Edward J

Having two teenage kids I can honestly say that "legislating" anything will NOT have the desired effect...... Then again, you have to admit that there's not as many smokers as there were 30 and 40 years ago..... And yet, yet you have to agree that our current N.American society has the highest ratio of overweight adults and children. While salt isn't the biggest evil--I'm of the opinion lack of exercise is--I truly believe that it does contribute to an overweight population. Many countries--including Canada, have universal healthcare. My Mother, for example was treated for a broken hip, caught pneumonia in the hospital and stayed there for weeks. We paid nothing. Or did we? Money has to come from somewhere, no Gov't has a printing press to run off more money, so the costs get fobbed on the tax payer. It always does. If you look at Europe and countries like Canada, the federal Gov'ts have a vested interest healthcare. This responsibility is not passed on to private corporations. It's not only about keeping healthcare costs down, but to keep the country's productivity steady and maintaining a respectable level of public health. It's a interesting arguement. In the meantime, I wonder what it will take to get N. America's weight down.

Ah, Fuzzy. Like I said in my previous posts, there is no link to salt and hypertension or obesity. But.......... Can you tell me why bar tenders put out bowls of salty snacks on the counter? Can you argue that salt is NOT addictive, is not an appetite stimulant, or a beverage stimulant? Can you show me a society or nation since the begining of time that had such copious amounts of salt in all manner of foods? Not just salted meats and vegetables as a prservative, but in every food group, and not for the sake of preservation. Can you show me a society or nation since the beginning of time that had such a high ratio of overweight and obese adults AND children? Can you argue that health care is NOT a finite resource? It's not a question of who pays how much, it's a question of available manpower and facilities. When I move into the left lane, I look in my mirrors and shoulder check. What I do may affect all those behind me. I don't know any of those behind me, may or may not even like them, but I do respect them..........

Maybe.... Granted, liquids by volume work great. Yet all liquids have wieght, and for me, if I use a scale, I'll use it for everything. Butter by the tablespoon/ml? Sour cream by the half-cup/ml? Honey/molasses by the half-cup/ml?

I don't know what the US has on it's packaging. Here in Canada every processed product has a "Nutritional Facts" label Basically it has the suggested serving size, say 100 grams or a little over 2 oz Next are two columns, the first is: Calories, fat, saturated fat, +trans fat, Cholesteral, Fibre, Sodium, Sugars, Protein, various vitamins and/or minerals (listed individually)and directly beside these are their weights in milligrams. The next column is expressed with each item given in the percentage of the daily value. In fresh eggs, for example sodium is given in 140 mg or 6% of your daily value, based on a 100 gram serving. This, I feel is pretty darn clear and gives you an indication of the actuall amounts of sodium, or Vit. c or Iron you consume, as well as the percentage of what your body would require on a dialy basis. Of course, all of this is based on the serving size, and untill the pointy heads come up with standard serving sizes for soup, cheese, luncheon meats, peanut butter, pancake syrup, etc. etc., the individual mnfctrs will decide on what a "normal serving size" is. Reminds me of Campbell's soup in the 80's, when they changed their labels to read "Now 1/3 sodium reduced!" What did they do? They based thier serving size on 8 oz instead of 12 oz....

No, no, no, no! You've now got Canada's problem: We're still using volume measurements!!!!! I am of the opinion that if you're going to convert to metric, use the benefits that the metric system has to offer. If you use volume mesurements, most of the benefits the metric system have are lost.

Thank you for that, you've made my point very clear. "THEY"'ve been putting salt content on packaging for some time now. Salt is not given in actual weights, but expressed in a % of your daily requirment. Just look at the packaging. Like I said, I believe every adult should make choices about thier diet, but I'm more concerned about the children.... Two things upset me to no end: The first is adults smoking in a car with children in the backseat. The second is standing in line at the supermarket watching overwieght parents with overweight children unload cases of 2 l pop, salty snacks, and all manner of highly processed foods on the conveyor belt. Not a vegetable or a jug of milk to be seen...

