Fresh Oyster (photo by DT Creations, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Memorial Day weekend is here and for many in northern climes that marks the beginning of outdoor grilling season. Tradition has it that plenty hot dogs and hamburgers will be devoured, but Chef William D. Mueller has created this recipe for more daring gourmands.
Our friend Chef Mueller is the founder and owner of Babblin' Babs Bistro - A Unique Urban Eatery in Tacoma, Washington. He’s about to launch a new line of handmade spice blends. We have been tasting samples of late, including a New Orleans blend that went beautifully with fresh catfish.
The Chef doesn’t believe it is necessary to follow his recipe to the letter. He advises, “Make it your own.” He serves it with fresh asparagus, a terrific seasonal choice.
Babblin' Babs Bistro is truly a family affair. It was named after Chef Mueller’s Mom who brought “love laughter and song” to the kitchen of William’s boyhood. Today, the Chef, his wife Shannon and son Seamus "…strive to ensure that with every meal you receive an experience like nowhere else in flavor texture and atmosphere."
Chef Mueller’s eatery has received wonderful reviews for the creativity of its menu celections, but the Muellers are also praiseworthy for purchasing from local family-owned businesses to ensure the freshest ingredients and help support a dozen or more local families.
“We carefully search for the most natural product available” says the Chef.
Ingredients for 2 Servings
• 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon Wasabi paste
• 2 Cloves garlic, fine minced
• 8 Fresh oysters opened, muscles loosened and put back in shell
• 1 Whole bulb of fennel, sliced thickly lengthwise
• 1 Cup sake, good quality
• ¼ Cup brown sugar
• Soy sauce to your likening
• Black pepper to taste
• For garnishing chopped cilantro, split grape tomatoes, sesame seeds both white and black, and green onions cut on a basis.
Preparation
1. Preheat grill to high.
2. In a small bowl mix pre-soften butter with Wasabi paste, ½ the garlic, and pepper to taste. Place a dollop on each oyster and let rest in refrigerator.
3. Now in a mixing bowl take sake, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and pepper to taste. Put sliced fennel on a baking sheet and brush above mixture generously over both sides.
Let us Grill
1. Turn your grill down to a medium heat level. Place fennel on grill let it set for a couple of minutes and turn a quarter turn to give a criss-cross marking. Then turn over and repeat process.
2. Take oysters in the half shell and place on grill. Let them grill until butter has melted and oyster is cooked. Place on individual plates with a rock salt bed to cradle oysters.
3. Garnish with grape tomatoes split and chopped cilantro. Place grilled fennel fanned out on other side of plate sprinkled with sesame seeds and green onions.
Serve with ginger garlic rice (see below).
Ginger Garlic Rice
Ingredients
• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 Tablespoons minced ginger
• 1 Tablespoons oil (canola or peanut)
• 2 Cups jasmine rice
• 1½ Cup chicken stock
• 1½ Cup of water
• 1 Teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 Cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tablespoon butter
Preparation
1. In a pan heat oil, then cook garlic and ginger, until fragrant (about 3 minutes) stirring constituently. Now add your 2 cups of rice stirring and slightly toasting rice. Transfer to a rice cooker (cook according to directions of manufacture) or cook in pan by adding stock, water, fish sauce, and bay leaves. If cooking in pan bring to a boil reducing liquid to hollow holes or crater like forms; cover and remove from heat 20 minutes.
3. When rice is finished fluff with a fork while adding 2 tablespoons butter with chopped cilantro.
To learn more about Chef Mueller and his family’s much acclaimed Tacoma bistro and get directions go to: Babblin' Babs Bistro - A Unique Urban Eatery
As with any place serving food of such high quality you’ll want to make a reservation. You can call Babblin' Babs Bistro at 253-761-9099.
To view all the recipes on the American Feast web site just scroll down after you go to: American Feast's Recipe Collection
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Drink GM-Free Milk! (© Hallgerd | Dreamstime.com)
Our friends at Organic Valley Family of Farms have sent a timely reminder that genetically engineered or modified (GM) alfalfa has the capacity to destroy organic milk dairies. Cows producing organic milk are largely fed on alfalfa, and by law they cannot be fed GM crops.
If GM alfalfa makes its way into organic fields, those fields will be lost as a source of feed to organic dairy farmers. Just a wind blowing in the right direction would be enough to bring about the destructive contamination. So Organic Valley is asking folks to sign on to a letter asking the USDA to "Maintain the Ban" on genetically engineered alfalfa (see below).
Keep Children's Milk Free of Hormoes & Antibiotics
The huge numbers of parents who want their children to get the health benefits of milk without exposing them to the dangers of recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) and the antibiotics fed to cows in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), have contributed mightily to organic dairy farming enjoying quite a boom in the United States. Families should not have to see the health of their children suffer so that a few large corporations can enjoy ever greater profits.
We are all indebted to the small farmers who took the risk of undertaking organic farming in order to produce healthier food, leave clear skies, clean water, and rich soil. According to a report from the USDA organic dairies are smaller than conventional dairies and 63% of their dairy feed is from pasture during grazing months.
