http://www.kentucky.com/food/index.xml News, sports, and entertainment from Kentucky.com en-us Copyright 2008 Kentucky.com A la Carte 60 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:13:25 EDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's Workbench webmaster@kentucky.com http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/464878.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/464878.html Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:12 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/458505.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/458505.html Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:39 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/454477.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/454477.html Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:06 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/445544.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/445544.html Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:10 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/439339.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/439339.html Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:31 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/432813.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/432813.html Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:35 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/426187.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/426187.html Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:51 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/419629.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/419629.html Fri, 30 May 2008 12:06 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/413679.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/413679.html Fri, 30 May 2008 12:08 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/406891.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/406891.html Fri, 16 May 2008 12:47 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/464878.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/464878.html Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:12 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/458505.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/458505.html Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:39 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/454477.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/454477.html Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:06 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/445544.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/445544.html Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:10 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/439339.html http://www.kentucky.com/778/story/439339.html Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:31 EDT http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/461306.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/461306.html Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:10 EDT
It might just be some vegetable soup, a grilled pimento cheese sandwich and a glass of milk, but 102-year-old Utha B. Deen makes a point to make herself a nice little lunch and supper every day.

Still, her daughter, Betty, frets.

.She's always fussing at me for not eating enough,. said Deen, who as a 75-year member of the Lexington Homemakers Club is still the cook in her house.

There is a bowl of fresh peaches and bananas in her cozy kitchen, and Deen, who also goes by Sally, is likely to cook up a roast and parcel it out in other dishes throughout the week. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/459749.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/459749.html Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:36 EDT
It's a toss-up: Do you drive less to cut fuel costs or buy fewer groceries to save money?

Gas and food prices are skyrocketing, and many .families are changing the way they eat and shop.

According to the U.S. .Department of Agriculture, the Consumer Price Index for all food is forecast to increase 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent in 2008, as retailers continue to pass on higher commodity and energy costs to consumers.

Adele McKinney of .Nicholasville learned how to save money at the grocery store . without sacrificing nutrition . when she was .living with her daughter last fall. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/140/story/453725.html http://www.kentucky.com/140/story/453725.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:20 EDT
Their first products were sweet hot and sweet hotter Screamin' Mimi's salsa; over the years, the Maddens have added other items, including sauces and chips. The ­newest creations are Screamin' Mimi's Kentucky bourbon marinade, Screamin' Mimi's garlic sauce, and a new salsa that many fans have been waiting for: Screamin' Mimi's sweet hottest salsa. The ­Maddens have really turned up the heat on this one. “This isn't a salsa for sissies,” Bill Madden said.

The products are available at Liquor Barn stores, Good Foods Market . ­Prohibition in the 1920s ended wine production ­altogether. But now the industry is flowing again.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/459750.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/459750.html Sun, 13 Jul 2008 03:32 EDT
The blueberries are ripe for picking at Brackenridge Berry Farm in Brooksville.

.We also propagate blueberry plants and encourage others to enjoy the fun of cultivating .blueberries,. owner Jody Stanley said. The farm has 31/2 acres of blueberries.

Call (606) 735-2490 or go to www.brackenridgeberryfarm.com or the new Kentucky Farms Are Fun Web site, www.kentuckyfarmsarefun.com.

Kentucky's Department of Agriculture and the Tourism Office are working together to promote events throughout the state, and the Kentucky Farms Are Fun Web page offers a listing of farms where events that are planned this .summer. You can search by .attraction or by region. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/459751.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/459751.html Sun, 13 Jul 2008 03:32 EDT
Shelly Culver remembers her first taste of homemade limoncello liqueur.

.We were at this tiny .restaurant in San Francisco called Caffe Macaroni,. she said. .We gave the chef so many compliments on his food, he broke out his stash and poured some for us. It was so clean, so crisp . just like drinking a liquid lemon drop..

Back home, Culver decided to make a batch herself. An avid cook, Culver is no stranger to prepping new dishes or beverages on .instinct. But her first attempt .tasted like propane,. she said, laughing. .I was trying to make it like I cook, just throwing in a bit of this and a handful of that, and you really have to be more precise..

