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Restaurant Trends

Obviously the current economy has a negative impact on many Americans. They have had to tighten their belts a few notches along the way. Businesses have also and this has become apparent in the restaurant industry. There are two trends being seen – one of which is obvious to those that can still splurge on a meal out now and then, and one a little less noticeable.

The first is that entrée sizes are getting smaller; rarely does one have enough in front of them to over-stuff themselves. Even appetizers and desserts are being downsized. You may have even noticed that wine and beer glasses are a bit smaller than before. While this may be frustrating in the sense that prices have not declined, there is a silver lining to this cloud in that consumption is lessened which is really a good thing. Consider that a typical restaurant burger can have over 1,200 calories and 2,000 mg of sodium, even a 20% reduction brings it down to less than 1,000 calories and 1,600 mg of sodium with just .8 ounces less meat than a regular quarter-pound burger. You may not really miss the meat, but your waistline will be glad to forego the extra calories and fat. If you want to be healthier, go to http://www.411.ca to look for healthy options that you can do.

Unfortunately, the second trend is not as good. In the effort to reduce costs, other practices may be incorporated such as including cheaper, less healthy, lesser quality ingredients. This is not always easy to discern as you cannot tell that your burger has had a cheaper cut of meat ground into it, for example. Ingredients with less flavor may be boosted by salt, added fat, MSG and other additives making the dish even less healthy.

While the solution to prepare more meals at home will not make the restaurant industry very happy, that is the step that many Americans are taking from a financial and health standpoint.

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Vegetarian Surprise

Diane Nolan’s daughter Katie came home for Thanksgiving with five loads of dirty laundry and the news that she was now an ovolactate (egg and dairy) vegetarian. Diane told Katie to do her own laundry, and then started to change her menu plans for the holidays. As a busy working woman and mother of active children, Diane appreciates the convenience, quality, and economy of canned vegetables. And she certainly made good use of canned vegetables for this cooking challenge.

Diane decided to leave their traditional dinner menu alone and just add a vegetarian dish using canned beans. She adjusted one dish – Grandma’s scalloped corn made with canned cream corn, onion, saltines and milk – and made a small dish for Katie without the bacon topping. Diane’s husband Paul and sons Matt and Mike, devoted carnivores, could have all the bacon.

Katie added stuffed pablano peppers made with canned black beans, corn, tomato sauce, and rice topped with cheese to their special meal. The men of the family liked the peppers so much; they requested them for dinner later in the week.

The next day, Diane changed family favorite four-cheese lasagna by simply omitting the meat. Canned tomatoes, consistently in high quality, made the sauce as good as ever and no one complained about the change.

Katie made heuevos rancheros for Sunday brunch – even making her own low fat refried beans using canned pinto beans and canned diced tomatoes for the base of her homemade salsa. And when Katie made a pinto bean casserole using canned pinto beans, whole corn, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, even her Dad admitted there might be something to this vegetarian cuisine.

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The Casserole Queen

Louise and John Hanson traded in their five-bedroom house for a RV with what Louise calls the “smallest kitchen in the world”. She still turns out amazing meals using her recipe file and a well maintained pantry of canned foods.

Their 26-foot RV has a small gas oven and very small gas refrigerator with a freezer big enough for four ice cube trays. Louise does have a pullout style pantry, containing a variety of canned vegetables.

Louise learned to cook while living in married student housing at the University of Minnesota. She was dubbed the “Casserole Queen” forty years ago and has never abdicated.

Instead, she has expanded her cooking repertoire to include Cuban, Mexican and Italian dishes, and canned vegetables are part of almost every dish she prepares. For their RV park’s Christmas potluck dinner, Louise made Arroz Morro, a Cuban dish using canned black beans and tomato sauce with rice, cumin, garlic, broth oregano, and apple cider vinegar. Their Mid-Western friends were very impressed.

John has just been diagnosed with Diabetes II and has been advised to include a variety of beans in his diet because beans are digested slowly and help stabilize blood glucose levels. Canned beans, chilis, tomatoes, and corn are the basis of many of their new favorite recipes. John still doesn’t know that several of his favorite bean dishes are really vegetarian – and he doesn’t miss meat at all.

Louise uses canned vegetables because they don’t require special storage conditions, the quality is consistent, and they are available throughout the year. Her adventurous spirit needn’t wait for any growing season!

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Home Uses for Commercial Refrigeration

For large families, it is important to have plenty of food. With the higher demands of food needs, most large families find that they do not have enough storage, or they do not have the proper storage, in order to maintain foods that need refrigeration. This can be a dilemma for many, and result in shopping trips more than once a week. For many, commercial refrigeration would be a good solution. This would allow larger families to make bulk purchases of refrigerated goods and provide an attractive and functional way to store the foods.

