I spent my 50th birthday on the island of St John in the US Virgin Islands with 20 close friends. Needless to say, we drank a little bit! A catamaran trip to Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands took us to the Soggy Dollar Bar, the original home of one of my favorite drinks: the Painkiller. Whenever you need a Caribbean fix, mix up a batch of this stuff...

PAINKILLER

1 oz Cream of Coconut

1 oz Orange juice

4 oz Pineapple juice

2 oz Pusser’s Rum (or other dark rum)

Mix all ingredients. Pour over ice. Top with fresh grated nutmeg. AWESOME!

Here’s another tropical favorite…

BUSHWACKER

4 oz Cream of Coconut

2 oz Kahlua

1 oz dark rum

1 oz dark Crème de Cacao

4 oz milk

Combine ingredients with 2 cups of ice in a blender. Blend until smooth.




SEASONAL RESTAURANTS AND SHACKS

The Back Eddy, Westport, MA: This is no shack! Just a stone’s throw from Horseneck Beach, this is a great restaurant that prides itself in utilizing as many local ingredients as possible in their dishes. The result is incredibly fresh seafood, and consistently interesting dishes that keep this place jammed in the summertime. Many of the employees have worked here for years, and that says a lot about the atmosphere. For me, I just pull up a seat at the bar, and Tanya and Sally work their magic in making the best margaritas ever. I have some stuffed clams with their signature aoli, maybe a plate of apple wood smoked ribs, some tuna tartare, a piece of fresh-caught striped bass, and I’m a happy guy. This year, they opened on Friday, March 21. They're trying some new things on the menu. Check 'em out now, because some of the more labor-intensive dishes vanish when the huige summer crowds arrive. www.thebackeddy.com

SEASONAL RESTAURANTS AND SHACKS

Captain Scott's Lobster Dock, New London, CT: This is the kind of place the people of New London don't want you to know about. It's not too easy to get to, but it's worth the trip. The seafood and lobster is fresh off the boat, and they have the smarts not to mess around with a good thing too much. Prices are very reasonable.  

Flo’s Clam Shack: I guess I’m a purist when it comes to Flo’s. I know they have a larger restaurant with a wider variety of seafood available at their location on the Middletown/Newport border, but for me, the only Flo’s to go to is the original in Island Park in Portsmouth. Atmosphere has everything to do with it…the food just tastes better here. I’ve had lots of fried clams in my lifetime and for me, nothing beats Flo’s. And their prices have remained fair over the years, unlike some other seasonal clam shacks that gouge you. (Can you say Evelyn’s?)

The Back Eddy, Westport, MA: This is no shack! Just a stone’s throw from Horseneck Beach, this is a great restaurant that prides itself in utilizing as many local ingredients as possible in their dishes. The result is incredibly fresh seafood, and consistently interesting dishes that keep this place jammed in the summertime. Many of the employees have worked here for years, and that says a lot about the atmosphere. For me, I just pull up a seat at the bar, and Tanya and Sally work their magic in making the best margaritas ever. I have some stuffed clams with their signature aoli, maybe a plate of apple wood smoked ribs, some tuna tartare, a piece of fresh-caught striped bass, and I’m a happy guy.  www.thebackeddy.com  

Here's the latest update about my last blog...boy, am I timely or what?!

Bottled water debate hits a boiling point

A debate over water is boiling over in the United States and elsewhere amid growing environmental concerns about bottled water and questions about safety of tap water.

The US Conference of Mayors in June passed a resolution calling for a phasing out of bottled water by municipalities and promotion of the importance of public water supplies.

While largely symbolic, the vote highlighted a growing movement opposing regular use of bottled water because of its plastic waste and energy costs to transport drinking supplies.

Janet Larsen, director of research at the Earth Policy Institute, cites a "backlash against bottled water as more people are realizing what they get out of the bottles is not any better than what they get out of the faucet."

The Pacific Institute, a California think thank on sustainability issues, contends that producing bottles for US water consumption required the equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of oil in 2006, not including the energy for transportation.

The group says bottling water for Americans produces more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide and consumes three liters of water for each liter of bottled water produced.

The debate in the US mirrors that taking place worldwide in places such as Paris; Liverpool, England; Florence, Italy; Vancouver, Canada. According to the EPI, the issue making waves among policymakers in locations including Denmark and New South Wales, Australia, among others.

The backlash comes even amid surging sales of bottled water in the United States. Some of this is linked to concerns about contamination of public water supplies, although critics of the industry say marketing hype is a greater factor.

Aficionados of Evian from France or Fiji from the South Pacific swear by the taste and health benefits of those waters, but others decry the high cost of energy for a product that may not be any better than local water.

A Natural Resources Defense Council concluded that "most of the tested waters were found to be of high quality (but) some brands were contaminated."

The group said bottled waters "are subject to less rigorous testing and purity standards than those which apply to city tap water."

In fact, says the group "about one-fourth of bottled water is actually bottled tap water" while government rules "allow bottlers to call their product 'spring water' even though it may be brought to the surface using a pumped well, and it may be treated with chemicals."

