Root Beer Extracts

I found a great homemade recipe for root beer and discovered that it was a common practice in my grandmother's day to make gallons and gallons of homemade root beer.  After using the recipe to make a bottle of cream soda, I decided to look for root beer extract recipes so I could make it free of artificial colors and additives.

However, what I discovered was a bit of an upset.  I found the traditional recipe for root beer but it was somewhat complicated due to having many different types of roots and spices that I've never seen or heard of.  To complicate the issue, one of the original ingredients in root beer was a root called sassafras.  Since sassafras has a dangerous oil in it called safrole, which is a carcinogen, it has been removed from most brands of root beer.  Root beer listing sassafras as an ingredient should have a "no safrole-oil" disclaimer.

So if you are motivated enough to find all the ingredients to make your own extract, here is a good link to a traditional root beer extract recipe.  As for me, I have given up on making my own extract for the present time and have started looking into commercially available root beer extracts. 
Unfortunately, after searching extensively, I found many different brands that did not list ingredients and gave no indication of whether their products were natural or filled with chemicals.  Finally, I discovered a company which appears to use 100% natural flavors. 

Homemad Soda Company: http://homemadesodacompany.com/http/homemadesodacompany.com/rootbeerandsodainstructions.aspx

This company provides three different root beer flavor extracts as well as root beer making kits and several other soda extracts.

Cheese

Though most cheese is not artificially colored, flavored or preserved, making homemade cheese can be quite tasty and when it comes to some of the more advanced types of cheeses it can be economical as well. 

Here is a great source for learning how to make cheese:

Frankhouser's Cheese Page:

This cheese making instructional course starts with how to make yogurt, and then progresses to soft spreadable cheese, basic white cheese, American Mozzarella, and then blue cheese.  There are other types of cheeses included on this site as well but he tries to walk you through from easy to more difficult cheeses.

What you'll Need to Get Started

Except for the soft spreadable cheese called Labneh, most cheeses require the addition of Rennet and sometimes Calcium Chloride. Additionally, you will need cheese cloth or plain cotton (non-terrycloth) kitchen towels in order to strain the whey from the cheese.

Rennet: This is an enzyme which is needed to make cheese.  It can be found in tablets called Junket and also in refrigerated bottles.  Organic vegetarian Rennet can also be found on-line.  Sometimes the Junket brand of Rennet can be found in grocery stores for much less than it is on-line.  To find it you should look where the jello, gelatin, and custards are located.  Though Rennet is possible to find locally, you may have to check several stores before you find it.


Calcium Chloride: This substance may be needed in some recipes in order to firm the cheese.  Calcium Chloride is mostly needed when making cheese with pasteurized milk since pasteurization depletes some of the natural calcium in raw milk.  Calcium Chloride can be found on-line as well as in the vitamin section of most stores.

Cheese Cloth: This can be found in the painting section at Wal-Mart or Target.  However, if you want something that can be washed and used over and over, plain cotton kitchen towels are also very effective for straining cheese.

Cheese Making Trials:
Labneh/ Cream Cheese #1 - 3 Aug 2011

Olive Oil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The highest quality and least processed olive oil is extra virgin olive oil.  Olive oil is considered a good oil for high cholesterol diets.  Extra virgin olive oil is considered a good fat for the purpose of weight loss regimes since it is a fat that will help you burn fat instead of just adding to stored fat.  Olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil, and real butter are rated among the top healthiest oils for weight loss.  For low cholesterol diets, olive oil can be mixed with butter when cooking to make a healthy margarine.

Light in Flavor Olive Oil
Since extra virgin olive oil is the strongest tasting variety of olive oil, light in flavor olive oil can be used when a strong taste of olive oil is not desired.  Though light in flavor olive oil is refined more than extra virgin olive oil, it is still a much healthier alternative to vegetable oils and canola.  In fact, I use this type of olive oil as a substitute for every recipe that calls for vegetable or canola oils since it is better with respect to fat and cholesterol.  Though olive oil is not recommended for cooking on high heat, I have successfully used olive oil to bake fries and chips at just over 400 F.