A final word from Organic Valley Family of Farms, “Thanks for all your support for family farmers and a sustainable organic future for all!”
To take action to “Maintain the Ban” on GM alfalfa, go to: The Center for Food Safety
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Recreational Fishing (photo by Digger Danno, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Twenty years after the Exxon Valdez disaster in the once pristine waters of Alaska’s Prince William Sound oil still plagues hundreds of miles of shoreline. In some places the oil "is nearly as toxic as it was the first few weeks after the spill,” according to the council created to administer the $900 million that Exxon paid to settle lawsuits.
This week U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke determined there has been a fishery disaster in the Gulf of Mexico due to the economic impact on commercial and recreational fisheries from the ongoing Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The affected area includes the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The Gulf disaster is many times the size of the spill in Alaska.
Significant Economic Hardship
“We are taking this action today because of the potentially significant economic hardship this spill may cause fishermen and the businesses and communities that depend on those fisheries,” Locke said. “The disaster determination will help ensure that the Federal government is in a position to mobilize the full range of assistance that fishermen and fishing communities may need.”
The declaration was made in response to requests from Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour based on the loss of access to many commercial fisheries and the existing and anticipated environmental damage from this unprecedented event.
Nearly 20% of Federal Waters in the Gulf Now Closed
Since May 2, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has closed a portion of federal waters affected by the spill to commercial and recreational fishing. This closure area, which is based on the scientific trajectory of the spill, now includes nearly 20 percent of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico, largely between Louisiana state waters at the mouth of the Mississippi and the waters off Florida’s Pensacola Bay.
“We stand with America’s fishermen, their families and businesses in impacted coastal communities during this challenging time,” Locke said. “Commercial and recreational fishing provides vital jobs to the region and is essential to the Gulf Coast’s unique culture and heritage.”
Commercial fishermen in the Gulf harvested more than 1 billion pounds of fish and shellfish in 2008. In addition, there are approximately 5.7 million recreational fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico region who took 25 million fishing trips in 2008.
Administration Expects Responsible Parties Will Pay Full Cost
The administration has requested $15 million of supplemental funding as a backstop to address this disaster, as well as $5 million of economic development assistance through the Economic Development Administration. In addition, the administration is requesting unemployment coverage for this disaster, and the Small Business Administration is offering economic injury disaster loans, which can help fishermen and other affected businesses. However, the administration expects that BP and any other responsible parties will cover the full costs of economic damages to and restoration of these fisheries.
To view a previous post on the topic, go to: Fresh Gulf Seafood Gets Added to the Cost of Offshore Oil
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For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Field Trip (photo by Daisy Durham, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Students in New York City are about to learn how their carrots and potatoes travel from the ground to their plates. This past Thursday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and television personality Rachael Ray unveiled a series of new programs to promote healthy eating among the City’s youth.
Sponsored by Rachael Ray and her Yum-o! organization, the new programs will connect the City’s students to existing community gardens or help them build gardens of their own. In addition to supplementing cafeteria food with fresh, healthy, locally-grown produce, the plan will encourage young New Yorkers to learn where their food comes from and encourage youth to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their diet.
Yum-o! was launched in 2006 by Rachael Ray. According to the organization's web site, it is "a nonprofit organization that empowers kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking by teaching families to cook, feeding hungry kids and funding cooking education and scholarships."
Nearly 1 out of 3 American Children is Overweight or Obese
“At a time when diabetes and other obesity-related illnesses are on the rise across all age groups, we commend New York City for placing an emphasis on healthy plant-based foods,” said Dr. Allan Kornberg, Farm Sanctuary’s executive director, who has practiced both primary care pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine. “The growing concern for the health of this nation’s children is definitely warranted. Nearly one in three American children is overweight or obese, and obese kids are more likely to exhibit risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.”
“Americans can reap dramatic health benefits by switching to a plant-based diet. Vegans and vegetarians reduce their risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. As New Yorkers connect the dots and become better informed about the origins of their food, we hope that they will be moved to make positive choices for their health and compassionate choices for farm animals.”
Farm Sanctuary has actively advocated the promotion of green foods for children and all Americans for reasons of health, environment and compassion through the nonprofit’s Green Foods Campaign. The campaign encourages citizens to get involved in local politics to promote education about and increase access to plant-based foods in their communities.
To learn more about Rachel Ray’s organization, go to: Yum-o!
To learn more about the nonprofit’s efforts, go to: Farm Sanctuary’s Green Foods Campaign
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Molasses-Balsamic Chicken Kabobs with Plums (photo courtesy of Time Inc. Home Entertainment)
Warmer weather has arrived nationwide and that makes it time to Grill Baby, Grill! Memorial Day weekend is coming up and Father’s Day will closely follow. That should allow plenty of time to try out this recipe for grilled kabobs and be ready to delight a hungry group of family and friends.
The recipe comes from our friends at Southern Living magazine, who have included it in their new “Big Book of BBQ: Recipes and Revelations from the Barbecue Belt.” The book is full of classic BBQ recipes from across the South. Readers can decide for themselves which region does BBQ best. As you would expect from a Southern Living publication the book is also full of mouth-watering photos.
