Posts Tagged ‘gbur’

Friggin Awesome Burgers in Toledo!

// June 14th, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog, Restaurant Reviews

Tin Chef Chuck

I recently had the opportunity to try out two new burger joints in Toledo.  What is really newsworthy here is not how great they were, nor how awesome the service was or even how good the food was.  What really has excited me is that we now have two new restaurants that are pushing the culinary envelope.  Places that really have something unique to eat.  These are not another cookie cutter place that reheats generic burgers bought in bulk from a large restaurant supply house.  Rather each uses really high quality meat, makes handmade patties and then creates truly unique flavors by using really fresh ingredients.  Before I really dive into these new places, I need to mention one of my all time favorites.  Not quite as hip as Bar145, and not quite the gourmet experience you get at BurgerBar419, but if you are looking for an honest to God, greasy spoon awesome burger- you need to go to the Green Lantern on Broadway.  Don’t let the appearance fool you.  The Green Lantern has been around since the 1930’s for a reason.  It’s not heart healthy, but it is a great greasy cheeseburger place.  Stop in for breakfast and lunch.  Try a double Goopy, and tell Mo I sent you.  You go there once and I promised you will be hooked!

The first new place I want to talk about is Burger Bar 419.   Burger Bar 419 is located in South Toledo on 4400 Heatherdowns Blvd. or across from the Distillery in the old Matthews.  The first time we went there, we had almost every appetizer!  Start with the basic, good old fashioned French Fries.  The battered fried onion petals were good but nothing special, but then cam e the roasted marrow bones with sweet onion marmalade.  The first time we had this- it wasn’t perfect.  In fact it was almost raw.  But for crying out load- bone marrow in Toledo, minutes from my house.  Yes there were several errors in technique- but the concepts are there.  We were there a day or two after the place just opened.  The execution has gotten better and this really has become my favorite hangout in Toledo.  The pickled vegetables are awesome.  The chipotle pickled pineapple and goat cheese is great, I personally love the crispy pork belly with homemade kim chee!  This was another dish that was undercooked on our first go around, but the flavors and potential was there.  It was spectacular the next time we went.  Make sure you try the sriracha-soy deviled eggs with bacon and arugula.

The Burger Bar 419 has 15 or so burgers and they are all $9.00.  The offer a wide selection of home made mayonnaise and aolis, as well as several unique ketchup’s and mustard’s.  The Heater, Italian, Pate Melt, and Vintage Bleu are all awesome.  You can’t go wrong when you use all fresh ingredients and combine great flavors.  I can’t wait to try all of them.

We had the milkshakes for desert.  So far, this has been the biggest shortcoming of Burger Bar 419.  They were small, over priced and nothing memorable.  Personally, I would save your money and go to Handel’s!  Don’t let the deserts stop you from checking this place out though; I am sure it will become one of your favorite Toledo hangouts.

The other place we recently went to was Bar145° on Monroe Street.  Bar 145 is very different from Burger Bar 419.  First, it has a totally different atmosphere.  It seems more like a club than a burger place.  They have live music, a dance floor and a large bar.  There appetizers include fried pickled green beans, fries, artichoke gratin, a baked potato waffle, bourbon onion straws, mac and gouda, pretzel chips, and smoked salmon with garlic flat bread. By the way- any idea how Bar 145 got it’s name?  Overall the appetizers were pretty good, but nothing spectacular.  Most were served with generic salted/peppered flat crackers, which I think detracted from the flavor of several of the dips.  They have a few burgers on the menu, but they do a build your own menu.  What is nice here is that they use really high quality ingredients and do a pretty good job of creating your custom burger.  I may be splitting hairs, but I wish they would create a few more signature flavors by combining the awesome ingredients that they offer.  Surprise me, don’t make me think- create that special, signature burger for me!

We didn’t really try out the bourbon, but did have several of their gelato’s.  They had some nice flavors- but I am really partial to my salty caramel, so make sure you read TC Josh’s reviews as well.

