OK, I just experienced the strangest email correspondence. I wrote an email to WMHT (our local PBS affiliate) to complain that they were not airing the newly launched cartoon series based on my favorite NPR show, “Car Talk”.

Sadly, this correspondence needs no further explanation:

And, here was the puzzling reply:

A reader writes:

Dear Wendalicious:

What do they put in hot dogs and what is the world’s record at Coney Island for eating the most hot dogs?

I like your blog!

Nick

I’m glad you like my blog, Nick - you’re obviously a man of good taste and breeding. Regarding the ingredients in hot dogs, I had an immediate answer that came to mind. But, I’m sensing that you are looking for a REAL answer, and not one that will purposely induce vomiting. SO, here’s the true answer to what’s in hot dogs.

According to www.ballparkfranks.com, The Ball Park Beef Franks contain the following ingredients:

BEEF, WATER, CORN SYRUP, CONTAINS LESS THAN TWO PERCENT SALT, POTASSIUM LACTATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, FLAVORINGS, SODIUM DIACETATE, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), SODIUM NITRITE, EXTRACTIVES OF PAPRIKA.

What the heck does all that mean?  The first few ingredients I’m assuming you recognize, so I’ll start with potassium lactate. Potassium Lactate is a natural acid used as a preservative. Sodium phosphates regulate acidity in the product. Sodium Diacetate is another preservative, Ascorbic acid (an isomer of which is Vitamin C) prevents the formation of nitrosamines (those pesky little things better known as CARCINOGENS), and sodium nitrite is preservative against botulism (whew! Who needs botulism?).

Those beefy little dreams are completely chock-full of preservatives, which should clue you in to something - they cannot possibly be real food and therefore cannot possibly be good for you. Plus you’re practically consuming a salt lick when you’re eating one. Not good if you’ve got high blood pressure.

And, then I thought about those Hebrew National TV commercials, where they claim to answer to a “higher authority”. Hebrew National makes 100% Kosher hot dogs, claim to add nothing artificial, and they would seemingly be better for you, right? Here’s their ingredient list:

Beef, water, salt, contains 2% or less of spice, paprika, hydrolyzed soy protein, garlic powder, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite, flavorings.

OK, some of the ingredients are the same, though I’m noticing significantly fewer preservatives. There are only a couple things that don’t seem natural - hydrolyzed soy protein and sodium erythorbate. Hydrolyzed soy protein is a nice way of saying MSG (natural, though not necessarily good for you), and Sodium erythorbate is a SYNTHETIC (read: artificial) sodium salt that prevents oxidation in meat. Flavorings - well, that could be ANYTHING.

Hmmm…the verdict?

Hot dogs are full of chemicals. Plain and simple. HN may have fewer unpronouncables, but they’re both absolutely bursting at the seams with preservatives. And those are the high-quality dogs that I investigated!

What about the cheap ones? It’s actually not as disgusting as you might think.

Hot dogs really are not made from left-over meat swept up from the floors of meat-packing houses. The meat trimmings are carefully selected just like the meat you buy in your grocer’s coolers. Most recipes for hot dogs combine together a blend of meat (pork, beef, chicken, or turkey), meat fat, a cereal filler which could be either bread crumbs, flour, or oatmeal, a little bit of egg white, and an array of herbs and seasonings including garlic, pepper, ground mustard, nutmeg, salt, and onion.

These ingredients are ground together, and then stuffed into sausage casings. Many of the hot dogs sold in stores are enclosed in synthetic cellulose casings, but most home-made hot dogs are made out of natural animal intestines.

Delightful. But not “lips and rectums,” which I was ready to cry at the outset.

Hope that satisfies your curiosity Nick, as well as your hankerin’ for hot dogs.

And, to answer Nick’s question about Nathan’s Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest:

The current world record for hot dog eating was set on July 4, 2007, when Joey Chestnut downed 66, breaking the previous record that he set on June 2, 2007 when he ate 59½ hotdogs in 12 minutes at a Nathan’s qualifier event in Tempe, AZ.

My stomach hurts.