Several batches later, she has perfected a recipe that includes four simple ingredients . lemon zest, alcohol, sugar and water. These are the same ingredients most limoncello recipes call for, but Culver can now share some tips to lessen the possibility of error for newbies taking a crack at it themselves. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/459752.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/459752.html Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:13 EDT
Greek-style burrito

2.3 cup uncooked brown rice

13/4 pounds extra-lean ground beef

4 small cloves garlic, peeled and minced ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/459754.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/459754.html Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:16 EDT
SAN ANTONIO . Biting into a rib of celery is, for me, as refreshing as drinking a cold glass of spring water. The crunch and the clean, green flavors keep me reaching for more.

I developed an even a greater appreciation of this .versatile vegetable when I learned to make a mirepoix with celery, onion and carrot for soups and sauces in addition to the trinity of celery, onion and green pepper used in Cajun cooking.

Plus, celery is good for you. It's packed with e_SDHpriboflavin, vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and .phosphorus. It's a good source of fiber, potassium and manganese, as well as vitamins A, C and K.

It also has what some call negative calories . you burn more calories digesting and absorbing celery than celery has. (Other common foods on the negative-calorie list include asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, radishes, spinach and tomatoes.) ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/459755.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/459755.html Sun, 13 Jul 2008 03:32 EDT
Part fruit salad, part savory salad, this delicious mix of sweet watermelon and crispy prosciutto is a delicious way to mix up your summer salad repertoire.

Recipe

Watermelon salad with mint and crispy prosciutto

4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/453549.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/453549.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:28 EDT
Before the late-summer heat takes its toll on the fruit crop, farms, stores and markets are full of the prettiest, most delicious berries, peaches and melons. They taste their best when eaten out of hand, but the next-best way to eat berries and peaches is when they're combined with flour and sugar and turned into old-fashioned desserts.

Cooks like Mary Tyler of Winchester and Judy .Baumann of Lexington have been .making fabulous fruit desserts for many summers.

For more than 20 years, .Tyler and her husband, e_SDHpNorman, have trucked peaches from South Carolina to the Lexington Farmers Market. Customers know her as .The Peach Lady..

Some of the recipes she uses for making peach e_SDHpdesserts have been handed down for .generations. Old-fashioned cobblers, pies, crunches and crumbles can be made at the last minute because most of the ingredients are kept on hand. Sugar, flour, eggs, milk and whatever fruit grows in the garden or in the orchard are mixed up in minutes and proudly displayed. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/453732.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/453732.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:29 EDT
But she knew she couldn't maintain such a strict diet. So she worked to control her weight through smaller ­adjustments that were more likely to last.

By May 2004, Lillien's ­success had prompted her to send e-mail newsletters with diet tips and recipes to a ­handful of weight-watching friends.

She dreamed of turning her service into more, but she let it develop naturally through word of mouth. It worked. By ­December, she was reaching about 10,000 subscribers.

“From day one, the reaction was so positive that I felt it was only a matter of time,” she says.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/451058.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/451058.html Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:11 EDT
CINCINNATI . First it was the tomatoes. Now it's the beef.

On Wednesday, The Kroger Co. expanded its voluntary recall of some ground beef products to its stores in more than 20 states, including Kentucky, saying the meat might be contaminated with E. coli.

The nation's biggest traditional grocer also urged customers to check the ground beef in their refrigerators and freezers to determine whether it is covered by the recall.

Customers in Kentucky should check to see whether their meat has a .sell-by. date that ranges from May 21-July 3. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/448204.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/448204.html Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:28 EDT
A soup kitchen is always a welcome sight for emergency workers at a disaster scene, but the Salvation Army's new mobile kitchen can offer more than a bowl of hot soup and a cup of coffee.

Lexington's first fully equipped emergency mobile kitchen will be open to the public at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Whitaker Bank (Hamburg), 2001 Pleasant Ridge Drive, and from 11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza in Lexington.

Free hot dogs and beverages will be served.

The $100,000 state-of-the-art mobile kitchen is a gift from Whitaker Bank Corp. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/446863.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/446863.html Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:35 EDT
Now located at 251 West Dixie Avenue, the ­restaurant evolved out of a craft ­business started in the 1970s by Linda Fulkerson and her mother, Lola “Nanny” Allen.

The women were making crafts and selling them out of the car trunk and doing quite well. As business increased, Fulkerson decided to give up the car and move into a rented two-room storefront. Before long, they outgrew the space. Then they outgrew the next space she rented.

