Special shops cater for a variety of food needs

Press, 12 August 1980, Page 20

Special shops cater for a variety of food needs

(By

CARIN WILSON,

'of Wholefoods.) Changes in our food habits reflect changes that are taking place, however gradually, in our lifestyle. Foods that formerly played only a supporting role in our diets have come to provide a satisfying and nutritionally valuable place.

These changes can be summed up in the notion that the original all-im-portant function of food — to nourish the body — had been lost in the preoccupation with taste and tantalising delights for the palate. The consequent emphasis on taste has brought with it the growth of specialist shops that cater to the needs of those that have made or are making the transition.

Each shop has its advantages and speciality, and tends to be run by enthusiasts who are ready to talk about their wares and provide, information and advice. Their emphasis is away from “health” in the sense of pills, potions, lotions and tonics, and more towards “wholeness.” Often the things sell are available in bulk, and are consequently cheaper than flashily packaged and nationally distributed lines.

These shops are providing more easily goods that were once available on a very erratic basis because of the irregularities and unpredictabilities of shipping and supply. For example, foreign spices, freshly ground, are becoming more familiar and in varieties far beyond those like cinnamon and nutmeg which have been used for years. Have you ever used garam masala to add its delicious flavour to your favourite dessert or casserole? Or made up your own curries with a combination of turmeric, cumnin and coriander? The whole seeds from which the spices are ground can also make a unique taste contribution to soups, stews, casseroles, pickles and salads. Mustard seed, carraway, cumin, dill and fennel are all fun to discover; and sunflower, sesame and poppy seeds will add a nice touch to baked breads and salads, even to porridge.

■ A little experimenting is called for to find those that suit your own taste best.

As with spices, herbs are now in better supply, with some varieties being grown commercially in New Zealand. Mrs Gillian Poison’s Herb Farm at Akaroa is well worth a visit if you wish to discover some of the delights she has to share.

Many people prefer to grow their own so that the herbs can always be used fresh, and they are quite easy to grow in pots on kitchen windowsills.

Thyme Cottage will help you-'with a selction of pots and seeds from which to develop your own collection

Grains and legumes are also available now in much more extensive varieties than ever before. The New Zealand style of eating does not make effective use of this excellent food source, and we have much to learn from the basic diets of countries in the Middle East. Mexico, Africa, etc.

There, grains, beans and lentils are used in effective combination with diced vegetables and/or meats to produce tasty and satisfying dishes, such as Lebanese tabouli, pilaf, Mexican tamale, Greek spanokopita, and Indian kachadi. At low cost, beans, peas and lentils supply better protein than equivalent amounts of flesy foods, and provide significant amounts of vitamins, minerals and fibre.

They are easy to store, can be made up days in advance and reheated for use (or even frozen if required), and tend to taste even better after a few days. They make a good by dish to have on hand for meals required in a hurry or snacks, as the time honoured baked bean will attest. All varieties are versatile enough to be used in salads, soups, stews, casseroles or a a main dish on their own.

The soya bean provides the most complete protein form, and this is why it is used as the basis for some of the processed meat substitutes such as T.V.P. (textured vegetable protein.) . Nuts too, though expensive, provide excellent protein and flavour to salads and cooked dishes. The best nuts are almonds and brazils, and only modest amounts need be added if they are first ground and crushed.

Good quality oils, both refined and cold pressed, will also add an extra taste dimension, especially in salads where the cold pressed oils should be used.

This is the technical for the method of extracr tion of the oil — the oil .is effectively pressed or crushed and the oil collected as it is squeezed out.

The refining process tends to rely on emulsifiers to extract the oils, which are later removed and tend to yield a less pure product. The food and taste value of good oils depends quite a lot on their storage: cold pressed oils should be kept in a cool, dark place or even refrigerated.

The range of oils now commonly available includes olive, soya, sesame, corn germ, sunflower, safflower, and peanut, although some of these are only stocked in cold, pressed form.

Their obvious complement in salads is, of course, the vinegars, of which cider is almost certainly the best, but the malted vinegars are also available in several different varieties now. There is also a wine vinegar.

Sprouts.are becoming a more common addition to summer salads now that people are finding they are not so difficult ~to grow. Basicallj 7 , just about any seed will sprout once you have the technique right, so it is fun to play with the possibilities.

Some obvious ones to try are. mung beans, lentils, alfalfa (a highly nutritious sprout), garbanzos, fenugreek, sesame seeds and maple peas. The sprouting action actually changes the chemical composition of the seed, converting starches to sugar and making therii more valuable as a food and easier to digest. They are invaluable, for people suffering from illness. Finally, the technology of the ’7os has brought us some very useful kitchen accessories for dicing, shredding, mincing’ and crushing our foods — all of which should be done just before the food is cooked to ensure that its best value is retained.