csyu-blog1

[csyu-blog1]

Innovation? - Pesto

is a sauce originating in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria, Italy. It traditionally consists of crushed garlic, European pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino sardo, all blended with olive oil.

Image: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fresh_basil_pesto/

Pesto - Genoeise: To Crush

That’s exactly what they did... They took the garlic, pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, parmesan cheese and pecorino sardo with olive oil and smashed them in a mortar...

Image: https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/ancient-rome-italian-renaissance/

Pesto is thought to have two predecessors in ancient times, going back as far as the Roman age. The ancient Romans used to eat a similar paste called moretum, which was made by crushing garlic, salt, cheese, herbs, olive oil and vinegar together.

The introduction of basil, the main ingredient of modern pesto, occurred in more recent times and is first documented only in the mid-19th century, when gastronomist Giovanni Battista Ratto published his book La Cuciniera Genovese in 1863;

"Take a clove of garlic, basil or, when that is lacking, marjoram and parsley, grated Dutch and Parmigiano cheese and mix them with pine nuts and crush it all together in a mortar with a little butter until reduced to a paste. Then dissolve it with good and abundant oil. Lasagne and Trofie are dressed with this mash, made more liquid by adding a little hot water without salt.” 

Ratto, Giovanni Battista (1863). La Cuciniera Genovese. Genoa: Fratelli Pagano.

Image: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/a20705652/how-to-grow-basil/

It is a product, a food innovation. That’s one of the first sauces comes to mind when you say pasta... There are millions of recipes in the internet, and many ideas to modernize it. The biggest prepared food brands are selling millions of dollars worth of pesto every year. It is huge, and my favorite pasta sauce... And obviously that’s why this sauce is here, in my innovation blog. 

Servet Yamac Unver - 2018

[csyu-blog1]

Kneel Before the Carbs

Ketogenic Diet

Image: https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/what-keto-diet-it-right-you-ncna847256

What is Keto? 

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that sends your body into a state of ketosis, during which it uses stored fat as energy. 

In this meal of mine I have some meatballs, grilled mushrooms and zucchinis, and yogurt with honey sauce. It basically has everything my diet requires... High fat, low carbs with the right amount of proteins. Meatballs doesn’t have any bread and honey is %100 natural.

Image: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/weight-loss-what-30-days-on-the-keto-diet-felt-like/

Here is a day’s menu from my weekly diet:

Breakfast

2 eggs, cooked in 1 tablespoon of butter or ghee

½ cup cooked spinach, in 1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 cup coffee, blended with 1 tablespoon butter and a dash of cinnamon

Mid-morning snack

6 macadamia nuts

6 raspberries

Lunch

Tuna salad (4-5 ounces canned light tuna, mixed with 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, ¼ cup chopped celery, ¼ cup chopped green apple, and salt and black pepper to taste), served over 1 cup Romaine lettuce

Salad (½ cup steamed green beans and 8-10 olives), topped with a mixture of 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ lemon, juiced

Afternoon snack

½ avocado, sprinkled with 1 tablespoon hemp seeds or 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

Dinner

8-12 ounces cooked steak, in 1 tablespoon butter

1 cup cauliflower, roasted in 1 tablespoon hazelnut oil

Dessert

1 ounce 90 percent dark chocolate

1 tablespoon crunchy salted almond butter, sprinkled with a dash of cinnamon

Image: http://www.allmaxnutrition.com/post-articles/nutrition/real-deal-fat-loss-diets-part-2-ketogenic-diet-carb-cycling/

In the end of 7 days I’m feeling exhausted... Keto diet needs at least 21 days to give results. Body usually responds in 3 weeks to huge dietary changes. Since I’m a potato eater, my body ain’t any different... 

Image: https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/muscle-chef-logo-design-inspiration-isolated-on-vector-22461361

If I’m not gonna be a ripped, tatted bad-ass chef I’ll never do this diet again in my life ever... As a fitness professional I believe if you are not going to earn your life by presenting your body in the stages you don’t need to go this crazy... Just eat what you want... All you need to do is just be sure you get all the nutrients you need, the extra will be tolerated by your body...

Thank you,

Servet Yamac Unver - 2018

[csyu-blog1]

I hugged a farmer!

I’m here with Claudia Torres, my classmate we are working together on this blog. Even though you can see her face a few times here, our blogs are completely individual.

Today (10/6/18) we are at St. Lawrance Market’s Farmers Market. Let’s meet with Marvin. Marvin is a local farmer in their family farm since 1973. He doesn’t look but he is 60 years old. His grandfather is the person who established their farm at 1921. He take over after he finished high school.

