Pane e Pomodoro

Flour Cafe & Bakery Cookbook

2010-12-12T21:13:00.000-05:00

As soon as I first read that Joanne Chang, creator several award-winning establishments including the famed bakery Flour, I immediately pre-ordered it on Amazon. (Incidentally, on her website, Giada de Laurentiis mentions Flour under her "Favorite Boston Eateries"!) So when the heavy cookbook arrived I poured through it, noticing that recipes for virtually the entire bakery are included. Everything from the sweet to the savory are represented in this 320 page bible. Each recipe is prefaced with some background, a recipe "Forward" of sorts. Joanne chronicles what episodes in her life contributed to the shaping of each recipe. And, it's quite endearing and classic with unique twists. Writing this book mush have been somewhat like what an autobiographer experiences as he or she delves back into the past. The cookbook is easy to follow and indexed well. The first recipe I made were the chocolate chunk cookies, which are flat, but extremely flavorful: just like the ones in the bakery. I notice that in many of her recipes, the common denominator is taking the time to really ship together the butter and sugar. Using a stand mixer, usually the cookie recipes require 5 minutes to mix these ingredients (hand mixers take 8 or so minutes). There must be some truth to this, because after the alloted time, the butter/sugar mixture was much, much frothier and just overall better looking than in my previous batters. She details each numbered step, but not as to insult your intelligence.

So, last week I was fortunate enough to read that she was appearing at the Crate and Barrel here in Boston. I took my book to be signed, of course! She was so approachable and thankful of all of the popularity the book had received. I could tell that it was really a labor of love - as are all of her 4 food establishments. In addition to bringing samples of Flour goodies, she led a demonstration of how to make a perfect pate sucree, pastry dough which serves as the basis for many recipes, from pie dough to shortbread. She gave a charming talk as she demonstrated each step. If you are a baker, Bostonian, a pastry lover, or anything in between, you will appreciate this thoughtful and impressive collection of recipes created by the brilliant mind behind the Flour Bakery.

Braised Chicken Breasts with Fall Medley...

2010-11-11T08:37:00.008-05:00

I came across this recipe in the Sunday Boston Globe's Magazine. The beautiful photography featuring fall's finest colors, flanking perfectly braised chicken breasts left me reaching for the scissors to cut out the recipe. Although the recipe featured celery root, or celeriac, as the main ingredient, I had parsnips waiting to be used, so I concluded that they would be a fitting substitute. Parsnips, like celeriac, is a creamy starchy fall vegetable that has a unique velvety flavor. And don't be fooled by the white color: that white pigment means big time antioxidants, called anthoxanthins. These antioxidant compounds found in creamy-white colored vegetables are in the flavonoid family (like dark chocolate and red wine), and have potential anti-cancer links. Even more, parsnips, like potatoes, are rich in vitamin C, another antioxidant. So they are a win-win! They can be substituted wherever a starchy vegetable is used, like carrots or potatoes, or enhance a fall dish like this one.

Braised Chicken

(adapted from Boston Globe Magazine, "Warm Up to Celery Root", 11/7/2010)

Serves 4

1-2 pounds chicken boneless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound 2- to 3-inch diameter red potatoes, halved

3 medium onions, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup vermouth

½ cup chicken broth
4 parsnips, pealed and cut into chunks

1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or thyme

Sprinkle chicken liberally with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Place chicken pieces in pot skin side down (do not crowd – brown in batches, if necessary) and cook, without moving, until the golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces and cook, again without moving, until second side is golden brown, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a plate. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin.

Return the pan to the burner, adjust the heat to medium, add the potatoes cut side down, and cook, without moving, until the cut sides are browned, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, onions and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 40 seconds. Add the vermouth and bring to a strong simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dissolve the brown bits. Add the broth, parsnips, and chicken with accumulated juices, cover, adjust heat to medium-high, return to a simmer, and cook, adjusting heat if necessary to maintain simmer, until the chicken is cooked through, about 16 minutes.

Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover loosely to keep warm. Adjust heat to medium-high and boil the liquid until reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Adjust the heat to low, add the lemon juice and butter, and stir constantly to incorporate it into the sauce. Stir in most of the parsley. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, spoon the sauce over the chicken and vegetables, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and serve at once.

Grass-Fed Beef Chili

2010-11-03T21:05:00.002-04:00

Whole Foods had grass-fed beef on sale this week, so I eagerly brought it home with the intent on making chili. Notice how bright red the meat is? Compare this to conventional meat from who knows where in most grocery stores. While I don't buy into the "organic" argument 100%, I do respect the meat issue. Not all meat is created equal, and I take consideration when buying any beef or poultry. And, when most meat in the supermarkets is corn-fed, it's hard to navigate the meat department and choose healthful options. I recently learned in my Food Science course that grass-fed beef is actually tougher then grain-fed beef. Don't ask me the particulars, but it's true. So, anyways, I was anxious to see how this lean ground grass-fed beef would taste. While any lean beef, 90% lean or more, has somewhat of a "tougher" texture (due to the lack of fat to soften it). I made my chili without a recipe, just adding the appropriate amount of spices, carrots, celery, garlic, onions, kidney and white beans and tomatoes. The meat browned right up in the Dutch Oven and went from the bright red to a nice caramelized brown color. The meat wasn't tough, due to the low simmer it received on the stove top. By cooking it slower and longer, meat can really develop flavors from the cooking liquid. It's a healthful, nutrient-rich meal and I feel better about eating meat from cows that ate grass, not corn! I highly recommend it!

Look how red it is!

Cash or Card?

2010-10-20T09:16:00.001-04:00

$ometimes research is published that truly affects everyone. Findings from a collaborative study by Cornell and Binghamton University researchers show that people who purchase groceries/foods using cash, actually make more nutritional purchases. One thousand people's purhases were tracked over 6 months. The larger "spends" involved plastic debit or credit cards. That is, the cost of cookies, cakes, and so-deemed "junk food" can easily make their way into your card (and bill) because you don't realize how much you're actually spending when you slide the plastic card. Paying with cash is simply more candid: you see the bills handed over for items in your cart, and each item's cost seems all that more important. Bottom line? Cash is impulse control's WORST enemy. You may think twice about the extraneous foodstuff that wasn't on your list, but somehow found it's way into your cart. So buyer, beware!

Sleep, why don't you?

2010-10-05T09:25:00.004-04:00

Yet again, sleeping does actually do more than we think. Historically, study after study has shown the protective effects of adequate sleep, specifically on the biochemical processes that regulate weight.

The most recent study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine delves deeper into the phenomenon.

"The study included 10 overweight men and women who lived in a sleep lab for two separate two-week periods. During both, they were kept on the same calorie-restricted diet; but for one period, the participants slept for 8.5 hours per night, while during the other, they got 5.5 hours.

When participants got 8.5 hours of sleep, more than half of their weight loss came from shedding fat; when they got 5.5 of sleep, only one-quarter of their weight loss came from fat -- translating to a 55 percent reduction in fat loss.

Instead, the majority of people's weight loss during the sleep-restricted period came from lean body tissue, which refers to muscle and any other body tissue that is not fat.

"So they lost the same amount of weight, but the composition was different," said senior researcher Dr. Plamen Penev, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. (Source)

So, like any study, there are limitations: the sample was small, only 10 people, the environment was a strictly controlled lab, not the "real world". Still, though, the results will aid the next wave of sleep-weight research. And, in the mean time, we can all "rest assured" that sleep is worth giving up 8 hours a day for.

My newest favorite lunch: Bean and Rice Burritos

2010-09-27T23:00:00.005-04:00

Every so often, if you are like me, your lunch needs a shake up. Often neglected is the mid-day meal, due to the often frenetic pace of the time period between 11am and 2pm. However, a little oomph dedicated to the mid-day meal is necessary to prevent overeating or snacking throughout the day. Recently, I was pouring through my recipe binder and organizing it, and came across a burrito recipe that I had cut out from Cooking Light. Immediately, I threw together my own burrito, tweaking the ingredients to suit me more. I combined lentils and brown rice in the rice cooker and spread jarred marinara sauce that I had in the fridge, sour cream and a sprinkling of shredded cheese onto a large flour tortilla, warmed in the microwave. When the beans were done, I spread them onto the warmed burrito wrap and rolled it up. The cheese melted slightly into the warm lentils and rice; the sour cream followed suit, too. I.am.hooked. It's an easy dish to make ahead and keep in the fridge. And, let's not forget how nutrition-packed it is! This lunch, unlike most, keeps me full for hours on end due to the impressive trifecta: blood-sugar stabilizing fiber, satiating protein from the lentils and fat from the cheese and sour cream. This burrito can easily be made ahead and wrapped tightly in aluminum foil. It's best served warm, though. Next I'm going to experiment with black beans and kidney beans. As long as you have burritos, beans and rice in the cabinets, the possibilities for creativity are endless.

Late Summer Dessert: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

2010-08-24T22:08:00.003-04:00

It's been a cold, rainy, un-August day today in Boston, so I was driven to make a cold-weather comfort meal. I had rhubarb to use and this seemed the perfect finale to a turkey chili dinner. It was warm and as it baked for 45 minutes, warm cinnamon and oats perfused the air. The light freshness of strawberries and rhubarb compliments the sweetness from the two sugars. When you need something quick that hits the spot, this easily to prepare dish is a winner. I merged recipes from Cooking Light and Animal Vegetable Miracle (which has gem-recipes interwoven among the chapters).

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, leaves trimmed, stalks only, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (About 3 cups)

About 3 cups of fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon of lemon zest, freshly grated

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Pinch salt

2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and lemon zest. Transfer to a buttered 8-inch baking dish. For topping, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and walnuts if you're using them, pour in melted butter and toss to combine, tumble over fruit mixture. Bake until fruit is bubbling and topping is browned. Makes 6 servings. Serve warm, with whipped cream and/or a dollop of your favorite vanilla ice cream.

McCafe Smoothies: Friend or Foe?

2010-07-24T20:54:00.001-04:00

This past Sunday in the paper, McDonalds issued certificates for a complimentary McCafe smoothie or frappe. I know better than to give the frappe a thought. Most frappes are, calorically, a Big Mac with a straw. Well, considering that they are a shot of coffee topped with a pure glucose concoction of syrups, whipped cream and more syrup. (Because, apparently there just isn't enough sugar in the drink.) So, yesterday morning at 8 a.m., while running late, I decided to cash in my coupon for a 12 oz. McCafe "real fruit" smoothie. I had my choice of Strawberry Banana or Mixed Berry, and I chose the berry. I watched as the girl blended and whirled the smoothie, not really seeing what the actual ingredients were. I was so anxious to try it. Taste verdict? It was delicious - smooth, not seedy. Well, it held me through until lunch, and hit the spot on a hot and humid morning. Curious about the calories, I looked on the' website. It was higher than I had anticipated... that's fast food for you. Thinking that it was only berries, yogurt and ice, I had estimated it a McDonalds round 150 calories. It is listed on the site having 210 calories. The ingredients were a little like a chemistry experiment, though: Cellulose powder (?), apple juice, xantham gar, gum (sugar substitute), pectin (thickener), and "artificial flavors". Bummer. A smoothie should just be a simple puree of fruit, yogurt or milk, and ice.

