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Berry festival yields plenty of plump sw...

amelie1211 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:10:53 +0200

Frozen BlackberrySummer is here and so are the berries. Plump blackberries andblueberries at the peak of ripeness and bursting with flavor areready for harvest. This Saturday, Petals From the Past in Jemisonwill hold its sixth annual Black and Blue Berry festival, where youcan pick your fill of the luscious fruit. Were going into our ninth year on the planting that we put in andits as large a crop that we have ever seen, said Jason Powell,owner of Petals From the Past. The fields will be closed the week before the festival to ensureplenty of berries on Saturday. Powell also has arranged with twoadjacent farms to have extra blackberries on hand. And just to besure no one leaves disappointed, additional berries have beenpicked, frozen and bagged. We want to make sure that if you cometo this festival, you go home with berries, he said. If your childhood recollections of blackberry picking include thememory of those unholy itch-producing little redbugs best known aschiggers, have no fear. The nasty little critters are not an issuehere because the plants are grown on wire trellises, nicely spaced,and easy to access. Southern Sweets will have tasting stations in the air- conditioned barn where you can satisfy the most voracious sweettooth. For just five dollars you can sample everything she has setup in there, said Powell. Blackberry cobbler is the most requestedbut the fried pies are also popular. Last year she had ablackberry and blueberry buckle that had a creamy consistency andit was very, very good, Powell said. When youve got freshblackberries and blueberries you cannot go wrong. In addition to desserts, Southern Sweets will offer a box lunch andChilton Christian Academy will sell hot dogs and hamburgers toraise funds for their school. Plants will be for sale for those who want to grow berries in theirhome gardens and Arlie Powell, Jason Powells father, will presenttwo free talks on the best ways to care for them. Will Madison said he found the lectures particularly helpful. I learned a lot from the lectures, he said. They have atrellis-type growing system that they use and recommend. And Ipicked up some free pamphlets. Madison purchased two Kiowa blackberry plants at the festival in2006 and has already reaped the tasty rewards. We picked berriesoff them last year, and it looks like there will be even moreberries this year. Madison also enjoyed seeing other crops grown on the farm. Theyhave a fig orchard and I found that interesting. But the figswerent ready at that time. Figs generally ripen later in thesummer and one of the fig trees (Brown Turkey) came from ThomasJeffersons garden at Monticello. We had heard such nice things about their operation and we wantedto see it, said festival attendee Paula Cole. I was veryimpressed by how organized it was. All the staff were veryknowledgeable about the plants. And they had a small gift shop thatwas nice, too. It had gardening implements, books, as well asdecorative items. The festival will include bluegrass and gospel music and a pettingzoo and pony rides for the kids. Powell is especially glad to havechildren come to his farm. We want more people to be exposed to afarm atmosphere, to see where fruits and vegetables are beinggrown, he said. For many of these kids, its their firstexposure. When the Powells began their nursery in 1994, they startedprimarily with antique roses, heirloom shrubs, cottage perennialsand herbs. One of their missions is to educate the public about theolder types of plants. So when people are picking their blackberries and blueberries,they are going to be walking right through gardens that arefeaturing antique roses, Powell said. Some of these varieties aretwo or three hundred years old. What we are finding is that theplants that are surviving droughts like we had last year are theplants that our grandmothers grew. And theyll be here long afterwere gone.

New organic food supplier proves an inst...

amelie1211 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:10:23 +0200

Instant Food They sell meat, fruit and vegetables, dairy products and bread thatis either organic or traditionally produced - the vast majoritywithin County Durham. It is then delivered to the customer's home. Mrs Deacon and Mrs Rose- Gray admitted even they were surprised bytheir instant success. Mrs Deacon said: "It has taken off even better than we expected. "We are getting orders from all over the region. Initially, westarted off delivering in Durham City, then a further ten-mileradius, and now we are taking orders from Stanhope, Burnopfield,Washington and Sunderland. "Initially, we were just thinking of serving only the domesticconsumer, but we are starting to take commercial orders as wellsuch as schools and nurseries." Mrs Deacon said that herself, Mrs Rose-Gray and a third friend whois a silent partner, had first seen the possibility of starting abusiness after their own experiences of having to travel todifferent locations to get various products such as fruit and meat. She said: "That was the reason the business was formed. We both ateorganic and if I wanted meat I had to go to one part of town and ifI was wanting vegetables I had to go to another. "On other occasions I was going to the supermarket which I didn'tfeel right about because I wanted to know where the meat was comingfrom." As they buy the vast majority of their stock from local producers,within a 35-mile radius of Spennymoor, the pair believed everybodygained. Mrs Deacon said: "Everyone is benefiting, we are giving a fairprice to farmers in this area. "It is about supporting local producers. We have some fantasticproducers in the North-East but a lot of people don't know aboutthem." The business partners were also delighted with winning theircertification from the Soil Association. Both gave up jobs working at a direct mail company to set up theirbusiness. With limited experience of running a business, the pair had help insetting up from Business Link North-East, which provides freeadvice and guidance to the region's budding entrepreneurs andestablished companies. Mrs Deacon said: "Business Link helped us source financial supportfor our corporate identity, website and design - without which wewould not have been able to communicate with new customers." Colin Willis, Business Link account manager, said: "The Honest FoodPartnership has proved to be a huge success already as SoilAssociation accreditation is only given to businesses whose foodproducts are produced and processed to strict animal welfare andenvironmental standards." The Honest Food Partnership can be contacted on 01388-817085 or goto thehonestfoodpartner ship.co.uk 12:12pm today Print Email this Comment

