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Posts Tagged Dining

Time to Get Involved with Food Issues

Oct 23

Posted by admin in Administration, dining out, gardening, healthy eating, lifestyle, news, restaurants

No one can be immune to the messages about food shortages or food deserts. A full range of food topics have managed to become front page news including problems with our food supply and food safety issues. Whether we are talking about obesity and its impact on the health of the nation or the lack of uniformity or good decision-making in our school lunch programs, we are talking food. Hunger statistics are staggering when we put these figures up against the placard that reads “World’s Greatest Nation.” Should there be millions of Americans in the bread line? These are food issues that affect everyone.

Solutions seem to be as prolific as the number of individuals offering advice. Now there is a strategy that everyone can employ and use wisely. Tomorrow, October 24 is the 1st National Food Day. What does that phrase really mean? In its most simple terms, it means, that there will be an emphasis on food issues throughout the country. Most cities have signed on with some sort of program and chefs, of course, are playing a significant role in the program.

What about the individual response? Yes, we can all get involved and do something. One day can make a difference. Support your local farmer. There are still plenty of farmstand markets bringing in the best of fall fruits and vegetables.  In some communities, individuals are helping plant a school garden so that young children can benefit from what is truly fresh. Restaurants are having a large variety of programs to bring in individuals and demonstrate how we can all pitch in and make a difference. Find a sustainable food project in your community and participate.

Yes, everyday can be a food day, but sometimes we need to pull back and think about how we can help others and create a stronger, better, more harmonious approach to food issues.  We can be a healthy nation.

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Eating with Uncle Sam

Sep 1

Posted by admin in Administration, beverages, food universe, History, news, tourism, USDA

I can think of no better time than a few days before Labor Day to introduce you to a wonderful book from the National Archives. It is easy to think of this mammoth building as a holder of major historical documents. To us in the food community that includes recipes that parallel the important events of history.

The major undertaking of a food exhibit, “What’s Cooking Uncle Sam,” a pop-up restaurant, American Eats Tavern, and a cookbook, Eating with Uncle Sam, has added a whole new chapter to the collections from the Archives and the Presidential libraries. Yes, food has played an important role in our history and much of what we do and comment on today within the universe of food has its earliest roots tied into a major document that has been preserved. Think of the current trendy chef movement toward the healthy concept of Meatless Mondays. It was during World War II that Americans were asked to have a meatless day (Tuesday) and such a tradition remained a strong staple of households many years after the War ended.

Touring the exhibit at the Archives gives one a bountiful repast of our history and how food evolved within the culture. Dining nearby at the Jose Andres restaurant (America Eats Tavern), lets one celebrate our history with a taste of the original recipes. After all how many types of Catsup have evolved over the years! A good way to test your palate. Now it all comes together with this new book.

One of the most discussed posters in the exhibit is entitled “Eat the Carp” which serves as an introduction to the fish chapter which includes a recipe for Paprikosh (1917-20) which today we might call a fish hash. Or try Lady Bird Johnson’s famous Shrimp Squash Casserole.

If sweets are more to your liking, there are plenty of recipes to try including Aunt Sammy’s Radio Recipe of Fruit Cake. After all, we wonder how some recipes ever evolved! How about a recipe for Fondant with the accompanying 1917-19 poster “Sugar: Save It.”

These little tastes should help you set a table of historical recipes. If you can’t make it to the Archives before the exhibit closes in early January, then take a You Tube tour.

In the meantime, enjoy the history and the recipes as you recognize the importance of keeping records.

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Mainstream G-F

Jul 26

Posted by admin in dining out, food, gluten-free, lifestyle, restaurants

We’ve talked before about how gluten-free products have become more readily available. Supermarkets have taken the plunge and recognized the large number of people diagnosed with celiac disease or those who find themselves gluten intolerant. Many sit-down restaurants have figured out the marketing potential and offer guests a gluten-free menu. Yet a more casual approach for people that avoid gluten products means limited sandwich options. They either make their own sandwich or have to listen to dining companions order something that sounds tempting or go to a higher price point. Nothing seems to cover the middle ground. That landscape has had a makeover. Now one nationwide restaurant chain has started a limited program that hopefully will go national.

