V-D and food

If you live north of 40 degrees north latitude (about the latitude of New York City) or south of 40 degrees south latitude (about the latitude of Wellington, New Zealand), for at least half of the year, you can't.

In Boston, Massachusetts, for instance, there is insufficient ultraviolet radiation in the sunlight for skin to make adequate amounts of vitamin D from early November to early March. On the South Island of New Zealand, vitamin D deficiency is a real risk from early May to early September. In Calgary, Alberta, residents don't get enough vitamin D even if they get daily sun exposure from October until nearly April. And in northern Europe, Alaska, and Russia, the problem is even worse.

Food Vitamin D (IU)
Cod liver oil 2218
Herring (raw) 2061
Shiitake mushrooms (dried) 1122
Catfish (raw) 1122
Button mushrooms (raw) 691
Pink salmon, canned 530
Sardines (canned) 521
Herring (pickled) 519
Mackerel, canned 214
Caviar 184
... ...
--original article

Venetian Marinated Rib-Eye

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)
1/2 bottle rich, full-bodied red wine, preferably Amarone
2 tablespoons sugar
6 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 8- to 12-ounce rib-eye steaks, about 1/2-inch thick
Salt and pepper.

METHODS
1. Combine wine and sugar in a large pot and bring to boil; lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and orange zest, and remove pan from heat to cool.
2. Put steaks in a large baking dish and pour marinade over them. Marinate steaks in refrigerator for at least several hours and up to three days.
3. Take steaks out of the marinade, season with salt and pepper, and cook them in a very hot skillet, about 2 minutes each side for medium rare. (You can grill or broil them if you prefer.) Slice the meat about 1/4-inch thick and serve.
--from NYT The Minimalist

新宠宝刀

有一阵想买把Santoku刀，可一是家里不缺刀二是也没有看上哪把，何况法式刀也早用顺手了，也没细看。几个月前在附近的WS看上一把刀，当时店里缺货，也就作罢。上周又看上一把旬的，还是缺货，说一个星期内会进货，我想想到时大概兴头就又过了。不想之后的一周每次做饭都会想起那把刀，平日最烦打电话的，这次竟然打电话询问起来，依然没有。到昨天，一周了，决定不再坐等，打电话去另一间mall里，有，请他们给留出来。

到底也没等，放下电话就去了，七八英里远吧。不知上次来是什么时候了，忽然后悔电话里忘了问店在mall的什么地方。经济不好，逛mall的人可不少，转了很多圈才找到停车位，边找边想自己干嘛没事儿凑周末的热闹。不过要是大家没了工作没事干都来逛店，那平日人也少不了。Mall内也一片欣欣向荣。很幸运，WS就在我停车的这一端，不必迂回，直奔主题。拿到了刀，摩挲一通，又对着刀锋一阵凝视，售货员都有点儿不耐烦了。长条盒子，售货员要给装进一个大纸袋里，我说，哎，不用了，省个袋子吧。就拿了刀盒出店奔停车场。想着自己什么都不买店也不逛，买把菜刀拿了就走，不知怎么一下子就想起最近VT的案子，警方在朱的家里找到有买菜刀的收据等等。。。

晚上包饺子，刚学来的紫菜虾仁馅儿，挺简单的，都一样样切出来，发现这把刀——太好用啦。我的刀工立涨，难怪说必先厉其器哪。如此看来，电视上，Sushi bar里那些大厨们令我羡慕的刀工手艺，也不是那么可望不可及。或者这也是日式刀与法式刀的区别，刀刃一个15－18度，一个20－22度。我的Wüsthof chef's knife看来只能委屈呈基本退役状了。给A看我的新宝贝，他立即做自我保护状。跟他说，旧刀归你了，不许用我的新宠啊。

紫菜虾仁馅儿：
虾仁、鲜香菇（代原菜谱中的鸡胸肉）、紫菜大致等量。虾仁香菇切碎，打入鸡蛋两个，拌料酒、盐、胡椒粉、一勺生抽、香油；紫菜撕碎，不必过水，直接拌入馅儿中。即可。