American Cuisine

The subject of American cuisine is a complicated and somewhat controversial topic, argued from multiple directions by historians, chefs, scholars, and patriots alike - "what is American cuisine?" When the Italians or Japanese are asked to define the basics of their native food, the answers come easily; defining ingredients and dishes are generally well known even by foreigners, and there are centuries of historical information to support the responses. Ask five people individually the same question about American cuisine and odds are you"ll receive five different answers, if you get one at all.
 
The confusion is justifiable. For centuries now the U.S. has been the destination of billions of immigrant peoples, and as these foreign cultures have adjusted to our society they have contributed as well. Jot a quick list of food items usually considered "American" you'll find this is true. Hamburgers and hotdogs? German. Pizza and ice cream? Italian. The patriotic dessert found in the phrase : as American as apple pie? Originally a British treat (mirrored by the Dutch). The mixed lineage of some of our most culturally important foods has caused cynics to claim that America has no native cuisine…but they're wrong.
 
Our Own Food
 
While American cuisine is widely influenced by its immigrant populations, it is also unique to this country in both content and execution. In rebelliously creating their own nation the early settlers intentionally created their own way of doing things, in part to establish their own identity, but also to make the British mad. Early kitchens are an excellent example: while the British cooked over a single large fire using a system of multi-sized removable grills, many new settlers built very large hearths, or fireplaces, into their kitchens to allow for the use of multiple fires with varying purposes. As a result, the kitchens of first Americans were very different in appearance than their British counterparts of the same time period.
 
The settled Americans also had access to different ingredients than the Europeans because of location. Early settlers found the new world flush with corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, beans, cranberries, wild rice, pumpkin and squash, as well as turkey (there's a reason these foods appear in Thanksgiving Day dinners) and a wealth of native fish/fowl. It should be recognized that in speaking of American cuisine we are not solely discussing food of the continental United States. South America provided some of the greatest agricultural discoveries of the world, before the discovery of the tomato in South America by Spanish explorers, tomatoes weren't even eaten in Italy! It wasn't until the 18th century that the Italians utilized what is now viewed as a defining contributor to their native cuisine. The Americas also delivered vanilla and chocolate to the Netherlands and Spain, peanuts to China, and potatoes to Ireland, in addition to other contributions.
 
Native American Food
 
It should be noted that our food roots were broadly influenced by the most authentic American chefs, Native Americans. Without their giving nature and patience, which allowed them to share crops, agricultural techniques, and hunting practices with the utterly unprepared settlers, our new nations would have died out within the first few years of arriving. Corn, or maize, was the foundation of the diet, along with beans, pumpkin, squash, and meat obtained from hunted animals. Region also played as great a role in North America as it did in the history of other great cuisines. In landlocked regions meat, like beef, and grains were staples. The populations near the coastlines and major waterways utilized fish like salmon, trout, lobster, crab, and clams.
 
By using what the new world provided for them, the settlers began shaping food as we know it in America. The young Americans were farmers and travelers, and meals had to be hearty to sustain them. What is now considered "rustic" or "country" style cooking is actually American cuisine in its most authentic form. Corn bread, turkey, stews of root vegetables and meat, bean soup, stewed tomatoes, maples syrup, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin-anything are definitively American. And while apple pie may not be wholly patriotic, Shoofly Pie (made with sweet molasses) is.
 
State-side Outside Influences
 
Defining meals in America is almost impossible, as every home may house a different cultural and ethnic background with their own specific meal staples and dining guidelines. American cuisine has typically focused on large breakfasts (pancakes, eggs, toast, cereal, coffee, etc.), hurried lunches during the work week, and a large meal at suppertime. However, the cultural diversity spread across the country makes it difficult to make generalizations about the cuisine as a whole.
 
The immigrants of Europe, Africa, and Latin America definitively added to the styles and dishes represented in American Cuisine. The French and Spanish who settled in Louisiana were the catalyst for Creole cooking, providing us with Jambalaya and Gumbo, while the German population of Pennsylvania Dutch country added salt pork, candies, corn chowders and breads; in the nation's southern central region, a dish called chili con carne eventually became a phenomenon. Perhaps most influential, however, was the African based cooking, or "soul food", which has become as synonymous with the American south as BBQ. Even before slavery, and definitely throughout it, African Americans faced poverty and usually had only animal scraps and cheap produce with which to feed themselves, introducing dishes like chitterlings, or slow cooked or fried pig intestines, collard greens, fried chicken or catfish, fried okra, and black-eyed peas with ham hocks to the mix.
 
American Cuisine only continues to refine itself as the nation grows older and chefs more ambitious. And while outside influences will always be essential to the identity of food in America, there are some things that will remain our own: head to Philly for cheese-steaks or the original Animal Crackers, Maine for crab cakes, New Jersey for salt water-taffy, and just about anywhere for ice cream sodas. And if you're really hungry? Forgo the patriotism, and have a slice of warm apple pie.

Caribbean Cuisine

The Caribbean, a chain of many islands off the Southern coasts of Florida, offers a wealth of diverse, soulful, and colorful cuisine. The islands, most notably Cuba, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Barbados, and the Dominican Republic and Haiti, have a long history of foreign influence. The region changed hands between the British, Dutch, French, Spanish, Danish, and American colonial powers, all of whom contributed ingredients and approaches to food, and whose presence ultimately led to a richly varied regional cuisine.
 
Staples of Island Cuisine
 
Though the food on each island may vary greatly, the region's geography, as well as the natural resources available, dictates that the staples of the Caribbean diet are essentially the same. All forms of seafood are readily available, with fish, lobster, crab, shrimp, and other shellfish appearing most often; dishes like fried flying fish, the national dish of Barbados, are signatures of the area.
 
Pig and goat were traditionally the most utilized livestock, along with chicken, which also added eggs to the diet. It is also not uncommon to see iguana meat used in authentic dishes, and the use of tofu has become more prevalent in recent years.
 
The warm climate is friendly to tropical agriculture, and produces fruits like plantains, bananas, mango, melons such as cassava, passion fruit, pineapple and papaya, as well as coconut, which has many roles in the kitchen on the islands. Root vegetables like yam, yucca, onion, and sweet potato are most common, with avocado and a variety of peppers, both mild and sweet, rounding out the diet. Sugar cane must also be mentioned not only because of its use in island cookery, but because it is one of the chief exports of the area.
 
Rice is the staple starch in Caribbean cuisine, though it varies greatly from region to region and home to home. Yellow rice, red rice and white rice, as well as rice which has been cooked with other ingredients like pigeon peas (arroz con gandules, a staple dish of the diet in Puerto Rico), other legumes, capers, or olives, are the foundation for much of the cuisine in the islands, and are usually accompanied by beans (which also vary depending on the area). Cornmeal is also utilized, turned into a polenta-like dish known as cou-cou (corneal cooked with okra), which is served with fish and stews.
 
Island drinks are wildly popular in the United States and abroad, both alcoholic and virgin. Rum, a liquor preferred in the islands largely because it is produced there, lends itself well to sodas, fruit juices, and other beverages like pina coladas (made with rum, pineapple, and coconut cream or milk), mojitos (sugar, lime, and mint leaves) or daiquiris. Beer and sangria (wine based punch) are also consumed, though the latter usually before or after a meal. Non-alcoholic beverages like ginger beer (attributed to Jamaica) and milkshakes (Cuba) are also favorites, as is malta, a drink made from mashed barley water and molasses. Strong coffee with milk (Cuba's cafe con leche) and tea are also enjoyed. 
 
