All Saints Day Traditions

 Today is All SOul's Day , a day when food traditions honors loved ones who have passed. In Britian and Ireland it's Soul Cakes, (popularized in a Sting song) In Italy it's eating ossi de morte or bones of the dead. crunchy almond cookies bake din bone shapes. 

What is your All Souls' tradition. For my family it's roasting chestnuts. Crosses are cut on the top of them and the steam rising form them represent souls going to heaven. There is also the chance to enjoy the chestnuts" sweet meat seed too,

What foods symbolize All Sou;'s Day to your family> Let us know here.

A Cozy Halloween Party

 This isn't the year for big ,lavish Halloween dos;. A smaller one with just the family is not only budget affordable but nice and comforting.There's something cozy about having a fun meal with family or a very small group of friends. You can still have the Halloween  themed foods - just without all the hullabaloo.

What's a party without pizza. You can easily create one with ready made dough and sauce. Pillsbury along with stores like Stop and SHop and Acme sell premade tubes of dough. Have the kids - or friends - create fun jack'o lantern faces using peppers and olives.  You can also used cut salame and ham for the face if you;'re into meat lovers pies. Another fun idea is jack o lantern stuffed peppers.These are regular stuffed peppers.It's just carving out faces in bell peppers. Stuff them with a fun chili like stuffing. Add a good pinch of garlic /pepper blend into the ground beef , turkey or plant based meat. You can top them with slices of cheddar cheese too. This brings to mind jack o lantern cheeseburgers. Cut out two triangles and a crooked smile on cheese and place on grilling burgers.The cheese should melt all over the burger creating a pumpkin effect. A totally different twist is serving the elegant pumpkin soup. THis is a tasty blend of pureed pumpkin, sauteed onions, chicken or veggie broth and whole cream. This is the perfect potage for a chilly fall night.

What about desserts? COnsider graveyard pudding cups that are mini trifles of layers of crushed chocolate cookies and chocolate pudding.Take Pepperidge Farms Milano cookies and write RIP on them to represent tombstones. You can also turn the cups into pumpkin patch by switching in a few candy pumpkins and gummy worms.Another idea is pretzel pumpkins. Tis is dipping small pretzels in orange white chocolate  and letting them set .They'll resemble pumpkins when they dry. Add green icing leaves. A fun spin on a caramel apple is a stuffed baked apple. Core four apples. Layer, chopped caramel, butter  and chopped nuts in the core area. Microwave for a couple of minutes and serve with either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. ANother idea is a caramel apple cone.Layer ice cream, chopped apples tossed in cinnamon and caramel in a waffle cone. You can also do a Halloween treat bag cone. Add any flavor ice cream and layer with mini M&M;s mini Reeses cups and brokem candy bar pieces. Add some syrup if you want  or add a chocolate hard shell or it.

 Halloween is always more special if spent with family and a small group of friends. Have a tiny party with good food and desserts. It Amy be your most memorable one.

Can Gen Z Be Influenced To Cook

 Can the next generation cook? Yes, thanks to influencers and platforms they can stir and whip. Now there are chefs who are Tiktok stars that are also urging them to open a cookbook and cook.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. She focuses on Tini Younger who has influenced hundred of Gen Z wanna be cooks.  She is a chef, unlike other Tiktok cooks, graduating from the Disney Culinary Institute in Oelando FLoritda. She is one of the most popular figures on the platform.This Tuesday shell be publishing her first book Today We Are Cooling----, a collection of recipes that is also a teaching manual.There are no corners cut. SHee doesn't recommend utsing pregrated cheese.She urges readers to grate it fresh.It comes with detailed photography demonstrating basic culinary techniques. The books should sell well thanks to her legions of followers. In JUly Time Magazine named her a "Titan", one of the world's most influential digital creators, along podcasters Joe Rogen and Alex Cooper and the comedian Kareen Rahna,. TikTok even sent her to represent its' brand at the Cannes Lions, the annual media and entertaining gathering that follows the famed Canne Film Festival.The Times gives tow fo her recipes, her famed baked macaroni and cheese and her peach so there's pork chops.

Yet is Gen Z ready to cook?According to a 2025 research by the Food Industry Association they like the idea of cooking but the least likely to cook at home.They are turned off by the high price and would rather use Uber Eats for the easiness of it.Blame their parents too. Millennials  doubled down during the pandemic with such influencers as JOanna Gaines of Magnolai,Meredith Hayden of Wishbone kitchen and Hannah Neelman of the famed Ballerina Farm.They flourished on INstagram.Cookbooks by and for this newest generation are just hitting the market.Another Tiktok favorite, Nara Aziza Smith a firmer model, at age twenty five and mother for four published her first cookbook.Homemade. Her style is young trophy wife getting all d ressed up in make up a nd gown (she is a former model)Still, influencer cookbook sales are uneven.It;'s iffy if kids will purchase a book that has recipes they can get on line.Somerimes it works as with Joanne Lee Molinaro who published the niche The author's fan helped boost sales.

Can all this make Gen Z cook? Maybe . Yet the urge can also come from family and culture more than influencers. It's up to them in the end.

Scary Candy Scary Pricing.

 How can anyone not give out candy for Halloween? It's tradition.It's part of the American canon. Yet with rising costs treat givers are having tummy aches about what and how much to give out.

Regular contributor Kim Severson delved into this new All Hallows scare in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.. Cany , especially  chocolate prices on on a rise. - as is everything these days.Once recent survey has shown that seventeen popular Halloween candies showed a fifteen per cent jump in cost. A one hundred piece bag of candy is now a whopping $16.96 up a staggering seventy- one percent since 2 021 according to a digital media company finance Buzz. Google's most highly rated search was "where can I find cheap Halloween candy?" Thanks to this candy sales are down six percent this October compared to last year at this time. why the high prices?  Blame global warming. A climate driven cacao supply crisis sent prices to record highs in 2025. Companies then began formulating their chocolates with less expensive ingredients and selling smaller packages at higher prices. A bag of Reeses  miniatures now weighs  15.8 ounces than last year's 17.6 and costs a dollar fifty more.

What;s a treat  giver to do? Well luckily, kids are going away from chocolate. preferring the tart and zingy flavors of  Sour Patch Kids ,Skittles, and Nerd  Gummy Clusters.Others are giving away cheaper treats like temporary tattoos and trinkets that can be bought in bulk at lower prices.One treat giver, Tami Adolphson of Salt Lake City considered  turning off her porch light and ignoring  the kids. She and her husband closed down their trucking business last year so their budget is tight.Yet how could she miss out on a very satisfying experience? She caved in and went to CostCo where she s[ent $21.39 on a bag of mixed chocolate bars. Another way of celebrating the holiday is giving out much need school supplies.Cynthia Thomasset of Shilling ham PA. not far from  Philadelphia is doing just that. She plans to have plenty on hand because her neighborhood draws a lot of kids from poorer neighborhoods. People are getting creative. Angie Vasey of  Round Lake Illinois  will be giving out ramen,Magen and Matt Pillan will be giving out some candy but with a cup of Matt's homemade chili. However some don't; care about the costs like Mitch Collins of Oakdale California He bought close to two hundred dollars for candy just to keep up the traditiion,

Is keeping  a Halloween tradition work the high cost? Some say yes.Some say no. It's really depends on the cost and the budget.

A Good Fiber Diet

 Does the average American get enough fiber? That depends on the diet they're under.Women should have fifteen grams while men should bee eating eighteen grams a day,Yet thanks o busy lives, those recommendations are ignored. What to do ?Follow a good fiber rich diet.

Regular contributor for the paper''s nutrition and health Alice Callahan wrote about this dilemma and provided a diet in todays;; new York Times Tuesday Science Times. Why a push for fiber? Because it one of the best strategies for improving health.It nourishes gut microbes, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and improves digestion. It also helps and improves heart health and reduces Type 2 Diabetes and such cancers as colon and stomach cancer as well as breast and ovarian cancer too.Many people flimch when they hear that they need to put some fiber in their lives yet it's easy. Fruit and veggies have it.  This makes for refreshing eating. Instead of the usual breakfast Ms.Callahan recommends a bowl for melon chunks and grapes and a blueberry muffin.The average breakfast of bagels, butter eggs and bacon have none. A side of lemon or grapes and a kind of dessert could work too.Another idea is scrambling eggs with beans or veggies (May the last so not to create a gassy stomach for work)Avocaod toast works because avocado holds five grams of fiber. Another day starter has scrambled eggs cooked with pepper  spinach and black beans.Rolled oats can have raspberries and pecans, Flax seeds and chia seeds also raise the fiber levels 

What about lunch? The average sandwich on plain white bread has no grams of fiber.Adding lettuce and tomato slices help but not by much. Switch  it out to a colorful salad> The bowlful CNA still have tasty ingredients like ham and cheese but then added veggies like cucumbers and tomatoes along with shredded romaine lettuce leaves.Avocado toast or pita with hummus also makes an excellent fiber rich mood day meal;For  a hot meal think brown rice and lentils.Dinner has fiber rich pasta and rice which are versatile. Ms. Callahan suggests fettuccine with  two and a half grams of fiber cooked with shrimp  and Alfredo sauce.TRy  chickpea pasta which is super fiber rich at eleven grams with peas and a homemade pesto sauce,The peas are fiber rich with three and a half grams of fiber and the sauce which has .5 grams.Quinoa and  mashed potatoes also have fiber.Mashed potatoes have three  grams and its; paired with grilled chicken breast and salad. Quinoa is served with tempeh, edamame and fiber rich sweet potatoes for a tasty and different dinner.

