The History Of Black Cocktails

 African American hisotry has long included food.However there'sanother aspect of it that many aren't aware of , the alchol made and consumed. Now there'a new book delving into it's story.

Regular contributor Christina Morales wrote about this forgotten history in yesterday's New York Times Food section. She interviewed Toni Tipt

on Martin , one of the hosts of the famed PBS show "Cooks Country and author of a new book Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs and Juice: Cocktails From Two Centuries of African Americna COokbooks. MS Tipton Martin is no stranger to African American culianry history. She has written several cookbooks on the subject along with being the editor of Cooks Country magazine. She''s created a mixologist 's paralell to what she did in her hisotry based cookbook JUbilee according to fellow cookbook author Jessica B Harris, author of High On The Hog: A Culinary Journey From Africa to America.

Ms. Tipton-Martin also includes a recipe for the classic gin and juice. She mixes a good gin like Tanquerey mixed with orange juice anda nix of red and white vermouths. Blood orange bitters are added for depth but you can use Angostura bittersA wheel of citrus is rubbed along the edge of the glass for more flavor.It's a great drink at any season or any time.Many have thought this came with the rappers fromhe Nineties but it was actually from the 1930-s. THis drink;s origins actually began in Africa where people macerated oranges and let them ferment. 

This is an interesting book for an interesting history.It;s worth buying just for the narrative alone. it shows a different side of African American taste

Mortadella The Queen Of Coldcuts

 There is something about a slice of mortadella. It's is silky , savory- sweet slice of goodness.Thanks to a new interest it;s making a big comeback. Ever culture is discovering it and tring new recipes made with it.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin wrote about this mouth watering treat in today's New York Times Wednesda Food section. Surprisingly the cold cut went out of favor for a long time and has faced some snobbery(although why is the big question here) For a long time fussy chefs and gourmands considered mortadella to be in the smae catagory as baloney, olive loaf and even head cheese! Sadly and unfairly it was more or less thrown in the catagory of mystery meat. THrow in the import ban from the US Food and Drug Adminsitration. Mortadella, along with other cured meats were banned from import between 1967 until 2000 when an excess of caution about swine flu(which never contaminated the cold cuts) was called.Thankfully love of this delicious meat is now on the upswing. Americans are now curious about all thing French charcuterie and the meats that make up the boards. Some chefs are even creating their own fat tubes of mortadella.

What exactly is mortadella?It's a cooked meat of sorts. Chunks of pork (at least fifteen) are ground with the pigs; fat. Butcher Joe Paish who works at the trendy Rolo's restaurant in Brooklym adds ice to his mix to prevent  the emulsion from breaking. The sausage 's history goes way back to the Renaissance where it was at the height of its' popularity. Exotic ingredients like peppercorns from East Asia and pistachios from the Mediterranean were added.It was fabulously expensive and artful, with such powerful familys like the Medicis and the Borgias being its' biggest consumers.It evolved into an everyday luxury in in cubes with Lambrusco an Italian fruit wine as an aperitivo along with being ground into tortallini filling. The last is added to broth for the popular CHristmas soup zuppa imperiale. Now other cultures like the Chinese and Japanese are using it  as filling in such dishes as scallion pancakes and coated  with panko crumbs and fried at the popular West Village Japanese restaurant Katana Kitten. Still the best way to have it is just on a good thick slice of Italian or French bread.

Mortadella is  thankfully popular again, Fall in love with this sweet-savory cold cut. It's really the perfect food.

Your Cookie Guide

 It's that time of year again. Cookie time. Every one wants to make a huge range during these weeks. Yet the question is what to make? Sugar? Sprtiz? Chocolate chip? What's the best and what's the easiest?

Of course the easiest is Pilsbury's Slice and Bake. This classic dough log is easy to bake and decorate. It's perfect if you have very little time  for the kitchen. Just scatter red and green sprinkles on them before baking  for a simple decoration. If you want an easy scratcvh cookie then go for a sugar cookie. It's an easy one that doesn't require a lot of ingredients. They're just sugar , butter and flour mixed together. They can be sprinkled with anything from  chopped nuts to candies. If you wanted you could add a drop of any flavoring from coffee(!) to lemon or almond. Many novice bakers get sugar cookies confused with the butter ones. There is a difference. The sugar ones are often rolled thin and then cut out ousing cookie cutters. Butter cookies are softer in texture when raw and the dough has to be put into a cookie gun or shooter. The taste is also more buttery. The famed holiday cookie, spritz falls in this catagory. They're also a cousin to shortbread except the dough requires an egg. Eggs. help the cookies keep their shape. The dough is usually dyed red and green for the holidays.These are perfect for a fancy dessert party.

What about traditional cookies? Shortbread is one and is also easy. Like sugar cookies it's made with only a few ingredients. A basic recipe has only one part sugar, two parts butter and three to four parts wheat flour.It's an ancient recipe that came from Auld Alliance with France in the 1500's. The texture is lovely and crumbly .It can be baked on a cookie sheet or in  the more traditional pie plate. A design is usually pricked in it, usually  it's the baker's initials Baked shortbread can be dipped in dark chocolate for an extra taste of luxury. Another classic is chocolate chips. People love these and every family has their own spin on them. The unique flavor cones form the addition of brown sugar which acts as the perfect foil  to the dark chocolate chips. Nuts such as walnuts can also be added. A variation is the tasty oatmeal chocolate chip.They 're made exactly the same way as chocolate chips except sub in rolled oats for the flour. Chocolate chip cookies can also be made with whole wheat flour too. If you're making oatmeal chococlate chip you cna also make oatmeal raisin cookies too. These also require brown sugar as well. Craisins can be used isntead of raisins for a tarter flavor.

These are some of the cookies you can bake for your holiday table. They're all relatively easy to make. even better they're easy to eat.

