by AnnElise | Apr 28, 2022 | America, nutrition, products, travel & tourism
Dole Pacific ship anchoring at San Diego, CA
Like the fat Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland I sit perched on the window sill of our 13th floor room at the Hilton in San Diego. Down there, at the dock, a ginormous cargo ship lies anchored. Its name is the Dole Pacific. It’s stacked high with white containers. Piles of “white mice.”
And then the process begins. Like a cat watching mice at play, I get entranced with the container logistics 13 stories below me. So many containers! So many bananas? Or were they filled with pineapples?
The big “Dole” boxes all have refrigeration fans and stack up perfectly, on the cargo ship as well as on the loading zone. No “supply chain problem” for bananas, so much busy-body activity below.
The cargo ship at anchor had two cranes for unloading the containers. Close by the dock, there was a mountain of containers piled up. Were they empty? Crammed on the islands between the throughways, spindly trailers were neatly filed up. And across from the monster warehouse with its gaping receiving gullets, the “mice” were perfectly sorted into numbered spots to be carted away.
How does all this work? At eight o’clock sharp, the first harbor rig, a motorized box with a hitch in its back, crawled out of the abyss somewhere below me. Its overnight sleeping location was invisible from my windowsill. What was that tiny looking tadpole up to now? Catch some mice? You bet! That cabin vehicle knew exactly what it was doing. It backed straight into one spindly trailer, hitched it, and scurried with it to the dock. There it sidled up to the monster boat. Slowly but surely, the crane drifted one of the hundreds of containers down on the truck’s trailer. And, happily, the truck carted the white mouse off. This process repeated itself a number of times, until half a dozen rigs scurried back and forth between the cargo ship and the distribution area.
They lined up so many mice! I smacked my lips in awe. That was no small feat, because these monster mice barely fit into their spaces. After a while, no more slots were available for the mice to be parked. But, voila, from outside, the cross-country rigs lined up by the pearly gates of Dole harbor business. One by one, ever so slowly, they pulled off one after the other mouse to the open prairie. And they knew exactly, which mouse they were getting. How did they do that? Meanwhile, the harbor rigs filled up the vacant spots with more mice. It was a mystery to me.
After three days, all the containers were offloaded from the Dole Pacific and she sailed off to Ecuador and other places to bring more bananas in. What was in the boxes now? Air mostly, I read, and 5 percent freight.
I was getting hungry for bananas. A cat? Why not.
The terminal at the Port of San Diego can hold about 800 containers. All of them are refrigerated boxes known as “reefers”: Each 40-foot reefer can hold 1000 boxes, and each box holds around 100 bananas. Dole discharges around 2 billion individual bananas and 16 million pineapples in San Diego alone. Read more at:
Today’s ANTI-AD–Stop the PLASTIC Tide!!
by AnnElise | Jan 19, 2022 | cooking, Germany, lifestyle, nutrition, recipes
Kas-Pressknödel (panfried cheese dumplings), are an Alpine hiker’s delight. They are often served with a potato salad, cucumber salad, or sauerkraut to juice them up a bit. These “cheesy dumplings” are delicious either way. I have this recipe from my sister Kathi. If she cooks it, I guarantee, it’s quick-and-easy.
You need:
- 1 day-old French bread loaf
- 3 eggs
- ca. 1 cup milk
- ca. 200 g savory, diced mountain cheese (Gruyere, for example)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 bundles fresh parsley, chopped
- salt, pepper, garlic, maybe a chopped jalapeño, season to taste
The hardest part of this procedure: slicing up the French bread ca. 5 mm thick, since no “Knödel-Brot” slicers exist in America. Then pour the warmed milk over the bread chips and let it soak in.
After 30 minutes add all the other ingredients and mix up the paste by hand. You should be able to form palm-size balls to fry in your heated pan. Or you can drop portion-sized piles into the hot oil with a spoon. Cook them on moderate or low heat to a crispy nice color on both sides.
Bon Appetit!
by AnnElise | Nov 20, 2016 | health, India, life, nutrition, travel & tourism
A story about food poisoning seems tacky. I kept this draft on file for two years. After much indigestion with our elections, this seems to be the perfect timing.
What a dreadful topic! Did you ever have food poisoning? Probably, yes. My physique makes me prone to attract biohazards. But I will spare you most of the messy details except for these.
My first food poisoning that I can remember happened on a Monday, layout day at the weekly paper print shop. I was in my twenties. Unfortunately, the lunch salad at the Italian bistro must have been laced with pathogens. I had to use the train to get to the print shop across town, somehow made it just in time. I thought I would explode at ten-minute intervals for the next two hours. But somehow I got the paper done, and the toilet (t)issues too.
All my trips to India have been memorable and enriched with cultural experiences. But the first trip put me into the emergency room. Fortunately, disaster hit towards the end of the journey. And fortunately I kept the stuff inside on the flight by using utmost restraint, although with a barf bag in hand. I ended up fighting this remarkable bout of food poisoning on American soil with an IV for rehydration two days later. It also passed. I never knew what organism had hit me. My family made a diagnosis: Delhi belly.
I had two memorable encounters with some tough bugs at American eateries. One happened at a popular Mexican theme restaurant. Maybe the critter hid in the chalupa? The other disaster struck at a soup and sandwich shop. Was something in the tomato soup or was I contaminated by bathroom use? The spotty potty should have been a warning.
