April 2012
f d Turkish coffee The best humus in Toronto Onion soup Antipasto or Italian snack What is Kimchi? Tea is a hospitality sign March 2012 www.therussianguide.com 416.477.6107
1
2
All About Food
April 2012
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
All About Food
April 2012
3
Turkish coffee
W
orld-famous Turkish coffee (Türk kahvesi) is made by pulverizing freshly-roasted medium-roast beans in a mortar and pestle, or grinding them very fine in a cylindrical brass coffee mill (kahve değirmeni). Here’s how to order Türk kahvesi when you’re in Turkey: Sade (sah-DEH) - plain, no sugar (fairly bitter)
Az şekerli (AHZ sheh-kehr-lee) - with a little sugar (takes off the bitter edge; less than a teaspoon per cup) Orta şekerli (ohr-TAH sheh-kehr-lee) - with medium sugar (sweetish; about a teaspoon of sugar for each cup) Çok şekerli (CHOK sheh-kehr-lee) - with lots of sugar (quite sweet; two teaspoons of sugar or more) Here’s how to make your own Turkish coffee: Put the coffee powder (about one teaspoon per demi-tasse cup of coffee) into a cezve (JEZZ-veh), a special pot with a wide bottom, narrower neck, a spout, and a long handle. Add sugar and a Turkish
coffee cup (fıncan) of cold water for each cup of coffee you’re making, then heat the brew to frothing three times. (When the froth reaches the cezve’s narrow neck, it’s a sign to remove the pot from the heat and let the froth recede.)
coming through. Leave the “mud” in the bottom of the cup. (Fortune-tellers turn the cup over on the saucer, lift off the cup, and read your future in the sloppy grounds.)
After the third froth-up, pour a bit of the froth into each cup. Bring the liquid still in the cezve to the froth-point once more, then pour it immediately, muddy grounds and all, into the Turkish coffee cups, which are smaller than demi-tasse cups.
European- and American-style coffees are readily available in Turkey, and it’s now possible to get a good cup of French-style or Starbucks-style brew, as well as Italianate espresso and cappuccino. Instant coffee such as Nescafé is everywhere as well.
Wait at least a minute for the grounds to settle before you pick up the tiny cup and sip. Enjoy the rich, thick flavor, but stop sipping when you taste the grounds
Occasionally you may encounter the older, disappointing style of non-Turkish coffee. You may want to add milk and make it sütlü kahve (coffee-with-milk).
Turkish coffee recipe Turkish coffee is famed for the way it is made. It is prepared in an ibrik, a small coffee pot that is heated. Sugar is added during the brewing process, not after, so the need for a serving spoon is eliminated. Cream or milk is never added to Turkish coffee, and sugar is optional. It is always served in demitasse cups. In some regions, your fortune is told by the placement of the coffee grinds left in the cup! Ingredients: • 1 cup water • 1 tablespoon of extra finely ground coffee (powder consistency) • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, or 1 cardamom pod
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
• sugar (optional) Preparation: Bring water and sugar to a boil in ibrik. If you do not have an ibrik, a small saucepan will work. Remove from heat and add coffee and cardamom. Return saucepan to heat and allow to come to a boil. Remove from heat when coffee foams. Again, return to heat, allowing to foam and remove from heat. Pour into cup, and allow to sit for a few minutes for the grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup.[nt][nt]Cardamom pod may be served in cup for added All About Food
April 2012
5
s u m u h t s e b e h T o t n o r o t in
T
here’s nothing like good, healthy, homemade hummus, and there’s no reason for you not to try making it. Making good Hummus isn’t just about having a good recipe, though. True, there are quantities to keep and procedures to follow, but in order to make a really good hummus you must you should go into a cerain state of mind (and preferably practice it for years).
juice from 1 squeezed lemons
You shouldn’t, and can’t, compete with people who have been making hummus all their lives. On the other hand, you can still make a very tasty hummus the first time you try. It will taste 10 times better than any packaged hummus you can buy, and be 10 times healthier as well (read more here). With time, you will get the touch and become a hummus expert.
olive oil
A hummus made right, will not make you feel heavy or bloated after you eat it. It will not make you – excuse my French – fart like crazy, either. It should go down smoothly, leaving you light and happy, and in a cheerful mood. To solve the gas problem, BTW, you should soak the chickpeas in clean water for 10-15 hours, switch them at list once, and take off the foam that appears over the boiling water during the cooking. That’s all (and if you’re extra sensitive, put one bay leave into the cooking pot). Also, washing the chickpeas well between every two steps of the making, will help you leave out the aftertastes. There are lots of different hummus recipes. I came across dozens of hummus recipes, and practically tried them all. The recipe before you, is the best in my opinion. Accurate and well tested – although you should feel free to experiment. Good luck! Ingredients [4 extra-large bowls of Hummus] 1 cups dried chickpeas (the smallest you can find) 1/2 cup tahini
6
All About Food
April 2012
1-2 garlic cloves 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1 tablespoon + 1/8-1/4 teaspoon baking soda salt parsley
How do I make that into Hummus? (Directions) [Brut: 10-20 hours. Net: 30 minutes] 1. Poor the chickpeas over a large plate. Go over them and look for damaged grains small stones, or any other thing you would rather leave out of the plate. 2. Wash the chickpeas several times, until the water is transparent. Soak them in clean water over night with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Then, wash it, and soak again in tap water for a few more hours. The grains should absorb most of the water and almost double their volume. 3. Wash the chickpeas well and put them in a large pot. Cover with water, add the rest baking soda and NO salt. Cook until the grains are very easily smashed when pressed between two fingers. It should take around 1-1.5 hours, during which it is advised to switch the water once again, and remove the peels and foam which float over the cooking water. When done, sieve the grains and keep the cooking water. 4. Put the chickpeas into a food processor and grind well. Leave it to chill a little while before you continue. 5. Add the tahini and the rest of the ingredients and go on with the food processor until you get the desired texture. If the Humus is too thick, add some of the cooking water. It should be thinner than the actual desired texture. For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
All About Food
April 2012
7
Ingredients: •600 g/1.3 lbs. grams yellow onions •80 g/3 oz. butter •30 g/1 oz. flour •1.5 liters/1.5 quarts chicken or vegetable stock •300 g/10 oz. grated comté or gruyère cheese (Swiss cheese will also work) •½ glass of cognac •1 glass white wine •1 glass porto •1 egg yolk •500 g/1 lb. slightly stale bread •salt and pepper Dry Preparation: 1.Cut the bread into thin slices and dry them in a low temperature oven. 2.Put a little butter and a little cheese into the bottoms of four oven proof bowls. 3.Put a slice of bread or two (depending on their size) on top of the butter and cheese. 4.Sprinkle some more cheese on top of the bread. Continue layering cheese and bread until there is none left.