Party Planning Plans

 Now that's it's the Christmas season it's time to plan those party plans. Everythign has to be considered, wehter indoor or outdoor, dry or boozy vegan or non vegan.Then there are the guest lists, which are almost as complicated as those Christmas card lists. Who to invite on what night?

The first idea to consider is when to hav eit. Christmas and New Years are on a Monday this year. Hannukah is Thursday December 7th to December 15th. That leaves the weekend of the 9th and 10th for Hannukah  parties. Christmas . Kwanzaa occurs on December 26th and lasts til the New Year, January 1st. Now factor in office Christmas parties and school activities like Christmas concerts along with the usual gift and tree buying.  Ask yourself is a Saturday night do better or would a Sunday brunch be easier? Do you want a tree trimming party where there are just fun snacks like pizza cups and sausage rolls or are you looking to host a buffet, complete with two roasts and a variety of sides and desserts? Another question many party givers will be asking themselves should it be completely indoors or outdoors if the weather is somehwat warm.A great idea would be a hybrid with food and drink tables set up both in the yard and in the dining room.Keep in mind that December weather can be iffy so also have a Plan B in place.

Now comes the hard part. What to serve? Do you want it catered? Do you prefer a homemade or pot luck where guests bring their best and favorte dishes? Will it just be a cookie exchange kind of gathering? Will there be vegans who require a different kind of holiday menu? A combination of herbivore and carnivore? As every good host knows you have to make allowances for everyone.  A good rule of thumb is asking guests what they'd like. Some may prefer  hot wings and pizza rolls along with sushi and charcuterie platters. Other may suggest something easy like a big pot of chili where everyone can just grab a cup or bowl.  If there are kids invited, make sure you have all the allergies listed as well as their dislikes and likes. Nothing says an unhappy kid than one picking at a plate of "adult " food ( think caviar on toast or some kind of smelly cheese) . Have chicken nuggets , whether real or plant based  with a variety of dipping sauces along with sliders and pigs in the blankets. Little ones and even grown ups would get a kick out of an sundae bar too.

It's time to start on those party plans. Get ready. It's a lot fo prep work but worth it in the end.

A Month Of Easy Cooking

between now and the new Year there will be nothing but hectic rushing. There are Christmas concerts, office parties and of course shopping. Tons of shopping for both food and gifts. All that means easy meals that are quck to make.

This is where the air fryer and crockpot are necessary. Air fryer meals are easy to make in only minutes and the plus side they're given an extra crunch.Think chicken nuggets whether the real thing or plant based. Gardein has both nuggets and plant based chicken flavored filets which can easily be turned into lemon pepper chicken. Brush both sides of th efilets with lemon juice and then dust with pepper before air frying. This and air fried veggies make for a satisfying meal. Keep in mind that hot dogs are also good air fried. The best part is they only take five minutes to cook up. Serve on toasted butter buns with spray cheese on top for a fun meal the kids will love. You can also use the air fryer to make Hannukah latkes  or just regular potato pancakes for a quick Saturday or Sunday supper.Have sides of applesauce and sour cream as sides. Prepeared meat balls and sausages  can also be air fried and then easily added to a jarred sauce for a homemade flavor.

Your crockpot should be in heavy rotation during this time. The cold weather practically begs for a pot of easy to make chili. It's just a simple mix of canned tomatoes, tomato sauce and ground beef or plant based crumbles(Keep in mind this also makes for a grea homemade pasta sauce too). Add the chili and cumin to suit your family's taste. It can be mild or five alarm hot. Buy a square of cornbread (Acme has this fresh baked) to serve with it. You cna mix it up by making a white chili which has turkey instead of beef and cannellini beans along with cream cheese instead of tomatoes. Its flavored much the same way with cumin and got pepper along with garlic.  Serve with slabs of garlicky Texas toast. Your crockpot or even Insta pot can also wield up a good old fashioned stew too. Chicken or beef is perfect, Add carrots , onions an dleeks along with potatoes for a tasty blend. Serve with hot crusty rolls and an easy to make green salad for a quick week day meal.

Keep this four weeks easy cooking. It's easy , using your air fryer and crockpot. The meals will still be homemade, delicious but a snap to make.

 

Plain And Simple Leftovers

 It is the day after Thanksgiving and that means one thing. Leftovers. Tons of them. Yet there's no need for fancy makeovers. The best tasting ones are the only that are just simply reheated.

Yes, you could go for the fancy turkey tetrazzino or make a turkey hot pocket like chef and regular contributor J. Kenji Alt made for the wednesday Food Section of the New York Times, These are the leftovers wrapped in pizza dough, sort of like a cross between a calzone and a Costco chicken pocket.Its a mix of stuffing turkey, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce. They;re baked for twelve to eighteenminutes at 425 degrees Farenheit. You could also bake them in a toaster oven for five minutes at 475 degrees Farenheit. These remind me of those Boxing Day pot pies that English chef and judge on The Great Britihs Bakeoff, Paul Hollyowwd. he layers cranberry sauce stuffunbg gravy and turkey in a pot pie shell. THis can be fun if you're into it /It's sort of like those lefotver sandwiches where your whole Thanksgiving dinner is thrown on a baguette.

To be honest just a slice of meat  - or turfurkey in my case with gravy makes the perfect lunch. There was a tiny bit of wild rice stuffing and all the flavorings were perfect just plain. The same things with the leftover veggies. My mix of onions , Brussells sprouts and carrots were just great on their own with a dash of salt.Yams don;t have to be redone. THey don;t have to be done in the first place. I never understood the American obsession iwth turning them into a kind of main course dessert. Why drown them in cinnamon and marshmallows when they can be airfried  with some olive oil and salt or microwaved and slathered with butter or Melt,a lant based butter. The same philosophy with Brussels srpout. Just top them with melted buttter and Parmesan cheese. That's it. They don;t need to be drenched in a puddle of cheddar cheese. Keep it simple.

