Hard Cider: Breakfast of Champions Returns – Revived

Hard Cider this ain't, but regular cider is a favorite autumn draft at fairs and farmers' markets. Photo by Richard aka Dpifan.

BY TAMARA FISH

EVERYTHING old is new again, and nothing is quite as fashionable as hard cider, the alcoholic version of the fall classic. Hard cider has burst back on the scene, a fresh alternative to the beer option.

But guess what? In the USA, hard cider is older than baseball. Older than beer. Older than the country itself. And almost as old as apple pie. Hard cider was THE DRINK in colonial America, back in the days when people were afraid to drink local water, fearing contamination and illness.

Hard cider was so popular that most people, even children, drank it for breakfast. Milk wasn't pasteurized back then, and cider became what many thought was a healthy alternative. Imagine that.

Eden Ice Cider is a dessert wine with a long aftertaste. Photo courtesy of Eden Ice Cider.

Thank goodness someone turned us on to coffee and orange juice rather quickly. In fact, the nation's love affair with cider, rum and bourbon is one of the reasons why Prohibition gained such traction. And so, the beauty of cider retreated to the past, largely forgotten in this part of the continent.

But 15 years ago, someone woke up: Hard Cider. Let’s make it again! And the old regular has quickly become the pub scene’s newest favorite. But why? Or rather, but what?

Cider 101: What is “Hard Cider”?
What is hard cider? Cider – what Americans call “hard cider” and people elsewhere call cydre, cidre or sidra – is a fermented non-citrus fruit juice, most often made from apples, pears, sour cherries or a blend thereof.

Magners, particularly popular in Ireland, is often served over ice. Photo courtesy of The Passionate Foodie.

To conjure the basic flavor, imagine a basic non-alcoholic apple cider. Now imagine it somewhat less sweet, about the same sugar content as ginger ale. Add a bit of a tang, a bit of bite. Factor in slight fizziness (light carbonation). Now add in a kick, just a touch of alcohol, about as much as one would find in a beer (4-6%). The color will vary widely from pale straw (Original Sin) to deep amber (Magners). A rather refreshingly light drink, hard cider pairs well with any wintertime meal or hearty soup. Some popular brews include Magners and Woodchuck.

Cider 301: Advanced course
There’s nothing wrong with Magners or Woodchuck. In fact, I drink them myself. But if that’s the span of your cider sensibilities, go east, young bloods! Seize the world! France's Normandy has been crafting dry hard ciders for centuries; Great Britain produces and drinks more cider than anywhere else in the world; many other countries brew batches to make your toes curl with delight.

Clos Normand is bottled like Champagne and has an aftertaste that speaks of cloves. Photo courtesy of Euro Brews.

For finer ciders, take the basic hard cider described above and kick it up a notch. Make it far less sweet (dry). Think instead of the sweetness of a fruit-infused seltzer instead of ginger ale. Now tame the carbonation and add complexity: a slight bitter edge or an almost yeasty smell or a mild slightly oaky-spicy finish. Ahhh, what a fine cider can be.

What to serve it with? Keep Britain and Normandy in mind: fish and chips, mussels, a nice creamy cheese. Or if you must (as I often do), a good hearty burger works well, too.

To expand the cider palate, try these unusual finds:
Clos Normand
750 ml
$7, Mission Wine & Spirits (http://www.missionliquorandwine.com/)
Not all of France swoons with wine. Northeastern France, with its rich extensive orchards, revels in its cidre instead, and its Clos Normand shows what can be done with apples. Carmel in color and bottled like Champagne, Clos Normand’s drier taste pairs well with creamy cheeses, shellfish and roasted pork (which I haven’t tasted in years, but I promise, it would go brilliantly!). A gently pleasant aftertaste lingers, not too sweet, as with a reminiscence of cloves. Lovely.

Original Sin
12 oz. six-packs,
$10, White Horse Wine and Spirits (http://www.whitehorsewine.com/)
As pale as pale can get, this cider is dry dry dry, and yet infused with lovely soft flavors. Serve well chilled with salmon burgers and dinner salads.