The Subway chain in Oregon and Texas offers gluten-free sandwiches. (The program was rolled out several months ago, but I recently observed the process firsthand–quite different from a press release!) This is a big deal being advertised with banners and in-store literature. Anecdotally, they are reporting an impressive amount of interest and orders.

If you enter a Subway that offers a G-F menu, then you have hit the quick-service, made-to-order sandwich line. Before you scoff and say how could such a large chain pull off the G-F experience, let me share what I witnessed. The staff has been well trained and recognize the contamination possibilities. The roll comes wrapped but never even makes it to the counter until the sandwich person scrubs down the counter, announces that a G-F sandwich is about to be made, does a complete hand wash, and grabs a new pair of gloves. Pretty impressive actually! For those who worry about the isolation preparation. you have an advantage: You watch the process rather than speculate that caution is being followed!

When all is set and ready to go, the G-F sandwich gets further isolated during the preparation selection and ends up in its own specialty bag. What’s the upcharge for this attention to detail? A dollar more for a G-F sandwich: A price that goes down easily.

Maybe other fast food, casual restaurants, and nationwide chains will figure out that offering a gluten-free option is not price prohibitive but rather financially advantageous.

Marketing mainstream reality.

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Hotels Elevate the Food Experience

Jun 20

Posted by admin in beverages, coffee, Economy, news, Starbucks, tourism, travel

We have spent a lot of time talking about high food prices and equating that to the continual stalemate of economic progress: The reality of doom and gloom. Yet, another indicator has emerged from the doldrums. This time the specific focus is on the travel industry. Hotels that were giving away rooms not that long ago are now more inclined to raise prices and offer pluses to lure you inside. Travel has always been a strong indicator of economic growth, and with the uptick in business travel, leisure has started to fill rooms, too.

What special benefits can hotels offer to distinguish themselves? That is an ongoing industry, marketing question. Hyatt jumped up to the plate with a Welcome Credit. Depending on the number of nights, the monetary reward could be as high as $150. A guest should have no problem enjoying spending the money on the property. Hello, steak dinner.

If you’re Vegas-bound, you have the universe of selections as hotels are tripping over each other with good deals as their economy still lags. Once you settle on a property, take a stroll down the Strip and dine to your heart’s content as a whole coterie of big-deal chefs continue to wine and dine the visitor. It seems no end is in sight as to the restaurant potential in Vegas. Corby Kummer finds that the food now matches the hype! Jose Andres followers take note: The famous chef continues to research and study the history of foods. His latest education turns his palate to Chinese food. Washington, DC, which feels a certain hometown national pride over Andres’s food empire, will readily welcome a good Chinese restaurant, or two.

Let’s not forget coffee. In-room coffee service has been heavily scrutinized, and criticized, for its questionable cleanliness standards. Hotels have fought back with lobby coffee partnerships that promise a respectable cup of coffee. Marriott Hotels have various coffee partnerships depending on the brand. Newer or refurbished Courtyards offer Starbucks in the Bistro, and the higher-end properties (JW Marriott, Renaissance) may have taken coffee to a new height: An Espressamente Illy., a true coffee experience. The logic is quite simple: Keep the money in the property rather than watch guests stroll down the block and return to the hotel with someone else’s cup.

Sure small refrigerators and minibars stocked with a guest’s pre-ordered items (Hilton) are popular, but what’s better than good food and a great cup of coffee? OK, a lovely wine, but that’s not really been a hotel’s downfall. So pack your bags and take a hotel holiday or a mini-vacation. It is summer, after all.

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Support the Little Guy

Feb 27

Posted by admin in food universe, life

The wind is howling. The snow is still piled up, but the little guy is hanging out there waiting for you.

