3 Cups of Tea

Book Review by Eliza Chute:
copyright 2009, art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc
Greg Mortenson believes in changing the world and creating peace through education. His book Three Cups of Tea is about an actual life changing experience he had which inspired him to start the Central Asia Institute, and organization that builds schools in the middle east. The story starts with him climbing K2, but he gets lost and winds up in a small village in Pakistan starving and Exhausted. The villagers took him in and fed him, where he learns the significance of the three cups of tea. It was then that he made a promise that would change his life forever. He promised to return to the village and build them a school. When he returns to the States he starts raising money for his school, teaching climbing lessons while living out of his car. When he finally returns to Pakistan to build the village he is met with a surprise. The village head has decided instead of a school they first need a bridge, so that they do not have to walk miles around to be able to trade goods and such. Mortenson agrees and they build that bridge. As the story progresses, he comes to learn the value of education in creating peace in how that if children are learning to think for themselves, they are not being taught that killing is necessary. He goes on to tell the story of the hardships in raising money for the CAI, and in actually building schools and getting the materials. He also faces protests from fellow Americans especially after September 11th, receiving hate mail and even death threats for his work in the middle east. I really reveals the ignorance of blind hatred after a tragedy.
The book itself is heartwarming and inspiring, and gives a highly involved American’s view on issues in the middle eat, and promotes a way of using education to disarm hatred, a definite must read.

Hope to see you at a The Basic Art of Italian Cooking school event with Celebrity Chef Maria Liberati. Here are some coming up:
July 16th- Whole Foods Market-Annapolis Md, 7 PM, A Tuscan Picnic Cla lstore or email:events@marialiberati.com for more info

July 18th Whole Foods Market, Fair Lakes/Fairfax, Va. A Tuscan Picnic with wine pairing, 1PM. Must pre -registe. Call store or email: events@marialiberati.com

July 31-August 2-Atlantic City Food & Wine Show, Bally's Casino. Email:events@marialiberati.com

Memories of Julia Child

Written by :Eliza Chute

Julie Powel’s Julie and Julia, is a book about how a 30 year old woman who “recounts how she conquered every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and saved her soul.” It is based on Powel’s actual life, where at the age of 30 she finds herself in a dilapidated apartment and a dead end job. She, then decides to drastically change her life, by cooking all of the recipes in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking in the span of a year. She starts off with potato soup, easy enough, but it turns out to be a much harder task than she expects but in the process of finishing her task she learns more than just the art of cooking.
A well written and delightful story, truly inspiring to anyone who has ever wondered if they are going down the right path, the book becomes an invitation for spontaneity. Powell’s deeply personal and honest account of her life makes it even more appealing. And the story itself becomes a great example of what a person can do if they set their mind to it.
The movie, set to come out August 7 is based on two memories this one, and Julia Child’s own “My Life in France”, intermittently following the two women, in different times and places. Julie Powell is played by Amy Adams, while Julia Child is played by Meryl Streep. After the success of their last movie together, Doubt, it seems like it can’t go wrong. Although it is quite a shift from the drama of doubt, with the comedic power of the book, the movie does seem quite promising.


Hope to see you at The Basic Art of Italian Cooking events:
July 9th-Whole Foods, Jemkintown, pa, the outdoor kitchen. cell the store at 215-481-0800 to register or email events@marialiberati.com

July 11th- Chestnut Hill Book Festival at Magarity's Showroom at Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill, Pa. Email events@marialiberati.com

July 16th, Whole Foods Market, Annapolis Md, A Tuscan Picnic, 7PM. Call store or email: events@marialiberati.com
July 18th, Whole Foods Market, Fairfax, Virginia A Tuscan Picnic and wine pairing

Hot Fun in the Summertime

Written by: Eliza Chute
Summer time means one thing, grilling. It is the best form of cooking in the hot heat of the season. Nothing is better than sitting around a picnic table in the warm sun, and waiting for those burgers to cook. Then waiting an hour before you can jump in a pool, or some sort of body of water. But what’s the best way to grill? Can you just throw some stuff on and leave it there until you smell burning? Well, not if you want to eat something that tastes good. There are two books that have served my family well when it comes to grilling. First is Williams Sonoma’s Complete Grilling Cookbook and the second is the less conventional Steven Raichlen’s How To Grill. But let me give them some individual attention.


