A Sweet Happy Easter

 Happiest of Easters to readers around the world!!! Enjoy this holy day full of joy and hope with the best of meals and the sweetest of candy!

Here are scenes from my Easter displays.I'm waiting for those chocolate eggs and bunny!!!!!

Good Friday Thoughts

 This is the day, Good Friday , for thoughts and reflections. The best of the should focus around helping those in need ,especially during these hard times. Start planning gardens that will help food pantries and  neighbors, friends and families in need. Start thinking about what you can do for the community and the world in general. 

ONe small step leads to many big ones.

Pray. Reflect Think.

The Perfect Easter Dessert

 Easter dinner deserves a special ending.  Imagine a torte with a silky filling and full of delicious chocolate and Earl Grey tea This can be made and it's lovely nod to those homemade coconut nests that are a staple of every Easter basket. It's also easy to make, another plus on a busy cooking weekend.

New contributor and Britsh pastry chef and cookbook author Nicola Lamb gave this rich recipe in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. This is a perfect no fuss recipe for a holiday y centered around the main course. The crust is nothing more than those coconut nests that are filled with jelly beans or Peeps. The coconut flakes are first roasted to give it that crisp crunchy quality that also holds up to a creamy filling.It takes three cups of coconut flakes laid flat on a parchment lined bakings sheet.They're toasted in a 325 degree Farenheit oven for ten minutes. They're then cooled completely on the pan. The dark chocolate for them is melted in a bowl over hot water. (a double boiler can be used for this too) or microwave the chocolate in ten minute bursts. Slightly crush the coconut flakes (doing this will make them easier to press into eh tart pan) and then add the melted chocolate. Add the season and mix well. Press the mixture into a pan that's been lined with parchment paper. The crust should be half an inch thick . Chill for about half an hour or until firmly set.

The cremeux filling may sound fancy but it';s really not. It's just the French word for creamy meaning the texture.It;s a step up from ganache according to Ms. Lamb.It's more of a custard thanks to the addition of one large egg. Their addition along with the addition of sugar gives the filling a deeper, more complex flavor.It's silky, spoon able and lighter in texture than ganache. In most cremeux recipes the egg yolks sugar and cream are cooked together at 179 degrees Farenheit but this could curdle the mixture. Ms. Lamb adds two tablespoons of cornstarch to eliminate this potential problem. Hot Earl Grey tea is added to give the chocolate a note of brightness. Most times the tea is infused in the dairy but doesn't;t give the right jolt for flavor.l Make the tea as if making a cup for oneself.It also gives the filling hints of bergamot and Chinese black tea.The cremeux is poured directly into the crust and then chilled for at least four hours. Grated chocolate is dusted over the top for more chocoalte-y goodness.

This chocolate Earl Grey infused  cremeux tart is the perfect Easter dessert.It isa great ending to any dinner .It's also a sweet treat to enjoy with family and friends. 

A Sardinian Twist On Passover

 Passover dishes don;t necessarily need to be traditional. They can also slip by with being non-kosher.Better yet they can have a delicious Mediterranean twist that will elevate the Seder. This is what makes the meal memorable.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark delivers a different spin on matzoh as well as a recipe in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. She has a matzo recipe from chef Hillary Sterling of Co Siamo in Manhattan.Her inspiration came from a trip to Sardinia where she got to taste their amazing flatbread.This is a crackly paper thin flatbread which reminded her of the schmura matzo she had when she was a child in Brooklyn. The main difference between pane carasau and matzo is that the flatbread is enriched with olive oil and salt for flavor. Traditional matzo is just made with solely water and flour. Chef Sterling realizes that it's not kosher for Passover but that's not her intent. She wanted people to have a better memory of it, with a tastier version. She also teaches her staff how to make it with them rolling out the dough to very thin textures and t o nake it quickly on a pizza stone at a very high heat.The end result is a brown crisp with a satisfying crunchiness.

Chef Sterling does have a new cookbook out.It is more Italian than Jewish.Ammazza, her book  - which get's its' title for the Roman word for Wow! has nothing to do with matzo. However, she does include a Passover chapter featuring her takes on the classics. There is a recipe for kumquat mustarda, a nod to the tradition of putting an orange at the Seder. It's also a spin on mostarda de frutta, an Italian condiment in which candied or preserved fruits are preserved in a mustard infused syrup. There is also a recipe fpane cartsau,or roasted eggs with Pecorino cheese and black pepper. She also includes her grandmother'z booze infused Jello dish.Ms. Clark liked her harissa vinaigrette which  Chef Sterling pairs with roasted beets.This is a vegetarian stand in for the lamb shank. Ms Clark pairs the dressing with roasted carrots This is not kosher but it could be put on the Passover table. The carrots are first roasted with olive eoil and thyme while the harrisa is made with harissa paste,red wine vinegar and orange zest.OLive oil is then added to emulsify this. The dressing will be poured dover the carrots and stirred.

Passover dishes need not be so traditional. Add a Sardinian spin along with a Middle Eastern one with olive soil and harissa. It'll liven up the Seder table.

Global Easter

Easter is celebrated all over the world. While the holiday is relatively the same, the foods to enjoy are different. The main courses are varied as are the sides. The desserts , no matter where they originate are perfect for egg hunters bfg and small. What;s fun is planning your holiday table with this international buffet.

Ham us a big Easter main course.It['s was done because pigs were slaughtered in the fall and their hams were cured throughout the winter. Come Sprtng these were ready to be cooked. Germans and British families as well as Americans love a good ham for the holiday. However in Germany there is also rouladem, those delicious beef rolls stuffed with spinach. A lot of families also serve lamb along with spargill or white asparagus with Hollandaise sauce. Asparagus is in full season right now there and it;s figures heavily in German Spring dishes. The Italians have strong food traditions too.Thye too enjoy a good roasted lamb which symbolizes the Pascal one,Spring veggies like artichokes and peas figure heavily in their side dishes. The Italians, too, love asparagus but it;s shaved and served with shards of Pecorino cheese,The Spanish go the fish route ,celebrating with cod which is also a symbol of Easter. There are also many vegetarian dihes too.There so also a bean soup that starts off the meal.

Across the Pyrennes is France. They have always had a cool style with regards to holiday cooking. They celebrate with a Pare Berrichon. This is a mix of pork veal and whole hard boiled eggs wrapped in a puff pastry crust.It is a rich bite complete with the addition of Cognac shallots.,garlic and herbs.They eschew the ham and lamb of their neighbors and go for a poulet roti or roast chicken..It is covered with butter, from under the skin to being basted with a garlic butter to ensure a crispy skin. The French influence is seen all over the world, especially in the Caribbean island of Haiti. Their griot recipe is a platter of crispy, marinated pork It;s also served with pikliz a shredded carrot and cabbage slaw, along with fried plantains. There's also white rice and beans too to round out the meal. Another Caribean island that goes all out for the holiday is Jamaica.Jamaicans love making  Escovitch fish, which can either be red snapper, or parrot fish covered in a tangy red sauce made of pickled carrots, onions, peppers and Scotch Bonnet peppers. There is also fried fish and sides of rice and operas too.

ANy of these dishes would be perfect for the Easter table. They can be sophisticated or spicy. They celebrate joy with their mix of complex flavors.

An International Passover

 Jews all over the world will be celebrating Passover on Wednesday. Almost every  continent has traditional dishes for this holy week.It;s nice to incorporate these into traditional family tables for something different.

One of the most exotic of Jewish food is from the Sephardic sect. These are Jews from Spain,Portugal, NNorthAfrica and the Middle East.Their dishes reflect this with various spices and lamb dishes. There is mina de matza, similar to moussaka.This is a layered dish with soaked matzoh filled with spiced meat,spinach or cheese,Many Sephardim create kefkes de prasa,a deicious leek, egg and matzoh patty fried golden in oil. Potatoes and beef are added to them at times to create a heartier dish.North Africa is represented with fish and chickpeas.This is white fish cooked with tomato paste, garlic paprika, pepper and olives along wit chickpeas, The one thing that they shared with the Ashkenazi sect is tzimmes.Where they make theirs with sweet potatoes and dates the Sephardim add lamb to theirs for a sweet and savory flavor.There are also Spanish style pepper salad too along with a Tishpishti  cake made with ground nuts and matzoh meal.

A sizable Jewish population migrated to the Caribbean.There the dishes were influenced by African and tropical flavors. Fried chicken even gets makeover with using matzoh meal instead of regular white flour. Cinnamon and ginger  are added a long with paprika and cloves are added for zing and color.Red  Red is a Ghanian based dish ,suitable for the holiday .This is a savory dish full of black eyed peas, tomatoes, and onions. habanero give it a distinct fire  along with red palm oil. The bitter herb dish can be replaced by mustard greens or cilantro.Matzoh ball soup can also be served but there's a twist The matzoh balls are stuffed with turnips greens for more color and taste. Sweet potatoes are used in many of the dishes because they also represent hope in African cultures. South American Seders have their own take on dishes. too.There is the specialty huevos haminados taken from Mediterranean Jews .These are eggs cooked with coffee grounds, onions and olive oil.It results in eggs in a creamy brown sauce that has a unique flavor, There is also a matzoh babka made with matzoh eggs and nuts, probably taken from German Jews relocating to Argentina.

