Easy Summer Desserts

The last thing any home chef wants to do during hot weather is bake. Yet there's something about homemade desserts that finishes a meal . what to do. Have a no bake treat.   . They easy to assemble  and even easier to eat.

The thought occurred when reading about Eton Mess, that quintessential English dessert the other day in David Tanis' A City Kitchen in the New York Times Food section on Wednesday. This is a fun and easy make, taking store bought meringues and breaking them  and then mixing then with freshly whipped cream and another mix or mess of  strawberries and rhubarb. The only effort is prepping the berries and stalks, marinating them in lemon juice , sugar and water to get rid of the rhubarb's bitter taste. They can be layered with the meringue , cream and fruit to make the Aussie favorite Pavlova, named for the great Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova. Eton Mess can be varied, Try blueberries or more more tartness blackberries. Take advantage of the season and add a cup or two of chopped peaches or even better - pitted and sliced cherries. Many home chefs have paired the last with chocolate chunks for an even decadent dessert. Use chocolate meringues too, if you can find them. If you can;t find meringues, make them yourself using egg white or aquafaba - bean water.

Trifles are also easy desserts that can be made in an elegant deep dish bowl or even in a dessert dish.it's kind of like an ordered Eton Mess with layers. Start with a bought angel food cake and then cut it into chunks, Layer with cream and then a layer of strawberries or blueberries. Repeat a second time and chill. A colorful one is a blend of different berries ,using raspberries and blackberries. A fun decadent one is a blackberry trifle with blackberry brandy soaked pound cake, layered with freshly whipped cream and crushed blackberries.The all time favorite, tirimisu, is really a trifle of sorts. An easy one involves layering coffee soaked  lady fingers with sweetened marscapone cheese and topped with a dusting of cocoa powder. Truly easy desserts are American at heart. Think of the chocolate logs, a marriage of chocolate wafers and Cool Whip (or fresh whipped cream if you want to put more effort into it. ) Vanilla wafers can be layered with canned pineapple chunks and cream for a tasty, tropical treat. Vanilla ice cream can be subbed in for the cream for an even cooler treat.

Desserts can still be made in the heat of summer. Just go the easy no-bake route and create tasty treats and decadent desserts. All without the fuss or muss of a hot oven or kitchen.

Flavor From The Garden

It's amazing what the garden - or even farmer's market - can yield up. There's a world of flavor, and not necessarily from the usual veggies and herbs.Look to the allium family and  herb flowers to zing up a late Spring meal

That was the theme of both Melissa Clark and David Tanis 's columns in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Ms. Clark's  A Good Appetite featured leeks and Spring onions in a gratin. Green garlic and scallions also add bite to this anchovy spiked bread crumbs, butter and cheese dish  She gives advice about what to look for in spring onions, taut skins, If the outer layer is brittle , that means the onions are on their way to being mature  - what we see in the stores. Spring leeks are tasty - try them on toast or in soups yet a pain to prepare. They are loaded in dirt - thanks to farmers leaving them in the ground over the winter and piling more soil on them. The leeks are harvested in the the Spring when they 're sweetly flavored. They should be halved before washing and thoroughly washed, especially to remove any dirt clumps.

David Tanis tries another garden sprig in his A City Kitchen column.  He gives us the recipe for herb flower butter. It sounds delicate and lovely yet it packs quite a punch . An herb blossom tastes much like the herb itself. His recipe includes thyme blossoms along with the bright yellow mustard flowers.These can be found in any field along with chive blossoms, clusters of pale violet hued spheres that may look dainty but have the taste of sharp, raw onion. For more oomph, add both Djon and whole grain French mustard. There's also chopped dill and thyme added to unsalted butter. He smears it on sauteed flounder fillets but it can also be added to hot egg noodles for a lovely side with chicken or added to zucchini or scrambled eggs. Another suggestion is spreading it on garden party cucumber sandwiches too. Add borage and geranium leaves to butter balls for a festive dinner party treat.

Look to the backyard and fields for inspiration and flavor. Try a trio of Spring alliums for flavor or pretty herbal flowers for color. Either way it's a nice way to change up everyday ingredients.

