If you're cooking Thanksgiving or just want to get shakin' to some foodie tunes, you must listen to the Songs for Stuffing playlist from National Public Radio.
http://www.npr.org/2009/11/24/120711823/songs-for-stuffing-a-thanksgiving-mix
Do it now. You won't regret it!
Enjoy hits like 'Pass the peas', 'Quiche Lorraine', and 'Country Pie'.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
The truth about the First Thanksgiving... Uh oh...
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! It's the best holiday ever invented. Hip hip hurray!
So let's shatter some myths today and have a look back at what might have really gone on at the first Thanksgiving....
Who brought the turkey? The Truth about the First Thanksgiving - Krulwich Wonders - An NPR Society Blog - from National Public Radio
No turkey? No cranberries? No pie?
Oh my!
I've got my menu decided and will be cooking a feast for 11 on Sunday. Stay tuned folks!
So let's shatter some myths today and have a look back at what might have really gone on at the first Thanksgiving....
Who brought the turkey? The Truth about the First Thanksgiving - Krulwich Wonders - An NPR Society Blog - from National Public Radio
No turkey? No cranberries? No pie?
Oh my!
I've got my menu decided and will be cooking a feast for 11 on Sunday. Stay tuned folks!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Julia Child Day
Yesterday was Julia Child Day at Smith College, now a college tradition started which started six years ago following her death in 2004. Julia Child graduated from Smith in 1934 and went on to be a legend. She donated her kitchen to Smith, too! [See the press release from Smith here] As a fellow Smithie, I'd like to pay a small tribute here. I think her amazing, crazy, confident videos speak best! A friend of mine posted the following omelette making video and I'm still laughing. "Lightly coagulated eggs!" Et voilá! I especially like the bit at 2:11. As Julia said herself, "Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it." Word. Enjoy. I love her...
She was also just named one of the 25 most powerful women of the past century by TIME (along with another Smithie, Gloria Steinem).
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2029774_2029776_2031824,00.html
She was also just named one of the 25 most powerful women of the past century by TIME (along with another Smithie, Gloria Steinem).
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2029774_2029776_2031824,00.html
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Rising price of chocolate
Chocoholics beware - you could be paying a lot more for chocolate in the future.
Even if you're not addicted, we should all be aware that disease, demand, and unfair trade policies are putting huge pressure on the cocoa market. As stocks fall and demand rises, it's pushing prices up and up. Disease has killed crops in major growing regions and farmers who are not making enough money because of unfair compensation are closing shop and heading to the cities. All the more reason to be moderate in consumption and purchase fair trade chocolate. Support those local growers!
Cocoa lovers hit by rising price of cocoa as disease blights crops - The Daily Telegraph (6 Jun 2010)
Chocolate supply threatened by cocoa crisis - Discovery News (11 Nov 2010)
Even if you're not addicted, we should all be aware that disease, demand, and unfair trade policies are putting huge pressure on the cocoa market. As stocks fall and demand rises, it's pushing prices up and up. Disease has killed crops in major growing regions and farmers who are not making enough money because of unfair compensation are closing shop and heading to the cities. All the more reason to be moderate in consumption and purchase fair trade chocolate. Support those local growers!
Cocoa lovers hit by rising price of cocoa as disease blights crops - The Daily Telegraph (6 Jun 2010)
Chocolate supply threatened by cocoa crisis - Discovery News (11 Nov 2010)
On the menu tonight... and a beautiful blog
In my effort to be a better food blogger, I've got what's on the menu for tonight! The meal I've created is all about simplicity. (Sorry, posted a day late!)
Menu 16 Nov 2010
Potato and leek soup
Pasta with gorgonzola sauce
To make the soup, you roughly chop equal parts leek and potatoes. Tonight I used two huge leeks and about six medium to small potatoes. Throw the leeks into a heavy-bottomed pot with a tiny bit of roughly chopped onion and plenty of olive oil and a bit of butter. Cook on low with the top on the pot until the vegetables are soft. Then add the chopped potatoes and mix. Add enough water to cover the veggies and add vegetable stock cubes (1 for every 500 ml of water). If you're cool and have homemade vegetable stock ready, use that! Bring to a boil on high and then reduce to a simmer. Stir occasionally so it doesn't burn. Cook until the potatoes are very soft and crumble to the touch. Add freshly ground black pepper and blend with a stick blender until a smooth purée. If it's too thick, add a little water.
For the pasta, take 1 cup double cream and just over a cup of crumbled gorgonzola cheese (I used dolcelatte tonight) and heat them together in a non-stick pan. Stir until the cheese basically dissolves. Add a generous amount of pepper and turn off the heat. Cook the pasta in salty water until just 'al dente'. Mix sauce and pasta and devour with a good amount of grated parmesan on top.