In the late 1980s, ­Fulkerson and her ­family bought the 1872 house on West Dixie Avenue. It was perfect for displaying ­antiques and handmade décor.

The business attracted many female shoppers, who often brought their ­husbands. To keep the men busy while their wives shopped, ­Fulkerson set up a couple of tables and served beans and corn bread, pimento cheese sandwiches and pie.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/446864.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/446864.html Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:37 EDT
Swiss chard doesn't .usually win .popularity .contests in the produce world.

But this member of the beet family is a great, healthy way to add .variety to greens, .especially if you tend to grab the same bags of baby .spinach every week.

Swiss chard, also simply called chard, comes in many varieties and is easily .identified by its large (dinner plate size), firm leaves and its delicious celery-like stalks. It is available all year but is at its peak late summer and early fall.

Common varieties include white, which has bright, silvery stalks; ruby, which has deep red stalks and veins; and a multicolored chard . often labeled Bright Lights . that has red, pink, purple, orange and white stalks. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/447099.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/447099.html Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:46 EDT Pidgeon and her husband, Barney, who live in Shelby County, traveled to Ireland in 1998 to visit the home of Barney's grandfather. Now she dreams of having a small apartment in Ireland and spending part of each year there.
After returning home from the first visit, Pidgeon wrote a cookbook, Deliciously Irish. Now her second book, Ireland's Comfort Food & Touring Attractions, has won a bronze IPPY award from ­Independent ­Publisher.
“As soon as I received my shipment of books, I sent one off to be entered in the Independent Publisher Book Awards, and lo and behold, on Mother's Day weekend, I learned I was one of the winners in the cookbook category,” she said.
Comfort Food is a ­collection of recipes from chefs and proprietors of restaurants, hotels, country houses, ­tourist attractions and castles throughout Ireland.
In 2006, Pidgeon spent a month studying the art of Irish cooking at Belle Isle School of Cookery in ­County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. Some of the dishes are included in the book, which is available at www.irelandscomfortfood.com for $21.95.
“Comfort foods may vary from country to country, but they all seem to have one thing in common: They make you feel good,” she said.
What appeals most to Pidgeon about Ireland is “that everyday life turns at a slower pace. It just doesn't seem to be as hectic as it is here in America,” she said. “The people of Ireland are a welcoming people, so friendly and kind, down-to-earth and genuine.”
Recipes
This recipe is from the Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre in Belleek, County, Fermanagh. Belleek, Ireland's oldest pottery, marked its 150th anniversary in 2007.
Goulash Belleek style
1 to 2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound beef (best cut), cubed
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons tomato purée
14-ounce can chopped tomatoes
1½ cups beef stock
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
1 red pepper, seeds removed and sliced
1 green pepper, seeds removed and sliced
10 ounces cream
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Cooked potatoes or rice
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Put oil in a ­medium-size heavy pan, and fry onion. Coat cubed meat with flour and add to onions, allowing meat to brown. Add tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, beef stock and bay leaf. Mix together and pour into a casserole dish. Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Add ­caraway seeds and peppers, and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove casserole from oven and allow it to cool about 5 minutes. Add cream, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with potatoes or rice.

This recipe is from Park Hotel Kenmare, a five-star hotel in Kenmare, County Kerry.
Chilled apple and tomato soup
12 ripe plum tomatoes, cut into small pieces
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into small dice
2¼ cups apple juice
2¼ cups tomato juice
2¼ cups simple syrup
12 basil leaves
Extra basil leaves for garnish
Place tomatoes and apples into large bowl. Reserve some chopped tomatoes and chopped apples for garnish. Pour juices and stock syrup into the bowl, and add basil. Blend with a hand blender until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve. Refrigerate until needed. Garnish each bowl or cup of soup with finely chopped tomatoes and apples and a basil leaf.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/440497.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/440497.html Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:01 EDT
In November 2003, when Buckley-Snoddy was a real estate agent, she was previewing the house that was, built in the early 1840s, for an out-of-state client. “I came and I saw, and I said jokingly to the Realtor, ‘I want to buy this place.'”

While in prayer that evening, Buckley-Snoddy felt strongly that she should buy the house. “Buy this place? I can't even afford where I'm living,” she said. “I was single and in actuality, it was an impossibility.”
Her home at the time was a farm on Pinckard Pike, which she still owns and uses for overflow guests when the inn is booked.

