Candy Corn And Other Hallloween Sweets

 One of tne most obvious treats of the day is candy corn, This Halloween sweet has a it's share of followers and haters. Why such a dichotomy? Why is there such a split over this classic Americna candy?

Essence and New York Post contributor Derrick Bryson Taylor tackled the question in today's New York Times Business section. The candy has long been a favorite aminsts American kids first being made in the 1880's by the Wonderle Candy Company. The Philadelphia based candy company marketed it as did the Goelitz Candy Company a Boston concern that labelled it chicken scratch. It was really an equallizer for working class kids who now could afford candy like their rich counterparts.  The candy was available year round. Candy corn  really took off in the 1940's when trick or treating became popular. It, like other candies could be made in smaller sizes , perfect for easy giving out. Eighty years later it's still going strong despite the haters out there. It is as iconic as those Mellocreme pumpkins  which are just as sugary. Kids dress up as the triangles for Halloween, There are jewelry , hair ornaments and clothing all centered around them. Fans like Etsy shop owner Melissa Cady loves these.

The problem with candy corn is that it is too sweet. My favorite kind is the chocolate bottomed ones that kind of have a Tootsie Roll flavor to them. Some people don;t like the cloying sweetness (comedian Lewis Black compares the taste to "poop* although I fail to see how it could taste like it) Others like Key Lee, a New York City content creaotr compares it to maple syrup and finds it too sweet. Keep in mind that's it's now manufactured in such diverse flavors as breakfast where the corn tastes like pancakes, french toast and waffles to Brach's bizarre salute to a fall festival. The candy corn has a trio of strange colors from aquamarine to cotton candy pink. The flavors are kettle corn, maybe good, strawberry lemonade, OK, if it;s tart , cotton candy - too sweet and strawberry funnel cake - interesting. There's also a lemonade shakeup which hopefully is not cloyingly sweet but citrussy tart.There is also Christmas and Easter corn.They taste the same as the fall version but are in the traditional red and green or pastel colors.

Where do you stand on this holiday classic? Will you be munching on it tonight and into tomorrow? Or will there be another Halloween treat to tempt you?

Questionable Meat Lunch Meat Leftovers.

 There's always a bargain at Acme. There was one that was eye catching - and questioinable. Was it worth buying.

I saw this in my local Acme.It looked intriguing and approrpriately scary given the season.

it was lunch meat ends with fifty per cent off. I wasn;t going to buy ti at first yet I was too intrigued  ,I also couldnt resist a bargan either (this was around $1.50). It;s just chunks fo turkey meat 

There are several different recipes you can make with this. I instantly thought of a turkey Caesar salad but also placing the chunks iin already made jarred gravy. This can be served over toast for a tasty hot meal.

I just sprinkled tarragon on the chunks and  the leftover potatoes from Sunday's dinner for a hot quick dinner. This is good too.  Using tarragon gave me another recipe idea.Again I can also shred the turkey , add mayo and tarragon  to make a yummy salad. This is perfect on a sliced croissant or brioche.

This container of tuekey chunks mick look a trick  but it's really a treat.They can be used for a number of different recipes hot and cold. Get this for making great dishes.Acme , lunch meat, turkey, 

Sales Gathering

 Should you start buiying now for the holidays? If it's presents , the answer is yes. Take advantage of sales. Yet what about food? Should you buy ahead if the prices are good?

This is the question home chefs are facing nowadays.Many local groceries like Stop & Shop, Shop Rite, Acme and Wal-mart are all having good sales right now. If you want to save then look at what'be ing offered at lower prices. Canned goods are a must. They will keep for years practically. If you're planning on making a green bean casserole, then take advantage  of the sales. The same is true with yams and pumpkin pie filling. Buy now while the prices have been dropped.You could also apply this to baking too. Sugar and flour also will keep . These are definite must buys along with corn syrup for making pecan pie. As for chocolate and nuts - don't buy weeks before the holidays  - no matter what the price.  Chocolate can get stale and even change color. Nuts can go rancid which can destory an entire recipe. 

For every day items  buy. I couldn;t resist two big boxes of Cheerios from my local Shop-Rite.

These will last for weeks and were only eight dollars for two. Another good buy was Bachmans' Halloween bag of Jax cheese curls

This was another food Shop-Rite buy with eightteen bags going for eight dollara a bag. They're around $2.25 a bag . Think of what a large bag of Halloween candy costs at anywhere from twelve dollars to almost fifty bucks for a super sized bag. Another plus about this si that this becomes my snack if there are very few trick or treaters coming around. Shop Rite also has other holiday bargains which I'll take advatnage of as the season advances.

As any thrifty home chef will tell you , take advantage of any sales. Food is expensive. Grab any chance you can for a discount.

Your Restaurant Faves

 The New York Times Wednesday Food section recently listed it's favorite Philly eateries.

Here's the question of the week - what's yours? Was it a place from childhood? A great place you ate in on a vacation?Or the restaurant around the corner? Let us know. 

