Mark Bittman's "VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good"

One of the constant battles in life for many people: weight management. AKA, diet. Not diet as in "Go on a diet" for calorie restriction, but diet, as in, a sensible choice of foods to consume for wellness and health. Not easy. But if you're a food writer?:

"Six years ago, an overweight, pre-diabetic Mark Bittman faced a medical directive: adopt a vegan diet or go on medication. He was no fan of a lifelong regimen of pills, but as a food writer he lived—and worked—to eat. So neither choice was appealing."

His answer, "VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good", just released.

  

Available from Amazon.com

Blue Hill Tops James Beard Food Awards, Chef Title Split - Bloomberg

The Academy Awards of the culinary world have just been announced.

Image: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

"Among the regional Best Chef winners, Wylie Dufresne of WD-50 triumphed in New York and Stephanie Izard of the Girl & the Goat won in Chicago. Outstanding service went to Del Posto, New York."

The winners included:
Best Chef, Great Lakes: Stephanie Izard, Girl & the Goat,
Chicago.
Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic: Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C.
Best Chef, Midwest: Colby Garrelts, Bluestem, Kansas City,
Missouri.
Best Chef, New York City: Wylie Dufresne, WD-50.
Best Chef, Northeast: Melissa Kelly, Primo, Rockland, Maine.
Best Chef, Northwest: Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland,
Oregon.
Best Chef, South: Tory McPhail, Commander’s Palace, New Orleans.
Best Chef, Southeast: Joseph Lenn, The Barn at Blackberry Farm,
Walland, Tennessee.
Best Chef, Southwest: Jennifer Jasinski, Rioja, Denver.
Best Chef, West: Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at
Meadowood, St. Helena, California.
Best New Restaurant: State Bird Provisions, San Francisco.
Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional: Merry Edwards,
Sebastopol, California.
Outstanding Pastry Chef: Brooks Headley, Del Posto, New York.
Outstanding Restaurateur: Maguy Le Coze, Le Bernardin, New York.
Best Restaurant Design or Renovation, 75 Seats and Under: Taavo
Somer for Isa, Brooklyn, New York.
Best Restaurant Design or Renovation, 76 Seats and Over:
Alejandro Barrios Carrero of Alejandro Barrios Carrero Designs
for Juvia, Miami Beach, Florida.

Read the entire article at Bloomberg:

Blue Hill Tops James Beard Food Awards, Chef Title Split - Bloomberg

Interview: Michael Pollan, Author Of 'Cooked' : NPR

"In Cooked, Michael Pollan explores the previously uncharted territory of his own kitchen. Here, he discovers the enduring power of the four classical elements—fire, water, air, and earth—to transform the stuff of nature into delicious things to eat and drink. Apprenticing himself to a succession of culinary masters, Pollan learns how to grill with fire, cook with liquid, bake bread, and ferment everything from cheese to beer. In the course of his journey, he discovers that the cook occupies a special place in the world, standing squarely between nature and culture. Both realms are transformed by cooking, and so, in the process, is the cook."

Interview: Michael Pollan, Author Of 'Cooked' : NPR

Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation

• by
 
• Michael Pollan

• • ISBN-13: 9781594204210
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
  • Publication date: 4/23/2013
  • Pages: 480

• 
  

Available online from Amazon.com.

Why You Shouldn't Wrinkle Your Nose At Fermentation : NPR

Okay, if you've never tried kimchee, get to it. Stick with the natural varieties of the fermented cabbage and veggies, and you'll not only have a new taste sensation but will also benefit from the probiotics. It's available in larger supermarkets and of course, Asian markets.

"Fermentation is the process in which bacteria and yeasts feed on the sugars in food. That creates lactic acid, a preservative. It is what Bill Schindler, a fermenter and anthropology professor at Washington College, calls "controlled rotting." The results are the probiotic foods you hear about: miso, tempeh, the fermented tea called kombucha."

More from NPR:

Why You Shouldn't Wrinkle Your Nose At Fermentation : NPR

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An Oral History Of New York Food: Dining Out Wasn't Always 'In' : The Salt : NPR

Image: AP/Courtesy of Museum of the City Of New York

Follow the link below for reminisces of eating out and at home, in New York City of the past from NPR:

"Today, New York is home to many of the finest restaurants in the world – and New Yorkers have become accustomed to regularly dining out. 'It's just take-out all the time,' Saini says. So she says she was surprised to discover that, among the people she interviewed, eating outside of the home wasn't always so commonplace."

An Oral History Of New York Food: Dining Out Wasn't Always 'In' : The Salt : NPR


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A new book tells the stories behind the New York appetizing landmark Russ & Daughters - NY Daily News

In my previous blog, I highlighted the delightful, Lower East Side venue of Russ and Daughters, but I should have also mentioned in greater detail the book that is part of the story: Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes from the House That Herring Built, 

by 

Mark Russ Federman.