Would I pay $2.59 for this smoothie when I could make one that was a) more natural and b) cheaper? No, I wouldn't. But, the voucher allowed me to taste something I wouldn't have tried, and it did work in a pinch when I was in a rush. That's what fast food is supposed to do, I guess. Posts about fast-food won't be a regular on this blog, though...:)

Three Summer Sweets

2010-07-20T21:35:00.012-04:00

Every day this summer has been breathless: sunny, hot and humid! One of my favorite things about summer is going out for ice cream. While the full-fat version is a treat for once and a while, there is no reason that you can't enjoy a small icy cold dessert on hot days that won't blow your calorie allotment for the day. Something small, like the items below, hit the spot when you are craving something cool that won't weigh you down. Fruity, icy, chocolaty, creamy...or all of the adjectives !

1. Wegmans Light Ice Cream Sandwiches

I am in love with these little wiches. Weighing it at 150 calories, these sandwiches are about average when compared with other "light" ice cream sandwiches. The rich chocolate soft cookies sandwich a creamy vanilla center. Luckily, these hold their shape and don't melt, even when tested on 90+degree days! Wegmans can't be found in all areas (but two are coming to the Boston area!!!), look for lower calorie ice cream sandwiches at your local grocery store. I have found that, flavor wise, the light versions don't differ from the full fat version.

2. Haagan Daz Mango Sorbet

A friend recently recommended this sorbet, by the makers of the rich gelato-esque ice creams, which are definitely a splurge dessert, not a habitual one. The Haagan Dazs people redeem themselves with this virutous sorbet (1/2 cup is 150 calories, mostly from sugar) made of which is packed with 10% of the Daily Value for Vitamin C and 20% of the Daily Value of Vitamin A. While the list is short, all of the ingredients are pronounceable and recognizable. As soon as you open the top of the pint of sorbet, the scent of fresh tropical mango hits you The shockingly vivid color is even more orange than a real mango! If you don't like mango, there are other sorbets to choose from, including lemon, peach, strawberry, raspberry and chocolate. I wonder what a dish of chocolate and mango would be like...maybe with fresh berries? Though the calories in 1/2 cup of sorbet is equal to the amount in many ice creams, this is a nice fat-free dairy-free option.

3. Trader Joes Fruit Floes (all-fruit ice bars)

(Disclaimer: For those not blessed with a Trader Joes nearby, continue on to the next item. It will only leave you disappointed, sadly.)

I read about these bars in a magazine, so I can't say that I've had one, but 9 times out of 10 I'm pleased with a Trader Joe's product, so I'm anxious to give these a try. At first glance, they appear to be creamsiclesque, don't they? But a closer look renders them dairy-free and made of all fruit. It's virtually impossible to find a refreshing dairy-free, preservative-free popsicles (basically sorbet on a stick). Incidentally, they got a tap from SELF Magazine in its annual "Best Packaged Foods Awards" for frozen fruit bars. I understand that it's basically a mixture of fresh fruit suspended in ice. Apparently when I googled them, and they are a cult favorite among bloggers.

Hot weather meal - Sausage and Peppers

2010-05-30T16:41:00.006-04:00

When it's too hot to turn on the oven or stick your head over a large boiling pot of pasta, turn to the skillet as a source of a quick, heat-minimizing meal. Sausage and sauteed peppers on crusty ciabatta rolls with a simple salad.

6 chicken sausage links (or Italian sausage)
1 Tbs. olive oil
4 bell peppers, cored, seeded and sliced into 1/2-inch-wide strips
2 onions, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fennel seed (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 ground black pepper
6 sub crusty rolls, sliced in half lengthwise

Directions

1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.Add sausage links and cook until golden, about 10 minutes.

2. In the same skillet, add peppers (and onions if you're using them) and cook until they are soft and translucent. Remove sausage links from pan and keep warm.In the same skillet heat oil on medium high until oil shimmers.

3. Add peppers, onions, garlic, fennel (if using), salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes, or until peppers are tender and onions are translucent and may be beginning to brown.

4. Place a sausage on each roll and divide pepper and onion mixture among the sandwiches.

Make-Ahead

Pepper and onion mixture can be made up to 3 days ahead, stored in the refrigerator and reheated before making the sandwiches.

My thoughts...

2010-05-20T20:47:00.001-04:00

The Kitchen is Closed

How America’s eating crisis can be traced back to the kitchen.

I. Winning the war on obesity lies in the kitchen.

Cooking is the great divide between good eating and bad. – Barbara Kingsolver

Currently, there is a heightened awareness of the growing problem of overweight and obesity among all ages of Americans. Consequently, its scale is considered in epidemicproportions. There was a marked increase of 523 calories between 1970 and 2003 (1). The increased (daily) caloric intake fused with sedentary occupations and the reduction of physical activity has created an energy imbalance, ultimately leading to overweight and obesity.

Still, there has to be more to the story than simply gluttony and sloth. Though science, namely biochemistry and genetics, plays a role, it is widely accepted that the majority of factors from which the current obesity problem has emerged are environmental (2). An important change to this environment is the increasing availability of away-from-home eating establishments such as restaurants (3). As a result, researchers have begun to examine how the food environment contributes to unhealthy weight status (3). Because the topic of food and nutrition is of heightened national interest, it is receiving attention from a slew of popular media outlets, including news shows and lay press. On the federal level, survey data shine light on trend developments. Given the information from all three information genres--science, federal data, and media--this paper will explore some of the unique historical (and current) societal and cultural events, which have led to major changes in the way we eat.

II. The answer is in the kitchen.

Over the years, the food scientists have gotten better and better at simulating real food, keeping it looking attractive and seemingly fresh, and the rapid acceptance of microwave ovens, which went from being in only 8% of American households in 1978 to 90% today, opened up vast new horizons of home-meal replacement. ~ Michael Pollan (NYTimes, Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch)

In the 1970s, 26% of all food spending was on food outside the home…by 2005, spending rose to 41% (4). Such meals include fast food, pre-cooked and convenience food, which are lower in fiber and higher in fat than home cooked meals (28). Moreover, between 1977-78 and 1994-96, U.S. consumption of food prepared away from home increased from 18% to 32% of total calories (See Figure A) (5). In other words, for a typical 2,000 calorie per day diet, away-from-home food accounts for an average of 640 of those calories. This occurs, for the most part, because adults lack the time, knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy required for basic meal planning, shopping, and food preparation (6).

On one hand, it appears that the diets of people who prepare meals within the home are, nutritionally speaking, better. Compared with people who cook more often, people who reportless food preparation are less likely to eat fruits and vegetables (6). And America isn’t alone—recently [British] chef Jamie Oliver waged war on Britain’s similar obesity epidemic by targeting home kitchens. “For the first time in history,” Oliver lamented, “a large number of British people of all income levels can’t cook” (8).

II. When the apron was traded for the power suit.

Miranda: Do you have a rolling pin in your kitchen?

Carrie: Are you kidding me? I use my oven for storage.

-Sex and the City

In the early 1900s, domestic labor took the equivalent of a full work week, the majority of which was related to food (8). Surveys from that era revealed that during a given week, a typical woman spent an average of 44 hours preparing meals and cleaning them up. (8)Undeniably, school cooking courses were historically dubbed, “for girls”, as it was part of a domestic-focused home economics course. Consequently, a somewhat boring, conservative, albeit sexist view of home economics emerged during the 1950s, defining visions of apron-wearing women sewing and baking (9). In 1950, about 1 in 3 women participated in the workforce (10).

Then came the feminist era, which many argue led women away from traditional home economics and toward occupations outside the home. When Gloria Steinem replaced June Cleaver as the symbol of the modern woman, the idealized family mealtime experience, seen in such shows as Leave it to Beaver and Ozzie and Harriet, faded into black. In Family Mealtime as a Context of Development Series, authors from a range of disciplines—psychology, history, anthropology, nutrition and education—hypothesize that such family meals (like in Leave it to Beaver) were “products of unique combinations of social and economic factors that had never before occurred…and probably won’t occur again” (11).

Modern feminist advocates argue that there is more to the “end of cooking” story than working women. But the trends emerging from statistics make it hard to dissociate the two. One out of three women in the workforce in 1950 rose to 3 out of 5 women by the mid 1990s. (10). So, with such demanding occupations, little time remains for domestic duties. Thus prepared, away-from-home food, often fills June Cleaver’s role. Results from the British Millennium Cohort Study Child Health Group (looking at 13,113 children aged 3) found a significant association between maternal employment and early childhood weight (12). It is widely accepted that early childhood weight gain is predictive of excess weight throughout life (13). In the “Food For Thought” annual survey, NPD Group, a consumer-market research firm, reported that, the average frequency of family meals in any given week was highest among youths whose mothers were not employed and lowest among youths whose mothers worked full time (14).

Undeniably U.S. Census data also demonstrates an overall societal change. Just 30 years ago in 1980, 30.2% of American households were “traditional”, representing two parents with live-at-home children (15). Twenty years later in 2000, that percentage was down to 23.5%. By the year 2020, the figure is projected to represent only 16.7% of total households. Even the federal energy statistics show this: Households living in single-family homes (69% of all U.S. households), including single-family attached homes (e.g., townhouses), showed significant decreases in their home cooking patterns from 1993 to 2001 (5).

III. Follow the yellow McArch.

Nothing in nature resembles the chicken nuggets that are served in fast-food restaurants…it’s impossible to associate them with the fowl they come from. ~ Carlo Petrini

In addition to women, it seems easy to blame the [first] empire built on providing food away from home: McDonalds. Similarly, we are using McDonalds in a way that its creators intended in 1940—to make our lives easier by producing tasty, quick, inexpensive nourishment for families (16). During its infancy though, 60% of families had a “traditional” Leave it to Beaver structure, with dad as the breadwinner and mom as the homemaker (17), so McDonalds wasn’t able to immediately replace home cooking because in the 1940s.

Whether or not to blame McDonalds for the demise of the home cook and rise of obesity isn’t as easy as the ‘which came first, the chicken or the egg?’ scenario. Still, it suggests a greater overall shift in American society at large. As Barbara Kingsolver illustrates ever-so-eloquently, “a food culture is not something that gets sold to people...it arises out of a place, a soil, a climate, a history, a temperament, a collective sense of belonging (18). If our society hadn’t been receptive to such a replacement (for the kitchen), it wouldn’t have lasted over 60 years. Moreover, it wouldn’t post an 80% net profit increase in 2008, to the tune of $4.3 billion (19). Keep in mind, the big yellow arch has served as our, perhaps most successful, global diplomat—a symbol of “America”. Currently, the now franchised restaurant serves hot, quick, inexpensive trays of America in some 118 countries nationwide (16).

Another reason fast food has been able to infiltrate our lives is due to our acclimation (and expectation) of “cheap” food. Compared with other industrialized nations, the Americans are spending an all-time low percentage of disposable income on food (20). Despite the increase in personal income year after year, between 1970 and 2005 the percentage of disposable income spent on [all] food fell from 13.9 to 9.8% on average (See Figures B and C). According to the Economic Research Service (ERS), a subset of the United States Department of Agriculture, this drop occurred because prices of other consumer goods outpaced the price of food, and incomes rose at a faster rate than food prices (21). A 2004 ERS Economic report estimated that, “a 10 % increase in a typical household's per capita income would cause it to spend 6.4% and 3.2% more per capita at full-service and fast food restaurants, respectively,” (15). Away-from-home expenditures are typically higher for single-person households and households containing multiple adults without live-at-home children (15). When given the option of buying one pear or one hamburger, changes are, consumers (especially low income) will pick the hamburger (22).

