Foodie BlogRoll!

We have recently been added to the Foodie BlogRoll, a network/group of food bloggers. You can see the blogroll on the left of the page - it contains links to over 1000 food blogs and some other info if you are interested.

This is a big step for our blog, as we are hoping to increase our readership in both the Penn community as well as the food blogging community! Thanks to Jenn DiPiazza, creator of the food blog Leftover Queen and the Foodie BlogRoll, for adding us!


We love getting feedback on the blog, so please post a comment if you feel so inspired. Or you can always email Penn Appetit: pennappetit@gmail.com.

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Remedy Tea Bar

If you're ever in the Rittenhouse area, weary from hours of shopping or in need of some warmth, stop in to Remedy Tea Bar at 1628 Sansom. The inviting, Zen-like décor is ideal for both getting work done and meeting up with a friend. The laptops were out in full force when I went but there was also a couple sharing a pot of tea on the couch and two women gossiping at a table nearby. The pastel lime walls and sleek wooden furniture lend a calm, friendly atmosphere to the place. The workers don’t reflect the décor; when I asked about the selection of teas, the cashier responded with a sigh and then pushed a menu in front of me. But my pot of tea was so cute I was willing to ignore her unpleasantness.

Remedy Tea has a varied assortment of teas, with intriguing flavors like Roasted Apple, White Pomegranate, and Red Hot Chai or the standards of Earl Grey and Moroccan Mint. I opted for the Spiced Pear black tea – a blend of cinnamon, ginger, and pear bits. It had a nice (but not overpowering) kick with gentle hints of sweetness. The pots cost $4.25 while the cup is $2.35. But with less than a $2 difference, go for the pot. There is something so comforting about drinking tea from a pot; I always feel like I’m treating myself.

Remedy Tea also has tea lattes like the Dirty Chai – Masala Chai, chocolate, vanilla, and steamed milk. Their frozen tea drinks looked tasty as well and, weather permitting, I will give one a try next time I go. With my pot of tea, a book to read, and a table by the window, I spent a leisurely Monday afternoon happily pouring my tea, people-watching, and re-caffeinating for the H&M shopping spree ahead of me. If you prefer sipping over doing homework, then Remedy Tea Bar can be your calming harbor in the storm of approaching finals.

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Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

This seemingly simple advice appears on the cover of Michael Pollan’s new book In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. And according to Pollan, it is the answer to the increasingly complicated question of what humans should eat.

Pollan’s last book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma explores the principal food chains in the United States and our “national eating disorder,” which has instigated a national discussion about the way Americans eat.

Now, In Defense of Food attempts to show us how to change the way America eats. Pollan argues that instead of the products of nature, we’re more likely to reach for highly processed, unrecognizable forms of food that come wrapped in packages full of heath claims. Pollan aims to help natural, whole foods fight back, one meal at a time.

In the first section of the book, Pollan discusses nutritionism, a philosophy that assumes food is simply the sum of its nutrients; the main reason for eating is to maintain health; and that expert help is needed to construct the best diet. Pollan knocks this down, showing that nutritional scientists are eager to find a health benefits in whatever they are paid to study. One day, fats might be the nutrient to avoid, the next, carbohydrates are the culprit.

Pollan is even more forceful in his fight against the Western diet, claiming that all heath issues stem from the way America eats. He encourages Americans to “eat more like the French, or the Italians, or the Japanese,” since they are generally healthier than those who eat a Western diet.

Pollan offers some ground rules for what to eat in the last section of the book. His rules include, “eat mostly plants, especially leaves,” “do all your eating at a table,” and “try not to eat alone.” These seem simple enough.

But other rules are nearly impossible for most people, let alone college students, to follow. One rule encourages readers to “avoid food products containing ingredients that are a) unfamiliar, b) unpronounceable, c) more than five in number, or d) that include high-fructose corn syrup.” That rules out just about everything in my dorm room. Most of Pollan’s other rules about what and how to eat require access to a kitchen and a farmer’s market, making them difficult for a Penn student to follow. While Penn Dining offers some local, organic options, it’s almost impossible to ensure that everything one eats would be approved by Pollan.

The best way to heed Pollan’s advice is to recognize that there is a problem with the way America eats, and to take small steps towards a change. If you are in college, don’t eat at your desk; go to the dining hall with a friend and utilize the salad bar. And for everyone, farmer’s markets are popping up everywhere; be adventurous and try it out, maybe using produce you’ve never tried before. By making these small adjustments to the way we eat and think about eating, we can positively impact our health and the way we think about food.

