Articles

” Going Bananas “

Image Source : dachshundlove.blogspot.com

I found this on Recyclebank.com and thought it merit’s a share.
Enjoy 🙂

8 Great Ways to Reuse Bananas

Aug 17, 2012 by Trish Smith

You can reuse the complete banana, from inside out, to assist you with some of life’s every day challenges.

I was inspired by the previous story I wrote, Fuel Starts Going Bananas, to read more about the reusability of bananas. Besides throwing the peels into my backyard composter, I didn’t really know any other things to do with the leftover banana waste.

So I did some research and discovered a bunch of eco-friendly ways to reuse bananas instead of just throwing them away. Here are a few of the most interesting alternatives:

A tip from ThriftyFun says that if you happen to get bitten by red fire ants, by rubbing the inside of a banana peel on the bite you will prevent it from itching and getting inflamed. This also works for mosquito bites.

You can use bananas as fertilizer, either by putting them directly into your composter like I do, or by cutting them into little pieces and mixing them in the soil. Bananas are great for plants because they are rich in phosphorous and potassium.
Rubbing the inside of a banana peel onto your brown leather shoes is a great way to clean them and keep them shiny. Also works for non-leather shoes.

The potassium in banana peels can cure you of warts in less than 2 weeks.

By gargling with water and salt, and then rubbing a mixture of banana peels onto your teeth for about 2 weeks, they will get significantly whiter.
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Read the rest of the article HERE.
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” Dave Arnold And Harold McGee Do Cool Stuff To Eggs At Harvard “

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Dear Friend’s
I came across this on cookingdistrict.com and thought you might enjoy this as much as I did.
Take a few minutes time out and have Fun 🙂

Image Source: Crazy Chefs

” Dave Arnold And Harold McGee Do Cool Stuff To Eggs At Harvard ”
By Lisa McLaughlin on September 12, 2012

The new school year has begun and with it comes the first lecture of the 2012 Food and Science Lecture Series at Harvard. The first installment featured Dave Arnold, the uber creative Director of Culinary Technology at the International Culinary Center and Dave Arnold and gastronomic guru Harold McGee talk about soft matter science, explosions, mayonnaise making, haute cuisine, make some dragon’s beard, and do some super cool stuff with eggs.

See the video HERE
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” About My Recipes “

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Dear Friend‘s,

Here is my answer to a question some of my new readers have once in a while :

I love the dish! But where is the recipe ?

To answer those questions :
The ingredient’s (except most standard seasonings) are usually pictured in the first (the Prep) picture..
The idea is to have you add as much / little of one ingredient as you like :
Don’t like much garlic? Add less! Love garlic? Add more.
In savory cooking, recipes are usually just guidelines, which you should interprete
according to your taste , preferences and availability. (Don’t like butter? Use olive oil !
Don’t like butter nor olive oil? Use Canola oil or peanut oil or whatever fat you like !
Prefer your soup / sauce thicker or thinner ? Add more or less thickener !
Don’t want fat in your food? Leave it out!
Most reader like this format, especially the once who have fallen on their butt
by following “EXACT” recipes to the dot, just to find out they don’t give you the pictured result : -(

And yes, many of my recipes have the approximate amounts printed 🙂

So please remember :
To truly learn a dish, one must understand what the temperature, moisture and time does to the ingredients. (Amongst many other things).

To quote Alton Brown:
“A home cook who relies too much on a recipe is sort of like a pilot who reads the plane’s instruction manual while flying.”
– Alton Brown

Cooking is a labor of love.
Do what makes you happy, as long as you understand the guidelines. :-)

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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” More Rice ” 飯 – Fan (Chinese Steamed Rice)

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One of the comments to my ” Rice ” post yesterday came from one of my former
students at “Le Cordon Bleu”, Christine, who post’s at: The Perky Poppy Seed

Thank You Christine 🙂

” I was thinking about your class last night… so I made my Perfectly Steamed Rice

from Perky’s Le Cordon Bleu Notebook:) You might find it amusing to read…
it may bring back memories from class:) LOL:) “