IV. The future of the kitchen.

The fact that we're giving food this kind of attention means that it just gets bigger from here.

~Ruth Reichl

While America’s eating crisis can be viewed differently by various people--academics, scientists, historians, feminists, women, men, chefs--one thing is clear: several key factor have led to our current situation. Given the dynamic and complex changes in social and cultural history during the course of the 20^th century, the burden of food preparation was lightened, women were, in a sense, liberated from the kitchen, and cheap food has become easy to come by. In a sense, the perfect storm was created, leading to the milieu of conditions associated with disordered eating, overweight and obesity.

Modernity has led us to watching cooking shows as if they were a “spectator sport,” as Michael Pollan laments, and on any given night, food shows boast record ratings, even higher than the cable news shows (23). With the current 60% of women over 16 in the work force (29), is it realistic that we all abandon our current ways and embark on luddite lifestyles where food technology is non-existent and we have to bake our daily loaf of bread? Of course not: our culture has changed. Culture, according to Italian food historian Massimo Montanari, is in essence, the convergence of tradition (knowledge, values, techniques) and innovation (methods, modifications) (24).

All research, survey data and media demonstrate that diet quality rests on food access and structural work conditions among parents, both male and female (30). In a study looking at coping strategies used by working parents, long hours and nonstandard hours and schedules were positively associated among fathers with take-out meals, missed family meals, prepared entrees, and eating while on the job. On the other hand, mothers tended to forgo breakfast, and utilizing restaurant and prepared meals (31). Perhaps, the focus needs to surround how to facilitate making cooking easier, not making eating easier.

As one woman commented in response to Michael Pollan’s article,

Women simply don’t have the luxury of time anymore and need to take shortcuts to manage their busy lives. My research shows that women are actually too busy to shop, because they are packing 38 hours of activity into a 24-hour day, and very little of that time is spent watching food shows. Managing school and sports activities, working inside or outside of the home, being responsible for 85 percent of the household purchases plus cooking family meals all need to be done every day. We simply won’t return to being full-time cooks, but all is not lost. Personally, I think it is possible to serve healthful, mostly made-at-home meals and lead the busy lives that most women today have. I’ve never taken my kids to McDonald’s. They don’t miss it. I do, however, stock my pantry with “industrially prepared” items that I consider to be time-saving and healthful shortcuts like canned veggies and fruits, broths and pasta sauces that, combined with ingredients from our garden or farmers’ market, make fairly quick and healthful meals. That said, meal planning and cooking for a family is a big job… (25)

As more attention is given to this topic in the media and popular press, there will hopefully be a helpful awakening. As Carlo Petrini writes in his novel, Slow Food Nation, “Food is the product of a region and of what has happened to it, of the people who live there, of its history and of the relations it has established with other regions” (26). It is often forgotten how food, and the act of eating, is reflective of our culture and society (18). It’s never too late to begin, just as Julia Child once said, “I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate,” (27).

2010-05-19T10:03:00.009-04:00

Over the past couple of semesters, I have become convinced that the kitchen-- its gifts both edible and inedible-- is actually the key ingredient for our national (and some argue global) disordered eating. While I'm not naive to ignore the myriad of so called "eco-social" factors that influence what, how, when and where we eat, overall, the dissolution of the kitchen as the centerfold of a healthful diet is often dismissed. Maybe it's too obvious. But while researchers focus on sample sizes and p values, people are becoming more and more distant from what food is. This includes not only children, but a large majority of parents representing the first generation of non-cooks.

Excerpt from the article by Dr. Alice Lichtenstein (professor of mine at Tufts!) and Dr. David Ludwig of Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, appearing in the latest edition Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA. 2010;303(18):1857-1858).

To improve education about food, it is not necessary to bring back the classic home economics coursework, replete with gender-specific stereotypes. Rather, girls and boys should be taught the basic principles they will need to feed themselves and their families within the current food environment: a version of hunting and gathering for the 21st century. Through a combination of pragmatic instruction, field trips, and demonstrations, this curriculum would aim to transform meal preparation from an intimidating chore into a manageable and rewarding pursuit. As children transition into young adulthood, they should be provided with knowledge to harness modern conveniences (eg, prewashed salad greens) and avoid pitfalls in the marketplace (eg, prepared foods with a high ratio of calories to nutrients) to prepare meals that are quick, nutritious, and tasty. It is important to dispel the myths—aggressively promoted by some in the food industry— that cooking takes too much time or skill and that nutritious food cannot also be delicious.

Similarly, in a recent paper for a course I took, I tackled this very subject. Though lengthy I will share it in a separate post to follow. (Note:citations will follow in the comments section.)

So much more than noodles...

2010-05-17T11:20:00.005-04:00

Zenna Noodle Bar (Website)

1374 Beacon St.

Brookline, MA

Whenever you hear the culinary term, "Asian Fusion", does it ever perplex you? Which two things are being fused? Well, there is no head-scratching when the term is applied to Zenna Noodle Bar in Brookline: it is almost as if the term - Asian Fusion - was created with this restaurant in mind. At Zenna, the unique tastes of Southern Asian cuisines, namely Thai and Vietnamese, come together in one place and build off of each others ingredients to create an ultimately artistic dining taste and experience.

Owned by a Vietnamese family, Zenna - with its large full length windows - is more than meets the eye. At first glance, a passerby might be drawn in by the minimal, clean lines contrasted with bursts of impressive bouquets of sumptuous fresh flowers in the same color family. Incidentally, there is a fresh single stem rose at each table in the same color of the arrangements on the front maitre d table. The place settings, including cloth napkins folded in the shape of a shell, are equally as elegant and warm. No detail is left undone. However, the elegance of the physical setting does not create an ostentatious atmosphere.

Now to the food. This is not a place for an indecisive person, because you'd starve to death before deciding. That said, you can do what I did and take notes as other people's dinners were delivered to them and ask the waiter, "Now, what was that?"

Depending on your mood, you can have one or a combination of the four elements. Appetizers or small plates (air), rice dishes and stir fries (fire), noodles and noodle soups or pho (water), and finally, salads and vegetarian dishes (earth), all ranging from the familiar to the unfamiliar.

The classics (satays, Vietnamese spring rolls, pad thai) are intertwined with the unfamiliar, Vietnamese crepes, interesting curries, and my favorite, the Vietnamese Ravioli (which are steamed dumplings with sauteed vegetables and chicken). Even the selection of fried rices - though only four - include ingredient combinations you probably have never had, like Mango Fried Rice (jasmine rice stir fried with shrimp, chicken and fresh mango, ginger, onions, snow peas, carrots and topped with roasted almond). And, the portions are generous enough to need a doggie bag, but not so much to take your appetite away. The plate presentations do not disappoint; carrots are cut into flowers and other vegetables like red cabbage frame the main entree on the plate for decoration or to nosh on.

Finally, you will never thirst for water, for it is a continuous stream even though you may have only taken one sip since the last refill. Still it's noteworthy considering that in most restaurants you have to basically keel over before anyone offers a refill of the gratis beverage.

Build a better salad

2010-05-13T06:47:00.004-04:00

As we all know, summer is quickly approaching (!), and this marks the great salad-eating season. With all of the fresh farmers market and garden greens, it's easy to meet the daily goal for vegetables by building a lush salad. The basis for such salads is, of course, the lettuce and greens themselves. Note: However, a salad doesn't, by definition, mean a glorified bed of lettuce. Salads are a blank slate...a canvas for which you can individualize based on what your fridge and pantry allow; your mood; and your time to prepare it! While salads in general are a gold-standard of health, the wrong toppings can quickly turn a virtous salad into a Big Mac in nutritional clothing.

An interesting post by Cristin on SELF's blog, EatLikeMe, had a helpful post yesterday about lettuces and the nutritional value of each major kind:

Boston Bibb: 14 kcals, 2g fiber, 72% vitA, 6% vitC, 262mg potassium
Romaine: 16 kcals, 2g fiber, 164% vitA, 38% vitC, 30mg potassium
Green Leaf: 10 kcals, 0g fiber, 106% vitA, 22% vitC, 18mg potassium
Iceberg: 20 kcals, 2g fiber, 14% vitA, 6% vitC, 204mg potassium
Red Leaf: 8 kcals, 0 fiber, 82% vitA, 4% vitC, 104mg potassium
Baby Spinach: 14 kcals, 2g fiber, 112% vitA, 28% vitC, 234mg potassium
Arugula: 8 kcals, 0 fiber, 10% vitA, 4% vitC, 74mg potassium
Baby Romaine: 15 kcals, 1g fiber, 15% vitA, 4% vitC,
(Amount is based on 2 cups)

Give it your own touches:

Protein

Feta cheese or gorgonzola - a little goes a long way; it's satiating because of the strong flavor

Beans - garbanzo, kidney, black (the highest in antioxidants), white beans, edamame (soybeans)

Hard-boiled egg - source of lutein, an important carotenoid (antioxidant) for eye and skin health

Avocado

Canned tuna

More vegetables

Little fat (required for absorbing nutrients, such as vitamins A,D,E,K)

Nuts - e.g., slivered almonds, walnuts, pine nuts

Top if off, lightly

Make a simple dressing with olive oil and vinegar (balsamic, champagne, or red-wine) in a ratio of 3-1. Feel free to add minced garlic or shallot and salt and pepper to taste. Another tip? Dress the bowl with a light coat of dressing before adding the greens. Toss to coat the greens, then add a touch more dressing if you like. This way, it's not saturating your salad in too much dressing! Making your own dressing controls a lot of sodium and preservatives, and you can make it on demand and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. For example, I like to use a dry salad mix (click) and add oil and vinegar. Bottled dressings can be full of preservatives, corn syrup and loads of salt. Always check the label!

Subject: Making Smarter Choices, by Panera

2010-04-28T12:41:00.006-04:00

Note: I usually delete such spam-ish emails, but this one I'm glad I opened.

This morning in my inbox was an e-mail from Panera Bread (yes, they have my e-mail) and it wasn't information about a new bread or edible item, but instead about redefining its place as a nutritionally viable dining outlet. It opens with an admission of its recent investigations by TV news and journals about Panera's healthful image yet caloric options. So, Panera is firing back by placing it all up front: calorie counts will be displayed next to the item (on the board)out in the open for all of the menu items so people know full well the amount of calories in the beloved Cinnamon Crunch Bagel. (Gasp: 430 calories.) Incidentally, it's that same bagel that garnered an entire chapter in David Kessler's book, The End of Overeating, because of it's addictive sugar on salt on fat algorithm.

All in all, Panera's new labeling system has taken effect in restaurants across the country. Is there any (solid) way to tell if people opt for a lower calorie option, not so much. On their website, Panera went so far as to "Customize Your Meal", walking you through an interactive how-much-do-you-want-to-spend method of choosing options that fit within your caloric allotment. Are people going to go online and figure that out ahead of time before going to Panera? The jury is out. But, it surely will be a step in the right direction if Panera is open with the calorie count. There is a facade that all of the items have a healthful halo.

To visit the site and find out the caloric count in any item, visit www.paneranutrition.com .

