Let's eat! : Hugh stuffs his face at the Eat Me food truck - Sudbury.com

Food truck culture was once only a very much West Coast thing. Bet you can’t find a single Californian town, interchange or roadside, bereft of a bus conversion, a van rebirth or a collection of trailers all with sandwich boards advertising their specials. 

Up the I-5 and 101 from LA, hit Stockton, Sacramento, go north to Portland and Seattle. I’ve been the beneficiary of everything from Guatemalan to recipes from Goa, from oysters to pogos.

It has arrived here. Yes, Sudbury has food truck culture too. Some might think it was here a decade or more ago. Years ago, The Silver Bullet and others set up shop along Lasalle, Notre Dame, on the Island. Let us not forget the pilgrimage to the Rive and Larry’s place (now owned by grandson Ivan) in Sturgeon Falls, the famous dueling food shacks face-to-face on either side of the street from one another. 

Burger and fries are the staples of these popular stops. Oh, and poutine, too. But food trucks can be so much more than poutine, and they are.  

Each seems to be increasingly inventive, innovative, and improvisational. Pulled pork, vegan options and twisted traditionals with panache; they are all options.  Recently blue cheese and a house-made chutney topped a perfect burger that fed me joy, oh so good!

Let’s talk with Jay at Eat Me Food and Catering on Maley Drive and ask him about his history.

Jason “Jay” Jameus recognized the value of Maley Drive as a major artery.  

“When we got the opportunity to park here – well, there are now no festivals because of COVID – we set up shop right away and people just started coming. We built a parking lot and boy it can get busy here.”  It has become a destination. 

“We have followers on Facebook from as far away as Cambridge, the Netherlands and even the States who met us on the festival circuit. I do my own social media and see where the interest is.” 

How did Jay get into this scene? 

“It just kinda happened. But at the same time the plan was formulated over years. Life happens, and things change. I did industrial work. It just wasn’t for me. I was chasing tomorrow too often … wasting today. I apprenticed as an electrician, but also took a culinary course when Cambrian College still had it as a career path. I was going to do catering like weddings on my weekends off. 

“Suddenly there was no work.  But it created a new opportunity.” 

What does Jay offer? “Well everything here is fresh. You see the meat being put on the grill as you order.  If there is a line-up it’s worth the wait. Corn dogs should be ready in five minutes. The flavours we pursue are fantastic. Taco Tuesdays are super popular, a huge hit. Yes, we have specials most days.”

With names like “Hell Hound”, and “The Volcano” you know there just has to be spicy elements … mustards and sauces, oh yah! 

“On the Volcano, three onion rings are stacked in a pyramid to hold the hot peppers in place. They are orange and red, and it looks like lava coming out.  Your first taste is with the eyes, so the visual representation is important for this one. We try to make everything as pretty as we can.”

Are hamburgers half of Jay’s business? 

“No, more like 40 per cent, and 35 per cent corn dogs. We make our own batter. We try to do as much as we can ourselves. We shape our own patties. Our ground beef comes from B&D Meats, just off Lasalle.  They are our go-to for quality beef. We call at 9 a.m. and by 10, we can pick up and be ready to open our doors for 11.” 

The Brioche Bun is a premium you don’t see anywhere else.  “We use Ace Bakeries buns because it is big enough to hold everything we put in it.  It’s more tasty, it has a gloss and doesn’t fall apart. Our own unique (and secret) spice blend is on the fries. I make it up in quantity.  Our poutines are all curds from St. Albert.  It melts nicely. No shredded cheese.” 

A request to make lunch for a larger group led to the purchase of a smoker and now Eat Me has brisket from time to time. 

My appetite is ramped up. It is more than the fragrance of wood. “I’ve been wanting to smoke for years,” shares Jay. “Once we parked in one location we had to get the smoker.  We can now probably do 100 pounds, but more often it is 30 or 40 pounds.” 

As a hoagie, the sweet meat is accented by the crunch of creamy coleslaw.  It is really more than one person can eat.  It is a seriously flavorful meal.  

Jay tries not to do the same special every month. 

“We have only done the brisket once this season … so far. I love doing this. Drive by on Maley and you get smoke, spices, meat.” It is like a food magnet.

“Eat Me” is surely both an appropriate and unusual name. I had to ask. “We were joking around one evening and had lots of cool names. When registering it was actually the only name that wasn’t taken.  It’s like the best name.  

Jay laughs, a lot. “Yes, that’s me painted on the side of the trailer eating a burger. Simple and straight forward. Even a four-year-old knows what we do. It’s a bit of a joke. We try to make everyone smile here.  We have a lot of fun on the truck.”

That includes making their own sausages. “Yes, we make our own pork sausages, stuffing the casings right here for our sausage on a bun. 

As for staff, Eat Me is very much a family affair.

“We are often three inside, but frequently we have four. We often need someone on the salad station.  We have a Chicken Caesar, a Chef’s Green, and Greek. I’ve been working the window more this year. I’ve got Moe, who I’ve know since Grade 9. My daughter and step-daughter are here, too.” 

As we talk Jay’s mom, Lorraine, arrives to do dishes and then later is stirring the gravy.  This really is a family business.

Did Jay grow a passion for food and a skill-set from his mother, I ask.

“At 12, me and friend made our own spaghetti sauce. We read that girls liked guys who could cook. Moe and I did chicken cordon bleu with prosciutto wrapped asparagus for our girlfriends when we were 16.”

Asked if he is following a trend. “No, this is my zen place.  If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.  Come by on Aug. 6th – my birthday – and we have a celebration. Sometimes I’ve also done prices like 1971. I like giving stuff away. It is pick-up-and-go right now, but hopefully this (COVID restrictions) is done soon.” Jay hopes by August things will be rapidly improved.  

“Right now I’m just so busy making great food. I don’t check social media during the day. You can’t order on-line, you have to phone, or show-up in person.  Mondays is fish day, Tuesdays is tacos (they change the ingredients every week), Wednesdays is wings, then there is Thrifty Thursday when we combo anything for a reduced price. Freaky Fridays is my crazy day to offer things like a coconut chipotle vegetable medley for vegans, or a lemon lime chicken — I really like to cook.” 

