Endless Mountain Muffin Man

2009-11-08T17:21:00.000-05:00

When you are gluten intolerant, you have to do your own research or verify what you read or hear. Don't assume you know what a word or term means without actually looking it up. Wheat is the perfect example. Wheat likes to go incognito in food. The new labeling laws have helped, but they don't cover every situation. And if you travel out of the country, the USA labeling laws don't apply.Just because something says it's wheat-free doesn't mean it has no gluten proteins. That's a misconception some people have and it's a dangerous one. For example, Kamut is a wheat family member. It has low gluten levels, but it does contain gluten, and Celiacs should not eat it. You look at the word Kamut and there's no way to know it's wheat unless you have learned the definition.Another word for wheat is Spelt. Spelt is wheat - period. You should never eat anything with Spelt in it. But once again, you can't look at the word and know its wheat. It's a trick!There are other words you should know because they're safe ingredients as long as they're not mixed with anything containing gluten. For example, Amaranth is an ancient grain and is usually eaten as a breakfast cereal. Another tricky word that uses "wheat" is Buckwheat. Just to make matters completely confusing, Buckwheat is not wheat. Buckwheat is a fruit. How's that for tricky? You can eat Buckwheat as long as it hasn't been contaminated with wheat gluten in any way. You can also eat Quinoa, Mochi, Teff and Tempeh. If you now feel as if we've just traveled the world through language - you're right. Quinoa is an Incan word. Mochi is Japanese sticky rice. Teff is used in Ethiopian bread and Tempeh --- well Tempeh is used around the world.So take the time to learn your gluten and wheat terminology. You will find a little word power goes a long way in staying healthy.

Article from SCIENCE & NUTRITION MAGAZINE

2009-09-20T18:06:00.001-04:00

Slashing sodium could save $18bn in health care costs, says study
By Caroline Scott-Thomas, 14-Sep-2009
Related topics: Science & Nutrition

Reducing US sodium consumption to recommended levels could prevent 11 million cases of high blood pressure and save as much as $18bn a year in health care costs, according to a new study from RAND Health.

Americans currently consume an average of 4000mg of sodium a day, far more than the 2,300mg recommended by the Institute of Medicine. Even less is advised for at-risk groups, such as older adults, blacks, and those who already have high blood pressure. The health effects of excessive sodium consumption have been well-researched, including its contribution to high blood pressure – the treatment of which costs around $55bn a year – as well as cardiovascular disease and stroke.

This new study, published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, claims that $18bn of this cost could be slashed if sodium consumption were in line with dietary guidelines, while extending the lives of thousands of people every year.

Lead author Kartika Palar said: “Our results are driven by the fact that nearly 30 percent of the nation's population has hypertension. One of the reasons that hypertension is so pervasive is that sodium consumption is so high…These findings make a strong case that there's value in pursuing a population-based approach to reducing sodium intake among Americans."

Food industry moves

Studies have shown that 70 to 80 percent of sodium comes from processed foods, rather than salt added at the table, and food manufacturers, largely on the back of consumer demand, have been making efforts to cut sodium content. However, the challenge for manufacturers in reducing sodium is often twofold: While salt plays a role in consumer acceptance of a product’s taste, it is also functional for many foods, acting as a preservative or as an inhibitor for leavening agents.

The researchers wrote: “Population-based strategies that have been discussed include redesigning food labeling information to better highlight sodium levels, having manufacturers voluntarily lower sodium levels and adopting regulations that would require food processors to lower sodium.”

Method

The researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which uses a combination of interviews and medical examinations in order to assess the health and nutritional status of US adults. Based on this, they estimated medical costs for treating hypertension, although they did not calculate costs that would be avoided by resultant lower rates of cardiovascular disease.

According to market research organization Mintel, the low-sodium drive is gaining momentum. Its Global New Products Database shows that introductions of food products making a low, no or reduced sodium claim increased 115 percent from 2005 to 2008.

Source: American Journal of Health Promotion

Sept/Oct 2009, Vol. 24, I1, 49.

2009-07-26T18:20:00.001-04:00

Celiac: The Mystery Disease Many Doctors MissOne of the most common responses to the patient with a set of complaints that do not fall into a well-known medical syndrome pattern is to assume that the person is suffering from “mental problems.” Time and time again I have heard stories from patients recounting years of personal suffering from a mystery disease or a chronic illness. They describe in bitter detail either being ignored by doctors or being shunted from doctor to doctor with no help provided.
Celiac is one of these mystery diseases. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a rare disease but is, in fact, one of the most common autoimmune diseases. Some estimates put it at 1 out of every 100 people. For information on celiac as well as other puzzling diseases, Like many such diseases, celiac results from an inherited weakness. The bad gene responsible doesn’t cause problems unless the person is exposed to a protein called “gluten.”
Gluten can be found in certain grains such as wheat, rye, and barley. When people with this genetic weakness eat foods containing gluten (and one of its proteins called gliadin), the toxic protein gets trapped under cells lining the gastrointestinal tract. The immune system tries valiantly to remove this trapped protein. The ensuing immune attack in the wall of the intestine results in a blazing fire of inflammation that smolders for very long periods of time. Because each meal contains this same protein, the attack can continue for a lifetime.
You naturally would think that the major symptoms of such a disorder would be related to the gastrointestinal tract, and you would be right. But only 1 in 6 people diagnosed actually exhibits these symptoms, which include:
• Intestinal cramping
• Bloating
• Recurrent diarrhea
• Weight loss from impaired nutrient absorption
Most victims of celiac disease have symptoms completely unrelated to the gastrointestinal tract or have no observable symptoms at all. Victims of undiagnosed celiac disease can experience a long list of symptoms, including the following:
• Sudden hair loss
• Severe hypothyroidism or even hyperthyroidism (Graves disease)
• Dementia
• Loss of balance (ataxia)
• Seizures
• Recurrent pneumonia or meningitis from a loss of adrenal gland function (Addison’s disease)
• Various deadly cancers
Celiac is multi-system, meaning it affects many organs and a number of conditions may be the presenting feature of the disease. For example, the first symptom may be a seizure, or infertility, or even a migraine headache. This is why doctors often fail to make the link.
One of the most devastating effects of celiac disease is the malabsorption of nutrients from foods. Various food components, such as calcium, vitamins, and iron are absorbed from special segments of the gastrointestinal tract. A common misdiagnosis is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is estimated that 36 percent of celiac disease patients were first diagnosed as having IBS.
Studies show that 97 percent of people with celiac disease go undiagnosed for much of their lives. The average time of diagnosis for even moderately severe cases is nine years.
Making the diagnosis of celiac requires a high index of suspicion — if you suspect you may have this disorder, discuss it with your doctor. If necessary, seek a specialist who treats celiac disease. Gastroenterologists consider an intestinal biopsy as the definitive test, which can be done rather simply as an outpatient procedure.
Presented to You by; www.endlessmountaqinsGLUTENFREE.com

THE GREAT TROY PENNSYLVANIA FAIR

2009-07-23T17:49:00.004-04:00

Next week we will be exhibit and selling our wares [Gluten Free baking Mixes] at the fair in Troy, PA. This event starts on Monday and ends Saturday evening [July 27- August 1]. I believe the Troy Fair is one of the oldest continuing fairs in the Eastern United States, if not the whole country.

