There's all sorts of strange stories out there concerning the Corona virus. One odd one is about stockpiling various food stuffs in case there are shortages. That's the strange part - what shortages, especially here in the States. Is this some kind of media made panic or should we be worried? Then there's the other question, if this is true - what do we stockpile?
There's some small buzz in grocery stores in the New York City area. I heard today that water and salt are being grabbed off the shelves at local Wal-marts in the Northern New Jersey area. Storing water is kind of strange. It's not as if our supply or local reservoirs are being threatened with bio-warfare or they're compromised. The salt makes sense, People are being told to gargle, presumably by their healthcare providers. Doing such will kill some of the virus bacteria and it will also bring the bacteria to the surface of gums, tongue and teeth. It's then should be washed out with a strong mouth wash.As far as other foods, milk and eggs are also at the top of the list. It's sort of similar to what people buy before a big blizzard with the exception of bread.The United Kingdom has a bad case of stockpile fever. Brits are clearing the shelves of their local supermarkets, fighting over pasta, rice and long life milk according to the BBC.It is obviously worse in Hong Kong where life - and trade has ground to a halt.
It hopefully isn't that bad here. We may have problems with hand sanitizer and liquid hand soap. Again, that' s understandable. Yet if we do have shortages, what do we buy to survive? The best bet is all canned foods such as canned veggies and fruits. These are versatile to use in a variety of different dishes, from omelets to stews. Despite what you've heard from some natural food advocates canned produce can be just as nutritious and vitamin packed as their fresh versions. However, try to eat as much of the fresh stuff while you can. If you do feel a bit panicky about shortages, then freeze fresh fruit and veggies.Don't worry about it losing its' nutritional value. Fruits and veggies start breaking down after a whole year in the freezer. Your grapes and broccoli are still OK for a week in the deep freeze. Meats are another foodstuff that can be frozen for a year or two. Cereals last six to eight months while oatmeal lasts a year and a half if you want to stockpile on them. If you're in a warm weather zone, then consider starting a veggie garden. You'll always have fresh produce which helps in fighting any illness. Also buy and plant melon seeds and berry plants.
Should we listen to the crazy rumors and start stockpiling? That's up to you. If you feel better then get a few extra cans now and then. Just don't go wild and and into a frenzy of over buying.
Friday, March 6, 2020
Thursday, March 5, 2020
A Spin On Cassoulet
One of the most comforting of all foods is the French winter classic cassoulet. I'ts a hearty but sometimes labor intensive stew that is a melange of meats and beans. It can be tiring to create however there's a new spin to make the dish easier.
David Clark realizes this and gave it his twist in yesterday's New York Times Food section. His column, A City Kitchen has this new recipe along with a first course and a neat dessert. It is the duck that stands out , though. He slow roasts duck , serving it with mashed white beans sizzled herbs and olives. It's more of an Italianate spin than French. There is rosemary which the original recipe does not have along with green and black olives. As for the duck, Mr. Tanis suggests using only the legs and recommends the Moulard breed, a plumper hybrid of the every day duck. The legs are topped with peppery arugula leaves dressed with lemon and salt. To change it up a bit sub in broccoli rabe. Instead of putting everything into a cassoulet pot or Dutch oven, use a sheet pan for the legs to achieve a nice, crispy skin and tender moist flesh, similar to confit. The beans are still cooked with onions as in the original recipe along with cloves and garlic. They're then mashed with some of the bean liquid and resemble mashed potatoes. (A potato masher is used for this). You could even serve these with roasted chicken too.
As for the first course, Mr. Tanis decides on seafood, namely clams.They're simply steamed and then served with a garlic parsley butter and lime for zing. The butter is actually used for escargots - snails - but work perfectly with the clams. It's a mix of unsalted butter, freshly chopped parsley and garlic. The blend is then melted and cooked with lime zest and lime juice. The clams themselves, little necks, are cooked with leeks and white wine.Another alternative is raw oysters on a half shell. As for the dessert, Mr. Tanis goes somewhat light with ricotta paired with a rhubarb , ginger and cardamon sauce.It's a spin on the Mediterranean treat of the cheese drizzled with fresh honey. Ginger and cardamon pods are cooked with sugar and water to form a spiced syrup. About a pound of rhubarb is used for this. If you're wondering where to get it so early in the season, check Wal-Mart or Whole Foods. The mix is served on a wedge of ricotta and decorated with pine nuts or pistachios. As for what wine to serve with the whole dinner, try any of the reds such as Tuscany's Chianti Classico or Brunello de Montalcino.
