More Than Jut Beef

What's Your Cut?

Blog Post #3

April 26, 2015

Tyler Smith

    The German culture has always celebrated many regional variations of its food and beer. The north

focuses on seafood dishes, dumplings and bean soups. The center region of Germany has lots of

breads, fruits and vegetables. In southern Regions of Germany, sausage, dumplings, potatoes, cakes

and fruit are common. These sort of things are very common throughout most all of Germany. In

most dishes, one of the most popular ingredient is beef.

     Beef is a easily accessible source of food in then German culture. When it comes to preparation,

beef will either be made into a stew, blood sausage, stews, or even as a main dish. A very popular

dish is a large roast made of pork, beef or veal called sauerbratenand. It can be flavored in a

few different ways, depending on the region. Famous German sausage include bauernwurst (farmer's

sausage), made with pork. Smoked blutwurst (blood sausage) made from minced pork mixed with

blood and breadcrumbs. Bockwurst, which made with veal, pork and milk, and bratwurst is roast

sausage, commonly produced with pork. Leberwurst is liver sausage made from pig's liver.

     Sausage has been a major food or dish for the German Culture for many years. This, for the

German Culture, is one of the few dishes that its takes pride in the most. The German sausage is

known throughout many regions of the world and has taken on many forms and recipes throughout its

travels. However, in Germany, this type of meal does not often remind its people of parties or wild

nights, but of family and closely upheld traditions.

America v Italy

~Blog Post~

April 20, 2015

By Johnny Agosti

            American diets and Italian diets are very opposite and both have many benefits and downfalls. The Mediterranean diet consists mainly of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. In contrast the American diet is made up mostly of carbohydrates, sugars and red meats. Most of the fat that is consumed by the Italians comes from their favorite ingredient, olive oil. Dairy products like cheese and yogurt are eaten on a regular basis, unlike red meats which are only eaten occasionally. Italians make up their diet from high amounts of fiber and fat from olive oil, nuts, and fish. Americans get their main diet from red meats, processed food, and either fried or fast food. Some of the negatives of the American diet tend to lead to and increase the risk of some health problems. Although both diets will of course have their downfalls, the Italian diet is known for not having an issue in this field. Americans have been known for having this as an issue but there have been recent attempts to make the diet more healthy and beneficial for all Americans. Most common fast food companies have got behind this plan and all have been very positive about this change. However, the diet in Italy has stayed the same for centuries. I guess you can say the Italians are fans of the philosophies of “if it isn’t broke don’t fix it”. Food is almost sacred  it is so important to Italy

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/sep/03/geography-taste-how-food-preferences-formed

Olio D’Oliva

~Blog post #3~  

April 20, 2015

By Johnny Agosti

            The most notable ingredient in Italian food is Olio D’Oliva, or more commonly known as olive oil. If you are an Italian then you are probably use to having most your meals drenched in olive oil. Olive oil is the most used vegetable fat in Italian cooking. It is the base for many different sauces for pasta. Italians prefer olive oil over using butter, lard and strutto. Olive oil comes from crushing the olives that come from a fruit tree. These trees are from the Mediterranean area but southern Italy is known for it. There are many steps to extracting the olive oil from the olive. First you must crush the olive then pressure is used to squeeze out the juice. The liquid is now called the must. The must goes through a machine that will separate the oil from the vegetable water. Italians take their olive oil seriously that they even grade each bottle.  They look at every detail even the experience of the maker of the olive oil. Your olive oil must pass many tests by a team board in order to be labeled “HS” which means high standard. The most common food olive oil is used on is salads.  Also Italians make sure to put it on almost all their food like vegetables, fish, noodles and many more well know Italian cuisine.  Over time Italians discovered that other oils mixed with oil olive would blend perfectly. There are many types of oils now but Italians stays true to its root with original olive oil as its most favorite.

http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/ingredients/using-olive-oil-for-hair/

Irish Diets

 Irish Diets
         
                                               Irish Diets
                                                              Blog Post #4
                                                             April 20, 2015
                                                            Cameron Schott

     Many of the traditional Irish already is pretty healthy in general. Soups of all types, seafood, and meats play important roles in the Irish diet. But modern Ireland has a few problems affiliated to the availability of types of food. In the early parts of two-thousand one, Irish cattle and sheep farmers were fighting against an out break of hoof and mouth disease, a deadly viral disease that is fatal to hoofed animals. By the summer, this outbreak had been taken under control. Irish citizens generally get acceptable nutrition in their diets and Irish children are considered healthy by the international health care agencies. An example of a healthy dish would be the chicken sausage with potatoes and sauerkraut. The flavor of the dish will vary depending on what type of chicken sausage you choose. Most people in Ireland like the taste of roasted garlic sausage or sweet apple sausage in this recipe. And although any type of sauerkraut can be used, it is most preferred the crisp texture of refrigerated kraut over canned. Serve with roasted carrots and some mustard to spread on the sausage. Some nutritional facts to this dish are as follows: Per serving: 295 calories; 9 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 60 mg cholesterol; 24 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 14 g protein; 4 g fiber; 554 mg sodium; 545 mg potassium.