Americans drank about 8.8 billion gallons (33 billion liters) of packaged water in 2007, or 15 percent of their total liquid intake, according to the Beverage Marketing Corp. Per capita bottled US water consumption is up to 29 gallons (109 liters) per year, from 20 gallons in 2002.

The US is the largest consumer of bottled water, but on a per capita basis it ranks far behind Italy, the leader which consumes nearly twice as much, and others such as the United Arab Emirates, Mexico and France.

Advocates of bottled water they the industry is being used as a scapegoat.

Kevin Keane of the American Beverage Association said the mayors' resolution was "just cynical politics. It's like being against rope until you need a lifeline."

Keane says the bottled water industry is needed for communities hit by floods or other natural disasters and compromised municipal water systems.

Bottled water "is convenient and a good tasting beverage, especially in this day when you have fewer water fountains and even when you have them, people are skeptical about using them."

Beyond questions of safety and environment, some activists say the bottled water industry is seizing a public resource.

In the northeast state of Maine, a battle is brewing over access to a large aquifer by Poland Spring, a large US bottler owned by Swiss-based Nestle.

"Nestle's water grab is ruining streams, ponds, wells and aquifers," said Judy Grant of the activist group Corporate Accountability.

"Nestle's practices are raising serious questions about who should be allowed to control water, our most essential resource, and to what end."

The mayors, meeting in Miami, approved a resolution proposed by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom along with 17 other large-city mayors to redirect taxpayer dollars from bottled water to other city services.

Joe Doss, president and chief executive of the International Bottled Water Association, an industry group based near Washington, said it was "unfortunate this is turning into a tap water versus bottled water debate."

Doss said most people drink both and that in many cases bottled water is a healthy replacement for sweetened or carbonated drinks.

The IBWA says the industry uses less than one percent of groundwater supplies and produces only a tiny fraction of greenhouse gases.

According to Doss, water bottles represent a tiny fraction of plastic waste that even if not recycled, and that any effort to improve recycling should cover all industries, not just bottled water.

GARDENING 102…SPROUTING

We’ve all seen the sprouts in the refrigerated section of the produce department at the supermarket…but it seems that either the package is way too big to be realistically consumed before the expiration date or the expiration date is just hours away. Either way, I still wind up buying the package, piling the sprouts on top of my salad and anything else I can think of, and then quickly getting to the point where I’m so sick of them that I don’t to even look at another sprout for a long time.

Well, the answer to my dilemma was to buy a sprouter. Sprouters have been around for a long time, and they vary in size and shape. But the ones that I like most consist of about four plastic circular trays that nest one on top of the other, with a little valve at the bottom of each tray that allows you to pour water into the top tray and have it slowly trickle all the way down into the bottom water catching tray.

Sprouting seeds yourself may seem like a bit of a pain in the beginning, but once you get into the routine, it’s really easy to do and the wide variety of sprouting seeds available is mind-boggling. And the great thing about sprouting your own seeds (besides the incredible freshness) is that you never wind up having too many. You can time the sprouting so that you constantly have a supply of sprouts without waste.

Many gardening websites now offer seeds specifically for sprouting. Here are a few…

Johnny’s Selected Seeds: http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/search.aspx?scommand=search&search=sprouting

Pinetree Garden Seeds: http://www.superseeds.com/products.php?search=sprouting

Wood Prairie Farm: http://www.woodprairie.com/category/s

Unhealthy trans fats in restaurant food? Not in New York City!

Eateries must remove artificial trans fats from all menu items by July 1.

When first implemented last year, the Health Department ban applied only to fry oils and spreads. It now will also include baked goods, frozen foods, cannolis and doughnuts.

Foods served in original, sealed packaging — such as candy and crackers — are exempt.

The Health Department says that, as of last month, about 98 percent of inspected restaurants were in compliance.

Some food chains and cooking oil manufacturers also have reduced saturated fat by 20 to 35 percent in certain fried foods.

Next time: Take a long weekend away from the Ocean State and head to Long Island: dozens of wineries, awesome food, terrific farmstands and nurseries...and it's all just a short ferry ride away from New London, CT! Great for families or for a romantic getaway! All the details you need to know to plan your trip! 

Should you drink bottled water or tap water?
There are many facts you need to know before you make your decision...

The Dangers of Using Plastic Bottles

Most types of plastic bottles are safe to reuse at least a few times if properly washed with hot soapy water. But recent revelations about chemicals in Lexan (plastic #7) bottles are enough to scare even the most committed environmentalists from reusing them (or buying them in the first place). Studies have indicated that food and drinks stored in such containers—including those clear Nalgene water bottles hanging from just about every hiker’s backpack—can contain trace amount of Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that interferes with the body’s natural hormonal messaging system.