Spices and Cooking
 
Spices are prominent in the islands and help to define regional cuisines. Onion and garlic are utilized throughout, with ginger, allspice, lime, cumin, cilantro, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, bay leaf, and a variety of hot peppers appearing throughout the more localized food offerings. Jamaican cooking particularly favors the potent Scotch Bonnet pepper, and uses it in its signature spice blend, jerk. Jerk is a combination of allspice, Scotch Bonnet peppers, garlic, cloves, and cinnamon or nutmeg, which is dry rubbed into meat before grilling or steaming in banana leaves. Puerto Rican and Cuban cooking by comparison are much milder, using spices to add flavor without heat, as in the case of Puerto Rican sofrito (a base sauce consisting of vegetables, herbs, spices, and sometimes tomato) and Cuban mojo or mojito (oil, onion, garlic, and lime juice).
 
Grilling and steaming tend to be the most prevalent cooking techniques. Frying is also used, particularly on the Spanish speaking islands where empanadas (steamed meat or cheese turnovers) and savory dumplings are prepared. Meat is can also be eaten sandwich-style; the famed Cuban sandwich, or media noche, is the best known example: roasted pork, ham, cheese, pickles, and a garlic mayo or simple mustard, toasted between two pieces of Cuban bread.
 
One-pot cookery is additionally recognized as being a central way of preparing meals, with soups and stews playing vital roles in the daily diet; most meals on many islands begin with soup. Cuban cuisine is known for black bean soup, Puerto Rican for chicken with rice soup and asopao (chicken or fish gumbo). Pepper pots, a soupy stew made of meat (generally pig, beef, or chicken), vegetables, peppercorns and spices, as well as callaloo (a soup made of either taro, Spanish callaloo, malanga, and/or Chinese spinach leaves, garlic, herbs, coconut milk, veggies, and meat) are also good examples, considered signature dishes of island cooking.

Chinese Cuisine

Chinese culture, rooted deeply in tradition, pride, and a mystical history, has always been fascinating to the Western world. Even more fascinating seems to be the native cuisine of the land, a style of cookery that is completely foreign to the Western chef in almost every way. Utilizing very different tools, ingredients, accents, and techniques, Eastern food is a school of cooking entirely to itself, one that has garnered the respect and admiration of food lovers and professionals alike.
 
The Chinese approach to food blends esteem for necessity with a respect for the art of cooking. Dishes of necessity, the items eaten to maintain life (rice, noodles), are eaten daily to fuel work. The delicate preparations of meat and vegetables are expressions of the art of food, and considered dishes eaten for pleasure.
 
The Food
 
The staples of Chinese cuisine are starch based (rice, noodles, wheat, etc.), supplemented by protein in the form of pork, chicken, duck, fish, tofu (doufu), or peanuts. Vegetables like Chinese cabbage, kale, spinach, snow peas, watercress, onions, and peppers are most common, and essential in combinations with nuts and tofu to the vegetarian cuisine of the Buddhist communities.
 
Food in a land with many mouths to feed has always been a precious commodity, and Chinese cooks developed appropriately frugal recipes. Chinese cooking frequently uses every ounce of edible material an ingredient has to offer, developing practical preparations for cuts of meat that many cuisines would define as unusable (chicken skin in simple salads, for example). Chinese cuisine is unparalleled in its ability to prepare these items with such artful skill that no diner would ever suspect they supped on scraps.
 
The sporadic scarcity of food also helped to develop a level of respect for meals still exercised today. Food is often honored with ceremony and reverence; it is not eaten hurriedly, but savored. This reverence is seen in the delicate cutting of meat and intricate presentations of vegetables, which are characteristic of the cuisine; few recipes will ever call for "chunks" of meat, or "roughly chopped" vegetables. This, in part, is why chopsticks are used for eating , the Chinese feel that the use of a fork and knife is disrespectful; they would rather not "butcher" at the table.
 
Regional Cooking
 
Chinese cooks are known to be both flexible and innovative, and as a result many "regional" delicacies have been assimilated into a broad and balanced national cuisine. As a result, it is less easy to list the dishes of Northern China than it is to list those of Northern Italy. However, there are some defining characteristics:
 
Northern China relies on wheat rather than rice, and therefore has some of the best dumplings and noodles in the entire country. It is one of the few areas to produce bread products like steamed buns or simple pancakes. It also notably uses garlic and dark soy sauce to create boldly flavored dishes. The great city of Peking (now Beijing) lies in the North, and has spawned the fare of its namesake (most notably Peking duck), one of the signature dishes of Chinese cuisine.
 
The region at the West of the Yangtze River gives us the notable culinary phenomenon of Szechwan cooking. Richly flavored with ginger, garlic, chilies, and Szechwan peppercorns, the food can be mercilessly spicy, and delicious. Additionally, as with most societies close to water, the food from this area utilizes a diverse offering of fresh fish and seafood.
 
As the first mass migration from China to America was made by the Cantonese, Southern Chinese cooking is perhaps the best known in the United States. Stir frying is one of the most utilized techniques, along with steaming. Because the Cantonese believe in food being consumed as close as possible to its natural state, overcooking is frowned upon, and even MSG (monosodium glutamate, a chemical flavor enhancer that is very popular in other schools of Chinese cuisine) is avoided when possible. Stir frying, a technique similar to sauteing, utilizes the wok, one of the defining tools of Chinese cookery. Round pans with high, sloped sides, woks are extremely versatile items, and often one of the only pans used to cook a meal. They are particularly useful in the light cooking of the Cantonese style, allowing the chef to apply direct or indirect heat to ingredients as needed. In addition, stackable bamboo steamers, chambers for cooking food with steam, can be placed over a wok full of boiling water to prepare several items at once over a single flame.
 
Meals in China
 
Food in China is generally served "family style", with main items placed at the center of the table and taken from communally; bowls of rice are given to each individual. At special meals rice is usually omitted, as it is considered too common to enjoy with foods from the "pleasure" school of cooking.
 
Dishes from the national cuisine that have grown popular world wide are now almost countless: stir-fried chicken, pork, or beef dishes made with garlic, ginger, scallion, and/or soy sauce are common, as are more elaborate items like Kung Pao chicken (meat with bean sauce, garlic and chili paste, and hot peppers), or Peking Duck (in a sauce of peanut oil, sugar or honey, and ground bean sauce with red wine vinegar); delicacies include Shark Fin Soup. Noodle dishes like Lo Mein are also common, as are soups (Hot and Sour soup, Won Ton, Egg Drop, etc.). Fortune cookies, lightly fried "cookies" containing a paper fortune, are associated with dessert but are actually an American invention; in China, fruit, tea, and sweet soups are traditionally served.

French Cuisine

No study of world cuisine would be complete without exploring the exalted culinary offerings of France. Presently considered a food Mecca, France has been a main influence in modern gastronomy and is the birthplace of haute cuisine. It is known for its elegant techniques and presentation as well as a refined approach to meals in general. The techniques explored by the original French masters are still taught today in culinary schools around the world, and even the most modern chefs have foundations in the French approach to food. France also has a wealth of regional cuisines, each with its own signature and culinary significance. Like in Italy, these regional variations make pinning down a unified national cuisine nearly impossible. Instead, France is celebrated for its almost unparalleled contributions to dining and cookery, and its continued focus on pursuing new avenues within the food world.
 
French Influences
 
Towards the end of the 16^th century, the capitol of inventive and celebrated cooking began to shift from its home in Italy to the kitchens of France. Popular food mythology suggests that it was the arrival of Italy's Catherine di Medici and her army of royal cooks that spurred this shift, but in reality French cuisine had already started to move away from what were, comparatively speaking, more primitive approaches to food. The Italians did contribute food items like artichokes and ice cream, as well as well as lessons in approaching food, such as modern table manners and the practice of enhancing, not masking, the natural flavors meal ingredients.
 