Cheaper edible oils through ration shops...

amelie1211 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:09:58 +0200

RBD Palm Oil New Delhi, June 10: The Centre may start supplying edible oilsthrough ration shops in at least three states -- Himachal Pradesh,Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu -- from this month, as part of itsmeasures to give relief to the common man from rising prices. The government would supply one litre of cooking oil to each familycovered under below poverty line and Antyodaya Anna Yojana Schemeof the Public Distribution System (PDS) at subsidised rates. The centre would provide a subsidy of Rs 15 a litre for thisprogramme. The government has entrusted state-owned trading agencies MMTC,STC, PEC and co-operative major Nafed with the task to import onemillion tonne of edible oil to meet PDS requirement. These agencies have already contracted to import 1.72 lakh tonnefrom global suppliers, sources said. STC has contracted to import 46,000 tons, while PEC 85,000 tons,MMTC 17,000 tons and Nafed 24,000 tons, sources said, addingmajority of the quantity contracted are RBD Palmolein. "These agencies have been asked to import RBD Palmolein asgovernment intended to start supplying cooking oil under PDS at theearliest," a senior official said. RBD Palmolein is a refined oil and cane be directly distributed toconsumers after packing here unlike Crude Palm Oil (CPO) that needsto be refined. Apart from RBD Palmolein, these agencies are importing crudeSoyabean oil, which will be refined and then supplied under PDS.

Price Increase To Affect Consumers

amelie1211 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:09:32 +0200

Frozen Chicken Price Increase To Affect Consumers Publish date/time: 11/06/2008 [16:05] Rising world food prices will affect consumers in Fiji again fromsometime next week. Prices and Incomes Board officials have confirmed that the newprices have been forwarded to the manufacturers and consumers willfeel an increase in the price of rice and local frozen chickenproducts from next week. Prices for Thai Long Grain Rice will increase by 20 percent. Theincrease is for the brown rice milled here. This is due to the increasing world price of rice. Meanwhile, there will be an average increase of 3 percent in theprices of local frozen chicken products including whole birds andchicken portions. The increase in the price of frozen chicken products is due to theincrease in livestock feed prices as it is major component iswheat. The impact of the increase will be felt by the consumers by nextweek. PIB will also monitor the price increase margins placed bywholesalers and retailers.

Teas to try: the health benefits of gree...

amelie1211 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:09:03 +0200

Gunpowder Green Tea For fortune-tellers, gazing into tea leaves reveals the future. Fortea-drinkers, the leaves of certain teas may be harbingers of a healthier future. Aside from herbal or fruit-infused teas, most teas come from theleaves of the same tea bush, Camellia sinensis . The benefit of each kind of tea from the Camellia sinensis depends upon when and where the leaves are harvested and how theirproperties are brewed or extracted. To get to the truth about tea,we need to gaze into the leaves a bit, too. Green tea Read the leaves: Green tea reigns as the current health superstar of teas. Youngleaves of the Camellia sinensis bush are harvested to make green tea, then steamed, dried, androlled. When brewed, the leaves yield a delicate, grassy flavour.Tons of varieties exist, infused with different flavours, likefruit or toasted rice. Some kinds are handled differently, as withthe "gunpowder" variety, in which the leaves are rolledinto balls that look like gunpowder pellets used in cannons. Harvest the benefits: Tea from the Camellia sinensis family contain catechins, a type of antioxidant that can protectcells in the body from oxidative damage that may lead to cancers.Because it goes through less processing than other tea types, greentea contains a higher amount of a certain kind of catechin calledEGCG. EGCG is at the heart of numerous scientific studies researchinggreen tea's potential medical uses and health benefits. Some of itssuspected uses include: helping to maintain healthy weight slowing the growth of some cancers and lowering risks of others reducing inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis andCrohn's disease and ulcerative colitis reducing the risk of death from cardiovascular disease Is all this a tempest in a teacup? Can green tea live up to all ofits hype? Most people don't drink enough to get the kinds ofresults seen in research studies, in which highly dense extracts ofgreen tea may be used. Still, risks of cardiovascular disease andprostate cancer were found to be drastically reduced when peopledrank 5 cups per day (one cup of green tea provides 20-35 mg ofEGCG). Drinking 5 cups of green tea each day may work for some, buteven one or two a day may give you some of the benefits. Black tea Read the leaves: Known as "red tea" in some cultures, black tea iscreated from the withering, crushing, oxidizing, and drying of theleaves of Camellia sinensis . Since the leaves are oxidized, which darkens the leaves and givesit its recognizable "tea" flavour, some of the healthbenefits are leached out of the tea. Black tea provides the basefor many tea blends, including the popular Earl Grey and EnglishBreakfast teas. Chai - named with the Hindi word for tea - is ablend of black tea and spices, including cloves, cinnamon, andginger. Harvest the benefits: The ritual of taking tea offers a moment of respite from stress,and black tea specifically has been linked to lowering the levelsof stress hormones in the body. Despite its reputation as atooth-stainer, black tea may have dental benefits because of itsfluoride content. Black tea may also aid the healing process ofthose with coronary artery disease. And like its greener kin, blacktea contains antioxidants and is a low-calorie, low-fat beverage. White tea Read the leaves: To create the "white" variety of tea, the youngest budsand leaves of Camellia sinensis are harvested in early spring. They are then put through an evenmore delicate process than the leaves of green tea: low heat, norolling, extended time to wither. White tea's caffeine contentvaries depending on the blend and quality of the leaves. Itsflavour is described as sweet. Harvest the benefits: White tea extract has lately been added to some toothpaste brandsbecause of its purported ability to fight the growth of bacteria onteeth. Due to its extra-delicate processing, white tea retains evenmore of its antioxidants than green tea and holds promise as apotential sunscreen additive. Let these ideas steep Keep the following in mind as you decide whether to add some tea toyour days: Tea may contain less caffeine than coffee, but it is caffeinenonetheless. Caffeine has been linked to high blood pressure andcan trigger symptoms of conditions, including heartburn andheadaches. The tannins in tea may interfere with or decrease the effectivenessof some medications. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether yourmedications can mix with green tea. The tannins may also hinder iron absorption. Women who are pregnant should not drink large amounts of green tea.EGCG can interfere with neural tube development. Mixing tea with citrus may up its antioxidant strength. To get the most of tea's benefits, drink it freshly brewed, ratherthan bottled. Let tea steep for a few minutes to release thecatechins.

