A Great Easy Cooking Cookbook

 Prepping for a recipe can be hard, especially when it comes to finding the right ingredients. Yet suppose you could use shortcuts that make cooking and baking that much easier.Thanks t a new cookbook HOmemade -ish you can.It's a great book for those who are novice home chefs or for those who don;t want too much fuss in the kitchen.

I really love this cookbook by Lauren McDuffie who also authors the blog My Kitchen Little which features easy to follow recipes that use canned and already made ingredients . Homemade-ish (Gibbs Smith Publishing 2024) is kind of an extension of the website. Home chefs like myself will appreciate her philosophy, She believes in ease and efficiency ,holdovers from when she worked in the government. She tells home chefs that it's OK to jazz up boxed cake mixes and buy jarred pesto instead of making it from scratch. There are also a list of kitchen must haves which are not fancy such as a blender  slotted spoon skillet and muffin pan among other kitchen basics.

There are all sorts of recipes, from breakfast to dessert here.I've had my eye on the spaghett and meatball which I can make with vegan meatballs.This is a perfect Sunday dinner meal that can easily translate to Monday leftivers

I also have my eye on the cold soba noodles with sprouts and edaame

THis is perfect for those still hot days ahead when I want something cool yet nutritious.Also on my radar are the mall pretzels, premade pizza dough  and then first  boiled in baking soda and water then baked. There is a roasted potato salad perfect for late summer barbecues. The meat recipes, too re easy and any novice home chef can try bruschetta smash burgers made with store bought meatballs along with the dreamy seared scallops and gnocchi<Yes there are great desserts and easy ones too like an apple pan dowdy made with package prepared sugar cookie dough and apples. I definitely want to make the Ritzies for the holidays. These are simply those peanut butter sandwich crackers dipped in dark chocolate. 

Homemade-ish is the must have cookbook for every home chef. These are tasty and easy recipes that will make any meal stand out. definitely make it part of your culinary library

Friday Night Quick Meals

 every home chef should be ready for the rushed fall nights.This means quick cooks. Friday is usually one of those nights. Some order out. Some prefer to cook.If you're in the last category then think about a quick cook meal. This is just throwing some ingredients together sauteing or steaming and then serving.

I found my go to - zucchini coins with tomatoes cooked in a mix of  plant butter butter and Lidl  olive oil.

try to make any combo and olive oil a staple of quick cooking. They impart flavor as well as creating a smooth sauce

YOu can add garlic or garlic powder if you want a long with any combination of herbs. 

It;s a quick and easy meal that tastes soooo good. The best part is that there will be leftovers for a hot Saturday lunch.Another easy cook is the classic sheet pan one.Melissa Clark's recipe that was featured in her  A good Appetite this week in the New York Times Wednesday Food section. This is a mix of crispy cornstarch coated tofu , corm kernels and chiles. You can easily cut the kernel off the corn ears and keep them in containers in the fridge. They'll keep for several days.It;s a colorful dish and easy to make in a 425 degree Farenheit oven.

Friday night is a night for quick cooking,.Sauteing and sheet pan roasting will help in this. You'll have tasty food in no time.

A Peppery Bite Of Flavor

 Red pepper adds spark and brightness to any dish.They can be from anywhere in the world but they' share a spiciness and excitement. This is what makes cooking great.

Regular contributor Eric Kim knows this and wrote about them in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Capiscums or peppers are grown all over the world. There are the Aleppos , fruity tasting ones from Syria which go into labneh and baba ganhouj along with soups. The Koreans have gochuguro, those sweet red pepper flakes while the Japanese have their togarashi - an interesting mix of yuzu, chili, ginger, black and white sesame and sansho - Japanese cardamon. The French use Espelette which is grown in the Pyranees and used to flavor many Basque dishes.The US has ground chipotle and jalapeno that flavor many Tex -Mex dishes. What makes chili powder unique? According to Ethan Frisch , founder and chief executive of Burlap and Barrel it's really the terroir or the ground that it's planted in. It's much like wine and coffee. The dirt determines the flavor.It doesn't;t take long  for the Chile to meet the demands of the local climate.Ut's also shaped by human interest as well.

One example of this is a school friend of Mr. Kim;s James dong grew Korean peppers in their Georgia hometown. While Mr. dong bought the seeds on Etsy , the peppers took on the fragrance of Mexican chipotle while they were being smoked and crushed to make gochugaru. The blazing perfume was so intense it felt like Mr. Kin was carrying around a flame. He used it in a variety of different dishes but the one recipe it clearly shone in was a pizza sauce. HOme chefs can use this type in the sauce but they can also use Aleppo, Espelette and red pepper flakes. Also add a teaspoon of smoked paprika to give it smokiness and depth. He recommends using a mix for a unique tasting sauce.It's an homage to the great chef and cookbook  author Marcella Hazan. You do have to switch the order of ingredient though if you are familiar with Hazan's recipe.Five tablespoons of butter has to be melted first so it can bloom, then the chiles are added.There's also a teaspoon of sugar added to eliminate the tomatoes tang.It would be also good warmed as a dipping sauce for garlic knot.

Peppers can make any dish sing. Use any combination for a kick.They'll turn anything into an exciting bite.

Grab That Summer Produce

 As everyone is ordering the first of the season pumpkin spice lattes and making autumn wish boards, there's still summer bounty to enjoy. Take advantage of any of the harvests right now. They could c9ome from your local farmer;s market or just the back yard. Forget thoughts of chilly breezes and sweather eather.Bask in these wamr summer days and enjoy delicious fruits and vegrables. There's even a buttery cake rich with peaches for the perfect summertime dessert.

Regular contributor and chef Genevieve Ko wrote about this and her fellow New York Times Wednesday  Food section contributors give very good recipes in today's  section.. Keep in mind she warns that end of season harvest can need a boost.Use creamy spreads and sauces to bring out their sweet, earthy flavors. Butter should factor greatly in some of  the recipes as well. The recipes are good on their own or as a side to grilled chicken or steak. They can even grace a vegetable main course.The recipes use zucchini, peaches ,corn  and tomatoes. Any of these are perfect for a Labor Day barbecue or just a dinner eaten al fresco. start the meal with creamy labneh This is made with fresh cherry tomatoes  and garlic that are first cooked on a stove top and then roasted in a 325 degree Farenheit oven. They top an even layer of labneh .You can use this for dressings and vegetables but it's great with freshly made pita crisps. Another perfect starter is prosciutto and melon salad. Regular contributor Ali Slagle created this tasty starter.It also has mozzarella and arugula. Fresh picked basil flavors it and gives it a nice vegetal flavor.

