Heard in the News!

I do have to set the mood, that is, in order to write regularly. I have to write simple.
So, do you know my favorite food store? Aldi of course, and this is not a paid endorsement.
Just that I picked up some great fruits, at their low prices on Sunday.
Great to go bike riding at 8:30AM, return at 10, and shop. Everything is fresh and well stocked. Only draw back, I am finished by 10:30 and can't get wine.
I was not happy at the Winter Park Farmers Market Saturday. Product selection was low, as vendor take their vacations.
In the news, don't drink your calories, eat them. Solid food, like oranges, provides greater eating satisfaction, often with  fewer calories than drinking orange juice. No time to peel? Take one of my classes on peeling and  juicing!
See ya!

Miami I Luv

Spending the Weekend in LeBron town. Took lots of snacks from Orlando,  but no cooking is to be done by this chef in Miami. Today was lunch at Casa Larios. A large, middle of the road, Cuban restaurant on Flagler Ave. Nice little coffee shop for to go items. The service was fair. Ketchup was asked for, never served until I asked for hot sauce. I enticed my wife to try the mojito, but she was brought her original iced tea order.
The food was served quickly. A first course selection had three items, the waitress didn't tell us, even though we were a four top. A little high on prices for this type of food, but hey, what u expect.
We ended the day walking near the pier. They have a nice set of some stores on the water. they also had live music with dancing. The old timers ruled as they did moves their way. Great for people watching.

After sounding off on the beer choice (Bud Light) a guest drank, I was asked "what beer do you drink Keith?"  Bass or any dark brew, I answered. A past time for me is to go to the beer section of my Whole Food  Market and yearn to taste some of the "cute" named beers. Back in my 20's, when I first became familiar with the pleasures of beer, the selection was few.  Today,  one can pick from  over 100 labels. From that dismal period, the USA is now the most vibrant beer culture in the world according to The WSJ. We now make countries like England, Germany and Belgium re-examine their own traditions and to invent new lines. The new book, "Oxford Companion to Beer" is a new and wonderful resource for paring foods with beer. Ah! This Samuel Adams is mellow, with an acidic wheat taste and a hint of fruit.

Healthy Cookin' Down Home

The National Cancer Institute asks you to broil, steam, roast or braise instead of frying and cooking in fatty sauces.
Try this recipe of the week:
Baked Pork Chops
6 lean pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 egg white
1 c evaporate skim milk
1 c cornflake crumbs
2 T Spicy seasoning*.
1/2 tsp salt
Nonstick spray coating

Oven 375*
Beat egg white with milk. Place chops in a zip lock bag with milk mixture. let stand 5- 10 minutes.
Mix together cornflake crumbs, and salt seasoning. Remove chops from bag and coat with milk mixture.
Spray 13 x 9 baking dish. Place chops in pan; bake in 375* oven for 20 minutes. Turn chops , bake 10 minutes more or until no pink remains.

*Seasoning:

Mix together;
1/4 c paprika
2 T dried oregano
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard

Where have I been?

Every where but up! I can't blame it on the new social media wave or work, it was "I."
So what goes on in the food pecking order?
For one thing, think small, especially with deserts.
I am hearing a buzz about fusion foods.
Combining unrelated cuisines that challenge the appetite.
Mexican with Chinese, Asian with Caribbean bring lots of possibilities.
Chickens in the back yard and rooftop gardens tell us we can't make excuses.
At Lakemont"s Wellness Club this month, they served ice pops in a variety of flavors.
A visit to a gadget store I saw a DIY soda maker, makes you in control.
And how about The White House getting school children to eat right.
I"ll call it Choices...sounds like the name of my next joint!

Chutney Mon!

The favorite accompaniment to a meal is chutney. Mango chutney, with its roots in India, is found in most of Caribbean islands. Though there are many recipes for chutney, the basic ingredients remain the same: mango, sugar, raisins, vinegar, onions, herbs, spices, and hot pepper (Scotch bonnet).

The quanity and proportion of the ingredients is up to the individual. You want hot? Add more herbs, spices and hot pepper. Or mild? Then you go light on these three ingredients.

This is an old Trini standard.

12 ripe mangoes, peel and diced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ozs. raisins
8 ozs tamarind pulp
2 tbsp salt
1 cup sugar or splender
4 cups white vinegar

Put all ingredients in food processor except sugar and vinegar.
Process to combine and put in a large jar.
Pour vinegar over ingredients and close jar. Soak overnight.
Next morning add sugar and vinegar, put in a sauce pan and bring to a boil on medium heat.
Reduce heat and simmer till thick stirring frequently.
Put in gift bottles and enjoy on crackers, bread or meats.

My British Quickie.

2 granny smith apples peel and grated
4 tbsp. good apricot jam
2 tbsp. white vinegar
1/4 bunch cilantro or mint leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Mix all the ingredients and let it sit for at least 1 hour.
The taste should be both sharp and sweet.
Sure, serve it with lamb!

Roots version.

1 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cup white vinegar
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 sctotch pepper, minced with some seeds to taste
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup ginger, minced
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp gr. cumin
1/4 tsp gr. masala
1/2 tsp salt
3 firm ripe mangoes, peel and diced into 1 inch pieces

In a stainless steel pot on a medium high heat, add vinegar, brown sugar and spices. Bring to a boil while stirring.
Stir ingredient and add mango chunks. Reduce heat to medium and cook to a thick consistency, stirring to prevent sticking.
Though chutneys are made for particular dishes, and should be made in small quantities for immediate use; store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Go Vegetarian Indian

A couple of Saturdays ago, Terry told me about an Indian restaurant we should try, and I fell for it right away. I began thinking about beef parathas and murgi talkari (curried chicken.) We ended up at The Woodlands on Orange BlossomTrail and Oakridge Road in south Orlando, which is vegetarian-themed restaurant. We didn't realize it was vegetarian right away. Only later did it occur to us, and it didn't matter at that point.

Our waiter was subdued and showed no enthusiasm, but our appetizer was brought by a wonderful server who explained all the items. The menu had more than 100 items: from appetizers to the lunch buffet, which is served Tuesday to Friday for $7.95. After placing a full pitcher of water on our table, the waiter took our order--an assorted appetizer platter containing vegetable samosa; crispy and flaky crust stuffed potatoes and peas, potato bonda; potato dumplings with chick peas flour, medhu vada; fried lentil donuts, vegetable cutlet; minced vegetables with spices coated with bread crumbs and deep fried, and pakora, potatoes, cauliflower, onions and chiles mixed with besan and deep fried. Deep fried food kills the whole idea of going veggie. However, the food wasn't greasy.

Our entrees consisted first of a masala dosai, thin rice crepes filled with potato and onion; and mysore masala dosai, crepes with layers of hot chutney, potato and onion. Granted, we were not adventurous. Every thing was very good, and the accompanying sauces were well blended. Some dairy products are used, specifically yogurt and ghee, so ask!

We didn't try any desserts, most of which were ice cream-based with milk, cheeses and nuts.

Next time, I will order curry and some of the breads. Except for the dinner specials, all items were under $10.

I give Woodland's a thumbs up for food.