How to Cook Bacon Perfectly Like a Chef

Stepcase Lifehack

via How to Cook Bacon Perfectly Like a Chef.

How to Learn Anything

Timothy Ferriss
Timothy Ferriss (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Leo Babauta shares this:

It’s not often you get to talk to someone so intensely focused on learning.

I had that chance recently, as I sat down with Tim Ferriss, who just launched his massive new book, The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life.

Tim spent some intense months learning how to do the thing that has kicked his butt for his entire life: cooking. He sucked at cooking, and decided to conquer it, and in the process shows us how to learn anything, from languages to sports to survival skills. The book teaches us how to cook, but more importantly, it teaches us the art and science of learning.

So I sat down with Tim to talk about learning, and asked questions submitted by Zen Habits readers the week before:

  • What is your set protocol for when you catch yourself procrastinating?
  • How are we supposed to devote several months to learning when we have 9-5 job, family, etc?
  • Do rules set us free? More specifically, is habit essential when trying to be productive?
  • Do you know any secrets to self-imposed moderation? For alcohol, food, or anything really.
  • Learning something new involves memory. How important is a good memory in learning? How can I improve my memory?

via » How to Learn Anything :zenhabits.

Mediterranean baked feta with tomatoes

We have tons of cherry tomatoes from our garden and I love feta cheese and olive oil. This looks like an amazing and healthy way to use them! Get the recipe here: mediterranean baked feta with tomatoes | smitten kitchen.

Tastes As Good As Soda!

There isn’t only one type of tea – think of the many tea brews you’ve seen in their fancy packaging at the supermarket whilst you were on your way to the soda aisle (for instance).

There are teas scented or infused with flowers like rose and jasmine; herbs like peppermint and pandan; spices like vanilla, cinnamon and ginger; and even fruit like strawberry or orange.

Brew it strong, pour into a pitcher or a bottle and let it cool inside the fridge. If you want it sweet, add some honey.” via Tastes As Good As Soda! | FinerMinds.

Lately, I’ve been rocking the iced tea at home and at restaurants. It’s a great substitute for soda and beer and you can be very creative with it, too. Try sun-brewed tea, too!

Ten Best Veggies for the Grill

Cover of "Ciao Italia"

Curated from Mary Ann Esposito @ Healthy Living on HuffingtonPost.com who writes:

It is going to be a long, hot summer if the weather forecasters are right, and that means who wants to cook over a hot stove and heat up the kitchen when the grill will do very nicely, thank you.

Grill preferences and their cooking techniques vary a lot. I am partial to a gas grill because even though it may not impart that true smoky flavor that a charcoal grill produces, it does do a respectable job without the hassle of starting a charcoal fire. Call me lazy.

I use the grill a lot; I have even baked cookies on it! Vegetables are my forte, though, and I have learned through trial and error which vegetables take kindly to grilling and which do not.

I define vegetables that are hard to grill as those that slip through the grill grate or those that are too soft with a juicy texture. They would include asparagus and tomatoes. I define the best veggies for the grill as those that stay put on the grill grate, need minimal fussing — just a light olive oil spray — and whose flavor is enhanced by grilling.

The vegetables listed below are ideal for the grill.

1) Eggplant: Slices char nicely without burning because the flesh is dense and the slices stay nicely on the grill top whether they are sliced in thick rounds or lengthwise slices. Do not peel before grilling.

2) Zucchini: The dense flesh of young zucchini without a lot of seeds are perfect for the grill. It is best to cut them in lengthwise slices to avoid them falling through the grate

3) Red Peppers: A serious vegetable for the grill; char the skin until blackened all over; when cool remove the skin and enjoy the sweet and lush smoky taste with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and salt.

4) Leeks: Remove the deep green leaf tops and discard them; trim off the roots and cut the bulb in half lengthwise right through the core. Brush with olive oil.

5) Sweet Potato: The trick here is to microwave the potato first; let cool, peel them; cut into thick planks before grilling

6) Fennel: Remove the feathery leave tops and save for soup. Cut the bulb into wedges right through the core. Grilling makes this vegetable taste super sweet.

7) Bok Choy: Place small heads of baby bok choy on a large sheet of oiled aluminum foil; sprinkle with coarse salt and a grinding of black pepper. Close the foil and place on the grill. Cook total of 4 minutes, turning the foil over once.

8) Corn: Forget about wetting the husks and wrapping the whole thing in foil; strip off the husks; place corn directly on the grill and brush with your favorite barbeque or pesto sauce, oil or butter. Keep it light so there is no flare up. You can always slather on more butter or sauce at the table.

9) Radicchio: Cut heads into thick wedges right through the core; grill as for #7 bok choy. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Delicious!

10) Portobello mushrooms: Often called “the poor man’s steak,” Portobello are meaty and take to just about any seasoning. One bit of advice though: before placing them on the grill, scrape out those black gills on the underside of the cap. They do nothing for the flavor.”  via Mary Ann Esposito: Ten Best Veggies for the Grill”

Cooking At Home Helps You Live Longer

“A new study just found that older people who cook at home for up to five times a week were 47% more likely to live longer than those who don’t. Conducted on 1,888 men and women aged above 65 in Taiwan over the course of 10 years, the study was published in Cambridge University’s journal Public Health Nutrition.

At the beginning of the study, each participant was interviewed on lifestyle factors such as cooking and shopping habits, diet, knowledge of health, and transportation – factors that would determine their likeliness to cook at home. 43% of the subjects never cooked, 17% cooked once or twice a week, 9% cooked three to five times a week and 31% cooked five or more times a week.

At the end of the 10-year run, 695 participants had passed away, leaving 1,193 behind. The researchers discovered that cooking was related to survival, and that lifestyle factors of the participants also contributed to the theory, as these involved errands related to cooking like grocery shopping, waking to the supermarket and taking public transportation.” Read more here: Cooking At Home Helps You Live Longer | FinerMinds.

Recipe: Tomato and Avocado Grilled Cheese

Looks yummy! Get some at Recipe: Tomato and Avocado Grilled Cheese | Greatist.com.

On a morning like this…

Sweet Orange Marmalade…I ask myself is there anything better for breakfast than think slabs of sourdough toast slathered in butter and homemade orange marmalade washed down with strong Colombian coffee? I think not. We have it good in the first world and I’m grateful…

It’s turkey time!!!

Looks like the mild winter worked well for the local turkey population — should be a good season for local hunters! Click images to enlarge…

When butter was its own food group: The 1943 food wheel!

For me, butter still is it’s own food group and bread is just a butter delivery mechanism. I guess I’m just a 40’s kinda guy…

:-)

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