How To Stop Panic Attacks On The Old

images01When one gets toward the sunset years of their lives life tends to slow down. You get to find out that the old walk slowly, talk and anything they do they do it in a slower motion compared to when they were a little bit younger. Old people are very sensitive and at times, you may find that they get vulnerable to panic attacks. Some of them even though they had not experienced it in the early days of their lives, they tend to suffer from it. When old people are subjected to stressful situations, they tend to develop riskier attacks compared to the younger people. Due to the fact that their systems are weaker including their immune systems, subject to hard stressful situations can go as far as having them lose their lives.

It is not hard to stop panic attacks from harming them. One, treating an old person with a lot of patience will encourage them so much. Remember, they need more help at this point in their lives. They need someone to talk to them in a kind way and be there to listen to them. Their desire to be understood is so much that some of them panic when they realize that you cannot listen to them. Another way you can stop panic attacks on the old is by spending lots of time with them.

Simple Hints Of How To Stop Panic Attacks

There are a number of simple measures that might just prove helpful in stopping a panic attack. The first of these is that you need to determine the root cause of the anxiety that gives you an attack. Once you are able to do this, you will look for ways of coping with the situation at hand. For example, you might wish to dress smartly if you get an attack meeting other executives at work. This will make you feel more confident as will reaching the venue in time to avoid lateness provoked panicking. Also, if the situation is far much worse, you could look for a professional to help you find the best way of dealing with the stressor.

In knowing how to stop panic attacks, you also need to learn things that you do to help you relax. Some people relax by meditation, yet others get immense peace of mind by merely getting reassurance from people they feel close to. Thus, you need to have appropriate measures in place to be able to tap into that source of calmness and reaction. If you have a supporting family, for example, they may be there for you to reassure you at the start but will also help you learn to take charge of your life so that you need not depend on them forever. http://howtopreventpanicattacks.org

Tried And Tested Ways On How To Stop Panic Attacks

images-02Anxiety and fear can lead to a person’s panic attack. Either he could be in danger or he has a very urgent problem to be solved like to get away from his most fearsome situation like a phobia. To stop the panic attacks that may follow on these root causes, you should know the basic steps on how to stop panic attacks, which are the first and foremost.

The first step is to relax the breathing. If possible, breathe the fresh air, which is more calming. Second is to be calm and not fight the attack. Third is to keep thinking of something like recalling happy memories. The adrenaline will forget to work and only the brain will. And fourth is accept your situations whatever they are, or the feelings that cause the panic attack. If possible, these steps should always be rehearsed so that it can stop the panic attacks. Even though it is a cyclic event of your life, you need to take care on how to stop panic attacks.

To stop the panic attacks, you have to learn these steps on how to stop them. If you arm yourself with these steps on how to stop panic attacks, you will gradually eliminate it from happening again and again. And it will lead you a more calming self whenever the root cause/s is recurring.

 

Hard Drive Logical Errors

The fact that one cannot access data in a crashed hard drive does not mean that the data is permanently lost. Data recovery solutions can be applied and data can of course salvaged. A hard drive can be healthy but unable to boot into the operating system, meaning that the contents of the hard drive remain inaccessible. Factors that contribute to these logical errors include malicious infection of data or corruption of sectors of the hard drive by viruses or worms, system driver conflict, human error or malfunctioning of software.

Clean room data recovery

Whenever these logical disk errors occur, reinstallation of an operating system or running basic disk scans will be efforts in futility because they may end up overwriting or permanently deleting the data. File system errors, critical corruption of data and other logical failures can be resolved through repairing the portions of the damaged file system by use of specialized data recovery software. Damaged files can as well be recovered through data carving which means salvaging lost data by use of knowledge about the original structure. In spite of claims by Peter Guttmann that overwritten data on a hard drive can be recovered, it is assumed that overwritten data cannot be recovered because there lacks a reliable example of large amount of data that has been successfully recovered. So if your PC experiences hard drive crash, you have the opportunities to overcome it.

Using Data Recovery Software

The convenience with which laptop data recovery can be performed is exceptional. Once the software to be used is installed in the laptop from which data has to be recovered, it is just a matter of time before all the data is back in its place. At the execution of the software, it will start recovering the data.

