Treats For Diwali

 Halloween has its' many treats, from caramel apples to festive cupcakes.Yet Diwali also has it's share of delicious sugary treats. The holiday starts tonight and start it with sweetness to represent good overcoming evil. These are bardem burif and pedi  South Asian confections that are easy to make at home.Try them for a different kind of treat.

Regular contributor Priya Krishna wrote about this sweet  in yesterday's  New York Times Food section.They're known as mithai, sweet usually made with ghee or clarified butter, nuts and dairy. Mithai wasn't always this sweet. Before colonization, the Indians used jaggery , a mix of sugar from sugar cane and the sap of the date palm.The flavor was toasty and not cloyingly sweet .Yet a robust can sugar industry emerged during thi s time according to Arun Kumar Singh, an associate professor of politicla science at Multianimal Modi College in Modimagar,India/,Now many Indian -American chefs are going back to the somewhat original taste. This means adding salt to counter the overpowering sweetness.It even appears in American desserts cooked by Indian chefs.Che Deepa Shrihars at Thali, Omikase, a popup create a pumpkin pie based on Mysore pak,,a fudgey chickpea based sweet that boasts jaggery - and salr.even in India mithai is changing. Flavors such as Bischoff crackers and tiramisu are popping up in sweet shops such as the one inMumba at the Bpmbay Sweet Shop

Creating both Badam barfi and pedi are relatively easy.The first is a blend of ghee, cardamon, almond flour, sugar and salt..It's creating a soft ball stage syrup of sugar and water,The almond flour, cardimon and slated and sifted together  The almond flour and ghee is then added to this and then cooked  until the sides pull away from the pan and becomes slightly puffed. Pour this into a ghee greased pan and pat down with a spatula. The top is a Barbie pink chocolate made from ruby chocolate. This is a kind of chocolate made with red cocoa beans and it has a fruity flavor like strawberry or raspberry. It's melted in the microwave with freeze dried strawberries and then it's poured over the barfi. Cut into diamond shaped squares. You can add edible gold flecks too. Ped is made with either sweet milk ice cream mixed with saffron threads and cardamon. Four cups of whole milk powder is added .Use the ghee for greasing your hands.It's melting the ice cream in a frying pan, then adding the saffron and powdered milk.Its then poured onto parchment paper. Pinch off a goofball size pieces and roll in your hands.Flatten and then make an indentation with your thumb.Andd chopped pistachios in each well and then chill for two hours.

Diwali is full of sweets.Make these to celebrate the festival of light. They're a wonderful way to enjoy the holida

New York's Best Pizza

 Last week the New York Times Food section gave a very good and extensive guide to finding the city's best bagels. Now it's a guide for the best pizza. The city is famous for its' yummy slices , rich with sauce and cheese. WHich is the best? That's a hard answer.

Keep in mind this guide stretches to all the boroughs so you don;t have leave your own to get a tasty pie. Even if you're in New Jersey, it's an easy trip to Staten Island to get a dinner. The same goes for Long Islanders seeking a great pizza in Brooklyn or Queens. Those from Westchester and even Connecticut can visit the Bronx for an out of the world creation too. Yet it's Manhattan pizzerias that attracts the famous and ordinary alike.Greenwich Village was always known for it's excellent Italian restaurants, spillover from Little Italy. Joe's Pizzeria is one of these, located on Carmine Street.They serve a New York style pizza with a slightly chewy cheese and a wealth of pepperoni.A Staten Island favorite Joe And pat's Pizzeria has branched out to the East Village. They also serve Italian American classics liked stuffed manicotti veal alla Milanese and chicken Parmigian. Yet it's the pizzas that shine.Try their vodka sauce topped one.It has a creamy  tomato sauce that is well known throughout the city.Also try their calamari one as well. Coal oven pizza is always desirable. Try Arturos's in Greenwich Village.Their arugula and prosciutto one.It's a cross between a bar pie and a deep dish one/

Of course the boroughs are known for their amazing pizzerias.The Bronx has its' own Little Italy at Arthur Avenue. Yet go to the Morris Park section and have a slice from Emilio's.fans go made for their chicken and vodka sauce pie.For zing try their Partanna pizza which has red onions and a dusting of Calabrian chili along with pecorino cheese,oregano and the surprise drizzle of orange blossom honey. Another borough Brooklyn is also home to some great places. A visit to L & B Spumoni Gardens is well worth it ,especially for fans of the Chuck E. Cheese pies. They kind of mimic it with the fried doughy crust and gooey cheese.They also have thick, satisfying squares of Sicilian pizza and ice cold beer to wash it down. Have a dessert of their almond Spumoni too.  Astoria Queens may be known for Greek food but you can find a decent pizza there too. Go to the sweetly namedMilk flower for the personal pan style ones.Try the unusual stun Dunn which features caramelized onions along with a mix of Gruyere(!) and mozzarella along with scallions and red onions. Jersey it's will love going to Staten Island for Seppe's Pizza Bar 's pies.The place is on the Narrow facing Brooklyn, perfect for warm weather dining. Their pizza  topping has a combo of hot honey, jalapenos and pepperoni. It's a refreshing combo of sweetness and bite.

New York is a pizza city. Visit Manhattan, Take a trip to the outer boroughs for some good pie. This is not only what New Yorker's rave about but the entire world .

A Halloween Fun DInner

 Dinner is important even on a fun day like Halloween.The little ones have to eat a good dinner before trick or treating. The best bet here is make the dinner  fun. They'll want seconds and even thirds.

Hamburgers are always a good meal. They're hot and filling along with being tasty. Make them fun by turning them into jack o'lanterns. This is an easy fix.  Cut out eyes and a grin on cheese slices . Put aside as you grill the burgers.WHen the burgers are almost done layer the cheese on them .The meat's heat will slightly melt the cheese leaving to to cling on the hamburger.This will give it a round pumpkin shape. You could add a small piece of green pepper at the top for the stem.  Another idea is giving the sandwich eyes. Stick two olive "eyes" on the top of the bun. You could have a piece of red pepper sticking out of the middle for the tongue.  Mummy dogs are easy and fun to make.It's taking crescent roll dough and tearing it into strips. Wrap around any kind of hot dog, whether beef or vegan and then wrap the strips around them. You could add cheese or brush the dogs with mustard before wrapping. Bake in a375 Farenheit degree oven for about thirteen to seventeen minutes. After you can add two dots of mustard for eyes. Have different kinds of mustard for dipping.