Last night’s dinner creation was not inspired by any restaurant specifically, but my most recent experience eating it was at Schenectady Aperitivo Bistro on State Street. According to Wikipedia:

Insalata Caprese (salad in the style of Capri) is a simple salad from the Italian region of Campania, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, plum tomatoes and basil. It is seasoned with salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Ideally, the mozzarella is di bufala campana, the olive oil is extra virgin from the peninsula of Sorrento and the tomatoes and basil are grown in the full sun of the mezzogiorno.

Well, I’m not exactly what anyone would consider “ideal”, so I used regular cows-milk mozzarella, Vermont hothouse tomatoes, Hannaford brand extra-virgin olive oil (mixed with Balsamic Vinegar and garlic). The basil was grown in Schenectady.

And, I just found this entry on Epicurious.com:

The dressing is always a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil - only. Vinegar would destroy the delicate flavor of the cheese and is never used. Because this salad is so simple, top-rate ingredients are imperative: Hothouse tomatoes and rubbery processed mozzarella are unacceptable.

Oops! Like I said, obviously not ideal (Epicurious may even stoop so low as to call me a culinary heretic). But, I really thought it was delicious - Wendalicious, I dare say. Enjoy the following photo - a recipe is not necessary, since the photo is self-explanatory.

Insalata Caprese

]]> http://wendalicious.wordpress.com/2008/07/13/restaurant-re-creation-4-insalata-caprese/feed/ wendalicious Insalata Caprese http://wendalicious.wordpress.com/2008/07/10/csa-delivery-inspires-impromptu-dinner/ http://wendalicious.wordpress.com/2008/07/10/csa-delivery-inspires-impromptu-dinner/#comments Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:46:00 +0000 wendalicious http://wendalicious.wordpress.com/?p=138

Today marked the second delivery of my CSA share - well, it was actually the third delivery, but I missed last week’s due to my grandfather’s funeral.

Here’s what I got this week:

• Salad greens
• Green leaf lettuce
• Swiss Chard
• Thyme and Basil
• Sugar Snap peas
• yau choy (Chinese greens, similar to bok choy, but smaller)

I also purchased some squash, additional basil (I can’t resist), parsley, and spring onions at the Farmer’s Market. Still mostly green stuff this week, but I hear next week the beets are coming!

Anyway, I wanted to make sure I used some of this before it wilted and I had to throw it away, so I had to get creative to come up with something fun and delicious for dinner. After looking through the fridge and pantry, I found:

• Chicken Apple Sausage
• A jar of roasted red peppers
• Whole wheat fusilli
• Parmesan cheese
• garlic

And, then, inspiration struck! Here’s what I ended up making:

Chicken Apple Sausage Garden Pasta

• Whole Wheat pasta (any short kind will work - I happened to have fusilli)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 spring onions, chopped (both white and green parts)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or more if you want)
• 3 chicken sausage links, sliced
• a bunch of Swiss Chard
• 2 roasted red peppers, rinsed and sliced
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
• 1 tsp of your favorite Italian seasoning mix (mine is Tuscan Sunset from Penzey’s)
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
  
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (or more if you want)

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Trim the ends off the chard stalks and discard. Rip the ribs off the leaves, tear up the leaves, and set the leaves aside. Chop the ribs coarsely.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in the olive oil. Add the chard ribs and chopped onion. Saute for about 3 minutes, until they begin to get soft. Add the sliced sausage, and cook until lightly browned. Add the garlic, and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Dump the chard leaves on top (don’t mix in), cover, and let simmer until chard is wilted (about 3 minutes or so). Remove the cover, add the sliced peppers, seasonings, pasta, and 1 tablespoon of Parmesan. Stir until thoroughly combined and heated through. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Wendalicious!

This was SO good - the chicken apple sausage and the chard gave it a nice sweetness, which was balanced by the heat of the red pepper and garlic. It was also really really easy! I had never eaten chard before, so I was pleasantly surprised!

And for those of you trying to eat healthfully, this recipe is extremely good for you, if you can manage not to eat the whole pan of it (good luck).  Olive oil, leafy greens, whole wheat pasta, lean poultry…it’s in there.