The software asks some basic questions, for instance the location from where the data has to be retrieved. This requires mentioning the drive from which data has been lost. It may also ask you the location where the recovered data has to be placed. There has been great advancement in the technology for laptop data recovery software. Modern software not only asks for location but even the type of file that has to retrieve. For example to retrieve only pictures, an extension like .jpg, .bmp etc can be specified and only the required content will be recovered. If it is confirmed that the data has not been shared by shredding software, then these downloaded recovery software will prove to be the ultimate solution. These software are really easy to use and can recover almost all kinds of file from the system.

 

Recovering Data from RAID Failures

RAID is a method in which the several hard disks are combined into a larger logical disk to provide users with better performance and data protection. By having more than one disk inside your personal computer, your system will be able to continue running even if one or more of the hard disks in the RAID array becomes corrupt or inaccessible. If you notice that you cannot access some of the files in your server, it may be caused by a RAID issue that requires recovery. From there, you can get raid recovery expert help. The first step to repair your hard disk is to find out where the problem is. Technicians will first categorize determine whether your RAID issue is caused by hardware or software problems. After that, the technician will test your hard disks to find out which ones are causing trouble. After carrying out those steps, the expert can then start to do RAID recovery. The recovery procedures consist of several categories, namely, recovery for an ordinary drive, recovery for degraded RAID (hardware), repairing through Disk Manager and RAID reconstruction.

Even if all the volumes in your RAID disk become corrupt, there is still a high probability that your data and documents are still safely stored with your RAID. You just need to get the help of an expert to repair or extract data from your RAID.

How Recovery Works

RAID failure is one of the common issues that computer users face. After long years of service, RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) servers tend to falter and become corrupt. The good thing of having a RAID setup is that when one of your disks is corrupt, your system can still function. So if you notice that you cannot access some of your files on your server the next time you are using your laptop, it is probable that this is caused by RAID failure.

Do not fear, as raid recovery is available, although it’s best from experienced RAID experts, such as those at http://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net.

When you send your RAID for repair, what basically happens is that the technician will first find out whether your problem is due to hardware or software issues. Next, all the volumes of your hard disks are tested to determine which ones are corrupt or inaccessible. And based on the two checkups above, the technician can then work their magic to restore your raid. RAID recovery is quite a complicated task, so do enlist the help of experts for this job. In addition, always remember that a RAID failure does not mean that all the things stored within your hard disks is lost.

 

Forbidden Pleasure From Russia

If you are one of the many people who has a taste for all that is forbidden, from literature to music videos, this culinary offering will surely tempt your (illicitly) sweet tooth. No, don’t worry, it’s nothing illegal, not anymore at least. And since possession of it won’t get you exiled to Siberia, you don’t have to bother hiding all the makings from sharp-eyed kitchen informers.

But, you exclaim, what’s all this fuss about a harmless cheese cake?! Since when did dairy products become subversive?

Well, how about 50 years ago? Stalin, determined to make his comrades worship devotedly at his altar of blood and sacrifice, led a virulent fight against all forms of religious belief and practice. Orthodox, Jew, Old Believer and Muslim all felt the weight of the Soviet government’s murderous contempt. For the anti-Soviet crime of practicing one’s faith, or even of simply having in one’s possession “any cult item which exerts a nefarious influence on the popular masses,” persons could be (and were) jailed.

For this reason, many years ago, paskha, a special holiday treat eaten only at Easter (Paskha in Russian, hence the cake’s name), was banned. Stalin’s henchmen, in their desire to enforce ‘communist law,’ would search peasant homes and confiscate icons, which were to be melted down or burned as firewood. They were also on special alert for the traditional wooden molds used for preparing paskha. Those found with molds in their homes could expect no mercy from the godless government.

With Stalin’s death in 1953, the war on paskha also ended, but, unfortunately, the harm was already done: the nation’s collective memory for the recipe was almost gone.

Almost. Paskha was resurrected under a new name, maysky (May) cake, and the government allowed the sweet dessert to be served at Soviet restaurants any time of year. However, due to the popular superstition that it is a bad omen to prepare paskha at any time except Easter (the holiest of Christian holidays), most cooks avoided doing so. There still circulates in Moscow circles the story of a restaurant whose pipes burst soon after putting paskha on the menu.

All that is, thankfully, history. Soviet regimes have come and gone. But, as Russians try to revive their pre-revolutionary cultural traditions, Easter is once again celebrated nationwide. Sadly, very few people remember how to make a real pashka, while even fewer still have the necessary wooden molds.

