another reason the health care reform is a bit off base.

And now, please take a moment of silence for your heart.

lady (butchers) who lunch

I've been on Project: Weight Gain for a while now. It really isn't going that well, but in the last few weeks, I've been asked by my nutritionist to keep track of my eating and calories. In beginning, it was novel, but I'm getting bored with it. And possibly obsessive.

Maybe I should combine Project: Weight Gain with Project: Food Stylist!

Here's what the project would look like in regards to today's lunch:

-organic boneless skinless chicken breast (180 calories) sauteed in 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (60 calories), lemon juice, basil, oregano, and one clove of garlic (20 calories)

-1/4 red bell pepper (10 calories)

-organic green leaf lettuce with onion and white wine vinegar (20 calories)

-organic brown rice cake* (70 calories)

-1/3 cup organic frozen strawberries and blackberries with fresh mint from my windowsill mint plant that I've somehow managed to keep alive (25 calories)

Total: 385 calories (I've been trying to eat every three hours, so that's about what I can handle per "meal.")

Totally boring? Probably. But maybe I can improve my food photography and my diet simultaneously?

*I am lazy and don't often have the patience to cook a pot of brown rice, so I've become quite dependant on Lundberg brown rice cakes. Excellent and super convenient for you gluten-free people out there.

daily burgers: finishing strong

I feel I must make some closing remarks on my burger adventure, so here goes!
Sometimes, the silliest things become quite consuming. Honestly, I'm not much of a meal planner. I've been trying to be a bit more organized since attempting a food budget, but I'm more of a pick up what you need every other day or so grocery shopper than a once a week shopper. I like to think of it as European-style or eco-friendly shopping since this allows me to walk my bags home, but I know it is actually just laziness!

That to say, it was a bit of a challenge to stay on top of my meat purchases (as it isn't realistic to run to the butcher every day!) and to plan well enough to keep my burgers interesting enough to satisfy both the man and I and make for fun pictures. I hope a few of my new found habits will stick. My burger cooking skills have grown, but sadly, I still can't replicate Morton's burgers. Perhaps a commercial grill is necessary to get the crisp inside while keeping the middle nice and pink? Also, I was pretty excited that I didn't come close to running out of ideas. I could probably make a year's worth of daily burgers! Very creatively stimulating and tummy-satisfying.

I asked my man to rank his top three burgers and I'll share mine as well. He did not eat all 31 with me (sometimes I had mine for lunch), but I'm always up for constructive criticism-- and a pat on the back!

Here are his choices:
3. Daily Burger Number Twenty-Four - Ostrich Burger with Crunchy Slaw
2. Daily Burger Number Fourteen - Lindner Bison Burger with Blackberry Sauce
1. Daily Burger Number Ten - Mini Lamburgers with Mint Oil


And here are mine:
3. Daily Burger Number Twenty-Two - Mini Chimichurri Lamburgers
2. Daily Burger Number Eight - Chicken Burger with Cranberry-Cilantro Relish
1. Daily Burger Number Twenty-Six - French Onion Soup Burger


And the unanimous least-favorite was Number Twenty-One.


Yes, the venison, cherry compote and all. The man has given up on venison, giving it one more shot in a little meat pie from Harrod's in London last week. I'm not ready to give up though. I still think that once cooked properly, it will be tasty. I've been advised to add some beef fat to the ground meat (counter-intuitive if you're choosing venison because it is so lean...) to give more flavor and keep it moist while cooking or to use it in chili or stew.

So, what's on the horizon? The next major meat event on my calendar is a butchering class in a few weeks. Surely, that will be a challenge and leave me with much inspiration-- and a giant cooler full of very fresh meat.

daily burger, number twenty-seven.

Chicken burger, on the run. Wrapped in leafy lettuce.

Yes, this is chicken squeezed from a previously made sausage.
My kitchen/on the street, DTLA, 12:13PM, May 27, 2009.

daily burger, number seventeen.

Organic chicken burger with homemade (nut-free) pesto and Argentinean contraband sun dried tomatoes.

My kitchen, DTLA, CA., 2:47, May 16, 2009.

daily burger, number thirteen.