Best readies Kingsgate Native for sprint...

amelie1211 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:08:27 +0200

Native Produce The flying wizards from Oz will once again be at Royal Ascot, withTakeover Target, winner of the King's Stand Stakes two years ago,leading the raid on Tuesday's opening-day sprint feature. Theglobetrotting nine-year-old gelding showed himself as good as everin Singapore last month with a narrow defeat of compatriot Magnus,who will again oppose next week. But this year the home side may have more to say about thedestination of the first British leg of the Global SprintChallenge, a series that has lifted the profile of specialistspeedsters. And in particular, with two three-year-olds, old rivalsFleeting Spirit and Kingsgate Native. Fleeting Spirit, from Jeremy Noseda's Newmarket yard, is currentlyfavourite, on the strength of her scorching return to action 18days ago in the Temple Stakes at Haydock. Kingsgate Native, trainedby John Best at Hucking, Kent, will be making his seasonal debut inthe five-furlong dash, now restored to top-level status after 20years. The pair have met once before, when the filly narrowly beat thecolt in the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood, but thereafter their pathsdiverged. Fleeting Spirit took a conventional route for one of hersex, talent and aptitude (Lowther-Flying Childers-Cheveley Park).But Kingsgate Native boldly went where few juveniles had gonebefore. He broke his maiden in a Group One contest against older horses,the Nunthorpe Stakes, and very nearly made it a double in thatcompany, running a brave second in the Prix de l'Abbaye, ridden onboth occasions by next week's pilot Jimmy Quinn. His performancesprompted the Cheveley Park Stud to acquire stallion rights, thoughhe will still race in the colours of Epsom-based former bookmakerJohn Mayne. The return of the Native is eagerly awaited, not least by Best. "Wehaven't run him simply because there hasn't been anything to runhim in without carrying a penalty," he said, "but he's in excellentorder. We've had no hold-ups at all and he had a decent racecoursegallop last week, and he's showing us he's still got the appetitefor it. It's going to be a tough rematch with Fleeting Spirit– that run at Haydock looked incredible – but we're upfor it." One of the son of Mujadil's weapons last year was his unusuallymature physique. "If someone had told you he was a four-year-old,you'd have believed them," said Best, "and of course against theolder horses he was getting all the weight allowances. The concernmust be that some of the others may have caught him up. "But he has definitely progressed physically, nonetheless, and I'mdelighted with what we've got. Jimmy said he was like a little bulland when Chris Richardson [Cheveley Park director] came down lastweek to see him he was very pleased. I see him every day and it wasgood to have a fresh, objective eye confirm what I think." Kingsgate Native's first experience of a racecourse came at theRoyal meeting, when he was beaten a head in the Windsor CastleStakes over Tuesday's track. The colt handles most ground but, withhis tactical hat on, Best is hoping for some ease. "I'm glad theKing's Stand is when it is," he said. "Fine weather is forecast allweek, so I think they'll have to produce genuine good ground on thefirst day, because it will dry up from there. And Fleeting Spiritwants it as fast as it can get." Kingsgate Native is also in the Golden Jubilee Stakes on themeeting's final day. "We'll see how things go on Tuesday," saidBest. "It looks as if he's still a serious horse – I wouldn'tswap him for anything – and it's going to be an excitingweek." Phillip Makin is in hospital with a crushed vertebra following afall on the gallops. The accident happened while Makin wasexercising horses at David Barron's Thirsk stable and the jockeycould be out of action for a month. Interesting? Click here to explore further