For dissidents-in-training who would like to sample a paskha this Easter, there are four choices. First, you can painstakingly build a mold yourself. Second, you can travel to Russia and buy a mold here. At Moscow’s Izmaylovo Market, carpenters have recently begun selling molds – mysterious wooden boxes with a cross on the top, covered in religious inscriptions. Your third choice is to mail order a mold – they can be ordered through Holoviak’s, 2211 West Front St., Berwick, PA 18603, ph. 717-759-1581 and cost about $16.95). Finally, you can make this recipe with a clay flower pot (it might not be the most authentic way, but many people do it this way).

Who ever said it was easy to be a rebel?

PASKHA CHEESECAKE

Ingredients:

4 lbs. of fresh cottage cheese 1.2 cup of sour cream 3.5 oz. of melted butter

Garnish:

1 lb. raisins (optional) sugar and salt to taste

Add the sour cream, melted butter, salt and sugar, and raisins if desired, to the cottage cheese, mixing it all up as thoroughly as possible. Once well mixed, place within your mold which you should have already lined with wax paper. Cover the mold with a wooden lid and store for 24 hours in a cool place. Twenty-four hours later, assuming you have followed this recipe religiously, you and your family will be able to enjoy a deliciously creamy treat, which you can eat alone or spread on bread. Savor it with your favorite samizdat masterpiece and you’ll find yourself understanding why rebellion is so sweet!

 

Eating Light With Potatoes?

My personal philosophy, based on more than a decade of covering diets, is that the more you know about nutrition, the more you can eat. Sometimes eating light can still mean ordering the french fries or foie gras–cutting back on fat does not mean avoiding it completely.

Stay away from that butter!

Customers should understand that balance, variety and moderation refer to the total calories, fat or sodium consumed in one day, or over several days. All menu choices can fit into a healthy lifestyle. But it sure helps when the chef knows how to cut the fat and calories without the taste buds missing a thing.

Let’s take this issue’s featured menu selection, baked potatoes, for example. They’re enormously popular and suit all restaurant segments, from fast-food to fine dining. Familiar and comforting to almost everyone, potatoes are fat- and cholesterol-free and relatively low in calories on their own. A medium potato (5-1/2 ounces) has roughly 150 calories, a count that is fairly consistent among the different varieties. Adding to their nutritional allure is a good amount of vitamin C. They are low in sodium and offer some fiber, as well.

The inside scoop

Russet potatoes are the most popular choice for baking and quite rightly so. Their rough brown skin gives way to an interior that is low in moisture and high in starch, ideal traits for a baker.

Other potatoes are suitable for baking, allowing for interest and variety on menus. Yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yellow Finns and Yukon Golds are distinguished by a golden interior and a moist, succulent texture. Perhaps only through power of suggestion, the color often makes diners think the potatoes taste buttery even when they’re served plain.

Sweet potatoes belong to another family entirely but they, too, can be baked. Again, their vibrant color and subtly sweet taste make the use of calorie-rich toppings unnecessary.

Top down

Toppings traditionally have been nutritionally troubling. At about 100 calories of fat per tablespoon, butter and margarine add up pretty quickly. Sour cream tallies in less but tends to be spooned on in billowing mounds. The accompanying recipes for baked potatoes are great ways to keep the core ingredient that customers love. Through a clever culinary sleight of hand, the toppings have been designed to lighten up the package. They don’t pretend to masquerade for butter, sour cream and bacon. Instead, they are light, low-fat and delicious in their own right.

Here are more terrific topping ideas:

* Spoon on plenty of salsa–red or green, hot or mild.

* Fresh herbs–mince them, mix them and sprinkle them on.

* Spice things up–a dash of cumin, curry or cayenne pepper adds kick without calories.

* Vegetables–steam them, roast them or smoke them–and pick a colorful mix.

 

The Tao Of Tea

Never order tea in American restaurants. All you can get is a cup of water, poured from a pot kept warm (unboiled) atop the coffee machine and ceremoniously carried across the room to cool. Sometimes a supermarket-brand tea bag is tucked into the saucer, and sometimes there’s a box of tea bags with many elegant names on their foil wrappers. It doesn’t matter; dunked in chilly water, they all taste the same. It’s all not of very good quality, and wrong in a lot of cases. You could say it is similar to taking a computer with a hard drive failure (a data recovery issue) to a computer repair company, instead of a professional data recovery service like http://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net/. It just doesn’t make sense.

