A Bite Of The Past

 Nowadays apples have that sweet but bland flavor.They've evolved from flavorful bites into slices of uninspiredness. Now there;s a new push to bring back the heirloom apples. They were around for centuries and somehow got lost.Not anymore.They;re comeing back with a delicious vengeance. 

New contributor  and former food and lifestyle editor at the Wall Street journals Off Duty section Sarah Karnasiewicz wrote about heirloom apples in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.These gems are literally a taste of the past that intrigue cooks and apple afectionados alike. The flavors can have a honeyed sweetness to even a dark clove flavor.Now thanks to apple specialists or pomologists and fruit detective these lost varieties are coming back.For more than fifty years pioneers like Tom Burford of Vitginia,John Bumker of Maine and more recently Dsavid Benscotter of Washington State have surveyed property maps,aerial photos, and deserted farms. They also scoured vintage nursery catalogs, county fair records and more to search out these apples.Southberry Connecticut's James Wargo of Hidden Gem Orchard considers himself the beneficiary of their work. He can propagate a twig from an earlier type and graft it onto one of his trees. He offers an Eighteenth Century English varietal with an outside crunch and electric fizzy flavor.There is also the juicy Ribston Pippin ,a favorite fo Charles Dickens thats' making. a comeback I was the bases of his favorite apples a la Princesses also made with marmalade and cream sherry.

Mr. Wargo is  bringing back other apples from the past.He has a harvest of Kandil Sinap,a petite egg shaped variety found near the Black Sea around 1800 and the Black Oxford a1700s. specimen from Maine that  stores well and has non traditional purple skinThere are other heirloom apples that taste like banana bread. THese are so tasty that now people don't want to eat what grocery stores have to offer.Other heirloom apples like Cox Orange Pippin which has a surprisingly citrus taste with notes of honey , lemon and tropical notes and the oldest Court Pendu Gris which was first cultivated in France in the 1300's.It has a rich spicy flavor, perfect for a fall galette.Genevieve Weston is another orchard owner who is bringing back the ancient varieties that her grandfather planted in Waukesha County Wisconsin a century ago. Her family knew that the traditional apples were more flavorful and tasty than the modern ones so they made it their mission to grow them.Their apples have had it to many local farmer markets where they offer COurt Pendu Plat, first recorded in 1613  which has a nutty amusette flavor  and Calville Blanx d"Hiver used in many a tart tatin. Its' fruity mix of banana and pear notes makes it unique.

It's time to try a taste of the past. Heirloom apples are the way to go for a flavorful apple. TRy them for a different experience and a link to the past.

Fancy For The Holidays

Besides all the Halloween gear there are also Thanksgiving and Christmas stuff popping up in the stores.It raises the question is your dining room ready for the holidays? Are the lines and silverware still holding up? What about the China? Maybe it's time for a refresh.

How long do linen tablecloths last? A good one can last up to twenty to thirty  years - which is why they make excellent shower gifts (and why they were always a de rigeur wedding present). Keep in mind that they do age or yellow.Natural linen fibers yellow or oxidize over time. leaving an ivory or pale yellow tint.Food and wine stains also leave discoloration  and surprisingly putting tablecloths and napkins in the dryer.The immediate heat sets the stain and can never be washed out. If yours is old and yellow you may want to think about buying an entirely new set. There are some great buys from department stores such as  Target have sets for  around one hundred dollars. Etsy has some beautifully handcrafted sets with embroidery and lace insets for as low as thirty dollars for four napkins and twenty -two dollars for a whole set of ten. You can also get jacquard  woven tablecloth and napkins at Kohl's, This is a beautiful orange colored covering, perfect for Thanksgiving or any fall family gathering.

Chinaware, as we know from seeing it in museums can last hundreds of years. This is why it's passed down from generation to generation. However it should be treated with kid gloves. Every piece should be hand washed with a mild soap and soft cloth and sponge. Use paper ,cloth or felt plate pads to divide them so they don't scratch up against each other, NEVER microwave any chinaware that has silver or gold trim. That could damage both the plate and the microwave.If you;re looking to retire the family heirlooms there are dozens of places to find replacements. Again Target comes to the rescue here. They have one in the pattern Spritz which is [plastic with a metallic trim.These are kid and dishwasher safe.Their Stoneware choices are also lovely and these can easily turn into heirloom pieces. Amazon also has  a varied and lovely section .You can even order a few days before Thanksgiving and they'll come for the big day, This is also time to check your silverware or goldware. They may just need a gentle washing with Dawn(preferred) or Ivory . Again if you feel you need new forks and spoons then check any of your big department stores. Even Walmart has some great sets.They have a forty-nine pieces e set for as low as $29,99. This covers everything from that first course of soup to dessert.

