A Warming Stew

 This is the time of year when a good stew is needed. It should go right to the heart and warm everything after a chilly day. One is a simple veggie stew with the addition of Berbere spice . It may be exotic but there's something homey and comforting about it's earthy deep taste.

I used it when I made a large vegetable stew the other night. I wanted something exotic and delicious- something different than the usual garlic and oregano mix.. I mixed with with onion and garlic powders

I used about three heaping tablespoons of it compared to a teaspoon each of the other.The base of the stew is olive oil and Country Crock plant butter.

As for the liquid a whole container of Acme's Organics vegetable broth does it otherwise the veggies can be too intense.

Shallots were first added sauteed in the oil and butter 

As for the veggies. Everything was thrown in the pot. I have an excellent fresh market in my neighborhood. Japanese eggplants, cucumbers, tomatoes ,orange bell peppers and  cubed boiled potatoes were first sauteed and then bathed in the broth.It did need protein.

Red beans and their water were added to it.

The veggies went from this to this:

It took maybe half an hour of cooking to thoroughly cook the veggies and gravy. You could add some peanuts to it for a more African vibe.

It was an excellent bowl of warming goodness. The Berbere spice adds a whole new layer to the various vegetable flavors. I would recommend using it in a dry rub for chicken too. The stew was the perfect dish on a cold December night.,

A warming stew with exotic  spice is the perfect antidote for a chilly evening. Make it and enjoy a delicious spoonful of heat and flavor. It's perfect for this season.

Culinary Resolutions

 With the New Year starting it's time to think about what you want to change or keep in it. It could regard appliances or expanding your global cookbook. What's on the agenda?

Will the new year bring a new kitchen? If you've been dithering about a whole new makeover make 2023 the year to do it. Take a look at other kitchens on line  along with consulting with  a reputable remodeling company. Keep in mind to plan now and start renovations in the warmer weather when it's easier to cook outside. What about appliances? Take a good look at your ovens and fridges. If you feel they need to be replaced then  consider a state of the art replacement  . This is also the time to take advantage of those holiday gift cards. Get that air fryer or electric wok for new ways to cook. Many stores like Target and Wal-Mart have some great sales on most kitchenware  right now so take advantage of them. Are you looking to expand your global cookbook like I am?Then comsider buying some new spices such as Berbere spice and Szechuan pink peppers. I know I want to try more African and Asian dishes in 2023 so that means using different ingredients like teff in my cooking.

What other resolutions should you make? Cleaning out. My spice cabinet is overbrimming with all sorts of herbs and spcies that I rarely use. Open it and they come cascading out. All that cinnamon and sage has to go. It makes for a easy reach when I do need my most used spices like onion and garlic powders. Another must do throughout the year is cleaning out the refrigerator. It's a good habit to get into. Get rid of all those little containers with leftovers from who knows when.  Another good habit to begin ih the New Year is using up leftoivers a day or two after they've been cooked. It means less cooking , especially during a busy week and emptying out the fridge . Also don't save those little dribs and drabs of sauces and condiments. You can combine ketchup and barbecue sauce for a new dipping sauce or something to slather on barbecue ribs and chicken. Those packets of soy sauce from your Chinese take out can easily be used in homemade Asian dishes while those Taco Bell sauce packets can be used in making homemade chili. 

There are so many resolutions to make culinary wise. Will it be an expanded kitchen ?A new ovn? Or just tidying upa messy cooking space? It's your resolution. Stick to it.

A Century of Advice

 One word of advice for any novice chef - listen to your elders. The more experienced the home or professional cook, the better their advice. They are a rich encyclopedia of what to do and what to make along with how to avoid disaster and what to do if it occurs.

This is how I feel about my Mom whose advice I still follow. Today would have been her one hundredth birthday (and she would not have liked me putting it out there).  Her cooking advice and culinary curiosity is still being followed today. I constantly hear hear her words and instruction with every vegetable chopped and sauce whisked. She herself came from a rich culinary background with a Piedmontese Italian mother and a Swabian German father. She learned from her immigrant grandparents on how to make a mouth water risotto and tantalizing sauerbraten. it was definitely the best of Northern Italian and Southern German cuisine. There were no measurements. Just intuition and instinct with these  century old recipes that came from both sides of the Alps.I learned these recipes young.One of my favorite , especially now i s her pomodori e uovi, the tasty marriage of tomatoes and eggs. I've adapted to fit a vegan lifestyle by using Just Egg an egg substitute. The flavor and texture is there and I think she would have liked it.