Below find Christine’s post from The Perky Poppy Seed

Perfectly Steamed Rice from Perky’s Le Cordon Bleu Notebook

September 1, 2012 by The Perky Poppy Seed

Perfectly Steamed Rice from Perky’s Le Cordon Bleu Notebook

Tonight I thought I would share my Perfectly Steamed Rice from Perky’s Le Cordon Bleu Notebook. This recipe comes from my Cuisine Across Cultures Day 2 notes. My Chef … my oh my:) He was one of the best instructors at Le Cordon Bleu. Chef Susser would never accept excuses for anything. Things had to be done the way he said or forget it, you just wasted your time. Chef really taught us to do things properly and in an orderly fashion. Now, sometimes I thought he was a bit nuts… but… it all paid off in the long run. Chef Susser wanted to teach us things that would stay in our head forever. He wanted us to do things properly without thinking:) I am not sure about the other students, but he certainly gave me a whole new second nature! I never, and I mean never walk past a pot that is boiling without attempting to turn it down.. I never let a tomato get mushy when blanching…. I am always cognizant of the dishes that I dirty. I stop in the middle of things sometimes to clean them:) I am always aware of the rules of sanitation…. which I like to call the rules of sanity:) If at all possible, before anything I make a ” sample” to make sure that the outcome is going to be what I had anticipated. I have Chef Susser to thank for my second nature in all these areas and in all the other areas that he stamped on my brain. Before his class I had to think.. and in the kitchen thinking takes up valuable time.. time that just cannot be wasted on lolly gagging… Now I go into the kitchen and I am thinking but it is not about things that Chef Susser taught us, those I just DO!…:) Thank you, Chef Susser:) This one is for you:)

Now a word about the rice. This is the simplest no- fail way to do rice. I have done it with all sorts of rice. It always works:) It turns out just like the rice in Chinese restaurants. The other day my boyfriend wanted to buy pre-made rice in a microwave bag. Are you kidding? I told him there was no way I was paying that much money for rice! This recipe is great for making ahead and freezing in vacuum sealed pouches. It is also great for children, since there is no flavoring in it.. it is just rice, which most children like to eat. It is great anytime you want rice as a side dish. This rice is great for company, when it is soaking shower & finish setting the table… have a drink.. then make sure your silverware has no spots or fingerprints on it… make sure all the glasses are sparkling..( a newspaper is great for this.. http://theperkypoppy.com/2012/07/20/no-more-dirty-glass/ – check out my post on dirty glass- use a mixture of vinegar and water for your drinking glasses.) Then when and hour is up, drain the rice & bring to a boil; simmer for five minutes, then off heat and let sit for 10 minutes and that is it! That is it… Perky Perfection:)

Perfectly Steamed Rice from Perky’s Le Cordon Bleu Notebook

1 cup of rice makes 2.2 cups of rice

1 cup of rice ( for this you can use any kind of rice…the cheap rice at the grocery works..plain white rice (just make sure it is not par cooked.. basmati rice works.. jasmine rice, etc)
1 cup of water

Put rice in colander and rinse… rinse … rinse

See the cloudy water… this rice needs to be rinsed MORE!
Do not skimp on this step (if you do you will have gross rice that just sticks together & and is a glob of starchy yuckiness)
Keep rinsing until your water comes clear (once again … DO NOT skip this step, it is vital to the final product’s success)

See the clear water? This rice has been rinsed properly:)
Once water runs clear for the rice, place in a large bowl fill bowl with water so that it covers at least 2 inches above the rice.
Then let the rice soak for an hour..Set your timer for this, the time is very important. You do not want the rice to absorb too much water, or not enough water… ONE HOUR-NO MORE -NO LESS (if you doubt me just ask Chef:)-
Then strain the rice in a fine strainer (a larger strainer will let too many rice grains through)

