<![CDATA[Brookhaven Marketplace: Blog]]> http://www.brookhavenmarket.com/ Brookhaven Marketplace Copyright 2012 by Brookhaven Marketplace <![CDATA[Fresh Pineapple – a tasty treat worth a little extra effort.]]> Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/530229-the-nutritional-difference-between-canned-fresh-pineapple

picI’ll be the first to admit it, I’ve often gone the route of using canned crushed, cubed, or ringed pineapple to make life a bit simpler when making certain recipes.  Well, here is a news flash for all of us:  This is not very good for our health, and taking a bit more time (and a little additional effort) can make a huge difference.  Not only are there significantly fewer calories in fresh pineapple than most canned varieties, but there's also the fact that processed pineapple loses some nutritive value.

Too much sugar

Let’s start with the most obvious fact -- fresh pineapple has far less sugar and fewer calories than canned.  A cup of cubed fresh pineapple has roughly 82 calories.  Crushed or cubed pineapple packed in water contains a similar number of calories, but water packed pineapple is not readily available.  Choose a can with light syrup and you'll consume 131 calories per cup.  Some pineapple is sold packed in its own juice and this contains 149 calories per cup.  Those of us raised on the blue can of Dole pineapple in heavy syrup are taking in a whopping 198 calories per cup.  No wonder I so loved to drink the juice whenever my mom opened a can! 


As a nation with a large population of overweight and obese people, we all need to realize that refined sugar is the new bad boy and we need to actively find ways to eliminate it from our daily intake.  Pineapple packed in heavy syrup contains an astounding 43 g of sugar per cup – that's almost 7 teaspoons of added sugar.  The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar to just 6 teaspoons per day for women and 9 per day for men.

Nutrients lost when processing takes place

When you serve a fresh pineapple as opposed to canned you are providing 79 mg of Vitamin C per cup -- more than the daily value, based on a 2,000-calorie diet.  Because Vitamin C is sensitive to processing and heating, the canned versions of pineapple provide just only about 19 mg of vitamin C per cup. 


One nutrient, potassium, is actually more plentiful in the canned pineapple versus the fresh.  One cup of fresh pineapple offers 180 mg of the mineral, while 1 cup of canned pineapple in any type of liquid provides about 265 mg.  You need potassium to regulate your fluid and mineral balance.  Fresh pineapple, however, contains almost three times as much folate as canned, which is important to red blood cell functioning.
Better for your budget

Better for your budget

When fresh pineapple is in good supply and readily available in our produce department (as it is now), there is one more significant reason to purchase the fresh rather than the canned version:  You will enjoy a much lower cost per serving.

On average, a fresh pineapple when properly cut and cored will yield about 2 lbs (32 oz.) of edible fruit.  This week we are selling whole pineapples for $1.50 ea., or approximately 4.7¢ per edible oz.  Canned pineapple, on the other hand, sells for close to four times that much at 17¢ per oz.  


We recommend taking advantage if this delicious tropical fruit while it remains plentiful and inexpensive; you can enjoy it on its own or in any number of recipes. 

In fact, here are a few ideas worth trying.


]]> Tue, 15 May 2012 16:25:42 GMT <![CDATA[The Secret to a Delicious Flank Steak]]> Flank steak, often referred to as a London Broil, is a very lean cut of beef. Known to deliver great beef flavor at a low price make flank steak a very popular beef cut. However, it can be a little tricky to grill, because it is easy to overcook. Due to its low fat content and prominent grain, it becomes tough and nearly inedible if cooked past medium rare. Here's a quick guide on how to do it right!

The key to keeping flank steak tender is to first marinate the steak, (be certain to allow plenty for time for this) and once marinated sear it quickly over high heat, so you must start with a hot grill or grill pan.  Here is a simple marinade that you can mix using common kitchen ingredients.

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Mix all of the above in a shallow bowl and place your flank steak in the marinade for and place that in your refrigerator for between four to six hours. After marinating, the flank steak is grilled to perfection

picWhether you're cutting flank steak when it's raw or after it's been cooked, the best way to do it is across the grain. Slice across the width of the flank rather than the length. "Across the grain" means to cut across the fibers of the meat, rather than with them. Cutting across the fibers makes them shorter so the meat is easier to chew. For most flank steaks, this means slicing across the width of the steak rather than its length.
Take your flank steak out of refrigeration one hour before you plan to grill it.  You want the steak to get close to room temperature. Throwing cold meat on a hot grill will make it seize up, toughening it. Also, it will be more difficult to get the steak to cook evenly if the meat is cold or frozen in the center. Also, make sure the grill is hot - very hot.

The next step is seasoning.  All steaks need to be seasoned generously with salt and pepper.  Some chefs recommend rubbing flank steaks with a little olive oil, then salt and pepper both sides heavily. The salt will bring some of the meat's juices to the surface and help to form the brown crust that is the hallmark of good grilling.

Flank steak is a relatively thin cut, usually about 3/4" to 1" thick in the center and slightly thinner on the ends. The natural shape of the meat makes it possible to cook the ends to a medium doneness while the thickest part stays rare, so you can please various palates with one steak. Place the meat on the grill and do not touch it for 3 minutes. Use a kitchen timer if you must, to keep from moving the meat. If you move the meat at all, it will not form that delicious brown crust. After 3 minutes are up, turn the meat over and cook for an additional 3 minutes on the second side, again without moving the meat. Provided that your grill was hot enough, this should give you medium rare on the ends and rare in the middle. If you prefer it a little more done, increase the cooking time on each side to 4 minutes. Do not cook past medium rare, or the steak will be tough.
 
The last step is actually the most critical. When the meat is done, remove it from the grill and place it on a cutting board. Allow the meat to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.  Cutting your steak when it’s hot off the grill will allow all the juices to flow out onto your board and you'll be left with a very dry piece of meat.  Allowing the meat to rest enables the juices to redistribute themselves through the meat, resulting in a juicy and succulent steak. When the meat has rested, determine the direction of the grain - in flank steak, the fibers run along the length of the steak, and you will want to cut across the grain, in thin slices. Cutting thinly across the grain gives you short fibers in each slice, resulting in more tender meat.


]]> Tue, 08 May 2012 22:09:59 GMT <![CDATA[Ole – Let’s have some mole!]]> A few weeks back we had a blog that featured the 5 Mother Sauces, the building blocks of fine dining which need to be mastered by any good chef.  While these five all happen to come from the French style of cooking, it’s also important to note that just about any type of cuisine will have its own staple sauces around which the foods of that culture are supported.  What would Italian cooking be without marinara, pesto, or Romana sauces (to name but a few)?  Think of Indian food and you instantly think of various curry sauces.

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, a well known Mexican cause for celebration, let’s take a closer look at mole, the sauce that forms the foundation of many Mexican dishes.
 
Mole is a rich, complex sauce used in Mexican cuisine. The closest thing to it in our America lexicon is gravy.  However, making gravy takes just a matter of minutes while creating a mole is an all day process in which up to 30 ingredients are carefully hand ground and blended into a paste.  Time and love goes into this process.  Chilies are roasted and nuts are toasted for flavors that can’t be faked, and it takes a degree of delicacy to prepare these ingredients. 

For those of you who simply want to enjoy the taste of mole, it’s much easier to simply visit the Mexican food section in one of our stores and pick up some “store bought” mole; but if you have the time and a cabinet full of spices, we recommend trying to make your own.

Let’s begin by clearing up one misconception many of us Gringos might have of this sauce.  Just as varied as American BBQ sauces can be, so can mole sauce be.  Although a majority of mole recipes include both chilies and chocolate, this is not always the case.  The misinformed refer to mole (pronounced MOH-lay) as "that Mexican chocolate sauce." Although chocolate is indeed an ingredient in some moles, if cooked properly only a hint remains when the sauce is served.

Another misconception many Americans have is that mole is always dark brown.  The color spectrum for mole can vary widely as well. Here are examples of the more popular varieties:

  • Mole Negro- Prominent flavor is cocao and chilhuacle negro chili, resulting in a deep brown, savory sauce. This is the type of mole most Americans have been exposed to in Mexican restaurants.
  • Mole Verde- Pumpkin seeds are toasted to extract the most delicious flavor as a base along with tomatillos to give it the green color and epazote (a Mexican herb with a very strong taste used to season a variety of dishes including beans, soups, salads and quesadillas) .
  • Mole Poblano- Similar to Mole Negro in the use of chocolate and chilies.  This Mole, from Puebla, sometimes contains charred avocado leaves, onions, garlic, and ground oregano.
  • Mole Amarillo- Uses Costeño, Ancho, and Guajillo chiles, green tomatoes and tomatillos, black pepper, onion, garlic, clove, chilcoxle, cumin, cilantro, and either pitiona or hoja santa.
  • Mole Cacahuate- Toasted peanuts and chilies, most often chipotle. Very, very rich in flavor, usually served over chicken. Not everyone can handle this one. It is comparable to a more thin peanut butter sauce with a spiciness.
  • Mole Mancha Manteles- Because of the strong Ancho chile flavor it is often used over plantains and pineapple.

Okay, so enough talk, let’s eat!  Although a truly authentic Mexican mole wouldtake several hours to prepare, here is a recipe that will give you good resultsin a fraction of the time.

Quick Mexican Mole
Serves 4             Prep time:  5 minutes                Cook Time:    10 minutes

picMole sauce ingredients were traditionally prepared on a metate, a stone with a flat or concave surface on which grain, nuts, seeds, and so on, could be ground. Modern cooks combine the ingredients in a blender or a food mill.
Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
  • 1/8 tablespoon dried minced garlic
  • 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
  • 1 (4 ounce) can diced green Chile peppers
Directions
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook the onion until tender. Mix in cocoa powder, cumin, cilantro, and garlic. Stir in the tomato soup and green Chile peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Transfer to a gravy boat or pour directly over food to serve.
]]> Tue, 01 May 2012 15:19:40 GMT <![CDATA[Our Friend the Tomato]]> Our friend the tomato, a staple for any American kitchen, is actually a relative newcomer to the array of vegetables (or fruits, as others would argue) that are used in our everyday lives. In addition to corn, which is also extraordinarily common, the tomato is the major ingredient in many of the foods we Americans have come to know and love.
 
Although the details are a bit sketchy, the Spanish explorer Cortez, who conquered the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, later to be renamed Mexico City, in 1521, is credited as the person who brought the tomato back from the new world. Red tomatoes were said to be introduced to Italy by two Catholic priests many years later. The funny thing about tomatoes is that it took a very long time for people to become comfortable eating them. It was commonly believed that the tomato was meant to be an ornamental piece only, and that eating it could be fatal. 
 
Even in North America, it has been only in the past 150 years that people mustered enough courage to try eating them. Everything changed on the courthouse steps in Salem, New Jersey, at twelve noon on September 26, 1820, when Colonel Robert G. Johnson ate not one, but a basketful of tomatoes. Not only did he survive, he wasn't the least bit ill following his demonstration, which was witnessed by hundreds of people (all of whom came to the courthouse to see the Colonel die a hideous death by poison!)
 
In order to be technically correct, we must point out that the tomato is not a vegetable but, rather, a fruit.  In the U.S., the confusion stems from a Supreme Court ruling back in 1893 which insisted that tomatoes be listed and labeled as a vegetable, since they were most commonly eaten as one. The reason for the fuss and why the decision needed to go to the Supreme Court was that there were different tariffs on fruits than on vegetables, and the tomato importers were interested in getting a favorable tariff. Can anyone say "lobbyist"?
 
After only a few hundred years, the tomato has become firmly entrenched in European culture and the diets of many nationalities. Italian cooking has become synonymous with tomato sauce; pizza would be lost without it. Where would Mexican restaurants be without salsa? Tomato soup, slices on a burger, and ketchup are mainstream uses for the versatile fruit in American culture.
 
pic The Roma Tomato – The real work horse of tomato varieties.
Roma tomatoes are the traditional paste tomatoes. With their dense and meaty flesh, low moisture content, and few seeds, they are the ideal tomatoes for processing into sauces and pastes. While the Roma contains less moisture than normal tomatoes, it boasts higher levels of sugar, acids, and pectin. Roma tomatoes have a cylindrical or plum shape, and feel heavy for their size. Their colors range from pink to orange to deep red. Veeroma, La Roma, and Sam Marzano are among the many popular Roma varieties.

First introduced in the U.S. in 1955, the Roma produces a large harvest of thick-walled, meaty, bright red, egg-shaped tomatoes about 3 inches long. This tomato is not juicy. This is not a slicing tomato. Instead, the flesh is thicker and drier so that it will cook down into a heavy sauce. Cooking intensifies flavor, too. If you can tomatoes, make your own spaghetti sauce, or like to chop a tomato into an omelet, this is a great choice. It's not too juicy in the pan compared to slicing tomatoes. The fruit freezes well for later cooking, as well. 