When I was a boy there were always sulky [sp] races with Troy being an important stop on the Harness Racing Circuit. Back then it was the Troy Free Fair and was the last free fair in Pennsylvania.

The fair will have all the usual animal exhibits and competition as well as local food and produce all held together with lots of country music. This is part of a long tradition of old fashioned country fairs that regretably is slowly disappearing. SO................. if you are free this next week and want to enjoy a great part of Americana, come see us at the fair! We will be located in the Lower Meadows area. Now when was the last time you heard reference to a meadow? See what I mean?

Come to the fair. I'd love to meet you in person and discuss Gluten Free Bakery Mixes and Gluten Free Flour. Why not check out our web-site/on-line store for your Gluten Free needs. www.endlessmountainsGLUTENFREE.com.

Have a great Day! Yours truly, The Endless Mountain Muffin Man

Check our Website Store!

2009-05-24T07:46:00.002-04:00

After many requests from the Celiac market, and those suffering from Gluten Intolerance, we have launched our On-line Store. You can now order Gluten Free Flour and Gluten Free Bakery Mixes direct from us. The website is; www.endlessmountainsglutenfree.com This is possibly the longest web address in existence, but the easiest to remember. We are in the ENDLESS MOUNTAINS [of Pennsylvania] and our products are GLUTEN FREE. Therefore; www.endlessmountainsglutenfree.com works!

The full listing of our mixes is on the site as well as their prices. We ship by Priority Mail since the other carriers do not deliver to post office boxes or rural box addresses. We experience this problem at our home in the Endless Mountains, especially in the Winter. Apparently the drivers are afraid of the road up the mountain to our office.

Please check out our site and get to know more about us and our company. If you are in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania during the last week of July you can meet us in person at the Troy Fair. We hope to see you there.

If you are looking for an interesting and profitable business venture, with minimal up-front cost, contact us at jack@jwicorp.com to learn about our program for vendors at Farmer's Markets and Flea Markets. There is no franchise fee to you, only an agreement to respect our quality and price commitments coupled with the opportunity to make immediate cash and build a long term business. This could also be a seasonal business if your area is busiest during the Summer. Grocery Stores and Bulk Food Stores can also increase their sales and customer counts by adding our line of Gluten Free Mixes and Gluten Free Flour. Remember, Gluten Free is not a fad, but is a lifestyle and necessary diet concern which lasts throughout a Celiac sufferers lifetime. You have the opportunity to provide wholesome, good for you, products at a fair price to people who will appreciate your efforts and benefit from your concern.

We all look forward to hearing from you!

Successfully,
The Endless Mountain Muffin Man

Gluten Free Bakery Mixes; FANTASTIC!

2008-08-01T19:06:00.002-04:00

We have had an overwhelming response to our range of GLUTEN FREE BAKERY MIXES from The ENDLESS MOUNTAIN MUFFIN MAN. People all over the Endless Mountains of Bradford County, Pennsylvania have discovered how delicious these mixes are, and how good the are for them.

Just today we were delivering a fresh batch of GLUTEN FREE BAKERY MIXES to BARNSTEADS PANTRY in Troy Pennsylvania, when a lady approached to share her experience. This woman was recently diagnosed as being GLUTEN INTOLERANT and found that our mixes satisfy her sweet tooth and her metabolism. The owner of Barnsteads told me that her son was recently diagnosed as GLUTEN INTOLERANT and LOVES the Brownies made with our mix. In fact she was a little hurt because he prefers our Brownies to her home-made from scratch variety.

One Grandma in Canton, Pennsylvania has been buying our WHITE CAKE MIX on a regular basis. She has a grandson who is GLUTEN INTOLERANT as well as being allergic to Chocolate. The GLUTEN FREE WHITE CAKE MIX allows her to make her grandson an endless array of cakes and cupcakes and to be the sort of grandma we all dream about having.

We plan on presenting our line of GLUTEN FREE BAKERY MIXES to some of the national health food stores beginning this Fall. Maybe people outside the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania can begin to enjoy the good tasting and good for you GLUTEN FREE BAKERY MIXES that those of us in these very mountains find so pleasant and satisfying. Watch for information on our GLUTEN FREE BREAD FLOUR which is due out in September. You might want to arrange an order to be one of the first to enjoy this versatile flour.

For more information or to share a possible store that might stock these GLUTEN FREE BAKERY MIXES, [and soon GLUTEN FREE BREAD FLOUR] please E-mail me at, jack@jwicorp.com.

Gluten Free has arrived!

2008-07-13T15:48:00.003-04:00

In an earlier blog I had mentioned that we are in the business of helping fledgling companies get off the ground and move their products to market. Recently we were contacted by a couple who are selling a Gluten Free Flour on-line. They want to take their product to main-stream America and so contacted us. The Gluten Free Flour concept works and is a necessary part of the life and diet of over 1% of the population. The medical world estimates that 1% of the population is gluten intolerant and that up to 30% of the population experiences some discomfort when they have consumed foods containing gluten.

We met in Philadelphia with the folks with the Gluten Free Flour and discussed how best to go to market. VERY long story short; we need to be compensated for our time and expenses and they felt this expertise should be free. Consequently we are pursuing the Gluten Free concept as part of our other existing business and wish them well. The "Secret" recipe for Gluten Free Flour [in several variations] is readily available on line with a little searching. However, combining the Gluten Free Flour with other ingredients to produce Bakery Mixes requires a certain expertise which we are blessed to enjoy.

During the earlier part of this month [July 2008] we made our Gluten Free Bakery Mixes available to the world through 3 avenues;

911 Earth, A quality Health Food Store located in Athens, PA. 570-888-3297
Cafe Too, Our Bakery cafe located in Sayre, PA 570-888-2828
On-line at www.JWICorp.com, or by contacting jack@jwicorp.com to place an order.

We are actively seeking other venues for sales and distribution of our Gluten Free Bakery Mixes. Please tell your local Health Food Store about us, or contact us as noted above. The varieties available are;

MUFFIN MIX, BROWNIE MIX, BISCUIT MIX, WHITE CAKE MIX, CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX. All are available to be sent to you by US Postal Service Surface Mail. This is actually the least expensive and most sure way of getting mix to you. We find that the Postal Service delivers, "one way or the other" while the courier services can't always make it to your location due to, "Rain or Sleet, or Dead of Night", or your geographic location [high on a mountain or on a remote island].

We pride ourselves on our GREEN/biodegradable packaging. Our Gluten Free Bakery Mixes are packaged in a light-weight degradable poly bag which is then inserted into a small brown Kraft bag. All of this is rolled and taped and labeled with our product label [printed on 30% recycled paper] which doubles as a recipe booklet. We bet our package wouldn't last 6 months in a compost pile.

