Another reason to go easy on the salt...

Although I am not usually hesistant in reaching for the salt shaker, an excessively salty lunch, eating too many processed foods, and now, the article below, reminds me to watch my sodium intake. The article discusses an increase in kidney stone diagnoses in US children, naming dehydration and high sodium intake as possible risk factors.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/health/28kidn.html?8dpc

Hodge podge

While some of the news reported by the New York Times may be one-sided, I do like the Dining and Wine section.

First up is an article on pork katsu curry-something I plan to make when I have time.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/magazine/26food-t.html

Next, an article which explains what wine clones are. It reminded me how all the wineries in Santa Barbara county seem to have Pinots with "Dijon clone 113" on their tasting list.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/22/dining/22pour.html?ref=dining

Finally, Recipes for Health are a collection of pretty easy and relatively healthy recipes...perfect for the student whose diet subsists of coffee and free pizza.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/series/recipes_for_health/index.html

Culinary disasters

Although I've had some successes, I've also had some culinary disasters. My failures generally center around baking--there were the rock-like biscuits I made when I lived in Queens, the "flatbread" from the vegetarian cookbook that didn't hold together like a bread, and the questionable desserts I turned out during my teenage years.

Today my attempt at making Spicy Tuna Don, a bowl of sushi rice covered with fresh tuna mixed with spicy sauce, fell flat. My first mistake was picking up tuna from the supermarket, since what was labeled as "fresh" tasted pretty fishy. The dish was doomed from the start. I tried to overcompensate by making a very spicy sauce with Sriracha, mayonnaise, and a bit of mustard, but the strong flavors failed to mask the fishy flavor and served instead to make a discordant mess. First I would taste the fishy flavor, then the overly sharp taste of Sriracha and an odd hint of mustard. The sushi rice and mixed greens on the side only made things worse, as the sauce completely overpowered the taste of these sides. Using lots of soy sauce didn't help. While I normally love Spicy Tuna Don and savor every bit of meaty, fragrant tuna, this time I threw the fishy chunks away. I gave up and melted some cheese over chips in the oven. Nachos never fail.

Cheese corner: Cypress Grove Lamb Chopper

On Saturday I picked up a wedge of Lamb Chopper cheese from Cypress Grove, maker of the cheese everyone seems to like, Humboldt Fog. They also make Purple Haze, a fresh goat cheese seasoned with lavendar that tastes delicious with sourdough crackers, and Truffle Tremor, which is similar to Humboldt Fog, but infused with truffle aromas.

I found Lamb Chopper pleasant and mild with a nutty flavor and a hint of sharpness, maybe from the sheep milk. However, I was disappointed to learn this cheese is made in Europe. I had thought this cheese was made in Northern California by Cypress Grove, not somewhere across the globe. Their website is also misleading, spouting blurbs about terrior and herds of goats in Arcata. Regardless, I made a pretty good melt using this cheese. I cut a whole wheat pita in half and added to each half: a handful of cherry tomatoes, a few tablespoons of kidney beans, two kalamata olives, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and some liberal shavings of Lamb Chopper. I let the cheese ooze and melt, then ate each pita half with a little Sriracha, and yes, for you mayonnaise-haters, a little bit of mayo. It was absolutely delicious, although I still feel a little scammed.