Even though she had a wealth of family recipes to use my Mom was also adventurous. She was the first and the only one on the block to get a wok and cook authentic Chinese food. One of my favorites of hers was Ants Climbing A Tree, a yummy mix of ground beef ,soy sauce and scallions cooked with boiled cellophane or rice noodles. I used to make it with the vegan beef and she liked it.There were also fried dumplings which were a great New Year's Day treat. I feel like I'm copying her when I ]m trying new dishes myself like the Ethiopian stew made with Berbere spice. Her motto always was be curious about the world of cooking.She made tempura when it was popular in the Sixties when the US was discovering Japanese food. We had Mexican long before Taco Bell  and those taco kits came to New Jersey.Her forte was French. She was a big fan of Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. Nothing beat her cassoulet on a cold winter's night. She made Croque Monsiurs when everyone was frying up grilled cheese. Again this was another favorite I learned and enjoyed making for her.Baking she got from her German grandmother. Nothing beat her oatmeal lace cookies and moist cakes with homemade frosting.

I always feel I've inherited a wealth of culinary advice and recipes.My Mom is responsible for that. Through her I can continue the tradition of good family recipes and adventuresome cooking.

There's Always Online Stores

It's a pain and a chore to go grocery shopping these days. There's shortages galore and you have to be savvy when a particular store stocks up. If worse comes to worse  there is online shopping and the various stores that can offer salvation.

One of the best places is Amazon. There has been some negative criticism regarding how the company treats their workers during this time and the heavy amount of  work  allotted to them. Yet it has a wide array of foodstuffs and items for any home chef and kitchen.I have been buying kitchen wares from them for years. The company has a very good selection of silicon bakeware .There's a wide variety of that , from loaf pans to smaller ones for decorative cakes and candies.  The company is also great for appliances. Air fryers are big and a godsend. Amazon has a wide assortment of different brands and they have their choices as to what's the best. You can always something that suits your needs. The same goes for toaster ovens - which they have many , from simple ones to ones with convection ovens included. If you want fancier gadgets like sous vides and immersion blenders, them Amazon, is the place to go for them. (but you can  also go to Target and Wal-mart too)  Another plus about Amazon is that they do have a wide variety of hard to find and unusual foods. I recently bought Berbere spice there, something I know I couldn't get in my local grocery store. I've also bought clotted cream from them, something I can only get at British specialty stores in Manhattan.

There are other places to go to for specific foods. The Carmel Honey Company is one of my favorites. I buy their wildflower honey for my tomato sauce and chili (yes, I use it for those. It's better than sugar). it was started by teenager Jake who wrote about honey bees for a school project. He became so involved that he started his own honey company  - lucky for us. It's a great source of natural honeys that can be used for everything from sauces (yes again) to cakes and muffins.  For vegan, Vegan Essentials has all sorts of foodstuffs from faux seafood to Beyond Burger if you can't get those at your local supermarket. The company also has Miyoko's  vegan cheeses and butters. These taste like the real thing and the website has a variety of different cheeses like scallion flavored cream cheese and cultured butter. It's hard to get any fancy loaves for family celebrations but Vegan Essentials does have tofu loaves like Field Roast squash stuffed tofu.  Flour is supposed to be up next when it comes to shortages. Not to worry. King Arthur has a wide variety of different flours (along with bakeware and baking gadgets). They also sell gluten free flours which is great for those with celiac disease.  Another good site for flours is Bob's Red Mill which also has nut flours as well along with all natural sugars.

If you can't find it in your local store, then go on line. It's an easy way to shop with out all the worry and the fretting.It';s just point, click and buy without the hassle.

My Ethiopian Stew Adventure

Ethiopian food has been on my radar for a long time. I was all set to try it at an Ethiopian restaurant  in Montclair North Jersey. Unfortunately quarantine happened and that idea was shut down. I recently found a lentil rich Ethiopian stew on this website Immaculate Bites. I decided to give it a shot.