Original Sin is very pale and dry. Photo courtesy of Great Brewers.

Eden Ice Ciders
375 ml
$29, NapaCabs online
For an exceptional change, try ice ciders, an apple dessert wine. Brewers press cold-stored apples only after winter sets in, and then sets the juice outside to free for at least six weeks, concentrating the flavors to exquisiteness. Eden, a small batch producer in Vermont, crafts heaven in a bottle. Sweet, full, rich and creamy with a lingering aftertaste, serve Eden Ice Cider as dessert itself and watch your guests marvel at an apple’s beauty revealed.

Drinking on an autumn day. That’s hard cider in a bottle. Delicious!

Next up: Need a Holiday Surprise? Try the Rich Wines of (Southern) France

In 'Milk Like Sugar,' Life Isn't so Sweet

Talisha (Cherise Boothe), Annie (Angela Lewis) and Margie (Nikiya Mathis) make a dangerous pact in "Milk Like Sugar." Photos by Ari Mintz.

BY TAMARA BECK

IN “Milk Like Sugar,” Beyonce’s “Run The World (Girls)” is the ironic anthem that introduces three teenagers, Talisha (Cherise Boothe), Margie (Nikiya Mathis) and Annie (Angela Lewis), as they stride purposefully and noisily into Antwoine’s (LeRoy McClain) tattoo parlor.

Kirsten Greenidge’s brilliant new play is a simile of despair. A joint production of Women’s Project Theater and La Jolla Playhouse, “Milk Like Sugrar” is in an extended run through 27 Nov at Playwrights Horizons.

The girls’ seeming confidence is just bravado, no surer than the quicksand on which they have built their young lives. Hopelessness is engrained in the dismal choices they have made and that have been made for them. (See video at http://www.playwrightshorizons.org/sharp.asp)

Talisha, Margie and Annie have made a pact. They plan to have girl babies and parade them around in matching pink brandname strollers. These girls don’t have low expectations, they have no expectations. Well, actually, they do expect that “a little tiny baby,” as Annie says, will love them completely.

Malik (J. Mallory-McCree) has a different outlook from most of the people in Annie's life in "Milk Like Sugar."

Nothing in their world encourages them to do better. No bright future awaits them. They are part of a cycle of unhappiness and poverty. The performances are uniformly heart-breakingly genuine as to elicit sympathy for the girls' plight. KG's prose bears witness, not judgment; she capturs the tempo of youth-speak perfectly.

Bullying and vulnerable Talisha is lost to a series of “old guys” who keep her in bling and in thrall. Of the three girls, it is Talisha who is most broken by her all too-adult lifestyle. Margie, already pregnant, is sweet and dumb. Her fate is sealed by a loving family with a tradition of having children at a young age. As for Annie, any potential she has is squelched by her mother, Myrna (Tonya Pinkins). A dreamer discontented and bitter about her fate as a child bride, Myrna is cruel, self-absorbed and jealous of her daughter. AL gives a deeply touching performance of Annie’s plight.

Margie, Talisha and Annie hang out with Antwoine (LeRoy McClain) in "Milk Like Sugar."

Only Malik (J. Mallory-McCree), the stargazer who has been picked by Annie’s crew to be her baby daddy, really sees a way out for himself. His hope is to help Annie find that ticket to a more purposeful life as well.

“Milk Like Sugar” tells a sad story that is woven like a fine tapestry into a plot both expected and surprising.

Visit http://www.playwrightshorizons.org/ to learn more about “Milk Like Sugar.”

Gobble! Gobble! ... Certainly It Doesn’t Mean This

Dairy-free mini cupcakes have the makings of a crowd-pleaser. Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market.

By JANET COOK, NYC Healthy Chick

GOBBLE! Gobble! Thanksgiving Day is notorious for being an occasion when many take license to stuff themselves like – well – a turkey, overindulge in alcohol, quarrel with family and at midnight or 7 a.m. on Friday embark on a credit-card fueled spending spree.