Many find purchasing food in bulk results in lower prices on food. Also, purchasing larger quantities eliminates repeated trips to the supermarket. There are some strategies for buying food in bulk so that families can save money, be afforded the best types of foods, and also get the most amount of product. Large families tend to need this option, and therefore find that any way to make the process easier is beneficial. For instance, purchasing two gallons of milk rather than one can be the difference of $2.00 dollar savings, as well as the saving for eliminating gas and time from another outing.

Another way to help families maintain proper food supplies is by freezing foods so they are available for use later on. If a family finds that they are freezing a lot of food such as sauces, vegetables, or meats, they may find that a separate freezer may fit their needs. This will help to ensure that the items that need freezing that have been purchased in bulk will have an extension of time for use later on when the family is ready. This can be a great benefit for many as they find sales or deals and choose to stock up.

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Are You a Carnivore?

Ever hear someone refer to themselves as a carnivore? Chances are they probably are not. Often people misclassify themselves as a carnivore to indicate that they are not vegetarians and thus include meat and other animal products in their diet. However, the strictest definition of the word carnivore is that which consumes rarely anything but meat.

This is not to say that some people would not fit into the classification of facultative carnivores but in reality, the human race is more aptly considered to be omnivore. Interestingly, this is the case more due to the choices that people have made rather than the manner in which our physical makeup would dictate. There are numerous indications that the human body is more intended as an herbivore which would make us solely a plant-eater.

First of all, a human’s mouth is more designed for plant eating. We do not have the larger mouth, teeth type and spacing nor jaw type that true carnivores have. Humans have carbohydrate digesting enzymes in our saliva which carnivores do not. Our facial muscles structure is different, our jaw action is different, and how much we chew is different.

Secondly, our intestinal track is far different than that of a carnivore. Carnivores have a short track so that meat which is prone to rotting can be eliminated quickly. Humans have an intestinal track that is far longer. Even the stomach is different. Carnivores have a large, single-chambered stomach that facilitates eating a larger meal but less often; humans in comparison have a smaller stomach requiring daily consumption.

Add this to these facts that our stomach acidity, kidneys and liver are all that of an herbivore, not a carnivore, and one can readily see that our physical makeup is much more that of an herbivore. These facts are why some are opting for vegan or vegetarian diets even without the humanitarian reasons.

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Our Daily Bread

Breads and Bread rolls at a bakery

Image via Wikipedia

“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.” ~Robert Browning, English poet

“Acorns were good until bread was found.” ~Francis Bacon

These are only two of the thousands of quotes regarding bread. The word bread is found 361 times in the King James Version of the Bible. People all over the world are in love with bread. However, bread is not the same all over the world. There are plenty of variations to our daily bread. Some of the favorites around the world are finding their way into artisan bread bakeries and now the American consumer is getting to enjoy new and exciting breads.

Focaccia is one example that is now quite popular. It is Italian bread that is believed to have originated in ancient Rome. This olive oil bread is most often seasoned with rosemary and sea salt but many variations are also made.

Soda Bread became popular first in Ireland and is often referred to as Irish Soda Bread for this reason. The bread consists of only the following ingredients – flour, baking soda, buttermilk and salt. It uses the baking soda for leavening instead of yeast.

Naan is an Indian tandoor-baked bread that is mostly found in northern India but also in Central Asia and the Middle East. It is usually made with yeast, but there is a baking powder variation that is sometimes made. This bread is often eaten by stuffing it with a variety of ingredients and spices.

Mexico has its tortilla, England its Yorkshire pudding, Brazil has Pão de Queijo (cheese buns), and the Mediterranean its pita. There are flat breads, puffed breads, stuffed breads, steamed breads, fried breads, biscuits, sweet and savory breads. It would be impossible to count all the varieties but it might be fun to try to have as many different kinds as possible!

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Take a Bite Out of Raleigh’s Renowned Restaurants

The South has a reputation for amazing food. While classic Southern cooking is some of the finest in the country, the South’s ability to produce excellent food doesn’t stop with a bowl of mouthwatering Jambalaya. In the last decade a bevy of world class restaurants have opened their doors, ushering patrons in and inviting them to enjoy “New Southern” cuisine: fine food prepared with fresh-picked, fresh harvested, and freshly hewn ingredients from their own backyard.

Raleigh, North Carolina is one of those fabulous southern cities loved by natives and locals alike, with a selection of restaurants and eateries that would keep the most distinguished foodie happy. Whether you’ve spent the day scouring the sights of Raleigh as a visitor, or looking at Raleigh apartments for a more permanent stay, take the rest of the evening to enjoy the fabulous local food.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started, but you’ll most likely find a food gem or two of your own.