Soupe à l’oignon
T
he history of onion soups dates back to the Roman times. In the ancient world, onions were considered as the poor man’s food because onions were cultivated in abundance. In 17th century, the contemporary version of the onion soup originated in France and it is popular even today. According to the legend of French onion soup, the recipe was invented or created by King Louis XV. He was on a hunting spree and he realized he had only onions, cheese and champagne for dinner at his hunting lodge. It is said
8
All About Food
April 2012
5.Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
ONIon soup
he tried making a stew containing onions, butter and champagne. This is believed to be the origin of French onion soup. Today, the French onion soup is one of the popular French soup dishes and is favored by people around the globe. Though there are many new versions of the original recipe, basically French onion soup is a combination of croutons (dry bread), and caramelized onions cooked
in beef broth and topped with Gruyere cheese. You could make a classical French onion soup to simple onion soup with herbs you love to suit your taste. Here is a simple French onion recipe that is nourishing and healthy. There are varying stories on the origin of French onion soup, though most tales trace it back to 18th-century France.
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
The recipe similar to that which is still made today began showing up in French cookbooks in the early 1700s. The first published recipes are based on the modern French bouillon recipe that was refined during the 17th century. French onion soup gained popularity in the United States during the 1960s when French cooking was highly promoted by chefs like Julia Child. Though onions themselves are low in calories, French onion soup can be high in calories and fat. Since most recipes call for the onions to be caramelized in butter or olive oil, that fat remains with the onions in the soup. The cheese and bread crust also add fat, carbohydrates and calories to the dish. The onion is a member of the pungent Allium genus of the lily family, which also includes garlic, leeks, shallots, scallions, and chives. Most commercially-grown sweet onions are of the common or seed (A. cepa) variety. The word onion comes to us from the Latin unio (meaning large pearl), which in Middle English became unyon. The bustling city of Chicago was named for a variety of onion the Native American Indians called chicago (A. canadense). The onion was considered as valuable as gold in the Middle Ages. It has long been a symbol of eternity due to its structural composition of layers within layers which form a sphere. The onion has amazingly been the focus of some mighty strange legislation over the years. For example, in Nacogdoches, Texas, it’s against the law for «young women» to indulge in any raw onions after 6 pm. It is doubtful this law has been enforced in quite some time. Sweet onion varieties have been traced back to a packet of seeds from the Canary Islands which were shipped to South Texas in 1898. Those Bermuda onion seeds were planted near the city of Cotulla. The sweet onion crop was an instant success. In 1933, the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station began a cooperative breeding program with the U. S. Department of Agriculture to develop new hybrids and varieties. For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
Interesting facts about food *** The staple food of the Kanembu, a tribe living on the shores of Lake Chad in Africa, is Algae. The Kanembu harvest a common variety known as Spirulina from the lake, dry it on the sand, mix it up into a spicy cake, and eat it with tomatoes and chili peppers. *** According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Consumption of green and yellow vegetables has decreased 6.3 pounds a year per person since the late 1940s. The use of cereal and flour products has dropped about 30 pounds a year per person, and Consumption of noncitrus fruits has declined at about the same rate. The only fruits whose rate of consumption has increased since World War I are citrus fruits. *** Apples are more efficient than coffee at keeping people awake in the morning. *** On average, a pound of potato Chips cost two hundred times more than a pound of potatoes. *** Eighteen ounces of an average Cola drink contain as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. *** Though most people think of Salt as a seasoning, only 5 out of every 100 pounds produced each year go to the dinner table The rest is used for such diverse purposes as packing meat, building roads, feeding livestock, tanning leather, and manufacturing glass, soap, ash, and washing compounds. *** The nutritional value of squash and pumpkin Seeds improves with age. These Seeds are among the few foods that increase in nutritive value as they decompose. According to tests made at the Massachusetts Experimental Station, squash and pumpkin Seeds stored for more than five months show a marked increase in protein content.
