Page 4C
Saturday, January
3, 2015
EAT,
DRINK
& EXPLORE
East Oregonian
Atlantic City eager for
2015 after its worst year
FIVE FREE THINGS
In the mood for a pickle
In terms of healthy eating,
snacking is my downfall. So long
By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press
start, I can’t stop.
-
tion isn’t realistic, at least not in
the long run. Conventional wis-
dom has always been that rather
than deprive yourself of snacks,
you should make healthier choic-
es about them. Not a horrible
idea... And you often hear the
suggestion to keep a bowl of cut
and ready-to-eat vegetables —
such as carrot sticks and celery
— in the refrigerator to satisfy
those urges.
As if. When I’m feeling like
polishing off a loaf of bread and
half a pound of cheese, a bunch
of carrot sticks aren’t going to do
it for me.
It took many years for me to
realize there are ways to make
this otherwise silly advice work.
I’ve discovered there are things
I can do to carrot sticks (aside
from dunk them in sour cream)
and other veggies to render them
way more satisfying, yet still
healthy. And I found that while
these doctored veggies in no way
can be confused with a bag of po-
tato chips, they can be satisfying
enough to prevent me from inhal-
ing the refrigerator.
One of my favorite ways is to
turn the vegetables into a quick
pickle. Turns out that bathing
them in a salty-tangy-sweet brine
can radically up their appeal. The
best part is that these veggies are
fast and simple to prepare, and
it’s easy to double or triple the
recipe to make sure you have am-
ple healthy munchies on hand.
———
J.M. Hirsch is the food editor
for The Associated Press. He blogs
at www.LunchBoxBlues.com.
— Few people are more eager to
see the clock strike midnight on
executives and the thousands of
workers who still have jobs there.
Four of the resort’s 12 casi-
nos shut down during 2014 (and
before Christmas), 8,000 workers
lost their jobs and casino revenue
continued its eight-year plunge.
Several major developments
are expected in 2015 that will
help shape Atlantic City’s future,
including the outcome of state ef-
AP photos
forts to help the struggling resort
town, a decision on whether Pok- This July 23 photo shows the Showboat Casino Hotel,
erStars can join New Jersey’s In- left, and Revel Casino Hotel, right, a few weeks before
ternet gambling market, the fate both shut down.
ramped-up push for a statewide
referendum on whether casinos
should be allowed in other parts
of the state.
“It’s got to be better than the
year we just had given that we
had four closings. In that regard,
the worst is behind us,” said Tony
certainly a lot of uncertainty with
the tax situation and the state leg-
islation, and about market condi-
tions. I’d forecast a better year,
but still cloudy.”
AP Photo/Eric Risberg
The sun goes down behind a waterfront trail at Jack London Square in Oakland, Calif. on December 21. Jack London was born in San Francisco but spent his
boyhood on the Oakland waterfront and youíll find him immortalized there by way of a bronze statue at Jack London Square, a retail and restaurant complex.
Thereís also a replica of his log cabin next to Heinoldís First and Last Chance Saloon where London studied as a schoolboy and later made notes for his books.
Quick-pickled carrots and radishes
QUICK-PICKLED CARROTS and
RADISHES
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
into spears
1 pound red radishes, trimmed and quar-
tered
In a large saucepan over medium-high
heat, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt,
cumin, caraway, mustard seeds, garlic
powder and onion powder. Bring to a
simmer, stirring often, until the salt and
sugar are dissolved. Add the carrots and
radishes, then bring to a boil. Cook for 5
minutes, then set aside off the heat until
cool.
Once the vegetables are cool, use a
slotted spoon to transfer them to a jar or
bowl. Ladle just enough of the liquid over
the vegetables to cover them. Cover and
refrigerate for up to 7 days.
Nutrition information per serving: 70
calories; 5 calories from fat (7 percent
of total calories); 0 g fat (0 g saturated;
0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 15 g
carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 9 g sugar; 2 g
protein; 580 mg sodium.
