Good Fourth of July Recipes

 What makes a good holiday? Its' recipes. For the Fourth of July,  its' ones that reflect the American culinary landscape that's ever changing. It's combining them with the produce of the season to create tasty summer dishes.

Regular contributor  and senior editor Genevieve Ko  gave an excellent array of good recipes in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section.what is great about this is that it reflects the rich multi ethnicity of this country. You could easily start with the Puerto Rican churrasco. This one from Von Diaz requires skirt steaks first marinated in a mix of garlic clove, oregano, white vinegar and olive oil.Adobo seasoning is added to this for more flavor. The meat can settle in this from ten minutes to overnight.  The marinade is then shaken off right before grilling fro two to three minutes.  Since it is a thicker cut it will need to be flipped a few times for even cooking.The sauce also called wasakaka is a mix of fresh parsley, cilantro and oregano leaves ground into a thin paste. Adobo seasoning and garlic is also added to this .You can use a mortar and pestle or a food processor for this. what can go with this ? A double tomato salad (which I will be making tomorrow) is the perfect foil. It's a cool mix of fresh and sun dried toamatoes. Since' it's a barbecue side there is pasta added., preferably long and twirly ones. Torn mint, basil or arugula  are also added along with  raw pine nuts, hazelnuts walnuts or almonds for crunch.

What would be the best Fourth of July dessert? Ms Ko recommends Kim Severson's decade old peach cobbler recipe. Years ago Ms. Severson , another Food section contributor took well regarded cookbook author, Edna Lewis.s one . The crust has two(!) sticks of butter in it mixed with three cups of sifted all purpose flour. There is still lard or vegetable shortening added but only a tablespoon. It should be frozen first and then cut into small pieces.There's also sugar added too. The filling has eight cups of peaches mixed with, four tablespoons of it along with freshly grated nutmeg, sugar and salt.  This is placed between the rolled out dough, cut into discs.  Four tablespoons of butter is cur up and placed on the filling before the top is slid on.Seal the edges to create a crust and slice in a few slits to let the steam out. Bake for fifteen minutes at 425 degrees Farenheit. You could gild the lily by serving it with . whipped cream or vanilla ice cream .It's still good on it's own.

The Fourth of July should reflect all of the US. Start with the Puerto Rican churrasco and Italian influenced tomato salad. Finish with the all American peach cobbler for a true American holiday.

Taiwanese Chicken Reimagined

 One of the best street foods to come out of Taiwan is their yan su ji, popcorn chicken spiced and deep fried. Thanks to Taiwanese immigrants and their kids , the dish is being reimagined and introduced to American audiences. It's a tasty take on fried chicken , full of crunch and flavor.

Winner of the James Beard food writing award and author of The Food Of Taiwan, Recipes from A Beautiful Island,(Houghton Mifflin Publishing 2015) Cathy Erway wrote about it in today's New York Times Food section.The chicken dish is  in demand as it completes with American  and Korean fried chicken chains, the last being  popular on colleges campuses. Yan su ji also rivals the Indian fried chicken sandwich  which has it's own fan base, especially in New York City. There is also an interest in Taiwanese cooking right now with Americans curious about the island's flavors and cooking techniques. Many Taiwanese American chefs are putting their own spin on it. The chicken is being tucked into sandwiches and steamed buns, .It's served atop white bread smothered in pickles or drenched in different American regional sauces, reflecting the chefs' upbringing.David Kuo of Little Fatty's in Los Angeles has changed it up completely. He used cut quail pieces , topped with fried basil and served with a spicy mayo. There are bones for crunching on too.

Most chefs, though stick with their family's recipe. Alvin Sun of Atlanta Georgia's Java Saga uses his mother and kitchen collaborator Amy Lee's one  It is  also well guarded and a secret. Surprisingly it's not one handed down for generations. The idea began in the 1970's at  night markets around the time TKK Taiwanese Chicken was created. It was based on American chicken joints  and offered those pieces alon g with deep fried cutlets called da ji pai which is also gaining in popularity here.Families, especially kids picked up on it. Some chefs are updating it as is Erik Bruner-Yang  who is half Taiwanese He adds fish sauce and serves it on toast points, an homage to the restaurant ]s former neighbor the seafood place  Horace and Dickie's, Katie Liu Sung makes not only popcorn chicken but the Taiwanese fried style on a bun with pickles at her place Chewology in Kansas City Missouri She learned the frying technique from working at the Texas chain Church's which was also in Taiwan. Both recipes benefit from it. Ms. Erway also includes her recipe for it, You will have to buy tapioca flour for it to give the pieces that classic crunch along with Chinese five spice powder.

Yan su ji is gaining in popularity and with good reason.It's a tasty, addictive bite full of flavor and crunch. It's good homemade or from a restaurant.

Planning The Holiday

 July Fourth is less than a week away and it's time to start planning your party. Do you want a full out barbecue or something more subtle? Think and plan about what you should buy .

Most people will go for hot dogs and hamburgers. This is classic and the easiest barbecue fare. You can change it up a bit by creating your own hamburgers. This is a simple mix of chopped beef and onions. This gives the patties a McDonald's vibe. You could add a drop of Worcester sauce for a more unami flavor. Keep in mind that these homemade burgers can be as thick or thin as you want. Vegan is another way to go. Beyond Burgers offers a tasty variation to the real thing. These are great grilled and guests can  have fun piling all sorts of fixings on them. Plant based hot dogs like the ones Field offers are another fun addition. These taste even better than the real thing. They're just good with a splash of barbecue sauce on a toasted bun. If you're going the traditional July 4th route remember to have both potato and macaroni salads. An easy potato salad can be made with canned potatoes , mayo and chopped celery. Add capers for taste and saltiness.Macaroni salads can be made with either mayo or a vinaigrette dressing. The last isn't as intense or as gloppy as the first. Use a  simple olive oil and red wine vinegar mix to let the pasta and veggies shine through. Finish the meal with slices of icy cold watermelon or s'mores.

You could  also have a more sublime celebration. Think a summer picnic in the backyard. A cold roasted chicken is always a nice touch , especially if it's served with a simple salad. This last could be a mixed greens and cherry tomatoes or sliced beefsteaks and red onions. Extras can be a sliced baguette to make a sandwich with the chicken along with a bowl of green and black olives. A simple ice box cake would be the perfect dessert. Think a pound cake layered with blackberries and whipped cream served with iced coffee. Grilled London Broil is another idea that would work well.It cooks up well on the grill and is even good cold. The perfect side is tomato salad, with different kind of tomatoes dressed in a spicy oil and vinegar mix.  You could also serve a green bean salad with this along with a chickpea one. These two can also be blended together  for a tasty new combo.As for dessert think a chocolate wafer log. This is taking Nabisco's classic wafers and mortaring them with Cool Whip or if you're ambitious homemade whipped cream. Decorate with shaved dark chocolate.

It's your party . Decide what you want. It could be an exuberant celebration or a sublime gathering. Just make it tasty and fun.

Sweet Summer Treats

 What's a good way t  end a summer meal or  offer relief a hot day? Try a summer treat.It could be homemade ice cream or an ice box cake. These help when those days get sweltering and sticky.

