Sharing Cuisines And Backgrounds

 What we eat tells other who we are. It's a glimpse into our histories and traditions. A plate of rice or yams can explain our pasts and who are ancestors were. Our recipes are a mirror of us, passed down for generations in some cases.

Regular  contributor Yewande Komolafe wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Food section. She tells of her own roots in Lagos, Nigeria in her new monthly column. Like Marcel Proust  with his madeleines, ,  Chef Komolafe reminisces about the aromas and taste of her past, She tells how diasporas shape and will always shape the American cuisine. The broader region of West Africa has also been responsible for the way America eats.Our barbecues and gumbos, fried fish and rice dishes are all part of the gifts the enslaved brought to America. They brought over fried foods along with okra and yams to add to the North American diet. Her own recipes made for guests, explains who she ; her background and her ideas on food. WE all do this , letting friends and colleagues into a slice of our lives and our histories. These dishes connect us to our our pasts and to those ancestors where we inherited those recipes.

Chef Komolafe also offers up a side dish - roasted carrots with yaji spice relish. Yaji is an essential pantry spice that should be in every kitchen. It's a homemade and simple blend of toasted peanuts, ground ginger, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powders combined with fine sea salt. All of this is then pulsed in a spice grinder but you can also use a mortar and pestle to create it.Chef Komolafe roasts the carrots on a sheet pan at 400 degrees Farenheit after coating them in a neutral oil such as vegetable or grapeseed.The relish , made with yaji , grated lemon, grated ginger and chopped scallions. Parsley and more oil is added.The carrots are then tossed with the relish in a large bowl. Toasted peanuts are scattered over the carrots. This would be a good side with roasted chicken for a Sunday meal or a a small Saturday get together. It could even be used for grilled vegetables too such as broccoli and cauliflower.

How we cook instantly telegraphs whop we are and where we come from. This is evident in CHef Komolafe's cooking and the ingredients she uses. They reflect her and her family's past while letting her guest know who she is ,

From Cookies To Needles And Pins

 One of the joys of any holiday season was receiving a tin of Royal Dansk cookies. These were the perfect butter cookies baked in different shapes and decorated with big crystals of sugar. Yet the real treat came later when all the cookies were eaten and there was a big empty tin. Crayons were put in them or in most households - sewing items. What else could you do with them.

That was the question regular contributor Priya Krishna asked in her article about them in today's New York Times Food section. They hold a wealth of memories for everyone. If you lived in a sewing household these tins were perfect for storing colorful spools of thread. pin cushions, stuck full of pins, needles  of all sizes and coiled tape measures.That's what f ilm critic carlo Aguilar 's mother did. He even thought it was just a LAtin thing when everyone reused the tins for sewing The round, dark blue tins , full of sewing tools broke Twitter in August. It was placed next to one full of luscious looking cookies neatly separated by their traditional frilly white wrappers. Written underneath the untouched Royal Dansk tin was MY Fall Plans  while the sewing tin one proclaimed The Delta Variant. The Royal Dansk tin also gave way for nostalgia  for another multi used container, the COuntry Crock tub. This was made of sturdy plastic and could handle several dishwasher washings and storing everything from holiday leftovers to Play-Doh. Used Cool Whip tubs were also used for all sorts of leftovers and doodads like nails and screws.

These tins and tubs are growing in fascination and nostalgia.Yet , like Country Crock they're still used. Their Instagram page shows what you can do with the tubs. They make for cute bird houses and popcorn holders for home movie nights'They're also great for storing leftovers, especially small amounts< Some chefs like eric Rivera , owner of the Seattle restaurant Addo remembers his mother storing her sofrito, a mix of red bell peppers, tomatoes and garlic. Nescafe's glass jars also held a place of esteem in some households. Megha Desai's family used them for storing chai masala. Her mother got Vlasic pickled jars from their local Italian restaurant to store lentils. Those Royal Dansk tins were not only used for storing pins and needles but for wood ear mushrooms  to keep them fresh in Huffington Post reporter Marina Fang's family kitchen., Chef Rivera uses them at Addo as part of dessert in a tasting menu. They come to the table  bearing a surprise - a sugar cookie flavored vanilla ice cream. He's bought several on E Bay just for this. Keep in mind that these tins and the Country Crock tubs do not make for good recyclables. They and their fellow often recycled Cool Whip tubs do not break down easily and will stay for hundreds of years. They're best used for second and third lives instead of land fills.

These tins and tubs have long lives. Once the cookies,spread, whipped cream, and instant coffee are used, these takes on new second and third lives. Use them as you will, whether for sewing gear, bird houses or leftovers.

Fall Sides

 It's officially autumn now. It's time to forgo those salads and slaws and think heavier sides to go with those roasts and stews. Luckily there's a whole array of  side dishes you can make. They can be simple or complex but all will have great flavor.

One of the best fall and winter sides is stuffing. It goes not only well with turkey but also chicken and pork. Use Stovetop Stuffing if you want to go the easy route. This is super simple to make and lets you concentrate more on the main dish. You can try a classic stuffing made with stale French bread ,sage, chopped celery and chicken broth. You can add eggs if you want for a more custardy mouth feel,You can also change up the bread and sub in challah or sourdough. If you're serving a pork roast, think about adding chopped Granny Smith apples to it to compliment the meat. A novel way of serving it is bake the stuffing in a muffin tin so you can have cups to fill with meat and gravy. Another fall side is squash. Any meat benefits from its' mild flavor so it doesn't steal the spotlight. Butternut, a rich orange squash is the best to serve right now. You can bake or even microwave it. Fill the hollowed out section with butter or cinnamon. Brown sugar also works, You can also go savory by adding garlic to the butter.

Fall is when many cruciferous veggies come into harvest.Cabbage  was a staple in the summer as many turned it into slaw to accompany hoi dogs and hamburgers. You can try frying it in butter and add some minced garlic for a truly flavorful side. Cabbage leaves can also be sauteed in oil. You can add bacon and onions for more flavor along with a scant cup of vegetable broth. Kale is also popular right now. Think about sauteing it in olive oil with lemon and garlic for a nutritious side with chicken or steak. Remember to not dry the leaves after initially washing it. This makes them less chewy and more tender.Brussels sprout are the perennial autumn favorite. You see them everywhere now., from groceries to farmer's markets. One delicious way to make them is steam  either on the stovetop or microwave, then dress them with melted butter and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.They and kale can be turned into crispy chips  after a few minutes in an air fryer.These would be a great side for burgers or chicken nuggets.

