from the Fresh from Florida blogger's e-mail per Rosemary

Florida Herbs: Rosemary
Laura | October 25, 2010 at 9:00 am | Tags: herbs, Nutrition, rosemary | Categories: Healthy Living | URL: http://wp.me/pnlCH-1IX

With the holiday seasons quickly approaching, special meals make them memorable. Sometimes the most memorable things we take with us are the smells from these beloved mealtimes as our favorite dishes are enjoyed. The smells we equate with these delectable dishes are usually due to the herbs corresponding with seasonal smorgasbords. To help your season and mine be more memorable than ever, I looked into some helpful herbs that will make any dinner table better.

Rosemary is a beautiful herb with bright evergreen foliage. The aroma is warm and peppery with a sense of pine. The taste is has a woody, balsamic aftertaste. Rosemary is commonly used with veal, chicken, pork and lamb, and it can be added to butter, salt or pepper. Veggies in need of a little butter can be spruced up with a little rosemary as well. Salads and olive oil also go well with the addition of rosemary. Many recipes recommend adding rosemary to soups and eggs. You can find rosemary chopped, whole and ground. Unlike some herbs, rosemary can be overused in cooking, because it does not diminish with cooking. Rosemary can also be used for potpourri, and linens can be dried in the sun spread over rosemary.

Some health applications we can enjoy from rosemary are: vitamins A, E, B6, and C, a-beta carotene, niacin, folate, magnesium, manganese, calcium, selenium, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, phosphorus and potassium. Rosemary improves circulation, stimulates your immune system, improves digestion, increases blood flow and can reduce asthma attacks. Pregnant women should be careful of this herb.

This is definitely an herb to add to your meals. I enjoy roasting veggies in the oven with this herb and find that it not only tastes remarkable but the aroma is enjoyable as well. Remember a little goes a long way with rosemary, so all you need is a little with any dish.

NY Times article shows how behavioral psychology can be applied to lunch line design

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/10/21/opinion/20101021_Oplunch.html

DINING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GATOR FANS GOING TO THE BAMA GAME

I grew up in Gainesville FL, but lived in Tuscaloosa from 6th grade through my sophomore year in high school. I consider both towns to be home.

Tuscaloosa is a lovely place where Southern hospitality still thrives. Here are some dining recommendations for those traveling north for Saturday's game between the Gators and the Tide.

IN TUSCALOOSA/NORTHPORT:

15th Street Diner: reasonably priced Southern cooking. The best of down-home veggies etc. Great meat loaf.

The Waysider: Fabulous breakfast spot. Always very busy. Coach Bryant ate here a
lot.

The City Cafe (Northport): Like the Waysider, an iconic breakfast. Another Bryant haunt.

Nick's in the Sticks: Super beef filet...funky atmosphere...very tasty food and never chic

The Cotton Patch: on the road to Birmingham and is a Southern cooking landmark. I prefer 15th St. Diner myself.

Archibald's: A's is the best barbecue in T-town, bar none. They serve take out only from a block building in Northport. Not the easiest place to find. Follow the smoke.

Dreamland Barbecue: The original location is loved by many. Just ribs, white bread and tea....no sides. Very good, but should be over run by Tide and Gator fans alike.

The Cypress Inn: pricey but said to be good. They are located on the banks of the Black Warrior River and the ambience/view is great.

If you love American art: The Jack Warner Art collection is a must-see. It is located in the old offices of the Gulf States paper mill located near Lake Tuscaloosa.

IN MONTGOMERY:

Lots of chains, but good food is still available. For lunch: the Montgomery State Farmers' Market has an excellent country cooking buffet. For supper: Martin's fried chicken is revered all over the South. The Hank Williams museum is located in Montgomery for those who need to pay their respects while passing through town.

Between Montgomery and Tuscaloosa I recommend Jim's barbecue. The Twix and Tween in Centerville is not what it used to be, but they sell their sauce and I always buy a supply when passing by.

LAST TIPS: While Tide fans are the most fervent of sports fans, they are also very hospitable. Conduct yourself well and you will be rewarded with many kindnesses. Lots of yes ma'ms and yes sirs will serve you well. And, the evening meal is "supper." Lunch is "dinner."

THE GAINESVILLE SUN REPORTS THAT LOUIS' LUNCH WILL CLOSE IN NOVEMBER!

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100930/ARTICLES/100939944/1118?Title=Louis-Lunch-closing-after-82-years

Louis' Lunch burger recipe

In a Yelp posting, one person claimed to have knowledge of the recipe for Louis' Lunch's burgers. They say it is: 1/3 ground beef, 1/3 ground pork, and 1/3 bread crumbs (plus spices).

If one were to jazz it up, add whatever spices you would add to your favorite meatball recipe or just salt and pepper. Further, I often add a healthy hit of olive oil when shaping the burgers. This adds a healthy fat and moisture to the finished product. Plus, it will enhance the crispy exterior that many afficianados of Louis's burgers crave.

THIS JUST IN FROM SLOW FOOD GAINESVILLE PER NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION THIS WEEKEND

Slow Food USA is hosting a national day of action this weekend -
Saturday, Spetember 25th! Let’s celebrate the advent of Fall and help
our community gardens to get a jumpstart! There are two locations
that we will be working and afterward we will have a potluck lunch
(details below).

1) Building raised bed gardens for Stephen Foster Elementary School
When: 8:30 am
Where: 3800 NW 6th St. Gainesville. FL 32609
What: Bring a snack, water, gloves and a shovel if you have one, and
plan to help the school set up their fall gardens!

2) Highlands Presbyterian Church has 10 raised Gift Garden beds and
would like to invite the community to come help plant, tend and
harvest the Fall garden. All food form the garden will be used as a
community resource.
When: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Where: 1001 NE 16th Avenue
What: Bring your water, gloves and come out to help. Highlands will
be providing seeds and seedlings for planting, however gardeners are
also welcome to bring seeds or seedlings they would like to cultivate
in the Fall garden. Highlands will have an assortment of gardening
tools available, however if you have your own hand tools, please bring
them along. If you have questions regarding this or future involvement
with the Highlands Community Gardens, please contact Rev. Alisun
Donovan (352 214 0117) or Donna Mitchell (352 328 6579).

We hope you can join us, the workdays we will be having a potluck
lunch (doors open at 11:30) at Highlands Presbyterian Church for all
foodies and gardeners interested in conversation about community food
programs, gardens and how we can reinvigorate Slow Food Gainesville by
helping out with these types of projects.


Also, I (we) wanted to let you all know that we are renewing our
commitment to keeping our Slow Food group active! After a year of
dormancy (baby, new job, etc....) we are ready to recommit to you,
Slow Food, and helping our community move the needle for
sustainability in our food system! I hope to post at least every
couple weeks to share opportunities and ideas as I did before, will do
my best to get he website up to date and keep it more active and we
want to get more invovled with these and other community gardens as
well as start hosting farm tours and potlucks again. If you have any
info or ideas and time to share, feel free to drop us a line -
slowfoodgainesville@gmail.com

See you in the garden!
Anna and Melissa

Hawaiian Pork Chops

This is a new recipe I am working on. Any comments will be appreciated. We are enjoying the dish and find the left overs to be very tasty.


HAWAIIAN PORK CHOPS

5 or so large loin or boneless pork chops
Salt and pepper
Olive oil, 3 tablespoons
1-20 ounce can, crushed pineapple
1-14.5 ounce can, diced tomatoes, drained
2-3 teaspoons, Cajun seasoning,
2 tablespoons, garlic powder
2 teaspoons, black pepper
2 teaspoons, pepper flakes
2 tablespoons, soy sauce


Heat up a large skillet on medium heat. Add olive oil and allow it to coat the pan.

Salt and pepper both sides of the chops.

Place the chops in the skillet. They should sizzle when added. If not, turn up the heat.

Sear the chops and turn after they look golden brown on one side. Do the same for the back side.

