My Gluten Free Diet Disaster

Posted on May 31, 2012 by bilrob

My Gluten Free Diet Disaster

A couple of years ago, when my daughter Sammy was 9, some health issues she’d had pretty much since birth — asthma and eczema — suddenly became a whole lot worse. Her breathing tests showed reduced lung function and her entire body was itchy, red and dry. Sammy was also having terrible G.I. troubles. We met with various specialists, but nothing seemed to help. Then I began to wonder: Was this a new food allergy? Sammy had long been diagnosed with various food allergies — the most severe of them being to nuts. (And as if her diet wasn’t already limited, she was an extremely picky eater, as well. She was my inspiration for The Sneaky Chef cookbook series!) Eventually, we ended up back in the allergist’s office — and learned that she had developed an allergy to wheat, barley and rye (the gluten-containing grains). If she went off gluten, her doctor said, Sammy’s problems should clear up.

Yeah. Not an easy prospect. Sammy is my “carbotarian.” Like most kids, she loves pizza, pasta, grilled cheese sandwiches and birthday cake. So as soon as the words came out of the doctor’s mouth, I quickly blurted, “Don’t worry, baby — if you can’t have it, I won’t either!” I felt badly for her. And I didn’t want to be chowing down crusty bagels and pizza slices in her face — somehow it seemed mean, especially since her sister, Emily, has no food allergies and doesn’t share my guilt. She’ll happily munch a bowl of pasta or a blueberry muffin in front of her sister. So that was it: I would join Sammy in gluten-free solidarity — besides, maybe I’d drop a few pounds too.

I researched all the foods containing gluten — the obvious ones, as well as the not-so obvious foods, (see hidden sources of gluten) like soy sauce and certain deli meats, and eliminated them out of our diets. I hunted down gluten-free substitutes for our favorite foods — and, as you may know, there are tons. With all the hype the diet has received recently — and all the companies cranking out new products to meet the demand — it’s a pretty good time to be diagnosed with a gluten allergy or sensitivity. (Check here for symptoms to see if you may have a gluten intolerance or sensitivity.)

Sammy and I taste-tested and discovered our favorite gluten free pastas, pizza crusts, cookies and breads and just swapped them in — so essentially we were eating the same types of foods and in the same quantities as we had been with the “regular” stuff. After a few weeks on the gluten free diet, Sammy’s eczema cleared up and her breathing tests and gastro issues improved. The unusual puffiness she’d had in her face went down — Sammy looked like her adorable old self again. She seemed pretty content to live the gluten free life. The biggest challenge for her was birthday parties, when she’d have to bring her own cupcake. I can’t tell you how relieved I was for Sammy.

I, however, didn’t have the same happy side effect. I’m not allergic to gluten, so I didn’t expect that removing it from my diet would really do anything for me, except maybe help me drop a few pounds. But it did just the opposite; it made the scale needle start creeping up higher than usual. Some people diagnosed with celiac disease gain weight when they remove the offending gluten, simply because their bodies start absorbing nutrients properly — but that wasn’t the case with my own weight gain.

That’s when I started really studying the ingredients and nutrition facts and comparing gluten free products to their regular counterparts. Almost always, the gluten free versions were considerably lower in fiber and nutrients in general, and higher in starchy calories as well as sugar and fat, especially compared to the whole grain products that I had given up. And they made me feel hungrier, perhaps because fiber normally offsets the carb load and helps keep my blood sugar stable. I couldn’t believe it! Yes, going gluten free had helped Sammy’s asthma and eczema, but now I felt we were compromising our overall health and nutrition — we were essentially eating the equivalent of processed white bread all day.

Please note that I do commend the gluten-free food companies for making life bearable for so many people who really need to eat gluten free — but we need to be aware of the imbalance of these foods. If you’re going to eat your way through the gluten free section of the grocery store, it’s important to balance your diet with fiber and other nutrients that are inherently missing, and pay attention to portions.

That was it for me. After a year of going full-on gluten free, I called it quits — and not just because of the weight gain shock, but because there was no compelling health reason for me to stick with it. As for Sammy, my solution was to cut back on the packaged gluten free products and lean more heavily on real gluten free foods, instead — things like beans, fruits, veggies, brown rice and grains like quinoa and buckwheat. I’ve even created my own Sneaky Chef healthy recipes with these ingredients, like gluten free Brainy Brownies made with blueberries and baby spinach and chocolate chip cookies boosted with white beans (recipe below).