http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/Ireland.html
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chicken_sausage_sauerkraut.html





  Chicken Sausage with Potatoes & Sauerkraut

Traditional Irish Foods

Traditional Irish Foods

                                        Traditional Irish Foods

                                                                 Blog Post #3

                                                                April 19, 2015

                                                               Cameron Schott

    Irish food is known for the freshness of its ingredients. Most of the cooking is done without herbs or spices, except for salt and pepper. Also, food is served without sauce or gravy. The Irish have been making cheese for centuries. Ireland makes about fifty types of homemade "farmhouse" cheese, which are considered delicacies. Irish soups are thick, hearty, and filling, with potatoes, seafood, and various types of meat being common ingredients. Since Ireland is surrounded by water, the Irish like many types of seafood, such as salmon, scallops, lobster, mussels, and oysters. The most common meats are beef, lamb, and pork. While a traditional Irish dinner consists of potatoes, cabbage, and meat.  Bread is also a pretty important in Irish culture. Fresh soda bread, a crusty brown bread made from whole-wheat flour and buttermilk, is considered a natural dish in Ireland. Irish bakers don't stop with just soda bread. They make a wide variety of other hearty breads and cakes. Common breakfast foods included soda bread, pancakes, porridge, eggs, and various meat products. While lunch is often a bowl of soup that is served with fresh soda bread.

http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/Ireland.html

                                                                  Soda Bread

Feasts of Natale

~Blog post #2~

April 13, 2015

By Johnny Agosti

            When it comes to holidays in Italy, Italians do not take their feasts lightly. The Feast of Natale is the Italian Christmas, but unlike in America this feast lasts from December 24^th through January 6^th.  Each day is different and is usually celebrated the same way each year. December 24^th which is Christmas Eve usually begins with a light meal that includes no meat. After this meal it is tradition to go to Midnight Mass. The next day, December 25^th, Christmas day lunch is the most important meal of the holiday. The first meal of the day is antipasto with meat, olives and cheese. In central southern regions of Italy it is common to have Pasticcio al forno which is baked pasta with many different ingredients inside of it.  Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese is traditional for the north, along with different kinds of filled pasta. As time goes on these traditions have changed but most Italians prefer the old school way to celebrate the Feast of Natale. The second course for the Christmas day lunch is either roasted, braised beef or roasted chickens with potatoes.  On December 26^th, Santo Stefano’s lunch is held. This meal is more of a casual event where friends and family will come to celebrate. This day focuses less on the food and more with the exchanged of presents with family and close friends. However pasta is still the common dish for Santo Stefano’s lunch.

 http://www.thatsamoreitalianfamilykitchen.co.uk/news-and-events/anitalianchristmasfeastguestoresto

Italian Cuisine

Italian Cuisine

~Blog Post #1~

April 12, 2013

By Johnny Agosti

                When people speak of Italian food the first thing that comes to everyone’s mind is pizza, pasta, and cheese.  Although these dishes are very common in Italy, there is a lot more to the Italian food culture. To Italians food is more than just a meal; it is a way of life. Pasta is one of the main dishes for an Italian family to have for lunch. Pasta comes in many shapes and sizes like spaghetti, linguine, fusilli, lasagna, and penne. There are thousands of different ways to make pasta and each region of Italy has its own style. Polenta and risotto are common in the North along with tomatoes. In the South pasta is served with tomatoes cooked in the sauce which also includes other ingredients like peppers, olives and garlic. When Italians immigrated to other countries they brought their style of pasta with them. Even when they were in a different country there food gave them a sense of their home culture and Italian identity. Over the years many countries have taken pasta and made their own version of it, but its Italians roots will always be prominent. The reason Italy is the home to pasta is because in Italy durum wheat grows well in Italy’s climates. Italy is a major producer of this kind of wheat. Soon, dried pasta became popular because of its nutrition and long shelf life. Today many kinds of pasta can be found all over the world but no one can make it as good as Italians.

http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/pasta-history.asp

Southern America

An Introduction to Southern Food

~Blog Post #1~

April 12, 2015

by: Hasana Huff

I choose to focus on the Southern American culture because I have family that originated from the South. What I know and remember of southern cooking is from the different foods that my family makes on a regular basis. What I hope to learn is the history behind southern style cooking and also develop a deeper appreciation for my cultural background. Southern cooking is not as simple and frying any and everything that you see. It incorporates many different styles of cooking from many regions. The first thing that I discovered about southern cooking was it was born out of strife and survival. When the slaves came over to America from Africa the only thing they had were what came with them from Africa and what they could work with in America. There is a strong Native American influence in the early beginnings of southern cooking, along with the techniques that came from West Africa. There were also influences from the Spanish and Portuguese (Louisiana) and the Latin (Texas). Another thing that I found interesting is frying is not southern born; it is actually a technique from Scandinavians and Native Americans that the slaves adapted as a food preservation technique. Since there were no refrigerators back then, the preservation techniques is what really sets Southern cooking apart from other styles of cooking. Take collard greens for example, the slaves used pork and salt on the top of the greens to preserve it; yet, it also flavored the greens underneath the pork. All of these factors play a huge role in how southern cooking is affected and shaped today.