Fiber is important to the body. Try to incorporate it into the daily diet. It could be in any meal to snacl. Just have it .

Your Go To Sick Day Food

 It may just be a bowl of steaming chicken and rice.It may be plain buttered pasta. Or a cooling ftosty malted>These are the go to foods we want and rave when we feel sick.

What doI  need?A hot soup maybe my bisnonn'a;or great grandmother's recipe for the Piedmontese classic pane pesto ro pom piest.This is a bread crumb soup similar to egg drop. Yet instead of cornstarch thickening it. it;s bread crumbs with beaten egg and broth. It is perfect for those days when I just want to crawl back under the covers.

What s your favorite when you're not up to par. Let us know and if you;re sick, fee better!

Better Than Take Out

Nothing beats a Saturday night of Chniese food what can be better? Actually the homemade version of it - namely the much beloved beef and broccoli. This is an easy dish that can be made up in less time than a delivery.

I have been craving beef and broccoli for a long time. Yet nowadays it's expensive to order take out from my favorite place. I created a simple four ingredient version t hat's beyond tasty.

I used Beyond Steak bits mixed with frozen broccoli.The broccoli was microwaved for three minutes first and then added to the olive oil sauteed beef tips

Flavoring was low sodium soy sauce and Clover Valleys cayenne  pepper - garlic mix. This last added so much flavor and I definitely recommend it for other recipes(I plan on adding a pinch in my tomato sauce for pasta for some kickiness.

Add a good quarter of a cup of the soy (you can add more if you find it the beef and broccoli too bland). and then add the broccoli

I added a healthy pinch of the cayenne pepper garlic mix. This is adequate and flavors the mix nicely.

Cook for about ten to fifteen minutes over a medium flame then let it simmer over a lower one. At this point to make it truly authentic, microwave rice as a side.

This was one of the best vegan beef and broccoli  I've had. The cayenne garlic  elevates both the Beyond Steak and broccoli;I. It definitely added punch to it and made it so much better than the take out version.

You don't need a take out to enjoy a Saturday night. Try this version for a delicious variation of the classic take out dish. It's way better with an extra kick

 

Easy Meals Easy Ingredients

It is hard to create and cooks even days a week. What do you make to satisfy not only family but self? There is a way. Just use simple ingredients that can be stretched into a variety of different dishes. Its easy and the recipes that come with it are easy too.

Regular contributor and master chef Yotam Ottolenghi wrote about this in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. He recommends using versatile ingredients like tomato sauce eggs and rice which figure large in the recipes he also gives.Tomato sauce can go over pasta one night while the next has it spooned over grilled fish or canned beans.Another way is t focus on the here and now of the hour. Cook something easy but substantial, complex but doable. Think a herby frittata with a whole block of feta dropped right in the middle. He gives a recipe for this .The frittata has eight large eggs  ,perfect for a family of four, along with a medium onion and baby spinach.These ingredients along make for a nice and light supper but Chef Ottolenghi adds a variety of bright herb.There's dill and cuminl eaves along with fiery Aleppo pepper for bite.  Then there's that big block of feta the eggs and other ingredients are whisked together and ser into a baking pan. The block of cheese is put in the middle and its  put on the middle rack of a 375 degree prep heated Farenheit oven. It can be served with toasty and buttered sourdough slices for more heartiness.

His sauce is  an unusual spin on a classic recipe.Any kind of tomato is used  ans he recommends using two pounds. Also two heads of garlic are minced and added in. Fresh herbs like oregano are also added a long with "soft" herbs like basil mint or tarragon (for a more authentic sauce just use basil)Sherry vinegar is also used for tang as is a pinch of sugar to contact the tomatoes' tang. This is not a traditional sauce.The tomatoes are roasted in a 375 degree Farenheit oven,  for thirty five to forty minutes. Stir occasionally and then remove. Once cooled add the sherry vinegar and garlic along with oil then mash the garlic cloves.Add fusilli pasta toss together and then add generous amounts of Parmesan cheese. There is also baked garlic rice. This has two cups of the long grained basmati rice first rinsed for a fluffier texture ans then added to a sheet pan with garlic and drizzled with olive oil.The garlic is roasted first in a pan in a 425 degree Farenheit oven for fifteen minutes. The ovenheat is raised to 475 Farenheit and the rice , four tablespoons of butter  and cloves along with cardommon, lemon ,zest and chicken broth is cooked in this .Stir well, nestle the garlic in the rice, heads up and bake for another twenty five minutes inder a foil tent. remove from the oven let the rice steam and thenash the garlic into the dish. Serve.

These are easy dishes with easy recipe and ingredients. They'rea tasty dinner for a busy night. Try them for simple but delicious eating.

Cereal's Healthy Change

 For a long time cereal was relegated to junk food.A box was too sugary. A kid would be better off eating a doughnut for breakfast.Now those bowls of grains are being changed . They;re better to eat and better for the diet.This should help their slump in sales.

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about this in  yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. In recent years cereal was relagated to foods of the past. A new generation either started the day with a quickly grabbed yogurt drink or protein bar. Some even skipped breakfast. Now cereal is making a comeback and it;s not just the sugary candy sort.The cereal giants have to do something to get out of the financial dip . Shoppers last year bout less than thirteen percent less cereal than in 2021, when the pandemic was winding down. According to Richard Caine,a senior analyst with the market research company Mintel, Generation Z is not too enthusiastic about cereal for breakfast. They're also not enthisuastic about products that have functional health benefits. The MAHA movement -Make America Healthy Again also is against them, expounding about how bad ultra processed food is. Also add in the addition of GLP-1 drugs that suppress appetites and the boxes being a higher price and there'sa reason why there's a dip in popularity and sales.

However the big guns like General Mills is striking out and going back to their roots. Cereals have been around since 1863  - the height of the Civil War. The first kind was created by Dr. James Caleb Jackson Jackson in Danville ,New York at his sanitorium. The first batch was a dried mix of water and a coarse whole wheat flour championed byt he inventor of graham crackers,Sylvester Graham, an eccentric health obsessed minister.The pieces were so hard that they had to be absorbed by milk and promoted digestive health. Cornflakes were created by the Kellogg brothers, John Harvey and Will Keith. They created a healthy way to have breakfast. Now brands are returning to that belief.The Ghost company who manufactures the ultra sweet but tasty  Lucky Charms  have added seventeen grams of protein pr serving That four times more than what was in the original serving.Frosted Mini Wheats now have more fiber than ever in them. There is also Kashi which health focused consumers like Nyles Peterson and Megan Saia eat.Kashi offers whole wheat biscuits or whole wheat squares (similar to Weetabix) Their other cereals are loaded with protein and fiber, making them great sweet snacks as well as a way to start the day.

Cereal needs to be made healthier if it's to survive.Companies realize this and are trying to get America to eat  a good bowl every morning. It may just take a dash more fiber and protein to do so.

Coleridge 's Healthy Birthday

 Today is Samuel Taylor Coleridge's birthday.The famed Early Romantic would have probably preferred a rich creamy tea with freshly baked  buttery scones, loaded with clotted cream and  jam_ whether strawberry or marmalade. However in this day and age  healthy birthday dinner is perfect.

Birthday dinners can be both fun and healthy. I bought this tray at my local Acme and created a tasty vegan French dressing from vegan mayo, ketchup , a dash of olive e oil and white wine vinegar.

This was a great mix with the veggies and I may put this into the Thanksgiving charcuterie tray.

Of course ,despite the healthiness there has to be CAKE!!! 

My nearby Acme has some good choices and I bought both a vanilla and chocilate version.

They came with fun ringss along with such great flavor. Coleridge would have approved of these sweet treats.

This is not a typical Devon cream tea.It's still  full of deliciousness and a treat at the end. It;s a great and somewhat healthy way to celebrate a new year.

A Good Cake

 What makes a good cake? Is it the flour? The type of butter or milk added.Or is the the baking process itself? many home bakers wonder as they tackle scratch cakes (made without a mix and fromcratch ) for the first time.

