Your Own Tea Garden

A tea garden conjures up pretty images of an abundant garden, rife with a profusion of colors and scents. Anybody can grow this and then harvest leaves, petals and roots for a delicate brew. It's not as complicated as thought to be. A new book explains the basics.

Growing Your Own Tea Garden: The Guide To Growing and Harvesting Flavorful Teas In Your Backyard (Fox Chapel Publishing 2019) is the must have guide for tea lovers who want to create their own blends.Jodi Helmer, a freelance writer  who has written for The Guardian and  National Geographic has compiled the perfect tea and nature's lover's guide. This is a wonderful book, chock full of beautiful pictures and illustrations on gardening. Tea lovers will go crazy over the variety of different botanicals listed to make all sorts of brews.There is the history of tea along with the explanation of tisanes which are not surprisingly mistaken for brews. differences between white, green and black teas are explained (it has nothing to do with different types but the leaves at various growth stages, white is the leaf bud, green is from the tender young leaves that arrive in the Spring and black tea comes from the more mature ones). There are also suggestions on where to plant and recipes for various blends, from  a tasty hibiscus iced tea to a soothing tummy troubles tea made with echinacea and hyssop leaves. The back has growing season maps of the US and Canada along with where to get the seeds.

I love the book, not just for the recipes but also for the cornucopia of information on the different plants.Each root, flower and leaf comes with the scientific Latin name along with what growth zone fits it. The explanations are in depth and will show you how to plant a successful tea garden. Each plant also has a side bar For The Best Brew which explains how to get the best tasting cup of tea from them. What is surprising is that there are dozens of plants , roots flowers and even fruits that can go into a cup.I love the idea of a strawberry tea which is more of a pureed fruit drink over ice. There is also a persimmon tea with the  fruit being simmered with ginger root and turmeric for kick.  A black current tea, is not only healthy but tasty as both berries and leaves are simmered together.Some plants are a surprise. There is witch hazel, which I always thought was for cosmetic use (namely in skin toners)but can also have its leaves and bark made into a tisane to cure sore throats , colds and flu. The same surprise is also for stinging nettles which helps to ease muscle ache and infections.

Growing Your Own Tea Garden: The Guide To Growing And Harvesting Flavorful Teas In Your Backyard is the perfect guide for tea lovers who want their own special blends. It is informative and beautifully presented. Buy it and get started on your own fragrant tea garden,

The Charm of New Mexican Cooking

Every state has foods that define it. New York  has apple pie and turnovers, a nod to the many orchards  upstate . The cuisine of Georgia has grits and peaches. Then there's New Mexico with its' variety of corn - masa- jalapenos and chiles. An eight-eight year old cookbook is making a comeback with time tested recipes that highlight the area.

Historic Cookery: Authentic New Mexican Food (Gibbs Smith Publishing, reprinted 2019) was written in 1932 by Fabiola Cabeza de Baca Gilbert. Ms. Gilbert would still be known if she had never created  the cookbook. She was daring and headstrong from a culture that raised women to be meek housewives and a country that dismissed her because of her heritage and her sex.Ms. Gilbert was born in 1894 to a prominent and centuries old New Mexican  family with strong ties to Spain.As with other strong minded women of her generation, she persisted. She started off in education and then delved into spreading the New Mexican culture to the mostly Anglo American population of the time.. The cookbook is a compilation of basic New Mexican dishes which for the first time were written down with measurements.A second printing in 1959 updated the recipes and a copy was sent to every governor in the union. It was the brainchild of  Thomas J .Mabry, a New Mexican senator  alsowho sent a bag of pinto beans with every cookbook. This reintroduced America to chile, making it one of the country's top dishes.

I like this book. It's a tiny one, without the pretense of modern cookbooks riddled with the author's history and chatty stories about the recipes.The writing is vintage, reminiscent of our mothers' and grandmothers' cookbooks.There are only eight small sections with the back offering luncheon and dinner menus - again a harking back to a more elegant time.Many of the recipes can easily be made today however be warned about the baking. Years ago ovens didn't have temperature regulators. Baking recipes have the the instructions as "bake in a moderate oven". (figure 350 -375 degrees Farenheit - I'd go with 350 just to be on the safe side). Another aspect is that New Mexican cooking uses a snout to tail philosophy with recipes for tripe ,menudo , homemade blood pudding - morcilla and kidneys -rinones. There are other meat recipes such as stuffed fowl (which could be chicken, turkey or even pheasant) stuffed with a mix of beef, raisins , pinon nuts and dark chocolate). Of course there are quesadillas recipes along with homemade tacos and tortillas,Beans are big in the diet and there are many, with variations involving chickpeas. I love the hot chocolate recipe along with the one for emmeladas, fried cakes in syrup. The book ends with a curious chapter on gruel, made with water and cornmeal. It's a thick soup made for young children the elderly and the sick, good for those who can't handle solids.