In the end these are 2, no make that 3 great places.  If you are looking for breakfast during the week or on Saturday, the make sure you try the Green Lantern.  The Green Lantern is also a great place to grab lunch during the work week.  Once you meet Mo (Maurice), you will fall in love with the Lantern!  I look at Burger Bar 419 more as my local neighborhood hangout, where I can sit at the bar and talk to the chef as he cooks my next burger.  Bone marrow, pickled vegetables and cold Heineken and an awesome burger- can it get any better? To me Bar145 is that place you go to on a Friday or Saturday night, have a great burger and take in some great music.  All 3 places offer unique atmospheres- each may be more appropriate depending on your mood or day of the week.   But all 3 of these places need to be experienced.  If I hear one more person complain that there is nowhere to go, nothing to do, no where to eat in Toledo- I swear I am going to slap the #@%& out of you!  Places like these 3 restaurants would have waiting list in any other city- if they struggle, it’s your fault!  Take a walk on the wild side and try one of these places this week, in fact, try all 3 and leave a comment on which one you think is best.

 

Tin Chef Chuck

 

David Lebovitz: This recipe is simply amazing

// June 4th, 2011 // No Comments » // Recipes


Tin Chef Chuck

I first had salty caramel ice cream from Jeni’s Ice Cream in Columbus.  It was really pretty good.  As you may know, I have a really great ice cream machine and wanted to make my own.  I found several recipes and most of them turn out OK.  The I came across this recipe.  Sorry Jeni, but this is truly amazing.

I can’t take any credit for this.  I copied it from David Lebovitz‘s web page.  It is so friggin good that I want to share it with you.  I normally wouldn’t do this, but once you taste it, you’ll understand why.  The other reason is I keep losing my copy of the recipe.  To top it off, I can never remember the web site, so I have to Google it and look through several recipes until I come across this one.  So I am posting it were I know I can find it again.  I often use other peoples recipes, try them out, and always make changes and do things so it really become mine.  Not this time- there is nothing that can be done to improve this recipe- it’s the perfect ice cream!  David- you’re the man!

With respect to my ice cream machine, it is a Musso Pola machine from Italy.  It’s pretty expensive and can be found on Amazon.  They also make a smaller model which is probably more appropriate for the typical home cook.  I did a lot of research before I bought this baby.  It’s pretty heavy duty and could be used in a restaurant.  It will make 2 quarts every 20 minutes and it’s very quit.  Yea, it’s overkill, but it is the best money I have ever spent!

So here is David Lebovitz’s amazing ice cream…

Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream
One generous quart (liter)

I know I’m sounding like a broken record, but be sure to use good salt. I use fleur de sel, but if you don’t have it, a mild-tasting sea salt will do in a pinch, such as Maldon, fine gray salt, or kosher salt. Don’t use ordinary fine table salt; it’s far too harsh.

Because of the caramel in this ice cream, once churned and frozen, it’ll remain nice & creamy (as shown in the photo.) To make it firmer, crank up your freezer a bit or store it in a shallow pan.

For the caramel praline (mix-in)

½ cup (100 gr) sugar
¾ teaspoon sea salt, such as fleur de sel

For the ice cream custard

2 cups (500 ml) whole milk, divided
1½ cups (300 gr) sugar
4 tablespoons (60 gr) salted butter
scant ½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cups (250 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. To make the caramel praline, spread the ½ cup (100 gr) of sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized, unlined heavy duty saucepan: I use a 6 quart/liter pan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or brush it sparingly with unflavored oil.

2. Heat the sugar over moderate heat until the edges begin to melt. Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquefied sugar from the bottom and edges towards the center, stirring, until all the sugar is dissolved. (Or most of it—there may be some lumps, which will melt later.)

sugarcaramelizing.jpg

Continue to cook stirring infrequently until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it’s just about to burn. It won’t take long.

3. Without hesitation, sprinkle in the ¾ teaspoon salt without stirring (don’t even pause to scratch your nose), then pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet and lift up the baking sheet immediately, tilting and swirling it almost vertically to encourage the caramel to form as thin a layer as possible. Set aside to harden and cool.

