America’s Going to Eat More Meat in 2018 Than Ever Before

Living up to our global reputation as gluttonous carnivores, Americans are poised to eat a record amount of meat this year. The USDA estimates the average person will eat  222.2 pounds of red meat and poultry in 2018, beating out a record set in 2004.  If you do the math, that works out to about 10 ounces of meat a day, nearly double the recommended serving of 5 to 6.5 ounces. That’s a lot of meat!

At the same time, we’ll be farming over 100 million pounds of meat products in the United States alone, another record-setting number. Eggs and dairy will also be in high demand.

So what’s to blame for these stratospheric projections? Falling meat prices are one factor, as are the rise of trendy, high-protein diets.  Though be forewarned: Carb-cutting can certainly be beneficial, but when consuming meat in such high volume, some of which are pretty fatty to begin with, the health benefits are essentially negated.

If you’re a vegetarian, or just looking for a more compassionate and environmentally conscious alternative to your standard burger, never fear. The sale of products that mimic meat are also expected to reach all-time highs. High-tech innovations and experimentation with plant-based proteins have led to more faux meat options than ever before. Items like The Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat even “bleed” when you cut them, something your basic tofu could never achieve. Market research from Euromonitor International confirms this trend with the retail value of meat substitutes likely to surpass 700 million this year. Fast food restaurants and casual dining options like McDonald’s and TGI Fridays are even expanding their offerings, as these innovations go mainstream.

While these projections are high, they’re still unlikely to make a dent in the sales of actual meat. And yet it’s still an important food development to watch (especially with all those New Year’s resolutions to cut back on the real stuff) even if classic steak and milkshakes never go out of style.

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6 of New York’s Classic Cocktail Bars and Their Famous Signature Recipes

There are many who lament the disappearance of New York City’s iconic restaurants, bars, and storefronts as owners succumb to high rent and operating costs. But there are still places where the city of yesterday is waiting to be discovered. Notable are the legendary cocktail bars evoking a bygone era where some of the world’s most famous cocktails were invented.

Some locations showcase their timeworn shabbiness like a badge of honor whereas others still gleam with the elegance and luster that made the gathering spot famous in the first place. These are the locations where the romantics in love with the nostalgic allure of yesterday still gather to discuss politics and culture while sipping a cocktail in the same way guests have done for decades.

Here are six of New York’s most iconic bars and recipes for the iconic cocktails that are served at each one.

The White Horse Tavern: Sidecar   

Brooklyn Supper

The White Horse Tavern bills itself as one of America’s oldest bars and it’s hard to argue with a place that opened in Greenwich Village in 1880. The interior has changed very little in the tavern’s nearly 150-year history but the clientele certainly has. Today, The White Horse Tavern is a destination for tourists and rowdy college students but it was once the gathering place of famous writers who engaged in heated debates with fellow writers and artists while imbibing on classics like Manhattans and Sidecars. A few of the tavern’s most famous patrons include Dylan Thomas, Bob Dylan, Jack Keroac, Hunter S. Thompson, and Jim Morrison. The vibe might have changed over the years but the decor certainly hasn’t and neither has the recipe for the sidecar which remains one of its most popular cocktails. Get the recipe. 

Fraunces Tavern: Hot Buttered Rum   

Mommypotamus

George Washington is arguably Fraunces Tavern’s most famous patron. His drink of choice was hot buttered rum which kept him and his soldiers warm during the bitterly cold winter months of the American Revolution. It is said that the nation’s first president once made 13 toasts in a row with his favored cocktail but that could merely be a legend passed down through the centuries as a way to bolster the popularity of the tavern.

What is known for sure is that the original tavern was established in 1719 and was not only a favorite watering hole of the President, it also served as his headquarters where he negotiated for peace with the British and established the federal offices for the early republic. Today, Fraunces Tavern is a cornerstone of the American Whiskey Trail and a popular tourist site that also boasts a museum. The tavern has changed drastically over the years but what hasn’t changed is the hot buttered rum recipe that’s still served to the history buffs who gather there. Get the recipe.

