The Most Perfect Picnic

 A picnic is the most idolized  and romantized meal. Yet there are times when the who outdoor dining can go south - quickly. There is a guide to help create that perfect meal - perfect for th park, for the beach and lake and even perfect for the back yard.

Regular contributor and supervising video producer for NYT cooking offers a great guide in Wednesday's New York Times Wednesday Food section.Keep on mind that these menus can;t take the heat. what does that mean? Wisely choose dishes and ingredients. Keep mayo based salads and foods along with leafy vegetables, soft cheeses fruit and seafood to a minimum. If there has to be potato salad  Mr. Vaughn recommends using a creamy tahini instead of mayo then adding plenty of herbs and pepperoncini ,yellow peppers for bite.Also consider the sandwiches. Don;t use lettuce which can get soggy and ruin the whole sandwich.Instead try a thinly sliced cabbage slaw. Another don;t do is chop food there at the picnic. The charcuterie board should already be preset  with cold cuts ,grapes already sliced cheeses and veggies.Also preslice sandwiches into manageable segments, placing them cut side up.This allows guest to grab them without creating a mess or touching other portions. Also  keep chips and dips to a minimum too. Bags of just chips and pretzels work well here.'

Picnics require ice = lots of it Dry ice can be used like even planner Suzette Louis-Jean  of  La TAS  Events in New Jersey . However dry ice can be tricky to get. Settle for an insulated bag or cooler filled with cubes.The more important fact is how to pack ot.It should be on the bottom to prevent anything delicate from being crushed. Unfortunately ice melts quick in hot weather, Have reliable friends bring extra - namely two bags each.Overestimate how much will be needed. There is never enough ice. Mr Vreeland also recommends using frozen fruits to chill lemonade, fruit punch and tea. Add frozen cherries and pineapple to tropical drinks and add  frozen peaches to iced tea. Besides have ice coolers make sure to pack airtight storage stackable storage containers. These are excellent for preventing leakages and save room in the car or tent. Rimmed baking sheets and plastic cutting boards are other must haves.. Lay things on these on, their bigger flatter slices to prevent any toppling.Pad and secure everything with kitchen towels to prevent containers from falling. Mr.Vreeland also gives recipes for potato salad, Italian sandwiches, pine apple coconut punch and brownies

It is possible to have the perfect picnic. Just follow the instructions to do so and enjoy.It's an idullic meal out in the fresh air,

College Food Banks

 Universities and food banks usually don't go together but they do. There are hundreds of students and their families that are food insecure. They need fresh produce as well as nutritious basics to thrive in a school situation of intense classes and coursework.LUckily this is where their schools fi  in offering all sorts of  necessities for a healthy collegiate life.

What's in a college food bank ro pantry? The same that's in a regular food pantry. At Fairleigh Dickinson's Teaneck -Hackensack campus the food pantry is the size of a small convenience store. It's called the Knight's (after the school mascot) Pantry, located n  topfo the cafeteria and next to the campus bookstore.It offered easy meals  like Ramen and Hot pockets to make at the Student Union Building (r any dorm with a small microwave) There are also containers of Mac and cheese as well as canned soups.There are important foods such as cereal,granola bars and crackers. Sometimes there are apples and bananas a,especially in the fall when the students go back. This is open for both dor students and commuter ones. Commuter students can bring home some basics for their families too. The school's Madison New Jersey campus has their own pantry The Devils Care. Both have an Amazon wish list   which includes kitchen items like oven mitts and spaulas, ,OTC medications and such basics as hot cocoa mix, instant soups and boxes of pasta.