His philosophy over organic farming is basically not to farm organic. Are there any environmental initiatives or stances? What made him make this coice? Let’s see briefly...

Is he wrong? In my opinion no... Instead of organic farming my choice would be sustainable farming. It’s a new trend nowadays. Rules are not strict as organic or biodynamic farming.

Let’s consider this scenario: It’s a bad season, whatever the requirements for your specific product is not happening. Or there is high disease pressure. You need to take action to save your products right? Well for the organic farmer, they have only a few options, and they are not so effective. So they are just gonna stand there and do nearly nothing due to keep their certificates.

Sustainable farming is letting farmers take action in case of emergency. It’s a more economic option for both producers and the customers. And still the rules are requiring farmers ecological footprint should be less than worlds toleration rate. They should improve their facilities every year and such.

With the increased demand to sustainable farming, prices will drop and we will enjoy our delicious and safe product.

I learned to look from the farmers perspective. Literally meeting with the person changes your idea no matter what, even though you were thinking the same. Learning from the source, the fountain of experience is always makes a difference.

Thank you,

Servet Yamac Unver

October ‘18

[csyu-blog1]

Purchasing Meat and Game

Ha ha, I identified my meat... ba dum tss...

Okay my meat is Chuck Tail Flat, which is also known as Short Rib Boneless Meat. It comes from Beef. I choosed Prince Edward Island Beef. It is an humanely raised free ranch beef. Meat is a little saltier and rich on iron compare to regular meat. The reason I picked it:

The animal, I didn’t make a choise actuall I just wanted an animal that I can write something interesting about it, and this one was the cheapest one in that category.

The cut, not a choise either, the marbling was just so good...

Prince Edward Island Certified Beef, raised on Canada’s Food Island is genuine in character and old world flavour for the tables of those who choose to eat better. For generations, Prince Edward Island farmers have been raising cattle using a traditional, holistic approach. Today, cattle continue to be raised on the Island’s small family owned farms. Salt air, iron-rich soil, and rolling pastures produce healthy, stress-free animals. There’s a relationship between farmer, animal and the land that can’t be replicated resulting in beef as distinctive as the Island itself.

Why PEI Beef? (n.d.) Retrieved from: http://islandbeef.ca/why-pei-beef/

Chuck Tail Flap, also known as Chuck Flat, Chuck Meat Square is a term more frequently used in Canada to denote boneless Chuck Rib meat. The Chuck Tail Flap comes from the Short Rib of the Chuck (Ribs #1 - #5 counting from the head to the tail). The primary muscle is the serratis ventralis, though the Pectoralis superficialis and Scalenus dorsalis are often included.

Chuck Tail Flap (n.d.) Retrieved From: https://www.smartkitchen.com/resources/food/meat/beef/chuck-tail-flap

The meat I purchased was around one third of a pound, and it cost me approximately $6 dollars.

Because the marbling was so good I just decided to pan fry the meat with a basic seasoning. I used sunflower oil to oil the pan, and salt and pepper for the seasoning. I already had some rice, spinach, and miso soup from last days lab, so serving it basic as possible was a nice idea for me...

I just needed a cast iron pan for that, which I don’t have, actually I don’t even have a pan, so, desperate times needs smart solutions... I used my pot... But don’t tell anyone 🤫🤫🤫

I really didn’t work with this kind of cut of the meat before... A meat marbled this much... But I’m sure I could marinate it for like 20-30 minutes prior to cooking in many ways and it would taste better. Which I’m not complaining at all!!! It really tasted good!!! It really had a creamy texture conpare to Striploin Steak, which I really liked... And the outside of the meat caramalized just so good, which added an amazing flavour...

Servet Yamac Unver

September ‘18

[csyu-blog1]

Fruit Hunter

This is Lychee.

I am a Lychee virgin so please don’t be rough on me... (ba dum tss) Bad joke... Okay...

Okay okay one more, Why you can’t add a K to this fruit??? Cuz it’s so Klychee (cliche) ba dum tssss...

Looks really cool first of all!!! It’s skin is like a dragon skin, looks like a dragon or reptile egg or something cool... And the inside is a beautiful pinky purple (which dyes your hands, duh...) and a beautiful white fruit...

Tastes? Meh, not that cool... Kinda citrusy, like a grapefruit. Not so sweet, mostly watery. And a bit bitter... Yeah I guess I made a perfect sensory evaluation, haha!!!