"For 30 years, the one-time lawyer ran Russ & Daughters, the beloved Houston St. storefront that’s 

hawked sable, smoked salmon, schmaltz herring and other Semitic delicacies for nearly a century.

And in “Russ Daughters: Reflections and Recipes From the House That Herring Built”, Federman 

reminisces about the only-in-New York characters who frequented his fishy “fiefdom.”"

More from the New York Daily News:

A new book tells the stories behind the New York appetizing landmark Russ Daughters - NY Daily News

Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes from the House That Herring Built

• by
 
• Mark Russ Federman, 
• Calvin Trillin (Foreword by)

ISBN-13: 9780805242942

• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Publication date: 3/5/2013
• Pages: 224

Available online from Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com

Family Keeps Jewish Soulfood Alive At New York 'Appetizing' Store : The Salt : NPR

Image: Jen Snow, Russ And Daughters

If you live in New York City and have never been to Russ and Daughters, shame on you. If you visit NYC, and don't stop by Russ and Daughters, you're missing a great food and cultural experience. This is not a mall recreation. It's the real thing. You don't have to buy anything, just gawk and wonder...

"A century ago, the Lower East Side was packed with "appetizing" shops, where merchants would compete to satisfy the noshing needs of the neighborhood's Jewish clientele: pickled herring, smoked whitefish, sable and salmon, bagels and bialys, along with dried fruit, chocolate and candy." 

From NPR:

Family Keeps Jewish Soulfood Alive At New York 'Appetizing' Store : The Salt : NPR


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Book excerpt: Like life itself, nurturing begins with seeds - The Edgy Veggie - MiamiHerald.com

Another new food book and a review:

Book excerpt: Like life itself, nurturing begins with seeds - The Edgy Veggie - MiamiHerald.com

"

What do we turn to for both everyday sustenance and seasonal celebration? Food. Often, though, we’re like the hungry ghosts of Taoist lore, eating mindlessly, wandering aimlessly, and wanting more — more than food itself can provide. Ellen Kanner believes that if we put in a little thought and preparation, every meal can feed not only our bodies but our souls and our communities as well. Warm, wicked, and one-of-a-kind, Ellen offers an irreverent approach to bringing reverence into daily living — and eating."

Feeding the Hungry Ghost: Life, Faith, and What to Eat for Dinner - A Satisfying Diet for Unsatisfying Times

• by
 
• Ellen Kanner, 
• Norman Van Aken (Foreword by)

• ISBN-13: 9781608681648
• Publisher: New World Library
• Publication date: 2/5/2013
• Pages: 224

Available online at Barnes and Noble  and  Amazon.com

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The Little Paris Kitchen: 120 Simple But Classic French Recipes

Just recently released by the host of the BBC show The Little Paris Kitchen, Rachel Khoo, The Little Paris Kitchen: 120 Simple But Classic French Recipes, updates and simplifies many traditional French recipes.

"...In this charming cookbook, Khoo demystifies French cooking with 120 enticing recipes for simple, classic, and fresh French dishes, from gouter (snacks) to elegant desserts. More than 100 breathtaking photos from celebrated photographer David Loftus shine a spotlight on the delicious food and the City of Light, and capture Khoo interacting with her purveyors and friends...."

The Little Paris Kitchen: 120 Simple But Classic French Recipes [Hardcover]
by Rachel Khoo
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books (February 5, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1452113432
ISBN-13: 978-1452113432

Available online from Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

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132 Chia Seed Recipes Cookbook

All the rage, chia, as well as quinoa and amaranth, are "superfoods" from South America. Each is high in protein and offer unique nutritional benefits, chia is featured in this cookbook.

"This book will provided to you ideas and recipes for adding chia seeds to your diet. Chia is a healthy food that is gaining in popularity. Even Dr. Oz has started to promote the consumption of chia! Having lots of ways to prepare this super food will make it easier to add to your diet. And who knew how FUN chia is! It's gelatinous consistency means it is extremely versatile and a blast to eat."

132 Chia Seed Recipes Cookbook: Great ideas and recipes on how to add chia seeds to your diet [Paperback]
Alison Thompson (Author)
70 pages; Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (January 30, 2013); English
ISBN-10: 1482308991
ISBN-13: 978-1482308990

Available online at Amazon.com

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Faux pas! Food fraud on the rise – Eatocracy - CNN.com Blogs

Even if you are an avid product label reader, as I am, if a manufacturer commits outright fraud in its production, you may not know it. Stick to reputable producers and sellers.

"Food fraud, as defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is the adulteration, dilution or mislabeling of goods. USP further defines food fraud in the study as 'the fraudulent addition of nonauthentic substances or removal or replacement of authentic substances without the purchaser's knowledge for economic gain to the seller.'"

