What we've been eating... 3/31/2010

Coffee, cardamom gum, and the meatiest Cobb Salad I've ever had; a Pulled Pork Cobb nonetheless.  Easter candy is also here and Palmer's Peanut Butter Eggs, although not as good as Reese's, are tough to pass on.

I found a Vietnamese place called Pho "T" - I wonder if they intended the malt liquor reference, I didn't ask.  My co-worker asked for something unique and they served us a very sweet drink with lychee, dried cherries (?) and some seaweed-looking stuff.  Not unpleasant, but definitely something I've never had before.  I wish I wrote down what is was called.

I had one of my favorite Starbucks concoction, the veritable Green Tea Latte with No Syrup and Extra Matcha.  It's a mouthful, get it?  Mouthful?  Never mind.  I also found Top Gun Street in San Diego as well as some tasty waves.

I attended the Food Blog Forum Seminar in LA along with a ton of other friendly like-minded writers.  What started as a BYO Brown Bag Lunch turned into a potluck and delivery by Baby Blue BBQ and Next Door Pizza - I stuffed myself silly!  Praise the Lord too because all I brought was a handful of almonds!

The World Fare Bustaurant came by which is a full double-decker bus with dining on the roof and Haute Cuisine coming out the side.  I had several of their dishes and everything was mouth watering and delicious.  They're putting a new twist on the Roach Coach, find them @worldfare.  Did I mention that I think I got a photo of the Teenage Glutster's Vespa?

Wrapping things up, I am trying out another box of wine, Pinot Evil.  Cute name, environmentally-friendly packaging, and the sauce is pretty good too.  Check them out.  There was another food-related Wheel of Fortune answer, "Seared Scallops with Snow Peas."  Lastly, I've now dubbed my morning shake of psyllium husks and yogurt, "Mugurt," pronounced myoo-gert.  It fits.

Auf.

Top 10 Food-Related Top 10's

Delicious Cocktail Wienies

10. Top 10 Foods with Funny Names (via the Los Angeles Foodie)

With such classics as Super Dickmann's, Mini Dickmann's, Cock Soup Mix, and Fart Juice how could you go wrong?  I didn't know that Heinz made a microwavable Spotted Dick Sponge Pudding in a can!  Sounds scrumptious!

9. 10 Great Health Foods for Eating Well (via the Mayo Clinic)

Well, hasn't this subject been beaten like a filthy rug on a windy day?  I thought this was interesting because it is from the freaking Mayo Clinic, not howtoloseweightin90days.com, bestfoodsforstaying healthy.com, or ilost200poundsinthreemonthsclickheretofindouthow.com.  Let's get real, the list starts with Apples, Almonds, and Blueberries...

8. Top 10 Mispronounced Foodie Words (via Chicago Tribune)

I've been told that Bruschetta can be correctly pronounced at least two different ways but confusing Chicken Mole with a dish consisting of a flightless bird with a dark spot on its skin is unacceptable.  Pączki?  They got me on that one but I think there are at least two more common ones they missed: chipotle and asiago.  No Vern, it isn't che-pote-el and ah-see-ah-joe.

7. Top 10 Food Hacks (via Lifehacker)

First there's the old "Open a banana like a monkey" trick.  Hint: don't tear it from the stem.  Then there's the "DIY microwave popcorn hack" and the "Making Super Mario-style mushrooms from radishes" how-to guide.  Lastly, they teach you how to make edible shot glasses.  Do all four hacks at the same party and you unlock a badge on Foursquare!

6. Top 10 Food Trends for 2010 (via Epicurious)

Lamb is in, Pork is out.  Home Made Beer is in, Mad-Science Cocktails are out.  Mini Whoopie Pies are in, Mini Cupcakes are out.  Vancouver is in, Barcelona is out...  I'm so bummed right now because I just booked my tickets for the 1st Annual Spanish Basil-Lavender Gin and Tonic, Cupcakes, and Chorizo Tour.  I leave in May.

