Do you know all about ... mousse? (FoodArticles)

Posted 2 July, 2001 by PAF-News

There are several theories about the origin of the word 'mousse.' But the one which is most fascinating and sounds true to me is this one:

In ancient Rome honey was mixed with wine to make a beverage called mulsum, which is related to mel, meaning honey. A Latin word relative to mousse is the word 'mulsa', meaning mead or hydromel. This word mulsa became mousse in French, meaning 'froth', and was later (in the late 19th century) taken into English to mean a sweet frothy desert.

Today a mousse is a light fluffy (frothy) mixture, either sweet or savory, with whipped cream and/or beaten egg whites and/or gelatin. They can be served hot or cold, and some sweet mousses are frozen.
Sweet mousses are usually made with chocolate or fruit purées, and most contain whipped cream.

Savory mousses are made with puréed or ground foods (salmon, shellfish, poultry etc.). Hot mousses usually contain beaten egg whites, and are frequently stabilized with gelatin.

A word about mousseline. This is a very general French term for any light fluffy preparation, made so by the addition of whipped cream. Usually a mousseline is made in a mold with puréed seafood, meat, foie gras etc. Mousseline is also used for hollandaise sauce with whipped cream folded in. The origin of the word is NOT the same as for ‘mousse.’ Mousseline in French means ‘muslin’, the fine shear fabric.

Source: foodreference

Gourmet Mushrooms (FoodArticles)

Posted 1 July, 2001 by PAF-News

There are over 2,500 mushroom varieties grown in the world today. Fresh gourmet mushrooms offer a veritable palette of distinct flavors and textures to draw upon.

Portabellas (Portobellos), Shiitakes, Criminis and White mushrooms are the most commonly used cultivated varieties, but the more exotic mushrooms - Morels, Oyster mushrooms, Beech mushrooms, Enokis and Maitakes - are becoming increasingly popular.

White mushrooms vary in color from creamy white to light brown and in sizes from small (button) to jumbo. They are pleasingly mild and woodsy; their flavor intensifies when cooked. Freshly picked White mushrooms have closed veils (caps that fit closely to the stem) and delicate flavor; mature Whites, with open veils and darkened caps, develop a richer, deeper taste.

Crimini mushrooms are similar in appearance to the Whites because they come from the same family (Agaricus). Look for a naturally light tan to rich brown cap and a very firm texture. Deeper, denser, earthier flavor than White mushrooms.

Impressive in size and appearance, the Portabella mushroom is a larger, hardier relative of the White and Crimini and can range up to 6 inches in diameter. Portabellas have a longer growing cycle than Whites and Criminis resulting in a deep, meat-like texture and flavour.

Shiitakes range in color from tan to dark brown with broad, umbrella-shaped caps, wide open veils and tan gills. Shiitake caps have a soft, spongy texture. When cooked, Shiitake mushrooms are rich and woodsy with a meaty texture.

Maitakes are described by a cluster of dark fronds with firm and supple texture at base, becoming slightly brittle and crumbly at the edges. Maitake mushrooms have a distinctive aroma with a rich, woodsy taste.

Fluted and graceful, Oyster mushrooms range in color from soft brown to gray. They are best if cooked. Oyster mushrooms have a delicate, mild flavor and velvety texture.

Fragile, flower-like with long, slender stems and tiny caps, Enoki mushrooms grow in small clusters. They have a mild, light flavor with a slight crunch.

Morel mushrooms have short, thick, hollow stems, topped with sponge-like pointed caps, resembling honeycombs. Morels may be tan, yellow or black in color and produce a rich, nut-like flavor and woodsy fragrance.

To find out more about mushrooms, visit The Mushroom Council

AVOCADO (KitchenTips)

Posted 1 July, 2001 by PAF-News

Store below 40 degrees F or above 70 degrees F will cause rot.
Some varieties will spoil below 50 degrees. Ripen at room temperature (60 - 70 degrees F), then store at 45 degrees F. Avocados have been cultivated in Central America for almost 7,000 years. Avocados will not ripen on the tree. They must be picked from the tree to initiate ripening. The leaves supply a substance that prevents ripening. The best way to store avocados is to leave them on the tree; they will store for 7 months or more when left on the tree.

Which Herb for which meal? (KitchenTips)

Posted 1 July, 2001 by PAF-News

Ready to harvest your homegrown herbs but aren’t sure how to best reap the rewards in your kitchen? Here’s a handy guide that will help match foods with the herbs that best complement their natural flavors.

