Pastry chef extraordinaire Sherry Yard is famous for creating the desserts served at the Governors Ball. Every year she offers the stars chocolate Oscars and buttery shortbread cookies. For my Oscar viewing, I'll take a tip from Yard and serve a bite-sized dessert. Decadent chocolate fudge with (or without) walnuts is rich and delicious. Instead of slicing the fudge into neat squares, use an Oscar cookie cutter to shape the fudge into mini statuettes.

If you don't have time to make dessert, simply fill bowls with movie-theater candy, like Junior Mints, Mike and Ikes, and Milk Duds. To look at the fudge recipe, read more

If you're a fan of reality cooking shows, you may have heard about NBC's upcoming show, Chopping Block, which airs March 11. The show stars Marco Pierre White, the UK's original bad-boy chef, who has been known to make even Gordon Ramsay cry.

When I spoke to White today, the Chopping Block host was, in stark contrast to his deviant reputation, incredibly gracious, even-keeled, and — dare I say it — sentimental. He denounced bad behavior in the kitchen and on his show ("I will not tolerate bad language or anybody raising their voice") and insisted on being called by his first name ("Marco's my name; chef's my trade"). The one negative thing he had to say, however, was about Hell's Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay's reality cooking show. Get to know the chef when you read more

Mardi Gras puts me in the mood for muffulettas, but this year I wanted to move beyond the classic recipe for the New Orleans cold-cut monstrosity. Invented by Sicilian immigrants in the French Quarter around 1906 — the Central Grocery lays claim to the original — a muffuletta actually tastes better after a few hours. Served at room temperature, the signature olive salad soaks the roll, making the salami, ham, mortadella, and cheese deliciously moist and creamy.

The last time I went to New Orleans, a friend of mine told me that she thinks the Napoleon House serves even better muffulettas than Central Grocery, so of course I had to try the sandwich at this cafe/bar founded in 1917. To hear all about it and get my re-created recipe, read more

• Is there a scientific explanation behind our love of fiery foods? — Washington Post
• How to make the best pancakes possible.— Chicago Tribune
• Instead of salt, use acidic seasonings to awaken a dish. — Los Angeles Times
• Restaurants have begun turning to breakfast-for-dessert inspiration. — New York Times
• Chefs share their tips for cutting costs in the kitchen. — San Francisco Chronicle
• Portions aren't only increasing in restaurants; studies show they've also grown in cookbooks. — Wall Street Journal
• Mac and cheese can take on a myriad of forms to suit every taste. — Boston Globe

Source

As it turns out, modern-day fruits and vegetables may not be so good for you after all. In this month's issue of HortScience, Donald R. Davis, a former research associate at the Biochemical Institute at the University of Texas, argues that the average vegetable found in today's US and UK supermarket could be anywhere from 5 to 40 percent lower in minerals, such as magnesium, iron, calcium, and zinc, than produce that was harvested 50 years ago.
Although vegetables may be larger, this doesn't mean they contain more (or even as many) nutrients. This is caused by what's called the genetic dilution effect, in which farmers' efforts to increase crop yields have actually led to lower levels of protein, amino acids, and minerals. Although the "dry matter," or the bulk of the commercial vegetable's size, is increasing, there is "no assurance that dozens of other nutrients and thousands of phytochemicals will all increase in proportion to yield."

Davis argues that efforts to increase the production of food has actually led to food that is less nourishing. Crops are now being harvested quicker than ever before, and therefore produce has less time to absorb nutrients. These farming practices have also led to soil mineral depletion, which adversely affects the nutrition level of crops.

What do you think of this news? Is there some validity to Davis's argument? Does it make you more inclined to buy organic vegetables?