Blog | Gotta Eat, Can't Cook

Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

July 16th, 2014

Blog

Comments Off

What the Tour Teaches About Mountains to Climb – Not Always on the Bike

I just saw this terrifically dead-on quote on the back of a special edition issue of Scientific American dedicated to cardiovascular disease.

Here’s how that quote applies to a slice of life while the Tour de France is underway. Like any sport that pits man – or woman – against tough obstacles, I look at cycling as a metaphor for life. Today, the men of the Tour de France head into the Alps from Besancon to Oyonnax. It’ll be tough – with lots of climbing and focused effort on winning. Yes, painful. But, at the same time, great!

Today, I’ll climb a different kind of mountain: visiting Massachusetts State Representatives to continue to advocate moving forward a unified effort among MASS (Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents), MASC (Massachusetts Association of School Committees) and MASBO (Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials) to effect positive change in education with precious little time remaining in the current legislative session that ends July 31st.

Here’s an outline of the situation.

The big picture:

Today’s education = tomorrow’s economy
30% of our population is engaged in education
A better educated workforce = stronger tax base

The problem:

Our schools are currently overwhelmed by mandated regulations and reporting requirements that distract attention and divert resources needed to provide students with the content and skills they need to succeed in a highly competitive global economy

Evidence:

Massachusetts leads the nation in education but is ranked 4th in reading, 10th in math, and 7th in science internationally (PISA 2012)
Excessive bureaucracy is driving valuably skilled teachers and administrators away from education

The solution:

Make sense of mandates and regulations to take a first positive step toward helping our schools provide the education our students need to compete globally

Action:

We’re asking that state legislators make a specific bill, H.3722 (An Act to establish an education mandate task force), a priority for enactment this legislative session.

Just like the Tour, the effort above is not about one person at all. It’s about a team effort – and it will be fun!

July 15th, 2014

Blog, Breakfast, Cycling, Cycling Food, Fruit Pancakes, Pancakes

Comments Off

Cherry Pancake on Top of a Tour Rest Day – All in Pictures

Another gutsy come-from-behind win by Team Astana’s Vincenzo Nibali on stage 10 from Mulhouse to the top of La Planche des Belles Filles in the Vosges mountains. And, though the sun did come out after another incredibly wet day, the road and the weather took another leading contender, Alberto Contador, out of the race.

It’s a rude understatement to say the men of the Tour deserve a day’s rest. Here’s a cherry pancake to make that rest sweeter – or to add fantastically flavorful variety to your breakfast.

July 14th, 2014

Blog, Breakfast, Cycling, Pancakes

Comments Off

Bastille Day Mis-Fire-Works – And Living to Tell About It

Here’s what a picture-perfect start to stage 10 of the Tour de France on Bastille Day – complete even with some kinda’ “smoke’s on!” fireworks on the side of the road – and a very fresh and flavorful breakfast looked like this morning.

July 12th, 2014

Bar Drinks, Blog, Special Recipes

Comments Off

Tour de France Stage 6 & Wine and Gin Citrus Chill

The tour ripped on from Epernay to Nancy in Northern France yesterday during the second longest stage of the Tour this year. Here’s a drink that – ok, it’s a stretch – commemorates the unified England and France flavor of the Tour: wine and gin citrus chill.

July 11th, 2014

Blog, Breakfast, Cycling, Cycling Food, French Toast

Comments Off

Wake Up to the Tour with Pan Cooked French Toast and a Choice of Toppings – All in Pictures

The Tour on TV and the smell of butter, eggs, bread, and a good shot of ground cinnamon cooking in the frying pan! Click either the picture above or directly below for a complete, easy to follow step-by-step picture book recipe.

As for toppings, sure, you can use traditional maple syrup.

But just click any of the pictures below for picture book recipes that show how to put together very easy and terrifically flavorful alternative toppings. As always, what you see in those recipes works fine but is just intended to fire up your imagination. Try something different and make it all yours!

July 10th, 2014

Blog, Breakfast, Cycling Food, Special Recipes

Comments Off

Cobble Destroyed Tour de France Day & Crepes Made Easy – All in Pictures

What an incredibly tough and destructive day on the cobblestones in the dreaded stage 5 of the Tour de France yesterday between Ypres and Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, still in Northern France. Congratulations to Dutchman Lars Boom (great name!) for destroying a field of tough, tough men and winning today’s stage!

Just one word about the whole event today – and I’m 3000 miles away: “OUCH!” Another few words: cobblestones are part of classic road pavement history – and should be permanent history as far as pro cycle racing is concerned. Too many of the world’s best athletes got smoked today, including last year’s Tour winner Chris Froome, on history’s pavement relics.

July 9th, 2014

Blog, Cycling Food, Special Recipes

Comments Off

Baguette Full-On – All French and All Fun!

Another stunning win by Marcel Kittel – hey, the guy’s won three of the first four stages of the Tour – with incredible strength and speed. And this was the first stage (section) of this year’s Tour in France from Le Touquet-Paris-Plage to Lille Metropole. Terrific!

All right! The Tour’s now in France. So how ’bout something, well, simply French?

July 8th, 2014

Bar Drinks, Blog, Breakfast, Cycling Food, Drinks, Special Recipes

Comments Off

Tour de France Yorkshire Pudding Ideas – In Pictures

Yorkshire Pudding Ideas Montage Right now, here in this post, we’re pausing – just briefly – with a refreshingly crisp Tom Collins toast to a terrific 3-day Tour de France start in England with a crunching win – again – by Marcel Kittel in London yesterday. And now, on to Le Touquet-Paris-Plage to Lille Metropole in France and Belgium

On the food side of life, it’s been a real thrill finding ways to use both the traditional savory version of Yorkshire pudding and an improvised breakfast version – that I’ve enjoyed everyday since this past Friday. Read more »

July 7th, 2014

Bar Drinks, Blog

Comments Off

Tom Collins Toast to a Great British Tour de France Start – All in Pictures

Inspirationally strong, gutsy rip-from-the-break-a mile-from-the-finish-line win by freshly crowned Italian National Cycling Champ Vincenzo Nibali in yesterday’s grueling climb and descent 2nd stage of the Tour de France from York to Sheffield.

Today, the men ride from Cambridge to London in the 3rd and final stage of this year’s Tour on British roads. So, how ’bout a refreshingly appropriate toast to a blaze-fast Tour start and incredibly enthusiastic fan support with an unmistakably British cocktail favorite, the Tom Collins, which is just as quick and easy to make as fresh lemon or limeade.

June 30th, 2014

Blog, Breakfast, Cycling Food, Eggs

Comments Off

Scrambled Eggs with Sausage, Bell Pepper and Cheese – All in Pictures

This full-on flavor recipe combines the protein power of eggs and sausage, fresh zest of red bell pepper and shallots and richness of Parmesan cheese – all in one pan.

As mentioned in other scrambled egg recipes here, adding just a small amount of salt to the eggs before cooking them not only enhances scrambled egg flavor, it also ensures the eggs will turn out soft and tender. Eggs cooked without salt tend to be tough and rubbery as shown in the comparison pictures below.