Homemade ice cream is actually a simple male. You don't even need an ice cream maker. One that's been on my radar is Melissa Clark's vegan peanut butter. It's cooking creamy peanut butter with simmered maple syrup and unsweetened oat milk creamer. The last is what gives it body and that plush creamy mouth feel. Ms. Clark adds vanilla and sea salt too. I'm leaning towards adding a handful of dark chocolate chips too for Reese's Peanut Butter cup vibe. It's then pureed with an immersion blender and then put into a pan Freeze for four  to six hours before serving. I can see making a sundae with this,  chocolate syrup and vegan whipped cream. If you're still going the vegan route, then try the ice cream made with just frozen bananas. This is a ridiculously simple recipe that just uses four or five of the fruit. The slices are frozen overnight and then whiled in a blender. The result is a creamy treat that can be jazzed up with chocolate sauce,and sprinkles.Another cook treat is an old fashioned egg cream.This is a blend of any kind of milk with chocolate syrup. Seltzer is added for fizz and froth. Serve this in a tall glass with a straw.It's just a refreshing treat on a hot day.

People still love cake during these blazing months and one of the best is the icebox cake. Everyone grew up on the Nabisco chocolate wafer one that has the wafers mortared together with either freshly whipped cream or Cool Whip. There are some variations on this with home chefs adding mint flavoring to the cream or sprinkling the log with shaved chocolate. Slices can be served with sliced strawberries for a fancier look. You could also create a strawberry one that has the berries layered with graham crackers and a mix of whipped cream, powdered sugar and cream cheese. Sub in chocolate graham crackers for a slightly more decadent treat. You could also layer the chocolate graham crackers with ganache and whipped cream. Sub in marshmallow for the cream and you have a s'mores cake (remember to lightly toast it with a small blow torch).Frozen pound cake makes another excellent base for this type of treat. It can be sliced lengthwise into layers and stuffed with summer fruit like blueberries,blackberries or peaches.Whipped cream is also added.

There's nothing like a sweet treat to perk you up during a heat wave. It could be homemade ice cream, an egg cream or an icebox cake. They're all perfect for a blistering summer day.

A Summer Dinner Al Fresco

 With everything happening it's just nice to have a quiet dinner home. Nothing can be better than having it outdoors in the backyard.It can be a simple put together of a few ingredients or a bit more elaborate. it's a chance to enjoy fresh air and good food.

Think fresh since it's summer. A simple meal could be burrata and sliced Roma tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar(you can sub in red wine vinegar if the other is too strong) Add fresh basil leaves and serve with a good red wine. Burrata can be had at any Italian deli or you can make it yourself.It's simply cream cooked with mozzarella curds and then put into a cooked and salted mozzarella skin. It's pricked with a fork when served and all that creamy goodness comes out to mingle with the oil and vinegar.  You could also create a simple charcuterie platter ,perfect for a warm evening. Have everyone's favorites like Genoa salami and ham along with mortadella and prosciutto. If it's just two people have a small  baguette. If it's a family or friends over then have a bigger loaf along with two or three different kinds of crackers. Add Brie or any other favorite cheese like Gruyere for a couple or more for a group. Include grapes, plums and pistachios to round it out.

If you're ambitious cook but make it simple.Pasta can be wonderful eaten out of doors. Think a quick sauce such as burst tomatoes.It s smashing cherry or grape tomatoes in a saute of butter oil and garlic. The tomatoes' juice mix with the oil and blend into this wonderful sweet and fresh taste. Serve it over any kind of pasta. You can even buy pre-cooked pasta and eliminate the need for boiling it. Another easy summery sauce is salsa cruda or raw sauce.Combine sliced cherry tomatoes with red onions and chiffonaded (cut into thin strips) basil. This is made about half an hour before the pasta is boiled and left to sit on the counter. It's the heat from the cooked pasta that cooks it. Serve this with large slices of Italian bread to mop up the sauce. Of course you can fire up the grill. Leave the burgers and dogs for the family barbecue. Think about grilling marinated chicken breasts or steak. Both can benefit from a lemon olive oil marinade. Add some veggies to grill with this for a lovely meal outdoors. You could also use the grill for cooking salon too, for a lighter supper.Create packet meals where you place the meats and vegetables in a foil packet to be cooked on the barbecue grate. Have iced white wine  with this.

Happiness is a meal eaten al fresco. Make it as simple or as elaborate as you want. Enjoy the evening breezes and setting sun with great food and drink.

Food For Thought

 This blog has never really been political. It has criticized certain practices regarding how Americans eat and what they're being fed. That was it. Yet there's a need to speak out. Our country is regressing - and who knows what happens next.

I don't think the powers that be really thought about the future repercussions of overturning Roe v Wade. They might think it's a good thing saving all those lives - and in theory it is. Yet how are their mothers going to support then? Feeding them costs a fortune and the child starves if the money isn't there. There is the SNAP program which will ensure that kids can have nutritional meals.Let's hope their mothers qualify for them though. Teen age moms have very little hope of getting a good job along with an education that leads to a promising career. They won't and can't fulfill their dreams of that while taking care of a child. The pro lifers say these moms can always give up a child and have it placed in a better home. It will work for a few years when there is a need for them however a few years down the road adoptive parents will be choosy. In most cases they'll want a fair haired light skinned little one, one that doesn't have any physical or mental problems.  We will see orphanages spring up again if this overturning isn't challenged. These kids will have to be clothed and fed - and not just the gruel of that famous fictional orphan Oliver Twist.

If food has any place here it's in those pot luck fund raisers that Democrats need to hold. We need to create a large blue wave in the midterm elections. We need to get rid of the Republicans and their antiquated ideas about not just women but the Second Amendment. What we need to do is mobilize. Get the word out there, whether on social media or by foot. America needs to be a modern, progressive country , not one caught in a Sharia Christian type of law. if it requires protests, whether calm or violent to get our message across. No we , won;t resort to gum violence - that's for the other side - but there will be marches executed and op eds written. We will need fuel, that's true. That's where all those casseroles come in along with thermos of coffee and tea to revitalize us. Our strongest need is to turn this country back to what it was  with equal rights for all.We need to make this country safe for our kids and our women.

This is just the beginning of the fight. We need to challenge the Supreme Court. We need to impeach those justices who lied under oath. We need to restore this country to what it was.It is starving for equality. We need to feed that.

A Quick Masterclass In Cooking

 ANyone can be a good home chef. It just takes practice and recipes that hone and expand skills. Luckily there's np need t watch You Tube videos or get books. There's an easier way.
 

It come from senior staff editor and regular contributor Nikita Richardson who wrote the guide for yesterday's New York Times Food section. This is a must keep, especially for those who feel they need some help.I love the recipes.Some are basic like the French toast recipe (made with out the usual dash of cinnamon and vanilla) and the cheesy scrambled eggs.This is a flavorful scrambled eggs made with butter for body and flavor and shredded cheese like Montery Jack or Cheddar mixed in.It's served on plain toast, but it would be great on it's own , scooped up with a croissant or brioche.This could also make a great lunch with another of Ms. Richardson's recipes- roasted mixed vegetables. These are a wide mix of everything from cherry tomatoes  to broccoli florets to mushrooms. They're roasted with olive oil and fresh or dried thyme. There is a garlicky Greek yogurt sauce you can serve with them. If you're using thicker veggies like cauliflower and sweet potatoes  cur into three and half inch chunks and add an extra tablespoon of oil and a bit more salt for flavoring.