Fall is here and with a wide variety of different side dish. You can go the traditional route with stuffing, squash or cabbage or try something new like kale or Brussels sprouts chips.  No matter which way you'll go you have a perfect complement to your main course. 

Baby Bellas Big Taste

 If you like portabellas, then you'll love the smaller version - baby bellas. Gr oceries sell them already slicedand they are great  lirr le morsels full of bug flavor

I bought these gems at my local Acme. They were too good to resist and my home chef's mind was full of possibilities. I decided to air fry them .After washing them they were tossed in olive oil and McCormick's Perfect Pinch 

I've sprinkled this blend of different herbs and spices  on popcorn (!) and it was tasty. Why not add it to the baby bellas? It was the perfect marriage.Ir's mostly garlic but there's also rosemary and ground orange peel in it along with paprika and celery seed. I definitely plan on using it for the bigger portabellas.

It was then setting the air fryer at 400 degrees Farenheit for five minutes, then toss the mushrooms so they're evenly cooked. Five more minutes at a lesser heat of 380 degrees Farenheit.

They came our perfect and delicious!!!!!

   They tasted like garlic steak and I plan on making them into a sandwich with garlic bread the next time. They were moist and a little crisp around the edges. I served them with Brussels sprouts drenched in butter and sprinkled in vegan Parmesan cheese. You can also try them with fries or on a bed of flavored rice. They are also a great meat sub in for Sunday dinner.

Baby bellas may be cute but they are grown up in flavor.Try them as a vegan alternative to steak. They are incredibly flavorful to eat with anything from veggies to potatoes to rice.

Big Plans For Fall

 All home chefs should get excited about cooking and baking. New and tried and true recipes come out as we prep for the holiday season ahead.It could be a new way to cook a roast or a new side or a different dessert recipe,

It's exciting to see Brussels sprouts at the Farmer's Market . this is a sure sign of fall. There's nothing like them steamed the serving them with melted butter and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. AIr frying them seems intriguing. They will crisp up and their flavor will come through better than with steaming. Of course there has to be the melted butter and Parmesan. These bring out their flavor too. With that you may want to think about the main course. Cooking in a vegetarian household that means Gardein' breaded turkey cutlets  complete with sage laced gravy. That brings up another fall and winter side - stuffing. The question asked go with Stove top Stuffing or the decades old family recipe that comes out more like a savory bread pudding. Decisions, decisions.Butternut squash is equally as exciting. Should it be stuffed or just steamed , served again with what else - butter. It can be cubed and then air fried, drizzled with olive oil and maybe dusted with nutmeg.

The season also brings about the urge to bake. The New York Times featured Otis Lee's poundcake with a lemony cream cheese base glaze.It's still a staple at his Fo Fo deli in Detroit now run by his son, Keith Lee. I 'm thinking thus would be the perfect ending to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Of course I'll bake it beforehand. It'll be nice after a week day dinner or afternoon snack. apples are another fall treat.Again I'm thinking of them baked, but in the microwave and stuffed with caramel, butter and maybe chopped walnuts. Crisps are also interesting.This is an easy make and a perfect weekend dessert that stretches two days. The same thing for galettes, those rustic apple tarts , reminiscent of a French country kitchen,This is also the season for pears. They could be poached but why ruin their fresh goodness. Just eat them plain as a snack or as a healthy dessert.

It's the fall season and it's the time for exciting recipes and ingredients. Get your heart racing with cooking and baking. Experiment, with the wonders of the season,

The Savory SIde Of Fall Spices

 zit is the season for pumpkin spice and all the other autumnal spices. Yes, they're wonderful in everything from muffins to frostings. However the traditional blends also can be use to highlight savory dishes too. They're an interesting addition to any dish, giving an earthy flavor to main courses and sides.

Cinnamon has long been used as a savory spice. Indian cooks have used it for century in their main courses.Think about Indian butter chicken that not only has cinnamon to give it some spice but also cumin, tumeric and coriander. For a different side try the Indian style basmati rice laced with the spice. Meats such as pork can benefit from a dash of cinnamon. Try a pork roast  with a spicy mix of it, dried minced onion, rosemary, sage, and garlic powder. You can also try it on pork chops cooked with apples for a fall Sunday dinner. The Greeks also cook savory dishes using it . The famed dish patstitsio uses two teaspoons of ground cinnamon to this lasagna like dish. You would think it wouldn't work with the tomato added but it brings out the fruit's' flavor and also gives the ground beef an earthy flavor that sets the dish apart.Other fall spices such as allspice and nutmeg are also added , giving the dish a more complex flavor.

Allspice and nutmeg are the other fall spices liberally used in autumn baking. Yet allspice can be used also in a variety of dishes . Since it has a stronger taste it can easily be added in seafood dishes. It tempers other spices too such as cayenne. It also figures largely in Middle Eastern cooking.It gives lift to the traditional beef meatballs called kibbeh. You could also rub it on lamb shoulder or lamb chops for a different spin. Allspice is one of the ingredients in Caribbean jerk.This is an easily made spice mix that you can whip up in your kitchen. The spice is mixed with cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin and smoked paprika. Hot pepper flakes are added in for zing and bite.Nutmeg, the other and perhaps most subtle of all the fall spices, can also be used in main dishes and sides Think about using it in a seasoning for poultry, especially for turkey. It would make for a flavorful Thanksgiving  bird. It''s also a great addition to creamed spinach. Keep in mind with nutmeg you can buy the nut and micro grate it yourself or buy the already grated kind.

Fall spices are essentially for all dishes. Try them in savory ones to lit up ordinary dishes, They add a subtlety and warmth making for  memorable recipes.

Recipes And Stars

 Chat about food is always interesting. Ruth Rodgers, London's American born proprietor knows this and has started a podcast that has celebrity stories and recipes.

Mark Landler, the London bureau editor for The New York Times interviewed her in  yesterday's New York Times Food section. The River Cafe is one of London's most glamorous Italian restaurants, starting out as a canteen for Ms. Rogers architect husband richard Rogers. Its' varied and chic plates have attracted all sorts of celebrities. Michael Caine, the cockney charmer from Alfie and The Man Who Would Be King is a Wednesday regular and also the first star  to be interviewed. Other stars and celebs are David Beckham, Paul McCartney, al Gore, Glenn Close, Tracey Ullman and Salmon Rushdie.She's also interviewed Pete Davidson from Saturday Night Live and the great actor Ralph Fiennes. The chats are entertaining. Paul McCartney told of the first time he and John Lennon drank wine and how it reminded him of vinegar. He and his daughter, designer Stella McCartney have cooked on the podcast.

