Relying On Tradition

 The holidays teach us one thing - to rely on tradition.It's what guides us through celebrations and holy days. This also includes time homored recipes used in many an Easter or Passover meal.

This was on my mind as I bought spaetzle and risotto at Aldi's today. It's a Swabian German custom to have noodles and eggs on Good Friday, one of the holiest and most somber days of the Christian calendar. I'm taking a family tradition and updating it by subbing in the spaeztle for egg noodles. (although I suspect the original dish used them.) It's served with a side of sliced peaches as all German dishes have some kind of fruit incorporated in the dish.As for Easter it's a new tradition of risotto and fresh asparagus This replaces the old one of again the Swabian influenced ham served with beans and potato salad. I've made this every year for the past few years. Yes, I'll bake the Easter lamb cake  , following in my Mom's step. I'll mix in the Dream Whip  as she did for a denser, richer cake, but add my own spins. There willbe Just Egg instead of real eggs, almond milk instead of cow's. The icing will have vegetable shortening like hers in it to give it the perfect texture for the crumb coat and rosettes.I may give it a dash of either lemon or grapefruit juice just to zing it up.

Others are also relying on family recipes. Many will be observing Passover starting April 5th. There will be variations on moms' and grandmothers' brisket recipes.  Home chefs may add cayenne pepper for some spike and heat.Others will try a brown sugar rub that gives the surface a crackly crust.. Tzimmes, the carrot and stewed prune side dish is always served  but the family recipe will get some new ingredients.It could be lemon or lime juice to cut all that sweetness or maybe star anise .Kugel that Passover staple may be savory on a few tables this year.It's suually a sweet dish but there are several savory ones that feature spinach and mushrooms. Easter is usually ham or lamb. A few home chefs are eager to try Eric Kim's pineapple ham featured in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. This is like a retro dish from the Fifties, complete with golden pineapple rings. The glaze is made with Dijon mustard ,brown sugar and fresh juice from both pineapples and lemons. Some may use their granny's recipe and add a ginger ale based glaze on it. as for th elamb, it's usually baked with rosemary sprigs.and fresh lemon juice. There will be updating with an olive oil rub or the addition of red wine vinegar.

Tradition guides us.it guides our cooking.It gives the template for traditionak dishes that can be given new spins and updates.

Remembering With Comfort Food

 How do we honor our relatives long gone?At this time of the year Christians places palm crosses on their graves for Palm Sunday. The Chinese have another tradition for a Spring holy day that honors family.Quingming or Tomb Sweeping Day is when food and family entwine.

Regular contributor and author of Made In Taiwan (Simon Element Publishing) Clarissa Wei wrote about this vry ancient holday day in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Quingming or Tomb sweeping day goes back 2,500 years as a  Chinese folk practice.It's very similar to the Mexican tradition of Dios de Muertos or Day  of the Dead on November 1st. It's celebrated on April 5th this year and followed by those of Chinese origin throughout the world. However the actual act of sweeping tombs is becoming obsolete thanks to tombs being phased out. Goverments across Eastern and southeastern asia have phased these opts pusing for creamtion instead there are columbarium, structures that can store thousands of cremation urns. Even though these structures are cleaned regularly , families still leave offering of flowers, fruit and homemade dishes. Years ago families would bring a whole roasted suckling pig to the cemetery to first offer to the ancestors and then feed themselves. Now it's much smaller offering with simple pots or plates of food. Some even leave fast food which is frowned upon because the ancestors would not like it. The sprits would be tortured according to Nancy Fam, a Malaysian Chinese.

Ms. Wei offers different recipes gathered from various families. She has sweet and sour fish from Gemma Lin. This is striped sea bass is wok fried after being marinaded in rice wine and stuffed with scallions and ginger.It's served with a zingy tomato paste sauce that also has white vinegar , soy sauce and ones birds eye chile Yellow bell peppers and cucumbers are also added.  Cherry Tang  whose uncles brought suckling pig to their ancestors' tomb has siu yuk or crispy pork belly .This is an eleaborate dish that does take two days to create. It's first boiling the cut in a mix of water, Shaoxing wine , scallions, star anise and ginger along with white peppercorns. This is left to simmer for an hour and then left to cool afterwards. The pork belly sis then rubbed with five spice powder, grown ginger and ground white pepper. This is left to sit in the fridge for eighteen hours and then roasted in tin foil in a 450 degree Farenheit.Nancy Lam gives us chicken rice with shallot sauce.This is boiling a whole chicken in a blend of ginger, scallions and water for twenty five minutes. Reserve a tablespoon of the broth . Put the chicken in a large ice bath and then prepare the sauce. This  is a mix of shallots, jalapenos, ground bean sauce and sugar. Lime juice is added for some punch. The chicken is slcied and served over rice with the sauce.

There are many ways to honor relatives long gone. Tomb sweeping day is one of those, families honor those who came before them with good food and honor.

Reshaping The Croissant

 Nothing beats a good croissant.There's something about those layers of crackly buttery goodness and chewy melt in your mouth middle. Yet there are patisserie bakers and innovators who want to reinvent this French classic. Will these be the new cronut? There's the question.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin wrote about this in today's New York Times Food section .As she has pointed out it's been ten years since thebirth of Dominic Ansel's cronut, that strange tasty hybrid of jelly doughnut and croissant. What's happening now with this elegant bread? Surprisingly a lot. At Lysee; in New York's trendy Flatiron section baker fills croissant spirals with hazelnut chocolate ganache and then packs them in round cake pan. They''re baked in around cake pan and when cooled torn off like pull apart rolls. Celebated French pastry chef Cedric Grolet nestled  dozens of tiny croissants in a frangipane or almond cream lined tart crust for an Epiphany cake. Then there is Amadou Ly who created the interesting hybrid the laminated baguette. This is taking baguette dough and wrapping it in a thin layer of croissant dough around it. The result is almost like having a thin layer of salted butter on the bread. Chef Ly  is a master in lamination , also creating  twists of dough painted with chocolate ganache to create a kind of inside otu babka. There is even croissant cereal, made by Gautier Croissard at his Apartemente 4 in Brooklyn Heights.

The croissant is nothing new. According to Ms. Moskin the Chinese have subing, while the Balkans have their phyllo dough,North African msemen, South asian roti paratha and Eastern European strudel. An Austrian chef brought the recipe to Paris where butter rich pastries were de rigeur for centuries.Its' ancestry comes from defeat over the Ottoman Empire taking over Vienna or Budspest around the mid 1680's. The bakers were the ones who sounded the alarm against the Turks and asked only that they create a bread, the kipferl to celebrate the Turk's defeat. The standard recipe is flour, yeast butter and milk. The mark of a good croissant baker is based on the shaping.Clean cut  and sharp likes are the test of a good baker. A croissant should be tightly rolled anf golden brown all over.Pale patches and puffiness are often signs of the pastry being made with hydrogenated fats instead of butter. The exterior should be crackly enough to break into shards.Beyond that anything is up for grabs. They can be stuffed with chocolate ,jam or almond paste. kate Reid  of Lune Croissanterie in Melbourne Australia fills her with such interesting combinations like pastami and sauerkraut , chocolate and peanut butter and Vegemite and cheese.

Will the croissant be reinvented again. The answer is yes. It's a blank canvas for so many creative bakers that a different kind will be coming soon.

