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Posted in Daily, Food

Beyond the “C”

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

What connects Camellia sinensis, Coffea seeds, Kola nuts as well as the yaupon holly leaves, Amazonian holly guayusa leaves. The common factor is a simple but bitter, white crystalline purine, a methylxanthine alkaloid compound popularly consumed globally as “Caffeine”. The growing role of “caffeine” related beverages is evidenced by the celebration of March as the National Caffeine Awareness Month” by foodimentarians globally.

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Like the two sides of a coin, caffeine has its’ own merits and demerits. Primarily playing its’ role as a central nervous stimulant as well as inhibitor of two major enzymes, phophodiesterase and adenosine; caffeine of coffee, tea as well as the medically available pure form has its’ indicated uses and merits.

From treating to preventing major diseases in neonates (like bronchopulmonary dysplasia, apnea of prematurity) as well aiding asthmatics in reducing their exacerbation; caffeine aids in reducing fatigue, drowsiness and improving coordination and reaction time. Imagine the endless night shifts, cramming before exams, pulling all nighters before the term exams in university and aiding to stay awake during classes after late night events; caffeine was always a life saver. In moderation, caffeine aids in reducing depressive symptoms as well as suicide idealizations.

“It was a pleasant cafe, warm and clean and friendly, and I hung up my old water-proof on the coat rack to dry and put my worn and weathered felt hat on the rack above the bench and ordered a cafe au lait. The waiter brought it and I took out a notebook from the pocket of the coat and a pencil and started to write.” Ernest Hemingway

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Not just students or night shift workers, for the gym goers, caffeine helps in improving their endurance, aids weight loss as well as increase the training or exercise volume. Moderate consumption of caffeine reduces dementia and Alzheimer’s risk, neuroprotective for Parkinson’s patients, reduces liver fibrosis and cirrhosis as well decreases risk of throat, mouth, colon and skin cancer.

On the other hand, more than 400 milligrams of caffeine intake has been associated with health risks ( Health Canada limitations) while toxic doses are in the range of ten grams or more of caffeine (50 -100 coffee cups with 80-175 mgs of caffeine per cup). Adverse effects of caffeine have a physical as well as psychological manifestation. In the former group would include raised blood pressure, headaches, increase gastrointestinal motility, increase bone loss in postmenopausal women, stained teeth, increased eye pressure in glaucoma patients, loss of essential minerals like iron and calcium as well as decreasing collagen synthesis i.e. more wrinkles.

“As long as there was coffee in the world, how bad could things be?” Cassandra Clare, City of Ashes

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From a psychological viewpoint, increase caffeine can lead to addiction, mood swings, dependency, anxiety disorders, tremors as well as irritability and sleep less nights. For the pregnant women, balancing the daily intake to two or less cups of coffee ( less than 200mg ) helps to reduce the caffeine induced pregnancy complications.

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Caffeine consumption, highly depends on the way and reason we take it. From a simple homemade coffee to the “calorie laden coke” (laced with additional compounds) or the simple morning and evening ritual of tea, caffeine intake can be regulated. The more carefully we regulate the caffeine intake, the longer we can enjoy the merits than be affected by their demerits.

“Adventure in life is good; consistency in coffee even better.” Justina Chen, North of Beautiful

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Posted in Daily, Food

Trend of “Break-the-Fast”

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“Breakfast is everything. The beginning, the first thing. It is the mouthful that is the commitment to a new day, a continuing life.” A. A. Gill

After the regular morning tea or cup of joe; the bustle of the day starts off with “breakfast” what was previously known as “morgenmete” (Old English) i.e. “morning meal”.On the wintry or cold February mornings, there is nothing more delightful than being warmed by breakfast; which is maybe why the month of February has been dedicated to warm breakfast.

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The ancient man, from the Neolithic age believed in the concept of baking cereals and consuming them in the morning, especially among peasants as light repast to start the day’s labour. While the Ancient Greek (ariston or akratisma) and Rome (jentaculum or ientaculum) carried on this tradition, the morning meal bacme more lighter, giving way to a more rich midday meal.

Towards the Middle Age, breakfast was frowned on by the nobility believing it to be a meal for the lower or working class. Yet towards the 15th and 16th century, with the introduction of meat and caffeine as well as tea; the morning repast became a necessary indulgence for the nobility as well. From then on breakfast time encourages one to indulge in a heavy or light glucose intake for the day depending on the mood.

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From the continental breakfast to English breakfast or simply pancakes, waffles, dosa or muffins; the variety of food served at breakfast can never be termed boring. And for those of us who dread cooking in the mornings, there’s always a warm bowl of cereal or cupcakes to kick-start the day.

