Bug Bites on Produce

I had the fortunate opportunity to work on an organic vegetable farm two summers ago and learned so much about different types of vegetables, how to grow them and how to harvest them.  It was an experience I will never forget and often cherish.

One of the things I learned is that in the absence of chemicals (synthetic fertilizers and pesticides), bugs are free to roam.

Bugs, while controlled through natural efforts, still got through and enjoyed the same vegetables I do!  Their consumption was especially evident on the larger leaves of the Swiss Chard and Kale -- tiny and large bite holes.

In the grocery store, traditional produce, some of which is genetically modified (a whole other issue) and laden with chemicals, is flawless in appearance.  We live in an imperfect world.  But it is in the imperfection that what is true and real is found.  So visually "perfect" food is a signal of something not being right.

What I learned on the farm is to actually look for a few bug bites when shopping for produce -- and they will only be found on organic produce.

If the bugs will eat it (and not die), then its safe for humans too -- and tastier I might add.

So I was pleasantly happy when I opened a container of Earth Bound organic baby spinach the other day and saw a leaf with several small bug bites.  It's natural and fresh.

Next time you are looking for your vegetables in the grocery store or farmers market, seek out the organic variety, look for a few bug bites, and enjoy an affordable luxury.  It's a dance with nature that will have you looking for more.

Please share your organic produce experience and what vegetables make you happy.

Spindrift Soda Update

Box of Sprindrift Soda

After my first post on Spindrift, I wrote owner Bill Creelman to inform him of my blog and wish him the best in his soda business.

Because Spindrift isn't available in West Michigan, I wasn't able to comment directly on the taste -- only the concept, values and mission of the company.

All six colorful Spindrift flavors

To my pleasant surprise, Bill wrote back, said he liked the blog and offered to send me some samples.  I was delighted a week later to receive my package of bottles.  In exchange for the favor, I hosted a tasting party with friends and family to get their opinions and brought samples to a local restaurant, Marie Catrib's, and a local health food grocery store chain, Harvest Health Foods, to get their feedback.

In a nutshell, all of the tasters were completely delighted with the taste and appreciated the values of the company.  More on this in a moment.

Pulp in Spindrift Soda

The sodas arrived in a carefully packaged box from Famous Foods.  I pulled each bottle out and first noticed the bright colors and pulp in each bottle.  It is the pulp that carried a lot of visual appeal to those looking for natural unadulterated foods.

The sodas have about 70 calories -- much less than a regular soda.The bottle label indicates the amount of real fruit is in each bottle such as "made with 16 raspberries, 9 cranberries and fresh squeezed lemon juice" or "made with 1/4 of a fresh squeezed grapefruit and fresh squeezed lemon juice".

The soda introduces itself with a playful sentence on the side of the label that says, "Sodas.  A Reintroduction. -- I'm sorry -- we've gotten off track.  Let's start again.  I'm a soda.  I'm made of sparkling water and crushed fruit.  Simple, light, refreshing.  Give me a second chance...please?"

The cap on each bottle is designed to showcase a non-profit Spindrift supports through donating at least 1% of its sales (not profit).  The organizations are all water preservation or water access related.

The cap reads, "Flip the cap to find a non-profit working to preserve water resources.  Once the bottle is opened, a web site is revealed with an organization they support.  Noticeable absent on the bottles was the 1% for the planet logo, the organization that certifies the donations, though it does appear on the web page.

Spindrift nutrition label

The flavors are:

1. Sparkling Grapefruit
2. Sparkling Blackberry
3. Sparkling Mango Orange
4. Sparkling Lemonade
5. Sparkling Half and Half (tea and lemonade)
6. Sparkling Cranberry Raspberry

Spindrift Soda Label

Amongst family and friends, the flavors most liked by the adults were grapefruit and half and half.  Everyone said the lemonade would be great on a hot day.  But all of the flavors were enjoyed and everyone said they would purchase this product if it were available.  The kids most liked mango orange and surprisingly the half and half.

I took the remaining samples to a local restaurant and health foods store to get their reactions. 