Salt's shake up

2010-04-21T09:11:00.010-04:00

(Photo: Courtesy of WSJ.com)

Washington Post: Tuesday, April 20, 2010

FDA plans to limit amount of salt allowed in processed foods

Read an editorial response on the Wall Street Journal Blog

Click here

And, then Marion Nestle's response

Click here

Any way you like it: Calzones

2010-04-15T21:55:00.007-04:00

It's been a while since a new blog post, eh! Well, there's no better way to start back with than Italian of course. Calzones are a pizzeria favorite, here in America, complete only with a dish of warm marinara sauce for dipping. At home, using your favorite prepared dough or if you're a purist, your own, mini individualized pizza pockets can be created with creativity and/or whatever you have on had. What's nice about calzones is that they you can think our of the pizza box(!), creating different combinations of flavorings. For the calzones here, I used Italian sweet sausage, fresh broccoli, ricotta and part-skim mozzarella cheeses. In general, calzones work as the perfect medium for marrying vegetables and cheese together... (What better way to get vegetables in?!)

Pizza dough (1 ball)

marinara sauce (prepared or your favorite store-bought*)

Cheese filling: mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta, goat, feta, etc.

Meat filling: shredded chicken leftovers, sausage, prosciutto or bacon, meatballs, OPTIONAL

Vegetables: Go heavy here! Broccoli, Spinach, Onions, Leeks, Bell Peppers

Preheat oven to 450*.

Divide dough into 4-5 even balls and roll out. Fill with ingredients, fold one half of dough over the other. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle of sea salt. Place on greased pizza stone or baking sheet. Bake 15-20 mins or until edges are lightly browned. Cool and enjoy dipping in marinara sauce.

A Few Good Reads

2010-02-27T11:42:00.011-05:00

I thought I'd share some interesting books that I've read recently. They all have a similar theme: our obsession with consumption, both food and non-food related. I find the correlations between over-consumption with stuff , and over-consumption with food, namely sweet, salty and fatty foods, startling. Furthermore, our national eating disorder, while it can't be traced to one objective factor, is being identified through many lenses. In my recent literary interest-- books about happiness (see previous posts)--thus sparking my 30-day restaurant ban, these selections fall right into that genre, all of which have cogent arguments. Now, I confess, I chose these books to read for one of my classes, however, I suspect that I'd have found them eventually based on my current reading selections. Amazon.com is smart enough to know that "Others Have Purchased These Books:" very useful ;-)

From top: End of Overeating by Former chair of the FDA, Ronald Kessler; Born to Buy by sociology professor at Boston College, Juliet Schor, and and CHEAP by Boston University journalism professor, Ellen Ruppel Shell (see interview on NPR below). All can be found on Amazon.com (in kindle form, too!), Barnes and Nobel, or your neighborhood library. To locate a library nearest you, go to www.libraries411.com.

NPR Interview about Cheap, with Ellen Ruppel Shell

Chicken Saltimbocca

2010-02-27T07:40:00.006-05:00

Chicken what? Literally, this favorite Italian dish means, "Jump-In (salt)-Your-Mouth (bocca)". And though you need a few special ingredients to make it (i.e., prosciutto, sage), it is an impressive, easy dinner that will transform your kitchen into an Italian trattoria in no time. Because you work quickly, have all your ingredients assembled ahead of time to so your dinner will remain hot. You'll have dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes! I served my Chicken Saltimbocca with steamed spinach. I used the recipe by Lidia Bastianich--the queen of Italian cooking! Buon Appetito!

Pollo Saltimbocca

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, butterflied and lightly pounded
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 large sage leaves
4 thin slices prosciutto
All-purpose flour, for dusting
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock (low sodium or unsalted)

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place 2 sage leaves on each breast. Top with a slice of prosciutto, trimming it to fit. Press the prosciutto to help it adhere to the chicken. Dust the chicken with flour, shaking off the excess.Heat a large skillet. Add the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter.

Add 2 of the breasts, prosciutto side up, and cook over high heat until nearly cooked through, about 3 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook just until the prosciutto begins to shrink, about 1 minute.

Transfer the chicken to a plate; repeat with the remaining chicken. Pour off any fat and wipe out the skillet.Add the remaining butter to the skillet. Add the wine and cook over high heat until reduced by half, 2 minutes.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, 3 minutes.Return the chicken to the skillet, prosciutto side up, and simmer over moderate heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to plates, pour the sauce on top and serve.

Dining In: Weekend Edition III

2010-02-07T15:24:00.007-05:00

We are almost to the finish line on the "No eating out for 1 month" trial. This week flew by, with some creative meals and reliance on pasta, but never the less, it was all homemade.

Biscotti a la an Italian Grandmother...

(from Gourmet)

1 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole almonds with skin, lightly toasted , cooled, and coarsely chopped
3 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

8 oz. good quality-chocolate (chips or chopped bar)

Stir together sugar, butter, brandy, and extracts in a large bowl, then stir in almonds and eggs. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
Chill dough, covered, 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Using moistened hands, halve dough and form 2 (16-by 2-inch) loaves on an ungreased large baking sheet.Bake until pale golden, about 30 minutes. Carefully transfer loaves to a rack and cool 15 minutes.Cut loaves into 3/4-inch slices with a serrated knife. Arrange biscotti, with a cut side down, on a clean baking sheet and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely. Melt chocolate chips in a bowl over boiling water, not allowing the bottom to touch the water. Dip cooled biscotti into chocolate and return to wire rack to cool.

Fettucini Alfredo with Bacon

I know that Fettucini Alfredo dish isn't truly Italian, by origin (it's Italian-American), the recipe in Cooking Light just spoke to me...I couldn't resist. Though the ingredient list is short, you really need them all, especially good parmesan and lots of parsley. Verdict? This dish is going to become a weekly staple. Play around with different pairings--I think peas would be delicious. Thank you, Mr. Alfredo.

1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fresh fettuccine
2 slices applewood-smoked bacon, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook pasta. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings. Add garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Sprinkle flour over garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly; cook 2 minutes or until bubbly and slightly thick, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Gradually add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in salt and reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add hot pasta to pan; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with bacon, parsley, and pepper.

Weekend Edition: Channeling Spring

2010-01-31T09:42:00.005-05:00

Risotto is one of those classic Milanese trattoria-style dishes that many feel is daunting to create at home. That is not the case. I've had trouble with risottos in the past, but I wanted to try it again. Luckily, this time it was perfect. With a little time spent chopping, pouring and stirring, finally Risotto con Zaffrone (Saffron), Piselle (Peas) e Gamberi (Shrimp) was created. This dish makes you feel like Italy, or spring, isn't so, so far away...

Chicken Part Deux

2010-01-27T12:01:00.004-05:00

I made my first ever chicken stock with the leftover bones and carcass from my Sunday roast. It's much easier than it sounds, and fills the kitchen with a fantastic aroma; one that you can't find in canned or boxed broths (which are more like saltwater, than stock). I loosely followed Alice Water's recipe from Art of Simple Food, based on what I had in the house.

Chicken Stock

Bones and carcass of a 4-5 lb. chicken
2 quarts water (8 cups), or more if necessary
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2-3 bay leaves
1 sprig parsley

In a large pot, combine the stock and the breast. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the top, then lower to a simmer. Skim any remaining foam, then add half of the onion, carrot, celery, and parsnip, plus the sprig of parsley. Cook at a gentle simmer for 2-3 hours (the longer the better, more intense flavor).

2. After 30 minutes, remove the chicken carefully to a plate to cool and strain the smaller bits out in a fine mesh strainer. Refrigerate immediately. Salt and pepper as desired.

THEN, I used my new stock, and leftover chicken, to make White Bean Chicken Chili. What better use of all my chicken?!

White Bean Chicken Chili

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 large onion,chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano (1 Tbs. fresh)
few sprigs of thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs and breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 15-ounce cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
1 7-ounce can diced green chilies
4 cups chicken broth (plus additional if needed)

Grated cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro parsley

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, thyme and dried red pepper. Sauté 5 minutes. Push onion to 1 side of pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan. Sauté chicken approximately 5 minutes.

Drain beans; reserve 1/2 cup bean liquid. Add beans, broth, and chilies to chicken. Simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat before using.) Ladle chili into bowls. Top with cheese and sprinkle with parsley.

A month of restaurant-free dinners: Weekend Edition

2010-01-24T10:49:00.008-05:00

Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Dipping Sauce

The weekends usually are typically candidates for restaurants or at least take-out. But, this weekend we resisted the urge to even get a coffee out. Instead, bring a restaurant-quality meal into your own kitchen!

Perfectly Herbed Roasted Chicken

This is what I like to call, Sunday Dinner. There is nothing better than the aroma of a chicken that has been stuffed with as many herbs as I could find, garlic, and half a lemon.

Roast Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Onions

4-5 lb. organic chicken

handful of fresh thyme, savory twigs

fresh sage leaves

3-4 garlic cloves, chopped and separated

half of a lemon

butter, at room temperature

lots of sea salt

fresh black pepper

Season the bird when you come home from the store. The longer it is salted and peppered, the better it will taste. Hours before, rub butter on the skin and underneath. Stuff the cavity with garlic cloves, sprigs of herbs, and lemon. Rub garlic under the skin.

Heat oven to 450*. Tie legs together with cooking twine and tuck the little wings under and in so that they don't burn. Arrange vegetables at this point, if you desire. I used sweet potatoes and onions, but carrots and celery would work, too.

Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place in the oven. As a rule, chickens cook for 20 minutes per lb. or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature of the breast is 165*F. I used all of these tricks to tell when it was done. Remove foil after the first hour to ensure that the skin browns the way it should! After 1.5 hours, the bird had reached it's cooking temperature and the pan juices were clear and copious.

This is the most important step: DO NOT CARVE IMMEDIATELY. Let it sit, loosely covered with foil, for 15-20 mins. This allows the juices to redistribute, which is key for a moist bird. Otherwise, the juices will run out on to the pan.

A month of restaurant-free dinners: Nights 1 & 2

2010-01-20T19:20:00.005-05:00

So far so good!

Dinner #1. Pasta alla bolognese

Dinner #2. Pizza with caramelized onions, sweet potato and bacon

I loosely followed this recipe by Wolfgang Puck, but added a base of tomato paste and diced sweet potatoes!

Editorial Aside: Happiness by Way of Simplicity

2010-01-12T11:27:00.026-05:00

Lately I’ve been doing some “light” reading regarding happiness and, particularly, living simply. In one book, “Happy At Last” author and psychotherapist Richard O’Connor, PhD, credits our love affair with consumerism for the unhappy, depressed, overweight, insomniac state of affairs. It’s the hedonic treadmill: We often envy what everyone else has or does, I often wonder, when are we going to hit rock bottom? (Or have we?) O’Connor likens life today to a vacation at an all-inclusive beach resort; with all of the “included” activities, one feels compelled and pressured into doing something 24/7 because it’s “paid for”. Anxiety born from not doing enough; not getting to snorkel, play bridge, scuba dive, parasail, take surf lessons, take dance classes, do arts and crafts, enjoy unlimited Pina Coladas on the beach, swim at each pool…and so the story goes.

Let’s change gears now. Yesterday I made a conscious decision to watch Oprah, because it was on cleaning out the unnecessary in our lives. Lifestyle guru (and Aussie) Peter Walsh took on a desperately overscheduled family, in search of a simpler life. For example, instead of walking upstairs to tell her son something, the mother in the kitchen would often text him up in his room. The family never ate dinner together. When the dinner was take-out, each person would take his or her respective lo mein and disperse to opposite corners of the house. Luckily, within seven days, Walsh had dramatically transformed this family and its house. Clutter was gone; dinners were had; electronics were not considered a part of the family. (The 16 year old son averaged 7-10,000 texts per month. (I suspect carpel tunnel is in his future if he keeps it up.)

