Recipe for Healthy Kids Contest

Last month I joined “Chefs Move to Schools” and teamed up with the Boys & Girls Club of Venice, California – and Venice High School. I did this with the goal of entering the Recipe for Healthy Kids Contest. These images are of the tasting events that we did at the Boys & Girls Club of Venice, California. In addition to developing recipes for the contest, I am also assisting the Boys and Girls Club in developing a healthy menu of snacks for their upcoming “Beat Café,” which will serve as an alternative to unhealthy fast-food choices. The menu will consist of high-protein foods – foods that contain nutritional elements that promote not only good body health, but also good brain health. Stay tuned for further news of this exciting and inspirational adventure!

(By the way, you can click each image to get a close-up and a readable view of the recipe!)

Coffee, My Favorite Form of Time Travel

Every morning, long before my family awakens, I travel through time. A cup of coffee is my vessel.

On one morning, I travel to Rego Park, in Queens, New York. The year is 1966. I am sitting at the counter of a luncheonette called “The Hamburger Train.” The aroma of fresh brewed coffee wafts throughout the noisy coffee shop, while I await the arrival of my charbroiled burger, which comes to me perched atop a train car called the “Clubcar.”

I am too young to drink coffee, but the combination of brew and burger leave a strong olfactory memory impression in a child’s mind. I think to myself,”It doesn’t get better than this.”

On some mornings, I travel to a small airport. My father and I are waiting for the weather to lift so that we can continue on our adventure in his Cessna aircraft. We share cups of coffee and conversation in the airport lounge. We talk about future travels, and again, I am thinking…“It doesn’t get better than this.”

One recent morning, over a cup of MoJo Roast Viking Thunder, my thoughts transformed me to the top deck of a 100’ motor yacht called “The Islander.” The year is 1989 and we are in a 6” sea, heading for St. Bart’s from St.Thomas, in the Virgin Islands. I am on caffeine high and feeling the ocean spray on my face. A school of dolphins kisses the hull as seagulls sing from above. And…once again, I am thinking…“It doesn’t get better than this.”

This morning, I traveled into the future. It is year 2014 and I am on the sleepy Central Coast town of Los Osos, California. In a bayfront cottage, I am sipping MoJo Roast whilst gazing out the bay window that overlooks a bird sanctuary. I catch a glimpse of Morro Rock in the distance. The summer sun plays a dance upon the tall pines. I can faintly hear the sound of my husband’s lathe spinning in his workshop; my son is at the water’s edge, walking our bull terrier. And, yes, again, I am thinking…“It doesn’t get better than this.”

And…just as I am in the midst of that reverie, I find myself suddenly transformed back to the here and now – gazing out the window of my Marina del Rey kitchen, where I am brewing a fresh pot of coffee to serve with my family’s breakfast. As the enticingly rich aroma of brewing coffee wafts across the kitchen space, I yet again find myself thinking…“It doesn’t get better than this.”

Thank you, MoJo Roast, for transporting me in time and place – and for being a comforting and reliable companion.

Fighting the Greater Depression

"Depression Glass" (also referred to as "the poor man's Tiffany")

Even though little is written or portrayed on the Food Network, we are in the middle of a food crisis similar to that of the Great Depression. Whether directly affected by hunger or not, economic hardship is ever-present on most Americans’ minds. We are either experiencing it, fearing it, and concerned about loved ones who are dealing with it.

During times of hardship, those of us in the kitchen have to be very creative in order to provide wholesome sustenance. During the Great Depression, food costs (including sugar) were much lower than they are today. Americans began to consume a great deal more sugar, as it was a relatively inexpensive commodity and it satisfied their hunger cravings. I suspect that this trend has persisted and is a significant factor in our current problems with excessive food consumption and our current obesity epidemic. It was during the Great Depression that foods began to become over-processed, and increasingly less nutritious. Back in those days, food was relatively inexpensive. A cost-conscious cook could therefore stretch the budget while still being able to serve a fairly well-balanced meal. Today, however, prices have risen to the point where “a chicken in every pot” is not even possible - at least not a healthy chicken. Today, one egg costs roughly the same amount as a dozen eggs cost during the Great Depression. It is therefore not surprising that the relatively inexpensive ingredients (sugar, salt, and refined flour) are ubiquitous elements in most processed foods.

There is a silent revolution at the table. We are bombarded with advertising for “cheap food” that is full of GMO ingredients, preservatives, flavor enhancers, high sugar content, and refined carbohydrates. What I find disturbing is the wholesome looking packaging for these products – which is deceptive.

Not unlike the Great Depression, our present economy is forcing us to rethink what we are serving at the table. We are sometimes forced to make unhealthy choices because of our limited budgets. At the same time, we also are sometimes forced to engage in protein stretching, substitutions and making do with less. As was the case during the Great Depression, we find ourselves returning to the “take only what you need” paradigm, as we did during the Great Depression. Of course, this does have its plus side, since by being careful about our food intake, we can help ourselves gain control of medical conditions that are associated with excessive food intake – such as diabetes and heart disease.

