Tag: PVC Hose
The Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) has asked the State Bank of Viet Nam to provide loans in foreign currency to seafood exporters according to Tran Thien Hai, chairman of VASEP. Under Decision 09/2008/QD-NHNN, the State bank does not provide any loans for such exporters. Interest rates on loans in Vietnamese dong are 19 per cent a year while the rates on foreign currency are 6.5-7 per cent a year. Twin electronics expos to be held in HCM City HCM CITY — The 12th International Exhibition in Viet Nam for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Vietnam Telecomp 2008) and the International Exhibition in Viet Nam for Electronics Products 2008 (Vietnam Electronics 2008) will be held in tandem from November 26-29 at the HCM City International Exhibition and Convention Centre (HIECC). The twin expo is expected to occupy an exhibition area of over 6,000sq.m, with 178 exhibitors from 17 countries and territories participating. Featured products likely to catch the industry’s attention include third-generation networking (3G), satellite technology, electronic components and accessories, and home entertainment and appliances. SaraWindow launches new products BAC NINH — The SaraWindow factory located in the Tien Son Industrial Zone, in the northern province of Bac Ninh, has officially launched a new line products made of u-PVC, a type of plastic incorporating a steel core, produced to meet the quality-control standards of European technology. SaraWindow produces doors and windows. SaraWindow operates two other factories in Viet Nam, one in the Nam Cam and the other in the My Phuoc 5 Industrial Zone, which are situated in the central province of Nghe An and the southern province of Binh Duong, respectively. These factories represent a combined capital of US$20 million. Each factory occupies a 30,000sq.m site and has an annual production capacity of 130,000 units. Builder/developer expects sharp rise in 2008 profits HCM CITY — The Lu Gia Mechanical Electric Company planned to earn a net revenue of VND120 billion (US$7.5 million) this year, a year-on-year increase of 56.4 per cent, resulting in an after-tax profit of VND30 billion and allowing a dividend payment ratio of 17 per cent. The company plans to raise its charter capital to VND80 billion from VND30 billion by issuing an additional 5 million shares. The Lu Gia Company will sell 4.5 million of those shares to existing shareholders at a ratio of 1:1.5, 150,000 to its staff and the rest to strategic partners, all at the same price of VND15,000 per share. The total capital after issuance will be invested into a Lu Gia apartment-building development project. Gemadept puts $18.7million into new subsidiary HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Investment and Planning granted a licence to develop the Sai Gon Commodity and Service Joint Stock Co (SCSC) with an initial charter capital of VND300 billion (US$18.7 million). The company, founded by Gemadept Joint Stock Company with a capital contribution ratio of 23 per cent, will trade in a range of commodites, including oil and gas, transport, and real estate.
2008年5月14日星期三
Season Opener Heats up Cool Night at AMS
Tag: IQF Green Bean
The Angola Dental Center presented the 2008 Season opener on Saturday at the Angola Motor Speedway. Windy City Bags held a benefit bean bag toss tournament for Kedrin Holliday, a driver whose wife recently received a bone marrow transplant. $230 will be donated to the Holliday Family, a big thanks to Windy City Bags and all the fans who participated. After a long winter, drivers and fans alike were ready for another exciting season of racing. The Budweiser Super Late Models took to the track first for their 35 lap feature event. Joe Ellert started on the pole but was challenged early and often. Evan Barrett got alongside Ellert on lap 4 but lost control and spun out in turn 2. That gave Jack Landis his chance at Ellert and he took the lead on lap 6. Landis pulled away from the field for an exciting win and a cruise into Tri State Line-X Victory Lane, while Jeff Parr and fast qualifier Brent Jack battled side by side for second. Parr held on for a second place finish with Jack, Scott Hantz and Mike Kugler rounding out the top 5. Heat race winners were Jason Shively and Ellert. Next, on the track were the Superior Auto Modifieds and after several early cautions the racing really got going. Darwin Wolfe started up front and looked like he might be able to run away with the win. Fast qualifier Brad Springer worked his way from deep in the field to get right behind Wolfe on Lap 20. After a great battle Springer finally got around Wolfe on lap 25 and pulled away for the win. Wolfe, Jason Dietsch, Steve Minich Jr and a charging Jason Timmerman all brought home top 5 finishes. Wolfe and Dietsch both collected heat victories. Robby Henderson jumped out to the early lead in the Jonny on the Spot Street Stocks feature event, but fast qualifier Tom Little was closing fast. Little got alongside Henderson on lap 11 but the two got together sending Little to the pits with a flat tire. A Green White Checker finish made for a great finish as Justin Oberlin gave Henderson everything he had coming to the checkers. Henderson held on for the win with Oberlin second in his first night in a Street Stock, Brent Dirrim third, Bob Thompson fourth and Jacob Mann fifth. Henderson and Oberlin took home heat wins. Jerry Slone set a new track record for the Smith Enterprises Mini Stocks with a qualifying lap of 17.296 seconds. Starting in the back with a full field inversion Slone had to work hard to get to the front but finally got around Zac Sipe with a few laps to go to take home the checkers. The rest of the top five were Sipe, Rookie Logan Parker, Jimmy Musser, and Clif Bennett. Heat wins went to Sipe and Charlie Beattie. Next Saturday Night Tri State Line-X and WLKI 100.3 will present the Short Track Trucks.com Challenge Series along with the Budweiser Super Late Models, Superior Auto Modifieds, Jonny on the Spot Street Stocks, and Smith Enterprises Mini Stocks. Practice at 4:30, Time Trials at 6:00, and racing at 7:30. Don’t forget about the famous AMS Dollar Menu including $1 FAYGO sodas!