Your Spring Baking Musts

 Spring gives us a busy baking season, almost as busy as winter. There are the holidays, Easter , Orthodox Easter Passover and Ramadan along with all sorts of showers and college  graduations. Are you ready for the baking that comes with them.

Of course ingredients should be at the ready. There should be flour for the Easter and Orthodox Easter cakes and breads. You should be stocking up on confectioners sugar for icings.As the holidays progress think about bargain shopping for eggs (still expensive) along with deals on butter and cake mixes.It's also time to get those pastel gel icings if you don't already have them. Once the ingredients are taken care of then its time to look at your molds. Thsi also includes candy and cake pop molds too. Most cake molds last decades if they're made from good aluminum or even steel. If you're a neophyte when it comes to baking lamb and egg cakes now is the time to buy the molds. You can get a cute bunny cake mold at your local Wal-Mart for under seven dollars. Michael's has the silicone molds for cookies as well as Easter themed  cupcake papers. Buy these now instead of waiting for next week. if you're planning on making a lamb cake for the frst time then head to Amazon.  They have the Wilton one for $24.00 and you can have it sent overnight. Also get ready for candy and cake pop making. Make sure you have plenty of sugar along with lollipop sticks and decoarations.

It's shower and graduation season once the holidays are over and done. D o you have large baking pans for sheet cakes along with the tiered ones for showers and smaller weddings? If not you may want to invest in RAQK one hundred pieces cake pan set plus decorating supplies. This is a must have have for any home baker planning on supplying the cake for any shower. It comes with a large, medium and small sized springform cake pans along with icing nozzles , a cake leveler to create more layers and three scrapers to create fancy sides on the cake. It's a great buy on Amazon for $23.99. Of course showers and some grad parties also have smaller cakes for easy nibbling. Do you have enough cupcake pans for a crowd of fifty or sixty ? It pays to buy another tin  which can also be used for muffins if you're planning on a brunch shower.  Check your supply of pie tins for baking that shower staple quiche ,Most showers usually have three different versions so it pays to have a few sturdy tins. These can be used later on to create ice box  pies or ice cream filled ones. Do you also plan on baking petit fours for shower teas.If not you can buy one or two now and try practice baking with them.

Be ready for Spring baking. Make sure you have the right ingredients and the correct molds. doign this will make holiday and baking for all t hose patrties a snap.

Plant Your Healthy Diet

 It's Spring and planting season is upon us. One thing about growing your own produce is customizing it to your needs. You can grow what suits your nutritional needs and have a better lifestyle.

It's not what do you want to grow but what  do you need to eat better? Tomatoes are on every home gardener's must grow list. Is it any wonder since these gems are packed with potassium and vitamin C. If you are taking potassium supplements then think about planting a few rows of beefsteaks, or cherry tomatoes.They're also high in lycopene which act as antioxidants against certain cancers. They're also high in the anticoagulant Vitamin K and folate. The great thing about tomatoes is that there easy to grow so even beginners can raise them. Kale is another must grow for a healthy diet.It's rich in Vitamin A which is vital for bone and eye health.It also boosts your immune system. Kale can be sown into the soil two weeks before the last frost date. The only caveat is that the plants require a lot of space.Plant the seeds three inches apart and in rows set eighteen rows apart.  You may just want ony grow kale if you have a small yard. Keep in mind that the soil always must be well drained and moist for most of the time. Water regularly during sunny days.

Another must grow are carrots. They're also fun for kids to cultivate too because of their easiness.as we all know htye're fantastic for improving vision. They're also good for balancing blood sugar and weight management. They also support gut health and lower cholesterol.Like kale they do require room. The seedlings require three to four inches of space set in rows a foot apart. Is lettuce worth growing? Yes! Think butter lettuce and arugula. Not only is it chock ful of such vitamins like A C and K it also has iron which fortifies bones and fights off inflammatory diseases. Arugula is also a superfood and is closely related to kale.It also acts as  a detoxifier too and helps the boy fight off simple and complex diseases.Again this is a plant that needs a lot of space. Plant seeds a foot to a foot and a half apart. Arugula is the same. It needs a lot of space to grow so cordon off a good portion of the yard for them. Luckily the plants are "friendly "and can be grown with other seeds to create a mixed garden.

Grow yourself healthy foods. Your body will thank you for prodicing good organci food. The effort is worth it.

Changing Up Spring Sweets

 This is the season for baking holiday treats and sweets. Yet it's usually the same thing, from kugel for Passover to Easter themed cakes , cupcakes and cookies . What about changing ot up a bit? Put in a new recipe that the family will love.

Passover begins on April 5th this year and ends on April 13th. The usual desserts are ones made with out flour namely kugel. Yet it's time to break out of that classic mold. Why not serve a refreshing fruit salad or fruit cups instead. Make it colorful with pineapple chunks, kiwi slices and strawberries,Add blueberruies ,s liced grapes and tangerine slices for more sweetness. Now zing it up with a honey lime dressing. Another dessert not necessarily associated with Passover are chocolate covered strawberries. Dip these ruby gems in dark chocolate for a different kind of ending . Give them a dusting of kosher sprinkles to make them even fancier.The days are getting warmer so think about fruit sorbets.Create an easy three ingredient one by using fruit, honey or agave syrup and a squueze of lemon juice.It's pureeing the fruit and mixing with the sweetener and juice. Pour this into ice cube trays and then freeze. Take the frozen cubes and placed into a food frocessor. They're transformed into a cool creamy dessert. Think a a strawberry or blueberry sorbet for a refreshing end. You can also make a chocolate one too using both Dutch processed chocolate and cocoa powder.

As for Easter, yes those bunny cakes and cupcakes are cute but they can be a little boring. Why not end the Sunday meal with homemade ice cream spiked with chocolate eggs or the fun multicolored robin's egg malted milk eggs. You can make a vanilla or choclate ice cream loaf to be sliced and served with whipped cream.. It can even be served in multicolored cones for the little ones. Brownies may be known as an after school snack but they can be topped with a thin layer of icing and a Peep for a colorful end to your Easter dinner. You can use a box mix or try a scratch recipe.Another unusual idea are cake bites baked to look like small Easter eggs. You can use molds (which can be bought on Amazon) to create the shapes and then decorate them in pretty colors.Both kids and adults will love meringues. These are airy puffs of sweetness which can be made with vegan or non vegan ingredients. The non vegan is made with aquafaba or chickpea brine and tastes the same as the regular ones made with egg whites. Dye them pink with all natural beet root which gives them a candy pink color. Of course coffee flavored ones are great for the adults.

Change up your Spring treats with new and exciting recipes .Break away from the classics.Serve fun sweets for Passover and Easter

Chimichurri Sauce A Bright Green Addition

 Spring dishes need to be zinged up. W hat better way to achieve this than a good chimichurri and its' origin sauce salsa verde. It can be used on anything from steak to chicken.Even veggies can benefit from it.

