Just in Time for Barbecue Season...Enjoy that Burger Without the Guilt

When it comes to red meat, it turns out there is good, bad and evil. Processed meats are pure evil. Beef that comes from grass fed cattle without added hormones, chemicals or additives are actually quite good, especially if the beef is locally sourced. Then there is the bad middle zone...but how bad is bad?

It's not so bad. Just out: A four-ounce serving of red meat from beef, hamburger, pork, lamb or game is not linked to any increased risk of heart disease, claims a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health. The risk comes mostly from processed varieties - including cold cuts, bacon, processed ham, sausages, hot dogs - due to the high salt content. Salt, not beef, is the real villain it turns out. Two ounces of processed meat was associated with a 42% increased risk of heart disease and a 19% heightened chance of diabetes, while twice the amount of unprocessed red meat was not link to any increased risk.

This does not make red meat health food. Red meat of any sort is high in saturated fat and cholesterol and should be eaten in moderation. But, if you are not on a restricted diet, go ahead and enjoy a juicy steak or burger this weekend, guilt free.

There are many ways to indulge your beef cravings in the healthiest way possible. For example, did you know that flank steak, T-Bone steak, and sirloin steak are among the leanest cuts of beef? You can trim any visible fat after cooking but prior to serving for optimal flavor. At every opportunity, add veggies. Steak is a natural partner to onions, mushrooms and spinach, and when you make burgers, top with veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, onions or pickles, and opt for whole grain rolls. Limit your meat consumption to one item per night - a sausage aptpy followed by a steak with some wings on the side is not the best choice! Purchase lean ground beef - 90% lean or more. And as always, eat in moderation - a four ounce serving of meaet is about the size of your closed fist. It is not comparable to a size 11 boot!

Shop early for your weekend barbecue. Try John's Meat Market in Scotch Plains where they have over 32 varieties of USDA Prime Beef including fresh extra lean ground beef, chuck, sirloin and round. They even have ground meat loaf mix already prepared and oven-ready. Or, visit Kings in Garwood where they have Top Round London Broil, Skirt Steaks, Filet Mignon and 93% Lean Ground Beef on sale this week. Or, for a night on the town, Jeffries has a great burger menu with sweet potato fries.

Savvy yet wild, enjoy a glass of Sauvignon Blanc

I'm going green with my wines. I'm not referring to recycling empty bottles, finding local wines or reusing cork to make homemade corkboards. I make those efforts too, but what I'm talking about here is green grapes. To beat the heat, nothing beats a frosty bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. If, like me, you are looking for a change from overly-oaky Chardonnay or looking for more complexity than Pinot Grigio, this is the time to try Sauvignon Blanc.

Wine geeks refer to this wine varietal as Savvy B, but the etymology of the name suggests the wild, savage (from the French sauvage) grapes that were indiginous to the South of France. First planted in Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is now cultivated around the world where the climate is cool and the soil is chalky. Many of the great-yet-affordable Sauvignon Blancs are from the Marlborough region of New Zealand, but they are also produced in France, Chile, South Africa, Brazil, and California.

You can't go wrong when the taste notes include grassy, tropical, fruity, elegant, crisp, citrusy and lush. I know I'm in my backyard but I can feel like I'm in the Serengetti or under a palm tree listening to the waves crash on the shore.

Oh, you came here to read about food, right? Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with fish or cheese, particularly Chevre. It is also known as one of the few wines that can pair well with sushi. Try it with a greek salad, grilled shrimp, mussels in a thai broth or fish tacos. According to Jack Cakebread, "the only thing it doesn't go well with is creamy food." So skip the fettucini alfredo, pour another glass and order some broiled branzino with lemon. Am I stretching the truth to suggest that wine helps you eat heathier and lose weight? I think not.

I learned a lot of interesting wine facts while researching this piece. For example, when the Sauvignon Blanc vines mingled the Cabernet Franc vines, another great wine was created. You may have heard of Cabernet Sauvignon. And Sauvignon Blanc is the primary grape used in the sweet wine Sauternes, which goes fabulously with foie gras. And Fume Blanc, a term made up by Robert Mondavi in the late 1960s as a marketing stunt, is simply Sauvignon Blanc that is aged in oak.

