Vineyard (photo by Anita Patterson Peppers courtesy of morguefile.com)
Buffalo and Western New York have long been identified as Rust Belt territory, but the future may see that part of the country emerge as both an important source of clean energy and one of America’s great winegrowing regions.
About a week ago we posted an item indicating that wind power plants could be a useful antidote to the economic malaise of post-industrial Western New York. Now, a Cornell University agriculture scientist thinks it's probable that excellent conditions for growing grapes could put Niagara County on the map as an important winemaking center. Alan Lakso, a Cornell Professor of pomology and viticulture, is directing a year-long survey of New York State that will create color-coded maps showing the best places to plant grapes and establish vineyards.
According to Professor Lakso,
We think Niagara County has great potential because of its similar geography and climate to the Ontario wine and grape country across the Niagara River in Canada around Niagara-on-the-Lake and towards St. Catharines…In many ways, we think that a good place for growing peaches is also a good place for wine grapes. We know Niagara County is excellent for peaches. That probably means that wine grapes will do better there than in many places…Niagara County is an area that has excellent potential that hasn't been taken advantage of yet. If they cultivate it, they could have a fruitful future.
To read an article on the topic from Business First of Buffalo go to: Niagara Co. may be peachy as a locale for wine grapes
To read our previous post on the development of wind power in Western New York go to: Greening the Rust Belt
(photo courtesy of pdphoto.org)
Research from Great Britain's Sheffiled University has led to a severe warning about the dangers of soft drinks consumed by millions of people around the world. The chief culprit is the ingredient sodium benzoate, a preservative used in many of the most popular sodas on the market.
Peter Piper, a Professor of molecular biology and biotechnology reported,
These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA...here is a whole array of diseases that are now being tied to damage to this DNA - Parkinson's and quite a lot of neuro-degenerative diseases, but above all the whole process of ageing...The food industry will say these compounds have been tested and they are completely safe...By the criteria of modern safety testing, the safety tests were inadequate. Like all things, safety testing moves forward and you can conduct a much more rigorous safety test than you could 50 years ago...My concern is for children who are drinking large amounts.
Sodium benzoate has already been the subject of concern about cancer because when mixed with the additive vitamin C in soft drinks, it causes benzene, a carcinogenic substance.
If you'd like to read an article on the findings in Britain's The Independent go to: Caution: Some soft drinks may seriously harm your health
Coffee Beans (photo by Rick Tango)
Having a cup or two of coffee on a morning following a 3-day weekend may provide a needed lift, but if you want to reduce your risk of gout you may want to have a couple more that day. That was the conclusion of a study conducted by Canadian researches.
Conventional wisdom had held that people suffering from gout should avoid drinking coffee, but Dr. Hyon Choi of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and colleagues at Harvard Medical School in Boston decided to test that hypothesis. The study is based on a survey of about 50,000 men aged 40 to 75 with no history of gout. Gout is a painful joint condition affilcting 6 million Americans, with men being disproportionately effected.
Over the 12 years of the study, during which 757 men developed gout, the risk was lower for those who drank more coffee, Choi reported in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism. Those who were drinking four to five cups of coffee had a 40% lower rate of gout. Drinking six or more cups resulted in a 50% to 60% reduction
To read a report on the study by Reuters posted on Yahoo! News go to: Coffee may cut risk of gout, study finds
Fresh Peaches (© Photographer: Dariusz Sas | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
Our friend Sue Tango served this Peach Sangria at a summer party at her lovely Long Island home. Sue lives in peach-growing country and we doubt if she and her guests have ever had more fun with peaches!
Ingredients
• 2 Firm-ripe peaches, cut into thin wedges
• 1/2 Cup peach schnapps
• 1/3 Cup superfine granulated sugar
• 3 Cups chilled rosé wine (750-ml bottle)
• 2 Cups chilled sparkling water
Preparation
1. Stir together peaches, schnapps, and sugar in a large pitcher until sugar is dissolved and let stand 1 hour.
2. Stir in wine, sparkling water, and some ice.
Makes 4 large drinks
Here’s another great recipe we picked up at the “Cooking of the Southwest” class we attended at The Institute for Culinary Education in Manhattan; presented by Chef-Instructor Sabrina Sexton.
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Sprigs rosemary
• 2 Teaspoons lime juice
• 4 Tablespoons jalapeno jelly* (see below)
• 8 Bone Rack of Lamb
• Salt & pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Prepare the marinade: combine the olive oil, rosemary, lime juice & jalapeno jelly in a bowl and whisk together.
3. Cut Rack of Lamb into 8 chops.
4. Place the Iamb chops in the marinade in a shallow dish or bowl.
5. Cover & refrigerate dish or bowl for at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. Preheat grill.
7. Remove chops from marinade and season them with salt & pepper.
8. Place the chops on the grill and cook the meat on both sides (3 to 4 minutes for medium rare).
*Jalapeno Jelly
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 12 Jalapeno peppers, stemmed and seeded
• I ½ Cups cider vinegar
• 6 Cups sugar
• 6 Ounces liquid fruit pectin
Preparation
1. Place the jalapenos in a blender.
2. Pour the vinegar over them and blend to puree the peppers.
3. Transfer the pepper liquid to a large saucepan and add the sugar.
4. Stir together and bring to a boil over medium heat.
5. Continue to cook and stir for 5 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves.
6. Remove the liquid from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
7. At that time, blend the pectin into the jalapeno mixture.
8. Remove any foam from the top of the jelly with a spoon.
9. Transfer the mixture to a clean container and store in the refrigerator until needed.
To order a world class extra virgin olive oil and our favorite go to: L'Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
If you're near NYC & would like to see a great selection of cooking classes go to: Institute of Culinary Education
(photo by Mary R. Vogt courtesy of morguefile.com)
A trade organization representing thousands of U.S. cattle producers, the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA), has joined dozens of other organizations to request that Congress include sufficient funds in the Fiscal Year 2008 appropriations bill for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately implement mandatory country-of-origin labeling.
R-CALF USA worked successfully to pass mandatory country-of-origin labeling in 2002. That legislation reserves the USA label for only cattle born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States.
According to the letter, food imports have more than doubled since 2000, and the amount of that food inspected has fallen to 40%.
