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Archive for the ‘Food and…’ Category

What Kids Eat for Breakfast

Posted in Food and..., Writing, tagged , , , , on October 24, 2014| 1 Comment »

When I meet someone new, especially if they are from another culture or country, I like to ask what they eat at home. It’s a simple yet often intriguing question, with the potential to upend basic assumptions while also opening a door onto the experience of another life.

In that spirit, I was fascinated to come across this New York Times Magazine article on what kids eat for breakfast. Sounds dull? Nay, say I. The article and accompanying photos provide an engaging glimpse into one of the most basic facets of our lives: breakfast.

Children begin to acquire a taste for pickled egg or fermented lentils early — in the womb, even.

How do we start the day? What do parents consider appropriate fuel for their children? How do those choices reflect their economic realities, historical trends, and geographic locations? Their societies?

The child in Japan eats much different food than the child in Holland or Turkey. Which looks best to you, and why? There is such variety in the food described, and of course this only scratches the surface. It’s the sort of thing I try to keep in mind when I’m writing. My breakfast is not necessarily your breakfast, especially if “you” grew up on Mars.

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The Gender Politics of Pockets

Posted in Food and..., Other, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 3, 2014| 3 Comments »

This!
The Gender Politics of Pockets by Tanya Basu.

Conditions are ripe for a revolution in pockets for women…

Go ahead and laugh if you like, but if you do I will argue that (imho) you are probably male. In my experience men often don’t realize that women’s pockets can be a total sham. This is why I liberated my father’s 1960s suit from the back of his closet in my teenage years (well, that and my flings with Vespas and British ska). This is why I adore the idea of Saint Harridan‘s suits for women (inside pockets ftw, people!). This is why I spent a not-insignificant amount at my local tailor to have the front pockets in my new jeans boosted to adult size. Yes, I do want to carry more than a tube of lip gloss in there. Crazy talk, I know!

I don’t use a purse.* You wouldn’t either if you spent as much time as I do thinking about disasters and alien invasions and the zombie apocalypse. When that sort of thing happens you just have to run, you know? Can’t be stopping to find your designer bag. And then what? You’re out in the forest with no phone or money or credit cards or keys or hair band (don’t even get me started on women and hair in action movies**). If I must carry larger items I go for the backpack. (And yes, I two-strap it:)

Addendum: For those of you who want more on the long history (and sad demise) of women’s pockets, check out this useful Marketplace article on the subject: Why women’s pockets are useless: A history. Thanks to my mother, who remembers having similar thoughts 40 years ago, for the link.

* I find them a hassle, easy to forget in inconvenient places, tough on the shoulders, and prone to removal by passing ne’er-do-wells. Although I do like saying “ne’er-do-wells.”
** I’ll just mention that when Sarah Connor tied back her hair in Terminator 2, I cheered. Honestly, have these people never tried to fire a rifle on a windy day with long hair? Not recommended.

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NYT Recipe Archive Online

Posted in Food and..., tagged , , , , , , on September 26, 2014| Leave a Comment »

What’s this, what’s this? The New York Times has put their entire recipe archive online for free. That’s 16,000 recipes available to anyone with a net connection and a penchant for deliciousness.

Here’s a sample recipe sure to delight all Canadians (ketchup lovers, the lot of them;): Stir-Fried Chicken With Ketchup. Sounds potentially suspect to me but wait, it’s from Mark Bittman, whose recipes for butterscotch and lamb and brownies are now household staples. The man can cook. Also? Fifteen thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine other recipes waiting to be explored. Like the fabulously named They Didn’t Burn Rome in a Day.

Enjoy!

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Cake v.2014

Posted in Food and..., Holidays, tagged , , , , , , , on September 4, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Every year I make a cake for my birthday. This year I decided it was time to try tiered layers, plus butterflies, fondant flowers, pearls and gold dust (those last all technically edible but we know better; save your taste buds for the good stuff). What you see here are two 9″ layers supporting two 6″ layers, all in chocolate with a ridiculously decadent Grand Marnier frosting. Delicious!

Cake2014

/not a lie:) Also, what better fuel for writing than cake?

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Dreaming of Curry

Posted in Food and..., tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Things learned while perusing Tasmanian recipes for the Vietnamese beef curry I will not be having for dinner (why must you torture me with your delicious culinary aromas, o neighbor who is also an excellent cook?)

  • cassia quill == cinnamon stick
  • telegraph cucumbers == English cucumbers
  • punnet == basket as for berries (small? large? woven wood or pre-formed plastic? still so much to learn!)

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Planning Ahead: Propane Edition

Posted in Food and..., Science!, tagged , , , , , , , , on June 27, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I like to cook. I like science. I extra like it when the two come together. Since Canada Day is coming up on July 1st and Independence Day is on the 4th, I thought I’d bring you this easy (and kinda science-y) way to tell if you have enough propane in your BBQ tank to make it through the festivities.

Thank you, America’s Test Kitchen:)

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Because Bees

Posted in Food and..., Science!, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 25, 2014| Leave a Comment »

A new report is calling for the global banning of two common pesticides, neonicotinoids and fipronil. Why? Bees. Also birds, earthworms, other pollinators and aquatic invertebrates, but let’s focus on bees for a minute.

