Chew on this: The World in Food Numbers May 15, 2008

We all have stereotypes of different countries. The French drink a lot of wine, the Russians a lot of vodka and the Mexicans a lot of Corona. Boy, are we wrong (well, at least in terms of who do it the most).

Read these random facts and figures (food-related, of course) from the The Economist Pocket World in Figures (2008 Edition):

World’s Greatest Beer Guzzlers (Off-trade sales, liters per head of pop.)

1. Czech Republic (You were thinking Germany, eh?) - 82.4
2. Venezuela - 71.6
3. Australia - (68.7)

Top Global Smokers (Average Annual Consumption of cigarettes per head per day)

1. Greece (!) - 8.4 (Who knew that these Mediterranean denizens were such smokers?)
2. Macedonia - 7.1
3. Russia - 6.8

World Winos (Off-trade sales, liters of head of pop.)

1. Portugal - 32.1
2. Switzerland - 29.5 (They may be neutral, but they’re not sober!)
3. Italy - 29.4

Spirited, they are: Greatest Consumers of Alcoholic Drinks (Off-trade sales, liters per head of pop.)

1. Australia - 99.2 (those Aussies really put it away!)
2. Czech Republic - 98.2
3. Germany - 96.2

(The U.S., by the way, is #12, with 73.

Pass the Lipitor (Cardiovascular Deaths per 100,000 population, age standardized, 2002)

(Basically, living incountries that end in “stan” is not good for your heart!)

1. Turkmenistan (and you thought the U.S. with its diabesity crisis was #1!) - 844
2. Tajikistan - 753
3. Kazakhstan - 713
4. Afghanistan - 706

Where’s the Sugar? (Diabetes rates, % of population aged 20-79, 2007)

(Looks like living in an oil-rich country is hazardous to your health!)

1. United Arab Emirates - 19.5
2. Saudi Arabia - 16.7
3. Kuwait - 14.4
4. Oman - 13.1

Eating (a bit) more mindfully May 14, 2008

Ever rush through a meal and wonder later exactly what you ate? Ever sit down in front of the TV with a bag of chips and at the end of the show wonder how it was that the bag suddenly became empty?

We do so much mindless eating in our society today. Whether we’re scarfing down a bowl of cereal while watching the news in the morning or munching on a sandwich in front of the computer at work — it’s all mindless and utterly forgettable. While it may seem innocuous, the cues our bodies rely on to feel full are distorted when we eat without thinking, and as a result, we often eat more.

The Wall Street Journal had an article yesterday on mindful eating. The author suggests that people focus on each bite of food, savoring it slowly and carefully. One practitioner of mindful eating suggests people eat a single raisin very, very slowly to think about what it tastes like.

The article caused an uproar over at Jezebel.com, one of the blogs I frequent. The ladies over at Jezebel were horrified at the idea of the raisin experiment and generally think people should focus less on dieting and more on food (NSFW). I think they missed the point. The whole goal of mindful eating is exactly that — forget counting calories. Instead, eat (smaller) portions of good food, but eat them mindfully and slowly so that you’re not tempted to gorge.

On the topic of mindless eating, if you think you have complete control over what you eat, you must read Brian Wansink’s Mindless Eating. This Cornell Prof has done many, many sneaky experiments on people, serving them tomato soup in bottomless bowls, stale popcorn, cheap wine — all in the name of social science But really, the book is fascinating. Even people who are researchers in the field are influenced by plate sizes, lighting, music, the number of people they are eating with… etc. In short, how much you eat is highly influenced by your surroundings and only by learning to recognize these factors can you fight the battle of the bulge. For instance, the more effort it takes to get to the candy bowl, the less candy you eat. Even if the candy bowl is several feet away, it will deter you more than if it is right next to your computer.

Or, in another experiment, he proved that the bigger the plate/bowl, the more you will serve yourself.

Oh, and if they place food in front of you — even if you are not hungry! — you will likely have some. So stay away from the donuts at work!

Really, check out this book. And focus on your food. Put away the magazine, turn off the TV, close the laptop. Your body will thank you for it.

