Dancing Spoon

Got Better Tasting Milk?

Pastures Greener

by J. Michael Wheeler
Got Better Tasting Milk?
Great story/article on NPR Got (Good) Milk? Ask The Dairy Evangelist by John Burnett about  "the Che Guevara of the American dairy industry." Warren Taylor owns and runs Snowville Creamery, and he's trying to make milk the way it was made 40 years ago, when, he insists, it tasted better.

"I built Snowville Creamery to prove to the American dairy industry that the reason our children have had a 30-year continuous decline in their consumption of milk is not entirely Coke and Pepsi's fault, but because the dairy industry has been delivering a continuously declining quality of milk, in terms of its freshness and taste," Taylor says.

Taylor sells most of his milk within 48 hours, he doesn't homogenize it, and his milk is pasteurized at a lower temperature — 165 degrees. The industry standard is 175 degrees, which Taylor believes diminishes taste. Today, the popular "ultrahigh temperature" or "ultrapasteurized" milk is sterilized at 280 degrees, a process that trades flavor for long-distance marketing and long shelf life.

Listen to the Morning Edition Story Got (Good) Milk? Ask The Dairy Evangelist

---

 

Foodie's Emporium is an Amazon Pro Merchant!

---

How to Choose the Right Pasta

Tips Tasty

by Anna Tourkakis
How to Choose the Right Pasta
Even though all shapes and cuts of pasta are made from the same ingredients, flour, water and sometimes eggs the shape is key to the dish. The pasta’s role is to carry the sauce.  There are no set rules for pasta and sauce pairing but some combinations work better than others.

Sauces can be divided into six different types: meat sauce (ragu), seafood, vegetable, cream, garlic-oil, and uncooked. Pasta shapes have various names but they can be divided into four categories: long pasta (ribbons), short cuts, short tubes, and small types.

Long pasta such as spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine and angel hair are best with smooth sauces. Tomato and oil based sauces work well for these types of pasta. Marinara sauce is one that comes to mind. Fettuccine are especially suited for the Alfredo or cream sauce and angel hair pasta is perfect for a simple oil and garlic sauce (aglio-olio).

Short cuts of pasta shapes such as bow ties, spirals, and shells, are best suited for butter, cheese, tomato, meat, and vegetable based sauces; they hold every drop of these thicker sauces. Large shells are usually stuffed with a ricotta cheese mixture.

Short tubes types such as penne, rigatoni, and ziti tend to be sturdier and are perfect for meat, vegetable, and chunky tomato sauces. Manicotti shape is also an ideal shape for stuffing with a ricotta cheese mixture.

Small types, like pastina, ditalini, orzo are perfect for soups.

Whole-wheat pasta products follow the same general guidelines for pasta and sauce pairing.  

For practical purposes which pasta and sauce to combine depends largely on personal preference but adhering to this basic guide may result in a tastier and satisfying dish. 

---

Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations. Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations.

---

Foodie's Emporium is an Amazon Pro Merchant!

---

---

Keep Veggies Colorful

Tips Tasty

by Anna Tourkakis
How to Keep Color, Texture, and Nutrients in Cooked Vegetables
Fresh vegetables are the foundation of both nutrition and exceptional meals. They provide our bodies with valuable vitamins and minerals and add color and texture to our meals. Bright beautiful greens, reds, oranges, purples, and yellows are a taste-treat for the eyes and their crunchy texture adds interest to every bite. The basic guidelines for cooking vegetables are: quick cooking, minimum water, and use of a lid. These simple guides will help retain color, texture, and nutrients.

The common methods for cooking vegetables, boiling, steaming, stir-frying and sautéing are all suitable for quick cooking. When boiling vegetables the first questions are always, “how much water to use,” and “should I cover the pot?” Vegetables are added to just enough boiling water to cover them. Cook them to fork-tender. The use of a lid depends on the flavor of the vegetables. Mild flavored vegetables such as carrots, corn, winter squash and potatoes should be cooked with the lid on. Stronger flavored vegetables such as green beans, broccoli and zucchini are best cooked without a lid which allows volatile compounds to escape. These last veggies should be cooked in water one-half to one inch above the vegetables. This dilutes the volatile compounds and prevents discoloration. 

In steaming, stir-frying and sautéing methods, vegetables should be cut to a uniform small size for quick, even cooking. Typically, stir-fry vegetables are cut into thin strips. Sautéing is suitable for tender or thinly sliced vegetables. Steaming is best for retaining water soluble vitamins regardless of a longer cooking time. 

These basic procedures ensure bright colored and crunchy textured vegetables with its many nutrients retained.

---

Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations. Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations.

