FRUIT HUNTER

In this blog, we were asked to become Fruit Hunters and find and taste a fruit that we are not familiar with.  My Fruit Hunter assignment took me to the Ontario Food Terminal.  I went there because my father works at the Ontario Food Terminal and I would have a better variety of fruits to choose from.

The day that I went down to the Ontario Food Terminal, I walked into some companies and asked what fruit they had that was unique and different.  One person suggested the Dragon Fruit.  When I looked at the fruit, I thought it was different and something that I had never seen before.

Dragon Fruit

Dragon fruit's botanical name is Hylocereus Undatus.  Dragon fruit looks like a pink soft pineapple with spikes.  The skin can either be pink, red or yellow and the inside is either white or red.  The dragon fruit that I picked had a white inside.

An interesting fact about dragon fruit is that it is pollinated at night by bats and moths.  Dragon fruit needs rainfall of around 600 - 1300 mm and a maximum temperature of 38 - 40 degrees Celsius.

Dragon fruit is rich in nutrients and low in calories.  It is high in fiber, manganese, iron and various vitamins and minerals.  The health benefits of dragon fruit is that it has the ability to aid in weight loss, control diabetes, improve digestion, and lower cholesterol.

Dragon fruit originated from Mexico, South America, and Central America.  New settlers brought it to Southeast Asian nations like Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam.  Dragon fruit today is exported from Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand and Vietnam.

The company that I got the dragon fruit from was selling a case of dragon fruit for $75.00 to grocery stores.  I checked Sobeys and Metro near my house and they were selling dragon fruit for $3.99 each.  

My sensory evaluation of dragon fruit is that it is a pretty color of pink and when I cut it open, it was white with black seeds.  It smelt like kiwi.  When I tasted the fruit, it was sweet but not overly sweet.  The taste reminded me of a pear.  It was not an overpowering flavor.

Dragon fruit is best eaten chilled, or chopped into cubes and added to fruit salad or blended into drinks or smoothies. 

Dragon Fruit and Banana Smoothie

Dragon Fruit Smoothie - Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients

2 cups frozen dragon fruit cubes

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt 

1 banana

Procedure

1. In a blender, liquefy the ingredients

2. Serve in two bowls

3. Add extra toppings if you like

What I learned from this Fruit Hunter assignment is that I should be more open to trying new things even though they may not look as appealing to eat.  The dragon fruit did not look appealing but it was still good.  I do not think I will eat it on a regular basis but if it is on the table, I would not think twice about eating it.

References

"Dragon Fruit".  www.dragonfruititaya.com

Images from www.pixel.com

Staughton, John.  "19 Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit (Pitaya)".  Organic Facts, 2018 Organic Information Services Pvt Ltd.  www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-dragon-fruit.html

"What is Dragon Fruit Good For?".  FoodFacts by Mercola.  October 7, 2016.  www.foodfacts.mercola/dragon-fruit.html

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and Minerals

Some of the vitamins that we are not getting enough of in our diets living in North America are calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E.  You do not need to go out and buy these vitamins from the pharmacy.  You can get these vitamins back in your diet by eating certain foods.

If you are missing calcium in your diet, you could drink more milk, or start by adding nonfat plain yogurt to your diet.  You can also add Swiss cheese, salmon or cooked spinach.  These are foods that will help add calcium to your diet.

If you are lacking potassium, add baked sweet potatoes or Yellow-fin tuna to your diet.  If you need more fiber in your diet, add 100% bran cereal, or cooked black beans, or whole-wheat English muffins.  Eat Brazil nuts, cooked halibut or almonds to add magnesium to your diet.  Carrots are a great source of Vitamin A.  If you need Vitamin C, eat more oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe or cooked broccoli.  Roasted sunflower seeds and peanut butter help add Vitamin E to a person's diet.

Grilling

Unfortunately, fresh fruits and vegetables loose some of their nutrients the minute they are picked.  When you go to the grocery store, pick the freshest of fruits and vegetables and when you get home, store them properly so that you did not loose any further nutrients.  Store fruits and vegetables in the fridge or freeze to help stop the degradation of vitamins.  Nutrients are also lost in the cooking process.  

Stir-fry

Boiling reduces Vitamin C in foods like broccoli, spinach and lettuce.  These foods could loose up to 50% of their Vitamin C.  Instead of boiling, try grilling or broiling certain vegetables to keep more of the nutrients in the foods.  Sauteing and stir-frying is another good way to cook vegetables to keep the nutrients.  Stir-frying uses a small amount of oil or butter and usually the cooking time is rather short, so there is less time for the nutrients to disappear.  

I decided to cook carrots by using three different cooking methods.  I made steamed carrots, glazed carrots and broiled carrots.  

Steamed Carrots

Before Steaming

Cooked Steam Carrots

For the steamed carrots, I used baby carrots and steam them until they were cooked.  To check if the carrots were cooked, I pierced them with a fork and if the fork went into the carrot easily, then they were cooked.  I added salt and pepper to taste.

