FOOD FACTS FOR MILLENNIALS
A basic knowledge of food facts is a universal survival necessity. Nowadays, with the increased interest in ethnic cuisines and constantly increasing varieties of new products available, even seasoned kitchen veterans need a refresher occasionally. For the graduate, newlywed or anyone opening a new page, setting up housekeeping, learning even fundamental food facts, can be daunting, especially on a busy schedule. The supermarket can be scary, wondering what to choose, how to use it, how much to buy, which brand is the ‘right’ one with the prospect of ‘register shock’ or worse budget deficit looming over head.
Food Facts for Millennials helps calculate your needs before you start to market, and, being mobile, goes with you on your phone to answer your questions while shopping. It makes food preparation in general, easier and fun for both newbies and old hands. The fact that it’s mobile was the inspiration for the title-Millennials are never without their phones and rarely seek information from other sources.
Even though I had years of experience in managing a home, I was terrified when I opened my chef service. I had to satisfy my clients, virtual strangers, to make my business work. The largest group of customers seeking a chef service consists of working parents who want to maintain a traditional lifestyle. The second largest are people dealing with special diets due to allergies or medical restrictions. For both groups, an understanding of nutrition is important.
My first few clients were in the second group. Having relatives with regimented diets, I knew the chief ‘red flag’ foods are easily isolated and examined in the baking category, dairy products, sugar and recently flour, so I began making notes on substitutions, new items from ethnic cuisines and product options for reference. When my paper pad became bothersome to carry, I switched to digital notes. Showing them to a friend, her newlywed daughter asked for a copy and added a request, with prices rising, for a book on meats to find optional cuts. That led to books on poultry and seafood detailing food facts on those categories.
Then I heard a woman explaining a new low-carb diet which banned all white foods, including onions, because they are high in carbohydrates. I realized that poor carbs were still getting a ‘dirty rap’ and wrote another book explaining that carbs are the body’s fuel and all foods have them, with the exception of oils and some shellfish. It’s understanding that there are two types of carbohydrates, simple and complex, which function differently, that separates the ‘good carbs’ from the ‘bad’ ones and should determine our choice in consuming them.
By now I had five books of food facts on my web site, Etsy store and Kindle. It seemed natural to write a sixth on sauces and gravies, tying them all together as they do foods on a plate, especially with the current popularity of pan sauces and/or gravies. First, there is a difference between the two. Second, like carbs, there is a general misunderstanding about them. They do not all have a high fat content, that depends on the base and the ingredients used. A ROUX base begins with melted butter, and then the thickening agent and liquid are added. A SLURRY base consists of the thickening agent dissolved in a bit of fluid, then stirred into the main liquid, which could be a skimmed broth or juice. The book also examines the five Mother sauces of classic French cuisine and the derivation of their ‘offspring’ for three generations as well as listing the different grades of sauces, gravies and soups.
Although the six books are available separately on the site’s Bookshelf and Kindle, I decided they would be more convenient for quick reference gathered in one volume. So, in addition to the reason stated above, I called the book Food Facts for Millennials because it’s about food facts and ‘for Millennials’ partly because they are the ones now starting out on their own but particularly because they are true ‘foodies’. They want high quality, fresh ingredients and are willing to pay more for less to have them. They’re interested in exploring different cuisines, creating new taste experiences and maintaining nutritional balance.
However, the book is a handy reference guide even for us old hands in the kitchen, who need to check food facts now and then. It’s even available in mobi, so you can take it to market with you on your phone.
Here is a list of the six digital books, with a summary of the contents of each and individual prices as listed on this blog and kindle.
1) BAKING BASICS AND OPTIONS
Have you ever been confronted by a baking recipe and wondered which product to choose? Ever needed to cook for people with allergies to gluten, wheat, eggs or perhaps are diabetic or have another medical condition? Maybe you wanted to bake something to please a guest from another culture, or just felt like trying a recipe from another cuisine. This book answers any questions with facts about regular ingredients used in baking, helps you understand unfamiliar ones and choose the right options if necessary. It also offers various uses for different ingredients and suggests ways to use the remainder of any exotic ones you may buy for a special purpose before expiration. ($2.99)
2) THE POULTRY PLACE $3.99
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3) SAVVY SAUCES and GRAVIES
This book is a “Cliff Notes” of food facts on sauces and gravies. It starts by defining the differences between the two and goes on to explain the various ways to thicken them for serving, examining the different ingredients that can be used and giving recipes and directions to do so. It describes the different types of gravy and gives directions on how to make each from scratch as well as shortcuts. Outlined are ALL the different types of sauces and their uses from salads to meats to desserts and gives step-by-step advice on how to make and use each. Special attention is given to the 5 Classic French “Mother” sauces—the ones found on menus not in packages. Each is described in detail and instructions given for making and using them, as well as for the many varied second and third generation sauces they inspire.
As the way sauces evolve is explained, it becomes clear they can be adapted to fit dietary requirements, be they medical, religious or cosmetic. This leads to explaining how simple it is to create shortcuts for the inexperienced or rushed as well as how easy it is to individualize them. Recipes illustrating the different types and applications of sauces are included along the way and tips to DIY sauces at will. ($3.99)
4) HOW TO CONTROL CARBOHYDRATES – SO THEY DON’T GO TO WAIST
Take the “Black Hat” off carbohydrates and learn the facts about how to use these foods to your advantage. In this book you will learn the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates, how each works and why complex ones are so important to a healthy diet. You will see that it’s virtually impossible to cut carbs out of your diet completely, because they exist to some degree in almost all foods. The trick in avoiding the damage they can do to your waistline is in knowing which ones, and how many you need daily. The major source groups are explained in detail and broken down into types as are the “hidden” groups so often overlooked. It’s important to know which is which and how to combine them to your advantage. For example, a baked potato with sour cream constitutes a balanced meal, do you know why? There are cooking tips and some suggestions for uses and recipes included as well. ($2.99)
5) ALL ABOUT SEAFOOD
As seafood becomes increasingly valued as a healthy food source, and thanks to the growth of aqua farming and improved transport, ever more varieties are available to and being consumed by an increasing number of people. Questions naturally arise as to the facts about these foods, concerning the buying, prepping, storing and cooking of the different types of seafood and actually as to the types and classifications of the items themselves. This book addresses many of those questions by explaining the general rules for safe handling fish and other forms of seafood; cleaning, skinning, shelling or shucking; proper storage until cooking. There are definitions of each classification of seafood in general and descriptions of the members of each category and specifically of the species within each one listed. There are guidelines as to proportions to buy and suggestions as to substitutions within species. Included is also a section on the serving of canned fish. ($2.99)
6) THE MEAT STOP
Years ago the family neighborhood butcher knew the customers’ preferences and often anticipated their needs. Now we’re on our own and have to be a lot better informed about the food facts as to what we’re buying in every way. Anyone who has peered into the supermarket meat counters realize there are decisions to be made over and above which meat to choose. We have to know the cut or cuts to use for the dishes we plan, how to pick the right one and which is the best buy. We need to judge color, grain, fat dispersion, often bone mass and general appearance. Moreover, we have to know what to substitute if we can’t find what we want. For this we have to know how to prepare and cook different cuts, even different meats. The book contains charts on beef, pork, lamb and veal advising which cuts are more tender, which are tougher, which are fattier and why. Then there are additional charts telling how to cook, carve and serve them. The book is a great guide to learning about meats and a great kitchen aid. ($3.99)
FOOD FACTS FOR MILLENNIALS – The collection ($ 17.94) – both epub and mobi
A collection of all 6 books for handy reference.
