Slap and Tickle (photos courtesy of The Harvard Common Press)
“Why such an absurd name? Because it's exactly what this beverage will do to you if you overindulge. Think of this as a Deep South-Long Island iced tea. It goes down very smoothly but with quite a punch.” So writes Fred Thompson, the creator of this cocktail recipe.
The Slap and Tickle is featured on Mr. Thompson’s newly published ode to the great American whiskey, “Bourbon, 50 Rousing Recipes for a Classic American Spirit” (page 46). It’s a thoroughly entertaining celebration of the uniquely American spirit in all its forms. The history the author serves up is a very pleasant read and the lovely photography accompanying the drink recipes is all the inspiration needed to break out the shaker and stirrer.
Bourbon is not only the Great American Whiskey, it is one of the world's finest. Most bourbons come from Kentucky, but bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States as long as it is blended from grains that are at least 51% percent corn and stored in charred new oak containers. When aged in the oak containers for at least two years it qualifies as straight bourbon whiskey. Filter it through charcoal and it becomes Tennessee whiskey.
Ingredients for 1 Drink
• Ice cubes
• 1 Ounce bourbon
• 1 Ounce brandy
• ½ Ounce Southern Comfort
• 1 Ounce vodka
• 1 Ounce ruby red grapefruit juice
• 3 Ounces fresh pineapple juice
• 1 Ounce freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 1/4 orange)
• 1 Tablespoon grenadine
Preparation
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the bourbon, brandy, Southern Comfort, vodka, all the juices, and the grenadine to the shaker. Shake vigorously until the drink is cold.
2. Fill a highball glass halfway full with ice cubes, and strain the concoction into the glass. Serve immediately.
For more information on Fred Thompson’s ode to the Great American Spirit, go to: Bourbon, 50 Rousing Recipes for a Classic American Spirit
To view all the cocktail recipes on the American Feast web site just scroll down after you go to: American Feast's Cocktail Collection
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To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
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Pumpkin Patch (photo by Kevin Connors, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Small family farms made up 88% of U.S. farms in 2007, but “Medium-sales, large, and very large farms were more likely to receive Government payments, especially commodity-related payments, than smaller farms,” according to a new report from the USDA’s Economic Research Service.
A small family farm is defined as one with annual sales of less than $250,000. They held 63% of the land owned by farms in 2007, and small-farm households typically do not rely on their farms for their livelihoods. Most of their off-farm income is from jobs or self-employment.
The report says, “As custodians of the bulk of farmland, small farms have a large role in natural resource and environmental policy.” But, commodity-related payments are much larger than conservation payments, accounting for 75% of all Government payments made to farmers. Commodity programs target specific commodities, largely feed and food grains, cotton, and oilseeds. According to the report, “Medium-sales, large, and very large farms were more likely to receive Government payments, especially commodity-related payments, than smaller farms.”
Commodity payments are determined by output and though large-scale farms account for on1y 2% of U.S farms, they account for 84% of the value of production. The report notes three significant features of U.S. farms:
First, small family farms make up 88 percent of all U.S. farms. Second, large-scale family farms—only 9 percent of all farms—account for a disproportionately large, 66-percent share of the value of production. Third, farming is still an industry of family businesses. Ninety-eight percent of farms are family farms, and they account for 82 percent of production. Only 2 percent of U.S farms are nonfamily farms, accounting for the remaining 18 percent of production.
To view the full report from the USDA cited above, go to: Structure and Finances of U.S. Farms, Family Farm Report, 2010 Edition
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Romaine Lettuce (photo by Bosela, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Written by Linda West Eckhardt, The Silver Cloud Diet
The salad’s creation is generally attributed to restaurateur Caesar Cardini (an Italian-born Mexican). Cardini was living in San Diego but also working in Tijuana where he avoided the restrictions of Prohibition. As his daughter Rosa reported, her father invented the dish when a rush of customers on the 4th of July in 1924 depleted the kitchen’s supplies. Cardini made do with what he had, adding the dramatic flair of the table-side tossing by the chef.
The original Caesar salad recipe did not contain pieces of anchovy; the slight anchovy flavor comes from the Worcestershire sauce. Cardini was opposed to using anchovies in his salad. Low carb dieters will want to avoid the croutons.
In the book From Julia Child’s Kitchen, Julia Child describes how she ate a Caesar salad at Cardini’s restaurant when she was a child in 1920s, and some 50 years later she called Cardini’s daughter, in order to discover the original recipe. In this recipe, lettuce leaves are served whole on the plate, because they are meant to be lifted by the stem and eaten with the fingers. It also calls for coddled eggs and extra virgin olive oil.
About the only accommodation we need to make for The Silver Cloud (low carb) Diet is to dispense with the toasted croutons. Once you’ve reached goal weight, you can certainly give yourself a crouton or two.