What actually does makea good slice? Consider what's in a cake. A good flour is essential for creating a moist crumb and tender bite. All purpose flour provides a sturdy velevety texture while cake flour has a lower protein content for a finer. more tender bite. What flour is the best? Classics like Swan;s Fown cake flour and any of the King Arthur flours work. There is also the finely milled Pilsbury Softasilk, perfect for high rise ultra tender cakes.You also need a baking soda or  powder to create gas to make the cake rise.Keep in mind that there is also baking soda which needs an natural acid like buttermilk or natural cocoa to activate.Baking powder has it's own built in acid to make the gas. A good cake needs a good fat such as butter or oil.Butter delivers a rich classic flavor while a neutral oil like canola or vegetable  stays liquid at room temperature to keep the crumb soft and moist for days,. If you;re using butter go for the best - Irish imported Kerry Gold. This has the smoothest richest flavor and texture. Eggs bind the whole batter together while adding moisture and richness Chicken eggs are the best for this. Every cake needs a liquid, whether milk, butter milk or coffee. This help dissolves the dry ingredients , hydrates the protein and creates stem to help the cake rise and expand,

To create the absolute perfect cake there also has to be crucial baking techniques.Butter, dairy and eggs must be put out to thaw out . They have to be at room temperature to emulsify  or combine smoothly along with properly tapping air. Cold ingredients can cause the batter to split or curdle.Proper creaming is also important. Beating softened butter and sugar together incorporate microscopic air pockets. When heated in the oven the trapped air expands it give the cake a light, fluffy lift. However over mixing can cause problems .Once the flour is added only mix until just combined.Over working the batter can lead to developing too much gluten which turns a soft cake into a  tough dense or rubbery one.Always remember that baking is a science. It requires precise measurements Weighing ingredients with a digital kitchen scale prevents packing too much flour into measuring cups. This results in a dry cake. What you bake the batter in also matters.Try to have aluminized steel like the USA Pan. The pans have a patented fluted /corrugated bottom to create an equal air circulation.Natural and anodized aluminum also is good to bake in. These last two prevent cake from doming and browning.

The perfect scratch can be made.It needs good ingredients , good techniques and good pans. The end result is a slice ,full  fof flavor and tenderness.

Your Favorite Birthday Meal?

 Everyone has their favorite birthday meal or dessert?It could be steak au poivre with a good red wine.It could be  smash burger with an extra side of fries? Or a homemade lasagna or shepherd's pie.

The question is what do you like to eat on your social day? Mine has always been risotto Milanese, that creamy Saffron rice dish fron Milan, There was something about the tang of the yellow strands that permeated arborio rice. It was sheer heaven and something my Mom made every year for me.

What is your favorite meal when you open up your presents? Let us know and if it'a your birthday  have a delicious one

Crazy Weather Crazy Cooking

 October has been giving us some wild weather lately. One day could be ninety  degrees and summery despite the fallen leaves. The next day could be full of frigid temps. It's worse dressing for this crazy weather  but what about cooking in it as well?

 One important  aspect is don't put away y the grill until there's the threat of a snow fall or ice storm. if the weather right now is pretty decent , keep the grill going.  You can still make all sorts of barbecue and even create fall themed salads like apple -cabbage slaw. It 's even good to host a backyard tail gate party where all sorts of meats and veggies can be put over an open flame. Many grocery stores have stopped selling charcoal but you can use non toxic , non chemically treated twigs. You can forage for twigs in your local forest. Think cottonwood,  mesquite , oak and hickory for an aromatic smoke. (of worst comes to worse and you can;t find any twigs or charcoal,, there is newspaper. Just don;t use lighter fluid on it other wise you;ll be dealing with a conflagration.  Another idea is just use your fire put to toast hot dogs and make s'mores.  As for  dessert think  apple cider popcicles to celebrate the season while cooking off. Its; just putting the cider in popsicle molds. added chopped caramel for a caramel apple effect.

If the weather is chilly and buttery then you have a whole range of warming foods to choose from. One of the simplest and the most comforting is Homemade soup.  A good Piedmontese pumpkin soup , rich with cream butter and rice is the perfect  hot meal on a nippy night. Be sure to use plan pumpkin  puree instead of the already  spiced one used for pies A chopped white onion is used for more flavor. Another great from scratch soup is a sausage bean and rice one. Use a recipe that is rich in veggies, from carrots, celery and chopped spinach and flavored with savory cannellini beans and Italian sausage. Of course cold weather means you can use the oven again for creating delicious roasts. There is nothing as satisfying as a London Broil with homemade Yorkshire pudding swimming in veef gravy. Serve with a slice of Brussell sprouts or spinach for a truly heart working, rib sticking meal. Cooler weather means a perfect time to bake too. Spiced pound cakes are always a favorite, They can be served as dessert with whipped cream or just eat plain with a hot cup of coffee or tea. 

Sometimes there is cray weather. That means going  with the flow and cooking accordingly. It makes for easier work .

&the Street Burgers Simple But Good

 It;s rare these days to come along a chain that sells simple burgers fries and soda. but 7th Street does just that.The menu is very limited.There's just burgers and cheese burgers. Meat and Impossible options.That's it. Along with the crispiest fries and the biggest can of Coke you'll ever see.

Iate there to night, curious about what they were. The decor is Fifties hamburger joint with a lot for chrome and white decor.

 However it's the food that's the throwback to burger stands of seventy years ago

I could have had my burger with the works but I just opted for their special sauce , onions and pickles. This was by far the best Impossible burger I;ve ever had they make it smash style which means it has crispy lacy edges. The fries are so good , -hot golden and crispy.. One serving can feed three people! I see on their website that they also have vegan Impossible fries and chili fries at other locations. Just these are perfect for me!

7th Street has the best old fashioned burger and fries hands down! head over to this lucky street and get a taste of something once forgotten. It' a a tasty blast from the past!!

7th Street Burgers located at  370 West Pleasant view Mall (by Stop and Shop Hackensack NJ

A Seaside Sicilian Meal

 Sicily has always been known for their vast amount of seafood.This Island has always fed millennia of visitors and conquerors it['s rich ,briny bounty.Nowadays it's easy to recreate this meal along with adding a dessert and nibbles  reflect the island's harvests.

Regular contributor David Tamis used a recent trip to the famed island to recreate a dinner  for his column in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. He first had it when Sicilian friends took him to a waterside eatery and he was able to pick out his fish. The fish was roasted in a wood burning oven and then tossed with pasta and a quickly made sauce,It is easy to replicate here.The salad is almost like salad crudi with fresh onions and red peppers quickly sauteed in olive oil. Tomatoes and white wine are added and then pieces of boneless roasted fish are added.Saffron is also added for color and more flavor.Tanis had his with bronzino but he also made it with cod and haddock.Any firm fleshed fish will do   such as rockfish sea bass or Covina. A chunky pasta is needed here so try a papparadelle rigatoni or even penne. The original recipe called for paccheri,  a sturdy  chewy kind of tube pasta. 

As for the before dinner nibbles Mr Tanis had and made zucchini eggplant caponata toast, a riff on true caponata which has more tomato and no zucchini. He wanted a lighter flavor for this  which is eggplant fried in an olive oil then simmered in a sweet sour sauce  of tomatoes vinegar and sugar along with capers,green onions.,celery and sometimes raisins. He uses only a tablespoon of tomato paste but more of celery and white onions.Sugar sweetens it while  red wine vinegar gives it a tang. Onions and celery are fried and then these ingredients are added to it along with vinegar capers, dry white wine and Castelvetrano olives.Its then served on toasted baguette slices. Dessert also represents the Sicilian harvest. he roasts pears flavored with a bit of powdered fennel seed. Sliced pears are first tossed with fennel powder, vanilla lemon juice and brown sugar and then dotted with butter cubes before roasting in a 400 degree Farenheit oven for half an hour. Zabaglione, that dreamy mixture of  egg yolk , Marsala and sugar is m ade over a double boiler and then ladled into bowls. The pears are then placed in this and served with a dusting of chopped pistachios.

Sicily is known for it;s amazing array of both fish and farm . Make these recipes to celebrate the marriage of land and sea.It's a lovely way to preserve a summer.

A Bite Of The Past

 Nowadays apples have that sweet but bland flavor.They've evolved from flavorful bites into slices of uninspiredness. Now there;s a new push to bring back the heirloom apples. They were around for centuries and somehow got lost.Not anymore.They;re comeing back with a delicious vengeance. 