Roma Tomatoes are low-calorie, low-fat, very low in sodium, high in vitamin A, high in vitamin C...and they are Cholesterol-free.

Source for facts found in this article came from, The California Tomato Board

Try some of these handy Roma Tomato Recipes:

]]> Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:40:20 GMT <![CDATA[This won’t get your Goat! ]]> This week in the deli, Brookhaven is featuring 4 oz. packages of assorted flavors of Montchevre Goat Cheese, priced 2/$5.00. Far too often people who have never tasted goat cheese will pass right by this sale -- and that is a shame, because the cheese is both delicious and good for your health. 


Adding goat cheese to salads has become popular in many restaurants lately; for many Americans, this has been their first exposure to goat cheese or goat milk. Worldwide, however, the use of goat milk is very common. More people drink the milk of goats than any other single animal.

picThe fats and proteins in goat milk are more easily digested than those in cow milk, and it's this increased digestibility that gives goat milk the preference over cow milk for many people, especially infants and young children, the elderly, and those with digestive problems. Goat milk is naturally homogenized and it can be digested in less than 20 minutes, whereas cow milk can take almost all day.

Fresh goat milk has another health advantage over mechanically homogenized cow milk: It appears that when fat globules are forcibly broken up by mechanical means an enzyme associated with milk fat, known as xanthine oxidase, is produced, which may penetrate the intestinal wall. Once this enzyme gets through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream, it can create scar damage in the heart and arteries, which in turn may stimulate the body to release cholesterol into the blood in an attempt to lay a protective fatty layer over the scarred areas. This can lead to arteriosclerosis.

As well as being more digestible than cow milk, goat milk tends to have a better buffering quality, which is good for the treatment of ulcers. Often people who are allergic to cow milk have no problem drinking goat milk. The fat molecules in goat milk are five times smaller than the fat molecules in cow milk.

Goat milk is also is higher in calcium, vitamin A and niacin than cow milk.

Source: American Dairy Goat Products Association

Here are some fun and interesting facts that you may not know about goats:
  1. Goats were the first animals to be used for milk by humans.
  2. Goats were first brought to America by Columbus in 1493.
  3. Goats do not eat tin cans, clothing, or garbage, but are selective eaters when provided a well-balanced diet. 
  4. Before coins were used for money, goats were traded for silver because they were so valuable.
  5. The pharaoh Cephranes thought so much of his goats that he had 2,234 buried with him.
  6. Goats are very social creatures.
  7. Wattles are those little tufts of hair that cover the skin that dangles from the throat of some goats. Wattles serve no function.
  8. Goat meat is lower in fat and cholesterol compared to beef, pork, mutton, and poultry.
  9. Approximately 1.5 million pounds of goat meat is imported into the U.S. every week from Australia and New Zealand because domestic production and processing systems in this country cannot keep pace with demand.
  10. Healthy kids (baby goats) can stand within minutes after birth and are able to move with the herd almost immediately.
  11. The early explorers used goat skins for water and wine bottles when they traveled.
  12. During biblical times, goat skins were used for writing parchment. 
  13. Goats’ and octopus’ eyes have rectangular pupils.
  14. Coffee was first discovered when goat herders noticed the animals acting very energetic after nibbling on coffee beans.
  15. Abraham Lincoln’s sons had two goats that lived in the white house with them.
  16. In earlier centuries, goats were often used to nurse babies.
  17. According to Roman history, on February 15th of each year, young men would run around wearing only the skins of goats and hit women with strips of goat skin, known as februa, to promote fertility. It is from this practice that the month of February gets its name.
  18. The proper name for a group of goats is a "trip".
  19. Goats are great swimmers.
  20. Anything you make with cow's milk, you can make with goat's milk.
  21. Goats use straw to scratch their backs.
  22. Goats are great as stock animals. Goats are easier on the trail than other pack/stock animals. Properly conditioned, a goat can carry up to 25%-30% of its body weight.
Source: http://www.homesteadhomemaking.com/

]]> Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:12:46 GMT <![CDATA[Spicing up your salads with some new greens]]> Most well-rounded dinner meals are served with a salad, but seldom does the salad become the center of much discussion. At a restaurant, often one of the toughest decisions you need to make is what dressing to order on your salad. It’s almost as if the greens and vegetables are inconsequential, and only the dressing  contributes to the actual flavor and enjoyment of the salad.

Of course, I’ll be quick to admit that the salad dressing served has a large impact on how much I may enjoy my salad. However, I often find that it’s the mix of greens that make a salad either bland and unmemorable, or exciting and worth experiencing again.

For far too many years, a salad for me was nothing more than the torn leaves of iceberg lettuce, a few slices of onion, tomatoes and carrots, all doused in some blend of Thousand Island, French, or Ranch salad dressing. Boring, boring...very boring.

It wasn’t until I discovered that there was more to salad greens than iceberg lettuce that the salad course became something that I really enjoyed. These days, I make certain that variety is always considered when I go shopping for greens.

One favorite of salad lovers everywhere is arugula. This pleasantly peppery green, grown along the Mediterranean since Roman times, has become increasingly popular around the world due to its versatility and flavor. Arugula also has a fairly distinctive appearance with its characteristic sword-shaped, deeply notched leaves. (Some varieties may boast leaves that are more oval in shape with fewer notches).

Because it is so potent on its own, arugula is typically mixed with other, milder greens for a salad with a nicely sharp, spicy edge. Arugula can also be used in pasta sauces and to top pizzas hot from the oven. Or, try it stirred into soups, folded into potato salads, made into a flavorful pesto, sautéed in olive oil, or wilted to serve as a bed for roasted or grilled meat, fish, and poultry.
Fresh arugula can be found in the market from spring through autumn.

Preparing
Handle arugula with care to avoid bruising its delicate leaves. Trim the thick stalk ends, if needed. Arugula bunches can trap soil and grit, so wash them well before serving. Immerse the leaves in cold water and then lift them out, letting the grit settle at the bottom. Repeat as necessary. Dry thoroughly in a salad spinner or gently shake them in a kitchen towel.

Like most salad greens, arugula is very low in calories and is high in vitamins A and C. A 1/2 cup serving is two calories.  It is also a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Zinc and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin K, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Manganese.

Click here for a number of recipes that you will enjoy that call for arugula.

]]> Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:06:18 GMT <![CDATA[The 5 "Mother" Sauces ]]> from a food blog by lynnescountrykitchen.net
http://lynnescountrykitchen.net/sauc/mothersauces.html

I just came across a very timely article about what chefs like to refer to as the "Five Mother Sauces". A sauce is the crowning glory of any dish. From the basic Five Mother Sauces, there are literally hundreds of variations of sauce that are used to dress, compliment, enhance, and bring out the flavor of the food it is served with. When a sauce is used on a food, it is the first thing to touch the tongue. A sauce is only as good as the ingredients that you put into it and the care you take while preparing it; a good sauce can make a good meal exceptional...but does little to make inferior food taste better.

Here are the Five Mother Sauces whose origins come from the 19th-century French chef Antonin Carême, which any chef worth his or her garlic press can make without even looking at the recipes.

picBéchamel, the classic white sauce, was named after its inventor, Louis XIV's steward Louis de Béchamel. The king of all sauces, it is often referred to as a cream sauce because of its appearance. Made by stirring milk into a butter-flour roux, the thickness of the sauce depends on the proportion of flour and butter to milk. The proportions for a thin sauce would be 1 tablespoon each of butter and flour per 1 cup of milk; a medium sauce would use 2 tablespoons each of butter and flour; a thick sauce, 3 tablespoons each.

Recipe for Béchamel Sauce



picVelouté is a stock-based white sauce. It can be made from chicken, veal, or fish stock. Enrichments such as egg yolks or cream are also sometimes added.

Recipe for: Velouté Sauce

picEspagnole, or brown sauce, is traditionally made of a rich meat stock, a mirepoix (a combination of chopped carrots, celery and onions used to add flavor and aroma) of browned vegetables, a nicely browned roux, herbs, and sometimes tomato paste.

Recipe for: Espagnole (or Brown) Sauce

picHollandaise and Mayonnaise are two sauces that are made with an emulsion of egg yolks and fat. Hollandaise is made with butter, egg yolks and lemon juice -- usually in a double boiler to prevent overheating -- and served warm. It is generally used to embellish vegetables and fish, as well as some egg dishes, such as the classic Eggs Benedict. Mayonnaise is a thick, creamy dressing that's an emulsion of vegetable oil, egg yolks, lemon juice or vinegar, and seasonings. It is widely used as a spread, a dressing, and as a sauce. It's also used as the base for such mixtures as Tartar Sauce, Thousand Island Dressing, Aïoli, and Remoulade.

Recipe for: Hollandaise Sauce
Recipe for: Homemade Mayonnaise

picVinagrette is a sauce consisting of a simple blend of oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper (usually 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar). More elaborate variations can include any combination of spices, herbs, shallots, onions, mustard, etc. It is generally used to dress salad greens and other cold vegetables, in addition to meat or fish dishes.

Recipe for: Basic Vinaigrette

]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:00:51 GMT <![CDATA[How to Prepare an Artichoke]]> Artichokes take a little effort when it comes to preparation and cooking but yield a mild, nutty flavor that compliments a variety of foods. Artichokes are used for main dishes, side-dishes, appetizers, and as an ingredient in dips and sauces.

With just a little preparation, fresh artichokes can be easy to cook -- just follow these step-by-step instructions:
  1. Decide if you need to cook just one artichoke or multiple artichokes at a time. Either way, you can cook artichokes in advance and store them in your refrigerator for several days before using them.
  2. Next, take your fresh artichoke and rinse it well under cold water. If you have one handy, we  even suggest using a soft kitchen brush and giving the 'choke a quick scrub down. This helps remove the natural, light film an artichoke produces while growing; the film has a generally unpleasant, bitter flavor.   
  3. “Top and tail” the artichoke with your knife:
    • With a sharp, serrated kitchen knife, cut about one inch from the top of the artichoke.
    • Then, trim the stem about one half inch, or remove the stem completely if you need it to “sit up” on a plate for stuffing or filling. Remember, the artichoke stem is a continuation of the Heart, so don’t cut it off unless you need to.
  4. Many cooks also like to rub the cut portion of the artichoke with the juice of a fresh lemon to prevent it from browning. (This step is optional).
  5. Lastly, don’t be afraid to spread open the petals slightly to allow any seasoning you may use to fall in between the artichoke's petals for flavor.
Now your artichoke is ready to cook!

Nutrition
If you’ve always loved artichokes for their flavor, you’ll love them even more for their nutritional value. A large artichoke contains a mere 60 calories! In addition, artichokes are a great source of vitamin c, potassium, magnesium, and fiber, too -- but more excitably, artichokes have become recognized as one of the nutritional "super foods" because they are also a great source of powerful, disease-fighting antioxidants. In fact, recent research shows cooked artichokes are the best source of antioxidants among all fresh vegetables. As if that weren’t enough, research has also shown that cooking increases the total antioxidant content, with steaming and microwaving being the best methods.
 
Castroville, CA – The Town Built on Artichokes pic
Since the 1920s, Castroville has produced the world's best artichokes. Secrets of the great "Globe" artichoke are known only to the Italian families who started the industry in this perfect setting.

One might find a deeper appreciation for these thorny wonders knowing that they are entirely planted and harvested by hand. Once the root stock is planted, it can take up to 6 months before beginning to produce. Green Globes are perennials and, if well cared for, will last 6 to 8 years. Green Globes thrive in the mild temperatures and foggy days and nights that we all know and love along the central coast; it is this unique weather that enables the area to support 80% of the United States artichoke production. Green Globe artichokes enjoy the fog but dislike high or freezing temperatures.

Castroville, the righteously acclaimed "Artichoke Center of the World", is where, in 1947, Marilyn Monroe (then known as Norma Jean) got her start as the first Artichoke Festival queen. Yes, that is correct: this small California town of less than 7,000 is host to the annual Artichoke Festival. Taking place each May, the Festival features a parade, a 10-K race, arts & crafts, live music, many artichoke dishes prepared by celebrity chefs, and on-going children's entertainment. 
Anchored in a thistle kingdom, Castroville is an eccentric little hamlet. One of Steinbeck's finest short stories, Johnnie Bear, is set here. Swiss Italians, who also grew the first wine vineyards in Salinas Valley, began the California artichoke industry here. It is now a $50 million crop for Pajaro Valley, where Castroville and Moss Landing host nearly all the artichoke fields.