The French are notably credited with founding the restaurant industry. Pre-Napoleon, chefs worked for private households or the royal court. In the aftermath of the French Revolution, when many chefs found their employers beheaded, cooks used their skills to establish businesses open to the general populace, opening what were the first French bistros. By the 19^th century Marie-Antoine Careme and George-Auguste Escoffier were applying logic to take the movement one step further. Careme organized meals from a hodgepodge of various dishes into the courses we enjoy now, and experimented with blending multiple flavors into a single dish (a practice that remains a characteristic of French food today). Escoffier is credited with the first structured menu that could be given to restaurant patrons, and for beginning modern cookbooks, i.e. listing and codifying recipes in printed source with formulas that allowed recipes to be replicated. Escoffier, a celebrity chef in his own time, also organized restaurant cooking staffs based on military practices, and stressed the importance of high quality ingredients.
 
The Food
 
Like any cuisine, the French diet is made up of staple ingredients with a particular focus on regional offerings. Vegetables like potatoes, aubergines (eggplant), turnips, onions, leeks, green beans, and mushrooms (especially the expensive and revered black truffle) appear frequently, as do fruits like strawberries, apricots, cherries, pears, tomatoes, apples, and oranges. Herbs like tarragon, chervil, rosemary and chives are invaluable in French cookery, used in the form of herb butter or fresh from the garden. They also play a role in the sauces that are definitive of French cuisine.
 
The cuisine also utilizes plenty of meat including chicken, rabbit, veal, beef, pork, mutton and lamb. Duck, whose meat, fat, and liver (in the form of foie gras) are also considered characteristic of French cooking. Additionally, France enjoys a skill in working with fish and seafood like cod, sardines, herring, oysters, mussels, and shrimp, and is the originator of bouillabaisse, a superb fish stew.
 
Wines like Bordeaux, Merlot, Burgundy, Chardonnay, and Sauvingnon Blanc also play an important role as a chief export of France, as well as a daily and luxury beverage; France's climate allows both reds and whites to flourish throughout the country. It is often paired with cheese, which is taken just as seriously. France provides more varieties of cheese than any other nation in the world (including Camembert, Roquefort, and Brie), over 500 at last count. The AOC (Appellation de Origine Controlee) actually regulates the names of around 45 cheese varietals, meaning that a cheese must meet strict criteria in order to be classified as, for example, Brie. Raw milk cheese under the age of 60 days old cannot be exported to the United States, and therefore can only be enjoyed in the homeland.
 
Regional Cuisine
 
Regional cuisines are a hallmark of food in France. Entire volumes are dedicated to chronicling provincial home cuisines, as they are more specific than homogenized mainstream restaurant cuisine and vary greatly from region to region; homes in Northern France prefer fats like butter, cream, and lard, while the South uses duck fat and olive oil, and so on. Provincial cuisines are so respected that some restaurants dedicate themselves solely to the food of a specific area, while an American might look for a good Italian or Chinese restaurant, it is not uncommon for the French to seek out good Alsatian establishments (serving regional dishes of the province of Alsace, like blood sausage or bredela). Provincial dishes (like Pot-au-feu, a beef stew, or coq au vin, chicken braised in wine), in combination with the more technical styles of the restaurant and food industries, help to demonstrate how a respect for food and fine ingredients can be incorporated into the home on a daily basis.
 
Meal Structure
 
The French have a calm respect for food, and believe it should be savored rather than eaten hurriedly without reflection. A culinary day in France typically begins with coffee, tea, and/or milk, as well as cereal, bread, or pastries with jam or fruit. Bread, a celebrated staple of the French diet, is its own art form in French cookery and is served at every meal, it is more likely to appear at breakfast the form of a simple baguette or loaf than as a croissant (these are a weekend breakfast favorite). Lunch generally is taken in the late afternoon, around 2pm, and is variable depending on profession and location. Dinner can be had as early as 6pm, but is more reliably enjoyed in the late evening, around 8 or 8:30pm. Starting with soups, salads, and/or crudites, a main dish (usually meat or fish) is served accompanied by sides of vegetables, rice, pasta, or fries. In formal dining situations a cheese assortment generally follows, with dessert pastries like tarts, fruits, or yogurt ending the meal. Wine is enjoyed throughout the meal, and often is selected to complement specific dishes.

Indian Cuisine

India, one of the most populated countries in the entire world, is a diverse nation comprised of 17 states, and therefore, much like France or Italy, is home to a large number variable regional cuisines. India, especially Northern India, has also been subject to a great deal of outside influence, the presence and rule of the British Raj being the most significant.
 
The presence of many religions and cultures within one nation, as well as geographic influences, has made it almost impossible for India to own a single national cuisine. Religious restrictions are particularly powerful forces in food, and dictate what many in the Indian population can eat; Buddhists are vegetarian, Muslims cannot eat pork, Jains cannot eat onions, etc. Religious restrictions have led to a dedicated vegetarian cuisine throughout parts of the country. Additionally, the caste system prevents people of different classes from eating with one another or from becoming chefs at all, making it difficult for certain cuisines and food trends to spread.
 
Staples of Indian Cuisine
 
Grains like lentils, pulses (a kind of legume), and of course rice (as in the rest of Asian cuisine) are the foundation of food in India, with Basmati rice being the most recognized. Basmati rice, native to the Himalayas, is long grain, and thinner than the rice used in Western cooking. It has a distinctive, nutty aroma which is released when cooked; aging the rice, which is commonly done for periods of time no more than one year, results in a stronger, more distinct fragrance. Rice is usually served as an accompaniment to stew-like dishes which Westerners would classify as curries, or in the equivalent of pilafs, which add vegetables, nuts, beans, and spices, and are served alongside meat or vegetarian dishes. Rice is also eaten plain.
 
India, unlike most other Asian cuisines, also utilizes breads in the daily diet. Bread is typically more prevalent in Northern India, but can be found throughout the country, and is generally made from atta (whole wheat flour). These breads are usually unleavened or flatbread (naam, roti, puri, etc.) varieties, which can be folded and used as both a meal item and an edible utensil (smaller pieces of bread are torn off, then used to scoop up rice, meat, vegetables, and sauces from the dish). Many breads are cooked in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven also used for cooking meat. Bread dough can also be made into small pockets and filled with rice, vegetables, meat, and/or spices, and baked or fried into small snacks (samosas, for example).
 
Produce is also vital to Indian cuisine as much of the population is vegetarian. Peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, squashes, root vegetables, and native vegetables are used daily. In areas where meat is eaten, goat, lamb, and poultry are preferred. Meat is often seasoned and roasted, stewed, or cooked in a tandoor.
 
In some regions dairy has a strong role, and is made into items like ghee (clarified butter), yoghurt, and sweets/dessert items.
 
Indian Spices
 
Indian food is celebrated for its use of spices, like garlic, ginger, chilies, cumin, turmeric, and fenugreek. It is famous outside the country for potent spice blends called curries, a name which is synonymous with both the spices and the stew-like dishes they season. The term curry is actually a bit of a miscommunication between the native Indian people and the foreigners who brought the dishes back to Britain and other parts of the world, where they have become quite popular in India, the spice blend is actually referred to as masala. Masala is a general term; mixes can be dry or wet, spicy or mild, and from fresh or dry ingredients. Northern India tends to favor dry spices, while Southern India turns dry mixes into pastes with lime juice, coconut milk, or water. One of the most famous Indian dishes is Garam Masala, a brown blend which can be different depending on region, but is typically black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, and sometimes coriander. It is added, generally, to meat and poultry dishes, which are then served with rice or flatbread. Kashmiri masala, a milder blend, taaza masala, a green paste made with mint, and tikka masala are also well known.
 
Food in India
 
Despite many religion and caste influences restrictions on regional diet, food is recognized as an element in life that brings joy as well as nourishment. Even the more restrictive diets celebrate food and welcome its presence.
 