New York's Hottest Trend Fuchka

 New York and it's boroughs have always been food trend setters. Whatever comes from the city spreads first to the suburbs and then the rest of the world. This is true with fuchka - a Bengal street food that everyone can't get enough of to snack on.

 International contributor and sports writer (!) Andrew Keh wrote about this in the main section of today's New York Times. Fuchka  pronounced fooch ka, (sort of like the plant and the color) is a tasty Bengali street food. It's closest cousin could be pani pura and gol gappa.. Both are filled with potatoes , yellow peas, onion and cilantro. Chili flavoring gives them their kick. The mix is stuffed into semi opeend semolina shells and then deepf fired. A splash of tamerind sauce gives them their tangy sweetness. Shaved hard boiled egg slivers decorate it. There are recipes on the web if you want to try making them at home.

The idea of brining this to America is Naeem Khandaker who brought the idea from his native Khulna in southern Bangladesh. He saw that bengalis were not selling thier recipes but Indian recipes or Bengali foods under different names. This would not do for him. H eopened Tong in 2018 and within a few weeks had a steady stream of customers. Soon there were more food carts selling the delicious treat, ripping off his recipe.      Althought Mr. Khandakar  has opned up more food carts in the boroughs and even a restaurant in Jamaica Queens. There are fierce rivalries  which even result in calling in the cops. Yet the food unifies the growning Bengali population here in New York        

Hopefully there will be fuchka trucks and restaurants throught the metro area. This treat is too tasty to be kept to one neighborhood. The world should know about these.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Memroies In Scent And Taste

 What makes us feel truly at home? Is it familiar sights from our childhood? The smell of hebs grwoing int eh family garden? Or the tastes of our vountry and heritage. For some it's all three. Mostly though it's the cooking  that welcomes us back.

Regular contributor and chef Yewande Komolafe pondered this as she wrote about going home in today New Yorks Times Wednesday Food section.  The article is take from her cookbook "My Everyday Lagos; NIgerian Cooking At Home and in the Diaspora" (Ten Speed Press 2023). She is from Lagos , Nigeria, the country's capital,  her parents home is in the countryside. Nigerians are rediscovering and questioning their pre colonial past. Some do it in activism, Some in the arts. Chef Komolafe explores her Nigerian heritage through her cooking which is art itself. She gives three recipes which are a blend of her life in America and family ones. Anyone - Nigerian or not can make these and taste centuries of cooking and spicing. Keep in mind that if you buy the cookbook, she cautions against being burdens by the notion of authenticity.The bukas or relaxed  Nigerian based restaurants thoughout the world have their own verion of these dishes. The home chef should too.

Chef Komolafe includes a shakshura type of breakfast dish  -  jammy tomato breakfast eggs. it may not have the exact flavor  of shashuka but it is fragrant with oregano, chives mint and basil. Tomatos , onions and Scotch bonnet peppers are sauted with oil and smashed red peppers.It's garnished with sunnyside up eggs. Another recipe included is her mother's iwuk idesi or one por rice with chicken .Again Scotch bonnet peppers are used here in a pepper paste along with whole crayfish or dried shrimp. This is added to a braised chicken along withginger garlic and chicken stock. Long grained rice is cooked with it for a flavorful bite. She also has akara, tasty bean fritters. These are made with ewa olyin or black eyed peas soaked and peeled. {although you cna use bean powder. There's also garlic cloves , onions and Scotch bonnets again for fire and bite.These can be fried in red palm oil  and if that can;t be found use peanut oil. The mix should resemble whipped hummus before it's fried into crispy fritters.

OUr heritage and our cooking shaping. None is more evident in Chef KOmolafe's recipes. Like herself they are traditional but also reinvented for a table outside Nigeria.

Quick And Easy And Vegan

 The variety of vegan products seem to ve expanding on a daily basis. There are new  and tasty items that are so quick to heat up and eat. They're becoming ubiquituous in kitchens all over/

One of my new favorites is Nasoya's plant based steak. I bought the Korean barbecue flavor. This was a quick five minute cook in my air fryer. The strips were like the real thing and with the barbecie flavor downright delicious. 

These go well with anything. I added air fryer roasted potatoes which were also an easy fix.It was just tossing them in olive oil with a heavy sprinkle of oregano,  garlic powder, salt and pepper and air frying for fifteen minutes at 380 degrees Farenheit.

Chao cheese which has a great selection now has a yummy queso dish that perfect for tortilla chips.

Then there is Louisville vegan topping which you can put on anything. I plan on making pizza bagels with this topping for a different variation. They also have bacon and taco toppings along with an aamzing selection of soy jerky. 

For dessert? Siete Vegan Mexican cookies which are healthier takes on classic Mexican baking.

Siete has a wide range of Mexican products from  chips to seasnings to snacks. They've added such tasty desserts as these cookies along with churro strips.

Vegan cooking is becoming easier and easier. There's a whole host of new products out there that are quick to make and easy to eat. Try them for a simple and fast dinner.

Punchy Punches For Halloween

 This weelend is going ot be the weekend for Halloween parties. Instead of playing bartender and missing the party why not roll with the punches? Put out fancy bowls of alcoholic and non alcoholic ones. Your guests will get a big kick out of them as they're served ina spooky cup.

