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Pondering the Pantry - Herbal Tea

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Pondering the Pantry Herbal Tea from Israel Many of us drink tea. The styles differ. In the United States the most common is iced tea. Russian style tends to strong and dark. The English sometimes add milk. What is tea? What is the difference between black and herbal teas? A visit to C érémonie Tea, a startup company (since 2013) in  provided many of the answers. As starters, some background information. Tea comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis   shrub, most often grown in complex environments with good soil, protection from pedators, trees for shading, and appropriate climate. Key growing areas are Sri Lanka, China, India, and Kenya. Green tea and dark tea come from the same leaf. If you leave a cut apple or banana on the table, exposure to the air turns it brown. The same is true with the tea lea. Oxidation turns green leaves into brown leaves. In teas produced by C érémonie steaming is used to stop the oxidation process, a procedure common in the industry
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Pondering the Pantry --- Cleansers and Ecology

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How do you wash floors or launder dirty clothes with cleansers that do not harm the environment? How do you remove grease from your hands after repairing your car with a green-friendly substance? Meir [Rosen]Tal has a passion. Since 2004 Rotal Innovative Products, Ltd., of which Meir Tal is CEO, has been committed to bringing ecologically friendly but yet effective cleaning supplies into the market. The primary target customers are industry, but there are wholesale suppliers who have ordered retail-size packages for sales under their own private label. All “Green Line” products are safe even if a child “samples” one. They are not exactly delicious, but there is no need to rush the curious child to hospital to have his stomach pumped. Seeing is believing. During an interview Meir Tal sipped a mouthful of cleanser without hesitation. For Tal the key is to limit contamination, both today and in the world we leave to future generations. In Israel pre-Passover is the most
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Olive Oil

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Pondering the Pantry --- Olive Oil Olive oil is basic on the shopping list, but there are numerous misunderstandings. When shopping the best quality is “extra virgin.” It must pass several tests --- acidity of not more than 0.8% and peroxides at less than 20 milli-equivalents per kilogram. So far, so good. Objective laboratory testing. Then comes the catch. Extra virgin olive oil must have an aroma or of taste of three types: bitter, peppery and fruity. That is a subjective determination made by a panel, and the determination is not absolute. There are grades of aroma and taste, thus dividing “extra virgin” into various qualities. Obviously you cannot walk down a supermarket aisle tasting olive oils. In addition few of us are really expert to evaluate oils. One solution requires a little bit of homework. In June the annual TerraOliva competition is held in Jerusalem, and dozens of olive oil are evaluated. See  the web site. The results can be a good guide to purchases
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Pastry Fillings

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Pondering the Pantry --- Pastry Fillings Welcome again to our blog based on the book, Pondering the Pantry, which has much more information. We offer periodic postings with information about food and food-related products, helping the consumer be a smart buyer and not be fooled by marketing gimmicks.  How do you buy a disposable cup that does not collapse when you pick up your drink? Why do some jelly donuts cost more than others? Which olive oil is best for salads? Are there ecological cleansers? Stay with us for practical advice! For libraries this is an essential resource. For those in the food business the blog can offer insights and product ideas. For the smart consumer this blog can be an excellent help. Of course no one has all of the answers. Your feedback is important to us. Looking forward to hearing from you! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The chestnut filled pie in the bakery window looks delicious. And wha
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Stuffed Vegetables

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Pondering the Pantry --- Stuffed Vegetables There is virtually no end to vegetables that can be stuffed, the list of fillings is and extensive. One can stuff grape leaves, carrots, tomatoes, pumpkin, cabbage… even chestnuts. Virtually any vegetable. When prepared properly, these dishes can be both delicious and nutritious. There are, however, two basic problems. Preparation can be both labour intensive and time consuming. Eight years ago Yaron ben Yaish, an innovative businessman, evaluated the situation, sold his business dealing with interior design (totally unrelated to food), and founded Ale-Gefen, specializing in stuffed vegetables (kosher pareve filings only) under the very pragmatic motto, “We cook for you.” There are people who enjoy cooking, but for others it is easier or more practical to look for products ready-made, particularly when preparation takes time. Yaron knew nothing about stuffed vegetables. His neighbors spoke about traditional stuffed dishes. No one wa
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Disposables

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Store shelves often have a wide selection of disposable eating utensils and kitchen products. There is no such thing as "best buy." Some shoppers look for quality. For others price can be a very strong consideration, but not for everyone. A basic caveat is that consumers be aware of what they are buying. An interview with R[euven]. Shamay, Ltd., an Israeli   company enjoying a rapidly growing  market, provided interesting insights that apply to all consumers. Liquid dish-washing detergent is reason a prime example of a common purchase. One key to buying is the viscosity of the product, or simply flow of the soap from the bottle and how long it will last. For background, if a liquid soap is too strong, it can be an irritant to the skin. For that reason Israel no longer permits 36% active ingredients in liquid dish soap. Common compositions are now 24%, 18% and 12%. Frequent methods to achieve lower numbers are diluting the soap with fragrances and even water. Reason says
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Welcome to Our Blog

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Welcome to our new blog based on the book, Pondering the Pantry. We shall be offering periodic postings with information about food and food-related products, helping the consumer be a smart buyer and not be fooled by marketing gimmicks.  How do you buy a disposable cup that does not collapse when you pick up your drink? Which olive oil is best for salads? Why is there salt in tomato sauce? Stay with us for practical advice! For libraries this is an essential resource. For those in the food business the blog can offer insights and product ideas. Of course no one has all of the answers. Your feedback is important to us. Looking forward to hearing from you! Just hit the SUBSCRIBE box to your left. _______________________________________________________________ Stuffed Vegetables There is virtually no end to vegetables that can be stuffed, the list of fillings is and extensive. One can stuff grape leaves, carrots, tomatoes, pumpkin, cabbage… even chestnuts. Virtually any v
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