The sauce is extremely popular in South America.It's used primarily in Argentian where it's used as a condiment for grilled steaks.Its' beginnings supposedly came from the misinterpretation of British troops saying"Gimme curry" during the ill fated British invasion of the Rio de la Plata area of  Argentina. Other stories are that it arrived with Basque immigrants who had a sauce  spelled tximitxurri pronounced chimmee churri. Then there's the story where the sauce is indigenous , coming from a tribe in the Andes region located  in the northwest.My guess is that it's derived from the Piedmontese salsa verde which came over with Northern Italian immigrants in the late 1800's. The ingredients are relatively the same and both sauces are made the same way. Whatever its' roots chimichurri is a nice and punchy  addition to your Spring table. You will need parsley, dried oregano, garlic and chili. OLive oil and red wine vinegar give it silkiness and flavor.everything is mixed together and allowed to sit for ten to fifteen minutes before basting. Keep in mind that it can beured on already cooked meats and vegetables.There is a red version made with red peppers.

Its' mother or origin sauce salsa verde is another great condiment. Think about serving it alongside Easter lamb or grilled steaks. Again this is a mix of parsley, garlic and olive oil. Keep in mind that you can make this all year round and it's perfect for using up your parsley crop. You can add anchovies and capers for brine and kick. Both will add extra layers to the sauce. The capers do need to be soaked in cold water for ten minutes to remove the extra salt. A hard boiled egg can also be added for color and richness. Everything but the olive oil can be put into a food processor but a better method of blending is using an immersion blender..Blend until creamy and then slowly add  a quarter cup plus two tablespoons of  olive oil. If you want to vary it , then add a tablespoon of lemon juice for tang. Salsa verde can keep for a week .Besides lamb use it for the first grilling of the season.It will go well with various cuts or steak.veggies can also benefit from it as can salads. This would make a nice dressing for Spring greens.

If you want a zip in your spring cooking then use salsa verde or chimminchurri sauce. Both are easy to make.They'll be a great addition to any meat or vegetable dish.

A Ramadan Feast

This is the start of the holy month of Ramadan, a time of fasting and introspection. Yet it's also a time fo feasting between the fasting.This dinner iftar is not only shared with family but with community. No one understasnds this more than the SOmali community and their array of dishes.

First time contributor and chef Ifrah F. Ahmed wrote about Somali Ramadan cooking in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Somali cooking is special. As Chef Ahmed writes "henna stained finger fill and fold sabuus,a kind of samosa and then fried.There ares weet and tender buns to eat before sunrise and after sunset. There are dishes to share as friends and family compliment each other on their new holiday clothes and make sure everybody is well fed. The dishes are varied in tastes and flavors sambuus are easy to make. This samosa cousin uses tortilla s the flaky golden outside to a filling rich with garlic, cumin and coriander. Ground beef and onion make up the stuffing while cilantro gives them color.They're served with a the hot sauce basbaas cagaar, a green hot sauce. Chopped jalapeno peppers are mixed with serrano chiles and spiked up even more with garlic and white onions. To off ser the fiery taste, white vinegar and lemon juice is added.

For a more soothing dish, Somalians eat soor, a comforting hot stew of grits and tomatoes.Soor is white cornmeal cooked with salt while the tomato mix or Dalac Bilaash is mixed into it. This is first taking onions and cooking them in olive oil. Roma tomatoes and jalapenos are added to this. There is also garlic and cilantro added.They're ground into a chunky paste before, using a mortar and pestle.This is added to the tomaotes along with Vegeta, an additive that has an array of spices and herbs in it. Chopped green peppers finish it off. The soor is divided into plates and  topped with the dalac bilaash. To offset all this fieriness bake Rooti Farmaajo or honeycomb sweet rolls. These can be served before sunrise and also be bakedall year round. These are stuffed with a mild cheese like Laughing Cow and drizzled with condensed milk and shredded coconut.I'ts a yeast dough  that can be flavored with cardamon .The dough is  rolled and cut into balls, stuffed in the cheese and then press them togehter like monkey bread in a springform pan.It's brushed with an egg wash baked at 350 degrees Farebheit and then cooled. Condensed milk is drizzled on top an then gets a dusitn gof the shredded coconut.

Ramadan is a time for reflection community and fasting. It is also a time of all night feasts. The Somalis share and celebate theirs with delicious food and valued friends and family.

The Crispiest Crackliest Pizza Ever

 What makes a good pizza? Surprisingly its' not the toppings. Or the sauce  or even the cheese.It's the crust that pizza lovers rhapsodize about ,Now there'sa recipe influneced by a famed pizza town to try that gives you the best crust ever.

Regular contributor and chef J Kenji-Lpez Alt wrote about this perfect pie in today's New York Times Food section.He gives tips and tricks on how home chefs can create the perfect Chicago thin crust pizza. THis is the one Chicagoans adore, not that deep dish one that's more like a pizza rustica.It's not like the beloved New York ones with puffy handlebar crusts. There is not crust really. The sauce and cheese literally stretch to the end of the dough with the cheese dripping over in crunchy burnt pieces.Most notable the true Chicago style is cut not in triangles but in bite sized squares that would be perfect as a cocktail party nibble.It was intentional. These bites would make people thirsty . The custom s tarted in the 1940's at such family taverns as Vito and Nick's in the South Side.It was also always free and loaded with sausage thnaks to the slaughter houses in the vincinity.Cracker crust pizza became so pouplar it was the pizza that became number one throughout the Midewest.

Any home chef can recreate this American classic. Chef LopezAlt give the recipe for both the crust and a homemade pizza sauce along with Chicago style sausage..The crust should have less water and more oil for a nice crackly texture.Another Must that he discovered quite by accident is leaving it out on the counter for too long. This produces overfermentation which severely weakens the gluten structure which leads to dough that refuses to rise when it's baked. This is bad for a loaf but perfect for a pizza.It can also be cured, a process developed by Billy and Cecily Federighi. It's leaving the dough out overnight so it dries out. This also produces a crackly crust. Then there'sthe sauce. Homebakers could get a bottle or jar of it but his sauce recipe is worth trying.It's a quick blend of whole peeled tomatoes and tomato paste plus the usual seasonings. The surprise lies in the adddtion of a  tablesppon of granualted sugar and two teaspoons of  red wine vinegar. You could also make the pizza with just the sausage/ This is a taking ground pork shoulder and mixing it with fennel seeds and garlic cloves along with various herbs like oregano and marjoram. You could easily make a CHicago style pizza.

Happiness is a good crispy pizza. Make this true Chicago style one to enjoy that crackle and crunch.it will be a memorable one for sure.

Bright Season, Bright Flavors

 It's time to retire those wintry flavors now that Spring is here. Lock up those cinnamon and nutmegs. Welcome citrussy zings and fresh herbal notes.It's time to bring a refreshing flavor to classic recipes.

