Archive for the ‘Just Food’ Category
Spinach Stems and Customer Comments
I thought you might like to see what we think about when we get a customer comment of food preparation -
A customer was shocked, shocked to discover we do not de-stem our fresh spinach leaves when we make a spinach salad. He let us know that we were total idiots for do this and he failed to understand how we could possibly stay in business which such a practice going on…..
Posted For Staff Meeting Discussion
REF: Spinach and Stems
Regarding the customer comment that we should de-stem the spinach for the fresh spinach salad, I note that we have been serving the spinach salad this way for many years without one comment on the stems. Pro or con. Given that we have, in fact, had many compliments on the salad and that sales of the salad do not seem to have been affected by the stem or no stem concern. I think we will leave things alone and monitor the situation for further customer reaction.
It’s safe to say that, at home, most people probabaly de-stem their spinach for salads. While at the same time, most people leave the stems on when cooking fresh spinach.
We have chosen not to waste the stems on fresh spinach for our salads since we don’t have an active compost pile at this time. We feel the stems add a texture and a sharper flavor to the fresh spinach which would be wasted if we did de-stem. We believe that, given the carbon footprint used to get the stems from the farm to the factory to the distributor and then to us, we would be contributing to global climate change if we did not use the stems in some way.
We take this stand proudly and greenly and call upon the restaurants of the world to make this change in spinach saladry composition. Come! Join us as we do our part to change the world! Unite to stop this waste of human food while thousand are starving in Africa!
In any case, if the comment comes up again, say, ”Our Chef likes the texture and sharper flavor of the stems. He thinks it adds a little something different to the salad.” And report the comment in the Daily Log or at staff meeting.
Jerry
Know Your Tea
Know Your Tea
Tea is a beverage made by steeping processed leaves, buds and/or twigs of the tea bush, Camellia sinensis, in hot water for a few minutes. There is only one true tea plant: the Camellia sinensis. There are four basic types of true tea: white tea, green tea, oolong tea and black tea. The difference is in the processing. This can include oxidation, heating, drying and the addition of other herbs, flowers, spices and fruits.
Tea is a natural source of the amino acid theanine, methylxanthines such as caffeine and theobromine and polyphenolic antioxidant catechins. It has almost no carbohydrates, fat or protein. It has a cooling, slightly bitter, astringent flavor.
The term herbal tea usually refers to infusions of fruit, herbs, leaves, roots, bark or other parts of a plant or some plants. Herbal teas usually contain little or no Camellia sinensis.
Camellia sinensis is an evergreen plant and grows in tropical to sub-tropical climates. In addition to tropical climates (at least 50 inches of rainfall a year), it also prefers acidic soils. Many high quality tea plants grow at elevations up to 1500 meters (5,000 ft), as the plants grow more slowly and acquire a better flavor. Only the top 1-2 inches of the mature plant are picked. These buds and leaves are called flushes and a plant will grow a new flush every seven to ten days during the growing season.
Tea plants will grow into a tree if left undisturbed, but cultivated plants are pruned to waist height for ease of plucking.
Two principal varieties are used, the small-leaved China plant (C. sinensis sinensis) and the large-leaved Assam plant (C. sinensis assamica). There are about six varieties grown in different areas of the world.
These types of tea are distinguished by the processing they undergo. Leaves of Camellia sinensis soon begin to wilt and oxidize if not dried quickly after picking. The leaves turn progressively darker because chlorophyll breaks down and tannins are released. This process, enzymatic oxidation, is called fermentation in the tea industry although no true fermentation happens (that is, the process isn’t microorganism-driven). The next step in processing is to stop the oxidation process at a predetermined stage by heating, which deactivates the enzymes responsible. With black tea this is done simultaneously with drying. Without careful moisture and temperature control during its manufacture and thereafter, fungi will grow on tea. This form of fungus causes real fermentation that will contaminate the tea with toxic and sometimes carcinogenic substances and off-flavors, rendering the tea unfit for consumption.
Tea is traditionally classified based on the producing technique :
Young leaves (new growth buds) that have undergone no oxidation; the buds may be shielded from sunlight to prevent formation of chlorophyll. White tea is produced in lesser quantities than most other styles, and can be correspondingly more expensive than tea from the same plant processed by other methods. It is less well known in countries outside of China, though this is changing with increased western interest in organic or premium teas.
