This Old House

     On the 1300 block of Spruce Street in Philadelphia there are row houses lining both sides of the street.  On the even side of that street there is a parking lot that affords a view of a three story mural painted on the side of the end of the row.

     It depicts contented people enjoying food and drink on an outdoor patio overlooking a patchwork of farmland. Overhead are others looking down from the branches above.  It is but one of many murals that grace buildings in the City of Brotherly Love.  But this particular edifice is different.  And while it appears understated, almost austere, it once was home to one of the premier French restaurants, Le Bec Fin.

 

     The interior is similarly appointed with minimal ornamentation, save for the hand blown Murano glass chandeliers imported from Venice, there are only about a dozen tables in the dining area which is now home to Vetri, hailed as one of the most respected and influential Italian restaurants in the country.

 

     Chef Marc Vetri and sommelier Jeff Benjamin created the concept of a tasting menu only dining format and began serving patrons in 1998.  Their rustic fare, handcrafted pastas, innovative flavor combinations and artful presentations continues to provid the public with an unparalleled dining experience.  And last week I had the opportunity to be a guest at their table.

     Tomorrow I will relate to you my dining experience at Vetri.

Meat Me at the Fair

     It's that time of year once again when the State Fair organizers announce the line up of new foods debuting at the Great Minnesota Get-Together.  The creativity is amazing as vendors prepare to tantalize fair goers with more new items on the menu.  There will be variations on a theme, like Maple Bacon Funnel Cake 

and Mac & Cheese Cupcakes.  

Other offerings blend cultures with Kimchi Curry Poutine 

and a Sriracha Dog. 

And others bend local tradition a bit by serving up Cowboy Dave's Cluck & Moo 

and Walleye Stuffed Mushrooms.  

Food on a stick is still very much alive, however with Stuffed Italian Meatloaf On-a-Stick.  

But my personal favorite are the Tochos.  

What's not to like about tater tots smothered in cheddar cheese sauce with seasoned sour cream, bacon bits and green onions?

For a complete listing of new fair foods, click on to the following link:

www.mnstatefair.org/fun/new_food/

Cousin Bob's

     Not too long ago the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a report of a study of pizza consumption by our youth.  Citing the abundance of saturated fats and high levels of sodium in the adolescent favorite, they warned that eating pizza on a regular basis is a significant factor in contributing to childhood obesity.

     But that's because they have never eaten Cousin Bob's pizza.  No, it's not a franchise, and it can't be found in Little Italy or even at a corner store front.  Cousin Bob's pizza is only made in Greensboro, NC by one person...my cousin Bob Madtes.  I had the opportunity to savor his unique creation when I stopped by for a visit on my way home from the BBQ festival.  Bob and his wife, Melinda, have a very healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and eating right, including pizza.

     Bob proved that to me as he used the pizza dough that Melinda had proofed and placed it on a perforated pan, adorning it with things like halved cherry tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, quartered slices of eggplant, onion, mushrooms and some pepperoni.  Artfully arranged with healthy toppings the pizza went onto his grill out on the deck and cooked under Bob's watchful eye.  In just a few minutes we were enjoying lunch under the shade of the pergola.

     Who says eating pizza can't be healthy?  You just need to follow the recipe of Cousin Bob.

Meals on Wheels Texas Style

     Giardini Trattoria in Columbus, NC rightly claims to be a farm-to-table restaurant that sources local produce, some of which they grow in their own garden.  The meat is provided by nearby farms.  But one supplier, Broken Arrow Ranch, isn't in the Carolinas.  It's in Texas.  And technically it isn't a ranch at all, but a cooperative of sorts, a collection of over 100 ranches covering a million acres in the central and southern portion of the state known to many as Texas Hill Country.



     The ranch land isn't suitable for cultivation but growing on the open range are a wide variety of natural herbs and native grasses that feed a wide variety of non-native species of wild game introduced to the region over half a century ago.  Blackbuck and Nilgai antelope, Axis, Sika and Fallow deer and wild boar roam free in a climate ideally suited to them as they feed on the ground cover growing there.

     Most meat processing plants receive live animals that have been transported to their facilities.  But the owners of Broken Arrow have successfully developed a different and unique system.  Partnering with ranchers they field harvest the wild animals with mobile units.  With a team of three, a marksman, a butcher and a government meat inspector, the animals are humanely taken down and immediately processed on location, reducing the animal's stress level and improving the quality of the meat product.  The entire operation has been approved by the Texas Department of Health since its inception in 1983.  Their story was even told on the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods show narrated by Andrew Zimmern.

