What Foods are Aphrodisiacs?

This isn't a joke, it's a review of what others have claimed and what a doctor and a noted chef did when asked to cook with aphrodisiacs. 

Is Buying Food in Bulk Cheaper?

A great question, deserving of more analysis than a simple yes/no, so check out this post, which goes into some of the pros and cons of buying in bulk.

Tomato Sauce

Q - I had terrific homemade lasagna the other night and I'd like to know how to make a simple but good red sauce so I can make it myself. Can you help?

A - My favorite simple "red sauce" (tomato-based, Italian-style sauce) is made from just canned tomatoes, tomato paste, a bit of olive oil, a lot of garlic and a couple of spices. Total cost of ingredients is under $5 for a batch that will make lasagna or pasta sauce for 4-6 people. Here's how it goes:

1. Open 1-12 ounce can of tomato paste ( or 2-6 ounce cans) and 1-28 ounce can of peeled tomatoes.
2. Peel a lot of garlic - between half the cloves in a pod of garlic and all the cloves in the pod.  including the juice of the tomatoes.  I use about a half of a decent-sized pod of garlic. Some people love garlic more than I do, so if you're one of the garlic lovers of the world, go to town, as long as everyone you're going to kiss or talk to after eating the sauce has also indulged.
3. Put about 1 tablespoon of olive in a medium-sized pot.  and turn the heat on under the pot to medium, so that the oil gets hot.  (If the oil starts to smoke. the heat is too high.)
4. Press the peeled garlic or cut it into very, very tiny pieces (called minced garlic) into the pot and cook it for 2-3 minutes until it is soft, but not browned.
5. Add the tomato paste, the tomatoes and their juice, plus about 10 fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of crushed thyme and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed basil leaves. Pierce the tomatoes with a knife or fork, so the juice inside melds with the other liquid in the pot.  Bring the sauce to a low boil (not crazy bubbles, just a few around the edges and beginning to bubble in the middle.) Turn the heat to low, partially cover the pot and cook for 1 hour.
6. After an hour, taste the sauce to see if it has the right amount of spices - if it tastes good, you're done! If it does not seem adequately spiced for your taste, ask a friend to taste it because sometimes if you're smelling those delicious aromas, you may become less sensitive to the flavors of your cooking. If your friend agrees that it needs more spices, add a bit more thyme and basil and let it cook another 15 minutes to incorporate that extra spice.

Hints - The three secrets of this sauce are the fennel seeds (not too many or your sauce will taste like licorice), slow cooking on low heat, and good quality tomatoes. I like imported canned tomato brands like Bellino and Cento because I think they have better consistency and taste richer to me than the "ordinary" brands. Also, they have much nicer labels. They tend to be more expensive, so I buy them on sale and stock up for later use.  But taste is personal and you may well opt for less expensive brands and be just fine. Cooks Illustrated did a canned tomato taste test in 2005 with a variety of US-grown and imported canned tomatoes and found that tasters preferred the two good 'ole American brands, Red Pack and Hunts. Go figure - or more to the point, go with your taste buds.

Eggs - What size to buy?

Q - I have a recipe that calls for eggs, but does not specify the size. I noticed that eggs are sold in various sizes. What size eggs should I buy?

A - Eggs sold in most grocery stores are sized as jumbo, extra large, large, and medium.  There are also small and even "peewee" sizes, but they are not as commonly found in stores. If your recipe does not specify which size to use, the safest bet is "large" - the size commonly used for baking.

Eggs - Are they fresh enough to use?

Q - I have eggs that have been in my refrigerator for a while. How do I know if they are still fresh enough to use?

A - Eggs sold in grocery stores have a "Best By" date printed on the side of the egg carton. Eggs that have been refrigerated in their carton can be used for 4-5 weeks beyond this date. Eggs should be kept refrigerated at a temperature no higher than 40 degrees F (typical refrigerator temperature) and should be stored in their closed cardboard container, not in an open plastic egg tray. If you have any doubt whether an egg is still OK to use or eat, crack it into a bowl (separate from whatever else you are cooking) and smell it - if it's bad, you'll know it. Ever heard the phrase "smells like rotten eggs?"