When Fast is Too Slow

I had entered McDonald's for breakfast. Our nephew from the west was visiting. A treat was in order. Breakfast was always what I did. But not today. I had a coupon for the Two Can Dine breakfast deal. The added treat would come later. Oatmeal raisin cookies would be purchased. I loved them so and made them often for others who did too. I was in happy land albeit knowing the ingredients might not be exactly organic or free of excessive sugar. Today I would buy more than the four oatmeal cookies that were on display. Our nephew was visiting. Treats were in order!

I asked the young employee for a dozen of the delicious cookies, cheaper by the dozen, I was told, the yummy dessert that would come in handy, later that day. I was excited at the prospect of having one as soon as they were baked and ready to go. Did they have any raisin oatmeal cookies left, I asked. Yes, she said, but remarked that it would take 2 minutes to bake them. Could I wait? I looked at her in shock, laughing at the suggestion that I might not be able to wait 2 minutes. (Nearly 40 years ago, while in hard labour, I waited minutes, at the intersection, for the light to change before I drove home. My doctor had failed me) "Are you kidding me?" Waiting 2 minutes was too long for us mere mortals for the baking of these yummy oatmeal raisin cookies, now no longer available, to my utter dismay. But many thought 2 minutes was too long to wait, she responded. What world was I inhabiting? Fast was now too slow?

Waiting, it seems, was now no longer possible in today's modern disposable world. I wondered where this thinking was taking us. Were we humans slowly becoming obsolete? Were the drones and robots we were inventing now going to replace us, in more ways than we could ever imagine? Fast tracking education could not be classified this way. It was a slow building upon previous years of learning.

Working with children is not a quick process. It is painstakingly slow but methodical and sometimes, a random process. What then? If 2 minutes is too slow, then what? If time and our devices rule us, what about the children? What about the children? They have their own internal random clock to follow. They need much more than 2 minutes, in most cases. It takes time, a lot of time, to assist these early humans called children, in developing physically, emotionally and intellectually.

In baking or cooking terms 2 minutes is nothing. Yet many felt otherwise where cookies were concerned. Imagine that! I guess the drive-thru phenomenon is setting the bar too high, making us feel that combo meals, sandwiches and beverages, through in this new 'window of opportunity', is now the new time line. Passing the window to pick up our food is quick, a no big deal event. But at home, it takes 2 minutes simply to remove food from the refrigerator to 'cook' or assemble into sandwiches or salads.

Re-heating leftovers takes more time than visiting the drive-thru. Do we stop cooking?Then there is the cleanup, another time consuming event. Reading a book takes hours. Even the eating of an apple takes more than 2 minutes. Chewing is an important and necessary step in our daily nutrition program. Slow and steady wins the race, the fairy tale goes. But our lives are not fairy tales. They are real and important and everything in them takes time, much time, though we can improve there for sure. But 2 minutes? A hiccup or sneeze takes more than that.

At the beginning of the last century everything took time, even days to do. Nothing was found in convenient pouches, mixes. Freezing was a burgeoning field of preservation. Refrigeration was too. At times it was a dangerous breakthrough. We are very fortunate to have such modern conveniences called appliances encompassing all the features of modern living. Everything we could possibly want or need is available at the flick of a switch or touch, it would seem.

Waiting 2 minutes for cookies to bake should not be an encumbrance. It is a reminder that someone  is doing us a favour by making them and baking them. We are simply paying for the 'privilege' of this luxury dessert in this rare event. The apples will have to wait. I simply do not have the time!

'Painting' Potatoes

The excitement was palpable as my Phillips Air Fryer inspired a new way of frying. 'Painting' delicious root vegetables was now my new standard in creating incredibly tasting home fries and french fries. Had a discovery been made?

The potatoes had been soaking in water to remove as much starch as possible. A clean towel was used to dry them out. A tiny bit of oil was hand tossed onto them in readiness for the spice mix that would soon follow. (Too much oil would simply slide into the bottom basket) Spices helped the oil adhere to the potatoes for more incredible taste and texture. Into the air fryer went the potatoes, for 10 minutes, at low temperatures, for slow 'cooking' while I attended to other things. ...(High heat releases this thing called acrylamide, a cancer causing chemical, generally found in grains, starches, and processed foods when high heat is applied. Medium to low heat cooking is always followed by the Momsey.Stir frying seems to be the exception to this rule)

After the first round of air frying, the potatoes were emptied into a bowl where a mix of spices: paprika, smoked paprika,- (tastes like bacon) onion powder, turmeric, onion powder, sea salt and pepper were coated onto the potatoes then tossed like a salad. Spices helped the oil remain on the diced, sliced or cut potatoes. The cooking continued for another ten minutes, at a slightly higher temperature. Brushing oil onto the shaken potatoes began this newest step of 'painting' the potatoes for added flavour, taste and that 'golden' touch. Presentation is everything where food is concerned. Shaking the fryer basket moved potatoes around thus allowing for the 'painting' to continue.

Using low smoke oil on fried food can pose a health hazard. On high heat, low smoke oil degrades and harmful chemicals are released into the food being fried and maybe into the air we breathe. Olive oil should not be used with high heat. It is a delicate oil that should be added directly to foods, especially salads and sauces -(after cooking has finished.) I follow this directive always after accidentally watching a Saturday morning show, years ago, and learning something significant about oils. The hosts on this popular cottage/country episode were cowboys who explained the 'differences' of the oils being presented and telling the audience the importance of using the correct oil for cooking purposes. Using the wrong oil for cooking would harm us. It all made sense. I was impressed.

Brushing more oil onto the potatoes helps in the browning process while adding tremendous flavour. Fat in food is about flavour as well as satisfying our appetite. Though fat is a more concentrated 'nutrient', overall calorie count can be greatly reduced because of fat's satiety value in the food with more valuable nutrients being absorbed, more efficiently, also. (A, D, K, and E) The more nourished we are the less food we eat. 

Eating more carbs has never been the answer to weight control. (Day old potatoes perform like resistance starch, I have learned.) Yeah potatoes. I use red or yellow preferring to use organic whenever possible.'Painting' vegetables for air frying reduces cooking time and calories when deep fat fried foods are craved. Even cauliflower can be 'fried' in a myriad of delicious ways using the air fryer. Toss with oil first then 'bake' for a few minutes. Toss onto flavoured bread crumbs while pressing the coating gently onto the vegetable. Deep fried' breaded cauliflower is done. Continue 'frying' till golden. Eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, parsnips, onions, sweet potatoes can be air fried. They become a junk food replacement.

Let today's modern appliances and the altered food pyramid help us stay true to form where diets are concerned. Food is medicine. We all know that to be true. Now we can add herbs to that ever growing list of air fried foods, made better. Brushing oil onto vegetables being air fried keeps them out of the deep fryer while making them healthier in a shorter span of time. A little bit of oil, 'strategically applied', is all it takes to make life's choices more delicious. “Do you need fries with that?”