Friday, September 16, 2011

Real Italian Cooking


This week I was invited to a Casa Barilla event held in Central Park, where celebrated chefs shared their joy of Italian cooking.  I watched demonstrations and tasted succulent, mouthwatering Italian food.  It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.

Each of the chefs used simple, but quality ingredients like fresh tomatoes, garlic, parsley and extra virgin olive oil.  Quick and easy, all of the dishes were prepared on a stovetop using skillets and a big pot for boiling pasta.

There are 4 cardinal rules for boiling pasta: 1) Never break the noodles; cook them long; 2) Never put oil in the boiling water.  It doesn't keep pasta from sticking, and you are wasting good olive oil; 3) Cook the noodles al dente [firm].  Soft pasta is overcooked and unhealthy; 4) Never rinse the pasta; you don't want to remove the starch.  As a guide: Cook one pound of pasta in one gallon of water with one tablespoon salt.

At the Barilla event, professional Italian chefs walked us through the steps of making 10-12 seasonal, authentic Italian dishes with fresh ingredients available at farmer's markets and, increasingly, at supermarkets.

Chef Lorenzo Boni recommends cooking pasta one minute short of what the directions on the box say, then finish cooking it in the sauce to pick up flavors.  Other tips: Don't cook ... warm extra virgin olive oil to preserve flavor and its health benefits.  He uses only a small amount of extra virgin olive oil to tenderize vegetables, then dribbles more on to finish the dish right before serving. 

Here are the recipes for two seafood dishes I plan on making at home:

Linguine with Sundried Mullet Roe and Parsley
Ingredients:
1 box linguine
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 piece sundried mullet roe, grated
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Red pepper flakes to taste
Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to box directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, warm the olive oil and add the garlic, frying until golden.
3. Add the pasta, and toss with grated mullet roe and chopped parsley. [Our chef grated the flesh of a fillet.]
4. Sprinkle on red pepper flakes and serve.

Vermicelli Mari e Monti
Ingredients:
12 mussels
12 small clams
½  pound calamari
2 garlic cloves
¼  cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
10 medium shrimp
½  pound sea bass
1 cup porcini mushrooms, sliced
1 box Vermicelli or thick spaghetti
3 tablespoons parsley
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Directions:
1) Steam the mussels and clams in a covered skillet.  Discard the shells.
2) Cut the calamari into thin rings.
3) Chop the garlic into very thin slices.  Heat half the oil and garlic in a skillet.
4) Add the seafood and saute for 2 minutes.
5) In a separate skillet, saute the mushrooms until golden.  Add the fish sauce.
6) If needed, add some of the pasta cooking water and simmer two more minutes.
7) Meanwhile, cook pasta according to box directions, drain al dente and toss with the sauce and some cooking liquid.
8) Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Trust me, the cost of the seafood in each dish is well-worth the splurge.  Italians are famous for "celebrating the good things in life: food, culture, family and friends."  They "believe in the power of food."*  Let's all be Italian for a day. 
Plate
Mangiare bene e piacere!

*Quotes from Barilla event

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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Zac Posen Rules The Runway

Zac Posen exhibited his Spring 2012 collection in New York during Fashion Week after a two year absence.  Like several other high profile designers, he showed in Paris in recent years, but not here.  Thank goodness he's back at Lincoln Center this year.  Even if you don't buy high fashion, browsing is fun, inspiring and sometimes gorgeous.  Zac Posen is a favorite designer of mine, and I'm not alone.  The reason?  He truly knows how to dress a woman.  Weather it's his sultry party dresses, or a two-piece, night-out-on-the-town ensemble, you can entrust your curves into his capable hands and creative mind for a romantic, sweet and ultra modern look.  With satin and tulle fabrics that are perfectly cut,  Zac Posen always makes a woman look feminine, elegant and very pretty.  Styled to flatter a woman's figure, he gives you a little drama.  It's edgy without being ridiculous.  Thank you, Zac!  You're a dressmaker, who really likes women.  I love you too! 

Click here to view his complete collection.