Ear Inn: Dark & Stormy

The building housing the Ear Inn was built in 1770 but the tavern itself didn’t have a name until new owners named it in 1977. Not having a name didn’t deter imbibers from gathering at the tavern since its doors opened in 1817. The building is called the James Brown House, after an aid to George Washington who assisted him during the American Revolution. By the mid-1800s, Thomas Cooke was selling homemade whiskey and homebrew to the sailors who made the pub their favorite watering hole. In the early 1900s it became a restaurant that refused to stop serving alcohol during the era of Prohibition, transforming itself once again into one of the city’s most famous speakeasies. Today, the bar still serves the Dark & Stormy, a favorite of locals and visitors since The Ear Inn’s notorious speakeasy days. Get the recipe.

Knickerbocker Hotel: Martini

The Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City’s Time Square neighborhood was once one of the city’s most beloved gathering places for an elite group of businessmen including the Carnegies and Rockefellers. The hotel cost $3.3 million dollars to construct, a hefty sum in 1906 when it opened its doors to the wealthy patrons who stayed in its 556 rooms and enjoyed cocktails at its bar.

It is said that the martini was invented at The Knickerbocker when in 1912, bartender Martini de Arma di Taggia combined gin and vermouth together, a combination that became the cocktail of choice for one of the bar’s most famous patrons, John D. Rockefeller. Since Rockefeller was known to abstain from alcohol, this part of the story is more myth than fact but the creation of the martini at The Knickerbocker holds more credence. Get the recipe.

Mulberry Street Bar: Manhattan   

Kitchen Swagger

If you’re a “Sopranos,” “Law & Order,” or “Donnie Brascoe” fan, this is the bar for you. Scenes from each one have been filmed at this iconic restaurant in Little Italy that has changed very little since it first opened its doors in 1908. Frank Sinatra was a patron of this bar that still boasts its original subway tile floor, ornately carved bar, and punched tin ceiling. Today, the bar has lost some of its original allure with the addition of plasma screens to please its game-loving patrons, but it’s still a place to revel in the nostalgia of a bygone time when the Manhattan was served in the same way it still is today.  Get the recipe.

King Cole Bar: Bloody Mary (a.k.a. The Red Snapper)  

The King Cole Bar in the Midtown’s opulent St. Regis Hotel opened its doors in 1904 and boasts an eclectic list of famous clientele including Marilyn Monroe, Salvador Dali, John Lennon, and Joe DiMaggio who all enjoyed cocktails at the Old King Cole bar, named after the expansive mural above the bar painted by the artist Maxfield Parish.

Perhaps even more famous than the bar’s location is the cocktail that was invented there in 1934, the Red Snapper, more commonly known as The Bloody Mary. It was created by bartender Fernand Petiot when one of his wealthy Russian patrons, Serge Obolensky, asked him to recreate a cocktail based upon a tomato and vodka combination he enjoyed in Paris called The Bloody Mary.

The name itself was too edgy for the highbrow bar but the original combination of tomato and vodka stuck, as did the ingredients Petiot added to make it spicier: Worcestershire sauce, lemon, salt, and pepper. Get the recipe.

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Scientists Warn That a Chocolate Shortage May Be Imminent

Better hoard up on holiday candy now because chocolate could potentially disappear by 2050. Thanks a lot, global warming!

50 percent of the world’s chocolate is harvested in the Ivory Coast and Ghana, but thanks to global climate change, it’s become increasingly harder for the cacao tree, the plant that spawns cocoa beans, to survive in those regions. The crop is only capable of thriving in the lower story of evergreen rainforests, but rising temperatures are drying up soil, which prevents the cacao tree from growing. As a result, farmers have tried moving their crops to higher ground, despite the smaller availability of space and lower success rates of growth.

