Mother's Day

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This article is about the holiday in the United States of America. For

Mother's Day as observed throughout the world, see Mother's Day.
Mother's Day in the United States is an annual holiday celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Mother's Day recognizes mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as well the positive contributions that they make to society. Although many Mother's Day celebrations world-widehave quite different origins and traditions, most have now been influenced by the more recent American tradition established by Anna Jarvis, who celebrated it for the first time in 1907, then campaigned to make it an official holiday. Previous attempts at establishing Mother's Day in the United States sought to promote peace by means of honoring mothers who had lost or were at risk of losing their sons to war.
Traditions on this day include churchgoing, the distribution of carnations, and family dinners.The holiday has been heavily commercialized by advertisers and retailers, and has been criticized by some as a Hallmark Holiday.

First attempts to establish a holiday

The first attempts to establish a "Mother's Day" in the United States came from women's peace groups. A common early activity was the meeting of groups of mothers whose sons had fought or died on opposite sides of the American Civil War.

In 1868, Ann Jarvis – mother of Anna Jarvis – created a committee to establish a "Mother's Friendship Day", the purpose of which was "to reunite families that had been divided during the Civil War." Jarvis – who had previously organized "Mother's Day Work Clubs" to improve sanitation and health for both Union and Confederate encampments undergoing a typhoid outbreak – wanted to expand this into an annual memorial for mothers, but she died in 1905 before the celebration became popular. Her daughter would continue her mother's efforts.



There were several limited observances in the 1870s and the 1880s but none achieved resonance beyond the local level. At the time, Protestant schools in the United States already held many celebrations and observations such as Children's Day, Temperance Sunday, Roll Call Day, Decision Day, Missionary Day and others. In New York City, Julia Ward Howe led a "Mother's Day for Peace" anti-war observance on June 2, 1872, which was accompanied by a Mother's Day Proclamation. The observance continued in Boston for about 10 years under Howe's personal sponsorship, then died out.

Talk About Being "Grubby" or "Greedy?" ~ GrubHub Wants Restaurants To 'Pay Up'

GrubHub Wants Restaurants To 'Pay Up' For Better Placement 

By 312Dining Diva

Popular online takeout service GrubHub (which acquired takeout biz Seamless in 2013) filed to go public in February, which means a bunch of changes are on the way to make the company more profitable to investors.

According to a Chicago bar/restaurant owner, one of those changes includes "demanding money from restaurants to get better placement (on the website)."

That sounds a little Yelp-ish to me. I use GrubHub on the regular, and when I'm feeling especially lazy, I type in "burgers," "pizza," etc. to conduct a search to see what restaurants come up. Once all the results appear, you can organize choices by "the best (or highly rated)," "cheapest" or "closest." If you look closely, the restaurants are NOT listed in alphabetical order, so those paying for placement will always be prominently displayed.

Here is the note my contact received:

College Cuisine

by: Steve Wilcott Going to college is a grand experience. It's the first time many young adults get the chance to begin taking care of themselves, no matter what the consequences. One of the main things that worries parents when their child heads out into the world of college is, of course, their diet. What are they going to eat if the cafeteria closes too early? What if they don't like the cafeteria food? What if they didn't even sign up for cafeteria meals? Parents needn't worry. College students today have developed their own underworld of cuisine, involving quite the array of foods, time-tested by students in the past, and catered specifically to college needs by clever manufacturers. The main staple of dorm life these days is, of course, the microwave. College students take microwave food to a whole new level. The smell of microwave popcorn is right at home in a dorm, even at 3 am. I had a roommate at college who ate microwave popcorn for breakfast. Quick, easy, cheap and filling- what more could you ask for?

