Autism and Vaccines - Excellent Commentary at Biology in Action

On the Biology in Action site Rebecca Baker, a biology student, offers an excellent commentary on vaccines and autism "Vaccines and Autism: Many Hypotheses, But No Correlation Found" making a point with which I am in complete agreement - there is a need for more research on the issue.On one side the commentary is a bit shallow focusing on Jenny McCarthy but not mentioning Dr. Bernadine Healy or the Poling and Banks cases ( as the mainstream media also does). BUT in exploring the other side of the debate the blog author does not give Dr. Paul Offit the free ride he gets from the mainstream media and from "autism is beautiful", Offit worshippi

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Mirassou Winery Taste & Toast Tour by Chef Gale Gand

Last night was a fantastic evening with David Mirassou of Mirassou Winery from Monterey California. The Mirassou Winery is America's Oldest Winemaking Family and the dinner at the amazing TRU restaurant was to celebrate their 155th Anniversary. Joining me at the table were fellow Chicago foodie blogger friends and Chicago food writers/journalists including, Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan of Chicago Bites, Louisa Chu of Moveable Feast, Chuck Sudo of Chicagoist, Josh of Chicago Foodies, Jill of Gaper's Block, and a few others. We were completely spoiled with delicious food and wine, which came in second only to the company and conversations we all enj

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Wordless Wednesday

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Παράξενες εκλογές

ΠΑΡΑΞΕΝΕΣ ΕΚΛΟΓΕΣΕΥΓΕΝΙΑ ΗΛΙΟΠΟΥΛΟΥΔιανύουμε μία από τις πιο σύντομες προεκλογικές περιόδους που έχουμε ζήσει ποτέ σε μία χώρα που αρέσκεται στο να ΄΄΄δοκιμάζει΄΄ κάθε δύο χρόνια τους πολιτικούς της. Ένα άλλο χαρακτηριστικό αυτών των εκλογών είναι ότι οι διαχωριστικέ γραμμές ανάμεσα στα δύο μεγάλα κόμματα δεν είναι τόσο ευδιάκριτα μπερδεύοντας τους απλούς πολίτες. Όλοι δηλώνουν ότι αποκλείεται να συνεργαστούν ,με άλλο κόμμα, για να συγκυβερνήσουν αλλά ….ποτέ μην λες ποτέ στην πολιτική. Πόσο αποφασιστικά θα κόψει τις γέφυρες με το ΛΑΟΣ ο κύριος Καραμανλής; Πόσο δυνατά θα ζητήσει ενισχύσεις από άλλα κόμματα ο κύριο Παπανδρέου; Οι οικολόγοι με το ΛΑΟΣ πώ

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BBA: Pain l'Ancienne

This week's Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge is Peter Reinhart's recipe for Pain l'Ancienne (which you can get from his book below, starting on page 191-194). Friends joined me in the kitchen and together we prepared this super simple bread recipe.I've mentioned it before but for a long time I avoided recipes calling for yeast like the plague. Ever since I joined the Bread Baker's Apprentice challenges, I've gotten more and more comfortable using yeast and learning some key things about homemade bread baking. With that said, this recipe is probably my favorite so far. If you're still hesitant to use yeast, please try this recipe. (I normally don't

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Rusks (South African Cookies)

I really enjoy learning about other cultures through their cuisines. With the recent South African wine dinner I hosted this past weekend, I've learned how immigrants really influenced the South Africans, especially through food. This recipe is very much like Italian biscotti. An interesting point in this recipe is the use of buttermilk, whereas most biscotti recipes are made without any liquid aside from eggs. Oddly enough, even with the addition of nearly a cup of buttermilk, these cookies still had the same crispy consistency as biscotti. South Africans enjoy these rusks with a warm cup of Rooibos tea. Now that's an afternoon snack anyone can enjoy

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Chocolate Crunched Caramel Tart

This week's Tuesdays With Dorie baking challenge is Dorie's Chocolate Crunched Caramel Tart, chosen by Carla of Chocolate Moosey (who has the recipe within her blog). If you're looking for a rich dessert that combines chocolate, caramel and peanuts, this is definitely it!There are three parts to this recipe - a sweet tart dough, caramel and chocolate ganache. These three components can be made separately in advance and then assembled the day you're ready to serve it.The sweet tart dough is nothing more than flour, confectioner's sugar, salt, butter and an egg yolk. The entire dough is made in a food processor, making it easy. You could either partiall

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MARBLED YOGURT, COCONUT AND CHOCOLATE CAKE

BROTHER BOUGHT A COCONUT.... OR SEVEN(As you well know, I have been in Florida for almost 2 weeks. I thought that I would be able to continue merrily posting on my blog during my stay but have found it impossible; unfriendly kitchen environment, lack of supplies and, to top it all off, uncontrollable camera and lighting conditions. What to do? I have been so very lucky with the friends I have made through food blogging, warm, wonderful people. Through this family tragedy, I have been supported and loved, cared for and kept entertained by a group on Twitter, and one tight-knit group we've become. So I wasn't really surprised when a couple of sisters of

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Parmesan Crusted Sweet Onions

There's a restaurant here in Chicago called Osteria Via Stato, which has a signature appetizer called Parmesan Crusted Sweet Onions. This antipasti on their menu is amazingly creamy and rich... and should be enjoyed in moderation. My friend Megan loves this dish so much (as do I) that she asked the restaurant for the recipe. Much to her surprise, the restaurant gave it to her! I guess the saying is true - "Ask and you shall receive."We especially like this as a side dish to steaks or any roasted meat. Using sweet Vidalia onions pairs well with the saltiness of the Parmesan cheese... and who can resist the creamy white wine sauce with hints of thyme? B

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Has Autism Speaks Abandoned Severely Autistic Persons and Their Families?

I am not an Autism Speaks basher. I have criticized specific decisions it has made such as the funding of research by Dr. Laurent Mottron who believes that the idea of curing autism is nonsense. I am appreciative though of the great work Autism Speaks has have done in raising awareness of autism around the globe including its work, in conjunction with the State of Qatar, in creating World Autism Awareness Day. A couple of days ago I thanked Autism Speaks on this blog site for the I Am Autism video which speaks some of the harsher truths about autism, particularly the severe ... and original ... autism. But Jonathan Mitchell, at Autism's Gadfly, a

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Snicker Surprise Cookies

If there's anything I'm a fanatic about, it's chocolate chip cookies. I tend to treat myself every now and then for an afternoon pick me up with coffee. There's just something about these cookies. Sometimes they have a hint of caramel flavor, sometimes it's butterscotch notes. I like them with nuts and even with out. They're great as traditional cookies or even as rectangle bars. I'll take them crispy, puffy, soft, hard, you name it. I can't get enough chocolate chip cookies!Then there's my friend Megan. She's a wise woman when it comes to cookies. The first time she made these for me, I craved them well after I polished them off (and it didn't take l

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This Week's Foodie Freebie: Rival Crock-Pot

Happy Monday! Has it hit you yet that we're going into the month of October in a few days? Where did the year go? Heck, where did the months of August and September go? It seems like yesterday when I was enjoying the Fourth of July! I hope you had a great weekend doing something fun and perhaps feasting on something delicious. This past weekend was busy in my kitchen and filled with friends. You can read about my culinary adventures I had including:Wine & Dine: South Africa - A fabulous meal of home cooked South African cuisine paired with some great South African wines. Stay tuned this week to get the recipes of the South African dishes we tasted

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