Either way, both these incidences, sent me to urgent care after the second day. And so did the bottom layer of a prewashed salad box. OK, here is something that I learned. Wash it, wash it, wash it, even when it says, “ready to serve”. One time I went to a vegetarian party given by a newly minted vegan. Doubtlessly, the veggies were scrupulously clean. However, the mix of cooked beans, fresh sprouts, and cabbagy things set off some gas works of a monumental nature. Cramps, cramps, cramps—I was afraid of involuntary releases. And yet I kept my smiley face and conversation. The longest party in my memory.
Interestingly, I cannot recall any bouts with the infamous Montezuma’s revenge, even though I have traveled to Mexico frequently. The Mexican bugs have so far agreed with me.
My longest lasting food poisoning, contracted in Mumbai in 2004, must have dragged out for about a year. Initially, the affliction started with severe stomach and intestinal eruptions. I was lucky since my place of stay had a functioning Western toilet.
To this day, I vividly imagine that slightly tattered papaya that I bought from the grimy sidewalk. Ask natives, they will easily admit that Mumbai streets are filthy, especially during the monsoon, when sewers spill into the street and mingle with the drinking water. Let’s say, it was the papaya and that I didn’t wash it well enough.
Or had the microbe jumped from my toddler’s mustardy diapers? After the acute infections had subsided, the problem lingered on. I lost weight, felt weak and listless. It was a parasite called giardia, which hopped around the family for about a year. That brought on excessive trips to the doctor, disgusting medication (metronidazole), and regular testing—until all family members took the medication simultaneously.
My husband survived the food poisoning. No such luck for me.
All done with that, here comes the best. I would call it the Jaipur double-trouble. Yeah, I can still precisely picture the”last supper” from a reputable-looking restaurant. My husband and I, we both enjoyed it. Exactly after two hours—I had ingested a fast-acting little critter—my fever-vomit tango started. My Indian husband seemed to be taking the food bug (lingering resistance) just fine until four more hours later.
Let’s chill, I pleaded. What? he said, waste the whole sightseeing trip in a four-star hotel? No way, Jose! That’s the kind of people we are. So up goes my six-month-old in an L.L. Bean carrier, and we take the town of Jaipur. Wait, let me puke a little before I take the picture of the Red Fort. Tonight we’ll puke in tandem. And tomorrow we’ll try not to fall through the hole between the two footprints of the bumpy train while doing the other business.
Yeah, what a trip that was! And why am I telling you all this? When I have traveled to distant places, adventures have made my trips memorable. Food poisoning has sharpened my perception so much that some images are indelibly burnished on my mind. Food poisoning has made me more aware—and Jaipur quite unforgettable.
However, don’t be foolish and get a food poisoning on purpose just for the sight-seeing experience. I have been there. It’s not so enjoyable. I did not carelessly challenge my fate, but stuff happens, you know.
Tasting local foods is still what makes foreign travels ultimately exciting. Be judicious about eating, but savor your delicacies without regret after you accept the risk of natural reactions.
How to Avoid Food Poisoning
- Wash hands conscientiously
- Use bottled water for brushing your teeth
- Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly with clean water
- On the road, eat only fruits that can be peeled (orange, banana etc)
- Look for freshly deep fried foods
- Packaged cookies, crackers, snacks are OK
- Bakery items are a good selection
- Canned foods are a safe option
- Avoid salads, leafy greens, or cut fruits
- Avoid stews with meat or fish in gravy
- Avoid meats in general, because proper refrigeration may be lacking
- Avoid sausages and meat derivatives
- Avoid smoothies and ice cream treats, crushed ice
by AnnElise | Aug 23, 2016 | cooking, nutrition, recipes
Green mush is delightful. The longer we are living in the Southwest, the more we adopt the food styles of this spicy region. Although not all flavors of Southwestern cooking are intuitively delicious–for example the pungent aromas of corn tortillas or cilantro–we loved guacamole from the start. It consists of mushed up avocados and a few other things. And avocados are good for you.
Ingredients:
- 3 avocados
- 1 (or 1/2) clove garlic, grated
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper, grated
- 1/2 lime (juice)
- 5 sprigs cilantro, chopped
- 1 small tomato, diced
- salt to liking
Halve the ripe avocados. They should have a creamy consistency. If you bought hard ones, leave them to ripen at room temperature. You will develop the right eye and touch to determine the avocados’ ripeness.
Scoop out the avocados with a spoon into a mixing bowl; mush the pieces, but leave some chunky pieces for diversity. Then add the other ingredients, salt to liking, and stir it all well together. Serve the guacamole in a pretty bowl and have tortilla chips ready.
TIP: I use the MICROPLANE grater/zester for just about any grindwork. My jalapeños may be frozen, and that works too.
by AnnElise | Nov 16, 2015 | cooking, lifestyle, nutrition
Here is another one from my “Don’t Sweat the Cooking” series. Let’s call this chicken-rice skillet my “small paella.” Far from cooking up mollusks, snails and rabbit thighs in clam juice with expensive saffron, I found my own home-cooked recipe. It is made with ingredients that I mostly keep in the freezer or pantry. My mini-paella is quick to prepare and tastes great. Try it out sometime. Cooking time: ca. 45 minutes.
Main Ingredients:
- 4–6 chicken thighs (legs), skin on
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups water
Spices for rub: as you like it.