Why go crazy redoing your Thanksgiving leftovers. Have them plain , just heated over. They're the best .that way.

A Very Vegan Thanksgiving

 Whether you;re a vegan or a non vegan, hopefully you had a day full of turkey stuffing, gravy sides and pie.

Apart froma thawing out glitch this was the tofurkey during its' thaw.

After an hour and fifteen minutes in the oven it turned out to be a crisoy, crunchy flavorful bite.

Did everyone have a delcious holiday , full of good food and good cheer? Nothing beats a full plate and good conversation. It's the best.

A Classic Thanksgiving Restaurant

 Imagine having a Thanksgiivng meal every day.If you;re in Texas you can thanks to a chain called Luby's/ This century year old family festaurant is known for its' Southern and American classics

Priya Krishna wrote about this staple of Texas life in today's New York Times Food section. The chain is famed throughout Texas, with locations throughout San Antonio, Dallas , Houston and Corpus Christi,They were founded in 1929 when WilliamLuby opend the first one  in Dallas on Thanksgiving Day..it has had a huge following ,ranking next to other beloved Texas chanisn like BBQ and Whataburger.Yet it almost didn't make it through the pandemic. In 2020, the company closed several locations and announced plans to liquidate and dissolve it's assets. fans were devastated ,placing on line eulogies about its' most favorite dish the Lu Ann Platter (a select entree, two sides and a roll).Thankfully Chicago entrepreneur Calvin Gin bought it a year later  He was going to do some changes, including cutting back on the famed tear round holiday meal. Employees told him not to do it. He didn't after seeing its' popularity.

What makes a Luby's turkey dinner so special?It does taste like a home cooked meal. Theyre are mounds of fluffy mashed potatoes next to even fluffier dinner rolls. Their pecan pie is  as  customer and fan Janie Garza, is not too sweet or too soggy. Every Thanksgiving she buys a take out meal for her family form the restaurant. Other fans like San Antonio's Sam Kinsey, who is eighty-six has beign going to the San Antonio Luby's since 1940's. They recognize him as one of th e old timers and sneak him in in the beginning of the line. He even eats a double meal on Thanksgiving Day, One at wherever he's invited and another on at the restaurant. Luby's however has other Southern specialties. They have the old fashioned and rarely eaten nowadays grilled liver and onions along with fried fish  and chicken fried steak. There's also pot pies and jumbo pork chops. The sides are down home too , with fried okra and baked mac and cheese.

If you want Thanksgiving everyday head to Luby's. They have turkey and stuffking along with cranberrie sauce and yamsn whenever you want them. It can be any time of the year.

Pie Charts

Here's the early question of the week - what is your favorite Thanksgiving Day pie?Is it the earthy and spicy  pumpkin? Rich , juicy apple?Or the candy like pecan?  Let us know.

I'll let you in on a secret - mine has always been and will always be a good homemade pecan pie. There's something about that outermost layer that's crunnchy and nutty and sweet. It's even better when there's a huge blob of whipped cream atop it.

Thanksgiving Subs Ins

 You're in the middle of creating that perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Everything seems to be going well  except you've either run out of or forgot a crucial ingredient? The stores are closed? What do you do? Sub it. Try to find substitutes that can fill in for the real thing.

The worst thing  is being out of flour . We do tend to use a lot it before Thanksgiving , especially for our pie crusts. Yet' it's also a crucial ingredient in gravy. If your gravy needs it and you've run out of it not to worry. Cornstarch can do the trick. You can also use arrowroot and tapioca powders too. however be aware that those can cause a gravy to become stringy. Another idea is roast veggies like carrots, onions,carrots, whole onions or red peppers. Puree them and use the mash to thicken the gravy (your best bet here is the onion because it will add the most to the sauce). What happens when you didn't buy enough potatoes to maked mashed? Add about a cup of potato flakes to it to stretch it. If not try adding spinach or kale to make that Irish favorite colcannon. You make be creating a new holiday tradition with this dish. Another idea is using those sweet potatoes in the recipe. It's an interesting and tasty way to make sure that everyone get a scoop of mashed.If you;ve run out of butter then sub in olive oil. It gives a silky texture to gravies and mashed potatoes.

What happens when that salad isn't going to be enough for the Thanksgiving meal? How do you stretch a bowl of greens and tomatoes? Add anything. Nuts like almonds and walnuts work. You can easily make croutons by air frying any bread. Just cube the slices , coat in olive oil and season with either garlic or onion powder. Air fry for about five minutes at 350 degrees Farenheit. Also if you have any jarred veggies, add them. Any salad can benefit from peppers , olives or artichoke hearts. Another troubling thought is running out of whipped cream at dessert time. Many love a big blob of it on their pies. Yet what happens when everyone wants a lot and it runs out? Not to worry. You can use ice cream as a side or if you want a fresher take. try Greek yogurt if you have it.It;s just whipping cream with the addition of vanilla and sugar.Use a hand mixer  and whip the yogurt and vanilla until soft peaks start to form. Gradually blend in the sugar. Continue to whip until the peaks are very stiff.

Don;t worry if you run out of something on Thanksgiving. There's always a substitute to fill. You'll still have a great holiday meal.

A Boozy Thanksgiving

 Alcohols seems to make everyting and everyone feel better. Imagine adding it to your Thanksgiving menu . A basting or a cup of bourbon, whiskey or whatever can add to the recipe. It can liven up dinner or dessert.

