I am a lover of food. Just the thought of my mom's fried cabbage and noodles or my Titi's red rice and beans gets me all hot and bothered. I am still unsure about whether food actually makes me more loving or lovable. The NY Times article about aphrodesiac foods today made me even more skeptical, sort of.
The article basically said in order for chocolate to work you'd have to eat 15 pounds of it. For some reason cherries lower a woman's libido, and spicy peppers might spice up your love life. Then again they might not. The whole article was so objective it didn't come to a point. Well no, that's not fair, basically the article said there is really no science behind any food being an aphrodisiac.
DUHHHHHHH!!!
The whole sexy mystery behind foods being aphrodisiacs lies in the fact that it is a mystery. Has no one ever seen or read Chocolat? Imagining that there is this food of love that works kind of like cupid's darts may be as silly as believing that relationships are always like the fairytales. That doesn't mean that a kiss on the cheek while being handed a perfect red rose doesn't still send shivers down my arms. Or that dipping a strawberry in warm chocolate and taking a bite doesn't make me feel kind of romantic.
Love is a hardcore mystery. What makes a woman fall in love? What makes a man fall in love? No one really has a straight answer. Of course there are plenty of old-wives tales. Just as there are plenty of old wives tales about love, there are plenty of old wives tales about food. You know chocolate, oysters, and all that jazz that the NY Times article kind of shot into.
Before you lose all faith in the Times, I did find one piece of information in the article rather interesting. All of those fancy meals that restaurants are making with supposed aphrodesiacs might not create the desired result. All of the rich food actually makes you kind of sleepy. I love it! One more reason to make your own food and avoid the sleepy drive home.
I am proud to announce that I am completely done with my Valentine's Day shopping, and have a bag of candy hearts sitting in my room just waiting to be enjoyed.
Happy Eating!!!
Emily
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Hearts for Haiti
I haven't really said much on here about Haiti and the horrible earthquake that changed the lives of so many people in Haiti and in the US. I was sent an email today that reminded me of the importance of continuing to remember Haiti and the help that is still needed.
River Gods in Cambridge has a special program this Sunday, Hearts for Haiti. There's going to be Haitian cuisine, raffles and all kinds of aren't-you-glad-you-gave-back fun. They are asking for a $5 donation at the door, but maybe you could forgo those two dozen roses for $50 and impress the love of your life with a generous heart for the people of Haiti. All of the proceeds are going to Partners in Health, a Boston-based group that has been helping the people Haiti for more than 20 years.
For all of you single people, coming and giving back to the people of Haiti might be the perfect way to do something on Valentine's Day. The laidback atmosphere of River Gods would be perfect and less awkward than trying to go out for something to eat amidst the many happy couples.
If you're around the Boston area, check it out and give back to the people of Haiti.
Happy Eating!!!
Emily
Chocolate solves all of life's problems
I am a big fan of the powers of chocolate. So is Matt, but I think that's just because if he stuffs some chocolate in my mouth I'll most likely shut up and apologize for being mean. According the Daily Beast Peru is beginning to learn the powers of chocolate.
Farmers in Peru are beginning to plant cacao, or the bean that makes chocolate, instead of coca, the plant that makes the very real and scary drug, cocaine. Supposedly Peru is number 2 to Columbia in Cocaine production, and a special U.S. agency is trying to change things around. They want Peru to be known for chocolate.
I really want the best for Peru. I mean if I were a country, I wouldn't want to be known as a second biggest cocaine producer. Can you imagine being number 2? It's like saying yeah you're almost a bad ass country that everyone is scared of, but not quite. That's just sad. Now IF I had the opportunity to be known as the country that was producing the most amazing cacao (chocolate) anyone had ever tasted, I'd be totally running the UN.
Chocolate creates happiness. My roommate received a package from her mom a few days ago. On the top of the package was a bag of chocolate. Her face lit up and instantly she was saying how amazing her mom was. She hadn't even eaten the chocolate yet.
Sharing a chocolate fix is almost as good as getting one for yourself. I already shared the recipe for these chocolate peanut butter Kandy Kakes bars on the blog, but in case you forgot about it check it out and get your chocolate-peanut butter-Tasty Cake-fix. Your world and the world of the person you might have freaked out at, because you were running low on chocolate, will thank you for it.
Happy Eating!!!
Emily
Farmers in Peru are beginning to plant cacao, or the bean that makes chocolate, instead of coca, the plant that makes the very real and scary drug, cocaine. Supposedly Peru is number 2 to Columbia in Cocaine production, and a special U.S. agency is trying to change things around. They want Peru to be known for chocolate.