Use salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, basil, rosemary for a Mediterranean flavor.
OR: chile, a dash of coriander, with garlic, salt and pepper, and cilantro.
OR: barbecue or other spice mix of your choice
Other Ingredients:
1 medium sized onion
(1 jalapeño, finely diced)
1 cup small frozen vegetables
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup cashews or almonds (optional)
For oriental flavor:
1 inch ginger, finely cut
1 clove of garlic
1 Tbs sesame oil
3 Tbs soy sauce
8 stalks cilantro
PROCEDURE:
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet/pan on low-medium heat. Rub the chicken pieces with your favorite spices. Brown the chicken on both sides (ca. 5-7 minutes each side) to a nice color.
- In the meantime, dice the onion (jalapeño, bell pepper) into small cubes.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
- Add the onions and peppers to the pan and cook until glazed, ca. 5 minutes. (Add the nuts at this stage. OR add the diced ginger for the Oriental twist)
- (Deglaze the onion/peppers with a shot of tequila, brandy, or wine, if you like.)
- Add the washed rice to the pan; roast and stir for 5 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of water, frozen vegetables, (raisins/craisins, cilantro) and let this “soup” come to a boil.
- Put the chicken pieces back into the pan, cover the pan with a lid, and let this simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
DONE!
Serve the chicken-rice skillet with a nice side salad and garlic toast. Bon apetit!
by AnnElise | Nov 25, 2014 | America, cooking, lifestyle, nutrition, products, recipes
A Most Wonderful and Healthy “Orange” Celebration!
Orange is a really good color. At first I didn’t like it because it seemed too shiny and “unreal,” almost artificial. Of course, then the Longhorns’ burnt orange of my UT Austin, Texas, Alma mater made me biased. Recently, I have come to see the influence of orange on many TV ads as well as in print. Orange is a strong color, it stands out. By now you can tell that I also like oranges (our little clementines just ready for harvest), pumpkins, carrots, butternut squash, mangoes etc. Orange is healthy.
OK, you hear, do the squash and pumpkins for Thanksgiving! When else would you cook them? Take your time. Do the work. Wait until it is baked. Set the table nice. Enjoy!
Thanksgiving is not a “fast food” feast. I like Thanksgiving because it is an intercultural celebration, not a political holiday, you don’t have to go to church, and its all about the food. Who does not love to eat! Thanksgiving is perhaps the only day in the year when all of America truly cooks. If you went shopping today, you saw the crazy carnival at the grocery store. As if the world ended tomorrow!
We complain about the labors of cooking the meal, but we should cook like this more often. Why? America does not appreciate food enough. That’s why a large segment of the population suffers from obesity. Am I making sense? We often stuff our mouths without gratitude or MINDFULNESS (I don’t want to go into the psychology). Thanksgiving makes all of us more “down-to-earth” about nutrition and family collaborations. If you have tried to process butternut squash, you know what I mean. Or have you made Chinese dumplings or ravioli together? We should cook like the Amish more often. It seems they do have Thanksgiving every day.
OK, maybe it will be enough if we reduce our fast food impulses.
I cracked the butternut! As I have told you earlier, I am a slow learner. But hope is not totally lost, it seems. Remember, when I complained over the preparation of the tough-to-peel butternut squash? I thought it would be easiest to buy those cubes at the grocery store before ending up in the hospital for cutting off a finger.
Bing! A bulb recently went off at the kitchen tools section. I found the most wonderful, handy tool for the job. Butternut, no problem!
The Best Turkey Left-Over Recipe
This spicy and savory recipe is perhaps the only one that I could remember from a television show. I would call it “Mexican Turkey Shuffle”
You will need:
turkey leftovers, cut into small strips
1 Tbs. olive oil
1-2 jalapeños, diced
1 onion, diced
1-2 shots tequila
1 cup of heavy sweet cream
10 sprigs cilantro, diced
salt & pepper to taste
optional: cranberries, mushrooms, peas & corn
Heat the olive oil in a large pan, sizzle onions and jalapeños for about 5 minutes, then add the turkey pieces. Keep stirring until turkey gets a little crusty and onions light brown. Glaze that off with the tequila and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the sweet cream, cilantro, salt & pepper, and heat all the way through. Serve this stir fry over basmati rice. Bon appetite!
by AnnElise | Sep 24, 2014 | cooking, lifestyle, nutrition, recipes
Don’t Eat Shark Soup, Eat Salad
I am a really slow learner at times. It’s like, “yeah, the ketchup is standing on its head. Why didn’t they think of this sooner?” Now here comes another great revelation: I am making my own salad box. Duh! Stores had figured this out much sooner. But do you know what’s in store? No. When you make your own salad box, you are living much safer.
One salad a day keeps the doctor away. And if you want to lose a little weight, take my advice: Substitute water for all drinks, eat one batch of salad a day—and keep your other meals reasonable. You will see. The weight will drop, not fast but permanently.
There is only one salad on my mind, the original one. “Thou shalt not have other salads besides me.” I am talking about the green stuff, not the chicken salad, not the tuna salad, not even the potato salad. My salad spells green, such as in “L E T T U C E all have salad.” Like I said, have one every day. The green stuff is so easy and tasty. Make it an essential part of your dinner. Or the main course?
