RoobiFood

Summer is here and many Americans will be traveling in Europe on vacation. Beaune, the last walled-in city in France is truly out of an Alexander Dumas novel with worn cobble-stone streets and courtyards. Definitely worth a sleepover. My husband and I had the opportunity to be there not long ago when he produced some specials for the Food Network and I got to tag along. The city is enchanting and I half-expected to see the Three Musketeers come flying off one of the geranium-covered balconies.

Much to our delight the network splurged and we (including the 4 man crew) were booked at the Hostellerie de Levernois just outside the walled city. We drove onto a wooden bridge over a storybook brook to enter the property that was nestled in acres of gardens. I immediately wanted to move in. The rooms, decorated in country French florals, were set apart from the main building that housed the check-in desk and its multi-star restaurant. Each room had a lovely terrace overlooking those gardens and, unlike any of our other hotels in Europe, this one had wash cloths. We made a reservation at the restaurant.

As our reservation witching hour approached we strolled to dinner through the gardens and over the expansive front lawn.

The restaurant didn’t disappoint in upscale elegance and amazing food. My husband had the five course tasting menu that included sweetbreads. He had never before tried sweetbreads and wasn’t all that excited to see them included as one of his courses. Brains! Shiver! But in the spirit of this Food Network adventure, he tasted them. He liked them. He really liked them.

One crew member had Bresse chicken with a sauce reduction that must have taken hours. Another had a three course dinner that included red mullet sautéed with Provencal herbs. My dinner was baby rack of lamb for one and included a foie gras appetizer that I yearn for every time I see a slab of liverwurst. The director, who had barely been out of Tennessee before, ventured out of his shoe-leather-meat comfort zone and tried a filet of sole dinner which contained no food or ingredient that he hadn’t eaten in some way, shape or form back home in Knoxville.

The wines: Burgogne and Sancerre.

Desserts ran the gamut from chocolate delights to fruit pastries. But as delicious at it was, what I remember most about the meal was the cheese tray… though ‘tray’ is a gross understatement. It was a cheese cart. A big cheese cart. Two tiers! Filled with nearly every imaginable French cheese. I realized that when the waiter asked me what cheeses I’d like to try I was suppose to select three or four – perhaps five at the most, but nooooooooo. I wasn’t going to be dining there again any time soon, if ever, so I went for it and asked to taste everything… I was in cheese heaven.

All-in-all the restaurant, considered one of France’s greatest, lived up to its reputation, so if you’re wandering around France and find yourself in Beaune and want a fantastic meal, walk, don’t run, to the restaurant in the Hostellerie de Levernois .

Hello All

Over the weekend (I believe Sunday afternoon) the server hosting Roobifood was brought down for some un-planned maintenance. As is sometimes the case, there was a problem with some upgrades being performed, which rendered the site un-viewable for a day or two.

The good news is that everything should now be resolved. I am working with my hosting provider to ensure that this does not happen again.

The 54th Summer Fancy Food Show recently took place at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. Despite the current recession (yes, I’m using the “r” word, President Bush!), there seemed to be no lack of exhibitors or attendees, and the Show (reserved for those in the food trade only) saw its usual mix of strange and delightful products, combined with too much walking and too much eating for all attendees.

If you don’t know about this Show, it is the largest of the three Fancy Food Shows that take place in the US every year, and, I believe, the single biggest specialty food show in the US. What you see here are upscale food items, many from small producers. What you also see are more cheeses, chocolates, preserves, honey, and olive oils than you knew existed. To give you an idea of the scale of this Show, someone once counted the number of olive oils exhibited, and there were 202 different kinds. Of course, that was some years ago; there are more now. Sauces of every description, from all-purpose to barbecue to fiery hot. Cookies and biscotti by the dozen. Coffees and teas of every description. Every year, I swear I’ll pace myself and not take so many samples, but oooh! here’s a cheese I’ve never seen before from a small-scale producer and his pastured cows, and just across the aisle there are little cups of tart blood orange juice, just what I need to cleanse my palate, and look!

I’ve heard about these exhibitors; they’re supposed to make some of the best smoked salmon on the East Coast, and two booths up they’re sampling an amazing cassis vinegar, and hey! I’ve never tried Pumpkin Blossom Honey…Now, repeat this for six or seven hours, over the course of three days. While I can’t prove this, my belief is that the makers of remedies for indigestion see their stock rise annually in conjunction with the timing of this event.

How about trends this year? Pomegranate and mango are still the reigning monarchs in fruit and fruit products, as they were last year, but more interest is being shown in mangosteens and guava. There were an unusual number of granolas around this year (some were very good), and a larger-than-usual number of companies exhibiting and sampling hummus (one exhibitor was displaying busts of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain sculpted out of hummus, but the busts resembled their human counterparts the way I resemble Angelina Jolie, which is to say, not at all).

Dark chocolate remains the chocolate of choice, although a few more individuals are catching on to the concept of milk chocolate that’s high in cacao content. Too many companies are touting the health benefits of their products, especially where antioxidants are concerned; too many others add unnecessary ingredients to otherwise perfectly good products to form “functional foods”—those that may provide a health benefit beyond basic nutrition (the key word here being “may).

What were some of my finds this year? Hands down, the most unusual product I saw was from Wild Hibiscus (www.wildhibiscus.com), an Australian company offering the blooms of wild hibiscus flowers preserved in syrup. At the Show, one hibiscus blossom and a little syrup were placed in the bottom of a champagne flute, then a bit of the bubbly was poured atop.

A very impressive-looking presentation, though I was unable to try it. UK celebrity chef Alan Coxon’s penchant for historic foods led him to re-create vinegars and similar condiments used in antiquity; he now has an Ancient Greek vinegar, a Roman Period vinegar, and a 15th century “ale-gar”, all quite intriguing (see www.alancoxon.com for more information). Dry Soda Company (www.drysoda.com) produces less-sweet, lower-in-calories, carbonated beverages in flavors such as Rhubarb, Lemongrass, and Lavender. Frankenstein Mills offered samples of pancakes made up from their Aretha Frankenstein’s Pancake Mix (no idea where the name comes from, but I thought the pancakes were pretty darned tasty; there’s a minimal-information website at www.frankensteinmills.com).

The Daphne Baking Company of Kent, CT, had samples of their thaw-and-serve tarts; I thought the Chocolate and the Lemon were quite good (www.daphnebaking.com). Guava products (jelly, marmalade, even liqueur) are the order of the day at Guayeco & Co., www.guayecousa.com; their jelly is sweet but carries a bright, tropical flavor. Finally, Nettle Meadow, a goat cheese creamery, makes triple crème Kunik, a delightfully rich and flavorful cheese (www.nettlemeadow.com).

I always look forward to this Show, because you never know just what you’ll find. I don’t like everything I try here by any means, but there are always good new foods here, as well as old favorites. Over the coming weeks, I’ll tell you more about those I enjoyed.

