The term “superfruit” refers to a fruit that is not only rich in nutrients and antioxidants, but one that also has the power to affect cellular and molecular structure, and the potential to be beneficial to overall health. Pomegranates are said to have three to seven times as much antioxidant value as green tea and red wine. Furthermore, pomegranates are low in calories, with an estimated 110 calories and 25 grams of sugar from the whole fruit. Juice made from pomegranate seeds provides 16% of our daily Vitamin C requirement, per 100 ml. The fruit is also a good source of Vitamin B5, potassium and fiber. Many dietary supplements use extracts from pomegranates such as ellagic acid.
Regular consumption of pomegranate juice containing high levels of antioxidant improve blood circulation by preventing build up of plaque and hardening of artery walls. Laboratory studies have shown that pomegranates can prevent breast and skin cancer. A recent study conducted by researchers at UCLA also showed that pomegranate supplements containing ellagitannins can significantly reduce blood levels of PSA (prostate specific antigen) and slow down the progression of recurrent cancer cells. The antioxidant power of pomegranates may also be useful in treating Alzheimer’s disease, cholesterol, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and the common cold. It’s no wonder that pomegranates appear in every list of “Must-Eat” foods.
Culinary uses of the pomegranate are most evident in the native regions of southwestern Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. In parts of South India, like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the seeds are eaten raw either in a simple vegetable or fruit salad (the watery arils are very refreshing for the hot weather of these regions) or with curd and rice. In North India and the Middle East, it is also used as a garnish for grilled meats, hummus and tahini. Wild pomegranate seeds are sometimes used as a spice known as anardhana or pomegranate in India and Pakistan, and as a substitute for pomegranate syrup in Middle Eastern cuisine. Pomegranate syrup can also be found in the sweeter and thicker form of grenadine, which is used in alcoholic drinks and found widely in traditional Iranian dishes such as fesenjan, a thick sauce made from grenadine and ground walnuts (eaten with duck or chicken and rice) and ash-e anar, a pomegranate soup.
In Turkey, pomegranate molasses or syrup is used in muhammara- a spread made with roasted peppers, garlic and walnuts. In Greece, pomegranate frequents many recipes, including kollivozoumi, a creamy broth made from boiled wheat, pomegranates and raisins, pomegranate eggplant relish, and avocado-pomegranate dip. Pomegranate is also made into a liqueur and grenadine is used in fruit confectionery, ice cream toppings, mixed with yogurt or spread as jam on toast.
Monday, April 20, 2009
The Pomegranate: A Superfruit!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday Blog Lovin' - Potato Bread
This blogger claims her potato rolls are the "best rolls ever. end of story." After looking at some pictures, my mouth is already watering.
Note: Click here to see the original post.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Philly Alfresco
Although it’s been hard to tell lately, it is, in fact, springtime in the city. Yes, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and it’s beginning to warm up (most days). After the winter we’ve had, what better way to enjoy the weather than to take it outside? Your food that is. Dining alfresco is like an event in the city. On any mild day you can see lines of people vying for those outdoor seats, waiting to see and be seen. Here are some of the top places those warm-weather crowds are flocking to wine, dine and take in some of that well deserved sunshine.
The Plough and the Stars (123 Chestnut St): This warm Irish restaurant, which opened in 1997, is known as much for its outdoor seating as it is for the grand former bank building in which it is now housed. An Old City fixture for years, Plough and the Stars specializes in Irish fare with a Continental flare, and an appreciation for locally grown produce and ingredients. They also feature live music most days, often of the lively traditional Irish variety. The alfresco seating offers awesome views of the most bustling part of Old City and even comes with some large umbrellas to provide a little shade. So, if you’re ever in the area, Plough and the Stars is a can’t miss - literally, the bustling crowds are often the loudest on the street.
El Vez (121 S. 13th St): Of course, no talk of Philly restaurants is complete without a mention of a Stephen Starr creation. El Vez, often overshadowed by its more famous Starr cousins, is at the epicenter of Midtown Village, one of the up and coming neighborhoods in the city. Serving funky and fun Mexican food in a funky interior (complete with a bejeweled motorcycle and gold velvet booths), it also has some of the city’s best outdoor seating. With things on the menu ranging from classic burritos to the “Cesar Chavez” salad, Mexican food lovers will love the loud and over the top atmosphere of El Vez. It’s also great for people watching due to its proximity to some other great Midtown dining spots (i.e. Raw Sushi, Capogiro Gelato, Vintage Wine Bar, etc.)