The other dishes are out of the ordinary and perfect for dinner and dinner parties. Try Ms Richardson's chicken with potatoes and oregano. This is roasting lemon and chicken thighs together on a sheet pan. Yukon Gold potatoes are also added  along with a good sprinkling of oregano. The juice is squeezed over the meat and potatoes. Once cooked it can be served with  more lemon wedges along with more salt and oregano. For a really fun dinner. This is a simple cheese one that can be filled with  Mexican cheese, cheddar or Montery Jack Serve it with the guacamole recipe. Again this is an easy make, made fiery with the addition of white onions and jalapenos. On the tamer side there is broiled salmon with mustard and lemon. Again this is a sheet pan meal of broiled salmon seasoned with  sea salt and pepper, then brushed with oil and mustard .It's served with a squeeze of lemon juice. vegetarians will love Ms Richardson's Vegetable Tofu Curry.This is a sauce pan meal The tofu, green beans and peas are cooked in coconut cream and seasoned with curry powder.Serve it over basmati rice.

This guide has the perfect recipes for easy but delicious dishes. You can try your hand at breakfast ones or ones for a hot lunch or dinner. They're all good for honing cooking skills.

Cheese Fest

 Who doesn't like or even love cheese? It's a food that's fun to share or to be savored on one's one, perhaps with a good hunk of artisinal bread and a glass of wine. Now there are even contests centering on it.Cheese nerds can rejoice over this.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin wrote about this great even in today's New York Times Food section. It was the 2022 Cheesemonger International held in Brooklyn where many artisinal cheeses and cheese shops are these days.The event began back in 1999 when a powerful cheese cartel collapsed. Cheese maker Adam Moskowicz created this festival/competition.. His family's  background is in food, with his grandfather selling butter and eggs at Washington Market and his father owned a wholesale produce market in Manhattan;s meatpacking district along with starting Larkin Cold Storage. Although he and his father have had a difficult relationship, Mr Moscowicz chose food  after a varied career of rapper and actor. He is also a recovering addict whose rehab coincided with the competition. Cheese saved him, He started as a cheesemonger at Formaggio Essex on the Lower East Side and joined his father's business in 2007.  He discovered a passion in the nascent farmstead cheese movement in Switzerland.

Now he 's in charge of the Coachella of cheese contests.It started in 2010 when he staged the first invitational as a kind of after party for the Fancy Food Show, This is where global cheese manufacturers descend on Manhattan. That was debauched according to Mr. Moskowicz who barely remembers any of it. The recent gathering was open to anyone . Any working cheese maker could join; the only requirement for the competitors is that they show up three days beforehand, This time is packed with demonstrations, tastings and lectures, Most of the competitors value this and the camaraderie more so than the actual competition. There are different competitions. In the salesman one judges pose as customers and ask all sorts of questions , Then there is the blind tasting one where cheese mongers compete to identify cheeses from around the world. They have to sort through five primary characteristics such as  milk type, milk treatment, style, country of origin and name. There' sort of like wine tasting but without the classist attitude.

This is the perfect contest for cheese lovers. It shows all the different kinds in the world and appeals to all sorts. Cheese isn't just for the elite. It's for everyone.

My Garden My Harvest

 It's more than exciting to have garden to table ingredients. There's something about heading out to the yard and picking the freshest veggies or herbs.  They elevate any recipe, bringing a bright freshness to the dish.

This is why I went crazy with buying veggies and herbs this past weekend. I have an old fashioned garden center located on the Paterson - Hawthorne  New Jersey border It  has everything from lovely hibiscus and roses to a cornucopia of veggies and herbs.

This wild looking creature is a tomato plant. I can't wait for it to fruit  and yield  yellow pear tomatoes.They looked like fun to grow and they were' different than the traditional red one. The taste will be tomato with a slight citrus-y tang. Definitely perfect for salads.

Every Northern Italian grows squash. The Piedmontese are known for their delicately battered and fried squash flowers. Yet there's also the plus of actual squash. It makes a great side, cut up in slices or coins and sauteed in a mix if garlic, butter and olive oil.

This regal gem is rosemary. It'll be great topping  focaccio bread along with being added to homemade tomato sauces.Rosemary adds a zingy earthy flavor to anything and it can also be sprinkled on pizza to enliven it and also added to viniagrette dressings for more flavor.

I love lavender., this pretty jewel pictured here. There's always a lavender soap or shampoo in my bath and my body mists have a lavender blend fragrance. Yes, you can use it for baking too. I may try my hand at making lavender shortbread fro a different kind of summer cookie. It can also be used to make tea with the buds being placed in a tea strainer. It's then put into hot water.

This kingly giant is mint. Mint is great for adding to tea.It can calm an upset stomach and soothe frazzled nerves. It's also perfect in savory recipes. It can be added to summer salads for a refreshing change or hot dishes like peas to give them some oomph. I 'm going to give pea mint dip a try for my summer barbecue. It'll go well with homemade pita chips.

This marigold is just wayyyyy too pretty to ignore. I love them in my garden. The ancient Romans used them instead of saffron to flavor dishes. I just think they're beautiful.

The garden will be bursting this summer. There's so much to try and use in yummy dishes, There will be a fresh flavor to all those classic recipes.

A Bit Of Juneteenth Year Round

 Juneteenth is still being celebrated and rightly so. Yet the foods and the strong African influence on American cooking and baking should also be celebrated. Juneteenth recipes can be made all year round as reminders of sacrifices and freedoms won.

One of the most popular and already widely made is fried chicken. Frying itself came from West Africa where all sorts of foods, especially fritters were cooking in deep pots of oil. However the Scots brought the recipe with them, preferring to batter and fry the pieces in butter or oil instead of just boiling them. Enslaved Africans, belonging to Scottish slave holders elevated the recipe with their addition of spicing and cooking techniques. Today you can easily make fried chicken in an air fryer, eliminating the need for hot fat.Keep in mind that a traditional egg based batter won't work in it. Dipping the chicken pieces in batter than a good coating of bread crumbs works better. The perfect dish with this is collard greens,. They can be made with the original recipe of  chicken broth ,turkey necks and ham hicks. Apple cider vinegar is added to them for some zing along with hot pepper flakes. You can make them vegan, starting with the broth. Use a vegetable stock and enhance it with garlic and onions. A dash of smoked applewood salt give it that smoky bacon flavor. You can sub in or mix in kale and spinach for more nutrients.

