Food Basics

Salt

Food Industry Accused of “Salt Assault” on America

CSPI Says Steep Sodium Reductions Achievable for Many Brands

Most foods sold in supermarkets and restaurants are too high in salt. But a new study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) finds that some manufacturers are recklessly loading up their products with two, three, or even four times as much salt as their competitors within a food category. The dramatic differences in sodium from brand to brand are proof positive that many companies could easily achieve significant reductions without sacrificing taste, according to CSPI.

http://www.cspinet.org/new/200508171.html

Salt: The Forgotten Killer (released Feb. 24, 2005)
http://www.cspinet.org/salt/saltreport.pdf

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Response statement of the Salt Institute to “Salt Content of Foods” issued by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, August 17, 2005

Shooting repeatedly at the wrong target will not raise CSPI’s marksmanship scores.  If the target were correct, perhaps the additional ammunition CSPI recommends might be worth considering, but facts are facts – despite the contortions and twisting CPSI employs.  Twelve studies have reported on the relationship of salt intakes and the incidence of heart attacks and strokes.  Eleven of the twelve found no population health benefit to reducing dietary salt.  Three, including two in the U.S. and one in Scotland, found just the opposite: rather than a health benefit, lowering dietary salt is associated with increased risk of stroke, heart attack and all-cause mortality.  Let’s use the science we have, not abuse it.  Substituting public relations for medical science is not the answer.

Click here for further background.

http://www.saltinstitute.org/28.html

Bouillon – soup base – gravy mixes

Bouillon
Both the cubes and the instant are often little more than salt and some flavorings, with only some color added to distinguish one variety from another. I often use the instant in place of salt to add some extra flavor to homemade soup or stew. Knorr’s is a good brand that has much better flavor than most others and even some tiny parsley flakes. (You may need to look for it in the imported foods aisle.)

Soup base
This is a product that has been used for years by professional chefs, and only recently available at regular grocery stores in small enough quantities to be practical for the average home cook. This isn’t powdered or granulated like bouillon is, it’s more like the consistency of the paste used for kiddie crafts. This is usually made from actual meat, and so the flavor is much better than even good instant bouillon. This is reflected in the price, which is several times more than the same quantity of the granulated stuff.

Gravy mixes
In most cases these aren’t much more than finely-powdered bouillon with some food starch for thickener. If convenience is your only concern, go for the canned stuff, which tastes better. The cost is another thing entirely. Gravy in the envelope costs far too much for me, and so if I need some gravy for something, say, the last round of turkey sandwiches after Thanksgiving, I cheat by using either granulated bouillon or soup base. You can really only get away with this if you’re using it right on meat. I wouldn’t try it on potatoes, it’s really not good enough to stand alone.

Sneaky Turkey Gravy

2-4 T flour
2-4 T butter or margarine
2 cups water
1 tsp each beef and chicken bouillon granules
Onion and /or garlic powder to taste

In 2 cup glass measuring cup, microwave butter and flour 30 seconds on High. With fork or wire whisk, stir until smooth. Gradually add water to the 2 cup mark on your measuring cup. Microwave in two minute increments, stirring well each time, until gravy is the consistency you like. Note: use the larger amounts of flour and butter for added thickness and richness.

The Ketchup Conundrum

Mustard now comes in dozens of varieties. Why has ketchup stayed the same? Malcom Gladwell ponders the progress, or lack thereof, of this unique condiment.

Tubini

Tubini is a pasta product made by Barilla, who apparently comes out with neww shapes from time to time just because.

I got this kind because of the name, which appealed to my sense of the silly. I liked the sound of it ;>)

After I cooked it I realized what I had here was the pasta they have in Beefaroni. Now I've got to try making that stuff myself! Maybe I could even get my husband to eat it! He is not a fan of canned pasta of any kind, though he claims to have married me because of my spaghetti.

Caldo Verde Extra!

I'm pleased to report our experiment with cooking kale, rather than just using it as garnish, was an overwhelming success. My thanks to the kind soul at eGullett who suggested the recipe, and the people of Portugal. Why Portugal? Because caldo verde is apparently the national dish, much as fish and chips is (or at least was) the national dish of England.

I used it for our annual St. Patrick's Day pig-out. My husband hates green jello, or jello of any kind, for that matter, and we'd about had it with the cream cheese-and-olive horses doovers. ;>)

Of course I had to tweak the basic recipe. I added spinach and fresh basil, and used pepperoni, because out here in the desert you don't find Portugese sausage in your local Albertson's. It was great stuff, though! An absolute keeper. We're going to share some with our buddy Lock Mackay, who'd live on soup if you let him.