1.Wiliams Sonoma Complete Grilling Cookbook
Let me first say that this book sure is complete, from vegetables to meat to even dessert, it doesn’t miss a beat. And, as most of their cookbooks are they are not without an array of beautiful pictures of what the food should look like, but doesn’t often, especially if the person making it isn’t a professional chef. But nonetheless is a great and useful tool to help you out on that perfect summer day when you just gotta grill.

2.Steven Raichlen’s How to Grill
Raichlin’s is also very complete, but seems to have a greater emphasis on the meat aspect, as shown by the cover (just check it out) . This guide doesn’t just show you reipes, but has a 30 page intro on the art of grilling. In addition it outlays your rubs sauces and condiments, as well as the gear. So not only does it have great recipes, but it provides you with all the necessary knowledge to really look like you know what you’re doing and sound like you know what you are talking about.

But the best grilling recipe that I have found, and by found I mean the much more experienced chef that is my mother showed me is in the Food Editor’s Hometown Favorites Cookbook. It is called Delmarva Barbecued Chicken, and it is delicious. I can’t give you the full recipe, because I think that might be illegal or copyright infringement or something but I can tell you that it involves an egg, and vinegar cider and you should pick up a copy of this recipe book if you have a chance.
Join me for The Basic Art of Italian cooking Programs at:
July 9th- WHole Foods Markte, Jenkintown, Pa- The Outdoor Kitchen, recipes for the beach, a picnic or dining al fresco. 6:15 PM call store at 215-481-0800 to register or email:events@marialiberti.com
July 11th-Chestnut Hill Book Festival, 2PM at Magarity's Warehouse at Germantown Avenue,Chetnut Hill, Pa. Email events@marialiberati.com for more info

July 16th-Whole Foods, Annapolis Md. A Tuscan Picnic, call store or email events@marialiberati.com

July 18th- Whole Foods, Fairfax, Va., A Tuscan Picnic and wine pairing. 1:30 PM Cal lstore or email events@marialiberati.com

July 25th- book signing and tasting, Whole Foods, Devon, Pa 1 PM Email events@marialiberati.com for more info

July 31 -August 2nd- Atlantic City Food And Wine SHow, email events@marialiberati.com for more info
Get your copy of the best sellling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at www.marialiberati.com

Fourth of July and Happy Birthday USA

Written by :Eliza Chute


If you find yourself in Philadelphia, the birthplace of the USA this summer or for a fitting Fourth of July Holiday here is a 'delicious' place to visit:


You can find everything you need at Reading Terminal Market. It is quite the melting pot of delicious food. You can find everything from crepes to soul food, vegetarian restaurants to meat by the pound. This indoor market takes up an entire city block.
There is even the unique opportunity of getting freshly grown Pennsylvania Dutch made foods. There are eleven Pennsylvania Dutch owned shops. If you are craving chocolate, Chocolate by Mueller is the place to. All chocolates are hand-made on site. They even have a display kitchen, so you can watch them make their chocolates, as your mouth waters in front of the window. Looking for something a little more nutritious? Try the Dutch Eating Place. They serve breakfast and lunch, including their famous blueberry pancakes and apple dumplings. These delicious pancakes are fluffy and served by Pennsylvania Dutch in full garb, making it a tasty and fun experience. Or try Hatville Deli for some great deli food. However, don’t forget to bring cash, because the last two only accept cash and gift certificates.

