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6A Daily News – Wednesday, March 7, 2012 Country Fare & fresh (MCT) — Meatloaf is such an American classic that you would think there would be a settled, go-to recipe. Not so. Meatloaf ranked in the Ask a Cook: Making fudge (MCT) — Q: I have a fudge recipe that makes 5 pounds and calls for cooking the sugar for 6 1/2 min- utes. If I cut it in half, should I also cut the cooking time in half? A: Time isn't the best judge of fudge. While the cooking time might vary when you reduce the amount of ingredients, it also could vary even if the ingredients stayed the same. We checked with Megan Lambert, a pastry and bak- ing expert at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, N.C., who agreed that temperature is a much more reli- able method, even for the full batch of fudge. "I would hate to overcook or undercook 5 pounds of fudge," she said. A classic fudge usually is cooked to 234 to 240 degrees, also known as the soft-ball stage. It is then cooled to 110 degrees and beaten until it begins to set. The best way to know when you've reached both of those points is to use a candy thermometer. Kathleen Purvis answers questions at www.charlotteobserver.com/food. 8049 Hwy 99E, Los Molinos, CA We Accept EBT "Your Family Supermarket" BLACK CANYON ANGUS BEEF WE FEATURE Boneless Beef Tri-Tips Trimmed We appreciate your business - and we show it! HOURS: 7AM - 9 PM DAILY SPECIALLY CUT MEATS AT NO EXTRA CHARGE Prices good March 7-13, 2012 Corned Beef Points Reuben's Meat Specials Fresh Whole cut up fryers Corned Beef Rounds Shenson's top five online recipe searches last year; it was second on Google and fourth on Yahoo. The relentless pursuit of a better meatloaf doesn't surprise cookbook author and North Carolina native James Villas. "People just don't understand meatloaf. They really think it's throwing a lot of garbage together," says Villas, who offers seven recipes for meatloaf in his new cookbook, "From the Ground Up." "You have to take it seriously. There's a whole philoso- phy behind meatloaf." There are many divides in the meatloaf debate: Free-form or loaf pan? Beef, pork, veal or poultry? In what combi- nation? Coarse ground or finely ground? Ketchup glaze or not? Gravy or no gravy? Bacon or no bacon? (Well, nobody really debates that last one.) The most amazing thing about meatloaf may be that it's so forgiving. No matter what choices you make on the meatloaf decision tree, you can end up with an excellent result. My go-to recipe came from Cooking 384-1563 WE ACCEPT FOOD STAMPS NO CARDS REQUIRED FOR EVERYDAY LOW PRICING OR SALE ITEMS Fresh, Super Lean Ground Sirloin (only 7% fat!) MCT photo Savor Cafe in Charlotte, NC, serves meatloaf with barbecue Sriracha sauce and tosses slices on the grill before serving. Light magazine: It's a sun-dried tomato and turkey meatloaf served with a red currant and red wine sauce that bakes in a loaf pan. It's not partic- ularly crusty, but the taste is excellent, and the recipe makes one for now and another for later. Over the past few years, meatloaf has made its way out of the diner, where it has long been a staple. There are excel- lent restaurant versions: bacon-wrapped thin squares of meatloaf at Lucky 32 in Cary and the smoky slab of meatloaf that is finished on the wood-fired grill at 18 Seaboard in Raleigh. While their meatloaf methods differ, our experts agreed on a few key points. First, use panko bread crumbs. These Japanese bread crumbs are fluffier and coarser than the sandy version typically used, which can produce a mushy meatloaf. "Don't substitute Progresso for panko," says chef Jay Pierce of Cary's Lucky 32. "It's not as densely packed." Second, make your meatloaf a day ahead. This trick is used in restaurant kitchens because the dinner rush is easier if some dishes are made ahead of time. But there is logic to the tech- nique, as 18 Seaboard chef and owner Jason Smith explains: "It tastes Do your prongs catch in your hair? Your prongs probably just need to be smoothed down, though one or more could be broken, too. Come see us for a FREE INSPECTION & CLEANING. Your hair will thank you. Your diamond might, too! Gold Exchange 423 Walnut St., Red Bluff • 528-8000 T-F 10am-5:30 pm • Sat. 10 am-4 pm $399 Fresh Asparagus lb. $199 lb. Red or Green Seedless Grapes $129 lb. Sweet, Juicy Navel Oranges $349 Produce Specials Fresh Italian or Yellow Squash lb. $349 lb. Fresh Salads (select varieties) Rent Special $ March Madness fir500 OFF st month rent! 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And it's easier to slice, which leads to the third tip: For a nice crust, grill or saute slices of meat- loaf. With these techniques, your meatloaf may become as popular as it is at 18 Seaboard, where it makes up 15 percent of sales during lunch, the only time it's on the menu. Smith says, "Peo- ple compliment us all the time, from little old ladies who make it at home to the man who eats at Herons (a five- diamond restaurant in Cary) on an expense account." A FEW MORE MEATLOAF TIPS Here is some more advice from our experts: Do not overmix your meatloaf or it will turn out like a brick. Mix using your hands until the ingredients are just combined. A free-form meatloaf allows you to develop a crust on the outside, but it can dry out. Consider this trick: lay slices of bacon on top to baste the meat- loaf while cooking but remove 15 minutes before finished to then develop crust. If you bake your meat- loaf in a loaf pan, which ensures a moist loaf, con- sider draining the fat 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time to develop a crisp top. This method is best served by cooking ahead, which makes slicing the meat- loaf easier. If you cut into a loaf-pan-baked meat- loaf while it is still hot, it will fall apart. Before you place form the meatloaf or place in the loaf pan, make a test patty and cook it to test for seasoning. Sources: Chef Fran Scibelli of Fran's Filling Station in Charlotte, chef Lori Pearson of Savor Cafe in Charlotte, Chef Jay Pierce of Lucky 32 in Cary and Greensboro, Chef Jason Smith of 18 Seaboard Raleigh and cookbook author James Villas. GRAND OPENING 60 minute with massage $25~$55 per hour Elite Skin Care & Spa Facials~ Waxing~and more Eyebrows $5 750 David Avenue, Red Bluff • 527-9193 Gift Certificates Available Owners, Mike & Trisa Waelty 741 Main St., Suite #14 526-8713 business one of THE BEST? 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