The oxidation process is stopped after a minimal amount of oxidation by application of heat, either with steam, or by dry cooking in hot pans, the traditional Chinese method. Tea leaves may be left to dry as separate leaves or they may be rolled into small pellets to make Gunpowder tea. This process is time consuming and is typically done with pekoes of higher quality. The tea is processed within one to two days of harvesting.
Oxidation is stopped somewhere between the standards for green tea and black tea. The oxidation process takes two to three days. In Chinese, semi-oxidized teas are collectively grouped as blue tea, while the term “oolong” is used specifically as a name for certain semi-oxidized teas.
The tea leaves are allowed to completely oxidize. Black tea is the most common form of tea in southern Asia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Malasia, etc.) and in the last century many African countries including Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Malawi and Zimbawe. The literal translation of the Chinese word is red tea, which is used by some tea lovers. The Chinese call it red tea because the actual tea liquid is red. Westerners call it black tea because the tea leaves used to brew it are usually black. However, red tea may also refer to Rooibos, an increasingly popular South African Tisane or herbal tea. The oxidation process will take between two weeks and one month. Black tea is further classified as either orthodox or as CTC (crush, tear, curl), a production method developed about 1932). Unblended black teas are also identified by the estate they come from, their year and the flush (first, second or autumn). Orthodox processed black teas are further graded according to the post-production leaf quality by the Orange Pekoe system, while CTC teas use a different grading system.
Teas that undergo a second oxidation, such as Pu-erh, Liu’an, and Liuboa, are collectively referred to as secondary or post-fermentation teas in English. In Chinese they are categorized as Dark tea or black tea. This is not to be confused with the English term Black tea, known in Chinese as red tea. Pu-erh, also known as Póu léi (Polee) in Cantonese is the most common type of post-fermetation tea in the market.
Either used as a name of special tea processed similarly to green tea, or high-quality tea served at the Imperial Chinese court.
Also called winter tea, kukicha is made from twigs and old leaves pruned from the tea plant during its dormant season and dry-roasted over a fire. It is popular as a health food in Japan and in macro-biotic diets.
Orange pekoe is a term mainly used to describe a grade of tea found in the grading system used for sorting black teas (Orange pekoe grading). The system is based solely upon the size of the processed and dried black tea leaves.
The term “Orange Pekoe” is used in the tea industry to describe a basic medium grade black tea consisting of many single whole tea leaves of a specific size; however, it is usually used in popular Western culture to describe any generic black tea, or in some cases, even a specific variety of black tea. Black teas to be graded in this system must be obtained from new flushes, which are the terminal leaf bud along with a few of the youngest tea leaves. Grading is based solely on the size of the individual leaves and flushes, which is determined by their ability to fall through screens of specific meshes ranging from 8–30 mesh. This parameter also determines loosely the wholeness, or level of breakage, of each leaf, which is also part of the grading system. Although the grading system is not an indicator of quality, the size of the leaves will, more often than not, influence the taste and clarity of the resulting brew. Black teas of the basic grade (Orange Pekoe) are highly fragrant, with strong floral and fruity aromas, as well as a pleasant woody note. The taste should be slightly bitter with no astringency, and a sweet aftertaste.
The term “Orange pekoe” is commonly misused to denote a variety of tea, as seen on this package.
When used outside the context of black tea grading, the term “Pekoe“, or occasionally “Orange pekoe“, describes the unopened terminal leaf bud (tips) in tea flushes. As such, terms such as “a bud and a leaf” or “a bud and two leaves“, used to describe the “leafiness” of picked flush, are often used interchangeably with “pekoe and a leaf” or “pekoe and two leaves“, respectively.
Huevos Rancheros- Who knew?
Huevos Rancheros was the first ‘Mexican’ dish I remember eating. I remember 2 corn tortillas soft fried then dipped into red enchilada sauce and laid on the plate with just an inch of overlap on the tortillas. Two eggs cooked together sunny side up were put on the tortillas. More red Enchilada sauce over that. Sprinkle of chopped onions. Sprinkle of shredded cheese. Plate on the table. Dig in. Beans were nowhere near. Our beans were red beans and came with sausage over white rice on Mondays.
I was raised in southern Louisiana so this was VERY exotic. Turtle, alligator, various types of duck, Canadian goose, deer, oysters, crawfish, catfish – all these were no surprise to find on the supper table. But, Huevos Rancheros sounded like something a bullfighter would eat before facing the bull. We kids would stomp the floor and snap pretend castanets – which would shake the whole house since it was wood frame set on concrete piers – till Mom would give us ‘that look’ indicating her patience was gone and we should stop ‘acting the fool’ and sit down. Which we did with swirls of our pretend capes.
