Sometime in September 2006 we were receiving bulletins about our fresh spinach. Certain areas of the country were experiencing traces of E. coli in bags of spinach purchased at the supermarket. Even worse, they were unable to trace just where the problem was coming from, perhaps somewhere in the Salinas Valley, but who the grower was even a greater mystery. Finally a grower was named.

Within weeks this blew over and I assumed Popeye and spinach were moving down the line again. After a very brief intermission, E. coli was once again raising its ugly head. Next we heard that Taco-Bell diners were getting ill. The immediate blame was placed upon the green onions. Green onions forgiven, it’s been decided that it was bad lettuce that caused the belly aches of fast food diners.

Apparently all raw foods have a degree of susceptibility. They are grown many places and harvested by many handlers. The sheer number of land that’s farmed makes it difficult to treat each square foot as you would if it were on a much smaller level. An organic label doesn’t always guarantee a safe product. Perhaps there is no way to have a future without more E. coli outbreaks, but there is an alternative which is easily within your reach. I will outline just how you can grow your own greens in seven fast weeks.

You want safe fresh greens? You will need the following equipment:

Acquire a clean 11x25 inch planter box, planter mix, seeds and if desired small peat pots (these are used to place seeds in specific spot).

- Place in quality planter mix never dirt from your garden.
- Place seeds in mix but using peat pots in the spot you want it to grow.
- After you have moistened them cover with wax paper. This will speed up the germination.
- Once you see lots of spouts, you might thin them out.

Lettuce and spinach will do quite well in fall and winter. Warmer weather will require moving to protective area. But winter weather were lows are around 40’s or high 30’s should be suitable.
Once the plants are taking shape, it might be wise to cover the top with medium mil clear plastic. Small slits are made to provide plenty of fresh air. To hold the vinyl in place, duct tape works just
fine. Keep your seedling well watered but only enough to keep moist. The vinyl cover is helpful in creating just the correct moisture. With see through you will see the progress of your seedlings through the vinyl covering. In about seven weeks, you can harvest lettuce or spinach which ever you choose to grow. The nice part is you can snip the quantity you need and harvest the rest later. Unlike bagged lettuce, planter box stays fresh until we want to use it, could be used weeks later. So once you create this mobile garden you could have fresh greens for weeks to come. No E. coli, no slugs, no soil-borne diseases because you’re using bagged clean soil and no pesticide (because you won’t need it).

In this box, your future salad is fully protected unlike ground gardening where everything is vulnerable to insects, cats and infected soil. If I missed anything you may email me. If you are in search of world’s unusual advice it shall be available to my readers by Author House expected to be released in January available to you in 2007. My book “Savvy Kitchen Solutions” is a “how to” book, different than cookbooks. You must remember that the world is flooded with $35 cookbooks while most of us are merely $1 chefs. So I don’t do recipes, more like how to clean a freezer.

If you want more facts and information on growing greens you may email me at hmsudul@cwo.com any time.

Just as previous bogeymen have jumped out of the closet and somehow we as a sensible society we have managed to survive all the oncoming pandemics without falling apart. As the esteemed Prime Minister of England once said “All we have to fear is fear itself.” Today’s web wild panic pronouncements need scrutiny.

Hey folks! Did we not survive a recent scarce West Nile Virus (from mosquitoes) and then we were flocked with the bird flu warnings yet we were spared from this predicted pandemic. Now we’re being told to plan early on getting our flu shots. Media moments are never wasted on beneficial reminders such as teaching children washing of hands & handling of other peoples personal items that spread germs.

Back in the 80’s we were terrified to fry an egg for fear of the hardening of the arteries but today we consume hydrogenated fats and saturated meats like we have stainless arteries & enough Lipitor to roto-rooter our way through 100 pepperoni pizzas. Yes, there is always a new Media Monster lurking on the 24/7 internet space or TV news with doom around every corner and you can be certain they shall paint a vision of dread with imaginary skulls and cross bones.