So I went to St. Lawrance Market to find this beauty. The reason behind it is, this Market has a lot of different shops inside that I could make this research and it’s amazing history... No just kidding, it was just next to the college and I left this assignment on last minute... Also why did I picked this fruit? Same reason, that was the only interesting fruit that I didn’t tried until. You’re welcome...

Lychee, (Litchi chinensis), also spelled litchi or lichi, evergreen tree of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), grown for its edible fruit. Lychee is native to Southeast Asia and has been a favourite fruit of the Cantonese since ancient times. The fruit is usually eaten fresh but can also be canned or dried.

Lychee is of local importance throughout much of Southeast Asia and is grown commercially in China and India. Its introduction into the Western world came when it reached Jamaica in 1775. The first lychee fruits in Florida—where the tree has attained commercial importance—are said to have ripened in 1916. To a lesser extent the tree has been cultivated around the Mediterranean, in South Africa, and in Hawaii.

(Petruzzello M., 2017 Britannica.com)

Lychee contains many phytochemicals. The seeds have been found to contain methylenecyclopropylglycine which can cause hypoglycemia, while outbreaks of encephalopathy in Indian and Vietnamese children have also been linked to its consumption.

(Spencer PS, Palmer VS (2017))

For my recipe, I definitely would make a jam from it... I don’t know, I felt like jam... And add it to any desert... Because why not, eh? And I won’t mind to add a few other fruits too...

This recipe would be an example 👀:

http://ediblesarasota.ediblecommunities.com/recipes/lime-cheesecake-lychee-jam

So what I’ve learned?

Not all food tastes as good as their look.

Even though the fruits are not in the same family, they could taste similar.

[csyu-blog1]

My personal recipe, Quinoa Parfait: Ingredients: Yogurt Tri Colour quinoa Cereal Strawberries Blackberries Kiwis Put the yogurt and quinoa together and mix it for the base layer. Cover it with cereal. Cover it with the fruits. Add more yogurt until fruits not visible anymore. Add quinoa, and cover it with cereal. Garnish it. Nutrition values: Per cup (250ml) : Calories: 257.5 Fat: 11.94g Cholesterol: 30mg Sodium: 138.75mg Carbohydrates: 40g Fibre: 6g Sugar: 10g Protein: 10.5g

[csyu-blog1]

Carbohydrates and Added Sugars: 2nd Nutrition Blog

The differences between foods that are high in carbohydrates, and has added sugar in them:

(The sugar inside the light syrup is glucose, from glucose syrup)

We have food with lots of carbs, we love foods with carbs... Pasta, potatoes, rice, noodles... Those are providing us a lot of complex carbs, which we can use them as an energy source after spending some time and energy to break them down and digest them. And there are sugars, basicly this guys are the molecules that we are using as an energy source, but when they are coming in to our body as monomers, this is what happening:

And this is what supposed to happen:

When we are consuming sugar ingredients in monosaccharides or disaccharides they digests so fast and causes high blood sugar and other problems by time. But when you consume conplex carbohydrates because it takes time to get digest in the body, you can use those food as a reliable energy source. Last researches saying how exactly excess sugar might harm the heart isn’t clear. Earlier research has shown that drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can raise blood pressure. A high-sugar diet may also stimulate the liver to dump more harmful fats into the bloodstream. Both factors are known to boost heart disease risk. (Corlis, 2014, Harvard Heart Letter)

What is a whole grain:

All grains start life as whole grains. In their natural state growing in the fields, whole grains are the entire seed of a plant. This seed (also called a “kernel”) is made up of three edible parts – the bran, the germ, and the endosperm – protected by an inedible husk that protects the kernel from assaults by sunlight, pests, water, and disease. A grain is considered to be a whole grain as long as all three original parts.

(Whole Grain Council, Whole Grains 101, Retrieved from: https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/whats-whole-grain-refined-grain)

Dietary fiber from whole grains, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for healthy bowel function and helps reduce constipation.

(Dairy Council of California, Health Benefits of Grains, Retrieved from: https://www.healthyeating.org/Healthy-Eating/All-Star-Foods/Grains)

[csyu-blog1]

Sensory Evaluation:

Moscardini, I choose you! Yeah it looks like a Pokemon...  So I wanted to make a meal with it, this is the result: I don’t know what should I call to this... I’m going to evaluate both Moscardini, and the meal...

I made a potato puree with caramelized onions, and Parmesan cheese. I cooked the Moscardini on butter, and put them together...

Salty? Yes

Sour? Wow, yes

Sweet? Nah

Bitter? Noope

Umami? Wow, YEAH!