The Angola Dental Center presented the 2008 Season opener on Saturday at the Angola Motor Speedway. Windy City Bags held a benefit bean bag toss tournament for Kedrin Holliday, a driver whose wife recently received a bone marrow transplant. $230 will be donated to the Holliday Family, a big thanks to Windy City Bags and all the fans who participated. After a long winter, drivers and fans alike were ready for another exciting season of racing. The Budweiser Super Late Models took to the track first for their 35 lap feature event. Joe Ellert started on the pole but was challenged early and often. Evan Barrett got alongside Ellert on lap 4 but lost control and spun out in turn 2. That gave Jack Landis his chance at Ellert and he took the lead on lap 6. Landis pulled away from the field for an exciting win and a cruise into Tri State Line-X Victory Lane, while Jeff Parr and fast qualifier Brent Jack battled side by side for second. Parr held on for a second place finish with Jack, Scott Hantz and Mike Kugler rounding out the top 5. Heat race winners were Jason Shively and Ellert. Next, on the track were the Superior Auto Modifieds and after several early cautions the racing really got going. Darwin Wolfe started up front and looked like he might be able to run away with the win. Fast qualifier Brad Springer worked his way from deep in the field to get right behind Wolfe on Lap 20. After a great battle Springer finally got around Wolfe on lap 25 and pulled away for the win. Wolfe, Jason Dietsch, Steve Minich Jr and a charging Jason Timmerman all brought home top 5 finishes. Wolfe and Dietsch both collected heat victories. Robby Henderson jumped out to the early lead in the Jonny on the Spot Street Stocks feature event, but fast qualifier Tom Little was closing fast. Little got alongside Henderson on lap 11 but the two got together sending Little to the pits with a flat tire. A Green White Checker finish made for a great finish as Justin Oberlin gave Henderson everything he had coming to the checkers. Henderson held on for the win with Oberlin second in his first night in a Street Stock, Brent Dirrim third, Bob Thompson fourth and Jacob Mann fifth. Henderson and Oberlin took home heat wins. Jerry Slone set a new track record for the Smith Enterprises Mini Stocks with a qualifying lap of 17.296 seconds. Starting in the back with a full field inversion Slone had to work hard to get to the front but finally got around Zac Sipe with a few laps to go to take home the checkers. The rest of the top five were Sipe, Rookie Logan Parker, Jimmy Musser, and Clif Bennett. Heat wins went to Sipe and Charlie Beattie. Next Saturday Night Tri State Line-X and WLKI 100.3 will present the Short Track Trucks.com Challenge Series along with the Budweiser Super Late Models, Superior Auto Modifieds, Jonny on the Spot Street Stocks, and Smith Enterprises Mini Stocks. Practice at 4:30, Time Trials at 6:00, and racing at 7:30. Don’t forget about the famous AMS Dollar Menu including $1 FAYGO sodas!
Comforting foods to help forget the cold winter
Tag: Onion Slice
Spring is in the air and here are some comforting foods to welcome in the new season while warding off last winter's chill. In large pot, put 3-l4 oz. containers of chicken broth, bring to a boil, and stir in 3 tab. orzo pasta, reduce heat and cook just until tender. Stir in l l/2 cups of sliced zucchini, 4 green onions sliced, cook l minute. Add l-8 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast thinly sliced, reduce heat and simmer until cooked through then add l/2 cup frozen peas. Remove from heat and stir in l tab. of lemon juice, l tab. finely chopped parsley and some green onion tails chopped finely. Serves 6 at 82 calories per serving. HEART HEALTHY TENDER BAKED SALMON FILLET Preheat oven to 400. Place 24-inch piece of heavy duty foil on baking sheet with sides, allowing edges to hang over sides. Place 2 lb. of salmon fillet, skin removed in the centre of the foil, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. With a sharp knife, thinly slice 3 small plum tomatoes, and l medium red sweet onion. Advertisement Remove basil leaves from l bunch of fresh basil and wash well. Arrange tomato slices and onion slices as well as the basil leaves on the salmon fillet. Bring edges of foil together over top of fish then seal well by rolling tightly and crimping foil. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. To check carefully, open package if necessary and reseal and continue to cook until fish is done.
Spring is in the air and here are some comforting foods to welcome in the new season while warding off last winter's chill. In large pot, put 3-l4 oz. containers of chicken broth, bring to a boil, and stir in 3 tab. orzo pasta, reduce heat and cook just until tender. Stir in l l/2 cups of sliced zucchini, 4 green onions sliced, cook l minute. Add l-8 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast thinly sliced, reduce heat and simmer until cooked through then add l/2 cup frozen peas. Remove from heat and stir in l tab. of lemon juice, l tab. finely chopped parsley and some green onion tails chopped finely. Serves 6 at 82 calories per serving. HEART HEALTHY TENDER BAKED SALMON FILLET Preheat oven to 400. Place 24-inch piece of heavy duty foil on baking sheet with sides, allowing edges to hang over sides. Place 2 lb. of salmon fillet, skin removed in the centre of the foil, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. With a sharp knife, thinly slice 3 small plum tomatoes, and l medium red sweet onion. Advertisement Remove basil leaves from l bunch of fresh basil and wash well. Arrange tomato slices and onion slices as well as the basil leaves on the salmon fillet. Bring edges of foil together over top of fish then seal well by rolling tightly and crimping foil. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. To check carefully, open package if necessary and reseal and continue to cook until fish is done.
Vigilantes deliver mob justice in Bihar
Tag: Bamboo Sticks
Ashok Sahni, who belonged to an extremely backward caste, was beaten to death for falling in love with a girl from a different community. He was one of over a dozen people lynched last month, a clear sign that mobs are rushing in to deliver "street justice." The state government’s failure to punish people involved in meting out such instant justice seems to be encouraging them. What’s more, people are being lynched over minor issues. Bihar, India’s second most populous state with 83 million people, has the dubious distinction of being the most crime-ridden as well. More than a dozen ganglords operate in different parts of the state. The semi-feudal society is bitterly divided along caste lines. Sahni, who was in his early 20s, was beaten to death with bamboo sticks and bricks by relatives of the girl in Sedukha Mananpur village in Samastipur district, about 80 km from here. He was attacked after being caught with the girl, police sources said. According to a police report lodged by his father, Sahni was beaten to death instead of being handed over authorities. In another case, a mentally challenged man was beaten to death by a mob in Gotkharik village in Bhagalpur district on charges of trying to administer injections to children. Police said some girl students told the villagers that a man was trying to lure them so that he could administer injections. A group of people attacked him with bamboo sticks, bricks and stones. He was seriously injured and fell unconscious. Some people took him to the house of a village council member. But before police could intervene, he was dragged out and beaten to death. Another man, Mithilesh Singh, was lynched for allegedly attempting to rape a 12-year-old girl in Kelbanni-Dahiyar village in Samastipur district. Singh was caught by the family members and thrashed to death. Nasib Paswan was fatally beaten by the family members of his wife for opposing her alleged extramarital relations in Bhojpur district. A teashop owner, Abdul Qayum, in his 40s, paid with his life for a delay in serving tea to a group of youths in Araria district. People these days justify the act of "street justice." "What is wrong in lynching a criminal or a man trying to outrage the modesty of a girl?" asked Ashok Singh, a businessman. Last year, over three dozen cases of lynching were reported. The worst incident occurred when 10 people from the underprivileged Kueri community were beaten to death over alleged theft. Later, an investigation found that the men were not thieves as the villagers had suspected.