If you are looking for a good bottle to try, the most affordable Sauvignon Blancs are coming out of Marlborough, New Zealand. They are convenient too, since most New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are also screwtops. Makes it an easy beach wine to enjoy with sliced fruit, goat cheese & a box of Carr's. California is catching up with some fabulous wines from Cakebread Cellars, Honig, Frog's Leap and Grgich Hills. They will cost you a bit more, however, because the prime Napa real estate tends to focus on wines with higher returns like Chardonnay or Merlot.

If you ask a New Zealand Native "how are you?" the response will most likely be "Box O'Birds." Why? I don't know, but it means the person is cheerful, happy, and in good health. Any wine named after this concept is a keeper for me. Box O'Birds is also the name of a top selling Sauvignon Blanc.

Around Westfield, you will find a good variety of Sauvignon Blancs. Last night some friends helped me sample a few, including Box O'Birds ($15 at Central Avenue Wine & Spirits or CoolVines) and Cupcake ($15 at ShopRite Wine & Liquors - you can't miss the central display and if you have your kids with you, they will lead you directly to this section which features large pictures of cake.) Expect to pay at least $15 for a decent Sauvignon Blanc out of California.

However, it seems the best values and some interesting finds are found at Fusion Wine & Spirits. According to its proprietor Eric Hirsch, "New Zealand's Sauvignon Blancs have more acidity and less fruit than a typical Californian Sauv Blanc." His top 5 recommendations range from $9.99 to $14.99, including 90+ Cellars, Sileni Cellar Selection, Sean Minor, Mussel Bay and Ribbonwood.

"The Sileni Cellar Selection is a Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. It received 90 points and a smart buy rating from Winespectator.com, light and tangy with overtones of grapefruit, pear and lime, great finish. The Ribbonwood is a Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. It is the second label for Farmingham, which is one of the premier Sauvignon Blanc makers in New Zealand, with acidity but a nice lush finish."

All evidence seems to suggest that drinking Sauvignon Blanc will lead to good cheer and good health. Between all that sushi and fruit, you may even drop a pound or two as you boost the economy and improve the environment. Or at least you will enjoy a hot summer night with a cool, crisp glass of wine. It's all good.

A Sante!
WF

I'll Stop The World And Melt With You

Every time I hear this song by Modern English I think of 2 things. The movie Valley Girl, featuring a very young, hot Nicolas Cage in a punk meets prom coming of age movie that I watched only a few dozen times. And, listening to music out of a boom box on a beach in Belmar with my girls and cracking open a new type of drink called Diet Coke. Julie and Margee were there, and you probably were too. This was 1983, when I was fourteen and looked much better in a bikini. Even after lunch. Even after hot pastrami, melted cheese and salty cabbage. 1983 was a good look for me.

Consider this the first installment in a 3-part series on the melted sandwich genre, starting with the greatest melted sandwich of all time....the Reuben. The classic Reuben was introduced nearly 100 years ago in Manhattan at the now defunct Reuben's delicatessen. It featured a generous mound of thinly sliced pastrami topped with sauerkraut and Russian Dressing, grilled on Rye bread. Today, there are countless varieties, substituting corned beef or turkey for the pastrami, cole slaw or shredded veggies for the sauerkraut, and wraps, pumpernickel or bagels for the Rye. You can make them in the oven, on the barbeque or on a skillet. The Reuben is not only delicious, it is versatile. And it's great any time of day - brunch, lunch, dinner or after hours, it always hits the spot.

My favorite version is turkey with sauerkraut and russian grilled on rye. In Michigan they call this a Georgia Rueben. Not sure why...I would have thought a Georgia Reuben would be chock full of peaches, peanuts and ribs. But here in Westfield they go by a more logically descriptive name: the Turkey Reuben. Enjoy them, along with their traditional counterparts, right in town!