You can use either wooden or metal skewers, but if using wooden ones be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading them to prevent them from burning on the grill.
Ingredients for 4 to 6 Servings
• 8 (12-inch) Wooden or metal skewers
• 1½ Skinned & boned chicken breasts, cut into 1½-inch pieces
• 4 Large plums, quartered
• 2 Medium-size green tomatoes, cut into eighths
• 2 Medium-size red onions, cut into eighths
• 2 Teaspoons seasoned salt
• 2 Teaspoons pepper
• ½ Cup molasses
• ¼ Cup balsamic vinegar
Preparation
1. Soak wooden skewers in water 30 minutes.
2. 2. Preheat grill to 350 to 400 degrees, (medium high) heat. Thread chicken and next 3 ingredients alternately onto skewers, leaving ¼ inch between pieces. Sprinkle kabobs with seasoned salt and pepper. Stir together molasses and vinegar.
3. Grill kabobs, covered with grill lid, 12 minutes, turning after 6 minutes. Baste kabobs with half of molasses mixture, and grill 3 minutes. Turn kabobs, baste with remaining half of molasses mixture, and grill 3 more minutes or until done.
To learn more about the book from which this recipe was taken (page 146), go to: Big Book of BBQ: Recipes and Revelations from the Barbecue Belt
To view all the recipes on the American Feast web site just scroll down after you go to: American Feast's Recipe Collection
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
Catskills Duck Keeping Strawberries Free of Pests (photo courtesy of AIWF)
Every foodie knows what asparagus, spinach, carrots and chicken taste like, right? Actually, a recent tasting demonstrated that only those who have savored organically grown varieties served at the peak of their freshness truly know nature’s magic.
Displays of produce available year round at the supermarket may look impressive, but most of the flavor gets lost when it ages while being transported great distances. Produce grown with chemical fertilizers will never match the flavors that develop when plants are grown in soil kept healthy with organic methods.
AIWF and Stone & Thistle Farms Join Forces
At a recent tasting of superbly prepared dishes Chef David Toutain certainly dazzled with his creativity, but the indisputable stars of the evening were the incredibly fresh and organic ingredients that went into his menu. The setting was “A Chicken in Every Pot: Organic, Meadow Raised Chicken and Produce from Stone & Thistle Farms.” The event was produced by the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF) on a recent night in Manhattan.
Stone & Thistle Farms do their good work in upstate New York’s Catskills region. AIWF is a non-profit organization founded by Julia Child, Robert Mondavi and others in 1981 “to enhance the understanding, appreciation and quality of what we eat and drink.”
David Toutain’s evident flair for applying classic French techniques to thoroughly modern dishes delighted foodies attending the event, but even his simple preparation of the spinach was striking for the difference freshness and organic growing can make.
Here’s a look at the menu enjoyed at the AIWF tasting:
• Asparagus with mousseline of blood orange & thyme foam
• Spinach with black sesame & carrot puree
• Chicken liver mousse & shallot confit
• Cornish Cross Chicken with orzo & ramp pesto
• Rhubarb with barley syrup infusion & ginger “sable”
The wine selection was by Robin Kelley O’Connor of Sherry Lehmann. Those lucky enough to make it to the tasting were also given gift bags of ramps freshly dug by the Catskills’ Allison Bennett to take home.
More Local Organics Please
Growing food without chemicals predates history and was once the only way to farm. We need more of it today. It not only produces healthier food, it leaves clear skies, clean water and makes eating a lot more fun.
To learn more about AIWF, the sponsor of the event, and the events they will be presenting in the future, go to: The American Institute of Wine & Food
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Veggie Garden (photo by Seemann, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Harnessing the power of people who grow their own nutritious, delicious, and sustainable food to help others do the same.
Written by Roger Doiron, Kitchen Gardeners International
The Obama family is celebrating the first anniversary of their new kitchen garden, but in my house we're putting two candles on the organic carrot cake and making a wish for our national food gardening future.
Two years ago this week, my family and I planted a little garden of our own in the middle of our front yard. As luck would have it, we live in a little white cape with southern exposure which allowed us to claim that we had planted something much more noteworthy: a new food garden on the south lawn of the "white house."
Although the major networks were not present for our groundbreaking event, that didn't stop us from growing some media coverage of our own. We produced a short Internet video of our white house garden planting and used it to urge presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama to follow suit upon taking office.
The clip went as viral as a gardening video can hope to go, appearing on many busy websites and, ultimately, on national TV. Fast-forwarding to the present, I am happy to report that both "white house" gardens are flourishing and that a new food garden revival has taken root.
Like the Victory Garden movement of the previous century, war once again provides the context for this revival, but this time it's not nation against nation, but people waging a struggle for health, their own and that of the planet.
Whether the current home-grown revival sends its roots deeply and broadly enough in society to make a significant impact on social and environmental issues remains uncertain. According to a recent survey by the National Gardening Association, 1 million new food gardens are planned for 2010.
