Food and Mood

Hmmm... I think that my mood effects what I cook more than the other way around. When I'm energetic, I cook a more inventive and complicated dish, when I'm tired I boil frozen ravioli and throw olive oil on them when they're done. Most of what I cook is stove-top - either boiling pasta or sauteeing vegies. There's not much variety in cooking styles here.

Consider the possibility that you are handling this like I might handle an art assignment. Whenever I do bold free watercolors, Im wide open windows all Miles Davis and I keep the doors of my studio open. If Im doing a detailed wildlife subject, its Bach, artificial light, closed doors and brief walks in the fields to come down.
Your practicing your craft, when we cook, its survival.

The analogy is perfect farmerman.

Stunning Health News About Hot Cocoa
Sweet! Hot cocoa really is good for you. Sip a steaming mug of hot cocoa and you'll get more disease-fighting antioxidants per cup than a similar serving of red wine or tea, report researchers from Cornell University. Cocoa's antioxidants are almost two times stronger than red wine, two to three times stronger than green tea, and four to five times stronger than black tea, reports Science Daily. Antioxidants--vitamins C and E and beta carotene--are widely believed to fight cancer, heart disease, and aging. They may even help stave off the memory-robbing Alzheimer's disease.

Now that's my cup of tea, Cav.

and how do you pronounce "crepe"?

craip?
crehp?

LittleK, I think it's cr"eh"p..maybe even crap.

Definitely not crap. Crep would be closer.

Hey, Cav. How about pancakes.

Tiny little delicacies
Lit with rum and such
Cherries jubilee
They really ain't so much.
Give a man a tall hat
and a match that goes flambeau,
He'll cater to your merest whim,
And top it off with roe.

And to return to your original thread.

I really can't cook and listen at the same time, soooooo. I let my cereal do the talkin':

Snap--crackle--pop.

one thing i can add to this is when one goes to India one is unknowingly befudded at something they don't understand or even can pick up at first. It could take you years to figure it out or maybe days.

I realized on one of trips while working on "HOLY COW" that when I arrived at 3:46 in the morning and went over to say hello to the cows . They didn't want to know from me. They actually snorted in discust and speedily trottedaway from me. Which is unusual because in India a cow can be stubborn and not move at all.

What do you think this is all about. Meat red meat or any mammal meat. They smell it on you instantly and run in discust.

Then you realize your in country that is primarily vegetarian and because of the the tone of the people is immensely different from a meat eatings cultures.

A peace exists in this country that is so profoundly peacefull on the soul and heart that to leave it makes on feel serious consequences about returning home.

So that is it. A country of spritualvegetarians is so hardly realizes as a real sanctuary of peace that it makes me feel great that I have discovered this and can return to the warm vibes of my Indian cousins. Om Nama Shiva

Letty-listen up. I went shopping for cocoa today. Every brand has cocoa (processed by alkali methods) listed as the fourth or fifth ingredient. Everything before is either sugar, lecithin, whey solids, or some other filler. What is a brand of just plain COCOA powder? Do I have to buy this in Soho or Palm Beach/ or can we country folk find just plain coca?

Fman - you have to spend some time looking and get ghirardelli or some such.I have in front of me a can of that brand of cocoa that is unsweetened - nothing in it but cocoa powder. It was $4 for 10 oz.

If you buy the all american style swiss miss or something you'll get all sorts of other stuff in the package.

I found ghirardelli at our aCME and it had all the same chemical crap that the others did. Maybe,I should have gone to the baking dept. duhhhh.

aaaaaah, baking dept, good idea. This is "Premium Unsweetened Cocoa". The ghirardelli baking chips can be found with little else in them as well. I suggest the double chocolate semi sweet.

My cooking methods don't really change with my mood (it's usually a one-pot meal via stir fry, microwave or baking) but the type of sauces, spices and herbs I use definitely change.

When I'm wanting comfort foods, it's mostly creamy, cheesy sauces. When the weather is warm, I'm wanting more of a fruity, citrus, tartness to the spices and sauces. When it's cold, I want spicy, garlicky sauces.

I find myself cooking with a variety of mustards these days. I like the subtle taste a bit of mustard adds to things and it eliminates the need to add a lot of other spices.

Trader Joe's used to carry Van Houten cocoa, and that is pretty pure, as I remember. Aha, I still have part of a can, hmm, cute can too. The printing says "pure soluble cocoa". I think someone also told me it had the best manufacturing process. Perhaps there is a website...

Animal Crackers, by Christopher Morley.
"Animal crackers and cocoa to drink,
That is the finest of suppers I think;
When I'm grown up and can have what I please
I think I shall always insist upon these.
What do YOU choose when you're offered a treat?
When Mother says, "What would you like best to eat?"
Is it waffles and syrup, or cinnamon toast?
It's cocoa and animals that I love most!

The kitchen's the cosiest place that I know;
The kettle is singing, the stove is aglow,
And there in the twilight, how jolly to see
The cocoa and animals waiting for me.

Daddy and Mother dine later in state,
With Mary to cook for them, Susan to wait;
But they don't have nearly as much fun as I
Who eat in the kitchen with Nurse standing by;
And Daddy once said, he would like to be me
Having cocoa and animals once more for tea!"

But the most famous reference to Animal Crackers is most likely in the Shirley Temple film 'Curleytop', in which she sang "Animal crackers in my soup, Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop, Gosh, oh, gee, but I have fun! "

Sorry folks...just remembering. A rather sad moment in the life of Letty.

Bet no one here knows what hot water tea is..

cocoa link

I guess Van Houten products do use an alkalizing process, the "Dutch Process".

osso, thanks for the info. Ill bet that good ole Hersheys has a cocoa powder , jus plain cocoa too.
My only problem with any alkali process, including decaffing coffee , leaves a lot of salt in the stuff and I have to watch my BP.
The chemical processes , like washing with methylene chloride are actually more healthy , because the residual chemical just vaporizes in heating'

Did you know that the molecule that gives you a buzz in coffee (caffeine) is just a flipped over molecule that gives you the mellow mood in chocolate (theobromine)

One pill makes you larger
while one pill makes you small
and the ones that mother gives you
dont do nothin at all
apologies to Grace

Yep!
I can still here Grace loud in my mind.