The Food Enquirer

Have you bitten into a chili pepper lately? You know like a habanero, jalapeño or tabasco pepper and wondered what that lingering little stinging feeling it often leaves behind in your mouth. Sometimes that little feeling can cause you to reach for a tall glass of milk in hopes for some relief for your over stimulated taste buds.

Wikipedia states that Capsaicin is the active component of chili peppers, which are plants belonging to the genus Capsicum.

These little chili peppers pack a powerful punch in numerous ways. Capsaicin is used in ointments to relieve the pain of peripheral which is caused from shingles. In small concentrations in a cream base it can be used to provide temporary relief and pains of muscles and joints due to arthritis, psoriasis, back pain, and sprains. It is also bottled in spray form known as pepper spray to be used for self defense means.

So now we know a little more about the powerful, versitile and tasty chili pepper.

“Capsaicin.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 2 May 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsaicin>.

While visiting a friend I noticed that she was giving her daughter organic milk and thought that it was interesting since for the most part she is far from organic. Not in a bad way just not one of those individuals that gets caught up in the lasted “it” thing to do or “it” item that’s on the market. So I questioned her why she was going with organic and she told me that her daughter’s pediatrician recommended it stating that the hormones in milk is the number one reason girls are starting to menstruate early.

Well I immediately went into panic mode and couldn’t wait to come home and tell my husband and of course switch my daughter to organic milk right away. What if I was too late already and the damage is done, I mean she has been drinking regular milk for over a year.

Once I was able to calm myself down a little bit I started doing a little research and looking for some information that might link the two together. According to Wikipedia, bovine growth hormone, (BGH), is a protein hormone. BST is naturally occurring in cattle, and plays a role in the growth and development of the organism. Well in the 1990’s they created a way to synthesize the hormone known as recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST which is an artificial growth hormone. While it’s legal in the United States to use rBST many countries have started banning it’s use including, Canada, Japan, Eroupean Union, Australia and New Zealand. When in comes to safety the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Health and Human Services, have reviewed the safety cocerns regarding growth hormones and concluded that milk produced this way is safe for humans.

While at the market recently I noticed a lot of milk with labels stating that “this milk is not treated with rBST.” While it was comforting to see the label on the milk in regards to not using growth hormones I still picked up a container of organic milk and it gave me a little peace of mind and a little more comfort on this particular subject. As for me and my family I’m sticking with our standard line used mostly by my husband, safety first.

“Bovine Somatotropin.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bovine_somatotropin>.

Are you at all overwhelmed when you hit up the produce department for a head of lettuce? There seems to be an astonishing amount of different types of lettuce on the market these days. So what’s difference between all these different types? Cooking for Dummies has a great article and here is the cliff note version of what they had to say. Hope this helps with all different choices available and educate you a little along the way about green.

Mild greens

• Bibb has delicate, loose leaves and lots of flavor and a slight crunch. It is a little on the pricey side but it worth the price.
• Boston a type of butterhead lettuce, with soft, tender leaves and a milder crunch than bibb lettuce. This variety mixes well with other types of lettuces.
• Iceberg is known for it’s crispiness and long shelf life but low on flavor and nutrients so best mixed with other greens.
• Loose-leaf lettuce has two varieties consisting of red and Green varieties with curly leaves that make a beautiful addition to any salads.
• Romaine is most commonly known for being used in Ceaser salads but is also has a nice flavor and crunch and a good shelf life making it very appealing.

Pungent Greens

• Arugula is peppery and has a slightly bitter flavor so is best mixed with other green for added flavor.
• Belgium Endive is commonly used to make hors d’oeuvres. There long slender leaves are crunchy and tend to be slightly bitter.
• Dandelion has a somewhat bitter flavor that is available year-round. Dandelion is more commonly used in Europe.
• Escarole has sturdy leaves and a slightly bitter flavor. Young escarole leaves are tender enough to add to salads, otherwise escarole is best cooked as a side dish or used in soups
• Frisee is commonly added to salads for added flavor, mildly bitter and texture as it has a prickly type of appearance.
• Radicchio has a beautiful magenta coloring and slightly bitter flavor. It can be added to other salad, used as hor d’orvers and also sautéed or grilled.
• Watercress is known for its pungent flavor and there leaves add a nice crunch to any salad.