And there is another plus side...limited resources can push us to be more creative. One way to make the dining experience more pleasant: An inviting table setting. Folks understood this during the Great Depression, which led to the production of attractive AND affortable tableware, which was called "depression glass" (see above).

So...these difficult times do not necessarily mean total sacrifice. But we DO need to “think outside the box” in developing menus for our families. Back in the 40’s creative cooks made sugarless cakes, eggless cakes and meatless meals. They planted “victory gardens” for their fresh fruit and vegetables. At that point in our history, convenience foods had not yet taken hold. Now, however, we find ourselves struggling to avoid the unhealthy (and often cheap) convenience foods, as we strive to return to the days of healthier “cooking from scratch.”

With the current trend toward emphasizing proteins and reducing carbs (especially refined carbs), we have the added challenge of considering the relatively higher cost this engenders. Ideally, we should be consuming things like free range meat and poultry, high-quality fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Furthermore, we are best served when we consume organically grown ingredients. Unfortunately, few of us can afford to take this type of approach. As a client once said to me, “We can’t all live in Brentwood.” In our current food crisis, only the very well-to-do – and some farmers – are able to do this. For the rest of us, the best we can hope for is to make well-informed choices based upon what our budgets allow. So, can we eat healthfully and enjoy satisfying meals while staying within our budgets? YES – WE CAN – with a little help. In my upcoming blogs, I will show you how to effectively purchase ingredients that are nutritious and flavorful but won’t break the bank. Look for detailed budget-recipes and tips for finding the right sources for purchasing the ingredients.

We Must Pay Attention to the Purity of our Food!

As you may be aware, there is a class action suit against many of the market brands of “extra Virgin” olive oil. The Olive Center at UC Davis did some testing that showed that some of these oils were adulterated with other types of oil. The study, published in July 2010, reflected that “…69 percent of imported olive oil samples and 10 percent of California olive oil samples labeled as extra virgin olive oil failed to meet the IOC/USDA sensory (organoleptic) standards for extra virgin olive oil. The Australian sensory panel found that each of these samples scored a median of up to 3.5 sensory defects such as rancid, fusty, and musty and were classified at the lower grade of 'virgin.' Sensory defects are indicators that these samples are oxidized, of poor quality, and/or adulterated with cheaper refined oils.”

The class-action lawsuit plaintiffs include famous chefs, famous restaurants and home cooking enthusiasts. The defendants named in the lawsuit include 10 major olive oil brands, including Bertolli, Filippo Berio, Carapelli, Star, Colavita, Mezzetta, Pompeian, Rachael Ray, Mazolla and Safeway Select. The lawsuit also names 10 retailers and supermarkets, including Bristol Farms, Gelson's Markets, Vons/Pavilions, Ralphs, Stater Brothers, Albertson's Market, Target, Wal-mart, Kmart and Nob Hill Foods.

This “swindling” by the common brands, is an insult to our wallets and to our health. Adulterated oil is not traceable; therefore we have no idea what we are consuming. Is the “Virgin oil” blended with GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) canola, or corn oil? When your dietitian or doctor advises you to adopt the Mediterranean diet, does she know that the Extra Virgin Olive oil that you were adding to your daily diet is actually not pure olive-based oil – and could be bad for your health?

The craft of food fraud goes way back; it’s nothing new. Accum’s Treatise on Adulteration in food was written in 1822 - and complaints of watered-down wine date back to the ancient Romans. Products have been watered down, substituted, padded, sold underweight, mislabeled, and degraded throughout history. My observation is that nothing has really changed. It won’t be long before your sugar bag will read “sugar” but the source will not be from sugar cane – but instead from GMO beets. You almost need a science degree along with an investigator’s license to shop the supermarket aisles. You can’t even trust buying from the “outer aisles” anymore.

Let’s face it - the large food manufacturers caused a deterioration of what we used to know as food. With their mass-marketing campaigns, we are duped into thinking that what we are buying is real. This horrific state of affairs is worsening to the extent that even the most aware and sophisticated consumer may find herself with contaminated and/or adulterated ingredients.

My job as a private chef is becoming increasingly more focused on identifying and procuring products that I know are pure and health. There is actually a term that is used for a person whose entire function is devoted to this type of work in restaurant industry: “food forager.” I can understand why people who can afford it will hire a full-time private chef who does not actually even step foot into the kitchen. This particular position exclusively involves procuring the highest quality (and safe) ingredients, which are then prepared by the kitchen chef. We have all been reminded of the importance contamination-free foods, given the recent salmonella outbreak that caused the recall of millions of eggs across the country. If I could afford it, I would want to hire a food forager for my family…wouldn’t you?

As today’s consumers, the best we can do is to read labels carefully. Buy as much organic as possible, know the source, and try to purchase from companies that have INTEGRITY. If you are interested in exploring the GMO issue further, please see my website at this link:

http://junepagan.com/foodforthought.aspx

Then scroll down to: 4. Food Additives - What You Don't Know Could Actually Hurt You.

Recall of Romaine Lettuce due to Health Risks

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm219057.htm

The above link will take you directly to the FDA website. Now then...about the recall...how scary is that? A commonly used lettuce in the preparation of Caesar Salad, a common dish that graces many a table. How scary that the unsuspecting public puts their lives at risk at the dinner table. It’s outrageous, if you ask me. We’re not talking about Salmonella, here, not that a case of Salmonella is much fun!