Butter

The commodity often referred to as "butter" is sometimes margarine, soft margarine, and lately they have come out with a product that contains butter with added canola oil.

For baking, the "soft" or spreadable varieties of either butter or margarine will not work, since they contain liquid oils and/or water. Margarine in stick form, and real butter with nothing added works best. Shortening in a can, such as Crisco, also works well for cookies, cakes and pastries. HINT: Store brand or even name brand margarine is often cheaper than vegetable shortening, and works well in recipes calling for shortening. Just remember to reduce or leave out the salt.

I haven't tried the butter with canola, since the savings when compared to regular stick margarine isn't significant.

Mayonnaise/Miracle Whip

James Bond eats his lobster "with a good mayonnaise." (The book version of James Bond, that is.) If you've got a blender or a wire whisk w/strong arm, it's not hard to make your own. A good, homemade mayonnaise is truly worthy to dress lobster, or any other prime seafood or meat.

I'll give a recipe later on, but meanwhile let's talk about the eternal clash between mayonnaise and Miracle Whip.

Many people mistakenly believe they are the same thing. They are not. Bargain brands of either are also quite different than the original. The closest to homemade mayonnaise is Best Foods/Hellman's, and the next best is Kraft. Other brands differ widely in taste and texture. The cheaper you go, the farther you get from the taste of actual mayonnaise, which should be fluffy, eggy, and without noticeable vinegar. That's because you really do need to break some eggs to make real mayo, and the lesser varities tend to have less egg, and cheaper oils.

Miracle Whip is a unique product. It does seem to start out much like mayonnaise, but has additional sugar and vinegar, which defines it as a salad dressing. (mayo has no sugar, or a tiny amount) I've tried and failed to duplicate it my own kitchen.

I have learned to make a lot of name-brand things at home for less money. Stay tuned!

Sometimes you don't have the room or the budget for two big jars of stuff, since the quart jar of either is the best value for a small family. One thing you can do, if you happen to prefer Kraft mayonnaise over Hellman's, is to add half a cup of sugar to a cup of Kraft mayo, and let it sit on your counter long enough to come to room temperature. This is close to Miracle Whip, the closest you can get without buying the original.

A friend of mine used to use equal parts of mayo and Miracle Whip in her potato salad and/or coleslaw, to "slow down" the vinegar. This is another thing that only works with Kraft products. Oddly enough, if you try this with Hellman's, the two dressings cancel each other out and you end up with a tasteless blob.

The purposes of Miracle Whip are limited to "common" things like bologna salad, potato salad, tuna. Please don't try to dress a lobster or prime rib with it! It is excellent for its own pupose.

I quite literally had never had mayonnnaise until I married and moved away from home. My mother preferred Miracle Whip over mayonnaise, and so that's what we had. As a newly-married couple, Paul and I enjoyed entertaining and one time we invited my co-worker Bob and his wife over to have a "horses doovers cook-off." Wendy brought a simple mayo-based item, and I was in love with mayo forever. All it was, that tiny rye bread you can get at the grocery store, spread with mayo, topped with a slice of onion and sprinkled with parmesan cheese out of the can. She put it under the broiler for a minute or two. After I tasted it, I actually said, "Wow! This is mayonnaise?"

So here's the recipe for basic mayonnaise:

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Cold eggs won't do the deal.
1 egg + 1 yolk (give the white to the dog ;>)
1 cup corn oil or olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp powdered mustard
2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

Put everything but the oil in the blender. Whizz it all up for a minute. Then add the oil in a continuous stream until you can see the blender's not mixing anymore.

It's the same thing for "The Armstrong Method." Just plan on a good twenty minutes to accomplish it.

Garlic

Garlic is wonderful stuff! It's rumored to have a mild antibiotic affect, and also keeps away vampires (or is it werewolves?) All I know is that we've never had a vampire or werewolf sit down at our dinner table, so I guess it works ;>)

In addition to being the main flavoring in a lot of Italian dishes, there are some sauces and etc. you can make quickly to add a bit of oomph to something that might otherwise be a little dull.

Add a couple of minced cloves of Garlic to a cup of homemade (or good brand-name) mayonnaise, and you have Aioli sauce, which is great for roasted meats, or as sandwich spread. Add a half capful of Mrs Dash traditional, and you've got a quick salad dressing.

For a showy garnish for roasted meat, or a sliced tomato and cucumber salad, try whipping some heavy cream, adding a minced garlic clove, and salt& pepper to taste.

A half teaspoon of garlic powder in a cup of chicken bouillon or canned chicken soup is comforting when you have a cold.