I really want the best for Peru. I mean if I were a country, I wouldn't want to be known as a second biggest cocaine producer. Can you imagine being number 2? It's like saying yeah you're almost a bad ass country that everyone is scared of, but not quite. That's just sad. Now IF I had the opportunity to be known as the country that was producing the most amazing cacao (chocolate) anyone had ever tasted, I'd be totally running the UN.
Chocolate creates happiness. My roommate received a package from her mom a few days ago. On the top of the package was a bag of chocolate. Her face lit up and instantly she was saying how amazing her mom was. She hadn't even eaten the chocolate yet.
Sharing a chocolate fix is almost as good as getting one for yourself. I already shared the recipe for these chocolate peanut butter Kandy Kakes bars on the blog, but in case you forgot about it check it out and get your chocolate-peanut butter-Tasty Cake-fix. Your world and the world of the person you might have freaked out at, because you were running low on chocolate, will thank you for it.
Happy Eating!!!
Emily
Sunday, February 7, 2010
And the countdown is on
In case you were so busy buying the chips and salsa and making the wings for your Super Bowl party - I am really not at all sure why wings became the "it" thing this year to make for the Super Bowl. I do have an amazing recipe for parmesan cheese wings, but you've all made your wings. I'll save that for another day. - Like I was saying, in case you were too busy focusing on the Saints/Colts showdown, next Sunday is Valentine's Day.
Last night I listened to a woman in a store talk about how it was just another Sunday and how she and her boyfriend had decided to just treat it like any other Sunday. If that man brings her a dozen red roses, I bet she wouldn't complain. But that's besides the point. Most men would be lying if they said they could care less about the Super Bowl and would rather just treat it like a regular Sunday with Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters on the agenda. Most women would be lying if they said they could care less about Valentine's Day.
I have already talked about knowing your significant other's chocolate preference. - No dark for us milk girls! - You also have a perfect spaghetti and meatball meal that you can make. It is super easy and would be a fabulous suprise for any Valentine's Day meal. As Matt and I were discussing yesterday, all of these things are wonderful, but it's that silly gift that you feel you have to get that makes things a tad bit tricky and uber stressful.
After realizing that my boyfriend didn't own a non-stick pan, I have come to the conclusion that kitchen gadgets never go out of style. My parents who have been married for 25 years don't have a good can opener. Unfortunately for my mom I already solved this problem. Maybe this is why Matt says I'm so hard to shop for. I tend to buy the things I need. Oops!
Anyway there are some very cool foodie gifts this V-day that I think are definite must-haves. Lucinda Scala Quinn's new book Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys looks AMAZING!!! It would be a great gift for the guy in your life, or for the lady who's always looking for new recipes and bacon-filled meals.
I am also a huge fan of all of the adorable little animal gadgets at Target. I don't know if you've ever wandered toward the kitchen gadget side of Target, but you know you've always wanted a Toucan pizza cutter. I mean this stuff is just adorable.
For the very serious cook in your life a copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking 1 or 2 would really bring a HUGE smile on the day of love. I'm normally not a huge cookbook person, but this is the bible of French cooking. And Julia and her wonderful self has come back like 80s fashion; you'd be so in for buying it.
Think a little more creative this year for V-day. Think about the basic things that might make your love's life a little easier. And think of something that would keep on giving all year. Pretty red Kitchen Aid mixers are always welcome. What says love more than a beautiful red mixer?
Happy Eating!!!
Emily
Last night I listened to a woman in a store talk about how it was just another Sunday and how she and her boyfriend had decided to just treat it like any other Sunday. If that man brings her a dozen red roses, I bet she wouldn't complain. But that's besides the point. Most men would be lying if they said they could care less about the Super Bowl and would rather just treat it like a regular Sunday with Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters on the agenda. Most women would be lying if they said they could care less about Valentine's Day.
I have already talked about knowing your significant other's chocolate preference. - No dark for us milk girls! - You also have a perfect spaghetti and meatball meal that you can make. It is super easy and would be a fabulous suprise for any Valentine's Day meal. As Matt and I were discussing yesterday, all of these things are wonderful, but it's that silly gift that you feel you have to get that makes things a tad bit tricky and uber stressful.
After realizing that my boyfriend didn't own a non-stick pan, I have come to the conclusion that kitchen gadgets never go out of style. My parents who have been married for 25 years don't have a good can opener. Unfortunately for my mom I already solved this problem. Maybe this is why Matt says I'm so hard to shop for. I tend to buy the things I need. Oops!