This is why I have chosen to obtain as much of my produce as possible at the local farmer’s markets for my family and clients. If I have to purchase store-bought produce, I research the source; to be sure it is from a certified organic farm. I wash it carefully, even if the package reads “pre-washed.” I know that ultimately, it is the responsibility of the cook in every household to be aware of the changes in our food supply; to purchase the cleanest products out there; and to handle them with care, to avoid promoting unhealthy bacteria growth.

Many of my “tricks of the trade” as a private chef are not shared with my clients. I rarely explain to them why I choose to use a particular product. My search for authentic ingredients goes unnoticed for the most part, until the food reaches the palate. As with the umami approach, the person tasting knows that the flavor is real and satiating but they are not sure why. It begins with searching for clean food and the cooking process eventually causes it to its final state. When asked, I often tell people, “I play with fire for a living.”

Not long ago, I picked up a client that was having digestive problems. The family housekeeper was preparing their daily meals in addition to cleaning house. I was called in to teach her some basics but I was actually there to observe her kitchen habits. I saw her make quite a few unsanitary and unhealthy choices, in the privacy of the kitchen. It didn’t surprise me that people were getting mildly ill. Very often, mild cases of food poisoning mimic the symptoms of flu, and they usually pass without the need of medical attention.
My question is: Why would anyone want to run the risk of exposure to begin with?

If you can afford to hire a professional private chef, you reduce your risk of food poisoning tenfold. A conscientious chef will make your health a priority. If you cannot afford a professional, then consider having your housekeeper take a basic course in food handling. It could save your life.

A Visit to Dino’s Garden

Yesterday, I visited an old friend of mine in San Pedro. He is old-world food purveyor from Sardinia. We talked about Italian food and flavor. We walked through his garden and tasted tiny yellow cherry tomatoes, fava beans, parsley, and Salvia (also known as Bergarten Sage, a velvety gray green leaf picked from a billowing evergreen bush). A member of the mint family, Salvia is a common Mediterranean kitchen herb that is often overlooked here in the American kitchen. Dino’s sage was brought over from Italy, as seed.

Salvia (which means “to save” or “to heal”) has an earthy warm aroma and a slight peppery flavor, which I love to use in so many dishes. The flavor is a mix of rosemary, pine, mint and citrus. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when considering Sage as an element in your menu:

Sage works very well with grilled meats and vegetables

Sage is added to brown butter to garnish pumpkin ravioli or gnocchi

The flavor of sage matches up well to Fontina Cheese

Country Sausage with Gravy - especially turkey - needs sage

Sage can be tastefully added to cheese straws or scones

Try adding to roast potatoes

Sage compliments a saltimbocca of beef or chicken made with Provolone and Prosciutto

Let me point out that Sage is known to be an excellent aid in the digestion of heavy and/or fatty foods. I decide to recreate dish that I used to make during my early days as restaurant chef. I was working at Chianti, an Italian Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. There, I learned how to make a dish called Chicken Scapariello (which we called “Chicken Scap”). Although my updated version is not the classic preparation with sausage and cherry peppers, this sage-infused version worked beautifully.

Correction from The Vanilla Queen on my Vanilla blog

A couple of details regarding vanilla that weren't accurate. Vanilla is never factory farmed. The largest farms might be 20 - 30 hectares; most are 1 or 2 hectares -- about five acres maximum. Vanilla is not planted from seed. They plant cuttings that are trellised up trees, cement posts, or something else to hold them in place. They must have shade from the sun. Vanilla is a very ecologically sustainable crop.

The reason we're losing pure vanilla is because the corporations are using imitation vanilla or the spent ground vanilla beans from the extraction process and calling the products "pure." Prices are extremely low. As vanilla is the most labor-intensive crop in the world, the farmers can't afford to grow it when they get paid so little.

What happened in 2002 is that many of the farmers had torn up their crops because they couldn't afford to keep growing it. Then there were two hurricanes that took out 30% of the Madagascar crop. Mexico had a major flood and Sumatra had a drought. There wasn't enough vanilla.

Everyone planted, of course, when they saw how much vanilla was selling for. There was a glut on the market and the prices collapsed in late 2004/early 2005. Since then the prices have been rock bottom again.

When the farmers can't make enough for their vanilla, they often overpollinate the flowers (and each is hand pollinated) in an effort to make up in volume what they've lost in price. By doing this it stresses the plants. Do it two years in a row and the fusarium, which is in the soil all the time, attacks the weakened plants and kills them. A plantation can be wiped out in a matter of weeks when this happens and the soil must be rested and not used for several years.

If we go into another crisis, the big corporations feel prepared this time and will simply substitute the newer generation of imitation vanilla; some never went back to the pure after the last crisis. And what concerns me is that the public will grow accustomed to the flavor of imitation and won't care that it isn't pure. If the prices continue to be low for the farmers they'll shift to another crop and eventually few, if any, farmers will grow vanilla.

All this is to say, factory farming had nothing to do with it; it's largely about corporate greed yet again!