Drop by and choose from wraps and sandwiches, fun foods, keto, and even a kids menu. I never say no to onion rings, and I hear there are regulars who start at the top of the menu, progress through the list and by the end of the month are ready to start again.  

Come for one choice, return for many.

Eat Me Food and Catering
2325 Maley Drive near National Street (close to Falconbridge just east of the railway tracks)
Find “Eat Me” on Facebook here
Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (“Or whenever the line is done”)
7 days a week
705-698-3432 to order or show up in person May to October

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Let’s Eat: Flour, water, salt, wild yeast - Tbnewswatch.com

Vincent Van Dough is Bailey Symington’s partner at work. He is a sourdough starter; a mixture of flour and water that hosts naturally occurring yeast and lactobacilli.

The lead baker at Pinetree Catering has been baking with sourdough for most of her career. “Working with sourdough is very different from yeasted bread,” Symington says. “They’re little living beings, really.”

Symington feeds “him” every day when she’s at work. “It’s like working with a human, a personality,” she explains. “It’s different every day. You have to take care of it, and it’s temperamental sometimes. It has attitude. They make fun of me at work because I always talk to him. Like how you talk to your plants and they grow better. It’s a sort of crazy relationship you have, and you try to make it work.”

The starter doesn’t get fed on Symington’s days off, so when the staff come in on Monday morning, they joke about how the starter had a party over the weekend, because it smells boozy from the hooch (liquid) on top. (Alcohol is a byproduct of yeast fermentation and when sourdough starter is not fed often enough, it is common for the alcohol smell to get stronger.)

Baking with sourdough is a much longer process than with commercially produced yeast. Symington usually starts at 4 p.m., making the dough, letting it sit (to hydrate the flours,) then doing a couple of pull and folds to build the gluten. The dough then ferments overnight, and she shapes and bakes the following morning. “It’s a 24-hour process,” she says.

The Sapling (Pinetree Catering’s bakery, at the Thunder Bay Country Market) and the Nomad on Bay (its location on Bay Street) sells a “classic sourdough,” made with the addition of rye and whole wheat flours from Brule Creek Farm. Dawson General Store, on the corner of Mapleward Road and Dawson Road, also stocks artisanal bread.

Pinetree Catering had been doing sourdough baking since March 2017, when Megan Paxton expanded baking at the catering company, resulting in the Sapling. When Paxton moved away, Symington stepped into the role of lead baker. “I got to take over everything,” Symington says happily. She has been baking bread since she was a child, but she got into sourdough as an adult, having learned from a baker in Toronto where she previously worked.

Before the pandemic hit, Symington did weekly special breads, such as the “fire loaf” with smoked paprika, turmeric and jalapeños. Another popular one was the “starry night,” with apricots and blue pea flower. She still occasionally bakes some special loaves, and posts photos on social media to let customers know.

When COVID restrictions forced people to stay at home, a lot of Symington’s family and friends started baking with sourdough, she says. While making a starter from scratch (just water and flour) can take weeks, the Sapling sells some of its established, healthy and bubbling starter at the Thunder Bay Country Market. “A lot of people were interested in it, which is amazing,” she says.

During the yeast shortage last year, Pinetree Catering was reassured by the fact that Symington is an experienced sourdough baker, so if they ran out of yeast completely, they would still be able to bake bread.

“I like to do very old fashioned rustic loaves,” she says, “the heavier, rustic, artisan style [with] crusty outsides.”

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Eat Bananas They Are Best Fruit Source of Vitamin C, B6 and Manganese – The Challenger Community News - The Challenger Community News

Bananas are one of the best fruit sources of vitamin B6, C and Manganese. It’s good for your skin, heart, blood pressure, digestion and energy. Most important – It’s a powerful antiviral food. Bananas strengthen the core of who we are.

Health benefits of bananas

*Vitamin B6 from bananas is easily absorbed by your body and a medium-sized banana can provide about a quarter of your daily vitamin B6 needs.Vitamin B6 helps your body: produce red blood cells, metabolize carbohydrates and fats, turning them into energy, metabolize amino acids, remove unwanted chemicals from your liver and kidneys, and maintain a healthy nervous system.

*Bananas are a sources of vitamin C providing about 10% of your daily vitamin C needs. Vitamin C helps: protect your body against cell and tissue damage, your body absorb iron better, your body produce collagen – the protein which holds your skin, bones and body together, and support brain health by producing serotonin, a hormone that affects our sleep cycle, moods, and experiences of stress a​nd pain.

*Manganese in bananas is good for your skin and provides approximately 13% of your daily manganese needs. Manganese helps your body make collagen and protects your skin and other cells against free radical damage.

*Potassium in bananas is good for your heart health and blood pressure providing around 320-400 mg of potassium to your daily diet. Potassium helps your body maintain a healthy heart and blood pressure. In addition, bananas are low in sodium. The low sodium and high potassium combination helps to control high blood pressure.

*Bananas can aid digestion and help beat gastrointestinal issues providing about 10-12% of your daily fiber needs. Singapore’s Health Promotion Board recommends a daily dietary fiber intake of 20g for women and 26g for men.

*if Soluble and insoluble fibers play an important role in your health. Soluble fiber helps your body control your blood sugar level and get rid of fatty substances such as cholesterol. Insoluble fiber adds weight and softness to stools, making it easier for you to have regular bowel movements. This helps to keep your gut healthy and safe from harmful bacteria. Bananas, especially newly-ripened ones, contain starch that does not digest (resistant starch) in your small intestine and is able to pass into the large intestine. Such bananas help you manage your weight better as you stay full for longer. constipation, stomach ulcers, and heartburn

Bananas give you energy  they contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose – giving you a fat and cholesterol-free source of energy.

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Food agency urges Canadians to not eat apricot kernel brand over cyanide poisoning risks - Global News

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is urging Canadians to avoid eating a select brand of apricot kernels, citing possible cyanide poisoning.

The CFIA asked Canadians not to consume ‘bitter’ or ‘extremely bitter’ apricot kernels made by the brand Our Father’s Farm in a release on Wednesday, saying they contained “excessive amygdalin which may cause acute cyanide poisoning.”

The products have a best before date of Jan. 31, 2022, and may have been sold in stores nationally and online.