5. Top 10 Foods Only America Could Have Invented (via the Endless Simmer)

From staples such as a ground pig parts, dipped in batter, skewered with a stick, and deep fried (the Corn Dog) - to more delicacies like impaling a turkey with a duck, that's been impaled with a chicken, that's been packed like a musket with sausage stuffing (the Turducken), this is a solid Top 10 of American gluttony.

4. Top 10 Common Food Poisoning Risks (via the New York Times)

"Each year, about 76 million people in the United States become ill from the food they eat, and about 5,000 of them die, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

Harmful bacteria are the most common cause of food-borne illnesses..."

3. Top 10 Food Related Stand-up Comedy Bits (via LA Weekly) - Mature Audiences

The highlights?  9 minutes with Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III talking mostly about Chinese food.  CK Lewis discussing how he won't even try duck vaginas lest he finds out how much he likes them.  There is also Patton Oswald lamenting on how KFC piles everything they have in to their Famous Bowl, and we Americans proceed to eat out of them like dogs.

2. Top 10 Most Common Ingredients in Fast Food (via The Learning Channel)

Would it surprise you if I told you that there are 67 ingredients in a Big Mac?  How about if I told you that Xanthan Gum was in a lot of fast food?  Do you know what Xanthan Gum is?  It is produced by the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris and is used as a thickening agent and stabilizer the world over.  Enjoy!

1. 10 Food Feuds (via Chow)

The list includes such [sort of] heavyweights as Jerry Seinfeld's wife, Scanwich, and Rick's Original Philly Steaks.  They close each showdown with classic quotes as: "The intern has been dealt with, we took away his zero pay," "Mr. McFarland called the allegation that he was a Caesar salad thief ‘a pretty ridiculous claim,’” and “I want to be a good neighbor, but I am nobody’s fool, and nobody’s pushover, and I should not have to carry a baseball bat on my truck in order to sell cupcakes.”

What we've been reading... 3/28/2010

• In Defense Of Food Stylists | MattBites.com

• It’s the Simple Things « The Duo Dishes  

• Service 101: So You Think You’re a Foodie | Food Woolf

• Devour the World: Cornflake Chicken: Mommy & Me Series

• Almost Bourdain: Pastitsio (Greek Style Beef and Macaroni Pie)

• G2077 Feeding Poultry Litter to Beef Cattle | University of Missouri Extension

• It’s True: Hot Water Really Can Freeze Faster Than Cold Water | Wired Science | Wired.com

• Talking Beer With Greg Koch, CEO of Stone Brewing | People More Interesting than I

• Princeton University - A sweet problem: Princeton researchers find that high-fructose corn syrup prompts considerably more weight gain

• Snake oil? Scientific evidence for health supplements | Information Is Beautiful  

• BBC Wildlife Magazine - Photo Masterclasses  

• Amber Waves, March 2010, Feature - Guess Who's Turning 100? Tracking a Century of American Eating

What we've been eating...3/24/2010

This week we broke up our burritos with a trip to a farmer's market where we grabbed some baby turnips.  The little guys made it into our salads and we satueed their greens up with a little shallot and olive oil, mmm mmm delish.  I also saw the biggest squash I've ever seen.  They were Tahitian and the purveyor said they grew some as big as 80 pounds.

We had a proper St.Patric's Day meal complete with Corned Beef and Boiled Cabbage.  We managed to find a nitrate-free Corned Beef at Whole Foods, not that we normally care but one of us is pregnant.  Just when I thought it was safe to back to the grocery store... the Girl Scouts struck again.  Another box of Samoas, another 22% of the RDA of saturated fat per 2 cookies.

We ate a lot of Strawberries which are just now coming into season.  The baskets later in the week were far better than the ones in the beginning.  I don't know if it makes any difference, and would love to know if there are any strawberry experts out there, but we noticed that in the better ones, the redness had penetrated closer to the center.  The less flavor they had, there seemed to be more white inside.

