Kitchen Euphoria

Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

2008-04-28T10:47:00.000-06:00

by Nichole Roberts

I had the pleasure of tasting these delicious fries a couple of years ago and let me just say once you try them...you will be cooking them again and again.

Ingredients: Extra-virgin olive oil, for lightly coating 6 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced like steak fries, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 packet taco seasoning mix.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, drizzle oil over the potatoes and toss to coat. Add salt and taco seasoning mix and toss.

Place sweet potato fries in one even layer onto a baking sheet. Keep space between them so they get crispy on all sides. Bake in batches. Place into the oven for 10 minutes, then flip them over.

Place back in for 10 more minutes. They should be soft on the inside and browned on the outside. Let them cool for 5 minutes before serving.

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Easy and Delicious Asparagus Facts and Recipes

2008-04-28T10:44:00.000-06:00

by Sherry Frewerd

Asparagus is a delicious vegetable, but in addition to being good tasting, asparagus is full of nutritional benefits that are good for you. Rich in folic acid, potassium, fiber and other vitamins, asparagus is a low calorie, fat-free food that is also low sodium and cholesterol free. With all of the bonuses that come with adding the vegetable to your recipes, there's no reason not to give asparagus a try.

When and how should you select and prepare fresh asparagus? Asparagus has a rather short growing season that goes from April to May. Although you can find asparagus year round, May is the month where you can find the best choice in produce markets. Make sure to look for stalks with closed, tight tips and bright green color from top to bottom of the stem. After bringing it home, store fresh asparagus in the refrigerator and use within 2 days.

Preparation is simple. Holding the base of the stalk firmly, bend it and the end will break off at the tough part that isn't good eating. You can then either leave the asparagus stalks whole or cut into pieces or diagonally. To cook, heat to boiling in about half an inch of water in a large skillet. Reduce to medium and cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetable is tender crisp. This is just the basic method of cooking asparagus. Canned asparagus is also easily prepared in a variety of casseroles and other family recipes. There are many very wonderful recipes to try using asparagus; here are a few. Enjoy!

Cheesy Asparagus Casserole

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

2 - 15 oz cans asparagus spears, drained

½ cup soft breadcrumbs

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Add soup and cheese; cook until cheese melts and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Layer half each egg slices, asparagus spears, and cheese sauce in a lightly greased 10x6x2 inch baking dish; repeat layers. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake at 325 F for 30 minutes. Serves 8.

Asparagus with Lemon Sauce

1 ½ lbs fresh asparagus spears

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup butter

2 tsp sugar

½ tsp cornstarch

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tsp grated lemon rind

Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Cook, covered, in a small amount of boiling water until crisp but tender. Arrange in a serving dish. Combine egg, butter, sugar, and cornstarch in top of double boiler; bring water to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes or until thickened. Add lemon juice; cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour over asparagus and sprinkle with lemon rind. Serves 4.

Looking for ways to feed your family well and get out of the kitchen quickly? Find easy and delicious family recipes at 'Quick and Easy Family Recipes' Quick and Easy Family Recipes

Farberware Classic 3-1/4-Quart Tall Asparagus Steamer with Lid

2008-04-28T10:38:00.000-06:00

Featured Product

Enjoy delicious asparagus without the hassle with this 3.25-qt. Tall Asparagus Steamer, complete with steamer basket and glass lid. Made from 18/10 stainless steel, it's as durable as it is beautiful and completely dishwasher-safe. Enhanced with a thick aluminum core, it offers quick even heating and perfect results, everytime. Limited lifetime guarantee. Click Asparagus Steamer for more information or to order at a great discounted price.

A 30 Minute Chicken Recipe Your Family Will Request Every Week!

2008-04-22T12:39:00.002-06:00

by Chuck Machado

At the recent Fiery Foods and Barbecue show in Albuquerque, we made enough Santa Fe Chicken to serve 5000 guests. If this seems like a daunting task, well, you're right. When other vendors were opening bags of chips to serve with their salsa, we stuck to our philosophy that real food demands real cooking. If we're going to be in the specialty foods business, we'd better get cooking. Where do hungry and busy families go between baseball and school when they're hungry? Sadly, it's fast food that permeates our lives. And soon, we're hooked on the fat laden meals controlling our lives. At New Mexico Chile Company, we strive to make quality cooking sauces that people, just like you, can use in an everyday meal. We bring the gourmet to meals and all you have to do is to bring the chicken to this dish!

This past month, three hundred pounds of chicken, thirty onions and fifteen bunches of cilantro went toward feeding our customers, but the results were impressive.

Many happy customers walked away with our green sauce and a new recipe. There's something magical that occurs when chicken meets green chile and cheese. The flavors blend, becoming one. The fierceness of green chile gives way to a more pronounced statement of flavor, allowing the protein to come forward. Each year we get hundreds of requests for the recipe. Some claim their kids have become addicted to the flavors and we figure it's a good thing. In the fast paced world of soccer, baseball and scouts, we're happy to manufacture and promote quality food products.

Like with all of our recipes, this gourmet meal can be accomplished in thirty minutes.

Santa Fe Chicken-serves 4

2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts or tenders cubed

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves chopped garlic

3 tbsp canola oil

6 oz black sliced olives

4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

10 sprigs chopped cilantro or parsley (no stems)

16 oz. Coyote Trail Green Chile Sauce

In a large frying pan,add canola and saute chicken and onion over med heat Brown chicken well, (you can also grill the chicken and return it to the baking dish after) add garlic, drain (this is important or you'll make gravy) and transfer to a shallow baking dish.

Add Coyote Trail Green Chile Sauce and mix well. Top with cheese, olives, cilantro or parsley Bake @ 350 for fifteen minutes until chicken bubbles then remove and serve with beans, rice, tortillas and a salad. Creme Fresh or sour cream is sometimes added as a topping. Ole!

Chuck Machado is President of New Mexico Chile Company, creators of Gourmet cooking sauces. CoyoteChile.com

The Asian Vegan Kitchen

2008-04-22T11:55:00.000-06:00

New Book Review

The Asian Vegan Kitchen: Authentic and Appetizing Dishes from a Continent of Rich Flavors, by Hema Parekh (Author) and Tae Hamamura (Photographer). The Asian Vegan Kitchen is a collection of recipes from across Asia, featuring the spices and the many tasty ingredients that have made these cuisines popular world-wide. It caters to the growing segment of people of all ages who have chosen to eschew animal products, yet still want to add some global spice and excitement to their diet.

There is one big difference between this and many other vegan cookbooks. These dishes do not use replacement ingredients for traditional recipes. Instead, author Hema Parekh - a noted teacher of vegetarian cooking styles in Tokyo - has selected recipes that were traditionally vegetarian, and have been enjoyed by diners for decades, even centuries. In doing so, she has had to make only minor changes, if any, for these recipes to be deliciously appealing to everyone: vegan, vegetarian or otherwise.

