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How to Safely Core an Apple ?
March 1st, 2010 by Chef EricChef Eric Gourmet Club Forum is now public!
February 12th, 2010 by Chef EricI am happy to inform you that our Gourmet Club Forum is now public, but to prevent spam we ask people to login in order to post anything. Visit us and ask your questions to Chef Eric gourmet club members!
Study: 2 soft drinks per week raises pancreatic cancer risk
February 9th, 2010 by Chef Eric
Soft drink shelf
BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhuanet) — U.S. researchers have found people who drink two or more sweetened soft drinks a week have a much higher risk of pancreatic cancer, media reports said Tuesday quoting findings in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Researchers tracked 60,524 participants in the Singapore Chinese Health Study over 14 years. Over that time, 140 of the volunteers developed pancreatic cancer. Those who drank two or more soft drinks a week had an increased risk — or nearly twice the risk — of pancreatic cancer compared to individuals consuming little or no sugar-sweetened beverages.
To be exact, the risk is 87 percent higher, even after accounting for factors like age, obesity, diabetes and cigarette smoking.
Sugar in soda may be to blame — at high amounts, it could boost the body’s insulin levels and spur cancer cell growth. The pancreas produces insulin to balance the body’s blood sugar levels. So, extra sugar means extra insulin and that is the problem, researchers said.
Other studies have linked pancreatic cancer to red meat, especially burned or charred meat.
(Agencies)
How to shuck oysters?
February 1st, 2010 by Chef EricHow to clean celery root?
January 18th, 2010 by Chef EricStrawberry fight at Granville Island Market
January 18th, 2010 by Chef Eric
I went to the market today to buy a few fresh produce including some strawberries. So I picked here some celery, lemon, ginger, a lettuce, and there a pear, a couple of oranges and needed a few strawberries. I could help myself for everything but for the strawberries, as they are highly protected, you cannot touch them, so you have to ask what you want. Fair enough… By the way, the same imported berries that I usually buy at Donald’s Market for 2.99/lb is here at 5.99.
So I asked the lady to give me 1 lb of strawberries and she gave me, from under the counter, a pound of rotten fruits. I told her that they were rotten and I wanted fresh, nice strawberries. But she kept telling me how much I owe her. I said no. I do not want those strawberries I want the ones that are nicely displayed because they are not rotten and she was then telling me “good” pointing at the ones she wanted to sell me.
“Good? NO! No good! Look, they are totally rotten!” I said. So she exchanged a rotten one for a good one of the 9 strawberries that I wanted to buy and asked me to pay again. “No! I said, they are all bad, please, give me good strawberries!!!” So she removed a second one and exchanged it to a second good one and asked me to pay again…. I had to go over and over in order to have ok strawberries…I was so mad, and she was yelling at me in a language that I could not understand.
They are really desperate to sell their produces. A little bit of professionalism, a smile and the commitment to sell quality will be very beneficial to the market. In general, the large majority of the produce is imported and they are available in any other grocery store at a fraction of the price. So please stop being rude, and in your prices include, quality, courtesy and freshness.
Quake caused ‘unimaginable’ ruin: Haitian president
January 13th, 2010 by Chef EricChef Eric is very sad and chocked after Haiti disaster, a very poor country that loose his only wealth, human lives.
From CBC News: ” Haitian President René Préval says the earthquake that rocked his country has killed thousands of people and left Port-au-Prince, the capital city, in ruins. “Parliament has collapsed. The tax office has collapsed. Schools have collapsed. Hospitals have collapsed,” he told the Miami Herald. “There are a lot of schools that have a lot of dead people in them.” Full story.
Want’s to help? The Canadian Red Cross is accepting monetary donation to help Haiti.
Calorie Counts on Food Labeling Often Wrong!
January 8th, 2010 by Chef Eric
obesity
A new study has has proven you cannot believe everything you read, especially when it comes to food labes.
If you are having a problem lately counting calories or have noticed weight creeping up on you however slowly, the reason may not be your fault. It seems that in a United States study of 10 chain restaurants concluded that the number of calories in many of the menu items were an average of 18 percent higher than advertised. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration allows a 20 per cent margin of error. On the other side though, most packaged food did much better.
So why is there such a difference between what is posted on menu boards and what you actually get in fast food restaurants? Most discrepancies can be explained by things as simple as the server behind the counter putting too much mayonnaise on your sandwich.
If you eat out frequently and every time you do, you get even 100 extra calories that is going to add up quickly and you are going to gain weight.
Lead researcher Susan Roberts told Associated Press that the study raises “big issues” and that posting those calorie counts are only helpful to people if they are correct. Source: http://www.ecanadanow.com
Celebrate Epiphany with The Kings Almond Tart
January 6th, 2010 by Chef Eric
Galette des rois
Galette des Rois aux Amandes - The Kings Almond Tart - January 6, The Feast of Epiphany or Little Christmas, is a holy festival honoring the wise men coming to the infant Jesus.
This is one of the most popular eating traditions in France that takes place in January every year. A “fève” - a small china figurine - is hidden in the galette before baking. The lucky guest who gets the fève is crowned king and chooses his queen among the other guests. This takes place all over France in every family, between friends and work colleagues. The children absolutely love the game.
Happy New Year 2010
January 4th, 2010 by Chef Eric
Happy New Year
I wish you and your family a wonderful new year full of joy, health and prosperity. I hope 2010 will be a year of great culinary discovery that will make happy your taste buds.