As for the main course try  zucchini and peach salad with a creamy line dressing it seems like an odd pairing but it works according to its' creator Ham El-Wayly. It;s taking sliced zucchini and peaches and then tossing them in salt. Let them sit ten minutes to soften. Add lime zest and freshly squeezed line juice .Let sit for ten minutes. Add sour cream and dill until everything is mixed with the lime salt. Add a drizzle of olive oil and flaky salt to flavor.late summer corn is so delicious this year and even more so with a tangy butter sauce.It's mixing Jerrelle's Gray 's recipe of  butter, goat cheese  honey harissa paste and limes.This is brushed on the grilled ears. Squeeze the limes over the corn and then enjoy.To end the meal try Samantha Severante's .THis is a rich cake with a cup and three quarters butter in it along with two large eggs. A cup of whole milk yogurt gives it a dense crumb. Two peaches  peaches are sliced and folded into the batter. Two more peaches are sliced and out on top. Bake for fifty-five to sixty-five minutes. It's good on it's own. but you could add ice cream to it.

It's summer yet. Have the harvest of the season in tasty dishes and cakes. Enjoy their flavor  full of warm weather goodness.

What's Your Labor Day Plans

 It's the last big blow out of the summer - the Labor Day barbecue. will it be a grilled seafood festival with freshly caught fish and lobster? Will it be traditional with burgers and dogs? Or something a little fancier like steaks with herb butter and spatch cocked chicken with aux fine herbs? What about dessert? WIll it be something sophisticated or will it be homey like s'mores with marshmallows toasted over an open fire?

What will be your Labor Day feast? Let us know and include recipes if you want.

Tea And Everything

 It's still steamy, hot weather.There's nothing like a tall glass of iced tea.It's great on it's own but it can be amped up with extras, from other cooling drinks to fruit. 

How to make a perfect pitcher of iced tea.it tarts with your favorite black tea.YOu can use herbal or green if you prefer but the best tasting really is black tea.Your best they is Earl Grey because the flavor has fruity under tones that work well chilled. Brew about five to six bags for a really strong drink. You can then let it cool add the tea and cold water. After that just add ice if you want an unsweetened kind.As for the sweetened variety , use simple syrup as opposed to just dumping sugar in .Simple syrup is easy.It's just cooking one cup of granulated sugar with one cup water. Bring to a boil and constantly stir until the sugar is dissolved. It keeps for one to two months and can be used for sweetening lemonade, cocktails and mocktails. What about stevia? You can use it if you are diabetic or want to lose weight. People in South Asia grown the plant in their yards and use the fresh leaves to sweeten tea.

A refreshing drink for any hot day is an Arnold Palmer, named for the famed golfer.It's three parts ,lemonade to one part iced tea but a tastier  version is half tea with half lemonade along with a glass filled with ice cubes. It started in a country club in Southern California when a lady saw Palmer sipping the drink at a country club restaurant. She wanted "that Arnold Palmer drink".It 's also called a Half and Half too. Another delicious ice tea variation is strawberry iced tea.This has either strawberry syrup or pureed berries in it. The recipe is similar to simple syrup but add two cups of pureed strawberries to it. Blueberry tea is another tasty drink. Just add bought blueberry syrup and add to taste. You could also float pineapple chunks in the iced tea too if you so desire.Pear and apple slices can be added to a pitcher for a different , fruitier take.If you want a different , kickier iced tea. splash in some rum. This is a fun cocktails for those warm summer night parties.

Nothing beats a glass of iced tea. Try it just plain or with add ins.It a refreshing sip on these still hot days,.

Sweet Summer Memories

 Here's the question of the week - what are you favorite flavor memories of this summer and summers' past?Is it the tang of barbecued ribs? Sweet summer corn dripping in butter? That crackly cinnamon candy apple? Or just the taste of a salty ocean in your mouth after a refreshing dip?

Let us know here.🍓🍨🍭🍫

It's All Peachy

 This is still peach season. Those golden gems are out there and they are a versatile fruit. You can eat them any way - cook them any way  - bake them any way.They are perfect for meals and snacks.

Peaches first appeared in China and is a deciduous tree, meaning the fruit falls off when they're ripe.Surprisingly nectarines are also peaches but without the peach's characteristic fuzz.They arrived in England and France in the 1600's Most peaches come from China, Greece,Spain,Italy and Turkey,The Spanish brought the fruit to Latin a nd South America They came to the US thanks to Thomas Jefferson.They're now in Marylsnd, Delaware Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and New Jersey.Many states such as New Jersey have farms where visitors can pick bushels of them.There are hundreds of peach and nectarine cultivars.There are two type,s the freestone where the pit easily comes out. These should be eaten fresh, The second category is the clingstone where the pit clings to the flesh.These are good for canning but also for eating too. These golden gems are loaded with all sorts of vitamins from A to K. Eat them for their vitamin C content too. Even the peach skin is an antioxidant, loaded with cancer fighting antioxidants.

Of course the best way to have a peach is after it's been chilled in fridge for a few hours. Yet chilled sliced peaches are also good in salad too. Add  sliced chicken breasts along with feta and grapes along with a simple white wine vinaigrette for an elegant lunch or dinner. Most home chefs love baking with the fruit. Wednesday's New York Times Food section had a recipe for peach cobbler - the summer dessert of choice.Regular contributor Melissa Clark gives two versions, one an easy buttermilk one while the other is an upside down one, made in much the same way as a pineapple upside down cake.If you're making these she recommends using brown sugar as opposed to white to give the peaches a caramel note. Another amazingly good peach dessert is pesche ripiene. These are stuffed peaches made with crumbled amaretto biscuits. chopped peach pits and butter. My family has always added peach schnappes to these for more flavor and kick but you can also use peach juice too after they're baked and cooled. of course peach muffins are a nice way to start the day or a perfect snack.These scratch muffins are packed with flavor from the fruit to cinnamon. Peach cake is also a great summer treat.The simple cake is loaded with peaches and makes for a wonderful afternoon snack with iced tea or served with ice cream for a tasty dessert.

Peaches are in abundance right now. Pick a bushel and use them in cakes, pies,muffins and even salads. Have them stuffed and drizzled with a peach liqueur . Enjoy them anyway  for their flavor and benefits.

The A+ Lunch

 What makes a good school lunch. More what makes a lunch that won't be traded for cupcakes and chips?it takes input from both sides - Mom's and kids. Together they can create something nutritious and non-tradeable.

Children's author and regular contributor  Kevin  Noble Maillard wrote this informative piece in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Schools have already started or will start soon after Labor Day The headache is what to feed kids, especially little ones. High schoolers have their own ideas and can make their own lunches. The real dilemma is  what to feed the kindergarten through third grade crowd? The first idea Mr. Maillard suggests is making a list or more specifically a cheat sheet. He follows his grandmother's rhyme -" Vegetable fruit,main and crunch.Add a treat for a healthy lunch". This eliminates morning guess work but it creates a deep and reliable bench of options. Don;t be afraid to create fusion. Think celery bits and cheddar bunny., meatballs and crackers. for something different. Another must do is organize your kitchen like a chef.have everything in a mise en place scheme says Caroline Flynn a chef now in fort Lauderdale but once worked at the famed ABC Kitchen in New York. Desiinate a part of your kitchen for non perishable food items.

The number one must is enlist the kids as sous-chefs. Have them pack the lunch or prepare the sandwiches. You could also pack the night's dinner as their lunch too however make sure it;s something they like. That meat loaf sandwich could easily be traded for a LUnchable pack or just candy. Another idea is listening to your kids and take them weekend shopping with you. Have them be familiar with different veggies and fruits. If they see produce they like - buy it. Mr. Noble also recommends freezing lunch too. if your little one prefers rice or grain then cook these and freeze them in muffin tins lined with plastic wrap. Freeze, remove and restore in a sealed bag or container according to Lindsay Livingston a Westerville Ohio dietitian.reheat individual molds for ninety seconds full power, adding a tablespoon of water per serving.Also add a token of love which makes every lunch special and sure to put a smile on the young students'face.Looks to Asian obento culture for ideas and inspiration. Create sausage octopi or origiri rice balls in the shape of pandas. Sometimes just a note or a Hershey's kiss will do the job too.

Happiness is a good school lunch.It makes for smiles and a full stomach. This is a perfect combination for little scholars.

The Lure Of Costco

 Costco is one of those customer nirvanas.It offers food in bulk quantity for relatively low prices.Members of their club can walk in and buy anything from three dozen eggs to even jewelry and designer hand bags. It;s the ultimate shopper and home chef's paradise.

New contributor BenRyder Howe who has also written for New Yorker Magazine wrote about this retail giant in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Costco has been around since the Sixties started by Sol Price. His family were the immigrants from Minsk who  started in New York in trade. In the 1920's they moved to San Diego California where young Sol then went to the University of Southern California.He began by re-presenting grocers and other merchants He began to then  buy San Diego warehouses into member only bazaars. members were charged a small fee.Shoppers could buy anything from hosiery to cigarettes. The bazaars were called Fed Mart. The key was making those members renew year after year.It was easy for him to do. Mr. Price was known for his gift of connecting with consumers.even though he was making money he was at odds with it , thanks to his family's Socialist beliefs.In fact Costoc is one of the best places to work for today.Most people who started off as baggers are now executives and their pay rate is much in line with the Price family values. A starting salary is twenty-six dollars an hour as opposed to other big box stores like Target and Walmart which start employees off at seventeen dollars an hour.

Costco contributed to flourish as it 's name changed in the 1990's. It grew too, with the first Costco opening up in Anchorage Alaska. It has merged with several different companies over the years yet strangely and stubbornly maintained Mr. Price;'s vision. 'Now the stores are world wide with more planned for  South Korea, China Japan and Australia. There have been drawbacks .For years the company refused to add more warehouses.It was because of management concerns regarding that new facilities would be too challenging to run. The concerns seemed to have wane because Costco now opens up thirty warehouses a year. Trends in foreign countries, namely the Asian market come to the States.Expertise in South Korean and Taiwanese shopping have translated into availability  in the US of such products as braised abalone in brown sauce,giant red sea cucumber and Chinese style bacon- cured pork strips. For one Toktoker Yutack Kang has told his 463,00 about  another Asian staple frozen durian pulp and declaring that their Asian food section is superb. This resonates deeply with Asian American shoppers Other shoppers have developed a cult like love of the store.The store is great if you do have a big family to buy for. Smaller ones may wind up with overage  and stale food.

Costco will always be the number one store in the US.It offers a wide arrange of different items .It also lets people buy food in bulk - something other grocery stores don't offer.

Cupcake Mania

 Food videos are addictive.People get hooked on Italian nonnas gracefully making pasta from scratch.Others go wild looking at the latest air fryer recipes.Then there are those cupcake videos that seem to be everywhere.They take a blob of icing and turn it into a masterpiece.

The last has made me cupcake obsessed. I am now actively seeking out those short reels on Facebook. They short and I can look through three or four of them.It starts out with some unknown decorator (only hands are shown) putting a blob of frosting on a cake. Usually they're then turned upside down and the blob is flattened on parchment. The cupcake is then frozen for ten minutes. The decorating starts after this.Stencils are cut out of waxed paper and this delicately laid on top of the frosting. Another colored frosting is then smeared on this. The stencil is lifted and it could be a pretty heart or Frankenstein's or his bride's hair.One jaw dropping one was a deep blue iced cup cake and a stencil of all the continents was then layered on. These were painted in deep green and the finished top looked very much like a map.A little red heart was out at the bottom on it. This would be an amazing try. Then there are the beach ones.where there is turquoise icing smeared on a cupcake. Nilla wafers are crushed and sprinkled on one side to represent sand. Candy shells and pearls can be placed on this or lines are iced on two Pez to create flip flops.

There's another kind of decorating that has caught my eye. This is the side one. A  frosted cupcake is rolled in a pile of sprinkles or little candy nonperiels. A swirl of another color frosting is  piped in the middle .This seems like the easiest and prettiest. You don;t need the puff in the middle. The cupcakes look sweet without them. I'm also amazed by the Russian flowers ones. These have a garden of brightly colored buttercream bids on them. I have these tips but have yet to use them. To be honest I don't; know when I would have to time or even occasion anymore to make a fancy cupcake. They're nice treats but total sugar bombs.Yet I'm obsessed by these short videos. I think Facebook has the best. The how to is only a few minutes and I can go on to the next. The Tiktok ones are a bit flashy with music and some voice overs.Ive watched the You Tube ones and although they ;re very informative they're also annoying. I do appreciate what tips they recommend and how to get the right consistency but they're something about someone going on like it was a decorating class. I just want something quick and fun to watch.

Cupcake vdeos - any food video are  addictive to watch,They're an obsession. Even if you don't even set foot in the kitchen these can be fascinating.

Healthy Harvests

 This is the time when everyone's gardens and pick your own orchards are in full harvest. Take advantage of these for healthy eating. Fresh fruit ans veggies have so many benefits. Eat them fresh for even more benefits.

This is the time for peach picking. Orchards around the area are bursting with clusters of these golden gems.As good as they are in crumbles and crisps , they're even better eaten chilled and fresh from the fridge. They're loaded with important vitamins like C and K which your body uses to heal wounds. They're also the rare fruit that has Vitamin E which keeps eyes and skin healthy too.Surprisingly peaches also contain trace amounts of zinc and copper,Zinc helps in getting the thyroid to work properly as well as helping blood to clot. Copper helps your teeth and bones to grow along with protecting cells and the immune system. Eat the whole fruit because their skin is rich in cancer preventing antioxidants.  Another fruit in full bloom right now is watermelon.Nothing beats a cold, sweet wedge after a barbecue or picnic.It's low calorie - only forty-six per slice so you can indulge in a few slices . A slice also has a big dose of lycoprene which is usually found in tomatoes.It improves heart health and even helps in preventing sunburn.Keep in mind that water melon is ninety per cent water  so it's also perfect for hydration, Dust it with a tiny bit of sea salt. This not only improves the taste but also replenishes electrolytes and carbohydrates.

Gardens are full of all sorts of tomatoes right now too. This is on e of the most versatile harvests because there are so many recipes that call for just picked from the vine tomatoes. They're also good eaten fresh with just a tiny sprinkle of salt on them too. These are high in Vitamin C which brightens skin and reduces inflammation,Cooked tomatoes release lycoprene to which helps in preventing cancer. eating them any way in any recipe will also improve your brain and prostrate health.This fruit - and it is a fruit is also rich in magnesium, which supplies the body with electrolytes.Electrolytes help cell function normally.Magnesium also helps in easing sore muscles after exercising too. Gardens are also full of zucchini too. These can be sliced into coins and sauteed with garlic and butter for a tasty side or  air fried to create a fun snack. They are high in Vitamin A and manganese, the last vital for forming connective tissue and bones.It also plays a role in calcium absorption and blood sugar regulation.Eggplant is also another garden gem that's in full harvest right now. It too is rich in Vitamins A and K. Eating it also reduces the risk of heart problems as well.

Summer harvests are like a giant vitamin and much tastier. Eat as much as you can, They will definitely boost your health and make you feel better.

A Bite of Seafood

 One of the joys of summer is a buttery or grilled bun stuffed with seafood.It could be lobster,.It could have a filling of chopped shrimp or tangy spiced crab.These are the tastes of summer to be savored with a side of fries and a tall glass of something icy and refreshing.

Lobster rolls are a classic summer sandwich. The new York Times Wednesday Food section recently published an article by Korsha Wilson about hot and cold lobster rolls.Yes, hot lobster are a thing now.It's actually not new but a century old.It was first created at Perry's in Milford, Connecticut on the Long Island Sound. A dinner wanted a lobster and butter sauce to go so the meat and sauce were put on a bun.Both hot and cold versions are pretty easy fixes. You can buy lobster meat at your local  grocery or  seafood market.The tail meat which is the meatiest and sweetest is always used for the sandwiches..For the hot lobster toast the buns in butter in a skillet. Put them inside part down for a couple of minutes. After that let the pan cool, wipe it and add more butter. Toss in the lobster meat and cook in butter and gently warm it Stuff the rolls with it and sprinkled with  celery seeds.The cold or Maine version has a pound of  chilled lobster mixed with a cup of mayo and four chopped celery sticks. Put this on fried in butter hot dog rolls. This is the one everyone likes and orders .

Shrimp salad is another summery lunch or dinner treat.Keep in mind that you have to be careful when buying fresh shrimp.Its fine if you live in a coastal area and you know the place is reputable. If not then go for  frozen shrimp.They're typically flash frozen once they're caught so this ensures freshness. Boil a pot of water and add the shrimp for two minutes.They'll turn a bright pink when they're done.As for the dressing it's mixing mayo with lemon juice. Dill and parsley are added for color and flavor. You can chop of the shrimp so it's easier to eat. Unlike lobster salad, shrimp salad can go with any bread.It's good stuffed into a pita for a lighter bite or on a sliced croissant for a more elegant meal.Crab meat is also great in a salad. Turn it into a salad for the San Francisco classic sandwich. Crab can be expensive to you can buy imitation crab which is really a paste of Pollock along with other fish pressed into shapes that resemble crab meat. You can also use crab legs too if you want Again use mayo here and mix it with freshly squeezed lemon juice  and diced celery.Fresh dill and chives work well with the crab meat so these can be added too. As for the bread you can use a Portuguese roll, much like the San Francisco version . You can also turn them into sliders too.

It's summer. It;'s the perfect time for a seafood salad. Have one with a tall glass of iced tea for a truly warm weather experience

Robots In Restaurants

 Everyone thought the future would be like the Jetsons.We'd be living in high rise apartments with Rosie the Robot folding our clothes and washing our dishes. That hasn't;t happened - yet - not to the homeowner. However it is becoming a matter of fact in many restaurants throughout the county.

New contributor Meghan McCarron, a James beard finalist in investigative reporting, wrote this fascinating piece in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. AI help is becoming the norm in many fast food chains. They help with bussing food to the tables to helping prepare it.it is cost effective to use machines instead of hiring people. There are no extra salaries along with egos to deal with which can be a plus. AI can also work through anything. There are no snow days to worry about or traffic snarls to make them late.The machines cost but that pays itself off .This is good because it frees up human workers to concentrate on the actual cooking.They can handle heavy lifting where human servers can not. Juan Higueros, chief operating officer and cofounder of  Bear Robotics used his previous experience as a restaurant owner to design their robots.He noticed that this waitstaff had trouble carrying trays and the only solution to help them were trays on wheels. He then designed automated servers who can carry thousands of pounds of food without any effort. This helped tremendously and made the busy times easier.

Yet there is the missing human factor. People want human chefs and waitstaff. They want to know that their food is cooked with love and that the chef has put his or her all into the dish. Diners also want to interact with the server too. A good waiter can make or break a restaurant.  AI can;t really do that for some people. However at that same Long Beach Denny's one customer, Diane Deconnick liked one robot, named LIly by the waiter himself who took Ms. Deconnick's order off the tray. She even tipped it the usual twenty per cent that human help receive. This is rare because most don't like an automated server. Yet everyone does use one form of AI to order food - their phones. Most major chains have apps where customers can order with very little friction. Restauranteurs may balk at the idea of having a robot chef, but they'll embrace robots do menial jobs. Chipotle already has one that not only pits avocados but also peels and slices them. Stellar Pizza is full automated however owner Benson Tsai  believes automation should stay behind the scenes. His food trucks always have one person and that's the one who hands out the orders to customers.

Will robots take over the food industry. They will and this will benefit both customers and workers. It may make for a better dining experience after all.

USA's Other Medalists

 America has other  medalists - top stars  -not in athletics but in baking.Our state fairs bring out the best in home bakers. There are delicious pies and cakes , on a par with any award winning sweet. These  show the best of the state's bakers  and like any medal winner they are proud of this achievement.

Regular contributor Kim Severson interviewed them in yesterday's New York times Food section.State fairs have always been known for their different and fun foods. They're the place to munch on cotton candy and corn dogs.They're also the places to sample good homemade baking, a throwback to a simpler time.One superstar is Karen DeLawder from Rockingham County , Virginia has won one thousand (!!!!!)blue ribbons from local and state fair.s Her most notable win was sponsored by the local Egg Council for her magic flan cake. It took her five years to win that one. She even took a class in juding that gave her tremendous insight on how judges decide which entry is the best. Then there's seventy- two year old Jim Austen who has been baking for state fairs in his native California for fifty five years. His first medal was for a lemon meringue pie but he has also won for his Prickly pear jelly and brandied cherries.Strategies are important in winning any contest and that's certainly Elaine Reilly's plan. She first tries out her recipes at New York State state fairs and then sends the recipes into food companies contests.

Every contest has an MVP and that title belongs to Pamela Koiber.She has surpassed Karen deLawders medal count and won a phenomenal 1,607 medals in her  native.Oklahoma. her notable win was the Oklahoma Ste Fair cookie jar contest in which four to seven types of cookies are stacked in a gallon jar . She was undergoing breast cancer treatments along with caring for a dying mother. She won and was able to share the win with her mom. Her chocolate cake won five times as well. One of the youngest is Anna Sattler.of Wisconsin. This twenty-five year old has won twenty medals so far. her first came at age seventeen for her five spice cinnamon roll. There there is the rookie HansLieven from Lake Oswego Oregon,He never heard of state fairs , living abroad with a Taiwanese mother and Flemish father. His American wife encouraged him and he won for his version of a not that sour sourdough made with different flours .Of course there has to be a coach.Resa Romero has never won any blue ribbons for her dishes but she has coached her six kids. Her youngest eighteen year old Joshua has won for seventy-five different items including canned yarms and an all natural insect ointment. Her kids have had two generations, from their parents to their grandparents helping them. Her husband Sam taought them cooking while his mother Eunice taught them to cook Mexican dishes. Ms. Romero;'s mother  LaDean Silberhorn was the queen of canning. The kids have even contributed to a cookbook.

Winning is everything, especially when it comes to state fairs. These are the best of the best,They can turn an ordinary pie, bread , cinnamon bun or preserves into an an warding winning recipe.

Isabella's Cookies Sweet Treats For A Hot Day

 Let's face it.It's too hot to bake. yet what do you do when you want a homemade cookie on a hot August Day?You get Isabella's Cookies. These chocolate chips come in so many different varieties of one cookie. They're the perfect accompaniment with a tall iced coffee.

These are definitely my new favorite cookies. The company comes from sunny Redondo Beach,California and some of the cookies do have a laid back SoCal vibe to them. Jennifer Palmer founded the company in 2001 and brought forth all natural  baking. The cookies have no preservatives in them and only pure ingredients like Madagascar Bourbon vanilla and pure chocolate chips along with creamy peanut butter ones

She offers a whopping thirty !!!!!!! different types of chocolate chips that range from the Muffie which has white chocolate chips and chocolate covered blueberries to the Matinee which is studded with both chocolate covered raisins and plain ones.

There are also the V-chip one of the many vegan cookies offered.

That and the Muffie are my favorites. A close second is the Aloha which not only has white chocolate chips but everything Hawaiian fruit like coconut, macadamia nuts and pineapple. I like the V chip which has a swirl of peanut butter through each cookie. Right now you can find them at Whole Foods or buy them on line.

It's hot.It's mid August. Why bake when you can have one of Isabella's chock full of chocolate chips cookie. Have it with your favorite iced coffee or iced tea.

Extra Veggies, Extra Recipes

 This is the season where you could find a stray tomato or zucchini in your fridge. What to do? There's a lot of veggie recipes out there you can have fun with. It clears out the fridge and veggie drawyer along with providing a tasty dish.

Tomatoes are one of the most versatile veggies/fruits out there. They can star in a lot of tasty recipes. A favorite is the Piedmontese tomatoes and eggs.This is taking two or three Roma or Capri tomatoes  chopping them and then stirring them in a beaten egg mixture. A minced garlic clove is added for more flavor. Everything is then cooked up and served with sliced Italian bread.You can also make it Sicilian style by subbing in a chopped green bell pepper and cook the same way. A panzanella salad is an easy way of getting rid of any stray tomatoes. Just chop and add torn pieces of Italian bread. Drizzle with oil and you can add garlic and onion powder for more flavor. You could also add croutons instead of bread for a crunchier version.A fun salad is one made of all sorts of different tomatoes. If you had some cherries and grape along with vine ripened. ,slice and mix these together . Add a simple vinaigrette for a memorable and colorful side dish.You could also add a sprinkling of fresh Parmesan too.

Keep in mind that there are plenty of hot dishes to use on those extra vegetables. Use your grill for tomatoes, eggplants and zucchini, This makes for a nice side to any barbecue, especially if you're grilling chicken or fish like salmon. Just brush with olive oil and lemon juice and season with only sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Of course there's that year round classic ratatouille you can easily make on a stove top.It;s just taking those smaller eggplant or even zucchini, and cooking the  slices with chopped green peppers and tomatoes.You could  double the amount and freeze it for later on. It's also good reheated as the next day's lunch. Stuffed peppers are usually a winter dish but you can easily make them in your air fryer.Even if you just have one lying around you can create a tasty cooked meal with it. Add crumbled beef or plant based crumbles rice and whatever else you fancy. If you have some extra broccoli and cauliflower florets chop them and add to the stuffing along with olives and rice.It's an easy cook in the air fryer and a great way of getting rid of extra peppers.

Extra veggies lying around can be turned into tasty hot and cold dishes.It's a good way of using them up .It' also a great way of reducing kitchen waste/

Zesty Zucchini Fries

 Mid August is the season for zucchini.It graces gardens and farmers markets. Its also on e of th e more versatile squashes and can be used as ingredient in ratatouille as well as turned into crunchy fires. If you haven/ yet then do so. It;s time to enjoy zucchini fries.

I made them for a fun Sunday lunch yesterday.It;s more about prepping them.It starts with a vegan batter.

I used the recipe I found on Nourished By Nic site and modified it. There were no measurements so I had to figure them out myself. One cup of flour beaten with a half of cup of almond milk makes for a pancake like batter. I added pinches of salt ,pepper and garlic powder. The sticks would be dipped into this first them rolled in bread crumbs for a really crunch coating.

These are the spices .If you want some zing, the add a pinch of cayenne pepper.You could also try cumin or turmeric too 

It was then slicing the zucchini.First slice it in half.

Then cut in half again

/

Now cut those in quarters .They'll look like pickle spears.

It's then dipping and rolling until they're all completely coated.

Fry in small batches (about six to eight ) for fifteen minutes at 380 degrees Farenheit. Cook for seven minutes first , then flip them over and cook for another eight. They should be golden and crispy.

These were way too good and all five batches went quickly I would add more garlic powder  though for more flavor along with more salt and pepper. I plant on making these again very soon.

It's zucchini season . Make these crunchy fries for a fun meal, side or even snack. They 're good for you while being deliciously crunchy and crispy.

Tabitha Brown At Target

 Vegan food can be hard to come by.It's hard to find good dips and snacks that satisfy the meat and dairy less lifestyle. That's where Tabitha Brown , a social media star and comedian comes in. A vegan herself she has created not vegan food for Target but a whole slew of other products.

I recently got to try her onion and garlic vegan spread. The  main ingredient is chickpea protein and two different yeasts.

I liked this.It was more of a cream cheese in texture than a dip.I spread it on a sliced roll for a tasty lunch.

It was very creamy and works both as a dip and as a spread. I am planning on buying her strawberry vegan cream cheese. I can see this on a croissant for a lovely dessert or even breakfast. Ms. Brown also has a caramelized onion one that again would be a good spread on a focaccio.Other products include flavored popcorns, flavored hummus , pickled okra (!!)  vegan potato salad  and a polenta and mushroom ravioli - which is definitely on my radar. Ms. Brown also has a line of kitchenware, stationery , home decor and gifting essentials. I have my eye on her blender and mini spatulas which will be a great addition to any kitchen,

Thanks to Tabitha Brown. Target has more vegan food choices. Check them out whether you want a pasta dish or a tasty spread.

Tired Of Le Cuisine Francaise

 It's been two weeks since the spectacular and jawdropping opening ceremonies at the Paris Olympics, The world has  have been inundated with all things Francaise including the cuisine. Yet after  a couple of weeks , it seems everyone is tired of those croissants, beurre and escargots.

I've been feeling that way and longed for my summer favorite , the Spanish classic, gazpacho.

This is a refreshing, light cold soup., made with fresh veggies,  like tomatoes peppers and cucumbers. Garlic and onion powder flavor it while white wine vinegar gives it its' zing and oil makes it smooth and creamy.It's a wonderful spoonful after gorging on Camembert on French bread .Don;t get me wrong I love any  French cheese on bread but it can become a bit too much after a while. The same thing for croissants. They are good but too caloric. Time for simple water crackers.

Everyone does love French cuisine  and thankfully there's been a renewed interest  in it since the Paris Games.. Yet the foods , even salad Nicoise, can be too much at times.It's time to pare it your men down for these last weeks of August. Think cool soups like gazpacho or  simple salads   topped with grilled chicken or shrimp. Save the heavy stuff for the cooler fall months ahead.

Explore other countries . Try their dishes. It's a nice change up from  indulging on le cuisine Francaise.

A Column With Regret

 Pete Wells has been such a fixture in the New York Times Wednesday Food sectio,He has been reviewing restaurants throughout the world, especially in his home town of New York City for the last twelve years. yet nothing lasts forever. It;s time for him to move on to other Times writing assignments.

Yesterday he wrote one of his last columns all about the new attitude of restaurants.In over  a decade he feels they have changed. One point is that people are ordering on screens as opposed to looking at a real  menu. This seems to be true all over as we scan a QR code and the restaurant's menu instantly pops up on our phones' screens. There were people to guide ours through our meals from the hosts to the waitstaff. There were also bartenders, runners,,captains and bussers to talk with. They gave insights about dishes and the restaurant along with contributing to the place's ambiance. Now it happens on a screen. Go into any Shake Shack and order on a screen. Food and drink is then paid on the same screen. Basically Mr. Wells, States restaurants have become vending machines with chairs. Yet he forgets about the Automat, a piece of New York history where diners could insert money into a machine and receive everything from chicken pot pies to  slices of cakes and a variety of hot and cold drinks. The first one Quisisana opened in Berlin in 1895. There's nothing new about this concept.

ANother thing Mr Wells raises is the rise of food on Instagram along with the decrease of paper menus. Most neighborhood eateries now are on delivery apps, Their entire menus are listed. Some of the restaurants aren't even real. They're what's known as ghost kitchens, kitchens that are just that kitchens. They're without any place to sit. The food  could be prepared in a professional kitchen at some placee.In others it could be in someone's house or apartment.As for the whole Instagram phenomenon, now restaurants don't want to serve anything that could go viral because they don't want their business to burn out.Diners go to places solely to put a picture of the latest trend on a social media platform. Whether the dish tastes good is irrelevant. They just want the world to know they had eggs prepared a certain way or they finally had a rainbow bagel.Then there are the tasting menu places where they 've become so impersonal, that they don;t care if people return or don;t. You sit there and get served.If there's a birthday -and there usually is - they they;re given a cupcake with a candle. That's it.