Not every restaurant has the high rent problem. Some have solved the dilemma by getting a food truck. Remember this was a strong trend at the end of the decade and continues to be an ever-present one, regardless of the weather.  IMG00761

Some cities are lined with food carts, and you quickly learn who’s got what and where to find the best hot meal. No matter the competition, the goal is the same: Quality food at affordable prices. Even with a smile!

Time to get onto Twitter and find where some of the mobile ones are hanging out.

These are the little businesses that need our loyalty even if the snow is still piled high along the street.

BTW, the falafel is excellent!

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Round Up: Food News To Use

Jan 24

Posted by admin in food universe, news

So many leftovers. Time to consolidate all that information.

Yes, this was definitely the week that was; as in you were warned by Starbucks that prices would increase. They did. You may not have noticed the 5 cents here and there and some drinks jumped more than that, but it’s the caffeine that counts, right?

At the same time they got hit for the price jump, albeit with warning, they continued to tweak their healthy menu items. A few simple adjustments on your latte orders, like switching to nonfat milk, can keep the calorie count down. Actually they have lots of company in the new calorie-posting lifestyle. Look at Applebee’s new healthy choice list with the long title: “Unbelievably Great Tasting & Under 550 Calories.” That’s a mouthful.

Grocers continue to parade around their value-pricing deals and low-calorie combinations. FreshDirect, the online grocer in New York, touts its 500-calorie meals which they create in-house and have available for delivery.siteaccess_farms_02

Results are in that people do pay attention to calorie postings, but they are being questioned for their exactness. Several reports have questioned the validity of the numbers. Think this is where commonsense has to rein. If it looks too good to be true…Guess what the triple burger might actually have more than 100 calories! I see more fruit options as commonsense sides to accompany main courses.

Celebrity Food Shows have been touting the combination of waffles and fried chicken. Now that has become a menu buzz. Do you get two separate plates so they syrup does not run all over the crispy chicken? This is what we call a fad; not a trend!

As the weather continues lashing out at us with a full deck of impossibilities, (tornadoes in CA?), it’s time to begin the magical pre-spring daydream: Seed catalogs. This is the time of year to leaf through them and find the best possibilities for your eventual garden. Time to order and begin the slow sprout. So many catalogs and so many new veggie and fruit possibilities. This is your year to rotate and bring on some new choices. Skip the all-traditional garden and go for some of the newcomers–all well marked. Just verify the growing zone so CA crops do not sit idle in your mid-Atlantic garden! Can one really have too many tomatoes?

Always a few more food recalls to focus our attention. This week it was cheese logs, smoked beef brisket, and additional burger items. With the appointment of the new FDA deputy commissioner in charge of upgrading food safety, maybe, just maybe, we can start to see better focused attention and action.

Speaking of burgers: Here’s a new burger bar prototype to consider: Burger King and Budweiser have teamed up to open a Whopper Bar by mid-February in South Florida. If it works there…the rest is history: Tourist areas get ready to open a cold one! It’s a success in Germany and new one is planned for Spain.

Oatmeal continues to be everyone’s favorite bowl game. McDonald’s, Caribou, Starbucks, and Jamba Juice are all tripping over each other with the flavor possibilities and price wars. What happened to good Old Quaker at home–OK, the one minute kind in a to-go cup–even less expensive!

Rest up a new week in food is ready to entice.

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Breakfast: The Most Important Meal

Jan 8

Posted by admin in coffee, dining out, Economy

For years nutritionists have been saying kick your metabolism into gear by having breaksfast. Start your day with fuel and the rest of the day will move along nicely. Puns intended.

Plenty of restaurants and quick-service spots have obviously heard the rallying cry–it translates as Ka-Ching as dollars are going into the register with record speed as breakfast has become a bigger stop than just for the all-mighty cup of coffee. The examples speak volumes.

–Chick-Fil-A: They just introduced a new breakfast menu with with a low-calorie yogurt parfait (Theyogurtparfaity quickly decided this item would be a popular all-day choice so its availability extends beyond 10:30AM) and mini nuggets–(Chick-n-Minis)–you know, a hand-held slider. Judging by the early morning drive-thru line, the concept must already be working.