Passover has many dishes from all over the world.Try them for a different taste. They're interesting and exciting.

Ham Or Lamb Or Vega Easter Choices

 What should you serve at Easter dinner  next week? I'ts always a question when it comes to this holiday. You could cook a ham yet do you want a repeat of Christmas? Is lamb good? What are the vegan options. Don;t worry .A guide is here.

Ham is always a good choice for any  sit down dinner or buffets.It;s an easy prep and cook as well as being a crown pleaser.It's also fun to create a tasty glaze whether from ginger ale ale or pineapple juice and brown sugar. A large one, around ten to fifteen pounds can feed a whopping twenty to thirty people. It;s perfect for a large family gathering and there could even be leftovers for guests to take home. Sides with it are also simple Spring asparagus with butter and Parmesan on top ios always a good side as are baked beans and a simple potato salad. Keep in mind that these can be used for an Easter Monday picnic the next day.If you want a more traditional Easter main course then think lamb.The deep mineral rich flavor is perfect with such flavorings as lemon and oregano.Is lamb easy  to cook? Yes it's a nother easy roast like lamb.It only takes fifteen to twenty minutes per pound. You could have Greek sides such as stuffed grape leaves or a garlicky spinach dish as sides along as a fresh salad with feta.

What about the vegan options. You actually could serve ham - seitan ham which is a form of  wheat gluten (this si not good for anyone with celiac disease).It;s basically combining yeast with white beans along with other ingredients such  the binder a cup and a half of white wheat gluten.This is what sticks everything together and it forms a stick dough  - not unlike bread dough.It's glazed and cooked. You could save yourself the trouble and just buy a stuffed tofurkey loaf at your local grocery store.This is a  one hours and twenty minute roast in a  350 Farehneit degree oven. Another option is risotto. This is a wonderful change up from a meat dish and is satisfying. It can be made with asparagus for a Spring-y green flavor or it can be made with portobello mushrooms.If you;re pressed for time then  get Lidl's risotto mixes where all you add is the flavoring and water. Other ingredients can be added later. It;s a perfect Spring dinner especially when it;s served with a nice salad.

Don;t worry about next week. There are so many options for your Easter dinner. Go with meat. Go vegan.It;s up to you.

Brunch Or Sit Down

 With Easter a week away , there's an important question looming - which is better a formal holiday dinner or brunch where you can pick and mingle?

I'm kind of torn between the two. I love the formailty of a sit down dinner with the different courses however there's something about a brunch that is more relaxed and informal. YOu can eat what you like and talk with whomever you like.Anoher plus is sitting with people you already know and not having to deal with someone you've met for the first time.Although a formal dinner CNA offer a delicious sliced ham and elegant platters of asparagus.

What is your Easter vibe? Formal dinner or casual  brunch. Let us know here.

Northern Britain's Potato Renaissance

. The potato has always been a standard in British cuisine. Even a single spud could make a good dinner.Brits are discovering this all over and falling in love again with what they call jacketed potatoes. This classic is being updated to suit a multicultural north.

New contributor and British food critic Jimi Famurewa wrote about this new craze in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Selling hot potatoes is nothing new in the UK. Street stands started popping up selling roasted potatoes doused with plenty of butter and pepper. They were warmed in ornately decorated cans feeding everyone from the rich to the poor. In the 1970s and 80's they came into the public eye again thanks to a Scottish line called Spudulike.It had more than forty franchises offering baked potatoes with such diverse toppings as stuffed shrimp and beef chili. When the company went bankrupt in 2019 the baked potato was consigned to out of the way eateries and provincial one person operations. Enter Spudmans run by Jacob and Harley Nelson, two brothers along with their father Tony. with canny social media knowhow they took a decidedly unsexy tuber and turned it into a  glamorous star, Their single food truck has nearly five million followers on Tiktok along with millions of Instagram and You Tube. Even Queen Camilla has helped out in one. They now have included four brick and mortar stores with an outpost in Amsterdam

Another company SpudBros along with Spudman have modernized and refined this simple recipe, They added flavored butters along with crispy onions. There are also Chinese salt and pepper chicken and shave doner kebab. There is also that Brit classic baked beans that almost smother the potato and the odd choice of tuna salad. They can get a mix of these along with Cole slaw, chili, and three cheese mix. Another plus is that the dishes are relatively cheap for such a filling meal. SpudBros starts at about six American dollars  for a filled spud. However it's also the warmth of the brothers that have customers returning ,ANother spud seller, Ben Newman has the kind of personality that draws people in.The Nelsons disarm people with Lancastrian banter  and embrace their local folk hero status. They even have a short sponsorship deal with a local soccer team Preston North End. and even giving passing children ice cream money There's no pretense in their food or attitude. They're just one of the blokes. Funny enough the Irish branch of Subway has jumped on this and now sells their own version of filled spuds.

Potatoes will always be a part of the British diet. Yet thanks to Spudman and SPud Bros it's taking on a more elevated turn. They 're trendy in their deliciousness.

Lighter Meatballs For Spring

 Meatballs can be heavy, often thought of as being a winter dish,. Yet they can be made much lighter for The warmer months (along with making for great appetizers)Just sub in the turkey for beef and enjoy a lighter fare,

New contributor and famed nutritionist Samantha Cassetty gave this recipe for the Italian classic in today's New York Times  Wednesday Food section, These are low sodium healthy meatballs. Yes, they can go with a pasta, preferably an Anglia e olio one where the flavor would add to the simple sauce. They would also be great appetizers for an Easter brunch on their own. She keeps the sodium at a mere below 760 milligrams of salt, This is a third below of the required daily intake. However what they lack in saltiness, they do make up in flavor. Ms. Cassetty. There is za.atar , that spicy Middle Eastern blend and ground pepper. To give it some saltiness kosher salt, which is larger in grain size than table salt can be used.It contains less sodium too. Garlic and parsley will give the meatballs some flavor too. As for the sauce latter try a mix of Greek yogurt and tahini. How it;s served can be varied.Stuff a couple into a toasted pita or serve with brown rice or bulgar;A side of garlicky greens sauteed in olive soil is a nice since.

Is it hard to make meatballs? NO.This is a great recipe for novice home chefs. These are baked in a 400 degree Farenheit oven which is better than frying them (although they can be air fried too).What gives the meatballs their silkiness and flavor is the mix of yogurt tahini and garlic, bright with a squeeze of lemon juice. One egg is whisked into this and then the ground turkey is added. The spices such a  as za'atar is added a long with the parsley. Use just a teaspoon of the kosher salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper.Hands  should be oiled before rolling the meat into balls.Use two tablespoons of the meat mixture to make around eighteen balls. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake about ten minutes Drizzle the cooked meatballs with yogurt, tahini and lemon juice mixture and garnish with the remaining parsley.Consider these for a great Easter brunch appetizer or even at a shower.

These low salt turkey meatballs are a great alternative to the beef ones. Make them for a lighter Spring fare. They're perfect with pasta or with pita.

Ready For Spring Dinners

 Everything happens this season.Passover is next week with Easter and then Greek Easter closely behind.Then there are those April showers for those June and JUly weddings. Are you ready for all the planning cooking and baking?It's timet o check.

With Passover starting next week on, April !st,home chefs should;LD be planning dinners with both family and friends. What to make without getting too repetitive?Brisket is always a good choice , especially for a large group. There is also roasted chicken which can be perfect for a small family of five or four. Salmon is an elegant choice for friends visiting.As with any gathering there are always vegetarians. One way or avoid conflict is having allo the vegans over for a meatless Seder.  There are a slew of choices here.Think sliced portobellos with salsa Verde or chimichurri sauce. You could also make grilled cauliflower steaks.If you're catering to a big group try the New York Times classic matzoh lasagna. It's soaking the matzoh much like you would do pasta noodles so that they crisp up when baked.Easter and Greek Easter are the same. It's inviting family and friends over with the question of "What to serve"> Ham is very popular in many households. It makes for good leftovers and good care packages too. Some may want to try duck or Cornish hen for a more elegant Easter meal. The Greeks always have lamb which is delicious and very traditional.