Every once in a while I’m fortunate enough to escape the hustle and bustle of my life. To leave Marin county and head into San Francisco for a relaxing evening. With my husband and daughter at home I’m able to get away and spend some much needed alone time. A chance for me to re-energize my spirit and re-group.

My husband is a doorman at the beautiful SF hotel The Argonaut. This top notch Hotel features a fantastic nautical theme that’s both warm and inviting, not to mention comfortable. The staff are friendly and very much on top of it, every team member is making sure your stay is a great one. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. A relaxing way to spend some time away from home and thats just what I’ll be doing tonight.

The Hotel theme is carried over to the restaurant known as The Blue Mermaid.

This is where I decide to enjoy some lunch. I’ve been here before and there are definitely some of my favorites on this menu. The restaurants interior is so fun, it’s a combination of land meets the water. The staff are quick to respond and I decide to eat on the patio. Eating by myself is not my favorite thing to do but on this particular day I decide that a quiet meal is exactly what I need. It’s one of those rare hot SF days so I made sure my table was in the shade. I may be by myself but there are plenty of people out and about. Not to mention full tables here at the Restaurant. The patio is adjacent to a courtyard that frequently has entertainment and today was one of those days. A couple sang as we enjoyed our lunch. A nice way to set the mood.

For my lunch I decide on a cup of the Dungenous crab corn chowder and the grilled shrimp Caesar salad. The Blue Mermaid is known for their chowders and this chowder is a very popular choice. It’s not the first time that I’ve had this chowder but each time I eat some it tastes like the first time. I’m re-introduced to the sensational smooth flavors. It’s presented with a cilantro pesto swirled on top. When its mixed in, the pesto gives the sweetness of the crab and corn great balance. The texture of the chowder is mouth pleasing. From the chewier corn pieces to the softness of the potatoes. When I finished the cup I’m already anticipating when I’ll return for more of this yummy chowder. As I wait for my salad I watch the people out enjoying their day too. My salad arrives and it looks and smells great. I know that caesar salad is pretty common but the garlic ratio in this caesar dressing is what keeps me coming back. It’s so delicious. The shrimp were grilled to perfection. Just a little snap as you bit into it, just as it should be. My tummy no longer hurting from hunger, I’m feeling completely satisfied.

I’m grateful for the opportunities to get away. To spend the night at a fantastic Hotel and eat yummy foods.

Thanks to everyone who took such great care to see that I had a wonderful trip away, especially my husband. John your the best.

Where will I go next?

We all know at least one dark chocolate snob. As a rule, they’re an easy breed to recognize. They argue over percentages of cacao solids, invariably insisting on very dark chocolate; they loudly discuss the merits of single-bean and single-estate varieties; and they disdain milk chocolate as a weak impostor. I must beg these elitists, these advocates for a dark-chocolate-only world, to drop a silent tear, regard me mournfully as a lost soul, and move on, for I am not of their kind.

There’s no question that I am a chocolate snob myself. I’ve been writing about chocolate for eleven years now, and I’ve tasted far more brands than have most people I know. I’ve got decidedly strong opinions about chocolate, and many of the brands beloved by Americans I simply don’t find worth the calories. But for all of that, I stand unashamed, even proud of, my love for milk chocolate. Now, I’m not talking about cheap or poor-quality milk chocolate. True, I ate the same bars you did as a kid (only possibly in greater numbers), and I doted upon them. But some milk chocolate now available in this country is a far cry from the excessively-sweet, none-too-chocolatey confections I indulged in as a child.

A legal definition is in order here. In order to be called milk chocolate, chocolate made in the US must contain at least 10% chocolate liquor and 12% whole milk (most commonly, that milk is in powder form). If you don’t know, chocolate liquor contains no alcohol; it’s a thick, dark, semi-liquid substance made up of the ground inner nibs of roasted cacao beans (the outer hull of the beans is removed). Incidentally, these standards are not adhered to worldwide. In some EU countries, a confection need contain only 1% chocolate liquor for it to be legally termed chocolate! But back to US manufacturers now. Many of the less-expensive, grocery store brands of milk chocolate contain percentages of chocolate liquor just above the legal minimum. This means they’re going to be quite sweet and won’t taste very much like chocolate. Those are OK for kids or people who don’t care much about their food.

Over the past fifteen years or so, however, darker chocolates have become much more popular than they used to be in the US. In some cases, these darker chocolates are milk chocolates—that is, they’re milk chocolates with a much higher percentage of cocoa liquor, often in the 30 to 38% range or higher. In fact, I know one manufacturer, The Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company, who was the first to call his product “dark milk chocolate” (more on that manufacturer later). It’s important to bear in mind that percentage of chocolate liquor, also known as “cacao solids” or “cocoa content”, does not guarantee anything about the quality of the chocolate. In general, though, a higher percentage will indicate a product that tastes more like chocolate, not sugar or a combination of sugar and milk. So milk chocolate bars with a higher percentage of cacao solids will be less sweet and more chocolatey-tasting, yet they’ll still retain their creaminess and dairy flavor.

Somehow, the fact that percentage of cacao solids is no indication of chocolate quality doesn’t seem to have permeated the American mind quite yet. People equate a higher percentage on a label with better chocolate. As a consequence, large-scale manufacturers of milk chocolate, who have seen some decrease in sales with their old standard bars, have come out with fancily-wrapped, upscale, “gourmet” bars, with their percentages of chocolate liquor proudly displayed on their labels. I’ve spent the past several years systematically testing these new bars, all of which have been readily available in grocery stores, and all have disappointed me (that holds true for their dark chocolate bars, as well). Well, I warned you I was a chocolate snob…

Over time, I’ve discovered that many of the best milk chocolates I’ve tasted, no matter what form they’re in, have been made by smaller-scale manufacturers. As my discussion here has been largely about bars, I have two manufacturers to recommend to you, both of whom produce milk chocolate bars of excellent quality. The first is The Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company (www.omanhene.com). This business has a great story behind it, but more importantly, their Dark Milk Chocolate, produced in Ghana, is the stuff of chocolate legend—or should be. This is a milk chocolate with a 48% cacao solids content, which is very high indeed. As mentioned above, it’s called Dark Milk Chocolate. This product has a fascinating flavor that’s not too sweet and very chocolatey, yet it lacks the bitterness or excessive astringency associated with many dark chocolates. Omanhene also produces a dark chocolate and a number of drink mixes. Online ordering is the way to go here.

If that still sounds like it’s too dark a chocolate for you, allow me to introduce Chocolove (www.chocolove.com), a line of bars made from Belgian chocolate. They have a variety of dark chocolate bars of very good quality, but I’m a sucker for their milk chocolate bars! These bars contain 33% cacao solids, so they’re certainly going to be less sweet/more chocolatey than most grocery store brands, but they still have a sweetness to them, and they’re very creamy. There’s a Hazelnut and a Toffee & Almonds, but, purist that I must be, I always stick to the “plain” Milk Chocolate bar. If you’re curious about the name of the company, it springs from the fact that there’s a love poem inside each wrapper. These bars can be ordered online, but there’s some distribution to chain stores, as well as independent retailers.

