Looking for Crystal

Generally, as you know, I shop at the Coop. I’m sure you’ve figured out that the Coop is a bastion of the organic and healthy, and although they do sell some convenience foods, like microwavable meals and soups, for the most part it’s pretty basic.

It is, however, a little out ot the way for me so today I shopped at our local supermarket. Sylvia is still home with a cold and I thought I’d get a cantaloupe (loads of vitamin C) and some chicken (chicken soup being the classic cure-all). Ah Ha! I thought. Time to do a little investigating. I can read the labels of things that Sylvia buys for herself and perhaps understand the allure. The Coop does not sell Crystal Light, a flavor powder that Sylvia is constantly putting in the water she drinks.

Crystal Light is sweetened with a product called Aspartame. I decided to ‘google’ it. Pretty astounding. There seems to be plenty of controversy surrounding this stuff (and Aspartame is only one of many unpronounceable ingredients - always a red flag in my book). There’s mention of cancer and seizures and all sorts of unhappy consequences. Some of it may be food zealotry, but rather then continue to waste time trying to justify the consumption of chemicals, I’ve convinced Sylvia to buy some lemons and limes to flavor her next glass of water.

Pineapple Revisited

Perhaps Saturday’s blog got you thinking about pineapple. It did me. I thought I’d pass along what I know about pineapple and also my method for preparing it. I’m also going to attempt a little story board that should help with the process.

How to pick a ready to eat pineapple? There are a few clues. If you can easily pluck the center leaf out of the top you are on your way. Next clue? Look at the color. Unlike our immature fruit of Saturday, a ripe pineapple will smell sweet and have a yellow or golden color. It should yield slightly to pressure but not be overly soft.

Now the tricky part.... but take courage. Fresh pineapple is totally worth it. On a clean cutting board, preferably one dedicated to sweet things, slice off the top and then the bottom. Now you can stand the fruit upright and proceed to the skin. You can make as many top to bottom slices as you like. What you want to do is cut enough side off to avoid most ot the ‘eyes’. Don’t worry if you don’t get all the little eyes out, a small knife or pointed vegetable peeler can be used to follow-up and remove the rest. Now that the skin is off, slice it in half and then again to make four pieces. Now cut out the woody core. I make a ‘V’ cut down the length. Voila! Everything left is ready to eat. However you slice it now is up to you.

Sylvia is still home and this pineapple is almost a goner. I’m hoping that all the vitamin C that’s packed into this lovely fruit will speed her recovery and prevent me from catching that nasty cold.

"Easy."

The wonderful thing about eggs is their versatility. They stay fresh in the refrigerator for a long time and can be prepared in an instant or prepared with a future meal or snack in mind.

Today Sylvia and I made omelets ala Julia. Each of us was prepared with two eggs beaten in a cup with a tablespoon of water and nonstick pans hot on the stove with a bit of melted butter. Eggs in and go! Back and forth with the pans until magically an omelet forms. Sylvia wasn’t keen on the noise of the pans rubbing on the stove, but she had to admit that lunch was on the table in a flash and the omelets were pretty good. We could have made them a bit more complicated with some grated cheese or even salsa, but at the moment it's all about the basics. A little salt and freshly ground pepper, along with some slices of whole grain baguette and orange wedges made our omelet meal pretty deluxe.

The real beauty of omelets is that if you mess up you get to eat scrambled eggs. Nothing wrong with scrambled eggs!

Sylvia’s verdict? “Easy.”

Listen To Your Mother

OK, no Martha Stewart moments today. I’ll forego the beautiful picture for a simple illustration of Paula’s ‘Cure All Tea’. I live on this stuff when the weather really gets cold. Tonight ‘Cure All’ made an early appearance, as did Sylvia. Sylvia is home from her program. Why? Here’s my very unbiased opinion. Too little sleep and too much macaroni and cheese. Oh... and not enough fluids. There you have it. My mission in a tea cup. Tomorrow Sylvia is going to learn how to steam some broccoli and make this tea. It’s a start. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

Lemon Quarter
Cayenne Pepper
Honey
Boiling water

Method:

Over a large cup, squeeze lemon quarter and place it in cup
Shake some cayenne in cup
Add a bit of honey (optional)
Pour boiling water over all

Drink! Then go find something fresh to eat... a piece of fruit or anything that doesn't have a laundry list of ingredients.

Oh, and don’t forget to exercise and call your mother!

A Pineapple Grows in Brooklyn

Cathy had to shop at Fairway yesterday for chestnuts and other homework items. Fairway is a giant food emporium, not far from my house, in an area known as Red Hook. Pip and I decided to hitch a ride on an unexpectedly mild Saturday morning. The weather has been damp and chilly, but yesterday was simply damp. My canine buddy and I welcomed the warmth and opportunity to mooch around the nooks and crannies of what has one of Brooklyn's quirkiest neighborhoods.