This is the time to reassess your fancy ware. The holidays will be here soon enough. Make sure your table looks lovely with sophisticated lines, plates and utensils.

Your Most Used Kitchen Gadget

 Fall is the time  of year when there's more cooking and baking Appliances and gadgets that were on summer break are suddenly in use again.

Here's the question - what do you use the most during the chillier months.Is it the oven to cook roasts and bake all sorts of treats? Is it the blender for mixing sauces ? The mixer for batters and frosting? Or do you just stick with the air fryer you used all during the warmer months. Personally I always use my Air fryer for easy cooking and simply because food tastes good in it .I also use this

This was my Mom;s  stockpot  from Target and it makes me feel connected to her. Fall is the time of year when I make more homemade soups, sauces and chilis. This is used at least once a week to make all those delicious recipes.

What do you use the most when the leaves  turn and there's a nip in the air.? Let us know.

A Tasty Soup For Fall

 One of the best things about fall cooking is homemade soup. There is something so satisfying about cooking veggies and meats in a broth and turning it into a simple but delicious meal.It makes for a tasty weekend dish that can carry on into a busy week.

I found this was the case for a soup recipe that came into my inbox.It was a sausage rice ,and beans soup which sounded so tasty .I decided to make my own version of it.

It starts with a good saute mix o Melt butter and Stop & Shop Olive oil Cover a soup pot with a thin layer of olive oil Add two heaping tablespoons of the Melt

Add two cans of cannellini beans and  and a small container of chopped baby bella mushrooms.Cannellini work this best for any Italian soup. Saute these for about five to ten minutes.

It's then adding about two  cups of baby carrots (for color and about a cup of celery chopped into one inch pieces. Stir these in a long with chopped vegan Italian sausage (you can use the real deal as you can use real beef broth )

Stir these into the mix as well.

I used frozen spinach Instead of fresh simply because the fresh version can't be trusted thanks to it being a possible breeding ground for cylospora.The whole package about sixteen ounces was put in and it does cook down quickly.

Spicing is incredibly important here. I used a good two to three tablespoons of garlic powder and a good tablespoon of onion powder. Taste .I then added a few leaves of fresh basil from my basil plant to give it some earthiness and brightness. You may need to add more of either  powder ,along with a pinch of salt and pepper. (I didn't on this last)

Its now time to add the broth. I used the entire container - about four cups - of Nature's Promise from Stop and Shop.Any broth can be used here.I wanted to make this more vegan.

At this point also add a cup of either white or wild rice. I like white because it doesn't take away the  flavors of the other ingredients.

Simmer everything for twenty minutes or until the carrots are firm but tender.

This was a great soup and I plan on making it a lot this season.

I loved how all the flavors came together and create a perfect vegetable soup that was full of flavor and protein. It was sooooooo gooodd! I can't wait for the leftovers tomorrow. I may get crusty rolls to have with it a second time. It;s the perfect marriage of sausage, spinach , celery carrots mushrooms beans and rice.

A good homemade soup is a must cook in the autumn,Try this heavenly recipe for the best bowl ever.It is the best soup for these chilly days and nights!!!!
 

Bad Chicken And A Night Off

 Thanks to some bad chicken and beyond belief stomach cramps we'll be closed tonight. I wanted to write on homemade soups and the need for them.

Tomorrow will be a brighter and hopefully cramp free day Rule of thumb never gobble any cold meat when you're hungry. It can really mess with your stomach

Florence Fabricant's Delicious Rise

The food writer Florence Fabricant  is netrnched in the New York Times Over the decades she has contributed some amazing articles and recipes. Now there's her version of how she became a writer for the world's most prestigious newspaper. Her new autobiography and its a delciousread.