Take a look! When I compared fiber, calories and fat for common whole grain foods I normally eat vs. the gluten free versions, it’s a wonder I didn’t gain more than the five pounds I put on while eating gluten free!

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Not quite vegetarian — 'Flexitarians'

Posted on May 31, 2012 by bilrob

vegetarian

Not quite vegetarian — ‘Flexitarians’

Selling mostly produce and a select few meats, the Palo Alto farmer’s market on California Ave. is an ideal shopping ground for any flexitarian. (Photo: Samantha Larson/ Peninsula Press)

Ithaka co-op in Palo Alto is a group of 17 Stanford undergrads, grads and recent alumni who live together, pitch in for food and share house jobs, including cooking daily communal dinners. The residents have a policy of not serving meat; and they do not allow this fare to be cooked in their primary kitchen. But, while most individuals within the group consider the meat-free practices a good thing, only a minority of them actually deem themselves true vegetarian.

Many of those who live in Ithaka (I’m one of them) are part of the growing trend of “flexitarianism.” It’s a term used to describe the practice of reducing the consumption of meat without completely embracing vegetarianism. Reasons for this practice range from environmentalism, to animal rights, to labor rights, to health, and many flexitarians believe they can support these goals without giving up meat entirely.

As Stanford student Jenny Rempel puts it, being flexitarian means making conscious decisions about what you eat in order to lessen your meal’s overall impact. “There are so many factors that come into play with food,” Rempel said. She cited whether or not ingredients are organic, local, or, in the case of meat, how humanely the animal was raised. Rempel said she primarily eats a vegetarian diet but allows herself to have “well-sourced” meat two to four times a month.

Stanford nutritionist Christopher Gardner is a vegetarian who tries to veer closer to veganism, which takes vegetarianism a step further by cutting out eggs and dairy. He said he thinks flexitarianism could make previously polarizing food discussions palatable to a wider audience.

And if that audience becomes wide enough, it could have far reaching effects: For example, according to the Environmental Working Group, if everyone in the United States gave up meat or cheese for just one day a week, the greenhouse gas emission savings would be equivalent to taking 7.6 million cars off the road.

Gardner also explains that the practice of eating, or not eating, meat and animal products is really a continuum: There’s more of a difference between diets that include eating meat at every meal and those that may have room for an occasional hamburger or chicken breast than there is between the latter and pure vegetarianism.

“It’s absurd that you get rid of that last meal, and then suddenly you’re a vegetarian,” he said.

Rather than working hard to eliminate all meat, many flexitarians put the emphasis on ensuring that the meat they do eat comes from “sustainable” sources, such as grass-fed beef or free-range chicken, instead. Bob Blanchard of Old Creek Ranch — one of the few meat vendors who comes to the Sunday Palo Alto farmer’s market on California Avenue — specializes in raising sustainable meat sources.

Blanchard said that if everyone ate meat from such sources, they would inherently be eating a lot less meat because these sources require more land and effort to produce than meat that is raised industrially. As a result, the sustainable meat is more expensive.

Despite being positive for the environment and personal health, flexitarianism doesn’t address one of the vegetarian core arguments – that it’s morally unjustifiable to eat meat at all.

“I haven’t forced myself to grapple with the ethics of eating meat period,” Rempel admits. For now, she said she’s happy taking small steps with the flexibility flexitarianism provides.

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Living Light Culinary Institute's Raw Food Revolution Tour Heads East

Posted on May 31, 2012 by bilrob

Living Light Culinary Institute’s Raw Food Revolution Tour Heads East

Cherie Soria, founder and director of Living Light Culinary Institute, is taking the “Raw Food Revolution Tour” to the eastern United States, teaching the flagship one-day intensive raw food course, FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods in several cities including Reston, Virginia and Royersford, Pennsylvania. She will also be a featured presenter at the 38th Annual North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) Summerfest event on the University of Pittsburg Campus in Johnstown, Pennsylvania June 27-July 1, where she will present “Spectacular Summer Soups”, a demo designed to educate the audience about both soups and flavor dynamics, including how to balance contrasting flavors and textures for soups, sauces, salad dressings, and other recipes whether cooked or raw vegan. Visit http://rawfoodchef.com/TOUR.html for tour updates and itinerary.