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery." Charles Dickens, Tale of Two Cities

So where am I going with this? Taking satisfaction in simple pleasures like cooking, reading, exercise, dancing in the privacy of your own home, listening to good music, enjoying that first cup of coffee in the morning. We are rapidly conforming to the world today—the good and the bad, and as O'Connor posits, "the ability to derive joy from such things is in grave danger in today's world where we're constantly pressured to keep busy, to move right onto the next thing and stay ahead of the curve (194)." Bingo, right! Furthermore, I dare to think that such behaviors, and in some case character adaptations, have influenced how, when, why, and what we eat. It’s the theory of the hedonic treadmill: we’re working hard just to stay in the same place; striving for more and more _____, thinking that it will make us happier, when in fact, it just keeps us in the same state. Dining out should be a treat, that, if abused, will lose pleasure. Like a manicure. Sure, it would be nice to have one every week(!), but then you become almost resistant to its pleasure. Once a month, a manicure is a treat (and even that’s often), but once a week can be seen as almost a treatment not a treat because you have to schedule time to do it. You see? We just get used to it, and it's no longer new, thus we move on to the next thing that might make us happy. Like when you’re on vacation and you eat in restaurants all week; you just can’t wait to eat at home. Well, that’s how I feel at least. Your initial happiness from eating out diminishes.

So, once I return to Boston next week, I vow to not eat out for 30 days. I can’t decide if I’m going to be able to blog each night..it’s a lofty goal. But to keep myself on track, I’m willing to try. Regardless, I’ll strive to document it!

Restaurant Review: Fresh & Honest- Henrietta's Table

2009-12-20T10:27:00.005-05:00

Motto: Fresh and Honest

Charles Hotel

Entrance to Henrietta's Table

"Henrietta" herself

1 Bennet Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

(617-6610-5005)

Henriettastable.com (click)

Dress code: Runs the gamut (Casual to Dressy, no sequins though)

Henrietta’s Kitchen is virtually Alice Waters’ Art of Simple Food, come to life. The freshness of the vegetables, with the fronds still attached to the caramelized carrots, is not lost on people. This experience teaches you how food really tastes: fresh and honest.

Bolstering the back of the unassuming Charles Hotel rests Henrietta’s Kitchen. It is almost as if a rustic farmhouse was plunked right into the center of the Charles Hotel. This time of year, the restaurant is flanked with large poinsettias, which contrast the alabaster colored walls. Henrietta herself—a huge, bronze, smiling pig--works as the official greeter. Behind Henrietta is a small, open gift shop with gourmet candies, nuts, local fruits and vegetables. After we were seated, there were so many sensory-teasing smells, sounds, and images to take in. The tables were close together, but not on top of each other. The clientele ranged from couples celebrating whatever; post-church families out for a Sunday meal, to girlfriends celebrating a birthday.

We didn’t sit there for long before the ever-smiling wait-staff were over to get us complimentary coffee, juices, sodas--whatever we wanted. (If you go, request Antonio...he was fabulous.) This attentiveness, in the form of a continuous flow of hot coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice, continued throughout the brunch. My advice is to peruse ALL of your options before grabbing a plate and digging in from left to right: you have to be selective…(or else you’ll pay for it later, if you know what I mean). I opted to start with the dill encrusted smoked salmon, offered up on a huge piece of butcher-block, freshly made cream cheese married with half of a freshly toasted everything bagel. As I bit down on the crunch of the bagel, the buttery salmon burst into my mouth like a flavor explosion. It was divine. Other highlights? The best carrots I’ve ever had. They still had their greens attached. Brussels sprouts, so big and crisp they could have won an award. Home made pastries, including potentially the best cinnamon buns ever. Eggs any way you please---I had mine scrambled into fluffy yellow pillows. The dessert table housed bowls of fresh berries (Where did they get golf ball sized blackberries in December?), pineapple and melons, alongside the rich decadent sweets like vanilla pound-cake, carrot cake and chocolate mousse. Again, take a bite of each and call it a day. That table should come with an insulin pump.

All in all, you could literally spend your entire afternoon there, and some people do, I’m sure. This is a true testament that good (quality) food doesn’t have to come in a stuffy, nose-up-in-the-air environment: Henrietta’s kitchen was the most approachable, elegant brunch I’ve been to. I felt truly welcome. I suspect that a drink on a weeknight in Henrietta's TV-free bar would be enjoyable, too.

Jazz up pie crust

2009-12-09T19:55:00.002-05:00

What's more boring than a plain pie crust? Even if it's the most buttery, flakey, thing you ever did taste, let's face it--it can use a makeover. Use a small (or large, I suppose) cookie cutter to cut out shapes of your-rolled out pie crust and layer them, overlapping slightly. Brush crust with an eggwash and bake at normal temperature. For the apple pie above, I used an apple cutter!

Healthful Holidays

2009-11-21T20:57:00.020-05:00

Holiday (or anytime) Gift Ideas

'Tis the gift-giving season again. It doesn't feel

like it yet does it? Well, I knew the jolly season was here the day after Halloween when the candy corn was 75% off, to make room for the candy canes. (Note: You can always tell the season by the candy aisle in a drugstore, eh?)

I've compiled my top healthful, quirky, have-to-have gifts to give for both the foodie and non-foodie.

1. Herb Keeper

The hesitation of buying fresh herbs and tender vegetables (think asparagus) is the short fridge life. Well, fear no more...many companies have come up with herb keepers that strive to lengthen the lives of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

(Picture courtesy of Amazon.com)

Try: Crate and Barrel's Herb Keeper (click)

2. Produce Bags

If you're looking for a reason to open the fridge and want to grab more fruits and vegetables, cute, lively produce bags may do just the trick. These bags

from Ecobags.com keep your produce organized and safe in breathable muslin drawstring bags.

3. Potting Shed Creations

Herbs, flowers, bonsai: you name it, the Potting Shed has a nice 'lil version (even tiny grape tomatoes you can grow on your window sill!) I particularly love the "Garden in a Bag" line. Order online or check out where Potting Shed Creations are sold near you!

4. Ruth Reichl's Food Memoirs

Any of these picks will warm the spirit of any food lover...the fact that they're non-fiction even makes her stories more remarkable. You'll gobble them right up.

5. Tastebook cookbook

Publish your prized recipes for a friend or family member. Enter your own recipe or select your favorites from sites like CookingLight, BonAppetit and Epicurious, add them to a book and pick beautiful pictures to fill the pages. It's a thoughtful, useful gift for anyone special.

Tastebook website (click)

6. Norpro Bamboo Steamer

Preparing nutrient dense, crisp, non-soggy vegetables couldn't be easier with this authentic bamboo steamer from Norpro (amazon.com). It's 10 inches wide x 6 inches high, allowing for more-than-the-typical amount of vegetables to be steamed (compared with other flimsy bamboo steamers). Of note, the Norpro received the highest reviews on amazon.com.

7. Goldtouch Bakeware

The newest in non-stick, dishwasher-safe bakeware, comes from a Swiss company, Goldtouch™.

Here's the low-down (courtesy of Williams-Sonoma): nonstick coating, a ceramic-reinforced nonstick surface that will not chip or peel and is highly scratch-resistant. To withstand frequent use, the nonstick layers are bonded to commercial-gauge aluminized steel, the same construction used by professional kitchens because it distributes heat quickly and evenly, producing consistent baking results. A thick band within each pan's lip increases durability and prevents warping or flexing. The pans release baked foods without sticking and clean up easily.

8. Klean Kanteen hot/cold keeper

From the company loved for its stainless steel line of BPA free canteen water bottles comes wide-mouthed bottles for soups, stews, chilis, oatmeal, tea/coffee...and more! The new line, great for on-the-go hot breakfasts or lunches, comes in a range of sizes, from 12 oz. to 20 oz. Each jar keeps food or drink warm for 6 hours; cold food or drink cold for up to 24 hours!!! Check out the KleanKanteen site, or sporting stores where Klean Kanteen products are sold.

9. Orchid

Orchids are in, cut flowers are out. Why? A) The bloom lasts for weeks (sometimes months if you get a well-cared for one) B) No allergenic pollens C) it lasts forever (if you don't kill it!) Try to find one that still has closed buds, that will give you more enjoyment when it flowers!

10. Peace Lily

There's more than aesthetic to the peace lily. Did you know that it acts as nature's air purifier? It's true! This beautiful houseplant is known for cleaning the air, so to speak, by removing harmful gases and impurities from the air.

Grab a ladle...

2009-11-18T21:45:00.003-05:00

'tis soup season. For some out-of-the-ordinary, anything-but-chicken noodle soup, check out the 15 super seasonal soups featured on the Times of London Life & Style section. They hail from the kitchens of the UK's top food stars, including (sigh, heart-skips-a-beat): Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay.

Build a better stir fry

2009-11-17T21:56:00.015-05:00

If I had a Santoku to my head, forced to guess which cuisine serves as the savior for people's last minute dinner, I suspect it would be Chinese. There's something about cogently pulling on the wire handles of those warm, white cubic containers. I may speak for myself, by saying this, but I usually get the same thing every time: some version of broccoli and shrimp...sometimes, but not often, mixing it up with a mixed veg. Thrilling, right? The thing is, with the basic steps, you can whip up a just-as-good-if-not-better stir-fry, quicker than you can say egg-roll. A bonus? You'll be in control of exactly what goes in it.

Caution: this may become a weekly staple forcing a divorce from your tried-and-true take out venue. But, it's OK to have an affair with your own kitchen. Fortune cookies are optional.

Equipment:

Wok (Why not just a regular frying pan? Because in a wok, the heat remains at the bottom of the pan and the curved sides allow you to push the ingredients to cooler areas, thus keeping vegetables crisp)

Basic Ingredients:

Oil (preferably with a high smoking point: peanut, toasted sesame, safflower)

Soy sauce

Rice vinegar

Stock (chicken, beef, vegetable)

Cornstarch (to thicken and create a sauce)

Brown sugar

Fresh minced ginger (keep on hand for ALL Asian dishes!)

Scallions or onions

Garlic

Vegetables

whatever your fancy

Protein

Tofu, tempeh, edamame, chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, nuts

Flavor enhancers

To increase spiciness: Red pepper flakes; Chili peppers

For sweetness: Brown sugar

Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry adapted from Cooking Light

1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups small broccoli florets
1 cup vertically sliced onion

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to pan; stir-fry 30 seconds. Sprinkle shrimp with salt. Add shrimp to pan, and stir-fry 3 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp mixture from the pan.
Add remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil to pan. Add broccoli and onion to pan; stir-fry 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Add shrimp mixture and broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

French Onion Soup

2009-11-08T21:59:00.012-05:00

French. Onions. Soup...can't get a better combination. Though this much-beloved appetizer may seem daunting for home cooking, french onion soup is actually quite easy, with the right ingredients and utensils. If you remember, I used gruyere in my mac and cheese (see last post), and I had a hunk to use up...so I thought, "What better use for gruyere than french onion soup?!" After all, gruyere is the authenic topper--the piece de resistance-- to the baked soup.

I followed the seemingly classic recipe from the Alice Waters, Art of Simple Food cookbook. She calls it an onion "panade", which in french is a fancy word for "thick soup." More or less, it's French Onion Soup. It's definitely worth a shot to get this one under your belt.