*** On the average, each American Consumes 117 pounds of potatoes, 116 pounds of beef, 100 pounds of fresh vegetables, 80 pounds of fresh fruit, and 286 eggs per year. *** Half the foods eaten throughout the world today were developed by Farmers in the Andes Mountains. Potatoes, maize, sweet potatoes, squash, all varieties of beans, peanuts, manioc, cashews, pineapples, chocolate, avocados, tomatoes, peppers, papayas, strawberries, mulberries, and many other foods were first grown in this region. *** In ancient China and certain parts of India, Mouse flesh was considered a great delicacy. In ancient Greece, where the Mouse was sacred to Apollo, Mice were sometimes devoured by temple priests. *** According to a report issued by the Senate Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs, improved Nutrition would cut the national health bill by approximately one third. The committee also claims that a diet composed of 10 percent protein, 10 percent fat, and 80 percent complex carbohydrates (plus exercise done in moderation) could save 98 percent of those who die of heart disease every year. *** Rennet, a common substance used to curdle milk and make cheese, is taken from the inner lining of the fourth stomach of a calf. *** There are 15,000 different kinds of Rice. *** Everyone knows about Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E. Few are aware that there are also Vitamin K (promotes proper liver function and vitality), Vitamin T (helpful in treating anemia), Vitamin H (also called biotin), and Vitamin U (promotes healing of ulcers).
All About Food
April 2012
9
What is Kimchi? K
imchi is a traditional Korean vegetable side dish. It is also spelled gimchi and kimchee. Kimchi is known as a banchan, or side dish in Korea. It is common, in Korean cuisine, to have many banchan served alongside a meal. Main courses may be accompanied by up to a dozen such side dishes. Kimchi, however, if the most popular of the lot. Kimchi is made by fermenting seasoned cabbage and other vegetables. In addition to being served as a side dish, kimchi is also served with rice. Furthermore, kimchi is sometimes used as an ingredient in dishes such as kimchi jjigae (a kind of stew) and kimchi bokkeumbap (kimchi fried rice). Because it has a very pleasing flavor and is also quite healthy, kimchi has recently gained popularity around the world. Although its popularity is growing and the dish is now served in many places outside of Japan, kimchi has been a part of Asian culinary history for a very long time. In fact, there is a reference to kimchi in the oldest book of Chinese poetry known to modern man. Such references to kimchi have lead historians to believe that Asian peoples were consuming the dish as long as 3,000 years ago.
10
All About Food
April 2012
It is believed that the earliest forms of kimchi were simply salted vegetables, and that it was not until the 12th century that people began to incorporate spices and other flavors into the dish. Kimchi underwent another a dramatic change in the 17th century when chili peppers were introduced to Korea. Kimchi made it chili
peppers is now the most popular form of kimchi served the world over. Napa cabbage is generally the main ingredient in kimchi, and the dish is usually fermented in brine with garlic, scallions, and ground pepper. However, there are many variations including other vegetables.
kimchi recipe: 1 head Chinese cabbage, 2 ½ - 3lbs. (also known as Napa cabbage), 1 medium Asian radish, ¼ cup coarse sea salt , 4 scallions (cut into 1» pieces), 4 garlic cloves (minced), 2 tablespoons fresh ginger (minced), 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 Teaspoon sesame seeds (optional - a personal preference), Water How to make: 1 - Dissolve salt in 1 cup water/set aside. 2 - Thoroughly wash the cabbage/then cut into 2 inch lengths/peel Asian radish and halve it lengthwise, then halve lengthwise again - then slice thinly into ½» squares. 3 - Place cabbage and radish in a large bowl and pour salt water over them. 4 - Let soak overnight or at least 5 hours. 5 - After soaking drain vegetables BUT RETAIN SALTED WATER. 6 - Add scallions, garlic, ginger, chili powder (and optional sesame seeds). 7 - Mix all vegetables, thoroughly, by hand (using gloves as chili powder may sting) Pack all in a large jar (about 2 quart size)/pour the salted water over the mixture. For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
All About Food
April 2012
11
A
Antipasto or Italian snack
ntipasto means «before the meal» and is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal. Some have compared antipasto to hors d’oeuvres, but there are several distinctions. Hors d’oeuvres are served while guests are still standing, and tend to be served off trays in the most formal settings, or placed on a table. They are enjoyed with drinks prior to the meal. On the other hand, antipasto is served at the table and signifies the beginning of the Italian meal. Most table settings will feature a central antipasto plate, and small plates for each diner to enjoy this warm-up to the other courses. Antipasto can consist of many things. The most traditional offerings are cured meats,
12
All About Food
April 2012
marinated vegetables, olives, peperoni (not to be confused with the meat), which are marinated small peppers, and various cheeses, perhaps provolone, or fresh mozzarella. Other additions may be anchovies, or bruschetta, toasted bread, upon which one may stack the meats or cheeses. The antipasto is usually topped off with some olive oil. Meats for antipasto may include mortadella, but more traditionally, smoked ham, types of salami, prosciutto and coppa are usually offered. It really does not much matter which meats one chooses, as antipasto dishes are quite individual and can be suited to one’s taste. One frequently sees very inferior antipasto at so-called “family style”
Italian restaurants. One may see a few slices of salami and perhaps prosciutto, with a few limp and clearly canned vegetables. To avoid encountering these weak attempts, one can inquire into the authenticity of the family restaurant to get the real deal. Sometimes, instead of serving an antipasto, an Italian meal will begin with a variant like caprice salad. This dish is a layering of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and leaves of basil, resembling the white, red and green flag of Italy. Like antipasto, it is not served in a salad bowl, but is usually accompanied by a small fork, and served from a shared dish. Diners take a few slices of each item, and may also have bruschetta to accompany the dish.
