Zukay Live Foods review

Yesterday I arrived home from work to find that Scott, Cathy and Jacob Grzybek, from Zukay Live Foods, had sent me a complimentary shipment of six jars of their raw, naturally fermented salsas and relishes. These are fresh, whole foods that have been fermented with friendly lactobacillis bacteria, preserving the food and giving it the same healthful benefits as yogurt. I received mild and hot salsa, garlic relish and horseradish relish. These products are supposed to be good for digestion and general health, literally bursting, as they are, with life. Scott, Cathy and Jacob use no chemicals or preservatives—just a small bit of raw apple cider vinegar in the relishes. The jars came with a warning that because the contents are a live food, they may exhibit activity as the jar is opened. We experienced this with the hot salsa as it became a mini-volcano and rose up an inch out of the jar and over the edge! I was prepared with a spoon and bowl to quickly corral the runaway salsa. My son assisted me with tasting these products, drawing on his vast experience with chips and salsa. He thinks chips and salsa are the main ingredients of a healthy diet, so I was eager to get his opinion.

I don't think you can fairly compare these products to the more commonly available salsas and relishes on the market. They are kind of different. They have a slight fizz, for one thing, and they are lacking the strong vinegary and salty taste of commercial products. When you sample these foods, you can absolutely taste the fresh veggies and herbs that went into them. The relish tastes clearly of fresh cucumber and the other ingredients in the mix. It's like a little burst of summer.

I'd have to agree with other reviewers that the hot salsa is lacking the heat you might expect from a hot salsa. Both the mild and hot varieties tasted very mild to me. They were pleasing, but not at all spicy, so if you are looking for heat, this may not be your best choice. The flavor grew on me as I sampled it, and I particularly enjoyed the "hot" salsa. It was more textural and interesting than the mild. The two relishes (garlic and horseradish) were yummy, with all of the flavors in good balance. I had garlic relish on my tempeh at dinner tonight and it really added sparkle. My son loves hot and spicy foods and these were a bit too subdued for his taste.

Thanks to Scott, Cathy and Jacob Grzybek for including me in their sampling program.

Greek-style cannellini beans and veggies with orzo

I've been spending a lot of time looking through my recipe collection, and it's bringing back old memories of food and cooking. Back in my early days of vegan cooking, when cookbooks were very limited and nut-roasts and lentil-walnut casseroles were the latest, I was thrilled to find a recipe in my Country Life cookbook for a loaf with unlimited variations. As long as one followed the basic proportions of grains, beans, veggies, herbs, crumbs and liquid, an infinite number of combinations were possible, and countless delicious dinners awaited. To celebrate this momentous discovery, we invited friends for dinner, and I couldn't wait to show off scrumptious loaf variation #1. My friend Deborah and I were each preparing food for the meal when her husband looked at the loaf and declared, "everything you two make is brown." He had a grin on his face and I don't think he meant any harm, but I felt like I'd just been hit over the head with a 20 pound mushroom. Everything...I...make...is...brown? Could this be true? Brown? Brown? Brown? Why yes, I believe he may be correct. Everything is brown TONIGHT, but was everything brown yesterday? Will everything be brown tomorrow? I was stunned, deflated, sad.

It reminded me of when I was in high school and was following an upbeat directive from Seventeen Magazine to discover my favorite color. "Just look in your closet," the magazine cheerfully encouraged, "your favorite color will be there." Will it be ruby? pumpkin? cerulean blue? I looked in my closet and there it was - my favorite color - brown! Even then, I was a nut loaf covered in mushroom sauce.

By the time the Moosewood Collective published "Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home" in 1994, vegetarian cooking had become much more original. My friends Alan and Claire have been rediscovering recipes in their copy of Moosewood and I decided to take another look at mine in search of colorful and tasty food. I asked my husband to pick out something interesting and here's what he came up with. Is it brown? My husband says emphatically, "NO." I say maybe just a little beige, but in a very colorful way. It's a homey, comforting everyday dish that we really enjoyed.

Greek-style cannellini beans and vegetables

• 2 quarts water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 carrots, chopped, chopped
• 1 red or green pepper, chopped
• 1 cup orzo
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint (1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced dill (1 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh marjoram (sprinkle dried)
• 5 artichoke hearts, drained and sliced (14 oz. can)
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked cannellini beans (15 oz. can, drained and rinsed)
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups stewed tomatoes or fire roasted canned tomatoes
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• red wine vinegar

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the orzo to al dente. Drain and stir in 1 tablespoon of oil.
2. While the orzo is cooking, saute the onions and garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil. When the onion softens a bit, add the carrots and pepper. Cook for several minutes and add the zucchini. Add the herbs and artichoke hearts. Gently stir in the the beans and tomatoes. Simmer for several minutes. When the veggies are hot and cooked, stir in the orzo and season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of red wine vinegar (or serve at the table in a cruet).
3. Serve with olives, bread and a green salad with toasted walnuts and dates.

This may not be a Greek addition, but I think that dried crushed hot red pepper adds a nice flavor to this dish.

Winner of the juicer giveaway

The juicer giveaway has ended and the random number generator chose Caragonza as the winner. I've sent her an e-mail asking her to claim the prize and send me a mailing address by Tuesday. I hope I hear from her, but if I don't, I'll notify the next person on the random number list and so on until I find a winner. Congratulations, Caragonza, and thanks to everyone who left a comment!

note: The winner has claimed her prize! The contest has officially ended.