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Costco Olive Oil & Other Stuff

We used to spend a lot of money on specialty olive oils and vinegars.  America's Test Kitchen writes: Should You Buy Extra-Virgin Olive Oil at Costco? We wanted to know whether extra-virgin olive oil at Costco stacks up to favorite supermarket and premium brands. By Lisa McManus Published Dec. 25, 2023. Everybody loves a bargain, and the extra-virgin olive oil at Costco is enticingly priced. Costco is the largest buyer of olive oil in the United States and has evidently negotiated some sweet volume discounts. In a recent trip to a Boston-area Costco, we found an aisle teeming with huge 2- and 3-liter plastic bottles of EVOO, selling at about $0.24 to $0.27 per ounce. That’s roughly half the typical price of our favorite supermarket extra virgin olive oil. We also spotted 1-liter dark green glass bottles of premium extra-virgin olive oil from Terra di Bari, a P.D.O, or protected designated production region of Italy. We liked that each bottle prominently displayed a recent harvest date, an excellent sign of fresher, better-tasting oil. (Learn more about shopping for olive oil here.) Surprisingly, it cost just $0.44 per ounce. By contrast, a typical price for one of our favorite premium extra-virgin olive oils was more than $2.00 per ounce. The price is right, but how do they taste? How We Tasted We held a tasting with no identifying information, pitting three of the store-brand extra-virgin olive oils—Kirkland Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Kirkland 100% Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Kirkland 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil—against our tasters’ favorite supermarket olive oil, Carapelli Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We also compared the Kirkland Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Terra di Bari Bitonto P.D.O. to one of our tasters’ favorite premium olive oils, Castillo di Canena Reserva

By |May 15th, 2024|Categories: Cuisine|Comments Off on Costco Olive Oil & Other Stuff

Eliminating Sugar

Check out these ideas for snacks that won't cause a spike in your blood sugar. Eating healthily doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor or satisfaction. With the right ingredients and a touch of creativity, you can indulge in delicious and nutritious treats. Whether you're managing diabetes, aiming for weight loss, or simply striving for a healthier lifestyle, these snack options are a fantastic starting point. From fiber-packed fruits and veggies to protein-rich nuts and seeds, these choices are both scrumptious and beneficial for your well-being. So, let's delve into these delightful snack ideas, perfect for any time of day, especially before bedtime. Enjoy your journey to healthier snacking! 1. Nuts, Seeds, and Dried Fruits Nuts are not only tasty but also brimming with healthy fats and fiber, keeping you satisfied without causing blood sugar spikes. 2. Apples with Peanut Butter This classic combo offers a perfect balance of fiber, protein, and healthy fats, helping to stabilize blood sugar levels. 3. Veggies with Hummus Pair any veggie with hummus, a creamy chickpea spread, for a satisfying snack rich in fiber and protein. 4. Hard-Boiled Eggs A quick and easy source of protein that can help maintain stable blood sugar levels. 5. Berries with Yogurt Low-sugar berries combined with protein-packed yogurt create a snack that supports steady blood sugar. 6. Air-Popped Popcorn High in fiber and low in calories, air-popped popcorn is a wholesome whole grain option. Just go easy on the salt and butter! 7. Avocado Rich in healthy fats and fiber, avocados are a great addition to your snacks for keeping blood sugar levels in check. Enjoy them alone or add them to other snacks for an extra boost of nutrition.

By |May 6th, 2024|Categories: Cuisine, Recipes, Sweets|Comments Off on Eliminating Sugar

Ital is Vital

Your diet is not only what you eat. It's what you watch, what you listen to, what you read, the people you hang around... be mindful of the things you put into your body emotionally, spiritually, and physically.  This is the Rasta way of thinking and a big part of their spiritual way of life which is very much connected to the earth, as much or more so than Native Americans, as they also largely live off the land. The ital diet, also spelled I-tal, is a diet celebrated by members of the Rastafari movement that emphasizes eating fresh, organic, and preferably homegrown produce. The goal of the diet is to increase "life energy" or livity by eating foods that enhance it. Livity is the belief that an energy or life-force flows through all people and living things. The diet has some universal rules, including: Avoid chemically modified foods Avoid foods with artificial additives Avoid added fats and salts No salt No meat No dairy No metal or plastic cookware No alcohol Moderate white foods Natural sugar Most expressions of the Ital diet include adherence to a strict vegetarian diet. Some adherents to Ital diets are strict vegans, as they do not consider dairy to be natural for human consumption either. Many also avoid pork, shellfish, caffeine, and artificial additives. Some Rastafarian dishes include: Yams, plantain bananas, festival, callaloo, chocho, bean curry, garden vegetable stew, and medicinal plants. Source Family salad dressing:

By |April 2nd, 2024|Categories: Cuisine|Comments Off on Ital is Vital

Whole 30

We have been following the Whole30 diet recently and have lost a lot of weight, gained back energy and are having less issues in general.  It is mostly what I try to follow anyway, eating non-processed foods and limiting sugar.  But this goes further.  The Whole30 diet is a month-long elimination diet designed to promote health and well-being. Here’s how it works: Change the food you put on your plate. Purpose: The premise of the Whole30 program is that certain common foods in Western diets—such as sugar, alcohol, grains, dairy, legumes, and specific food additives—can be harmful to overall health, energy levels, and well-being. The goal is to eliminate these potentially problematic foods for a month to allow the body to heal and repair itself. What You Can Eat: Allowed Foods: During the Whole30 plan, you focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods, including: Animal protein Vegetables Fruits Nuts Healthy fats Herbs, spices, and seasonings Avoided Foods: You must avoid the following: Grains Legumes Dairy Added sugar Artificial sugar Alcohol Certain additives Rules: Strict Guidelines: The rules are simple but strict: Eat moderate portions of meat, seafood, and eggs. Consume lots of vegetables and fruits. Include plenty of natural fats. Choose foods with few, pronounceable ingredients or no ingredients because they’re whole and unprocessed. Avoid the restricted foods completely for 30 days. Reintroduction Phase: After the initial 30 days, the off-limits foods are slowly reintroduced one at a time to observe if any trigger adverse reactions. Good Food Standards: Foods allowed on the Whole30 plan must meet the diet’s four “Good Food” standards: Promote a healthy psychological response Promote a healthy hormonal response Support a healthy gut Support immune functions and minimize inflammation Remember that the Whole30 diet is not just about weight loss; it’s

By |March 4th, 2024|Categories: Cuisine|Comments Off on Whole 30

Dinner with David Chang

Meals, mishaps and culinary secrets unfold as chef David Chang throws down in the kitchen for celebrity guests on Netflix.  We're fans, here are some of his recipes which look interesting: Recipes From David Chang's Cooking Show 'Dinner Time Live' - Netflix Tudum David Chang’s Pea and Mint Soup If fresh peas are in season — a very small window in the spring — go with those. If not, frozen peas are more than adequate as a substitute. For the mint, use whatever cool, fancy fresh mint you can find. Except peppermint. Peppermint is too strong. For the show, we used chocolate mint leaves from the farmer’s market. Pea and mint soup recipe:  David Chang’s Truffled Egg Toast This dish is inspired by the signature dish at ’Inoteca, one of my favorite restaurants in New York. At the restaurant, they used truffle oil, but for the show I used truffle butter from Regalis. It’s not complicated, but takes some doing (and some shopping) to execute. I start by taking thick slices of white bread (we used milk bread from a local Japanese market), and used a spoon to press a little nest for the eggs into the center of each slice. Lay the bread slices on a sheet tray, then slather with truffle butter and top with grated fontina cheese.  Slip an egg yolk into the center of each slice of toast, then slide the sheet tray into the oven. In a separate pan, I sauteed sliced asparagus in olive oil, with a little salt and pepper. Once the cheese is melted (and the egg yolk is warm but not cooked through) pull the toast out of the oven. Transfer the toast to plates and

By |February 20th, 2024|Categories: Cuisine, Recipes, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Dinner with David Chang

Wild Game is Anti-Inflammatory

I just had a really interesting conversation with one of the most respected cardiologists in the nation.  He was saying that recent studies have shown that feed-lot raised beef is inflammatory and high in fat.  Whereas pasture beef is not high in fat and not inflammatory.  And wild game meats have even more health benefits when compared to meats from domesticated or farm-raised animals. Examples of wild game include venison, bison, rabbit and elk. The fact that wild game animals eat their natural diet and are very active in the wild contributes to the lower fat content of the meat. Additionally, eating greens in the wild contributes to a lower content of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids and a higher content of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, wild game meat is a good source of protein and minerals such as iron and zinc.  So, in fact, wild game has good fat and is anti-inflammatory. A recent article over at https://www.livestrong.com/article/349448-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-wild-game/ also echoed the same: Low Fat Content Wild game meats tend to have a lower fat content, as animals tend to be more active in the wild. Additionally, wild game eat a natural diet as opposed to grain or corn, which is often fed to domesticated animals, contributing to an increased fat content of non-game meat. Lower Omega-6 Fatty Acids The feeding of corn and grain to farm animals not only increases the total fat content but also the omega-6 fatty acid content. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, omega-6 fatty acids increase markers of inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation is associated with health conditions including obesity, diabetes, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. Wild animals eat more grass, green leaves and plants than their domesticated counterparts, which