Ghana’s cocoa board COCOBOD, is well aware of these issues, but they’ve got a lot on their plate. They’re not only trying to combat global climate change, but rampant fungal disease as well. (Apparently, chocolate has a LOT of enemies.)  Joseph Boahen Aidoo, chief executive of COCOBOD, has called upon the nations’ top health officials to collect samples of the current diseased pods so they study the best ways to rehabilitate the crop.

Demand for chocolate already massively outstrips supply. The average westerner eats 286 bars of chocolate every year, because, yeah, it’s delicious. But it’s also incredibly unsustainable, especially if we keep gobbling down the stuff at such an alarming rate.

So what’s being done to help prevent this potential culinary crisis? Scientists at University of California at Berkeley are working with the Mars, Incorporated (you know, the folks behind M&Ms and Snickers) to genetically modify the crop so that is could grow in alternative climates. New technology known as CRISPR is being used to alter the plant’s DNA and if it’s successful, seedlings could be farmed in in other geographic areas.

In the meantime, savor the last of your Christmas fudge and maybe lower your carbon footprint, if not for the good of humanity, for the good of our candy cravings.

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A History of Detox Juices and How to Make Them

It’s that time of year again when we commit to a fresh batch of resolutions that are essentially commitments to live healthier, happier, more fulfilling lives. It’s hard to say in this rosy time of the year if we actually will run the marathon, learn a new language, or get out of debt but there is one simple thing we can do each day that will help strengthen and invigorate our bodies: drink a glass of fortifying juice that will detox our system, infusing our bodies and our minds with energy and vitality.

Juice detoxing might seem like a modern phenomenon but the principles of consuming a beverage to cleanse the body and rid it of toxins is actually an ancient one. Recipes for internal cleansing dating back nearly 5,000 years were discovered in China where other remedies such as cupping and colon cleanses were also a popular way to recharge the body.

The Greek word toxon means arrow and the term toxicon was the poison in which the arrow was dipped. This is where the word toxin is derived and in the ancient Greek world, doctors would prescribe juice remedies as a way to remove the toxicon from the body. These juices were considered medicinal prescriptions, aligning with the philosophy that food is medicine if it is consumed properly.

In Thailand, juices formulated to cleanse the body of its toxins have long been incorporated into the lives of ancient and contemporary Thais as a way to achieve spiritual enlightenment and awakening.

Drinking juice as a means to cleanse our bodies is an easy way to illuminate the mind and recharge our bodies. It doesn’t have to mean adhering to a strict detoxing regimen in which nothing but juice is consumed. Starting your day with a detoxifying juice or perking your mind and body up with juice during the afternoon slump that affects so many of us, is a smart way to incorporate a healthful habit into your life that will help you stick to your healthy habit resolution for 2018.

Here are six recipes that are fortifying, detoxifying, and most importantly, flavorful.

Green Juice  

Show Me the Yummy

With just six ingredients, this vibrant green juice recipe will send you on your way into a more energetic day. The ginger adds a bit of fire while the apple contributes a hint of sweetness. Kale, celery, and cucumber are natural detoxifiers as is the lemon which brightens it all up. Get the recipe. 

Beet Juice   

Wonky Wonderful

The vibrant red-violet color alone is enough to entice even the most juice-averse to take a sip but it’s the flavor that will keep them drinking. Apples sweeten the recipe as limes and ginger do the major detoxing work. Beets are beneficial in so many ways. They are loaded with fiber and vitamin C and also packed with potassium, an essential mineral for healthy muscle and nerve function along with manganese which bolsters kidney, liver, bone, and pancreatic health. Get the recipe. 

Pineapple, Cayenne Detox Juice

Salad Days

If you prefer a little fire in your detox juice, this is the recipe for you. Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin which is thought to boost metabolism, lower blood pressure, alleviate hunger pains, and aid in digestive health. When it’s combined with pineapple juice which contributes to eye health, strong bones, and contains anti-inflammatory properties, this recipe is a winner. Get the recipe. 

