Good Dirt On Food

For those of us living in the Pacific Northwest tomatoes are starting to ripen in our home gardens. What a treat this is! If you have never had the pleasure of eating a tomato from your garden (or someone’s local garden) or from a local farmer then you really do not know what you are missing and I’m sorry for you. One of life’s simple pleasures.

Depending on the store you frequent the tomatoes you find will range from “good” to “terrible”. I appreciate the luxury we have that allows tomatoes to be available pretty much all year around. But, they just don’t live up to the truly fresh ones.

There are hundreds of varieties of tomatoes so I am being very generic. The recipes below do not call for any specific type so use what you like or probably more appropriate, use what is available at your local store. Fresh tomatoes are the star in these recipes. They are great side dishes and easy to prepare.

Tomatoes with Balsamic Dressing

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons white vine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon traditional pimenton* (use regular paprika if preferred)
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Scallions (2 – 6 depending on taste) thinly sliced
1 cup shredded basil
3 pounds of tomatoes thickly sliced (1/3” to 1/2”)
Salt and pepper

In a bowl whisk the vinegars, sugar and pimenton together. Slowly whisk in the extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in scallions and most of basil. Place the tomatoes on a serving dish in one to two layers. Pour the balsamic dressing over the tomatoes and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. When ready to serve, sprinkle the remaining basil over the tomatoes.

*Pimenton is Spanish smoked paprika.

Tomatoes with Edamame

1 ½ pounds tomatoes
½ pound edamame in the pod (fresh or frozen)
½ cup white onion
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Steam the edamame until tender. Remove from cooking and allow to cool then remove beans from pod. Coarsely dice the tomatoes and place in bowl. Add the edamame. In another dish whisk together the olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over tomatoes and edamame and gently mix.

Simply Tomatoes
2 pounds tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Slice the tomatoes and place on serving dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle a little oil over the tomatoes and enjoy.

June 19, 2009

FDA Warns Consumers Not to Eat Nestle Toll House Prepackaged, Refrigerated Cookie Dough
Nestle Voluntarily Recalls all Varieties of Prepackaged, Refrigerated Toll House Cookie Dough

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are warning consumers not to eat any varieties of prepackaged Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough due to the risk of contamination with E. coli O157:H7 (a bacterium that causes food borne illness).

The FDA advises that if consumers have any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products in their home that they throw them away. Cooking the dough is not recommended because consumers might get the bacteria on their hands and on other cooking surfaces.

Retailers, restaurateurs, and personnel at other food-service operations should not sell or serve any Nestle Toll House prepackaged, refrigerated cookie dough products subject to the recall.

See the full article: FDA News Release.

Here is Nestle’s official news release: Nestle USA Recall

Toll House Cookie Dough Products

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt is always one of our top selling products at www.evze.com. We have shipped it to almost every state in the country! It’s a great salt for every day use. Easy to pinch out of the salt box, it tastes wonderful and the price is right at $2.99 for 3 pounds.

We are not big “salters” in my family and rarely does someone add salt at the table. I thought 3 pounds of salt was a lot but it gets used without a problem. I use it to salt water for boiling pasta, potatoes and steaming vegetables. And it gets used for baking and as a flavor enhancer with a pinch here and there usually with pepper. Of course, it is used for brining especially with barbeque season upon us.

This video made by Alton Brown for Diamond Crystal explains why it is a choice salt by so many. However, I do think it is odd that he wipes his hands on his pants… I hope you find it informative.