Gourmet For All

Years ago certain foods were not available to the masses.It was hard to get French cheeses unless you went to France. Certain pastas were only made at homes. Exotic veggies and fruits were only found in travel Baedekers , not in your local market. Times have changed. It's amazing what's in the local supermarket these days. Sea salt, once considered a luxury item is now all over supermarkets. Just a few scant years ago only elite cookware stores like Williams and Sonoma sold it . Go to your local grocery and it's right there next to Morton's and the generic stuff. Looking for exotic quinoa and plantains? They're right next to the plum tomatoes and broccoli . Ugli fruit , a rarity a few years ago , sits next to oranges and apples in the fruit section. Will all this gourmet stuff make us jaded? No. It does mean a more sophisticated palate for us and for our children. Everyone from oldster to toddler has opinions about what peppercorns to put into one's soup or topping goes well with dulce de leche ice cream. It means that no one is afraid of foreign foods anymore and they can break away from the ordinary. The meat and potato days are well over with. Gourmet food is a big part of our everyday lives. It exists right next to our boxes of instant mashed potatoes and ketchup. Soon it won't be considered sophisticated or exotic. It'll just be considered food.

Healthy Fast Foods

There's been a trend in the last year or so in fast foods. They've gotten healthier. Gone are the bad for you specials or the dripping with grease burgers. It seems chains such as McDonald's and Wendy's are taking their customers' health seriously as well as their own menus. That weekly treat of fries may no longer be a bad thing. In fact. they may even be a good for you. Some fast food places such as Blimpie and especially Subway have been on the health kick for years. After all .it was Subway who introduced healthier heroes for the diet conscious. They were the first to have whole wheat bread along with the lesser calorie flat and pita breads. Both they and Blimpie can create a low fat, low sodium and low calorie lunch that is still delicious and filling. Of course they have the bonus that none of their products are deep fried . All sandwiches are made with fresh, ingredients and it's very easy to control what goes

into an order. McDonald's is making great strides as well. Diners can have a fruit and yogurt parfait as opposed to an Egg McMuffin. There's salads to choose from as well as wraps . Another big proponent of healthy eating is Wendy's. The chain has introduced fries with sea salt Fries are not the best choice however , with this new change they're just a bit healthier. The chain has even gone so far as replacing its' regular salt packets with ones containing sea salt.Wendy's also offers healthy salads as well as more chicken and fish than other fast food places. Burger King still has to jump on this trend. Hopefully it'll catch on to its' competition's healthy choices and start coming out with their own versions. Are fast foods bad for you? Yes and no. Nowadays the big chains are doing their best to create low fat , heart smart choices that will draw in customers. it may mean a few changes to the menu and the way something is cooked. Yet,there are benefits for everyone from the companies themselves right down to their fans

Raising Organic Foodies

Parents always want the best for their kids. They give them Baby Einstein and toddler lessons in soccer and math. They want them to go to the best schools and get excellent grades. They cater to their whims, whether it's the princess or skateboarding phase. Parents should also care about what's going into their kids too. It's best to get them hooked on all natural and organic from an early age. Surprisingly enough little Missy or Junior will be thankful and grateful later on.

You can start out at the earliest phase. Making baby food is the best way. of controlling what they eat. After all the homemade stuff has no preservatives or added chemicals. You can make very simple mixes using organic fruits and veggies along with free range meats. Some common veggies to use are peas, which are high in calcium and protein. potatoes, turnips, winter squash and beets. As kids get older you can combine these into fun and colorful succotashes along with great sides. Steam them with garlic or ginger for tasty main meals. You can also use dried or baked veggies as healthy snacks. For example, dry out peas sprinkled with olive oil and sea salt in a low temp oven.These addictive munchies are even tastier than potato or corn chips

What happens when those little foodies grow up to be rebellious teen foodies? Indulge them every so often. Yes, it's neat to have that Slurpee and heaven only knows what's in it hot dog. Yet if you want them to eat healthy then put them in charge of menu planning and cooking. They can come up with fun stuff like homemade whole wheat pizzas with fresh tomato and mozzarella .Other cool and healthy dishes include stir fries that have fresh veggies and chicken in them or wild salads that have arugula and wheat grass. Try putting a few organic apples and pears with their lunches or just have the fruit out as quick to grab snacks. Also nix the sodas. Buy a juicer and have teen foodies come up with fruit combo drinks that they can mix with seltzer.