Ninety Acres: Fresh Food ,Fresh Innovations

For those who think New Jersey is nothing but diners and fast-food they should visit Ninety Acres near Gladstone in the middle of NJ horse country.This highly rated restaurant uses all veggies and some meats as well as herbs from their on site garden and farm. These are spun into amazing dishes , bursting with color and flavor.To eat here is like dining in Lyons or Chengdu.Every dish is well thought out and well executed.It is the food that best represents the abundance that is the Garden State. Let me preface this by adding that I attended a wedding at Ninety Acres so it was a preplanned menu more or less.Chef David Felton whom I sat down with and interviewed is the head chef at Ninety Acres(Foodie Pantry will be featuring that interview with him later on in the week)From the hors d'ouvres to the hors d'ouevres, the array of dishes were truly delicious and innovative.One could simply worship the leeks on miniature toast squares as well as an ethereal pizza topped smartly with the interesting combination of onions, Parmesan cheese and apples.This last I could have just eaten and nothing else.The guests started with a salad of mixed greens and a carrot dressing .I loved the surprise of cashews nestled amongst the different leaves The main course roasted Griggstown, chicken with a purée of white beans was buttery and tender. Fresh picked peas were also included, these being grown only a few yards from where we were sitting. The dessert, of course, the wedding cake was simply the best one I have ever had. Deeply rich chocolAte cake was swathed in a light frosting while it's filling was reminiscent of a Brown Derby cake, with fresh strawberries and bananas mingled with buttercream.Fresh fruit was also served with it as well. I am planning on returning to try some of Chef Felton's other creations.Everything is on his menu, The restaurant's Bring Me Food concept is quite intriguing.Here diners actually sit around hue restaurant's exposed kitchen while Chef Felton caters to each culinary whim within reason and also with the ingredients featured that particular night.Their regular menu is drool worthy too. They have a farmer's menu with comfort favorites as fish and chips and meat loaf all done with a sophisticated fillip.The restaurant also features polenta with a variety of different topping.Those alone worth visiting. I would love to try the ground corn meal with tomatoes and eggs ,a meal from my childhood revamped into something wonderful.another must try is the polenta with Organic mushrooms and Rosemary.Ninety Acres also offers pizza and. With it more fresh locally gown and raised ingredients.Their desserts are fun ,especially the malt ice cream or chocolate chip cookies served with milk. I have to thank my little cousin for letting me share her special day and food.I have been introduced to one of the best restaurants in the Garden State.Ninety Acres is just truly amazing. Their food and ideology reflect what good cooking with fresh ingredients is all about. Y .It is fresh

Wintry Twists On Two Old Favorites

Winter can be a time for experimenting with favorite foods. There's nothing like tweaking to create a new or better dish, one that is satisfying for  dinner.  Yesterday's  New York Times Dining section does just this. it offers a really interesting spin on chili and also on a summer classic  - fennel. They're a variation of their classic selves  and variations that liven up chilly grey days.

The first is a lamb chili. Melissa Clark decided to add this usually Middle Eastern meat to the classic Mexican in her A Good Appetite column, She added some Gallic flair by using white beans , as they do what French lamb stews as opposed to the usual red ones.Also more jalapeno was added to give the mild meat some bite. Cumin and coriander were also thrown in, perhaps a nod to the meat's strong Eastern Mediterranean background. She served it not with sour cream but with yogurt made form ewe's milk. The result was a chili both earthy and light .

The article directly below it, David Tanis' City Kitchen was about that all time summer fave fennel. Fennel is a great licorice flavored root, perfect for dipping in a vinaigrette. Here he bakes it, in a fennel al forno. He briefly blanches the chopped root and then bakes it with Parmesan,  and mozzarella cheeses along with peperoncino, garlic and surprisingly enough fennel seed to accentuate its' sweet , resonant flavor.It's  the perfect dish for vegetarians or as a side to any chicken or pork loin. Remember that any vegetable - and not just fennel can be made this way. You can try an onion or even a potato al forno for something different.

One classic dish and one classic root get comepletely different twists. The result may sound shocking but in fac they're delicious.Creating these new dishes are a perfect way to chase away culinary winter doldrums.