Sugar. Oh, Honey, Honey…

July 5, 2024.

by Bridget O’Donnell

Routine bloodwork brought our attention to a few numbers that have slowly encroached on borderline to moderately elevated, with cholesterol and glucose in the forefront. Despite a lifestyle of predominately clean eating and regular exercise, I’ve tentatively watched my numbers continue to rise a nominal amount for the last two years. Now that we both needed to make a more concerted effort, I felt the time spent reading about how we might begin to do this was overdue.

Charts provided by: healthline.com

Current government websites generated from a google search seem to gloss over how someone might begin to reverse the anomaly and improve their numbers. By suggesting a handful of foods to eat or avoid, and encouraging daily but light exercise, resources like the American Heart Association and Dietary Guidelines (.gov) can speak to a wider audience. Unfortunately, (or to be honest, fortunately), people have different bodies, heredities, lifestyles and goals. We all have limitations, but try to be thankful for the abilities and good health you do have.

Authoritative print resources pertaining to cholesterol appear to be more heavily published between the late 1990s to about 2017. As is often the case, research shifts over time. Subsequent publications that contain the word cholesterol also seem to address the phenomenon of comorbidity, suggesting that high cholesterol has a close relationship with other health issues. The antiquated argument that people developed this condition solely by eating foods containing cholesterol and saturated fats has been replaced with cholesterol's relation to other conditions and chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and inflammation. Thankfully, diet and lifestyle changes made to counter the aforementioned also aid in lowering cholesterol.

Stress, aging and a few other factors could also be considered, but I recently read that children can have high cholesterol too(!!!). To help avoid medications, I came across suggestions for intermittent fasting and following the DASH, South Beach, Mediterranean, and Keto diets. [The Keto diet would never be one that I would rely on personally.] Additional recommendations include avoiding an overconsumption of starches, carbohydrates and ultimately, sugar, while adding more fiber and foods with a low glycemic index/load to your diet. With more books checked out than I can feasibly read from cover to cover before leaving to attend a conference, I’ve only scratched the surface. To be continued...

**Talk to your doctor about how your diet might affect personal health issues and/or ask for a referral to discuss them with a specialist like a dietician**

So now what? Sugar seems to be the culprit of many aliments, so that’s where we’re starting. Because our numbers are borderline and we're more or less asymptomatic, I feel there's a little less urgency to reinvent the wheel. We’re not going to throw away everything we already have containing starch, carbohydrates or sugar. but we will be more conscious about how often (and how much) we consume them. We will also try to be more aware of what we buy in the future. Working in our favor, we’ve already cut out most foods with processed sugar. Our meals are balanced and plant forward--especially during the CSA vegetable season which, for us, covers most of the year. (During this period I don't get many colds; Popeye may have been on to something.) Moving forward, we can look for more foods that have a lower glycemic index, like strawberries, but to be fair we will still occasionally have gelato or full fat ice cream. Hopefully our efforts are enough to curb pre-diabetes and collectively lower our cholesterol without medication.

Tangentially, while writing this blog entry I came across an email from the Walkway over the Hudson that referred to June's full moon as the "strawberry moon." According to Nasa, this name refers to the relatively short season for harvesting strawberries in the north-eastern United States. Serendipitously, for the 2024 season I had the foresight to purchase a berry share from a local farm working cooperatively with my CSA. The first few weeks they’ve had strawberries. Strawberry Shortcake any everyone? The second and third week I had to freeze a large portion of the 'berries to arrest ripening. Those will be perfect for smoothies. Their short harvesting season does make me wonder where the groceries stores are sourcing the 'berries they sell all year long.

Using 1 cup of fresh strawberries I revisited the strawberry-rhubarb pairing (suggested in PPLD's What’s Cooking Blog for “All-Season Mocktails, Spritzers, Syrups and Shrubs”) and made a "Naturally Sweet Strawberry and Rhubarb Compote.” -- Add less honey for a lower sugar version, which I did, or substitute agave for a vegetarian/vegan version. Canning & Preserving has another recipe on page 57 that you might also want to try.  ....Serve over angel food cake with whipped cream (as shown in the photo at the top of this post), over pancakes or waffles, ice cream or gelato, on toast with or without your choice of nut butter, in parfait or yogurt with or without granola... You get the idea. Whatever you decide to put it on, Enjoy!!

If you can tolerate a little more sugar you might consider giving the following recipe a try. One of our Librarians, Kayleigh H. found a recipe for this street food on TikTok then created a batch in our staff kitchen for a Teen program. It may not be low-sugar per se but it is made with fruit, strawberries work well. Tanghulu is probably a little healthier than some of the snacks sold at the convenience store, too.

Title of cookbook/website: Aubrey's Kitchen

Author of Recipe:  Aubrey ...

What prompted you to check out this recipe?

Checked out the recipe because of videos on TikTok.

What did you like about this recipe?

This recipe was really easy to make! All you need is sugar and water in a 2:1 ratio and fruit.

History: Tanghulu is a popular northern Chinese street food traditionally made with hawthorn fruit, but you can use strawberries, grapes, blueberries, clementines- whatever fruit you desire, but fruit with an enclosed skin works best.

What didn’t you like about this recipe?

[Nothing]

Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website):

Tanghulu!

Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?

Nope!

Would you recommend this cookbook?

Yes.

References:

Books - 

American Heart Association Healthy Fats, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook: Delicious Recipes to Help Reduce Bad Fats and Lower Your Cholesterol.

Canning & Preserving: 80+ Simple, Small-Batch Recipes / Good Housekeeping.

Cholesterol: the Essential Guide / Sara Kirkham.

The Dash Diet Action Plan: Proven to Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol without Medication / Marla Heller.

Diabetes & Heart Healthy Cookbook: More than 160 Delicious Recipes for Everything from Snacks to Desserts / American Heart Association.

Eating For Lower Cholesterol: A Balanced Approach to Heart Health with Recipes Everyone Will Love / Catherine Jones with Elaine Trujillo.

The Fiber Fueled Cookbook: Inspiring Plant-Based Recipes to Turbocharge Your Health / Will Bulsiewicz, recipes by Alexandra Caspero.

The Glycemic Load Diet Cookbook: 150 Recipes to Help You Lose Weight and Reverse Insulin Resistance  / Rob Thompson & Dana Carpender.

The Great Cholesterol Myth. Why Lowering Your Cholesterol Won't Prevent Heart Disease--and the Statin-Free Plan That Will / Johnny Bowden.

Perfect Cholesterol In Just Three Weeks (Without Drugs!): The Answer to High Cholesterol / Dr. David M. Vitko.

Websites -

“The Archies - Sugar Sugar.” YouTube, 14 Feb. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcLObPhKdDk.

Aubry. “Tanghulu.” Aubrey’s Kitchen, 10 Sept. 2020, aubreyskitchen.com/tanghulu/.

“Cholesterol - Search Results.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, search.nih.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=nhlbi_nhlbi_prod&query=cholesterol&commit=Search. Accessed 5 July 2024.

“Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).” Poughkeepsie Farm Project, www.farmproject.org/csa. Accessed 5 July 2024.

Goldman, Rena, et al. “The Recommended Cholesterol Levels By Age.” Healthline, Healthline Media, www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/levels-by-age#adults. Accessed 5 July 2024.