Using a fine strainer to strain the rice
Then put rice in a sauce pan with equal amounts of rice to water ( ie: 4 cups rice, 4 cups water)
Then place on stove top. Bring to a boil, meanwhile take a piece of aluminum foil that is at a little larger than the size of the saucepan; and get a heavy pot that is at least the size of the mouth of the sauce pan.
Once rice & water come to a boil, quickly turn down to low, as low as it will go..
Then cover the saucepan with the foil, making a tight seal ( be careful, as the pot is very HOT)

Tight foil to seal in the steam
Then cover the foil covered saucepan with the heavy pan that you gathered earlier. If you see steam escaping, crimp the foil tighter around the pan. (Be careful STEAM IS VERY HOT!!!! )

Heavy pot over the foil to seal in the steam. This may look a little ghetto, but when properly done, it seals in the steam!
Set the timer for 5 minutes.. yep just 5 minutes.. no more no less!!!
Once timer goes off immediately remove pot from the heating element. (Do not disturb the foil or the heavy pot.. KEEP THEM ON)
Then once pot is off heating element, set the timer for 10 minutes (Remember to keep the foil & heavy pot on at this time)
After 10 minutes, your rice is ready!!!
Take off the foil & heavy pot, then fluff with a fork

Fluffing with a fork
At this point, you can serve your rice. Personally I like a little pink sea salt from the Himalayan mountains on my Himalayan Mountain Basmati rice & a touch of extra virgin olive oil. Or you can place this on a sheet tray or a cookie tray to cool then package up for the vacuum sealer:) Or put a little milk & honey or maple syrup on it with some freshly grated nutmeg & cinnamon. Anyway you make it, this is some tasty rice:)

Himalayan Basmati Rice & Himalayan Pink Sea Salt go perfectly together:)
Enjoy your fluffy, Perfectly Steamed Rice from Perky’s Le Cordon Bleu Notebook

Perfectly Steamed Rice from Perky’s Le Cordon Bleu Notebook

” Rice “ (chefsopinion.org)
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” Rice “

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POLO

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CHELO
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Image Source: Fae’s Twist & Tango

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Lately, instead of making steamed rice (Turkish Pilaf or Chinese Fan for example),
I have moved on to mostly make Polo sometimes with, sometimes without the tahdig (crust).
I just love the simplicity and the plain flavor, as well as the uncomplicated, surefire
procedure. I just soak basmati rice for 4 hours, rinse it thoroughly and then cook it
in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes. Strain, done. Absolutely fool proof and
pure rice goodness. If you want to make Chelo (Chelou), there are numerous
video instructions on the net, many different ones with different results.
Just pick your favorite. 🙂
All our latin friends will understand the heavenly texture and flavor of tahdig,
which means bottom of the pot and consists of the crispy rice which forms when
you cook the rice again after you have cooked it and strained it the first time.
At this point you can add just salt, a little water and saffran and return it to the
heat , slowly cooking until a wonderful crust has formed at the bottom of the pan.
Invert it on a plate or platter, with the golden crust on top the star of the dish.
You can also add vegetables and proteins before you cook the rice a second time
to make it a one-pot meal.
In different latin countries tahdig is called socarrat, pegao, raspa, etc.
The Koreans call it nurungji and I am sure every other language has at least
one or several words for this delicacy. Just don’t call it burnt rice, because if
it is burned, it is ruined.
The crust should be golden brown, light and crispy but not hard.
( Thadig, Polo and Chelo originate in the ancient persian language )

Please note that some folk’s use the pilaf method and cook the Chelo in one single cooking process.