Spring also brings all those showers.baby, and bridal. Here again there are so many lies from meat lovers to vegetarians. The obvious and popular choice is a charcuterie board. This is perfect for me at lovers because there will be copious amounts of coppacola, prosciutto and various salame. There should be bowls of both green and black olive switch a few Kalamara thrown in for some variety. Brie is very popular so a circle of it will go fast. Yet there should be other choices like Edam and Gruyere. Have a variety of wheat and rice crackers along with three or four baguettes. Little ramekins of butter should be placed on the tables as well. Vegans can be welcome at a charcuterie board as well. VioLife produces a large array of vegan cold cuts . You could even air fry crispy slices of vegan bacon too,.Miyokos' Creamery has all sorts of vegan cheese and cheese spreads, perfect for a board. These can be found at any grocery like Acme or Stop and Shop. Also have plenty of fresh sveggies and dips too . They are perfect for anyone and act like a palate cleansers.End with a sweet charcuterie board. There could be everything from  chocolate pretzel rods to macarons done in the bridal party's them color.

It's Spring.It's time for all sorts of gatherings. Be ready ,Be prepared for the busy season ahead.

What Is Your Dream Garden March Madnes

March madness is here and it also refers to planning the perfect dream garden. There's questions about where to put the plants.Will they get enough shade ? Enough sun? Will they produce a lot / that's the questions and uncertainties facing home chefs wanting a proper kitchen garden.

Alliums are on my to plant list. I love them,from onions or garlic to scallions. they elevate everything from,salads to sauces to marinades. It would be wonderful to walk outside and grab some for that night's dinner. Luckily I have a kind of hydroponic scallion garden (read scallion stalks in a glass half filled with water). I can cut the tips and use them for my Fire Horse Noodle recipe. Fresh scallions will definitely elevate the dish and infuse it with more flavor. The problem  is the onions, The plants need to be transplanted in early Spring or fall.They do require constant moisture meaning they need to be soaked daily along with a high nitrogen fertilizer, They also require a lot of space between three to six inches apart. Do I have enough room for them? Can I only plant one or two onions? They also have to be completely weed free. Will I have enough to time to constantly maintain an onion patch? These are questions that any home gardeners has to ask.

Wanting a garden ,I now realize is different than planning garden. I have to really scan my back yard and see what areas have constant sun and constant shade.There are also areas where there are equal amounts of both. There's also soil testing for the right pH, If your soil has a high pH then think about planting asparagus , beets,broccoli and cabbage. Other veggies include cauliflower, kale and spinach, all perfect veggies for a nutritious and tasty diet.Root crops are best for a low pH garden, Think potatoes, radishes and sweet potatoes. Radishes are great for young gardeners.They produce a crop relatively fast and they 're easy to take care of. Then there's the problem of those little visitors. Veggies will attract all sorts of wildlife.  Deers will be drawn to yards sprouting lettuce ,corn broccoli and kale. To be honest the best bet is to let them be. Feed them extra lettuce that you can buy cheaply from your local grocery.This should keep them well fed and satisfied. Raccoons eat everything from tomatoes on the vine to potatoes. Keep them at a distance and try to have sturdy fences build around the patches.

Planning a garden can be crazy. Yet with careful plotting you can have a successful garden with thriving plants. It'd just  a matter of know what to plant and where.

Recipes Of Unity

 The African Disa[pra , has been one of the worst in all of history. yet the strong survivors do a have legacy. They have given us good food for al sorts of dinners and desserts

Regular contributor Yewande Komolafe put together this amazing issue (read cookbook) in the Sunday New York Times. This is a keeper because it has all sorts of dishes from savory to sweet. She also gives three menus that are perfect for any weeknight or weekend.One menu begins with Somali beef dumplings/A robus peanut and pumpkin soup, celebrating Africa's comtribution to the American palate.It's followed by roasted shrimp with okra and tomatoes.Dessert is the creamy ice cream like mango kulfi. Another meal plan is a Liberian collard green dip inspired by Chef Komolafe's chat with chef Ope Amoso.Zanzibar is seen int eh second dish a bright ,bouncy soup called Utojo, a mango based potage. The main meal is Karwash braised lamb shanks . There's also a party menu that features moin  moin for a gathering along with cargar a spinach  stew and tofu with rice. Caramelized plantains round it out and dessert is spiced coconut tapioca pudding with fruit.

There are other dishes that are perfect.A fun dish for a group is chat party.It has crunchy bases made from chakro, chickpea flour crackers and chekkalu rice crackers it's full of tomatoes and other veggies and fruit. like pineapple and mango. Sauces are a variety of chutneys from tamarind to cliantro mint to green Chile There are more crunchy toppings such as peanuts and roasted cashews and spices like Chaat masala and red chile powder. Another crowd pleaser is Zanzibaro pizza The filling has ground beef, chicken turkey or lamb mixed with garam masala and shallots the crust is a mix of flours ,onions and paratha, roti or Tawainese greens scallion pancakes The final product looks more like a panino with the meat layered between veggie cheese and bread. Desserts are also wonderfully spiced and fragrant. There are malawax, crepes delicately flavored with cardmon, pan baked with ghee or clarified butter There is also rooting farmaajo a sweet and savory honey comb bread. sort of like a cheese Danish.

African food has an amazing amput oof 

Spring Awakenings

 It's and that means a whole new set of recipes and flavors.It could be bright and tart citrus dishes. Salads made with ramps Or that warm weather classic asparagus.

Here;s the question of the week, -what flavor are you looking most forward to .Mine is asparagus with butter and Parmesan on top

Let us know yours

Voice La Poule Cher

It may be surprising to hear that the most beloved dish of Quebec and Montreal is rotisserie chicken. THis simple dish has fed the Quebecois for decades.It isa  filling  dish with  gravy and a side ro cote of fries.  It is a plate worth trying

Regular contributor Brett Anderson wrote about this almost national Canadian dish in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. To be honest it would be an easy guess to think that poutine, those creamy cheese curds with gravy or anything maple would be an up North favorite.Yet it is rotisserie or barbecue chicken that has been warming the hearts and stomachs of the Quebecois for many decades, since the 1930s.One place is Lalune, which has become increasingly popular for roasting whole birds Marc-Olivier Frappier has loved the dish since his childhood and it was the impetus of him starting the famed restaurant with his partners.LaLUne also serves fries or frites with  it along with gravy and Cole slaw.The idea actually came from trips to Europe with his partners,Jessica Noel, Alex Landry and Marc-Antoine Gelinas It was an answer to the the brasserie and trattoria that dotted the city's restaurant scene. He wanted to to do  the roast chicken justice There is  even wine served with them, although this is mostly a take out dinner.

Montreal's thriving Portuguese community has their take on the dish as well. It was Francisco Pedro Castanheira who introduced Portuguese style to the table. He couldn't;t get over that the Quebecois had to dip the chicken into something to get t flavorful He introduced chicken marinated in the red hot piri-piri sauce,a blend of red bell peppers, onions and garlic with olive oil,vinegar and lemon juice.His grandson, Glenn, Castanheira is the chef of staff  to Montreal's mayor, Soraya Martinez Ferrada but has fond  memories of the still active restaurant Coco Rico. They do offer other dishes such as chorizo roast pork and pastel de natel. Even Greek cooks like George Karaglanis and his wife Vickie have opened  up Portuguese style rotisserie restaurant Romados. A second one is opening up in the Montreal suburb of Laval. Many Portugiese style ones are opening up. Yet nothing beats the taste of the original rotisserie complete with a coleslaw that has equal parts mayo and vinegar(there is a recipe include with this). There is an egg yolk in it too and Dijon mustard. Chopped sweet cornischons are added in to counter the tang.

The Frenc Canadians do chicken right. They know how to create a well roasted spatchcocked bIRD THAT 

A Pasta Dish For Love

 Sports figures influence kids to go  into a sport they love. They influence adults to chase after their dreams .o they ever influence home chefs? Surprisingly yes! One tennis player influenced a chef to create a delicious dish.

Regular contributor and chef Yotam Ottolenghi followed  this in today 's New York Times Wednesday Food section. His inspiration?Arthur Ashe who won Three Grad Slams and died too young at the age of fifty.Chef Ottolunghi used his advice " Start with you are.Use what you have. Do what you can." How can this translate into a delicious shrimp sauce  for pasta?It 's a paeon to resourcefulness  about working with what is ever around. Chef Ottolenghi knows this as he's just coming off a tour. He had to set up an improvised kitchen every night and use pantry ingredients. Luckily  the dishes more or less made themselves thanks with the help of one magic -yet ordinary ingredient olive oil.It is a fat and it carries flavors in way s that water can't. He cooked whole garlic cloves in them and the end result was  a sweet mellowness. The sharp pungency associated with the cloves was softened. A chickpea stew made with tomatoes and garlic bubbled away ,creating a wonderful mix of flavors thanks to a half cup of olive oil.

His shrimp recipe follows similar principles. He used the shrimp to infuse the olive oil with sweetness. Some of it builds the tomato sauce, carrying that seafood flavor in every bite. The rest of the oil is tossed with the cooked prawns along with almonds and coriander. The result is part garnish part sauce. It was the same oil with two different ingredients. That means zero new ingredients to shop for,saving time and money. In front of him were the bones of a simple tomato -pasta,Yet by infusing the oil, the dish is elevated . It will require good extra virgin olive oil (there are several to choose from ,like  the in house brands from Lidl, Stop and SHop and Acme along with the national brands like Bertolli). The shrimp should be of the large variety , and they should already been peeled and deveined Onions and crushed tomatoes (any brand) are also used There are also fennel and cilantro for added taste. Angel hair pasta is used but  also spaghetti is good with this too along with fettucini.