Salad, It’s all About What’s In It
Salad, why bother? Not a salad fan? Too messy to mess with? I thought so, too, for a long time in my adult life. Then I developed a taste for the green crunch, and now I don’t want to miss it any more. My salad never gets left over at dinner or at a party. My kids will sometimes fight about it. And salads are so easy. Especially when you have your box ready.
Prep your lettuce and other ingredients right after shopping and store them in a tightly closing plastic treasure box in the fridge. I found that, with a tight-fitting lid, the moisture will keep my greens fresh and crunchy for about a week. So I am always prepared. I just grab a few leaves, tear them up bite size, and put the dressing on. Salad must be torn, not cut, because cuts cause brown edges. Now it is just as easy to have a colorful burger or sandwich. Youu know what, my salad box has become such a strong habit, I don’t even need to think about it any more.
The Main Ingredients: Greens
There are so many kinds of greens. With plain green leaf lettuce I get the most for my money and taste. Red leaf lettuce, Boston lettuce, romaine, homegrown greens, take your pick. Iceberg is the crunchiest and lasts the longest time, but it has the least taste. You find it a lot in salad bars. Spinach (with nuts, almonds, goat cheese) is very tasty in a salad. Bok choy and Belgian endive deliver a crunchy, cabbagy note. Some greens come in other colors, such as the radicchio in red. Radicchio has a slightly bitter taste, which can be an enchanting tributary to the main flow of flavors. It seems to harmonize very well with mandarin oranges and walnuts. And then there are greens that have a highly decorative value, but which I don’t favor in my fine salad, such as kale perhaps.
Your Handy-Dandy Salad Box
A rectangular plastic container with a tight-fitting lid has become a permanent installation in my refrigerator. Pick a size that fits the layout of your fridge and keep it in a handy location. When you wash the greens in your sink—I like to wash them under running water over a colander in two go-rounds—tear off the wilted or damaged leaves and sections. Remove, twist off, the core of the lettuce head. This way the leaves come apart. Place the washed leaves in a semi-orderly fashion in the box so that you have room for a few other ingredients.
I love little red radishes. They provide a tasty crunch and seem to help digestion quite well. Tear off the radish greens and wash radishes well under running water. If you still have room in the box, wash a couple of tomatoes, a cucumber, and a bundle of green onions. Do not peel the cucumber yet and do not cut the tomato. Add a bunch of cilantro (if you like).
So when it’s dinner time, cut and tear a few things from the salad box, spruce it up with crunchies, and add the dressing.
NOTE: Vinegar and oil can make or break your salad experience. Use a good, cold-pressed olive oil and, by all means, balsamic vinegar.
The Basic Salad (4 persons)
- 1 head/bowl of lettuce, torn
- 4-6 radishes, sliced
- 1-2 tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 3-4 green onions, chopped
- 5 stalks of cilantro
- 1 tsp. salt (or less)
- 3(4) tablespoons of olive oil
- 3(4) tablespoons of balsamic vinegar (Ortalli)
- nuts (pecan, walnut, almond)
- craisins
- a half apple cut in thin slices
Wash and cut ingredients, put them all in a bowl, and toss them lightly with your dressing. Ready to eat!
Jazz up your salad. Here is my favorite combo:
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 small can of mandarin oranges
- 1 handful craisins
- 1 handful pecans
- 1 can of artichoke hearts
- small green Spanish olives
There are so many other salad boosters. The main idea about the salad experience is the exploration. It is amazing what surprising taste experiences you will have. So good that your kids will beg for more.
Here is your homework: Write an essay about “What All Can You Put in a Salad?”
ANSWER: Pretty much everything. So what’s in your salad?
by AnnElise | Aug 8, 2014 | cooking, lifestyle, nutrition, products, recipes, Uncategorized
Pasta rule the world. As the story goes, Marco Polo “discovered” the frilly, shapely, or stringy noodles in China and brought them to Europe in the 15th century. This is still a good story, yet the idea of making dough-to-boil from durum semolina seemed to have existed in Italy since the 13th century. Regardless, Chinese or Italian, pasta rule my cooking world too.
Fettucine by Edda
Everybody cooks pasta once in a while. But very few people make their own. Count me into that group. I just don’t have the time to hang fettucine up to dry like my friend Edda (picture on right). A store-bought packet of Barilla (insert your favorite brand here) would do it for me. Good for you, if you grow your own tomatoes to cook a fresh sauce. I don’t have the luxury to be so purist yummy. But if you, like me, get real happy with quick-and-easy recipes, here are three of my main staples from the pasta season.
Pasta Bolognese (1 lb meat, 1 lb pasta) for 6 Persons
Fry in a saucepot on medium heat in 2 Tbs. olive oil:
-
- ½ large (or 1 medium) onion, diced, for 7 minutes to glaze; then add
- 1 jalapeño pepper, diced, cook together a bit more; add and brown
- 1 pound of lean chuck (turkey, chicken, pork, beef, or 2 cans of tuna), while stirring regularly; add
Bolognese
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- 2 tsp. salt (or to liking)
- ½ tsp. oregano (go easy, rather less)
- 1 tsp. basil
After meat-spice mix is browned (ca. 15 min) add
- 1 jar of marinara pasta sauce (24 oz./680 g)
- 1 can tomato sauce (15 oz./426 g)
- cup of frozen veggies (optional)
and let this slowly bubble for 15 min, stir frequently. In the meantime set a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Follow package directions for cooking pasta.
