New California Cuisine At Home

 California cuisine has had a reputation ever since Alice Waters created it fifty five years ago.It was made a certain way with certain ingredients.It was supposed to  - in a way-represent nouvelle American .Yetit coild be considered elitist..A new cuisine is emerging from the state and it's more representative of the people there.

Regular contributor and chef  Genevieve Ko wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. California cuisine started, again by the famed Alice Waters for her restaurant Chez Panisse in 1971. She championed using fresh  local produce, preparing it with a French sensibility.For five decades and more chefs up and down the state did the same, drawling largely from European recipes. Mostly the influence came from Italy.Yet a lot for people from all over moved to California in the half century following Cehz Panisse's opening. They brought their native food flavors .Meanwhile native Californians looked over their recipes and reinvented them. There was fusion, two cuisines fsed together to form one. diaspora - the immigrants recipes and third culture - that reflects a chef's history.I'ts less defined now. It's less Mediterranean and there are fewer mash ups It's freer and more curated as chefs take inspiration from around the globe, instead of one place.

The recipes Ms.KO give reflect this. The ingredients can be picked up at any farmer's market anywhere in the country. There is pluot tomato salad with suya pistachio crunch. Suya is a coating West Africans use to coat skewers of various meats like pork ,beef and chicken.The salad itself is an interesting mix of tomatoes and the apricot - plum hybrid.Rhe dressing is a rich pistachio cream made with shelled, insulated nuts blended with whole cream Greek yogurt and lemon juice and topped with pistachios spiced with cayenne,and ginger along with onion and garlic powders. Its a combo of California produce mixed with African and European flavors.There also is summer melon spoon salad.There's me long cucumbers and avocados with a simple dressing of lemon and olive oil, flavored with fresh basil and dill leaves. Since it;s corn season all over America ,there  is a charred corn and cheddar salad to celebrate that. Fresh corn is charred on an outdoor grill until it's charred brown in spots. An aoilis sauce is the dressing. This is classic aioli made with homemade mayo, with fresh egg yolks missed with Dijon mustard and lime juice use a neutral oil like grape seed to emulsify this. The cheese can be a sharp cheddar but crumbled queso Fresca, feta or Cotija can be used. Ground Aleppo peppers are also used for heat.

A new California cuisine can be made anywhere in the US.I;ts just a trip to the farmer's market to get the ingredients. Its then adding fresh flavor and taste to  dishes that fit in easily anywhere

Cool Ice Cream For A Not City.

 New York and it's boroughs have always been known for pizza and hot dog. Yet ice cream is also a city classic and must have during these hot days. Now there's a list of the best places for the coolest and coldest scoops. All a re deliciously creamy and flavorful

Restaurant  critic and new contributor Mahira Rivers compiled this list in todays New York Times Wednesday Food section.Not all the booughs are mentioned however . Staten Island and the Bronx are not (both areas have really good ice cream parlors and gelaterias)Gelati is always the cool choice for hip New Yorkers so try Pamina Dolce E Gelato.Try the summery flavors of peach and apricot along with the rich nocciola studded with Piedmontese hazelnuts.Not far from there is Unnecessary an ice cream parlor opened by - former bartenders. Another lower Manhattan offers Il Laboratorio Del Gelato which gives such interesting flavors as cheddar cheese and cactus. They also have chocolate and passion fruit sorbets for the less adventurous. The scoops have a cocktail twist to them.There is a vodka infused soft serve along with a minty grasshopper and the Garibaldi cocktail, a mix of orange juice and Campari.Chic Gramercy Park has Caffe Panna.They have the popular Red Flag, vanilla ice cream swirled with graham crumbles and strawberry jam. Midtown Manhattan may have great delis but it also has a good ice cream parlor.A La Moe Shoppe. They have the fun Partly Cloudy  - blue cotton candy ice cream dotted with mini marshmallows and Cooks  -a mix if chocolate and vanilla ice cream with a fudge swirl.Julia Jeans on the Lower East Side has good old fashioned flavors with a twist.The orange sherbet tastes like a Creamsicle while the butter pecan has a salted ice cream base.

Brooklyn and Queens has some fun places to visit too. Bedford Stuyvesant is the home of Brown Butter Creamery.They do classics right here with a fudgy dark chocolate and a Bourbon unfused vanilla flecked with vanilla beans.They also celebrate the Caribbeans with flavors like crema and spiced bissap -  aspciy clove cinnamon,ginger and honey drink.Forrest Hills has the old fashioned Eddie's Sweet Shop. Here ice cream is served in silver coups or cups and the flavors are classic too. There are chocolate coffee and rum raisin along with hot fudge ,whipped cream and cherry toppings. Greenpoint Brooklyn  along with the East Village and Moynihand Train Hall has Davey's  where al the ice cream is homemade There is fresh strawberry and coffee. scoops along with sundaes and milkshakes. Inwood Queens hosts Lost Borough Ice Cream.Patrick Cruz and Kawana Jefferson the owners do shoots out to Dominican vanilla and bizcocho,the vanilla cake features at birthdays and baby showers.Another Queens must go to is The Screen Door. The ice cream is old fashioned but go for the Ice Cream Nachos - waffle cone buts that can be dipped in vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup. Go to Soft side in Morningside heights for more soft creamy ice cream.