A World Without Vanilla

I can’t begin to imagine a world without the scent of vanilla. It would be like Spring without flowers or rain with no hope of eventual sunshine and the smell of fresh grass.

Where would peach pie, cupcakes, pudding and angel cake be without vanilla - that sensual aromatic that lures us into sugar consumption? If you have ever smelled crystallized sugar, you have noticed that by itself, it has very little scent. The alchemy of combined sugar and vanilla emerges via the baking process. Exposed to heat, these two elements exude the seductive scent of carmelization, enveloped in an irresistible floral perfume. Can we really be sure that it was the apple that tempted Adam and Eve?

As I have journeyed through this culinary world, I have noticed that with increased frequency, many of our foods are lacking in flavor. A combination of factors have played a role in this, the most prominent one being factory farming. It saddens me even more to realize that our children may be denied the precious experience of savoring the true flavors of real food. For example, my favorite variety of corn, “Silver Queen,” no longer exists, according to the Slow Food organization. Yet, its distinctive flavor continues to linger in my taste memory. Another of my vivid taste memories is of lobster in Bar Harbor, Maine, picked up amongst the seaweed washed ashore from a broken trap after a winter storm. In contrast to that vivid memory, there is hardly a shadow of such flavor in lifeless lobster that comes to us from a supermarket tank. I search in vain for the flavor and texture of a crisp McIntosh apple pulled right off the branch; or a Kathadan potato roasted in a wood fire. And now I worry about my beloved vanilla, the aromatic pleasure that floats out of a plump oily black Tahitian vanilla bean…ah, so fresh and happy in its perfume. But let me move on, for such talk is causing me to feel depressed.

Occasionally, I will explore local “trendy” bakeshops to taste what the bakers are producing. I often ask what type of vanilla is being used in the baking process. More often than not, I am shocked to learn that the baker has simply gone with the cheapest vanilla available. It saddens me that many bakers put cost ahead of quality.

I always try to obtain the very best ingredients for my baking projects. Regardless of a baker’s skill and talent, the end result will only be as good as the ingredients that are used. And, given the alchemy that takes place when vanilla and sugar merge together, why would anyone want to skimp on the vanilla? I am constantly reminded of the prescient words of Alan Watts, who warned us in his chapter, “Murder in the Kitchen,” that the integrity of our food ingredients was in danger – and that was some forty years ago!

As a private chef, I sometimes have had to struggle with clients, who balk at the cost of certain ingredients. The process of becoming blasé about flavor is an insidious one. Over time, our collective taste buds have become increasingly accustomed to flavorless cardboard that giant food factories manufacture. And when we can no longer appreciate the difference, cost has succeeded in a leverage buy-out of our taste sensation.

I suspect that few people know that vanilla was almost wiped off the face of the earth, due to a blight that was not unlike the phylloxera scare of 19th France, which almost wiped out Bordeaux’s wine grapes. In the case of vanilla, it appears to have been over-production (caused by factory-style farming) that almost caused its demise. The orchid seeds were planted too close together, creating an opportunity for a voracious fungus that destroyed nearly eighty percent of the Vanilla crops in Madagascar.

We can only hope that this blight has been successfully eradicated, because it is hard to imagine a world without vanilla.

To obtain the very highest quality vanilla – from a socially conscious and highly knowledgeable purveyor - visit the website of Patricia Rain (the “Vanilla Queen”): www.vanilla.com. Patricia Rain is THE authority on vanilla. At her website, you will find the finest vanilla available, as well as an excellent repository of trusted information.

Sugar – How to Cut Back Without Losing Out on Flavor

There is no doubt that refined sugars (and flours) of today, are the transfats of yesterday.

How can we wean ourselves and our families off excessive sugar without sacrificing our enjoyment of foods?

The answer: We can do so by 1) Gradually replacing refined sugars with healthier alternatives (such as honey and organic cane sugar in lesser amounts), over an extended period of time; and 2) Gradually reducing the total daily amount of sugar intake. Most of us have an emotional attachment to sweet flavors that goes back to infancy – really, it’s a type of addiction – that is primal. Those of us who are emotional eaters (and who also tend to crave refined carbs) could benefit by learning how to substitute healthier alternatives without sacrificing the satisfaction we all enjoy from sweet flavors.

Believe it or not, after a few weeks of reduced sugar intake, you will find that your palate is actually offended by overly sweetened foods. (By the way, the same rule applies to salt but we will write about that later.)

Let’s start with hydration and beverages. Aside from water, many of us drink flavored waters and “grab and go” items such boxed juice products. Many of these products claim to have switched from high fructose corn syrup to cane sugar. A close examination of the ingredient, however, will often reveal that the switch is actually to genetically modified beet sugar. Cane sugar is relatively expensive; therefore most producers will avoid using real cane sugar as the sweetening agent.

Let’s face it: The flavored beverage industry is BIG Business. Train yourself to look at the labels and become informed about the actual amounts of sugar being used. You are liable to be shocked at what you discover.