The letter states,
The integrity and safety of the nation’s food supply is in serious jeopardy with our citizens eating an amalgam of food produced elsewhere, with no idea of its source…It is critically important that our food consumers be provided with information on the source of the food because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and USDA have not established a food safety inspection system sufficient to deal adequately with the tidal
wave of food imports included in our food supply…
Mothers and fathers in the U.S. want to feed their children wholesome and safe food, but cannot do so when the food industry fights origin information…Our domestic food safety system, with all its flaws, exceeds that of virtually all other countries…The industry’s claim that labeling is irrelevant to food safety has now become absurd. Many other countries simply do not have our food production and processing regulatory standards, nor do they have the regulatory capacity to enforce even those laws that do exist…
Consumers do not want to, and cannot, rely entirely on the government…A meaningful first step is to immediately implement mandatory country of origin labeling for meat and produce. Consumer choice is irrevocably connected with consumer safety.
Mandatory country of origin labeling was approved by Congress in 2002, has been implemented successfully for seafood, and should no longer be delayed by special interests…Now is clearly the time to fully implement this measure to provide U.S. consumers with critically important information about the integrity and safety of their food choices.
To learn more about the organization and its work visit its official web site: Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California has won kudos from two nonprofit organization for adding $8.5 million to the state's budget to make school lunches healthier. The money is earmarked for "integrating fresh produce, whole grains, and other healthy choices into school meals". The Governor was heartily praised by Oldways Preservation Trust and the Whole Grains Council for his action.
Obesity prevention for both kids and adults is the Governor's overall goal, and healthy eating is a key part of his comprehensive health care reform proposal. This approach is a natural for California, since the state is the U.S. leader in agricultural production.
Former Whole Grains Council Chairman Mike Orlando, a member of a farm family that has been growing whole grain bulgur wheat in Fresno since 1935, praised the Governor. Said Orlando, "He makes me proud to be a Californian when he goes to bat on the importance of good food for kids."
Oldways is a widely respected, nonprofit, food issues advocacy group praised for translating the complex details of nutrition science into the familiar language of food. Oldways programs are focused on the simple triangle of principles: nutrition (health, science), tradition (pleasure, joy, history) and sustainability (environment, organic).
Oldways is helping people around the world discover and enjoy more whole grain foods through its Whole Grains Council. The Whole Grains Council is a consortium of industry, scientists and chefs working with Oldways to increase consumption of whole grains for better health.
To learn more about Oldways and the Whole Grain Council go to: Oldways Preservation Trust
To read a press release on the topic from Oldways Preservation Trust go to: California Governor Champions Whole Grains in School Budget
To read a previous post on healthy school lunches go to: Entrepreneurs Deliver Healthy School Lunches
(photo courtesy of Telluride Wine Festival)
Celebrating its 26th Anniversary, the Telluride Wine Festival will be held in its magnificent Colorado Rocky Mountain setting from Thursday, June 28th through Sunday, July 1st. The Festival features a four-day celebration of food and wine with an assortment of wine tastings and food parings; seminars taught by the nation’s most prominent sommeliers; cooking demonstrations by top chefs; raffle programs, and live and silent auctions.
One of the nation's pre-eminent wine auctioneers and sommeliers, Tom DiNardo, will preside over the event's live auctions. All proceeds from the Festival benefit local art, youth, and scholarship programs.
Chefs from the world-renowned Broadmoor are lending a culinary hand during the events, including the Patron Gala Dinner featuring Broadmoor’s Executive Chef Siegfried Eisenberger. Summit and Penrose Room Executive Chef, Bertrand Bouquin, will be leading Friday’s cooking demonstration and participating in Saturday’s luncheon.
Executive Chef Siegfried “Sigi” Eisenberger is part of an elite fraternity as only the fourth Executive Chef in the 89-year history of the resort. For more than 45 years, the Austria native has honed his culinary career across the globe. The Patron Gala will begin with a champagne reception after which guests will be seated to an amazing 5-course dinner. Dinner will be complimented with special wines selected by Wines from Spain and Steve Olson. An exciting live auction will follow dinner.
At Friday’s cooking demonstration Chef Bouquin will demonstrate that fine dining doesn’t have to be a daunting task, but one that is fun and approachable—leaving guests with skills and recipes that they can use at home. During the Saturday Winemakers Luncheon Chef Bouquin will team up with Michelle Bernstein, and Karen DeMasco to present a spectacular 5-course luncheon featuring a range of styles, ingredients and techniques. Each course will be paired with 2-3 wines to compliment the flavors of each dish. Guests will be seated with Winemakers, to complete this incredible experience.
Notable events taking place throughout the town of Telluride and Mountain Village during the Festival include a Spanish Influence Luncheon hosted by Steve Olson, Andy Nusser, and Alexandra Raij; and a reserve wine tasting program that is comprised of four tastings, led by winemakers and limited to 50 people.
To purchase tickets and to view a complete schedule of events, visit the Festival's official web site: 26th Anniversary Telluride Wine Festival
This recipe is courtesy of the Junior League of New Orleans Cookbook…Straight from the French Quarter, “Boudreaux”!
Ingredients
• 6 Slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/3 Cup chopped onion
• 1 (10 oz) Can tomato puree
• 1/3 Cup water
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1/8 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8 oz Penne, cooked al dente and drained
• 3/4 Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 Cup heavy cream
Preparation
1. Cook bacon until browned but not crisp
2. Add onion and cook until softened
3. Add tomato puree and next 3 ingredients
4. Cook 20 minutes
5. Place mixture in a large bowl.
6. Stir in penne and cheese
7. Add cream and toss well
Serves 4 -6 people.
(photo courtesy of morguefile.com)
Could wind power bring the industrial cities of the Rust Belt a greener and more prosperous future? At least two companies believe it's part of the answer. BQ Energy of Pawling, N.Y., and UPC Wind of Newton, Massachusetts have located a windmill farm where a huge plant owned by Bethlehem Steel once operated in Lackawana, just south of Buffalo.
in the early 1970s the Bethlehem Steel plant was the world's fourth largest steel mill, but it fell on hard times decades ago. No longer a vibrant industrial and shipping center, the City of Lackawana and much of the area around Buffalo have faced tough times as large factories closed and towering grain elevators went empty.
Like many cities of the Northeast, it got left behind as manufacturing moved offshore and a new service and information economy emerged. The devastation was not limited to the loss of jobs and tax revenues; as they departed the old industries left serious environmental problems in their wake.
Wind power is a technology that's been around since ancient times, but generating power from state-of the-art windmills may be a key to the future of windy cities on the Great Lakes. In Lackawana, newly built windmills won't replace the jobs lost from factory closings, but the revenue they do generate is clean and green.
