A Press Democrat Blog

Kitchen Talk

Turn up the heat on home cooking

Tasty tapenade for the Super Bowl

Tuesday, at 10:56 by

Super Bowl fever is sweeping the nation this week as  the  New York Giants and the New England Patriots prepare to duke it out in a classic, East Coast fashion. If you’re heading to a Super Bowl party and looking for an interesting but easy dip, here’s a  Mediterranean tapenade from Lesley Stowe’s Raincoast Crisps, available at Oliver’s Markets, Whole Foods and other local grocery stores. The crackers come in a few different flavors, and carry a hefty pricetag,  but they’re definitely… Read More »

“Fat Chef” and the 5 unhealthiest cookbooks of 2011

Monday, at 5:39 by

It’s been a long, strange month for those of us fighting the battle of the post-holiday bulge while trying to get our exercise routines back on track.  By mid-month, we had witnessed a jaw-dropping array of  emaciated, X-ray actresses giving out Golden Globe awards. Forget the Caveman diet. These women must be on the Flavored Water diet. Then, just last week, the Queen of Southern Cuisine Paula Deen revealed that she has suffered from type 2 diabetes for years. Was… Read More »

A muffin makeover for new year

Monday, at 4:55 by

Folks trying to get healthy this month may be interested to learn that  studies have shown that low-fat diets are no better for your health than moderate- or high-fat diets. And for many, they may be worse. To combat this “low fat is best” myth, nutrition experts at the Harvard School of Public Health have developed five, new muffin recipes that incorporate healthy fats and whole grains but use a lighter hand on sugar and salt, in an effort to “make over” the… Read More »

Warm up with Brazilian coffee

Monday, at 4:33 by

    This time of year, I start dreaming of a vacation in the tropics, and especially of Brazil, where I once spent  three  months  living in the the Afro-Brazilian city of Salvador da Bahia. During that time, the historic city was warming up for the week-long bacchanalia known as Mardi Gras, and every weekend, there was another street party and parade offering an endless stream of food, drink and music.      If you’re  also hearing samba drums in your head, check out… Read More »