It's amazing that even pasta can be turned into something scary. You can make spaghetti with meatball "eyes".This is taking meatballs baking them. Add  mozzarella ovals then press olives into the melty cheese. Place on the spaghetti (or whatever the  kids like). Pasta can also take a dark turn with the addition of   mushrooms cut into the shape of skulls. Use button mushrooms for this  and then gouge out two little holes for the eyes. Do two little slits under neat the eyes for the nostrils. The stem can be the teeth,. Carve little lines in them to simulate the skull's mouth. Use a  wooden skewers or small paring knife to do this. For an even spookier look serve  these over black pasta made with squid ink. (although any regular pasta works with this as does any sauce.Pasta can be turned into a brain .It's first cooking spaghetti and then baking it in a rounded pan. A mix of mozzarella and eggs is poured over to as a binder. Leave an end to end well in the middle of the"brain" then cover with breadcrumbs. Bake for thirty to forty minutes in a 450 degree Farenheit oven for half an hour. Pour  marinara sauce in the well for a lovely bloody brains look. You could serve with meat ball eyes if you want.

Make sure the kids eat well before they spend the night trick or treating.It could be jack o lantern burgers r  mummy dogs. It could be a plate of scary pasta. They'll feel better and won;t gobble all their candy if they're well fed.

Halloween Cupcake Crazy

 Nothing is as fun as a Halloween cupcake. Home bakers can have a field day with creating all sorts of fun decorations  from witches hats to mummies. Yet you start out with the right icing and topping to create an Insta ready little cake (it big cake if you want ).It just takes patience and a flair for fun.

The first thing is do you use a store bought or homemade frosting (keep in mind that frosting and icing are interchangeable words but they are different. Frostings have some ki nd of fat, - whether butter, plant butter  cream cheese, whipped cream or eggs  in them while icings are just confectioners sugar , milk cream juice or egg whites. ) Store bought frosting is denser while homemade is lighter and airier thanks to it constantly being whipped. However you can lessen the density of the store bought kind just by whipping air into it. One important tool you will need is either wax or parchment paper. Tear off a good sized sheet (about six inches long ) and cut into squares. Use them when you have to flatten the puffs of icing into a workable canvas. A n icing spatula can also come in handy when smoothing a frosting's surface and sides. If you're planning on using sprinkles  make sure you have a bowl for them. This also makes it easier to roll the cupcakes in them for decorated edgea.

Decorating is the fun part once all the cupcakes or cakes are iced.Reese's mini peanut butter  cups can double as witches hats or as the bottom of a broom, once iced. Mini ice cream cones can also work well as a crone's hat too. Just thoroughly dip these in either dark or milk chocolate , let set and them place on the cupcakes. Use black gel icing for the band around the base of the cone part and add yellow or gold icing to create a belt. A broom us made by inserting a pretzel stick in the center of a mini peanut butter cup and then using brown or dark yellow icing draw lines up and down to simulate straw. YOu can also create either white, dark ro milk chocolate spider web ls by pouring chocolate in thin, concentric circles and then attaching them .Let dry and stick on the top of  the cakes, Spiders are made just by putting two blobs or black icing together and then drawing eight legs out from the body. Use candy eyes for the eyes. You may have to use tweezers for this. A spooky cupcake might have a tombstone on top. Use Pepperidge Farms Milano cookies for this. Write RIP on them and just stick into the icing. Add a gummy work or two for more creepiness.

Halloween cupcakes are always a nice addition to any holiday party. Go wild with decorating.It wil only add to the day.

Lovely Fall Cakes

 Autumn may be known for it's home baked pies yet it's the cakes that stand out.They feature the flavors of the season , whether spicy or fruity. These are perfect for Sunday teas or even ending a holiday meal.

Maple is the flavor of the season - other than pumpkin spice. It's reminiscent of the sweet smell of turning and falling leaves.Add it to a Bundt cake for a different kind of flavor.A Bundt is perfect for the chill fall weather.It has a dense crumb and it's perfect as an afternoon snack or even breakfast with a good strong cup of coffee or tea. You could also bake a scratch maple pound cake  with a maple rum glaze on top. The glaze is a mix of dark rum, butter and the syrup.it's brushed warm over the cake and then left to soak in. for a fun party dessert try maple cupcakes with a bacon frosting, Yes bacon!  The cake is a simple scratch maple vanilla cake. The frosting is a cream cheese one and every cupcake is decorated with a few slices of homemade maple bacon.Maple bacon is made by lining up the strips on a foil  lined sheet pan. Maple syrup is brushed on each side and them brown sugar is sprinkled over the top sides. (Keep in mind this makes a great brunch side too).If you prefer cookies then think about maple shortbread.This is a wonderful marriage of butter and maple syrup.shortbread is an easy cookie to make and bake and it would be perfect after any Sunday dinner.

There are other flavors too for this season. Apple and pear reign supreme in the fruit area. Look to the French for inspiration. They bake a buttery apple cake that has a hint of rum in it.Chunks of tart apples are sunk into a rich crumb. dark rum is used but if you want to intensify the flavor then sub in apple cider for the liquor. As for the apples ,a tart sweet variety like Granny Smith work perfectly here. You could also use the Honeycrisp kind as well.  Cinnamon and apples go well  together. Try a scratch cake loaded with the two. You can also add walnuts for more flavor and crunch. for this kind of apple cake you'll only need two apples. pears are also the fruit of the season right now. A pear cake is a different and tasty treat, perfect for a weekend dessert.As with the French apple cake, pear cake has a moist buttery crumb that works perfectly with the fruit,. It's topped with a simple sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. (there;s no need for  a lush buttercream here.The pears provide all the flavor).Keep in mind that this luscious fruit can also be used in a dense Bundt cake, adding supreme flavor to a simple scratch recipe.

Cakes are the perfect fall sweet and dessert go to.They finish off a Sunday roast dinner or make for a good snack alongside hot coffee or tea. Bake one now with the flavors of the season

Favorite Halloween Treats

 What is your favorite Halloween  homemade treat?Is a a caramel dipped candy apple. A witch cupcake?Or a bat cookie

\

\

\

Let us  know

A Tasty Formaggio For Fall

 Italian rustic cooking or cucina rutica shines in the fall. There are delicious pork dishes and clouds of gnocchi in harvested tomato sauce. Joining them is foccaccio ,a bread that's good on it's own or topped with salame.Imagine it with cheese and it's the perfect bread for right now.

