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© St. Petersburg Times, published July 17, 2002
A weekly serving of food news and views
food and drink for the long, hot summer
In Greek mythology, mint is the herb of hospitality. The species name, Mentha, comes from Roman mythology. In the 18th century, mint was used as a treatment for colic and digestive disorders. The colonists in the New World drank mint tea because it wasn't taxed.
All that history and mostly what we know about mint is that it freshens our breath, flavors our toothpaste and is required in mint juleps.
Oh, yeah, and mint jelly goes well with lamb.
Mint, in its many forms, is cool and refreshing. Chew on a fresh mint leaf and feel a chill in your mouth. That's nothing to scoff at when the humidity just won't let up. Oddly, even drinking a cup of hot mint tea has the power to refresh. Load up the hot tea with ice cubes, and you'll feel cooler still.
There are many kinds of mint, including peppermint, spearmint, lemon mint and chocolate mint. Peppermint is the most commonly grown variety in the United States.
If you like the scent but not the taste of this refreshing herb, find a lotion with mint extract in it and apply generously. Now stand in front of a fan. Who cares about the heat? You'll smell minty fresh and feel plenty cool.
www.alanskitchen.com
Alan Eastep, editor of this online magazine, pours out a cornucopia of recipes for picnic, backyard, tailgate and porch-sittin' feasts in the good ol' summertime. From grilled green chili steak Santa Fe style to citrus-glazed turkey to Lahaina pork chops, there's a main course for all occasions, and that includes fish dishes. You'll find an online cooking school, shopping and other features.
"My mother didn't really cook. But she did make key lime pie, until the day the top of the evaporated milk container accidentally ended up in the pie and she decided cooking took too much concentration."
-- Journalist and author William Norwich
Cool cake layers completely before assembling because even a slightly tepid cake will make icings droopy and runny. (Many cakes taste better the day after baking, anyway.)
For many movie munchers, those nuggety kernels of half-popped corn at the bottom of the bag are the best part. And that's all that Foreman Foods of Austin, Texas, puts in its cans of Popnots. They're delicious. They come in plain, butter, white Cheddar and spicy cheese flavors, and they are making their way into supermarkets. They can also be ordered from www.popnots.com. They are $3.50 for a seven-ounce tin and about $1 for a single-serving packet.
Louis Pappas, the third-generation owner of Louis Pappas Dockside Restaurant in Tarpon Springs, gets a nice plug in the recent issue of Coastal Living. The story features Pappas and his wife, Nancy, entertaining on the deck of their waterfront home. The Pappases share some favorite recipes and tips on entertaining alfresco. "There must be something in the Greeks' blood that makes them natural entertainers -- and eaters," Nancy Pappas says. "I just wish we had busboys at home like we do at the restaurant." Opa!
Eating Well magazine is back, this time as a quarterly publication without any advertising and filled with recipes, nutrition advice, cooking tips, food travel items and beautiful food photography. The magazine ceased publication three years ago. Now, with new investors and the founding publisher, much of the original creative team has been reassembled to share their passion for innovative, healthful cooking.
Here are some ideas from the Florida Tomatoes Committee on how to use tomatoes when you've bought too many:
Bathe cubes of Italian bread and tomatoes in Italian dressing, serve on a bed of shredded lettuce and sprinkle with bacon bits.
Create a salad by combining diced tomatoes, black beans, corn kernels and coleslaw mix with a zesty citrus salad dressing.
Toss chunks of fresh tomato and green bell pepper with canned, drained chickpeas and tuna. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice and sprinkle with cracked pepper.
- Compiled by JANET K. KEELER from staff and wire reports