Bourbon is  perfect for any Thanksgiving dish. Thanks to its' sweet and spicy flavor it can be used in both main and dessert recipes. A bourbon maple glaze is a great addition to  a turkey and will make for a memorable bite.It's taking aquarter cup of the drink and mixing it with a quarter cup of maple syrup. The glaze is cooked with a stick of unsalted butter and ahalf cup of apple juice along with a quarter teaspoon of ground black pepper. it'sten brished on the cooked turkey slices . You  can also sub in whiskey for the bourbon. Another idea is a cognac gravy This is combining veggies like leeks, onions and celery witflour and  four cups of chicken broth. A cup of cognac is added to this and the already cooked turkey parts are added to this.If you feel that a bourbon or whiskey glazed tur

key may be too much, then simply add the alcohol to the gravy.It 's mixing a cup of Sauvignon Blamc with a quarter cup of bourbon and then stirring it into heavy cream based roux .This will alsohave turkey giblets, neck and drippings. it whisked together to form a tasty gravy that would also be good over mashed potatoes.

What about those sides? Can they get boozed up too? Yes . Sweet potatoes are another great pairing with bourbon. Both have a sweetness that can bounce off each other. Think a sweet potato casserole made with warm fall spices like cinnamon, and clove. Vanilla and light brown sugar also compliment the yam's flavor.Eggs give it body and texture. It's topped with a sweety crunchy crumble of, raw pecans, brown sugar,c cinnamon and melted butter. You could also makea brown butter bourbon cauliflower side too. This is roasting cauliflower florets in olive oil. While this is roasting make the butter sauce.It's cooking the butter until it's brown. Two tablespoons of bourbon and one tablespoon of maple syrup are added to this along with half a cup of walnuts. Of course bourbon is a great addition to pecan pie.It's almost mandatory in this Southern classic. It's a simple recipe that also involves bot light and dark corn syrup mixed with three eggs and half a cup fo melted butter. One and three quarter cups of pecans gives the pie its' nuttiness and crunch.

Add some das to your holiday meal. A few tablespoons of bourbon, whiskey or cognac can elevate any dish. Try it for a fun , boozy Thanksgiving Day.

A Good Homemade Soup

 Here's the question of the week - what's your favorite homeade soup?

This is my new favorite.It's taking soup veggies (which you can get at any grocery store) slicing and sauting them in a mix of butter and olive oil. Garlic is added for more flavor as are salt and pepper. After twenty minutes of gentle sauteing add the broth. The result is a tasty homeade, fresh tasting vegetable soup. This is much better than the canned version. It's worth making and freezing for the winter ahead.

Will this be your favorite? Make it and let us know.

A Deconstructed Casserole

 For some reason green bean casserole has become ubiquituous with Thankgiving. It's am American classic that continues to be loved despite its' reputation? Why?

Chef and regular contributor Eric KIn wrote about this standard in yesterday's New York Times Food section. The recipe iself was devveloped as an extra for Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup at a time when cassaroles were all the rage. It was the mid 1950;s, 55 to be exact when Dorcas. B Reilly created  this odd combo of green beans soup and frittered onions doused with soy sauce and black pepper.It was an innovator because no on had thought to add onion rings to a casserole before. The inspiration came from longtime food editor and writer Cecily Brownstone when she had dined on something similar at a press conference in Florida. She called it "Beans and stuff', a simpl casserole of green beans with an intriguing topping.It swept th nation. Now it's being deconstructed, thanks to Chef KO, who is simply taking it apart or as he puts it "taking apart a toy to see how it works".How do you take something with parts made from processed food and turn those parts into something fresh and organic.

It starts with the soup itself. Nix that and create a simple white sauce. Leave the mushrooms out if so that the green beans alone will shine. Another must have in the recipe is celery salt .It'll give the casserole a quiet unami flavoring.This is important ingredient when making the sauce - a simple blend of heavy cream, butter and white four.It's superb at bringing out the flavors of the celery salt and another ingredient nutmeg. As for the green beans themselves, Mr. KIm recommnends using frozen ones that will be braised in chicken stock, Doing such will bring out their vegetal nuttiness. DON"T use canned green beans. They'll disintegrate into green mush thanks to all that time in the liquid. Keep the topping of French's crispy fried onions. YOu could try to reolicate them by placing chopped white oniona and frazzling them in an air fryer. However the cammed ones are everyone's favorite part. They do add savoriness and crunch, which is what this bake needs.

Yes, you can deconstruct a classic Thanksgiving recipe. It's easier than you think. The end result is an elevated version of the classic green bean casserole.

Pies For All

 What better defines Rhanksgiving thna pie?It's the crowning end to a fantastic meal. It's also perfect hours afterwards with a good cup of coffee or tea? Which one to make? There are so many.

Regular contributor and baker par extraordinaire Claire Saffittz wrote about serveal of them along with giving recipes in today's THnaksgiving special New York Times Food section (this is a keeper issue, there are tons fo recipes and tips in it to get you through the big day.) She offers unusual spins on traditional recipes. Her pumpkin pie with a top layer of pepeitas sounds intriguing and tasty . The pumpkin seeds are coated in maple and incorporated in the filling itself. It adds ctunch to a usually silky mouth feel. Her pecan slab pie has the right amount of crunchy pecans but without all the sugat.It has a cream filling which cuts down on the sugariness. The slab is made with brown butter which has an even nuttier flavor. You could also try  the caramel apple pie, always a treat. This is more kije a tarte tatin with no cinnamon or allspice needed for flavor. It's the butter and caramel along with the apples that give it such an intense flavor.Ms Saffitxz also includes the recipe for flaky pie crust which can be also used for Christmas pies as well.