     As an artisnal purveyor of high quality free-range meat from truly wild animals, Broken Arrow Ranch supplies meat to restaurants in nearly all of our 50 states, including the Giardini Trattoria.  And I can attest to the texture and tenderness of the venison from the Axis deer that I savored in North Carolina one Saturday night.

Tutti mangiamo bene!

     I had consumed about all the barbecue one person could eat in a single weekend.  The Blue Ridge BBQ and Music Festival was over the top with food and entertainment but I was in need of a different culinary experience for my last evening in the foothills of North Carolina.  

     Someone kindly recommended to me a "little Italian place" over in neighboring Columbus so I called Giardini Trattoria to see if they could fit me in on a Saturday evening.  I said that if necessary I would be happy to sit at a table in the kitchen.  I was able to secure a 6pm reservation at the restaurant that was just a half a mile down the road from the Polk County High School.  I turned into the driveway and saw the unassuming yellow house next to an acre of gardens complete with a green house.  Once inside I soon learned that the gardens (Giardini in Italian) supported the revolving menu.  Their organic produce, along with locally sourced pastured meats, provide diners with fresh, simple and seasonal meals. Growing only a few steps from my table were things like baby beets, lacinato kale, summer squash, green beans and arugula.



     Looking over the menu for the evening I had an agonizing time making my decision as to what to order.  Pollo Involtini (chicken), Costoletta di Maiale (pork chops), and Salsiccia alla Griglia (sausage) were all possibilities.  So as I perused the list I decided to begin with some homemade pasta fagioli, a delicious bean soup topped with freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese, accented with herbs just picked from their garden.  Delicioso!  I savored every morsel and would have wiped the bowl clean with the freshly baked bread if no one was looking.

 



     For my secondi I opted for the Cannelloni di Carne di Cervo.  It was the one menu item that contained an ingredient that wasn't local.  The ground wild Axis venison that was used to stuff their own cannelloni pasta came from the Broken Arrow Ranch in Texas. (More about the ranch tomorrow.)  The stuffed shells were accompanied on the rectangular plate by grilled carrots, zucchini and squash and accented with fire roasted fennel tomato ragu.  It was both a delight to the eye and the palate at the same time.  What a work of art!  And it was as delicious as it was artistic. A true culinary masterpiece.



     As I was finishing my meal I was greeted by Mary who co-owns the farm-to-table enterprise with her husband, Joe Laudisio.  She inquired about my impression of the meal and we continued in conversation about the Italian concept of cooking simple, fresh and local as we compared notes on our travels in Tuscany and the meals we had enjoyed while there.  She was a very gracious host and I felt like I had been invited into her house to share a meal at her table.  And I was!

     

Southern Style

     Inquiring where I could find an authentic southern meal I was directed to a local restaurant near where I was staying in Tryon, NC "just turn left onto Highway 176 at the Sunoco Station," I was told.  Caro Mi is run by a local family and had a real hometown feel to it as I walked across the covered bridge that separated the building from the parking lot.



     Inside it had a comfortable look with pennants from colleges near and far festooned across the walls.  The staff was prompt and cordial in finding me a table and offering me some soothing sweet tea.  It wasn't long before some classic sides were brought to my table: warm biscuits with butter, some amazing coleslaw that had a tart and tasty tang, and a serving of macaroni salad made from a secret recipe.  After looking over the menu I decided to order the mountain rainbow trout with green beans and a baked apple.  The waitress brought them out on a tray almost immediately and filleted the trout table side.  





     And while I was impressed with her speed from the kitchen to my table, it also gave me cause for concern.  It was impossible for the fish to be prepared and cooked in the time that had elapsed after I had placed my order.  That signaled to me that sometime before I arrived the trout had seen the skillet and had been sitting waiting for someone to request it.  My apprehension was well founded when I took my first bite of the limp, sodden entree.  It was not what I had hoped for and was almost mushy, the skin not crisp at all.  And to add to my dismay the green beans were clearly out of a can, not a garden.  The baked apple was barely distinguishable, and while it did have an authentic taste, it was not pleasing to the eye.





     What began as a hopeful introduction into southern style cooking became a disappointing dining event in the South.  But the biscuits, slaw and macaroni salad were exceptional as was the sweet tea.  Guess I should have just had them as my meal.