Add remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil and then lower heat to very low. Cook slowly on the stove top, semi-covered. When the pork reaches 160 degrees turn off the heat, cover, and prepare plates.

Serve with grits or rice.

Local Food Entrepreneurs: Pay Attention to Blue Oven Kitchens

Go to Blue Oven Kitchens' site (www.blueovenkitchens.org) for the status of the incubator kitchen being planned (now known as Blue Oven Kitchens). Regular trainings are scheduled and everyone interested in expanding the local food industry should be take advantage of these opportunities.

The Gainesville Guardian reports on new kitchen at West Coast Seafood

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100826/GUARDIAN/8261009

The new kitchen at West Coast Seafood, a new addition to their business, is cooking to order fresh seafood from their seafood market. In other words, you buy, they fry. We will be checking it out soon.

I am always looking for more seafood outlets and I plan to go back and see how West Coast rates. The garlic crabs will be high on the to-do list.

If this article's descriptions pan out, West Coast Seafood will be one more reason why Eastside Gainesville dining is the best in the city.

Will keep you posted.

EDIBLE PLANT PROJECT: A VERY WORTHY LOCAL FOOD GROUP TO KNOW ABOUT

Check out this group at their site: www.edibleplantproject.org. They are holding workshops today at 11 am at the Friends of the Gainesville Organic Blueberry Farm, 1621 SE 15th Street, Gainesville, FL.

NY Times column on food safety is a must-read. Action needed to enhance food safety

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/opinion/25schlosser.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=food%20safety&st=cse

Adirondack Crescent Cheeses Extolled in New Book

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/note.php?note_id=138192759538557&id=318937002745

Check out this new book by the Halls, our North Central Florida neighbors!

HOW TO DO FLORIDA: NEW WEB SITE

WWW.HOWTODOFLORIDA.COM is a new web site that is now up and running. The site is run by the State of Florida ag folks and will spawn a state-wide television program beginning in the fall on Sun network. It looks good and promising. Check it out.

JUST DISCOVERED A COOL FLORIDA BLOG: PURE FLORIDA

CHECK OUT THIS BLOG: WWW.PUREFLORIDA.BLOGSPOT.COM

This Rival slicer is like the one I own and use regularly. Saves $3/pound over deli-sliced meats.. Slice your own and save $$$$.

FYR: Great article on maintaining cast iron pans

http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/how-to-buy-season-clean-maintain-cast-iron-pans.html?utm_source=Serious+Eats+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=53f9805033-Serious_Eats_Weekly_Newsletter_June_14_2010&utm_medium=email

THE JELLO MOLD MISTRESS OF BROOKLYN

I heard an interview with this woman, The Jello Mold Mistress of Brooklyn. Here is the link to her blog and see link to the program.

www.victoriabelanger.wordpress.com

Excellent article on upside down gardening

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/garden/20tomato.html?scp=1&sq=upside%20down%20gardening&st=cse

Times article on new grassroot food vendors in NYC

This article should be read by future food entrepreneurs. Lays out a view of the NYC scene.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/dining/02vendors.html?ref=dining

I have received several recommendations for Farm to Family. Check it out.

http://buyingclub.farmtofamily.com/

Note link on small farming in FL

www.floridasmallfarms.blogspot.com

NEWS FROM SLOW FOOD GAINESVILLE

A few interesting things here.

1. High Springs Farmers Market is seeking a Market Manager. Consider applying if you're looking for a little extra work on the side!

* Pays $100 per week
* Weekly duties include vendor relations, setup of market booth/signs, record keeping, outgoing personality, multi-tasking skills sincere commitment to the Farmers Market and familiarity with USDA laws helpful.
* Email your resume to the manager farmersmarket@highspringsmainstreet.com


2. Vote for Florida Organic Growers' GIFT Gardens! FOG is trying to build more gardens for low income residents, this time for a proposed project in the Porters Neighborhood. Click here to sign up and vote!

3. Local Food Potluck in Micanopy for the Transition Town network in celebration of Eat Local Month! Bring a local or mostly local dish to share. It is part of a new group in Micanopy that has started a "Transition Town" right here in Micanopy! Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 from 6 to 8 pm behind Mosswood Farm Store in Micanopy. Drinks will be provided. A speaker will be discussing the benefits and sustainability of a local food diet and we will be discussing the planning of a Micanopy community garden.

--
Supporting good, clean and fair food.

Straw Bale Gardening Technique

http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/straw-bale-gardening.html

Try this recipe for Zucchini Marinara

http://www.proiettis.com/recipes.cfm?subpage=14122

TV 20 reports that Cafe Gardens is closing its doors

http://www.wcjb.com/news/6619/cafe-gardens-closing-down

Fish Sauces explained. My secret ingredient

Lynn Rossetto Kaspar of the Splendid Table radio program swears by Three Crab fish sance as her go-to secret ingredient. The following is a good article on that sauce and other Asian fish sauces. I may be trying a few out.

http://importfood.com/satc2401.html

Viva Voltaco's Spring Salad reprised

VIVA VOLTACO’S SPRING SALAD

Italian angels can cook, and they work at Voltaco’s in Ocean City, NJ, a seasonal Italian sub shop on West Avenue six blocks off the ocean and the boardwalk. In spite of being off the beaten path in this popular family beach resort, Voltaco’s is jammed with locals and tourists alike. They come for the fabulous food first and the angels second.

Aromas of freshly baked breads, pungent chopped herbs, and onions fill the small shop during lunch hour. A Voltaco's sub is wrapped in butcher’s paper, doused with Italian dressing and passed to eagerly awaiting customers. Each one is a blessing from heaven.

Owners Vicky and Joe Tacarrino are open during the summer months and make enough from their seasonal business to close up during the winter months. Next summer, if you are anywhere east of the Mississippi during the summer, go to Ocean City NJ and savor their wares. They are open for supper as well and sell freshly prepared and home made dishes ready to take home after a long day at the shore.

This salad is something we tried by accident when my wife decided not to have a sub. I tasted it and loved it every bit as much as their subs. We left determined to make our own version at home and our recipe follows. Here is our take on their salad.

Viva Voltaco’s.

Ingredients:

One bag of spring mix greens
2 pared and sliced fresh pears
a handful of walnuts
crumbled blue cheese
Voltaco balsamic dressing (balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey, mustard)
Balsamic vinegar. 3/8’s of a cup
1 teaspoon, lemon juice
salt, a pinch
black pepper, a pinch
Creole seasoning, a pinch
Honey, 2 tablespoons
Naples Valley Hot Mustard (or your favorite hot honey mustard)

To make the dressing:

In a food processor: To the balsamic vinegar add the lemon juice, salt, black pepper, Creole seasoning, honey, and Naples Valley Hot Mustard. Pulse several times. Through the tube of the processor, drizzle 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil while continuously running the processor until all oil is emulsified with the dressing.
Chill for an hour.

To assemble the salad:

Rinse the greens and either spin-dry them or wrap them in paper towels to soak up all of the water. The water will dilute the rich flavors. Place in a large salad bowl.
Add dressing and toss to coat the leaves.
Peel the pears, core, and slice. Arrange attractively on top of the greens.
Take a four finger pinch of walnut halves or broken walnuts and sprinkle over the salad in a circular motion.
Do the same with the blue cheese.
Serve from the serving bowl into smaller bowls with two serving spoons or forks making sure to top each serving with representative quantities of the pears, walnuts, and cheese.

FLORIDA FOOD SUMMIT, APRIL 12-13, 2010

Don't forget to attend the Florida Food Summit on April 12-13 at the J. Wayne Reitz Union at the University of Florida. The summit is sponsored by the UF Office of Sustainability and will be highlighted by a Fair and Farmers Market from 11 AM-3PM on the north lawn of the JWRU and talks both days.

The local food issue has been prominent in our agricultural and culinary circles. It is a boost to the movement to have attention given to this issue by UF.Please turn out.

