by Katherine Sacks/MEDILL NEWS SERVICE

The benefits of the heart-healthy Mediterranean lifestyle may be due, in part, to phenol-rich olive oil, a new study reports. The phenols-or micronutrients found in olive oils-repress gene expression linked to inflammation promotion, which in turn could boost the immune system.

“These findings strengthen the relationship between inflammation, obesity and diet and provide evidence at the most basic level of healthy effects derived from virgin olive oil consumption in humans,” said Fransisco Perez-Jimenez, of the University of Cordoba, Spain in the journal BMC Genomics.

The study, published on April 19, focused on 20 patients who presented pro-inflammatory, or inflammation-promoting, symptoms, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Study participants avoided all drugs, vitamins and supplements before the study. During the study, the subjects ate a controlled breakfast that included phenol-rich olive oils.Through analysis, the researchers identified 98 different genes when comparing in the intake of phenol-rich olive oil with low-phenol olive oil.

“Our study showed that intake of virgin olive oil based breakfast, which is rich in phenol compounds, is able to repress in vivo expression of several pro-inflammatory genes, thereby switching activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to a less deleterious inflammatory profile,” stated researcher Antonio Camargo Garcia, in e-mail.

This may explain the link between those who eat a “Mediterranean diet” and the reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the researchers. The research suggests that diet can, in essence, inhibit genes which are normally pro-inflammatory. Many of these gene are also linked to obesity, type-2 diabetes, and high cholesterol.

These findings aren’t surprising, said Dr. Karen Moncher, a physician in the preventive cardiology program at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison. She said the best way to get heart-healthy benefits is by following eating habits similar to the Mediterranean diet, which previous studies have shown to reduce risks associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke.

“This study shows that it appears that the olive oil and the monounsaturated fats in olive oil are the things that really make a difference,” said Moncher, “but we just don’t know that for sure.”

Although the study finds preliminary ties between olive oil and reduced cardiovascular disease risks, Toby Smithson, registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, points out the small number of participants in the study.

“There were only 20 people. It was a small study,” Smithson said. “I heed caution when the numbers in a study are so small. On the other hand, olive oil doesn’t raise cholesterol, so that’s a good thing.”

Olive oil and other monounsaturated fats tend to be seen as healthy fats and are linked to reducing risks of heart disease across the board. They can be thought of as simple fats- monosaturated fats are made of a chain of fatty acids and carbon acids that have a single bond.

The results of this study may show that olive oil is a key component of the Mediterranean diet, which includes fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and fish, all heart healthy choices, according to Smithson.

“Teaspoon for teaspoon it’s the same amount of fat and calories,” said Smithson. “But the type of fat is what’s beneficial about olive oil because it’s a monounsaturated fat.”

But both Smithson and Moncher said to keep moderation in mind in the case of olive oil, and when eating in general.

“The concern is the amount, to make sure it fits into your calorie intake,” said Smithson. “You don’t want obesity to result because of the higher fat content in the diet. It’s the right kind of fat, but again I heed caution with the amount.”

Although the study shows a health link to olive oil, Moncher stressed the importance of adapting an inclusive healthy lifestyle.

“In the Mediterranean diet in general, across the board everybody emphasizes the combination of things seems to make the difference,” said Moncher. “So this may be more grains, more vegetables, more fruits, and it juts goes back to the whole there’s no one miracle food. It’s always a lifestyle change. There’s no miracle food, it’s just a matter of eating well on a daily basis.”

by Katherine Sacks/MEDILL NEWS SERVICE

Many people add fresh vegetables to their diets to improve health.

“Higher vitamin K intake linked to lower cancer risks.” “Cloves are best natural antioxidant.” “B vitamins help protect against stroke, heart disease.”

by Katherine Sacks/MEDILL NEWS SERVICE

A rainy, spring day is perfect for a hot “cuppa” tea and cookies. These shortbread make the perfect pair, rich and tender dough with citrus notes or bitter chocolate and hazelnuts.

Spring time means sunny days mixed between rainy showers. On cooler mornings, it’s nice to curl cup with a good book, a hot cup of Earl Grey, and nibble on a few shortbread cookies. These tender sweets have a delicate, melt in your mouth texture made from a base of butter and sugar that you can transform with the addition of any flavor. Citrus zest brightens the cookies, while cocoa powder, chocolate and hazelnuts add a hearty richness. The dough freezes wonderfully, so make a double batch and you’ll have enough to enjoy on warm, summer days as well!