If you're craving cassoulet but don't want the hard work, consider this recipe with or without the first course and dessert. It's an easier way of enjoying duck and beans . This is a simple cook with a deliciously complex flavor.
David Clark realizes this and gave it his twist in yesterday's New York Times Food section. His column, A City Kitchen has this new recipe along with a first course and a neat dessert. It is the duck that stands out , though. He slow roasts duck , serving it with mashed white beans sizzled herbs and olives. It's more of an Italianate spin than French. There is rosemary which the original recipe does not have along with green and black olives. As for the duck, Mr. Tanis suggests using only the legs and recommends the Moulard breed, a plumper hybrid of the every day duck. The legs are topped with peppery arugula leaves dressed with lemon and salt. To change it up a bit sub in broccoli rabe. Instead of putting everything into a cassoulet pot or Dutch oven, use a sheet pan for the legs to achieve a nice, crispy skin and tender moist flesh, similar to confit. The beans are still cooked with onions as in the original recipe along with cloves and garlic. They're then mashed with some of the bean liquid and resemble mashed potatoes. (A potato masher is used for this). You could even serve these with roasted chicken too.
As for the first course, Mr. Tanis decides on seafood, namely clams.They're simply steamed and then served with a garlic parsley butter and lime for zing. The butter is actually used for escargots - snails - but work perfectly with the clams. It's a mix of unsalted butter, freshly chopped parsley and garlic. The blend is then melted and cooked with lime zest and lime juice. The clams themselves, little necks, are cooked with leeks and white wine.Another alternative is raw oysters on a half shell. As for the dessert, Mr. Tanis goes somewhat light with ricotta paired with a rhubarb , ginger and cardamon sauce.It's a spin on the Mediterranean treat of the cheese drizzled with fresh honey. Ginger and cardamon pods are cooked with sugar and water to form a spiced syrup. About a pound of rhubarb is used for this. If you're wondering where to get it so early in the season, check Wal-Mart or Whole Foods. The mix is served on a wedge of ricotta and decorated with pine nuts or pistachios. As for what wine to serve with the whole dinner, try any of the reds such as Tuscany's Chianti Classico or Brunello de Montalcino.
If you're craving cassoulet but don't want the hard work, consider this recipe with or without the first course and dessert. It's an easier way of enjoying duck and beans . This is a simple cook with a deliciously complex flavor.
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Real Recipes Fake Meat
Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers are truly taking the country by storm. They're all over , from our supermarkets to our fast food joints. Now one chef and food scientist tackles recipes involving them, making these beef substitutes even more desirable. Home chefs will love them.
J Kenji Lopez-Alt, food scientist and creator of the trendy restaurant , Wursthall, wrote about his attempts and observations for today's New York Times Food section. Chef Lopez-Alt did a lot of testing. In fact, in the last two years his team has tested thousands of pounds of the faux beef. His first instinct was to use techniques he uses on beef such as smashing. This is taking meat balls and then pressing them on a hot griddle. It's done by using a stiff spatula, letting them sizzle for a minute for a minute or so. The patty is then scraped off using a razor fitted wallpaper remover. It cooked well, as the Maillard effect came into being. The only problem? The taste. There was none along with the juiciness. I've never had this problem, cooking them on a small grill, for two to three minutes on each side. It may be that I also use a good amount of either I Can't Believe It's Not Butter or real butter. Chef Lopez-Alt narrows it down to this : burgers are flavorful and juicy thanks to fat and fat soluble organic compounds. The beef fat melts contributing to the sizzle and the moist inside.Coconut oil is the main fat in the Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers and it cooks out quickly. It leaves them dry (???) and vegetal tasting.