I recently picked up some beautiful tangelos (a cross between tangerine and grapefruit). I squeezed a cup of juice out of the two tangelos, sweetened it with a little simple syrup (made with organic cane sugar). It turns out that very little added sugar was needed, due to the inherent sweetness of the tangelo juice. I only had to add 2 tablespoons and 2 two tablespoons of water to make the simple syrup. After blending, I added 1 quart of filtered water to the mix and set it in the refrigerator. My 12-year-old son drank the “tangelo-aide,” finishing the entire quart in one evening. It felt good to know that he was consuming a clean beverage, with low sugar - and the right sugar. It also felt good to know that I was weaning him off of heavy sugar consumption without him being aware of any sacrifice. As an added benefit, he was increasing his intake of water. In a few weeks, his taste buds will fully adjust and he will actually prefer the subtle sweetness over the overly sweetened commercial products.

I have found that the same principle applies to the use of sugars and flours in baking. For example, I recently made a batch of chocolate chip banana muffins. I altered the ingredients just a little, to enrich the muffin with added nutrition - without significantly affecting the flavor profile. I added sweet whey and a little whole grain to the batter. I increased the banana component and boosted the flavor with just a little more vanilla than usual. I added 70% European mini-sized chocolate chips, which were dispersed throughout the muffin, providing an evenness of chocolate flavor. After all of this, I baked them off, being careful not to over-bake them, producing a moist result.

When the banana muffins came out of the oven, my son came running into the kitchen, to have a taste. The aroma of a freshly baked “sweet” had been beckoning him for over twenty minutes. He actually tore himself away from a videogame – a good sign indeed. He quickly grabbed a muffin and starting eating it, exclaiming, “Wow, mom, these are really good! I like these muffins; they are now my favorite muffins. Can I have another?”

After such a reception, I decided to taste one myself, in order to “store” the favor in my taste memory. (Did you know that flavor experiences can indeed be “stored” in the brain for a lifetime, and that you can actually experience taste memories? For example, how many of us can remember the experience of being in grandma’s kitchen while cookies are baking, if he happen to catch a whiff the same aroma, decades later.)

So, I bit into that banana chocolate chip muffin and quickly realized that I hadn’t added sugar to the mix, not even cane sugar! I sat and watched my son consume a second muffin and realized, at that moment my effort to wean him from excessive sugar consumption actually working – albeit in a subtle way. It brings me a good feeling, knowing that these efforts to reduce sugar intake will improve the quality of life for my clients, my family, and, of course - for me!



Recipe for Banana Bread

4 ripe bananas, mashed
½ cup (or less) cane sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose organic flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup European chocolate chips

Blend wet ingredients, then combine dry ingredients; each group separately. Then mix both groups together. Pour mixture into a loaf pan or cupcake mold. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes/one large loaf cake. Option: For additional nutritional value and enhanced flavor, consider adding raisins, chopped macadamia nuts, shredded coconut, or walnuts.

I am doing a special workshop to benefit Star Prep Academy

I have put together a special workshop for an upcoming auction to benefit Star Prep Academy. The Star Prep Academy is an extraordinary private middle & high school for students who seek an individualized approach to learning, based on their desired areas of specialization. It is located within the internationally award-winning STAR ECO Station, an environmental science museum and exotic wildlife rescue center. I am thrilled to be able to have the opportunity to participate in fundraising for this excellent school.

By the way, I have posted workshop excerpts on my Youtube page, which you will find here: www.youtube.com/junepagan

Secrets of Healthy Gourmet Cooking
Workshop by June Pagan, Private Chef

Small Class Size (6 students, face-to-face approach)
4 hours course
Price: $100.00
Hours: 2-6PM
Date: A Sunday afternoon, to be arranged
Location: Marina Del Rey, CA
Instructor: June Pagan, Los Angeles private chef since 1985

www.junepagan.com
310.823.0929 office
310.832.0509 cell
e-mail: junepagan@verizon.net

The purpose of this workshop is to teach the student how to deliver simple, healthy and flavorful meals to their family and friends. I will describe my work as a private chef, while demonstrating specialized dishes that I have prepared for my clients over the years. I have developed hundreds of specialty dishes that satisfy the most discerning palate, while promoting good health and weight control. You will enjoy tasting some of the dishes that I have prepared for Al Pacino, Elizabeth Taylor, Eddie Murphy, Prince, Aaron Spelling, and Pia Zadora. Some of the dishes that we will be preparing are:

Echoes of the Great Depression - Going Back to Basics

Even though little is written or portrayed on the Food Network, we are in the middle of a food crisis similar to that of the Great Depression. Whether directly affected by hunger or not, economic hardship is ever-present in most Americans’ minds. We are either experiencing it, fearing it, and concerned about loved ones who are dealing with it.

During times of hardship, those of us in the kitchen have to be very creative in order to provide wholesome sustenance. During the Great Depression, food costs (including sugar) were much lower than they are today. Americans began to consume a great deal more sugar, as it was a relatively inexpensive commodity and it satisfied their hunger cravings. I suspect that this trend has persisted and is a significant factor in our current problems with excessive food consumption and our current obesity epidemic. It during the Great Depression that foods began to become over-processed, and increasingly less nutritious. Back in those days, food was relatively inexpensive. A cost-conscious cook could therefore stretch the budget while still being able to serve a fairly well-balanced meal. Today, however, prices have risen to the point where “a chicken in every pot” is not even possible - at least not a healthy chicken.