I found a joint called Bite of Boston that some days has a Lobster Roll.  It was amazing and they are now on my radar whenever I'm in the area.  We also had an amazing meal at Mario Batali's Pizzarria Mozza, unfortunately they weren't selling orange Crocks at the attached market or I may have bought some.

To wrap up the week, I had a great meal at Stone Brewery, likely my favorite brewery.  I was warned about the food from multiple people so my expectations were set low; unfortunately, they came in right at mark.  Nevertheless, the place is amazing.  If you like beer, the place is worth making a haj to.

Spinach Salad with Beets, Walnuts, and Goat Cheese

Spinach Salad with Beets, Walnuts, and Goat Cheese

Green, brown, white, and deep crimson.  The colors scream to be consumed.  We threw this together to accompany a pasta dish on a sunny Sunday but this salad is so hearty it could also be a weeknight meal.  We cheated by using Trader Joe's vacuum packed pre-cooked beets, but you could roast your own easily in about 45 minutes (technique below).

Use a basic balsamic vinaigrette to accent the flavors and not overpower them.  Balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper do the trick nicely.  Lightly toast the walnuts in a dry skillet.  Open the bag of spinach and dress the leaves.  Slice the beets thin and place on the greens.  Drop gobs of goat cheese, and I like to finish with more fresh ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

If you want to roast your own beets.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Cut the greens off about an inch over the bulb, wash very carefully as they are often quite sandy.  Rub some olive oil all over them and either fold up into an aluminum foil pouch and/or place on foil-lined baking sheet.  Roast for 45 minutes.  Remove the skin, it skin should come off easily under running water.

If you want to make your own cheese, read a book.

If you ever get red pee after eating beets, like I do, don't be alarmed.  Not only is it relatively common, but they have a name for it, Beeturia.  There is some evidence to suggest it may be more prevalent in individuals with iron deficiency but they also think that the specific gut flora plays an uncertain role.  Well, now you know.

The Soda Aisle

Soda.  Pop.  Coke.  Cola.  Soda-pop.  Coca-Cola.  Whatever you call it colloquially, carbonated sugar water has been part of the American diet since the mid 1800's.  Originally sold as health-foods, veritable tonics, a panacea; their benefits have been revealed to be nothing more than snake oil.  

I recently perused the soda aisle at a supermarket and was amazed at the variety of soda they stock.  Some of the more unusual ones boasted a new type of Diet soda, made with Splenda, so it's better now.  Some even touted vitamins and minerals!  Rejoice!  Finally they put vitamins in my soda!

There may have been 30 different SKU's of Coke products when you count 2-Liters, 12-packs, and mini-cans and multiply by Coke Classic, Diet Coke, Caffeine-Free Coke, Caffeine-Free Diet Coke, Coke with Splenda, Vanilla Coke , Coke with Lime, and Banana Bread Flavored Diet Coke Plus Ginsing, Vitamin D and Coemzyme Q10.

I was tempted to purchase a box of TaB, I was like an archeologist sumbling into an artifact that I thought was destroyed in a great fire.  I didn't know Coca-Cola still made the stuff.  TaB has an interesting story:  It was introduced to the US market in 1963 and was originally sweetened with cyclamate.  Congress banned cyclamate in 1969 and instead, saccharin was used.  

In 1977, Congress moved to ban sacchrin also, they didn't but all products that contained any had to carry the warning, "Use of this product may be hazardous to your health. This product contains saccharin, which has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals." Remember this?  It was also present on every diner table in a little plastic boat, on the little pink packet of Sweet-N-Low.

In a twist of sweetener fate, saccharin was banned in Canada in 1977 - so now Sweet-N-Low in Canada is made from cyclamate (banned in the US) and Sweet-N-Low in the US is made from saccharin (which is banned in Canada).

I always thought TaB was the first ever diet soda, but it was not.  According to the Wiki, the Kirsch Bottling Company launched a sugar-free Ginger Ale called No-Cal in 1952.  The Royal Crown Cola Company "RC Cola" released Diet Rite in 1958.  No-Cal fizzled out and died but was resurrected in 2005 by the INOV8 Beverage Company in 2005 with the flavors Cherry Lime, Chocolate, Clementine, and Vanilla Cream.