Party Line: Carnival parties wind down

amelie1211 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:07:58 +0200

artificial grapesThe royal couple participated in RaMet's mini float parade atAppling Manor. "Tuscany" was the parade theme, so lots ofartificial grapes were used in float decorations. The young mencomprising the queen's Loyal Order of Scarabs held Queen Peytonaloft on a pallet decorated with plastic grapes and vines. Withbunches of grapes attached to his crown, King Howard joined thegroup. The 1978 movie, Animal House, was the theme of the grand krewe of Ptolemy's toga party Thursdaynight at the University Club of Memphis. The king and queen wereexempt from wearing togas. And no costumes made out of bed sheets for the Scarabs, either. "Wewear tails no matter what," said Michael O'Mell. "No togas." Proud clubs present their own royalty Memphis clubs honored their Carnival Memphis princes and princesseswith parties during Carnival Week. This year, the University Club of Memphis held a party for itsroyalty outside on the tennis courts. Princess Selden Elise Humphreys and Prince Sisco Larson were presented Friday at "Cruisin' at the U-Club." That was thefirst time since 1992 they've held the annual Carnival party on thecourts, said Oakley Jordan, University Club president. He wanted to "bring back romance, bringback magic, bring it back to what it was." Princess Laura McKee and Prince Neely Mallory were presented Thursday night at The Memphis Country Club. Princess Taylor Crow and Prince Whitt Tucker were honored at a reception earlier that day at the NineteenthCentury Club. Taylor Rebecca West was the Tournament Players Club at Southwind princess, Adrienne Lloyd Adler was princess of the Chickasaw Country Club and Virginia Tully Dickinson was the Racquet Club of Memphis princess. And don't forget, it's a party with a purpose This year, $100,000 was raised by Carnival Memphis and its grandkrewes for the Children's Charity Initiative beneficiaries: theCystic Fibrosis Foundation, Carnival Memphis Kids' Cafe and theHarwood Center, said Ed Galfksy, Carnival Memphis executive director. The announcement was made at a barbecue supper Thursday afternoonat the Memphis Zoo. Among those attending were members of the organizations andCarnival dignitaries. To see party videos go to commercialappeal.com. To see more partypictures, go to iDivamemphis.com. Contact Michael Donahue at 529-2797 or e-mail donahue@commercialappeal.com .

Zhou Xun grows green moustache to save w...

amelie1211 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:07:32 +0200

Oolong Tea DrinkIt's not easy being a celebrity, attending endless receptions andVIP parties, so my recent hometown holiday in Tianjin was just whatthe doctor ordered. Whenever I return to my roots I head straightto a downtown teashop called the Qing-Cha Bubble Pot, which servesoolong tea and plates of my favorite snacks, "ear-eye" fried ricecakes and "take no notice of the dog" steamed buns. It was herethat I made my debut as a cross-talk performer and got into a fightafter making jokes about one of the patrons. Generously, the ownerdoes not hold this against me. Much of the teashop gossip focused on a local lady known as the"Tianjin Mouth", who has upset traditionalists in the cross-talkcommunity by performing naked. I worry that I will have to followsuit, though I am cheered slightly by the fact that televisionmakes one appear bigger. There was also talk about constructing anAussie Rules football stadium, costing around $1.5 million. Notmany people know that Tianjin is twinned with Melbourne, I didn't,but that was the explanation given for building the white elephant.I just can't imagine my homies charging around after a rugby ballshouting "g'day mate, fancy a vegemite sandwich?" On my return to Beijing I was perusing the newsstands when I spiedour nation's sweetheart, Zhou Xun, on the cover of Time OutBeijing, with a leaf glued on to her upper lip. I suspected theactress and singer was promoting some novel kind of moustache-likebody adornment for women, or alternatively a natural airpurification system. It turned out that she was recently made a UNgoodwill ambassador for the environment. The green moustache isstill a mystery. On Saturday night (back in the swing) I went to a champagne andmodels reception at Hilton's Zeta bar for fashiontv (www.ftv.com),which positions itself as the favored portal for fabulousfashionistas. At the party clean-cut foreign fashiontv presenterswith strange English accents mixed with skinny models, who got topmarks for posing but failed to do much more than wiggleuncomfortably on the dance floor. One of the party hosts brought me up to date with the latest goingson in celebrity circles. Like the models, it was thin pickings. Theonly remotely interesting snippet was news that next month57-year-old billionaire Terry Gou is planning to marry dancer DeliaZeng, 34, after a whirlwind three-month affair. The headlong rushinto nuptials has the press speculating that Zeng is pregnant. Atan event attended by the couple journalists popped the shotgunmarriage question, but Zeng was keeping mum. Hu Deman, legendary Beijing crosstalker and confidante to China'sbiggest celebrities, talks to Jules Quartly (China Daily 06/11/2008 page18) 2008-06-12 16:32:01

Snacks

Turkish Delights Living, eating in San F...

