Bluefin tuna in danger

The sushi craze is bigger than ever in America right now, with new sushi joints popping up all over the place. Yes, sushi is quite “in.” Of course I realize this isn’t news to anyone, as at this point it might even be on the verge of “out.” But, irregardless of your opinion of sushi, it may not be around for too much longer. Or, at least, sushi as we know it. You see, America’s growing interest (along with China’s and Russia’s) in the artful Japanese creation has led to a shortage of the most common ingredient used in sushi: bluefin tuna. Not only are bluefin tuna fisheries already being depleted by their original and most frequent consumer (Japan, of course) but global demand for the raw fish is adding quite the insult to injury. What’s ironic about the situation is that the spreading of culinary traditions across the globe is usually seen as a form of flattery and an extension of cultural influence, but for Japan and its economy, the global sushi “trend” has been nothing short of a detriment. The NYTimes article that reports on Japan’s crisis analogizes that tuna in Japan is as important as steak in America. Imagine America without steak! Even if you don’t like red meat, there is no doubt that steak is a sun around which the American economy’s planets revolve (but of course, we have multiple “suns.”) I mean really, what would America do? Well, actually, chef Gordon Ramsay has recommended horse meat as a healthier and better tasting steak substitute. America is fortunate enough to not have to resort to any backups (yet), but even if that weren’t the case, Japan may beat us in the horse races (pun entirely intended). Yes, you guessed it! Horse meat is Japan’s backup plan! To keep the sushi economy alive, some Japanese chefs have decided to use raw horse meat or deer to make their sushi. Forgive me if I’m wrong, but the thought of this in America would likely turn stomachs away from sushi for good (and maybe that is their intention!) But in Japan, both raw horse meat and deer are considered delicacies for natives. They just haven’t been placed inside a jacket of seaweed and rice before (not that maki is the only way to enjoy sushi.) So, a thought on globalization, if you’re still reading: Do we want to continue spreading our culinary traditions? Often food, no matter where you come from, is based on local resources, which means that sharing the traditions with the rest of the world seems to mean sharing the resources too. At some point, you’d think, a country would have to be selfish, because people in other parts of the world may not appreciate or need a food the way that country does. In fact, one person’s food adventure is another person’s staple, so where does the boundary lie? I’m not naive as I realize that my comments and thoughts are entirely based on my being American. I know I come from the melting pot world where I’m fortunate enough to have food influences from all around the world readily available to me. And further, I know that this isn’t the case in the rest of the world. Run for the hills horses! You’re next!

Thai style fragrant water and thai hom mali rice

This very popular form of fragrant water is made from freshly gathered flowers and contains no alcohol. The flowers used are selected for their sweet and lingering fragrance, some of the more common ingredients being the flowers of damask rose (Rosa damascene Mill.), jasmine, “lam-chiak” (Pandanus tectorius Bl.), “kradang-ngaa-thai” (Cananga odorata Hook. f. & Th.), orange champaka (Michelia champaca Linn.), “chammanaas”(Vallaris glabra Ktze.),bullet wood, “lamduan” (Melodorum fruticosum Lour.) and “chan-ka-pho” (Vatica diospyroides Syming.). Other ingredients used include the leaves of fragrant screw pine, the inner bark of “chaluut” (Alyxia reinwardtii Bl. bar. lucida Markge.), sandalwood, Siam benzoin, jasmine and hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis Linn.)oils. Thai-style fragrant water is applied liberally onto the face, chest and arms during the hot climate. It is also recommended for use in cases of fainting. A thick made by mixing scented marl with fragrant water is used as an anointment in various ceremonies. Thai Hom Mali rice is indigenous to Thailand. In the past, it has been variously labeled as "fragrant rice", "jasmine rice", "aromatic rice" or "scented rice". This variety of rice can only be grown in the hot, sunny climates of Southeast Asia. However, Thailand has developed three varieties of Thai Hom Mali called Khao Dok Mali 105, Khao Jao Hawm Klong Luang 1 (KLG1) and Khao Jao Hawm Suphan Buri (SPR-A), which have produced higher yields and higher resistance to diseases and insect pests. Therefore, Thailand has become internationally recognized as a leading exporter of this unique rice. Thai Hom Mali Rice Thai Hom Mali Rice has enjoyed an international reputation for its aroma and the texture which is tender and versatile to blend effectively with a wide variety of dishes. Grown only in Thailand, Thai Hom Mali Rice is the world's only indigenous rice with a natural fragrance. Hom Mali, generally known as "Fragrant Rice" or "Jasmine-scented rice", grown in Thailand has quality that its variety grown in other parts of the world does not have! Thai Hom Mali Rice is a traditional strain of rice which originated from a small village in central Thailand called Bang Klar. In the early 1970s, co-operation between the private and government sectors, seeking alternative rice varieties for export, saw Thai Hom Mali Rice planted in the Northeastern Region. the result were excellent and today the Northeastern Region produces the finest quality Thai Hom Mali Rice. It is also very nutritious. Thai Hom Mali Rice is a high fibre grain containing vitamins B1, B2, Niacin, Carbohydrate and protein. It is also rich in minerals such as Iron, Calcium and Phosphorous. Thailand is the top rice exporting country in the world, averaging 6 million tones a year, about a quarter of which is Thai Hom Mali.