Food in India is known for the "family style" element of its meal composition. The centerpiece of the meal is typically on large serving pf rice or bread, which is shared and accompanied by many smaller savory or spicy dishes. The smaller dishes are folded in with flatbread or mixed with the rice, with all guests helping themselves to whichever items they desire.
 
Most meals are eaten while seated on low stools or on the floor, in front of a low table. Food is eaten with the fingers, or with the assistance of bread.

Japanese Cuisine

Italian Cuisine

Thai Cuisine

Turkish Cuisine

Mexican Cuisine

10 Dessert Tips for Life

In an increasingly fast paced society, knowing some basic tips for preparing desserts would help bring pleasure and decrease the chaos in your life.  Desserts are so important in our culture that they are even considered a food group on the food pyramid.  Despite the fact that Americans are becoming more and more overweight each year, desserts are not escaping from our treasured American lifestyle. 
 
Desserts are a delicate pleasure that we all enjoy.  But often the fact that we are a fast paced culture, baking cookies or a cake does not often seem like fun due to the fact that it is viewed as time consuming.  Well, if you follow some basic tips for dessert preparation, guarantee you’ll enjoy making desserts again!
 
1. Buy already made ingredients on your list – This is a great tip and saves a lot of time.  Pre-made ingredients include pie crusts, crumbs, baking mixes, fresh or frozen mixed fruit, etc.
 
2. Have the most common dessert ingredients in your kitchen always – Having the most popular dessert ingredients in your kitchen always will save you a lot of time.  Try to buy the following in bulk: nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, flour, eggs, butter, chocolate, etc.
 
3. Preheat the oven! – Although this is a VERY basic tip, it is probably the most important, especially if you have an old oven.  Ovens can take anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes to heat up.  Who wants to wait for an oven to heat up for 30 minutes?  The trick to remembering this is to turn the oven on immediately after getting all your ingredients together.
 
4. Use the bottom rack in the oven – Another essential oven tip!  For obvious reasons, using the bottom rack in the oven saves baking time due to the fact that the bottom rack receives the most direct heat.  So, try to squeeze as many baking sheets down there as possible!
 
5. Bake in multiple batches – You can obviously save time by making multiple batches of a dessert like cookies, cupcakes, etc.  The only thing to be careful of is to avoid eating them in a few days.  Although cookies can lose freshness after a few days, they can go quite a while before not being any good.
 
6. Always have fruit in the house – This tip is great because many recipes call for some sort of real fruit like berries.  Having fresh or frozen fruit in the house at all times will definitely save a last minute trip to the store to find that essential fruit ingredient.  Frozen fruit will last the longest so definitely buy that in bulk as well.
 
7. Simplify your favorite dessert recipes – We’ve all prepared desserts that have over 15 ingredients that are supposedly NOT optional.  Find alternative recipes online and after making the recipe once, pay attention to the taste, and find ways to simplify it.  Does it really need walnuts?  Does it really need brown AND white sugar?  Probably not.
  
8. Let your kids help prepare the dessert – You may have given birth to them so that they could grow into respectful individual human beings, but they can help you bake just like they help with chores around the house.  The best thing about getting your kids involved is that if you find the right repetitive task, they can save you a lot of time.  Also, the best thing about this tip is that kids usually don’t turn you down when it comes to preparing a dessert they can eat!
 
9. When in doubt, just grab some stuff and GO! – If you weren’t planning on making a dessert, just throw in some ingredients off the top of your head and see what happens!  This is an awesome tip because it allows you to save on time in the sense that you won’t be looking at a detailed recipe with a long list of ingredients and long list of preparation steps.  I use this one all the time when it comes to preparing smoothies.  With a smoothie, you can’t go wrong!  Throw in as much as you want of anything and see what happens.  The only rule to follow with this tip is to put the most of a particular ingredient into the blender that you want the smoothie or beverage to taste the most like.
 
10. Let go of measuring utensils – This may be the hardest tip yet because it forces you to trust in your abilities.  Some people may fear that they have no abilities and thus do not want to prepare a dish, especially a dessert, free style.  But this is so important when it comes to saving time because when you have to get out a lot of ingredients AND a lot of measuring utensils, it becomes a major time consuming project to prepare something as simple as cookies.
 
So, follow these 10 steps for making desserts and you will be definitely find preparation a lot easier.  It will also run a lot smoother and more than likely you will have fun in the process.  Imagine that, enjoying the process of making a dessert while knowing you will also enjoy tasting it later on!  It doesn’t get any better than that.

20 Ways to Avoid Food Poisoning

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the top food culprits of food poisoning include foods from poultry, unpasteurized milk, raw eggs, and raw shellfish.  The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the authority to make announcements of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses in addition to forcing retailers or venders to recall whatever food product caused the outbreak.  However, despite these measures, it is still possible for any consumer to come into contact with contaminated foods.  In addition to this risk, lack of food safety preparation at home can also lead to food poisoning.  While there are an exponential number of ways a consumer can avoid food poisoning, following a straightforward guideline can help introduce basic food safety practices into any household.
 
Food poisoning can occur in anyone consuming contaminated food; however, it most likely occurs in those with weaker immune systems like infants and the elderly.  Other groups that are vulnerable include those with chronic diseases like AIDS and pregnant women.  Healthy teens and adults are less likely to suffer severe consequences of food poisoning due to their robust immune system. Despite the fact that the FDA has a considerable long and complicated set of rules for farmers and other vendors to follow when packaging and selling food to consumers, due to a variety of reasons the FDA is unable to protect every single consumer in the country.  With this, it is important for consumers to know how to protect themselves at home and when dining out.
 
1. Cook food thoroughly – Most recipes call for cooking meats at a certain temperature.  Buying a cooking thermometer is ideal for this.
2. Separate fresh veggies from raw meats when preparing a meal.  This will prevent cross-contamination.
3. Wash all vegetables before use – The usually come with tiny insects, even when washed at your local grocery store.
4. Rinse fruit that is to be eaten uncooked – Doing this will not only help you from eating germs, but also various pesticides that are used during the growth of that fruit.
5. Chill foods that need to be kept cold immediately when coming home from the grocery store.
6. Keep the kitchen clean – use antibacterial products when possible or at least a vinegar solution if you want to avoid harsh chemicals.
7. Avoid cold deli meats – This is especially true if you go to restaurants that prepare fresh subs.  However, if you do buy some cold deli meat from your grocery store, you can cook it and then put it back in the fridge to get it back cold again before serving it.
8. Always wash your hands when cooking and before eating – Use soapy HOT water.  Under no circumstances should you do a half job on this one.  At any given moment our hands carry hundreds of thousands of germs and you don’t want any of that on your food.
9. Reheat leftovers thoroughly – Especially any foods that contained beef or poultry.
10. Avoid unpastuerized fruit juices – Most fruit juices are pasteurized, but double check the labels.
11. Avoid unpastuerized milk – Look on labels in the store.  Pasteurized milk will say so.
12. Be careful of raw meat like sushi and steak tartar
13. Never eat raw shellfish – Shellfish includes clams, oysters, and mussels for example.
14. Avoid restaurants that look dirty – It’s definitely ok to support the local guy, but not to the extent of your own health.
15. Don’t lick any batter that contains raw eggs – For example, if you’re making chocolate chip cookies which calls for use of raw eggs before baking…DO NOT under any circumstances be tempted to lick off the mixing spoon any leftover dough in the bowl.
16. Clean chopping boards – Plastic boards can be simply put into the dishwasher.  However, wood boards should be cleaned with an unscented bleach solution.  New wood boards are best as old ones and plastic boards tend to allow germs to resurface more easily.  Also, after cleaning them, let the chopping boards remain a part from other dishes in order to let them dry completely.  Moist attracts germs as well.
17. Avoid leaving leftovers out for longer than 1 hour after a meal is served – Bacteria tends to thrive in conditions that are not too cold or too hot.  Thus leaving your baked chicken out for 4 hours is a guarantee way to allow some growth to take place.
18. Do not let your pet or insects nibble off food you intend to eat – If you let your dog lick your plate, make sure you let him lick it CLEAN not partially and then you eat more off of it.
19. Keep the refrigerator set at 4°C – This will prevent most bacterial species from growing.  But don’t fool yourself either; there are bacteria that exist that can grow at just below 10°C. 
20. If the electricity goes out and you don’t have a generator, throw away any food that needed to be kept cold after several hours.
 