New contributor Kevin Pang  who's alsoeditorial director  for  digital at America's Test Kitchen wrote an interesting piece on this flatbread in yesterday's New York Times Food section. The breathakingly beautiful   town of Recco in Liguria invented this bread .The seaside town which was bombed heavily during the Second World War reinvented itself as a food  destination.Pesto with walnuts, and her bed infused ravioli called pansoti are the stars yet its focaccia col formaggio is what three dozen restaurants in the area feature.r Pang describes as a sort of Italian quesadilla - with a stretch bread instead of a crispy tortilla. The cheese is solid made from Crescenzo cheese which melts into a tangy cream cheese It's the breakfast of choice amongst locals, often served with bracingly strong espresso.Focaccio col formaggio is so popular that there are strict regulations on how it's; made  Regulators even bring back a sample of cheese and olive oil back to labs to test their autheneticity.It's even received protection back in 2005 from the European Union.

Yet home bakers can bake it here in the States thanks to Mr Pang's recipe.The only problem is finding the right cheese Home bakers can find fresh Cresscebzo in Us groceries however the top quality is only found in Italy.However bakers here recommend using Stracchino or Taleggio cheeses with the addition of a little buttermilk.Strive for the dough to be a millimeter thick which is ultra thin. It should b that sunshine can be seen through a thinly rolled piece of dough. what kind of flour should be used? Mr. Pang recommends KIng Arthur's bread flour. The cheese should be Crescenzo but the other two are fine as well. Just add two tablespoons to the mix.If using Taleggio, get rid of the rind. The dough is made with a mix if the flour, a pinch of sea salt and two tablespoons of olive oil. The oil is also used to grease the bread pan as well. Once it's been rolled out. dollops of the cheese are placed on it. These dollops should be no bigger than a cherry tomato. after this roll out a top sheet and place on the cheese and bottom sheet,Bake in a 500 degree Farenheit oven for ten to fifteen minutes. Turn the baking pan around mid way through.

This is the time for cucina rustica. enjoy foccaccio con formaggio  with a good glass of wine or a bring cup of espresso.It's a great autumn dish.

The Best Bagels In New York

 Manhattan can be considered to have the best pizza in the world , possibly followed by hot dogs.Yet it is the simple bagel that makes this urban island so well known. The city has always been known for its' delicious bagels.Yet there are so many good bagel shops. Where to go? There's a guide.

Regular contributor Becky Hughes has compiled a guide to where to find the tastiest in today's New York Times Food section.This covers all the boroughs, and not necessarily Manhattan island.If you just want the city then try The Bagels , which has three locations,They're oth both upper East and west sides and in tony Gramercy Park.THe bagels are known for their perfect crust - thin,bubbly and crackly. enthusiasts can also try Tompkins Square Bagels located in the Flatiron district and the East Village. These are not your traditional bagels. They sandwich style, big, fluffy and holeless. Go for the Weezer , at tasty mix of chorizo,bacon and eggs.There's also a cheddar and cheese mashup .for sweet tooths they have a birthday cake flavored cream cheese.If you want different flavors , then visit Utopia Bagels which feature red velvet,prosciutto and Pina colada.The East and West Village have Apollo Bagels which has a tight crackly taut crust and a tangy , chewy crumb.

Yes there are other bagel places outside the city.Try the Bake shop in Bushwick Brooklyn. They're known fo r their vegan pastries but their bagels are reminiscent of bagels past. THe crust is  crispy, the inside taut .They're cooked in small batches making them artesenal.Bushwick has another great bagel bakery.It's Knickerbocker Bagel and they're known for a bagel with a squishy inside and a chewy crust that holds their bacon, egg and cheese. THey have knock out spreads in such flavors as jalapeno and Asiago cheese.True bagel lovers will trek to Prospect Heights or Clinton Hill to Bergen Bagels.They have warm big bagels that go well with their refreshing cucumber dill schmear. Park slope has Shelsky's Brooklyn Bagels.They're smaller one with a truly crispy crust.They offer the highly unusual szechuan pepper one that's sure to wake up any New Yorker than a double espresso.The famed Russ And Daughters in Brooklyn also has some great bagels that are stuffed with thinly sliced lox and schmeared with cream cheese.

Bagels are a sNew York as the statue of Liberty or Broadway. These are the best shops to get them. Visit and enjoy.

October Cookouts

You would expect mid October t have a bit of a nip in the air. That would mean hot chocolate and warm , hearty meals. Not so. Many of the areas around the country are experiencing a second summer? WHat to do? Barbecue  but with a fall twist.

With temps in the almost eighties, many home chefs just don't want to cook or bake. yet fall has some of the tastiest ingredients and recipes out there. What to do? Incorporate them into easy to grill, easy to cook and easy to bake recipes. Pork chops with apples have always been a popular  October dish.It can easily be put on the grill and till deliver the same rich taste/There is a slight problem with pork.It can dry out quickly when cooked on a high heat/Baste the chops with a barbecue sauce or marinade. To keep the fall themed try an apple cider marinade.The is a blend of apple cider, brown sugar and such spices as dry mustard and garlic powder. To give it some silkiness and body add a teaspoon or two of olive oil. Brush the pork chop with this every fifteen minutes. To maintain the juiciness let the pork chops sit for about five minutes before cutting into them. This allows the meat to bathe in the juices a bit more. You can serve with grilled apple halves. This is just putting them on the grill for six to eight minutes , then flipping them over for another five. You can also whip up a potato salad but add a small diced apple for texture and flavor.

