Here’s an annoying food trend
Yes, I know that there’s plenty more to be annoyed about, but what’s up with election-related food products?
Have we become so apathetic and cynical that we need to have food tie-ins in order to get our collective fat asses interested in voting? Really? That’s just sad.
UPDATE 10/17/08: I was looking on Amazon for laughs, the Obama blend K-cups are sold out, the McCain blend is half-price.
History of Britain on a plate
Good article on the history of eating as it relates to social class in light of Jamie Oliver’s new TV show. As Oliver says: “Fucking hell … it’s fucking Great Britain. It’s 2008. I’ve been to Soweto and I’ve seen Aids orphans eating better than that.”
Thank you Paul Newman
For, among many other things, probably doing more to promote quality food for the masses - through the Newman’s Own line of food and drinks - than anyone else in the US. While Wal-Mart and Target only recently jumped on the organic bandwagon, Newman’s Own has been doing it since the early 90’s.
It certainly helps that all of the profits go to charity, or “Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good” according to their website. If more people in the US would follow his lead, this will be a much better place for it.
UPDATE: Here’s a good article from the SF Chronicle about the organic side of the business.
First you sow the seed…
I made pumpkin soup with red lentils for dinner, and lentils always make me think of Neil from The Young Ones:
Pumpkin lentil soup:
- Spices to your own taste:
- curry powder
- anise seed (optional)
- cumin seed
- ground or fresh ginger
- 3 TBP olive oil
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 can pumpkin (not the pie filling)
- 2/3 cup red lentils
- 2 cups veg broth
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
Toast the spices in an empty pot, at low heat, until they just start to smoke. Then add oil, then onion and celery, and cook until onions turn transparent. Then add broth, red lentils, and pumpkin. Mix together and simmer for about 40 minutes or until lentils are tender. You may need to add small amounts of water while soup is cooking. Put finished soup into a blender and puree. When serving, pour coconut milk on top.
Sugar-Free Pumpkin Peeps, Not Worth the $2
I love me some pumpkin, but this is just so wrong on so many levels.
Buying local is a little easier
We’ve been going out of our way to go to the Farmer’s Market in Reston for quite a while. This market seems to be one of the very few around here to offer meat - they regularly have grass-fed buffalo, lamb, pork, and sometimes a woman who makes homemade lamb stews. They even have a cheese vendor or two. All good stuff.
Farmer’s markets have been spreading all over the area where we live and it’s getting difficult to keep track. I finally found a site, LocalHarvest.org, that keep track of markets that you can search by zip code. Previously it’s been tough to get information because markets here are run by individual counties, all with their own messy websites.
The only thing about LocalHarvest.org is that I don’t see anything on my favorite food, bread. Great Harvest (which I just learned is a franchise) sells @the Fair Lakes market sometimes. Once in a (long) while I will splurge on a 5-pack of partially-baked artichoke bread from Norm’s Market in Pescadero, CA (tip: they only ship on Mondays). I don’t know what’s worse for the environment - having bread shipped cross-country or flying out to SFO, then renting a car to drive to the coast. The artichoke bread, and the taqueria @the gas station down the street, are both pretty addictive (here’s the Yelp listing for Norm’s).
This is funny…
You may know that the UK has it just as bad, if not worse, than the US where the economy is concerned. In response a cookbook originally issued in the 70s, Frugal Food, will be re-released. What so funny about it? The cover price is £18, or about $35. I think I’ll get it @the library, thank you!
Cheap lunches - not just for kids.
Just when I was getting tired of my regular PB&J’s I found this article in the SF Chronicle’s Food section that challenged cooks to pack 5 kid’s lunches for under 20$. I tried a veggie version of their lunch wrap recipe - I replaced the hummus w/a tofu carrot curry dip I made. Making it the night before like they suggest proved to be the key. I was concerned that the tortilla would end up soggy but that turned out not to be the case.
A couple of the recipes are a little too Bay Area Foodie to be duplicated anywhere else, but it’s easy enough to substitute things. Orange muscat Champagne vinegar? I think white wine vinegar would do in that case.
The best food that will never catch on
I’m sick beyond belief of office fridge politics, which has stretched out for several weeks and has resulted in no fewer than five aging containers of spoiled milk (two never opened and badly swollen) getting tossed. I want to talk about what could be the perfect food, but since it’s French it will never fully catch on here:
Not only are crepes low in calories on their own, but they’re versatile - depending on what you put in them (see the photo from Montrèal above, I put up a large version so you can click to see details), they can be breakfast, lunch, or dessert. If you’re lucky you may be able to find them in the grocery store, but these seem to work best as desserts.
What is it with yogurt?
One day I get crab guts spilled on my yogurt container, the next day someone tips the yogurt container over and spills my yogurt juice all over the shelf, leaving me to clean it up! Why can’t people just leave other people’s food be? Especially the ones who don’t wash their hands after using the bathroom then go right to the kitchen. Gross!
Next week there is a “retreat” in the office in the form of a potluck picnic. You disrespect my food, now you want me to cook for you? No thanks - only people eating my food are me and my fiancee. Yes, I’m making this plum coffee cake today, and you’re getting none of it! So there! Next time get catering!
UPDATE: That plum coffee cake was damn tasty! I varied it by adding cardamom and ground cloves to the spices.