Artichokes are not indigenous to the United States; some claim Spaniards originally brought them over, but most people agree that the vastly superior Green Globe, which uniquely prospers here, was imported from Italy in the 1880s. Andrew Molera, for whom the state park near Point Sur is named, planted the first artichokes in these parts in the '20s. Now, more than 3/4 of the world's crop is grown here -- and they are grown and harvested by hand. No machines are involved.

The Castroville families, descendants of the pioneer 'choke growers, don't share their secrets. The skilled pickers in the Castroville fields know when the 'choke is mature. After the harvest, the plant is trimmed to the nub, which will eventually regenerate and produce a new crop.

In stores, the consumer can identify the Globe artichoke by the pointed end, or thorn, on the thistle.

Here is a collection of artichoke recipes worth checking out.  http://www.brookhavenmarket.com/recipes/?ingredient=artichoke

]]> Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:11:06 GMT <![CDATA[Short Ribs ...never short on flavor!]]> This week, Brookhaven Marketplace is featuring USDA Choice Beef Short Ribs.

If this is a cut of meat that you aren’t all that familiar with, we would like to help change that by giving you a bit of helpful information. There are two major cuts of beef ribs, back ribs and short ribs. Beef short ribs come from primal cuts below the more expensive beef cuts, the rib and the loin.

The best cut of beef ribs comes from the lower (ventral) section of the animal. The ribs in this region are called "short ribs" not because they are short in length, but because they come from a specific subsection called the short plate. The short plate is located right in front of another inexpensive, chewy but flavorful cut, the flank steak, and just behind another favorite cut for barbecue, the brisket.

Like ribeye steaks, beef ribs are well marbled with fat which is why they are rich in classic beef flavor. However, these muscles get a lot more work than other areas, such as the loin, so they are full of connective tissue and tendons. This makes the meat too chewy to be enjoyable if not prepared properly. The bones are almost straight with about 1-2" of meat on top, which makes them good for barbecue, and braising. When barbequed, the they should be roasted low and slow with dry heat and a bit of wood smoke; this method results in a dark brown exterior and flavorful, tender meat. Cooking your ribs at low temperatures allows the connective tissues and fat to melt without drying out the meat.

The other recommended cooking method is braising. When simmered on low in a flavorful liquid as they do in France, you get very juicy and very tender, flavor-packed meat that has absorbed the richness of the braising liquid. In return, the meat has given up most of its innate essence to the greater good of the stew.

Another preparation method that works well for short ribs is tenderizing. First, you sprinkle the meat with a tenderizing agent, then you pierce/pound the flesh with a handheld meat tenderizer. This method results in very fine pieces of rare meat -- very juicy and beefy, and roughly equivalent to much more expensive beef cuts.

Now that you know a bit more about beef short ribs and how to best prepare them, here are some delicious recipe ideas.

]]> Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:08:48 GMT <![CDATA[Is cabbage part of your heritage?]]>

If you happen to be of Italian, Spanish or Polish decent, St. Joseph day, celebrated this coming Monday, 3/19 is your big patron saint day.  Cabbage is the one of the most popular winter vegetables in Europe, and rightly so: It comes into season during the winter months, is inexpensive, nutritious, is quite tasty, and is also versatile, working well in, soups, as a side dish, and at times part of the main course.

When someone mentions cabbage we tend to think of basic green or red cabbage but in truth there are actually more than a hundred different varieties.  Most cabbages will have a short, broad stem and flowers that from a distinguished compact head.  The cabbage family includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi, kale, collards, and the Oriental leaf vegetables such as Bok Choy and Napa cabbage.

Here are some of the more popular types.

Green Cabbagepic
This is the most common cabbage variety. Pale in color and with tight leaves. It is used often in soups and slaws.



Red Cabbagepic
Actually, the color is more like a deep purple than that of red. And even though it looks different than the green cabbage, its taste is very similar.   Red cabbage is most commonly pickled. They are also tasty in slaws and salads bringing out color in dishes.



The Savory Cabbagespic
Savory cabbage is distinguished by its yellow-green crinkled leaves. It is also noticeably less compact than the common green cabbage.  These cabbage types do well in stew, steamed or just as a garnish.



Napa Cabbagepic
These popular cabbages are a light green with crinkled leaves. Their head is compact and the stems are white in color. Napa cabbage is tasty even raw. It works well in stir-fry or steamed. You will find the Napa cabbage in almost all stir-fry dishes. If you enjoy a more delicate and milder tasting cabbage for your recipes, opt for the Napa cabbage.



Chinese cabbage – Bok Choypic
Bok Choy is recognized for its dark green leaves and white stems. And unlike traditional green cabbage, the leaves grow loosely together rather than tightly around a head.  With most Chinese cabbage both the stem and leaves can be cooked. They have a taste similar to celery.

The nutritional value of cabbage

In 1984 the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations listed cabbage as one of the top twenty vegetables considered an important food source sustaining world population. In its raw state, cabbage contains iron, calcium, and potassium. High marks are given for its vitamin C content. Cabbage is also high in vitamins B1, B2, and B3. Note: Lengthy cooking tends to lower the nutritional value considerably.

Red cabbage is higher in fiber than green, with 4 ounces of it boiled and drained offering 2.7 grams. It's higher in vitamin C, offering 25.8 milligrams for 4 ounces cooked. Red cabbage is also higher in calcium, iron, and potassium than its green cousin.

Savoy and Napa cabbage can boast they contain 20% of the RDA for vitamin A, while red and green cabbages contain considerably less. Bok Choy contains the most vitamin A, supplying 60% of the RDA, although it is equal to red and green cabbage in other nutrients.  Pickling is an excellent way to preserve the vitamin C in cabbage. In fact, Captain Cook attributed his crew's good health to a daily ration of sauerkraut.

Here is an interesting piece of cabbage trivia we picked up researching.  One of the top selling summer salads in any supermarket is Cole slaw.  Like cabbage itself there are many different ethnic and regional variations to this summertime favorite but how did this salad get its name?  Why not cabbage slaw?  Turns out, that is exactly what we did name it but that happened hundreds of years ago.  You see, Cole is the old English word for cabbage. And we all know that cabbage is the main ingredient of that dish.

Why not take full advantage of the great price of Cabbage this week at Brookhaven and buy enough to make several different Cabbage dishes to enjoy throughout the coming week?

Here is a list of great cabbage family recipes:
Bok Choy:    http://www.brookhavenmarket.com/recipes/?ingredient=bok%20choy
Cabbage:     http://www.brookhavenmarket.com/recipes/?ingredient=cabbage
]]> Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:03:21 GMT <![CDATA["Corned Beef & Cabbage" -- A Strictly Irish American Tradition ]]> Lest you be fooled by a wee leprechaun, don’t you be believin' that corned beef, cabbage, and taters is a traditional Irish meal enjoyed on the Emerald Isle.

No one in Ireland will be eating corned beef next week, though plenty of cabbage and potatoes will be consumed. Dubliners and Belfasters are more likely to mix cured ham like bacon (called a rasher) with their cabbage.

As it turns out, it was necessity that was the inventor of this American tradition. When the Irish immigrated to the U.S. following the great potato famine between 1845 and 1852, they dearly missed the old sod and the great traditions that they had to leave behind. Irish immigrants who landed along the East Coast hankered for the bacon and cabbage they were accustomed to, but their Jewish neighbors had perfected an equally tasty, less expensive, and much more accessible dish called corned beef.

Being resourceful and frugal, our Irish American forefathers made the switch to corned beef and started what has become a St. Patrick’s Day tradition, American style. In addition to corned beef and cabbage, here are a few other traditional Irish recipes to help round out your St. Pat’s celebration...


]]> Tue, 06 Mar 2012 16:31:43 GMT <![CDATA[Asparagus]]> Last week we discussed the benefits of eating more slowly. Did you try it? Not as easy as it  seems, is it? Well, this week let’s talk about something else that is slow -- slow to grow, that is: Asparagus.

This popular vegetable happens to be one that the majority of consumers know relatively little about. Did you know that from the time that asparagus sprouts from a seed, it will be three to four years before any edible asparagus is produced?
Asparagus is also a crop that takes up a lot more space than others. Farmers need to devote several square feet to each plant in order to get them to produce on an annual basis.

Another interesting fact is that we are actually eating the tiny young shoots of what would become a giant, fern-like woody plant if left to mature. If you have ever eaten asparagus spears that have grown too far or been stored too long, you know that they become very stringy and wood-like...And not at all pleasant to eat! 

Kinds of Asparagus
Prized by the Romans and described by King Louis XIV of France as "the food of kings," most asparagus in the U.S. is green, with some tender and sweet purple varieties popping up every now and again. In Europe, white asparagus -- grown under banked soil or sand to keep it from turning green -- is preferred for its milder and more gentle flavor.

Asparagus Season
Asparagus is harvested from March through June, depending on the region. Early in the season, spears may be as thin as pencils; towards the end of the season, fatter, meatier spears become available. Don’t misinterpret the previous comment, however: Thickness in no way indicates tenderness, which is related to how the plant is grown and how soon it is eaten after harvest rather than spear size. Poorly or long-stored thin asparagus can be tough and flavorless; fresh, fat spears can be remarkably sweet and tender.

Preparing Asparagus
  1. Begin by rinsing asparagus under cold running water to remove any dirt or sand.  Do not wash until ready to use. Store the asparagus unwashed.
  2. picNext, you will want to trim off the bottom ends of the stalks. Find the area where the green color starts to fade. This is where the tough woody end begins and the stalk should be trimmed off here. Do not remove the spears at the top of the stalk.
    An alternative method is to snap off the portion of the asparagus you want to exclude. Hold the spear firmly towards the end and bend it until it breaks naturally. The spear should break at the point where it becomes tough.
  3. picSome recipes may call for "cut" asparagus. The spears should be cut at a diagonal in 1 and 2 inch pieces, depending on what the recipe calls for. Several spears can be cut at one time. Cutting the spears into pieces will expose the most flesh and help to ensure even cooking, which may be critical for some recipes.
Cooking Asparagus
Asparagus can be cooked in many ways, including roasting, grilling, steaming, boiling, pan-roasting and frying. Determining how to prepare it, however, depends as much on your taste as the asparagus itself. Generally speaking, thinner spears are better for roasting, grilling, stir-frying, tossing with pasta, or eating raw in salads, and thicker asparagus is traditionally left whole, so its tender, meaty texture can be appreciated. Try it steamed with butter or hollandaise sauce, or blanched and chilled with vinaigrette or other dressing.

Asparagus is a health nut
It contains folic acid (vitamin B9), which studies have repeatedly shown that can reduce levels of an inflammatory substance linked with heart disease. One serving of asparagus (5 spears) provides over 60% of the recommended daily intake, so it’s a terrific natural source of this powerful, heart-healthy nutrient. Asparagus also contains vitamins A, B6, C, K, and thiamine. This tasty veggie has some beta carotene, potassium, zinc, and fiber, as well.
Wait, it gets even better:
  • It has no fat, contains no cholesterol, and is low in sodium.
  • It can improve your mood because both vitamin C and folic acid help promote the production of serotonin and dopamine, brain chemicals that stave off depression
  • Asparagus contains plant chemicals that are anti-fungal and anti-viral, and are generally helpful in boosting immune function.
  • Asparagus contains a very strong antioxidant called glutathione, which has been shown to have properties that could help prevent cancer.
  • Asparagus is a diuretic and increases kidney function; this may also help you reduce water retention and urinary tract infections, as well as blood pressure. A special anti-inflammatory plant chemical in asparagus may ease arthritic pain.
  • Asparagus is recommended as part of a healthy diet for pregnant women, as extra folic acid helps reduce the likelihood birth defects. 
  • Asparagus has sulfur-containing amino acids that might help slow or stop the spread of warts.
  • It is one of the richest sources of rutin, a compound which strengthens capillary walls.
Enjoy these delicious Asparagus recipes http://www.brookhavenmarket.com/recipes/?ingredient=asparagus 


]]> Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:11:34 GMT <![CDATA[If you slow down and enjoy your food you will lose weight]]> Did you ever think about all the catchy sayings we have about time management?
  • “Time waits for no man.”
  • “Slow and steady wins the race.”
  • “Move it or lose it.”
  • “Slow down and smell the roses.”
  • “Hurry up, time is a wasting.”
By nature we are an impatient lot, and we tend to let time manage our lives more than we manage our time. One area that most of us don’t even notice is the time we take eating. Often, what we do for a living tends to dictate how fast we eat. How often do you find yourself “grabbing a fast food” breakfast on the way to work, having a “quick bite” to eat for lunch, or “wolfing down dinner” in order to run off to a meeting at school?