“I wanted to do a bed and breakfast years ago on the farm for pastors and their wives who needed a respite,” she said.

In her heart, Buckley-Snoddy knew a bed and breakfast was her calling. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/440499.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/440499.html Sun, 22 Jun 2008 02:04 EDT
The cover of the new cookbook from the Bed and Breakfast Association of Kentucky shows a lovely formal table setting, but the inside photographs of rocking chairs on porches are most welcoming.

Room at the Table .(McClanahan Publishing, $24.95) features signature recipes from 32 inns around the state. Photographs and recipes will tempt you to make reservations.

History buffs will treasure their time at The House on Belmont in Winchester, built in 1872; the Lyndon House on North Broadway in Lexington, or the Gothic Revival Meek House in Frankfort. Horse lovers are close to Keeneland when they stay at Swann's Nest in Lexington. Craftspeople will admire the guest rooms at The .Doctor's Inn in Berea, which are decorated with Berea .College antique furniture.

The cookbook is available at bookstores or at www.kybooks.com. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/440501.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/440501.html Sun, 22 Jun 2008 02:04 EDT
I needed a fresh dessert to serve at a Fourth of July party, so I created this mini fruit pizza that's low in fat and calories.

Coming up with the .toppings was pretty easy, but I had to experiment with the dough before I achieved the taste I wanted.

I worked with several sugar cookie recipes to try to find a good dough, but I finally decided to make my own from scratch to get a similar texture but still save calories and fat grams.

I use less butter by including some applesauce that has been drained of moisture. I cut down on the sugar by adding a bit more vanilla extract. Then I toss in a little nutmeg and cream of tartar for extra flavor. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/440502.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/440502.html Sun, 22 Jun 2008 02:04 EDT
Traditional sangrias are luscious, bold blends of fruits, wine and spirits, often served in pitchers or punch bowls. But this wonderfully refreshing summer drink from Spain and Portugal leaves plenty of room for improvisation.

An instant mock sangria is easily made by combining a splash of lemon or lime juice with a teaspoon or two of sugar in a tall glass. Add ice, fill the glass with red wine, and stir.

Beverage consultant Kim Haasarud offers dozens of riffs on sangria in her recent 101 Sangrias and Pitcher Drinks (Wiley, $16.95), .including a New Zealand Kiwi Sangria, which combines sauvignon blanc, melon liqueur, kiwis and pineapple.

Haasarud also offers tips for speeding up sangria, which tastes best when allowed to infuse at least several hours. If you're short on time, she suggests lightly mashing some of the fruit, which releases the juices. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/395303.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/395303.html Sun, 04 May 2008 13:11 EDT
Whether you broil, grill, stir-fry or deep-fry them, the briny, fresh taste of shrimp makes a savory spring or summer meal that cooks quickly and pairs well with crisp salads and easy-to-drink sweet white wines.

Take a simple approach, tossing the shrimp with just olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Or reach for complex flavors, dousing them in a blend of melted ghee (clarified butter) and curry powder.

Shrimp marinated in coconut milk and lime juice has a tropical taste. But if you'd rather skip the coconut milk, use just lime juice and a bit of tequila for a margarita-inspired dish.