amelie1211 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:07:56 +0200

Turkish Pistachios(06-11) 04:00 PDT Istanbul -- In preparation for a recent vacation in Turkey, I was pokingaround online, trolling for tips for the food-obsessed traveler.Eureka. A lavishly photographed food blog from Istanbul caught myeye, and the more I read, the wider my eyes got. Cenk Sonmezsoy, the blog's 31-year-old creator, had spent fiveyears in San Francisco after college, and his posts were laced withreminiscences of his food life in the city. In moments, theblogosphere had transformed the world into a ridiculously smallplace. After an exchange of e-mails, Sonmezsoy (pronouncedsun-MASS-soy) agreed to meet me in Istanbul in early May and toprepare for me a Turkish meal that would reflect his Californiaexperience - a little taste of San Francisco on the Bosporus. "A food story involving me? That sounds surreal!" wrote theself-effacing Sonmezsoy in an early e-mail. In fact, his 21/2-year-old blog ( cafefernando.com ) has already built a following and garnered some critical acclaim.Recently, in what Sonmezsoy describes as his country's "WebOscars," Cafe Fernando was voted the best blog in Turkey. "San Francisco was a whole different world for me," recallsSonmezsoy, an Istanbul native who moved here at the age of 21 toget a master of business administration at University of SanFrancisco. "I couldn't believe how many types of restaurants therewere on one street." By comparison, the Turkish food of his youth seemed like a bookwith chapters missing. Here, Sonmezsoy reveled in garlicky Italianfare in North Beach, dim sum at Ton Kiang and the "double-doubleanimal style" burgers at In-N-Out Burger. When his parents came tovisit, he took them to the Slanted Door - "my most favoriterestaurant in the whole world" - for clay-pot chicken andVietnamese coffee. San Francisco refined his palate, saysSonmezsoy, who now stocks his sleek Istanbul kitchen with foreigningredients like Maldon salt and coconut milk. Despite his enthusiasm for the city's multicultural table,Sonmezsoy's dining experiences here did not start on a high note.On one of his first days in San Francisco, the young student gothopelessly lost and wound up at a Burger King, frustrated andhungry. "For here or to go?" asked the counterperson after takinghis order. Sonmeszoy, his English still rough, didn't understandthe question but took a stab at an answer. "No," he replied. "For here or to go?" repeated the counterperson. The flusteredSonmeszoy tried an alternative. "Yes," he ventured. Bilingual baking Today, his English is all but flawless and he composes his blog inboth English and Turkish. Eighty percent of the posts revolvearound baking and Sonmeszoy's dogged kitchen experiments. Usuallyriffing on published recipes, he adds artful touches of his own: ajaunty white chocolate and pistachio wafer garnishing chocolatecupcakes; a raspberry cream filling in swan-shaped chocolateeclairs. Sonmezsoy's subjects are often homespun - bread pudding, muffins,granola bars - but his results are elegant. In his most-read post,he offers his recipe for the ultimate brownie, a tantalizingcreation dripping with chocolate glaze and bejeweled withpistachios. Sonmezsoy's heroes are America's baking and pastry experts: DorieGreenspan, Alice Medrich, David Lebovitz, Peter Reinhart. Hefollows their recipes meticulously, documenting the outcome inmagazine-quality images. With help from Reinhart's book, "The Bread Baker's Apprentice" (TenSpeed Press), he even tackled and mastered bagels in hopes ofduplicating his ritual San Francisco breakfast: the toasted bagelwith cream cheese and tomatoes at Caffe Sapore, at the foot ofLombard Street. Unfortunately, reports Sonmezsoy, Istanbul lacksPhiladelphia cream cheese. After graduating from the University of San Francisco, Sonmezsoygot a job with a public relations firm in North Beach, writingpress releases for high-tech companies - "clients whose technologyI couldn't even pronounce," he says. He moved from Geary Street toa studio apartment on Chestnut Street and took up in-line skatingin the Marina. "I wouldn't miss San Francisco this much if I hadn't lived onChestnut Street," he says. "There is no place to Rollerblade inIstanbul." International acclaim In 2003, after five years in San Francisco, Sonmezsoy decided itwas time to leave. "I always wanted to study abroad," says theblogger, but "I always knew I would come back to Turkey." He nowworks with his older brother and father at the family's boutique adagency, a job that doesn't interest him nearly as much as the foodwriting and photography he does for his blog. The response to the blog has astonished everyone in the family,most of all Sonmezsoy. "My parents thought I was wasting my time,"he admits. But when the blog got a mention in Turkey's biggestnewspaper, his brother bought him a fancy camera. Another mention, in a New York Times travel story on Istanbul, gothis father's attention. Recently, pastry expert Nick Malgieri did astory on baking blogs for the Washington Post and listed CafeFernando. Sonmezsoy says his hands were shaking when he read thee-mail from Malgieri asking for his brownie recipe. When Sonmezsoywrote a piece on a cookie he had adapted from a Dorie Greenspanrecipe, made with a Buddha-shaped mold from San Francisco'sChinatown, Greenspan herself posted a compliment. "I couldn't sleepthat night," says the star-struck Sonmezsoy. Chinese, Indian inspirations For his San Francisco-influenced Turkish menu, the young bloggerfound inspiration in some of his favorite food memories. The springrolls at Ton Kiang reminded him of cigarette borek, finger-sizefried savory pastries made with the thin, floppy, lavash-likeflatbread known as yufka. He filled one version with feta and dill,another with pastirma (spicy air-dried beef) and a Jack-likecheese. With mung beans, a legume he first encountered in Bay Area Chineseand Indian restaurants, he made a Turkish salad typically preparedwith white beans. Initially, Sonmezsoy proposed making a variation of Slanted Door'scaramel-sweetened clay-pot chicken, using chickpeas and greenpeppers from his father's garden. But the concept failed intranslation. "Chicken with sugar will never be a Turkish recipe,"muttered Sonmezsoy when I asked why he had dropped the dish. In its place, he made karniyarik - "split bellies" - a Turkishstuffed-eggplant preparation named for the manner in which theeggplant are pried open and filled, like a plump baked potato. Itis, Sonmezsoy says, his favorite dish in the whole Turkishrepertoire; predictably, nobody makes it as well as his mother. Bulgur pilaf has little to do with Sonmezsoy's San Francisco days,but it typically accompanies karniyarik, so it made the menu. Fordessert, he turned to a classic finale at Istanbul's kebab shops: ascoop of ice cream encased in warm semolina halvah, a Turkish sweettraditionally made with semolina, pistachios and milk. Yet Sonmezsoy introduced a twist. He served the ice cream andhalvah separately and made the halvah with sweetened condensedmilk, an item virtually unknown in Turkey but familiar to him fromthe Slanted Door's Vietnamese coffee. Despite living in a countryfamous for its coffee, Sonmezsoy still makes the Vietnamese versionon occasion with cans of condensed milk scored at a cake-decoratingshop in Istanbul. San Francisco souvenirs Sonmezsoy writes and photographs his blog in a spacious, stylishapartment in Istanbul's Ulus neighborhood. A large image of theGolden Gate Bridge complements the contemporary furnishings in hisliving room, and a whimsical map of San Francisco hangs in thebathroom. With its pumpkin-orange Kitchen-Aid mixer and orderlyrows of spices and water bottles, Sonmezsoy's tidy kitchen lookslike it was propped by Martha Stewart herself. "My mom ate a lot of food last week," confessed the blogger, whowanted to make sure every dish passed muster with her before heserved them to me. He need not have worried. After five hours ofchopping, simmering, frying and photographing, Sonmezsoy brought afeast to the table. In the end, the menu's California accent was less pronounced than Imight have hoped, but he clearly remains smitten with the state.When he returns, says the blogger, one of his destinations will beBig Sur, for Nepenthe's famed steamed artichoke with balsamicvinaigrette Recipes and ingredient resources F6