Over 200 dishes have been selected to cover a wide variety of tastes. Here readers will find vegan-ready recipes for everything from Japanss sushi to northern Indian curries, from Vietnamese spring rolls, to red-hot tofu, Chinese-style. Soups, noodle dishes and some desserts are also included. The recipes are simple, with detailed explanations. Also included are over 50 mouth-watering photos and a comprehensive glossary. Vegan cooking just became a lot more interesting.

A long-time vegetarian, Hema Parekh has been teaching vegetarian cooking in Tokyo for almost twenty years. She has written two popular books on vegetarian cooking in Japanese A Touch of Spice and Indian Vegetarian Cooking and is working on a third. Order from Amazon.com

Memories of Childhood Meals

2008-04-13T08:34:00.002-06:00

by Crazy Eddie

As a child, my mother grew up amidst the horrors of World War II in what was then northwestern Czechoslovakia. She had all sorts of horror stories to tell us kids. A lot of those stories involved food shortages. Living through that she learned how to make meals out of whatever food happened to be available. And because of that she became an extreme penny-pincher. Despite living in America in the abundant Sixties and Seventies, she still prepared some meals for us kids as though we were living in wartime. She could make a meal for a family of six for under two bucks.

Being a kid with an endless appetite I relished every meal set before me. And it seemed I could never get enough. But now, in retrospect, I would not eat some of those meals as they were not exactly healthy and well-balanced.

One of those meals consisted of boiled potatoes, lavished with butter, cottage cheese, and buttermilk. That was it; nothing else. You took a spoonful of buttered potato, put some cottage cheese on top of it, and stuffed it into your mouth. After eating it, you then took a healthy swig of buttermilk to wash it down. That was the whole meal and I loved it back then.

Another meal she made she called "sgetti." She would boil up a pot of spaghetti noodles and when done drain them. Then she would put some butter into the pot to melt then add the noodles back into the pot. She would stir it up to get all the noodles buttery then she would add a can of condensed tomato soup and some water. She would also add some salt and pepper and a few tablespoons of sugar. She would then mix it all up and warm it up and then serve it. Yikes!

But one of the grossest things she did was save all the drippings from when she cooked bacon in a jar. She then put the jar in the refrigerator and the bacon grease would congeal. Later, she would take out the congealed bacon grease and spread it on rye bread to make bacon grease sandwhiches. I kid you not! She really did this. And we kids really ate them--and I remember enjoying them as a small kid. Now, I absolutely shudder at the very thought. Double yikes!

What kind of weird meals did you eat as a child? Click on the "Comments" button below to share your childhood memories of eating.

Olive Oils - Find Out About Practical And Nutritional Facts

2008-04-10T08:55:00.000-06:00

by Paul Zayer

Should I start using olive oils at home? Continue to read and many questions related to olive oils will be answered here.

One of the oldest foods known to mankind comes from the olive tree, native to Mediterranean regions. In the Bible, the olive tree is mentioned very often, also in the Garden of Gethsemane and well-known in the Jewish custom, where the oil burned miraculously for eight days. Olive oils occupy a major role today, a subject of gastronomic delights, winning praises from nutritionists as a healthy way to avoid cholesterol problems.

Many countries where olive trees thrive claim superiority in their locally produced olive oils. There are various categories, with various uses appropriate for a given gastronomic purpose. To the common cook, the issue of olive oils can become confusing. When do you use cold-pressed, extra virgin oil? Which types of oils are suitable to dress your salad to perfection? What's best for regular cooking? Italian or Spanish? Let's take a quick look at what's available and try to clarify some of the mystery.

All olive oils are missing one constituent you can find in almost every other type of oil - cholesterol. As a starting point, you know you're making a healthy diet choice when you opt for olive oils.

Now let's talk about country of origin? Italy, Spain, Greece and France all have fertile olive producing areas, and vie with each other for the top spot in quality and purity.

The truth is that every olive growing region has climate and soil conditions, producing a different character to the oils produced and doesn't have much to do with an inherent degree of quality that can be identified as superior or inferior. Climate and soil makeup provide a distinctive essence, amounting to plain preference or affinity of particular oils to foods within the same locale.

The grading of olive oils is another story. Grading defines the refinement of the product, mainly noticeable in the acidity.

The "extra virgin" label is designated to the first "cold" pressing of the olives. A maximum of 0.8% acidity is prescribed by this designation, suitable for the finest salad dressing, where the top flavor of the cold pressing stand out.

Oils named "virgin" are known to be a lower class, but still an acceptable salad dressing quality. Virgin olive oils must not contain more than 2% acidity, and must contain no refined oil. As the delicate flavor will be lost in cooking, virgin oils should not be wasted in cooking.

Products simply labelled "olive oil" do not aspire to strong or refined taste and are best suited to cooking. Also, a label that says "100% pure" or "Imported from Italy" can be ambiguous, implying a degree of quality that is not warranted. Such labels indicate the lower end of quality, composites of oils from many countries, suited to frying without the fine distinctive essence and low acidity of virgin olive oils.

Among chefs, olive oil is a cult thing. It's important to understand the grades if you want to get the most from your cooking. Anyhow, remember that these oils contain no cholesterol and it will be good for your heart to understand the fine points. So here you go, I am pretty sure that you will look at olive oils in a different way from now on. Take care of your health now, do not wait.

This well known author is an Internet lover and surely likes sharing his passion with others. Read more now about Nutrition and all about Olive Oils ideas at his website foodnutritioninformationguide.com

Mollie Katzen's Recipes: Salads

2008-04-10T08:48:00.000-06:00

New Book Review

Mollie Katzen's Recipes: Salads, by Mollie Katzen. Credited with moving vegetarian cooking from the fringes of American society to mainstream dinner tables, Mollie Katzen has proved that there's more to salad than tossed greens. With fresh fruits and vegetables, pungent cheeses, beans, oils, herbs, and nuts, a salad can be a hearty meal in itself. Celebrating The Moosewood Cookbook's 30th anniversary, the latest addition to the Mollie Katzen's Recipes series brings together her classic salad combinations from Moosewood and Enchanted Broccoli Forest in a convenient easel format. Each recipe is lovingly hand-lettered and illustrated with Mollie's distinctive pen-and-ink drawings, making this timeless collection the perfect kitchen countertop companion. Mollie Katzen is a cookbook author and artist who has profoundly shaped the way America eats. Mollie is both a consultant and cocreator of Harvard's groundbreaking Food Literacy Project. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Order from Amazon.com

The History of Pasta

2008-04-07T09:25:00.002-06:00

by Jessica Ackerman

When most people talk about pasta, they probably think of Italy as its birth place. Historians would disagree however, and give credit to our neighbors in the east for inventing the earliest form of this much loved food. It was around 1700 B.C. when the Chinese came up with a noodle made from rice flour. While not a popular theory with those who insist on giving credit to the Italians, the Chinese do get the vote from most historians.