That may sound like a large number, but when it's compared with the estimated 20 million Victory Gardens planted in 1943 when the U.S. population was half what it is now, it would seem that we're only scratching the surface.
This brings me to my birthday wish. First lady Michelle Obama has been the best gift the food-gardening movement could ask for this past year, but I'm hoping that millions of new people will follow her example this year. To bring these new gardeners into the movement, we need to educate them about the diverse contributions food gardens can make to families, communities, and our country's national security.
Many people, including policy-makers, think that a number of new little gardens won't add up to anything more than a hill of beans, but our history proves otherwise.
At the peak of the Victory Garden movement, gardens behind homes, schools, prisons, workplaces and in vacant lots were growing 40 percent of the nation's produce and helping to conserve financial and natural resources at a time of crisis.
Last year, my wife and I did some garden math of our own to offer a more contemporary example. We weighed, recorded and priced every item coming out of our yard, front and back, over the course of the growing season. By the time we were done, we calculated that we had saved over $2,200 and had met roughly half of our family's produce needs for the year.
And the food was not only delicious and low in carbs, but also low in carbon, having traveled less than 50 feet from plot to plate. Saving money is one financial incentive for growing kitchen gardens, but it shouldn't be the only one.
Each year, we manage to find billions of tax dollars to subsidize corn and soybeans, which are used to sweeten soft drinks and fatten livestock.
Surely some of those funds would be better spent sweetening the deal for gardeners through innovative fiscal incentives and grants for new school and community gardens.
We already provide tax breaks to encourage families to put solar panels on their houses, so why not encourage them also to grow solar-powered food behind those houses?
Whether we organize it now or it organizes us later, a food garden revolution is coming and that's a very good thing.
In fact, the only downside I see is a nationwide glut of summer squash, but hopefully many new gardeners will follow Michelle Obama's lead in sharing some of their bounty with neighbors in need.
Doing so would not only make for a better-fed nation but a more socially just one too. When it comes to the next healthy, home-grown revival, everyone should have a place at the table.
Roger Doiron of Scarborough is the founding director of Kitchen Gardeners International, a nonprofit group promoting home gardens.
To learn more about Roger's organization and get some great gardeninbg advice, go to: Kitchen Gardeners
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Amish Farm (photo by Marianne Venegoni, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
May arrived with reports of “superweeds” that have developed a resistance to the herbicide Roundup, which is used extensively in monocultural agriculture where single crops predominate on large farming operations.
An alarming article in The New York Times says there are now "10 resistant [weed] species in at least 22 states infesting millions of acres, predominantly soybeans, cotton and corn."
Subsidized Failure
Soybeans, cotton and corn are heavily subsidized by the United States government. Those subsidies have helped them become some of the most widely grown crops in American agriculture. Those crops are now common ingredients in a tremendous number of products.
The plants were genetically modified (GM) to be resistant to Roundup, so the herbicide could be used to destroy weeds without harming crops. With the emergence of the “superweeds” farmers are likely to go back to conventional herbicides to kill the Roundup-resistant weeds threatening huge fields of GM crops.
A Predictable Disaster
Author and nutritionist Marion Nestle points out in a recent article for The Atlantic that the Union of Concerned Scientists predicted that the widespread planting of GM crops would produce selection pressures for Roundup-resistant weeds. The Union’s Jane Rissler and Margaret Mellon wrote that these would be difficult and expensive to control. They made that prediction in 1996.
Only the Most Recent Setback for GM Crops
This is just the latest in a string of failures for GM crops. In May of 2009, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine called on "Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks."
As for the claim that GM foods are needed to feed a hungry world, Doug Gurian-Sherman, a senior scientist in the Union of Concerned Scientists Food and Environment Program has concluded "...that GE (genetic engineering) has done little to increase overall crop yields." And a major study conducted at the University of Kansas has found that the controversial technology actually reduces crop yields.
Require the Labeling of GM Foods
Many people are unaware that they are regularly consuming GM foods because they are not labeled as such. Giant agribusinesses do not want the labeling of GM foods because consumers don’t want to buy them. They are even opposed to the labeling of foods as GM-free. (GM foods are prohibited from being used in food that carries the USDA’s organic label.)
As Elise Pearlstein, producer of the Oscar nominated film Food Inc. has said, "It's outrageous that genetically modified foods don't need to be labeled...Whatever your position, you should have the right to make informed choices, and we don't."
To view an interactive graphic by The New York Times on the spread of “superweeds” across the U.S., go to: Where Weedkiller Won’t Work
To view The Atlantic article by Marion Nestle cited above, go to: Roundup Red Alert: U.S. Farms Grow Superweeds
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For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
The Delacorte Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita (photo courtesy of Jumeirah Essex House)
Nothing quite like a leisurely stroll past the fountain where Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald once made quite a splash on a warm evening, then a visit to one of Central Park South’s swank watering holes for a cooling cocktail. It is a wonderful bit of indulgence after a day in Central Park, one that might just bring out your inner Gatsby.
