Drink This! with Tony K. -
Va La's La Prima Donna

As someone who drinks a lot of wine, I know what I like. Of course, as is the case with food or beer, having the same thing all the time would tend to get boring. So I’m always looking for something new and interesting to mix things up. Now, my taste in wine tends toward the Old World: Italy, France, Spain. But Steph & I buy most of our food from our local farmers market, and we’re always interested in local beers. So in that spirit, we’ve also tried an array of local wines from across the state, and there’s been one Pennsylvania winery that has been a standout: Va La Vineyards. Anthony Vietri is the owner (along with Karen, his understanding wife) and winemaker. But specifically, I want to mention a white wine made there called La Prima Donna. As with most of their wines, this is a blend made from various grapes, in this case: Tocai Friulano, Malvasia Bianco, Viognier, Pinot Griggio, & Petit Manseng. The result is a wine that has a pale gold color, with aromas of melon, lychee, & honeysuckle, as well as a hint of lemon in the background. On the palate, it’s mouth-filling, but not heavy, with flavors of cantaloupe and lychee. And finally, on the finish, the lemon returns, bringing with it a hint of minerality that refreshes the palate. Wines like these tend to be more than the some of their parts, and also seem to be contradictions: fruity but minerally, weighty but elegant. Steph and I had this with rabbit ginger sausage, and the combination was excellent. I would also try this with seafood, such as sea bass with beurre blanc, which incorporates lemon, butter, & pine nuts; or duck in an orange glaze. But the versatility of this wine is what prompted us to bring it with us to Easter dinner. Many families have ham, but we also have kielbasa. Most of us want to drink a red wine with red meat (my first instinct), but in this case, a white will work fine. The body of La Prima Donna will be a good match for the fat in the sausage, the fruit will offset the saltiness, and that lemony streak of acidity will work for a variety of sides, such as cole slaw or sauerkraut. This is one of the true gems of Southeastern PA, so if you have a chance to visit, do not miss out. 
  


Eat This! with Dr. Rydel - POTATOES

Poor misunderstood potato.  As a result of the recent (misguided) low-carb craze, potatoes have gotten a bad reputation, ending up lumped into the same category as Wonder bread, refined sugars, and baked goods.   This diet fad has not stopped Americans from consuming potatoes – they are still the United States’ #1 vegetable, frequently in the form of potato chips and French fries – but it has caused us to disregard the way in which potatoes can be good for you.

Potatoes, when prepared properly, are nutrient-rich foods that can be enjoyed as part of a healthful diet.  They are one of the richest sources of potassium – even more than bananas.  They are also great sources of Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C, and they contain as much fiber as many other whole grains of comparable serving sizes.

Many of the problems arise from how a potato is prepared.  Frying is undoubtedly the worst for you; there are plenty of other healthier options such as roasting, baking, and boiling.  The next step is to garnish the potato with smarter topping choices:  instead of topping a baked potato with butter, sour cream, and bacon, consider salsa, spinach and cheese, or Greek yogurt.  If roasting potatoes, all that is needed is a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and those potatoes are ready to be enjoyed!  Finally, avoid the urge to peel the potatoes – much of the nutrient content is contained in the skin, and the skin gives excellent texture to the potato.

So back to the carb question……many sources cite that the glycemic index (the estimated effect that a food has on your blood sugar) of a potato is very high, almost the same as table sugar.  Average glycemic index values for a potato range between 60 and 90; pure sugar has a glycemic index of 100.  However, the glycemic load (the actual effect that a food has on your blood sugar when accounting for serving size and fiber content) of a potato is much lower, typically ranging from 14-28; table sugar’s is 50.  Why the difference?  The fiber content of a potato helps decrease the rate of carbohydrate absorption; this is enhanced by keeping the skin on.

Enjoy a guilt-free potato this spring by preparing it in one of the healthful ways described above – you’ll never miss the old fried version!