It was even more fun when we found out this was a breakfast dish. Breakfast for dinner. Man! We were living on the edge! Who knew it would be so hard to add HR to the Double Eagle/Peppers Cafe Menu?
Actually, it WAS on the original Peppers Café menu when we first opened Peppers and the sales were poor so I eventually took them off and put something else which would sell better. Other items like banana enchiladas or green chile cheese stuffed wontons proved more popular than the Huevos which were on every Mexican joint’s menu from Texas to California.
About January, 2010, John Ritter started mentioning that people were asking about Huevos Rancheros and I started warming to the idea of having them back onto the menu. Simple dish. Good food costs. Easy to make. No extra items needed. And, there’s that breakfast-for-dinner excitement thing!
Plus, I considered it ‘ligher’ fare, in calories at least. That seemed to be a trend for our area.
So, without any testing or tasting or even much discussion, since everyone had heard of Huevos Rancheros. Everyone knew what they were, how to make them. No problem. No worries. I published the new menu sheets, mentioned the change to Chef – again, no problem – changed the cash register and instructed the Servers. And, bid Adios, Muchachos!
The next morning I find news in the Daily Log that there had been some discussion among the dinner cooks as to what was Huevos Rancheros when the first order came it. The cooks sent out their version which the customer reported as strange. So, the next order, the cooks tried something else. Again, the customer reported “how could you screw up Huevos Rancheros?”
Of course, I immediately went to Chef Campos. Chef was baffled. Chef had instructed all three evening cooks in what to do. How could they screw it up? Sure, enough, when the evening cooks come it, Chef and I were at the back door waiting. Seems the cooks all know different versions and argued among themselves totally ignoring Chef’s instructions. Talk about steamed clams! Chef was furious. Long discussion about following instructions, the importance of consistency, customer satisfaction is the key to success – all out usual buzzwords.
So, I started researching Huevos Rancheros. Turns out, HR is a Mexican dish based upon a Spanish dish of baked eggs. But, as always in cooking, regional differences based upon item availability takes the lead in the evolution of recipes. I didn’t look further than the northern Mexican states of Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila and Nuevo Leon and the American Southwest.
Here is what I found as regional recipes for Huevos Rancheros.
All the Mexican states use a rough chopped cooked red salsa of tomatoes and peppers – the peppers may differ but the basic idea is visible pieces of tomato, peppers, sometimes some onion and always garlic.
Baja California Norte
Smear of mashed beans (black or pinto) under two soft fried corn tortillas, two soft cooked eggs, hot salsa, sprinkle of local soft white cheese. Spoon of beans on the side. Sometimes chopped avocados are added right before the hot salsa.
Baja California Sur
Smear of mashed beans (black or pinto) under two soft fried corn tortillas, two soft cooked eggs, hot salsa, sprinkle of local soft white cheese. Spoon of beans on the side. Sometimes one tortilla is laid down, some kind of seafood – cooked shrimp or cooked fish or drained ceviche – topped with another corn tortilla then the eggs, salsa and cheese.
Sonora
Smear of mashed beans (always pinto) under two soft fried corn tortillas, two soft cooked eggs, hot salsa, sprinkle of local soft white cheese. Spoon of beans on the side. Sometimes a green salsa (no tomatoes) is made with chopped roasted pork or shredded pork (Think ropas viejos)
Chihuahua
One corn tortilla dipped into the hot salsa and laid on the plate, smear of mashed beans or whole beans, second corn tortilla dipped in the hot salsa, two soft cooked eggs, hot salsa – red or green, sprinkle of local soft white cheese. No beans on the side.
Nuevo Leon
Smear of mashed beans (always pinto) under two soft fried corn tortillas, two soft cooked eggs, hot salsa, sprinkle of local soft white cheese. Spoon of beans on the side. Sometimes the tortillas are stacked and have chopped beef or ground beef between them. I suspect this is a recent (last 30 years) development taken from the Tejas border recipes.
American Southwest:
California
Smear of mashed beans (black or pinto) under two soft fried corn tortillas, two soft cooked eggs, hot salsa – red or green, almost always including cilantro, sprinkle of monterey jack cheese. Spoon of beans on the side. Sometimes there are slices of avocado inserted between two stack tortillas.
