Various Flatbreads

 Flatbread satisfy the need for a quick but satisfying meal. They could be anything from pizza to a Tarte flambe to focaccia. They're easy to make and the toppings can be as elaborate or as simple as you make them.

Flatbreads are one of the oldest foods in the  world , first coming into existence around 12,400 BCE in what is now modern Jordan.Back then they were just a mix of flour and water, usually grilled on  a hot surface such as a heated stone.Flabread comes in different shapes depending on where you're in. It's naan in India, pita in the Middle East and focaccia in Italy. A simple quick flatbread involves flour water and surprisingly yogurt. Some recipes call for this last. Some don't. A really simple recipe just has water and flour  along with sugar and salt. Most of them don't have yeast, however the Greek version does have.This is what makes the Greek bread have that light fluffiness that goes well with souvlaki. As with any yeasty dough it has to sit and rise for about an hour to an hour and a half.Naan is a bit different  with the addition of the melted butter or ghee along with milk. Pita is truest in form to the original flatbread.There's - only the most basic of ingredients. It ;s an easy make and a great alternative to regular bread.

WHat do you put on flatbread? Pita screams for za'atar - that zingy Middle Eastern spice blend that consists of thyme, marjoram and oregano, mixed with toasted sesame, salt and sumac. This is mixed with olive oil and either drizzled (or slathered) over warmed pita.Shawarma , which can be grilled chicken or beef is also good on it Thee meat is grilled in a spice blend call shawarma spice which has cumin, turmeric  garlic and paprika in it. Lamb can also be cooked this way too. As for Greek flatbread nothing beats souvlaki . This last is meat cooked in a mix of  oregano, paprika and rosemary. Of course there is lemon toto to give the dish some zest. Italian flatbread or focaccia is best known and there are so many debates as to what to top it with. A simple topping is olive oil and black or green olives. Yet for a tastier mix try topping one with sundried tomatoes and marinated onions.. Meats and fish like pepperoni and anchovies can be added for more substance and flavor too.

Flabreads with toppings are nice alternatives to sandwiches and pizzas. Bake them and top them with tasty veggies and meats. They're a perfect lunch or dinner.

Hot Countries , Cool Food

 During a heat wave look to hot countries for recipes and food tips.These are the areas that know how to eat cool and satisfying dishes when the temps get to be too hot.  They're used to high temps. They know how to deal with blistering days and sweltering night.

Italy can be a heat dome in the summer especially around Rome and the southern part of the country. An easy dishes that requires little cooking is pasta con salsa cruda. You can use any pasta you want (and microwave it for an even easier cook) and create a room temperature sauce using ripe tomatoes, freshly cut basil leaves and olive oil. This is mixed with two to three tablespoons of olive oil and then set out while the pasta is cooking. The hot strands or pieces will heat up the sauce.It;sa great way to use up your tomato and basil harvest. Salsa cruda can be varied with a pinch of pepper flakes and even a teaspoon of red  or white wine vinegar tossed in,Salads are also big in an Italian summer table. Caprese salad is a yummy way to use those fresh vine ripened tomatoes and basil. Chunks of mozzarella are added for more flavor and it's drizzled with olive oil. Panzinella salad made with tomatoes and cubes of Italian bread is another tasty salad that can be made into a meal. It's drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with oregano.

Spain is another country that;s  suffers from violent heat waves. Spaniards take comfort in a cooling cup of gazpacho. This is a wonderful cold soup of peppers, tomatoes , onions and cucumbers. flavored with garlic . Olive oil is added for smoothness and then the whole mix is liquified into a chill creamy soup, perfect for blistering days. Serve with a crunchy bread dipped in oil. Greece is a beautiful country  loaded with tempting islands and turquoise waters. Yet it can get so hot that even making tasty kebabs can be a chore.The Greeks then head to their go to salads, - watermelon and feta and cooking cucumber with a Greek yogurt dressing. Try slices of bread in an easy made tzattziki dip.It combines the yogurt with strained cucumbers a long with lemon juice ,sea salt and olive oil. It goes well with leftover chicken too if you want to dres yesterday's rotisserie chicken. A fun dish from North America is Mexican guacamole. This is an easy make with mashing avocado slices and sliced tomatoes together. Add some garlic powder and minced onions along with a teaspoon of olive oil for smoothness. Serve with bought tortilla chips for a light lunch or supper.

Loo to these hot countries for cool recipe ideas. Their cuisine has withstood centuries of sweltering days and nights. Yet they survive and survive on good dishes.

Feast of The Assumption

 Today is the Feast of the Assumption when the Virgin mary ascended into Heaven.It is a holiday throughout Catholic Europe, South America and here in Norht America. It's also a time of feasting and celebration.

Each country celebrates differently. The Germans bless herbs anf then put them in both sweet and savory dishes. Lavender is one of the plants blessed and it can be used in shortbread dough. Other savory herbs such as rosemary and oregano can be used in salad. Chives or schnitlau cn be chopped and mixed with sour cream or butter for barbecued baked potatoes or steak. This was also popular in pre-Reformation England where people brought their curative herbs to be blessed by the parish priest. The Italians take this day seriously foodwise.It is the start of holidays throughout the contry and many people celebrate at seaside resorts. They usually have a seafood lunch or dinner to commerorate Our Lady's Rising. Since its' also the beginning of the early harvest season so fruits and vegetables are blessed and eaten as well. Many start with a simple summer carpaccio of either meat or fish with burata and freshly picked basil. Chicken with peppers is also a popular Ferragosto dish.Some celebrate the day with an outdoor picnic of good cold cuts , bread and cheese.

