Yogurt, the other white health food

I have my E-mail set up to send me hits on various topics like Foie Gras, Food Trends, Food Photography, Recipes and the like.

This morning it yielded an interesting story involving Yogurt and how recent studies have concluded the bacteria and microbes found in yogurt help our digestive track.

Now this should really be common sense, I mean I think everyone who's ever taken high school science classes knows that our stomach and intestinal track include a worlds fair of bacteria and microbes that help digest and ingest food.

Taking a closer look at yogurt, again thanks to our good friend McGee, we see that the main cultures found in yogurt are:

"Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus, and streptococcus salivarius subspecies thermophilus. Each bacterium stimulates the growth of the other, and the combination acidifies the milk more rapidly then either partner on its own."

The article also makes note of Lactobacillus acidophilus while is the same family as delbrueckii and is used in many countries to assist in the yogurt making process.

I suppose we should be expecting a rise in coverage of this topic in coming months, but then I think back a year or more now only to realize that during the Health Craze Sway of the early 2000's we saw a lot more yogurts advertised heavily by food companies. Increased pressure to get children eating right led to items such as Gogurt (Yogurt in a tube) and Trix Yogurt, both produces of Yoplait. If you notice at the top of the article is a picture of a dietitian with her daughter, holding a box of the stuff.

I guess the real thing we need to watch is, eating yogurt will help our digestion greatly, perhaps lowering cases of colon cancer in years to come, but do we have to do it with added sugar and preservatives?

only time will tell on that one. Now if you don't mind, I think ill go smother my fruit in some yogurt for good measure!

Its the little things...

Take for example, every time I go to clean out my Spam folder in gmail the web link bar at the top gives me links to SPAM Recipes....

Spam spam spam spam... wonderful spam, joyous spam!

Pro's and Con's

There something to be said for going to the Culinary Institute of America. There are, obviously, advantages to attending. Decent food, drowning in food/food talk/food thought, expansive resources at your disposal. But the one thing that has always irked me about this place is that it the Culinary just seems... well, out of place.

The campus sits on Route 9 between the towns of Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park (Home of the FDR) on a stretch of the road that seems to work as a wooded bridge between the two towns. A small stone fence runs the length of the road till the trees cut away exposing the staff parking lot and the back of the main building to view. A small security booth breaks that stone fence then returns to the trees. If your not paying attention or just unaware there's a good chance you will miss the view all together.

The campus itself is beautiful, but with a few other colleges in the area (Marist, Cornell, Vassar) you would think the town would have a lot more to offer. Now its only an hour train ride to NY City, but the city is expensive and the train ride can get bothersome at times. The towns of Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie don't boast much of a night life, a few bars dot the area and one club are the most exciting thing around.

The area is historically swamped. FDR's childhood home sits less then a mile up the road, as well as one of the last remaining Drive In movie theaters left in the country that still operates, though only during the spring/summer/early fall.

As a foodie the bulk of my entertainment is spent dining out. Whenever I go to a new place the first thing I check out, even before I look for theaters, parks, or anything of the sort are places to eat. What's the hottest spot? Who boasts the best food?

Here at the CIA, the scariest thing to me is the fact that besides a few locations dotted some distance from the school there is really no great place to eat. There are establishments, but nothing that stands out and makes me say "I want to be a regular here". Every town needs one of those spots, that place you can go and stuff yourself on comfort food on a bad day, or a place to take visiting friends and family to show them a good time.

Even with the CIA down the road from each town it seems there is no great desire to have such an establishment('s) pop up. There seems to be no drive no desire, and I guess its mostly because the residences look at the CIA and say "We have 4 Restaurants and a Bakery there, why do we need more then that?".

But on the weekends, when boredom and hunger occupy presidence on me I'm left wishing for a place to go. A place that's warm, with great food, awesome service, and stability.

I suppose I should be thankful for the fatty-stomach filling food I get to eat during the week, but there's still the feeling like not having a few places to go is a shame in a place with such a highly respected cooking school just down the road...

.. and one more thing, because I have to say it, What's with not being able to get a pizza delivered to this place? I mean a good pizza, and not any place is open past 10?! oui.

All Aboard, Next Stop Writers Block

Seriously.

Nothing like two weeks off and mind-numbing boredom to seize up all brain function.

The holidays have now come and gone, and its no great miracle that we've survived another year of fatty foods, teeth-rotting sweets, and our families. Some of us, perhaps myself, found refuge in the sweet loving embrace of food to coupe with the joys of returning home like some holy pilgrimage that must be conducted every year.

If only I spent my time wisely; reading, studying, planning for my future. nay, I spent my days stretched out in bed sleeping in, staying up late watching movies, and planning events and happenings with friends we both know will never happen.

But with all that said and done it's good to get away sometimes. Good to remove yourself from your passion for a very short time to recharge and renew. The problem is, it never gets away from us.

You find yourself drifting off in daydreams of dishes yet made, dinner services yet befuddled, and Chefs yet to scream and throw pans. Its kind of like, oh I don't know, "The Night Before Christmas" only, its not Christmas, and its not sugar plums dancing in my head but Chervil, Sauce Anglaise, Beef Top-Round, and other classic preparations.

But as always, all great things must end. Not that I'm complaining. Dare I say that I was almost over-joyed to be returning to school. Ok, maybe not over-joyed, but lets face it doing nothing for two weeks is pretty damn boring.

Now the final clock is ticking. Six weeks remain between me and educational freedom. The days are long and hard, Nights are even longer, spent running from Pre-Grad party to Pre-Grad-Drink-Till-You-Speak-In-Tongues-Party all the while wondering...

What in gods name am I going to do when I'm out of here?!

It Lives!

Im still alive.

Lots going on here as I get back into the grind. New posts will be coming soon.

Until then Heres something to keep you entertained....