Without equal emphasis on sushi

amelie1211 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:07:22 +0200

Sushi GingerThe fish was faultless. Whether in nigiri, sashimi or maki rolls,the high-quality fish was the perfect temperature - cool but notchilly - and was sliced neither too thick nor too thin. If you like fish without embellishments, sashimi (15-piece, $25;21-piece, $35; 30-piece seasonal specialties, $95) is pristine. The spider roll ($9), soft shell crab, cucumber, avocado, romaineand eel sauce, crackled with each bite while a fresh crab saladupdated an Alaskan roll ($13) with avocado, salmon, lemon and ponzusauce. The most expensive maki roll is $17. Save some money and trythis Thursdays from 8 to 10 p.m. when selected maki rolls andappetizers are half price. Some rolls need work. The spicy tuna roll ($8) wasn't spicy, theegg ( tamago ) nigiri ($2) was overly sweet and the salmon skin ($5) was limp. A serving of creamy sea urchin ( uni ) ($3.25) almost made up for those minor flaws. Perhaps only in Utah would a Japanese restaurant offer bananasfoster ($7), chocolate cake ($7) and New York-style cheesecake ($7)alongside mochi ice cream ($5.95) for dessert. The bananas fosterwas delicious and decadent - unlike the freezer-burned vanillamochi. Same name, different experience A dinner at the Mikado Cottonwood was the opposite of ourexperience at the soon-to-be Naked Fish. Our server was friendly,accommodating and knowledgeable, outshining the food, which wasgood but not excellent. Slices of sashimi (15-piece, $24.95; 20-piece, $31.95) were toothick and a touch too cold, making them bland-tasting. A lighterhand would have saved Tosh's prawns ($7.95), five well-cookedshrimp drowned in a thick citrusy aioli. Other dishes were much better. "Asian fries" ($3.95) were a uniquestarter: mashed ginger potatoes are wrapped in flour skins anddeep-fried. Shrimp tempura ($16.95) and assorted vegetables werepiping hot and crispy. Fluffy egg ( tamago ) nigiri ($2.50) had just a hint of sweetness, and a salmon skinhandroll ($6.25), chockfull of crackling salmon skin strips, diakonsprouts, refreshing cucumber and burdock root, was good enough towant another. At lunchtime, bento boxes ($11.95) and the lunch combination($14.95, tuna sashimi, nigiri sushi, California roll, fruit, shrimptempura, beef teriyaki, soup, rice and salad) cost slightly more than when The Tribune visited in 2003. On Mondays and Tuesdays maki rolls are half-offduring lunch and from 5 to 7 p.m., selected sushi rolls andappetizers are discounted. For dessert, there are interesting ice cream flavors, such as theroasted banana, ginger and chai (all $5.95). If you must indulge inchocolate, the sweet caramel brownie ($6.95) hits the spot. As the downtown Mikado morphs into Naked Fish and the CottonwoodMikado branches out and adds locations in Sandy and Bountiful, Ihope both owners remember that a great dining experience is acombination of great food and a well-trained staff.

