As a food lover, I sometimes obsess over new flavors I experience. That happened to me a few weeks ago when I tried almond butter. I read an article in my husband’s Runner’s World magazine (September 2010, pg 52) that compared peanut butter, a long-time favorite fuel for athletes, to almond butter. They both have the same amount of fat, but almond butter has less saturated fat and more calcium, magnesium and vitamin E than peanut butter.
I bought Justin’s Almond Butter in the natural foods section of my grocery store, a brand I chose over the others purely based on its packaging. It was fabulous—a grainier consistency than smooth peanut butter with a wonderful roasted almond flavor. After trying a spoonful on its own, I made an almond butter & jelly sandwich and have had one for lunch most days ever since. It’s also great smeared on apples and would also taste great on a bagel.
One week later, while watching the Cooking Channel (another new favorite of mine), I saw Justin and his nut butters featured on a program called “Food Crafters.” It turns out he’s a hiking fanatic who developed these nut butters as an alternative to energy gels and created his recipes obsessively by pulling all-nighters in his small kitchen. I patted myself on the back for making such an excellent choice of almond butters my first time out. (Yes, I know, it was just the packaging.)
Not all of my food obsessions are based on random purchases at the grocery store, but all have become favorites because of a first, addiction-developing taste that connected with me from the start. Here are a few more of my favorite things that I heartily recommend trying. (NOTE: These items are here solely based on my passion for them. I have not received, asked for, or even considered any compensation for including them here.)
Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese
This is an artisanal cheese made from Uplands Cheese Company in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, that I tried at the Kohler Food & Wine Experience several years ago. It was in a wine and cheese pairing seminar—the same one that introduced me to Moscato d’Asti wine (see my earlier blog for more info). Pleasant Ridge is made in the style of gruyere and has a smooth, slightly nutty flavor. We adore this cheese in our home, kids and parents alike. It can be hard to find—in Northeast Wisconsin, their website lists only McKnight & Carlson Wines in Appleton and Oshkosh and Nala’s Fromagerie in Green Bay (both are great places to shop, and they really know their stuff)—but well worth it.
Malbec wine
Malbec grapes grow primarily in South America, primarily in Argentina. The resulting wine is dark and full-bodied with nice spiciness. It has started to appear more frequently on wine lists but is often (and unfairly) overshadowed by the more commonly known varietals. If you like Shiraz or want a more interesting alternative to Merlot, give this a shot. My absolute favorite is Catena, and there are many other Malbecs including Felino, Crios and Alamos that can be very good as well.
Alterra Blue Heeler coffee
Like many people, my day does not begin until I have had my coffee, and it’s not uncommon to see me with a coffee mug in my hand at all times of the day. I adore the taste, the smell, the caffeine. Of the many coffee beans I have tried over the years, I have locked in on Indonesian beans as my go-to coffee. Alterra Blue Heeler is a blend of regular and dark-roasted Sumatra beans that make a bold, full-bodied brew that lacks the acidity and other sharp flavors that many other regions’ coffees exhibit. I use it for espresso, but it also makes a fine cup of regular coffee. The Alterra beans seem fresher and more flavorful than other Sumatra beans I’ve tried, so I order whole beans shipped directly to me one to two times per month. Whatever coffee you buy, PLEASE grind your own beans—it makes for a much better cup of coffee!!
I could go on for days, but frankly I’d rather hear from you on this subject so I can find even more food addictions. What are your favorite things? Let me know at pythiaeats@yahoo.com or post a comment.
Per a reader request, here are links to the products and purveyors mentioned above:
Justin’s Nut Butters: http://www.justinsnutbutter.com/
Uplands Farms (Pleasant Ridge Reserve Cheese): http://www.uplandscheese.com/
McKnight & Carlson Wine Sales: http://www.mc-wines.com/
Nala’s Fromagerie: http://www.nalascheese.com/
Catena Malbec (get from your favorite wine shop; mine is McKnight & Carlson): http://www.catenawines.com/
Alterra Coffee: http://www.alterracoffee.com/
Copyright 2010 Pythia LLC. All rights reserved.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Meatball Season!
As Fall has arrived and football season is underway, it's only appropriate that this be declared meatball season as well. Drizzly days with a chill in the air tend to coax me toward heartier foods that warm the kitchen and scent the air. Meatballs certainly fit that bill.
