Sound Familiar?

In our first mail delivery in Marseille came a letter from Avis De Voto. In responding to some photos we'd sent of ourselves, she wrote: "I am very pleased with your looks, so warm and vigorous and handsome. I am rather astonished that you are such a big girl. Six feet, whoops. I adore height in women ... I think you both look absolutely wonderful.

Then she addressed our sauce chapter: "I have not got beurre blanc licked to a frazzle and I am getting bilious. Also have put on 5 lb. which on a figure like mine ain't good. It looks all right, but I like to be able to wiggle freely in my clothes instead of bursting out the seams. Also I have made yr top secret mayonnaise with great success in spite of the fact that both my electric beaters broke down and I had to shift to the whisk. It's delicious and lovely and I am pleased. But I do so hate to diet. Blast you."

We had grown really fond of Avis. Odd, to feel as though you knew someone quite well whom you had never met.

My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme

This goes back to my argument, as well as that of such practical souls as Mama T, that blogging is not that different in essence than letter writing in the old days. Julia Child's comment about knowing Avis so well, as well as Avis' familiar tone, sound very like that which comes about between kindred bloggers and email correspondents. Only the technology is different.

Tags:Food

Chicken Stir-Fried with Fresh Ginger

Never did a cookbook live up to its name more than Quick & Easy Vietnamese: 75 Everyday Recipes does with this recipe. Simple, quick, and delicious, it was enjoyed by every member of the family and that ain't easy!

The 15-20 minutes marinating time was more than enough to permeate the chicken, especially since it is cooked with the marinade. The longer time mentioned below is not necessary.

Also, the chicken is never really going to be "golden brown" as the marinade takes care of coloring everything a uniform brown already.

I served this over steamed rice. There is not much sauce, but the chicken is so highly flavored that a lot of something fairly neutral is necessary to keep from the taste being overpowering.

2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 pound boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into long, thin strips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion

In a medium bowl, combine the fish sauce, soy sauce, honey or brown sugar, salt, and pepper, and stir to mix everything well. Add the chicken, and toss to coat wit the seasonings. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat until a bit of ginger sizzles at once. Add chicken and marinade and cook until chicken is golden brown on one side, 1-2 minutes. Toss well, add the ginger, and toss again. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with green onions and serve hot or warm.

Tags:Food

Time to Prepare for the Assumption

The Assumption of the Virgin Mary is on August 15. I didn't realize until now that there is a traditional fast which happens for the first two weeks of August to prepare for this feast day. As we are told in A Continual Feast:

Before the celebration of the Assumption there is a traditional fast throughout much of the Christian world -- especially among the various Orthodox groups. (The Copts in particular keep this fast with the greatest devotion.) In Sicily and throughout much of Italy this fast and subsequent feast take an interesting form: for the first fourteen days of August no fruit at all is eaten. Then, on the day of the feast itself, every possible kind of fruit is eaten, along with an assortment of cheeses and breads. But no meat. This is, then a little like Christmas Eve: a "joyous fast." This tradition may also be related to the fact that on this day it has long been customary to implore the blessings of the Virgin over herbs, fruits, and flowers.

Now this is an unusual fast indeed. For some people who are continually trying to add fruit to their diets it may not seem like such a fast after all, but rather a treat!

Tags:Food

Health Question & Answer Session

I thought it was important to get the word out on these medical theories. Via GOP Soccer Mom.

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?

A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?

A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?

A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!!. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?

A: Are you crazy? HELLO ...... Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?

A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
And remember: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!"

Tags:Food

Mmmmm ... donuts ....

You Are a Powdered Devil's Food Donut

A total sweetheart on the outside, you love to fool people with your innocent image. On the inside you're a little darker, richer, and more complex. You're a hedonist who demands more than one pleasure at a time. Decadent and daring, you test the limits of human indulgence.

What Donut Are You?

Via Madame Chow who is glazed...

Tags:Food

Tony Bourdain and "No Reservations" Crew Stranded in Beirut

eGullet founder, Jason Perlow, has an entry on his blog about this. Via SlashFood were they note, "Some of his updates sound sarcastic and as obnoxious as we would expect from Tony, but they also have some real insight into what is going on over there."