That doesn't mean that the Italians were not major players in the evolution of pasta as we know it. Around 400 B.C. the Etruscans, who live in an area in the western part of Italy, made a noodle similar to lasagna. This noodle was made from spelt, a grain from which wheat has evolved.

Much later the Romans are credited with making a noodle similar to the one made by the Etruscans, out of flour and water. These noodles, like the earlier versions by the Chinese, were prepared by baking in an oven.

Boiled noodles came later and the Italians don't get credit for inventing these either. Instead, we can thank Arab traders who would bring dried noodles along on their very long trips to the Orient. Who doesn't want a hot meal while traveling? The Arabs did, and they realized that this dried pasta along with a little boiling water was a quick, hot and easy to carry meal.

The Arabs brought this food with them to Sicily during the 8th century invasions. Before too long the Italian city of Palermo was producing huge quantities of dried pasta. So, can we give Italians the credit for mass producing pasta? Much to the delight of the Italians, most historians would say, yes.

Specifically, Naples gets the credit for the invention of techniques that allowed dried pasta to be produced en masse in the 1600's. This pasta, which could last a long time, is credited with bringing Naples out of an economic depression. No wonder Italians love their pasta!

This pasta was often sold by street vendors and was eaten with the bare hands. If you're thinking the sauce must have made quite a mess then you're jumping ahead in the story. Pasta at this time was eaten either plain or sprinkled with cheese. It's not until a couple of centuries later that sauce is introduced.

The first written record of a tomato sauce recipe is 1839. Soon pasta was becoming popular all over the country of Italy, and pastas of various shapes were being introduced. Still, even with its popularity, pasta was being made by small family businesses. Spaghetti, macaroni and vermicelli were being handmade by those specially trained in the art of pasta making.

The Agnese family changed all of that in 1824 when they opened the very first pasta factory in Northern Italy. It's easy to see why Italians get the credit for this favorite food, and in the United States a wave of Italian immigration would help cement the idea that pasta was an Italian food.

Even though Thomas Jefferson had brought pasta to America as early as the late 1700's, the food didn't become widely popular in the country until 1880-1900 when large numbers of Italian immigrants came to America, bringing pasta with them. The next several years would bring even more advances for pasta such as the addition of meatballs and later, thanks to the Franco-American company, canned pasta.

Pasta has a place in American history as well. In the 1920's farmers used pasta as a marketing campaign for wheat. During the depression, the inexpensive and filling dish became a staple in many households.

Today, pasta is as popular as ever. In tiny sidewalk cafes to the fanciest of gourmet restaurants, you are sure to find a few pasta dishes on the menu. Whether you choose to thank the Italians for this delicious food or their eastern neighbors, we can all agree that our dinner tables wouldn't be the same without this fabulous food.

Jessica Ackerman is a popular contributor for one of the best Seattle pasta delivery restaurants - Padrino's Pizza and Pasta. Do not hesitate to call them for your late night food delivery; we are open by 3am daily.

Prime Pacific Stainless Steel Pasta Machine

2008-04-07T09:09:00.002-06:00

Featured Product

Clamp this pasta machine to your counter or table edge, choose a setting, and you're ready to turn out fresh homemade pasta, literally. This is a pasta maker you crank by hand as you feed in your dough. Made of gleaming stainless steel, the machine's adjustable rollers press your dough into long, four-inch wide sheets in a choice of seven thicknesses. You can then cut the sheets into squares for making ravioli, or longer sections for lasagna. By sliding on the stainless-steel cutting attachment, you can extrude thin spaghetti or medium-width fettuccine noodles. And, for artists, the pasta machine works well as an extruder for polymer clay. After use, wipe the machine clean or run a damp paper towel or piece of felt through it. Remove the handle and clamp for compact storage. You'll never want to resort to buying dried, store-bought pasta again. A recipe booklet is included to get you started. --Ann Bieri

Click here for more information or to order at a great discounted price.

China's Chinese Food

2008-03-28T13:05:00.000-06:00

by Stefan Martiyan

When most people from the States here the word "Chinese" the first thought that instinctively comes to their mind involves small, white paper containers, stir fried rice and a $4.95 lunch special. Chinese food has the world captivated: it's fast, it's easy, it's cheap and it's good. The only thing is, the perception of what Chinese food is around the globe is often misrepresented to what Chinese food actually is in China.

Take for instance, rice. In America, rice is served with most every Chinese meal, regardless of what you order or where you're sitting down to eat. In China, rice is very common - don't get me wrong - but not nearly as common as you might think. Rice is only served when specifically asked for and is more or less used, not as a compliment to your tasty stir-fired entrée - it's actually used as your plate.

You see in China, no one is given his or her own meal; instead, everyone habitually shares with everyone else as an onslaught of entrées constantly come steaming out of the kitchen. Because of this, individual plates are not necessary and small bowls of rice are used to sop up any renegade food particles falling from most all foreigners' chopsticks. In some instances, when rice is not ordered, you'll be given a small ceramic dish, no bigger than the one you'd normally use in conjunction with a teacup, with which you have the choice to eat with or not.

Since the Chinese have not adopted the idea of fork and knife, and don't seem the least bit anxious on ever planning to do so, almost all the food that comes out is already prepared small enough to chew. Although this may seem convenient at first, other factors come into play, which make the situation a lot more complicated. For instance, many Chinese meat dishes - not to mention every fish dish I've ever ordered - are served still attached to the bone. Normally I'd be fine with this, since the most tender cuts of meat tend to be nestled next to the bone, but not having the luxury of a knife to cut away the meat with, nor an ample-sized plate to put down your bones on, requires some careful practice and a readjustment of acceptable eating ethics I've naturally become accustomed to while living outside of China.

Before coming to China, I was a bit worried that every restaurant would only have floor seating and no chairs, requiring me to sit cross-legged on the floor while trying to enjoy my food. This was a serious cause for concern because, for one reason or another, I've always had extreme difficulty crossing my legs comfortably while sitting on the floor - a problem which has also spurred countless years of childhood embarrassment while playing games like Duck Duck Goose. But upon actually arriving in China, I realized that absolutely no restaurant would ever require me, or anyone else for that matter, to sit on a Chinese restaurant's floor because it's more often than not covered in peanut shells, bottle caps, half-smoked cigarettes, and yes, the aforementioned bones of meat you have no where else to discard of.

Napkins are another western dining necessity that the Chinese seem too proud to take hold of. Every so often, a Chinese restaurant will provide you with a roll of toilet paper to clean your hands with, but nine times out of ten, you're on your own. Carrying little packets of tissue is a must when dining out in China, not to mention, being out when nature calls.