(PRWEB) May 30, 2012

Cherie Soria, founder and director of Living Light Culinary Institute and author of The Raw Food Revolution Diet, is taking the “Raw Food Revolution Tour” to the eastern United States, teaching the school’s flagship one-day intensive raw food course, FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods in several cities including Reston, Virginia and Royersford, Pennsylvania. She will also be a featured presenter at the 38th Annual North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) Summerfest event on the University of Pittsburg Campus in Johnstown, Pennsylvania on June 27-July 1, with a demo on “Spectacular Summer Soups” designed to educate the audience about flavor dynamics and how to balance contrasting flavors and textures for soups, sauces, salad dressings, and other recipes whether cooked or raw vegan.

“Since our West Coast tour was a hit, we decided to take the “Raw Food Revolution Tour” to the east coast,” says Soria. “People are always so grateful that we make the effort to come to their city.”

Additional tour dates are being finalized for the New York/Connecticut area, and out west, the “Raw Food Revolution Tour” continues with Living Light Chef Brenda Hinton slated to teach FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods on Salt Spring Island, B.C. on August 13, 2012. The tour is a continuation of a four city loop of the Pacific Northwest and Toronto, Canada that took place April 14 to May 12 this year. Soria will also offer public talks and book signings at multiple venues in designated cities on the east coast.

FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods is a lively, fast-paced day of demos and tastings that includes easy-to-prepare raw vegan recipes like appetizers, fruit smoothies, soups, green juices, salad dressings, entrées, pâtés, sandwich wraps, nut milks, non-dairy cheeses, crackers, and other dehydrated snacks. Course tuition is $375 and includes a full buffet lunch of organic raw vegan foods. Students learn sprouting and kitchen gardening, how to make fermented foods like “live” sauerkraut, and how to create simple menus using essential equipment and supplies specific to the raw food kitchen. Talks include “The Secret of Great Dressings, Marinades, and Sauces,” and “Quick and Easy Meal Prep.” “Introduction to Basic Knife Skills” helps students learn how to choose and use the perfect kitchen knife for every task.

Living Light Culinary Institute offers a comprehensive professional curriculum in gourmet raw vegan food preparation. Students learn a progressively complex set of culinary skills, from mastering knife techniques and setting up a healthy kitchen, to charting a menu, catering an event, and learning how to do professional culinary demos. Recipe development, pastry arts, and raw nutritional science are also included in the school curriculum. FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods is a course prerequisite for all of the school’s culinary certification programs.

Cherie Soria, author of several books, including the classic Angel Foods: Healthy Recipes for Heavenly Bodies, and The Raw Food Revolution Diet, is founder and director of Living Light Culinary Institute in Fort Bragg, California, and has been teaching gourmet raw vegan cuisine since 1998 and vegetarian culinary arts for more than 40 years. She also has three black belts in karate. Living Light International has four eco-friendly businesses on the Mendocino coast of Northern California: Living Light Culinary Institute, Living Light Café, Living Light Marketplace, and Living Light Inn. Visit http://www.RawFoodChef.com or call 707-964-2420 for additional information.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/5/prweb9555850.htm

Vegetarian, Raw and Vegan with Bill & Sheila

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Cheese Caves Are The Newest Hot Hotel Amenity

Posted on May 31, 2012 by bilrob

cheese

Toca’s cheese cave. Photo courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto.

Cheese Caves Are The Newest Hot Hotel Amenity

Fully stocked wine cellars are old news—cheese is the newest focus at luxury hotels. Caves and cellars are filled with wheels of cheese that range from stinky to imported and aged, plus varieties made in the hotels themselves. Forbes Travel Guide rounded up five top hotels where you can sample ripe, creamy due latte and maple-and-whiskey-infused cheddar, including properties that take a locavore angle and focus on regional cheeses. Read on for our some of the best luxury hotels where the cheese stands alone—then visit Startle.com, Forbes Travel Guide’s new online home to learn more.

Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tenn.

Twice a week, farmstead manager Dustin Busby and cheesemaker Adam Spannaus head into the creamery at this Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star country inn outside Knoxville. Inside, they transform fresh milk from their flock of East Friesian sheep into a handful of artisan cheeses, such as the washed-rind Trefoil or the Singing Brook—which is wiped down with olive oil as it ages in the basement cheese cave. The creamery and cave are just a small part of the hotel’s culinary operations—Blackberry Farm also produces organic vegetables, charcuterie, honey and preserves. Most of the cheese heads straight next door to be served at Four-Star restaurant The Barn at Blackberry Farm, but guests can visit the creamery and take home a few varieties—try the Brebis, a sheep’s milk chèvre.