Ashok Sahni, who belonged to an extremely backward caste, was beaten to death for falling in love with a girl from a different community. He was one of over a dozen people lynched last month, a clear sign that mobs are rushing in to deliver "street justice." The state government’s failure to punish people involved in meting out such instant justice seems to be encouraging them. What’s more, people are being lynched over minor issues. Bihar, India’s second most populous state with 83 million people, has the dubious distinction of being the most crime-ridden as well. More than a dozen ganglords operate in different parts of the state. The semi-feudal society is bitterly divided along caste lines. Sahni, who was in his early 20s, was beaten to death with bamboo sticks and bricks by relatives of the girl in Sedukha Mananpur village in Samastipur district, about 80 km from here. He was attacked after being caught with the girl, police sources said. According to a police report lodged by his father, Sahni was beaten to death instead of being handed over authorities. In another case, a mentally challenged man was beaten to death by a mob in Gotkharik village in Bhagalpur district on charges of trying to administer injections to children. Police said some girl students told the villagers that a man was trying to lure them so that he could administer injections. A group of people attacked him with bamboo sticks, bricks and stones. He was seriously injured and fell unconscious. Some people took him to the house of a village council member. But before police could intervene, he was dragged out and beaten to death. Another man, Mithilesh Singh, was lynched for allegedly attempting to rape a 12-year-old girl in Kelbanni-Dahiyar village in Samastipur district. Singh was caught by the family members and thrashed to death. Nasib Paswan was fatally beaten by the family members of his wife for opposing her alleged extramarital relations in Bhojpur district. A teashop owner, Abdul Qayum, in his 40s, paid with his life for a delay in serving tea to a group of youths in Araria district. People these days justify the act of "street justice." "What is wrong in lynching a criminal or a man trying to outrage the modesty of a girl?" asked Ashok Singh, a businessman. Last year, over three dozen cases of lynching were reported. The worst incident occurred when 10 people from the underprivileged Kueri community were beaten to death over alleged theft. Later, an investigation found that the men were not thieves as the villagers had suspected.
Floor grating items offered by FSM
Tag: Bar Grating
FSM (Food Service Machinery) offers a wide range of floor grating items. Floor grating items offered by FSM (Food Service Machinery) include Rollagrate Floor Grating from 100-200 mm width, 201-250 mm width, 251-300 mm width, up to 551-600 mm width. Food preparation products offered by FSM (Food Service Machinery) include drop in freezer, egg rings, food finisher, fry tools, grill tools, kebab shaver, mixer, potato chipper, sear tools, slicers and dicers, timers, toasters, vegetable peeling, vegetable washing and drying equipment. Silver King Drop-in Ice Cream Freezer offered by offered by FSM (Food Service Machinery) can be simply installed in any bench top or bar. Silver King Drop-in Ice Cream Freezer is available with stainless steel interior and coved corners for simple and quick cleaning. FSM (Food Service Machinery) also offers a wide range of food safety products. Food safety products offered by FSM (Food Service Machinery) include bandages, cross contamination, personal safety; sink sanitiser and time and temperature control products. FSM (Food Service Machinery) offers different types of cutting boards such as ‘San Jamar Board Mate’, ‘San Jamar Cut-N-Carry Quad Set Cutting Boards’ and ‘San Jamar Tuff-Cut Resin Cutting Board with Groove’. San Jamar Board Mate is a hold system that is located below cutting boards to avoid potentially hazardous slipping. It avoids cross contamination that can be caused by the un-safe wet-towel method.
FSM (Food Service Machinery) offers a wide range of floor grating items. Floor grating items offered by FSM (Food Service Machinery) include Rollagrate Floor Grating from 100-200 mm width, 201-250 mm width, 251-300 mm width, up to 551-600 mm width. Food preparation products offered by FSM (Food Service Machinery) include drop in freezer, egg rings, food finisher, fry tools, grill tools, kebab shaver, mixer, potato chipper, sear tools, slicers and dicers, timers, toasters, vegetable peeling, vegetable washing and drying equipment. Silver King Drop-in Ice Cream Freezer offered by offered by FSM (Food Service Machinery) can be simply installed in any bench top or bar. Silver King Drop-in Ice Cream Freezer is available with stainless steel interior and coved corners for simple and quick cleaning. FSM (Food Service Machinery) also offers a wide range of food safety products. Food safety products offered by FSM (Food Service Machinery) include bandages, cross contamination, personal safety; sink sanitiser and time and temperature control products. FSM (Food Service Machinery) offers different types of cutting boards such as ‘San Jamar Board Mate’, ‘San Jamar Cut-N-Carry Quad Set Cutting Boards’ and ‘San Jamar Tuff-Cut Resin Cutting Board with Groove’. San Jamar Board Mate is a hold system that is located below cutting boards to avoid potentially hazardous slipping. It avoids cross contamination that can be caused by the un-safe wet-towel method.
2008年5月12日星期一
Pest Sea Squirt Found At Marsden Cove
A ‘relatively abundant’ infestation of the unwanted marine sea squirt ‘Styela clava’ has been discovered during a routine sweep of the new Marsden Cove Marina by a dive team contracted to Biosecurity New Zealand. Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) advised the Northland Regional Council yesterday that about 40 Styela clava (or clubbed tunicate sea squirt) had been found during the 29 April survey, part of its national marine surveillance programme. The marine pest - widely established in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf – poses a threat to New Zealand’s aquaculture industry due to its ability to blanket oyster and mussel lines, suffocate growing shellfish and compete for food and space. Previous Styela finds in Northland have included Tutukaka and Opua but not Marsden Cove, a private marina near Marsden Pt aquaculture equipment . Don McKenzie, Biosecurity Team Leader for the Regional Council says according to MAFBNZ the sea squirt appears to be ‘relatively abundant’ at Marsden Cove. “They advise that about 40 sea squirt were seen during a roughly 60-metre swim around pontoons and on six out of 10 piles inspected at another site, mainly on the floating rings that allow the pontoons to ride up and down the piles with the tide.” He says the Regional Council has raised the issue of the delayed notification of the find with Biosecurity NZ and is keen to investigate removal of the sea squirt as soon as possible before it can spread any further. Urgent Regional Council investigations into how that might be achieved – and the likely costs - are underway. “Biosecurity NZ has already advised it will not help fund Styela eradication, although it is prepared to help train commercial divers to identify Styela and other marine pests in Northland as part of building education and awareness.” Mr McKenzie says MAFBNZ had also offered to advise the Regional Council on a survey to define the extent of the sea squirt’s spread at Marsden Cove. He says the NRC has advised Marsden Cove’s marina manager of the discovery and is urging boaties entering or leaving Northland waters to take steps to ensure they don’t spread the pest. These include: • Keeping boats free of bio-fouling like seaweed, barnacles and shellfish• Regularly cleaning a boat’s hull and equipment• Ensuring vessels are regularly treated with anti-fouling Mr McKenzie says Styela are usually club-shaped with a tough, leathery skin that varies from brownish-white, yellow-brown or reddish-brown and favour protected areas like bays and harbours away from wave action. “Its body is cylindrical, tapering to a stalk and it prefers to settle on hard surfaces, especially man-made ones. It’s usually seen on jetty and wharf pilings, on aquaculture structures and equipment, on ropes and lines, and on the hulls of infested vessels.” Adults grow up to 16cm long and the species establishes from the low tide mark, down to about 25m.
