“As easy as pie” refers to eating the pie, not
baking it. Photo courtesy Harry and David.

As a follow up to last month’s list of 12 popular food phrases (idoms*), food phrases we have five more, courtesy of Dictionary.com.

1. Apples And Oranges

Apples and oranges refers to two incommensurable items, i.e. a comparison of things that cannot be compared. Though they are both fruits, apples and oranges are separated by color, taste, juiciness, uses and so forth.

The idiom first appeared as apples and oysters in John Ray’s 1670 “Handbook Of Proverbs.” Equivalent terms exist in many languages, from “grandmothers and toads” in Serbian to “love and the eye of an axe” in Argentine Spanish.
 

*An idiom is an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, such as “kick the bucket” or “hang one’s head.’”

2. As Easy As Pie

It’s not so easy to make a pie, but anyone can eat one. “As easy as pie” is an idiom used to describe a task or experience as pleasurable and simple—like the act of consuming a pie, not the more difficult task of baking one.

According to Wikipedia, the phrase was used in 1910 by Zane Grey in “The Young Forester” and in 1913 “The Saturday Evening Post.” It is probably a development of the phrase “like eating pie,” first recorded in “Sporting Life” in 1886. The phrase is often interchanged with “piece of cake,” which shares the same connotation.

3. Cup Of Tea

Popularized in British Edwardian slang, “cup of tea” originally referred to something pleasant or agreeable. The negative usage, as in “not my cup of tea,” arose during World War II as a more polite way to say that you didn’t like something.

“You don’t say someone gives you a pain in the neck,” explained journalist Alister Cooke in his 1944 Letter from America. “You just remark, he’s not my cup of tea.’”

4. In A Nutshell

“In a nutshell” refers to a short description, or a story told in no more words than can physically fit in the shell of a nut.

The ancient Roman encyclopaedist Pliny the Elder claimed that a copy of Homer’s “The Iliad” existed that was small enough to fit inside a walnut shell. Almost 2,000 years later, in the early 1700s, the Bishop of Avranches in France tested Pliny’s theory by writing out the epic in tiny handwriting on a walnut-sized piece of paper.

Lo and behold, it fit!

5. Walking on Eggshells

This phrase means taking great care not to upset someone. It is thought to have originated in politics: Diplomats were described as having the remarkable ability to tread so lightly around difficult situations, as though they were walking on eggshells.

It’s true: “The Iliad” does fit in a nutshell! Photo by J. Eltovski | Morguefile.

In a nutshell, we hope you go bananas for food idioms. Whether or not they’re your cup of tea, these terms are easy as pie to use and they’ll make you the big cheese of any conversation!

So go ahead and spill the beans—it’s just like apples and oranges.

Grilled shrimp with a green salad. Photo
courtesy Haru Restaurant | New York City.

Shrimp salad loaded with mayonnaise: not good for you. Grilled shrimp with a vinaigrette-dressed salad or the grilled shrimp salad recipe below: A better idea. Other low-calorie shrimp dishes include ceviche; the classic shrimp cocktail or its update, the shrimp Martini (recipe below); or a lightly-dressed shrimp Caesar salad. Think Eat This, Not That.

Americans eat four pounds of shrimp a year—and it might be much higher if the tasty little swimmers were more affordable!

Shrimp may be small in size, but they’re huge in taste and health appeal. This little crustacean ranks as the #1 selling seafood in America. High in protein, low in carbohydrates and an abundant source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, shrimp are a good-for-you food. We obtained these shrimp health notes from SeaPak, a producer of frozen shrimp products.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF SHRIMP

Nutrition. A four-ounce serving of shrimp provides a whopping 23.7 grams of protein, which is 47% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA); nearly 40% of the RDA of vitamin D; and nearly 30% of the RDA of vitamin B12. Shrimp is also very high in tryptophan, an essential amino acid, and selenium, which induces the repair process in damaged cells and inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells.

Omega-3s. Studies show that shrimp and other seafoods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids can improve cardio-vascular health and lower the incidence of heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association recommends that people include these protective oils in their diets by eating at least two servings of seafood per week.