Anyway there are some very cool foodie gifts this V-day that I think are definite must-haves. Lucinda Scala Quinn's new book Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys looks AMAZING!!! It would be a great gift for the guy in your life, or for the lady who's always looking for new recipes and bacon-filled meals.
I am also a huge fan of all of the adorable little animal gadgets at Target. I don't know if you've ever wandered toward the kitchen gadget side of Target, but you know you've always wanted a Toucan pizza cutter. I mean this stuff is just adorable.
For the very serious cook in your life a copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking 1 or 2 would really bring a HUGE smile on the day of love. I'm normally not a huge cookbook person, but this is the bible of French cooking. And Julia and her wonderful self has come back like 80s fashion; you'd be so in for buying it.
Think a little more creative this year for V-day. Think about the basic things that might make your love's life a little easier. And think of something that would keep on giving all year. Pretty red Kitchen Aid mixers are always welcome. What says love more than a beautiful red mixer?
Happy Eating!!!
Emily
Saturday, February 6, 2010
It's a little fishy
I am baffled by fish. They are overkilled, overfarmed, and not many people care. Many vegetarians will eat fish. I always love when they tell me this.
"Oh well I eat fish." It's kind of like their saying, yeah I eat those ugly creatures because I need nutrients. Little do they know that the politics of fish are even more sketchy than those dirty chicken farms. I guess fish don't squawk or have cute fuzzy babies; they don't have the fan club other animals have, and I personally think that is a sad sad situation.
I am no vegetarian. In fact I am exactly the oposite. I appreciate and love the animals I am able to consume on a daily basis. I do try to eat smart and when it comes to fish the jury is still out. Salmon, the one fish I know that EVERYONE just loves to eat, is not really a part of my diet. They are very much overfished and terribly overfarmed. If I can find salmon in every restaurant and every grocery store in every city in the US, there is a problem.
France took a stand in the fish battle this week by listing Bluefin Tuna on the endangered species list. This would mean that next month the EU would have enough votes in support of a Bluefin Tuna ban. I hope that the ban would give the tuna a chance to replenish so people could then be able to enjoy eating them again in reasonable quanities.
Fish can be very tasty. My mom used to buy fish and broil it with some lemon pepper. The one thing fish is not good for is leftovers, so if you're going to consume this soon-to-be rare product make sure you eat it all. And to all of those pescatarian out there. HAVE YOU NEVER SEEN THE INCREDIBLE MR.LIMPET??? Fish have feelings too.
Happy Eating!!!
Emily
"Oh well I eat fish." It's kind of like their saying, yeah I eat those ugly creatures because I need nutrients. Little do they know that the politics of fish are even more sketchy than those dirty chicken farms. I guess fish don't squawk or have cute fuzzy babies; they don't have the fan club other animals have, and I personally think that is a sad sad situation.
I am no vegetarian. In fact I am exactly the oposite. I appreciate and love the animals I am able to consume on a daily basis. I do try to eat smart and when it comes to fish the jury is still out. Salmon, the one fish I know that EVERYONE just loves to eat, is not really a part of my diet. They are very much overfished and terribly overfarmed. If I can find salmon in every restaurant and every grocery store in every city in the US, there is a problem.
France took a stand in the fish battle this week by listing Bluefin Tuna on the endangered species list. This would mean that next month the EU would have enough votes in support of a Bluefin Tuna ban. I hope that the ban would give the tuna a chance to replenish so people could then be able to enjoy eating them again in reasonable quanities.
Fish can be very tasty. My mom used to buy fish and broil it with some lemon pepper. The one thing fish is not good for is leftovers, so if you're going to consume this soon-to-be rare product make sure you eat it all. And to all of those pescatarian out there. HAVE YOU NEVER SEEN THE INCREDIBLE MR.LIMPET??? Fish have feelings too.
Happy Eating!!!
Emily
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Feeding men, understanding men, oh boy it's been a long day
I spent a marvelous 35 minutes on the phone today with Rhonda Ricardo, author of Cherries Over Quicksand, about her book and what she has learned from speaking to men all over the country about their relationships. I promise I will be writing an article and I will be informing you all, but for right now let's just say she suggested getting your man a calendar for Valentines Day. I bet they're really cheap now that it's February already, but from what I remember from elementary school, calendars don't taste nearly as good as chocolate covered strawberries.