Shrimp and grits are another Juneteenth dish worth having throughout the year. This Gullah Low Country classic has grits cooked in chicken broth along with milk and butter. Salt and pepper are added in too. The shrimp along with onions are cooked in bacon drippings until done. The crumbled bacon is added to the seafood and onions and then spooned over the grits. You could also make fried okra A gain use the air fryer for this. It;'s breading okra pieces and then air frying them until crisp and browned. These can even be turned into an appetizer with the addition of dipping sauces. The holiday also has its' share of sweets. There is strawberry soda which is delicious when it's homemade. Chop strawberries and then cook in a skillet with water and granulated sugar. Cook until the berries are mush and start to mash them. Keep simmering for a few more minutes. It's then straining them through a strainer. Mix the syrup with the seltzer and serve over ice. Another Junettenth dessert is red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Again it';s an easy recipe to replicate. You can make it as a cake or as cupcakes, frosted and then sprinkled with red sugar or sprinkles.

Juneteenth and its' dishes can be honored all year round . The dishes can be savory or sweet. They represent the glory and joy that is freedom.

A Culinary Road Trip For Dad

 father's Day is usually about grilling dogs and burgers on the grill. There's the occasional steak but that's it.It's time to liven up dad's special day  with some international recipes.

Red meat is always important to the man of the house. You could go the way of the English and serve him Yorkshire pudding  with roast beef. It's a simple make because the pudding is nothing more than a savory popover. It's a mix of egg flour , milk and water. You can add the roast dripping along with a pinch of English powder mustard if you want. Finish with  chocolate stout cupcakes with a Guinness  infused buttercream frosting. Of course homemade sausage rolls, sausages encased in a flaky puff pastry crust and doused with HP sauce is another British treat dad would love, especially on a lazy Sunday afternoon. A picnic French style is always a fun way to reconnect with dads. Pack not just the soccer ball and bubble wands but  some good flaky croissants  that can be slathered with Brie or layered with slices of Gruyere and ham. A charcuterie style one is a great way for fathers to sample a variety of cold cuts, cheeses and different breads. Bring along a baguette too for quick sandwiches. Include grapes and wine  - if your local parks allow it.Dessert could be a box of macarons in all sorts of tasty flavors. You could also do a German style with wursts, hard rolls and mustard. Make sure you pack homemade potato salad too.

What father doesn't love Italian food? You could easily treat dad to a sausage straight from the grill and pepper sandwich. The peppers can also be grilled for added smoky flavor and you could add some grilled onions for more taste. A meatball sub  brimming with homemade meat balls and sauce is a fun late lunch.Another idea, and in keeping with the season is pasta con vongole, or with clams.  This is spaghetti made with a very easy sauce of manila clams,garlic, olive oil and red pepper flakes.Chopped parsley is sprinkled on top for coloring.What could finish this? Affogato or drowned ice cream. This is a yummy treat of vanilla or chocolate  ice cream drowned in a shot of very hot espresso. Place the ice cream in a glass or metal dish or bowl that's been chilled. This will cool down the coffee somewhat.  Add a splash of amaretto if you want. even better, crown it with some whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate on top.A culinary turn  East and dad could have homemade customized sushi,it is a bit more labor intensive , especially when making the rice. This can be made in an Instapot with Japanese short rice being mixed with salt sugar and rice vinegar. You will also have to have the dried seaweed or nori to wrap it in. Most grocery stores do carry it.. You can fill the rolls with dad's favorite from shrimp to crab for a tasty lunch. Have sake to drink for an authentic lunch or dinner.

Treat the man in your life to culinary trip for Father's Day, it could be an English country lunch, or French or German  picnic. He could feast on Italian Japanese or any international dish for his special day.

Stretching Those Meals

 Prices are rising and it's getting difficult to put decent meals on the table. What to do? Stretch those meals to last two even three days.

I found this out when I had a lot of pasta and a little sauce left. I decided to add one of my favorite ingredients and a low cost one too -spinach. 

it just takes a few leaves (about two cups added to Stop & Shop's chunky tomato basil sauce. I already added chopped portabellos for more heft and protein. This enabled me to stretch this for two days. The spinach definitely added to the sauce , giving it a nice fresh taste.It livened up the flavor, cutting the heavy tomato taste. Keep in mind you can add almost anything to a sauce. Grill eggplant and add it or toss in a few cut cherry tomatoes to add some sweetness.

The same is true of any ingredient. Leftover chicken and steak can easily be cut up and put into any salad. Add vegetables which are still relatively inexpensive right now.Homemade croutons. easily made with leftover bread and your sir fryer can round out the salad. They'll add crunch and flavor especially if you coat them with a mix of garlic and onion powders. Ham can easily be stretched into deviled ham by putting it in the food processor with a teaspoon of mayo.This creates a creamy spread perfect for sandwiches along with being perfect for a dip. You can do this for shrimp too, turning it into a paste for sandwiches and hors'd ouevres. All that shredded cheese you used for tacos one night can make for a nice cheese frittata the day after. This gives the egg dish more flavor and heft. You could also drizzle in some leftover salsa to create huevos rancheros.Leftover veggies can be used in a minestrone soup for a tasty and healthy light meal.Grilled veggies can be chilled and added to salads too.

Stretching those meals are a great money saver. Home chefs need to do this during these financially rough times. Leftovers repurposed means a few pennies saved .

A Creamery Revitalized

 It is a rarity to get cultured butter in the US,even rarer from a small privately owned creamery. Yet there is one where both home and professional chefs can find it. best of all it will be around for a long time.

Creator of the popular new York Times Food section column " A Good Appetite,"Melissa Clark wrote about Animal Farm Creamery in yesterday's section.The dairy farm has recently undergone new ownership since original owner Diane St Clair, sold it back in February. She herded her group of well loved cows into a trailer and drove them from their first location in Orwell, Vermont to the Rolling Bale Farm in Shoreham Vermont located on the southernmost shores of Lake Champlain. Ms. St Clair had made a name for herself, supplying cultured butter to such restaurants as French Laundry and Per Se. it costs a whopping $60 a pound!!! Despite the butter being the most sought after in the country Ms. St. Clair was ready for retirement. At sixty-five she wanted something different, hence the reason for starting her own perfume company St. Clair Scents/ Yet her beloved bovines were still very  important to her.  These were the cows that create that fantastic butter with names like Diva and Cinnamon. Enter Ben and Hillary Haigh who enthusiastically bought the business, with the promise of tendler loving care for the animals.

Will the Haighs continue the cultured butter? Yes.It's rare to get it here in the States.Culturing is standard in Europe where it produces premium butter.It's the process of adding bacterial cultures to cream and then left to ferment. The process is not unlike grapes fermenting into wine. Culturing gives the final product a fluffier texture and a tangier flavor It's usually salted.  (Keep in mind you can make it at home too).It was a standard in US homes until the arrival of pasteurized butter where there was widespread industrialization. That butter, the ones used every day, are pale in color and blandly sweet in taste.Ms. St Clair wanted to make a change in the industry, creating small batches that were sent to chefs like Thomas Keller , owner of French Laundry,  He fell in love with it and ordered as much as he could. It was then she bought the small dairy, bought a few more cows and produced one hundred (!) pounds of butter a week. There was also byproduct of buttermilk too.As a plus to the piece, Ms Clark includes recipe for a Green Goddess salad with a fresh buttermilk dressing and almond butter cookies with a buttery sweet glaze.