One interesting experiment Chef Lopez-Alt was cooking fifteen blocks of the Impossible meat on a vertical rotisserie in the style of the Turkish doner kebab, a street food popular throughout most of Europe and, extremely well liked in Germany and Scandinavia. The meat is seasoned with garlic, oregano, chilis along with sumac, often used in Turkish cooking. The meat is molded into a classic cone shape and threaded on a rotisserie spit and rotated slowly in front of a flame. It worked up to a point, when the meat sloughed off the spit. Yet the sandwiches made with it were delicious served with sumac seasoned onions, tomatoes and arugula, There was the sauce, that went with it, a combination of yogurt and garlic. Chef Lopez-Alt also cooks with the crumbles , the ground version of these burgers and is satisfied with the results.It's excellent in creating such Asian dishes as dan dan noodles and mapo tofu. I'm making a variation of the first tomorrow using Morning Star Farms crumbles which I know, from experience is always delicious and meaty. The recipes given are a vegan cheese burger and a vegan chili which Chef Lopez-Alt fires up with a mix of ancho chilies, New Mexico and California ones. He also includes the Turkish kebab one where Beyond meat is refashioned into logs and fried in either grape seed or canola oil. He also gives the recipe for the sumac onions and the spicy dressing too.
Will Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers replace real beef? Hopefully, but don't count on it. There's a lot you can do with them, but they're still not the real thing. There's will always be a need for the real thing no matter how the fake meat industry improves its' product.
J Kenji Lopez-Alt, food scientist and creator of the trendy restaurant , Wursthall, wrote about his attempts and observations for today's New York Times Food section. Chef Lopez-Alt did a lot of testing. In fact, in the last two years his team has tested thousands of pounds of the faux beef. His first instinct was to use techniques he uses on beef such as smashing. This is taking meat balls and then pressing them on a hot griddle. It's done by using a stiff spatula, letting them sizzle for a minute for a minute or so. The patty is then scraped off using a razor fitted wallpaper remover. It cooked well, as the Maillard effect came into being. The only problem? The taste. There was none along with the juiciness. I've never had this problem, cooking them on a small grill, for two to three minutes on each side. It may be that I also use a good amount of either I Can't Believe It's Not Butter or real butter. Chef Lopez-Alt narrows it down to this : burgers are flavorful and juicy thanks to fat and fat soluble organic compounds. The beef fat melts contributing to the sizzle and the moist inside.Coconut oil is the main fat in the Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers and it cooks out quickly. It leaves them dry (???) and vegetal tasting.
One interesting experiment Chef Lopez-Alt was cooking fifteen blocks of the Impossible meat on a vertical rotisserie in the style of the Turkish doner kebab, a street food popular throughout most of Europe and, extremely well liked in Germany and Scandinavia. The meat is seasoned with garlic, oregano, chilis along with sumac, often used in Turkish cooking. The meat is molded into a classic cone shape and threaded on a rotisserie spit and rotated slowly in front of a flame. It worked up to a point, when the meat sloughed off the spit. Yet the sandwiches made with it were delicious served with sumac seasoned onions, tomatoes and arugula, There was the sauce, that went with it, a combination of yogurt and garlic. Chef Lopez-Alt also cooks with the crumbles , the ground version of these burgers and is satisfied with the results.It's excellent in creating such Asian dishes as dan dan noodles and mapo tofu. I'm making a variation of the first tomorrow using Morning Star Farms crumbles which I know, from experience is always delicious and meaty. The recipes given are a vegan cheese burger and a vegan chili which Chef Lopez-Alt fires up with a mix of ancho chilies, New Mexico and California ones. He also includes the Turkish kebab one where Beyond meat is refashioned into logs and fried in either grape seed or canola oil. He also gives the recipe for the sumac onions and the spicy dressing too.
Will Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers replace real beef? Hopefully, but don't count on it. There's a lot you can do with them, but they're still not the real thing. There's will always be a need for the real thing no matter how the fake meat industry improves its' product.
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
A Big Buna Story
It's important to teach our kids about diversity - not just with people but food and drink too. Now there's a book that kids and their parents will like: The Big Buna Bash (Brandylane Publishers 2020). It's a fun and informative read with beautifully drawn illustrations. This picture book is a great tale about Ethiopian traditions and its' coffee.