Speaking of strawberries Valentine's Day is only a few weeks away and women and men everywhere are probably already starting to freak out. Do I get the DVD card from Hallmark or do I spend a week's salary on dinner in a cramped restaurant? I'm not freaking out, because I have already made plans and bought construction paper to make some fabulous Valentine's Day cards. I'm thinking, paired with some ganache and strawberries, it will be a fabulous day. Of course guys are even easier to please than me. Guys can be pleased with one simple thing.
BACON!!!!
This may not apply to all men, but it has applied to all men that I have met. When I posed the question of what do men want on facebook, Rob, the Sous Chef at Brookside Country Club, answered a woman who knows where to find the best bacon. I can not stress enough how important bacon really is to a red blooded American male. Matt ate a soup made purely of vegetables, because it had bacon fat in it. This is the guy who will only eat broccoli if I make it the way his mom makes it with garlic and butter.
Instead of going out and sitting in a cramped restaurant with all of the other "happy" couples this year just make dinner. Start with some of the amazing potato soup a few posts down.
Make meatballs. I would say use turkey or ground beef, but it is Valentine's Day so just go with the beef. Mix in an egg, some milk, breadcrumbs, and some parmesan cheese. Form them into balls and either place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350 or fry in a frying pan. I'm not a real sauce kind of girl, so buy the sauce that looks the yummiest. Pour the sauce into a pot and heat with the finished meatballs. Cook some spaghetti, and make it a Lady and the Tramp kind of night with one giant plate of spaghetti and meatballs.
Finish the night off with a lovely bowl of ganache and some fresh strawberries. Ganache is so easy to make. Heat a cup of heavy cream till it boils. Pour over a cup of chocolate chips or whatever kind of chocolate you like best. Whisk from the center until the chocolate and the cream have formed one happy gooey chocolate mixture. Serve that warm with the strawberries. You will never go back to those chocolate covered strawberries at the candy store again.
Maybe save some bacon from the soup and try dipping it in the ganache. Matt was a big fan of chocolate covered bacon. I not so much. I told you. It's a guy thing. I pride myself in being able to become almost a man while working in a kitchen, but I don't think women can really appreciate the amazingness of bacon like men can. Gotta love that mysterious, or maybe not so mysterious Y chromosome.
Happy Eating!!!
Emily
Speaking of strawberries Valentine's Day is only a few weeks away and women and men everywhere are probably already starting to freak out. Do I get the DVD card from Hallmark or do I spend a week's salary on dinner in a cramped restaurant? I'm not freaking out, because I have already made plans and bought construction paper to make some fabulous Valentine's Day cards. I'm thinking, paired with some ganache and strawberries, it will be a fabulous day. Of course guys are even easier to please than me. Guys can be pleased with one simple thing.
BACON!!!!
This may not apply to all men, but it has applied to all men that I have met. When I posed the question of what do men want on facebook, Rob, the Sous Chef at Brookside Country Club, answered a woman who knows where to find the best bacon. I can not stress enough how important bacon really is to a red blooded American male. Matt ate a soup made purely of vegetables, because it had bacon fat in it. This is the guy who will only eat broccoli if I make it the way his mom makes it with garlic and butter.
Instead of going out and sitting in a cramped restaurant with all of the other "happy" couples this year just make dinner. Start with some of the amazing potato soup a few posts down.
Make meatballs. I would say use turkey or ground beef, but it is Valentine's Day so just go with the beef. Mix in an egg, some milk, breadcrumbs, and some parmesan cheese. Form them into balls and either place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350 or fry in a frying pan. I'm not a real sauce kind of girl, so buy the sauce that looks the yummiest. Pour the sauce into a pot and heat with the finished meatballs. Cook some spaghetti, and make it a Lady and the Tramp kind of night with one giant plate of spaghetti and meatballs.
Finish the night off with a lovely bowl of ganache and some fresh strawberries. Ganache is so easy to make. Heat a cup of heavy cream till it boils. Pour over a cup of chocolate chips or whatever kind of chocolate you like best. Whisk from the center until the chocolate and the cream have formed one happy gooey chocolate mixture. Serve that warm with the strawberries. You will never go back to those chocolate covered strawberries at the candy store again.
Maybe save some bacon from the soup and try dipping it in the ganache. Matt was a big fan of chocolate covered bacon. I not so much. I told you. It's a guy thing. I pride myself in being able to become almost a man while working in a kitchen, but I don't think women can really appreciate the amazingness of bacon like men can. Gotta love that mysterious, or maybe not so mysterious Y chromosome.
Happy Eating!!!