Alice Waters' Onion Panade

1.5 lb onions, peeled and thinly sliced (about 5-6 whole onions)

1/4 cup butter or olive oil

2-3 sprigs thyme

1/3 loaf french baguette, cut into slices

1/4 cup gruyere chese, grated

1/3 cup Parmesean cheese

3-4 cups beef stock

Heat oil in a large pan (preferably a dutch oven) and add onions and thyme. Cook over low heat for about 30-40 minutes until onions are soft and transluscent. Preheat oven to 350* F.

Add stock. Salt mixture to taste. Mix cheeses together. Assemble by pouring soup into oven proof dishes or ramekins. Place bread slices on top and cover with cheeses. Bake for 15 minutes and then broil for 2-3 minutes. Remove and serve immediately (though attention: this soup WILL burn the roof of your mouth off, if you're not careful!).

Thank you Thomas Jefferson...and Martha

2009-11-02T21:44:00.009-05:00

If you look up Macaroni and Cheese, you'll find two familiar names: Thomas Jefferson and Martha Stewart. It turns out, TJ loved pasta. He also loved cheese. What do you do with two loves like those? Combine. The result? Perhaps the most popular comfort food known to stomachs. What's the connection? Oh, how much time do you have? I've had a hankering for this ultimate comfort food--so, per usual, I wanted to see what was out there...and not surprisingly, there is a range. I find that mac and cheese is just one of those things that needs to be done well: it needs to be white, crunchy on top, and a mixture of cheeses in between. Interestingly, this recipe calls for gruyere, which, unless you're SweetFoodie, you probably don't have on hand. But, after this, you probably will make it a fridge staple...like butter :) . I admit, I nibbled on it a bit while I was shreddding the blocks of white goodness, trying not to slice my finger off. It's mild, but in the best way possible. You MUST try this. Laminate it. Enjoy it. I adivse serving with something like a light salad to cut through ALL THAT CHEESE (and butter...and milk). I will foreworn you...this is a lactose nightmare--no amount of lactase pills will touch it. So, just enjoy and pay the consequences. It's that worth it. I haved the recipe and it still makes a more than comforting amount. I suspect it will freeze well, too.

Martha Stewart's "Perfect Macaroni & Cheese" Serves 12

6 slices good-quality white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces*
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar
2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyere or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated pecorino Romano
1 pound elbow macaroni (or shells, like I used)

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread pieces in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into the bowl with bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. Slowly pour hot milk into flour-butter mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup pecorino Romano. Set cheese sauce aside.

4. Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 fewer minutes than manufacturer's directions, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup pecorino Romano; scatter breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve.

*I used panko breadcrumbs dusted on the top, not browned in butter

2009-10-31T15:09:00.001-04:00

This afternoon, while watching Giada at home and eating my lunch, up came this advertisement for McDonalds. I only caught it 3/4 of the way in, but it goes something like this: A 20-something "dude" goes around trying to buy things for a dollar, and SHOCKER, he can't....until he gets to McDonalds. Then, at McDonalds they happily take his dollar and he gets a sandwich--he actually has the hardship of picking between two sandwiches. (see video below)

This captures the exact landscape in America today--what can I buy for the least amount of money. This is debilitating to aims to create a more healthful environment...that money SHOULD be spent on good food NOW. I'm usually not so "down on companies," because I do see their need and right to exist. HOWEVER, this is detrimental....people need to be smarter than these ad campaigns. McDonalds, among others, have entered the psyche of American consumers...and they've done a stellar job at it. The propogation of "cheap food" is going to undermine any nutrition interventions. Other countries spend nearly 30-40% of their income on food. Now compare that with the U.S.'s minimal 10%. The difference is evident.

What can I buy for a dollar?

2009-10-31T14:54:00.004-04:00

Best and Worst (Boo) Halloween Candy

2009-10-28T14:40:00.002-04:00

So, I'm not the world's biggest Halloween fan. Come to think of it, I'm not really a candy fan either. But, I still respect those people that live for it each year, contemplating his or her costume idea for the entire year. I do, of course, partake in the excuse and celebration to eat candy and sweets. So I came across this article from Thatsfit.com on the best vs. worst halloween candy... see how your favorite sweet ranks! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

First, the worst--

Tricks:
5th Avenue (1 full-size bar) -- 280 calories, 14g fat
Snickers (1 full-size bar) -- 280 calories, 14g fa
tTwix Caramel (2 bars) -- 280 calories, 14g fat
Baby Ruth (1 full-size bar) -- 280 calories, 13g fat
Butterfinger (1 full-size bar) -- 270 calories, 11g fa
tMilky Way (1 full-size bar) -- 260 calories, 10g fat
Mr. Goodbar (1 full-size bar) -- 210 calories, 14g fat

Now the best--

Treats:
Trident Gum (1 stick) -- 5 calories, 0g fat (as if that's all you're going to have!?)
Smarties (1 roll) -- 25 calories, 0g fat
Tootsie Roll (1 piece) -- 50 calories, 1g fat
Pixy Stix (7 straws) -- 60 calories, 0g fat
Hershey Kisses (3) -- 75 calories, 1.5g fatJolly
Rancher Gummies (10 pieces) -- 120 calories, 0g fat
York Peppermint Patty (1 piece) -- 140 calories, 2.5g fat

Easy Granola

2009-10-26T22:48:00.006-04:00

Some like craisins instead of raisins. Some prefer coconut. Some want sliced almonds, while others want whole. Walnuts? Sunflower seeds, maybe. And some people would love all of these. Granola is about as variable as the weather...and for me, it's all about the crunch. I am not apt to buy packaged granola...it clumps together like globs of sugar and who knows what else. Most are fairly unhealthful with little nutritent content. And, though I like the look of a sprinkle of granola atop Greek yogurt, I always toss the granola package that comes with a parfait. I never trust what's in it. So, why not make your own granola...and put in it (gasp) WHATEVER YOU WANT!!! It's SO easy to make--you can whip it up in no time and have the kitchen smelling like a muesli factory!

I poured everything into a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper. I tore the recipe from Jamie Oliver out of the Nov. issue of Health magazine. Then, for a second opinon, I consulted my "How to Cook Everything" big, yellow beast of a cookbook.

Adopt & Adapt as you see fit, just as I have done.

Granola (Hybrid between Mark Bittman and Jamie Oliver)

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

heavy-handed sprinkle of flaxseed
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

2 Tablespoon canola oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins

Directions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.
In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color. Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.

Yogging...the J is silent

2009-10-23T07:38:00.007-04:00

That is of course one of the lines said by Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrel) in Anchorman.

So many of you may be privy to my burning desire to be a "runner". It's probably safe to say that it has been a "life-long" goal, actually. Don't get me wrong, I love to walk. I could walk a marathon and be just fine...but the thought of even running 10 miles is daunting. So, what better to start than with baby steps. In the nutrition world so to speak, I feel the omnipresence of the "be-fit" environment. There are several people that wear Garmin running watches ALL THE TIME, as their primary timepiece. Now, nutrition, should go hand in hand with physical activity in order to create an overall healthful lifestyle. I don't want to be (nor could I be) an athlete per se, but I would like to feel the weight of a 5k t shirt on my back. Several people have prodded me to just sign up for a race...that will be the impetus necessary. This summer, I started running on the treadmill and got up to 2.2 miles. But, like any real runner knows, that's not real running. Get out on the pavement and those 2.2 miles turn into about 1 mile, if that due to the unevenesss in the terrain that makes the legs work harder.

I think I'm in the right place to start my new hobby: Boston IS the city of runners, it appears. About a month ago, I was on the bus and two girls were behind me and one said to the other, "You know, did you ever notice that everyone here runs? I just can't run. Maybe it's about the shoes...but I just can't do it. I like walking." Her friend nodded in agreement, "Yeah, there sure are a lot of people who run here." And, it's so true. There are a lot of die-hard runners, everywhere you go. So I took some advice and signed up for a Turkey Trot at 9 a.m., the morning of Thanksgiving. Yep, it's true. I've been jogging more and more each week and I'm up to nearly 2 miles. I think for me, it is just going to take practice and practice. I do realize the runner's high, which I've felt during high intensity elliptical sessions, but the jogging/running thing I never particularly enjoyed. I like how I feel afterwards, so hopefully I can keep this momentum up. I probably owe it to my darling new "running" shoes, I purchased from Marathon Sports. Talk about a runners' paradise: there were legitimate marathoners in there and here's me...the little jogger, pretending to be an actual runner, in there trying on sneakers to enahnce my performance! I did some research on top-rated brands and styles for (sigh) flat feet and went in armed with my list. And, like an athletic Cinderella meets Goldilocks, after trying to find the perfect pair that was just right, I settled on Mizuno Waves (see below). I love them. I think they may be the answer.

In an effor to stay accountable, I'm moving the blog towards an overall healthful theme: nutrition, cooking and exercise. I hop that's ok. So stay tuned for updates on the state of running AND help keep me motivated toward my goal!

Mizuno Wave

Relevant motivating sites I read:

Runner's World

Graduate Meghann

Eat, Live, Run

Okay, okay I get it, mate!

2009-10-18T08:25:00.005-04:00

So here is the situation: I am a huge, huge fan of plain, no-frills yogurt. With the expansive sugar-sweetened goopy array of yogurts hogging up dairy aisle shelves, in my purist nature I proudly swipe the plain yogurt. Luckily, there is never a shortage of this because most people gag at the thought of it. Perhaps I'm a freak of nature, but I prefer it. Why, then am I posting about a flavored yogurt? Well, I've seen many people eating this Australian yogurt, Wallaby. It has a cute little wallaby on each 6 oz. yogurt cup. (The real wallaby on the actual site is adorable!) Yet, in reality these yogurts have zero to do with a wallaby, but the catchy Australian mammal serves as as good a company brand as any, right? I don't think people would by "Wombat" yogurts. Anyways, recently during a theraputic grocery shopping session in Whole Foods I browsed the yogurt collection. After I grabbed my Brown Cow plain, non-fat yogurt I paused. Wallaby yogurts, in EVERY flavor. Hmm, I thought. Is today the day to try them? Perhaps the cue to action was the sale sign...that was my impetus to try one. After glancing at the nutrition facts--No vitamin D, but 10% iron,--, I grabbed 6 of each flavor that looked good. Vanilla bean???? I would bathe in vanilla bean anything--I love it so much. So I grabbed two of those and a smattering of the other enticing flavors (including a low-fat kind, Dulce de Leche...say no more).

The verdict? Crikey! I can see why people are converts. It's creamy--even the nonfat--densly flavored, and ultimately satisfying. If you can find it, try it. You'll probably spend more time than you wanted to oggling the flavors. Though I'm still a tried and true plain yogurt fan, I find these yogurts a potential pick me up during the midday slump. So far, I recommend Dulce de Lece, bartlett pear and vanilla bean....however I suspect that list will grow.

From Wallaby Yogurt Website (Click!)

ORGANIC NONFAT VANILLA BEAN 6oz
ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS:Organic Cultured Pasteurized Nonfat Milk, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Natural Flavor, Pectin, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Organic Vanilla Beans.
GRADE A LIVE ACTIVE CULTURES:L. acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, S. thermophilus, bifidus.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
6oz (170g)
Servings Per Container 1
Calories 140
Calories from Fat 0

Total Fat 0g
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 10mg
Sodium 80mg
Total Carbohydrates 26g
Dietary Fiber 0g
0%Sugars 22g
Protein 6g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 25%
Iron 10%*

Buon Appetito!