Linda's Caesar Salad Recipe
Ingredients for 4 servings
• 1 Head romaine lettuce, washed and dried in paper towels, then cut into four parts, lengthwise
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Cloves fresh crushed garlic
• ½ Teaspoon sea salt
• ½ Teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice or lime juice
• 1/2 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Raw or coddled* egg yolks
• 3 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top
Preparation
Keep lettuce chilled until time to serve. The most dramatic way to present this salad, is the way Caesar Cardini did. Get a big wooden salad bowl. Come to the side of the dining table where your eager guests await and make the dressing before their very eyes. Use a fork to whisk oil, garlic, salt and pepper together. Drizzle in vinegar and lemon juice + Worcestershire. Whisk again. Add egg yolks and whisk thoroughly to make an emulsion. Add parmesan cheese. It is best to let the dressing stand a few minutes to let the flavors meld. Add lettuce and turn until all sides are coated (You may want to do this one at a time), then transfer each quarter to a dinner plate. If you wanted to get fancy you could top the salad with grilled chicken, or Italian tuna straight out of the can, or poached salmon. Now that’s lunch.
*Although the risk of salmonella is slight because the dressing is so acidic, some who feel they have compromised immune systems, nursing mothers, and little children and older folks might feel more comfortable coddling the eggs. Nothing could be simpler. Heat water in a small sauce pan. Add a teaspoon of vinegar. Crack the egg and slide it into the simmering water. Don’t let the water boil hard. Cook just until the yolk has a film over it. Lift it from the water with a slotted spoon. You can use the whole egg or just the yolk, which should break nicely into a golden yellow yum. Hold the egg in a small oiled bowl or ramekin until you are ready to compose the salad.
Linda West Eckhardt
To learn more about Linda West Eckhardt’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 have a look at a selection of award-winning olive oils produced in the US, go to: Premium Olive Oils from California
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
Olive Branch (photo by Daniele Musella, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
When you purchase imported olive oil you may not be getting what you paid for.
Laboratory tests conducted by UC Davis found that samples of imported olive oil labeled as “extra virgin” and sold at stores in California often did not meet international and US standards. The failed samples “had defective flavors such as rancid, fusty, and musty.”
Negative results were confirmed by chemical data in 86% of the cases. The chemical testing indicated that the samples failed extra virgin standards for reasons that include one or more of the following:
• Oxidation by exposure to elevated temperatures, light, and/or aging;
• Adulteration with cheaper refined olive oil;
• Poor quality oil made from damaged and overripe olives, processing flaws, and/or improper oil storage.
The scientists conducting the tests found that 9 of 10 California samples were authentic extra virgin olive oils, with one California sample failing the International Olive Council (IOC) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sensory standard for extra virgin.
“Extra virgin” is the top grade of olive oil according to standards established by the IOC and the USDA. In addition to meeting chemistry standards for extra virgin, the oil must have zero defects and greater than zero fruitiness. Over the past several years, trained olive oil tasters who have served on IOC-recognized sensory panels have reported to the UC Davis Olive Center that much of the olive oil sold in the United States as “extra virgin” does not meet this modest sensory standard.
Moreover, there have been multiple media reports of fraud in the olive oil business, where extra virgin olive oils have been adulterated with cheaper refined oils such as hazelnut oil. Another method is to adulterate extra virgin olive oil with cheaper refined olive oil, thereby making chemical detection of adulteration more difficult.
To view the full report from the UC Davis researchers cited above, go to: Tests indicate that imported “extra virgin”olive oil often fails international and USDA standards
To have a look at some award-winning olive oils produced in the US, go to: Premium Olive Oils from California
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
Water Pour (© Photographer: Tracy Hebden | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
“More than 93% of the general population has some BPA in their bodies.”
Bad news for folks drinking water from plastic bottles in pursuit of safety and good health, leading them to pay 1,000 times as much for their drinking water. They need to know that the water they are drinking is likely to be contaminated with highly toxic BPA.
BPA stands for Bisphenol A, a synthetic chemical that interferes with the body’s natural hormonal messaging system. According to the Environment California Research & Policy Center, which reviewed 130 studies on the topic, BPA has been linked to altered development of the brain and behavioral changes, a predisposition to prostate and breast cancer, reproductive harm, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. BPA can wreak havoc on children’s developing systems.
NRDC Files Lawsuit to Ban BPA
The Natural Resources Defense Council has filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration for its failure to act on a petition to ban the use of BPA in food packaging, food containers, and other materials likely to come into contact with food. NRDC filed the lawsuit in U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
In October 2008, NRDC petitioned the FDA to prohibit the use of BPA in food packaging to prevent the toxic chemical from contaminating food. The FDA has failed to take action in response to the petition for more than 18 months, although the agency expressed concern about the effects of early life exposure to BPA on brain development and the prostate gland of fetuses, infants, and children.