Cholesterol-Friendly. Shrimp doesn’t deserve its old bad rap for high cholesterol. A study at Rockefeller University Hospital, co-sponsored by the Harvard School of Public Health, confirmed in 1996 that the cholesterol content of shrimp should not be a concern. The research results revealed that a shrimp diet raises levels of HDL, or “good” cholesterol, and decreases levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol (lowering LDL in the bloodstream significantly reduces susceptibility to heart disease).

Ingredients For 4 Servings

This recipe is served in oversized Martini glasses (about 10 ounces), but you can substitute another dish or goblet.

 
For The Salsa

 
Garnishes

A shrimp cocktail has a cocktail sauce garnish. But fill the same glass with anything else, and you’ve got a Shrimp Martini. This photo shows diced avocado substituting for the diced bell peppers in the recipe. Photo courtesy California Raisins.

1. POACH shrimp in 2 quarts salted water until cooked through (3 minutes). Remove and chill in ice water.

2. MIX all salsa ingredients; season with salt and pepper.

3. DIVIDE salsa evenly among the glasses. Arrange 4 shrimp per glass. Garnish each with olive and lime slice. Place 1 glass on each plate and serve with a ramekin of cocktail sauce.
 
Source: Ocean Garden Products, Inc. and Chef Lou Imbesi, Catelli Ristorante, Voorhees, NJ, via EatShrimp.com.

GRILLED SHRIMP SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients For 2 Servings

 
Preparation

1. CUT the peppers in thin slices, grill shrimp 4 to 5 minutes.

2. MIX with remaining ingredients in a stainless bowl. Season with salt.

3. DIVIDE into two portions; garnish with onion slice and serve.

Source: Ocean Garden Products and Chef Marino Tavares, Ferreira Café Restaurant, Montreal, Quebec, via EatShrimp.com.

Linguine and clam sauce with asparagus.
Photo courtesy Dole.com.

Before asparagus season ends, get your fill by adding it to your favorite dishes. Here’s an example of how easy it is, courtesy of Dole, which adds its fresh asparagus to the classic pasta dish, linguine with clam sauce.

Consider using whole wheat linguine for fiber and flavor. If asparagus season has passed, add green beans or snow peas.

This recipe makes 4 servings; prep time 10 minutes; cook time 25 minutes.

RECIPE: LINGUINE & CLAM SAUCE WITH ASPARAGUS

Ingredients

Preparation

1. BRING a large pot of water to a boil. Cook linguine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Meanwhile…

2. HEAT the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until mushrooms begin to brown.

3. ADD the asparagus, carrots and two tablespoons of water. Toss to combine and cover skillet. Cook 4 minutes longer.

4. ADD the tomatoes and the clam juice. Cook uncovered 1 minute longer. If the pasta is not yet cooked, remove vegetables and clams from heat and cook pasta until it is al dente.

Use whole grain linguine for added fiber and flavor. Photo courtesy Pennsylvania Macaroni Company.

5. DRAIN pasta and add to the vegetable mixture along with the reserved clams. Raise heat to high and cook 2-3 minutes longer until pasta is thoroughly coated and most of the liquid is absorbed. Plate and serve.

LINGUINE vs. SPAGHETTI vs. FETTUCCINE

Do you know the difference between popular pasta cuts and shapes? Discover the different types of pasta in our delectable Pasta Glossary.

Limited-edition Lime Wheat Thins. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.

“Taste the bold lime flavor,” beckons the entire back side of the new, limited edition Wheat Thins.

Fans of Wheat Thins, those crunchy little cracker squares from Nabisco, might note that lime and salt are also flavors of that popular drink, the Margarita. In fact, we received two boxes of Wheat Thins from the manufacturer, along with two Margarita glasses (we enjoyed them with a beer, instead).

Wheat Thins are one of the few foods we enjoyed in grade school that are still on our grocery list. We like them instead of chips with a beer, with soups and salads (use them instead of croutons), and as a better-for-you snack, with or without a nonfat yogurt dip.

Wheat Thins are made with whole grain flour. Each serving of 14 crackers (30g) equals 20g of whole grains. That really helps toward the 48g RDA recommended by the USDA (more about whole grains).

Nutritionists recommend that we consume at least 3 servings of whole grains daily. It’s fun when Wheat Thins is one of those servings.

According to a 2012 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who read the nutritional information on food labels are generally thinner than those who don’t read labels.