Cilantro Detox Juice

Elena’s Pantry

Cilantro isn’t for everyone but for those who appreciate its flavor and vibrant color, this is the juice recipe for you. Cilantro is a nutritional workhorse. It flushes the body of heavy metals, prevents urinary tract infections, lowers blood sugar levels, and is thought to improve sleep and decrease anxiety. With just five easy to source ingredients including cucumber, lemon, ginger, and lime which all have detoxifying strengths of their own, this is a powerhouse juice that tastes as good as it looks. Get the recipe. 

Chia Seed Juice   

A Happy Food Dance

Chia seeds have long been appreciated for the texture they add to recipes but they are also valued for their powerful nutritional benefits. Chia seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids which raise the level of HDL cholesterol (or “good” cholesterol) in our bodies. They are also high in fiber, calcium, antioxidants, and iron. This recipe calls for the juice of your choice. To keep it as healthy as possible, use a store-bought juice that is free of added sugars or juice one of your own. Get the recipe. 

Carrot Juice

Cultured Palate

Many of us were told when we were kids to eat our carrots in order to improve our eyesights. Our parents were onto something because carrots are high in vitamin A which is essential in the prevention of macular degeneration and cataracts. Carrots are also a good source of antioxidants which are thought to decrease the risk of certain kinds of cancer, improve cardiovascular health, and decrease the risk of stroke. This recipe celebrates the carrot in all its vibrant orange glory and also includes celery, lemon, ginger, and apples for even more nutrition and energizing flavor. Get the recipe.

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Cambodian Coconut Shrimp Soup

Earlier last year, I had the good fortune to travel to Cambodia to visit a friend who lives there. I had a long stay, so had plenty of time to explore Phnom Penh and the surrounding areas – and eat lots of food!

Most people in Phnom Penh buy their food from the markets. I saw both live and freshly killed chickens, fish that were still wriggling, a very pungent fermented fish called prahok, and baskets piled high with all kinds of fresh produce like lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, baby (pea) eggplant, banana flowers, morning glory, and water spinach.

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How to Cook with Champagne and Sparkling Wine

Too much Champagne? Ahh yes, that age-old dilemma of the working class. It is, perhaps, a problem we long for rather than one we actually negotiate on a regular basis, but if ever there were a time when our flutes runneth over with an access of bubbly, it’s during those first few foggy days in January.

Maybe you stockpiled a bit too much for your fabulous New Year’s Eve party or were given a bounty of bottles as holiday gifts and the idea of downing one more glass has you eyeing that industrial strength Tylenol. Or maybe, just maybe, those two mysteriously opened yet unconsumed bottles have begun to lose their fizz, and thus destined for the drain (or so you thought).

Halt! Allow us a to make a few suggestions of a culinary nature.

Cooking with wine, in general, is a good and fast way to impart depth of flavor to sauces, stews, desserts and much more. That’s because wine, by nature of production, has already aged itself and its ingredients into a complex tapestry of sweetness, acidity, tannins, and other aromas and flavors attractive to our taste buds. It’s why we love wine in the first place. When we cook, and thus reduce/concentrate that flavor, while removing far less tasty alcohol, we’re left with a power shot of flavor created for us, deftly and lovingly, in a winery somewhere.

In terms of cooking, sparkling wine is likely not the first thing that comes to mind. For one, it bares association with celebration or brunch cocktails and, on average, runs at a higher price point per bottle. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a great choice for a range of exciting dishes and should not be overlooked!

A good rule of thumb when cooking with wine is to use it in recipes that, themselves, would pair well with the wine in question. It’s also wise to use something of a quality that you yourself would drink. That doesn’t have to mean a $300 bottle of Krug but stay away from the bargain bin, when possible.

