NEWS

DAVID RUSSELL ON

Whats your poison?

Did you hear the one about the snake who walked into a bar? The barman tells him, Im sorry, but we dont serve the likes of you. Why not? asks the snake. Because you cant hold your drink. Alcohol always gets a bad press; for some very good reasons of course, but I dont think I am alone when I say that life would be pretty dull without it. Its not all bad news, however; you can still enjoy a drink whilst limiting some of the negative effects. Here are some nutritionists trade secrets to help you indulge in the odd tipple. You might also like to pass them on to your students too, to encourage them to drink responsibly. 1. Drink slowly. Follow the Mediterranean example and enjoy good wine with good food. This is a great way to effortlessly slow down the rate at which you consume alcohol and avoid drinking on an empty stomach. 2. If you (or more likely, your students) like alcopops or sugary, soft drink mixers, opt instead for spirits served with pure fruit juice like orange or tomato juice. These will provide some vitamin C and avoid the added sugar of cordials and carbonated soft drinks. 3. Drink plenty of water alcohol is a diuretic, so help your body to compensate by staying hydrated. 4. Red wine is rich in avonoids. These substances act as antioxidants and appear to help reduce the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries and help maintain exible blood vessel walls. This is one of the possible explanations behind the French paradox, as there seems to be some heart-protective benets from the odd glass of red (note the word odd however like all things in life, moderation is key). 5. Have a full English the next day. Alcohol requires detoxifying by the liver, a system that requires amino acids from protein in order to function, so there may be a very good reason why people crave a protein-rich breakfast of eggs, bacon or sausages the morning after the night before! Grilled not fried of course
10 www.tuco.org

MSK BRINGS MOLECULAR MAGIC TO GLENEAGLES

Head Development Chef Vicky Endersen.

Forty-ve top restaurant chefs from the Edinburgh and Perth region gathered at The Gleneagles Hotel recently to join the hotels chefs for a demonstration on up to the minute techniques in the art of molecular gastronomy. The demonstration was given by Vicky Endersen, Head Development Chef for MSK Ingredients, who wowed the audience with a range of innovative skills and tricks of the trade used in the amazing world of molecular gastronomy the culinary wizardry typied by the food of Heston Blumenthal. Vicky previously worked at Tom Aikens in London as Head Pastry Chef and now runs the development kitchen, presenting and demonstrating MSKs products across the UK and providing a consultation service to restaurants and an invaluable support package for chefs. With her skills as a restaurant chef combined with her in-depth knowledge of chemistry, Vicky helps to break down the mystique of culinary alchemy and demonstrates inspiring new recipes and techniques using the scientic interplay of different ingredients and products. Stefan Priest, joint MD of MSK, said: The demonstration was extremely well received and we were delighted to be presenting to some of Scotlands top restaurant chefs in the prestigious setting of the Gleneagles Hotel.

6-11.News.v2.HN.indd 10

8/6/09 19:27:34