Rolling Bales Farms will continue the tradition of making cultured butter. It is a treat to have, even better to add to all sorts of recipes.As long as their are dedicated dairy farmers , there will be this creamy bar  of goodness.

Korean Masterclass In Cooking

 Home cooking in any nationality is usually the best, The recipes have been handed down, modified and improvised for generations. Some have influences from other cultures. Some rely on ingredients used for centuries . This is true of Korean cooking fast becoming a strong thread in the American culinary fabric.

Regular contributor and popular cookbook author, Eric Kim, wrote about his heritage in today's New York Times Food section. He remembers his mother's cooking in their Atlanta , Georgia kitchen and how it influences him to this day.He also feels like he has finally embraced Korean cooking now more than ever. a constant process of self discovery.it not only connects him to South Korea but to his own identity. Keep in mind that the cuisine is much more than barbecue, bulgoki and kimchi , all all three are a big part of it. Mr. Kim does give his recipe for Korean barbecue using samgyeopsal or three layer meat. This is pork belly's fat cap and the two leaners layers of meat below it. It's basically crisp slivers of pork wrapped in various lettuce leaves and dabbed with doangjang honey which is soy bean paste mixed with honey and slivers of garlic. It' s served with the tangy scallion salad, Pa Muchim. This last can also be served with rotisserie chicken and pan fried pork chops too, to alliviate the greasiness. For a homier meal, think Mr. Kim;s Doenjang Jiggae, a rich stew bursting with unami. Anchovies are cooked with red onions, zucchini and Korean radishes, plump, sweeter tasting ones than their American cousins. Shiitake mushrooms and dried kelp are also put in, for both a mellow and briny flavor.A thin boneless rib eye steak is added in the end to give the mix more heartiness.

Miyeok guk is both a soup with flavor and meaning.It's called the birthday soup because it;s not only eaten on a person's birthday but also to recall the sacrifices their mother made for them.Traditionally it's mussels cooked in a beef broth but Mr Kim subs in anchovies, garlic and mushrooms for it. Koreans and non Koreans alike love fried rice. His recipe has it on a sheet pan , with a covering of kim chi. You can use freshly boiled rice for this because baking them on a sheet pan ensures every grain will be crunchy. Eggs are cracked over them and it's a nice mix of silky baked yolk over the mix if crunchy and tart. The American presence over seventy years ago is still seen today , especially in the recipe in budae jjigae , translated into "army base stew". It may have hot dogs, Italian sausage ,kielbasa and that classic US Army staple Spam  in it but it is fired up by kim chi and gochu garu,Korean chili powder and gochujuan, fermented chili paste. Ramen is also added for more heft and its' topped with American cheese which melts nicely into the whole dish.

These recipes are from a master class in Korean cooking. They're traditional , passed down for decades. They are perfect in any kitchen with their strong blend of flavors and textures.

Home Alone The Kitchen Version

Here's that age old problem that happens with every summer vacation - what do you feed the kids? Do you let them cook? Leave sandwiches? Or give them money for take out? The best solution? Teach them how to cook.

First of all ask yourself is my little one ready to cook, especially alone in the house? Most parents have no qualms about letting their twelve and thirteen year olds know how to cook. The younger set , those below the age of  eleven and ten are usually at some kind of camp, summer school or relatives house where meals are no problem. The older tweens want to be home on their own, possibly with friends or just hanging out in a quiet house. What you can do is let them make their own decisions when it comes to what they want to eat. They may just want a microwave French bread pizza for lunch or a Hot Pocket. Again you can easily store up these quick to cook meals. You can also try healthier alternatives like The Tattooed Chef. This brand makes good for cauliflower and cheese bowl along with a pesto harvest bowl. They also have smoothie bowls packed with fruits, dark chocolate and cold brew for an alternative to Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks. You can also go with Amy's Frozen dinners which are all naturally made. The company makes everything from enchiladas to pasta so there's a wide choice.

If the kids do insist on cooking for themselves. then think easy dishes. They can whip up scrambled eggs mixed with herbs and served on sourdough bread. Have them microwave bacon (which is easier and safer) to go with it.  They can go vegan by subbing in Morningstar Farms soy bacon strips for the real kind. A frittata is another easy lunch , flavorful with any kind of veggie and cheese tossed in. Make sure you have either shredded or ground cheese like Parmesan. Again this is wonderful when served with toasted Italian bread.An air fryer is simple to use and your young chef can cook up a variety of hot lunches from hot dogs to hamburgers in one. They can also air fry fried chicken too. This would be a good time to teach them how to make the batter for wings and drumsticks . Kids are just as health conscious as their elders. They can create a lovely protein packed one , filled with the veggies and even fruits that they love.Have one or two lettuces for variety  along with grape and cherry tomatoes to mix in with cauliflower and broccoli florets. Almonds and sunflower seeds will give it crunch and color. Croutons also are a fun add in. Let them get created with the dressing and whip up their own.

Home alone in the kitchen isn't such a bad thing. Teach your tweens how to cook and they'll be able to feed themselves for a whole season. It may even become a passion.

Your Scrap Garden

 Don't throw away those scraps! Those bits and pieces from veggies and fruits can be planted and regrown into more ingredients for your summer kitchen. It's a fun way to recycle along with being a thrifty one.

Most veggies can be replanted in your  garden or in pots.The alliums like leeks and scallions are easy to replant. Bunches come with small, white roots already sprouting. You can first plant them in a glass of water and then plant them in the garden or in a terracotta pot with good drainage.  Keep in mind these need a lot of bright sunlight. They can be placed by a window but outdoors is your best bet for growing healthy ones. what is great about them is that they just keep on giving. Pull them out, use them long green leaves in everything from sauces to soups and then replant the second generation of sprouts. Onions can also be grown from scraps or the whole veggie. Onions will start to sprout new growths if you leave in your crisper for a few weeks. Don;t throw them out. Add them to your garden too! Romaine lettuce, lettuce and bok choy can also be regrown. Save their stumps and place in a bowl filled halfway with water. You''ll start to see leaves after a few days!!!.That means it's time to plant in your garden. Potatoes and sweet potatoes can also be regrown too. Cut in half and place in a dark area like your basement.

Fruits are an easier regrow. All have seeds which can be replanted. Remember though that oranges and lemons do require warm weather. This is perfect if you live in states like Florida and California that have always been associated with the fruits Trees can freeze and damage can be done to both the blossoms and the fruit. You could grown them if you have a climate controlled greenhouse. If you 're in the northern part of the country,. then think apples and cherries along with peaches and plums.However most commercially grown fruit comes off of "grafted" trees. You may not get the same tasty fruit that you bought from your store. A Golden Delicious seed may not yield a Golden Delicious apple. You will get apples , and they'll still be delicious but they might be a Fuji or a Winesap.. The same is true with plums and peaches. Another point to remember is that it will take a tree two to three years to produce fruit. Still it's nice to even have a tree for shade. Make sure plum and peach pits are scrubbed free of any pulp and then air dried before planting.

Save those scraps!!!! They can be used to create a productive harvest and ingredients for your future meals. You'll be getting much more from your original buy.