New contributor  and former food and lifestyle editor at the Wall Street journals Off Duty section Sarah Karnasiewicz wrote about heirloom apples in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.These gems are literally a taste of the past that intrigue cooks and apple afectionados alike. The flavors can have a honeyed sweetness to even a dark clove flavor.Now thanks to apple specialists or pomologists and fruit detective these lost varieties are coming back.For more than fifty years pioneers like Tom Burford of Vitginia,John Bumker of Maine and more recently Dsavid Benscotter of Washington State have surveyed property maps,aerial photos, and deserted farms. They also scoured vintage nursery catalogs, county fair records and more to search out these apples.Southberry Connecticut's James Wargo of Hidden Gem Orchard considers himself the beneficiary of their work. He can propagate a twig from an earlier type and graft it onto one of his trees. He offers an Eighteenth Century English varietal with an outside crunch and electric fizzy flavor.There is also the juicy Ribston Pippin ,a favorite fo Charles Dickens thats' making. a comeback I was the bases of his favorite apples a la Princesses also made with marmalade and cream sherry.

Mr. Wargo is  bringing back other apples from the past.He has a harvest of Kandil Sinap,a petite egg shaped variety found near the Black Sea around 1800 and the Black Oxford a1700s. specimen from Maine that  stores well and has non traditional purple skinThere are other heirloom apples that taste like banana bread. THese are so tasty that now people don't want to eat what grocery stores have to offer.Other heirloom apples like Cox Orange Pippin which has a surprisingly citrus taste with notes of honey , lemon and tropical notes and the oldest Court Pendu Gris which was first cultivated in France in the 1300's.It has a rich spicy flavor, perfect for a fall galette.Genevieve Weston is another orchard owner who is bringing back the ancient varieties that her grandfather planted in Waukesha County Wisconsin a century ago. Her family knew that the traditional apples were more flavorful and tasty than the modern ones so they made it their mission to grow them.Their apples have had it to many local farmer markets where they offer COurt Pendu Plat, first recorded in 1613  which has a nutty amusette flavor  and Calville Blanx d"Hiver used in many a tart tatin. Its' fruity mix of banana and pear notes makes it unique.

It's time to try a taste of the past. Heirloom apples are the way to go for a flavorful apple. TRy them for a different experience and a link to the past.

Fancy For The Holidays

Besides all the Halloween gear there are also Thanksgiving and Christmas stuff popping up in the stores.It raises the question is your dining room ready for the holidays? Are the lines and silverware still holding up? What about the China? Maybe it's time for a refresh.

How long do linen tablecloths last? A good one can last up to twenty to thirty  years - which is why they make excellent shower gifts (and why they were always a de rigeur wedding present). Keep in mind that they do age or yellow.Natural linen fibers yellow or oxidize over time. leaving an ivory or pale yellow tint.Food and wine stains also leave discoloration  and surprisingly putting tablecloths and napkins in the dryer.The immediate heat sets the stain and can never be washed out. If yours is old and yellow you may want to think about buying an entirely new set. There are some great buys from department stores such as  Target have sets for  around one hundred dollars. Etsy has some beautifully handcrafted sets with embroidery and lace insets for as low as thirty dollars for four napkins and twenty -two dollars for a whole set of ten. You can also get jacquard  woven tablecloth and napkins at Kohl's, This is a beautiful orange colored covering, perfect for Thanksgiving or any fall family gathering.

Chinaware, as we know from seeing it in museums can last hundreds of years. This is why it's passed down from generation to generation. However it should be treated with kid gloves. Every piece should be hand washed with a mild soap and soft cloth and sponge. Use paper ,cloth or felt plate pads to divide them so they don't scratch up against each other, NEVER microwave any chinaware that has silver or gold trim. That could damage both the plate and the microwave.If you;re looking to retire the family heirlooms there are dozens of places to find replacements. Again Target comes to the rescue here. They have one in the pattern Spritz which is [plastic with a metallic trim.These are kid and dishwasher safe.Their Stoneware choices are also lovely and these can easily turn into heirloom pieces. Amazon also has  a varied and lovely section .You can even order a few days before Thanksgiving and they'll come for the big day, This is also time to check your silverware or goldware. They may just need a gentle washing with Dawn(preferred) or Ivory . Again if you feel you need new forks and spoons then check any of your big department stores. Even Walmart has some great sets.They have a forty-nine pieces e set for as low as $29,99. This covers everything from that first course of soup to dessert.

This is the time to reassess your fancy ware. The holidays will be here soon enough. Make sure your table looks lovely with sophisticated lines, plates and utensils.

Your Most Used Kitchen Gadget

 Fall is the time  of year when there's more cooking and baking Appliances and gadgets that were on summer break are suddenly in use again.

Here's the question - what do you use the most during the chillier months.Is it the oven to cook roasts and bake all sorts of treats? Is it the blender for mixing sauces ? The mixer for batters and frosting? Or do you just stick with the air fryer you used all during the warmer months. Personally I always use my Air fryer for easy cooking and simply because food tastes good in it .I also use this

This was my Mom;s  stockpot  from Target and it makes me feel connected to her. Fall is the time of year when I make more homemade soups, sauces and chilis. This is used at least once a week to make all those delicious recipes.

What do you use the most when the leaves  turn and there's a nip in the air.? Let us know.

A Tasty Soup For Fall

 One of the best things about fall cooking is homemade soup. There is something so satisfying about cooking veggies and meats in a broth and turning it into a simple but delicious meal.It makes for a tasty weekend dish that can carry on into a busy week.

I found this was the case for a soup recipe that came into my inbox.It was a sausage rice ,and beans soup which sounded so tasty .I decided to make my own version of it.

It starts with a good saute mix o Melt butter and Stop & Shop Olive oil Cover a soup pot with a thin layer of olive oil Add two heaping tablespoons of the Melt

Add two cans of cannellini beans and  and a small container of chopped baby bella mushrooms.Cannellini work this best for any Italian soup. Saute these for about five to ten minutes.

It's then adding about two  cups of baby carrots (for color and about a cup of celery chopped into one inch pieces. Stir these in a long with chopped vegan Italian sausage (you can use the real deal as you can use real beef broth )

Stir these into the mix as well.

I used frozen spinach Instead of fresh simply because the fresh version can't be trusted thanks to it being a possible breeding ground for cylospora.The whole package about sixteen ounces was put in and it does cook down quickly.

Spicing is incredibly important here. I used a good two to three tablespoons of garlic powder and a good tablespoon of onion powder. Taste .I then added a few leaves of fresh basil from my basil plant to give it some earthiness and brightness. You may need to add more of either  powder ,along with a pinch of salt and pepper. (I didn't on this last)

Its now time to add the broth. I used the entire container - about four cups - of Nature's Promise from Stop and Shop.Any broth can be used here.I wanted to make this more vegan.

At this point also add a cup of either white or wild rice. I like white because it doesn't take away the  flavors of the other ingredients.

Simmer everything for twenty minutes or until the carrots are firm but tender.

This was a great soup and I plan on making it a lot this season.

I loved how all the flavors came together and create a perfect vegetable soup that was full of flavor and protein. It was sooooooo gooodd! I can't wait for the leftovers tomorrow. I may get crusty rolls to have with it a second time. It;s the perfect marriage of sausage, spinach , celery carrots mushrooms beans and rice.

A good homemade soup is a must cook in the autumn,Try this heavenly recipe for the best bowl ever.It is the best soup for these chilly days and nights!!!!
 

Bad Chicken And A Night Off

 Thanks to some bad chicken and beyond belief stomach cramps we'll be closed tonight. I wanted to write on homemade soups and the need for them.

Tomorrow will be a brighter and hopefully cramp free day Rule of thumb never gobble any cold meat when you're hungry. It can really mess with your stomach

Florence Fabricant's Delicious Rise

The food writer Florence Fabricant  is netrnched in the New York Times Over the decades she has contributed some amazing articles and recipes. Now there's her version of how she became a writer for the world's most prestigious newspaper. Her new autobiography and its a delciousread.

The Times published  an excerpt former new book Salty Not Sweet Running Press Adult) in yesterday;s New York Times Wednesday Food section.  Her career didn't;t start with the Times but with a Hamptons newspaper.It was 1967 and she and her young family rented a cottage in Wainscott New York, a quiet historic Hamlet that's part of the ever trendy East Hampton. She wanted something more .Her time in New York City was spent teaching Haitian kids to speak English. She considered getting a doctorate in French but after that  - what next - teaching. yet; she;d have to learn another language for a PhD.in French. That was a daunting consideration since New York University required it couldn't;t be a Romance language.Law school was off the table too. However another thought entered her mind.It had to do with her love of cooking and abiding passion for food  plus her mother's influence.Ms Fabricant because a food authority amongst her circle of friends. They loved her dinner parties and her advice on ,local produce stands.She knew where to get the best Cole slaw and roasted duck.