For the non traditional there is a lemon cream pie with honey and ginger along with a cranberry cheesecake tart. The first has a filling of heavy cream, egg yolks and hone. This is is whisked together with lemon juice and fresh ginger. The crust is different too, being made with ground sugar wafers or for more gingery zing ginger snaps Four tablespoons of butter and one large egg yolk bind it . UNlike holidays pies slathered with whipped cream, this is topped with either sour cream or creme fraiche and decoarated with honey roasted lemon slices. The cranberry cheese cake has the usual grahamm cracker or speculoos cookie crust . The filling is an untraditional mix of goat and cream cheese along with heavy cream and two large eggs.Vanilla extract and grated orange zest give it its flavor. The topping is fresh cranberries cooked in amox fo gelatin and cranberry and orange juices. After being placed in an ice water bath the berries are arranged on the tart . The gelatin mix is then poured over this and unmolded.

Pies are a mainstay on any Thanksgiving table. Opt for the tradtional. Opt for the non traditional if you want to mxi it up.Either way it's still a slice fo a tasty dessert.

Twealing And Perking

 Sometimes even storebought foods need a perk or a tweak to make them more palable. If that sauce is not quite tasty enough - add something? Or the pie crust that needs a little something extra. Add to it. It makes for a tastuer bite.

One of the easiest items to zing up is sauce and gravy. Jarred tomato sauce is tasty but it can be made to taste almost like mom's. Add olive oil to give the sauce some body. This gives it a smoother texture to it which makes for  a silky bite . Sliced green or red peppers are always a good plus to any tomato sauce. Both kinds add sweetness and depth to the flavor. Mushrooms give a chewiness to the sauce as added in sausage. THis could be vegan or non vegan for a more heartier sauce.For a vodka sauce splash in a quarter cup of vodka and half a cup of heavy cream. Frozen pizza can also benefit from some tweaks and perks too. A good sprinkling of oregano helps improve the taste  along with a liberal drizzle of oil. Most frozen pizza have just the usua; topping but you cna perk up a plan 9one with artichi]oke hears, greena dn black olives alogn with vegan susage and even bacon. Scatter pineapple chunks on it as well if you want to . You can apply this idealogy to Thanksgiving foods too, You could add some steamed chestnut to that Stovetop Suffing or add a drop of cognac to jarred gravy.

Baked goods can also get some tweaks and zings. Croissants are good on their own but add some almond butter mixed with cinnamon to create a tasty breakfast or brunch treat.You could also split them, warm them and add apple butter as well.  Since this is pie season, premade pie crusts can always get a boost. Brush them with melted butter for a more homemade taste. You could also brush heavy cream on and then dust the edges with granulated sugar. Zing up that store bought pumpkin pie with some fin homemade toppings. You can make a pecan streusel. Use toasted pecan pieces, oats melted butter , brown sugar and salt. Pop into the oven fro ten minutes to get the streusel crunchy.You could also drizzle on homemade or store bought caramel sauce. As for that other Thanksgiving staple pecan pie. think of serving it with a dollop of bourbon whipped cream. This is combining heavy cream with confectioner's sugar and adding one tablespoon of bourbon along with a teaspoon of vanilla.  Bought shortbread cookies, a favorite winter treat can be elevated a notch when dipped in melted dark chocolate.

Turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Add some zing to every day ingredients or store bought foods. Giving them some oomph wikk make a difference.

Six Years Without The Chef

 It has been six years since we lost the Master Chef of this household. I wonder what she would have thought of some of my most recerntly acquired tastes. would she have liked the Caribbean and Puerto Rican influences in my diet? I wonder.

I work at a school where there are some interesting food choices in the campus .I have finally tried jerk chicjken and loved it. There'sa fieriness to it that add totp the meat's flavor. Would my Mom would have liked it? That'sa hard question. She would have appreciated the work going into it but the spiciness may have put her off a bit.I know she would have had fun in replicating the recipe. She may have tweaked it and would have eliminayed fiery Scotch bonnets and added more crushed peppers and/or nutmeg. She would have also tried making a vegan version of it as well. Then there are the tostones  and empanada from the Borracua stand. She would have like the tostones if they had the pink sauce, a mix of ketchup, mayo and some hot sauce.I think shoe would have like the empanadas too, enjoying their crispiness  and either the tender spiced chicken insid or the pizza one , rich with sauce and mozzarella.

My Mom was open to all sorts of recupes and flavors. I know she would have dome some amazing recip[es with my Berbere spice that I use for my Ethiopian stews. Would she have approved of my taking the family recips for both the broccoli and green bean salad and changing them slightly? I use onion powder instead of fresh minced onions. Iir's easier and the onion flavor is nicely distributed. Using the powder also gets rid fo the threat of heartburn which comes with eating fresh cut onions.As for air frying, she'd probably OK it. She would have liked the ease of it  along with the crunchiess it gives to almost everything. She would have definitely gotten one and used it on a daily basis if they had come out forty or thirty years ago. (why didn;t they? There's not much technology in them- they're jsut a mini convection ovens after all). All our meals would have been cooked in them from chicken to ham. all made delicious thansk to her magic touch

My Mom would have like the new addtions to my diet. She would have liked my air fryer.They would have been perfect for her.

For The Veterans

 Today is Veteran's Day. We honor them only for one day yer we should honor our veterans  - no matte r their age -  all year round. It could be a simple meal or just taking them out for dinner.

If there are elderly  veterans in your family, include him or her in your dinner plans once or twice a week. They'll appreciate a hot homecooked meal. Make sure they bring home leftovers thatcan last them a day or two. If they're not coming , still make extra about  and bring it over . ANother idea is taking them food shopping. They'll not only be grateful fort eh ride over but will be grateful for the company. If there's a Dunkin Donuts or a Starbucks there,treat them to a coffee or a tea along with some sweet snack. It'll be  a nice afternoon out for both of you.If the veterans are young and have kids, ask to babysit the littel ones while they have a quiet dinner out. A nice gatitude  gift is a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant.

