NEW DISHES FROM MY "PHILY" TRIP March 19, 2003 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

I recently visited Philadelphia and dined in some trendy restaurants. Now, I'm a fairly adventurous eater, but these meals were a little "out there." I don't think it was just me. The waiter who served my vegetarian special one evening had to read off a card from his pocket to identify the items to me. And I'm still not sure what one item was - even after I ate it.

Needless to say, I preferred the less "new and different" sort of places where we ate. One of those places was City Tavern, a re-creation of the famous Philadelphia tavern where Ben Franklin and the guys dined. Not only did I get a good meal there but a lesson in one of my favorite subjects - food safety. Actually, some of my family would describe my interest in food safety as more of a phobia than a quest for knowledge. I just ignore them.

One of the dishes I had at City Tavern was turkey pot pie. According to our waiter, pot pies were popular for two reasons. One reason is that they allowed the Colonial cook to use up leftovers from previous meals. But more importantly, the baking of the pot pie re-cooked those leftovers. This helped to kill at least some of the bacteria that may have grown in the food between the first eating and the pot pie stage.

Remember, there was no refrigeration in those days. Whatever food was left in the big cook pot hanging over the fire at the end of the day stayed there -- till it was heated again the next day. This hanging around stage was perfect for the growth of bacteria.

Our waiter also shed insight on tomatoes and food safety. During Colonial times, the tomato earned the reputation of being a poisonous plant. Turns out it was not the tomato itself that killed people but the lead in pewter dishes that were used. Acidic foods, like tomatoes, leach more lead from pewter than nonacidic foods, so more folks got sick after eating tomatoes. Thus, tomatoes got the blame. City Tavern still serves its pot pies and cobblers in pewter dishes, but they assured us these dishes were lead free.

So being inspired by my new knowledge of food safety, let me remind you of a few basics. Don't buy food in poor condition. Make sure refrigerated food is cold to the touch. Frozen food should be rock-solid. I take frozen foods from the back of the freezer, not from the front where they are exposed to the opening and closing of the freezer.

When buying raw poultry or meat, place it in a plastic bag, so meat juices won't drip on other foods in your cart.

Temperature abuse is a common cause of food-borne illness. On a buffet, keep hot foods above 140 degrees with chafing dishes, crock pots, and warming trays. Nest cold dishes in bowls of ice. Avoid adding fresh food to dishes that have been sitting out. Serve smaller bowls of foods and set out fresh food as needed.

Never leave food at room temperature for more than two hours total. This includes time spent preparing the food. (Think back to that food hanging out in the cook pot over night. It's a wonder our forefathers and mothers lived long enough to populate the new country.)

With leftovers, don't wait-refrigerate. Immediately. Put leftovers in small containers to speed cooling when placed in the refrigerator.

If you baste meat with a marinade during cooking, do not serve that marinade with the meat. It could be contaminated with bacteria from the raw meat. Prepare a fresh batch of marinade for serving.

Check out the following recipes with the spirit of my Phily visit.

The folks eating at the original City Tavern would have eaten pasta or macaroni. In 1770's England, pasta or macaroni was so popular that the word "macaroni" was used to imply perfection, style, or elegance. This definition came to America during the American Revolution. Thus, when the English soldier wrote the song about Yankee Doodle sticking a feather in his cap and calling it macaroni, it was a compliment.

Combine vinegar, oil, garlic, pepper, and nuts in a jar. Cover and shake till well blended. Set aside. Rinse cooked pasta in cool water and drain. Pour salad blend onto bowl or platter. Arrange pasta, bell pepper, and cheese over salad. Shake dressing again and drizzle over salad.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Recipe adapted from DoleŽ.

Cut tomatoes into quarters, reserving juice that accumulates. Combine tomatoes, reserved juice, onion, sugar, salt, herbs, and 1 cup of stuffing mix; mix well. Pour into 1-quart baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining stuffing mix over top of tomatoes. Dot with margarine. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes.

Yields 3-4 servings.

I had a great apple and cranberry cobbler at City Tavern. The topping was full of sugar and nuts. This version cuts calories while keeping the flavor. You can use blueberries instead of peaches.

Sweeten peaches with orange juice (or a little sugar). Place peaches in 9-inch pie plate or 4 individual ramekins. Combine remaining ingredients in food processor and process just till crumbly. Top peaches with crumb mixture. Bake at 375°F 40 to 45 minutes for pie, 35 to 40 minutes for ramekins.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 5/30/03