Hartnett, Kayleigh. “Tanghulu.” Canva, https://www.canva.com/design/DAGHfDtWWNM/N9WC_HcJ8_BQuMKenjDVSA/edit. Accessed 5 July 2024. - Link to sheets w/recipe and instructions

Hoskins, Mike, and Stacy Sampson. “Blood Sugar Level Chart Based on Age.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 24 Mar. 2023, www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/blood-sugar-levels-chart-by-age#glucose-by-age.

Johnston, Gordon. “The Next Full Moon Is the Strawberry Moon - NASA Science.” NASA, 13 June 2024, science.nasa.gov/solar-system/skywatching/the-next-full-moon-is-the-strawberry-moon-2/.

Mansour, Donna. “Naturally Sweetened Strawberry Rhubarb Compote.” Whole Food Bellies, 4 June 2019, www.wholefoodbellies.com/strawberry-rhubarb-compote/.

Quick Subject/Concept links to the Discover Online Library catalog:

Canning and preserving

Cholesterol

Natural Sugar* - (Results narrowed by Format: Book; Literary Form: Non-fiction; Concepts: Nutrition, Cooking (Natural foods), Sugar-free diet, Desserts, Baking, Reducing diets, Detoxification (Health))

Sugar-Free Diet

Pastel de Tres Leches y...

May 10, 2024.

by Bridget O’Donnell

Last May PPLD's What’s Cooking Blog offered belated holiday blessings with Mexican-Inspired Fish Tacos, Two-ways. As suggested in that post, there’s no need to limit the celebration to a single recipe. In addition to fish tacos made any number of ways, there’s enough traditional fare to observe Cinco de Mayo until the next holiday. Enjoy tamales, chalupas, enchiladas, taquitos, guacamole, salsa [verde], carnitas, empanadas, street corn, fajitas and burritos, to list a few(!).

Burritos used to be a regular part of my diet and, as I continued working on this blog entry the more I tried to remember the last time I had one, the bigger my craving got. Boil, mash and season your own refried beans to regulate the amount of salt (and cumin). Or, for a quick plant-forward lunch packed with fiber, protein, essential vitamins and minerals, opt for a can of organic low-sodium refried beans. …Reheat the beans then add a few small scoops to a street sized taco wrap with a shredded cheese blend and un poquito de salsa. Estimated assembly time: minutes and, dos burritos were filling enough to get me through the day without feeling like I had to take a siesta.

Helping to maintain balance between savory and sweet, this month una usuaria de la biblioteca suggested a recipe for “Pastel de Tres Leches con Chocolate” or "Three Milks Cake with Chocolate." This popular Mexican dessert is a light sponge cake that's been soaked in a mixture of three milks - sweetened condensed milk, whole milk or heavy cream and evaporated milk. It also happens to be another dish traditionally served during holidays like Christmas, birthday parties and... Cinco de Mayo(!).

Title of cookbook: Los Mejores Postres Paso A Paso

Author of Recipe: Kiwilimón

What prompted you to check out this recipe?

A library patron submitted this dulce recipe suggestion and photograph to my coworker after being introduced to the What’s Cooking Blog.

What did you like about this recipe?

The cookbook is still checked out so I haven’t actually seen this recipe but, it must have been mucho bien. Gracias, I love seeing other perspectives from la cocina!

What didn’t you like about this recipe?

Based on a few recipes that I found online, Pastel de Tres Leches may have more sugar than I can tolerate without feeling like I have to jog a 5K or half marathon. Maybe I can repurpose some of my leftover refried beans into a "Korean Chapssaltteok" or "Chinese Sticky Rice Cake." Food fusion?

Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website):

Pastel de Tres Leches con Chocolate.

Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?

You could say I altered the recipe, that I turned it into a simple bean burrito (hahah…) but, I’d definitely try a small bite of el pastel.

Would you recommend this cookbook?

Based on the excerpts shown in Amazon's listing, this cookbook looks muy tasteful. The photos are hermosas and the text gives me practice translating Spanish because an English edition doesn’t seem to be available.

Guess which one is for dessert? 

References:

Books - 

Los Mejores Postres Paso A Paso / Kiwilimón.

Websites -

Clark, Julie. “Chocolate Tres Leches Cake.” The Best Cake Recipes, 4 June 2023, https://thebestcakerecipes.com/chocolate-tres-leches-cake/.

Esposito, Shaylyn. “What to Really Eat on Cinco de Mayo: Put Down the Margaritas and Tacos, and Pick Up a Chalupa.” Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Institution, 3 May 2013, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/what-to-really-eat-on-cinco-de-mayo-50767054/.

Linares, Krista. “Are Refried Beans Healthy? Latina Dietitian Explains the Benefits.” Nutritionconsabor.com, 23 April 2024, https://nutritionconsabor.com/refried-beans-healthy/#:~:text=Refried%20beans%20are%20a%20nutrient%20rich%20food!,healthy%20diet%20with%20minimal%20problem..

Lowder, Camille. “51 Mexican-Inspired Party Ideas Perfect For Cinco de Mayo: Let’s Party (Respectfully! No Sombreros Allowed).” Delish.Com, 4 April 2024, https://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/cinco-de-mayo/g652/mexican-party-menu-recipes/.

Orozco-Moore, Isabel. “Chocolate Tres Leches Cake.” Isabel Eats, 18 April 2024, https://www.isabeleats.com/chocolate-tres-leches-cake/.

Orozco-Moore, Isabel. “42 Cinco de Mayo Recipes.” Isabel Eats, 22 April 2024, https://www.isabeleats.com/cinco-de-mayo-recipes/.

Quick Subject/Concept links to the Discover Online Library catalog:

Cook* - (Results narrowed down by Literary Form: Non-fiction; Language: Spanish)

American Icons, Indexed

April 24, 2024.

by Bridget O’Donnell

Maybe you remember this writing prompt from grade school:

Describe how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Be mindful when listing the instructions and don't assume that any step is too menial to mention. Once you're satisfied that everything is organized and in working order, follow your instructions.

1. Collect your ingredients and arrange the sliced bread, peanut butter, and jelly within arms reach.
2. Open the package of bread. Remove two slices and place them next to each other on a plate or clean surface.
3. Open the container of peanut butter and put the lid down near you.
4. Hold the container with your non-dominant hand then pick up a butter knife with your other hand and use it to remove some of the peanut butter.
5. 'You can't tell me what to do!' hopefully isn't what you were starting to think, hahah.

For the sake of brevity, I came up with about fourteen steps. Try it on your own and feel free to complicate things. Substitute sliced bread for a bagel, roll or wrap. Use your favorite nut butter. Try honey instead of jelly. Crack open that jar of jam you canned last season or, slice some fresh fruit. Add more texture to each bite by including a layer of your favorite chips. There's no wrong answer; anything goes. The possibilities are only limited to the ingredients you have on hand. Peanut butter and jelly hasn’t been a regular part of my diet since college so we rarely have all of the ingredients on hand. In lieu, for this month's What's Cooking Blog, I substituted one iconic sandwich for another that's also equally as economical.

Title of cookbook/database: The New York Times Database - (Path: poklib.org / hold your mouse over the Learn tab / select Online Resources and Databases / select N or, scroll down to Newspapers, Magazines, & Journals.)

Author of Recipe: Julia Moskin

What prompted you to check out this recipe?