Historic Cookery - Authentic New Mexican Food is a timeless classic that fits in perfectly with today's recipes and tastes. It brings the first fusion cooking of  Spanish and indigenous into the public eye. Classic dishes, like classic styles and cars never goes out of fashion.

Nigella Returns

Two decades ago Nigella Lawson was the "it" girl of cooking. She was the aristocrat who brought home style cooking to both British and American kitchens. Then she disappeared off the culinary horizon, due to personal problems. Thankfully she is back with the same homeyness as before.

Ms Lawson was the subject of the main article in today's New York Times Food section. Besha Rodell, a James Beard Award winning writer  conducted an interview with the woman who coined the phrase "Domestic Goddess". The reissue comes during the twentieth anniversary of her globally successful cookbook "How To Eat." The book is out again in a special anniversary edition along with an audio book, narrated by Ms. Lawson. She is revered like royalty by some in Britain and Australia where she's attending a food festival in the western part of the country.The detractors think she nothing more than a spoiled aristocrat, the daughter of Chancellor of the Exchequer , Nigel Lawson. She came from money, her mother is descended from the family who created J Lyons And Company, the first food conglomerate in the world. She worked at Britain's The Spectator and The Sunday Times before she became a food writer.It's seen in "How To Eat". written in mostly narrative form, in the tone of a newspaper columnist. her voice is intimate  warm and chatty .her musings, were unusual at the time as she mentions memories of cooking with other people, including her sister , Thomasina.

 Like many food personalities and chefs, she was a revolutionary bringing new products and tastes to ordinary kitchens, Thanks to her,quinoa ,avocados and pomegranates are now kitchen staples. her ideas of cooking and writing about what she was cooking was also ground breaking. It was cooking to please yourself instead of flexing culinary muscles to impress others.(the article comes with a palate pleasing easy to make beef tenderloin with red wine, garlic and anchovy recipe.) She urged home chefs to think how the food tastes to them, and not to the guests. As Bee Wilson, another British food writer, and her friend, Ms Lawson felt that a comforting bowl of stew could be much be better than an elaborate  chef creation.It is a constant idea with her. Food should be as much a joy for the cook as it is for the eater. Recipes are malleable and there should be no stress and anxiety when cooking them for it ruins he appetite. Never think you're going to produce the definitive meal like a Sunday lunch..Make a lunch you want to make, she writes in the chapter on weekend lunches. Strange though that she doesn't have a definitive plan for her future. She doesn't know how she comes up with recipe books. There are no plots or plans. It's just anxiety that drives her.

Does it matter what drives Nigella Lawson? No. If anything she can rest on her laurels thanks to her evergreen of a cookbook, How To Eat.It is a brilliant classic that will inspire new generations of home chefs

The Outdoor Cooking Issue

Hot weather brings out the primal in us and that includes how we cook. Home chefs get the urge to roast over coals or an open fire. It is the most basic way to roast any kind of meat  -and, without a doubt  - the most delicious.

The editors at the New York Times Food section realized this and dedicated today's issue to everything grilled , from duck to taters.There are some great articles on how to create a fish boil  (more on that tomorrow)to cooking game on a stick. All the regulat contributors have given some interesting recipes. Melissa Clark, of A Good Appetite gives us a one  from her parent's  Depression era experience .It is simply taking potatoes and roasting them on a bonfire. Her parents then took  the recipe and adapted it to their living room fireplace.  The end result is a charred and well cooked spud . The inside is a nicely mushed flesh that deserves  gobs of butter and salt. Ms. Clarks' parents ate them plain which is fine too.The wood smoke flavor stays with the potatoes and imparts a rich smoky flavor. David Tanis of A City Kitchen gives the perfect barbecue side - baked beans. These came  from his first  summer job as a ranch hand. It's a simple dish made with pinto  beans and onions. Bay leaf, bacon - of course - and paprika give the dish its' much beloved flavor.This can be made on a stove top or over a fire in cast iron pot.The beans can be made two days in advance if you have a busy grilling day.

