Tables Are More Ethstetic Than Utilitarian

What is a table? In the world of food, a table was thought to be a key element, not only in the placement meals - but also in the gathering of the guests who invited, would devour it. In current times, the table has taken on a backdrop appeal, more suitable as a place to position the laptop, and very little is discussed there - as digital gadgets have replaced the once lively meal time chatter.

Days are becoming far less about meals and more about classes, appointments, events and schedules. Both children and adults have increasingly growing activities to occupy their time, and statistics show that 40% or more, of surveyed families do not sit down to eat meals together on a regular basis.

One popular brand know best for canned vegetables, Libby's (can you say pumpkin pie?) has brought attention to this state of affairs, by actually launching a whole month of awareness. The campaign entitled "Get Back to the Table Month", is aimed at driving home the benefits of sitting down to meals as a family, to US consumers via the website www.getbacktothetable.com.

According to the website some of those benefits regarding children:

• Perform better in school
• Have a lower risk of smoking, drinking, and drug use
• Have higher self-esteem
• Develop stronger interpersonal relationships
• Eat healthier
• Teenage girls develop a healthier body image

Not only are their statistics, but tips on being frugal, coupons, and recipes.




One of the featured recipes is Mexican Tortilla Soup. It is pictured above. A very simple recipe anyone could follow. For a more festive presentation of this soup, more as a side or appetizer instead of an entree - try ladling the soup into into small ramekins or high walled tea cups (without handles), then make up some tortilla fries as garnish.

Tortilla fries can be of varying thickness - what ever you want the final result to look like.

Have 2-3 inches of oil in a pan, allow to get to 350 ° . Start with either corn or flour tortillas tortillas, and taking a vary sharp paring knife or pastry wheel (pizza cutter), which I feel works the best, lay the tortillas on a cutting surface. With sweeping brief cuts, make long strips across the tortilla. When you have a nice pile.

Grab a handful of the tortilla strips, and gently drop the handful into the oil. Fry until they turn golden, or crispy. Make sure the oil is strained from the finished tortilla fries. Let rest on paper towel. When about to serve add the piles of tortilla fries to the soups serving containers, this keeps the fries crunchy.



You can also do this with fresh wonton wrappers, to add to salads or other dishes. Just follow the above steps.