Wasabi

Food manufacturers just love wasabi, using this Japanese rhizome (or cheaper American horseradish) to jazz up oils, mayonnaise, dressings, crackers, nuts and even jams. Those looking to experience the trend can find wasabi products in a variety of locations, from neighborhood supermarkets to fancy food stores and Asian markets. Here are some of the wasabi products to look for: Hime Japanese horseradish powder, $2.80 to $4 an ounce. This powder makes a green paste with a flavor as bold as its bright green color.

The first crop of tech startups have launched at the new business accelerator program run by Silicon Valley-based Wasabi Ventures at Loyola University Maryland. The tech startups are varied. One is CodePupil , a website that teaches people how to build websites through exercises and games; PointClickSwitch.com , a site that helps homeowners easily switch their energy providers; and Vidstructor , a video platform for the sports and fitness training industries. The accelerator's office is in the Govans community of North Baltimore, a few minutes away from Loyola's campus.

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, will a California roll a day keep the dentist at bay? Probably not. But there is a claim that certain compounds found in wasabi, the piquant green horseradish that accompanies sushi and sashimi, can kill the bacteria that cause tooth decay. The notion of wasabi-as-cavity-fighter was developed by Dr. Hideki Masuda, a research director at Ogawa and Co. of Japan, which makes food flavorings and fragrances, including wasabi flavors, but not wasabi paste.

Loyola University Maryland is expected to announce Tuesday a partnership with a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm for a startup accelerator that will help students quickly form new companies — one of a handful of such programs recently launched in the Baltimore area. Wasabi Ventures will work with the university to attract and mentor students into the accelerator program. The venture firm will provide professional staff to manage the program, oversee funding for new companies, and offer internships.

This fiery salmon recipe is bold in flavor and low in fat and can be thrown together in minutes.Wasabi powder (which makes that hot green paste served with sushi) creates the flame, but prepared horseradish can be substituted. Serve ramen or soba noodles, made from buckwheat, around the salmon and top with steamed broccoli florets and julienne carrot strips.A bought coconut dessert goes well with this Asian-influenced dinner.MenuSalmon With Pineapple Wasabi LacquerRamen or SobaNoodlesSteamed BroccoliCoconut CakeSalmon With Pineapple Wasabi LacquerServes 44 (4-ounce)

What they are -- Roasted peanuts with tangy wasabi seasoning What we like about them --A blend of horseradish, soy sauce and wasabi gives the peanuts a pleasant heat, though they're still mild enough to eat by the handful. Just throw a bowl of these on the table to give some zip to your Super Bowl snacks. What they cost --$3.29 for a 12-ounce canister Where to buy --Available at Giant, Shoppers and Wegmans Per serving (1 ounce) --150 calories, 12 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 7 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 6 grams protein, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 260 milligrams sodium

Baffled by the names of some Japanese foods? Here's a primer (find them in specialty shops or produce markets): * Sushi nori is a vegetable, made from nori seaweed that has been dried and pressed into paper-thin sheets. * Wasabi, a fiery-tasting condiment similar to horseradish, is available in powdered or paste form. * Daikon is a mild-tasting, giant white radish. -- Cole's Cooking A to Z

Helping busy moms The editors of Working Mother magazine, who specialize in dispensing advice on how to meet the demands of careers and families, have published a cookbook of the magazine's most popular recipes and timesaving tips. Included are recipes for 29-minute meals, suggestions for freezing meals and weekly dinner plans. Suggested price, $24.95. The wonder of wasabi Wasabi may do more than add a kick to Japanese sushi. The pungent green horseradish also could prevent tooth decay, according to findings presented at a recent scientific meeting sponsored in part by the American Chemical Society.

For a smart baby, eat more fish. Although fatty fish, such as salmon, are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, the government has warned pregnant women to restrict their intake to avoid exposure to high levels of mercury. But researchers at the Harvard School of Medicine have found a diet high in omega-3 may outweigh the risks posed by environmental pollution. They found that pregnant women who ate more than two servings of fish a week had children who performed better on verbal, visual and motor skills tests than their peers.

The sandwich has been around some 200 years, and we haven't stopped loving it.From the simple peanut butter and jelly, to the sophisticated grilled prosciutto panini, you can bet that between two slices of bread there will always be plenty of combinations to satisfy just about anyone.Sandwiches are easy to eat, the perfect portable food. A staple of brown-bag lunches, they can be as conservative, or as cutting edge, as you like.Consider the club sandwich: To me, this perfect pairing of flavors and textures is always a safe haven on a foreign menu.

Mix one pack wasabi peas with one pack chocolate-covered almonds. No, seriously, this looks like a good gift for a new college student. I'm getting one for Z___ A______. It's the "I Love Trader Joe's College Cookbook. " "Each recipe - from fabulous finger foods to delicious desserts - has been thoroughly tested to guarantee it's not only tantalizingly tasty but also easy to make when kitchen space, cooking utensils, preparation time, and chef's attention span are in short supply.

Alizee, by my count, is the fourth restaurant to move into the space in the Colonnade once known as the Polo Grill. Probably we came to review it too soon. Some promising amenities, such as a wine cellar with a communal tasting table, haven't materialized yet, and there are still both functional and cosmetic touches to be applied. On the other hand, there's nothing introductory about the prices. But it's not any one thing that Alizee is lacking, but more essentially an identity. There's a vaporous sound to that name, Alizee, that fits a restaurant that doesn't yet feel substantial, or where the food doesn't match the carpeting.

Bedrock's Sidecar Grill feels like the kind of contemporary retro spot where characters on teen television shows gather for french fries and pizza. Think of it as the Peach Pit for the quickly evolving west side. This bright new dining space is attached to the Bedrock pool lounge and nightclub, which itself has the easygoing vibe of a university union - two levels of boozy fun in a mammoth old bank building, with seven pool tables at last count. The Sidecar Grill is sweet-looking, its walls and tile floor done up in the colors of midcentury kitchen appliances, the booths with Formica-style tabletops.

For a smart baby, eat more fish. Although fatty fish, such as salmon, are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, the government has warned pregnant women to restrict their intake to avoid exposure to high levels of mercury. But researchers at the Harvard School of Medicine have found a diet high in omega-3 may outweigh the risks posed by environmental pollution. They found that pregnant women who ate more than two servings of fish a week had children who performed better on verbal, visual and motor skills tests than their peers.

What they are -- Roasted peanuts with tangy wasabi seasoning What we like about them --A blend of horseradish, soy sauce and wasabi gives the peanuts a pleasant heat, though they're still mild enough to eat by the handful. Just throw a bowl of these on the table to give some zip to your Super Bowl snacks. What they cost --$3.29 for a 12-ounce canister Where to buy --Available at Giant, Shoppers and Wegmans Per serving (1 ounce) --150 calories, 12 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 7 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 6 grams protein, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 260 milligrams sodium

If you're looking for a new adventure in dining, look no further than Locust Point. There's where Nasu Blanca has set up shop, just down the road from another popular upscale eatery, the Wine Market. While the restaurant's theme is Japanese/Spanish cuisine, Nasu Blanca's origins are strictly homegrown. Owner/chef David Sherman, son of retired Danaher Corp. chief executive officer George Sherman, grew up here, as did his best friend and sous-chef, Christian Ciscle (whose father is former art gallery owner George Ciscle)

Mix one pack wasabi peas with one pack chocolate-covered almonds. No, seriously, this looks like a good gift for a new college student. I'm getting one for Z___ A______. It's the "I Love Trader Joe's College Cookbook. " "Each recipe - from fabulous finger foods to delicious desserts - has been thoroughly tested to guarantee it's not only tantalizingly tasty but also easy to make when kitchen space, cooking utensils, preparation time, and chef's attention span are in short supply.

Sushi rolled in seaweed, or maki, is the ultimate compact appetizer or meal - rice,vegetables and raw or cooked fish in a neat, tight package. While there's an art to complicated, beautiful sushi concoctions, you don't have to be a sushi chef to roll your own simple version of this everyday Japanese food. The two Chinese characters for sushi, translated as "preserved fish" and "fish fermented in rice and salt," first appeared in Japan at the beginning of the 8th century A.D., write Kimiko Barber and Hiroki Takemura in the book Sushi: Taste and Technique.

Green Leaf, an unassuming little jewel of a restaurant, is almost hidden from view in a corner of Shawan Plaza, overshadowed by the Giant supermarket, Ledo's pizza restaurant, Radio Shack and Hallmark store. But it's worth finding. The York Road restaurant, which opened this year, delivers what it calls "Japanese healthy cuisine," a description that's only partially accurate. The food is healthy as long as one skips the deep-fried wonton dumplings, crispy shrimp and batter-dipped tempura.