Kiss My Grits

     Among the many gracious and welcoming people I met during my stay in North Carolina, Jason Cole was one of the friendliest.  He is the General Manager at Larkin's Carolina Grill in Columbus.  I met him there Friday evening as I enjoyed dinner at his restaurant.  We had the opportunity to get to know each other and in our conversation he asked what I thought of Carolina cuisine.  My response was favorable but I confessed that I was having a difficult time warming up to a traditional low country favorite, shrimp and grits.  That's when he offered me a serving that he would dish up for me when he staffed his restaurant's booth at the BBQ Festival the following day.

     So after dinner that night I did some research to find out exactly just what grits really are.  Here is what I discovered...

     First prepared by Native Americans their maize porridge was made from small broken grains of corn ground by hand and boiled in water or milk.  The recipe calls for 6 parts of boiling liquid combined with 1 part coarse corn meal and stirred while cooking for about a half hour.  The common term we come to know as grits is derived from an Old English term grytt meaning a coarse meal of any type.



     Grits are a Southern staple, usually served for breakfast, but can be consumed any time of day.  Three quarters of all the grits purchased in the United States are bought in the South in the "Grits Belt" that extends from Texas to Virginia.  Traditionally seasoned with salt, pepper and butter they can also be combined with grated cheese, sausage, bacon, or a fried egg and often accompany fried catfish, salmon croquettes, country ham and of course, shrimp.  Left over grits are chilled, then sliced (and can be breaded) and fried.  They are not unlike corn meal mush or polenta.



     I met up with Jason on Saturday at the festival and he honored his pledge and ladled me a generous helping of grits topped with shrimp.  I thanked him for the introduction to true Southern cooking and sat down to give it a try.  I guess it's an acquired taste.  But then again, so is scrapple.

An Expensive Pastime

     The day after the BBQ Festival I spoke with one of the judges at breakfast where we both were staying and he mentioned to me that on average each team that competes spends in the neighborhood of $2,000 per event when all the expenses are tabulated.  That's quite a chunk of change to throw down in a single weekend.  And most of the teams do just that approximately 15 times a year as they travel around the country.

     But that does not include the cost of their custom conveyances, the mammoth motor homes that are literally a kitchen on wheels, complete with grills and smokers.  Those units can run into the tens of thousands of dollars.  I was in awe of some of the rigs that were on site at the Blue Ridge festival and took photos of them to pass along to you.  Here they are:











Serious Stuff

     The 22nd Annual Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival was a lot of fun.  But it was also serious business for the nearly 80 teams that participated.  They came from near and far to compete for $20,000 in cash prizes.  The Serial Grillers arrived from Virginia and the Hoggy Bottom Boys wheeled over from neighboring Tennessee.  Pigs in Heat motored up from Georgia and the Texas Rib Rangers came from, where else?  Texas!  My favorite, however, was Buttrub.com led by "Bad Byron" Chisolm who pulled his trailer from the Sunshine State.  His motto is "Everything's better with a little butt rub."



     The two day event was sponsored by the Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce and the Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival Steering Committee and sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, the largest of its kind in the world with over 19,000 members.  They oversee events like the one held in Tryon, NC in over 44 states nationwide.  Their mission statement reads as follows:

Recognizing barbeque as America's Cuisine, the mission of the KCBS is to celebrate, teach, preserve and promote barbeque as a culinary technique, sport and art form.

     To promote fairness in the judging process they issue a 2 page list of rules that must be strictly adhered to by all the contestants.  Among the listing are rules that state

     Shoes and a shirt must be worn at all times...no excessive drinking...no smoking around the food...and chronic complaining will lead to expulsion from the competition.  These are all outlined in the KCBS's newsletter, The Bullsheet.



     More serious rules state that judging will be conducted by a team of 6 and will score from a high of 9 to a low of 2 for appearance, taste and tenderness in each of the 5 categories for the festival:  chicken, ribs, pulled pork, brisket, and whole hog.  It also stated that it is forbidden to lick fingers after handling the entries.  Each entry is to be delivered to the judges receiving table in an unmarked, approved KCBS container at a specified time for the blind judging.  

 

    
     The meat is to be cooked only over a wood fired appliance, no gas, charcoal or electricity.  Each team will have a chief cook and as many assistants as required.  All styles of barbecue are judged impartially.  They include: St. Louis, Texas, Memphis and Carolina.  Oh, and sauce like tomato base, mustard, and vinegar-salt & pepper are all optional.  One South Carolina judge confided to me that when sauce is used it is usually to hide something not enhance it.



