<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.janesnowtoday.com/newsletter/admin/includes/styles/rssdisplay.php" type="text/xsl"?>
	<rss version='2.0'>
		<channel>
			<title>Email Campaign Archives</title>
			<description>Email Campaign Archives</description>
			<generator>N/A</generator>
			<lastBuildDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:05:42 -0500</lastBuildDate>
			<ttl>20</ttl>
		<item>
			<title>See Jane Cook - September 16th 2010</title>
			<description>See Jane Cook - September 16th 2010</description>
			<author>mimi</author>
			<pubdate>Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:52:03 -0400</pubdate>
			<subject>See Jane Cook - September 16th 2010</subject>
			<content><![CDATA[ 


 
  

 
 


 
 


 
  Winner of two James Beard Awards  for food writing.  SPONSOR LINKS  
 

 Fresh Seafood from Boston  Totally Cooked  Will you run out of money in retirement?  Babin Kitchen &amp; Bath  Discount Restaurant Gift Certificates   FAVORITE SITES  Dad Cooks Dinner   King Arthur Flour   Penzeys Spices   Rare Seeds   Sushi Katsu   USDA Nutrient Database   Pick Your Own Farms   Caranos Cucina   Exploring Food My Way  Mimi Vanderhaven   CONTACT JANE  Email Jane  Jane's Personal Appearances   Subscribe To This Newsletter  




 Subscribe Free September 16, 2010  Dear Foodie Friends:  I've tasted kiwanos and I've loaded jackfruit into my cart. I'm a sucker for red carrots, yellow beets, cactus pads and every other strange, new item I spot in the produce department. So of course I have tasted Asian pears, those round fruit with the brown speckled skin that are now common in the exotics section.  At first I tasted them and said, "No thanks." Then I tasted one right off the tree. Wow.  Fresh, properly ripened Asian pears are sweet and dripping with juice. They have a mild, super-sweet pear flavor but with the crisp texture of a fall apple. The juicy-yet-crisp characteristic is stunning.  Unfortunately, the pear I tasted was from a tree in someone's yard. I couldn't knock on the door every September and plead for a bushel. But now my pear prayers have been answered. Brenda and Paul O'Neill planted almost 1,000 Asian pear trees five years ago on their farm in Hinckley, and most of trees are now mature enough for picking. I found this out by luck. The O'Neills dine at my husband's sushi bar, and last week they brought him a few pears.  Tony didn't know how precious the gift was when he carted the box home and plopped it on the kitchen counter. I practically grabbed him by the lapels and shook him, squealing, "Where did you get those pears?" I could tell they were home-grown. They looked too ripe to be from a supermarket.  The O'Neills, I learned, planted six varieties of Asian pears, and three or four varieties will ripen over the next two or three weeks. Two varieties of Korean pears, with thinner skin and smooth-textured meat, can ripen as late as November. With those varieties, it's a race against the weather.  Brenda says she fell in love with Asian pears when the couple visited an orchard on the East Coast, near where her husband used to live. They sell the pears singly and by the box from a roadside stand at their Weymouth Farms and Orchard, 2398 Weymouth Road in Hinckley. The boxes contain four pears and are $2 a pound. Large orders &ndash; 24 pears per box &ndash; are $1.50 a pound and must be ordered in advance by calling 330-216-571-9699. A box of 24 pears weighs about 15 pounds, Brenda says.  The pears will keep for three to four weeks if stored in a humid environment that is just above freezing. Brenda hasn't tried to preserve or cook with the pears yet, she says. Others have, though. I found recipes for cakes, crisps and salads, but the one I'll try first after a visit to the orchard is this grilled sandwich recipe from chow.com. Creamy, nutty gouda is a brilliant partner for the crisp pears.   GRILLED ASIAN PEAR AND GOUDA SANDWICH  

 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
 2 thick (1/2-inch) slices light rye bread
 2 oz. thin-sliced young Gouda cheese
 5 thin (1/8 inch) slices Asian pear

Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, spread half of the butter on one side of each slice of bread. When the pan is warm, add a slice of bread, buttered side down, then top with half of the cheese, all of the pear slices, and then the remaining cheese. Close with the second slice of bread, buttered side up.   Cook until bread is toasted and cheese is melted, about six minutes per side. Makes 1 sandwich.   THE MAILBAG  From An Old Breakfaster: Does anyone know what happened to the Egg Castle Restaurant on Ghent Road in Akron? One day it was there, the next it was suddenly gone without warning, the inside practically gutted!  O.B.: Aw, what a shame. I didn't realize it was gone. Maybe someone can give us the lowdown.   From John O.: I'm going to New Orleans for a few days and would like recommendations on where to eat on a budget. Do you have any favorites?   John: Cooter Brown's, Magazine Street Po'Boy Shops, Sunrise Grill (red beans and rice with smoked sausage, vegetable and garlic bread for $7.50)&hellip; these are a few of the places locals recommended when asked by New Orleans Times-Picayune restaurant critic Brett Anderson last year. Check out the full story here: http://www.nola.com/dining-guide/index.ssf/2009/04/we_asked_our_readers_where.html  I haven't been to New Orleans in at least a decade, so I have no personal favorites to add. Maybe others would like to chime in.   From Vickey Daley: Do you have any recipes for canning fresh grape juice?  I have one but cannot locate it.  I believe it was one cup grapes, and one cup sugar into a canning jar filled with water.  Let it set 60 days and viola, you have juice.  At least that's what I think it was.  Can you help me?  Thank you in advance.  Vickey: Sounds like a good way to either blow the lid off the canning jar or turn those grapes into wine. I have not seen a recipe similar to the one you recall. I checked with the experts at the National Center for Home Food Preparation at the University of Georgia, and they recommend simmering and straining the grapes and canning only the juice. Maybe someone out there has directions for your method and is willing to share. Meanwhile, here's a link to the official method: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_02/grape_juice.html    From Chris Teodecki: Oh, Jane, I had to smile when I read about your groundhog.  My garden has been absolutely pathetic the last couple of years - only a handful of tomatoes and peppers ever make it to my kitchen.  I walked out one morning last summer and when I stepped among the tomato plants I looked down and a tiny fawn was eating the green fruit.  I froze and watched the little guy and then out of the corner of my eye a groundhog with a very large backside (thanks in part to my generosity) came in from my other side and ambled past me into the vegetables.  It was then that I figured it was truly hopeless and my only hope was to share.   Several months later my then-12-year-old son in all his 12-year-old bravado took it upon himself to patrol the garden with his Red Ryder BB-gun.  He came running into the house out of breath and pleading with me to follow him outside.  He had spotted the groundhog and when he looked down he realized he had three big brown-eyed baby groundhogs at his feet.  My son was toast and all he could shoot with was my camera.  Seriously -- I give up.  Chris: You can't give up. Where would all the critters dine?   



 CONTACT JANE The only way Mimi and I can keep this newsletter going is by increasing the number of readers in order to attract underwriters. Please share this newsletter with your friends and urge them to subscribe. It's free! If you have a food question, recipe request or comment, E-mail Jane Snow at jane@janesnowtoday.com Please put "FOOD" in the subject line. 
 ABOUT JANE SNOW Jane Snow is the former food editor of the Akron Beacon Journal. Her work has appeared in newspapers nationwide. She has won two James Beard Awards for food writing and has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. She lives in Akron, Ohio, with her husband, Tony, a sushi chef and owner of Sushi Katsu, an Akron sushi bar.
 A portion of the proceeds generated through sponsorships of this newsletter go to the Jane Snow Fund For Hunger at Akron Community Foundation.   If you wish to stop receiving this newsletter please click here to unsubscribe. 
 Jane Snow's eNewsletter is copyrighted and distributed by Mimi Vanderhaven's Fabulous Buys
 Newsletter Archives
 Online Web Version of Newsletter








]]></content>
			<link>http://www.janesnowtoday.com/newsletter/display.php?List=1&amp;N=135</link>
		</item>
				<item>
			<title>See Jane Cook - September 9th 2010</title>
			<description>See Jane Cook - September 9th 2010</description>
			<author>mimi</author>
			<pubdate>Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:02:03 -0400</pubdate>
			<subject>See Jane Cook - September 9th 2010</subject>
			<content><![CDATA[ 


 
  

 
 


 
 


 
  Winner of two James Beard Awards  for food writing.  SPONSOR LINKS  
 

 Fresh Seafood from Boston  Totally Cooked  Will you run out of money in retirement?  Babin Kitchen &amp; Bath  Discount Restaurant Gift Certificates   FAVORITE SITES  Dad Cooks Dinner   King Arthur Flour   Penzeys Spices   Rare Seeds   Sushi Katsu   USDA Nutrient Database   Pick Your Own Farms   Caranos Cucina   Exploring Food My Way  Mimi Vanderhaven   CONTACT JANE  Email Jane  Jane's Personal Appearances   Subscribe To This Newsletter  




 Subscribe Free September 9, 2010  Dear Foodie Friends:  We almost talked my in-laws into moving in with us permanently, but not quite. After three-month visit that seemed far too short, they headed home to Japan on Monday. I miss them terribly already, and our dog is heartbroken. Mama-san fed Oscar so many table scraps that he refused to eat his kibble unless she fed it to him by hand (which she did). He adored her. If he could have gotten on that plane, I'm sure he would have.  Our cabinets and refrigerator are still crammed with strange Japanese ingredients Mama-san bought, although neither she nor Papa-san, a retired chef, did much cooking. During this visit, they seemed content to eat whatever I cooked, although they insisted on using chopsticks, even for steak and spaghetti.  They often put their own twist on my meals by cutting whatever I cooked into little bites and spooning it over a small bowl of rice. I started to do this, too, because it made sense. A few slivers of meat, some vegetables, a bit of sauce and some rice &ndash; what a simple, balanced meal.   One evening, when we had an abundance of vegetables and some leftover pork, Mama-san turned them into wonderful fritters we ate over rice with some of Tony's spicy teriyaki sauce. As I watched her make the fritters, I asked with gestures and rudimentary Japanese what they were called.  "Tempura," she said &ndash; which basically means any fried food.  This tempura is not coated with what we call "tempura batter." Whatever ingredients are on hand are simply minced, seasoned, and bound together with an egg and some flour. Mama-san's homestyle recipe produces a wonderful meal. Feel free to substitute whatever meat or vegetables are in your refrigerator, adjusting the amount of flour to get the proper texture. Don't leave out the mirin or sugar, though, which give the fritters a unique flavor.  I'll think of Mama-san whenever I make these.    The Snow-Kawaguchi clan   JAPANESE MIXED TEMPURA BUNDLES (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive)  

 1 cup finely chopped cooked pork or chicken
 3 chopped green onions
 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
 1 medium baked potato (cooked), minus skin, finely chopped
 1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
 2 tbsp. mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine)
 1 tbsp. sugar
 Salt, pepper
 1 egg
 1/4 cup flour (or more)
 Oil for deep frying