Milk chocolate lovers, unite! Life can be dark enough sometimes; we don’t always need our chocolate to reflect that. Get yourself a bar of fine-quality milk chocolate, and see what a difference good ingredients and care in manufacturing can make.

The hamburger, it’s an all American staple from road trip stops for fast food to the backyard barbeque, Americans cannot get enough burgers.

Well with beef prices soaring that once cheap ground chuck just doesn’t go as far as it used to. No fear, I have a plan to make that meat stretch.

Tip: buy bulk meat, 2 lbs or more, often these “family size” packages are cheaper per pound. When you get home divide meat into ½ lb portions, wrap in freezer paper and freeze. Thaw when ready to use.

Now this is how I make enough burgers for four people using ½ a pound of ground beef.

Chop a medium sweet onion, throw in a bowl with ground beef, add salt black pepper, Italian seasoning, Parmesan/Romano cheese (small handful), 1-2 eggs for moisture and binding, Worcestershire sauce, a dollop of sour cream and some crushed garlic and half a chopped bell pepper, also throw in a large handful of bread crumbs. Mix together with hands and form into patties. Cook.

Presto. ½ a pound of beef feeding four people each a juicy burger. Serve with buns and your favorite toppings.

Enjoy!

Quick, how many different kinds of honey can you name? Do you simply buy whatever is on sale at the supermarket? If you know only orange blossom honey, or if you purchase whatever is cheapest, you’re really missing out on a range of great tastes and beautiful colors.

Everyone knows that honey is produced by bees, but the amount of work these creatures must do to produce the sticky sweet beloved by humans is astonishing. It’s no accident that bees depicted on medieval coats of arms represented diligence, activity, and perseverance. According to the National Honey Board, for bees to make just one pound of honey, they may travel up to fifty-five thousand miles and visit over two million flowers. When you consider that a healthy hive can produce over 60 pounds of honey per year, that’s a great deal of work indeed. As bees fly from flower to flower, they collect nectar. That nectar is brought back to the hive, where the bees add enzymes that change the nectar’s chemical composition. They also remove most of the moisture from the altered nectar, helping to create the thick liquid we know as honey.

Did you know that honeybees are vital to agriculture in the US (and elsewhere)? As they visit flowers, they transfer pollen from the anthers of one to the ovules of another, thus fertilizing, or pollinating, the plant. Pollination allows flowering plants to produce a crop. It’s been estimated that at least one-third of the human diet (some say as much as two-thirds) comes from plants pollinated by insects. Honeybees are responsible for over 75% of insect pollination!

Within the past twenty years, the honeybee population in the US has been threatened by two large-scale pests/occurrences. Varroa mites were first detected in the US in 1987; these parasites caused tremendous losses in the population of both feral and “kept” bees. Infected bees may suffer from physical deformities, malnutrition, blood loss, or disease (varroa mites can transmit a number of pathogens to bees). A more recent problem is CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder). CCD refers to a sudden, large-scale die-off of adult bees. Some large commercial migratory beekeepers have lost from 50% to 90% of their colonies; survivors are often so weak that they can’t pollinate effectively or make honey. There is a great deal of debate about the cause (or causes) of CCD, but at present no one seems to have any all-encompassing answers. Considering how dependent we are upon honey bees for our food, this is distinctly unnerving.

Honey is available in an incredible variety of colors and tastes. But according to the Bee Raw Honey website, much of the honey available in most markets and restaurants doesn’t have a distinctive flavor, because cheap honey, imported from places such as China and Argentina, is blended with domestic honey purchased by large-scale packers. This blend is then micro-filtered and heated to “extremes” (the heating prevents crystallization as the honey sits on a shelf), thus creating “a dull, homogenous taste”. By contrast, varietal (also called “monofloral”) honey can range from the light flavor and color of clover honey to the robust heartiness and “red molasses” hue of a dark wildflower honey, with infinite gradations between the two. Blueberry, cranberry, star thistle, avocado, buckwheat, chestnut, leatherwood, fireweed, pumpkin, mint, canola, cotton, poplar, and tupelo are just some of the other varietals available (if you’re a fan of Van Morrison, you already know about tupelo honey!). In general, bees forage only within a few miles of their hives, so hives are often placed in the midst of particular groves of plants to yield that type of honey. Some beekeepers, in fact, transport their colonies, functioning as migratory pollinating units, taking them to the Southern or Western US for the winter season (as noted above, CCD has hit these beekeepers particularly hard).

Uses for honey abound in home remedies and recipes. A preparation of honey and lemon is sometimes used to soothe an irritated throat and/or minor cough. Honey is said to be a sleep aid. A honey-oatmeal mask might be used to reduce acne. If a burn is cooled first, raw honey can be applied as a healing aid; it’s also sometimes recommended for the care of minor scrapes, etc. (Honey is a natural antimicrobial and is used as a wound dressing, but burns must be cooled first as honey will retain heat.) Some sources even recommend raw honey as an anti-asthmatic or in the treatment of seasonal allergies. In foods, honey is used in everything from baklava to bread-baking to salad dressing. It’s drizzled over hot cornbread, used to make caramels, or fermented with yeast to yield mead, an ancient alcoholic beverage. However you use it, you must NEVER give honey to infants under one year of age, as it may cause infant botulism.

An increasing number of honey marketers and vendors are labeling their honey as “raw”. “Raw” honey is popular with a number of groups, including those who don’t want their food processed more than is absolutely necessary. But you should know that there is no legal definition for “raw” honey. It usually means that the honey has not been heated or filtered, but if you want to be absolutely certain, you’ll have to ask how the honey has been treated after harvest.

One type of honey I especially like is coconut honey, and I know just one seller of it. The business is located in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, just over 1700 miles northwest of Perth, Australia, literally in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Because coconut meat and coconut milk are subtle in flavor, I expected a dainty varietal, but I was delightfully wrong. Jungle Juice Coconut Honey, as it’s called, is hearty and almost spicy-tasting. This honey can stand up to whole grain bread, but it’s equally at home in a strongly-flavored tea. It’s got a rich, beautiful color, as well. You can find it at The Grateful Palate, www.gratefulpalate.com. If you live in the US and want to try something new but produced within your state or region, check out the Honey Locator, at www.honeylocator.com (look for “We sell locally produced honey” in a listing).

Choose honey in the comb, as a thick syrup in a jar or squeeze bottle, or as an opaque spread (called “crèmed” or “whipped” honey). Whatever form you prefer, I hope you’ll try one of the many varietal types of honey that are so readily available. Expand your honey horizons and discover a whole new world of wonderful flavors.

