Bread: Essential to Life

A few weeks ago, I was browsing Netflix..a common passtime for EVERYONE now, looking for the next best thing to watch after 9pm. I had completely watched all the episodes of House of Cards and Anthony Bourdain's series (probably watched them all 3 times each) and wasn't at all impressed with this month's suggestions for Romantic Comedies. Luckily in the "Just Added" section, a newer docuseries called Cooked based on Michael Pollan's book was available. It was just 4 episodes and I was really too impatient to go out and buy the book. I tried to check it out in the library, but then of course time got away from me. Sorry Mr. Pollan, I promise I will get around to it sometime. So, I gladly checked this show out. Let me tell you, I watched every episode twice and have since annoyingly recommended to everyone I know who appreciates food. It is a brilliant series. Each episode outlines amazing points about the importance of getting back to the art and skill of cooking. How we have slowly but surely, especially in America, become a society of convenience, hooking ourselves to foods that are more chemical than real. Getting back to the earth, air, fire, and water, is what this series is about. Cooking is something we are meant to do as humans. It separates us from the animals and is embeded into our DNA. I highly recommend it. Check out the trailer here. 

One of the episodes, the 3rd one to be exact, covered the amazing phenomenon behind baking bread. One of the scientists quoted in the episode makes this amazing point. Bruce German, a food scientist at UC Davis, says “If I gave you a bag of flour and water you could live on it for a while but eventually you would die. BUT if you take that same bag of flour and water and bake it into bread, you could live indefinitely.” How true that statement is. Bread is actually the key to survival in many countries. To think that mixing flour and bread and adding heat can create such an amazing chemical reaction, is completely beyond me. In addition to the elements of survival, we know that bread brings us joy as human beings. 

The Journal of Social Pyschology researched the power of positive smells. In an article in 2012, a study in France found that when people were in an area where the smell of baking bread was apparent, those people were kinder to strangers. People in the study purposefully but accidentally dropped things on the sidewalk, seeing if anyone passing by would help to pick them up. Those that were in "smellshot" to a bakery as opposed to a clothing store were more kind and helpful. Here is that article http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/02/the-smell-of-fresh-baked-_n_2058480.html. People love the smell of bread so much that companies like Sensory Decisions are making perfumes that smell like bread. Essentially though, it is not just the smell of bread that brings people joy. It is the memories of eating it. Eating bread is a staple food and makes us think of home and tradition. Even with today's diets claiming that carbohydrates are bad for the body, leading to weight gain or are preventing you from losing weight or ruining your fitness challenge blah blah blah.... bread is sort of embeded in our DNA. I wouldn't completely shun it out of your life forever.. AND NO there is no conclusive evidence in science today that Gluten...a wheat protein made while dough rises and is kneaded, is definitely bad for you as some claim...or as South park says "It will make your d**k fly off". In many cultures, bread is eaten with every meal. It is essential to the culture and society. Sometimes, it is all you have and all you can depend on. 

Speaking of cultures, as some of you know I am a professor of health and have been teaching for the last 3 years. Every semester, I talk with various students after class about this and that. Many times, it is issues that these young people have that they cannot talk with with anyone else. Everything from abuse to unplanned pregnancies. No one else will listen, and I am glad to be there for them. Other times, it is just talking about food, which is my favorite thing to talk about. One of my students this year was kind enough to tell me more about her Jewish heritage and her love of cooking. We got on the topic about our favorite Jewish foods. I myself am half and love exploring this part of my genetics. Matzo ball soup, pastrami, Passover dinner, and of course challah bread. She turns to me and says that her grandmother makes the absolute best fail proof challah bread ON THE PLANET and that she would be happy to bring me the recipe. This week, I tested it out and got in touch with my own heritage. 

 Grandma recipes, people, are like gold. Grandma's usually don't write things down and sometimes they take recipes to the grave with them. When that happens, a beautiful masterpiece disappears forever. BUT, I felt so lucky and...I will be honest, giddy, to be able to receive this recipe.