I enjoy a cold soda now and then over ice.  Everything in moderation, I say, even moderation.

DIY Delicious Pumpkin Seeds

Home made Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

My mother in-law roasts fresh pumpkin seeds on a regular basis.  Almost weekly.  They are a wonderful snack; delicious, healthful, and have an amazing crunch.  I asked her recently how she makes them because I wasn't seeing piles of pumpkin carcasses laying around everywhere.

She simply uses the ones from Trader Joes, tosses them in a little olive oil, and roasts them at 350 degrees until they begin to pop, about 15 minutes.  She uses Trader Joe's brand because they are not too salty.

If you can only get your hands on David's pumpkin seeds (and you can, they're ubiquitous, they're even at 7-11).  You'll need to soak them in water for about 10 minutes to remove most of the salt.  I've had them before and they are unpalatable.  They then will need to be dried with paper towels and roasted longer as well.

Once they come out of the oven, add salt as needed.  Let them cool, and store them in an air tight container.  They'll keep for weeks.

I thought it was interesting to read David's nutritional facts.  Besides showing they are high in zinc, iron, and magnesium, I was baffled they that they only stated 10mg of sodium.  "But they're indelibly salty," I protested in my head. Who do they think they are?

I also noticed they only showed 1g of fiber per 30 gram serving.  What gives?  Pumpking seeds are mostly fiber!

Eureka!  At the bottom of the facts, it states, "Nutrition facts are for the Pumpkin Seed Kernal.  Eating the shell as well would bring the sodium total to 940mg (39% Daily Value)" - Unfortunately, they fail to mention that it would also bring the fiber total to a whopping 10 grams!

Americans don't eat enough fiber.  Eat more pumpkin seeds.

What we've been eating... 3/17/2010

Happy St. Patty's Day!  Kiss me I'm 3/8ths Irish (and I just found out that I'm 1/8th French Canadian too, but that's another story).  I plan on drinking beer in green bottles if I don't find green beer today and we're making some corned beef and cabbage.  Maybe I'll post the recipe.  Maybe I won't.

Looking back at last week, we've got a veritable mish-mash of meals.

Exhibit A (above):  I started making myself a "shake" in the mornings made up of psyllium husks, water, and yogurt.  I have some gross rituals that I blame on my pre-coffee sleep walking.  It either isn't that bad, or I'm a complete zombie in the AM.

I finished off my Samuel Adams variety pack called the Brewmaster's Collection (Boston Lager, Ale, Noble Pils, Cream Stout, Scotch Ale, and Coastal Wheat).  I was somewhat surprised to read the the Coastal Wheat actually had lemons on it.  Not bad though, hmm.  I also found a $29 beer at Whole Foods (no, I didn't buy it), and I tried two of Dogfish Head's more bizarre brews, Midas Touch and Palo Santo Marron.

At times Wheel of Fortune was on in the house, against my will, and I noticed they went through several food-related puzzles: Hungarian Goulash, Kiss the Cook, Swiss Cheese, and Dinner Menu.  I still don't understand how people leave that show with more dough than the nerds on Jeopardy.

The Girl Scouts struck again this week... in ice cream form, with Tagalongs ice cream from Dreyer's.  We made huge vat of Chili Verde that took a few days to finish off.  I ran out of coffee for the last two days and had to drink tea; although I bought more today (and got a free tote bag from Peet's, thanks!), I wasn't in dire tea straights like I thought I was going to be. 

To close the week, we had an earthquake last night.  A real, bona fide earthquake.  Enjoy the video.

Gaucho Chili Verde

Gaucho Chili Verde

This recipe has nothing really to do with Argentinian Cowboys (Gauchos) except for the fact that UCSB's Basketball team made it to the Big West finals last Saturday and we don't get to celebrate sports very often.  UCSB is most known in sports for throwing tortillas at games, not winning them.  We decided at the last minute to have some friends to cheer them on over and make a big pot of Chili Verde.