The idea for all of this came from Brooklyn pizzeria the famed  Roberta's. Ms. Rogers visited the hipster hangout known for their unusual pizza toppings.They also had a radio station in their back yard. Another spark came from Ian McKellan who read her riboletta recipe at a fundraiser in 2009. She realized that food and recipes could be drama. Each episode of River Cafe Table 4 (the most popular table in the restaurant) starts with a recipe reading. Mr. Mccartney did one for roasted eggplant, David Beckham read tagliatelle with girolles or small mushrooms while PBS  host Christiane Amanpour read one for the cocktail Negroni Caldo. She asks about childhoods along with health,work and success. Their careers are never mentioned or promotions for their newest movies or albums,. Some are cozy reminisces while another provide to be stark as artist Tracy Emin talked about life with a single mother.

There's nothing like food and talking about food is even better. Ruth Rogers podcasts provide an interesting slice of .life among celebrities. Listen to it for entertaining stories and recipes.

Leni sorensen A Food Historian

 We need food historians. They are the ones that connect us to our culinary past. They show us where our recipes, likes and dislikes come from.Leni Sorenson is one of those who brings history to life through eating.

Regular contributor Kim severson wrote about this amazing woman in today's section of New York Rimes Food. Ms. Sorenson is a seventy-nine year old firecracker with a salty mouth and sweet foods of the past. she is also the star of Netflix's show High On The Hog based on the book of the same name by culinary historian Jessica B. Harris. she was the one who recommended Dr. Sorenson for the program. The good doctor has had an interesting life. she dropped out of  san Diego High when she was sixteen to become a folk singer. she did return, earning a PhD at age sixty in american studies from The College Of William and Mary. she learned about cooking from her step dad who was from Louisiana and took her to barbecue stands and taught her southern Creole recipes. she also jumped into the  hippie California cooking scene , along with hosting dinner parties and teaching informal classes on vegetarian cooking and sprouted grain bread. she moved to Canada met her second husband through a personal ad in Mother Earth News. she move to his south dakota home where she learned canning and how tot urn milk into cheese and yogurt.

It was her time at a historic site where she got into the history of black cooking. she could also spin wool , butcher hogs and can venison. Her house , Indigo House is a now a place for those to eat historic dishes and discuss them for eight-nine dollars. she also teaches canning. The historical dinner Ms. severson recently attended had the theme of three centuries of female chefs. The first course was a simple cold tomato soup adapted from the 1770 book Receipt Book of  Harriott PInckney Horry, a South Carolina cook. The second course was fish fricasseed in stock cream and butter. It was a recipe from Malinda Russell's 1866 cookbook A Domestic Cookbook COntaining A Careful Collection of Useful Receipts for the Kitchen. This is the oldest known cookbook by an African American woman. Dr. sorenson served it  with a salad and  one of Tom Jefferson's favorite tarragon dressings. dessert was Edna Lewis' custardy bread pudding taken from her 1977 book The Taste of Country Cooking.Ms. Lewis was the only black woman  who wrote cookbooks back forty years ago.

Dr. Sorenson is a gem, full of good history and good recipes. She will not let the past die. Thanks to her , the history of African American history will go on

Easy Fall Baking

As with fall cooking, fall baking should be an easy transition into more complex and complicated recipes leading up to the holiday baking extravaganza. After months of not stirring and whisking and staying away from the oven it's now time to head back into creating sweet treats.

Apples are big right now. Home bakers are probably itching to use those apples picked over the weekend. One simple recipe is apple crisp . This does require a tart apple like Granny Smith.It counterbalances the sweetness of the crisp made with just flour oats, sugar cinnamon and butter. The only labor intensive work is cutting the apples into wedges and then coating them with flour and cinnamon for the filling. Apple crumble is similar and can be quickly made for a same day dessert. This is also pie season however you can cheat at this by using already made crusts. These cut down on time and labor, producing a tender crusted pie that's just as delicious as one with a scratch crust.Baked apples are another easy dessert that just requires apple , cinnamon and some kind of nut. It's just coring the apple and filling it with a mix of spices, ground walnuts or pecans and butter. You can also sub in half a caramel for the butter for an inside out caramel apple. Pop these in the microwave for three minutes or until tender

Nothing beats a warm cinnamon roll on a frosty autumn morning,  You can easily makes these thanks to Pilsbury Grands Cinnamon rolls.These are an easy bake and perfect for mornings or an early afternoon snack. Not surprisingly you can make these from scratch too. This does require yeast but it's not as scary as it sounds. Use Fleischmann's fast rising yeast for this.  Once you've made yeast rolls you can graduate to easy yeast breads or rolls. The recipe only has a handful of ingredients such as the yeast, flour,, sugar salt and water. The bread can be the perfect accompaniment to dinner but it can also be toasted for breakfast and used for sandwiches for lunch or in a nice fall picnic.Once you've gotten in the swing of fall baking you can attempt cookies. Of course the easiest would be the Pillsbury slice and bake kind but there are some scratch recipes that are simple to whip up. Try a maple oatmeal one that combines chewy oatmeal with the earthy taste of another fall flavor. a maple cake with frosting is another simple dessert , perfect for  ending a Sunday dinner.

Ease into fall baking. start with easy to mix and easy to bake treats. Try  rolls or an apple crisp. experiment with baked apples or a maple cake. Jump into simple recipes that will sweeten your season.

Ease Into Fall Cooking

 Summer cooking is an easy rut to fall into. You either grill or microwave. Not much else. Yet when fall arrive the family demands a more wholesome, possibly more intricate dinner. What to do? Ease into fall cooking.

Easing into a more elaborate meal is simple. Now you can make pastas on these chilly nights You can buy already cooked spaghetti or just boil the regular kind. As for sauces start off with the jarred. Customize them by adding mushrooms or basil from the garden. Make it heartier by offering a loaf of Italian bread with it to mop up the sauces. Don't sweat if the family wants garlic bread. Supermarkets such as Acme sell already buttered and laden with garlic loaves. All you have to do is rub oil and salt on the crust and pop it in the oven. As for lasagna, there are already boiled pasta sheets and again use jarred sauce.If the family wants a chicken or turkey dinner then head to your local grocery store. Pick up a rotisserie chicken, and grab a box of instant mashed potatoes. You can use the chicken's juices for gravy.Round it out with any steam in the bag vegetable and dinner rolls and you have a great supper. Meat loaf is another easy fix that can be made.It's just a blend of ground beef or turkey mixed with bread crumbs and seasoning. You can add chopped onions and peppers if you want. Again instant mashed potatoes make the perfect side to this along with a tossed salad.