Oh, and I ate all the sugar snap peas while I was making dinner. Like candy!

Enjoy!

Ever wonder why so many people are jerks?

Well, my friend Jason shared a helpful interpersonal relationship truism with me today:

If you meet one person who you think is a jerk, then it’s probably them.

If you meet more than 5 or 6 people who you think are jerks, then it’s probably YOU.

Jason, if you’re reading this: it’s NOT you.

I do believe I am recovered from my “life sucks” funk.

The passing of both of my father’s parents in the span of 3 weeks (plus my brother-in-law’s illness) really had me questioning life, the universe, and everything.  My faith was rattled to the core.  What little I have left, that is.  But, after spending a joyous weekend with my friends Sarah and Sionna (and many of the old Siena crew whom we hadn’t seen in years), I feel much better, and more grounded.

We spent a lot of time together (I think Saturday’s party  itself was around 10 hours!), and had so much fun that I’m seeing my life in a more positive light.  One friend, whom I think I last saw in 2002, said to me after a interesting conversation: “Now I remember why I like being around you so much!  We should definitely get together one of these days.”  Nice!  I forgot how much I really like him (and his wife) too!

Plus we invented a new party game while we were there: ShoeBag.  It has something to do with a horseshoe in a bag, and hitting people in the head with it.  I think.  There was much beer at this party.

There’s nothing like an impromptu college reunion to lift one’s sagging spirits.

AND, more good news: my brother-in-law came HOME on Friday! He was released from the hospital and flew home to be with his family.  It’s truly a miracle that he’s even alive, let alone walking around and playing with his girls.  Bob and I will be heading down there in about two weeks to spend some time with them, and help out.

I guess the good vibrations you all sent my way helped.  Thanks, truly.

My grandfather passed away this morning, at around 2:30am. He had been resting comfortably in the hospice since Sunday afternoon, and his suffering is at an end.

While this is not a surprise, it is still sad, and I am dreading this wake and funeral - which will be an exact duplicate of my grandmother’s 3 weeks ago. The only difference with this one is that my family is no longer pretending to be a family anymore - there have been so many ridiculous disagreements and misunderstandings since my grandmother’s passing, that this is likely the last time I’ll ever see any of my cousins, aunts, or uncles. At least I’m not sad about that.

I’ll be heading out of town for a few days, so please pardon my lack of posts until I return.

-W

A few weeks ago (for Bob’s birthday) we went out to dinner with my in-laws to that new steakhouse in Latham, Filet 7 West. It was okay - food was decent, service was good, but it was extremely overpriced and not a good value, in my opinion.

As is usual with high-end steakhouses, entrees (read: steaks) are quite expensive, and the sides are served a la carte, family-style. Bob had Prime Rib (surprise, surprise), and I had Spice Crusted Top Sirloin. My steak was a perfect medium-rare, and Bob’s was deliciously medium. We decided to order two sides for the table - whipped truffled potatoes and creamed spinach.

Now, I’ve always claimed to hate spinach, but I was feeling adventurous that night, and enthusiastically agreed to the spinach (knowing it wasn’t going to be my only side dish option). I am so glad I did.

I don’t think I’d ever tried creamed spinach before, so I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was: creamy, rich, with the distinct earthy green taste of the wilted spinach. I just couldn’t get enough! I think I licked the bowl clean (after letting my in-laws take their share, of course). So, naturally, I decided that I had to recreate this at home.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I took advantage of the fresh veggies at the Schenectady Farmers Market last week. Part of my haul included a bag of fresh spinach. Creamed Spinach, here I come! BUT - there’s one catch: I joined Weight Watchers a few weeks ago, and restaurant-style creamed spinach is most definitely NOT on my Core foods list. So, not only did I need to re-create creamed spinach, I needed to lighten it up as well. I was up to the challenge!

Here’s the SPECTACULAR recipe I devised (patting myself on the back):

Creamy Spinach

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• A lot of fresh, washed spinach - DO NOT DRY
• 1/2 cup Fat Free half and half (I use Land O’ Lakes)
• 2 tablespoons buttery spray (such as Olivio)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• Freshly grated or ground nutmeg, to taste

Mix together half & half, butter spray, and chicken stock. Set aside.