For more Information on Reading Terminal Market
http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/about/


List of Pennsylvania Dutch Shoppes
AJ Pickel Patch & Salads
Beiler's Bakery
Dienner's Bar-B-Q
Dutch Eating Place
Hatville Deli
Kauffman's Lancaster County Produce
L. Halteman Family
Lancaster Co. Dairy
Miller's Twist
Rib Stand
Sweet as Fudge Candy Shoppe

For more recipes for the 4th

Rescue A Pet Today

Written: by Eliza Chute

It seems that lately pets have become the new accessory. It is no longer an uncommon sight to see a woman walk by you with a little Chihuahua head peeking out of her purse. The pet industry is thriving. You can buy everything from clothes for your pet to health insurance. If I want to ensure Whiskers my one year old hypothetical cat with routine coverage it would cost me about twenty dollars a month. If I want the works it would cost me 40. Rex, my non existent dog would run me 25 dollars a month for common problems and 47 per month if I want everything covered.
It’s not really a surprise that people want to take such good care of their pets. They are adorable and cuddly and provide unconditional love. They are personified and become almost like a member of the family. And everyone seems to want their dogs purebred. They are coming up with new breeds every day, including cockapoos (cocker spaniel poodle mix) and labradoodles (Labrador-poodle mix). Pure bred dogs these days can run up to well over a thousand dollars.
While some people are paying 600 dollars annually on pet insurance plans, others are abandoning their animals. There are many loving pets in need of homes all over the country. In January of 2009 the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (Paws) they saved 263 homeless animals, and that’s not including animal rescue’s statistics. Of those, they found homes for 186 animals, and foster homes for 71. So, instead of paying for an overpriced purebred, try heading down to the local pound and seeing if there are any furry friends to your liking. Though they may not be pure-bred, they are just a cuddley and just as loving and even more in need of someone to take care of them.


Insurance information from:
http://www.petinsurance.com/

For more information on Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society:
http://www.phillypaws.org/default.asp

Meatless or With Meat..My Dilemma!!

Written by Elizabeth Chute

Remember the energy flow diagram we learned in middle school biology? About how plants turn the sun’s energy into nutrients through photosynthesis, then when they get eaten, only 10 percent of that energy gets passed on, then when that animal gets eaten only 10 percent of that energy gets passed on, but since it’s only 10 percent of the original 10 percent, its really only 1 percent of the original nutrients. Moral of the story: shouldn’t we always be eating vegetables? Well, that I’m not sure about, we do need the protein, but there are other ways to get it, like beans lentils and tofu. The official government food pyramid recommends to eat more fish beans peas nuts and seeds, and when eating meat to eat more lean meats and protein. So we all do know that red meat is not very healthy, but what about the taste? It is delicious. There is always fake meat, but does it really taste like the real thing? I went to find out.
First thing I discovered: for my tastebuds... nothing will taste like a hamburger that isn’t a hamburger. It doesn’t matter how many boca or veggie burgers I eat, or what I put on them. For my palate nothing replaces the taste of biting into a slightly red, juicy burger. So, sorry heart, but you’re just going to have to deal with that bit of red meat. Meatballs however are a little more replaceable. Gimme Lean beef comes in a tube, and while perhaps looking unappealing can be cooked so that they taste just like meatballs, especially when smothered in sauce and cheese. I cooked dinner for a friend the other night, giving him fake meatballs, and telling him they were real. He couldn’t even tell the difference.
When eating saucy dishes, I have some to find that tofu is better than other meat options. If you have a good sauce, tofu does the best job absorbing it, and with no other competing flavors, because tofu is the blandest thing on the planet, you get pure curry or teriyaki or whatever you decide to put on it.
Ok, but what about sausage? Who doesn’t love their morning sausage? Well I’ve found the solution. Veggie patch sausages are quite delicious. They even come in flavors, my favorite: jalapeño cheddar. The trick to making these sausages taste just right is slicing them up and cooking them in some olive oil. Although the texture of meat cannot be mimicked, you can find something that tastes just as good as red meat, and maybe a little better on the arteries.

Are You a Coffee or Tea Person?