Read more: Apricot Power brand apricot seeds recalled due to risk of cyanide poisoning

“Check to see if you have the affected products in your home. If the affected products are in your home, do not consume them,” the CFIA said.

Apricot kernels are the seeds found inside the pits or stones of apricots.

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They naturally contain a toxin called amygdalin, which can release cyanide after being eaten. Traces can be found in several foods such as sweet potatoes and some beans.

Health Canada says a maximum level of 20 parts per million of extractable cyanide in apricot kernels sold as food.

According to the CFIA, the human body can field small amounts of cyanide, but larger amounts could poison or kill a person.

Read more: Health Canada: Apricot kernels look like almonds, but can cause cyanide poisoning

Symptoms of cyanide poisoning include weakness and confusion, anxiety, restlessness, headache, nausea, difficulty breathing and shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, seizures and cardiac arrest.

The CFIA said anyone who believes they may have gotten sick from eating them should call their doctor, adding there have been no reported illnesses associated with the Our Father’s Farm apricot kernels.

“This warning was triggered by CFIA test results,” the CFIA said.

“The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of these or other products. If products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through a Food Recall Warning.”

© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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How to eat and cook with cicadas, according to an expert - Salon

The cicadas have arrived. After living underground for 17 years, billions of Brood X cicadas are emerging in parts of the eastern United States. The spectacle, in which hordes of emerging cicadas shed their exoskeletons and become winged adults, is one of North America's most awe-inspiring entomological events. For the next couple of weeks, male cicadas will sing loudly and mate with the females to produce a new generation that will live underground for another 17 years. The cicadas that mate die a few weeks after reproducing. 

Academics have been fascinated by cicadas for years. And it's not only because these critters sing their hearts out and become part of our summers every 17 years. It's because they've long been part of colonial American and Native American culture. How do we know this? In part because of published recipes that called for cicadas from the 1700s, as Gene Kritsky, the Dean of Behavioral and Natural Sciences Mount St. Joseph University and author of "Periodical Cicadas: The Plague and the Puzzle," explained to Salon in a phone interview. Indeed, a mid-20th century study published in the Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences noted how the Cherokee in North Carolina viewed them as a delicacy: they ate the 17-year-old locusts (cicadas) sometimes fried in "hot fat" and sometimes pickled to preserve for later. 

In North America, eating cicadas — or any insect — is often exotified in the media as something sensational and weird. Yet eating cicadas isn't as weird as one might think. There is nutritional value to insects, and cicada-cooking can be a fun way to partake in this summer's cicada mania, particularly for those that are curious about how cicadas were consumed in America in the past.

Kritsky, who admits he hasn't eaten a cicada since 1987, shared more information about how to eat cicadas safely and what to expect.

As someone who studies cicadas, what piqued your interest in consuming them too?

Well — full disclosure — I don't eat them anymore. And that's because in the 1890s the USDA suggested they may be in danger of going extinct over time. And my research from 1987 to 2000, from in the northern half of Indiana and Northwest Ohio, shows they are really in decline, so I can't eat them. I like them too much.

That being said, eating cicadas goes way back. Apparently the Iroquois would harvest cicada nymphs; the Indigenous populations were consuming them. The oldest record of Brood X actually includes the English settlers in Philadelphia eating them, way back in 1715.

That's so interesting. So considering that they are in decline, do you not advise people to eat them?

In reality, sustainable food should be here every year, not 17 years. Every 17 years is a fad. But I don't advise them to do that, and I don't advise them not to — that's their prerogative.

What was your experience like eating cicadas in 1987?

I went to the newspaper morgue for the Cincinnati Enquirer and I ran across a recipe for a cicada pie from June 6, 1902. It said: "Take 50 newly emerged white female cicadas, legs and head chopped, place in a bowl with stale bread soaked in milk. Add sugar, rhubarb flavor and cream to soften the ingredients. Put the mixture into a pie crust and place a crisscross pattern similar to that of an apple pie. Bake at 400 degrees until the crust is done; people who've enjoyed this pie claim it tasted like partridge."

Based on that recipe, a colleague of mine made a cicada pie. I've never had partridge, so I'm not sure if it tasted like partridge. We also sautéd and stir-fried them.

To me . . . they are very soft, and there's no sticky bits or sharp bits that will get you. You can digest it all pretty easily. It had to me a very green flavor, which I felt was surprising because they're sucking on the xylem tissue of roots that spring water and minerals from the roots up to the leaves. The flavor I've likened it to was whole canned asparagus — very green.

Wow, that is surprising. So how can people eat them if they're curious about trying this?

You want to get the nymphs from the ground. They climb up a vertical surface and skin cracks open at the back, and they start to pull out as an all white cicada — all white and free from the brown skin. That's what you want to collect.

There's more nutrition in the females because the females have the eggs. The male abdomen is mostly hollow. So 70 percent of the emerging adults on that first couple of nights are going to be 70 percent male, but after about six or seven nights, a majority of the nymphs will be female. They're just hanging there, so with a very light grip you can just pick them up. I'd toss them right on ice and ice water, right away, And that helps start the cleaning process. You want to stop the biochemistry process that happens as they sclerotize.

What's the best way to clean them?

You want to rinse them thoroughly. You don't want to rinse them in soapy water per se, but a rinse that would help remove any kind of surface bacteria. They're coming from the dirt. So there is a lot of stuff there, a lot of fungi, other people walking through. Cleaning thoroughly is very important as far as the preparation goes. And that should be done soon after they're collected.

What's the nutritional value?

They're high in protein and they're low in fat. They're herbivores. You have a declining amount of energy used to go up the food web. The trouble with periodical cicadas is that you get them once every 17 years, and they're localized. Harvesting cicadas would wipe them out in general.

What are other ways people can enjoy cicada season?

You can get the app Cicada Safari, go out and see where they're emerging and report the emergence of them near your house. I'm the co-creator of Cicada Safari.  There's a lot of interest this year, of course.

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Japanese knotweed is often vilified, but among its uses? You can eat it - pressherald.com

Urban nature educator Zack Rouda asks us to put aside our prejudices against Japanese knotweed and view the invasive plant in a fresh light: As a potential meal.