” The Best Outdoor Dining Spots In The U.S. “

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According to Bella, this is the # 1 outdoor dining spot in the U.S.
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However, according to the HUFF POST and Food & Wine,
the following are the best outdoor dining spots in the US :
Click here to read article and see photos
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” Fruit & Veggie Sprays Clean Better Than Water : Make Your Own For Just A Few Cents “

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Once in a while I come across a great tip or info I just have to share.
This is one of them :

Fruit & Veggie Sprays Clean Better Than Water :

Make Your Own For Just A Few Cents
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” China Is Building an Army of Noodle-Making Robots “

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I came across this at “EATER” and thought my readers would enjoy this.
If these robot‘s cost only $2000, they could be a great, cheap gimmick on a coffeeshop’s pasta buffet .
Your comments please, or choose an answer from the poll below 🙂
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Image from “EATER”

Excerpts from “EATER” :

In the face of rising labor costs, Chinese restaurateur Cui Runguan is selling thousands of robots that can hand slice noodles into a pot of boiling water called the Chef Cui.
Runguan says in the report below that just like robots replacing workers in factories, “it is certainly going to happen in sliced noodle restaurants.”
The robots costs $2,000 each, as compared to a chef, who would cost $4,700 a year. According to one chef, “The robot chef can slice noodles better than human chefs.”
News of Runguan’s invention hit the internet in March of 2011, but they’ve since gone into production and are starting to catch on: 3,000 of them have already been sold.
But why do their eyes glow, and why do they look so angry?
Read more and see the video HERE
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” Japan’s Epic Fast Food War Inspired These Crazy Menu Items “

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Excerpt from “Yahoo Finance” :
There’s a marketing war going on in Japan‘s fast food industry. Everyone’s trying to one-up each other amid intense competition.
In 2010, McDonald’s and KFC had an all-out advertising war to win chicken-lovers across the nation. Wendy‘s couldn’t handle the heat in 2009 and was forced to pull out. It didn’t re-enter the market until the very end of 2011. International fast food titans have to deal with each other, plus, they have to compete with the many local chains, some of which are quite powerful.
Japan has had a recent interest in more sophisticated items, and as the chains keep pushing the envelope, you end up getting some pretty bizarre things on the menus.
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Read all about it HERE
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Screenshot TheLeong.com
Denny’s Japan is dishing out New Zealand beef topped with foie gras and sliced truffles, served with a red wine reduction for about $15.

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” Old Fashioned Ice Cube Recipe “

Image: Igloo Ice Bournemouth

Two day’s ago the unthinkable happened :

My ice maker went to ice makers heaven 😦
After the initial shock and the ensuing mourning,
deep panic set in. Do I have to drink warm Ice tea (“Warm Tea”)
until the technician has fixed or replaced my old Ice Magician ?
I am very opposed to buying the bagged ice from super markets or
gas stations, somehow the price and apparent lack of sanitation
prevents me from finding any appeal in putting this stuff in my drinks.
(Boiling it to sanitize does not seem to be a solution ?)
So, I set out to re-conquer the lost art of artisanal ice making.
In the very back of the garage where we store our ancient cooking utensils
and cooking equipment I found a couple of clear plastic ice trays, obviously
never used and still in their original plastic wrapping.
So for a while, I pondered about the recipe which was locked out of sight
for so many years in the bowels of our build in electric ice maker.
After much research and experimenting, I settled for the following recipe
which I selflessly like to share with you, hoping it will give you as much
pleasure and satisfaction as it has given me during the past few day’s.
Here it goes, I present with with unrestricted, understandable pride :

” Royal Ice Cubes “

Equipment :

Freezer or freezer part of your refrigerator
Ice tray

Ingredient’s :

Dihydrogen Monoxide, (H2O), sometimes also called “Water”

Method :

Fill ice tray’s to 4/5 with water, carefully transfer to freezer. X
Freeze dihydrogen monoxide for several hours until frozen solid.
Remove ice cubes from tray as needed.

Cheers ! Life is Good !

X Be care full not to spill water on floor, as this can result in a slip,
which can result in a fall, which can result in you hitting your head
on a hard surface, which can result in considerable damage to your brain,
which would be a shame but has probably happened to many of the folk’s
who display increasingly strange behavior around us.
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p.s.
My handyman replaced the ice maker and thing’s are back to a less dangerous daily routine.
I do not remember if there was a slip / fall / brain damage incident 🙂
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