Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Tuesday Megalinks

Today, it’s food preservation, “healthy” additives, a few excellent shopping strategies, and the most overused words in food writing (several of which I’m guilty of). To give you a hint, one begins with “y” and ends with “ummy.”

Accidental Hedonist: Why the Food Establishment is at Fault
When it comes to American meal habits, who’s the bad guy? Is it us (the egg), for not knowing what the crap we’re putting into our mouths, or is it Big Food (the chicken), who creates what we’re eating? In this well-argued essay, AH comes down hard on the chicken. (Thanks to Casual Kitchen for the link.)

The Atlantic: Can Ice Cream be a Health Food?
Dangit, injecting a bowl of lard with a gram of fiber does not good nutrition make. To quote the bard (Chuck D.), don’t believe the hype.

Body+Soul / Whole Living: The Season’s Other Veggies
If you thought tomatillos were guitars, kohlrabi was a yoga guru, chickweed was something you were sold in the 7-11 parking lot, think again. Body+Soul has some words on and recipes for these little-known summer veggies. (Thanks to The Kitchn for the link.)

Chow: Why Are Some Dishes Better the Next Day?
Shirley Corriher, a.k.a. Good Eats’ resident food scientist, explains why soups, chilis, salads and breads are tastier after sitting for 24 hours. Essentially, it could be enzymes, liquid concentration, or just your imagination.

Consumer Reports: Self-checkout, cut calories and costs
CR discovered a neat supermarket trick: scanning your own groceries forces you to re-examine what you’ve put into your cart, often causing folks to discard expensive, unhealthy food. Just something to keep in mind next time you’re at Kroger…

Consumerist: Kellogg Will Start Adding Fiber To Most Of Its Breakfast Cereals
Yarg. Remember that Atlantic article? It applies here, too. Fruit Loops plus fiber still equals a bowl of Pez.

Consumerist: What’s Your Favorite Recipe Site?
HEL-lo. Consumerist commenters get crazy with the Cheez Whiz, suggesting six pages of food sources. AllRecipes does surprisingly well, though other ideas abound.

Endless Simmer: The Top 10 Top 10 Food Lists
From the Top Ten Food & Sex Scenes in Movies (hello, hot ‘80s Mickey Rourke) to the Top Ten Anthony Bourdain Insults on Food TV, this list o’ lists pretty much rules. Oh, how you will giggle.

Frugal Upstate: Best-of Kitchen Tips to Stay Cool
Summer is upon us, sweet readers, and that means heat, humidity, and that singular drip of perspiration that makes its way from your neck to the small of your back whenever you’re standing on a 114°F subway platform. Here, Jenn talks about how to beat the heat in the kitchen.

Get Rich Slowly: 3 Easy and Delicious Ways to Preserve Your Berry Harvest
Should you have a surplus of non-poisonous backyard berries, these ideas will surely be useful. Should you have eaten the entirety of your berry harvest straight off the bush (as I would be wont to do), they will not.

The Kitchn: Vegetarian Skewers Five Ways
Remember: it’s been scientifically proven (by me, in my kitchen) that food tastes 500% better when served on a stick. Especially seitan. Veg-heads, go forth and impale!

Money Saving Mom: The Buy Ahead Principle - One of my biggest grocery saving secrets
MSM is one of the best grocery-oriented blogs out there, not least because it’s pretty impressive what Crystal can score for $40 per week. Still, I’ve often wondered how she supplements all the processed food with whole, healthier foods – especially when she’s feeding three young children. She explains in this post.

Money Saving Mom: How to Store and Preserve Fresh Herbs
Wash thoroughly. Dry thoroughly. Wrap in paper towel (thoroughly). Place in air-tight plastic bag (thoroughly). Eat (thoroughly).

The Simple Dollar: Using Consumer Reports to Assemble Your Grocery List
TSD reader Bob keeps a running list of CR’s best buys, and then uses them to do his grocery shopping. Cereal, cleaners, coffee, peanut butter – their suggestions have never let him down. Solid idea for the practical people in your … need a word beginning with p … pants?

Village Voice: Things We Hate – Overused Food Words
I starred the ones I’m guilty of. In alphabetical order: amazing, boite, comfy, crispy, decadent, delish, dollop, drizzled, eatery*, enjoy*, flavorful*, fork-tender, garlicky, gently priced, guilt-free, homemade, homey, luscious, moist*, mouth feel, mouth watering, napped, nom, nosh, perfect*, resto, resy, rustic, sammy, satisfying, sinful, slathered*, tapas, terrific, to perfection, toothsome, toppings, toque, tuck into, tuscan, unctuous, well-browned, well-spaced, wilted, yummy.

Washington City Paper: Is Cooking Without Tasting Senseless?
Good question! I always, always, always taste my food when I’m preparing it, to the point where now, it’s nigh-unthinkable not to. Turns out, that some Hindu cooks don’t. They consider it insulting. Interesting! Readers, what about you? (Thanks to Casual Kitchen for the link.)

Zen Habits: It’s Time for a New Relationship with Food
What roles do different foods play in your life? Can you change those relationships, just by thinking about them in another way? Thought-provoking post from thought provoker extraordinaire, Leo.

(Photos courtesy of TitanPride, About.com, and How Stuff Works.)

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