I don’t think I would have ever discovered this winebar, had I not been led to it, through the labyrinthine streets of Arlington, by Chantrea, who is the originator of what I have to call a noetic zymurgy. I followed Chantrea through the avenues, and into a restaurant. I don’t recall which one, but I …
An efficient locavoristic cooking class at Cavallo Point.
I’ve been doing a lot of work in the MetaEfficient lab. I thought I would post an update on my experiments and research:
Roasting your own coffee beans at home is quite simple. It takes about 5 to 15 minutes and you get the freshest coffee around. Green or raw coffee beans can be bought for $4 to $5 per pound, about half the price of the roasted kind. Look for fair-traded, organic coffee beans — it’s the …
4 Copas Tequila is said to be the world’s first organic tequila. The drink was certified by the international organization Bioagricert. The organic certification was announced at a gathering at the La Quemada distillery where 4 Copas is made, in Jalisco, Mexico. Named the Tequila of the Year 2006 by Wine & Spirits Magazine, the …
A new eco-friendly vodka has been launched by McCormick Distillery. The bottle is 80 percent recycled glass with a unique closure that looks a little like the Grolsch beer bottle. It seems like the vodka is not organic, which is disappointing (we sent a email to the company to confirm this. In the meantime you …
If you are going to brew beer at home, why not brew organic? You’ll have clean tasting, fresh beer without using ingredients that are not genetically modified, and not grown with pesticides. Organic brewmaking ingredients cost slightly more but the rewards are worth the expense (in our moderately humble opinion). On a more technical side, …
In its pure state, chocolate, or cacao, is quite nutritious, and inspires eudaimonia. There are number of varieties of cacao. Almost all commercial chocolate is made using beans of the Forastero Group. Another more prized cultivar, Criollo, is used by the top chocolate makers around the world. It is less bitter and more aromatic than …
Chile peppers contain one of the most effective curative substances in the world — capsaicin. While many people enjoy eating hot and spicy food they are not aware of the therapeutic properties of chile peppers. The authors of The Healing Powers of Peppers present a wealth of scientific and medical information, including personal testimonies about …
Authentic root beer owes it distinctive flavor to Sassafras, a tree native to the eastern U.S. The root or root bark of sassafras can also used to make tea. The leaves are used for thickening sauces and soups, and when dried and ground are known as filé powder, a spice used in Cajun, Creole, and …
Not many people know that the pods from the mesquite tree can be ground into a flour. It’s a traditional Native American food — the flour has a distinct warm and spicy flavor. The mesquite tree grows in the desert regions throughout the world, and it can be found from central Texas to southeastern California …
Heirloom beans! These are special bean varieties that have been passed down by generations of growers. The beans have their own distinct flavors and heritages. For example, here’s a description of the “Tongues of Fire” bean: A cranberry-type, mottled beige and brown marked bean grown from a seed variety originally collected from Tierra del Fuego, …
Raw cacao butter — this is the pure oil of the cacao bean, extracted using a cold-press technique — the temperature stays around 104 degrees Fahrenheit, instead of 300 degrees which is the norm. The oil is edible and possesses a rich, delicate chocolate aroma. You can add a piece of the cacao butter to …
Raw Cacao Butter: An Efficient Dessert & Skin Moisturizer Read More »
Maca is becoming popular around the world as a tonic that enhances strength, fertility and energy. Maca (Lepidium meyennii) is grown in the Andes Mountains of Peru, it looks likes a large radish, and botanically it is indeed related to radishes and turnips. For approximately 2000 years maca has been an important traditional food in …
Growing microgreens is a metaefficient way to have attractive, flavorful greens available for salads and garnishes. Top class restaurants use freshly cut microgreens to liven up their dishes. Microgreens are tiny plants, no more than 8 to 14 days old.
The most efficient food storage bag are BioBags. These bags are similar to plastic bags, but they are composed of corn-based bioplastic. Unlike conventional plastic, the bioplastic âbreathesâ without leaking, allowing heat and moisture to evaporate, which keeps food fresh longer. They are also GMO-free, 100% biodegradable and compostable. Note: The bags are labelled “Food …
In the growing world, it doesn’t get much easier than sprouting. It’s a easy way to grow fresh ingredients for your sandwich or stir fry. It takes only about 6 to 7 days for sprouts to grow. People often assume sprouts are best grown in jars. But jars were never designed for sprouting. According to …
There are actually a wide variety of natural, gourmet salts out there: pink salt from the Himalayan Mountains, black salt from Cyprus, grey Celtic sea salt and red salt from Hawaii and Australia. Natural sea salts are nothing new, of course. They’ve been around forever. By contrast, white table salt is but a blink of …
Grinding coffee by hand has a few advantages: it’s quiet, it yields a more uniform grind, and you can take them camping. You can find hand-cranked grinders at Amazon.