For more information: www.sustainability.ufl.edu

Rochester's Charlie Brown's will re-open. Breakfasts are heaven on a plate!!

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100406/BUSINESS/100406014/-1/nletter09?source=nletter-business

HOUSEKEEPING: A search tool is now part of my blog; ordering through Amazon can be done directly from the blog site

I have added a search function to my blog page to assist you in finding blog entries from my archives. This tool should make it easier for you and for me when looking for a restaurant review, menu, or recipe.

Also, if you are ordering books through Amazon, take a look at the books in the carousel or go there and order other books. CFF receives a small portion of your purchase to help me keep the reviews and articles coming. Many thanks.

The Jones - A+ suppers

There are not enough stars in the sky to apply to the last two meals I have had at The Jones. First a water buffalo burger.....yes, you heard me right. Lean but juicy and very, very tasty. Tonight a chicken dish with shitake mushrooms, spinach, and a tomato cream sauce. I never give A + grades. This was off the charts. Heavens to Betsy!

More info to follow....

HARRY'S FELL DOWN LAST NIGHT

We had out of town guests and wanted to take them to a restaurant that showed off the downtown area, but was more informal than some. I had reviewed Harry's a while back on this blog and had given it flying colors.

Last night, however, the very same dishes were not good. The shrimp and scallops over the grits cake was way, way too salty and my wife's shrimp (shrimp and grits) was rubbery and overcooked. Consistency is important in the restaurant business and Harry's fell down last night. Maybe they had a new cook.

I would have sent my back but we had already waited a long time in spite of the restaurant not being full. Plus, we did not want to make a scene. The meal last night made me very reluctant to return. It is hard to reconcile having the very same dish be fabulous one night and lousy the next.

Billy, you need to "mentor" someone on your staff.

A Must Read on the Fraudulent Adulteration of Foods from the W'ton Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/29/AR2010032903824.html?hpid=topnews

THANKS FOR THE KIND WORDS, FLORIDA FOOD HOUND. GOOD LUCK IN YOUR NEW HOME IN ILLINOIS

Series on Gainesville Restaurants on East Side

Always good to learn about another blog covering the restaurant scene in and around Gainesville.

Check out CROSS FLORIDA FOOD for a series on local restaurants on the East side of town.

Lots of good ideas here. Enjoy.

East End Eatery: The Jewel of Eighth Avenue

East End Eatery (1202 NE 8th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601, 352-378-9870)is one of several sure-fire go-to restaurants on the east side of Gainesville. I can depend on their offerings and have thoroughly enjoyed each meal that I have had there. EEE features creative cuisine focusing on fresh,local foods whenever available. The dishes are healthful and all have intriguing tastes.

The restaurant came about after the success of its parent endeavor, Elegant Events Catering. Favorite dishes from the catering business have been incorporated into the EEE's menu. Their statement of purpose says it well: "As a locally owned small business, we strive to bring the very best of our community to you in the form of healthy, delicious and affordable lunches and carry-out. We have embraced the need for sustainability by providing Eco-friendly materials [menu and to-go packaging]. By utilizing sustainable methods in our preparation, we are doing our part to help preserve what we have -- a beautiful East End of Gainesville."

We have eaten there a number of times now. Often the menu features specials such as quiches, salads, and usually a hot dish. Their meat loaf and a beef stroganoff were definitely A plus comfort food. EEE's Mashed potatoes are better than Mama makes (sorry to the mothers of Gainesville).

Today, for example, we dropped by EEE for a quick lunch. My wife ordered quiche with a side curried apple sweet potato soup that was fresh, pungent, and with multiple layers of bright, rich flavor. The serving sizes were ample and the soup came in a large cup, much larger than normal. The quiche could have used stronger flavor, maybe a sharper cheese.

I ordered the Moroccan Chicken Salad Wrap that was flavored with oranges, dates, and cardamom. I was totally delighted with the wrap and found the meal tasty and refreshing. The side of potato salad was freshly made in the restaurant and "popped" with flavor.

This is definitely a go-to restaurant, a Percy Harvin of the Gainesville restaurant scene (along with Ruby's, The Jones). If you have not tried the East End Eatery, head on over and you will be glad you did.

GRADE: A

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Green Market, formerly Greenery Square, now hosts a farmers market on Fridays and Sundays. The site, located just east of the Mall on Newberry Road, is very accessible and convenient. The public attendance was a great success. We hope farmer vendors will join in and increase their participation. This site is destined to be a great success.

Local Blog worth checking out

www.ourlocallife.com

GAINESVILLE'S EAST SIDE RESTAURANTS SERIES: Civilization, was "a" bomb, not "the" bomb

While starting a series in my blog on the quality/value of east Gainesville restaurants,we decided to start with one that I had not yet patronized. What a mistake!

Our dining experience at Civilization was grueling, painful, and tasteless. The only redeeming points to the restaurant were the industrial chic design of the place and the well-intentioned staff. Oh....and the toasted bread was crisp.

Basically, we spent an hour and half waiting for a table and waiting to be served. 90 minutes! When the meal finally arrived (Coq au Vin), it was pretty much tasteless without any depth of flavor.

A dish often put in the category of comfort food, this version coupled with the horrendously long wait rendered our visit to this restaurant a total bomb. If I had cooked this dish at home I would have considered what I was served to be a complete failure. My wife's flank steak was just OK and the chimichurri sauce was barely apparent.

Upon our arrival, the restaurant lot did not have many cars in the lot and we decided to give the restaurant a try. We went in and found two parties ahead of us. The hostess said we could be seated in about 15 minutes. With no place to sit, we stood at the door for about 20 minutes. We were finally offered some seats at a booth set up for waiting patrons, not diners.

Many of Civilization's flaws begin with poor table management. The restaurant needs to add more two person tables. There were many four person tables seating two people. One six person table that had been configured by sliding together one or more tables had two people seated at it. While the restaurant is small, better tabling is needed to maximize the numbers of people that can be served and the number of settings per table per evening. They will surely fail if this problem is not solved.

Several tables had customers with glassy eyed looks of having waited way too long for their food. One of the two parties ahead us, upon being seated, were quick to tell the waitress they were very ready to order. They seemed exasperated too at the long wait and had too ample an opportunity to review the limited menu.

At no point did anyone ask how our meal was etc. I had to flag down someone to request......a napkin. Finally, after we were able to pay our check, we left the restaurant passing the main counter and the hostess and manager/owner. There was not a word uttered. Nothing like "thanks" or "good night" or "we hope you enjoyed your meal."

I will not return. Why would I want to go to a restaurant where the wait is long/painful and the final dish served is tasteless and unimaginative?

Civilization needs to re-examine how they move people through their establishment comfortably and gracefully. Their food needs considerable improvement. If you are looking for good restaurants on the east side, there are many other excellent choices: Satchel's, Ruby's, East End Eatery, The Jones.

If you go to Civilization, be forewarned. I hope they can turn their restaurant around, but for now I can not give them a passing grade.

GAINESVILLE'S EAST SIDE RESTAURANTS SERIES: RUBY'S RESTAURANT

To begin my series on east Gainesville restaurants, I am re-posting my review of Ruby's Restaurant. Day in and day out, Ruby's food is my favorite restaurant in town. Her cooking hits it out of the park every time.

RUBY'S RESTAURANT IS THE GEM OF GAINESVILLE RESTAURANTS

Ruby's Restaurant located at 308 NW 5th Avenue (378-0490)is flat out my favorite restaurant in Gainesville and I recommend that you rush over and support this local business. I guarantee you will love their food. The first time I visited Ruby's I felt like Columbus when he first eyeballed the New World through his hand telescope. I was on to something very important. I felt like I had struck gold.

Once in a very, very rare while, I taste a dish in a restaurant that is so good on return visits I am incapable of ordering anything else on the menu. That experience has happened not once, not twice, but three times at Ruby's. Three of Ruby's signature dishes (there are more I have not tried yet) are Dirty Rice w/ Shrimp, Blueberry De-Lite, and their Gator Burgers. "Mercy," and a shake of the head is always my reaction after the first bite of each.