2009-10-15T07:22:00.001-04:00

Enlightening article that pays tribute to the Art of Pasta from the NY Times.

They've taken the "Joy" out of "Baking"

2009-10-09T19:45:00.004-04:00

This article from the NYTimes irritated me. Did any one else see it? (Besides those in my biochemistry class.) the title goes like this: A Crackdown on Bake Sales in NYC. Yes, folks. It is exactly what it sounds like. NYC Department of Education is banning all sucrose and fat containing foods from entering a public school in an effort to what you ask? COMBAT THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC. Now, even if you are not in the "nutrition bubble" you might see an issue with this. This, after all is a policy put forth by the Department of Education. This policy is under the guise of the unfunded "Wellness Policy" which schools that receive Federal money for the School Feeding Programs (e.g., school breakfast, lunch) are supposed to institute. Well, they don't. Why? These federal mandates are unfunded...so what is the incentive for a school to actually implement such a program? Without the crucial leadership, these wellness policies are zilch.

But I digress. So back to the bake sales. My take on this is this: 1) banning bake sales puts in kids minds that sweets are BAD foods, never to be enjoyed and if you do, you should feel bad about it, and 2) kids who were once cooking with their families FOR the bake sale, now don't have that opportunity. In a time when I'm striving to see a RETURN to cooking and instilling the 'JOY of BAKING' in children, policies like this happen and set us back, yet again. I'm rilled up about this. Since their fruition, bake sales have served as a venue for socialization and perhaps a little bit of revenue in the process: no one became overweight or obese because of it. We are supposed to be reinforcing that everything should be eaten in moderation...aren't we? What does this ban really achieve? A bunch of unhappy kids who are still overweight and eating junk? They will find a way to eat a Twinkie, be it at a bake sale or from the vending machine down the hall.

(img. <http://badgerherald.com/blogs/arts/amateurgourmand/cookie-monster-diet.jpg>

Misfits into Apple Pie

2009-10-04T12:41:00.007-04:00

Isn't she a beaut? Well...maybe not the crust

At the farmers market last Thursday I bought a basket of "fallen" apples, which were basically fine but they picked them up on the ground so they weren't perfect....they had character...like misfits. The basket was an assortment of Macs, Honey Crisps, Jonathans and Macouns: a perfect mixture for a pie, I thought. And, turns out I was right!

From: The Joy of Baking

1 recipe double pie crust
2 1/2 pounds (1.1 kg) apples (about 6 large), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups sliced)
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus cornstarch or tapioca (Optional)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 450*F

Roll out pie dough between two sheets of wax paper and lay into a pie plate. Set aside. Next, combine apples through cornstarch together in a bowl and mix well. Gently spoon pie mixture into the shell. Dot with the two tablespoons of butter. Top the pie with the remaining crust; make slits in the top crust to allow steam to get out. Finally, using a pastry brush, coat the crust with milk and dust with granulated sugar.

If you have a pie crust ring, put that on the crust and put into the oven for 10 minutes at 450*F. After 10 minutes, reduce temperature to 350*F for 35-45 minutes until golden brown. Cool slighty and enjoy warm!

Bistro Dinner

2009-09-29T20:10:00.004-04:00

Sole Meuniere with Roasted Potatoes and Braised Leeks

This menu sound much fancier than it was to make. The idea came from the new Barefoot Contessa book, in which she has a recipe for Sole Meuniere (basically Sole w/ Butter, in French). The key, she says, is using "Dover Sole"....well wouldn't you know that in Trader Joes they actually sold, flash frozen Dover Sole??? I know, I know...I was going on this crusade to eat local, fresh food....but in this case I make an exception. Fish=good for you. So nutritionally, flash frozen fish, which retains all of its vitamins and minerals, is just as good as the fresh. And, my experience witht the flash frozen fish is that texture isn't comprimised. I grabbed it and couldn't wait to recreate Ina's fish dish. She credits the French markets as her inspiration for this to her dish. I served it with roasted yukon gold potatoes and braised leeks.

Unfortunatly, I had to pretend I was France, or at least in a fancy French restaurant. Try it at home tout suite!

Ina Garten's Sole Meuniere (click)

Braised Leeks, courtesy of Epicurious

4 small or medium leeks, tough outer leaves discarded and leeks trimmed to about 7 inches long and cut lengthwise into quarters or eighths 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup chicken broth 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

In a shallow dish soak leeks in cold water to cover 15 minutes, rubbing occasionally to remove any grit. In a heavy skillet melt butter over moderate heat. lift leeks out of the water and with water still clinging to them add to skillet. Cook leeks, stirring occasionally, five minutes and add broth and zest. Braise leeks, covered, 5 minutes, or until very tender, and season with salt and pepper.

Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes with Rosemary

4 Yukon Gold potatoes, washed
sprinkle sea salt and rosemary
glug of extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400* F.
Slice potatoes into any size you like; I like small wedges. Toss with oli and salt. Spread onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with rosemary. Roast 30-40 mins. Serve warm.

Product Review: Cornbread Mix by Nitty Gritty Grains

2009-09-28T17:01:00.003-04:00

So I owe this post to fellow-foodie and Vermontphylic Caroline, who brought be this gourmet cornbread mix back with her as a momento from her summer spent in Vermont (Charlotte, to be exact, home of Eating Well magazine). First off, I love, love, love cornbread, but have never had luck recreating the tender and moist consistency. I have better luck with dry and crumbly.

I made the cornbread to go with my stew (see below) and it didn't disapoint. It's a one-bowl-wonder! Throw together: mix, 1 egg, 4 Tbs. oil (but I used greek yogurt), and 1 cup of water. Pour into a 8x8 pan and bake for 35 mins. Let me tell you, the SMELL WAS FANTASTIC.

Don't let the corn-y name fool you (haha): Nitty Gritty Grain Co. has a quality product with its Cornbread mix. I wish I hadn't made the whole thing so that I had some left to try the pancake recipe, which look amazing. I never thought about a cornbread-type pancake, but the idea intrigues me and I want to try it. Anyways, if you ever spot a beautifully-pacaged Nitty Gritty Mix, do try.

Website for Nitty Gritty: www.nittygrittygrain.com

The Art of the Simple Stew

2009-09-27T21:20:00.008-04:00

Yesterday was the most picture perfect fall day, partly due to the weather, and partly due to the sound of crisp leaves underfoot as I apple-picked yesterday. Well, I more like watched other people pick as I stuffed my pockets with big Macouns and ate a big one. I was so psyched to pick as many apples as I could and make a pie, but unfortunately the tote of apples was a complete rip-off. I'll have to post my apple picking and subsequent baking next week after I find another apple orchard to go to. Today was just what I was looking for: a rainy day when I could lounge around in PJs and leisurely browse my cookbook for an inspiring recipe. I guess that's my idea of an ideal morning. Well, it could have been better with the smell of fresh cinnamon buns coming from the oven. Anyways, not only was it rainy, but cold. So of the multitude of dishes that would have been great for a damp, cold, rainy autumn day, I was drawn to Alice Waters' Beef Stew from The Art of Simple Food. I absolutely LOVE this book, which is a mixture of recipes and anecdotes. Alice truly is a cook, who appreciates the unpretentious pleasures and her insistence that enjoyable food can, and should, be simple is mouthwateringly convincing. The way she articulates roasting a chicken, using just about 3 ingredients, is unorthodox--she doesn't attempt to fool you into thinking you'll need a million different rubs and marinades to make something taste restaurant quality. What I love most about this book is Waters' inclusion of variations for each recipe. (I love Mark Bittman's book for this same reason.) Here's an LA Times article that articulates her "brilliant, elusive simplicity".

So, here it is: The absolutely succulent Braised Beef Stew. I don't advise that you wait for a rainy day to try this.

In a Dutch Oven:

Season 3 lb beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1.5'' cubes liberally with salt & pepper and dredge in flour

Add 3 slices bacon (or pancetta, if available) cut into 1" pieces to a pan and brown, but do not allow it to crisp, remove with a slotted spoon

Add meat to pot and brown, remove and place on a plate

Add 2 carrots and 2 celery hearts, cut into bite size pieces, with 3 chopped garlic cloves

Add 1 box of frozen pearl onions ( I used Birdseye)

Stir until vegetables are softened

With cooking twine, tie together 2 sprigs each: thyme, parsley, savory

Add 1 bay leaf, a few peppercorns

Pour in 1 3/4 cup dry red wine (I used Merlot) *If you've got some brandy you can add a splash of that, too.

Add 8 cloves of peeled garlic, finely chopped, 1 can organic diced tomatoes and 2 cups beef broth

Cover Dutch oven and simmer for 2 1/2-3 hours, stirring every so often.

You'll love the smell that fills your kitchen as it simmers. The liquid reduces into a thick, creamy stew. Cornbread (specifically Nitty Gritty cornbread mix from VT -- thanks to Caroline) made the perfect accompaniment tonight to sop up all of the juices! I suspect this will taste even better tomorrow.

Extinct Apples?

2009-09-09T13:18:00.003-04:00

This recent post by my friend Jenn really illustrates how precious our food system is...and how much it is taken for granted. I couldn't find the link on the original site, but if you click here you can watch the video which is imbedded on Jenn's blog. In the 1800's there were over 7,000 varieties of apples grown by U.S. farmers, and today there are only 300ish. Isn't that sad? as we say so long to summer and begin layering sweaters and hearing the crunch of leaves under our shoes, don't you wonder what life would be like with 7,000 varieties of apples in the world? Wouldn't it be a better place? Obviously if we keep going like this, apples will become like the dinosaurs: EXTINCT!

After all, an apple a day keeps bad health away...

Panko Crusted Haddock & Heirloom Tomato Salad

2009-09-04T22:33:00.007-04:00

The Updated Friday Night Fish Fry.

I finally, after living here in Brookline, a year, ventured into Wulf's Fish Market. While I've walked by many times, glancing at the daily market priced seafood specials, I've never actually gone in. I chose a firm haddock, which the fish monger skinned for me and wrapped in paper. In a very Barefoot Contessa fashion, I happily left the store with my fresh fish, wrapped in paper. It was ever as firm, non-fishy tasting, and tender as I had hoped. Here's what I did:

1.25 lbs firm white fish (haddock, halibut, mahi mahi)

salt and pepper

1/2 c panko crumbs

2 Tbs. dijon mustard (good quality)

1 Tbs lemon juice

Parsley

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line a 8x8 inch baking dish with aluminum foil. Place fish in the baking dish and season liberally with

salt and pepper. Coat each fish fillet with mustard. Combine panko, parsley and lemon juice in a bowl and spoon on the fish. Bake for 15-20 minutes until fish is cooked through. Don't overcook it!

Partnered with: Heirloom Tomato Salad, using the beautiful orange and red tomatoes I bought at the farmers market yesterday. Season with sea salt and pepper and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil. I served it with crusty Italian bread rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil; toasted.

Freeze summer.

2009-08-23T18:39:00.013-04:00

In the summertime the dreary days of winter seem far away. But there is a way to keep the summertime going for the rest of the year. Take herbs for example. If you buy herbs (or grow them yourself) you know that their life is short once they're cut and they need to be used right away. There's nothing that urks me more than to waste fresh herbs. They add so much to a dish and I actually find chopping them up kind of fun. The more I experiment with herbs, the more I realize how much flavor they bring to a dish. This tip is great for keeping summer right in your freezer, for your use whenever you wish. They're chopped already, so all you have to do is thaw them. I did this with parsley (as seen in the example here) and basil.