This is a great dish for entertaining because it is A) relatively inexpensive B) can sit on the stove for hours and be served from its cooking vessel C) is freaking delicious.  We served it with some Mexican rice, a black bean salad, tortillas, and a bunch of fixin's... beer too, obviously.  This is a crowd of Gauchos after all.

The Verde (green, in Spanish) must have brought out the luck of the Irish because UCSB triumphed over Long Beach State and we're going to March Madness!  We're going to need a lot more than luck this Friday the 19th, unfortunately, to make it past Ohio State who is favored by 17 points.  We may need a truck full of tortillas too.

 

The recipe was adapted from Joanne Weir's recipe Slow Braised Pork in her book Tequila.  Among other changes, we omitted the tequila because there were some pregnant ladies running around.  Feel free replace a 1/2 cup of water with a 1/2 cup of tequila

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2 large pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 jalapeños, seeded and minced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 cups chopped tomatillos (fresh or canned)
• 2 cups water

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat.  Make sure it is one that you have a lid for.  Season the pork well with salt and pepper.  Add the pork to the pot and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total.  Remove the pork from the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeños.

Cook everything, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, 10 to 12 minutes.  Add the garlic, cumin, and oregano tomatillos, water, and pork and bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the pork is very tender, about 1-2 hours. 

Take the lid off, remove the pork, increase the heat to medium, and simmer until the sauce thickens.  Shred the pork with a pair of forks and add it back to the pot.  Served with warmed corn tortillas and accoutrement like sour cream, chopped cilantro, hot sauce, avocado, chopped scallions, and diced onions. 

Wonton Vegetable Soup

Wonton Vegetable Soup

You can find bok choy anytime of year but its peak season is during the winter months. I like the baby bok choy for this soup but if you can't find it feel free to substitute for the larger bok choy or even Napa cabbage. 

I kept this soup on the simpler side with just the wontons and vegetables, but it would also be great with some shrimp and chicken thrown in. Also, don't feel you have to limit yourself to these vegetables, throw in whatever you like or may have on hand!

This recipe makes a good amount of wontons, so if you have extra throw them in the freezer and save for later use. This recipe was adapted from Emeril Lagasse.  

Ingredients:

Wontons

• 20-30 wonton wrappers
• 8 oz ground pork
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoon scallions, finely sliced

Soup

• 1/2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 slices ginger root, 1 inch thick
• 10 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon, fresh ginger juice**
• 2 medium carrots, peel and sliced
• 2-3 baby bok choy, sliced
• 4-6 cremini or shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper
• Scallions and chili paste for garnish

**grate ginger and then squeeze out the liquid

Instructions:

To assemble the wontons: In a bowl combine pork, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and scallions. Lay wontons on counter and place 1 teaspoon of pork filling in the middle of each square. 

Brush all four edges of the wrapper with a little water and fold corners together so it forms a triangle. Seal tightly so that all the extra air is removed from inside.  Continue to fold the 2 bottom corners together so they stick together. Let wontons sit while you make the soup.

For the soup: Add oil to a large pot over medium heat.  Add garlic and ginger and saute for 1-2 minutes then add in broth and bring up to a boil.  Reduce heat and let soup simmer for 20-30 so the garlic and ginger infuse into the soup. Once it has infused, remove garlic and ginger pieces and add in soy sauce and ginger juice.

Add in carrots, bok choy, and mushrooms and let simmer 3-5 minutes or until they begin to get tender. Add in wontons and simmer an additional 5-10 minutes or until pork is cooked through.  Check soup for seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle in soup bowls and serve.  Garnish with sliced scallions and pass around chili paste for those who like a little heat.

