Where Are Simon and Garfunkel When You Need Them?
Not quite parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
At this week’s CSA pickup there were three new vegetables that I’ve never tried. They’re called Tatsoi, Savory and Purslane (in that order in the photo). I don’t really know what to do with them, but I have ideas. The tatsoi is a spicier cousin to bok choy, so I plan to cook it similarly with sesame oil and soy sauce. The savory smells fabulous, and it just seems like it belongs in an omelet, so I’ll probably make a potato omelet with savory. Finally, according to my research, the purslane, when young like this bunch, can be used as an uncooked salad green. I’ll probably make some sort of lemon vinaigrette to serve with it.
Have any of you ever experimented with these veggies? Do you have suggestions?
Will the French Remain Skinny?
Good-bye pastries, hello ice cream.
I read about a recent study of French eating habits, and although I’m American, it caught my attention because the French have always been a curiosity for their ability to eat rich foods and remain skinny. The study was conducted between 2005 and 2007 by the French Food Agency AFSSA.
The highlights of the study showed a move away from traditional French food, such as a switch from pastries and croissants to ice cream and chocolate – imagine? How could they turn away from all that rich, flaky, buttery pastry. Oh, but let me return to the message. The study also showed that the older population was eating more fresh, unprocessed food, while the younger group (below 35) was eating more processed, convenience foods, drinking more soft drinks, and skipping breakfast.
It’s going to be very interesting to see if the French keep their girlish figures and whether there’s something else at work in their culture than the diet. I suspect that we’ll see the younger generation becomes less runway ready material than their parents were. I know I’ll be watching for that, and hoping some of that abandoned pastry finds its way across the Atlantic to my breakfast table.
Why is Carnival Food So Lame?
The Food Had Potential... but Didn't Deliver
I don’t want to give the impression that we didn’t eat well on our vacation last week. But there was one other time that our dinner was less than satisfactory. On the night that we arrived in Chincoteague, we visited the big carnival that is held there every July. The carnival is a huge fundraiser for the local fire company, along with the pony auction that happens at the end of the month. We’ve never vacationed there in July, so this was the first time we went to the big carnival.
The event is completely organized by the fire company and staffed by friends and family. There’s no outside group brought in to help, and the funds raised are impressive. There were more than enough rides to keep the girls happy, but it was so crowded, Joe and I could have left the minute we arrived. But in the spirit of the fundraiser, we stuck around all evening and purchased our dinner there.
Most carnivals serve hot dogs, hamburgers and barbecued chicken. You’ll also find ice cream, funnel cakes, and other greasy treats. Sometimes you’ll run across sausage sandwiches. I know this because festivals and carnivals are one of Joe’s favorite summertime activities, especially if they have a band. At the Chincoteague carnival we found a local spin on the food served. There were fried oysters, shrimps and crab cake sandwiches added to the rest of the menu.
Now as much as I like to eat healthy food at home, I willingly get into the spirit of greasy food when we’re on the road. Few things make me feel as decadent as chowing down on a greasy, sugar coated funnel cake or sausage sandwich. In this case, Louisa and I decided to choose the local specialities, and we selected the oyster sandwiches, while Joe and Annie went for burgers. Unfortunately, as much as I enjoy the decadence of these culinary evils, they usually disappoint. They’re either too heavily fried, cold, or the quality of the basic ingredients just isn’t good. There is a world of difference between good and bad hot dogs, sausages, and fried seafood. And at carnivals they usually offer the bad. So as much as I anticipate carnival food, I rarely enjoy it, and this meal was no different.
So the dream of good carnival food lives on, but the reality continues to disappoint. Have you ever found a carnival that delivers really good quality carnival food? If so, I’d love to hear where it was.