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
All About Food
April 2012
13
Tea is a hospitality sign D
uring a week to Istanbul this past Easter my family and I experienced the wonderful hospitality of the Turks. As a daily tea drinker, I was delighted to discover that Turkish hospitality included offering everyone a cup of çay, (CHAHyee) in a traditional gesture of friendliness and welcome. Every store that we walked into merchants graciously offered us a cup of the nation’s steaming hot brew. The fragrant aroma of the hot black tea served in delightful tulip shaped glass cups created a relaxing environment while we learned from the Turks how to choose priceless antique Oriental carpets. Our children were given a caffeine free version of Turkish tea, a tart apple flavored drink that they loved adding sugar cubes to and stirring with the tiny tea spoons. Everywhere we went we saw people sipping tea from beautiful glass cups. We even spotted two policemen balancing tea cups on saucers as they kept a watchful eye on people getting on and off the city buses near the historic Grand Bizarre.
14
All About Food
April 2012
Tea is grown in Turkey along the mountainous Black Sea region. The climate there is mild with plenty of rain and fertile fields to permit productive tea growth. Tea became an attractive alternative to Turkish coffee during World War I, when it became expensive and hard to get. Tea production is a recent occurrence in Turkey with the first plantations starting in 1924 in the Rize Province as an answer to the high cost of importing coffee.
gardens are found all over Turkey and are the local’s favorite way to enjoy a pot of tea. Traditionally, Turkish tea is brewed using a çaydanlık or stacked teakettle. A small tea pot is affixed atop of a boiling tea kettle. Some boiling water from the teakettle is poured into the teapot then tea is added. Brewing is accomplished by letting the teapot heat from the steam of the teakettle.
Turkish tea is very strong and served boiling hot in lovely tulip shaped glasses. To drink it hot, when it is at its best flavor, you must hold onto the rim of the tea cup to avoid burns. However the delicious tea cools quickly in the small tea cups and can then be savored at more leisurely sips. Many çayci (CHAH-yee-jee, tea-waiter) can be seen everywhere in the bustling Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Bazaar, scurrying about with hot tea on serving trays, anxious to deliver the tea to a hospitable merchant’s customers. Çay Bahcesi or tea For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
Grilled Brazilian!
150 Eglinton Ave East (416) 916 2099 www.copacabana.ca For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
All About Food
April 2012
15
Name Crazy Ristorante
Retro Room
Phone
Italian
9100 Jane Street Vaughan, Ontario, L4K 0A4
416-800-2365
Relaxed and simple environment influenced by the Rustic qualities of southern Italy’s small villages-
European
1600 Steeles Ave. West Toronto, Ontario
905-669-0083
Let’s turn back the hands of time---say---40-50 years or so, back to a time when an occasional visit to a restaurant was a treat for the entire family and friends, so they gathered together in the room of somebody’s apartment and …-
647-724-3432
All you can eat buffet
416-800-1346
Present a list of over 250 fine establishments around Toronto to assist you in planning your next family gathering or corporate function. Welcome!
416-800-1404
Specializing in European style cakes made from the finest ingredients including fresh whipped cream, butter, French chocolates and liquors. Amadeus provides the largest selection of top quality cakes and pastries, all made by professional pastry chefs all trained in Paris, France.
Italian
7225 Woodbine Ave. Markham, Ontario, L3R 1A3
Perfect Chinese Restaurant
Chinese
4386 Sheppard Ave. East Scarborough, Ontario,M1S 1T8
Bakery
7380 Bathurst Street Thornhill, Ontario, L4J 7M1
European
5000 Dufferin Street Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T5
Italian / European
9200 Weston Road Vaughan, Ontario, L4H 2P8
The Host Fine Indian Cuisine
Indian
670 Hwy #7 East Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4B 3P2
La Risata Ristorante
Italian
2777 Steeles Ave W North York, Ontario, M3J 3K5
Moldova Restaurant
Juicy Olive Bar & Grill
Moscow Nights
European
Japanese
Asian
Great Khan
All About Food
Address
Frankie Tomatto’s
Amadeus Fine Cakes Ltd
16
Type
Mongolian
The Fish House
European
Di Manno
Bakery
April 2012
416-665-4566
Homemade menu of authentic Russian, Moldavian, Romanian and Ukrainian cuisines
905-303-4922
Fabulously fresh and high quality Italian/ European restaurant- Experience a great atmosphere with live entertainment, amazing food, and the friendliest service
905-709-7070
Present the culinary pearls of Indian Cuisine wit exciting flavors, fresh ingredients, and exceptional service is our passion
647-724-3412
Quaint restaurant offering a combination of the finest Italian cuisine
7700 Bathurst Street , Thornhill, Ontario, 905-882-5525 L4J7Y3 1520 Steeles Ave. West Vaughan, Ontario, L4K 3N9
Description
Moderately priced restaurant located in the Thornhill area of York Region and specializes in European cuisine with live entertainment and great atmosphere.
647-724-4251
There are over 168 Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai Buffet Items in our All You Can Enjoy Special
905-947-8288
Exciting and interactive cooking experience, customize your own meal, and watch it be sautéed to perfection on our traditional Mongolian Grill
7501 Woodbine Avenue Markham, Ontario, L3R 2W1
905-948-1982
Find more ways to enjoy fresh fish and seafood, flown in from around the world and prepared by the city’s finest seafood chefs just the way you like it – broiled, grilled, pan-fried, poached, cedar-planked, lemonpeppered or blackened
22 Buttermill Avenue Vaughan, Ontario, L4K 3X4
905-761-5500
Any kind of Italian Cuisine
7131 Kennedy Road Markham, Ontario, L3R 9W1
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
All About Food
April 2012
17
If you don’t have a refrigerator, there’s no way to keep milk from going bad within a few hours, especially if you live in a hot climate like Africa or West Asia. Even WITH a refrigerator milk goes bad in about a week. But ancient cows and sheep and goats only gave milk part of the year, right after they had had their babies in the spring. By mid-summer their milk had all dried up. And yet milk was an important source of fat and protein. How could people manage to preserve this milk to be able to eat it in the fall and winter as well?
