Food for Thought: It's asparagus season

Tip of the Week: Keep asparagus fresh

A telltale sign of spring’s arrival is asparagus’ arrival in the farmers’ market or grocery. Here are some tips for using these tasty, healthy veggies. After buying asparagus:

- Keep fresh asparagus clean, cold and covered.

- Trim the stem end about 1/4 inch and wash in warm water several times. Pat dry and place in moisture-proof wrapping.

- Refrigerate and use within 2 or 3 days for best quality.

- To maintain freshness, wrap a moist paper towel around the stem ends, or stand upright in two inches of cold water.

-- Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board

Easy recipe: Strawberry Smoothies

Ingredients:

2 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
2 containers (6 ounces) strawberry yogurt
1 cup vanilla ice cream
1 1/2 cups milk

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend until well-mixed (about 30 seconds). Pour into 6 glasses and serve immediately.

-- www.eatwisconsincheese.com

Did You Know?

Food allergy occurs in 6 to 8 percent of children 4 or younger, and in 3.7 percent of adults. – National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Food in the News: Why is olive oil good for you?

Scientists have pinned down the constituent of olive oil that gives greatest protection from heart attack and stroke.

In a study of the major antioxidants in olive oil, Portuguese researchers showed that one antioxidant, DHPEA-EDA, protects red blood cells from damage more than any other part of olive oil.

The researchers say the study provides the first evidence that this compound is the major source of the health benefit associated with virgin olive oils, which contain increased levels of DHPEA-EDA compared to other oils. In virgin olive oils, DHPEA-EDA may make up as much as half the total antioxidant component of the oil.

The findings could lead to the production of "functional" olive oils specifically designed to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Food Quiz

All of the following are examples of “soft-ripened” cheeses except:

A. Brie de Meaux
B. Bucheron
C. Caprice des Dieux
D. Brillat-Savarin

(www.funtrivia.com)

Answer is at bottom of column

Wise to the Word: Gallimaufry

You may find this mouthful of a word – gallimaufry (gal-luh-MAW-free) -- in French recipes. Rest assured, you’ve been cooking gallimaufry for years. It is a French adjective first seen in the 14th Century for hodgepodge of ingredients. A stew, hash and ragout are described as gallimaufry recipes.

-- Canton Repository

Number to Know: 39.4

Number of calories in 2 tablespoons of Kraft’s Barbecue Sauce, Original flavor. – calorielab.com

The Dish On …

“New Orleans Cuisine: Fourteen Signature Dishes and Their Histories” edited by Susan Tucker, foreward by S. Frederick Starr

This book provides essays on the unparalleled recognition New Orleans has achieved as the Mecca of mealtime. Devoting each chapter to a signature cocktail, appetizer, sandwich, main course, staple or dessert, contributors from the New Orleans Culinary Collective plate up the essence of the Big Easy through its number one export: great cooking.

This book views the city's cuisine as a whole, forgetting none of its flavorful ethnic influences -- French, African American, German, Italian, Spanish and more.

In servings of such well-recognized foods as shrimp remoulade, Creole tomato salad, turtle soup and bread pudding, contributors explore a broad range of issues. Biographical sketches of New Orleans' luminaries give personality to the stories.

From the Beer Nut’s Blog

One of my favorite styles of beer is the maibock. Recently, I saw the first one of the year in stores.

The Berkshire Brewing Company’s maibock is now in stores, and Smuttynose’s will be there in about a month.

A maibock is a German-style lager, basically a lighter-colored version of a bock brewed for the spring. They’re very flavorful, have a decent hop presence and a little boozy flavor. Other maibocks to look out for are Spaten’s, Mahr’s and Ayinger’s.

Do you have a favorite maibock?

To read more from the Beer Nut, visit http://blogs.townonline.com/beernut/

Food Quiz Answer

B. Bucheron. While this cheese is quite creamy, it lacks the penicillin mold that is needed for soft ripening.

GateHouse News Service