Don’t fret too much over how you cut your
carrots. The trick really is just to get all of
the pieces roughly the same size. Usually if
I’m dealing with medium to large carrots, I
cut off the bottom half and leave it as is, or
cut it in half lengthwise. Then I cut the up-
per half into quarters lengthwise. But feel
free to cut shorter lengths as you see fit.
Start to finish: 20 minutes, plus cooling
Servings: 8
3 cups cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 pounds carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut
A healthy lentil salad tastes anything but
Start to finish: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
1 cup dried small green
lentils (French lentils or
lentilles de Puy)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoon red wine
vinegar
Kosher salt and ground
black pepper
1?3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small carrot, finely
chopped
2 medium shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped
fresh curly parsley
Place the lentils in a mesh
strainer and rinse with cool
water. Discard any gravel or
other debris.
Place the lentils in a 4-quart
saucepan, then add enough
water to cover by 2 inches.
Set over medium-high heat
and bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to medi-
um-low, then simmer until
the lentils are just tender
but not falling apart, about
15 minutes. When lentils
are done, drain them, then
return them to the sauce-
pan and cover. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk to-
gether the mustard, vinegar
and a pinch each of salt and
pepper. While continuing to
The
in the South American section. There’s a
$10 fee to visit most days, but the garden is
By MICHELLE LOCKE
Associated Press
liberal college town is known as the cradle
of the Free Speech Movement, but speech
isn’t the only thing that’s free here.
Whether you’re strolling the redwood-
Francisco but spent his boyhood on the
immortalized there by way of a bronze
restaurant complex. There’s also a replica
of his log cabin next to Heinold’s First and
campus, or slipping across the Oakland
border for a dose of Golden State history,
you can exercise your limbs and your
intellect without giving your wallet a
workout.
as a schoolboy and later made notes for
Oakland Museum of California which
features exhibits on art, history and the
natural sciences and charges no admission
started on your gratis gallivanting.
hiking trails - Nimitz Way is popular with
bikers, hikers and equestrians -- or picnic
in one of the meadows. If you have young
mandatory; take along some celery or
lettuce to feed the placid animals.
If you do decide to spend a little cash,
AP Photo/Eric Risberg
A man dances by himself on Sproul Plaza on the University of California cam-
pus in Berkeley, Calif.
swimming beach, ride the vintage carousel
or ride a miniature steam train, http://www.
ebparks.org/parks/tilden. If you’re looking
for a straightforward walk, another option
is Claremont Canyon, which offers a short
climb to the ridge top with sweeping views
whisk, drizzle in the oil and
whisk until fully combined
and emulsified.
Drain any lingering liquid
from the lentils, then place
them in a medium bowl.
Add the vinaigrette, carrot,
shallots and parsley. Toss
gently, taking care not to
smash the lentils. Taste and
adjust the vinegar and salt,
if necessary. The dressing
should have a hint of mus-
tard and enough acidity to
offset the richness of the
lentils.
Serve the salad warm, room
temperature or chilled.
Keeps in the refrigerator for
up to 3 days.
Nutrition information per
serving: 320 calories;
170 calories from fat (53
percent of total calories);
19 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0
g trans fats); 0 mg choles-
terol; 30 g carbohydrate;
8 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 10 g
protein; 230 mg sodium.
———
EDITOR’S NOTE: Elizabeth
Karmel is a barbecue and
Southern foods expert. She
is the chef and pitmaster
at online retailer Carolin-
aCueToGo.com and author
of three books, including
“Taming the Flame.”
and subdued.