To read more about this topic in an article that appeared in the New York Times go to:An Old Steel Mill Retools to Produce Clean Energy
To read a previous post on wind power go to: An Ancient Idea
Container Terminal (© Photographer: Sculpies | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
Princeton Economist and New York Times Columnist Paul Krugman has weighed in on the dangers we face from mass produced food and the tremendous quanitites of food and food ingredients that are imported into the U.S. without any inspection for potentially deadly contamination.
Professor Krugman writes, "Who’s responsible for the new fear of eating? Some blame globalization; some blame food-producing corporations; some blame the Bush administration. But I blame Milton Friedman."
Professor Krugman isn't letting globalization, corporate greed, and President Bush completely off the hook, but he blames Economist Milton Friedman of the Chicago School for fomenting an economic ideology that sees any government regulation as a bad thing.
Paul Krugman's New York Times column on unsafe foods can be found at: Fear of Eating
(subscription to nytimes.com required)
(photo courtesy of pdphoto.org)
Could the day come when we rave about a great vintage from Alaska?
That might be a little far fetched, but climatologists are warning that with the warming of the planet we may see the areas where great wines are grown moving farther North. England hasn't been appreciated as a great place for viniculurists for centuries, but the wines of Surrey may some day win the approval connoisuers. On the down side, Napa Valley could some day be as hot as California's more Southern Central Valley. Some regions in Germany and France are already benefiting from climate change, while parts of Spain and Australia are suffering from the rise in temperature.
To read an article form the Miami Herald on the potential effects of climate change on wine growing go to: Global warming may be remaking the wine map
Grand Tasting Tents (photo courtesy of Food & Wine Magazine Classic)
An impressive gathering of culinary superstars will assemble this June to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Food & Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen—one of the country’s premiere epicurean events. From June 15th to the 17th, World Famous Chefs Thomas Keller, Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis, Jacques Pépin, Ming Tsai, José Andrés, Masaharu Morimoto and more will gather in Aspen to share their favorite recipes and techniques in this exclusive setting.
Featuring over 80 cooking and wine seminars, the Food & Wine Classic is considered the place to uncover the latest epicurean trends. Food & Wine’s signature event features the Grand Tasting Tents with over 50,000 bottles of wine to sample and the much-anticipated 2007 Best New Chefs Dinner. In celebration of the Classic’s 25th anniversary, the magazine has pledged to raise $1 million for its Grow for Good campaign, in support of Farm to Table, a national initiative dedicated to supporting local farms and encouraging sustainable agriculture.
Tickets to the Food & Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen are $1,075. For the first time ever, there will be foodandwine.com/classic limited edition Silver Passes sold for $2,500 providing VIP access to the event, with $1,000 of the ticket directly donated to Grow for Good. Silver Pass holders will receive an invitation to the star-studded Welcome Reception and the Best New Chefs Dinner, plus a number of other exclusive benefits and gifts.
Cooking Demonstrations include:
• Thomas Keller of The French Laundry shares his restaurant secrets
• Mario Batali takes a side trip to a lesser-known area of Tuscany, exploring the foods of La Garfagnana.
• Emeril Lagasse delves into seafood with recipes from his latest, Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House.
• Giada De Laurentiis reveals delicious ways to make home-cooked pasta.
• Iron Chef America star chef Masaharu Morimoto make his debut appearance at the Food & Wine Classic with the art of sushi and sashimi.
Wine Highlights:
• An iconic tasting of the 1982 Bordeaux
• Screaming Eagle Reserve Tasting of seven vintages, a first for this cult producer
• Danny Meyer and Dan Philips showcase Green Grapes and Ham
• Josh Wesson pairs chocolate with wine
• Steve Olson celebrates 25 years of Wines from Spain
• Discover why Greek wines are the new hot buy with Michael Bonadies
• Uncover artisan wine selections from small producers with Richard Nalley
To register, call 877-900-WINE or visit: Food & Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen
Consumers using their American Express® card receive a $25 savings.
Farmers Market (© Photographer: Rita Robinson | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
There seems to be no end in sight for the proiliferation of Farmers Markets across the country. Philadelphia alone expects to see 10 new Markets open this year, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Some are better than others, but Farmers Markets generally offer fresh produce that is locally grown and sold in a community setting where residents get the chance to speak with the people who produced the food. If you're fortunate you'll see some heirloom products such as tiger striped tomatoes or genuine wild rice.
More and more of these markets are offering artisanal cheeses crafted locally and meats raised organically. You can hear about production methods, get great cooking tips, and learn something of the food heritage of your region. Spend a few bucks and you'll be supporting a local farm and bringing home food in its freshest, best tasting, and most nutritious state. That's tough to beat!
For a fine article from the Philadelphia Inquirer on the Farmers Market phenomenon go to: Farmers markets go wild
To listen to a podcast interview with Stacey Caldwell, President of the Dallas Farmers Market Friends go to: Friends of the Dallas Farmers Market Podcast
Alaskan Cod and Halibut (photo courtesy of Library of Congress, before 1927)
If you want to preserve your eyesight while aging you should eat two 4-ounce servings of fish each week. That's the conclusion of a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology. Researchers found that people who ate a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids were nearly 40% less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration than those who ate little of those heart-healthy fats.
Omega-3 fatty acids are commonly found in mackerel, tuna, salmon, and other oily fish. Macular degeneration is a common cause of blindness in older people. The healthy fats are believed to prevent the disease by promoting healthy blood vessel function, influencing which genes turn on and off, and reducing inflammation.
To read an article from WebMD posted on the CBS News web site go to: Eating Fish May Preserve Eyesight
Fresh Loaf (photo by Bianca Meyer, courtesy of morguefile.com)
A diet high in whole grain foods is associated with a significantly lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, according to an analysis conducted by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
“Consuming an average of 2.5 servings of whole grains each day is associated with a 21% lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to consuming only 0.2 servings,” said Philip Mellen, M.D., lead author and an assistant professor of internal medicine. “These findings suggest that we should redouble our efforts to encourage patients to include more of these foods in their diets.”
The findings are based on an analysis of seven studies involving more than 285,000 people. By combining the data from these seven studies, researchers were able to detect effects that may not have shown up in each individual study.
Dr. Mellen said the findings are consistent with earlier research, but that despite abundant evidence about the health benefits of whole grains, intake remains low. A nutrition survey conducted between 1999 and 2000 found that only 8% of U.S. adults consumed three or more servings of whole grain per day and that 42% of adults ate no whole grains on a given day.
