number of children who get to school early for breakfast continues to climb. Those on subsidized lunch programs and children in afternoon care rely on the nutrients offered as school-based food programs may mean the single hot meal in their daily routines. With a special initiative from the USDA, schools will receive additional funds for demonstrating improved menus and healthier quality of foods served. This is a positive first step for a growing national crisis.schoolbreakfastlogo

Just before Thanksgiving the White House announced a more aggressive program focused on the alarming spread of hunger. It’s allied with its commitment to volunteering: Feed A Neighbor. This is a program tied into the Corporation for National and Community Service and linked to an effort to increase volunteerism between now and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, the National Day of Service, January 18.

Hunger issues are now so profound that we are at the same dire level of food needs as we were almost 15 years ago. Our progress has been eroded. Additional tactics need to be implemented after the January focus as the severity far exceeds the 6-week focus!

Talking about a problem never makes it go away. Besides USDA, Share our Strength, United We Serve, and the major corporations and foundations that have stepped in with action plans, the severity of the issue demands more than mere introspective attention.

We cannot continue to feast in our homes while others go hungry.

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Packing the Right Food

Nov 29

Posted by admin in news, travel

Now that we are deep in the throes of the seasonal travel period, it’s time to rethink what foods we carry on. Whether train, bus, or plane (TBP)—I don’t think it matters in your own car, you have to live with your decision—you need to pack foods you want to eat. Remember that the smells, not necessarily the aromas, will stay with you and your fellow travelers for the duration.

Take tuna fish sandwiches. Without a proper disposal receptacle, as in a big trash bin at a rest area, the whole crowd on the TBP is less than appreciative of your selection. Let me stop you from calling me a tuna fish hater–I love it, but I know its limitations: Best served in a well-ventilated space!

Since  the food options on board of T or P are so abysmal, (sorry Michel Richard, those delicacies do not transfer well onto first-class Acela service), packing your own food is the healthiest option and of course, the least offensively costly if food is not included in your ticket price!

As for airlines, keep in mind perishability and the no-nos of TSA rules: Here’s a little holiday travel guide of what should be in carry-on v. checked luggage. Buy your beverages and anything that looks gelatinous on the other side of security. Too many weird food confiscations to warrant anything other than dismay. Definitely not an argument or a discussion unless you want to miss the flight and possibility a future of travel!

Pack smart. Don’t count on every airport terminal to be overflowing with respectable, potentially healthy foods. Crowds, yes, but quality food, questionable. With travel delays and congestion and weather-related slow-downs, you might need to pack a day’s worth of options.

Leave the limburger, affectionately called “stinky cheese,” home.limburger1

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Let the Gifts Begin

Nov 28

Posted by admin in beverages, shopping

Black Friday has become a weekend sporting event followed by Cyber Monday which will probably last all week, but there is more to life than the short-term deals. Let’s look at the big picture and make the master list. For the next several weeks, I’ll visit the food, beverage, and life gift guide: My own personal attempt at finding the right presents to address some of the big conundrums of the year.

With all the hamburger anxiety and food recalls associated with the burger, it’s time to consider adding an attachment to the food processor or the mixer that will take the worry out of food preparation and bring back a secure feeling to a popular food. Grinding chuck roasts, for example, for hamburger is not that difficult if you have the right piece of equipment. Then you can again enjoy a burger without fear of what filler has been added to the basics. You are in charge of safety.

Green teas have been popular for years for all their antioxidant benefits and their soothing refreshment. Overall tea sales continue to impact the beverage category both in hot and cold selections. Why not enjoy tea service with your own leaves gently seeped in the cup with a tea infuser? Lots of design choices from the classic at the Museum of Modern Art to the more moderately priced variation. Great present; fun gadget.

Look for coupons to help a little with the purchase price. Sur la Table has numerous coupon offers and major kitchen shops such as Williams-Sonoma offer regular specials to entice you during these upcoming weeks. Don’t forget Amazon!

Don’t worry if the Internet posed its holiday difficulties, tea infuserand you feared the crowds at the stores, you have time.

More to come.