The great harm in this media blitz warning sirens is that they are so out of context and the severity of danger is greatly overrated and we become the pawns of hysteria. The farmer who is plowing under his fields may not even be guilty of one leaf of tainted produce. The phobia it has created may take years to counteract. Will a nation already eating too few vegetables will now be eating even less or none at all? It’s going to take some amazing knitting needles to get the American public to truly like their vegetables. For now I wish to throw a bone for my public and for those who still believe spinach is a great food for staying healthy. I offer you SPINACH PIZZA!

THIS RECIPE IS 100% KID TESTED!

SPINACH & BASIL PIZZA……………………..
6 cloves minced garlic
1-2 tbs. olive oil
4 ripe tomatoes (chopped) o r canned (drained)
¾ cup – 1 cup of chopped fresh basil
1 bag (16) oz. 50% thawed frozen spinach
2 tbs. of parmesan cheese
Chopped olives (optional)
No salt needed extra spices or light sprinkle of your favorite seasoning OK .
Sauté garlic and fresh tomatoes. Next add chopped washed basil. Sauté 2 minutes and then add partially thawed spinach. Sauté until cooked. Add Parmesan and olives to mix. Can be saved for later use or placed or on a baked crust or individual Naan bread found at Trader Joe’s. Top lightly with zesty cheese. 8-10 minutes in 425 oven.
DEVELOPED AND TESTED BY SACRAMENTO CHEF…….. hmsudul@cwo.com

My culinary career began at Macys in 1980, where all the current white elephants were rigorously demonstrated. In the popular house ware departments you would see products ranging from hot-dog cookers to food processors and numerous coffee makers. We had all the atmosphere of a three ring circus with free samples to any and all who passed our magic show. I began this venture with T-Fal fry pans but within 2 months I moved up to Farberware and the pioneer of the portable convection oven. I also demoed their stainless steel coffee percolator. I once prepared an entire turkey on their rotisserie in the Macy’s Cellar house ware department, I carried it home in a plastic bag as others envied. It was a fun time and the economy was on our side. However by 1983, the household products were left on the shelves with only a few signs to boast of your merit. Only about 10 of them would survive the test of time… like the Cusinart food processors and Mr. Coffee still seem to maintain their popularity in a world were loyalty is short lived.

I would witness in the coming decades as new great electrical products so hyped and praised as they hit the sales racks or end up in a back pantry of a kitchen or commonly referred to as the White Elephant Hall of Fame. In our heyday , I recall demonstrators giving away bags of freshly made pasta to her fellow demonstrators. Although, there were numerous brands of food processors shown and hyped, only Cusinart survived the monsoon of cheaper machines. I bought mine in 1986 and still continue to use it today. Other flash in the pan was the bread maker, very popular in late 1900’s. Its popularity found its way to mixes and flour bins as special formula were made just for bread makers. I can’t exactly place my finger on just when the trend lost its steam but somehow our electric bread box lost current as the local thrifts and flea markets had many for sale.

My daughter was enchanted with her bread maker for the first few years, but hers also
seemed doomed to collect dust in the bottom cupboard drawer next to the Little Oscar. Another electrical gadget that sounded excellent in theory but absolutely a pain in principle. Whatever madman working too late in the lab and never set foot in a kitchen has come up with the electric crepe maker. After one makes a proper batter, they then heat up a Teflon coated bowl to necessary temperature. Next step, to quickly dip the hot iron into the batter, quickly turn it around with nice even coating and continue baking until a perfect French is released unto a plate. I was given one of these makers by my cooking client and after hours of pancake pandemonium and batter covered counter, I solved the need. Presto into the trash and a serviceable non-stick pan was purchased at Macy’s and for the next 10 years I have made perfect crepes using the basic crepe recipe from the Gourmet Magazine. After pouring my batter into a stove heated pan, I simply tilt the pan from side to side and within a minute, a perfect crepe forms before my eyes.

