Enough Packing for a Trip

Both my husband and I have traveled the world, for business and leisure. Having a baby required some adjustments into our schedules, but not enough to stop us from enjoying new international experiences! Our son Lukas went to Australia with us when he was 8 months old, and then to Brazil at 11 months. We have also taken him to several domestic trips. Soon we are heading to Europe, and Brazil again. Before his first birthday his passport had already been stamped in a few continents.

The trips definitely required some serious preparation, and a lot more equipment! Good times when we used to travel with carry on luggage only. No more….well, it is really not that difficult. Gotta be organized!

Having an umbrella stroller has been very helpful to navigate through airports and destinations. Also, bringing some comfort food items, such as cereal or Cheerios, can be a huge plus while the little one is getting acquainted with different food. Lukas eats a lot of fruits and vegetables, which generally can be found anywhere. The food preparation is really the main difference.

Another item that has been very valuable is a diaper changing mat. I bought a large piece of fabric that is water proof on one side, and cushioned on the other. It has allowed us to change his diapers pretty much anywhere (see picture at a park in Sydney). Many countries lack the convenience of public restrooms’ changing tables. Sometimes the stalls are so small that you can barely fit yourself in there.

Through our trips I have compiled a helpful check list of items to pack for carry on and checked luggage. Some of my world traveler friends help me add to this list with their personal experiences too. You can find the check list posted on the section “Useful Links” in this website.

I think that exposing your kids to other cultures is one of the best experiences you can provide. Even though they might not remember the actual trip in the future, some key learnings will stay with them forever.

Relax, be flexible, and enjoy the trip!

Making your Own Toys

Young kids love playing with different materials. That is a great opportunity to develop their creativity, and teach them their first lessons about renewable resources!

Large boxes, fabric, non-toxic glue and paint are ideal elements to have fun with. Ok, I’m far from being creative in arts with my hands, but just the experience is already worth it! A large box, cut on both sides can turn into a fun tunnel! A long and colored piece of fabric with different patterns becomes a little play field. An empty plastic container with coins inside can make interesting noises. Even a bunch of nylon sponges with different colors may turn into a puppet, which all toddlers love to play with!

Learning how to transform materials into creative pieces is a great skill to have for life. Wait until they are teenagers to buy them elaborate gifts, when they are definitely more demanding. Toddlers have fun with anything different that allows them to explorer forms and colors

Veganizing the Food Network

I know, there's no vegan show on the Food Network. *Sob* Yet. Contact the Food Network and politely suggest they add a vegan cooking show. Starbucks recently altered their menu to reflect customer feedback, and with no vegan options new on the menu, there was clearly not enough momentum on their My Starbucks Idea site. Let's band together for positive change, fellow armchair activists!

But back to the Food Network. Since going from lacto-ovo vegetarianism to veganism, I still find inspiration regularly on the channel. Overall, their chefs use fresh ingredients in most of their cooking, and I love the challenge of seeing what I can veganize. It's often easier than you think!

The first peaches hit Old Hook Farm, and I'm already dreaming of Nigella Lawson's luscious Peach Melba. Simply substitute dairy ice cream with soy (I use Trader Joe's vanilla). Don't want to use that many raspberries for her sauce? Just let some raspberry sorbet liquefy and substitute that instead. So simple. You can even skip the vanilla pod if you don't have it on hand.

Ina Garten, a.k.a. Barefoot Contessa, was inspired to make her Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette after eating a similar dish in a bistro in Paris. Just leave off the cheese, and it's vegan. She finished the meal, eaten al fresco on her porch, with an apple tart. Veganize instead the classic French Tarte Tatine.

I praise Jamie Oliver for exposing cruel conditions the animals people eat live in to his countrymen in the UK, all so many can gorge themselves on nutrition-poor, cheap food choices. No, he's not a vegetarian, but how many chefs in America have gone on national television to talk about baby chickens being macerated, or gestation crates for pigs? Zero. Watch parts of Jamie's Fowl Dinners here. Veganize Jamie's Pappardelle with Mixed Wild Mushrooms by omitting the dairy.

Doesn't Rachael Ray's Mediterranean Eggplant Steaks and Orzo Salad with Walnuts, Oregano and Tomatoes sound yumm-o? Just hold the cheese.

I'll skip Sandra Lee. What's with those wacky over-done tablescapes at the end of every show? I can't imagine the carbon footprint of all the items she loads up on at the craft store (most of which are likely coming from China). And did you ever notice the color coordination of her KitchenAid with the rest of her kitchen decorations?

One Food Network creation I won't be attempting to veganize: Paula Deen's Fried Butter Balls. Don't try this at home, kids, unless you have a cardiologist on stand-by!

A Book, Bubble Tea and Sympathy

So. As the title indicates, I am going to share three things with you.

The book: put in simplest terms, it's wonderful. I just finished it. Anyone interested in food or cooking should race right out and buy it. Saying it is merely a book about a cooking class is a gross understatement. It's a book about understanding food and how it's cooked. It's enticing. It's charming. It's sensual. It is NOT a book of recipes. And it's a lovely story about everyday people who share a love of cooking coming together with all their individual problems. You'll adore it. After you read it, pass it on to a foodie friend. Maybe even someone who isn't. Buy it for a Christmas or birthday gift. The name? The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister.