Of course citrus always gives any savory or sweet recipe a lightness. Start with salads. These are a great way to introduce more greens into a warmer weather diet. A lemon vinaigrette has a lovely flavor, and it's not as overpowering as one made with vinegar. Keep in mind that other citrus juices make for tasty dressings as well. You can interchange lemon with orange, lime or grapefruit. Fish, especially salmon and chicken will benefit from a citrus marinade. Mix with honey or brown sugar and add in some chopped shallots and garlic  for a flavorful baste. Veggies such as the Spring favorite asparagus also is great with a lemon  sauce. You can even be extra fancy and make a homemade Hollandaise sauce. This is an easy blend of egg yolks, lemon juice  and Dijon mustard.A sprinkle of paprika finishes it off. This is also good for those Easter brunches where you have Eggs Benedict smothered in the sauce. Any citrus juiceis also a welcome addition to Spring baking. A lemon cake with lemon icing is the perfect Easter cake.You can even bake an egg shaped or lamb cake and decorate them with an orange, lime or grapefruit buttercream,

Sprign herbs are another way to bring a fresh taste to cooking. Basil is one and it's a no brainer when it comes to it and Italian food.Use it on a flatbread pizza or in a Caprese sandwich which tomatoes and mozzarella slices layered with lettuce and olive oil on Italian bread.  Another refreshing idea is making it into a pesto sauce and drizzling it on grilled steaks. Pesto is one of rhe easiest sauces to make.It's taking the leaves and pulverizing them with olive oil in a food processor. You could add pine nuts but keep in mind these shorten the sauce's shelf life. Mint is another Spring herb that's worth incorporating into your recipes. A nice Easter side dish are petit pois avec menthe. The peas are  cooked with spring onions and olive oil , then the mint is added. Lamb with mint is a definite springtime roast but you can also use the leaves in a garlic mint sauce for lamb chops. Mint can also be used in desserts too along with both mocktails and cocktails for a Sunday brunch. Another spring herb that's a must use is dill. Think a grilled salmon with dill. This is a wonderfully light warm weather dinner. Also add i to any salad.

It's Spring. Open the season with light flavors that emphasize the brightness of the season. Use them them for a more refreshing taste.

Spring Into Light Eating

It's Spring and that means a time for eating healthier.This season is the gateway to all thing fresh and verdant. it's time to start planning new recipes with homegrown and farmer's markets produce.

I love this idea of eating fresh and light after a winter of heavy foods.I finally made that avocado salad  with the lemon vinaigrette.It's a nice side to the lighter dishes. Start thinking not of heavy roasts with three or four sides but again Cornish  hens or salmon with a salad.  The avocado one is perfect and it even makes for a nice side for a barbecue. You can also just have a simple chopped salad with the addition of shredded cabbage and carrots. A rice salad is a much  welcomed change up and can be used for lunchthe next day too.

Keep in mind that Spring means planting. If you want to continue in the healthy eating vein then start planning your veggie garden according to what you want and need. Tomatoes are a must (although they'll come later in the season) along with different lettuces. Boston and Bibb lettuces are amongst the healthiest.The leaves are high in folates, iron and potassium. Spinach is another must grow.As we all know it's high in iron and the best for recipes. You can easily turn it into a salad or added to a delicious frittata or quiche. It also can  be frozen. Desserts also get lighter as the season warms up. That means planting strawberries and blueberries, These can be added to salads but also can be turned into a healthy granitas made with just honey and water. The fruits can also be blended into smoothies or used to make all natural toppings for sundaes.

It's Spring! It's time to eat healthier and lighter. Change over today for a new and fresher diet.

Watch Party Fare

 Watch parties are as popular as ever. Whether it's watching March Madness or the premier of episode of Sanditon,Season Three there's nothing like gathering a group together for a fun times of bites, drinks and shared interests.

Watch parties are slightly different from regular parties because of the size. Watch parties can be big like an Oscars watch party however they're usually small. There are ten people at the most because of the narrowed interest of the party subject. Many a March Madness watch party consists of a small group of students or alumni. A specific TV program has may be  four or five diehard fans and it's usually for the series' grand finale. That's w hy watch parties are actually easy to plan for. You roast a London Broil or a  small turkey and set them out , already carved Here you can serve a bowl of homemade or jarred gravy along with bread or rolls for a hot sandwich. You can also go extra casual and create a fajita or taco bar with all the fixings. Slice up peppers and onions along with having a variety of shredded cheeses and homemade guacamole. Another idea is serving indvidiual pizzas. You can buy the dough already made like Boboli or create your own.It's a simple mix of olive oil, sugar, flour , water and yeast. Again since it's a small party the pies can be customized to  people's tastes.

Consider having a  themed watch party of Sanditon or the next season of Bridgerton. A English high tea can be copied for any time of day. This is light fare consisting of scones . finger sandwiches and an array of cookies and small cakes or fairy cakes. Scones are an easy bake and are usuaally made with a heavy cream or heavy whipped cream for a rich taste. Any sort of flavor , from cinnamon to raisins can be added for extra flavor.  Serve with clotted cream which you can buy on Amazon  or Myers of Keswick if you're in lower Manhattan.As for sandwiches use a good sandwich white like Pepperidge Farms.Cut in triangles filled with either deviled ham or chicken, watercress or  an egg salad. If you want a truly British treat to snack on then think fairy cakes. These are small cupcakes with the middles hollowed out and filled with whipped cream and raspberry jam. The top of the cupcake that was hollowed out is cut in two and placed like fairy's wings on top of the cakes. Cookies can be delicate bites of shortbread or spritz cookies.

A watch party is a great way to celebrate a favorite sport or show. They're easy to create and fun to throw. Have one and enjoy good food and good company.

Craving of The Green

 Everything is green thanks today being Saint Patrick's Day. Yet there are many who are craving  green - fresh Spring veggies for one. There's something about the the coming of a warmer season that makes home chefs want green and healthy in their recipes.

I have been feeling this way for a couple of weeks. i have been craving made from scratch straticella soup, made with fresh baby spinach along with a homemade celery soup. I even bought a bag of  avocadoes .

I am thinking of an old fashioned avocado salad, reminiscent of those classic Fifties dishes,it's an easy make , peeling them and then cubing. The viniagrette is simple.It's myNonna's lemon viniagrette. Instead of using vinegar which can be heavy I sub in two teaspoons  of lemon juice.It imparts a very light and fresh flavor .It reminds me of spring and balmy days . This is a perfect  side with anything, from grilled salmon to Cornish hens. There's a simplicity to it, unlike heavier winter dishes.

There are other greens that I've been craving. Kale is one and it's so versatile. I can easily make it into a tasty salad, maybe with orange or tangerine wedges and almonds. It can also be added to a colcannon along with spinach and scallions too. I'm getting tired of snacking on popcorn and air fried kale chips would fit the bill. As the season progresses I may do some backyard foraging and pick up some dandelion greens. They're an excellent source of Vitamins A, C, E and K, along with being chock full of such minerals  like iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium.  I could eat them but they're slightly bitter in taste. Dandelion greens can be sauteed like broccoli rape with in oil with garlic. They also work with eggs too and on top of pizza. They just have to be rinsed thoroughly in cold water before eating or cooking. I may try experimenting with bok choy and mustard greens too. I can see a mustard green recipe that includes air fried potatoes and Morningstar Farms soy bacon.

Yes, it's a day for the wearing of the green but its also a time to be craving green. Think spring veggies and tasty recipes. They're a bright welcoming of  the season to come.

New Orlean's Lifeblood Red Beans And Rice

 Many dishes signify NOLA, New Orleans , Louisiana. The sweet pillowy beignets.The filling and flavorful po'boys  Yet nothing really signifies the city like its' red beans and rice. This is creamy blend of the best ingredients turned into New Orleans' most classic meal. 

Food writer and regular contributor Kayla Stewart wrote about this amazing dish in yesterday's New York Times Food section. The dish's popularity is well documented. Jazz great Louis Armstrong was such a fan that he even signed his letters "Red Beans and Ricely Yours". Leah Chase, the famed owner of Dooky Chase's cooked it for everyone from presidents to civil rights leaders.reverend King was known to have it when he met with organizers there. The dishes origins are murky yet it does have strong ties to Haitian cooking. After Haiti's revolution of 1804, many white and freed people fo color  fled to New Orleans. With them came enslaved Africans and standard Caribbean recipes like red beans and rice. red beans are a staple to Haitian cooking and aslo to parts fo Cuba where Haitians have resettled. It was often a dish made on Monday  - laundry day. They could be left to simmer while women did their washing. Chefs took the recipes to their restraints where there's now all sorts of varieties. You can try meatless  or ones rife with jalapenos.