A coworker suggested that I look through the recipes in The New York Times for dinner ideas. While browsing the Cooking section in an online subscription, I came across a recipe that reminded me of a short conversation I had earlier that day. The local business owner I spoke with was 'looking forward to dinner because she didn't have to cook; her husband would have grilled cheese ready when she got home from work.' Interesting aside, some form of grilled cheese has been around since the early 1900s and, throughout history this affordable meal has also been referred to as a "cheese box," "toasted cheese," and during the Great Depression the “cheese dream.” (Wilcox 21) Serendipitously, the first recipe that I saw for grilled cheese linked to a handful of variations. Let’s just say, the sky’s the limit! Like PB&J, a grilled cheese sandwich not only has the capability to bring back memories, but can be versatile as well. It took some time to narrow my choices down to three simple recipes by Julia Moskin, Eric Kim, and Ali Slagle. Unfortunately, you'll need a personal subscription to access these recipes from The New York Times Cooking, but there are other recipes available through the library’s subscription of The New York Times database*.

After skimming some of those, I had to see for myself why almost every grilled cheese recipe made available by the New York Times suggested using mayonnaise.

*Access databases at any of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District locations. [Note: remote access to some databases may be limited while others are available throughout the Mid-Hudson Library System.]

What is a Database?

• A Database is an index accessible through the internet; they aren’t webpages.
• They can include published journals, magazines, newspapers, image collections, newsletters, yearbooks, comic books, etc.
• The contents must meet specific collection criteria. For example, articles are edited and/or peer-reviewed.
• Databases provide publication dates, bibliographic citations and some may provide links to full text.
• They are not free; the library pays for a subscription.
• Unlike a personal online subscription (to something like the New York Times, for example), database subscriptions do not include advertisements or, in some cases, the photographs/diagrams displayed in the original article.
• There are different types of databases. They can be specialized with content about specific subjects or, general. There can be subtle nuances to searching databases as well as to how the information retrieved is formatted.

If you’re interested in learning how to use any of the databases PPLD subscribes to, contact us at the Adriance Memorial Library Reference Desk - 1-845-485-3445, x3702.

What did you like about this recipe?

Moskin provides a very general list of ingredients, four, to be exact: bread, butter, mayonnaise, grated cheddar or other cheese.

What didn’t you like about this recipe?

Does this American icon really need Mayonnaise and butter? I could probably even use a butter substitute if I turned down the heat and monitored the cook time. Honestly though, we don't eat grilled cheese often enough to experiment with every possible ingredient or method of cooking. Not only are there over 2,000 types of cheese in the world but, who knew you could broil grilled cheese in the oven? (Wilcox 176)

Also note, if you tend to choose what to eat by the photographs, you may be disappointed when you see how the database formats a recipe.

Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website):

Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?

Our grilled cheese was constructed on Sour dough. As suggested in a number of recipes, I arbitrarily mixed cheeses, melding shredded parmesan (a gift from our neighbor’s trip to Italy. Thank you, again!), gouda, and gruyere with a slice of cheddar but I could easily have included a stronger cheese and, maybe a slice of tomato. I also missed the step to melt cheese on both sides of the bread before sandwiching them in the pan. The fact that it didn't have a deleterious impact should be encouragement for any novice.👍🏻

Would you recommend this cookbook/database?

If you’re not pressed for time or looking for a specific recipe, try searching the database. Learning something new keeps your brain healthy and you never know when you may come across a[nother] classic.

References:

Books - 

The Great Grilled Cheese Book: Grown-Up Recipes for a Childhood Classic / Eric Greenspan.

Great Book of Grilled Cheese: 100+ Recipes for the Ultimate Comfort Food, Soups, Salads, and Sides / Kim Wilcox. - (In addition to sides, desserts and condiments are included so readers can complete a grilled cheese meal. Read about “The Brief but Important History” of the iconic sandwich in Chapter 1 - Grilled Cheese Essentials, page 21.)

Databases -

Clark, Melissa. "Taking Back a Childhood Favorite." New York Times, 11 April 2007, p. F3(L). The New York Times,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/A161825361/SPN.SP01?u=nysl_se_pghkl&sid=bookmark-SPN.SP01&xid=32219480. Accessed 5 April 2024. - (Try to find another article by searching the following keywords: “grilled cheese.")

Websites -

“Cognitive Health and Older Adults | National Institute on Aging.” National Institute on Aging, www.nia.nih.gov/health/brain-health/cognitive-health-and-older-adults. Accessed 21 April 2024.

Kim, Eric. “Quick Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese.” The New York Times, 29 January 2023, https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022653-quick-tomato-soup-with-grilled-cheese?smid=url-share.

Member Libraries. Mid-Hudson Library System, https://midhudson.org/libraries/. Accessed 21 April 2024.

Moskin, Julia. “Grilled Cheese Sandwich.” The New York Times, 30 March 2015, https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017326-grilled-cheese-sandwich?smid=url-share.

"Online Resources and Databases." Poughkeepsie Public Library District, https://poklib.org/learn/online-resources-databases/. Accessed 21 April 2024.

“Recipes and Cooking Guides from the New York Times.” The New York Times, https://cooking.nytimes.com/. Accessed 19 April 2024.

Sifton, Sam. “A Field Guide to the American Sandwich.” The New York Times, 14 April 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/14/dining/field-guide-to-the-sandwich.html.

Slagle, Ali. “Grilled Cheese Sandwich on the Grill.” The New York Times, 30 August 2021,

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022513-grilled-cheese-sandwich-on-the-grill?smid=url-share.

Vogel, Janelle. “Instructional Writing; How To Make A PB&J.” That After School Life, https://thatafterschoollife.com/pbj.html. Accessed 18 April 2024.

Quick Subject/Concept links to the Discover Online Library catalog:

Brian health - (Results narrowed down by Age group: Adult; Literary Form: Non-fiction; Concepts/subjects/Themes: Mental health, Mind and body, Longevity, Self-care, Health)

Keyword search for: Grilled cheese - (Results narrowed down by Literary Form: Non-fiction; Concepts/subjects/Themes: Cooking (Cheese))

Mindful* - (Results narrowed down by Concepts/subjects/Themes: Mindfulness & Meditation, Inspiration & Personal Growth, Health & Fitness, Self-actualization (Psychology), Body, Mind & Spirit)

Season[ing]s Greetings - Cooking, Indic…

March 26, 2024.

by Bridget O’Donnell

One sunny Saturday in February, I drove upstate to deliver my nephew’s belated Christmas presents. Although planned, the visit was more spontaneous than I imagined. Coordinating dynamic schedules can require flexibility and patience. 

The abridged version of the day: after coffee and tea we gently encouraged my 7 year old nephew to open his presents. Until this point, he’d been waiting patiently, maintaining our casual conversation and virtually ignoring the pile of gifts donned in holiday paper on the table. My mother used to say I had ‘selective hearing,’ that I was always the first one in the kitchen when a sweet treat was offered, even if whispered. Similarly, I’m going to say my nephew’s behavior that morning was an impressive example of his ‘selective will power.’ Thankfully he genuinely appreciated each gift. Shortly thereafter, we attended a school musical featuring some of my sister’s students. (Surprised? Me too.) Then, we collected her husband and went to get something to eat. As we waited for our order, half of our party played card and board games while my sister and I exchanged a few dinner ideas for busy weeknights. She suggested one recipe with the disclaimer that 'it calls for butter’ but what stuck with me was that everyone in her household liked it, even the picky eaters. Fast forward to a few texts after letting everyone know I made it home safely.