Sheet pans dinners are another quick and simple dinner choice. You can put anything on it,from all sorts of meat and fish to nothing  but veggies.A tasty combo is salmon with asparagus and red potatoes. Another delicious pairing is shrimp with mixed veggies. The seafood shares the pan with onions broccoli and onions. This is sure to be a crowd pleaser and easy to make.Sub in chicken for the shrimp for a different week night meal.Sheet pan dinners can go vegan too. Try marinated tofu cut in squares or triangles with any number of veggies like green beans and carrots or broccoli and sweet potatoes. You could also try an all vegetable sheet pan dinner. Roast Brussels sprouts with  cubed butternut squash and onions,Make it with a teriyaki sauce and serve with instant rice.Crockpots and Insta-Pots figure heavily in transitional cooking. You can make a simple chili with just ground beef , two or three kinds of beans , spicings and tomato sauce. Serve over a bed of nacho chips. Stews are also an easy cook in a crockpot. Try a chicken one with dumplings or a beef one with carrots , potatoes and turnips.

The weather is changing. Summer becomes fall. It's time to ease into heartier more complex dinners. You can if you just keep it simple and easy.

The Flexitarian Life

 Many people find transitioning from carnivore to herbivore daunting. They're grown up eating delicious BLTs and juicy steaks. They find it difficult eschewing butter and cheese. Yet these are the same people who want to help the planet and animals or protect their health.What to do? Become a flexitarian.

What are flexitarians? A person who is a vegetarian but occasionally eats meat or fish. It's the easiest way to convert from a meat eater to a vegetarian and then to a vegan, someone who does not ingest any animals or animal based products. In yesterday's New York Times Business section there was an interesting article about companies like Beyond Burgers and Impossible  Meat  catering to the large and growing sector of flexitarians. Now it's much easier to transition than years ago. Soy products of even twenty years ago were horrible, with a funky taste and aftertaste not to mention a rubbery texture.Veggie burgers were the worst . They were studded with peas and fell apart at first bite. Now  people can't tell the difference between the real thing and the plant based burger. Beyond Meat burgers grill up nicely with a crusty exterior and a juicy pink inside. These can easily be served two or three times a week or at a Sunday tailgating party. The company also had the plant based meat in loaf form which makes for a yummy meat loaf. Serve it with a mushroom gravy and a side of mashed potatoes for comfort food goodness.

Another company that can help you go meatless is Gardein. Their products have an authentic taste.  A favorite is their Ultimate Burger which can be subbed for beef patties. Their battered fish fillets are the best, tasting like North Atlantic cod. The batter coating is nice and crispy  and brings to mind those fish and chips platters at seafood restaurants like Bahr's in the Atlantic Highlands. This is one of my favorites, perfect with Ore-Ida fries. Their chicken nuggets are also good, great with any dipping sauce. What about milk , butter and cheese? These are staples in our everyday diets. For milk go with Almond Breeze from Blue Diamond.Their milk is very good especially in cereal. It comes in plain, vanilla and chocolate, The company also makes creamer and yogurt too in tasty flavors like caramel cream, for the creamer and strawberry and peach for the yogurt. Miyoko's Creamery is the best brand for your butter and cheese needs.Miyoko Schinner has created a butter that's exactly like the real thing.She has created a variety of different cheeses., from mozzarella to cheddar for pizzas and sandwiches.

It is easy to become a flexitarian.There are so many animal free products out there you won't miss the real thing. Try them all for the first step in healthy and compassionate eating.

Fall Dishes Part Two The Sweet Side

 One of the best parts of fall is getting back into the baking groove.The cooler air draws us inside to the warmth of a cozy kitchen.We feel more energized too , ready to rake on rolling out dough and whipping up batters and  frostings>Luckily The New York Times has included some yummy dessert recipes in their fall guide. I'ts time to get baking.

Yesterday we covered the savory side of fall cooking, Now here's the treat  - the sweet side that would make the perfect after for those lush and ribsticking meals. These are perfect for ending a Sunday dinner or on a holiday dessert board. Times regular contributor Tejal Rao adapted  San Francisco chef's Elizabeth Prueitt's sweet potato tea cake with a meringue topping. Serve this instead of the usual sweet potato pie at your Thanksgiving dinner. The cake is made like a spice cake with the sweet potatoes married to a blend of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Brown sugar gives the cake a mellow flavor. wile the addition of orange juice gives it some zing. The meringue is the traditional recipe made with egg white, granulated sugar and vanilla.You could sub in aqua faba or chickpea water for the egg white.Another treat to make that requires no baking is apple jelly.Yewande Komolafe contributed this recipe perfect for the apple picking days ahead. Use Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Braeburn or Honey crisp for this. Lemon and sea salt are added to blnce the sweetness. Homemade croissants or brioches would be perfect for this for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

If you want true decadence then go for Samantha Seneviratne's Mississippi Mud pie. This is a toothsome layering of a buttery graham cracker crust topped with a brownie cake rich with cocoa, , dark chocolate , eggs and more butter. a rich chocolate custard tops this. This is an old fashioned custard made with cornstarch and egg yolks. Processed Dutch cocoa and bittersweet chocolate intensify the flavor.Keep in mind that this is a labor intensive pie. The brownie layers requires whisking the yolks and the eggs separately and melting the butter and dark chocolate in a bowl over a pot of barely similar water.It's baked until the crust is set and the middle is fudgy and moist. You can top this treat with freshly whipped cream for more decadence.Even though it's a savory recipe, Julia Moskin's pretzel recipe  adapted from one from Ann Arbor Michigan's Zingerman Bakehouse could easily be served slathered with jam or honey butter for a dessert.These are laugenbrezeln with lard added to the recipe along with barley malt syrup. If you can';t find the syrup use brown sugar instead. You'll also need food grade dipping lye for the initial dipping before baking,Rubber gloves are also needed for this and you'll need plenty of table space for rolling out the unformed pretzels.

Fall will be here and it's time to get baking. Try a decadent pie or cake or just have a warm pretzel with apple jelly to satisfy your sweet tooth. Any of these are perfect for the cool days ahead.

Dishes For Fall Part One

 Autumn will be here in a week. The temperatures should be dropping and we should go from easy cooking to more complex recipes. Luckily the New York Times Food section online has some good ideas to kickstart the season. They'll be even great to make and bake well into the holidays.

