There seems to be a new trend among health-conscious diners in the United States. The trend appears to be toward gourmet raw or “living foods”. These new eateries provide only vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruits in their dishes. Nothing is heated above 47.8 ° C. Some believe that beyond this point, enzymes begin to generate and cause harm to the body. There are now more than 30 such restaurants in the United States. Some of the rare dishes offered to the adventurous diners are noodles of coconut meat and Caesar salads with sea kelp instead of anchovies, and burgers made of sunflower and flaxseed meal.

Can this trend take hold overseas? World-class restaurants were investigated in Paris. In this city it was found that obesity was on the rise - diners were indulging in force-fed duck livers. Britain, on the other hand, is actively engaging in organizing a raw-food chef-training course. Fifty participants have already booked. In parts of London, diners have shown an interest in raw food. Herbed cashew cheese anyone? (Newsweek, July 21, 2003)

Herbs at Their Best

Too many people are spoiling their taste buds with too much salt on their food. Some people do not tolerate so much salt. People with high blood pressure, particularly, should restrict their salt consumption. There are other ways to add flavor to food. Try to use more herbs, as well as different kinds of vegetables and vegetable combinations. You can combine herbs and vegetables and prepare them in the skillet or in the wok. The more herbs you use, the less salt you will need or crave. Herbs give food greater flavor and require less salt for flavor enhancement. 

It is a good time to stock the freezer with herbs. If you have an organic garden, the herbs require little if any rinsing in cold water, particularly if you wait until a good shower has rinsed the herbs before you remove them from the garden. Some herbs which are excellent for freezing are rosemary, chives, parsley, tarragon, mint, dill, coriander, celery, lemon balm, and sage, as well as many more. It is quite easy to chop up the herbs, place them in small freezer bags, label them and date them. If you freeze the herbs right away, they retain their lovely colors and flavors and are easy to use when you need them. They also require less freezer space if they are chopped and then frozen. I freeze the stems of the parsley, coriander and dill in separate bags, as these are great in soups and sauces. You can place the stems in the soups and once the broth has been cooked, remove the stems, leaving a wonderful flavor in the soups. If you use the stems in sauces, mash them a little before putting them in the sauce, let the flavors blend for a while, then remove the stems. If you feel really ambitious, you can place the herbs in a little muslin bag, tie a string around the opening and place it in the soup. Simply remove the bag and herbs when the soup is ready and you do not have to remove any bits of herbs that may have settled in the soup. Coriander seeds and dill seeds are also very tasty. You can grind them with a pestle and mortar or in a small food processor. You can use an electric coffee grinder, then use a brush to remove the seeds, wipe out the coffee grinder before you put it away.

It is best to freeze your herbs before the frost hits them and while they are still very fresh and full of flavor. You can have wonderful food all winter with the fresh taste of summer herbs.