Finishing up the sauce in 5 minutes:
- 2 Tbs. sugar
- 1 tsp. fresh grated pepper
- 2 Tbs. capers (or chopped olives)
- 1 swig of fresh sweet cream (optional)
- ½ cup of red wine (optional)
Here come the flavor makers:
Chop up EITHER fresh parsley OR cilantro OR rosemary to add to your sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Parsley will give you a rather northern European flavor, cilantro a Mexican/Oriental reminiscence, and rosemary the totally Italian/Mediterranean experience.
Serve the steaming sauce over the hot pasta (spaghetti, fettucine, fusilli, penne etc.) and sprinkle Romano or Parmesan cheese on it. Bon appetite!
WAIT: We are not done. You made enough sauce for 2 meals. Fill half of the sauce into an airtight plastic container and freeze that portion for later use. Because next week we will be making . . .
Hit-the-Spot Lasagna for a Party of Eight
Lasagna must not be complicated at all. The great advantage: it is baking independently while you are free to entertain your guests with appetizers and stories. I adapted a recipe from the Betty Crocker cookbook for non-boil pasta. At first I had trouble with the pasta getting cooked all the way through. But I have learned a little trick. Preparation time 20 min; baking time 1 hour.
Here is what you do:
Grease a 9 x 12 inch glass/ceramic casserole with olive oil; pour ½ of a 15 oz. can tomato sauce in the form and distribute evenly across the bottom. Heat up the oven to 350F.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of your homemade Bolognese sauce
- 1 can of tomato sauce (15 oz.)
- 1 packet of no-boil pasta for lasagna
- 1 container ricotta cheese (15 oz./425 g) mixed with
- 1 egg (& chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, optional)
- 3 cups of shredded cheese (mozzarella, Colby, cheddar etc.)
LAYERING: Put a layer of non-boil pasta over the tomato sauce at the bottom of casserole. Spread a layer of the ricotta/egg mixture (ca. half of amount) over the pasta. Then cover the ricotta with half of the Bolognese sauce, top it off with a layer of cheese.
REPEAT: lasagna sheets, ricotta mix, Bolognese sauce, shredded cheese
TOP OFF: Finish with a layer of pasta sheets, “paint” that with the remaining ½ can of tomato sauce, sprinkle cheese over it. Finally, carefully pour a cup of water around the edges of casserole to raise liquid to about half height. Casserole should be evenly filled close to the brim.
BAKING: Bake the lasagna covered with aluminum foil for 30 min, remove foil and bake for another 30 min. Take it out and let it rest for 15 min. Serve with a fresh mixed salad.
Bon appetite!
Carbonara Noodles for Any Day
Spaghetti Carbonara, a toss up of pasta with egg/cream mixture, apparently happens when you mix scalding hot pasta with the raw egg, which in itself “cooks” the eggs done. But I have never been so fancy. I will start with any kind of boiled noodles and roast them straight out in a skillet. (I have pasta left over from the Bolognese 2 days ago.)
What you need:
- ¼ stick of butter
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- cooked pasta noodles, enough for a large skillet (ca. 4-5 cups)
- 2–3 eggs, whisked with
- ½ cup of sweet cream
- 1 cup of frozen veggie mix (optional)
- 1 cup of shredded cheese
- 2 stalks green onions, chopped
- 5 sprigs cilantro (optional)
- salt & pepper to liking
Sautee the chopped onion in a large skillet until glazed, add the pasta and (optional) frozen vegetables to be heated through, pour the egg mix on, continue to shuffle, add herbs, cheese, salt & pepper, keep shuffling until egg is set. Serve immediately with a nice mixed salad.
by AnnElise | Mar 10, 2014 | cooking, nutrition, recipes, Uncategorized
Rosemary spuds is simply the best potato recipe. Just be aware to back up one hour from serving time, put a tray of these into the oven and forget about them until dinner. The recipe is for 2 pounds of spring potatoes.
Wash, brush, and quarter the small potatoes. Put them in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle juice from
- 1 large lemon over potatoes, add
- 2 cloves of grated garlic,
- 2 twigs of rosemary, snip it with scissors
- 2 or more tablespoons of olive oil
- salt & pepper to liking
and mix the seasonings thoroughly in. Bake the Rosemary Potatoes at about 400 F for 50 minutes or more. I like to get the skins a little toasty and crunchy. These potatoes are a true delight for all ages.
by AnnElise | Feb 24, 2014 | cooking, nutrition, recipes
Never mind, potatoes are not fast. And yet they come at different speeds. What slows them down is mostly their peel. Who wants to mess with that? Read below the results of my speed tests. investigation. For additional helpful information about potatoes, go to GOODNESS UNEARTHED.
Oooh, these little potatoes are really fast
“Potato salad, a piece of cake,” my mom recently said—emphatically. Yeah, right! It’s a 90-minute procedure. Of course, while I am boiling the golden Russets, there might be a 40-minute window to write a blog. But potato salad requires a good amount of foresight. Still, potatoes are my favorite vegetable.
Let’s look at the average potato speeds, four medium-sized specimens at a time, from start to finish.
- BAKED POTAOES: 65 min
- Wash the potatoes, wrap them in aluminum foil, bake them.