You may never have tasted real tea. Try making some yourself, following these simple rules: Avoid supermarkets–the tea they sell is dead. Avoid tea bags–they’re filled with chopped leaves at best, tea dust and twigs at worst.

Buy real tea through a tea dealer, in person or by mail. My favorite is Nat Litt of House of Tea Ltd. (215-923-8327) in Philadelphia, former student of Frank Lloyd Wright’s, Ringling Bros. clown, and chef at Mariage Freres, the leading tea salon of Paris. Nat is eager to explain the arcane language of fine teas.

Chinese teas are easiest: Names usually indicate only the tea’s province and the way the tea was cured. Green tea is unfermented, oolong is semifermented, and black tea is fully fermented.

Indian teas have estate names and many different indications of quality. Orange pekoe and pekoe are not tea types but leaf sizes. Orange pekoe is the smallest and most expensive. But Indian teas can be picked extra small (called flowery orange pekoe), or extra-extra small (tippy flowery orange pekoe), or so small the leaves are almost golden (tippy golden flowery orange pekoe). And, of course, there are fine-grade and number-one classifications. So a typical tea may be listed this way: Milikthong (the estate) Darjeeling (from the high mountains of north India) FTGFOP-1, first or second flush. First flush is the first picking of the season (more delicate); second flush is a later leaf (more intense). House of Tea’s Milikthong FTGFOP-1, second flush, a famous Darjeeling, is nine dollars per quarter pound. Which is less, ounce for ounce, than the junk in a three-dollar box of supermarket tea bags.

Some teas cost even more, but remember that a pound of tea makes two hundred cups. Formosa jade oolong (forty dollars a quarter pound) is eighty cents a cup–cheaper than jug wine. And jade oolong, pale and greeny, has a flavor like that of no other tea, delicate and piercing, like perfumed fog. Pearl River light jasmine, called a tribute tea because no more than eighty pounds are produced in any one year, is flower sweet, delicate, and sixty-three dollars a quarter pound–$1.26 a cup for tea rarer than fifty-year-old Chateau Latour.

Here’s how Nat Litt makes tea: Use the fat, dumpy, traditional English Chatsford teapot, the best you can buy. Scald the pot by filling it with boiling water. Dump the water out. Add one level teaspoon of tea per cup. “Forget a spoonful for the pot; the pot’s not drinking any tea,” says Nat. Pour water at a rolling boil. “Not a hard boil–you lose oxygen–the tea tastes flat!” Let tea sit three to five minutes, depending on your taste, and get the tea off the leaves. “Some teas become overdrawn and bitter,” Nat warns. If you like milk, put it in the cup first for a nice, creamy tan color. If you add milk last–try this at home–the tea turns an ugly gray.

 

Hard Traditional Breads Work For Hiking

Taking a cue from American pioneers and Spanish sailors, twentieth-century mountaineers created Logan Bread, a dried-fruit-and-nut-laced concoction that helped get them through multiweek trips. The bread was first used in the 1950s by a University of Alaska expedition to 19,850-foot Mt. Logan (hence the name) in the Yukon Territory. with a consistency of charcoal briquettes and a low moisture content, Logan Bread is ideal for a pack because it keeps for weeks and is nearly impossible to squish.

Logan bread is delicious.

John Fischer, a mountaineer from Bishop, Califomia, recalls the good old days when he used to bake “Lead Bread,” his variation on Logan Bread, before embarking on long climbs. Today, he says he makes do with store-bought energy bars because of time constraints, but it’s just not the same. Last time he sat atop a peak, munching on a snack, he found himself wishing for “a chunk of that Lead Bread with dates and walnuts”.

Making a loaf of Logan or Lead Bread doesn’t require special culinary skills, Fischer says, since there’s no finicky yeast to contend with. Another selling point is the money you’ll save. Buying a week’s worth of ready-made, prepackaged snacks and energy bars for three or four people can cost close to $70, he adds. “For $70 you can make a wheelbarrow of Logan Bread or Lead Bread and still have money left over.”