There’s a fine place for a little luxury inside the Jumeirah Essex House across from the park. Just stop in at the hotel’s stunning South Gate restaurant, designed by Tony Chi. The celebrated New York City designer has created a warmly sleek interior featuring a fireplace underneath a massive skylight, and an inverted mirror wall design.
Chef Kerry Heffernan partners with local organic farms, fishermen, and shellfish harvesters to ensure that he has the finest and freshest ingredients with which to prepare his ever-evolving menu. The splendid décor and seasonally-inspired modern American menu are complemented by a wine selection of 1,200 bottles. Little wonder it was honored by the 2009 Michelin guide for its achievements in hospitality, with special mention made regarding the "genuinely gracious service."
It is a spectacular place to sip a specialty cocktail, soak in the surroundings, and subtly steal glances at the bar's glamorous guests. In case getting there soon just isn’t possible, they have graciously sent us this recipe so you can sample a little South Gate luxury right at home.
Ingredients for 1 Drink
• Quick muddled jalapeno slice
• 2 Ounces azul blanco
• 1½ Ounces Les vergers Boiron pineapple puree
• 1 Ounce lime juice
• ¾ Ounce simple syrup
• Dash orange bitters
Preparation
1. Shake ingredients with ice and pour into a chilled collins glass.
2. Garnish with cardamom dust and pineapple leaf or lime.
There are some lovely photos and plenty to learn about the the hotel and its stunning eatery by visiting a couple of web sites:
• South Gate
• Jumeirah Essex House
To view all the cocktail recipes on the American Feast web site just scroll down after you go to: American Feast's Cocktail Collection
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Mississippi Mud Cake (photo courtesy of Oxmoor House, Inc.)
There used to be a wonderful, southern-flavored bakery just down the street and their Mississippi Mud Cake was sensational. Success forced a move to more distant quarters, but as luck would have it, Southern Living magazine has come out with a book offering this gem of a recipe. It’s simple enough for the most casual home baker and sure to satisy a sweet tooth of any age.
Here’s what our friends at Southern Living have to say about it:
Just like the banks of the Mississippi River, this cake is ooey, gooey, and chocolate brown. The original Mississippi mud cake is thought to have been created by World War II-era cooks who found a way to use available ingredients to make a dense chocolate.
It seems even wartime shortages had a silver lining. If you have one or more small helpers in your kitchen, expect plenty of enthusiasm when it comes time to lick the bowls clean. Small fingers will make short work of it!
Ingredients for 15 Servings
• 1 Cup chopped pecans
• 1 Cup butter
• 1 4-ounce semisweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
• 2 Cups sugar
• 1½ Cups all-purpose flour
• ½ Cup unsweetened cocoa
• 4 Large eggs
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ Teaspoon salt
• 1 10.5-ounce bag miniature marshmallows
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.
2. Microwave 1 cup of butter and the chocolate bar in a large microwave-safe glass bowl at HIGH 1 minute, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk sugar and the next 5 ingredients into the chocolate mixture. Pour batter into a greased 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle evenly with miniature marshmallows; bake 8 to 10 more minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle warm cake with Chocolate Frosting (see below), and sprinkle evenly with toasted pecans.
Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
• ½ Cups butter
• 1/3 Cup milk
• ¼ Cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 16-ounce package powdered sugar
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in milk and cocoa, and bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until smooth; stir in vanilla. Use immediately.
Note: To thin the frosting, add 1 Tablespoon of milk. To serve remaining Chocolate Frosting over pound cake or ice cream, microwave frosting in a medium-size microwave-safe glass bowl at HIGH for 15 seconds or until warm.
To learn more about the book from which this recipe was taken (page 73), go to: Classic Southern Desserts: All-Time Favorite Recipes for Cakes, Cookies, Pies, Puddings, Cobblers, Ice Cream & More
Need a gift for a home baker? Have a look at a lovely gift box of premium American Black Walnuts & Native Pecans: Bakers Bounty! Fancy Large Premium Black Walnuts & Native Pecan Halves
To view all the recipes on the American Feast web site just scroll down after you go to: American Feast's Recipe Collection
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Fresh from the Farm (photo by Pura Vida, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Written by Linda West Eckhardt, The Silver Cloud Diet
Nicholas Kristof,of the New York Times, reported May 06, 2010 on the President’s Cancer Panel Report, a 200 page tome that warned of dire consequences to Americans’ health without a much more rigorous regulation of chemicals.
The report warns about exposure to chemicals, particularly among pregnant women. More than 300 chemical contaminants have been found in the umbilical cord blood of newborns, meaning that children born into this society come, pre-polluted.
The distinguished medical experts who comprise this sterling panel include Dr. Margaret Kripke, an immunologist at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and Dr. LaSalle Leffall, Jr, an oncologist at Howard University. Both were appointed by President Bush.
A Toxic Chemical Stew
Weak laws, lax enforcement and fragmented authority have created a toxic chemical stew that we all live in. Dr. John Salerno has been writing about this topic for at least eight years and has treated patients in his New York practice for ailments ranging from heavy metals poisoning to cancers that can be traced back to chemical exposure.