While living outside of China, I unknowingly became accustomed to variety. If on one day I wanted a nice deli-style, Italian cold cut sandwich and on the next I wanted something completely different, it wouldn't be a problem. Hell I could get Italian food on Monday, Mexican food on Tuesday, French on Wednesday, Indian on Thursday and pizza over the weekend, and it wouldn't be any more difficult than eating the exact same thing, every day, for the entire week. In China, the definition of variety is vastly different. It's almost a meaning within itself - there's variety alright, but only variety within Chinese food - nothing else.

If you want noodles, you go to a noodle joint; if you want dumplings, you go to a dumpling joint; and if you want a nice Italian, deli-style cold cut sandwich, you're shit out of luck. China offers variety within uniformity. Chinese food is pretty much all you can get, but there are quite a few options when trying to decide upon where and what you what you want to eat.

Lets start with street food. Street food in China is huge. Stands are everywhere you look selling all sorts of edible delights; fresh produce, fishless sushi, smelly tofu cups, plastic bagged noodles, fried chicken and vegetables, steamed dumplings, coal roasted pita bread and fruit on a stick - to only name a few. Meat on a stick is another facet of Chinese food that I never knew existed. BBQ stands are everywhere, often run by the white-capped people of Hui Muslim decent, offering up all sorts of seasoned bits of lamb, chicken, pork, and fish, which are usually, every bit delightful.

Next we have the Chinese "dish" restaurant. This kind of restaurant usually doesn't specialize in any one particular type of food, but instead offers up a wide variety of Chinese "dishes" that are successively served to you, one after the other. These restaurants often have private rooms, for parties exceeding five or six, where you'll be seated in a tightly enclosed area and given a number of waiters and/or waitresses to wait on you hand and foot.

Often times, the nicer places will have a spinning glass table, which makes dining out not only entertaining, but competitive in trying to seize an ample amount of your favorite dish.

There are also restaurants that serve a number of dishes, but only really focus on a few. The best way to tell this type of restaurant from a Chinese "dish" restaurant is to walk in and take a look at what everyone else is eating. If everyone's chomping down on a plate of boiled pork dumplings, it's probably safe to say that you've just entered a boiled pork dumpling restaurant.

Hui Muslim noodle restaurants are also very common, and one of my favorites, serving all sorts of freshly stretched knife cut noodles, in both soup and dish form. Dumpling restaurants are another familiar site - easily noticed by the stacks of wooden circular containers billowing steam outside the front door. The two main types of Chinese dumplings are called, jiasu and biasu - jiasu being the style of dumpling most commonly known to westerns, hand-rolled in a thin layer of dough, and biasu, which are more like steamed balls of bread with stuffing in the middle and twice as filling.

Another aspect of Chinese food that I feel needs to be addressed is the atmosphere when dining out in China. If you're one to prefer a nice, quiet, romantic, candlelight dinner - China is not the place for you. Hoards of brash and outwardly brazen voices fill the air as clouds of stale cigarette smoke hover viscously above. Half the place is usually drunk off baiju, a potent Chinese rice wine, or getting dangerously close, and the other half is yelling even louder, just so they can audibly hear the words they themselves are trying to speak. The restaurant's employees, who are always grossly overstaffed, constantly scurry this way and that, opening up new bottles of beer and bringing out endless amounts of pan-fried food.

Pan-fried food is something I always knew the Chinese preferred, but to what extent, I never had any idea. Have you ever wondered why no Chinese dish you've ever ordered has ever been baked? Maybe it's because finding an oven in China is nearly as rare as getting caught in a snowstorm in sub-Saharan Africa.

Ovens pretty much don't exist - unless you're a bakery or specialize in Peking duck - so the only two methods of cooking used are on top of a stove or over a charcoal grill - an observation, which I believe, has a direct positive correlation to why Chinese food is normally so greasy all the time.

One food in China that's never greasy is hot pot. Hot pot is a Sichuan specialty that's well versed all throughout China, and is pretty much exactly like it sounds - hot and in a pot. Sichuan is world renowned for the spiciness of its food, and hot pot is no exception. The table you're seated at will have a circular opening in the middle, which is connected to a propane tank down below. The cooking device that is brought out will contain two proportionate sides of cooking broth - one being blood red and the other, a shade off ocher. If you guessed that the blood red side is hot and spicy, you're the million-dollar winner. If you guessed the latter, you're still walking away with a complimentary prize.

Both sides are extremely spicy, but if you're feeling courageous and eat only from the red, it's a good possibility you may sweat off a few pounds before the bill is paid. The food you drop into the broth is what you actually order. Paper-thin strips of dried meat, bundles of mushrooms, a wide array of fresh vegetables, cubes of white bread, hearty chunks of potato and freshly knit pan noodles are just a few of an endless list of possibilities you have while enjoying a hot pot dinner out in China.

So there you have it - a taste of China's real Chinese food - bon appetit.

Please feel free to contact me via email -- smartiyan@mac.com Or visit my website -- web.mac.com/smartiyan

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles

2008-03-28T12:42:00.000-06:00

New Book Review

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food, by Jennifer 8. Lee. If you think McDonald's is the most ubiquitous restaurant experience in America, consider that there are more Chinese restaurants in America than McDonalds, Burger Kings, and Wendys combined. New York Times reporter and Chinese-American (or American-born Chinese) Jennifer 8 Lee traces the history of Chinese-American experience through the lens of the food. In a compelling blend of sociology and history, Jenny Lee exposes the indentured servitude Chinese restaurants expect from illegal immigrant chefs, investigates the relationship between Jews and Chinese food, and weaves a personal narrative about her own relationship with Chinese food. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles speaks to the immigrant experience as a whole, and the way it has shaped our country.Order from Amazon.com

Baking Great Artisan Bread

2008-03-25T13:00:00.000-06:00

by Dael Leathe

Artisan bread has been considered one of the best breads ever invented, made without any chemicals and very few basic ingredients, these breads are by far superior to most. Flour, water, salt and yeast are the main ingredients in making bread. Although other ingredients may be added according to what type of artisan bread you wish to make. Some have added onions, cheeses. Artisan breads are found to be more flavorful, since bakers use only the best ingredients, but they do have a short shelf life and should be eaten within a couple of days or you can put it in your freezer immediately after purchase, for use at a later date.

There are many types of artisan breads; you have French bread, fococcia, deli rye and more. One of the secrets of artisan bread is the way it is prepared and baked. Artisan bread is handmade; you may use a mixer for the kneading process but the rest, like shaping or dividing the dough, must be done by hand. Artisan breads are not made in conventional ovens but are baked on a stone, which helps to give it that delicious crispy crust everyone loves. Artisan breads have been used to make pizzas, submarine sandwiches, croissants and Italian loafs stuffed with cheeses, olives, and Italian herbs. Another example of delicious Artisan bread is the fabulous chocolate bread, filled with chocolate chips and cocoa.