Good golly, we have strayed far away from the traditions that gave rise to the holiday. In many cultures, festivals were held before and after harvest to give thanks for a good yield, to rejoice as a community after much hard work, to celebrate safe voyages and to celebrate peace. Would our British and Native American ancestors approve of how Thanksgiving is celebrated today? Have we lost our way and along with it the true meaning of the holiday? The answer is a resounding YES!

The promise of Friday morning bargains has replaced the traditional Thanksgiving celebrations around harvest, rest and peace. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

When was the last time any of us really gave thanks on Thanksgiving Day? During these harsh economic times many are facing challenges and obstacles like never before – from the loss of jobs, to life savings, relationships, loved ones and health. Thinking about all these losses can put a damper on things for sure.

This year, though, is an opportunity to create a whole new way of celebrating by turning all of the negatives outcomes into positive ones. Why not start by celebrating the hardships with reconciliation, proclamations, gratitude and a lot of thankfulness? Of course, the meal can be the centerpiece of it all.

Thanksgiving 2011 carries a greater meaning for me personally. Having surrendered and dealt with my own personal and professional losses this past year, I was reminded how blessed I am. The lessons I've learned about letting go, being flexible, forgiving, mourning, growing, thriving, as well as creating something from nothing, stretched me far beyond my comfort zone. My family, friends and business partners have been truly amazing. From them I received an outpouring of support, love and understanding in what were not some of my finest hours.

The Thanksgiving dinner of today is far removed from the idyll depicted in Norman Rockwell's "Freedom From Want." Photo courtesy of the Norman Rockwell Museum.

In my quest for the true meaning of Thanksgiving, I found a few great quotes that are reminders of how blessed we truly are:

Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than those we once enjoyed of those we enjoy now. – A.W. Tozer

I do not think of all the misery. But of the glory that remains. – Anne Frank

Reflect upon your present blessings … not on your past misfortunes. – Charles Dickens

Observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficient father who dwelleth in the heaven. – Abraham Lincoln

Now that we have some ingredients for creating a new meaning and purpose for Thanksgiving, let’s talk turkey. Face it, our ancestors weren’t dealing with weakened immune systems, food allergies and sensitivities. What’s a host(ess) to do when Aunt Susie is lactose intolerant, Cousin Bob is gluten sensitive, and his/her BFF is a vegan?! Holy mackerel! Suddenly, the meal becomes a major production.


The stuffing is packed with enough ingredients to make diehards forget that it is gluten-free. Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market.

Not to worry, NYC Healthy Chick has simple solutions for making Thanksgiving a breeze!

Repeat after me … BUFFET. Viola! Instead of the traditional meal, prepare a few favorites (the bird and loads of veggies). Ask food-sensitive guests to bring a dish or two for the celebration. Make sure to place note cards next to each dish or give a head’s up about all items on the menu to those with sensitivities. The last thing anyone wants on Thanksgiving is people rushing off to the bathroom – or worse the hospital!

Clueless about where to find healthy holiday recipes that will please every palate? For the lowdown on some of the best vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free holiday recipes check out the Whole Foods web site. The recipes are creative, tasty and offer alternatives to holiday classics, not to mention help for those who have problems with portion control. (http://http://www.wholefoods.com/)

Go-Go Gluten Free Bread Stuffing. Still enjoy a favorite holiday side dish without the worry of gluten-sensitivity flare-up. The stuffing is loaded with ingredients that make up for what is lost in the traditional recipe. (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/1354)

Got Vegan? Serve up a warm Millet Salad With Brussels Sprouts, Creamed Mushrooms and Sage. (Vegan family and friends will jump with joy at the effort made to serve a hearty, flavorful holiday dish in their honor. (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2620)

A salad for vegans and nonvegans, too. Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market.