Start with a fun punch bowl/ Target has large witch's cauldrons which would be perfect for any kind of punch. They also sell a large clear pumpkin too.If you can;t find onen use your soup pot and soup ladle to pour out cups. You can also use one of your soup tureens (or buy one at an antique store) along with using the ladle that comes with it. Large ice buckets also work well too. What about the punch itself? A perfect spooky holiday sip is a blood red sangria. Start with a sweet red or rose and add the fruit fi the season  such as apples and pears. Orange and leon slices give ti a fresh tartness.  You could  increase the punch's potency by stirring in half a cup of a fruit brandy. Even though this sounds vile, sewer water punch is actually quite tasty - and kicky.It;s Dr Pepper mixed with vanilla flavored vodka and orange juice. Serve this potion in a clear bowl so they can see the "brown water." You can add gummy works if you want to (or Tootsie rolls to really amp up the "ewwwwww" factor.)

What about those little ones? Try a non alcoholic punch  with fun flavors for those tiny trick or treaters. Again serve it in a witch's cauldron or giant pumpkin. Since the main color fo the holiday is orange then think of a bright citrus punch. Combine orange soda (use an intensely flavored one like Fanta for the best taste) Add orange sherbert for more tang and a cup of pineapple juice for a refreshing zing. If you find this too sweet, then  sub in the soda with an orange flavored seltzer. This cuts down on the sugariness and even makes it more palatable for any adults attending. Another squeal inducing sip is the witch's brew punch. It's first mixing ginger ale with  pineapple and lemon juices. The last is added to keep from making th e drink too sweet,.Lime sherbet is added to give it that green color. Now for the special effects. You can put dry ice in a handmade trough wrought from tin foil around the cauldron. This will give it the effect of a smoking pot. You DO NOT want to put this ice in the punch. It's extremely dangerous to do so. Another special  and safer effect is just put a ring of battery operated votice lights around the base of the cauldon.

A good Halloween punch will add - what else - punch  to any party. It's a tasty cup, perfect with those party bites and mucnies. Brew up a cauldron for your holiday drinking.

Celebrating Coleridge.

 Today  is Samuel Taylor Coleridge's birthday.Unfortunatelt there's no cream tea and freshly baked scones to celebrate.As much as he probably loved them- he would have loved this brownie 

 cake, two lucious layers of browning with a fudge butter cream icing. A slice of this and a good cup of Earl Grey is the perfect birthday dessert.

Happy birthday to all those writers and poets out there! May your special day be as weet as this came

The Bread Question

 What was the best bread you ever ate? Wednesday's New York Times Food section featured Genevieve Ko's foccacio recipe. 

Here's the question of the week  have you ever baked a loaf that made you swoon? What was it? Why was it so good?

Good Eating In NOLA

 New orleans is known fo ra variety of things, jazz, hiostory voodoo and tradition.It's also notorious for good food. If you are goung there here are some restuarants that show off the city's best chefs and ingredients.

Regular contributor and New Orleans native Brett Anderson gave this compiliation in yesterday's New York Times Food section. There are twenty five good ones that are perfect during a weekend or a week away in the Crescent City.One of the most famous is Brennans that put the city on the map during the 1950's. Chef Ryan Hacker brings a new sharpness to such classic recipes as turtle soup a nd curried crab roulade. For more classic NoLA food visit Brigtsens, Chef Frank Brigsten's mento was the famed New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme so the food is goung to be traditional and very good. His menu includes everything from shrimp remoulade to pecan pie. For Creole food, there is Cafe reconcile. There are Gulf seafood po'biys and gumbo with red rice.Another classic eatery is the steakhouse is Charlie's Steakhouse , first opened in 1932. There;s a variety of different tender cuts along wit such tasty sides a sonion rings and creamed spinach. You must vist the famed Dooky Chase which is famed for its' seafood and Southern fried chicken.

Yes the city eateries offer other cuisines too.DAKAR NOLA offers Sengalese food. Chef  Siringe Mbaye designed the menu with the crucial role enslaved laborers played in building this city. His shows the strong imfluence West African cuisine has on the city 's history and recipes. Of course there is a French restaurant Mamou in the French Quarter. There are nod sto local tradition like the red bean cassoulet thanks to chef Tom Branighan. he also features escargot and to finish macarons.Italians have made always a big impact in the city so it's no surprise  that there are good Italian restaurants listed. Locals love Paladar 511 that features pasta in tomato sauce and crisp pizzas. There's also port saltimbocca and Wagyu flat iron steak.Indian food is also a big part of the city's dining experience.Saffron NOLA offers Creole and Cajun influenced Indian dishes.There is gumbo with saffrom and ginger along with crab  pudha. There are also Isrealie , Thai and Chinese restuarants too in the city landscape.

New Orleans offers many thing. One is food. Visit the city and discover the  amazing array of food there.

Salmon Farming Its'Future On Land

 Much has been said about salmon fisheries. There's a lot fo negativity regarding them which is bad for te industry and fish lovers. Yet there's an alternative that may be helpful. Salmon farms on land. Can thos work? The answer is yes.