Sara C. Arnold wrote this charming story about Almaz, a spirited first grader who wants her class mates to know about her Ethiopian family's tradition of buna. It's sort of like a less formal Japanese tea ceremony, where people gather at a host's house to sip this strong coffee and munch on popcorn, the buna's traditional snack. Almaz , with the help of her mom, Nana and her big sister , Bosena create fun invitations that unfortunately wind up in the trash or as paper airplanes.Undeterred and determined she gives it a second go in her class' Show and Tell.This gives Almaz a chance to explain the ritual in full detail, with pictures and goody bags filled with coffee beans and popcorn. This finally sparks interest which leads to a fun buna bash with their teacher Ms Hill and her classmates.. The buna is where coffee beans are roasted in a pan on a portable camping stove. They turn a glossy shade of brown along with producing that rich , aroma we all love. Bosena explains how the beans are hand ground back in Ethiopia while Nana puts water and the grounds in an amphora type pot called jebana. It may take a while but this only allows Almaz to bond further with her classmates over a game of I Spy.
Is the buna a hit? Yes!!!! They enjoy the three rounds of buna. The last or the baraka brings a blessing to those who drink it. I loved this book and how it educates children about different foods from different countries. It's such a sweet tale, and beautifully illustrated by Roberta Malasoma. The love that Ms. Arnold has for buna is evident in the way she describes how the coffee is made. Also evident is her love for the Ethiopian culture and people thanks to her being an aunt to an extended Ethiopian/ Israeli family. I would love to see a sequel about Almaz and her family cooking dinner for her classmates.It could feature such traditional Ethiopian foods as doro wat, a spicy chicken stew and injera , a flatbread made with the ancient grain teff. She could also write another follow up featuring how to create buna in an American kitchen with recipes for well loved Ethiopian desserts like himbasha, a cardamon flavored crepe or Berbere spiced pudding that combines avocados, raw ground cacao, cayenne pepper and paprika.
The Big Buna Bash is a must have for your child's library. It is a great way of introducing little and big foodies alike to this interesting and tasty ritual. Buy it now and expand your family's culinary horizons.
Sara C. Arnold wrote this charming story about Almaz, a spirited first grader who wants her class mates to know about her Ethiopian family's tradition of buna. It's sort of like a less formal Japanese tea ceremony, where people gather at a host's house to sip this strong coffee and munch on popcorn, the buna's traditional snack. Almaz , with the help of her mom, Nana and her big sister , Bosena create fun invitations that unfortunately wind up in the trash or as paper airplanes.Undeterred and determined she gives it a second go in her class' Show and Tell.This gives Almaz a chance to explain the ritual in full detail, with pictures and goody bags filled with coffee beans and popcorn. This finally sparks interest which leads to a fun buna bash with their teacher Ms Hill and her classmates.. The buna is where coffee beans are roasted in a pan on a portable camping stove. They turn a glossy shade of brown along with producing that rich , aroma we all love. Bosena explains how the beans are hand ground back in Ethiopia while Nana puts water and the grounds in an amphora type pot called jebana. It may take a while but this only allows Almaz to bond further with her classmates over a game of I Spy.
Is the buna a hit? Yes!!!! They enjoy the three rounds of buna. The last or the baraka brings a blessing to those who drink it. I loved this book and how it educates children about different foods from different countries. It's such a sweet tale, and beautifully illustrated by Roberta Malasoma. The love that Ms. Arnold has for buna is evident in the way she describes how the coffee is made. Also evident is her love for the Ethiopian culture and people thanks to her being an aunt to an extended Ethiopian/ Israeli family. I would love to see a sequel about Almaz and her family cooking dinner for her classmates.It could feature such traditional Ethiopian foods as doro wat, a spicy chicken stew and injera , a flatbread made with the ancient grain teff. She could also write another follow up featuring how to create buna in an American kitchen with recipes for well loved Ethiopian desserts like himbasha, a cardamon flavored crepe or Berbere spiced pudding that combines avocados, raw ground cacao, cayenne pepper and paprika.
The Big Buna Bash is a must have for your child's library. It is a great way of introducing little and big foodies alike to this interesting and tasty ritual. Buy it now and expand your family's culinary horizons.