Today, one egg costs roughly the same amount as a dozen eggs cost during the Great Depression. It is therefore not surprising that the relatively inexpensive ingredients (sugar, salt, and refined flour are ubiquitous elements in most processed foods.

Today, there is a silent revolution at the table. We are bombarded with advertising for “cheap food” that is full of GMO ingredients, preservatives, flavor enhancers, high sugar content, and refined carbohydrates. What I find disturbing is the wholesome looking packaging for these products – which is deceptive.

Not unlike the Great Depression, our present economy is forcing us to rethink what we are serving at the table. We are sometimes forced to make unhealthy choices because of our limited budgets. At the same time, we also are sometimes forced to engage in protein stretching, substitutions and making do with less. As was the case during the Great Depression, we find ourselves returning to the “take only what you need” paradigm, as we did during the Great Depression. Of course does have its plus side, since by being careful about our food intake, we can help ourselves gain control of medical conditions that are associated with excessive food intake – such as diabetes and heart disease.

This does not mean total sacrifice. What it DOES mean is that we need to “think outside the box” in developing menus for our families. Back in the 40’s creative cooks made sugarless cakes, eggless cakes and meatless meals. They planted “victory gardens” for their fresh fruit and vegetables. At that point in our history, convenience foods had not yet taken hold. Now, however, we find ourselves struggling to avoid the unhealthy (and often cheap) convenience foods, as we strive to return to the days of healthier “cooking from scratch.”

With the current trend toward emphasizing proteins and reducing carbs (especially refined carbs), we have the added challenge of considering the relatively higher cost this engenders. Ideally, we should be consuming things like grassfed beef, high-quality fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Furthermore, we are best served when we consume organically grown ingredients. Unfortunately, few of us can afford to take this type of approach. As a client once said to me, “We can’t all live in Brentwood.” In our current food crisis, only the very well-to-do – and some farmers – are able to do this. For the rest of us, the best we can hope for is to make well-informed choices based upon what our budgets allow. So, can we eat healthfully and enjoy satisfying meals while staying within our budgets? YES – WE CAN – with a little help. In my upcoming blogs, I will show you how to effectively purchase ingredients that are nutritious and flavorful but won’t break the bank. Look for detailed budget-recipes and tips for finding the right sources for purchasing the ingredients.

The “Zen Kitchen”

For six years, I collected an executive chef’s salary cooking for a high profile couple. My job was to create tasty but healthful cuisine for them, keeping their weight and cholesterol at a healthy level.

I prepared my style of cooking called “Clean Cuisine,” a discipline that I developed over a 25 year period of study and training. My employer referred to my kitchen as the “Zen Kitchen.” I was a little perplexed by this moniker at first. I knew that I wasn’t cooking Shojin Cuisine (the highest form of vegetarian cooking). I had to see my workspace through their eyes and stomachs to truly understand what she meant by that.

I knew that I was providing sustenance on many levels:

Physically: I was able to get their cholesterol levels down within two months by choosing the right foods to offer and using certain cooking techniques in the kitchen. I carefully selected the products with which to work with and paid careful attention to treat those products with a certain reverence by not destroying their nutritional integrity. This, combined with a strong culinary background, elevated my style of health cuisine to a different level - one for which the employer was willing to pay top dollar. This couple knew about food. They were among the original “foodies” and also knew when one ingredient was missing in a 15-ingredient dish.

Mentally: Since “Clean Cuisine” is virtually free of refined sugars, flours and processed foods, one notices a change almost immediately in their digestion, resulting in a pleasant feeling of lightness after dining. You walk away from the table knowing that you have treated your body well in addition to having satisfaction on the palate. If you are dining with family, you have the added satisfaction that you are providing this level of sustenance to your loved ones.

Spiritually: To a certain degree, dining this way, transforms you spiritually. Not unlike Transcendental Meditation, when you sit down to a meal prepared by a chef that is mindful, the message is translated and consumed by the person eating that meal. One tends to slow down and focus, if you will, on the pleasant experience of dining; the aromatic element of the meal comes in first through the olfactory sense and then reaches the taste buds. This is a relaxing experience free from anxiety. Savoring the experience of healthy dining engages us in mental and physical mindfulness which boosts positive thinking and decreases our overall stress.

I have come to realize that in referring to my kitchen as “Zen Kitchen,” my client was mindful of the above.

Not All Beans Are Created Equal

Vanilla Beans

It is no wonder that some of the most aromatic sources of satisfaction in the food world are derived from a simple bean, coffee beans, cacao beans and vanilla beans. Not all beans are equal when it comes to vanilla beans. When baking, often do we consider the origin of the vanilla that we are adding to our batch of batter?

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla beans are long and slender with a rich flavor and aroma. With thick oily skin, strong vanilla notes & tiny seeds. Bourbon Vanilla beans are described as creamy, hay-like and sweet.

