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By JANET K. KEELER, Times Staff Writer cold snapfood and drink for the long, hot summer watermelon
There is not much in Mother Nature's garden better than watermelon when it comes to sheer cooling power. A slice of red, juicy watermelon that has just emerged from a cold, cold fridge is one of the most sought-after offerings at a summertime pool party. Eating an icy chunk is almost as good as drinking water, and that's because the fruit is 92 percent water. The bonus with watermelon is that drooping bodies get a boost from the sugar content. The news just keeps getting better. Besides its healthy dose of vitamins A and C, watermelon contains more lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable. Lycopene is an antioxidant that helps fight diseases of aging such as cancer, heart disease and strokes. Be cool and slurp up a piece. cooking classIf you find that your homemade vinaigrette seems a bit too acerbic when tossed with tender young spring greens, consider swapping a mild rice vinegar for the white-wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar called for in many recipes. this Web site cooks
constant comment"I am a great eater of beef, and I believe that does harm to my wit." -- William Shakespeare freezing foodWe get a lot of phone calls from people wondering about what foods are freezable. A good rule of thumb is that anything with a high water content -- lettuce, melons, tomatoes -- doesn't freeze well in their natural forms. They become mushy when thawed. To freeze tomatoes and melons, or other watery produce, puree them first, which essentially turns them into liquid. The puree can be used in sauces, sorbets or smoothies. If you have more questions about freezing food, call the Cooperative Extension Service in your county, listed in the government listings of the phone book, and ask to speak to a dietitian. Sir, chop, sir!The demanding teachers at the Culinary Institute of America can now officially add drill instructor to their titles. The United States Navy is sending sailors to study at the CIA, seeking help from private industry to improve the way sailors are trained overall. The first group of 25 sailors became mess-management specialists in April after an intensive 12-week pilot course; another 25 will take the course in July. matchstick slice
New from Kuhn Rikon is the julienne peeler, a kitchen tool that does the exacting work for you. It also can help cut decorative pieces of fruit, vegetables and cheese in a smaller, more uniform size than a regular peeler. We liked the way it worked, and it was fast and easy to use. Suggested price is $12. Look for it at specialty stores and through the Chef's Catalog, toll-free 1-800-338-3232. a cookbook of your ownFriends Denise D. Kinney of Catonsville, Md., and Lynne J. Smith of Raleigh, N.C., have created do-it-yourself cookbooks to help you save special recipes. So far, they have designed four versions of their blank-page, spiral-bound books -- one for brides, one for expectant mothers, one for holidays and one for girlfriends. The books cost $12.95 each. To order, call (443) 463-0179 or (919) 669-0460 or log on to www.foryouandi.com.
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From the Times Taste section From the features wire |
Some Web sites deserve a look if for no other reason than to remind yourself that there are sillier people than you in the world. This site is dedicated to the world's largest ketchup bottle, which is actually a 170-foot tall water tower in Collinsville, Ill. It was built in 1949 for the G.S. Suppiger ketchup bottling plant and now has become the city's pride and joy. It was restored in 1995 and is now an honest to goodness bit of roadside Americana. Read all about it , and then join the fan club.