–IHOP: Breakfast anytime is their concept as they move into the new year with the return of the All-You-Can Eat Buttermilk Pancakes starting at $4.99. It’s not just a plate of pancakes on this special as the combo accompaniments of eggs, hash browns, and meat are part of round one. Pancakes can keep on coming until it’s time to roll yourself out the door.

–McDonald’s: They  took on the breakfast brigade with the national rollout of the $1 menu (sausage biscuit, burrito, or McMuffin, and, of course, hashbrowns).

–Sonic Drive-In has several breakfast choices on the dollar menu including the Junior Breakfast Burrito with Sausage. They subscribe to the breakfast anytime motto.

All-Day Breakfast and price-competitive menus seem to be the theme starting the New Year. That, of course, and the big shout out about new, better grinds for truly enjoyable coffee!

With all the drive-n-go or eat ‘n run options, is anybody really focused on the Breakfast Metabolism starter or just finding filling food at affordable prices?

A little less food; a better cup of coffee.

Thank you.

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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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Watching Food

Nov 6

Posted by admin in life

Some people like to watch paint dry. I, on the other hand, have a fascination with food.

If sushi chefs taught us anything, it was that customers love to watch their food being made. It somehow conveys a freshness not otherwise exhibited when one buys a plasticized food container. Yes, someone made that item somewhere, but when and where?

When we go to a Mexican restaurant and someone is manning the tortilla machine we get that warm, cuddly, freshness feel. Yes, tortillas somehow taste better when we see the machine in action!

We like to watch. (I’m not talking about high-end restaurants where the magic is delicately performed at stations in the kitchen). I’m talking about a different food tier. We feel comfortable ordering what we see being prepared. That’s why grocers have expanded their takeaway sections with meals you can put together for a set price. You make the selection based on what you see. It feels far cleaner and fresher than the salad bar approach to dining.

How about a machine that makes fresh rice cakes while you watch! First off, the concept is fun, and the flavor means you’ll forgo the packaged products forever. Hello, CocoPop Machine. individual rice cake Yes, these circular gems literally pop out of the machine and into the individual order. You’ll question the packaged rice cakes you’ve been snacking on for years.

If you see the machine in action, like I did today at a brand, spanking new Wegmans, you’ll be hooked on the lightness of the taste. If they are doing samples, try it with the organic jam. Now we’re talking a pairing! This type of interactive food display makes shopping fun again. Trust me: No cardboard aftertaste!

Seeing food being prepared can enhance the palate.

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Top Home Chef

Oct 23

Posted by admin in cooking, Gadgetry, lifestyle

With all the efforts at cutting back on expensive restaurant meals and being better grocery shoppers, it is only fitting that everything that has been available to the restaurant chef has slowly worked its way into the home kitchen. With the preponderance of chef supplies, cookbooks, and specialty novelties at kitchen stores, it is no wonder that cooks look at the television chef and fantasize about their own creative talents.

We’ve already purchased the special accouterments such as immersion blenders, poultry thermometers, mandolines, and specialty knives. Restaurant quality pots and pans were a natural addition to complement white dinnerware of all shapes and sizes to showcase the specialty preparations. Appliances have not suffered from lack of attention with Viking Ranges making major inroads into the home kitchen, and barista-style coffee makers comfortably supporting the caffeine habit that lends itself nicely to the creativity high.

Now we can do better planning with the first sous vide appliance designed for the home chef. Let’s backtrack a little. Sous vide has been around for a long time, especially in France, and in the US it has gone under the microscopic lens of fears of health and food safety. The water-bath, vacuum-sealed method of steady,keller book low cooking maintains flavors and textures.

After it received passing marks, many chefs joined its original US superstars such as Thomas Keller (French Laundry, Per Se, Bouchon) who has even written a book on the subject with what are fairly technical recipes.  Now it is our turn to use the water bath method of cooking and lock in flavors naturally and emulate the masters. With the new piece of equipment, many of these recipes are now within reach!

It just gets easier and more fun sousvideto be the creative home chef.

Happy cooking.

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