Beef

Basil, bay, caraway, coriander, cumin, dill, marigold, marjoram, mint, sage, savories, tarragon and thyme (no rosemary)

Pork

Anise, basil, bergamot, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, lemon balm, mint, marjoram, rosemary, sage, savories, tarragon and thyme.

Lamb

Mint, basil, bay, caraway, coriander, cumin, dill, lemon balm, hyssop, marjoram, rosemary, sage, savories or thyme.

Poultry

Chicken only: basil or bay is always good; also caraway, coriander, cumin, dill, lemon balm, marigold, marjoram, mint, rosemary and tarragon; for both sage and savories.
Turkey: thyme

Fish & Shellfish

Anise, basil, caraway, chives, coriander, dill, fennel, hyssop, lemon balm (excellent), marigold, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, savories, tarragon; shellfish and fish, rosemary, and thyme.

Breads & Cakes

Coriander, cumin, caraway, dill, marigold and marjoram, anise, fennel, lovage and rosemary.

Goose

Sage

Duck

Dill, mint, hyssop, rosemary, sage, savories, tarragon.

Eggs

Chives, dill, anise, basil, chervil, coriander, cumin, lemon balm, lovage, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, savories, tarragon or thyme.

Liver

Coriander, sage or tarragon.

Salads

Anise, basil, bergamot, borage, caraway, catmint, chervil, chickweed, chives, comfrey, coriander, cumin, dandelion, dill, elder, hyssop, lemon balm, marigold, mint, parsley, salad burnet, roses, sweet cicely, tarragon and thyme.

Soups

Anise, borage, chickweed, caraway, chives, cumin, dill, fennel, hyssop, lemon balm, lovage, marigold, marjoram, mint, salad burnet, stinging nettles, savories, tarragon, thyme.

Arabic Cuisine (FoodArticles)

Posted 29 June, 2001 by PAF-News

Arabic cuisine has its roots in tent cookery. Nomadic tribes could use only transportable foods such as rice and dates, or ambulatory stock like sheep and camels in their recipes - which tended to be rough sketches rather than strict formulae.
As the caravans journeyed throughout the Middle East, new seasonings and vegetables were discovered and added to the existing repertoire. Each new discovery was incorporated into the diet in quantities palatable to a particular tribe - a fact that many cooks believe is responsible for the anomalies found in some Arabic dishes today.

The nomadic Bedouin influence is broadened by other cuisines from the Arab world, notably from Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt, resulting in a highly diverse food and drink culture.

Lebanese contributions have been the greatest influence on modern Middle Eastern cuisine, in no small part due to the entrepreneurship of the Lebanese that has helped to spread Arabic cuisine throughout the world from its centre in the Levant in such areas as Aleppo, Damascus, Beirut and Nablus. Lebanese culinary influence and business skills provide the framework for the exotic cuisine recognised internationally as Arabic.

Hospitality in the Arab world is second to none, and nowhere is it better expressed than in the age-old custom of serving freshly-brewed coffee or mint tea to every guest, whether the gathering be business or social.

The foreigner who takes time to learn and experiment with this excellent cuisine will be immediately won over and rewarded with many wonderful surprises. Arabic food can rival any international gastronomy for originality and good taste, and, because it basically comprises simple, natural and easily digested foodstuffs, it ranks high in nutritional value with today's fitness-conscious society.

Source: ArabNet

Fruit Time ... Peaches (FoodArticles)

Posted 27 June, 2001 by PAF-News

With their downy yellow skin and rosy blush, peaches are arguably one of the most beautiful summer fruits. What's more, their beauty isn't just skin deep. Peaches have the flavour of liquid sunshine, and are a good source of vitamin A, potassium and dietary fiber.

When selecting peaches, look for fruit with a yellow or cream-coloured background. A green undertone indicates that the peach was picked prematurely and will not ripen fully to develop optimum flavor. Store peaches at room temperature. When they give slightly to the touch and a have a flowery scent, they are ready to eat out of hand. Under-ripe fruit works well in peach recipes that call for baking, sauteing, broiling or preserving.

Peaches complement the flavours of many other fruits, especially raspberries, apricots, cherries or plums. Their light acidity makes them great additions to savory foods, including chicken, duck, pork and ham. Peaches originated in the Orient, so it's not surprising that peaches are commonly used in a number of dishes that call for Asian spices like ginger, saffron, cumin, cardamom, chiles, curry and coriander.