The offerings are varied. There are main dishes and desserts, each interesting and flavorful. Tejal Rao gives us a really intriguing one - warm tofu and fresh soy beans cooked in salted French butter with a celery seed gastrique. This last is a savory caramel (!) sauce that's punched up with apple cider and chili flakes. This may be labor intensive because the soft tofu is made from homemade soy milk. A less intensive dish is Eric Kim's Ritzy cheddar chicken breasts.. This is mixing crumbled Ritz crackers with sharp cheddar shreds and garlic and onion powders coating sour cream marinated chicken breasts. This seems like a fun dish with homemade fries on a Friday or Saturday night. There's also a buttermilk brined chicken from chef Samin Nosrat that has  just three ingredients, the chicken, buttermilk and salt. It's the perfect Sunday dinner  complete with mashed potatoes and mixed veggies.It's not listed but yesterday's Food section featured an easy but filling pasta recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi. This is a simple but filling blend of any kind of pasta mixed with white beans and pesto. Add anchovies for kick or pancetta for mellowness. You could also sub in kale or spinach for the basil.

Another simple but filling dish is a Dijon and cognac beef stew by Regina Schrambling.It was first published in The Times after 9/11. It was comforting then and is comforting now when being with family is important. Beef chuck is mixed with salt pork along with carrots and mushrooms. Two kinds of mustard are added, Dijon and Pommery mustard. The half cup of Cognac pulls everything together. Another comfort food is the pressure cooker chicken with dumplings. Melissa Clark created this yummy mix of drumsticks and thighs - dark meat and dumplings made from a mix of all purpose flour and cornmeal. Chives give them zing. They're cooked in the broth the chicken is cooking in. You can add peas for color and more flavor. Another comforting dish is a savory mushroom bread pudding. This is Susan Spungen's take that has buttery brioche torn and cooked up with porcini mushrooms along with such fresh ones as cremini or shiitake. There are also leeks added for more flavor and six eggs give it a custardy feel. This is a great holiday side but also the perfect vegetarian dish too.

Fall is fast approaching. It's time to delve into more complex recipes for heartier fare.Use these recipes to jump into autumn cooking.

Wine School Is Open

 Fall is fast approaching  and with it comes lush meals. These dishes  require a good wine. Yet what do you choose to go with that pork roast or Cornish hen? Do you serve a desert wine and if so which one? The best thing to do is educate yourself knowing what to drink is as important as what to cook.

Wine critic and author of The Pour column in the Wednesday New York Times food section gave tips and pointers in his "wine school column' in today.s Food section. This is the seventh year of Wine Class and it has proven to be useful, especially for those new to wine. It's very practical. He tells readers don't be afraid to explore.There are now plenty of  good wines at reasonable prices.you can get a lot for  your dollar and build your own wine collection;. Also cultivate a relationship with your wine shop. They;re excellent in helping picking out the right wine. Defy conventional wisdom<it's closely related to biases and prejudices. Don't be snobbish as was the case with aligote which has long despised as the other white grape. It turned out to be quite delicious. ALso  consider the terroir or place of origin. That feeds into the grapes 'flavor as it does with cheese and chocolate too..Another tip is food pairings Experiment  with pairings. What works well with that roast chicken or pasta/ serve a different wine every time you have a meal

One of the most important aspects is finding the best value for the price. The smaller the distributor the higher the cost.Understand that the supply of most good wines is finite as they are products of specific vineyards with one harvest per year. Learn from mass market wines.They're basically mass produced and cost less than the more "boutique" wines.Oenophiles get upset when these are mentioned , and no good wine is under ten dollars. Mr. Asimov also recommends valuing simplicity along with respecting the classics. There are times when you'll want a more complex multifaceted wine , others ypu jut want something less complicated. Consider the classics like a good Bordeaux.Appriciate nuance such as the ripeness of the grapes>Also what is greatness in wine as wine lovers asked about Verdicchio de Matelica a white from Italty's Marche area.also get opinions and join the conversation on Mr. Asimov's take on a 2019 Chablis

wine school is open and take a class or two . Know your wines for easier  choices for dinners and parties.  They're simple lessons that will last a lifetime.

Saving The Season

 How can you preserve the summer? By saving the flavors of that spectacular season whether in sauces or preserves. It's a great way of savoring those sun kissed veggies and fruits all yar long.

The easiest way to preserve the summer is by taking all those extra tomatoes and turning them into freezable sauces. One of the simplest ways to do this is cooking them in a crock pot.This fees you up to do other kitchen chores or just get ready the bags and containers. You can use resealable plastic freezer bags or even freezer proof glass jars.Plastic containers also work well here. These and the jars offer a little more protection against freezer burn.The bags won't however they do pack in better than the others.Basil is not a vegetable but this herb and its' summery taste can also be savored all year round in pesto This is an easy sauce that originated in Genoa. Use all those fresh basil leaves and grind  them in a food processor. Add a drizzle of olive oil to give it that creamy texture.The recipe calls for ground walnuts to be added along with Pecorino cheese bu these don't freeze well. The best bet is omits these when freezing and add to the sauce when you're ready to use it.

Your favorite summer fruits can also be preserved too. Raspberries are having a second season right now and they are perfect in jam. It's a simple recipe of four cups of granulated sugar and four cups of raspberries.Its' then first warm in the sugar and adding it to the fruit. The mix is mashed and ladled into sterilized jars. You can do the same with blackberries, another berry that lasts into the fall.Just remember that wild ones need to be soaked in salt water to remove any bugs. Dry them thoroughly before cooking.  Keep in mind that the wild ones have more pectin than the farm raised ones.Also blackberries are quick to foam when they're boiled. Add the tiniest sliver of butter(!) to prevent this. The taste will remain the same ,especially with the addition of one to two cups of granulated sugar. You can add a tablespoon of lemon juice to if you want. Grapes are also a late summr fruit and one of the tastiest to make into a jelly or jam.Decide what you want to make.Jelly is made solely from the juiced of cooked grapes, namely Concord drained through a fine mesh sieve or muslin cloth> Grape jams has bits of the grape and skin.it is sweet with seven cups of sugar added.

Yes, you can stretch the season out. Make sauces and jams with the sweet flavors of summer. It's a nice way of preserving those sun kissed days for all year long.

It's Still Barbecue Time

It is still summer and we will still have warm weather well into the fall. That means cooking out and still enjoying barbecue favorites. You could add an autumnal touch with different spices. too.