Clyne & Murphy - Located on Westfield Avenue right off the rotary, I hereby declare theirs the best Reuben in Westfield ... and there are six luscious varieties from which to choose! Their Old Fashioned Reuben features a pile of extra lean corned beef & melted Swiss on toasted rye with sauerkraut & Russian, and the Super Reuben has Pastrami, corned beef, melted Swiss, & sauerkraut on toasted rye with Russian dressing. The Corned Beef Special is hot corned beef, melted Swiss, & cole slaw on toasted rye with Russian dressing, while the Turkey Pastrami Reuben is made with low fat turkey breast with pastrami seasonings, melted Swiss, sauerkraut, & Russian dressing on toasted rye. Their Pastrami Reuben has pastrami, melted Swiss, & sauerkraut on toasted rye with Russian dressing and finally, the Pastrami Special features hot pastrami, melted Swiss, & cole slaw, on toasted rye with Russian dressing.

Just Plain Dave's recently opened at 237 Westfield Avenue in Clark, just past the traffic circle and train tracks on the Clark side. This new yet classic stand alone diner has an impressive menu featuring a section completely dedicated to Melts & Hot Stuff (not to be confused with the Burgers or Panini sections of their menu). Try the Classic Rueben piled high with corned beef, melted swiss, sauerkraut and russian dressing on grilled rye or the Honeymoon Turkey Rueben with sliced turkey on grilled rye with melted swiss, cole slaw and russian dressing.

Vicki's Diner - I lived on their classic Reuben during my pregnancy, and I"m still trying to lose the weight. Now I get it with turkey. It's not on the menu, but they will make it special for you. I eat half and save the balance for lunch later in the week. If you are used to really good pastrami or corned beef, stick with the turkey.


Hershey's Subs offers quality sandwiches to satisfy any taste bud. One of my favorite sandwiches in town, you can call in your order by number - it's the #102 - and you can bypass the long lunch line. Call 908-233-0430 and request your sandwich in 6" or a foot long with your choice of pastrami, corned beef or turkey. At $6.75 its also the best value in town.

The Way To Score a Fresh Fish in Westfield, NJ

There are a few ways to bring home striped bass for dinner. You could get it frozen at Costco, or if you are lucky you can get it "fresh, previously frozen" at Shop Rite, if it is in stock. You can't get it at Westfield Seafood, at least not today. They did offer me black sea bass at $22.99/pound or red snapper at $18.99/pound. Or you can pick up your daughter from a play date at the exact moment her dad comes home from a day of fishing.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time! I scored about five fleshy pounds of this big mama, caught right off the beach at Sandy Hook by my angler buddy who generously offered me a filet the size of a loaf of bread. There is something very evolutionarily satisfying and right about a man who hunts down food and provides for his family - and their friends. I'd be happy if my husband went to Trader Joe's once in a while, although I'm sure given the opportunity he'd strangle a boar with his bare hands for me and the girls. Of course I've had fresh caught fish, but in the past it has involved my brother in law's boat on Buzzards Bay, or a walk to the Roaring Fork River by my parents Colorado home, or tents, campfires and a lot of bugs. But in Westfield on a random Thursday? Never.



I drove home with my four year old petting the scratchy scales of her new dead fish that we were about to eat as if it were a new hello kitty toy. I sped back to season this beauty, that was swimming in blissful ignorance just hours before. I could not get over the smell of the fish - there was no detectable odor. It was white and succulent and screaming out for lemon, garlic & olive oil. I kept it simple and also added salt & pepper and some white wine. Grilled to perfection we enjoyed it in our backyard as we watched the sunset.

As my fisherman friend and I had recently mused at a gala fundraiser a few weeks prior, "what comes around goes around." Westfield Foodie will thank and surprise him somehow for this most incredible feast from the sea. I wonder if he likes wild boar?