CheeSE T
hey made the milk into cheese. The easiest kind of cheese to make is yogurt, which was very common in the ancient Mediterranean diet and in India (and still is today). If you leave milk out on the kitchen counter on a warm day, it will soon get all lumpy and turn into yogurt. This is because bacteria called yeast get into the milk from the air and eat it. Some bacteria are bad for you, or make the milk taste bad. But if you get the right kind of bacteria in your milk, it turns into good yogurt. The yeast eat the lactose in the milk (a kind of sugar), break down the lactose for energy inside the cell, and then poop out what is left over: lactic acid. The lactic acid changes the part of the milk that the
bacteria don’t eat: the protein. Normally protein molecules are curled up in balls, but the lactic acid makes the proteins unfold, and then they get tangled up with each other, making one solid lump. Yogurt tastes good, and it will keep for a few days without being refrigerated, but it still won’t keep all winter. Once people realized how to make yogurt, they began experimenting with other types of bacteria, and found that you can use different bacteria to make aged cheeses. Some of
these cheeses can be kept without being refrigerated for four or five years or even more. Swiss cheese is an example of an aged cheese that you might have eaten. Or cheddar cheese. Most aged cheese is made using rennet, a piece of the stomach lining of a cow. Indo-European people in Central Asia, the first to keep cows, may also have been the first to use rennet because they were carrying milk around in empty cow stomachs and accidentally curdled it. Because you use cow rennet to make aged cheese, in India (where cows were sacred to Hindus) people mostly ate yogurt, rather than aged cheese. You make cheese by adding a little bit of rennet to some milk, and then straining out most of the liquid, so it gets all solid (the milk you buy at the store will work fine! You can buy rennet pretty easily). It’s pretty hard to make aged cheese, but if you are interested it is not very hard to make yogurt or ricotta cheese. Countless people made cheese, sold cheese, and ate cheese as a diet staple before these cheeses and others earned their place in the cheese pantheon, bringing recognition to their towns and nations. Here is a look at cheese through history.
How did cheese come to be? First, man discovered that domestic animals could be milked. While no one can be certain who made the first cheese, we can be certain it was an accident. Legend is that nomadic tribes of Central Asia who carried milk in animal skin bags “discovered� cheese. They carried milk in saddlebags made from animal skins, and possibly made from the stomach, which contains the coagulating enzyme known as rennin. Or, fermentation of the milk sugars would cause the milk to curdle. The galloping motion of the horse, acting as churning, would effectively separate the milk into curds. The result, curds and whey, provided a refreshing whey drink as well as curds, which would be drained through perforated earthenware bowls or woven reed baskets, and lightly salted to provide a tasty and nourishing high protein food.
Easy Tips for choosing freash meat
L
ocate a meat rabbit breeder near you. Some breeders breed to show, and this kind of rabbit will be much more expensive than one bred for food.
Ask about the breeds of rabbit that your local breeder sells. Ask, also, if they have a recommendation for the best meat rabbit. Research your breeds to find out about the care and habits of the meat rabbits. Learn more about meat rabbits with the help of the web sites included in the resources section. Select for meat qualities rather than for looks, and buy locally if at all possible to avoid shipping costs and complications. Choosing the Right Cut and Grade of Meat We’ve all been there; in the grocery store, at the meat counter. There are all different types of steaks and cuts of meat. If you’re making stew, what should you buy? If you’re planning on grilling, and you want a tender juicy steak, which cut is best?
20
All About Food
April 2012
Before I begin, let’s talk about an important term, marbling. Marbling is the small streaks of fat found within the muscle and can be seen in the cut of meat. Marbling has a strong beneficial effect on juiciness and flavor, and may also have a positive effect on tenderness. Meat that has little marbling may be dry and flavorless. Excessive amounts of marbling will not necessarily increase the juiciness and flavor over those cuts of meat with modest marbling. When picking your meat, choose a piece with average marbling. The streaks of fat should make up approximately 1/3 of the meat in ratio. Beef Quality Grades A quality grade is a composite evaluation of factors that affect palatability of meat (tenderness, juiciness, and flavor). These factors include carcass maturity, firmness, texture, and color of lean, and the amount and distribution of marbling within the lean. Beef carcass quality grading is based on (1) degree of marbling and (2) degree of maturity. In order, the three beef quality grades are Prime, Choice, and Select.
Choosing the Right Cut of Meat There are many different cuts of meat. If you want a soft, succulent piece of meat try Filet Mignon, a Delmonico cut, Porterhouse, T-Bone, or New York Strip Steak. If you’re making a stew or roast look for some lean Chuck. If Fajitas are on your menu, marinate and grill some London Broil; make sure to slice it thin! These are just a few suggestions. Speak to your butcher; they’re usually very knowledgeable and willing to help. For most folks, meat is an important part of their balanced diet. Meat provides protein and vitamins along with zinc, iron and other nutrition factors. Although it’s easy to just pick up any old steak or pork chop from the meat department of your grocery store, knowing what to look for when choosing meats is an important part of being an informed consumer. Here are some tips on how to choose quality meat and how to properly store it after you bring it home. Here are some tips on how to choose quality meat and how to properly store it after you bring it home.