New Summer Dishes

 It's always fun to experiment with classic summer ingredients in new ways. The results are always fun , new dishes that are tasty. best of all they add to already established recipes. amping up their flavors.

This is true for a new salad I found in The New York Times Food section. I put a vegan spin on it, subbing in vegan mayo for the egg based one and oat milk based yogurt for the Greek kind

This may look like potato soup but it;s actually a pickle (yes pickle!!!) and celery salad. Both are chopped into manageable pieces and mixed with the mayo and yogurt. There should be a tablespoon of mayo and a quarter  of yogurt. However this was about a cup of yogurt and three to four tables spoons of mayo. It's more of a homage to cucumbers floating in  sour cream where the slices are bathed in the sour cream. The recipe calls for chopped red onion too however a generous sprinkle of onion powder works better.

Scallions are another summer crop that add flavor to summer recipes. I've  added chopped ones to a soy sauce for a more flavorful dipping sauce and marinade.

This is taking two to three scallions and cutting them into bite size pieces. Add to half a cup of soy sauce mixed with a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup, This counterbalances the saltiness. Olive oil is drizzled in for a silky texture. I love this over potstickers but it also makes a great marinade for steak. I love the flavor of salty and sweet plus the bite of Spring onions. They definitely enhanced the flavor of pot stickers I made.

Simmer ingredients can be remastered into new dishes. Try these two , the pickle and celery salad and the scallion marinade for a flavorful season. They are great additions to any cook out or picnic.

Your Local Food Road Trip

 It's going to be a tough summer to travel  thanks to gas prices  starting at five dollars a gallon. itr's even worse for those who love to go to food oriented  cities and towns. However some gems may be in your back yard and only a walking distance or short hop away.

Before you travel map out where you'd like to go. Nowadays it doesn't pay to wander aimlessly and burn up one hundred dollars of gas. If you are planning a distance drive, not only check out that one restaurant or farmer's market, but check out other food related businesses. There might be a great bakery or creamery that;s worth investigating.If you're headed to the Jersey shore, then any one of the Boardwalks that dot the coast should be included. There you can get such classics as cotton candy ,frozen custard and clams on a half shell. Also make a visit to any of the waterfront candy shops where you can buy such favorites as salt water taffy and homemade fudge.If you're driving through quaint country towns, there's usually a few farms on the way too. These are perfect for picking up fresh corn and tomatoes along with other veggies. Make sure there's plenty of room in the back seat or trunk for your haul too.Some farms even have strawberry and  early raspberry picking right now. Wear the appropriate clothing and bring containers in case the farm doesn't supply any.

City dwellers have a whole cornucopia a their fingertips. New York City may be a gourmet town but there are plenty of down to earth real food eateries. Luckily the city, like any metropolis has a great transit system. You can try the trendy restaurants and bistros in Greenwich Village along with gelaterias and pastry shops.Harlem has some of the best foods and it's an easy trip uptown. Try the ever popular Melba's for eggnog waffles and fried catfish. There's also Brooklyn, home of hipster breweries and fun ice cream shops that offer unusual flavors.The other boroughs , queens. The Bronx and Staten Island also have some great hangouts. Staten island has the plus of Kim Kardashian who has been hanging out with boyfriend Pete Davidson at his favorite haunts. Go to Philadelphia if you live not far from this historic city. It's the ultimate foodie town too , known for its' food markets like the Reading Terminal. Here food lovers can try and buy all sorts of goodies and treats from home made German   pretzels to  hand made.Italian sausages Baltimore has it's waterfront rich with local seafood dishes while Chicago has some great steak houses and of course deep dish pizza.

There's a whole local food scene waiting to be discovered. Best of all, there's not that much traveling. You can find good food and interesting places without burning up a lot of gas.

LA"s Ice Cream Scene

 Los Angeles can be a fun place to visit for a summer vacation. However its' traditional temps can make it feel like a  steam oven. That's where it's ice cream culture comes it/ There's so much to choose from the traditional to the exotic.

Regular contributor and LA native Tejal Rao listed and erote about the myriad of different ice cream shops and gelaterias in yesterday's NewYork Times food section.Los Angeles had a wide variety of ethnic foods and that also applies to its' ice cream. Ms Rao has picked out the most outstanding ones.If you like all natural with a traditional spin then try Sweet Rose Creamery.Owner Shiho Yoshikawa turns local fruits and even hebs and flowers into amazing flavors. Ice cream lovers will enjoy his grasshopper sundae made with fresh mint chip ice cream, chocolate fudge and bits of homemade waffle cones /It's topped off with fresh whipped cream.Then there's Mateo's Ice cream and Fruit Bars which followed a family tradition of making and selling palletas. Priciliano Mateo learned the craft from his grandfather who sold them on the beaches at Oaxaca Mexico. His widow Sofia, and children Oscar and Elizabeth have carried on the tradition, offering such diverse flavors as soursop , mango and guava. Gelato lovers will enjoy Fatamorgana Gelato.This is an offshoot of the famed Roman gelato shop and they reflect Californian tastes instead of Italian ones. They even have five different kinds of chocolate  which includes vegan.

There are more traditional creameries dotted throughout the city..Margaret Dietl, a redhead is the owner of Gingers Divine Ice Creams.   There are the Hispanic influenced ones such as Sari Sari Stone.She has produced such diverse flavors as pickled strawberry and the more mundane blueberry cheesecake.LA has always had a huge Asian presence and it;'s felt in its' cuisine.The same is true of it's frozen treats. Try Awan, run by Zen Ong. His ice creams have coconut cream and Balinese vanilla beans . These make for an ideal canvas for such other flavors as strawberries, cherries , guava and cherimoya, a variation of sweet sop. There's also Oakobing, a Korean ice cream shop.The ice cream is made differently with workers freezing blocks ice blocks in four flavors, strawberry,mango, green tea and milk. This creates bingson, a machine made cream ice. The result is light, fluffy clouds with crystals that met on the tongue,These can be topped with melon balls and drizzled with condensed milk. 

Heading to LA this summer? head to any of these ice cream shops for tasty cool treats. Enjoy a cup, cone or bowl.

The Many Sides of Juneteenth

 Junettenth is an important African-American holiday, much in the same way as Fourth Of July. It celebrates freedom but also the different recipes and customs of Black-Americans and their ancestors. There are so many different  recipes , each tasty , each traditional.

Nicole Taylor , chef and author of the definitive Juneteenth cookbook  Watermelon And Red Birds :A Cookbook For Juneteenth and Other Black Celebrations (Simon and Schuster 2022) just out now, wrote this in the cookbook.Today's issue of the New York Times Food section excerpted it along with  some of her recipes.Some background is needed here. Juneteenth celebrates and acknowledges  when Major General Gordon arrived in  the port city of Galveston Texas and issued General Order 3. This meant,that, two years after Abe Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation that all enslaved people were free,. This happened on June 19th, hence the name Juneteenth  although some plantation owners waited to tell the enslaved in the fall after harvest season.  A year later festivities commenced. Like the Great  Black Migration, it moved from the South to the north , east and west. with it not only came recipes for barbecue but a place at the table for watermelon. June  in Texas was prime season for the fruit.in 1883 The Galveston Daily News has reported that there were celebrations across the state but one in San Antonio had "twenty-three wagons loaded with watermelons. They're now an integral part of the celebrations.