Arthur Ashe inspired many . To inspire a famous chef is even more of a gift and a win.Follow HS advice for a tasty meal .

Cabbage BesidesTHe Corned Beef

 Cabbage consumption us up today as it graces corned beef. Yet this leafy green is just great on it's own.It's good for you and good for your recipe book.

Today's New York Times Tuesday Science section has a whole article about this cruciferous gem. Alexandra Petrillo highlighted the veggies main points.It's chock full of VitaminK , perfect for those with deficiencies. Vitamin K promotes blood clotting and wound healing. It;s also good for the gut.Its'been linked to a greater blood sugar control and also  lowers the risk of colon cancer.Try to eat more fermented cabbage like kimchee and sauerkraut. It's fiber acts as a probiotic.Every leaf is full of antioxidants too.One serving of cabbage has around thirty-eight  per cent of the recommended dose f Vitamin C> The vitamin is known for forming the highly needed collagen, which aids in creating connective tissue. Remember to keep the cabbage intake colorful.Red cabbage lowers the risk of any heart problems and it improves blood sugar management. A good red cabbage saw reduces the risk of high cholesterol as well.Eat stuffed cabbage and watch body inflammation disappear.

How should it be cooked? Actually raw cabbage has only twenty five calories a serving. Try an Asian spin on Cole slaw. It's creating a dressing that's; oil and soy sauce mixed with fresh sliced ginger and scallions.It  doesn't have the floppiness of mayo soaked slaw and is a refreshing side to any barbecued meat  Air fried cabbage steaks make for a healthy yet filling dinner. This is  slicing them horizontally so they resembled meat cuts and then cooking each side for  six minutes each at 380 degrees Farenheit. These are usually drizzled with olive oil and lightly seasoned with pepper and sea salt. YOu could add a layer of Parmesan cheese for something a bit heartier. Stuffed cabbage is also good. For an even healthier spin use plant based meat instead of real beef. They can also be stuffed with ground chicken, turkey or veak and served with tomato sauce on top. They're a hearty way to have the green You could also make pescoi,Piedmontese stuffed Savoy cabbage, filled with polenta and butter and then fried in oil. They;re ten pickled in a combination of savia and vinagar

Cabbage isn;t just for St Paddy's Day. Have it all year round. Try it as a slaw or stuffed. Enjoy a good cabbage steak.Theyre all healthy and delicious

Potatoes The World's Staple

 Tomorrow being St Patrick's Day most recipes turn to something with potatoes. Yet these tubers not only fed the Irish but the whole worldl  Europe readily  embraced then as did the rest of the world. Today they are one of the staples in every home chef's and restaurant's kitchen. There  were a Meso American staple before that feeding the tribes of North and South America.

What are potatoes exactly? They're sort of a veggie but not in the traditional sense.  They come from the perennial nightshade and are related to Bella Donna , deadly nightshade. Their tamer cousins include peppers, tomatoes and eggplants however all have deadly to eat leaves that are full of the toxin solanine. It first came from the Peruvian Andes along with Bolivia. They are one of the world's oldest used foods , having been domesticated between seven and ten thousand years ago. The Spanish brought them over to Europe, post- Columbus and they took off in Eastern and Northern Europe. There are now five thousand kinds of them now  as India and CHina lead the world in potato production. The word comes from the Spanish patata which derives from the Taino word batata meaning sweet potato. The spud comes from Britain where it originally meant a short and stout knife ,It came from the Danish Spyd which means spear. The taters look like like spears in a wat.

European cooking embraced this New World  favorite.  A modified form of Chilean fried potatoes made their way to Spain where Saint Theresa of Avila and turned them into what would be considered the forerunner of modern fries. Even though Belgium and France have a running feud over who created the first modern ones it is France that is the originator do them. It wasn't even a Frenchman who cut and fried the first batch! That honor belongs to Bavarian Frederic Kreiger who fired them on a roaster in the famed Montmartre section in 1842. The British embrace them as they became the perfect foil for batter fried cod for their famed fish and chips. They bounced back over the Atlantic to become an American staple , perfect tiwth German hamburgers or fried chicken. However the tuber was elevated by the French and Italians. The French  turned them into Pommes Dauphinoise or scalloped potatoes , layers of delciated slices surrounded by cream milk and cheese. The Northern Italians plumped them into little pillows of goodness called gnocchi. The Germans created a heartier fare , kartoffel glace  round balls of them stuffed with a small piece for gingerbread.

Amazing what one tuber did to the world. Potatoes are not part of the Irish diet ,They're part of everyone's diet  and have been for centuries.

Irish Quaffs

 StPaddy's Day so this week and with it delicious food likeolcannon and lamb stew. Yet he's need a good wash of something to accompany them. what better than the Irish bews the Island is known for. There are so many .What is good? What 's makes a tasty pint?

Yes, Eire is associated with beer. The Irish have been making it for five thousand years! Early ales reflected the rich greenery of the island. Some brews had the aromatic bog myrtle or heather. The misty damp climate has always made it perfect for growing barley, essential for making a good ale.It also helped that the culture developed the local pub came about. This brought towns, large and small together and fostered a sense of community. )One fo the most famous families ,Guinness started their brewery in Dublin in 1759. Even earlier was Kilkenny Brewery started in 1710 by John Smithwick. There was also William Beamish and William Crawford who opened up one of the first Cork breweries in 1782. The Victorian era saw James Murphy opening a rival one in 1856. Guinness stout is the most flavorful and can be used in both cooking and baking. It has notes of chocolate and coffee along with roasted barley,. It's perfect for those who want to try a good stout with familiar and comforting flavors.

For those craving something different try Smithwick's red ale. This too has sweet notes of caramel and toffee blended with toasted biscuit. It;s the perfect pint with grilled meats such as hamburger or lamb chops on St Patrick's Day. Paella ale is another Gaelic treat. The taste can  be flowery mixed with a rich toasty caramel flavor/. Pale ales are just good with bar nibbles like nachos and sliders however if you want a good pub go to then try fish and chips or sharp cheddar on rustic bread.Whiskey has always been considered a Scottish beverage shower they Irish are also know fro producing some good ones too.It is a month light liquor, Most have a fruit or floral flavor. They're  often triple distilled and kept in vats for a minimum. of three years. That classic dessert drink Irish coffee is made with it.This is a fun cocktail to try at  home.It taking  about two ounces of Irish whiskey and mixing it with strong black coffee. Two tablespoons of brown sugar is mixed in and carefully poured fresh whipped cream is poured over it.

St Paddy's Day is all about drinking to celebrate it's most famous Saint. There are all sorts of good ales and whiskies to try. Have fun .Be responsible with them.

 

Oscar Fare-What's Your Favorite?

 Yes, it's that time of year again for the Ocars. Just like the Super Bowl it's a time for parties and great foods. These range from super formal like caviar on buttered toast rounds to cheese corn. Some like to just have nibbles that are themed with the movies. Think "Hamnet", the movie about the Shakespeares' losing their son and think ale and pasties "Song Sung Blue" could have food  representing one of the scenes from the Wisconsin Stat Fair - corn dogs and Icees. 

What is your Oscar night go to? Mine is definitely old school with a bowl of popcorn with some kind of buttery coating. Will I have MIlk Duds and Raisinets too? Maybe the first , maybe the second too. (a thought he best  movie candy is Sno Caps.

Here's the Friday question of the week  - what is your favorite Oscar fare? Are you going fancy or family style? Let us know and may all your choices win!!!!!!

A Chef's Dark Side

 Chefs can be temperamental and with good reason. Ovens don;t always work . Fridges go on the fritz.Sometimes they'tr short staffed. Some times diners create a lot for trouble . Chefs have all sorts of issues to deal with in their eateries. Yet they should deal with everything with grace and compassion. That wasn't;t the case for the famed Noma's creator Rene Redzepi.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin delved into his story in yesterday 's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Chef Redzepi is back in the public eye die t a pop of restaurant now in Los Angeles. He was a innovator from Cophenhagen who foraged ingredients, a task he learned as a teenager when spending the summer with his father's family in northern Macedonia.He also introduced fermentation and dehydrated foods on his menus which were considered great innovations at the time.  The food reflected the seasons. Ocean season  featured grilled king crabs legs with seaweed and crab Roth with beeswax. The summer season had ingredients foraged from local forests such as mushrooms and fermented plants. Fall brought about wild game cooked with berries and more forest foraging and acorns. All tof these earned him three Michilin stars and made Denmark the culinary destination to go to.Young chefs begged to work there and learn how to forage and ferment.

