Oh, Mighty Tomato!

Posted in American food, Food/home improvement/business, Uncategorized by

 
    Tomato juice is the official state beverage of Ohio.

Arkansas’ official state vegetable is the vine ripe pink tomato (of South Arkansas).

  There are at least 10,000 varieties of tomatoes (from the small marble-sized cherry one to the Ponderosa, which can weigh over three pounds).

  The jelly-like substance around the seeds contains the highest concentration of vitamin C.

  The smallest tomato species are less than three-quarters of an inch in diameter. There are yellow and red varieties.

  Botanically, tomatoes are actually a fruit. This is because generally, a fruit is the edible part of the seed containing the seeds, while a vegetable is the edible stems, leaves, and plant roots. But in 1863 the Supreme Court ruled that tomatoes were to be considered vegetables.

    The tomato is the world’s most popular “fruit” (see the abovementioned); more than 60 million tons are produced each year. This is 16 million more tons than the banana, the second most popular. The third most popular are apples (36 million), then oranges (34 million), and watermelons (22 million).

  The early American colonists regarded the tomato as poison because it’s related to the deadly nightshade plant (but so is the potato!). Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson stood on the steps of the Salem, New Jersey courthouse in 1820 and ate a tomato-and then a few more-without any adverse effects, to the town’s amazement.
    Johnson’s daring feat got a lot of attention.
    (By 1842, farm journals were declaring the tomato as the “latest craze.”)

    The largest tomato ever grown (to date) was seven pounds, twelve ounces.

    If you suffer from a skin disease, a tomato a day may keep the doctor away. Tomatine, tomato’s principle alkaloid, heals certain fungous disorders (green tomatoes contain large amounts of this, but don’t eat them raw. Cook (including fried!) or pickle them first). 

Lycopene is the substance that gives tomatoes their rich red color. It’s also an antioxidant that reduces the risk for prostate cancer in men and helps reduce heart disease.

  One tomato plant can produce 15 tomatoes in a season.

  Eating tomatoes will give you healthy eyes and skin, as they contain vitamins A and C. They’re also a good source of fiber, potassium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamin B.

  The tomato can be grown in just about any climate (sandy, dry, moist, or salty) and in almost any soil.

  California is the world’s largest producer of processed tomatoes. (Ohio’s the second largest). The state’s peak tomato season is from July through September, but the season actually runs an entire six months, beginning in June and running through November.

  Tomatoes (and apples) have a natural ripening hormone called ethylene.

  Tomatoes first grew as wild, cherry-sized berries in the South American Andes, but the tomato as we know it today was developed in Mexico. It was known as tomatil.

Here’s a quick and easy recipe for:

Tomato-Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

Italian bread (4 oz.), sliced

1 clove garlic, peeled

One-half bag ready-cut salad greens (or a head of lettuce that can be easily shred)

2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (you can also use regular-sized tomatoes, but you’ll have to do just a bit more chopping)

1 cucumber, quartered, cut into one-half pieces

Optional: One-fourth lb. sliced mushrooms

One-third cup prepared fat-free red wine vinaigrette

4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Arrange the bread slices on baking pan; toast for 8-10 minutes, turning once.

Rub each toasted slice with garlic clove; cut into 1″ croutons.

Place salad greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, and croutons in a large bowl.

Add vinaigrette and cheese; toss to coat.

Makes 4 servings

Did You Know That…..

Tomatoes will ripen faster if you put them in a small to medium-sized brown paper bag. Then close the top. The closed bag holds in ethylene, which acts as a natural ripening agent.

                                                                 

How the Most Successful Home-Based Businesses Get Business

Posted in Business by

How do the most successful home-based businesses (those earning over $100,000 a year) get business? It’s not that much of a secret. They just do one or more of the five things that others usually don’t do.

Acquire a client base

It’s no secret that getting people to beat a path to your door right away is every self-employed person’s dream. Trouble is, it rarely happens that way (but it’s not impossible). There are some ways to make it happen for your business.

You can:
• offer something special that people want so badly that they would do almost anything to get it,
• become so well known among the people who want your offer that enough of them know you’re offering it and/or
• do the things you do so well that everyone who uses you can’t wait to tell everyone else about you.

