TRYING TO UNDERSTAND NEWS WRITING STYLE

The headline on http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article2135080.ece read “Ulster passengers braced for more disruption”. Yet it isn't until almost the last paragraph that you learn why.

When my wife first started teaching me formulas for news writing (print and perhaps applies to online writing/reporting as well), she laid out a fairly simple standard: start with the lead, next a nutgraffe, then by the third paragraph a quote. Yet she stressed the importance of letting the reader know what you are writing about at the beginning of the article. “Don't keep them guessing what the piece is about.”

This article was needlessly frustrating, as I had to read through the entire article to find out why. Was the author perhaps afraid people would not read the piece if he stated it earlier on? Or did he just assume we all knew what he was talking about, after all we were right there at his computer when he wrote this right?

Thanks goes out to the writer of the article, it kept me paying attention to good technique...or at least the lack thereof. By the way, I do not profess to be a master at this, just i know what to look for.

TOFU Is it Really That Tough To Work With?

TOFU Is It Really That Tough To Work With?

Tofu! It conjures up your worst nightmare: the vegetarian dinner with no taste. At least that is what some would like you to believe.

Tofu, also known as soybean curd, is a soft, cheese-like food made by curdling fresh hot soy milk with a coagulant. The curdling agent used to make tofu is nigari, a compound found in natural ocean water, or calcium sulfate, a naturally occurring mineral. Curds also can be produced by acidic foods like lemon juice or vinegar. The curds then are generally pressed into a solid block.

There are 3 main types of tofu: Firm, Soft, and Silken. The softer the tofu, the lower the fat content.

In recipes, tofu acts like a sponge and has the miraculous ability to soak up any flavor that is added to it. Crumble it into a pot of spicy chili sauce and it tastes like chili. Blend it with cocoa and sweetener and it becomes a double for chocolate cream pie filling. Cubes of firm tofu can be added to any casserole or soup.

The texture of tofu and its mild taste make it a nearly perfect food. It's a good source of protein for elderly people who prefer dishes that are easy to chew and digest, and it also provides calcium. Tofu is also very low in sodium, making it a perfect food for people on sodium-restricted diets.

Tofu’s history goes back to around 200 B.C. Chinese legend has it that the first batch of tofu was created by accident when a cook added nigari to flavor a batch of puréed, cooked soybeans and discovered the resulting curd.

At a recent vegetarian cooking show I did, I introduced tofu to the audience. Of course, the reaction from many was either “What? Tofu?” or “I hate tofu, it tastes like nuthin’” or “No way am I eating tofu”.

Yet as I began to cook the recipe I shall give you here, eyebrows were raised, there was audible sniffing of the air, and I heard remarks such as “That smells great!” People who once swore to never eat tofu were suddenly scrambling to get some of the samples!

More information can be found at this link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofu

http://www.chefs.com/ search word Tofu

Tofu Stuffed Shiitake Mushrooms

8 large Shiitake mushrooms

(about 3” in diameter each)

1 block Tofu, silken if available

2 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons soy sauce (low-sodium if available)

2 tablespoons white sesame seeds

½ teaspoon kosher salt

all purpose flour for dusting

Sesame oil; for frying

4 shiso leaves shredded (optional)

Wrap the tofu in a paper towel, place a plate on top and refrigerate for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture. In a saucepan, mix the mirin and soy sauce, boil for 1 – 2 minutes then set aside. Grind the sesame seeds, and then blend with tofu and salt. Using a food processor, evenly dust the undersides of the Shiitake caps with flour. Fill the Shiitake caps with a generous amount of tofu mixture, and then fry both sides in sesame over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the mirin and soy sauce mixture to the pan. Turn the heat to low and cook, shaking the pan occasionally until the liquid evaporates. Arrange the Shiitake on a serving plate and garnish with the shredded shiso leaves.

Serves 8

Note 4 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce can be substituted for the mirin and soy sauce.

http://www.xomba.com/xombyte/homeplate_homebase

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Foods For The Week, Busy and Single Parent Families

As a Personal Chef running my own business "Home Plate" I thought that perhaps here I can offer some tips and help for those who need it most. One cannot always afford for someone such as myself to come to their home and cook for them. Although it can be done for as little as 12$ per person.
I would like to offer within this blog and my site tips and recipes that people can use, can freeze safely and reheat during the week.
A Personal Chef offers fine food, convenience at a cost, bu you don't have to be a state attorney, general, or chairman of the board to outsource your kitchen obligations. That is where people such as myself come in.. Today people who are too busy to cook or simply don not have the ability, or time, are finding professional personal chefs are a means to overcoming their culinary challenges. Typically, for regular customer who want several days to a a weeks worth of food, the dishes are homemade and fresh, but then frozen. That can make some prospective customers leery. However, as a personal chef I offer clients meals if they can tell the food has been frozen I will grant them a free service. I have yet to give away a free service. If food is prepared, packaged and stored properly, freezing is not an issue.

The passion is more important than if one holds a degree from a major culinary academy.

I will be posting recipes that the working family can cook on weekends and use throughout the week. Please keep me informed on how these work for you, and what you find to work good, or another way of doing it. I am always open to suggestions, tips, insights. I look forward to your comments.

The Shaman Chef

http://www.xomba.com/xombyte/homeplatehomebase

Copyright © 2006 Raymond Kilgore

Saturday Morning Gourmet Pancakes!

Like to cook something up special on a Saturday morning? Here is a good gourmet way to start that!



http://www.xomba.com/saturday_morning_gourmet_pancakes_0


And for those of you who like the quick tips and tricks in the klitchen, I compile these daily through searching the internet and bring them to you.

http://www.xomba.com/quick_tips_for_the_home_gourmet


Raemonn