Even if you do not have local bakers to supply you with freshly baked artisan breads, you can still enjoy this delicious bread at home. You can make it yourself, right in your own kitchen. Start with your basic bread recipe, and you may add ingredients of your choosing, such as olive oil, honey, etc. But remember, if you add a liquid ingredient this adds hydration to your dough, but this could make your dough easier to handle when it comes to the kneading process. If you want firmer dough to work with let it set for 15 or 20 minutes. The kneading process of bread making involves kneading and folding the dough numerous times until it achieves a consistent, smooth outer texture. Afterwards, you want to place the dough in a well oiled bowl, over it with a warm cloth, place it in a warm place and let it rise until it's about doubled in size. But if you want to experience its full flavor, let the dough rise slowly, by putting it in a cooler area. After it has risen, remove from bowl and separate into the amount of loaves you prefer, place in baking pans and cover to let it rise once more to twice its size.

Now you're ready to bake your loaves of delicious homemade artisan bread. Before you bake, it's good to preheat your oven to the desired temperature called for by your recipe. After bread is done baking, remove from oven and set out to cool before slicing. Perhaps the easiest part of bread making nowadays is finding a recipe. Afterall, thanks to the internet, we have literally thousands of recipes at our disposal. Of course, choosing the right recipe for you takes some experimenting. No matter what kind of bread, any bread that is home made is sure to taste better and more natural than its counterpart in the supermarket. There may be a bit of work to preparing bread at home in our own kitchens, but once you bite into that delicious loaf of artisan bread, you'll see it was worth the extra effort.

For more ideas on how to make great bread, please visit bread-making.net. For some great bread baking tips, please visit breadbaking.net

KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers

2008-03-25T12:30:00.002-06:00

Featured Product

An update to KitchenAid's most popular small appliance is their latest masterpiece - the 5-qt. Artisan Series Stand Mixer. In comparison to their previous 4.5-qt., this one is larger in capacity and combines a 325-watt motor with a heavy duty transmission that supplies constant power even when mixing heavy bread dough. Convenient, the polished stainless steel bowl is sized to hold large batches and recipes, and with its wide open design, accommodates the beater from the tilt-back head once it's lowered into the bowl. The handle on the bowl is ergonomically designed, contoured to fit the hand, facilitating lifting and pouring. Like the other models, this one, too, features KitchenAid's unique mixing action - the beater moves clockwise while the shaft moves counterclockwise, enabling the beater to reach every area as it mixes. It features 10 speeds from a very high to a very low stir. Included with your new stand mixer is a clear, two-piece pouring shield that fits around the top of the bowl, preventing splashes. A large chute lets you add ingredients along the way. Accessories include a Wire Whip, Flat Beater and Dough Hook for versatility. The rugged, durable, all-metal construction promises many years of dependability, quiet operation, and cooking and baking bliss. Available in thirteen colors

Click here for more information or to order at a great discounted price.

A Most Astounding Rhubarb Jelly

2008-03-18T08:26:00.000-06:00

by Joseph Parish

Rhubarb is one of those interesting plants which you do not generally chance upon a lot of information on. You will certainly encounter difficulty locating it in your local supermarket. I would like to take you on a gardening journey from growing your own rhubarb to harvesting it and finally to creating some tasty Rhubarb Lime jelly.

In most parts of America you would not encounter any problems growing this perennial vegetable. It is well worth your efforts to cultivate it in the home garden as it is readily enjoyed in jellies, pies and sauces. Rhubarb is usually planted off by itself at the far end of your family garden and is best left alone. It will be productive for at least five years. Six plants will produce sufficient rhubarb to satisfy a family of four with possibly a little left over for the neighbor.

Plant your rhubarb in the early spring while your plant roots are still in their dormant stage. Use plants or divisions as seeds are extremely difficult to grow in most places other then the deep southern portion of the United States.

The crown bud of the plant should be about 2 inches below the soil with 36 inches spacing between each root planted. Rhubarb rows should be approximately 3 feet apart. Make certain that draining is good in the area where you intend to plant the rhubarb as they do not like wet feet. Prior to planting your roots work the soil well with compost to increase the rhubarbs production.

If you already have several rhubarb plants you can dig up the roots and divide them to make additional plants. Simply cut the root into four sections. Ensure that each of these sections has at least a single strong bud. This process should be accomplished at least every five years to ensure healthy and vigorous plants. Plants older then five years tend to become very crowded and their production decreases drastically. Use only your healthiest plants for this spring thinning and discard the rest.

Maintain the rhubarb area free of weeds inspecting it on a weekly basis. Apply fertilizer generously at the start of the growing season and continue to side dress the plants as the year rolls on. Irrigate the crop during periods of dryness and do not permit it to dry out excessively.

Since the newly established plants need abundant foliage to create a strong root system do not attempt to harvest any plants during the first season. During the second season you may harvest the stalks for one or two weeks, but after that you can safely harvest for the full eight to ten weeks.

To harvest the plants pull the plants stalks and proceed to trim the leaf blades from each. Do not use the leaf blades as they contain oxalic acid. Remove only 1/3rd of the leaves so the plant will remain healthy and continue to produce. Should your plant develop seed stalks and flowers quickly remove and discard them. The petioles or leafstalks should be of high quality with bright color, tenderness and flavor. The stalk should be thick and crisp when you break it off.

The major pest for your new rhubarbs will be the Rhubarb curculio which is a beetle which bores holes into the stalks and roots of your plants. Should you encounter badly infected plants with a vast number of beetle eggs simply burn them in July. And now for the fun part. You have already grown your rhubarb so now letâ€™s make some tasty Rhubarb Lime Jelly.

You will need enough Rhubarb stalks to create five cups of juice 2 1/2 cups sugar 5 Tbsp of lime juice 5 tsp of Pomona pectin 5 tsp of calcium water

Wash your rhubarb stalks well and cut them into small chunks. Puree these chunks in a food processor using a cheesecloth for extracting your five cups of juice. Mix the rhubarb and lime juice with the calcium water in a pot. Mix the pectin with the sugar in a bowl. Bring the mixture in the pot to a boil and then add the sugar/pectin to it bringing it once again to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and then ladle the mixture into pre-sterilized jars making certain to leave a 1/4" headspace. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for a period of 10 minutes. Be certain to adjust your time according to your altitude.

Your family is certain to enjoy this treat.