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We’re Talkin’ Hash

Nov 27

Posted by admin in cooking, food universe

It seems no matter the size of the bird, there are leftovers. Same is true with stuffing and the bounty of veggies. What do you do with each of the items? So many people swear by the big sandwich: Turkey, stuffing, cranberries, and gravy. Not bad.

Then there’s the hash theory. Get some eggs, cube the turkey, add the stuffing, and chop up some other vegetables like peppers and mushrooms and turkey hash is a pleaser.

The goal is the same: Turkey sandwiches lose their appeal quickly and inventiveness or incorporating multiple ingredients seems the easiest, best route.

It’s funny: We eat turkey sandwiches all year round, but the days following Thanksgiving, they seem to be a redundant statement to the overall feast of folly.

Don’t forget a turkey salad with a side of cranberries. We seem to remember to make chicken salad, but with the leftover fixings, we should not ignore the obvious!  turkeysalad

No matter the direction you take, remember the food safety rules: You only have a few days to finish the turkey so enjoy the wonderful memories, but finish it off by the end of the weekend. The sooner the better. As for other parts of the Thanksgiving meal, refrigerated storage for gravy is much shorter. To preserve the meal, especially if there are large quantities left, then the freezer route buys you some time.

Enjoy the continued bounty.

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Happy Thanksgiving

Nov 26

Posted by admin in food universe

I am thankful.

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Fiber-Rich Holiday

Nov 25

Posted by admin in cooking, food universe, health

yamDeep in the throes of preparation, it’s time to think of all we are thankful for. More on that later, but now a focus on how fiber-rich the upcoming food holiday is.

No matter how you prepare sweet potatoes or yams, you are talking about fiber. Healthy fiber.

Whether you like pumpkin pie or just serve it for its color and its tradition, you’re all over the beneficial fiber count.

Now the problem is you have two very orange foods already at the table. Need some other colors. Green for green beans and Brussels sprouts. No one is supposed to eat much white food so purple fingerlings for the mashed selection. Of course, there are the cranberries adding beauty and color to the holiday table.

Now a lot of brown is entering the spread from the turkey and the stuffing side. Add some color to the stuffing in the form of cranberries or pine nuts. Glaze the turkey skin for a rich golden color.

As we get ready to prepare the meal, we cannot lose sight of all those who do not have the bounty, fiber or otherwise. Grocery stores are making it easy to donate. It’s a valid first step.

So much to be thankful for at the fiber-rich table. Healthwise, we can be thankful for healthy food decisions.

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Toasting the Bird

Nov 24

Posted by admin in alcohol, champagne

4flutesThis is the time of the year when every wine critic and those who regularly write about wine profess to have found the perfect wine to accompany the bird. Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is no such thing as a single wine that defines the holiday. There are many wonderful wines that match well with the holiday feast and some have a place at the table and others are perfect for a specific food.

Yet, when we think of a celebration, we often think of a sparkler, and that is a wonderful way to begin the holiday. With champagne sales way down or as some headlines say, flat, it’s time to bring the bubbly back to the table. Even with a little glimmer of positive economic news, there are many fine sparkling beverages that do not break the bank. Yes, sparkling seltzer and soda work wonders, too.

As for alcoholic sparkling beverages, Prosecco from Italy, Cava from Spain, and domestic sparklers from California and New York qualify nicely. Their sales have been steadily improving as they match a broader range of budgets. If you’re looking for a certified French Champagne that has come down in price, then I suggest a visit to your favorite purveyor as specials abound and indications are for more reductions in the upcoming month.

It’s ironic that the champagne industry has always tried to convince the consumer that champagne does not need to be saved for birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. Now with a major holiday coming up, they are struggling with trying to get the consumer’s attention and regain a spot at the table.

So many choices; so many foods; so many preparations. There is no set rule book.

Drink what you like.

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Trust A Restaurant

Nov 23

Posted by admin in food universe, lifestyle

I’m so busy often siding with the diner in many restaurant kerfuffles, but it’s time to put on the owner, chef, manager hat and see what we can uncover. Hats off to hard work.