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
All About Food
April 2012
21
SUSHI
J
apan is a home for many kinds of sushi, but in foreign countries, Sushi no longer exist, and even if it does, not at its original form. It is important to say that the origin of sushi is not Japan. Original “sushi” comes from 7th century China. People began making sushi to preserve fish by fermentation since there where no refrigerators. Since rice and salt where one of the key ingredients in fish fermentation, sushi became closely related to Japan. And there, it evolved into the current sushi, which combine fish and rice. Since Japan is surrounded with water, a wide variety of fish could be found. And topography of Japan is mountainous so it also makes a great environment for rice cultivation. Japanese people have always fed themselves from sea and rice fields. Original method of sushi preparation included following steps: Cleaned raw fish was pressed between layers of salt, and stone was placed to weight it. After few weeks usually three, stone would be removed and placed with a light cover. Few months later, fermented fish and rice where ready to be consumed. There are few restaurants in Japan that are still serving originally-style sushi. That kind of sushi is called “nare” – sushi made with freshwater carp. During the eighteenth century, a chef named Yohei decided to serve sushi in its present form. It became very popular in a short period of time and it evolved in two styles: First one was “Kanasai” style, named by Kansai - region in Japan. And the second one was named “Edo” style, from Tokyo, which was called Edo in that time. Kansai style sushi consisted seasoned rice mixed with other ingredients, including very decorative packages, and it has more history and techniques to it comparing to the Edo style sushi. Edo style sushi is nigiri sushi (it is also known as Edomae-sushi); this kind of sushi had small amounts of seafood on seasoned rice. Kansai region’s ornamental sushi is very popular, but foreigners are more interested in nigiri sushi. Nare-sushi is a sushi made with carp in the vicinity of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, and believe it or not preparing this sushi takes from 2 months to more than one year.
For advertise (416) 477-6107
When it was eaten, they only ate the fish, and discarded the rice. People eventually understood that this was a process that consumed too much time and wasted a lot of rice. These thoughts led to the development of nama-nare or han-nare sushi, which can be made in a few days, and it consisted of eating both fish and the rice. 1824 was the year when a man named Hanaya Yohei got the idea of eating sliced, raw seafood at its freshest. He served the raw fish on small fingers of vinegared rice, and the stall he opened became very popular. And sushi stalls were emerging almost everywhere in Edo by the middle of the 19thCentury. The stalls had wheels so when the sushi makers found a popular spot to do their business; they almost did everything they can to get the spot. People stopped by for a snack in their stalls, and there were no formal table manners as there is today. They used fingers to dip sushi in the soy sauce etc., and wiped them off on the noren, which became well stained at the end of the business hour, and showed the sushi maker how well the business went that day. Many years of training and preparation has led to the development of culinary experts known as Sushi Chefs. These individuals
www.aaftoronto.com
were traditionally trained within strict apprenticeship programs while under the watchful eye of a Master chef. Upon graduation, the Sushi chef may hold an honoured position and earn the respect and admiration of their peers. Not only does a sushi chef make the food look appetizing, but also they are involved in every detail of the preparation. Even haggling with the fisherman for the freshest catch, preparing the many different types of Sushi, conversing with the customers and ‘putting on a show’. After the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, many elegant sushi shops were emerging. Even though they had chairs and tables, some of the customers consumed their food outside. So during this stage, the noren hung from a bar in front of the shop. And after the World War II, sushi stalls were no longer seen. During the 1960s, people realized that eating while standing wasn’t a formal manner, so they began to eat seated as it is today. Sushi is low in fat and nutritious. A typical setting of 7-9 pieces of sushi contains about 350-400 calories. The fish is a wonderful source of protein and also provides a good source for omega-3 fatty acids. Seaweed is rich in iodine and rice provides complex carbohydrates. A wonderful, well rounded eating alternative. All About Food
April 2012
23
Breakfast S
tudies show that children who eat breakfast perform better on cognitive tests and in school. Maybe it works that way for adults too. In any case, skipping breakfast is probably a bad idea.
Skipping breakfast is a common strategy for people who are trying to lose weight, but it’s usually not a successful one. Your body (or maybe your brain) expects to be refueled a few times each day, so when you skip meals you may feel so hungry that when lunch time comes, you over-eat or maybe you choose foods that are not the healthiest choices. Actually, eating breakfast may be good for losing weight. People who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. Some experts believe eating breakfast keeps your metabolism running because skipping meals causes the body to kick into ‘starvation’ mode. This really isn’t the case, however, because it takes three or for days of not eating for the body to start gearing down. It’s more likely that people who regularly eat breakfast also make good dietary choices the rest of the day.