Dynamic effective price control with Decorator
There’s an interesting consequence of eCommerce on the Web: when companies use localised prices for different regions, it becomes transparently obvious that living in the UK (and the EU in general) is much more expensive than living in the US. So when I was looking at buying some software recently – available via download, involving no retail outlets or shipping – I was somewhat shocked by the price differential that we have to pay on our side of the pond. Of course, when calculating prices online, retailers often have to allow for many other factors such as local taxation rates, discounts for customers that are upgrading their software, promotional offers and reduced prices for educational customers. So I began to wonder how I might choose to implement a flexible pricing strategy in, say, an ASP.NET application. This article describes one approach using a standard Gang of Four (GoF) Design Pattern Extract Product . The important thing to note about this table is that the prices are held exclusively in US$. The code that reads the values from this table is not relevant to our discussion (and won’t be examined in this article). Suffice to say that an objective for the model is that we only need to maintain one product price table; not one per country. We now need some form of “shopping cart” object to hold the customers’ order information. Again, this code is kept deliberately simple as it’s not the focus of the article, so we have two classe .
Marketing milk as hormone-free hurtsconsumers and farmers
Tag: Cow Milking Machine
Michael Hansen and Rhonda Perry are guilty of the very violations they claim that lobbyists are committing in "Lobbyists try to keep milk information from consumer" (April 1). Under the guise of promoting consumers' "right to know what's in their food," they offer blatant misinformation on the subject. The claim that "there are significant changes in milk and dairy products produced with (recombinant bovine growth hormone)" simply is untrue. The facts: All cows have a natural protein (bST) that helps them produce milk. Some dairy farmers choose to supplement their cows' bST to boost milk production, helping to ensure a plentiful milk supply. Extensive studies have shown that milk from these cows is the same wholesome product consumers have enjoyed for generations. This has been affirmed and reaffirmed by the Food and Drug Administration, among other leading U.S. and international health organizations. Additionally, there is no test to determine if milk has been produced by a cow that has been treated with rbST or recombinant bovine growth hormone. A dairy farmer, who must sign an affidavit that he does not treat his cows with rbST, receives only a small percentage of the added premium that is charged the consumer. If other safe effective technologies are banned, what happens? The farmer gets no premium, and the consumer continues to pay more for milk. Ill-informed activists then can pick out another production practice they believe is detrimental to the cow and/or the consumer. Consider the milking machine. Some may think it's cruel to attach a machine to a cow, twice a day, every day. So, then we are left with hand-milking. The end result: an ever-shrinking milk supply and sky-high prices. I support labeling and telling the consumer the truth, including the facts about the content of the product they are going to purchase. Milk is milk, as it comes from the cow. However, the real truth is that pitting one milk against another is purely for the purpose of profit. This marketing ploy hardly protects consumers. It hurts them.
Michael Hansen and Rhonda Perry are guilty of the very violations they claim that lobbyists are committing in "Lobbyists try to keep milk information from consumer" (April 1). Under the guise of promoting consumers' "right to know what's in their food," they offer blatant misinformation on the subject. The claim that "there are significant changes in milk and dairy products produced with (recombinant bovine growth hormone)" simply is untrue. The facts: All cows have a natural protein (bST) that helps them produce milk. Some dairy farmers choose to supplement their cows' bST to boost milk production, helping to ensure a plentiful milk supply. Extensive studies have shown that milk from these cows is the same wholesome product consumers have enjoyed for generations. This has been affirmed and reaffirmed by the Food and Drug Administration, among other leading U.S. and international health organizations. Additionally, there is no test to determine if milk has been produced by a cow that has been treated with rbST or recombinant bovine growth hormone. A dairy farmer, who must sign an affidavit that he does not treat his cows with rbST, receives only a small percentage of the added premium that is charged the consumer. If other safe effective technologies are banned, what happens? The farmer gets no premium, and the consumer continues to pay more for milk. Ill-informed activists then can pick out another production practice they believe is detrimental to the cow and/or the consumer. Consider the milking machine. Some may think it's cruel to attach a machine to a cow, twice a day, every day. So, then we are left with hand-milking. The end result: an ever-shrinking milk supply and sky-high prices. I support labeling and telling the consumer the truth, including the facts about the content of the product they are going to purchase. Milk is milk, as it comes from the cow. However, the real truth is that pitting one milk against another is purely for the purpose of profit. This marketing ploy hardly protects consumers. It hurts them.
NDP wants WSIB program scrapped
Tag:carrot powder
The McGuinty government is being asked to scrap a controversial workplace insurance program that gave financial rewards to companies guilty of fatal safety violations. The New Democratic Party has put forward a motion, scheduled to be debated at Queen's Park next week, that also calls for an audit of the so-called "experience rating" program that critics claim entices companies to hide injuries and rush injured workers back on the job. An ongoing Star investigation recently found the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board has given millions of dollars in rebates to companies that have been prosecuted by another arm of the provincial government and ordered to pay fines. In many cases, the amount of the rebate far exceeded the value of the fine. The WSIB announced a year-long review of the program and labour groups called for the firing of its chair, Steve Mahoney. While Premier Dalton McGuinty called the Star's findings an "embarrassment" that needs to be fixed, he said Mahoney stays put. Mahoney yesterday said the NDP motion is "nothing more than grandstanding," and Liberal Labour Minister Brad Duguid dismissed it as unproductive posturing. "I think the NDP should keep their powder dry and wait until we get the facts," Mahoney said. "It's a little disappointing, frankly, and I don't know what purpose it will serve. We have already launched our own thorough examination." But NDP Leader Howard Hampton says he wants to know how much money went to undeserving companies, adding that he has no faith the McGuinty government will attempt to make any serious changes as part of the review already underway. The incentive program – known in WSIB circles as the "experience rating system" – began in 1985 to make companies safer by using a penalty-rebate ("carrot-stick") approach. The system looks at the "experience" of each company. Premiums are based largely on the expected cost of a company's claims for the year. If lower than projected, the company gets a rebate. How much lower determines the amount of the rebate. If a firm's insurance costs exceed expectations, it is hit with a surcharge. The program does not add any extra penalty when there is a death. Loss-time injuries – that is, injuries that cause a worker to miss at least one shift – can be more costly to a company than injuries that do not lead to lost time. Generally speaking, the longer a loss-time injury persists, the greater the cost under the experience rating program. Defenders of the system say it encourages most companies to make workplaces safer, and they underscore the ministry of labour's claim that loss-time injuries have gone down 20 per cent since 2004. But Hampton and others say the program's emphasis on the cost of loss-time injuries is creating an increasingly common problem: Companies coming up with degrading, meaningless jobs designed to prevent the injured worker from missing a shift. Rushing an injured worker back to work, they say, often makes the injury worse. "It's a widespread problem. I know from my own experience there are a number of significant industrial employers in my constituency where when you talk with workers they say this goes on all the time," Hampton said.