Monday, March 2, 2020
Your Own Favorite Restaurant
People are even getting paranoid and understandably so about eating out. Yet, for many it's the highlight of the week or month. The food is tasty and fun. However you don't have to eat out. There are recipes for some of our favorite restaurant and fast food dishes. Why go out when you can bring the eatery to you.
Fast food is always a hit. Who doesn't love a burger with the works or a filled burrito? Yet you can easily make these at home. It's so easy to recreate the special sauce. It's just mayo with a dab of French dressing along with white vinegar and granulated sugar.This can be made healthier with using the vegan Nayonnaise and dark wildflower honey. Add sliced tomatoes , pickles and lettuce on a bun for the full effect. As for fries and onion rings use your air fryer. You could get the bagged , frozen kinds but you can also buy already freshly cut crinkle potato and sweet potato fries.. Liven it up with some ground garlic and rosemary. Homemade onion rings are another easy make, thanks to panko bread crumbs and an egg wash. Love Taco Bell? Their bean burritos are so easy to whip up - as I know. It's easy to cook up kidney beans and chopped onions in a mix of vegetable and olive oil.Red wine vinegar gives it tang while chili pepper and cumin add flavor. Serve it on steamed tortillas. Have a side of melted nacho cheese - basically a jalapeno cheese sauce. It's creating a roux of milk and flour and then adding chopped cheddar and butter. Diced jalapenos are then stirred in for fire.
Pizza and pizza sticks are always easy to recreate.The dough is a simple recipe of flour, water and yeast, along with olive oil, a touch of sugar or honey and salt for flavor. Top with already made pizza sauce also used for dipping with the pizza sticks and a variety of veggies and meats. It's a fun way to teach the kids how to bake as well as create breads. Making a pizza can also be a great method of teaching nutrition and which is the best and healthiest to eat. Kids can learn about using vegan mozzarella and what veggies are the most nutritious and the tastiest for finishing a pizza. Another Italian classic that's always a take out is the hero. Yet these are so much fun to make at home.Take a good Italian or French bread, cut in half, and add slices of your favorite meats , cheeses and veggies.What really makes any hero sing is the dressing.it's just a mix of olive oil and red wine vinegar with a dash of oregano. So many chain restaurants have loaded potato skins.It's baking Russet potatoes and then scooping out the flesh so that there's a quarter of potato left inside. Then you can fill them with anything you want, from bacon to pulled pork or shredded roasted chicken with taco spicing. You could also try topping them with pizza sauce and mozzarella for a different spin.
Eat in if you have qualms about eating out. It's easy to recreate favorite recipes at home. You might even improve on them.
Fast food is always a hit. Who doesn't love a burger with the works or a filled burrito? Yet you can easily make these at home. It's so easy to recreate the special sauce. It's just mayo with a dab of French dressing along with white vinegar and granulated sugar.This can be made healthier with using the vegan Nayonnaise and dark wildflower honey. Add sliced tomatoes , pickles and lettuce on a bun for the full effect. As for fries and onion rings use your air fryer. You could get the bagged , frozen kinds but you can also buy already freshly cut crinkle potato and sweet potato fries.. Liven it up with some ground garlic and rosemary. Homemade onion rings are another easy make, thanks to panko bread crumbs and an egg wash. Love Taco Bell? Their bean burritos are so easy to whip up - as I know. It's easy to cook up kidney beans and chopped onions in a mix of vegetable and olive oil.Red wine vinegar gives it tang while chili pepper and cumin add flavor. Serve it on steamed tortillas. Have a side of melted nacho cheese - basically a jalapeno cheese sauce. It's creating a roux of milk and flour and then adding chopped cheddar and butter. Diced jalapenos are then stirred in for fire.
Pizza and pizza sticks are always easy to recreate.The dough is a simple recipe of flour, water and yeast, along with olive oil, a touch of sugar or honey and salt for flavor. Top with already made pizza sauce also used for dipping with the pizza sticks and a variety of veggies and meats. It's a fun way to teach the kids how to bake as well as create breads. Making a pizza can also be a great method of teaching nutrition and which is the best and healthiest to eat. Kids can learn about using vegan mozzarella and what veggies are the most nutritious and the tastiest for finishing a pizza. Another Italian classic that's always a take out is the hero. Yet these are so much fun to make at home.Take a good Italian or French bread, cut in half, and add slices of your favorite meats , cheeses and veggies.What really makes any hero sing is the dressing.it's just a mix of olive oil and red wine vinegar with a dash of oregano. So many chain restaurants have loaded potato skins.It's baking Russet potatoes and then scooping out the flesh so that there's a quarter of potato left inside. Then you can fill them with anything you want, from bacon to pulled pork or shredded roasted chicken with taco spicing. You could also try topping them with pizza sauce and mozzarella for a different spin.
