Independence Day commemorates our great nation's birthday. Typical festivities include parades, fireworks, picnics and barbecues and a patriotic red, white and blue theme prevails.

A traditional American barbecue item is the hamburger. The word "hamburger" comes from the seaport town of Hamburg, Germany, where it is thought that 19th century sailors brought back the idea of eating raw shredded beef (today known as Beef Tartare) from their journeys to the Balkan countries. An anonymous cook decided to cook the meat and the modern day hamburger was born.

The cooked patty of ground beef sandwiched between two halves of a soft roll made its debut in America at the 1904 St. Louis Louisiana Purchase Exposition and is among this country's favorite foods. Today's burger has taken on new dimensions using ground turkey, chicken, lamb, and even seafood and vegetables.

Cooking over an open fire is an ancient tradition in itself. Almost every country in the world features some method of cooking over hot coals using unique marinades, rubs, bastes and finishing sauces. The enticing aromas of outdoor cooking suggest good times and good eating. Barbecuing, easy to begin with, becomes almost effortless when following these simple guidelines.

* Some grills can be lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil to make cleaning easier and to reflect and conserve heat.
* Start the fire about an hour ahead to build a good bed of coals.
* Coals are ready when they have a gray ash over them. Generally, food is placed 4 to 5 inches above the fire and the bed of coals should be a little wider than the area covered by the food.

Best yet, grilling out is now better than ever with the introduction of The Food Emporium's new line of Woodson & James Angus Beef. Now you can enjoy steakhouse quality beef at home without paying steakhouse prices. Our premium Angus Beef continues a tradition started over 150 years ago with grain-fed, single sourced Angus of unmatched quality and taste.  

Be sure to visit your neighborhood The Food Emporium market for all the freshest cuts of meat & seafood, condiments, beverages and tableware - everything you need to make this a festive Fourth to remember.

With a little advance preparation all you have to do is sit back and sip a cold drink while the food almost cooks itself. Have a grand and glorious Independence Day!

Do you love a bargain?  Spinach is a nutritional bargain - a nutrient dense food and an inexpensive vegetable that is as versatile as it is delicious.  Spinach is known to contain iron, but did you know it also contains folate, vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, fiber, calcium, magnesium, and lutein?  That makes it a great fighter of cancer, heart disease, anemia, and macular degeneration.

 Of course it helps if you happen to like the taste of spinach. If you don't, here are some ways to sneak it into your diet.  Instead of iceberg lettuce on a sandwich, substitute spinach leaves.  In salads, mix it with other greens you prefer.  Chop some into your favorite vegetable soup, or add cooked spinach to quiches.  It is especially good in hummus too.

If you like spinach, the possibilities are virtually limitless. Try it in omelets, salads, or sautéed with a little olive oil and garlic.  For a vegetarian dish full of fiber, protein, and flavor, add your favorite cooked canned or dried beans to sautéed spinach.  A real treat is the Greek Spinach Pie. This dish is made with spinach, eggs, olive oil, garlic, and cheese, all encased in a phyllo dough crust.  Cooked spinach is good on pizza and makes it more healthful.  If you are looking for a different way to cook chicken or fish, be adventurous and try chicken or flounder Florentine.

If you avoid buying fresh spinach because it can be gritty, buy it pre-packaged, already washed.  Fresh spinach can be enjoyed all year round now.  You can also enjoy spinach from the freezer or in cans. 

Why is spinach so healthy?

The compounds in spinach act in healthful ways in the body.  The iron helps reduce the risk of anemia.  Folate is important because it reduces levels of homocysteine, a compound found in elevated levels in the blood of people with heart disease.  Folate also reduces neural tube defects in newborns.  The antioxidants, beta-carotene and vitamins A and C, act to reduce risk of cancer and heart disease.  Oxidation of low-density lipoproteins can lead to the formation of artery clogging plaque.  Antioxidants prevent this.  Antioxidants also reduce risk of cancer by protecting the DNA from free radicals, which cause cancer tumors to be initiated.  Fiber reduces constipation, and reduces heart disease too.  Calcium is good for your skeletal health, and magnesium for a myriad of bodily functions.  Lutein has been in the news a lot lately.  We now know that macular degeneration can be avoided if the diet is rich in this compound.

There is one caveat: Check with your doctor if you take blood thinners; Spinach may cause an unwanted interaction.

Hungry for more Spinach inspiration? Visit your neighborhood The Food Emporium market and chat with your friendly Produce manager who will be happy to suggest even more ways to try this extremely versatile vegetable. In the meantime, why not try this extremely easy, healthful Spinach recipe:

Spinach Cheese Pizza

6 whole-wheat pita halves (6-inch size)

10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained

½ cup minced onion

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1 can zesty diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Toast pita halves.  Combine spinach, onion and feta cheese and top toasted pitas.  Spread diced tomatoes over spinach mixture.  Bake for 10 minutes.

Using cheese as an appetizer, main dish ingredient or as a dessert course has never been more popular.  With more than 2000 varieties to choose from today it is possible to use cheese morning to night with every meal and as a popular, nutritious snack. And with 16 stores in nearly every neighborhood of the city, you’re never more than a quick walk away from a whole wide world of cheese choices inside The Food Emporium market!