The Dirty Rice with Shrimp is a Louisiana inspired plate of rice and meat with beautiful seared and seasoned shrimp on top. I may never get past this dish when presented the menu. It is tasty and no one else in town has undertaken it. I will go back again and again for this spicy rice dish.

I am not really a dessert person but a taste of the Blueberry De-Lite is as fine a dessert as there is on the planet. New Orleans' Commander's Palace's bread souffle with whisky sauce has a challenger. The De-Lite has a crunch crust on the bottom with layers of pudding, cream cheese, blueberries, whipped cream and nuts. I try not to lead you into sin, but dive in on this one.

The Gator Burger is a show stopper. I was expecting your basic good small restaurant burger. Instead I saw them put the one pound patty on the grill. It looked like a frisbee. The burger came out perfectly cooked on Texas toast. I immediately knew that it was beyond my capacity so I cut it in half and saved the other half for a buddy at the office who loves fine burgers. I can not even imagine what the Double Gator Burger must look like.

Ruby's is owned by Ruby and Johnny Moore. Both come from families of fine cooks. If I were to label Ruby's, I would call it progressive home cooking. The Moores have put together a menu that pulls from African-American cooking traditions (the motherlode of Southern foodways) and takes that cuisine to the next level with unique twists and turns that make their dishes always tasty and often intriguing. Imagination and love are clearly at work at Ruby's. Their son, Johnny Jr., works in the restaurant and charms each customer with his enthusiasm for his parent's cooking. Give Ruby's a try. You will not be disappointed.

Hogtown Homegrown

Local and Seasonal Recipes, Menus and More

A periodical produced in Alachua County, Hogtown Homegrown, is well worth reading regularly. Their sidebar, What's Fresh Right Now, and other information about local food sources and production are valuable contributions to our local food community. Check it out at www.hogtownhomegrown.com.

Try out Thomasville's Sweet Grass Dairy cheeses at Union Street Farmers Market today

Today 02-17-10 Sweet Grass Dairy at Union Street Farmers Market

Sweet Grass Dairy will be at the Union Street Farmers Market today. Lila will have the following cheeses with her . Greenhill, Crossroads Blue, Lumberjack, Harvest and Thomasville Tomme.

We hope you get the chance to come visit the Sweet Grass Dairy booth later today. As always, the hours will be 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm. See you this afternoon.

Sincerely,

The Sweet Grass Dairy Gang

GAINESVILLE'S BEST VALUES ARE ON THE EASTSIDE: REVIEW SERIES TO START THIS WEEK

My wife is out of town for a week and, as much as I love to cook, cooking for one person is a pain. I have been venturing out for lunch a bit more than normal and have found little to nothing in my neck of the woods (University and 34th Street area) that suits my tastes. Sometimes I just turn around and settle for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at home.

As I have searched in vain, it quickly has become obvious to me that my favorite restaurants in Gainesville are all on the east side of town, east of 6th Street. Starting with my favorite, Ruby's, on 5th Avenue (east of 6th Street) there are many fine restaurants waiting to serve you tasty and memorable meals at great prices. A number come immediately to mind: La Fortuna, East End Eatery, Terrell's Barbecue, The Jones, The Top, Juniors, Mac's Drive-Thru, The Sandwich Inn, Blue Water Bay, along with several fine restaurants in the city center's dining district.

While it is a bit of a trek for some of you who live on the west side, Gainesville is NOT that big of a town. A drive east takes a few minutes extra and the locally owned restaurants there will welcome you with open arms. Liberate yourselves from the Chain Restaurant Jungle that clutters Archer Road and most high traffic routes on the west side. Take a ride east and your will never go back. I guarantee you will marvel at the variety of restaurants that are trying to provide meals that are closer to home-made, show their ethnic roots, and do a better job of patronizing local food purveyors.

So... I am going to begin reviewing my favorites to spur you to action. Stay tuned and I will add a new review weekly until I run out of east side restaurants to recommend. That may take longer than you might think!

Easy Pepper Beef Stew

Last night, I was reading In Nonna's Kitchen, a wonderful book containing stories and recipes from Italian mothers and grandmothers. I came up with the following recipe that was inspired by one in the book. I highly recommend the book too!

EASY PEPPER BEEF STEW

3 lbs. stewing beef cut into 2 inch chunks
1 tablespoon, black pepper. Crush to release flavor.
Ten cloves of garlic, peeled
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bottle of red wine - Burgundy is a good choice
salt  to taste
strong pinch of Cajun seasoning
liberal dash of soy sauce
1 pound box of sliced mushrooms
tomato paste to taste or up to one can
a healthy splash of Three Crabs Fish sauce (optional)
Ketchup, 1/2 cup

Place all in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Serve over whole wheat noodles or brown basmati rice. MMMMMMMmmmmmmmm good.

Electric Table Top Roaster: Too Valuable and Too Cheap to Pass Up

Our oven , already way-ancient, "gave up the ghost" just as we were arriving at our home in NY state to ready for Thanksgiving supper that we were hosting several days hence. Fortunately, before leaving our home in Florida and having realized that the oven might likely be inoperable for Thanksgiving, we spotted an electric, table-top roaster on sale at a fabulous price, 29 bucks. We scarfed it up and stored in the car's roof-top carrier for the trip north.

The roaster saved the day and we swear by them now. We popped it out of the box, bought the turkey, brined it, and away we went to a fine Thanksgiving meal. I over-estimated the cooking time, but was able to nurse the bird along and it came out moist and tasty.

Due to another miscalculation (all part of the joy of collaborative holiday cooking), we ended up with a second turkey that had been purchased too close to Thanksgiving to defrost adequately (shhhhh!). Fortunately, I never tire of turkey so we cooked the second turkey several days later and it too came out beautifully. The 20 pound bird took about 3 hours to cook. We did not brine it and it came out of the roaster quite moist and delicious. All is well that ends well.

The beauty of this device is that for a small amount of money, you essentially end up with a second oven freeing the main oven for other dishes or, our case, saving the day by being a prime baking vessel. The roaster has other uses: a steam table to serve from; large soup cooker, etc.. This week we are roasting a tenderized ham in it for seven hours and I expect (hope) that it will come out savory and falling off the bone.

I thought I had everything, but this is a device you should buy. It is too valuable and too cheap to pass up.

Bill Smith's SEASONED IN THE SOUTH

Last summer, while passing through Chapel Hill, NC, we stopped at Crook's Corner restaurant (operated by Bill Smith). It was the depth of summer and the air was hotter "than your mama's stove." We had our dog, Kody, with us and we were dying to try out their two signature dishes: the tomato/watermelon salad and ...
More the shrimp and grits. We had read about each recipe in that month's Southern Living.

We needed to figure out how we both could eat and take care of Kody who was not allowed in the restaurant. To accomplish this required a creative strategy. I asked for a table for two by the window and asked that our orders come in series, not at the same time, but one immediately after the other. Our plan was to each have dinner in succession with the other sitting outside the window with the dog. We flipped a coin as to who would go first and I won!

My wife sat just outside the window with our dog and I received my order of the two famous dishes. The dinner was fabulous though I was sure to eat without undue dawdling. As soon as I was finished, we swapped places and my wife enjoyed her meal (and the air-conditioning). Our dog survived fine with cold water brought by the waiters to fill his water bowl and the affection of customers leaving the restaurant who diverted his attention away from the blazing heat.

The staff seemed touched by our efforts to enjoy their food and recommended the proprietor's cookbook to us. It included the recipes we had just enjoyed.

Needless to say, Bill Smith's cookbook is now front and center in my massive collection of books on Southern cooking. The recipe for Ham for a Crowd is an essential part of my repertoire. Easy and the perfect dish to serve for guests.