It sounds like the restaurant industry has jaded Pete Wells. There are hidden gems throughout the city, throwback to a time when dining was a fun and satisfying experience. They may be hard to find, but they're there.

A Two Continent Family Reunion

 Family reunions happen all the time during the summer. It usually reflects a family over the past few decades yet fro the Richmond-Coleman family it reflects centuries and continents. It also reflects a fusion of Southern food and Liberian Dishes.

Regular contributor and food writer Korsha Wilson wrote about this phenomena in today's New York Times Food section. The Richmond Coleman family separated when one branch stayed in the US and another sought freedom and a better life in the new country of Liberia. The reunion was held where the family founder. William D.Coleman started the brood in Fayetteville, Kentucky .Jim Coleman of Coleman Crest Farms hosted the event on the land his great-grandfather James Coleman bought in 1888 after serving in the Fifth Regiment United States Colored Infantry , part of the Union Army.  The current Mr. Coleman is a history buff who researched his family here also wanted to know about the branch in West Africa. He went to the Liberian Embassy in Washington to research only to find out that his Liberian cousins were also looking for the family. Two weeks later he attended his first Coleman - Richards family reunion in Bowie, Maryland.He saw relatives that looked like him and a plan began. he wanted to host a reunion in the family home in Kentucky,

The reunion was a perfect blend of Southern and Liberian cooking. Ms.Wilson includes several recipes that are interesting and easy to recreate. There is smoky jollof rice which has a mix of a tomato sauce made of tomatoes, bell pepper two kinds of chiles, ginger and cloves.The rice also has tomato paste and a host of spices such as smoked paprika, curry powder.cayenne and turmeric. The tomato mix is prepared in a blender  as the rice mix is first made with an chopped onion sauteed in olive oil. The spices and rice are added a long with chicken broth for flavor. It's teamed for fifteen minutes and then scallions and cilantro are added. The second main dish is saladu nebbe a tasty salad of, parsley black eyed peas, tomatoes and cucumbers.The flavor is spiked with serrano Chiles and a squeeze of lime juice. To finish it off is  a spice cake with a zingy tamarind filling.It's also made with soy milk for a different flavor.It does require Calabash nutmeg which can be bought at African markets here or on line.it has a deeper woodiness than the North American variety, Tamarind paste is the filling while a cool creamy vanilla buttercream offsets the spices' heat.

A family reunion should have family and heritage dishes. The Coleman-Richards family has these  dating back to important eras in both African and American history. They're what connects generations and continents

Your Vacation Kitchen

A vacation in a house with a kitchen is a plus. You can cook and eat when you want. You're not at the mercy of local restaurants and their schedules. Yet you do have to be careful and mindful. This is not your kitchen,  treat it with respect.

Many vacationers head to foreign countries for a week or two away.There's a problem with foreign kitchens.They have stoves that have a Celsius temperature range. If you're not use to Celisus, you'll have to use the converter on your phone e or follow this formula subtract 32 from the Farenheit temp, then multiply by five and divide by nine. (Using Google conversion is much easier, it's more exact, If you do it with the calculator,it'll be off by about .02 degrees).Are the results the same? More or less. There is also the gas mark where one mark equals 275 degrees Farenheit. If your roast or cakes requires four makes to cook or bake you know it's going to be 350 degrees Farenheit .Again there are charts on  line to help you deal with the conversion,If you;re staying in any UK  home and you have a fan oven , don;t be alarmed. This just means a convection oven.It's usually twenty degrees Celsius lower than a regular Celsius temp stove. (you've probably heard Mary Berry use the phrase a fan oven on any of her PBS cooking shows). A fan oven is rather like a big air fryer. The food will be crunchier and crisper but cooked at a lower temperature.

What about other kitchen matters? Most European countries have very small fridges. They need the space for counters and food prep. They're not like the sometimes mammoth  restaurant style ones Americans have in their sometimes mammoth kitchens. Don;t tr y to over stuff yours . Most people overseas keep their milk and butter out instead of refrigerating them .Keep the frozen stuff down to a minimum since freezers are also tiny.. Think ice cream and popsicles or ice lollies if you;re vacationing in the UK.Vacationing in the US is different, but you still have to be mindful of the kitchen and fridge too whether you  stay in a house, apartment or efficiency apartment at the shore.Keep your food to the basics. Good choices are bacon, eggs and milk for breakfast along with butter and something drinkable. Have juice and milk ready for the kids.Most motels have a soda and snack machine on the premises so you don;t need to get a huge bottle of soda. If the kids want sandwiches, then consider having a packet of cold cuts and a small jar of mayo. Take advantage of local farmers markets for produce but don;t overbuy. Keep the kitchen tidy and not over flowing with food or food waste.

Your own private kitchen is a good thing on a vacation. Just be aware of temperature differences along with cultural ones too. It'll make for an easy time preparing home cooked meals for your family.

Rice The New Lettuce

 If you;re tired of making salad then switch it up a bit. You don;t have to use lettuce as a base. Try rice,It's a nice change up and makes a side dish special.

Rice is an easy make.It;s just putting it in boiling water , whether on a stove top or microwave. You can also use Lidl's instant microwave rice. They have a plain and one with pepper. It;s just cooking for two minutes in the microwave.

The plain can go with anything while the garden veggie would be great with shredded rotisserie chicken. I added a simple tomato salad   - just chopped Roma tomatoes with oil , salt pepper and garlic powder sprinkled on them.

Mix both together for a delicious , new salad. To turn it into a filling main dish then think of adding grilled shrimp to it. 

Keep in mind you can use rice as the base for any salad. TRy one with ham ,peas and a dressing of mayo for a Piedmontese inspired main dish. You can also have a simple rice base with broccoli, and carrots along with chopped peppers and olives. This would be perfect for any barbecue. 

You don;t need lettuce to create the perfect salad. Think rice.It makes for an interesting and tasty alternative to the usual hot weather dish.