Go lite with versatile Mini Pumpkin-Ginger Cupcakes topped with Maple Cream Frosting to satisfy the post-meal sweet tooth. Unlike the traditional seasonal cupcakes, which are made with white sugar, hydrogenated oil and artificial flavorings, these dairy-free treats are made with healthier ingredients. They should appeal to everyone around the dinner table. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/789; http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=798)

Let’s give thanks for what we have and what can be gained this Thanksgiving. Doing so will leave us wanting for nothing.

A Most Perfect Thirst Quencher for Indian Summer

A perfect picture of Indian Summer. Photo by Peter Rufi.

BY TAMARA FISH

HOT, hot days after a killing frost has come. There’s nothing quite like Indian Summer.

Right when we’ve abandoned all hope of green for the next nine months, right as we’ve resigned ourselves to living in fleece, sweaters and GORE-TEX, Nature itself bestows a blessing, as if to entice Persephone once more. The piercing sun assaults the eyes. The fiery hues of autumn blaze fiercely against a crisp blue sky.

The still, still air dares us to keep buttoned up; soon layers and layers of clothing come off, prompting many to shed far more than they normally would. The skin flushes hot, almost feverish against the rays, as if greeting a long lost love.

There’s something quite fierce, quite brazen about Indian Summer that borders on rude. Just a little too over the top. And now there’s a wine that meets its audacity, step by step.

Meet Viñas Casas Patronales Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2010.
Like most Sauvignon Blancs, Casas Patronales reveals the tell-tale signs of a very strong aroma (nose), a lingering taste after swallowing (long finish) and its characteristic flavors (notes) that are both vegetal (specifically, green pepper) and citrous (typically lime or grapefruits).

The Indian Summer Effect
Now add the Indian Summer effect. Make it bold. Make it unexpected and exciting. Make it not-too-refined, but a welcome change of pace. Make it borderline rude. And that’s Viñas Casas Patronales’ Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2010.

Vina Casas Patronales Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2010 has a very prominent nose among other characteristics. Photo from Snooth.

The nose is not only strong, it flies from the bottle as if on broomstick. A rhombus 3000 for sure, Harry Potter himself would struggle to keep upright. No need to puzzle what that scent can be. It slaps the unsuspecting in the face, saying “Snap outta it!” and leaves a calling card that reads, “floral, stupid, with a side a grapefruit.” You have been dutifully forewarned.

The nose – the physical one, not the metaphorical one – checks in with the brain, the brain sends a one-word message to the tastebuds: “Incoming.” The mouth salivates in anticipation. And then it hits. Once more, the nose gets knocked as the barest sip explodes the palate. ZOING!

One sip. That’s all it takes. Flavors saturate the entire mouth. Green pepper becomes freshly picked green peppers. Citrus becomes a dripping newly peeled grapefruit with a shot of lime juice chaser. And then like a streaker, new flavors burst onto the scene. What’s that spiciness? Is it nutmeg? And the tell-tale minerality? Yep. There it is. In fact, the mineral aftertaste is almost a bit too sharp and tangy. (I did say borderline rude.) Right when the tell-tale long finish begins to take shape, Casas Patronales takes up residence, pulls up a chair, sits rights on down, and begins to read Ovid all night long. This wine goes nowhere quickly. The finish waits and waits and waits until it decides it wants to leave.

Serve chilled, but not too much. Let nothing get in the way of this taste. Serve with flavorful oily fish: mackerel, salmon, sea bass. As bold as it is, Casas Patronales even pairs well with a good hunk of meat or stinky cheese.

Bold, crisp, fresh, almost rude, Viñas Casas Patronales Sauvignon Blanc Reserva has it all: the perfect Indian Summer wine.

Next Up: Real Hard Cider.

In ‘The Mountaintop,’ a Failed Attempt at a Setdown

Samuel L. Jackson (the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) and Camae (Angela Bassett) have a meeting of the minds in "The Mountaintop." Photos by Joan Marcus.