Then there is the catching, cooking and eating. Newcomer and owner chef of the famed Spotted Pig and John Dory Oyster Bar April Bloomfield give an interesting recipe for smoked bluefish salad.Her catch - the popular bluefish -is then smoked over heavily scented chips like hickory or mesquite.The bluefish is then flaked for the salad.Bibb lettuce is the base as tomatoes , onions and eggs are also added. Homemade buttermilk dressing is then drizzled on top. It's a great way to have the bluefish instead of grilling it to reduce the oiliness. ANother intriguing one is Steven Rinella's piece on roasting meat on a stick. This is a more involved cooking method that involves forked and straight sticks. The fire is also made from sticks , namely deciduous trees such as apple cherry, alder and mesquite. The meat used is duck and it is salted with coarse salt after it's been spatchcocked or splayed open. This is not a quick method. The duck must be cooked over an open flame for forty minutes. Chicken takes an entire hour. A quicker cook is just chucking the meat on hot coals as two food writer brothers Matt and Ted Lee did.This is imitating what President Dwight D. Eisenhower did They give a large steak a flavorful coffee- chili dry rub and the it is literally flung on hot natural chunk charcoal.In ten minutes time you have a tasty , fat free - it melts on the coals, cut to enjoy.

The warm weather brings out our Paleo side. We want the fire roasted taste of any meat- from fish to fowl to beef. Luckily we have The New York Times Outdoor Cooking issue to hel[ us get in touch with our primitive cook side..

The Best Of Summer Wines

What to bring to someone's house for a barbecue or dinner by the firepit? A summery, light wine that everyone will enjoy.It could be red or white, domestic or foreign as long as the wine is refreshing as a warm weather breeze or afternoon sun shower.

Eric Asimov  has given a list of the twenty best summer wines that was published in yesterday's New York Times Food section A summer  wine, he asserts should be less than fourteen per cent in alcohol. This makes for a lighter , more brut tasting drink along with out  any consequences . (think inebriation followed by a possible hangover or at least  a morning headache). Mr. Asimov  also recommends going for wines that are between $15 and $25 in price. It's not as cheap  and you get better quality along with being not so extravagantly priced.One of the more elegant is the Chateau Tour Grise Saumaur Brut Non dose 2004 12. percent 2004. This is a sparkling white wine made from the chenin blanc grape.It's pure and refreshing , perfect for any chicken or fish dinner, The wine has the perfect summery notes of honeysuckle, lemon and chamomile. Another French import is La Ferme Du Vert Gaillac L'Ange Lou Mousseux Brut,2013, 11 percent. This relatively new wine derives from Mauzac grapes, a little known variety grown in the French Southwest. It is light and sparkling too, with notes with apple , straw and herbal flavors. Serve it iced on a hot evening for complete refreshment.

A surprise wine is a merlot from Argentina, a country that usually gives us malbec.It is Bodega Chacra Amor Seco Pantagonia Merlot,2012, 14 percent and is a bit high on the alcohol side. Mr. Asimov likes its' deep and fruity flavor, redolent of red fruits..It has a bitterness that keeps it refreshing The company is also known for their pinot noirs too. Bring it to a party where there are steaks on the grill, waiting to be paired with it.Another dark wine comes from Piedmonte, De Forville Dolcetto D'Alba 2013 13.5 percent. It is another refreshing bitter wine with an undertone of dark chocolate. I would suggest having it  with an outdoor bagna calda., the anchovy and garlic dip  that the region is famed for. Both are perfect for a cooler summer night gathering. Celebrate July Fourth with an American wine made in the Finger Lakes region.This is Eminence Road Farm winery Ganay Noir  Cayuga Lake 2013, 11.3 percent.It is made from the area's grapes. It is light bodied , earthy and fruity along with being seriously delicious. Drink lightly chilled  when watching the fireworks.If you want another white wine, then try Julian Haart Mosel Riesling 1,000l, 2014 10.5 percent. It's a very light wine but has a mix of minerality and creaminess to it. Open it up to share with friends during a picnic.

The summer is here. Crack open a bottle of chilled wine on a warm evening or to round out a barbecue. There are many to choose from , and many to try.