Unfortunately, I can’t share the recipe that had been torn out of “a healthy eating magazine years ago” because there wasn't enough information in the photograph to find it. After talking to one of my colleagues, we posit that maybe everything isn’t really available online. Even if I knew which magazine the recipe was from, that site’s search engine may not work with or like Google. Or, maybe like JSTOR, there’s a moving wall embargo. I can’t be sure. However, while I was looking for said recipe or something comparable to cite I learned that Butter Chicken, also known as Murgh Makhani, is a “mild Indian dish and a great introduction for those who might be apprehensive of strong spices or curry-heavy dishes.” (Julson) And maybe for that reason it's considered one of the most popular curries in the world. Tangentially, there’s also a lawsuit for the origins of its name.

Title of Website: RecipeTin Eats - (This is the supplemental recipe that, in my opinion, has the most similar ingredients and instructions to the recipe my sister suggested.)

Author of Recipe: Erica Clark was the author of the original recipe. Nagi Maehashi is the author of the recipe I’m referencing for this month’s What's Cooking Blog.

What prompted you to check out this recipe? 

It wasn’t until I thought I was ready to prepare the recipe that I realized we didn’t have a can of evaporated milk. Evaporated milk is made by slowly heating milk to remove about half of its water content which creates a thicker texture. We had whole milk in the refrigerator but reducing it would have doubled the recipe's prep time. (Read about the difference between evaporated and condensed milk then refer to The Icing On The Cake for one possible application of the latter.) 

After Googling alternatives for evaporated milk, I hesitantly weighed whether to make the recipe at all, wait until my next trip the store or, take my chances and substitute less than half a can of (full fat) coconut milk. I decided to wait. *Note to self, remember to read the entire recipe before going to the grocery store.

While inconvenient, my oversight wasn’t a complete loss. It indirectly gave me enough time to look for other recipes to compare as well as taste a more authentic version of the same dish from Dhaniya Mirch, the Indian grocery store across the street from the Adriance Memorial Library. Two packages of boneless chicken breasts, and one repurposed dinner later I also learned this popular curry dish doesn’t call for curry powder but relies on Garam Masala. ‘Garam Masala is a spice blend made from peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cumin, and coriander. It gives butter chicken a deep, sweet and savory flavor.’ (Julson)

What did you like about this recipe?

• The recipe took 30 minutes.

• The spices are colorful (salt, black pepper, Garam Masala, turmeric, paprika, garlic [cloves], and [grated] ginger). Although more seasoning than I normally use for a single dish, the recipe from my sister called for less spices than any other recipe I found. For us, this translates to having more ingredients already in the cabinet.

• Aside from [boneless chicken breasts and] condensed milk, the recipe didn’t require an excessive trip to the grocery store.

• It was mildly spicy but I could increase the heat in individual servings with the addition of cayenne and black pepper.

What didn’t you like about this recipe?

• There was a lot of sauce. Initially I wasn’t sure if I should have added more meat and vegetables or less condensed milk. After comparing recipes I think this may be characteristic of the dish.

• Condensed milk has to be shaken well. Those instructions are clearly marked on the can in fine print. If you think the curry doesn’t look creamy enough before serving, separate the solid ingredients and blend the reserved sauce.

Favorite recipes (that you tried from the website):

Butter Chicken.

Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?

• In addition to a jar of diced Roma/plum tomatoes, I added the last vine ripe tomato that we had on the counter.

• We didn’t have ginger root to grate so I substituted ginger powder.

• The original recipe suggested adding a cup of frozen peas, which I love.

• Following the recipe from my sister, I used a 5 oz can of evaporated milk. Nagi Maehashi’s recipe calls for plain yogurt (full fat) in the marinade and heavy/thickened cream in the curry sauce.

Would you recommend this recipe?

Yes, I would recommend this recipe. It was very manageable and I’ve made a few notes to help streamline my workflow next time. Ours may have been more mild than Dhaniya Mirch's but it was definitely palatable.

References:

Books - 

Chetna's 30-Minute Indian: Quick and Easy Everyday Meals / Chetna Makan. - (The introduction includes "things to bear in mind for the recipes to work at their best,” pg. 11. Yogurt Chicken Curry, pg. 60. Butter Chicken - Murgh Makhani, pg. 63.)

Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen: Traditional and Creative Recipes For the Home Cook / Richa Hingle.

Websites -

"About the Moving Wall." JSTOR, https://support.jstor.org/hc/en-us/articles/115004879547-About-the-Moving-Wall#:~:text=The%20Moving%20Wall%20embargo%20refers,of%203%20to%205%20years. Accessed 25 March 2024.

Dhaniya Mirch, www.dhaniyamirch.com. Accessed 22 March 2024.

Food Network Kitchen. “Evaporated Milk vs. Condensed Milk: What’s the Difference? And Can They Be Used Interchangeably?” Food Network, 22 June 2022, https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/food-network-essentials/evaporated-milk-vs-condensed-milk.

Hadid, Diaa and Omkar Khandekar. "Who Cooked Up Butter Chicken? A Court Seeks the Answer. Plus: Madhur Jaffrey's Recipe." NPR, 1 March 2024, https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2024/03/01/1234793757/butter-chicken-origins-india-madhur-jaffrey-recipe.

Julson, Erica. “Creamy Indian Butter Chicken.” Happily From Scratch, 19 March 2022, https://www.ericajulson.com/creamy-indian-butter-chicken/.

Kelly, Leslie. “What’s the Difference Between Evaporated and Condensed Milk?” Allrecipes, 3 October 2023, https://www.allrecipes.com/article/evaporated-and-condensed-milk/#The%20Difference%20Between%20Evaporated%20and%20Condensed%20Milk.

Maehashi, Nagi. “Butter Chicken.” RecipeTin Eats, 13 November 2023, https://www.recipetineats.com/butter-chicken/.

Stafford, Gemma. "How To Make Evaporated Milk (Recipe)." Gemma's Bigger Bolder Baking, 6 November 2023, https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/evaporated-milk-recipe/.

Quick Subject/Concept links to the Discover Online Library catalog:

Cooking, Indic

Cook* - (Results narrowed down by Format: EMagazine; Periodical-Other; Magazines, Journals & News. Consider narrowing down results further by Concepts/Subjects/Themes, i.e. Health & Fitness or, Low-calorie diet- -Recipes- -Periodicals)

Cuckoo, TikTok, Anyone There…!?!

(00:23 minute video)

February 20, 2024. Updated March 13, 2024.

by Bridget O’Donnell

This post was inspired by a handful of ingredients and two (maybe three) TikTok videos provided by a generous CSA member at the end of the 2023 season. Thank you, Deborah W. By that time, I’d heard of TikTok, but the negative connotations about privacy issues, exposure to inappropriate content, and the time spent scrolling endlessly seemed to outweigh its popularity for me. Well, I may be going cuckoo but, like over one billion monthly active users, here I am, TikTok.

Title of Cookbook: As Cooked on TikTok: Fan Favorites and Recipe Exclusives From More Than 40 TikTok Creators!

Author of Cookbook: Emily Stephenson

What prompted you to check out this cookbook? 

