Cooking With Friends

What's more fun than cooking? Cooking with friends, and that's exactly what I did one gloomy morning in March. Several of us had gone to an event arranged by Edna, at a French bakery in Escondido. At that event we saw a demonstration by the chef of how to make French baguettes and French Macarons. French macarons are little sandwich like cookies, where the cookie part is an almond meringue and the filling can be anything. We thought we might like to try making the French macarons at home, so Elaine, Debiie, Katie and me got together to make these delectable little treats.

There are many recipes for French macarons, and Debbie was in charge of determining which recipe to use. I was in charge of purchasing the ingredients, Elaine volunteered her beautiful kitchen (and made us coffee and wonderful coffee cake) to do the cooking, and Katie turned out to be the master of piping the cookies on to the baking sheet. We all contributed to the successes, and failures, of this project.

Our first batch was not what we hoped for. In retrospect, we did not beat the egg whites enough. They must be STIFF. The cookies were tasty, but flat and too chewy. We had to throw most of them away. But by the second batch we had the technique down pat. The cookies were perfect. Katie was in charge of piping the cookies onto the baking sheets, and she did a fantastic job. In between preparing the cookies we made chocolate ganache for one filling, and used a store bought lemon curd for the other filling.

Cooking with friends is such fun. We laughed a lot, so much in fact that we mismeasured the first batch of almond meal and confectioners' sugar mixture, but luckily Katie, with her excellent math skills, figured it all out for us. Along the way Debbie taught us some teaching techniques she had picked up in culinary school. Although she got her only B in cooking school (89%)in baking, she was a great teacher. I learned how to cut parchment paper. Who knew that a professional chef never uses scissors? She taught us folding techniques and how to achieve perfect egg whites.

In between cooking, we noshed on Elaine's homemade coffee cake, then later, Debbie's sausage roll. Yum. In the end, we each took home about 13 cookies, much less than the 2 dozen we had planned on. That's because of our failure on batch number one. Debbie and I had both told several people we would give them samples of what we made, so in the end I only had 2 cookies left for myself. A lot of work for just a few cookies. Next time, if there is a next time, things will be easier and we won't make mistakes. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to our next get together, where Elaine and her husband Bob, will introduce us to "Testa Turke." (Turks hat). Cooking with friends makes a wonderful, social morning. It's just another way to get together with friends over coffee and food.

There are many recipes for French macarons on the internet, and I really cannot recommend one. We added a pinch of cream of tartar to our recipe, and also a drop of almond extract. Make sure you whip your egg whites to stiff, and your batter will be fine. Enjoy a morning cooking with friends. It's great fun.

Use Your Local Library

Your local library is a wealth of information, education, recreation and socialization. I recently got an IPad, which I didn't think I needed, but now use daily. Not having a Nook or Kindle, the first thing I did was head to my local library to learn how to check out e-books. Fantastic! I know most of you probably buy the books you read on your Nook or Kindle, but you can check them out from the library, just as do any other book. Yes, you've got to set up the program, but after that, you check out books and put books on hold just as you would library book. I'm going to Colorado soon, and I have just downloaded Jeffrey Toobin's, The Nine (about the supreme court), which I'll read on the plane.

I've been listening to audio books for years. Mysteries are great to listen to. It takes me about 2 weeks of listening, as I go about my daily errands listening to the book, 5-15 minutes at a time. You can also download audio books onto either your IPad or IPod, and this is great for long walks. Finally, there are "playback" books. I think that's what they're called. You need to provide a AAA battery to use these audio books, but my library has a great selection.

In addition to books, the library offers many other services. Our local library has at least 4 monthly book clubs, focusing on different genres. It has movies, lectures, computer labs, classes and discussions. I recently went to my local library and listened to Alan Brennert, author of Palisades Park, talk about his book and his career. The library truly offers something for everyone, even if you're not an avid reader. Check it out.

New Penalties For Traffic Violations

Every January many new state laws go into effect. There are hundreds of new laws every year, and unless they effect us directly we don't usually pay much attention. Well, traffic fines do effect us all. With the new penalties on traffic violations, you will want to try VERY hard to avoid a ticket.

Traffic fines bring over $500 million into our state treasury yearly. No wonder fines keep increasing. It's an easy way to increase revenue. According to KNX's Jon Baird, even common infractions such as running a red light can cost drivers around $500. While base fines for traffic offenses have remained relatively steady over the past two decades, assessments for emergency medical services ($20) and traffic school ($60) and court construction costs ($50) have nearly quadrupled ticket costs since 1993, according to the Judicial Council of California.