Tria Washington Square (12th and Spruce Sts): Its high profile sibling, Tria Rittenhouse Square, is already quite well known for its sidewalk seating so close the park. This second Tria venture, while conceptually the same, is contextually very different. Located on a much less bustling corner of the quaint Antique Row section of the city, Tria offers some of the best selections of bruschettas, cheeses and white and red wines in the city. While they do offer a few salads and sandwiches to quench the hungry, their concentration - what they are best known for - is the continental beer, wine and cheese. On a good day, it is almost always packed with neighborhood locals hoping to take in the picturesque tree-lined streets and prewar townhouses. Don’t fret even if you can’t get a seat outdoors; the windows slide open fully to allow an open air experience for indoor diners too.
Le Bus Rittenhouse Square (135 S. 18th St): This small, local bread chain has quickly become one of the most popular bakeries in the area. Started nearly twenty five years ago, they began serving food from an old converted school bus on our very own Penn campus. Gradually, it gained so much popularity that it became a bread supplier to restaurants across the region. Now, it has established a Rittenhouse bakery that is often packed with locals yearning to get a taste of their wide variety of breads and pastries. From bagels to brioche to croissants and scones, Le Bus is a baked goods lover’s dream. While it’s outdoor seating is limited, if you go on a good day and manage to grab a sidewalk table, it can be unparalleled. Located right down from the square on one of the busiest city streets, Le Bus is a great place for people watching while munching on a muffin or sipping on some coffee.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Bake-Off!
Well, we didn’t win but we sure had fun. Nearly four hours after the start of the bake-off, the results were in. The two-tiered “present cake” (as it was fondly and unofficially dubbed by fellow participants in the bake-off) came in first place, winning its bakers $100 and points in the College House Cup. This cake—complete with a “wrapped present” exterior made of fondant and a raspberry coulis—dazzled the senses and the judges. My team’s cake slices, however, well… didn’t make the cut.
My friend Peter and I formed Team Nine of the College House Bake-off which took place in the Hill dining hall this past Friday. Together we created a delicious dessert: carrot cake with cream cheese icing—a family recipe. Each step of the recipe flowed smoothly, and there was a natural ease with the two of us in the kitchen; one of us would hand the other a spatula the moment the other seemed in need. As two bakers, we clicked, and it showed in our culinary result. The carrot cake batter came out with the perfect consistency and cooked evenly in the convection oven, gently pulling away from the sides of the pan in which it was baked. The icing, silky smooth, was delicious—just the way my mom makes it.
But, of course, there was that inevitable moment of putting our cake on the presentation table, comparing our results to those of our competitors, and eagerly awaiting judgment. As we placed our cake on the stand, Peter and I knew our faults: our competitors has used intricate chocolate drizzles, multiple icing colors, three dimensional fondant, and hardened sugar structures. Shoot. Our cake tasted amazing, but in a competition in which “presentation” and “creativity” accounted for two-thirds of the points, we were the underdogs.
The results were announced and we didn’t win, but it didn’t feel like a loss whatsoever. Do you know what? We had a blast. During the competition, music had blared from a speaker which was attached to another participant’s iPod. Peter and I danced our way through grating the three cups of fresh carrots the recipe required. The fun continued as we cleaned (and danced around) our cooking space while the cake baked in the dining hall’s convection oven, and as we put the final touches on our finished cake, Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” kept the beat.
Win or no win, this competition was a way for people to get back into the kitchen—even if it was that of Hill dining hall. Spirits were high. Friendships formed. Compliments and helpful tips bounced around in all directions, as members of separate teams interacted positively with one another. Moreover, the sense of competition in the kitchen was tempered by the friendliness and generosity of the bakers. The sifter and handheld blender Peter and I used to make our cream cheese icing was borrowed from another team. Our measuring cup was used by several other teams. Yes, there were nine teams in this competition, but altogether they formed a unit, sharing the space of one large, communal kitchen. The competition occurred in a dining hall kitchen, but somehow it soothed the soul. Perhaps that’s the magic of cooking, that the activity itself is so comforting that even the most industrial of kitchens can feel like home.
And at the completion of the day—whether it was spent in class, at the office, or running errands—it’s really nice to put an end to all the chaos and spend some quality time in the kitchen. Lots of fun. Good friends. Good love and a good meal—or for us, carrot cake with cream cheese icing.