Some of our newer candidates for this White Elephant collection are any of those 12 models of George Foreman Grills, if you need one there’s 1 or 2 in every thrift store in America. Also to add to the history of totally senseless appliances , we mustn’t over look the electric carving knife, the sandwich grill, the electric pancake maker, the yogurt maker, the electric potato peeler. The latest smoothie blenders (Back to Basics) that came with a spout and didn’t really pulverize the fruit the way you thought it would. Just stick to the old Waring blender, it was simple, sturdy and dependable. Lets not forget the granddaddy of White Elephants, the infamous Deep Fat Turkey Fryer, which burned down several houses and numerous unmentioned burns. DFTF was shown at local home improvement centers and our local grocery stores for about 2 years. Meet today’s outstanding candidate of pure worthlessness, a plastic cylinder which would supposedly boil spaghetti by merely filling it with pasta and boiling water. Recently challenged by local consumer advocate of Channel 13 in Sacramento. Well, no surprise as it failed to deliver little else than half-cooked lukewarm wet spaghetti poles. Ironically the same product is advertised on a TV commercial for a mere $19.99! Lets face it you just don’t have room for more white elephants in your kitchen. Donate them to a museum.

You have endured the long months of winter and now your reward awaits you at your local farmer’s market. Yes, golden apricots, nectarines and mangos are now lining the bins like ambassadors of spring. Good-bye canned fruits and pies from the grocery freezer, fresh fruits are here and your palate is ready.

Last year I decided my trips for fresh fruit would be made with a huge cart with deep sides, lots of canvas bags, and few of those handy paper bags with handles. Wrestling with plastic bags and having a big purse distract me, so I leave them behind. Taking enough money is also important. I have a big change purse filled with lots of coins along with 1’s and 5’s. I am ready for whatever purchases I wish to make.

I see lots of golden apricots just waiting to become a luscious cobbler or fruit sauce for those Saturday morning waffles. Don’t be intimidated by the size because all apricots are equal under their golden skin. Choose the ripest by looking for blushed skin, and then they are ready for the ride to your kitchen. If your fruits are colored but still firm you can place them in a large bowl for a few days at room temperature. They will gradually soften and acquire a nice aroma. Whatever you do, don’t leave them inside a plastic bag or place them in the refrigerator when they are slightly green. Produce is a living thing and should be enjoyed at its fullest maturity to gain all its healthy benefits. Apricots are extremely high in vitamin A and potassium. About 3 apricots are only 55 calories. This is only the beginning of nature’s generosity. In a few weeks, nectarines and peaches will follow.

The next few months will see this gold rush in full swing. You should be ready to take advantage of the peak season when fruits are most plentiful and at their best price. While bargains seem to be everywhere, you still need to choose carefully. Upon your arrival home, they need to be properly housed. Green fruit should be separated from the ripe ones, and very ripe ones should go into the jam pot.

I have a freezer in my garage to accommodate this organic jackpot. Unlike olden days when surplus fruit had to be canned to be saved, we are exempt from this arduous task. There are lots of simple solutions to the processing jobs of produce. If you are interested, you write to me with your specific questions. It’s going to be a long hot summer and nature waits for no one. I recommend that you go for the gold – it only costs pennies and will keep you out of the junk food Olympics.

Plucots; A plum or an apricot? Pluots® and Apriums® are “interspecifics” complex hybrids of plum and apricot. Pluots (sometimes called Dinosaur Eggs) have predominantly plum parentage and smooth skins like plums. With their scant fuzz, Apriums resemble apricots in the expression of their ‘cot parentage. The complex, intense flavor of Pluots and Apriums is unique to interspecifics, much like a blend of fruit juices where the mixture is an improvement over any of the separate ingredients. Additionally, the sugar content of our interspecifics is much higher than in standard plums or apricots, yielding fruit of Incomparable sweetness. (Pluot and Aprium are registered trademarks of Zaiger Genetics, Modesto, CA.

Quality: Should be plump with consistent skin color and firm texture. Avoid soft spots or that are green in color.
How to Enjoy: Wash fruit carefully in cool water before using. Use in sauces or as sweetwater. Bake them into breads or use them sliced in salads.
Special Tip: Pluots and Apriums are one of the best natural sources of vitamin A, which is essential for healthy skin and mucous membranes.