It seems only natural that the austere chain
home along this highway.
are served on heaping beds of spiced rice in
a down-to-earth environment at bargain pric-
es. It’s where Emiratis and Gulf Arab visitors
come for the region’s most important meal of
the day — lunch. The place is busiest between
Plaza, which is near the Telegraph Avenue
entrance to campus. A granite circle set
into the paving stones commemorates the
1964 Free Speech Movement. The protest
is also memorialized at the Free Speech
Movement Café at the entrance to the
Administration project and has a terraced
amphitheater and redwood pergola. The
from bustling Grand Avenue with its
eclectic mix of restaurants, coffee bars and
AP Photo/Eric Risberg
A record store advertises their vinyl selections on Telegraph Avenue in
Berkeley, Calif. You havenít really visited Berkeley unless youíve strolled Tele-
graph Ave., a collection of bookstores, cafes and other stores lined by vendors
selling various arts and crafts.
wall-mounted cases with rotating exhibits
as well as occasional forums, panels and
other exhibits. If you do have cash in your
pocket, this would be a good place to get a
cup of organic, fair trade coffee.
and Trump Plaza closed. In No-
vember, the eight remaining ca-
sinos saw their revenue increase
by 11.5 percent compared with
November 2013.
president of Caesars Entertain-
notice in October, saying, “We
need to make money there.”
predicts Atlantic City’s casino
revenue will dip to $2.6 billion
this year (from $2.86 billion in
2013) and decline further to $2.5
billion in 2015.
Sometime in 2015, the state
is expected to decide whether to
let PokerStars, the world’s largest
poker website, into New Jersey’s
online gambling market. The pro-
cess has been complicated by the
company’s past legal troubles, but
a new owner, Amaya Gaming,
and personnel changes are aimed
at getting a New Jersey license.
PokerStars, with its huge player
following, could breathe new life
into the state’s Internet gambling
market, which took in only about
a tenth of the $1 billion many had
-
tion. It also would give a boost to
done without an Internet compo-
nent for a year while waiting for
PokerStars to be approved.
-
el casino hotel remains unclear
as well. A Canadian company
reached a deal to buy it from
bankruptcy court for $110 million
but pulled out over a dispute with
bondholders over debt from the
construction of the casino’s costly
power plant. A court hearing on a
possible sale to the runner-up,
Florida developer Glenn Straub,
is set for Jan. 5.
-
In this Oct. 6 photo, a worker applies caulk to holes in
the facade of the former Trump Plaza casino in Atlan-
tic City N.J. after letters spelling out the casino’s name
were removed. The casino closed on Sept. 16.
EAT
SHOP
PLAY
Exploring Boardman,
Hermiston, Pendleton
& Beyond!
Supporting local businesses, will
also support members of your own
community that pay taxes, serve
on committees, teach our children,
and serve our needs.
Every dollar that is spent locally
helps retain our local businesses,
and benefits the future of our
community.
The Bistro at Bellingers
1823 S Hwy 395 - Hermiston, OR 97838
#541-289-2355
www.bellingerfarms.com/
thebistroatbellingers
Mon - Sat 8am - 5pm
Sage Center
101 Olson Rd. - Boardman, OR
541-481-7243
www.visitsage.com/home
Interactive Visitor Center
aid packages for Atlantic City’s
Gulf Arab tradition on a platter
a long stretch of highway that runs through the
desert — a stark reminder of how this country
on the eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula once
looked just 40 years ago before an oil boom.
In both metropolises, foreigners far outnum-
ber the locals. The two emirates are home to
countless Western food chains and ultrachic,
reservations-only celebrity-chef restaurants im-
-
les. They both boast ultramodern skylines with
architecturally stunning skyscrapers, opulent
hotels and huge shopping malls, a testament
you can stroll along redwood-lined creeks
or stretch out on the grass and watch the
world go by.
Check out the landmark bell tower
(Campanile). It costs $3 to take the
elevator and stairs to the top, but you
can enjoy the sound of the tower’s 61
bells anywhere on campus. Music plays
at various times with longer concerts
gardens tucked into residential areas.
GO FOR THE FOOD: ABU DHABI
to the Gulf’s penchant for swagger, luxury and
Western imports.