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Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Fashion's Night Out Is Thursday


This year there are over 1,000 stores participating in New York City and many more in major cities around the world. Stores are open late and hosting free food, spirits and plenty of exciting entertainment.  Don't miss out on the ultimate party scene as only the fashion industry can throw it.  Go to these in-the-know sites to get a complete list of all the fashion, fun events and giveaways: FNO {All cities} and Metro {New York}.  Get ready to enjoy the celebrities, music, and champagne! Party smile

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Thursday, September 1, 2011

What Would You Do If You Were Losing Your Hair?


I feel for men who are going bald. Today baldness is considered hip, but thinning hair has to be traumatic. Hair is such a big part of our identity, a symbol of youth and not everyone looks good with a bald head.

According to several medical sources, male pattern badness affects about 40 million men in the US alone.  Men have a 4 in 7 chance of inheriting the baldness gene.  Studies indicate that early baldness is passed on through the X chromosome, but the Y chromosome plays a part too.  Castrated men don't go bald.  Interesting fact, but yikes!  Don't try it at home.

Male pattern baldness begins with a receding hairline (from the lateral sides of the forehead).  Usually, a woman's hair doesn't start to thin until she is in her 80s.  

In spite of websites that claim to treat baldness, there's not much you can do to slow it down, or regrow your hair.  Two FDA approved treatments, finasteride [Propecia] and minoxidel [Rogaine] have limited success.  And hair implants are costly, painful and not very effective either.

Hollywood types like William Shatner, Nicolas Cage, Matthew McConaughey, Jon Cryer, Jude Law and Gene Simmons are rumored to wear hairpieces while in the public eye.  As did Michael Jackson.  Elton John does too.  It doesn't take experience to know that fake hair is an ordeal to wear.

I don't blame a person for doing whatever he has to do to deal with hair loss.  If it were me, I'd get some tony, happening hats like Micky Dolenz and Cee Lo Green.

Life is change.  Since the beginning of time.  Every body changes.  But, you're in good company.  Many other men are going bald too.  Hopefully, losing one's hair makes a person a little more compassionate.  No one is perfect, and if it's not one thing, surely, it will be something else.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

The End Of Summer

Goodbye Summer
Here are five simple things I will miss about summer:

1} The long, endless days – Daylight lasting until 9 PM.

2} Cotton and linen fabrics – So comfortable to wear, or wrap around yourself.

3} Skimpy clothes and sockless feet/No layers to bother with – Grabbing a wallet and a set of keys and heading out the door dressed as you are, in a crisp summer dress, or a pair of shorts and a soft cotton t-shirt.  I love not having a lot of stuff weighing me down.

4} Fresh picked fruits and vegetables – Especially peaches, strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, tomatoes and corn-on-the-cob.  It's true you can eat them all year around, but they don't taste the same.

5} Summer rain – It sweeps over you swiftly, and an hour later the sun is back out.  I don't mind walking in the summer rain.

So long summer.  Until next year ...

Summers go by so quickly.  And once again fall is right around the corner.

Hello autumn.

Five simple things I like about fall include:

1} Boots

2} Cashmere sweaters

3} A lack of humidity

4} Falling leaves and 

5} Freshly picked apples.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Feather Hair Extensions, Patterned Nail Polish And Smoky Eyes

Smoky eyes and feather hair extensions on Hilary Duff and Selena Gomez

As the summer winds down, it's not too late to take a walk on the wild side. Embrace one of these popular tends.  I don't think they will end anytime soon:

1. Sultra's Natural Feather Hair Accents are authentic rooster feathers, dyed in 4 color combinations that you clip in your hair like a braid.  They are easy to attach and remove.  You can also curl, wave and straighten them for a 1970s glam look.  Costs: $25 at Sephora.

2. Another fun fad is wearing fancy patterned nail polish.  But you don't have to spend a fortune, or hours at a nail salon to get your nails done.  Sally Hansen offers a set of new Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips that you press on yourself at home and go.  Get intricate graphics and colorful patterns.  There are 23 color combinations.  It is real nail polish, but requires no time to dry and lasts about 10 days.  Costs: $10.

3. And, the smoky eye endures.  Sephora sells a Beauty In A Box Smoky Eyes Patelle that is mistake proof.  It is a collection of handpicked colors, tools and illustrated instructions on how to achieve classic smoky eyes in six steps.  Costs: $36.

With these fashion-forward accessories, there's absolutely no need to stick with the same-old, same-old.  Here's your chance to break out of your comfort zone and have a little uninhibited fun​.