BPA Is Ubiquitois in Food & Water Packages
BPA is found in wide variety of products, including the lining of liquid infant formula cans, soda or beer cans, fruit or vegetable cans, and pizza boxes as well as consumer products made from polycarbonate plastics, including baby bottles, sippy cups, and reusable water bottles. Much of that packing ends up in landfills, posing a severe threat to the health of the environment.
The re-use of plastic bottles leads to normal wear and tear and increases the chance that chemicals will leak out of the tiny cracks and crevices that develop over time. By law, tap water is subjected to more testing than bottled water and almost certain to be a safer alternative. More than 93% of the general population has some BPA in their bodies, primarily from exposure through food and water contamination and other preventable exposures.
Alternatives to BPA are Available
“BPA-free alternatives are already available and on the market. The FDA has no good reason to drag their feet on banning it,” said Dr. Sarah Janssen, a senior scientist in the Environment and Public Health program at NRDC. “It’s upsetting that food is most people’s primary source of exposure to BPA. The FDA should act now to eliminate this unnecessary risk.”
“The FDA has failed to safeguard the food supply and protect the public from harm,” said
Aaron Colangelo, an attorney with NRDC. “The FDA’s failure to regulate this chemical in food packaging in unjustified, and so we are forced to ask the court to intervene and order the agency to take action.”
About NRDC
The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.3 million members and online activists, served from offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Beijing.
To learn more about the reasons behind NRDC’s lawsuit, go to: The Natural Resources Defense Council
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
Peach Tree (photo by Álvaro Daniel González Lamarque, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Sweet Melissa Patisserie has been hailed by Food & Wine as “one of the best pastry shops in all of New York.” Melissa Murphy is the founder of the popular bakery and she dates her love of desserts to the day she was born. It was Thanksgiving Day and her mom refused to go to the hospital until the two pies she had baked had been served.
Sharing her mom's passion for baking, Melissa has a terrific book to help baking enthusiasts turn out great treats at home. Besides offering scores of mouth-watering baking recipes, the book is filled with wonderful anecdotes and warm memories from Melissa's life of baking.
Here’s a recipe from her book that was inspired by her family’s purchases from the farm stand at Briermere Farm on the North Fork of Long Island. On the way home from their summer house the family would “stop to stretch and pick up fresh vegetables and a couple of their homemade pies.” Melissa writes, "Their peach raspberry pie alone made the entire trip worthwhile.” This recipe is Melissa’s take on that old family favorite.
Ingredients for One 10-Inch Pie
For the Piecrust see the Flaky Pie Dough recipe on page 137 of Melissa’s book, use your own recipe or purchase one ready for the oven.
For Peach Raspberry Pie Filling
• ¾ Cup sugar, plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons tapioca pearls, ground to flour in a spice grinder
• 1/8 Teaspoon of salt
• 6 Cups peeled & sliced ripe peaches (about 3¼ pounds)
• 1 Dry pint fresh raspberries
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
For the Egg Wash
• 1 Large egg
• 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 Pinch of kosher salt
Preparation
1. Roll out the pie dough into two rounds, 14 inches wide and ¼ inch thick. Gently fit onto a 10-inch pie plate, and lay the other flat on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble, at least 30 minutes.
2. Before you make the filling, position a rack in the bottom third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
To Make the Filling:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, tapioca flour, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the peaches, raspberries, and zest. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the fruit and stir gently to combine.
3. Pour the fruit mixture into the unbaked pie shell.
4. Place the second dough layer over the filled pie shell. Fold under the edge and crimp.
To Complete the Pie:
1. For the egg wash: Using a fork, combine the egg with the heavy cream and salt.
2. Brush the top crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of sugar. Cut 4 steam vents in the top crust.
3. Place pie plate on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling and thick. Remove to a wire rack to cool to room temperature before serving.
Melissa says, “Fresh fruit pies are best eaten the day they are baked. This pie tastes great with freshly whipped cream (page 131).”
If you’d like to purchase a copy of Melissa Murphy’s delightful book go to: The Sweet Melissa Baking Book
To view a previous post on Melissa's book go to: The Sweet Melissa Baking Book Review
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
Shrimp & Clams (photo by joeb, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
In the film “Food Inc.” Gary Hirshberg, chief executive officer of Stonyfield Farm, asserts that large companies will respond to consumer pressure and offer sustainable foods when customers demand them. The filmed showed how Walmart began carrying Stonyfield Organic Yogurt, making Stonyfield the No. 3 brand in the United States.