There are now veterans that are having homes built by Habitat For Humanity.. If these are your neighbors, then greet them warmly with a basket of food. You could arrange a  basket full of pasta, jarred sauces and  grated cheese.Another diea is having a basket of different fruits and vegetables forhealthy eating. Including whole wheat crackers amd maybe  gluten  free cookies. Also a lovely kitchen gift is always nice, whether they're dish towels ro even oven mitts. Also integrate them into neighborhood activities like barbecues and block parties to make them feel truly welcomed. Invlite them to go to local farmers markets with you or evne grocery shopping. 

Our veterans have given this country  their time, blood and sweat. Treat them well. They deserve it.

Favorite Thanksgiving Memeory

 This is the month that evokes food memories. it could be the gently spicy taste of pumpkin pie or the heavenly smell of roast turkey. We're all like Proust and his madeleines when it comes to Thanksgiving.

Here's the question of the week - what is your favorite food memory of the holiday?

Turkey On The Go

 Turkey on Thanksgiving can be troublesome. It's a big ,unweidly bird that rquires a lot of care and attention, Now imagine making that bird a to go one. It cna be daunting unless you have the right guide. Thanksfully there is  one.

regular contributor Melissa Clark wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Most make ahead recipes call for roasting a whole turkey, letting it cool and then cutting it into pieces before chilling.This is a convenint method because the meat is already carved. However it also intensifies the usual problems of roasting a whole bird. The dark meat will remain moist while the breast dries out. Even if the first roasting goes well, the second roasting will surely dry out the meat. You could always just rehreat it with  gravy or broth, but them you wind up with tough ,soggy meat and even worse,limp and slippery skin. Some home chefs cut up the pieces and then roast it. Theorectically this does work, but as Ms. Calrk found out from the reheating it still leaves you with tough  breast meat.The legs and other parts will be fine however, perfect for those who like them. The ones who want white meat are in for a disappointment.

What to do? Ms. Clark recommneds her favorite method,  - spatchcocking. This is simply butterflying the body by cutting along the backbone and snipping the joints so that it lies flat on a pan. Your buther can do it expertly for you if you;re having qualms about doing it. A plus of this is that spatchcocked birds cook faster, in half the time fo a traditional roast. Just reheat as is  without any added liquid to the roasting pan. The skin and fat protect the breast, preserving its; juiciness,The legs remain just as succulent and juicy as when they were first roasted.It should be reheated for the same amount of time that it took for the first roasting  - forty-five minutes, however lower the oven temp to 350 degrees Farenheit(the bird ahould have originally been cooked at 450 degrees Farenheit). Keep in mind that the turkey does need to rest at least two hours before re-roasting it. You can also line the bottom of the roasting pan with fresh herbs for not only a great taste but to give the kitchen a fantastic aroma.

If the bird has to travel, do it right. It'll make everyone's Thanksgiving easier, safer and more delicious. have the bird ready wheever you and it wind up.

The Kitkat Scandal

Could one candy bar cause a heap of trouble? Yes That was the case with KitKats but not for the obvious reasons.It has to do with shipping the more unusual flavors from Japan to the US. The problem is a good portion went missing. it was the start of a strange mystery.

Regular contributor Amelia NIerenberg wrote about this bizarre tale in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Japanese versions of the popular candy bar are so much in demand here in the States. American candy lovers go wild for such unique flavors like melon, matcha latte and daifuku mochi. Exporter Danny Taing knows this and brought in 55,000 bars. He expected to make $250,000 dollars in profit. There was only one problem. He never received the shipment at his Carlstadt,New Jersey warehouse. THis is where it gets crazy. Mr Taing hired Shane Black, a freight broker in Sarasota Florida. His company coordinates and marshalls the thousands of trucks that ship goods across the country. For this Kitkat job Bokksu would pay him, $13,000, It seemed an easy enough and straight forward deal. He then posted  a job on akind of Craiglst for truckers . A company  HCH Trucking responded and Mr. Black corrosponded with someone called Tristan. It seemed routine.

Yet it wasn't. It was the start of shell email accounts, phantom truckers and supply chain fraud. It also  produced one seriosuly bewildered cargo freight broker. Where did the Kitkats go? When they failed to reach New Jersey after a couple of days.Mr Black had nightmares of them being somewhere in the US , chocolate oozing out of the trucks. He called Tristan who replied that one of the trucks broke down in Washungton, Pennsylvania ,a small towm just outside of Pittsburgh. That alone set up red flags. He then called the company's headquarters in Jersey City. There was chaos there.It turned out that the Kitskats never left California and luckily  half were still in deep freeze. The other half should be on the way to the Garden State, However thatload disappeared and  wound up at Island Cold Empire Storage. Mr Black tried to get the local Californian authrotities involved but no go. In the meantime the Kitkats spoiled. Mr. Taing could never resell them to Kitkat enthusiasts. He was afraid tha tpeople would get sick if they ate them. Bizarrely Mr Taing bought the company that shipped them over and cause the problem. Japanese Crate.

If anything the Kitkat scandal opened up an entire cna of worms. Authorities  should now be alerted to what's happening lost shipments. it affects everyone, from the manufacturer to the customer.

Baking Deconstructed

 It's baking season. fpr season bakers this means breezing through recipes , both new and time homored to produce sweet and savory treats. yet for those beginning and intermediate, baking can be confusing.It's time for a lesson in what makes a cake.