The McGuinty government is being asked to scrap a controversial workplace insurance program that gave financial rewards to companies guilty of fatal safety violations. The New Democratic Party has put forward a motion, scheduled to be debated at Queen's Park next week, that also calls for an audit of the so-called "experience rating" program that critics claim entices companies to hide injuries and rush injured workers back on the job. An ongoing Star investigation recently found the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board has given millions of dollars in rebates to companies that have been prosecuted by another arm of the provincial government and ordered to pay fines. In many cases, the amount of the rebate far exceeded the value of the fine. The WSIB announced a year-long review of the program and labour groups called for the firing of its chair, Steve Mahoney. While Premier Dalton McGuinty called the Star's findings an "embarrassment" that needs to be fixed, he said Mahoney stays put. Mahoney yesterday said the NDP motion is "nothing more than grandstanding," and Liberal Labour Minister Brad Duguid dismissed it as unproductive posturing. "I think the NDP should keep their powder dry and wait until we get the facts," Mahoney said. "It's a little disappointing, frankly, and I don't know what purpose it will serve. We have already launched our own thorough examination." But NDP Leader Howard Hampton says he wants to know how much money went to undeserving companies, adding that he has no faith the McGuinty government will attempt to make any serious changes as part of the review already underway. The incentive program – known in WSIB circles as the "experience rating system" – began in 1985 to make companies safer by using a penalty-rebate ("carrot-stick") approach. The system looks at the "experience" of each company. Premiums are based largely on the expected cost of a company's claims for the year. If lower than projected, the company gets a rebate. How much lower determines the amount of the rebate. If a firm's insurance costs exceed expectations, it is hit with a surcharge. The program does not add any extra penalty when there is a death. Loss-time injuries – that is, injuries that cause a worker to miss at least one shift – can be more costly to a company than injuries that do not lead to lost time. Generally speaking, the longer a loss-time injury persists, the greater the cost under the experience rating program. Defenders of the system say it encourages most companies to make workplaces safer, and they underscore the ministry of labour's claim that loss-time injuries have gone down 20 per cent since 2004. But Hampton and others say the program's emphasis on the cost of loss-time injuries is creating an increasingly common problem: Companies coming up with degrading, meaningless jobs designed to prevent the injured worker from missing a shift. Rushing an injured worker back to work, they say, often makes the injury worse. "It's a widespread problem. I know from my own experience there are a number of significant industrial employers in my constituency where when you talk with workers they say this goes on all the time," Hampton said.
Irish foods low in trans fats, high in saturated
Tag: Palm Acid Oil
The results of a survey by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) on the fat content and fatty acid composition of pre-packaged food products reveal that generally, levels of trans-fatty acids in the surveyed products are low. However, the FSAI is urging the food industry to find creative solutions to reformulate products, which still show high levels of saturated fats. One hundred retail food products available on the Irish market were analysed for total fat content and fatty acid profile including trans fatty acids. The samples comprised products which would be expected to naturally contain trans fatty acids such as cheese and products which may include industrial trans fatty acids as a result of the manufacturing process (eg fried food and snacks) or ingredients (eg hydrogenated oil). Results indicate that overall eighty percent of products surveyed contained less than two per cent trans fatty acids as a percentage of total fat. Thirty-three products declared hydrogenated oil as an ingredient. The results of the survey regarding the impact of the use of hydrogenated oils as a possible source of trans fats are indecisive. The survey shows that dried gravies and soups containing hydrogenated oil had the highest concentrations of trans fatty acids overall. However, 64 per cent of products declaring hydrogenated as an ingredient had levels of less than two per cent trans fatty acids as a percentage of total fat. Of these 33 products, 29 were high in saturated fat. Some products such as cereal and milk bars had saturated fat concentrations of more than 84 per cent of their total fat. If the level of trans fat may be lower than expected, the high level of saturated fats identified in the products surveyed represents high health concerns, said the FSAI. Thirty-four per cent of all products surveyed contained more than 50 per cent saturated fat (as a percentage of total fat).
The results of a survey by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) on the fat content and fatty acid composition of pre-packaged food products reveal that generally, levels of trans-fatty acids in the surveyed products are low. However, the FSAI is urging the food industry to find creative solutions to reformulate products, which still show high levels of saturated fats. One hundred retail food products available on the Irish market were analysed for total fat content and fatty acid profile including trans fatty acids. The samples comprised products which would be expected to naturally contain trans fatty acids such as cheese and products which may include industrial trans fatty acids as a result of the manufacturing process (eg fried food and snacks) or ingredients (eg hydrogenated oil). Results indicate that overall eighty percent of products surveyed contained less than two per cent trans fatty acids as a percentage of total fat. Thirty-three products declared hydrogenated oil as an ingredient. The results of the survey regarding the impact of the use of hydrogenated oils as a possible source of trans fats are indecisive. The survey shows that dried gravies and soups containing hydrogenated oil had the highest concentrations of trans fatty acids overall. However, 64 per cent of products declaring hydrogenated as an ingredient had levels of less than two per cent trans fatty acids as a percentage of total fat. Of these 33 products, 29 were high in saturated fat. Some products such as cereal and milk bars had saturated fat concentrations of more than 84 per cent of their total fat. If the level of trans fat may be lower than expected, the high level of saturated fats identified in the products surveyed represents high health concerns, said the FSAI. Thirty-four per cent of all products surveyed contained more than 50 per cent saturated fat (as a percentage of total fat).