Now Delhaize America has announced its 1,600 stores will operate under a new sustainable seafood sourcing program. The company is a major player in the supermarket industry. Its stores include Hannaford, Sweetbay, Bottom Dollar Food, Food Lion, Bloom, Harveys and Reid's. The supermarkets will move to selling seafood managed to sustain the availability of seafood for current and future generations.
Encouraging Local Sourcing
The supermarkets' new seafood policy requires suppliers to verify that seafood is coming from sources managed for sustainability and encourages sourcing locally. The requirement applies to all seafood in the stores, including fresh, frozen and packaged fish and shellfish. All suppliers are required to be compliant with the program by March 31, 2011.
"We want our shoppers to have confidence that seafood they buy from us is from fisheries that are viable and maintained for the future," said George Parmenter, a Corporate Responsibility manager for Delhaize America. "The health of fisheries is important to us as a retailer, both for the long-term product supply and for reducing the environmental impacts of products we sell. Our company is committed to operating responsibly."
Sustainable Certifications
The new sustainable seafood sourcing program was developed in close partnership with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI), a non-profit marine science center. The comprehensive sustainable seafood policy requires all suppliers demonstrate that their seafood products come from well-managed fisheries. The fisheries, which could also be certified under a variety of sustainable certifications (such as the Marine Stewardship Council), must demonstrate a detailed management plan which includes the following components:
• Establishing plans to rebuild stock sizes within a specific timeframe if stock size levels are below target levels.
• Providing sufficient data to determine appropriate harvest levels or practices.
• Implementing monitoring and compliance measures to ensure harvest levels are maintained within acceptable limits.
• Maintaining enforcement policies to ensure harvesters follow regulations, and to prevent illegal practices and unreported harvest.
Farm-Raised Seafood
In the case of farm-raised seafood, suppliers must be certified by the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), a program of the Global Aquaculture Alliance. BAP certification ensures that the production of the product does not negatively impact communities, workers, the environment, or human health through inappropriate use of chemicals or drugs.
Sustainability Requires Traceability
Another core component of the policy is the requirement that all seafood be fully traceable to the port of landing or farm. As a result, all Delhaize America supermarkets will have immediate access to information about where the product was harvested, thus enabling the company to confirm claims around sustainable harvest.
The company has also built rewards into the system for seafood businesses that adopt sustainable harvesting practices, such as strategies to minimize accidental catch of fish not intended for market or to prevent damage to marine habitats. All seafood products sold in Delhaize America's 1,600 stores must demonstrate compliance with the policy or show a clear action plan to reach compliance by March 31, 2011.
"The new policy encourages ongoing improvement in sustainability practices and promotes local fisheries," added Parmenter. "Our customers prefer local seafood, and we believe buying local provides fresh food, supports our local economies, and reduces environmental impacts from transporting seafood from longer distances. Through this work, we will ensure that the local seafood we've always sourced for customers will be healthy for the local environment and around for future generations to enjoy."
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Fresh Crab (photo by Schmitee, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Written by Linda West Eckhardt, The Silver Cloud Diet
Quick!. How many dishes can you name that owe their fame to the moniker of the person credited with inventing the dish? Caesar Salad. Pavlova. Chicken Stroganoff. Oysters Rockefeller. Every one of these recipes was named for the person who either invented the dish, or revered it.
Today, we’re gonna make a Crab Louis. No. It was not named for a French King. But rather for a Spokane, Washington hotelier named Davenport, yes, Louis Davenport, who kept inventing dishes for the ubiquitous Dungeness crab that abounds on the Pacific coast.
Like many of the other famous dishes named for a person, the Crab Louis is known for its sumptuous dressing made on a mayonnaise base. And like a lot of other famous dishes, it fits perfectly well into the Silver Cloud Diet.
Cause, like we keep telling you, on the Silver Cloud, you do not have to suffer. We’re gonna give you a series of these famous dishes which taste great and will help you stick to your diet with aplomb. Stay tuned for some of the other dishes mentioned above, as well as other recipes to make you glad you’re on your Silver Cloud.
Crab Louis Recipe
Ingredient for 4 Servings
• 3 Cups mesclun salad greens
• 1 Pound fresh jumbo lump crab meat, picked over (Blue, Dungeness or Swimming)
• 4 Medium tomatoes, quartered
• 4 Hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered
Louis Dressing
• 1 Cup mayonnaise
• ¼ Cup heavy cream, whipped
• 2 Tablespoons minced scallions
• 2 Tablespoons minced parsley
• 2 Tablespoons minced tomato
• 2 Tablespoons minced green bell pepper
• 2 Teaspoons lemon juice + grated zest of half a lemon
• 1 Teaspoon prepared horseradish
• Sea salt and coarse ground pepper to taste
Preparation
On dinner plates, divide the salad greens, mound crab on top, then stir together dressing and spoon over the crab. Garnish each plate with tomatoes and eggs.