You'll find camelia oil for sale in many woodworking catalouges, as many Asian--particularily Japanese woodworkers wipe down their tools with this to prevent rust. I'm told the chemical makeup of camelia is very similar to olive oil. Both oils have a very nice characteristic of not going sticky/gummy when exposed to air--virtually every other vegetable oil goes gummy when exposed to air. Never tried cooking with it yet...

Candy bars and chocolate? What connection do those two words have? The last time I looked at a KitKat bar or M & M bag it was some concotion of dutched cocoa powder and some kind of wierd fat or oil fobbed off as chocoalte-- no mention of cocoa mass/liquor at all.

Why do you say this? In what way does eating salt lead to obesity? Can you cite studies? There are no medical studies to suggest salt is responsible for obesity, or at least that I know of. But I hold true to what I said, salt combined with a diet high in fats and sugars, and very litle exercise does contribute to obesity. How? Ask any bartender why they put out bowls of salty snacks on the bar counter... An excess of salt will make you thirsty, salt is a flavour enhanceer and it does stimulate the appetite. How many people sit infront of the TV with a bowl of salty snacks? How many school children have chips or salty snacks in their lunch boxes? What do they drink afterwards? Water? Earl grey Tea? What do they eat afterwards? Look, any well informed adult should make her/his own choices about what they eat. I'm more concerened about the next generation, and I know what school kids eat and the percentage of overwieght kids in the classroom keeps on growing. Four years ago I was contracted to supply hot lunches for a local school. My first delivery consisted of home made chicken vegetable soup and home made foccaia buns. Several of the teachers wanted to Knight me, the Gr. 4 teacher had her kids identify the vegetables in the soup, most of the kids have never seen leeks or turnips before. But I got nothing but flak from the parents: "You're charging $2.50 for some soup?" "Give 'em something they like, like hotdogs or Pizza. "We need something healthy, can you get those apple slices with the caramel sauce?" Some of these parents were high income earners, some were housewives, some College or University educated. I know, I spoke to alot of them. What kind of choices are they making for their children? How many people actually know that the majority of poultry and pork in the supermarket is pumped with a salt/soya liquid? Beef burger patties? Peanut butter? Sure it's caveat emporium. People should educate themselves and look after themselves. Should. Like the Financial and banking institutions should regulate themselves, like the oil and gas companies should regulate themselves, like the auto mnfctrs should regulate themselves--or do you think they'd actually willingly make cars with seatbelts and run on unleaded gasoline? Like I said in my second post, I don't see this as a pesonal choice issue, I see it as a public health issue. The choices people are currently making reflect on the growing percentage of overwight citizens--adults AND children.

How do you feel about soda machines in schools? How do you feel about snack machines in schools? Hydrogenated fats? Smoking in the workplace or in restaurants? Fruit flavoured cigars and tobacco products aimed at children? "Herbal" remedies from countries that have very lax/non-existant food laws? Meat and produce from countries that have lax food laws? Education is the way to go, but who's going to do that? Who's responsibility is that?.........

This is a very fair and intelligent compromise. Many chains rely on the broadliners to supply them, and the broadliners rely on the mnfctrs to supply them Education is also a huge issue. How many highschools still teach "Home Ec."? No one wants to, or can, put a price tag on health care. But health care is a finite resource. The less strain we put on it for care that could be avoided, the better it will work for us when we really need it--like natural disasters, epidemics, etc.