4. To make the ice cream, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl about a third full with ice cubes and adding a cup or so of water so they’re floating. Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts/liters) over the ice, pour 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk into the inner bowl, and rest a mesh strainer on top of it.

5. Spread 1½ cups (300 gr) sugar in the saucepan in an even layer. Cook over moderate heat, until caramelized, using the same method described in Step #2.

6. Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt, until butter is melted, then gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you go.

buttercaramel.jpg

The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted. Stir in 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk.

7. Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and gradually pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and cook the custard using a heatproof utensil, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read 160-170 F (71-77 C).

8. Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath, add the vanilla, then stir frequently until the mixture is cooled down. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thoroughly chilled.

9. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

10. While the ice cream is churning, crumble the hardened caramel praline into very little bits, about the size of very large confetti (about ½-inch, or 1 cm). I use a mortar and pestle, although you can make your own kind of music using your hands or a rolling pin.

11. Once your caramel ice cream is churned, quickly stir in the crushed caramel, then chill in the freezer until firm.

Note: As the ice cream sits, the little bits of caramel may liquefy and get runny and gooey, which is what they’re intended to do.

Copied from David Lebovitz’s web site….

TC Chuck

Garden in a jar…

// June 3rd, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog

Tin Chef Chuck

I have always enjoyed growing my own vegetables.  Recently I have really tried to increase the variety and size of my garden.  There are many reasons; first and foremost, fresh vegetables just taste better.  They are also better for you.  I am sure everyone has noticed that the cost of food is also going through the roof.  This is a trend that I am becoming increasingly concerned with.

I’ll try to stay politically neutral, but with the increasing cost of oil, the massive national debt, and my overall feeling that our economy is only going to get worse, I am planning for potential food shortages.  If this doesn’t happen, great, but I still suspect it will cost an arm and a leg for a carrot.  Many of the disaster planning and survival sites have talked about sprouts.  I will be honest, I didn’t know a lot about growing your own sprouts, but after a little research, I have my own sprout garden.

The only thing I ever new about sprouts was you paid four or five dollars for a little plastic tub of sprouts at the grocery store.  I would use them in salads, on sandwiches, stir fry, all the usual stuff.  What I didn’t know was that fresh sprouts are incredibly good for you.  I also didn’t realize all of the things you could “sprout” or how easy it is to grow your own.  It is also very inexpensive.

I picked up a “sprouting” jar for about 10 bucks at a local health food store.  I also bought a selection of different seeds to sprout.  It’s super easy to grow your own.  Soak the seeds in water for a few hours and drain, then rinse 2-3 times a day, keeping in a dark place.  In a few days you will have a jar full of sprouts.  You need to bring them into the light for a day of so and they will turn green.  Voila, ready to serve and enjoy, for a few cents!

My suggestion is to buy the little plastic strainers for the tops of the bottles and pick up some mason jars; it’s a little cheaper that way.  I would get several so that you always have a fresh batch that is ready to go.  There are several other ways to grow your own sprouts, but this one worked pretty well for me.  It will be nice to have fresh “green” stuff this winter.

Has anyone else grown their own sprouts?  If so, would like to hear from you and have you share your experiences and advice.

TC Chuck

Beans, Guns, Bullets, and Gold

// April 7th, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog

I have been busy over the last few months starting up a new business venture.  I have always been someone who believes in being prepared.  It’s the Eagle Scout in me and has been reinforced by my military experiences.  Our new venture is called Toledo Tactical.  It’s a company formed to reduce risk and hazards for individuals and businesses.  We will offer consulting services, disaster preparation supplies, firearms, tactical firearm training and other services along that theme.  FEMA recommends that everyone have at least a 3 day food supply on hand in case of an emergency.  I am pretty sure the folks in New Orleans would argue that 3 days is not enough, but that’s what Toledo Tactical is about.