Research has proven that the way we eat has a direct impact on our body weight. Most Americans eat too fast, and, as a result, they take in too many calories before they realize they've eaten enough. It takes approximately 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to send out signals of fullness.  Think about it this way:  If you eat an average of three bites per minute, by the time your brain gets the message that you have had enough to eat, you will have consumed sixty bites of food.

Leisurely eating allows ample time to trigger the signal from your brain that you are full. And feeling full translates into eating less. Not only does eating slowly and mindfully help you eat less, it enhances the pleasure of the dining experience.

Here are some tips to help you slow down, enjoy your food more and avoid over-eating:

1.  Chew your food.  I know, it sounds like something that your mother told you as a child. It's true, though. Chewing your food gives it more time on your tongue to enjoy,  breaks up the food (making it easier to digest), and slows down the eating process, thereby allowing your brain to recognize when you have eaten enough to satisfy your body's needs.


2.  Put down your knife and fork.  It sounds so simple yet it’s a tough lesson to put into practice. We hate to waste energy picking up our utensils with each mouthful, so we tend to hold our silverware in our hands. As a result, we are often in the process of cutting off the next bite before we've really had a chance to taste the previous.


3.  Remove the distractions.  Turn off the TV, put your cell phone in another room and let let your calls go to voice mail, and carry on a conversation with your family and friends. But don’t forget the other rule that your mom taught you:  Never talk with food in your mouth. This is guaranteed to help you slow down the rate at which you eat.


4.  Drink water.  We all know that drinking lots of water is good for us, and many of us try to keep a glass or bottle of water handy for use throughout the day. Drinking water during a meal serves  the purpose of helping you start feeling fuller, faster.


5.  Don’t let yourself become famished.  When we are overly hungry we tend to eat very fast, frequently eating second and even third helpings. You'll find it easier to slow the pace if you eat regular, smaller meals at three or four hour intervals, rather two or three meals with several hours between them.

]]> Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:21:27 GMT <![CDATA[Conquering your fear of the roast]]> How many times have you walked past the meat counter and saw some beautiful beef roasts on sale and thought about buying one...but ended up settling for a package of ground beef again?  It’s not that your family wouldn’t love a good beef roast; you simply don’t have the confidence to know that you can cook it without over cooking it. 

We would like to let you in on a secret that is all but fool proof when it comes to cooking a roast of any kind: get yourself a meat thermometer. No carpenter is without a hammer, no nurse works without a stethoscope, and likewise, no good chef cooks without a meat thermometer. Armed with this inexpensive tool, you can roast anything to perfection. To help show you how to best use your meat thermometer, we found an informative article on Hub pages written by Sally's Trove http://sallystrove.hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Cook-the-Best-Roast-Beef

I will admit that I once had a fear of of cooking beef. What if I made a pile of ash? I've had wonderful steaks and roasts in my adult life, cooked by friends or enjoyed at dinners out. But it was only a few years ago that I found the courage to experiment with cooking beef on my own. The turning point was when my mother gave me a meat thermometer as a house warming gift -- which was really funny, because I don't think she ever used a meat thermometer herself. However, my mother is a genius at finding previously used and sale items for pennies on the dollar. I expect this meat thermometer was one of her "finds".

Armed with a meat thermometer, I now needed something to stick it into. Although you can stick a thermometer into a number of meats (chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, veal, and even fish), I chose a beef roast because it was beef and therefore a challenge. Besides, true to my mother's bargain hunting instincts, I found the roast offered at a very good sale price and I couldn't pass it up. I brought the roast home and attacked it with the meat thermometer and a little creativity. The rest is history. 

Gloriously Simple Roast Beef
To make this wonderful beef, you need an eye round roast, a container of Mrs. Dash (I use the "original" blend), a meat thermometer, a pan with a rack that fits into it, and an oven. That's it.
Start with an eye round roast that's at least 3 pounds. Take the roast out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before you start to pre-heat the oven.  Pre-heat the oven to 475 degrees F.

The Seasoning
Shake the Mrs. Dash onto all parts of the beef -- top, bottom, and sides -- and press this wonderful seasoning into the flesh. You might want to do this in your freshly scrubbed kitchen sink. It can make a mess. When all the seasoning is pressed into the flesh, place the beef onto the rack with the fat side down. Put the rack and the beef into the pan. Poke the thermometer into the fattest part of the roast so that the stabbing end of the thermometer goes only half-way down.

Time and Temperature
Your meat thermometer may have a temperature setting for rare, medium, and well done beef, or it may not. So set the desired doneness either by words or numbers:
  • Rare = 140 degrees F
  • Medium = 160 degrees F
  • Well done = 170 degrees F
When the oven is up to 475, put the pan and its beef in, uncovered. Set a timer for 45 minutes.  After 45 minutes, turn the oven down to 275 degrees F.

Depending on the size of the roast, the rest of the cooking may take an hour or two or more. Just check the thermometer's progress. You can do this by turning on your oven's light and looking through the glass door. If you don't have an oven door with glass that you can see through, then you will have to open the door and look, which will delay the cooking time.

The beautiful thing about the meat thermometer is that it doesn't lie. It doesn't matter whether your oven's internal thermometer is working or not. The meat thermometer will tell you when the beef is done.  When the beef is done, take it out of the oven and let it sit in its pan on your kitchen counter for about 10 minutes before you slice it.

About Slicing the Roast
You need a sharp, finely honed knife. I use Sabatier carbon steel knives, which I acquired in the late 60's. Cut across the grain. Think about your own muscles here. Like in your arm. Muscle tissue runs in very discernible straight, thread-like lines from your elbow to your wrist. When you cut across these threads, you are cutting across the grain. This is very obvious with a hunk of beef. You can see how the muscle strands go the length of a roast. You just cut across that.

As you cut, the roast will bleed. Make sure your cutting board can catch the juice, or make sure that you are prepared to pour the juice into a container as it flows. You want to save that juice.  Before you serve your magnificent roast, pre-heat your plates. A warm plate will keep a rare slice of beef warm without cooking it more. Heat the reserved juice in a sauce pot for pouring over the beef-laden plates when you are ready to serve.

]]> Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:06:42 GMT <![CDATA[Gentlemen, this is for your information...Ladies need not read. ]]> Fair warning: you have one week to do something for the special women in your life that will endear you to their hearts. That’s right -- Tuesday, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day. If you are a husband or a dad, one suggestion to get the attention of your wife and daughters is to explain that, as a special Valentine’s Day treat, you want to fix them a delicious meal. Don’t worry, you’ve got your Brookhaven store teams there to back you up.
 
Start with some tender and juicy Angus Pride New York Strip Steaks, on sale this week. In produce, pick up one or two packages of Earthbound organic romaine hearts or Dole™ Classic Romaine salad mix (both also on sale), a bottle of their favorite salad dressing, and a baking potato for each person (only 39¢/lb). Not only will you be a hero for making dinner, but your wife will appreciate the fact that you were able to purchase all the ingredients at a fair price.
 
Here are three recipes in case you need a little help and affirmation:
 
Be sure to stop in our wine department for some temptingly romantic Chocolatier Wine. Finally, don’t leave without a stop at the bakery where you can find lots of heart-shaped sweet treats certain to melt your ladies' hearts.
 
You can do this buddy, no problem. But if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, have no fear! Brookhaven is here with fresh cut long stem roses  -- available in all stores -- for only $10.99 a dozen (while supplies last).
 
Don’t put this off because we men all know it a very short walk from the man cave to the dog house.

]]> Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:51:27 GMT <![CDATA[It’s time for the big game EVENT!]]> As has often been said, the Super Bowl long ago stopped being just a game and is now a bigger-than-life event. Many of my friends are trying hard to shed those 5 – 10 extra pounds we picked up over the holidays and going to a Super bowl party is not at all what the doctor ordered.  After doing a little research we discovered some useful tips to help you still have fun this Sunday without blowing your diet. We found this article (written by Rachel Sturtz) on the Fitness Magazine website:
 
Fattening snacks like buffalo wings, potato skins, and chips (and don't forget beer!) make Super Bowl parties a challenge when you're dieting. Here are a few healthy tips so you can enjoy the game without gaining a pound.
 
Kick off with fiber
Place mugs of turkey chili (use extra-lean ground meat) on the first table that guests see as they walk into the room. This filling snack will set the stage for a healthy evening.
 
Intercept fatty snacks
Put buffalo wings out of arm's reach. They're almost always cooked with the skin on, but you can slash fat and calories a bit by baking instead of frying.
 
Tackle cravings
Toss a 3-ounce package of microwave popcorn with 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes for a sweet-and-spicy snack with about 15 calories per handful.
 
Pass on big portions
It's easy to overdo chips and guacamole. Put 6 tablespoons of guac into ramekins with baskets of about 30 chips on side tables. This is the perfect amount for two people to share.
 
Take an alcohol time-out
Save calories by stocking an easily accessible cooler with non-booze beverages like diet soda and sparkling and bottled water. Leave the beer in the kitchen so you have to travel to get it.

]]> Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:39:53 GMT <![CDATA[Let’s have a Food fight – One that fights the flu that is.]]> In his book  "101 Foods That Could Save Your Life", author Dave Grotto reveals ten foods that provide top doses of the vitamins and nutrients you need to protect and defend against illness. You see, building up our body’s immune system is one of the best ways to ward off the nasty flu bugs.  As you plan your families’ meals in this unhealthy flu season, why not make a point of adding in plenty of the following flu-busters for good measure?  There is, of course, no guarantee that this will stave off any chance of getting sick, but it certainly won’t hurt -- and, by gosh, these foods taste great as well!

Mushrooms
Mushrooms used to get overlooked as a health food, but they possess two big weapons you need this flu season: selenium, which helps white blood cells produce cytokines that clear sickness, and beta glucan, an antimicrobial type of fiber, which helps activate "superhero" cells that find and destroy infections.

Fresh garlic
Strong smelling foods like garlic can stink out sickness thanks to the phytochemical allicin, an antimicrobial compound. A British study found that people taking allicin supplements suffered 46 percent fewer colds and recovered faster from the ones they did get. So start cooking with it daily -- experts recommend two fresh cloves a day.

Wild-caught salmon
In a recent study, participants with the lowest levels of vitamin D were about 40 percent more likely to report a recent respiratory infection than those with higher levels of vitamin D. Increase your intake with salmon; a 3.5-ounce serving provides 360 IU. Some experts recommend as much as 800 to 1000 IU of vitamin D each day.

Tea
Researchers at Harvard University found that drinking five cups of black tea a day quadrupled the body's immune defense system after two weeks, probably because of theanine. Tea also contains catechins, including ECGC, which act like a cleanup crew against free radicals. Grotto suggests drinking one to three cups of black, green, or white tea every day.

Yogurt
The digestive tract is one of your biggest immune organs, so keep disease-causing germs out with probiotics and prebiotics, found in naturally fermented foods like yogurt. One serving a day labeled with "live and active cultures" will enhance immune function according to a study from the University of Vienna in Austria.

Dark chocolate
Nutrition experts agree that dark chocolate deserves a place in healthy diets, and a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition says it can boost your immunity, too. High doses of cocoa support T-helper cells, which increase the immune system's ability to defend against infection. Sweet!

Oysters
Zinc is critical for the immune system -- it rallies the troops, or white blood cells, to attack bacteria and viruses like a flu or cold. One medium oyster provides nearly all of the zinc you need for a day.

Almonds
Heart-healthy almonds boast the immune-boosting antioxidant vitamin E, which, according to researchers at Tufts University, can reduce your chance of catching colds and developing respiratory infections. You'll need more than a serving of almonds for your daily dose, though, so try fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, turnip greens and wheat germ, too.

Strawberries
Even though vitamin C-rich foods (hello oranges!) are probably the first thing you think of when you feel a cold coming, Grotto says the illness-preventing power of the antioxidant is debatable. That said, some studies show it can reduce the intensity and duration of the cold and flu, so it's worth a try. One cup of strawberries provides 160 percent of your daily needs.

Sweet potato
Beta-carotene improves your body's defenses. It's instrumental in the growth and development of immune system cells and helps neutralize harmful toxins. Sweet potatoes and other orange foods like carrots, squash, pumpkin, egg yolks, and cantaloupe are top sources.

]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:05:32 GMT <![CDATA[Brookhaven now home to a Big Star]]> If you have shopped at your local Brookhaven Marketplace recently, you may have noticed our new line of exotic spices from Morton & Bassett of San Francisco. For all of you foodies, home chefs, master bakers and apprentices, you now have a source for those more unusual spices, herbs, and seasoning blends that so many recipes call for.
 
To help introduce other customers to some of these new ingredients, we will occasionally feature a blog article about one of the less common spices that we carry. Today’s story is a about an unusual spice often used as a decoration because of its unique appearance...
 