Linda West Eckhardt
To learn more about Linda West Eckhardt’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
Water on Fire (© 2010 International WOW Company)
The ordinary tap water available to 12 million residents in the New York Metropolitan area has been reliably clean and flavorful since 1842, when an aqueduct was built to bring pristine water from upstate to the city. For years the prideful city's water has been a consistent winner in blind taste tests. Easy to take for granted, it comes as a shock to learn it is now endangered by natural gas drilling.
For a couple of years there have been media reports from Pennsylvania to Texas of drinking water so tainted that folks are able to light the water from their kitchen tap on fire. There have been more than 300 instances of contaminated water in Colorado since 2003, and more than 700 instances in New Mexico, according to Bruce Baizel, senior staff attorney with Earthworks’ Oil & Gas Accountability Project. In West Virginia a once lushly forested area has been transformed into a dead zone.
Fracking in Gasland
Josh Fox made the Sundance award-winning documentary “Gasland” after he was asked to lease his land for gas drilling. That led him to embark on a cross-country odyssey. As the website for the show “Now” on PBS explains, his journey led to a film that “alleges chronic illness, animal-killing toxic waste, disastrous explosions, and regulatory missteps.” It will be broadcast on HBO through 2012. The DVD goes on sale in December of 2010.
“Gasland” shows tap water being set ablaze and explores the drilling process known as fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, a technology developed by Halliburton. Millions of gallons water, chemicals and sand are injected into the ground under high pressure, cracking shale and tight rocks to allow gas to flow more freely from the well. It is a toxic mixture and believed to be the prime culprit in the pollution of groundwater in areas surrounding drilling sites. Even drinking water hundreds of miles from a well can be contaminated.
Hundreds of Thousands of New Wells Coming
It is hard to believe that risking the health of millions in order to extract natural gas would even be considered, but the N.Y.S. Department of Environmental Conservation is close to issuing a final Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement on gas drilling using hydraulic fracturing near a major watershed in upstate New York. The SGEIS is expected to facilitate the process for fracking near a vital watershed. Concerned citizens are asking for a delay until DEC can study and integrate the conclusions of a full report on gas drilling from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Residents of New York are not alone in facing a future threat to the safety of their drinking water. According to an article published by ProPublica in December of 2009:
In the next 10 years, the United States will use the fracturing technology to drill hundreds of thousands of new wells astride cities, rivers and watersheds. Cash-strapped state governments are pining for the revenue and the much-needed jobs that drilling is expected to bring to poor, rural areas.
Keep Drinking Water Safe
Incredibly, a loophole exempts natural gas drilling from the Safe Drinking Water Act. Drilling companies don’t even have to disclose the almost 600 chemicals that might be used in fracking and find their way into drinking water. Fortunately, our friends at Food & Water Watch have provided a way for concerned citizens to make their voices heard by contacting elected representatives. Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food. The organization challenges abuse of food and water resources by empowering people to take action.
To send a message to your elected representative to protect drinking water, go to: Food & Water Watch: Take Action
To see a trailer for the documentary film cited above, go to: Gasland the Movie
To view the ProPublica article cited above, go to: Natural Gas Drilling: What We Don’t Know
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To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter
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On the Scale (photo by Clara Natoli, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
The USDA Dietary Guidelines are a leading cause of the American health and obesity crisis, according to some of the scientists, nutritionists and consumers who testified last Thursday at a USDA public hearing on the report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC). Dissenters argued that the proposed 2010 revisions to the Dietary Guidelines are worse, and will not prevent obesity and will only increase degenerative disease in the U.S.
Those testifying against the Guidelines said the Committee misused of scientific data to justify a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. Dr. Jeff Volek, scientist and academic researcher at the University of Connecticut, noted that the DGAC report ignored scientific studies showing the effectiveness of low carbohydrate diets for weight loss. “Americans deserve to have official support for the low-carb dietary option,” he said.
"I have followed the work of the DGAC all the way through this process as an academic project. I have dug into their nutrition evidence library,” said Adele Hite, a graduate student in nutrition and public health at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. “Time after time, the scientific evidence the DGAC cited to oppose low-carb diets actually says the exact opposite of the Committee’s conclusions." Hite testified to losing sixty pounds on a low-carbohydrate diet.
Morton Satin of the Salt Institute sharply criticized the Committee’s recommendation to reduce sodium consumption to 1500 mg per day. "The Committee is suggesting that Americans consume less than 4 grams of salt per day. No modern society consumes so little salt, making this proposal nothing less than a call for an uncontrolled experiment on more than 300 million Americans.” Satin provided references showing the critical role of salt in digestion, blood pressure regulation and brain development.