- Handling: 5 min; Cooking: 60 min
- STEAMED POTATOES: 64 min
- Like baked, only naked (no foil), 1 minute less handling
FRENCH FRIES: 21 min- Wash/scrub, peel, cut into sticks, deep fry in oil
- Handling: 16 min; Cooking: 5 min
- HASH BROWNS: 35 min
- Wash, peel, cut into small cubes/sticks, fry in low oil
- Handling: 14 min; Cooking: 15-20 min
- SALT POTATOES: 30 min
- Wash, peel, cut into 1-inch pieces (or wedges), cook in salt water.
- Handling: 15 min; Cooking: 15 min
MASHED POTATOES: 33 min- About the same as salt potatoes; add 3 min for mashing and mixing
- POTATO SOUP: 35 min
- About the same as salt potatoes; add 5 min for mashing & additional ingredients
- ROSEMARY/SPRING POTATOES: 40 min
- Wash/scrub, cut wedges, season and toss in oil/lemon, bake
- Handling: 10 min; Cooking: 30 min
POTATO SALAD: 93 min- Wash, steam, peel, slice, add ingredients, mix
- Handling: 18 min; Cooking: 60 min; Cool off: 15 min
- POTATOES AU GRATIN: 70 min
- Wash, peel, slice thinly, layer, add cheese sauce, bake in oven
- Handling: 25 min; cooking: 45 min
Among all the options, the rosemary potatoes are my most flavorful favorite. Potato salad is for special holidays, but in such a case, we always make a lot.
One friend of mine cooks potato salad like salt potatoes. She cooks small pieces of potato for ca. 15 minutes. Then she tosses out the water and adds vinegar and oil etc. This would be a method worth trying.
NOW, the buck does not stop here! You could make potato croquettes, Kartoffelpuffer or nests, Zwurler, Schneiderl, Grösti, scalloped potatoes, “tiki” (Indian fried and stuffed cutlets) or finally even potato dumplings. I haven’t tried making most of these, because I figured they’d flunk my minimum speed requirement. Still waiting for the day to write a potato a speeding ticket.
So, what is your fastest potato? Send me a recipe or suggestion to the comment box. Perhaps we can get some of these potatoes up to speed.
by AnnElise | Jan 12, 2014 | cooking, India, nutrition, recipes
Do I ever stick to a recipe? Hardly. But the Assam Nariyal Dal from the Dhaba Cooking School, is so awesome that I would not change a thing. These lentils are a sheer delight of aromas for body and soul. The recipe was created by TAZ (Taz). Try it soon.
COOKING ADVICE: Have all ingredients handy and prepared. This dal cooks fairly quickly. Don’t burn your spices while you are scrambling to cut tomatoes.
FINISHING: Cook the dal for another ~30 min or until lentils are soft. Adjust seasonings and remove the spice “drifters.” Serve hot with idli (rice cakes) or a rice dish. The aromas of Assam Dal are invigorating and inspiring. Your gourmet nose will enjoy the process too.
by AnnElise | Oct 14, 2013 | cooking, India, nutrition, recipes
Poha is the name for flattened rice, or rice flakes. A poha (vegan) stir-fry makes for a tasty and nourishing breakfast. Have a couple of boiled potatoes and fresh cilantro ready. I liked this flavor mix at first bite. Maybe you will too.
A wok-ful of poha makes for a nutritious family breakfast
- – – – – PREROAST
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ cup of raw peanuts
- – – – – MASALA
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green hot chili, diced
- 1 tsp turmeric (haldi)
- 1 tsp amchoor (tangy mango powder)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- – – – – FINISH
- 2 medium boiled potatoes, diced
- 2 cups of poha, washed
Crasins add tangy sweet flavor bubbles
Optional:
1 handful craisins or cranberries
Garnish with:
green cilantro and a drizzle of lime
Indian housewives, hope you don’t mind, since I am a little lazy, I make Poha all in one large wok.
- First, heat up the frying oil and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, reduce the heat to medium light. Then throw in the peanuts and roast them toasty (5 min).
- Add diced onion and pepper to the wok and stir-fry the masala until onions seem glazed. Now add the turmeric, amchoor, salt, and sugar while constantly stirring.
- Throw in the diced (boiled) potatoes and stir regularly.
- In a colander, wash the poha flakes, let them drip off, and stir the poha into the spicy masala. Shuffle poha well with masala and heat it all the way through. Add craisins, if you like.
Finally, drizzle juice of ½ lime over the dish and garnish with sprinkles of cilantro.
Poha breakfast makes for a good start in the morning. It’s not heavy on the stomach but provides a lot of energy. No objections from vegans either.
by AnnElise | Apr 2, 2013 | cooking, India, nutrition, recipes
We bake tandoori chicken when we expect a lot of guests. This recipe has never failed us and saved us much time, trouble and money. Remember: marinate the meat a day before. This recipe is for 5 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on.
Tandoori chicken is a party favorite and crowd pleaser. It is easy to make and tastes delicious. Here it is pictured with idlis and parathas.
For the marinade:
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- 2 inch grated ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp + red chili
- 3 tsp Rajah tandoori spice mix
- garam masala (optional)
- juice of ½ lime or lemon
- 3 tsp salt
Prepare chicken pieces by trimming off excess fat pockets. In a large bowl, stir all the ingredients together for the yogurt marinade. The marinade will turn an orange color.
Rajah Tandoori Masala
Mix up the chicken well with the marinade so that everything gets covered. Let the chicken rest in refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Stir chicken pieces at least once.