 In a bowl, combine meat, vegetables, mirin, sugar, salt and pepper. Add egg and mix well. Add enough flour to bind the ingredients together.  Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a deep skillet. When hot enough to sizzle a cube of bread, scoop up ovals of the tempura mixture and slide them into the oil. Fry until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Continue until all of the mixture has been used. Serve with rice and teriyaki or soy sauce. Makes 4 servings.    HELP U COOK  While making a custard sauce recently I was reminded me of the years it took me to figure out why my sauces, puddings and brulees sometimes curdled. Now that I know the rule, making silky-smooth custards is a cinch.  Basically, if a milk-egg mixture is thickened solely by eggs, the mixture cannot be brought to a boil. Whether the custard is cooked in the oven or on a burner, the temperature must remain just below a simmer. Custards that are thickened with flour or cornstarch aren't as temperamental. Even if they contain eggs, they usually may be boiled without curdling the egg.   THE MAILBAG  From Maryann Aguilar, Stow: Re: Aug. 19th recipe for Watermelon-Lime Tequila Snow Cones, what is Rose's sweetened lime juice?  Where can I get it?  What else is it good for?   Maryann: Because it is used in many mixed drinks, it can be found in almost any store that sells liquor. I bought my bottle at the Montrose Acme. I use it only for cocktails. I'm sure it could be used in desserts somehow, although I've never seen a recipe that calls for it.   From Debbie S.: I have been looking all over for heirloom tomatoes, to no avail. Do you know where I can buy them?  Debbie: Try just about any farmers market. The Countryside Farmers Market on Saturday mornings in Howe Meadow on Riverview Road near Peninsula usually has a nice selection. West Point Market and Mustard Seed also carry them.   From Francine R., Barberton: I made my first trip to the Barberton Farmers market recently (only on Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m.) and bought some produce from a young Laotian man.  It was a great coincidence that your column last week was for eggplant as I purchased three long Japanese ones and wondered what to do with them.  Now I'll try your recipe for Lemony Eggplant-Tomato salad.  I also purchased some very long string beans&hellip;..green with some purple striping. He said they're very similar to regular green beans except for the texture.  Do you have any special recipe suggestions??  Francine: My mother-in-law would tell you that those long, skinny eggplants are Chinese. The eggplants sold in Japan are stubby, she says.  Those are Chinese long beans that you bought at the market. I prepared them once, years ago, and recall only that they took a long time to become tender. Maybe someone else can give us some tips and a recipe.   From Karen Cotner, Wadsworth: Jane, tell Tony to bait his raccoon trap with marshmallows.  They're the only things guaranteed to work.  We even caught two -- yes, two -- at the same time a couple weeks ago. Put about five in the trap because they love them. It will also work for skunks and 'possums. Good luck.  Karen: Tony caught the critter today. It was a frightened little groundhog with big brown eyes. I saw him first and told Tony to go deal with him. He came back inside and asked sheepishly if I would mind if he let the groundhog go. "He looked at me like, 'Are you going to kill me?'" Tony said.  One more reason I love that guy.   



 CONTACT JANE The only way Mimi and I can keep this newsletter going is by increasing the number of readers in order to attract underwriters. Please share this newsletter with your friends and urge them to subscribe. It's free! If you have a food question, recipe request or comment, E-mail Jane Snow at jane@janesnowtoday.com Please put "FOOD" in the subject line. 
 ABOUT JANE SNOW Jane Snow is the former food editor of the Akron Beacon Journal. Her work has appeared in newspapers nationwide. She has won two James Beard Awards for food writing and has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. She lives in Akron, Ohio, with her husband, Tony, a sushi chef and owner of Sushi Katsu, an Akron sushi bar.
 A portion of the proceeds generated through sponsorships of this newsletter go to the Jane Snow Fund For Hunger at Akron Community Foundation.   If you wish to stop receiving this newsletter please click here to unsubscribe. 
 Jane Snow's eNewsletter is copyrighted and distributed by Mimi Vanderhaven's Fabulous Buys
 Newsletter Archives
 Online Web Version of Newsletter








]]></content>
			<link>http://www.janesnowtoday.com/newsletter/display.php?List=1&amp;N=134</link>
		</item>
				<item>
			<title>See Jane Cook - September 1st 2010</title>
			<description>See Jane Cook - September 1st 2010</description>
			<author>mimi</author>
			<pubdate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:26:03 -0400</pubdate>
			<subject>See Jane Cook - September 1st 2010</subject>
			<content><![CDATA[ 


 
  

 
 


 
 


 
  Winner of two James Beard Awards  for food writing.  SPONSOR LINKS  
 

 Fresh Seafood from Boston  Totally Cooked  Will you run out of money in retirement?  Babin Kitchen &amp; Bath  Discount Restaurant Gift Certificates   FAVORITE SITES  Dad Cooks Dinner   King Arthur Flour   Penzeys Spices   Rare Seeds   Sushi Katsu   USDA Nutrient Database   Pick Your Own Farms   Caranos Cucina   Exploring Food My Way  Mimi Vanderhaven   CONTACT JANE  Email Jane  Jane's Personal Appearances   Subscribe To This Newsletter  




 Subscribe Free September 1, 2010  Dear Foodie Friends:  I'm into eggplant this month. That's because it's about the only thing that survived the pestilence that has ravaged my garden. The tomatoes were hit with blight and the squash and watermelon were wiped out by powdery mildew. I did manage to harvest about 20 spuds before the leaves succumbed to tomato blight. I left them on an outdoor table and in the morning saw that Tony had used a few of the precious little globes as bait in a Have-a-Heart raccoon trap. Arrrgh.  Anyway, I'm glad my six eggplant seedlings endured the mid-summer beetle threat and my late-summer indifference, because they're now producing a bountiful crop of stubby lilac and long, slender purple eggplants.  I love the meaty texture and mild flavor of eggplant, and I eat them often now that I've figured out how to cook them with a minimum of oil. As you probably know, they soak up oil like a blotter when saut&eacute;ed. The solution is to roast them. Even when I'm preparing a recipe such as ratatouille, which calls for saut&eacute;ing the vegetables before stewing them, I roast the eggplants instead.  I cut them into cubes, spray or brush them with olive oil, and roast uncovered on a cookie sheet until they're tender.   Here's a simple eggplant salad Tony&rsquo;s parents enjoyed last week. At first they eyed the salad warily, but after a timid taste they spooned more on their plates and went back for seconds. Even our teen-ager liked it.    LEMONY EGGPLANT-TOMATO SALAD (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive)  

 2 lbs. eggplant, preferable a long, slender variety
 Olive oil
 2 tbsp. lemon juice
 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
 1 cup diced ripe tomato
 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Slice off eggplant stems and if skin is tough, remove with a vegetable peeler. Cut slender eggplants in halves or fourths lengthwise to create 1-inch-wide pieces. Cut globe eggplants in 1-by-2-inch pieces.   Arrange cut sides up in a single layer on a baking sheet and spray or drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees until tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Cool, then cut slender eggplants into 2-inch lengths.  In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil and half of the salt. Add eggplant, tomato and parsley. Toss gently to coat vegetables with dressing. Sprinkle with remaining salt. Serve at room temperature.    HELP U COOK      The guy beside me at the watermelon bin in the supermarket was playing a virtual symphony on the watermelons: thump-thump, thump-thump. I was tempted to tell him that smacking a watermelon is no way to determine if it's ripe. Instead, I minded my own business and pawed through the pile, looking for one that had turned from white to creamy yellow on the bare spot that had rested on the ground. Then I hefted the melon to make sure it was heavy for its size. That indicates it is filled with juice and at the peak of ripeness, rather than over the hill and drying out.  This took about 30 seconds. I hoisted the watermelon into my cart and was on my way to the dairy case while the poor guy was still thumping. Maybe I should have butted in. Nah.    THE MAILBAG  From Mary P., Cuyahoga Falls: Today I had the opportunity to enjoy the roasted eggplant soup at Virtues at Akron City Hospital.  Wow, what a treat!  It was absolutely delicious.  I asked if it was made there on the premises and was assured that it was indeed.    What a treasure this restaurant is, and I was quite pleased to see that many people have discovered it -- just not me...until today.  Mary: I've heard great things about Virtue and have been meaning to try it out. Now it's at the top of my agenda.   From Laurie: I just received a gift basket that included toasted sesame oil and roasted walnut oil.  Any suggestions for how to cook with them?  I've read not to use them for saut&eacute;ing... is that true?    Laurie: The reason you probably wouldn't want to saut&eacute; with the oils is they're strongly flavored, and meant to be used as a flavoring agent. They probably have a lower smoking point than regular vegetable oil, too. If you like the flavor and want to add it to a saut&eacute; or stir fry, that's fine. But start with just a quarter teaspoon or so added toward the end of the cooking time. In fact, many Asian stir fries are finished with a few drops of sesame oil added just before serving.  I add small amounts of Asian (toasted) sesame oil to the jar of homemade stir-fry sauce I keep in the refrigerator. I also add a few drops of sesame oil to pasta salads when I want an Asian flavor. Walnut oil is great in salad dressings. I use a higher ratio of walnut oil than sesame oil because it seems milder in flavor to me.   Don't be afraid to use your oils. If you save them for special occasions, they will likely turn rancid before you use them up. Storing them in the refrigerator will prolong the shelf life, but bring them to room temperature before using.   From Anonymous: Regarding fruit flies, fill a small, shallow dish (preferably white or yellow) with apple cider vinegar. Add a few drops each of hand-dishwashing detergent and water and mix together. The detergent breaks the surface tension of the vinegar and will drown the flies. Easy, effective, and non-toxic.   From Jane, Lorain: A few years ago I mail-ordered a fruit fly trap. It was an opaque white plastic container (sealed) with an indentation the size of your fingertip. At the bottom of the indentation was a hole large enough for a fruit fly to crawl through. The liquid inside was cider vinegar. It worked great. However, I was too frugal to spend the $8 the next time they showed up. I stretched a piece of Saran wrap over a small container (8 ounce jelly jar) after placing a couple tablespoons of the cider vinegar inside. I put a rubber band around it to keep it tight and poked a small hole at the center. It worked fine. Tried it without the Saran wrap, but just putting vinegar in a shallow dish didn't work. They must need that surface of the Saran wrap to land on.  Jane: This week I tried it with and without the plastic wrap, and your version does work better. Read on for yet another solution.   From Linda, Aurora: It was very frustrating when fruit flies invaded our kitchen one summer.  After much thought, I figured that since citronella candles help keep mosquitoes away, perhaps the candles would do the same for the fruit fly problem.  Understanding that people shouldn't burn citronella candles indoors, I was careful to use an old candle which didn't have much scent left.  I placed it near the bananas and burned it for periods of time during the daytime until there was no sign of the flies.  (Of course, don't leave one burning all night.)  As a precaution, I left the candle out the rest of the summer but didn't bother to light it anymore.  They apparently decided to "camp out somewhere else" the following summers.    From Joy: No vegetable garden for me this year due to health issues, so for the first time in many years I'm without my own home-grown tomatoes. Luckily I'm just a 10-minute drive from a couple of farms, so I'm still able to get lots of lovely fresh picked tomatoes, but of course, they never taste as good as my own!  I wanted to pass on a little hint I picked up from Cooks Illustrated for storing freshly picked tomatoes. It works quite well. Simply store your tomatoes stem end down, not stem end up. Your tomatoes will stay fresher much longer.  Try it the next time you bring in a batch from your garden. You'll be quite surprised at how well this works!    Joy: Thank you, thank you, thank you! What a great tip.   From Gloria Farr: This is sort of a turkey/veggie burger that is truly awesome. And you can add or substitute veggies that you are partial to. This has become our only "burger."    AWESOME TURKEY BURGER  (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive)  

