January
is the traditional month for new diets. I get kind of amused reading
this week's Time magazine which chose 3 of the new diet books to
review. The first one disallows wine, salt, sugar and artificial
sweetener. The second forbids carbonated drinks, coffee, gassy foods
including cabbage. The third forbids dairy, white rice, and processed
foods. And the last one forbids volume. Eat anything you want but just
choose small portions.
Are you beginning to see a pattern here? Why does every new diet start
off by telling you what you cannot eat?
People
have had problems with excess weight ever since mankind began to grow
food. The hunters and gatherers weren't fat. They spent a lot of time
just searching for food and were grateful for what they could find. And
the game and berries they found also spent time searching for
nourishment and water and didn't store fat either.
But that was then. This is now. We are besotted with food, drink,
choices, and chance. What on earth can we do?
New Years
New Years
A Sexy Drink for the New Year
I'm not a big drinker, but I do love an occasional vodkatini, the Cosmopolitan being the prototype. A vodkatini is a cocktail made with vodka served "up" (without ice). It often includes vermouth, liquers, fruit juices, and fresh fruit.
Since it's peak blood orange season here in California, I was inspired to create my own cocktail, which I have named a "Blood Orange Vodkatini." The name "Blood Orange Vodkatini" may be more cosmopolitan than a Cosmopolitan.
Blood oranges are stunning. Peel back their orange and red speckled rind, and you'll discover a brilliant crimson flesh that is pleasingly sweet and tart. In this Blood Orange Vodkatini, the tangy blood orange juice is balanced by the sweeter Grand Marnier, creating a bright, smooth, and refreshing cocktail.
Tips for the Ultimate New Year's Eve Cocktail Party
Holiday time and the sipping is easy. As for the food—I have four words to help you take your New Year's Eve bash over the top: fire up the grill. Yeah, it's cold out there—especially if you live up north, but live fire and wood smoke add high drama and depth of flavor you just can't achieve on the stove or in the oven.
So what makes a great holiday hors d'oeuvre spread? Three words: snap, crackle, and salt. Appetizers should be small enough to snap up with your fingers and salty enough to drive you to drink. The appetizers offer a contrast of textures, the most important texture being crunch. (I'm thinking crisp bacon exterior with gooey cheese center.) The short list of world-class starters includes poppers and chicken wings, dips and chips, mini sandwiches and sates.
Here are 7 indispensible tips to help you take your New Year's Eve cocktail party over the top.
1. Variety matters and so does abundance: If hors d'oeuvres are the only food served at your party, figure on 6 to 8 pieces per person. Serve at least 3 to 5 different items—the more the better. Your reputation as a savvy host and accomplished grill master is directly proportional to the elaborateness of your menu.
Lucky and Loaded Pulled Pork & Black-Eyed Pea Nachos
Happy almost New Year’s everyone! It’s so hard to believe this year has come to an end. I have a slew of wonderful memories.
I love New Year’s Eve, it’s full of promise and hope for a better year. A year filled with health, organization, great food and more balance in life. We’ll see how I do.
How many of you start the New Year with food known for good luck? I am not a superstitious person, but everyone could use a little good juju…right? Lots of different foods are considered lucky on this day as they symbolize the eater’s hopes and dreams for the coming months and years.
Pork is considered a symbol of “progress” by many countries. A pig’s feeding habits cause them to “root forward” with their snouts, never looking back. Pigs are also…rotund, a sign of prosperity in many places around the world. Enjoy your pork in any form you choose and then buy a power ball ticket?! Why not.
I’ve also added (lucky) black-eyed peas to these nachos due to their resemblance of coins, a symbol of abundance. (Go get on a slot machine I suppose). Cornbread is also considered lucky, but instead I’ve added just the corn itself, emblematic of golden nuggets. I know.
A Fun New Year’s Eve Tradition
I was ecstatic to be reminded of an old tradition by Martha Stewart in her magazine this month.
I remember doing this on New Year's Eve with some foreign friends many, many years ago and everyone had a lot of fun partaking in the simple ritual.
According to Martha, it's a Spanish tradition (my friends were French) to quickly eat a dozen grapes at midnight.
The fruit being a predictor of the year ahead: Each sweet grape representing a good month, each sour grape a less-than-lucky one.
So join the fun, thread a bunch of grapes onto skewers and serve each in a glass of Champagne right before the countdown.
This is great because children and non-drinkers can also participate. Just put the skewer in Sparkling Apple Cider or whatever beverage you are serving for the toast.
More Articles ...
Welcome to the new One for the Table ...
Our Home Page will be different each time you arrive.
We're sure you'll find something to pique your interest...