It is our intention to help everyone reduce their Carbon Footprint and yet still have Gluten Free Bakery Mixes available to them. When one considers the cost of gasoline to drive to a health food store, buying a 4-color package that will endure for 100 years in a landfill, and making the return trip home, the cost of Bakery Mix in the mail becomes a real bargain AND you help the environment!

Contact us soon and place your order so you can start enjoying these tasty treats. I'll be looking for your E-mail or listening for your phone call. We hope to hear from you soon! Have a great day!

We are back!

2008-02-27T18:01:00.003-05:00

Since our last post we have been busy re-opening our restaurant in Sayre, Pennsylvania. For the past year most of our time has been spent helping others start their own businesses and enjoying their success along with them. Now, however, it is time to get back to the real work of our life and be restaurateurs. As I have stated in earlier blogs, I am a Certified Master of Baking. But, alas the retail baking business has pretty much been taken over by the supermarkets and many bakers [like me] are turning their businesses into bakery cafes. We have taken the further step of minimizing the baking altogether and focusing on our restaurant and mail order business. We will also be providing Endless Mountain Muffin Man Muffin Mix in one pound packages for retail sale at the restaurant and by mail order. Send us a message and we will arrange to send you muffin mix for your home baking. Our muffin mix contains no preservatives and is made with only the most basic ingredients from a recipe fist developed in 1941. So ............... if you are a Baby Boomer, this recipe pre-dates you! WOW! Grandmas that baked during the past century probably used this recipe.

Everyday at the restaurant, incidentally we are called Cafe Too Restaurant, we bake the most fantastic Wild Blueberry Muffins you ever tasted. Next time you are in Sayre for business, pleasure, or to visit the Guthrie Clinic, please stop by for a warm muffin [buttered of course] and coffee. We serve breakfast and lunch from Monday through Friday and Breakfast only on Saturday. Our customer base is growing everyday with many folks who have enjoyed our cafe for several years. Our Chef is "Chef Jason" who is well known in the North East Pennsylvania region. He is famous for his inventive use of ingredients and will impress you with his creativity. Oh yeah, and he is our son of whom we are well pleased!

Come see us in the Heart of the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania and enjoy our buttery good, warm Wild Blueberry Muffins! We will be looking for you!

THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

2007-12-26T16:39:00.000-05:00

Tis the Day after Christmas and all through the Endless Mountains people are scurrying about exchanging gifts for something they really wanted, or a size that really fits. You will notice that the Grinch has permanently disabled any ads from this site. Apparently the web-host team in India can not accept the fact that mistakes happen and often times are completely innocent. My MISTAKE was telling the readers of this blog that additional recipes existed on the attached ads. This is apparently the most grievous NO-NO that one can commit, encouraging others to gain information! WHO KNEW?

Now we have decided to continue this blog until, or unless, someone in India decides it is somehow out of line with their web sensibilities, or does no allow them to gain adequate revenue for funding their off-shore outsourced web hosting. The real irony of all this is that now high-tech companies from India, having made a lot of money by replacing Americans and their jobs, are now re-locating to the United States to gain credibility for their companies and products. WIERD!

So here we sit on the Day After Christmas wondering how some low-level tech support person in India can knock me off-line at the same time I am worried about buying anything from China for any purpose in my life. What ever happened to Americans supporting Americans? When will we be able to buy lead-free toys for our kids and grand children again? When will we be able to actually call a person [a real, live person] in Customer Service for any product or service question, and actually get someone whom we can understand? The British Colonial form of English that is spoken in most emerging countries when accompanied by the sing-song form of pronunciation, renders the language unintelligible.

I traveled the World for 20 years in international business and am conversant in 5 languages, and I still can not understand the English Patois spoken by "Customer Dis-service" tech support people at mid-night in India [or Bangladesh, or various other emerging countries].

Oh well, tis the season for forgiveness, understanding, goodwill, and peace on Earth. I hope everyone enters the New Year with all the opportunities and potential that they can possibly handle, and that Google gives me back my ads. "Happy Holidays to All, and to All a Good Night!"

OLD FASHIONED BASIC PLAIN MUFFINS

2007-11-29T16:52:00.002-05:00

BASIC PLAIN MUFFINS
11-29-07

Sometime is is best to go back to basics. The Muffin recipes we have been sending you all are rather specialized, but sometimes you need a basic recipe to which you can add your own personal touch. Such a recipe follows;

Mix the following ingredients together until well blended.

White Whole Wheat Flour - 6 Cups
Granulated Sugar - 1, 3/4 Cups
Salt - 1 Tablespoon
Clabber Girl Baking Powder - 3 Tablespoons

Add to the above mixture and stir until incorporated. DO NOT OVERMIX.
Whole Eggs - 3/4 Cup [about 4 large eggs]
Vegetable Oil - 1 Cup
Fresh Liquid Milk - 3 Cups [If you don't have a cow this is OK from the bottle or box]
Vanilla - 1 Tablespoon.

Method; Scoop batter into paper lined or greased muffin tins, about 3/4 full. Bake at 400 Degrees F. for 15-18 minutes or until done. Makes about 3, 1/2 dozen muffins.

Variations; This is the Blank Pallet to which you can add all of your favorite ingredients. Use up to 2 Cups of Berries [Blue Berries, Raspberries, or Cranberries] or diced Apples and Raisins or Walnuts [always at least 1 Cup] Poppy Seeds and Lemon Zest, Pumpkin, or make a Savory variety using Chopped Cheese and Various Spice Blends.

For Bran Muffins, replace 1 Cup of Flour with 1 Cup of Whole Bran in the first stage of mixing. Your taste might have you replace more flour with Bran, but you should probably not exceed 50%. Raisins go great in Bran Muffins as do Apples. Experiment and Enjoy! PS: You can use any brand of Raisin Bran Cereal as a substitute for Whole Bran.

THANKS BUT NO THANKS

2007-11-28T18:00:00.000-05:00

I learned yesterday that my blog had violated the agreement I committed to for ads to appear on this site. Some over-zealous clicking has taken place, none of it by me, and I received a sever reprimand. OUCH!

It is not the intention of this blog to do anything but share baking recipes with you and to give you some day-to-day insight into life in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania. The holidays are coming and we will keep on blogging away. Watch for more recipes for Christmas Cookies, Brownies, and Pies. For now I need to unpack from my visit today to Cafe Canole [not Canoli] in Utica, NY. Cafe Canole now has a second location in Syracuse [not the one in Sicily]NY and is providing the finest Italian Traditional Bakery treats for the holidays. Check them out!

Next week we plan to be in Springfield, Massachusetts to visit with Big Y Supermarkets to discuss Cafe Canole's Italian Cheese Cakes for possible sale in Big Y stores. It is our hope to take these products to the residents of the Connecticut River Valley and to folks who live in the northern suburbs of New York City. Watch for Cafe Canole Italian Cheese Cakes, or ask you friendly grocer to bring them in. The Nole Brothers [hence Cafe CA Nole] will really appeciate it. If you are in Utica, why not stop in to Cafe Canole on Culver Ave. It is more than worth the trip.