The better you are at what you do and the more your reputation grows, the more quickly and easily you’ll attract business.

Establishing a niche

The most successful home-based businesses are highly specialized, serving a particular segment or niche that’s not provided elsewhere or adequately. For example, a company may be operating a billing service for medical technicians (as opposed to simply a billing service), or they may do consulting for the nursing industry.

Specializing this way will make it easier for you to attract clients or customers. You might think that specializing will result in a smaller client base, but the opposite is true; as long as your chosen area has enough potential customers, people will recognize the benefit of what you’re offering. Finding a niche can give you job security, but it needs to be small enough so that you don’t have a lot of competition, yet large enough to provide enough customers to support your business.
Usually, finding your niche is based on matching your education and/or job experience to a particular industry, but it can also be based on your lifelong interests, hobbies or even a personal tragedy.

For example, Empyra, an Ohio-based company founded in 1999 by Shanthi Subramanyam, provides Web-based products that improve the operating systems of companies and agencies. Subramanyam holds a bachelor’s degree in computing and information systems from England and a master’s in software engineering from Carnegie-Mellon in Pittsburgh. Her company’s products eliminate paperwork, allowing forms to be completed online and be sent automatically to the next user.

The popular TV show America’s Most Wanted came about as the result of a personal tragedy (In the early 1980s: a young child, Adam Walsh, was abducted from a store and was finally found, brutally murdered. His father and the show’s host, John Walsh, channeled his grief and despair into becoming an expert activist and advocate of law enforcement, particularly in “missing” cases.

Everyone has their own unique skills; finding them is a matter of relating experiences from your personal history to people’s current needs and then building new experiences that make you even better qualified. Don’t try to be all things to all people!

Ask yourself these questions:

• What do I do best?
• Who needs that the most?
• Where can I provide that product or service that will give me a chance to expand what I want to do to utilize my other interests?
• What industries or types of companies do I already have experience in?
• What industries or companies do I have access to now?
• What do I already know?
• What jargon or industry-specific acronyms am I already familiar with?

Other ways to carve out a niche are by “market slices,” such as geographic areas. Do you want to serve the West Side? North area? Do you want to be local, regional, or national?
Another “slice” to consider is the size of client companies. Do you want Fortune 500 clients? Are you aiming for those businesses earning under $5,000,000 yearly? Or perhaps a small company of three to twenty employees?
Perhaps a demographic group is your “slice.” Do you want a customer base of those over 65? Maybe you want to focus on single females or strictly married folks. Or you may prefer to go for the Donald Trump crowd.

(Gaining entrance through) Gatekeepers

A gatekeeper is an influential individual who is in a position to open the door to resources and contacts. Having access to these key business sources is another way that the most successful companies have achieved their particular success. Savvy entrepreneurs start with those contacts already in place, which makes getting business even quicker and easier.

Even if you don’t know a soul, here are a few of the many ways that you can go about meeting and establishing a network of your own gatekeepers—through attending professional and trade organizations, your regular business relationships and active networking. Remember that many of the most promising opportunities occur from just being in the right place at the right time when you encounter, purely by chance, someone in need of your product or service.

Becoming prominent in your field or specialty

The better you are known for being an expert—or at least mostly knowledgeable in your field—the easier it will be to attract business. But sometimes this just isn’t the case; many businesses became well known by positioning themselves to become leaders in their specialty by acquiring more knowledge in their field, assuming a leadership role in their area of expertise, or becoming pioneers in and of their particular specialty.

Anyone who is the first to offer a product or service in an area of need is a pioneer and therefore can also become a leader in that field. This can be a HUGE advantage because people will tend to think of you first. It’s also a three-in-one marketing strategy—it gives you access to gatekeepers, establishes you in a niche, and creates enough momentum to get people to beat a path to your door—all from the start.

The low cost of operations in the downtown location (there are a variety of local, county and state-based tax incentives, grants and low-interest financing—combined with enterprise-zone programs—to offer businesses the opportunity to reduce risks while encouraging investment in Ohio) and access to interns from the local state university helps Empyra attract businesses, including the U.S. federal government and Proctor & Gamble, that otherwise would be sent overseas.

“Most of my employees are located outside the city; my business pitch is that companies can outsource the work, but keep it in the U.S.,” said Subramanyam.