A red light infraction which was $103 in 1993 and $340 in 2003 is now $490, while not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign (rolling through an intersection) has nearly doubled to $238, in the past decade. Drivers caught speeding at 15 mph over the speed limit have soared to $238, nearly eight times their cost in 1993.

Much of this increase can be attributed to tacked-on fees known as penalty assessments, which are set by state lawmakers in Sacramento. Revenue from such fees is typically earmarked for a wide variety of projects. As the fees increase, the working poor who cannot afford these tickets, are going to court to challenge tickets, which is clogging up the court system. As unhappy as motorists are by these high ticket prices, lawmakers are unlikely to change course, as the revenue is used for many projects that otherwise would be unfunded. The moral of the story, avoid those tickets at all costs. Plan an extra few minutes to get where you're going, so you don't have to run a red light or roll through a stop sign. This will probably keep you safer and keep money in your pocket, not the state's.

Coconut Pineapple Smoothie

Every time I go to Costco and see one of those $500 blenders demonstrated, I want one. They do everything! What I like best about them is they make ice cream in seconds out of fruits and veggies you'd never expect to find in ice cream. Last time I was there I sampled an ice cream made from pineapple, yogurt, carrots and a few other ingredients I can't remember. It was so delicious. I know I'm never going to buy that expensive blender, so I'll just continue to use my old blender that is fine for most things. You can use a regular blender for the following recipe and achieve great tasting ice cream. Remember to layer the ingredients, and freeze the banana for a thicker, ice cream like consistency. Coconut and pineapple just go well together, but you can use coconut water with other fruits to create more great tasting treats.

Coconut Pineapple Smoothie

Yield: (3) 8 ounce smoothies

1 cup coconut water

1 banana, frozen for a thicker consistency

...

1 1/2 cups frozen pineapple, roughly chopped into large chunks

dash of ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Layer ingredients into the blender and puree until smooth and creamy. With the blender turned off, use a spatula to scrape the sides as needed. Scoop into glasses or bowls and serve immediately. Enjoy

Stop The Presses

We've all heard the phrase "stop the presses," and yes, it really is used in the newspaper industry. I learned this fact along with so much more, on a tour of the UT in San Diego, arranged by Barbara and Pam. They are in charge of our Wanderers group, and each month, they arrange an interesting outing for the Newcomers of San Dieguito. This month it was lunch at True Food in Fashion Valley followed by a very interesting 80 minute tour of the UT.

I've reviewed True Food in the past. I love it, as it represents everything I look for in a restaurant: interesting menu, healthy choices, good ambience, and locally sourced produce. Much of the success of the restaurant is due to the name Dr. Andrew Weil being associated with the chain. He is the Harvard professor who's main focus is health and wellness, so a healthy restaurant was a natural for him. The restaurant has several restaurants in Southern California: Santa Monica, Newport Beach, San Diego. I've been to them all. The prices are very moderate and portions are plentiful. I had the Harvest Salad last time I was there, and it was delicious. Butternut squash, walnuts, pomegranates and goat cheese were just some of the many ingredients. Other choices were pizzas, bison burger, carmelized onion tart, edemanane pot stickers, pastas, sandwiches, and soups. There was really something for everyone, regardless of their food preferences.

The UT is currently owned by Doug Manchester and John Lynch, although Doug is not involved in day to day operations. John Lynch runs the paper. It has been in operation since 1868, without interruption. Their first building was in Old Town, and if you visit Old Town, you will see the old newspaper office. Print media has declined rapidly over the past two decades due to digital media, and many think the demise of the newspaper is coming soon. We have already seen many newspapers and magazines cease operation. The challenge for the UT is to stay relevant in this age when their readership consists mainly of people aged 40-70. They have to appeal to young people too. The UT has developed an online digital paper that one can subscribe to, a radio station with interesting programming, and a local TV station, which broadcasts several times a day. We were there at 1:30pm and they were broadcasting live. The UT does have a circulation on Sunday of about 350,000 copies, so people still do read the newspaper.

Advertising, which produces much of the revenue that keeps a newspaper in business, is way down. This is because many of the retail stores that used to have inserts in the Sunday paper and advertise almost day with full page ads, have gone to the internet. I remember the days when Bullocks would have a full page ad in the LA Times at least once a week. Those days are gone.

The UT focuses on local news. They figure that the AP already does a great job of giving us international news, so they pick up the AP stories for most of the international stories. They focus on local news and sports because they say that's what people want. We saw the printing presses, and although technology has increased the speed and ease of working the presses, they are still huge, spewing ink everywhere during operation.