CHOCOLATE FRENCH FUDGE

2007-11-27T08:37:00.000-05:00

CHOCOLATE FRENCH FUDGE
11-27-07

ONLY 28 BAKING DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!

Method and Ingredients;

In the top of a double boiler melt,

Chocolate Chips - 3, 6 ounce packages

Remove from heat and add,

Eagle Brand Condensed Milk - 1 Can
Vanilla - 1,1/2 Teaspoon
Walnuts - 1/2 Cup
Salt- dash

Stir until smooth and all ingredients are fully incorporated.
Spread mixture evenly on Waxed Paper lined baking pan [9 X 13 works well].
Chill 2 hours in refrigerator. Cut into 2 X 2 inch squares and serve.

Why is this French? Who cares! It is just SO delicious and sure to become a favorite. And it makes a great addition to Cookie Trays, Party Trays, or for Gift Giving.

CHRISTMAS CUT-OUT COOKIES

2007-11-26T09:18:00.000-05:00

CHRISTMAS CUT-OUT COOKIES
11-26-07

What would Christmas be without these traditional cut-outs of trees, bells, stars, and Santa.

In the mixing bowl of your counter top mixer place the following ingredients and mix until light and fluffy;

Sugar - 1,1/2 Cups [You may use 1/2 Confectionery Sugar]
Butter - 1 pound
Vanilla - 1 Tablespoon
Orange Zest - Dash [optional]

Add to the above and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula [while the mixer is turned off];
Whole Eggs -4 eggs

Continue mixing until the mixture is light and fluffy almost like butter cream icing. Then Add;

All Purpose Flour - 6, 1/2 Cups.
Clabber Girl Baking Powder - 1 Teaspoon

Mix only until incorporated. About 1 minute in low speed.

Take the Cookie Dough to the table or counter top for cutting. I like to use a piece of canvas that has been liberally floured to use as a cutting surface. Roll the cookie dough to about a 1/4 inch thickness and cut with Holiday Cookie Cutters. You may want to lightly brush the surface of the cut-out cookies with a 50-50 Egg and Water mixture and then sprinkle them with multi-colored Decorettes or Colored Sugar. These cookies will be already festive when removed from the oven.

Place the cut cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet, or a lightly greased cookie sheet, and bake in a 350 Degree F. oven for 5-7 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are very light brown. DO NOT OVER BAKE!

These cookies are great when iced with your favorite cake icing and sprinkled with festive colored toppings. You can also decorate these cookies with multi-colored icings. Kids love to make a party or special event decorating cookies.

PS: Santa REALLY likes these cookies on Christmas Eve, especially with a big glass of cold milk.

FIRST DAY OF WHITE TAIL DEER SEASON

2007-11-26T08:43:00.000-05:00

It is raining and cold on top of our Endless Mountain this morning and the White Tailed Deer Season has started. You can not shoot at deer prior to 7:00 AM on opening day, mostly because it is still dark outside. The guns do start blazing around 10 minutes to 7 due to mis-set watches, or just plain nervous excitement. The mountains are already echoing with the BOOM, BOOM, BOOM of the big guns, and I suspect the silent laughter of the deer as "Hunters" shoot at movement in the bushes and imagined monster bucks.

The local hunters believe that we "always have snow on the ground for opening day!" Well this year the snow is falling as rain and the forest is silent as a tomb with the only sound being the rain hitting the hunters hats and jackets. WHAT FUN! Oh, by the way, the snow is to enable the hunters to track their quarry or follow a wounded animal if it should manage to escape. The deer meanwhile have moved back into the laurel thickets and swampy areas where few if any hunters venture. Deer don't survive if they aren't smarter than their pursuers, except for their inability to safely cross the highway. GO FIGURE.

For the next 2 weeks all the Elmer Fudd ["waskly wabbits"] wanna-bes will hide in tree-stands or sit quietly in the wet forest while the temperature hovers around freezing and the deer remain safely bedded down watching them. Every year these silent watchers, both hunters and deer, manage to see sights for which they are not prepared such as Skunks, Porcupines, or Bears, lots of bears. You see, bears are doing their last bit of foraging at this time of year prior to hibernation, and hunters just somehow smell good. It is probably the Hershey Chocolate Bars in the jacket pocket [for that burst of energy] or the Ham Sandwich they made at 3:00 AM for lunch in the woods. Whatever the snack, hunters "just smell good" to bears and so invite some curious investigation.

Many hunters like to "take the high ground" and so try to hide in a tree-stand 10-20 feet in the air. Remember Bears can climb! The only hunters who are truly safe from bears are those who purchase a special bear stamp for the hunting license. Invariably the hunter with the stamp never sees a bear! Apparently some hunters and bears do meet in the woods because over 3,000 bears never make it to hibernation every year in Pennsylvania. This years Big Bears are weighing in at +/- 600 pounds. THAT'S a lot of Hershey Chocolate Bars!

The odds are in favor of the bears since the estimated population of Black Bears in Pennsylvania is around 15,000. If hunters "harvest" 20% of the population every year and the average mother bear has 2-3 cubs, the population will continue to grow and thrive. We have a mother bear who is regularly seen in our yard and sometimes on our porch. She weighs about 400 pounds and this year is accompanied by her 1 year old son who goes about 150 pounds. We saw her a couple of years ago with 3 cubs and no one has ever taken a bear off our mountain.

Enough for White Tail Deer, BOOMS, and Bears. It is raining harder now and the BOOMS have died down. I'll bet a person could make a fortune selling Hot Chocolate or Coffee in the forest right now. Keep posted for your daily update of the Endless Mountains and check out the recipes we send you, especially the Chocolate Bread Pudding posted today. Enjoy your Bread Pudding, Hot Chocolate, and warm kitchen and think about the laughing White Tail Deer, hiding hunters, and curious Bears, AND Elmer Fudd. "Waskly Wabbits!

CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

2007-11-26T08:06:00.000-05:00

CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING
11-26-07

When I was a kid, my Great Grandmother Van Zandt would make this dessert as a treat for me and I thought it was the most wonderful food I had ever eaten. It was only many years later that I realized she was practising the skills she had developed during the Great Depression of the 1930's when nothing was wasted. For your "Depression Era" dining pleasure, create and enjoy!

Mix together in a mixing bowl with a wire whisk until fully incorporated;

Liquid Whole Milk - 2 Cups
Granulated Sugar - 1 Cup
Whole Eggs - 3/4 Cup
Vanilla to taste
Salt - 1/8 Teaspoon
Nutmeg - Dash

Set this aside and prepare the following;

Bread Crumbs - 4 Cups [Tear day old bread into chunks about the size of a walnut]
Add the Bread Crumbs to the Milk, Sugar, Egg mixture and mix them together well.

Meanwhile whip to a soft peak;
Egg Whites - 3/4 Cup

When the Egg Whites are fully whipped, fold them into the Bread Crumb and Milk/Sugar/Egg mixture. Add the following and fold in gently;

Chocolate Chips - 1/2 Cup

Pour the entire mixture into a well buttered loaf pan and drop a few small pieces of butter across the surface. Sprinkle the surface lightly with Granulated Sugar and place in a pre-heated 350 Degree F. oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until set. Serve hot or cold with Vanilla Ice Cream or a light Lemon Sauce.