Eat in if you have qualms about eating out. It's easy to recreate favorite recipes at home. You might even improve on them.
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Leap Into Good Health
This is Leap Year Day - the perfect day to leap into good eating habits. One of the best defenses we have against the corona virus and anything else is solid nutrition. If we eat healthy we'll be healthy.
The first step is assessing what you eat. Too many processed foods - out. The last thing you need is a diet rich with high sodium and high fat along with over processing. Instant or microwave meals can be handy but they can also be deadly too. I know it's easy to pop something for five minutes and then gobble it down. You can still have microwave dishes but try steamed ones. There are many microwave steamers out there where you can cook an entire meal.Start looking into steaming salmon steaks with a wide variety of veggies. Of course we all know about those omega 3''s but few know about their ability to increase white blood cells, vital for fighting off foreign agents such as flus and viruses. They also produce antibodies , sort of like a natural vaccine. what pairs well with a nice piece of the fish? Lightly buttered green beans which are loaded with Vitamins C and K. Asparagus works too.A few stalks will provide you with chromium useful for transporting glucose through the body. Another healthy meat is chicken but skip the fried, as delicious as it is. Stick to grilled and roasted.
Snacking on the wrong foods can also wreck your immunity. Again, as with fast food it's so easy to grab the tasty and the quick. One of the best and most flavorful is a small tray of mixed veggies with spiced up Greek yogurt. Have a good mix of broccoli and cauliflower florets.Broccoli is rich in the essential vitamins along with choline, a nutrient essential to a healthy diet. Choline aids in creating a strong gastrointestinal barrier which keeps bacteria safely confined to the gut.Cauliflower also has its' life saving pluses.The florets are known for their anti-inflammatory properties and also choline. Of course don't forget the carrots. These perfect crunchers (and teeth cleaners) are abundant in beta carotene and their nutrients help to support the body's mucus membrane which lines both the respiratory and intestinal tracts. This makes it hard for bacteria to enter the blood stream. If you want sweet then consider Greek yogurt drizzled with maple syrup or dark wildflower honey. Even these two sweeteners have antioxidant properties that help strengthen the immune system.
Leap into a diet that boosts your immune system. It will help you deal with whatever germs that are out there. You can protect yourself while still eating tasty foods.
The first step is assessing what you eat. Too many processed foods - out. The last thing you need is a diet rich with high sodium and high fat along with over processing. Instant or microwave meals can be handy but they can also be deadly too. I know it's easy to pop something for five minutes and then gobble it down. You can still have microwave dishes but try steamed ones. There are many microwave steamers out there where you can cook an entire meal.Start looking into steaming salmon steaks with a wide variety of veggies. Of course we all know about those omega 3''s but few know about their ability to increase white blood cells, vital for fighting off foreign agents such as flus and viruses. They also produce antibodies , sort of like a natural vaccine. what pairs well with a nice piece of the fish? Lightly buttered green beans which are loaded with Vitamins C and K. Asparagus works too.A few stalks will provide you with chromium useful for transporting glucose through the body. Another healthy meat is chicken but skip the fried, as delicious as it is. Stick to grilled and roasted.
Snacking on the wrong foods can also wreck your immunity. Again, as with fast food it's so easy to grab the tasty and the quick. One of the best and most flavorful is a small tray of mixed veggies with spiced up Greek yogurt. Have a good mix of broccoli and cauliflower florets.Broccoli is rich in the essential vitamins along with choline, a nutrient essential to a healthy diet. Choline aids in creating a strong gastrointestinal barrier which keeps bacteria safely confined to the gut.Cauliflower also has its' life saving pluses.The florets are known for their anti-inflammatory properties and also choline. Of course don't forget the carrots. These perfect crunchers (and teeth cleaners) are abundant in beta carotene and their nutrients help to support the body's mucus membrane which lines both the respiratory and intestinal tracts. This makes it hard for bacteria to enter the blood stream. If you want sweet then consider Greek yogurt drizzled with maple syrup or dark wildflower honey. Even these two sweeteners have antioxidant properties that help strengthen the immune system.