Star Anise
Bouquet: sweet and fragrant
Flavor: similar to fennel with a mild licorice taste
 
Star anise is a spice not to be confused with the herb of a similar name, anise. Star anise is the seed pod of an evergreen tree grown in southwestern China and Japan. Like regular anise, star anise gets its distinctive licorice taste from a chemical compound called anethol. However, the two are not related botanically -- star anise is a member of the Magnolia family.
 
Star anise is a dark brown (almost rusty colored), irregular, star-shaped fruit with eight carpels joined around a central core. Each carpel contains a seed. It is used in the following forms: dried whole, broken pieces, or ground. Star anise characterizes Chinese, Vietnamese, and other cooking styles in Asia. It is used in marinades, barbecues, roasts, stews, and soups that require long simmering. The Chinese have introduced it to every region where they have settled.
 
Star anise pairs well with roasted poultry and pork, braised meats and fish, and steamed or roasted duck. It is an essential flavoring in the red cooking of the Shanghai region of China and is one of the five spices in the "five-spice blend", which is used as a marinade for meats, to flavor soups and sauces, and for batters.
 
picStar Anise is also popular in Southeast Asia, where it is used in Chinese-style dishes such as simmered beef, stir-fried vegetables, and steamed chicken. It is also a popular spice in the North Vietnamese beef noodle soups called "phos". Malaysians and Singaporeans add it to their curries, soups, and sauces to give them unique tastes. Thais add it to tea with milk, sugar, and other spices. It is also used in Caribbean masalas and spice blends. The Europeans use star anise to flavor cordials, liqueurs, syrups, jams, and confectionaries.
 
Star anise pairs well with mint, cinnamon, ginger, soy sauce, orange, rose essence, curry leaves, chili peppers, curry powder, and black pepper. Typically, it is discarded before the dish is served.
 
Star anise can replace regular anise in most western recipes. In slow cooked or simmered dishes, star anise is usually added whole (not broken into pieces) and discarded before serving. It can also be used as a substitute for anise seeds in recipes: 1 crushed star anise = 1/2 teaspoon crushed anise seed. Occasionally, you may find stir-fry recipes calling for ground star anise.
 
Goes Well with: savory meat dishes; in marinades for chicken or beef; added to Indian curries; ground and sprinkled on chicken wings; or cooked with beans and brown sugar.
 
Combines well with: cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla
 
Substitutions: fennel seed, anise seed, Chinese five-spice powder, or dried tarragon (in most recipes which call for a ground version).
 
Sources 
Handbook of Spices, Seasonings, and Flavorings, Second Edition, by Susheela Raghavan
http://www.thebaldgourmet.com/star-anise
 

Here are a few recipes that we have whichcall for Star Anise:



]]> Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:09:31 GMT <![CDATA[Americans love their bananas]]> Today we thought we would share some information about the most popular fruit in the US based on tons sold, the banana.  As it turns out, our bananas are all imported because we simply don’t have the type of climate conducive to their growth.

We’ve all seen pictures of bananas growing in large bunches, hanging high up in tall, slender banana trees, haven't we? Actually, that was a trick question.  Bananas don’t grow from trees. The banana plant is not a tree, it is actually the world's largest herb! 

The true origin of bananas is found in the region of Malaysia. By way of curious visitors, bananas traveled from there to India where they are mentioned in Buddhist Pali writings dating back to the 6th century BCE. In his campaign in India in 327 BCE, Alexander the Great relished his first taste of the banana, an usual fruit he saw growing on tall “trees”.  He is even credited with bringing the banana from India to the Western world. 

The first bananas arrived in our country wrapped in tin foil. They were sold for 10 cents each at a celebration held in Pennsylvania in 1876 to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Bananas are grown today in almost every humid tropical region and constitute the 4th largest fruit crop in the world. The plant needs 10 - 15 months of frost-free conditions to produce a flower stalk. All but the hardiest varieties stop growing when the temperature drops below 53° F. Growth of the plant also begins to slow down at about 80° F, and it stops entirely when the temperature reaches 100° F. High temperatures and bright sunlight will also scorch leaves and fruit, although bananas grow best in full sun.

Since we simply don’t have these climate conditions anywhere in the US (except for Hawaii), we need to rely entirely on importation to get our bananas. The United States is the single largest importer of bananas; we consume more than one in every four bananas sold. Almost all of the bananas sold in the US are brought from countries in central and south America, such as Columbia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ecuador, and Guatemala.

Nutritional Facts about Bananas
Because of their impressive potassium content, bananas are highly recommended by doctors for patients whose potassium is low. One large banana, about 9 inches in length, packs 602 mg of potassium and only carries 140 calories. That same large banana even has 2 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Those reducing sodium in their diets can't go wrong with a banana with its mere 2 mgs of sodium. For the carbohydrate counters, there are 36 grams of carbs in a large banana.

Vitamins and minerals are abundant in the banana, offering 123 I.U. of vitamin A for the large size. A full range of B vitamins are present with .07 mg of Thiamine, .15 mg of Riboflavin, .82 mg Niacin, .88 mg vitamin B6, and 29 mcg of Folic Acid. There are even 13.8 mg of vitamin C. On the mineral scale, Calcium counts in at 9.2 mg with Magnesium at 44.1 mg. There are also trace amounts of iron and zinc.

Now that you know a little more about our favorite fruit, perhaps you would like to try a new way of enjoying bananas? Now would be a great time to experiment with new recipes, since we are featuring bananas for only 39¢/lb this week at Brookhaven.

Enjoy our collection of over 175 banana recipes. Click Here

]]> Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:56:56 GMT <![CDATA[Eat More and weigh less! What a concept!]]> Most of us wake up on January 2nd and realize we have acquired a little something extra over the recent Holidays that we would have been perfectly happy without: about 5 additional pounds.

Here is some encouraging news, though: Losing weight doesn’t necessarily mean cutting back on your food intake. We came across a very interesting article written by Michael Downey
(RE: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FKA/is_1_67/ai_n8587544) where nutritionists provide simple food substitutions that, if used consistently, will actually help you to shed several pounds over a year’s time.

Here is a list of 25 painless food swaps that will pare hundreds of calories from your daily intake (and ultimately reduce your waistline), strip plaque buildup from your arteries, and reduce your risk of a heart attack or diabetes.


]]> Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:24:33 GMT <![CDATA[Here are some Suggested New Year’s Food Resolutions]]> Feel free to tell us your own ideas as well

Read Labels
As you walk through your Brookhaven store doing the weekly grocery shopping, take the time to read the ingredient label and nutritional information of prepared foods. Try to eat less sugar, salt, and unsaturated fats. If the ingredients list is full of names that you can’t pronounce, perhaps you should ask yourself if it’s really something that you want to serve your family.

Eat your Vegetables
Most of us fall considerably short of the suggested daily intake of fruits and vegetables; if you shop at our stores regularly, you will have to agree that it’s not for lack of variety. In any given week we carry over 400 different fresh fruits and vegetables. If you see something that you are unfamiliar with, ask for help. 
 
In addition, our web site has over 6,400 recipe available for you to use. All you need to do is go to the search box and type in the specific ingredient you are interested in using. For example, if you were to look up brussels sprout, you would discover 13 different recipes that all call for that ingredient.

Try Something New
The next time you go to a favorite restaurant, don’t pick your old stand-by. Ask your server to suggest something new and exciting, and give it a try!
 
Cook More
I love eating out as much as the next person, but there’s nothing more satisfying than cooking and enjoying your own meal.
 
Dinner with Family and Friends
Dine with family and friends. In the process, take the time to sit and enjoy your food, not mindlessly gorge while watching the television. This is the best opportunity you will have each day to bring the family closer together. Take advantage of your time together and appreciate each other's company over a good, home-cooked meal.

]]> Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:32:53 GMT <![CDATA[Gather Round the Table for Christmas Cheer]]> For most of us Americans, Christmas is a time for family gatherings. It's a time for coming together, for forgiveness, for sharing memories and for enjoying the company of family who may live far away, but who  try so hard to be home for Christmas. Whether your family history in America goes back to the Mayflower or to a more recent date in the not-so-distant past, all of us have family traditions which we cherish and enjoy rekindling this time of year. Have you ever visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago during the Christmas season to see their collection of Christmas trees, each decorated in the tradition of a unique country? It makes for a wonderful family outing and it is something my family has enjoyed since I was a toddler.

Much of every family’s Christmas tradition centers around the foods we prepare for this most joyous celebration. Here are a few traditional foods from different corners of our world. How many have you enjoyed?

Australia: Christmas cake or Christmas pudding - traditionally with a small treat baked inside, often a silver coin such as a Threepence or Sixpence. Christmas damper - in wreath or star shape, served with butter, jam, honey, or golden syrup. Made in the Australian bush in the 19th century.

Belgium: Cougnou - sweet bread in the form of the infant Jesus.

Chile: Cola de mono - meaning "Monkey's Tail", is a Chilean Christmas beverage with aguardiente, milk and coffee, and flavored with vanilla and cloves. Pan de Pascua - Chilean Christmas sponge cake flavored with cloves, with bits of candied fruits, raisins, walnuts and almonds. Ponche a la romana - eggnog-style beverage made of champagne and pineapple-flavored ice cream.

Cuba:  Crema De Vie - Cuban eggnog made with condensed milk, rum, sugar syrup, lemon rind, cinnamon, and egg yolk. Majarete - corn pudding made with coconut milk, fresh corn, cornstarch, milk, water, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar.

Czech Republic: The traditional meal (served as dinner on Christmas Eve) consists of either fish soup or pea soup and fried fish (traditionally carp) served with potato salad. The main ingredients are: potato cooked with jacket (skin), canned peas, onions, cooked carrots, parsley and celery, pickled gherkins, cooked eggs and mayonnaise.

Denmark:  Ableskiver - traditional Danish spherical pancakes sprinkled with powdered sugar and served
with raspberry or strawberry jam.  Brun brunede kartofler - caramelized potatoes.  Julebryg - Christmas beer.  Gløgg - mulled red wine combined with spices, sugar and chopped chestnuts. Typically served warm. Risalamande (rice pudding) - a dish made from rice, whipped cream, and almonds. Served cold with cherry sauce. For meat the Danes serve Flæskesteg - roast pork with cracklings, or Andesteg - roast duck with apple and prune stuffing.

Finland: Christmas smorgasbord from Finland, "Joulupöytä" (translated "Yule table") - a traditional display of Christmas food, often including: Christmas ham with mustard; Gravlax (freshly salted salmon); pickled herring in various forms (tomato, mustard, matjes or onion sauces);  Lutefisk and Béchamel sauce; and a whitefish, pike-perch and liver casserole.

France:  Foie gras en cocotte, Oysters, Crêpes, Dinde aux marrons (chestnut-stuffed turkey), and Fougasse  (Provencal bread).

Germany:  Christstollen - A fruitcake with bits of candied fruits, raisins, walnuts and almonds, and spices such as cardamom and cinnamon; sprinkled with icing sugar. Often there's also a plate of marzipan. Pfefferkuchenhaus - a gingerbread house decorated with candies, sweets, and sugar icing. Weisswurst - sausages with veal and bacon, usually flavored with parsley, lemon, mace, onions, ginger and cardamom. Kartoffelsalat (potato salad) with Wiener sausages and Schäufele (a corned, smoked ham) - usually served with potato salad in southern Germany for dinner on Christmas Eve.

Greece:  Preparing a "holiday table" means a soup, two or three main dishes covering the major meats and cooked in different ways, several salads, a couple of side dishes, lots of bread, cheeses, and, of course, olives. Pork is a traditional meat at the Christmas meal. If a turkey or chicken is served, it’s stuffed - generally with a stuffing that includes ground meat.  Christmas dinner is followed up with a selection of traditional sweets such as Greek coffee and spirits and Christopsomo ("Christ's Bread"), a sweet bread decorated with walnuts.

Italy:  Typical Italian Christmas dishes include baccalà (salted dried cod fish), vermicelli, baked pasta, capon, and turkey. Traditional Christmas Eve Dinner, which includes seven types of fish (or nine, eleven, or thirteen, depending on the town of origin), is known as La Vigilia Napoletana in southern towns and includes drowned broccoli rabe (also known as "Christmas Broccoli"), roasted or fried eel, and caponata di pesce (fish salad) to complete the main course. Desserts include struffoli (Neapolitan honey pastry), cenci (fried pastry ribbons sprinkled with powdered sugar), dried figs, candied almonds and chestnuts, marzipan, and panettone, a traditional Milanese Christmas bread.