Just past Steve’s Key Lime Pie factory there is what looks to be a community garden. Who knew? Winter seems just around the corner
( maybe this is pure panic on my part, because I’m not too crazy about winter), and there we were in a garden with tomatoes, chili peppers, basil, squash and ( this is the ‘who knew’ department) a pineapple! It was just a baby and given that pineapples are a tropical fruit, it may not make it to maturity in our climate. That said, I thought you’d like to see what a pineapple in it’s infancy looks like.

How about some historical information as well? There has to be an explanation for a fruit native to Brazil and Paraguay having such a European name. Sure enough! A quick visit to Wikipedia and enlightenment. The word ‘pineapple’ was recorded first in 1398 to describe the reproductive parts of conifer trees (aka pine cones) and was later used in 1664 by European explorers when they first saw this fruit and it resembled, well, a pine cone. Like I said... who knew?!

Take Off Your Coat

I've spent the entire afternoon taking shots for this blog and have run out of time. Cathy and I are headed out to visit our friend Marina, bearing a pot of white bean soup for dinner. But, I've been thinking that it's time I left you with some useful information and wanted you to know how to take the skin off a garlic clove. With the weather becoming wintery, garlic is a kitchen staple.

So, remove a clove from the head of garlic, and smash it with the side of your kitchen knife. Do this by placing the knife on top of the clove and rapping it with the heel of your hand. If doing this with a knife freaks you out, find a little pan or something else that's flat and try it with that. The skin will come away and you are ready to chop. Or slice. Or put in a garlic press. One can never get enough garlic!

Hot the Pot

Just booked a ticket for England to visit my mother. We are certain to have endless cups of tea.

Wikipedia states, “after water, tea is the most widely-consumed beverage in the world”. This can’t be true for England. I suspect that they consume much more tea than water. Apparently the British have been drinking tea since the 1660’s when King Charles ll married a Portuguese princess with a tea habit.

Tea doesn’t have to be a big deal. Almost everyone knows how to put a tea bag in a cup with some hot water. It is nice, however, to have a good looking teapot and go through the ceremony of ‘hotting the pot’ (which means swishing some hot water in it beforehand to rinse it out and heat it up), adding some loose tea and letting it steep (stand for a while). My mother would argue that tea always tastes better this way.

Lost & Found

A new knob and a bit (OK, a lot) of scrubbing, and this pot will be as good as new. My friend Cherie laughed when I met her, pot underarm, in the park this morning. She says that we both shop at the same store, meaning the streets of Park Slope. Cherie and I walk our dogs together most mornings and often stumble upon ‘finds’.

So why would I cart this all over Prospect Park, forego the pleasure of a speedy bike ride home ( only room in the basket for one - Pip the Wonder Pup would have to walk) and anticipate exercising some major elbow grease? Because there’s nothing in the world like a heavy pan. They require less heat, distribute that heat evenly (less scorching) and last forever. I’m going to love this beautiful red casserole.

Quick! Before it’s winter!

I couldn’t wait until next summer to get a word in about tomatoes. Very very soon, the best tomatoes we will be able to get our hands on will be plum tomatoes in a can, which is fine. When out of season, canned or boxed tomatoes are great for sauces and soups. But there are still some of the real deal (as in fresh ) out there. Should you have some in your kitchen, I wanted to tip you off to the hazard of storing them in your refrigerator. Don't! Refrigerating tomatoes robs them of their flavor. There, now you know (what a relief!).

This picture is of some Heirloom Tomatoes that I splurged on for a friend’s birthday dinner. Just as when buying any tomato, look for firm (not rock hard) fruit without soft spots or blemishes. Bright color too. Heirloom Tomatoes are old fashioned varieties that are not as hardy as tomatoes intended for long distant transport and large supermarkets. These came from the Farmer’s Market at Union Square.

The Pleasure of Company

Finally! After a few dashed attempts, I made it to Sylvia’s new place and
‘family meal’. The hour plus in transit afforded me time to read a good chunk of Michael Pollan’s “In Defense of Food” and I was primed for thoughts about how we eat and relationships and how totally connected we are to sustenance of all sorts.

Sylvia and her colleagues are learning about independent living. This involves relationships too. Late afternoon started out at Ariel and Alison’s apartment where menu ideas where bantered about and a consensus was made (no small task with plenty of give and take). A turkey salad idea from Weight Watchers was decided upon, followed by the brainstorm of smoothies for dessert. Off to the market! Walbaum’s feels like Oz after a steady diet of The Park Slope Food Coop, but it’s all part of the adventure- and challenge ( I’ll save my rant on this one for later). We defaulted to chicken and made some berry adaptations for Samantha’s strawberry allergy. Then back. What fun! A flurry of peeling and chopping soon had dinner on the table. The informality of the occasion did not hamper conversation or exchange. It’s so interesting to think about how ordinary and how special things can be all at the same time.

I have enormous respect for the lives that Sylvia and her pals are forging. They are figuring out their relationship to just about everything.

Pondering Green

How did it happen? This weekend was pure chill. Chill and rain. When the weather is like this, most things happen in the kitchen. Plenty of cups of tea, pots of soup and the desire for greens. Dark leafy greens. I’m wondering if this craving has to do with the inevitable. Soon the trees will be bare and the view out of the kitchen will be neither leafy or green. We finished the weekend with a kale and lentil pasta dish that was pure comfort.