“I have seen a serious rise in the number of patients coming to me suffering from toxic metals poisoning. I have a number of Japanese patients who suffer from mercury poisoning as a result of eating fish. I find that an aggressive course of action is necessary to resolve these serious health issues. We start with organic food and clean water,” says Dr. Salerno.
Protect Yourself & Your Family
One of the most alarming results of the study is that 41% of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime, and many of those cancers can be traced back to a polluted environment.
This includes food, and that is why the Silver Cloud Diet has always recommended a diet of whole, unprocessed, organic food. The good news is that the availability of organic food has gone totally mainstream. Even Walmart has become active, and now is the nation’s largest retail purveyor of organic produce.
Clean drinking water is another serious issue. While the use of plastic bottles and bottled water has come into question, it is best to filter tap water at home to guarantee a source of unpolluted water. Store water in stainless steel or glass containers.
If you have a job that exposes you to chemicals, remove your shoes before entering your house. This included medical workers, factory workers, and any other workers whose occupation exposes them to chemicals. Work clothes should be washed separately from the other laundry in the household.
Choose Food without Pesticides, Chemical Fertilizers & Growth Hormones
In addition to choosing food grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers and growth hormones, avoid meats that are cooked well-done.
Check radon levels in your house because this is a natural source of radiation linked to cancer.
For the sake of your children, choose foods, toys and garden products with fewer endocrine disrupters or other toxins. (see www.healthystuff.org for more information.)
We here at The Silver Cloud Diet have seen remarkable improvements in people’s health who adhere to our diet regimen. Not only does their weight normalize but their blood panels improve and their general sense of well being, health and vigor returns.
The body can heal itself with a bit of intervention on the part of the patient.
Linda West Eckhardt
To learn more about Linda’s most recent work on healthy weight control, go to: The Silver Cloud Diet
To get a look at a book of Linda’s quick and easy recipes for a low carb diet, go to: The High-Protein Cookbook: More than 150 healthy and irresistibly good low-carb dishes that can be on the table in thirty minutes or less
To view all the recipes on the American Feast web site just scroll down after you go to: American Feast's Recipe Collection
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Fresh Oysters (photo by Seemann, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
The impact of the massive oil spill in the Gulf won’t be limited to just those coastal inhabitants who earn their living from bountiful seafood harvests. Everyone who enjoys Gulf shrimp, oyster or crab dishes and the restaurants who serve them can expect prices to soar as shortages develop.
The Houston Chronicle quotes Jim Gossen, president and CEO of Louisiana Foods and someone who has been in the seafood business for 40 years, "There's already an extreme shortage of oysters. The diminishing supply of product is causing something of a frenzy.”
Gossen worries that restaurants will start taking favorite Gulf seafood dishes off their menus, and diners will begin to avoid regional delicacies. The worrisome situation is compounded by a recent determination by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Coastal Fisheries Division that Gulf shrimp are unseasonably small and need more time to grow. The Division will close the commercial shrimp season on May 15th and reopen it at some point in July.
Cajun crawfish should be spared the fate of seafood from the Gulf. According to an article on Viet-Cajun restaurants in the Boston Globe:
While there is great concern for the impact of the Gulf Coast oil spill on saltwater shellfish and fin fish, there is no expectation that it will affect Louisiana crawfish. Farmed Louisiana crawfish is raised inland in freshwater with 99 percent of farms more than 10 miles from the Gulf. Wild crawfish also live in freshwater six to 100 miles inland.
To view the Houston Chronicle report cited above, go to: Crab on your menu? Prepare for a pinch
To view the Boston Globe article cited above, go to: Here come the Asian Cajuns
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Fresh Carrots (photo by Kevin Connors, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Reports of schoolchildren unable to identify common fruits and vegetables have been disturbing, to say the least. Obesity rates are at record levels and one of every three American kids born in this century is expected to develop Type 2 diabetes, a dangerous disease once virtually unknown to afflict children.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) says Farm to School programs have a proven track record of increasing farmers’ incomes while also improving the nutrition and food literacy of schoolchildren. “Farm to school programs are cost effective and should be part of a robust child nutrition reauthorization that we hope will move soon,” said Kate Fitzgerald, Senior Policy Associate at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
Grassroots Effort Underway
NSAC is one of 41 national organizations that delivered a letter to House and Senate leaders last week, urging them to include $50 million in mandatory funding for programs linking farmers with local schools as part of the 2010 Child Nutrition Act reauthorization.
Says Ms. Fitzgerald:
We know that we need to do a better job of ensuring that school food programs provide the best food possible for children. This is the rallying call of many prominent dietitians, educators, and doctors, as well as First Lady Michelle Obama. Food sourced from local farms is freshest and combined with teaching children about where their food comes from, provides children the knowledge they need to make good food choices for the rest of their lives.
Long-Term Economic Benefits
Farm to school programs offer immediate and long-term economic benefits. According to a study in Oregon, every dollar school districts spent on purchases of local food stimulated an additional eighty-seven cents in economic activity. Keeping kids healthy should also impact soaring healthcare costs and lost productivity due to illness when those kids become adults.