Before submitting this post I wanted to learn a little about the what, how, and why behind this particular social media platform. At the same time, I also wanted to avoid recreating the first perfectly fine TikTok video that I ever watched. Besides that, my initial attempt at a Crispy Rice Paper Omelet looked like a contribution to Pinterest “Nailed It!!”

Although Lily Leung’s “1 Minute Rice Paper Omelet…” shares a lot of similarities to the original TikTok video I watched on Deb’s phone, it isn’t the same one. For whatever reason, I couldn’t find it, but Leung’s video does offer a great tutorial and, as posted in the comments, shows how versatile the recipe can be.

What did you like about this cookbook?

The recipes included in this cookbook are deemed reliable; we don’t have to scroll through a mix of successes and failures like on the TikTok app.

What didn’t you like about this cookbook?

There are a lot of trending videos on TikTok, but, to be honest, I’m just a little curious to know what cloud bread tastes like and maybe not so interested in trying pancake cereal. For this post I did create a TikTok account but I haven’t done much with it. If I spend time on the app, I might look for healthy recipes to add to my arsenal. I mean, a 30 second tutorial? Wow!

Also, note the cook time will probably vary from the video durations on TikTok.

Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website):

My favorite recipe from this cookbook was probably @cookingwithlynja’s Ramen Carbonara (pg.77) because I like the idea of using ramen as a pasta (or rice) substitute.

Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?

In my (less than 30 second!!!) TikTok-ready video (click on the picture at the top of this post), you see the embellished version of one of my college go-tos. To date, I still find myself snacking on spicy ramen noodles between salads and more nutrient-dense (and, yes, time consuming) meals.

Bonus: In the attached photo, you see chicken and vegetable stir fry that’s been simmered in a tandoori curry sauce and served over strained ramen. YU-MMY! And that’s only one possible application.

Would you recommend this cookbook/recipe?

Absolutely, this cookbook makes everything look so tasteful. If you’re curious about TikTok but not sure about creating a personal account, a Google search will retrieve TikTok videos that you can watch as a guest. In some cases, the short videos will open in YouTube.

References:

Books - 

As Cooked On TikTok: Fan Favorites and Recipe Exclusives From More Than 40 TikTok Creators! / Emily Stephenson.

The Unofficial TikTok Cookbook: 75 Internet-Breaking Recipes For Snacks, Drinks, Treats, and More! / Valentina Mussi.

A LOT of foodies, like the two authors listed below, started on social media before writing a bestselling cookbook.

Smitten Kitchen Keepers: New Classics for Your Forever Files: A Cookbook / Deb Perelman. - (Perelman can be found on Twitter, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram: @smittenkitchen and,YouTube: smittenkitchening.)

Knife Drop: Creative Recipes Anyone Can Cook / Nick DiGiovanni. - (In this cookbook, DiGiovanni includes a “QR Library, Quick, Off-the-Beaten-Path Recipes.” - Learn how to “Cook a lobster and remove lobster meat” in a 01:41 minute video.)

Websites -

Gonzales, Cindy. “700 Nailed It!! Ideas: Pinterest Fails, Food Fails, Fail Nails.” Pinterest, 18 March 2018, www.pinterest.com/cindyannadmire/nailed-it/.

Leung, Lily. “1 Minute Rice Paper Omelet SO Yummy!! Day 19.” Youtube.com/@FullHappyBelly, 4 October 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ0Xoob1qRc. - (00:23 minute video

Manfre, Ayeh. “Rice Paper Dumplings.” TikTok, 13 November 2022, https://www.tiktok.com/@cookingwithayeh/video/7165449343888100609?lang=en. - (00:33 minute video. You can find the recipe and a 00:35 minute video on her website as well, https://cookingwithayeh.com/rice-paper-dumplings/.)

Pahmeier, Lauren. “75 Viral TikTok Recipes and Food Hacks.” TasteofHome, 13 February 2024, https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/tiktok-recipes/.                               

Quick Subject/Concept links to the Discover (formerly, Vega) Online Library catalog:

Quick And Easy Cooking

TikTok - (Results narrowed down by Concepts: Electronic resource, Social media)

Boarding Now In Session…

January 18, 2024. Updated March 13, 2024.

by Bridget O’Donnell

This month, PPLD’s What’s Cooking Blog piggybacks off December 2023’s "Edible Gift Ideas" by serving that very same quince jelly, quince paste, and apple butter in a lavish holiday spread. Two months in the making provided ample time to do moderate research, reorganize copious notes, and cultivate ideas. It goes without saying that my time and effort influenced numerous trips to the store and to our cabinets. As a reward, some of those tasteful contributions festively shared our table on what is referred to as a platter or board. Using an array of cutlery, we properly brought in the new year with cheeses, charcuterie (pronounced: shaar-KOO-tuh-ree), hot oven-roasted ingredients, condiments, and literally handfuls of accompaniments that served as vehicles to nourish the body.

Title of Cookbook: The Art of the Board: Fun & Fancy Snack Boards, Recipes & Ideas For Entertaining All Year

Author of Cookbook: Olivia Carney

What prompted you to check out this cookbook? 

I wanted to share the paste, jelly and butter that I made with friends and family for the holidays. One of the recipes that I referenced in December's blog entry suggested pairing quince paste with Manchego, a nutty flavored Spanish cheese. So why not build a board? Boards can offer a variety of charcuterie (dried or cured meats), cheeses and accompaniments, which would be perfect because I had other condiments to pair. Of course, I needed to know more.

…While in the midst of researching boards, and completely on a whim, I checked out The Dizzy Cook. Coincidentally, it included a migraine-safe cheese board that piqued my curiosity. (I’m always interested to learn about diet therapy and healing foods.) Tangentially, a new awareness of this sensitivity gave me something else to consider as I worked through a pile of library books.

What did you like about this cookbook?

• Descriptions used to summarize the flavor profiles for dried/cured meats and categories, or families of cheese are accessible to beginners.
• The pairing guide in the appendix happened to list quince paste and apple butter. Those were two of the ingredients I wanted to introduce to anyone who was willing to try them, including myself.
• The presentations are beautifully photographed.
• The author stresses borrowing ideas or ingredients from other recipes to create something individual to the event and/or taste preferences of the host and their guests, a sentiment I was completely on board with since I was planning to do that anyway.

What didn’t you like about this cookbook?

My eyes, eagerness and utilitarian vision were all bigger than my stomach; I wanted to try (almost) everything. Despite having a few things already in the house, I was overzealous at the store but justified the expensive shopping list as a gracious gift for the holidays. This was my first board, after all.

To be completely honest, I have no idea how many ounces of cheese or meat I bought or served. I definitely didn’t serve everything I bought! (hahah…) The two boards I presented were intended to be appetizers and a meal for three people. As a flexible rule, I tried to provide at least three small servings of each ingredient. To encourage experimenting, I introduced our meal with the announcement that there was more of everything in the kitchen.

Portions really depend on how much you and your guests eat but …

• One book suggested 3 oz of cheese and 3 oz of meat per person.
• Another resource advised 2-4 oz of cheese per person and provided the following equation that I’m sure I didn’t follow: three friends = 2-3 cheeses weighing 6 oz total.
• One result from a google search recommended the 3-3-3-3 rule - three meats, three cheeses, three starches, and three accompaniments, which might have been helpful if I saw it before I went shopping. For my next board, I’ll try to rein it in (maybe limit the ingredients to what would be available from a particular region).