     And all the while the judges were doing their work the crowd of over 25,000 was enjoying the sounds of some mighty fine bluegrass music from the likes of "Buncombe Turnpike."

     It was quite an experience for me.  I'm hoping to return next month when the town of Saluda holds its Coon Dog Day.

Porking it Up

     It was quite a week on the road for me.  I began my journey last Wednesday and headed west and then south.  Once I crossed the Mason-Dixon line I spent about 10 minutes in Maryland and another half hour in Wild, Wonderful West Virginia before getting into the Old Dominion State.  The Big Meadows Lodge in Shenandoah National Park was my overnight accommodation as I motored down the Skyline Drive.  The breath taking views I had hoped for were obscured however by a milky haze emanating far north from Canadian provence wild fires.



     Thursday I pushed on and spent the day making my way to Tryon, NC to attend the Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival.  Known to Carolinians as "Upstate" the foothills of western North Carolina is a beautiful and laid back portion of the Tar Heel State and the home to the State Championship of BBQ for the past 22 years.  I found my way to the Pine Crest Inn, a literal campus of cottages nestled just on the edge of town then began to explore to get the lay of the land.  



     It wasn't difficult to follow the directions and locate Harmon Field where the festival was to be held.  Things were already set up and ready to go for the two day event.  There were 2 stages set for the musical groups and an area for children with a Ferris wheel and the like.  There was an area for vendors selling crafts and a large section for the competitors to set up shop.  And most importantly, there was a large infield with 2 circus style tents set up with tables and chairs where attendees could sit and eat all the food for sale from vendors far and wide.  Off to one side was an austere covered concrete slab being readied for the judging of contestant's "Que."



     I got to meet some very nice people during my stay, people like Rusty Cook (really, that was his name!), a good old boy from Tennessee, Dave Roper, and Jason Cole, General Manager of Larkin's Carolina Grill in neighboring Columbus.  I also had the opportunity to learn about the serious business of barbecue competition.  More on that tomorrow!



Singing the Blues

     Bluegrass, that is.  And I won't be singing but listening as I attend the Blue Ridge Barbecue and Music Festival this weekend in the Tar Heel State.  Watch for a full report on Carolina 'Que when I return!



White Man's Footprint

     The plantain weed is found in practically every crevice, yard and field around the world. It is native to Europe and central Asia  but is one of the most abundant and accessible plants on the planet.  It grows well in compacted or disturbed soils, especially along roadsides.  It was introduced to the New World inadvertently, the seeds carried on the shoes of the Puritan colonizers, hence the nickname given it by Native Americans "White Man's Footprint."



     While it is classified as a weed it is also a valuable medicinal plant containing many bioactive compounds.  The leaves are edible as salad greens when young and tender and the older, tougher leaves can be cooked in stews.  High in calcium the leaves rival carrots for Vitamin A content.  The seeds can be ground into flour.

     Extract from the plantain has wound healing qualities and is an effective anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant and antibiotic.  A poultice made from the leaves can be applied to wounds, sores and stings to promote healing.  Plantain tea is used to treat diarrhea and dysentery.  Fresh seeds and flower heads added to the tea is an effective laxative and soothes a sore throat.

     And I thought it was just a weed!!!

Making a Difference

   Born to Ecuadorian parents, Jose Garces is a first generation American born in Chicago in 1981.  In his lifetime he has risen with meteoric speed to international fame as a premier chef and restaurateur with more than a dozen restaurants located across the nation in Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Scottsdale, DC, Palm Springs, CA, Chicago, and Moorestown, NJ.  Studying under Chef Douglas Rodriguez the "godfather of Nuevo Latino cuisine" Jose learned his craft well and was soon recruited by Stephen Starr to oversee two of his restaurants: Alma de Cuba and El Vez in the City of Brotherly Love and now Jose calls Philadelphia his home.  In addition to 7 restaurants in Philly he owns a 40 acre organic farm in bucolic Bucks County, Luna Farms, named after his lovable bull dog.  

     On Sunday I had the opportunity to visit the working farm for a Summer Barbecue that benefited the Garces Foundation.  I enjoyed some great food served up by his catering company as well as such well known local culinary giants as Tony Luke's, OwowCow Creamery, Rosati Water Ice, and Fat Jack's BBQ.  There were hamburger sliders served with 2 cheeses melted on top and garnished with caramelized onions, pickled ramps, lima & fava bean salad, gelato and water ice, and even a demonstration on preparing a whole goat for El Cabrito, a goat meat taco.  It was an amazing and fun filled afternoon.