The same studies found that repeated re-use of such bottles—which get dinged up through normal wear and tear and while being washed—increases the chance that chemicals will leak out of the tiny cracks and crevices that develop over time. According to the Environment California Research & Policy Center, which reviewed 130 studies on the topic, BPA has been linked to breast and uterine cancer, an increased risk of miscarriage, and decreased testosterone levels. BPA can also wreak havoc on children’s developing systems. (Parents beware: Most baby bottles and sippy cups are made with plastics containing BPA.) Most experts agree that the amount of BPA that could leach into food and drinks through normal handling is probably very small, but there are concerns about the cumulative effect of small doses.

Health advocates also recommend not reusing bottles made from plastic #1 (polyethylene terephthalate, also known as PET or PETE), including most disposable water, soda and juice bottles. According to The Green Guide, such bottles may be safe for one-time use, but reuse should be avoided because studies indicate they may leach DEHP—another probable human carcinogen—when they are in less than perfect condition. The good news is that such bottles are easy to recycle; just about every municipal recycling system will take them back. But using them is nonetheless far from environmentally responsible: The nonprofit Berkeley Ecology Center found that the manufacture of plastic #1 uses large amounts of energy and resources and generates toxic emissions and pollutants that contribute to global warming. And even though PET bottles can be recycled, millions find their way into landfills every day in the U.S. alone.

Another bad choice for water bottles, reusable or otherwise, is plastic #3 (polyvinyl chloride/PVC), which can leach hormone-disrupting chemicals into the liquids they are storing and will release synthetic carcinogens into the environment when incinerated. Plastic #6 (polystyrene/PS), has been shown to leach styrene, a probable human carcinogen, into food and drinks as well.

Safer choices include bottles crafted from safer HDPE (plastic #2), low-density polyethylene (LDPE, AKA plastic #4) or polypropylene (PP, or plastic #5). Consumers may have a hard time finding water bottles made out of #4 or #5, however. Aluminum bottles, such as those made by SIGG and sold in many natural food and product markets, and stainless steel water bottles are also safe choices and can be reused repeatedly and eventually recycled.

Tap vs. Bottled–What Should You Drink?

About 60 million plastic bottles a day being get tossed into U.S. landfills, where they can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade, depsite the fact that many people try to be good and recycle.

And producing those bottles burns through 1.5 million barrels of crude oil annually--enough fuel to keep 100,000 cars running for a year. Recycling helps but reusing is even better. Invest in a couple of portable, dishwasher-safe, stainless steel bottles like Klean Kanteens that won’t leach nasty chemicals into your water. (Don’t get into the habit of refilling the water bottle you just emptied; the polyethylene terephthalate it’s made of breaks down with multiple usings.)
 
4 REASONS TO TURN ON THE TAP

1. Tap water is tested daily
Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, water suppliers are required to provide an annual report on the quality of your local water and to test tap water daily. By comparison, the FDA examines bottled water only weekly, and consumers can’t get the agency’s results. You can easily get the lowdown on your state’s drinking water quality at  http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/index.html

Those of us with well water should get it tested every year.

2. Tap water is a bargain 
Bottled water costs about 500 times more than tap. If you’re into really fancy labels, up to 1,000 times more.

3. Tap water is a tooth saver
It has more fluoride than bottled water, which helps prevent tooth decay. (Yes, you never outgrow your need for fluoride.)

4. Tap water is often tasty
Some places (New York City for one) have delicious water, but if you don’t love the flavor of yours, the solution is simple: Run your tap water through a Brita or Pur filter to remove most tastes and odors. The average home filter goes for $8.99 and produces the equivalent of 300 large (16.9 ounce) bottles of water. That’s about $0.03 cents a bottle, versus the $1.25 or so you’d pay in a market. 

Many people think the dangers of plastic bottles only affect them if they leave the bottle in a hot place, like a car, for some amount of time. Fact is, if your water comes from Europe (and even if it doesn't), there are dozens of opportunities for those water bottles to sit in very hot environments for prolonged periods of time: shipping containers, warehouses, loading docks--even your supermarket's back room. By the time the bottle of water reaches your hands, it could already be contaminated.

So...the plastic bottles are bad for your health. The manufacture and disposal of them is bad for the environment. Bottled water is far more expensive than tap water, even if you need to buy filters for your tap water. Despite all this...are plastic bottles worth the price of convenience? Apparently, the vast majority of people still think so.

What the hell...skip the water completely and try something really fantastic: Vermont Spirits Gold Vodka…a delicious vodka made from 100% maple sap and spring water. There’s just the slightest essence of maple in this vodka and it makes the best damn martini I’ve had in a long time. This could be very addictive! www.vermontspirits.com They also make a white vodka out of milk sugar and spring water…next on my list!


Gardening at home...in your home

A great meal is only as good as the ingredients you use to make it. And in the summertime here in southern New England , we've got lots of great roadside farmstands that offer fresh--and often organic--produce.

A new study showed that as much as 25% of conventional egg-producing chicken farms in the United Kingdom tested positive for salmonella. By comparison, less than 5% of organic farms tested positive. The researchers found that the highest incidence of salmonella occurred in farms where more than 30,000 birds were held. In the United States , flocks of over 100,000 are common and some flocks have as many as 5-million egg layers! Organic chicken farming is more labor intensive. Chickens are not locked in giant coops…they roam. The flocks are much smaller…and as a result, there’s less chance of salmonella. Since as many as 1.4 million people in the U.S. get salmonella each year, it’s probably a good idea to get your eggs from your local farmer whenever possible. And it also doesn’t hurt to know that you’re supporting your community.