Right now, I have some time on my hands. So, I decided to try my hand at making Challah. Now, for those of you that don't know, Challah  is the Jewish Sabbath and holiday bread and the word "challah" means piece of dough. Usually it is divided into 3 strands and braided. Some people even make round challah's, challah's shaped like hands, challah's shaped like ladders. It is all culturally significant. According to Shamash.org, Some people believe that the 3 sections of the challah represent The Creation of the World, the Exodus from Egypt and the Messianic Era. Traditionally, a piece of the bread is broken off and burned with the challah bread while it is baking. Burning the small piece signifies sacrifice. The Jewish culture is steeped in tradition and symbolism. BUT MOST OF ALL, it is a culture of deliciousness. There is even a blessing to go with the bread before it is baked that was included in the recipe I was given. 

Now, I am a foodie and a cook and I have made some difficult things in my experience. Bread has never been one that I have attempted because of the preciseness that is required. With cooking, you can estimate. You can say, screw it, I will add more of this and not as much of that. I don't particularly measure NOR do I enjoy measuring ingredients. Alas, baking is not something that you can estimate. Baking is like the bipolar person at the office. One little thing can offset everything and then you just want to run for your life. 

However, as a proper cook, learning to bake is essential. Especially bread. Getting down to my human roots as Michael Pollan encourages and getting in touch with my Jewish heritage was part of the reasoning for this project as well. So there I went, and made this recipe for the first time. The original recipe made 8 loaves, WAY more than I could ever eat. My student said she usually gives them away to people. However, I have cut the recipe in half so that it makes 4 loaves.

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RECIPE:

No Fail Challah Bread

Makes 4 loaves

2.5 lbs bread flour (plus alot extra for kneading)
1 TBSP kosher salt
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cups VERY warm water
1/5 packages dry yeast.
Canola oil spray

Mix yeast with VERY warm water and a TSBP of sugar and leave to activate (takes about 10 minutes). In a large mixing bowl, put salt, flour and sugar in and mix. Add eggs and oil. Then add the yeast and water mixture. Blend well with a spoon or with hands. 

This is the tricky part of this recipe that I had to figure out on my own. The recipe as is makes the dough very sticky initially. SO, you will need to add a little flour at a time to make the dough less sticky and "kneadable". Knead the dough on a floured surface for 5 minutes. Your arms may get tired, but don't be a wuss. Transfer dough to a large bowl that has been sprayed with canola oil and let dough rise for 2 hours. I just put a wet paper towel over the bowl. My mother also suggested putting the bowl of dough into the oven without turning it on. Apparently, dark places slightly above room temperature make for good dough rising environments.  After 2 hours, take the dough out and divide it into 4 equal lumps. Before braiding, take a small piece of dough and set aside. Repeat the following blessing.

BORUCH ATAH HASHEM ELOKAINU MELECH HAOLEM ASHER KIDESHANU BEMITZVOTAV VETZIVANU LEHAFRISH CHALLAH

Next: Hold the small dough lump you tore off into the air and say "HARAI ZEH CAHLLAH" (this is challah). 

Next: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

 On a floured surface, use a good knife and divide each dough lump into 3 long dough pieces. I keep the top of the dough lumps together and just divide the strands from there. However, you don't have to. Braid the dough like you would your sister's hair. Go over not under. Repeat with the other dough lumps. Place braided Challahs on a foil lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with canola oil. Bake until the bread surface is a deep golden brown. THERE IS NO SET BAKE TIME...remember...this is a grandma recipe. They just know! Cool on a baking rack. 
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Anyway, I did this procedure and even though I made kind of a mess in the kitchen, there is nothing that compares to the satisfaction of FIRST seeing the dough double in size, SECOND watching your dough puff up and brown in the oven and THIRD..smelling that fresh baked bread smell as it fills your house.  