Baking is a big part of the fall canon. You can easily bake an apple or pear galette on the grill.You will need those cheap foil pie pans.The fruit filled dough is placed in it and then on top of an inverted foil roasting pan.Doing such will prevent the  pies' bottom from burning. The grill's temperature should be the same as your oven. Bake at 350 to 400 degrees Farenheit for about twenty to thirty minutes. as with any pie , keep an eye on it, making sure it doesn't burn. Serve with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel.If you made ice cream over the summer, don;t stop because it is autumn. It's a hot autumn and that means the cooling relief of a frosty dessert. Try a salted caramel ice cream to go with those apples. You will need to use your stovetop to create the caramel.It's cooking a cup and a quarter of granulated sugar until it becomes a syrup.whole cream is then added to this to create the caramel. it's cooled and then the sea salt (try Malden's flaky sea salt) and vanilla are added. while this cools make the ice cream base. This is eggs being whisked with a blend of cooked milk ,and cream.The caramel is added to this then strained through a fine mesh sieve. This is chilled  for three to six hours and then you can put the mixture through an ice cream maker. Freeze until solid. Serve with cinnamon coated apple slices.

THis is a rare October heat wave. Cook like it's summer ,using fall ingredients. You can still get a taste of autumn but with a hot weather twist.

Pre Birthday Yum

 It is Coleridge's birthday today and a good time to celebrate. The Early Romantic poet may not have been to Italy like the Latter Rpmantics, Byron, Keats and Shelly, but he would have appreciated good Italian food and wine

I celebrated over the weekend at Que Pasta, a local Italiam restaurant in Saddle Brook. The food is phenomenal. They have excellent appetizers like their fried zucchini slices or coins and their smashed baby artichokes in a lemon butter sauce.

These can also be ordered as sides for holiday dinners (which I plan to do next month for Thanksgiving.) Both dishes were full of tender and flavorful veggies. Que Pasta is also known for its' wide array of pasta and homemade sauces.

Their spinach and eggplant filled ravioli do not disappoint. Each fat little pillow was full of flavor and the homemade marinara sauce worked well with them. There is also the thick straw like bucatini,

Again the marinara sauce highlighted the rich pasta taste perfectly. Grapefruit sized meat balls were served with them and they were tender and rich with oregano and thyme.

Que Pasta in Saddle Brook -home to another famous writer born on this day - is the perfect place for any kind of party.It's great for smal gatherings and large ones like birthday parties, showers and even weddings. The food is fantastic as are the servers. Go there for your big day.

An elegant Fall Birthday

 Having an autumn birthday means an elegant affair featuring the delights of the season.It could be a simple brunch or a lovely dinner party. It features fine wine and fine dining.

A birthday brunch usually means Bellinis and mimosas in tall flutes. Sub in the peaches and oranges with one of the fruits of the season pears. You can use fresh pears or canned halves (although using the fresh ones will give it a tangier flavor). Cut up the pears and puree them either in a blender or using an immersion blender. Pour the puree in a third of th e glass.Add a good dry champagne .Another drink perfect for a fall brunch is a tea punch.This is made with black tea and simple syrup. Most recipes call for apple cider but why not amp it up a bit by subbing in the cider with a cup of hard cider for a kick.If you're worried about the oomph or punch of it ,remember it becomes diffused when it 's mixed with the tea. You can also  add a half cup of regular apple cider to lessen it's strength.As for luncheon, think a butternut squash, pumpkin and potato quiche or one rich with leeks and feta. Bake three or four for the guests. Small finger sandwiches work well also. Sub in a chicken and grape salad on croissants and brioches. what about dessert. Think apple cupcakes with a just a dusting of confectioner;s sugar.

As for a dinner, think outside the bottle and try an apple flavored wine or one spiced with cinnamon Hard cider could also worked here but remember it's potent. You may want to  water it down with a plain or flavored seltzer. start the meal off with a fall themed charcuterie board. have cubes of rich Swiss and Gruyere cheese mixed with both sharp and mild cheddars Add ham, apple slices and grapes for variety. as for the bread, go with sliced sourdough  or artesanal rye slices. small hours and pumpkins can be added for decoration. The salad can be an arugula with diced apple and air fried prosciutto strips. Any kind of Wellington dish is always an elegant meal. Go for the original which has beef tenderloin encased in a buttery flaky pastry. You can serve with fall's root vegetable such as sheet pan cooked parsnips and carrots. This dish can be turned vegetarian just by switching out the meat for a mix of mushrooms and lemtils,Miso  , walnuts and tomato paste give it a definite meat like flavor and texture. The sides can be the same. Turnips and carrots crisped in a mix of olive oil and thyme and then oven roasted. End the meal with a pear or apple galette topped with creme fraiche ice cream. If you do want cake, think a simple vanilla one with a cinnamon icing.

A fall birthday is a time for  elegant celebration. It could be a brunch or a dinner.Either way serve sophisticated food and drink for a lovely time.

Starting Up A Cold Morning

 Now that' we're deep into fall , the mornings are downright nippy. what the best way to start a frosty day? Is it hot cereal? Toast with eggs and bacon? What about weekend morning meals? Do you have French toast with maple syrup and bacon? A slice of quiche Lorrai with a Bloody Mary? How do your days begin?

What is your favorite and most fortifying breakfast on a cold autumn morning? Let us know here. 

Pantry Ingredients Equal Good Eating

 It's important to have a well stocked pantry. It's amazing what those cans and tins can yield as far as ingredients. They can be tossed together to create  hot, delicious meals.It;s just knowing what to use and what.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark wrote about this as well as giving recipes in yesterday's New York Times Food section.She also offers several tips on different pantry Staples. Be creative . Chili crisp can be used in everything from scrambled eggs to ramen. Mustards such as Dijon cans also add color and flavor .Salsa is great for punching up stews and sauces >USe tapenades in veggie sautes for brightness and to liven up tomatoes and peppers. Make dips for dinner using curry paste and Greek yogurt. Serve with veggies as a nice appetizer . Miso just doesn't;t have to be for Oriental dishes. Try it mixed with honey in Ali Slagel's pasta Alfredo. Pasta can also get a lift from some tapanade or chili crisp. Mix it with olive oil and toos whatever pasta you have with it. The popular Colo Henry recipe for her bed white beans can be varied with just the addition of jarred pesto. An instant sauce is a blend of olive oil, flaky sea salt and whatever spice is there.Tru a mix of hot red pepper flakes with cumin for a different take.

