DININGguide

THURSDAY 30 JANUARY 2020

ACTING MANAGING EDITORMohammed Salim Mohamed

SUPPLEMENT EDITORPramod Prabhakaran

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFDr. Khalid M Al-Shafi

ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATORRocel Bautista

DESIGNAbraham Augusthy

FOOD scene in Qatar has seen some rapid changes in recent months with many food outlets offering unique dining options opening around the country. There is something for everyone – be it food trucks or high-end dining.

Another dining out trend that has caught on recently are burger joints – there is one on every street – offering handmade burgers, special buns, more cheese, less cheese, sauces you never heard of or unique interiors. Looks like burgers are here to stay in 2020 as more ‘unique’ burger outlets are in the pipeline.

Vegan food is also catching up fast as many eateries are offering these options on their menu.

Another yummy trend in local dining space is seafood outlets offering fresh catch - we never get TIRED of these, more the merrier.

2020 looks like a good year for foodies in Qatar and to keep you posted about all the new trends The Peninsula will publish Dining Guide every month. Please send in your suggestions to editor@pen.com.qa

Bon Appetit

Keeping with the trendsDINING

guide

SORTING OUT THE MANY YOGURT OPTIONS

TIPS FOR A BETTER CUP OF TEA

AN EASY WEEKNIGHT STIR-FRY

WHIMSY: MULTI-SENSORY FINE DINING

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The greatest thing since sliced bread. We've all heard and probably used the famous adage, and as transformative as that innovation was, to me

it leaves out half (at least) of the equation - that is, everything that goes between those slices.

Yes, I'm talking about the sandwich. Without the filling, all you have with sliced bread is . . . thinner bread.

There are about as many reasons to love sandwiches as there are ways to make them. They're portable and you can eat them with your hands. They're fast, easy and cheap to make. Oh, and they're fun!

That's where these recipes come in. If your familiar brown-bag sandwich has left you feeling kind of blue, fear not. We took some classic lunch sandwiches and gave them a boost. These updates won't make them unrecognizable or twee, but they will make them taste fresh, flavourful and special.

But first, a few sandwich best practices:

- Don't overstuff. Sure, you can put anything in a sandwich. That doesn't mean you should put everything in a sandwich. Being judicious with your filling means you can focus on a few quality ingredients. Plus, the sandwich will stand a chance of actually holding together.

- Incorporate flavors in high-impact, low-volume ways. There are plenty of strategies for amping up flavour without making your sandwich heftier. Whip up a flavoured mayo (call it an aioli, if you like) by doctoring it with Sriracha, chipotle peppers, citrus zest and more. Incorporate a spice blend into yogurt. Repurpose turkey bacon fat for toasting bread. You might be surprised how cre-ative - and thrifty - you can be.

- Aim for a mix of textures. It's just as important as the right balance of fla-vours. Choose elements across a few categories, including creamy, crunchy, crispy, saucy and soft.

- Protect the bread. Insulate the bread when using wet fillings, or at least wait to assemble until you're ready to eat. Something fatty (butter, mayo) or a

slice of cheese can do the trick. So does toasting the sides of the bread that will face the inside of the sandwich. This also gives your teeth something soft to sink into first.

- Protect the sandwich. Why go through the effort of making a sandwich only to pull it out of your bag smashed? Do yourself a favour and pack your homemade beauty in a hard-sided con-tainer or sturdy lunch bag. If you really want to be extra, wrap it in parchment or wax paper first.

Crunchy Raspberry PB&JA peanut butter and jelly is so easy to

make and so easy to mess up. I wanted to resist the temptation to turn it too fancy and precious, but a few simple upgrades gave me a satisfying, well-bal-anced sandwich I wish I'd had packed in

my school lunch bag.

Ingredients (1 serving)

2 to 3 tablespoons crunchy natural peanut butter2 slices whole-wheat bread2 tablespoons raspberry jam or preserves2 to 3 thick (1/4 inch) slices tart apple

Steps

Divide the peanut butter between the slices of bread. Spread the raspberry jam on top of one of the peanut butter layers. Place the apple slices on top of the jam, followed by the other slice of bread.