 1 lb. lean ground turkey
 1/4 cup diced onion (red, yellow, shallot, scallion)
 1/4 cup diced bell pepper
 1 small jalapeno, minced (optional)
 1/4 cup diced artichoke hearts
 1/4 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
 1 tbsp. olive oil
 1/4 cup diced black olives
 1 tsp. chili powder
 1 tsp Hungarian paprika
 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
 1 tsp dried or minced fresh oregano
 1 tsp dried or minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
 3 shakes of Cholula hot sauce
 1 tsp. celery seed (optional)
 1 egg or 1/4 cup egg beaters

Saut&eacute; chopped and diced raw veggies in olive oil just until soft. Cool and add to ground turkey. Add remaining and mix well.  Form into patties, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  Grill or fry 5 to 10 minutes per side. (Cook well, remember its poultry.)  Top with your choice of cheese (sliced blue is awesome). Serve with lettuce and tomato if you like.   Gloria: Your turkey burger indeed sounds awesome. Thanks for sharing.  



 CONTACT JANE The only way Mimi and I can keep this newsletter going is by increasing the number of readers in order to attract underwriters. Please share this newsletter with your friends and urge them to subscribe. It's free! If you have a food question, recipe request or comment, E-mail Jane Snow at jane@janesnowtoday.com Please put "FOOD" in the subject line. 
 ABOUT JANE SNOW Jane Snow is the former food editor of the Akron Beacon Journal. Her work has appeared in newspapers nationwide. She has won two James Beard Awards for food writing and has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. She lives in Akron, Ohio, with her husband, Tony, a sushi chef and owner of Sushi Katsu, an Akron sushi bar.
 A portion of the proceeds generated through sponsorships of this newsletter go to the Jane Snow Fund For Hunger at Akron Community Foundation.   If you wish to stop receiving this newsletter please click here to unsubscribe. 
 Jane Snow's eNewsletter is copyrighted and distributed by Mimi Vanderhaven's Fabulous Buys
 Newsletter Archives
 Online Web Version of Newsletter








]]></content>
			<link>http://www.janesnowtoday.com/newsletter/display.php?List=1&amp;N=133</link>
		</item>
				<item>
			<title>See Jane Cook - August 25th 2010</title>
			<description>See Jane Cook - August 25th 2010</description>
			<author>mimi</author>
			<pubdate>Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:44:02 -0400</pubdate>
			<subject>See Jane Cook - August 25th 2010</subject>
			<content><![CDATA[ 


 
  

 
 


 
 


 
  Winner of two James Beard Awards  for food writing.  SPONSOR LINKS  
 

 Fresh Seafood from Boston  Totally Cooked  Will you run out of money in retirement?  Babin Kitchen &amp; Bath  Discount Restaurant Gift Certificates   FAVORITE SITES  Dad Cooks Dinner   King Arthur Flour   Penzeys Spices   Rare Seeds   Sushi Katsu   USDA Nutrient Database   Pick Your Own Farms   Caranos Cucina   Exploring Food My Way  Mimi Vanderhaven   CONTACT JANE  Email Jane  Jane's Personal Appearances   Subscribe To This Newsletter  




 Subscribe Free August 25, 2010    Dear Foodie Friends:  Just think of all the new recipes I could have tried had I allowed friends to bring food to my get-togethers over the years. I'm usually too much of a food control freak for that, but I'm glad I relented last weekend when I hosted a friend's birthday. Otherwise I would have missed Michele's sauerkraut.  "I came up with this many years ago to get Carl David (her son) to eat sauerkraut," she wrote in an email Monday in response to my recipe request.  Hot peppers aren't usually a selling point for a kid, but I can't imagine anyone turning this down.  Michele made the sauerkraut to go with the pig we roasted on an outdoor spit. I was thinking pulled pork, slaw and Carolina barbecue sauce, and we did have all of that, but the sauerkraut was an inspired addition. I've never had anything remotely like Michele's version. It is spicy-hot, slightly sweet and a deep brownish-red that comes from the addition of tomatoes. I don't know whether the combination reflects Michele's Arkansas, West Virginia or Akron roots, but it tastes fantastic.  "Yesterday's dish had sausage in it (in honor of the pig), but usually it doesn't," she wrote. "We use it as a hot dog topping at my house."  At my house, it made a splendid side dish and, with the addition of a bit more sausage, I could see it as an entr&eacute;e served over mashed potatoes. It's a true original, and Michele was kind to share it.   MICHELE&rsquo;S SPICY SAUERKRAUT (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive)  

 1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil  
 1 tbsp. red pepper flakes 
 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped 
 2 large white onions, sliced 
 2 very ripe, juicy tomatoes, roughly chopped 
 2 bags (2 lbs.) sauerkraut, drained well
 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 
 1/4 tsp. black pepper 
 1 cup brown sugar 

Heat oil with pepper flakes in large pan over medium heat.  Stir -- they burn quickly!   Add jalapeno and onions.  Sautee until onions are translucent.  Stir in tomatoes.  Add sauerkraut, cayenne and black pepper.  Depending on how juicy your tomatoes are, you may need 1/4 cup of water added at this point, just to keep mixture from burning.  Cook until kraut is heated through.  Stir in brown sugar.  Mix well -- you will then get a nice amount of liquid as sugar melts.  Continue to cook on low heat for 15 minutes.  It is now ready to serve.     HELP U COOK  You're not refrigerating those tomatoes, are you? Chilling tomatoes deadens the flavor. Ideally, tomatoes should be picked, washed and eaten immediately &ndash; in the garden with a salt shaker in one hand.  Life is seldom ideal, though, and sometimes you must delay gratification for a day or two. If you must store tomatoes, leave them on the porch or outdoors away from animals. At this time of year, storing any kind of fruit or vegetable on the kitchen counter will result in swarms of fruit flies.  Now, if I just knew how to get rid of those little pests&hellip;.   THE MAILBAG  From Charlotte Lavelle: Last fall when you wrote about Northern Spy apples I mentioned Horseshoe Orchard, but did not have the address.  I just got a flyer, and the address is 2558 Massillon Road in Akron, between Killian Road and State route 619.  They have all sorts of apples to buy or pick.  McIntosh is expected to be ready Sept. 11, Cortland on Sept. 18 and Spartan on Sept. 25.  Northern Spy is listed for Oct. 2. They even have the yummy Honeycrisp but have no date yet for those. Beginning Oct. 2 the orchard will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.  I fell in love with the older couple who owns the orchard when I went with Metro Parks as a volunteer to pick apples for a fall event.  I do not have a phone and it is not in the flyer.  Charlotte: It's about that time of year, isn't it? Thanks for the reminder and the info on when apple varieties ripen in our area.   From Natalie, Medina: This is one of the best turkey burger recipes I've ever had. I highly recommend it with the slaw. These are really good!  Couple of changes I made: I used low-fat mayo; ate it on my plate (no bun) to lower the carbs, and bought cabbage slaw or broccoli slaw. Either is wonderful!   JERK TURKEY BURGERS WITH MANGO SLAW From Food Network Magazine (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive)  

 1 pound ground turkey
 1 tbsp. jerk seasoning, plus more for sprinkling 
 1 small green apple, peeled and grated 
 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions 
 1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) 
 Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 
 1/4 cup mayonnaise, plus more for brushing 
 1/4 cup mango chutney, roughly chopped 
 3 cups shredded green cabbage 
 1 carrot, shredded 
 Canola oil, for the grill 
 4 hamburger buns or challah rolls, split 

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Mix the turkey, jerk seasoning, apple, 1/4 cup scallions and the panko in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Form into four 1-inch-thick patties and make a small indentation in the middle of each with your thumb to prevent it from puffing up on the grill. Refrigerate.  Whisk the mayonnaise and chutney in a large bowl. Add the cabbage, carrot and the remaining 1/4 cup scallions, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.   Brush the grill with canola oil. Grill the turkey patties until browned and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.   Brush the cut sides of the buns with mayonnaise and sprinkle with jerk seasoning; toast on the grill, about 30 seconds. Serve the burgers and slaw on the buns.    From M.K., Copley: Here is a super simple turkey burger recipe. With a ratio of 2 to 1 combine ground turkey with turkey sausage. I like sweet Italian turkey sausage but there are other flavors.   Add what you want as condiments.  M.K.: That's a great suggestion. The seasonings in the turkey sausage provide all the flavor.   From Jennifer Schantz: I know why Sid wants to find a good turkey burger, but sometimes you can have your hamburger, too.  You can get 96 percent lean hamburger meat and cook it on a George Foreman grill, but be careful because this lean meat does cook faster.  I make what I call superburgers by mixing minced onion, a little garlic and a small amount of Worcestershire sauce ( I try to watch my sodium levels too) into the ground beef and then form patties. This way, you don't need to add anything else.  Jennifer: You're correct, lean ground beef may be as lean as ground turkey depending on just how lean the hamburger is and whether the turkey is labeled "breast meat" or merely "ground turkey," which can include dark meat and skin. A 3-ounce patty of cooked "ground turkey" has about 200 calories and 11 grams of fat, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A 3-ounce cooked patty of extra-lean ground beef has 218 calories and 13 grams of fat.   If you want a more healthful alternative, use ground turkey breast meat, which has 100 calories and 1.5 grams of fat in a 3-ounce cooked portion. The patty will be awfully dry, though.   From Maryjane Maitland, Strongsville, Ohio:  The turkey burgers do sound delicious; however, these turtle burgers sound fabulous. What a wow factor at a cookout. I'm going to try them -- they look delicous.   TURTLE BURGERS  Handmade ground beef patties, topped with sharp cheddar cheese, wrapped in a bacon weave, then the next step, add hotdogs as the heads, legs with slits for toes and tail.   Next step: Place on an oven rack, covered loosely with foil and baked for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees.       From Isabelle Gordon:  I haven't gotten your newsletter lately. Could you sign me back up?  Isabelle: Although I answered you directly, I'm running this in See Jane Cook for  those who have friends with Roadrunner, and for Roadrunner customers  who have been making do with newsletter copies forwarded by friends. The  Internet server Roadrunner apparently re-configured its spam settings  recently, because I've been getting a lot of emails like yours from  Roadrunner customers. Because my newsletter is emailed in bulk, some  internet providers think it is spam and either kill it or place it in a  customer's spam folder. You'll have to contact Roadrunner and instruct them to allow emails from jane@janesnowtoday.com. Thanks  for your persistence. And AOL customers, take note: About once a year,  this happens to you, too.  