“It looks like Jurassic asparagus,” Rouda says in a 3-minute online video titled “How to Eat Japanese Knotweed,” where he gets up close to the early shoots and demonstrates how to harvest the plant, which is native to East Asia but now thrives around the world. Japanese knotweed often shows up in neglected spots, and here in Maine the shoots emerge in May.

Rouda, director of Portland-based Rewild Maine, argues that the plant has some uses. He notes in the video that pollinators like honey bees and butterflies “love it,” and that it helps control erosion. Beyond those, “it’s edible,” he says on the video. “It’s high in a bunch of nutrients, including resveratrol. It’s tasty, and we can do a service to the land by picking every single shoot.”

The shoots Rouda is referring to are the tender early spring growth that emerge asparagus-like and quickly grow into thick stalks that resemble bamboo and can reach 10 feet high.

“The rule is you snap it and if it makes a popping sound and is clearly tender, it is good to eat,” Rouda said. “If it is woody and papery, you can move up to the top and snap off the tip.”

In his food foraging guide “Wild Plants of Maine,” naturalist Tom Seymour writes that “even when the shoots attain a height of several feet, they can still be used, if we pick only the tender flexible tip.” Seymour has harvested Japanese knotweed in Maine for at least 50 years. “It is among the easiest plants to harvest, no tools needed, just snap the stem,” he said in an email. “Identification is no problem and it doesn’t even require much bending, so it is easier to gather than most other wild plants.”

In late summer, the plant produces lacy, white flowers. The pleasing flowers and overall shape of the Japanese knotweed plant explain why it was imported to America in the 19th century as an ornamental. But being one of the world’s most resilient plants, it promptly escaped into the wild, where it outcompetes native plants and creates monocultures, according to many biologists.

Before picking Japanese knotweed, harvesters need to be aware of possible pollution issues. Because knotweed often grows in ditches and along roadways, plants in such spots are likely growing in soils contaminated by lead and other heavy metals, which the plant will accumulate in its stalks. Foragers should also be aware of possible pesticide contamination.

The state of Maine characterizes Japanese knotweed as “widespread” and “severely invasive.” Because it is so difficult to eradicate, the Maine Natural Areas Program recommends land owners eradicate it by applying the controversial herbicide glyphosate, sold under different brands, the best-known of which is Roundup. The World Health Organization in 2015 labeled the pesticide a probable cause of cancer in humans, and municipalities such as Portland and South Portland have banned its use.

Because Japanese knotweed spreads from its roots, or rhizomes, harvesters who dig the roots need to be meticulous in gathering all that they unearth, according to Nancy Olmstead, the invasive plant biologist at the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

“The greatest risk of spreading Japanese knotweed is when you dig up the roots,” she said. “When you are finished digging, you need to cover up any area you disturbed and bring with you all pieces of root that came out of the ground.” (Do not compost them in home composting systems.)

Olmsted advises harvesters to gain permission from landowners before harvesting and to remember that within Maine State Parks removing plant material is prohibited. However, foraging for plant-based foods is permitted without a permit on Maine Public Lands, as long as harvesters “leave enough to reseed and feed wildlife,” according to the Bureau of Parks and Lands. In every other case, foragers need to take only a portion of any stand of a particular plant. But as Rouda indicated, harvesters can pick every Japanese knotweed shoot they see, since most landowners want to get rid of it.

Japanese knotweed, which also has medicinal uses (the plant brims with the powerful antioxidant resveratrol and has become a standard herbal treatment for Lyme disease), can be eaten sweetened, like rhubarb, or as a vegetable, like asparagus. Like rhubarb, it’s tart with a somewhat lemony taste.

A few years ago, Rouda taught a class on knotweed at Root Wild Kombucha in Portland, and everyone went home with a jar of knotweed sauce. Rouda said none of his students had eaten knotweed previously.

“There were some people who knew off-hand that you could eat it, but had never done it. Then there were some people who had no idea what Japanese knotweed is.”

Rouda’s go-to preparation method involves harvesting the early shoots, removing the leaves and chopping the stems. He adds the chopped stems to a pot with water and sweetener, brings the mixture to a boil and simmers it until it cooks down like applesauce. He puts the sauce on yogurt or ice cream. Rouda also dehydrates knotweed to make fruit leathers.

“You can make a great knotweed pie by cooking it with sugar, the same as rhubarb,” Seymour said. “Also stewed knotweed, with sweetener, is delicious.”

But Seymour’s favorite way to eat it is as a vegetable, simmering the chopped knotweed shoots or tips for a few minutes in water until they turn tender and a lighter shade of green. After draining them, he serves the shoots simply – with butter, salt and pepper.

Avery Yale Kamila is a food writer who lives in Portland. She can be reached at [email protected]
Twitter: AveryYaleKamila

Jars of tangy Japanese knotweed sauce ready for eating. Photo courtesy of Rewild Maine

Knotweed Chutney

Reprinted with permission from Tom Seymour’s “Wild Plants of Maine,” and modified to be vegan by using maple syrup instead of honey. You’ll need canning jars and lids to make the chutney. Seymour describes the recipe as “a lot of work, but well worth it.”

Makes 7 (eight-ounce) jars

Gather together:
2 pounds Japanese knotweed stem tips, cut into inch-long sections. Use tender young shoots, or if using larger stems, peel them, discarding any stringy material.
2 lemons, grate the peels and retain the pulp
2 cloves crushed garlic
1- to 2-inch piece ginger root, peeled
3 cups maple syrup
1½ cups cider vinegar
2 teaspoons salt

Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan on the stovetop. Turn the heat to high. Bring to a boil, while stirring constantly. Continue boiling and stirring (this may take some time. If you have a helper, take turns stirring) until the mixture thickens.

Remove the ginger root and pour the chutney into sterilized canning jars. Seal with new tops and screw lids down tightly. The heat from the mixture suffices to seal the top. Allow the chutney to sit on a dark shelf for six weeks before using.