Organic chicken burger with avocado, tomato, and homemade roasted tomatillo salsa "on the side." Chopped bell pepper salad.
My kitchen, DTLA, CA., 5:16PM, May 12, 2009.

in case you forgot what food is...

Just a quick little update to remind you what chicken should look and taste like according to this very practical LA Times article and what it should not, via KFC:

Do they squeeze ground chicken into molds to get it to look like that? If so, where can I get a mold? Then, I could make anything look like chicken...

daily burger, number eight.

Garlicky-ground chicken burger with cranberry-cilantro relish on a gradient of bright green butter lettuce. Tomato slice.

My kitchen, DTLA, CA., 8:23PM, May 7, 2009.

the dos and don'ts of chicken-roasting

For unknown reasons, I've never cooked a whole chicken. I thought since I'm trying to cook through my more intimidating meats, I should give it a shot. I found a nice looking one for a good price yesterday, so the time has come.
Didn't realize it would be 96-degrees out today, but I'm not one to back down from a challenge just because of a little bit of steaminess. So, I shoved a lemon, a few cloves of garlic, and a handful of herbs up the chicken's butt, coated him in olive oil, salt, and pepper and shoved him in the oven.
And, tah dah! Not so bad.



Tasted pretty excellent, too. Super tender and flavorful but not too heavy for such a hot day.
But here comes the problem. I had no idea how to carve it!
Gosh, what kind of aspiring meat artist am I? We gave up and tore into it, forks and fingers flying.



So. Here's the proper way to carve said bird.
How to carve turkey and chicken - two ways.
Next time, I will serve up lovely slices of chicken breast and perfect little drumsticks. Just you wait and see.

the poor man's turducken

or "the bird and the beefs."

all of us southern californians know of the secret menu at in 'n out, but did you know that mcdonalds has one as well? some sound more appetizing than others-- from the mcbruschetta, which is pretty much a grilled tomato sandwich (because mcdonald's buns are so tasty someone wanted to eat them with the meat?) to the mcnugget mcflurry, for which no description is necessary.

but here's the one that perked up my ears, the mcgangbang--

(image source: www.eatmedaily.com)

sure, the name is pushing it, but it is amusing none the less.

what do you think? would you order this sandwich within a sandwich? i think it sounds like a serious stomachache! or the next documentary subject for that supersize me guy.

turducken: a history

i assumed the turducken was purely a result of the glutenous food fascination as of late in this fat-obsessed culture of ours,* but no! it actually has a history, and a widespread and royal one at that. look at that bursting goodness!

the edwardian-era ballotine is an early version. it consists of a piece of meat, fish, or poultry that has been boned, stuffed and then rolled and tied into a bundle. it is allegedly a frequent request of the queen and can be prepared for up to 21 people! maybe they start with an ostrich or something.

the french have their twist too, creating the largerst recorded nested bird roast in th early 19th century with 17 birds- a bustard stuffed with a turkey, a goose, a pheasant, a chicken, a duck, a guinea fowl, a teal, a woodcock, a partridge, a plover, a lapwing, a quail, a thrush, a lark, an ortolan bunting and a garden warbler. the final bird is small enough that it can be stuffed with a single olive; it also suggests that, unlike modern multi-bird roasts, there was no stuffing or other packing placed in between the birds. fyi-- this dish probably could not be legally recreated in the modern era as many of the listed birds are now protected species.

and i'm inclined to poke around and find out if this ever happened!

here's a great step-by-step on how to prepare a bird to be stuffed another bird:

1. Locate the wish bone, slice down either side and remove.
2. Cut the skin down the center of the back, neck to tail.
3. Begin separating the skin and meat from the carcass using small cuts, beginning at the neck. 4. Remove the humerus, which is a saber-like bone near wing.
5. Cut through the wing joint.
6. Work down to the oyster, cut through and separate the thigh joint from the carcass. Cut meat away to the keel bone or center of the breast. (Do the other side)
7. Pull the whole carcass free of meat.
8. Holding the thigh joint scrape the meat to the knee.
9. Cut around the cartilage and locate the top of the leg bone.
10. Scrape to the end of the drumstick.
11. Cut the end of the drumstick with poultry shears {or a very sharp knife}. Turn leg right side out. (Do the other side)
12. Holding the top of the wing joint, scrape the meat to the first joint.
13. Snap the bone out of its joint. (Do the other side)

*if you haven't seen this site, get on it.

food sleuthing!