An anniversary is a time to reflect
As we approach the sixth anniversary of Between the Vines, I think it important to stop, smell the dried rose petals, relax, reflect and take another sip of pinot noir. On the topic of smell, you've probably read about the Bordeaux wine maker, Ilija Gort, who had his nose insured for about $8 million by Lloyd's of Dried Rose Bud . After reading that, I immediately called my insurance agent, and, well, he pretty much told me where I could stick my nose. In other news, Paul Newman's food brand, Newman's Own, is coming out with a line of wines, Butch Cabernet and the Sundance Blanc. Actually, they really are producing a California cabernet sauvignon and a chardonnay, and if the wines are as good as Fig Newmans, I'll be waxing eloquent on them. By the way, I forgot in my article on yak cheese to include the one wine to pair it with, and it was so obvious: any wine from Yakima. Meanwhile, out in my little vineyard, all the vines are pruned, and I'm just waiting for the temperatures to crawl out of the basement. Maybe by July we'll have bud-break. Which would put harvest at just about Christmas. On the other hand, all it takes is one warm, dry spell, and things could take off early. Or maybe on time. Speaking of which, to celebrate my anniversary, I'm taking off. My lovely wife and I are sojourning nine days in Paris. And although we'll take a few day trips (Versailles, Giverny), I also have to make sure my favorite Paris wine bars, Jacques Melac, Au Sauvignon, A la Cloches des Halles, are up to snuff. And you can bet I'll be returning home loaded with stinky French cheese. I can already see my kids' faces scrunched up in agony. But, before I run off, let me leave you with a couple handy wine recommendations. I've been saving one particular wine for a warm spring day, but that's not going to happen (it's snowing as I write these words). But still, try this serious rosé from West Salem's Cubanisimo, the 2006 Rosado de Pinot Noir, $20. This is bone dry, with wonderful aromas of strawberry and flowers and a soft, mellow texture. The flavors are of tart berry and fresh blackberry with an intriguing note of brown spice. Now if we could just get some warm weather to enjoy it with. Willamette Valley Vineyards has a new offering out, the 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, $25, a pleasing, pretty thing, beginning with lovely aromatics of blackberry, strawberry and cherry. Mild tannins accentuate the intense fruitiness with cola, strawberry and blackberry flavors. It's soft, pretty and easy to cozy up to. And from ol' (Jay) McDonald's farm comes the EIEIO, 2006 Cuvée E Pinot Noir, $30. You know how some wines just smell big? Well, this does. And the color looks like syrah on a cloudy night. But it has the classic pinot noir nose of dried rose petals, earth and bing cherry leading into rich, full flavors of plum, tobacco and tar. It's very lush on the midpalate, and a wee harsh on the finish. Given that note, combined with the big tannins and bracing acidity, I would guess this to be an ager.
New food enhancements prove more palatable
Future foodies may need to thank the papaya for velvety smooth ice cream, a sauerkraut-seeding microbe for hypoallergenic soy sauce, and a type of wild rice for protein-rich pilaf Protein Hydrolysate . Although a wide variety of plants and animals have been the focus of genetic modification, new research is proving that there’s still plenty of room at the table for technologies that enhance what we eat while being more socially palatable to cautious consumers. With a battery of natural additives, simple chemical processes and streamlined hybridization strategies, scientists are coaxing unfamiliar properties out of familiar foods, whether for better nutrition, aesthetics or safety. Three studies published within the past few months, all within the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, demonstrate the wide diversity of successful food-refining strategies. All share at least one common trait, however: a sizeable potential market.
Classic cauliflower cheese
Tag：Plant Extracts
Ingredients:30g unsalted butter, chopped4 tbs plain flour600ml milk1 whole onion, peeled1 bay leaf3 clovessaltground white pepperfreshly grated nutmeg60ml (¼cup) cream130g (1 cup) grated gruyere cheese6 baby cauliflower35g (¿ cup) grated parmesan2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat, add the flour and mix well. Cook over low heat for 5-8 minutes, using a wooden spoon. Put the milk in a separate heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Attach the bay leaf to whole onion using the cloves, add to milk and bring just to the boil. Remove from heat and strain, discarding the onion, bay leaf and cloves. Over low heat, begin to add the hot milk to the butter/flour mixture (roux) a little at a time, stirring constantly to avoid any lumps forming. Use a whisk if necessary. Continue until all the milk has been used and the mixture is smooth. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Season with salt, white pepper and a little nutmeg to taste; cook for a further 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, being careful not to let sauce burn. Remove from the heat and strain the sauce into a clean saucepan. Whisk in the cream, then most of the gruyere cheese. Preheat the oven to 180C. Carefully cut the core from the cauliflower. Cook in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes, drain well then place in a large shallow baking dish. Spoon the cheese sauce over the cauliflower, sprinkle with the parmesan and remaining gruyere then bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce begins to gratinate. Carefully remove from oven, scatter over the parsley and serve.
Ingredients:30g unsalted butter, chopped4 tbs plain flour600ml milk1 whole onion, peeled1 bay leaf3 clovessaltground white pepperfreshly grated nutmeg60ml (¼cup) cream130g (1 cup) grated gruyere cheese6 baby cauliflower35g (¿ cup) grated parmesan2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat, add the flour and mix well. Cook over low heat for 5-8 minutes, using a wooden spoon. Put the milk in a separate heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Attach the bay leaf to whole onion using the cloves, add to milk and bring just to the boil. Remove from heat and strain, discarding the onion, bay leaf and cloves. Over low heat, begin to add the hot milk to the butter/flour mixture (roux) a little at a time, stirring constantly to avoid any lumps forming. Use a whisk if necessary. Continue until all the milk has been used and the mixture is smooth. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Season with salt, white pepper and a little nutmeg to taste; cook for a further 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, being careful not to let sauce burn. Remove from the heat and strain the sauce into a clean saucepan. Whisk in the cream, then most of the gruyere cheese. Preheat the oven to 180C. Carefully cut the core from the cauliflower. Cook in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes, drain well then place in a large shallow baking dish. Spoon the cheese sauce over the cauliflower, sprinkle with the parmesan and remaining gruyere then bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce begins to gratinate. Carefully remove from oven, scatter over the parsley and serve.
