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Noteworthy Nibbles — Oct. 21-27, 2008
This week's events have left me curious: Exactly what activities does one partake in at a Pig Stein? Or a Yambilee? If you have attended these in the past, I'd love to know.
Burning Question: What's the Difference Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes?
While they're often used interchangeably here in the United States, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing. In fact, the two are not even distantly related to one another!
Sweet potatoes originate from South America, and come in two different kinds: a pale-skinned variety, which has a thin yellow skin and a crumbly flesh similar to a baking potato, and a darker-skinned variety, which is often confused with the yam.
Enjoy a Kwanzaa Feast
Although Kwanzaa is relatively new as far as holidays go — it was created in 1966 — the foods used to celebrate it are based on old traditions. The final feast of the holiday — the Karamu — showcases fruits and vegetables that symbolize the past and current growth of African culture. Old family meals are often served in order to share them with the next generation.
Yummy Link: Maple-Glazed Gingered Yams
One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving dinner is eating the lovely sweet yams. This year I might try this recipe for maple-glazed gingered yams. They look so tasty!
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Thanksgiving Tip: Calculate How Much Food You'll Need
For an elaborate meal like Thanksgiving, it's crucial to consider how much food you'll serve. Too little, and you'll leave guests wishing they could gobble up more; too much, and you'll wind up with Thanksgiving leftovers for weeks. To make sure your food doesn't go to waste, take time to do some adequate planning.
Burning Question: Does Turkey Really Make You Sleepy?
This age-old claim is both fact as well as fiction. Turkey does contain tryptophan, an amino acid that often converts to serotonin, a sleep-regulating neurotransmitter. But in order to truly experience the side effects of tryptophan, one would need to eat copious amounts of turkey on an empty stomach.
Sweet Potato Casserole Two Ways — Beginner and Expert
For Thanksgiving, sweet potato casserole is a surefire winner: those who don't eat vegetables and kids who won't eat yams will happily sink their forks into this delicious casserole. While the toppings vary based on the recipe, the concept is the same: creamy, puréed, sugar-tinged sweet potatoes with nuts, glaze, or marshmallows on top. These two variations are similar, but the expert version, with its nutty topping, requires an extra step and a food processor.
In Season: Kale
It's a shame that so many varieties of kale wind up as garnish on a plate, because the truth is, this dark, tender green tastes divine. Unlike iceberg lettuce, this sweet relative of cabbage happens to be loaded with nourishing nutrients. While the leaves are often available year-round, the peak of kale's season is in the Fall and Winter, so right now it is abundant at the market.
Talking Top Chef With Padma and Tom
As you probably know, the next season of Top Chef starts this Wednesday, Mar. 12. The contestants look — if I can borrow a word from Project Runway — fierce and the competition should be exciting.
Top Chef News Roundup - Season 3 is coming up!
There's a bunch of Top Chef related news going on right now - timed to go with the new season I'm sure - so I thought I'd just save some time and post them all at once, here we go!
- First of all, Top Chef Season 1 winner, Harold Dieterle, opened up his restaurant Perilla this weekend. His grand opening is tonight - I want to try the Okinawa Yam Dumplings and Spicy Duck Meatballs...
- Good ol' Padma (TC host) is heating things up in the current issue of Maxim magazine.
- Don't forget, you can chat with Marcel (TC 2) Vigneron tonight at 7pm PT.
- Remember how I said to set your tivos on June 13?
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