Healthy Eating Tips For Work at Homers and Telecommuters

Healthy Eating Tips For Work at Homers and Telecommuters
By Cathy A Lindsay
It can be hard to eat healthy foods when there is a McDonald's or an Arby's on every street corner. It can be even more difficult for those who work from home. Telecommuters have flexible hours, unpredictable work schedules, and do not always have the time to make the best food. So it is understandable why so many work-at-homers are interested in fast, easy ways to make delicious, nutritious, and healthy foods. There are a few different strategies that the work at homer and the telecommuter can employ to make sure that he/she has lots of easy, healthy foods on hand.
The first step to getting healthy is purging your environment of all things unhealthy. This includes just about anything that is fried, dunked, dipped, or battered, everything that uses high-fructose corn syrup, and the Itos food group (Fritos, Doritos, Cheetos, etc.). It is easy to leave these foods stashed in convenient places around the house, especially in and around the work area. It has all got to go. Everything. It might hurt a little at first, but nothing kills junk food cravings like giving up junk food.

Now that all of the unhealthy food has been trashed, it is time to restock the pantry. Fresh foods are the staple of any healthy diet. Normally, fresh foods line the perimeter of a grocery store, with offerings such as fruits and veggies, fresh meat, cheese, milk, eggs, and the like. This is where the majority of shopping time and resources should be spent. Fresh food has more vitamins, nutrients, and flavor, and is also digested and processed much more easily than processed or packaged foods. Journeys to the center aisles of the store should be limited, and items should be listed to avoid being lured by the bright packaging and empty promises of the happiness characteristic of today's food marketing. The best foods found in the center aisles include brown rice and flour, beans and nuts, and certain canned foods (ones not too high in sodium). (A word on brown Vs. white foods: Any time a food like rice or flour is offered in brown and white, it is because one has been "enriched" or "processed". "Enriched" and white together mean bleached. If you would never drink laundry supplies, please avoid white flour and rice.)
Okay, so now that the pantry is chock full of delicious, healthy foods, it is time to eat! But who has time to cook a full meal, three times a day?! Not somebody who has a flexible or unpredictable schedule. A good way to provide some structure to a new eating routine is to cook in bulk. One day a week, make three oversized entrees. That way all the leftovers can be individually frozen, reheated, and eaten on the spur of the moment. Replacing the old snack foods for something natural, with lots of complex carbs like carrots or beans is a fast track for healthy success. These new strategies should help reduce the desire to default back to the -Itos food group, and help maintain a new happy and healthy lifestyle.
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Veganism: Not As Intimidating As You Thought

by: Kirsten Hawkins

To some people, the phrase "Vegan Cuisine" sounds like an oxymoron. To others, it sounds like the road of a hardcore food nutritionist. "Scary," was the word used by my roommate when I announced I was going to try to become a vegan. What most people don't realize is that it's very possible, indeed even probable, for a creative chef to make vegan food just as exciting and full of variety as any other type of cuisine. What is veganism, first of all? Strictly put, veganism is a diet which contains no animal byproducts. Not only do vegans not eat meat, like vegetarians, but they also do not consume any food created by animals. No milk, no eggs, no dairy of any kind. No pasta derived from eggs. No gelatin. When you stop to think, it is surprising how much of the typical American diet is animal-derived.  All of this, I admit, can sound rather scary to the typical meat and milk lover, and certainly to the typical American who is surrounded by fast-food hamburgers and bologna sandwiches from a young age. But veganism is not as intimidating as it sounds. In fact, when the right choices in recipe and menu are made, it can be extraordinarily flavorful and rewarding. Think of it this way: Vegan cuisine can't rely on heavy, flavorful ingredients like meat and dairy to get its flavor and substance. So what do they do instead? They replace those ingredients in a way that makes you never even miss them- with fresh vegetables, heady spices, wonderful texture combinations and delicate wheat-based starches. One of the most uniquely vegan foods on the market, and the one that tends to scare the layperson the most, is tofu. Tofu is basically a soybean curd with a sponge-like consistency and a bland taste that absorbs whatever flavors are around it. Am I tempting you yet? Wait. Let's try this. Imagine a dish of Italian stuffed shells, loaded with tomato sauce and basil, garlic, and oregano. Now imagine that instead of cheese, the shells were stuffed with a mixture of soft tofu, blended with fresh spinach. The tofu absorbs the Italian spices and has a delicate, creamy flavor all its own. Would you notice the absence of the cheese? Sure. Would you miss it? Not likely.