Written by :Eliza Chute

There is an age old question, and the answer is usually based on preference. Are you a coffee person or a tea person? But which one is better for you? People love having pearly white teeth. That is why there is a multi-million dollar industry dedicated to teeth whitening, and brushing making sure those pearly whites stay white. Coffee and Tea can stain teeth but does one do it more than the other ? Although it isn’t scientific research, I scoured the internet for answers, because I didn’t have two friends with the exact same whiteness who were willing to sacrifice their teeth for science. Though there were no official press releases from the American Dental Association, the general consensus of the web-sites I looked at, was that tea stains teeth more, more specifically dark tea. I mean just look at your mug after you drink either of them and the tea cup will be stained more. Thus, one point for coffee.
The question I really thought I would be answering was: which is worse for you; coffee or tea. For years people have been talking about the downfalls of the two. That both are really bad for you, but recent studies have shown that there are actually health benefits to both. An article in ABC news that came out in 2006 reveals that there are benefits to both the drinks, more than just the extra boos of alertness. Apparently anti-oxidants in tea and coffee “can prevent inflammation of the blood vessels, and it has been linked to reduced risk for cancer.” In terms of what has the most, the list, in order, goes white tea, green tea, black tea then coffee. So, a point for tea. In addition, “Daily cups of coffee have been linked to a reduced risk of Parkinson's disease, liver cancer, gallstones and type 2 diabetes. In addition, green tea and white tea have been touted for their health benefits”. However, they do not recommend more than four eight ounce cups a day.
At the end of the day, most people choose their drinks based on the taste. I personally choose chocolaty coffee drinks, even though I know that that is one of the worst things for me. And even though I know it is bad for me, I always think, “just this once,” but when “just this once” starts to become every day, I’m going to need to make a change.


For more information on the benefits of coffee and tea:
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Diet/story?id=2123324


July 9th- Whole Foods Market, Jenkintown, Pa The Basic Art of Italian Cooking School and The Outdoor Kitchen, recipes perfect for the picnic, the beach and dining al fresco.. Call store at 215-481-0800 to register or email: events@marialiberati.com

July 16th, Whole Foods Annapolis Maryland
http://www.prlog.org/10256011-celebrity-chef-maria-liberati-cooks-for-the-crowd-at-new-whole-foods-market-culinary-center.html
July 18th- Whole Foods Fairfax/ Fair Lakes, Virginia
http://cuisinewire.org/10256021/maria-liberati-cooking-demonstration-and-wine-pairing-at-whole-foods-market-fairfaxfair-lakes.html
July 31-August 2-Atlantic City food and wine festival
http://www.prlog.org/10264998-celebrity-chef-maria-liberati-emeril-lagasse-guy-fieri-at-atlantic-city-food-and-wine-festival.html

Get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

Follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/Marialiberati

A Place for Foodies in Philadelphia

Written by: Eliza Chute


If you are looking for an interesting food experience in the USA... you can find everything you need at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, Pa. It is quite the melting pot of delicious food. You can find everything from crepes to soul food, vegetarian restaurants to meat by the pound. This indoor market takes up an entire city block.
There is even the unique opportunity of getting freshly grown Pennsylvania Dutch made foods. There are eleven Pennsylvania Dutch owned shops. If you are craving chocolate, Chocolate by Mueller is the place to. All chocolates are hand-made on site. They even have a display kitchen, so you can watch them make their chocolates, as your mouth waters in front of the window. Looking for something a little more nutritious? Try the Dutch Eating Place. They serve breakfast and lunch, including their famous blueberry pancakes and apple dumplings. These delicious pancakes are fluffy and served by Pennsylvania Dutch in full garb, making it a tasty and fun experience. Or try Hatville Deli for some great deli food. However, don’t forget to bring cash, because the last two only accept cash and gift certificates.

For more Information on Reading Terminal Market
http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/about/List of Pennsylvania Dutch Shoppes
AJ Pickel Patch & Salads
Beiler's Bakery
Dienner's Bar-B-Q
Dutch Eating Place
Hatville Deli
Kauffman's Lancaster County Produce
L. Halteman Family
Lancaster Co. Dairy
Miller's Twist
Rib Stand
Sweet as Fudge Candy Shoppe

For more info and recipes go to http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2

Know Where Your Produce Comes From!