Works Cited

Miller, Bryan, and Marie Rama. “A Glossary of Greens.” Cooking for Dummies. Foster City, CA: IDG Worldwide, 1996. Print.

Well that little green holiday is upon us again more commonly known as St. Patrick’s Day. You know the one where is you don’t wear green you get pinched and it’s corned beef and cabbage for dinner. Well I got to thinking about the history of the cuisine that accompanies St. Patrick’s Day and thought I would look into it a bit. Well it turns out that corned beef is more of an American tradition than Irish.

According to Wikipedia corned beef is not considered an Irish national dish. Seems to be a little irony there, right? When you dig a little deeper into the history you can see how the tradition started. In the 17-19th century the Irish were major producers of beef they personally didn’t consume the product it was mostly for trade. During the 18th century is when there was a large Irish immigration into the United States. While the Irish typically used bacon in there dish many of the immigrants started using corned beef instead and this is most likely due to the fact that the price of corned beef was more affordable.

So while it turns out that this dish isn’t exactly an Irish tradition it does in fact have Irish roots and in itself justifies a big serving of corned beef this patty’s day for me.

“Corned Beef.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 11 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corned_beef>.

So have you noticed a certain trend towards gluten free? You’ll notice it on the labels of foods when shopping at your local market. The phrase seems to be getting a lot of attention so is this newest fad diet? Well not exactly, so before you head to the market to fill your cabinets full of gluten free foods lets review some facts concerning “gluten free” first. Wikipedia defines a gluten-free diet as a diet completely free of gluten. It goes on to explain that gluten is a protein found in wheat, kamut, spelt, barley, rye, malts and triticale. Gluten is also used as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent, often hidden under “dextrin”.

It is proved that a gluten free diet is the only medically accepted treatment for celiac disease. When you have celiac disease the gluten causes inflammation in their small intestines. Recently some medical practitioners have put patients with autism on a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet as a means to help lessen autistic symptoms; however Wikipedia states that there is no scientific evidence that these diets are useful in the treatment of autism.

The Mayo Clinic lists the following foods as acceptable for a gluten free diet:

• Barley
• Bulgur
• Durham
• Farina
• Graham flour
• Kamut
• Matzo meal
• Rye
• Semolina
• Spelt (a form of wheat)
• Triticale
• Wheat

It’s advised that if in question and there is no label stating it’s gluten free to avoid it. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to define the term “gluten-free” for voluntary use in the labeling of foods. Requirements for proper labeling are being formulated by the USDA. At this time It’s currently up to the manufacturers of “gluten free” food items to guarantee such a claim.

While this diet seems to be an upward trend it’s not an easy undertaking to change your entire lifestyle to exclude gluten especially if you have to for medical reasons where there is no room for error with your diet.

Works Cited

1. “Gluten-free Diet.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 2 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-free_diet>.
2. Mayo Clinic Staff. “Nutrition and Healthy Eating.” Mayo Clinic. Web. 02 Mar. 2011. <http://www.mayoclinic.com>.
3. “Questions and Answers on the Gluten-Free Labeling Proposed Rule.” U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page. Web. 02 Mar. 2011. <http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodAllergensLabeling/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm111487.htm>.

I grew up hearing how good yogurt was for you, mostly from my mom since she was a big yogurt fan. Of course back then I didn’t give this idea much thought and haven’t until recently. It seems that this little container of creamy goodness packs a pretty beneficial punch in many different ways.

Of course we know that yogurt is made of milk with is loaded with calcium; how many times over the course of your childhood were you told to finish your milk to make your bones big and strong. Well turns out our parents are very wise because that is one of the key components to calcium, along with vitamin D. Adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D can help prevent osteoporosis. It is reported that over 25 million people are affected by osteoporosis each year and 80% of these are women. Next time you’re at the market buying yogurt check the label to make sure it has a good amount of calcium and vitamin D.

Yogurt is most famous feature is that it contains “good bacteria” meaning that it has live and active cultures in it known as probiotics. This “good bacteria” helps to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the colon and digestive tract. With the probiotics from yogurts, one of it’s key functions is keeping microorganisms that can cause intestinal infections at bay. WebMd states that the live and active cultures can help all of the following intestinal problems:

• Lactose intolerance
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Colon cancer
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• H. pylori infection

Another added bonus of yogurt is it loaded with the following minerals and vitamins: potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin, iodine, zinc, vitamin B5 and B12. So next time your in the dairy aisle looking at the numerous yogurt selections, choice wisely and look for live and active cultures some where on the container and that it has an adequate amount of calcium and vitamin D and you’ll be one step closer to a healthier digestive tract.