"With malice towards none," it was a pleasant surprise to find that I had more than enough for the two boards pictured, two to-go gift tins with accompanying snack bags, a day of morning and afternoon snacks to graze on with coworkers in the office, a few plated dinners and, to complement a belated baby gift, a small snack for the parents.

Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website):

My boards encouraged grazing and were a mix of the following:

• C’est Charcuterie (pg. 41),
• A Board Built for Two (pg. 45),
• Harry & David Gift Basket Board (pg. 122),
• Christmas Cheese! (pg. 129),
• Ring In the New Year (pg. 134).

Although it’s not the focal point of this post, I also appreciated seeing recipes for homemade condiments. Making your own ensures that you know what ingredients were used and allows you to reduce the amount if it isn’t something you eat often.

Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?

Most of my notes were gleaned from six books and two online resources. Everything was sourced from local grocery stores and based on availability. Aside from what was recommended to accompany quince paste, quince jelly, and apple butter, I collected a variety of nubs and wedges to represent each cheese family. For sensitive and less experimental eaters I bought a few safe ingredients like mozzarella, cheddar, and muenster. Based on the suggested pairings from my notes I selected two different variety packages of pre-sliced cured meats and then randomly selected hard salami. In general, the other ingredients, some listed below, were either personal preference, chosen randomly, or suggested pairings. Note: the list below doesn’t include everything I bought, and as I mentioned earlier, everything I bought wasn’t included on the two boards highlighted in this post.

Graze: Inspiration For Small Plates and Meandering Meals by Suzanne Lenzer was more advanced than I felt I needed to be but I did borrow the idea of including hot food. Since this was an edible gift I wanted the dinner ingredients on our boards to be special, so I called the butcher to ask about availability and placed an order. Thankfully, I had a full day to roast (my first!) duck, new potatoes, and red beets. These ingredients were reheated before serving and presented in small dishes on one board.

Food pictured on our boards (as spelled on the original packages):

Would you recommend this cookbook/recipe?

Yes. Boards wouldn’t be my go-to every week, but they’re versatile. Also take a look at Boards: Stylish Spreads For Casual Gatherings by America’s Test Kitchen. You might be surprised to see how fun they can be. Enjoy them at any event with whatever you like. Avoid a bored board by trying one new ingredient each time. 😉

Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year, whatever your holiday resolutions may be!

References:

Books -

Around the Board: Boards, Platters, Plates / by Emily Delaney.

The Art of the Board: Fun & Fancy Snack Boards, Recipes & Ideas For Entertaining All Year / by Olivia Carney.

Boards: Stylish Spreads For Casual Gatherings / by America’s Test Kitchen (Firm).

Boards and Spreads: Shareable, Simple Arrangements For Every Meal / by Yasmin Fahr.

Cheese, Illustrated: Notes, Pairings, and Boards / Rory Stamp.

The Dizzy Cook: Managing Migraine With More Than 90 Comforting Recipes and Lifestyle Tips / by Alicia Wolf.

A Field Guide to Cheese: How to Select, Enjoy, and Pair the World’s Best Cheeses / by Tristan Sicard.

Graze: Inspiration For Small Plates and Meandering Meals / by Suzanne Lenzer.

Platters and Boards: Beautiful, Casual Spreads for Every Occasion / by Shelly Westerhausen.

Websites - 

Johnson, Laura. “Reinventing Your Charcuterie Board.” Coton-Colors, 4 October 2023, https://coton-colors.com/blogs/toast-the-blog/reinventing-your-charcuterie-board#:~:text=No%20matter%20the%20style%20of,fruit%2C%20nuts%2C%20or%20veggies.

Miquel, Julien. “How to Pronounce Charcuterie? (CORRECTLY).” YouTube, 5 March 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHQeZb0v7J4. Accessed 13 March 2024. - (01:09 minute video)

National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. “Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address.” National Park Service (NPS), 18 April 2020, https://www.nps.gov/linc/learn/historyculture/lincoln-second-inaugural.htm.

Quick Subject/Concept links to the Discover (formerly, Vega) Online Library catalog:

Board, Cook* - (Results narrowed down by Concepts: Adult, Entertaining, Cooking, Food presentation, Cooking & Food, Snack foods, Appetizers, Quick and easy cooking)

Diet Therapy

…Time Management - (Results narrowed down by Concepts: Adult, Time management, Stress management, Self Help, Strategic planning, Success, Personal Success)

Edible Gift Ideas

December 14, 2023. Updated March 13, 2024.

by Bridget O’Donnell

Just before Thanksgiving, I brought home two quince. For those unfamiliar with the fruit, it is an aromatic gold or yellow fruit, similar in appearance to an apple or pear. Their flavor profile is usually tart. While they can be eaten raw they are most frequently made into marmalades or jams.

Although curious about the enigmatic fruit, I only took half of the optional bonus unit offered by our local CSA. This decision could have been partially influenced by time constraints. However, to be honest, while I might recognize quince by sight, I had no idea what could tastefully be done with the fruit. In the weeks following, after reprioritizing my responsibilities to help sustain our busy schedules, prepare for the holidays, and allow time to decompress, I did what should have been done when the novelty fruit was introduced to our kitchen counter. I posted a picture on social media and asked for suggestions. My knowledgeable (but surprisingly, only male) friends indirectly led me to a more impromptu method of narrowing down and choosing which recipes to reference from Google. With their help, on my next day off and with marginal hesitation, I set myself up for what would turn into hours in the kitchen.

**Food for thought: remember to read through the entire recipe numerous times before you begin.

Title of Cookbook: The Tree Forager: 40 Extraordinary Trees & What to Do With Them

Author of Cookbook: Adele Nozedar

What prompted you to check out this cookbook? 

Disclaimer: this isn’t a cookbook. According to the Dewey Decimal System, The Tree Forager is classified within the sciences. (The call number used at the Adriance Memorial Library is 582.16 Noz, FYI.) This book does, however, include a basic recipe that most closely resembles the Quince Jelly recipe I followed.

What did you like about this cookbook?

The brief summary about quince was an interesting and quick read. More importantly, the recipe didn’t require many ingredients or complicated cooking techniques.

A candy thermometer was called for by Simplyrecipes.com, but they also suggested an alternative method to determine if the jelly was done. Fortunately for us, the temperature on our digital instant read food thermometer went high enough to work.

What didn’t you like about this cookbook?

This title only includes one recipe for quince (alas, it’s not a cookbook).

Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website):

Membrillo or Quince Jelly (pg. 154).

I actually followed the "Quince Jelly" recipe provided by Simplyrecipes.com and saved the pulp (in case I misread the instructions). After successfully canning the jelly, I re-[and re- and re-] read the recipe suggested by TheSpruceEats.com and processed the remaining strained pulp into "Quince Paste."

*Bonus: As if I hadn’t already stood in the kitchen long enough, on my next day off I processed and then canned apple butter that I left simmering overnight in the slow cooker.

Each recipe required at least an hour of stirring/simmering, but in the end produced little waste. Taking on three recipes that required stirring the contents of a vessel for over an hour was either a subconscious attempt to challenge myself or encouragement to create a potentially lovely DIY gift.

Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?

As usual, I reduced the total servings for everything I made.

