there are thousands of substances that are federal legal to be added to food in the United States.

Industrial Age by Jan Tik

Eafus or Everything Added to Food in the United States is a publication by the FDA cataloging the many additives food manufactures may use. From the FDA:

EAFUS – The “Everything Added to Food in the United States” (EAFUS) database is an informational database maintained by CFSAN under an ongoing program known as the Priority-based Assessment of Food Additives (PAFA). PAFA contains administrative, chemical and toxicological information on over 2000 substances directly added to food, including substances regulated by the FDA as a direct food additive, secondary direct food additive, color additive, GRAS and prior-sanctioned substance. In addition, the database contains only administrative and chemical information on approximately 1000 such substances. Information about the more than 3000 total substances comprise EAFUS. For a complete listing of EAFUS substances, see the EAFUS list.

I came across a physical copy of the publication recently and was rather startled. In defense of print media, the actual text seemed surprisingly more concrete. 150 pages of chemical names and notations, one on each line. The list may spark the ambition of a creative food scientist, but how do each of these affect the health of our country?

With the exception of those inspired by Ferran Adrià’s work it is hard to think that these additives are being introduced to food for any reasons other then economics. In other words, food producers are looking for cheaper ways to manufacture food. After all the cultivation of food from the real circle of life can be quite exhaustive. Just ask any one of our farming ancestors.

Would you let the government sell the United States food supply contract to these manufactures? If not keep an open eye out for the USDA trying to weed out the independent producer.

Links

Eafus at Amazon
EAFUS: A Food Additive Database

So we have come to a point were we may have to take a peak at those store brand canned tomatoes. This guide is meant to help sort through the weeds of canned tomato selections.

Sodium

Perhaps the most important factor to look at when purchasing canned tomatoes is the sodium content. While high sodium tomato may yield a better tasting product out of the can, it will undoubtedly make your sauce too salty when stewed. A good brand will have as little as 35mg of sodium per 1/2 cup. If your store doesn’t carry such a product, an average amount would be between 100-200mg sodium per 1/2 cup. Anything over 200mg will be too much.

Other Label Markers

Whole tomatoes indicate an intact tomato, pealed and  preserved in a liquid. This is your best quality choice, if a recipe calls for diced or crushed, simply do it yourself. Calcium chloride is added to diced tomato to help keep the from being crushed in the can. This will limit your tomato’s ability to be broken down during cooking.

The liquid in which the tomato is preserved in is also important. Puree is the result of extended cooking, and will lead to a thicker consistency. Tomatoes in tomato juice will give be of a fresh nature, since the extended cooking is not present.

Tomato paste is a puree that has been cooked for several hours and reduced into a thick paste. It can enrich your sauce, but be careful too much can be harsh.

These products can last anywhere from a year to a year and a half in the pantry. Watch the shelves though, over time they will develop a metalic taste.

• Cherimoya
• Grapefruit
• Guava
• Kiwi
• Kumquat
• Mandarin
• Pear
• Persimmons
• Pomelo
• Tangerines

Vegetables

• Chicory
• Gourds
• Parsnip
• Rutabaga
• Sunchoke
• Turnip

Cherimoya

Guava

Kumquat

Pomelo

Sunchoke

Photo "Jerusalem Artichokes" by su-lin

All the best in the new year.

-Jimi

Simple syrup may go by many names -sugar syrup, simple sugar syrup, and bar syrup for examples- but it all is the same mixture. I heard many people get confused to what these items are and their differences.

What they are is a mixture of sugar and water, nothing more. It is quite simple, thus it’s name.

To make simple syrup, stir granulated sugar into hot water until the sugar dissolves. Then cool.

The ratio between the two is 2 parts sugar for every part water. Two cups of sugar for every cup of water.

Ingredients for Caesar Dressing

1. Garlic, Chopped      1/2 Tbsp.
2. Eggs, pasteurized    1 each
3. Parmesan, grated    2 oz
4. Vinegar, 50% Balsamic 50% Red Wine   2 fl oz
5. Anchovy, 1 fillet
6. Vegetable oil     6 fl oz
7. Black Pepper    1tsp
8. Salt      1/2 Tbsp.
9. Olive Oil    6 fl oz

Recipe makes 1 quart of dressing

Procedure

If you have a food processor:

• Combine garlic, eggs, Parmesan, vinegar, anchovy, pepper and salt until smooth.
• Add oils slowly to form an emulsion and continue until the oil is incorporated.

If you do not have electric aid:

• Start with egg yolks and vinegar
• Slowly whisk in oils to form an emulsion. Further explained here.
• Once a heavy emulsion is formed mix in the flavorings. (Rest of the ingredients)

Notes on Flavorings

Caesar salad dressing can have a couple of variations. If you do not have anchovies around substitute Worcestershire sauce, which is more traditional. Lemons are also a nice touch. Add a touch of Tabasco if you like to heat things up. Play with it. Anyone have there own variations?

Plums

Photo by geishaboy500

Apples

Artichoke

Parsnips

Peaches

Pears

Figs

Raspberries

Perhaps it may be just be, but it seams like the quality of waffles has dropped around us. Everybody is trying to ether be to fancy, and do it wrong, or too cheap, and you never get anywhere that way. Over brunch Sunday morning Jess and I had this little conversation. And, she brought a nice little solution to the table. There was a book, which she had when she was a wee little girl, she told me, that had the best recipe for waffles she ever ate. Curious, I honored the request to prepare them, but the book had to be found. The title: Alpha-Bakery Children’s Cookbook by Gold Medal Flour.

The result: I think her memory was right on. perfect.

Basic Waffle Recipe

Makes about 3 waffles.

• 1 cup AP Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/4 cup Butter, melted
• 1 Egg, Separated

Waffle Procedure

1. Mix your drys (Flour, baking powder, sugar and salt).
2. Mix milk, butter and egg yolks.
3. Blend milk mixture with drys well.
4. Beat egg whites until high peak.
5. Fold whites into mixture, 1/3 at a time.
6. Cook

The Local Food Guide is about a 100 page catalog of locally grown food and where to purchase it. Search the free guide for farms, wineries, grocers, restaurants, bakers, tailgate farmers’ markets, u-pick farms, CSAs and more. ASAP has also included a seasonal produce chart along with a regional farm event calendar.

If you live in the area this is quite a helpful aid for the local food eater. ASAP also has the complete listings online at www.buyappalachian.org.

Been up on the mountain for the week, and the water has gone dry. It has been quite a dry summer in the blue ridge, but there enough charcoal to start the grill. So it’s down to the fishing hole to catch some dinner.

Rainbow Trout Grill Recipe

Once we got the fish back up to the cabin, it was already time to get them ready.

To keep it simple, when the trout are cleaned up and filleted let them marinate in lemon juice, crushed garlic, onion, salt and pepper for about an hour.

Wrap the fillet up in foil, tightly and let grill for about 7 – 8 minutes