This is the season for tailgating too and you can easily make those game day treats in the comfort of your backyard.Hot dogs are big with the football crowd. Think piling them with either sauerkraut or chili sauce. A novel idea for the season is an apple relish or chutney. This involves peeling and cooking any red apple along with a a green Granny Smith one.Ginger, onions and apple cider vinegar is mixed in along with raisins to create a sweet and tart topping for both hot dogs and bratwursts. This would also be good with barbecued pork chops too for a hearty outdoor meal. Hamburgers are another great barbecue dish. Add a layer of sharp Vermont cheddar and applewood smoked bacon for a substantial lunch or dinner, You could turn this into a vegan treat by using Beyond Burgers topped with soy cheddar and Morningstar Farms soy bacon.You can also take a fall classic turkey.Home chefs can grill a turkey breast on the barbecue.Use a sweet rub made with brown sugar or one with herbs. Have ii with gravy and barbecued butternut squash brush with herbed butter.

Of course steaks are always on the barbecue menu.Elevate them to the next level with a red wine sauce. This is made with a Cores di Rhone red, mixed with garlic, unsalted butter and freshly ground black pepper.You could also serve the steaks with a fresh chimichurri sauce. It's an easy make of just red wine vinegar and garlic and a blend of oregano, parsley and cilantro. Sometimes simplicity is the best route to take. Marinate it in olive oil and lemon with a sprinkling of oregano. This can be squash strips and carrots for a simple side.Parsnips and turnips can also be roasted and served with a sage infused butter. in a week or two there will be the first batch of pumpkins, and these, too, can be added to a late season barbecue.Keep in mind that you need to buy the kind used for pumpkin pies and not the ones used for decoration.It has to be sliced and then the seeds and pulp have to be taken out.After that you can add butter or olive oil along with such spices as cardamon or nutmeg.

It's still barbecue season. Keep grilling delicious meats and veggies during these late summer days. Add a touch of fall seasoning like nutmeg , pumpkin or apple to make it interesting.

Shared Food Shared Thoughts

 It's hard during a pandemic and widening political divide to reach out Yet today is a reminder that we can do just that. What better way is there than sharing home grown crops or something from the oven. Food can unite us better than ideologies.

Sharing your back yard harvest is one way of reaching out. Consider splitting your late summer crops with those struggling with putting food on the table. Donate those extra carrots and tomatoes to your local food banks or just to neighbors , family and friends who need food If you're planting your fall crops such as turnips and beans, try to plant extra so you can give away the overage. This is the time to take all those tomatoes and make sauce.Save a few jars for your kids' teachers or even your postal workers. Include boxes of pasta and maybe a shaker of cheese. (It's even better if you can make the pasta) Baking is another way of showing thanks and unity. Bake some cupcakes for a elderly neighbor who has become a recluse thanks to the pandemic. If you're still into baking bread, then make extra loaves for neighbors. You may not see eye to eye on certain matters but at least you can agree on a warm and crusty loaf.

Another way of showing compassion and unity is by visiting struggling mom and pop eateries , These are still trying to survive even though some pandemic restrictions have been listed. Now many are just getting back on their feet thanks to Hurricane Ida closing or damaging them. Try to have a night out, possibly a Saturday or Sunday eating out or take out supper. Doing such is a nice weekend treat whether it's just a coffee and a croissant or a whole pizza or a plate of dim sum.Remember to generously tip the waitstaff and delivery people. They are struggling as well and just getting back their financial footing. Also consider buying gift certificates from these eateries as well. It's a a good make  up gift if you've been having political differences with friends or loved ones. Better yet take those out  for a dinner or even quick snack. You may forget why you were disagreeing in the first place.

Today reminds us that we were all united once. We all need to be that way again. What better than to close the divide with food, a symbol of togetherness , nurturing and peace

Tuscan Influences

 Tuscan food is some of the best  ITaly can offer. There are amazing dishes from Florence and the surrounding countryside. A book, not a cookbook - but an interesting account of ayoung man's journey in this piece of heaven highlights this cooking and Tuscan life. It's an inspirational read.

There isn't enough good things to say about Andrew Cotto's Cucina Typico and its' sequel Cucina Romana (both published by Black Rose Writing).Its the story of Jacoby Pine an unemployed ad rep and former musician who heads to Italy with his  travel writer fiancee Claire. During this trip he finds  thanks to an old photo that he's related to local nobility, loses a financee and gains a girl. Along the way he meets amazing people, eats amazing food and drinks amazing wine. I thought it would be all about food which it is but it's also a great exciting story, perfect for a movie. Yet it's the descriptions of dishes that made me drool and want to cook. I am not a big pork person but Mr Cotto's luscious and vivid description of the region's cinghiale or wild boor had me craving a ragout made of it. He even gives props to  my great-grandparents. region Piemonte with its Ribiola cheese and shaved white truffles.

This book has made me want to cook again. Of course I can't get my hands on cinghiale much less pork but I can sort of sub in vegan sausage. As for the truffles, there are gourmet  stores that can ship them. However I wonder how good they are. I could sub in dried mushrooms or sliced fresh baby bellas. Will it be as good as what Jacoby and his new ex-pat friend Bill eat? no, but it can be made tasty with the other ingredients. The New York Times has a recipe for the ragout  that includes Chianti, canned tomatoes celery and carrots. A sprig of fresh rosemary seasons it.It will never be the same as rge real thing but a kind of facsimile for vegetarians.It's served over tagliatelli, which is an easy  get.Another recipe from the book that is a must try is the artichoke souffle. The recipe in Cucino Typico has eggs married to artichoke heart bits. THere is a similar recipe that also has goat cheese added to give a silkiness.  Souffles savory or sweet can be tricky but they're worth making simply because of the taste and mouthfeel.

This fall's reading list has to include Andrew Cotto's Cucina Tipico and Cucinoa Romana. These are the perfect books for Italophiles and food lovers. THe recipes and the cast of characters are tasty morsels sure to whet the appetite

An Appreciation Of A Wine Lover

Becky Wasserman's name was not known among everyday wine lovers but to wine critics and oenophiles, she was the force behind those rich red burgundies. SHe  brought them to the forefront, to be loved and rejoiced by those new to wine and those passionate about a good flavorful reds

Eric Asimove, the drinks critic wrote a tribute to Ms Wasserman_Hone who passed in August in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Ms Wasserman_Hone (she later married Englishman Russell Hone) started selling wine barrels to Californian wine makers. She quickly acquired a knowledge of the terroir and wines.She then transitioned to identifying promising young producers and matching them with American wine merchants.When she started, this province in east central France was dominated by big merchants who bought grapes and wine from smaller wine makers or vignerons and then sold the wine under their labels Of course, these merchants prospered instead of the farmers.The produce was also subjected to arbitrary price changes or not to be bought at all, this coming from the merchants.