Advocates for a Low-Carbohydrate Diet
Four of the dissenters presented the views of the Nutrition and Metabolism Society, a group of nutrition researchers and medical professionals who have studied the benefits of a low-carbohydrate diet for weight loss, insulin regulation and protection against chronic disease. “We expected the new guidelines to recognize current research that vindicates saturated fats as a cause of heart disease and weight gain, and to acknowledge the demonstrated benefits of lower carbohydrate diets,” said Dr. Richard Feinman of Downstate University, New York.
In response to the DGAC report, the Nutrition and Metabolism Society recently launched the Committee for a Healthy Nation (CHN). "The CHN is a working coalition of professionals who oppose the low-fat, plant-based thrust of the DGAC report. We feel strongly that the scientific evidence omitted from or misrepresented by their report must be considered in the final outcome," said Feinman.
"Five years ago, I was the lone voice testifying against the guidelines,” said Sally Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation and member of the CHN. “This year I was happy to be joined by members of the medical and research community in opposition to USDA’s unscientific prescription." Fallon Morell’s testimony focused on nutrient deficiencies common in those following low-fat diets.
Dr. Feinman challenged the DGAC panel to an open public debate on the scientific evidence underpinning the Guidelines. "Our nation's citizens need a range of dietary options to choose from, not a one-size-fits-all approach. We must allow for lifestyle, activity levels and metabolism as factors in choosing an optimal diet for each individual.”
To learn more about advocacy for a low-carbohydrate diet, go to: The Nutrition and Metabolism Society
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
Farm Field (photo by diggerdanno, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Kudos to those who have let their views be known when it comes to the advertising of unhealthy foods on television programs aimed at children. It appears to be having a positive effect.
A new study says there have been “substantial decreases in exposure to ads for the most heavily advertised sugar-sweetened beverages” and exposure to sweets ads fell as well. On the down side, the researchers report that exposure to fast food ads has actually increased.
An article on the study was published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. It was authored by researchers affiliated with the Institute for Health Research and Policy and the Department of Economics at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The Unhealthy Consequences
What comes of selling food loaded with empty calories to children? According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16% of children ages 6 to 19 years old are overweight or obese, a number that has tripled to 9 million kids since 1980. Type 2 diabetes is an illness linked to obesity, and was once almost unknown in children. But for those born in the U.S. in 2000, the risk of being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at some point in their lives is estimated to be about 30% for boys and 40% for girls.
A Direct & Powerful Link Between Ads & Eating Habits
Experiments conducted by researchers at Yale University found “a direct and powerful link between television food advertising and calories consumed by adults and children.” The research appeared in the July 2009 issue of the journal Health Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association.
The lead author of the study, Jennifer Harris, PhD, at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale said, “Food advertising triggers automatic eating, regardless of hunger, and is a significant contributor to the obesity epidemic. Reducing unhealthy food advertising to children is critical.”
The Power of Pester
Corporate Accountability International, a nonprofit watchdog group, has published a research paper on the topic of food advertising aimed at children, “Clowning With Kids’ Health, The Case for Ronald McDonald’s Retirement.”
CAI’s report offers some interesting insights on the practice of advertising to children so they will pester parents to buy products:
Advertisers understand that it takes a lot of fortitude for a parent to continue to say no, when saying yes is the path of least resistance. They also understand that even health-conscious parents are inclined to give-in after a long day at work or after busily shuttling kids from school to soccer practice to piano lessons and beyond. Not only have they classified nagging tactics into seven major categories from pleading nags to pity nags, they’ve even gone so far as to categorize parents according to identified stress factors and conditions (such as income, marital status, and guilt) that make a parent more vulnerable to the nagging of their children.
To view the U. of Illinois study cited above, go to: Trends in Exposure to Television Food Advertisements Among Children and Adolescents in the United States
To view the CAI research cited above, go to: Clowning With Kids’ Health, The Case for Ronald McDonald’s Retirement
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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
Venetian-Style Grilled Lobster (photo courtesy of The Harvard Common Press)
Thriving among the many rocks in the cold, shallow waters along the coast of Maine is an incomparable delicacy, the Maine Lobster, one of the country’s most sustainably harvested seafoods. Lobster used to be a poor man's shellfish. Back in the day they were so numerous around Cape Cod that residents deemed them pests. Now, of course, lobster is a luxury food.
Grilling lobsters can seem daunting at first, but it's essentially easy if you follow the preparation steps below. The recipe is the creation of Karen Adler and Judith Fertig, affectionately known as the ‘BBQ Queens’. They’ve authored more than 20 cookbooks and taught thousands of students the secrets of grilling, smoking, planking, and cooking fish and shellfish. You might have seen them when they appeared on the Food Network's 'Grill Gals' special.
