Food by Jude   Eat well, live long and have more fun!

FOOD BY JUDE April 14, 2008

The other day, media mogul Ted Turner predicted that, as a result of global warming, in 30 years or so, we will all be cannibals. 

I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that cookbook.  In fact, the whole idea makes me want to jump in my car and drive home to Mama - that is, if I could afford the gas and there isn’t a foreclosure sign on her door.

In depressing times as these, the other alternative is to eat.  No, I don’t mean  gorging, but eating foods that will lift the spirit, scientifically that is.  Wine and chocolate notwithstanding, there is a plethora of other foods out there that are not only good for the body, but good for the attitude as well.

Fortunately, we have most of this stuff in our pantry or fridge. You know, the usual, serotonin, selenium, omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6 and B12 and choline, and let’s not forget endorphins -   the goodies we need to keep our spirits up, are at our fingertips. 

Maybe you know them by their aliases – dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and romaine lettuce; beans, lentils, peas, turkey, chicken, salmon, beef tenderloin (oh yeah!) liver, egg yolks,  nuts, peanut butter, sage, yogurt, oats, potatoes, cauliflower, bananas, yogurt, lamb, scallops, hot chilies,  and last, but certainly not least, CHOCOLATE.  All these tasty ingredients have properties that will   enhance mood.  The list makes me happy just thinking about it.

I also got to thinking about other times in our history, when things were not going too well, like the Great Depression, and wondering what people ate then. 

This period beginning with the end of 1929 and up to the onset of WWII was more a time of cutting back some, or eliminating  the fancy stuff, rather than a time of starvation.  Americans of the 1930;s were resourceful and resilient.

The truly needy were fed at soup kitchens and bread lines that were set up by charities, women’s groups, government agencies, and the like.  Times were tough, but not like that of the great potato famine in Ireland.

In fact, in spite of the downturn, many well known foods, staples on today’s tables, were introduced during the depression.

Kraft Macaroni and cheese, Bisquik, Ritz Crackers, Krispy Kreme Donuts, Twinkees, Mars Bars, Miracle Whip, Corn Dogs, Spam, and beer in a can were all products of the 1930’s -fortunately so was Alka Seltzer.

One dish of the era, Cobb salad, created by the owner of the Brown Derby, Robert Cobb, not only is representative of the time, but is still a “feel good” food.

Mr. Cobb, legend says, threw this together himself, with stuff he found in the  ice box, not wanting to bother the busy chef.

His salad, of leafy greens, chicken, hard cooked eggs, tomatoes, avocado, bacon and roquefort cheese is a inspiration for innovation.

Why not go to your refrigerator and find some comfy comestibles from the list and create yourself a healthy, happy meal.  Here are some ideas to start you off.

Sure beats a Ted Turner Taco – I hear they are old, tough and bitter.

COBB SALAD

CHOCOLATE SAMBA

Cobb Salad Nouveau

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:15

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2 Eggs, Hard-boiled — diced

8 Cups Torn Lettuce Leaves — Romaine

1 Cup Spinach Leaves, Whole — stems removed

1/2 Large Avocado — peeled and cubed

2 Roma Tomatoes — cubed

1/3 Pound Turkey Breast Slices — or chicken breast, diced

1/2 Cup No Salt Added Garbanzo Beans — rinsed and drained

1/4 Cup Bacon Bits — Real - not artificial

1/4 Cup Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese — roquefort, or bleu

1/4 Cup Toasted Almonds — walnuts, pinenuts, etc.

3/4 Cup Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch Dressing — see recipe

- or use your favorite ranch or bleu cheese dressing

– dressing

Boil the eggs while you prepare the rest of the salad - or better yet, boil them the night before. Wash the lettuce and spinach well ;and pat dry. Traditionally, the lettuce in Cobb salad is cut into thin strips, do that, or simply tear it into bite size pieces. Likewise with the spinach.

When the eggs are cooked and cooled, peel and chop them. To assemble the salad, divide the romaine/spinach between 4 dinner plates. Place avocado, tomatoes, turkey and garbanzo beans on top as you like. Drizzle with dressing, and top with Bacon, cheese and toasted almonds. Or, simple place everything in a large salad bowl and toss.

Per Serving 282 Calories; 16g Fat 16g Carbohydrate;861mg Sodium.