Variations: Use fig preserves. Try a different crunchy nut butter. Make it a club with another slice of bread and more filling.

Spicy, Smoky Turkey SandwichChipotle mayo and smoked turkey

will remind you of the outdoors even if you are eating it at your desk. Another boring turkey sandwich? Never again with this zesty number.

Ingredients

1 chipotle in adobo, drained and minced3 tablespoons mayonnaise2 slices sourdough bread

1 slice pepper jack cheese4 ounces smoked turkeyHandful baby spinach leaves

Steps

In a small bowl, combine the chipotle and mayonnaise. You'll need about a third of it (or as much as you want) for this sandwich; the rest will keep in the fridge for a few days. Spread half of the reserved mayo on one side of each slice of bread. Assemble the cheese, turkey and spinach between the slices of bread.

Variations: Decrease the chipotle or leave it out of the mayo. Swap in Monterey jack, or any deli sliced cheese, for the pepper jack. This would also be good on a kaiser roll.

Double Mango Curry Chicken Salad

A double dose of mango - fresh and chutney - goes into this aromatic salad inspired by Washington chef Scott Drewno. My version is based on a yogurt dressing reminiscent of a tandoori mar-inade. There's no need to cook a chicken unless you want to, because this is the perfect use for a store-bought rotisserie bird.

This recipe scales up easily if you want to make enough chicken salad for a few days.

NOTE: Toast the almonds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, tossing frequently, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons whole milk Greek yogurt1/2 teaspoon curry powder1 tablespoon olive oilSqueeze fresh lemon juicePinch saltPinch sugar3 to 4 ounces cooked chicken, (1-to 2-inch pieces)1 tablespoon chunky mango chutney, such as Major Grey's1 tablespoon toasted slivered almonds2 tablespoons diced mango2 or 3 leaves butter lettuce2 slices bread

Steps

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, curry powder, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and sugar. Stir in the chicken, chutney, almonds and diced mango. Pile the chicken salad on top of the lettuce in between the slices of bread.

Variations: Use cucumber instead of mango. Opt for another kind of nut. Change the flavor profile with a different spice blend. Try in a wrap or pita.

The Washington Post

How to upgrade your sandwich

DININGguide

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ELLIE KRIEGER THE WASHINGTON POST

It all started with Greek yogurt. Once available only in specialty stores, in the past decade it has come to dominate the yogurt aisle in just about every grocery store. Its success has opened our minds and taste buds to yogurt's world of possi-bilities, clearing the path for other traditional

takes on the beloved food. Now you can globe-hop in the dairy department with offerings from France, Aus-tralia, Bulgaria, Iceland and other countries.

This United Nations of yogurt options is exciting, but it can also make for a mind-boggling shopping experience. I did a world-tour tasting in my kitchen and asked Cheryl Sternman Rule, author of "Yogurt Culture: A Global Look at How to Make, Bake, Sip, and Chill the World's Creamiest, Healthiest Food," to break down the differences.

"Yogurt is really only two things: bacteria and milk," says Sternman Rule. To make it, you heat milk, allow it to cool somewhat, add live cultures (bacteria) and let the mixture incubate until it thickens, and voilà, you have yogurt.

It's a pretty simple process that people have been doing for thousands of years, but there is an art to it. You can vary the basic formula in countless ways and make it your own. That is how societies have developed distinct yogurt heritages. You can use different kinds of milk (whole or low-fat; milk from a cow, sheep or goat; or even nondairy milk), vary the specific types and combinations of bacteria, and use different vessels to make the yogurt. You can strain it - a little or a lot - to remove the whey and thicken the final product. And, of course, you can add flavors, sweet or savory.