She was also becoming annoyed when seeing other home chefs buying heads of bland i  ceburg lettuce wrapped in plastic and pale pink tomatoes that looked more like tennis balls. She wanted to set supermarket shopper straight, introduce them to stands of freshly picked corn ,tomatoes and peppers. She saw that the weekly newspaper The East Hampton Star didn't not provide a food column. This provided the perfect opportunity to write about a local farm to table movement decades before there eas an actual farm to table movement..Her letter to the paper's editor, Everett Rattray proved to be successful. SHe would write a weekly column plus a recipe. She wasn't;t going to do it for free.There had to  be some kind of payment. Her first column was four hundred words and she was paid  twenty-five dollars.That was in May of 1972.By October of the same year she was featured in a Times interview by Alden Whitman. Even the Times resident food critic and recipe provider Craig Claibrne noticed her.Mr. Whitman;s wife Joan also noticed her and that opened the floodgates. Why? She was editor of the Times food pages. The rest is history.

It took a weekly column in a local paper to make Florence Fabricant a household name and a powerhouse food writer. Her recipes are replicated the world over. What started as a small job became one that is forever connected with the New York Times

A Kinder Way To Eat

  Buddhism is one of the most compassionate religions in the world. No animals are killed.There is gratitude, love and compassion for the ingredients and for those to eat them. Now there is a new book by a well known Buddhist chef that shows how to cook this way with interesting recipes.

Regular contributor and restaurant critic Pete Wells wrote about the chef Eric Ripert in today's New York Times Wednesday Section. Chef Ripert came from Andorra ,a country tucked in between France and Spain.Growing up Eastern philosophy and religion was not part of his life. He found it surprisingly in an airport as reported in his new  and latest book "Mindful Cooking" (Random House 2026), He found Buddhism in 1989 when he was a young chef on  a layover to a job in the United States. The book was full of hoakum with a phony author and that it was dictated by Mrs. Fifi Greywhiskers ,a Siamese cat.He overlooked all his and truly embraced the beliefs.The books he picked up kindled something I his heart .His interest deepened when he read the translation of the Dalai Lama's speech on receiving his Nobel Peace Prize. He also attended the Dalai Lama's lectures as well as working one on one with a  teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. He has promised his wife and son that he could never be a monk but does do meditation.

His cooking Buddhist intensified  when he met Buddhist nun Jeong Kwan in her hermitage above the  Baekyangsa Temple in 2014 . He was in South Korea filming "Avec Eric " a food travel show that ran for three seasons. They hot it off, sharing with and charisma but it was his Buddhism and love of cooking that furthered his cooking world. She told him about Spring planting where Buddhist monks thank not just the plants but the weatherman, earth and universe.Meals were prepared with  feelings of gratitude,compassion and kindness (which  a lot for home chefs also put into their meals). He has learned from his stress free type of cooking.Ches are very much in control and very much at peace with the process he gives a recipe for a lettuce pancake that stems from Chief Abbess Gyeho Sunim at the one thousand year old Jinkasa temple in Seoul.Chef Ripert saw a wilted head of lettuce and he asked her what they could do with it. She crushed  the stem of the lettuce with a knife and fried it in perilla oil.There is a dipping sauce made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds. It is a mindful way to eat.

Buddhist cooking is the way to go. Chef Ripert knows this and suggests people cook this way. It is a cooking born out of love for the plant world .

Tailgating Hot and Cold

Yes, its that time of year for tailgating. There is an array of really great recipes out there to try The question is do you want all cold or hot dishes? What about a mix of both catering to everyone's tastes? 

Cold dishes usually means heroes and there's so many to make. Nothing beats an Italian style sub .With any sub make sure you buy a good chewy on the inside and crusty on the outside. Italian or French bread. The cold cuts can vary. If everyone likes prosciutto then make the sandwiches with that.If they prefer a mix of salami and pepperoni then have that.The cheese should always be an aged sharp provolone however if everyone  wants sliced mozzarella then have that. Skip the lettuce since there's  so many fears and controversy . Do have sliced tomatoes to give the sandwiches some more flavor and moisture. A good Italian vinaigrette can be sprinkled on for more flavor. You can also have turkey and avocado subs and roast beef or ham with any kind of cheese like Cheddar. Wraps are also a good tailgating dish.Think a chicken salad with chopped celery and avocado chunks. Add a spicy mayo for more flavor.Tuna salad is another great filling along with ham salad too. You could also try a ham and spinach roll up that can be cut into pinwheels for bite size eating.

Hot tailgating recipes are a plenty.What about a crockpot chili, that's perfect on these chilly days. You can make it mild or extra spicy for added heat.There's also white turkey chili made with ground turkey meat, bell peppers and white onion.Canned corn is also added.For the broth try crushed tomatoes cooked with chicken broth.Add white cannellini beans for more protein. This is great served with giant corn chips. They're perfect for dipping into the chili.Wings are always welcome at any party so make a big batch of them.These can be made extra spicy like Buffalo wings ro teriyaki style This last is a sauce of soy sauce, pineapple juice and fresh ginger. There is also white sugar and water added.Whisk all these together and marinate the wings in these. Save some of the marinade for the sauce too.The chicken does have to be marinated for an hour before cooking.Fried chicken is good but messy.A neater solution is f ried chicken tenders.Dip them in panko crumbs for a crunchy bite. Serve these with a slew of dips, like ranch ,barbecue or hot honey. A hot dip with spinach and artichoke is a great bring. It can be served with all sorts of dips or bread chunks.

Tailgating can be cold or hot. It;s up to you to decide. Both have amazing and delicious dishes everyone will love. Make either for a fun parking lot party.

Your Favorite Fall Drink

It;s the time of year again for both hot and cold flavored drinks!! Do you prefer an iced latte for those warmer than average October days? Or a hot cocoa or toddy for those chilly autumn nights.

For me there's nothing like Lidl's peppermint hot chocolate .It's not as sweet as the other hot cocoas and it's creamier because milk is added  and not water. It's just a nice after dinner hot drink that works (ad it is good also during an afternoon break as well.

What is your favorite hot or cold fall drink? Let us know here and enjoy your sip.

Your Apple Picking Guide

 October is apple picking season.The weather is cooler.The skies are bright. Time to get a basket and go a picking. 

The first aspect to consider is how to dress. Wear comfortable clothes.Jeans and sweats are fine as are sneakers,Crocs and light socks. It's still summery out during the afternoon hours so you want to dress comfortably.Wear a tee shirt but have a hoodie on  hand in case the temps  drop. Even thought it is October, the suns rays are still strong.Bring a hat (like a bucket one) along with  sun screen and lip balm. Sunglasses are always a good choice too.A lot for farms won;t let you sneak an apple to eat so bring something like a sandwich or peanut butter sandwich crackers. Some farms like Delociois Orchards n Colt's Neck, New Jeresey offers hot dogs and hamburgers along with fries and chilled apple cider.Other farms will probably have food trucks in their parking lots too. You can bring water though if you get thirsty(although most farms also sell bottles.)What about baskets? Most places will provide with you one so you don;t over pick.

What apples are ripe for the picking right now. That actually depends on where you are. It is Red Delicious season no matter where you are These are mildly sweet and perfect for snacking..Some trees are producing the glossy red Idared, an apple with a tart slightly sweet flavor.These would be perfect for caramel or candy apples because the tartness is a perfect foil for the sweet covering.Another ruby red gem is the Cortland apple.Its' flavor is also tarty and fruity but also has a berry like finish.Try it thickly sliced in salads or slaws for a different spin.Other red skinned apples are the Mcintosh and the Empire.Both of these are refreshingly tart and make for a refreshing dessert.The bright yellow Golden Delicious is a different take on the fruit. It's flavor is very milk with almost a honey like sweetness with subtle floral undertones. These are a top choice for pies and sauces.There is also the green Crispin that have a combination of zestiness and honey sweetness to them.

It's apple picking season.Go out and harvest a basket or two. Then enjoy the varieties , whether sliced, candied or baked in  a pie.

The Main Ingredient Vinegar

 Somehow vinegar is not a favorite ingredient save for salad dressings. Yet its'differet varieties can be used in a number of savory and sweet dishes. It;s a tangy change up that add to any dish.A dash of vinegar gives a recipe much needed dzing.

Before you use any vinegar keep in mind that there are several different types. There is distilled white vinegar that's perfect for cleaning bathrooms and windows but it's also excellent for pickling and canning.It does have a neutral flavor so it may not hold up to other flavors like onion or chicken.Many home  chefs, like myself prefer using apple cider vinegar in all sorts of cold and hot dishes(it's my go to vinaigrette ingredient)It made from fermented apple juice and has a fruity tart flavor.It;s perfect for slaws ,marinades and health tonics. The one that most people use and are familiar with is red wine vinegar.Its made from red wine and has a punchy flavor.It pairs well with hearty meat dishes and tomatoes ones.It;also makes for a very flavorful vinaigrette. A lot of trendy home chefs use balsamic vinegar which is more syrup.It's made from pressed grape must or juice  that's been aged in wooden casks.It's dark sweet and syrupy, perfect for roasted veggies , salad dressings and glazes. A lighter choice is white wine vinegar.This is made from fermented white wine andh has a mild, delicate slightly sweet taste. Use it from chicken  dishes,There is also malt vinegar made from barley or beer and rice wine vinegar made  from fermented rice wine.