Only Peanuts and Salt
As the alien jar crept from the brown paper bag, I became fixated on the grotesque, thick layer of oil floating atop the unusually jaundiced goo. Why must I subject myself to this peanut butter imposter? The expression on her face told me that I had no choice in the matter. My mom proceeded to hand me the mutilated bread and implausibly dry peanut butter. I could barely swallow my first bite. Peanut butter was just the first in the long line of transitions that were to come. . . .
photo by Jonathan Coveney
But with a little coercion and self-education, I had an epiphany! Awareness of hydrogenated oils led to my most significant edification, and I am now a major proponent of natural and organic foods. Here is why:
Hydrogenated oils are commonly known as trans fats. The process of hydrogenation involves adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils in order to reconfigure the fat into a solid. This chemical process is designed to increase the shelf life and “flavor stability” in food, hence why you can open a bag of Cheetos or Oreos that you think you bought a few months, or even years ago, and they probably still retain their flavor and crunch. Why is this bad you ask? Well, consumption of trans fats increases LDL “bad” cholesterol and decrease HDL “good” cholesterol. Consumption of trans fat also leads to increased risk of heart disease, strokes, and diabetes, and is also linked to various cancers. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, effects occur even at low levels: if you add just 2% more calories from trans fat to your diet, there is a 23% increased risk for heart disease.
So while it was maddening to surrender my favorite foods one after the other, I now realize how important avoiding hydrogenated oils are. I have found, however, getting people to swap their chemically enhanced staples such as peanut butter for organic versions is no easy feat. Thankfully, though, organic and natural options have evolved so that the tastes and flavor profiles now match the quality of the food, and I promise that tasty alternatives can be found!
It is important, however, to still check the ingredients of all products since it has become a deceptive marketing technique to add “zero trans fats” labels. According to the FDA guidelines, products that contain less than .5 grams of trans fat per serving can be listed as containing zero trans fats. In terms of peanut butter, which I have chose to focus on, you should look for products that contain only peanuts and salt. The layer of oil on top—which I once found revolting—is just the naturally occurring separation of the peanut oils after the “crushing” process. It takes only a few seconds—and a little strength—to stir the natural peanut butter until the oil is incorporated and then voila, you have a jar of delicious and natural peanut butter. There are many brands of natural peanut butters available now (some don’t even require mixing!) and all different types and flavors. My current favorite that I highly recommend is Santa Cruz Organic. And while I like my peanut butter crunchy and not smooth, I’ll hold off on the that debate for another day.Tweet
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
‘09 New Twists to the Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie
Why is it so hard to come across the perfect chocolate chip cookie? It seems that cafeterias and grocery stores are plagued with the curse of the plastic-like or hard cookie. Well guess what, starting now you will never have a failed experience again. With these few alterations to this classic recipe, your cookies should come out gooey and deep with flavor:
Ingredients:
1 cup melted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chip cookies
Directions:
Cream the butter and sugar, and add the eggs and vanilla extract. Sift and combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and then stir into the wet mixture. Add the chocolate chips. Chill dough for up to 36 hours to deepen the flavors. Drop in rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets (make sure these are cool in between batches!), and bake for 9-11 minutes at 350 F, or until golden brown around the edges.
Although it’s impossible to tire of these morsels, the dough is amazingly versatile. Here are some ideas to explore your newly reformed cookie.
Sandwich it: Take two freshly baked cookies and fill with any combination of ice cream, Nutella, bananas, peanut butter, frosting, marshmallow cream, or whatever you can think of. The combination of peanut butter, bananas, and Nutella zapped in the microwave for a few seconds to ooze it all together is enough to convert anyone to this method.
Embellish it: Just because it’s called a chocolate chip cookie doesn’t restrict your dough to just chocolate chips. Mix and match with whatever you can find: shredded coconut, butterscotch chips, toffee bits, white chocolate chips, hazelnuts, walnuts, and cut up candies. My personal favorite is the subtle addition of hazelnuts and chopped up heath bars, adding a nutty crunch without overwhelming the flavor. Believe me, the baking aisle is waiting to be explored.
Healthitize it: Finally my two favorite concepts can live together in harmony: healthy and cookie. Switch half or all of the flour for whole-wheat flour, half or all of the butter for applesauce, and add some oats. While lowering the fat content and adding an element of heartiness, these alterations don’t sacrifice flavor for nutrition. While you’re taking the au naturale route, consider adding a dash of cinnamon, dried cranberries or raisins, and some nuts.