One final thing. The phrase "stop the presses" really is used. Even after checking and double checking the final paper before it goes to print, sometimes things are discovered when printing has already begun. For example, the misspelling of a head of state would stop the presses and the spelling would be corrected. An insult to an important head of state would also stop the presses, and be corrected. A big event which happens after the paper goes to print, like an earthquake, would also stop the presses. Our guide feels that the newspaper as we know it, has another 12-15 years before it becomes extinct. I no longer read the paper daily. I read papers on line, as most young people do. Soon there will be a generation that has never read a paper. Sadly, technology has hurt the print industry. We'll have to wait and see what eventually happens.

Natural Food Expo, 2014, Part 2

There are literally hundreds of products displayed at the natural food show. All the big players are there, like Hain, Dole, Amy's, Chobani, Silk, and Kashi. There are also many companies that are new, and may or may not make it. The natural food business is so competitive, and many companies with a great idea don't have the financial backing to stay the course. A small company like Henry and Lisa's Natural Seafood may have trouble competing against big corporate operations like Chicken of the Sea. However, they have a great product and a great mission. All their seafood comes from environmentally sustainable fisheries, and is independently tested for contaminants. Their seafood is frozen and canned, and includes salmon, fish nuggets, and shrimp. Their canned products include wild sardines, albacore tuna and salmon.

Asian food companies are found in abundance at the food show. The Shibuya Group (distributed by Mishima Foods) has a variety of sweet potato cakes and sweet potato chips. I loved the purple chips, so crisp and sweet, and gluten free! Tang's makes frozen dim sum items, like pot stickers, and edamame whole wheat dumplings that were delicious. FG (Feel Good food) products include a variety of frozen dim sum, gluten free, and great.

There were so many crackers at the food show, but most of them were not very good. They may have been healthy, but not to my liking. There were some I did like, though. Kashi makes crackers now, and the hummus crisp and black bean crisp were both good and crispy. Indian Life makes masala chips, an interesting new flavor. Le Pain des Fleurs makes crispbreads in buckwheat, chestnut and quinoa. They're gluten free, kosher, and vegan. Thin, crispy crackers.

Perhaps my favorite item at the food show came from Mama Lils. Mama Lils is a line of canned peppers, olives, and fava beans. Everything was good, but I went back for seconds of their peppadew goldew peppers, They are something between a pepper and an olive, and full of flavor. Perfect for a charcuterie platter or any hors d'oeuvres tray for that matter.

That's enough for now, but I still have pages of notes on products I have yet to mention. One more blog on the food show. I promise that will be it. This may bore many of you, but you foodies are probably enjoying this.

Got Cold Feet?

Did you ever wonder where the expression "getting cold feet" comes from? Cold feet as an expression connotes loss of courage, such as when a performer gets "cold feet" right before going on stage, or a bride gets "cold feet" just before the wedding ceremony. Linguists trace the phrase back to either Italian playwright Ben Jonson in 1605 or German author Fritz Reuter in an 1862 novel. The earliest use of it in the English language dates back to writer Stephen Crane in his 1896 book, "Maggie: A Girl on the Streets", in which he writes, "I knew this was the way it would be. She got cold feet."

Many of us have cold feet, and we don't know why. Ron has had cold feet for many years. I always thought it might be due to his diabetes, but the doctor says that's not it. Poor circulation is often the cause of cold feet, caused often by a sedentary lifestyle and can often be remedied by walking each day. Poor circulation can also cause blood clots and may lead to other health issues.

Some people with cold feet have peripheral neuropathy, a condition where one may experience a cold feeling in the hands and feet without the hands or feet actually being cold to the touch. Other symptoms can include numbness, tingling or a burning sensation in the extremities. Peripheral neuropathy is a sign of underlying nerve damage, caused by diabetes, exposure to toxins, infections or vitamin deficiencies.

Another common cause of cold feet is an underactive thyroid. More common in woman than in men, hypothyroidism can cause cold feet and hands, fatigue, hair loss and weight gain, among other symptoms. If you take thyroid and are still experiencing cold hands and feet, you could have Raynaud's syndrome. This condition is characterized by a loss of blood flow to the hands and feet caused by spasms in the flood vessels.

Regardless of the cause of your cold feet, it's a very uncomfortable condition. I bought Ron a pair of woolen mucklucks for Christmas, which he puts on before bed every night. Within an hour his feet are nice and toasty, and he sheds the slippers. No matter how hot or cold it is outside, Ron's feet are always cold. Soaking the feet in hot water also warms them up, or using an old fashioned hot water bottle. If cold feet is a new condition for you, be sure to mention it to your doctor. It may be nothing that a little more exercise each day might cure. It seems like walking is good for so many things!