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Compiled by JANET KEELER © St. Petersburg Times, published October 4, 2000 deconstructing (explanation from the inside out)
Memorize these facts about Juicy Fruit gum and amaze your friends. The ingredients, according to the package, are sugar, gum base, corn syrup, dextrose, softeners, natural and artificial flavors and BHT (to maintain freshness). Here's the function of each: • Gum base. This is what puts the "chew" in the gum and holds all the other ingredients together. The base comes from natural rosins which enhance the texture of the base. Wrigley, which manufactures Juicy Fruit, gets its rosin from pine trees in the southern United States. • Sugar and corn syrup. Powdered sugar, beet sugar and corn syrup are what make gum sweet. The corn syrup also helps keep it flexible. (Sugarless gum is sweetened by aspartame, sorbitol and mannitol.) • Dextrose. This additive, found in many foods, comes from potato or corn starch and also sweetens the gum. • Softeners. Glycerin and vegetable oil products help blend all the other ingredients into the gum base. They keep the gum soft by maintaining the right amount of moisture. • Natural and artificial flavors. A variety of fruit and spice essences are used in Juicy Fruit. One of them is mint oil, which comes from mint plants. Wrigley products support the production of 53 square miles of mint farms in several states. • BHT. Butylated hydroxytoluene is an antioxidant and acts as a preservative in gum and also in sausage, poultry and meat products, dry mixes for beverages and desserts, glazed fruits and active dry yeast. It prevents food from becoming rancid. Sources: http://www.wrigley.com and http://www.chemistry.about.com this Web site cooksGo to this general information site and type in the word "beef" and you'll get instructions on marinating, choosing wine and how to use a meat thermometer. The word "milk" turns up suggestions on making Indian chai (tea), steaming milk and opening coconuts. There are lessons on how to set tables, how to peel garlic, how to choose a kitchen knife and how to decorate Easter eggs. The primary purpose of this site is to sell computer software, but even if you're not in the market it's worth a visit for all the cool tips. By the way, Learn2.com suggests heavier cabernets, syrahs and zinfandels as accompaniments to beef. constant comment"Food is an important part of a balanced diet." cooking classLooking for an easy way to fill deviled eggs? Cook's Illustrated suggests putting the yolk mixture in a sealable plastic bag, snipping a small piece from one corner and squeezing the filling through the hole into the egg halves. A pastry bag also works. on the grillSteak is the most popular grilled food in America, according to Weber's 12th annual Grill Watch survey. The study also found that more than half of Americans with grills cook out at least once a week and that most grill owners prefer gas to charcoal. fried fish again?If your house stills smells fishy three days after you've had it for dinner, try this: Add cinnamon and cloves to boiling water and let it simmer in an uncovered pot until the sweet scent permeates the air. To reduce fish odor while cooking, open a window and place a small bowl of cider vinegar on the window sill. This will help to neutralize the smell, but you might still need to try the cinnamon-clove trick to completely mask the odor. cranberry glut
clean sweep
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From the Times Taste section From the features wire |
Table Toppers, new portable and disposable place mats for kids, are meant to take the worry out of restaurant dining for parents whose young children eat off the not-so-clean tables. Adhesive strips keep the 12- by 18-inch thin plastic mat in place while Junior smooshes his bananas into the colorful designs. A package of 20 sells for about $10 at Bed Bath & Beyond. Call (888) 888-4779 for more information, or order online at 