The owner at Marie Catrib's restaurant said he and his staff loved the product, that it was "flavorful" and that "it is exactly what they would want in a soda".  He made contact with Bill immediately and has been working on finding a distributor.

Spindrift bottle cap

The buyer at Harvest Health said she drank all three samples I gave her in one day and wants to buy it for their store.  Again, distribution is the only hang-up at this point.

Spindrift is a soda that is natural, refreshing, environmentally responsible, and great tasting.  With a solid network of distributors, it shouldn't be long before people will be buying it in droves.

Buy it online or in a local store or restaurant and enjoy!

A Better Rolling Pin?

Food Network Western Rolling Pin

My parents always used the traditional "Western version" of the rolling pin.  The roller itself was a heavy marble and the handles made of wood.  Perhaps you have one of those?

So when I purchased my first rolling pin, I purchased what I knew -- the Western (or American) rolling pin.

It wasn't until I started making hand-rolled pasta that I discovered there were options for rolling pins.

Food Network French Rolling Pin

The French rolling pin is a preferred rolling pin for many chefs because it allows for greater control and hand-feel.  I started reading about this pin in quality cookbooks and after several American rolling pin purchases (always too light, not made well, too heavy, etc.), I did a minor splurge and bought a French rolling pin at Kohl's.  The brand is Food Network, it's made of wood, and I think it cost around $13.

Did it make a difference?  You bet!  I tossed the old rolling pin into the donation pile after its first use and have never looked back.

You can better feel the nuances of the dough and have better control of the pressure you apply.  You truly are in complete control of your rolling.

Toss the Western rolling pin and replace it (or supplement it) with a French rolling pin.

Which do you use?  What do you prefer and why?

Sulphur Dioxide and Grapes

Sulphur dioxide are two words that don't give me a warm fuzzy feeling.  Whether you know exactly what it is or not, usually thoughts of something negative and chemical come to mind.

So imagine my surprise when I found it on our grapes this morning.

I frequently buy organic grapes, but none were available at the store last night.  So I purchased regular grapes and headed home.

This morning as I was washing the grapes for our son's class snack I noticed "product of Chile" on the bag.  I usually see "product of California", so I read on with curiosity to discover the phrase "treated with sulphur dioxide to preserve freshness".  I figured, this couldn't be good.

After a little research I discovered sulphur dioxide is a poisonous gas which is sprayed on fruit, and acts as a preservative, enhancing its color and preventing mold.  Airborne inhalation of this chemical has lead to a rash of breathing problems, premature birth and premature death.

Grapes from Chile need to be picked and shipped with plenty of lead time before they hit the grocery shelves.  Sulphur dioxide, allows the grapes to be picked early and arrive looking fresh and ripe.

Asthmatics seem to be most at risk from ingesting sulphur dioxide.  For them, ingestion can increase chances of an asthmatic attack, skin rashes and upset stomach.

While generally deemed safe for consumption in small quantities in healthy people, why chance it?  I also wonder what the long-term effects of small daily doses.

Turns out California grapes are not in season and organic grapes are only in dreams this time of year.  With my only option being imported grapes,  I'll choose to pass.

Red Velvet Cake with No Dye

Valentine's is bearing down on us and with it comes the usual dessert suspects.  One popular dessert this time of year is red velvet cake.

Red Velvet cake has always been made with natural cocoa that reacts with the acidic vinegar and buttermilk to reveal a very slight shade of red in the cocoa's naturally occurring anthocyanin.  This is probably where the "red" in red velvet originated.

The famous cake wasn't always the bright shade of red we expect today and its storied history is debatable.

We do know that the advent of food dyes significantly aided the enhanced appearance of red velvet cake, but many have valid concerns over the use (a whole bottle or two for this cake) of this unnatural man-made chemical.

I set out to find a recipe that used natural coloring and ingredients to recreate this cake while maintaining the bright red color and discovered a blog by Jaime at www.sophistamom.com with specific directions on how to make this cake using beets -- yes, beets.  Jaime adapted her recipe from Amy's recipe at www.bakecakery.com.