Line two baking sheets with nonstick aluminum foil. Distribute the chicken pieces evenly over the baking sheets and bake on the middle/upper rack at 350 F for 60–75 minutes. Cooked on a grill, this chicken will taste even heartier. (Tandoori ovens are a little hard to come by.)
Serve the tandoori chicken with Basmati rice and yogurt rheita salad. Bon appetite!
by AnnElise | Mar 27, 2013 | Germany, lifestyle, nutrition
Shocking. Are we getting this fat? Recently, I saw a 2-hour documentary on TLC on the “downsizing” of a 600-pound woman. Since the Biggest Loser series, the fat problem has become worthy of a State of the Union address.
In the US, “Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years,” the CDC reports. More than 1/3 of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. Even worse, 25.8 million people, or 8.3% of the US population, have diabetes. Centers for Disease Control on obesity or diabetes.
Who is to blame for this health crisis? There are gyms around every corner. Why don’t people use them? OK, the pop tarts, the sugary sodas, the greasy fast food, the slow metabolism, the stress, the sedentary lifestyle, the industrial conspiracy, or perhaps the “government”?
Bauernkalender girl for August 2012
Maybe I don’t understand the weight problems because I was raised in a different millennium on a different planet called a “Bavarian farm.” (Deutscher Bauernkalender image on right) We ate plenty, and a lot of fatty foods too. Nobody expanded to the size of a biggest loser. Perhaps it was because we had a few strong, habit-forming German sayings (mind control) to keep us “normal,” functioning, and healthy.
What I am telling you here is not a diet. Eat anything you want, as long as you stick to these rules like German girls do. You’ll never get fat, I promise. Here is how it goes:
Wer nicht kommt zur rechten Zeit, muss haben was übrig bleibt.
Who does not show up on time, must make do with what is left.
Easy enough. Meals are strictly scheduled at certain times. If you missed your opportunity, you will be lucky if something is still left for you. Maybe there isn’t, so you wait for the next meal to come around. “Gegessen wird bei den Mahlzeiten” (Eating is only for meal times), my mom would say if she caught us snooping around the cabinets for cookies. LESSON 1: Stick to a firm and manageable meal schedule.
Wer nichts arbeitet, soll auch nichts essen.
Who does not work, should not eat.
Oh yeah, zuerst die Arbeit, dann das Vergnügen, have you walked around the block today? Did you get your chores done? Walked stairs? Hit the gym? Spent your calories and energy? Fulfilled your duties? If not, better forget about eating altogether. LESSON 2: Earn your food intake or work the calories off right away.
Es wird gegessen, was auf den Tisch kommt.
What is put on the table will be eaten.
Es gibt keine “Extrawurst,” no special requests. In all fairness, a housewife had to get through her daily chores and manage the available supplies. Pickiness was clearly frowned upon. This is quite a democratic rule, because if you wait another day your preferable dishes might come around again. You don’t like today’s cabbage? No worry. Tomorrow it will be pancakes. LESSON 3: Don’t be picky because the less desirable foods may be healthy for you.
Hunger ist der beste Koch.
Hunger is the perfect cook.
How true! Maybe we should wait to get hungry. When you are really hungry, a broader spectrum of foods will taste delicious to you. If you don’t like beets at first, wait another couple of hours. Maybe even celery will taste good to you after a while. LESSON 4: Eat only when you are really hungry and even plain foods will taste better.
Wenn es am besten schmeckt, muss man aufhören.
When the pleasure is at its peak, you must stop eating.
Bummer, right? Well, that is some German stoicism that I unfortunately can’t spare you. If you follow this rule, you will never overeat. The problem still is to know when to stop eating. For example, does this delicious roast taste best NOW or will it taste even better in 5 minutes? LESSON 5: Know your stomach’s limits by listening to your body’s signals.
Eigener Herd ist Goldes wert. and Ein gutes Mahl lohnt Müh und Qual.
Your own hearth is golden. and A good meal is worth its effort and labor.
If you want to have a really good meal, you must cook it yourself. Your “own hearth” gives you control over the budget and quality of ingredients. You can cook flavors exactly to your liking and you save a lot of money by not eating out. “Effort and labor” are an acceptable price for a delectable result. LESSON 6: Cook your own meals to save money and increase appreciation and enjoyment of eating.
Aufgewärmt schmeckt es noch besser.
Reheated food even tastes better.
Germans have an intricate leftover culture. It is not considered stinginess to come up with creative variations for pasta dishes and make the most of each mealtime endeavor. Reheated goulash does indeed taste better, although this saying might not be totally true for all recipes. LESSON 7: Waste nothing and get creative with leftover recipes.
Essen und Trinken hält Leib und Seele zusammen.
Eating and drinking keeps body and soul together.
Sound body, sound mind. If you don’t add food to your body, your soul will soon leave its residence. That’s how food is the glue to keep body and soul together. Eating and drinking is a philosophical and spiritual experience. If you have a pleasurable eating experience, your soul will rejoice because your taste buds are a gate to the world of senses. LESSON 8: Cherish every bite that is given to you for pleasure and nourishment.
Liebe geht durch den Magen.
Love goes through the stomach.
Food can be an aphrodisiac. The enjoyment of a tasty meal unlocks the readiness for other sensual adventures. Good food puts you in the mood. A delicious meal may “bait” a mate or create unexpected bonds. Two people who love the same kinds of flavors are several steps closer to a match. LESSON 9: When you love somebody, cook your (or his or her) favorite meal for them.