Variations; You may replace the Chocolate Chips [Heaven forbid!] with any of the following;

Raisins, Seasonal Fruit [peaches, pears, apples, apricots] or Candied Fruit for the Holidays.

Any way you bake it, say a little thanks to Great Grandmother Van Zandt.

White Tail Deer Season and Cyber Monday

2007-11-25T10:30:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the Internets version of BLACK FRIDAY. It is CYBER MONDAY the day when the greatest number of on-line sales transactions take place. It is said to also be the day when users are most vulnerable to Identity Theft due to carelessly sharing information on-line. Beware of what you say and to whom you say it!

Monday also marks the day of one of the Endless Mountain's most revered seasons; the start of White Tail Deer Season. This is all but a state wide holiday with schools closed and many businesses shuttered for the first day. EVERYONE is out running around the mountains and fields trying to shoot the wily White Tail Buck. Unfortunately when driving to their "secret, best darn hunting spot in the world" location, hunters must be wary of hitting deer in the road! Irony? I think so.

Here in the Endless Mountains we have a full time, year round crew, that is employed by each county whose only purpose is to collect road-killed deer and other animals. It is a normal occurrence to dive 20 miles and count 5 or more road killed deer carcasses along the shoulder of the road. This being the case I am baffled by the notion of spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars each year to chase a deer through the woods and to try to shoot it. Why not just drive around in the warm comfort of your car and wait for one to jump in front of you? However, it is illegal to hunt from your car. You MUST suffer in the cold and damp of the forest for the sake of the sport.

Every Spring we see a doe with usually 2 fawns in our yard. In the Winter we have counted as many as 24 deer in a herd grazing on the lawn hidden by the snow. We cleared about 2 acres of forest 30 years ago to build our home. Now we have mature trees and mountain laurel right up to the edge of our yard. This provides a safe haven for deer, wild turkeys, and Black Bear. All of these are seen on a regular basis from our kitchen windows. And you know what? We don't bother them and they don't bother us. The animals were here first. We moved into their territory, so we should figure out how to co-exist. Obviously I don't hunt, although I did as a young man [teenager] to provide meat for the table year round. Back in these Endless Mountains work is not always plentiful, but game always is, so we shot what we needed and fed the family. I have no problem at all with someone who "harvests" and uses the deer they shoot. Nature has a way of replacing those animals as well as the ones who Dance With Cars.

If you are in the Endless Mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania tomorrow, you will see legions of orange clad people clambering about the mountains and fields searching for their trophy buck. Just keep an eye on the road, lest you deprive the hunters of "the one that didn't get away". The auto body shops will thank you however.

I hear gunshots in the valley as the neighbors sight-in their trusty, or rusty, firearms. Keep your head down tomorrow, wear orange, or better yet stay home and shop on line. Whatever you do, be careful!

BABY RUTH COOKIES

2007-11-24T15:21:00.000-05:00

BABY RUTH COOKIES
11-24-07

This recipe was first published in 1945 and has been lost over time by many bakers. You now have a true classic Cookie recipe for your enjoyment.

In a mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients and mix until light and fluffy;
Butter or Margarine - 1/2 Cup [softened]
Sugar - 3/4 Cup
Clabber Girl Baking Soda - 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt - 1/2 Teaspoon

Add and mix well;
Eggs -1 large
Vanilla - 1/2 Teaspoon

Mix in to incorporate;

All-Purpose Flour - 1, 1/3 Cups

Chop into small pieces, the size of Chocolate Chips, and mix into cookie dough to incorporate. Use any crumbs or flakes as these will add additional flavor;
Baby Ruth Candy Bars [2 OZS. each] - 2 Bars

Method; Drop by rounded spoonfuls on a parchment lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.Bake at 350 Degrees for 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Yield about 4 dozen.

BACARDI RUM CAKE - PUERTO RICO'S BEST

2007-11-24T14:28:00.000-05:00

BACARDI RUM CAKE
11-24-07

This recipe is unique for me because it uses cake mix instead of a "scratch" recipe. However, I have never been able to get the same results without using cake mix.

Prepare a 12" Bundt Pan or Angel Food Cake Pan by lightly buttering the inside and dust the surface with flour. Shake out the excess flour and place the following in the pan;

Chopped Nuts - 1 Cup [Pecans or Walnuts]

Mix together the following ingredients;

Yellow Cake Mix - 1, 18 1/2 OZ. package
Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding & Pie Filling - 1, 3 3/4 OZS. package
Whole Eggs - 4
Cold Water - 1/2 Cup
Wesson Oil - 1/2 Cup
Bacardi Dark Rum [80 proof] - 1/2 Cup [You might need to taste some of the rum to be certain it is good enough for your cake. We recommend tasting it mixed 50-50 with Cocoa-Cola over ice.] If you miss this step, the Rum can be re-tested later.

Pour ingredients into prepared Bundt Pan and bake at 325 Degrees F. for 1 hour. When cake is finished baking,remove from oven, but leave it in the pan. You will next prepare a Glaze for the cake using the following method and ingredients;

Butter - 1/4 LB. [melted]
Water - 1/4 Cup
Sugar - 1 Cup

Bring the above ingredients to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir into the glaze, 1/2 Cup Bacardi Dark Rum [80 proof]

Place a cake plate [or dinner plate] over the top of the baked Rum Cake while it is still in the Bundt Pan. Quickly invert the Bundt Pan and allow the cake to rest on the cake plate. Set the Bundt Pan upright and pour 1/2 the glaze into the Bundt Pan. Carefully pick up the rum cake and return it to it's original position in the Bundt Pan. This part is tricky so you might want to let the cake cool to room temperature before trying this step. After the cake is back in the Bundt Pan, prick the top surface with a fork to allow for Glaze to soak into the cake. Carefully pour the balance of the Glaze over the cake and allow it to soak in. The Glaze that is already in the Bundt Pan will be soaking into the cake, so your cake will be totally saturated with Bacardi Dark Rum Glaze. If you hold the Rum out of the Glaze until the glaze has cooled a bit, you will not lose the alcohol through evaporation and your cake will have a delightful Caribbean Flavor.

When the Bacardi Rum Cake has completely soaked up the Glaze. Place the cake plate on top of the Bundt Pan and once again invert the Bacardi Rum Cake. Now the cake is upright and ready to serve. You have NEVER had such a delicious cake unless you live in San Juan, Fajardo, Bayamon, or Ponce, Puerto Rico. *Note: if you did not test the Bacardi Dark Rum [80 proof] prior to baking the cake, now would be a good time to grab the Cocoa-Cola and ice and check it out!

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH PUMPKIN CREAM CHEES PIE

2007-11-24T14:12:00.000-05:00

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE PIE
11-24-07

A recipe from 80 year old Marie Saunders, Hummelstown, PA "She is as Pennsylvania Dutch as can be" and we love her. Watch for other Marie's Recipes as we celebrate special occasions.