Top Chef The Cookbook

2008-03-17T14:22:00.000-06:00

New Book Review

Top Chef The Cookbook , by Melcher Media, Tom Colicchio, and The Creators of Top Chef. Top Chef presents the official companion cookbook to the No. 1 rated food show on cable television! Featuring 100 fabulous recipes from the first three seasons of the show, including dishes from the Elimination Rounds and the Quick-Fire Challenges, The Top Chef Cookbook invites fans into the hottest kitchen on prime time. In-depth discussions with contestants, judges, and crew reveal the inner workings of the show, and lavish photographs take readers behind-the-scenes into the Top Chef pantry and the competition sites. Handsomely packaged with a canvas cover inspired by the chef's jacket worn by each of the Top Chef contestants, this cookbook will have aspiring culinary contenders reliving classic show moments and relishing new recipes just in time to obsess over Padma's outfits in Season 4. In addition to his job as lead judge on Top Chef, Tom Colicchio is one of America's most influential chefs. He won the James Beard Award as the best chef in New York when he was at Gramercy Tavern. He is currently the chef/owner of Craft in New York and Craftsteak in Las Vegas. His seminal cookbook Think Like a Chef won the James Beard Cookbook Award.Order from Amazon.com

Why Are My Biscuits So Lousy?

2008-03-12T12:22:00.000-06:00

by Ken Miller

Light, fluffy biscuits, hot from the oven, are one of the real joys of life. Although biscuits are more common for breakfast, they are also popular for other meals. For example, the Red Lobster restaurant is famous for it's Cheese Biscuits, which are served with a seafood dinner. Also, Kentucky Fried Chicken serves biscuits with it's chicken dinners. They are very popular and pretty good. But, they are not that easy to make at home, unless you know a few tips.

Do your biscuits come out flat as a board? And heavy as lead? Well, you are probably making a few common mistakes that are simple to correct. You should start with a good recipe. We recommend this biscuit recipe which is suitable for home cooks with little or no experience.

Then you need to follow these few simple tips:

1. Do not overwork the dough. Biscuits do not need to be kneaded. This will make heavy, tough biscuits. After you roll the dough out on your board, simply fold the dough over on itself about three times. Then STOP! Next, gently form a round shape and roll it out to about a 3 inch thickness with your rolling pin.

2. When you cut out the biscuits from the dough, push the biscuit cutter straight down, then straight up. Do not push down and twist. This compacts the edges of the dough and causes uneven cooking and tough biscuits.

3. Always pre-heat your oven completely (generally 400-425 degrees). Different ovens vary in the time required to get up to temperature. I recommend you always allow at least 15 minutes after turning the oven on before putting the biscuits in. A cold (or not fully pre-heated) oven is the leading cause for failure of the dough to rise (flat biscuits).

4. And finally...this should be a no-brainer, but my neighbor was guilty of the following: She said she liked thick biscuits with lots of soft insides, but her biscuits were always thin and flat. So I watched her make a batch of biscuits, expecting to find that she was not pre-heating the oven. However, this was not the problem. She was doing everything right, except one obvious error. When she rolled out the dough, she rolled it about 1/2 inch thick and began cutting out the biscuits. After she cut about half the dough, I suggested she roll the remaining dough to 3 inches thick and cut the last biscuits from that.

After 20 minutes in the oven, she pulled out the biscuits, half flat and the others big and fluffy.

The lesson? If you want bigger biscuits, you have to start with thicker dough. (duh!)

So, the next time you make biscuits, use these tips and stand by for the compliments.

Ken Miller is a freelance writer and webmaster of several websites including olsouthrecipes.com where you will find authentic (free) Southern recipes.

Who Invented the Chocolate Chip Cookie?

2008-03-10T08:55:00.002-06:00

by Steven Magill

Have you ever wondered who invented the chocolate chip cookie? Because chocolate chip cookies are so common, it is easy to forget that these treats have not been around forever. In fact, did you know that chocolate chip cookies are not even one hundred years old? It's true!

The answer to "who invented the chocolate chip cookie" is: Ruth Graves Wakefield. Ruth Graves Wakefield was born on June 17, 1903 and she is the person who invented the Toll House Cookie, which was the world's first chocolate chip cookie.

Ruth Wakefield was educated at the Framingham State Normal School Development of Household Arts and she graduated in 1924. After graduating from school, she worked both as a doctor and gave lectures about food.

In 1930 Wakefield and her husband purchased a lodge for tourists in Whitman, Massachusetts (part of Plymouth County). The lodge was first built in 1709 and has a long and rich history of its own. Many weary travelers have spent the night at the lodge as it is conveniently located around halfway between New Bedford and Boston. This is usually where passers through paid a toll, changed their horses and stopped for some much appreciated home cooked food. When the Wakefields bought it, they named the lodge the Toll House Inn and made sure to keep up with the lodge's traditions. All of the home cooked meals were prepared and served by Ruth and it was not long before her desserts earned her some local fame. There were many visitors to the lodge, one of the most famous being John F. Kennedy (when he was still a Senator).

In 1940, Ruth wrote a cookbook called Toll House Tried and True Recipes. Ruth passed away in 1977 and the Toll House Inn burned down at the end of 1983. While there are plenty of companies that make and sell chocolate chips now, the recipe printed on the back of the Nestle Toll House bags is the original Ruth Graves Wakefield recipe. As of today, Nestle is the only company with the rights to print the recipe on its bags. All of the recipes that are printed on other company's' bags are different from the original recipe.

The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the late 1930s (making it almost seventy seven years old) though there are different stories about how, exactly, the original chocolate chip cookie recipe was invented. Some stories say it was an accident, others say it was an experiment and still others say that it was a purposeful recipe. The story of how the chocolate chip cookie was invented varies according to the person telling the story. One thing is for certain, though, and that is that the answer to "who invented the chocolate chip cookie" is Ruth Graves Wakefield. Who knew that what might have started out as an experiment or an accident would someday be one of the most common treats in the Western World? Who doesn't remember eating chocolate chip cookies after school?

Copyright © 2008, by Steven Magill. Just think, you can start enjoying the recipes right away -- no waiting at all! Can you taste the key limes already? You gotta try the Chocolate Chip Key Lime Cookies...mmmmmm!ChocolateChipCookie.info

Panasonic SD-YD205 Automatic Bread Maker

2008-03-10T08:46:00.001-06:00

Featured Product

Providing myriad options, this automatic bread maker embodies the marvels of 21st century electronic convenience and choice. Yes, it mixes, kneads, rises, and bakes bread in three loaf sizes up to 2-1/2 pounds. But its digital controls go much further, offering settings for white, whole wheat, multigrain, and French (crisp crust, open texture) breads, each made according to what's best for that particular style. Other settings permit rapid baking and baking sandwich bread with a soft crust. For raisin (or other dried-fruit) bread, a beeper signals when to add the fruit so it's not crushed during kneading. Crust color--dark or light--can be selected as well.