East Meets Mid-East Meets West

Westfield, that is. This past December, I joined a Mah Jongg group. We made a decision early on to play in the mornings when our minds are fresh and not drained from work or buzzed with shiraz. This also means our tummies are empty so the games are interwoven with lots of noshing. Not before too long hummus and egg salad became staples of the food spread. I actually know the hummus flavor preferences of my MJ buddies - that's true friendship!

mah jongg, meaning "sparrow," is an ancient Chinese tile game for four players that involves skill, strategy, concentration and luck. I think there are more dragons on tiles than birds, but whatever. You do not question the winds. hummus also comes our way from ancient civilizations and is one of the oldest known prepared foods. It is a creamy blend chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Tahini, Lemon and Kalamata are some of our group's favorites. I don't know about you but all this talk of chicks and sparrows makes me hanker for some eggies.

Imagine my excitement when I came across a test kitchen piece in this month's Food & Wine, called perfecting hummus. Grace Parisi herself claims that "Hummus goes well with eggs—from egg salads to the deviled kind." Such validation!

I couldn't wait to test out their hummus deviled eggs for my Mah Jongg Group. I pitted it against a tried and true Westfield favorite, the delicious deviled eggs recipe I learned at the Basics class at Classic Thyme about 8 years ago, where yolks are blended with dijon, mayo and sour cream.

Both were worthy of the prevailing wind. The hummus concoction was certainly more interesting and the tartness and lemony garlic bursts of the hummus really worked well with the cold creamy egg white. When following the directions below, make sure to crack the eggshell carefully, dot each hollowed egg white half with the yolk mixture. Arrange in a flower and yell "bam!" when shaking paprika or another garnish on top. Mah Jongg!

INGREDIENTS
8 large eggs
1/2 cup Easy Hummus with Tahini
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and cayenne pepper
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, cover the eggs with water and bring to a vigorous boil. Cover the saucepan, remove from the heat and let stand for 12 minutes.
Drain the eggs and gently shake the pan to crack the shells. Fill the pan with cold water and shake gently. Add ice cubes and let the eggs stand until chilled.
Drain and peel the eggs; pat dry. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop the yolks into a bowl. Add the hummus, mayonnaise and lemon juice and finely mash with a fork. Season the filling with salt and cayenne. Pipe or spoon the filling into the egg white halves. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.

Taking Dinnertime out of Dinner

Good Morning Westfield! Why am I so cheery at this early hour on a Monday morning? My husband and I made a commitment to waking up an hour earlier on weekday mornings in an attempt to make our busy days more productive. This precious hour, before the kids are up and the phone is ringing, is a quiet time for me to plan out my day and catch up on my to do list, especially blogging. (Even at 7:30am, I was interrupted eight times writing this - 3 phone calls and 5 text messages. I think I have to get up earlier!)

Dinnertime, it turns out, is my craziest time of day. Between carpools, homework, play dates, sports, and play practice, who has time to make a healthy delicious dinner for the family? There is an expression, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." This applies here, since just a little rearranging of the schedule and a plan for dinner - whether you cook, take out, order in, defrost or go out - can put a little extra time and ease of mind back in your day.

Like writing, cooking is something I love to do without interruption, when I am free to be creative and not so distracted or frustrated that I will overcook or measure wrong. For me, this can only happen if I prepare dinner during the day or if someone else takes my kids, dog and husband far, far away.

When I was working on my Food & Wine recipe challenge, I found extra time to cook and write, and most of it was during the day. Yes, I also cooked at 10:30 at night and in the mornings, and before serving a dinner that was served 30 minutes later than expected. But when I cooked during the day, I found that I really enjoyed preparing these dishes alone in my kitchen with music playing, and then I could spend more time with my kids instead of stressing at the stove. One dish I had to prepare on the grill and I found myself preparing 50 skewered shrimp at 1pm between heavy rainstorms. It was heavenly.

The Brick Oven - a loss to Westfield

Wow, I just heard the very sad news that the 38-year old owner of Brick Oven did not survive a fatal car accident last weekend.

Here is a moment of silence for a cornerstone of the Westfield business community and successful multigenerational restaurant in the heart of our downtown.

The first meal I ate in Westfield when we were looking to move here was at Brick Oven. I had the squid ink pasta. We returned a few times, One day there was a huge fly in my daughter's milk. I sent it back and they were good about it - they didn't even charge extra.

I wish their family the best in this difficult time.

WF