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Chocolate Samba

Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:50 ——– ———— ——————————–

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 1/2 tablespoons margarine

1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa

1/2 teaspoon orange rind — grated

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules

1 dash vanilla

1/3 cup Egg Substitute, Liquid — ROOM TEMPERATURE*

2 1/4 teaspoons sugar — additional

Whipped Cream, Pressurized — as an accompaniment, if desired

8 Orange Slices — garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 convection). Place chocolate chips,

margarine, cocoa and orange rind in large bowl and set aside. Bring 1/4

cup sugar, water and coffee to a boil. Stir in vanilla. Pour over

chocolate chip mixture in bowl. Stir until all chocolate is melted and well blended.

Beat the room temperature* egg substitute with the 2 1/4 teaspoons of sugar and beat until doubled in volume. Gently fold about 1/4 cup egg mixture into chocolate. Blending well. Then fold this into the egg mixture and fold until totally incorporated with low light streaks. Pour into a 9"pie pan (measure pan across the top) which has been sprayed with pan spray and lined with an 9" piece of waxed paper or baking parchment.

Place this pan into a large pan filled with enough hot water to come up

1" on sides of 9" pie pan pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes (regular oven) or

15-20 convection oven or until it is set. Remove pan from water bath and cool on a rack, then refrigerate at least 5 hours. To remove from pan; set pan in hot water for 5 minutes. run knife around edge and turn out onto serving platter (wax paper should remain in pan). Dust top with the

powdered sugar. Cut into 8 slices. Serve with whipped cream and garnish

with fresh fruit, if desired. This is rich! Keeps well, covered in refrigerator, for a week.

*It is cruitial to get the volume of the egg substitute that it be at room temperature.

one whole large egg and 1egg white beaten together and measured to 1/3cup may be substituted for egg substitute, but nutritional information will change.

NOTES : Unbelievably good - and it’s POTLUCKY!

Start the day before - needs 5 hours chilling.

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Per Serving : 178 Calories; 5g Fat ; 33g Carbohydrate; 59mg Sodium. 1

1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

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FOOD BY JUDE FOR MARCH 11, 2008

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food” – George Bernard Shaw

The Irish certainly have a way with words, and have produced many a great poet;

but their cuisine has left a lot to be desired.  Not because they are bad cooks, but because of land itself.

Ireland, a country of great beauty and talented people, does not have very fertile soil, which made it quite difficult to establish a fine cuisine in an area where virtually nothing would grow. But what they did make, from what they had, was very, very good.  Irish whiskey and Guinness Stout are legendary, but man cannot live on drink alone.

It wasn’t until Sir Walter Raleigh planted some potatoes he’d brought from the New World, on his Irish property, did the Irish discover a sturdy enough crop to sustain a living from the land. A farmer could now grow a crop of potatoes which yielded 3 times that of grain in a single year, on the same plot of land.

For centuries the potato was the mainstay of Irish cooking, and economy.

However, in 1845 all was to change, and the An Gorta Mor (gaelic for great hunger) blighted the Emerald Isle.  Seemingly overnight, the beloved crop began to blacken, curl up and then rot, before their very eyes.

Many theories emerged; the devastation was blamed on static electricity, smoke from the railroads, and even deadly vapors from underground volcanoes.

Finally, Phylophthora infectans, an airborne fungus, was declared the villain.  Originating in Mexico, it was transported by ship from North America to England, where winds carried it to Ireland. 

It was so destructive that a single infected plant could infect thousands – yes, thousands more, in just a few days and their most important national product was virtually destroyed.

Adverse political, social and economic factors also contributed to the disaster, and between1845-1855, 750,000 people died.  Not surprisingly, 2 million pulled up stakes and left.

Today, Ireland is a high tech haven.  Sometimes called the Silicon Valley of Europe, 850 foreign companies (300 from America) have operations in Ireland.

They make chips – but not from potatoes!

Irish cooking is now going through a metamorphosis; and wonderful meals can be enjoyed at restaurants, pubs and bed and breakfasts.   

Cabbage, carrots, onions and the afore-mentioned potato, still make up a large part of the Irish diet.  Clever bakers make good use of whole wheat and oats to come up with some interesting and hearty breads and desserts.

The very best of Irish cooking often appears before noon.  An Irish breakfast is something to write home about, and a meal they take very seriously; so much so that Oscar Wilde, that darling Irish lad, once said, ““only dull people are brilliant at breakfast”( and that’s no blarney).  Top of the mornin’ to ya.

IRISH POTATO HASH

MARMALADE MUFFINS