“The Benefits of Yogurt.” WebMD – Better Information. Better Health. Web. 25 Feb. 2011. <http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-yogurt?page=2>.

“What Is Osteoporosis?” EhealthMD. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. <http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/osteoporosis/OSP_whatis.html>.

Sure we have all heard the word Salmonella but do we protect and prevent ourselves from this bacterium. Let’s start off with an official definition from the CDC. It defines Salmonella as a gram-negative, rod-shaped bacilli that can cause diarrheal illness in humans. They are microscopic living creatures that pass from the feces of people or animals to other people or other animals.

I was surprised to find out that the CDC estimates that each year roughly 1 out of 6 Americans (or 48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of food borne diseases. Salmonella has been around for over 100 years. While there is no vaccine to prevent salmonellosis, there are prevention steps to keep you from getting it.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service have provided the following guide on how to prevent Salmonella.  The first step to prevention is knowledge and this list is very informative.

CLEAN: Wash Hands and Surfaces Often

• Wash your hands with warm soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and handling pets.
• Wash utensils, cutting boards, dishes, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next item.
• Consider using paper towels to clean kitchen surfaces. If you use cloth towels, wash them often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.

SEPARATE: Don’t Cross-contaminate

• Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other foods in your grocery shopping cart and in your refrigerator.
• If possible, use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• Always wash cutting boards, dishes, countertops, and utensils with hot soapy water after they come in contact with raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, or seafood.

COOK: Cook to Safe Temperatures

• Use a clean food thermometer when measuring the internal temperature of meat, poultry, casseroles, and other foods to make sure they have reached a safe minimum internal temperature:
• Beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts, and chops to 145 °F.
• All cuts of pork to 160 °F.
• Ground beef, veal and lamb to 160 °F.
• Egg dishes, casseroles to 160 °F.
• All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.
• Stuffed poultry is not recommended. Cook stuffing separately to 165 °F.
• Leftovers to 165 °F.
• Fish should reach 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer.
• Bring sauces, soups, and gravy to a boil when reheating.
• Reheat other leftovers thoroughly to at least 165 °F.

CHILL: Refrigerate Promptly

• Keep food safe at home, refrigerate promptly and properly. Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if temperatures are above 90 °F).
• Freezers should register 0 °F or below and refrigerators 40 °F or below.
• Salmonella has been around for a very long time, over 100 years in fact. While Salmonella has a long history the prevention and recognition of proper steps for preventing this food borne illness is much more recent.

Works Cited

“CDC – Prevention – Salmonella.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. <http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/general/prevention.html>.

“Salmonella Questions and Answers.” USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Home. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. <http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/salmonella_questions_&_answers/index.asp>.

“Salmonella.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmonella>.

I have noticed lately while grocery shopping that many canned goods now have labels such as reduced sodium, low sodium or even some state they have no sodium. It got me thinking about how much sodium we should be consuming a day vs. how much sodium we actually consume a day. When I look at a nutrition label I always look at the sodium and the percentage with no real comprehension of what it means. So let’s look at some numbers concerning sodium.

The Nutrition Concepts and Controversies Book states that the daily recommended intake of sodium for adults aged 19-50 is 1,500 mg per day. It goes on to give you a little more leniency stating that the tolerable upper intake for adults 19 years and older is 2,300 mg per day. So you have a visual one teaspoon of salt is equivalent to 2,300 mg. What I was really surprised to find out it that is provides a graph and this graph shows that adults in the United States consume an average of 3,300 mg of sodium per day. So where does all this extra sodium in our diet come from? If you guessed processed food you are right on the money. The American Heart Association says that the majority (up to 75 percent) of sodium that Americans consume comes from sodium added to processed foods by manufacturers.

So what are some of the ramifications from all this extra sodium in our diets? Well of course it can drastically harm our heath in various ways. With all the excessive dietary sodium consumption it increases blood pressure, which increases the risk for stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and renal disease, according to the CDC. Interesting enough that a reduction can dramatically beneficial; a population-wide reduction in sodium of 1,200 mg per day would reduce the annual number of new cases of coronary heart disease by 60,000—120,000 cases and stroke by 32,000—66,000 cases.