I swear, we need to have people with PTSD take some baking classes or just bring them to bakeries more often. The smell alone is a destressor for the mind and body.

The final element of satisfaction of course was tasting this bread. Surprisingly, it was just right. Fluffy and slightly sweet. I don't know how in the heck I managed to do it without messing up the bread the first time around, but hey...,maybe it was that Jewish blessing?

Anyway, I am hoarding bread like Golem because this Challah is truly precious. I am grateful to have been a part of this experience. Bread is life. Bread is home.  I think now since the barrier of bread making in my kitchen has been broken, there is only more experiences like this to come. What will be next? Who knows but I am hungry just talking about all of this. 

Hooked on Kombucha

In the past few weeks, I finally tried kombucha, which I have heard so many foodies raving about over the past couple of years. I will admit, I just joined the party now, but boy am I glad that I did.

Whole Foods and Fresh Market both have a healthy supply of kombuchas, and they have made their way into your everyday supermarket as well. So it's not so hard to find and not extremely expensive to purchase anymore. Just under $4.00 typically. Granted, it will cost you a little more than a soda, but you are paying for the benefits of this supposed health elixir.

What is kombucha? Kombucha is tea that has been magically transformed into what I like to call a fizzy biology soda. 

Basically you take tea, sugar and a SCOBY and let it ferment for 7-30 days. Then to get the fizz, you ferment it secondarily in jars with possible flavorings for another few days (optional). Ultimately you end up with a slightly vinegary drink in which good bacterias have grown. IMO, the ones with fruit juice and ginger are absolutely delicious and ADDICTING. The bacteria in the scoby feed off of the sugars in the tea and ferment the liquid  and produce a myriad of probiotics, enzymes, and acids that are supposedly very good for your health. Some people even believe that this stuff is a good for the primary prevention of cancer and common ailments! It has been in use for 1000's of years in Eastern countries , but has only recently gained popularity in Western culture, particularly the USA.

For those that don't know what a SCOBY is, I will be honest, it looks completely disgusting. Like a big disk shaped glob of snot growing in a jar. But let's look past this for a second. SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Cultures of Bacteria and Yeast. It is the mother or mushroom (not a real one) to the entire kombucha making process. Made of bacterias and yeast, the SCOBY feeds on the sugar in the tea and ferments it into the glorious end product. The crazy thing is...that a SCOBY will double itself in the primary fermentation process. So then, you'll have 2 babies that you can cradle and coo over and then covert them into more batches of kombucha later to enjoy and share with your family, friends, dentist and hair stylist!
Not so bad sounding now is it? 

I will admit that I have been on the Diet Coke kick for years. I know it's not good for me, but I really can't quit it. What I like about kombucha is that I still get that fizz that I am looking for that satiates my body when I drink a soda, but without getting all the negative health effects. I am well aware that aspartame is possibly linked to health defects in diet sodas. Yikes.


I ventured to Fresh Market first to try my first kombucha after getting inspired by this video from MUNCHIES (MY FAVORITE YOUTUBE CHANNEL EVER). Check out this video that got me curious about the 'buch!

GT's Kombucha is the one I started off trying and have been hooked over the past week or so. Once I love something, I get on a kick. SO in the past 7 days, I have tried 3 different Kombuchas. Strawberry Serenity was first, then Gingerberry (voted #1 by Thrillest.com) #thrillest. Check out the article here; https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/what-s-the-best-tasting-flavor-of-kombucha-at-whole-foods-every-flavor-of-whole-foods-kombucha-ranked . After Gingerberry, I went for the Hibiscus Ginger. I have to say, I am definitely digging the ginger added flavors. I am hooked and plan to implement kombucha into my diet frequently.


