Letter from the Chef

To All,

Due to popular demand, I've decided to feature some of our frequently requested recipes in this section. Happy Holidays and enjoy making and sharing all these recipes with your families.

Bon Appetit,

Chef Antonio

Fix the Fat, Buy Local!
By: Antonio Abrantes, 11/04/07

Do you find yourself walking into the nearest chain grocery store wondering when it became acceptable for more than three quarters of the store being filled with junk food? It's no wonder why the American norm is obesity. We blame the big fast food restaurants for the growth of fat in America, but the problem is much graver than that.

Do we, as a society, need more than ten different kinds of artificially flavored maple syrup, or fifteen varieties of peanut butter filled with chemicals for our kids, or better yet over sixty varieties of sugar-laden cereal. Why not have varieties in the produce aisle? It can be excruciatingly difficult to find jicama, ginger, or even fresh basil in most of these stores.

These stores are filled with things we don't want until we see their pretty packaging; why can't we control our impulses? Simply put, marketing. Why don't we as society just know what is nutritionally right from wrong and fix our diets? Why are we so afraid of facing reality?

The alternative available us to today are farmers' markets and some independent grocery stores. While some of the items may be a few cents more expensive, it is important to support these smaller businesses that are trying to help America break out of its rut.

We can definitely live (longer) without the junk from the chain stores, buy local and help America lose some of its excess weight.

Who said only Europeans drink espresso?
By: Antonio Abrantes, 11/04/07

It used to be thought only Europeans could hold down a cup of espresso in the morning or as an afternoon drink. We all love those sugary drinks from Starbucks or Dunkin' Doughnuts, but espresso can be so much more refreshing on those cold mornings - and better for your diet, too. Thanks to the Starbucks phenomenon, it is okay to drink this once shunned, "it's too strong" coffee drink. What most people do not understand is that, espresso is made from the same beans of the ever-popular coffee; however, it is ground finer and brewed with significantly less water.

In order to make the perfect espresso you have to start with great beans. Personally, I recommend Illy coffee - the medium roast - it is widely available in specialty kitchen stores or even specialty grocery stores, or directly from Illy's website. The majority of home espresso machines now accept pods - this makes it much easier to make a great cup of espresso without having to grind, and pack your own coffee.

You can tell the perfect espresso apart by its hallmark crema on top - which is light colored, creamy foam. Espresso is always best served with a small piece of lemon rind. Simply stir the rind around in the espresso and remove to eliminate some of that bitterness - you definitely don't need to add sugar. All that separates this from the perfect day is a small shortbread cookie or some biscotti.

Too Busy To Cook?
By: James De Lise

Busy business people around the world are sacrificing their personal time to keep up with their demanding jobs. It is no wonder that many individuals buy ready-made meals. But is this the best choice? Certainly it is not the healthiest option, with all of the preservatives found in these frozen 'delights.' Are we doing ourselves any favors by consuming them? Not really, according to several studies - including one by the European Commission - some preservatives are shown to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer in adults and hyperactivity in children.

According to a recent CNN article, more and more individuals are hiring personal chefs - not just executives, doctors, and lawyers, but more and more of the rest of us - school teachers, court reporters, et cetera - in order to cope with their busier days.

Personal chefs do not have to be expensive, usually they cost about the same as going out to eat at a nice restaurant - only the menu is customized for you, you do not have to go out, no waiting for reservations, and you aren't expected to tip.

With the new levels of personal chefs available to us, you can have someone prepare meals fresh three times a day, or simply come by once or twice a week, preparing freezable meals that you can easily reheat.

Airline Food Becomes Cuisine?
By: James De Lise

Little did American Airlines know when they began serving meals on their DC-3s in 1936 that they were going to give rise to the most hated - and welcomed at the same time - product for travelers across the globe. For some, airline food is the ubiquitous retrieve they look forward to - simply breaks up the monotony for those long haul flights. For others, it's a loathsome occurrence they must endure - it is not like they can easily bring and cook their own food at 30,000 feet.

From barely recognizable meat loaf to the vegetarian meal you ordered only because it sounds safer, airline food came from pretty abysmal beginnings. Now with celebrity chefs teaming up with airlines the tides are gradually turning. With food scientists developing ways to ensure that the change in taste with the pressure and altitude is accounted for, airline food as become a thing to look forward to for the right reasons.

The only thing holding the industry back at the moment is the buy your own onboard "sandwiches" and "salads" - I'm not entirely convinced that you can call them sandwiches or salads due to their sad lack of quality. It's time for all of the airlines to jump on the bandwagon of a few and turn airline 'cuisine' around.