Other schools have this too. Rutgers has a similarly named Knights Pantry along with a mobile pantry. They too have the basics. Unlike FDU RUtgers offers such dairy products as milk and yogurt along with meats and produce They also offer baby products like wipes and diapers for those students who have little ones. They take both monetary donations as well as actual ones. F you are an alumna of any of these schools then donate There are so many students coming from finance challenged households  (Rutgers ,Newark campus has one in four students who  face food insecurity) Kids simply cant afford decent meals . These help them combat hunger .A well fed student is one that doesn't have concentration problems and can focus better without hunger gnawing at them. Donating to a school's library or garden is nice Donating to their students' food pantry is infinitely better. Campuses themselves can also chip in. Many have enough land to create gardens such as Montclair College in Montclair ,New Jersey where one thousand square feet is dedicated to growing veggies and fruit. The harvests are then donated to the school's food pantry, Red Hawk Pantry.

If you want to do good by your alma mater, then donated to your school's food pantry. The next generation of students will appreciate this. Give to the school that gave you your education

[

Steak The Perfect Summer Sizzle

 What's better on a grill than  a steak.It makes for the perfect barbecue .No matter what the cut ,there's something about a crispy exterior and a buttery soft inside. Add some flavorings and butter and its the greatest meal.

What cuts are perfect for the barbecue? There is rib eye,  Riley mignon, New York strip and Porterhouse to choose from. Rib eye is considered the creme de la creme of steaks to go out on the grill.Choose a cut that is rich in marbling. What is marbling? It's visible streaks of intramuscular fat that run throughout the muscle in any cut. This liquiifies when heated and provides a self basting effect. The me;Ted fat infuses the beef with a savory richness and velvety texture These well marbled slices provide a robustness and an indescribable juiciness. Thickness is also important in grilling.It distributes the hears and cooks more evenly It should be an inc and a half thick.It provides size to sufficiently sear both sides over high heat, allowing the interior to remind pink and juicy,Never barbecue a think steak.They're easily overcooked in the middle  while maintaining a crisp outside. Keep in mind that filet mignons  and Porterhouse should be two inches thick and three inches thick for tomahawk and cowboy steaks.(both of these are Ribeyes).

For less expensive cuts consider butcher cuts. These are the steaks without the pedigree of the popular and higher priced steakhouse cuts. There is the outside skirt steak which comes from the diaphragm muscle.It receives a lot of exercise and has a deep flavor.It is also surprisingly marbled which means it's flavor is rich and juicy.It has a thick strong grain so cut against it for a more tender bite. There is also the bavette cut or the flap meat.It has a thick grain with a loose texture which means it crisps up beautifully over hot coals. The flavor is very beefy with a hint of minerality. You could also go for the picanha.This is the foundation of the Brazilian style. also known as the sirloin cap it;s a triangular cut and firm.It can be cut into several pieces to be grilled or as one big piece. Most home chefs are familiar with hangar steaks, These are long course grained cuts from the plate primal or the cow;s belly. There is moderate marbling which adds juiciness while the overall flavor is intensity beefy with a subtle mineral edge. A more popular and affordable cut is the flank cut .It has moderate marbling, a bold beef essence and a tender bite when cut against the grain.

These are the cuts that are perfect for your summer grilling. ENjoy them . Revel in their crunchy crispiness and tender pink inside. This is what steak should be.

Ready For A Wild Weather Summer

 To say the weather has been acting up this summer is an understatement RIght now there are tornado warnings around the New York City metro area. Tropical storms and hurricanes loom . These all can be a breeze to manage food wise. It's just selecting the right foods to exist on.

Water is usually the first thing affected. Make sure you have plenty of bottled water . This can be used for not only drinking but for adding to soups and baby formulas. Make sure everyone - including cats and dogs have their share too for complete hydration. Should you also pack soda and juices? Yes but keep in mind that drinks like Coke and Sprite will also make you thirsty  so balance them with water. You could add flavored water enhancers to  Stanley cups or Bubba containers (your local dollar store has their versions of these for much less). You get hydration plus taste. Instant coffee is also good because the caffeine can power you during some difficult situations. What about milk? It should be powdered however it can last in a fridge for four hours in an unopened fridge. The same applies to nut and oat milk. What about milk boxes.? If they've been out more than four hours then  no.THey're unsafe. Toss them   The same applies to dairy creamer. Toss it after two hours . Use powdered as well to flavor coffees..A;spwait before you buy any milk from stores. They too probably have had power outages so their milk and creamers may not be safe.