Saute onion on a little olive oil over medium heat, until lightly browned. Add garlic, and saute one minute more. Remove from pan.

Add spinach to pan, along with a couple tablespoons water, and cover. Let the spinach steam until it’s good and wilted. It’s okay to cram it all into the pan - it will shrink A LOT. When the spinach is all wilted, add the onions back into the pan and stir together.

Add the half & half mixture, and cook over medium heat until thick and creamy. If needed, as more half & half until you get the desired consistency. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve immediately.

Wendalicious!

Incidentally, from what I read on Steve Barnes’ Table Hopping blog, Filet 7 West has decided to change things around, and has thus lost its chef. I’m not surprised at all. This is not a restaurant I would make a special trip for. Service was okay, but I just wasn’t impressed. The dessert we shared - “Donuts and Coffee”: Hot Sugar Donuts, Coffee Semifreddo, Espresso - was mediocre at best. The donuts reminded me of the ones you can buy at the front counter at Stewart’s, and the Coffee Semifreddo was Semiflavorless. Too bad - it sounded so promising.

When they stop by and bring you 4 pieces of homemade fig and hazelnut tart, just because they knew you’d like it.  I love that our neighbors are our friends…

Yum!

Well, here it is: my first delivery from my share in Eight Mile Creek Farm. Here’s what I received this week:

• Arugula
• Radishes
• Broccoli Rabe (rapini)
• Thyme
• Sage
• Salad Greens
• Garlic Scapes

This being the first week, there’s not a whole lot available, understandably. There’ll be more and more as the summer progresses. I supplemented my box with a few other purchases from the Schenectady Downtown Farmer’s Market:

• Yellow Zucchini
• Pattypan Squash
• Peas
• Spinach
• Butter Lettuce

Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of color in this week’s produce selection at the market. I was hoping for some berries or other fruit, but it may be too early for that. I will have to stop at Bowman Orchards on the way home from work one of these days, or maybe tomorrow for some U-pick strawberries! The strawberries in the supermarket these days are awful - plus, they’re trucked in from California, and that’s just wrong.

I will be making the broccoli rabe and peas for dinner tomorrow night, to go with Grilled NY Strip Steak and baked potato. And, I found an interesting recipe for fried zucchini. And maybe some arugula pesto.

Other than that, I’m not excited about preparing anything else I’ve received - I’m pretty much underwhelmed. But, that’s the “fun” involved in purchasing a share - you don’t really know what or how much you’re going to get from week to week.

Something of interest to those of you who may shop (or want to shop) at the Schenectady Farmer’s Markets: they now accept debit cards! Just tell the Market Manager how much you want to buy, he’ll swipe your card, and give you $5 tokens to redeem at the booths. It’s that simple! The farmers will give you change in cash if your purchase doesn’t reach the $5 threshold. Finally! This is really a godsend for those of us who don’t carry cash.

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

A few personal notes:

My brother-in-law is recovering from yet another surgery (3 in all), and is again on the road to recovery. If all goes well, he should be returning home early next week. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

And, my dad called me today to let me know that my grandfather realistically has only a few days left. Dad’s decided to let the doctors take Papa off all the steroids that were keeping him alive, so his suffering can end. Looks like I’ll be headed out of town again this week - hopefully in time to say goodbye. My dad is going through so much right now, I just can’t stand it. Losing both of your parents in the same month - I cannot imagine.

Lately I’ve been saying to myself - “Life is stupid.” It makes no sense - I go through life, working for other people, taking their crap day after day, accumulating things, being so “busy” with meaningless activities, not able to take time to be with my friends and family because work is so “important”, accumulating more things, trying to live a perfect life with a perfect body because society says I’m worthless if I’m not thin - for what?? So I can die? I don’t get it. Maybe my priorities are so screwed up that I’ve lost my way - I don’t know. Watching my grandparents die has really left its mark on me. Life is just so stupid.