Food & Drink Articles
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
BBQ Daze
BROOKLINE – Is it possible to benefit a community, learn safety rules and have a bunch of fun all at the same time? The folks at the Brookline Fire Department certainly think so, as they launch into their fifth annual Backyard Barbecue Cookoff on the weekend of July 31-Aug. 1, …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
PB&J with a bit of french toast
The constant hunt for new and exciting lunches to pack for my son has led to some pretty creative experiments. The fried egg and cheddar on whole wheat was a flop. Cold sirloin and cold carbonara were hits. Your basic grilled cheese got a lukewarm reception. Even with the addition …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Easy meals result from leftovers
If the sizzling days of summer have zapped your culinary zest, here’s a simple solution to the “What’s for supper?” scream: Cook once, eat twice. Back to basics When I think of fall and back to school, I think of harried parents with dark circles under their eyes, running stop …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Making sense of all the nutrition information
Walk into a restaurant these days and you might be able to check the calorie count of your enchilada, the salt content of your fries, the “heart healthy” status of your asiago peppercorn steak and – in at least one pioneering place – the carbon footprint of your vegetable lasagna. …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Ratatouille is wonderful dish for summer veggies
Believe it or not, there was once a time when the word “Ratatouille” didn’t automatically conjure up a computer-generated rodent whipping up award-winning meals in a fictional Paris restaurant. Ratatouille is a French dish, a melange of summer vegetables cooked together and generally served with a loaf of crusty French …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Maple Hall of Fame taps Alstead man
Bruce Bascom, of Alstead, was recently inducted into the American Maple Hall of Fame at the American Maple Museum in Croghan, N.Y. Bascom grew up in a maple-producing family, and under his leadership, Bascom Maple Farm grew from 5,000 taps with buckets to 65,000 taps on tubing, the largest maple …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Whole grains provide numerous health benefits
Whole grains are nutritionally superior to refined grains. They’re rich in protein, dietary fiber, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. In most grains, the starchy endosperm contains protein, carbohydrates, iron, B vitamins and fiber. The germ, a tiny speck at one end of each kernel, contains oil rich in health-promoting omega-3 fatty …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Wines that make you mull over what you’re drinking
NAPA, Calif. – Do you want to drink in Chaos Theory? Or perhaps you’d care to give your palate an Educated Guess? We’re talking wines, of course – specifically, a new breed of quirkily named wines that aim to make you think while you drink. “I’m a big believer in …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Daisy Martinez: Creating a burger with balance
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the 10th in a series by The Associated Press highlighting the 20 Burgers of Summer. Each week, readers will get a new burger recipe for the summer grill season. For Daisy Martinez, a great burger does a bit of tug-of-war in your mouth. “I always like …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
New England seafood still boasts great flavor
I have lately been struck by how incredibly lucky we are in New England. Amid reports of ecological catastrophes from areas as renowned as the Gulf Coast and Chesapeake Bay, our waters of the Atlantic from New Jersey, New England and the Canadian Maritimes are still able to deliver an …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
BBQ Daze
BROOKLINE – Is it possible to benefit a community, learn safety rules and have a bunch of fun all at the same time? The folks at the Brookline Fire Department certainly think so, as they launch into their fifth annual Backyard Barbecue Cookoff on the weekend of July 31-Aug. 1, …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Take the fat out of creamed veggie dishes, keep flavor
Creamed vegetable dishes are delicious, comforting classics. But it can be a bit troubling to take nature’s healthiest foods and essentially nestle them in a pool of fat. Many recipes for creamed corn or spinach call for using a traditional white sauce made from whole milk thickened with a butter …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Even chocolate has its place in a healthy diet
Death by chocolate? Hardly. We’ve all heard of the studies suggesting a few ounces of dark chocolate a week can be good for your health. And while chocolate does contain fat (from cocoa butter), a third of it is the same kind of healthier monounsaturated fat found in olive oil. …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Fat: The secret ingredient to a tasty, lean burger
When it comes to ground meat – or almost any meats, for that matter – it’s a simple equation: Fat equals flavor and moisture. It would then follow that a low-fat burger should be dry and tasteless, right? Not necessarily. While it may be tempting to go for 90 percent …
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Cheesemakers guild joins NH Made
The newly formed New Hampshire Cheesemakers Guild was recently approved as an “Official Special Committee” of NH Made, a statewide nonprofit organization that promotes New Hampshire-made products and services using the power of a common state brand identity program. The guild is a group of cheesemakers who share ideas and …
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Merrimack cake designer competing in 4th Food Network Challenge
On the one hand are flour, eggs, sugar, chocolate, fruit; on the other, consider ghoulies, creatures and things that go bump in the night. They don’t really go together too well, do they? Well, all that’s about to change on Sunday, when the Food Network will present its “Paranormal Cakes” …
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Polenta meets grilled marinated sirloin and sour cream
This highly flavorful steak is versatile enough to work for family-style dining, as well as a party-worthy appetizer. It all comes down to the polenta. The dish starts by marinating thinly sliced sirloin in a potent blend of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic. The steak then gets served over …
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Try a few of these fresh takes on afternoon snacks
Are you ready for a fresh take on the snack? We’ve dreamed up some delicious new approaches to keeping the kids content in the afternoon. DRIED FRUIT AND POPCORN BARS Start to finish: 1 hour (10 minutes active) Serves: 9 ½ cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon water ½ stick unsalted …
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Premium cocktail mixers are stirring interest
BERKELEY, Calif. – Spirits have gone premium. Bartenders have turned artisan. …
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Ted Anthony: A burger with the taste of Sichuan
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the ninth in a series by The Associated Press highlighting the 20 Burgers of Summer. Each week, readers will get a new burger recipe for the summer grill season. Unlike the other pushers of The Associated Press’ 20 Burgers of Summer, I’m no celebrity. I’m just …
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Ideas for what to do with summer’s bounty
Right about now, farmers market devotees start coming home with more than they know what to do with simply because it’s all so beautiful. But an unusually good crop of produce-centered cookbooks offers inventive ways to use the bounty to its best advantage. Susie Middleton’s “Fast, Fresh and Green” injects …
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Blueberries top the charts for health, versatility
Do you have the “blues”? If not, you really need to get them – blueberries, that is! A small round blue berry, loaded with nutritional power, is waiting to be consumed by you. Blueberries top the list of produce items that contain disease-fighting phytochemicals. Anthocyanin, which gives blueberries their distinctive …
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
To pepperheads, the pain is worth the pleasure
“A really good hot sauce takes you by the shoulders, gives you a good shake, and slaps your face to say ‘HELLO.’” – “Condiments” by Kathy Gunst; Putnam; 1984 Hot pepper lovers are nicknamed pepperheads because their intense devotion to the spice borders on an addiction. And in many ways, …