BY TAMARA BECK

FOR some of us, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a touchstone, a change agent who helped the United States move toward the better.

In Katori Hall’s “The Mountaintop,” at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre through 16 Jan., MLK (Samuel L. Jackson) is just a man.

KH has re-imagined Dr. King’s last night at the Lorraine Motel before his assassination on 4 April 1968 as an evening spent chatting, flirting and cadging Pall Malls from a chambermaid named Camae (Angela Bassett)

In KH’s fiction, Camae brings room-service coffee to MLK’s Room 306 in a rainstorm, and stays to discuss tactics of nonviolence, Malcolm X, the Black Panthers, as well as whether the civil rights activist should shave his mustache.

Is there any excuse to deflate the legacy of MLK this way?

Chambermaid Camae (Angela Bassett) pays a call on a very special guest of the Lorraine Motel in "The Mountaintop."

It is no secret that the man had an eye for the ladies, nor that the FBI used wiretaps to try to entrap him. Despite its pacifist credo and inclusiveness, the Civil Rights Movement that MLK led was radical.

Of course, MLK’s contribution to American life is big enough to withstand its trivialization in “The Mountaintop.” However, if as SLJ has said, a generation of children doesn’t know the great man, “The Mountaintop” does not portray with him the dignity he deserves.

While the play seems to minimize MLK’s stature by emphasizing that he is a mere mortal, the production does pay close attention to some details. For instance, set designer David Gallo traveled to the Lorraine to meticulously recreate Room 306.

AB is convincing as a downhome, smart and opinionated young woman, boldly saying whatever pops into her head. As played by AB, Camae is comfortable even in the presence of a man she admires as much as the sassy maid looks up to “Preacher Kang.”

Martin Luther King (Samuel L. Jackson) had an interesting encounter in the Lorraine Motel the night before he was assassinated in "The Mountaintop."

SLJ has the tougher role in convincing audiences that he is genuinely MLK. Like the set designer, the actor has done his homework. In order to replicate the minister's conversational speech patterns as SLJ does so well in “The Mountaintop,” he listened to some of MLK's interviews. SLJ has the stature and chops to play any role convincingly and he acquits himself well in following KH’s lead in showing MLK as an ordinary man.

The truth lies, as it always does, somewhere between myth and history but the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was not an ordinary man.

Visit http://http://www.themountaintopplay.com/ to learn more about “The Mountaintop.”

‘Anonymous.’ Much Ado About Nothing? Or a Tempest?

ONE of the greatest and longest debates in Western literature is whether The Bard was as prolific as history credits.

Supposedly, the best academic minds have mined obscure journals and dubious scribblings hoping to unearth proof that will put the question to rest once and for all. Not surprisingly some writers, including Henry James have wondered aloud about this matter.

In other words, did William Shakespeare really pen all of those plays, sonnets and other literary works? More specifically and speciously, is he/was he a fraud? (See trailer above).

The latest sally into this wearisome territory is the film, “Anonymous,” which revives as the possible source of WS’s works someone whom establishment academia has already rejected. The fellow – a nobleman with an eccentric backstory – will go unnamed here. Those who wish to learn his identity can see the film, which opens in limited release in several countries today. “Anonymous” had its world premiere at the 36th Toronto International Film Festival last month.

The great Derek Jacobi is pressed into service to give an introductory lecture on the latest iteration of this discarded theory. Each viewer, however, must decide whether Roland Emmerich’s film presents a credible case. If nothing else “Anonymous” – set in Elizabethan England – is an elaborate and exquisite period piece peopled by dastardly villains and admirable heroes/heroines.

The mostly British cast includes Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, Sebastian Armesto, David Thewlis, Joely Richardson, Sam Reid, Xavier Samuel and Rafe Spall as WS.

“Anonymous” is rated PG-13 for some violence and sexual content.

What’s on the End of Your Fork Can Kill You. No Joke!

This trio of raw foods sends the body a message to provide lasting energy and to build healthy cells. Photo courtesy Whole Foods Market.