With my research, I have come to the conclusion that the best investments are beans (food), guns, ammunition, and gold.  If you look into these things, they all have consistently gone up in value.  The guns, bullets and gold are or will be addressed by Toledo Tactical, but I am going to share some of my food thoughts here.  There is no doubt in my mind that food prices are going to continue to climb.  Since last year, gas prices have almost doubled.  They will likely continue to climb, unless the demand drops from the high prices, then they will likely stabilize a little.  The bottom line is that oil is a cornerstone of our food supply; it’s involved in every aspect of the supply chain, from fertilizers to fuel for tractors and delivery trucks, to the stores refrigeration.  So if fuel goes up, so will the cost of food.

Stay with me, I am going somewhere with all of this.  First, now is a great time to think about a garden.  Whether you live in an apartment or out in the country, a garden can offer great tasting, fresh fruits and vegetables and save you some money.  There is a lot of hype about heirloom varieties.  The hard core survivalists are stockpiling these seeds.  Their rational, which is true, is that if the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI) came to an end, you would have to grow your own food.  If this happens you will need a supply of seeds.  Most of the seeds that you buy in a store are hybrids that have either been specially bred or genetically altered for various reasons.  I don’t buy all of the conspiracy theories about why they do this, I think the seed producers are trying to develop plants which will survive and produce in abundance in your area.  I have nothing wrong with these seeds, but the problem is that you can’t usually use the seeds from these plants to continue growing stuff year after year.  So for the preppers and survivalist out there, go for the heirloom stuff.  But for you foodies, I am sure that you notice high end grocery stores carry heirloom varieties and that they are more expensive.  This shouldn’t be a surprise, they are harder to grow and the yield is going to be lower.  But they do have some unique flavors and textures.  I especially love the various heirloom tomatoes that are available.  So when you plan your garden, pick up an heirloom tomato plant or two.  They are awesome.  If you think the world is ending soon, then buy a bunch.

Another way to save some money is your local farmers market.  Remember to buy in season.  It’s the law of supply and demand.  When strawberries are in season, the taste better, there are a lot of them, and hence the price is lower.  Learn to plan your menu around what is in season, fresh, available, and less expensive.  Great flavors and you save money!

Finally, I am going to throw in my two cents about emergency preparedness.  I do think you should have a little food cache at home.  I think 3 days worth is a little naive.  How much after that depends on your political views and your beliefs about the potential for a disaster.  But realistically, we are not immune to disasters in Northwest Ohio.  Last summer we had tornadoes, last winter we had ice storms, and who knows what lies ahead this spring.  So when you are stocking your pantry, put in a little extra just in case.  I know you may be thinking that your freezer is full, but what happens when the power is out for 3 or 4 days or longer.  Unless you have a backup generator, things are going to get stinky pretty fast.  By the way, if you need one, take a look at my other site, and we can hook you up.

Think about what you put away too.   Eating tuna fish for a week straight gets pretty old.  Just because you’re in “disaster” mode doesn’t mean you can’t eat well.  One of my favorite stories goes back to when I was a Battalion Surgeon with the Marines.  We were in the field and the Battalion CO stopped by my Battalion Aid Station for a visit.  I offered him a cup of espresso.  He was a big coffee drinker and wondered how the hell I had espresso in the middle of the desert.  I always carried a tiny little espresso maker used for camping that I had found with me.  The Marines always were giving the Navy guys that served with them crap about not being tough enough or too soft, typical Navy-Marine stuff.  First, I did everything they did, and second, it was a blast to eat my MRE and sip espresso- made them nuts!

Tin Chef Chuck

Tin Chef Chuck & Sous Vide

// February 8th, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog

Tin Chef Chuck

Sous vide is French for “under vacuum”.  It was first used by the French in the 1970’s and is beginning to become more popular in the states.  Sous vide uses a low temperature water bath with a very precise temperature range. It hasn’t really been adopted into the home kitchen for a couple of reasons, mainly the expense.  Sous vide machines were initially adapted from science supply house lab equipment, which tended to be pricey.  Also, the home vacuum machines didn’t work as well, requiring commercial sealing equipment.  So a basic setup would cost several thousand dollars.  Fortunately, there are now a few home units available for a much more reasonable price.   I recently picked up the Sous Vide Supreme on Amazon for under four hundred dollars and I am using my cheapo vacuum sealer for now, although I must admit I have my eye on the VacMaster VP210C Dry Piston Pump Chamber Machine.