     And it was all for a great cause.  The Garces Foundation is making a difference in hundreds of lives through its multi faceted programs.  They sponsor Community Health Days, a free quarterly event to aid the uninsured and underserved immigrant community with dental exams, cholesterol and glucose screenings and physicals.  They also direct individuals to health professionals who provide discounted services.  

     Another important service provided is the English for the Restaurant program that offers ESL classes to Latino restaurant workers.  The restaurant industry in Philadelphia is the 5th largest employer of Latinos in the city.  The English language and skills program also includes nutrition education classes as well as a computer literacy course.  Student teachers from the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and Arcadia University serve as interns in approved fieldwork sites.  

     Luna Farms Field Trips is a third program offered by the Garces Foundation and is directed toward the youth introducing them to comprehend the importance of a healthy diet and exercise.  It's a hands-on program involving planting and harvesting of fruits and vegetables that teaches young people how to prepare fresh, nutritious meals and the value of daily exercise and physical activity through nature walks and group games.  They also outline the farm to table process of food preparation and cooking.  Last year over 350 young people from the greater Philadelphia area participated.

     Jose Garces is doing something big.  Not only has he elevated the concept of Latino cuisine and showcased its flavors and style, he is also providing local immigrant restaurant workers and their families an opportunity to share in the American Dream that he has realized in his own life.

Versatile Spice

     

     Cinnamon has been around for a long time.  And throughout its history it has been used in a wide variety of ways.  There are many claims regarding the power of this ground bark of the Cinnamomum tree including even being a cure for cancer and a method for significant weight loss.

     The website hellawella lists some of the more interesting ways cinnamon can improve your life and lifestyle.  Consider these:

1. It's a natural appetite suppressant. Sprinkle some in your coffee, add some in a banana smoothie or stir some into your oatmeal.  Even if you don't find that it curbs your appetite, it adds a nice flavorful kick that may deter you from turning to sugar.  

2. It deters ants.  If you're looking for a non-toxic and humane way to address an ant problem, cinnamon is the solution you seek.  Apparently, the little beasties don't like climbing over or through cinnamon in powder form.  the powder won't actually kill them, so you'll need to monitor closely and replace the cinnamon every two weeks or so to make sure the ants took the hint and left for friendlier pastures.

3. It's an anti-inflammatory.  It might help with arthritis pain or help with a sore knee.  Many credit cinnamon with lowering blood sugar.

4. It may help your acne.  Dab some honey and cinnamon to spot treat a zit or pimple.  Your mileage will likely vary depending on the severity of your acne and the underlying causes.

5. It's an odor neutralizer. Yes,  cinnamon will fix everything from smelly sneakers to a skunked dog.  And the added benefit...your home will smell like a hot cup of Autumn! 

The Most Famous Tomato in the World

     A few weeks ago I happened along a small roadside stand in South Jersey that was selling tomato plants.  There were the usual varieties: Big Boy, Early Girl, Beefsteak, etc.  But one flat caught my eye and I quickly grabbed a container holding 4 San Marzano plants and gladly paid fifty cents a piece for the seedlings.



     So what's the mystique about these pomo d'oro fruits?  (Yes, technically tomatoes are a fruit).  They are the thing of legend and myth, according to some.  One claim which remains unproven is that seeds of the San Marzano were a gift from the King of Peru to the King of  Naples and were planted near the shadowy smoke of Mount Vesuvius in the town of San Marzano.  It is said that the rich volcanic soil of the area gives the tomato their sweet flavor and low acidity, as well as their firm pulp, deep red color and low seed count.  They are the only tomatoes permitted to be used on a certified Neapolitan pizza!

     
     Many top chefs from around the world claim the San Marzano to be the best tomato available and use them exclusively in their recipes.  The tomatoes are grown under very specific rules in the Campania region of Italy.  Only San Marzano tomatoes will have an official DOP (Denominazione d'Origine Protetta) label on the container to verify the tomato's variety as well as the location where it was grown.  Authentic San Marzano tomatoes can be grown only in 3 provinces of Campania: Salerno, Naples and Avellino.  And while some of the famous tomatoes are grown outside that area, they cannot wear the official "seal of approval" on the can or jar.

