Archive for July, 2009

Fish & seafoods

Because it is low in fat and has little connective tissue, fish must be cooked carefully and usually for a fairly brief time. Choose a medium-oily fish,  such as salmon or halibut,  if you are a beginning cook,  since these are relatively high in fat and are more forgiving of mistakes than are lean fish.  Meaty fish, such as tuna, shark and swordfish, are also a good choice for beginners, but be careful not to overcook them, or they will dry out.

• Never marinate fish for more than 10 minutes in anything containing acid — it will begin to cook the flesh by itself.

• It’s generally a good idea to cook fish with the skin on so the fat will flavor the fish, though you should remove the skin before serving.

• If you’re cooking a fillet, you can watch its sides and see the color and texture change as the fish cooks. When it is a little more than halfway done, turn it over.

• Whole fish are best grilled over high heat or roasted in a hot oven. Cut several slashes through the flesh, but not through to the bone, at least 2 inches apart, to allow the heat to penetrate. To keep the fish from sticking, oil it well before cooking and then don’t move it until you’re ready to turn it. Whole fish are done when you can pull out the dorsal fin (which runs along the back).

• Though the common rule used to be to cook fish until it flakes, it’s usually too done by that point.The trick is to cook the fish until just before it flakes, when you can see the muscle strands beginning to separate.

• Always undercook rather than overcook fish. It will continue cooking after it has been removed from the heat.

Chocolate bar

Food is required to give us energy, and chocolate is relatively energy dense, meaning it is high in calories for a small portion size. Because of this, it has often been included in the food supplies for polar explorers and lifeboat rations etc. It also contains the three essential components of food, i.e. protein, carbohydrate and fat (although not in ideal proportions), together with some vitamins and several minerals. Eating a limited amount (up to a standard bar per day) of chocolate has been shown not to have a significant effect on migraines, acne or tooth decay. On the other hand, cocoa has been found to contain compounds that have positive effects in the prevention of heart disease and possibly some cancers, whilst the possible psychological effects have had a lot of media attention.

The protein, carbohydrate and fat content varies with the chocolate type, as does the amount of micronutrients present, e.g. minerals and vitamins. A 100 g bar of plain chocolate is able to supply 24% of the copper needed in a healthy diet, whilst milk and white chocolate are a relatively good source of calcium, which is widely regarded as being beneficial in maintaining strong bones.

A MONSTER MUSHROOM IN OUR MIDST

Researchers have reported finding a mycelium (mushroom base) beneath the soil of Michigan that is 1,500 years old and 35 acres wide, and weighs 100 tons. This mycelium is from the fungus Armillaria bulbosa, a root pathogen of aspen. Using molecular methods, the researchers mapped the extent of the fungus genome to show that the mycelium germinated from a single spore. (In case you’re in the neighborhood, the researchers place the monster on the upper peninsula of Michigan at 45°58’28” N, 88°21’46” W.) How fast and how large the mycelium grows depends on environmental factors such as soil temperature and the accessibility of food.

DOES FUNGI HAVE INTELLIGENCE?

Fungi, in their own small way, may exhibit a primitive intelligence. How else can one explain advanced behavior on the part of certain fungi, such as Cordyceps curculionum and the amoeba-like slime mold Physarum polycephalum?

Cordyceps refers to different varieties of fungi that grow and feed on the bodies of insects.  In the case of Cordyceps curculionum, the spore attaches itself to an ant, germinates, begins feeding, and grows into a small mushroom. The ant, meanwhile, with the mushroom riding piggyback, goes about its normal business. One day, however, the ant is seized with a sudden desire to climb a tree, and up it goes. When it reaches a height sufficient for the release of the Cordyceps curculionum spores, the ant digs its mandibles into the tree and remains there for the rest of its life. When it finally dies, the spores are released from on high and are spread far and wide on the forest floor. Cordyceps curculionum shows admirable restraint by not eating the ant right away, a display of moderation in the presence of food that seems to demonstrate a level of intelligence.

To test the intelligence of the slime mold Physarum polycephalum, Toshiyuki Nakagaki of the Bio-Mimetic Control Research Center, in Nagoya, Japan, placed pieces of the mold in the middle of a five-square-inch maze. In the two exit points of the maze, he placed a food source, ground oat flakes. The idea was to see whether the fungus would abandon its normal method of foraging for food—by spreading outward from a central point of germination—and instead grow directly toward the food sources. To his surprise, Nakagaki discovered that the mold did indeed go straight toward the food sources. The organism stretched itself in a thin line along the contours of the maze until it reached the exit points. Similar to a laboratory rat, the slime mold was able to negotiate the maze and find the food.

SOURCE: Healing Mushrooms, Effective Treatments for Today’s Illnesses

Here’s a handy Food Equivalent Table for most of our every day cooking.

Fruit:

Apples, whole 1 lb ………………… 3 cup peeled/sliced
Apricots, fresh 1 lb ………………. 12 each
Apricots, dried 1 lb ………………. 5½ lb fresh apricots
Apricots, dried 1 lb ………………. 3 cup
Bananas, 3 each …………………… 1 cup – mashed
Bananas, 3 each …………………… 1 lb
Cherries 1 lb …………………….. 2 cup pitted
Cranberries, fresh 1 lb ……………. 4 cup
Dates, pitted 1 lb ………………… 2½ cup
Figs, dried 1 lb ………………….. 3 cup
Figs, fresh 1 lb ………………….. 9 each
Grapefruit, 1 each ………………… 1 cup juice
Lemon, 1 each …………………….. 3 tablespoon juice
…………………….. 1 tablespoon peel
Lime, 1 each ……………………… 1 – 2 tablespoon juice
Orange, 1 each ……………………. 4 tablespoon juice
…………………… 2 tablespoon peel
Peaches, dried 1 lb ……………….. 3 cup
Raisins/Sultanas 1 lb ……………… 2¾ cup
Rhubarb, raw 1 lb …………………. 2 cup cooked
Strawberries, fresh 1 lb …………… 2 cup sliced

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