Mäni’s Blog Café

SWEET POTATOES…They aren’t just for holidays anymore!

They’ve been around since prehistoric times. These relatives of the Morning Glory were cultivated in America even before the European Colonization. They come in different shades, from pale yellow, pink and red, to the orange varieties sometimes referred to as “Yams”. (A true Yam is a rough and scaly, starchy root of the Discorea genus that is actually low in beta carotene!) They are Sweet Potatoes, and they’re not related to potatoes at all!

A staple during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, these roots staved off the hunger of many generations. They were even sliced, dried, parched, ground and brewed as a substitute for coffee in the South in the lean Civil Wars years. In the early part of the Twentieth Century, sweet potato consumption was almost five times more per capita than in recent times.

Why, if sweet potatoes were actors in modern Hollywood, they’d be those certain character actors so overly identified with just one or two roles, that nobody wants to see them in anything else. What if Tom Hanks had only been allowed to play roles like “Kip Wilson” in Bosom Buddies? Fortunately, in Hollywood, character actors do occasionally cross over into leading roles. So, having said all that: ”For Your Consideration…The Sweet Potato…from B-list veggie to A-list Super Food!”

Sweet potatoes received top awards in different studies concentrating on the nutritional benefits of vegetables. In one such survey, the Nutrition Action Health Letter scored 58 veggies according to percentages of RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for six nutrients (vitamins A & C, folate, iron, copper and calcium) plus fiber. The sweet potato secured 582 points, with it’s nearest competitor, a raw carrot, coming in far behind at 434. Sweet potatoes are a good source of Vitamin E, and 2/3 of a cup is 100% of the USRDA, without the unwanted fat most E-rich foods contain. One cup of sweet potatoes contains about 30 mg (50,000IU) of beta carotene (Vitamin A). Compare that to the 23 cups of broccoli required to achieve the equivalent. Potassium plays a major role in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance and cell integrity, and sweet potatoes are among the top three richest sources, as well as providing other nutrients including Vitamin B6 and Iron.

A medium sweet potato has about 118 calories, is practically fat-free, cholesterol-free, very low in sodium, and if eaten with the skin, offers more fiber than oatmeal. With a low glycemic index ranking, sweet potatoes won’t jack up your body’s insulin levels as much as other carbohydrates with a higher rank. This means that blood glucose levels remain low and steady…good news for diabetics, the weight-conscious, and people who care about healthy eating. Foods with high glycemic index ratings increase appetite and possibly lead to mood swings and weight gain. With all these attributes, this former butter-brown-sugar-added-marshmallow-topped-only-for-the-holidays dish should be eaten often and year-round!

Start enjoying this veritable nutritional powerhouse on your next visit to Mäni's Bakery Café. Order our new "Yam Breakfast Wrap"…black beans, eggs or tofu, avocado and our own homemade Pico de Gallo salsa, all rolled up in a whole wheat tortilla. Or try our latest menu addition, “Wham Bam Yams”, roasted with garlic, curry and spices to a savory perfection (pictured above)! They’re both…"Yam-azing"!

Sources:
www.foodreference.com
www.ncsweetpotatoes.com
www.newstarget.com

photo by Noah York

MUCHO MAS…MATCHA

Just in case you’re one of the few people left who still hasn’t heard about the powers of green tea, get ready to jump on the bandwagon of this new-millennium revival and become a believer.

From color therapy to the chakra system, in many circles green is considered to be a healing color. So it’s fitting that green tea would be discovered to have many health benefits. But one green tea in particular promises to enjoy a steady rise in popularity. Its name is “Matcha” and it’s been around for almost 1000 years.

This powerful finely ground, powdered green tea, an invention of the Chinese, has quite a variety of heath benefits associated with it. “Matcha” literally means “powdered tea”, and is derived from Gyokuro green tea, which has been covered and grown under ninety percent shade during the last few weeks prior to harvest. Then, the tealeaves go through a process that removes the stems and de-veins the leaves, producing a product known as “Tencha”.

The “Tencha” is further refined, by grinding it into powder, traditionally on a stone mill, at a particular speed (grinding the tea too fast can cause a burnt taste). The resulting very fine powder is known as “Matcha”.

There are a few types of Matcha (sometimes spelled “Maccha” or “Macha”). The differences have to do with a number of factors, including time of harvest, and the age of the tea plants. One very exclusive variety is harvested from tea plants that exceed 30 years in age, and can cost over $100.00 an ounce. Luckily, the less expensive Matchas still provide us with what seems to be an ever-growing list of benefits.