Thanks, Bill. Your book along with Moreton Neal's rememberance of Bill Neal sit near the door. If the house catches fire, I save my wife, my dog and those two cookbooks!

CFF designated as a Featured Blog on WHERE THE LOCALS EAT!

I am honored that Cross Florida food has been made a featured site on WHERE THE LOCALS EAT. I hope all will visit both my blog and their site for more food info around the US. I invite visitors from WHERE THE LOCALS EAT to explore my archives and links to access the several years of articles I have posted. Thanks again for featuring my blog.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: Cranberry-Orange Sauce: try this for a sure hit on Thanksgiving

In the mid-90's, my friend, Gail Carr, prepared Cranberry-Orange Sauce at an outdoor Thanksgiving dinner at the Carr farm in Micanopy. Frankly, it stopped me in my tracks and I have prepared it for every Thanksgiving since then to consistent applause. If you do not try this dish, you will "need to have your head examined." This recipe is abundantly easy.


CRANBERRY-ORANGE SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 large orange or 2 tangerines
1 bag of cranberries, 12 oz.
1 package of frozen raspberries in syrup
1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons, fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons, orange flavored liquer such as Triple Sec

1. From the citrus fruit, zest 1 teaspoon of peel and squeeze 1/2 cup of juice

2. In saucepan, heat all ingredients (except the liqueur) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered until most of the cranberries pop and the mixture thickens slightly. Stir as needed.

3. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the liqueur.

4. Stir into serving bowl and refrigerate for three hours before serving.

Posted by Jimmy Conner at 7:46 AM 1 comments

Crock Pot blog worth diving into

Take a look at www.crockpot365.blogspot.com.

I was looking for a crock pot recipe for the stone-ground grits that I bought fresh from a mill and had found were taking a very long time to cook. A Google search led me to the above blog and rekindled my respect for the slow cooker as an important part of my cooking tool collection.

In the late 90's, my mother was ill and in her last days, my work was calling me to travel over several regions of the state, and I was cooking for care-givers. I was stressed and spread ice-thin. I allotted myself seven minutes for supper (that was the long version). I had to find ways to ease the stress of responsibilities and the little time I had to meet them.

I turned to the crock pot as a time-saver cooking tool. Soon, I was able to put together meals that were a treat, easy to make, and no-fuss at the back end (or the front end for that matter). Dan, the head care-giver, even scheduled his shift when he knew I was cooking with the crock pot!

I developed a few recipes that became favorites when served with rice and steamed veggies, but the simplest was to take Boston Butt, trim off the excess fat and squeeze it into the slow cooker. Pour a jar of barbecue sauce over the butt. Add chopped onion, salt, pepper, cajun seasoning. Put it on high for 45 minutes or so to get it good and hot and then drop it to low and let it cook all day. It was so good, I imagined accolades of "Genius, genius!"

Back to the subject: the young woman who put together her blog with the self-challenge to use the crockpot daily for a year has put together an entertaining and helpful series of entries worth reading and returning to often. As she works her way through the varieties of uses for the crock pot she parlayed the experience into a book contract and television appearances. Well worth diving deep into her blog. Take the leap.

MRS. FREEMAN'S PEACH COBBLER

In the mid-70's, my dear friend, Robin Heil (now from Colorado) and I shared a house in Earleton, Florida with her then-boyfriend, Michael. Robin's cooking is, in my opinion, divinely endowed and she makes cooking look easy.

In those days, Michael and other acolytes of Robin's cooking eagerly stood in line for her fried chicken and other fixings including a dynamite creamed corn recipe. Decades later I was able to coax her east for an encore cooking demonstration so I could study her every move at the stove.

During her visit a year or two ago, I inquired how she developed into such a fine Southern cook considering she was born raised in south Florida. When she first came to Gainesville, she dated a local boy (we all were younger then), John Freeman, whose mother imparted to Robin many secrets of Southern cooking.

In addition to fried chicken, Mrs. Freeman taught her to make a peach cobbler that I can attest is first-rate. Robin wrote recently that it always comes out of the oven in a state of fail-safe perfection. Robin makes this cobbler recipe once a week when the Colorado peaches are in-season. It is no wonder her children have turned out well and her husband has a perpetual smile on his face. It may be that peach cobbler is the answer.

Here is Robin's recipe (thanks to Mrs. Freeman):

PEACH COBBLER

Ingredients:
3 teaspoons, baking powder
1 cup, milk
1 cup, flour
1 cup, sugar
1 stick butter
6-8 peaches, peeled and sliced

Melt butter in pan (13 x 9 x 2) while oven is pre-heating to 350 degrees. Combine the milk, baking powder, flour, and sugar and pour on top of the butter. Watch the pan carefully to avoid scalding anything. Cover all with sliced peaches. Put in oven and cook for 35-45 minutes until golden.

Alachua County video on the Alachua County Farmers' Market

This video is well done. I did not realize that the Alachua County Farmers Market near the Highway Patrol station is a growers only market. Everything sold there is grown by the farmers staffing their booths.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfWMf483wx8

GREEN DRINKS AT SATCHEL'S, OCTOBER 7

Green Drinks at Satchel’s Oct. 7!

Posted by Trish Riley, October 5, 2009

October 7, 2009
6:00 PM	to	8:00 PM

Got Something Green Going On? Bring your info to our next Green Drinks meeting to share with like-minded neighbors so we can support one another and find ways to work together to create a sustainable community.

Green Drinks Gainesville will meet at Satchel’s Pizza, 1800 NE 23rd Ave., 6-8-> p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 7. We’ll convene in the lounge – the screened room in back. Wednesday is New Song Night in the lounge at Satchel’s, so if you’re a musician, you might like to bring along your instrument and entertain us a bit. Check here for more info: http://www.lightninsalvage.com/LSElivemusic.htm

Satchel Raye will take the stage during a musical intermission at 7 p.m. to share his experiences running a sustainable business and why he feels it’s the best way to operate. Afterward, the music will resume. Those of us who wish to network can migrate to the picnic tables and tree house areas outside, where, at about 7:45, Melissa DeSa of Florida Organic Growers, David Reed, who’s working to develop a virtual food distribution system for local farm products, will share information about the exciting work underway to develop a strong local food network in our community. Ed Brown will share research he’s done on the potential impact that increasing our local food consumption could have on our local economy: it’s huge.

Remember – If you’ve been to Green Drinks before, you’re an ambassador! Please help introduce newcomers to help us all learn about one another’s green interests and activities so we can help each other grow our green community.

*Bring Your Own NAMETAG*

Hope to see you there!

Check out WWW.FOOD52.COM and enter their weekly contests that will yield a cookbook

Here is the gist of what these women are up to:

LET'S MAKE A GREAT COOKBOOK

• We created food52 to celebrate the best cooks in the world: home cooks.
• Every week we'll hold recipe contests. After a year - 52 weeks - Harper Studio will publish the winning recipes in a beautiful cookbook.
• We'll also share discoveries from the worlds of food, wine, and cookware so we all become better cooks together.
• Exchange recipes with others. Cook. Vote. Contribute. Welcome to food52!
• — Amanda & Merrill

Local Food Expo at the Sun Center, 9-27-09 a success

Glades Ridge Dairy Farm explains how they were excluded from the Alachua County Farmers Market

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Glades Ridge, Inc.
Date: Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Subject: Alachua County Farmers Market
To: nubians@gladesridge.com
Cc: nubians@gladesridge.com


Dear Friends:

The reason that I’m sending you this email is to let you all know why Glades Ridge Dairy is not at the Alachua County Farmers Market.

Yesterday I received a call from Helen Emery, the president of the Board of the Alachua County Farmers Market. Helen informed me that we were suspended from selling our milk and cheese until the next Board meeting in October, when it will be decided whether or not to suspend us permanently. The reasoning behind this decision was not because anything bad had occurred, and is as follows – we are selling unpasteurized dairy products and the Board fears that, if anyone became ill from eating our products, they would be liable and sued. Helen told me that they had consulted with a number of attorneys and other scientific experts. The conclusion of these experts was that the sale of our dairy products at the Alachua County Farmer’s Market was a liability due to the inherent dangers of raw milk, and because our customers may not be fully aware of or educated about what they were purchasing. [Note that we are in full compliance with all Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services regulations and possess a fully executed permit to sell raw milk/dairy as long as it is properly labeled.]

