Is it the flavor profile or the fat that makes us so enamored with baked goods?
Either way, you can still enjoy a lower-sugar treat that's made with real ingredients like coconut and jam without having to worry about getting a trans-fat and preservative overload. Sugar, water and high-fructose corn syrup are usually the first and most prevalent ingredients used in store-bought baked goods, not to mention artificial coloring and a whole host of other unpronounceable things you didn't bargain for.
Here's a comparison of nutritional stats between store-bought and homemade raspberry zinger cake:
One store-bought portion: Calories 160, total fat 7g, sat fat 3g, sodium 100 mg, total carbohydrate 24g, protein 1g
One comparable home-made portion:
Calories 127, total fat 5g, sat fat 1g, sodium 100 mg, total carbohydrate 19g, protein 2g
Find the Skinny Chef's recipe for Raspberry Zinger Cake after the jump.
Dacascos and his suggestive brows.
Photo: Food Network.
It took a transpacific flight, but finally last night, "The Next Iron Chef" deviated from its status as a "Top Chef" also-ran and finally started getting ... weird. Or maybe it was just the goofy opening montage of our four remaining cheftestants standing in the busy rain-slicked streets of Tokyo, crossing their arms in slo-mo and acting all alpha-dog dominant.
In any event, the show is finally getting down to its high-stakes, high-drama Japanese roots after an extended period of trumped-up, low-stakes challenges in Los Angeles. Our trio of alternately grumpy and spunky judges have come along for the ride, and eyebrow-cocking "Chairman" Marc Dacascos is no longer beamed in via satellite to bark oblique commands to the chefs -- now he can do so in person!
This week's mission was the pursuit of umami, the Japanese concept of a so-called fifth flavor -- something beyond savory -- that seems to be everywhere these days. The word was mentioned about a zillion times in the course of last night's episode, and -- surprise! -- it just happens to be the current marketing catchphrase of "TNIC" sponsor Kikkoman, whose umpteen varieties of soy sauce were littered around the challenge kitchen. The umami theme also allowed host Alton Brown a moment to do what he does best: Explain all the geeky details of how soy sauce is made.
That food chemistry lesson out of the way, it was up to our remaining pro chefs to get down to the flavor at hand, a challenge made all the more confusing in the Hattori Nutrition College kitchen, replete with weird can openers, stoves operating in celcius and ice cream makers that seemed to deep-freeze their wares to a glacier-like consistency. Asked to fill five spots of a bento box each with a different rice-based dish, the foursome didn't need to engage in the usual reality-show sabotage -- the people who arranged the kitchen seemed to do that for them.
When it comes to combining fat and starch in the most delicious way possible, a pulled pork sandwich is right up there with macaroni and cheese. What is more satisfying than pork roasted low and slow, pulled, seasoned and then generously piled upon a fluffy white bun specked with toasted sesame seeds? Nothing, we say. Not even mac 'n' cheese.
And when you consider the time and effort that goes into a sandwich like this one from Flickr user rachel is coconut&lime, the pork is the clear winner -- especially because of its secret ingredient.
With most sandwiches, what you see is what you get. Not so with this pomegranate pulled pork. That's right, not only was the pork roasted with pomegranate arils (the seeds), Rachel also used pomegranate molasses, rendering the meat smoky, spicy and sweet.
It looks so good we could eat it every day. Good thing it's not that bad for you.
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A few of the best stories spied elsewhere on the Web this week:
Learn some new holiday cooking and baking skills with this roundup of Thanksgiving cooking classes across the nation.
Not surprisingly, an Aloha, Ore., man was fined $300 for calling 911 to complain about his botched McDonald's drive-through order.
Design icon Isaac Mizrahi will sell tartan-topped cheesecakes from Junior's on QVC in early December.
Los Angeles' popular Kogi Korean Taco Truck gets a tricked out Toyota Scion Kogi xD Mobile Kitchen that's fully loaded with a grill, a sink and an Alpine Sound System.
Restaurant consulting firm Baum + Whiteman released its 2010 food and dining trend forecast, which claims "fried chicken is the new pork belly."
Former New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni sold the TV rights to his memoir, "Born Round."
The world's bartenders and classic cocktail devotees are swallowing some bitter news.
The global supply of angostura bitters, a unique-tasting herbal additive to cocktails like the Manhattan and the Old Fashioned, is drying up after its manufacturer's financial woes caused a production shutdown at the sole plant that makes it in Trinidad and Tobago, the Guardian reports.
Patrick Sepe, chief executive of the US distributor, Angostura USA, told the Guardian that production halted in June and is just now getting back on track. "There has been a shortage," Sepe told the newspaper. "You can't just turn on and off supply of bitters. It's not like producing bottled water; it's a very delicate, intricate process."
Mixologist Scott Beattie, author of the cocktail how-to "Artisanal Cocktails," told Slashfood that for most bars, the angostura variety, invented in 1924, is the only type of bitters stocked and that a shortage will have an impact on cocktail drinkers everywhere.
And in the spirit -- and to celebrate Veteran's Day -- next Wednesday, several major casual-dining restaurants -- including Applebee's, McCormick & Schmick's and Golden Corral -- are offering free food to the nation's military vets and active-duty personnel, USA Today reports.
Outback Steakhouse is offering a free Bloomin' Onion appetizer and a drink to vets and current military personnel on Wednesday. Krispy Kreme is giving away donuts, and even Home Depot and Lowe's are getting in on the action offering 10-percent discounts to military.
New York Times blogger Bruce Buschel has done a great service by compiling a list of 100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do – if nothing else, he's given fed-up diners one more forum in which to vent their ever-mounting aggravations. Thanks for the break, Bruce.