Cited Source: http://deepsouthmag.com/2012/12/the-real-roots-of-southern-cuisine/

St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day

                                           St. Patrick's Day

                                                                Blog Post #2

                                                                April 12, 2015

                                                               Cameron Schott

                                 

March 17th is the feast day of St. Patrick. Many people around the world celebrate his feast day but some people might not know why we celebrate this day. By the time of his death, he had established monasteries, churches, and schools. He got rid of the snakes in Ireland. However, people say that there have been no snakes in Ireland since the last ice age. The "snakes" that St Patrick

banished from Ireland, may refer to the druids or pagan worshipers of snake or serpent gods. He also used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. I guess that's why the shamrock is so popular not only around this time of the year, but also in general. St. Patrick's Day is a time when children can eat sweets and adults can enjoy a beer at their local bar. Many restaurants and bars would offer Irish brown bread, Corn beef and cabbage, Irish cream chocolate mousse cake, Irish potato soup, and Irish coffee while celebrating this event. Cities with large numbers of Irish immigrants had the most extensive celebrations. Boston had its first St. Patrick's parade in 1737 then New York did the same in 1762. Also since 1962, Chicago has colored its river green in honor of the holiday. Although blue was traditionally the color that represented St. Patrick, green is now commonly connected with the day.

http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/common/st-patrick-day

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/858491/Saint-Patricks-Day

               Chocolate Cream Mousse

History of the Potato

History of the Potato

                                                    Potato History 

    Blog Post #1

     April 12, 2015

      Cameron Schott

Usually when people talk about Irish food, the potato would be brought up almost all the time. But what some people don't know is that back in 1840's, the potato has killed millions of people because of The Potato Famine. This fungal disease called Phytophthora Infestans, better known as Potato Blight, rotted the potatoes in the ground, rendering entire crops inedible and obliterating the primary food source for millions of people.There was no potato crop in 1845 and 1846 and although there was  a little blight in 1847 there had been too few potatoes planted for the harvest to be of any use. During the years of the famine, between 1841 and 1851 the Irish population fell from over 8 million to about 6.5 million, and with mass emigration continuing in the subsequent decades it was down to 4.5 million by the turn of the century. Thankfully by this time of the year, the potato famine has come to an end. As I was researching this, I had no idea that such a small food like the potato could make such a huge impact on Ireland. Even though I am Irish, I don't know much about the Irish culture, food, etc. and I would like to know more information about Ireland as I make these blogs.

       http://www.dochara.com/the-irish/food-history/the-irish-potato-famine-1846-1850/

                                                                               A healthy potato and one with blight

Blog Topics

Blog post #1                                  Due on Monday April 13th 

This post should introduce the culture on which you are choosing to focus. Tell why you are interested in this culture and give some background of what you already know and what you hope to find out. Research two or three interesting facts about the food in this culture. Find and include an image or picture of the country or one of the places associated with this type of food. Tell a bit about the geography and history of the place. How might this have shaped the type of food that is featured in this culture? 250 words. Cite sources appropriately.

Blog post #2                                     Due on  Monday April 13th 

Focus this blog on making connections between the life of the people of the culture and their food. What feasts and holidays do they celebrate? You might want to choose a certain feast or special day to focus on i.e., the wedding in Like Water for Chocolate. Many cultures, for example, venerate a saint as a patron or honor another kind of deity or historical figure. You can also choose one particular food or recipe and discuss its central place in the culture. Share pictures, recipes (as links), music, and any rituals associated with the feast. Cite sources appropriately

Blog post #3                                        Due on Monday April 20th 

Talk about the actual food used in traditional cooking. If I were blogging about Okinawa, for example, I would discuss kombu or a sea vegetable that is most prominent in traditional cooking. I might bring up how it is harvested, why it is so healthy, what dishes it is used in, how it might be declining in use with young Okinawans, etc. You can discuss more than one food! Connect the food to the land—is this food a limited resource? Is it sustainably harvested or has it become part of a agri-business? Pictures and links to news stories or video would be appropriate. Don’t forget that tables, charts, graphs, and maps are great ways to present facts and jazz up your post. Cite sources appropriately.

Blog post #4                                          Due on Monday April 20th 

Discuss the overall health implications of the traditional diet or foods of the culture. You can discuss how the people who follow the traditional diet differ from those who eat another way, perhaps a western or American diet. Mention any foods or recipes that are particularly healthy or unhealthy. Recipes would be great to share. Are there updated versions of traditional foods that are more or less healthy? Discuss these. For example, years ago, the nouvelle cuisine movement in France tried to go beyond the traditional heavy cream and butter basics of classic French food to include more broth and seasonal fresh vegetables more simply prepared. Remember to discuss your point of view. Is there a similar shift in the American diet going on? What are you eating? Why? How are food and health, including emotional health, portrayed in the novel? Cite sources appropriately.