Next to the family laundry hamper, the next place where we find a strange collection of raunchy things could be the refrigerator. While consumers happily fill up this modern day larder with their favorite edibles, they often take a few bites and return it to the box without rewrapping or making a label of just what it is. About a week later it’s turning green. Milk is carelessly left out on the kitchen table for several hours because you’re too busy or simply so caught up with your next project, and that milk is the last thing on your mind. Perhaps if more of us were on a tighter budget, perhaps our food handling habits could be of greater importance. However the primary purpose of this writing is not about dollars but rather the health hazards of careless food storage and handling.

Comedians have made their share of jokes about what is in the refrigerator. As George Carlin once said “There’s something in the fridge which you do not recognize, it could be cake or meat maybe meat cake”. Then we have those Styrofoam cartons you brought home from the restaurant. Few can actually remember what it was inside the frugal diner but never waste food. So there it sits inside the electric icebox until a strange odor permeates from its presence. Half a soda is a perfect target for getting knocked and creating a sea of sweet goo, anything placed without a top is doomed to be spilled. And though all bottles and containers should promote nice east to clean refrigerator it’s still necessary to do a weekly check for things you may have overlooked. Produce is prone to faster deterioration. It starts with just a few limp leaves or soft spots but it eventually just becomes crisper compost. My purpose here is not to scold you for being human, but to make you aware of spoiled food health hazards.

This lecture on food and how it effects your refrigerator really came through loud and clear the week after the Christmas guests had left. It took courage to look at what was inside but even more courage to empty and clean it. Moisture and dying food make for an excellent spawning area for molds. Bacon and sandwich meat has a short shelf life and only dating when you opened it can you be positive you are eating fresh product. Cream cheese, dips, sour cream and yogurt are delicious in prime condition but have a shorter life than a candidate on “American Idol”.

Like paying the monthly bills, cleaning of the refrigerator requires doing every corner. Besides forming on food, mold also spreads in between corners and on the bottom of shelves and roof. After removing all from the inside, I have a large basin of soapy soda water, tooth brushes are good for crevices and cleaning cloths like worn-out towels. Have floor covered to catch any overflow. Once all areas have been thoroughly wiped, the surface needs to thoroughly dry before returning contents. Now before you pat yourself on the back for such a good job, wait! This is refrigerator reclamation day! By keeping only what you need and tossing the barbecue sauce from last summer can you truly be proud of yourself. Nearly everyone has a stash of condiments; this would include jars of mustard, ketchup, bottled salad dressing, taco sauce, horseradish, pickle relish, A-1 sauce and the indispensable mayo.

Examine all condiments for their condition and freshness. I am suggesting you acquire a few plastic trays, place all condiments inside one tray. Wipe out the outside of bottles, but the mayonnaise needs special attention. When buying a quart of mayo immediately place half into another jar, seal and date. Make it a law that all those using mayo, do so with a plastic spoon. Mayonnaise is one of the worst food offenders and the cause of many food borne illness. A family member who makes a tuna sandwich and then drops part of it into the mayo will cause the remaining to spoil faster. Seldom looking as bad as it really is, spoons are all too common a practice will simply speed the spoiling of this product. It might be a good idea to keep a canister filled with cheap spoons as to discourage spreading any kind of condiment with dirty silverware. If you have categories in special trays, instead of fishing for your particular item, you just pull out the tray that contains it. Refrigerator makers have already provided meat keepers and crispers but it’s up to you to arrange the rest of the items.

Items in bottles can be stored on the door of the refrigerator, especially tall ones. Things not commonly expected do belong in the refrigerator, such as what germ home made lo-sugar jam and maple sugar. Your dinner leftovers should not be kept more a day. Those who cook for more than a day will find freezing such a great time and money aver for their future meals. To protect your family and your pocketbook, store all food promptly. Once opened, place a small sticker on the product which will tell how old it is. Dairy products are best tasted even with a date. Milk well refrigerated keeps a week and more, however left out for sometime will shorten that span. Bottles can be easily cleaned by running under hot water. Food gets more expensive every year; protecting it will save money but even better your family health. Is anything growing in yours? Perhaps you should look!