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Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

And finally today, if you are on the East Coast, you already know. They seem to be everywhere. I'm talking about the cicadas of Brood 10, those red-eyed bugs that emerge from the ground every 17 years and whose song eventually builds into a deafening wall of sound that's impossible to ignore. Some parts of the Eastern U.S. are already experiencing that. Others have yet to get the full treatment. But what we want to talk about now is, what's the best way to eat them? Turns out, many people have been gathering cicadas and preparing them in a number of ways, from salad toppings to creature kabobs.

Who knows? This Memorial Day weekend, you're getting ready for your cookout, and you might be feeling adventurous. So we decided to hear from a chef who's been giving this some serious thought. That's why we called Xavier Deshayes. He is the executive chef at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here in Washington, D.C. And he has already prepared a number of cicada-based recipes that he is ready to share with us.

Chef, thank you so much for joining us.

XAVIER DESHAYES: Thank you, Michel, for having me. Really a pleasure to share that with you.

MARTIN: So I'm sure this isn't news to you, but I'm guessing that dining on any kind of bug is not something many of our listeners do regularly. So why would somebody want to cook with these creatures?

DESHAYES: Simple. If you cannot beat it, eat it, you know?

MARTIN: (Laughter).

DESHAYES: So they are here, and we need to do something with it, you know. I've always been using invasive species of one way or another. Then cicadas, here I am, 17 years waiting for you. And so, you know, me as a French, if we can eat snail and frog, I can try to eat cicadas, especially if I cook them.

MARTIN: Solid point. Just a point of clarification. They not an invasive species because they are actually native to this area.

DESHAYES: I do understand, but when you have trillions coming in one time, we can call that.

MARTIN: (Laughter) That is true. When you're, like, sitting on your deck, and one falls into your coffee cup, you might see it as invasive. So totally get that point. But you were telling us that there's an environmental advantage to getting your protein from insects as opposed to of meat, right?

DESHAYES: Of course.

MARTIN: Tell me a little bit more about that.

DESHAYES: Insect is going to be the protein of the future. You know, insect farming is very sustainable when you compare to cows or any other animal farming, you know - less fossil energy, less water, less space, less food, you know what I mean? So when you look at it on the end, insect farming has every way of being profitable.

MARTIN: I'm getting warmer. I'm not there yet, though (laughter).

DESHAYES: You will come. You will come. You need to eat some of the cicadas that I have prepared, you know what I mean? Maybe you will trust it even more.

MARTIN: It could be that. So let's talk about these other people who are more interested in eating these things than I am. So what's the first thing you do? Like, do you gather them at a particular stage, or how do you do it?

DESHAYES: You know, I don't eat insect. It's not something that I eat every day. So two weeks ago, I start to harvest them. And I say, OK, what you will be the good safety to eat them? So I blanched them on the boiling water for five minutes. And after that, I laid them on the sheet pan. And I roast them for 2 1/2 to three hours at 200 degrees.

MARTIN: Oh.

DESHAYES: So what I end up having is a very dry cicada. They look like a little snack.

MARTIN: Yeah.

DESHAYES: And with that, I made a powder, crushed them. And for one of the recipes that I did a couple days ago, I crust a flank steak for barbecue.

MARTIN: Oh, OK.

DESHAYES: So I grill my flank steak. And overnight, I put this crust of cicadas (unintelligible) with olive oil, with garlic powder, with parsley. And I rub my flank steak. And I leave that like that to marinate overnight before to finish it the next day. And it give a really a nice woody, nutty - it's very interesting.

MARTIN: What does it taste like on its own? Like, does it taste like chips or a nut or what does it taste like?

DESHAYES: OK. So for the dry ones, I try because after that I have a lot of people who came from work and said, chef, I would like to try. Give me the opportunity to try. So I give them the dry one, and it's like chips. It doesn't taste anything. I did this one with a nice sea salt, you know. And if you close your eyes - different type of snacks, you will not know that it's cicadas.

MARTIN: Let's say you're at a cookout this Memorial Day and somebody has taken the plunge and they've cooked up some cicada kebabs or something like that. Is there something you would recommend them to encourage people to try them? Would you say just lay it out there and put them in a bowl like some chips, or would you put it in something, or what would you do?

DESHAYES: Well, first, when you have somebody, you need to talk and to be very enthusiastic and show them. Then you eat them like a candy yourself, too, you know.

MARTIN: (Laughter).

DESHAYES: This is what I have done. You know, people who has been working with me really long time, know me, then I will not do that. But, you know, I proposed to them, and they have this kind of sort of face, oh, no, I don't want that. Look. I eat them like a candy. And you do that in front of them and say, wow OK, so what - who I am different, you know what I mean? Like, try it. And after, when they try, some of them, I said, can I have some more?

DESHAYES: And some of them are like, no, thank you.

(LAUGHTER)

MARTIN: OK, Chef, you've been a lot of fun. I just have to say, a lot of people are probably getting together maybe for the first time in a long time with family in some parts of the country, where people are finally getting vaccinated, and people are finally having get-togethers. I think it's going to be kind of an emotional experience for a lot of people. What else do you recommend?

DESHAYES: Of course, finally for the first time. You're exactly right, Michel. I think Memorial Day is going to be a great weekend, you know what I mean? Because you still pay attention. You protect yourself. But this is what we have been missing, you know. We've not been missing not going to work. We've been missing going to see our grandparents. We've been missing to see father and sister and mother and share this experience. And I'm sure with that, the level of relationship would be different. We're going to value more the time we spending with our families.

MARTIN: That was Xavier Deshayes. He is the executive chef at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here in Washington, D.C. And he has been guiding us through cicada cooking (laughter). Chef, thank you so much. Thank you so much for joining us.

DESHAYES: No, Michel. Thank you very much. And enjoy your great weekend. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

And finally today, if you are on the East Coast, you already know. They seem to be everywhere. I'm talking about the cicadas of Brood 10, those red-eyed bugs that emerge from the ground every 17 years and whose song eventually builds into a deafening wall of sound that's impossible to ignore. Some parts of the Eastern U.S. are already experiencing that. Others have yet to get the full treatment. But what we want to talk about now is, what's the best way to eat them? Turns out, many people have been gathering cicadas and preparing them in a number of ways, from salad toppings to creature kabobs.