---

 

---

Burgundian Raccoon Stew

Ordinary Out of the

OOO by Kate Krukowski Gooding

Braised Burgundian Raccoon Stew and Provençal Bread
Many of my cooking adventures take me to paths unknown, with herbs, spices, meats, seafood, vegetables and wines. Raccoon is a new meat for me. It has a very light gamey aroma, looks lean and is delicious! I decided to try a layering of herbs rather than spices and braising to infuse yet another layer into the dish.

I know the rule about red wine with meats and white with fish, but not here. With the combination of fresh and dried herbs, white wine, white beans and white broth, this adventurous dish came out a winner. The fresh-made bread and complementing wine made this a complete and delightful meal, game for everyone!

About Mustard

Tips Tasty

by Anna Tourkakis
More Than Ballpark Yellow
When we think of must-have ingredients, mustard is not usually one that comes to mind, even though most of us have a jar of it in the refrigerator. The only time we might give mustard some thought is when it’s devotedly paired with a hot dog. We don’t often consider the various uses and types of mustards with their unique blend of flavors and textures.

Prepared mustard is a mixture of crushed mustard seeds, vinegar or wine, and salt or spices. Some common flavorings include honey, horseradish, cranberries, onions, wine and peppers. Mustard can be a smooth paste or coarse depending on how finely the seeds are grounded. Mustard gets its pungent flavor from an essential oil that forms when the seeds are crushed and mixed with water. Yellow, Dijon, Dijon style, whole grain, and brown mustard are the more common types. Additionally, there is mustard powder or flour, which is used in making very hot English mustard and Chinese mustard.

Yellow mustard also known as American or “ballpark” mustard is mild and vinegary. Dijon mustard, named after the city in the Burgundy region of France, is made with wine, and so it is a smooth mustard, with a rich complex flavor. Dijon style is similar to Dijon but not made in Burgundy. Whole grain mustard can have whole, coarse or fine seeds. Brown mustard is better known as spicy brown mustard.  Mustard is used as a condiment for meat or deli meats or as a flavoring ingredient in sauces, stews, marinades and salad dressings.

Mustard also acts as an emulsifier resulting in a creamy mixture especially useful in salad dressings. Given that each type imparts a unique flavor and texture careful consideration can yield a more rewarding recipe.

---

Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations. Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations.

---

 

---

Garlic with Your Pesto?

Memories Taste

by J. Michael Wheeler
A Pesto to Remember
My most memorable pesto experience was in the tiny French fishing village of Villefranche Sur Mer just down the coast from Nice, heading towards Italy. (French and Italian cuisine tend to overlap down there.) We were at a tiny restaurant in the vielle ville, and our waitress, cook, and owner were all the same smiling French grandmother. We sat on a sunny little stone patio behind the restaurant and were her only customers for a late lunch. She didn't seem to mind. When we ordered her pesto, she smiled, turned to the big planter pots that surrounded the patio and plucked some basil from the plants growing right there. Then she asked us if we liked garlic.

“Oui, bien sur!” we answered. What’s pesto without garlic, we thought? Certainly Madame felt the same way. Our pesto arrived, sur commande, tossed over fresh pasta, was fragrantly bright green, shimmered with local olive oil, and was absolutely explosive with garlic! When Madame demandé if we liked garlic, she meant do we really like garlic! Well, we certainly did that day.

Pesto is one of those really simple magic sauces: some olive oil, a little garlic, fresh basil, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese. You mix it up in a blender, food processor, or, traditionally, using a mortal and pestle.

Pesto can be a sauce for pasta or it can top a nice piece of grilled fish, or a steak, or used in an omelet. Spread it on bruschetta or even whisk some in olive oil for a fresh tasty salad dressing. Make a bunch of it: it freezes really well. Use the ice cube tray trick: fill the tray with pesto, cover it, freeze it, then take out your pesto-cubes and bag ‘em. 

Coming up: Pesto with sautéed scallops (with a little tasty twist).

---

 

---

The Right Potato-Salad-Potato

Tips Cooking

by Anna Tourkakis
Great potato salads start with the right potato.
Salads are a staple of summer menus. Ever present at cookouts, picnics, and just about any party this time of year, is the potato salad. Making a great potato salad starts with the right potato. Choose a potato that remains in distinct pieces after cooking. The right choice is the waxy type potato.

There are two basic types of potatoes, waxy and non-waxy. The difference is due to their relative content of sugar and starch. The waxy potatoes are high in sugar and low in starch. The non-waxy potatoes are just the opposite: high in starch and low in sugar. These qualities influence how well they hold their shape during cooking.