Broiled Carrots

Raw Carrots

Broiled Carrots

For the broiled carrots I used the large carrots and cut them into batonnet.  I placed them on a sheet pan which was lightly oiled.  I added salt and pepper to taste.

Glazed Carrots with Brown Sugar

Ingredients

Here is my recipe for the glazed carrots.  

Ingredients

16 ounces of carrots

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup of brown sugar

1 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.  Wash baby carrots under cold water

2.  Combine carrots with butter, brown sugar and water in medium sized saucepan

3.  Stir to blend the ingredients thoroughly

4.  Bring to a boil over high heat

5.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue boiling (uncovered) for 20 to 25 minutes or until carrots are tender and liquid has evaporated

Glazed Carrots with Brown Sugar

The method of cooking that I liked the best for the carrots is the broiled carrots.  I like the taste of these carrots the most.  Carrots are high in Vitamin A, Biotin, Vitamin K1, Potassium and Vitamin B6.  Vitamin A promotes good vision, and is important for growth and development.  

Canadians are deficient in Vitamin D and/or Iron.  This Tuna Mushroom and Broccoli Risotto is high in Vitamin D and Iron because of the tuna, mushrooms and broccoli.

Tuna Mushroom and Broccoli Risotto

Ingredients

Ingredients

2 cans flaked light tuna

8 cups low salt chicken stock

1/2 cup of white wine

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 cup chopped button mushrooms

1 cup broccoli

2 cups Italian Arborio rice

1 tablespoon butter

2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Broccoli, onions, and rice

1.  Heat stock and wine in a saucepan to a gentle boil.  Take off heat and cover to keep warm.

Tuna, Mushroom and Broccoli Risotto

2.  Add olive oil to a large stock pot, saute onions, broccoli and mushrooms over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes

3.  Add rice to mixture, saute for 2 minutes

4.  Add stock 1 cup at a time (each cup should be fully absorbed before adding the next) until you have used 6 cups, then start adding 1/2 cup at a time until rice is cooked

5.  Add in tuna and butter and cook for another 2 minutes

6.  Take off the heat and add in the parmesan cheese

References

Bjarnadottir, Adda.  "Carrots 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits."  January 23, 2015.  www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/carrots.

Griffin, R. Morgan.  "Missing Nutrients in your Food."  WebMD, 2007.  www.webmd.com/diet/features/missing-nutrients-in-your-food.

Images from www.pixels.com.

Spritzler, Franziska.  "How Cooking Affects the Nutrient Contents of Foods."  February 11, 2016.  www.healthline.com/nutrition/cooking-nutrient-content.

White, Dana Angelo.  "How to Prevent Vitamin Loss When Cooking Vegetables."  2016.  www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/healthy-tips/2013/04/how-to-prevent-vitamin-loss-when-cooking-vegetables.

Theory of Food - Sensory Evaluation

Sensory Evaluation - Oxtail Dinner

For a blog assignment I had to try a food that I have never eaten before.  A friend recommended that I try oxtail.  So I did some searching to find a restaurant in my area that sold oxtail.  Portland Jerk Restaurant is a Caribbean restaurant that had an oxtail dinner on their menu. 

The oxtail dinner came with oxtail, rice and beans and coleslaw.  The oxtail dinner appeals to one of the five basic tastes, which is sweetness.  I found the marinade that they used on the meat was sweet and sticky. 

What I observed while eating the oxtail dinner was that the meat was fatty and the marinade was sweet and sticky.  It wasn't too sweet, but sweeter than I am usually used to when it comes to a marinade.  I found the rice to be bland and somewhat dry.  I think the rice could have used a little more salt.  I may be wrong and that is how the rice is supposed to taste, but I would prefer a little more salt personally.  The coleslaw was creamy and tasted like basic coleslaw, there wasn't anything really special about it.  It was the standard coleslaw you can get anywhere.  The smell of the food was very meaty and it had a smokey smell also.  You had to use your hands to eat the meat as there were bones and you have to eat the meat off the bones, I found my fingers got really sticky by the time I finished the meat.  By looking at the meal, it was a lot of brown and beige colours.  There are meals that excite the eyes by using colour but this meal was very neutral in colour.  It did not stimulate my sense of sight.

I think the meat tasted like beef.  If no one had told me it was oxtail, I would not have known and just thought it was a fatty beef.  This food is unique because it is a Caribbean dish.  I am not familiar with Caribbean meals and found this to be unique.  In my family, eating oxtail is not a typical or normal meat to eat.  We eat mainly beef or chicken.  Also, the spices that they use on the meat I think makes the meal also special.  

I will admit, I am not an adventurous person when it comes to what I eat.  I would never have thought to try Caribbean food if not for this assignment.  I found that my palate likes a little more salt than what was used on this meal.  I also did not hate the sweetness of the marinade.  The oxtail dinner was not bad but I would not buy it again.  I may be willing to try another Caribbean dish but just not this one.  I found the sweetness of the marinade appealing but the texture of the meat was not appealing because of the fattiness from the bone marrow.  

This experience has opened my mind to trying new foods and being adventurous.  In the future, I will be more open to using spices from other countries to add flavour to my dishes.  I also have to learn to add salt to taste but not to my taste but what a customer would find to be enough salt.  