One of the best dishes to makes, especially during Savoy cabbage season is  avariation of the Piedmontese cold weather dish pescoi. Our recipe is taking uncooked polenta ,wrapping it  in the cabbage leaves.These are tightly bundled with heavy sewing thread and fried in a mix of oil and butter.They're later pickled in a bath of red wine vinegar , garlic cloves and salvia leaves.The tart vinegar tastes make the rolls taste so wonderful.It gives the buttery  flavored cabbage and polenta that much needed zing. Another dish is vinegar chicken.There are two ways of   vinegar chicken - Italian and French.The Italian version  call for chicken breasts to be sauteed in a rich wine and vinegar sauce. The chicken is lightly floured to give it a lovely brown look while its'being first roasted.The sauce is a blend of red wine vinegar and dry white wine.A tablespoon of granulated white sugar is also used .Add chicken stock and an onion to this .As it;s simmering then add the chicken pieces.Cover the pan and place in a  preheated 350 degree Farenheir oven for twenty minutes.The French version is  rich with cream, butter and tomato paste along with a mix of white wine vinegar and white wine.It;s basically cooked the same way.

Vinegar is an ingredient that should be used in more dishes.It has a rich tang that elevates any dish.Try it to have a tastier, zingier dinner.

Adding Some Tea

 Most of the time tea is used as the  hot or iced beverage to wash down fantastic slices of cake and cookies. Yet it is a great ingredient to any sweet treat ,giving any slice or bite an earthy smoothness.Any kind ,from chamomile to Earl and Lady Grey are great additions to a simple batter or dough.

New contributor and supervising video producer for New York Times Cooking gave three recipes in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Mr Vreeland is an avid baker who loves to create all sorts of delicious cakes and cookies.His inspiration comes from that classic "The Great British Bake Off along with switching to tea and ditching caffeinated cups of coffee. These are wonderful recipes for a Sunday tea or brunch with friends but they're also great for a mid-afternoon or afternoon snack. Doing such lets people unwind and just enjoy the quiet , flavors and surrounding area.One cake , the recipe by Arlyn Osborne and adapted by another great Times Food writer Ligaya Mishan.has the spike of ginger along with the Filipino tea Salabat which is just simply boiling ginger root in water. It gets infused into the sponge along with ground ginger and honey.For a silky crumb sour cream is added a long with two large eggs.Lemon juice and zest are also added to cut the ginger's zing and give it brightness. The glaze mirrors the cake.It so made with confectioner;s sugar honey and lemon, Crystallized ginger is finely chopped and added for more zinginess.

Another New York Times Food section contributor Eric Kim gives his recipe for a loaf made with chamomile tea.It symbolizes the coming of fall while the glaze is a blend of  the summer flavors of lemon and strawberry Mr.Vreeland also compares the slices to a sunset which is fitting for fall. Two tablespoons of chamomile tea taken from the bag and crushed fine if coarse are used a long with fresh lemon zest.This is a buttery cake with half a cup of butter being used and two large eggs for body along with kosher salt. The glaze is freeze dried strawberries crushed through a mesh sieve to create a powder and into confectioner's sugar.Lemon juice is added to turn it into a thick glaze to be poured over the cake. Of course this is also the season for cookies.Carolina Gemen gives a recipe for London Fog ones made with Earl Grey and culinary lavendar.The tea is steeped into melted butter and lavender which Mr Vreeland avows as the most heavenly scent.The slick of butter laced vanilla frosting is reminiscent of the actual London Fog drink.This is where Earl Grye tea is mixed with steamed milk and a splash of vanilla extract.Brown sugar and twelve tablespoons of butter are also added to the dough making it for a smooth buttery bite. The frosting is butter milk and confectioner's sugar with a touch of vanilla extract.The cookies are decorated with lavender for a very pretty effect.

Tea is;t just for drinking.It's the perfect addition for these cakes and cookies. All kinds from salabat to Earl Grey to chamomile

Aga The Indian Super Restaurant

 Many mom and pop restaurants  stay small for years and decades.This is not the case with Aga's, an IndianPakistano restaurant in Houston ,Texas.It has  big Texan energy mixed with deliicous Siuth Asian food. It is the must see restaurant in her area, drawing in hundreds of people a night!

Regular contributor and chef Priya Kirishna wrote about this phenomena in today's New YorK Times Wednesday section. Aga's is the go to  place for a Saturday night, with long lines rivaling the lines for concert tickets.It's a super popular place.The eatery serves about four thousand guest a day!!!! Then there's another sixteen hundred take outs and deliveries on a daily basis.Their annual net is around eight figures a true rarity for any independently owned place in the world. According to the Uber Eats Company Indian and Pakistani food are not even in the top three cuisines it delivers and Houston is not even in the top Uber cities. Two reasons might be that the food is consistent and there are strong ties to the Houston area according to Safraz Maredia, and Uber Eats executive who oversees operations in Canada  the US and Latin America.Another reason comes from Houston Chronicle food critic Bao Ong  who gave Aga a top review says it's the community that makes the restaurant and the clientle is loyal.The food is incredibly authentic with such favorites as chicken handi -  a North Indian classic of barbecued chicken and roasted I in aspciy buttery tandoor sauce along with biryanis with all sorts of meats and vegetables.

It didn't start out like that for the Maredia family of six brothers and sisters who bought Agas' (they're not related to the Uber Eats executive mentioned earlier). The restaurant was struggling and there was a fact that none of them had any restaurant experience.They had just moved from California and were finding limited business One brother Shankat even asked another brother if he really wanted to buy it. Their persistence paid off The inconsistent food became consistent and the space got revamped. They added regional specialties from their childhoods in India and Pakistan  such as Hybera badi gosht made with slow cooked lamb and Balti gosht  a slow cooked lamb curry with an aromatic sauce of tomatoes and garam masala.Youtube and their spouses provided cooking instruction. Customers were slow r come at first,even from the local mosque (although that is due to a mosque member  owning a rival restaurant). It was word of mouth that made the masses come.They became so popular that they opened dup in Katy Texas (Renee Zellweger's'  home town) thirty miles away,. They're planning on more restaurants throughout the region.

Aga's is a phenomenon that no other restaurant could match. It has good Indian and Pakistiani food that rivals no one. They are the super eatery of the US

One Recall After Another After Another

 It seems like everyday some food in the US is being recalled. It started with lettuce with cylospora , Now it's mice in pepperoncini. There's no telling when it will end.There is telling how to shop during this time.Carefully and alertly. That's the best advice for now.

How did we end up here? We've always had recalls, dating back to the early 1900's thanks to the great writer Upton Sinclair who exposed the meat packing industry in his groundbreaking novel The Jungle.  Thanks to him we have federal food safety legislation which seemed to work for over 120 years. However thanks to RFK Jr and the Trump government there haven;t been so many enforced regulations.The FDA here in the States has been under all sorts of cuts.The number of people making inspections have been axed and companies have been allowed to get away with all sorts of shortcuts. That means the consumers are now getting lower quality foods and drinks. It also has reached ingredients like  eggs and flour along with milk. It;s a crap shoot as to what could affect you.It could be cylospora or cylosporiasis derived from the nasty little parasite that causes explosive diarrhea and stomach cramps.People have been hospitalized for a along as seven weeks with it.Salmonella is another problem that's making the rounds too.This rod shaped bacteria has also caused the same stomach tsunami as those parasites. Then there are the findings of everything from a dead mouse in pepperoncini to shards of glass and metal.

What's a home chef to do? Get on X(formerly Twitter) and get the latest updates on what's contaminated and what's recalled. If you don;t trust X then head to FDA Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts. Type in the product you want researched and a whole list of stores will come up with the recalled products.This should help. The best bet is shop smartly. Any frozen food as well as fresh can also be recalled whether from bacteria or some foreign object that got in during the manufacturing process. The problem is you can;t be too judicial or prudent.That hamburger you bought today may be recalled two days from now. That cookie dough you planned on baking this weekend may be reported  with metal shavings or mouse droppings in a week. Maybe the safest bet is picking your own. It is apple picking time so these can be safe if you pick them yourself. Some farms are offering fresh picked Brussels sprouts,kale, winter squash beets,carrots ,broccoli and cauliflower along with Swiss chard.A few farms will let you pick them yourself. If that's the case go for these, and wash them thoroughly in white vinegar and water before doing anything with them. 