What makes red beans and rice so special in New Orleans? Many say it's the beans made by the Camellia company. The company has been an important part in local cooking for  one hundred years, first selling kidney beans and then branching out to ninetten varieties of beans, lentils and peas. Yet its' red kidney beans that are their pride and joy. The company  was started by L.H.Hayward opened up in 1923 on Poydras Street and South Front Street along the Mississippi river.It was established by Lucius Hamilton Hayward Junior, grandson of an englishmn who worked in agriculture and mercantilism. During the 1940's his son William Gordon Hayward started to pack red beans and renamed the comapny for his wife;s favorite flower the camellia.Now there are competition  such as Blue Runner Foods. he love fo red beans extends far beyond the dish. There is the Krewes of Red Beans ,a community group has marched in a bean parade on Lundi Gras , Fat Monday. The krewe wear costumes with hundreds of beans attached. Ms.Stewart also includes the recipe. You can't use already prepared kidney beans. for a more authentic flavor, use the dried  ones, preferably  the Camellia brand. It's a meaty recipe, full of diced ham and Andouille sausage. Hot sauce, vinegar and ketchup along with onions and thyme give it flavor. It's served over rice but also have warmed French bread for dipping.

Red beans and rice is truly a classic NOLA dish. Make it using Camellia kidney beans for added flavor. It's a delicious dish full of hisotry and flavor.

Top Chef'sTop Draw

 One of the most interesting reality shows is Top Chef. It's a fascinating look at chefs and their dishes along with how they can  be up for a challenge.This is why it's one of the longest running realty competition shows on TV these days. It appeals to humanity's two favorite  things blood lust and food.

Regular contributor Brett Anderson wrote about this crowd pleaser in today's New York Times Food section. Top Chef is such a part of the zeitgeist.It has introduced audiences to various chefs , previously unheard of along with broadening people's horizons by visiting various cities.It now has a global audience of millions and the winner not only receives interantional attention but $250,000. The twenty seasons show has made its'host Padma Lakshi a household staple  along with promoting such vibrant and bold chefs as Eric Adejepong, Nini Nguyen and Kristin Kish to name a few. It gives viewers a window on such diverse cities as Portland Oregon and Paducah Kentuvcky,bringing tourism and adventurous foodies to their local restaurants.How did this show come about? Thank Project Runway, the first successful show of their shared production company Magical Elves. Food was also th e focus of another one of their shows , the famed "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy". It also helped the show that Tom Colicchio, a famous chef in his own right pushed it.

Yet there were some qualms. Early on food writer Gail Simmons was nervous about the genre. She had nightmares that it could be like a food version of another famous and long running reality show "Survivor" she feared she 'd be tied to a tree and eating insects. Yet Top Chef was more.It took from the widely popular Japanese cooking competition program "Iron Chef" with behind the scenes  of such reality hits like "Real World". It was an instant hit.In the process it  conditioned a large segment of the population and a generation of chefs to believe that cooking professionals should be able to prove their worth in a spectacle , worthy of the gladiators at the Colisseum. Unfortunately for the contestants there are down sides to  being on the show. They have no idea how they'll be portrayed in story lines created by producers until they watch the episodes. There is cyber bullying witnessed by Season 11 winner Nicholas Elmi  he was called a coward under a reposted picture of his young son dressed as the Cowardly Lion. Then there's the isolation where contestants  basically are treated like sequestered jurists during a high profile murder trial. They're cut ooff from family friends and all forms of communication. It is a lonely , sometimes frustrating period. They are also paid next to nothing, which is similar to young cehfs working gratis or for pennies at popular eateries.

No matter how people feel about it Top Chef will always be a top rated show. foodies love the recipe challenges as well as the drama.It combines hmanity's favorite things, competition and food.

Irish Classics Updated

 Saint Patrick's Day is Friday and with that comes an array of Gaelic dishes . They are classic recipes  yet can be updated for a zingy and fun holiday meal. 

One of the easiest and tastiest is colcannon. This is taking either fresh or leftover mashed potatoes and adding veggies to them. Green onions are added along with butter and cream. Many home chefs use left over green cabbage  but for a more buttery flavor try Savoy cabbage instead.This is a rich yellow colored one  that doesn't have a strong flavor like the greey variety. Another update is adding kale and spinach for a deeper jewel color along with adding more nutrients. You could also add sauteed yellow onions or scallions.If you want it to be vegan, then add almond milk and Melt butter to it.Irish stew is another Gaelic treat. It's usually made with lamb but you can vary it with beef and even vegan beef crumbles.It has carrots parsnips and turnips however you can easily switch ip up to sweet potatoes and onions.Tomato paste is also put in but you can used roasted tomatoes as well for a smokier taste.It's flavored also with a good stout but you could experiment with pale ales or other brews.

Of course one of the most famous Irish recipes is Irish soda bread . This is a quick bread that receives its' leavening from baking soda instead of yeast. The other ingredients are pretty simple and classic, buttermilk, raisins , a pinch fo sugar and a pinch of salt. To change it up a bit use Craisins , drired cranberries for a sweeter , tangier flavor or currents. Some home bakers use thinned yogurt instead of the buttermilk or kefir - a fermented milk drink for a tarter flavor. For a sweeter one  think  chocolate chips, yes chocolate chips. You can also add rolled oats ( a staple in an Irish breakfast) along with brown sugar. This would be the perfecr bread to have on St Patricks' day morning with a steaming cup of coffee or tea as you watch the parade. A hip dessert served by many home and professional bakers is stout cupcakes. These are a heady and rich mix of the thick foamy ale with cocoa powder  and chocolate chips. These can be served without icing or a buttercream one laced with Bailey's Irish Cream or coffee .

Celebrate St Patrick's Day with updated recipes. You can still have your soda bread and Irish stew. Just zing it up a bit for some flavor and fun.

That In Between Season

 March can either be very cold and wintry one day and balmy and ready for Spring the next. As with what to wear , what to cook? It could be anything from a hot soup to a refreshing salad. Keep your pantry stocked for anything.

If you're still having cold weather , then think about creating homemade soups. These are alwasy good for a comforting dinner and makes for a great lunch the next day. Think of adding fresh vegetzables for a Spring'y verdant flavor. Try a creamy roasted carrot soup that not only has the roasted  roots but also coriander and cumin for flavor along wit garlic and onions.A  favorite of mine is homemade celery soup. Celery has such a bright summery flavor that you'll forget there's sleet outside. You could puree it for a creamier texture or leave it in  diced pieces. Of course stews and chilis follow this idea as well. Instead of heavier ones think to  a lighter one., One filled with mushrooms,lemtils and tomatoes makes for a hearty meal. Keep in mind that cold weather also means hearty casserole. A chicken one is a tasty treat on a day full fo snow and gusts. You cna add cheddar shreds for more flavor and top with breadcrumbs for crunch.If it's Friday then think a classic tuna casserole or even better a tuna melt for a warming Lenten meal.