Some good sources for Olive Oil Information:

http://www.oliveoilsource.com
http://oliveoilonly.org/ 

Making Sugar Cane Syrup (substitute for corn syrup)

Though many candy recipes call for corn syrup, you are not stuck with using corn syrup in your recipes.  If you are new to candy making, you should use corn syrup at least once to get an idea of how the recipe works with all of the exact ingredients.  Once you've got the hang of making candy, you can easily switch to sugar cane syrup by making cane syrup on your own.  However, be aware that due to it's tendency to crystallize, cane syrup is a little bit harder to handle and store.  So this is why you are not likely to find it for purchase at your local grocery.  However, once you get used to making it, the benefits are great since you can make candy that is natural and free of corn syrup.

So what's wrong with Corn Syrup?
Many people believe that corn syrup is just corn syrup and that it is different from the infamous high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  However, what people often don't realize is that the labeling laws in the U.S. do not require manufacturers to list the ingredients of processed foods that are listed in the ingredients of the product being sold.  So most of the time your average corn syrup will have "corn syrup" listed as an ingredient.  That company is not required to list what is inside the ingredient they list as "corn syrup."  Pretty tricky right?  Well, the biggest concern about this is that the dreaded HFCS is used in the corn syrup that we believe is free of HFCS since we do not see it in on the ingredients label.  

Why Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup

If you are not already aware of reasons to avoid HFCS, here are a few. 

1. Straight to Fat: First of all, HFCS is used in a large variety of foods since it is a cheap alternative to sugar and actually much more sweet.  However, unlike sugar, HFCS does not metabolize so that we can burn it of.  Instead, HFCS turns directly into fat. Furthermore, studies show a correlation between the increase in use of HFCS in our food and an increase in the obesity rates in America.
2. Hyperactivity: So, we're talking about making candy which is almost pure sugar and of course we're planning on giving it to kids when we're done making it.  So, should we be concerned about a little fat on our kids if they have crazy metabolize anyway?  Well another thing that HFCS can do is to cause extreme hyperactivity in children.  So if you are trying to make natural candy (free of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives) then you may still end up with a hyperactive kid after feeding him candy with HFCS.  The sugar alone should be fine as long as he's not eating it on an empty stomach.
3. GMO and Irradiation: Since Corn is one of the biggest crops using genetically modified organisms and since it is likely to be irradiated, there's a good chance you're ingesting GMO and Irradiated produce when using corn syrup.  Both practices are questionable since they cause changes in the molecular make-up of the food.
   

Quick Link to Cane Syrup Recipe:  Additional tips for success are added below as well as the halved version of this recipe.

Sugar Cane Syrup 
(Borrowed from thekitchn.com)

First of all, I cut this recipe in half is because cane syrup is extremely hard to store and you are better off making it just prior to the recipe you are making rather than being upset with a jar full of hard crystallized sugar.  However, if it does crystallize, you can heat it in the microwave and it will be usable once again.

Makes about 2 cups

• 1 cup water
• 1 lb + 5 ounces (2 1/2 + 1/6 cup) granulated cane sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 pinch of salt

Equipment:
2-quart sauce pan - one step larger or smaller should be ok
a candy thermometer that can clip to the side of the pan
stainless steel or silicone spoon - not wood
pastry brush