When it comes to lunch and snacks, you’re better off relying on homemade hard breads. After all, when you’re on the go who wants to fire up the stove or dirty the cookware? At the beginning and end of the day, though, when things are more relaxed, nothing beats the taste of fresh bread. If you’re like me, you want to keep things quick and simple, which means making unleavened or self-rising breads that require no special equipment other than a cook kit fry pan, oil, and a spatula. A diffuser, available at some outdoor or hardware stores, makes for better results (but is not necessary) because it spreads the heat from your stove and minimizes burning, Since you’re not dealing with yeast, preparation time is short and the risk of failure, even for rookie chefs, is minimal. Here are a few options:

* Crepes: Simply water down the recipe for pre-mixed, complete pancake batter and fry crepes in a pan. Spread with butter, syrup, cream cheese, or fresh berries to taste, then roll and eat.

* Chapati: An East Indian standby that makes a nifty breakfast or dinner fry bread. As simple as it gets, chapati is a mixture of whole wheat flour, water, and a little oil (see “Recipes For The Trail,” below). I like to serve them with fresh huckleberries or serviceberries. Try adding corn meal or dried milk.

* Tortillas: A great accompaniment to rice and beans or any other Mexican and Southwest inspired dish. Buying tortillas is a whole lot easier, but for the do-it-yourself chef that defeats the whole purpose. It’s the same basic recipe as chapati.

* Fry bread: Lots of options here. Many cornbread recipes can be easily adapted to pan frying instead of baking. Just be sure to use enough oil in the fry pan, and spread the dough mixture thinly, about 1 1/2 inches. Cover and cook over low heat. Or purchase a prepackaged complete cornbread mix.

Another fry bread option is Chamy Snacks’ Garlic Fry Bread ($5.85), a premix that makes a great appetizer or accompaniment to a pasta dinner. Easy to mix and quick to cook (about 5 to 10 minutes), the bread is delicious (see “Resources,” page 38). Knead the dough in a plastic bag, squeeze a few biscuit-size dollops of dough onto a greased frying pan and you’re living right.

RECIPES FOR THE TRAIL

Chapati*

1 c. whole

wheat flour 1 c. white flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. dried yeast (optional)

Mix dry ingredients together and add enough water to form a stiff dough. Knead the ingredients well. The dough should not stick to your hands. After kneading 8 to 10 minutes, let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Break off walnut-size pieces and roll out very thinly with a water bottle. Place in a hot, dry skillet, brown lightly on one side, then turn and brown the other side. If instead, you deep-fry this dough in a pool of oil, it’s called “paratha.” You can also substitute a half cup of cornmeal by subtracting half a cup of whole wheat flour, or substitute milk for water

Tortillas

1 to 1 1/3 c. cold

water 1 tsp. salt 2 c. flour (whole wheat, white,

or a mixture of the two) 1 tsp. lemon or lime juice

Mix all ingredients together to form a stiff dough and knead 5 to 8 minutes. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. Grease and preheat a skillet. Break off walnut-size pieces of dough and roll out thinly. Fry in the skillet until the edges dry; turn and cook until some color develops. Cool and stack.

Skillet

Cornbread**

4 Tbsp. oil 1 c. flour, whole wheat

and/or unbleached white 3/4 c. cornmeal 1/3 c. sugar 1/3 c. instant powdered milk 3/4 tsp. salt 2 Tbsp. egg powder 3 tsp. baking powder

At home: Bottle oil in sealable plastic container. Combine remaining ingredients and bag together. Makes about 2 cups of dry mix.

On the trail: Add 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water to dry ingredients and mix. Heat remaining oil in cook kit skillet. Pour batter into skillet, cover, and cook until browned. Flip bread and cook other side until browned.

RECIPES TO MAKE AT HOME

Fruit-Nut

Logan Bread

1/2 c. honey 1/4 c. molasses 2 eggs 1/2 c. vegetable oil 3 3/4 c. flour (equal parts white,

whole wheat, corn meal,

and cracked wheat, or

according to preference) 1/2 c. dried fruit 1/2 c. assorted nuts 1/2 c. sugar (brown or raw) 1/2 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. milk

Mix honey, molasses, eggs, and oil together. In a second bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Combine wet and dry ingredients, and mix thoroughly. Form dough into 3 loaves and place on a greased cookie sheet. Brush loaf tops with milk and bake for 1 1/2 to 3 hours at 150[degrees]F. To avoid breaking teeth, dunk in hot liquid, like coffee or soup, before biting. Store unused loaves in zipper-lock bags either in the refrigerator or freezer.

John Fischer’s

Lead Bread***

2 c. water 4 c. flour (equal parts rye,

whole wheat, white, and

cracked wheat, or

according to

preference) 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt 2 c. dried fruit and nuts

(dates, figs, pitted

prunes, apples,

cashews, etc.)

