The Problem with High Fructose Corn Syrup

The problem with High Fructose Corn Syrup )HFCS) is how prevalent it is in our food system specifically processed and packaged foods. I saw a commercial a few days ago that tried making HFCS look like the friendly neighbor next door but it isn't.

The issue here for me though are the people who are out to do away with HFCS but see no problems with any other sugar. Drinking 4 glasses of orange juice for example in one day is basically just as bad for you as drinking 4 sugary sodas. Sure you get more vitamins and nutrients from the juice but if you are concerned about you or your child's sugar intake you need to watch all the sources of sugar you are eating.

HFCS becomes an issue because it is so inexpensive and that allows it to be everywhere even places it really need not be. Cakes, cookies, cereals, breads, ice creams, TV dinners, ketchup, the list of foods with HFCS is incredibly long. Obviously some of the foods here on my list do require a sweetener and because if the cost HFCS is the choice of the global food conglomerates. The solution here is quite simple; don't buy their mediocre crap.

I know people are very busy with jobs, little Billy's soccer practice, little Sarah's ballet lessons, and all the other time consuming aspects of life but try for the love of all things sacred to take an hour each week and make some homemade treats for the family.

The great part of making homemade treats is that not only are you cutting out HFCS (which amazes me that they can call natural because of how processed it is) but you can limit the total amount of sugar you are feeding your family. You may be thinking why not just buy the low sugar or sugar free options available at your local mega-mart. The answer there is that those products have less sugar but an insane amount of fat. At home you can make what I like to call slightly sweet treats that have no extra fat and less sugar.

The next time you do go to the market take a few minutes and check out not only where HFCS syrup is hiding but all forms of sugar because it really is everywhere in our packaged food system. Don't get me wrong I love sweets and I'm not telling anyone to cut them out but what you should do is try to cut out the foods containing sugar in your diet that really don't need to.

Healthy Eating :)

A Public Service Announcement About Cheese

Fresh Mozzarella should never go into a refrigerator. In fact if you buy some on a cold day you should bring a nice little warm container with you to hold it in if you plan on being out and about for a while. There is really no argument here so if you disagree with me you are simply wrong so don't waste your breath.

I am bringing this up because I was planning my dinner the other night and lamenting the fact that unless I want to drive into Philadelphia I can't find fresh mozzarella of any kind that is not vacuum packaged and refrigerated. Even the cheese shop at the farmer's market I go to puts their mozzarella in the reach-in fridge. Just a shame.

The way you fix this problem is by eating your cheese the day you buy it. Isn't that just a simple fix? Sounds crazy thought? Not keeping food in the fridge for a few weeks is very Un-American. Well in this case plan your meals around the day you can get to your cheese monger and trust me you will be happier and better off for it.

Now you know and as we all know knowing if half the battle. The other half is not butting your damn cheese in the fridge. Oh and the last half is knowing that butter doesn't have to go in the fridge if you plan on using it up in a week or so. On that note neither does buttercream.

So remember America refrigeration is great but some items, especially your fresh hand made mozzarella, should never ever be punished by being placed in that cold box of doom.

Bread Pudding

This is a bread pudding recipe I originally published on examiner and I have had so many comments on how great it is I figured I would reprint it here for everyone.

I hope you enjoy!

This is a very basic bread pudding recipe because the intent is for everyone to personalize the recipe based on the season, the ingredients they have in the pantry, and their mood. So try the basic recipe once or twice and then try adding some personal flair such as:
• Chocolate chips
• Dried fruit (plumped in alcohol)
• Fresh seasonal fruit
• Nuts
• Spices and extracts

Here is the basic bread pudding recipe:
1. 3 eggs
2. 2 egg yolks
3. 2 cups of milk
4. 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
5. 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
6. 1/4 teaspoon salt
7. 2 Baker Street Bread Company Croissants
Note: Croissants should be left out and unwrapped for at least a day before making the bread pudding.
Yield: 4 individual ramekins


Procedure:
1. Slice the croissants into cubes with a serrated knife
2. Whisk together the eggs and yolks
3. Whisk the sugar, vanilla, and salt into the eggs
4. Whisk milk into egg mixture.
5. Place croissant cubes into a container and pour custard over croissants.
6. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to one day.
7. Preheat oven to 300°F.
8. If using any add-ins mix them into bread mixture now.
9. Lightly grease 4 individual ramekins and spoon bread mixture in.
10. Bake in a waterbath for 50 minutes to one hour.
11. Remove from oven and pour water out of waterbath.
12. Pudding can be served warm or chilled.
Note: A waterbath is a square pan filled with hot water. The water should reach about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place the ramekins in the pan then place the pan in the oven and then pour the water in the pan.
Serving Suggestions: Serve with whipped cream, caramel sauce, fresh fruit, chocolate sauce, or creme anglais.