Sources:
—The National Honey Board, www.honey.com

—Draper’s Super Bee Apiaries, Inc., http://draperbee.com/info/honey.htm

—Bee Raw Honey, www.bee-raw.com

–Mid-Atlantic Apicultural Research & Extension Consortium, http://maarec.cas.psu.edu

Ah, moules. What better way to enjoy them on a hot summer night with a delicious Belgian tripel? Unless, that is, you enjoy them on a hot summer afternoon with a glass of white wine … whatever time of day or choice of beverage, moules make a delicious summertime meal.

My parents happen to live by the ocean in an area with a lot of fisherman, and a selection of fantastic seafood markets. So whenever I vacate the city in favor of more relaxing climes (ie home), fresh-caught seafood is a culinary luxury I make sure to indulge in. Sea Well Seafood in Pawcatuck, Rhode Island is quite possibly the best place to get fresh seafood. I’m not kidding when I say they sell lobster large enough to cut off a man’s foot with their claw. These things are prehistorically large, and it suddenly becomes easy to see why they are members of the arachnid family … they may be a delicacy, but they are c-r-e-e-p-y. We purchased three pounds of mussels and prepared them simply in the French style, moules à la marinière. This recipe is from the wonderful Julia Child, as it originally appeared in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It’s beyond simple to prepare, and the broth is delightfully rich without feeling like you’re drinking saltwater. Buy a loaf of nice crusty baguette to sop up the broth (the extra can also be used as a soup base), and enjoy with white wine, a Belgian ale, or whatever beverage you prefer.

Supplies:

8-10 quart kettle with cover (JC says to use an enameled kettle but we used a pasta pot)

Ingredients:
2 cups light, dry white win or 1 cup dry white vermouth (we used white wine)
1/2 cup minced shallots, or green onions, or very finely minced onions
8 parsley sprigs
1/2 bay leaf
1/4 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp pepper
6 Tb butter
6 quarts scrubbed, soaked mussels (3 lbs should work)

1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley (we used more; my family loves, and I do mean loves parsley.)

Bring all but the mussels and parsley to boil in the kettle. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes to evaporate its alcohol and to reduce its volume slightly.

Add the mussels to the kettle. Cover tightly and boil quickly over high heat. Frequently grasp the kettle with both hands, your thumbs clamped to the cover, and toss the mussels in the kettle and an up and down slightly jerky motion so the mussels will change levels and cook evenly. In about 5 minutes, the shells will swing open and the mussels are done.

With a big skimmer, dip the mussels into wide soup places. Allow the cooking liquid to settle for a moment so any sand will sink to the bottom. Then ladle the liquid over the mussels, sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

**Absolutely do not eat any mussel that doesn’t open when cooked!! The results will be beyond unpleasant.

I have a number of friends that refuse to eat leftovers. ( you know who you are!) I tell them they’re not very creative and limiting the opportunity to cut time in the kitchen the next few evenings.

Leftovers provide a great starting point for the next dish. It can be as simple as rice or pasta or something more substantial like chicken, sausage or some other type of meat.

Pasta is great as a leftover, it’s a quick meal just waiting to happen. In fact, when I cook pasta many times I make extra so I’ll have some plain pasta in the fridge. Leftover pasta is a great when you have hungry kids or just a few minutes to get dinner on the table for yourself. Add some sauce of choice (creamy, tomato or olive oil), some veggies from the fridge or freezer, olives and cheese and the meal is ready. If I have some leftover chicken I’ll dice that up and add it to the dish. I usually heat this up in a large saute pan (skillet) to ensure proper heat distribution and to incorporate all ingredients. 7-12 mins. (depending on the amount of food) and Voila! Dinner is served.

Rice gets new life too. Whether it’s leftover from home or take out it’s easy to jazz up. Saute some mushrooms in some butter, add shallots and garlic, de-glaze the pan with chicken stock or dry white wine. Once reduced by half add the rice, salt and pepper to taste and you have a new side dish.
My focus for leftovers is to not eat the same thing the same way but to give the leftover a new look and flavor. Putting a new spin on it some may say.

Some leftovers just plain taste better the next day anyway. Chili, soups, mac n cheese, lasagna, and meatloaf to name a few. When their flavors have more time to mingle the outcome is much more delicious.

Leftovers…. it’s what’s for dinner!

I know what you’re thinking. Either I’m secretly employed by a prune producer or this is all a big joke. Guess again! Though they are often maligned and the subject of crude jokes, prunes deserve better. Not only do they taste great, but they’re packed with nutrition. So let’s stop the jokes and get the real story.

What is a prune? Technically, it’s simply a dried plum, but there are a great number of different species of plums grown, and very few can be dried successfully to become prunes. According to the website Les Pruneaux d’Agen (www.pruneau.fr), plums have existed since ancient times, but damson plum trees were brought to Europe in the 12th century by Crusaders returning from the Middle East. Damson plums were crossbred with a local variety by monks, who discovered that the resulting fruits, when sun-dried, would keep for a whole year, an invaluable characteristic in an era when food preservation was limited. By the early 1500’s, orchards of these plums were springing up through all of southwestern France, and that plum, which became known as the d’Agen from a port city in the region, remains the chief variety used for prunes today (by the way, the above history is subject to debate).

Prune production was once a cottage industry, where trees were harvested by hand. A few small-scale producers remain, but modern, large-scale prune production is a much different animal. Plum-covered trees are likely to be harvested by mechanical shaker. Once the plums are washed, they’re dried. Instead of using sun-drying, however, today’s prunes go through drying tunnels, where they are exposed to temperatures ranging from roughly 160 degrees F to 185 degrees F. The fruits are dried for between 16 and 24 hours to achieve your standard, heavily-wrinkled prune, with a moisture content of between 20 and 23%. From there, prunes are sorted and stored. Typically, they lose a little more moisture during storage, enough so that they’re given some rehydration to increase moisture content before being packaged for consumers.

The d’Agen plum grows very well in certain areas of California, where it’s often called the French plum. Sunsweet is the top producer of prunes in the US (and, for that matter, worldwide). Although prunes are widely accepted in other cultures, they’ve had a serious image problem in the US. For years, people associated prunes with the elderly and laxatives, not quite the type of mental picture to get you in good with a young, hip crowd. Enter the spin doctors and lobbyists of the food world. The result? In 2000, the Food & Drug Administration granted permission for a name change. Prunes could now legally be called “dried plums”. The California Dried Plum Board, formerly the California Prune Board, had scored a marketing triumph. I’m forced to admit that the whole thing seems absurd to me, especially because both names for the fruit still appear on packaging (at least on Sunsweet packaging).

People can argue about the silliness of this decision, but there’s no argument that prunes are good for you. They’re a good source of Vitamin A, and a surprisingly rich source of Vitamin K. Prunes contain potassium, useful in regulating blood pressure. They’re good sources of soluble fiber, which can assist in lowering blood cholesterol and promoting regularity. And of course prunes are famous for harboring prodigious quantities of antioxidants. (I have some difficulty with the hype surrounding antioxidants, by the way, but that’s for another article, and it does appear as though antioxidants may have some benefits.) One further bonus? Prunes are especially versatile in recipes. They pair perfectly with pork, add zest to spice muffins, lend sweetness and texture to rice pilaf; I’ve even seen them soaked in Armagnac and put into cheesecake! Prune butter, also called lekvar, makes a great toast spread or cookie filling (like other fruit butters, this is essentially a fruit puree, with no butter in it). And prunes are delicious. I usually forego recipes and eat them out of hand as a snack (5 average-sized prunes even count as one of your daily servings of fruit).