Mix all ingredients. Spread dough about 2 inches thick in a lightly oiled pan, or form into a flat lump. Bake at 200[degrees]F for about 3 hours with the oven door slightly ajar. The bread is done when the moisture is gone and the loaf sounds hollow when you thump it.

 

Redfish Is A Flavor Sensation

Falling asleep under a nice summer sky, thinking, as I drifted off, “It’s going to be a beautiful day for fishing.” Just before daylight, I opened my eyes as a bolt of lightning drilled into the waters of the Gulf. Not good. I had arranged a dawn rendezvous with Capt. Bubby Rodriguez, the premier skinny-water redfish guide in South Louisiana, and I never pull the plug on a fishing trip until the guide recommends it. So, along with my fishing partner, Susan Spicer, the inventive chef at Bayona Restaurant in New Orleans, I walked through the garden of The Victoria Inn, over the levee and out to the dock. Everything was going quite well, at least until I broke my laptop hard drive. It was a shocker, but I was fortunate enough to have just made the acquaintance of a laptop data recovery service in Irvine. I was lucky, to be sure.

The boomers kept rolling across the red sky. In perfect synchronization with our arrival at the landing, Bubby pulled up in his shallow-draft Louisiana mud boat. Its long shaft allows him to angle the propeller so he can still motor along in six inches of water. With this rig, Bubby fishes in very thin, remote backwaters, where you can see the exposed tails and backs of the redfish as they graze along the watery grass beds. When the sunlight catches them, they sparkle like a freshly minted penny.

The thunderclaps continued, but Bubby swore the storms were moving around us, and we motored through winding channels, eventually coming onto a broad lagoon. Bubby announced the V-wakes of cruising reds. He took up his pushpole and moved us on an interception course. Susan threw a buzzbait with her spinning rod. I stuck with a fly. I saw a cherry-red fish with its back clear out of the water and sent a fairly long cast about six inches in front of his nose. The redfish turned; I stripped. He pushed a bow wave in front of him. I struck and soon landed a six-pounder.

We spent the next few hours chasing more fish. I hooked one more but spooked another dozen. As did Susan. We came upon a pod of tailers in less than six inches of water and waited half an hour for them to get into casting range — which is a long half-hour in the Louisiana summer sun. We each took a shot. I lay my line down as carefully as I could and a huge red erupted and high-tailed for cover.

“They’ve got us made,” Bubby said, as if we were plainclodies cops.

Bubby thought it was time to quit before the thunderstorms returned, so we went back to the kitchen at the inn and Susan set about her work

Fried Redfish Fillets

with Red Bean Puree

Two large, skinned redfish

fillets cut in half (about

5 oz. per portion)

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 tbsp. butter

1/4 cup olive oil

Dredge fillets in seasoned cornmeal. Heat the butter in pan and add enough oil so there is 1/8 of an inch of hot liquid in pan. When the oil and butter are very hot (but not smoking), put the fillets in the pan. (Tip: Fold the thin tail of the fillet under for a uniformly thick piece of fish.) Fry about three minutes on each side (until the meat is flaky, but not dry). For the puree:

2 cups red beans

1/2 cup orangejuice

1 diced poblano pepper

6 cilantro stems tied with 1 bay leaf

2 tbsp. vinegar

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 or 2 chopped, pickled jalapeno peppers

2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger

pinch of cumin

salt and black pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Combine the ingredients with four cups of water. Reserve 1/4 cup orange juice, jalapenos and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer until beans are soft (about one, hour). Put cooked beans (and their liquid) in a food processor, or pass them through a Foley food mill. Before processing, add chopped jalapeno peppers, Worcestershire sauce and remaining orange juice. Process until smooth. Add chopped cilantro. Taste for seasoning.

Herb-Roasted Redfish with Lime

Coriander Pesto and Eggplant

1 medium-sized redfish, gutted and cleaned

2 medium-sized eggplants

1 to 2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

3 shallots, diced

2 jalapeno peppers, diced

3 tbsp. chopped fresh ginger

1 tsp. grated lime peel

2 cloves garlic, diced

Cut the eggplants in half, score the flesh, salt lightly and turn face down on paper towels. Put a weight on top to drain the eggplant. After half an hour, combine 1 to 2 tsp. of olive oil with mixture of paprika, cumin and cinnamon and brush on eggplants. Place in 350[degrees] oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until flesh is uniformly tender. Meanwhile, salt and pepper the cavity of the fish and fill with loosely packed diced shallots and peppers, chopped or grated ginger and lime peel.