Now in an ideal world, following all these measures would ensure you would never get food poisoning.  But since we do not live in an ideal world, recognizing the signs of food poisoning is just as important.  With this, it can be very essential to get medical attention right away due to the fact that the symptoms can become severe very quickly if appropriate measures are not followed.  The typical symptoms of food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.  However, if you experience diarrhea accompanied with blood in the stool, headache, stiff neck, a fever lasting more than a day, rapid heart rate, dizziness, general weakness, numbness, tingling, or diarrhea that lasts longer than several days, you should consider the food poisoning to be severe enough for an emergency room visit.

Allergies Associated with Milk and Dairy Products

Many people have problems associated with milk and dairy products.  The typically symptoms you might experience include coughing, wheezing, hives, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, cramping, and bloating.  In some children, milk and dairy problems will also manifest as hyperactivity.  Now, keep in mind that if you have allergies to dairy products, that does not mean you are lactose intolerant.  In this article, we will provide information showing how the two appear the same but actually, are very different.  If you have any type of reaction after eating or drinking dairy, then you could very well have allergies.
 
If you suspect that milk and dairy products are the problem, then you should talk to your doctor to get a confirmed diagnosis.  Once this has been done, you will need to make adjustments in your diet.  For instance, you will need to start paying close attention to labels for all dairy products to include milk, cottage cheese, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, and so on, choosing products that are made without lactose.
 
Because the number of individuals with allergies to milk and dairy products is growing, we now see many more options on the market, making grocery shopping easier.  However, one of the challenges associated with allergies of this type is that foods are not automatically labeled as “milk” or “dairy”.  Therefore, we have provided you with a list of common terms seen on labels.
 
• Lactoglobulin
• Lactalbumin and lactalbumin phosphate
• Casein
• Sodium caseinate
• Lactose
 
Additionally, many of the foods you buy every day actually contain one of the above-mentioned dairy ingredients.  This means that if you have allergies to milk and dairy products and you eat any of the foods listed below, you would likely experience the same symptoms.
 
• Cake
• Au Gratin Potatoes
• Donuts
• Cream Candy
• Chocolate
• Custard
• Yogurt
• Ice Cream
• Margarine (not all, but some)
• Salad Dressing
• Pudding
 
The good news is that for people who are lactose intolerant, substitutions are available.  Over the years, these alternatives have been improved upon where they now taste quite good.  In fact, when cooking with the dairy substitutions, you can hardly tell the difference and some people even like the flavor better.  The substances listed below can be used for cooking, making ice cream, and even in place of drinking milk.
 
• Soy Milk (some people also have allergy reactions to soy)
• Almond Milk
• Rice Milk
• Non-dairy items such as chocolate, cheese, yogurt, ice cream
 
As you know, it is important to get enough dairy products in the diet as a source of vitamin D and calcium.  If you cannot tolerate these products, you can add other foods to the diet that will still give you the needed nutrition.  For instance, foods high in vitamin D and calcium include spinach and broccoli.  In addition, you might visit your local health food store, choosing a high quality supplement.
 
Lactose Intolerance
 
In this case, lactose, milk, and sugar cannot be digested.  The reason is that the body does not produce adequate amounts of lactase, a digestive enzyme.  This means that even a teaspoon of dairy product would have an adverse effect.  The undigested lactose stays in the intestines, drawing water into the intestines that causes diarrhea and becomes fermented by the colon’s bacteria, causing gas.  For this reason, a person who is lactose intolerant will typically only experience side effects of diarrhea and gas, although children often have more problems to include heartburn and vomiting.
 
Allergies to Milk and Dairy Products
 
With this, it is the protein in the milk that a person is reacting to, which includes whey and casein.  Although a person could be allergic to both, usually it is one or the other.  The symptoms of allergies associated with milk and dairy products are more involved, as mentioned earlier in this article.
 
With this type of allergy, the body’s immune system is reacting, trying to fight off anything harmful in the form of bacteria or viruses.  Keep in mind, the one thing that this allergy and lactose intolerance does share is that both remain undigested in the intestines.
 
Although adults do suffer from the many side effects of a milk and dairy allergy, we often see children with the highest number of cases and the worst reactions.  For example, if a child were allergic to dairy, you would typically see a reaction within 45 minutes.  The most common symptoms that he or she would present include hives, swelling, coughing, and in severe cases, even shock.  Obviously, in babies and small children, identifying allergies to milk and dairy products is crucial.  Again, if you suspect this is happening, see your doctor.  Often, switching the milk to goat or soymilk is recommended.

Appetizers

If you only have one chance to make a good first impression, then a meal only has one chance to start off right. Appetizers, the broad name used to refer to the first course of a meal, are a dinner's equivalent of the first handshake. Like tapas in Spain, antipasti in Italy, and mezze in the Mediterranean, appetizers whet the appetite for the main event and are excellent when paired with a good drink and a few friends. Unfortunately for the health-conscious eater, adding a first course before the entrees means adding calories to a dinner's overall tally. And in the case of many American mainstream restaurants, particularly franchises, appetizers are loaded with fat, trans fat, calories and cholesterol - a typical order of mozzarella sticks packs 700 calories and almost 50 grams of fat! Luckily, there are techniques to avoiding the pitfalls of appetizer dining, and many ways for the home cook to serve healthy, delicious, and artful first courses that impress before the entrees arrive.
 
The FIRST First Course
 
The practice of serving smaller items before a meal to stimulate appetite and conversation has been part of dining for centuries. Historically speaking, the ancient Greeks are given credit for first implementing appetizers as part of their large banquets. Their food was designed around aperitifs, alcohols (vermouth, wine, champagne, amaretto, and Campari are some modern examples) served before the meal to assist in digestion and prepare guests for dining (and socializing). The Greeks favored a communal bowl for aperitifs, which was passed around the table from guest to guest; the logic was that sharing stirred up feelings of unity and friendship amongst those in attendance. The accompanying food items varied depending on region and host, but often included olives, vegetables, oysters, marinated seafood, garlic, and egg based dishes. Many of these items are still considered "starters" on the bill of fare around the world today, oysters on the half shell are one of the few appetizer items mentioned in early American cookbooks and menus, olives and vegetables appear as staples on antipasti listings, and egg-based dishes, like deviled eggs or quiche, are still widespread BBQ and banquet favorites.
 
Modern Appetizers and Healthy Choices
 
If the typical first course still was centered around olives, vegetables, and marinated seafood, there would be little to worry about. The issue is that many mainstream offerings have evolved from popular pub and bar menu items, i.e. greasy foods that go well with alcohol: spring rolls, dumplings, potato skins, Buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks. We also have a love of cheese-based dips, popular at informal home gatherings as well as restaurants, and given enticing names like "queso fundido". These items are fun to eat and share, but can wreak havoc on your waistline, sometimes containing an entire day's allotment of fat and/or calories in a single serving.
 