Written by: Eliza Chute


When you go to pick out apples at a grocery store you have no idea where they came from, but when you go to a farmer’s market you can rest assured you are buying locally grown products, that are often also organically grown with little to no pesticides. Venture into Clarke Park in Philadelphia on a Thursday from 3-7 p.m. in the summer and you will find their own Farmer’s Market. When approaching 45th from the North or South, it looks as if there are only one tent, but when you get closer you will see an array of vendors lining the street, their unmarked and unbranded vans and trucks sitting behind them. In front of them lies their particular array of produce. This Farmer’s Market was set up by The Food Trust, which now operates 29 other Farmer’s markets in the Philadelphia region. These markets were set up in order to provide an outlet for local farmers as well as nutritious foods for local people. Something you might not guess about these farmer’s markets is that they all accept food stamps and Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program vouchers. After all, the Food Trust’s Motto is “Ensuring That Everyone Has Access To Affordable, Nutritious Food”. They have a variety of different programs to ensure this mission, including both community-based and school based. In the past year, the food trust has expanded it’s farmers market programs to include the now 30 they operate, enlarged their school programs to now include 100 schools in SE Pennsylvania, and has begun work to expand their efforts to other states, in addition to other recognitions and accomplishments.
This particular Farmer’s Market is the Largest in the city, and has been in operations for 10 years. The Project Associate, Jon Glyn told me that come July there will be fruit vendors lining 45th along with the current ones. The vendors on Thursday June 11th had a variety of different produce with vendors like Big Sky Bread Company and Mountain View Produce. Urban Girl’s Produce, a one-woman run vendor, also joins the line of other tents, selling delicious sweet potatoes, and even the Asian vegetable Poc Choi. Alongside her is Country Meadows, who sell delicious smelling chicken, cooked right there, with an interesting marketing strategy. Along there table are pictures of live chicken, a helpful reminder of
where your food is coming from. The Park itself is home to more than just farmer’s markets. This popular city park in West Philadelphia, also has an extensive playground in addition to hosting flea markets, arts and music festivals, movie screenings in the summer, Youth Expos and more, bringing the greater community together one activity at a time.

For more information on The Food Trust go to: www.thefoodtrust.org
More information on Clark Park can be found at: www.clarkpark.info
A Review of Urban Girl’s Produce can be found at this site: http://www.yelp.com/biz/urban-girls-produce-philadelphia




July 11th- Chestnut Hill Book Festival- Celebrity Chef Maris Liberati will be signing books and on a panel discussion for writing about food

July 16th- Annapolis, MD, Whole Foods Market Culinary Center-The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Program & Sampling with book signing. Email:events@marialiberati.com

July 18th- Fairfax, VA- Whole Foods aMarket, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Program and Wine pairing, book signing after. Samples, wine tasting provided. Email: events@marialiberati.com

Summer Cocktails

Written by: Eliza Chute

In the summer, when it’s hot and humid (when you are in the northeast at least), nothing makes you feel better than a nice cold beverage or perhaps a cocktail. Lemonade has always been the classic summer beverage, but if you are tired of the same old summer drink, there are several variations on it to spice it up a bit. At allrecipes.com you can find a multitude of variations on the classic lemonade; from Rico’s Passionate Pink Honey Lemonade, to Pepper-Mint Lemonade. For the more calorie conscious lemonade drinker, I would recommend Vitamin Water Multi-V lemonade. It’s a refreshing, but a little less sweet alternative.
If you are looking for a thicker drink, smoothies are always the way to go, and they are fairly simple to make. Just add ice, yogurt, juice and fruit to your blender and it’s like you just came back from your local smoothie place. For an extra kick, try blending coffee, ice and banana, and some vanilla yogurt, for that morning wake-up or mid-day refresher.
In the quest for a new refreshing summer cocktail, I went and bought a variety of juices. After several hours in the lab (i.e. my kitchen), I finally came up with one. I haven’t picked out the perfect name yet, but to make the drink, you fill a cup one eighth raspberry vodka (if you have a smaller budget Burnett’s works well or if you could splurge on Smirnoff), then three quarters with cran-apple juice and fill the rest up with champagne. It’s a newer, stronger, more dynamically flavored take on an old favorite: the mimosa. Another less complicated, but delicious concoction I created, though less original, was vanilla rum and V8 splash tropical blend. However, I don’t recommend making a lot of it, the sweetness of it makes it difficult to drink more than a glass.

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Summer-Sips-Refreshing-Summer-Drinks/Detail.aspx