"epi-log" news and stories

We've all heard the that beef is bad for you. It raises cholesterol and increases risk of heart attack. You'd think, knowing those facts, that the safest thing to do would be to try to remove beef from your diet. However, it appears that not all beef is created equal (and so you may not have to give up hamburgers altogether). Switching to grass-fed beef (from the conventional grain-fed beef which is what it typically available in your grocery store) may be the only step you need to make.

According to Eat Wild, grass-fed beef can be lower in fat than commercially raised chicken and has far more omega-3 fatty acids than conventional beef, which is a powerful cancer fighter and aids in brain development. It is also much higher in vitamin E, which is an immune booster.

So don't feel bad about eating that burger, just know what kind of beef you're eating and enjoy.

[via Epi-Log]

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When I first spotted this over at the Epi-Log, I thought, "Oh fun, a little video clip with food playing out a battle." But then I started watching and was instantly transfixed. Directed by Stefan Nadelman, this is a thoroughly planned and cleverly conceived film short film about the history of war on this planet over the last 60+ years. The foods are carefully chosen to represent countries and ethnicities (the United States is played by a cast of hamburgers and fries). It runs a little over five minutes long, but it is definitely worth watching.

[via Epi-Log]

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On more than one occasion, I've let a butternut squash go bad because I couldn't muster up the energy required in order to peel it. I find myself lazily turning to the pre-peeled and chunked bags of squash that you can get at Trader Joe's instead. Sadly, they are often a little bit slimy or mushy, which doesn't make me feel real comfortable about their freshness level.

Over at the Epi-Log, Lauren Salkeld wrote a post about her own battles peeling butternut squash. In that piece, she offers one of the best tips I've ever heard for butternut squash peeling and it's one so simple that I can't believe it never occurred to me. She suggests that you cook your squash in a pot of water on the stove for 3-4 minutes until the skin is soft enough to peel away. This technique does have some downsides, including the fact that you have to wait until it is cool enough to handle, but is so many light-years away from the finger damaging wrestling matches I've had in the past. I can't wait to get my hands on another butternut squash now!

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I have a friend who proudly states that she made her husband fall in love with her on their first date by serving him an espresso martini. I have had the opportunity to taste one of these love-inducing cocktails and can vouch for their potency.

I don't have the recipe for the drink she makes, but over at the Epi-Log, Michael Y. Park has posted five espresso-based cocktail recipes created by Illy's master barista Giorgios Milos that blend espresso with spirits, liqueurs and oftentimes, ice cream. Milos flew into New York City and demonstrated all the recipes at the Mobile Illy Cafe that is currently set up in the Time Warner Center until the end of the month. You can choose from a Coffee Mojito, a Tiramisu-inspired concoction, Jamaican Coffee, Light Coffee Cocoa or an American Wings (which uses two different kinds of ice cream, coffee liqueur and whiskey to appealing effect).

I use my serrated edge peeler all the time, it's a kitchen utensil that I've never, not for a minute, regretted buying. However, not every utensil I've brought into my kitchen has inspired the same feelings of affection and appreciation in my heart. The corn zipper was a pain in the butt and totally not worth the money I spent on it. I love my mandolin, but am happy that I picked it up at a thrift store for $3, as I only use it two or three times a year. However, lest you think my kitchen is filled with things I don't use, I am totally devoted to my microplane as well as my flat whisk (so wonderful for making roux).

They are talking about this subject over on the Recipe Swap Forum at the Epi-Log, but I'd love to hear you all chime in about the gadgets you love as well as the ones you wish you had walked past, here in the comments as well.

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