Chilled peach soup is the perfect start to a summer meal. Place four ripe, chopped peaches in a saucepan with 1-1/2 cups dry white wine or white grape juice, 2 tablespoons honey and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Bring the liquid just to a boil, cover, turn off the heat and allow to cool. Puree the mixture in a food processor and strain it through a fine sieve into a bowl. Season the soup with just a bit of nutmeg, cover and chill until ready to serve.

When you're tired of pretzels and cheese and crackers have become humdrum, make a fresh peach salsa to tickle your tastebuds. Peel, pit and cube a large ripe peach, tossing the fruit in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of lime juice to keep the flesh from turning dark. Add 1/4 cup diced red onion, 1/4 cup seeded and diced green bell pepper, 2 teaspoons diced hot green chile pepper and a teaspoon of vegetable oil. Stir the salsa thoroughly and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro.

Poached peaches make an easy yet elegant summer dessert. Combine 2-1/2 cups each of sugar and warm water in a large saucepan; stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and continue boiling, uncovered, for two minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, a cinnamon stick and some crushed ginger. Reduce the heat to low, add the peeled peach halves, and cook just below a simmer until the fruit is fork-tender but not mushy, or about 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the peaches cool in the syrup. Serve the fruit topped with a spoonful of the poaching syrup and a dollop of low-fat vanilla yogurt.

The next time you bring a dish to a summer picnic, instead of the usual potato, pasta, or green salad, take along this quick-fix savoury salad that highlights the amazing versatility of peaches.

Savoury Fresh Peach Salad

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 large fresh peaches, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 Tbs. minced fresh parsley
1 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. minced onions
4 dried apricots, minced

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, honey and mustard.
In a large mixing bowl, toss together the peaches, celery, sesame seeds, parsley, cilantro, onions, and apricots. Add the yogurt mixture and toss again. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving.
Each of the four servings contains 78 calories and less than a gram of fat.

Source: AICR

Allergy Alert: Friendly Brand Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream May Contain Pistachio Nuts (FoodNews)

Posted 27 June, 2001 by PAF-News

Friendly Ice Cream Corporation of Wilbraham, MA, is voluntarily recalling its half gallon packages labeled “Mint Chocolate Chip” ice cream because they may contain pistachio ice cream, which contains pistachio nut fragments. People who have allergies to nuts may have an allergic reaction, including a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction, if they consume this product.

The recalled “Mint Chocolate Chip” ice cream products were distributed in supermarkets, convenience stores and Friendly’s Restaurants in the states of MA, ME, RI, CT, VT, NH, NY, NJ, PA, OH, VA, MD, DC, FL, TN, IN, WV, MI, NC and SC. Friendly’s learned that mislabeled product was not distributed to restaurants after initiating this recall.

This product comes in half-gallon packages marked with an expiration date of April 27, 2002, embossed in the form of "27Apr02" or "Apr2702" or inkjet printed in the form of "25-26 WC5 020427. To date, no allergic reactions to the product have been reported.

The company initiated the recall after learning that pistachio ice cream was packaged in a production run of “Mint Chocolate Chip” ice cream half gallon cartons.

Consumers who are allergic to nuts and have purchased half gallon packages of “Mint Chocolate Chip” ice cream may return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-723-1591.

Source: FSIS

Vanilla Enhances Fruit Flavours (FoodArticles)

Posted 27 June, 2001 by PAF-News

Vanilla delivers characteristic and complex flavor notes to hundreds of types of food. With fruit- and dairy-based products, it enhances flavour by cutting acid notes, bringing out creamy notes and rounding out flavor systems.

Finding the right vanilla flavor for a particular product is not simple, however. “There are so many different nuances among the different growing areas that we have hundreds of combinations of vanilla,” says Dan Fox, director of sales, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Inc., Waukegan, Ill. The company blends vanilla extracts made from vanilla beans from the four major sources: Madagascar, Indonesia, Tahiti and Mexico.

Factors, such as the type of fruit, butterfat content and cooking time, determine which vanilla or blend is appropriate. Bourbon vanilla mellows the acid notes of fruits like cranberry and pineapple used in yogurt, chutney, relishes and compotes. It rounds out the flavor of fruits like apple, mango, raisin and peach.

“Tahitian vanilla, with its fruity, floral notes, complements the flavor of cherry very well and enhances strawberry flavor,” Fox says. “Straight Tahitian or a combination of Bourbon and Tahitian is often selected.”

In yogurt or ice cream, vanilla selection also “coordinates” with the butterfat. Bourbon vanilla brings out the creamy notes of the dairy base. Vanilla notes are even more prominent in a lowfat base and can help cut the acidity of the base. In a product containing fruits or berries, Bourbon vanilla brings out sweetness.