A grain is “whole” when the entire grain seed is retained: the bran, germ and the endosperm. The bran and germ components are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats. These are the parts removed in the refining process, leaving behind the energy-dense but nutrient-poor endosperm portion of the grain.
Examples of whole grain foods include wild rice, popcorn, oatmeal, brown rice, barley, wheat berries and flours such as whole wheat.
In addition to protecting against cardiovascular disease, which accounts for one-third of deaths worldwide, there is evidence that whole grains also protect against diabetes and other chronic conditions.
Greater whole grain intake is associated with less obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol – major factors that increase the risk for heart disease and stroke.
According to nutritionists, consumers should look for “100% whole grain” on food labels or look for specific types of whole-grain flour as the main ingredient, such as “whole wheat.”
Dr. Mellen's co-researchers for the study were Thomas Walsh, M.D., and David Herrington, M.H.S., M.D., both from Wake Forest.
To get some advice from the USDA on how to increase your intake of whole grain foods go to: Tips to help you eat whole grains
For a really amazing whole grain treat you can purchase an heirloom wild rice harvested by Native Americans: Native Harvest Wild Rice: Sacred Manoomin
Here’s a recipe we picked up at the “Cooking of the Southwest” class we attended at the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan; presented by Chef-Instructor Sabrina Sexton. If you want to serve a really superb version of this recipe use an organic Red Angus Rib Eye from Damar Farms (see below to order). We also recommend you serve this one with garlic mashed potatoes.
Serves 2
Ingredients
• 1 Rib Eye Steak
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 Tablespoons Spice Grill Blend* (see below)
Preparation
1. Prepare smoker.
2. Preheat broiler or grill.
3. Rub the steak with olive oil
4. Sprinkle generously with the spice blend.
5. Place the steaks on the rack in the smoker and set the smoker over high heat. When smoke begins to appear, seal the smoker, start timing and reduce the heat to medium.
6. Smoke for 7 minutes.
7. Remove the steak and set on a sheet tray. Place the steaks on the grill or under the broiler for 4 minutes per side for medium rare, 7 to S minutes for medium well.
8. Remove steaks
Let them rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serve with garlic mashed potatoes
*Spice Grill Blend
Ingredients
• 4 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
• 3 Tablespons Ground Ancho or Pasilla Peppers
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons
• 2 Tablespoons Ground Cumin
• 2 Tablespoons Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Ground or Fresh Thyme
Preparation
1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.
To order the best American Rib Eye we’ve been able to find go to: Organic Red Angus Rib Eye Steaks
To order a world class extra virgin olive oil and our favorite go to: L'Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
If you're near NYC & would like to see a great selection of cooking classes go to: Institute of Culinary Education
(photo courtesy of Newport Habor Corporation)
Got Chowdah?
Chowder competitors from around the nation are making their plans for the 2007 Cook-Off. Recipes are being tested and perfected. The Newport Yachting Center is the place to be on June 2nd as top chefs throw down the oven mitts and get it on.
The first of Newport's array of summer festivals, the 26th Annual Schweppes Great Chowder Cook-off will feature over 3,000 gallons of chowder served up by over 30 of the nation's best restaurants and chefs! The restaurants compete for over $10,000 in prizes by entering into one of two Culinary Competitions:
First is the Chowdah competition where chefs enter their specialty chowder in one of three categories - best clam, seafood or creative chowder!
Second is the Clam Cake Competition where chefs fry up the fluffiest and heartiest Clam Cake recipes!
Advance Ticket Price will be $15 when ordered by May 18th, $20 after that date. Order early and save five clams!
Ticket includes all the chowder you can eat, and a voting ballot for each of the three chowder categories.
For directions & info on the live entertainment line-up go to: 26th Annual Great Chowder Cook-Off
For lodging information visit: Newport County Convention and Visitors Bureau
(photo courtesy of morguefile.com)
The continued growth of vegetarian food sales may be a sign that government efforts to get people to eat a healthier diet are paying off. That’s according to a report from Research and Markets, an international market research firm based in Dublin, Ireland.
The growth rate of vegetarian sales peaked at 16.6% in 2002. Recent growth has fallen to within a more modest range, with the latest available data showing growth of 5%, but that still represents faster growth than the total food market.
Interestingly, the number of vegetarians has actually been in decline since 1999, after peaking in 1997, while the demand for vegetarian foods has continued to grow. People who would not describe themselves as vegetarian are believed to be driving the growth; making vegetarian foods a more mainstream choice. These folks are likely reducing their consumption of meat as they pursue a healthier and more varied diet. Vegetarian foods are claimed to be lower in saturated fat, and contain higher levels of dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins.
The government recommendation that people eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day are a likely part of the explanation, along with some of the food scares regarding the meat and poultry mass produced on factory farms.
If you’d like to order the report from Research and Markets cited above, go to: Vegetarian Foods Market Assessment 2006
(photo by Rick Tango)
Just a month ago we posted an item on a study finding that a "Mediterranean" diet could sharply reduce asthma suffering in children. That research was carried out at the Royal Brompton Hospital, in London, the University of Crete, Venezelio General Hospital in Crete and the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology, in Barcelona.
A Mediterranean diet consisting of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and olive oil had already been linked to low rates of heart disease, cancer and other dreaded illnesses. A common Western diet generally includes a lot more processed food, refined sugar, and fatty meats than the Mediterranean diet.
Now, a study from a French research institute, Inserm, has concluded that eating a Mediterranean diet halves the risk of serious lung diseases such as emphysema and bronchitis. French researchers tracked almost 43,000 men for 12 years. The study suggests that because the diet is rich in anti-oxidants, it cuts the risk of tissue inflammation. Lower levels of sugar and nitrates in the diet may also play a role. The researchers found the 50% lower risk of developing lung disease even after taking into account such factors as smoking and age.
To read an article from the BBC on the French study go to: Med diet 'cuts lung disease risk'
To read a previous post on the benefits of a Mediterranean diet go to: A Better Diet for Fighting Asthma
To read another previous post on the healthy aspects of the Mediterranean diet go to: Good Fats for a Healthy Heart
Farm Fresh Produce (photo by Kevin Connors, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Whether you think genetically engineered food will bring great benefits or cause great harm you’ll find passionate advocates on both sides of the issue.