Leap into a diet that boosts your immune system. It will help you deal with whatever germs that are out there. You can protect yourself while still eating tasty foods.
Friday, February 28, 2020
Chinese Restaurants - A Go Or No Go
The coronoavirus has affected everything , from how we live to how we conduct business. Even eating out can be seen as risky. Now the focus on Chinese restaurants since the virus originated in Wuhan, China and everything Chinese is suspect. What should we do?
The dilemma is a double edged sword. If you boycott Chinese or any Asian restaurant, you're seen as racist and xenophobic. Staying away is understandable since COVID-19 , the official name for the virus - is highly contagious. Families with young children along with the elderly and autoimmune compromised are especially nervous and again, it's understandable. I hate to say avoid until the virus is eradicated but that may have to be the case. What about Asian markets? Again the answer may be stay away until everything is OK again. Keep in mind that also applies to grocery markets and other ethnic restaurants.Mall food courts are out too, since they're hangouts for all sorts of germs. Maybe the best bet is signing up for Peapod or any food delivery service. Pick out what you need , by brand and quantity and have it delivered to you. Many swear by these and are satisfied with the quality of produce and meats they receive.
This brings up the question of take out. Can we order Chinese take out by phone or computer? Again, this sounds racist and xenophobic but if you can trust your restaurant, then the answer is yes. They know you and probably realize your fears. Maybe they'll wear plastic gloves when cooking. Face masks may help but they also hold in humidity which breeds germs. Yet all take out should be suspect as well. Can we trust our pizza delivery people or our Panera drivers just as much as we trust our Chinese take out deliverers? They too are human and just as susceptible to the coronavirus as any of us. One accidental sneeze or cough could contaminate our order of pizza sticks or tomato soup. Maybe the healthier choice is the unhealthy choice of frozen and processed foods. We can still get a variety of different ethnic choices.They may not be fresh made but they're just as easy to prepare as ordering take out. If you do have the time, then you can create some of your take out favorites.
There is no easy answer to eating out right now. Be brave if you want to. Support local businesses. Just b e aware of what's going on in your neighborhoods and towns. Be aware. Be cautious.
The dilemma is a double edged sword. If you boycott Chinese or any Asian restaurant, you're seen as racist and xenophobic. Staying away is understandable since COVID-19 , the official name for the virus - is highly contagious. Families with young children along with the elderly and autoimmune compromised are especially nervous and again, it's understandable. I hate to say avoid until the virus is eradicated but that may have to be the case. What about Asian markets? Again the answer may be stay away until everything is OK again. Keep in mind that also applies to grocery markets and other ethnic restaurants.Mall food courts are out too, since they're hangouts for all sorts of germs. Maybe the best bet is signing up for Peapod or any food delivery service. Pick out what you need , by brand and quantity and have it delivered to you. Many swear by these and are satisfied with the quality of produce and meats they receive.
This brings up the question of take out. Can we order Chinese take out by phone or computer? Again, this sounds racist and xenophobic but if you can trust your restaurant, then the answer is yes. They know you and probably realize your fears. Maybe they'll wear plastic gloves when cooking. Face masks may help but they also hold in humidity which breeds germs. Yet all take out should be suspect as well. Can we trust our pizza delivery people or our Panera drivers just as much as we trust our Chinese take out deliverers? They too are human and just as susceptible to the coronavirus as any of us. One accidental sneeze or cough could contaminate our order of pizza sticks or tomato soup. Maybe the healthier choice is the unhealthy choice of frozen and processed foods. We can still get a variety of different ethnic choices.They may not be fresh made but they're just as easy to prepare as ordering take out. If you do have the time, then you can create some of your take out favorites.
There is no easy answer to eating out right now. Be brave if you want to. Support local businesses. Just b e aware of what's going on in your neighborhoods and towns. Be aware. Be cautious.
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