STRAWBERRIES!

June is traditionally strawberry season here in Southern New England, and it was a great one! My own garden featured three varieties: a June-bearing strawberry that has a limited harvest time but produces large sweet fruit...an ever-bearing strawberry that will crank out fewer berries at a time, but will continue to produce smaller, slightly more tart berries all summer long...aAnd the third variety is called an alpine strawberry, mostly found in Europe. The berries are very small and tart...dozens of them can fit in a handful...and an occasional taste of these is a real treat.

This combination gives me a ton of berries at the beginning of the season when I crave them most, and then a bowl of berries about once a week the rest of the season.

There are hundreds of strawberry varieties to choose from. They grow easily in any sunny space you have available, and they spread rapidly by sending out runners. It's another reliable crop, like asparagus, that you plant once and enjoy for years.

I never spray my strawberries with chemicals, so I can pick them and eat them right in the garden, and I feel good about giving them to my 18-month old daughter. Unfortunately, unless you know you're buying organic berries, the vast majority of strawberries, whether you buy them in a supermarket or a local farmstand, contain a lot of pesticides...and washing them in water does not remove the chemicals. Strawberries constantly make the list of the 12 most contaminated fruits sold...fruits you should only buy organic. (The others being apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, and spinach.)

The best thing to do is to grow your own strawberries. Some good sources for strawberry plants:

www.johnnyseeds.com

www.parkseed.com

www.burpee.com

www.springhillnursery.com

This list was originally for Father's Day...but it works for any occasion... 

Penzey’s Steak Seasonings Gift Box: eight jars of quality meat seasonings, including an Indonesian saté spice mix that’s perfect for skewers, an English prime rib rub, and a French mignonette pepper blend. For veggie dads, there’s also a Salad Lover’s Gift Box that will help them blend their own dressings. www.penzeys.com

La Tienda Deluxe Tapas Sampler Gift Box:  A decadent gift box filled with everything to host a tapas party for six people. There’s sliced Serrano ham, roasted piquillo peppers, dry-cured chorizo, and a bunch of other tasty bits. www.latienda.com

Fromagination Medium Cheese Box:  Fromagination, a Wisconsin-based cheese shop, will ship two local artisan cheeses along with honey, locally made organic crackers, chocolate-covered cranberries, and jam, all tucked into a wooden box. For the cheesiest of Dad’s, several good choices. www.fromagination.com

Pappy Van Winkle’s 20-year Reserve Bourbon: This bourbon is a bit pricey, but the Beverage Tasting Institute called it “monumental,” while Eric Asimov, the chief wine critic at the New York Times, cited it as his favorite in a tasting of 25 bourbons, noting that it was “rich and creamy” with aromas of “caramel and bright fruit.”  I just think it’s damn good! I’ve seen it at Town Wine and Spirits in East Providence.

Maybe all Dad really wants is MEAT! Give it to him with a variety of sampler choices from the Ozarks of Missouri. Burger’s Smokehouse is one of the best there is, and they make ordering convenient by including shipping in all of their prices. Bacon, beef, ham, smoked birds…they got it all. www.smokehouse.com

If Dad wants his red meat healthier, give him a sampler of grass-fed beef, like the All American Grill Master pack from Tallgrass Beef. There are many health benefits to grass-fed beef...besides the fact that it tastes better than any beef you've ever had! (Scroll down for my in-depth report.) www.tallgrassbeef.com 
 

I got this for my Dad one year and he thought it was the best present ever: Woodprairie Farm offers a Maine Organic Potato Sampler of the Month Club! You can sign Dad up to get a variety of fresh-grown organic potatoes shipped to his door for 1 month all the way to 8 months! If our Dad is like mine, and can’t survive a single day without potatoes on his plate, this is the ultimate gift. Woodprairie offers a huge assortment of other foods, too…all organic and no genetically engineered seeds or plants. www.woodprairie.com

And our friends at American Mussel Harvesters in North Kingstown will put a package of fresh shellfish together that you can either pick up or ship, depending on where Dad is. We got my father-in-law in Michigan a huge box of fresh oysters last year. The whole neighborhood came over for the party! www.americanmussel.com 
 

And finally, for great gadgets, look below at my previous blog entitled Go Go Gadgets!

 

On the cheap

I love really great food in a terrific atmosphere. Problem is, it very often costs a lot of money. Time to mention some gems that are anything but fancy…but give you some real bang for your buck…

Griswold’s Tavern, Bellevue Ave, Newport, RI: Don’t let the street address fool you. Even though it’s just a block from the Tennis Hall of Fame, surrounded by art galleries and antique shops, and it sits across the street from the Newport Art Museum, Griswold’s is a good ol’ tavern. Tables line the windows facing Bellevue Ave, and the locals hang out at the good-sized bar in the back. Service is friendly and quick. The house salad came with home-made blue cheese dressing that had just enough “chunk.” The broiled scrod and the Scallops Nantucket were terrific…it was obvious they had fresh seafood and not frozen. (Not something that every Newport restaurant has, despite being on the water.) Even the side veggies were crisp and not from a can. Good food, a well-stocked bar, wines by the glass, and good prices…it’s all you need!