Chocolate hazelnut shortbread, makes 3 dozen
1 cup + 2 tbsp cake flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup toasted and finely chopped hazelnuts
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
10 oz semisweet chocolate

1. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream together on medium speed for five minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down occasionally. Add in the vanilla extract, and mix to combine.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and cocoa powder. Add 1/2 of the dry mixture to the butter mixture, and combine slowly on speed one. Add the second 1/2 of dry ingredients to the butter and mix slowly, scraping down to combine completely. Continue to mix one minute more to completely combine.  Add the salt and the nuts, mix into batter.

3. Place the dough on a piece of plastic wrap or parchment and roll into a 1-inch log. Place in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes, or until the dough is firm.

4. Set the oven to 315 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the dough from the fridge and cut 1/4-inch slices. Place on the sheet tray.

5. Bake cookies for 15 minutes,  turning once. Remove sheet from tray and allow to cool completely. Finish cookies by dipping in chocolate.

6. To temper chocolate: Melt all but 1 tbsp of the chocolate completely in a medium sized bowl, either over a double boiler, or in a microwave(being careful not to burn the chocolate). Stir in the last tbsp of chocolate into the melted chocolate. Cool chocolate to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet tray with a silpat or parchment paper. Dip completely cooled cookies half-way into the chocolate, shake to remove excess chocolate, and place on lined sheet tray. When all cookies are dipped, place tray into the refrigerator to allow chocolate to cool completely. Serve cookies at room temperature. Store in an air tight container.

Citrus Shortbread, makes one dozen
6 oz butter, room temperature, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 orange
1 lemon
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups cake flour
1-3 cup confectioners sugar, for icing

1. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Zest the lemon and orange into the bowl. Cream the mixture together on medium speed for five minutes until smooth, scraping down occasionally.

2. Mix the yolks and the vanilla together. Add to the butter mixture and mix on slow speed until smooth, scraping down if necessary.

3. Add half of the cake flour to the butter and mix together on slow speed, scraping down if necessary. Add the rest of the flour and mix until just completely combined. Place the dough on a piece of plastic wrap or parchment and roll into a 1-inch log. Place in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes, or until the dough is firm.

4. Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the dough from the fridge and cut 1/4-inch slices. Place on the sheet tray.

5. Bake cookies for 18 minutes, turning once. Remove sheet from tray and allow to cool completely. Finish cookies by dipping in icing.

6. To make icing, place the juice from the orange in a small bowl. Add enough confectioners sugar to make a thick icing. Line a sheet tray with a silpat or parchment paper. Dip cooled cookies in icing, shake to remove excess, and place on tray. Or, place icing in a piping bag and pipe a zig-zag line across cookies. Allow icing to set and serve at room temperature. Store in an air tight container.

From cavemen to pop art,  food has long been a focus in artwork . The new book Food from the Louvre, highlights the gastronomic works in its collection.

Food has been center stage in artwork for centuries, originating with cavemen drawings of hunting scenes and bison. The still life medium emphasizes food, and dates back to ancient Greece and Rome. Throughout time, platters of bright round fruit, bowls of soured tomatoes, and spreads of cheese, wine, and meats have splashed across canvases. Fast forward to the 1960s and the modern art movement’s fascination with Campbell soup cans and Wayne Thiebaud’s cake paintings. Through every medium, photography, sculpture, painting and the like, food has been a concurrent theme.

Andy Warhol

M.F.K Fisher, in her tome The Art of Eating puts food forward as the art. “Cooking is an art, but you eat it too,” cookbook author Marcella Hazan once said. From France’s detailed Michel Bras to Chicago’s own Grant Atchaz, chefs all over the world create elaborate artwork on the plate, artwork gone as quickly as it is consumed.

Food as art from chefs Grant Atchaz and Michel Bras

The January release of the book Food in the Louvre is a combination of culinary artwork and recipes. With a forward from Michelin-starred chef Paul Bocuse and commentary from the museum’s head chef, Yves Pinard, the book serves as a tour of the legendary museum’s still life’s and gastronomic artwork feasts.