Large shrimp are the easiest to grill. And high-quality specimens can taste almost like lobster. But these can be pricey. Smaller shrimp can be substituted, but you might need to reduce the cooking time.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/388461.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/388461.html Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:16 EDT Flaxseeds are naturally high in omega-3, an essential fatty acid that keeps your skin, nervous system and immune system functioning properly.
Unfortunately, the positive effects of omega-3 are blunted by omega-6, a fatty acid found in highly processed foods made from soy and corn. When it comes to eating the right ratio, “a lot of Western-style diets are way out of whack,” says Kelley Fitzpatrick, director of health and nutrition for the Flax Council of Canada.
Flaxseed is showing up in plenty of processed foods, including Quaker Oats cereals, Kashi pizza crusts and Naked Juice smoothies, but this banana flaxseed bread is an easy way for home bakers to add the recommended 2 tablespoons a day to their diets.
Flaxseed is usually milled before being added to recipes, although the seeds often are used for whole-grain eye appeal. When properly milled, the hull is broken to expose the oil, which is then encapsulated in the seed matrix.
Shopping tip: For testing purposes, we used Hodgson Mill Milled Flax Seed. For the whole flaxseed, we used Good Sense Organic Flaxseed.
Cooking tip: To toast walnuts for banana bread recipe, spread walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted. Watch closely to prevent overbrowning.
Storage tip: Flaxseed can be stored at room temperature for as long as two years. Ground seeds require refrigeration in an airtight container for no more than 90 days. You also can freeze flaxseed.
RECIPE
Banana flaxseed bread
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup milled flaxseed
½ cup whole-wheat flour
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup fat-free skim milk
¼ cup canola oil
2 egg whites
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1¼ cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
1.3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
4 teaspoons flaxseed, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all-purpose flour, milled flaxseed, whole-wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together milk, oil, egg whites, egg and vanilla. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and stir until blended. Stir in bananas, walnuts and 3 teaspoons flaxseed, blending until moistened.
Spoon into greased and floured 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle top of bread with remaining 1 teaspoon flaxseed. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to stand in pan 10 minutes, then remove from pan and place on wire rack to cool. Makes 1 loaf (9 to 12 servings).
Nutrition information per serving: 292 calories, 13 grams total fat (1 g. saturated), 24 mg. cholesterol, 39 g. carbohydrates, 7 g. protein, 211 mg. sodium, 5 g. dietary fiber.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/381374.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/381374.html Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:55 EDT
It didn't matter that he had no staff and no customers other than rescue workers, reporters from around the world and the few stragglers who hadn't either evacuated or been run out of town by the National Guard. There he was day after day, cooking up pots of jambalaya and red beans and rice, and doling them out free of charge to grateful customers.

Prudhomme and a few other chefs were the exception. For months after the storm, you could get a better meal in Shreveport than in New Orleans, and most of the city's celebrity chefs were working their magic in Houston, Las Vegas and elsewhere.

As a resident of the Crescent City for 25 years before moving to Lexington in the aftermath of Katrina, I am happy to report that that is no longer the case. Most of New Orleans' chefs have come home, and its legendary restaurants are again open for business and are better than ever.

You can have breakfast at Brennan's and dinner at Antoine's, and should you get hungry in between, there's lunch at Galatoire's (except on Fridays, when it is reserved exclusively for locals, many of whom have had the same table and waiter for generations). ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/374636.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/374636.html Sun, 13 Apr 2008 07:28 EDT
Eating what you can't see

If we eat with our eyes, then guests at Thursday's .Lights Out Dinner. will be enlightened by taste.

At Louisville's Asiatique Asian Fusion restaurant, chef Peng Looi will serve a multi.course meal to diners who won't be able to see what they're eating. They will be blindfolded as they enter the darkened room.

According to trendsetters, dining in the dark is .taking off in Paris, Zurich and New York. Those who have tried this particular dining experience say canceling out the often-dominant sense of sight allows the other senses to dominate, heightening the appreciation of tastes, aromas and tactile sensations. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/368220.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/368220.html Sun, 06 Apr 2008 08:52 EDT
CRACKING UP

Older eggs — seven to 10 days — are easier to peel than fresh eggs. Older eggs have a higher pH (lower acidity), according to Shirley Corriher, author of CookWise.

Older eggs are more likely to have air pockets at one end.

To peel a hard-cooked egg, crack it by pressing down and rolling lightly across the counter. Start at the air pocket end and remove pieces of shell peel, then run under cold water to remove any stray pieces that continue to cling. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/368221.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/368221.html Sun, 06 Apr 2008 08:57 EDT
The French-born American does not take himself too seriously. He loves what he calls the magic of food. He revels in an immaculate, well-organized kitchen. He adores his wife, Laurence, and his six children.

He lives to laugh. And create. And play.

Here is what's not on the résumé of Richard, the James Beard Foundation's outstanding chef for 2007:

. His nickname is Captain Crunch
. He spent his formative years in the United States, eating at Kentucky Fried Chicken.
. He thinks the world's most perfect food is the french fry.
. His signature dessert is called Le Kit Cat. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/360960.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/360960.html Sun, 30 Mar 2008 06:47 EDT
A restaurant manager runs off with the register receipts; another .restaurant's namesake gets arrested; feather boas and polyester suits catch on fire (a bad bananas Foster incident); and a notorious rogue cop gets shot on the steps of an upscale restaurant.