Regular contributor Melissa CLark wrote about this new revolution in today's New York Times Food Wednesday section. Salmon farming may be next to any other farm.In the past most ave been located on the coast whic comes with its' own host of problems.One, these have bigger carbon footprints than a farm with sheep or cows. They create overcrowding of the nearby ecosystems as the fish are allowed to grow in open net areas.It means waters polluted with fish waste along wit other pollution and also promotes the growth of diesases and sea llice. These in turn bring on the need for more pollutants such as antibiotics and pesticides. Then there is the problem of the salmon escaping and breeding with other kinds of salmon which can wreak havoc on the local population. The end result is a new hybrid spawn that can't sustain itse;f and can't make it past the spawn stage.Of course the biggest problem to salmon fisheries is the ocean itself. Warming waters are making it impossible to find a decent site to breed.

This is where land farms come in. Ms. Clark visited one in Auburn, new York in the Finger Lakes area. A former factory is home to thousands of coho slamon. Theyglide throuh a safe ecosystem of fresh water that recirculates  through biofilters every thirty minutes. It mimics a deep seas environment with  the lights dimmed to a deep aqau glow, almost giving the fish a glowing look. More farms like this are being built. Atlantic Sappbire is out of Florida and despite setbacks and will break even in the next year 2024. More farms will be built . According to Brian Vinci, the director of the Conservation Fund's Freshwater Institute,a nionprofit conservation program, land based fisheries are the way to go especially for an American public that wants high quality protein without increasing dependence on imported seafood. Farms like Atlantic Sapphure will be able to increase its volume to 220,000 metric tons of salmon. America is only twenty five to thirty years away of replacing all foreign fish coming from Poland ,Scandinavia and Japan with US bred fish.THis means more affordable fis on the table.

Salmon is America's favorite fish. Thanks to theis new type of fishery , more and more Americans will be able to enjoy it.Land farming not only benefits the environment but the people too.

The New Face Of College Eating

 For years college cafeteria food was just that cafeteria food.it was a better versionof grammar and high school dishes. You got burgers and fries. Sometimes there was French toast for the breakfast menu. Now it's changing  to suit the internationality of students.

This is what's happening at both  the four and two year colleges. Passaic County Community College is one school that offers a variety of different foods, refrelcting it's student body.(heads up I teach there  part timeso I di have a oindness for them) Their dishes represent the large Hispanic population coming in from Paterson and nearby Passaic. Take the food truck MI Sabor Boricoa. Tey have a small stand in the school's five restaurant cafeteria. There is everything from empanadas (the pizza is the best) and tostomes

Ilove their tostone made with mashed fried pmatains. I've always loved them but they make them extra crispy and serve themwith a pink sauce - a mix of ketchup, mayo and garlic powder. Another plus is the Panther Cafe that has extraordinary crispy fries.There is also Totowa Bagels too.

Schools are changing to fit their students tastes. it's a wide palate. It's also an international one too.

Shaking Up Those Fall Recipes

BY now most will be tired of those fall staples -namely everything apple or everything pumpkinspice amongst other ingredients and flavors. Why not try shaking things up with new twists and variations.

instead of apples tyr the other harvest of the season  - pears. There are the BArtlett, Bosc and  Asian to name a few.Instead of baking an apple puie try these beauties in a tart. Add a fragrant frangipane filling ad a buttey crust for a truly different and elegant dessert.Another fun and different idea for alloween is candied pears. This is much the same recipe as with apples but dipping the fruit into a red candy syrup . A stick is inserted in the top part of pear for wasy immersion.You could then roll the bottom in chopped almonds. Grapes are another fall fruit  that's makes for a good snack or dessert. They're full of iron , perfect for fortifying the body for the flu season ahead.Of course these grapes make the perfect jellies.it's surprisingly an easy make.The only problem comes with deseeding the grpaes since Concords are loaded with them. You also have to skin them too which is just a simple pinch . This gets the pulp out.Don;t discrd the skinds though.Their rich purple color is what gives the jam that deep aubergine color.

What about the different spices to use?Pumpkin spice  is a mix of allspice , cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. What about deconstructing this and using the spices individually? Keep in mins that individually mos tof these spices can easily flavor coffee.Use ground ginger to spike chai tea.Allpsice cna be used in savory recipes like jerk chicken or chili.It's great in such diverse dishes as the Pennsylvania Dutch chow chow and a Moroccan couscous. It's a main spcie in carrot cake. Keep in mind that it cna be used in ginger snaps and spice cookies. Cinnamon is another versatile  spice Start a chilly fall morning with ooey gooey cinnamon rolls. THis is a great fall bake and a perfect use of the spice You could also bake a smaller version with cinnamon roll bites which are llke doughnut holes. Cinnamon cna also be used on pork to heighten its' flavor. Ginger can be used in so many Asian dishes. Think a veggie stir fry with slivers of fresh ginger. You could also create a tasty carrot ginger soup.Nutmeg is great sprinkled on Indian pudding or junket, amix of milk sugar and rennet which gives a very creamy dessert.It;s also good on creamed spinach too.