As long as we have loose regulations ;we'll keep having recalls . Maybe the best advice is to shop at the farms and be alert to what's being recalled. It is a tough time but home chef's will get through it. 

Your First Big Cook Or Bake

 Autumn is officially here and with it cooler weather. That makes it easier to cook and bake. What will be on your to make list? Will it be cookies ? A big pot of chili Homemade soup or an entire toast?Will you look forward to baking pies and spice cakes?

My first major fall cook was a huge pot for chili.It's an easy one with a lot of stirring and tasting for the tight spicy flavor.However risotto Milanese and baked  caramel apples along with poached pears in wine are also going to be made during these cooler times.

What are you looking forward to cooking and baking now that it's fall? Let us know here.

The First Roast Of Fall

 The days are cooler now which makes it perfect for roasting and cooking. This is the time to begin Sunday roasts. the question is what to make and what sides to have with it.Then there's the dessert What goes well with a hearty meal?

Buying a  roast these days is not as easy as it used to be. Between high prices and food recalls what's a shopper to do? There have been several red meat recalls lately(as there are with every other food in the US).Try a London Broil which is the perfect Sunday roast. Add a puffy and buttery Yorkshire pudding with it t soup up the gravy . This is a pricey  cut but Stop and Shop has a good one for under twenty dollars. Acme just comes in at that price.Some private meat markets will have it at a lower price like twelve dollars for a smaller cut. Another fall must roast is pork A good pork  shoulder roast will cost you about ten dollar and more at Wal-mart while Acme has it at twenty-one dollars. There is also ham and a good one can run anywhere from$8.99 to $15.99 at Acme. It's not too early to practice for Thanksgiving. A roast turkey s the perfect Sunday dinner. Stop and Shop has Butter Balls Boneless turkey breast for only$12.99 while Stop and Shop has it for $14.99 The best thing about Sunday roasts? Great leftovers for Monday's and Tuesday's lunch and dinners.

As for sides, stuffing is a must for both pork and  turkey. Think a homemade one with sliced apples for the pork shoulder.This definitely gives Oktoberfest vibes. Also have a side of red cabbage too for a filling meal. Cornbread stuffing is always perfect for turkey and you can even get the stove to variety.It's great for shopping up all that gravy.Creamed spinach is a must however use frozen.Fresh (and even sometimes precooked) are subjects to all sorts of bacteria these days. Brussels sprouts are a tasty side to any meat you serve.Make it Piedmontese style with melted butter and a good sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Any kind of broccoli is an excellent side too. Have it with just lemon and butter or a cheddar cheese sauce Approach ny fresh veggie with caution these days. There 's a daily recall and you never know what's going to be on it.How do you end these meals? Think a fresh made apple pie with vanilla ice cream.A fancier version is apple galette with creme fraiche. You could also make the French pot de creme.This is a lush decadent chocolate pudding created from cocoa and heavy cream along with egg yolks. These are cooked in a water bather until the custard is set. Top with whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate.

It is roast seasonCreate a lavish Sunday roast that the family will appreciate. Have all the trimmings and a lush dessert to follow. Its a great way to welcome fall.

Nor Easter Ready

 The East Coast is prepping for one of the first pre winter Nor'easter,Treat it the same as a hurricane.Be prepared.Be stocked up and be ready for anything.

First of all are you ready to leave if there's flooding in your area? Make sure there are travel essentials food wise along with pet food and baby formula.Bring crackers  and juice boxes along with sandwiches  to eat .Baggies full of cookies and pretzels along with nuts are always good. Also baggies full of cereal are also helpful along with croissants for a quick breakfast. Some motels, and hotels will offer breakfaTreat yourself  and your family to a hot one .Many on higher ground are wisely staying at home. Tonight they are getting in last minute shopping before heavier winds and rain arrive. Bread and milk should be at the top of your list along with dry foods such as cereal and pasta. Canned foodstuffs are another must. You can create a nice sauce just by using canned diced tomatoes , tomato paste and olive oil. Also canned veggies are another must since they can be cooked and then chilled for salads. What about meats? Get canned. Think tuna and salmons along with Spam and any deviled meat like ham and chicken. These are versatile and can be made into a variety of dishes.

What about the perishables like eggs? Try to get half a dozen instead of the usual twelve.Eggs can go bad if the power gets shut off and you don't want to throw away eight or nine of them.Be judicious with buying a  lot of frozen food too. If the power goes out the only think you can do is cook everything in a gas oven,If you want to do this, then get frozen pizza Bagel Bites and Stouffer's casseroles. This will  keep a housebound family happy. If you still have power then also buy frozen burgers and  hot dogs along with buns. These are perfect in the air fryer and go well with any kind of frozen fry. If the kids get bored then also have a few rolls of cookie dough handy. This will  keep them occupied and it's a great snack for movie night. Also have rolls of cinnamon rolls too for a breakfast in on a rainy Sunday morning. There are other food project you can try too. Think cupcakes and frosting or making caramel apples to alleviate that cooped up feeling. Also have plenty of healthy  fun snacks like pretzels and popcorn along with apples and pears for healthy snacking

Be Nor'easter ready. Either be well stocked or be ready  to flee floods.Have plenty of food and water along with favorites for a wild and wet weekend.

An End Of Harvest Meal

 A meal co sitting of only veggies may scream summer yet an end of harvest one quietly ushers in fall. Farmers markets have the last  of the season fruits and vegetables. T hese can be turned into lush , flavorful  dinners and desserts.It;s a lingering taste of the warm weather with a nod of what's to cone.

Regular contributor and chef David Tanis gave these recipes in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. He advises home chefs to go to their local farmer'smarket. He scored  sweet peppers,herbs  and plums. Field  grown peppers have a better taste than their hydroponically grown counterparts.His fresh herb salad is paired with fresh mozzarella.It should be served cool at room temperature instead of cold from the refrigerator.It can be sliced from a larger piece or smaller pieces  called ovolini -egg sized or cieligni  cherry size or bocconcini -bite sized.The herbs  are a good mix of  strong and mild with mint and tarrogon leading the list. The next dish and the main one is risotto .There should be a brisk heat heating up the arborio and the broth should be a scant amount.Let the rice nearly dry. As for the dessert e is also into roasting plums as he did with the peppers for the risotto.He serves it with a variation of creme anglaise but vanilla ice cream can be used too.

His risotto is with Pecorino and roasted peppers.The peppers are usually yellow or orange to give the dish sweetness There is also cayenne for bite too. This is a typical arborio dish with the rice first being cooked in an onion and olive mix. Two cups of  white wine are added and then the chicken broth.Add the roasted peppers which have been marinated in a mix of olive oil,turmeric, saffron, water cayenne and garlic.Cook until the rice is soupy. Add three table spoons of un salted butter cut into pieces ,grated cheese and parsley The salad goes perfectly with this.Make the dressing first.It a cut small shallot mixed with either lime or lemon juice or white wine vinegar. Three loosely packed cup of herbs such a as the mint ,tarragon parsley  watercress, chervil,basil, shiso,sunflower shoots, purslane and small red sorrel are washed and added to  arugula. Dress the salad.Add sliced radishes along with mozzarella slices. Dessert is roasted plums which are swimming in a cardamon  creme. Coconut milk is cooked with sugar in a small sauce over a medium heat under the sugar dissolves.Add cardomon and steep for thirty minutes.Egg yolks are mixed in a smal lbow l and then add to the creme.This is put into the pot and cooked for three t five minutes or until it thickens. the plums are cut  into wedges ,tossed with sugar and placed in pan.They  should be ready when the sugar crusts and there is a sticky plum juice at the bottom.  They should be cooked at 400 degrees Farenheit for thirty minutes. Cool and serve the the cardamon creme.

There are still great bounties at the local farmer's market. Buy these. Then create delicious vegetarian meal that celebrate the harvest.

Celebrating A Regal Chef

 The Inn at Little Washington by all rights should d not exist.It has a rockybeginning filled with hatred and prejudice .Yet its' creator and chef Patrick O'Connell stuck with it ignored the noise and  bigotry and went on to create one of the greatest inns in the US. Now there's a book about this remarkable chef and his mission.

Regular contributor  Brett Anderson wrote about Chef O'Connell in today New York Times Wednesday Food section.Chef O'Connell's autobiography Main Middle and Gay : A Chef Finds His Place In The World Against All Odds. which is out now. His memoir begins long before his famed restaurant and inn. It actually starts when he was four and his favorite doll dropped in the mid.He let out a blood curdling scream  in their Washington DC neighborhood. The next day a groups of older boys dragged him into an alley, tore off his clothes and stuffed wads of paper in his mouth. His parents moved to rural southern Maryland where it was a safer place to raise children.Later he experiences more trauma being molested by a stranger on a bus trip to Wisconsin to visit his grandparents. He used repressed  childhood trauma and anger to channel his creativity. His trompe l'oeil cheesecake is inspired by an experience while eating a pear watching a train go by.Then there is the big moment when he and his partner moved to this Washington DC suburb to start the inn and restaurantThey were met with vicious prejudice and bigotry along with even harassment for planting trees.