When you go to a good restaurant or one considered top tier, it’s OK to order the least expensive wine if it is the type you like or think you’ll like and it is the one that matches your budget. Remember that a good restaurant takes pride in its wine list and has no need to put inferior wines on the list. The old rule was always order the second least expensive one because you can’t trust the least expensive one. Not true. Trust the fine quality restaurant to care about its wine choices. You’ll not be sorry or if you are, they are making the major mistake!

If the restaurant explains its specials and the price is in range with the other menu items, then consider that the chef got excited from going to market or seeing what was the freshest item he could buy today. Sometimes the specials are so good they deserve to be considered as regular menu items; assuming they are available and match the price points. Trust the specials (if they are within the regular menu range).

If you have allergies or certain ingredients seem to cause problems, specify that when ordering. A good server will double check with the chef on specific ingredients and together with the chef will offer suggestions on more suitable selections. If you have major allergies, it is always good to call ahead and make certain you have made a reservation at a restaurant that can accommodate your specific needs.

A good restaurant seldom fails you. They want you to be pleased; to return; to spread the word. It’s a mutual bond: You want to be pleased. Let the praise begin.friedgreentomatoes

Trust the restaurant, and you will be rewarded.

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Side-by-Side

Nov 22

Posted by admin in food universe, lifestyle

Before we bought this refrigerator (GE Side-by-Side), I couldn’t wait to get one like this. Then I got it and ever since, many years ago now, I’ve had plenty of cross words with it. Especially whenever we have company and definitely during preparations for a food holiday, this appliance causes great angst. Just to set the record straight, it has many redeeming qualities like its beverage shelf, but they don’t even offer that feature anymore.

ge

Thanksgiving is a true killer sport. I can either put the turkey in the refrigerator or all the other parts to the meal. We create the Great Compromise: A little like the Great Wall of China as we need to erect a makeshift balancing act to get everything properly into place.

The process is not easy nor is it pleasant. Every time someone wants to add something or take something out prior to putting the bird in the oven, there’s lots of juggling–foods need to come out and then everything gets reconfigured. No one can ever find anything.

This is one piece of equipment that looks great but is a mega source of frustration. This being a holiday week, the fridge and I have already spoken in advance of the Tuesday pick-up of the bird. Then, well, you get it.

You see in order to do this particular holiday with so many people you need to prepare more than just one day’s worth of food. Thus, the space conundrum.

The flip side is that by Saturday, we’ll all wonder why there’s nothing in the fridge.

It’s always a bad sign when you can see the back of the shelf!

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Gluten-Free Universe

Nov 21

Posted by admin in health, news

When you decide you’ve had enough of ingredients that are unpronounceable so they couldn’t possibly be good for you, you might consider fewer ingredients and a return to the basics. For many people, when they make this decision, they also decide to take out the wheat, rye, or  barley as a first step. There are so many processed foods that our digestive systems are questioning what is entering and how it is affecting us. Simple may be best.

Grocers have heard the cry that more consumers are looking for gluten-free products and often publish an easily available list of their products that meet the gluten-free guidelines. What was once a savage search in numerous aisles has become less of a hunt for quality tastes. Two caveats before you go down the road to digestive health. You need to find the basics and do a lot of your own in-house baking. The minute a manufacturer attaches a gluten-free label to a new item, it seems costs far exceed products with so many unnecessary ingredients. Hardly logical!

As for cereals, the Chex family has numerous solutions to make shopping easy and less focused on how many changes are necessary. They list products and offer recipes. Several blogs including the “Gluten Free Goddess” are devoted to the issue and provide suggestions and approaches to healthier living. Look at her roasted acorn squash risotto recipe, and you’ll understand following the GF lifestyle is not that difficult. For those with a classified health issue such as Celiac Disease, The Celiac Foundation offers extensive lifestyle advice.

glfreerisotto

It’s not that difficult to be gluten-free. It just means paying better attention to ingredients in purchased products and adjusting your cooking strategies. With the web, there are plenty of opportunities to find resources to help educate and make shopping a less painful outing.

Stay with the basics.

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