"Create A Romantic Evening At Home"

by: Marguerite Bonneville

You've decided to invite someone you're dating to your home for a romantic evening and you want everything to go well. Here are a few tips to help you achieve that result. There are a number of factors you need to consider when planning your romantic evening: 1. Your Physical Surroundings It's a good idea to make sure your house or apartment is clean and tidy. It may not be anyone's primary focus but it will make an impression on your guest, even if it's subliminal. Spend a few hours doing the cleaning yourself, hire someone to do it for you, or, at the very least, shove all that clutter into your closets or under the bed. Wipe down surfaces to get rid of dust and stains. Apart from the living and dining areas, there are two other rooms that need your attention: a. The bathroom Wipe down the sink/washbasin, tub and shower stall. Put a fresh cake of soap on the sink and hang fresh towels. At the very least your guest will use the bathroom to wash his or her hands so make sure it's a pleasant experience. b. The bedroom Get rid of any extraneous clutter like clothes strewn around the room or on the floor. Change the sheets, make the bed and wipe down any surfaces. If your guest ends up spending the night, you don't want him or her racing off for a tetanus shot in the morning. To create a romantic atmosphere in your bedroom, have some scented candles on hand and an easy-to-reach sound system. You might also consider buying a quilt cover in a rich, romantic color and a set of sheets to match. 2. Your Choice Of Menu While food can be an excellent means of seduction, it's a mistake to choose too complicated a menu unless you're an experienced cook and you don't get easily flustered. Simple dishes like spaghetti or ratatouille make a tasty and satisfying meal without spiking your anxiety levels. The point is to enjoy the evening along with your guest, not treat the event like it's a university-entrance exam. How To Avoid Psycho-Chef Syndrome One trick is to prepare as much of the meal as possible beforehand so you're not rushing around like a pinball once your guest arrives. Have all the ingredients chopped, diced and ready for cooking. Do this the night before or earlier that day, whatever works best for you. Salad ingredients can be prepared earlier and stored in separate containers, then added to the salad bowl and dressed before serving. You can even cheat by purchasing your meal from a favorite restaurant and having it delivered (or picking it up) before your guest arrives. Definitely buy desert from your favorite bakery or supermarket, unless you're a wiz at whipping up a Pavlova or meringue. Another option is to prepare dessert the night before and reheat it if necessary when you're ready to serve it. 3. Your Cooking Area Make sure your kitchen is clean before you begin cooking. Yes, you'll no doubt make a mess once you start but you don't want yesterday's dishes in the way. Your guest may offer to help so the kitchen needs to meet minimum health standards. It's up to you whether you accept this help or not, but we recommend that you do, even if it's only a token effort like tossing the salad. Sharing cooking tasks can be a wonderfully romantic interaction as it creates a special kind of intimacy. Have you ever noticed how much more easily conversation flows when two people are doing a task, as opposed to sitting face to face? 4. Setting The Table   Set the table beforehand. Use a good tablecloth, your best silverware and a nice set of plates. Use your best glasses and an attractive salt and pepper set, milk jug and sugar bowl. Show your guest that you went to some trouble to make the meal a special occasion. This is not the time for melamine dishes or chipped or mismatched crockery. You're aiming for a touch of class.  Use candlesticks on the table for a romantic ambience, or place candles on other surfaces around the room. Background music is a must but make sure it's romantic and subtle. Limit blaring rock and roll or rap to the period when you're preparing dinner, but please, no high-octane music while you're eating. Set the sound at a low volume so it doesn't interfere with your conversation. And remember, if you don't play music during the meal you run the risk of filling any silences with the sound of people masticating. 5. Cleaning Up Later Don't let your guest anywhere near the kitchen after the meal is over. Hopefully you'll have better things to do with your time together. But all is not lost if they do insist on helping with the chores. Many a couple has fallen in love while doing the dishes, for two main reasons: 1. As mentioned earlier, there's the ease of conversation that takes place when you're doing a task rather than concentrating on talking. 2. Doing dishes together is like playing house. It can actually feel very romantic, especially when one or both people realize, "This is what I want with this person." You won't get the same effect if you use a dishwasher, so set aside at least a couple of pots, which will you allow to suggest, "I'll wash and you dry." With a little forethought, anyone can create a romantic evening at home. The old cliché, "the way to a person's heart is through their stomach", has more than a little truth to it. Test it yourself with someone you care about. The least you'll get is a great home-cooked meal. About the author: Marguerite Bonneville is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) whose passion is publishing information online. She is a contributing writer at http://www.favorite-recipes-online.com,a resource site dedicated to helping visitors access the best online recipes.

