By Staff
Some time ago, someone mailed me an article they had cut from the newspaper … the writer having been a Niles resident. Apparently it had been taken from a 1981 edition, and I believe the sender may have been related to me … since I often speak in this column the importance of family meal time together around the table.
The grandmother reference in this item "struck home" also as I am inclined in this category it reads: "My grandmother insists that young people have changed since her day. She says that they used to be more polite, more obedient to their parents, etc. Do you feel the young people change from generation to generation that much?
In reply … the article goes on to say that it has done a bit of digging and comes across this quote from a well known philosopher … reading as follows: "The children now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority, show disrespect for adults and love to talk rather than work or exercise. They no longer rise when adults enter the room, contradict their parents, chatter in front of company, gobble down food at the table and intimidate their teachers
**This item was attributed to Socrates, the Greek philosopher (469-399 BC).
Inasmuch as this item was sent to me, minus the name and exact address of the sender, I must direct my comments to her by way of this column:
Have young people changed over the years? Of course they have … and so have the older people.
2) As for being polite and obedient, I believe that the majority of our ancestors lived and breathed every word, every phrase taught them by the "Good Book" and there were not any of our modern day "fancies" to distract them and lead them astray. The children learned and were taught by pure example, so it is important that the parents be good role models. I do not believe that a child can be too young to learn what is acceptable, right from wrong, respect instead of disrespect; and they need to be taught this by their parents as one of the many realities of life. Proper table manners should be taught as soon as they become of the age to handle eating utensils. We need to be just as lavish in rewarding them with praise, as we are quick to call them down for their shortcomings. We must remain consistent in teaching our young people right from wrong, as well as what is acceptable versus and unacceptable, right from wrong, respect instead of disrespect; and they need to be taught this by their parents as one of the many realities of life. As for their diets, share with them your knowledge of good nutrition; for they will become the cooks of our future. Every time opportunity presents itself, involve them in the generation of meals; for they will be preparing the food for your grandchildren, future great-grandchildren and so on down the line. Today's first recipe should help entice some of the young people into the kitchen, try it …
Orange Smoothies
6 ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 ice cubes
Blend all ingredients until smooth, serve immediately.
Ginger Cookies
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 egg slightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine sugar and butter, then beat it well with an electric mixer until all the butter is thoroughly creamed. Set aside while you beat together the egg and extract, then stir in the spices and just one third of the cup of flour. Grease your baking sheet very lightly, sprinkle it evenly with the remaining one tablespoon of flour. Shake off any excess, then begin spooning just a very small amount of the batter onto the cookie sheet; being careful to leave approximately two inches between each cookie. Bake for about 6 or so minutes, then cool the cookies on a cake rack.
Food Facts: Did you know Queen Elizabeth was reputed to have "invented" gingerbread men by having ginger spiced cakes baked in the likeness of her court favorites.
People who have a habit of saying "Let the Chips fall where they may" usually figure thaey will not be hit by a chip.
Gingerbread
1 cup unsifted whole wheat flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup light molasses
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then butter an 8x8x2 inch baking pan, then scatter just a tiny bit of flour over the buttered surface and shake out any of the excess. Combine the vegetable oil with just 1/3 cup of water. Add the molasses, sugar and egg whites and then stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices; and add this to the liquid mixture. Beat until smooth, then pour into pan and bake for 30 minutes. It will be done when the surface springs back lightly when you touch it.
FOOD FACTS: did you know that you can store unused egg yolks in your freezer for up to two months?
Rhubarb Compote
1 pound rhubarb
3 apples
1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
A one-inch by one inch strip of orange rind, chopped fine.
Pinch of nutmeg
When you trim the rhubarb. Pull off any and all the fibers, then cut them into one-inch portions. Peel the three apples, cut them into quarters and core them. Now, reserve several strips of this peel. Place the fruit into your mixing bowl, then sprinkle on the orange rind and sugar and proceed to mix together (with your hands) to evenly distribute the various flavors. Now, cover the bowl of rhubarb and set it aside for a good 15 minutes. Transfer the fruit (itself) into a heavy cooking pot that is not aluminum. Then, pour the apple juice into the bowl and swirl it around to dissolve any residual sugar. Add the juice to the pot with the nutmeg. Tuck in the reserved apple peelings as this will help to intensify the rosy color. Place over a medium heat just long enough to bring the juice to a boil, then immediately turn down the heat…place a cover on the pan and let it simmer slowly for 7 to 10 minutes or until the fruit is soft…whichever comes first! Avoid overcooking! Discard the apple peeling and cool the compote. (Note: this may be served warm or cold.)
FOOD FACTS: Although rhubarb is rich in Vitamin C and potassium, its side effect states that it contains oxalic acid which has a tendency to inhibit both calcium and iron absorption. Also, the leaves of this plant are extremely poisonous!
HOMEMAKER'S HINT: Never, never, never prepare this vegetable in aluminum or cast iron cooking ware.
Poached Peaches in Raspberry Sauce
6 To 8 whole fresh peaches
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix the sugar with the two cups of water and also the extract in your saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil, then allow it to simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Now, add the peaches to this and let them simmer until they test tender when pierced slightly. Baste them occasionally during their cooking period, then chill the peaches in their syrup. Now, in the container of our electric blender, combine all … but with the exception of just a very few raspberries for garnish with one quarter of a cup of the peach syrup. You will have to blend and strain hard to eliminate the seeds … so prepare!
* If you happen to be using frozen raspberries, then you absolutely must thaw them first, then puree them with an electric blender or food processor without additional syrup and strain! When you are ready to serve, simply arrange the chilled peaches in a serving dish, cover with raspberry sauce and garnish with raspberries.
TIMELY TRIVIA: They say that Ron Toomer, a roller coaster designer, spent the last quarter of a century designing new methods of making the public, shriek, gasp and race even upside down at breakneck speeds; yet he is unable to ride these roller coasters since he suffers from motion sickness.
* Using the so-called "butter fruit" (so named because of its exceptional smooth surface), the pear is used in this next recipe for:
Ginger Pears
8 pears
1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2" strips of orange rind
4 cups dry white wine
2 teaspoons orange liqueur
1 tablespoons vanilla extract
1" portion of sliced fresh ginger
Add wine, sugar, orange rind, vanilla extract, ginger and liqueur to a straight-sided skillet that will hold the pears nice and snug. Bring your wine to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and allow this syrup to simmer for a good fifteen minutes. While this is simmering, fill a large bowl with water, then squeeze in the juice from the lemon half. Peel the pears themselves, but leave the stems intact.
Now…. Remove a slice from the bottom of each of the pears. By doing this, the pears are able to stand upright. Drop the pears into the lemon water to prevent them from turning brown.
Place the pears into the simmering syrup, cover, the allow them to poach for a good 15-20 minutes. Avoid cooking! Remove the pears to a bowl, then discard the orange rind and the ginger slices. These pears can be served warm, cool, or even chilled with the syrup.