By |December 6th, 2022|Categories: Cuisine, Hunting, Wingshooting|Comments Off on Wild Game is Anti-Inflammatory

Cast Iron

I used to have a No 8 Crescent Ozark Missouri cast iron skillet which was now replaced with a Griswold cast iron skillet and an unmarked No 10 skillet. Jimmy uses lard after cooking in them and leaves a fairly thick layer on them to heat on the stove for a couple minutes and then stores them like that and cooks in them. I found that a little problematic, as I don't use ours everyday and hair and dirt accumulate in the grease. So I use a light coating of Crisco shortening.

By |August 3rd, 2022|Categories: Cuisine, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Cast Iron

How to Use Dried Chiles

Saveur recently published the best online guide to dried chiles. Chiles Negros, Mulatos, and dried Hatch NM chiles are favorites in our pantry, but here is the authoritative guide. Some of our favorite recipes featuring dried chiles follow. 11 Dried Mexican Chiles to Know and Love, and How to Use Them The ultimate guide for how to identify, shop for, and cook with the pantry workhorse of the Mexican kitchen: dried chile peppers. Read in Saveur: https://apple.news/AUMyQB1bZSZu6XVpToDz1vA I also came across this great article on the 7 moles of Oaxaca. Here are our personal recipes of three recipes with dried chiles: https://sportingroad.com/argentine-recipes/venison-carne-guisada/ https://sportingroad.com/fur/chili-mole/ https://sportingroad.com/argentine-recipes/tortilla-soup/ For more great recipes and sources of chiles, visit: https://thespicetrader.ca/collections/chilis https://www.manoymetate.com/

By |March 2nd, 2020|Categories: Cuisine, Recipes|Comments Off on How to Use Dried Chiles

Clay Pottery for Cooking

From Ferenc Recommendations on non-micaceous clay pots: I think Roemertopf ( Römertopf ) pots are the most flexible.  They used to be made in Mexico, but are now made in Germany ( again ).  The newer pots have a glazed bottom, so cleaning them after cooking is easier now. There's an out of print cookbook, which has lots of very good recipes for it: By the Editors of Consumer Guide Clay Cookery Some of our favorite recipes from it: Wedding Chicken From Crete, Gingered Roast Chicken with Nectarines, Ratatouille.  The latter is our all time favorite.  This pot is for the oven only. Though not made of micaceous clay, the Emile Henry pots can take a lot of heat.  Some can be used on stove tops. You can even use soup to clean them.  I use this one mostly for cooking chicken: Emile Henry Made In France Flame Oval Stewpot Dutch Oven, 6.3 quart, Charcoal Micaceous clay: Chamba You'd like the Chamba Cookware https://www.mytoque.com/pages/about-la-chamba-cookware ) soup pots for stews and soups.  The Chamba pots are made from black clay.  I use them on the stove top, but would work in the oven too. They're functional and beautiful. Güveç It's a Turkish clay pot.  ( See for example: https://drojkent.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/istanbul-pots-and-cooking-guvec/ I make Turkish moussaka in it.  Got that pot here: https://www.tulumba.com/products/3438-earthenware-non-coated-pot-medium/ But they don't always have it available. When I use clay pots on the stove top, I always use a flame diffuser, which I brought from Hungary.  You can get similar stuff here too, of course ( see for example: http://www.bramcookware.com/index.php ). I soak and them scrub with baking soda--never use soap on my clay pots. Because of the different pots I have, I put together

By |April 8th, 2019|Categories: Cuisine, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Clay Pottery for Cooking

Tête de Moine et le Girolle

Mothers often tell their children, “Don’t play with your food.” But the French have a toy for cheese—a sort of spinning knife with a big wheel of dairy beneath it. They call it a girolle; the rest of us call it a cheese curler or cheese wheel. It was love at first spin. After a visit to get some Tête de Moine, which is a type of cheese manufactured on both the French and Swiss sides of the Swiss Alps, it spins cheese into a mushroom trumpet shape, hence the name Girolle, which is French for the Chantrelle mushroom.

By |March 4th, 2019|Categories: Cuisine, Recipes|Comments Off on Tête de Moine et le Girolle