Q:

I came across a recipe that asked for chicken back. What is chicken back? Do I need to go to a butcher to purchase or is it sold at supermarkets, too? Any idea, Lady Butcher?

A:

"A chicken's back and neckbone gives light chicken flavor to homemade stocks. Ask the butcher to set the chicken neck and back bones aside for you. Or, the next time you butterfly a chicken —cut out the backbone and flatten it for grilling or quicker roasting—don't throw the spine out. Instead, wrap it up, put it in the freezer, and save it for your next [back-requiring recipe]."

(source: http://www.bonappetit.com/)

And here's a diagram from the Canadian Government (don't ask...):

From what I've found, the back just refers to the actual spine of the bird and is used to add flavor to recipes. I suppose you could buy a supermarket chicken and chop it up yourself, but why? I would recommend a butcher-- I'd imagine it would be quite cheap, like buying other bones for stocks. Will try to update with firsthand experience soon!

healing powers of the chicken.

so, i'm feeling a bit under the weather today and spent the night last night chugging large amounts of broth (yes, i burnt my tongue. hmmph.) i got to thinking about whether chicken soup really is a miracle cure for what ails you and whether the chicken is special (why are turkeys left out of this?)
i thought maybe it was psychological-- a comfort food that mom made when you were sick it was cold outside, but it does seem to have some real healing benefits. not surprisingly, many of them come from the veggies and not just from the chicken.

chicken:
chicken contains an amino acid called cysteine, a substance released when boiled. this amino acid is similar to the drug acetylcysteine, which is prescribed by doctors to patients with bronchitis. it thins the mucus in the lungs and hot chicken vapors have been proven more effective than hot water vapors in clearing out your nose.

carrots:
carrots are the best natural source of beta-carotene, which body converts to vitamin a. vitamin a helps prevent and fight off infections by enhancing the actions of white blood cells that destroy harmful bacteria and viruses.

garlic:
garlic has powerful antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal properties . it is used to boost the immune system, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and assists in treatment of heart disease and cancer.

onions:
contain protein, calcium, vitamin a, b complex, c and e. they also contain sulfur compounds and have anti-inflammatory effects. like garlic, onions contain the antibiotic oil allicin, which gives them their pungent flavor.

celery:
celery is a carminative, diuretic, tonic, and nervine. used to promote restfulness and sleep, celery is also excellent for relieving rheumatism and gout. its high magnesium and iron content is invaluable as a food for blood cells and because of its anitspasmodic properties, celery is good for all lung conditions, including asthma and bronchitis.

parsley:
parsley contains two components that provide unique health benefits-- volatile oils including myristicin, limonene, eugenol, and alpha-thujene and flavonoids including apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol, and luteolin. the activity of parsley's volatile oils qualifies it as a "chemoprotective" food- a food that can neutralize particular types of carcinogens like benzopyrenes from cigarette and charcoal grill smoke.

sea salt:
sea salt in particular contains a natural balance of sodium, magnesium and potassium, which helps to lower blood pressure and promote good health. mineral salts create electrolytes that carry electrical currents to cells throughout the body. electrolytes are necessary for enzyme production and enzymes are responsible for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, muscle function, hormone production, etc. electrolytes and enzymes are linked to healthy immune function, proper regulation of bodily fluids, and adrenal health.

black pepper:
black pepper contains volatile oils, alkaloids, proteins and minerals. it aids in healing by acting as a circulatory stimulant, diuretic, cerebral stimulant, infection-reducer, diaphoretic (induces sweating), astringent (tightens mucous membranes) and stimulates sinus drainage.

so and if you choose to use turkey instead, i think you can still feel like you're getting good healing powers from the veggies as well as from the turkey because turkey is naturally low in fat without the skin, containing only 1 gram of fat per ounce of flesh. a 5-ounce serving provides almost half of the recommended daily allowance of folic acid, and is a good source of vitamins B, B1,B6, zinc and potassium. these nutrients have been found to keep blood cholesterol down, protect against birth defects, cancer and heart disease, aid in nerve function and growth, boost the immune system, regulate blood pressure, and assist in healing processes.

sources:
http://www.naturalnews.com/021260.html
http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhealthinformation/a/turkeyhealth.htm

this week's cut:

buffalo! or american bison, if you prefer.

