Summer Mocktails (p 20) - Healthful Elements

ASK THE EXPERTthey are nutritionally equivalent to their unpasteurized counterparts.Even when using pasteurized products, FDA and the U.S. Department ofAgriculture (USDA) still advise consumers to start with a cooked base for optimalsafety, especially if serving people at high risk. Additionally, you should ensurethat the dairy ingredients you use in homemade ice cream, such as milk andcream, are pasteurized.Can I buy flour and store it in my freezer?Yes, white flour can be stored in the freezer indefinitely and wheat flour canbe stored up to 12 months in the freezer.Flour should be stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container to preservethe moisture content. Exposure to low or high humidity will affect the flour’smoisture content and may influence the outcome of a recipe. Wheat flour willhold well for one to three months and white flour up to 12 months. The groundwheat germ in whole-wheat flour contains oil that can become rancid at roomtemperature. Both flours can also be stored in the refrigerator. This lengthensyour storage time for wheat flour to six months and white for two years.As a general rule, if measuring flour from refrigerated or frozen flour, allowyour measured portion to come to room temperature before using it in bakedgoods. Remove the flour for your recipe a few hours before use, so it doesn’t affectthe action of other ingredients such as baking powder or yeast.What’s the best way to wash the produce I buy at thefarmers’ markets?It’s great that you are purchasing your produce locally but still know youshould be concerned about the potential risks also. The health benefits offruits and vegetables clearly outweigh the risks, but you still need to takesome safety precautions.First, you should purchase produce that is not bruised or damaged as theinside of the item has potentially been contaminated. You should store producein a clean refrigerator at or below 40F except bananas and potatoes. Rinsingbefore storing can cause mold growth and increase the speed of spoilage.Before you begin to prepare your produce for consumption, you should washyour hands with hot soapy water for 20 seconds, wash the sink with hot soapywater, and rinse with a bleach solution of one teaspoon of bleach to one quart ofwater. Keep raw meat separate from ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands, countersand utensils with hot soapy water after they touch raw meat.Rinse all fruits and vegetables even those that are organically grown or thoseof which you aren’t going to eat the rind or skin. Rinsing produce is 90 – 99percent effective. Keep the produce under the water for 20 seconds but don’tsoak it. Soaking can lead to cross-contamination.Use a scrubbing brush on produce with tough, creviced surfaces. However, donot use the same brush on both produce and dirty dishes. Toss the scrubber in thedishwasher to clean and sanitize it. Easily bruised items require only rubbing byhand. Remove the outer leaves of lettuce and cabbage before washing.The FDA now recommends you rinse produce even if the package statesit has been washed. You should notice that I didn’t use the word ‘wash’; youwant to rinse your produce. This is because washing implies using soap andsoap isn’t necessary and could make you sick. Special produce washes aren’tnecessary either. Research shows they aren’t any more effective than rinsingand, therefore, aren’t worth the money. If you must have something to put on,make your own with lemon juice, baking soda and water.I know it is dangerous to use uncooked eggs in my homemadeice cream recipe but I really want to use my mother’s recipebecause it tastes so good. Is there any way I can do this safely?According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) you can still enjoyhomemade ice cream without the risk of Salmonella infection by substitutinga pasteurized egg product, egg substitute, or pasteurized shell eggs for the raweggs in your favorite recipe. Egg products are eggs that have been removed fromtheir shells and pasteurized. They may be liquid, frozen, or dried whole eggs,whites, yolks, or blends of egg and other ingredients. Egg products are not widelyavailable at retail; they are predominantly used in institutional food service. Eggsubstitutes, which may be liquid or frozen, contain only the white of the egg,the part that doesn’t have fat and cholesterol, and are readily available at mostsupermarkets. Pasteurized shell eggs are also available from a growing number ofretailers; you’ll find them located next to the regular shell eggs. These eggs lookand taste just like regular shell eggs, though the white may be slightly cloudy, and8 July, 2008Nichole Burnett, MS, RD, LD is the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent atthe KSU Research & Extension, Johnson County Office. You can send Nicholeyour questions at Nichole.Burnett@jocogov.org.Frozen Custard IceCream (makes 1-1/2 to 2 quarts)6 eggs2 cups milk3/4 cup sugar1/4 teaspoon salt2 cups whipping cream1 tablespoon vanillacrushed ice (if required by manufacturer for your ice cream freezer)rock salt (if required by manufacturer for your ice cream freezer)In medium saucepan, beat together eggs, milk, sugar and salt. Cookover low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coata metal spoon with a thin film and reaches at least 160°F.Cool quickly by setting pan in ice or cold water and stirring for a fewminutes.Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least one hour.When ready to freeze, pour chilled custard, whipping cream andvanilla into 1-gallon ice cream freezer can. Freeze according tomanufacturer’s directions using six parts ice to one part rock salt.Transfer to freezer containers and freeze until firm.VARIATIONSBanana Nut: Reduce vanilla to 1-1/2 teaspoons. Cook and cool asabove. Stir three large ripe bananas, mashed and 1/2 cup choppedtoasted pecans into custard mixture. Freeze as above.Cherry: Reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon. Add 2 tablespoons almondextract. Cook and cool as above. Partially freeze. Add 2 poundspitted pureed dark sweet fresh cherries OR one can (16 to 17 oz.)pitted dark sweet cherries, drained and chopped. Complete freezing.Chocolate: Add three squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate toegg mixture. Cook, cool and freeze as above.Strawberry: Omit vanilla. Cook and cool as above. Partially freeze.Add 2 cups sweetened, crushed fresh strawberries. Complete freezing.Recipe courtesy of American Egg Board at www.aeb.org