These variables not only affect the taste and texture of the final product, but they make a nutritional difference, too. A yogurt's nutritional profile depends on what kind of milk is used, how much (if any) sweetener is included and whether the yogurt is strained. Most yogurts contain a wealth of good bacteria, protein, B vitamins and calcium, and they fill you up without a lot of calories.

"What's nice about there being so many different kinds is that there is really something for every palate," says Sternman Rule. After reading this primer, heed Sternman Rule's advice: Just as you might do with choc-olate or olive oil, buy a number of brands with different fat contents and flavors and do a tasting.

BulgarianOne of the most common bacterial cultures used in

yogurt around the world is native to Bulgaria and named for the country: Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Natu-rally, that strain is the main one used to make Bulgarian yogurt, and it gives the yogurt one of its defining taste characteristics. Sold in the United States by brands such as Trimona and White Mountain Foods, Bulgarian yogurt has a pleasant but decidedly tart flavor, and its texture is creamy but loose and easily spoon-able. Available in whole milk and low-fat varieties,

Bulgarian yogurt is probably closest in texture to what was sold as yogurt here 20 years ago. Because Bul-garian yogurt is unstrained, it retains all of the calcium and other nutrients from the milk used to make it.

GreekMildly tangy Greek yogurt owes its thick, creamy

texture to a straining process in which some of its whey is drained off and discarded. This also concentrates the protein in the yogurt and eliminates some of its natu-rally occurring sugar (lactose) - giving it a "more-protein, less-sugar" marketing win. A downside that isn't advertised is that with the straining process, some of the calcium, potassium, B vitamins and other nutrients are also drained off. Still, Greek yogurt is a good source of calcium and has the perfect texture to act as a healthy replacement for mayonnaise or sour cream in dips and dressings. It makes for a satisfying good-for-you snack, as long as you stick to options without much added sugar. Major players in the world of Greek yogurt include Chobani, Fage and Oikos, but just about every brand has a hand in the Greek yogurt game these days. As if things weren't already confusing, even Australian yogurt producer Wallaby is making Greek yogurt now.

IcelandicThere is debate as to whether skyr, an ancient

staple in Iceland, should be called yogurt, or if it is really more of a cheese. It is certainly yogurt-like in that it is a cultured milk product, and you can find it in the yogurt aisle in US grocery stores by brands such as Siggi's and Icelandic Provisions. But because it is

strained even more than Greek yogurt, it is very thick and glossy, with the consistency and flavor undertone of a tangy, spoon-able cheese, and it is accordingly high in protein. Traditionally, skyr is made with skim or low-fat milk, but it is sold in the United States in whole-milk varieties as well. The flavored versions tend to be only lightly sweetened.

FrenchTraditional French-style yogurt is "pot set,"

meaning that rather than being made in a large vat and then divided into containers, it is both cultured and sold in small, individual containers, usually adorably quaint glass ones. It is unstrained, so it is not very dense, but it has a luxuriously smooth, creamy texture that is due in part to the fact that it is typically made with whole milk. Flavored varieties tend to be less sweet than most American yogurts. I used to go to far-flung markets to find it, but now, happily, Oui by Yoplait has made little glass tubs of French-style yogurt available to the mass market. There are other, smaller producers as well, including Saint Benoît Creamery.

AustralianAustralian yogurt, offered by brands such as

Wallaby and Noosa, is unstrained yogurt with a creamy, velvety texture that tends to be very rich. Although you can buy low-fat and plain Australian-style yogurt, the thing that really sets it apart is its indulgent, dessertlike quality and creative flavors that don't shy from sweetness. I think of it as a healthier way to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Sorting out the many yogurt optionsmany

DININGguide

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BY ANN MALONEY

I love a good multistep cooking challenge - on a weekend, when I have no pressing errands. During the week? I want a recipe with no tricks up its sleeve.

Still, satisfying a weeknight takeout craving with an easy version of that dish can be a tall order. Quick-version recipes often fall flat, with too few ingredients, or they call for conven-ience products that drive up the cost and add unwanted sodium and sugar.

