Food Blogs (313)

My niece graduated from a college of Asian Medicine last year and (in the future) may enroll for the advanced studies in Shanghai China. She was talking to my wife at a party and got on the subject of vegetables with natural health benefits.

One that interested her was Bitter Melon. She described it's appearance and I said I recall seeing it in the local Asian market that we often shop at. I bought some for all of us.

My wife prepared some that was sauteed with carrots. It looked okay and without testing a slice, I put a bunch on my plate.

Bitter may not be the correct word... it stuff is horrible tasting! I ran to the refrigerator for some vinegarette dressing to mask the flavor and continue to choke down the rest.

My wife asked if I wanted more...

I looking for good food and make me feasting all weekend long. In Delray Beach tonight and tomorrow. Watchout on Sunday I living in Miami and looking to be feasting...








(inspired of another blog. I'm not off my rocker)

From sea to plate in less than 30 mins

Now that's real fast food

Last week, OIdblue did a blog about a drink he brewed called Kombucha. I never heard of it and did some research. In layman's terms, it's a beverage made with fermented tea and known for it's health benefits.
I had no intentions of brewing the stuff, but the amazing thing is, while shopping in Aldi, I found it next to the fruits and berries in the refrigerated display. I wasn't looking for it, but I glanced over and POOF!
Kombucha in different flavors, so I bought one with Ginger and one with Cherry.
I plan to try some this weekend and chances are I'll report back with my findings.

Kombucha, Kombucha all I can say is Kombucha...

Tap the tree in front of the Aaltarboy Mansion this time each year. 30 + quarts of sap, boiled down, yield 3-4 liters of the good stuff. We give most away. Yummy on crepes.

Does anyone want some soup? ........

My house help is here today and was in a very down & quiet mood, so I asked her what is wrong, but she said nothing is wrong.
I proceeded to give her the food not needed in the house anymore, as I do every time she is here, and she effusively thanked me for it. Immediately I realised that they don't have food at their flat, where she is a single mother of two adult boys, and a little girl. I immediately asked her if they have food at home, and she said just some rolls given to her by someone else she worked at during the week.
I proceeded to give her all my extra in the cupboards in the kitchen, including coffee, tea, milk, sugar, soup, tins of all sorts, breakfast cereal, and lots else. She said it was enough for about 3 months, and thanked me. They don't eat much then, I deducted.
I did it out of the bottom of my heart, as I cannot see them going hungry, when I have so much.

I hardly ever bother with fruit but when I do pick something up at the supermarket it hardly ever encourages me to do it more often. I’ve noticed that more and more supermarket fruit is labelled “ripen at home”, with that particular feature presented as a virtue; whereas, in reality, it is obviously a dodge to save someone along the supply chain the expense of ripening it before it goes on sale.

This wouldn’t be a major problem were it not for the producers inserting some sort of genetic timing mechanism into the fruit that gives the consumer a one hour window of opportunity to eat it between the states of rock hard and fermenting mush.

So this, along with the way they seem to have bred all traces of flavour out of most fruit, is the reason I hardly ever bother with it.

Hmmm, I fancy a banana next Wednesday; so when do I need to purchase one, Well it’s Saturday today so..................

My Nespresso machine finally came For anyone not familiar, its basically an espresso machine you use at home. I just had a cup of glorious wonderful caffeine loaded coffee goodness

Who wants an espresso?

I take issue with oil.
Not petroleum based oil or oil/fat derived from animals.
My issue is with plant or 'vegetable oil' and that includes nut oils used on foods for eating (or cooking) and not oils used in cosmetics or paint products.
There are lots of oils in the marketplace.
If I want olive oil, it states it on the label 'Olive Oil' and some come from virgins.
Some olive oil is blended with other (read: cheaper) oils to get olive flavor at less expense.
Peanut oil is a favorite for some who cook in a skillet or wok as it has a higher smoke point and can be used successfully for frying.
Corn oil, nice color and sweet taste.
Sesame oil is used in many Oriental dishes and has a distinct flavor.
Sunflower oil for cooking
Safflower oil is often used for roasted nuts.
Coconut oil from coconuts
Cottonseed, Rageseed and Canola for cooking.
There are bunches of more exotic oils too numerous to mention.

So the issue? Vegetable Oil... WTF is in vegetable oil?

Every brand and every bottle I checked was... 100% Soybean Oil.
That's right. I found you cannot buy bottles of soybean oil because all the soybean oil is marked vegetable oil.

How deceitful is that? Why can't they sell soybean oil for what it is... soybean oil.


Next, I'll be checking bottles of Baby Oil as I have my suspicions that too is incorrectly labeled.