This month  means you many have higher than average temps. Should you clean off trhe grill? If you want  but just remember that the next week could bring a ton fo snow. Use it, clean it and then cover it until the weather is more stable. If you can't find charcoal use twigs. These sould be dry enough to ignite and about six unches in height. Fom there you can easily grill up hamburgers and hot dogs along with steaks for a long awaited taste.You can carry on  with the summery vibe by serving slaws and macaroni salad too. March's warmer days can also mean lighter Sunday meals too. Think a roast chicken or capon with asparagus which is starting to be in season.  Fish , like salmon and tilapia are perfect early Spring dinners. These too can be grilled outdoors and served with a squeeze of lemon and light seasonings.A nice side  with grilled fish is is a Spring green salad, a welcome departure from those heavier ones, Create a lemon juice based vinaigrette, spiked with parsley and oregano. Another idea is quich.it's a quick mix of eggs, creama dn veggies, baked in a pre-made shell. It's filling but doesn't weight you down.

March is a tricky month.There could be snow one day, a summery one the next. Be prepared with tasty dishes for both hot and cold days.

Oscar Nibbles

 Tomorrow is Oscar night and that means parties. You can still have treats if it's just you and your TV set.Whether it's for a big party or a cozy sit on the couch ,bring on the bites.

Pizza in any form is always a fun nibble during this classic awards show. Make one with a different twist.Use Middle Eastern lavash bread  for a truly crispy crust. Two flat breads can fit n one large cookie pan.You can have one loaded with meat while the other can be pure veggie. If it's just yourself or another person, then think that kid classic English muffin pizzas. Again you can have fun with the toppings and put evertyhing on from anchovies to olives You can do the same with everything bagels too. For even crispier crusts and even quicker cooking use an air fryer. Both types can be baked in under a few minutes. You could also buy a bag of Totino's pizza rolls and air fry them for  a tasty hors d'ouevres.  Of course popcorn is de rigeur for this ultimate movie night. Your best bet is popping kernels in a Colonel Popper for a healthier pop. These can be popped in olive oil and then flavored with Kernel Season;s popcorn seasonings. This  brand is neat with all these different flavors. Try the movie corn one which os a blend of butter and salt along with their ranch.They also have caramel along with chocolate and sugar cookie for a sweet bite.

If you're having a party or just have a appetite, then think appetizers.PF Chang's has some interesting ones like their vegan egg rolls which come with a sweet duck suace and their Kung Pao cauliflower. These are perfect bites to watch as favorite movies and actors wins. If you want something a bit more sophisticated then then think spinach cups.These are puff pastry cups filled with a spinach -cream cheese and feta cheese mix, spiked up with sauteed onions, lemon zest and dill. Egg binds the filling together and gives it a custardy feel. These only take twenty -five minutes to bake up in muffin tins and the filling can be made well in advance.Serve these along air fryer crab cakes for a lovely sophisticated bite. Crabcakes are an easy make , using lump crab meat, egg for binding galric powder and chives Panko crumbs give them body and a golden hue when fried in an air fryer. Wash these down with a good champagne to celebrate. If you want something heartier, then think small French dip sandwiches with individual ramekins of gravy for guests. If it's just for you then, soak the sandwich  in a big bowl and enjoy.

Oscar night means Oscar nibbles. These can be  homey English muffin pizzas or sophisticated crab cakes.Make it a fun food night no matter what you serve.

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Tasty Lavash Rolls

 What''s a quick and tasty lunch ? A lavash roll up. Atoria's Family Bakery has the perfect ones to create delicious alternatives to sandwiches.

Lavash is a flatbread baked in a tandoor or on a sajj ,a type fo grill in the South Caucasus, between the Black and Caspian Seas. It's a yeasty version of pita that can be baked into chips or turned into  roll ups. I love the idea of  roll up for lunch. They're satisfying and fun, along with filling them with good for you fillings

Avocadoes are perfect for this. I sliced mine into C's however you could just cube them too.

For crunch and color I used Stop & Shop's chopped slaw and added a lemon viniagrette. Using lemon instead of vinegar gives the slaw a lightness in flavor.

As for the protein I went vegan and used Lightlife's plant based turkey slices and the ever silky Chao's Creamy original soy cheese(Keep in mind this makes for a good grilled cheese too)

It was then a matter of layering and the tightly rolling

It's a nice mix of flavors and textures. The slaw gives it crunchy while the tukey provides a nice chew. The cheese and avocado gives it a creaminess.

Rolling does take some skill. It's rolling it away from you in a tight wrap

Cut on the diagonal to keep the filling from falling out. 
This was one of the tastiest wraps I 've had in a while. I plan on making more as we go into Spring and summer and fresh locally grown veggies become more available. I can see making a bruschetta and salame wrap.

Try Atoria's Lavash Breads for a yummy lunch roll up. There a great base for your favorite fillings and condiments. Get a package and create a light yet satisfying meal.

The Language of Food

 One of the most fun aspects of food is not eating it - surprisingly - but finding out its' origins. Where did the word barbecu ecome ffrom? Or something as ordinary as Romaine lettuce? Now there's a new book that explains allthat and it's a tasty read.

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Food section.The book is Romaine Wasn't Built In A Day (Voracious Press 2023) by medieval scholar and English professor Judith Tschann. This is not just the book for foodies but for word lovers too. It's chock full of interesting nuggets about food and food related words. Who would have thought that seersucker which comes from the Hindi word sirisakar whic derives from a Persian word meaning milk and sugar. The smooth stripes are the milk while the bumpy ones are the sugar.  Our popular barbecue comes from the Caribbean Arawak word barbacoa for roasted meat on a spit.You know that Caesar salad is named after Caesar Cardini, anItalian chef who moved to Tijuana. and create this fantastic salad for the 1920's movie stars. Yet did you also know that Romaine lettuce originated from the medieval French laitue romaine, which arrived with the popes coming ot the then seat of the Church, Avignon. France.  Although some words like avocado have spicier origins, ahucatl coming fromthe Nahuatl word from the Aztecs which was slang for testicles.

There are tons of delicious morsels. like this in the book. "Language is amusing,"said the book's author ."It has a playfulness to it and so does food." Yet some words have a weighted history like the word  recipe. It derives from the Latin verb recipere to receive or take. IN Western medieval and early modern manuscripts it was used to instruct people to take medical prescriptions. The  abbreviation Rx is a remnant of that. Another interesting fact is that the English language as a habit of sucking up foreign words and then making them its' own. Take relish for example. Again another word coming from Old French relaisser which means to release. The idea is that it releases flavor according to Dr. Tschann. Then there is mushroom which comes from the old Anglo-French word musherum and the central French word moisseron. We have the Yemeni port city of MUkha to thank for the word mocha. Their coffee originally had a chocolate-y flavor  that we now used for a mix blend of chocolate and coffee. Surprisingly place names like Chicago are  aasociated with food. the name cones from the  word leek in the Miami Illinois language while Topeka means the palce for digging potatoes in the Dakota language.

Romaine Wasn't Built In A Day is the perfect book for food and word lovers. It's a tasty look into our word salad of cooking terms. Buy it for a good read.

Ice And Fancy

 Who would have thought ice would become a thing It's usedoften enough. Even on a frosty cold day most crave a drink with it. Nowit's becoming more elevated and even glamorous.

