1999 SUMMER LIVING TIP SHEET
For Release Upon Receipt
Contact: Janice Zazinski, 617/353-2240 or [email protected]
Boston University faculty are known for their teaching, scholarship, and research, but they also have the expertise to make the summer season a breeze. Feel free to use these tips as is, in a feature story, or call to arrange an interview.
THE IDEAL SUMMER MEAL: A CLAMBAKE
One of the great American traditions is the clambake. Dr. Christopher Reaske, author of The Compleat Clammer and The Compleat Crab and Lobster Book (Burford Books, 1999) calls it "the superstar of seafood eating" and "a process, rather than a meal," in which hot rocks draw steam from seaweed to cook the fruits of the sea:
* First, dig a hole 4 - 5 feet long, 2 - 3 feet wide, and 2 feet deep (check with the local fire department if you plan to do this on the beach, he cautions). Line the bottom and part of the sides of the hole with rocks.
* Use driftwood, scrap wood, or charcoal to keep the fire going 4 to 5 hours, letting the coals settle down around the rocks. When you have had a very hot bed of coals for several hours, shovel or rake out the coals.
* Put a layer of seaweed - carefully - into the hot pit of rocks, then add a layer of clams. Make as many layers of seaweed and clams, other shellfish, sausages, and vegetables as you like. Cover with a final layer of seaweed. Depending on how hot the rocks were, it will typically take 2 - 3 hours to cook everything. The seafood is done when the clams are open and the lobsters are red.
* No access to a beach? Clambakes can be done in old, clean metal drums that have been cut in half lengthwise, or even in the backyard.
Contact Christopher Reaske, Vice President of Development & Alumni Relations and author of The Compleat Clammer and The Compleat Crab and Lobster Book, at the PR office: 617/353-2240
WINES TO SAVE YOU SOME CLAMS
"The perfect wine for a clambake has to be refreshing and have enough liveliness to stand up to all the flavorful dishes," says Sandy Block, Master of Wine and faculty member at B.U. Metropolitan College's Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center. "I'd avoid wines that are full in body or heavily 'oaky,' as well as wines that are too mild or bland in flavor. These are ideal:"
* Portuguese Vinho Verde. "This light-bodied, slightly spritzy, lime- and apple-accented white wine has a fresh, zesty flavor and enough citrus accents to work well with seafood and salty-flavored food of all kinds. One style of Vinho Verde is slightly sweetened (try Casal Garcia), while another is bone-dry in flavor (try the Quinta da Aveleda), which is denoted by the word 'Seco' on the label. Both are outstanding, inexpensive choices."
* New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. "Because the climate in New Zealand's wine growing regions is so cold, the wines develop a strong citric accent which is delicious with seafood. They tend to have very pure, minerally aromas and mouthwatering crisp acids. Like the Vinho Verdes, you can drink these bitingly dry wines very cold without losing much in the way of flavor. For a moderately priced choice, try Stoneleigh, a single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc."
* German Riesling. "This is my favorite category of wine if I'm looking for a little sweetness to complement the food. Try especially a light, flowery Riesling of Kabinett quality from the Mosel. These low-alcohol, gently acidic and slightly sweet wines are as refreshing as a crisp apple, and they echo some of the flavors you'll find in the corn on the cob that's served at most clambakes. This is my choice for the hottest days as the wines can be quite invigorating. Of particular interest are the Rieslings of Fritz Haag and J.J. Prum, both outstanding producers of a wide range of estate-bottled Kabinetts."
Contact Master of Wine Sandy Block at 781/769-8930.
HOT-WEATHER FOOD HANDLING
According to Joan Salge Blake, adjunct clinical assistant professor at B.U.'s Sargent College, "during the summer, bacteria can turn an afternoon picnic into the first act of an emergency room drama." To reduce the risk of food-borne illness, she suggests:
* Put perishable foods inside an air-conditioned car, not in a hot trunk. If the ride is longer than 30 minutes, pack them in a cooler with ice.
* At home, keep perishable foods in the coldest section of the refrigerator and freezer. Don't stack the foods because circulating air helps chill food faster and more evenly. A refrigerator should be set at 40 degrees and a freezer at zero.
* Cook or freeze fresh poultry, fish, ground meats, and variety meats within two days, and beef, veal, lamb, or pork within three to five days.
* Marinate meat and poultry in a covered dish or sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator, not on the countertop.
When grilling:
* To kill bacteria, cook food thoroughly the first time. Don't cook it partially, then come back and finish cooking later.
* Never serve cooked food on a platter that contained raw meat, poultry, or fish; you'll transfer germs and other bacteria.
* Make sure hot foods remain hot, and keep cold foods cold by serving food on ice.
* Pack foods in a cooler with plenty of ice or a cold pack. Once you get settled outside, set the cooler out of direct sunlight.
* Never leave food out at room temperature for more than two hours and never for more than one hour when the temperature is above 90 degrees.
* If raw meat has been sitting in marinade, make a fresh batch for basting.
See more tips from Joan Salge Blake at Thrive Online: www.thriveonline.com/nutrition; contact her through the Office of Public Relations at 617/353-2240.
A LAZZZZZY SUMMER WEEKEND MEANS ONE THING ...
According to Professor William Anthony, author of The Art of Napping, "summertime provides the perfect opportunity to nap. Make sure to plan napping into your vacation." He offers these tips:
* Take advantage of your surroundings: Professor Anthony's napping survey respondents rate the beach and outdoor locations near the water as the easiest places to nap.
* Apres nap: After you play hard it is time to nap hard. Post-golf and after a day at the beach are great times to nap.
* Napnomic devices: The preferred place to nap is outside in the summer, remember sunscreen to protect you from overdoing the sun.
* Napping at play: At concerts, water parks, and the beach, more and more people are napping at recreational activities. Join in the group! Part of the joy of summer sports is outdoor napping.
* Workplace napping: For employees still at the office, the stress and extra burden of working overtime for those who are on vacation can add up. Add a work nap break into you day and see productivity skyrocket.
Contact Professor of Rehabilitation Counseling William Anthony at 617/353-3549; visit his web site at www.napping.com.
AVOIDING "WEEKEND WARRIOR-ITIS"
For many people, summer's the time to take up a new outdoor sport or once again pick up the tennis racket. Bill Pesanelli, director of B.U.'s Rehabilitation Services/Sports Physical Therapy Center, can has tips to help weekend jocks avoid Monday-morning aches and pains:
* Drill before competition. Learn the proper motor techniques and skills before getting competitive. In many cases, it may be best to take a lesson or two to learn proper form and avoid injury.
* Warm up. Walking to the tennis court or hopping on a bike for a few minutes at a slow pace will loosen up the muscles pre-activity, and ease the stress of high-intensity workouts.
* Stretch before and after. Once warmed up, make sure to stretch gently but thoroughly before engaging in any activity. At the end of the workout, stretch again.
* Muscle soreness. To speed recovery after an intense workout, avoid the same activity the next day. Instead, do a different, low-intensity workout. This will help increase blood flow to sore muscle areas, but avoid overstraining them.
* Muscle pain. If there is actual pain, rather than soreness, apply cold packs or ice for ten minutes to aid in the recuperation and recovery process.
For more hot-weather workout tips, contact Bill Pesanelli through the Office of Public Relations, 617/353-2240.
- 30 - June 10, 1999
RSS