Silly Food Questionaire

I enjoy or better yet, I'm ADDICTED to reading blogs. Not just blogs. I am a bibliophile by nature. Even instruction manuals are interesting to me. But seriously, I love blogs. And as you may imagine, I read many food blogs, A LOT.

This afternoon as I took a break from cleaning my house, I logged on to see what new food blogs are out there. Great stuff! I highly suggest you Google "food blogs." You won't be disappointed. But don't forget about mine! One of the blogs I read had one of those "Getting to know me" type questionnaires. I thought it might be fun to share with you here, and if you have a food blog, maybe you might want to fill out the questionnaire and add it to your food blog.

Name: Adriana Contreras

Occupation: Currently a stay at home mommy.

Neighborhood: By the ocean, Fort Lauderdale, FLORIDA

Relationship status: Happily single after a very turbulent and destructive
relationship.

What did you eat today?
Ugh. Bad question. For someone that loves to cook I didn't eat
well today.

For breakfast I had: Nothing
For lunch I had: 2 Glasses of
water and a piece of gum
For a snack: I had fresh,
homemade, mozzarella cheese with saltine crackers.
For dinner I had: White rice
cooked with peas and carrots, plantains and a rare small potato
from Colombia south America called "papa criolla," and a fried
egg.

I know I should have breakfast but I don't. It makes me nautious.I know I should have had lunch because skipping meals is not only unhealthy but also messes with my metabolism, but hey it's Sunday and I make this my lazy day. Sometimes even when it comes to eating. My dinner may sound odd, but let me tell you, don't knock it till you try it. It was DELISH!

What do you never eat? Okra. The slimy texture gives me the queasy stomach.

What can always be found in your fridge? Tomatoes, cilantro, parsley, chives, fresh cheeses, and any fruits and veggies that are in season for my area.


What is your quick run to meal when you don't have a lot of time to cook? Pasta.

What is your favorite kitchen item? Hmmm...this is hard one. I have every kitchen gadget and appliance in existence. (At least I'd like to think I do). I'd really have to think about this one. Let's...my awesome kitchen knives? Or maybe my amazing cookware set? Or my favorite, HUGE bamboo cutting board? I don't know. Too many items to list I supposed.

Where do you eat out most frequently? I love sushi, Thai and Indian food so local restaurant so of this cuisine would have to be my most visited. It's most def not fast food. I never eat that. Or may I should say rarely. Maybe 2 times a year at most.

What would your last meal be if you heard would end tomorrow. To be honest with you. If the world was to end tomorrow, I wouldn't be thinking of my last meal.

What is the dish you prepare that people are most fond of? My lasagna

What is your least favorite cuisine? Italian. Yes...I know that my most famous dish is Italian and that my quick run to meal is Italian, so you would think I liked the food but to be honest, it all blends together for me. The only thing really different in the pasta shapes and sizes, and that is just too boring for me.

Do you have a favorite cookbook? I don't have one favorite, but I go through different favorites all the time. I collect cook books and am close to having about 100 of them in my collection.


What is it about food that inspires you so much? The colors, textures, tastes. The exotic aspect of cuisines that are unfamiliar to me. It allows me to emerse myself into cultures I am not otherwise able to see or visit.


What is the first thing you remember cooking? I believe I was in 3rd grade and came home from Brownies or Girlscouts, I don't remember which. We had learned how to make French toast and I was so eager to make it for my parents and show them whatI had learned.


What does your diet consist of? I mostly eat organic. The taste is just different, and the benefits are tremendous. Its especially important for me to havemy daughter eat organic. She has been eating organic since the first time she ever took a bite of food. Salads are my favorite food so we eat a lot of raw veggies. Cooked as well, but I prefer raw because it holds on to its enzymes better this way.


Supermarket, Whole Foods, fresh outdoor market? I shop first and foremost at local outdoor markets and then at Whole Foods. Grocery stores are my last pick. I can't stand what they do to the foods now days and how much they harm us.


What do you want to learn to cook that you don't know how to prepare yet? I am Latina, from Colombia. I don't know how to cook too many of our typical dishes. I would love to learn how to make some of them. My grandmother is an excellent cook. I plan on asking her to teach me when she comes to visit in November.

McDonald's Moves Closer to Pesticide-Free French Fries

BY Ariel Schwartz


McDonald's french fries are crunchy, delightfully salty, and covered in pesticides. That last point may not be true for much longer now that the company has agreed to survey and promote best practices in potato pesticide use reduction. McDonald's Corp., the largest purchaser of potatoes in the U.S., will disclose its findings to shareholders and in its annual corporate social responsibility report.