That's where this Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe steps in. It is as straight-forward as its name implies. The ingre-dients are easy to find. (I had most of the staples on hand but had to shop for the flank steak, broccoli, scallions and ginger.)

And, like most stir-fry recipes, it is adaptable. Don't eat beef? Substitute in bite-size pieces of chicken or firm tofu cubes. Have frozen snow peas in the freezer? Add those in place of the carrots.

This take on the Chinese restaurant menu staple quickly made the repeat cycle in our house, after we discovered it in September at EatingWell.com. My two sisters make it. My nephew, too.

One reason we like it is that it's healthier. Our Americanized versions of Chinese food can be calorie-packed with added sugar, sodium and carbs. The Eating Well editors say this version has about half of the calories of typical takeout beef and broccoli.

The original recipe included 2 table-spoons of light brown sugar. I reduced that to 1 tablespoon, but urge you to keep that bit of sugar in the mix. It cara-melizes in the hot pan, complementing the ginger and garlic with a hint of sweetness that makes it all so yummy.

A few notes:- If you love the fresh bite of ginger

as much as I do, make it just as it is described below. If you don't, cut the ginger to 2 teaspoons or even 1.

- Keep the sodium down by using low-salt soy sauce and broth. Or use water rather than broth.

- I make this stir-fry with a bit of olive oil in large nonstick skillet, but use a high-smoke-point oil, such as grapeseed, if you prefer.

This version makes just enough sauce to coat the al dente vegetables and protein, so usually we eat it in a bowl with no rice. If you want to keep the carbs down, try serving the stir-fry over steamed riced cauliflower. By cutting the sugar and the carbs, this recipe, which serves four, comes in at about 360 cal-ories per serving.

Beef and Broccoli Stir-FryThis 30-minute supper results in a

healthier version of the popular takeout dish.

Ingredients (4 servings)

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce1/3 cup chicken broth or water2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided1 tablespoon light brown sugar1 pound flank steak3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil,

divided1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced1 pound broccoli, cut into florets

(about 6 cups)1 medium carrot, cut into 1-inch

matchsticks (about 1/2 cup)1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (about

3 to 4), plus more for garnish2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 3

cloves)1 tablespoon finely grated fresh

gingerCooked brown rice or steamed riced

cauliflower (optional)Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

(optional)

StepsIn a small bowl, whisk together the

soy sauce, broth or water, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and the brown sugar until combined.

Cut the flank steak with the grain into 2-inch-wide pieces, then slice against the grain into 1/8-inch-thick strips. Place the steak on a large plate and sprinkle with the remaining 1 table-

spoon cornstarch. Toss to coat.In a large flat-bottomed wok, or

nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering but not smoking. Add the steak and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer the steak to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and heat until just smoking. Add the onion, broccoli and carrot to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens and broccoli and carrot are slightly tender, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the scallions, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about

30 seconds. Whisk the soy sauce mixture again. Reduce the heat to medium and add the soy mixture and beef to the pan. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute.

Serve over cooked brown rice or with steamed riced cauliflower and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and additional scallions, if desired.

Storage: Store the cooled stir-fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition | Calories: 360; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 4.5 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 75 mg; Sodium: 170 mg; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 7 g; Protein: 28 g.

RECIPE

An easy weeknight beef and broccoli stir-fry

DININGguide

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THE WASHINGTON POST

Seasoning your food? Great! Seasoning your cast-iron? Good - but also . . . intimidating. I can't tell you how many times we've had readers ask about seasoning - or reseasoning or maintaining seasoning - their skillets and

other cast-iron cookware.I get it. There's a lot of paranoia and misinfor-

mation, including whether dish soap will ruin it (nope) and what type of fat to use to create the protective layer. Here are some tips to help you figure it all out:

- What it is. Seasoning is what happens when fats are heated to a certain point that causes them to reor-ganize into something resembling a plastic coating and bond to the metal. That coating is smooth and slick, allowing for foods to easily release from the pan. Cast iron is "the original nonstick cookware," says Mark Kelly, the public relations manager at Lodge, the brand synonymous with cast-iron cookware.

