Would you pay someone to make your job harder?

A bill is right now being passed through the House of Representatives that would give the FDA more power to regulate the food industry and would cost each food supplier $1,000 for the extra work that it will cost the FDA.

In recent years there have been many food scares. Last summer I remember guests at the Bar Harbor Inn requesting no tomatoes on their salads because of the possible e-coli tomato scare. The summer before it was the spinach scare. All of these scares were "innocent" as far as these kinds of scares go. No one was formally charged with intentionally distributing or contaminating the food.

The recent peanut disaster was a totally different story. TV stations were splattering stories about how the head of the plant knew about the entire thing and was sending out contaminated food on purpose. This incident was the focusing event that the lawmakers in Washington used to push this recent bill.

The Washington Post spun this entire story as a wonderful new way to make sure our country's food supply is safe. I am a little more skeptical of this whole thing. This bill calls for a charge to be placed on food suppliers for the extra work that the bill creates. $1,000 per supplier is going to be passed down to the restaurants and grocery stores who will kindly pass the bill on to everyone who eats food (that'd be me and you). I am not sure if you have received a piece of this illusive stimulus package, but I haven't and can't possibly afford anything to go up in price. Basically while the government is spending money bailing out struggling companies it's going to fine companies that might be doing ok. This isn't right.

I understand that what that producer did with contaminated peanuts is wrong, but for that one man there are a lot of honest men and women who supply food. It is important for the FDA to watch over the food industry. There are also checks and balances within the industry. If a supplier is sending out bad food, any chef worth his or her salt is going to send that food back. No one wants people to be sick, especially when your business is dependant on a person's experience of your food.

I will step off my soapbox for a second and say that it has been grey and rainy in PA. Grey and rainy days are never fun when it should be sunny and nice out, but they always make me want to bake. In the past two day we've made a strawberry rhubarb pie, brownies, and chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I don't know if everyone else hibernates like I do, but I hope that you are enjoying food and friends and the beginning of summer. On these colder days take advantage of the fact that your ovens won't be heating up your house. One of my favorite comfort food baking recipes is the recipe for soft pretzels.

6 large 12 small
3 ½ C of flour(bread flour works best-half whole wheat/ half bread flour makes good whole wheat pretzels-all purpose flour works just fine too)
4 T brown sugar(I have used honey or white sugar-honey works well with whole wheat)
2 tsp. salt (sea salt preferably)
1 Tblsp yeast, dissolved in the water(one package of yeast is roughly one tablespoon)
1 C water (120°) fairly warm but not hot.

2 t baking soda mixed with 1 Cup hot water (in a small bowl)(I never actually measure this; just pour some baking soda into water)

1 egg beaten with 1 teasp. water
(in a small bowl)

Mix water/yeast, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Add flour and mix until dough is smooth. Add more flour if sticky. (If possible let the dough sit overnight in a bowl or plastic container in the refrigerator.) I think I hardly ever let it sit over night; cover well if you do.

Divide the dough into 6 or 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope; the thickness depends on what kind of shape you want to make. If you want a traditional pretzel roll into a thin long snake. If you are just going to make a knot, it can be shorter and fatter. If you want a traditional pretzel shape, shape into an upside down U shape on your table. Bring the ends together and twist them. Flatten the ends and bring to the top of the pretzel and press in the dough to secure making it look like a pretzel.

Place on a greased cookie sheet. Now let the pretzels rise for a 45 minutes or till about double in size. I hardly ever let them sit and rise; they will most likely sit for that time when you roll out all of the pretzels. Cover with a semi-wet paper towel if the dough looks like it’s drying out.

Put the water and baking soda in a saucepan and boil. Dip the pretzels in the water-soda solution for about 10 seconds. Brush with beaten egg and water solution. Sprinkle with; coarse salt, sesame seeds, and/or parmesan cheese, or
cinnamon sugar

Bake in hot oven 450 degrees (225 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes or until well browned.

Try not to eat them all at once, and be creative you can make almost any kind of pretzel you can think up.

Happy Eating!!!

Emily