“All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.” John Gun

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Posted in Daily, Food

Being Chocolaty, Peanuts

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“‘Peanuts’ is a life-long influence, going back to before I could even read.” Adrian Tomine

INGREDIENTS
1 package semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped
Salted peanuts, no skin
Both ingredients in equal measure.

Taxonomic classified as Arachis hypogaea, popularly known as groundnuts, goober, monkey nuts or peanuts (not the comic strip); they are a favored snack among all ages. With the above ingredients, there’s nothing more befitting than experimenting in a little mix of the all time favourites; i.e. chocolate and peanuts.

“Chocolate is one of the world’s most beloved discoveries, and when we need a quick boost of energy and endorphins, chocolate is the go-to treat.” Marcus Samuelsson

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Commercially chocolate coated peanuts ere earliest sold and marketed under the brand ‘Goobers” in 1925. Later other companies like M & M’s too made them. Interestingly, the name “Goober” is probably derived from the Gullah language (African Americans who live in the Low-country region of the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina), word guber (meaning “peanut”), which is in turn derived from the KiKongo (or Kongo) word n’guba. Keeping with the rising vegan trend, “Vegan chocolate-coated peanuts” are made of non-refined sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter and vanillin.

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Being all time snack and culinary favourite; peanuts can be artfully and tastefully served as “ants on a log”, the traditional roasted “chikki”, deep fried or coated and roasted, or the all time sauce thickener to bring a change to the regular stew and curry ( Kare-kare, mirchi ka salan, peanut chutney). With winter drawing to a close and the peanut season coming to an end, there’s nothing better to celebrate the end of the season than with “peanuts”.

“Ants on a log : a snack made by spreading peanut butter, cream cheese, ricotta cheese or any number of spreads on celery and placing raisins on top”

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Posted in Daily, Food

Café au Lait Mornings

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“I thought ‘café au lait’ was Spanish.” “No, it’s French for coffee and milk. ‘Lait’ is milk.” . “Really? I thought it was “Café–olé! Like, ‘Coffee–all right!'”- Lorelai Gilmore

For the viewers of the American comedy-drama television series, Gilmore Girls; the above dialogue may seem familiar. Yet for ardent coffee lovers, there is no confusion in the mind.

Café au lait (French for “coffee with milk”) is simply coffee with hot milk added. Call it by any name, similar varieties are seen mainly across Europe, from the Spanish café con leche in Spain, Polish kawa biala and German Milchkaffee (“milk coffee”) to list a few. The reverse version holds true in the certain areas of Switzerland, where the popular variation is made by adding espresso to the milk base, known as the café renversé (“reverse coffee”).

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Traditionally the brew is primarily of French origin, prepared at home from dark coffee (preferable French beans) and heated milk; while in the cafes, the espresso machine takes over.

Yet the ‘ café au lait’ isn’t the dame as “Café latte”. Originated in Italy, the latter is typically made using one or two shots of espresso, topped-up with steamed milk, and finished with a small layer of foam on top. On the contrary, café au lait has no foam added to it.

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One popular variation of the café au lait served at coffee shops in New Orleans, is making it by using chicory which gives the beverage a distinctive, strong, and bitter flavor. Known as American café au lait, scalded milk is used rather than steamed milk and served usually with sweet powdered sugary beignets to offset the bitter flavour. The roots go back to the American Civil War days when coffee was in short supply and demand strong. Hence the trend of using chicory to pad out the available coffee had started and stayed on.

Either way, to start off the milky sweet mornings, ‘café au lait’ is there for all the coffee lovers, old or young.

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Posted in Daily, Food, Uncategorized

With regards,From Italy

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“L’uomo è ciò che mangia” (a man is what he eats)- Ludwig Feuerbach

For those of us who know Italian or in love with Italian food, these words would sound familiar and seen sometimes across the menu cards. One of the most popular global cuisines apart from the American snack industry, French cuisine or Indian “curries” would be the Italian cuisine, which is actually in popular demand, ranging from the “pizza” to pasta, panini, lasagne, risottos, tortelinni. Although most would be familair with a selct few, Italian cusine offers a whole range and variety of meals which is quite simple to cook, especially for those of us who want a change from the regular.

“Italian food is all about ingredients and it’s not fussy and it’s not fancy.” Wolfgang Puck

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Like with most European cuisines, the Italian cuisine developed over centuries with its’ roots primarily spreading and growing with the fall of the Roman Empire. With traces from Athens as well, the Sicilian cuisine was initially well liked and many believe it to be the first real Italian cuisine; especially in the Middle Ages. A lot of the cuisine varies from region to region primarily because of the Mediterranean and Arab influences in South compared to the Germanic and Roman roots of the north. In fact each area has its’ own specialty like cuisines from Basilicata, Lomabarde, Saridinia or Tuscany to list a few.