There are many supposed health benefits to kombucha, much due to the probiotic bacterias and acids that develop over the process and introduced through the SCOBY. Much like eating yogurt or taking a daily probiotic. They mainly aid in digestion and functionality of the gut!
Here are the probiotics from GT....and by few, I mean billions: Bacillus Coagulans (GBI-30 6086), S.Boulardii, as well as Polyphenols, Glucoric Acid, Lactic Acid and Acetic Acid.  All safe for the body I should say. There is a trace amount of alcohol just like with other fermented drinks, but only a minscule amount. Here is another link to some of the other bacteria and yeasts you may find in other 'buchas. http://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/kombucha/kombucha-bacteria-yeast/


So what does Kombucha taste like?
If you like sour flavors, then kombucha will be your best friend. From the moment when I first took the cap off of the first bottle of Strawberry Serenity, it was an earthly and slightly vinegary flavor. It is supposed to smell like that, trust me. It can be a little intimidating at first if you are not used to it, but just dive on in and you'll soon realize that the flavor is much like a fruit soda. Of course, there are original non-fruity flavors as well which I hear are just as delightful. It is impossible to take just one sip. You and your kombucha will be holding hands from here on in. On the bottom of each bottle, you will see some sediment and a possible baby scoby forming. This is safe to drink and you can even start to make your own kombucha from it!

To learn more about the kombucha making process (believe me, it is a UNIQUE process), check out the site Cultures For Health. It's very educational and inspirational if you are interested in making your own kombucha at home.

http://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/kombucha/how-to-make-kombucha/
http://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/kombucha/kombucha-tea-frequently-asked-questions-faq/

Will I be rushing into making a batch of my own kombucha soon? Definitely sometime. For now, I will be trying some of the delicious store brands of Kombucha along with GT's fizzy wonderousness.




#GTsKombucha +GTsKombucha @kombucha #kombucha #munchies #foodie #yum +Munchies #tea #healthyeating #cleaneating #probiotics #hooked

The Dumpling Woman

I've been going to a local hibachi restaurant for almost 20 years. It's literally the coziest place I can think of when I want good food in town with only locals in attendance... which is comforting when you live in a resort town full of snow birds. The staff have been like family over the years and I've even been invited on a couple of occasions to one of the server's houses because she knows how food obsessed I am. She comes from Shanghai and is skilled in the methods of creating traditional Chinese dumplings and other spectacular meals. She too has a real passion for food.

This past week I was graciously invited to come to her home for soup and dumplings. Holy cow, was I surprised when I arrived. She made a feast. I was literally bombarded in the best way possible with delicious dumpling dishes. Her kitchen was steaming with good smells and her pantry absolutely stocked with Chinese delicacies..I was transported. Wonton Soup, Soup Dumplings, and Vegetable Garlic Dumplings were cooking in pots and bamboo steamers; all of which of course gave them extra love. She explained that the vegetables she uses in her dumplings can only be bought at a specialty store a long drive away because they grow in Shanghai and are imported. I am not going to lie, I felt as giddy as a school girl when I heard that. How blessed I was to have this foodie experience. Not only that but she sent me home with a big box of food to reheat at home.

The wonton soup broth seemed rather easy to make, and often times simplicity is beauty:
The stock made from boiling the wontons
Sesame oil
Soy sauce
Scallions
Pea shoots
Black bean sauce with imported rice vinegar served on the side.

Soup dumplings if you have never had them are extraordinary. Warning however: Don't ever put a whole hot soup dumpling in your mouth because you will literally sear your throat. What you must do is cradle the dumpling on a large spoon, take a small bite and let the soup that is in the dumpling run out into the spoon. Then, eat the amazing goodness in full once it's cooled off a bit. Like I said, just extraordinary.

Her husband calls her the Dumpling Woman, and rightly so if I do say so myself. Her generosity, kindness and smile brightened my entire week. I look forward to going back sometime.

Thanksgiving Turkey tips

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Here is a short video with some of my own turkey preparation tips. I have been cooking birds for a few years now, and I think I've finally got the recipe down right for a nice juicy golden brown turkey. Have a wonderful day with your family and friends, then pass out on the couch. Gobble Gobble!

