100,000 yen Golden Giant Burger

Celebrating the new Emperor of Japan and the new era

The burger is 25 cm in diameter, 15 cm in height and 3 kg in total weight.

Apart from the lettuce, 1 kg of US prime beef patty, tomatoes, Cheddar cheese, on top of those are foie gras, wagyu beef and black truffles.

The bun on top of the filling is dusted with pure gold.

The burger is offered by one of the “Oak Door” store in Roppongi’s Grand Hyatt Tokyo Hotel.

French Bistro Classic Pepper Steak

Ingredients

2 tbsp black peppercorns
2 fillet or sirloin steaks, about 8 oz each
l tbsp butter
2 tsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp brandy
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
salt to taste

Method

1. Place the peppercorns in a sturdy polythene bag. Crush with a rolling pin until medium-coarse or, using the flat base of a small heavy saucepan, press down on the peppercorns, rocking the pan to crush them.
2. Put the steaks on a board and trim away any extra fat. Press the pepper on to both sides of the meat, coating it completely.
3. Melt the butter with the oil in a heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook for 6-7 minutes, turning once, until done as preferred (medium-rare meat will still be slightly soft when pressed, medium will be springy and well-done firm). Transfer the steaks to a warmed platter or plates and cover to keep warm.
4. Pour in the brandy to deglaze the pan. Allow to boil until reduced by half, scraping the base of the pan, then add the cream and garlic. Boil gently over a medium heat for about 4 minutes until the cream has reduced by one-third.
5. Stir any accumulated juices from the meat into the sauce, taste and add salt, if necessary, then serve the steaks with the sauce.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Taste of France

In Pictures: Food of Le France in Hong Kong

Casual French Dining

The Restaurant

What Is the Dopamine Diet?

Sarah Lienard wrote . . . . . . . . .

Famed as the Tom Kerridge diet, the ‘happy’ weight loss plan is making headlines. But does the dopamine diet work? Our dietitian investigates…

Billed as the weight loss regime that boosts mood too, this diet is all about increasing levels of the ‘happy hormone’ dopamine in the brain at the same time as shedding pounds. Certain celebrities such as TV chef Tom Kerridge have boosted this diet’s popularity in recent years. There are several different versions of the diet, but all are based around foods that are thought to boost dopamine. These can include:

• Dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt
• Unprocessed meats such as beef, chicken and turkey
• Omega-3 rich fish such as salmon and mackerel
• Eggs
• Fruit and vegetables, in particular bananas
• Nuts such as almonds and walnuts
• Dark chocolate

Most versions of the diet recommend avoiding alcohol, caffeine and processed sugar, while some also recommend cutting out or severely restricting starchy carbohydrates. So what is the science behind the dopamine diet? Dietitian Emer Delaney explains…

What is dopamine and how does food affect it?

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter – a chemical that is responsible for transmitting signals between nerve cells in the brain. Dopamine directly affects the reward and pleasure centres in the brain, which in turn affects mood. Its activation occurs for a number of reasons, including the sudden availability of food.

There is emerging evidence to show that people who are overweight may have impairments in dopamine pathways which could have been blunted through constant exposure to highly palatable (sugary and fatty) foods. This blunted response could potentially lead to increased reward seeking behaviour, including over-eating – however, this is an area that needs more research. Currently, we do know that all eating increases dopamine, especially the intake of high fat and sugar foods, both off which can lead to an increase in appetite, overeating and weight gain in the long term.

So how can you boost your dopamine without resorting to high fat and sugar foods?

Protein foods are made from the building blocks of amino acids (including tyrosine), which are essential to the production of dopamine. It has therefore been suggested that upping protein intake may also boost dopamine production without increasing appetite. A recent study looked at this theory and concluded that eating a high protein breakfast including eggs, lean meats and dairy was best at reducing mid-morning cravings whilst increasing dopamine levels.

Dietitian Emer Delaney’s top tips

• Eat regular meals. This will prevent a sudden swing in hormones and help to regulate your appetite. It also reduces the chance of overeating in the evening.
• Try eating more lean protein at breakfast such as eggs, smoked salmon, mackerel, or a high-protein yogurt with added nuts, seeds or fruit. Try our high-protein recipe collection for breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes.
• Some versions of this diet ask you to completely restrict starchy carbohydrates, which I wouldn’t recommend. Carbohydrates are important components of the diet, so ensure you include some at every meal. Aim for low-GI carbohydrates such as rye bread or porridge. Both will encourage blood glucose levels to remain steady, which will have a positive effect on appetite.
• Choose healthy fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olive, safflower, sesame or rapeseed oils in addition to avocado, walnuts, flaxseeds and oily fish such as herring, fresh tuna and trout.
• Include lean protein foods at lunch and dinner by eating chicken, lentils, pulses, fish, or lean beef.
• Increase activities such as yoga as we know this can also increase dopamine levels.
• Keep things simple and look at the quality of foods you eat, reduce processed salty foods, keep sugary treats to a minimum and make sure you’re eating your five-a-day.

Source: BBC

Hormonal Therapy for Prostate Cancer Might Raise Depression Risk

Steven Reinberg wrote . . . . . . . . .

Hormonal treatment can help control prostate cancer but may increase a man’s risk of depression, a new study by Danish researchers suggests.

Male hormones, such as testosterone, are known to fuel the growth of prostate tumors. So doctors use drugs to reduce hormone production. But that can bring on tough side effects, such as incontinence or impotence.

The new study found that men on hormone-reducing therapy after having their prostate removed were 80 percent more likely to develop depression than other prostate cancer patients.

“Continuous awareness about signs of depression in prostate cancer patients, even many years after diagnosis — and in particular, in case of treatment with androgen-deprivation therapy — is warranted,” said lead researcher Dr. Anne Sofie Friberg, of Copenhagen University Hospital.

Many men with cancer become depressed, but it’s especially true for those with prostate cancer because treatment often affects their sexual functioning.

This study can’t prove that hormonal treatment alone is a cause of depression, but it likely plays a part, Friberg said.

“Our results indicate that prostate cancer patients are vulnerable to depression,” she said. “The association depends on many factors, and our results imply that treatment for recurrence contributes substantially to the risk.”

For the study, Friberg’s team collected data on nearly 5,600 men listed in the Danish Prostate Cancer Registry.

Just over 770 of them were treated for depression. The study found that men who were treated with hormone-reducing medicines had nearly twice the risk of depression, compared with other patients. The increased risk remained for all 18 years of follow-up, Friberg said.

The findings were strongest for men whose prostate was surgically removed. The results were inconclusive for men who had radiation therapy, the researchers said.

Men who have their prostate removed often suffer side effects such as erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence that increase their likelihood for depression. As many as one-quarter of these surgical patients will see their cancer return and may then undergo hormone-reducing treatment.

The treatment blocks testosterone, can alter libido, cause hot flashes and affect mood, all of which add to depression risk, the study authors said.

The study findings were presented Monday at a meeting of the European Association of Urology, in Barcelona, Spain. Research presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Dr. Anthony D’Amico, a professor of radiation oncology at Harvard Medical School in Boston, called the study conclusions into question. He noted that many men on hormone-reducing therapy are prescribed the antidepressant Effexor (venlafaxine) to control resulting hot flashes.

“This study is not definitive, because the number one treatment for hot flashes is antidepressant medication,” D’Amico said.

The prostate patients most likely to develop depression are those with a history of depression, he added.

Although the study may overstate the effect of hormone-reducing treatment on depression, D’Amico said doctors should be aware that their patients are at risk and may need treatment for it.

Source: HealthDay

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