A few legendary stories came to mind when we found a box of old Lexington restaurant menus, but they also brought back fond memories of special occasions at places like .Rogers Restaurant, The Little Inn, The Saratoga, Bungalow, Executive House and Columbia's.

The old menus . some still in their leatherlike covers, others discolored by age . were located after a request from cookbook author Regina Charboneau of Natchez, Miss., who came to Lexington earlier this month as part of a book tour. She is collecting old and new menus for the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (www.southernfood.org).

.I think menus are a great way to archive food history. Restaurant menus really tell a story and give a time line for the popularity of .ingredients and trends,. Charboneau said. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/361483.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/361483.html Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:42 EDT
Judging from the buzz about the nutritional benefits of this ancient grain, you might soon see bigger “Q” sections in a lot of other cookbook indexes.

So what is quinoa

(KEEN-wah), and why is it called a “supergrain?”

Technically, it's a seed, from a plant related to amaranth and spinach. It's of South American origin, and the Incas called it the mother grain.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/361469.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/361469.html Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:14 EDT
Late spring and early summer mark the traditional strawberry season, but in today's marketplace, most grocers offer strawberries all year.

There are some delicious off-season strawberries, but they often are less sweet and have a tougher texture than the fresh-picked spring and summer berries we long for.

Color alone usually isn't enough to go by when buying winter strawberries. A berry that is beautifully red can be tough and taste dull.

When possible, smell the berries to see whether they have a sweet, ripe aroma.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/354531.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/354531.html Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:40 EDT
Often, our fast-paced schedules don't allow time to relax and enjoy time with friends.

An afternoon party is a perfect opportunity to return to a quieter, less hectic time, sip a cup of tea and nibble on homemade treats.

The Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary in Richmond is having afternoon tea April 5 . one of the area's most popular events. Almost as soon as the auxiliary finishes gathering and distributing Christmas food bags, Angel Tree gifts and stockings, members turn their talents to planning a spring tea, Marilyn Hungarland said.

Rather than hiring a caterer, the women prepare all the finger foods themselves. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/348440.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/348440.html Sun, 16 Mar 2008 08:25 EDT
SAN FRANCISCO . You want pancakes, but adding water to powder and stirring it seems like too much effort. Enter Batter Blaster, the pancake you just point and spray.

Gastronomic genius? Or sign of the apocalypse? It .depends on how you feel about really fast food.

Nate Steck, part of the two-man team that developed Batter Blaster, said it puts something hot and tasty on the tables of people who have lost touch with the most important meal of the day.