Prepare [or by at the grocery store] a 9" Deep Dish Pie Shell, un-baked.

Mix together to incorporate then beat until light and fluffy;
Cream Cheese - 8 OZS.
Whole Egg - 1
Sugar - 1/2 Cup
Vanilla - 1 Teaspoon.

Spread this mixture in the bottom of the 9" un-baked Pie Shell and set aside.

Mix together to incorporate;
Pumpkin - 1 Large Can
Sugar - 1/2 Cup
Cinnamon - 1 Teaspoon
Salt - 1/4 Teaspoon
Cream - 1 Cup [ We use CARNATION Condensed Milk]
Eggs - 2 beaten before adding.
Vanilla - 1 Teaspoon

Pour this mixture over the Cream Cheese Mixture in the Un-baked Pie Shell.
Bake at 350 Degrees F. for 45 Minutes.

Caution; ONLY serve this pie to your family and closest friends, or people will beat down your door for seconds. Don't say I didn't warn you!

QUICHE LORRAINE - FOOL PROOF!

2007-11-24T13:43:00.000-05:00

QUICHE LORRAINE
11-24-07

This delightful French item is excellent for a weekend brunch or to serve as part of a holiday buffet. Fantastic!

Prepare [or purchase] a 9" unbaked pie shell in a deep dish pie pan. They can be found in the grocer's freezer case and are a real time-saver.

In a large skillet, cook the following;
6 Slices Bacon
1/2 Cup Chopped Onions - Hold the onions until the bacon starts to brown and then add. Cook until Bacon is brown and onions start to soften. Drain and set aside.

In the bottom of the 9" Pie Shell sprinkle;
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Swiss Cheese - Top this with the Bacon and Onion mixture.

Combine and blend with a wire whisk;
1 Can CARNATION Evaporated Milk
3 Large Eggs
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

Pour the above mixture into the prepared Pie Shell completely covering the Swiss Cheese, Bacon, and Onions.

Bake at 350 Degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and serve. This is even excellent for a Summer luncheon served cold as a savory side with Romaine Salad.

I have enjoyed this treat in Paris and find this recipe compares to the best France has to offer. All that is missing is the Eiffel tower, Sidewalk Cafes, French Cafe au Lait, and a certain ambiance. Other than that, it is the same.

PUMPKIN PECAN PIE BARS

2007-11-24T13:22:00.000-05:00

PUMPKIN PECAN PIE BARS
11-24-07

Pre-heat you oven to 350 Degrees F.

In you mixer's mixing bowl, combine the following and mix until crumbly; DO NOT OVER MIX!
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Oatmeal [Whatever form you have, old fashioned or instant]
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed
1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine [room temperature]
Press this mixture into the bottom of a 13x9 inch un-greased pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 Degrees F. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you proceed to next step.

In a mixing bowl combine the following and beat 1 minute in low speed and 2 minutes at medium speed. Pour this mixture over the pre-baked crust and return to the oven for 20 minutes.
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 can [15 ozs.] Libby's Pure Pumpkin
1 can [12 fl. ozs.] CARNATION Evaporated Milk
2 large Eggs
2 1/4 Teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice

Remove pre-baked bars from oven and sprinkle with a mixture of;
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
1/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar.

Return the Pumpkin Bars to the oven and bake 18 minutes or until knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan, cut into 2x2 inch squares, top with whipped cream and serve. Delightful!

This recipe was given to me by a friend which is the best way to obtain excellent proven recipes. Consider yourself my friend and pass this recipe along. You can print this out from this page, or better yet, send your friends here to copy and paste or print the recipes themselves.

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

2007-11-24T09:10:00.000-05:00

I have a confession to make. I am not just the Endless Mountain Muffin Man. I am also fortunate enough to be one of the first, select few bakers to be certified as a Master of Baking in North America. This European-style honor was bestowed by the RBA [Retailer's Bakery Association] in 1987 and was in recognition for training apprentice bakers, successfully operating a retail bakery for many years, and extensive hands on and written skill testing conducted at a selected bakery school or operating bakery. This is more than an honor, it is peer group recognition of raising the bar for an entire craft and exceeding expectations over one's career. I was humbled by my selection for this honor. And now I get to share all of this with you.

Master of Baking aside, we are now looking forward to Christmas here in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania and to enjoying some of the traditional baked treats. Because of the region's strong Germanic heritage, Christmas Stollen graces almost every table for Christmas morning breakfast. I would like to share with you the recipe that was handed down to me by my German Meister Bakker mentors. They were trained in the last decades of the 1800's and were near 80 years old when the trained me. Consequently, the Christmas recipes we share with you go back to the bakers who trained my mentors, and on and on. The origin of these recipes is lost in time over several hundred years, but BOY are these traditional treats DELICIOUS!

Traditional Christmas [Weinachten] Stollen

This recipe has been reduced in size to make approximately 3 loaves

Ingredients and method;

1/2 cup of warm [baby bottle temperature] Water
2 packages of Grocery Store Yeast

Dissolve yeast in water and set aside.

1/2 cup of milk scalded and allowed to cool to 100 Degrees F. [More or less body temperature]Set aside as well for later mixing into dough.

Cream together in mixing bowl for 1 minute in low speed and 4 minutes in medium speed.
1/4 Tablespoon Salt
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
4 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine

Add to the above and mix until smooth
1 Whole Egg [minus the shell]

Next add the Water and Yeast mixture and the Milk. Scrape the bowl to loosen any of the previous ingredients so that the flour [added next] will blend nicely. Add;
2 Cups of Flour [Use your choice of 100% White Whole Wheat Flour or Bread Flour]

Mix for 1 minute in low speed and then 12 minutes in medium speed or until dough is smooth an pulls away from the bowl. Add the following and mix for 2 more minutes in low speed.

1/4 pound of chopped Candied Fruit
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 Cup chopped Pecans or Walnuts.
1 Tablespoon Rum Flavor [or real Rum if you prefer]

Remove mixing bowl from the mixer, lightly oil the dough with a tablespoon of Vegetable Oil, cover with a towel, and allow to rise in a warm place for 2 hours or until double in size.

When the Stollen Dough is ready. place it on a lightly floured surface and cut it into 3 equal pieces. Form each piece into a loaf shape [like a loaf of bread], cover with a towel and allow to rise for 10-15 minutes.

Make up of the Christmas Stollen; Place the loaf in front of you on the slightly floured work surface, [Oh go ahead, use a lot of flour] with the loaf positioned with the ends pointed to your right and left, or parallel with the edge of the table or counter top. Using a Rolling Pin, push down firmly on the loaf with the Rolling Pin running in the same direction as the loaf. This will form a depression in the loaf running the length from end to end. Now roll your rolling Pin back and forth until you creat a space in the dough roughly equal in width to the two higher edges. A cross section of the dough would look like "O__O".

Next you should spread a generous amount of filling the entire length of the "channel". My German Mentors always believed that the weight of the filling should always equal the weight of the dough, so use a lot. The filling is up to you and could include the traditional Almond filling [purchased ready to use at the grocery], Fruit Jam [Strawberry or especially Apricot are great], Caramel,and White or Chocolate Buttercreme Icing. The Buttercreme Icing will melt and leave a delightful residue of flavor. Bakers always called this "Melt-Away" filling.