Becoming a great marketer

This fifth secret also contributes to continuing the success of the $100,000-plus home-based business.
By consistently using a variety of creative methods, some entrepreneurs are always able to attract and maintain a steady client base.

They:

• promote with stand-out ads
• send out gifts or brochures with unique colors or designs
• speak before network groups or starting their own

All that stands between a top marketer and other entrepreneurs are access to knowledge of how to use marketing tools in more personalized and specialized ways. With proper knowledge, anyone who’s willing to invest the time can become a great marketer.

So there you have it—five ways to position your venture for success. Where will these five “secrets” take you and your business? Find out by using them today!

Lemons and Limes

Posted in Food/home improvement/business, Uncategorized by

The lime is a round fruit that is pointed at both ends. It’s greener than the lemon, to which it is related.

Limes grow (in clusters) on a small citrus tree (rarely higher than 10 to 12 feet), which was native to India. It now grows in the Mediterranean basin, Mexico, the West Indies, Florida and southern California (the trees grow particularly well in southern Florida, where most U.S. limes are purchased).

The fruit is a source of lime juice and oil of lime, which is used to flavor food and beverages (lime has a sharp, sour flavor).
Limeade is prepared from limes in the same way that lemonade is prepared from lemons.

The lemon is a small, yellow and oval-shaped fruit that’s slightly pointy at both ends (A thick, spongy membrane lines the skin. It encloses 6 to 8 parts that contain the pulp, juice and seeds. Lemons may have only a few very small seeds or none at all. The juice (rich in vitamins A, B and C) is usually very tart, but some types of lemons actually have sweet juice!). The skin is dotted with tiny oil glands that resemble pores.

The lemon tree’s native to southeastern Asia, but it’s grown commercially mostly in countries around the Mediterranean Sea and in southern California.


It’s a small evergreen with spreading branches that has an irregular shape and is covered with short, stout spines, has long, pointed green leaves and large, fragrant flowers (that grow singly or in clusters). The buds are reddish purple, but the flower petals are white.


The lemon tree thrives in tropical and subtropical climates (the trees were once grown commercially only in dry regions, because rainy summers permit diseases to thrive. But due to the development of fungicides (fungus-killers) and frozen concentrates, lemon trees can be grown in humid, subtropical Florida. Practically all California growers use smudge pots to heat their orchards because the trees do not resist frost well. Sudden heat and wind can also affect both trees and fruit (windbreaks are used for protection).


These trees are raised by grafting buds to seedling rootstocks of other types of citrus fruits, such as grapefruit, the rough lemon (a relative of the lemon; the fruit’s not useful, but the rootstock’s sturdy) or sweet orange (the rootstock used most often in California).


They bloom and produce fruit almost continuously in the right climate and with proper care. The trees bear most fruit during winter and early summer.
Lemon trees do not require much water, just good, well-drained soil; too much water will grow the trees quickly, but produce less fruit. Over-irrigation may kill them.

Lemons must be picked by hand and pass a size test (Pickers use a metal ring to determine size. Each fruit is passed through the ring. Only those that are two and one-fourth inches or more in diameter are chosen). Smaller fruits are left on the tree until they grow larger.

Lemons are different from all other citrus fruits because they become more edible after they’re picked (and the green fruits are also picked. They’re then ripened in special curing rooms where the temperature’s kept at 56 to 60 degrees F., humidity 85-90%.)

In the past, most commercially-grown lemons were shipped as fresh fruit. But now, many are made into frozen concentrates. One important lemon by-product is citric acid, used as a base for carbonated beverages, as a laxative in medicines and as a flavoring in baked goods.

Lemon fruit and juice are widely used in cooking, beverages and candies. The oil’s used for flavorings and making perfumes.

The lemon is a special type of many-celled berry (a hesperidium).

How to Pick the Freshest Lemons and Limes

The juiciest, tangiest lemons have fine-textured skin and feel heavy for their size. Rough, thick skin is a sign of dry fruit. Tinges of green are OK, for they only mean the juice will be slightly more acid.
Avoid soft, spongy lemons with hints of decay on the stem ends.

Limes should be green, with no yellow (brown spots are OK). Avoid limes that are hard, for the pulp will be mealy and dry. Look for thin-skinned limes that give slightly.