Since McDonald's doesn't grow its own potatoes, the company will ask suppliers like ConAgra and J.R. Simplot to cut down pesticide use. And since ConAgra and J.R. Simplot also supply potatoes to other companies, McDonald's will succeed in shaking up the entire potato supply chain. Imagine the positive repercussions if it did the same thing for, say, tomatoes.

Next up for MickeyD's: spearheading a better-beef coalition along with Cargill, Wal-Mart, and trade and environmental groups. The company already buys stock from sustainable fisheries and recycles 100% of its frying oil in the U.K. into biodiesel.

Whether McDonald's pesticide initiative succeeds remains to be seen, but it is an important step regardless for an industry that is not exactly known for social responsibility.

ADRIANA'S PERSONAL NOTE: Since as far back as I can remember into my childhood, I don't recall my mother ever offering to take me to eat fast food. I myself am a mother now, and am proud to continue the tradition. In part because of how on healthy it is, in another, because it's just disgusting. However, now that I know McDonalds is becoming more aware of what they serves there customers, I may take a little trip to McDees with Vanessa-Alexandra and give her a taste of some of the best fries in the world! ; )

Transform your Kitchen Into the Perfect Bake Space

TRANSFORM YOUR KITCHEN INTO THE PERFECT BAKE SPACE
by Jamie Goldberg, AKBD, CAPS

As a professional kitchen designer, the complaints I hear most frequently from baking enthusiasts include:

"I don't have enough storage space."
"I don't have enough counter space."
"My oven doesn't work well."
"I can never find what I need."


Part of my job is to remedy such problems, so here are a few strategies and products I recommend to clients to help make their baking experience as delightful as their baked goods.


DEFINE A BAKING CENTER
Any successful design or organization project begins with a plan, and transforming your kitchen is no exception. The transformation begins with the baking equipment you own and the ingredients you keep on hand.

Pull all your baking items from where they're usually stored and set them out together. This will show you how much counter top and drawer/shelf space you need to create a dedicated "baking center."

If you bake at least once a week, you should plan to set up your baking center within your refrigerator-sink-range/cooktop work triangle (i.e., the high-traffic workspace near your most used major appliances).

BAKING CENTER STORAGE
Once you've determined how much room you need and where it will be located, it's time to outfit your personal baking space. I recommend drawer dividers to keep your whisks, spatulas, mixing spoons and other small items separate and organized. In addition, tray dividers work well in narrow cabinets for storing baking sheets and muffin tins (storing such items vertically can save a lot of space). If you have the room, a stand mixer lift will keep your counter tops clear when your mixer is not in use. Backsplash racks or ledges are ideal for storing spices.


BAKING CENTER APPLIANCES
If you're planning to replace your oven or microwave anytime soon, here are three types that can save you space and multiply your cooking power:

Single-Double Wall Oven - This unit packs two ovens and convection power into a single oven unit. So if you have room only for a single oven, now you can have a double instead.
Steam/Convect Oven - This oven can cook an entrée and a dessert at the same time using both convection and steam power.

Lift Oven - This unique oven can be installed on an open wall above a countertop, thus increasing your baking capacity without adding any cabinetry. It's also ideal for anyone who has a tough time bending to remove food from a range or below-countertop oven.


BAKING CENTER COUNTER TOPS
While bakers have long enjoyed marble as a cool surface for rolling dough, I recommend engineered stone/quartz countertops as a 21st Century replacement. Like marble, quartz offers a cool, smooth surface, but it's far more durable and non-porous. This last attribute means you don't need to worry about food-borne bacteria seeping into your top, especially for the many recipes that employ eggs.

FINAL THOUGHTS
If you're an avid baker and fortunate enough to have extra space around your kitchen, it might be worth setting up a completely independent baking center work station. I strongly recommend working with a kitchen design professional who can help plan and install such a project. The National Kitchen & Bath Association is an excellent resource for finding someone qualified to help you achieve a successful outcome that enhances your wonderful hobby, as well as your home's value.

ABOUT THE WRITER
Jamie Goldberg, AKBD, CAPS is an independent, NKBA-certified kitchen designer based in Tampa, FL. She writes regularly on design, architecture and remodeling issues for local, national and online publications. You can find more on Jamie's blog: Gold Notes: Nuggets from the World of Residential Design.




NOTE: PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THE PHOTOGRAPH I HAVE POSTED ON THIS POST IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT IS RECOMMENDED BELOW. I SIMPLY DID NOT HAVE ANOTHER PHOTOGRAPH TO REPRESENT A BAKE SPACE. PLEASE BASE YOUR BACK SPACE ON THE NOTES BELOW AND NOT ON THE PHOTOGRAPH.