As for food - think canned. Canned proteins such as deviled chicken and ham along with fish like tuna salmon, mackerel, anchovies and sardines are also good. They can be made into salads or just eaten on bread or rolls as a sandwich. Beans are anothe protein that's a must have. Chickpeas are versatile and can be eaten straight from the can or be mashed into hummus. Any bean can be made into a patty . You don;t even needs eggs t bind then=m. Potato flakes or even oats can be subbed in instead. Veggies  - save for lettuce  right now can be eaten. A panzanella salad can easily be made with leftover bread, and sliced tomatoes. Just add shelf stable olive oil.  You can also create a hearty cold dish by using sliced tomatoes ,canned tuna and cannellini beans.Dried herbs can flavor it  as can salt and pepper. Sliced peppers mixed with tuman orslamon is also a good hearty and easy dinner to make. You can also use avocados, whether for bread or as a salad.  Keep fruits like apples and plums along with bananas for a quick snack or dessert. Snack cakes like Little Debbie or Oreos can hold too. Keep cereal ready for breakfast along with jams and jellies.

It's tornado seasonIt's soon to be hurricane season.Be prepared for when they happen. You'll feel better with filling foods and drink.

Salad Doesn't Always HavE To Be Green

 Thanks to cyclospora green salad is off the table. Yet its a staple, especially in summer dining.Whatto do? There are so many alternatives.By the end of summer, you many not even want a traditional greens alad.

Keep in mind that frozen is usually your best friend in this case.I've found that some of my best broccoli and green bean salads come from the frozen veggies packages. These are easy.No washing,No worries if they're bad. Just steam in the microwave for six minutes or more then add the dressing. It's then chilling the greens for at least two hours.I;be even made these in the winter ,just to add veggies to a meal. You could also add some almonds to the green beans  along with crumbled feta cheese and a dash of lemon juice.Broccoli salad could also have some freshly grated cheddar to it for more flavor. Frozen bell peppers can also be made into a similar salad. So far the fresh versions of these seem to be safe so you can easily make a salad with them.Try all three colors  for something colorful along with roasting them on your grill first. You could easily add leftover grilled flank steak to make it more nutritious and substantive . A simple olive oil and red wine vinegar will do here. Asparagus may not be in season right now but the frozen kind makes for a great side dish Again use a simple vinaigrette here along with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Tomatoes and beans will never do anyone wrong and the first is definitely safe if garden grown. There are so many tomato salad recipes that every day can have a different one. One of my favorites is my version of panzanella. This is classic Tuscan UMbrian and Tuscan salad where tomatoes and stales bread are soaked in olive oil,tomato juices and vinegar. Some add sliced or diced onions to it but I like mine with just tomatoes and good ,squishy Italian bread. The bread is torn into bite size pieces.Usually it's  left to harden for a day or it;s crisped in an air fryer . It's up to you how to have the bread. I usually add in oregano and garlic powder. This is so good that it can be eaten as a main course ,especially with a side of burrata cheese or as a side with steak or chicken.Romato and bean salad is another tasty alternative to green salad. Use white beans which work the best with them. They;re sweet creaminess is the perfect foil for the tomatoes' tanginess.  Beans themselves are the perfect base for a salad.  YOu could make three bean salad but make it the more fun cowboy caviar. This is a zingy collection of black eye peas black beans ,onions corns and peppers. The dressing is a simple vinaigrette unless you want to add salsa instead.

Forget those pesky greens. You can make  an equally delicious salad using other veggies and beans. Try any of these if you want a different spin on a summer classic.