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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

German Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake


Believe it or not, I don't have a sweet tooth.  I crave salty snacks.  Hickory smoked nuts, French fries and cheddar nachos are my weaknesses and calories of choice.  That's not to say I don't enjoy sweets, occasionally, like today.  I'm having friends over for afternoon coffee and tea, which is all the motivation I need to make a scrumptious cake.  The one I'm serving calls for two unusual ingredients: sauerkraut and mayonnaise.  But don't be fooled.  It's not how you start, but how you finish.  You end up with a moist and rich chocolate confection your guests will love!  Here's the easy recipe:

Tip before starting: Be sure all your ingredients are room temperature as you will get a flaky cake. At times I've made the mistake of using cold butter or eggs, which results in a dense cake texture. Live and learn!

German Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake

Ingredients for the batter:

¾ cup butter
1 ½ cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cups whole wheat flour (or half all purpose flour)
¾ cup real cocoa (plus blocks of dark chocolate)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk
1 cup chopped sauerkraut – I pour the liquid off, but don't strain it.
½ cup flaked coconut
½  cup finely chopped pecans, oven roasted for 5 - 8 minutes
Extra skim milk, if needed, to get a not-too-dry (or runny) batter consistency – add a few drops at a time.  You want a thick, but liquid batter that you can stir and pour into a pan without difficulty.

Directions for the batter:

1. In a bowl, mix the 14 ingredients in order, adding one at a time.  Beat until smooth.
2. Pour into two greased 9 inch cake pans and bake at 350° for 25 minutes, or until the center is done.
3. Remove from the oven.  Cool
4. While the pans are still warm remove the cakes.
5. Set aside and cool completely.

Ingredients for the frosting:

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, melted
2/3 cup mayonnaise, regular or light (but not non-fat)
2/3 cup flaked coconut
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans, oven roasted for 5 - 8 minutes

Directions for the frosting:


1) Melt the chocolate by putting the chips in a mixing bowl and microwave it about 30-40 seconds.
2) Remove and stir in the mayonnaise.
3) Add about half of the coconut and pecans.
4) Spread the frosting on the inside layer, then frost the top and sides.
5) Sprinkle the top and sides with the remaining flaked coconut and chopped pecans.
I prefer this chocolate frosting, but click here for another choice.

And now a quiz: Name the country of origin. ??? Au contraire: German chocolate cake did not begin in Germany.  The name comes from the chocolate, not the country.  When Englishman Sam German created dark baking chocolate for his American employer, the Baker's Chocolate Company in 1852, the product was named after him.  According to several sources, the first recipe for German Chocolate Cake was submitted by a Texas housewife to a local Dallas newspaper in 1957.  It became an instant hit, driving up the sales of the chocolate.  I don't know who, later, added the sauerkraut, perhaps a crafty sauerkraut company.
🤔💡

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Thursday, August 11, 2011

Personal Care Products: Get Stellar Results For Less

What's In A Name?
Once you pay for a product and walk out the store, it's nobody's business how you use it.  Recently I discovered that diaper rash rub makes an awesome hand, cuticle and eye cream.  The active ingredient is zinc oxide, making it highly effective in treating dry skin.  So far, I love it.  It's richness will protect hands all winter long.  A good one, available at drugstores, is called Boudreaux's Butt Paste, so you know the inventor has a sense of humor.

The idea of consolidating toiletries by finding new uses for old products is appealing.  So is saving time and money by finding drugstore counterparts that work as well as their high-end-cousins.  Why buy three different products if one gets all the jobs done?  Or, overpay to achieve identical results?  On occasion I may want an expensive cosmetic.  But if I choose to spend twenty times more for a luxury brand, I have to like it twenty times more than the cheaper version.  I like products with more than one use to reduce clutter.  And whenever possible I want to keep life simple with one-step shopping at the corner drugstore.


You don't have to change your personal care items all at once, but as a savvy shopper, ask yourself why you use them and what you expect them to do for you.  Consider: (1) does a product work; (2) what are its active ingredients; (3) and, can you get similar results for less?