Lithuania:  Twelve-dish Christmas Eve supper - twelve dishes representing the twelve Apostles or twelve months of the year. Plays the main role in Lithuanian Christmas tradition. Other traditional dishes served on December 24th include Aguonų pienas ("poppy milk");  Slizikai - slightly sweet small pastries made from leavened dough and poppy seed;  Auselės (deep fried dumplings); silkė su morkomis - herring with carrots, or silkė su grybais - herring with mushrooms; and  spanguolių kisielius - cranberry and milk sauce dessert.

Mexico:  Christmas Roast and Ensalada de Noche Buena - Christmas Eve Salad. Romeritos - small green leaves of a particular type, generally mixed with mole and potatoes. Some Mexican families, particularly in the northern part of Mexico and southern American states, have tamales only at Christmas Eve instead of the typical Bacalao, Romeritos, and/or turkey.

Poland:  For starters, Poles serve barszcz (beetroot soup) with uszka (ravioli). Carp provides a main component of the Christmas Eve meal across Poland. Examples include carp fillet with potato salad, carp in aspic, etc. Other Polish favorites include pickled herring; pierogi with sauerkraut and forest mushrooms (usually filled with white cheese and potatoes);  fish soup; kiełbasa; makowiec (poppy seed cakes); bigos - a savory stew of cabbage and meat; fruit compote; and kutia - a sweet grain pudding.

United Kingdom & Ireland:  In the United Kingdom, what is now regarded as the traditional meal consists of roast turkey, served with roast potatoes and parsnips and other vegetables, followed by Christmas pudding, a heavy steamed pudding made with dried fruit, suet, and very little flour.

We are sorry if we missed your family’s traditions or some of your favorite foods. Perhaps you would like to share special dishes that are always a part of your family’s Christmas tradition? Just go to the COMMENTS section at the end of this article…we’d love to hear from you! 

We at Brookhaven would like to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas in whatever tradition you celebrate. And for those of you who don’t celebrate Christmas, we would like to extend our sincere wishes for peace and happiness for you and all your family in whatever holiday celebrations that are dear to you.

]]> Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:16:02 GMT <![CDATA[Holiday Baking ]]> Depending on how things run in your household and perhaps on the family traditions that you were brought up on, Holiday Baking may be a big part of your Holiday fun.  Yes, I said fun.  If spending the day in the kitchen with your kids, your grand kids, pr perhaps you older siblings and you own Mom making Christmas pies, cookies, stollen and cakes isn’t fun, why do it.  If it’s not something that you really enjoy, then don’t take on any more stress that the holidays already send your way.  Not to work, our Brookhaven bakers can do all the work for you and you and your guests can enjoy the fruits of our labor. 

On the other hand, if you love to get up to your elbows in flour and sugar, nothing is more fun than Christmas baking.  Now is the time to stock up your pantry with all of the traditional baking staples and those hard to find special ingredients that you need for all your favorite family recipes.  If you haven’t done so already (What are you waiting for?) take a close look at our exceptional baking aisle where you will find every type of extract, spice, flour, sweetener, filling,  and baking additive you might imagine.  Of course we have the basics but it’s the unusual for all corners of the world that we also carry have in good stock right now.  Things like Green Mountain Organic Peppermint extract or Ghirardelli white chocolate morsels.  Perhaps you were looking for premium bread flour like King Arthur brand, or Wholesome brand organic Turbinado raw cane sugar.  And for all those party appetizers don’t forget the phyllo dough and pastry leaves.  No matter what your level of baking experience or the amount of baking that you will be doing for this holiday season we wish you lots of laughs and  a great deal for fun  making those treats that everyone loves you for.

Here are a few holiday baking tips we found on the internet

Minimize Cleanup - Line baking pans with parchment.

Stockpile Piecrusts - Make the crusts, fit into pie plates, freeze, and bake straight from the freezer.

Put Meringues on the Menu -  They're easy to make, low in fat and calories, and everyone can eat them: They're nut-, gluten-, and dairy-free

Cutout Cookies - Don't struggle with dough sticking to your rolling pin. Instead, roll out your dough between two sheets of waxed paper. This will eliminate the sticking problem

Refrigerator (Icebox) Cookies and Pinwheels – To keep your Icebox cookies from getting flat on one side keep them nice and round by standing them upright in a tall drinking glass while they're chilling.  To avoid having your cookies flatten further when you try to slice them rotate the log 1/4 turn after each slice.

Bar Cookies - When making bar cookies, create a liner for your baking pan by turning the pan upside-down and covering it with aluminum foil, making sure to form the corners and leaving an overhang of an inch or two. Then, remove the foil, turn the pan right side up, turn the foil over and place it inside the pan.

Bake Big - Turn to big cakes, like Bundts. They're less fussy than small cakes and serve lots more people.

Be Slice-and-Bake Savvy - Keep logs of cookie dough in the freezer, then slice and bake as needed (no defrosting necessary).
 
picHere are a number of Christmas Holiday Recipes.




]]> Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:21:45 GMT <![CDATA[Brookhaven Market Upgrades Fresh Fish Safety Standards!]]> Keep a sharp eye out for the Safe Harbor© Label

Fish is good for you and nutrition experts recommend that you eat it often. However, government studies report that most seafood contains some level of mercury and certain larger species may contain higher levels of mercury. Until recently there was no way of being assured that the fish being sold at market was safe from mercury contamination. Large fish known to have the potential of containing high levels of mercury were randomly tested for mercury by sending samples to a laboratory for evaluation. However, this testing method frequently uses statistically insignificant sample sizes and did not test all fish known to be higher in mercury.

Brookhaven Marketplace, however, didn’t feel that this approach to seafood safety was good enough.  Therefore, we decided to "redefine quality seafood" and to offer only the safest seafood products attainable. We have accomplished this by partnering with a company called Micro Analytical Systems, Inc. (MASI). When you see the Safe Harbor Seafood® label on the seafood sold at Brookhaven, you can be assured that this piece of fish, and every other bearing the Safe Harbor Seal, has been tested and is completely safe for human consumption. No time is lost sending test samples to a lab, and there is no need to be concerned about sample size because every fish is tested for mercury levels in the packing house before its ever sent off for processing.

Understanding Tested Mercury Levels in Seafood

Mercury levels in seafood are commonly reported as mercury concentration, which is measured in parts per million (ppm). Micro Analytical Systems, Inc. (MASI) tests all Safe Harbor Seafood® at processing facilities before it is delivered to retailers and restaurants.

How We Test Fish For Mercury

To test fish and seafood for mercury, MASI has developed a mercury analyzer that uses advanced, proprietary technology to precisely measure the amount of mercury in fish. A MASI technician at the harvesting, processing, or distribution level takes a small sample from a piece of fish and inserts it into the MASI Multi-species Mercury Analyzer, which quickly analyzes it for mercury content. Fish that meet Safe Harbor® standards are labeled with the Safe Harbor seal and distributed to retail outlets and restaurants that prominently display the Safe Harbor seal. In order to ensure accuracy, the MASI mercury analyzer is regularly calibrated using reference materials checked against standards set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. MASI tests more seafood for mercury each year than any other company or government agency in the world.

In addition to testing our seafood for high levels of mercury, any item with the Safe Harbor Seafood® label has also been tested for all other known contaminants and health hazards. 

Histamine - What Is It?
Histamine is a product of decomposition caused by the growth of certain bacteria in seafood. In most cases, histamine is a product of spoilage due to time and temperature abuse usually as a result of improper handling and temperature control, as well as elevated levels of histamine-producing bacteria in the marine environment. Fish containing high levels of histamine have been associated with many instances of poisoning commonly referred to as "scombroid poisoning," a major health problem for consumers.

How We Test for Histamine
MASI utilizes the competitive ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) method intended for the screening of histamine in scombroid species of fish. The ELISA method is a biochemical technique used to detect the presence of an antibody or an antigen in a sample. In simple terms, in ELISA, an unknown amount of antigen is affixed to a surface, and then a specific antibody is applied over the surface so that it can bind to the antigen. This antibody is linked to an enzyme, and in the final step a substance is added that the enzyme can convert to some detectable signal, most commonly a color change in a chemical substrate.

Pathogens (E. coli & Salmonella) - What Are They?
Pathogens are infectious agents that cause diseases in their host(s). Though there are many types of pathogens (including viral, bacterial and fungal), the most common form found in seafood is bacterial. E. coli and Salmonella fall under the bacterial category.

How We Test for E. coli and Salmonella
MASI utilizes Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based technology to detect and identify bacteria. PCR technology is an automated DNA-based detection system, and is the same state-of-the-art technology utilized by many government lab facilities. What sets MASI apart from other labs is the proactive application of the technology at the seafood processing level; most other PCR-based detection systems are only applied reactively to trace a pathogen outbreak to its source.

Radiation in Seafood
Safe Harbor screens all seafood from Japan and the waters surrounding Japan, including migratory species that may swim through Japanese waters, for the presence of gamma-ray emitting radionuclides. MASI uses a Radiation Survey Meter to scan for the presence of gamma-ray emitting radionuclides beyond normal background concentrations.

]]> Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:39:48 GMT <![CDATA[Tips to avoid Holiday weight gain]]> Courtesy of www.webMD.compic

So what's the harm in a little holiday weight gain, especially if it's just a pound? According to researchers at the National Institutes of Health, most Americans never lose the weight they gain during the winter holidays. The pounds add up year after year, making holiday weight gain an important factor in adult obesity. It is possible however, to enjoy holiday goodies without putting on a single pound. "Portion control is the key,"
Here are some tips to avoid those unwanted weight gains this Holiday Season.

1. Never Arrive Hungry
New York psychologist Carol Goldberg, PhD, says planning ahead can help you maintain discipline in the face of temptation. "Don't go to a party when you're starving," she warns. Try to have a nutritious snack beforehand. If you do arrive hungry, drink some water to fill up before filling your plate.

2. Divert Your Attention
People often forget that there's more to a holiday party than food, Goldberg tells WebMD. "Don't look at the party as just a food event," she says. "Enjoy your friends' company or dancing. Focus on something other than food." Chatting is a great diversion, whether you're at a small family dinner or a large party. "Take your mind off of food and focus on the conversation."

3. Pace Yourself
Have you ever tried telling yourself you'll only eat during the first half hour of a party? Goldberg says this strategy is a mistake.  If you cram in as much as you can in half an hour, you chew faster. Chewing more slowly will fill you up with less food.  Munch at a leisurely pace by putting your fork down between every bite. This puts you in control.

4. Count Your Canapés
When there are Canapés, it's easy to lose count of how many you eat. Keep track by stashing a toothpick in your pocket for each one. Set a limit and stick to it.

5. Outsmart the Buffet
When dinner is served buffet-style, use the smallest plate available and don't stack your food; limit your helpings to a single story. Go for the simplest foods on the buffet, fresh fruits and vegetables and shrimp cocktail are good choices. Watch out for sauces and dips."

6. Limit Alcohol
Avoid drinking too much alcohol at holiday parties. It's not just about calories but about control. If you drink a lot you, won't have as much control over what you eat.
If you feel out of place without a drink, Goldberg suggests sipping water or club soda with a lemon twist , "so you have something to carry like everyone else."

7. Be Choosy About Sweets
When it comes to dessert, be very selective. "Limit your indulgences to small portions and only what is very sensual to you," Goldberg says. Her personal rule on sweets: "If it's going to have calories, it has to be chocolate."

8. Bring Your Own Treats
Whether you're going to a friend's party or an office potluck, consider bringing a low-calorie treat that you know you'll enjoy. Bringing your own dessert will make the more fattening alternatives less tempting.

9. Limit 'Tastes' While Cooking
If you do a lot of cooking during the holidays, crack down on all those "tastes”. People lose their appetites when they've been cooking because they've been eating the whole time,  For tried-and-true recipes, dare yourself not to taste the dish at all until it is served.

10. Walk It Off
Make a new holiday tradition: the family walk. Besides burning some extra calories, this will get everyone away from the food for awhile.
]]> Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:34:49 GMT <![CDATA[10 Ways to Keep Your Thanksgiving Stress-Free]]> Hosting a big turkey dinner can be a challenge but, if you do it with love and ask for some help, it need not become a stress-filled event. The following tips -- put together by Editor Debra Steilen of Better Homes & Gardens -- will prove to be a big help in making Thanksgiving a pleasant family occasion for all your guests -- and for you, the host or hostess, as well.

1. Create a plan. Sit down and make a guest list. From the number of guests you invite you can plan a meal. The secret to a simple meal is planning ahead so everything doesn't demand your attention all at once.

2. Plan a potluck. A potluck can be a great way to share the load, and with just a little planning you can avoid 15 green bean casseroles at your dinner table. Ensure menu variety and head off an all-deviled-egg buffet by assigning food categories to your guests. Don't be shy -- this eliminates the guesswork for them, too. Give non-cooks a chance to participate by including categories such as beverages, paper products, or decorating.