Who knows? This Memorial Day weekend, you're getting ready for your cookout, and you might be feeling adventurous. So we decided to hear from a chef who's been giving this some serious thought. That's why we called Xavier Deshayes. He is the executive chef at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here in Washington, D.C. And he has already prepared a number of cicada-based recipes that he is ready to share with us.

Chef, thank you so much for joining us.

XAVIER DESHAYES: Thank you, Michel, for having me. Really a pleasure to share that with you.

MARTIN: So I'm sure this isn't news to you, but I'm guessing that dining on any kind of bug is not something many of our listeners do regularly. So why would somebody want to cook with these creatures?

DESHAYES: Simple. If you cannot beat it, eat it, you know?

MARTIN: (Laughter).

DESHAYES: So they are here, and we need to do something with it, you know. I've always been using invasive species of one way or another. Then cicadas, here I am, 17 years waiting for you. And so, you know, me as a French, if we can eat snail and frog, I can try to eat cicadas, especially if I cook them.

MARTIN: Solid point. Just a point of clarification. They not an invasive species because they are actually native to this area.

DESHAYES: I do understand, but when you have trillions coming in one time, we can call that.

MARTIN: (Laughter) That is true. When you're, like, sitting on your deck, and one falls into your coffee cup, you might see it as invasive. So totally get that point. But you were telling us that there's an environmental advantage to getting your protein from insects as opposed to of meat, right?

DESHAYES: Of course.

MARTIN: Tell me a little bit more about that.

DESHAYES: Insect is going to be the protein of the future. You know, insect farming is very sustainable when you compare to cows or any other animal farming, you know - less fossil energy, less water, less space, less food, you know what I mean? So when you look at it on the end, insect farming has every way of being profitable.

MARTIN: I'm getting warmer. I'm not there yet, though (laughter).

DESHAYES: You will come. You will come. You need to eat some of the cicadas that I have prepared, you know what I mean? Maybe you will trust it even more.

MARTIN: It could be that. So let's talk about these other people who are more interested in eating these things than I am. So what's the first thing you do? Like, do you gather them at a particular stage, or how do you do it?

DESHAYES: You know, I don't eat insect. It's not something that I eat every day. So two weeks ago, I start to harvest them. And I say, OK, what you will be the good safety to eat them? So I blanched them on the boiling water for five minutes. And after that, I laid them on the sheet pan. And I roast them for 2 1/2 to three hours at 200 degrees.

MARTIN: Oh.

DESHAYES: So what I end up having is a very dry cicada. They look like a little snack.

MARTIN: Yeah.

DESHAYES: And with that, I made a powder, crushed them. And for one of the recipes that I did a couple days ago, I crust a flank steak for barbecue.

MARTIN: Oh, OK.

DESHAYES: So I grill my flank steak. And overnight, I put this crust of cicadas (unintelligible) with olive oil, with garlic powder, with parsley. And I rub my flank steak. And I leave that like that to marinate overnight before to finish it the next day. And it give a really a nice woody, nutty - it's very interesting.

MARTIN: What does it taste like on its own? Like, does it taste like chips or a nut or what does it taste like?

DESHAYES: OK. So for the dry ones, I try because after that I have a lot of people who came from work and said, chef, I would like to try. Give me the opportunity to try. So I give them the dry one, and it's like chips. It doesn't taste anything. I did this one with a nice sea salt, you know. And if you close your eyes - different type of snacks, you will not know that it's cicadas.

MARTIN: Let's say you're at a cookout this Memorial Day and somebody has taken the plunge and they've cooked up some cicada kebabs or something like that. Is there something you would recommend them to encourage people to try them? Would you say just lay it out there and put them in a bowl like some chips, or would you put it in something, or what would you do?

DESHAYES: Well, first, when you have somebody, you need to talk and to be very enthusiastic and show them. Then you eat them like a candy yourself, too, you know.

MARTIN: (Laughter).

DESHAYES: This is what I have done. You know, people who has been working with me really long time, know me, then I will not do that. But, you know, I proposed to them, and they have this kind of sort of face, oh, no, I don't want that. Look. I eat them like a candy. And you do that in front of them and say, wow OK, so what - who I am different, you know what I mean? Like, try it. And after, when they try, some of them, I said, can I have some more?

DESHAYES: And some of them are like, no, thank you.

(LAUGHTER)

MARTIN: OK, Chef, you've been a lot of fun. I just have to say, a lot of people are probably getting together maybe for the first time in a long time with family in some parts of the country, where people are finally getting vaccinated, and people are finally having get-togethers. I think it's going to be kind of an emotional experience for a lot of people. What else do you recommend?

DESHAYES: Of course, finally for the first time. You're exactly right, Michel. I think Memorial Day is going to be a great weekend, you know what I mean? Because you still pay attention. You protect yourself. But this is what we have been missing, you know. We've not been missing not going to work. We've been missing going to see our grandparents. We've been missing to see father and sister and mother and share this experience. And I'm sure with that, the level of relationship would be different. We're going to value more the time we spending with our families.

MARTIN: That was Xavier Deshayes. He is the executive chef at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here in Washington, D.C. And he has been guiding us through cicada cooking (laughter). Chef, thank you so much. Thank you so much for joining us.

DESHAYES: No, Michel. Thank you very much. And enjoy your great weekend. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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Costco Says These 8 Items Are About To Get More Expensive | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

The pandemic has slowed down significantly (thank goodness), but its effects are still impacting the way you get your groceries. This is according to Richard Galanti, chief financial officer at Costco. This week, Galanti reported on Costco's latest earnings, blaming lags in the supply chain for impending price increases on eight of the everyday groceries you buy. We have the list.

According to CNBC, Galanti said that Costco's prices will soon rise because "inflationary factors abound." He continued: "These include higher labor costs, higher freight costs, higher transportation demand, along with the container shortage and port delays … increased demand in various product categories some shortages, various shortages of everything from chips to oils and chemical supplies by facilities hit by the Gulf freeze and storms and, in some cases, higher commodity prices."

In short, which common Costco items are about hit your wallet harder? Read through to find out—and don't miss 9 Summer Costco Items Members Are Stocking up on Big-Time Right Now.

David Tonelson/Shutterstock

This one has been generating big buzz on social media: Costco's paper products have been affected by a pulp shortage. The Seattle-based chain has even made some changes to the size of some popular paper products.