Buffets

I am often accused of being a food snob by my wife which is of course nonsense. Last night my distaste for buffets brought the scorn and abuse from my loving wife. Now I need to set the record straight. I don't dislike all buffets I just hate bad buffets. I love a good brunch and what is brunch but a really nice buffet? Well at least most of the time. The best part of brunch of course is that it is socially acceptable to drink before noon at brunch. God brunch is great. So are weddings that start before noon because once again you can have a drink before lunch time. So perhaps it isn't brunch that I like but drinking before noon? I'm going to have to think about that one...

Attack of the Creamie Stand

My wife returned home tonight to inform me that the creamie stand down the road has opened for the season. It's March 3rd and it is still around freezing some days in Pennsylvania. And to think in spring in Vermont I couldn't find an open stand...I still love Vermont though.

Food Memories

One of the wonderful aspects of food is the memories that it can help create. Baking with a parent. The smell of a grandparents pie. Picking fruit with your family. If you are Italian I'm sure drinking wine is involved in most of your food memories. I know a favorite food memory of mine was sharing a magnum of wine and making gnocchi with some great friends.

I am bringing this topic up though because I was thinking of a great story that I just have to share. I was living in Vermont attending culinary school and it was a Friday night, early evening really more like 5 pm, and 2 friends and I felt like getting some soft serve ice cream. Doesn't sound too hard right? It was late spring, almost summer really, in New England. There would definitely be some cremie stands open.

So we set out and headed to a local spot that we knew was open and had soft serve. Well we arrived and found out it was actually a drive-in and there were no spots left to park. Next. Found another stand down the road but it hadn't opened yet for the season. Next. Drove around for about 15 minutes and found another stand that HAD CLOSED FOR THE DAY ALREADY. It was about 6 pm now and they were CLOSED! What the hell we are thinking.

Now I should mention that we were around Montpelier Vermont and none of us really had any knowledge of the area. We figured we would have no issues. So moving on we now really didn't know where we were (smartphones and gps units were not prevalent) so we picked a direction and drove. We found some signs after a while for another stand so we of course followed them to find that that stand was closed!!! Really Vermont really?

At this point one of my friends remembered seeing some signs in a nearby town for a stand so we of course headed off. Found the sign for the stand. Sign said the stand was around back of the building so we went around back to find nothing. Nothing at all.

We were desperate at this point. We figured we would give it one more go and then just head home and buy some Ben & Jerry's (by the way the grocery stores in Vermont have the WORST selection of Ben & Jerry's ice cream). So we headed off from the phantom stand and within 15 or 20 minutes found another stand at a local farm. Few cars in the parking lot so we pulled in only to find out after walking up to the door that the stand was closed. It is now about 7 pm and the ice cream stand is closed. Did I mention it is a Friday? My one buddy out of frustration bangs on the door and as we are walking away the owner opens the door, listens to our rambling story, and gives us ice cream. I would like to put an official thank you down in writing to that fellow. I would plug his farm but damned if I can remember the name. Nice building though. Proper Vermont.

The Mediocrity of Dry Mixes

As we all know consistency is what people really want when it comes to food. You can churn out consistent mediocre product and people will bang down your door for it. Dry mixes for making cakes, cookies, breads, pancakes, and slews of other baked goods are one of the huge contributors to the mediocre product that is suffocating the food marketplace.

I think the issue is really rather obvious. As a society we have more dispensable income (well that is until our greed caused this great recession) and we also have developed a sweet tooth that cannot be satisfied. We want cheap readily available baked goods and god forbid we take some time out of our busy day to bake something homemade. Of course the problem is many people never grew up with homemade baked goods and they actual prefer the taste of the mixes. Now if you like mixes there is nothing wrong with you (well maybe there is but I haven't seen the test results yet) so please don't inundate me with nasty comments. Trying to answer all those comments would really keep me from going on these fun rants!

Anyway here is the point (isn't it fun when these things have points?). We all know eating too many sweets is not healthy. So instead of using dry mixes at home take a little time out grab your family and make something delicious for them. By doing this you can make tastier baked goods (you can even make them healthier) from scratch and have some quality family time.

Break the chains of mediocrity, eat fewer sweets (odd for someone in the baking and pastry world to say eh?), get in the kitchen, and get cooking!