Of course these are generalizations, based on the menu offerings of some of the country's most trafficked restaurant chains. Many dining establishments do list an array of healthful, artistic, and satisfying appetizer items, and these are the items you should seek out to start your meal, whether out on the town or entertaining at home:
 
Soups. Most cultures encourage soup as a prelude to a meal, and so should you. Studies have shown that diners given a small serving of hot, clear broth soup before a meal consume fewer overall calories in a sitting than those who go right to the entree. Be sure to avoid cream-based varieties like bisque that can be loaded with fat; stick with clear broths, and look for varieties that contain nutrient and fiber rich vegetables that help to satiate your appetite. Also beware of the restaurant staples like French onion or broccoli and cheese, the damage the cheese does far outweighs the benefits of the veggies. Try consomme, won ton, hot and sour, gazpacho, chicken vegetable, or bouillabaisse instead.
 
Baked or poached items. Frying and deep frying add tons of fat to what would otherwise be healthy choices. Fried calamari, dumplings, cheese, potatoes, and even veggies are a definite no. Stick with appetizers that are baked, poached, grilled, steamed or lightly sauteed instead, like baked asparagus, sauteed squid, shish kebabs, or grilled chicken satays.
 
Crudites. Plates of fresh vegetables are always a colorful way to start a meal, but fatty spreads like Ranch dressing or cheese fondue can gum things up.  Try salsa, bean spread, garlic spreads, or hummus as healthy and flavorful alternatives.
 
Go Mediterranean. The Greeks, Italians, and Turks have healthy starters right. Olives, marinated seafood, grilled or marinated vegetables, roasted red peppers, small portions (1 oz. or under) of cheese, and spreads like hummus or tatziki with whole-grain pita/chips are tasty treats.
 
Good fats. Fats like lard, mayonnaise, and butter are main ingredients in appetizers. Use very sparingly in home recipes, and look for healthy options like olive or walnut oils.
 
Good sweets. Sauces like sweet and sour sauce can be loaded with corn syrup. Marinate in fruit juices or puree fruits and nuts for a better sweet.
 
And never underestimate the power of presentation : part of what makes appetizers so, well, appetizing is how they look on the plate. Serve fresh fruit and salads in halved, hollowed out melons or coconuts, and utilize garnishes like edible flowers, chopped nuts, or fresh herbs.

Appreciating the partnership of wine and food

To date, wine is a luxury beverage produced mainly in Italy and France.  Despite being a luxury, there is such a variety of tastes and uses that one can find a bottle of wine as cheap as ten dollars and as expensive as $40,000 dollars.  That being said, wine captures the attention of the poorest and richest for a variety of reasons.  One reason for its popularity in particular is the potential health benefits.  We’ve all heard that red wine, for example, has incredible health benefits.  These benefits include all of the following:
 
• Increase levels of HDL in the bloodstream (good cholesterol)
• Reduce levels of LDL in the bloodstream (bad cholesterol)
• Reduce blood clotting
• Increase levels of antioxidants in the body
• And many more!
 
While these benefits have been backed by biomedical research again and again, some people may feel uncomfortable incorporating it into their daily drink regimen if they are not already accustomed to it.  Also, wines have a variety of tastes so it instead of spending a lot of money trying different wines with different foods, it might be best to find information about the basics of red wines versus white wines. 
 For example, red wine typically goes well with Italian foods like pizza, lasagna, and pasta.  It is easy to remember that because most of these foods have “red” in them.  By this I mean the tomatoes or tomato paste used to make them.  Red wine also goes very well with grilled meats like barbeque and chicken and as for seafood, tuna and salmon are perfect matches for enjoying a chilled glass of red wine.
 
Now white wine is at the other spectrum of the wine groups.  For this reason, white wine should never be used with any kind of spicy foods or foods that might have a tomato-like taste to them.  Another important note to remember is that white wine, unlike red wine, should not be served very chilled.  If there is a preference for it being somewhat cooler, keeping it in the fridge for a few hours should suffice, however it can and often should be drank at room temperature for optimal taste.
 
Moving forward, the topic of food and wine does not always mean wine on the side as a beverage to go along with a meal.  Food and wine also means certain kinds of wines mixed in with foods.  Wine mixed in with food can add lots of flavor while giving you some of the health benefits of drinking wine alone as a beverage.  The reason I say you will only get some of the benefits is because most meals call for use of heat and generally speaking heat can damage certain chemical properties within something as delicate as wine, however, there are still some benefits.
 
A variety of healthy recipes exist online and in plenty of cookbooks that include the use of a variety of wines as a primary or optional ingredient.  Now wine has always been traditionally used with meats like beef, chicken, pork, and fish, however there are plenty of desserts, side dishes, soups, and appetizers that also make excellent use of wine mixed with various foods.  Exploring the different ways one can mix food and wine (the ingredient) can be very useful if you want to start small and just add wine to some recipes you already have. 
 
The advice above should be most useful.  But for now you can start by adding just a teaspoon of red or white wine to your favorite dish and see what it does to the smell and then taste. However, it is important to note that smell can be very deceptive so the best way to see if it will work well is by trial and error taste tests.  Wine tasting techniques are discussed at the end of this article. 
 
When you do add in the wine, it might be helpful to not “cook” it for long.  In fact, just adding it on towards the end of the cooking time for a few minutes on low heat would work very well in most cases.  Another tip would be to take away one spice you would traditionally use and instead of that spice use your choice of wine.  This way, little by little, you could see how making small adjustments in your recipes would allow you to incorporate more wine in your diet!
 
Wine tasting is definitely an art and one that is learned typically by trial and error.  The following steps should be practiced frequently and are ideal especially if you want to know if the wine you have is truly superb and develop an appreciation for winemakers. 
 
1. Look – Examine the wine glass closely for color and clarity.  Older wines are typically more translucent.
2. Smell – Gently swirl the wine in the glass around and let your sense of smell take you away!  You may smell flowers or berries mixed into a sensual aroma.
3. Taste – The best part.  Take the smallest sip possible and let the sip spread on your tongue until all the taste buds on your tongue are awakened. 
4. Attack/Evolution Phases - You may at first think a wine is bitter, but after a moment it becomes sweeter or vice versa.  These two phases may last between 15 seconds to a few minutes, depending on the person.
5. Finish – How long do you have the taste in your mouth after taking a sip?  Does it last more than five minutes?  Does the taste actually appeal to you? 
 
And that’s all there is to wine tasting.  It is a complexly unique profession for the average person to undertake, but well worth it if you want to incorporate wine in some fashion or another into your daily diet regiment.

Benefits of Fish and Shellfish

Known as brain and heart food, fish and shellfish are loaded with healthy benefits.  Because of the nutrients found in fish and shellfish, the American Heart Association recommends people eat this food type twice weekly.  With high levels of protein, nutrients, and vitamins, most fish is excellent to improve and maintain good health.  In fact, fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which provide the heart with protection.
 
As with any food, you want to choose the right fish and shellfish.  Most species are fine but some types of fish contain high levels of mercury.  In small amounts and to the normal person, this contaminant would not be a problem.  However, in children and pregnant women, mercury can have devastating effects.  For this reason, many doctors suggest that pregnant women avoid fish altogether while pregnant, while other doctors simply steer patients away from fish such as tuna, which is often high in mercury.  The same would be true for children, choosing fish and shellfish that has little to no mercury content.
 
Other benefits associated with eating fish and shellfish twice weekly include reduced risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as a lowering of blood pressure.  In fact, medical studies show that eating fish twice a week can actually lower the risk of stroke by as much as 27%.  Of course, if you were to increase the number of meals weekly that includes fish or shellfish the percentage increases.  Then, as mentioned, fish is also known as brain food because thrombotic infarctions, which are strokes caused by blood clots in the brain, are significantly reduced.
 