Written by Kristen M., staff writer for Penn Appetit

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Curried Egg Salad

Though new to the food blog world, I've quickly become an avid blog reader and chosen a favorite: 101 Cookbooks. Heidi Swanson, the creator of 101 Cookbooks does stunning photography and writes posts that are both informative and eloquent. Heidi has a fresh, healthy approach to vegetarian food, and though I'm not a vegetarian, I would have no problem giving up meat to eat her food daily. She is based in San Francisco, which can be frustrating at times when you have to read about all the fresh produce she just picked up!

For some time, I was eyeing her curried egg salad recipe, with toasted pecans, apples, and curry powder. The recipe was easy enough to put together. In the time the eggs were boiling and the pecans were toasting, I was able to prepare the rest of the ingredients. I also like the use of yogurt instead of mayonnaise, as I rarely have mayonnaise on hand. As expected, Heidi did not disappoint; the egg salad was a "more flashy" take on the original, as she put it. The curry powder and yogurt mixture definitely added flashiness while the crunch of the pecans and burst of sweetness from the apples complemented the eggs nicely. I had it with a toasted wheat bagel but I imagine pumpernickel bread would be quite tasty as well.

Curried Egg Salad
From 101cookbooks.com

Ingredients:

5 good quality eggs
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder (your favorite)
3 tbsp. plain yogurt
2 big pinches of salt
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 medium apple, chopped
1/4 c. pecans, toasted and chopped
1 small bunch of chives, minced

Directions:

First off, you need to boil the eggs properly (the key to good egg salad!). Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by a 1/2-inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Now turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for exactly seven minutes. Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking and place them in the ice bath for three minutes or so - long enough to stop the cooking.

While the eggs are boiling and cooling, combine the yogurt, curry powder and salt in a tiny bowl. Set aside.

Crack and peel each egg, and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add the curried yogurt, onions, apple, pecans, and chives. Now mash with a fork. Don't overdo it, you want the egg mixture to have some texture. If you need to add a bit more plain yogurt to moisten up the mixture a bit, go for it a bit at a time. taste and add more salt if needed. Enjoy as-is, or served wrapped in lettuce or between two slices of good, toasted bread.

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An apple a day...

I wish I enjoyed eating apples more. Then, perhaps I could somehow come closer to justifying buying an Hermes apple purse--horn handled knife and all.

You know you want one.

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Top Seven Bottled Waters*

1. SmartWater – Electrolytes…what could be bad?
2. FIJI – Best looking bottle this side of the Mississippi
3. Naked – Can’t find it anymore, unfortunately
4. Fred – Bottle shaped like a flask
5. Ethos – Charitable cause
6. Poland Spring – What it means to be from Maine…need I say more?
7. Any other spring water

Avoid Dasani, Aquafina, and Evian at ALL COSTS.

*I am not condoning the purchase of bottled water, due to its negative impact on the environment.

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Lemon Butter Pasta

Lemon Butter Pasta (enough for one)

Ingredients:

2 tsp lemon juice
1 ½ tsp olive oil
1/3 tbsp butter
1 tsp dried basil
1 dash garlic salt
1 bowl of cooked pasta
Canned tuna, or cooked chicken

Directions:

Mix the first five ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. The quantities are a starting point; I recommend adding basil, lemon juice, and garlic salt to taste. Throw in the pasta, and grilled chicken, tuna or whatever else you’d like. Toss gently. Top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

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food of spring: Food Haiku #6

spring's arrival means
i can say at last, farewell,
root vegetables

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Mag release

As I know you are all eagerly awaiting the release of this semester's Penn Appétit, I just thought I'd place a post here to let you all know that this issue is looking hotter than a jalapeño, more irresistible than a flourless dark-chocolate cake, fresher than locally grown produce...ok, three food puns is probably enough—just be sure to pick up a copy!

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Don't Mock My "Meat"

As a vegetarian, I’ve had enough mock meat to understand why it makes some people retch. I’ll advise against, for instance, the Fresh Grocer item labeled Tofu Pups—for all the allure of their clever name, those faux dogs left me sick as one.

But, my fellow vegetarians, do not despair. Lucky for us (and some more open-minded omnivores), there is at least one shining light in this black night of protein deprivation:

Morningstar, this one’s for you.

Morningstar Farms offers an incredible array of vegetarian and vegan products—from breakfast “sausages” to “steak” strips, “chick” patties to classic garden burgers—each nothing short of a miracle. How they manage to blend soy and wheat into so many different flavors and textures both scares and amazes me, but never fails to delight my taste buds.

Even Fro Gro knows where it’s at: they’ve devoted an entire freezer section (my personal oasis) to Morningstar’s neat green packages. And conveniently, they go on sale often, making Morningstar’s meals not only some of the tastiest and most nutritious foods available, but a financially sound choice as well.

Simply put, Morningstar puts the eat in mock meat. Not everyone can be vegetarian, but everyone can be Morningstarian.

Post by Maggie T., a faithful Penn Appetit writer and Layout Editor

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