Of course all baked goods start with flour. There's a surprsingly twenty-one (!) sorts. Most home bakers use all purpose. This is the most popular and the most used. For a healthirt spin try whole wheat in both your cake and cookie recipes.Most fruit based cakes use it and it has the same falvor more or less as white flour. Bread flour is primarily used for bread along with pizza  dough  bagels and dinner rolls. Cake flour is just for cakes and gives a tender crumb. This si due to the low amount of gluten used .It also makes for tender pancakes too. There is also pastry flour  across between cake and fine milled white flour. It's great if you're going to bake croissants, crackers cookies , pie crusts and tarts. There are other grain flours, namely rye ,spelt and even graham, used for  - what else making home made graham crackers. Keep in mind that  holiday baking , especially cookies can benefit from using such diverse flours as almond and oat flours. What else goes in a cake Baking powder and baking soda. Don't confuse the two. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. It has other uses, namely cleaning bathroom tile along with porcelin and even teeth. Baking powder is a blend of baking soda and cream of tartar. Can they be interchanged? Yes, three times the amount of baking powder can be used as a sub in for baking soda.

Another important baking ingredient is flavoring. There is vanilla extract and vanilla paste. The first is lighter in flavor than the paste yet both can be interchangeable. However most sophisticated home bakers will use the paste because it has flecks of vanilla bean in it. This adds to ice cream and creme brulee along with pastry cream. What about chocolate? Master pastry chef and New York Times Foood section contributor Claire Saffitz insists on  Dutch process cocoa powder. She says that it's alkalizing process darkens the color and deepens the flavor. The end result is an intense fudgy flavor, perfect for brownies and Devil's Food cake. Coffee is another ingredient that gives those brownies and chocolate cakes a rich mocha flavor. Use a dark roast or robust espresso  for those. As for a lighter flavor try blends with a fruity flavor. What about icings? These too, are important in finishing off baked goods. Keep in mind that icing does not have butter in in .It's more of a glaze that can be thick or thin. Basic ingredients are usually just milk, confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract. frosting contains butter or cream cheese and has a thicker , fluffier texture. It's perfect on cakes and cupcakes. while icing is better suited for cookies , Bundt cakes and buns.

Once you know all of this , then baking should be a snap. You can create a wide range of tasty savory and sweet treats. Just remember to use the right ingredients for an enire array of fresh from the oven goodies.

 

Harvest Drinks

 One of the best aspects of the season is the drinks of the season. Thye can be chilled  for a refreshing sip or warmed for a chilly November day. Either way , they're alwys delcious.

Cider has been in the stores since September. One good thing about it is that it can be served hot or cold. Iced cider  is especially good at a tailgating party. It's a nice change up from soda. You could add some plain seltzer or cranberry flavored one for a fun  fizzy drink.Keep in mind that this apple drink also is the perfect base for a punch if you're thinking of having a party. Mix it with ginger ale and a splash of whiskey if you;re feeling daring.Add some apple and orange slices too for some zing.A thermos fo hot apple cider is always welcomed , whether at a fall picnic or football game. It's cooking it or even apple juice for a few minutes un a saucepan. Cinnamon sticks , cloves and orange peel are added for more flavor. You can serve directly into mugs or pour into a thermos. Hot cider, like its' cold counterpart, can also be used in a punch. Add some rum and orange slices to it.It's the perfect drink for a few friends hanging around the fire pit.

Surprisingly enough the other fruit of the season, the pear cna also be turned into a tasty cider. Not many stores  in the States actually carry it. This version of cider is more of a British drink called perry.  You can buy an alcoholic version. The Swedes have produced one called Kopparberg (and a six pack is only $3.49!!!)  However you can also make a non buzzy one .  what pears to use? Any but try to find ones low in sugar. Most use Barlett pears which are popular right now Take around ten  and combine them with about six to eight cups of water (the water should be two inches above the pears). Cook with one half cup of brown sugar cinnamon sticks and allspice. Also use whole cloves and a vanilla bean pod split open. (Don;t use vanilla extract for this). Bring to a boil and  cook uncovered for an hour. After this mash the pears  - which will be mushy  - and the cover th epot. Cook for another two hours. Strain the cider through a fine meshed metal sieve. Keep the pear mash for eating.It'll be like apple sauce. Serve the perry hot. if you want a punch with it, then add white wine, Calvados and pear slices for a different spin,

Try a cider made from the fall harvest. Both apple and pear versions are perfect for an autumn dinner or party. Try them for a different kind of drink.

Fall Cakes

 Everyone thinks that November and fall in general belong to pies. Yet a slice of homemade cake is just as delicious and comforting. It's also a wonderful dessert after a Sunday roast or Thanksgiving meal.

A warm spice cake is always perfect on a chilly day. Think of making a scratch one redolent with cinnamon and nutmeg. You could add raisins if you wanted or pecans for an earthy flavor. As for decorating, dust on confectioner's sugar if you have a simple Bundt or pound cake. As far as a layered cake or even cupcakes, a cream cheese frosting can work. You can a lso try a cinnamon or maple syrup buttercream for a fancier look. Another warming spice treat is a cinnamon coffee cake. This is perfect for Sunday brunches or a nice snack with ahot coffee or tea after a brisk walk, You can create a buttery streusel or crumb topping that can also be swirled throughout the cake. Crumb cake muffins are another fall bake , Again these are redolent with cinnamon and brown sugar to give them an earthy, spicy flavor. These are even perfect to end a breakfast with or for a morning snack with a hot latte. Nutmeg is another autumn spice that works well in cake. Imagine a rich, dark slice rich with this spice along with butter and brown sugar flavoring it.