Not only do they understand what a portion size is; some foods appear to be much healthier than they really are, with much more salt and sugar than you’d like. Dr. Wendy Bazilian, nutritionist and author of The SuperFoodsRx Diet: Lose Weight with the Power of SuperNutrients, shared some tips on understanding nutrition labels.

1. Look for real ingredients—words you recognize. Avoid artificial dyes, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and MSG.

2. If you have food allergies, look at the bottom of the ingredient list. The eight most common allergens—milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and/or wheat—are required to be highlighted in a separate line, such as, “Contains milk and soy.”

Read those labels for portion size as well as salt, sugar and fat grams.

The servings per container line indicates how many servings there are in the entire package. Many portion sizes are much smaller than are logical; you may note that the serving size is half a cookie or energy bar; for beverages, it can be half of a 16-ounce bottle or a 12-oounce can.

So if the serving size is half a cookie and you eat two cookies, you’ll be eating four times the calories, fat, protein, carbs and other nutrients. Do the math before diving in. As to what to do with the other half of a can of soda, especially when you’re on the go and can’t pour half in a glass for someone else…the choices seem to be to consume the extra calories or toss the other half.

This barbecue sauce has 11g sugar in two
level tablespoons. If you slather it on, you
might as well eat the sugar bowl! Photo by
Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.

4. Take a close look at energy bars. “Energy” doesn’t mean “healthy.” Look for real, not artificial, ingredients on the list; aim for 2 grams (or more) fiber and look for sugar of 10 grams or less. And check that portion size: Is the bar one serving or two?

5. Choose better-for-you frozen meals. Many prepared meals are packed with fat, sodium and sugar. Look for real ingredients: whole grains, whole foods,* lean proteins, vegetables and fruits. Keep the calories under to 400-600 per servings and aim for 450 mg or less sodium per serving, 600 mg as an absolute maximum. Dr. Bazilian, by the way, is a consultant to CedarLane Frozen Foods, an all-natural line that is modest in calories and low in sodium.

Dr. Bazilian advises to add something fresh and whole on the side when you enjoy a frozen meal—some baby carrots or cherry tomatoes as a starter, a green salad, an apple or grapes for dessert.

*Whole foods are unprocessed and unrefined food products, or those that are processed and refined as little as possible. They typically do not contain added ingredients such as sugar, salt, fat, food dyes, artificial ingredients, fillers, etc. Examples include whole grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, unprocessed meats, fish, unprocessed dairy and eggs.

May 18 is World Whiskey Day. If you’re not normally a whiskey drinker, why not take a vacation from the tequila and vodka and sip a glass of:

A shot of Irish whiskey with a wee wedge of lime. Photo courtesy Jameson.
.

Australia, England, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland and Thailand, all strong markets for whiskey, now produce their own. Regardless of the variety or country of origin, a general rule of thumb is that all straight whiskeys must be aged at least two years in wood, generally oak. Each nation has its own rules and regulations about what constitutes a true whiskey.

Whiskey sales have skyrocketed in the past year, in both the U.S. and abroad. In the U.S., bourbon and Tennessee whiskey led the growth. American whiskies also accounted for 70% of the total U.S. spirits exports for 2012.

See all the different types of whiskey in our Whiskey Glossary.

If you don’t want to drink a glass, use whiskey in a recipe. It adds dimension to sauces for meats and in desserts like cake, ice cream and mousse. You can even make a whiskey vinaigrette: Add a tablespoon to any recipe.

WHISKEY VS. WHISKY

Canadians spell “whisky” without the “e,” as do the Scots and most other countries except Ireland and the U.S.

Scholars can’t determine why the “e” was dropped by the Scots many centuries ago. One theory is that the Irish made whiskey first and pronounced it with a broad “e.” When the Scots began to make it, they dropped the “e” to differentiate their product.

A 1968 directive of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms specifies “whisky” as the official U.S. spelling, but allows the alternative spelling, “whiskey,” which most U.S. producers prefer.

An Old Fashioned is based on the earliest
known American cocktail. Photo courtesy
Maker’s Mark.

OLD FASHIONED COCKTAIL RECIPE

Here’s an easy way to enjoy World Whiskey Day: with a classic Old Fashioned cocktail. The recipe is courtesy Maker’s Mark.

