Favorite
Things
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
The New Dirty Dozen
Must Buy Organic
1.Celery
Celery has no protective skin, which
makes it almost impossible to wash off the chemicals (64 of them) that are used
on crops. Buy organic celery, or choose alternatives like broccoli, radishes,
and onions.
2.Peaches
Multiple pesticides (as many as 62
of them) are regularly applied to these delicately skinned fruits in
conventional orchards. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include
watermelon, tangerines, oranges, and grapefruit.
3.Strawberry
If you buy strawberries, especially
out of season, they're most likely imported from countries that have
less-stringent regulations for pesticide use. 59 pesticides have been
detected in residue on strawberries. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives
include kiwi and pineapples.
4.Apples
Like peaches, apples are typically
grown with poisons to kill a variety of pests, from fungi to insects. Tests
have found 42 different pesticides as residue on apples. Scrubbing
and peeling doesn't eliminate chemical residue completely, so it's best to buy
organic when it comes to apples. Peeling a fruit or vegetable also strips away
many of their beneficial nutrients. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives
include watermelon, bananas, and tangerines.
5.Blueberries
New on the Dirty Dozen list in 2010,
blueberries are treated with as many as 52 pesticides, making them one of the dirtiest berries on
the market.
6.Nectarines
With 33 different types of
pesticides found on nectarines, they rank up there with apples and peaches
among the dirtiest tree fruit. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include,
watermelon, papaya, and mango.
7.Bell Peppers
Peppers have thin skins that don't
offer much of a barrier to pesticides. They're often heavily sprayed with
insecticides. (Tests have found 49 different pesticides on sweet bell
peppers.) Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include green peas, broccoli,
and cabbage.
8.Spinach
New on the list for 2010, spinach can
be laced with as many as 48 different pesticides, making it one of the
most contaminated green leafy vegetable.
9.Kale
Traditionally, kale is known as a
hardier vegetable that rarely suffers from pests and disease, but it was found
to have high amounts of pesticide residue when tested this year. Can't find
organic? Safer alternatives include cabbage, asparagus, and broccoli.
10.Cherries
Even locally grown cherries are not
necessarily safe. In fact, in one survey in recent years, cherries grown in the
U.S. were found to have three times more pesticide residue then imported
cherries. Government testing has found 42 different pesticides on
cherries. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include raspberries and
cranberries.
11.Potatoes
America's popular spud reappears on
the 2010 Dirty Dozen list, after a year hiatus. America's favorite vegetable
can be laced with as many as 37 different pesticides. Can't find organic?
Safer alternatives include eggplant, cabbage, and earthy mushrooms
12.Grapes
Imported grapes run a much greater risk
of contamination than those grown domestically. Only imported grapes make the
2010 Dirty Dozen list. Vineyards can be sprayed with different pesticides
during different growth periods of the grape, and no amount of washing or
peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape's thin skin.
Remember, wine is made from grapes, which testing shows can harbor as
many as 34 different pesticides.
Can't find organic? Safer
alternatives include kiwi and raspberries.
Union Square Green Market
Location: Union Square West from
15th to 17th Streets, 17th Street from Broadway to Park Ave South
Schedule: Mondays, Wednesdays,
Fridays and Saturdays, 8AM-6PM, year round. 2010 scheduled changes:
11/26, 12/25 & 1/1 will close for the holidays.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
How to make
Fresh Goat Milk Cheese
Ingredients and
Equipment:
2 cups of Goat
milk
Bowl
Stainless
steel pot
Cheese Cloth
Strainer
Starter like lemon,
vinegar or rennet
Salt
Spices
Procedure:
1.Heating: Take 2
cups of milk in a pot and heat it on stove at 130 fahrenheit. Keep stirring in
between.
2.Curdling: Once
the milk is warm enough add lemon or some other starter like animal rennet or
vinegar to let the milk coagulate. After some more stirring remove it from
stove and let it cool. You will see curds getting separated from whey (the
liquid).
3.Draining: Keep
the strainer in the bowl and place a clean cheese cloth on it and pour down the
curds with whey into it. Hang the cloth with mouth tied on the top to let the
whey drain out for about 1 to 2 hours.
The time can vary
depending on how much liquid is there in the bag.
4.Pressing: After
the material gets dry take the curd out of the cloth and trasfer it into a
bowl. You can now add salt or any other spices of your liking. Mix the
ingredients and then press the cheese in a vessel of desired shape. Cover the
cheese with a cloth or tissue. To press it well place some weight on its top.
5.Refrigerating:
Keep the cheese in refrigerator for a day or two to let the cheese harden. The
longer you keep the harder it gets.With this your cheese is ready. Remove from
fridge whenever you want to use it. Enjoy!!!
Tips and Warnings
Be creative with
the seasonings you add to the goat cheese.
The French prefer
salt and pepper. However Herbs de Provence, parsley and olive oil are sometimes
used. You can also make this cheese without any seasonings.
The whey can be
used for protein shakes or other enriched meals if you don't want to discard
it.
Go to a farmers market for fresh goat milk. Supermarkets often do not
carry goat milk or if they do it is of substandard freshness.
Let the cheese
warm to room temperature before serving to bring out the maximum flavor.
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