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Some Costco members know their aluminum foil lasts ages. Unfortunately, Galanti said Costco has "been seeing accelerating prices across a range of products," and aluminum foil was one of those he listed.

RELATED: Your Aluminum Foil Box Has A Mind-Blowing Secret Feature

Galanti reported that Costco meat prices have gone up 20% in recent weeks. (But check out the new burger Beyond Meat has just launched.)

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Costco has "cited price increases," states CNBC, "for an assortment of plastic products"—reportedly up to 8%. This may be a good time to try more sustainable types, like this list of 20.

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Soda buyers at Costco may notice a hike in these products, as well.

RELATED: Surprising Side Effects of Not Drinking Soda, Say Dietitians

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Costco is known for a great cheese selection, but this news could affect those burgers on the grill. Cheese was another product on Galanti's list of Costco groceries that are about to get more expensive. (The good news is, they've brought back a popular summer sweet treat.)

Costco Rotisserie Chicken/Facebook

There are lots of amazing facts about Costco's rotisserie chicken, as many customers know. Galanti said the popular item—currently at just $4.99 for an easy dinner—could soon increase in cost.

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Just as you're about to get thirsty this season, bottled water prices could balloon, Galanti said. If you're looking for creative ways to stay hydrated, don't miss One Major Effect of Eating Watermelon This Summer, Says Science.

Sign up for the Eat This, Not That! newsletter for breaking grocery news you need, and keep reading:

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What's The Best Way To Eat Cicadas? A Chef's Insect-Based Recipes - NPR

NPR's Michel Martin talk to Xavier Deshayes, chef and cicada-cooking connoisseur, about how to eat and enjoy the emerging cicadas ahead of Memorial Day, if you're feeling adventurous.

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Conscious Cook: Live well and eat well with broccoli salad - Westport News

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” —Virginia Woolf

Certain ingredients are required to prepare a delicious life. If the shelves of your personal pantry are bare, replenish them with items that will ensure your happiness and joy. When you have ingredients that have reached their expiration date, discard them. Feed the body and stimulate the soul with ingredients that are fresh and lively, and they will help you create your own state of fulfillment.

When we become mired in the day-to-day routine of performing the most necessary and immediate of tasks, we often lose sight of our unique selves. It is easy to bypass the very things most essential for our own survival, when we are so busy taking care of everything and everyone else.

This past year has been an epic example of coping with stress, uncertainty and change. By remembering to eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water, make exercise a priority and surround ourselves with positive influences, such as music, love and laughter, we can help minimize anxiety and provide a sense of balance and peace.

Eating natural, whole foods is a potent step in replenishing a stress-ridden body. Dark, leafy, greens and bright green vegetables can help strengthen the immune system, while internally cleansing, clarifying and detoxifying. Greens impart positive energy to the body and can help lift spirits made weary by the demands of daily life.

Green foods such as broccoli, are a delicious source of strong, grounded energy. Introducing more green foods into the diet may help crowd out less nutritious food cravings, and support the system in a more healthy manner. Refreshing, renewing, green foods may possibly benefit the body by purifying the blood, reducing cancer risk, improving circulation and enhancing liver, gall bladder and kidney function.

Live well by tasting all the rich, satisfying flavors of preparing a delicious life.

Living Well Broccoli Salad

Serves 4-6

1 large head organic broccoli (washed and chopped into florets)

4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cups sugar snap peas (washed and cut in half or thirds)

3/4 cup golden raisins (optional)

1 tablespoons drained capers

3/4 cup chopped olives (use your favorite, kalamatas are quite nice)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 pound feta cheese, goat cheese or ricotta salata, crumbled

Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover broccoli. Bring water to a boil over medium high heat. Add broccoli and cook until tender, but still crisp, approximately 5 minutes. Should be bright green. Drain well. Place broccoli in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and herbs. Toss gently. Season with a bit of salt and pepper if desired. Add sugar snap peas, capers, raisins if using, olives and cheese. Toss again and taste. Re-season with salt and pepper if desired.

Robin Glowa, HHC, AADP, “The Conscious Cook,” writes about preparing a delicious life and presents healthy food workshops throughout New England. She is a professional cook, organic gardener and a graduate of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition and Columbia University Teachers College.

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Eat this Now: Chef Nuit Regular's Pad Gra Prow burger - Eat North

With spring now in full swing, you’ve likely already treated yourself to a tasty burger or two over the past few weeks, but if you’re looking to take your burger experience to the next level for National Burger Day (May 28), Toronto chef Nuit Regular’s Pad Gra Prow burger should be at the top of your list. 

Making its return to Pai for one day only, chef Regular’s signature burger offers a contemporary Thai twist on the classic American cheeseburger with two all-beef patties, smoked mozzarella, grilled onion, lettuce, quick-pickled cucumber and chilli, Thai-style fried egg, and house-made sriracha sauce on a sesame bun. 

Since the Pad Gra Prow burger is available on a first-come-first-serve basis and will undoubtedly sell out quickly, chef Regular is also offering Torontonians a do-it-yourself takeout kit that comes complete with everything you need to replicate the burger at home. 

The Pad Gra Prow burger will be available for takeout and delivery at Pai Downtown and Pai Uptown on May 28 at 4 p.m. Burger kits can currently be pre-ordered online for pickup at all three Pai locations.

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The Best Burger to Eat Right Now, at Smashed NYC - The New Yorker

Workers who eat lunch together influence each other's food choices: study - Safety+Health magazine

Boston — Do you eat lunch with co-workers? The food choices – healthy or unhealthy – of your lunch bunch are very likely to influence your own choices, results of a recent study led by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Massachusetts Amherst show.

Using data from cash registers in seven hospital cafeterias, the researchers identified 3 million occurrences in which pairs of employees purchased food together between 2015 and 2016. The researchers confirmed with more than 1,000 of the employees the names of the people they ate lunch with.

“We found that individuals tend to mirror the food choices of others in their social circles,” study co-author Douglas Levy, researcher at the Mongan Institute Health Policy Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, said in a press release, “which may explain one way obesity spreads through social networks.”

The researchers speculate that peer pressure might explain at least some of this phenomenon. “People may change their behavior to cement the relationship with someone in their social circle,” Levy said.