For all of this Redzepi was not the greatest chef to work for. If one worker screwed up the entire staff was published. Sometimes they were led out into the cold Copenhagen night, to times they were punched directly in the stomach. The crime? Putting on techno music which the chef hated. Instead of just simply telling the young worker to shut it off he went ballistic and took his resentment out on his entire staff. There were more stories. he would crouch under kitchen tables and either jab legs with his fingers or a barbecue fork . He punched a female worker in the ribs so hard that she fell into a metal counter  cutting her hip during the fall. She was on the floor and bleeding  as she was basically ignored by staff.It was only when she went to the dressing room to change a sous-chef went after her t inquire of she was all right. This was only the tip for the iceberg. Unfortunately staff couldn't complain. The one woman human resources department was Chef Redzepi's mother-in law who did nothing to help. Now this reputation, despite his so called change has come back to haunt him. He and his newpop up are not wanted in LA.It's too expensive as well and is taking customers away from financially strapped established La eateries.

Will Chef Redzepi ever overcome his past reputation Sadly no. People remember.People. resent. It doesn't;t make for good PRfor a new eatery no matter how good the food is.

A Sunny Spring Meal

 Everything is lighter in the Spring. Clothing, thoughts even food. Menus are no starting to veer away from the heavy and concentrate on more brighter flavors . A dinner from start to finish can reflect this.

Regular contributor and chef Dave Tanis expertly knows this and ha s give a full course dinner plan in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. His recipes can easily be prepared ahead of time . allowing the home chef to concentrate on other tasks. Get whole bone in chicken legs for the main course while buying canned chickpeas for the easy to make soup. There are also baby artichokes to serve with the chicken while dessert consists of blood oranges for a sweetly tart gelato.This could be the perfect Easter meal from soup to dessert and it could also be the perfect Spring meal for a Saturday night with friends.Perhaps the easiest is the soup .The chickpeas or ceci can also be made with dried ones and are soaked overnight before cooking. They only take an hour of gentle simmering after that.The chickpeas and carrots are added in afterwards as is a Red pepper pesto.Cayenne is blended into to this for some zing and to give the soup more color and flavor.

The chicken legs are also easy  prepare with the sauce being made first. It is a mix of white wine, a dab of tomato paste, onion and garlic. A spoonful of flour gives it consistency and body.The chicken legs themselves are arranged in a roasting pan. Rosemary sprigs are placed on then and then the sauce is poured over them. They're roasted until they're a deep burnished brown and the sauce thickens considerably. This would be perfect with polenta but Mr. Tanis adds another Spring stat baby artichokes; Since they are so young(and about the size of an egg) there is no hairy choke to remove. The tops and bottoms are trimmed and then halved or quartered depending on preference. They are sauteed in olive oil until they're golden and crispy. serve scattered over the chicken and then sprinkle everything with a mi of chopped parsley and red pepper.The  meal needs to end with something bright and refreshing. Make blood orange ice cream, a silky blend of deliciously sweet blood orange juice and half and half. Gran Marnier is added in the mixture as its first cooked and then put through an ice cream churn.

Spring is full of bright colors and brighter flavors. Make it for a great meal to welcome the warm weather. It's a meld of a spicy soup, a mellow chicken and a tart blood orange ice cream

Grill Sense

 The temps have hot a record eighty degrees on the East Coast The balmy breezes have many people thinking about one thing - barbecue.It's tile to start prepping for that weather that brings about tasty burgers and juicy hot dogs.The question is  do you keep the grill or get a new one?

Most grills only have a shelf life of just three years.owever if they're cleaned and well taken care of they can last almost a decade and beyond. If you didn't;t give your grilla thorough cleaning last fall you still can do it now. keep in mind that most grills possess a clean setting but this just burns away any leftover particles of meat. What you will need for a thorough was is a good stainless steel grill brush with a steel scraper, rags and a good ny;on brush. Your dish detergent  will work just fine as a cleanser however Dawn is about the best for cleaning anything.Gas grills require their deflectors - those upside down V-angleed element. These distribute heat evenly throughout the chamber and can get dirty and greasy quickly. Charcoal grills require the ash tray to be taken out and emptied.It;s just then scrapogn off the food with the scraper and then wiping off any debris with the rags. Use more rags to wash the grill parts with the dish detergent and let dry.

If your grill is too far gone or just too old then it's time to start looking. Lowe's\ and Home Depot are your best bets along with Walmart for a reasonably priced barbecue grill.Grills vary and can be perfect for just a couple or a large family. A grill for serving two and cooking smaller portions should be around one hundred to three hundred square inches of cooking space.Medium size grills are perfect for families of four five and six people. If you plan on having a lot of parties this Spring and summer then think about a larger one. There are those , such as one from Royal gourmet that can cook up at least sixty hamburgers for a hungry crowd. Keep in mind that this can also cook up briskets and whole chickens too. Do you want to expand and go into smoking meats too? then consider a grill with a smoker. This can hell you smoke everything from salmon to chicken to even sausages. Smoked meats add another level to barbecuing and expand the summer time menu considerably.

It';s up to you want you want to do with your gril. It may just need a good cleaning. It may need to be replaced.Just have a new or old ne ready when the grilling weather comes.

Tasty Tiny Nibbles

 The weather is getting warmer and that means one thing - there's no urge to eat big meals any more. Spring's schedule also require quick bites that are filling and tasty. These are perfect for a Sunday night or after a work day.

One of the tasty nibbles I love I s bruschetta.I created a quick dish using Stop and Shop's Diced tomatoes with jalapeno. A bit if  their olive oil was added to give it smoothness .

Stop and Shop(yes I shop there again) also has excellent garlic rounds. These were perfect for this impromptu dinner that's light yet filling for a warm Spring night.

Another tasty  tiny nibble is a plate of queso and chips.

Good Foods has excellent non dairy cheese dips.Their queso with jalapeno bits is filling and perfect with the Good & Gather Chips from Target. Keep in mind that any kind of nachos a great quick dinner. You can layerthem in a small microwave bowl with beef or plant based beef crumbles and cheese for a quick version of brick years nachos. Add a side of guacamole for even more nutrition and flavor.

Spring means lighter fare. Think of these tasty ,tiny nibble for a light supper to snack. They're may be small bites but they are filling and satisfying.

What Heathcliff Ate

 There has been much said and written about the latest adaptation of Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights/ Director Emerald Fennell  has created lavish scenes , especially the dinner.s Yet what would have the hero - Heathcliff and his Cathy would have eaten? What do the people of Yorkshire eat now.

Yorkshire is one of the northern shires or counties of England. It has a rich literary history with the Bronte sisters,A none, Charlotte and Emily but also with James Herriot who wrote the charming book series "All Creatures Great And Small." (this last is about a vet in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales). Whitby was mentioned in Bram Stokers horror classic Whity , a coastal town at the county's most northeast corner. (n fact Trillo,s a seaside ice cream parlor serves its' famed "whippy black ice cream" in honor for the most famous vampire. It just vanilla ice cream mixed with edible charcoal to produce  a greyish black treat in a cone). Yorkshire is mostly farms. There are big cities like Leeds and Sheffield which is famous for it's cutlery (and the setting for the riotous British film of the late Nineties,  The Full Monty). Beef and pork are big , thanks to these farms and many dishes revolve around them. One the crispy  popover , Yorkshire pudding is made with beef dripping and served with a Sunday roast. it is perfect for  holding the accompanying gravy .

Yet the county , as with other English counties is also known for its' meat pies. Would Heathcliff and Cathy had eaten them had they been real propel? Possibly. There is a meat and tatie or potato pie. Shin beef is cut into piece and cooked with onions and potatoes. The meat also is cooked with water to create a stock for the pie and the whole thing is covered with a short crust pastry. Additional gravy is ladled on slices  of the pie. Ham cake is another meat pie or a giant pasty. Gammon or ham of a pig is wrapped up in a simple lard and flour pastry crust (think a Beef Wellington) It's baked and then cut into chunky pieces for either lunch or dinner. There is a season Coast here so fish is also on the menu. Yorkshire home chefs might make a fish roast for a Friday night. This is savory bread pudding with the addition of flaked white fish  and zinged up with nutmeg, ketchup and lemon. Parsley is sprinkled on top to give it some color. The province is known for it;s baking and there are plenty of gingerbread and apple pie (thanks to the orchards) recipes. Rhubarb  si also grown on the farms there and it figures hugely in tarts and pies too.

Would Heathcliff have appreciated all this food. Yes, It shows the abundance and traditions of the Dales. It may not be the fancy food for London but it is hearty and tasty.

Food Of The British Isles

 St.David's Day , popular with the Welsh was last Sunday.It makes for a feast all sorts of great Welsh food, Welsh rarebit and  Bara Brith, a tea infused bread. Britain, from England to Scotland to Wales have given the world s interesting food over the centuries form Yorkshire pudding to toad in the hole

Here's the question. What is your favorite British food.It could be something as simple as fish and chips or clotted cream and jam on scones. Mine has always been fish and chips but I am partial to Yorkshire pudding with a good roast beef gravy.