Cooking on deadline Chicken peanut noodl...

amelie1211 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:06:52 +0200

Peanuts ButterUnable to handle another summer of gloopy, mayo-sodden pastasalads, I started tinkering. Wondering what to do with leftover grilled chicken breasts that hadbeen marinated in peanut sauce, I decided on a whim to play up thepeanuts. Grabbing a piece of flatbread, I spread it with peanut butter. Ithen cut my cold chicken breast into thin strips and layered it inthe wrap over the peanut butter. Odd? Yes. But truly delicious. From that inspiration, I made the leap to a chilly pasta salad withchicken (which also would be delicious lightly warmed) in whichspicy peanut sauce stood in for the mayonnaise. Here's what you need to know: This recipe calls for roasted orgrilled chicken that has cooled. The easiest way is to useleftovers, or buy a rotisserie chicken and either let it cool orpop it in the refrigerator overnight. While using jarred peanut sauces would speed up this recipe, mostare too salty and the flavor of the peanuts too muted. Asian noodles such as udon are a good choice for this salad, but Iused paper-plate-friendly spirals. Hot and Cold Chicken Peanut Noodle Salad

Global Gaming strong on oil producer

amelie1211 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:06:25 +0200

Organic OilLONDON (Thomson Financial) - UK small caps were firmer in earlytrade, mirroring the wider market's rally, with Global Gaming tothe fore amid talk that an oil producer deal is on the cards. The FTSE Small Cap index stood 2.10 points up at 3,047.30 by 9.03am, while the FTSE 100 was 12.90 ahead at 5,840.20. Shares in Global Gaming Technologies, which is seeking to broadenits search for acquisitions beyond the gambling sector, soared 78percent -- or 0.175 of a penny to 0.4 of a penny -- after the DailyExpress reported that heavy trading on Tuesday had fuelledspeculation that an oil producer deal is in the pipeline. First Property Group also attracted support and rose 2-3/4 pence to23-3/4 as the AIM-listed property services group disclosed bumperfull-year results, ramped up the dividend and said it looks to 2009with confidence. And better levels were seen in Stagecoach Theatre Arts, 8 pence upat 71-1/2 pence, after the company said it expects full-year pretaxprofits to be significantly ahead of the current market estimatesdue to more school openings than forecast and continued reductionin overheads. NetStore, too, was a bright spot, climbing 3-1/2 pence to 30-3/4pence after the provider of IT managed services confirmed it is intalks which may or may not lead to an offer being made for thecompany. Shares in Imaginatik, a provider of collaborative innovation andproblem-solving software and processes, ticked up half a penny to5-1/4 pence as traders warmed to narrowing full-year losses, whileChapelthorpe, the industrial products maker, moved ahead 1-3/4pence to 22 pence for the same reason. Elsewhere, Bezant Resources put on 4-1/2 pence, at 62-1/2 pence,following news of large copper-gold intersection at the company'sManakayan project. And Rift Oil made modest headway, firming 1/4 of a penny to 7-1/4pence, as the market responded to the company's agreement withNorway-based Flex LNG to work together to commercialise potentialgas reserves from Rift's acreage onshore Papua New Guinea, shouldsufficient reserves be established. Solid progress was registered in Cape, 12 pence higher at 262-1/2pence, as the provider of support services to the energy andnatural resources sectors reported strong organic growth in allinternational markets with activity levels at record highs acrossthe group. Meanwhile, the company is on track to reduce debt levels during theyear by not less than 30 million pounds. Ormonde Mining edged up half a penny to 12-3/4 pence afterrevealing highly encouraging results at Spain's Barruecopardoproject. Away from the winners, Toronto-listed Caspian Energy plunged 40percent -- or 9 pence to just 13-1/2 pence -- as initial testresults from the Baktygaryn 703 well in Kazakhstan found noreservoir quality rocks at target depth. The company will continueto drill to up to 2,500 metres before making a decision on thewell, however. Serabi Mining provided another tale of woe, sliding 3-1/2 pence to17-1/4 pence after the company warned full-year production for 2008is unlikely to be greater than 34,000 gold equivalent ounces, asfirst-half production fell short of forecast levels due toequipment delays and breakdowns. Again on the downside, SCS Upholstery dropped 9-3/4 pence to 19-1/2pence after the specialist sofa retailer warned it has lost creditinsurance facilities with one company, affecting the workingcapital facilities of some of its principal suppliers. 'ScS is in discussions with each of the suppliers affected and iscontinuing to trade with them in the normal course of businesswhilst various financing options are being reviewed,' it said. Finally, fund-raising moves brought out the sellers in JohnsonService Group, one penny adrift at 22-3/4. It plans a conditionalplacing of 150 million new shares at 20 pence, to raise 30 millionpounds and an open offer to raise 10 million pounds. Neither the Subscriber nor Thomson Financial News warrants thecompleteness or accuracy of the Service or the suitability of theService as a trading aid and neither accepts any liability forlosses howsoever incurred. The content on this site, includingnews, quotes, data and other information, is provided by ThomsonFinancial News and its third party content providers for yourpersonal information only, and neither Thomson Financial News norits third party content providers shall be liable for any errors,inaccuracies or delays in content, or for any actions taken inreliance thereon.