New Mexico – South
Smear of mashed beans (almost always pinto) under two soft fried corn tortillas, two soft cooked eggs, hot salsa – red or green sometimes with cilantro but never with cumin, sprinkle of Monterey jack cheese and yellow cheddar cheese. Spoon of beans on the side.
New Mexico – North
Two soft fried corn tortillas, two soft cooked eggs, hot salsa – red or green, always with cumin and sometimes cilantro, sprinkle of shredded Monterey jack and cheddar cheese. Spoon of mashed or whole pinto beans on the side.
Texas
Two soft fried corn tortillas, two soft cooked eggs, hot salsa – red or green, sprinkle of yellow cheddar cheese. Spoon of beans on the side. Sometimes the tortillas will be stacked and stuffed with ground beef. Sometimes they use flour tortillas instead of corn.
These are general findings and variations abound. Just order Huevos Rancheros in every Mexican restaurant you enter and find your favorite combination.
Who knew?
Know Your Balsamic Vinegar
Know Your Balsamic Vinegar
Vinegar comes from Old French “vin aigre” meaning sour wine. Vinegar is made from various sources – wine, cider, malted barley, rice wine and fruits – but the best of the best is called balsamic vinegar. Brewed for over 600 years, true balsamic – Aceta Balsamico Tradizionale – comes only from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, especially the towns of Modena and Reggio Emilia. It is barrel-aged for a minimum of 10 years and as many as 25. Small 3.5 oz bottles may cost well over $100.00 or more but only a few drops are needed to impart its powerful essence. It is sometimes even sipped as a digestif.
Inexpensive (relatively) versions are sweetened and colored with brown sugar or caramel to mimic long ageing but even the best of these come from Modena. The real thing requires elaborate formulation and ageing:
1. Local grapes, usually Trebbiano but sometimes Lambrusco or Spergola, are crushed an juiced. The unfermented juice, called must, is boiled over an open fire in copper containers until reduced by as much as half.
2. The must is inoculated with ‘vinegar mother’, a gummy mixture of various bacteria and fungi, often culled from previous batches. The mother ferments the sugars into acetic acid.
3. The developing vinegar is aged in a succession of different barrels, coopered from oak, chestnut, mulberry, birch, juniper, ash or cherry – each imparting its distinctive flavor to the vinegar. Stored in hot, drafty attics, the vinegar evaporates as it ages. The missing vinegar is called the angels share. Due to the reduce volume each barrel used is smaller in size.
Know Your Mushrooms
Know Your Mushrooms
Don’t wrap mushrooms in a paper bag. This is recommended in several places but don’t do it. And, don’t add a damp paper towel to the mushrooms.
Do store mushrooms is a partially closed zipper lock plastic bag. The small opening allows maximum air circulation, minimum drying and an exit for the ethylene gas emitted by the mushrooms
Do re-use the original store container if possible. Just wrap up the remaining mushrooms
Cleaning
Brush with an old used toothbrush if you are going to serve them raw.
Or
Rinse with cold water in a salad spinner, spin till dry and use a paper towel to blot up any excess moisture
Don’t rinse cut mushrooms as they act like a sponge and soak up water like crazy.
DRIED MUSHROOMS
Look for packages with large thick tan or brown pieces – not black. Avoid packages with lots of crumbs or dust. Watch for pinholes in the package which is a signal for worms.
Rehydrate by placing mushrooms in a microwave safe bowl, cover with water and seal with a plastic wrap. Cut several steam vents in the wrap and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes. Should be ready to use.
Use a fork to remove the mushrooms without disturbing the sand and grit. If the mushrooms do still feel gritty, rinse briefly under cool water.
Strain the soaking liquid through a paper coffee filter to remove the grit and use the soaking liquid for cooking.
FRESH MUSHROOMS
PORTOBELLO
Ranging from 4 to 6 inches in diameter, these are the giants. Dense flesh, steaklike, robust flavor. Choose fully intact caps with dry gills; avoid wet or damp or damaged gills. Gently scrape the gills out before use.
SHIITAKE
Tan to brown, chewy, nutty flavor. Stems are tough and woody – discard. Look for smaller caps with edges that curl under –a sign of freshness – but not desiccated or wrinkly.