 CONTACT JANE The only way Mimi and I can keep this newsletter going is by increasing the number of readers in order to attract underwriters. Please share this newsletter with your friends and urge them to subscribe. It's free! If you have a food question, recipe request or comment, E-mail Jane Snow at jane@janesnowtoday.com Please put "FOOD" in the subject line. 
 ABOUT JANE SNOW Jane Snow is the former food editor of the Akron Beacon Journal. Her work has appeared in newspapers nationwide. She has won two James Beard Awards for food writing and has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. She lives in Akron, Ohio, with her husband, Tony, a sushi chef and owner of Sushi Katsu, an Akron sushi bar.
 A portion of the proceeds generated through sponsorships of this newsletter go to the Jane Snow Fund For Hunger at Akron Community Foundation.   If you wish to stop receiving this newsletter please click here to unsubscribe. 
 Jane Snow's eNewsletter is copyrighted and distributed by Mimi Vanderhaven's Fabulous Buys
 Newsletter Archives
 Online Web Version of Newsletter








]]></content>
			<link>http://www.janesnowtoday.com/newsletter/display.php?List=1&amp;N=132</link>
		</item>
				<item>
			<title>See Jane Cook - August 17th 2010</title>
			<description>See Jane Cook - August 17th 2010</description>
			<author>mimi</author>
			<pubdate>Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:32:03 -0400</pubdate>
			<subject>See Jane Cook - August 17th 2010</subject>
			<content><![CDATA[ 


 
  

 
 


 
 


 
  Winner of two James Beard Awards  for food writing.  SPONSOR LINKS  
 

 Fresh Seafood from Boston  Totally Cooked  Will you run out of money in retirement?  Babin Kitchen &amp; Bath  Discount Restaurant Gift Certificates   FAVORITE SITES  Dad Cooks Dinner   King Arthur Flour   Penzeys Spices   Rare Seeds   Sushi Katsu   USDA Nutrient Database   Pick Your Own Farms   Caranos Cucina   Exploring Food My Way  Mimi Vanderhaven   CONTACT JANE  Email Jane  Jane's Personal Appearances   Subscribe To This Newsletter  




 Subscribe Free August 17, 2010    Dear Foodie Friends:  I like snow cones but my adult taste buds have outgrown the cloying syrups that are poured over the shaved ice. For a while I've been toying with the idea of inventing a couple of adult flavors, and finally did so last week. Boy, are they good. The first one I came up with is cherry-vanilla pinot noir, loosely based on a favorite ice cream topping of cherries saut&eacute;ed in red wine. The second is watermelon-tequila lime. That one will knock you on your keister if you're not careful, but both of them are a great way to cool off on a sweltering summer day.  What got me going on the project was a planning session for the Sapphire Ball, the annual fund-raiser for the Summa Foundation. I'm helping plan the menu for this year's ball, which will be Sept. 11 at the John S. Knight Center in Akron. I figured the snow cones would go great with the pate and jam sandwiches, coconut shrimp pops and other fun noshes we came up with for the pre-dinner cocktail party.  The Knight Center will rent a snow-cone machine, prepare my "syrups" in big batches, and scoop the snow cones into footed clear plastic glasses. We could have used paper cones, but I'm afraid of a potential leak staining someone's fancy ball gown or tux. If you make these at home, you can buy the paper cones at restaurant supply firms or order them online. You can also skip the machine rental and make crushed ice in your blender or an ice crusher, if you have one.  These snow cones will make you feel like a kid again &ndash; only better.    CHERRY-VANILLA PINOT NOIR SNOW CONES (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive) 

 2 cups pinot noir wine
 1 can (15 oz.) dark cherries in heavy syrup
 1 tbsp. sugar
 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Combine 1 cup of the wine, the cherries and syrup and the sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla bean and remaining 1 cup wine. Cover and steep for 1 hour. Pour into a jar or other non-reactive container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 day or up to 5 days. Strain, reserving cherries. Pour one-fourth cup over mounded shaved ice in a 4-ounce paper cone. Spear a cherry with a colored toothpick and stick into the mound at an angle. Makes about 12 snow cones.   WATERMELON-LIME TEQUILA SNOW CONES (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive) 

 1/4 cup grenadine
 1/4 cup orange juice
 2 tbsp. tequila
 1/4 cup watermelon schnapps
 1/4 cup Rose&rsquo;s sweetened lime juice

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill. Pour one-fourth cup over mounded shaved ice in a 4-ounce paper cone. Garnish with a pie-shaped piece of lime (1/6 of a slice) on a colored toothpick. Makes 4 snow cones. Recipe may be doubled or tripled.   HELP U COOK  Pie-lovers should take advantage of the great Ohio peach and berry crops this summer by putting away a few pies for later. Here are the two best ways to freeze pies: 

 Prepare the filling by tossing the berries or peeled and sliced peaches with the thickener and sugar according to your recipe. Pour into a foil-line pie pan and freeze. When solid, remove from pan and wrap well. To bake, partially thaw the filling and spoon into an unfrozen bottom pastry. Add top pastry if desired, crimping edges to seal. Bake according to your recipe, adding 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time and shielding the edges of the crust with foil so they don&rsquo;t burn.



 Prepare and bake the pie, removing it from the oven 10 to 15 minutes before it is done. Cool, wrap well and freeze. To serve, thaw the pie without unwrapping for 30 minutes on the counter. Unwrap and bake on the bottom oven shelf at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until warm all the way through. Both techniques will work for any fruit pie.

  THE MAILBAG  From Maryann Aguilar, Stow: Re: turkey burgers for Sid H. &ndash; The Red Robin restaurants will make any of their specialty burgers with their turkey burger. These are a good substitute usually. But the ALL-TIME BEST turkey burgers can be had at Delanie's Neighborhood Grill on West Avenue near the circle in Tallmadge!   I have allergies for beef and pork, so I'm always looking for turkey or chicken anything. The first time I ordered one at Delanie's, I took a bite and said "Uh oh, they mixed up the order, this is beef."  My husband tasted and confirmed beef. I told the server and she had the chef come to our table where he said he personally had prepared it, and it WAS a turkey burger.  There is absolutely no seasoning aftertaste like most turkey burgers have.   Maryann: I like Delanie&rsquo;s food but I&rsquo;ve never tried the turkey burger. I&rsquo;ll have to remedy that.   From Sue K.: Google Mar-A-Lago Turkey Burger, (yeah, Donald Trump). My friend made these and added some Cajun spices. The Granny Smith apples in here are awesome!  Sue: This sounds like a great recipe. I found it on Oprah.com, along with the recipe for the pear chutney that is dolloped on top. I'm running both for those who would like to print the recipes in easy-to-read format.    MAR-A-LAGO TURKEY BURGER  (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive) 

 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions 
 1/2 cup finely chopped celery 
 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced 
 1/8 cup canola oil 
 4 lbs. ground turkey breast 
 2 Tbsp. salt 
 1 Tbsp. black pepper 
 2 tsp. Tabasco chipotle pepper sauce 
 1 lemon, juiced and grated zest 
 1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped 
 1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney, pureed 

Saut&eacute; the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool.   Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add saut&eacute;ed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.   Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes, until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes. Makes 8 burgers. Serve with a side of Mar-a-Lago Pear Chutney and your favorite toasted bread, pita or hamburger roll.    MAR-A-LAGO PEAR CHUTNEY (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive) 

 1 Anjou pear, peeled and diced 
 1/2 tsp. sea salt 
 1 1/2 cups Major Grey's Chutney 
 1/4 cup dried currants or raisins 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the diced pears with the cinnamon and salt. Bake on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes.   Cool and mix with the chutney and currants or raisins.   From Heidi Fodor, Copley: Here is a recipe for turkey burgers I'm glad to share.  My sister, Robin, came up with this recipe a long time ago.  I love them the next day, as well.  They are tender and moist and flavorful.    ROBIN&rsquo;S TURKEY BURGERS (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive) 

 1 lb. ground turkey breast
  1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated 
 1 small grated onion
  2 Tbsp. (or less, to taste) horseradish, fresh-grated or prepared 
 Salt and pepper to taste 
 Chopped parsley

 Mix together all ingredients, and form 4 to 6 patties.  Broil or grill, turning carefully.   Brush with barbecue sauce on last turn.  The uncooked patties freeze well.  I have a lot of bread and cookie recipes on my blog if you are interested.    Heidi: Am I interested? Having tasted your chocolate shortbread, of course I'm interested.   (Note to readers: I'm in a knitting group with Heidi. In six months, all of us have knitted one sock. Except for our two leaders, we are much better cooks than knitters.)  



 CONTACT JANE The only way Mimi and I can keep this newsletter going is by increasing the number of readers in order to attract underwriters. Please share this newsletter with your friends and urge them to subscribe. It's free! If you have a food question, recipe request or comment, E-mail Jane Snow at jane@janesnowtoday.com Please put "FOOD" in the subject line. 
 ABOUT JANE SNOW Jane Snow is the former food editor of the Akron Beacon Journal. Her work has appeared in newspapers nationwide. She has won two James Beard Awards for food writing and has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. She lives in Akron, Ohio, with her husband, Tony, a sushi chef and owner of Sushi Katsu, an Akron sushi bar.
 A portion of the proceeds generated through sponsorships of this newsletter go to the Jane Snow Fund For Hunger at Akron Community Foundation.   If you wish to stop receiving this newsletter please click here to unsubscribe. 
 Jane Snow's eNewsletter is copyrighted and distributed by Mimi Vanderhaven's Fabulous Buys
 Newsletter Archives
 Online Web Version of Newsletter








]]></content>
			<link>http://www.janesnowtoday.com/newsletter/display.php?List=1&amp;N=131</link>
		</item>
				<item>
			<title>See Jane Cook - August 11th 2010</title>
			<description>See Jane Cook - August 11th 2010</description>
			<author>mimi</author>
			<pubdate>Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:14:02 -0400</pubdate>
			<subject>See Jane Cook - August 11th 2010</subject>
			<content><![CDATA[ 


 
  

 
 


 
 


 
  Winner of two James Beard Awards  for food writing.  SPONSOR LINKS  
 

 Fresh Seafood from Boston  Totally Cooked  Will you run out of money in retirement?  Babin Kitchen &amp; Bath  Discount Restaurant Gift Certificates   FAVORITE SITES  Dad Cooks Dinner   King Arthur Flour   Penzeys Spices   Rare Seeds   Sushi Katsu   USDA Nutrient Database   Pick Your Own Farms   Caranos Cucina   Exploring Food My Way  Mimi Vanderhaven   CONTACT JANE  Email Jane  Jane's Personal Appearances   Subscribe To This Newsletter  