Japanese and Chinese Food: Different, But Ripe for Fusion

Japanese and Chinese foods are too often mistaken as the same cuisine. They are starkly different styles, especially in terms of ingredients and attitude. However, through Japanese fusion techniques, the two cuisines can be combined to make some truly powerful dishes.

Japanese and Chinese Food: Different, But Ripe for Fusion
By Kevin Prague
Quite often the uninformed patron can mistake Japanese and Chinese food, dismissing their differences through ignorance or apathy and just labeling them as Asian cuisine. After all, if it has rice, meat, and some sauce it's pretty much the same thing right? This really couldn't be further from the truth as Japanese and Chinese foods have many differences in their respective cuisines through treatment of the meal, ingredients, and tastes.

Meat The protein of the dish is probably the most glaring difference between the two cuisines. Japanese food is known for having seafood as a traditional part of the meal, with livestock only really being a dish on special occasions. Japan is a fairly mountainous island; while they had a bustling fishing economy, they really didn't have much land for livestock to graze. Conversely, China has a lot more land space than Japan does, with much of its land smack in the middle of the continent of Asia. This means room for herding and raising livestock making meats like pork the mainstay of Chinese food, with smaller seafood salads being a course for holidays like the Lunar New Year.

Technique and Flavor Once again, this is an aspect that Japanese and Chinese food couldn't be more different in. Japanese food typically has much milder flavors, usually involving things like soy, fish stock, and salt. Japanese cuisine tends to try and bring out the natural flavor of the ingredient, sometimes serving it raw so as to not overdo the natural flavor. The popularity of sashimi and sushi restaurants is evident of this minimalist attitude. Chinese food is once again the polarity. Chinese food emphasizes powerful tastes like oyster sauces, and bean curd pastes. If anything is ever served raw, it must be heavily spiced. Also, as far as method goes Chinese food favors the traditional wok to fry the meal together, usually keeping the grease as part of the taste. It is for this reason that Chinese food is generally considered less healthy than Japanese, as Japanese cuisine is grilled on a flat, grill-like table called teppans.

Fusion Despite their differences, the two cuisines have a high compatibility for fusion cuisine. Fusion cuisine is the blending of characteristics between different regional or likewise cooking styles to form a new cuisine. While Chinese food has rarely experimented with fusion techniques until more modern times, Japanese restaurants have been practicing fusion for hundreds of years due to Japan's place as a trade powerhouse in the Pacific and more contact with Western influences. Japanese fusion is famous for bringing beef to Japan from the west, a fascination that has led to modern Japan producing some of the finest beef in the world. Japanese and Chinese cuisines are ripe for fusion, especially through their shared ingredients such as rice, though their attitudes on rice differ greatly. A typical Japanese and Chinese fusion can feature the cooking and attention to detail of Japanese cuisine with the powerful tastes and heartiness of Chinese food, making for a powerful new cuisine to try at a downtown restaurant.

This article is in reference to Fu Ji Restaurant in Stamford CT. Visit their Japanese Restaurant Website for a full menu and directions.
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