Shake up those fall recipes. Try other fruits of the season. Deconstruct pumpkin spice mix. The end result is tarty recipes that are also true to fall.

Fall Baking

 THis is definitely the time for baking. The weather is perfect for creating everything from muffins to pies.There are spices to try and fruit to add. It'll be a busy season.

Yes , this is also pumpkin spice season.Yet what would be better than pumpkin pie or pumpkin tartlets. You could use fresh pumpkin although most home bakers used the canned variety. This already is spiced and just needs to be poured into a shell. A different spin on it would be creating tartlets, perfect for fall parties. You can easily use a muffin tin for this .It;'s putting cups of pastry dough in them and filling them with a mix of pumpkin puree, half and half , brown sugar, ginger, salt allspice and egg.(the last to bind th epuree and give it some body." After they''re baked you can add a puff of whipped cream. Another pumpkin laden treat is pumpkin bread, perfect for a snack or for breakfast.it too has such warming spices as cinnamon along with the pie filling. Another breakfast treat are pumpkin muffins, made with pumpkin puree and milk. There are also the requisite spices too like ginger and cinnamon.You can also make pumpkin cupcakes too, with out without a tangy cream cheese frosting.

Of course what would fall baking be without apples? They're everywhere. Most sweet tooths love a good cinnamon laced pie. These are great , expecially after a fall Sunday dinner but what about something a bit more rustic yet sophisticated?Try a galette which is an easier bake than a regular pie.This is just rolling out the dought and then filling ith with sliced apples. The crust is then folded over the apples with an opening in the middle. Some home bakers drizzle caramel on it after it's been baked. Another sweet treet is a turnover stuffed with the fruit. The diugh is a light  flaky one that crackles and is the perfect foil for the apple mix. These make great snacks to bring to school or to work.  Use puff pastry sheets (which can store easily in your freezer for the shell and Granny Smith apples for the filling. Granny Smiths are the best option for these because of their tartness and are not overly sweet. Turnovers can be decorated with a drixxle of a confectioner's sugar glaze. This is just a blend of the sugar milk and vanilla and then it;s piped onto the turnovers tops.

It's fall and the season for baking. You can go with anything pumpkin or anything apple. The end result is a sweet treat perfect with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

The Pizza Question

Here's the question  of the week Can a pizza be a pizza without the cheese on top? Recently the Wednesday New York Times food section featured an article about tomato pies.It's sometimes called an old fashioned or nonna pie in the  pizzarias. Technically it is a pizza. Or is it?

What do you think? And do you like your pizza with or without cheese?

Sixty Years Of Pop Tarts

 That ubiquitous  breakfast treat and all day snack Pop Tarts hits Its' sixtieth birthday is coming up and the treat;s popularity is as strong as ever.It all started with a box of tester pastries.

New contributor and founder and host of The Box Sessions. Laura M. Holson wrote about her family's experinece with the treat in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Her family were the first to try them in 1964  during th e pastry's debut. How did they get this exciting job? Ms Holson has a theory that her mother saw an opportunity to feed eight hungry kids free dessert. They tried a variety of different flavors , frosted and unfrosted.It was a novelty  for them because this was their first taste at processed foods. Ms. Holson;s family gew up in a small agrifultural commiunity in the Santa Cruz mountains. They only knew fresh fruit and vegetables.It was cheaper for their mothe r to bake dozens of cookies on a Sunday for a week ahead than to buy packaged bake goods and sweets. This was something that required no prep time except for putting it into a toaster or toaster oven. There were even two well sized one in a packet.

The Holsons were ahead of their neighbors. They recieved flavors that had yet to hit store shelves making them special in the eyes of their neighbors and friends,.They tried  frosted strawberry  and brown sugar cinnamon whcih are now the popular retro flavors everyone gets. The family ate POpTarts for dessert. They were too hot on the tongue to eat straight out of th e toaster and they were used to eating oatmeal to start the day. Once eaten, the Holsons filled out forms , grading the pastries for form and texture. Some just sniffed and nibbled while others toook big bites. Not all the Holson kids were enamored by them They preferred their Czexh born great-grandmothers strudels and homemade apricot kolache, a kind of mini danish laden with fruit and cream cheese. Nowadays the family doesn't even want them.  Surprisignly enohg a big Pop Tart fan, Jerry Seinfeld is making a movie about them,. (he likes brown sugar cinnamon with a glass of milk)

The Holsons got to try a new idea and their opinion it seems still matters sixty years onward. Are the pastries that good? It seems they are, in all their sweetness.

Versatile Roti

 Roti is the type of flatbread that can be used in traditional and non traditional dishes. It cna be sweet or savory, served with lamb or jaggery sugar. The one thing it is is tasty and can be made in any home chef's kitchen.