1 cube = (rougly) 1 Tbs.

Directions:

Chop finely, put into a clean ice cube tray, fill each cube with water (but not overflowing) and put in the freezer until frozen. Once frozen, pop them out and put in a labeled ziploc bag. How easy is that? When you want to use them, pop one or two out, place on a sieve to drain. Use in sauces or any dish that calls for fresh herbs. Basil is especially great for pestos!

This prep work will give you the lasting benefits of herbs all fall and winter long!

Michael Pollan: Spot on yet again

2009-08-20T16:25:00.002-04:00

NYTIMES Magazine Article: Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch by M. Pollan

Summer lovin'

2009-08-14T11:03:00.002-04:00

Pretty non-food picture that I had to post...

2009-08-13T09:20:00.004-04:00

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

2009-08-13T09:06:00.005-04:00

Editorial aside: When I was at the farmers market drooling at all of the color and fresh smells of the summer produce, I had a thought. (Note: It could be, though, that I'm sort of food-brainwashed by Alice Waters and the like). I'm going to start really trying to eat: 1) with the seasons and 2) more local. I've got to start practicing what I preach more, with that respect. It's one thing to know it..but it's another thing (the harder thing) to actually do it, right?

The fresh tomato sauce over pasta that I made, proves my case. You actually forget what a REAL, homegrown, in season tomato is until summer. That burst in your mouth of squishy tomato-ness and seeds. I'm partial to the cherry tomato, which I used here in the most simple yet satisfying summer dish. Fresh tomatoes (of any size), sauteed in garlic and olive oil. Give 'em a squish with a wooden spoon and their juices explode and create a sauce. Add some pasta water, Parmesan cheese, and herbs and you've got your sauce.

"What isssssssssssss that?"

2009-08-06T14:14:00.002-04:00

That was the question posed by the woman at the picnic table where I was eating lunch at the other day when she caught sight of my cucumber-yogurt salad. She immediatly demanded the recipe, which I confessed was just cucumbers, few tablespoons of yogurt, garlic powder, and lots of salt and parsley. Satisfied with that answer she nodded and continued to much on her microwaved Lean Cuisine. My advice? Give this refreshing salad a try...it's like a delicious tzatziki sauce that you get with Greek food.

Zucchini flowers

2009-08-03T10:48:00.007-04:00

Go to a farmers market and, if you're lucky, you'll see squash or zucchini blossoms. They are a delicacy, though most people just think of them as the ornamental, but necessary, flower of a zucchini plant. While true, zucchini blossoms have so much potential in the kitchen. They can be stuffed, fried (the best way!), poached, or mixed into savory, delicate dishes like risotto. What did I do? I stuffed them full of a ravioli like filling of ricotta, garlic and parsley. Baked until crisp and smothered 'em in marinara sauce. They are only good the day they're picked, otherwise they'll brown. If you ever get the chance, try them! It's a unique experience.

Getting there...

2009-07-21T10:02:00.004-04:00

It's a jungle!

Parsley and Rosemary

Peppers! Look closely!

Zucchini are coming!

2009-07-16T13:30:00.000-04:00

Fish Tacos

2009-07-07T12:22:00.003-04:00

I always was sort of squeamish at the idea of a "fish" taco. But, I like tacos. And I like fish. So why not? Summer is the perfect time to whip up this easy, less than 30 minutes meal.

Tacos:

1 pound white flaky fish ( I used tilapia)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoons chili powder
salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
8 flour tortillas

Garnish:

Shredded white cabbage
Hot sauce
Light sour cream
Non-fat yogurt
Thinly sliced red onion
Thinly sliced green onion
Chopped parsley leaves
Tomato Salsa

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, chili powder, salt and pepper. Pour over the fish fillets and let marinate for 20 minutes. Put the yogurt into a strainer lined with a paper towel and place over a bowl to drain and thicken for 20 minutes.

Remove the fish from the marinade and grill on a preheated grill or nonstick grill pan over a medium-high heat until cooked thorough, about 3 minutes per side. Set the fish aside on a plate for 5 minutes. Warm tortillas on grill (or skillet) or in microwave. Combing sour cream and yogurt together.

Flake the fish with a fork. Garnish fish with cabbage, corn, salsa, yogurt & sour cream and parsley and serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!

2009-07-07T12:07:00.002-04:00

With the local NY strawberries making their final appearance at the farmers markets, it was a good opportunity to pay homage to them in a strawberry rhubarb pie. I LOVEEEEEEE Rhubarb. It's probably known best in pie form, but it's delicious just stewed, and eaten alone or over plain or greek yogurt. Yum. The crust is better than an all-butter crust because it uses healthful canola oil!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Double Crust
4 cups flour
1 tsp
1/2 cup milk
1 cup canola oil

Filling
3 1/2 cups diced rhubarb (1 1/2 pounds untrimmed)
3 1/2 strawberries, hulled, halved
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup quick cooking tapioca or cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Make crust:
Combine flour and salt. Make a well and pour in oil and milk. Using a fork, combine until a ball is formed. Separate into two balls. Place each ball between wax paper and refrigerate for 30 mins.

Roll out 1 dough disk on floured work surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim excess dough, leaving 3/4-inch overhang.

Make filling:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Add the rhubarb and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rhubarb has lost most of its liquid but is still firm, about 5 minutes.

Spread the cooked rhubarb out over a large plate and refrigerate until cool. Combine strawberries with remaining ingredients. Combine with cooled strawberries and pour into pie crust.

Top with second crust and brush top with milk. Sprinkle sugar over the top crust and transfer pie to baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pie until golden and filling thickens, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool completely.

Green thumb?

2009-06-19T13:24:00.003-04:00

Tomato plants

Here's my garden! It most definitely deserved a blog post. Nothing is up yet, save for the herbs (parsley, thyme, basil, rosemary), but things are looking good. Stay tuned!

Fresh scallions!

2009-06-11T17:08:00.012-04:00

Fresh scallions from the garden...the first crop to come up!

Fresh Asparagus Frittata

2009-05-25T17:39:00.005-04:00

Asparagus: Nature's versatile vegetable. You can use it in pastas, sautee as a side dish, or mix with eggs for a simple, rustic frittata (as I have done here). I sauteed the asparagus until tender in some olive oil, garlic and s & p. Then, topped with 5 gently beaten eggs. Topped with feta cheese and let cook on low for about 7 minutes (or until only slightly wiggly). Next, I transferred the pan into the broiler for the remainder of the cooking time; another 7 minutes. Voila. (Thanks for the asparagus, Gram!)

How America Eats

2009-05-03T12:41:00.001-04:00

Interview with author Mark Kurlansky on America's Eating

Vegetable Dumplings

2009-04-29T07:15:00.010-04:00

So I finally did it...I ventured inside the "C Supermarket" aka Chinese grocery store in Chinatown yesterday. I was searching for won-ton wrappers....and c'mon, there's NO better place to find them than Chinatown, right? What a treasure trove of normalcy I found inside. It was just a regular supermarket (but with better produce), and people going about their business, buying things I had no clue what they were. But, it worked. I easily found the won-ton wrappers, despite himming and hawing over "circle" vs. "square" shaped. And, I bought over a pound of tofu for $1.99. It was surely an experience...and I hope to be more brave to walk around more next time. For more asian-fusion type recipies, check out eastwestcanteen.com !

Vegetable Dumplings

21wonton wrappers

4 oz tofu, drained and chopped finely

1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup finely chopped spring carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped spring cabbage
1/4 tsp each crushed ginger and garlic
1/2 tsp each sugar and pepper
1 tsp soy suace

1 tsp sesame oil

In a frying pan, heat a splash of oil on a high flame. add all the vegetables, ginger, garlic and MSG. fry for 1 minute. add sugar, salt, pepper and soy sauce. take it off the stove. allow to cool.

Place a single wonton wrapper on cutting board, put 1 tbsp filling on it and gather the edges together in the desired shape. seal it with water (or water + flour). wontons can be folded in various shapes like nurse's cap, moneybag, envelope etc.

To steam: Place dumplings in a deep frying pan. Fill with 1/2 inch of water and steam the dumplings for 10-12 mins on medium high heat. Voila! Serve immediately.

See where your city ranks!

2009-04-23T09:29:00.003-04:00

Well, I could have told you this...Boston is a great walking city. Probably the blood-pressure-raising subway system will force even the laziest Bostonian to suck it up and walk. But that's another post, for another day. In my inbox this morning was an article from Prevention magazine, with the 25 top walkable U.S. cities. I've seen Boston repeatidly rank highly in this kind of category, Self magazine always treats the city well. But, low and behold, #2....just behind San Francisco. Maybe the editors felt that they had to give SF #1 because they DO have all of those hills. Imagine how sculpted their calves must be.

Prevention's 25 Top Walkable Cities in the U.S.

Maybe an international version will come out next...stay tuned....

Marrakesh Tonight!

2009-04-22T19:46:00.010-04:00

So, I confess, the idea to make Moroccan stew was not not my own, Hi Caroline! If you wander over to Sweet Foodie's blog, you'll see a similar, equally beautiful looking Chicken Moroccan stew. I was in complete shock, that my lovingly worn Bittman's yellow cookbook failed to have such a dish in it. So, I scoured recipes online and concocted this version. There are as many hits on Google for "moroccon chicken stew" as there are people that live in Morocco. The result? It was easy. It was filing. And, it was full of flavor, thanks to all of the warm, complementary spices. It smelled great as it stewed away, totally automated. Too bad I didn't have chickpeas...but that's what next week's dinner is for!

Splash of olive oil or butter

1 onion

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 large clove garlic, chopped

2 chicken breasts

1 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup tomato sauce, or salsa

1/2 cup green olives, pitted and chopped

First, saute carrots, onion and garlic over low heat until soft. Move them to the side of the pan, and add the chicken breasts. Turn the heat up to med-high. Saute until no longer pink. Next, add spices, broth and tomato sauce (or salsa). Simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes, adding more broth if necessary. Occasionally scrape the bottom of the pan to release anything that sticks. Plate, dress with parsley and serve with rice or traditionally, couscous.

Blue, Pink, Yellow...which color are you?

2009-04-22T08:12:00.004-04:00

So, it's known that when I get a coffee somewhere, I make an automated reach into the basket of yellow packets. Yellow, in this case, meaning Splenda. Shameful I know. Sometimes I grab a handful of them and stash them in my pocket to bring home with me. But, I know I'm not the only one out there that does this, though. So when I saw this article in the NY Times yesterday, I felt that I should share it with anyone that ever finds his or herself with a hand in the artificial sweetener jar.

A New Sugar Substitute - NY Times

My first Marathon Monday

2009-04-20T14:39:00.005-04:00

Today was a statewide holiday for Patriot's Day, but more importantly, marked the date of the 113th Boston Marathon; the nation's oldest. It was a mild 50ish degrees, and the buzz was so exciting down on Beacon street, which marked the 23rd mile of the race. I was rooting for Kara Goucher, the 31-year-old olympic-medal-winning american to win it. She was in 1st throughout the whole race, but then sprinted too early at the end and came in 3rd. It was really exciting to watch, and the crowd that lined the 26.2-mile stretch surely helped them keep up their spirit.