Non-waxy type potatoes, such as the Idaho or russet potato, with their higher starch content, are ideal for mashing, baking and frying. The waxy potato, such as Yukon gold and red potatoes, with their low starch content, are better suited for preparing boiled potatoes. Waxy potatoes retain a distinct outline after cooking is completed and hold their shape well during preparation.  Usually, potatoes that are round in shape, with a thin, smooth, and lighter colored skin tend to be waxy; long flat potatoes with thicker, darker, and coarser skin tend to be non-waxy.  

The potato of choice for a potato salad boasting solid pieces are Yukon gold, red potatoes, and other varieties of waxy potato.

---

Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations.

---

Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express
Presented here are 404 dishes -- 101 for each season -- that will get you in and out of the kitchen in 20 minutes or less. Mark Bittman's recipe sketches provide exactly the directions a home cook needs to prepare a repertoire of eggs, seafood, poultry, meats, vegetables, sandwiches, and even desserts. Add a salad here, a loaf of bread there, and these dishes become full meals that are better than takeout and far less expensive.

Because good ingredients are the backbone of delicious home cooking, Bittman includes a guide to the foods you'll want on hand to cook the Kitchen Express way, as well as suggestions for seasonal menus and lists of recipes for specific uses, like brown-bag lunches or the best dishes for reheating. With Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express, you can have dinner on the table in not much more time than it takes to read a traditional recipe.

Hand selected books for foodes are at Foodie's Emporium! Click here.

---

Extreme Chocolate!

by J. Michael Wheeler
Extreme Chocolate from the Mayans to today: listen to Tom Ashbrook of On Point from NPR, interview food author Bill Buford who takes us deep into rain forest, dark beans, and extreme chocolate:

Deep in the cocoa bean plantations of Brazil and beyond, there’s a chocolate revolution underway. Deep, dark, intense, pure chocolate — extreme chocolate — is rising up as the chocolate of choice like never before among chocolate connoisseurs and beyond. Chocolate that lives very close to the bean. Forget milk chocolate. This is 70 percent pure cacao. 80 percent. 90 percent. 100 percent. Intense. Food and drink super-guru Bill Buford is up to his neck in it. Literally naked in a vat of beans.

New Yorker gourmand Bill Buford takes us deep into rain forest, dark beans, and extreme chocolate.

Listen to Extreme Chocolate: Click Here.

Related Links
Chocosphere.com

---

Fine Crafted Wine Storage is now at Foodie's Emporium! Click here.

---

Saffron: Ultra-Expensive Spice

Spices About

Saffron is the world's most precious and expensive spice. The saffron threads are actually the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus. Each flower contains only three stigmas (or threads) and must be picked by hand. More than 75,000 of these blossoms are needed for the 225,000 hand-picked stigmas to produce just one pound of Saffron threads. This explains why it is the world’s most expensive spice! It's been used for everything from cooking to medicine and aphrodisiacs.

Liane Hansen, NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday host talks with food essayist Bonny Wolf about the allure of the ultra-expensive spice. Listen to this fascinating story: Why the World Is Still Just Mad About Saffron Click here.

Where to buy saffron:

Spanish Saffron Tin (1 Ounce)

  La Mancha Saffron Amphora

---

Newsletter

---

Fishy Flavors

Fish Tasting

by J. Michael Wheeler

Francis Percival, a former fishmonger, attempts to divine the elements that make a particular type of fish taste unlike another type of fish. In the March 2008 issue of Saveur, in an article entitled A Question of Taste, he confesses to his inadequacy in describing a fish's flavor, other than in  degrees of fishiness. So he "decided to undertake my own, informal inquiry into the flavor of fish and ended up uncovering some enlightening truths."

I'm not sure I ended up with enlightened truths. Percival chummed the article with chemical compounds such as methylisoborneol (produced when fish eat blue-green algae) and adenosine triphosphate (abundant in large fish like tuna) and pretty much admitted defeat in his quest:

Maybe we should content ourselves with the conclusions that attempting to describe an inherent taste for a particular species of fish is ultimately pointless, given the vast numbers of relevant variables to consider.

But then, in a sidebar by Beth Kracklauer, Flavor Factors, we get a flavor profile for "for ten widely available species." It describes tuna, for example, as having a rich, beefy flavor. Red snapper has sweet, nutty tasting flesh. And Kracklauer describes gray sole as having a deep mineral richness and winter flounder as reminiscent of shellfish.

Of course there are influences that affect how a fish's basic flavor profile shows itself. The freshness of the product, how it was handled, how it is prepared. But this is true of all food. That's why eating a baked potato in Idaho is an eye-opening experience. That's why a baguette from a Parisian baker can be extraordinary. That's why terrior is so important.

Percival does leave us with one good suggestion: when buying fish, he says, just ask your fishmonger "What's good today?"

---

Newsletter

---