Everyone is familiar with Sunsweet’s traditional pitted prunes. But these days, they also offer a bite-size variety; cooked, jarred prunes (called “Ready to Serve”); prunes with pits; three forms of flavored prunes (Cherry, Orange, and Lemon Essence—unhappily, the Cherry contains artificial flavoring); and individually-wrapped prunes, called “Ones” (I suppose they make good snacks but am not a fan of all the extra packaging required). Smaller-scale producers include Apricot King (www.apricotking.com) and Andy’s Orchard (www.andysorchard.com). If organic produce is your bag, check out Diamond Organics (www.diamondorganics.com), Sun Organic Farm (www.sunorganicfarm.com), or Newman’s Own Organics (www.newmansownorganics.com).

Whether you call them “dried plums” or stick with the traditional name, prunes are gems of sweetness and flavor, wrapped up in a healthy package. Leave the joking to others and help yourself to a fruit that’s as good-tasting as it is good for you.

Sources:
—www.pruneau.fr/gb/fruitofasoil/index.html

—www.failuremag.com/arch_business_dried_plums.html

—www.sunsweet.com

—www.taylorbrothersfarms.com/PruneBenefits.htm

—www.nutritiondata.com

I don’t know how the rest of the country is doing, but here in Massachusetts the temperatures have been soaring for days, and with the price of food on the rise eating-out has become a less than economical option for days on end.
Cooking at home sends the temperature into levels beyond tolerance and the kitchen seems like the inside of an autoclave.
To combat these issues I’ve put together a few no cook recipes to help beat the heat.

On a Side Note: Be sure to check the status and origin of tomatoes in cooking to reduce the risk of salmonella in raw tomato dishes.

Fruits- This is a great time to eat fruits as a side dish or as the main course. Often overlooked fruiuts make an excellent tasting addition to many meals, and not just as dessert.

Puerto Rican Watermelon- Chop watermelon into bite-sized squares sprinkle with a little sugar and liberally sprinkle with a good quality Vodka. Toss then serve.

Apple Salad- Chop apples into small cubes or small slices. Toss with chopped smoked cheese, or a blue cheese could work too. Add chopped baby spinach and your favorite nut. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice. Toss and serve.

Fruit Salad- Chop and mix your favorite fruits for a delicious salad. Also try adding chopped nuts or fresh mint.

Appetizer Style- Tapas or appetizer style meals are great in this weather, especially since appetites are usually subdued by the extreme heat.

Meat and Cheese Trays- Slice up some assorted trail bologna, kielbasa (often sold precooked), or deli meat and serve with your favorite cheeses. Also having some pieces of bread, crackers, or sliced cucumbers to stack your snack with are great ways to make it more filling.

Pinwheels- These are great snacks in any weather especially for kids. Take sliced Salami or Bologna and spread one side of each slice with cream cheese. Then sprinkle with dill or chives (if you like capers could be used instead of dill). Roll and then slice. These give a nice presentation and are delicious.

Tuna Salad- Tuna salad can be used to make sandwiches, top a lettuce salad, or eat with vegetables and crackers. Drain a can of tuna fish put in a mixing bowl, add chopped onion, tomatoes, parsley, and chives (if you like add chopped olives too). Add a Tbsp of relish and several Tbsp of Mayonnaise and mix. Serve cold.

Other Options- When all else fails try any of these other pleasers.

Bean Salad- Using canned beans (already cooked) drain and rinse. Toss beans with chopped red pepper, onions, some salt and pepper and chopped fresh parsley. This is a great salad and gives a good dose of protein. Any bean will do, I prefer a good white bean.

Couscous- Secret Secrets are no fun… Well here’s one for you. I rarely boil water when making couscous, generally tap water turned to its hottest setting is sufficient to prepare couscous. Just let sit until water is absorbed (If adding dried herbs and spices throw them in with the dry couscous), just as though you were making it stove-top. Chop any fresh vegetables and enjoy. My favorite combo is Italian Seasoning and diced tomatoes. It’s a nice substitute for spaghetti.

I hope some of these no-cook recipes can help you survive both the heat and the budget crunch this summer.

I always knew food had the power to bring people together. I have seen it happen many times before. But I have been pleased to witness this phenomenon most recently in my office. I work in a small office with about 15 people. Let me set the scene; the office itself is like something straight out of the Brady Bunch era; in fact, some of the employees are too. Most have worked here for close to or over 10 years. All are very set in their ways and have had plenty of time to cultivate friendships and fuel the fires of discord. So it is safe to say that while the overall mood is (somewhat) pleasant, there are certain people who keep distance from one another and exchange few pleasantries.

I was excited when the weather turned nice and our Controller proposed the idea of getting a grill. I helped him organize it as I am always up for food. We now have “Grill Day” on Fridays. The grill gets fired up at about 11:30 and from then to 1:00 people drop in, sit at the picnic table, enjoy some lunch and each other’s company. As “Grill Day” has grown in popularity, employees have made it a point to be present, special dishes have been prepared, and everyone has gone out of their way to pitch in. Last week, upon arrival at the picnic table, I noticed that everyone had a smile on their faces and pleasant conversation and the aroma of burgers and hot dogs filled the air. Those who usually avoid each other like the plague were even in the same space and seemed to be in good spirits. Something else that I really enjoy is that, though there is “office talk,” many of the conversations are of a personal nature as well. I think it is great to have a “healthy knowledge” of the people you work with; you don’t have to know their life story, but how can you spend 40 hours+ per week with someone and know nothing about them!?

Taking a few steps away from the daily grind seems to be quite beneficial. Some of my coworkers usually eat at their desks and others do not take any sort of lunch. They have worked here so long and have settled deeply into their ways. I often feel sad to think that they seem to lack even the smallest amount of joy as they confront their daily tasks. I am happy that at least for an hour on Fridays, everyone can have fun. We may not be solving the world’s problems or even those of the business, but we are enjoying life and each other, if only for a moment. I think that is worth it.

I still think I have shared the best offerings so far- kabobs of steak, chicken, shrimp, and vegetables. Beats a burger or burnt hot dog any day!

Not only did I grow up in one of the last nuclear families in the US, but I was raised in a household where only one parent worked outside the home. My Mother was a full-time homemaker. She was also a great cook (and still is). With very few exceptions, the food for our meals and snacks was made from scratch. One of those exceptions, though, was pudding. My Mom always made pudding from a boxed mix, and the family (myself included) always cheerfully devoured it. Even though I began baking and cooking at a very early age, it wasn’t until I was older that I started to question this anomaly. Eventually, I started making pudding for myself (chocolate, for preference), and discovered that it was an improvement by an order of magnitude.