The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto

A glass-enclosed cheese cave inside this Four-Star hotel’s Toca restaurant is filled with upwards of 200 cheeses for guests to sample. The collection offers plenty of local varieties, fitting the restaurant’s focus on sustainable Canadian cuisine. Between three and four cheeses are offered nightly at the tables, but true cheese lovers can taste their way through the 50 varieties that are ready to eat at any given time, including a Valencia goat cheese or a five-year aged cheddar that Toca’s chefs infuse with maple syrup and whiskey. The cellar’s marble shelves also hold cheese for residents of the hotel’s condos—some buy wheels and age them to perfection in the cave.

Park Hyatt Chicago

cheese

Caprice’s cheese cellar. Photo courtesy of Markus Gortz.

Last year’s renovation of NoMI Kitchen on the hotel’s seventh floor included the addition of a wall-sized cheese cellar at the lounge’s entrance, where executive pastry chef Meg Galus displays her unique cheeses and housemade charcuterie and olives. As you enter the dining room, you’ll spot the fresh ricotta she makes from Illinois’ Kilgus Farmstead milk and the rich goat’s milk Robiola from Iowa—it tastes like a rich brie, with a tart, chalky center that turns soupy as it ages, Galus says. She hopes to add her own washed-rind cheeses to the cellar in the future, but for now the marble-wrapped wooden shelves mainly store local cheeses that can be ordered on a tasting board—made up of cheeses and charcuterie plus accompaniments such as pickles and marinated olives.

Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong

Small-batch cheeses have long been popular at Caprice, the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel’s French restaurant, spurring the manager to build a walk-in cheese cellar and chef’s table. The backlit shelves hold wheels of cheese—including 25 unpasteurized options from small producers throughout France—plus wines to accompany them. Caprice has the help of a French affineur—a dedicated cheese selector—to choose its varieties, importing novel flavors from Normandy, Burgundy, Provence and the Pyrénées each season. Tables of up to eight can reserve the cellar and try a range of fresh, pressed and aged cheeses, including the Saint Nicolas de la Dalmerie, a goat’s cheese that has been produced since 1695 by monks near Montpellier, France.

Hotel del Coronado, San Diego

The three floor-to-ceiling cheese refrigerators at the hotel’s Eno wine bar make for easy browsing, but we recommend relaxing by the outdoor fire pits on the ocean-view patio and letting your server select the cheese for you. Eno serves just three indulgences—wine, cheese and chocolate—and the entire staff is certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers and is well-versed on the local cheese highlighted on the menu. The eatery showcases cheese from California’s Central Coast, including aged Fiscalini bandaged cheddar and a food-friendly Sonoma dry jack that wine director Ben Kephart likes to pair with Sonoma Valley pinot noir (meal-worthy cheese flights also come with mostarda, jam, cornichons and bread). Don’t leave without trying Eno’s most popular cheese—the three month-aged Pondhopper is a firm, sharp goat’s cheese from Oregon with an acidic finish.

Cheese with Bill & Sheila

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No Place Like Home: Pinot and Paella

Posted on May 31, 2012 by bilrob

Pinot and Paella

There are some wonderful wines to be found along the Central Coast. And when they are paired with the perfect food, they are fantastic. Well you’ll find a lot of fantastic wines being poured this weekend in Templeton, because a couple dozen chefs have been working on recipes that will compliment them perfectly. At the Pinot and Paella Festival, you’ll find all kinds of proof, There’s No Place Like Home.

When it comes to wine, Marc Goldberg and Maggi DiAmbrosia are kind of focused….at least on what they produce. “Well it took twenty years of hard work and never taking our eyes off of our goal.” says Goldberg. “Our mission was to make just one wine, a great Burgundian-style American Pinot Noir.”

And that’s what they’ve done. Windward Vineyard produces ONLY pinot Noir….not a lot of it, but good enough to win them awards all over the world. And their goal wasn’t always embraced by fellow winemakers. “You know people thought we were crazy.” says DiAmbrosia. “And other people would come and they would say build bigger, do more and we just said ‘No we’re gonna do this and do it correctly.’ and we just hung with it and stuck with it.”