Citrus fruits such as lemons and limes should be stored at a room temperature of 60 to 70 degrees and used within two weeks. If you prefer them cold, go ahead and refrigerate them, but don’t keep them in plastic bags.

Three Unusual Uses for a Lemon

1. Substitute lemon juice for vinegar in many recipes. The resulting taste will be fresher and brighter.

2. A squeeze (or two) of lemon juice will refresh the taste of canned, packaged or frozen vegetables.

3. Toss squeezed and grated lemons into the garbage disposal. They’ll keep it clean and sweet smelling.

British sailors became known as “limeys” because limes were their shipboard safeguard against scurvy (the vitamin C deficiency disease that once ravaged whole navies).

The world production of lemons is over 1.6 million tons every year. Used to freshen everything from iced drinks to soap and perfume, the fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C.

Long Vegetable Cooking

Posted in Food/home improvement/business by

Long-cooked vegetables will be almost limp, but very delicious (The “crispy” style started with nouvelle cuisine in the 1970s), usually served at room temperature. 

They may not look as appealing when in the crispy state, but many prefer them prepared this way. They can be served as appetizers, mixed and matched, or combined with a variety of ingredients. 

Eggplant and zucchini slices can be brushed with olive oil and grilled over a medium-hot fire until tender. As they come off the grill, you can layer the slices on a platter with fresh herbs and sprinkle with vinegar and olive oil. 

Or you can take those same slices, add carrot ones to them, and FRY everything in hot oil until they’re just brown, then coat with vinegar and fresh herbs. Set them aside so that the flavors can marinate. 

You can grill whole bell peppers until their skins are shriveled and start to blacken. After the peppers are cool, peel away the skin and remove the seeds. Slice the peppers and toss them with sliced garlic, sherry vinegar, and olive oil. 

Eggplant can also be steamed. Cut the eggplant (peeled or not) into chunks and steam until the flesh is extremely tender (7-8 minutes). Then toss with garlic and herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil. 

Have you ever tried roasted tomatoes? Slice off the top third of fresh tomatoes and squeeze out the seeds. Jam the tomatoes tightly into a well-oiled baking dish (The tomatoes shrivel and shrink in their own juices, concentrating the flavor), sprinkle with bread crumbs (You can grind fresh bread cubes or get a commercially prepared brand) and add a few drops of olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees until the crumbs are brown and crusty. 

Braising is another long-cooking technique; It not only develops flavor but absorbs the flavors of other ingredients cooked with it. 

For vegetable braises: Saute onion and garlic in a little oil (DON’T USE butter; it’ll solidify and become grainy if the dish is served cool) to build a flavor base. Now, add the main ingredient. 

Cut the veggie in large chunks so it’ll cook long enough to develop flavor without falling apart. Cook briefly in the flavoring mixture and add a little water to start the braising (the veggie will release its own moisture). Reduce the heat to low and cook long enough to get the flavor out of the veggie (For a soft vegetable, this can take only 20 minutes). 

Some sort of acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, is a major factor of long cooking (Acid content gives the dish needed “oomph” to avoid feeling flat and heavy). It’s as important a seasoning as salt. And because these vegetable dishes are served at room temperature, they require a bit more seasoning (cold minimizes flavor, while heat exaggerates it). 

As long as you remember to bring these veggie dishes to room temperature before serving (to bring out maximum flavor or taste), they can be made hours in advance of dinner (or even the day before). 

Here’s something to try:

Vegetable Roast

Ingredients

1 each red and yellow pepper, seeded and quartered

1 red onion, cut into wedges

1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, cut into wedges

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. each minced fresh thyme and oregano, or one-fourth tsp. each dried

one-half tsp. salt

Heat the grill to medium-high or heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl (if using a grill), or roasting pan, combine all ingredients.

Grill 10-15 minutes, turning once, until tender.

Or, roast 45 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender.

Makes 4 servings

Work time: 5 min.

Total time: 20-50 min.

Did You Know That…..

Onions are low in sodium fat and cholesterol-free and are also excellent sources of cancer-fighting phytochemicals.

Enjoy! 