After filling the Stollen you should carefully fold the top 1/2 over to just meet the lower half enclosing the filling like an Empanada or turnover. Place the Stollen on a parchment line cookie sheet and cover with that same towel you have been using today throughout this process. Allow the Stollen to rise until [Now THIS is the tricky part] you can lightly touch the surface of the dough and the impression of your finger stays. If the dough is not ready it will continue to rise and push the finger print back up to the surface. When the Stollen is finally ready place it in a pre-heated oven at 380 Degrees F and bake for 20 minutes.

Decorating and Finishing the Christmas Stollen. This is where the Artist in you emerges.

At our house we use a Pastry Brush and lightly brush the warm surface of the Christmas Stollen with either Light Corn Syrup or Honey. Traditionally the Germans used Honey. Allow the Christmas Stollen to cool to room temperature and you are ready to begin decorating. We like to place a generous amount of Whie Buttercreme Icing [back to the grocery store to the Cake Baking aisle and buy a small tub]over the entire top. You can never have too much icing, and this way everyone gets a generous portion on their slice of Christmas Stollen. While the icing surface is still moist sprinkle it with multi-colored decorettes. We next place 1/2 Red Maraschino Cherries in an irregular row across the surface and then place 1/4 cut Green Maraschino Cherries around them to resemble leaves.

Remember that this recipe makes 3 Christmas Stollen. If you traditionally exchange Christmas Cookies with friends and family, you may like to change things this year and give a Christmas Stollen instead. Don't think for a moment that this would be perceived as a less than appreciated gift. Look in the catalogues for holiday gifts [Fruit baskets, Cookie Trays, Fruit Cake, etc.] and you will see that Christmas Stollen are considered a delicacy and are expensive to buy. Look on the internet as well for a price for Christmas Stollen. You will then value your efffort even more. As a special touch you could even write Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah or Kwanzaa on the surface of the Christmas Stollen and complete it with the recipient family's name. Remember to always BE CREATIVE in you holiday baking.

Keep watching for our daily posts which will include Christmas Cookies, Breads,Rolls, and Pastries. ENJOY!!!

PS: Because this recipe makes 3 Christmas Stollen you may want to Keep one, Eat one the same day, and Give one as a gift. No, you had better give the gift first, or you might eat 2 the same day. Put on the coffee and give me a call!

The Endless Mountain Muffin Man

YEAST FOR EVERYTHING!

2007-11-23T17:30:00.000-05:00

Boy, did I strike a note with my article on Ethanol! The inquiries have been pouring in for more information on yeast; Baker's Yeast, Instant Yeast, Active Dry Yeast, and Ethanol Yeast. To accomodate these requests, I have attached an article I wrote several years ago entitled Yeast 101. For your reading enjoyment and enlightenment, the article follows:

YEAST 101

Yeast is a beneficial microbial of the genus Saccharomyces cerevisiae [sugar yeast].
It is grown on a cane or beet sugar molasses solution [medium or sub-strate] much as one would grow an agricultural crop. The medium is seeded with a specific strain of yeast, fed, fertilized and harvested. The process is basically:

1. A slant [test tube] of pure live yeast culture is introduced to a 5-liter vat of sugar solution. This is allowed to grow until the sugar is consumed. Yeast grows by budding and at the end of a pre-determined time the 5-liter vat is full of pure yeast cells. These 5 liters of live yeast culture are then introduced into a 5-gallon [20 liter] vat of pure sugar solution etc. Eventually the pure yeast strain is introduced into a 7,000-gallon vat of sugar solution and grown over a 2-3 day period. The end result is +/- 56,000 pounds of pure yeast at about 15-20% solids. The yeast is then further processed to produce the desired moisture content.

2. Yeast is commonly sold in the baking industry in several forms each with specific applications and benefits. These are; cream, crumbled, block, and dry [instant]. We will explain each.

3. Cream yeast is basically the yeast solution right off the fermenter on which it was grown. It contains 15-18% active yeast solids and 82-85% moisture. It is used by large industrial bakers since it can be handled like any other liquid ingredient, stored in refrigerated tanks and pumped directly into the mixer. The distribution radius from the yeast plant should be under 700 miles [one day’s trucking] since this product has a viable shelf life of 3-5 days and must be kept under refrigeration at all times 33-40 degrees F.

4. Crumbled yeast is cream yeast that has been compressed to remove additional moisture and has a solid content of 31-36%. This product is crumbled into 50 LB bags, shipped on pallets up to 1,000 miles and has a shelf life of 7-10 days under optimum refrigeration 33-40 degrees F.

5. Block yeast is identical to crumbled yeast except it is pressed into one or two pound blocks for pre-portioned use by the baker. Normally this saves the baker scaling time. This product is often sold through bakery distributors and is usually mishandled. Any change in temperature above the 40-degree threshold causes yeast to become active. Yeast needs to feed to survive and in the absence of a sugar source will consume its own cell components, which diminishes its activity. If the yeast is not completely through the distribution system and entirely used by the baker within 10 days, it too starts to consume itself and lose viability.

6. Dry yeast [instant yeast for this report] is basically crumbled yeast that has been gently dried on a Fluid Bed Drier. The crumbled yeast is extruded through a screen into small rod shapes [vermicelli], which are then placed on the fluid bed dryer. This dryer slowly moves yeast vermicelli over a current of super dried air at +/- 98 degrees F. This temperature is warm enough to dry the yeast but not hot enough [120 degrees F.] to kill yeast activity. This drying process reduces the yeast to 5-8% moisture and 92-95% viable solids. The optimum environment to produce instant yeast is a high desert, such as central Mexico or Turkey. The yeast is inert gas flushed and vacuum packaged to prevent re-hydration and can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 years. Instant yeast has no barriers to distribution time or distance as long as it is stored at less than 110 degrees F. It has become the replacement of choice for bakers who have used block or crumbled yeast in the past.

Application: Instant yeast is used at a replacement level against the other forms of yeast basis viable solids. The typical replacement for retail and wholesale bakers is a 3:1 ratio, i.e. one pound of instant yeast replaces three pounds of compressed block or crumbled yeast.
Logic; 1 lb. of instant yeast has 95% solids. 1 lb. of compressed yeast has 33% solids:
3 lbs. of compressed yeast x 33% solids =+/-95% solids [Instant Yeast]

This report was written in layman's terms to help educate people new to baking and for application specialists in the Ethanol Industry. Typically Instant Dry Yeast is the yeast of choice for Ethanol production.

In further articles we will discuss the role of yeast in baking and the various means of accomplishing fermentation, with and without baker's yeast.

I hope you have found this information interesting and beneficial. Remember we do respond to requests. After all, "You can ask and ask as much as you can, and you might stump me, cause I'm the Endless Mountain Muffin Man!"