One potential strategy, the release notes, is targeted interventions for pairs of co-workers. One example is a two-for-one sale on salads or other healthy foods.

“As we emerge from the pandemic and transition back to in-person work, we have an opportunity to eat together in a more healthful way than we did before,” study co-author Mark Pachucki, associate professor of sociology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Computational Social Science Institute, said in the release. “If your eating habits shape how your co-workers eat – even just a little – then changing your food choices for the better might benefit your co-workers as well.”

The study was published online April 22 in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.

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5 places to eat without the meat: Vegan and vegetarian options in Port Huron - Concentrate

Although people have been practicing veganism and vegetarianism for centuries, it has recently seen a new surge in popularity in today’s society. Some call it a trend, others call it a fad. Regardless of what it's labeled, the number of vegetarians and vegans seems to be on the rise across the nation. 

So to accommodate the growing population of  vegans and vegetarians, restaurants across the country have begun to take this into consideration. Many have now begun to offer vegan or vegetarian options on some of their original dishes, as well as providing all new additions to their menus for people who prefer to forgo the meat. 

When many of us hear the words vegan or vegetarian, we tend to lump them together or make those words interchangeable, but they are actually very different lifestyle choices. 

Vegetarianism, which is assumed to be more widespread than veganism, is the practice of not eating animal flesh such as fish, chicken, beef, or pork. Vegetarians still consume other animal products such as milk, butter, cheese, and eggs for the most part. Vegans, on the other hand, avoid all animal products including food, clothing items, such as wool or leathers, and even certain candies due to them sometimes containing animal parts used to achieve a certain texture or consistency.

With that understanding and knowledge about veganism and vegetarianism, let’s see how some of our own local restaurants are keeping up with the demands and offering new dishes as well as vegan and vegetarian twists on old favorites.

7th Street Slider Bar

Ahhh the slider. American. Classic. Typically made with beef patties, a slider is just pretty much just a scaled down hamburger. When it comes to sliders, 7th Street Slider Bar, located at 706 Lapeer Ave. in Port Huron is a local favorite. Now those who want a slider, but not the beef, have a few new options on an American classic that they can try. Owned by Zachary “Zack” Meldrum, 7th Street Slider Bar is for those who want a little adventure in their food life. 

“We want to explore a lot of different flavors through smaller bite sizes so you can try a little bit of everything, and some of our vegetarian and vegan options have been a big part of that,” says Meldrum. Vegan/Vegetarian options include the BLT, the Vegan Crabby, and the Black Bean Burger. Expect roughly 12 sliders and 4 appetizers on the menu soon for those who want the plant based experience.

The Raven Cafe

Next on the menu, no pun intended, is The Raven Cafe. Located at 932 Military St. in Port Huron, “The Raven,” as it is referred to by locals, is a cafe which is known not only for its delicious food and coffee, but for its ambiance.

The Raven Cafe brings a haunting “ye olde” feeling, dark and moody yet refreshing and light. Owned by Sadaat Hossain and Jody Parmann, The Raven offers a decent sized variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes as well as options on the favorites. “We have some vegan options, but not as many as we have vegetarian. A lot of the things that we do can be made vegan. We don't turn away any special requests within reason,” says Hossain.

Some of their most popular items include: Loaded Potato Salad, Tomato Basil Bruschetta, Tomato Bisque Soup, Mushroom with Brie Cheese, and Black Bean Chilli, along with a host of salads as well, all being vegetarian or vegan prepared. 

The Raven is a cafe, so what’s a cafe without coffee right? Lattes, teas, hot chocolate, and everything in between can be found on the menu. If you want the flavor and warm boost that these beverages give, you can enjoy them with the option of adding almond or soy milk instead of the standard dairy additives. 

Bangkok Star

Craving some of the more exotic food flavors, but not in the mood for the standard fare? Check out Bangkok Star, located at 421 Beers St. in Port Huron. Bangkok Star offers Thai cuisine. If you are unfamiliar, Thai dishes typically incorporate flavors such as sweet, sour, salty, and even bitter, along with noodles, vegetables, and a variety of meats. Owned by Chris Bevins, Bangkok Star is a rarity in the local area due to its unique cuisine. Some of the popular Thai dishes include Pad Thai, Vegetable Curry, and Spring Rolls, all available in vegetarian options.

“I can do just about any dish on our menu vegetarian except for our Garlic and Black Pepper. That is strictly a meat dish. I would say we have a good nine or ten different options for vegetarian items,” says Bevins.

Cedar Subs

Still have a taste for something different? Look no further than Cedar Subs, located at 420 Huron Ave. in Port Huron. Owned by Sol Ganim, lifetime resident of Port Huron, Cedar Subs offers Middle Eastern cuisine and snacks. 

Middle eastern cuisine consists of flavors using whole grains, vegetables, and herbs, as well as meats such as lamb, beef, and fish. The more popular menu items at Cedar Subs are the Chicken Shawarma, Tabouleh, and Rice Bowls. You can get the shawarma minus the chicken by replacing it with falafel. “I know that everyone doesn't eat meat, and falafel is pretty popular, so I give them that option,” says Ganim.

Cedar Subs also offers Middle Eastern snacks for that after lunch/dinner treat. Sesame Snaps, Baklava, and a date-filled cookie called Ma’amoul are available and are completely vegan/vegetarian. 

A Little Something

Speaking of treats, where can one find vegan/vegetarian options for that sweet tooth you might ask? Well, there is a spot called A Little Something, located at 205 Huron Ave., also in Port Huron. They are what every vegan has been wishing for this summer: a place they can find delicious vegan ice cream.

Operated by Kim Johnson, Manager/Digital Marketing Coordinator, A Little Something is a small retail shop located in the growing downtown area of Port Huron offering unique Michigan made products, memorabilia, candies, and ice cream. 

You want ice cream, so let’s get to the good stuff.

“We do have vegan options. We have a non-dairy chocolate ice cream made with coconut cream. We also offer a Black Raspberry Pomegranate Sorbet, Sicilian Orange Sorbet, and then we have two italian ice flavors that alternate back and forth, Carrot Mango and Passion Fruit,” Johnson says.

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