CREMINI
Basically miniature Portobello mushroorms harvested before maturity. Browner and firmer than white buttons – more intense flavor
WHITE BUTTON
The ones you see everywhere – mild flavor – rich and meaty when cooked – used raw for veggie trays
OYSTER
Large fan shaped mushrooms, generally beige, grey or cream colored. Delicate and best cooked briefly – springy texture and a light briny flavor.
BLACK TRUMPET/HORN OF PLENTY
Related to Chanterells, these are hollow and drier. Chewy texture and a smoky flavor - avoid dried out, leathery mushrooms and those that are all black – a sign of age. Cut in half and then gently rinse. Lots of grit in the hollow center.
MOREL
Blond to black, morels are hollow and porous with a mild nutty flavor. Shaped like a rocket ship. Domestic are pretty clean but wild morels are dirty and should be cut and rinsed well.
HEN OF THE WOODS/MAITAKE
Densely clustered with feathery caps – complex red-wine flavor with subtle touches of garlic
CHANTERELLE
Pale yellow to deep orange – trumpet shaped and dense – an assertive nutty flavor, can be fruity flavored. Wild mushrooms are the most intensely flavored.
Know Your Coffee
Know Your Coffee
Ethiopian shepherds noticed goats who ate the fruit of this plant would start “dancing”, leaping and running.Coffee was first eaten. Crushed berries with mixed with fat to form ‘energy balls’. The rise of Islam greatly contributed to coffee’s popularity since alcohol was forbidden but coffee was allowed.
All the coffee in the world grows in the coffee belt centered on the equator between the tropic of cancer and the tropic of Capricorn. Hawaii is the only state to grow coffee.
In 1675, the King of England banned coffee houses claiming people met there to conspire against him.
70% of the world consumes Arabica coffee beans which is mild and aromatic. 30% consumes Robusta which is more bitter-tasting and contains 50% more caffeine than Arabica.Coffee grows on trees which can reach 30 feet tall. Most commercian trees are trimmed to keep them at about 10 feet tall for easy bean picking. The bean is actually a seed inside a bright red berry. Coffee is pick, dried and stripped down to a green bean. Coffee is often shipped green then roasted at 500 degrees. After a few minutes, the bean will make a popping sound and double in size. After a couple more minutes, the bean will pop again and this signals the bean is done.
Coffee is the second most traded commodity on earth. Oil is the first. Clearly, we like dark, drippy things.
George Washington invented instant coffee. Not that George. A Belgian living in Guatamala named George Washington invented instant coffee in 1906.
Espresso is not a bean, blend or type of roast. It is the method for preparing coffee: shooting pressurized water through finely ground coffee beans.
The Coffee Term – Americano comes from WWII during which American GIs would order espresso with hot water to dilute the brew.
How caffeine works: In the brain, there is a chemical calls Adenosine which likes to attach only to certain receptors. When that happens, you get drowsy. Caffeine is consumed and moves to the brain and jumps into the Adenosine receptors so the Adenosine cannot. All this Adenosine floating around unattached startles the Pituitary Gland which thinks something is going on and releases adrenaline into the bloodstream. Caffeine also bumps up the dopamine levels. Adrenaline and dopamine produce the caffeine high.
Coffee Terms
Caffé Americano – espresso diluted with hot water to brewed strength
Caffé Latte – with steamed milk and a dollop of froth
Caffé Mocha – with steamed milk and chocolate syrup
Caffé Romano – with lemon peel
Cappuccnino – with steamed milk, topped with lots of froth
Cortadito – Cubano topped with steamed milk and froth
Cubano – double shot with caramelized sugar
Espresso Breve – with cream or half/half
Espresso Con Panna – topped with whipped cream
Espresso Machiato – marked with a small amount of froth
Mochaccino – with steamed milk, lots of froth and chocolate syrup
Mocha- cortaditio – Cortadito with chocolate syrup or mexican chocolate syrup which has cinnamon
Know Your Coffee Terms
Coffee Terms
Caffé Americano – espresso diluted with hot water to brewed strength
Caffé Latte – with steamed milk and a dollop of froth
Caffé Mocha – with steamed milk and chocolate syrup
Caffé Romano – with lemon peel
Cappuccnino – with steamed milk, topped with lots of froth
Cortadito – Cubano topped with steamed milk and froth
Cubano – double shot with caramelized sugar
Espresso Breve – with cream or half/half
Espresso Con Panna – topped with whipped cream
Espresso Machiato – marked with a small amount of froth
Mochaccino – with steamed milk, lots of froth and chocolate syrup
Mocha- cortaditio – Cortadito with chocolate syrup or mexican chocolate syrup which has cinnamon
Fun Food Questions and Answers
Fun Food Questions and Answers
Is it OK to substitute dried herbs for fresh?