The first documented use of the word “cocktail” dates to 1806; it combined liquor of any kind with sugar, water and bitters. As cocktail styles evolved, this early recipe became known as the Old-Fashioned. Later, it evolved into a particular drink made with American whiskey.

Ingredients

1. MUDDLE 1 orange slice, 1 maraschino cherry and the sugar in a rocks glass.

2. FILL the glass 3/4 full of ice. Add bourbon and splash of club soda.

3. GARNISH with additional orange slice and maraschino cherry.
 
A BRIEF HISTORY OF WHISKEY

Distillation was discovered in the late eighth century by an Arab scholar known as the Father of Modern Chemistry, Abu Masa Jabir ibn Hayyam (?-803 C.E.). He wondered what would happen if he put wine into an al-ambiq, a round vessel like a tea pot with a tall spout on the top, and boiled it.

The vapors rose through the spout, were collected and condensed, creating the world’s first distilled alcohol. In fact, since the al-ambiq was often used to boil powdered antimony into a liquid called al-kohl (used to make the cosmetic kohl), the liquid became known as alcohol and the al-ambiq became the alembic still, which remains in use today.

The distillate was originally used as medicine, and remained a secret process, ultimately shared with the monks in Spain for medicinal purposes. Some orders created their own special distillations, such as Benedictine and Chartreuse liqueurs.

As for our word whiskey: The Scotch uisce and the Gaelic uisge, pronounced ISH-ka, became usky and then whisky in English.

Here’s more on the history of whiskey.
 
MORE ABOUT WHISKEY

There’s a group of cooked fruit desserts with crumb or pastry toppings that are similar enough to be confusing. Since today is National Cherry Cobbler Day, we’ll review the differences.

BETTY or BROWN BETTY

A betty is a crisp (see below) topped with buttered bread crumbs or bread pieces instead of streusel or another topping. Later recipes also use graham cracker crumbs (see the history of the graham cracker, which postdates the Brown Betty).

In some recipes, sugared and spiced fruit, usually diced apples although any fruit can be used, are placed in alternating layers with the crumbs and baked, covered, to the consistency of bread pudding.

A cherry raspberry cobbler. Photo courtesy USACherries.com.

The dish and name date back to colonial times, but the original “Betty” is lost to history; the brown refers to the brown sugar in the recipe. Here‘s a brown betty photo.

COBBLER

A cobbler is a cooked fruit dish, but the topping is different from other cooked fruits with toppings: It’s crowned with cooked lumps of dough. The dish got its name because the lumps of dough resembled cobblestones. In contrast, a crisp or crumble has a crumb topping.

Although some might see the cobbler as a crustless pie or “spoon pie” (a fruit pie with a filling so juicy it should be eaten with a spoon instead of a fork), it is often classified as a cake. Fruit is baked in a baking dish or casserole, then shortcake batter or biscuit dough is dropped onto the fruit before it goes into the oven.

Today, people tend to call everything a cobbler. But remember: a cobbler has a dropped pastry dough top instead of a crumb top.

A cherry crumble. Photo courtesy Dole.com.

CRISP or CRUMBLE

A crisp is a deep-dish fruit dessert made with a crumb or streusel topping and baked. The British term is crumble.

The next three relatives are in the spoon pie category.

GRUNT

A grunt is a spoon pie with biscuit dough on top of stewed fruit (fruit which is steamed, not baked). It’s a stovetop variation of the baked cobbler. Here‘s a photo.

PANDOWDY

A pandowdy is a spoon pie with a rolled top crust that is broken up to allow the juices to come through.

SLUMP

A slump is a spoon pie topped with biscuit dough or pie crust, which can be baked or steamed. It can be made upside down.

Now go bake a cherry cobbler and celebrate National Cherry Cobbler Day!

SEE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PASTRY IN OUR PASTRY GLOSSARY.

If you like an everything bagel, it now has a worthy companion: an “everything” combination of seasonings atop a container of hummus. “Everything” is the first flavor in the new line of Tribe Hummus Limited Batch Editions.

Tribe Everything includes roasted sesame seeds, minced garlic and onion, poppy seeds and some teeny red bits that may be bell pepper.