And speaking of the world…the first cheese brought to the North American colonies appears to have been Dutch Edam. The first true American cheeses were brick cheese, invented in Wisconsin in 1877, and Liederkranz, produced in New York State in 1892. Previously, the cheese consumed in the U.S. was based on European originals.

The renewed interest in cheese has enhanced the artisinal cheese industry. That is, cheeses made by hand, preferably from milk that has not been pasteurized -- raw milk. Raw milk cheeses are still alive with enzymes and microorganisms that give cheese character and do no harm.

The butterfat content of cheese—that is, the amount remaining in the cheese solids after all moisture has been removed—varies according to whether the cheese has been made with whole milk, skim or part-skim milk, or enriched milk. Skim-milk cheese has a butterfat content of 0.5 percent or less; average cheeses, such as Cheddar, Gouda, or Camembert, have a fat content of from 45 to 50 percent. Double and triple crème cheeses have 60 to 75 percent butterfat.

In addition to fat content, cheeses can be categorized by consistency, or moisture content. Thus, there are hard-grating cheeses, ripened longer and with sharp flavor (for example, Parmesan), hard cheeses (for example, Cheddar), semisoft cheeses (for example, Roquefort or Limburger), and soft cheeses (for example, Camembert or cottage cheese). The latter two categories are the more perishable, but storage times vary for all cheeses. In general, cheese for home consumption should be kept under refrigeration at between 35° to 40° F and wrapped, preferably, in waxed paper or parchment paper to allow the cheese to breathe and prevent drying out. If you do use plastic wrap poke some pinholes in the plastic.

For optimum flavor and texture, cheese should be served at room temperature and should be removed from the refrigerator about an hour before serving.  So, say “Cheese, please!” on your next visit to The Food Emporium, and be sure to ask your friendly Deli Associate for a taste, or a recommendation. A world of good taste awaits!

FROM THE SHORE TO THE STORE:

The Food Emporium’s “Fulton Fresh” Seafood Program

Each day a variety of Day Boat fresh seafood is delivered to The Food Emporium direct from the Fulton Fish Market – “from the shore to the store for a difference you can truly taste!” Our Fulton Fresh seafood program offers our customers exclusive access to the widest selection of premium fresh fish, shellfish, seasonal offerings and organic seafood. Fulton Fresh seafood arrives in store, hand-picked from the Fulton Fish Market within 24 hours after being caught, and is environmentally friendly and sustainably harvested.

By now, you have no doubt heard that eating fish is good for your heart.  This is still true.  It is one of those findings that have not been refuted by further studies.  In fact, new evidence supports it even more than ever before.

Why is fish good for you?

Some fish are especially good because they contain omega-3 fatty acids.  This came to light when researchers observed that Eskimos had lower incidence of heart disease than other cultures.  Eskimos eat very high fat diets but also eat a lot of fish.

Further investigation has yielded more clarity on this issue.  The body needs both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.  Our diets in the United States are heavy on omega-6 sources that come from meat, cooking oil, like corn and sunflower, and processed foods made with these oils. The ratio in our diet of omega-6 to omega-3 may be as high as ten to one.  A closer balance of the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids results in reducing heart disease, arthritis symptoms, and depression.

Omega-3 fatty acids work by lowering the stickiness of blood platelets, therefore lessening unhealthy clotting.  They reduce cholesterol and triglycerides levels, which when high are indicators of heart disease.  Omega-3 fatty acids also work to stabilize heart muscle, thus steadying erratic heartbeats.

 It is good for arthritis too?

In arthritis, compounds called prostaglandins are out of balance.  Some prostaglandins encourage inflammation; others reduce it.  Increasing omega-3s helps the balance and reduces inflammation.

Turns out, Fish may even be good for depression; the research on depression and omega-3s is preliminary, but researchers think that omega-3s lubricate the cell membranes in the brain, thus allowing important brain chemicals to flow more easily.

How can I get more omega-3s?

Eat more deep-sea fish like salmon, mackerel, bluefish, tuna and halibut.  Two three-ounce servings per week are enough to change the omega-3 omega-6 ratio.  Walnuts are a good source of omega-3s too.  Throw a handful onto a salad for a satisfying and healthy meal.  Nuts are very high in calories, so when adding to the diet, subtract other foods to compensate.  Other good sources of omega-3s are leafy green vegetables, beans, canola oil and olive oil.

In conclusion:  Fish is low in saturated fat, and high in omega-3s.  Eating fish gives your diet variety, nutrient density, and satisfaction.  That’s the “reel” deal!  Come discover the Fulton Fresh seafood difference at The Food Emporium – Your New York Market.

Extraordinary Halibut

1 lb. halibut fillets

1 onion, chopped

1 green or red pepper, chopped

1 can artichoke hearts in brine, quartered and undrained

1 can whole tomatoes, quartered and undrained

Sauté onion and pepper until tender.  Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes and heat through.  Place halibut fillets on top of the vegetables, and cover.  Simmer gently for 5 minutes or so until fish is thoroughly cooked and flakes easily with a fork.

Serve over brown rice and with crusty French bread.