Sure. But, remember,dried herbs lack the moisture of fresh herbs, so their flavor is much more intense. A good rule of thumb is to use 1/3 as much dried herbs as you would use of the fresh. So, a tablespoon of fresh thyme would roughly equal 1 teaspoon of dried thyme. Also, add fresh herbs at the end of the cooking process and add dried herbs at the beginning.
Is it possible to use the stems of fresh herbs?
Maybe. If the stem is soft like parsley or cilantro, sure. Chop them up and throw them in. But, woody stems, like thyme and rosemary are too tough. Use the woody stems, certainly but remove them from the dish before serving. (use a long woody rosemary stem for a skewer for grilling!)
What are anchovies?
Herring! Well, members of that family, at least. Native to the Mediterranean and southern European coasts. They are sold whole or salt packed or more commonly in the USA, filleted and packed in oil. In Portugese and Spanish cooking, larger sizes up to 8” are deep fried or backed.
How is cornmeal different from polenta?
Polenta is medium or coarse ground corn meal that’s cooked porridge style. Butter, cheese and/or various herbs may be added. Usually served Italian style, soft. But, polenta can also be chilled till firm, then cut and grilled, baked or fried. In the American South, polenta is called mush and is served with butter and maple syrup for breakfast. The leftover portion is chilled, sliced and fried in bacon grease for lunch or supper and seasoned with salt and black pepper.
What is chicken fricassee?
It’s a French term referring to a light colored, thick, chunky stew with lots of vegetables. One would cook pieces of meat, in this case, chicken, in butter but not let the meat brown. Stock is added, a roux, vegetables, egg yolk and cream finish the dish.
What is the difference in bottled waters?
Not much. And, can you really believe the label? Artesian water is supposed to come from a contained, underground water source. Spring water should be from an underground water source which flows naturally to the surface. Distilled water has been evaporated and allowed to condense, removing all minerals and contaminants. Natural mineral water contains only the minerals present in the water as it flows from the ground. Water not labeled ‘natural’ may have had minerals added or removed. Drinking water is tap water that has been filtered and disinfected by water treatment plants, government-operated, private or both. Bottled water can be high in sodium and low in fluoride.
What are panko bread crumbs?
Nothing more than the Japanese version of bread crumbs. It’s roughly shaped so that the crumbs lie unevenly on top of one another. This creates light, extra crispy coatings on fried foods. There are two kinds of panko: white, made from bread without crusts and tan or golden: made from bread including bits of the crust.
What is Tea?
Tea is a beverage made by steeping processed leaves, buds and/or twigs of the tea bush, Camellia sinensis, in hot water for a few minutes. There is only one true tea plant: the Camellia sinensis. There are four basic types of true tea: white tea, green tea, oolong tea and black tea. The difference is in the processing. This can include oxidation, heating, drying and the addition of other herbs, flowers, spices and fruits.
Tea is a natural source of the amino acid theanine, methylxanthines such as caffeine and theobromine and polyphenolic antioxidant catechins. It has almost no carbohydrates, fat or protein. It has a cooling, slightly bitter, astringent flavor.
The term herbal tea usually refers to infusions of fruit, herbs, leaves, roots, bark or other parts of a plant or some plants. Herbal teas usually contain little or no Camellia sinensis.
Camellia sinensis is an evergreen plant and grows in tropical to sub-tropical climates. In addition to tropical climates (at least 50 inches of rainfall a year), it also prefers acidic soils. Many high quality tea plants grow at elevations up to 1500 meters (5,000 ft), as the plants grow more slowly and acquire a better flavor. Only the top 1-2 inches of the mature plant are picked. These buds and leaves are called flushes and a plant will grow a new flush every seven to ten days during the growing season.
Tea plants will grow into a tree if left undisturbed, but cultivated plants are pruned to waist height for ease of plucking.
Two principal varieties are used, the small-leaved China plant (C. sinensis sinensis) and the large-leaved Assam plant (C. sinensis assamica). There are about six varieties grown in different areas of the world.