  • Piedmont. Housed in what was once a warehouse, Piedmont is dedicated to local produce, seafood, and meat, respecting the land and encouraging the sustainability of local food producers. This dedication and use of diverse local food is evident in the contemporary and pleasingly rustic American cuisine, singled out by Food & Wine magazine.
  • Second Empire. Recipient of the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award, Second Empire Restaurant and Tavern is as renowned for its fine dining as it is for its location in the gorgeous historic Dodd-Hinsdale House. You can enjoy a seasonal three course meal or lighter fare in the Tavern.
  • The Pit Authentic BBQ. Sometimes all you want to do is pig out, and there’s nowhere better than The Pit. Fabulous authentic North Carolina barbecue is rounded out by hearty pumpkin skillet cornbread, fried catfish, and carrot cake with molasses cream cheese icing and bourbon ice cream.
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A Cookbook Junkie

Some people collect stamps, others coins. There are nearly as many things that can be collected as there are people that like to collect things. For those that enjoy food and preparing food, collecting cookbooks can be a most rewarding endeavor. When you consider that the cookbook section at your favorite bookstore is usually quite large, it is obvious that there are a lot of cookbook buyers out there. Collecting cookbooks can be done in various specific methods or completely haphazard. It is all up to the collector.

Some are interested in old cookbooks and love to scrounge through garage sales, estate sales, and so forth looking for the oldest cookbook they can find. A couple old books that were available in early America were The Compleat Housewife in 1742, The Frugal Housewife in 1772 by Susannah Carter, and The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy in 1805 by Hannah Glasse.  All books were very scarce at one time and cookbooks were often owned only by the wealthy.

Other collectors strive to get regional cookbooks they can obtain on travels throughout the country. This can be a delightful way to come back home and prepare the various cuisines experienced on one’s trip thus reliving the memories.

Foreign travelers may do the same and find cookbooks in the countries they visit. The interesting part of doing this is that although some cookbooks may be found in their native language, often they are of the language of the country being visited. Although the recipes could only be recreated by first translating it, just having the book is a wonderful memento of the trip.

Others like to collect a variety, including unique ethnic cookbooks and specific themed ones. There is no wrong way to collect, just make sure you start with a really large bookcase because it will fill up really fast!

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Things You May Not Know About Being a Vegan

A vegan raspberry and pear tart.

Image via Wikipedia

People make the choice to become a vegan (pronounced VEE-gun) for any number of reasons. For some it is the natural choice with regards to living a green lifestyle. For others it is health reasons. For others it is out of reverence for living creatures.

There are varying levels of being a vegan. For some it is just a dietary decision while others extend the exclusion of animal products into clothing, cosmetics, household goods and all other products they use.

Here are a few things you might not know about being a vegan. First of all, the term “vegan” is relatively new having only begun in the mid 1940’s. The American Vegan Society, founded in 1944, is based on the Buddhist and Jainism concept of ahimsa which is the avoidance of cruelty against living creatures.  Only about 1% of Americans are vegans. Vegetarianism, on the other hand, dates back to the mid 1800’s.

Besides dietary considerations, other products not used by vegans include bone char, beeswax, lanolin, shellac, bone china, leather, wool, fur, rennet, gelatin, carmine, casein, tallow, whey, and silk. Some of these ingredients are found in things you would not expect. For example, white sugar often includes bone char.

Being a vegan is not as complicated as some people think. Like anything in life, it just takes educating oneself. There are plenty of resources available on the subject. You can learn what is excluded, how and where to shop, how to eat in restaurants, what supplements are suggested, and how to make substitutions when baking and cooking.

Many are hesitant to invite vegans to dinner for fear they will serve the wrong things, but fear not. Don’t exclude them. Instead, simply spend some time talking about it with them. They will most likely be more than happy to discuss the menu with you or even guide you to becoming a vegan yourself.

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Springboard into an Exciting Career in the Restaurant Industry!

Cooking used to be something people deemed as a necessary chore or a nice hobby somebody did for fun. Instead, it has now evolved into a revered and highly skilled profession that is a big part of a thriving billion dollar industry. People are eating out more than they ever did before, and the restaurant industry continues to grow and prosper. Therefore, being a part of the restaurant industry is a very appealing, as well as exciting, prospective career.

If working with food is one of your passions and you are looking for a way to break into the exhilarating food industry, consider getting a culinary arts degree. With a degree in the culinary arts, you can springboard yourself directly into the restaurant industry and choose foodie careers, such as a nutritionist at a relaxing resort or a chef in a top notch restaurant like David Chang. There you can wow people everyday with your amazing cooking skills, as you transform food into works of art! No matter what career path you choose to be a part of with your culinary arts degree, you will be a part of something extraordinary.

The specialized training you’ll receive while obtaining a culinary arts degree will give you the hands-on skills and expertise you need to become an integral part of the food industry. You will learn how to use the latest innovations and how to master precise cooking techniques that can springboard you into an exciting career path!

How do you choose where to go to get your culinary arts degree? You’ll need to search for a school that is accredited and offers what you need and want. There are many culinary arts school choices and even the option for online degrees, too. Get started today on the path to becoming a key player in a successful restaurant scene, and fulfill your dream of cooking as a career.

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