The sympathy? I am going to take a short break from my blogging to have a hip replacement. Not something I am looking forward to, but as everyone informs me- ad nauseum- it's better than a knee. (Which doesn't give me much comfort, but fine.) And remind me never to say this to anyone else who is having a hip replaced. It's annoying. It makes you feel as though you will be the dunce of the class if you are not up and walking without aid in a week and driving in three weeks. Sans pain. Oh well, hopefully I will be back sooner than I expect, cooking, writing and reading about your cooking experiences.

Which brings me to the third item: Bubble Tea. I think the best thing about cooking, cookbooks, cooking blogs and cooking shows is you never stop learning. Every day there is an unfamiliar recipe, a little known ingredient, a remake of an old favorite- you never know what's coming next. And so it is with this unique and delicious recipe called Strawberry Basil Bubble Tea.

Have you ever heard of Bubble Tea? I bet those of you who live on the west coast have. How best to describe it? It's part drink, part dessert snack and all fun! It's non-alcoholic, non-carbonated and sweet, although it has much less sugar than a typical soft drink. The unique ingredient in Bubble Tea is the large tapioca pearl, which has a consistency of gummy candy. Being heavier than the drink, they tend to always stay near the bottom of the glass. These drinks are served in see-through glasses with an extra wide straw to slurp up the tapioca pearls.

The Bubble Tea craze has been huge in Taiwan and other parts of Southeast Asia for 15 years or so. The original Bubble Tea consisted of a hot mixture of Taiwanese black tea, brown large pearl tapioca, condensed milk and honey. Iced versions appeared soon and then along came green Bubble Tea which uses jasmine-infused green tea instead of black tea. Peach or plum flavoring began to appear, then more flavors were added. Flavors may be added in the form of powder, fruit juice, pulp or syrup, then add to the hot black or green tea, shake or blend with ice until chilled. Cooked tapioca pearls are added at the end.

Much to my surprise, the most recent issue of Veranda magazine had a Bubble Tea recipe in its excellent, albeit small, cooking section. It jumped right off the page at me and I couldn't resist trying it.

First, find the straws: specially made fat ones so you can suck up the tapioca pearls. Which does not sound enormously appealing at first, but turned out to be fun.




Then find the large pearl tapioca; I couldn't find anything but small pearl around here so I mail-ordered it.



Now the strawberry purée might have been a problem but I had ordered three purées from The Perfect Purée Company in California and one of them was strawberry. The magazine says you can find this item at speciality stores, but I can't find it here. (I bet you could improvise here with no problem.)


So, with all the ingredients lined up, I made my first Bubble Tea. It was refreshing, delightful, unusual and I can't wait to serve it to company. I was floored when I tasted this recipe- I loved the flavors. And now that I have the big straws- such fun- everyone will want to take some home. Thank God they come in enormous packages.



Strawberry Basil Bubble Tea
(Adapted from Veranda Magazine, July/August 2009)

Make a simple syrup: 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup sugar. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and cool completely.

For the Bubble Tea:

Ingredients:
1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
1/8 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup fresh mint
3/4 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon brewed, iced tea ( I used pomegranate flavored tea; use any you like but the original recipe called for passion fruit tea.)
1/2 cup simple syrup (see above)
1/4 cup frozen, prepared strawberry purée, thawed (available at specialty stores)
1/2 cup large tapioca pearls, cooked per instructions on the box

Method:
Puree fresh strawberries and strain through a fine sieve. Pour 1/2 cup of this purée into a small shallow container and freeze to make granité.

Using a mortar and pestle, combine basil, mint, sugar and 1 tablespoon of iced tea to make a syrupy paste.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the remaining purée, basil-mint mixture, the remaining iced tea, simple syrup and the thawed, prepared purée. Chill at least 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve: fill the bottom of each glass with 1 tablespoon of the cooked large pearl tapioca. Top with the strawberry- basil tea mixture to about 1/2 inch from the rim of the glass. With a spoon scrape the granité and place on top. Add a mint garnish and serve with a wide-gauge straw. (Available at tentea.com or bobateadirect.com.)

Serves 6-8 as a pre-dessert or 4 as a dessert.

Happy Independence Day

It's the Fourth of July, can you believe it? Many of us may not always agree with the course the nation and its people are following. "Jefferson, I think we're lost," Michael Stipe declared in R.E.M.'s Little America. I'm not sure if he referred to that Jefferson, but I like to think he did. But our country's independence, and our freedom to protest for a better America for all its inhabitants (including animals), is worth celebrating.

That said, I am hours away from devouring a veggie burger smothered in vegan cheese hot off my parents' grill. Mango lemonade, carrot salad, corn on the cob and Trader Joe's soy cherry chip ice cream are all on the menu. I cannot wait!

Enjoy the simple pleasures of summer. Gazing at fireflies. Taking in the sweet smell of honeysuckle. Sipping lemonade in the sun. Eating watermelon.