     Here's what a fellow blogger has to say about it:

"San Marzano tomatoes are, not to put too fine a point on it, simply the best sauce tomatoes in the world.  Better than any other canned tomato.  Better than 99.9 percent of the fresh tomatoes out there...The only way to be sure you're getting the genuine article is to look for the D.O.P. seal on the label."

Bill Citara,  Food Fight Blog

     I can't wait to taste my own San Marzano tomatoes later this Summer! With or without the label...



Coming Clean

   Yesterday morning my culinary co-conspirator passed along to me several issues of recent cooking genre magazines.  And while I enjoy perusing the recipes contained therein I am even more fascinated by the commentary of guest writers on contemporary culinary issues.

     Such was the case as I settled in to read an editorial entitled "Coming Clean" in the April/May 2015 issue of allrecipes.  The author was seeking clarity on exactly what the term "clean eating" really means.  Is it "a diet, a lifestyle a belief system--or something else entirely?" the author asks.  After not receiving much in the way of a definitive answer from Internet sources she concedes that clean eating may mean many things to many people.  But there is a basic agreement that it seems to always include the idea of consuming minimally processed foods, that is, foods that are close to their fresh-from-the-farm condition.  The less processed they are the more natural nutrients they contain, resulting in a more healthy environment and healthier people, too.

     Processing food has been a time honored necessity in our world, to preserve abundance for lean times.  Our fore bearers salted meats, pickled vegetables, canned fruits and turned milk into cheese.  Processing increases shelf life, lower costs and in general makes  some foods more appealing.  A prime example of this is found in canned tomatoes that have been picked at the peak of ripeness and minimally processed versus a tasteless tomato that has been grown for its sturdiness in shipping rather than its flavor.  And where would we be without the processing of olives to make the oil that we use to cook healthy meals?

     But it is a proven fact that processed foods contribute to 75% of the sodium in our diet.  And the average American also consumes about 22 teaspoons of sugar every day, mostly from highly processed drinks and breakfast cereals.

     The essay concludes by stating what clean eating is and isn't.  Here are the 3 clarifying conclusions:

1. It isn't about losing weight.  You can eat too many "clean" calories and still gain weight--just as you could with highly processed foods.

2.  It doesn't necessarily cost more.  Rice and beans are minimally processed and very inexpensive.  While highly processed foods (like chips and soda) can be inexpensive, so can clean foods.  It all depends on your choices.

3.  It doesn't have to take hours of cooking.  It can be as simple as a dinner of broiled fish with broccoli and roast potatoes.

     It's all just common sense, really.  The closer you stay to un- or minimally processed , the cleaner your diet will be.

Pop Culture

     It's a well known fact that popcorn is good for you.  It's a healthy snack that is low in calories and high in fiber. Zea mays everta is actually a whole grain and is a member of the grass family.  Air popped popcorn contains only 31 calories a cup while the oil popped variety has just 55 calories.  It has more protein than any other cereal grain and contains more iron that eggs.

     

     Nebraska produces more popcorn than any other state in the nation.  And that's a good thing because Americans eat 17 billion quarts of it every year.  There are two basic shapes: snowflake that is sold primarily in movie theaters, and mushroom which is sturdier and resists breakage and thus becomes caramel corn.

     Every New Year's Eve a 40 pound ball of popcorn covered with lights is dropped at midnight in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.  And in 2013 at the Indiana State Fair a record was set as a 6,500 pound popcorn ball was created.  But it didn't last long because after the fair was concluded it was demolished and fed to livestock.

     In the town square in Valparaiso, Indiana stands a statue of Orville Redenbacher who began his popcorn making career there over 50 years ago.  At the Boiler House Restaurant in San Antonio Chef Jeff White uses left over popcorn for a popular menu item, Popcorn Grits.

And now a "Pop" quiz:  What are the unpopped kernels called?

Amazing Arepas

     Made of ground maiz, better known to us as cornmeal, arepas are a form of flatbread common to Latin America, especially Venezuala and Columbia.  In Mexico they are called gordita and in El Salvador called pupusa, they serve a dual purpose.  They can either be the foundation for toppings or can form a sandwich, filled with meat, eggs, cheese, salad or seafood.

     Any way they are prepared these flatbreads are enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner as an appetizer or a main course.  The flat, round, unleavened corncakes can be grilled, baked or fried.

  They are amazingly good and healthy, too!