“In the 20th century, the French managed to get a death on the myth that they produce the world’s best food. The hype has been carefully orchestrated, and despite the fact that the most popular food in the last quarter has undoubtedly been Italian, the French have managed to maintain that mental grip.” Clarissa Dickson Wright, English Chef and Author

The versatility of Italian cooking lies in the explicit use of vegetables, cheese as well as meat along with the ease and simplicity in its’ making. For novice Italian cooking, the pasta and risotto are quite easy to make. With many recipes available online, its’ not that hard to bring a change to the menu once in a while and gives a healthy break from fast food and restaurant dinners.

Anche l’occhio vuole la sua parte (The eyes want their part – in the sense that something has to be pleasing to the eyes – apart from having other qualities)…An Italian Saying

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Posted in Daily, Food

The “Snack” Cravings

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“The road to enlightenment is long and difficult, and you should try not to forget snacks and magazines.” Anne Lamott

No matter how old we grow, there’s always time to grab a snack in between, either when still or on the go. Remember the childhood treat of “cookies or biscuits and milk”, “vada with chai” or “fritters after school” and so on, with the best being around the “midnight ice-cream or chocolate teat”. As time moved on and we grew up, “snacking” became a must especially during college, university and struggling between jobs when cooking a full meal was a rarity. Slowly as the years evolved, being healthy declined and we got out of shape, “snacking” became a struggle for the mind and body between “should I or should I not.”

“Some people wonder why they can’t have faith for healing. They feed their body three hot meals a day, and their spirit one cold snack a week.” F. F. Bosworth

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From childhood and school days, the focus has been on having three healthy meals a day; the occasional decline in the sugar levels as well as the temptation of the taste buds prompted the occasional snack. On a scientific note, research has recommended that “small snacks” does indeed life up the metabolism, boosting mental work and triggers satiety. On the other hand, as we overdo it; the scales tip and we find ourselves in a continuous cycle of frustration and over-snacking.

“Everyone I know is looking for solace and a tasty snack.” Maira Kalman

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Yet the balance between “healthy and unhealthy snacking” is very fine. Keeping all snacks portion controlled, mixed range and on balanced nutrient density helps us to continue snacking on “legal celery sticks and granola bars” as well as the “delicious cheesy pretzels and chocolate rich gooey globs of goodness” for some occasions. Sticking to “wise snacking”, varied options and balancing between both, keeps the interlude between the three meals interesting not just for the palate but creativity, mind, mood, emotions, body and soul; making “happy snacking” a trend.

“All of life is a continuous state of wonder interrupted by bedtime and light snacks.” Joyce Rachelle

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Posted in Daily, Food, Stories Around the World

Nutella from Gianduja

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

Sugar, Modified Palm Oil, Hazelnuts, Cocoa, Skimmed Milk Powder, Whey Powder, Lecithin and Vanillin.

The correct proportion of the above ingredients with “some plus and minus” gives the final “new-tell-uh” or as written as “Nutella”, gluten free, Kosher but not vegan.

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The origin of Nutella can be traced to the Piedmont chocolatiers of Italy who had made blocks of chocolate. With the Napoleanic Wars and shortage of chocolate; chocolatiers of Turin added chopped hazelnuts to the chocolate trying to stretch the supply. Thus was born the “gianduja”, a fateful paste. Later on with the World Wars and high expense with scarcity of chocolate; Pietro Ferrero an Italian pastry maker made the “Pasta Gianduja” a block of cocolate laced with hazelnut which was made spreadable as a creamy version “Supercrema Gianduja” over the years. In 1954, it was rechristened as “Nutella”.

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The versatility of Nutella being used as a spread is not confined to bread alone but to a variety of crepes, drinks and so on. Adding Nutella to the recipe gets the creativity into flow and new food art takes shape. Simply delicious, this calorie laden treat should be indulged in high moderation. Although nutella has a fair share of hazelnuts, this choclate spread is calorie laden and not to be on the regular menu for weight watchers, diabetics and the like. The old adage that “all things are better enjoyed in moderation” holds specially true in this case.

Today various brands like “Cadbury’s Dairymilk”, “Pilsbury” as well as similar spreads like “Nocilla”, “Nugatti” and so on have stormed the chocolate world. Yet Nutella still retains its’ special position on the shelves and breakfast table.

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