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Savor the last berries of the season with these recipes
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My lifelong relationship with rice has been solid yet stagnant: growing up in a Chinese household, plain white rice served hot out of the rice maker was integral to every lunch and dinner, although it never strayed from its spartan form.
My lifelong relationship with rice has been solid yet stagnant: growing up in a Chinese household, plain white rice served hot out of the rice maker was integral to every lunch and dinner, although it never strayed from its spartan form.
Yet recently, my intrigue with this herbed rice salad from David Tanis's latest cookbook has sparked something of a phenomenon. I no longer want to eat plain rice. Instead, I want to eat his herbed rice with everything. Grilled meats? Check. Chilled shellfish? Check. Tomato salad? Double check.
The key is to skip the rice cooker and boil the rice the old-school way, to prevent the grains from sticking. Cook until just slightly chewy, then spread them out to dry and mix them with herbs by hand to keep everything airy. I like to add chopped fresh Summer vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes. The end product reminds me of a fluffier, more comforting, slightly warm version of tabbouleh. Keep reading to get the building block of a recipe.
Sadly, Summer is coming to a close and with it the end of berry season. But, there's still a few weeks left to enjoy strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, and blackberries. To ensure that you make the most of the last few batches of berries, I've rounded up some creative and inspiring ideas. From sweet to savory preparations to cocktails, here are 10 delicious berry recipes.
Note: For added texture, I tossed in a few chopped tomatoes and cucumbers that I had in the crisper. Tanis also recommends adding in soft-center hard-cooked eggs, chicken, or shrimp for a one-bowl meal.
2 cups Arborio rice or similar variety (I used Vialone Nano)
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespooons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon each finely chopped parsley, chives, chervil, mint, and dill
Directions
Bring 4 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil in a big pot. Add the rice and boil briskly until the grains are ever-so-slightly al dente, about 15 minutes. Drain the rice in a colander, then spread it out on a baking sheet to cool.
Macerate the shallot in the lemon juice, vinegar, and salt to taste for about 10 minutes. Stir in the mustard to dissolve, then whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil.
When the rice is cool, put it in a wide salad bowl, fluff it up with your fingers, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour over the vinaigrette and toss lightly.
Just before serving, chop the herbs. Sprinkle the herbs over the rice and gently mix it in. Taste and correct the seasonings, adding salt, lemon juice, and olive oil if necessary. Transfer to a serving platter.
Chipotle's furthering its quest to create a more sustainable fast food system. Today the quickservice chain unveiled its new nonprofit organization, the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, to help support sustainable food practices. It's also debuted a short animated film, which will air prior to feature films in theaters nationwide.
The spot, titled "Back to the Start," is about a fictional farmer's venture into industrial farming practices and his eventual return to a more sustainable way of life. For the short, Chipotle commissioned Willie Nelson to sing Coldplay's "The Scientist." The cover song is available for download on iTunes, with proceeds going to the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation.
The new foundation plans to support organizations for family farms, food education for younger generations, and ranchers and farmers who are working on more sustainable practices. Chipotle will host a free music, art, and food day in Chicago called "Cultivate Chicago," with chefs Michael Chiarello, Richard Blais, Jonathan Waxman, and Amanda Freitag cooking and speaking. Similar events in other US cities will follow.
It's encouraging to see such a large food company setting an example for double bottom line investments; hopefully other fast food chains will take note and follow suit with similar social responsibility initiatives. I'd love to hear more about how the organization will support sustainability, though. What do you think of Chipotle's high-priority initiative? Would you attend a Cultivate event in your city?
Last week, the quick-service industry was buzzing with speculation about In-N-Out Burger: based on the comments of at least one insider, In-N-Out may finally be expanding to the Southwestern part of the country.
Last week, the quick-service industry was buzzing with speculation about In-N-Out Burger: based on the comments of at least one insider, In-N-Out may finally be expanding to the Southwestern part of the country.
Regardless of what the California burger chain has in store, it's undeniable that there's plenty of growth in fast-casual chains right now. While traditional fast-food companies like Burger King are struggling, a number of smaller, newer chains are blowing up across the country. Here are a five eateries to watch out for.
When it comes to appetizers, there's one quick and easy item that can be enjoyed year round: cheese. For impromptu entertaining, a cheese spread is the ideal starter, be it a Fall brunch or Summer cocktail party. The best thing about a cheese display is that it involves no cooking; it's a completely assembled dish. However, in order to put together a harmonious and delicious cheese board, there are some things to consider. Here's what you should think about when assembling your next cheese plate:
A traditional cheese board has a variety of flavors, textures, ages, and colors. From mild to extra sharp, crumbly to hard, raw to aged, white to blue, choose a wide range of cheeses.
Although it depends on how many people you're serving, generally select three to five cheeses.
If desired, let your selection be dictated by a theme. An assortment of cheese from Italy (ricotta, pecorino, gorgonzola, etc.) is a tasty start to an Italian meal.
Think about offering a cheese vertical where you feature a single variety of cheese. Love cheddar cheese? Assemble a board with English cheddar, Wisconsin cheddar, Californian cheddar, etc. Showcase the cheese at various ages.
Have you been celebrating National Panini Month? OnSugar blogger House of Anais has! Here, she shares her scrumptious-looking sandwich.
I just read from YumSugar about August being national panini month and decided to have my own little lunch-time panini celebration. This is how the house of Anaïs panini turned out - it was delicious and the key ingredients included multi-grain bread, Swiss cheese, roma tomatoes, roasted chicken, Parma ham, organic lettuce mix and of course Dijon mustard (my favourite kind of mustard).
What’s the best Facebook post that you’ve seen? Now you don’t have to guess! The new HTC Status™ is the first-ever phone with a dedicated Facebook Share button! With the HTC Status™, it’s all about instant sharing with friends on Facebook. With just one push, you can chat, check in, share songs, and more! Are you an on-the-go fashionista? Show your friends where you found that cool new boutique by checking in, or send a picture of your latest look to get their approval! It’s all possible with just one click. To find out more, check out the HTC Status™ here!
My lifelong relationship with rice has been solid yet stagnant: growing up in a Chinese household, plain white rice served hot out of the rice maker was integral to every lunch and dinner, although it never strayed from its spartan form. 
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When it comes to appetizers, there's one quick and easy item that can be enjoyed year round: cheese. For impromptu entertaining, a cheese spread is the ideal starter, be it a Fall brunch or Summer cocktail party. The best thing about a cheese display is that it involves no cooking; it's a completely assembled dish. However, in order to put together a harmonious and delicious cheese board, there are some things to consider. Here's what you should think about when assembling your next cheese plate:
