InnoVAsian Chinese Food Your Way

 Chines take out is downright delicious Yet it  can be overly greasy and over priced. However you can have better quality and a lower price thanks to InnovAsion Chinese Food. This is like having the best Chinese restaurant right in your kitchen.

My local WalMart has some so I thought I would try them. The price is attractive Their lo min and chicken and broccoli were under five dollars - around $4.68. Mongolian beef was $6.78

Their dishes are really delicious and unlike the stuff you bring in not greasy.It was as if it had been freshly made. The low meaning was chock full of veggies like celery and carrots. The chicken and broccoli has gernous pieces of chicken along with more than enough broccoli florets.The sauce is sweet and spicy but without any oiliness. The spacing for both dishes is perfection

I am definitely trying their beef and broccoli along with their other chicken dishes like sesame chicken and the honey version. It's exciting to see that they also have Indian classics like butter chicken and Tikka masala. which I', also trying.They even have a teriyaki dish that will be on my dinner table soon enough.

InnovAsion Foods is like have a five sttar Asian restaurant in your kitchen.Try any of their dishes for a delciious ,fresh tasting meal. They;re perfect for your dinner and your budget.

Coffee Wars

 I'ts that time of year again when iced coffee reigns supreme. The question is who has the better brew? Starbucks or Dunkin? Or is it that cup from that Indy cafe in your town or neighborhood?

My choice will always be Dunkin I'm a big fan of both their  iced  and frozen coffees. Let's face it Getting a Dunking iced coffee is more like  sipping a sundae. There's that chocolate syrup added a long with that big puff of whipped cream. The coffee itself is smoother, without the grounds that Starbucks has (sorry Starbucks)

What is your favorite as the temps rise? Let us know here and enjoy your sip whether on the beach on in the backyard.

The Maserati Of Coffee Machines

 A good coffee machine can last decades if treated properly. This is the case with La Marzocco coffee maker. It produces good coffee year after year.It can elevate any coffee shop, from a chain one to a small Indy one. Even the older ones are in strong demand.

Regular Contributor Priya Krishna wrote about this gem in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. La Marzocco has been around since 1927, first being made in Florence,Italy. Fifty years ago  a Seattle cafe owner, Kent Bakke,  visiting the city was amazed by a coffee machine that had two separate boilers.One was for steaming milk while the other was for brewing coffee, allowing the Emily to stay hot while not scorching the brew. A decade later he signed a deal with the company , then sold several machines to a local coffee start up named Starbucks . Thanks to the machine, the coffee and the cafes became big hits.Today La Marzocco is now in fifteen per cent of coffee shops according to Andrew Daday, the managing director of La Marzocco US; The name may not be known to most of America but Americans are well familiar with the machines and their sturdy clean lines, stainless steel finishes and the company name affixed in angular lettering.

While new ones are wanted by cafes wanting to make excellent coffee ,it;s the second hand retro ones that are in demand. Like classic Itlalian cars the need for them is intense ,competitive and brisk,News of their availability is mostly spread by word of mouth. There is a problem though. Scams abound. The deals can be great. A used one can sell for half the price of a new one., though for rare ones the price can exceed a brand new machine;It is cool to own a previously owned one.Nathan Smith who first repaired one back in 20 12 when he was working for Blue Bottle Coffee in Oakland California. A few years later he opened his own coffee shop in Old Fort North Carolina, he heard from a coworker that the same machine was up for sale.By that point it had made the rounds at several cafes. He had to have to and bought it for $2500 , but the price wasn't;t the main selling point. He compares ot to a Seventies Honda Civic. It;s rebuilt with different parts and retro cool.Some coffee shop owners have bought ones from the Fifties starting at $75,00,

A good machine will produce good coffee, La Marzocco is one of those machines.They give give America a great  cup for great comfort

Eggcellent Scrambles

One of the simplest cooking joys is scrambled. eggs. They 're not only a treat to cook because of their easiness but they a treat to eat too. Scrambled eggs are the ultimate comfort food. Best of all they can be eaten any time too.

Regular contributor Ali Slagle gave recipes and tips o them in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.Scrambled eggs are truly the ultimate feel good food. They;re good just plain or even with the addition of spices. Ms.Slagle gives some tips and ideas to make them even better.One is adding cornstarch (which diners may do to get that creamy consistency). A good creamy scramble first starts with a slurry that has corn, tapioca or potato starch.,Any of these keep the eggs' proteins from linking and tightening together under hrat.Even of they;re overcooked , they won;t have that rough, almost omelet look and feel. Another idea is to elevate their taste.Cook the butter (for a really rich flavor use Kerry Gold) until brown bits appear it gives the eggs themselves a slightly nutty taste. without affecting the texture. Spices also add a variation of flavor too. Earthy ones are cumin and coriander while smoked paprika gives them a smoky flavor,. For true bite  try crushed pepper or cayenne. She doesn't;t mention it but adding aux fine herbs elevates the taste making scrambled eggs a French bistro  vibe.

Another great tip is turn off the heat early left in a hot pan too long they can go from creamy to chalky and dry , especially if they;re left too long in the pan.The residual heat from it can overcook it.One key to keep the texture tender I to plate them even before they're done. Don;t  worry about ingesting raw parts.The eggs 's heat will gently cook them more.Ms. Slagle also recommends adding something acidic to balance their richness. This could be a squeeze of lemon or lime or even vinegar. Chopped fresh tomatoes are always good, (they'll b e more like that classic from Piedmonte uovi e pomodori. Just add a bit of garlic) ,Kimchi ,  and pickled onions also work nicely as does ,sharp and salty feta cheese.Keep in mind that scrambled eggs are not just for breakfast, although on toast they make a quick and great breakfast for dinner. Fold them into flour burritos and also add beans cheese and veggies and then freeze.These make for a quick dinner.There is also a recipe for migas,a Mexican scramble cock full  of shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese cumin  ,noon and jalapeno,Shredded tortillas are also added for more body.

Scrambled eggs are the perfect dish. Using these tips they can be turned into the perfect anytime meal. Crack a few eggs and create a tasty breakfast, lunch or dinner,

The Walmart Myth

 Wal-mart foods get a bad rap from food snobs. They feel that the store's generic brand of goods is inferior.They're made with subpar ingredients and don't taste as good as the national brands Yet that;s far from true. Their Great Valeu products are just as good and well worth their value as say in house brands from Acme and Lidl.

I found this is true for their Great Value Pasta sauces.

I combined two flavors, their traditional and tomato basil garlic to make a really good sauce. Sometimes these need to be doctored with the addition of oregano and olive oil.These didn't need  anything.,only needing a ladelful of pasta water to I=improve their flavors..

It was paired with Walmart's premium quality brand Better Goods pasta. I bought bucatini the straw like pasta ,It cooked up very well too.

 

With the addition of Gardein meatballs. this turned out to be a very delicious meal. The favor of both actually is better than some of the higher  quality national brands. I would definitely buy both again.

Don't fall for the myth that Walmart foods are inferior. They're not Both their brands.Better Goods and GreatValue are rich in flavor and quality. Try any of the products to taste this.

Spring Radar

 A new season brings about the urge to try the new and different, This could cooking ,baking or even barbecuing if there's warm weather,.Its a time to try new ingredients and new recipes to freshen up the kitchen repertoire.

One of the ingredients on my Spring radar is in abundance in my front and back lawns.Dandelion flowers or heads! I wrote about fryingthese the other day and the recipe really piqued my interest.What really got me was the description of their taste. SOme recipes said they taste like popcorn, other like squash flowers. I want to try them and , thankfully there is an air fryer recipe for easy cooking. They're little round bites that can be dipped ina sweet or savory batter.I think I'll stick with the savory because I love the taste of squash flowers and I think these will have a similar taste.I'll have to pick around thirty flowers - easy enough, wash them, and then batter dip.One large egg is needed along with flour and beer - I think I'll sub in seltzer for a more bubbly and lighter batter. It's a quick air fry and then dipping them in a sauce ro squirting with lemon juice. Should I use the greens for a salad? Yes! Dandelion greens are full of such vitamins as A,K,C and E.They;'re also good for liver and kidney health which is what  need to improve. I have an idea to mix them with chickpeas for a fun warm weather salad.

The warmer days do mean barbecue and this is the time to try exotic spices to liven up ribs and chicken. Try chicken wings and ribs ribbed with Berbere spice.This is a mellow and spicy blend used in Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking It makes for a different and delicious rub for barbecue favorites. You can easily buy it I=on Amazon or possibly find it in your grocery;s spice section.It canbe made it at home by coming ground ginger, nutmeg, cardamon, cloves  and fenugreek.A pinch of cayenne is added for some heat while cinnamon and allspice is used for some sweetness. Garam masala is another great spice mix that;s perfect for barbecued chicken. You can make an easy rub by combining it with olive oil and adding some salt and a pinch of paprika.Of course Spring is also the time for baking. Lavender is the one ingredient that all bakers want to try to elevate both their cakes, cupcakes and frostings. If you can  pick your own then do so,. English lavender is the best for baking and icings. It has the lowest camphor content and the sweetest , most floral scent.If you use the fresh use only half the amount needed in the recipe since most recipes call for dried. Also fresh lavender makes for wonderful decoration on cakes and cupcakes too.

Spring is the time for new recipes and flavors. Be daring.Be bold. Be creative with whatever is on your radar this season.

Your Yard Your New Grocery Store

 Surprisingly enough Sping gives you  a whole new grocery to explore.It/s a breeze to visit and it;s fun to walk through .Where is it Your Front and back yards// There are so many local plants to try .These make for interesting salads.

Before you go vront and back yard foraging there are a few cautions to follow.DON"T eat anything  you've sprayed with pesticides. Make sure everything I s"clean", that is chemical free.Use guide books or Apps like INaturalist to make sure what you;re picking isn;t toxic or harmful.Also think about local contamination.Are they a lot of dogs and cats in your area? They may use your Yard as their private bathroom, Life on a busy street means a lot for exhaust that can settle on plants.    Think twice then about picking from the  front area. The back may be a safer  - and cleaner choice.Also  good thing to remember is that your neightbor property is just that their property. Don;t go into  their yards with a basket ,(unless you have their permission) to pick plants. Another point to consider is that if you go into the woods remember that there are also non poisonous and poisonous plants existing together. Be extra careful with what you choose. Again the INaturalist app will come in easy here. Critters abound in your neighboring woods too.I;ts the start of copperhead season if you;re in New Jersey.. Be on the lookout for bears , cougars  raccoons and mountain lions. The woods are their property really, not yours.

What kind of plants should you pick. Think dandelions. These are carpeting lawns right now with bright yellow flours. These can be plucked, rinsed offed and then batter dipped. Air fry or fry in butter or olive oil for crunchy ,fun bites. They taste like popcorn and are a great with a dip. Don;t forget the dandelion greens.These make for a tasty ,nutrient rich salad.Choose younger leaves because they;re sweeter tasting and have a more tender texture. They may still be a tad butter but this can be solved by making a less acidic dressing. Just go light on the lemon juice or vinegar.These are great with a hot bacon salad, that has crispy bacon and sliced hard boiled eggs.You can also try them in a simple Mediteranean  salad or on e loaded with yummy walnuts.Nettles actually make for good salads too. Add chickpeas for protein  and dress with a za' atar laced dressing for a spicy side perfect with lamb or chicken.  A forager's salad with all these greens from your back and front yards. Toss in some grilled chicken or tuna for protein along with hard boiled eggs. Think of it as a rustic salad Nicoise , especially with the addition of tomatoes (which will come from your curated garden in a few months.

Your Yard is your grocery store. Look at the green that you have an d use them. They are not only free but delicious and good for you.

The Best Hot Weather Treats

Tart lemon ices/ Frozen chocolate dipped bananas. Fries and lobster rolls at your favorite seafood shack. Anything Boardwalk food. Or carnival.These are the hot weather treats that  make the upcoming season so special.

What is yours? Mine is a toss up.I love Bahr's Manhattan clam chowder followed by shrimp cocktail.I love anything Itlaian ice and I;m a big fan of my homemade gazpacho.  To me late Spring and summer are a buffet of tasty sweet and savory treats.

What is your favorite hot weather treats? Let us know and start enjoying them!

 

Corporate Bagels

It used to be bagel shops were family owned businesses.Everyone worked there, from grandparent to grandchildren with aunts ,uncles and cousins helping out. Tha'ts all changing. Investment companies are looking at this humble business and seeing dollar signs .It's an interesting yet disturbing trend.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. For years bagels were nothing more than mom and pop stores dotting mostly big city main streets.New York was the capital of this,  with Polish Jewish bakers first bringing them over in the late 1800's. They became something of a phenomena during the pandemic. Also a new generation of trend obsessed consumers want the true style, hand rolled and then boiled and baked originals.New chains featuring these are in need in the SOuth and the Sunbelt where there is a demand. With that comes big business, namely investment firms looking to make more money. The big change came in 2023  when Stripes a food focused equity company invested eight million dollars in Pop Up Bagels, a once small privately owned bagel shop.It does offer what a traditional mom and pop store offers. There are five types of bagels and customers can get a schmear of cream cheese or salted butter. Yet it also has trendy toppings like  cake cream cheese and berry butter.

What else spurred this interest? Americans are eating more and breakfasts on the go. Doughnuts, cinnamon rolls and bagels are the quick bite of choice. It also makes sense for bagel shops to serve the much wanted bagel sandwich.This usually consists of bacon, cheese and egg on a bagel, a sandwich not many smaller bagel shops will make. These are the money makers according to Andres Samper, the founder of Manhattan Bagel Equity Fund , a bagel specific investment fund that is focused on acquiring,  rebranding and scaling high performing bagels shops across the US. Butter bagels that only cost tow or three dollars are not going to keep a business alive.It;s these sandwiches, sometimes costing as high as fifteen or sixteen dollars , is what will keep a bagel shop running. Another aspect is that the money also feeds the cost of high tech ovens to make the perfect bagel whenever they are in the country . The Turbofan oven can quickly bake bagels throughout the day . Bagel affectionados may not be impressed by this They feel all this fanciness will flatten profits and the bagels themselves. Stores could wind up being run into the ground.

Bagel shops should be what they were in the past. They need to be family owned businesses who care for their food and their customers. Fancy bagel stores come and go. Family ones can last for generations.

Comforting Dishes Full of Flavor

 The Somalis have been though hell with the war and disruption followed by a diaspora to the US> yet despite it all , they still love their dishes. These are comfort foods, foods that remind o]them of families and their ancestry.

New contributor and author of the Somal based cookbook Soomaaliya,Ifrah F>Ahmed gave classic Somali recipes in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.Many younger families left the war ton country in the early Nineties and with that recipes from their elders who couldn't;Lt make the move. Favorite dishes were lost as were the spices that made them stand out. However Ms.Ahmed, who is also a social activist, had a mother who insisted on traditional foods and ways. Ms.Ahmed was lucky to have these dishes which she now makes and will pass down to her infant daughter. One dish is a childhood favorite>It is a simple tuna and egg scramble that can be made with fridge and pantry items.It just involves a can of yellowfin tuna in olive oil and six large eggs Half a chopped red onion is also added for more flavor.The onion is sauted first ina tablespoon of oil, then the fish and oil are added. Stir in beaten eggs and let sit , more like an omelt than a scramble.

Of course there is the Somali classic canjeen which is similar to the Indian dosas.This is kind of a pancake fried on a hot plate. Sorghum is used in the original recipe but here home chefs can sub in a mix of wheat and corm flours or even a pancake mix like Bisquick. This is one of the easiest recipes because it just has flour, yeast and warm water mixed together.It is hand mixed in downward motions.After this the dough is left in a covered bowl overnight to ferment and then fried the next day. Swirl the dough into a hot griddle so the pancake kind of resembles a bloomed rose. What works with is is Somali coffee.This is where coffee originates and the country has a coffee culture.Their coffee qaxwo has a fine blend of native spices .These are pinches of cinnamon ,cardamon and ginger added to a light roast Everything is boiled together in a rolling boil. Take it off the burner and let it settle down. Do this two more times before added the desired amount of milk and sugar.

Somalia has faced so many challenges in the past thirty years. The food is thankfully an anchor to better times past with family and tradition.It s flavorful and strong , the last like the Somalis themselves.

Kitchen Spring Cleaning

Every home chef has to do it - Spring cleaning of the kitchen. It;s time to greet a new season with sparkling appliances and cleaned out pantries and fridges. Once done' you'll feel better about cooking and baking in it.

How often do you need to clean the fridge? Every three or four months should do it.This isa  great time to clean out old foods and those mystery plates wrapped in foil. Also get rid of those bottles of ketchup and mustard that have crusted over or dried inside the bottle. Luckily frozen food can keep longer than fresh food and leftovers.It actually can last indefinitely but the taste and texture degrades over time. You can keep that bag of frozen carrots for well over a year but they won't be as bright or fresh tasting as a new bag.What about last year's ice cream and popsicles?Unopened  ice cream can only last two to four months.Once opened it's only good for one to two months.Forget homemade ice cream. Thanks to no stabilizers it can go bad very quickly Popsicles are tougher.They can survive relatively intact for six to eight months. They don;tspoil or become harmful, however they can become icy or lose flavor.Colors can change too.If you do want to preserve them .store then at the very back of the freezer away from warm air bl;astes when the freezer door is open.

How do you clean a fridge and freezer.First of all unplug it and start with the outside first. Use a rag and warm soapy water.  Dawn dish detergent is perfect for this.It can get rid of food stains,fingerprints and splotches. You can also use a one -one mix of white vinegar and water too/If you have a stainless steel exterior, then rub in the direction of the grain and buff dry. Add a tiny amount of olive oil to a dry washcloth and rub dry for sine. The interior is a more elaborate process. First remove all the shelves and clean everything with warm soapy water.Then wipe down the interior with a mix of baking soda and water for white vinegar.Also wipe down food containers so there are no sticky bottoms leaving marks. As far as your stove;s exterior, a baking soda paste mixed with water should do it. GO over twice, one with the paste then with a clean wet rag.This paste can also be used on the oven';s interior to get rid of great build up. Scrub with a non scratch pad and then a clean soft cloth.

THis is only a small part of Spring kitchen cleaning.Yet a clean fridge and oven are vital to sanitary baking and cooking., Do a good clean tof=day for that sparkling look.

The Poor Man's Risi E Bisi

Spring brings on the burger to make lighter, greener fare. One dish is the Venetian classic rising e bisi. It a rich rice dish full of carrots and peas , with the rice cooked in a rich broth.It's not a fancy dish,especially when you made the poor man;s version,

I was craving this but didn;t want to  deal with fussy arborio rice. I used long grained whiter rice for this .It's easy easy cook.

Minute rice works best with this and to give it that rich taste I cooked the rice in a mix of veggie broth and water. It was two and a half cups of broth to a half of cup of water.

I like Pacific brand soups and broth.Their veggie broth is thick and flavorful,

This is absolutely perfect for cooking rice and even pasta.It gives a lovely deep taste to ordinary white rice,e;eating it .

Whille the rice was cooking It was time to cook the carrots and peas Usually the recipe calls for just peas and they're added as the last step to the cooking rice. I wanted to make sure that the veggies were cooked so I microwaved them for six minutes.

The entire pot was stirred in.For extra flavor I added these.

Since I made six cups of rice I stirred  into a botu three heaping tablespoons of the plant butter and a good teo tablespoons of garlic powder(you can add fresh  minced garlic and shallots too for a more authentic taste)>

The butter and garlic powder were thoroughly stirred in until the plant butter melted.

The poor man;s risi e bisi should look like this.

How was it?

Heaven!!!!!I loved this poor man's version.The garlic and butter accentuated the rice and veggies.This was a perfect marriage of flavors. Even better it's so good reheated the day after for lunch or dinner.

Try this version of risi e visit for a quick Sunday supper.It's the perfect harbinger of Spring cooking/. It's brings a freshness and mellowness to the dinner table.

A Handful Of Peas

 One of the best Spring vegetables is actually not asparagus but the humble pea. This slittle green gem is not only good for you but also versatile,It can be put in a variety of hot and cold dishes and give a lovely sweet taste to any dish,

Right now it's Spring pea season. These are tender and sweet , just good in a sauce with pearl onions and melted butter.Peas are actually the seeds of the cultured pea plant .There's usually three to four in a long case called a pod. These perfect orbs have a lot of health benefits. They are perfect for diabetics because they have the low glycemic index of around twenty-two.They do not cause fast blood sugar spikes along with being high in fiber and protein, Peas are rich in magnesium, iron and potassium which again are good for managing diabetes.They're also chock full of carbohydrates which means they'll keep you sated and full after eating them.As tasty as creamed and processed peas are, try to avoid them because they contain high levels of sugar and salt.You can eat frozen peas . They picked and frozen at peak ripeness which means they're chock full of vitamins and nutrients. Keep in mind to check the packaging.Some companies may add sodium or salt for flavor.

Peas are great in everything.A pea salad is a nice side to a Spring lamb or Cornish hen dinner. Try using them in a salad full of crunchy radish sauces and mint.Creamy feta is also added to give the salad a silky feel and just olive oil as a dressing. Just a plain pea salad with some sprigs of mint is also good. Use a simple vinegar or lemon juice and olive oil dressing and a slight sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. A heartier meal using peas in the main course is the Venetian risi e bisi.It's a wonderful departure from typical risotto dishes,Diced prosciutto gives the dish a saltiness that pairs well with the peas sweet flavor.If you can't get prosciutto any leftover Easter ham will do.Garlic and shoots also give it a flavorful taste as its; cooked in either chicken or vegetable broth.Serve with a generous dusting of Parmesan cheese another Spring-y main dish is pasta primavera with peas and asparagus. Spring onions and butter are added to the half cup of asparagus and two kinds of peas,  a quarter pound of snap ones and three quarter cups of fresh English peas, They are part of the sauce ,  which also consists of creme fraiche ,Parmiggiano, Reggiano and fresh herbs are added later to the hot pasta(usually tagiatelli Peas can also be used in hummus too.It's just adding these gems to chickpeas and tahini blended together.

Use peas this SPring for a bright burst of sweet greenness. Try them in a zesty minty salad. Have them as part of a risotto to pasta dish.They are perfect ,cold to hot.

Spring Excitement

 Spring is the time for trying new dishes and rediscovering old ones.Itsa time when fresh veggies are used and lighter fare is a must. Where's the question - what are you excited for cooking and baking this Spring?

For me it's the Venetian classic risi e bisi  - rice and peas with a spin.I'm not going to use the required laborious rice but simple plain white. It should taste just as good and I'm also adding carrots for color too. (there will be a how to on this as soon as I make this)

What's got you excited for this new season? A veggie based pasta sauce? Lemon cake? Maybe lamb chops with herbs?

Let us know what going to elevate your Spring baking and cooking this season.

The Meat Controversy

Meat or no meat? That'sa question that's wracking America today. Should Americans follow secretary of Health RFK Jr 'd diet f filets and fermentation? Or should they embrace vegetarianism? What's the best way of life?

New contributor and regular New York Times reporter Lisa Miller wrote this fascinating piece in yesterdays New York Times Wednesday Food section.Carnivore versus herbivore isn't something new. Meat was always touted as the cure all for whatever ailed a person.During the Civil War physicians prescribed minced beef for strength. For those who couldn't;t afford meat which was expensive at the time there were elixirs  derived for meat they also didn't spoil which was common for beef and chicken before the days of refrigeration,Meat juice was promoted as atomic for sustaining and strengthening " the vital forces". One tonic , Valentines Meat Juice  promised that they cured and prevented pneumonia and flu. Not surprisingly vegetarianism was also on the rise at this time. Brothers William and John Harvey Kellogg promoted a meat free diet that released people from diseases, clogged arteries and even animal propensities in young eople. They and John Harvey 's wife Ella came up with that classic staple, Corn flakes. These were a better alternative to meat heavy breakfasts loaded with sausages and bacon.They even came up with what could be called a prototype for IMpossible meat.

The controversy is still alive and well today. RFK Jr is flouting his meat and fermented food diet where he eats steak, sauerkraut and yogurt.  Vice President JD Vance is on this diet. It seems greens are on the taboo list which can be a bad idea.According to MAHA  -Make America Healthy Again followers meat living is presented as a revolutionary rebuttal of established nutrition based science of plant forward eating, The much beloved Mediterranean diet is now suspect. Kennedy himself has dismissed the established nutrition science as dogma,claiming eating a fully meat based diet has made him lose twenty pounds. Even pro meat enthusiasts treat plants as if  they're poisonous. Influencer Anthony Chaffee, who  received a medical degree  in obstetrics and surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin claims that eating a slad has the same long term health risks as smoking cigarettes. There is a problem with all this  so called "scientific Facts" (if they can be called that), An all meat diet can;t cure all diseases.It can;t add decades onto a person;s life. Home chefs should take these claims with a huge grain of salt. They're scientistic based on some fact and not scientific  based on one hundred per cent facts.

What is the right diet? One that should be a balance of good low carb no sugar and salt foods.This is the healthiest way of eating possible. Its' not all meat .It 's a little bit of it.

Lightness All Around

Two aspects f Spring cooking are tightness and freshness.Gone are heavy winter stews and roasts. Gone are the root veggies that make up most of a cold weather diet. Now it's time to celebrate with lighter ingredients and a warmer weather outlook on cooking and baking.

Regular contributor David Tanis gave three seasonably perfect recipes for this kind of meal in today[s New York Times Wednesday Food section, The main course is salmon which he liberally douses with freshly ground pepper and nutty brown butter.He also does this for the side of parsley potatoes. Brown butter is an easy make .Just take a knob of butter and toss it in a hot pan.Let it sizzle for a minute and and a squeeze of lemon juice.The potatoes are just as easy to fix and go well with the fish.  They're first boiled and then simmered in a pot of well salted water They're then taken out left to slightly cool and peeled.  They;re returned to the pott be warmed. Parsley is then sprinkled on them right before serving.Of course the star of any Spring table is asparagus.Mr Tanis chooses to put it into a salad with feta cheese The tough ends are snipped off and the stalked are boiled in well salted water . After make the dressing a lemon vinaigrette with the addition of two teaspoons of Dijon mustard.Arugula,dill and feta are then added to the dressed asparagus spears.

Any Spring meal should have a fruity dessert Mr. Tanis gives a fresh strawberry tart This is a classic French tart that has a buttery pastry shell filled with a light custard. Strawberries top this off. The filling is an almond frangipane, which has a quarter cup of whole almonds that have been ground together with flour and sugar to form a rough powder two large beaten eggs are added a long with half a cup of butter (use a good one  like Kerry Gold for this and the pastry shell).Almond extract is also used to bring out the almond flavor. The pastry shell is another butter rich creation.One half cup of thinly sliced cold butter is added to a cup of flour and two tablespoons of sugar. The dough is made, pressed into a pastry pan and left to chill for two hours. The filling is then poured into it and everything is baked in a preheated 375 degree oven for thirty to forty minutes. The shell should be nicely browned by then.Let cool and then add whole or halved strawberries. Mr.Tanis dusts his tart with confectioner's sugar but it could be left plain too. Warmed apricot or raspberry jam can also be gently brushed over the berries with a pastry brush.

A Spring meal has the lightness and flavors of the season.These thee recipes certainly have that. Try them for a nice welcoming to warmer weather,

A Lighter Bowl

 Spring doesn't;t mean giving up the foods you liked in winter,Ir dies mean however, lighter versions. One such is soup, Those hearty stew like potages can be replaced by lighter ,fresher versions.It;s just changing up the ingredients to reflect the warm weather.

Can you still make a creamy soup during Spring? Absolutely yes! Think about using the veggie of the season -asparagus. It adds a sweet earthy flavor to the other ingredients and is a perfect lunch or a lovely first course to chicken or Cornish hen. The base is a low sodium chicken broth but for a fresher ,greener flavor try vegetable stock. You will need a lot of asparagus  - about two poubnds- cut into one inch pieces. There is heavy cream but you can make it vegan by adding any nut or oat milk. Garlic and butter round out the flavor. An easy one to make only needs an already cooked rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store and Spring vegetables. This can include peas and carrots and if you can find them Spring squash sliced into coins or slices.Add Herbes de Provence to amp up the herbal green flavor>This can easily be made just by blending thyme, marjoram, oregano and tarragon. You could add a few leaves of dried lavender for a more floral notes. The base should be a chicken broth and a squirt f Leon juice can be added for more brightness.

MInestrone is a hearty winter bowl. It's a perfect dish with its' array of tomatoes, pasta and bean along with veggies. Sub in asparagus, artichoke and green peas for a fresher , straight from the garden taste. There are still onions and potatoes to  give it heftiness. Other Spring greens arte also added. These are dandelion greens (which you can forage from your front and back yards. - just wash them thoroughly before using) chard, kale spinach and arugula cut into thin ribbons. A quarter cup of pesto is also added and the base can be chicken or vegetable broth. Pecorino or Parmesan cheese is grated over each bowl for more flavor.Vegetable soup is always a year round treat. Imagine a lighter version perfect for a rainy April day. Again asparagus is the star of this soup. There are also carrots, leeks and Swiss chard along with snap or snow peas. Garlic is added for more flavor  along with yellow onion and Italian seasoning. Vegetable broth is the base and risoot or orzO can be added for more heft.A sprig of fresh dill can be added for more greenness and bright flavor.

Soup can be made all year round.Try any of these Spring soups for a taste of lightness and greenness.They're worth every spoonful.

After Easter A Week Of Leftovers

 Easter feasts usually mean one thing - a week of good leftovers. There's so many  delicious savory and sweet dishes to make with them. They're even better than the actual dish!

Ham may be the star of the Easter table but it can also be the star of leftovers too.One of the best dishes  whether fro breakfast or breakfast for dinner is ham and eggs. There's nothing like buttery scrambled eggs with big chunks of ham. You can also make a tasty Denver omelet with it too by also adding chopped green peppers and onions along with tangy cheddar cheese. Ham also makes a great base for croquettes too.Make them Cuban style by adding Bechamel sauce for a creamy middle. You can make them Americans style too with green onions and garlic powder. What about the leftover asparagus.If you just served it steamed then jazz up the leftovers Piedmontese style with a sauce for melted butter and Leon and a topping of Parmesan cheese. They;re also good  in a salad .Cut  into bite sized pieces for easy eating.Add them to omelets too for a tasty green dish.Letiver Easter eggs can be turned into  Egg salad for lunches and a light supper. Add bacon bits to it for a flavorful variation . Also deviled eggs topped with scallions is another treat.

There is also a lot of candy too. Those chocolate eggs and cute Peeos along with chocolate chicks and lambs are fun nibbles. However you can also eat so much of them. Both chocolate and marshmallow treats can be served with ice cream. Peeps go well with chocolate ice cream and chopped chocolate eggs can be used as a layer between scoops in a sundae.A fun repurposing that's a great vacation activity is making Easter bark. This is taking any kind of chocolate, milk, dark, white or pastel and melting the morsels in the microwave. The melted chocolate is then poured onto a parchment line baking sheet.Sprinkle or stick on the candy and let it set.. Break it into big or bite sized pieces for fun snacking. Another idea is using the candy, especially if it's the Easter M&M''s or Cadbury's chocolate eggs.It's the same recipe as a regular chocolate chip, using brown sugar and flour .Another idea is making shortbread cookies and then icing them with frosting. Decorate with he leftover candy bits for a burst of chocolate-y goodness.

Easter leftovers can be just as delicious as the original dish or candy. Repurpose both savory and sweet into tasty dishes everyone will love.It'sa  great way of stretching the  holiday table another week!

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