Below are a few items to compare:

If you like:
Try:
Kiehl's Lip Balm  $15 for .5 oz.  It's 91% petroleum jelly.
Eucerin Aquaphor  $2.19 for a pocket size .35 oz tube, or Vaseline, $3.49 for a 14 oz jar.
Frederic Fekkai Shampoos and Conditioners, .08 oz at $24 and up.
Pentente's Shampoos and Conditioners in several formulas to treat your specific hair type. 25.4 oz at $7 and under.
Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara, $30.  It's a great mascara, but so are drugstore options.
Maybelline – $7.  There are mutiple formulas to choose from, in waterproof or washable.
Lancome Huile Douceur Remove All Deep Cleansing Oil  $35 for 6.8 oz.
Noxema Original Deep Cleansing Cream – $3.99 for 14 oz.  It contains Eucalyptus oil and camphor to soothe skin.
Go Smile Go Whiter Whitening System  $89 for a kit.  I'm afraid of most home whitening treatments.  It's better to go to a dentist if you need extensive whitening.
Dr. George's Dental White –  $10 for 5.2 oz.  This is a hydrogen peroxide gel that's safe on enamel.  You can buy a kit with a tray for about $15, or use a dab of gel as a toothpaste booster when needed.


When you travel, you quickly learn that many cosmetics can be used for several purposes.  Lipsticks easily double as check color.  Bronzers too make excellent blush and eyeshadows.  Talcum power keeps the shine off your forehead and your feet dry and comfortable.  Doesn't it make you wonder why we accumulate so many personal care products?  As I've stated elsewhere, these days I try to put a little more thought into why I buy things ... learn about products and make better choices.  Plus, lessen my carbon footprint whenever possible.

Sorry Madison Avenue.  But.  Have you found a cheaper brand that works as well as a designer one?  Or, have you found a new use for an old standby you'd like to share? 


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Saturday, August 6, 2011

Guilty Pleasure Songs

When it comes to music, you know good from bad.  Nonetheless, there are songs you like, but you don't want to admit it.  Despite the ridicule of friends, you find yourself tapping your toe to the beat and singing along when you hear the song on the radio.  Well, shut you up!  You know you shouldn't, but ... let's share several of our guilty pleasures, the songs we enjoy, even if we think we shouldn't.  Mine include:

Peace1. Hair by the Cowsills – A pop band consisting of a mother and her six kids.  They sang a memorable cover of the Broadway tune, which became a #2 Billboard hit. Excellent harmonies, but a pop band shouldn't include your mom.
2. Sugar, Sugar by The Archies  – They were not even a real musical group, but a cartoon.  If I worried at all about what others thought, I'd be mortified.  Obviously, I am beyond help, because I don't care.  Ron Dante sang the lead.  Definitely a good beat, and you can dance to it.
3. Secret Agent Man by Johnny Rivers – I can't even remember when I first heard this 1966 hit.  In spite of being known for this cheeky song, Johnny Rivers is a talented musician.  And still a hottie!  Give this song a listen, and tell me you don't like it.
4. Wheel In the Sky by Journey – This song is from a band I can't stand.  They earned millions of dollars for recording 80s elevator rock.  But, sometimes such a band has a song with a good guitar riff, and Steve Perry has a good voice.  Plus, the lyrics are decent.  Still if anyone uses the fact that I actually like a Journey song against me, I will hurt you.
5. Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down – A fun song with a clever hook, marching drum rolls and skillful guitar licks.  Play it LOUD, and pick up your air guitar.  A good melody that builds. [YouTube here: Use their seach to listen.]

And I'm throwing in the featured song [above], because the Raiders often wore silly Revolutionary War costumes when performing (a 60s thing???).  But I'm not embarrassed about liking “Indian Reservation.”  Produced by lead singer, Mark Lindsay, it's a terrific raw song that has held up over the years.  The drum and organ are spectacular.  It was written by John D. Loudermilk, who also wrote songs for The Everly Brothers and Marianne Faithful.  I.R. is the perfect pop song that happens to have a meaningful message.  Much is accomplished in three minutes, and I never get tired of it.  That's why I slapped it up here. 

If pressed, I could come up with a longer list of guilty pleasures, but now it's your turn.  My list illustrates what is often said about music:  You either like it, or you don't.  There's nothing wrong with letting a catchy pop song lift your spirits.  It's not like you can't listen to other music too.  Are you still too timid to admit you like certain songs?  C'mon, get it off your chest.  Confess under comments.


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