By JANET COOK, NYC Healthy Chick

GOT high blood pressure? Pop a pill.
Got high cholesterol? Pop a pill.
Got a case of the blues? Pop a pill.
Got Type 2 diabetes? Pop a pill.
Got indigestion? Pop a pill.
Got erectile dysfunction? Pop a pill.
Got some other kind of chronic illness or disease? You know the drill.

For 30 days these five ate raw food, lost weight and kicked their insulin habit; others can do it, too. Photo courtesy of Raw for 30 Days.

See a pattern here? Yeah, it’s not a good one either in my humble professional opinion. The big pharma industry has led everyone to believe that the solution to every disease and illness is a pill. Ah, H-E-L-L-O!!!! No way, man, is this the solution. Think about how much the pharmaceutical industry is making from prescription drugs people take every day for common aliments.

What if we simply look at what’s on the end of our fork as a no-cost solution to cure what ails us? Isn’t this brilliant and easy? Actually, maybe it’s too logical for folks who are used to running to the doctor and getting a prescription for every new disease and illness.

What if we people were educated instead of medicated? How would this impact our health care system and medical costs? Consider what chronic diseases and illnesses cost our nation a year:
– heart disease $273 billion
– diabetes $174 billion
– cancer $158 billion
– obesity $147 billion

A diet heavy on animal protein such as sausage will possibly kill you and definitely won't make you better. Photo courtesy of Dreamstime.

What diabetes costs the nation is just about what has been spent on the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the global war on terror combined.

Taking control of one's health starts with disease education and prevention. The immune system function of many in the United States has deteriorated by approximately 30 percent in the last 20 years. It continues to deteriorate at a rate of approximately 3 percent a year. Understanding that diseases are merely a dysfunction of body and cellular systems will empower us as we learn to how to rebuild our immune system.

I learned a long time ago that every body is different; responses to food varies. A tonic for one is poison for another. Did you know that what you eat programs your body with messages of health or illness? Watch Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days!!! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGjVJvOS8SU). This powerful documentary chronicles how six people with diabetes, a chronic incurable disease, greatly reduced or eliminated their need for insulin in 30 days under the supervision of a medical team.

Whole grains and fresh fruit salad are the makings of a light but filling meal any time of day. Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market.

Chronic degenerative diseases afflict more than 120 million Americans. Fifty-plus million more suffer from one or more auto-immune diseases. Just think, if diabetes can be reversed in 30 days with a raw diet imagine what can be done with other chronic diseases and illnesses in general. A change in diet played a big role in the positive changes.

Ready to rebuild your immune system and stop body and cellular dysfunction? Take the NYC Healthy Chick 30-Day Raw Food Challenge:
· Eat uncooked greens and fruits
· Eat foods cooked under 118 degrees
· Stop microwaving food – it gets chemically altered
· Do a detox program to eliminate cravings for cooked foods
· Reduce or eliminate animal protein and replace it with plant-based protein

The apple and beet combo likes a salad but will go solo, even as a snack. Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market.

Launch your program with a few of my favorite raw food recipes. One of my plant-based protein staples is quinoa. Combine it with the delicious fresh taste of a mango and the result is a super yummy duo that is filling and fun to eat at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Mango and Quinoa Salad (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/3061)

Change the approach to salad at lunch or dinner with Wheat Berry, Apricot and Arugla Salad (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2968). This hearty and full-flavor trio sends good messages to the body, programming it for hours of energy and good health. Need to dress up veggies just a little? Try Apple Beet Charoset (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2924). This combo is good with accompaniments or on its own.

Pills and other drugs are not the answer to most of what ails us. Photo courtesy of Drugs Best Buy.

If you are tired of playing the big pharma games and paying for unnecessary medication, doubtless it’s time to change what’s at the end of your fork. Think of the money we can save as a nation.

We could apply the savings to the deficit, end poverty, eradicate world hunger. Live healthier, juicier, happier lives. Amazing!