Even though the Moscardini was marinated it still had that significant sea taste. With the creamy puree, and all other ingredients, it tasted like nothing I can compare. It was a good balance of lots of things. It was really flavorful. Left a nice taste on my palate... 

What did you learn about your palate?

The mixture of different things like a dairy and a seafood can create amazing taste profiles...

Did you enjoy this food?

Yeah I really did!

Would you eat it again? Why or why not?

Would I eat it again? Yes...

Would I order that in a restaurant? Lol, no...

[csyu-blog1]

This Is For Nutrition! - A Series of Unfortunate Events on Pan Nutrition Blog 1: Nutritious effects of cooking with fat, seasoning, and marinating

Photograph: White Heat (9), 1990, by Bob Carlos Clarke

Dear Professor, 

Sorry in advance but as I introduced myself at the beginning in this blog, I don’t have any clue to write or design a blog. So yeah this dumb student of yours is gonna post his assignments on a tumblr blog account, and gonna make you scroll a little bit. With my deepest apologies... (I’m gonna put that obvious headlines for you to find them easier!)

1-Nutritious effects of cooking with fat, seasoning, and marinating:

Photograph: White Heat, 1990, Pg. 100,  by Bob Carlos Clarke 

  We know how much protein an uncooked 200 gram chicken breast has, or rice, pasta, all the uncooked, raw materials. But what happens to them when we cook? How much calories are we burning when we are roasting them in the oven? Or how much are we adding to them when they are grizzling in a pond of butter? What about cinnamon on your apple pie? You know you are about to get a lot of sugar from your coconut cream pie, but no one cares about that icing sugar you are keep pouring on it... Well, that’s not snow flakes you see falling from the sky honey, YOU ARE DOUBLING YOUR CALORIES! So really, what is going on, on that pan? Since I am just stating the topic, I need to stop continuing. But I am happy to announce that I am gonna make my research about it and post it in to my blog in future days, even though it’s not an assignment. 

2-Nutrition and Culinary Industry; Husband and Wife

Photograph: Dear Gabrielle Hamilton, 2016, The Sip by Ashley Regovin

 Every relationship has ups and downs, if I define the Nutrition as the wife, since women started to empower themselves, gain their equality in society, some jug heads started to make problems about it. They said women’s place is their home, and their job is cooking and cleaning. What now? All men (yeah there are still that idiots around who says the same but, you know, at least I can say most) are accepted that women are equal, and they are proud to say that. So yeah since science is developing so fast, we know we need to care about nutrition, what we need to eat, how much what we need to consume. Some jug heads started to say this is all bullshit to save their income, but what now? “Everyone is a dietitian now”!!! Even though some big companies playing with numbers to show they are serving healthy food or trying to save their asses we need to know even ant poop has calories. So yeah, we still need to learn, and achieve a lot. With time, and quality education, people are gonna get more aware about true nutrition, not just kcals!

3-Comparing Health Canada - Food and Nutrition page with, ... that dude.

Photograph: White Heat (11), 1990, by Bob Carlos Clarke

Canada.ca: Safe food and good nutrition are important to Canadians. Maintaining the safety of Canada's food supply is a shared responsibility among government, industry and consumers. Eating a nutritious and balanced diet is one of the best ways to protect and promote good health. 

Andrew Saul,DoctorYourself.com: Does vitamin C work better than chemo?

I don’t even want to make an analysis about it, but pfff... Okay... Authors:  Canada.ca: Government itself. Even though there are so many conspiracy-theories behind the guide, this source considered one of the safest. You can find all the sources under the facts, even though not as links, but like this: (SOR/94-559, s. 2; SOR/2004-244, s. 7.)  So all the researches are made by the professionals. 

DoctorYourself: Andrew Saul, calls himself “The MEGAVITAMIN Man”. (I don’t really wanna talk about it come on...)  A guy with experience more than 40 years (no source, his website is saying that), who is trying to sell his numerous of books. Okay, I need to start apologizing, I definitely respect for the authors years of experience and he tries to share information. Of course it is his right to earn money from his knowledge. My first impression, and after reading some of his articles, his website looks like the other fraud money making websites, honestly. After asking for consulting from my friends who have Ph.D.’s and M.D.’s on this field, sorry but they told me most of the information on this site is bullshit. Not my word! Sorry! Sources and references; some pathetic YouTube videos are presented as proofs... And there are some guys saying this guy is amazing! 

So, yeah do yourself a favor and don’t trust everyone or every website says M.D. or Doctor on the headline...