As Tori Amos reflects in her haunting song "Gold Dust,"

"How did it go so fast, you'll say as we are looking back, and then we'll understand, we held gold dust in our hands."

Salsa y Salsa: Again! But So Good!

I know, I was just there...but Mayor Bloomberg called and pleaded with me to help keep the restaurant economy afloat in New York City!

A rain storm hit shortly after getting a table inside. No al fresco dining that day.

Sheltered from the rain, I enjoyed a virgin pineapple margarita, $6, along with "pepitas," roasted pumpkin seeds with ancho chili, cumin and cayenne pepper, $1.95. Two paws up for both! I don't miss the alcohol in margaritas, and it saves a few dollars, always a good thing.

Off of their lunch specials, I ordered the vegetarian tacos with pico de gallo, hold the queso, por favor, $8.95. Delicioso!

Canine-envy kicked in when I spotted six doggies across the street. As much as I'm fascinated by people watching, I love dog-watching!

Salsa y Salsa, 206 Seventh Ave. (at 22nd St.), New York City.

Johnson & Johnson Buys £610 million Elan stake

BOSTON (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has agreed to pay $1 billion (610 million pounds) for an 18.4% stake in Irish drugmaker Elan Corp , and will acquire a major stake in Elan's portfolio of experimental drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease.

The transaction, announced on Thursday, will, among other things, give Johnson & Johnson (J&J) a 25% interest in a closely watched Alzheimer's drug called bapineuzumab, which Elan is developing in a 50-50 partnership with Wyeth. Wyeth is being acquired by Pfizer .

The agreement caps a lengthy battle between Elan and some of its largest shareholders, who had called on Elan to shake up its board, streamline operations and tighten what they considered lax corporate governance.

Last month, the company agreed to nominate 2 dissidents to its board, including Jack Schuler, a shareholder who publicly called for the resignation of Elan's chief executive, Kelly Martin.

As a potential board member, Schuler declined to discuss the J&J transaction, but another of Elan's previous critics welcomed it.

"We are encouraged by this deal," said Matt Strobeck, partner at Westfield Capital Management Co, which holds 18.8 million Elan shares. "Now not only is the balance sheet strengthened but we believe the board has been dramatically improved."

Elan said it plans to use the new funds to cut its debt by 70% to about $400 million. Moody's Investors Service said it has placed Elan's ratings under review for a possible upgrade.

"The transaction is expected to have a very favourable impact on Elan's capital structure and liquidity profile," said Moody's Senior Vice President Michael Levesque.

On the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, Elan closed up 8.6% at $7.60 and J&J fell 1.9% to $55.98.

For New Brunswick, New Jersey-based J&J, the deal represents a leap into a therapeutic area in which it has only a limited presence.

J&J sells Reminyl, which is in the same class of medicines as Pfizer Inc's best-selling Aricept treatment for Alzheimer's disease. But the drugs, which block an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase, only slightly improve cognition and for a very brief period.

Combined U.S. sales of all Alzheimer's drugs rose to $3.4 billion last year, according to market research firm IMS Health, but analysts believe revenue could explode if new medicines can appreciably slow damage to the brain and memory.

"J&J has a much better chance to make bapineuzumab successful than Elan because it has the resources to conduct trials and distribute it," said David Katz of asset manager Matrix Asset Advisors. "And from a patient perspective, to have J&J involved is a good thing."

But the bet on bapineuzumab is risky.

Some analysts have all but written the drug off after a mid-stage trial showed that while it helped some patients with a certain genetic profile, it raised the risk of potentially serious side effects in the brain.

For J&J, which sells an array of products ranging from Band-Aids to arthritis drug Remicade, the potential warrants the risk.

"The fact that this drug may have potential to delay disease progression, we believe is significant," said company spokesman Srikant Ramaswami.

Elan and Wyeth remain committed to the drug, which is Elan's most advanced product. But under the transaction with J&J, Elan will receive 25 percent of any profit instead of the 50% it would have received previously.

That is because J&J and Elan plan to form a new company, which will be 50.1% owned by J&J and 49.9% owned by Elan. J&J will contribute an initial $500 million to the venture. Elan will contribute its Alzheimer's immunotherapy program.

"Elan loses control of one of its babies but they have a stake in it once it gets to market so they will get their due returns for the work they have put in," said Ian Hunter, an analyst with Dublin-based Goodbody Stockbrokers.

Elan said the new entity will be governed by a seven-person board. The 5 members will come from J&J.

As many as 5 million Americans are believed to have Alzheimer's disease, a progressive neurological condition associated with ageing.

The deal adds to Elan's complicated series of partnerships. Its main product is the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri, which it markets together with U.S. biotechnology company Biogen Idec Inc .

Elan said it has no intention of selling any part of Tysabri. Naomi Aoki, a spokeswoman for Biogen, said J&J's entry will make no difference to its partnership with Elan.

J&J said the transaction would dilute its adjusted earnings in 2009 by between 2 and 3 cents a share.

Elan said it'll update its financial guidance on its next earnings call, but it expects to be profitable on a pretax basis by the end of 2010.

source: http://news.stv.tv/business/106454-jj-buys-1-billion-stake-in-elan/