As is usually the case with me, it was an impulse purchase.  My wife, Tin Chef Steve’s wife and several of the girls in my office have recently been doing the HCG diet thing.  And I must say they all look great- but do you have any idea how hard it is to cook 100 grams of chicken, fish or lean red meat with no fat of any kind?  A little lemon juice and seasoning- that’s it.  I was inspired when I watched her cut up and weigh the meats in 100 gram portion and then place in regular zip lock bag.  Over cooking a few of the little portions helped trigger my impulse- voila, two days later I was unpacking my machine.

The idea of sous vide cooking is that you cook the food at a relatively low temperature for a longer period of time.  If you want your steak medium rare, the goal is to get the center pink at 131°F.  Normally you need to cook the steak at higher temperatures which creates a “bull’s eye” effect, hotter at the surface with gradually decreasing temperatures towards the center.  That said, the outer portion is also closer to well done.  Sous vide gets everything perfectly cooked.  Once done, you can quickly sear the outside to brown the meat, also known as the Maillard reaction.  The Maillard reaction occurs when the denatured proteins on the surface combine with the sugars present, creating that wonderful “meaty” flavor and changes the color. High temperature, low moisture levels, and alkaline conditions all promote the Maillard reaction.  In cooking, low moisture levels are necessary mainly because water boils into steam at 212° F (100° C), whereas the Maillard reaction happens noticeably around 310° F (154° C).  Browning of food does not occur until all surface water is vaporized. When meat is cooked, the outside reaches a higher temperature than the inside, triggering the Maillard reaction and creating the strongest flavors on the surface.  With sous vide, the Maillard reaction will never occur, thus the extra step is needed.

Cooking tenderizes food by breaking down its internal structure. This process happens faster at higher temperatures. Because sous vide is done at such low temperatures the cooking time needs to be increased to achieve the same tenderization as traditional techniques.  Although it takes time, tougher cuts of meat (and cheaper) can really come out amazing.  I have cooked lamb and beef so far, but I have some short ribs ready to go.  The sous vide technique allows you to cook tough cuts of meat at an incredibly low temperature, allowing you to tenderize them while remaining perfectly medium-rare.  This is very effective for roasts and other pieces of meat that I usually braise or roast, but often dry out or get overcooked in the process.  So for my short ribs, I have read that it may take up to 36 hours.  I will let you know how that works.  Although possible, it is much harder to overcook things as well.  Another advantage of sous vide.

Obviously, this isn’t quite a “Rachel Ray” thirty minute meal.  It will take a little pre-planning;  kind of tough for my personality, but I’m working on it.

My first Sous Vide Experience

I picked up a few really nice filet mignon cuts, a lamb steak, and some short ribs.  For the HCG diet, I cut the filets into about ¾ inch slices, which came amazing close to 100 grams.  I adjusted the weights and sealed each in a vacuum bag with various spices.  I really mixed it up- Cajun, garlic, thyme and a few other combinations.  For the lamb, I tossed in some Herbes de Provence.  I tossed the bags into my Sous Vide Supreme set at 132° F for about 2 ½ hours.  I then dropped one filet into a hot nonstick pan to quickly brown them.  Pretty darn good…  And my wife has 5 other meals in a bag ready to go.  I am looking forward to the short ribs and I can’t wait to start playing with eggs.  Now that I think about it-  I bet I can come up with a pretty amazing Jigs Dinner…

Tin Chef Chuck

Traditional Italian Christmas Eve Dinner: Smelts

// December 18th, 2010 // No Comments » // Blog, Recipes

Tin Chef Chuck

I am planning to put together a traditional Italian 7 fish dinner for Christmas Eve.  One thing that I will definitely have is smelts.  This is one thing that I remember my grandmother making growing up.  Smelts is a term to describe several species of small fish that are prevalent around the world.  We always had them around the holidays growing up.  Over the years, I have tried to get them, but living in Toledo, it’s been hit or miss, more often miss.  But not this year.  I was working out of town and found them in a local grocery store.  The weather cooperated- I just tossed them in the back of my truck and they stayed frozen solid.