[csyu-blog1]

You know, you were at school for all day long, driving your teacher crazy, playing ball at all recesses, checking your first crush every time it’s possible... It’s already like a lifetime ago... After coming home from primary school, there is always food waiting for you at the table. My grandma always makes the best food. Because of my mom and dad used to work all the time, I was always going to her place after school. A hot bowl of yogurt soup, in the cold nights of Ankara. I don’t feel anything else than happiness. Pure, childish, happiness... That was the moments I’m forgetting about all the scars on my knees from the day. I love you grandma...

-Complete a sensory evaluation of your soup:

Only one sentence, just like my grandma did. I am awesome...

-Have someone else try it. What did they think?

My roomie Dan tried it. He said dude that’s fantastic! But he couldn’t compare, or evaluate it since he is a Canadian, and he never had a Yogurt Soup before. 

-What were the challenges involved?

Taking the pictures... Damn I always forget it while working on the soup...

-What would you do differently?

I don’t know if I can dare to change anything. This is an emotional dish for me, and even though it could be better anyhow, I want to keep this feeling. Sorry.

-What did you take away from this experience? Did you learn something? How can you apply this to your future culinary endeavors?

That cooking is not about serving a dish, or nourishing. It is the very first time I am cooking one of my childhood recipes. It is more than all of them. It is about connecting people to their memories, creating a small moment that everyone could forget about everything in their first bite , even though it’s for a few seconds. I just gave a new meaning for cooking, and a new reason to cook.

[csyu-blog1]

My Philosophy of Cooking.

Photograph: White Heat (8), 1990, by Bob Carlos Clarke

Sustainability

Good for environment

Nutritious

Nourishes

New

Unexperienced

Satisfies both me and my customer

And the most important one; my customer should say “Omg, this is so delicious, I want to stitch my ass so I won’t poop it...”

“The greatest lesson came with the realization that good food cannot be reduced to single ingredients. It requires a web of relationships to support it.”

 Dan Barber

[csyu-blog1]

Why I wanted to become a chef?

Photograph: White Heat (12), 1990, by Bob Carlos Clarke

My life was always spontaneous. I couldn’t ever draw a future for myself back in my country. You should be a doctor, or an engineer to be accepted as a successful person. Anything else? , meh... So yeah, I did it as well... Studied engineering in a University for 4 years, then quit. It wasn’t my dream job anyways. I was always thinking about what if there weren’t any limitations to my choices, what would I become? Probably an actor... I used to love acting. Don’t misunderstand though, my parents never forced me to become an engineer, public did. My plans were having my very own business, not licking a douche bags ass for years, especially in a job that I don’t have any passion. Since I was 18, that was the moment my mom gave me 300 Turkish Lira (equals to 80 CAD), to invest the money, start trading, build your own job, I’m trying to find a field that I’ll love. After 3 years and uncountable trials, I ended up with many experiences, still no passions, and 8.000 Lira. The only mistake I did, I always tried to trade someone others products. I never felt comfortable, because that is not what I made, not carrying my signature on it... How could I be? Dealing with customers about something I can’t put my name on it is a very big deal... Obviously you’re doing it just because of profit... Then we came up with an idea, and said lets produce food for the sportsman. There was not any big company in my city which is doing the same business at that times, so we saw that as an opportunity, and started without losing any time. Made our market researches, connections, and a few ready to go customers. We (oh, btw we are me and my cousin who already is a cook, yeah sorry about that) became very successful, in the end of 1 year, we had 3 gyms, 4 hospitals, and more than 50 individual customers. People were loving what we are doing, more importantly, we were loving what we are doing. After a few unfortunate events in my hometown, I decided to not to stay, and I should learn my job from professionals. So here I am... Learning from the bests. And in every moment, I am realizing more, experiencing more, discovering more. Every single thing I am learning is shaping my future, creating new ideas. I always believed if you want perfection, you should know every aspect of what you are doing, and you should do it yourself. Here I am again... Working as a server-bartender, have experience in inventory management, studying in one of the best chef schools in the world, passionate about my profession. I’m already so excited about my future...

[csyu-blog1]

Da Heck Is This?

Photograph: White Heat (5), 1990, by Bob Carlos Clarke

This is the declaration of  my embarrassments:

I do not know anything about writing a blog.

I do not know how to cook.

I do not know how to taste.

I am not a multitask person, but I can say I am an incredible mono-task.

I can not criticize anything due to my lack of knowledge.

I do not have an idol that I can show.

Only thing I can say about myself; I am a big child with a map, and no destination.

So lets start,

Hopefully with this blog, I can monitor myself, record myself, and see what I’ve achieved in the future.

I love eating, and drinking. Not more than sex, nor less.