Emily
Monday, February 1, 2010
The grocery shopping challenge
Every week I clipped coupons. I worried a lot. I knew when my dad was paid, and I knew I could help my parents save money. I was 15 and felt ingenious for thinking of clipping the coupons. My mom and I would go shopping. I knew all of the coupons that actually saved money and the ones that weren't really worth it. I was never hungry or without what I wanted or needed, but I was a quirky kid. My mom put up with the quirkiness, and let me control the coupons as we shopped.
A few weeks ago Matt decided that he wanted to save money. This is Matt's life mission, so the idea wasn't terribly groundbreaking. His new money-saving scheme was coupon clipping and ad searching for groceries. I was a much bigger fan of going to the ghetto grocery store where we had to bag our own groceries.
Saturday was week one of the ordeal. Matt had clipped coupons, studied the store ads, and planned out our course of action. We had 2 options for stores. The ghetto store wasn't in the running. Bacon and hotdogs were on sale at Stop and Shop. Shaws was cheaper for most everything else.
Shaws was our first stop. Halfway through Matt realized he couldn't hold coupons and drive the cart. He handed them to me, and deja vu where have you been for the last 7 years. I organized which coupons were worth it. I asked him what exactly he was going to use, and narrowed down the pile. Shopping sales and the few coupons Matt decided to use saved Matt $16. I saved $13 (Matt hogged most of the coupons, since he clipped them.)
That sounds like a pretty good savings. 15-year-old Emily would have been proud. Of course this wasn't my mom's typical shopping trip. Matt and I don't have 3 kids, and thousands of other things to do on a Saturday. Off we went to store number 2. Hi-ho-hi-ho it's off to Stop and Shop we go! (Dear Taylor Swift, I can write my own songs too. Does that mean I can win 4 Grammys?)
Stop and Shop was a much quicker ordeal. Matt had an actual list, something Mom never made unless she was sending Dad out, so we had 4 specific things that needed to be had from the good folks at Stop and Shop. I added string cheese to the list. I love string cheese. Checked out of Stop and Shop with a final count of Matt saving $13 (not sure how this number happened, because I think he only spent $11) and Emily saving $3.
We saved $42 combined. I was impressed, and exhausted. Shopping and shopping and shopping really isn't my idea of a good time. Saving enough money for a whole other shopping trip was definitely worth it. All I know is that yesterday, when I was scouring newspapers for errors for a class assignment, I took out all of the ads and started clipping coupons. There are a lot of uncertainties in the world we live in, but it's nice to know that every Sunday the coupons are in the paper and the world keeps spinning round.
Happy Eating!!!
Emily
A few weeks ago Matt decided that he wanted to save money. This is Matt's life mission, so the idea wasn't terribly groundbreaking. His new money-saving scheme was coupon clipping and ad searching for groceries. I was a much bigger fan of going to the ghetto grocery store where we had to bag our own groceries.
Saturday was week one of the ordeal. Matt had clipped coupons, studied the store ads, and planned out our course of action. We had 2 options for stores. The ghetto store wasn't in the running. Bacon and hotdogs were on sale at Stop and Shop. Shaws was cheaper for most everything else.
Shaws was our first stop. Halfway through Matt realized he couldn't hold coupons and drive the cart. He handed them to me, and deja vu where have you been for the last 7 years. I organized which coupons were worth it. I asked him what exactly he was going to use, and narrowed down the pile. Shopping sales and the few coupons Matt decided to use saved Matt $16. I saved $13 (Matt hogged most of the coupons, since he clipped them.)
That sounds like a pretty good savings. 15-year-old Emily would have been proud. Of course this wasn't my mom's typical shopping trip. Matt and I don't have 3 kids, and thousands of other things to do on a Saturday. Off we went to store number 2. Hi-ho-hi-ho it's off to Stop and Shop we go! (Dear Taylor Swift, I can write my own songs too. Does that mean I can win 4 Grammys?)
Stop and Shop was a much quicker ordeal. Matt had an actual list, something Mom never made unless she was sending Dad out, so we had 4 specific things that needed to be had from the good folks at Stop and Shop. I added string cheese to the list. I love string cheese. Checked out of Stop and Shop with a final count of Matt saving $13 (not sure how this number happened, because I think he only spent $11) and Emily saving $3.
We saved $42 combined. I was impressed, and exhausted. Shopping and shopping and shopping really isn't my idea of a good time. Saving enough money for a whole other shopping trip was definitely worth it. All I know is that yesterday, when I was scouring newspapers for errors for a class assignment, I took out all of the ads and started clipping coupons. There are a lot of uncertainties in the world we live in, but it's nice to know that every Sunday the coupons are in the paper and the world keeps spinning round.
Happy Eating!!!
Emily
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