The narrative spans 40 of the Lourve’s works, from ancient Greek and Egyptian tomb carvings through the oil paintings of the mid 1800s. Along with commentary on the artwork, Pinard provides recipes to accompany many of the pieces. Alongside Eugene Delacroix’s Still Life with Lobsters(pictured below), the book offers directions for lobster thermidor and pheasant salami. A recipe for Fig and Pain Dore, a fig and bread pudding style treat, accompanies Luis Eugenio Meléndez’s Still Life with Figs, an 18th Century print of green figs and bread.

You may not be able to afford a tip to Paris for a stroll through the hallways of the Louvre and have lunch along the Seine, but an afternoon spent reading Food in the Louvre is almost as good.

Chicago is a brunch kind of city. A late Saturday out-on-the-town night can easily turn into very early morning drinks, and everyone seems to show up somewhere for Sunday morning brunch. The Publican, in the Fulton Market Warehouse district, is not a bad place to end up. Just make sure you manage to arrive early, as everyone in town has this restaurant at the top of their brunch wish list.

With a wonderfully long beer menu, a menu that highlights sustainable and local products, and a waitstaff so pleasant it’s hard not to think they’re all on some sort of hallucinagans, the Publican is full of charm to the inth degree.

The food is effortless; well-seasoned, straightforward, and unassuming. This is a gastropub with a simplistic menu done well. With an ever changing menu based on the seasons, the chefs have a real connection to their food. Helmed by Executive Chef Paul Kahan and Chef de Cuisine Brian Huston, the menu focuses on the essential ingredients of a dish. Described by Kahan and Huston, the cuisine is “pristine product, simply prepared.”

Charred shortribs served with earthy sweet potatoes and tangy candied kumquats are topped with a perfectly cooked fried egg. Warm beer bread is topped with house made ricotta cheese, soft and creamy. Served alongside musky salted pistachios and soft, sweet persimmons, the entire thing is drizzled with honey.

The sweetness of fried french toast is cut with tart raspberry jam. The bread is an err too wet, crunchy on the outside, but gooey on the inside. Peppery apple sausage adds an earthy, savory flavor to the dish. A large casserole arrives steaming with weiswurst, a mild pork and veal sausage served with sweet Bavarian mustard, alongside a chewy, soft Hannah’s bretzel.

It’s hard to pass up an offering from the Publican’s extensive beer menu, but for brunch a mimosa or bloody mary is more in line. Publican style means with a brew, and the mimosa is served with a weiss beer, while the bloody mary, a concoction of house-made mix and celery bitters is blended with a choice: Tito’s Vodka, or possibly a stout, IPA, or another beer.

As for the design, the space and service is thoughtful down to the tee. From the complimentary coat check, to the three-tiered bar tables with a small top “drinks” level, it’s clear this is a thought out endeavor.

The space is inviting and warm. The sunny, yellow room holds long, communal tables and bright, round lamps hang from the ceiling. The cubby shelves, placed under each chair for extra storage space for guests, which the waiters thoughtfully point out, would almost seem over the top, if they were not so helpful.

After brunch is a time for refection and conversation at the Publican, and no time to hurry along on your way. Sundays are packed; the communal tables are crammed full of people by 11am, and the attentive service you receive early on may dwindle later in your meal. Sip on coffee or a cocktail, enjoy the last bites of short rib or weiswurst, catch up with friends. That’s what brunch is all about anyway, and in this setting, you won’t really want to leave.

Coffee and chocolate star in this creamy, rich Valentine’s Day treat.

Happy Valentine’s Day dear readers! Here’s wishing each of you the sweetest year!

This chocolate cream pie is a wonderful way to indulge your special someone’s sweet tooth; a delicious, creamy chocolate pudding inside a crumbly, chocolate-coffee crust.

Thicken half-and-half with eggs and sugar, then fold in chocolate and butter to create a thick, velvety pie filling. Slightly sweetened whipped cream tops the pie, complimenting the rich chocolate, and the coffee crust adds earthy undertones.

It’s a super sweet way to say Happy Valentine’s Day!

Chocolate Cream Pie recipe
For the cookie pie crumbs:
225g butter, softened
125g light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
50g dark chocolate, melted
500g all purpose flour
1g salt
40g cocoa powder

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand-held mixer, paddle the butter and sugar together. Stream in the eggs and mix until completely incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl down. Stream in the melted chocolate, and mix completely together.

2. Sift the dry ingredients together. Rain into the butter mixture, a small amount at a time, until the dough is just incorporated. Form into a ball, cover loosely in plastic wrap, flatten into a rounded square, and chill for at least 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the dough from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Roll out dough between two sheets of parchment paper to 1/4″ thickness. Place back into the refrigerator for ten minutes to chill.