The inn and eatery which also has a bakery is one of the area's most famous restaurants. Luminaries such as Barbra Streisand and Andrew Oloyd Webber have stayed there.Lloyd Webber even claimed"that this little hotel has the best dining experience I can remember in a long while, perhaps my best ever.) The dishes are a fusing of Southern ingredients with french techniques. Chef O' Connell's theatrical cooling anticipated the performative molecular gastronomy of the late 1990's and early 2000s. The restaurant has such unusual dishes as the carpacio of  baby lamb loin served with the surprising savory Caesar salad ice cream.This last is a savory custard mixed with chopped anchovies,Parmesan cheese ,garlic Dijon mustard and Worcester sauce. There is also his potato chip cannoli an amuse bouche which has sliced and fried potatoes wrapped around that Southern must have pimento cream cheese, It s bakery Patty O's has homemade butter pecan ice cream, along with its famed chocolate mousse and light airy croissants.

Patrick O'Connel has a create an empire and an amazing  life. The Inn At Little Washington is a Michelin starred eatery. It is thanks to him and his creativity that it is still thriving.

Fall Sweet Treats

 The weather is getting cooler.That means the joy of creating sweet treats is back. There are some great snacks and fancy cakes to enjoy. 

It is apple season for sure.  Everyone love a good candy or caramel apple. These are good on their own whether with the hard red candy or the meltingly delicious caramel; Candy apples are easy ,The candy coating is made with white sugar, water light corn syrup and red food coloring.The first four ingredients are cooked over a medium heat in a medium saucepan. Use a candy thermometer to determine the stage. You can also use the water test too. Drop a ball of the syrup in cold water If it forma brittle drop them it;s ready for the apples.Add eight  drops of the red food coloring .Dip the apples in this .If you want you can then roll them in coconut for that boardwalk candy apple look and flavor. Caramel apples are another fun treat.A fter they've been dipped in melted caramel, then you can roll in nuts or chocolate chips for an even more decadent bite.Of course you can make inside out baked caramel apples too.Core the apples  and then fill with a bit of caramel, butter and chopped nuts of any kind.Bake in the microwave for about three minutes. This is a great dessert after a hearty fall roast.

There are cakes and cookies too, perfect for the fall. Still going with the caramel apple idea A caramel apple cake is the perfect autumn birthday cake or a fun end to a dinner party.Apple and cinnamon add to a vanilla cake. The icing is a premade of caramel of brown sugar and buttermilk.This is added to vanilla powdered sugar and more buttermilk. Of course you could also make an apple pie but an apple galette is so much more elegant. This is a free form apple pie,first made in France. The  crust is flakier and more buttery than the usual pie crust.It;s rolled out flat and the apples along with cinnamon,brown sugar and nutmeg added. Serve with creme fraiche or freshly whipped cream for extra luxuriousness. It can also be  served with vanilla ice cream. Snack cakes are fine ,especially for an after school snack.This is atypical snack cake with a moist dense crumb.Vegetable oil is added  for that moistness .Brown sugar and pumpkin spice along with cinnamon are added for that fall flavor. Cream cheese frosting and sprinkles can be added bu these are great even without any embellishments.

Cool fall days are perfect for creating sweet treats.Make a batch of candy or caramel apples. Bake a cake and  a  galette to go with those hot coffees and teas. Celebrate autumn with a touch of sweetness.

Questions Are Back!!!

Those important and pertinent questions about food and drink have returned, except they start off the week instead of end.

So here's this weeks askance - what fall food or drink  are you most  looking forward to? Is it a Sunday roast with all the trimmings? Pumpkin spice anything, including hot and cold lattes? Apples ? Pears?This last pears are probably my favorite fall food. There's something about their sweet earthiness that calls for cozy fleeces and eating Boscs or Bartletts. in the back yard, watching the leaves fall.

What is your favorite autumn delight that you;re excited about? Let us know and happy Fall.

 

Are You Roast Ready?

 The weather is getting cooler. That means roasts either on a weeknight or weekend.Are you ready for them? You should be if you;re well prepared.

A good roast requires a good roasting pan.Keep in mind that roasting pans have various life spans, Some such as Teflon coated ones last only three to five years.It may be a  steal at twelve or thirteen dollars but there are a lot of caveats. It scratches and sticks as well as losing it's non stick properties due to high heat.Another metal to avoid is aluminum and hard anodized aluminum/.It too has problems in warping bending and degrading with intense oven heat. It'd better to spend a few more dollars and buy stainless steel which is the best or cast iron and enameled cast iron.The first lasts a good fifty or more years while the last two can serve you  anywhere from fifteen to twenty years and beyond. Stainless steel resists warping and rusting and just requires basic cleaning.Cast ironed just has to be seasoned and dried  with really no washing.It can be handed down for generations. Are they expensive? Yes A good one from Crate and Barrel can be $179 but you can find much cheaper ones for twenty dollars or more at Wal-mart.

What else do you need? A meat thermometer is a must.These can be found anywhere from Target to Wal-mart.one of the best tis the seventy-four dollar Thermopen,It has professional grade speed and precision. However you can also buy the Thermopen for twenty dollars and still have the same result.You should also have a roll of aluminum foil at hand too. It prevents the meat from burning as well as trapping in moisture for a juicy  bite.It also speeds up cooking and makes clean up a lot of easier. Roasting pans can be a pain to clean thanks to all that cooking on crust and fat.Of course you bypass all this and roast a small cut in your air fryer after. marinating in usually olive oil, lemon juice and spices the roast can be cooked at four hundred degrees Farenheit for fifteen minutes.Reduce the temperature to 320 to 360 degrees Farenheit for another thirty to sixty minutes.Keep in mind you can cook small cuts that are only two to four pounds. Think Cormish hens and pot roast along with a small pork roast.

We;re heading into roast season.Be ready with the pans and meat thermometers. Have the ring foil ready.Or just use the air fryer for an easier cook.It'll make for a hot and hearty dinner.

A Meatier Salad

 After a summer of not eating green, its time to embrace a earlier salad for those weather transition days. There's still the taste of summer yet it has the meatiness of a fall meal. There's all sorts of fun ingredients to add while boosting the flavor. 

New contributor and chef Ashley Lonsdale gave great suggestions and recipes in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday section. Salads can be boring It some kind of green, maybe tomatoes of any sort added in and dressing.Once in a while there broccoli or julienned ham. Dressings can be yawn inducing too - with most opting for a simple olive oil and red wine vinegar vinaigrette. Chef Lonsdale recommends tossing in beans or lentils.A half cup of these add five grams of protein For a tastier salad,. crisps the beans with a sprinkle of olive oil in the oven They can be simmer in  a pot of green or black Beluga lentilsEven yellow lentils are God and the best part are that beans can last in  a salad for several days in the fridge.Cheese is another great add in and a also a good source of protein Try a scoop of cottage cheese or shredded mozzarella Parmesan or fetaDo the unusual like pairing the mozzarella with plums and dressing with a citric based dressing.Nuts and seeds also make a salad meatier. If you have time roast  or.toast them for a better, richer flavor.Any nut butter can be added to basic dressings for a different flavor. Real meat can be added in the form of shredded rotisserie chicken canned or fresh fish along with fresh or frozen shrimp.

Chef Lonsdale also has some tasty recipes to try out,There is a tomato avocad salad with a creamy feta dressing/ This has a surprise of toasted walnuts mixed in with the tomatoes of any kind and avocados. The dressing is a smooth blend of feta, lemon  juice and olive oil. Avocados are used in another hearty salad [It's paired with shrimp and Gem lettuce. The dressing has  unsalted peanuts garlic and sesame seeds. Homey and fennel seeds are also added to this along with olive oil as the base.Another seafood bowl is roasted salmon mixed with broccoli florets and jasmine rice The dressing is a simple one. Dijon mustard is mixed with Dijon mustard ,anchovy fillets and lemon  juice. Red onions and either watercress or arugula is also added for color and crunch. Chicken is added to tomatoes along with couscous.It;s jazzed up with cumin and ginger for some bite along with fresh lemon juice. Tasty salad, reminiscent of summer nights is a mix of plum and mozzarella.The dressing is fresh  lime juice  red wine vinegar and honey serrano chule gves it bite .There is olive oil but it's only drizzled on top at the end.

Salads can be fun and hearty at the same time. Add some protein ,Jazz up the dressings .Enjoy a tasty meaty salad that's the perfect transition bowl.