The machine automatically adds yeast at the proper time from a dispenser on the unit's lid. It also bakes non-yeast, quick breads-- like banana and gingerbread--and sweet cakes. And it mixes, kneads, and rises doughs for pizza, focaccia, croissants, and other pastries without baking them. A timer permits the machine to be programmed up to 13 hours in advance so fresh bread or cake is available for breakfast or dinner. For cleanup convenience, the baking pan is nonstick. Clad in metal and packing 550 watts of power, the machine measures 14 inches wide, 13.5 inches high, and 9 inches deep. Its instruction booklet is exceptionally easy to understand and includes recipes for 40 breads and doughs along with an insightful guide to baking basics and illustrated tips for making pastries. --Fred Brack

Click here for more information or to order at a great discounted price.

Fabulous Parties

2008-03-08T09:36:00.000-07:00

New Book Review

Fabulous Parties, by Peggy Dark, Mark Held, and Richard David. Packed with advice and inspiration from three of Los Angeles' most popular party providers. "Fabulous Parties" reveals their professional secrets and enables you to create your own sensational celebration for any occasion. Drawing on many years of hands-on-experience as floral designers and caterers to Los Angeles' A-listers, Mark Held and Richard David of Mark's Garden and Peggy Dark of the Kitchen has adapted the principles of putting together a large, lavish event to a more intimate scale and lower budget. The harmonious relationship between food and flowers is clearly shown in beautiful, specially commissioned photographs, which showcase twenty themed events inspired by those created for their celebrity clients. All of the events included have a theme, decor, and menu. Choose from a Rustic Italian Party, a colorful Caribbean Dinner, a lavish New Year's Eve Celebration, an elegant Wine Tasting, or a glamorous Pink Ladies' Luncheon, plus many more. Useful practical instruction on how to achieve professional results at home is given in a section on Floristy Tips and Techniques. *Celebrity clients who enjoy parties created by Mark's Garden and The Kitchen include Oprah Winfrey, Cher, Diane Keaton, George Clooney, Teri Hatcher, Tommy Hilfiger, Donatella Versace, and many more. Order from Amazon.com

Banana Nutrition

2008-03-06T08:46:00.000-07:00

by Wendy Wood

BANANA - This is my all time top superfood as it has some extremely powerful effects on the body and, as well as being high in minerals, will amaze you in more ways than one:

The fibre from unripe bananas reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol by up to 30%. The fibre in bananas is also helpful for constipation.

A ripe banana will soothe an upset stomach.

Bananas are a great energy source for the body which is instant and sustained.

Bananas can relieve heartburn.

They can also help decrease the risk of stroke by as much as 40%.

People suffering from depression feel better after eating a banana as the tryptophan in the banana is converted by the body into serotonin, which helps you relax, improves mood and makes you feel happier. Also helpful for people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Bananas help to regulate blood glucose levels as they also contain the vitamin B6 and can also help with PMS.

Bananas contain iron and can help with anemia.

They are also great for high blood pressure as they are high in potassium and low in salt. The potassium can also help you feel more alert so good for childrens packed lunches.

Bananas are great for hangovers - make a milkshake and add honey - the banana calms the stomach and the milk soothes and re-hydrates your body.

If suffering from morning sickness, a banana can help as it keeps blood sugar levels up.

The inside of a banana skin can reduce swelling and irritation from insect bites.

The B vitamins in bananas can help calm nerves.

Bananas are a great mid-morning snack, if watching your weight, as they keep sugar levels steady (great for diabetics), so you are less likely to crave a high carb snack.

If you suffer from Ulcers, bananas are great as they are gentle on the stomach, they neutralize over-acidity and reduce irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Bananas can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers.

If you are trying to give up smoking, bananas can help as the B6, B12, potassium and magnesium found in bananas help the body to recover from nicotine withdrawal.

Bananas contain potassium, which is a vital mineral for the body and affects heartbeat, oxygen to the brain and also regulates water balance. Stress depletes potassium, so bananas can be very valuable in rebalancing potassium levels.

You can get rid of a wart by taping the inside of the banana skin over it.

You can even shine your shoes with the inside of a banana skin, then polish with a dry cloth!

When you compare it to an apple, it has 4 times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, 3 times the phosphorus, 5 times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.

So, I think you will agree with me that we should all go bananas and try and eat more of this amazing health-giving fruit!

Wendy Wood operates goodnutrition-goodhealth.com , a blog all about good nutrition in relation to your health. She loves giving away free stuff and is now giving away FREE MEMBERSHIPS to her Newsletter. You're not going to believe what you get when you sign up ... it's all free. More information here: goodnutrition-goodhealth.com

Tools and Techniques

2008-03-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

New Book Review

Tools and Techniques, by Williams-Sonoma. Tucker and Hossler photographers. Williams-Sonoma Tools & Techniques is your road map to cooking success. A comprehensive guide to basic tools and equipment for the home kitchen, with special features explaining the differences among cookware materials and a primer on cutlery styles and uses, and a step-by-step tutorial on key cooking tasks--cutting vegetables into a variety of shapes; boning and skinning a chicken breast; filling and frosting a layer cake and more. It is a must-have for every kitchen. Also included are more than 50 recipe staples: perfect poached salmon, classic roast chicken, homemade chicken and beef stock, and dozens of vinaigrettes and sauces. Even when using a recipe from another cookbook, Williams-Sonoma Tools & Techniqueswill be your guide to scores of kitchen tasks. With friendly explanations of 250 techniques, 200 tools, and over 1500 full-color photographs, whether you are a novice in the kitchen or a seasoned home cook, this book is the ultimate source of kitchen wisdom. Order from Amazon.com

Pecans: History and Fun Facts

2008-03-04T08:25:00.000-07:00

by the National Pecan Shellers Association

The history of pecans can be traced back to the 16th century. The only major tree nut that grows naturally in North America, the pecan is considered one of the most valuable North American nut species. The name "pecan" is a Native American word of Algonquin origin that was used to describe "all nuts requiring a stone to crack.

Originating in central and eastern North America and the river valleys of Mexico, pecans were widely used by pre-colonial residents. Pecans were favored because they were accessible to waterways, easier to shell than other North American nut species and of course, for their great taste.

Because wild pecans were readily available, many Native American tribes in the U.S. and Mexico used the wild pecan as a major food source during autumn. It is speculated that pecans were used to produce a fermented intoxicating drink called "Powcohicora" (where the word "hickory" comes from). It also is said that Native Americans first cultivated the pecan tree.

Presidents Washington and Jefferson loved pecans, too! One of the first known cultivated pecan tree plantings, by Spanish colonists and Franciscans in northern Mexico, appears to have taken place in the late 1600s or early 1700s. These plantings are documented to around 1711 about 60 years before the first recorded planting by U.S. colonists.

The first U.S. pecan planting took place in Long Island, NY in 1772. By the late 1700s, pecans from the northern range reached the English portion of the Atlantic Seaboard and were planted in the gardens of easterners such as George Washington (1775) and Thomas Jefferson (1779). Settlers were also planting pecans in community gardens along the Gulf Coast at this time.

