Food Rumblings

It could be that my French-Canadian blood is actually gushing maple syrup, but I’ve loved the stuff since I was a kid.  I really love it and would gladly incorporate it into any meal: breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  And, it’s got to be the real deal - pure maple syrup from Vermont or Canada, none of that squeeze bottle business.  No, thanks.

So I was thrilled when my friend came back from a trip with a souvenir: the Maple Syrup Cookbook: Over 100 Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.  Mmmm…maple heaven!  I don’t believe in reprinting people’s recipes without permission, but I will share a few fun maple tips from the book to give you a glimpse into why this cookbook is so great.

There are some ingenious ways to use maple syrup in this book.  For example, incorporating it into hot chocolate, using it in the actual batter for French Toast (in the egg and milk mixture), and tips for substituting it for sugar in recipes (which involves decreasing the main liquid in the recipe).  There is also information on the different grades of maple syrup and some stories about maple syrup producers.  The anecdotes that accompany the recipes are charming and sweet.  (They’d have to be sweet, now wouldn’t they?)

I already use maple syrup when I roast sweet potatoes or butternut squash, but there are several new recipes in this cookbook that I can’t wait to try:  Sweet Potato and Bacon Bisque, Maple Bacon Strata, Maple Balsamic Dressing, and Maple Fudge, to name a few.  Mmm, there’s something so comforting about drizzling real maple syrup!

Last week I came across a story in a few places, including  MSN’s Health and Fitness pages, about a doctor in Florida who was taking a unique stance on the fight against obesity, which is a massive problem in the U.S. (pun intended).

Dr. Jason Newman used an electronic message board outside of a county health department to alert residents of the dangers of commonly enjoyed foods such as fries and hamburgers.  He posted creative slogans such as “French Fries Thunder Thighs” to get the attention of passers-by.  Then, he made the attack more personal and took on popular chains such as KFC and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Dr. Newman had a few choice words to say about donuts, and more specifically, Dunkin’ Donuts.  However, it was this play on Dunkin’s slogan that forced him to resign from his job: “America Dies on Dunkin’ ” – business owners felt he took it too far with this one.

So, I ask you - was he taking it too far, or was the forced resignation too far?

On the one hand, his attacks grew personal.  And, it’s no secret that donuts aren’t health food – Dunkin’ Donuts makes no attempt to hide nutritional information, it’s available on their website - Dunkin’s isn’t forcing anyone to eat the donuts.  On the other hand, he was utilizing his freedom of speech and was using the county health department’s equipment to further his message (an appropriate venue).  Personal attacks may not have been necessary, but I have to appreciate a doctor who is so passionate about the health of his surrounding community.  Being overweight or obese, not exercising, and/or eating an unhealty diet can lead to a host of health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  In turn, these problems can cause strokes, heart problems, kidney problems, and the list goes on…so in many ways, I have to appreciate a doctor that makes it his mission to try to prevent potentially fatal problems.  Dunkin’ Donuts may not be at the root of obesity, but it’s certainly a symptom of a larger problem.

I’ve been seeing the term ‘umami’ popping up, albeit infrequently, and I’m intrigued by a new word to describe food.  I’m still a bit perplexed about its meaning, but I think part of this is perhaps lost in translation. 

Umami is a Japanese word, and to those who understand Japanese I suspect that it very succinctly describes a taste or flavor – but I don’t think that we have one word in English that neatly corresponds.  I’ve seen umami defined a few ways.  In one vague description it was described as another taste sensation besides the standard ones we ascribe to our taste buds: sweet, bitter, salty, and sour.  The Japanese feel that we have a fifth sensation, umami.  That description hinted at the meaning of umami, but didn’t get to the core.

More recently, I was reading an issue of Saveur magazine in which they compiled “The Burger Bible,” and one article described burgers as having an umami quality.  They elaborated that this flavor can be meaty and is usually savory.  Mushrooms, tomatoes and cheese were given as other examples of umami foods.  Supposedly, umami foods both create and sastisfy food cravings. 

Umami is becoming more generally accepted as a fifth flavor sensation…yet another “fact” I learned in elementary school that has been debunked – we don’t really have four taste sensations!

The movie Julie and Julia opens today in the midst of a lot of publicity.  I’m ambivalent about seeing it.  On the one hand, I think Meryl Streep is an incredibly talented actress and, from the previews I’ve seen, looks like an excellent casting choice for the part of Julia Child.  I’m eager to see her bringing Julia’s story to the big screen.  It’s inspirational – the food world would be a very different place without Julia – would we have a Food Network?  Would food be such an integral part of entertainment?

On the other hand, I read Julie Powell’s book, Julie and Julia, and it was less than inspiring.  While I’m sure she was inspired, like many, by Julia Child, I found her book somewhat disrespectful to Julia Child, and I found Julie Powell’s writing to be glib, offensive, and sensationalistic.  While we all want to see similarities between ourselves and those we admire, her constant attempts to draw parallels between her life and JC’s (her moniker, not mine) and her comments on the Great Book (Julia Child’s cookbook, again, her moniker) leave a lot to be desired.  Powell attempts to tell an amusing story about her own life, tied together by tales of her attempts to cook all 500-plus recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1, but the cooking takes a back seat, and it’s not amusing.  I like Amy Adams, who will play Powell, but I’m not eager to revisit Powell’s story.

Given my lack of enthusiasm about the book, I’m hesitant to see the movie and wondered if my hesitance was unfounded.  I also wondered if I was the only one interested in only half of the movie.  Last night I read a review of the movie on Gourmet’s site and found that I’m not alone.  I think I’ll wait for the DVD so I can take Shapiro’s advice and, if need be, read (or simply fast-forward) through the Powell half of the movie.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I wandered slowly down to Marblehead, MA, taking mostly back roads and enjoying one of the few beautiful days that we’ve had this summer in New England.  We happened upon Shubie’s Marketplace which is a foodie haven replete with wine, kitchen gadgets, hard-to-find gourmet ingredients, specialty foods, and more.  I was especially excited to find a well-stocked cheese counter and a staff member who knows his cheese (and loves it – possibly as much as I do). 

My husband and I ended up settling on two cheeses, a soft Spanish cheese which wasn’t very memorable, and some lovely halloumi.  I’d come across a few articles and recipes lately mentioning this somewhat hard to find cheese, and I was eager to try it.  It’s a Greek cheese, and we purchased a variety that was made from sheep’s and goat’s milks and sprinkled with fresh mint.  What is unusual about halloumi cheese  is that it is meant to be grilled or sauteed before eating.  Rather than melting, the cheese becomes firmer upon cooking.  We sauteed ours in a little olive oil and the cheese was firm with a nice salty bite, similar to buffalo mozzarella in texture.  It’s a little on the pricey side, but a good treat for once in awhile.  It would be great served up with a Mediterranean spread as an appetizer or side.  The brand we bought is also available at Amazon if you need a unique cheese fix!