I can understand the concept of pudding mixes or canned pudding or refrigerated pudding as “convenience” foods, but I’m not sure I’d want to eat them at this point. They’re usually too sweet and not chocolaty enough, and their ingredient lists should frighten any sensible consumer. Artificial flavors? Food coloring? Partially hydrogenated soybean oil? Um, no thanks. There is at least one brand of commercially-available refrigerated puddings that don’t contain junk ingredients (Echo Farm Puddings), but I’m not sure of the products’ availability, nor have I tasted them.

By contrast, homemade pudding does take some time, cooking with cornstarch can be a little tricky, and pudding is not a great “keeper”. But to me, any time spent or risk taken is more than made up for by a cup or bowl of genuinely creamy, non-artificial-anything pudding that tastes like chocolate because it has real cocoa powder or chocolate (or both) in it. A chocolatier friend notes that he feels like a baby when he mentions his love of pudding, but why? Good pudding, smooth, full of flavor, not too sweet, and soothing, is an antidote for many of life’s nuisances. Small wonder that pudding ranks highly on most lists of “comfort” food!

There follows a good, basic chocolate pudding recipe. The recipe calls for unsweetened cocoa powder; you can use either alkalized (Dutch process) or non-alkalized cocoa powder, as long as it’s unsweetened. Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a “Dutch process backlash”, a reaction against the popularity of Dutch process in the 1990’s. I’ve read the opinion of the so-called “experts” who tell me that the alkalization process covers up imperfections of inferior-quality beans used for these cocoa powders. And I don’t care. I love good Dutch process cocoa powder. I love the darker color, the way it incorporates into food systems more easily, and a flavor I find more chocolaty. I use Droste; I’ve heard that Bensdorp is also a good brand but have not worked with it. But please check the sodium content of your Dutch process cocoa powder! There’s at least one brand (made in Pennsylvania; you can guess the name) that has an absurd 65 mg of sodium per tablespoon. Not only is such a high sodium content unnecessary, but it will make your chocolate creations taste too salty if your taste buds have any sensitivity to salt, as mine do.

When the going gets tough, reach for an old softie—homemade pudding!

Chocolate Pudding

You’ll have to stir the pudding mixture constantly while it cooks, but don’t beat it; just keep stirring gently (I stir in a circular motion). This is hardly a dessert for dieters, but if you’d like to make it a little less “wicked”, simply omit the butter.

2 egg yolks, from eggs graded “large”
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, either alkalized or non-alkalized
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small bits
2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

Have ready 5 custard cups or other small bowls/ramekins, each of about 6 ounce capacity. Set a strainer over a pitcher or liquid measuring cup with a capacity of about 3 cups; set this near the stovetop. In small bowl, combine egg yolks and a few tablespoons of milk (no need to measure this small quantity; reserve remaining milk). With a fork, beat yolk mixture well to combine.

In heavy-bottomed saucepan of 1-1/2 to 2 quart capacity, combine sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. With small whisk or slotted spoon, whisk thoroughly to combine. Press out or whisk out any lumps. Add egg yolk mixture and stir with whisk just until ingredients are combined. Gently scrape down sides of pot with rubber spatula.

You have the option of heating the remaining milk until it is hot, or you can work with it cold; if it’s cold, the pudding will merely take a little longer to cook. Add remaining milk gradually to cornstarch mixture (if it is hot, add it very gradually at first). Keep stirring gently but constantly with a small whisk.

Place pot over medium heat. There will probably be a thin layer of foam on top at this point; that’s fine. Keep stirring gently but constantly. Just before the pudding boils, it will thicken slightly and may become lumpy; that’s fine, too. Stop stirring momentarily to check for boiling; when mixture boils, boil and stir for 90 seconds, reducing heat if necessary to keep pudding at a low boil. Foam will gradually disappear into thickened pudding. Remove from heat. Immediately add butter bits and vanilla. Allow pudding to stand for about 1 minute. Very gently stir in butter (which should be melted) and vanilla just until blended.

Pour pudding into strainer suspended over pitcher. When strained, divide evenly among custard cups or ramekins. To prevent formation of a “skin” on top of pudding, place a piece of plastic wrap, pierced in several places, directly onto the top surface of the hot pudding. Cool for a few minutes, then chill until set and thoroughly cold, at least 2 or 3 hours.

My favorite way to serve this is topped with lightly sweetened, real whipped cream, but it’s awfully good just plain, too. Serve within 24 hours of preparing.

5 servings

Okay, so you’ve taken my earlier advice about wanting to bring your child(ren) into the kitchen but your not sure where to start. What do we do to get them interested in food? We get them to help make it! You’d be surprised at how much more willing they are to try new foods this way.

As a parent you must decide what feels comfortable for their kitchen duties. You know your children, their abilities and temperament so take that information and decide how much responsibility you want to give them. My own daughter has always been in the kitchen somehow. From very young in the high chair I would give her measuring spoons and cups to play with and check out. As she got older and was able to stand up I’d get her to help mix, then add wet ingredients to dry, crack eggs… well you get the picture. Now at age 8 she wants to run the show. I’m not quite ready to let her near the gas flame but I’m working on that.

I think muffins are a great recipe to start with. Even though baking is a much more precise science then cooking, muffins are fairly forgiving to any extra ingredient whether added on purpose or not. A number of muffin recipes can also be altered with special additions such as fruit, nuts ect. ( the recipe to follow is a good one.)

Muffins are a great way to get fruit into a child’s diet too. Even vegetables like shredded carrots or zucchini can be added. They give the muffin a yummy moist texture. I usually add 4 to 6 tbsp. of ground flax seed as well to add some fiber.

As long as the muffin is not dry I find that most kids love them. Muffins are a great lunch box item, an after school snack, or a quick portable breakfast.

I’d love to hear about your messes and success, let me know- click on my name at the end of the article to email me.

Basic Muffin recipe: (adapted from everyday food)

Makes 12 muffins
Preheat oven to 375, place either muffin liners into muffin tin or grease and flour pan well
11/2 stick of unsalted butter, melted
2 cups all purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

- in a small bowl whisk together cooled melted butter, eggs, milk and vanilla
- in a larger bowl put all dry ingredients together, make a well in the middle and pour in wet ingredients in. With a spatula gently mix until moist. Don’t over mix.

These are a couple mix in ideas: ( to be added at the end of mixing gently fold into mixture.)

11/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
11/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (my favorite)

You can use lower fat milk, the texture is a bit different but not that noticeable.
I also use some apple sauce in place of 1/2 cup of butter

Enjoy!

Close to ten years ago, my husband and I went to a sushi bar recommended to us by a friend. Located in a strip mall, sandwiched between a pet grooming business and a Domino’s pizza, we wondered if we had the right place. It said “Katsu-Ya” on the sign and there was a line to get in at 5:15 for an opening time of 5:30.