Rethinking Julia Child's French Chef

 Julia Child opened up American kitchens to a way of cooking that was both simple and sophisticated. Now local PBSstations  is bringing back her French Chef  shows. Can it hold up sity to sixty-five - almost seventy years later? Yes.A new generation can easily learn from her.

Julia Child , surprisingly didn't set out as a cook or chef - or even a career in anything remotely culinary. She was born in 1012 in Petaluma California, named Julia Carolyn McWilliams.She came from an old New England family that moved to the Golden State early in the Twentieth Century .Julia went back to her Massachusetts roots to attend Smith College. She majored in History where she planned on becoming either a novelist or magazine writer.She graduated, going back to Petaluma after a magazine stint in New Yrok City. Her first foray into cooking was creating shark repellent for  sharks during her time in the OSS. During this time, during the Second World War she was stationed in Kandy Sri Lanka where when met her husband Paul Child, another OSS employee. He had lived in Paris and knew the world of haute cuisine. THey moved to Parus where she went to the famed Cordon Bleu  academy. Her first cookbookMastering The Art of French Cooking led to an appearance on a Boston news show. She created an omelet for them on air and this led to to The French Chef. The show was a triumph ,introducing reluctant home chefs to different cooking techniques and mastering such tasks like carving poultry and creating crusts.

Does her advice still hold up.?Yes !!!! This new generation is  interested .They were, after all, raised on the Food Channel where there was more flashy showmanship  than actual cooking. Novice chefs are eager to learn about boef Bourguignon with its' wine rich sauce and addition of tiny vegetables.Her episodes show the practical like how to use endives in salad to creating a three course dinner menu. There is also the fancy - also perfect for those first dinner parties  where home chefs can make homemade mayonnaise,lobster a l'Americaine and chocolate souffle. Watching her show was a refresher course in how to.  The one I watched was about quickest and crusts. She showed how to sift flour and create a good crust. She goes old school by adding dried beans in aluminum foil to have the crust bake evenly. These shows were made in the Sixties and early Seventies so there's no fancy gadgets to do all the work - which is better. Doing such there is a communion between chef and the ingredients. Being tactile allows the home baker to know when the dough is ready to proof or if the veggies and herbs  are finely chopped enough.

Is Julia Child relevant now? Absolutely yes. A new generation should be watching her to get accurate cooking lessons without the flash.

The New Relocated East Wok

 Sometimes an upgrade isn't always good for a restaurant. The food can go down in quality while going up in price. Old favorites are knocked off the menu . Even a new location can be bad. However for East Wok, formerly of Saddle Brook, New Jersey now in the neighboring town of Elmwood Park changing locations was a glow up.

I;be always loved East Wok. They have the best chicken on a stick as well as a very lush shrimp in lobster sauce Their soups have gotten me through a number of colds and stomach flus. Their chefs produced some of the best food in the worst space possible. All those great dishes were created in a cubby hole in an ancient strip mall. It was tiny , without any air conditioning./ Anyone could see the need for a move.

Move they did - to a corner shop with a revamped kitchen and new floors. This (above) is so much better than their old eatery. There are marble floors and a lovely bathroom. Seats and table line the curved windows where you can see the main street.

Their always delicious fried dumplings and spring rolls actually taste better. Is it because of the air conditioned and bigger kitchen Maybe? Or the fact that its a joy to be in? Maybe. They have added to their menu too. I am dying to try their salt and pepper tofu and chicken as well as their new seafood dumplings.There is also Mala style different meats and tofu, cooked with fiery dry Szechuan peppers..East Wok still has their lunch specials that has the main meal with the choice of wonton or egg drop soups and a soda.

If you're looking for a great Chinese restaurant to visit this weekend stop in at the newly relocated East Wok.It's a great place to get a variety of different Asian dishes. The food is beyond delicious.

EAST WOK
234A Market Street,

Elmwood Park ,New Jersey 07407

Tell.201-556-0032