“Farm to school increases farm sales and because the money stays locally, it generates a ripple effect throughout the area’s economy. In addition, delivering nutritious food to local schools can bring producers into neighborhoods that are now “food deserts,” creating an opportunity to expand good food choices to area stores and institutions. Farm to school is a winning idea nutritionally, economically, and environmentally,” Fitzgerald concluded.
Questions Over Proposed Sources of Funding
The Child Nutrition Act reauthorization has been slowed in both Houses by concerns about how funding increases will be paid for. The Senate bill approved by Committee increases funding for child nutrition programs by half of the Administration’s proposed $1 billion per year and pays for the increases mainly with cuts to nutrition education programs for SNAP (formerly food stamp) participants and to a popular conservation program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
Some anti-hunger and nutrition groups are disappointed that the bill does not achieve the President’s funding goal and are reluctant to support cuts to nutrition education while a coalition of farm and environmental groups, including the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, decried the use of conservation funds that would not only cut current expenditures but reduce the baseline for programs going into the 2012 farm bill reauthorization.
The House has yet to take up consideration of child nutrition reauthorization but Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, has said that he will not agree to cuts in farm bill programs, including cuts to EQIP, to pay for any funding increases.
Discussions of funding mechanisms continue, with attention increasingly focused on the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee. Closing tax loopholes were used to pay for improved food stamp benefits during the 2008 Farm Bill negotiations, and many observers have suggested a similar maneuver could be used to pay for improved school meals.
To learn more about grassroots efforts for sustainable agriculture, go to: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
 
Wolffer Winery & Vineyards (Images courtesy of Wolffer Winery)
It was just over a year ago that Wolffer Estate Vineyards became the pride of Long Island when its 2007 Late Harvest Chardonnay was named Best Dessert Wine at the 26th Annual San Diego International Wine Competition. Spring is in the air again, which means it's time to uncork the 2009 Wolffer Rose.
Always a bestseller, we’ve been told this year's Wolffer Estate Rose:
…is pale salmon with a golden glow and features the classic signature crisp taste and beautiful minerality. The aroma is fresh with gooseberries, wild strawberries, peaches and limes. Great notes of blueberries and grapefruit bring a long, flavorful finish.
The 2009 Wolffer Estate Rose should make a perfect pairing for Mother's Day and just about every spring and summer entertaining occasion. Last year's vintage sold out in record time, so customers are encouraged to order this perennial favorite of the Hamptons early.
An American Winery with a European Character
A leading Long Island winemaker for over 20 years, Wolffer Estate Vineyard, a 55-acre winery located in Sagaponack, New York, is an American winery with a decidedly European character. Reflecting local terroir and the meticulous stewardship of winemaker Roman Roth, these former potato fields are the foundation for world-class wines. Similar in many respects to conditions in Bordeaux, the local Bridgehampton loam soil and favorable maritime influences provide a perfect host for grapevines.
Sustainable Winegrowing at Wolffer Winery
Wolffer Estate Vineyard proudly practices sustainable agriculture. According to the winery's founder and owner, Hamburg-born Christian Wolffer:
This land is important to us and we do everything we can to protect it. We actively participate in the Long Island Sustainable Viticulture Program. It is designed to encourage practices with low environmental impact that maintain or improve soil, and help us become better stewards of land.
To learn more about Wolffer Winery and plan a visit there go to: Wolffer Winery
For more info on Long Island Wine Country go to: The Long Island Wine Council
To view a previous post on Wolffer's internationally acclaimed Late Harvest Chardonnay go to:
Long Island Chardonnay Places 1st in International Wine Competition
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Sugar Spoon (photo by Stuart Whitmore, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Written by Linda West Eckhardt, The Silver Cloud Diet
Those of you who, like me, live in the greater New York area, have been feted by an ad on television that really makes me laugh. An earnest mother, standing in her kitchen, unpacking the groceries, worried that the proposed sales tax on soda pop, sugary drinks, etc. is about to make her grocery bill go up.
"That's serious money," she says, about the proposed tax by New York's beleaguered Governor Patterson on sugary drinks. She then exhorts the governor to mind his own business and stay out of her grocery budget, because she is, as she says ever so earnestly, trying hard to make ends meet and it isn't easy...
I find myself wanting to scream into the television. "Stop buying this crap, Madam. You'll save not only money but you'll make your family healthier if you take all this junk juice off your grocery list forever. Drink water. And send your kids to school with an apple, not sugary drinks."
Governor Patterson, who is criticized for everything, has gotten this one right. He wants to put a sort of sin tax on soda pop, the way the taxes on tobacco and alcohol were instituted. And why not? Nobody needs this stuff. Maybe a tax will discourage people from using sugar.
The facts are that the use of sugar in this country has exploded in the last twenty years and a lot of that sugar goes into sodas, sports drinks, flavored waters, bottled teas and so forth. One famous infant formula now advertises a toddler formula that comes in "chocolate milk" flavor. Start 'em young. Get 'em on the sugar bandwagon before they're even off the bottle. Way to go.