Smelts out of the bag

If you look for recipes on the web, the majority involve frying them with some breading or flour.  Most smelts come now already cleaned.  I like to go one step further and remove the spine and most of the bones.  It takes a little time, but I think they taste better.  First, soak them in cool salted water.  You can use your finger to pull out the spine.  I then pat them dry and dip in a well beaten egg.  Dredge them in flour and fry until golden in canola oil.  A little salt and pepper plus some lemon juice…can you say delicious?

Stay tuned, courses 2 through 7 are to follow, and then there is Christmas Day dinner.  Definately thinking I may need to pull out my transglutaminase!

Tin Chef Chuck

Why I ask.

// December 16th, 2010 // No Comments » // Blog

Tin Chef Chuck

Is sea salt healthier than regular salt?  Why does “Italian” watermelon taste better?  Why do tomatoes taste like crap?   Is “salt” really bad for you?   Is “fat” bad for you?  Why do we spend billions on nutritional supplements and why hasn’t any study shown them to work?  What is a phytonutrient?  Why is it that the French eat real butter, rich foods, fried foods, animal fats,  drink wine every day and smoke incessantly, yet the we (The  United States) have one of the highest mortality rates in the world from cardiovascular diseases?

Do you know that since 1950 that the humble  potato has lost 100% of its vitamin A, 57% of its vitamin C and iron, 28% of it’s calcium, 50% of it’s riboflavin, 18% of it’s thiamine and of 7 key nutrients, only niacin has increased.   The story is the same in most fruits and vegetables.  Why?

Think about it.  In the mean time, I am really thinking about a road trip to Cleveland to eat at Sterle’s Country House.  It’s been a few years since I have been there, but it was amazing.  I am also planning my menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  I am thinking something traditional for Christmas Eve- classic Italian 7 fish menu.  May have to add a carrot for my vegetarian daughter, some red meat for my oldest daughter that hates seafood, and a few cheeseburgers (plain, ketchup only) for kids 4 and 5.  Looks like only one of 5 kids (oldest son) will eat the “traditional” Italian food- back to asking why again!

Tin Chef Chuck

Spinach Ravioli with ricotta cheese and quail eggs

// December 16th, 2010 // No Comments » // Blog, Recipes

Tin Chef Chuck

Every now and then you hit one out of the park.  Not sure if it’s luck, good karma or what, but this was one of those nights.  It started out like any other ordinary evening.  I went to Churchill’s to pick up a few things and stumbled across a box of quail eggs.  I had been looking for these for at least a year.  I had a few steaks in the frig already and picked up a few walleye fillets for my son.  I didn’t have anything special in mind, but I picked up some organic baby spinach and ricotta cheese as well.  My brother-in-law Jimmy came over and we worked on the short bus for a while.  He really rocked out with the grinder…  but that is a different story and web site.

I decided to make ravioli.  I filled my food processor with as much spinach as I could jam into it.  I drizzled in a few teaspoons of olive oil, changed the blade to the dough mixer and added my pasta mix.  Four cups of flour, four eggs and a pinch or two of salt.  The dough was a little sticky, so it took another half cup of flour or so.  I then ran it through my Kitchen Aid with the past attachment.

Quail egg & Ricoota filling

For the filling, I mixed up the ricotta with some dried basil, salt, pepper and really good fresh parmigiano reggiano cheese.  I put it in a piping bag and piped out small rings on the pasta, about an inch and a half or so across.  I then cracked the quail eggs into the center of the ring.  I put another layer of spinach pasta on top and used a little water to seal the raviolis.

I dropped them into salted boiling water and cooked them for about 2 minutes, just until they began to float.  I couldn’t come up with a good idea for sauce, so I served them with a little bit of goats cheese.When I cut into one and tasted it- wow.  If I ever open a restaurant, these will definitely be on the menu.  The yolk was still soft and when mixed with the goats cheese, the ricotta filling and the fresh spinach pasta- just amazing.  I only wish the pictures could do it justice.  I really wish I would have made pictures of each step.  I definitely will next time.  This was actually really easy to make, but was one of those out of this world dishes- and I made it!  Give it a try, you’ll be hooked!