The info below was taken from bakespace.com. One of my all time favorite social networking sites for those that love to cook and bake. If you are not a member and you enjoy cooking or baking and meeting others with your interest, I highly recommend it. Right now they are giving away prizes so its a good time to join and you never know, you might win something!

Wine: Fix "Corked" Wine with a Bowl and Plastic Wrap

Fix "Corked" Wine with a Bowl and Plastic Wrap
By Kevin Purdy, 5:30 AM on Thu Jan 15 2009, 25,882 views
Dinner's cooked, the guests are arriving, so you pop open that nice bottle of red and—ugh, what is that? If you're stuck with a "corked" bottle, here's how you can minimize the dankness.

In a New York Times article on wine's flavorful reactions to just about everything, out comes a tip from Andrew Waterhouse, a professor of wine chemistry at the University of California, Davis, on dealing with the effects of a tainted cork:

Mr. Waterhouse said that the obnoxious, dank flavor of a “corked” wine, which usually renders it unusable even in cooking, can be removed by pouring the wine into a bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap.

“It’s kind of messy, but very effective in just a few minutes,” he said. The culprit molecule in infected corks, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, is chemically similar to polyethylene and sticks to the plastic.

I'm not enough of an oenologist to be sure (and it's obviously Two Ten Dollar Word Day at LH HQ today), but for any wine that seems a little off, a bit of oxygen exposure outside the bottle before serving seems to have helped. Got a better wine-saver? Spill it in the comments.

For a Tastier Wine, the Next Trick Involves ... [New York Times]
Read More: Wine, Drinks, Drinking, Food, Food Hacks, Entertaining, Top

Loading comments ... Fix "Corked" Wine with a Bowl and Plastic Wrap
By Kevin Purdy, 5:30 AM on Thu Jan 15 2009,

Dinner's cooked, the guests are arriving, so you pop open that nice bottle of red and—ugh, what is that? If you're stuck with a "corked" bottle, here's how you can minimize the dankness.

In a New York Times article on wine's flavorful reactions to just about everything, out comes a tip from Andrew Waterhouse, a professor of wine chemistry at the University of California, Davis, on dealing with the effects of a tainted cork:

Mr. Waterhouse said that the obnoxious, dank flavor of a “corked” wine, which usually renders it unusable even in cooking, can be removed by pouring the wine into a bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap.

“It’s kind of messy, but very effective in just a few minutes,” he said. The culprit molecule in infected corks, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, is chemically similar to polyethylene and sticks to the plastic.

I'm not enough of an oenologist to be sure (and it's obviously Two Ten Dollar Word Day at LH HQ today), but for any wine that seems a little off, a bit of oxygen exposure outside the bottle before serving seems to have helped. Got a better wine-saver? Spill it in the comments.

For a Tastier Wine, the Next Trick Involves ... [New York Times]
Read More: Wine, Drinks, Drinking, Food, Food Hacks, Entertaining, Top

Top Food Trends for 2009

Technorati Tags: Top 10,2009

The top 10 trends for the home cook and the restaurant-goer

With the dawn of a new presidency, a deepening recession, and a fine-dining culinary culture that sometimes veers into the impossibly surreal, soberness is setting into the food world. Gone are the behemoth restaurants, $1,000 omelets, and ice cream made of dehydrated chile flakes. Hallmarks of 2009 will include a return to families cooking together and eating at home more than they have in decades, a premium on high-quality, seasonal ingredients that provide good value, and an emphasis on simple food for the people, by the people.

 

1.    "Value" is the new "Sustainable"
These days, the economy dictates our cooking and shopping decisions: Bargains are in, no matter where they come from.  -  (Ohhh yes.  I must definitely need to watch the budget these days.  Getting seperated and not working don't go hand in hand with expensive meals.)

 

2.    The Compost Pile is the new Flower Garden
Growing your own now refers to vegetables, not just herbs, and that will in turn help feed the gardener's compost pile. Live worm garnishes, however, will not make it to the house salad. -  (Something I have been talking about doing for the past 2 years.  New years resolution anyone?)

 

3.    Peruvian is the new Thai
You thought Peruvian cuisine was all about seviche, maybe? Guess again: Peru boasts culinary influences from Spanish, Basque, African, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, French, and British immigrants. Pisco Sour, anyone? -  (Peruvian is some of my favorite food!  My cousins are Peruvian and boy do they cook DELICIOUS)

4.    Noodle Bars are the new Sushi Joints
With some seafood being suspect or overfished and raw fish prices high, noodles make complete sense. If there's no ramen, udon, or soba shop in your neck of the woods, there will be soon.  (Hmmm...I'm not much of a noodle person.  I might skip out on this and stick with the suchi.  It is my favorite food after all.  That is other than salads.)