Last year my husband hosted a Cub Scout den meeting at our house. I had decided to make meatballs for dinner that night. I made a big batch so I could cook once and have enough for multiple meals, but, in my typical fashion, I had started too late to feed my family and cook all of the rest before the boys arrived with their dads. While the house smelled wonderful, the kitchen was a mess. I pulled the last meatballs out of the oven, put them on the stove to cool, and disappeared upstairs so I wouldn’t be clanging in the kitchen while they had their meeting in the next room.
When I came downstairs again near the end of the meeting I found the dads standing around the stove eating the meatballs with their fingers. It was an amusing sight and a great compliment.
These meatballs are fabulous for their versatility. They are great for meat-and-potatoes kinds of people, and since they’re a reasonable size, they can also be used as the meat portion of a lighter meal. You can choose to use leaner meats and load them up with vegetables in the mix, or stick with the more traditional beef/pork/veal combinations. And they can be served on their own or integrated into a sauce. Best of all, they freeze beautifully as individual meatballs so I can thaw what I need for a quick weeknight meal.
Ingredients:
3 pounds ground meat—any one (or, preferably, combination) of the following: sirloin, turkey, chicken, pork, or veal
1-1/2 cups finely chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups fine dry bread crumbs (plain)
1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup skim milk
3 tbsp fresh or 3 tsp dried parsley
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Optional ingredients:
1 small bell pepper, finely chopped
1 pkg chopped spinach, cooked
½ cup carrots, finely shredded
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray muffin tins very lightly with canola oil.
Place the meat in a large bowl. Add the onions, garlic, bread crumbs and cheese (plus any optional ingredients, if using) and mix well with your hands. Add eggs and milk and integrate well with your hands. Add remaining ingredients and mix until all ingredients are well dispersed.
Scoop the meat mixture into the muffin tins (I use a #20 disher, which is about the size of an ice cream scoop). Bake for 30 minutes or until browned on top and meatballs are cooked through. Serve immediately, or allow to cool and freeze in a large freezer bag so you can grab as many as you want whenever you need them.
How to use them:
• Serve with barbecue sauce or ketchup for dipping, along with mashed potatoes and a veggie.
• Simmer in marinara sauce (roasted tomato sauce, anyone?) for 20 minutes and serve over pasta.
• Instead of making meatballs, form the mixture into loaves (either free-form on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a loaf pan) and bake as a meatloaf.
Last year my husband hosted a Cub Scout den meeting at our house. I had decided to make meatballs for dinner that night. I made a big batch so I could cook once and have enough for multiple meals, but, in my typical fashion, I had started too late to feed my family and cook all of the rest before the boys arrived with their dads. While the house smelled wonderful, the kitchen was a mess. I pulled the last meatballs out of the oven, put them on the stove to cool, and disappeared upstairs so I wouldn’t be clanging in the kitchen while they had their meeting in the next room.
When I came downstairs again near the end of the meeting I found the dads standing around the stove eating the meatballs with their fingers. It was an amusing sight and a great compliment.
These meatballs are fabulous for their versatility. They are great for meat-and-potatoes kinds of people, and since they’re a reasonable size, they can also be used as the meat portion of a lighter meal. You can choose to use leaner meats and load them up with vegetables in the mix, or stick with the more traditional beef/pork/veal combinations. And they can be served on their own or integrated into a sauce. Best of all, they freeze beautifully as individual meatballs so I can thaw what I need for a quick weeknight meal.
Ingredients:
3 pounds ground meat—any one (or, preferably, combination) of the following: sirloin, turkey, chicken, pork, or veal
1-1/2 cups finely chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups fine dry bread crumbs (plain)
1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup skim milk
3 tbsp fresh or 3 tsp dried parsley
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Optional ingredients:
1 small bell pepper, finely chopped
1 pkg chopped spinach, cooked
½ cup carrots, finely shredded
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray muffin tins very lightly with canola oil.
Place the meat in a large bowl. Add the onions, garlic, bread crumbs and cheese (plus any optional ingredients, if using) and mix well with your hands. Add eggs and milk and integrate well with your hands. Add remaining ingredients and mix until all ingredients are well dispersed.
Scoop the meat mixture into the muffin tins (I use a #20 disher, which is about the size of an ice cream scoop). Bake for 30 minutes or until browned on top and meatballs are cooked through. Serve immediately, or allow to cool and freeze in a large freezer bag so you can grab as many as you want whenever you need them.
How to use them:
• Serve with barbecue sauce or ketchup for dipping, along with mashed potatoes and a veggie.
• Simmer in marinara sauce (roasted tomato sauce, anyone?) for 20 minutes and serve over pasta.
• Instead of making meatballs, form the mixture into loaves (either free-form on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a loaf pan) and bake as a meatloaf.
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