However Ms. WaSserman was one of the agents of change who challenged this. Often she was the way in for a lot of producers, introducing them to the world.Yet she wasn't motivated by money She  wanted the wines and culture of her adopted Burgundy to be seen and known."If we don"t drink it we don"t sell it" became her mantra for her company Becky Wasserman and Company. Even in the Eighties she foresaw that Burgundy's future lie in re-embracing the sort of farming that existed before chemical farming , that is farming that relies on pesticides.This allows for grapes and wines to be more expressive,She sided with rebel winemaker Rene Lafon of Domain Comte Lafon of Meursault. He stuck with traidtion and grew grapes without the help of any chemicals> Ms WAsserman also worked with vintners jn Alsace and also hosted Burgundy symposiums in her house ar Bouen.

Ms. Wasserman Hone left a tremendous legacy for burgundies and oenophiles. It will keep on going  as more vintners  embrace chemical free farming. This will bring in a new more organic wine.

Dining In The Covid Era

Everything has changed since the pandemic. How we work and go ro school were greatly affected. What was the most affected area? How we eat. Restaurants have forever changed. Like it or not they're the face of the new normal.

Most of the contributors to the New York Times Food section weighed in. Yes, protocol  has changed tremendously. Priya Krishna weighed in on drive throughs which have always been big on the American fast food scene.Even fine dining restaurants like Carlos in Seattle There may even be a way of scanning in a license plate and suggesting dishes based on the drivers' past orders. As for actually dining in, say goodbye to those pretty menus.Tejal Rao predicts we scan in the QR or bar code on our phones and have the menus pop up on them.Patricia Farrell has noticed more eateries are accepting solo diners. Pre-pandemic there was a certain snobbery regarding a person eating. Not anymore. The less people in a place the better. Yurts are becoming a thing too according to Pete Wells.It turns out they're better than indoor dining There's more privacy and better for larger parties. Florence Fabricant noticed that utensils now show up in rolled napkins.

Have the actual food and drink changed?Yes. The chicken sandwich, namely from Popeye's has topped the hamburger in popularity according to Kim Severson.It was at its height during the first half of 2020 and even influenced Manhattan eatery Please to create a fourteen dollar version with the addition of a salted egg yolk.Plant based dishes were also popular, eclipsing meat ones.Again Tejal Rao weighed in on this. She noticed chefs like Jocelyn Ramirez of the vegetarian Todo Verde created ceviche with fresh hearts of palm and mushroom mole tacos. She even spiked mac and cheese with poblano chiles. Also more people are eschewing meats for either health, environmental and ethical reasons. Plus plant based meats like Beyond Burger taste just as good as the real thing.There are even vegan barbecue trucks like LA'sMo Better Brews run by Courtney and Chastitie Lindsey.Robert Simonson has noticed that cocktails are being served not in glasses bu branded flasks , coffee cups and even juice pouches.

Yes, how we eat has changed. We've adapted to it quite well though. These new habits and protocols will stay l,ong after Covid has finally gone.

Feast Season

This is the time for church feast and city fesiivals. Yet can we enjoy ordering and eating favorite  these days?Is it safe to get a bag of zeppoli or funnel cakes in this Covid era? You can.Just be careful.

One the biggest, New York's San Gennaro is back on this weekend. THis is where food stalls line blocks of city streets All sorts of Southern Italian specialties are offered as they have been for over a century. Are they safe? How do you weave around the crowds and where do you eat? One solution is eating in the surrounding area, Little Italy and even Chinatown. You can easily get a plate of spaghetti or dim sum and go for a dessert at a less crowded dessert stand. You can also stick to one block and avoid any crowd. As far as finding a place to eat, there are small parks there as well as the original St Patrick's which has benches located in front of its stone fencesAs for the suburban festival, get what you want tp eat and head back to your car.There have utensils, along with wet naps and bottles of water. Some areas like The Deutch Club in Clark, New Jersey have a field that can be used for picnics during their Steuben Day festival.Many churches have this as well. Take advantage of it.

What do you eat at these festivals? The food is safe Many workers have to wear plastic gloves to handle food so you don't have to worry about catching anything.You can get a slice of pizza or a kabob without any worries. These are usually made fresh and haven't been handled a lot. The same applies to other festival foods. Workers are also required to wear masks and gloves so cooking and serving are safe. Some items come wrapped already like candy apples and  cotton candy. Italian feasts like the St. Joseph's in Lodi, New Jersey have a stand where bags of salted and dried chichi (chickpeas) and sugared hazelsnuts are sold. No one has touched them or breathed on them. This is the way to go as far as take home treats.Sodas and beers are also OK. Just ask for a straw for the sodas (Or you could bring your own drinks if you still have qualms)

It's festival season after a long two year drought of not having them. Enjoy the sights and sounds of them/ Relish the different flavors and tastes of festivals.

Honoring All Food Laborers

 It takes a lot of labor to put a meal om  the table .There's a whole chain from the farm workers to the cashiers who check out the groceries.Then there are the restaurant worlers and delivery drivers whohave been working hard since the pandemic started.

On this Labor Day thank those who make our eating possible. Write a nice note to your grocery's manager telling him or her about  the cashier who went the extra mile to help. Tip extra generously at your favorite restaurants. Your server will appreciate the extra money.  Help in raising awareness to farmworkers  on social media; Your voice will be heard. Home chefs also need to be appreciated too They're the ones who go out get the food, prep it and then cook. Then there's washing up and other little extras like making snacks or baking treats like cakes cookies and cupcakes.

Labor Day celebrates evey worker but the most important ones feed and nourish us. Remember them today and the rest of the year. They deserve respect and applause.