1. Combine all of the ingredients in the saucepan and stir until the sugar is completely moistened. Clip the candy thermometer to the side of the pan and set the pan over high heat. Do not stir the sugar after this point.
2. As the sugar comes to a boil, dip the pastry brush in a dish of water and brush down the sides.  Once the syrup comes to a full boil, you don’t need to brush the sides anymore. You can also cover the pan with a lid for two minutes just as the sugar comes to a boil.  (This will keep sugar crystals from forming on the side of the pan and causing the whole syrup to crystallize.)
3. Boil the syrup without stirring until it just barely reaches a temperature of 240° F (in other words, its better to be a few degrees under than a few degrees over).  High altitude: Subtract 2 degrees for every 1k feet over sea level.
4. Immediately turn off the heat, remove the candy thermometer, and carefully move the pan to a cool spot on the stove or a cooling rack. Allow the syrup to sit undisturbed until it has cooled completely, at least an hour.
5. (if saving for later) Gently pour the cooled syrup into clean glass jars, seal with the lids, and store in the cupboard. Store them where they won’t be jostled too much, as this can cause the syrup to crystallize. It will keep for at least two months, but we’ve stored it for longer without any changes to the syrup.


Tips for success: 

1. Use very very clean pot and utensils to prevent crystallization.
2. Use the right pot size. A little to small or too large will effect how the sugar cooks and may cause it to cook to quickly or too slowly.
3. Test to assure your candy thermometer is working correctly.  Depending on the thermometer, it may have to stick into the syrup so far in order to get an accurate reading and should not be touching the bottom of the pan. 
4. brush down sides of pan or put the lid on for 2 minutes right as it turns to a boil. This will wash away splashing on the side of the pan which can form crystals in the syrup.
5. Use a clean spoon every time you test the syrup since earlier stages of the syrup that are stuck to the spoon may effect the later stages.  Plus, the spoon sitting in the air may already be forming crystals which will then be introduced to the syrup.
6. Never stir after the syrup begins to boil.
7. Keep heat level from medium to medium-high and watch closely.  
8. Prepare all ingredients you will need ahead of time so you can watch the syrup.  Do not try to multi-task.  Sugar syrup may rise in temperature quicker than you expect so you'll want to have your eyes on it so you can remove it from the heat when it gets to the right temperature.
9. Do not trust your thermometer completely. Be familiar with the candy stages and have an ice-cold pan of water to test your mixture. This will also help you to learn what the different candy stages should look like and you are less likely to let the syrup go higher than the right temperature.

Fruit you can Smell and Taste

I had the good fortune of growing up with two different types of apple trees, a pear tree, a cherry tree, a plumb tree and raspberry bushes all in my back yard.  Since our trees were not sprayed, we were always warned against eating the fruit (for fear of bugs) but of course we ate it anyway and it was delicious.  Though I counted myself fortunate to have all that readily available fresh fruit, it has become a curse.

Now that I live in a part of the country where it is impossible to grow the types of trees and berries I enjoyed while growing up, I must buy fruit at my local grocery store.  Of course the fruit at the store tastes nothing like the fruit I grew up with so I am eternally unhappy with it.  Instead of my fingers sinking into the pear as I eat it, I must bite into a hard piece of fruit. The apples are not as juicy and flavorful and raspberries and cherries never taste as sweet.  Though I didn't have peaches and strawberries in my back yard, the orchards and fields were close enough that we picked our own frequently.  So for years, I've had only the memory of the smell and taste of fresh strawberries and peaches. 

In fact, I had given up on finding this delicious fruit that I grew up with and have grown to accept that I would have to settle with this tasteless distant cousin of real fruit. However, on a recent trip to my hometown, I stopped by a field for some fresh strawberries.  I was so transformed by this experience that I now find I can no longer accept hard tasteless fruit.  So I decided to research the issue to find out why grocery store fruit was tasteless and where I could find real fruit that you can taste.