Ms Clark has three interesting recipes that anyone can make. For a quick  meal try one pot spiced turkey and rice. This can be made on the weekend and also reheated for week night meals.It's a marriage of garam masala with tomato paste , chopped serrano chiles and ground turkey. Cinnamon added sweetness to this Indian inspired meal.A nother good dish is the cheesy chili crisp white beans. On their own white beans  can be bland but add chlili crisp, scallions and  white Cheddar cheese and they're elevated to something new and exciting.There is also pasta with spinach , yogurt and feta. The yogurt used is the Greek kind and that will add a creaminess similar to an Alfredo sauce. You can go into your freezer for the spinach along with adding freshly chopped mint, basli and cilantro.To make sure that the sauce clings , use a chunky kind of pasta like  rigatoni shells or camanelle. Red pepper flakes are also part of the recipe but if they're too spicy or hot for you they can be omitted.

Use your pantry to create tasty , flavorful dishes. Be creative. Have fun.it;s a great way to use up what you have.

Deconstructing Carbone

 Carbone is a popular New York City restaurant. It has branches all over the world and their food has a reputation. Yet is the overly expensive restaurant worth all the hype and money? 

Regular contributor Priya Krishna answered the question in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. She toured all of them and discerned if they 're worth the good press.The chain is sort of like a Disneyland or another splashy New York eatery of long ago - Mama Leone's. Like MamaLeone's that closed in 1984, Carbone's attracts celebrities like Kim Kardashion and has the cache of expensive saucy dishes.Ms Krishna wanted to examine the mystique behind this chain. People either love it or hate it.s he wanted to know why and went on an American tour of the branches.The restaurant goes for fanfare, presenting diners with salami, bread, cauliflower salad and even a hunk of Parmesan cheese. Yet the food at the New York Carbone is just so so with some dishes, How was the MIami one. It seems only the desserts stood out, including the chilled rainbow cookies that every table receives/ The main meals were horrible / The shrimp was too rubbery and buttery tasting.The linguini vungole was  too oily to eat.

The Dallas Carbone had some bright spots. The crisp top on the lasagna Verde gave way to flavorful pesto and bechamel sauce. Their Negronis were well made Yet it stops there. The veal Parmigian crust, like its' Manhattan counterpart was tasteless. The broccoli was flaccid .The waiters were so schmaltzy that Ms Kirshna and her family has t  leave(after a waiter joked was her father on the cover of GQ) It did appeal to the rich tony types of the city but that was it. The Las Vegas one fared much better due in part to the owner Mario Carbone being in the kitchen. The shrimp cocktail had been upgraded to a lobster one.It was delicious. The sauces tasted homemade , as if they had been simmered on a stove all day .The vonglole was finally briny tasting. The best part it seems was the complimentary hunk of cheese. This Parmesan actually came from Parma and not Wisconsin. It seemed the Las Vegas Carbone was the best and miost authemticto Italian cooking.

Should you go to Carbone/s if one is nearby? If you want expensive so so Italain food ,yes. Keep in  mind that there are better restaurant to eat at in any of these cities.

Everyone's Fave's

 The New York Times put out a fantastic guide of reader's favorite recipes this past Sunday. This is a please save because it will come in handy for the holidays. There is everything in here from the famed actress Kate Hepburn's brownies to Southern macaroni and cheese. These will be perfect for family dinners or every night and weekend dinners and snacks too.

The kind of cookbook is divided into five sections - The Icons, The Super Stars, The Chart Toppers, The Influencers and The Talkers. No matter what recipe you choose they;re all good.Some are extremely popular like the red lentil soup that has a pinch of red pepper to give it zing A quick dinner is the crisp gnocchi , fried in olive oil.Brussels sprouts or broccoli is first fried then the two are combined for  a tasty twist on a Northern Italian classic.

Yes, there are full meals as well.Try a caramelized shallot pasta for a Sunday dinner. This is a kind of puttanesca  with anchovies added but has a extra layer of flavor added, thanks to the caramelized shallot. A good Sunday supper is caramelized French onion grilled cheese.This is not the greasy diner version but an elevated salute. Gruyere cheese is used and blended with caramelized onions . This is then put on slices of bread - use artesanal here and then fried in butter. Finish with Kate Hepburn;s super fudgey brownies or a plum tart There are also drink recipes too from the Brazilian limoada to the heady  Tinto de verano,a mix of red wine vermouth and surprisingly Sprite.

This guide put out by the New York Times Cooking is a definite keeper. Use ot for fall Sunday dinners or for holiday get togethers. The recipes are not only popular but perfect

The Meeting House Princeton NJ

 Princeton ,New Jersey is lovely in the fall. The town has an academic charm similar to Britain's Oxford and Cambridge yet also has a distinctly American vibe.The main part of town around the University is full of all sorts of different restaurants .Yet there is one that's a few block away in the picturesque section of Princeton that stands out>It's The meeting Place on Witherspoon (yes, named after Reese Witherspoon's  ancestor  John Witherspoon who signed the Declaration of Independence and was Princeton's sixth president)

I liked the Meeting Place. It has Manhattan vibe even though it's deep in the country. The dcord is a sophisticated blend of farmhouse shingles and modern fixttures. The food is tasty and farm fresh.It's great to start with their flaky biscuits that come with a bitter blackberry jam and butter.

Their Sunday brunch is a wonderful mix of egg dishes. From a fiery huevo ranchereo to a creamy  Eggs Benedict diners cna enjoy these ample plates.

There is , of course, the traditional breakfast of  fluffy pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon

for a lighter nrucnh Meeting Pace offers a rich mushroom soup that's full of flavor. This is the perfect chill chaser for a fall day.It is even topped with fried scallions and croutons, with a swirl of truffle oil.

It may be brunch but there's always room for dessert. The eatery offers four only but they're excellent. Try their S'mores tart on a coulis of raspberry jam.

The tart jam rescued it from being too sweet as did the dark chocolate ganache.

There's also a light carrot cake with an even lighter than air cream cheese frosting. This was a perfect end to a lovely meal.

The Meeting Place is the place to go to if you're in Princeton.It's a wonderful escape into good food, especially after a fall day out. Try it when you're visiting the school and town.

Fall Finds

 All grocery stores are in full fall mode. THis is so true of Lidl where they put out a wide variety of sweet and savory fall themed foods and treats. They have maple drizzled kettle corn, home brewed pumpkin soda and a great find their Autumn Harvest pasta sauce.e

This was too good to pass up.It's a marriage of tomatoes, bell peppers , butternut squash and zucchini. It's the perfect cold weather sauce for any pasta and I cannot wait to try it/

What is great about this sauce is that , yes you can use it with everyday pasta but it will be great over gnocchi which I also bought.

Lidl gnocchi's,like their, spaghetti and rotelli, re always good, tasting like they've just been made and rolled out in your kitchen. They and the sauce will make a lovely autumn supper.I 'm also adding rolls to stop up the sauce. If you want to vary it, then sub in chicken or vegan chicken strips and serve over polenta for an equally hardy meal. This is perfect on a chil October night or brisk Sunday afternoon,.

It's fall and that means stores are going to be offering delicious harvest themed foods. Head to Lidl or your favorite store and see what's on display. You'll be amazed at the bounty of all sorts of autumn treasures.

The Perfect Fall Dinner

 It's fall and its a time for lush Sunday dinners/ What is your ideal dinner for crisp weather? Do you prepare pork chops stuffed with onions and apples. A family platter of pasta loaded with marinara and homemade meatballs. A juicy London Broil served with a buttery Yorkshire pudding? A plump capon roasted with new potatoes?

Here's the question - what is your ideal fall Sunday dinner? Let us know.

Emergency Eating

 Sadly more and more people are suffering severe weather thanks to climate change. it affects every aspect of life, especially how we cook and eat. Yet many don;t know what to do when a hurricane ,flood or fire hits. Luckily there is a how to to get through those tough times.

Regular contributor and cookbook author Kristen Migliore gave this handy and important guide in yesterday's New York Times Food section. First of all how much food and water should be kept? For water there should be a minimum of one gallon per person. There should be at least twelve gallons for a family of four. This will keep them hydrated for three to four days if you have space go bigger. Try to have enough water for two weeks. WHat about an emergency go bag? Store both together in a cool, dark place in your house. You may wind up in a place that will supply you with the basics. The more important is what foods should be stocked up - nut butters like almond and peanut along with rimmed fish - salmon and tuna.Tinned veggies and fruit long with beans can go a long way Canned potatoes are perfect because they can be drained and pan roasted with olive oil and salt for a tasty quick comfort food. Also get boil in bag Indian curries and Japanese just add water miso and ramen soups. pasta and rice are also musts because they last for a long time and make for filling meals wien cooked.

Hot drinks are a must. They can soothe and comfort. Store instant coffee and coffee drinks, tea bags and packets of hot cocoa. It's not mentioned but Gator Ade can also be good especially for kids if they need energy. Another must is some kind of cooking apparatus like a backyard grill, camp stove or chafing dish.what's the best way to make canned and tinned foods taste better? Also have shelf stable  flavorings to make that cooked food better.Like any powdered drink, spices like cinnamon , garlic and onion powder stay dry . Soy sauce and sesame oil are also stable and won't go bad. Sesame oil can last for up to two years once opened.Japanese furikake seasoning which is ground sesame, mixed with sugar,noei salt and sugar helps tinned veggies and tuna become tastier. Also try any kind of vinegar which can almost last forever and smoked paprika which can elevate food to another level are also good.Keep in mind all these foodstuffs have experitation dates. If you haven't used them already  then cook them before they expire.

These days are sadly filled with all sorts of disasters. Be ready .Be food prepared so your family can eat well. A hot comforting one goes a long way.

New York - A Guide For Vegans

 You would think that Manhattan with it's many restaurants would be a paradise for vegetarians and vegans. Surprisingly the answer is no. It's not easy ordering  meat free in the Big Apple. Yet herbivores can survive with a few tips.

Regular Priya Krishna wrote about it on today's New York Times Food section.The city does have a lively and diverse restaurant scene. New Yorkers  can shop for plant based meats and some  eateries offer Impossible Burgers on their menus. It's not enough though.Many restaurants shrank their menus during the pandemic four and a half years ago.Plant based meats are not on the smaller or shrunken versions. Charlotte Brooks, a professor at Baruch College in Brooklyn has found that some places only have two options.Lawyer Tracie Lyons who lives on the restaurant rich Upper West Side has problems with finding one that suits her veganism. Choices are few and far between and looking for a suitable eatery is a chore.Ms Krishna heard this and decided to go out on her own to see the options. even the Times lsit of city restaurants have places that will not tweak their menus to suit non meat eaters What's a vegan or eve vegetarian to do?

One of the answers is go to pasta.This works except for vegans because with pasta come dairy based cheese and butter.Ms. Krishna recommends Ci Siamo which does have cheese and butter in their dishes. A better choice is just ordering pasta or gnocchi with marinara sauce. Diners could order a dish without meat or fish yet the dish like endive with anchovy at Estella is just endive. sometimes the vegan option does work as it does at Jeju Noodle Bar where their mushroom scallion pancakes are popular.Some eateries go ad hoc and will create a dish in seconds featuring no meat. Just ask nicely as she did at the Viernamese place Mam on the Lower East Side.The fancy eatery eleven Madison Park has gone vegan with its' tasting menus. Vegans and vegetarians love this .Le Bernardin also did this too. Of course if you want truly vegetarian, then head to Dirt Candy, Superiority Burger and Buddha Budai. These are truly meat and dairy free and have great menus.

Vegans and vegetarians can enjoy the Manhattan restaurant scene. One know where to go. Two enjoy the dishes whatever is in front of you. It'll make for a good dinner.

Wngs Any Way

 Chicken wings are a big part of fall cuisine. They're served at tailgating parties. They grace Halloween party tables. They're the highlight of late season barbecues> What's best about them is that you can make them and their counterparts - drumsticks any way you want.

This chicken dish is versatile. You can have them smoky and sweet one day and spiky with spice and flavor the next.The first thing to consider is not the flavor but the crunch. A soggy wing might taste good but it it doesn't;t feel good in your mouth. what needs to be done before flavoring and frying is dry brining. Use baking powder and cornstarch for a crunchy, crispy texture.A pitch of salt is added for flavor and then the wings are roasted in a 400 degree Farenheit oven for forty-five minutes. You could also make the wings less crunchier but more flavorful with a Buffalo chicken wing recipe.Mix melted butter and cayenne pepper or Frank's hot sauce. Fry or roast the chicken first then drench in the sauce. reserve a bowl of extra sauce for dipping later on.Serve these with mouth cooling celery and Ranch dressing or even carrots.If you want super hot but super flavorful then try Szechuan style wings This is taking the wings and first  dry brining them in salt and baking powder. Then there's the sauce . This is a mix of toasted and crushed peppercorns mixed with chili flakes, Shaoxing wine and a garlic and ginger paste.dark and light soy sauce is also added to this along with palm sugar. You can add chopped peanuts and more chili flakes on top too.

The weather is still good for barbecued wings. Again there are options. Grilled wings are cooked when the grill li d is opened; while barbecued is done with the grill lid closed.This last will give you extray juicy and tender meat. what about the sauces? D you put the barbecue sauce on when the wingers are being cooked? Yes but put a thin layer of sauce on them. Barbecue sauce contains sugar which burns easily and browns faster than the meat.This can. make it difficult to tell if the meat is completely cooked. A better idea is barbecue or grill the wings and even drumsticks without the sauce on them and serve the sauce separately.A  fun idea is having a few sauces out so family and friends can have a choice. Try a sweet barbecue sauce made from ketchup, honey molasses and liquid smoke. Zing it up with garlic and onion powder.If you want give it some bite with a tiny drop of hot sauce. Another sauce perfect for wings and drumsticks is honey mustard. Use a good grainy mustard like Grey Poupon and mix with a wildflower honey..

wings are a perfect addition to any taol gater or Halloween party. There are so many different ways to make them. ENjoy them your way, whether grilled or fried

The Best of Middle Eastern Food

 The Middle East has always been beset by conflict through the millennia. This overshadows the region's amazing array of both savory and sweet dishes.It's a shame because the recipes are so good and delicious. They should be the topic of conversation not war.

One of the tastiest (and my favorite )is za'arar. This is a mix of dried thyme, oregano, marjoram and cumin along with sumac cumin and coriander.OLive oil is added to create to create a smooth pesto like paste it can be made at home or bought at your store's spice section.You could easily use dry za'atar on chicken or steak  for a flavorful roast .It CNA be spooned in egg dishes or vegetable sautes tot. However the best way to enjoy the melding of herbs is over hot , crispy  fresh from the oven pita bread. It's sort of like a green pizza but with so much more flavor. Another delicious dish is tabouli.This is a salad consisting of chopped parsley , cucumbers and bulgur. Chopped scallions , tomatoes and garlic are also added. A dressing of olive oil, lemon coriander and cinnamon are whisked together.To give it cooling notes a handful of chopped mint tops off the tabouli.Serve with pita wedges or on its' own.Shawarma finishes off the Middle Eastern meal. This is roasted layers of lamb and beef and served with different sauces like tahini and garlic yogurt.

There are also sweets that shine in Middle Eastern cuisine.Baklava is made all over the eastern Mediterranean (including Greece).It is a labor intensive bake but so m=worth the work/It's ;Ayers of thin, crackly phyllo dough that can be made at home or bought. The layers are filled with ground pistachios and cinnamon The nuts are found in a blender or food processor and they and the spice are blended together . The phyllo dough has to be brushed with melted butter and then layered with the filling. At the end , the dough is scored into diamond shapes and baked in a 160 degree Farenheit oven. A sauce of honey, vanilla extract and lemon juice is made, cooked down into a syrup. This is poured over the cooled baklava and then served. Palestinian desserts , whether Muslim or Christian have religious meaning. Take Barbara named for Saint Barbara , whose resting place was a small village near Ramalleh.It looks a little like rice pudding but is made with wheat and different spices like anise and cinnamon.Raisins are added for texture.

The Middle East should be known for its' food not it;s conflicts. The world is missing out on delicious flavors molded together in tasty recipes. These should be known  and enjoyed

Tailgating Southern Style

 Southern food means good flavor and good times. Not surprisingly so is tailgating. Combine the two and you'll have a delicious way of enjoy your favorite team with friends and fans.

Most of the game day foods are Southern.What's a tailgating party with out ribs and fried chicken? Ribs can easily be grilled on  a grill.It's all in the seasoning. Try a savory dry rub consisting of paprika, onion powder brown sugar fresh ground pepper and salt. Cook until crispy and almost blackened (it pays to bring a meat thermometer along just to see what the ribs interior temperature is)> Serve with a Southern style barbecue sauce.This is an easy blend of ketchup molasses, and cider vinegar.Mix and then add the  dry ingredients such as onion salt, brown sugar, and garlic powder.Mix and keep in a large container. Of course fried chicken is the epitome of Southern cooking at its' best. Yet what's an authentic recipe?Use one that features a buttermilk batter. Add cornstarch for an extra crunchy coating along with herbs such a as thyme, basil, oregano and dried ginger . the last if you want a zing of flavor. A better way of cooking it in a parking lot is by air fryer.It's less messy and also less greasy.

Should you make grits for a tailgate party?It would be a different taste, especially with shrimp added. The grits can be made in a slow cooker  brought to the stadium parking lot. You can cook up some shrimp to go with it. An easy way of cooking is is again using the grill. This will also add a smoky flavor to the  dish.The shrimp can be marinated in a barbecue sauce but you can also make a lemon and butter sauce as well. The grits can be buttery or cheesy.It;s up to you and your fellow fans how you like them. Cornbread is another must and this can be made the day before and then wrapped in plastic to keep fresh. Even though people will be stuffed they still clamor for dessert. Dr. Pepper cake is a must around the holidays in the SOuth. Why not make it perfect for the party by making Dr Pepper cake cupcakes.These are a sweet mix of everyone's favorite soda and chocolate. For more depth add buttermilk and light brown sugar. As for the frosting why not carry the theme and create one that mimics the foam on top.This is a buttercream that also has the soda added too.It's a nice way to carry on the flavor.

A Southern themed tailgating party is always a great one. Southern food is delicious and perfect for any gathering. whip up ribs slathered with barbecue sauce, fried chicken, or shrimp and grits. Bake corn bread and Dr Pepper cupcakes for a treat.

Apple Time

 It  is apple season -a time when we go into the orchards and pick it the juiciest and reddest of fall's bounty.here's the questionnaire - what is your favorite apple dish.Is it a cinnamon spiked pie? A creamy apple sauce? Do you like just the apples plain  and sliced or the more decadent candy or caramel robed apple on  a stick? Pr do you like the kick of a cold glass of cider?

🍎What is your favorite apple dish? 🍏

A Rosh Hashana Dish's Journey

 All holiday recipes have stories.It;s no different with a Rosh Hashana dish that went from Spanish Morocco to Switzerland to Martha;s Vineyard.it represents a variety of heritages that have significantly contributed to thmelange of vegetables and spices.