Recipe source-“Roasting Vegetables” by Elizabeth Karmel, The Associated Press-The Vindicator, April 8, 2020

                     

Which Bathroom Type Are You? and Style Updates

Posted in Food/home improvement/business, Uncategorized by

A favorite bathrom decor style can often provide glimpses of your personality. Here are four considerations:

Prefer to keep an unadorned bathroom or maintain just one basic color scheme throughout?

Then your decor style is City Sophisticate.

A straight-ahead, no-nonsense person, you tend to cut right to the chase, modest tastes and temperament.

There’s no abundance of accessories in this bathroom (clearly serving the purpose for which it was intended)!

From the touch of an old quilt wall hanging to a simple calico curtain, the easy comforts of a Country or Nature decor help you to sit back and relax.

Your bathroom may also abound with ceramic animals, plants, and decorative paint treatments.

You enjoy warmth and charm; nothing makes you more at peace with yourself than being able to communicate with nature.

Your bathroom’s a sanctuary from “civilization.”

Romantic-Fresh-cut flowers, scented soaps, wood, wicker, potpourri and candles make you want to linger here (for this is not merely a bathroom; it’s a toilette!).

There are also cherished keepsakes among stained glass and lace curtains.

Brightly-colored accessories and floral wallpaper complement your reserved, yet hidden passionate nature and showcase your grace and elegance.

Your bathroom’s as private and gentle as you are.

Or do you like bright yellow walls (or any bold color) with a black toilet seat lid, plus heirloom linen and lace towels?

Then you’re a combination of styles, and Eclectic.

Your fanciful mix of decorating reveals a fun-loving, whimsical personality.

You’re a contented person who has the ability to be comfortable and create an intimate space through a blend of your favorite possessions.

Style Updates

Colorful accessories will always brighten up a bathroom, such as:

A set of Stripe, that consists of hand and bath towels in bold, solid colors, big unexpected patterns, and even reversible ones. Go to dusendusen.com

Have a black-and-white bathroom? The color red can be used as an accent; rich jewel tones will also work well.

Unique, artsy-type bath mats that are 100% fluffy (!) cotton, Cool Breeze retails for $60 at coldpicnic.com

Spray a little of your favorite cologne or perfume on your shower curtain before you go in. By the time you’re ready to towel off, the entire bathroom will smell wonderful!

Tissue box covers or dispensers are widely available in amazing, limitless varieties of colors, prints, and patterns (and of course, you can always just use the one you already have). Shower curtains also abound in endless varieties and in all price ranges.

Plants love a bathroom’s humid environment! If your bathroom’s large enough, simply add a few.

Don’t you just hate it when you get that build-up of “crud” in the average soap holder?

Well, fret no more. The Cork Soap Dish is totally water-repellent, due to the grooves in this particular product.

Retail price is $13 at wildminimalist.com

Sometimes bathroom tissue can be found in several hues and shades; they can then be coordinated with the color scheme.

Do you have light-covered tiles (pale pink, mint green, etc.)?

Use them as the basis for a pastel color scheme, incorporating spring colors in your choice of curtains, towels, and other accessories.

Or are they black-and-white?

Go for a dramatic black-and-white theme (accented by rich purple and aqua; or you can use red!).

Style Update product sources: “We’re Loving” by Cat Dash-Delights section-Real Simple, March 2021

Turning Your Goals Into Reality

Posted in Business by

Define Your Particular Goals-Goals let you let know where you’re going, how you’ll get there, and when you’ll arrive; they’re a target for you to shoot for.

The more specific you can be, the better. Set your goals in terms of measurable amounts that are actually achievable and that you can commit to. For example, don’t plan in general-“I’ll have a successful freelance business“; instead, plan in specifics-“This month I’ll make five contacts for the purpose of acquiring at least two new clients.” This enables you to know what you have to do by what date. And if you DON’T reach the goal by then, just keep going until you do!

Write Them Down-Put it on paper, your computer database, or personal organizer. Under each goal, list all the tasks you’ll need to do to reach that particular one. Cross off these tasks as you achieve them.

Always Keep Your Goals In Sight-Don’t bury them somewhere (because you WILL forget them and won’t be as motivated). Hang them up as a poster above your computer (yes, they can be stored in the computer, but sometimes it’s too easy to forget them there, too) , or on a wall behind your desk. Tape them on a work table or part of your work area. Carry them with you. Or, write them on your calendar.