24
All About Food
April 2012
Eating a Healthy Breakfast
While any breakfast may be better than no breakfast, there are some foods you might want to avoid because they’re high in sugars, sodium, saturated fats and calories. Cut back on sugary cereals (over 5.0 grams per serving), high-calorie pastries, and meats like bacon and sausage that are high in saturated fat and sodium. Breakfast should include protein and plenty of fiber; the combination will help satisfy your hunger and will keep you feeling full until lunch time. The protein can come from low-fat meat, eggs, nuts or dairy products. High-fiber foods include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A healthy breakfast doesn’t need to be extravagant or take a long time to prepare. Try something simple like a hard boiled egg, whole grain toast and 100% fruit juice. And there’s nothing wrong with a bowl of whole-grain cereal with berries and low-fat milk. If you really don’t like to eat breakfast, you can split it up into two smaller meals. Eat a hard boiled egg at home, and an hour or two later, take a break from work and snack
on an apple and a handful of healthy nuts like pecans or walnuts. Breakfast is regarded by many nutritionists as the most important meal of the day, yet it is the one meal that many dieters and exercisers miss: dieters, because they believe that by missing it they can reduce calorific intake and lose weight; exercisers, because their early morning routines often leave them little time to eat. However, food consumed at breakfast seems to be more easily utilized than the same amount eaten at night. In one study, subjects who needed about 2000 Calories per day to maintain body weight, lost weight when the calories were eaten in one morning meal, and gained weight if they ate the same amount at night. Clearly, to be of any real value, breakfast must be nutritious. Breakfasts vary according to the culture of the country. In Britain and the USA breakfasts often include complex carbohydrates which contain fibre, proteins, minerals, and vitamins, and provide a steady stream of glucose. Equally nutritious breakfasts are provided by salads and soups in Japan, or fish and bread in Norway.
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
All About Food
April 2012
25
y r o t s i H of e t a l o c o h c
14th Century
1753
The drink became popular among the Aztec upper classes who upsurped the cocoa beverage from the Mayans and were the first to tax the beans. The Aztecs called it «xocalatl» meaning warm or bitter liquid.
Swedish naturalist, Carolus Linnaeus was dissatisfied with the word «cocoa,» so renamed it «theobroma,» Greek for «food of the gods.»
1502 Columbus encountered a great Mayan trading canoe in Guanaja carrying cocoa beans as cargo. 1519 Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez recorded the cocoa usage in the court of Emperor Montezuma. 1544 Dominican friars took a delegation of Kekchi Mayan nobels to visit Prince Philip of Spain. The Mayans brought gift jars of beaten cocoa , mixed and ready to drink. Spain and Portugal did not export the beloved drink to the rest of Eurpoe for nearly a century. 16th Century Europe The Spanish began to add cane sugar and flavorings such as vanilla to their sweet cocoa beverages. 1570 Cocoa gained popularity as a medicine and aphrodisiac. 1585 First official shipments of cocoa beans began arriving in Seville from Vera Cruz, Mexico. 1657 The first chocolate house was opened in London by a Frenchman. The shop was called the The Coffee Mill and Tobacco Roll. Costing 10 to 15 shillings per pound, chocolate was considered a beverage for the elite class. 1674 Eating solid chocolate was introduced in the form of chocolate rolls and cakes, served in chocolate emporiums. 1730 Cocoa beans had dropped in price from $3 per lb. to being within the financial reach of those other than the very wealthy. 1732 French inventor, Monsieur Dubuisson invented a table mill for grinding cocoa beans. For advertise (416) 477-6107
1765 Chocolate was introduced to the United States when Irish chocolate-maker John Hanan imported cocoa beans from the West Indies into Dorchester, Massachusetts, to refine them with the help of American Dr. James Baker. The pair soon after built America’s first chocolate mill and by 1780, the mill was making the famous BAKER’S ® chocolate.
exhibition in Bingley Hall, Birmingham, England. 1851 Prince Albert’s Exposition in London was the first time that Americans were introduced to bonbons, chocolate creams, hand candies (called «boiled sweets»), and caramels. 1861 Richard Cadbury created the first known heart-shaped candy box for Valentine’s Day. 1868 John Cadbury mass-marketed the first boxes of chocolate candies.
1795
1876
Dr. Joseph Fry of Bristol, England, employed a steam engine for grinding cocoa beans, an invention that led to the manufacture of chocolate on a large factory scale.
Daniel Peter of Vevey, Switzerland, experimented for eight years before finally inventing a means of making milk chocolate for eating.
1800
1879
Antoine Brutus Menier built the first industrial manufacturing facility for chocolate.
Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlé joined together to form the Nestlé Company.
1819
1879
The pioneer of Swiss chocolate-making, François Louis Callier, opened the first swiss chocolate factory.
Rodolphe Lindt of Berne, Switzerland, produced a more smooth and creamy chocolate that melted on the tongue. He invented the «conching» machine. To conch meant to heat and roll chocolate in order to refine it. After chocolate had been conched for seventy-two hours and had more cocoa butter added to it, it was possible to create chocolate «fondant» and other creamy forms of chocolate.
1828 The invention of the cocoa press, by Conrad Van Houten, helped cut prices and improve the quality of chocolate by squeezing out some of the cocoa butter and giving the beverage a smoother consistency. Conrad Van Houten patented his invention in Amsterdam and his alkalizing process became known as «Dutching». Several years earlier, Van Houten was the first to add alkaline salts to powdered cocoa to make it mix better with water. 1830 A form of solid eating chocolate was developed by Joseph Fry & Sons, a British chocolate maker. 1847 Joseph Fry & Son discovered a way to mix some of the cocoa butter back into the «Dutched» chocolate, and added sugar, creating a paste that could be molded. The result was the first modern chocolate bar. 1849 Joseph Fry & Son and Cadbury Brothers displayed chocolates for eating at an
www.aaftoronto.com
1897 The first known published recipe for chocolate brownies appeared in the Sears and Roebuck Catalogue. 1910 Canadian, Arthur Ganong marketed the first nickel chocolate bar. William Cadbury urged several English and American companies to join him in refusing to buy cacao beans from plantations with poor labor conditions. 1913 Swiss confiseur Jules Sechaud of Montreux introduced a machine process for manufacturing filled chocolates. 1926 Belgian chocolatier, Joseph Draps starts the Godiva Company to compete with Hershey’s and Nestle’s American market. All About Food
April 2012
27
the placement of an oven (box) inside the fireplace that sometimes had a door. Obviously it was quite an art to control the temperature and items were placed in the oven according to their baking times. Even the early replicas of modern ovens we have today did not have temperature controls. Some women as late as the early 1900s were still measuring an oven’s temperature by sticking a piece of paper into the oven and waiting to see how long it took to brown. Or worse yet, they stuck their hand in the hot oven judging the temperature by how long they could leave their hand in the oven. Ingredients
Make a cake Cake making continued to improve especially with the new ingredients such as chocolate and vanilla, and eventually sugar, that came to Europe with the discovery of the New World.
