"fried food" news and stories

I can't claim credit for it, but by far the best New Year's resolution I've ever heard is "Drink more champagne." It flies in the face of the conventional model of resolutions, which entails discipline at best and deprivation at worst. When food and booze are involved in resolutions, "less" is typically the operative word.

For the second year running, I plan to include the word "more" in my resolutions, or at least the spirit of the word. I hardly have to tell myself to drink more champagne, but I could remind myself to seek out caviar more frequently, for instance, or to order that appetizer of pâté de campagne whenever it's on offer. Or I might resolve to develop my taste for Scotch, invest in crystal stemware, or host a bacchanal every month.

This is all sounding pretty highbrow so far, but it doesn't have to be. "Eat more fried shrimp/potatoes/okra/chicken" would work. So would "Never run out of PBR." Milkshakes, McDonald's fries, cream pies, waffles, mozzarella sticks...Plenty of inexpensive food is plenty decadent.

Are you sold yet? If so, what's your indulgent resolution?

In honor of my oven-baked latkes, I decided to opt for a more health-conscious choice for the Cookbook of the Day today with Fry Light, Fry Right: Fried-Food Flavor Without Deep Frying because you don't have to eat a ton of oil just to enjoy the flavor of fried foods (or to celebrate oil, since today is the first day of Hanukkah).

Despite the holiday reference, this is not a Hanukkah oriented book. In fact, it's more about all-American fried foods of the variety that you'll find on hundreds of menus and in bakeries across the country, including things like Mozzarella Sticks, Coconut Shrimp, Chicken Fried Steak and Chocolate Devil's Food Donuts, among its 120 recipes. Each one is simple and all you really need to know how to do is work an oven to turn out impressive (and healthy) results. With only some heat and a little bit of oil, included primarily to prevent sticking and encourage browning, you should be able to obtain crisp exteriors and tender interiors on everything you make - just like deep fried foods, only there won't be as much fat to cover up the base flavors.

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It's official. New York City has become the first in the nation to ban the use trans-fats at restaurants. The members of the Board of Health voted unanimously for the ban and heath advocates are already applauding the decision. Restaurants will have until July 2007 to switch to trans-fat free frying oils - meaning that all french fries in the city, as well as other fried foods will have to be trans-fat free by that time - and will have until July 2008 to remove all trans-fats from their food.

Trans-fats, which have been called "chemical abominations" by some health officials, are known to raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol, changes which can contribute to an increased risk of heart disease. According to FDA estimates, "the average American eats 4.7 pounds of trans fats each year" in spite of the reductions that food processors have made with their use. They are favored in the restaurant and food processing industries because they are easy to work with, have a long shelf life and can increase the shelf life of foods that use them.

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All the campaigns to encourage people to eat healthier are having an impact on mothers, but not necessarily in the way that you might expect. Instead of giving up fried foods or other things deemed to be unhealthy completely, some mums are not changing what they feed their kids - they're just lying about it. A new survey, which was sponsored by the British Potato Council, found that as many as 93% of mothers lie from time to time about what they feed their kids, and they mostly spin the tales to their own mothers and other relatives, since they make up the group that is most likely to criticize parenting choices.

The most commonly made claim is that the kids are not allowed to eat fried foods, followed by telling people that their children "eat mostly fresh food at home." Other untruths include assertions that the kids are only allowed candy at weekends, are never fed frozen food and get all the required servings of fruits and veggies every day.

Some are confused as to what foods are healthy, or simply give up due to lack of time or energy, opting for a TV dinner instead of frozen fish sticks with some fresh veggies. Fortunately, the kids aren't as confused as the parents, so it is possible that the "little white lies" won't be necessary any more. The study also showed that 58% of kids would question their parents about whether given foods were healthy or not, demonstrating that they are becoming more aware of healthy eating issues at a young age and will hopefully want to make better food choices as a result.

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Family-oriented attractions, including theme parks and fairs, are "failing to provide healthy food" says a report that sent a "secret mum" to visit 14 tourist attractions around the UK. She found their food lacking, offering primarily burgers and fried foods. To the average fair or park-goer this is no surprise, but some are expressing concern over the fact that they are unable to find healthy options for their children at such venues. How, they wonder, can they provide healthy foods to their children in such an environment?

The theme parks are the ones who respond with a voice of reason, saying that visits are generally special occasions, not once-a-week events. A burger and fries is not going to irreversibly set your child down the path to obesity, but if your concern is too great, there is always the option to pack a few healthy nutrition-type bars and eat a full meal after you leave.

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