Unfortunately, since this is quarantine, I had to make do with what was out there. I could not find ANY lentils at my local Stop & Shop. I decided to use kidney beans and pinto beans. They won't have the silky taste of lentils but they will add a robustness to it.

I also used a yellow onion and fresh vine ripe tomatoes. The last isn't included but I felt they would add more flavor.

It also requires oil and spiced butter. I used olive oil, richer in taste and Country Crock. Spiced butter is butter mixed with Berbere spices which I will have the second time I make it.

The onions and tomatoes were roughly diced and added as were the beans. The recipe also calls for two teaspoons of minced garlic. I used two cloves, sliced.

I feel it adds more flavor than the minced.

There are also the spices. I didn't have the Berbere spice mix so I created my own, more or less according to the recipe.

As you can see , there's crushed red pepper for bite along with cumin,turmeric and curry powder. The recipe called for smoked paprika, I didn't have that or ginger for that matter. I used a heaping tablespoon or two of Pereg's Spanish paprika.

Also added to the mix were three cups of vegetable broth (I used Knorr's) cooked quickly in the microwave.

This is the beans added.

I realized it needed the tomato paste required.It was too soupy  without it.

I cooked it for half an hour and it came out perfectly. The texture was satiny and the taste was a well blended mix of tomatoes , onions and spices .I liked it a lot and served with with brown rice. I would have liked to have served it with the Ethiopian bread, injera. Another recipe I have to try.

Will I make this again? Most definitely and with lentils and ginger for a more authentic taste. I like this and will serve it again.It's a great week night dish that easily translates into leftovers. I can't wait to try more Ethiopian dishes!

A Big Buna Story

It's important to teach our kids about diversity - not just with people but food and drink too. Now there's a book that kids and their parents will like: The Big Buna Bash (Brandylane Publishers 2020). It's a fun and informative read with beautifully drawn illustrations. This picture book is a great tale about Ethiopian traditions and its' coffee.

Sara C. Arnold wrote this charming story about Almaz, a spirited first grader who wants her class mates to know about her Ethiopian family's tradition of buna. It's sort of like a less formal Japanese tea ceremony, where people gather at a host's house to sip this strong coffee and munch on popcorn, the buna's traditional snack. Almaz , with the help of her mom, Nana and her big sister , Bosena create fun invitations that unfortunately wind up in the trash or as paper airplanes.Undeterred and determined she gives it a second go in her class' Show and Tell.This gives Almaz a chance to explain the ritual in full detail, with pictures and goody bags filled with coffee beans and popcorn. This finally sparks interest which leads to a fun buna bash with their teacher Ms Hill and her classmates.. The buna is where coffee beans are roasted  in a pan on a portable camping stove. They turn a glossy shade of brown along with producing that rich , aroma we all love. Bosena explains how the beans are hand ground back in Ethiopia while Nana puts water and the grounds in an amphora type pot called jebana. It may take a while but this only allows Almaz to bond further with her classmates over a game of I Spy.

Is the buna a hit? Yes!!!! They enjoy the three rounds of buna. The last or the baraka brings a blessing to those who drink it. I loved this book and how it educates children about different foods from different countries. It's such a sweet tale, and beautifully illustrated by Roberta Malasoma. The love that Ms. Arnold has for buna is evident in the way she describes how the coffee is made. Also evident is her love for the Ethiopian culture and people thanks to her being  an aunt to an extended Ethiopian/ Israeli family. I would love to see a sequel about Almaz and her family cooking dinner for her classmates.It could feature such traditional Ethiopian foods as doro wat, a spicy chicken stew and injera , a flatbread made with the ancient grain teff. She could also write another follow up featuring how to create buna in an American kitchen with  recipes for well loved Ethiopian desserts like himbasha, a cardamon flavored crepe or Berbere spiced pudding  that combines avocados, raw ground cacao, cayenne pepper and paprika.

The Big Buna Bash is a must have for your child's library. It is a great way of introducing little and big foodies alike to this interesting and tasty ritual. Buy it now and expand your family's culinary horizons.