Let us know what yours is and f you drink it with a strong cup of Typhoo tea.

A Pizza Hut Throwback

 Pizza Hut brings back so many memories to Gen X and Gen Z.  There were Friday and Saturday nights enjoying a slice and a COke in that famous red cup. Although that meal has more or less stayed the same, the restaurants have changed. However there are some ones with the original decor that are still around. They're becoming more than a sweet comeback. They're becoming a trend.

New contributor to the section and regular contributor to the New York Times, Steven Kurutz wrote about Classic Pizza Hits in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. These buildings have the distinctive low slung roofs and red vinyl booths , always perfect for families sharing a meal or friends just hanging out. Most tables have the endearing red checked tablecloths and Tiffany lamps overhead. ANother writer Rolando Pujol found the Tunkhannok PA one after driving through e area. He freaked out and instantly drove into the parking lot, a detour on his way home to Queens, new York. He actually found thirty and listed them on his Substack account. It sparked memories in others who loved the restaurant when they were younger Funny enough  the Pizza Hut site doesn't;t mention any of these and their locations in the same way Denny's or IHOP would. In fact their site just has a listing of all they serve and where to get them.

Despite this Hut fans will even drive five e hours to eat at a Pizza Hut Classic Waitress Savannah Robinsoin has served diners who have driven five hours from Pittsburgh just to eat at the Tunkhnnock one. it even came with one of the staples of Seventies and Eighties dining - the salad bar. A couple from Hackettstown, New Jersey drove two hours just to eat there. Chris and Michele Morpeth left their Delaware River town for the Tunkhannock destination, which is surprising. New Jersey is the pizza capital of the US, with every town having two or three really goods ones. The menu could also having something to do with the nostalgia. Pizza Hut was the first to have a stuffed crust  filling the airy space with mozzarella. They're may be fancier pies, topped with Egyptian fava beans or made Japanese style with salt crystals embedded under the crust but Pizza Hit prevails.Unlike the fancier ones , Pizza Hut only really serves just four from the meat lovers to the plain cheese. Pizza Hit Classic has a salad bar full of simple greens and add INS like olives, and shredded carrots. There are gallons of dressing ti ladle on and that's before the pizza iss erved. There are even menus to choose from instead of a sigh over the counter.

Visit a Pizza Hut Classic if possible,.It's a fun way to connect with the past. Have a s;lice and a Coke in a pebbly red cup and enjoy.

Tasty Baked Pasta

One of the best dishes for late winter is baked pasta. It';s cozy and comforting , perfect after a chilly day . It';s even better with a few extra ingredients thrown in to make it even more filling and more delicious.

Regular contributor and chef Ali Slagle wrote about this glorious dish in today's New York Times Wedensday Food section. Ant baked pasta , from lasagna to ziti is a comfort. A plate is soothingly hot and saucy along with being gooey and cheesy.  She gives three recipes plus tips for making each better.Meatballs are  almost every pasta's steadfast companion, Ms. Slagle uses chef  Colu Henry, a  food lifestyle influencer ;s idea of rolling sausage meat into balls and using them for meatballs,. The meat is already spiced so there;s no need for that(although you could use ready made beef or plant based ones too). Another add in is a cup or two of chopped greens Keep in mind to precook them to get rid of their water content.If not the entire pasta dish could turn to mush,Blanch hardier veggies like broccoli and kale in the elastic few minutes of the pasta boiling. She gives a pasta Alfredo recipe that just screams for baby  spinach or arugula. Another recommendation is crisp onions as a topping or breadcrumbs. To really elevated it add bacon or prosciutii which will get really crisp on top.

What about the other ingredients? For one thing the pasta should be under cooked otherwise fully cooked  will get too mushed up  in the oven.It will also become very thirsty and drink up all that sauce The easy  solution s just to undercook it by two minutes less than the package's Al dente suggestion. (probably around two minutes depending on the pasta). Cheese is a must  however have fun with different choices. Yes it could be the Trinity of mozzarella ,Parmesan and ricotta however there's also more ad a different frlaov from using Gruyere and Cheddar..These melt very well and add a different look too to the typical pasta bake creamy baked demand either cottage or goat cheese and if its'a briny taste them sub in Greek feta or Halloumi cheeses. As for mozzarella choose a low moisture one that will brown easily. As for baking, bake it at 450 degrees Farenheit for only ten to fifteen minutes. Any longer it will be mushy or too tough to eat. After cooking let it settle for ten minutes. This will give the insides time to cool down and gel a little. Serve too hot and the plate is covered with molten lava.Everything ,from the cheese to the sauce to the pasta will set nicely after a rest.

A pasta bake is a good dinner on a cold night. Make any of these three for a satisfying and filling meal. Choose favorite pastas sauces and cheeses and bake,

A Feast Of Persian Food

 One of the most luxurious of all Middle Eastern cuisines is Persian. Iran has been known as a gourmet's paradise for millennia. It has rich meat dishes and lush rice and veggie ones. The desserts are lush in flavor studded with fruit and dripping with honey. It has always been the way to eat.

Persian cuisine has been established for 2500 (!!!) years. The indigenous from the Sassanid and Achaemenid Dynasties  cooked stews that had pomegranates ,mint and cinnamon in them for color and flavor. The Islamic Conquest in the Seventh Century brought in more Arabic foods but eliminated pork, Mongols and Turks brought in noodles and rice while the two hundred year Safavid Era brought in saffron and nuts to be cooked with rice.  Modern day Americans gave the Iranians tomatoes. One of the most famous dishes that is a must make or must order in any Persian restaurant is tahdig. This is a giant rice cake with the highlight being the crispy , crunchy top. The rice is cooked in a special pan and the dish is flipped upside while serving. The word itself means bottom of the pot. It's basmati rice cooked with fragrant saffron and layered with butter and yogurt. It's a good side dish, being served with kebobs, roast chickens or stews. It could be eaten on its; own too,

Kebobs are big in Persian cuisine. They could be lamb , beef ro chicken, with lamb being the most popular. Chicken figures big in the cuisine and there is zereshk polo ba morgh, chicken with rice and barberries a cranberry like berry. The barberries are cooked with saffron ,sugar and oil and served on top of the meat. There is also morghe  zafarani, saffron chicken ,chicken with a rich saffron sauce. Beef turns up in both kebobs and stews. There is ghormeh subzi an herb stew that also has fresh herbs and dried lime in it.Parsley, fenugreek , scallions and cilantro are Fred, similar to opinions and then stew meat, kidney beans are added. The side is rice to absorb the gravy . Althought they also have stuffed grape leaves the Iranians are also known for their version of stuffed peppers. This is ground meat or plant based meat mixed with tomatoes , cilantro and parsley  along with cumin for flavor. Eggplant is a beloved veggie too. Khorem badenjam combines the silky veggie with beef in a tangy tomato sauce. These meals end in delicious desserts from a syrupy baklava to an ice cream redolent with rosewater and saffron. Hot teas are served with this t finish the meal.

Persian cuisine is a rich history based cuisine. It is colorful and flavorful. It represents this people perfectly.

Not Your Typical Steak and Potatoes

 What do vegans do when they crave a classic like steak and potatoes? They go plant  based. There's a new Beyond Meat to enjoy in a variety of ways.

I used to be a steak eater.I still enjoy it out once in a great while yet being in a vegan household has limits. There;s no way I can have beef - however I can get around it. 

This is steak bits which are tinier than they look in the package. That was a surprise because I thought the pieces would be the size of steak tips. 

This is them uncooked,I cooked them at 400 degress Farenheit for five minutes. It wasn't;t enough so I added another three minutes to get them crispy.

The cooked ones look somewhat darker and there was a nice crispiness to them. What goes with steak but potatoes.

The Little Potato Company has a excellent serving of baby spuds that come with their own seasoning. This was just popped in the microwave with the seasonings and a good amount of COuntry Crock Plant based butter.

Together they provided a tasty steak and potatoes meal . I would use the steak bits differently next time, possibly with a mushroom gravy on thick slabs of warmed sourdough. It was still good with just a salt and pepper seasoning.

Yes ,vegans can have their steak and eat it too. Beyond Steak makes it possible. You can create all sorts of dishes with this plant based steak.

From Africa To The Americas

 The Americas, North Central and South along with the Caribbean have long felt the impact of African cooking. The enslaved brought over their foods and cooking techniques.It resulted in some of the best dishes in the New World. Five hundred years later the impact is still strong and thriving.