Life is Tough

How tough is it? I had to eat dessert, not once, but twice this afternoon... at one sitting! Cathy (who in a few weeks will discard her cap for a much taller and impressive hat) is in the throws of ‘plated desserts’. Friends and family were asked to attend in order to give the kitchen a a ‘dress rehearsal’ and grade the presentation. Yikes! Every time I think that I am finished with sugar, there it is again. Now, it could be argued that this is all in the line of duty and supporting Cathy’s new career as a pastry chef, but the reality of all this beautiful confection is that is should really be a treat and not a lifestyle. I’m feeling it, the addiction to sugar (not to mention a little muffin top that’s all my own). How nostalgic I feel for the bread cycle and those lovely baguettes stacked ready in the freezer.... but back to today. The Marscapone something with the Earl Grey sorbet was really divine. I’ll diet tomorrow.

Super Model

Not being in the full swing of this blog, I’m not sure that I am supposed to add to it every day. But, for what it’s worth, this is the super model from yesterday’s shoot. A very lovely Red Snapper plated with squash and beans. What I love best about being a photographer, especially a food photographer, is the opportunity to work with a team. There’s the Creative Director and Photo Editor as well as other people from the magazine. I work closely with other freelancers like myself. There’s a prop stylist who is responsible for surfaces and dishes and all the stuff. The food stylist on set is responsible for preparing the food and then there’s my end which involves the camera. I have two people helping me. An assistant and also a tech that works with the digital capture. I rarely shoot film these days. Really? There’s no greater fun than working with people who know what they are doing and enjoy doing it. Next time I'm on set, maybe I'll be bold enough to shoot the crew. Now that you've met my camera (who is not shy), let's see if I can manage to introduce you to the rest (who might be).

Bananas in Exile

These bananas were purchased a week ago, when their skins were firm, plump and without blemishes. I happen to like them a little under ripe, but, like many things, this is just a matter of taste. Bananas are one of the few fruits that can ripen off the tree without loosing flavor.

These bananas are in their usual spot of kitchen exile. Because bananas exude a hormone that hastens the ripening of other fruits, I make sure that they keep their own company at the far end of the kitchen. These should probably go in the fridge. The skins will go black, but they will still be good to eat or perfect for a smoothie.

Apart from being delicious, Bananas are a good source of potassium. Potassium helps to control the balance of fluids in the body. In other words, they’re very good for you.

Cookbooks and Green Tea

Today felt like the first day of winter. That’s being a little dramatic, but a chill was certainly in the air. I traveled into Manhattan today to look at cookbooks. There were so many beautiful books that I left empty handed and overwhelmed. The next task on this blog is to figure out how to send a recipe or two, something not so overwhelming!

This kettle has to be one of my favorite things. It’s useful, beautiful and very traditional. As soon as I got home it was used to make a pot of green tea. Green tea is thought to have health benefits such as lowering the risk of heart disease and being useful with weight loss management. All this is up for debate, but what’s not in question is the pleasure of a hot cup of tea on a chilly day.

Cathy

This is Cathy. Cathy is Sylvia's aunt and my sister (funny how that works). Cathy is going to be a pastry chef very soon, which means that her official name will be 'Chef Cathy'. I suspect we are going to have a lot of fun with that! We have to eat 'homework' almost everyday. I loved it when that meant fruit tarts. Chocolate isn't bad either and that's what Cathy is studying now.

I have been learning a lot by watching Cathy work and have a new appreciation for what goes on in a bakery. I'm going to be asking Cathy to come up with a simple dessert recipe for this blog. Any suggestions? She was considering brownies.

Apples at the Coop

APPLES.

This is a great time of year for apples. I've been buying a bag of Gala apples each time I shop (they don't last very long) and they are amazing. Sweet, crisp, perfect. A big part of starting out in a kitchen is having something on hand that you can eat right away. Something fresh that needs no preparation. Fruit is the perfect solution and apples are particularly good this season. If you are extra hungry (I was today), a little peanut butter or a small slice of cheese along with your apple, almost makes a meal.

The Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn NY

This is where I shop. A lot of people do. The Coop has 15,000 members. Don't quote me. I'm pretty sure that's an accurate number, but difficult to believe none the less. I love shopping here. I know where everything is, the produce is amazing and because I'm a member and work there once a month, it's inexpensive. What's not to love? Ok, the lines get bad at times and once in a while you encounter a person without a sense of humor, but all in all, it's terrific. The Coop has been around longer than any other coop in the country, obviously it's working!
There's a Fire Station next door. The firemen shop at the Coop too. The statue in the foreground is about September 11th.

Sylvia

I think I'll start this blog by introducing myself, where I shop, the kitchen where most of the action takes place and Sylvia. This is Sylvia. You can probably tell by the photo that Sylvia is a lot of fun. This was taken in Wales last year. My mother lives there and when we visit we like to have a coffee after shopping at the junk shop across the street.