Contributor and social media editor Becky Hughes wrote about this staple gone glam in today's New York Times food section. Americans havealways loved ice. even Mark Twain in 1896 wrote that ice has been so inextricably linked with the United States. "There is but a single specialty with us,only one thing that can be called the wide name American." he had written ," That is the national devotion to ice water." It all started in 1806 with Frederic Tudor according to Jonathan Reees, a history professor at Colorado State UNiversity Pueblo who has published three books about the development of American refrigeration. Tudor would give ice away at bars to get people hooked on it. It work, giving the new country a long standing addiction to cold drinks. By 1860 Americans developed a taste for ice year round and by 1875 people regularly had iced delivered to their homes. It was in 1925 however when electric refrigerators came into Americna life and with them ice cube trays. Now there are all sorts, from rounded balls to Korean made ice machine that produced the pebbled ice that cool off drinks at restaurants and fast food joints.

Yet it is "glam ice" that's making headlines. Thanks to Tiktok, developer of all trends these days, ice making has taken on new heights. There are dozens of videos showing how to make ice cubes, ice balls and ice squares along with making "snow ice" (which wou;d be perfect for making Sno-Cones), Home chefs are spending money on expensive pebble making ice machines that give the same size crunchy frozen bites that Sonic puts in their drinks.Ice lovers are combining  coffee in theirs which will go well with milk and even seltzer.Some are  even making hot sauce ice and Spaghettio's ice followed by Pepto Bismo Ice,Bars are putting giant spheres of ice in their drinks.These have to be clear. Drinkers have rejected cocktails with "cloudy" ice in them. There is even a custom ice company founded by Leslie Kirchhoff. Her company sells cubes for up to fourteen (!) dollars a cube. Hers have suspended flowers in them, created by a special method(which she'll never reveal). She'll even create ones with company logos on them . Home chefs can do the same thing by dropping mint leaves or small citrus wedges in prettily cut ice trays. Amazon has a dazzling array of trays that are not that expensive. Take a look at their rose and diamond shaped ones which range in price from $6.99 to $9.99.

Ice is America's addiction. Yet it does wonders to everything from whiskey to cola.They're a fun and now glam to make and use.

Purim And Holi Treats

 There are so many delicious treats with two fun holidays, the Jewish Purim and Hindu Holi happening now. Both are fun , with the first having an almost carnival atmosphere and the second a joyous celebration. Enjoy them both with sweets and treats

Purim is the commemoration of the Jewish people being saved from annihilation at the decree of an ant- Jewish official of the Achaemenid Empire.There is wine drinking by the men in some Orthodox communitiues while the whole community share in games and treasts along with wearing costumes.Hamantaschen or Haman's pockets (named for the villain of the story, Haman a minister to the king of Persia).In Israel they're called oznei Haman. They're triangular cookies filled wirh a variety of different fillings.The cookie is like a shortbread dough, with flour ,eggs sugar and flour. it's a mild flavor won't over power the fillings. You could use poppy seeds which represent  the bribes that stuffed Haman's pocket. Apricot and prune are also popular fillings and some home bakers use chocolate now. There are also hadgi badah , am almond cardamon cookie that Iraqi Jews love. Borth African Jews love debla, strips of thin dough wrapped in the shape of a rose  and deep fried. They're covered in sugar syrup and nits and symbolize the megillah, the Book of Esther.

Holi is another joyous holiday starting tomorrow. It symbolizes the coming of Spring and the blossoming of love. It's also a time to forgive, play, laugh and mend broken relationships.People throw colored powders at each other in wild abandon as they enjoy both savory and sweet dishes. Hosts offer platters of gujiya, a sweet fried dumpling stuffed with milk solids, coconut and nuts. These can even be made in an air fryer, The dough is an easy make, consisting of flour clarified melted butter or ghee and water. Mawa is added and you can buy this at any Indian  supermarket or make it with ricotta and ghee. Add cardamon for a heavy sweet flavor along with raisins and nuts. Mix with powdered sugar  to create a kind of cannoli fuilling. Another type of dumpling , a lentil one is also served. This is dahi bhalla, which are dipped in a yogurt  dip. Two kinds of dal or mashed lentils are made . Chilis and peppercorn are added for zing , The dipping sauce is a mix of Greek yogurt with kashmiri chilli powder whuch gives th e yogurt a rich red color. Sugar and tamarind juice balance it out with sweetness.

Celebrate Purim and Holi with tasty bites.It;s a time for partying and eating good food. Try these treats for extra fun.

Air Fryer Potato Puffs

 What do you do with leftover  mashed potatoes? Turn them into crusty   puffs. These are tasty bites that can be  meal , snacks side or party appetizer. Any way you hav ethem they're just soooo good.

It starts with the mashed potatoes, Just Egg egg substitute, flour and bread crumbs. It's just a matter of rolling them into balls, then dunking them into the egg, followed by the flour and then the breadcrumbs. I added some dried parsley for color and flavor to the mash. (altohugh they were already flavored with butter and garlic).

                            I used about five to six tablespoons of parsley

Keep in mind  this is a messy process and twice I had to add the rest of the Just Egg and some flour. The potatoes were a bit dry to begin with so I had to moistnen them. Then they got too runny. That's when I added about half a cup fo flour and thouroughly mixed it in with them.

Here was the tough part. Trying to find the right temp and time in the air fryer. I read several recipes online and just came up with what I thought was the best. I set the first fry at 400 degrees Farenheit  for six minutes. Thoroughly spray them with cooking spray before air frying. I used Stop & Shop's olive oil flavor.

Here' they are half fried, They sort of look like big coconut macaroons.

                                                   They're much more golden and crunchy after five minutes of more frying.

I thought I would have these with kethcup or barbecue sauce but they really don't need anyything. They were crispy on the outside , soft and tender on the inside. I couldn;t stop eating them. You could vary the recipe by adding powdered ranch dressing or hot pepper. Some add shredded cheese and bacon. I just liek them plain,

Don't fret if you have leftover mashed potatoes. Turn them into crunchy , yummy air fried puffs. These are a treat to eat.

Barcelona's A True Classic Revisited

 Very few restaurants make it to their ninetieth birthday but Barcelona' sin Garfield, New Jersey  has. This is a throwback to eateries from decades ago. friends and family gather around tables or the bar for good old fashioned Italian and American dishes. You can get everythign form a thin crust pizza to a hamburger.

You can pass by it if you're driving quickly. It;s in a working class neighborhood in a town that was a suburb of Passaic.The atmosphere alone is worth the visit. Friends and family gather there, especially on a Friday nioght to share a communal bowl of salad and drink martinis as they play along with "Jeopardy". The food though is phenomenal and there's so much to choose from. There are the Southern Italian classics , from pizza to spaghetti to just meatball  dishes.Ravioli and lasagna lovers will go wild for the vast array of sauce  choices You can order hot or cold subs along with a variety of soups. There's also American food too. Their open steak sandwich is served with fries and a salad along with a hamburger and mushroom.

 I ordered the small onion pizza with a side of anchovies. (My dinner mates didn not want an anchovy pie). Every inch of the pie was covered with think strings of onion. Add the anchovies and I was in heaven. The crust is crispy and thin, The cheese and sauce were not overpowering as with some pies.