Most diners and servers would stand behind the majority of Buschel's prescriptions, which include not cursing (Rule 45), opening Champagne without making a ruckus (Rule 29) and knowing what the bar stocks (Rule 81). But his list is far from perfect. While Buschel's document would make a fine training manual for butlers, it fails to acknowledge the realities of running a restaurant. Here's what Buschel apparently forgot:
Some things are beyond a server's control.
One of Buschel's first recommendations (Rule 4) is to offer a free drink to someone who's had to wait a long time for a table. "The guest may be hungry and thirsty," he explains. May be? I think it's a safe assumption that anyone who shows up at a restaurant is craving food and drink. But I don't know of a single server who's empowered to start giving that stuff away.
The same goes for Rule 23, which insists diners be alerted to 86'd items before they open their menus. Since the hostess usually drops off menus when she seats a table, cutting her off would require Usian Bolt-speed (and necessitate breaking Rule 33 – Do not bang into chairs or tables.)
Hostesses, of course, should brief diners on which items are no longer available. But often they don't, just as the kitchen often turns out the first appetizer on a ticket a full 12 minutes before the second appetizer is ready. I completely agree that servers should "bring all the appetizers at the same time" (Rule 60), but I won't let a tray of raw oysters sit in the window while a new guy struggles to properly heat a dish of crab dip.
Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell are the farmers and innovators behind Beekman 1802, a 200-year-old estate and farm in upstate New York. We'll be running recipes, photos and tales from the farm as their crops come into season. Catch them on the Farm to Table episode of 'Rachael's Vacation' on the Food Network.
We had a bounty crop of carrots this year. We sliced them and diced them every which way we knew how and still they kept coming. It seems like you can open almost any refrigerator in America and find a neglected bag of carrots. You use one or two in a salad and then get stumped as to what to do with the rest.
We turned to our friend Sandy Gluck who always helps us out with our overstock. The result is a sweet and spicy carrot dish that will definitely clear up crisper space in refrigerators across the nation.
Find the recipe for Sicilian Glazed Carrots after the jump...
'Antojitos: Festive and Flavorful Mexican Small Plates'
by Barbara Sibley and Margaritte Malfy with Mary Goodbody
Photography by Lucy Schaeffer Ten Speed Press -- 2009 Buy it on Amazon
Antojitos, as Barbara Sibley and Margaritte Malfy explain in their book of the same name, are small bites sometimes eaten as appetizers in Mexican cuisine and sometime just downed as a street snack to satisfy between-meals hunger pangs.
The owners of New York City's La Palapa have written a book that covers all manner of these spicy snacks -- from empanadas and tacos to ceviches and mole. Along the way, they give brief stories about the dishes as well as menus perfect for any fiesta, and colorful pages filled with images of Loteria cards and stock Mexican art that add a whimsical touch to the cookbook.
See what we tested and whether it's worth buying after the jump.
Though true queso lovers don't need a national holiday to celebrate the glorious cheese-chip pairing, we're pleased to announce once again that today is National Nachos Day.
The festive gooey treat was first served 66 years ago by ingenious maitre d' Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya in a Piedras Negras, Mexico, restaurant, located across the Rio Grande from Texas. According to legend, some Americans happened to stumble upon the eatery just as the chef had stepped out, so Nacho cleverly satiated them by piling a platter of tortilla chips high with cheese and topping them with a zesty jalapeno garnish.
And the carb-heavy dish has been improving ever since, with the additions of everything from Rotel to radishes, cilantro to crema, guacamole to Velveeta, pinto beans to pulled pork.
What are your favorite nacho variations? Spill the beans, after the jump!
Like almost everyone on the planet, I love the smell and taste of golden, perfectly cooked french fries. Granted, though having the deep-fried variety is a once-in-a-while treat, I often prefer the baked version, which I can flavor any way I want. The secret is in the seasoning and technique.
Here's a step-by-step guide to making your own oven fries.
Step 1: Choose the right potato and slice 'em up.
Russet or sweet potatoes are best for fries. Sweet potatoes have to be peeled before slicing, but you can keep the skins on white potatoes. Cut the potatoes as uniformly as possible to ensure even cooking.
Step 2: Toss with oil and seasonings to coat.
Place the fries in a large bowl and start by drizzling a tablespoon of olive oil and seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Then feel free to spice it up -- use one or two cloves of garlic (minced), one teaspoon chopped parsley or rosemary, 1 teaspoon hot or mild paprika, 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, or 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin or curry. Once you've chosen your spice(s), place the spice(s) in a small bowl and mix with 1 teaspoon cornstarch.
Don't mourn the loss of the summer produce bounty. A guide to the dark leafy greens of fall -- like spinach, collards, Brussels sprouts, rainbow chard and savoy cabbage -- proves autumn has a cornucopia of seasonal vegetables.
Cookbook author Paula Wolfert reveals her sacred kitchen object, claiming she "never met a pot of clay she didn't like."
The common chickpea is spiced up with cumin, turmeric, coriander and cayenne.
Got a hungry man in your life? Lucinda Scala Quinn, author of "Mad Hungry, Feeding Men & Boys" offers ten tips for feeding men (and boys), like "don't ask if they're hungry" and "train them to fend for themselves." After the tips, she cooks up five guy-approved recipes, like "Flat Roast Chicken" and "Steak Pizzaiola."
Warm up with hearty stews as the weather cools down. Tomatillos, small green tomatoes popular in Mexican cooking, shine in a "lean, mean slow-cooker recipe" with beef eye of round and pinto beans.
Got a family favorite or a calorie-laden comfort food classic you'd love to see lightened up? Vote for your favorite, or let us know in the comments below.
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