4. Pace the sheet of dough on a parchment paper or silpat lined sheet tray. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from trays.

For the Pie Crust:
330g pie crumbs from recipe above
30g espresso powder
120g butter
50g brown sugar

1. Heat the oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit. Grease both the bottom and sides of a glass 9″ pie pan with small amount of extra butter and set aside. Place the pie crumbs and espresso powder into a medium bowl. Warm the 120g butter and brown sugar over medium heat in a small, heavy-duty saucepan until the sugar is completely melted. Pour over the pie crumbs and mix completely. Fill pie pan with crumbs, pressing into the bottom and sides evenly, using a spoon to compress. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes, until set. Let cool while you make filling.

For the Pie filling:
850 ml half-and-half
100g brown sugar
30g cornstarch
9 egg yolks
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
210g semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
100g dark chocolate, finely chopped
240g butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled

1. In a medium sized, heavy-duty saucepan, heat the half-and-half over medium-high heat until it is just at a simmer and remove it from the heat. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and cornstarch and then the add eggs and vanilla, whisking until smooth.

2. Slowly temper, or add a small amount, of the half-and-half into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly so as to not cook the egg. Once you have added half the liquid, return all the solution back into the saucepan. Heat over medium flame, allowing to boil,  and cook, whisking constantly for 3-4 minutes until mixture becomes very thick. Remove from heat, and add the butter and chocolate, in small additions, mixing until completely smooth and combined.

3. Pour the filling into a wide bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic onto the surface. Chill until set, about 2 hours.

3. Fill the chilled crust with the custard, forming a smooth, rounded dome with a spatula or wide spoon.

To Finish:
2 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
Dark chocolate or cocoa powder for garnish

1. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and heavy cream to stiff peaks, and spread on top of the custard, forming a dome. Make a swirled, circular pattern using the back of a spoon.

2. Using a peeler or a sharp knife, shave some dark chocolate curls  for decorative pieces to top the pie, or use a tea strainer to sift cocoa powder on top for a garnish.

Pinching your pennies, but still looking for earth-friendly produce? Here’s how to eat responsibly on a budget.

With one out of 10 Americans unemployed, money is tight and grocery store options can seem scarce. Still, 34 percent of Americans say they are more likely to buy environmentally responsible products today than in 2009, according to a recent Cone Survey Report.

Sustainable products may often seem more expensive than the alternatives. But a 2009 Leopold study found otherwise. “When they compared the prices of locally grown produce to those in outside areas, they found it was cheaper to buy locally,” says Melissa Graham, president of Purple Asparagus, a Chicago non-profit that promotes sustainable eating.

Nonetheless,  many Americans struggle with budgeting. Here are ways to fit responsible foods into a tight income.

Head to the market
“One of the first things I recommend is to go to some of the city’s farmers markets,” says Nancy Johnson, who operates the Chicago-based Web site Sustaneity, which promotes sustainable living. She recommends  the Green City Market, which is held at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum during the winter months, among others.

Katherine Sacks

Make a plan
Overwhelmed by all the choices  farmers markets offer, shoppers may impulse buy more expensive convenience products later on. “Go in with a list,” says Graham, who suggests shoppers outline their weekly menu out ahead of time.

David Rand, a farm forager for Green City Market, prefers to plan a few weekly shopping trips, doing his staple shopping at the farmers market and then purchasing “feature ingredients” a few times a week.  “That way you don’t waste as much money and you end up spending less,” he says.

Arrive late
“The best time for someone on a budget to go is a half an hour before the market ends,” Graham recommends. Farmers are often willing to offer last-minute deals on items they don’t want to bring back home. She also says to buy in bulk for a better value.

Stretch your food
Think about how to use all the parts of your foods, says Graham. She suggests roasting whole chickens and using the bones for soup, and using vegetable stems and scraps for stocks. “When buying only the chicken breast, there is a lot of waste involved,” she says, with added expense for the shopper.

“A lot of people aren’t aware of the best ways to make the food last,” Rand agrees, “or how to preserve its shelf life.” He suggests wrapping fresh herbs in paper towels and then placing them in plastics bags, which will increase shelf life up to a week.

Stick with the seasons
The most cost-effective tip is buying what’s in season, says Johnson, who adapted a sustainable lifestyle more than 15 years ago. “If you buy what’s locally produced, it’s less expensive, and if you buy what’s in season, it’s less expensive,” she says.