Kale Salad and Cous Cous

These 2 couldn't be a better pair. I must say the both kale and cous cous melded together nicely in balancing freshness with savory, warm goodness. The great thing about cous cous is that there is no shame in buying it in the box. Ready in 5 minutes, you have created something that tasted like it took hours to make. I used a Pine Nut flavor and was very satisfied. Now, usually...I am not a box person..... but here I make an exception. After fully cooking the cous cous, drizzle with lemon juice and zest to give it tang. 

For the kale salad, I included red bell pepper, tomatoes, and chopped cucumbers and drizzled it with my lemon dressing. Remember to massage the kale with salt and oil prior to make it tender and sweet. Add nuts and dried fruit to make it even better. Again, just as a refresher, here is the recipe to my lemon dressing.

Juice of  1 lemon

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp chopped shallot or onion

1 Tbsp sugar

4 Tbsp olive oil

4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and whisk vigorously. 

Pasta Fagioli Soup

 "When the stars make you drool, just-a like pasta fazool, that's amore". - Dean Martin

 It is officially getting chilly outside. Grab your coat, don't forget your hat, and lets get cooking.

One of the best ways to warm up is with a great big bowl of soup and a hunk of bread to dunk through thoroughly. Pasta Fagioli is an Italian-American classic that we see in countless restaurants and family recipe books. It looks like it takes hours to make, but honestly...you can make this dish very quickly and fool your entire family into thinking you were slaving over a hot stove. With the help of one of my girlfriends who also loves to cook, we tweaked this recipe that was similar to Olive Garden's Pasta Fagioli, and made it into something much more fresh and inviting. Experimentation works!

Rich and bubbling with flavor, this soup will warm you to the very core. It has sausage and bacon for the meat-lovers, fresh herbs and tomatoes for the naturalists and pasta because let's face it...everyone loves pasta. Pasta Fagioli is a peasant dish. By this, I mean that peasants who didn't have access to the most expensive cuts of meats and ingredients would make large vats of hot concoctions to keep their family's warm throughout the cold months. Is it just me, or does peasant food seem to be the best kind of food? Combined together into a over-sized stock pot, your friends and family will slurp this soup down to the last drop. I call this the perfect cure for a hard days work.

Ingredients:

1 pound mild or spicy Italian sausage (remove casings)
1 1/2 cups macaroni pasta
1 sweet onion, chopped fine
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped fine
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup bacon (either bag of real bacon bits or freshly fried up)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can great northern beans OR cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Procedure:

1) In a skillet, break up sausage and brown completely. Drain fat and set aside.
2) In a large stock pot or dutch oven, add a couple of Tablespoons of olive oil and saute onions, celery, carrots and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes.
3) Add in sausage, tomato sauce, halved grape tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme and all chicken broth. Stir thoroughly
4) Simmer for 10 minutes and meanwhile, heat another medium pot of boiling water and add macaroni pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain.
5)Add beans to the soup pot
6)Add macaroni pasta and bacon bits
7)Add salt and pepper to taste
8) Simmer for 5 more minutes
9) It's ready!

Serve with a big hunk of bread to dip into the hot soup. There is nothing like it! Salute!

Cooking demo for Mango Salsa

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of doing a cooking demo for one of my past professors at the University of Florida. When I was his teaching assistant in grad school, I had the idea of doing a cooking demo for the students to show them that you can eat healthy on a budget. As a college student, you can indeed eat things that don't taste like cardboard if you know where to look! One of the recipes I had up my sleeve was a delicious MANGO SALSA. Always a hit and always eaten to the last bite. I will make sure to post the recipe soon. It has been a year and a half since grad school, but I still love to come and do these cooking demos for my professor. This time, I had one of his teaching assistants film it in front of about 90 students. Enjoy!