3. Shop early. Brookhaven stores will get busier closer to Turkey Day. Plan your main shopping trip a week in advance and follow up with a second trip a day or two before Thanksgiving to pick up things like produce and bakery goods. Ask your spouse or partner to help with the shopping; it’s always easier if you have help finding things, and an extra pair of hands makes putting the groceries away much less stressful.

4. Prepare as much as possible in advance. There are plenty of side dishes, desserts, and breads that can be made ahead of time. For instance, measure seasonings and store them in labeled bags or containers; cut and store vegetables; and roast garlic a week in advance, then store the cloves in olive oil in the refrigerator. 
One thing that you should not do, however, is pre-stuff your turkey.  Harmful bacteria can multiply in the stuffing and cause food poisoning even when the stuffed bird is refrigerated. The cavity of the bird actually insulates the stuffing from the cold temperatures of the refrigerator and acts as an incubator for the harmful bacteria. 

The ingredients for the stuffing can be prepared in advance and refrigerated separately. To save time, chop vegetables such as onions and celery the night before. The safest method is to mix the ingredients and lightly stuff the turkey just prior to popping it into a preheated oven.

5. Remember: practice makes perfect. If you're braving a new recipe or using ingredients that you aren't quite familiar with, try them out beforehand so you'll be primed for success on Thanksgiving Day.

6. Let your family help. Have the whole family help clean house and put up decorations. Children will jump at the chance to make place cards, fold napkins, and dress up your holiday table. This will also keep them out of the kitchen while you attend to the food.

7. Use your microwave oven. Take advantage of this appliance to reheat food before serving when all the burners on the stove-top are occupied.

8. Let the turkey rest before slicing. To avoid a last-minute crunch and assure tender turkey, let the bird rest out of the oven, covered, for about 20 minutes before slicing.

9. Serve buffet-style. Serving dinner buffet-style saves on both space and cleanup time. Also, with pretty serving bowls and silver utensils, guests can help themselves to seconds whenever they want.

10. Relax. Remember that Thanksgiving is supposed to be a day full of family, relaxation, and reflection. Thanksgiving is a great time for families to gather and spend the day together sharing traditions, so don’t let the task of being the host or hostess overwhelm you and rob you of that joyous family experience.

]]> Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:59:34 GMT <![CDATA[Some truths about mushrooms]]> Mushrooms are a curious lot.  Here is an interesting fact: Most of the table mushrooms that we Americans eat are all of the same variety. The Latin name is Agaricus bisporus, and within that one species of mushroom are three (some would argue four) varieties, including the portobello (or portabello), cremini, and white button mushrooms.
 
The truth is, the only difference between the three is age. Best known and most popular among Americans are the white button mushrooms, which are the youngest variety. They have been cultivated for that white color and soft texture but when found in the wild, these mushrooms are usually browner.
 
picThe cremini mushroom is a moderately mature version of the white button mushroom, which is why it has a similar flavor. It's younger than the portobello, but still related -- hence why these are sometimes sold as "baby bella" or "baby portobello" mushrooms. Their slightly more mature state means that they have a browner color, firmer texture, and better flavor than the younger white mushrooms. Cremini mushrooms are often added to stews and soups because they hold up better in liquid.
 


picThe portobello is the most mature mushroom here; it's really just an overgrown white mushroom.  They are left to grow for a longer period of time, until they have spread out into that delicious meaty cap. When buying portobellos, you will want to select plump, firm, and solid mushrooms. They should not be shriveled or slippery (which indicates decomposition). The mushroom should have a nice earthy smell.
 
Remove the mushrooms from any wrapping and spread them out on a tray. Cover with paper towels. Don't moisten the toweling or the mushrooms; place them in the refrigerator in an area that allows the air to circulate. Avoid placing any other items on top of them. The mushrooms should keep about 5 - 6 days.
 
Cooked portobellos can be frozen and will keep for several months. Place in freezer containers or bags, excluding as much air as possible. Note: Uncooked mushrooms don't freeze well.
 
Basic Cooking Preparations for portobellos
 
Grill - Brush mushrooms on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes on each side until just cooked through.
 
Oven Roast - Brush portobellos with oil. Place each one cap-side up on a baking sheet. Roast in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes.
 
Sauté - In a skillet, cook sliced, chopped, or whole mushrooms in a little oil or butter over medium-high heat, stirring or turning until tender (about 5 to 6 minutes). Other ingredients such as onions, peppers, and garlic, can be cooked along with the mushrooms. Season with your favorite herbs or spices.
 
Cooking Tip
The longer you cook the portobello, the meatier (firmer textured) the mushroom becomes.

]]> Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:17:14 GMT <![CDATA[A delicious meal you can make for less than $3 per person]]> After looking over this week’s advertised features I decided to put together a challenge for myself.  I
wanted prove to myself and my family that I could shop sensibly at Brookhaven, create a meal we would
all enjoy and that would be healthy as well, and do it for under $10.  Well I did it and it wasn’t hard at all.

Here is what I purchased:

pic

The cost of other ingredients for the pantry would bring the total to just under $12 for the entire meal. For a look at the recipes used to make this meal, check the featured items shown here.

Idaho Potatoes 10# bag $2.99 
Recipe: Pesto Baked Potatoes

Fresh Cauliflower 49¢ lb
Recipe:  Cauliflower with Mustard and Minced Dill

Sweet ripe strawberries 1 lb ctn. 99¢ ea
Recipe: Strawberry Hot Fudge Sundaes

Boar’s Head Black Wax Yellow Cheddar Cheese $6.49 lb
Recipe: Enchiladas

]]> Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:24:31 GMT <![CDATA[Halloween Party Games for Kids]]> Having fun and being safe are important elements for any good Halloween, and often parents find that having a party for local children satisfies both of these requirements. Here are a few party games and recipe ideas that are certain to make your child-friendly Halloween party a SCREAMING success.
 
The Mystery Bowl Game -
Tell your little guests that you were working in your laboratory and thought that they might be able to help you correctly identify some of the body parts that you found stored in bottles of formaldehyde.
 
You'll need a bowl for each of the following items. Blindfold each child before they step into your lab to feel:
  • Eyeballs (olives or peeled grapes)
  • Intestines (cooked and cooled spaghetti, slightly damp)
  • Brains (cube some gelatin or purchase a brain gelatin mold)
  • Skin (soft flour tortilla brushed with oil)
  • Teeth (corn kernels)
  • Hair (corn husk silk)
  • Maggots and bugs (over-cooked rice mixed with raisins)
  • Tongue (dried apricot)
 
Pass the Pumpkin -
This game is a variation on "hot potato". Seat the children on the floor in a circle and give them a small pumpkin to pass around. Play Halloween party music as they pass the pumpkin, and periodically stop the music. Whoever is holding the pumpkin is out. The game continues until one person is left with the pumpkin.
 
Food Relay -
Divide the children into two teams. Place several choices of food on plates at the end of a relay course. The first child in line must run to the table, choose a food item, eat it, swallow it, and race back to the line as fast as they can. The child tags the next in line and the race continues until all the children have eaten and raced.
 
* Food suggestions: 1 piece of caramel, saltine cracker, large marshmallow, olive, pickle, piece of cheese, carrot, a small apple, a radish, and a hard-boiled egg.
 
 
More Fun with Food… Halloween Recipes
 
 

]]> Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:30:44 GMT <![CDATA[October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!]]> Susan G. Komen for the Cure is proud to be the beneficiary of Boar’s Head Deli Meat sales promotion. From September 1, 2011 – November 30, 2011, all sales of Ovengold® Roast Breast of Turkey and EverRoast™ Oven Roasted Chicken Breast nationwide will benefit Komen for the Cure. Komen will receive a donation of $100,000.

Boneless, skinless, oven roasted chicken breast. Coated with natural flavors, spice and caramel color. Meets American Heart Association food criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol.  Served at our deli counter, sliced on a Boar’s Head gluten-free dedicated slicer.

Taste a Free sample every Friday thru Sunday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Are you or someone in your family on a gluten-free diet?
  1. Every month we publish a selection of gluten free special offers, posted on the web site.  You can also sign up on the registration preference page to receive an email copy.
  2. In our Burr Ridge store we maintain a large dedicated grocery section containing exclusively gluten-free products.
  3. In all stores we carry an extensive line of Boar’s Head™ meats, cheese, and condiments and the entire line is gluten-free.
  4. To assure customers that no cross contamination will occur when ordering Boar’s Head™ products the deli departments each have two dedicated slicers that are only used for Boar’s Head products.
  5. Throughout our food sections watch for Gluten-Free shelf tags that help you quickly identify food items that are gluten-free.
  6. Our Bakery in the Burr Ridge store carries an assortment of gluten-free items created in the Sweet Ali’s™ of Hinsdale gluten-free bakery.  The next time you need a special occasion gluten-free cake, visit or call our Burr Ridge bakery and we can fill your needs.
]]> Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:03:52 GMT <![CDATA[Winter squash – more than just a table decoration.]]> taste of winter squash as well as the appearance, it is something we don’t get to enjoy very often. This is primarily because most of us only know how to properly prepare these autumn beauties in a couple ways, and our palates require more variety.

Winter squash come in many sizes and shapes, but all have hard outer rinds that surround sweet, often orange flesh.  Winter squash arrive late in the growing season; they have a long shelf life, so they've long been a staple in winter and spring, when other vegetables are harder to come by. Unlike summer squash, winter squash must be cooked. They're usually baked or steamed, and occasionally puréed.
This week, let’s focus on just three varieties of winter squash in order to help take away some of the mystery of these vegetables. 

picAcorn squash
These are popular because of their small size--one squash can be cut in half and baked to make two generous servings. The biggest drawback to this variety is that the rind is quite hard and therefore difficult to cut. Select acorn squash with as much green on the rind as possible. We've found some helpful tips on how to prepare acorn squash on http://homecooking.about.com

Acorn Squash Cooking Tips
  • You'll need to remove the fibers and seeds from the center of the acorn squash before steaming, broiling, or baking.
  • Save the acorn squash seeds to toast for snacking just as you would pumpkin seeds.
  • A sturdy knife to slice acorn squash in half is a necessity. To make the squash easier to cut, pierce the skin in a few spots, place it in a microwave oven and heat on high for 2 minutes. Let stand for another few minutes before carving.
  • When halving, cut through the stem end to the point rather than across the diameter.
  • To prevent halves from rocking on the baking tray, cut a small slice off the bottom to flatten it.
  • The ribbed shape of the acorn squash makes peeling it virtually impossible, but wonderful for stuffing with a wide variety of fillings. It is most often served cooked in its shell. If you need the pulp only, you will need to cook it first and then scoop the pulp from the skin. It is done when the flesh is very tender, usually about one hour baking time at 400 degrees F. for halved squash. Timing depends on the size of the squash, but it's difficult to over-bake.
  • Avoid boiling acorn squash. Boiling damages both the flavor and the texture.
  • To quickly microwave acorn squash, cut two whole squash in half, cover and cook for 13 minutes on high. Do not add water.
  • Acorn squash can also be cooked whole. Pierce the skin in several places. Place on a baking sheet in 350-degree F. oven for about 1-1/2 hours. Squeeze the squash to test for doneness. When it yields to gentle pressure, it's done. You can then cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and serve or cool and use the cooked innards.
  • The deeper the yellowish orange color of the flesh, the sweeter it is. If you end up with a stringy squash, you can beat the pulp with an electric mixer on high speed for ten seconds and then switch to low speed for sixty seconds. The strings should wrap around the beaters for easy removal.
Acorn squash recipes
Here is an assortment of easy to make recipes for acorn squash: http://www.brookhavenmarket.com/recipes/?ingredient=acorn%20squash

Butternut Squash
picThis variety is very popular because it's so easy to use. It's small enough to serve a normal family without leftovers, and the rind is thin enough to peel off with a vegetable peeler. As an added bonus, the flavor is sweet, moist, and pleasantly nutty.

If possible, buy long-neck butternut fruit as it contains more meat and less hollow cavity and seeds. Cut the stem end and slice the whole fruit into two equal halves. Remove central net-like structure and set aside seeds, then cut into desired sizes. In general, wedges/small cubes are used in cooking. Almost all the parts of the butternut squash plant--fruit, leaves, flowers, and seeds--are edible.