Happiness is ice cream. Go to New York to have the best. It s cool comfort.

A Simple Summer Curry

 Curry many not  be associated with summer yet a simple one is the perfect hot weather meal.. The good thing about curries is that they can be as simpler as complex s you want. meal Try a simple one for easy cooking.

This is what I did. I had plant based chicken strips that are sauteed to doneness in a saute pan.

the sauteed  starts with a good tablespoon of melt butter and a few tablespoons of olive oil.

A quarter of a white onion is added .You can add tomatoes and peas.

 Potatoes were microwaved and added later.

These were cooked for twelve minutes in the microwave.

Curries have to be creamy. Coconut milk is usually used but I opted for almond milk and also veggie broth for a thinner sauce.I used quarter of a cup for both.

Since this was a mild curry I only used curry powder and garam masala.I could have used turmeric and ginger but I felt these would be a bit too fiery. A god two tablespoons each worked.

the spices and liquids were a

added later.

This is the final cook before the potatoes were added.

With the chicken, potatoes and onions, this was a tasty change up from the ordinary. I may add tomatoes and peas in the future to vary it.Still it was great this was.

A simp;e summer curry is easy to make during these hot days. It;s a few ingredients mixed together to create a big flavor. Make this for a fun got weather dish.

Finally Steve's Burgers!

 Steve's Burger is not just a Jersey place or thing but it's becoming a national thing too. The small roadside eatery is known for its' juicy thick burgers ,large onion rings and crispy fries.It is the place to go any time for the week.

I had to go there and see what it's alabout.Friends have recommended dit fo rso long. So I went. It's a tiny place with three tables and a counter area to also eat. There's a full menu of burgers dogs, nuggets and even grilled cheese.It started as a small ice cream truck and expanded into the tiniest place you'll ever want to eat in.The place may be small.but the food is big.

The hot dog was fried and it was good on it's on(although I could have had a variety of toppings).Is it better than Rutt's Hutt> the other Jersey burger and dog place? Maybe they're on the same par.

The hamburgers, thought are unlike any other serve din New Jersey.They are big and juicy with all sorts of toppings The onions rings - pure heaven. These are large and golden fried the circumference of the burger itself/ 

The fries are Jersey boardwalk fries, They are thin and super crunchy.I love the tiny fried bits at the bottom the plate. To be honest I could have just made a meal with the fries and rings.

Steve's also has their own sodas made by Island Girl Sodas.There are a wide variety of flavors, from birch and root beers.to cherry orange and raspberry lime.

I had to have the birch beer.I've had stronger but it wasn't that bad. Next time I'll try the black cherry or maybe the grape They also have root bear floats and chocolate, vanilla and strawberry shakes.End dinner with one of these along with their deep fried Oreos.Prices are very good ,from the burgers to the sides.

Steve's Burger s is the road trip destination of the summer. Have a fun old fashioned burger and fries there. The food is a throwback to when eating out meant good food for only a few dollars.

Steve's Burgers is located at 506 Route 46 West in Garfield New Jersey.

Forget Fresh Fruit Go Frozen

 With all the fear about Fresh fruit and cylospora everyone is giving up fresh fruits and the desserts that are made for them. Yet there is frozen fruit that can fill in, You can make anything with them, from muffins to crepes. They can top ice cream or be eaten just with whipped cream. 

There are many different brands of frozen fruits from Wyman, national brand, to just in house ones like Acme and Stop & Shop along with Lidl , Target and Shop Rite. You can  buy from several different stores and taste test them. You can still make crumbles with frozen blueberries or peaches.You just need frozen pie crust, sugar ,shortbread cookies for the crumble on top and quick acting oats. The flavors are both fruity and buttery and you won;t know if you're eating fresh or frozen. Crumble can also be made into bars too. Use frozen ,sliced or peeled peaches in this fruit filled treat. Cinnamon and brown sugar help with the flavor. That most classic of summer desserts strawberry shortcake can also be made with frozen berries. Expect a softer texture and more liquid however.To avoid a soggy short cake , drain them or cook them into a quick sauce with a bit of sugar for sweetness and cornstarch for thickening. It helps to spread them out evenly on the surface of the cake.Piling them on top of each other will resort in a mushy layer.

Can you use frozen fruit in pie? Yes! Just remember there are a few simple rules though to using them.Let the fruit thaw and drain extra liquid first before using. You could use the extra juice sin a thick cooked slurry which can be used later.Also increase thickeners. Add an extra tablespoon or two of cornstarch or flour. You can also do the precook option. Simmer the fruit and its; juices on the stove til thickened and then pour into the pie crust. If you put the filling in frozen or  cold, add ten to fifteen minutes to the baking time so you donl;t have a cold middle.The best fruit to use in a pie are blueberries. These have a deeper  denser flavor that freshly picked ones. If you;re using peaches, drain all liquid from the peaches before mixing them with sugar,cornstarch lemon  juice. vanilla,salt and cinnamon.What about making homemade sorbets and ices? This is actually to your advantage.It 's just pulsing the fruit with lemon juice and honey  until it;a creamy and soft. Freeze until you;re ready to serve it.