Mexican Vanilla beans, a favorite of mine, are similar to the Bourbon Vanilla bean but with a more mellow smooth quality and a spicy, woody fragrance. This is a favorite of mine because as we all know digestion starts with the olfactory sense. Be careful with Mexican Vanilla and buy from a reputable source. Mexican vanilla extract derived from the Tonka Bean is not a healthy alternative.

True Tahitian beans, another favorite of mine, are called True Beans because there are a lot of beans being passed as Tahitian that are not. True Tahitian beans are like rare Bordeaux wines, they have a fruity, floral aroma and are often described as smelling like licorice, cherries, prunes, or wine. The beans are shorter & plumper and have higher moisture content than Planifolia beans.

For the best vanilla products at the best price, go to www.vanilla.com a socially conscious educational site. The Vanilla Company, located in Santa Cruz, California, is headed by Patricia Rain, who is also known as “The Vanilla Queen.”

To contact the Vanilla Queen directly, send her an email: rain@vanilla.com.

The difference between my ingredients and and those found in commercial products

Tomorrow night, for a client, I am preparing Korean barbecued ribs. The client has a food allergy (to nuts) and this may include allergy to sesame oil. I therefore developed a special alternative recipe to bring forth the same flavor without causing an allergic reaction. While I was at it, I substituted honey for sugar, thus created a more healthful sauce.


Dynasty brand Hoisin sauce:

Water
Sugar
White vinegar
Soybeans
Rice
Garlic
Salt
Sesame oil
Caramel color
Onions
Red chili
Xanthan gum
Spice
Natural flavor
Citric acid
Star anise
Sodium benzoate
Autolyzed yeast
Ginger root
Licorice root


June’s clean cuisine version of Hoisin sauce:

Soy sauce
Organic white miso paste
Organic brown rice vinegar
Garlic powder
Raw honey
Molasses
Fresh ginger
Fresh garlic
Organic ketchup
Sesame oil
Chili oil

Food Choices - The Five Essential Elements to Consider

Food Choices - The Five Essential Elements to Consider
By June Pagan, Private Chef


1. Flavor: Everybody wants their food to taste good and be satisfying. This is the TRUE first consideration for food selection, because when we don’t enjoy the food we consume, we eventually will look elsewhere until we are able to find food choices that are satisfying. During hard times like these, food satisfaction becomes even more essential, as it is one of the most basic elements of our existence.

2. Health Value: This actually encompasses several areas that need to be considered, depending up the specific circumstances of each individual. Many of us are concerned about keeping our weight down, as excessive weight can lead to an array of medical problems. For others, of equal concern are specific elements of food choice. For example some of us must restrict salt intake, in order to maintain a healthy blood pressure level. Others must restrict sugar intake because of concern related to possible development of diabetes. Then there are those among us who have specific food allergies, such as being allergic to nuts, being lactose-intolerant, etc.

3. Cost: Food cost is a reality that must be taken into consideration by most of us. Only the extremely wealthy can ignore cost factors entirely. For the rest of us, it is a matter of degree. Since we are what we eat, most of us try to obtain the very best foods that we can, within the realm of what is financially possible. It is no secret that the cheaper food choices out there are more prone to being compromised by over-processing (you know this is an issue when most of the ingredients read like a chemistry lesson as opposed to actual foods).

4. Respecting Mother Nature by Obtaining Produce that is In Season: This is an element of food choice that many of us tend to overlook, because of the globalization changes that have taken place. For example, we can now find grapes year-round, even in the middle of winter! How is this possible? That’s an easy one – we bring them up from Chile, where it is like our summers even in the middle of February! What’s the problem with this? Well, we cannot be sure that other countries observe the same pesticide restrictions that are in place here in the United States. On the other hand, there are boutique-like farms around the world that strictly adhere to natural farming methods, operating sustainable farms (crop-rotation techniques, no use of pesticides, etc.). This means that the prudent chef must examine each source of produce on a case-by-case basis. There are no hard-and-fast rules with regard to consideration of selecting domestic versus imported of produce. Many of our farms in the United States may not be using DDT to protect their crops from insect invasion – but instead they use GMO techniques which are equally dangerous, and threaten to remove the nutritional value from our foods, as well as any flavor that might have been there. Those strawberries look delightful on the produce shelf at our local supermarket – AND they are farmed right here in California. Not so fast! Those strawberries may not have DDT on them, but they most certainly WILL have other pesticides that pose health risks, not to mention that they are very likely to have been developed using dangerous GMO techniques. Not surprisingly, I often discover that those beautiful strawberries have no flavor, even though they are so pretty in their luscious red coats.

5. Sustainability: Last but certainly not least, we need to consider sustainability. This means trying to purchase the majority of our produce from local purveyors, and making sure that those purveyors source their produce from farms that employ sustainable methods – such as crop rotation, responsible use of modern science (think “pluot” or nectarine). However, we cannot always adhere to purchasing our produce from local sources. There are a variety reasons for this. For example, during the cold season a few years back, we lost our entire crop of local oranges. So if a person wanted to enjoy a glass of fresh orange juice, they had to hope that the orange crop in Florida did not suffer the same fate. There are also farms in other countries that do use a sustainable approach, with the only drawback being that food is not from a local supplier. For example, the best vanilla beans available are from the Yucatan peninsula of our neighbor to the south (Mexico). Those beans are even better than the famous beans from Tahiti, which are no longer even available in the United States.