Their perseverance earned them one of the most humbling awards there is for Central Coast vintners…to be honored as Winemakers of the Year by their peers. Even Goldberg was speechless. I was so shocked that I was almost stunned into silence which is very unusual for me, as you well know.”

Right now, Mark and Maggie’s focus is an annual event they started 9 years ago that combines their love of good wine paired with good food for a good cause. Pinot and Paella happens this Sunday in Templeton and raises money for the youth arts foundation. “We’ve been doing that every year now for nine years so accumulatively I mean it’s been well over 100 thousand dollars.” says DiAmbrosia. “because we don’t keep any of the money at all.”

There will be twenty different versions of Paella this weekend, created by twenty different chefs and twenty different vintners pouring. “The first one we only poured Winward Pinot Noir and then all the eight years following we invited all of our friends who make Paso Robles Pinot Noir to be part of it.”

And for Marc and Maggie, surrounded by their friends, listening to Spanish music, pouring some amazing wine and tasting gourmet paella, the afternoon in Templeton Community Park is a celebration of the path they’ve paved for Pinot Noir. “You know we’re here to plant the flag and say ‘You know this soil on the west side of Paso Robles is beautiful for Pinot Noirs, all you have to do is taste them and you’ll figure it out.” And find more proof there’s No Place Like Home.

Pinot and Paella is this Sunday from 2-5pm in the Templeton Community Park. Tickets are $65 and do sell out, so get them now if you want to go. For tickets or more informaton, click here.

paella Recipes with Bill & Sheila
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What is Herbed Butter?

Posted on May 31, 2012 by bilrob

What is Herbed Butter?

QUESTION: A recent recipe called for an herbed butter with a steak. What is herbed butter and how do you make it? — Jim Rekuc, Gibraltar

ANSWER: To make herbed butter, also called compound butter, simply mix fresh herbs with softened butter. There are plenty of variations and uses.

A little pat of flavored butter can make steaks taste richer, put a new twist on corn on the cob and do wonders as a spread for bread or melted on grilled vegetables. And a little goes a long way.

In “Soaked, Slathered and Seasoned: A Complete Guide to Flavoring Food for the Grill” (Wiley, $19.95), author Elizabeth Karmel devotes an entire chapter to herbed butter.

Karmel, a grilling expert and executive chef, writes that the butters “are quick, easy and look beautiful as they melt over hot grilled foods.”

The book includes recipes for compound butters with herbs, citrus, roasted garlic, wine, whiskey, seasonings and more.

To make a herbed butter, start with softened unsalted butter, but you can use salted butter if that’s all you have.

Place 1 stick ( 1/2 cup) softened butter in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork. If using fresh herbs, rinse and dry them, then mix in chopped herbs and/or seasonings. Generally, 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped herbs is plenty. Scrape the mixture onto plastic wrap and shape the butter into a log. Refrigerate until well chilled and use as desired.

Compound butters keep about a week in the refrigerator. For longer storage, place the wrapped log in a freezer bag and freeze for up to one month. You also can freeze just until firm and cut into slices, then freeze the individual slices. That way, you can take out only what you need.

One great tip in Karmel’s book is to grate or shave (using a vegetable peeler) the frozen compound butter to control how much you use.

“You get great butter flavor without overdoing it,” Karmel writes.

Here are some good combinations from the Free Press Test Kitchen and Karmel’s book. All use 1 stick ( 1/2 cup) softened butter.

• Tarragon butter: Mix butter with 3 teaspoons dried tarragon or 5 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon, 2 teaspoons minced fresh curly parsley, 2 teaspoons granulated garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Use with beef, fish, poultry and vegetables.

• Basil butter: Mix butter with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, pinches of salt and black pepper. Use as a spread for bruschetta or on grilled zucchini, fish or chicken.

• Sun-dried tomato butter: Mix butter with 4 chopped large sun-dried tomatoes, salt and pepper. Great on grilled fish or chicken or topping turkey burgers.

Have a question? Contact Susan M. Selasky at 313-222-6432 noon-3 p.m. Thursdays or e-mail [email protected].