Tin Chef Chuck

Tin Chef spinach ravioli with ricotta and quail eggs

I am so confused

// July 29th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Blog

Tin Chef Chuck

So what should we eat???  Really?

I just finished eating a tomato sandwich with arugula, mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise (made with olive oil), kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper on fresh Italian bread.  It was spectacular.  I bought the tomatoes at a little road side stand.  No matter how much I try, I can almost never find tomatoes that really taste good anymore.  Not like the ones I remember as a kid.  Not like the ones my dad and I grew in the backyard.  Why?

I bought some water melon today from the grocery store.  My wife Carolyn is a little peculiar when it comes to water melon.  She hates water melon.  Well, she hates American water melon, which in reality is probably from Mexico or some other far corner of the world.  But she loves Italian water melon.    Come to think of it, I am not sure I like “American” water melon either.   The stuff I bought wasn’t all that great.   A long time ago, I was in Naples, Italy working at the Naval Hospital there.  Carolyn came to visit and we bought slices of water melon from a street vendor.  His truck was parked between the US Naval Support Activity and the NATO base.  It was a big sweet water melon sitting on a huge block of ice.  He cut each of us a slice and collected sixty zillion Lira, which if I remember was about 30 cents American at the time.  It was incredible.  Although I would never admit this to Carolyn, she is right.  (I would hate to have to turn in my man card.)  Never the less, Italian watermelon is way better than anything I have had here recently.  So where has all the good food gone?

This also made me think about what we eat and what we should be eating.  As a cardiologist, people always ask what they should eat and how to improve their diets.  I have never really had a good answer.  It seems that everything that I have been told about food since medical school has been wrong.  Salt is bad for you, don’t eat red meat, eat this, don’t eat that, eggs will kill you.  The good news is all of the stuff that I refused to give up, because I was young and invincible, may have been the right stuff after all.

Back to the tomatoes.  Did you know that most tomatoes that you buy at the local grocery store are picked green.  They are then stuck in a room with ethylene oxide, which turns them red, but never really ripens them.  This way that will last longer to allow them to be transported and stored for months.  There is never time for nature to concentrate the natural sugars and flavors.  In essence you are eating a green tomato that looks red, but it’s not ripe.  I am not sure, but I bet that has something to do with watermelons as well.

Thinking about this further, I wonder what else they do to our food.  I have looked into this recently.  I am no means an expert, but I do know what good food taste like.  I go to our local grocery store every day and buy “fresh” produce.  They have an amazing selection of the usual stuff, as well as all kinds of exotic things I never saw when I was a kid.  And they have it year round!  But is it healthy, and does it taste good?

Our country has perfected mass farming.  If you drive around places like southern California, you’ll see miles and miles of fields mass producing produce.  There are huge trucks and tractors adding just enough fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to give a bumper crop that looks pretty, stands up to disease, and will last for weeks as it finds its way to your table.  Somehow I think we are missing something.  Growing healthy fresh vegetables requires more than water, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.  There are all kinds of micro nutrients that are missing.  It’s just not the same as what I grew in our back yard garden.

Have you ever noticed that the Government will come out and say something like you need more beta carotene or omega 3 fatty acids or some other component or chemical in food to be really healthy.  Then, some health supplement company will come out with a jar of pills that will protect you from cancer, or improve your memory and make billions.  I have patients who come in with a list of 30 supplements that they take, who spend hundreds of dollars a month on these supplements, then croak from a heart attack.  It’s funny, but if they would eat a banana, it would be better for them and a hell of a lot cheaper.  Even vitamin C has become a victim.  I cannot think of one study that has shown that taking a chemical supplement has worked in our favor.  It doesn’t make sense, because we know you need vitamin C and all of the other stuff.  The problem is we can’t make or reproduce what nature has given us.  God put all of this stuff on Earth for a reason…  You need to eat fish, not a pill with omega 3 fatty acids.  You need to eat fruit, not vitamin C tablets.  It’s the micro nutrients or phyto-nutrients that we are missing, just like the mass produced produce we grow in this country.