Cover redfish with remaining shallots, jalapeno and ginger and the garlic. Surround with eggplant and place in oven approximately 30 minutes, turning once (optional). Check inside the cavity to see if fish is cooked. If it is not flaky yet, return to oven for 10 minutes and check again.

When done, remove flesh from carcass and serve next to roasted eggplants. For the pesto:

1/2 cup fresh basil

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1/2 cup fresh mint

2 shallots

juice of 2 limes (or lemons)

3 tbsp. olive oil

3 tbsp. chopped scallions

Combine the herbs and shallots in a food processor and process until the pieces of herb leaves are very small. In other words, very finely chopped but not a paste. (Note: You can use a blender or, failing all else, a knife to chop the ingredients very fine.) Remove from processor. Add lime juice, olive oil and chopped scallions. Serve on the side.

 

Checking In On Chives

During the first spring I spent at my Pennsylvania farm some 24 years ago, a clump of chives emerged beneath my kitchen’s bay window. With my garden in its infancy, I was excited about having fresh chives on hand. Yet it wasn’t long before that clump, which I later transplanted to the site of my present herb garden, multiplied to the point that it became a veritable weed. Because I had allowed its lavender flower heads to mature naturally, they set seed – seed that self-sowed and grew into new plants everywhere!

In the years since, I have made it a habit to divide such prolific perennial herbs and give them away to friends wishing to start their own herb gardens. And, to help control chives’s proclivity to self-sow, I try to cut flowers well before they turn to seed, using the edible blossoms in recipes and in floral arrangements.

The type of chives I found beneath my windowsill so long ago was Allium schoenoprasum. Sometimes known as onion chives for the mild onion flavor they possess, these are the more common variety, identified by leaves that grow 12 to 18 inches high. Globe-shaped lavender flower heads form in late spring.

The other chive variety, called garlic chives, Chinese leeks, or Oriental garlic (A. tuberosum), tastes mildly like garlic. Though it is a perennial – and my mother grew it as such in her Arizona garden – this herb rarely survives the cold winters Pennsylvania has to offer. With large, flat, grasslike leaves, garlic chives have flower heads that open in summer to reveal white star-shaped flowers. Cultivated for centuries in China and India, this variety is widely grown in tropical Asia and commercially in Southern California. Two cultivars are commonly grown – one is called ‘Broadleafed’ and the other is named ‘Chinese Leek Flower’. The green leaves of garlic chives are used for seasoning, as are those of common chives. If the leaves are covered by soil during cultivation, they turn yellow, or “blanch.” Considered a delicacy by Chinese cooks, blanched chives are often stir-fried in vegetarian dishes or mixed with meat in dumplings.

Using Chives

Chive leaves contribute flavor to soups, salads, entrees – just about any dish that would be enhanced by onion, especially eggs. The edible flowers, when added to salads and cream cheese, contribute a touch of color, crunchy texture, and a hint of onion flavor. Onion chive blossoms bottled in white-wine vinegar turn it into a pale-lavender infusion. The flowers become fibrous as they grow old, so select young blossoms for culinary use. I often include mature chive blossoms in fresh flower arrangements and always dry some for use later in everlasting bouquets.

Unlike onion chives, which can be found in most large produce markets and well-stocked grocery stores, Asian markets are the most common outlet for garlic chives. There you will often find bundles of pale-yellow blanched garlic chives sold alongside the fresh green variety with their unopened flower buds. Garlic chives are most often incorporated into stir-fried dishes, tossed with noodles, or added to soups.

In the garden, chive plants serve as attractive perennial borders. From spring to fall, from one season to the next, you can harvest chives to use fresh or freeze them to use later. Whether homegrown or store-bought, this perennial herb has become a favorite of cooks everywhere.

- L.W.

SALMON WITH CHIVE CREAM SAUCE AND ASPARAGUS

Salmon is sliced thin to resemble cutlets in this quickly cooked entree, which pairs the fish with fresh asparagus and a creamy chive-flavored sauce.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1 1 1/4-pound center-cut piece salmon fillet (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick) 1/2 teaspoon salt 12 slender stalks asparagus 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup dry white wine 2/3 cup water 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives 1/2 cup nonfat sour cream

1. Place salmon, skin side down, on work surface. With sharp knife placed crosswise on salmon about 2 inches from one end and held almost parallel to surface, cut flesh almost horizontally toward the end to yield eight 1/4-inch-thick slices off the skin. Discard skin. Sprinkle salmon slices with 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.