Makes 4-6 servings


What we've been eating... 3/11/2010

This week has been a busy one at work.  Outside from the normal intake of fast food, fine dining, home cooked meals, coffee and beer, I bought a box each of chocolate and strawberry milks.  There was another Black Box of wine, I kept making Yogurt Sodas, and had a great night of kine beer with one of my oldest friends in Los Angeles.

On the road, I saw a school bus getting towed (you don't see that very often), twice the people in front of me ran into the people in front of them, I watched the Goodyear blimp take off, and I saw a monster truck that looked like it had tattoos.  We made fresh popcorn from scratch - you know, with a pot, a lid, some oil, some elbow grease, and a handful of corn.  I hadn't done that since I was a little kid.

We made waffles!  Picked some grapefruit and lemons, ate a bunch of peanuts, and saw a warning at a restaurant saying that they served food and/or drinks that contain chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer.  Sure, I'm assuming they were referring to tuna and swordfish; nevertheless, no one wants to read that.

American Food in 1937

photo by stgermhKrispy Kreme, since July 1937

I recently completed a book that was written in 1937.  There were some funny passages that had no intention to be humorous, they were so because because so much has changed since publication.  For instance, how bald men are so because they wear hats that are to tight and they cut off the circulation to the follicles in the head.  That may have been sound in the 1930's even though we are now pointing fingers at the EDA2R gene.

Well there was one short passage about food and I thought it was so profound because of how much has NOT changed.  1937 was the year that SPAM was introduced and Krispy Kreme was founded, but putting those aside.  in the book, there was a break-down of a breakfast in New York City, where the food was shipped from, and how much it cost.  It is as follows:

"A family of two living in the heart of the Times Square district... far removed from the source of the production of foods...

Grapefruit juice from Florida, 2 cents.  Rippled wheat breakfast food from Kansas, 2 cents.  Tea from China, 2 cents.  Bananas from South America, 2 and a half cents.  Toasted bread from a Kansas farm, 1 cent.  Fresh country eggs from Utah, 7 cents.  Sugar from Cuba or Utah, one half cent.  Butter and cream from New England, 3 cents. 

Grand total 20 cents.  It is not very difficult to obtain food in a country where two people could obtain all they want or need for a dime a piece. 

Observe that this simple breakfast was gathered by some strange form of magic from China, South America, Utah, Kansas, and the New England states and delivered on the breakfast table ready for consumption in the very heart of the most crowded city in America at a cost well within the means of the most humble laborer.  The cost included all Federal, State, and Local taxes."

What is more a testimony to the industrial food shipping and distribution system and their "strange form of magic" was not the spread at breakfast available for New Yorkers in 1937 - but the existence of New York City in the first place.  The population then was more than 80% of what it is today.

Here are some other food prices from 1937 via The People's History:

• Campbells Tomato Soup - 4 cans for 25 cents Indiana 1937
• Oranges -  2 dozen 25 cents Indiana 1937
• Kellogs Corn Flakes -  3 Pkgs 25 cents Indiana 1937
• Mixed Nuts -  19 Cents per pound Indiana 1937
• Pork Loin Roast - 15 cents per pound Indiana 1937

Other notable events that year included: Amelia Earhart disappearing, the Hindenberg burst into flames, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released, The Hobbit was published by J. R. R. Tolkien, and Of Mice and Men is published by Steinbeck.

Jon Stewart Laments on Gourmet Magazine's Demise

Jon Stewart gives Condé Nast some advise.  Combine all four magazines that they are cancelling: Elegant Bride, Modern Bride, Cookie (a parenting magazine) and Gourmet into into one super mag.

Jon Stewart's Pregnant Gourmet Bride

In the first issue they would feature a tremendous morning sickness cure involving haricot vert, cornichon, and truffle oil...

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Pregnant Gourmet Bride Magazine
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Ron Paul Interview

Western Spaghetti - a short

Western Spaghetti was voted by Time Magazine as the #2 Viral Film of the Year for 2008.  The company who made it is called PES and they have done some some more well known commercials for products like Scrabble, Sprint, Coinstar, and Bacardi.

Enjoy.