Lebanese Pita Pocket, State Rd, Dartmouth, MA: This tiny and very clean place is easy to miss. Hidden in the corner of the St. Anne Plaza, they serve all kinds of wonderful Lebanese food. I’ve been there twice now, and really enjoyed the beef shawarma wrap (with lettuce, parsely and tahini sauce, a sauce made from sesame paste, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil), beef kabob, and their fresh spinach and feta cheese in phillo dough, which comes in a huge wedge. It takes a little time to make this food to order, but it’s worth the wait!

Marzilli's, Bedford St, Fall River, MA: Man, sometimes I am simply the last to know about a place, despite the fact that they've been around for a long time. A bakery, pizzeria and grinder shop, the people at Marzilli's make everything in-house and serve some incredible grinders on their freshly-baked bread. I had what was easily the best sausage-pepper-and onion grinder of my life. And the chourice-stuffed rolls are a terrific treat. Nothin' fancy here...but there is a never-ending swarm of people coming through the doors, and they get served very quickly. Great service. Why would you go to a chain place for lunch when you have something this awesome in your neighborhood?

And don’t forget the Ugly American in Fall River and KJ’s in Middletown...and in Providence: Apsara Palace, Solomon's Market, and Cuban Revolution. Scroll down to see the write-ups from  previous blogs.

LOCAL FOOD WEBSITE!

A great local website all about food in Providence is www.providencepalate.com. A wide variety of people, some in the food business, some just obsessed about it, share their dining experiences. Check it out and you’ll find lots of great info when you’re trying to decide where to go to have your next great meal. And check out my page while you’re there: http://www.providencepalate.com/profile/Alz

It's grill time!

I’m not the kind of person who waits for the warm weather to arrive before I start grilling outdoors. If I’m craving barbecue, I’m out there in the dead of winter, freezing my ass off! Fortunately, the weather is getting warmer…all the more reason to get the grill ready for the summer season.

The big debate has always been about charcoal vs gas grills. I have to say that I have been and always will be a charcoal guy…or even wood if I have the time. The only thing a gas grill has over charcoal is convenience, and if that’s all that matters to you, then why not just cook your food in the kitchen and be done with it? A cast iron skillet or griddle works great for steaks and you never have to leave the comfort of your home.

Barbecue is about flavor…and smoke from wood gives it that flavor. You simply can’t get that from gas. (I learned that from several of my good-ol’-boy neighbors when I lived in Alabama. Those guys can cook!) And even if your time is limited, I would make the argument that a charcoal fire takes no more time to start than a gas grill…if you know what you’re doing.

First of all, never use lighter fluid. No matter how much you think it has burned off, it leaves a taste on your food that you can do without. Invest in a charcoal chimney, a simple metal tube with a handle that holds a good amount of charcoal in the top and a wad of newspaper in the bottom. Light the newspaper, and in 10 minutes, you have hot coals ready to cook. You can find the charcoal chimney at Lowe’s or Home Depot.

Once you have all your barbecuing ingredients in one place, you’ll see that anytime can be grill time and that cooking with charcoal does not take much time at all.

I’m also not a big fan of bottled sauces. I think most of them use too much sugar, which burns when you cook with it. I prefer making my own, and I’ve found some great recipes for sauces as well as barbecue dishes in one cookbook…

Barbecued Ribs, Smoked Butts and Other Great Feeds, Jeanne Voltz: I love this book! I’ve probably cooked more recipes from this book than just about any other cookbook I own. The chapters are separated according to the meats you’re cooking, and the first chapter really gives you some solid information of basic barbecuing techniques. And the sauce recipes rock!

If you’re too lazy to make your own sauce, just make sure you read the label of the sauce you buy in the store…and go for the no or low-sugar varieties. Sugar turns your food black when it burns…not exactly what you want when you’re grilling. If you really want to use the sauce anyway, add it at the end of the cooking time.

Here’s one my favorite pork chop recipes that is easy, fast and delicious…and requires only three ingredients. But to make it perfectly, you need a hot charcoal fire. It’s named after an old radio buddy of mine, Marc Coppola, who would cook these many years ago in the parking lot of WBAB on Long Island, and then he’d bring them in for us to chow down while I was on the air. (Marc is the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola and the brother of Nicholas Cage. We’ve lost touch over the years, but I still enjoy the recipe!)

COPE CHOPS

Pork chops, thin-sliced, bone in

Lawry’s seasoned salt

Bottle of chardonnay, preferably non-oaky, like Alice White

Make sure the pork chops are the thin cut ones, with the bones in. Leave all the fat. Thick chops will not work. The idea is to cook hot and fast and you can’t do that with thick chops.