I responded with the following points:

* Our products are prominently labeled as “pet food, not for human consumption”. The label/warning is on our signs, packaging and literature. We point it out to our customers when we sell.
* E. coli or salmonella can contracted from many fresh food products, and the sale of raw vegetables and fruits at the market holds similar liability.
* We maintain a valid permit from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to sell dairy products “for pet food only”, and also have liability insurance as required by the Farmers Market.
* There has never been a reported illness due to the sale of raw dairy products in FL.
* We could not continue to farm if we had to extend our resources to pasteurization, and besides, unpasteurized products are not what our customers want.
* That pasteurization did not provide fool-proof protection against illness.

After I spoke with Helen, I called Farm To Consumer Legal Defense Fund and spoke with Pete Kennedy, FTCLDF attorney and Tampa resident. Farm To Consumer Legal Defense Fund was established a few years ago to defend farmers that were legally selling raw dairy and vegetable products and also to protect the right of consumers to purchase these products. Pete agreed to contact Helen Emery. I will let you know how this transpires. Pete also told me that this was the first case in the US that FTCLDF was aware of where a dairy that complied with all state regulations and market requirements was prohibited from selling by the market itself.

We sincerely hope to be back at the Alachua County Farmers Market soon. Until then, our products are available for pick-up from the farm. We are located north on SR 121 to Worthington Springs, and then about five miles west on CR 18. If you’d like to pick up at the farm, call me at 386-266-7041 for directions and to arrange a pick-up time. I’ll be glad to introduce you to the dairy herd too, and you can also see first-hand where the does are milked and cheese is produced. We are committed to producing quality products for you, and want you all to know that we will do everything that we can to be back at space #20 selling milk, cheese and eggs as soon as possible. If you go to the market and are so inclined, let the market manager, Jared Sweat and any of the board that happen to be there, know what you think. Your support is vital to helping us resolve this. You can also contact the market via email: Jared Sweat’s email is marketmanager@441market.com and Helen Emery’s is hme@441market.com

Thanks very much, and we hope to see you soon.



Joe Pietrangelo for Glades Ridge Dairy

Joe Pietrangelo and Greg Yurish, owners/operators



p.s. – I’ve included a few informative links, below:.





http://www.realmilk.com/



www.farmtoconsumer.org









GR

Glades Ridge Dairy Farm

Lake Butler, Union County, FL 32054

http://gladesridge.com









--

Note from Gainesville Farm Fresh's James Steele

I want to send out a thank you to Slow Food Gainesville's, Anna Prizzia and Melissa DeSa for hosting a wonderful potluck in support for the National Time For Lunch campaign to bring awareness and support to the school lunch program. The turnout was excellent and what a great assortment of dishes we had to choose from and enjoy!

We listened to Maria Eunice, director of food and nutrition services for Alachua County schools discuss the details of trying to feed students on 0.94 cents a day and the great benefit it would bring to have our legislature double the amount offered to the school lunch program.

Sean Mclendon also spoke on issues related to establishing a secure local food economy for our area, with discussion also from the attendees.

Thanks you for an enjoyable Slow Food event and do not forget, if you haven't filled out the petition, please do. You can find it online here http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/

Start marking your calendars for September 27th, for the Fall for Local Food Expo. Citizen's Co-op will be hosting this event in coordination with that Sunday's showing of Food, Inc. See details here..

http://www.gainesvillefarmfresh.com/#foodExpo

Let's all get out and support this Citizen's Co-op fundraising event and make it a success!

Regards,

James
Gainesville Farm Fresh
http://www.gainesvillefarmfresh.com

Hog Town Creek Smoked Brisket

The brisket I smoked yesterday was heavenly and I could almost hear Peggy Lee singing "Fever" when I took my first bite.

Before I forget, this is how I cooked it:

I prepared Java-Cinnamon Spice Rub from the excellent cookbook on cooking grass-fed meats, "The Farmer and the Grill" by Shannon Hayes (www.grassfedcooking.com). Her recipe is superb as is the rest of her cookbook. Buy it.

2 T. ground coffee
2 T. chili powder
2 t. black pepper
2 T. sea salt
2 T. ground cinammon
2 T. unrefined, or partially refined sugar

Rub the spices all over whole brisket pressing the spice mix into the meat and fat. Wrap the brisket in clear cellophane wrap and refrigerate for 2 days or more.

Remove the brisket and bring it to room temperature when ready to cook.

I get started at 4 a.m., though 2 or 3 a.m. would be better. Allow an hour to crank up your wet smoker before putting the brisket in the smoker. I usually do this stage with minimal sleep and go back to sleep once the meat is cooking.

Prepare the wet smoker by lighting the coals in a chimney coal starter. Do not use any lighter fluid. Let the coals go to full flame and, as they begin to settle down, add them to the coal pan 3/4's filled with briquettes.

Fill the smoker's liquid pan in the smoker with 1 liter of Coca Cola, fragrant spices/herbs, topped off with water. Place brisket on top rack fat side up and cover. After fire burns down some, add oak or hickory. I use fallen limbs and twigs from my back yard trees. Soaked chunks or chips would work. You want a healthy head of smoke. I add wood and stir my coals as needed during the smoking process so that I can maximize the smoky flavor. Check your liquid every two hours or so to be sure it does not boil away.

I smoked my brisket for about 8 hours. I removed it and put into a heavy cast iron casserole and poured some of my favorite barbecue sauce over the brisket. I use the famous sauce from Archibald's Barbecue in Northport, AL (I buy it by the gallon when traveling through Tuscaloosa.). It is not available in markets so, if you are not able to buy it in person in Alabama, use a vinegar-ish red sauce or make your own. I would not use a sweet sauce. Depending on your tastes and your guests, apply just a small amount of sauce for Texans and more for everybody else.

Set your oven or grill to a consistent 225, maybe 250 degrees and cook the meat another 4-6 hours depending on your schedule. Cook the covered brisket until about 45 minutes before serving.

Remove the brisket and let it sit at least 30 minutes. Many let is rest longer from one hour to 2-4 hours. Others carve at 160 degree temp.  Carve with an electric knife and always cut across the grain as you slice.

Apply sauce as you see fit at the table. Bring the brisket to the table and sing a few bars of "Fever" as your guests serve themselves.

Review: Harry's.....5 stars

Harry's Seafood Bar & Grille

110 SE 1st St
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 372-1555
5 star rating

9/5/2009
I have to tell you that I study and immerse myself in the cuisines of Louisiana and have generally considered Harry's to be a poor facsimile of the real thing. Only their portion sizes redeem the restaurant.

I dined there recently with neighbors and was very surprised. All of the dishes we ordered were first-rate. I had a dish composed of scallops and shrimp over a grits cake that was splendid. Two of us had the shrimp and grits and one had jambalaya.

I have developed and honed recipes much like each of these dishes and I hate to admit that they may be as good as mine or better. It kills me but, for this night at least, Harry's kicked b&tt, big time.

Oh also, the salad was superb and the bread served with the meal was crisp on the outside, soft in the middle and served hot with flavored butter. Perfection.

I would never have believed that Harry's could serve such a flawless meal. I am not easily pleased with Gainesville restaurants, but I plan to return to Harry's....soon.

What a fine surprise. Keep it up Harry's.

REHEATING IN THE MICROWAVE AND WHAT CONTAINERS TO USE

Reheating in the Microwave Oven

* Cover foods with a lid or a microwave-safe plastic wrap to hold in moisture and provide safe, even heating.
* Heat ready-to-eat foods such as hot dogs, luncheon meats, fully cooked ham, and leftovers until steaming hot.
* After reheating foods in the microwave oven, allow standing time. Then, use a clean food thermometer to check that food has reached 165 °F.