Cookies and Brownies and Bread! Oh My! May 12, 2008

While surfin’ through the interwebs today, I found a blog written by the masters of baking over at King Arthur Flour, the Baker’s Banter. Filled with gorgeous, saliva-enducing photos and step-by-step instructions on how to make every baked good imaginable (check out this fab, fab, fab entry on how to make biscotti), these bakers have it down.

For the bake-aholic, King Arthur Flour produces a delightful catalog filled with everything a baker could crave. Along with selling gadgets and techie goodies, they sell some of the best flours for the devoted baker — plus they sell hard-to-find flours that are key for making artisan breads (like dark and light rye, spelt, amaranth, nut flours…).

I recently bought the King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking book and have made several really great recipes, including a bread packed full of cranberries and nuts. I highly recommend this cookbook for someone who is looking to switch over to healthier baking but is wary of “light” and “healthy” recipes.

I know, I can’t stop raving. I just love this company.

Ceviche: Fresh Fish and Lime, what could be more refreshing? May 12, 2008

After a foray in wine tasting in downtown Santa Barbara for a pre-Mother’s Day celebration, my mother and I ended up at the counter of the Bay Cafe and Fish Market. We opted for the local catch and selected 1 lb of fresh red snapper. Ceviche!, we instantly thought, and packed the fish in ice to take home.

Ceviche, fresh fish “cooked” in lime juice, is the ideal summer lunch. Because the fish is never cooked in heat, it must be as fresh as possible (buy only from a reputable fishmonger) and the dish should be prepared the day you buy the fish. Avoid fish with a fishy odor or an off-color.

The beautiful thing about ceviche is that it cooks while you’re lounging around in the sun or making margaritas. Prepare the dish several hours before you’re ready to eat so the acidity in the lime juice has a chance to “cook” the fish and add the cilantro at the last minute for the best flavor. For a touch of panache, serve the cocktail in martini glasses with a lime wedge.

Ceviche de Huachinango

1 lb Fresh Red Snapper, chopped into small chunks

6 limes

1 small red onion, chopped into small cubes

3 small tomatoes, chopped into small cubes

1 avocado (optional), chopped into small cubes

hot sauce (such as Tapatio)

salt and pepper

1 handful of cilantro, chopped

******

1. Mix the snapper, tomatoes and chopped onion in a medium bowl (preferably ceramic). Squeeze the juice from the six limes into the bowl and mix until the fish is thoroughly covered. If you want, add the avocado at this time.

2. Put the fish/tomatoes/onion mix into the fridge for 4-5 hours.

3. Remove from the fridge and season with salt, pepper and hot sauce, to taste.

4. Just before serving, add the chopped cilantro. Serve into individual bowls.

******

Other great fish markets in Santa Barbara include Kanaloa Seafood, which is tucked away on Gutierrez street near Milpas and has tons of fresh fish offerings (although sadly not that many are local) and Lazy Acres, which has excellent fish (try their mango salsa!).

Photo is of the Kanaloa Seafood counter.

Mom and Me in the Kitchen May 11, 2008

Happy Mother’s Day to the moms out there, including my own The picture at right is of my two favorite women in the world, my mom and my sister.

The Washington Post’s food blog “A Mighty Appetite” has a bunch of lovely food stories about moms and their kids in the kitchen. Definitely worth checking out.

I spent this morning with my mom baking bread. We are both avid bread makers (she more so; she’s taken several baking classes at our local culinary arts program) and so we fervently measured and spooned flour, water, starter and spices into our bowls this morning. We’re making a Greek Celebration Bread — a honey and spice bread made with a sourdough starter — and a Swedish Rye bread made with molasses, anise, fennel and cardamom.

But although our breads usually turn out to be delicious, my favorite part of the process is baking with my mom. She’s a wealth of knowledge on breads and I turn to her with questions, finished doughs, and spoons to lick for taste approval. Making something as tactile and fragrant as fresh-baked bread with my mom is a real treat. And as we wait for the dough to rise and bake, we take walks and gab about everything under the sun, from relationships to science to more bread-making, of course. My father will joke that we bake bread like there’s no tomorrow, but we brush his jokes aside and keep on baking. During the good times and the not-so-good times, it’s what keeps us going.

Granola Crunching May 10, 2008

Ah the granola bar. Could there be anything more wholesome, more salubrious, more sound?

One would think so.