About 2 hours before cooking, marinate the pork chops in the chardonnay at room temperature. Move them around a few times so that they marinate evenly.

Get the charcoal fire going. When the coals are gray and hot, remove the chops from the marinade and throw the marinade away.

Place the chops on the hot grill and sprinkle with Lawry’s while they cook. When the first side is done (just a few minutes), flip the chops over and sprinkle again with Lawry’s.

If you did it right, the chops should be completely cooked in mere minutes. Remove from grill and serve while still hot.

No utensils…the best way to eat ‘em is to grab the bone of the chop with a folded paper towel, and go for it!

Have you heard about these videos? Whether you're in the market for a new blender or not, check it out!
www.willitblend.com

The wonders of grass-fed beef

I'll start off by saying that you're going to pay more for grass-fed beef than grain-fed beef. It's going to be less convenient to buy, because it's difficult to find locally, so you're going to have to go online and pay extra for shipping costs. It's going to seem like a hassle that just isn't worth it. But I think it is.

Cattle have been on this planet for many years...but it's only in the last few thousand years that man has begun farming beef cattle. And in the beginning, the cattle ate grass.

But then the grass was replaced by grain because grain is a lot cheaper and easier to use. The problem is, cattle have not evolved to eat grain. Man, in his infinite wisdom, simply decided to change their natural diet.

Why should this matter? Because whatever goes into the cattle eventually goes into YOU. Grain-fed beef are given hormones and anti-biotics. And all that winds up on your plate and in you and your family.

Grass-fed beef is healthier for you. It's lower in total fat...lower in saturated fat. It contains more Omega 3 fatty acids, which is good for your health. Mad cow disease isn't found in grass-fed beef because they eat a natural diet that doesn't contain animal proteins.

Grass-fed beef has a lower fat content than regular beef because it takes longer for them to get to their slaughter weight. A pasture raised animal takes about four months longer to reach full size than your typical animal. Because they are eating their natural diet, their bodies are able to process the nutrients better and it makes for leaner, healthier cattle. Also, their diet contains less fat than typical animals, because they are not being fed the by-products of other animals to hasten their growth.

As you might expect, grass-fed beef also tastes better than grain-fed beef. If all you've had in your life is grain-fed beef, you won't believe how good and healthy beef can be. And if you've had to cut red meat out of your life completely, you'll find that you just might be able to have grass-fed beef. (Check with your doctor.)

There are many places to get grass-fed beef. Just google it to find a ton of websites and information. Here are just a few websites:

www.tallgrassbeef.com

www.beyondorganicgrassfedbeef.com/

www.organicgrassfedbeef.com

www.lacensebeef.com/

Listen...it is expensive. But if you're like me, you don't have beef every day. And once you taste grass-fed beef, you won’t go back to what you’ve been eating!

Sid Wainer & Son, a huge specialty foods supplier in New Bedford, supplying as many as 23,000 restaurants on a daily basis in North America, is a fun trip for any foodie. On Saturdays, they open up their 2 kitchens located in their retail store, and they cook up a storm, using the very same ingredients they sell. You can walk around and sample as much as you want for free...and in many cases, recipe cards are available for the dishes they serve. They also have a large refrigerated cheese room, and an equally large refrigerated produce room. There's a lot of unusual fruits and vegetables on display that you won't find in your average supermarket, and their supply of fresh mushrooms: blue trumpets, hedgehogs and morels (when I was there)...is pretty amazing. In many cases, the prices are not much of a bargain, but they've got a lot of hard-to-find items that you won't find anywhere else.

The terms "organic" or "organically grown" indicate that the food has been produced without synthetic pesticides and also without synthetic fertilizers and certain other chemicals that are common in conventional, "industrialized" agriculture. Food labeled "certified organic" has been independently verified to be produced to organic standards. The term "pesticide-free" has no precise meaning, and foods with that label may be any of several types. Some may have been grown without pesticides, similar to organically grown foods, but not grown organically in other ways. Some might have been tested before they reach the market and certified to contain no detectable pesticide residues.

Unfortunately, none of these labels guarantees that the food contains no pesticide residues. While synthetic pesticides are prohibited in organic farming, some "natural" pesticides may still be used, and they are not necessarily less worrisome just because they're "natural." Some organic food may also be contaminated at low levels with pesticides blown in from adjacent farms or left in the soil from past use. "Pesticide-free" foods have the same problems, and even if tested for residues, they may contain pesticides below the detection limits of the tests used or ones not on the relatively short list of pesticides that the analysis tests for. But despite these caveats, organically grown foods generally do contain significantly lower pesticide residues than do conventionally grown foods, and foods with "no pesticides" claims often have more residues than organic foods but less than conventionally grown ones.

“Here’s to alcohol…the cause of, and the cure for, all of life’s problems!”  Homer Simpson

I think I got that quote right! Here are some spirits I've sampled lately...
 