Of course apple and pumpkin are the flavors of the season. An apple cake is a nice alternative to pie or a galette Keep in mindthe best apples for cakes are ones that hold their shape during the baking rpocess otherwise if they're not you'll have a cake full of apple sauce. Use such tart sweet ones as Granny Smiths, Honey Crisps,Pink Ladies, Braeburns and Jonagolds. You can use one type or mix any of these for a subtle blend of flavors. Cinnamon is always ysed in these type of cakes  to emphasize the apple's flavor. A different type of apple cake is  a French style one from the blog Once Upon A Chef. This one uses a lot of butter and rum to create a truly melt in your mouth slice. Keep in mind that apples are also great in Bundt and pound cakes too. Pumpkin is not just for pie filling. A pumpkin cake is a wonderful change up for a Thanskgiving dessert. Use pumpkin puree for the batter. As far as spicing it , nix the premade pumpkin spice. Use the individual spices of nutmeg, clove, allspice  and ginger. You can vary the amount of spices used for either a bold or delicate flavor. pumpkin bread is another sweet treat.It's the perfect slice for when company comes.

A homemade cake for fall is a nice alternative to pie Bake one with the flavor or the season. Try a warm spice or a tart apple.Think a sweet pumpkin bread for a nice snack. All are wonderful on a crisp Autumn day.

The Best Cold Weather Drink

 The temps are at the freezing level in some parts of the US - (the Midwest even had snow for Halloween!!!! This brings up the question - what is your favorite cold weather beverage? Is  i a hotcocoa topped with marshmllows or a latter covered in foam and cinnamon?  What about a good cup of Earl Gray ?Or chai? Or do you prefer a hot toddy in tour favorite chair!

Let us know!

The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever

 Everyone needs that go to sessert recipe for te  holidays.It's usally cookies or pie however don;t discount a good cake one. Nothing says dream dessert than a chocolate cake, layered with a richy creamy frosting,Luckily there;s a recipe out there that fills the bill.

Master cake and pastry baker and regular contributor Claire Saffitz gave the recipe along with useful advice in yestrday's New York Times Food section,. Her cake is moist, dense and dark. Unlike other chocolate sctach cakes she uses cocoa powder instead of melting chocolate bits . Melted chocolate tends to dry out cake batter.Also bar cocolate or chocolate chips tends to add more sweetness (unless you're using baker's chocolate) She recommends Dutch process which means that the cocoa has been alkalized, neutralizing some of the chocolate's natural acidity.It also gives the cocoa a much more rounded  roasted flavor and a deeper, richer color. Also nix the butter. Add a neutral oil like avocado or vegetable. Oil is liquid at room temperature so an ol based cake has less of a tendency to dry out, Cakes do need a butter fat flavro but se uses creme fraiche or sour cream. This reacts with the baking powder, giving the texture or crumb s light bounciness,

Of course you can use chocolate bars, but in the frosting. This gives the icing a high gloss and shiny , finished look. ms Saffitz opts for a German buttercream which is whipping butter in a pastry cream base for a denser texture. The pudding base calls for cooking four large flour , sugar and milk on a stove top before adding a mix of chopped semisweet chocolate and cocoa powderTwo and aquarter cups of melted butter are added into the cooling mix, Use a mixer for this so you can get a smooth, spreadable glossy icing.Add two tablespoons of vanilla extract last, beat again and then spread on the cake.As for frosting, a good one cupof buttercream should work bwtween the layers. The to[p and sides should onyl have a very thin layer of the frosting on them. You could decorate with shaved chocolate if you want, Anything else would ruin this beautiful cake.

This chocolate cake is the perfect holiday dessert. Its a richer more legant spin on just your average cake. Try it for a show stopping end,

Recipe Queen Or Trouble Maker

 Tiegan Gerard is a dichotomy. Some see her as the queen of cozy recipes. other see her as a racist trouble maker of sorts . One thign is for certain. She is one of the growing culinary stars of Instagram. Celebrity and ordinary home chefs value her word and how she puts together dishes.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin wrote about this latest social media phenom in today's New York Times Wednesday  Food section. Her Half Baked harvest site draws in scores of recipe hungry admirers and followers , all looking for an easy recipe. Thanks to  star fans such as Emma Roberts,Gigi and Bella Hadid and Blake Lively who all extolled her recipes. Ms Gerard has becoming something of a celebrity herself.Her recipes are both approachable and aspirational. It started as a chronicle of the big family dinners Ms. Gerard cooked for her large slew of brothers and sisters. Her lifelong anxieties have kept her near to them in the Colorado Rockies, with her rarely leaving the area. (save for when her brother Red Gerard won gold at the Pywoingchang South Korea Olympics) To be honst think of her as a culinary Emily Dickinson where both, small almost fragile women who  became famous because of their work along with  never leaving home. Like Dickinson she has a loyal cadre of followers , mostly women betweeh the ages of twenty-five and forty-four.

However Ms. Gerard is not without controversies and pretty serious ones too.Her recipes can be racially and ethnically insensitive. Her blunders were calling tacos with pineapple Hawaiian and noodles with honey and peanut butter Chinese. Her biggest error to date regards pho, the classic Vietnamese soup. Her recipe was wildly unrelated to the original and received flack. it happened again with a banh mi rice bowl,last March so much that NBC News covered it. Another mistake was creating a Thai beef stew and adding pomegranate juice, a typically MIddle Eastern ingredient.Many have called her out on this, such as Hannah Selinger who writes a bout food and restaurants. Bloggers  like Gaby Salkin of What's Gaby Cooking and Adrianna Guevara Adarme , creator ot A Cozy Kitchen have accused her of stealing their recipes. At the very least give credit to where the recipes originated - a standard practice amongst food bloggers. Other critics say her unearned privledge comes from her whiteness and wealth. She now has a small team to deal with all the negative criticism. How are her recipes anyway?Ms. Moskin includes her coq au vin meatballs and a pumpkin spice cake with coffee frosting. They look tasty enough and good for any fall dinner party.

Is Tieghan Gerard the new face of Americna cooking. Surprpsingly yes. It's the followers that m,ake the chef  - which is her story.Only time can tell whether she will be a long lasting influence.