Das Auge isst mit.
The eye also participates in eating.
Das Essen soll zuerst das Auge erfreuen und dann den Magen. Goethe
The food should first enchant the eye and then the stomach. Goethe
Eating is a holistic experience. That’s why we garnish the cutlets or decorate the cake. Pretty accents on dishes, the lemon wedge, the parsley sprig, or the delightful table setting make a meal an experience. Artful garnish shows love, appreciation and care for the sustenance and gifts of nature. Can you cut a radish like a rose or a ladybug? LESSON 10: Increase your appreciation of food by making it an artistic endeavor.
Was der Bauer nicht kennt, frisst er nicht.
What the farmer does not know, he does not eat.
Don’t misunderstand this one. Farmers are not ignorant. To the contrary, they want to know what they are getting on their plate. Many Germans are highly aware about quality foods and nutrients. They make a conscious decision of what goes into their mouths and bodies. Know your food, read your labels. Are the vegetables natural, organic, or highly engineered? LESSON 11: Hone your food consumer awareness on every shopping trip.
Wer die Bohne nicht ehrt, ist das Schnitzel nicht wert.
Who does not respect the bean does not deserve a cutlet.
I admit it, I made this up from Wer den Pfennig nicht ehrt, ist den Taler nicht wert (Who does not honor the penny is not worth a dime). But this is an important reminder for all of us to eat the vegetables too, not only the meat. If you follow that rule, you will be able to balance your nutrition. LESSON 12: Eat a little bit of everything because even the commonest staples have important nutrients to provide.
Zum Frühstück essen wie ein Kaiser, zu Mittag wie ein König, zu Abend wie ein Bettelmann.
Eat breakfast like an emperor, lunch like a king, dinner like a beggar.
This makes it clear: load up energy before you go to task for the day and maintain your momentum with a reasonable meal at midday. However, don’t starve yourself throughout the day and stuff yourself at night. Don’t go to bed with a heavy stomach. Most of us rush out hungry in the morning like madwomen (wrong). LESSON 13: Follow the “German food pyramid” and eat the majority of food early in the day, less at night.
Essen ist ein Bedürfnis, Genießen eine Kunst.
Eating is a necessity, enjoyment (of food) is an art.
Finally, the ultimate advice in eating leads to enjoyment. Train your taste buds, savor delightful foods, learn to discriminate the gazillion flavors of cheese, chocolate and wine. Maybe you even want to know how the cheese was made, what herbs the cows ate, or come up with adjectives or similes to describe flavor experiences. Become your own gourmet and guide to frugal splendor. Grow your own vegetables for better satisfaction. LESSON 14: Become a gourmet and let your artistic imagination enjoy your food many times over in your mind and heart.
That is how German girls never get fat. Just try it!
Mahl-Zeit!
by AnnElise | Feb 7, 2013 | cooking, lifestyle, nutrition, recipes
One omelet has never gone wrong. I make it with green onions and cilantro, throw in a handful of shredded cheese and garnish it with avocado and tomatoes.
This omelet has an all-round good flavor
- 6-8 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 Tbs butter
- 1 cup cheese
- 5 sprigs cilantro, chopped
- 5 green onions, chopped
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 pinch salt
- avocado for garnish
Sprinkle onions and cilantro on omelet
Whisk up 6 to 8 eggs with 3/4 cup of milk and pour the mixture into a large, hot, buttered, nonstick frying pan. Let this set for ca. 5 minutes.
Chop 3 stalks of green onions and a few sprigs of cilantro. Sprinkle these over the omelet. Season with pepper and salt, and sprinkle a half cup of shredded cheese over the omelet.
Let the raw egg flow under to the bottom of pan
With a rubberized spatula carefully carve sectional cuts into the omelet to let the remaining raw egg mass flow under the cooked portions.
After another 5 minutes or so, check what the bottom looks like. When the surface is not runny any more, cut the omelet into 4 portions and turn these over.
Brown the omelet from both sides.
Brown the omelet nice and toasty from both sides. Try to get a good golden-brown color. Inside the omelet should be soft and fluffy.
Divide the omelet into 4 portions, add more salt or seasoning and garnish with avocado and tomato pieces.
Bon appetit!
And then the process begins. Like a cat watching mice at play, I get entranced with the container logistics 13 stories below me. So many containers! So many bananas? Or were they filled with pineapples?
How does all this work? At eight o’clock sharp, the first harbor rig, a motorized box with a hitch in its back, crawled out of the abyss somewhere below me. Its overnight sleeping location was invisible from my windowsill. What was that tiny looking tadpole up to now? Catch some mice? You bet! That cabin vehicle knew exactly what it was doing. It backed straight into one spindly trailer, hitched it, and scurried with it to the dock. There it sidled up to the monster boat. Slowly but surely, the crane drifted one of the hundreds of containers down on the truck’s trailer. And, happily, the truck carted the white mouse off. This process repeated itself a number of times, until half a dozen rigs scurried back and forth between the cargo ship and the distribution area.
After three days, all the containers were offloaded from the Dole Pacific and she sailed off to Ecuador and other places to bring more bananas in. What was in the boxes now? Air mostly, I read, and 5 percent freight.
for 7-10 minutes; add this to the lentils