Luksusowa Vodka: A favorite of my pal, Jen, from Milk and Honey Bazaar in Tiverton, I decided to try this one for myself. What makes it interesting is that it's a potato vodka. The taste is good: smooth, finishes a bit hot (which I like!) and I enjoyed the difference in flavor from grain vodkas. And at about $16 a bottle, it's cheap. (Luksusowa means "luxurious" in Polish.) But what's most interesting is the history of vodka found on the label. Vodka is a Polish invention, not Russian, as most people might think. And the Russians never made vodka from potatoes, only grain. The Polish have a great history of vodka-making, and some of the best vodkas out there, in my opinion, are Polish: Belvedere and Chopin, to name two.

Zubrowka: pronounced zub-rufka...is a Polish vodka distilled from rye. That already gives it an unusual taste. But then they add a tincture made from Bison grass, a wild grass that grows in the forests of Poland and Eastern Europe. The grass is the reason for the drink's particular taste, yellowish color and aroma. Growing up in a Lithuanian family, my parents always had a bottle of this stuff on hand at home, to be used for "medicinal purposes." Sometimes they would simply get the bison grass, place it in a bottle of Stoly, and let it steep for a few weeks. Real Zubrowka contains coumarin, a compound that was banned in the United States in 1978. (Coumarin causes mild damage to the kidneys and liver--hey, so does alcohol!) So the stuff out there on the shelves today is nothing like the stuff I had sips of as a kid.

Sortilege: a delicious liqueur made from Canadian whiskey and maple syrup. At first, the whiskey taste hits your mouth. Then, in a moment, it's smoothed out by the syrup, finishing with a delicious sweetness. I could've easily polished off the relatively small bottle in one sitting...thinking about how good it would be on pancakes or ice cream. Alas, it's not inexpensive...but worth it for a special night.

An ounce of prevention
 

Have you heard of milk thistle? It's a flowering herb native to the Mediterranean region, and has been used for thousands of years as a remedy for a variety of ailments, especially liver problems. My buddy Lee, who has a PhD in chemistry, told me about studies where people who ate poisonous mushrooms were given milk thistle and it significantly helped their livers in the removal of toxins.

So what does this mean? Well...we figured that if it can remove toxins from the liver, it certainly can’t hurt to take some when you're doing some serious drinking.

I try to get the best quality milk thistle I can...with the purest concentrations of silymarin, the biologically active part of the herb. Obviously, the better quality milk thistle you buy, the more you will pay...but you can find it just about anywhere...even the pharmacy section of WalMart.

I take one at the start of my evening of drinking...another at the end of my night...I drink plenty of water...and the next morning, I wake up with no hangover! And I've used it at times when I've mixed drinks, had lots of red wine...basically when I've done all the wrong things that usually guarantee a horrible experience the next morning.

It's pretty amazing to me how difficult it is to find really good Asian food in this area. Sure, if you want chow mein and flourescent red ribs while you play Keno, you've got many choices. And oh, boy…nothing like an all you can eat buffet!

It’s enough to make you barf like Yoko Ono. But really good Asian cuisine is hard to find. Here are my favorites...

Apasara Palace, Providence, RI: This is the one on the east side, on Hope St. They serve Chinese, Vietnamese Cambodian and Thai cuisine. But it's their Thai food that really rocks. The best Nim Chow (a cold spring roll with shrimp and mint with a great dipping sauce) and Pad Thai anywhere, this side of Thailand. BYOB. www.apsara-palace.com

Lucky Garden, North Providence, RI: They serve Szechuan and Hunan style cuisine. Also Dim Sum on weekends and holidays. But the secret here is to skip the regular menu and ask for the Hong Kong menu. You'll be chowin' on tastes you won't find anywhere else. Try the house special pork with preserved mustard, pork that just melts in your mouth… and the szechuan shrimp Hong Kong style. www.luckyandpearl.com

Mu Mu Cuisine, Providence, RI: You would never think of looking for an Asian restaurant smack dab in the center of Federal Hill, but that’s where this place is, just a stone’s throw from dePasquale Square. All the standards are here, but the dishes to try are the Prawn in Silky Cream with Walnuts, with hints of citrus in a light mayonnaise sauce and roasted walnuts…and the whole fish with sichuan sauce, lightly battered, crisp-fried and served with a lightly spicy tomato-based sauce. (Yes, it comes with the head and tail still on it. Last time I saw a fish, that’s how they look. Get over it and eat it!) Start with the Chicken creamy corn soup, sort of a mild “Chinese chowder” and grab some Xiao Long Bao (steamy soupy dumplings) as an appetizer. It comes with a tart dipping sauce spiked with shreds of lemon grass. Share a Scorpion Bowl (they come as large as 70 ounces!) and you’ve got a perfect meal.

Thai Taste, Swansea, MA: just around the corner from the Swansea Mall, off Rt 6, they serve many of the classic Thai dishes. But my favorite is their fried whole red snapper with a ginger sauce. When I can’t get to Providence for Asian food, this place satisfies my cravings.