2. Heat oven to 250 [degrees] F. Break or trim asparagus to 5-inch-long spears, discarding ends. If desired, with vegetable peeler, remove tough skin from lower half of each asparagus spear. In large nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 inch water to boiling over high heat. Add asparagus and cook just until crisp-tender. Drain asparagus and transfer to ovenproof plate; cover and keep warm.

3. In same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add salmon, half at a time, and cook until firm and lightly browned on each side. As slices brown, transfer to ovenproof plate. Cover with aluminum foil and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining butter and salmon slices.

4. Add wine to skillet and heat to boiling, stirring to dislodge browned-on bits. Add water and 1/2 cup chives to skillet; heat to boiling. Remove skillet from heat and whisk in sour cream and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until mixed.

5. Pour chive mixture in blender and blend until smooth and green. Divide sauce among plates, spreading to an even layer. Place 2 salmon slices, overlapping each other, on top of sauce and sprinkle with some of remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Arrange 3 asparagus spears alongside salmon and serve.

Note: Other flavorful salmon recipes that cooks can prepare with ease are available in a brochure produced by Salmon Marketers International, a group representing salmon producers from Washington State, Chile, British Columbia, Scotland, New Brunswick, and Norway. To request a free packet of salmon information including recipes, call (800) 378-4121.

Nutrition information per serving – protein: 31 grams; fat: 15 grams; carbohydrate: 7 grams; fiber: .8 gram; sodium: 439 milligrams; cholesterol: 99 milligrams; calories: 303.

STIR-FRIED CHICKEN, GARLIC CHIVES, AND PEA PODS

The mild garlic flavor of garlic chives enhances rather than overwhelms the main components of this dish. Cooked white or brown rice makes a fine accompaniment.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 2 tablespoons dry sherry 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 cups 1-inch-cut garlic chives and their unopened blossoms 1/4 pound snow pea pods, ends and strings removed

1. Prepare sauce: In 1-cup measuring cup or small bowl, combine broth, sherry, soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, and red pepper; set aside.

2. Heat wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl it around to coat pan. Add half of chicken and cook until well browned on one side – about 3 minutes. Turn chicken pieces and brown other side – about 2 minutes. Transfer browned chicken to a bowl. Repeat to brown other half of chicken with remaining oil and transfer to bowl. Reduce heat to medium.

3. In same pan, stir-fry chives 1 minute. Add pea pods and stir-fry 1 minute. Restir sauce and pour over vegetables. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, until thickened. Return chicken and its juices to pan; cook until heated through. Transfer to serving plate. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving – protein: 19 grams; fat: 10 grams; carbohydrate: 10 grams; fiber: 2 grams; sodium: 366 milligrams; cholesterol: 48 milligrams; calories: 200.

CHIVE POTATO PANCAKES

Whether served for brunch or lunch, these are best eaten fresh from the oven, while they are still hot and crisp.

MAKES 8 PANCAKES

1/2 cup nonfat sour cream 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives 1 tablespoon Dijon-style prepared mustard 2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled 2 large eggs 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. In small bowl, combine sour cream, 2 tablespoons chives, and the mustard. Cover and refrigerate sour-cream sauce until ready to serve (if necessary, drain any moisture that accumulates).

2. Into large bowl, coarsely grate potatoes and mix in 1/2 cup chives, the eggs, flour, salt, and pepper.

3. Heat oven to 375 [degrees] F. In large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add one-eighth of potato mixture to skillet and flatten to 3-inch round. Make 2 more pancakes. Cook pancakes until golden brown on bottom – about 5 minutes. Turn pancakes over and cook until undersides brown – about 3 minutes longer. Transfer pancakes to baking sheet. Repeat to make 5 more pancakes.

4. Bake pancakes 10 minutes or until cooked through. Serve immediately with sour-cream sauce.

Nutrition information per pancake with sauce – protein: 5 grams; fat: 7 grams; carbohydrate: 30 grams; fiber: 2 grams; sodium: 199 milligrams; cholesterol: 56 milligrams; calories: 197.