Beautiful blog find: Cannelle et Vanille by Aran Goyoaga
http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/
I was just going through my Flickr page and saw that there was a feature on photos of citrus fruits. One photo stood out and it was by Aran Goyoaga, who is a Basque ex-pat living in the USA, pastry chef by training. I quickly went to her Flickr page and then her blog. The photos are just stunning and the recipes look tasty and wholesome. I don't post them here because I'm respecting her copyright and haven't had time to ask for permission to use her images, but do check her work out. You'll be drawn in by her superb artistry.
Menu 16 Nov 2010
Potato and leek soup
Pasta with gorgonzola sauce
To make the soup, you roughly chop equal parts leek and potatoes. Tonight I used two huge leeks and about six medium to small potatoes. Throw the leeks into a heavy-bottomed pot with a tiny bit of roughly chopped onion and plenty of olive oil and a bit of butter. Cook on low with the top on the pot until the vegetables are soft. Then add the chopped potatoes and mix. Add enough water to cover the veggies and add vegetable stock cubes (1 for every 500 ml of water). If you're cool and have homemade vegetable stock ready, use that! Bring to a boil on high and then reduce to a simmer. Stir occasionally so it doesn't burn. Cook until the potatoes are very soft and crumble to the touch. Add freshly ground black pepper and blend with a stick blender until a smooth purée. If it's too thick, add a little water.
For the pasta, take 1 cup double cream and just over a cup of crumbled gorgonzola cheese (I used dolcelatte tonight) and heat them together in a non-stick pan. Stir until the cheese basically dissolves. Add a generous amount of pepper and turn off the heat. Cook the pasta in salty water until just 'al dente'. Mix sauce and pasta and devour with a good amount of grated parmesan on top.
Beautiful blog find: Cannelle et Vanille by Aran Goyoaga
http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/
I was just going through my Flickr page and saw that there was a feature on photos of citrus fruits. One photo stood out and it was by Aran Goyoaga, who is a Basque ex-pat living in the USA, pastry chef by training. I quickly went to her Flickr page and then her blog. The photos are just stunning and the recipes look tasty and wholesome. I don't post them here because I'm respecting her copyright and haven't had time to ask for permission to use her images, but do check her work out. You'll be drawn in by her superb artistry.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Diwali in Southall
It's a week late, but I think next year a trip to Southall during Diwali is in order. A short little spot from The Guardian:
Southall celebrates Diwali: Navdeep Singh Kandola visits Southall to see how the west London borough's Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities celebrate the 'festival of light'.
Happy belated Diwali! Hrm... I have a sudden hankering for Indian sweets.
Southall celebrates Diwali: Navdeep Singh Kandola visits Southall to see how the west London borough's Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities celebrate the 'festival of light'.
Happy belated Diwali! Hrm... I have a sudden hankering for Indian sweets.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Urban Gardens and Beyond Pumpkin Pie
I've just been grazing the excellent food section of The Atlantic and came across a couple wonderful articles.
The first is about urban farming in New Orleans and local people's efforts to use the city's empty lots for farming rather than letting them fester. The amount of empty lots apparently tripled after Katrina - pretty shocking - but featured in this article are the stories of five farms working in the heart of the city. Great community projects and so inspiring. I just wish all of the allotments in London would have their own weekend farm stands where we could buy excess produce, of which there is plenty. I'd only have to walk five minutes to indulge!
Five Urban Farms Reshaping the Food World in New Orleans by Tracie McMillan (The Atlantic)
It's rapidly approaching my most favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, and the Atlantic has a great feature on creative pumpkin recipes, including a pumpkin, leek, walnut, and cheese tart (sounds divine!). I may not use them for my Thanksgiving meal, but I will surely give some of them a try on another occasion. Now is the time of year to be eating all of those wonderful squash!
Beyond Pumpkin Pie: 10 Recipes from the Editors (The Atlantic)
The first is about urban farming in New Orleans and local people's efforts to use the city's empty lots for farming rather than letting them fester. The amount of empty lots apparently tripled after Katrina - pretty shocking - but featured in this article are the stories of five farms working in the heart of the city. Great community projects and so inspiring. I just wish all of the allotments in London would have their own weekend farm stands where we could buy excess produce, of which there is plenty. I'd only have to walk five minutes to indulge!
Five Urban Farms Reshaping the Food World in New Orleans by Tracie McMillan (The Atlantic)
It's rapidly approaching my most favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, and the Atlantic has a great feature on creative pumpkin recipes, including a pumpkin, leek, walnut, and cheese tart (sounds divine!). I may not use them for my Thanksgiving meal, but I will surely give some of them a try on another occasion. Now is the time of year to be eating all of those wonderful squash!
Beyond Pumpkin Pie: 10 Recipes from the Editors (The Atlantic)
Friday, November 12, 2010
Slow Food Tufts
A great blog on Slow Food in part written by an old friend of mine. Well worth following if you're a food nut with a conscience.
http://slowfoodtufts.blogspot.com/
http://slowfoodtufts.blogspot.com/
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