 

5.    Ginger is the new Mint
Move over, mojitos. Ginger beers and ginger cocktails (like the Ginger Rogers, Gin Gin Mule, and Ginger Smash) are bubbling up at places like The Violet Hour in Chicago, the Clock Bar in San Francisco, and Matsugen in New York.  (I might indulge in a little ginger here and there, but mint is my big thing.  And there is NO WAY mojitos are moving over for anything!  A homemade mojito is one of the most delicious drinks imaginable!)

 

6.    Smoking is the new Frying
You know how everything tastes better fried? Well, almost everything tastes better smoked, too, and that includes cocktails. Bartenders are smoking their bourbons (Eben Freeman at Tailor, for example), and chefs, recognizing the national craze for BBQ, are smoking more than just salmon and ribs: nuts, salts, even smoked steelhead roe (at Chicago's Alinea). Who says smoking's bad for you?  (See...this is the third trend that I don't think I'll get into much.  I like smoked, but not much)

 

7.    Regional Roasters are the new Starbucks
It's come full circle. What started as a local coffee phenomenon migrated to other cities and turned Americans into java junkies. Then the chain overexpanded and overreached, and the little neighborhood coffee roasters thrive again, like Stumptown (Portland, OR), Bluebottle (San Francisco), and La Colombe (Philly).  (I'm glad to hear this.  The little guys deserve a break.  Things have been rough in this economy.  And something about the small mom and pop set ups really give the idea character.  I wonder who will be opening one up in my neck of the woods?)

 

8.    Portland (Maine) is the new Portland (Oregon)
Abundance of great chefs, restaurants, and local foodies? Check, check, and check. Want examples? Visit Five Fifty-Five, Hugo's, and Fore Street to start.  (Maine has always had delicious food)

 

9.    Rustic Food is the new Molecular Gastronomy
Wacky-weird-science cuisine that requires fancy-schmancy equipment doesn't necessarily make food taste better, and more often than not it adds needless complexity (there are exceptions). Most importantly, no one really wants to do this at home. Expect to see comfort food stage a comeback. Again. (This is why I miss the midwest.  I miss my homecooked meals.  Working on doing this for my daughter.  So far so good!)

 

10.  "Top-Rated" is the new "Critic's Pick"
Power to the people; single critics are a dying breed. Why believe what one person says when you can read and reflect on what hundreds think? Don't believe us? Feel free to comment below!  (Damn right!  My opinion counts too!)

(Compiled by the editors of Epicurious)

Revealed: the recipes that fueled Charles Darwin

For the home cook tired of celebrity chefs, a more intellectually stimulating source of inspiration has arrived.

'Emma was a very underestimated lady. She was no Delia Smith, and didn't even particularly like cooking, but had to feed Darwin, seven children and 12 servants.' Photo: GETTY

A cookbook containing recipes created by Charles Darwin's wife has been published, offering a fascinating insight into the food that fueled the mind of the great naturalist.

The book, which contains guides to making such Victorian favorites as broiled mushrooms and Penally Pudding, is being marketed as the perfect resource for those planning a "credit crunch Christmas".

Traditionally festive recipes include baked apple pudding, cranberry sauce and compote of apples and Italian cream.

The book, which is based on Emma Darwin's original notebook, also contains instructions for cooking rice written by Darwin himself.

Food authors Dusha Bateson and Weslie Janeway compiled the book, recreating and testing the 55 recipes after being given access to archives at Cambridge University, where Darwin studied at Christ's College between 1828 and 1831.

Lady Bateson said they wanted to ensure the contribution made by Mrs Darwin to her husband's career was fairly represented amid a large amount of material being released for the bicentenary of his birth in 2009.

She said: "Emma was a very underestimated lady. She was no Delia Smith, and didn't even particularly like cooking, but had to feed Darwin, seven children and 12 servants. The book shows the methodical approach she had to collecting the recipes she used.

Lady Bateson said the collection stood in marked contrast to the more glamorous approach of some famous chefs today.

"It's good, family cooking designed to feed a large household. Darwin had a lot of illnesses, and I think there's a lot of evidence that suggests he wouldn't have survived without Emma being there to prop him up and keep him going," she said.

"One of my own favorites among the recipes is her suggestion for using pickled walnut mashed up in a sauce for braised beef. It adds a hint of Worcester sauce to the flavor."

- Mrs Charles Darwin's Recipe Book is published by Glitterati Incorporated and priced £17.99.