Do be careful. Most sparkling wines have a specific and sometimes delicate flavor and are not a viable substitute for any recipe, even those calling specifically for white wine. To complicate matters just a bit, different sparkling wines themselves have marked differences in their own profiles, via production and blends, making some better than others for particular dishes.

In general, French Champagne is dry (or “Brut”), light and often Chardonnay-based with some Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier but can also be majority Pinot Noir, which makes for a bolder more structured profile. Because of an often dry and biscuity breakdown, Champagne does nicely with lighter cream sauces, soups and seafood, especially shellfish, but can stand up to chicken dishes or even as part of the base in a good béarnaise or béchamel.  

Italian Prosecco, another sparkling wine you might have laying around, is made from Glera or Prosecco grapes and, in general, produces a wine with more present sweetness, fruit, and floral aroma. Because of this, Prosecco or a sweeter Champagne, may be suited for a dessert or pork dish with complementing fruit elements.

See here for a more robust explanation of the difference between Champagne and Prosecco.

Others, like Spanish Cava and a slew produced in the American west, sport their own distinct flavor profiles. The trick is to learn them somewhat intimately and use accordingly. Try not to forget that cooking is a soft science, so trust your instincts and take a chance. You might just stumble upon greatness.

The below recipes all fancy a spot of sparkling wine. Cheers and enjoy!

Oysters with Prosecco Mignonette

Chowhound

Mignonette, a classic Oyster topper, is vinegar-based so a dash of sweet Prosecco adds a nice balance. Feel free to try an even sweeter version for a fun twist on a classic appetizer. Get our Oysters with Prosecco Mignonette recipe. 

15-minute Brie and Champagne Fondue

MNN

A sweet sparkling wine would be a total fon-don’t in this one, to be Brut-tally honest. Get the recipe.  

Shrimp and Champagne Bisque with Gruyere Cheese

The Cottage Journal

We mentioned Champagne pairing well with seafood, cream, and soups. This hits all three and would be an awfully nice first course for your next winter dinner party. Get the recipe. 

Classic Béarnaise Sauce

Chowhound

Because this is the sauce accompanying the dish, don’t be frightened by the above mentioned pairing “rule of thumb.” Béarnaise may be loosely affiliated with beef but can tap in to embolden a simple chicken breast or brunch-able egg dish. Get our Classic Béarnaise Sauce recipe.

Chicken au Champagne

Cooking with Curls

A brighter take on Chicken Marsala. A dry Champagne pairs well with mushrooms and lemon, both featured in the dish. Get the recipe. 

Seared Shrimp Tagliatelle With Prosecco Lemon Cream Sauce

Her Family

The sweetness of Prosecco balances out the acidity of the lemon cream sauce in this hearty Italian entree. Get the recipe. 

White Chocolate Strawberry and Prosecco Cake

Globescoffers

Prosecco and sweet strawberries are a classic pairing and this decadent cake brings them together in a showstopper of a meal ender. Get the recipe. 

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Cooking Resolutions We Intend to Keep This Year

Confession time: Raise your hand if you’re someone who voluminously consumes food-related media to the degree that you would describe yourself as an avid home cook, sometimes forgetting that all those pairs of hands in the how-to videos aren’t your own. Now, keep them raised if a time lapse video of the actual activity in your kitchen over the last year would reveal little more than the occasional scrambled egg or boiled water.

I see you. I see all of you. Because I am you.

We have the best of intentions, you and me, bookmarking recipes, imagining dreamy days spent wandering through farmers markets, and impulse-buying cookware that we are sure to put to enthusiastic and immediate use. Instead we remember we don’t have a dishwasher and order Seamless instead, try to forget the bodily harm sustained during our last Trader Joe’s run for frozen burritos, and stash the most recent purchase (still in box) on the last bit of shelf space ahead of the second-most-recent purchase, certain to be unused before the next purchase arrives.