The African continent 's culinary impact is most felt in the US. The enslaved brought over such delicious staples as black eyed peas, watermelon, yams, kidney and Lima beans.Where would American New Yea'rs celebrations be without Hoppin John. This is a yummy mix of black eyed peas, smoked ham, peppers, celery and garlic. Gumbo, that New Orleans , specialty also has African roots, with the name originating from the Bantu word ki ngombo which means okra which is a vital ingredients in this stew. Andouille sausage and shrimp are cooked in a thickened  chicken broth that also contains tomatoes ,green peppers and butter along with a variety of spices. Yams are also big in both the US and various African countries  being great on their own or in different dishes.C central America has also benefited from the African influence. They brought over banana leaves in which foods are steamed along with plantains which are turned into hudut a stew. that also rich with green peppers and coconut cream along with fish,

SOuth America has also benefited from the African impact as well.It is the foundation of Columbian, Peruvian and Brazilian cuisines. The Columbians can thank Africa for their mondogo, a triple stew redolent with okra, yams, black eyed peas, coconut milk and plantains. The Peruvians got their tacu tacu from them,a mix of rice and beans pan fried together, over served with steak to eggs. The frying technique also comes from the Africans too, Brazil has a strong influence thanks to slavery and intermarriage. Their famed feijoada  come from these roots. This is a must try for anyone who loves both cultures.It's a rich slow cooked blend of black beans and pork cooked with onions, bacon , sausages  and garlic. Mofongo, big in the Caribbean comes from the continent too.It;s comes from the West African fufu, or mashed starchy veggies likes plantains or yams. Garlic and  olive oil give it a smooth, silky texture which pork crackings or chicerones give texture and a meatiness (although this can be made without them).

The African influence is laced into the Americas and their cooking traditions. They have brought good food and flavor. They have created tastes that will last centuries.

For Everett

A Good Veggie Dish

 It is Lent along with being Ramadan. It's a time for feasting and giving up. Yet there are still delicious dishes to be had, namely veggie based ones. There is the delicious Impossible Meat stuffed peppers or the veggie rich ratatouille (always perfect with warm, crusty French bread)Steaming bowls of leek and potato or minestrone soup are perfect for these cold days.

What is your favorite veggie dish? Mine will always be ratatouille. There's something about the marriage between eggplant, tomatoes, and even squash in a bubbling tomato rich sauce that does it for me.

Let us know and enjoy your veggies anyway you can!

A Good Guide For Produce

Vegetables and fruits make up most of the human diet. There isn;t a day that goes by that doesn't have some form of them. It could be root ones like carrots and turnips.It could be kale.  There's always an apple to orange for a quick dessert.  Whatever is on the menu  should be treated with the same respect as meats and other groceries. Luckily there 'a great guide to help with keeping them.

New contributor and cookbook author Kristin Miglore have a comprehensive guide for veggies from A to Z in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. This is a must keep because it will not only cut down on household waste but also cut down on what gets thrown out prematurely.  She gives the rules of thumb for shopping storing and making the most of those leafy greens and others. The veggies are grouped like the peppers and root vegetables. The last should have the greens topped off (these are perfect for mulch  later on or serve them with a cream sauce like other greens) Store them in a paper bag inside a plastic bag.If the carrots and turnips are looking a bit tired Ms. Miglore recommends a quick dash in cold water to revive them. As for the peppers which figure largely in diets, first look for ones with the perkiest greens tem's when grocery shopping. Once home store them in a breathable bag in the fridge's crisper. Pepper skins don;t have to be peeled off. They're perfect and give more flavor to such dishes as stuffed peppers or in ratatouille. 

Fruits are also in this guide.Stone fruits , such as peaches cherries and plums  are here . When choosing then, look for the ones with firm skins, good aromas and warmer undertones in color. Cherries are usually sold ripe since they're shaken out of the tree all at once. CHerries  should  be shiny and without any sign of cracks around the stem. Keep in mind that darker colored cherries will have a richer ,complex flavor while the lighter color ones have a sweeter flavor Store any stone fruit on the counter and away from the sun, then into the fridge with in a paper bag.As for rating them, trim out any bruises and enjoy them. whole pits can be reused and infuse flavor into water, liquor or syrup. The inner kernel can be used to make noyeux r almond extract. Roast these first to get rid of the trace amounts of arsenic. Apples are on every one 's shopping list.Look for heavy firm skinned ones and stay away from anything that has a mushy spot. Store the classic way - in a bowl to allow for breathing room. They should last between one and two weeks. Use wrinkly apples for pies , sauce and crisps while the farm fleshed new ones are the perfect snack. Save the skins for syrups or tea or just snack on them.

These are only some of the suggestions in this amazing guide. Use it daily. It'll help cut down on food waste and show how to get the best for the price.

Easy Cooking For Ramadan

Ramadan Mays til be in int's second week and many a home chef may feel rushed to create a satisfying meal to break the feast. The problem is that life - and mostly work interferes with it.There are ways to handle this and create an after sundown  feast that's both satisfying and delicious.

New Contributor and Bon Appetit associate editor ZAynap Issa shows how to have a good meal ready in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section,Ramadan  is for a month and has a fasting period between dawn and sundown. The first meal is suhir which has some breakfast staples like eggs and porridge along with oats and melon. There should be a lightness to it  while he evening meal , or iftar has more substantial, heartier fare. Ms. Issa recommends home chefs audit their cooking strengths first of all.  Make e something familiar , That way it will be quicker to prep and cook, She suggests a dish like pasta Alla Norma and has a recipe for a spiced eggplant and tomato one.It's a filling dish , full of eggplant , yogurt and mint along with the comforting weight of rigatoni pasta (or any big chunky kind) Stock, your freezer, pantry and fridge with intention also . Avoid a daily grocery trip,. Have plenty of beans and lentils along with spices blends like garam masala. Again these make it easier to prep a hearty meal without too much mixing,

Another must is prep ahead to get iftar ready quickly. The family will be hungry after those hours of fasting and they'll want something  ready to eat.Working home chefs should use the weekends to get dinners ready or use the early evening hours. Basics like rice can be cooked in large batches and then refrigerated or frozen. It's easy to thaw out in the microwave Ginger and garlic pasta can also be made ahead in the blender. Onions can be peeled and trimmed , and cast last for up to a week in the fridge.Chutneys and hummus are other dishes that can be made ahead. Ms.Issa gives tow other recipes that cut down on prep and cooking time as well. There is cumin chicken fried rice.that uses a pound of boneless , skinless  chicken parts along with scallions and a variety of different spices slike cumin and fresh ginger. It's serve with day old jasmine rice She also has a recipe for meat pitas which is sort of like a pizza. The pitas are split in half and each half is topped with ground beef or ground lamb .There are easily mixed spices to mix in the meat These are broiled in the oven on a sheet pan and have a variety of toppings from hummus to pomegranate molasses.

Iftar is  a meal  that should enjoyed with the family. It should be un hurried and savored. These dishes can help in creating that.

Vegan Grilled Cheese

Nowadays anything cnabe turned vegan or vegetarian. The classic grilled cheese is no exception.You can create a tasty, crispy sandwich with a big flavor.

A good grilled cheese begins with the dairy or in this case the non dairy. You need a good cheese.I chose Vio Life's cheddar because it does taste like the real thing. Country Crock's plant butter is the excellent medium to fry up the sandwiches.

 With this comes the bread. This should be a sturdy sandwich kind and I like Stop and Shop's sandwich bread.

The slices are cut medium thick which makes them perfect for fried or cooked sandwiches. They also absorb all that lovely golden melted butter too..

Mayo is a new addition to this classic sandwich and I thought why not too. I used Helolman';s plant based mayo which means it's made without eggs and canola and soy oil re subbed in. Each slice of bread got a slathering then the cheese was folded in half and put on the bread.

These needed to be Double flipped. Cook on one side. Flip them flip again for a lovely golden brown look. 

Keep in mind that vegan cheese doesn't;t melt as well as regular cheese so there's none of that ooey gooeyiness. grilled cheese is known for It;s still tasty and crispy, thanks to the bread. The mayo give to a nice tang. I served these with raw veggies and homemade French dressing

Can a vegan grilled cheese be a success? Yes, It's just imitating the recipes for the real one . They may not have that ooziness dairy grilled cheese has but it's still a delicious lunch or dinner.

Snow Day Snacks Good Healthy Both

 Everyone is probably in the middle of their snow day snacks right now. These last two days on the East Coast were perfect for stocking up and nibbling. How did it go during one of the worst blizzards in recent years>Was it healthy? Was it good and unhealthy?

To be honest I went both waysYou can't help but also grab these

I spent Saturday in my local Dollar Tree and Stop and Shop(sorry Lidl). I am a sucker for anything Swiss rolls and when I saw the box on  the discount store's shelve,syes,I had to have to have them. A few minutes later I was buying both unhealthy and healthy t my Stop and Shop.They had a sale on the chips so I thought why not. WHat's a snow day without sitting ,scrolling and scarfing down junk food, followed by diet soda.

I also saw some of the plumpest grapes at Stop and Shop and had to buy them. Likewise for the snack cup  of blueberries I found at Acme during a last minute run.

I'd recommend these for a good snack anytime anywhere. The grapes were sweet and , of  course better thank snack pastries, The blueberries the same thing. These bite sized gems are better than chocolate and obviously healthier than any cookie. Yes it;d fun to chow on a lot of salt fat and sugar. It's even better to  appreciate the true snacks of nature.