Chef Taylor's recipes are amazing with different spins on traditional dishes. yet they represent her deep roots in Georgia where her family has lived for generations. Her recipe for peach and molasses chicken is a spin on the traditional barbecue soaked one of years past. The sauce is a tangy mix of peach jam and apple cider vinegar mixed with tomato paste, soy sauce ,mustard and coriander seeds. The chicken is basted twice in it and served with more coriander. She takes the traditional cole slaw and zings it up with poblanos  and scallions and dresses it in a coating of virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar and garlic cloves. Celery seeds are also added and a dash of hot sauce can also be thrown in. What to finish it off with? A strawberry sumac (!) cake. The berries are macerated with a mix of ground sumac, granulated sugar and almond extract. They're dotted on the homemade cake that's also spiced with the ground sumac. The perfect drink for this is Chef Taylor's watermelon ginger beer. This is a fiery mix of  red watermelon and ginger beer with the pureed fruit. Ice cubes , full of fennel fronds are put in to cool it.

Juneteenth is a day of thought but also f celebration and honoring all those who were enslaved. They should be celebrated with good food and good drink. It's their recipes and their legacies that should be honored.

Eating With Ease Every Day

 It's tough to go on a diet. Everyone knows that. However, there's a new advice book that can help any one struggling with weight and food issues. The author , herself has been through t tough times and knows how hard it can be.

Amy Frienburg Trufas has written an interesting and at times harrowing to read self help book, based on her experiences. Food:Eat With Ease Every Day (Eat With Ease Publishing 2022) tells her story, an autobiography of sorts about an over weight girl who has been fat shamed by all including her mother. The recount of her early years are not for the faint hearted. She is sent to 'fat camp" where she's humiliated further,a heart wrenching chapter in a young , sensitive girl's life.There are stories of her even being humiliated on Halloween by the family doctor who refuses to give her candy as she trick or treats with her friends. Her home life is dysfunctional thanks to an alcoholic mother who constantly berates an young and teenage Amy.Ms. Friedburg Trufas has two outlets, her beloved grandmother and food to turn to .The second only adds to her misery as she tries in vain to lose weight with endless diets and deprivation.

I found myself rooting for Amy and was happy when she found the balance she needed - eating with ease - and not "dis-ease" as she phrases it. There are recipes but they're broad and you can make what them what you will. Amy's Satisfying Salad gives the basics of creating a healthy salad. It's up to the individual following it to put in the their favorite veggies and lean protein. it's then dressed with a simple vinaigrette. There are excellent tips on late night snacking (the downfall of any dieter) as well as how to eat healthy in  a restaurant or when ordering a take out. She has good advice on drinking more water and staying hydrated as well as advice on cutting down sodas and other sugary drinks. There is a page on managing cravings. If you want that brownie , Ms Friedburg-Trufos writes, eat it. It beats eating a variety of substitutes like carrots.It's OK to stumble too.Don'tt look back but look forwards instead, to healthier choices. Another plus is space for readers to write their goals and strategies. there is also a section on self love too , readers will find wise and thoughtful.

Food:Eating With Ease Every Day is a must have for those struggling with weight. It is not just advice but  a journey of one's woman looking for a better life for her body.It is a story worth reading.

The Selling Of The Dixie Lee

 Could it be true? One of New Jersey's most iconic bakeries Keansburg 's Dixie Lee Bskery is now owned by a famous chef?  What's going to happen to this mainstay of the Jersey shore?

It's been the steady buzz around this iconic business for the last few weeks. I've have always been a big fan of the place (as everyone knows.)It's worth the trip down to Keansburg , even in December for the Christmas platters of butter cookies.I love their variety of them, from the chocolate dipped to the butter leaves sandwich types. Their giant cookies covered in nothing but sprinkles or M&M's are the best and are like mini hubcaps in size. Everyone goes mad for their  chewy onion rye bread which is a delicate flavor blend of crispy blackened onions and rye dough.It's so good you can even eat it for breakfast (and I have , slathered with Melt) Over the years I've bought their seven layer cake for my Mom's graduation and crunchy flaky croissants that rival any New York City' patisseries, There are  cult like followings for the Dixie Lee's lemon meringue pie and their doughnuts, both jelly and traditional.

The bakery has a long history in the Keansburg area. It started eighty-five years ago when the town was basically a summer resort , dotted with tiny bungalows. For the past forty years Mark Onoluk and Allison Loori have owned it, maintaining the  original recipes that pleases generations for decades. However it was too much  for them although they will be staying on as managing partners. Enter famed chef and Hazlet native David Burke. Chef Burke is no stranger to baked goods. He studied at the prestigious Ecole LeNotre in Plaisirs,France a suburb of Paris. He has been on the Bravo network's popular Top Chef  for two season and owns a slew of clubby and trendy eateries throughout New Jersey. His latest is Goat in Union Beach, a town away from Keansburg. His plans for the Dixie Lee? He wants to keep the iconic menu.It's what four generations of his family enjoyed. His son's wedding cake even came from there. Yet will he sneak in meringues or brioches?  He plans on selling sandwiches, which could be wonderful. I wouldn't mind a ham and Gruyere stuffed sandwich. I do hope he keeps what has made the bakery great, cookies and breads that taste like homemade, cupcakes and cakes topped with fluffy buttercream.

David Burke has some pretty big baker's shoes to follow. Yes, he has created some of the states' best restaurant from Morristown to Fort Lee. Yet can he keep one of the Jersey shore's most loved bakeries humble with delicious treats? Let's hope so.

Jubilee Foods Fit For A Queen

 This is the weekend to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's seventy years ruling England and the Commonwealth. There are celebrations galore across the world. There was even a Jubilee pudding  - a dessert- fit for a queen . You don't have to be a subject to enjoy the party. You can have one where ever you are.

The highlight of the celebration is the Jubilee pudding. This is reminiscent of the Coronation chicken which was created when Her Majesty ascended the throne. The Poulet Reine Elizabeth  was conceived by Constance Spry , an English food writer and flower arranger andRosemary Hume. Both were chefs and principals at the Cordon Bleu Cookery in London. Their dish is cold chicken mixed with curry powder or paste. Apricots and almonds are then added along with creme fraiche. Raisins can be subbed in for the apricots. You can still make this today,serving it on a hearty sour dough or toasted potato rolls.  You can also  serve it on it's on on a few Bibb lettuce leaves. The Jubilee pudding is a but different. It is a lemon  Swiss roll and amaretti trifle, created by Jemma Melvin, a copywriter from Southport ,Merseyside outside of Liverpool. Hers is a bit labor intensive but still perfect for any summer party. It's creating Saint Clement's jelly a combination of orange and lemon  along with baking sponges for the Swiss rolls. You also have to make that British classic lemon curd to fill them. Amaretti biscuits must also be made along with a vanilla pudding for the layering. Ms. Melvin decorated the cake with white chocolate and almond shards along with amaretti biscuits.