There’s a reason people line up for this place. The sushi here is unparalleled. Imagine drinking a glass of red wine from a box, then having a glass of 2003 Chateau Lafite Rothschild. That’s what it’s like to go from regular sushi to Katsuya. It’s a whole ‘nother level.

We started with the Seared tuna with Japanese salsa. It consisted of a plate full of thinly sliced rare tuna surrounded by a chopped tomato and cilantro salsa. In the middle was a beautiful tower of avocado garnished with a small pickled carrot. We ordered a side of white rice just to sop up every last drop of juice.

Next, we ordered Crispy rice with ahi tuna. I can’t begin to explain how amazing this dish is but it’s my favorite thing on the menu. Chunks of rare tuna on a crispy wonton with bits of creamy avocado in a mayo-sesame seed sauce.

We also ordered Spicy albacore with crispy onions and a spinach salad with grilled albacore. Both of these were melt-in-your-mouth incredible.

Back in the day, this place was a bargain. The Rainbow role was eight bucks but now it’s more than doubled. Since the popularity has caught on, it has become a chain with locations all around Los Angeles. This makes me want to cringe and yet, who can blame them?

The original Studio City location in the strip mall is still there and that’s my favorite. We happened to go by the one in Hollywood and it was a slick, night club interior with security guards and booming music. Scary if you ask me.

Unfortunately, with its ever increasing popularity, not only have the prices gone up, but if you don’t make a reservation at least a week in advance, your options are 5:30 or 10:00 pm. If you don’t have a reservation and you get there before they open, you’ve got a shot. Otherwise, good luck, you’ll die of starvation before they get you in.

If you’re in the Los Angeles area, and you’re a sushi lover, Katsu-Ya is an absolute must. While it is a bit expensive, I assure you, you will not be disappointed!

The guinea fowl have gotten into the baby goats’ pen. Again. Annemarie has to turn off the electric fence surrounding the pen so the birds don’t fry themselves; only after she does so can her partner Kris shoo them out. Meantime, the adult goats browse and Bailey the horse grazes peacefully, while the chickens in their A-frame portable enclosures scratch and peck at the grass. It’s a typical spring day at Meadow Stone Farm in Brooklyn, CT.

I first encountered Meadow Stone Farm when I was writing an article on Gouda and Gouda-style cheeses. They sell a number of different kinds of cheeses, made from both pasteurized and unpasteurized milk (depending upon the type). Most are goats’ milk cheeses, which makes sense on a goat farm, but some are made with cows’ milk purchased from a neighbor. Meadow Stone Farm currently has an aging room of modest size, but there is an enormous hole on the property that will eventually become their aging cave (when I say it’s large, I’m not kidding; they figure it will be able to hold some 6,000 pounds of cheese). Kris is the cheese maker, and he is constantly experimenting. Washed rind cheeses, ash-covered wheels, chevre in various flavors; there seems to be little that Kris hasn’t tried to make. Some cheeses are seasonal (such as the chevre), and, because this isn’t a factory, all are made in limited quantities.

I first tried their Di Greta Gouda, made with cows’ milk, and found it very pleasant (with more character than the grocery store brands), but I really enjoy their chevre. Unlike some others I’ve tried, it’s very fresh and clean-tasting, not “goaty”. This chevre is available in a number of flavors (the roster changes frequently), but if you can find the herbed variety, go for it! If you’re a chocolate fan, Annemarie has arranged for a local chocolatier to make chevre truffles in both milk and dark chocolate (I like the milk chocolate truffles a bit better than the dark).

You’ll also find eggs from the pastured hens and unpasteurized (raw) goats’ milk, as well as raw goats’ milk skin care products (under the Elsa’s Suisse Kiss label, made by Annemarie). Raw honey, fresh berries, preserves, biodynamic-certified vanilla beans…there’s a lot of cool stuff packed into the small shop on the premises. But there’s more reason to buy from Meadow Stone than just their cool stuff. This farm is about a very dedicated couple trying to do what they think is right. Both Kris and Annemarie have jobs in addition to all the work they do on the farm, proving that small-scale farming is not for the lazy or faint of heart. Yes, Meadow Stone Farm is a for-profit operation (well, in theory, anyway), but the welfare of the animals is of far greater concern here than it is on many other farms, even some that are certified organic. Affection for their animals isn’t something they display just for visitors. That becomes obvious when you discover that kids stay with their mothers here until they’re fully weaned (ask your area dairy farm if they do that; young animals consuming milk means there’s none for paying customers). You might see the Lucy the calico cat jumping into Kris’ lap, or Annemarie giving some extra attention to Ivana, a doe who lost her kid this year and has been especially clingy.

The goats receive no hormones, steroids, or medicated feeds. Pest control is not managed with chemicals, but via the assistance of bats, spiders, and the guinea fowl. Kris and Annemarie do none of these things because they’ve become popular; they do them because it’s the way they want to farm and see the land managed. And that’s worth respect—as well as my business.

Meadow Stone Farm’s shop is open on days and at times that vary throughout the year (except in January and February), and they’re selling at two Farmers’ Markets this summer. The farm is located on Route 6 in Brooklyn, CT. If you can’t get there, many items are sold online, and they supply a few area businesses, as well. For more information, visit their site at www.meadowstonefarm.com.

From the “France The Beautiful Cookbook”…

“In Provence, where it is called the poor man’s truffle, garlic is the basis of the local cuisine. Braised en chemise (“in a shirt” – in other words, unpeeled), the garlic cloves become soft and creamy making a delicious puree that enhances the flavor of poultry.”

Two years ago my husband and I started a Gourmet Group with three other couples who love to cook as much as he does. We alternate houses. The host couple chooses the “theme,” makes the entree and assigns the remaining courses to the other couples. “Themes” have been as diverse as “white food below the Equator,” “a taste of Julia Childs,” and “Tuscany.” The last dinner was at our house. The theme – Provencal.

I staged the dining room table with antique white tea cloths layered on our old pine farm table, then piled some my husband’s freshly baked French baguettes next to a carved stone chicken rescued from our garden along with some sprigs of rosemary and voila!… a no cost centerpiece.

We greeted everyone with a champagne flute of “Pernod Moulin Rouge” (Pernod and cranberry juice), then enjoyed the “appetizer couple’s” dishes: baked trout with Provencal seasoning… goat cheese gratin of olives, cheeses and tomatoes… anchovy toasts with roasted garlic… white asparagus spears with a turnip and cumin dip… shrimp with a sauce verde of basil & spring onion. Their Parigot rose champagne complemented their dishes.

Edith Piaf wafted from the ipod as we took our seats in the dining room for the first course: a light salad made with heirloom tomatoes from the “first course couples” garden, grilled sweet peppers, melon, Buffala mozzarella and grilled shrimp with a pesto dressing drizzled on the side. The wine: E. Guigal Rose.