Regular contributor and family cook book author  Joan Nathan wrote about this historic dish in yesterday's New York Times Food section. The recipe is legumbres para rosana and it  was Marina Pinto Kaufman's family recipe that goes back hundred of years to Spain.Her family lived for centuries  in Tetouan in what was then Spanish Moroccom after escaping the Spanish Inquisition that started in 1478. In Morocco recipes were a very important to the status of the cook and her family. Ms Pinto Kaufman herself was born in Casablanca in 1940 and later moved to Tangier as a child and then Geneva shortly after Tangier lost its' international zone status in 1956. She worked for the UN , coming to the US ,first in 1960 and then 1966, She met her husband Srephen. She started cooking when they married, devouring Jewish cookbooks, even finding a picture of her grandmother Myriam Abensur in Claudia Roden's Book of Jewish Food.Paula Wolfert was another influence in her life.

The dish itself abides to the traditions f the Talmud."every man should make a habit on New Year's of  eating pumpkin, fenugreek, leek, beet and dates"it states. The harvest foods are served raw or cooked and vary by country. Ms. Pinto Kaufman is a secular Jew continues the custom only with her cooking, tampering with it slightly to make it easier for the home chef.It;s a vibrant,colorful dish with bright orange sweet potatoes and yellow squash.There are also caramelized onions, zucchini, raisins, chickpeas and carrots.it's a distant cousin of the Ashkenazi, or Eastern European tsimmes which is also made with carrots and  sweet potatoes.The best part of the recipe is that can be made a day or two in advance and reheated for the main meal.it can be the perfect side to roast chicken, a brisket or Ms. Pinto Kaufmans' cumin flavored meatballs with peas.It definitely has a Moroccan vibe thanks to the addition of cardamon , ground cinnamon, coriander and sliced almonds.The dish is a bit labor intensive with the veggies being first boiled then roasted.Spices are added later.

Legumbres para rosana brings together religion, history and culture in one dish.It is bright and colorful. Make this dish for a New Year's feast.

CHicken Tenders An American Classic Explained

 CHicken tenders are ubiquitous in the American diet. They are everywhere from , dine in move theaters to school cafeterias. Yet how did they become into being and what makes them so popular? How did this simple chicken dish become a national treasure.

Regular contributor and Food section superstar Pete Wells wrote about this tasty treat in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. It is their  fiftieth anniversary and according to legend they were created in Manchester, New Hampshire in the Southern part of the state.There probably were dishes that featured this part of the chicken breast but it was a Greek family living in Manchester that turned it into a delicious dinner and snack.The children of one of the owners of PUritan Candy store Arthur Pappas (the either was co owner LOuis Canotas) took this little used part and turned it into something indescribable.It'ss basically the tenderloin of the chicken which came loose when the breast was being sliced .It wasn't;t a muscle used by the bird like the wing or the thigh, hence the tenderness.Charlie Pappas saw that this piece was often separating from the rest of the cut and that struck him with an idea. The rest is history.It was not what a typical Greek restaurant would serve.It was siaked in a kind of duck sauce and then coked. It soon became a popular item on the Puritan menu.

It caught on. Burger King was one of the first restaurants to serve it in the 1980's/ It needed a good Chick'n snack to compete with McDOnald's chicken nuggets and hit upon the chicken tender. It was so popular that the fast food chain had to pull ads across the country when restaurants fan out of it. Other places also cashews din on its' popularity, Soon chicken tenders were at birthday parties, weddings and eve bar mitzphas. that the Puritian hosted. The restaurant stills sells them with super Sized buckets containing a whopping 150 pieces.On a typical week Arthur Papps fries up four tons (!) of them, on a super busy week he fries up five tons. It's funny how the strips became so popular. Without breading and sauces , they meat has little flavor..This is sio mild that it won;t offend anyone which may be a reason for its popularity. Yet there are now variations of it , from coconut crusted tenders to it being dredged in Ritz cracker crumbs and even Capt'n Crunch before frying.One brew pub offers them with different sauces like Western apricot and Korean barbecue.

No matter how you have them, chicken tenders are good. THey're here to stay.These strips of white meat are as classic as apple pie and roast turkey on the American table.

Parent Dash

 Mothers and  fathers will always worry  - and cook for their young.It doesn't;t matter if your two or twenty-two, they'll be there if you need food.Yet what's good to make and to give? There are the classics and not so classic/

Most college kids appreciate and miss their mom's cooking. THis is when mothers - and even dads should think about make a double batch of sauce. A plus is that tomatoes from a late summer - early fall harvest cna be added for more flavor. If  the kids are vegan or vegetarian add in some plant based meat balls. Lidl has excellent ones from their Vendomo brand. Keep in mind if you do that the sauce then makes  for a great meatball sandwich too. Non meat meat balls can be frozen too , whether thye're in sauce or not. Add some ground beef , cumin and chili pepper to make a tasty chili. Throw in kidney and pinto beans for a heartier dish. This too can be frozen and stored in the freezer for months.Do you feel like your offspring needs a nudge when cooking? Then just send a care package or better yet - a gift certificate from their local grocery store. A care package could included canned soups , boxes of pasta and many a mini spice selection. YOu could also include a mini griddle and frying pan which can be found at any store.

Homemade treats have always been sent to kids away from home. Mothers  have a lways sent cakes and biscuits for their sons at the front and for those going to college. Now moms and dads are also experimenting with breads too. Since these go stale quickly try to make the bread the day before.It's Ok if it's a day old. It cna be turned into toast . Another idea is bringing the sourdough starter and baking with kids in their apartment or dorm (if it has a kitchenette) A good  idea is bringing pizza dough with you .This can be tuned into tasty [ies along with calzones for a hot filling meal.PIzza dough can be formed into balls and then frozen. They should be fine for transport Include pizza sauce and mozzarella too.Of course a ton of homemade cookies is always welcomed. Think one kind like chocolate chip or a variety that can include sugar , peanut butter and oatmeal. If you don't feel like baking then make cow patties , those non bake cookies that are a mix of peanut butter oatmeal and cocoa. These are fun and great to share.

Forget Door Dash.There's mom and dad who can cook and bake. Create tasty meals and desserts for your kids to have a taste of home.