The Times published  an excerpt former new book Salty Not Sweet Running Press Adult) in yesterday;s New York Times Wednesday Food section.  Her career didn't;t start with the Times but with a Hamptons newspaper.It was 1967 and she and her young family rented a cottage in Wainscott New York, a quiet historic Hamlet that's part of the ever trendy East Hampton. She wanted something more .Her time in New York City was spent teaching Haitian kids to speak English. She considered getting a doctorate in French but after that  - what next - teaching. yet; she;d have to learn another language for a PhD.in French. That was a daunting consideration since New York University required it couldn't;t be a Romance language.Law school was off the table too. However another thought entered her mind.It had to do with her love of cooking and abiding passion for food  plus her mother's influence.Ms Fabricant because a food authority amongst her circle of friends. They loved her dinner parties and her advice on ,local produce stands.She knew where to get the best Cole slaw and roasted duck.

She was also becoming annoyed when seeing other home chefs buying heads of bland i  ceburg lettuce wrapped in plastic and pale pink tomatoes that looked more like tennis balls. She wanted to set supermarket shopper straight, introduce them to stands of freshly picked corn ,tomatoes and peppers. She saw that the weekly newspaper The East Hampton Star didn't not provide a food column. This provided the perfect opportunity to write about a local farm to table movement decades before there eas an actual farm to table movement..Her letter to the paper's editor, Everett Rattray proved to be successful. SHe would write a weekly column plus a recipe. She wasn't;t going to do it for free.There had to  be some kind of payment. Her first column was four hundred words and she was paid  twenty-five dollars.That was in May of 1972.By October of the same year she was featured in a Times interview by Alden Whitman. Even the Times resident food critic and recipe provider Craig Claibrne noticed her.Mr. Whitman;s wife Joan also noticed her and that opened the floodgates. Why? She was editor of the Times food pages. The rest is history.

It took a weekly column in a local paper to make Florence Fabricant a household name and a powerhouse food writer. Her recipes are replicated the world over. What started as a small job became one that is forever connected with the New York Times

A Kinder Way To Eat

  Buddhism is one of the most compassionate religions in the world. No animals are killed.There is gratitude, love and compassion for the ingredients and for those to eat them. Now there is a new book by a well known Buddhist chef that shows how to cook this way with interesting recipes.

Regular contributor and restaurant critic Pete Wells wrote about the chef Eric Ripert in today's New York Times Wednesday Section. Chef Ripert came from Andorra ,a country tucked in between France and Spain.Growing up Eastern philosophy and religion was not part of his life. He found it surprisingly in an airport as reported in his new  and latest book "Mindful Cooking" (Random House 2026), He found Buddhism in 1989 when he was a young chef on  a layover to a job in the United States. The book was full of hoakum with a phony author and that it was dictated by Mrs. Fifi Greywhiskers ,a Siamese cat.He overlooked all his and truly embraced the beliefs.The books he picked up kindled something I his heart .His interest deepened when he read the translation of the Dalai Lama's speech on receiving his Nobel Peace Prize. He also attended the Dalai Lama's lectures as well as working one on one with a  teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. He has promised his wife and son that he could never be a monk but does do meditation.

His cooking Buddhist intensified  when he met Buddhist nun Jeong Kwan in her hermitage above the  Baekyangsa Temple in 2014 . He was in South Korea filming "Avec Eric " a food travel show that ran for three seasons. They hot it off, sharing with and charisma but it was his Buddhism and love of cooking that furthered his cooking world. She told him about Spring planting where Buddhist monks thank not just the plants but the weatherman, earth and universe.Meals were prepared with  feelings of gratitude,compassion and kindness (which  a lot for home chefs also put into their meals). He has learned from his stress free type of cooking.Ches are very much in control and very much at peace with the process he gives a recipe for a lettuce pancake that stems from Chief Abbess Gyeho Sunim at the one thousand year old Jinkasa temple in Seoul.Chef Ripert saw a wilted head of lettuce and he asked her what they could do with it. She crushed  the stem of the lettuce with a knife and fried it in perilla oil.There is a dipping sauce made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds. It is a mindful way to eat.

Buddhist cooking is the way to go. Chef Ripert knows this and suggests people cook this way. It is a cooking born out of love for the plant world .