Some consumers see GM food as an answer to widespread malnutrition as just one of the benefits. They argue that through genetic modification, crops can be made capable of growing in harsh conditions and providing greater nutritional value as well.
Opponents refer to it as Frankenfood, saying it’s a new technology that hasn’t been sufficiently tested for its long-term impact on human health. They say today’s food shortages aren’t the result of lack of food production; that it’s often politics that keeps food from getting to those who need it most. They fear farming with conventional seeds will be threatened with contamination by GM seeds.
This debate is being taken very seriously around the world and can be expected to continue in the media and in the courts for a long time to come.
If you’d like to read a pretty balanced story on the topic from Australia’s The Age go to: Healthy or harmful: the big debate
Downtown Santa Fe (photo by Jack Parsons)
Chef’s from Santa Fe’s leading restaurants and other food-related ventures will demonstrate their taste for history when they bring their best appetizers, entrées and desserts to the New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors 24th Annual Taste of Santa Fe on Sunday, June 3rd.
Held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Lumpkins Ballroom at La Fonda Hotel in downtown Santa Fe, the popular museum benefit is a mostly volunteer project of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation. It is the largest annual fund-raiser for the historic Palace of the Governors, raising more than $200,000 for the Palace in the past seven years. As construction of the New Mexico History Museum gets under way, event proceeds for family education programs in New Mexico history and culture become even more valuable. The new museum is expected to open in 2009.
“The Taste of Santa Fe provides crucial funding to support exhibitions and educational collaboration between the Palace and the public schools,” says Palace of the Governors Director Fran Levine Levine. She went on to say, “The event also is a venerable Santa Fe tradition and a much-anticipated opportunity to gather with friends, family and visitors to sample the creations of our town's celebrated chefs."
While making the rounds of chef’s food stations, hungry history museum buffs will have the opportunity to vote for Best Appetizer, Best Entrée and Best Dessert, as well as the Best of the Taste of Santa Fe. Among the restaurants scheduled to participate this year are The Blue Heron, Ecco, Jinja, San Francisco Street Bar and Grill and La Boca.
In addition to the fine foods and cash bar, the Taste will feature the fun “Essential Non-Essential Live and Silent Auction,” offering a variety of unique and enticing items and experiences.
Tickets are limited and can be purchased in advance for $30 each from the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, 116 Lincoln Avenue, and at the locations listed below. Tickets will be $35 at the door.
• Museum of New Mexico Foundation, 116 Lincoln Ave., (505) 982-6366. ext. 112
• Palace of the Governors Shop, 105 W. Palace Ave., (505) 988-3454
• Museum of Fine Arts Shop, 107 W. Palace Ave., (505) 982-1131
• Colleen Cloney Duncan Museum Shop, Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Museum Hill, (505) 982-5057
• Museum of International Folk Art Shop, Museum Hill, (505) 982-5186
• Lensic Performing Arts Center, 225 West San Francisco St., (505) 988-1234 or www.lensic.org
To get info on accomodations & a visitor's guide go to: Sante Fe Visitors Bureau
For the first time ever, a Federal judge has imposed a moratorium on the planting of a commercialized, genetically modified crop. In the decision, Judge Charles Breyer in the Federal Northern District of California affirmed his preliminary ruling, which echoed the Center for Food Safety's arguments in their lawsuit against USDA, that the crop could harm the environment and contaminate natural alfalfa.
Judge Breyer has ordered a complete Environmental Review of Monsanto's gene-altered alfalfa. The judge called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ban any further planting until it presents a complete Environmental Impact Statement. The judged ruled that the USDA's prior approval of genetically engineered "Roundup Ready" alfalfa was illegal.
The Center for Food Safety initiated the legal action resulting in the judge's ruling. CFS is a non-profit public interest and environmental advocacy membership organization established for the purpose of challenging harmful food production technologies and promoting sustainable alternatives.
To learn more about this topic and other CFS Campaigns go to: The Center for Food Safety
There’s no better Tex-Mex or Spanish dish than one made with Mole Sauce. Here’s an easy recipe for a sauce that’s usually very challenging to make from scratch. For a truly special Mole Sauce we suggest using one of Theo’s dark chocolates, which are organic, single source, and Fair Trade Certified.
Ingredients
• 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium low heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, oregano, cumin and cinnamon.
3. Cover and cook until onion is almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
4. Mix in chili powder and flour, stir for 3 minutes.
5. Gradually whisk in chicken broth.
6. Increase heat to medium high. Boil until reduced, about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Remove from heat.
8. Whisk in chocolate; season with salt and pepper, if desired.
To purchase a single source, organic chocolate from Theo’s go to: Organic Chocolate from the Ivory Coast's Cacao
If you'd like to try one of the world's great extra virgin olive oils with this recipe go to: L'Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Biodynamic farming is gaining ground as enthusiasts work to make their farms not just organic to the point of becoming self-sustained environment. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers are shunned. Great efforts are made to recycle and use only what is available on the farm to develop and sustain rich soil capable of growing produce full of flavor and nutrients. Organic matter is mulched and worked back into the soil. Cows are kept to provide fertilizer, water gets recycled, and the habitats of wild birds and animals are protected. Wild birds can be relied upon to eliminate unwanted insects.
Though biodynamic farming may be a new concept to many of us, it’s been around for some time. The Austrian philosopher, scientist and artist Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) laid the foundations for biodynamics in a series of lectures he gave in 1924. There are elements of mysticism in Steiner’s writings, but biodynamic farming embraces practices that make for keeping the land healthy for people and crops. The Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association (BDA), a non-profit organization open to the public, was formed in the U.S. in 1938 in order to foster, guide, and safeguard the Biodynamic method of agriculture. Biodynamic farming is far from unique to the U.S. Organizations dedicated to promoting biodynamic practices are well established in New Zealand, Australia and Great Britain.
In the U.S. today there are as many as 50 wine growers who have adopted biodynamic practices. Almost half of those growers are in California. Vintners believe biodynamic methods lead to the best grapes and therefore the best wines. Some made the conversion because they felt the grapes produced from depleted soil and onslaughts of chemical fertilizer just weren’t good enough to make great wine. Converts have found their efforts paying off. The best of the biodynamic wines have caught the attention of sommeliers and fetch premium prices. A 2004 Tribute from the Benzinger Family Winery made with cabernet and petit verdot grapes will set you back $80. The wine makers say that using strict biodynamic methods they produce wine that really tastes of the land from which it comes.