Fair enough. If I understand correctly, you view this issue as a personal choice issue, and I view it as a public health issue. Kind of like smoking in the workplace, or soda machines in the schools. I am just a cook, been one for almost 30 years now. I can deal with unexpected or unforseen situations in a fairly work-like manner. But when the situation could have been avoided, or forseen and prepared for, my anger is on par with a woman scorned. North America has a "big" problem, and it is obesity. I have no idea what kind of strain the health related issues from obesity put on your hospitals and health care, or on the private and public workforces, but it is significant in Canada. Salt alone is not responsible for obesity, but salt combined with a diet high in fats and sugar and very little exercise does contribute to obesity. But folks, adult obesity is one thing, childhood obesity is another. Children eat what's put in front of them at home, what's served to them at the school cafeteria, or what is heavily promoted through the media-- a fact not lost on the food mnfctrs..... In our neck of the woods the Provincial and Federal Gov'ts have recognized childhood obesity and have made forays into banning soda and snack machines from schools. Salt, I hope will be next. For those of you who aren't familiar with the food industry, I urge you to contact a "broadliner", a large distributer like Sysco or US Foods and have a peek at their product guide. As I have mentioned in my previous post, salt is in brined and processed meats like ham and pastrami, but in coldcuts like roast beef and sausages, it's in "enhanced" pork and poultry products, in sauces, soups, mixes, etc etc. etc. A local restaurant can "hold off the salt" and put not a speck of salt on your meal, but the mnfctrs have already salted it to death. Fair enough. Why do mnfctrs put salt into their products in the first place? Face it, over the last 10 years more and more salt has been creeping in processed foods. -It is neccesary for brined foods, and it is neccesary for soups and sauces. But look at the nutritional chart on ham, for instance: 33% of the daily requirement of salt in one serving of ham? Is so much really necesary? -Well, it's a very cheap additive, and it doesn't have a "dirty" name like MSG or HFCS -It does enhance the shelf life a bit longer. -But the main reason is salt is addictive.

Yes, I think there should be regualtions pertaining to salt in our food. Next time you go shopping, take a good look at teh nutritional lables on meats. Takle for example ham, it can range anywhere from 18% to 33%. % of what? The precentage of sugested salt intake per day. Most poultry and pork products are "enhanced" or vacuum tumbled with a soy/salt solution. I don't buy the stuff, but every time I look in the display case there's more an more procesed meat and less and less of fresh meat. Commercial ice cream mixes contain quite a bit of salt too.

You know, I've worked for some very good Chefs, Swiss "Eidgenossiche Diplomierte" Chefs, which is, I believe, Switzerlands's top credential for Chefs. Worked under two of them after my apprenticeship, and was taught by one during my apprenticeship when I went to shool one day of the week. I addressed these men as "Herr Elsenbast, Herr Gothuey, Herr Lichtenberger", as did all of the other staff including hotel owners and clients. I still squirm when I hear "Chef Smith"....

As o/o of a small cafe I have a few things to say to Mrs CC: You are a paying customer who writes reviews. My Gawd there is a Santa Clause after all! I have been e-mailed to death from "bloogers" wanting to "do" my place in lieu of a free meals, or to hit me up for "other services" they provide like marketing, "branding", web design, or business consulation. Stick to your guns, and in my humble opinion tell it exactly as it happened, with perhaps glossing over the precise words the Chef had to say, but with a general indication of the conversation. The man screwed up and only he can be responsible for his actions. It's as simple as that, and if he has two brain cells to rub together, he better go into "damage control".....

Utterly shocked at your thought process.... Last week I had a e-mail request from a blogger, wanted to come to my place to write about the Saturday high tea that we put on, and requested a table for two--he really wanted to take his mother with him. The request was written in such a way that is was unmistakeable not to assume he wanted it for free. He also made mention of his various blogs. I looked at his stuff, not much food knowledge, boasts "over 17 years experience" but doesn't actually say experience in what--and here's the kicker--he 's also a "brand consultant" AND a "marketing consultant". I got the feeling like I was a packaged steak in a supermarket case being prodded through the plastic wrap.... After some thought I offered a compromise: One meal for free and the second one at a 10% discount. The blogger hemmed and hawed, booked, then cancelled, then booked again--3 times. This morning he put the whole thing "on hold for a while". Sure glad I'm not his mother...................