Chocolatize it: Chocolate lovers rejoice. You can make this a delicious chocolately whirlpool by adding ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and white chocolate chips. Brave? Two teaspoons of espresso powder will wake these up.
Dechocolatize it: Believe it or not there are those that simply prefer their cookies sans the chips. Still, it’s not the end of the day. Experiment with almond extract or add some cinnamon. This will add a little pizzazz to the cookies and make you forget you had to surrender your beloved chocolate.
Peanutize it: Recess pieces and a cup of peanut butter. What more needs to be said (other than use unsalted butter)…
Freeze it: Trying to cool down? In a pie or baking pan layer cookies, ice-cream and any of your favorite additions as suggested earlier in the sandwich section. Mix and match with fruit, candies, and sauces. Stick it in the freezer to keep it cold before serving.
Brownitize it: How many times have you been faced with the ever-so-difficult decision between a brownie and a cookie? Well now, conveniently, you can have both, in one bite. Follow the recipe for brownies and take them out of the oven with about 20 minutes left. Top with a layer of cookie dough, put them back into the oven, and bake until brownies are done and cookies are golden brown.
Supersize it: It’s your friend’s birthday, and she doesn’t like cake, but oh does she enjoy her cookies. What to do? Simply spread the batter in a 14-inch pizza pan (or heart shaped pans) and bake it for 20-25 or until golden brown. You can top it and personalize it with any combination of icing, whipped cream, crumbled oreos, sprinkles, various candies, or whatever you can think of. Voila and happy birthday!
Not only will you never suffer from a hard chocolate chip cookie again, but also you will never run out of ways to excite your taste buds. Think you’ve seen it all? As demonstrated above, combining can make these twists even better . . . now just imagine a brownitized-chocolatized cookie. . . .
Monday, April 13, 2009
Penn Appetit Issue 4 - Today!
I am very pleased to announce the launch of our newest issue of Penn Appetit, the student-run food magazine at UPenn that is the basis for this blog. Here's the cover:
Some highlights from the new issue include an article about Jordanian cuisine (complete with a recipe) by Audrey Farber; an interview with the owner of Dock Street Brewery by Jen Green; a review of Supper by Jamie Png; and a narrative about growing up with a cookbook author mother by Lucy Medrich (daughter of famed chocolate expert Alice Medrich). This is just a sampling of the articles in the mag, so be sure to check out the whole thing. If you're on Penn's campus, you can pick up your copy on Locust Walk, at the Kelly Writers House, or in the new magazine racks around campus. If you're not at Penn, you can look at/read the mag online (or we can mail you a copy by special request).
We'd love to hear what you think about Issue 4 - feel free to comment on this post or email me at pennappetit@gmail.com.
To celebrate the launch of this issue, we are hosting a launch party, which will feature a discussion panel with the owners of Dock Street Brewery, Cream&Sugar, Rx, and City Food Tours. The panel will be followed by a free tasting. This event will be in the Rooftop Lounge of Harrison College House (39th and Locust) at 7:30PM tonight, and is free, of course!
Just a quick shoutout - thank you to all FORTY-SEVEN staff members who contributed to this issue, plus all of our bloggers who keep up our online readership. This magazine definitely definitely definitely could not exist without you. And I'd also like to thank our magazine and blog readers, both at Penn and around the world. We hope you enjoy the Spring 2009 issue!
-Emma, Editor-in-Chief
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen
The San Francisco Bay Area is no doubt a culinary destination, where foodies from all over the world flock to try renowned restaurants such as The French Laundry, Gary Denko’s, and Chez Panisse. Having grown up in the Bay Area, however, what I appreciate most about the cuisine is not the incredible Fine-Dining options—which yes, are amazing—but rather the countless number of wonderful restaurants found in a variety of unique “gourmet ghettos”—a term which has come to define the many enclaves full of top rated restaurants. Napa County, which is most known for wine, cheese, and spa treatments, is actually one of the most established of these gourmet ghettos. Some of the best bakeries, markets, and restaurants, using the finest and freshest ingredients, are conveniently located along the picturesque countryside. So when I am back in the Bay Area, I like to take a relaxing drive up to Napa County and spend the day eating, rather than drinking, my way through wine country.