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Paella Adventure

Posted on May 31, 2012 by bilrob

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Paella Adventure

Food Network magazine is one of my favorite cooking magazines. It is well made, has good articles, great recipes, and every issue comes with a handy pullout booklet. It is a small booklet, but always contains 50 of something: 50 ways to dress a baked potato, 50 things to make with bacon, etc. Our latest issue came with 50 Things to Grill in Foil. Seeing as how Memorial Day Weekend usually involves grilling, we did the hot dogs Friday night, and planned on the Paella recipe from the magazine for Monday evening.

Best laid plans…right? But first, let us begin with the putting together of the paella meal. I’ll get to where it all fell apart later. The ingredient list is a little long, but aside from roasting peppers, the preparation of the paella was easy. Getting the ingredients was not. I could not find chorizo in our grocery store. Finding a Spanish rice mix that did not include bad things (i.e. HFCS or MSG) proved impossible. Next time, I’ll make the drive to Wegman’s and possibly just make my own saffron rice.

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All you need for this are the ingredients: skinless chicken thighs, jumbo shrimp, chorizo (or, if you’re me, another dried Italian sausage), packet of Spanish rice mix, olives, and roasted red pepper strips. This all gets put into a disposable pie place and mixed with chicken broth, then covered with foil and thrown on the grill.

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Evie helped with the meal preparation until the raw meat came out.

Here’s where the fun started. Mark heated up the grill to roast the red peppers. The gas ran out for the grill. He suggested we just use the oven. I balked, stating that this recipe was for the GRILL, we should use the GRILL to make it! Out goes wonderful hubby for more gas for the grill. Comes back, it doesn’t work. Trouble shoots for awhile (did I mention I’m married to an engineer?), decides it must be a defective tank, goes out AGAIN for another tank.

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In the meantime, peppers go under the broiler.

Turns out, after all of that, our grill is shot. SO, the GRILL meal became the “cooked in oven meal.” It was wonderful. I imagine it might have been even tastier from the grill, but cooking it for double the time (30 minutes on grill at medium high, we cooked it at 400° in the oven for an hour and that did the trick). As we say in this house, it is a definite repeatable recipe.

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My picture of the meal

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Evie’s portrait of her plate.

paella Recipes with Bill & Sheila
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Herbal Healer: What is gambooge?

Posted on May 31, 2012 by bilrob

Wikipedia Commons

Herbal Healer: What is gambooge?

Resembling a small pumpkin, the small, sour fruit of the gambooge tree is an established ingredient in a number of weight loss products offered worldwide.

WHAT DOES IT DO?

Both the rind and extract of this tree crop are found in curry dishes in India, where they also hold an esteemed place in the ancient Ayurvedic system of healing. The mechanism for bringing down body weight is found in hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which helps to suppress and control appetite while inhibiting the conversion of excess calories to body fat. Gambooge is used for rheumatism, bowel complaints—including constipation and intestinal parasites—edema and delayed menstruation. Some devotees of the gambooge fruit attest to its ability to increase energy levels. Studies also suggest that gambooge protects the liver against alcohol and other external toxins. Damage to liver cells caused by high blood lipid levels is reduced when this botanical is added to the list of effective supplements.

ABOUT THE HERB

Native to Indonesia and parts of India, this subtropical tree thrives in moist forests. Known also as brindleberry, gambooge is grown commercially in west and central Africa and also in parts of Southeast Asia.

RECOMMENDED DOSAGE

Include gambooge in your weight loss strategy by using the extract powder half an hour before meals in the amounts cited on product labels. Avoid gambooge during pregnancy and lactation, and in cases where individuals are coping with diabetes or Alzheimer’s disease.

The opinions expressed are solely the writer’s. NOTE: Visit herbalastrology.com to read Ted PanDeva Zagar’s other articles and columns that discuss the benefits of herbs and natural foods. DISCLAIMER: The author’s comments are not intended to serve as medical advice, and he urges his readers to seek qualified wellness professionals to resolve matters of health.

Bill & Sheila’s A-Z of herbs

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Cheesecake - Italian desserts part of 'la dolce vita'

Posted on May 31, 2012 by bilrob

Cheesecake – Italian desserts part of ‘la dolce vita’

In her book on how to create homemade Italian desserts, called “Grace’s Sweet Life,” (Ulysses Press, 2012) author Grace Massa Langlois provides the home chef the opportunity to create some of the luscious cakes, cookies, cheesecake and other desserts that are part of ‘la dolce vita,’ the sweet life. These are worthy of a special occasion.