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Vitamin Enriched

One of the biggest worries foodies have is are they getting enough vitamins. We love our different and varied foods but are they good for us? Are we eating enough to fulfill our daily vitamin requirement? The best advice is still be interested in new foods and culinary trends but be prudent about nutrient deficient foods.

Vitamins are divided into two kinds, water soluble and fat soluble. Water soluble are absorbed quickly into the body's water . They are the eight B vitamins and C. The B vitamins are a varied group including niacin , and the all important folate.Most of the B vitamins are found in liver and kidneys however there's also found in other kinds of food such as whole grain breads and pastas. These are healthier for you than organ meat and versatile.Try a yummy while grain spaghetti with the Vitamin C rich tomato sauce. One of the most important B vitamins is folate.The name comes from the Latin for leaf and it is prevalent in dark, leafy greens. This is spinach,  collards and broccoli . The first can be made so many different ways, from salads to crepe fillings. Collards, also high in Vitamin C, are great sautéed in a mix of olive oil, red peppers and garlic. The same with broccoli It is versatile and can go from omelets to salads. B Vitamin meats range from beef to lobster, both considered luxury foods As for the Vitamin C, this is primarily the citrus fruits but also many vegetables have it too.Kiwi fruit is high in C and it can be made into lush desserts from gelati to tarts.

Fat soluble vitamins require fat to be released into the body. These are Vitamins A,D, E and K. Vitamin A is found in the carotenoids, the veggies and fruits responsible for eye health along with immunity and stem cell growth. There are carrots as part of this group and they can be juiced to create a flavorful salad dressing. Sweet potatoes are also part of this group and they are so versatile. Try them as  trendy  baked fries or whipped with butter and brown sugar , a different take on the usual mash. Dairy products  such as whole milk and butter are also Vitamin A rich and you can use these- sparingly in dishes for prep and flavor.Even though Vitamin D is basically gotten through early morning sunshine but it can also be had through dairy products. To get an extra dose, have Greek  yogurt blended with fresh fruit and honey. One of the most used and talked about is Vitamin E. It aids in skin  and lung health and can be found in the highly tasty  sunflower seeds and almonds, Both can be used to add texture and taste to all sorts of salads. Vitamin K, needed for blood clotting is found in, not surprisingly olive oil and also soy products. There are so many varieties of soy based "fake" meats, you can have an entire week of faux burgers and steaks, and all the while be loading up on K.


You can still eat fun foods  but check to see if they are vitamin rich . This way you have not only great taste but great value. Meals can be varied and lux but also good for you,

Buckwheat A Cold Weather Must Have

This is the season to eat hearty and healthy. Buckwheat , thankfully falls under these two categories along with being tasty and extremely versatile. You can make vitamin loaded meals with this amazing herb . You can also add some flavor to a bland January diet as well. Buckwheat is great in almost everything from pancakes to pasta.

Buckwheat is surprisingly part of the herb family(Fagopyrum sagittatum Gilib) and not a cereal or a grain. it was first cultivated in Manchuria and central China and then moved west to the Arab countries. the seeds were then sown in northern Italy, Holland, Germany and Scandinavia where it grew in more or less hardy terrains. The Dutch brought it to the Hudson Valley in the mid 1600's where it was a staple of early colonial cuisine. Buckwheat is also known as kasha or groats . It is one of the best things to eat. Buckwheat is high in fiber along with being chock full of Vitamins B1 and B2. The flour lowers cholesterol and helps reduce high blood pressure . It is an excellent source of fiber and is helpful in preventing such cancers ans colon and breast. The only drawback is that it can cause rash in allergy sensitive people. if eaten too much.

Most people only eat buckwheat for breakfast. the most common is kasha cereal however it is good in griddle cakes as well. Recently I've eaten buckwheat pasta which is a dense chewy kind and buckwheat dumplings again chewy but with a nutty flavor. I actually like these buckwheat products better than their whole wheat cousins. I would love to experiment with making a buckwheat pizza or ravioli sometime,long with a buckwheat waffle. I also like the fact that the flour makes for a more robust version anything This makes for a better but much more healthier meal choice during these frigid days.

Buckwheat is definitely the food product to consider , especially during these chilly days. there's nothing like starting the day off with a stack of buckwheat pancakes or ending it with a soothing buckwheat pasta. It's a great way if dealing with winter.