We  also ordered classic spaghetti with a grapefruit sized meatball on top. This is what pasta lovers dream of . The sauce was a tasty blend of tomato and tomato paste, rich with garlic and oregano. Their spaghetti with mushrooms  sounds just as tasty and will be tried on thei next trip. The prices are pretty good with $9 for a small plain pizza  while the spaghetti was $8.50. All meat  dishes are under fifteen dollars. There is even a dessert menu of Italian and American favorites.

If you're in Garfield for either lunch ro dinner come to Barcelona's It's good old fashioned food at good, old fashioned prices. It's like going to a family dinner.

Barcelona's is located at 38 Harrison Ave ,Garfield New Jersey, a block south of the Garfield Walmart. Go to www.Barcelonasnj.com for more info

Fun Fish Dishes

 Lenten fridays mean no meat. It does give home chefs a chance to experiment with seafood dishes. There are so many to choose from along with different kinds of fish. The recipes will make you forget steak and poultry for sure.

Melissa Clark's A Good Appetite columnin wednesday's New York Times Food section inspired me to think of other fish dishes. Her take on trout almondine was inspiring and easy to create. It's an easy cook with any white fish filet.The sauce is just a blend of lemon and butter with chives added in . serve ith wth smashed potatoes and white wine for a sophisticated intro to the weekend, The little ones may not like this so ther'es always fish and chips. You can easily buy already made filets along with Ore-Ida crinkle fries. However you  cna also make them in your air fryer. It's just creating a tasty batter out of breadcrumbs egg and flour. They could even help out in dredging the filets. . The fries cna be home made and air fried too. Use russet potatoes and give them an hout long cold water bath. This is to remove the starch and get them nice and crispy. They're then tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.The kids will love these with ketchup but the folks can have it with a garlicky aioli sauce.

Of course a hot brothy chowder is a great Friday  night dinner. Clam chowder comes in three variations., Manhattan, New England and Rhode Island. This is the red chowder , livened up with tomato paste. A Spanish onion is added as are chopped celery stalks. Yet ti's the melange of spices that give this soup its' distinctive flavor.There are seven cloves of galric , a pinch of red pepper and the all important thyme. This last is what imparts an earthy herby flavor to the chowder.Bay leaf can be added as well. The New England variety still has the minced clams but the chowder is It has onions too but potatoes are added (some Manhattan clam chowders also have these ) along with bacon for extra flavor ,there is also celery and butter added as well. It's usually also made with chicken broth but you can sub in vegetable broth for a truly meatless soup. The Rhode Island variety is not a blend of the Manhattan and New England but rather its' own rich mxiture of quahog clams , celery , onion and bacon cooked with a splash of Worcester sauce and white pepper for zing.

A friday night fish dinner cna be just as exciting as a weeknight meat dinner. Try any of these for a great way to bring in the weekend. They're tasty and flavorful for a great supper in,

A Fancy Take On Fish

 One of the most glorious dishes anyone could eat is trout almondine. It's a delicate melange of fish , slivered almionds and butter.Once the dish to have atr fancy restaurants it can easily be replicated at home.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark wrote about this amazingly retro fancy dish in her A Good Appetite column in yesterday's New York Times Food section.She puts her spin on this offshoot of sole meuniere. This was another fancy dish, that made Julia Child fall in lovewith French cuisine.It's just a simple lemon butter sauce but it quikly covered such veggies as cucumbers , radishes and beets to even grapes. It's no wonder that the great gastronome book, La Rousse Gastronomique considered these gauche 'declaring that this kind of ornament is quite useless and not at all keeping with the recipe. Yet the fish version can be varied. Ms. Clark roasts the fish instead of sauteing them. This lets you skip the dusting the filets in flour . roasting also is more forgiving. As for the fish, you could use trout for the tradtional route. Try cod or tilapia if you're into them. Flounder and halibut are also good choices along with snapper catifish haddock and grouper.she also adds zest .It makes the flavor brighter and amps up the citrus flavor.

It starts with pan roasting the filets  after seasoning them with just salt and pepper. Cut a tablespoon of butter into small pieces and place on top of each fish>Roast for eleven minutes in a 450 degree Farenheit oven. Keep in mind that thin filets cook faster than thicker ones. while the fish roasts , melt six tablespoons fo butter over a medium heat.Cook, swirling th e pan until the foam subsides and the butter turns nut brown. Add the almonds and turn off the heat. The nuts will brown right away.Toss them in the butter until they turn golden brown about two minutes. Turn the heat back on low. It's time to squeeze in the lemon juice and add the finely grated zest. Add a tabelspoon of minced chives , saving some for plating later. Pour the sauce over the filets and serve. You can add more chives along with t he lemon and the zest if you want a tarter flavor. What to serve with a dish this simply ruch? Ms. Clark recommends roasted or boiled potatoes  next to a mound of steamed broccoli or green beans. Their simplicity  will work well with the nutty sauce.

This is the dish to try. It's rich  and fancy but without any fuss. It's a great way to enjoy any white fish , especially during Lent.

Beef Stew Different Ways

One of the most comforting and delicious late winter dishes is beef stew.It's a bowl of rich goodness with a heady mix of a variety of parts, veggies and spices. What's great about it is that there isn't just one recipe,. There are ones from all over the world.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin wrote about this classic and its' variations in today's New York Times Food section.This is a great article for novice chefs because Ms/ Moskin include basics musts. Yes you have to use beef stock, The meat won't make its' own. The stew should always be covered when simmering,There's also a question of is any stew the same as soup, a braise or a pot roast? Not meaningfully. They're more or less all the same. What about the cuts? Start with a leaner meat . Look with cuts that feature cartilige, tendons and even a few bones.You can pick up beef labeled stew beef. Most grocery stores sell these in two inch chunks and smaller. Keep in mind that beef goes with all alliums, These are onions, leeks, garlic and scallions.Of course you can be brave and add potatoes for thickening and carrots for color and sweetness.The writer Laurie Colwin throws in bright green peppers while Manhattan cookbook store owner Nach Waxman did the outrageous  and tossedSin tomato paste. As far as other add in,s try red wine for an Italian spin or brown sugar for a south Asian or Caribbean vibe.Pork can be added too for more flavor . This is a staple in Mexican stews.

For those that are still undecided , there are four recipes to try out. You can try the absolute classic by The former Times food critic Mimi Sheraton. Generations of home chefs have used her recipes with great success. sShe uses brisket but you can use bomeless chuck or short ribs. Cheeks cna be used too. She adds tomato paste and paprika along with onions and carrots. It's served over potatoes or egg noodles. A different spin is braised short ribs with anchovies and peanuts adapted from the late Indian chef and entrpreneur Floyd Cardoz.It's not the usual mix but's still packed with  flavor. there are onions and short ribs along with Savoy cabbage and fresh ginger.It would be a nice chage up on a weekend night.Another Indian stew is Nihari taken from "Masala :Recipes from India _The Land of Spices  (Tenspeed Press) by Anita Jaisingham. GHee is used in this along with chickpea flour and garam masala. There is also turmeric for kick and color . Patti JInich gives it a Mexican twist by adding ancho and pasila chiles. There are also tomatillos cooked with Roma tomatoes . The veggies serve with reflect it's heritage. There is zucchini , corn, green beans and chayote squash(if you can find it right now.) Squeezes of lime are added for some zing and brightness.

Beef stew on a cold night is always the best. Try any of these whether a classic , Mexican or Indian one. The're all rib sticking good .