Out of necessity, recipes that called for quince had to be reduced because we lost a good amount of the fruit I brought home to over ripening. No additional spices were added because aside from sampling a small piece of raw quince, I was unfamiliar with the fruit’s flavor profile. If I make paste again, I would consider using something other than coconut oil to lightly grease the dish. Once it was removed from the dish, the set paste had white speckles around the edges, which didn’t seem to affect the taste, just the appearance.

The jelly and butter were canned to prolong their shelf-life. The quince paste was wrapped in wax paper and then cellophane; it can be refrigerated for three months.

Would you recommend this cookbook/recipe?

To date, we haven’t tasted everything I made but I would recommend trying the recipes suggested in this post at least once as well as some of the recipes from other DIY holiday gift cookbooks. **Note to self: next year save or buy more mason jars for gifting.

Happy Holidays!

References:

Books -

The Allergy-Free Pantry: Make Your Own Staples, Snacks, and More Without Wheat, Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy or Nuts / Colette Martin. - (Apple Butter, pg. 79. Ingredients: 2 ¾ cups applesauce, …)

Fruit / Nancie McDermott. - (Quince Compote, pg. 126. Ingredients: 3lbs quince, …)

The Fly Creek Cider Mill Cookbook: More Than 100 Delicious Apple Recipes / Brenda Michaels. - (Apple Butter, p. 33. Ingredients: 8lbs apples, …)

Gifts From the Kitchen: 100 Irresistible Homemade Presents for Every Occasion / Annie Rigg.

Handmade Food Gifts / Taste of Home.

Handmade Gifts / Dorling Kindersley, Inc.

The Tree Forager: 40 Extraordinary Trees & What to Do With Them / Adele Nozedar. - (Membrillo or Quince Jelly, pg. 154. Ingredients: 4lbs 8oz quince, …)

Websites -

Bauer, Elise. “Quince Jelly.” Simply Recipes, 7 October 2022, https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/quince_jelly/. - (Ingredients: 3 ½ lbs quince, …)

Meredith, Leda. “Quince Paste.” The Spruce Eats, 10 November 2023, https://www.thespruceeats.com/quince-paste-fruit-preserve-1327577. - (Ingredients: 3 ½ lbs quince or, about 4 large fruit, …)

Mullins, Brittany. “Healthy Apple Butter.” Eating Bird Food, 16 January 2022, https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/healthy-homemade-apple-butter/. - (Ingredients: 6 medium apples, ...)

Roomberg, Allie. “Homemade Apple Butter Recipe.” Baking A Moment, 1 June 2023, https://bakingamoment.com/homemade-apple-butter/. - (Ingredients: 4 lbs of Apples or, about 9 medium-sized apples, … *Also refer to Notes about canning at the bottom of the recipe.)

Terri, All Recipes Test Kitchen Staff. “All-Day Apple Butter.” Allrecipes, 16 November 2023, https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/21205/all-day-apple-butter/. - (Ingredients: 5 ½ lbs apples, … Could be referred to as a simple base recipe.)

Quick Subject/Concept links to the Discover (formerly, Vega) Online Library catalog:

Canning and Preserving

Cooking (Fruit)

Food–Preservation

To get your creative gifting juices going you could certainly search for “gifts” , “DIY gifts” , “edible gifts” or, “edible DIY gifts” but you might find that most of them fall under the Concept: Handicraft.

Resilience (Personality Trait)

Stress Management

Sweet & Savory, Jerk, Curry & Sometimes Spicy...

November 13, 2023. Updated March 13, 2024.

by Bridget O’Donnell

As November temperatures finally start to cool down, we instinctually focus on comforting sources of heat and sustenance. This month highlights food inspired by the islands to help warm our bellies and our minds.

Those of us who aren’t native to island fare may allow American-style restaurants to frame Caribbean food as fried and served with rich sauces. According to Ainsley’s Caribbean Kitchen regional dishes are also healthy, multicultural, and differ in taste from island to island. Tropical flavors from Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and their neighboring archipelagos can be described as a melting pot of identities heavily influenced by imported spices, herbs, and sauces. Over time, Indigenous people and colonists learned to combine Native American cooking techniques with East Indian, Chinese, European, Latin American, and African. As a result, cultural fusions evolved from island staples such as seasonal produce and fruits, local meats, and fresh caught fish. Of course, dietary restrictions, beliefs, and politics also influence Caribbean cuisine making flavorful vegetarian, Rastafarian Ital, and vegan fare readily available, too. (Take a look at these websites to learn more about Ital food - Rastafari: An Overview of Jamaican Ital Food and, Ital Dishes: How to Make Your Own Plant-Based Jamaican Ital Dishes at Home.) 

Title of Cookbook: Original Flava: Caribbean Recipes from Home

Author of Cookbook: Craig and Shaun McAnuff

What prompted you to check out this cookbook? 

A patron said the library should purchase more Caribbean cookbooks, so I started looking into what was available. 

• Ziggy Marley and Family Cookbook introduced me to the concept of Ital food.

• Julius Jackson’s My Modern Caribbean Kitchen provided traditional fare like Panfried Plantains, but, as the title suggests, also included more modern recipes. We tried the award-winning chef and Olympic boxer’s Light and Fit Fish Soup, a restorative meal to refuel the body after regimented workouts. Easily adapted, I omitted tannia or taro because I forgot to look for either of them at the store. I also omitted the dumplings to save prep time and avoid consuming a boxer’s calorie count.

• The introduction in Ainsley’s Caribbean Kitchen outlined notable differences between island specialties and characteristic tastes (of food AND rum!).

• As for Original Flava…

What did you like about this cookbook?

Their motto is EAT. Mine, too (hahah). Joking aside, the McAnuff’s strive to show people, especially younger people, how to make Caribbean recipes: easy, accessible, and tasty, right from home. I bookmarked more than a dozen recipes to try - sweet and savory, jerk, curry, and sometimes spicy!

What didn’t you like about this cookbook?

You may have to renew/borrow this more than once. If you don’t have time to read the cookbook from cover to cover, like myself, some of the authors’ cultural and historical anecdotes and perspectives found throughout the narrative may be lost.

Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website):

Ackee and Saltfish (pg.29).

Plantain Four Ways (pg. 37-39).

Stout Stew Beef (pg. 179).

Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?

My iteration of Ackee and Saltfish used fresh cod instead of saltfish and omitted the ackee because I didn’t source a Caribbean grocery store. We enjoyed this with breakfast and the leftovers with dinner.

On two separate occasions I prepared plantains. The first time, I made them to accompany breakfast on our day off, the second time, to compliment a casual dinner. As suggested in the recipe, I cut them two ways but chose to use the same, albeit minimal, seasoning.

Instead of a Jamaican Stout our stew beef simmered in Guinness. This was mainly out of convenience; Guinness was available where I bought the other ingredients.

Would you recommend this cookbook/recipe? 

Yes, thankfully, even my adaptations were palatable.

Check out the library’s collection. If you think there’s something missing Submit a Review or a Title Suggestion. Our fiscal year is almost closed but we’ll resume buying titles in 2024 before you know it!

References:

Books - 

Ainsley’s Caribbean Kitchen: Delicious, Feelgood Cooking from the Sunshine Islands / Ainsley Harriott.

My Modern Caribbean Kitchen: 70 Fresh Takes on Island Favorites / Julius “The Chef” Jackson.