Nothing too mind-boggling here, mango & jalepeno ganache, strawb. & Szechauan pepper ganache, vanilla and bay leaf--really a nice combo. Some of the curries work out o.k. and Englisch mustard, but nothing off the wall.

Got mine ordered through a bookstore that specializes in cookbooks hre in Vancouver. Have promises that it will be here by the end of the month.

That sounds interestingand I'd love to see a pic or two, it also sounds like how "Gerstner" got started in his toolchest business..... I have the luxury of working in my own kitchen, so I don't carry knives around day-to-day. BUT, when I did, I subscribed to the toolbox camp. I still think tool-box styles are the best, and while steel ones are easily had, I still prefer the plastic ones--They don't rust, and you can toss the whole thing in the d/washer when it gets grotty. A toolbox also comes with hasps, so they are lockable, and they're too big and noticeable to stuff down a jacket or otherwise somehow walk off with. In this case, bigger and uglier are better..... I have built tray liners for gadgets and knives to fit into the kind of steel toolboxes with two drawers and an uper compartment, out of sheet plastic styrene and glued the whole thing with model airplane glue. Good idea but not all that durable. If I were to do it again, I'd make it out of sheet acyrlic/plexi-glass--it's still d/w proof and soft enough on knife edges. Wood sounds good, just sounds harder to clean--no luxury of tossing the thing in the d/washer, and it would probably need the occasional wiping out with tung oil or similiar. That being said I have made a few chocoalte and confectionary making items out of used nylon cutting boards--running them through a thickness palner to 3/8", cutting them on the table saw and assembling them with dados, open mortise and tennon,and countersunk s/s screws. The best thing about this style is that when it gets dirty, I just toss it in the dishwasher

I wonder if those seams are welded and not glued.... But then, would it be worth it?

I'm still hung up with this "degree" thing... My daughter is now looking into post secondary and we've been to a few Universities for their "show and tell" stuff. It's my understanding that only a University can offer degrees, and only a University in one part of the country can offer the same curriculum as another University in an other part of the country--or world for that matter. Colleges do not, and this is the main difference. I was also told that it is a big "no-no" to do yor Bachelor's and your Master's degree at the same school. It's also my understanding that a "degree" is comprised of 120 credits, with many of the credits having not much to do with the major--just for filler content or balance, --or, as one Prof put it: "They're vegetables, not particularily nice to eat, but good for you. Get 'em done in the first and second years". There might be a degree in Hotel management, but a degree in cooking? What would the "filler" courses be comprised of? This is all my understanding--prior to last month I've never been on a Uni campus. For the record, I did my grade 12 in Canada, took a year of Community college (Commercial cooking), worked for year, then did a 3 year cook's apprenticeship in Switzerland.

Herbs.... Got ziplock bags and bags of rosemary, Marjoram, thyme, and peppermint, as well as bay leaves. All that stuff grows in our garden, and I've fobbed off as much as I could on friends and neighbors and can't bear to throw the rest out. Other than that, not much. Think maybe a can or two of tuna. Can't stand any type of canned fish--the smell when you open the can reminds me of cat food...

Matcha, oolong, chai tea

Hmmmmm, has anyone tried "massaging" dried fruit? Tossing the fruit in a mixing bowl with booze, slip on the dough hook, and walk away for 10 or so minutes. I've done this with 1 part fruit and 1 part of brandy and orange juice. The fruit sucks up all the moisture, and after baking, still remains moist. I also candied my own orange and lemon peel, not very hard to do.

Should be mandatory in Gr. 12, a special package of "survival skills": -Basic cooking -How to read and understand ingredients -Basic sewing -How to put together, say, an Ikea bed. I'm not kidding here, my bro. in law is 45 and has never seen or held an allen key in his hand yet. Wanted to surprise my sister, I had to come over to show him how..... -