Tags:Food

Myth Buster: Baking Soda in the Fridge

Now I can stop feeling guilty for never being a caring enough housewife to have that box of baking soda in the fridge to absorb odors ... because it doesn't work!

Question - I am attempting to find out how Baking Soda works to eliminate odors. In other words, what does it do, chemically speaking, to eliminate odors. I need to be able to explain this complex process in simplistic terms.
-------------------------
[Answer]
Hoping to not disappoint you, baking soda does not eliminate odors very well at all. As a wash solution, it is mildly alkaline and can serve to cut grease when dumped down a drain. However, crystal Drano is much more effective -- and far more dangerous to use. The popular "open box of Arm & Hammer® in the refrigerator" simply provides an adsorbent material that can soak up odors -- but not very effectively. For example, if some of the odoriferous materials floating around in the refrigerator are acidic, the alkaline baking soda can absorb and neutralize the acid. Even in that regard, it is not all that effective because, as the powder in the box contacts water vapor, it tends to crust over an lose a great deal of its already limited surface activity. It all sounds quite nice, but it does not work very well. Far better would be a canister of activated charcoal because it can indeed adsorb vapors that contact
the charcoal.

Regards,
ProfHoff

Source
Via Kitchen Myths

Tags:Food

It's a Small Internet After All...

Funny story---I went to my mom’s house the other day and she made this beautiful fresh potato salad with fresh parsley and I exclaimed over it and my mom said, oh I got the recipe online from this woman called “Happy Catholic”---

From an email sent by a blogging pal ...

Tags:Food

What Will You Be Having For July 4?

We'll be having grilled chicken, watermelon, deviled eggs, apple pie and potato salad.

I love potato salad but very rarely like one that isn't homemade. There are three in my repetoire that get chosen at random, my mom's potato salad (which I think came from Gourmet magazine long ago) which is full of onions and nicely tart, Nanny's potato salad (not my Nanny, but that of my friend Angie) which is full of olives, and this one which came from Cook's Illustrated.

My mother says that this potato salad reminds her of the one that her mother used to make. Occasionally her mother would substitute chopped dill pickles instead of using sweet as is mentioned below. It is a nice variation and one that I make sometimes just depending on my mood. Also I will sometimes use red onion instead of the scallions.

American Potato Salad
2 pounds Red Bliss or new potatoes, boiled, peeled, in 3/4" cubes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 hard boiled eggs, in small dice
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced (app. 1/2 cup)
1 small celery stalk, in small dice (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup sweet pickle (not relish) cut into small dice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Layer warm potato cubes in medium bowl; sprinkle with vinegar, salt and pepper as you go. Refrigerate while preparing remaining ingredients.

Mix in remaining ingredients; refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tags:Food

A Quick Book Review

HEAT
Bill Buford

Bill Buford became fascinated by Mario Batalli and talked him into letting Buford work in his restaurant kitchen as an unpaid intern. Along the way we get insights into how a restaurant kitchen works, although those have been given in greater detail and with greater flair in such books as Kitchen Confidential and The Soul of a Chef. For me the fascinating part of this book came when Buford became hooked on food from his own point of view, doing endless research into when Italian cooks first began adding an egg to pasta dough and going to Italy to learn from a butcher who follows the old ways. In some areas he winds up surpassing Batalli's own knowledge of Italian cuisine. Along the way we see Batalli's career from owning a restaurant to becoming a celebrity chef.

For reviews of other recently enjoyed books, check my other blog.

Tags:Food

Road Trip!

Check out the Carnival of the Recipes at Book Lore.

Next week the Carnival will be hosted by Caterwauling. The theme for next week is Fireworks. Submit your spicy, sparkling and splendid food for this 4th of July spectacular.

You can send recipes or links to recipe.carnival@gmail.com by noon CST on Saturday. If you wish to host a future carnival send a message to the same address with the word host in the subject line.

For a line-up of future Carnivals, visit the Carnival of the Recipes page on Blog Carnival. (You can also review all past Carnival of the Recipes there too.)

Tags:Food