Read the entire article from CNN:

Faux pas! Food fraud on the rise – Eatocracy - CNN.com Blogs

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Drinks, Diets And Meat: Hits Of 2012, Predictions For 2013 : The Salt : NPR

A look back.  And 2013. A look forward. From NPR:

Drinks, Diets And Meat: Hits Of 2012, Predictions For 2013 : The Salt : NPR

Image Credits: Daniel Acker/Landov; Carnival Film & Television Limited 2011/Masterpiece; Adam Cole/NPR; Robyn Mackenzie/iStockphoto.com; Lass/Getty Images

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Exhibition at Ariana Museum in Geneva reflects on agriculture and nutrition as art

Two important interests in my life come together in this presentation, art and food:

Image:  AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI

"Through the works of 27 artists from around the world, the travelling exhibition, which will debut in Geneva before moving on to Milan, Sao Paulo and Marseille and then back to Milan to take part in the 2015 World Expo, displays a range of issues related to food, including over-consumption and hunger."

The entire article at

Exhibition at Ariana Museum in Geneva reflects on agriculture and nutrition as art

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Beware these two sweeteners: Acesulfame Potassium; Neotame

Don't recognize these two artificial sweeteners?

Check your favorite beverage or food for acesulfame potassium (Wikepedia: Acesulfame K is 200 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar), as sweet as aspartame, about 2/3 as sweet as saccharin, and 1/3 as sweet as sucralose.) or neotame (Wikipedia: Neotame is an artificial sweetener made by NutraSweet that is between 7,000 and 13,000 times as sweet as sucrose (table sugar) ).

Both of the "sweeteners" are sneaking their way into many packaged goods under names not immediately recognized as sweeteners by most consumers.

Approved "as safe" by the FDA, there are enough questions and dubious research about the "safety" of these two ingredients, that they should be avoided.

But judge for yourself and research each of the two. I am not going to point you to any sites to influence your opinion but strongly suggest when you search, to be sure to include "side effects" for both!

A Photographer's Mini Food Fascination : The Picture Show : NPR

And now a break from the regular routine. Look at these photographs and try not to smile.

"A family camps in a sugar cone forest; skiers take to the slopes of an ice cream sundae: Boffoli's photos seem to imagine the scenes that play out around our food when we aren't looking. But food itself also looms large in the images, which, according to Boffoli's website, represent 'an American enthusiasm for excess, especially in the realm of food.'"

A Photographer's Mini Food Fascination : The Picture Show : NPR

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Mark Menjivar Shows Shelf Pity With 'You Are What You Eat'

You are what you eat. And your refrigerator contains the clues:

"Like a psychologist, Mark Menjivar manages to get complete strangers to reveal some of their most private and personal details—namely, the contents of their refrigerators. With a background in social work and a keen interest in the way food shapes lives, he spent four years photographing the icebox identities of Americans."

Courtesy the artist and 0.00156 Acres

See the Village Voice article for the whole story:

Mark Menjivar Shows Shelf Pity With 'You Are What You Eat'

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"Secrets of the Best Chefs: Recipes, Techniques, and Tricks from America's Greatest Cooks", by Adam Roberts

Just published, "Secrets of the Best Chefs: Recipes, Techniques, and Tricks from America's Greatest Cooks", by Adam Roberts, sound like it would make a great addition to anyone's gastronomical library (and a wonderful stocking-stuffer):

"Some people say you can only learn to cook by doing. So Adam Roberts, creator of the award-winning blog The Amateur Gourmet, set out to cook in 50 of America's best kitchens to figure out how any average Joe or Jane can cook like a seasoned pro. From Alice Waters's garden to José Andrés's home kitchen, it was a journey peppered with rock-star chefs and dedicated home cooks unified by a common passion, one that Roberts understands deeply and transfers to the reader with flair, thoughtfulness, and good humor: a love and appreciation of cooking. Roberts adapts recipes from Hugh Acheson, Lidia Bastianich, Roy Choi, Harold Dieterle, Sara Moulton, and more."

Secrets of the Best Chefs: Recipes, Techniques, and Tricks from America's Greatest Cooks [Hardcover]

by Adam Roberts

ISBN-13: 9781579654399

Publisher: Artisan

Publication date: 11/13/2012

Pages: 400

Available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com

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Real Chefs Grind It With A Mortar And Pestle : The Salt : NPR

"Everything old is new again." Except the mortar and pestle never really went away for people seriously engaged in food preparation:

Image: Jessical Spengler/Flickr

"The mortar and pestle is one of the most primitive kitchen tools. You place ingredients in a bowl — usually made of stone or ceramic — and pound them with a tiny club. They're used throughout the world, from a rough Mexican molcajete to tall Thai krok."  From NPR:

Real Chefs Grind It With A Mortar And Pestle : The Salt : NPR

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