Regular contributor and cookbook author Priya Krishna wrote about this basic yet versatile bread in today New York Times Wednesday Food section. Roti is a staple at many Indian restaurants but thnaks to both forced and voluntary migrations is alsoa staple in such diverse cuisines as Caribbean, Malaysian and Guyanese. The name itse;f derives from Northern Indian according to Professor Krish Ray who teaches food stiduies at NYU. However the basic recipe was common. Early people made rounds of unleavend bread cooked over open fires and either eaten plain or with somekind of meat and /or veggies. You can make it at home or even buy it at any grovery store. Caribbean chef Peter Prime gets the rounds at his local Caribbean mart in Mary;and. He does create his own too  - theTrinidadian buss up shut which has butter giving the bread a smoother texture. Keep in mind that it can also be made much easier wirh the help of the Rotimatic which sells for $1299 .

However Ms Krishna also includes a recipe for it. it calls for ghee, the clarified melted butter but you can use melted unslated butter too. There is flour, usually refined white will do along with baking powder for rise. A tablespoon of light brown sugar imparts a sweet taste making it perfect for dessert recipes too.The ingredients are added to the flour and baking powder by the well method. The dough at first will be shaggy looking but as tablespoons of water are added , it should evolve into a smooth ball. when this happens cover it with either plastic wrap or a kitchen towel  and let it rest  for anywhere between one to four hours. In the meantime combine the ghee or melted butter with coconut oil. When the dough has rested them roll it out on a floured surface. Formronds, and cut a slit in the middle Add the butter coconut oil mixture, then roll the dough onto itself, It should form cone. Sealt the ends , return to a buttered pan and allow it to rest for thirty more minutes. The dough is cooked in al large skillet with the butter mix to fry it. Keep brushing it with butter and shredding it with two spatulas. Repeat until allk the pieces are cooked . Serve with curry or a sweet filling.

Roti is a delcious bread that can be served with a variety of fillings. Have it sweet or savory.It''s a delicious treat either way.

Warm Hugs Of Stew

 The air is getting nippy.It's definitely sweater weather. Ther'es aneed for a warm meal  - a hug of a warn meal that 's comforting and delicious. This is where stew comes in.

Stew sometimes get a bad rap yet it's an easy cook and as comforting as meat loaf and gravy. You can stick to basic recipes but there are also fancier ones that as good too. Basic protein usually is beef , chicken and lamb.yet you cna also use pork and seafood, especially shrimp. What about tofu? Yes, there's an interesting Korean stew that fullof spice and tofu.  Another plus is that you can use your crockpot or Instapot for making a good warm one while you;re at work. if you're going for a beef one select two pound of stew meat to firs tbrown You cna use vegetable oil for this but olive oil givesthe meat more flavor. Add a can of tomato sauce or whole tomatoes along with such spices as marjoram and thyme. A clove fo garlic wouldn't go  amiss for more flavor. Of course add your favorite veggies.Onions, potatoes, carrots and peas are the ones that work best with a simpl e beef stew. Keep in mind that these cna be added to chicken and pork stews tooA fish stew should hve either a chicken stock or clam juice as its' base. You can add tomatoes along with green ro black olives for more flavor along with new potatoes.

If you're thinking about a tofu stew then think Eastern. Korean cooking gives us sundubi jjigae which is made with soft or uncurdled tofu. Korean chili oil is need for this  You cna buy it or make this mix of Korean chili flakes, canola oil, ginger and garlic. Assorted veggies such as bok choy are added to the mix along with either pork belly or shrimp and clams. The meat are determined on what you want in it. Kimchi, fermed , shredded cabbage is also added to it.It's cooked for about thirty minutes and is usally served with rice Of course you can als try the warming  Southern French cassoulet recipe.. This Languedoc has satisfied geenrations of French people looking for a hot delicious bowl after a cool fall day, It starts with chicken but also has pork and duck added too. The pork is two kinds , some kind of bacon like lardons or even pancetta and sausages.The there are thebeans and aromatics. This is one of those rare stews that omits all veggies, better to taste the delicious flavors of beans and meat cooked together. Use white cannelini beans for this, It's cookef for four hours in a 350 degree Farenheit oven. 

Cold weather deserves a warm hug. That can definitely come in the form of a delicious hot stew. Make one to wars off the nippiness and embrace a comforting blend of flavors.

A Cup Of Homemade Cider

 This is the season for apple cider. You could easily buy ot at your local farm or store yet you can also make ypur own. Homemade cider is pretty easy to make. Best of all you can customize it to suit your tastes.

It all starts with apples. The flavor depends on what you use and what you like , Gala or Fuji apples have a very sweet flavor  so if you like a candy like drink  use them.MCIntosh and Pink Lady impart a tarter flavor , perfect for those who want a true apple taste. You can also vary them too, with using five apples of one kind and five of another. You should be using ten apples in total. As for sweetening , use three quarters  cup white sugar. There is also one tablespoon each of nutmeg and all spice to give it that autumnal spice flavor. Since this is a non- press cider it can be made in a stockpot or even a crockpot. If you use te last then figure a twelve hour simmering should do it. Remember that the cider will only last a week in the fridge. (although that probably won't happen). You can freeze it if you want. Just use a tightly covered pitcher or jar for this,Bad cider will have a froth or foam floating on top along with an acidy taste. If it's this it's on it's way to becoming vinegar,

One plus is that the apples don;tave to be peeled cored or sliced. They cna just be put in the pot as is. The skins will give the cider that rich reddish-amber color.Place the apples in a large stockpot and cover with water two inches above their tops. Add sugar and spices and boil unclovered for one hour. reduce heat to low after this  cover and then simmer for two more hours. Strain the apple mixture throw a fine mesh sieve (you can use the flesh skins and cores for the composting). Drain cider a secon time using a fine cheesecloth to get rid of any little impurities. You can serve warm with a cinnamon stick or chilled for a lovely cool drink. Homemade cider can also be used in a variety of fun cocktails. It pairs best with rum and bourbon but you can easily make a caramel apple martini with it. This is combining the cider with butterscotch schnappes and vodka for a sweet fall sip.