RECIPE FROM THE BOOK

'French Ragout of Mutton' - described as "food for cold weather"

For the ragout:

Half teaspoon flour

Salt and pepper

One and a half pounds lamb chump, boned, fat trimmed, and cut into generous pieces

One teaspoon sugar

One cup water or stock

Butter for frying

One sprig parsley, chopped

For the turnips:

One pound young turnips, peeled and cut into half inch dice

Butter for frying

1. Season the flour with salt and pepper and place in a plastic bag with the pieces of lamb. Holding the bag closed, give it a good shake so the meat gets coated with the flour.

2. Melt the butter in an ovenproof dish with a lid. Add the lamb and fry over medium heat, turning the pieces so they get evenly browned.

3. Pour in the water or stock and stir, making sure any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan are brought into the sauce. Bring to a boil, add the sugar lump, and simmer for 1-2 minutes.

4. Put on the lid and bake in a 325°F (160°C) oven for about 40 minutes. Test the meat with a knife to see if is tender. If not, give it another 10-15 minutes.

5. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Sprinkle generously with chopped parsley.

6. About 20 minutes before serving, melt a good lump of butter in a large frying pan. Add the diced turnips in a single layer and fry them over medium heat, moving and turning them about so they brown but do not burn.

Season with a little salt and pepper and serve with the lamb. Though this is a very basic way of cooking turnip it is surprising good.

Technorati Tags: History,Darwin,Charles Darwin,Recipes

Machaca Burrito - Christmas Style

I am addicted to Friendfeed. Yes...I said ADDICTED. This Internet is killing me! Where is my life going? ; )

BUT my addiction is YOUR benefit, because one of my FriendFeed friends posted this delicious recipe for Machaca Burrito...CHRISMAS STYLE! So now you have something new to try out this holiday season. Hope you like it!



Christmas-Style Machaca Burrito
(Beef Burrito with Chile Colorado and Chile Verde)


SERVES 4


This simple, overstuffed burrito is typical of those found at local lunch counters across New Mexico. Our recipe is based on ones in two classic Southwestern cookbooks: The Feast of Santa Fe by Huntley Dent (Simon & Schuster, 1985) and The Border Cookbook by Cheryl and Bill Jamison (Harvard Common Press, 1995). The machaca filling—which takes its name from the Spanish verb machacar, meaning to pound or crush—consists of slow-stewed, shredded beef chuck seasoned with pepper, onion, garlic, and lime. In New Mexico, it's customary to order your burrito "Christmas" style all year round, in reference not to the holiday but to the smoky and sweet combination of red and green chile sauces that top the burrito.


3 lbs. trimmed boneless beef chuck
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups Beef Stock
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 small white onions, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup ground ancho chiles
1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
6 large poblano peppers, roasted, cored,
peeled, seeded, and chopped
6 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
4 large flour tortillas
2 cups grated monterey jack cheese
2 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
1 small red onion, chopped


1. Season beef all over with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown all over, 12–14 minutes total. Add beef stock, one-fourth of the garlic, and one-third of the white onions, stir well, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until tender, about 3 hours. Remove from heat and set pot aside to let rest, covered, until beef is cool enough to handle. Shred beef with your hands and reserve beef and any remaining cooking liquid in 2 separate bowls; skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid.


2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp. oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add one-fourth of the remaining white onions and one-third of the remaining garlic and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in half of the flour, 1 tsp. of the cumin, and half of the oregano. Cook until fragrant, 3–4 minutes. Add ground chiles and 1 1/2 cups water and whisk together. Increase heat to medium-high and bring just to a boil. Whisk well, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until smooth and thick enough to spoon, 2–3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set chile colorado aside.


3. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add one-third of the remaining white onion and half of the remaining garlic, stir well, and cook until translucent, 8–10 minutes. Stir in remaining flour, cumin, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper and cook for 2 minutes more. Whisk in chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the saucepan. Add two-thirds of the poblano peppers and remaining oregano and stir until well combined. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until smooth and thick enough to spoon, about 20 minutes. Transfer contents of saucepan to blender and carefully purée; set chile verde aside.


4. Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining white onion and remaining garlic and cook until softened, 3–4 minutes. Add shredded beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 12–14 minutes. Stir in reserved cooking liquid, remaining poblanos, half of the tomatoes, and lime juice. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


5. Working with one at a time, heat tortillas in a large skillet, flipping once, until hot, then fill each with one-quarter of the beef and about 1/4 cup of the cheese. Roll up burritos snugly, tucking in the ends, then transfer to plates and spoon some of the chile colorado and chile verde over them. Top burritos with remaining cheese, remaining tomatoes, lettuce, and red onions.