.If you sit down with your family in the morning, you can cook these pancakes so quick,. he said. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/341757.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/341757.html Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:00 EDT Then you discover the often-overwhelming variety of hams, leaving you to guess at the best choice.
Understanding a few ham basics can make your decision much easier, ensuring that you get the best ham to suit your tastes and budget, and the amount of effort you want to invest in the meal.
A true ham is the leg of pork that comes from the hind of the hog. This is the best choice for slicing and serving.
To confuse matters, the front leg, called the pork shoulder picnic, often is cured and called ham. These “hams” tend to have more internal fat, making them better suited for soups and stews.
Most true hams are cured in salt or salt water and sometimes sugar. After curing, American hams are smoked, then partially or fully cooked. European hams, such as prosciutto, are salted, air-dried and eaten raw.
A few small U.S. producers, some of which are in Kentucky, make traditional country hams, which are salt-cured, then cold-smoked over smoldering fires. This type of ham must be cooked thoroughly and is extremely salty.
Most hams carried by mainstream grocers are fully cooked. The names on the labels generally referw to the cut of the leg you are getting and the style of flavors used to prepare it.
Here's what you need to know:
Planning
. When buying a ham, figure on 1/4 to 1/3 pound per person if boneless, 1/2 pound a person if partially boned, and 3/4 to 1 pound a person for bone-in hams.
. If you hope to do your holiday shopping early, you can store a ham, unopened, in the original packaging for seven to 10 days. For longer storage, you can freeze a ham, in the original packaging, for as long as 3 months.
Varieties
. Fully cooked or ready-to-eat hams can be eaten with no further preparation. They are available with or without the bone, or partially boned, with a small part of the thigh bone but not the big joints.
The bone adds flavor during cooking, but it can make carving more difficult. Regardless of the bone, fully cooked hams are available in a variety of sizes.
Meat expert Bruce Aidells, author of The Complete Meat Cookbook, says a whole bone-in ham, 10 to 20 pounds, is the most flavorful and least wasteful cut. It can serve 15 to 20 people with leftovers, and the bone can be used for seasoning soups and bean dishes.
For smaller groups, Aidells recommends buying a smaller section of the ham. The butt end, which is the upper part of the leg, tends to have more meat than the smaller shank end, which is lower on the leg.
. Partially-cooked or ready-to-cook hams are made using traditional smoking and curing techniques and have been heated to at least 137 degrees during some part of the processing.
Aidells says the minimal processing gives these hams superior flavor and texture.
Finer markets might stock ready-to-cook hams during the holidays, and they always can be bought online and by mail order from specialty producers.
. Fresh hams haven't been cured or cooked. They must be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. These are sometimes found alongside other pork roasts, but you might need to special-order them.
Mark Scarbrough and Bruce Weinstein, authors of The Ultimate Cookbook, praise fresh hams for their fat and lean meat, which they say creates moist texture and superior flavor.
. Spiral-cut hams, which usually are fully cooked and available with or without the bone, have become increasingly popular, in part because of ease of serving. Aidells, though, says these hams tend to dry out. They also often are coated with a sweet commercial glaze made with processed sweeteners. Aidells says even the simplest glaze of brown sugar and mustard would taste better.
Cooking
. A fully cooked ham can be eaten cold. If you plan to bake it, heat the oven to 325 degrees and cook it to an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Leftovers, or hams not in their original packaging, should be heated to 160degrees.
. A fully cooked whole ham will take 15 to 18 minutes a pound to come to temperature. A fully cooked half ham will need to cook for about 18 to 24 minutes for each pound.
. Partially cooked hams must be heated in a 325-degree oven to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. A 15- to 20-pound ham needs 18 to 20 minutes a pound. A 5- to 7-pound ham needs 20 to 25 minutes a pound.
Glazing
Any ham looks and tastes better with a flavorful glaze. Most classic ham glazes combine a sweet ingredient, such as brown sugar, maple syrup or molasses, with a contrasting flavor, such as mustard or vinegar.
The sugars in the glaze caramelize while baking, giving the ham a glossy sheen.
Before coating ham with a glaze, make sure to score it with a diamond pattern by cutting slashes into the surface 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch deep. This looks great and provides more surface area on the ham for the glaze.
If a ham has been cured and smoked in a net bag, it might already have a pattern etched into the surface. Even these hams, though, will benefit from being scored.
A ham can be coated with a glaze using a pastry brush or a large spoon at any point during baking, but every 15 minutes is a good rule of thumb.
A sweet glaze can work well on a fresh ham, but because of the long cooking time, you will want to add the glaze toward the end so it doesn't burn.
Carving
When carving a ham, use a sharp knife with a thin blade. Cut only the amount you will serve, because leftover sliced ham dries out faster than larger pieces.
To carve a bone-in ham, cut a few long slices parallel to the bone, then turn the ham so it rests on the cut surface. Make perpendicular slices toward the bone and then cut along the bone to release the slices.
To carve a boneless ham, cut a few long slices to make a flat surface, then turn the ham onto the]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/341767.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/341767.html Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:04 EDT
Coating the eggplant with bread crumbs or batter helps to provide a barrier.

Oven-baking instead of frying or sautéing also keeps the fat absorbed to a minimum.
Oven-baked eggplant Parmesan puts a healthy spin on the Italian favorite. To coat the eggplant slices, use panko coating, a coarser, Japanese-style bread crumb that forms a deliciously crunchy crust. Look for panko in the ethnic-foods aisle or near the bread crumbs.

Shopping tip: Eggplants are perishable and become bitter with age, so try to buy them within a day or two of cooking.

Preparation tips: Cut eggplant just before using because the flesh discolors quickly when exposed to air. To peel tomatoes, cut an “X” on the bottom of each tomato. Place in boiling water and heat 15 seconds if tomatoes are ripe, 30 seconds if tomatoes are firmer. Using a slotted spoon, lift out tomatoes and plunge into ice water. Peel should remove easily with the tip of a sharp knife.