But you never hear the government saying eat more apples or fish.  They say eat less saturated fats or hydrogenated fats.  Know why?  Why are we so focused on individual chemical substances in food as opposed to the whole thing.  It’s really a big government conspiracy.  Really, it is.  A long time ago scientist noticed that people that ate too much red meat seemed to have more health problems.  So a well intentioned politician from a state with a very large cattle industry came out and said Americans need to eat less beef.  Needless to say, he was voted out of office and his political career was all but over.  Politicians aren’t stupid, so they changed their tune to eat less saturated fat.  Pretty safe, but spineless.  And ever since we talk about chemical components of food rather than the whole thing, lest we offend someone.

With due respect to PITA, we need meat.  We need wholesome, fresh vegetables.  The good news is good food is finally back in fashion.  We are finally in an era when chocolate and wine are considered health foods.  It doesn’t get any better than that.

So what should you eat?  I have a couple of simple rules.  Start with the wine and chocolate.  Just additional proof that there is a God.  A glass or two of wine a day…doctors orders.  Beans- another great food, rich in protein and flavor.  I am not talking about canned green beans either.  Garbanzo beans and countless other varieties to enjoy and eat several times a week.  Olives and olive oil- a little every day.  In reality you can get by with two cooking oils, olive oil and canola oil.  Both are healthy and good for you.  Don’t forget fresh fruits and vegetables, eat lots of them.  These are most of the key ingredients in the Mediterranean diet by the way.  I am not saying anything new- it’s been around for thousands of years.

I am starting to buy more and more organic foods too.  It’s not that I am worried about what’s in the fertilizers that are used, but really what’s not in them.  We need those complex phyto-nutrients that I believe we are missing in the local grocery store.  Same with the massive chicken breast that are pumped full of steroids and antibiotics, just stay away.  I guess I’m a small breast guy after all.  Nuts, again another nature’s super food- a few servings a week.  And then there is meat and seafood.  It’s OK, in moderation, it’s not a problem.  Just make sure that you eat all of the other stuff.  I know the organic stuff is more expensive, but you really get what you pay for.

Equally important is what you shouldn’t eat.  Stay away from processed food.   If you stay on the outside perimeter of your grocery store you will stay out of trouble.  Think about it, that’s where the produce, fish and meats, dairy and other fresh foods are located.  Watch CNN lately? Now the government is out for salt.  Salt taste good and improves the flavor of a lot of food.  It’s been used for millions of years and man can’t live without.  The problem is in our mass produced society, huge amounts of salt are added to processed food.  Just stay away from it.  Use low salt (sodium) products and add salt to taste.  And don’t waste your money on sea salt.  It’s no healthier for you than plain old salt, despite what the Campbell’s Soup guy says.  Salt is salt with one exception- the colored sea salts.  They are very expensive and contain sediments from the region they were recovered.  That sediment gives an added flavor and provides the color.  But the salt part is still just salt, good old sodium chloride.  I like kosher salt- same stuff with bigger crystals, so it’s crunchy and the flavor burst in your mouth.  But it is just salt.

So, visit your local farmers market, try to buy fresh produce, organic when you can.  Grab a glass of wine and cook dinner.  Cook good food, add a pinch of salt and enjoy life.  One final thought.  The French are famous for their cooking and foods.  It’s rich, delicious and filled with all kinds of “unhealthy” things like cream, butter, eggs and salt.  The French also smoke like fiends- yet we Americans have a much higher death rate from cardiovascular diseases.  I am not condoning smoking, but I am condoning eating well, enjoying life, drinking wine, avoiding processed and fast food and living a long healthy life.

DISCLAIMER:  I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to PITA, the mega farms and farmers, fertilizer makers and sellers, the fast food industry, the nutritional  supplement and vitamin makers and sellers, spineless politicians, Campbell’s Soup and the big guy banging on pans,  and anyone else I may of offended on the way.  If you are one of the groups endorsed by this posting, we are looking for sponsors, free food or anything else we can get, call me!  Tin Chef Chuck