The Food Reviews Digest

Healthier Food at Your Own Reach

2010-05-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, we live in w world where money is just very tight right now, for everyone. This has really affected the way we live versus the way we used to live just a couple of years ago. In these times we are more concious about what we spend, how we spend it and where we spend it. Unfornutely this also affects our diet, where we shop for food and what we shop to eat, ultimately.

For those of us that love going to the very nice restaurants where the menu changes on a weekly or daily basis, what was a once a month or once a week visit has turned maybe in two a twice a year affair. So what should we be doing to still get high quality meals, with high nutrient content that we truly enjoy and can't wait to have again the next day or maybe next week.

First is to actually shop for restaurants. The internet is a great place to do just that. So start searching on what the famous chefs are doing, what new restaurants are opening and what in fact specials they are opening. This is no secret of course, when a restaurant opens, their prices are very reasonable and all kinds of specials are on the menu for the first couple of months after opening.

Next hit the international markets, these little markets are great sources for real cool stuff, that is actually inexpensive when compared to your regular supermaket. This are the kinds of places where you can find bargain international cheeses like parmesan or manchego. Nice serrano ham and imported extra virgin delightful oil with some yummy olives as well.

And third but not last, you may just have to get your hands dirty. That means actually going in the kitchen and doing some of the work yourself. Get some help, have your husband or wife pitch in, and get organized. Sometimes great meals taste so great because they are cooked properly, you can have the best, and most expensive ingredients available but if you do not choose the right cooking techniques, your food may taste like you just pull it out of the freezer.

The Basic Goods of Your Salad Depends on Those Greens

2010-05-21T15:09:00.000-07:00

Salads are basic things to eat now days. Actually it is encouraged that you try to have them twice a day with your lunch and your dinner. For two reasons and they actually both healthy reasons. The first is because if you eat it before the meal they help you fill up faster, and we know that lettuce is ninety some percent water content, so the calorie intake is low, that is of course if you making a healthy salad and don't pile a whole bunch of cheese, and fattening dressings in it. The second is because of a similar reason but in this case they are actually eaten as the meal, and it is here were you be incorporating some cheese, and a good amount of lean protein.

But what is the secret to a good salad, you might ask yourself? Well it those basic quality greens There are two parts to getting these greens in optimal shape so you can have an amazing salad. The first that the greens are fresh, meaning that they have not been sitting in your refrigerator for a couple of weeks, they are not wilted, or old. Greens have to be crisp and look alive.

The second part is that they are thoroughly washed and all dirt is off of them. Must use cold water to have them stay fresh and crisp. So fill up your sink about 1/4 full with cold water and toss your romaine, iceberg, butter or whatever lettuce you choose to be using and let it sit in there for a good half our. So all the dirt looses up. Then take each piece and run it through some cold running water to make sure everything is off and put it in colander to drain all the water out. Now days there are a whole bunch of sanitizers that you can add to it when it is still sitting in the sink, but the basics sometimes work just as well. Enjoy.

Mise en Place and Cooking

2010-05-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

Going back to the history of cooking and were most of the ideas or knowledge and methods came from, the country that definetely gets the most creation and props for everything is definetely France. If you have ever watched the movie ratatouille I am sure you know what I mean. The French chefs take a lot more time and are definely more detailed when it comes to their sauces, their grilling, sauteeing whatever they might be doing.

Another reason for their successes is the fact that they are extremely organized, in fact they actually have a french name for being organized in the kitchen, it is mise en place. Which means everything in it's place. But how is this accomplished you might ask yourself. Well simply do everything that you have to do before you ever turn on that stove. Mince your herbs, and really organize them to where you just have to add them to the soup or whatever you are making. Same with the protein, if it's chicken you are making clean it, cut it, season, marinade, and put it in the fridge until ready to be cooked. Same with vegetables if you are just sauteeing dice them all up and save, put in fridge until needed for use.
The goal with this technique is to have everything neatly organized in a tray so when you are actually going to get down and dirty all you have to focus is on adding ingredients, and tastign your food. Doing this everytime you are making a big meal, takes all the stress out of cooking, makes less of a mess and it just makes it seem extremely easy.
If you are cooking for a big event like a thanksgiving dinner you really have to start all the preparation a week before and start cooking even two days prior. So when the big day comes you just have to put stuff in the oven and watch that timer.