Below is a list of ideas provided by the American Heart Association on how to reduce your sodium intake:

• Choose fresh, frozen or canned food items without added salts.
• Select unsalted nuts or seeds, dried beans, peas and lentils.
• Limit salty snacks like chips and pretzels.
• Avoid adding salt and canned vegetables to homemade dishes.
• Select unsalted, lower sodium, fat-free broths, bouillons or soups.
• Select fat-free or low-fat milk, low-sodium, low-fat cheeses and low-fat yogurt.
• Learn to use spices and herbs to enhance the taste of your food. Most spices naturally contain very small amounts of sodium.
• Add fresh lemon juice instead of salt to fish and vegetables.
• Specify how you want your food prepared when dining out. Ask for your dish to be prepared without salt.
• Don’t use the salt shaker. Use the pepper shaker or mill.

So from now on we should all say, would you please not pass the salt.

“Sodium Intake Among Adults — United States, 2005−2006.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5924a4.htm>.

American Heart Association. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4708>.

Sizer, Frances Sienkiewicz, and Ellie Whitney. “Sodium.” Nutrition Concepts and Controversies. Australia: Wadsworth Thomson Learning, 2006. 281-82. Print.

How do you like your steak?   Hope that question isn’t too personal for you. Everyone seems to have an opinion and they usually aren’t the same. Some like their steak very rare, so rare that it’s called blue…then there are others on the opposite end of the spectrum who prefer it cooked all the way through known as well-done. Well you can see how this could become a touchy subject. Although I value your opinion I’m less concerned about how you like your steak and more interested in the art of cooking it to the desired likeness each and every time. I know personally when I’m grilling my steaks it’s a hit and miss on if I manage to prepare them how I intended.

Well it turns out if you have a handy dandy thermometer and know the numbers that correspond with each doneness you can have a perfect steak, just the way you like it every time.

Now just to put the warning label out there for all to read, the USDA recommends cooking all beef, lamb and veal chops to an internal temperature of 145° F.

Here is a look at what temperature corresponds with each doneness.

• Raw (bleu): Less than 120°F
• Rare: 120-130°F
• Medium Rare: 130-135°F
• Medium: 135-145°F
• Medium Well: 145-155°F
• Well Done: More than 155°F

As time goes on and you get used to cooking your steaks you’ll eventually won’t need the meat thermometer as much since you’ll start to get a feel for it. You will know how your steak looks, feels and how approximately how long to cook it to your liking. So don’t think of a meat thermometer as a just a cooking instrument but as an educational tool. Enjoy your beef!

So have you wondered just how long you’re suppose to cook or test if the pasta is ready. It’s not really one answer fits all since there are so many different varieties of pasta. Have you ever heard about taking a strand of spaghetti and throwing it to the ceiling or refrigerator to see if it sticks? The theory is that if the spaghetti sticks its done. Well there is one theory but according to Cooking for Dummies the best method is taste and if it’s not done taste again until it is done. Well I like that idea much better and seems the kitchen will remain in a more orderly fashion since there won’t be random pieces of pasta thrown about.

There are a few tips or techniques to help you out while cooking your pasta. First off make sure you have lots of water, it is recommended to have about six quarts of water for each pound of pasta. This is to ensure that the pasta doesn’t lump or stick together. To help with the flavor of the pasta add a little salt to the water, remember with salt a little goes a long way. It is best to add the salt when the water has started to boil but before you have added the pasta. When you add pasta to a pot of boiling water you might notice how it no longer boils, make sure you bring the pot of water and pasta back to a boil and then turn down so it doesn’t overflow. Once your pasta is done reserve a cup or two of the water before draining. Don’t rinse pasta unless you are making a cold pasta dish (if you don’t the pasta will be sticky). It is not recommend adding oil to pasta since that will create a barrier and the oil not your sauce will stick to the pasta. If pasta sticks together add a little of the reserved water to the pasta. It’s best to add the fresh cooked pasta right to the sauce you are serving with it so they bind together nicely.

Above all enjoy your tasted, re-tasted, perfectly cooked, salted and not rinsed pasta!

*Cooking for Dummies