Everyone wants the best for their kids. That should include giving them organic , homemade food, full of not only love but plenty of vitamins and nutrients. Pass on the legacy of wholesome, healthy food. Eating this way will be beneficial throughout their entire lives.

Last Minute Foodie Gifts

Christmas is literally right around the corner if you haven;t picked up anything for your favorite foodie, now is the time. The problem is what to get. Do you panic like crazy and pick up the first thing you see? Or debate and deliberate until someone takes it off the shelf before you? The best bet is to calm down. Foodies like everything about food. There's a wide array of stuff you can give.

The first thing you need to do is write a list. Write down if she or he is into creating dishes or more into eating. if it;s creating you can even visit your local supermarket for last minute gift ideas Think about a bask filled with sea salt, peppercorns and favorite spices. Those are always fun. Another idea is cookie cutters, and decorations along with an icer. for the bakers in your life. Gadgets are always of great use. Any Target or K-Mart has a big selection. Every cook needs new whisk and spatulas along with fun things likes decorative timers and cheese graters. Another lovely gift are place mats, napkins and napkin rings. These are perfect for the foodie couple in their first place. Fancy tablecloths also are appreciated too.

For the foodie who likes to eat. you can either create a memorable food basket or give a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant. baskets are fun to make up. You can have a theme, like international teas or coffees or their favorite flavors, like chocolate or caramel. You can even have a soup basket full of dried soup mixes or a pizza lover's basket full of the ingredients to make a pie. Luckily there are also restaurant gift certificates that cater to every taste. Even the smaller , family owned ones offer ones so you can buy from both chain and privately owned for a fun dining experience.

Don't fret if you haven;t bought your favorite foodie her or his gift yet. You still have plenty of choices yet. There are still so many gift ideas to choose from. Have fun !

A Different Slice Of Fruit

You may have an over abundance of fruit right now.It may be getting to you too. After all how many strawberries can you eat without getting rashes? Or blueberries without staining your teeth purple. This s the season for all sorts of harvests. yet that over abundance might get too cloying after awhile its time to give your fruit a new slice in life.

One of the best ideas is to infuse fruit into vinegars These make for lovely and sweet vinaigrette's . Crush strawberries, blueberries or even peaches and mix them with red wine vinegar (you may try an apple cider based one for the peaches.Leave in overnight and then mix with oil the next day. The flavor will even make ordinary Bibb lettuce and tomatoes taste extra special. Add some toasted almonds and broccoli florets for added crunch and flavor.

Another idea for extra fruit is mixing it into either whipped cream or sour for nice topping for pound and angel food cakes. You can also blend fresh fruit into plain yogurt and then serve as a topping. Slicing up fruit and grilling it for sides to chicken an d beef are another novel idea for dealing with over enthusiastic buying.

Don't be tired of the plain fruit you have around the kitchen. Use the extra to create memorable dressings or toppings.It's not only economical but fun.

Mister Right

I love my news olive oil mister that I bought through that great site Sur La Table. It is just a neat gadget and I wish I had bought it sooner.There's a lot you can do with it from coating a saute or fry pan to spritzing salads.

It does take some figuring out. I didn't realize the oddly shaped cover was responsible for the nozzle to spray . t has to be pumped up and down so that the sprayer could work. The first time I over filled it by about three tablespoons which was wrong and messy. However once I got the hang of it I found that it's he most fun gadget ever. My new favorite snack is oil misted grape tomatoes. Just wash them, leave them in their container and give them a good misting. Add fresh ground sea salt, shake the container and serve. These are just a yummy go to if you're hungry or a great side with any kind of sandwich.

I'm looking forward to cooking with my mister. I bet it'll be perfect for quick frying or even sauteing spinach. I also plan on using it when I reheat pizza and spinach rolls too. Talk about mister right!