Often, the fats come from oils, although depending on what you use, anything from beef bacon fat to short-ening can contribute to seasoning. I like this expla-nation from cookbook author Anne Byrn, from her recently released "Skillet Love": "Oil is the best friend to the skillet. It keeps it protected, impervious to any moisture that might cause it to rust. Think of oil on a skillet like moisturizer on your skin. . . . Heat plus oil builds the patina and makes your skillet naturally nonstick."

Most of the cast iron you buy comes preseasoned. That means you can start cooking in it right away.

To see whether your pan is well-seasoned, Cook's Illustrated recommends this test: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a skillet for 3 minutes and then fry an egg. If there's no major sticking, your seasoning is good.

- It improves with age. If you're afraid of cooking in cast iron because you don't want to mess up the sea-soning, that's the exact wrong approach. The more you cook in cast iron, the more seasoning will build up. It takes time, though. "It's a natural process," Kelly says. "You need to be patient."

If you're wondering whether vintage or newer-pro-duced cast iron is better in terms of seasoning, it depends. Older pieces that have been used a lot and well cared for will have a superb established seasoning. But those heirloom skillets (and also some newer bou-tique brands) tend to be smoother than Lodge's current more pebbly-surfaced cast iron. According to Byrn, "Lodge attests that the seasoning on the pan has a better chance to get into the crevices and form its own barrier against water if the surface isn't smooth as glass." That's not to say you can't season a smoother skillet, but you should be aware of the potential differ-ences if it takes longer.

- Maintain it. To maintain the seasoning, oil the pan after each use, returning it to the burner over medium-low heat after cleaning and then rubbing it down with oil and paper towels until it's smooth and shiny with no visible residue. Kelly says you can do your coat of maintenance oil in a 200-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, too. As for what type of oil to use, Byrn recommends the least saturated options, including canola, corn, soybean, sunflower and flaxseed. Cook's Illustrated's top pick is flaxseed, because it is faster at creating a more durable

seasoning. Sunflower and soybean oil (Lodge uses soybean on its cookware) are good, affordable options.

Even if you're short on time and can't reheat the pan, at the very least wipe on a thin layer of oil before you put the pan away, buffing it until no greasy spots remain.

- Don't be scared of ruining it. "A happy skillet is sitting at the back of the stove right now, cared for, talked about, needed," Byrn writes. "But don't get so obsessive about this process that you are fearful of using your skillet. There is a reason that iron skillets have survived the centuries. They withstand a little abuse but really appreciate being coddled, too."

Some mild dish soap will not remove seasoning when cleaning. It's also unlikely to be scratched or chipped off by metal utensils, since, as we've estab-lished, it's chemically bonded to the cast iron. Moreover, contrary to what you may have been told, a well-seasoned pan can stand up to acidic foods such as tomato sauce, to a certain extent. To protect the sea-soning and prevent metallic flavors in your food, Cook's Illustrated recommends limiting the cook time for acidic foods to 30 minutes and then removing the food immediately. Serious Eats chief culinary adviser J. Kenji López-Alt also suggests staying away from cooking

liquid-based dishes in cast iron until the seasoning is well-established.

- But if you do damage it, all is not lost. As Kelly likes to say, "Leave no cast iron behind." If your pieces have been damaged or neglected, or you salvage some that have been roughed up, "you can always resurrect them." There are a variety of strategies for stripping and reseasoning cast iron. Choose what works best for you. When it comes to addressing small patches of rust, Kelly recommends using steel wool to rub it down before proceeding with reseasoning. Lodge's preferred method is to rub the seasoning oil or melted vegetable shortening all over the pan and let it bake on the middle rack of the oven at 350 degrees for an hour, with a sheet of aluminum foil underneath to catch any drips. Repeat as necessary until the seasoning is where you want it to be. For her part, Byrn cranks the oven to 500 degrees, coats the skillet with a tablespoon of oil, wipes off the excess and bakes it upside down for an hour over foil.

If you have a truly abused skillet, you'll need to start from scratch by stripping the seasoning and going through multiple rounds of restoring it. Again, strat-egies vary on how to strip seasoning, including using the self-cleaning feature of your oven. Cook's Illus-trated, though, prefers using a spray-on oven cleaner.

DININGguide

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How to season your cast-iron skillet - and keep it seasoned

BY BECKY KRYSTAL / THE WASHINGTON POST

I am quite the tea fanatic. The ritual of brewing tea and then savoring it sip by sip is one of the best things I do for myself, even if I'm just making a pot at my desk at the office.

What I find so great about tea - other than the self-care and beautiful flavor - is that the bar

for entry is so low. While I find the advice and equipment for making good coffee absolutely head-spinning, really all you need for a nice cup of tea is some hot water, tea leaves and a way to strain out the leaves. Bliss in minutes.

Here are some tips to guarantee the perfect brew:- Use loose-leaf tea. This is the single best way to

instantly improve your cuppa. I'd say I lived the first two-thirds of my life indiscriminately gulping down cheap grocery store tea from bags only when I was sick and desperate. I also typically drowned those murky brown mugs with milk and sugar (see below), because they were bitter. As my former colleague Bonnie S. Benwick pointed out a few years ago, bitter tea can result from oversteeping, which is especially easy to do with a tea bag full of finely ground leaves. Who hasn't plopped a tea bag in a cup and forgotten about it for too long?

Moreover, say Emilie Holmes and Ben Benton in the recently released book "Good and Proper Tea," low-quality teas in bags have higher levels of bitter tannins, the assertiveness of which can be masked when milk proteins bind to them. They also explain that the process that creates smaller, more uniform pieces for bags does result in loss of complexity and flavor.

Loose-leaf has the advantage of being more envi-ronmentally friendly, with less packaging to dispose of. If you need the convenience of a single serving, espe-cially when on the run, consider biodegradable filters or sachets you fill yourself. And the market is full of mugs and travel thermoses that allow for easy, portable brewing. At home, my tool of choice for a personal brew is a heatproof miniature glass pitcher with a lid similar to a Hawthorne strainer.

- Understand the main types. All teas - black, oolong, green, white - come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The differences are determined by where they originate and how they're withered, oxi-dized, rolled, dried and sorted. Here's a brief rundown, with flavor and color descriptions from "Good and Proper Tea" and brewing guidance from "Modern Tea: A Fresh Look at an Ancient Beverage," by Lisa Boalt Richardson:

Black: Fully oxidized for dark, robust flavor. Water at 205 to 212 degrees, look for a constant stream of large, swirling bubbles. (Note: Some electric kettles

allow you to select a temperature.) Steep 3 to 5 minutes. For Darjeeling, water at 200 to 205 degrees, look for bubbles that are connected to one another in a steady stream, and let rest for 1 minute. Steep 2 1/2 to 4 minutes.

Green: Not oxidized for fresh, vegetal flavor that can be sweet and floral or more savory. For Chinese green, water at 170 to 180 degrees, look for water bubbles the size of a peppercorn with vertical wisps of steam, and let rest for 3 minutes. Steep 2 to 3 minutes. For Japanese green, water at 160 to 170 degrees, look for pinhead-size bubbles with barely visible steam, and let rest for 5 minutes. Steep 30 seconds to 1 minute.

White: Some natural oxidation that results in a fresh, delicate flavor and a champagne-colored tea. Water at 180 to 190 degrees, look for pearl-size bubbles with good amount of steam, and let rest 2 minutes. Steep 3 to 5 minutes.

Oolong: Semi-oxidized at levels that can vary, resulting in flavors that may include delicate floral and tropical from greener varieties to others more similar to black teas. Water at 180 to 200 degrees, look for pearl-size bubbles with a good amount of steam, and let rest 1 to 2 minutes. Steep 3 to 5 minutes.