C
akes began in ancient Egypt as round, flat, unleavened breads that were cooked on a hot stone. Their evolution from crude cakes to what we enjoy today was possible, over many centuries, through the introduction of new ingredients and technology. The Egyptian’s discovery and subsequent skill at using natural yeast helped leaven those once flat cakes. When butter and eggs made their way into the cake dough, their consistency became the precursor for today’s cakes.
28
All About Food
April 2012
By the 18th century cakes were beginning to be made without yeast. Some yeast risen cakes survived, such as the Alsatian Kugelhopf, but the new cakes got their lightness from beaten eggs. But not only did some recipes call for an astounding number of eggs (upwards of 30) but they required long hours of beating. Unfortunately, this went on until technology caught up with the invention of baking soda (1840s) followed closely by baking powder (1860s).The quality of baked goods would continue to improve over time as ingredients became more refined and of a consistent quality. Many centuries would pass from the baking of a cake on a hot stone to baking in a hot electric/gas oven. One step along the way to the modern oven was
1/2 cup butter 1 1/4 cups white sugar 1/2 cup milk 1 1/2 cups applesauce 2 tablespoons dark rum 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup raisins 1 cup chopped pecans 1/4 cup dark rum Directions 1.In a bowl, cream the butter or margarine with the sugar. Beat in the milk, applesauce, and 2 tablespoons of rum. 2.In another bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, spices, and salt. Beat into the creamed mixture and then stir in the raisins and pecans. 3.Turn the batter into a greased and floured 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake the cake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 45 minutes, or until it tests done with a toothpick. 4.Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, sprinkle it with the remaining 1/4 cup rum. Let cool on a rack. This cake improves if allowed to sit for a day or so before eating. Serves 20.
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
416.667.0867
2899 Steeles Ave. West Unit15 North York, ON M3J 3A1
T R A D I T I O N . . .
Open 7days a Week Holiday Open
Steeles Ave. W Dufferin St.
Keele St.
Staples
Genji Sushi
Finch Ave. W
For advertise (416) 477-6107
www.aaftoronto.com
All About Food
April 2012
29
Cocktails
T
Top 10
he earliest known printed use of the word cocktail was in the May 13, 1806 edition of the Balance and Columbian Repository, a publication in Hudson, New York, where the paper provided the following answer to what cocktails are:
«Cocktail is a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters--it is vulgarly called a bittered sling and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion, inasmuch as it renders the heart stout and bold, at the same time that it fuddles the head. It is said, also to be of great use to a Democratic candidate: because a person, having swallowed a glass of it, is ready to swallow anything else.» The first publication of a bartenders’ guide which included cocktail recipes was in 1862: How to Mix Drinks; or, The Bon Vivant’s Companion, by Professor Jerry Thomas. In addition to listings of cocktail recipes for Punches, Sours, Slings, Cobblers, Shrubs, Toddies, Flips, and a variety of other types of mixed drinks were 10 cocktail recipes for drinks referred to as «Cocktails». A key ingredient which differentiated cocktails from other drinks in this compendium, was the use of bitters as an ingredient, although it is not to be seen in very many modern cocktail recipes. During Prohibition in the United States (1919-1933), when alcohol possesion was illegal, cocktails were still consumed in establishments known as speakeasies. Not only was the quality of the alcohol available far lower than was previously used, but the skill and knowledge of the bartenders would also decline significantly during this time. liqueur, fruit, sauce, honey, milk or cream, spices, etc. The cocktail recipe became popular during Prohibition in the United States primarily to mask the taste of bootlegged alcohol, the bartenders at a speakeasy would mix it with other ingredients, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic. For advertise (416) 477-6107
Until the 1970s, cocktail recipes were made predominantly with gin, whiskey or rum, and less commonly vodka. From the 1970s on, the popularity of vodka increased dramatically. By the 1980s it was the predominant base for recipes. Many cocktails traditionally made with gin, such as the gimlet, or the martini, may now be served by default with vodka. Nonalcoholic carbonated beverages that are used nearly exclusively in cocktails, or in non-alcoholic soda fountain drinks, such as the egg cream, include soda water, tonic water and seltzer. Liqueurs are also common cocktail recipe ingredients. Apple Martini Directions: 1 1/4 oz. Vodka 3/4 oz. Sour Apple Schnapps Splash Sour Mix Splash Triple Sec Pour in a Cocktail Glass Metropolis Martini Directions: Fill glass with ice 1 1/2 oz Vodka 1/2 oz Strawberry Liqueur Stir Strain into chilled glass Top with 1 oz Champagne Garnish with Strawberry Strawberry Margarita Directions: In Blender 1 cup of ice 2 oz Tequila 1/2 oz Triple Sec 1/2 oz Lime Juice 3/4 cup fresh or canned or frozen Strawberries Blend until smooth, If too thick add juice or alcohol, If too thin add ice Garnish with Strawberries
www.aaftoronto.com
All About Food
April 2012
31