Review The Goals Daily-When planning your schedule and putting together your daily to-do list, refer to the goals. Don’t let a day go by without taking some steps toward your goal. Include the goal’s key tasks on the calendar. This ensures they’ll have your utmost attention.

Create Goals for All Career and Life Aspects-At day’s end, ask yourself, “What have I done to get closer to my goal?” And no excuses!

If you haven’t done anything through the day, try your best to get a goal’s task done that evening if need be.

One common way to sabotage goals is to set them for only one aspect of your life or career. For example, if you’re running a business, you’re not only running it, you’re also getting the business and doing the business. You don’t want to concentrate on just one part, to the exclusion of the rest.

And don’t make just work-related goals; make personal ones as well, for balance. One of the things that you can do is plan a weekly family outing or dinner with you and just the hubby or the wife once a month.

To Help You Along…..

Ohio artist Dinara Mirtalipova has created a blank writing journal (with a breathtaking cover!) that can be used not only for goal setting, but also for working out ideas, recording dreams, and other flights of fancy (which can enhance any present and future goals). Check out http://www.mirdinara.com; retails for $36. For those on a budget, several dollar and discount stores also carry a nice selection, from $5 and up.

A good night of sleep will not only boost your immunity; it’ll also give you the energy and outlook to help achieve your goals. A blend of calming essential oils are featured in the product Sleep Rollerball from Essence One. Chill and unwind! For more info, go to http://www.essenceone.life ($18).

A lot of people are able to work from home straight out of bed, entirely in their “jammies” for several hours or even the whole day. I’m NOT one of them. It’s essential that I wash up, change undies, get dressed, make the bed, get my mom “situated” (I’m also a full-time caregiver.), etc; then and only then, do I feel ready to tackle my projects. Even though my “commute” is actually from upstairs to downstairs, this much-needed routine puts me in regular work mode.

I also take a couple of breaks to recharge and refresh my brain. It may be a very simple brunch, a water or lemonade break, or just stepping away for five to ten minutes, doing another activity or just simply doing nothing.

I don’t actually have a set time to work, but what I DO strive for is a certain time block: for example, I’m finishing this up within my 12:30 pm.-4:30 pm. slot (with a break in there somewhere). If I’m having a super-busy, hectic day or am just tired, I’ll try to get some work done from 11:30 pm. -3 am. A LOT can be accomplished, provided I can stay awake!

I don’t actually have a set time to work, but what I DO strive for is a certain time block: for example, I’m finishing this up within my 12:30 pm.-4:30 pm. slot (with a break in there somewhere). If I’m having a super-busy, hectic day or am just tired, I’ll try to get some work done from 11:30 pm. -3 am. A LOT can be accomplished, provided I can stay awake!

Product sources: Editor Picks-Home + Garden segment and Self-care resolutions-recipe for success-Life segment- Midwest Living, January/February 2021

Choosing the Right Vinegar for Cooking

Posted in Uncategorized by

It’s healthy.

Vinegar wards off infections, promotes digestion, and fights osteoporosis.

It’s low-cal; only five calories per tablespoon (!), and it’s a cooking essential; as a result, more types and flavors show up in supermarkets and gourmet shops every day.

Here’s a rundown of five basic ones:

White Distilled Vinegar-This is the most common type.

It’s made from grain alcohol and has a clean, sour taste that won’t clash with other flavors.

Because of that factor, it’s ideal for pickling vegetables or making a barbecue sauce where you want the spices to be ‘front and center.’

I love putting a tablespoon of this on French fries and steamed greens.

And it’s great for cleaning up any food messes (or other ones) later-it’s a natural bleach and it gets rid of odors.

Apple Cider Vinegar is also easy to find.

Made from fermented apple cider, the fruity flavor is milder and mellower that that of distilled vinegar.

Add a tablespoon (or two) to salads and marinades for pork and poultry (this is sensational on-and within-a pork roast!).

Cider vinegar’s antibacterial ingredients make this a good throat gargle.

White Wine Vinegar-It’s light, pungent, and is the base of most herb-infused vinegars, because it lets the herb flavors shine through.