The Perfect Parfait

 This is the time for cool treats and nothing says that better than a parfait. It could be a lovely way to start the day? It can be a cool treat after a barbecue .Anyway you have it 's a nice treat on a hot August day,,

As expected the parfait  was created by the French around 1890. The original recipe was the basis for our frozen custards of today. French chefs cooked eggs sugar and cream together as a custard then frozen. There are two versions. the french one which is made with whipped cream, simple syrup and any kind of flavoring, namely fruit. It's then poured into a tin, much like its' Italian cousin the semifreddo. Egg yolks are added , much like the original recipe to give it body. The American version is more layered like a sundae. There is also a Japanese one with a base layer of cornflakes! it also has more whipped cream and gelatin cubes than the American one. A breakfast parfait is a different and fun way to start the day. Use Greek yogurt which is thicker and has more body than the American and layer with different ingredients.Add old fashioned oats and for more nutrition and good helping of chia seeds. You could add frozen fruit but fresh is better especially now with all the harvests happening right now. Layer with sliced peaches and strawberries for a tasty treat.Sliced bananas and blueberries also work. Keep in mind that you can have this as a mid afternoon snack too. Add chocolate chips for some flavor and a boost of energy.

An ice cream parfait is a lovely way to use the fruit of the season along with good ice cream., As for the ice cream , you can make it yourself or get a good brand . A simple yet elegant one is layers if vanilla ice cream and fresh cut fruit. Try a French vanilla with pitted and chopped cherries is also good. You can do the same with other fruit for the season like peaches and strawberries. If you want more layers, add  crumbled vanilla wafers like Lidl's or Nabiscos and top with whipped cream. Of course a chocolate version is also  doable and delicious. Layer chocolate ice cream with strawberries or chopped , pitted cherries. Add a good chocolate syrup such as U-Bet or Fox's. (Hershey's also work well here).Top with a blob of whipped cream and more fruit. You can add a layer of cookie or even chocolate cake here too. A decadent dessert is a tiramisu su one. It starts with a homemade ice cream made from a mix of mascapone cheese and evaporated milk. Beat together until stiff peaks form and freeze until ready to use. You can also use coffee ice cream too. Cake is the base here and it's soaking either vanilla or chocolate pound cake in espresso. Layer the ice cream and cake, sort of like mini trifles .You can also sprinkle on cocoa powder too to give it a mocha flavor. Top with whipped cream and more powdered chocolate.

Beat the heat with the perfect parfait. You can make one for a breakfast treat or have one after a barbecue. Either way they're cool and delightful.

Cold Salad Days

 let's face it .August is hot. That means easy and simple dishes. That means salads of any sort and any kind. They don;t have to be the green lettuce and tomato kind.They could be created from other ingredients.

I feel that way during these sticky humid days. It's hot prepping. It's hot cooking. it;s hot washing up a ton of dishes. This is why salads come in handy. One of my favorites is the Neopolitan bread salad made super easy by using croutons and just tomatoes chopped and marinated in oil.

Scallions were added for a bit of color too. I added a handful of  Fresh Gourmet garlic and butter croutons. The company also has other flavors like Texas toast and Caesar Parmesan. Add what you want and have fun with it.

It makes for a yummy salad. You could add onions like the original or even pepperoni slices to give it more depth.

This was a sweet and savory crunchy blend that was just perfect for a sweltering day like today. If you want protein then go for a three bean salad. You can add peppers if you want or onions. 

This is a mix if canellini beans, chickpeas and red kidney beans. It's a great source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. You could add corn , avocado slices and sliced cherry tomatoes for a spin on cowboy caviar. 

Keep in mind you only need four extra ingredients for a successful salad.

Use a good olive oil like Lidl's. It;s light and lets the other ingredients shine. The same goes for vinegar. I prefer Acme's Signature red wine. As for salt  - you don't need the fancy sea salt to flavor. It should be a supporting player .I used Stop and Shop's but you can use any brand. Fresh ground pepper ,like Lidl's give some bite and is better than already ground. Other good salad ingredients are onion and garlic powder a long with paprika for mayo based potato salads.

It's August. It's hot. Make a filling salad for dinner. It's an easy and tasty fix.

Kamala For COTUS

 Is it I'm[ortant for a candidate to be relatable to their constituents? Yes. Even better is that they cook which is always relatable. What would make for a good COTUS Cook Of The United States? Someone who loves cooking and a good sit down family meal. Someone like Kamala Harris.

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about the presidential candidate in yesterday's New York Times  Wednesday Food section. A few presidents were known to cook. Dwight Eisenhower famously liked to grill steaks in the White House back yard. Abe Lincoln was known to put on an apron and help out. Yet Vice President. Harris goes the extra mile. She is in charge of her family's Sunday meals where she creates the family favorite spaghetti Bolognese. Yet she also embraces her  South Indian roots. She has cooked with the actor Mindy Kaling where they made dosas, a type of crepe , popular with street vendors and a potato curry.Of course she has also make monster cookies with a young voter, Avery in Iowa. She also cooked apples and bacon with her Iowa's campaign chair. She made sure both ingredients were from Iowa. Unlike other candidates she also scrolls through YouTube  to study videos. During the pandemic she took to Instagram where she got a lesson in egg cookery from famed chef Jose Andres.

Not surprisingly Ms Harris learned cooking from her mother Shyamala Gopalan. Theirs is a vegetarian cuisine thanks to their Hindi religion so Ms Harris grew up with vegetable samosas and dal, She also has favorites  such as Marcella Hazan and Alice Waters cookbooks. She had even mentioned that she'd like to write her own one day on Jennifer Hudson's talk show.Her cooking skills are as smooth as her political ones. She's known to crack an egg with one hand and chopped an onion so well that it impressed chef Tom Colicchio. The Harris- Emhoff kitchen is more a kitchen belonging to a professional chef than a possible future president. She owns enamel skillets a gas range and a crock next to a stove overflowing with spatulas and spoons, Yet cooking is more than a hobby.It centers and grounds the busy pol.It makes her feel normal, especially after a busy week. There is nothing like cooking for her husband and bonus children. She feels in control with cooking whether it's making family recipes or dry brining a turkey with salt and pepper. If she is elected she will have to say goodbye to some of this. She can still cook but with an army of help to cut , chop and prep.

It will be a crazy race for the next few months. Luckily Vice President Harris can turn to her cooking for calm and serenity It helps dealing with the wildness of this presidential election.