But have you ever taken an up-close look at the ingredients in your granola bars? Those fiber-touting, whole-grain-declaring snack bars?

This month’s issue of the Nutrition Action Healthletter focused on food additives, prompting me to take a closer look at the large stash of myriad granola snack bars in the pantry. The results were not so pretty. Let’s take a look.

Fiber One Chewy Bars Oats and Caramel Flavor

The first ingredient is… not wheat, not corn, not oats. But chicory root extract! Why this weird ingredient? Chicory root is full of inulin, a type of fiber used as a filler in foods because it can act as a substitute for fat, sugar and flour. Although it’s generally recognized as safe, it can cause gas in some people, so beware. Other fun ingredients include (this is not a comprehensive list):

• Fractionated palm kernel oil, which has not been as well studied as hydrogenated fats, but could be just as bad.
  
• Artificial colors, including yellow 5 and 6 lake, blue 2 lake. Yellow 6 which has been found to cause tumors several animal studies and can cause allergic reactions. Fun times.
• High maltose corn syrup, which, according to one manufacturer is “made from corn starch with maltose as the main content by double enzyme technique. It is a kind of colorless, transparent thick liquid with moderate sweet taste and fragrance of malt, which is used in candy, drink and beer brewage”
• BHA, which retards rancidity in fats, and, according to the Federal Government is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” based on animal studies. Yeah. Need I go on?

Quaker Oats Chewy Bars Chocolate Chip Flavor

Yes, I know you’re probably thinking, “No, Michelle, not the Chewy Bars! I ate thousands of those as a kid. Hell, I was planning on giving those to my kid.” But we must march on. These are not as offensive as the Fiber One bars, but they contained some unhappy surprises:

• Partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils with TBQH and citric acid. If you haven’t heard that trans fats (aka hydrogenated fats) are bad for you by now, you live in a hole. But I must admit I hadn’t heard of TBQH. Those sneaky bastards… I love how they don’t spell it out for you. A little Googling revealed that TBQH is tertiary butylhydroquinone. According to the International Programme on Chemical Safety, this hidden ingredient has caused damage to DNA in animals. Good times.
• High Fructose Corn Syrup, well documented to raise triglycerides.
• Sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that, when taken in large amounts, can be a laxative.

Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars: Peanut Butter Flavor

These were the healthiest of the bunch. The first ingredient is whole grain rolled oats, followed by sugar, canola oil and peanut butter. Finally! Some ingredients that sound like REAL FOOD.

The bad side:

• High Fructose Corn Syrup (see above)
• Soy Protein Isolate, which sounds healthy, but is being investigated thanks to the low amounts of furan — a potential human carcinogen — present in this processed product

So now you’re probably like, well thanks for everything, but what am I supposed to snack on now? Making your own sounds like fun. Except that you’re not going to do it every time you feel a craving.

I read about this cool new company called “You Bar” in the New York Times that makes customized energy bars. You choose the ingredients (which are all-natural) and they mix it up, package it and send it to you. It’s a mom-and-son-run company, no mega-food producers here, and their idea is really quite creative. You can even see how your bar rates nutrition-wise as you build it. Check it out at Youbar.com.

And in the future, read the ingredient list! You wouldn’t drink a glass of water mixed with chemicals (oh wait, that’s what soda is), so why would you devour a “granola bar” that’s the same thing in solid form?

Trader Joe’s Recipe Showdown May 8, 2008

Come one, come all, to the Trader Joe’s recipe showdown! My favorite grocery store (well, it closely competes with Whole Foods), is putting on a recipe contest! They’re soliciting recipes from their customers to put on their website. Prizes include a $25 gift certificate and a reusable TJ’s bag. Plus the glory of knowing that your recipe won.

The rules?

• You must use only four Trader Joe’s ingredients (you can add butter, oil, salt, pepper)
• Everything must be prepared and cooked in 20 minutes or less
• No alcohol

I’ll be entering one of my recipes — after the May 15th contest deadline, I’ll post it on the blog. For the full contest rules, check out the Trader Joe’s flyer.

If you’re interested in entering the contest, write out your recipe and email it to hiiprecipes@traderjoes.com. Include your email and contact info.

Good luck!