Herbal: Technically not tea, but tisane. They can come from a wide variety of plants, such as hibiscus, mint or chamomile. Water at 212 degrees, look for a constant stream of large, swirling bubbles, and no resting time. Steep 5 to 10 minutes.

- Care about your water (but don't stress too much). I'll admit it, even though some experts will tell you otherwise: I basically only use tap water for my tea, and I've never thought it tasted off. I happen to find what comes out of my Washington-area faucet just fine for drinking straight up and in tea. But that doesn't

mean everyone's is (I, for one, have always found Florida tap water . . . less than ideal). As Holmes and Benton say, it helps to know whether your water is hard, which can lead to a cup that is chalky or even metallic-tasting, or soft, the acidity of which can make the extraction process happen too fast, leading to a bitter tea. If your water falls to either of those extremes, or just tastes off when straight-up sipped, consider fil-tering, either through your refrigerator's built-in equipment, a faucet attachment or a pitcher. But I can't with good conscience recommend bottled water given the environmental impact, not to mention the cost.

I do, however, recommend heeding the advice from Holmes and Benton to only use "freshly drawn water." As they explain, "The best flavour is drawn out of the tea leaves using oxygen-rich water. Water that has been sitting a while, or more likely boiled over and over again, will lack oxygen, leaving your cup of tea tasting flat."

- Brew thoughtfully. Your tea leaves need suffi-cient time and space to brew, so follow the guidance above by type or whatever instructions are included on the package. Holmes and Benton say leaves can expand up to five times their original dry volume when wet, which is important to keep in mind if you're using a tea ball or infuser tongs.

- Try not to overload it. Follow your heart, and stomach, when doctoring your brewed tea, but I would advise at least making sure you can appreciate the actual taste of the tea. Good tea doesn't necessarily need a ton of milk (dairy or non-) and sugar, although I love a creamy, sweetened chai. Otherwise, I almost never add milk, and my sweetener of choice is a drizzle of honey. If you're taking the time to make a fine pot, you might as well treat it right.

tips for a better cup of tea5

DININGguide

12

December snow flurries in Serbia haven't stopped Aleksandar Tanic from cultivating his scorching-hot crop: The crinkly chili peppers

that are considered the spiciest on the planet.At the base of a mountain in southern Serbia, Tanic

plucks a handful of red, yellow and orange peppers from rows of leafy vines inside a greenhouse whose roof is blanketed with a layer of snow.

Among them is the chubby and gnarled Carolina Reaper, considered to be the hottest pepper out there, according to Guinness World Records.

First developed in South Carolina, it boasts an average of 1.6 million heat units on the "Scoville scale" that measures capsaicin, the ingredient that gives peppers their firepower.

Despite Serbia's wintry temperatures, Tanic says he has no problem growing the peppers in soil beneath Mount Koritnyak in the town of Niska Banja.

"We have a good climate here," says the 36-year-old former electrician.

"I don't know why but the peppers are better and bigger and maybe even hotter here".

Tanic first started researching peppers a few years back "out of a love for cooking and spicy food," he says.

He began tasting varieties from the US, the Car-ibbean, South America and Asia that were far hotter than the red peppers used to make Serbia's beloved ajvar spread.

"I used to think that I was heating spicy food before, but after I tried these sorts of chillies I realised that I had never tasted true hotness," he says with a smile.

With the help of his father Svetislav and a friend, Tanic is now growing about fifteen varieties including the Trinidad Moruga Scorpio, which has 1.2 million heat units, the Seven Pot Habanero and the Mustard Habanero. They grind up the peppers for ultra-spicy sauces with flavours ranging from pear to chocolate.

In the small cabin where he dries peppers on a rack, the intensity of the capsicum particles in the air

make it difficult to breathe. With bees and wind criss-crossing different strains to make new pepper vari-eties, it is difficult to measure the hotness of all of his produce.

"New sorts are created and it takes time for them to be established, so we can't exactly know how hot they are," he told AFP.

