Archive for the ‘Cuisine and Culture’ Category

Interestingly, some philosophers think that it is not and that claims about the artistic value of food are misguided. They would tell us that all but one of our putative “artistic” experiences during our Roman day is of art; all, that is, but our dinner. One reason historically cited is what I call the “problem of consumption”: food is often dismissed as a genuine artistic medium on the grounds that the object of culinary art is consumed as it is enjoyed. A perfectly prepared veal chop, unlike Renoir’s masterpiece, exists only as long as it takes a diner to eat it. The objects of higher art forms, like painting and sculpture, do not suffer from this defect and, so the thinking goes, are proper art objects, while food is not.

Consuming excess protein does not automatically make muscles larger or become stronger—only exercise will do that!

Protein Mix

Although unlike carbohydrates and fats, protein is usually associated with promoting good health and increasing one’s strength and vitality. Athletes often choose high-protein foods or take protein supplements with the promise of increasing muscle mass, strength, and endurance. But does dietary protein deserve such a positive reputation? Does it really increase a person’s strength and vitality? Should we be concerned about eating too much protein? A more complete understanding of what proteins are and what they do in the body is needed to accurately answer these questions.

First, as an essential nutrient, protein is required in the diet to replace body proteins that are degraded as part of normal metabolism. Most people in developed countries consume about twice as much protein as the body needs. Second, the body uses only what it needs, so excess dietary protein is mostly “burned” for energy.  Finally, consuming high-protein diets does have some risks. The processing of protein in the body requires lots of water (about seven times more water than required for processing carbohydrates). Consequently, dehydration is a common problem, particularly for people who exercise and lose even more water through sweat and evaporation. Also, the kidneys are the only organs that can process the waste products of protein metabolism for elimination in the urine. An excess of dietary protein over time can overwhelm the kidneys and cause permanent damage.

Like all nutrients, protein should be consumed as part of an overall balanced diet that contains adequate—but not excessive—amounts of protein. Overconsumption of protein can easily occur in economically developed countries where both animal and plant foods containing protein are readily available.

SOURCE: Discovering Nutrition, Timothy Carr

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.