What did everyone snack n? Healthy? Good for you Unhealthy. You can have both .Just make sure that the healthy outweighs the unhealthy.

SNow Day Kitchen Day

 Yes, there's another blizzard coming to the EAst Coast.It's happening almost a month from the big January snowfall. What to do on the da off? Kitchen work. It'c would be baking, cooking or even cleaning. It's a great way to keep yourself busy.

A snowy day in is a nesting  day in. It is the perfect day for baking something warm and tasty. It's a good day to get out the flour and yeast and bake a tasty bread. Even a simple white bread is a fun way to pass the time. YOu could also make pizza dough which is always a crowd pleaser on a snowy day in. Make sure you have the pizza sauce and mozzarella along with everyone's favorite toppings. Homemade rolls are another good bake. yet can be used for sandwiches in the upcoming  days. Kids home mean one thing - baking cookies and usually chocolate chips. You should have one or two slice and bake logs ready or you can make the dough yourself. Vary the chips in different sizes or in the different kinds of chocolate. If baking won;t excite you then think cooking. It's the perfect time to create homemade sauce or chili ,using the crockpot. These are perfect for creating hearty meals that feel good after a day of hard shoveling. Another comforting dish is meat loaf with gravy. Add homemade mashed potatoes for more goodness.

A snowy day in means attending to those kitchen chores that you were too busy to do., It;s a good time to clean out the spice cabinet. check to see how long you've had your spices and toss them.Most of them lose their flavor after three to four years.  Ground spices lose their potency after only two or three years. Reassess what you have and toss. It;s also a good time to clean  out the fridge ,freezer and pantry. Get rid of all those old bottles of sauces along bottles of maple syrup. The last probably has a crusty sugary ring around the top. Some old foods can be given to the animals outside . Squirrels like crackers.Any wuldife will appreciate that chicken and its.bones After the bottom part of the refrigerator has been cleaned and scrubbed then it's time to tackle the freezer. Throw away all those old popsicles . They get oozy and gooey after six months .Ice cream only lasts a month in the fridge once its' opened. If yours has been there since the summer of 2025, it's a good thing to get rid of it. How long does frozen food last? A month or a year. Get rid of the older stuff. Cook the newer stuff to clear up the space for your next grocery trip.

A snowy day os a great way to reconnect with your kitchen . Bake, cook or clean. You'll feel better doing something productive on a lost day.

Friday Fish Dinners

 Now that we have Lenten Fridays , it;s time to start thinking of fish dinners. Any seafood is versatile and can be made into a variety of dishes. They can range from scampi to tacos, from the sophisticated to the fun.

A fish dinner can be both elegant and simple. Salmon fills the bill on both . Try oven baking it  after brushing garlic butter on it. You could add  pinches of oregano and rosemary too for a more herbal flavor or try a brown sugar -soy sauce glaze for an Asian vibe. It can be served with noodles, pasta or rice along with pan baked veggies.A quicker yet just as elegant meal is a salmon salad, This is flaking the cooked fish and adding it to a variety of greens along with grape tomatoes and sliced bell peppers. Dress with a simple vinaigrette made from a mix of white wine vinegar , olive oil and oregano. Another delicate flavored fish is tilapia, This has a sweet, almost no"fishy" flavor which makes it perfect for sauce like the French Meuniere. The sauce is only tree ingredients of browned butter, lemon  juice and parsley.It's also a good sauce for asparagus too.You could also make a Parmesan crusted tilapia too with the fish coated in a mix of the cheese and paprika , the last for color and bite.

Yes ,Friday demands fish and chips too. This British classic can easily be cooked up in an air fryer.For centuries the dis as been made with cod.It's the best to work with because of the firm flesh. The filets would come apart wen being breaded or fried. A traditional batter involves beer which gives it an extra crispy crunch;If you don;t like beer sub  in seltzer just to give it the batter that bubbly texture. Usually a cup is used a long with one and a quarter cups of flour and baking soda (for more lift) Two eggs bind it all together and you can add a dash of cayenne for some zing.The filets are cooked for about twelve minutes at around 400 degrees Farenheit. Chips or fries are a must too.How do you get them crispy and perfect with malt vinegar or ketchup? Dip them into a slurry of cornstarch and water.it's taking russet potatoes and cutting them lengthwise, first into planks and then into plants. After make  a of slurry of three quarters of a cup of water mixed with three tablespoons of cornstarch. Cook them in an oil sprayed air fryer for eight minutes at 375 degrees Farenheit. FLip them over and cook for another six minutes more  or until golden brown.

Friday's are now reserved for fish. There are many recipes to choose from. ENjoy a delicate or a hearty one.

A Kiss Of Dumplings

 The Lunar New Year brings all sorts of good things, from celebrations to various foods. One is the simple dumpling. It's an easy make but full of complex flavors. A hot dish of them on a cold Frebruary night is such a treat. They are perfect, especially if they're homemade.

Regular contributor Genevieve KO amassed a good deal of dumpling recipes for the second annual Dumpling Week in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday section. The recipes were created by longtime New York Times cooking contributors.The recipes are built upons classic foundations and fu=filled with all sorts of stuffings and spicing. Sue Li gives a more traditional recipe in her pork and garlic chive pot stickers. This is a pan fried dumpling based on the ones that she would buy at the base of the Elephant Mountains in Taipei.It's a simple ground pork, egg  and garlic while the dumplings themselves are a simple blend of all purpose flour and baking powder. Eric Kin gives an untraditional one with a Korean dumpling. The wrapper itself is layered mix of yeast flour and sugar. The beef filling has a kick of jalapeno and large stemmed shiitake mushrooms Gochugaru is added for more zing. The dipping sauce redolent with jalapeno and egg yolks is even spicier. A pinch of sugar tempers it all.

Hetty Liu Mckinnin gives  the dumplings a different spin by making them vegetarian These are eaten throughout  Turkey ,Armenia and Central Asia. These are filled with Herby mushrooms and dipped into both a sharp ,garlicky yogurt and a spiced tomato sauce.There are also onions, love and the eye watering Aleppo peppers added to this.  As for the mushrooms use cremini button or shiitake. These can be mixed together.The yogurt sauce is simply Greek yogurt mixed with two grated garlic cloves while the tomato is a canned crushed tomatoes blended with mint and Aleppo peppers.The Thai's are also known for their dumplings too.China and Thailand have been trading for centuries and recipes also are swapped too. Genevieve Ko gives her interpretation on this with Napa cabbage and shallots and a different filling - chicken  namely all dark meat for more flavor . Basil is a big part of Thai cooking and it;s used here along with Serrano chilies for bite .There is also fish salt and sugar for a savory sweet flavor. The sauce also has sugar mixed with bird's eye Chiles, distilled white vinegar and two garlic cloves.

This cold weather calls for festive and comforting food. Make any of these dumplings for that. They are tasty and perfect for the Lunar New Year.

Lenten Sacrifices It's Time

  Many Christians, and especially Catholics around the world are thinking about what to give up this Lent. Today is Ash Wednesday and many thought are going towards sacrificing food or drink. Yet here is something else you can give up  - time. Time is the most valuable commodity of all.  It can go for creating good.

One way of giving up your time is to give it to others. This might mean cooking a meal for an elderly neighbor or friend in need. Even thought it might seem like a sacrifice at first,  you'll get into the joy of cooking with others and the satisfaction of making sure a person is fed.Communal cooking , even, if it's just between two people can be a rewarding and even a learning experience. This is the time to ask the neighbor or friend about their ethnic background and the  dishes that were handed down and shaped them,.You'll hear about cooking methods you've probably only read about a long with hearing about ingredients that will surely pique your interest. You could even arrange a weekend cooking class with them as they show you how to make these dishes.If you're cooking for and with family then ask about any family recipes long forgotten by current generations. This helps strengthens the ties between your culinary past and present.

Sacrificing time means taking anyone to the store. Let's face it, those town buses are only good for short hops where there's very little shopping to do. Offer your time and your vehicle to them. That way they can stock up on not only food stuffs and beverages but also on much needed supplies like toilet paper, along with laundry and dish detergents.It's also a chance to check to see if they're eating right . Nudge them gently towards the produce section if you see they're spending too much time in the snack and baked good sales.This expedition can be extended to a lunch out beforehand or some coffee after (keep in mind that many Acmes have Starbucks while Shop Rites here in New Jersey offer Dunkin Donuts) A coffee and a chat is a great way of just giving your time and enjoying a hot or cold coffee or tea together.If you;re too busy for shopping then consider a simple  Sunday brunch somewhere.It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Just bacon, eggs and a hot coffee along with toast will do the trick.Talk with then. Listen.

It's Lent , Yes, you can give up those cakes and martinis. Yet wouldn't time be a better sacrifice? Donate yours to doing good deeds for friends,neighbors and family.