This recipe comes from their newly released book, “25 Essentials: Techniques for Grilling Fish.” The book is an inexpensive “must have” for those who love both seafood and outdoor grilling.
Ingredients for 8 Servings
• Eight 1¼ to 1½-pound Maine Lobsters
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher or sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ½ Cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 Lemons, quartered
Preparation
1. Have the fishmonger cut the lobsters in half lengthwise and remove the vein and sack from the head, or do it yourself with a chef's knife.
2. Prepare an indirect hot fire in a grill. Oil the grill grates.
3. Brush both sides of the lobsters with oil. Place the lobsters cut side down on the grill for 4 or 5 minutes, or until you see grill marks. Turn the lobsters over and cook until the flesh is firm and white, another 3 to 4 minutes. If the lobster is not done, move to the indirect side of the grill and continue to cook for several more minutes until the desired doneness is reached. Do not overcook or the meat will be rubbery.
4. Place flesh side up on plates or a platter, drizzle with olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the parsley. (Of course, if you have your heart set on drawn butter with your lobster, who are we to deny you?) Serve with quartered lemons so each diner can squeeze lemon juice on the lobster, if desired.
For more info about the book in which this recipe is included, go to:25 Essentials: Techniques for Grilling Fish
To order a world class, hand-picked olive oil from California's Stella Cadente, go to: L'Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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
Squash (photo by Imagina, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Written by Louise Infante, Vegetarian Menu Blog
Give me a few minutes and I’ll give you a very good reason to become vegetarian.
While fish serves as the major dietary way to obtain the healthy, long-chain omega-3 acids (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids) essential to supporting brain health, low intake of those acids by vegetarians doesn't adversely affect mood, according to newly published research from Arizona State University.
The study team conducted a cross-sectional study to check the mood of vegetarians who never eat fish with the mood of healthy omnivorous adults. A report on the study was published in Nutrition Journal.
An overall total of 138 healthy Seventh Day Adventist adults residing in Arizona and California (64 vegetarians and 79 non-vegetarians) were enrolled in the study and completed a health history questionnaire, food frequency questionnaire and a couple psychometric tests, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and the Profile of Mood States.
The researchers found that vegetarians had significantly lower mean intakes of long-chain omega-3 acids and the omega-6 arachidonic acid, but higher intakes of the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid and the omega-6 linoleic acid.
According to a report published in Plant Physiology, “Seed oils are the richest sources of alpha-linolenic acid, notably those of rapeseed (canola), soybeans, walnuts, flaxseed (Linseed oil), clary sage seeds, perilla, chia, and hemp."
Vegetarians also reported less negative emotion than omnivores in psychometric tests. Mean total psychometric scores were positively in connection with the mean intakes of long-chain omega-3 acids and arachidonic acid, and inversely linked to alpha-linolenic acid and linolenic acid intake.
The study team noted there is also the chance that vegetarians may make better dietary choices and could generally be healthier and happier.
If you want to give it a try, here is a good example of a vegetarian recipe based on Italian cuisine:
Italian Spaghetti with Zucchini
Ingredients
• 17 Ounces spaghetti
• 24 Ounces thin sliced zucchini
• ½ Cup of walnut oil
• A few basil leaves
• 2 Tablespoons of yeast flakes
• Salt and pepper
Preparation
In a large skillet heat the oil and when hot, add garlic and zucchini. Raise heat and stir often to complete their cooking. They should be golden and crispy outside and tender inside. Cook the pasta, drain and sauté in pan with zucchini, basil and yeast. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Notes: Zucchini contain few calories and have no fat, but they are an excellent source of potassium, vitamin E, ascorbic acid, folate, lutein and zeaxanthin. These types of nutrients are very sensitive to heat and to enjoy their benefits you should look for a quick solution to cook or even eat raw in salads. From the therapeutic standpoint, zucchini have laxative, refreshing, anti-inflammatory, diuretic and detoxifying action.
Louise Infante
About the Author
Louise Infante writes for the Vegetarian Menu Blog. She started her blog in 2009 to raise awareness on healthy eating habits and its associated benefits. The offers vegetarian food preparation tips to help individuals live better and support those living with diseases on a daily basis. She lives with her husband in Louisiana.
To get more of Louise’s tips and tasty veggie recipes, go to: Vegetarian Menu Blog
To view the report on the ASU study cited above, go to: Vegetarian diets are associated with healthy mood states
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
Beach Fun (photo by Nesstor4u2, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
“Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.” -Michael Pollan, 'Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual'
Chemists at major food companies have been coming up with colorings to help market foods for generations, products often targeted at kids. Concerns about the safety of the chemical dyes additives go back as far as 1960, and a recent study suggests those fears have been well founded.
