*ALERT: TOMATOES OUTBREAK

The Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers nationwide that a salmonellosis outbreak appears to be linked to consumption of certain types of raw red tomatoes and products containing raw red tomatoes.

The bacteria causing the illnesses are Salmonella serotype Saintpaul, an uncommon type of Salmonella.



The specific type and source of tomatoes are under investigation.
However, preliminary data suggest that raw red plum, raw red Roma, or raw round red tomatoes are the cause.

At this time, consumers should limit their tomato consumption to tomatoes that have not been implicated in the outbreak.

These include cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, and tomatoes grown at home.

*UPDATE: June 10, 2008:
The Food and Drug Administration has expanded its warning to consumers nationwide that a salmonellosis outbreak has been linked to consumption of certain raw, red tomatoes.

At this time, FDA is advising consumers to limit their consumption of tomatoes to the following types of tomatoes.

The following types of tomatoes listed below are NOT likely to be the source of this outbreak.
1. Cherry tomatoes
2. Grape tomatoes
3. Tomatoes sold with the vine still attached
4. Tomatoes grown at home

Also, FDA recommends consuming raw red plum, raw red Roma, or raw red round tomatoes only if grown and harvested from the following areas that HAVE NOT BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE OUTBREAK:
*(California, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia)*

*(Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, Puerto Rico)*


Consumers who are unsure of where the tomatoes are from that they have in their home are encouraged to contact the store or place of purchase for that information.

Consumers should also be aware that raw tomatoes are often used in the preparation of fresh salsa, guacamole, and pico de gallo, are part of fillings for tortillas, and are used in other dishes.


Restaurants, grocery stores, and food service operators have been advised by the FDA not to offer for sale or service raw red plum, Roma, or red tomatoes and products made from these types of tomatoes unless they are from one of the areas listed above.

Since mid April, there have been 167 reported cases of salmonellosis nationwide caused by Salmonella Saintpaul, an uncommon form of Salmonella.
At least 23 hospitalizations have been reported.




*Articles Courtesy of Here
*Pictures Courtesy of Here

*FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Hey there? How's your weekend? Hope y'all doing just fine.

Couple days ago was my Mom-in law B'day.

So i made this special flourless chocolate cake for her.

Turns out she loves it, Thank goodness :)

Good quality chocolate really makes this cake, So don't skimp.

If you use a 9-inch springform pan instead of the preferred 8-inch,

Reduce the baking time to 15-20 minutes.

Here's the pics before and after oven, Enjoyed!

When serving this cake, It helpful to use a sharp, thin-bladed knife and to dip the knife into a pitcher of hot water and wipe the blade clean before making every cut.

Because this cake is very rich, Thin slice are in order :)

And this flourless chocolate cake requires a water bath to keep it from overcooking.

Ingredients:

- 1 Pound Semisweet or Bittersweet Chocolate, Chopped coarse

- 16 Tbsp (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, Cut into 16 Pieces

- 1/4 Cup Strong Coffee

- 8 Large Eggs, Cold

- Confectioners' Sugar or Cocoa Powder (For dusting & serving)

- Raspberry & Mint Leaves (For serving, Optional)

Directions:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven for 325 F. Lightly coat an 8-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray, Then line the bottom with parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with 2 sheets of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.

2. Heat the chocolate, butter, and coffee together in a large bowl in the microwave, whisking often until the mixture is melted and smooth about 1-3 minutes. Let cool slightly.

3. Whip the eggs in large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until they double the volume, 5-10 minutes. Fold one-third of the whipped eggs into the chocolate mixture using a large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of eggs are visible. Repeat twice more with the remaining eggs, Then continue to fold until there are no streaks.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan inside the roasting pan and smooth to the top. Set roasting pan on the oven rack and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until edges are just beginning to set, A thin glazed crust has formed on the surface and an instan-read thermometer inserted halfway into the center reads 140 F, 20-25 minutes.

5. Carefully remove the springform pan from the water bath and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 3 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

6. About 30 minutes before serving, Run a paring knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, Then remove the sides of the pan. Invert the cake on a parchment-lined plate and peel off the parchment on the bottom. Flip the cake upright onto a serving platter, Discard the second piece of parchment and let come to room temperature. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving and add some raspberry and mint leaves if u desire.

*Recipe Courtesy of The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook pg.551-552

*Pictures Courtesy of Mysexykitchen