Regardless of the type of fish or shellfish you prefer, it is imperative that it be cooked properly.  For instance, the omega-3 fatty acids that are so health beneficial can be destroyed by air, light, and heat.  For this reason, fish needs to be cooked so it is done but never overcooked.  For this reason, the best methods of cooking fish and shellfish include broiling, baking, poaching, stir-frying, grilling, sautéing, and steaming, allowing the fish to retain its nutrients.  The one method you want to avoid, which is often people’s favorite, is deep-frying.  Sure, shrimp and other types of fish cooked this method have a wonderful flavor and crunchy texture but the nutrients are destroyed.
 
Many people simply do not like fish or shellfish.  If this is you, the health benefits can still be enjoyed by choosing fish oil supplements instead.  These supplements can be found at local drug stores, grocery stores, and health food stores, providing the same benefits as eating fish twice a week.  The only downside is that some people have reported gassy stomachs and even a fish-like breath while taking fish oil supplements.  While supplements are an excellent alternative to eating fish, it is imperative that you purchase quality fish oil in that some supplements on the market are worthless.
 
Other options for getting enough omega-3 fatty oil come from sources other than fish and shellfish.  For instance, you can get the same benefits as eating fish twice a week by incorporating some vegetables, tofu, certain nuts, and oils to include flaxseed, canola, and soybean to your diet.  For children and pregnant women, these alternatives are excellent.  In addition to eliminating the risk of mercury poisoning, you still get the needed omega-3 fatty acids.
 
Recent studies have been performed that show omega-3 fatty acids are far more beneficial than initially thought.  Some of the other areas in which fish and shellfish can boost the body include:
 
• Improvement of psoriasis, arthritis, and kidney disease
• Elimination of some cancers
• Better kidney function for people with diabetes
 
As mentioned, fish and shellfish are great for the diet but for pregnant women, precautions have been given by the United States Food and Drug Administration.  In this case, certain fish to include tuna, king mackerel, swordfish, and shark should be avoided altogether or not consumed more than once every month or two.  The reason is that levels of mercury in these fish are beyond what the FDA considers safe for human consumption.  Now, while non-pregnant women could eat this fish, mercury during pregnancy affects the unborn child’s nervous system, causing serious damage.  Other fish such as walleye and pike, which are freshwater fish, also contain levels of mercury too high for pregnant women.
 
If pregnant, you should talk to your doctor before eating fish or shellfish.  Chances are that you would be told eating up to 12 ounces of cooked fish weekly would be fine, which would include farm raise fish such as rainbow trout, canned fish, and even most shellfish.  In this case, these species are a great source of protein needed by expectant mothers.  Again, if you are unsure, talk to your doctor first.

Braised and Stir-Fried dishes

In many cases it's not just what you eat, but how you prepare it.  Building a balanced diet around plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is an excellent start, but to continue on the road to healthy eating and living proper cooking techniques need to be applied as well, green beans and spinach are obviously healthier than a candy bar, but if you deep-fry them, they'll provide an equal amount of saturated fat and lose a good deal of their healthful vitamins. Luckily, there are plenty of healthy cooking techniques that are easily utilized, and can lend plenty of flavor and tenderness to healthy ingredients.
 
Braising
 
Braising is the practice of cooking an item in liquid in a closed vessel, such as a pot or Dutch oven. The technique is most often used in preparing meats and fish, but can also be applied to vegetables. The most well-known examples of braised dishes would be pot-roast, stew, or the famed French dish Coq a Vin (chicken cooked in wine). The term probably originated in the late 1800's, but the practice has been used for centuries; it was a central technique in the colonial era cooking of Europe and America, when many homes had a single fire, rather than a range of burners like in modern kitchens, to cook on.
 
As food scientist Harold McGee explains, braising is effective largely because water is such an excellent distributor of heat: it transmits heat quickly and evenly, and its own temperature can be adjusted easily. Additionally, it carries flavors well and allows them to be absorbed into the items being braised, which is good, since braised dishes pack a one-two punch of flavor - the meat is cooked in a broth of added aromatics and essences as well as its own natural juice. The slow, moist process also transforms tough, stubborn cuts into mouthwateringly tender and palatable meal items. The method can be used on both small and large cuts of meat.
 
Braising begins, generally, by browning items like chicken, pork, beef, or fish in fat (butter or oil), then finishing the cooking process in a closed pot with a water based liquid that is brought to a boil, usually on the stovetop or in an oven. Health-minded chefs can skip the first step, or use healthier fats like olive oil for browning.
 
Wine, meat stock, vegetable stock, beer, and pureed vegetables are excellent liquids for braising, as they add plenty of flavors with negligible fat and calories. Smaller, tender cuts of meat, like chicken breasts and fish, will typically cook quickly; larger cuts, like whole chickens, beef, or pork, will take more time, but will be exceptionally tender and moist. Look for recipes that utilize veggies and herbs for extra flavor, and that omit the addition of butter or milk to the braising liquid. Serve with brown rice, whole grain bread, or salad.
 
Stir-frying
Despite the word "frying" in its title, stir-frying is actually a healthful alternative to its original namesake. Frying, aka sauteing, is an effective cooking method because oils (or fats) heat relatively quickly, conduct heat well, and coat food items so they do not stick and become burned. Frying also quickly browns the outside of meats, giving them plenty of flavor and visual appeal.  
 
Stir-frying, a staple of Asian cuisine, involves a wok (a round bottomed pan with high, sloped sides), oil, and very high heat. The wok is generally first heated over a high flame.  A small amount of oil is then added to the pan by being poured down the side, and is followed by seasonings like garlic, ginger, or onion. Once the seasonings have grown aromatic, meat is added and stirred rapidly, followed by vegetables, and then cooked rice. Additional flavor enhancers, like soy sauce or wine, are finally added and stirred with the ingredients before transferring the dish from the wok to your plate. Despite the presence of oil, stir-frying is still a healthy means of preparation as it utilizes less oil than traditional frying and deep-frying, and because food items are cooked in combination very quickly (sometimes no more than a minute or two) and do not absorb as much of the oil. Stir-frying also uses healthier fats, like sunflower or nut oils, rather than butter, margarine, or lard.  The technique can also be used to quickly sear meats, vegetables, and seasonings for flavor before adding a quantity of liquid, like wine or water, to the wok; the wok can then be covered, which steams the items until they are done.
 
Stir-frying is a quick and surprisingly easy way to produce a complete and balanced meal in just minutes. Try heating 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil; add ginger and/or garlic, stir, then toss in cut chicken or salmon. Stir until slightly browned, then add veggies like broccoli, carrot, mushroom, peppers, and baby bok choy. Agitate until veggies begin softening.  Throw in a cup of pre-cooked brown rice, followed by a splash of rice vinegar or soy sauce. Stir rapidly until items are cooked through, and serve immediately. You'll have a healthy, flavorful meal with plenty of lean protein, nutrient-dense vegetables, and hearty whole grains.

Chicken and Poultry

Poultry and chicken have been staples of most human diets ever since the building blocks of modern cookery (namely fire) were laid. With the exception of some vegetarian cultures, like the Buddhists and devout Rastafarians, fowl is generally not subject to religious dietary restrictions and is an affordable item in many parts of the world. Chicken and poultry, a term which applies to most birds but is most commonly associated with turkey, duck, goose, squab, ostrich or emu, are popular parts of healthy, balanced diets and are excellent sources of lean protein.
 
Why Poultry?
 
Poultry most notably provides the essential nutrient protein, a vital part of a balanced diet. An important nutrient which helps to build healthy muscle, tissue, hair and nails, protein cannot be stored by the body the way fat is, meaning that it must be eaten daily to replenish levels within the body. While some plants and legumes provide protein, the best sources are animal based: milk, cheese, yogurt, and, of course, meat. However, with the protein found in animal sources comes the addition of fat, some of which (specifically the saturated variety) can clog arteries and lead to heart disease (untrimmed beef is one example). Lean protein (protein that has reasonable or negligible fat content) is therefore a building block of a healthy diet, and chicken/poultry are reliable sources. White meat is the leanest part of the bird; dark meat has more fat, but can be a good source of iron. Additionally, chicken and other fowl have a low cholesterol content, making them a particularly functional option for those combating or preventing heart disease with diet.
 