 Subscribe Free August 11, 2010    Dear Foodie Friends:  One of the perks of having my in-laws here from Japan is that we subscribe to a satellite Japanese television station for the duration of their visit. We caught the tail end of the summer sumo tournaments, and I've grown fond of a weekly drama about a Samurai ruler and his sons who travel the country in disguise, punishing scoundrels and rewarding the just. I think that's what the show is about; like most of the other programs, it is entirely in Japanese.  My favorites, though, are the cooking shows. I don't understand the instructions, but the food looks fabulous.  One program last week featured recipes for all kinds of kabobs. Skewed meats are popular in Japan, with whole restaurants devoted to yakitori &ndash; skewed and grilled chicken.   The program showed families gathered around dinner tables cooking their skewers on tabletop grills. I want one of those. I also wanted some yakitori by the time the program ended, but I had flat iron steaks in the refrigerator for supper. No problem, I thought. I'd just find a recipe for beef and onion kabobs in one of my Japanese cookbooks. That turned out to be difficult. I couldn't even find a suitable recipe on the Internet. So I cobbled together a marinade recipe of the flavors I had in mind. Later, with gestures, I invited Mama-san to help me thread the meat and green onions on skewers.  Fumi folded the strips of meat in accordion pleats for a neat look and even cooking. She used just the green part of the onion, cut in about 1 1/4-inch lengths and skewered in bunches of three.  I cooked the kabobs on a stove-top cast-iron grill, and served them with rice and more sauce to pass at the table. They might not have been authentic, but they satisfied my craving for meat skewers. Tony and his parents loved them, too, and I got two meals out those four steaks.  JAPANESE BEEF AND GREEN ONION SKEWERS (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive) 

 3/4 to 1 lb. boneless flat iron or top sirloin steaks
 1/2 cup soy sauce
 1/4 cup mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine, or use white wine and an extra 1/2 tbsp. sugar)
 1/4 cup sake
 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
 1 bunch green onions, green parts only, cut in 1 1/4-inch lengths

Cut steak into thin (about 1/4-inch) strips. Place in a large zipper-lock plastic bag. In a measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar. Pour half of the marinade into the bag with the beef and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  Remove beef from marinade, discarding marinade. Fold a beef strip according-style to the length of the green onion pieces. Skewer the folded strip, followed by three pieces of green onion, continuing until you have three strips of beef and two or three bunches of onion on each skewer. Grill over a charcoal fire or on a tabletop or stovetop grill, turning once, until cooked to desired doneness (about 10 minutes or less for medium-rare). Serve with rice, passing reserved sauce at the table. Makes 4 servings of three skewers each.   TIDBITS  Who knew? Fellow food writer Jennie Geisler at the Erie Times-Union sent me a link to her new blog, Loaves and Dishes, and in a brief scan I came across a slew of interesting items. For example, one of the worst fast-food salads, nutrition wise, is Wendy's Chicken BLT Salad with honey Dijon dressing (790 calories! 53 grams of fat!). One of the best is Taco Bell's fresco style Chicken Ranch Taco Salad (just 240 calories and 6 grams fat). Who knew?  Another post, about the hassle of making homemade French fries, reminded me of the terrific 1950s French fry cutter I lost to divorce. I don't know where my ex got it, but it was a wonder of utilitarian simplicity. The metal gizmo was about the size and shape of a bar of soap. The oblong metal frame was strung in a crosshatch with thin but mighty metal wires that cut through a potato like butter. It was human powered. You set a potato on the counter, positioned the cutter over it, and pressed down.  For years I searched for another Presto French fry cutter on the internet and in antique and second-hand shops. Last weekend I finally hit pay dirt at Route 57 Antiques on the way home from Kidron. The Presto cutter was hidden under a tangle of old kitchen gadgets. It was just $1.  I figure I can offset a few Taco Bell Chicken Ranch Taco Salads with a batch of homemade shoestring potatoes sprinkled with sea salt and chopped fresh rosemary.   Waffle cone, please  I did a double-take when I saw a sign at the El Ducko ice cream stand in Strasburg near Dover last weekend: Liver and onions. I pray it was not the flavor of the day.    THE MAILBAG  From Linda A.: Re: the George Foreman Grill, I have a little one (for one person) on my boat and when I grill a hamburger, before putting the burger in the grill, I take a thick slice of sweet onion and dab some olive oil on it and grill it then the burger -- which absorbs some of the caramelized juices of the onion in the process. I love grilled onion on my burgers and this way there is only one thing to clean up!   Linda: Brilliant. Now I'm hungry for an onion-infused burger.   From Sally, Medina: I've noticed that some recipes have you peel eggplants, while others say to leave the skin on. Same thing for salting and draining eggplants before cooking them. Is there a rule for when to peel and/or salt eggplant?  Sally: If the eggplant is young &ndash; i.e., small &ndash; it probably doesn&rsquo;t need to be peeled OR salted. Long, slim Chinese eggplants and stubby little Japanese eggplants are usually eaten skin and all, while big, dark-purple eggplants are usually peeled because the skin is tough and bitter. Weather can affect the tenderness of the skin, though, so if you've had a cold snap, you might want to peel. My mother-in-law recently pickled some 3-inch baby eggplants from my garden, but the skin on some was so tough we couldn't eat them.  Large eggplants are salted and left to drain in order to remove any bitterness in the flesh. I never bother. Eggplants of all sizes taste just fine to me.   From Sid H., Akron: I&rsquo;m supposed to be cutting down on saturated fats, which means no hamburgers. I&rsquo;ve tried turkey burgers but they all taste dry to me. Where can I get a good turkey burger or, failing that, do you have a recipe?  Sid: I&rsquo;m crazy about the turkey burgers at MetroBurger in Akron&rsquo;s Highland Square. I&rsquo;ve never made turkey burgers at home but Id be willing to try if someone has a great recipe.  



 CONTACT JANE The only way Mimi and I can keep this newsletter going is by increasing the number of readers in order to attract underwriters. Please share this newsletter with your friends and urge them to subscribe. It's free! If you have a food question, recipe request or comment, E-mail Jane Snow at jane@janesnowtoday.com Please put "FOOD" in the subject line. 
 ABOUT JANE SNOW Jane Snow is the former food editor of the Akron Beacon Journal. Her work has appeared in newspapers nationwide. She has won two James Beard Awards for food writing and has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. She lives in Akron, Ohio, with her husband, Tony, a sushi chef and owner of Sushi Katsu, an Akron sushi bar.
 A portion of the proceeds generated through sponsorships of this newsletter go to the Jane Snow Fund For Hunger at Akron Community Foundation.   If you wish to stop receiving this newsletter please click here to unsubscribe. 
 Jane Snow's eNewsletter is copyrighted and distributed by Mimi Vanderhaven's Fabulous Buys
 Newsletter Archives
 Online Web Version of Newsletter








]]></content>
			<link>http://www.janesnowtoday.com/newsletter/display.php?List=1&amp;N=130</link>
		</item>
				<item>
			<title>See Jane Cook - August 4th 2010</title>
			<description>See Jane Cook - August 4th 2010</description>
			<author>mimi</author>
			<pubdate>Thu, 05 Aug 2010 03:08:02 -0400</pubdate>
			<subject>See Jane Cook - August 4th 2010</subject>
			<content><![CDATA[ 


 
  

 
 


 
 


 
  Winner of two James Beard Awards  for food writing.  SPONSOR LINKS  
 

 Fresh Seafood from Boston  Totally Cooked  Will you run out of money in retirement?  Babin Kitchen &amp; Bath  Discount Restaurant Gift Certificates   FAVORITE SITES  Dad Cooks Dinner   King Arthur Flour   Penzeys Spices   Rare Seeds   Sushi Katsu   USDA Nutrient Database   Del Mio   Pick Your Own Farms   Caranos Cucina   Exploring Food My Way  Mimi Vanderhaven   CONTACT JANE  Email Jane  Jane's Personal Appearances   Subscribe To This Newsletter  




 Subscribe Free August 4, 2010    Dear Foodie Friends:  "Hey, your cucumber salad isn't too bad," Tony called from the deck, where he and his parents were having dinner. I was dining inside with the dog, within eyesight but out of the range of the hungry mosquitoes that had driven me indoors. I felt like a kid banished to the children&rsquo;s table. Tony's faint praise perked me up, though, because I have an ungodly number of cucumbers to use up.  Tony planted about 50 cucumber plants in May, intending to use them at his sushi bar. The cucumbers grew big and fat, though, failing his exacting cucumber standards. Through July they languished in the garden until I finally picked a half bushel, determined to rescue at least a few from the compost heap.  I could make cold cucumber soup, but I'd be the only one who would eat it. I'll put some slices in a pitcher of water for a refreshing summer drink, and I might finally try Julia Child's recipe for baked cucumbers. Meanwhile, I managed to use up four or five in the cucumber salad we had with burgers and corn on Sunday. I started with a recipe a reader sent me once, and tinkered with it until I was satisfied with the flavor. I peeled and seeded the cukes, cut them into 1/4-inch-thick slices and tossed them with onion, sesame oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, chili-garlic sauce and a pinch of sugar. If I had had cilantro, I would have thrown that in, too.  At dinner, I ate a bite of cucumber salad and smiled quietly at my dining companion. "Not bad at all," I said, urging him to try it.  Oscar was not convinced. He raised on his hind legs to beg, his eyes never leaving my hamburger.   Stubborn dog.   ASIAN CUCUMBER SALAD (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive)  

 2 cups peeled, seeded and thinly sliced cucumber (see Help U Cook)
 1/2 cup thin-sliced onion (a halved onion sliced lengthwise)
 2 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
 1 tsp. soy sauce
 1/2 tsp. fish sauce (nam pla)
 3/4 tsp. sesame oil
 1 tsp. sugar
 1/2 tsp. chili-garlic sauce
 Coarse sea salt to taste

 Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss gently. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving, to allow flavors to blend. Makes about 6 servings.   HELP U COOK  I had an "aha" moment the first time I saw my husband the sushi chef remove the seeds from a cucumber. Instead of cutting the cuke in half lengthwise and scraping out the seeds with a spoon, Tony simply slices the cucumber away from the seeds in four lengthwise strokes. He is left with four slabs of seedless cucumber and one neat, long log of seeds to toss in the trash. Duh. Why didn&rsquo;t I think of that years ago? For my cucumber salad, I cut the slabs crosswise into quarter-inch-thick slices.   THE MAILBAG  From Erica Richardson: Regarding the item about George Foreman grills, I use my Foreman grill not only for chicken and salmon, but also for quesadillas of all kinds.  I eat a lot of spinach quesadillas for lunch during the summer when I'm at home for the day  (whole wheat tortillas, shredded sharp Cheddar, fresh spinach -- top with salsa after cooking).  Erica: Thanks for the suggestion. That would solve the problem I have with flipping 10-inch quesadillas.    From Arlene Sperk: I saw your recipe for the rice pudding and we just happened to have egg yolks from another recipe and didn't know what to do with them.  We could not find white chocolate chips so I used chocolate and with the dried cherries, it was just great!  Arlene: I&rsquo;ll have to try that variation. I&rsquo;m an equal-opportunity chocolate lover.   From Kim Searcy, Stow: Your recipe for the coconut cake was in the Aug. 16, 2004 issue of your Beacon Journal newsletter, Second Helpings. Hope this helps.    CHOCOLATE-COCONUT CAKE  (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive)  

 3 cups sifted cake flour 
 1 tbsp. baking powder
  1/2 tsp. salt 
 4 large egg whites at room temperature 
 2 cups sugar 1 cup butter 
 1 tsp. vanilla 
 2 tsp. coconut extract 
 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk 
 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, crumbled 

 Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease and flour.    Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy, then gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, increasing speed to high and beating until stiff but not dry.  Scrape the egg whites on the beater into the bowl.  In another bowl with the same beater, cream the butter, remaining sugar and extract until fluffy. Alternately add the coconut milk and the flour mixture, beating until just incorporated.   By hand, stir in 1 cup egg whites to lighten the batter.  Fold in remaining whites and coconut with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into the pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, until the cakes start to pull away from the side of the pans. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.      BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE FROSTING  (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive)   

  3/4 cup whipping cream 
 1 1/2 tbsp. butter 
 11 oz. of good dark chocolate broken into pieces 
 2 cups toasted sliced almonds

Heat the cream almost to a simmer. Pour over butter and chocolate in a bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Chill until frosting thickens but is still soft enough to dent with a finger. Beat with a mixer until creamy.     To assemble: Place one cake layer flat-side(bottom) up on a cake platter. Spread some of the frosting on cake. Top with other layer, flat side down.  Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Decorate toasted sliced almonds.  Kim: Thanks so much to you and others who sent the recipe. You saved me a search. By the way, the aroma of this cake while it&rsquo;s baking is heavenly.   From Mary Miller: Do you know where I can get the recipe for the good old POGO sandwich?  I graduated from Lake High School in Hartville in 1967, and the sandwich we&rsquo;d get at the POGO drive-in in Lakemore was the greatest. It was similar to a Big Mac, but the sauce was so spectacular.   Mary: This is the first I&rsquo;ve heard of the POGO. With any luck, someone will provide a recipe or at least a clue.  



 CONTACT JANE The only way Mimi and I can keep this newsletter going is by increasing the number of readers in order to attract underwriters. Please share this newsletter with your friends and urge them to subscribe. It's free! If you have a food question, recipe request or comment, E-mail Jane Snow at jane@janesnowtoday.com Please put "FOOD" in the subject line. 
 ABOUT JANE SNOW Jane Snow is the former food editor of the Akron Beacon Journal. Her work has appeared in newspapers nationwide. She has won two James Beard Awards for food writing and has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. She lives in Akron, Ohio, with her husband, Tony, a sushi chef and owner of Sushi Katsu, an Akron sushi bar.
 A portion of the proceeds generated through sponsorships of this newsletter go to the Jane Snow Fund For Hunger at Akron Community Foundation.   If you wish to stop receiving this newsletter please click here to unsubscribe. 
 Jane Snow's eNewsletter is copyrighted and distributed by Mimi Vanderhaven's Fabulous Buys
 Newsletter Archives
 Online Web Version of Newsletter








]]></content>
			<link>http://www.janesnowtoday.com/newsletter/display.php?List=1&amp;N=129</link>
		</item>
				<item>
			<title>See Jane Cook - July 29th 2010</title>
			<description>See Jane Cook - July 29th 2010</description>
			<author>mimi</author>
			<pubdate>Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:02:03 -0400</pubdate>
			<subject>See Jane Cook - July 29th 2010</subject>
			<content><![CDATA[ 


 
  

 
 


 
 


 
  Winner of two James Beard Awards  for food writing.  SPONSOR LINKS  
 

 Fresh Seafood from Boston  Totally Cooked  Will you run out of money in retirement?  Babin Kitchen &amp; Bath  Discount Restaurant Gift Certificates   FAVORITE SITES  Dad Cooks Dinner   King Arthur Flour   Penzeys Spices   Rare Seeds   Sushi Katsu   USDA Nutrient Database   Del Mio   Pick Your Own Farms   Caranos Cucina   Exploring Food My Way  Mimi Vanderhaven   CONTACT JANE  Email Jane  Jane's Personal Appearances   Subscribe To This Newsletter  




 Subscribe Free July 29, 2010    Dear Foodie Friends: 
 I can't speak more than a few phrases of Japanese and my in-laws don't speak English, but we all speak corn. It is a summer treat in Japan, just as it is here. In fact, it's more of a treat than a vegetable in Japan, where "toh-keh-bee" is sold on the street as a snack and eaten by plucking a kernel at a time by hand from the cob. Tony's mom laughed two years ago when she first saw Americans biting the kernels directly from the cob, but she has gradually adopted that more efficient style of eating.
 We've had corn on the cob slathered with butter and corn off the cob saut&eacute;ed in butter with chopped ripe tomato and basil. We've had corn for lunch and supper and, on a couple of occasions, I've eaten cold leftover corn for breakfast. Now it's time to get creative.
 While racking my brain for a different way to serve corn, I remembered a recipe I created years ago for fresh corn fritters served with grilled shrimp and dollops of whipped goat cheese flavored with chipotle peppers. When I found the recipe and tried it out, it was even better than I remembered. The batter for the fritters is scented with cumin and lightened with stiffly beaten egg whites. The cumin and chipotle peppers give the dish a Southwestern flavor that is prominent enough to detect but subtle enough to allow the flavor of the corn to shine through.
 I created this as an appetizer, but the fritters minus the shrimp would make a fine side dish for barbecued ribs. If you've eaten your fill of fresh corn on the cob several times this summer, you may be ready for some airy corn fritters, too.
  
 FRESH CORN FRITTERS WITH GRILLED SHRIMP AND CHIPOTLE CHEVRE (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive)

 4 oz. chevre (French-style goat cheese), softened
 1/2 of a canned chipotle pepper, minced
 2/3 cup flour
 1/2 tsp. salt
 Dash of cayenne
 1/2 tsp. cumin
 Oil
 1 egg yolk
 1/3 cup milk
 3 ears of corn (about 2 cups kernels)
 2 egg whites
 8 large raw shrimp, peeled

 In a small bowl, combine goat cheese and chipotle pepper and mix well; set aside.
 In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, cayenne and cumin; stir well. Add 2 teaspoons oil, egg yolk and milk and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
 Peel corn and place an ear on end in a bowl. With a sharp knife, cut the kernels from the cob. Repeat with remaining ears. You should have about 2 cups kernels. Stir the kernels into the batter. 
 In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff. Fold gently but thoroughly into the corn batter. 
 Heat about 4 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. For each fritter, drop two rounded tablespoons of batter into skillet, spreading the mixture into a 3-inch disk with the spoon. Cook over medium-high heat until brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels, and keep warm in a 200-degree oven. 
 Grill the shrimp over medium-hot coals, or cook in the fritter skillet just until no longer translucent. To assemble the dish, place two overlapping fritters on each of four salad plates. Place a dollop of the goat cheese mixture in the center, and garnish each plate with two shrimp. Serves 4 as an appetizer. 
  
 HELP U COOK 
 But before you try my corn fritter recipe, a word or two about buying corn. It must be fresh, locally grown and cold when you buy it. These days, local corn can be bought at dozens of farm stands and even in most supermarkets, although a few stores still sell corn shipped in from out of state. If there are no signs, ask a clerk for the corn's pedigree.
 Buy corn in the husks, from a refrigerated case. At room temperature, the sugar in the kernels quickly turns to starch. Check out the stem end to determine when the corn was picked. On a fresh ear, the cut end will be a pale, damp green. The stem of a day-old ear is white and chalky. By day three, it has started to turn brown.
 Get the corn home and in the refrigerator as soon as possible. Shuck it just before cooking. Boiled corn should be cooked no longer than two to five minutes, depending on how fresh it is. The fresher it is, the less cooking time it requires.
 Microwaving is a good way to cook corn on the cob. Simply run the ears -- still in the husk -- under the faucet to moisten, and microwave on high power for three to four minutes for two ears, or five to seven minutes for four ears. Or shuck the ears, wrap each one in a moistened paper towel, and microwave for about 2 minutes per ear.
  
 THE MAILBAG 
 From Diane Obenauer, Brecksville: Help!  I can't find my printed copy of Crockpot Risotto which was really delicious.  Please help.  Diane: That recipe ran in the newsletter last March. You&rsquo;ll be able to find it in our recipe archives. It's called Parmesan Risotto. Just click here (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive).
  
 From Jean Brown: I've been following your work since the Beacon Journal days, and I would love if you could reprint a recipe you created many years ago for a wonderful coconut cake made with coconut extract, and frosted with a great chocolate ganache. It's a winner! Thanks!   Jean: Yum. That&rsquo;s my favorite cake. My friend Michele and I once turned it into a tiered wedding cake for  our friend, Tamila, and another friend has requested that I make it for her birthday next month. But I can&rsquo;t find the recipe. I know it&rsquo;s here somewhere and I&rsquo;ll keep looking. But if someone has the recipe in their computer, would you send it along?
  
 From Maryann Aguilar, Stow: I was gifted with an assortment of Rossi Pasta flavored pastas. Included was Chocolate Cabernet Tagliarini and Pumpkin Spice Fettucini.  I went to the website (www.rossipasta.com) which has recipe ideas, but wasn't enthused about Raspberry and Cream Chocolato since we're not fond of raspberries.  We like cherries and would like to use them somehow with the chocolate pasta.  The recipes for the Pumpkin Spice weren't very tempting either.  Do you have any suggestions for both of these pastas?  Maryann: What a great gift! Is the chocolate pasta sweetened? If not, it would taste good with a beef ragout made with a dark beer such as stout. If you prefer to serve it as dessert, I think cherries saut&eacute;ed in pinot noir with vanilla would be wonderful with the chocolate. The recipe for the saut&eacute;ed cherries is in our archives.
 I&rsquo;ve always liked pork and sage with pumpkin. I found a recipe on the blog, Showfood Chef, that uses mushroom pasta with pork and sage. Your pumpkin pasta could easily be substituted. Here&rsquo;s the link: http://cathyshambley.blogspot.com/2010/02/handmade-mushroom-pasta-wpork.html 
  
 From Francine Rinaldi, Barberton: I just read your latest column on blueberries and, by coincidence, I have a question about a dessert my friend, Susan, just enjoyed in Florida and described as &ldquo;the most delicious dessert I have ever placed in my mouth.&rdquo; She described a bottom layer of (crisply baked) graham cracker crust with about 3/4-inch layer of cr&egrave;me brulee and then with about 1&frac12;-inch layer of rich, dense cheesecake.  (It was topped w/fresh blueberries and strawberries.)
 Our question is, how can the brulee and cheesecake be placed and baked in layers at once or&hellip;?  Can anyone help with this?  Francine: While we&rsquo;re at it, maybe someone can explain how the best dessert I&rsquo;ve ever eaten was made. In Tuscany my friend Tamila and I (Tamila of the coconut-chocolate wedding cake) had a single-layer hazelnut cake with a thin sheet of melted chocolate in the center. Is that how you remember it, Tamila? I&rsquo;ve tried for years to figure out how it was made.
 I make a pie with two distinct layers of cheesecake and pecan pie filling that separate into the two layers during baking. Could the different densities of the custard and cheesecake batters in your dessert be the key? I&rsquo;ve also baked layered concoctions where the bottom layer is baked first, then a top layer added and it is baked again. We need advice from a food scientist.    