“To be really sustainable, you have to be willing to adapt to the seasons,” she says.

Katherine Sacks

After the massive earthquake hit Haiti in early January, the world reacted. Aid poured into the struggling country  from every corner, as relief workers fought to rescue survivors and distribute supplies to the thousands now in need. From large scale text-message donation services to the highly-successful Hope for Haiti Now telethon, huge efforts have been made to raise money. Restaurants have held benefit dinners, stores have started to collect donations, and performers have released benefit songs.

Chicagoans are among the many contributing to the aid effort. While not all of the fundraisers are on the national level, each endeavor can be an effective way to raise money for the Caribbean country, as a group of local Yelpers proved this past Saturday, January 25th. They took a small idea, a bake sale, and turned it into a big way to raise money for Haiti.

As event coordinator Tina Bennett said, “It was a very organic process. I’m a parent, and so the idea of a bake sale to raise money seemed like a very natural one. I know how to bake, I know how to have a bake sale. So it seemed easy and I just figured why don’t I just ask a bunch of businesses that were my favorite businesses to help and basically everybody just said yes and it all came together very quickly and easily, kind of amazingly.”

Bennett, with the the help of volunteer organizer Cassie David, was able to enlist over 30 volunteers and garner donations from seven Chicago area bakeries for the Yelp sponsored event, including Angel Food Bakery, Luscious Layers Bakery and Bleeding Heart Bakery. Hyde Park restaurant Medici on 57th donated its upstairs space, where the sale took place.Plates of cookies, cupcakes and brownies lined long tables, as volunteers clad in Yelp’s signature red shirts sliced into rich chocolate cakes and bagged cookies. One volunteer even sold doggie treats. Attendees were asked to purchase tickets, which they then traded with the volunteers for baked goods.

“It was all over twitter and people were really excited about it,” said attendee, Lincoln Square resident Page Worthy. “With Yelpers, usually it’s just all about drinking and getting free stuff, but when it really matters they’ll come out and support a cause.”

Click above to view a slide show of the Baking for Haiti event

Contributors and volunteers came from all areas of Chicago for many reasons. Some were enticed by the big name bakeries, others wanted to make a donation or help aid efforts for Haiti. By mid afternoon, many of the tables and platters were bare.  After several hours and pounds of sugar, flour and butter, Baking for Haiti raised over $1500. These proceeds will go directly to both Doctors without Borders and Oxfam.

“It’s pretty amazing  how this has come together,” David said. “I think that this has been really great because it shows that you just have to have this little idea and get a community of people behind you and you can do it.”

In the winter time, one of my favorite breakfast treats is often a bowl of granola, filled with steamed soy milk. I love the way the heartiness of the oats and nuts mixes with the hot, sweet milk; it’s a great way to warm up before starting a chilly day. When I first developed this recipe a few years ago in Los Angeles, I was so happy with it, I ate a bowl almost every morning for breakfast. Now a days, I only make a batch occasionally, usually as a special treat or sometimes as a gift. Still, it  holds a special place as one of my favorite eats.

My preferred recipe includes zesty orange juice, rich Marcona almonds, and tangy dried apricots, but the great thing about homemade granola is you can use whatever you have in your cupboards to throw a batch together. Leftover nuts and dried fruit from cookie and bread recipes can all get tossed into the mix; the secret is the right amount of sugar and slow cooking to ensure big, crunchy crumbles.The possibilities really are endless, so try different variations of nuts, dried fruits, and fruit juices to see what you like best. It makes a wonderful wholesome breakfast with steamed milk, or a great snack for midday.

Granola
1 container rolled oats, 18 oz
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup white caster sugar
1/2 dark brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Marcona almonds
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a small, heavy bottomed sauce pot, bring the orange juice, sugars, and oil to a boil over medium heat.

3. Place the oats and nuts in a large bowl. Line one baking sheet with a silpat, or non-stick baking mat for easy clean-up later on.

4. Pour the liquid onto the oats and mix with wooden spoon until completely coated. Pour mixture onto the baking sheet and spread out evenly. Work quickly before the oats become too sticky.

5. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and using a spatula, move toss the granola around carefully. Bake for another 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

6. Remove the tray from oven and place dried fruit and spices on warm granola. Toss on sheet tray and allow to cool. Store in zip lock bags.