I gave Jamie's recipe a try ahead of the big day and it was a hit with our family and guest.  Here are the steps (complete ingredient list is at the bottom):

Buy a bunch of beets from a farmer or store. 

Trim the beets and toss with 1/2 cup of water in an oven-safe dish.  Cover with aluminum foil and heat in an oven for 90 minutes at 350 degrees.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur cake flour),  1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, and 2 Tbs. of cocoa powder (NOT Dutch Processed with Alkaline).  Set bowl aside.

When the beets are done, use a sharp knife and skin them.  The outside skin should easily scrap off.  You can also skip this step and just peel the beet before heating if you wish.

Once skins have been removed, dice the beet into large chunks and place in the refrigerator to cool.

Grease (I used spectrum organic all vegetable shortening) three 8" round pans and dust with flour.

To dust with flour, I dropped a good amount of flour in each pan and shook the flour around until everything was well coated and then shook the excess off.

Place 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about the juice from one large lemon) into your blender (I used the Vitamix) or food processor.

Pour remaining liquids from your oven-safe dish into your blender too.

Then throw in your cooled beat chunks.

Blend on high for about 20-30 seconds, then add 1 Tbs. of vinegar and blend on low until incorporated.  The consistency should be like ketchup.  I got a little over one cup, but you can use up to 1 1/2 cups.

Place two sticks of unsalted butter and 1 package of cream cheese into your mixer with beater blade attached.  Cream together the butter and cream cheese and the slowly incorporate in 2 1/3 cups of sugar (I used powdered sugar) until smooth.  Then add in four eggs one-at-a-time, scraping down the bowl as necessary.  Finally add 1 1/2 tsp. of vanilla and mix until incorporated.  Then slowly add in the flour mixture you previously whisked together.

Finally, add your 1 - 1 1/2 cups of beet blend to the batter until fully incorporated.

Kids love to help make baked goods, but know that beets stain everything!

Spread equal amounts of batter in each of the three pans and place in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes on the middle racks.  The cakes are one when a toothpick pulls out clean.

If you greased and flour the pans, the cakes should easily release.  Cool them completely on drying racks.  If you do not plan to frost them right away after they are cooled, tightly wrap each one with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.

For the frosting, place 2 cream cheese packages and 2 sticks of unsalted butter in the mixer with the beater blade again.  Beat the room temperature cream cheese and butter until incorporated.  Stop and add 4 cups of powdered sugar, 3 Tbs. of heavy cream, 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract and 1 tsp. pure almond extract.  Beat until incorporated.

Scrap down the sides of the bowl and replace the beater blade with the whisk.  Whisk on high for several minutes until the frosting becomes smooth and slightly fluffy.

Lay your first cake on the presenting dish and spread a thick layer of frosting across the top.  This frosting recipe makes plenty of frosting, so feel generous if you wish.

Repeat the process for each layer.

Finally, frost the sides and smooth the surface as you wish it to look.

Your finished!  A delightful red velvet cake using all natural ingredients and no artificial chemicals for coloring!

Now enjoy your work.

Happy Valentine's (or any special day) to you!

Dig in!

Ingredient list:

Cake:
Beets (enough for 1 1/2 cups of puree)
1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used organic)
1 Tbs. vinegar
2 sticks (16 Tbs.) of unsalted butter, softened
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
2 1/3 cup of sugar (I used powdered)
4 eggs (I used organic free-range)
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur cake flour from any good grocery store)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 Tablespoons (you can use more, but consequently start losing the red color) natural (don't use dark or Dutch processed) cocoa powder

Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese,  room temperature
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) powdered sugar
3 Tbs. heavy cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. pure almond extract

UPDATE (02/13/2012):

I made cupcakes for our son's class using the recipe above.  I made 1 1/2 times the recipe quantity above and it made 30 full-size cupcakes.  The batter doesn't rise as much as traditional batter, so fill each cupcake cup about 3/4 full before baking.