How to make your own dehydrated bananas

Dehydrating any types of fruit and especially dehydrating bananas can be a very difficult task. Do you really want to have your oven on for 15 hours at a temperature of 130 Degrees Fahrenheit may dry them fine, but they just do not taste very nice? Unfortunately when dehydrating bananas they lose a lot of their flavour and you are often left with a faintly sweet, spongy feeling disc of fruit. But those bananas which have been dehydrated commercially are beautifully crunchy and taste great. However, the way they are produced is not good for those who are extremely conscience about what they eat as they are deep fried. What happens is that the slices of banana are deep fried in coconut oil and then dipped into sugar water to provide that glistening sheen to them. So as you can see producing dehydrated bananas takes more than just using high temperatures and lots of patience and surely there is a much healthier way of cooking them that does not involve us using fat. Well hopefully the recipe shown below will produce the ideal dehydrated banana without removing any of the fruit’s flavour and nutrients. Firstly cut the bananas into equal sized slices and place them on a mesh sheet. Now soak them in some fresh lemon juice for about 5 minutes (however, any citrus juice will do so if you want use any time of unsweented juice that you like). To dehydrate them place them in an oven set at 125 Degrees Fahrenheit for 18 hours and take them out of oven as soon as they have become pliable and are not crunchy. Remember the ones that you purchase in stores which are crunchy are dehydrated by deep frying them rather than actually drying them. Now that you have dehydrated your own bananas why not try using them in alternative ways for example add them to your banana bread to produce a pleasant zing taste your recipe. Or why don’t you just throw them in to your next bowl of porridge or oatmeal in the morning to add a pleasant crunch and some natural sweetness, why not add some honey as well. But as you can see making a sweet alternative healthy snack for yourself is simple and won’t taste like bits of bricks.

The promising reduction in gastric cancer rates

The news is full of frightening statistics about cancer and other diseases. From what we read and hear on television, we are led to believe that more and more people are being diagnosed with cancer and that more and more people are dying from it. In some cases, this is true. Incidences of and deaths from cancer have risen every year for the last fifty. However, don’t let this lead you to believe that no progress is being made. Let’s take a look at gastric cancer, for example. Gastric cancers were once the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and in many other countries, too. However, since 1930, the incidence of and number of deaths related to gastric cancer have steadily decreased. By 1994, gastric cancer was the eighth leading cause of cancer death in the US and the statistics appear to continue to be on the decline. So, why are we seeing less gastric cancer today than before? Well, the medical community doesn’t appear to have made any definite conclusions, but there are some factors that are believed to be contributing to this promising trend. The number one reason doctors believe that gastric cancer is on the decline is the higher consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables in our diet and the lower consumption of foods that are preserved by salt. Years ago, refrigeration in the home was not common, so keeping fruits and vegetables at the ready was not easy. And, it was common to preserve meats and some other foods with salt rather than freezing them. When the ability to refrigerate and freeze foods in the home became commonplace, the American diet changed. We began to eat more fruits and vegetables and freeze our meat instead of curing it. So, how does this help reduce our risk of cancer? Well, it’s actually quite simple. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables means a diet rich in anti-oxidants. Each day, as we convert the foods we eat into energy, we create free radicals in our body. These free radicals can damage our cells and our DNA. Unchecked free radicals are believed to contribute to the development of cancer and other diseases. Anti-oxidants are excellent at combating free radicals. A diet rich in anti-oxidants is linked with preventing cancer, heart disease, cholesterol problems and a lower incidence of stroke. So, if you’re interested in reducing your risk of cancer, be sure your diet is rich in anti-oxidants on a daily basis. Some of foods highest in anti-oxidants are: Small Red Bean (dried) Wild blueberry Red kidney bean (dried) Pinto bean Blueberry (cultivated) Cranberry Blackberry Prune Raspberry Strawberry Apple Pomegranate Pecan Sweet cherry Black plum Russet potato (cooked) Black bean (dried) Plum So, if you want to improve your health, and reduce your risk of cancer, these fruits should be staples in your diet. And, there’s another way you can get your daily dose of anti-oxidants; one you might not have thought of. Green Tea is High in Anti-Oxidants Green tea has been widely used in Asian cultures for centuries to prevent illness and to treat it, as well. And, many recent studies have linked green tea with the prevention of cancer, and, in some cases have even found green tea to be helpful in the treatment of cancer. Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. There are many different types of tea; most of the differences come from the way the tea is processed. Tea leaves contain very powerful anti-oxidants in their natural state. Fermenting tea leaves, which is part of processing tea leaves for black tea, converts these catechins to other compounds and reduces their health benefits. Therefore, green tea, because it is not fermented, retains more of its original anti-oxidants than black tea. In every part of the world except Asia, black tea varieties are far more widely consumed than green tea. And, black tea is healthy. However, because green tea undergoes less processing, it far outranks black tea in its ability to provide anti-oxidants, and thereby, prevent disease. Asian cultures have a far lower incidence of heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol and cancer. And, while there are likely other cultural and environmental factors that contribute to their lower incidence of disease; their high consumption of green tea is considered a significant factor. In fact, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. So, if you’d like to reduce your risk of developing cancer and other diseases that often plague us as we get older, eat and drink up. Get your daily fill of fruits and vegetables. And, wash it down with green tea! You’ll be doing your part to ensure you live a long and healthy life!