All of this usage adds up to poor health, overweight and obesity. And the resulting health disasters are everywhere in plain sight. Overweight children, often holding the hand of an obese parent. So sad. That parent is paving the way to a shorter life span for him/herself and the children.
We, here at The Silver Cloud, say avoid sugar in all forms. Think of it like cocaine. A deadly and addicting substance that will surely impact your health in a negative way.
We applaud Governor Patterson and the State of New York for bearing the standard for good health.
Linda West Eckhardt
To learn more about Linda’s most recent work on healthy weight control, go to: The Silver Cloud Diet
To get a look at a book of Linda’s quick and easy recipes for a low carb diet, go to: The High-Protein Cookbook: More than 150 healthy and irresistibly good low-carb dishes that can be on the table in thirty minutes or less
To view all the recipes on the American Feast web site just scroll down after you go to: American Feast's Recipe Collection
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Cream of Asparagus Soup (photo courtesy of Oxmoor House, Inc.)
Asparagus in spring is one the year’s great seasonal treats. Sure there’s asparagus in the produce sections of supermarkets year round these days, but most of the year the stuff available doesn’t really deserve to be called fresh.
Just before this year’s local asparagus became available a friend purchased asparagus shipped from another continent and said it tasted like cardboard. Fresh asparagus is full of flavor, but has a relatively short shelf life. The natural sugar that make it so delicious begins breaking down soon after harvesting, turning to starch. It’s understandable that folks who haven’t tasted asparagus freshly picked on a nearby farm wonder why all the fuss among foodies when the season arrives.
There are a lot of ways to enjoy the tasty green spears. You can just brush them in a good extra virgin olive oil, grill them, and serve them with lemon wedges. But if you want to try something slightly more ambitious, give this recipe from our friends at Cooking Light a try. It comes from their new book, Cooking Light Cooking Through the Seasons (page 69), and it’s a terrific choice as a first course when having friends and family over for a spring feast. For a vegetarian version just substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth. When you are at the farmers market for the asparagus, try to get some fresh garlic, you will taste the difference.
Enhance your presentation with a garnish of thin asparagus spears. A 1 cup serving is only 117 calories.
Ingredients for 4 Servings
• 3 Cups (½ -inch) sliced asparagus (about one pound)
• 2 Cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• ¾ Teaspoon fresh thyme, divided
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 Garlic clove, crushed
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 Cups 1% low-fat milk
• Dash of ground nutmeg
• 2 Teaspoons butter
• ¾ Teaspoon salt
• ¼ Teaspoon grated lemon rind
Preparation
1. Combine asparagus, broth, ½ teaspoon thyme, bay leaf, and garlic in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Place asparagus mixture in a blender; process until smooth.
2. Place flour in a pan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add pureed asparagus and ground nutmeg; stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in ¼ teaspoon thyme, butter, salt, and lemon rind.
To learn more about the book containing the recipe above, go to: Cooking Light Cooking Through the Seasons: An Everyday Guide to Enjoying the Freshest Food
To view all the recipes on the American Feast web site just scroll down after you go to: American Feast's Recipe Collection
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
In the Pan (photo by Beglib, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Fresh oysters, shrimp and crab quickly come to mind when contemplating the pleasures of a stay in New Orleans, one of America’s best and most unique cities for foodies. Now those pleasant memories face the prospect of becoming nostalgia for a bygone era.
Still working to overcome the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi Delta communities are again bracing for an unthinkable environmental disaster emerging from the Gulf waters, a worse disaster than the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.
More than 200,000 gallons of oil is spilling off the sunken Deepwater Horizon oil rig into the Gulf of Mexico each day. Even as an already enormous oil slick washes onto the coast, Reuters is reporting that another offshore drilling rig has overturned near Morgan City, Louisiana.
Two Vital Industries Get Hurt
The amazing food of the Big Easy delights the visitors that help sustain the city’s economy. The region's tantalizing seafood comes from an industry that provides livelihoods for families from Florida to Texas. The Louisiana seafood industry alone is said to be worth $2 billion.
Harvesters of fresh seafood lost their livelihoods to the Exxon Valdes spill in the once pristine waters of Alaska’s Prince William Sound in 1989. They are still seeking redress of their grievances all these years later. Will the victims of the new disaster in Gulf waters share their fate?
Both oil spills already have one thing in common. When Big Oil was lobbying to set up those ultimately destructive operations they gave assurances that no such disasters would take place and their financial might overwhelmed the voices of those who warned of the dangers.
Clean & Renewable Energy
The disaster in the Gulf comes on the heels of an explosion that killed 29 miners at the Massey Energy coal mine in West Virginia. With lives and livelihoods being lost to fossil fuel extraction, it is clearly time for a better way to meet the country’s power needs.
The U.S. amazed the world by gaining independence from one of the world's great empires, building a transcontinental railroad in the shadow of a horrendous civil war, connected two oceans with a canal through terrain some thought impassable, and put a man on the moon. Surely it is time to be the country that shows the way to a future of clean and renewable energy by harnessing the power of the sun and the wind. We owe it to ourselves and generations to come.
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
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