Torta al Formaggio Con Salsa di Ciliegie al Brandy

(Cheesecake with Brandy-Cherry Sauce)

Crosta di Biscotti (graham cracker crust):

2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup superfine sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Ripieno di Formaggio (cream cheese filling):

5 1/4 cups cream cheese, softened

1 2/3 cups superfine sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted

Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

5 large eggs, at room temperature

2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

Salsa de Ciliegie al Brandy (brandy-cherry topping):

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons water

4 2/3 cups frozen or 5 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted, divided

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup superfine sugar

Finely grated zest of

1/2 lemon

Splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange

2 tablespoons brandy

To make the graham cracker crust:

Position a rack at the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Unlatch a 9-inch springform pan, flip the base over so the lip is on the underside and cover the base with a sheet of parchment paper, leaving a 1 1/2-inch overhang. Reassemble the pan. Using a pastry brush, coat the paper and sides of the pan with softened butter.

In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture is evenly moistened. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan, stopping about 1 inch from the top of the pan.

Raise the oven heat to 500 degrees and chill the pan in the freezer while you prepare the cream cheese filling.

To make the cream cheese filling:

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle, as needed.

Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sugar and flour. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes (do not overmix). Add the lemon zest, orange zest and vanilla. Beat to just combine. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating to just combine after each addition, about 30 seconds (do not overmix), scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition.

To assemble:

Remove the crust from the freezer. Set the pan in the center of a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips while the cake bakes. Pour the filling through a fine-mesh sieve (to catch any lumps) into the crust, using an offset spatula to level the filling.

Bake until puffed, about 12 minutes. Pay close attention — some ovens will brown the top quicker than others. (The author says, “I place a sheet of parchment over the top of the springform pan when the cheesecake top has just set, about the 6-minute mark for me.”)

Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue baking until the cheesecake is mostly firm but the center still has a slight jiggle when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack. Run a sharp, thin knife around the top edge of the cheesecake to loosen it to prevent the surface from cracking as it cools. Cool completely in the pan on the wire rack away from drafts. A drastic temperature change can cause the surface of the cheesecake to crack.

Chill the completely cooled cheesecake in the pan, uncovered or loosely covered, for at least 6 hours, preferably 24 hours, to allow the flavors to develop and the cheesecake to set to the perfect consistency, or up to 2 days.

Before serving, prepare the brandy-cherry topping.

To make the brandy-cherry topping:

In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water.

In a medium saucepan, stir together 3 3/4 cups of the cherries and the orange juice and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon zest and the orange zest, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Pour the cornstarch mixture through a small sieve into the cherry mixture, stirring to combine well. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the brandy and remaining cherries, and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the cherry topping to a heatproof bowl. Allow the topping to cool completely at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until cold.

To serve:

Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator. Remove the ring from the springform pan and carefully pull the sides of the pan straight up off the cheesecake. Position the cheesecake so that the base is flush with the cake plate or cake stand. Position the parchment paper (the overhang) at the edge of the cake plate. Use a large offset spatula to carefully slide the cheesecake off the pan and parchment onto the cake plate.

Spoon the cherry topping over the cheesecake. Cut the cold cheesecake into serving slices using a thin knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean with a kitchen towel, making sure to dip the knife and wipe it dry after each cut. OR: Cut the cold cheesecake into slices and spoon cherry topping over each slice. Allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature before serving.

Torta all’ Arancia

(Orange Cake)

Cake:

6 large eggs (cold)

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar, divided

Grated zest of 2 oranges

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Syrup:

1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup superfine sugar

Zest of 1 orange in large strips (no pith attached)

1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeded

2 to 3 tablespoons Cointreau or other orange liqueur

Separate the cold eggs. Place the yolks in a large bowl and the whites in a stand mixer. Cover each bowl with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Very lightly coat with butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch tube pan with feet and removable bottom.

Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine well. Use a handheld mixer to beat the egg yolks, oil, vanilla and 1 cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the orange zest and juice.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, beating to just combine (do not overmix).

In a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, beginning at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high. When the whites are foamy, add the cream of tartar. At the soft-peak stage, add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.

Using a large flexible spatula, fold one-third of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture to lighten the batter, then carefully fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly with an offset spatula.

Bake until golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely in the pan upside down on the rack. While the cake bakes, prepare the orange syrup.

To make the syrup:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the orange juice, sugar, orange zest, and the vanilla bean and seeds to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low, add the liqueur, and continue to simmer until the syrup reduces and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a pourable container. Allow the syrup to cool slightly.