When temperatures are back up next summer, he plans to put the hot products on display with an eye-watering chili-eating competition that won't be for the faint of heart -- or tongue. (AFP)

DININGguide

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World's hottest peppers grow under Serbian snow

Happy 2020: Server at Michigan restaurant gets $2,020 tip

The restaurant bill was $23. But the tip at a small-town restaurant in Michigan was much larger: $2,020.

"Things like this don’t happen to people like me,” server Danielle Franzoni told The Alpena News.

Franzoni, 31, got the tip while working on Sunday at Thunder Bay River Restaurant in Alpena. The credit card receipt said "Happy New Year. 2020 Tip Challenge.”

Franzoni, a single mother, couldn't believe the number, but her manager assured her the tip was legitimate.

She said she was living in a homeless shelter a year ago. Franzoni plans to use the money to reinstate her driver's licence and build savings.

"They don’t know nothing about my story. They don’t know where I’ve come from. They don’t know how hard it’s been,” Franzoni said of the couple who left the tip. "They’re really just doing this out of the kindness of their heart.”

Franzoni later went to a restaurant and left a $20.20 tip.

"That was my pay-it-forward,” she said, smiling. "I couldn’t do the other one. (AP)

Pasta with mushrooms is a weeknight classic

RECIPE

heat, heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil until shim-mering. Add about half the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they begin to wilt and make space in the pan; then add the remaining mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until they give up their liquid; then increase the heat to boil the liquid away and caramelize the mushrooms, 8 to 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and let it melt. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, salt and red pepper flakes just until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the vegetable broth and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, add the pappardelle to the boiling water, and cook until al dente, 1 to 2 minutes less

than the package directions. When the pasta is ready, use tongs to transfer it to the sauce, reserving the pasta water. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the parsley and toss to coat, adding a little reserved pasta water if the pan seems dry.

Remove the skillet from the heat, and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Toss and serve hot, passing more grated cheese at the table.

Nutrition (based on 6 servings): Calories: 410; Total Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Sodium: 190 mg; Carbohydrates: 49 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 3 g; Protein: 14 g.

(Adapted from Felidia: Recipes from My Flagship Restaurant, by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich.)

JOE YONANTHE WASHINGTON POST

Pasta with mushrooms: It was the default (and some-times only!) vegetarian dish in restaurants for probably far too long. We've come a long way - now it's entirely possible to eat out without ever feeling the need to declare a dietary restriction if all you're doing is avoiding meat and seafood. That's how many

options there are on most modern, urban menus.Exactly none of that progress means that pasta with mush-

rooms has lost its appeal. If anything, the dish now seems almost nostalgic.

At Felidia, Lidia Bastianich's flagship New York City res-taurant, it's a year-round classic, with the mushrooms varying by season but often including beautiful wild specimens - chan-terelles, morels and porcini - with, of course, freshly made papp-ardelle. I'm sure it's a showstopper. Bastianich includes a recipe for it in her latest cookbook.

At home, on any given weeknight, I'm after something dif-ferent. So I streamlined her recipe to use high-quality dried pasta and a mix of good old cremini and shiitake, available any time of the year. I don't need a showstopper, after all. I just need an excellent, comforting bowl of pasta, and this recipe delivers.

Pappardelle with Mixed MushroomsAt Lidia Bastianich's Felidia restaurant in New York, chefs

make pappardelle or fettuccine fresh and serve it with mushroom sauce - chanterelles and morels in the spring, porcini in the fall. But it also works well for the home cook using dried noodles and more commonly available mushrooms. Garganelli, rigatoni or penne also work with this sauce, as does polenta.

Ingredients (4 to 6 servings)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling1 1/2 pounds mixed fresh mushrooms (shiitake, oyster and/or

cremini), trimmed and sliced2 tablespoons unsalted butter3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes1 cup no-salt-added vegetable broth12 ounces dried egg pappardelle1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

StepsBring a large pot of salted water to boil.While the water is heating, in a large skillet over medium-high

DINING14

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