Original Flava: Caribbean Recipes from Home / Craig and Shaun McAnuff.

Ziggy Marley and Family Cookbook: Delicious Meals Made With Whole, Organic Ingredients / from the Marley Kitchen. (E-resource)

Websites -

Staff writer. “Rastafari: An Overview of Jamaican Ital Food.” Jamaicans.com, [2004], https://jamaicans.com/ital_food/. Accessed 13 March 2024.

Parsons, Rhea. “Ital Dishes: How to Make Your Own Plant-Based Jamaican Ital Dishes at Home.” One Green Planet, [2019], https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/how-to-make-your-own-jamaican-ital-food-at-home/. Accessed 13 March 2024.

Quick Subject links to the Library catalog:

Cooking, Caribbean.

Cooking, Jamaican.

Vegetarian cooking.

Vegan cooking.

Eco-Burgers

October 10, 2023. Updated March 13, 2024.

by Bridget O’Donnell

Early in the month summer temperatures intermittently interrupted the 2023 fall season in the Hudson Valley. Drought, fires, flooding, warmer water temperatures, and more severe storms remain a constant in the national weather forecast. Daunting research and a considerable amount of literature suggest global warming is the cause. Corrective measures need to be made by nothing less than a nation to mitigate the effects of climatic change. Ideally, we all have to learn to incorporate more sustainable habits into our lifestyles that positively contribute to the environment, regardless of social or economic standing.

Fortunately, each person truly does make a difference. Small changes aren’t dismissed, they’re cumulative.

…Thinking more plant-forward, I planned to grill portobello burgers on one of the unseasonably warm nights. However, while I was shopping for the necessary ingredients I happened to come across grass fed sliders that looked like they’d be a fun addition to dinner. To be honest, this was more of an impulse buy then premeditated meal planning but it worked out in our f[L]avor. 

Title of Cookbook: Super Easy Burgers: 69 Really Simple Recipes

Author of Cookbook: Orathay Souksisavanh

What prompted you to check out this cookbook? 

Burgers aren’t something I prepare often so I took out a few cookbooks before I engineered ours, gleaning ideas for: ingredients, condiments, and toppings…

What did you like about this cookbook?

I like the simplicity, accessibility, and versatility of the ingredients called for, which just happen to be listed in the universal language of photographs(!).

What didn’t you like about this cookbook?

There’s no introduction or narrative throughout the cookbook. After the table of contents, the author jumps right into a succession of “69 Really Simple Recipes.” This might be considered humble and isn’t necessarily a deterrent but note that the ingredients you source, whether store bought or homemade, may increase the estimated prep time provided by the author as well as the cost.

Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website):

American Style Cheeseburger (pg. 7).

The Mushroom Spinach Burger (pg. 111) was fairly close to the rendition I made of my brother’s recipe for grilled portobello burgers.

Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?

This cookbook didn’t include sliders so I referenced one of their more classic recipes and applied it to smaller portions. I diced up vinegary refrigerator pickles until they resembled relish. The relish was layered on toasted buns over thinly spread vegan aioli topped with a slider, sliced mozzarella, and tomato (optional).

Because the portobello shrank on the grill, I used two mushrooms on one standard size kaiser roll and we split the “burger.” Ingredients included olive oil, and salt and pepper, topped with a slice of mozzarella cheese to hold grilled red onion on the burger. If I actually followed a recipe it may have had more spices and/or condiments but the simplified version had enough umami to satisfy our tastes.

Would you recommend this cookbook/recipe?

Yes, whether you prefer vegetarian, vegan meat substitutes or meat, a good burger is timeless.

References:

Books - 

America’s Test Kitchen. Cooking With Plant-Based Meat: 75 Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes For All Your Meaty Cravings / America’s Test Kitchen. - (Take a look at the “Classic Pub Sliders, pg. 27 or flip through the chapter called “Burgers, Sandwiches, Tacos, and More” beginning on pg. 39.)

A Burger to Believe In: Recipes and Fundamentals / by Christopher Kronner; with Paolo Lucchesi. - (Includes an informative introduction that outlines the history behind the beef industry and reasons to advocate for grass fed beef. In a candid voice, the author suggests six levels of burger making instructions for the extremely lazy to fervent acolyte and shares his secret to making a really great burger.)

Good Housekeeping Burgers: 125 Mouthwatering Recipes & Tips. - (Classic Sliders, pg. 25.)

Meat Me Halfway: How Changing the Way We Eat Can Improve Our Lives and Save Our Planet / Brian Kateman.

• Meat Me Halfway is also available as an eAudiobook through Hoopla.

Plant Based Cooking For Everyone / Reader’s Digest. - (Advocates for a plant based approach to cooking, defines types, and includes a food arsenal chart that lists nutrient - ailment - foods. Chapter 6 is devoted to “Burgers, Sandwiches & Wraps.”)

Super Easy Burgers: 69 Really Simple Recipes / Orathay Souksisavanh.

Veggie Burgers Every Which Way: Fresh, Flavorful & Healthy Vegan & Vegetarian Burgers / Lukas Volger; photography by Evi Abeler. - (Best Portabella Burger, pg. 62. Rutabaga Fries, pg. 144.)

Websites -

Bond, Sarah. “How to Make Portobello Mushroom Burgers.” Live Eat Learn, 27 January 2024, https://www.liveeatlearn.com/portobello-mushroom-burgers/#wprm-recipe-container-16059.

Cody, Bob. “Portobello Mushroom Burgers.” Allrecipes, 14 July 2022, https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/14497/portobello-mushroom-burgers/.

Donofrio, Jeanine. “Portobello Mushroom Burgers.” Love & Lemons, https://www.loveandlemons.com/portobello-mushroom-burger/#wprm-recipe-container-43865. Accessed 13 March 2024.

FYI, kind of scary…

Adams, Vivian. “Meat Consumption and Climate Change: Western Countries Must Cut by 75%.” Earth.org, 15 June 2022, https://earth.org/meat-consumption-and-climate-change/.

“Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply.” United Stated Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/climateimpacts/climate-change-impacts-agriculture-and-food-supply. Accessed 13 March 2024.

Graham, Rachel. “Why is Eating Meat Bad for the Environment and Climate Change?” Sentient Climate, 20 December 2022, https://sentientmedia.org/why-is-eating-meat-bad-for-the-environment/.

Nawaz, Amna. “UN Scientists Warn Drastic Steps Needed to Prevent Climate Change Catastrophe.” PBS, 20 March 2023, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/un-scientists-warn-drastic-steps-needed-to-prevent-climate-change-catastrophe.

United Nations. “Food and Climate Change: Healthy diets for a Healthier Planet.” United Nations,  https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/food. Accessed 13 March 2024.

Waite, Richard, et. al. “6 Pressing Questions About Beef and Climate Change, Answered.” World Resources Institute, 7 March 2022, https://www.wri.org/insights/6-pressing-questions-about-beef-and-climate-change-answered.

Quick Subject links to the Library catalog:

Search our online catalog, Discover. Then take a look at the Concepts to narrow your results and go down a more granular rabbit hole.

Cooking (Meat)

Hamburgers.

Climatic changes.

Global warming.

Meat animals--Moral and ethical aspects.

Meat--Environmental aspects.

Meat--Health aspects.

Meat substitutes.

Quick and easy cooking.

Vegetarian cooking.