These types of tea are distinguished by the processing they undergo. Leaves of Camellia sinensis soon begin to wilt and oxidize if not dried quickly after picking. The leaves turn progressively darker because chlorophyll breaks down and tannins are released. This process, enzymatic oxidation, is called fermentation in the tea industry although no true fermentation happens (that is, the process isn’t microorganism-driven). The next step in processing is to stop the oxidation process at a predetermined stage by heating, which deactivates the enzymes responsible. With black tea this is done simultaneously with drying. Without careful moisture and temperature control during its manufacture and thereafter, fungi will grow on tea. This form of fungus causes real fermentation that will contaminate the tea with toxic and sometimes carcinogenic substances and off-flavors, rendering the tea unfit for consumption.
Tea is traditionally classified based on the producing technique :
Young leaves (new growth buds) that have undergone no oxidation; the buds may be shielded from sunlight to prevent formation of chlorophyll. White tea is produced in lesser quantities than most other styles, and can be correspondingly more expensive than tea from the same plant processed by other methods. It is less well known in countries outside of China, though this is changing with increased western interest in organic or premium teas.
The oxidation process is stopped after a minimal amount of oxidation by application of heat, either with steam, or by dry cooking in hot pans, the traditional Chinese method. Tea leaves may be left to dry as separate leaves or they may be rolled into small pellets to make Gunpowder tea. This process is time consuming and is typically done with pekoes of higher quality. The tea is processed within one to two days of harvesting.
Oxidation is stopped somewhere between the standards for green tea and black tea. The oxidation process takes two to three days. In Chinese, semi-oxidized teas are collectively grouped as blue tea, while the term “oolong” is used specifically as a name for certain semi-oxidized teas.
The tea leaves are allowed to completely oxidize. Black tea is the most common form of tea in southern Asia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Malasia, etc.) and in the last century many African countries including Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Malawi and Zimbawe. The literal translation of the Chinese word is red tea, which is used by some tea lovers. The Chinese call it red tea because the actual tea liquid is red. Westerners call it black tea because the tea leaves used to brew it are usually black. However, red tea may also refer to Rooibos, an increasingly popular South African Tisane or herbal tea. The oxidation process will take between two weeks and one month. Black tea is further classified as either orthodox or as CTC (crush, tear, curl), a production method developed about 1932). Unblended black teas are also identified by the estate they come from, their year and the flush (first, second or autumn). Orthodox processed black teas are further graded according to the post-production leaf quality by the Orange Pekoe system, while CTC teas use a different grading system.
Teas that undergo a second oxidation, such as Pu-erh, Liu’an, and Liuboa, are collectively referred to as secondary or post-fermentation teas in English. In Chinese they are categorized as Dark tea or black tea. This is not to be confused with the English term Black tea, known in Chinese as red tea. Pu-erh, also known as Póu léi (Polee) in Cantonese is the most common type of post-fermetation tea in the market.
Either used as a name of special tea processed similarly to green tea, or high-quality tea served at the Imperial Chinese court.
Also called winter tea, kukicha is made from twigs and old leaves pruned from the tea plant during its dormant season and dry-roasted over a fire. It is popular as a health food in Japan and in macro-biotic diets.
Orange pekoe is a term mainly used to describe a grade of tea found in the grading system used for sorting black teas (Orange pekoe grading). The system is based solely upon the size of the processed and dried black tea leaves.
The term “Orange Pekoe” is used in the tea industry to describe a basic medium grade black tea consisting of many single whole tea leaves of a specific size; however, it is usually used in popular Western culture to describe any generic black tea, or in some cases, even a specific variety of black tea. Black teas to be graded in this system must be obtained from new flushes, which are the terminal leaf bud along with a few of the youngest tea leaves. Grading is based solely on the size of the individual leaves and flushes, which is determined by their ability to fall through screens of specific meshes ranging from 8–30 mesh. This parameter also determines loosely the wholeness, or level of breakage, of each leaf, which is also part of the grading system. Although the grading system is not an indicator of quality, the size of the leaves will, more often than not, influence the taste and clarity of the resulting brew. Black teas of the basic grade (Orange Pekoe) are highly fragrant, with strong floral and fruity aromas, as well as a pleasant woody note. The taste should be slightly bitter with no astringency, and a sweet aftertaste.
The term “Orange pekoe” is commonly misused to denote a variety of tea, as seen on this package.
When used outside the context of black tea grading, the term “Pekoe“, or occasionally “Orange pekoe“, describes the unopened terminal leaf bud (tips) in tea flushes. As such, terms such as “a bud and a leaf” or “a bud and two leaves“, used to describe the “leafiness” of picked flush, are often used interchangeably with “pekoe and a leaf” or “pekoe and two leaves“, respectively.
