posts by Debra Samuels
Feeding on the many flavors of Stockholm
STOCKHOLM – Situated in an archipelago of thousands of islands, Stockholm is one of the most beautifully situated capitals in the world. After long winters, its frozen waterways are finally cleared of ice floes, and its tour boats ferry visitors in and out of its many harbors. By late March, it is warm enough to …
Read moreBeauty secrets? Check the fridge — Make skin cream and a snack, too
Sometimes it’s OK to have egg on your face – or banana or yogurt or apricot or avocado. Just call it a food facial. Facials at salons can be expensive, great for a birthday present for a friend, maybe, or a splurge for yourself. Instead, consider shopping for your salad and your beauty at the …
Read moreLoad up your plate with regional Italian delicacies at a ‘sagra’
MAGLIANO, Italy – There you are, dining al fresco on a warm summer’s eve in the Italian countryside. Plates of the ”gastronomia tipica” (local dish) are splayed out before you, and a pitcher of hearty wine is being passed your way. You are engulfed in a lively, informal atmosphere. The flow of food and conversation …
Read moreThe open-faced sandwich: a savory slice of Danish culture
Somewhere between the canape and the sandwich lies smorrebrod, an icon of Danish cuisine. Literally ”bread and butter,” the smorrebrod is crowned with all manner of fish, meats, cheese, vegetables, spreads, and edible garnishes. Open-faced sandwiches are popular all over Scandinavia, but the Danes have taken them to high art.Where the canape is eaten in …
Read moreTime to step out of the box and make your own crispy crackersThey won’t steal limelight from spreads
Munching away happily on a variety of crackers gathered in a basket, a friend was incredulous when informed they were all homemade. ”Get outta town!” she exclaimed. ”These are awesome!” If you can make cookies, why not crackers? According to Merriam Webster, a cracker is ”a dried, thin, crispy baked bread product that may be …
Read moreA pumped-up energy-drink industry flexes its muscles
”Party like a rock star.” ”For energy that lasts.” ”Xapp your mind, Xapp your muscles.” ”Vitalizes body and mind.” Amp, Monster, Adrenaline Rush, Red Bull, XAPP: Are we talking about heavy metal bands here? No, these are the latest entries in the exploding energy-drink market, replete with fan clubs. What their devotees are cheering about …
Read moreAebleskiver, Denmark’s answer to the doughnut
COPENHAGEN — Ask any Dane or Danish-American about aebleskive, and you’ll be treated to broad smiles. Aebleskiver –literally ”apple slice” — is a pancake puffball that rarely contains the apple tidbit originally tucked into its center as a sweet surprise. But the name, pronounced ay-bla-skeever, has stuck. Gone in two bites, this traditional Danish dessert, …
Read moreFor vegetarians, creativity and nutrition knowledge are key
”My favorite food used to be Chinese spareribs,” says Reuben Solomon, 13, of Lexington. ”That is, until I realized I had ribs, too. I think I was 9 and I haven’t eaten any meat since then.” Reuben does drink milk and eat eggs. That makes him an ovolactovegetarian. When someone says, ”I’m a vegetarian but …
Read moreConsuming more than one serving a common diet buster
In your cache of kitchen gadgets do you have a scale for weighing food? Are your measuring cups and spoons ever-handy for dishing out those suggested serving sizes on the nutrition label? For example, the one that says two tablespoons of salad dressing equals 1 serving? We know that the amount of food we eat …
Read moreIn the Lime-light
MIAMI — Ask any five people about Key lime pie and they will agree on one thing only — it should never ever be green. ”Honey,” said the slight waitress with weather-beaten skin at a little dive called the Crack’d Conch (where the choices for dessert were a slice of Doris’s Key lime pie or …
Read moreClay pots irresistable in design, function
What do a Romertopf Schlemmertopf, tagine, and donabe(donabay) have in common? They are all earthenware pots with covers, from different parts ofthe world. The high-domed Romertopf and Schlemmertopf are fromGermany, the pyramid-shaped tajine (tagine) is from Morocco, andthe round donabe is from Japan. Using clay pots is an ancient method for cooking. You can now …
Read moreThese breads go with the grain
BERLIN – Early each morning, the smell of fresh bread beckons Berliners to the tiniest of backerei (bakeries), where locals line up for a slice, a bun, or a roll to munch on the way to school or work. Loaves are tucked into bags and eaten later with hard cheese, strong mustard, and ham. Bread …
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Bento:Build a Better Lunch
Debra Samuels, bestselling author, food writer and cooking instructor, wants to give the American lunchbox a makeover. In the chapter on “bento,” the traditional Japanese lunch box, in her upcoming book, My Japanese Table, Debra encourages the use of color, texture and taste to create healthier and more visually appealing meals.
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