To read an article from insidebayarea.com on biodynamic farming & wine gowers go to: Biodynamic farming gains ground in the wine world
To visit the web site of the Biodynamic Association in the U.S. go to: Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association
Want to lower your use of fossil fuels? It's been estimated your food travels an average of 1,500 miles from the farmers' fields to your table. That means a big need for oil. Most of the energy needed to produce food doesn't go into the growing. The vast majority of the energy is consumed by packaging, storing and transporting.
Fortunately, there are ways to lower the need for oil that are fun and make for some great eating. You might try your hand at growing some produce in your own garden, or join a community garden if you don't have the space. If you'd prefer to leave the growing to the folks with real expertise, i.e. the farmers, you can do your best to buy food that was produced within 100 miles of your home.
Gardening or buying local, either way you get food that's great tasting and at its most nutritious because it's at its freshest. When you go to a farmers market you can ask about the sustainability and safety of the producers' methods. You'll learn more about the foods your area produces. You'll probably come across some of the indigenous and heirloom foods that give your community its food heritage. Farmers markets are great places to get tips on cooking with delicious local ingredients.
FoodRoutes is a national non-profit dedicated to reintroducing Americans to their food, the seeds it grows from, the farmers who produce it, and the routes that carry it from the fields to your table. As the folks at the organization point out; buying your food from local farmers will help keep their farms profitable, reducing the pressure to sell their land.
Want fresh, locally grown food, but don't know where to find it? At the FoodRoutes web site the LocalHarvest community level map makes it easy to find sustainable farmers, farmers markets and community supported agriculture projects in your area.
To have a look at the map & start buying fresh, go to: Find Good Food Near You
Thanks Doug!
(photo courtesy of Philadephia Great Grapes Wine, Art & Food Festival)
You are invited to celebrate the taste of over 100 unique, diverse and flavorful wines! The Philadephia Great Grapes Wine, Art & Food Festival will be held at the Willowdale Steeplechase over the weekend of June 2nd & 3rd, from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. The Pennsylvania Wineries want you to sample the essences of their best grapes while expanding your tongue's tastes. The organizers say you are guaranteed to leave the festival as the newest wine connoisseur!
Exquisite wines and eclectic music are not the only attractions awaiting your arrival. While mastering the art of wine tasting, you're welcome to stop by the Gourmet Live Cooking Demonstrations and shop amongst the unique artists. Bring home gifts, goodies and wine for all your friends and family to enjoy!
Tickets are $20 on site and $18 if purchsed in advance. If you've got a group of 20 or more the price drops to $16 per ticket. A Designated Driver Ticket (Includes admission into the event) goes for $10. Children 12 and under get in for free. Show is rain or shine. Chairs and blankets welcome! No outside food or beverage allowed. No coolers allowed. No pets please.
Tickets are Non-Refundable. To purchase advance tickets you can call 800-830-3976.
You can aslo get tickets, directions & more info by visiting the Festival web site: Philadephia Great Grapes Wine, Art & Food Festival
(photo courtesy of morguefile.com)
Will a gleaming new set of pricey cookware and utensils make you a better cook? Maybe, if it gets you cooking more often and learning by doing. But a lot of great cooks and plenty of chefs use battered old pots and pans because their familiar qualities make for predictable results. Cooking is like any other skill; you need to put in the time if you want to dazzle friends and family.
You may want to spend for copper pans to ornament a lovely kitchen, but you don’t have to be a big spender on cookware to create great dishes. That’s according to New York Times food writer, Mark Bittman. In his column, 'The Minimalist', he’s presented an excellent guide to equipping a kitchen to make it ready to prepare almost anything. He explains how to get what you need within a very modest budget.
To read Mr. Bittman’s article in the New York Times go to: A No-Frills Kitchen Still Cooks
(photo by Rick Tango)
When mom said, “Eat your soup” she was giving even more important advice than she might have imagined. According to researchers at Pennsylvania State University, eating a bowl of low-calorie soup before a meal could be a key step in solving America’s obesity crisis.
The scientists found that people who start a meal with soup eat less overall, so the addition of the extra course could help people lose weight rather than add extra pounds. The thickness of the soup didn’t seem to matter, but the four types of soup tested were all vegetable soups. (Adding a high-calorie, creamy soup to your meal could lead to weight gain.) A first course of a low-calorie soup before a lunch entrée reduced the calorie intake for the meal by 20% among the study’s participants.
An article in Britain’s The Independent quotes Julie Flood, who led the study, as saying,
Consuming a first course of low-calorie soup in a variety of forms can help with managing weight. Using this strategy allows people to get an extra course at the meal, while eating fewer total calories. Make sure to choose wisely by picking low-calorie, broth-based soups that are about 100 to 150 calories per serving. Be careful of higher calorie, cream-based soups that could increase the total calories consumed.
If you’d like to read the article in The Independent go to: Why eating soup could be the key to losing weight
Here’s a delicious cake recipe from Pastor Chuck of Maine. Pastor Chuck’s Organic Applesauce is made from apples he grows in his own organic orchard. His sauce just can’t be beat for full apple flavor. Organic spices give his applesauce its distinctive color & spicy taste.
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups Pastor Chuck’s Organic Applesauce
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• Powdered sugar, optional
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream the butter.
3. Add the brown sugar and continue mixing.
4. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla, then mix until well blended and fluffy.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.
6. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the applesauce.
7. Fold in the raisins and walnuts.
8. Pour batter into a greased and floured loaf or tube pan & bake until firm to the touch, about 40 to 45 minutes.
9. Let cool in the pan, then turn it out, and dust with powdered sugar.
If you'd like to purchase some of Pastor Chuck's superlative sauce go to: Organic Applesauce
If you 'd like to purchase some amazing American Black Walnuts ready for cooking go to: Fancy Large Premium Black Walnuts
(photo courtesy of moreguefile.com)
Keeping fit with diet and exercise will do more than just help you stay active as you get older. It seems it will also help you to continue thinking clearly and reasoning well, according to a report in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
It was once believed, even by many doctors, that dementia was genetic and unpreventable. It was thought that little could be done about the severe memory loss and speech impairment common to the condition.
A study undertaken in Australia by St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney University's Brain and Mind Institute and the Black Dog Institute, which researches mood disorders has concluded that it’s just not true that loss of mental acuity is an inevitable part of aging. Dr David Burke of St Vincent's Hospital said,
It has always been thought that dementia is an inexorable decline of mental impairment. In fact, the brain has a remarkable capacity to generate new brain cells. Basic lifestyle changes can reduce their risk of developing dementia and reduce the rate of deterioration.