Here are some serving tips:
  • Like in pumpkin, butternut has a beautiful nutty flavor and mildly sweet taste. Fresh raw butternut cubes may add a special tang to vegetable salads.
  • It is favored in both savory as well as sweet dishes. It can be used in a variety of delicious recipes either baked, stuffed, or stew-fried. However, steam cooking is best for preserving the maximum number of nutrients.
  • Like in pumpkin, it can also be used in the preparations of casseroles, pies, pancakes, custard, ravioli, bread, muffins, etc.
  • Roasted and tossed butternut squash seeds can be used as snacks.

Butternut squash recipes
We have several butternut squash recipes available, just click here: http://www.brookhavenmarket.com/recipes/?title=butternut%20squash squash recipes.

Spaghetti Squash
pic Though much larger than summer squash, a spaghetti squash is an oblong, slightly rounded squash with a skin similar to that of a summer squash. You can cook spaghetti squash in a number of ways, including boiling, baking, steaming...even barbecuing!
 
When spaghetti squash is cooked, the inner flesh comes off the rind and separates into strands which closely resemble pasta. Though they taste like squash, these "noodles" can be served as a low-calorie, nutrient-rich substitute for pasta.
 
Recipes for spaghetti squash
Some people are on diets that require them to avoid foods that are high in carbohydrates. Given this restriction, these individuals often find spaghetti squash to be a very good substitute for a pasta. Here are several recipes, including a Halloween favorite:  http://www.brookhavenmarket.com/recipes/?ingredient=spaghetti%20squash


]]> Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:43:19 GMT <![CDATA[Eating right will help prevent breast cancer!]]> October is breast cancer awareness month.  Everywhere you go this month you will see pink. Expect to see people dressed in pink and pink ribbons, as well as sponsored events helping to bring the dreaded disease to the forefront of peoples' thoughts. 

Finding a cure for breast and other forms of cancer is a top priority of medical science, but you don’t need to have a medical degree to help prevent breast cancer. In an article published this week in the Health Studies Journal, it was reported that new findings published in the American Journal of Epidemiology indicated that pre-menopausal women had a 40 percent reduced risk of developing breast cancer with higher intake of folic acid.

Folic Acid is also known as Vitamin M, or folacin. It is one of many water-soluble forms of Vitamin B9 and is useful in cell metabolism. Folic acid is also useful to the brain, aids in the prevention of neural tube birth defects, helps reduce the chance of strokes, and has multiple other health benefits. Although folic acid can be taken in the form of folic acid supplements, the better way to intake them would be through those natural sources of food which contain them.

Foods rich in folic acid are mainly leafy vegetables such as spinach, turnip greens, lettuces, sunflower seeds, dried beans and peas, fortified cereals, collards, and broccoli. Among the other foods that contain folic acid are peanuts and wheat germ. Some fruits can also be considered good sources of folic acid; some of them include avocado, tomatoes, oranges, bananas, and cantaloupes. Folic acid is also found in copious amounts in non-vegetarian sources such as turkey and chicken livers.

]]> Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:38:55 GMT <![CDATA[Study proves Organic Strawberries top Conventional!]]> by Michelle Venetucci Harvey  September 2, 2010
http://www.grist.org/article/new-study-weighs-in-on-organicconventional-debate

Does growing food organically really matter? Supporters of conventional agriculture say that organic farming is little more than a fad -- and that organic produce lightens consumers’ wallets for no tangible benefits. And unfortunately, since agro-ecosystems are so complex, scientists have had a hard time cutting through the haze of claims and counter-claims.

Until now: "Fruit and Soil Quality of Organic and Conventional Strawberry Agroecosystems," a study led by Washington State University Regents professor of soil science John Reganold, is one of the most comprehensive, persuasive studies yet to show the nutritional and environmental benefits of organic farming. Its findings only apply to strawberries -- but they do point the way to the kind of research that can, and should, be done with other crops as well.
 The study design was both careful and comprehensive in scope. The strawberries were grown on 13 conventional and 13 organic fields, with organic/conventional field pairs located adjacently in order to control for soil type and weather patterns. The data was drawn from repeated harvests over a two-year period, and the strawberries were picked, transported, and stored under identical conditions to replicate retail practices. And just as farming is a complex business, scientists contributing to the study range from soil and food scientists to genetics experts and statistics specialists, who analyzed 31 soil properties, soil DNA, and the relative taste and nutritional quality of three strawberry varieties in California.

 The results are pretty convincing: organic strawberries are healthier, tastier, and better for the soil than conventional strawberries.

 First, let’s take a look at strawberry quality. Consumers buying organic products consistently cite the health benefits of organic foods as a main purchasing motivation. Yet there is a general lack of conclusive data to back this up. However, the WSU study found that organic strawberries ultimately beat conventional strawberries in quality, based on a number of factors: Organic methods resulted in strawberries with increased antioxidants, vitamin C, and total phenolics. While phosphorus and potassium levels were higher in conventional crops, the study emphasized the importance of vitamin C and antioxidants in relation to human health; vitamin C from strawberries has been shown to have a direct, negative effect on cancer cell growth.

 The plants themselves are also healthier: Organic strawberry plants showed fewer instances of post-harvest fungal rots than conventional strawberries, despite the fact that no fungicides were used on the organic fields. The study notes this finding may prove that organic systems help defend plants against infection through systemic-acquired resistance rather than chemical inputs.
And for those who value flavor more than health, organic also outdoes conventional in taste tests. Consumer-sensory panels found little difference between two of the organic and conventional strawberry varieties, but preferred the organic "Diamante" variety for its appearance and sweetness over its conventional counterpart.

Then there’s the issue of soil quality. While consumers may be solely interested in the end result, farming leaders such as Will Allen and Wendell Berry have stressed that high-quality soil is the basis for healthy agro-ecosystems. California farmers have relied on methyl bromide (an ozone-depleting toxic fumigant) to sterilize  their soil for decades, and as a result have reduced soil from a habitat for microorganisms into a growing medium devoid of nutrients. Despite the conventional practice of spraying soils with synthetic fertilizers, the study found that organic fields contained significantly higher amounts of nutrients. Organic and conventional soils contained similar levels of most extractable nutrients, but organic soil had higher levels of zinc, boron, sodium, and iron. Organic soils also performed better through a number of biological properties, such as enzyme activities, micronutrient levels, and carbon sequestration.

 But what’s perhaps most interesting in the study is the use of DNA analysis, which helped scientists establish that organic soils contain a significantly higher amount of unique genes and overall genetic diversity. In a time when global warming is creating increasingly unpredictable weather conditions, biodiversity is one of our greatest defenses against climate change (for more on this idea, look no further than activist and physicist Vandana Shiva, a compelling advocate of the social, economic, and health-related benefits of biodiversity).

 Strawberry fumigants are a hot-button issue in California right now, making this study especially timely. While the negative effects of methyl bromide have been established, and it was technically banned under an international treaty back in the 1980s, the fumigant is still being used until a substitute can be found. However, the proposed methyl iodide, approved under the Bush administration in 2008, is possibly even more toxic than methyl bromide, as Tom Laskawy has covered for Grist. In light of the study, this controversy is bordering on the absurd -- why even look for a new fumigant when organic production clearly produces better soil quality, increased nutrient density, and doesn't rely on chemicals that make farm workers sick?

 For any naysayers out there who are clinging to the Monsanto line that conventional agriculture is the only way to feed the world, while this study doesn’t delve into crop yields itself, a 2009 report put out by the Union of Concerned Scientists may put that claim to rest. Despite the fact that in some instances conventional methods may marginally raise the yield of food crops (while genetically modified crops were shown to produce no increase in yield), this study notes it comes at a high cost to the environment and our health. The chemical inputs used in conventional farming are directly contributing to unpredictable climate changes, which will affect our long-term ability to consistently grow food.

 It's hard to argue against Reganold's findings. Even while some categories of analysis produced similar results between conventional and organic strawberries, the fact that organic methods did not rely on toxic chemical inputs is a big, juicy point in its favor. Promoting organic agro-ecosystems means fewer people will be exposed to toxic chemicals, all in the name of producing a healthier, tastier piece of fruit.

 A version of this post first appeared on Sightline Institute's Daily Score Blog.
 Michelle Venetucci Harvey is a marketing and communications intern at the Sightline Institute. She also doubles as a senior at the University of Washington, where she focuses on urban food systems and spends her free time at the UW Farm.

]]> Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:13:25 GMT <![CDATA[Prickly Pears]]> Prickly pear cactus has been a staple of the Mexican and Central American diet for thousands of years. Prickly pears are eaten not only in the United States and Mexico, but also in the Mediterranean and European countries. In Italy, the fruit is often presented in a bowl of cold water; in Malta, it is customary to chill the fruit for a couple of hours in the refrigerator before serving.

The prickly pear plant has two different edible sections: the pad of the cactus (nopal), which can be treated like a vegetable, and the pear (tuna), which can be treated like a fruit.

This week, let’s talk about the pear or fruit of the cactus. The flavor of prickly pears has often been compared to that of the kiwi, though not as acidic. Pears with the reddish-orange or purple skin and deep purple interiors are considered to be the sweetest, but the white-skinned varieties are more popular in Mexico.

The prickly pears we sell are spine-free and can be handled with your bare hands.

Eating a prickly pear pix of sliced pearpic
  1. Begin by skinning your prickly pear(s). Slice off the thicker skin at both ends of the prickly pear (the bottom and the top). It takes a little practice to know how much to slice off... Generally, you want to take off the skin without getting at the seed-filled center.
  2. Cut lengthwise along the pear's top-bottom centerline, just through the skin. Using that slit, use the knife to lever the skin and peel it off of the rest of the pear.
  3. Discard the skin. You'll be left with the prickly pear itself.
  4. The flesh is studded with tons of little edible seeds; if you like them, feel free to just chop the prickly pear up and eat it -- seeds and all.
  5. Prickly pears can also be juiced, which makes for a refreshing treat. To extract the juice, place the "husked" prickly pears into a blender or food processor and pulse until liquefied. Place the juice into a fine mesh sieve and push out the juice into a pitcher or bowl. Discard the remaining pulp and seeds.
  6. Use the juice as you like. Four prickly pears will get you about 1 cup of juice.  It's great mixed in with some fresh lemonade: just use equal parts of prickly pear juice to lemonade.
]]> Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:48:40 GMT <![CDATA[Why our Beef is BETTER!]]> Why our Beef is BETTER!
Beef grades can be very confusing and many retailers exploit this confusion by trying to pass lower grade beef off with cute but meaningless terms. How often have you seen ads that read "US Government Inspected Beef"?

All beef sold in the US in retail food stores is US Government inspected, so that means absolutely nothing. The important question is what the Grade of Beef is. The USDA grading system is a voluntary system paid for by the beef industry. Through this program, inspectors from the US Department of Agriculture assign a grade to each beef carcass during processing to help ensure a uniform quality in the sales and marketing of beef.

There are many grades of beef, with the top being Prime. Prime beef is usually sold only at fine restaurants and gourmet grocers at rather high prices. The next two grades, Choice and Select, make up the majority of beef sold in supermarkets in the US. Some retailers only interested in having unbeatably low prices will sell Standard grade beef. All these grades of beef, and even several grades below, can be advertised as "US Government Inspected". But there is a world of difference in taste, tenderness and enjoyment -- along with, of course, the price per pound.

picHere is where the rub comes; ask yourself if you have ever seen an ad for Select Grade or Standard Grade beef. It simply doesn’t happen. Read the ads carefully; if you don’t see the term PRIME or CHOICE, you are getting, at best, the third best grade of beef.

At Brookhaven Marketplace we believe in offering our customers what they can’t get at the big chains, we sell USDA Premium Black Angus Choice Beef under the brand name Angus Pride®
 
What Determines Beef Grades?

Grades are based on the amount of marbling in the meat and the age of the animal.

Marbling refers to the flecks and streaks of white fat you find distributed throughout the meat. In general, the higher the degree of marbling, the more tender, juicy, and flavored the meat will be. Age also plays an important part. Beef is best in flavor and texture when cattle is between 18 and 24 months old, so the grading favors younger animals.

You can see the difference

USDA Prime - This is the grade of beef that contains the greatest degree of marbling. It is generally sold to finer restaurants and to some selected meat markets. It is significantly higher in price because less than 3% of the beef graded is Prime.		 pic

USDA Choice - Choice grade beef has less marbling than Prime, but is still of very high quality. This is the most popular grade of beef because it contains sufficient marbling for taste and tenderness, while costing less than Prime. Just over half of the beef graded each year earns a grade of Choice. Choice cuts are still tender and juicy.		 pic

USDA Select – This is what is sold at the majority of chains and independent retailers where having the best price is more important that having the best quality. Select cuts of beef may vary in tenderness and juiciness. Select has the least amount of marbling, making it leaner than, but often not as tender, juicy and flavorful as, the other two top grades. About a third of graded beef falls into this category.		 pic
]]> Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:27:53 GMT