A recent report from the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest says:
…studies of the nine dyes currently approved by the FDA suggest, if not prove, that most of the dyes cause health problems, including cancer, hypersensitivity, or neurotoxicity (including hyperactivity). And that’s the case even though most of the research was commissioned, conducted, and interpreted by the chemical industry itself and its testing labs and academic consultants.
That is particularly troubling because food dyes are tested for safety individually, even though food marketers add them in various combinations, likely heightening the risk. Adding to the threat are impurities that might be “upwards of 10 percent…Yellow 5, the second-most widely used dye, may contain up to 13 percent of a witch’s brew of organic and inorganic chemicals,” says the report.
CSPI says it “has urged several major multinational companies that do not use dyes in Europe to do the same in the United States.” Most of those companies said European government has urged them not to use dyes, but they would continue adding dyes in the U.S. until they were ordered to stop or consumers demanded such foods.
To view the full report from CSPI cited above, go to: Center for Science in the Public Interest
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
Classic Mint Julep (photos courtesy of The Harvard Common Press)
There’s no more American Holiday to celebrate than the 4th of July and this recipe offers a terrific twist on that timeless southern cocktail, the mint julep. It’s the creation of Chris McMillian who reigns supreme at the Bar on Common in New Orleans Renaissance Pere Marquette Hotel. His take on the mint julep? “Who has not tasted one has lived in vain.”
Mint juleps made Chris’s way may not be entirely traditional, but they are damn good. This recipe is featured Fred Thompson’s newly published ode to the great American whiskey, “Bourbon, 50 Rousing Recipes for a Classic American Spirit” (page 29). It’s a thoroughly entertaining celebration of the uniquely American spirit in all its forms. The history Mr. Thompson serves up is a very pleasant read and the lovely photography accompanying the drink recipes is all the inspiration needed to break out the shaker and stirrer.
Silver-plated julep cups are the preferred vessel for this refresher, but experience tells that a chilled old-fashioned glass will do nicely in a pinch.
Ingredients for 1 Drink
• 12 to 15 Fresh mint leaves, plus 1 sprig for garnish
• 1 Ounce peach syrup, such as Monin
• Finely crushed ice
• 2½ Ounces bourbon
• Superfine sugar
Preparation
1. Place the mint and ¼ ounce of the peach syrup in a julep cup or old-fashioned glass and gently crush the mint leaves with a wooden muddler, working them up the sides of the glass.
2. Loosely pack the glass with finely crushed ice, then add your bourbon. Drizzle the remaining peach syrup on top. Lightly dust the mint sprig with sugar, and garnish the drink with it. Serve immediately.
For more information on Fred Thompson’s ode to the Great American Spirit, go to: Bourbon, 50 Rousing Recipes for a Classic American Spirit
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
Sunset on the Gulf Coast (photo by Keyseeker, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
For generations families have earned their livings by harvesting the Gulf’s abundance of oysters, shrimp and fresh fish. Their livelihoods are now devastated by BP’s criminally reckless and predictably disastrous business practices. Only the hopelessly optimistic can believe those livelihoods will return any time soon.
Americans are almost universally aware of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the vast majority is understandably worried about the safety of Gulf seafood, according to a consumer confidence poll conducted by The Food Industry Center at the University of Minnesota. Ninety-nine percent (99%) of those surveyed for the study said they were aware of the spill. Eighty-five percent (85%) said they are following news about it closely or have heard a lot about it.
"Given the amount of news coverage the oil spill has received, these results may not be surprising, but it does show that consumers are connecting the event to food safety," said Dennis Degeneffe, a research fellow at The Food Industry Center.
The Center’s poll indicates that harvesters living along the Gulf coast won’t be alone when it comes to losing income. When asked how the oil spill will affect their consumption of seafood, 54% of respondents said it will have some impact. Forty-four percent (44%) of that group said they no longer eat seafood that comes from the Gulf of Mexico. Another 31% said they will eat less seafood regardless of where it comes from.
Largest Gulf Spill Facing Hurricane Season
Using the high-end numbers of the latest government estimates, 140 million gallons of oil have spilled into the Gulf since BP’s Deepwater Horizon exploded on April 20th, killing eleven platform workers. That makes it the largest oil spill that has ever struck the Gulf of Mexico, with a flow rate roughly equivalent to an Exxon Valdez disaster every week. There is no definitive date for when the flow will be curtailed.
Hurricane Alex made landfall near the Texas-Mexico border late Wednesday and early Thursday morning and has hampered cleanup efforts. Meteorologist Joe Bastardi of Accuweather.com forecasts 18 to 21 named storms for the hurricane season running from June 1st until November 30th. Only five years in the 160 years of records had 18 or more storms in a season.
"The hurricane season should have several hits on the U.S. coast from July through September, mainly in the Southeast and Gulf," said Bastardi.
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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