Where to Find Juicy and Flavorful Fruit

1. If you are like me and live in a climate which is not great for growing fruit, you may not have any luck finding fresh fruit at your local farmers market or health food store.  However you may have some kind of fields or orchards that are in driving distance. Check out PickYourOwn.org to look up your state or Google it and you may be surprised.  Going to you-pick farms is good if you plan to buy a lot of fruit for jelly or to freeze or can.  Freezing and canning will not remove the flavor from the fruit.
2. If you want to just grab some fruit like you would at the grocery store, look for a larger health food store chain like Whole Foods.  The reason to find a larger health store chain is since this type of store will more likely have fruit and vegetables trucked in from other states.  Strangely, the fruit sold at such stores as Whole Foods taste and smell much better than the grocery store fruit even if the fruit is not organic.

Why Grocery Store Fruit is Tasteless
Of course the first thing I researched in order to find good tasting fruit was the question of "why" grocery store fruit was tasteless.  The following are some of the reasons people attribute to the lack of taste in grocery store fruit.

1. Crops Selected for Color and Looks and not taste: Many people attribute this factor as the number one factor to why grocery fruit (and vegetables) tend to be tasteless. Evidently there are regulations that farmers must follow that stipulate the size, color, and outward appearance of their fruit and vegetables.  Over time, these features become favored over flavor.  As a result, the flavor quality gets progressively worse.
   
2. Irradiation of Fruit: Most grocery stores sell produce which has been irradiated in order to briefly bring it to a temperature which kills bacterias micro-organisms both good and bad.  Since the molecular make up of the produce is slightly altered, many people attribute loss of flavor to these radiation treatments.  Whole Foods states on their website that they do not sell irradiated produce.
3. Pesticides: Some people believe that pesticides may play a role in flavor reduction.  However, this may be something you may want to test.  I rarely have organic fruits at my grocery store so I cannot make a comparison.  However, I find both organic and non-organic fruits from Whole Foods to be equally aromatic and flavorful.
4. Picking Fruit before Ripe: Some people believe that the picking fruit early is a factor in why grocery store fruit is tasteless.  However, most people disagree with this idea.  I too am inclined to disagree with this since I've picked less than ripe fruit in an orchard and let it ripen at home.  I found that the flavor of the ripe fruit equaled the flavor of the fruit I let ripen.
5. GMO: I am not sure what crops are genetically modified or whether or not this would effect flavor.  However, a lot of the health food chains like Whole Foods are not likely to sell produce from genetically modified crops. 
   

So overall, your best bet for finding great fruit is to pick it at a nearby orchard of field or to find a store that does not get their fruit from the mass production produce market and that does not irradiate their produce.  Though you may have to research a good place and possibly drive a little further to find fruit you can taste, I guarantee you will find the extra mile well worth it and you're sure to cringe at the thought of buying fruit from your local grocery again.

Stoping Hands from Burning after Cutting Chilies

The first answer one always encounters when searching for ways to stop the burning hand pain after cutting chilies, is to wear gloves.  Of course, those who make the mistake of cutting chilies without gloves will definitely not make the same mistake twice.  However, this answer does nothing to relieve the desperate predicament of someone who has made this mistake and now has to find a way to fix it.  Since I speak from experience, I will provide my own experience as well as advice from on-line forums on this topic.
The substances which can help relieve the pain or eliminate it all together are listed in order of their degree of effectiveness.  The two types of substances are separated into coatings and washes. Coatings are meant to be left on your hands and washes are generally for soaking and then should be washed off.  Though washes should be used first, I have listed coatings first since these are the final miracle substances which can completely eliminate the burning pain.



Coatings:

1. Peppermint Extract: Pour a small amount of extract in your hand and rub all over your fingers. Repeat this process until all burning areas are coated with peppermint.  Depending on the strength of pepper, the peppermint extract can completely eliminate the burning.  However, be sure not to touch any water, ice or condensation or the extract will come off and your hands will burn again.  If this method does not work completely, wash your hands and try another wash method first.  Then coat your fingers once more with peppermint extract.
2. Vegetable Oil: Another type of coating which can eliminate the burning is vegetable oil.  I read about vegetable oil on-line but did not try it on purpose.  I discovered how nicely it worked later on in the day while eating french fries, which greased up my fingers.  So just as with the peppermint, coat your hands and fingers with the oil and then dry them with a paper towel.  Do not wash off the oil.  This is most effective if using a wash method first.  
3. Sour Cream: Though I did not try this method, many people reported that putting sour cream on your hands significantly reduces the pain and burning.  I did not try this since you will not be able to use you hands if you have sour cream on them.  This method can also be used as a wash to reduce pain and then vegetable oil or peppermint extract can be added as a coating.
4. Aloe vera: Aloe vera is effective for several minutes depending on the degree of burning in your hands. This should only be applied as a coat after using an initial wash method to reduce the burning.  This is also much less effective than the methods above so only use aloe vera if you have nothing else.
   

Washes:

1. Lime Juice: The most effective wash to reduce burning pain in your hands is lime juice.  So squeeze a lime or two over a bowl and dip your hands and fingers in the juice. Wash your hands and then apply a coat of peppermint or vegetable oil.
2. Rubbing Alcohol: Pour rubbing alcohol in a glass, soak your hands in the alcohol, and then wash your hands.  After drying your hands apply a coating substance.  If the burning subsides significantly, do not wash your hands and the alcohol may be tried as a coat as well.  I found that rubbing alcohol was significantly less effective than lime.
   
3. Bleach and water: Though bleach and water (1:5 ratio mix) is slightly more effective than rubbing alcohol, I have listed it last since it is the most toxic method.  If you decide to try bleach, assure you have a low ratio of bleach to water and then dip your hands into the mixture.  Do not soak since this could chemically burn your hands.  Immediately wash your hands until all of the bleach is off your hands.  This may take some time since since the bleach will be oily and will cling to your hands.  After your hands are completely clean, apply a coat of peppermint oil.  Beside peppermint being the most effective coating, it will also mask the strong smell of bleach on your hands which will linger for some time. 
   

So, if you are reading this since you were unfortunate enough to cut chilies without gloves, I hope this guide will help to solve your predicament.  However, if you have not yet made this mistake, you now know that the easiest way to solve this problem is to never have it. Wear gloves when cutting chilies! :)

Vanilla Research - The Basics

How to know what is safe, what is real, and what is good.

My most important discovery about vanilla is the FDA warning against Mexican vanilla extract, which is often not real vanilla and contains a toxic ingredient called coumarin.  Coumarin is dangerous for some since it is a blood thinner and considered toxic since it is a common ingredient in rat poison.  Though the FDA has banned the import of Mexican vanilla extract, it is more often finding its way into U.S. stores and restaurants.  Since this is only one of many ways vanilla extract is misrepresented as being real vanilla, a lot of people find it best to make their own vanilla extract from vanilla beans.

Vanilla Bean Retail Reviews:

• Vanilla Bean Review site: http://www.vanillareview.com/vanilla-bean-reviews-by-vendor/  (reviews on sites which sell vanilla beans) This site gives an indebth review on vanilla bean companies to include the quality of the beans and the customer service.

The best type of vanilla bean:  There is still much more to learn but so far it seems that the best type of vanilla bean is an organic planifolia bean.  The location should be listed and it is also nice to see "coumarin free" on the packaging.

Vanilla bean appearance, smell and texture: Should smell good (different for each type of bean), should be flexible and oily.  Dry, crackly, and mildewy beans are old and no good.

Extract Facts: When buying extract it is good to know that real vanilla will never be clear.  It should have an amber color. If it has a dark murky color, then it is not made with vanilla and may get its color from toxic materials or artificial colors.  Anything labeled "vanillin" is an artificial vanilla flavor made from chemicals.

Price: Shop around, but be wary of cheap vanilla since it may not be real. Rule of thumb is you get what you pay for. Furthermore, you are always better off buying beans and making your own extract.  Like other flavor extracts, the recipe is quite easy.  Take a look at this one: http://tipnut.com/homemade-vanilla-extract/