Homemade apple cider is a real treat. Try this one for a tasty fall sip.It's a refreshing drink using the best  fruit of the season.app

Cookie Slabs Something New Something British

 If you're looking forsomething new for your Halloween party, look to the British., They have a treat called a  cookie slab,It's a giantcookie topped with all sorts of candy.It's the perfect treat for the upcoming holiday.

I found out about this when I received the usual email from Party Pieces , the company owned b y the Middletons, Catherine, Princess of Wales' family.  They featured cookie slabs a sort of square sheet cookie topped wuth everything from chocolate covered pretzels to their version fo Heath Bars and Butterfingers. Smarties, the Brit version of M &M's are also strewn on top.  There is also a white chocolate version too. The question here is there a recipe for US audiences? There are some , ranging form blogs such as Lindsay Cameron Wilson who gives a chocolate chip one. You can easily swap out the chocolate chips for M&Ms and Reeses Pieces. Keep in mind that the orginal recipe is the basic chocolate chip one with brown sugar being used for that mellow cookie flavor,   The Meal Garden blog offers an oatmeal one. You could press dried cranberries and raisins into this one for a healthier spin.

You could try an American version which I think is a bit thicker in texture, The New York Times Food section has one for sugar cookie bars , adapted from an American Girl recipe. Theirs has cream cheese added in which makes for a chewier , moister bar. Cookie slabs shoudl have some kind of crispness to them. Another idea to create the perfect cookie slab is to buy Pillsbury, roll the dough out and then place on a small cookie sheet pan.Bake this and when the dough is stillhot from baking add candy.It's just gently pressing in different candies like candy corn, Mellowcreme pumpkins and anything you can think of. You can easily just put all M &Ms or small Reeses' peanut butter cups.Think soft melty candy as opposed to hard like Jolly Ranchers. Another idea is decoarating any of the cookie shaps with swirls of orange and black icing for Halloween. Think a chocolate slab cookie studded with broken candie canes and drizled with red and green icing for Christmas.

A slab cookie loaded with all sorts fo candies are a great holiday treat. This is the way to celebrate Halloween.It's as fun to make as it is to eat.

A PSL Question

 Here's another question, appropriate for this season - are we overinundated with eveyrthing PSL ? Should there be another flavor that can easily symbolize fall?

Your thoughts?

Cinnamon Buns With A Twist

 One of the highlights of a chill fall morning is hot cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven. These are perfect with a hot cup of coffee or tea. They're also not that hard to bake. 

Regular contributor Claire Saffitz wrote about them and gave the recipe in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday food section. . Hers are a bit different. The twist is the addition of Specaloos, a spicy molasses based snap cookie.It gives it a different taste that makes the buns memorable. She also uses scalded milk which gives the rolls a pillowy texture. This allows specific proteins to denature. Without scalding these same proteins inhabit the development of gluten. You need a lot fo gluten for this . They react with the yeast which produces a light airy texture.  Biting into the  rolls willbe like biting into clouds. She also added a rouxlike mixture of flour and milk called tangzhuong. Thsi is what gives Japanese milk bread and other Asian breads that soft, spongy testure. Use a stand mixer to mix and knead the dough/

As for the cinnamon, mix it with the specaloos to cut back on the earthy spice flavor,. these won;t be so intense flavor.  If you can't find them then add windmill cookies or even graham crackers. Just make sure that all three are pulsed into fine crumbs.Don't add sugar either. These will make the rolls too sweet. The frosting is sweet enough . The dough is rolled out and then thethe filling is added. The rolls are cut with a thread and then baked with aluminum foil over them. This keeps in the moisture. Let cool and then frost with a standard cream cheese frosting.

These are a different cinnamon roll. They are light and tasty with a different texture. Try them on a cool fall day.

Judge Of All Pizza

 Can one reviewer make or break a pizzeria? If you're Dave Portnoy , yes. Not only did he create his form of a foodie Coachella but also is responsible for a pizza parlor's success.

Both Times sports writer Kevin Draper and regular contributor and food writer Amelia Nierenberg wrote about Mr. Portnoy in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.Mr Portnoy's One Bite reviews are famous  and he even created a One Bite Pizza Festival.Mr. Portnoy, however is better known for his Bartstool Sports, a causitc ,at times misigynistic and racist. He's also had several misconduct allegations as well. Despite all this he is one of the most influential people on the American pizza scene. He has three million folowers on Tiktok and  around 135 millions likes. He can easily change the destiny of one eatery just with a good or bad review. Santillo's Pizzeria in Elizabeth ,NJ was even able to remodel thanks to all the businees just one of his reviews generated.