It’s a stable in practically every Mediterranean kitchen.

Red Wine Vinegar is a robust variety used to make flavored vinegars using berries and chilies.

Both red and white wine vinegars are staples in Mediterranean households.

Both can be used to season salads and add depth to main dishes.

Balsamic Vinegar-This can drastically change any dish you add it to.

Aged three years or more in barrels, the juice from Trebbiano grapes grown in Modena, Italy results in an almost syrupy, dark and sweet liquid that brings rich flavor to meat, vegetables, and even fruit.

Yum Yum!

How to Grow Happier and Healthier Houseplants

Posted in Uncategorized by

Did you know that your plants have a unique life and a language all their own?

A plant responds to the individual who cares for it; here are a few ideas to help them flourish!

They Have a Great Sense of Direction. Vine plants have good navigational skills; the higher they climb, the fuller they grow.

When you move whatever it is a climbing plant climbs on, it’ll adjust and correct its course within a ew hours.

To encourage the best performance in climbing plants, give them support, like a piece of bark or a trellis.

They Like Music! Plants can prosper or wither depending on what type of music is played (they have certain preferences).

Loud music can stunt their growth, while classical or soft rock promotes it.

They seem to love East Indian music!

Touch Your Plant. Did you know that plants have evolved to respond to contact?

Outside, there’s always wind or an animal rustling through them.

You can keep household plants strong and healthy by just lightly brushing them with your hand as you pass by.

Did you know that plants have evolved to respond to contact?

Outside, there’s always wind or an animal rustling through them.

You can keep houseplants strong and healthy by just lightly brushing them with your hand as you pass by.

Plants Communicate With Each Other. They produce a special vibration, warning other plants of impending danger, when under threat.

If you spray a few drops of dishwashing liquid mixed with water on the leaves, it’ll keep away pests without harming the plant.

They Have Internal Body Clocks that’s regulated by light and the temperature.

If you’re growing plants indoors with artificial light, be sure to switch off the light at night. Some plants can even sleep by shifting their leaves or closing their flowers. They’ll droop when their natural rhythms change.

Plants Are Aware of and Sensitive to Their Surroundings. They don’t have eyes or ears, but plants have other senses.

They can react to the thoughts of people near them, and can get stressed out if someone’s thinking of doing them harm.

Keep your plant calm simply by being very kind to it.

Additional Info

If you’re using the regular tap variety to water your plants, be sure to let it stand overnight to allow any chlorine to dissolve. Many plants hate chlorine!

After boiling pasta or vegetables, save the water. Let it cool down, then feed it to your houseplants-the nutrients will help them grow.

Home Cooking: Discovering Asparagus

Posted in Uncategorized by

On Sunday, November 1st, I achieved a culinary milestone: I ate asparagus for the first time.

Now I’ve definitely heard of and knew about asparagus for decades, but never grew up with it as part of a regular cuisine, hence…..

So, I was never motivated nor interested enough to check it out, until the last week of October 2020.

My brother just happened to have several extra stalks of fresh, raw asparagus that he didn’t need. They were then passed on to me.

The curiosity factor kicked into high gear as I looked and pondered over my newfound bounty. What to do, what to do?

I decided to look up ways to cook and prepare asparagus. There were several; for one, I went “old school” and got a super-simple, very quick idea (it’s not really a recipe per se) from a large brochure or mini-magazine pamphlet for Cook’s Illustrated.

I roasted several fresh asparagus stalks at 500 degrees F in a regular oven for just 8 to 10 minutes. The following step is optional; a couple of hours before, I had the stalks marinating in a tangy sauce:

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2-3 drops of French or Catalina dressing

2-3 drops of Italian dressing, tangy or regular

A few dashes of some favorite seasonings, like Old Bay, pepper, and garlic powder (or garlic salt, garlic pepper, etc.)

The end results were delicious! As Cook’s Illustrated foretold, there was a deep flavor and a crispy-tender texture throughout. But the marinated seasoning also gave a great ‘ Mediterranean zing‘ to the dish. Yum!

Asparagus by itself or ‘as is‘ has its own quite distinct flavor. It’s hard to describe, because it doesn’t taste nor is close to anything I’ve previously eaten.

But it’s not nasty!