(image source: www.sackschool.ca - possibly a school project?)

what a great little image! not only can american bison be used for tasty and healthy meats, but also for clothing and accessories? something to think about, you fashionistas out there! look for it in the 2010 collections...

i only recently discovered the wonders of buffalo meat. my parents have long been telling stories of the traveler's club international restaurant and tuba museum in okemos, michigan - and they finally were able to take my husband and i there last summer. they have a very impressive and informative menu and as well as having quite a tuba collection and artisan beer selection, are huge buffalo advocates. their menu told me that buffalo meat has many wonderful qualities:

-40% more protein than beef

-lower in fat and calories than beef-- and than chicken, pork, and salmon-- and actually lowers cholesterol

-much less likely to contain all of those pesky hormones and more likely to be free range

and my favorite, and what got me started on eating it--

-buffalo is the only red meat that is non-allergenic!

(stats from www.americangourmet.net)

maybe next week, i will explore the strange world of the beefalo.

poultry stats.

my intro to the world of poultry, beginning with chicken. barely meat, but worth considering.

-there are more chickens in the world than any other bird-- over 24 million!

-chickens naturally have a lifespan of five to eleven years, but commercial chickens are often slaughtered at six weeks; free range at fourteen; egg-laying at twelve months (for use in heavily processed food, like pet food and... baby food?!)

-before 1910, chicken was mostly a "special occasion" food in the U.S.

-whole, ready to cook chickens were not commonplace until the 1950s; most chickens were cleaned by the local butcher or at home!

-until 1960, chickens were primarily raised on family farms, with eggs being the priority

-chicken and their eggs used to be "seasonal," but through the use of vitamin D, they can be kept inside, ready to produce, year-round; therefore, in 1900, average egg production was 83 eggs per hen per year and in 2000, it was well over 300

-there is no federal law that regulates the humane treatment of chickens, meaning chickens are routinely debeaked, live their lives in complete darkness, are "selectively bread" to essentially create fatter birds, and fed heaps of antibiotics and hormones

and this is just for my dad, whose childhood pet chickens mysteriously disappeared one day--

-chickens are omnivores, so why not let them roam around your kitchen? they can eat anything from leftover baked goods to stray lizards and insects, but are probably best left to feast on your lawn

-the "urban hen movement" (check it out! fun blog.)

-eggs of pastured chickens contained 34% less cholesterol, 10% less fat, 40% more vitamin A, twice as much omega-6 fatty acid, and four times as much omega-3 fatty acid as the USDA standard

and just some fun articles about chickens as pets:

la times feature
la times blog

and if you're really ambitious, here's some (quite graphic) information on raising chickens for meat.

and maybe later, sheep.

squak!

discount dilemmas.

I visited a local discount grocer last night in search of cheap (but still good quality) cookie ingredients for a weekend project. My husband disappeared while I was hunting for mustard seeds (don't worry, not for the cookies!) and reappeared with a slightly horrified look on his face.
"Unhappy meat," he said.
Oh no! I'm getting to him, too! The state of the butcher/packaged meat area was nearly unbearable. I didn't think I would be so affected, but I couldn't help but think of how the animals had to have been treated to be able to sell huge styrofoam- and shrink-wrapped flat packages of steaks for 88-cents a pound, piles of greyish goopy chicken legs and mystery meat sausages... Don't get me wrong, I'm all for paying reasonable prices for food, but I hate that having a lower income results in this horrible chain reaction that leads to mistreatment of animals and extremely low quality products... but I digress.
I did find a great deal on Tillamook butter that may have been a bit closer to the expiration date than the regular grocery stores would stock-- and the alcohol section was pretty great, too!
Also, if you're ever in Oregon, you must visit the Tillamook factory. How exciting is it to see fresh cheese being made?! Come hungry, they have free samples, and excellent homemade ice cream. Mmm, sales pitch.