A Late Summer Feast

 Rhis is when the barbecue and picnic season is winding down. Yet you can still take advantage of the late summer harvests and a chance to create great dishes with fresh produce,

Tomatoes are still in abundance right now. Of course they're perfect in a sandwich with a lot of mayo but there are other dishes you can make too.Try a salsa cruda a tomato sauce where the pasta itself cooks the sauce. This is just when you can dice the tomatoes and let them along with onions and peppers marinate in an olive oil bath. Minced garlic is a must as is oregano. you can add a teaspoon of red wine vinegar for some bite. Another interesting idea is tomato jam. This is made similar to gently simmered jams and involves Roma tomatoes, ginger and brown sugar?Cumin, paprika and pepper flakes give it bite. Try it on a grilled steak or spoon it on slices of toasted Italian bread. Top with grated Parmesan or shredded mozzarella. Corn is another late summer crop that's in abundance right now. Try it as elote , Mexican street corn. This is grill roasted corn slathered with a mix of sour cream or Mexican crema, ,cotija or feta cheese and a variety of such spices as ancho chili powder and garlic. more cheese is sprinkled over them.

Root veggies are making their debut right now too. Late summer yields up beets, turnips and carrot. Beets are great, roasted or boiled . Most home chefs prefer roasting them because the process brings out the veggie's full flavor. Have them in a simple salad dressed with an easy vinaigrette. You could also add onions and some feta cheese to compliment the beets' sweetness. Turnips also make their debut right about now. You can make them mashed. The recipe is similar to mashed potatoes , save with the addition of a teaspoon of sugar. This would make a great side with store bought rotisserie or oven grilled chicken. These can also be grilled too. Just the turnips into cube , slide them onto skewers and brush with olive oil along with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. You can also infuse the oil with dill and lemon for a more flavorful kebab. Another root vegetable ripening in September is the carrot. Yes, you can serve them raw with tasty dips but try roasting them with olive oil, salt and pepper. This is a great side with any kind of poultry.

Late summer means taking advantage of the harvests right now. Turn them into a feast of flavors and colors. Make a great feast of all this produce right now.

Jam Time

 A favorite fall activity is making preserves and jellies. It's a great way to use up late summer and early fall harvests. not only that but you can start the day with homemade goodness on a croissant or toast.

Yewande Komolafe,a food stylist and author wrote an interesting article about preserves in Wednesday's New York Times Food section.Canning is a pretty straightforward cooking procedure. All you need is fruit, sugar acid and pectin. The last is found in such thick skinned fruits as stone fruits like plums,  and other fruits such as guavas, pears , apples and citrus..These will thicken naturally when simmered. For thinner skinned fruits store bought pectin needs to be added. Get the storebought powdered kind.There does have to be prepping. Cut out any bruised spots.Ms. Komolafe also recommends adding aromatics and even herbs to enhance and bring out the fruits' flavors, She pairs ginger with plums for a sweet and heat flavor. She also spikes a fig jam with rosemary.

There are three methods to making jams and jellies. The easiest is the no cook way or refrigerator which has crushed raw fruit mixed with sugar and pectin, The jars are then placed into the fridge. The next step is the gentle simmer. This is involves cooking for twenty five minutes going from boiling to simmering..It creates a more spreadable jam, perfect for brioches and croissants. The last method is more involved and traditional. This is cooking the fruit to extract the juice and pectin. The solids are then strained away. Ms. Komolafe recommends using apples for this method.It should be a balance of tart and sweet. Think marmalades which are given a bite thanks to the rind.This will take about thirty five to forty minutes  along with eigh cups of water. The mash is then strained through cheesecloth and reboiled. The end result is ladled into sterilized jars and chilled.

Use those summer harvest to create tasty jellies and jams. They're perfect for breakfast on a croissant or buttered toast. Use yhem for glazes for roasts. They are a fun make, full of possibilities.

Helping After Ida

 Hurricane Ida left most of the US in unsurpassed misery.Some areas got hit worse than others. These are people with flooded kitchens , no houses or no means of transportation. IT;s time to step up.

If you have family or friends in affected areas, then start making up care packages. Keep in mind that they may not have power to reheat your dishes. You may want to bring over casseroles when they've a few minutes out of the oven or better yet, invite family and friends over for dinner.They'll appreciate a hot meal as well as concern and a chance to vent their feelings. If you want to bring prepared food over think heroes loaded with all sorts of meats and veggies. It's like a big meal unto itself. Another idea is bring all the fixings for a barbecue. They can have a hot lunch or dinner with  grilled steaks or chicken. Hamburgers are also a good bring as are hot dogs. Make some chilled salads like macaroni or three bean. Add a touch of lightness with a fruit salad or some kind of chilled pie.

Another way to help your community is donating time to shelters who are housing many families right now. Donate what you can like cans of veggies and beans. Ask your local restaurants to donate food too. They can create large quantities of lasagna or chicken and mashed potatoes .They  can also provide rolls and salads too. Groups can also donate much needed water and baby formula. Remember to also donate pet food because many have brought their animal companions with them too. Also donate cat litter  along with people essentials like deodorants, toothpaste and diapers. Bring bags of apples and oranges for kids to snack on. If you feel like creating a big bake with cookies or cupcakes do so. You can also buy large trays of these to the shelter

Many have been affected by Hurricane Ida. We have to do what we can to help those who were affected. It could be making a meal or donating food. Nourish them  not just with dinner or lunch but with care and love.

An Austen Favorite Tackles LA

 Los Angeles has a variety of food trucks yet there will be one that stand out >It's run by the Vasquez sisters of Austen>Thanks to them Angelenos will taste real Mexican food and not the TEx Mex stuff that's out there

Regular contributor Priya Krishna wrote about them in today's New York Times Food section, Maritza and Reyna have had tremendous success with their restaurant Veracruz.I All Natural. lt is popular because it sells true regional Mexican food like street corn loaded with queso fresca and refreshing raspado, a refreshing shaved ice dish created from spices pureed fruit and milk. The Vazquez sisters also make pork torta, a fiery pulled pork sandwich. Their breakfast taco or miga is a stand our, much beloved by Austen residentsThe recipes have an extensive following. from  local food magazine editor Nadia CHaudery to Rachel Ray. Veracruz has even made it into the South by SOuthwest Festival.

The sisters came to Texas twenty-two years ago with their mother and Maritza's former husband and stepdaughter. They worked at a taqueria and was displeased with the food they made there. It was all Tex=Mex loaded with queso>They were successful in showing the locals good regional food from south of the border. Their LA one called Hot Tacos will sell tacos, taco bowls and quesadillas, It will be reasonably priced  with a steak bowl going for eleven dollars.They also have celebrated other Mexican immigrants  by supporting them when they've opened up their own eateries.

There are food trucks and there are food trucks that stand out. Hot Tacos will be like Veracruz All Natural will stand out. It will introduce good Mexican home cooking to a whole new fan base longing for the real taste of Mexico