Let a thousand flowers bloom and language study
Tag：Imitation Flowers
It's only fair to report that the committee discussing security at the weekend's 2020 Summit didn't find all the submissions from "concerned citizens" particularly useful. Yet it's difficult to believe that some of the genuine offerings really received much of a hearing. None of the ideas advanced by Ms Linda Petrie (who apparently felt she had the right to speak on behalf of the trans-gender community) were taken up, and no one even referred to Shaky Ho's suggestion that, instead of invading Iraq, a more worthwhile contribution would have been to "park hospital ships in the Persian Gulf and treat casualties without discrimination". Submission 3862, which suggested that "Australia can learn a lot from Cuba", was likewise ignored. However, the submissions reveal the dramatic success of the so-called summit as a political exercise. Everyone apparently felt that this was a genuine attempt to shape our world. Even the letter-writers who accepted, with a jaded resignation, that their ideas would never be part of the mainstream apparently still felt energised enough to contribute to the debate. As Kevin Rudd is well aware, this is a page straight from Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution. "Let a thousand flowers bloom," the great helmsman proclaimed, "and a hundred schools of thought contend, [this] is the policy for promoting progress ... and a flourishing socialist culture in our land." It certainly discombobulated the opposition and China began its great leap backwards, to the sounds of chanting Red Guards waving their little red books in the air, shouting down any alternate views. That's the political triumph of last weekend. The Opposition has been reduced to little more than a paper tiger, standing and reacting helplessly to Rudd's agenda. Now comes the hard part. Rudd will have to overcome two difficulties. He might be setting the agenda at the moment, but that doesn't mean that everyone within the party is happy. At a similar period in his government, Bob Hawke call the Tax Summit to chart a future for the country, only to find that his Treasurer, Paul Keating, was enthusiastically backing a consumption tax. Swiftly and deftly, the PM pulled the rug from under Keating. These two ambitious men were always going to clash these events just guaranteed that no quarter would be given when the collision finally occurred. There has been a lot of talk about future agendas, but this is matched with precious little change to the way the country is being run at the moment. The party's left has been told to curb their demands and slash government spending in the run-up to the budget. At the moment the party is accepting of the need to be some kind of pale imitation of the centre-left because of financial constraints and promises of change in the future. At some point Rudd's supporters will lose patience with the managerial techniques that simply create future agendas rather than present realities. The second difficulty is with implementation. The security stream of the summit was supposed to focus on "Australia's future in the world". Framing the question like this inevitably draws any analysis towards a particular conclusion. The discussion paper helpfully highlighted this it only contained two quotes and both referred to the need to develop "high levels of international literacy". In other words, learn foreign (particularly Asian) languages. This is a worthy cause, and the statistics are horrifying. Back in the 1960s, nearly half the matriculating students studied another language. Today, despite the relative decline of English, barely 15 per cent are gaining literacy in another tongue. Confronted with these stark statistics the need for action appears obvious. However, simply "tut-tutting" is not enough. Everything depends on the detail of the proposed solutions, and the past offers little reassurance that things are going to change. When (a much younger) Rudd worked for newly elected Queensland Premier Wayne Goss in the early 1980s, he enthusiastically worked to introduce more foreign language teaching into that state's schools. The need then was just as obvious as it is today. Opposition was overcome and Rudd forged ahead with a plan to develop language studies not Latin and Ancient Greek, but the languages of the future and our region: Chinese and Indonesian. The effort was wasted. A short time ago Queensland lagged the country in language teaching. Precious little of what Rudd attempted to achieve had borne fruit, and yet the idea had appeared so good, so obvious. Certainly that's the way it appeared from the top, looking down. The need was apparent and so the structures were created to meet the requirement. But that's not the way Australia works. Things develop from the bottom up, not in response to some five-year plan handed down from on high. Unless the "big ideas" generated at the summit gain some financial backing, they will remain wispy rhetoric changing nothing. Here is a simple idea to boost language training in the security environment. Defence personnel currently receive a small financial bonus depending on their proficiency in particular languages. At the most basic level this is just $900 a year. If we are serious about the benefits these skills provide, this amount should be doubled. Immediately. Any other ideas are just rhetoric.
It's only fair to report that the committee discussing security at the weekend's 2020 Summit didn't find all the submissions from "concerned citizens" particularly useful. Yet it's difficult to believe that some of the genuine offerings really received much of a hearing. None of the ideas advanced by Ms Linda Petrie (who apparently felt she had the right to speak on behalf of the trans-gender community) were taken up, and no one even referred to Shaky Ho's suggestion that, instead of invading Iraq, a more worthwhile contribution would have been to "park hospital ships in the Persian Gulf and treat casualties without discrimination". Submission 3862, which suggested that "Australia can learn a lot from Cuba", was likewise ignored. However, the submissions reveal the dramatic success of the so-called summit as a political exercise. Everyone apparently felt that this was a genuine attempt to shape our world. Even the letter-writers who accepted, with a jaded resignation, that their ideas would never be part of the mainstream apparently still felt energised enough to contribute to the debate. As Kevin Rudd is well aware, this is a page straight from Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution. "Let a thousand flowers bloom," the great helmsman proclaimed, "and a hundred schools of thought contend, [this] is the policy for promoting progress ... and a flourishing socialist culture in our land." It certainly discombobulated the opposition and China began its great leap backwards, to the sounds of chanting Red Guards waving their little red books in the air, shouting down any alternate views. That's the political triumph of last weekend. The Opposition has been reduced to little more than a paper tiger, standing and reacting helplessly to Rudd's agenda. Now comes the hard part. Rudd will have to overcome two difficulties. He might be setting the agenda at the moment, but that doesn't mean that everyone within the party is happy. At a similar period in his government, Bob Hawke call the Tax Summit to chart a future for the country, only to find that his Treasurer, Paul Keating, was enthusiastically backing a consumption tax. Swiftly and deftly, the PM pulled the rug from under Keating. These two ambitious men were always going to clash these events just guaranteed that no quarter would be given when the collision finally occurred. There has been a lot of talk about future agendas, but this is matched with precious little change to the way the country is being run at the moment. The party's left has been told to curb their demands and slash government spending in the run-up to the budget. At the moment the party is accepting of the need to be some kind of pale imitation of the centre-left because of financial constraints and promises of change in the future. At some point Rudd's supporters will lose patience with the managerial techniques that simply create future agendas rather than present realities. The second difficulty is with implementation. The security stream of the summit was supposed to focus on "Australia's future in the world". Framing the question like this inevitably draws any analysis towards a particular conclusion. The discussion paper helpfully highlighted this it only contained two quotes and both referred to the need to develop "high levels of international literacy". In other words, learn foreign (particularly Asian) languages. This is a worthy cause, and the statistics are horrifying. Back in the 1960s, nearly half the matriculating students studied another language. Today, despite the relative decline of English, barely 15 per cent are gaining literacy in another tongue. Confronted with these stark statistics the need for action appears obvious. However, simply "tut-tutting" is not enough. Everything depends on the detail of the proposed solutions, and the past offers little reassurance that things are going to change. When (a much younger) Rudd worked for newly elected Queensland Premier Wayne Goss in the early 1980s, he enthusiastically worked to introduce more foreign language teaching into that state's schools. The need then was just as obvious as it is today. Opposition was overcome and Rudd forged ahead with a plan to develop language studies not Latin and Ancient Greek, but the languages of the future and our region: Chinese and Indonesian. The effort was wasted. A short time ago Queensland lagged the country in language teaching. Precious little of what Rudd attempted to achieve had borne fruit, and yet the idea had appeared so good, so obvious. Certainly that's the way it appeared from the top, looking down. The need was apparent and so the structures were created to meet the requirement. But that's not the way Australia works. Things develop from the bottom up, not in response to some five-year plan handed down from on high. Unless the "big ideas" generated at the summit gain some financial backing, they will remain wispy rhetoric changing nothing. Here is a simple idea to boost language training in the security environment. Defence personnel currently receive a small financial bonus depending on their proficiency in particular languages. At the most basic level this is just $900 a year. If we are serious about the benefits these skills provide, this amount should be doubled. Immediately. Any other ideas are just rhetoric.