Containers and Wraps

* Only use cookware that is specially manufactured for use in the microwave oven. Glass, ceramic containers, and all plastics should be labeled for microwave oven use.
* Plastic storage containers such as margarine tubs, take-out containers, whipped topping bowls, and other one-time use containers should not be used in microwave ovens. These containers can warp or melt, possibly causing harmful chemicals to migrate into the food.
* Microwave plastic wraps, wax paper, cooking bags, parchment paper, and white microwave-safe paper towels should be safe to use. Do not let plastic wrap touch foods during microwaving.
* Never use thin plastic storage bags, brown paper or plastic grocery bags, newspapers, or aluminum foil in the microwave oven.

JOHNS HOPKINS RESEARCHER'S COMMENTS ON DIOXINS AND PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES

Researcher Dispels Myth of Dioxins and Plastic Water Bottles
Rolf Halden, PhD, PE

The Internet has been flooded with email warnings to avoid freezing water in plastic bottles so as not to get exposed to carcinogenic dioxins. One hoax email has been erroneously attributed to Johns Hopkins University since the spring of 2004. The Office of Communications and Public Affairs discussed the issue with Rolf Halden, PhD, PE, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences and the Center for Water and Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Halden received his masters and doctoral degrees researching dioxin contamination in the environment. We sat down with him to set the record straight on dioxins in the food supply and the risks associated with drinking water from plastic bottles and cooking with plastics.

Office of Communications and Public Affairs: What are dioxins?

Rolf Halden: Dioxins are organic environmental pollutants sometimes referred to as the most toxic compounds made by mankind. They are a group of chemicals, which include 75 different chlorinated molecules of dibenzo-p-dioxin and 135 chlorinated dibenzofurans. Some polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) also are referred to as dioxin-like compounds. Exposure to dioxins can cause chloracne, a severe form of skin disease, as well as reproductive and developmental effects, and more importantly, liver damage and cancer.

OC&PA: Where do dioxins come from?

RH: We always thought dioxins were man-made compounds produced inadvertently during the bleaching of pulp and manufacturing of pesticides like Agent Orange and other chlorinated aromatics. But dioxins in sediments from lakes and oceans predate these human activities. It is now generally accepted that a principal source of dioxins are various combustion processes, including natural events such as wild fires and even volcanic eruptions.

Today, the critical issue is the incineration of waste, particularly the incineration of hospital waste, which contains a great deal of polyvinyl chloride plastics and aromatic compounds that can serve as dioxin precursors. One study examined the burning of household trash in drums in the backyard. It turns out that these small burnings of debris can put out as much or more dioxins as a full-sized incinerator burning hundreds of tons of refuse per day. The incinerators are equipped with state-of-the-art emission controls that limit dioxin formation and their release into the environment, but the backyard trash burning does not. You set it ablaze and chemistry takes over. What happens next is that the dioxins are sent into the atmosphere where they become attached to particles and fall back to earth. Then they bind to, or are taken up, by fish and other animals, where they get concentrated and stored in fat before eventually ending up on our lunch and dinner plates. People are exposed to them mostly from eating meat and fish rich in fat.

OC&PA: What do you make of this recent email warning that claims dioxins can be released by freezing water in plastic bottles?

RH: No. This is an urban legend. There are no dioxins in plastics. In addition, freezing actually works against the release of chemicals. Chemicals do not diffuse as readily in cold temperatures, which would limit chemical release if there were dioxins in plastic, and we don’t think there are.

OC&PA: So it’s okay for people to drink out of plastic water bottles?

RH: First, people should be more concerned about the quality of the water they are drinking rather than the container it’s coming from. Many people do not feel comfortable drinking tap water, so they buy bottled water instead. The truth is that city water is much more highly regulated and monitored for quality. Bottled water is not. It can legally contain many things we would not tolerate in municipal drinking water.

Having said this, there is another group of chemicals, called phthalates that are sometimes added to plastics to make them flexible and less brittle. Phthalates are environmental contaminants that can exhibit hormone-like behavior by acting as endocrine disruptors in humans and animals. If you heat up plastics, you could increase the leaching of phthalates from the containers into water and food.

OC&PA: What about cooking with plastics?

RH: In general, whenever you heat something you increase the likelihood of pulling chemicals out. Chemicals can be released from plastic packaging materials like the kinds used in some microwave meals. Some drinking straws say on the label “not for hot beverages.” Most people think the warning is because someone might be burned. If you put that straw into a boiling cup of hot coffee, you basically have a hot water extraction going on, where the chemicals in the straw are being extracted into your nice cup of coffee. We use the same process in the lab to extract chemicals from materials we want to analyze.

If you are cooking with plastics or using plastic utensils, the best thing to do is to follow the directions and only use plastics that are specifically meant for cooking. Inert containers are best, for example heat-resistant glass, ceramics and good old stainless steel.

OC&PA: Is there anything else you want to add?

RH: Don’t be afraid of drinking water. It is very important to drink adequate amounts of water and, by the way that’s in addition to all the coffee, beer and other diuretics we love to consume. Unless you are drinking really bad water, you are more likely to suffer from the adverse effects of dehydration than from the minuscule amounts of chemical contaminants present in your water supply. Relatively speaking, the risk from exposure to microbial contaminants is much greater than that from chemicals.

And here’s one more uncomfortable fact. Each of us already carries a certain body burden of dioxins regardless of how and what we eat. If you look hard enough, you’ll find traces of dioxins in pretty much every place on earth. Paracelsus the famous medieval alchemist, used to put it straight and simple: it’s the dose that makes the poison.--Tim Parsons

Public Affairs media contacts for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Tim Parsons or Kenna Lowe at 410-955-6878 or paffairs@jhsph.edu.





"

Review: D'Allesandro's

I hope my next trip, if I make it, is better than the first. In these economic times, I can not make multiple trips hoping a restaurant will be better on the second or third try.

The good news: Allesandro's is very attractive and tastefully decorated with soft, mellow light shades bearing their logo. The waiter was well informed about the menu and very pleasant. The bread was warm. My main dish, Pollo Rosamarino, was tasty.

The rest of the story: No side of pasta served or offered. The olive oil for dipping bread was as bland as tap water with no spicing. My main dish, while tasty, consisted of pounded chicken breasts, with faint sprinkling of chopped rosemary served over riced potatoes said to be mashed.

The portions were small. The mashed potato serving was about a 1/2 to 3/4 cups. There was no color on the plate except a scant sprinkling of rosemary. White meat, on a white plate, with white potatoes. It was the most unimaginative way to serve the dish that I could possibly imagine.

The salad that came with the meal was served without any choice for salad dressing. The dressing served was a mediocre balsamic dressing of no significant merit. Maybe a restaurant of this stature should offer several home-made dressings. We were offered no choices. Balsamic dressing was all that was served.

In such an elegant surrounding, I expect something that is more than border-line bland, poorly presented, and of modest taste. I expect something more than an average salad and, lastly, turn the music down!

I will not be back even though the restaurant has its good points.

The Hungry Mouse: Photos accompanying recipes sparkle

Do check out The Hungry Mouse in my links section. The photography that accompanies each step by step recipe are stellar, as good as it gets. Don't miss this one!

Subscribe to this magazine

I think Eating Well does a service to humankind and I recommend that you subscribe. Read it cover to cover every month and then take action for yourself, your family, and your world.

www.eatingwell.com

First Pass at Merlion, 3610 SW 13th Street: Lovely Restaurant, Tasteless Lunch....Can I Afford to Give Them a Second Chance?

The decor of the restaurant is superb and the staff is friendly but that is it for high marks. My dish at lunch today, Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken, had the least flavor of any dish I have ever had in a restaurant.