My parents had recently been up to Napa to eat dinner at a restaurant called Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen. My mom called me (mid-meal might I add) to tell me that when I am home, we must all go back. While I am usually excited to hear about a restaurant discovery, at the time of the call I was eating yet another flavorless bagel from Mark’s Café in VP. As you can imagine, I was not particularly thrilled to be listening about great meals found 3000 miles away, and so I didn’t pay much attention to both her mid-and-post dining review. After my last of 3 midterms in 2 days, I came home exhausted and turned on the TV. I found myself watching Giada’s Getaway Weekends on the FoodNetwork where what do you know, she was spending the weekend in Napa. I love shows that highlight restaurants in different cities, especially when they are cities I am familiar with or know that I will be in or near in the future. So Giada was eating dinner at this restaurant and ordered a delicious looking meal: fig and caramelized onion flatbread, an oven-roasted duck, and the most ridiculously incredible looking “s'mores pie” dessert. Knowing that my mom would want to go up to Napa when I came home for spring break (and I definitely wanted to check this place out), I re-winded to find out the name of the restaurant and funny enough, it was Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen.
My parents and I decided to drive up one Sunday and spend the afternoon sampling cheeses and baked goods at the many bakeries and markets, and then wrap up the day by eating dinner at Cindy’s. The restaurant itself is very open and inviting, and the wait staff was very friendly. The meal started out on a high note: the specialty “classic and hip house cocktails” and wines were extensive and top-quality. Even the “bread course” so to speak was incredible: Cindy’s served delicious, freshly baked bread that not only had the perfect crust, but also a perfectly balanced chewy-soft center. The bread was served with locally produced unsalted butter and artisan salts. With some restaurants, the bread is forgettable, but this bread is seriously worth noting. And such restaurants that take pride in all aspects of a meal really stand out in my mind.
The appetizers were just as phenomenal. I ordered the oven-roasted wild mushrooms with fromage-blanc and griddled polenta. I almost ordered another one it was so good, and the sauce was perfect to dip the leftover bread in! The next appetizer was my parents’ choice: Oysters Pablo. I despise oysters, mussels, and clams because I am just not a fan of the texture, or the taste for that matter. My parents, however, are huge oyster fans—especially the Oysters Pablo here, which are served on the half-shell on a bed of spinach and garlic—and forced me to try one. I had three out of the six. Alright, maybe I like Oysters done right…
Despite the cute names like the “Hail Caesar” and “Brutus Caesar,” the three of us decided to skip salads and just go straight to the main course. My mom ordered the house-special Wood Oven Duck which is slowly cooked (I think for 6-8 hours) and served with cranberry-apple wild rice and fried risotto cheese balls—need I say more. My dad ordered the Sunday Prime Rib which is marinated for 24-hours and served with some sort of baked, potato-cheese puff (his meal was my least favorite, but I happen to think prime rib is only best at Prime Rib Only restaurants or Steak Houses). I ordered the popular Pablo Pollo Loco: a perfectly seasoned—with a Mexican flair—half chicken with avocado and toasted pumpkin seed salsa, accompanied with a cheese stuffed green chile. While the duck was delicious, consensus at the table was that my dish was overall the best.
Okay so yes, yes the dinner was wonderful, but the entire time I could not get my mind off of the “s'mores pie” that Giada had ordered. But when it came time to choosing the dessert, I realized that I wanted to try them all! We decided to get two: the Pineapple Upside Down Cake and the Campfire Pie. The pineapple cake was decadent and delicious, with rum-caramel, pecans and homemade vanilla ice cream. I was still however, focused on my pie. The Campfire pie has an Oreo cookie crust that is almost brownie-like, a layer of thick fine-quality chocolate sauce, some homemade almond toffee, and a 5-inch top layer of marshmallow fluff that has been slightly roasted in the oven to create a topping reminiscent of campfire-marshmallows. The presentation definitely gives the dessert an immediate “WOW” factor, and it was hands down one of the best desserts I have ever had. Even my mom who is not really a chocolate or s’mores fan was loving it. I unfortunately don’t have a picture of the pie since it was devoured within 5 minutes of being set on the table!
Overall Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen offered the best kind of meal—one that is fantastic from start to finish. The chef and owner, Cindy Pawlcyn, also has two other restaurants: the beloved Mustards Grill and new GoFish that I hear are equally wonderful. To be honest, it is hard to find a bad restaurant in the gourmet ghettos of Napa County—home to some of the best chefs in the United States with the freshest ingredients at their disposal. But after having eaten at Cindy’s, I would recommend it to any visitor and hey, if Giada loved it you know it has to be worth trying!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Friday Blog Lovin' - Matzah Toffee
Blog: BitterSweet
This blog features several ideas for jazzing up matzah. Check out this simple and delicious matzah toffee recipe!
Note: Click here to see the original post.