Middle Eastern Food in The Middle of Paris?

2010-05-18T16:46:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought, you have saved enough money, made thousands of plans and have gotten your favorite people to come with you to the trip you have been wanting to take your whole life, Paris here we come!

In that plane ride the excimente is just so big that you cannot help but think about being right in front of the Eiffel tower, drinking a good glass of frech wine, the delightful and world renowed frech pastries and their chocolate. Maybe having a wonderful french dinner is those neat little french cafes, and many other things that you hae been waiting your whole life for to do.

Once you are there and are strolling on those picturesque French streets going from Notre Dame to the Louvre Museum, you suddenly realize that you are starving and no plans were made to any special restaurant you just have to eat.

As you make it through those streets you really start noticing that there is quite a few Middle Eastern restaurants just all over the city, and my recommendatioon for you is to try it, is just wonderful.

When this happened to me I was a bit nervous because it was just odd, but we went ahead and ordered, we had garbanzo soup, falafel, babaganush, lentils and of course the famous lamb with that yumy yogurt sauce, I could taste a different flavor on just abut every bite, wonderful aromas, lots of garlic, olive oil the best I've had ever. The atmosphere was all there, unexpectedly we had one of the best meals in Paris that we never thought we were going to have. Of course the days were we did have French food, it was just as outstaning and delicious, but it was what I was expecting, not like the wonderful suprise that came from that Middle Eastern corned in downtown Paris.

Secret Sushi Night Out

2010-05-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

America recently meaning about ten years ago, fell in love with Japanese food, amongst other things of course. It started with the teriyaki revolution which kind of really started it all and it quickly evolved in to what is one of the greatest inventions of the culinary world, sushi. What does it mean, no it's not the meaning for raw fish. It is the actual method of cooking, just like we "steam" roll or "grill" steaks, it is the actual making of.

The history of this relationship meaning the one we have with sushi itself as consumers starts as a strange one, since raw fish was a concept that we could not really grasp. Most of us love fish, fish of all kinds but not raw. So who would be the brave one that would try it first and tell the rest of the people you knew that it was going to be ok. In fact not only okay that it would be something they would crave just about every day. So a good recommendation for those non-sushi eaters is to start out with the safe bets which are the rolls, that include the rice and usually cooked crab or shrimp. Eat this for a while while you get used to the delicios flavors of pickled ginger,wasabi and soy sauce, if you can always choose the low sodium kind it's just simly better for you and there is not that huge taste difference.

Once this is conquered try, the safe bets on raw fish wich are usually any white fish, salmon or tuna, again inside of whatever roll sounds good, if you can move beyond this point and get your tastes buds to be okay with the texture you will become a sushi fan forever. And then of course there is only one way to go, real japanese, sashimi.

Share the true genius of this great cooking and enjoy with people who's company you enjoy.

Herbs A Must In All of Your Food

2010-05-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

I wanted to dedicate this first post to what I think are the most important ingredients in cooking, Herbs. Dried or fresh as long as they are there and in the kitchens of the restaurants you dine at, and in yours as well you are in for a very good meal.

Fresh are always ideal but since not the most convinient unless you live where there is good climate all year long, dried also have a lot of flavor. They are so basic to any cuisine that we seem to be familiar and know which ones are used by what types of wordly cuisines. Basil usually brings a nice Margharita pizza to our heads, or maybe a delicious bruschetta, of course both being famous italian creations. But there is the other type of basil which is the asian kind, now made super famous by the delcious vietnamese pho soups.
Parsley also has two different kinds the Italian and the one that is used very much in the United states, key to both cuisines but has reached the very southern country of Argentina whose famous Chimichurri recipe is made of just about this wonderful ingredient.

Another herb that resembles it by a lot is Cilantro, and this one when mentioned we tend to think Guacamole or Pico de Gallo, widely used in Mexico in not only these two recipes but incorporated in their soups, sauces and marinades.

Of course let's not forget thyme, fennel, chives, mint, rosemary, tarragon and sage they are so commonly used in things that are so basic like a vinagrette or simple mashed potatoes.
So my recommendation for everytime you turn that stove on you keep this in mind and you will se a huge positive difference in your cooking.