Of course you could have what many of the street parties have. Sausage rolls,. those yummy cousins of pigs in a blanket graced many a table today  and will tomorrow too.These are easy to make , using a puff pastry crust filled sausage meat and onions. You can also make vegan ones using Beyond Meat's ones. The beautiful county of Cornwall gives us pasties.It's filling a dough square, not unlike an empanada, with beef , potatoes and onions. These can be made in the fall and winter, using winter veggies like parsnips and turnips. You can also make meatless ones , stuffing them with a good sharp Cheddar and potatoes like that great British shop, Greenwich Village's  Myers of Keswick does. A tea would be a fun way to celebrate Her Majesty's reign. Think lovely finger sandwiches filled with egg and ham salads along with salmon. watercress sandwiches are a must as well. Teas also have a sweet side. Think biscuits dripping with rich clotted cream or whipped cream if you can't get the first. A heaping teaspoon of strawberries are placed over this. Small cupcakes called fairy cakes are also served. These are lighter than their American counterparts and have just a drizzle of icing instead of a mound of buttercream. Different teas, from Earl and Lady Greys to Assam are served. These are usually served hot  but you could have them iced too.

Celebrate Elizabeth's reign with a party full of joy and food. It's the best of Britain for the best queen of Britain. Enjoy and raise a glass to Her Majesty!

Testing With A Tasty Sauce

 It's been an interesting experiment  trying out different foods , most are beloved classics to see how this new system  of mine is working.Everything has been fine so far. I  thought I could even try out a new sauce just to see.

I've had Spring Valley cocktail egg rolls in my freezer for weeks. I needed an easy Friday supper, not too heavy but not to light either.

They're an easy cook in my trusty air fryer.It's just seven minutes for 370 degree Farenheit.

They're stuffed with nothing but veggies from shredded cabbage to shredded carrots. I knew they some jazzing up. That's where the scallion sauce comes in.

                                             It's cutting up two scallions and mixing them with these.

Mix together half a cup of spy sauce (it can be low sodium like I used) with about a tablespoon if maple syrup. That last sounds crazy but its' sweetness balances out the soy sauce's saltiness. You can add either olive or vegetable oil for a silkier texture. It's poured over the scallions and left to marinate for about fifteen to twenty minutes.

I liked this sauce and plan on making it again for even the egg rolls I get from my local Chinese take out. The scallions add bite and zing (and haven't bothered my stomach!Yay!)  while the combo of syrup and soy sauce actually work well together. You can add more of both if you're running low on the liquid part. Keep in mind this is also a good marinade for steak and chicken too.

This has been a fun experimentation along with creating new favorites. This sauce is perfect for egg rolls along with other foods. it 's a great sauce for favorite snacks and dishes.

Drag Time At Taco Bell

More and more businesses are fast becoming more aware and progressive. This definitely applies to Taco Bell and their drag brunches. it's a step in the right direction because it  encourages fun and dialogue about the L.G.B.T.Q. community,

Erik Piepenburg who contributes to all sections of The New York Times wrote about this new fun  phenomena in yesterday's paper's Food section. Yes, it's a fun experience (as anyone who has visited Greenwich Village's Lips will tell you) bu there's also a deeper meaning here too. The Taco bell Foundation, which primarily gives out scholarships is giving a grant to the It Gets Better Project  to expand work-force-readiness  resources to L.G.B.T.Q.  youth. Last year the chain also named the openly gay rapper Lil Nas as its'chief impact officer. Other chains are stepping up too. Burger King has promised to donate forty cents off of every order of it's Ch'King Sandwich to the Human Rights Campaign, an LG.B.T.Q. advocacy group. Many other eateries, especially those with New York roots like Shake Shack along with national chain Chipotle plan to donate percentages of their June proceeds to L.G.B.T.Q. organizations. This comes in the wake of such restrictive laws such as Florida's antiquated "Don't Say Gay" bill which forbids or limits discussions about gender and roles in the state's school systems.

Again, the country, which for the most part  is progressive but ti also needs to be open. Why not have some fun with this learning adventure. The Taco Bell Drag brunch fits this.It's a tour that starts off in Las Vegas and ends in CHicago.It's run by Oscar Quintero, a drag performer himself who goes by the name Kay Sedia (pronounced quesadilla -get it?) He is the tour's drag hostess and books local drag queens to perform through the various cities along the way.There's still the same Taco Bell breakfast.There's the breakfast burrito which diners can have in vegetable, bacon or sausage, hash browns and Cinnabon Delight doughnut holes.Unlike a regular meal at the popular eatery, there is drinking and with it comes drinking games. There is one where everyone takes a shot when they hear Taco Bell's signature bell dong.People love it, with one diner, Blake Hundley driving three hours from Dubuque Iowa to Chicago. He would do it again. Most would despite what legislation says. Hosting a drag party is not controversial.It's entertaining as many people celebrate their birthdays and other events at these shows.

Taco Bell may seem like the typical suburban eatery. Yet' it's as progressive city eateries.It celebrates incluisveness with fun food and fun entertainment

In Praise of The Cone

 It's almost summer and that means one thing - ice creamed scooped and piled into all sorts of cones. Yet where would the icy treat without its' sturdy base? The cone is just as important as the treat itself as the Joy Baking Company knows

Regular contributor,cookbook writer and chef, Priya Krishna wrote about this amazing company in today's New York Times Food section.Joy Cones have been around since 1918 when two Lebanese immigrants,Albert George and his brother-in-law Thomas J. Thomas, started the company in Brookfield, Ohio.It nearly went bankrupt in 1943 thanks to a fire breaking out in the factory.. Joe George, father of the current owner,David  took over that year and focused on building proprietary or commercial ovens to bake thousands of cones. Within five years the company became profitable. Now Joy handles all the big companies from Dairy Queen to Mister Softee. Even local, privately owned ice cream shops use Joy. The company sells three types, cake , sugar and the ever popular waffle. The recipes for all three are simple. The cake cone is made from batter of water flour and sugar. Tapioca flour is added to give the cone it's sturdiness and absorbent like quality. The sugar and waffle ones have brown sugar added for the rich tan color.

Is there competition? There is from Keebler  but they mostly distribute to stores. Most home chefs use them to create cones. There are some ice cream shop owners like Kristine Tonlonow of the Konery in Brooklyn who have different ideas. When she started her business in 2014  she looked at the cones and their blandness along with their uniformity. She felt that there should be different flavors to match or compliment the creamery's variety of flavors. The cones should be as exciting as the ice cream itself. Her cones come in bright colors and even brighter flavors like orange Creamsicle and salted blue corn along with gingerbread and peppermint.. They do cost three to four times more than Joy's. However stores like Whole Foods and theme parks are buying them along with independent shops like Malai Ice cream in Cobble Hill Brooklyn. Some ice cream shop owners such as  Washington D.C.s Susan Soorenko feels the flavored ones can be a distraction. Customers have enough choices and may not like their eventual option. She'll stick with the classic Joy ones instead which let the flavors shine.

Joy's cones are one of the joys of summer. They're a part of the whole ice cream on a hot day experience. They make those sugar , cake and waffle cones for warm weather memories.