RECIPE

Oven-baked eggplant Parmesan
For eggplant:
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons fat-free milk
1 cup panko crumbs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 medium eggplant (about 12 ounces), cut into 12 3/8-inch slices
For tomato-basil sauce:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
14.5-ounce can no-salt-added whole tomatoes
8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 cup chopped, peeled and seeded tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/341768.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/341768.html Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:06 EDT
Baking and craft supply shops sell all manner of equipment to make the process easier, but the only essential gear beyond a saucepan is a candy thermometer.

Once made, candy syrup can be poured onto any heatproof surface. For example, create candy crackle by pouring the syrup onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once it hardens, break it into irregular chunks.

Or you can pour the syrup into muffin tins (coated with cooking spray) about 1.8 to 1/4 inch deep.

To create beautiful Easter decorations, buy egg-shaped candy molds. These inexpensive plastic molds differ from chocolate molds; they can withstand the heat of molten candy syrup.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/334921.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/334921.html Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:05 EST

When Sheila and Larry Gerkin of Frankfort were married in 2005, they received several slow cookers.


“The one we use most often has several temperature settings, including warm,” Sheila Gerkin said. “We make mostly meat dishes in our Crock-Pot. Usually we put in a pot roast with potatoes and vegetables like carrots and green beans with some seasonings. Steak is really tender fixed in the Crock-Pot. Using the Crock-Pot helps us to save money. We usually get at least two meals out of it that way.”


In the 1970s when the slow cooker debuted, there was one shape, and the biggest complaint was that it was difficult to clean. Then came the brands with dishwasher-safe ceramic inserts, and soon the standard 3-quart cooker was joined by 7-quart ovals that serve a crowd.


“Almost everything is new” these days when it comes to slow cooking, says Beth Hensperger, author of the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker series.
]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/334928.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/334928.html Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:07 EST

Photographs of table settings and food served at the historic Twin Oaks in Natchez, Miss., will make you long for the luxurious life, but the recipes will tempt you to head to your own kitchen.


Author Regina Charboneau is a Natchez native who cooked at construction camps in Alaska to save money to attend LaVarenne in Paris. She returned to Alaska and became the first female chef for Club Corp. of America at the Tower Club in Anchorage. She went on to open restaurants in San Francisco, including Regina's at the Regis, before moving to New York. In 2000, after her father's death, she returned to Natchez with her husband, Doug, and sons, Luc and Martin.


The couple bought Twin Oaks six years ago, and it's where she conducts cooking classes.


“We cook, then set the dining room table and all eat and have wine and conversation,” she said.
]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/334931.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/334931.html Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:06 EST

Typical cheesecakes contain as much as three-quarters of a pound of fat, most of it from the cream cheese and heavy cream or sour cream in the filling. In addition, a traditional graham cracker crust can add a stick of butter.


Making a healthier — yet still satisfying — cheesecake is just a matter of choosing the right ingredients.


Nutritionist Ellie Krieger, host of the Food Network show Healthy Appetite, recommends reduced-fat rather than non-fat ingredients because they significantly cut fat, saturated fat and calories without sacrificing taste and texture.


In most cheesecake recipes, you can, at the very least, replace regular cream cheese with Neufchatel (reduced-fat cream cheese), which has fewer calories and about a third of the fat.
]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/334936.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/334936.html Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:07 EST

Look for ground chicken made from breast meat only. If it's labeled “ground chicken,” it contains skin, fat and dark meat.


Coleslaw tastes even better the second day. Double the recipe and you'll be set for another meal. This dinner contains 494 calories with 31 percent of calories from fat.


Wine suggestion: A shiraz or other soft red wine is a good match.


Helpful hints: Any type of sweet onion can be used; if pressed for time, buy coleslaw from the deli; be sure to drain the salsa, or the hamburgers won't hold their shape.
]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/124311.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/124311.html Sun, 15 Jul 2007 09:51 EDT
She made up a winner

Jan'a Prater of Lexington, encouraged by husband Steven and son Christian to “make it up” and put her spin on a pie recipe, won the Fourth of July Great American Pie Contest with Mabeline's famous triple-berry pie.

“Steven teases me about the not-so-ordinary dishes and homemade desserts I create. While he occasionally calls me Mabeline, he often jokingly calls my creations, ‘made-up,'” Prater said.

“Together, we spend a lot of time in and outside of our kitchen, baking, cooking or grilling. We just enjoy creating something yummy out of a few delicious yet simple ingredients from our pantry. Many of our creations are either special requests from family, friends, church members or co-workers,” she said. ]]>