What is his method?He just shows up with a videographer annd asks for a slice. The owner waits nervously for the verdict.Even celebrities and fans can get into the act by posting their own reviews of their favorite pizzerieas.Keep in mind that most of his reviews aren't that .Sometimes they're showcases for his pugnacious spectacles of grievance or his confrontational attitude. His moist recent beef was outside Dragon Pizza in Somerville, Massachusetts.Its owner Charlie Redd told him he couldn;t review the pizza with just one bite. He told Mr. Portnoy to enjoy it as a customer, nothing more. He also added that Mr.Portnoy ruined small businesses and then told himto leave. The result was insensed yelling on both sides with Mr. POrtnoy ending with an obscene gesture. After that his followers gave the place bad Yelp reviews and harassed employees with threatening phone calls. LUckily things have died down and Dragon Pizza can get back to normal.

Can Dave Portnoy make or break a pizza place? Yes and no. Pizza partlors are beloved and there's nothing that any review could do to them.

Make Your Own PSL

 Everyone is rushing to get that seasonal treat pumpkin spice latte even one from Starbucks can cost you close to six dollar.s Dunkin Donuts is half that.yet it still adds up. A better choice is creating your own. You can also dial up or dial back the spoice factor too.

Every flavored coffee starts off with a base of a good roast. You can easily buy what Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts or DD has to offer . Their blend of beans contain the perfect flavor not just for a latte but for other drinks like caramel and mocha too.As for the milk don;t use heavy cream or creamer. Any other milk, from cow, to soy and nut milks work just fine. How much to put in? That's up to you but the average is about one cup of milk to every cup of coffee.If you prefer a more coffee flavor then decrease to half a cup.If you like it milky , then increase to a quarter of a cup more.DON'T use evaporated milk, This is too sweet and maybe you could use it to make pumpkin spice fudge.It would turn an already sweet drink into liquid candy.

Some recipes call for actual pumpkin (!!!) to be added. This is up to you. Many home baristas use the same pumpkin puree that you'd use for pie.Just make sure you use PUREE and not pumpkin pie filling. The last is a bit watery and stringy to add. As for the star ingredient pumpkin pie spice , you can add a teaspoon. Do you want it already made or homemade? Try McCormicks' which has the perfect blend of the needed spices.  You can also make your own to use not only in lattes but for, waffles ,  cakes, icings and even roast veggies too. It's a mix of cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves , allspice and nutmeg. Take three tablespoons of cinnamon and mix in  two teaspoons of ground ginger and one and a half teaspoons of ground nutmeg. Add two teaspoons of mixed dried cloves and allspice to finish it off. Store in a clean jar in a cool, dry place . You cna finish your coffee with a big blob of whipped cream or add ice for a frappeccino. Dust with more pumpkin pie spice and enjoy.

Why go out and buy a cup when you can make a pumpkin spice latte at home? It's a tasty treat that cna be whipped up in seconds. Have it with your favorite cookies or just as a treat after dinner.

Braising ABCs

 braising is a great way of cooking any kind of meat.It adds a tenderness to it along with giving it flavor.It;s also an easy cook perfect for  those novice chefs Even better is that any meat can be braised.

To start with you need a good braising pan.Who has a good braiser? le Creuset is the best. it has a spacious cooking surface, a large lid knob for easy grabbing and easy to grip handles. Any Le Creuset surace is perfect for cooking. It is expensive with the price varying from $380  on Amazon to $290 on Amazon. A nuch cheaper one is Crock Pot Artisan.It's almost the same as Le Creuset but has a smaller cooking surface. yet it's only $67 at Wayfair and $62 on Amazon. You can also score a $50 one at Target too. Keep in mind that the cheaper ines have trouble with the enamel eroding. Braisers can be used for other types of cooking too.it's greati for browning chicken wings and thighs as well as such roasts as London Broil.The pans are not delicate. You can easily put one in your dishwasher witout any worry of scratches ro nicks.

What meats are perfect for braising? Beef short ribs and chuck work. As for pork think the shoulder also known as  Boston Butt. You could also braise lamb shoulders or shanks as well as chicken thighs or legs. You should season your meat first, usually just sea salt and freshly ground pepper will do. You could add some herbs such as thyme or oregano  along with either onion or garlic powder for flavor. Add oil to your braiser. Both Italian and Greek olive oil work the best. These are the most flavorful and will enhance the meat's taste. You can add veggies  such as carrots and peas. Braising requires some kind of liquid in the second part in the cooking.Red wine works rhe best with braising. Stock is also necessary. Beef or chicken works the best. Use beef broth for both the lamb and the pork too. The lid is then put on the the meat and veggies are cooked for a good hour to an hour and a half.

Braising is an easy way to have a delicious hot meal. All it takes it  a good braiser and a great cut of meat. Put them together for a tasty dinner.