BLACK FRIDAY AND ETHANOL - STRANGE BED-FELLOWS

2007-11-23T08:36:00.001-05:00

Today is the day that is supposed to put the retail sales market into the black financially for the year. It is the day after Thanksgiving; BLACK FRIDAY. However, this year I saw for the first time a new wave of marketing savvy that will push the sales back another day to Thanksgiving. And when you think about it, it makes sense.

Many of the "Big Box" retailers [Sears, K-MART, Pennys, and even LOWES]have begun to promote special sales via Internet orders placed on Thanksgiving. The idea has real merit and could signal a major new trend. Especially given high energy costs and absolutely crazy gasoline prices. The concept is really quite simple, order on-line and your purchase will be waiting for you when you reach the store. Or better yet, it will be delivered to your home within a few days. You would not even need to go out, fight the crowds, and spend money for gas. When you think about it a trip to the mall or shopping center of 12-15 miles equals a round-trip of at least 24-30 miles, which is the practical gas mileage for the average vehicle. By ordering on-line you would save roughly $3 to $3.50 depending on where you live.

Here in the Endless Mountains we need to travel at least 20 miles to get to WAL-LY World, or 30 miles to the nearest shopping mall. Naturally we try to minimize our trips and make each venture as time efficient as possible.

Over the years I have been involved in the food/baking/fermentation industry and was president of the North American Companies for the largest baker's yeast group in the world. Consequently, I was exposed to all the leading edge technology pertaining to fermentation of everything from beer to bread to ethanol. Ethanol was identified many years ago as the next big thing in renewable global energy sources. And it was especially interesting to us because it required yeast. The potential impact of ethanol to the global economy and well being of people is monumental. For example;

Today in the US we use ethanol at a level of 10% blended with gasoline, and gas costs over $3 per gallon. If the ethanol level were increased to 15% content in gasoline, we would require [all things being equal] 5% less foreign oil. Ethanol is already produced in excess in the US and is traded on the mercantile exchanges basis future prices. The future prices for ethanol are currently depressed because we can produce more ethanol than we can consume. So, why not bump the percentage level of ethanol up to 15%, take advantage of this lower cost fuel, and save us money while reducing our dependence on foreign oil? A 5% increase in ethanol use could decrease the price of gasoline blended with ethanol by about 15 cents a gallon. What if we went to 20%?

Here in the Endless Mountain we have an abundance of forest by-products; small branches from trees, bark, leaves, sawdust, and wood chips. All of these by-products contain cellulose and starch. Wood by-products can be treated with naturally occurring enzymes to release the starch and fermentable sugars to produce ethanol. Material that today goes to waste, or is convert to wood pellets for burning in pellet stoves, could be processed through fermentation to produce ethanol. Pennsylvania is one of the few states in the US that does not currently have a producing ethanol plant, and we have enough cellulose materials to probably hit that 15-20% inclusion level and save us all money.

An unfortunate effect of the ethanol process using corn is that society now must make a "food or fuel" decision. The competition for corn between food processors and the energy industry is being felt in many ways across our daily lives. Breakfast cereal now costs more, milk from corn-fed cows costs more, as does chicken and chicken products [eggs] due to the high cost of corn based feed. We all feel the effect everyday.

This is not intended to be a rant or conspiracy theory, just one person's take on what is and what could be. Maybe it is a look into a possible brighter future when we could all afford to get up at 4:00 AM on Black Friday and fight the crowds at the malls in the name of holiday shopping. Who knows?

You might want to Goggle the term LIGNOCELLULOSIC ETHANOL, or the website;

www.BioFuelsBusiness.com and read their October 2007 edition. Something is being done. It will just take time and commitment. Enjoy your reading and learning about ethanol and bio-fuels.

THANKSGIVING MORNING AND REFLECTIONS ON CHEESE CAKE

2007-11-22T07:53:00.000-05:00

The mist is coming up the mountain from the valley below and the forest is silent. It is nearly 8:00 AM and the mountain seems to be at peace. I wish everyone in the world could enjoy a moment like this every day. Nothing compares to the zen-like stillness and serenity of my surroundings. And it is Thanksgiving Day 2007. May everyone take a moment and pause to reflect on that for which they are most thankful, family, friends, a place to live, sufficient food, and security. Too many people in the world do not know these basic secure pleasures. Those of us who do should be truly thankful.

Yesterday I spoke with my dear friends, Katie and Ed to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving and to inquire about their business. Katie and Ed are a daughter and father team who are the owners of Cheese Cake World Bakery in Marmora, NJ. They make the "BEST CHEESE CAKE IN SOUTH JERSEY" as attested to by the many awards and recognition they have received. Their variety is seemingly endless and even includes a sample tray of some each of the Best of the Best. Yesterday they were so busy that they barely had time to pause, let alone speak to me on the phone/computer. We both use Yahoo Messenger and speak computer-to-computer for free. Ed told me that he has sold completely out of his famous Carrot Cake several times this week and can't keep up with the demand. You might want to call Katie and Ed at 609-390-2468 and order Cheesecake or Carrot Cake for the holidays. Yes, they ship cakes all over North America by overnight delivery. They can even enclose a card from you to the recipient of the gift which would share your sentiment for the occasion. Did I tell you how delicious these cakes are? They are so good they must be experienced at least once in a lifetime.

Cheese Cake World is located on Route 9 South in Marmora, New Jersey. From the north take the Garden State Parkway South to Exit 25, turn right at the bottom of the ramp, go to the first light and turn left. In 3 or 4 blocks you will see Cheese Cake World on the right, proudly guarded by a life-sized black and white cement cow! HOLY COW! what a great idea.

Cheese Cake World has become a destination and part of many Atlantic City Casino bus tours. The drivers have become so fascinated by Cheese Cake World that they like to share the experience with their passengers. On a typical day you will see lines of happy casino goers parading out of Cheese Cake World with their purchases. I wonder how many of the Cheese Cakes and Carrot Cakes make it all the way home to Philadelphia or New York City. If you are not planning on a bus tour to Atlantic City check out Cheese Cake World on the web at www.cheesecakeworld.com .

If your travels, either intentional or accidental, take you anywhere near South Jersey or Atlantic City, you need to stop in to Cheese Cake World for the treat of a lifetime. Maybe you can even take a picture with the cow!

Ed is there today until noon filling last minute orders for some of his loyal customers. Katie is at home enjoying the day and preparing for dinner with the family. You still have time to call or go in and hopefully there will be cakes left for you to buy and present to your family. They will then add thanks for such a treat and for you being so thoughtful. If you do stop in, tell Ed that the Endless Mountain Muffin Man sent you. Maybe he'll give you a sample taste of Cheese Cake or Carrot Cake while he puts up your order.

One of the things I am most thankful for is having Katie and Ed as friends for nearly 30 years, and the opportunity to enjoy their Cheese Cakes and Carrot Cakes when my travels take me to South Jersey. If the Pilgrims had known about Cheese Cake World, they would have had the First Thanksgiving in South Jersey and all the pictures would show the feast, the participants, and at the end of the table, a smiling black and white cement cow!

Happy Thanksgiving to All! The Endless Mountain Muffin Man