Set close to downtown, the UC
is especially lovely at sunset, although be
aware the last part of the trail is both steep
and slippery, http://www.ebparks.org/
parks/claremont—canyon.
more than 13,000 plants from around the
world, including the puya raimondi plant,
known as the “Queen of the Andes,” that’s
unless you’ve strolled Telegraph Avenue,
a collection of bookstores, cafes and other
stores lined by vendors selling various arts
and crafts. Stop in to Amoeba Music to
see the huge record collection and take in
the mural at the corner of Haste Street and
Telegraph commemorating the creation
of People’s Park, a UC-owned block of
land taken over by student and community
activists in 1969.
the Casino Association of New
Jersey, said Atlantic City took
some bitter but necessary medi-
cine this year.
“Atlantic City experienced
big changes in 2014, changes
-
theless necessary for the greater
good of the entire region,” he
said.
The biggest question heading
into 2015: Is the bleeding over?
Casino executives and analysts
say the remaining eight casinos
have a better chance of success
now that the market has con-
tracted; “right-sizing” was a fre-
quently used term in 2014 as The
noon and 3 p.m.
The simple formula here is heavy portions
around 20 dirhams ($5.50) for single portions
to 40 dirhams ($10.50) for full-sized meals for
two or more people. All meals at the Emirates
-
to and onion salsa and a few cucumber, carrot
and lemon wedges.
The platters are served two ways: either on
dining tables downstairs or in traditional Ara-
bian-style upstairs. Upstairs is where guests sit
pillows. Waiters bring each party a large platter
to share and eat by hand.
I went for the chicken majboos, also known
as kabsa across the Gulf. Unlike some Indian
cuisines, Emirati dishes are not particularly
spicy. The majboos was steamed and boiled
with black pepper, cumin, coriander seeds,
ginger, bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves. The
rice was topped with copious amounts of tangy
dried red currants.
For my husband, I ordered a take-out por-
tion of the chicken madfoon, cooked under-
ground in a clay oven. The rice was infused
with pieces of fried onion. My colleague, who
in a similar way across both sides of the Per-
sian Gulf.
Other popular Emirati dishes on the menu
rice dish slow-cooked in a tandoor clay oven,
and biryani, a uniquely South Asian import.
And just to be clear, here is what you won’t
baba ghanoush. That’s because neither is true in
form to the local cuisine.
-
rants is an authentic fusion of South Asian and
landed on the shores of this ancient trade route
Just take the owner Nasser Ibrahim Hos-
sein, who goes by the name Abu Mansoor. An
entrepreneurial 40-year-old man with a wide
smile, two young children and a third on the
way, Abu Mansoor is originally from Shiraz in
southwest Iran. He moved to the Emirates in
the early 1990s, married an Emirati woman and
acquired Emirati citizenship. He opened three
restaurants next to one another in the same
roadside strip of sleepy storefront shops. One
offers Iranian food, the second Emirati food
and the third grilled meats.
restaurant that serves only local food? Well,
very hard.
Most website searches for Emirati restau-
rants direct you to malls or hotels that offer a
loose mix of Mediterranean cuisine and a few
has no website or Facebook group, and the few
references to it online list the wrong number.
I heard about it through word of mouth from
a colleague whose Emirati mother orders from
there.
Not without irony, it’s easy to spot across the
highway from a giant European hypermarket
but none has been enacted yet.
More are expected to emerge
next month from the third summit
on the city’s future convened by
Gov. Chris Christie.
And lawmakers in northern
New Jersey are intensifying a
push to get a question before vot-
ers on the November ballot on
whether casinos should be permit-
ted in other parts of the state. The
Meadowlands racetrack and Jer-
sey City are two proposed sites.
Atlantic City’s casinos and
southern New Jersey legislators
vehemently oppose that prospect,
even with large subsidies from a
-
ing to Atlantic City as a subsidy
for the loss of its in-state monop-
oly.
The Bistro at Bellinger’s
Sage Center