In the late 1770s, the economic potential of pecans was realized by French and Spanish colonists settling along the Gulf of Mexico. By 1802, the French were exporting pecans to the West Indiesâ€"although it is speculated that pecans were exported to the West Indies and Spain earlier by Spanish colonists in northern Mexico. By 1805, advertisements in London said that the pecan was a tree meriting attention as a cultivated crop.

The Birth of an Industry

New Orleans, located near the mouth of the Mississippi River, became very important to the marketing of pecans. The city had a natural market as well as an avenue for redistributing pecans to other parts of the U.S. and the world. The New Orleans market gained local interest in planting orchards, which stimulated the adaptation of vegetative propagation techniques and led to the demand for trees that produce superior nuts.

During the 1700s and the early 1800s, the pecan became an item of commerce for the American colonists and the pecan industry was born. (In San Antonio, the wild pecan harvest was more valuable than popular row crops like cotton!)

Pecan groves (trees established by natural forces) and orchards (trees planted by man) consisted of diverse nuts with various sizes, shapes, shell characteristics, flavor, fruiting ages and ripening dates. In the midst of this variability, there was the occasional discovery of a wild tree with unusually large, thin-shelled nuts, which were in high demand by customers.

In 1822, Abner Landrum of South Carolina discovered a pecan budding technique, which provided a way to graft plants derived from superior wild selections (or, in other words, to unite with a growing plant by placing in close contact). However, this invention was lost or overlooked until 1876 when an African-American slave gardener from Louisiana (named Antoine) successfully propagated pecans by grafting a superior wild pecan to seedling pecan stocks. Antoine clone was named Centennial because it won the Best Pecan Exhibited award at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876. His 1876 planting, which eventually became 126 Centennial trees, was the first official planting of improved pecans.

The successful use of grafting techniques led to grafted orchards of superior genotypes and proved to be a milestone for the pecan industry. The adoption of these techniques was slow and had little commercial impact until the 1880s when Louisiana and Texas nurserymen learned of pecan grafting and began propagation on a commercial level.

Thus was the start of a booming pecan growing and shelling industry!

The National Pecan Shellers Association (NPSA) is the trade association for the pecan shelling and processing industry. The association is dedicated to educating culinary and health professionals, food technologists, educators and the general public about the health benefits, nutritional value, variety of uses and all-around great taste of pecans.

Artichoke to Za'atar: Modern Middle Eastern Food

2008-03-03T13:41:00.001-07:00

New Book Review

Artichoke to Za'atar: Modern Middle Eastern Food, by Greg and Lucy Malouf. This richly illustrated book offers a comprehensive collection of 170 recipes, organized alphabetically according to ingredients widely used in Middle Eastern cooking. Written by award-winning chef Greg Malouf and his writing partner Lucy Malouf, Artichoke to Za'atar covers everything from the basics--almonds, lemons, and yogurt--to less widely known components such as pomegranates, rosewater, and sumac. A brief description and history of each ingredient is provided, along with invaluable tips on how to select, prepare, and cook it. Originally published in 1999 in Australia as Arabesque, this book has earned international acclaim as the ultimate guide to modern Middle Eastern cuisine by a chef who is considered a master of the genre. Now available in North America for the first time. Artichoke to Za'atar is a volume to read, use, and treasure--a must for anyone interested in creative cooking and culinary history. Some of the recipes included are Blue Cheese and Walnut Terrine, Battered Scallops with Cumin Salt, Fresh Figs Poached in Ginger Syrup, Green Lentil Soup with Saffron Scrambled Eggs, and Cardamom-Honey-Glazed Roast Duck. Order from Amazon.com

Italian Cuisine - New Twists from Calabria

2008-02-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

by Rory Burgess

Pasta. Pizza. Yawn. Today, we are so exposed to 'italian' food on the high street that it's easy to lose sight of the fact that italy has a far richer edible heritage than tomato sauces and bland, made-over pastas. Perhaps the key to understanding the real beauty of Italian food is to learn about the strong - and widely differing - regional heritages.

In the North of the country, close to the rest of Europe, the pizza has achieved near hegemony. Purely a Napolitan and Roman tradition this basic bread and tomato recipe is nearly ubiquitious. Alongside the bland, heavy, cheese-laden pasta dishes that line up for our attention on supermarket shelves has frogmarched over our perceptions of Italian food, despite its most common incarnation having more in common with the kitchens of Manhattan than the simple rustic traditions of Italian food.

The really interesting side avenues of Italian food are to be found in the South of the country - where the proximity of Africa and a tradition rooted in overt poverty has resulted in an exciting clash of flavours and styles a world away from what you might expect.

Take Calabria's version of lasagna. The traditional version is turned on it's head in this region's twist on the recipe. Instead of the traditional mince and layers of flat pasta, the local cooks make a version in which tiny meatballs are layered with a delicate network of white noodles and flavoured with a rice, creamy white sauce. To add to the subtle and yet sensational taste difference, the meatballs are made from pork.

Pork is the staple meat of the region and forms the basis of many favourite dishes. Salami and cured meat - common throughout the country - is given its own twist by the use of a chilli unique to the region - the peperoncini. This small, sweet and intense chilli lends an almost arabic flavour to much of the region's food. Indeed, the fiery intensity of some of the local cuisine is a shock to the system of some people accustomed to the Italian comfort blanket of salty cheeses and tomato.

With Calabria's traditional poverty to the fore, there is a great tradition of using the entire carcass of the pig. Pig cheeks are a popular snack for example, but perhaps the most obvious example of this are the huge spit roasts in which whole adult pigs are roasted over an open charcoal pit - often as the centrepiece of celebrations such as weddings and religious festivals.

Away from the land, the region is also rich in seafood - its endless miles of heavily indented coastline creating hundreds of sheltered bays in which shellfish thrive. Tiny sweet clams are a particular favourite, forming the basis of delicate stews or simply served with pasta and allowed to speak for themselves. Returning the theme of peasant food, bacala - a form of cod heavily salted as a preservative forms the basis of many local delicacies. So salty is this delicious fish dish that it must be soaked for 24 hours before use to draw the salt out from it before it can be eaten. This unusual dish dates back to Roman times, before the establishment of a proper road network made it possible to transport fresh fish inland and keep it edible in it's natural state.

So, if you're looking to cook up something a little different for your next romantic meal or family get-together, look up the food of Calabria as a great starting point for new ideas and twists on traditional italian food. I can guarantee you won't be disappointed with the results and it might open your eyes to a few flavour combinations you might never have happened across otherwise.

Happy cooking!

Rory Burgess has fallen in love with the region of calabria ever since he became an investor in the calabria property market. Away from his frequent trips to Italy and the Med, he is a father to an errant 2 year old and a keen amateur gardener.