So how do these five elements relate to my work as a private chef? Here’s how: When I venture out in to the marketplace, I am confronted with a mind-boggling array of choices. I need to consider my client’s budget. I must strive to serve meals that satisfy the palate, while not being harmful to one’s health – for example avoiding dishes that clog up the arteries, elevate blood pressure, or unduly raise one’s blood sugar level. In many cases, the food selection process is limited by specific dietary restrictions, such as food allergies or specific medical conditions. For example, if I have a client who suffers from Meniere’s disease, I must be vigilant about not using any salt in their foods, and avoiding the use of any foods are naturally high in salt (such as soy sauce, for example). I must also strive to be socially responsible in my selection of food products. Failure to do so would be unethical on many levels. Just as I would not throw old engine oil into the trash can, I also must do my very best to avoid purchasing any food products that involve the use of earth-harming methods.

And speaking of health issues, another aspect comes to mind that is worth mention here: Kitchen Sanitation and food handling. As a personal chef, it is my duty to pay extra attention to how food is handled. It starts with staying informed. I receive daily notices from the FDA and other agencies, as well as various newsletters that discuss the current state of the food supply. I also attend the annual Natural Products Expo. This allows me to make informed food purchasing decisions.

As your private chef, I will be monitoring and rotating your food inventory, if you are in agreement. Very often we look at an expiration date on a product and think that it is okay to eat because it hasn’t expired. This is not always the case. The expiration date can be confusing...does it mean that the product has a long shelf life if unopened? What if the product has been opened (for example, vegetable oil or flour)? Did you know that garlic, when refrigerated, is more likely to develop mold? Another little-known fact is that containers of minced garlic can become contaminated with botulism if not refrigerated? I also use the highest quality water possible in my baking as well my cooking, as this improves the flavor and also results in a healthier meal.

Another consideration is the equipment that is used in the cooking process. In my kitchen, I use stainless steel All-Clad cookware. I do not use Teflon, because it tends to chip, and pieces the Teflon can contaminate the food. Yet another often overlooked aspect of food sanitation is the sponge – I routinely put my sponges in the microwave oven for sterilization and discard them at the end of the cooking session. The surface areas are washed down with an anti-bacterial and the floors are mopped and steam cleaned.

There is more than meets the eye at first glance, when it consumes to being a private chef. The selection of foods is at least as important as the technique of preparation. I must weigh each of the above five elements carefully, as I forage into the world of Farmer’s Markets, supermarkets, and specialty produce stores. I base many of my day-to-day menu decisions upon the availability of fresh, wholesome, and safe ingredients. After those criteria are met, I also try to purchase locally, while at the same time ensuring that the food source does not use farming techniques that are not sustainable. If the client is requesting a specific dish that would require the use of ingredients that do not measure up to the above described standards, I am sometimes able to employ carefully considered ingredient substitutes. When this is not possible, I will make suggestions of different dishes that are likely to satisfy the client without having a negative impact upon the health of those sitting at the dinner table. Each client requires a different mix of the above elements. Some of my clients have limited budgets. For those clients, I must consider cost first, and then do my best to create satisfying but healthful meals within their budgetary limitations. Some of my clients have specific health conditions. For those clients, I must design specific meals that confirm to mandatory dietary restrictions. Other clients have no serious threatening health issues, and have fairly deep pockets as well. For those clients, there is a larger focus on satisfying the palate and/or making elegant food presentations for their special guests.

The above described considerations are significant part of what you, the client, are paying for when you bring me aboard as your Private Chef. And these considerations take place before I ever step foot into your kitchen! Each consideration will have a certain weight (pardon the pun) to it, depending upon the specific needs of each individual. In designing a food program for my clients, I develop menu items based upon the individual needs. Think about your particular goals and any dietary restrictions. Consider the first three of the above five elements. (The fourth and fifth elements are important, but not a part of how you establish your priorities with the food program.) For example, here is what the percentages might look like for an individual with no dietary restrictions, a hefty budget, and a demanding palate:

Flavor: 70%
Health Value: 25%
Cost: 5%



Now here is an example of what the percentages would look like for a person with dietary restrictions, orders from the doctor to lose weight, and a limited budget:

Flavor: 20%
Health Value: 70%
Cost: 10%


And, take a look at what the percentages would be for a person with dietary restrictions, orders from the doctor to lose weight, but money is no object:


Flavor: 35%
Health Value: 60%
Cost: 5%


For folks with the above percentage ratio, the menu options are expanded, because the chef can spend more time procuring exotic items from a broad range of purveyors, selecting only the very finest of ingredients. However, for those with limited budgets, do not despair! A huge part of the benefit of working with an experienced private chef is that I have the experience and expertise that allows me to serve meals that are created from specially developed recipes that emphasize flavor while at the same time adhering to specific dietary restrictions.

Before we meet to discuss your specific situation, food preferences, dietary needs, and budget, consider the above elements of Food Choice. This will help us to create a customized approach to your food service that will best meet your needs.