If a product is to be heated, Indonesian vanilla may be the choice. Vanilla flavour depends on more than 250 volatiles. When the flavor is heated, some of them may evaporate. Indonesian vanilla, due to the way it is cured, has some strong notes that withstand cooking temperatures.

Due to its method of processing the vanilla beans, Nielsen-Massey vanillas retain many of the volatile flavour compounds of the vanilla bean. During processing, an alcohol and water solution flows over the beans in a cold extraction process that takes 3-5 weeks instead of several days. As a result, flavour impact is great in proportion to usage levels.

Source: Fran Labelle,preparedfoods

Pop Market Watch (FoodNews)

Posted 26 June, 2001 by PAF-News

Pepsi’s $14 billion acquisition of Quaker will bring Gatorade and its estimated 78% share of the sports drink category into the Pepsi fold. To make room and assuage FTC concerns, Pepsi is shuffling its All Sport drink off to Monarch Co., an Atlanta-based beverage company responsible for Dad’s Root Beer, the Moxie soft drink and private-label sodas.

Coke, meanwhile, enjoys a 15% share of the sports drink market and aims to increase that stake with a revamped Powerade. July will see the launch of a new Powerade with vitamins B3, B6 and B12, as well as a Powerade Light that also has B vitamins and 50% fewer calories than the leading sports drink. Coke promises these will be the first in an expanding array of Powerade products that fuse the benefits of hydration and energy. Recent trademark applications have included Powerade AM, Powerade Psych and Powerade Launch.

Coke has also purchased Mad River, a brand of iced tea and juice drinks. This will serve as Coke’s entry into the “new age” market, with Mad River’s vitamin- and herb-enhanced beverages.

Source: preparedfoods

Sara Lee pleads guilty in listeria outbreak (FoodNews)

Posted 26 June, 2001 by PAF-News

Sara Lee Corp. pleaded guilty Friday to a federal criminal charge stemming from the 1998 contamination of hot dogs and deli meats produced at its Bil Mar Foods plant, and agreed to a $1.2 million civil settlement.

The contamination led to the recall of 15 million pounds of meat produced at the Zeeland, Mich., plant suspected of being contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. The recall, which cost Sara Lee $76 million, was initiated after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began investigating a number of suspected cases of listeriosis.

Sara Lee pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to a misdemeanor charge of producing and distributing adulterated meat and poultry in violation of the Federal Meat Inspection Act.

Federal investigators acknowledged they uncovered no evidence Bil Mar knowingly produced contaminated products and that upon learning of the possible contamination, Sara Lee "took immediate and comprehensive steps to recall all food products" that might have been affected.

Sara Lee agreed to pay a $200,000 criminal fine and as a condition of its probation to fund $3 million in food safety research at Michigan State University. Because some of the tainted meat was sold to the Department of Defense, a civil action also was brought. In settlement of the civil action, Sara Lee agreed to pay the Department of Defense $915,000 plus the cost of the government investigation.

U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Green said there was no question of whether to charge Sara Lee with a misdemeanor or a felony.

"After a thorough investigation we uncovered no evidence to indicate that Sara Lee or Bil Mar knowingly or intentionally distributed adulterated food," Phillip said. "This was a strict liability case. It was not a situation where we plea bargained."

"We are pleased that this situation is now behind us," Sara Lee President and Chief Executive Officer Steve McMillan.

At least 15 people died and six women suffered miscarriages as a result of the listeriosis outbreak. At least 80 more people were seriously sickened. Most of the victims were elderly and many suffered other medical problems, including diabetes, kidney disease or lupus.

An investigation by the Detroit Free Press discovered federal inspectors had criticized the sanitation practices at Bil Mar almost weekly in the months before the outbreak. In the six months following the recall, meat sales dropped about $200 million, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Sara Lee still faces a class-action suit stemming from the outbreak. Chicago attorney Ken Moll said settlement proposals are set to go out to some 4,000 claimants next month. Depending on the severity of the illness, most claimants will receive $250 to $50,000, plus medical expenses.

Lawsuits totaling $1.6 million filed on behalf of families of five of those who died also are pending.

Copyright 2001 U.P.I.
United Press International

Articles Categories:

Kitchen Tips
Food Articles
Food News
Diets
Healthy Living

PAF's Recipe Book:

BBQ Recipes
Bulgarian Cuisine
Finger Food
Guest Recipes
Fish & SeaFood
Salads & Starters

Back to the Archive