An article in Australia's Daily Telegraph reports that Dr. Burke’s 81-year-old father is studying a university medical course!
If you'd like to read the article from the Daily Telegraph go to: Diet, exercise can beat dementia
Crisp Veggies (photo by jeltovski, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Organic food commands a premium price and it seems increasing numbers of people are willing to pay it. The Organic Trade Association’s 2007 Manufacturer Survey indicates that U.S. organic food sales totaled $16.9 billion in 2006; representing 3% of all retail sales of food and beverages. Sales in 2006 grew an impressive 22% over the figure of $13.8 billion for 2005.
At present there’s concern that while a prosperous elite gets to enjoy produce free of pesticides, people of more modest means find their budgets most suited to less healthy, highly processed foods. Another concern has been that converting land cultivated with industrial chemicals to organic farming lowers the crop yield in a world concerned with feeding the hungry. But, the continuing growth of the organic food market could lead to greater affordability for all and big environmental benefits to boot.
An article in USA Today provides some positive news in the face of the concerns,
Researchers in Denmark found, however, that there would not be any serious negative effect on food security for sub-Saharan Africa if 50% of agricultural land in the food exporting regions of Europe and North America were converted to organic by 2020.
While total food production would drop, the amount per crop would be much less than previously assumed, and the drop in world food prices that resulted could be mitigated by improvements in the land and other benefits, the study found.
A similar conversion to organic farming in sub-Saharan Africa could help the region's hungry because it could reduce their need to import food, Niels Halberg, a senior scientist at the Danish Research Center for Organic Food and Farming, told the U.N. conference on "Organic Agriculture and Food Security."
Farmers who go back to using traditional agricultural methods would not have to spend money on expensive chemicals and would grow more diverse crops that are more sustainable, the report said. In addition, if their food is certified organic, farmers could export any surpluses, bringing in cash since organic food has such premium prices.
To read the full article in USA Today go to: Researchers: Organic push won't hurt world food supply
Not all the great cooks are chefs working in pricey restaurants. If you're really lucky you've got a friend like our friend Staci Ferber in Dallas. She can cook with the best of the them. We count the days after getting an invitation to her home for dinner. You would hardly think that cooking with a beer can would qualify as gourmet. Well, here's a special grilling recipe we cajoled from Staci after a a heavenly meal of succulent chicken. Don’t forget to recycle the can!.
Ingredients
• 1 (4-pound) whole chicken
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons of your favorite dry spice rub
• 1 can beer
Preparation
1. Remove neck and giblets from chicken and discard.
2. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Rub chicken lightly with oil then rub inside and out with salt, pepper and dry rub. Set aside.
4. Open beer can and take several gulps (make them big gulps so that the can is half full). Place beer can on a solid surface. Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, plunk the bird cavity over the beer can.
5. Transfer the bird-on-a-can to your grill and place in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod.
6. Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on, or directly under, the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife.
7. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Serves 4 people.
(photo by Rick Tango)
Chocolate lovers are up in arms about a new petition from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It seems the FDA wants to make it possible to call something chocolate even if it has vegetable oil instead of cacao fat, reported the Washington Post.
The current FDA standard for chocolate says it must contain cacao fat, which is also known as cocoa butter. Chocolate lovers launched a grassroots letter-writing campaign to the FDA to tell the agency that allowing the cheaper vegetable oil in place of cocoa butter is an affront to great chocolate making. Besides effecting the taste of the chocolate, vegetable oil can contain unhealthy trans fats. So far the FDA has processed 225 comments on the proposed change. Afficianados of grreat chocolate are pressing to increase the number of objections to a change in standards.
According to an article in the Washington Post, the FDA’s petition has raised such a passionate outcry because,
…chocolate isn't just food. It symbolizes passion, and for its lovers, it borders on religion. They buy chocolate based on cacao content -- some desire 70 percent, others will go higher. The most demanding examine labels to make sure it is from one region, not a blend, focusing on production methods much the same way that coffee lovers home in on where beans are grown.
If you’d like to read the Washington Post's report go to: Chocolate Purists Alarmed by Proposal To Fudge Standards
If you'.d like to taste some of the world's best hand-made, single oriigen, organic & Fair Trade chocolates go to the following:
Organic Chocolate from Ghana's Cacao
Organic Chocolate from the Ivory Coast's Cacao
(photo courtesy of morguefile.com)
According to the advertising industry journal Adweek,
Even as they promote healthier choices like salads, wraps and chicken sandwiches, America's fast-food chains are warming up to the fat, juicy burgers that put them on the map. "Burgers are back," says Ron Paul, president of Chicago-based research firm Technomic, who expects the major players to continue their monstrous investment in prime time this fall as they battle each other for market share at a time when business overall is sluggish.
In 2006, fast-food marketers spent $794.4 million advertising on prime time television. Yuma, the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, spent $220.6 million. McDonald's was the second-biggest user of prime time in the fast food category, with expenditures of $164.9 million last year, a 13.5% increase over 2005.
Heavy ad spending continues as the industry finds itself under ongoing pressure. Books and movies like “Fast Food Nation” and “Super Size Me” have offered withering critiques of the fast food industry, illustrating the unhealthy impact of diets heavily laden with fatty fast foods. The E. coli scare at Taco Bell also has many diners wary of eating fast food.
According to an article that appeared in Brandweek , “It doesn't matter what McDonald's throws at them—be it premium chicken sandwiches or new salads—73% of lapsed patrons said the reason they don't go to the Golden Arches anymore is because they can't stomach the food.”
With America’s alarming childhood obesity rates, fast food marketing has come under fire in recent years. A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that elementary school children see an average of 21 food ads each day. Regardless, McDonald's continues marketing to children with promotions featuring Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, while Burger King targets kids with SpongeBob SquarePants.
Time reports that in France, dissatisfaction with fast food restaurants has led to a growing number of quick service eateries with menus built around fresh foods. It would be a wonderful change if time-pressed families could find a convenient and healthy alternative to the fast food chains when dining out.