About Me

spaghetti and meatballs

My name is Guiseppe-Mario.  As you can tell from my name I am of Italian descent.  I could eat pasta every day, seven days a week.  It is in my blood.  My favorite pasta plate is spaghetti and meatballs and that explains why I have the picture of spaghetti and meatballs.  

I am currently enrolled in the Culinary Management Program at George Brown College.  Why did I choose to become a chef?  There are many reasons why.  The men in my family are the ones that cook.  From a young age, I remember sitting on the kitchen counter watching my dad cook dinner.  My dad's one and only cookbook is "The New World Encyclopedia of Cooking".  It was published in 1972 and has very little pictures but the foods my dad has cooked from this cookbook were almost always good.  I was always in the kitchen helping my dad, so when I got into high school and they gave cooking classes, I thought why not.  The cooking classes where fun and it grew my interest in cooking.  When you come over to my house, almost guaranteed the Cooking Channel will be on.  

At the moment I am not working in the industry, but I hope to one day work in the industry and grow my passion for food. 

My Nonno's zucchini (2018)

My personal philosophy of cooking was drilled into me by my grandparents.  Fresh from the garden, fresh homemade pasta and fresh homemade bread are always the best.  My grandparents grew all their own vegetables and they had fruit trees in the backyard also.  A cucumber from the garden always tasted better than a cucumber from the store.  Even today, my father works in the produce industry, so we get fruits and vegetables directly from the suppliers. 

Blogging is new to me.  I personally do not follow blogs.  What I hope to gain from blogging is up in the air.  As I continue to blog for school I hope to learn to appreciate and understand the mass following of people who blog or read blogs.

Julia Child was quoted as saying "You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients."  I picked this quote because like my grandparents, Julia Child said good food comes from fresh ingredients and you can't get any fresher than the backyard garden.

A Great Culinary Blog that I checked out was "The Pioneer Woman".  Ree Drummond has a show on the Food Channel that my family watches and when thinking of picking a blog to look at, her name popped into my head.  I like the look of her blog, it is very organized with tabs for different categories and drop-downs for more options.  From the couple of blogs that I read, she writes her blogs as if she was just talking to a friend.  Ree Drummond's blogs are personal and tell stories.  They are not stuffy and technical.  They are interesting because you learn about the blogger while learning recipes.  I cannot think of anything that she could do to make her blogs better.  When something is working fine, don't fix it. 

References

Images are from www.pexels.com

"Julia Child Quotes", www.goodreads.com

"The New World Encyclopedia of Cooking", Edited by the Staff of Culinary Arts Institute.  Delair Publishing Company Inc., 1972.

"The Pioneer Woman" Blog, https://thepioneerwoman.com

My Nutrition Interests

 

A topic in nutrition that interests me is diabetes.  Diabetes runs in my family.  My nonna, my uncle and my mother all have diabetes.  They all have Type 2 Diabetes.  Type 2 Diabetes is when your body can't properly use the insulin that is released.  You can control Type 2 Diabetes with physical activity and meal planning.  The doctor may also prescribe medication to control your blood sugar levels.



Another topic in nutrition that interests me and I would like to learn more about is organic foods.  The benefits of organic foods versus non-organic foods.  Does organic food actually taste better than non-organic foods?

Nutrition has been playing a big role in the culinary industry for a number of years.  Consumers have been more knowledgeable and aware of their health and what they should be putting in their bodies.  Restaurants and chefs have been changing their menus to serve their customers what they have been asking for.  People who are diabetic will lean towards healthier lifestyles that include a healthy diet.  Diabetics should eat three regular meals a day and limit the carbohydrates, sugars and fiber, and salt intake when planning meals and portion size.  I think nutrition will continue to influence the culinary industry for years to come. 

For this blog, I checked out two websites.  The first website was Diabetes Canada and the second website was My Heart Matters.  A question you may ask is "How do you know if a website is credible or not?".  Well there are some simple hints to see if a website is credible and trustworthy.  The first hint would be who wrote the website.  Diabetes Canada was written by The Canadian Diabetes Association along with doctors.  My Heart Matters is written by two of Canada's pharmaceutical research based companies.  Another hint if the website is credible is what are the qualifications of the author(s).  The people who write or wrote information on Diabetes Canada are doctors and researchers.  When I looked at My Heart Matters, it does not really say who the writers are or at least I couldn't find it.  This website says that it is written by pharmaceutical research companies.  So I could assume that the writers are researchers.  Diabetes Canada's website is very well organized and written.  It provides links to definitions, support groups and programs in various cities.  My Heart Matters provided information on what diabetes is, how to control diabetes through food and exercise and then it gave a link to some caregivers that could help.  This website did not look as credible as Diabetes Canada. 

References

"Diabetes Canada."  Canadian Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.ca

Images are from www.pexels.com

"My Heart Matters - Diabetes and Heart Disease Resources."  My Heart Matters - Diabetes and Heart Disease Resources, www.myheartmatters.ca

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