 CONTACT JANE The only way Mimi and I can keep this newsletter going is by increasing the number of readers in order to attract underwriters. Please share this newsletter with your friends and urge them to subscribe. It's free! If you have a food question, recipe request or comment, E-mail Jane Snow at jane@janesnowtoday.com Please put "FOOD" in the subject line. 
 ABOUT JANE SNOW Jane Snow is the former food editor of the Akron Beacon Journal. Her work has appeared in newspapers nationwide. She has won two James Beard Awards for food writing and has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. She lives in Akron, Ohio, with her husband, Tony, a sushi chef and owner of Sushi Katsu, an Akron sushi bar.
 A portion of the proceeds generated through sponsorships of this newsletter go to the Jane Snow Fund For Hunger at Akron Community Foundation.   If you wish to stop receiving this newsletter please click here to unsubscribe. 
 Jane Snow's eNewsletter is copyrighted and distributed by Mimi Vanderhaven's Fabulous Buys
 Newsletter Archives
 Online Web Version of Newsletter








]]></content>
			<link>http://www.janesnowtoday.com/newsletter/display.php?List=1&amp;N=128</link>
		</item>
				<item>
			<title>See Jane Cook - July 22nd 2010</title>
			<description>See Jane Cook - July 22nd 2010</description>
			<author>Jane Snow</author>
			<pubdate>Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:20:03 -0400</pubdate>
			<subject>See Jane Cook - July 22nd 2010</subject>
			<content><![CDATA[ 


 
  

 
 


 
 


 
  Winner of two James Beard Awards  for food writing.  SPONSOR LINKS  
 

 Fresh Seafood from Boston  Totally Cooked  Will you run out of money in retirement?  Babin Kitchen &amp; Bath  Discount Restaurant Gift Certificates   FAVORITE SITES  Dad Cooks Dinner   King Arthur Flour   Penzeys Spices   Rare Seeds   Sushi Katsu   USDA Nutrient Database   Del Mio   Pick Your Own Farms   Caranos Cucina   Exploring Food My Way  Mimi Vanderhaven   CONTACT JANE  Email Jane  Jane's Personal Appearances   Subscribe To This Newsletter  




 Subscribe Free July 22, 2010    Dear Foodie Friends: 
 Blueberries are proof that everything that&rsquo;s good for you does not in fact taste like cardboard. Blueberries are so packed with vitamins and antioxidants that they are considered one of the &ldquo;superfoods&rdquo; &ndash; edibles most likely to help stave off chronic diseases such as cancer and heart ailments. Blueberries also are thought to help prevent or reduce inflammation.   At this time of year, I can&rsquo;t get enough of them. I&rsquo;ve already picked and frozen about six pounds, and I hope to triple that amount by the time blueberry season ends in a couple of weeks. Then in the winter, when blueberry prices soar to the stratosphere, I can still enjoy one of my favorite fruits. Maybe.    Last year I used up all of my frozen blueberries before the end of October. I greedily fed them into my food processor along with yogurt to make instant frozen yogurt (pulse about 1 cup frozen berries with 6 ounces yogurt).    I only froze about 4 pounds of blueberries last year, which is why this summer I&rsquo;m taking no chances. And anyway, I love to pick berries in the summer. It starts out as berry picking, but then I begin to notice that particular languid stillness of a summer day, the feel of the sunshine on my arms and neck and the hundred shades of blue and green in the trees, the bushes and the sky. I tell myself to remember this moment each time I eat some of the frozen blueberries, and sometimes I do.    The big bucket of blueberries I lugged home last week caused quite a stir at my house. Tony&rsquo;s parents had never seen so many &ndash; or possibly, ANY&ndash; blueberries, ever. Most fruit is outrageously expensive in Japan, where my in-laws live. Consequently, our refrigerator is crammed this summer with plums, watermelon, apples, pears, oranges, pineapple, grapes, cherries and mangoes. Mama-san buys bananas by the boatload, even though she eats just one-half banana per day.    The blueberries were such a novelty that my in-laws watched as I washed them in a sieve and spread them on a towel on the counter to dry. I froze them in a single layer on baking sheets before transferring the berries to plastic freezer bags. This prevents them from fusing into one big clump in the freezer.    I saved about a quart of berries to eat fresh, and used some them the following evening in a luscious dessert. I made lemon-infused cornmeal shortcakes, sandwiched them with a cooked blueberry compote, and scattered fresh blueberries on top. If you want to know why blueberries are considered  a superfood, try this recipe.    LEMON-CORNMEAL BLUEBERRY SHORTCAKES  (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive)   Blueberry compote:   &bull; 1 cup blueberries  &bull; 1/4 cup sugar  &bull; 1 tbsp. lemon juice  &bull; 1/2 cup water   Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Continue simmering until syrup thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.    Lemon-cornmeal shortcakes:
 &bull; 1 cup cornmeal &bull; 1 cup flour &bull; 1/2 cup sugar &bull; 2 tbsp. baking powder &bull; 1/2 tsp. salt &bull; 8 tbsp. cold butter, cut into bits &bull; 1/2 cup half and half &bull; 1/4 cup lemon juice &bull; Grated rind of 2 lemons &bull; 1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh blueberries &bull; Whipped cream if desired   In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter as for pie crust, until evenly distributed and the size of peas. Stir in half and half, then lemon juice and rind.    Drop batter in 12 equal portions onto two greased or parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing evenly.  Bake in a preheated, 400-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until edges begin to brown. Remove with a spatula and cool.    Place one shortcake on each of six dessert plates. Spoon some blueberry sauce on top and cover with another shortcake. Dollop whipped cream on top and scatter blueberries on top and around shortcake. Makes 6 servings.     THE MAILBAG               From Liz:   I have a comment about the woman who says that some items at farmers markets are too expensive. I sell jam at my local market for $4 per 8-ounce jar. I had a man the other weekend tell me that was steep and asked if I'd take $3. I refused. I put in hours and hours of work picking berries, washing/sterilizing jars, cooking the fruit, canning and processing and then hand writing labels and cutting fabric squares for the tops. And of course the taste! Delicious homemade jam is worlds away from the store-bought stuff.    A small family farm whose owners work hard all summer long deserves $4 for a quart of baby potatoes. They are delicious and we're helping support someone's livelihood. If that woman would rather buy truck-ripened tomatoes that taste like water because they are $1 cheaper, then more power to her.    Liz:  I don&rsquo;t think truck-ripened tomatoes are what she had in mind. She just can&rsquo;t afford the prices charged by some boutique farms, just as some people buy Kraft rather than Tillamook Cheddar because they can&rsquo;t afford the latter. Artisan food producers are the torch-bearers of quality and flavor in this country, and since the inception of the movement in the 1980s, they have had a positive influence on even the mass-food producers. My hope is that even though we all can&rsquo;t afford the best stuff, we all will benefit.    From Patti, Akron: About the farmer&rsquo;s markets and pricing &ndash; I would much rather pay a slightly higher price and receive great quality in return.  Just before the markets started this year twice at two local grocers I purchased carrots only to find them rotting in the bag two days from purchase. Support the farmers and buy local &ndash; you won&rsquo;t be disappointed!   From Kathy E.: The farmers&rsquo; market every Saturday morning in Kent is very close to me, and I have picked up  several bargains. Wonderful huge bunches of fresh greens, vegetables and lettuces, big baskets of berries. The prices are set by the individual vendor, and depend on the supplies available;  still they have to compete with one another.    From Barb T.: Just read about your using your mom's George Forman grill.  I have to say that I love my grill.  It is especially great  for salmon and chicken breasts, just like you said.  Just add some seasoning or a marinade.  It is quick, easy and flavorful.  What more could you ask for!  Barb:   I&rsquo;d love to know what some other people cook with the grill. I&rsquo;ve done sandwiches, asparagus, chicken and salmon. There must be some clever uses I haven&rsquo;t thought of.   From Dave Mueller, Highlands Ranch, Colo.: Rather than use the microwave to make bacon, I use the Forman grill. Since the bacon is heated on both sides, it doesn't curl. An added benefit is that you get some very nice bacon fat for future cooking.  Dave:  Good idea. I&rsquo;ll try it.    From Melanie: I could not make your Akron-Summit County library appearance last week, but would love the recipe for white chocolate-sour cherry rice pudding you served. We have a sour cherry tree and I am tired of the same old pies and cobblers.  Melanie:  Send a few of those old cherry pies and cobblers my way if you&rsquo;re tired of them. Yum. My rice pudding recipe calls for dried cherries, not fresh, and I&rsquo;ve printed the recipe in the past. However, since several people requested it last week, here it is again.   WHITE CHOCOLATE-SOUR CHERRY RICE PUDDING (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive)  &bull; 1 cup long-grain rice &bull; 5 egg yolks &bull; 1/2 cup sugar &bull; 1/4 cup flour &bull; 1 cup cream &bull; 3 cups milk &bull; 1 tsp. vanilla &bull; 1 cup white chocolate chips &bull; 1/2 cup dried sour cherries or cranberries   Cook rice according to package directions until just barely done. Grains should still be slightly firm. Pour into a strainer and drain completely.    Meanwhile, beat egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer until thick and pale yellow. Beat in flour. Heat cream and milk until almost simmering. Beat into egg mixture in a slow stream.    Pour custard into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking lazily to prevent custard from scorching. After the first bubbles appear, boil 3 minutes longer, whisking constantly, until thick.    Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, rice, chocolate and dried cherries. Let stand 2 minutes, until chocolate melts. Stir again. Spoon into dessert bowls or parfait glasses. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.    From Jan B.: If I make finger sandwiches for an open house, how much in advance should I make them and/or can they be frozen?  I  plan to be using ham salad, chicken salad and perhaps a cheese spread.  Thanks so very much!  Jan:   Yes, you can freeze sandwiches. I don't like to freeze bread because it dries out somewhat. But if you have too many sandwiches to make the day of or day before the event, go ahead and freeze. Be sure to wrap them well. You could test-freeze a few, then thaw them and see if you like the texture and flavor.   One tip: Whether you freeze the sandwiches or make them fresh (or the day before and refrigerate them), spread butter or soft margarine on the bread from crust to crust before adding the filling. It will help keep the bread moist but not soggy.    From Idelle Kodish: I have a question about the classic pizzelles from Mimi&rsquo;s holiday cookie book.  I was bored today and decided to make them. I do not have the manual for my pizzelle maker, (someone gave it to me) so I used the amount and time in the recipe.  If I used a small teaspoon, it came out with holes in them. When I increased the amount of batter, the pizzelle came out with the uncooked batter on the sides.    Any suggestions? It's a Magic Chef Pizzelle Maker and I tried unsuccessfully to talk to a company representative. Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Idelle:  My advice is to thoroughly pre-heat the pizzelle maker, and then pour the batter in the very center of the iron before closing the lid. You&rsquo;ll have to experiment with the amount of batter to determine how much your pizzelle maker requires. You&rsquo;re a smart cookie for getting out your pizzelle maker in the middle of summer. Pizzelles make great ice cream cones when rolled while still hot.