In the United States, most tea brewed at home and at restaurants is Orange Pekoe and is served iced. In the South, the term ‘Sweet Tea’ is common. Sugar is added after brewing but before ice is added. Usually, there are two pitchers of tea, one sweet, one unsweeetened, offered in restaurants. The server will usually say, “Sweet?” when a customer orders iced tea. In the South, also, one orders tea instead of iced tea.
Tips to Stretch Your Meat Budget
Tips To Stretch Your Meat Budget – See Website Below For Even More Tips
When families cut back on the budget, the first target is usually meat. Here are some tips to use in shopping which can give you delicious, high-quality beef, pork and chicken for a lot less money….
Beef and pork carcasses have four or five sections, called primals. Butcher shops and supermarkets break these down into the pretty (and expensive) packaged cuts you see in the market. By talking to the butcher working behind the meat counter, you can request cheaper and just as tasty cuts. You just have to know what to ask for. Most butchers will make these cuts at no extra charge. Some will add a small charge to the cost of the meat. In either case, you are still going to pay less than comparable cuts in the pretty packages out front.
RIBEYE – very popular in Southern New Mexico. Cut from the tender muscle over the backbone and ribs of beef (prime rib). Ribeyes are well marbled, loaded with flavor and grill well. Usually priced $10.99 to $12.99 per pound. ALTERNATIVE – CHUCK EYE – virtually the same muscle as the ribeye but it is the section that extends into the chuck shoulder of the beef. Ask the butcher to cut about a 4 inch roast off the front of the boneless chuck. Then ask him/her to peel out the chuck eye and cut it into steaks. Priced as low as $1.99 to $2.99 per pound.
BEEF SHORT RIBS – great for barbequing or braising. Comes from the cross rib, a section extending from the shoulder to the ribs. Lots of bone and fat for $4.99 to $5.99 per pound ALTERNATIVE-FLATIRON – from the top of the shoulder blade. Delicious but not pretty with what seems to be a thick seam of gristle going down its center. Actually, it’s not gristle but a gelatin-like substance which melts away when you cook it.
Watch for a sale on cross rib roasts then ask the butcher to carve a flatiron roast for you out of the cross rib. Have him cut the flatiron into boneless country-style ribs. More for your money, since there is no bone and at a cost of $1.99 to $2.99 per pound.
GROUND BEEF – regular ground beef is so fatty that many folks pay more for the leaner version which can cost from $4.99 to $6.99 per pound. ALTERNATIVE-BOTTOM ROUND – lean, meaty and inexpensive. Ask your butcher (he should be “yours” by now) to grind up a bottom round roast which runs $1.99 to $2.99 per pound.
PORK TENDERLOIN – the hog ‘filet mignon’ comes from the muscle inside the backbone runs about $5.99 to $7.99 per pound. ALTERNATIVE – BONELESS LOIN ROAST – very tender, from a muscle near the backbone. Your butcher can carve you an entire roast or cut it into medallions for frying, chucks for barbequeing or thin slices for stir-fried dishes. Costs as low as $1.99 per pound
ROASTING CHICKENS – really just large fryer chickens but priced at $1.69 to $1.89 per pound ALTENATIVE – WHOLE FRYERS for these you don’t need the butcher’s help. Usually priced from $0.69 to $1.29 per pound.
VEAL – meat from a male dairy calf has lighter color and a more delicate flavor than adult beef ALTERNATIVE – BONELESS PORK SIRLOIN – a tender cut from the backbone of the hog near the hip, it’s almost the same color and mild in flavor. Ask your butcher to slice the pork sirloin very thin. It makes a great substitute for veal parmesan or veal scallopini and can cost a little at $1.99 to #2.99 per pound.
ITALIAN SAUSAGE – usually around $3.99 per pound in bulk and more if made into links. ALTERNATIVE – PORK SHOULDER BUTT – from the top portion of the front shoulder of the hog. Well marbled but tougher than most because it is an active muscle.
Ask your butcher to grind it. You can season it at home with Italian or breakfast sausage seasoning. Without seasoning, substitute this for ground beef. Cost can be as low as $0.99 per pound.
For more information, checkout John Smith’s book “Confessions of a Butcher: Eating steak on a Hamburger Budget and Save $$$ or his website http://confessionsofabutchter.com
