Carol's Culinary Cues - January, 2005

(c) Carol Fenster, Ph.D. - President, Savory Palate, Inc.

8174 South Holly St., #404, Centennial, CO  80122

800.741.5418

ISSN 14244

IN THIS ISSUE:

-The Way The Cookie Crumbles---or Not

-New Year's Resolutions for the Gluten-Free Lifestyle

-Doubling Up - The Right Way

-New Products That Get My Vote

-Tips for Fluffy Whipping Cream

-Food for Thought

-Where is the World is Carol?

The Way The Cookie Crumbles - or Not

Use it and  you don't know it's there. Forget it, and you know it's missing. It's xanthan gum, the "wonder" ingredient for gluten-free baking. Xanthan gum is critical because it lends stability and prevents crumbling in baked goods, such as this yummy-looking Pizza. I'm often asked for  guidelines on how much xanthan gum to use. Here they are:

New Year's Resolutions for the Gluten-Free Lifestyle

Make any New Year's resolutions? Here are some suggestions:

In 2005, I resolve to:

1. Try at least one new, nutritious flour like amaranth, quinoa, teff  or Montina (Indian rice grass).

2. Better yet, try them in their whole grain form. Try cooked amaranth grains for hot cereal, cooked quinoa grains for tabbouleh, or cooked teff grains like grits. (The Montina grain is not available in its whole grain form.) These grains add important nutrients to your diet and are an excellent source of fiber.

Doubling Up--The Right Way

I'm often tempted to double recipes, but it doesn't always work. For example, I've found that the salt and yeast in my Pizza Crust should not be doubled. In fact,  the amount of yeast should remain the same and the salt should increase from 1/2 teaspoon to 3/4 teaspoon (an increase of 50%).

New Products That Get My Vote
I'm excited about some new products I tried over the holidays. I was especially pleased with the Side Serves from Nu-World Amaranth  www.nuworldfoods.com. They're made from puffed amaranth (a VERY nutritious grain) and come in three flavors: Savory Herb (tastes like turkey stuffing), Spanish Tomato, and Garlic Herb (which I like for stuffing pork chops). All you do is mix them with hot water and they're ready to eat in an instant. This makes them great as a quick, but nutritious side dish. You can order from their web site.

I also tried the new bean-based pastas and flours from Heartland Ingredients www.heartlandingredients.com. The pasta boils for only 3 1/2 minutes so it's ready nearly 3 times sooner than most gluten-free pasta. And it tastes great. It comes in elbow, fusilli, and rotini shapes. The two flours I tried are navy bean and pinto bean which can be used as the main flour (in place of rice or sorghum flours) in our flour blends. Contact the company for availability.

Tips for Higher-Volume Whipped Cream

If you're like me, I served my share of whipped cream over the holidays. Ever notice that some whipping cream doesn't whip as well? It may be that you're using ultra-pasteurized whipping cream which doesn't work as well as regular pasteurized whipping cream. Also, chill your bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for an hour beforehand to help increase the volume of whipped cream.

Food for Thought

"There's no such thing as too much (dark) chocolate."---Carol Fenster, Ph.D.

Where in the World is Carol?
My one and only event in January is a fundraiser in Boulder, CO for the University of Maryland's Center for Celiac Research (CFCR). Yes, this is the center associated with Dr. Alessio Fasano and Pam King, who have done so much for the gluten-free cause. The event is called the Nutballz Night Out, sponsored by  Nutballz, Inc. This Boulder-based company with a sense of humor will display an autographed, Styrofoam cup once used by Elvis during a 1977 concert. (Yes, you're reading this correctly. Elvis has left the building, but he can still help us raise money for celiac disease!) Attendees may have their picture taken with the cup. I'll be there selling my Gluten-Free Celebrations cookbooks, with ALL proceeds from my sales going to the CFCR. The event is at the Boulder Theater, January 25, 6-10 PM. Go to www.nutballz.com for more information.