The polyphenols in green tea help protect against cancer, while reducing the risk of heart disease, due to lowered cholesterol and improved lipid metabolism. Green tea also has anti-bacterial properties, and just two cups contains almost twice the anti-oxidants of red wine, more than seven times that of orange juice, and twenty times that of apple juice. Green tea also helps control high blood pressure. It has been linked with weight loss, and Oprah Winfrey has backed up that claim, using green tea as a part of her well-publicized fitness plan. It even reduces fatigue and elevates the mood… evidenced by several Mäni's Bakery employees!

Like all green tea, Matcha contains a small amount of caffeine, as well as L-theanine, which increases the alpha wave activities in the brain, that creates a feeling of relaxation. Matcha has a slightly foamy texture and a sweet, mildly grassy taste that goes great with everything, especially biscotti or shortbread.

There are many ways to drink Matcha, hot or cold; and with summer arriving, drinking an iced Matcha Latte at Mäni's on Fairfax is a refreshing way to add nutrients to your body while quenching your thirst. You’re sure to say “Grassy—Ahhs”.

Matcha Nutrition Facts

Some of the chemical components of 100g/3.5 oz of Matcha are:

Vitamin A: 16,000IU
VitamineB1: 0.6mg
Vitamin B2: 1.35mg
Vitamin C: 60mg
Vitamin E: 35.9mg
Proteins & Amino Acids: 30.7%
Carbohydrates: 28.6%
Fat: 5.3%
Fiber: 10%
Ash: 7.4%
Tannin: 10%
Caffeine: 3.2%

photo by Noah York

TIRAMI… WHO?

Although this attractive dessert is a favorite among Mäni's customers across the board, many are left speculating about it’s name and what, if anything, the name has to do with this intense yet delicate Mäni's original.

Taken from a fairly recently born world-wide hit called “Tiramisu”, which means “pick-me-up”, this Mäni's “twist” on the original dessert, is a fruit juice sweetened cake, with layers of mocha zabaglione, chocolate truffle cream and butter cream, and is topped with Mäni's own ground barley malt-sweetened chocolate chips. It’s a great “pick-me-up” anytime…day or night.

Some say that the origins of the first Tiramisu can be traced to a town in northern Italy around 1971. But while the beginnings of Tiramisu remain unclear, the inventor of TiramiWHO is certain. Just do a Google search of “TiramiWho”, and you’ll find the only source to be Mäni's Bakery Café.

 

---

Employee Spotlight:  Roger Lopez, Baker of Breads

    

Originally from Honduras where he received a degree in administration, Roger Lopez joined Mäni's on Fairfax over 2 years ago as a dishwasher and quickly advanced to baker. He begins his day at 6:00 a.m. and loves his work. Each day Roger bakes 7 varieties of breads as well as English muffins and rosemary and 9-grain dinner rolls.

    

photos by Noah York

We want to know -- please give us your comments.

Last week Mäni's on Fairfax introduced a new customer comment card.  This is for YOU.  The purpose of the comment card is for you to share feedback about your experience at Mäni's as well as to suggest new items you would like to see on the menu.  We'll also use it to track service issues so we can be more responsive, more timely and give you better service overall.

Already we are in the process of implementing a suggestion we received last week -- creating a frequent buyer program to reward our loyal beverage customers.  We'll let you know when it is launched. 

Another frequent menu suggestion (maybe "demand" is a more accurate word to use!) has been for a Cherry Danish. Well, it's now available at the bakery, using the same great filling you love in the Antique Cherry Pie.  The Cherry Danish is fruit juice sweetened.

 

---

More Teas to Taste

A couple of months ago we told you about the new teas we are serving from the Art of Tea.  We're noticing a trend of more and more tea drinkers so we've added new specialty teas to the menu.  From subtle to spectacular, if you're a tea lover you're sure to find one you can't resist. Your choices include: organic Silver Needle, Amore, Velvet, Starry Night, English Breakfast, Jasmine Pearls organic, Organic Moroccan Mint, Blooming Bliss, Plum Oolong, Pu-erh Tuo-cha, Organic Earl Grey. 

Be sure to visit the Art of Tea's website to read how these hand-crafted, artisan teas are blended with the finest ingredients.

Plum Oolong: Succulent organic schizandra berries and sweet amber organic oolong tea leaves blended with the tender essences of plum. Gentle sweet taste with a pleasant character served multiple times it is the perfect answer to praise any meal.