If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.

― Albert Einstein

Maybe you’re sick of hearing that chemicals are implicated in colony collapse disorder and bee deaths? Maybe your eyes glaze over when someone mentions the importance of bees to the ecosystem? Well, are you sick of eating? Because that’s what this discussion is really about.

One of every three bites of food comes from plants pollinated by honeybees and other pollinators.

The Task Force on Systemic Pesticides is putting out the Worldwide Integrated Assessment of the Impact of Systemic Pesticides on Biodiversity and Ecosystems (yeah, it’s a mouthful, just call it WIA, or on Twitter: #WIAlaunch). It’s the most comprehensive study of neonics ever done, it’s peer reviewed, and it includes industry-sponsored research as well as other source material. The picture it paints is not pretty. From a Treehugger article on the report:

Many of the findings are shocking. The concentrations of chemicals building up in waters exceeds levels approved as safe by pesticide regulations. Many of the species occupying critical links low in our food chains are being exposed via multiple pathways and by cocktails of chemicals acting together.

…

Scientists note that the prophylactic use of pesticides rivals CAFO antibiotic abuse; in both practices, chemicals are dosed into our environment causing real problems in a quest to avoid potential problems.

This Is What Our Grocery Shelves Would Look Like Without Bees

We’d be eating porridge, rice, bread — not much else. Life would be awful.

― Dave Goulson

We’re lucky enough to have a food factory where the most important workers do the job for free, and we’re dousing them with poison. Where’s the sense in that? Humanity is often smart and frequently innovative, particularly when something we care about is threatened. We got over our devil-may-care love affair with DDT when it was shown to have persistent toxicological effects on the environment and, you know, life. We can do this too.

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I Think I’m Hungry

Posted in Food and..., tagged , , , , , on April 18, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I just ran across this healthy recipe finder at The New York Times. It’s a useful resource if you, like me, sometimes have a vague memory of an article with a recipe but no useful landmarks to help find it. After a quick browse here I’m ready for lunch. Even the Beet and Chia Pancakes look good.

On second thought, I’m going with the Beet Salad With Chèvre Frais and Caraway. Too healthy for you? Pair it with a (local, ethical, organic, free range) steak, nothing’s stopping you:)

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Learning@Dinner

Posted in Food and..., tagged , , , , , , , on April 8, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Did you know? Not only did there used to be a student jail for curfew breakers and related miscreants in Uppsala, Sweden, but that very same collection of cold stone cells is now the character-filled restaurant Domtrappkällaren. Translation: [Dom=cathedral] + [trapp=steps] + [kalleren=cellar]. For a mind-blowing bit of temporal perspective (for North Americans, at least), the university punishing said miscreants was founded in 1477. (Still left to learn: how are modern-day malfeasants chastised now that the jail has been repurposed? Inquiring minds want to know!)

The restaurant serves a delectable selection of Northern cuisine, including items like Kalix Löjrom roe. That name is a Protected Designation of Origin similar to “Champagne,” and is the only such designation in Sweden. Kalix is in Northern Sweden, and the region’s fish eggs (or Kalixlöjrom) gain their unique flavor from a mix of fresh and salt waters along with a copious dose of minerals. (Apparently, strontium and barium are quite tasty, if you can persuade a fish to prepare it for you.)

I learned none of this first-hand, sadly, but my globe-trotting father enjoyed the heck out of his dinner. Makes me want to get back to Sweden…

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Chocolate Volcanoes, Because Why Not?

Posted in Food and..., Holidays, tagged , , , , on February 13, 2014| 1 Comment »

My brain’s a little under-caffeinated today so I thought I’d bring you a recipe. Because chocolate cake, warm, soft, and straight out of the oven? Delicious. Also, I’ll admit to being a little snacky right now:) Enjoy!

Chocolate Cakes with Liquid Centers
The original version of this recipe was made famous by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten who says that this oozing molten chocolate cake happened completely by accident. The idea is fairly common now but it’s a great dessert for, say, Valentine’s Day. It’s quick, impressive, and can be pre-made and baked at the last minute, another big plus. These little cakes are tasty but easy to overcook. If that happens, well, you’ve still got chocolate cake.

115g / ½ cup unsalted butter, plus additional butter to grease molds
113g / 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
50g / ¼ cup sugar
16g / 2 T. flour
cocoa for dusting (or use flour, but cocoa will look better)

1. Microwave the butter and chocolate together on low heat (I use 30% power, stirring every couple of minutes) until the chocolate is melted. In the meantime, beat together the eggs, yolks, and sugar until light and thick.

2. Beat together the melted chocolate and butter. Pour in the egg mixture, then quickly beat in the flour, just until combined.

3. Butter four 4-ounce molds, custard cups, or ramekins, then dust with cocoa and tap out the excess. Divide the batter among the molds. (At this point you can cover and put these in the fridge until you are ready to bake; I’ve done this up to a day in advance.)

4. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bake the molds on a tray for 7–10 minutes (depending on ramekin size and batter temperature); the center should still be soft, but the sides will be set.

5. Invert each mold onto a plate and let sit for about 10 seconds, then unmold. Serve immediately. Excellent with ice cream and strawberry sauce.

Makes 4 individual cakes.

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