The company tested dozens of different seed combinations and roasting types, seeking the perfect mix of smooth and crunchy textures. The result delivers a big pop of flavor; we could only wish for twice as much topping.

So after we had polished off all the topping, we sprinkled more of the same spices from our cabinet on the remaining hummus. It’s a trick we’ll use again and again on plain hummus.

Tribe’s Everything Hummus will be on shelves through August, followed by the next to-be-named Limited Batch flavor.

The first of Tribe‘s Limited Batch Hummus has “everything.” Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.

Hummus Is Hot

Have you noticed the explosion of hummus at the grocer’s? With a steady stream of new consumers coming into the fold and current consumers buying more, hummus is no longer an exotic product. While national household penetration remains relatively low at around 20%, it is high among those seeking healthier ingredients and snacks.

You can use hummus as a dip, a spread, a condiment or a side. With the broad selection of flavored hummus available, it never gets boring. And it couldn’t be easier to take the top off of the container and set it in front of family and guests.

Healthier cupcakes cut down on the refined sugar. Photo courtesy Dole.com.

In the search for healthier cakes and cupcakes, recipe developers have replaced some of the refined sugar with the natural sweetness of applesauce and bananas.

Another way to eliminate calories is to cut the sugar- and fat-laden frosting. Instead, use a few chocolate chips or chopped nuts to add a flourish to the top.

Hmm, this looks like a muffin, you say; and you would be correct. The difference is that cupcakes have a less dense, finer crumb, more sugar and a frosted top.

But it all comes down to marketing: Call them cupcakes and your family will be just as happy to eat them.

This recipe for Black Magic Banana Cupcakes is from Dole, which has many tasty recipes on its website.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Stir together bananas, egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla in large bowl; set aside.

2. COMBINE sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; stir into banana mixture. Stir just until moistened.

3. LINE 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Lightly coat with vegetable spray and fill two-thirds full with batter.

4. BAKE 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Halfway through baking, sprinkle chocolate chips or nuts on the top.
 
CUPCAKE HISTORY

Cupcakes originated in the U.S. in the 19th century. The name is derived from the teacup: Before the advent of muffin tins, cupcakes were often baked in individual tea cups (as well as ramekins).

Cupcakes became popular because they baked more quickly than cakes. Equally as important, before the advent of the modern oven in the 20th century, a long-baking item like a cake could burn easily.

Muffin tins became popular by the beginning of the 20th century, and provided an easier baking receptacle. Paper and foil liners were created for easier removal of the cupcakes from the pan.

A “NEW” ANCIENT GRAIN

Watch out, quinoa: There’s a new grain in town. Although it’s only new to America; freekeh dates to about 2300 B.C.E.

As the story goes, freekeh was created by accident when a Middle Eastern village was attacked. The hostiles set the fields of young green wheat blaze.

After the enemy departed, since food was hard to come by, the villagers rubbed off the burned chaff, cooked the immature kernels and discovered that the grain had a smoky aroma and a nutty taste. A cross between brown rice and barley, freekeh became popular in the cuisines of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

Freeheh has great nutrition and great versatility. You can use it in place of rice or any other grain, even down to making freeheh empanadas, jambalaya, paella, tacos, and even freekeh sushi.

Freekeh Foods makes three freekeh varieties, original and first flavored freekeh we’ve seen, rosemary sage freekeh and tamari freekeh.

There’s a new—albeit ancient—grain in town:
freekeh. Photo courtesy Freekeh Foods.

If you’re always on the prowl for the new and delicious, get your freak on with freekeh. Read the full review.

Who wouldn’t want a box of new smacks each month? Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.

READY TO SNACK?

Our Top Pick from last week was a gift suggestion: a snack-box-of-the-month club. We’ve encountered two companies that have entered this space, both serving up artisan snacks that are a delight to discover.

Each month the recipient receives an assortment of all natural, typically good-for-you snack foods. The choices come from a broad selection of fruit bars, veggie chips, teas, cookies, candies, peanut butter and jam, nut and seed mixes and other yummies.

Love With Food combines “great food for a great cause,” donating one meal to a food bank for each snack box sold.

Boxtera aims for a high percentage of organic-certified products, and strives to include products that are gluten free.

Both are wonderful gifts, as well as self-treats. Read the full review.