For further discovering or just regular appreciation, here’s a recipe for:

Asparagus Orange Bundles

Ingredients

2 lbs. asparagus spears, trimmed

3 Tbs. sherry vinegar

2 Tbs. red onion, minced

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 tsp. grainy mustard

1 tsp. freshly grated orange zest

One-fourth tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 oranges

In a large pot over high heat, bring asparagus and enough water to a boil.

Cook for 3-4 minutes or until tender.

Drain, pat dry and divide into eight bundles.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, onion, mustard, zest, and pepper.

With a channel knife (a small knife with a metal “V” formation; primarily used to cut strips of citrus fruit rind. Don’t have one? Just sub with a good paring knife), peel skins of oranges into eight long strips.

Wrap one strip around each asparagus bundle; tie.

Arrange the bundles on a serving dish.

Drizzle the dressing over asparagus just before serving.

Makes 8

Work time: 15 min.

Total time: 20 min.

Food Tips, News and Ideas, Cont.

Posted in Uncategorized by

Hot Sauce, Tabasco and Chili Peppers

Frank’sRedHot (Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce) debuted in 1920. Besides the original, there’s: Frank’s RedHot Buffalo (Wing) Sauce, XTRA Hot Sauce, Hot Buffalo Sauce, Slammin’ Sriracha, and Sweet Chili Sauce.

Mexico alone grows more than 140 varieties of chili peppers.

Chile peppers are cholesterol-free; low in sodium and calories; rich in vitamins A and C; a good source of folic acid; potassium; and Vitamin E.

In 1493, Christopher Columbus discovered chili peppers in America (or did the Indians/Native Americans first?).

Capsaicin, the chemical that gives peppers their heat, also has many health benefits. Warding off strokes, lowering blood pressure, speeding metabolism, reducing cholesterol, treating colds, preventing cancer and pain management.

Chilies have more vitamin C than oranges!

One out of every four people in the world eat chili peppers daily.

George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew chile peppers.

Tabasco sauce was named after the Tabasco River in southern Mexico by creator Edmund McIlhenny; he liked the sound of the word.

Queen Elizabeth uses Tabasco on her lobster cocktail.

Former president George Bush (the first one) is a Tabasco sauce aficionado; he uses it in many dishes.

More than 100 million bottles of Tabasco sauce are sold yearly.

Tabasco’s labeled in fifteen languages and shipped in more than a hundred countries.

Americans use the most Tabasco sauce; the Japanese are second.

Tabasco’s health benefits include: Improving digestion, battling depression (by releasing endorphins, which relieve pain and promoting a sense of well-being), clearing sinuses, warding off some forms of cancer and aiding in weight loss.

Mint

Since ancient times, mint has been valued as a medicinal herb; it’s reported to ease an upset stomach, aid digestion and relieve hiccups and nausea.

It’s available year-round, peaking from June to October. Mint’s a perennial plant and can be found in many varieties, like apple, ginger, lime and pineapple, among others. The most widely available and known are peppermint and spearmint. Did you know that most mints can be used interchangeably (with only a slight difference in flavor)?

Buying? Choose one that has evenly colored leaves that aren’t wilting. Store it in the refrigerator, stems down in a glass of water with a plastic bag over the leaves for up to a week. Change the water every two days. And you can also freeze mint; keep it in a plastic bag.
It’s already well-known as an added ingredient in candies, desserts and drinks, but mint can also be used in entrees and side dishes; a sprig can be added to new carrots, green peas or new potatoes. Or you can toss them with mint and melted butter after cooking; a sprig can be placed on the rim of a cool drink; mint can be sprinkled on a fruit salad-or tomatoes. And it can be a garnish for the fruit salad or meat, such as lamb. All mint varieties will work well as herbal teas, jellies and juleps. Many hybrids can be used for aromatherapy or in a bath.

Did you know that mint contains Vitamins A and C? Mint tea will ease stomach cramps and calm nausea. In cooler-and colder-weather, mint tea will also help relieve colds and flu.

Sources: Hot sauce supplement (late 1970s-early 1980s) and “Recipe uses leaves’ refreshing properties” by Carol J. G. Ward-Knight-Ridder Newspapers and Gourmet magazine-The Vindicator-Sept. 29, 1999