Frget about fresh picked fruits this season. Opt for the frozen . You can still create sweet desserts and have the same fruity taste as a fresh from the orchard harvest.

Eating Safe Food

Home chefs are leery about what to buy and cook these days thanks to Cylospora.One wrong bite and the whole family can be sick for weeks.Yet there are foods that are free of the nasty little parasite. You can make a dozen recipes with them.

Unless you're growing your own lettuce  stay away from any leafy greens. You can wash them but a better bet is getting frozen greens like spinach, broccoli and green peas.This also applies for peas and carrots too. These veggies are great in all sorts of cold salads.Just steam and then dress with oil and vinegar. Add garlic or onion powder for more flavor. Make them into stir fries too. This can ber served over rice or noodles.Condiments are safe so you can give this a dousing with soy sauce. Canned veggies can also be used in salads and cooked dishes too. Although fresh potatoes are safe because they have to be cooked before eating, you can used canned for easy salads like potato. Any potato is considered OK to ingest because they';ll either be boiled , fried, air fried or even grilled.You can easily make French fries to go with those grilled burgers or try a fancy scalloped for a elegant al fresco dinner.

Meats, poultry and seafood are also safe to eat and you may want to increase your use of them. If you're worried about talking in too much beef , plant based ones like Impossible Burger and Gardien 's are safe to eat. Hamburgers can take safe extras like pickles and sliced onion. Just omit the lettuce and if you;re eating out then tomatoes too. Chicken is another good sub in and it can be made into a salad with canned veggies along with extras like croutons and almonds. Deviled chicken and deviled ham are great mixed with mayo and make perfect sandwich fillers. What about seafood? It's fine as long as it's cooked. You can easily make Greek shrimp kebabs.These are kebabs marinaded in olive oil, spiced with dried oregano, paprika, fennel and cumin. Serve over rice if you want a  dip then also think Greek. Blend plain Greek yogurt with lemon juice and add dill and fresh chives (both are safe to eat.) Canned tuna is a summer staple. Think of having a Porvencale inspired tuna salad with cannellini beans. Use tuna in oil, and add a splash of vinegar. Dried oragano and rosemary gives it some zing. Serve with crusty grilled and oiled.French bread .

You can survive this outbreak and not get sick. Just wisely choose your ingredients and cook them. You'll have safe delicious dishes.

it's tomato Time

 August brings about one delicious thing - ripe tomatoes.It;s' the season for them, whether grown on a farm or in the backyard.There are so many recipes for them,from tomatoes provencale to ratatouille.Which is the best? Here are some.

Regular contributor and chef Ali Salgle gave a few good recipes and tip in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section.She offers seven recipes that highlight flavor that can range from super sweet to even bland and bitter.One tip is to consider their size .She says tomatoes that resemble gumballs  like cherry grape and Sungolds will consistently be sweeter because of their small sizeThere is less space from water to dilute their flavor.They also have a higher peal to flesh ratio.This actually applies to larger tomatoes when they're cut into chunky wedges.They wont; turn mushy. Another must is amplify the acidity with lemon.In other words skip the vinegar in the dressing add lemon juice instead.This enhances the brightness of the tomatoes without being too overpowering.Also pair it with its' fellow fruit(u=yes tomatoes are a fruit)< Think peaches, pomegranates and melons to bring out the fruit's sweetness.In return the tomatoes acidity gives their sweetness a zing.Dairy also enhances a tomato's flavor.Think burrata or mozzarella. Ricotta ,Paremsan anc Cheddar also work well with any kind.

Can tomatoes be spices up or won;t that interfere with their taste? No! Ms Slagle recommends using chili crisp.Its' fatty, crunchy and spicy natures is a perfect foil to the tomatoes acidity.Salt cut tomatoes, letting their juice spill out onto a bowl or platter. Add the chili crispy for an oily, spiky burst of heat.Another idea is to grate them to emphasize  their deilciousness  according to fellow chef and Times writer Tejal Rao.Slice a large beefsteak in half and grate against the larger holes of a box grater.Sip it and add sugar or lemon  to bring out the g=flavor. Serve over bruschetta,.yogurt pasta and whatever else is tasty. Tomatoes can be baked low and slow too. Get rid of the moisture to produce a silly and savory slice This caramelizes the sugars inside and they can even be sticky . Ms.Slagle gives fours recipes perfect for the season.There is tomato and peach salad with whipped goat cheese along with an old fashioned tomato salad. A tasty lunch would be tomato cheddar toasts while dinner could be her tomato butter pasta. It's a great dish for early fall too.

Tomatoes are in season right now. Use these tips and recipes to use them  to their best advantage.They will bring out the tomatoes sweet flavors and silky texture.