Chicken
 
While some argue that chicken can be bland, boring or simply common, the bird has a celebrated history in the food world and is part of some of the most famous dishes in history. Chicken Marengo, fried and cooked with wine, tomatoes, garlic, and mushrooms, was allegedly prepared for Napoleon after his victory at Marengo; Coronation chicken (a combination of cold chicken, apricots, and curried mayonnaise), a dish created for the crowning of Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950's, and still appears on menus in Western cuisine; southern fried chicken is arguably one of the most definitive symbols of American cuisine on record, and is wildly popular even beyond US borders.
 
Chicken, along with fish, is considered a top alternative to fattier meats. 3 oz. of skinless white-meat chicken provides 120 calories, 1.5grams of fat, .5 grams of saturated fat, 70mg of cholesterol, and 24 grams of protein; ground beef, by comparison, has 210 calories, 11 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 85mg of cholesterol, and 27 grams of protein. Chicken can also provide additional nutrients like B vitamins, niacin, and zinc.
 
Cooking
 
While it is true that chicken can be bland, the meat and skin respond well to marinades, herbs, and flavor producing cooking methods. Battering and deep frying, popular in Southern cooking and fast food chains, does produce a remarkably juicy and tasty piece of meat. However, the fats and oils contributed during cooking ultimately negate the healthful properties of the lean meat. Heavy butter or cream based sauces can also make a healthy entree a dietary nightmare. Braising, baking, grilling, and roasting are better alternatives and still produce extremely palatable results. Marinating with citrus juices or liquids like soy sauce or balsamic vinegar can also enhance flavors.
 
· Note: Skinless chicken has less fat and saturated fat than chicken with the skin. Trimming excess fat and removing the skin before cooking can reduce the fat content significantly. Skinned chicken, however, is less juicy and more prone to dryness. Try cooking with the skin on, then removing the layer before eating.
 
Other Poultry
 
Duck, goose, and turkey meat is most often associated with the term "poultry". However, the word seems to apply more broadly to most of the winged/feathered fowl that play a role in food, including more exotic varieties like squab, quail, pheasant, and ostrich. These birds are also good sources of lean protein, and can be rotated with chicken or fish to keep healthy diets from becoming boring. Turkey serves up B vitamins, iron, zinc, and potassium, and has approx. 140 calories per 3 oz. serving. Duck, a good source of iron, B vitamins and niacin, has roughly 170 calories per 3 oz. serving. The tender meat, which cooks up redder than chicken and can be an impressive entree visually, is fattier than some other fowl, be sure to remove the skin if eating as part of a lower calorie/low fat diet. Goose is similar, providing B vitamins, zinc, magnesium and potassium, and offering approx. 200 calories per 3oz. serving. Because of the higher fat and calorie content, pay close attention to portion size when eating goose.
 
Again, the healthy preparation rules for chicken apply to other fowl. Stick with marinades and herbs for flavor rather than heavy sauces and try roasting, baking, grilling and braising as opposed to frying. Goose, which can be tougher than other birds, lends itself particularly well to both brining and braising techniques, which produce juicy, tender meats.

Curry Dishes

What is Curry?
 
Curry, one of the defining dishes of both Indian and Thai cuisine, is a complicated topic. Complicated, and spicy.
 
Taken from the Indian word kari, meaning a spiced, soup-like sauce, the term was assimilated into the English language with some minor mistranslation by the Europeans. In India, there are a wide variety of these spicy and sauce based dishes, all with distinguishing characteristics and flavor. Early travelers mistook all such dishes to be included within the term, and so the word became an English reference to this, eventually becoming a terminology mistake so widespread that it currently shows no signs of correction. In actuality, though it appears on countless Western restaurant menus and packaged "Indian" products, the term "curry" is not used in any of the languages of India.
 
That being said, curries are now widely known as being soup/stew-like dishes of Indian decent, though Thailand has a wealth of celebrated curry dishes as well, and are characterized by their unique and pungent blend of spices. These stews usually contain meat, fish, or vegetables, and are served with rice and/or traditional flatbreads. While the original South Indian kari typically is a mix of curry leaf, coriander, pepper, cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek and turmeric, many curry dishes prepared in Western restaurant cuisine (and listed in cookbooks) contain garlic, ginger, onion, chili, turmeric, and oil; variations on these core ingredients, as well the addition of other spices and ingredients, create the different varieties of curry dishes we see today.
 
Making Curries
 
Curry dishes can be excellent choices for the health-conscious, as the powerful, calorie-free blends of seasonings can make up for flavors lost when reducing fat and sodium intakes. Heavy spices open the pores and increase circulation throughout the body, and lean protein like chicken or turkey avoid becoming "boring" under their influence. It is important to watch out for some Thai curry dishes using coconut milk; though delicious, coconut milk has a high fat and calorie content.
 
True curry making can be a long and involved process. It is widely recognized that authentic curry blends/pastes, possessing the true depth flavor for which they are applauded, cannot be bought pre-made. A truly perfect curry must be made from scratch, with the complete combination of spices being ground by hand using a stone mortar and pestle. This process can take hours; in Thailand, it is said that more of the cook's time revolves around hand grinding the proper flavorings for their meals than actually cooking them. Modern blenders and coffee grinders can be used, but the results will not be the same as doing it by hand.
 
Curries can be wet or dry. The dry are made from herbs pounded or ground by hand, and tend to keep quite well when stored properly and kept away from moisture. Wet curries are prepared in the same fashion, but added to with water, lime juice, coconut milk, or vinegar to create a paste, and have a shorter shelf life than dry varieties. Store-bought curry powders are widely recognized as being sub-par and inauthentic in most cases; they tend to display the same ignorance embraced in the term "curry", and can be nothing more than a bunch of poorly selected dried herbs ground into a fine powder.
 
Types of Curry
 
There is a vast array of so-called curry dishes out there, whether authentic Indian sub-continent preparations, Thai variations, or the restaurant versions many Western fans have grown familiar with. There are too many to list, but some of the better known and recognized include
 
Garam Masala : Masala is the Indian term for a spice mixture, perhaps the closest thing to a "curry" dish, by our standards, in the Indian language. The masala mixture is the foundation of cooking in India, and garam is the best known outside of the area. Usually hot, the core ingredients tend to be cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, cumin, and cloves; this foundation base is subject to constant variation based on the location and the cook, and is mostly used with meat or sometimes rice.
 
Kashmiri Masala : a close variation of Garam Masala, and made milder than garam by the addition of cardamom
 
Mussaman Curry Paste : a Muslim curry paste; cloves, coriander, cinnamon, white pepper, cumin, star anise, cardamom, red chilies, peanut oil, shallots, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, shrimp paste
 
Nam Prik Kaeng Khiao wan or Gaeng khieo wan (Thai Green Curry Paste) : possibly the spiciest of Thai curries; blend of green chillies, garlic, lemongrass, coriander seeds, shrimp paste, galangal, cumin, coriander root, white pepper corns, kaffir lime, used with meat and vegetable dishes (*note: Thai dishes often add lemongrass and coconut milk to their curries)
 
Nam Prik Kaeng Phet Daeng or Gaeng ped (Thai Red Curry Paste) : generally milder than Thai green curry, though measurement depends on amount of chillies used; same ingredients as green curry, utilizing dried red chilies instead of fresh green
 
Taaza Masala (Indian green curry) : literally a green blend made up of garlic, ginger, coriander, and mint, and used in stews
 
Tikka : most commonly used in meat dishes; garlic, ginger, red chile, corian