The chunks of pineapple were finger-nail size and hard to find in the rice. The chicken pieces were more like shavings, not enough to taste in the dish. I finally used the dipping sauce served with my spring roll (tasty) to bump up the rice. Without it, there was no flavor. Minute rice tastes better.

Two tiny flowerettes of broccoli and one snow pea pod constituted my vegetable ration accompanied by one small slice of orange as the garnish. I knew the meal was not up to snuff when I thought to myself, "Thank God for the orange slice."

If decor is what you are after, this restaurant is first-rate. If you are looking for good food, do not buy the rice dishes, but try one of the curries and cross your fingers. Personally, I will wait for new ownership.

Tips on How to Cook Grass-fed Meat from Slow Food Gainesville

A note from Anna Prizzia of Slow Food Gainesville:

Some of you who were a part of the recent cow pool, and others that
have purchased grass-fed meat in the past have asked me if there are
tricks to cooking this meat to bring out its full character and
flavor...the answer is YES! Grass-fed meat is quite different from
it's grain-fed cousin. It is leaner and denser, and therefore cannot
take the high heats and rough handling that we have learned as
standard for industrial meat. In fact, for a while I thought I could
not eat meat because one alternative was a meat that did not meet my
philosophical beliefs and one would not satisfy my palate. Luckily, I
learned that with a few simple tricks, I could have my steak and eat
it too...

I highly recommend Shannon Hayes books, especially the Farmer and the
Grill. She has studied the art of cooking grass-fed meat and has lots
of great tips and info. Her website is www.grassfedcooking.com.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is this- for reliably
sourced grass-fed meat, ideal internal temperatures (get a meat
thermometer, its worth it!) are lower than many of the USDA
recommended temperatures for meat....Shannon's recommendations based
on her research are (Fahrenheit):
Beef/Bison- 120-140
Ground meat- 160
Veal- 125-155
Lamb and Goat- 120-145
Pork- 145-160
Chicken (unstuffed)- 165
Turkey (unstuffed)- 165

Bon Appetit!

A very useful chart of beef cuts and how to cook them......click to enlarge

Michael Pollan article in today's NY Times mag is a must-read

DON'T FAIL TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN THE TIMES.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/magazine/02cooking-t.html?_r=1&ref=dining

Plant vendor site a pleasant surprise for its information

www.bonnieplants.com

Bonnie Plants, located in Union Springs, Alabama provides seedlings to many of our local feed and plant stores. We pass through Union Springs once or twice a year and always lean on the horn at the cut off to their business. We may stop in sometime.

Their site is an excellent source of information for using their products. Frankly, I was surprised at how useful and comprehensive it is. Check it out.

Note on new issue of Hogtown Homegrown from Slow Food Gainesville

The July issue of Hogtown HomeGrown has been distributed around town
and is online at this link - http://www.hogtownhomegrown.com/Files/Hogtown%20Homegrown%20July%2009.pdf

Be sure to make the Blueberry Buckle - an old-fashioned cake bursting
with blueberries!

Colonel Sanders handwritten recipe for barbecue sauce from the original KFC in Corbin, KY

Colonel Sanders’ Barbecue Sauce Recipe

[from handwritten recipe on display at the original KFC in KY]

1 gallon, ketchup

12 c., Worcestershire sauce

3 c., allspice

2 c., red pepper

6 c., liquid smoke

15 c., smoke salt

2 c., chili tang

4 c., cumin powder

2 c., ground mustard

10 c., beaded molasses

5 c., black pepper

1 c., cinnamon

1 c., cayenne

1 c., ginger

1 c., celery seed

4 c., ground sage

ROBIN'S FRIED CHICKEN

My dear friend and room mate from the 70's, Robin Heil, is a superb cook and her fried chicken was often requested by her ravenous room mates and friends. I have been begging for her to cook it again and, when she visited Gainesville from Colorado, we were lucky enough to coax her to our stove to do a rendition of her much-loved fried chicken. We were thrilled with the result.

Robin grew up in south Florida and came to Gainesville for college. From the mother of a Gainesville boyfriend, she encountered Southern cooking and learned many recipes. For someone from south Florida (hardly known for its Southern fare), Robin's cooking astonishes me because she has mastered many Southern dishes as if she were a fourth generation resident of Georgia, north Florida, or Alabama. Her chicken is a prime example.

Her fried chicken recipe (which follows) may look simple, but d&mn, it is tasty....among the best I have tasted.


ROBIN'S FRIED CHICKEN

Place lard and bacon fat (or peanut oil) in skillet to a level one-inch deep. Heat to smoking point.

Prepare flour and corn meal in equal parts for dipping. Season mixture with 1 tablespoon of Bell's Poultry Seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Dip chicken into flour/seasoning mix to cover all sides. Shake off excess.

Place gently in pan and cover to keep oil from splattering.

Cook for 10 minutes and turn over. Try to only turn the chicken once.

Cook for 10 more minutes and remove chicken to paper towels or flat paper bag to drain.

Serve hot.

COOKBOOK REVIEW: WHAT A SURPRISE THIS ONE WAS!

		The American Medical Association Family Health Cookbook by Brooke Dojny Edition: Hardcover Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability		59 used & new from $0.01
I DON'T TRUST DIETITIANS TO BE ARTFUL WITH FOOD, June 30, 2009 Frankly, many cookbooks of this type that are written by dietitians or doctors produce recipes that are more clinical than tasty. I expected that this one would be one more in that style. Boy, was I surprised and impressed with this cookbook. The recipes are easy enough and ambititiously touch on the many cuisines that make up our American melting pot. Plus, all the ones I have made are very tasty. Southern cuisines, for example, are often left out of these cookbooks, but not here. The Yogurt Corn Bread is an ace of a recipe and lead me to believe that these authors know how to say "ya'll" and cook that way too. This is a superb cookbook that not only has consistently excellent recipes but also has cooking tips that are well beyond what could be expected from the American Medical Associaton. Bravos to the AMA for putting out this cookbook. Buy this cookbook. It is a steal of a deal. Comment | Permalink

New local web sites

Gainesville is quickly becoming a leading community for sustainable, healthy agricultural goods. It is important that we all patronize the pioneers for healthy food in our community.

In my links section, I have added the new web site for Ward's Market. Long overdue, I am delighted that Ward's is making its presence known on the internet. Also, the Sun reported on two sites that I recommend to you: www.gainesvillefarmfresh.com and www.gogreenalachua.com.

Again, patronize local markets, vendors, and farm stands. The vitality of our community depends on a healthy relationship between purveyors and customers. Do your part.

Heat Sinks: a thought from my buddy in Alabama

My good friend, Chesley, in Tuscaloosa, AL is an engineer and approaches barbecue with dedication, perseverance, zeolatry, and methodical thinking. Over the last few years, he and I have corresponded about a sauce that we both love and how we might come close to duplicating it. He has also shared grill set up ideas that have intrigued me. 

He applied one idea to his two barrel grill/smoker. In the cooking chamber, he placed fire bricks to serve as a heat sink to sustain and even out the temperature fluctuations. Pizza ovens often do something similar.  I look forward to using the same technique in other barbecue/smoker applications to see if I can improve their performance.

Wonder where your food comes from?

Check out the Global Grocer tool from Food and Water Watch in my list of links or copy and paste the following into your browser: www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/global-grocer. You will be amazed at how much food is shipped over herculean distances. 

No wonder we are deep in hock to oil-producing countries. We have the carbon footprint of King Kong on steroids.  

Buy locally!

Three newly discovered web sites I like

Today's New York Times Dining section is once again a treasure trove of new ideas and approaches to the world of food and its preparation.

WWW.MIDTOWNLUNCH.COM is a great site for the off beat, streetside food vendors in New York City. 

WWW.HERITAGERADIONETWORK.COM is an in-depth audio approach to food. Great stuff. Digs deeper than the best of the foodie podcasts and e-mail newsletters. 

WWW.CUPCAKESTOP.COM intrigues me. How can any passer-by resist buying a cupcake?