You put WHAT in Chocolate? May 7, 2008

I love lavender. Fragrant, reminiscent of a summer day in Provence, earthy.

I love chocolate. Luscious, creamy, sinful, dark. Need I say more?

One would think that a combination of the two would be delicious, no? Apparently a chocolate manufacturer (New Tree) thought so and created the “Tranquility” bar, “a milk chocolate containing an extract of lime blossoms, in addition to lavender.”

So I tried it. Lime blossoms? Lavender? In chocolate? BLEH!

Now that fine chocolates with exotic ingredients are becoming a la mode, there are myriad pairings out there. Chocolate with sea salt, chocolate with hot peppers, chocolate with curry.

Beware, my friends, beware the weird combinations. As the lavender-chocolate melted in my mouth, a memory of a soap bath came to mind. The chocolate flavor was completely lost in my mouth as I navigated the bath-and-body-works-like flavor and I was tempted to spit the nasty chocolate concoction right out. Never, ever again! BLEH!

There are some companies that have the whole chocolate fusion thing worked out, among them Vosges, one of my all-time favorite chocolate manufacturers. Based in Chicago, this boutique chocolate maker has such delicious delights as:

• Red Fire Exotic Candy Bar — Mexican ancho & chipotle chillies + Ceylon cinnamon + dark chocolate
• Oaxacan Exotic Candy Bar — Oaxacan guajillo & pasilla chillies + Tanzanian bittersweet chocolate
• Macha Exotic Candy Bar — Japanese macha green tea + deep milk chocolate
• Naga Exotic Candy Bar — sweet Indian curry + coconut + deep milk chocolate
• Red Fire Chocolate-Covered Tortilla Chips — sounds weird, I know, but these tortilla chips are delicious!
• Naga Cookie — sweet Indian curry + fresh coconut + pumpkin purée + Woolloomooloo milk chocolate chips

I can’t say I love their olive-chocolate bar and I haven’t tried the bacon-chocolate bar… I just believe some ingredients just don’t belong together. I, for instance, am not a fan of mint and chocolate and I know there are die-hard mint-chocolate-chip ice cream fans out there. So who knows! One chocolate lover’s trash may be another chocolate lover’s treasure!

Puppy Vitamin Water? Puh-lease May 6, 2008

This blog is normally about people food, but when I saw this article in the Wall Street Journal by Anjali Cordeiro about vitamin-infused water for DOGS, I had to comment.

First there was the bottled water craze. There were water sommeliers at restaurants with haute cuisine. Then bottled water manufacturers realized that if they pumped their municipal water with vitamins and electrolytes and gave it a catchy name, they could charge upwards of $4 for what is essentially tap water.

But this is just too much. Cott Corp. came out with a line of vitamin waters called FortiFido (you have to give them credit for creativity) including a peanut-butter-flavored water fortified with calcium for healthy bones. There’s also a healthy skin blend and a healthy joints blend. Another company, PetSmart, is selling vitamin tablets that can be dissolved in water for doggies. Now, when you take your handful of pills in the morning, you can reach over and give Fido and Fluffy theirs, too.

Before I go on, I have to disclose something. Yes, I do give supplements to my dog. Nicky, our faithful German Shepherd, has pretty bad arthritis. I give her a couple of tablets of glucosamine to aid her joints. And my cat Filin gets a few drops of cod liver oil packed with Omega-3s in his food so that his fur will shine.

Sigh. So I guess I’m perfect consumer for these doggie gimmicks. I’ll see you at the pet shop buying vitamin-infused water for my dog.

Gimme me some (Truffle) honey May 6, 2008

I stumbled upon a luscious honey the other day at Lazy Acres by the Valley Produce Company (located in Australia). The Aussies have infused their Australian red gum and clover honey with black truffles and white truffle oil. Drizzled over a cracker with a spread of blue cheese (try it with a touch of Cabrales, a cheese made in Northern Spain), it is simply heavenly. The combination of flavors — the earthy truffles, the sharp, spicy blue cheese, the sweet honey — is divine. The umami synergizes in your mouth, creating a taste that bursts with unctuous earthiness.

I know they ship around Australia, but I’m not sure if they ship elsewhere. If you don’t see it at your local gourmet store, ask that they care it. Your mouth will thank you deeply.