An Improvised Asparagus Dish Is a Happy Accident
Tag：Frozen Green Asparagus
WHEN it came to cooking asparagus, I thought my skill set was complete. If I craved a browned, caramelized flavor, I applied high heat using a grill, broiler, cranked-up oven or near-smoking sauté pan. Coated in olive oil, the grassy stalks became singed and soft on the outside and just tender within. A simple garnish of whatever was handy — sea salt, fried eggs, Parmesan cheese or chopped herbs — was all that was required before serving and devouring. If I was in the mood for a purer, lighter flavor, I’d blanch or steam the stalks until bright green and al dente, preserving their fresh, sweet taste, making a healthful foil for a liberal drizzle of melted or browned butter or a dollop of creamy hollandaise. With all these options, it never occurred to me that there was something succulent lacking from my asparagus repertory, until one recent evening. My dinner strategy was to make a light, vegetable-focused springtime meal. So I perused the grocery aisles, tossing whatever looked appealing into my cart. I picked up taut asparagus, plump oyster mushrooms, some tarragon and scallions, plus a piece of salmon. Walking home, I made my game plan. I’d roast the salmon and the asparagus at the same time, using an ultra-hot oven to achieve a deep golden sear on the fish. Meanwhile, I’d sauté the mushrooms, scallions and tarragon in butter, letting them reduce to a thick sauce to gild the salmon. It seemed a perfect warm-weather meal. Fast-forward several hours between shopping and cooking. As I was beginning to cook, the phone rang, and I entered into a long catch-up conversation while cutting up the mushrooms and scallions. All was going well, so I didn’t notice that my dinner plan was receding into Neverland. While the mushrooms and scallions simmered in a nice fat nut of butter, I listened to my friend’s complicated story, absent-mindedly pulling out my giant sauté pan and heating it slicked with oil. I was picturing burnished salmon; to achieve that on autopilot, I slapped the fillet into the skillet. It wasn’t until I hung up the phone that I noticed the asparagus on the counter. Since I had changed my plan for the salmon and hadn’t heated the oven, there’d be no time to roast it. I took stock of my options. The salmon, already sizzling away, had about a 10-minute window before it overcooked or got cold. I could quickly steam the asparagus, but it seemed like a lot of trouble to get out yet another pot and the steamer. The lazy person’s solution was to cut the asparagus in pieces and throw it into one of the pans already on the stove. But which one? Since the salmon was searing on high heat, I nearly added the asparagus along with it, turning it into an ad hoc stir-fry. But I feared the salmon would overwhelm the vegetable with its fishiness. So I threw the asparagus in with the mushrooms, added yet more butter, and covered the pot, hoping the stalks would braise in the herb-flecked mushroom juices. I also added some frozen peas to the pot for color and sweetness. A few minutes later, I heaped the vegetables onto my plate. Even better than expected, the asparagus was suffused with the heady flavor of licorice from the tarragon and an earthy meatiness from the mushrooms. But the real marvel was the texture. Soft but not mushy, the stalks greedily absorbed the butter, turning velvety, rich and completely unlike my caramelized or steamed staple recipes. While I wouldn’t swear butter-braising is superior to any other method, it is quicker than roasting and more luscious than steaming, and got me out of my long-term asparagus habit — and probably, happily into another.
WHEN it came to cooking asparagus, I thought my skill set was complete. If I craved a browned, caramelized flavor, I applied high heat using a grill, broiler, cranked-up oven or near-smoking sauté pan. Coated in olive oil, the grassy stalks became singed and soft on the outside and just tender within. A simple garnish of whatever was handy — sea salt, fried eggs, Parmesan cheese or chopped herbs — was all that was required before serving and devouring. If I was in the mood for a purer, lighter flavor, I’d blanch or steam the stalks until bright green and al dente, preserving their fresh, sweet taste, making a healthful foil for a liberal drizzle of melted or browned butter or a dollop of creamy hollandaise. With all these options, it never occurred to me that there was something succulent lacking from my asparagus repertory, until one recent evening. My dinner strategy was to make a light, vegetable-focused springtime meal. So I perused the grocery aisles, tossing whatever looked appealing into my cart. I picked up taut asparagus, plump oyster mushrooms, some tarragon and scallions, plus a piece of salmon. Walking home, I made my game plan. I’d roast the salmon and the asparagus at the same time, using an ultra-hot oven to achieve a deep golden sear on the fish. Meanwhile, I’d sauté the mushrooms, scallions and tarragon in butter, letting them reduce to a thick sauce to gild the salmon. It seemed a perfect warm-weather meal. Fast-forward several hours between shopping and cooking. As I was beginning to cook, the phone rang, and I entered into a long catch-up conversation while cutting up the mushrooms and scallions. All was going well, so I didn’t notice that my dinner plan was receding into Neverland. While the mushrooms and scallions simmered in a nice fat nut of butter, I listened to my friend’s complicated story, absent-mindedly pulling out my giant sauté pan and heating it slicked with oil. I was picturing burnished salmon; to achieve that on autopilot, I slapped the fillet into the skillet. It wasn’t until I hung up the phone that I noticed the asparagus on the counter. Since I had changed my plan for the salmon and hadn’t heated the oven, there’d be no time to roast it. I took stock of my options. The salmon, already sizzling away, had about a 10-minute window before it overcooked or got cold. I could quickly steam the asparagus, but it seemed like a lot of trouble to get out yet another pot and the steamer. The lazy person’s solution was to cut the asparagus in pieces and throw it into one of the pans already on the stove. But which one? Since the salmon was searing on high heat, I nearly added the asparagus along with it, turning it into an ad hoc stir-fry. But I feared the salmon would overwhelm the vegetable with its fishiness. So I threw the asparagus in with the mushrooms, added yet more butter, and covered the pot, hoping the stalks would braise in the herb-flecked mushroom juices. I also added some frozen peas to the pot for color and sweetness. A few minutes later, I heaped the vegetables onto my plate. Even better than expected, the asparagus was suffused with the heady flavor of licorice from the tarragon and an earthy meatiness from the mushrooms. But the real marvel was the texture. Soft but not mushy, the stalks greedily absorbed the butter, turning velvety, rich and completely unlike my caramelized or steamed staple recipes. While I wouldn’t swear butter-braising is superior to any other method, it is quicker than roasting and more luscious than steaming, and got me out of my long-term asparagus habit — and probably, happily into another.
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