Then it was time for my husband’s roast chicken. Roast chicken for Gourmet Group!!?? Well, this was not just any ol’ roast chicken, but the traditional Provence dish of roast chicken with 40 cloves of garlic which he served with “Asparagus on Asparagus,” a Michel Richard recipe he found on the net. The cooked asparagus had an asparagus sauce topped with poached eggs and black truffles. We spread the creamy roasted garlic on toasted baguette slices made from the bread not used for the centerpiece. The wine was an amazing Pomerol bequeathed to us from wine-loving friends.

Dessert was next. First, the “dessert couple” served a cheese plate of Brillat-Savarin, a Laguiole, a port salut and a roquefort whipped with walnuts. The beverage: a Chateau Bernadou Muscat. Then came their spectacular flour-less chocolate cake served with a Banyuls port.

To end our evening in Provence, we made a dark, rich coffee and served it in demitasse cups as everyone helped themselves to more cake.

It took me three days to clean up. Five dishwasher loads, over forty glasses washed by hand, linens spotted and laundered and a zillion plates and platters put away.

For a meal like that, I’d do it all over again tomorrow and I didn’t have to cook a thing!

******

The chicken with 40 cloves of garlic recipe can be found in “France The Beautiful Cookbook.”

“My Dinners With Richard & Other Musings”
www.myspace.com/othermusings

Eliminating the bad “quick and easy” cookbooks is easy. Thumb through one, and if it mentions canned soup as an ingredient, drop the book like a hot potato. While I have my kitchen shortcuts that I take (I confess to using canned salmon and canned pumpkin), I draw the line at saucing my dishes in a glob of condensed soup. Here are my picks for worthwhile timesaving cookbooks:

The 5 in 10 Cookbook by Paula Hamilton is a masterpiece. With only five ingredients prepared in 10 minutes, the dishes are all gourmet quality food. I’ve made these recipes for company – they in no way compromise flavor for convenience. A sampling of the recipes: Mini Mango Corn Muffins, Red Cabbage and Apples in Caraway Cream Sauce, Okra and Corn Stew With Shrimp, Green Beans with Peanut Sauce, Vodka and Red Pepper Sauce Pasta, Poached Red Snapper with Tarragon Butter Sauce, Scallops with Ginger and Grapefruit Sauce, Sautéed Catfish Fillets with Pecan Brown Butter Sauce, and Sage and Cornmeal Crusted Jack Cheese.

Recipes 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold is amazing. The premise is that if you use high-quality, flavorful food, you only need three ingredients to make a dish outstanding. While the author does not promise short cooking times, the small number of ingredients definitely cuts down on shopping time and preparation time. The three-ingredient approach is also a boon for foodies on a budget. It makes sense to use fewer ingredients so you can afford higher quality. The desserts include Chocolate Banana Terrine, Black Walnut Bars, creative sorbets, surprising fruit dishes, and a clever dessert made of candy canes and cream called Corsetiere’s Despair. The dishes include Gratin Dauphinoise, Fried Lemon and Zucchini Salad, Turnip and Havarti Torte, Filet of Beef with Gorgonzola Whipped Potatoes, Carrot Ginger Velvet, and Brie and Pear Soup. Rozanne Gold has written other excellent cookbooks with the same theme: Christmas 1-2-3 and Entertaining 1-2-3.

My last pick for the busy cook is Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Book by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann. This book is miles ahead of other crockpot books, as it uses fresh ingredients and fresh herbs. While there are a fair number of ingredients and therefore a bit of a time-investment up front, you are rewarded with coming home to a terrific dish and zero labor after work to prepare the meal. The dishes include Braised Lamb Chops with White Beans (in white wine, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh thyme) which is one of the best dishes I have ever tasted in my life, Yams with Coconut and Pecans, and the best Corned Beef and Potatoes I’ve ever made, as they are slow cooked in beer, cloves, and pepper.

I’d love to hear about your favorite low-stress cookbooks.

Rarely do you find a menu for kids 12 and under that includes a vegetable let alone some fruit. Most restaurants offer the same sort of menu: grilled cheese, mac n cheese, hot dog, hamburger, fries, chicken nuggets ect. ect. Some of the bigger fast food chains are offering some healthy alternatives but if given a choice how often are the apples slices being chosen over the french fries. I’ve only personally come across a few places that offer some carrot and celery sticks. For the places that offer better children menu choices that I have yet to discover, I applaud you.

How will we ever get our children to make nutritious food choices if these are the options. Frankly, my husband and I rarely use the children’s menu unless we’ve read the choices and feel good about what is offered. I’d rather spend the extra money and take home some left overs then always let her
choose from the same old menu.

When teaching our children about healthier food choices we must not only talk to them about it but also model to them with what we ourselves pick to eat. This gives them the opportunity to have a more rounded understanding .Which then allows them to make better food choices, especially when we’re not around.

So with that said, where does these food choices start. At home I believe. A lot of the time challenged eaters come from parents that were the same way on some level. In a number of house holds the children decide that certain foods are all they’ll eat and mom and dad panic. These uncertain parents are so concerned that their child still get fed that they serve them only what the child requests. This then opens the door for picky eaters.

It’s our job as parents to keep putting undesired food on their plates and let them decide what to eat. It does not mean that we still can’t encourage a tasting but it’s better to not have the battle before you. There was a time when all I had to do was tell my daughter that it was organic and she’d eat it!

I think we get so lost on the quest to what and how much to feed our children that we forget the big picture. That variety is how we get the nutrients that we need. And variety also lets us not get bored with the same thing all the time.

In my home I serve one meal…period. If you won’t eat it then you don’t eat. That doesn’t mean that I don’t take into consideration what my family and especially daughter will eat, but I try hard to add variety and also try new things. At some point your child will try the neglected item on their plate and you’ll be pleased that you kept putting it there.

So what does this all have to do with the kids menu choices. As consumers our biggest power is where we spend our money and what we spend it on. There’s so much talk and high statistics about childhood obesity that it’s time we did something. A good place for us consumers to start is with the unhealthy kids menu choices, they need to be changed. If we stop choosing the children’s menu perhaps the restaurants will get the message. Better yet, we need to speak out and let these places know that are children are precious and if they want our adult business then they need to make these changes. Our children deserve nutritious and yummy foods to choose from too.

If some school cafeterias can design a better menu on their limited budgets, then there’s no reason that restaurants can’t follow suit.

Spend your money carefully and in doing that tell your children that their health is important. It opens the door for great conversation that we all should be talking about!

I am an avid fan of one of the most hilarious quick cooking shows around and it’s totally free and accessible online. I am talking about www.AverageBetty.com -a great place for entertainment and more.

The site hosts a variety of quick and easy recipes for any occasion, and even better the recipes are accompanied by crazy comic sketches that show you how it’s done.

From the Cuckoonut Shrimp Fairy to Chicken Satay-ser the mini-shows are both educational and entertaining. With great music, skits and parodies the recipes and laughs keep on coming.

I highly recommend checking out www.AverageBetty.com today, and you will become as addicted to watching these mini-programs as I am.