To assemble and serve:

Flip the cake over, carefully run a thin knife around the edges of the pan and turn the cake out onto a serving plate or a cake stand.

To serve, place the cake on dessert plates and serve with warm orange syrup.

Sorbetto al Lampone

(Raspberry Sorbet)

1 cup bottled or filtered water

1 cup superfine sugar

4 cups raspberries

1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 ounces vodka

1 large egg white

To make the sugar syrup, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool.

In a blender or food processor, process the raspberries and lemon juice to a smooth puree. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds (discard the solids).

Stir the puree into the cooled sugar syrup, and then stir in the vodka. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. Immediately before churning the sorbet, use a handheld mixer to beat the egg white at high speed to stiff peaks. Fold the whipped egg white into the cooled raspberry mixture.

To ensure a seed-free or almost seed-free sorbet, strain the mixture again through a fine-mesh sieve into a pourable container.

Pour the raspberry mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. The sorbet will still be fairly soft but it will become firmer as it freezes. Transfer the sorbet to an airtight container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

To serve the sorbet at its best, remove from the freezer and transfer to the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Sorbet should be served slightly soft, with a creamy consistency similar to that of soft-serve ice cream.

Reach reporter Karen Herzog at 250-8267 or [email protected].

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For Something So Simple, Pasta Is Serious Business

Posted on May 31, 2012 by bilrob

pasta

For Something So Simple, Pasta Is Serious Business

They twirled, they sniffed, they slurped, they chewed.

The dozen housewives who gathered in a Rome hotel on a recent afternoon took their work terribly seriously, rating plates of pasta for chewiness, saltiness, gumminess or done-ness — that perfect balance known as “al dente,” or firm to the bite.

Pasta is serious business in Italy, and the recent blind taste test organized by the world’s biggest pasta maker drove home that an awful lot of thought goes into making the simple combination of durum wheat semolina and water from which Italy’s national dish is made.

“The simpler it is, the more testing it takes,” said Stefania Fochi, in charge of consumer testing for market leader Barilla, which organized the taste test.

Pasta sales worldwide have grown steadily over the past three years, to €22.3 billion ($28 billion) last year, according to Euromonitor research. In Italy, however, sales have fallen steadily over that same timeframe as the economy suffers and stores are forced to offer discounts. National pasta sales dropped to €2.7 billion ($3.4 billion) last year from €3.1 billion ($3.9 billion) in 2009 — meaning spaghetti makers in these days of austerity need to try harder to keep their customers loyal.

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Granted, in Italy, it’s not a huge challenge given that most Italians eat a plate of pasta — be it spaghetti alla carbonara, penne al ragu or orecchiette with broccoli — at least once a day. But they are terribly discerning customers: A noodle is not just a noodle.

“Some were sticky, some were good, al dente and cooked the right amount of time,” said Stefania De Rossi, a 46-year-old mother of three who was selected for the taste test because of her family’s daily pasta habit. “I liked the last one (identified only by its code name: V36). It wasn’t super smooth, it was a bit rough but seemed better.”

Her pickiness stems in part from Italians’ particular obsession with food: Eating in Italy is taken very seriously on both a family and cultural level. The Slow Food movement was born here and you can smell, see and taste this way of life at this time of year in outdoor markets, exploding with bundles of fresh asparagus now that the green and purple hills of artichokes have begun to wane.

And what better way to enjoy those asparagus tips than to sautee them in olive oil with bits of speck, a smoky cut of prosciutto, and toss the whole thing with a small mound of linguine?

“Pasta is truly the symbol, the emblem not just of Italian food … but the principal plate of the Mediterranean diet,” said Amelia Germoleo, vice director of the National Pasta Museum in Rome. “It’s profoundly rooted in the culture, the lifestyle, the ‘being’ of Italy.”

The museum, which is currently closed for renovations, seeks to enlighten visitors about pasta’s past, including the very Italian origins of dried pasta, the stuff that comes in packages and can be preserved, as opposed to egg-based fresh pasta that must be eaten quickly.

It turns out Marco Polo didn’t bring spaghetti to the West from China. Rather, Germoleo said, the earliest known origins of dried pasta date from 12th century Sicily. The Norman king of Sicily, King Ruggero II, instructed a geographer to write a book about all that was known of the world.

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