  CONTACT JANE The only way Mimi and I can keep this newsletter going is by increasing the number of readers in order to attract underwriters. Please share this newsletter with your friends and urge them to subscribe. It's free! If you have a food question, recipe request or comment, E-mail Jane Snow at jane@janesnowtoday.com Please put "FOOD" in the subject line. 
 ABOUT JANE SNOW Jane Snow is the former food editor of the Akron Beacon Journal. Her work has appeared in newspapers nationwide. She has won two James Beard Awards for food writing and has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. She lives in Akron, Ohio, with her husband, Tony, a sushi chef and owner of Sushi Katsu, an Akron sushi bar.
 A portion of the proceeds generated through sponsorships of this newsletter go to the Jane Snow Fund For Hunger at Akron Community Foundation.   If you wish to stop receiving this newsletter please click here to unsubscribe. 
 Jane Snow's eNewsletter is copyrighted and distributed by Mimi Vanderhaven's Fabulous Buys
 Newsletter Archives
 Online Web Version of Newsletter








]]></content>
			<link>http://www.janesnowtoday.com/newsletter/display.php?List=1&amp;N=127</link>
		</item>
				<item>
			<title>See Jane Cook - July 15th 2010</title>
			<description>See Jane Cook - July 15th 2010</description>
			<author>Jane Snow</author>
			<pubdate>Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:44:02 -0400</pubdate>
			<subject>See Jane Cook - July 15th 2010</subject>
			<content><![CDATA[ 


 
  

 
 


 
 


 
  Winner of two James Beard Awards  for food writing.  SPONSOR LINKS  
 

 Fresh Seafood from Boston  Totally Cooked  Will you run out of money in retirement?  Babin Kitchen &amp; Bath  Discount Restaurant Gift Certificates   FAVORITE SITES  Dad Cooks Dinner   King Arthur Flour   Penzeys Spices   Rare Seeds   Sushi Katsu   USDA Nutrient Database   Del Mio   Pick Your Own Farms   Caranos Cucina   Exploring Food My Way  Mimi Vanderhaven   CONTACT JANE  Email Jane  Jane's Personal Appearances   Subscribe To This Newsletter  




 Subscribe Free July 15, 2010    Dear Foodie Friends:   I never saw myself as a George Foreman Grill kind of person. I figured I&rsquo;d buy one of those things about the time I started leaving the plastic on the lamp shades. But I bought one for my mother when her health began to fail, in an attempt to get her to cook nutritious meals. Although she never used it, I did a couple of times, and I liked it enough to claim dibs when my brother, sister and I were sorting Mom&rsquo;s possessions.  This month my George Foreman finally earned its shelf space. The hot, humid weather of early June was perfect weather to dust it off and plug it in. One evening, it helped me make a terrific grilled salmon BLT salad in less than five minutes without turning on the stove. I&rsquo;ve also grilled chicken breasts and even asparagus on it.  I&rsquo;ll demonstrate the salad recipe on WKYC-TV Channel 3 at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 25 on the Golden Opportunities program. You might want to make the salad now, though, whether the weather is sticky or not. It&rsquo;s a great light summer dinner that requires practically no work.   QUICKIE SALMON BLT SALAD (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive) For each person: 

 2 strips bacon
 1 4-oz. salmon fillet, about 1/2-inch thick
 3 tbsp. favorite salad dressing (Caesar or honey-Dijon are good)
 2 cups torn lettuce
 Salt, pepper
 1/2 of a ripe, medium size tomato, cubed, or 6 grape tomatoes
 5 almonds

 Cut bacon strips in halves and place on a microwave-safe plate lined with one paper towel. Cover with a double thickness of paper towels and microwave on high power for 2 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes until crisp.  Meanwhile, heat a tabletop grill such as a George Foreman until hot. Blot salmon dry with paper towel. Brush the salmon on both sides with one tablespoon of the dressing. Place on the grill and close the lid. Cook for 3 minutes (or 2 minutes if you like the fish slightly undercooked, as I do).  While salmon cooks, place lettuce in a bowl and toss with the remaining dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the diced tomato and almonds over salad. Crumbled the bacon and scatter over salad. When salmon is done, remove from grill with a spatula, leaving behind any skin, and place fillet on top of salad. Makes 1 serving.   TIDBITS  Tonight I&rsquo;ll be toting a batch of white chocolate-sour cherry rice pudding to the Firestone Park branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library. If you want a sample, be there at 7 p.m. for my talk and book signing. I promise plenty of pudding for all.   THE MAILBAG  From Joy: Here's a link for Debbie Minerich, who asked about a turkey and chickpea burger recipe. This may not be the exact recipe she wants (no oats), but it looks similar to what she&rsquo;s searching for: http://www.wellsphere.com/healthy-eating-article/turkey-and-chickpea-160-burgers/987402   Joy: Thanks for taking the time to pass this along.   From Pennie:  This is for Sue, who was looking for the recipe for the zucchini soup from Pat&rsquo;s Diamond Deli. I found this one from 1993 in several Web pages, all attributed to you. There was no context to the recipe, so don't know if it is the one Sue is looking for.  Sounds good, though!  Pennie: I don&rsquo;t remember the recipe, but it does sound good. My zucchini are almost big enough to pick.   CREAM OF ZUCCHINI SOUP (Printer Friendly Recipe Archive) 

 1 large onion, chopped 
 1/4 cup (4 tbsp.) butter 
 3 cups chicken broth 
 6 medium zucchini, diced 
 1 tbsp. parsley, chopped 
 1/4 tsp. thyme leaves  Salt, pepper 
 1 1/2 cups half and half
 1 cup dry white wine 

 Saut&eacute; onion in butter until soft. Add broth, zucchini, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes, or until zucchini is softened. Puree in blender. Return to pan, add half-and-half and wine and heat through.  Note from Jane: I would add the wine with the broth rather than at the end, so that the harsh alcohol edge simmers away.   From Linda Amstutz: I think the Farmer's Market in Medina, on the square Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, is a great experience. They have a broad array of offerings including gorgeous flowers, jewelry, and crafts in addition to the locally grown produce and cheeses and meat and eggs (Oh! the eggs!). The coolest, though, in my opinion, is the stand where you can buy locally grown mushrooms! You can't miss it - it is under a huge umbrella painted to look like one. Some are the old standbys but I bought some I'd never seen before called "lion's mane" that, cooked in the manner recommended, were delish and reputed to keep my "synapses sharp"...hope they work!!   Linda: I could use a few of those mushrooms, too. Thanks for the recommendation.   From Donna Norfolk: As an organic farmer and a season vendor at OARDC's Farmers Market in Wooster (3 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays) I, too, decry my fellow growers and their prices!  Yes, you are correct there is a fee to have a booth; however, a savvy farmer can cover that fee quickly.  But a private farmer cannot grow potatoes for the same price a large conglomerates can - it cannot be done. Seed potatoes themselves are more expensive than what you pay for a bag of russets from out-of-state. But a profit can be made by charging by the pound and not the quart. Most farmers prefer to quart them, then we don't have to pay the fees to the local counties to have our scales inspected.  I personally sell potatoes by the pound - 50 cents a pound which is very reasonable for fresh, non-fertilized, organic potatoes.  But, you will never be able to purchase fresh potatoes cheaper than store bought - I've priced markets all over the state and I've yet to succeed, so, bite the bullet on this one.  Everything else, yes EVERYTHING, should be competitively priced. Most other seeds are well within a reasonable range for charging grocery store prices or a LITTLE bit more and still coming away with money to survive well. My idea is to get good veggies out there, at price I could afford to pay for them, and we&rsquo;re all happy.  Some farmers add their labor costs to the price of the vegetables and that inflates the price a lot. To pick enough beans to sell at a farmer's market takes about 2 hours; hydrocooling and washing, about 1 hour; then into a cooler for storage (add in electricity for the refrigerant...) And that's the just one vegetable.  Now, my husband and I made the choice to be farmers (retiring from corporate America at ages 52 and 50 respectively), we don't need or want to become bigger than we are and we don't need to make $100,000 a year to feel successful, so we price our vegetables without an hourly rate attached to our work  For you up in Westlake, take a look at the on-line CSA Fresh Fork Market (www.freshforkmarket.com). Jane has written about them before in the newsletter and we provide for them as well as the OARDC Farmer's Market. Trevor at Fresh Fork could certainly point you to a great market up your way if his offerings don't look promising enough to you.  Donna: The comments are still rolling in on this subject. Thanks for giving one farmer's perspective. 



  CONTACT JANE The only way Mimi and I can keep this newsletter going is by increasing the number of readers in order to attract underwriters. Please share this newsletter with your friends and urge them to subscribe. It's free! If you have a food question, recipe request or comment, E-mail Jane Snow at jane@janesnowtoday.com Please put "FOOD" in the subject line. 
 ABOUT JANE SNOW Jane Snow is the former food editor of the Akron Beacon Journal. Her work has appeared in newspapers nationwide. She has won two James Beard Awards for food writing and has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. She lives in Akron, Ohio, with her husband, Tony, a sushi chef and owner of Sushi Katsu, an Akron sushi bar.
 A portion of the proceeds generated through sponsorships of this newsletter go to the Jane Snow Fund For Hunger at Akron Community Foundation.   If you wish to stop receiving this newsletter please click here to unsubscribe. 
 Jane Snow's eNewsletter is copyrighted and distributed by Mimi Vanderhaven's Fabulous Buys
 Newsletter Archives
 Online Web Version of Newsletter








]]></content>
			<link>http://www.janesnowtoday.com/newsletter/display.php?List=1&amp;N=126</link>
		</item>
			</channel>
</rss>