Shatico penetrates Italian market

amelie1211 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:05:48 +0200

Dried SeafoodThe South Ha Tinh Seaproduct Import and Export JointStock Co (Shatico) exported its first consignment of squid to Italyat the beginning of May, according to Dang Sy Trien, the companydirector. In the two months of April and May this year, Shatico exported 70tonnes of seafood to Japan and Italy despite having a lack ofmaterials for operation. To deal with this, Shatico may invest amoderate amount of capital into whiteleg shrimp. At present, fishery enterprises in the central areas of the countryare facing many difficulties due to the high interest rates. Ifbanks offer reasonable interest rates in the current circumstances,said Trien, it will be easier for enterprises to operate smoothly. The People's Committee of Thua Thien-Hue has granted aninvestment licence to Enda Pte Ltd Co, a subsidiary company ofSingapores Banyan Tree Holdings Ltd Co, to build Laguna Huetourism area with a total capital of US$875 million. The tourism area covers a site of 300ha and will include sevenluxury hotels with 2,000 rooms, 1,000 apartments, an internationalconvention and shopping area. The project is expected to becomplete in 2014. The Binh An Seafood Joint Stock Co (Bianfishco) hasreceived the "International Quality Summit Award" by theBusiness Initiative Directions (BID) in New York, according to theVietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). This is the most reputed annual award in the US which relies on aQC100 standard, recognised by 100 nations worldwide for productionquality. It aims at honouring and promoting prime enterprises thatcover qualifications of sustainable development, consumers tastesatisfaction, and company's staff solidarity. Ha Noi Securities Trading Centre will host bidding for theGovernments 6th issuance of Government bonds in 2008 on June 17. Participants must hand in bidding forms by Friday, June 13 for thetwo or three-year bonds worth VND500 billion (US$31 million).Interest on the bonds is scheduled to be paid once per year.

Backyard on a budget

amelie1211 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:05:20 +0200

Frozen ShrimpYou went nuts with barbecues last year. Bluefin tuna steaks. NewYork strips and rib-eyes. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Lambburgers. Baby-back ribs. But that was another summer, a stretch of warm days without$4-a-gallon gas and skyrocketing food prices. This summer, the year of the "staycation," you will remain attachedto your grill. But the stuff you slide onto the hot grate will bedifferent. And you will be thankful for this rude push out of halibut land.The economy handed you lemons, and you'll make . . . marinade. We love the classic cheap approach to the barbecue — throwbrats and burgers on the grill and serve 'em up. But we likevariety, too. So, change it up this summer: Learn how to cook new cuts of meat.Have fun with chicken wings. Buy frozen shrimp and grill them onskewers. Cook whole fish. Master the marinade, the potion of spices and liquids into whichyou never dunked your pricey T-bone or your sashimi-grade salmon. Get familiar with local markets focused on Latin American and Asianfoods. With the weekly sales at major supermarkets, the Costco andSam's Club deals, and the offerings at these ethnic markets, you'llpull off enviable backyard feasts without threatening the finances. Let's begin with the beef. This summer, go for cuts of sirloin, andcuts of top round: Tri-tip. Flap meat. Hanger steak. Skirt steak. Most of these cuts have more muscle than expensive cuts of beef andas a result usually need tenderizing. Marinades, which combineacids and fats (like lime juice and olive oil), help break down thecollagen in the meat. The process also allows more moisture andflavor into the meat. You're not gunning for the essence of beef asmuch as a hint of steak mixed with bright flavors, like thesavory-sweetness of teriyaki. The key is to cook the meat to medium-rare or even rare (thesetougher cuts of meat become rubbery at medium or well-done) andslice it thinly against the grain. Thinking chicken? Think chicken wings, much cheaper than breasts.Imagine them Vietnamese-style, plump little boomerangs ofgolden-crisp poultry, pungent with soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic,ginger and lemon, and perfumed with star anise. You get the picture. Take the wings, marinate them in whateverflavors you desire, toss them on the grill for 12 or 15 minutes,and you're done.

Myanmar cyclone survivors need food aid...

amelie1211 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:04:50 +0200

Food Material Nepal's former king Gyanendra said Wednesday he"respected" the abolition of the centuries-old Himalayan monarchyas he gave a final speech before his eviction from the royalpalace. The Group of Eight justice ministers and security chiefsgathered in Tokyo on Wednesday to discuss ways to better coordinatethe fight against terrorism and organized crime. Hong Kong on Wednesday said it would slaughter all livepoultry in markets and shops around the city following a furtheroutbreak of bird flu. Taiwan's top China negotiator arrived in Beijing onWednesday for historic talks which will be the first directdialogue between the two sides in more than a decade. Democrat Barack Obama staked an ambitious claim to newpolitical turf with the states he chose for his first two stops ofthe White House general election campaign -- Virginia and NorthCarolina. Two lorry drivers were killed on picket lines in Spain andPortugal on Tuesday as strikes by thousands of truckers oversoaring fuel prices turned deadly. China on Tuesday called on the Dalai Lama and his supportersto halt Tibet protests and attempts to "ruin the Olympics," inorder to create the conditions for future roundtable talks. A Sudan Airways plane burst into flames after landing atKhartoum airport on Tuesday and 120 of the 217 passengers died, thehead of the airport's medical services said. A Portuguese truck driver was killed during protestsagainst rising fuel prices as a strike by thousands of driverscaused petrol shortages in Spain and violent protests spread toIndia. A court marrtial has jailed a US Marine for 15 months forsexual misconduct against a woman in Japan, the US military saidTuesday, in the latest of a string of cases involving the armedforces. Construction of the world's tallest building, the BurjDubai, has been delayed and will be completed only in Septembernext year, the developer was quoted on Tuesday as saying. A suspect behind a stabbing spree in Tokyo which left sevendead was handed to prosecutors on Tuesday as a picture emerged ofan angry young man engulfed by feelings he was ugly and lonely.