If you'd like to read the full article in Adweek go to: Special Report: Fast Food
If you'd like to see the Brandweek article on consumers who've left fast food chains behind go to: Why Consumers Don't Come Back for Seconds
If youd like to see the Time article on healthy, quick service restaurants in France go to: Anti-Fast Food in France
To see a previous post crticising the marketing of fast food to children go to:Selling to Kids
(photo courtesy of The Great American Barbecue)
The Great American Barbecue has been dubbed the “Mardi Gras of Meat”, as well as the “World’s Largest Carnivore Carnivale” and is coming Memorial Day weekend to the Woodlands facility in Kansas City, Kansas. Over 300 competition cooking teams are expected to compete for $73,000 in prize money. 50,000 attendees are expected to attend one of the largest BBQ contests on the planet.
“With only two years of history, we are bursting at the seams” says Great American BBQ Executive Director Tracy Satterfield. “With over 70 paved acres to be used for the festival, we have filled them all, by enlarging our existing events, and adding even more rings to our circus”.
Some of the additions to the Great American this year, will be a giant kids carnival, cooking demonstrations by nationally acclaimed chefs, a second “Kidz Que”, and a nationally sanctioned competitive eating contest.
Great American Chair Kim Kobe gushes that they have “secured through the International Federation of Competitive Eating, the 'Daniels BBQ Rib Eating World Championship’. Competitors will include national celebrities, as well as local amateur eaters. It’s a very exciting event, and we are thrilled to have them at the Great American. There has never been anything like it in Kansas City”.
To take advantage of the holiday weekend, the Great American has moved their dates, and will kick things off with a Friday, “Apps, Wraps and Wings” contest, a Saturday invitational competition, and a Sunday Open contest.
In addition to the existing music festival, featuring “The Elders”, and their hot air balloon rally, the Great American has taken on a larger culinary flavor. They have increased the size of their “Sauce, Baste and Rub” sampling tent, and is bringing back the popular “Peoples Choice” sauce contest. The 3-day event will also have competition teams selling their best, as well as a bigger BBQ Expo to demonstrate BBQ gear, tools, widgets and anything you can eat – on a stick.
As a labor of love, Satterfield says that “In addition to building the Region’s Premier BBQ event, we have raised over $80,000 for community charities, and are looking to raise even more this Memorial Day. It’s not often that you see an all volunteer event come together with it’s teams, to do such good work for folks that need a helping hand.
The Great American Barbecue will open to the public at 5:00pm on Friday, May 25th. On Saturday & Sunday the grounds will be open to the public from 10:00am to Midnight.
Admission is $10.00 per day, children 12 and under admitted free. $15.00 for a weekend pass. Parking is free.
To get more info go to: The Great American Barbecue 2007
(photo courtesy of morguefile.com)
It's not just imported food for pets that Americans need to worry about. It seems the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is so overwhelmed by the tremendous increase in imported food that huge amounts are going right to the the tables of American families without any safety inspections.
The FDA points out, "Countries that export to the U.S. do not currently provide FDA with assurance that foods coming to this country are safe."
The beginning of an Associated Press report published by SFGate.com is pretty frightening,
The same food safety net that couldn't catch poisoned pet food ingredients from China has a much bigger hole.
Billions of dollars' worth of foreign ingredients that Americans eat in everything from salad dressing to ice cream get a pass from overwhelmed inspectors, despite a rising tide of imports from countries with spotty records, according to an Associated Press analysis of federal trade and food data.
Well before contaminated shipments from China killed 16 cats and dogs and sickened thousands more, government food safety task forces worried about the potential human threat — ingredients are hard to quarantine and can go virtually everywhere in a range of brand products.
To read the full AP report as it appeared in SFGate.com go to: U.S. Food Safety Strained by Imports
A Harvest Market in Connecticut (photo courtesy of Library of Congress, circa 1941)
The rapid growth of demand for organic food has been a phenomenon for many years now. Americans are expected to consume more than $15 billion worth of organic food in 2007. People have been buying organic to avoid pesticides, enjoy fresh produce, and encourage farming in an eco-friendly manner.
The early farmers who served the organic consumers tended to run relatively small, family farms. People loved the idea that they could buy healthy food from an organic farmer and help sustain the livelihoods of the people who produced the food. Early devotees of organic fare were willing to pay more for food that was more satisfying physically and emotionally.
Now a growing number of folks are concerned that the mass production of organics may not be as environmentally friendly as they'd like it to be. A lot of fossil fuel has to be burned to truck produce over a 1,000 miles and a movement toward buying food produced locally has emerged. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has an article on the growing trend for buying local. According to the article,
As the organic movement continues its march toward the mainstream, a journey that includes feedlots that house thousands of dairy cows, produce imported from China and even organic Pam cooking spray, it is losing some of its earliest followers. They have embraced eating locally, buying from small, nearby farms that use sustainable growing practices and need less fuel to transport crops. Studies estimate food travels an average of 1,500 miles from farm to table.
If you'd like to read the article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution go to: Eat local movement competes with organic craze
Joe, RJ and Paul from Original Juan Specialty Foods in Kansas City feature this BBQ recipe for shrimp.
Ingredients
• 2 ounces Bilardo brothers BBQ sauce
• 1 ounce unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon Cajun blacking spice*
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
• 6 ounces of beer
• 8 large shrimp, peeled & de-veined
Preparation
1. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
2. Add Cajun blacking spice & shrimp.
3. Continue to cook until shrimp is done.
4. Serve over white or seasoned rice.
*Here's a traditional recipe for Cajun blacking spice that will work well for this recipe or a recipe for blackened catfish cooked Cajun style:
Ingredients
• 5 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Preparation
1. Mix together and store in an air-tight container.
To purchase the award-winning BBQ sauce called for in this recipe go to: Bilardo Brothers Original Barbeque Sauce
(photo by Rick Tango)
Though organics account for only a small portion of the $3.7 billion baby food market, parents are increasingly choosing them as an alternative to conventional baby food, according to an article that appeared in Gourmet Retailer News.
Organic baby food sales soared 21.6% to $116 million in a twelve-month period, according to The Nielsen Company. Whole Foods Market has tripled the space allotted to organic baby products in the last five years. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations make organic foods more expensive, but many parents appear willing to pay the extra cost. In recent years parents have had difficulty finding organics for their babies and resorted to preparing foods themselves. The surge in organic sales may explain a 3.1% increase in overall baby food sales after they had remained flat a year earlier.
Researchers at the University of Rochester School of Medicine have found a link between a combination of two widely used pesticides and Parkinson's Disease. With companies now recognizing the growing demand for organics, parents may have an easier time feeding their kids food they know to be free of pesticides.
If you'd like to read more about this topic the San Jose Mercury News has publised a fine article from the Associated Press: Organic baby food grows into a healthy little market
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