Rather than begin 2018 with a generic set of resolutions destined to fail by the time the Super Bowl comes around, why not simply commit to spending more time in the kitchen becoming the person you already believe you are? In the spirit of being specific for the possibility of actually achieving resolution, why not try any or all of the following toward a more authentic, kitchen-centric existence this year:

Do Your Dishes

Like, seriously. I said these were cooking resolutions, and this is not some bait and switch. Without even having to see your kitchen, I can confidently attest that the number one obstacle standing between you and your glorious cooking future is not your single square foot of kitchen counter space, but the pile of dishes that awaits you before you can dive into your next project. So, do your dishes. Then get into the habit of doing them as soon as you finish your next recipe so that when moxie strikes you can begin with a ready kitchen and not run out of steam before you even get started. Now that we have that out of the way…

Respect Your Gadgets

Whether it’s something as humble as a waffle iron or as ambitious as a countertop deep fryer, you definitely are hoarding something (or many things) that you have so totally been meaning to use, but so totally haven’t. You don’t need to pull everything out of the pantry at once, but choose your weapon, give yourself a deadline, and go for it. Then try to give yourself another deadline to justify keeping it out rather than putting it back on the shelf, and before you know it the thing will have become worth its expense.

New Sensation

Wanting to try a new product or process is a great impetus for getting cooking, but you don’t need to aim huge in order to find inspiration. Like, “it is Jan. 2 and I am absolutely breaking down this side of beef and making Beef Wellington. For lunch.” Easy, killer. Why not start with the produce aisle and seek out kohlrabi, oyster mushrooms, or chervil? Or try the spice rack and see what you can get up to with herbes de Provence, ras el hanout, or garam masala? Big inspiration can come in small packages.

Get Classy

No matter where you live, I would bet your local community college, gourmet market, or main street bakery has a cooking class you can take. Whether you’re an enthusiastic beginner in need of basic knife skills, or a practiced baker looking to get into wedding cake decorating, investing in some professional coaching and spending an evening among other aficionados can invigorate your own ongoing motivation.

Browser-to-Table Dining

Challenge. Go to your social media forum of choice, or wherever you are likely to save online recipes and videos. Ask the person closest to you for a single digit number. Count down that many entries in your saved tab. Boom. This is what you’re having for dinner tonight. No, I don’t care if it’s for Jalapeno-Cheese Corn Dogs.Why else would you be saving all of these? Now let’s plan to play this little game, say, every month or so until you’ve worked through a few recipes.

Self-Preservation

If you live in a continental climate you may be noticing that the fruits and vegetables available right about now are better-traveled than yourself of late in order to have made it to your local market. So what’s an occasionally determined locavore to do? It’s not too early to start making a plan for the abundance of summer produce. So let’s circle a few dates in the calendar now, and meanwhile brush up on methods of freezing, canning, and pickling so come next winter we can marvel at our colorful and locally stocked pantry.

Myself, the Conqueror

We all have that one culinary thing that undoes us. For me it is pie crust, which I can’t seem to do without copious swearing. My dreams of pastry designs to rival the taut precision of M.C. Escher paintings emerge from the oven like droopy swatches from Salvador Dali’s discard pile. For you it might be unevenly cooked omelettes, or cakes that resemble famously leaning landmarks, or steaks that always come off the grill having rounded the corner on medium well. Whatever it is, I say we take it head on this year, regularly subjecting ourselves to the unavoidable angst with as much alternate nostril breathing as is necessary, until just maybe, we’ve practiced enough so that the thing is no longer our undoing.

Rise to the Occasion

You really should make bread from scratch this year. At least one loaf. Nothing crazy. Not the kind of operation that might cause you to start referring to your own micro-kitchen as “the hearth.” Just begin with a simple loaf, with care and patience taken at all steps, whose aroma makes you feel as though you have created the very concept of nourishment itself. Maybe serve it up sliced alongside a crock of chili or mushroom barley soup, and it will be the greatest thing since…well, since sliced bread.

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