Solomon's Market, Benefit St, Providence, RI: It's not a market. It was a market, and they decided to leave the sign. But once you step inside, you'll find really great authentic Korean food, cooked right behind the deli counter that still stands in the restaurant. Just a few tables, and they're often full of college students, since the prices are low and the portions are large. It's BYOB, but there's a booze store next door.

For sushi, I’ve been to Ten Prime Steak and Sushi in Providence. It’s just OK. I’ve been to Sakura in Providence. It’s OK. But I haven’t been to Haruki, and I’ve been told I have to go. I will do that and report back soon.

 GET COOKIN'!
Some of my favorite cookbooks

Barbecued Ribs, Smoked Butts and Other Great Feeds, by Jeanne Voltz: I consider this my “Bible of Barbecue.” The chapters are devided by meats (pork, beef, lamb, etc) and there are many sauce recipes to choose from. Also a great guide to basic grilling techniques.

The Chinese Cookbook, by Craig Claiborne and Virginia Lee: Other than a few drawings, this book is just packed with great information about the history and techniques of Chinese cooking. Written in 1972, before we were able to find everything on the internet, it seemed almost impossible forthe home chef to find any of the ingredients needed unless they had an Asian store in the neighborhood. Now, with the internet, it’s easy…and these dishes are as authentic as they come.

Cooking with Chefs and Baking with Julia: As a kid, I watched Julia Child’s cooking show with my Mom. Many years ago, we got to interview her on WHJY and I met her at Roger Williams Casino for a book signing. She was a really sweet woman that had earned the respect of many classically-trained chefs from around the world. “Cooking with Chefs” is a book that has Julia cooking with some of those world-famous chefs, giving their favorite recipes. (Their was a PBS show based on the book.) And “Baking with Julia” is a great book for anyone trying to learn the often difficult techniques needed to master the art of baking. I now bake a wicked good galette.

Louisiana Real and Rustic, by Emeril Lagasse: This is one of Emeril’s earliest cookbooks and one of his best. Before TV celebrity-dome took over his life, he was a hard-working young chef from Fall River making a name for himself in Louisiana. This book features his takes on some classic Cajun and Creole dishes.

Marcella’s Italian Cookbook: Marcella Hazan is an authority on Italian cooking, and she’s got tons of cookbooks out there. But this is the first one I ever bought and still the one I refer to when I’m trying to create a special Italian dish at home. It’s not big on fancy glossy photos…but it is big on solid information. And it has the best recipe for Fettucini Alfredo ever.

Martin Yan’s Feast, by Martin Yan: Martin Yan has been cooking on TV with his popular PBS show for many years. This book is basically his “Best Of.” He takes favorite Asian dishes and puts his own twist on them. The result is delicious Asian food you can easily make at home yourself.

Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen: This guy was probably Emeril’s biggest competition in New Orleans before Emeril became a Food Network star and took off. Paul Prudhomme’s dishes are real Louisiana…and I use this book a lot when I’m preparing authentic dishes for my annual Mardi Gras party. There’s a kick-ass potato salad in this book that will knock your socks off, using black pepper, white pepper, and cayenne! Whoooo-weeee!

Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux? Marcelle Bienvenu in many ways was the woman that made Emeril Lagasse the star he is today. She helped him write many of his early cookbooks, and one gets the idea that she probably had a bigger hand in it than Emeril did. This book features many great recipes from her upbringing in southern Louisiana. It’s a simple, plastic-bound book that’s hard to find, but worth the search if you’re interested in real cajun and creole cuisine.

GO GO GADGETS! 

I think Julia Child once said that the two greatest inventions for the kitchen were the food processor and the rubber spatula. I’d have to agree, although I’d upgrade the rubber spatula to the silicone spatula now. Rubber melts at high heat, and silicone is now being used to make everything from spatulas to cookie sheet liners to basters to oven-safe pot handles.

Other cool gadgets I use all the time:

A zester/grater. Many marinades call for lemon or some other citrus juice. The zest from the fruit (that would be the outside peel without any of the white pith beneath it) contains a ton of oils that add incredible flavor to your dishes. If you’re serious about barbecue or Asian food, a zester should be part of your arsenal. There are many kinds, but I prefer the Microplane zester listed here: www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=135144

It removes the zest, but leaves the rest! I prefer a fine grating of zest (like for my pancake recipe, see below) so it  blends into foods, rather than leaving you spitting out pieces later on. This utensil does just that.

Redi-Check remote cooking thermometer: This thing rocks! You stick the probe in your slab of meat, throw the meat in the barbecue grill, and it calls you when the meat is done to the exact temperature you desire! You carry a pager with you that beeps when your meat is done, from as far as 100’ away. And it has 2 probes, so you can set 2 different cuts of meat at 2 different temperatures. Great in the wintertime, when you don’t want to be standing outside by the grill, freezing your ass off. www.target.com/Redi-Check-Remote-Cooking-Thermometer/dp/B0000AQL24/sr=1-7/qid=1207088242/ref=sr_1_7/602-1951120-5887825?ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k%3Ameat%20thermometer&page=1

Lemon squeezer: Cut the lemon in half, put a half in the squeezer, and