Both Muslims who recognize the Virgin and Christians in Syria celebrate the day as well. The have wheat and small triangular cakes. These are made with semolina , a popular cake ingredient in the Middle East. At the Monastery of the Virgin near Damascus , there is merry making ,feasting and even horse racing. All this is heald in the Monastery courtyard where The Virgin first appeared to Justinian. The Greek Orthodox also celebrate it, The Dormition of Theotokos is when they make the meat dish yiorti. This is a mix of goat meat, onion and wheat eaten to break the fast before. The goat meat is cut up and tossed into a cauldron where the meat is boiled for two hours. Dirt and fat are then skimmed off. Chopped onions and wheat are added to this, creating a porridge.The bones are discarded when they float to the top and a priest blesses the dish. It's then spinkled with pepper and served to the entire parish. If you want to celebrate, then think of it as a fruit harvest celebration. Have strawberries or bluebrries, the color of the Virgin's robe. You could also try peaches or nectarines with a splash of white wine.

The Feast of the Assumption can be celebrated in a variety of ways. You can have it as a harvest of summer fruit or special dishes as yiorti or semolina cakes. It's honoring The Virgin in your way.

A Delicious Life In Spain Susan Lewis Solomont's Story

Imagine being an ambassador's spouse in a foreign country. There's the shock of the new, culture, language and mores. For Susan Lewis Solomont, wife of the Spanish ambassador under President Obama, this was the case. Yet her love for Spain and its' food conquered those qualms. Her book ,  Lost And  Found In Spain written about her  and her husband's three and a half years there is an interesting read.There's adventure, beauty , history and , of course, food.

Her book, published by Disruption Books. is a valentine to her family''s time in Spain. It truly is a riveting read, taking this Brooklyn born girl from her and her spouse, Alan's home in Boston to the embassy in Madrid. One of the aspects that I loved is her discovery of the diverse dishes from the country's many provinces. A few times I found myself  craving jamon , the dry cured ham from hazelnut fed pigs. There is an interesting chapter about she and Ambassador Solomont dining with the great and innovative chef , Ferran Adria, the genius behind the world famous restaurant El Bulli. Ms. Lewis-Solomont  was treated to a unique feast for all the senses. Also she and her husband, along with her sister and her husband were able to get a table at a restaurant  only open for six months a year and offers one seating a night.Getting there is a whole book unto itself, because it's located in a sandy cove, dangerous to get to by any vehicle. Yet the meal was well worth it. Chef Adria is a culinary scientist , bending all the rules of physics to create amazingly singular dishes. His sloe gin fizzes came with a head of  warm foam, mimetic peanuts, a peanut shaped pastry was filled with a seductive warm peanut and chocolate filling. Another adventure included a fabulous meal in a cave(!) restaurant where Ms. Lewis-Solomont enjoy grilled lamb chops and crawfish, washed down with homemade wine.

Another famed chef, Jose Andres, the great humanitarian who brought hot food and hope to the victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, is also  mentioned in this memoir. He takes Ms. Lewis- Solomont on a trip to the gastronomy fair , Madrid Fusion, very early on in her tenure. For her, a foodie through and through, this was sheer heaven. She was able to taste all sorts of foods from all over the world. Best of all the outing ended with an invitation to Chef Andres favorite restaurant, Gerardo's in Oviedos, the capital of Asturias, in northern Spain.  The eatery, first established in 1882, featured several fresh  fish courses with the fish being caught that day in the nearby Bay of Biscay.  Of course ambassadors also have promote the country 's businesses and encourage trade with the US. The Solomonts promoted Spanish olives - used for Italian and Greek olive oils. This was a surprise for me, considering I'm the first one to advise people to always use Italian olive oil. Spanish olive oil is even more flavorful, and it's something that I'll try, thanks to the book.The Solomonts also had their own phenomenal cooks on the embassy grounds, Gustavo and Rosita, Below is Gustavo's gazpacho recipe (which will be featured in tomorrow's post) As much as I love cooking and baking, I also love history. The accounts of the Solomonts' trips across Spain were  fascinating . I adored reading about Sevilla where Jews, Arabs and Christians worked and lived together to create a modern , cosmopolitan center of learning and tolerance during the Middle Ages.

Lost And Found In Spain is a definite must read for anyone who loves, Spain, traveling and food.It is beautifully and lovingly written, a true valentine to the country so full of flavor. Read it and experience the wonder and joy Susan Lewis Solomont had for this amazing nation

Gustavo's Gazpacho

For about six people

8-9 medium-large tomatoes (red, ripe)

Two cucumbers (peeled)

1 Big red pepper

½ Big green pepper

¼ Onion 

¼  garlic clove 

1 cup of virgin olive oil  (preferably Spanish)

3 spoons of vinegar  If you use balsamic just one spoon, it' strong)

½ tsp spoon salt

Cut everything into pieces and put it together in a blender, use high speed--it really makes a smooth mix. 

Serve cold

O

Lia Huber's Amazing Journey

Many chefs go overseas to learn cooking. They usually head to Paris or Milan, but not Lia Huber. She learns her craft on the beaches of Corfu and the lush jungles of Costa Rica. This journey has led her to her latest cookbook/autobiography, Nourished : A Memoir of Food, Faith and Enduring Love.It's much more than a recipe book, it's a template for surviving rough times.

Ms. Huber has lovingly and humorously written this interesting book published by Penguin Ramdon House. She has been through a lot in her life with being diagnosed with cancer in her twenties along with fibromyalgia, first mistakenly diagnosed as lupus. She and her husband Christopher have gone through a plethora of ups and downs. Their strong faith has kept them anchored as she writes about it, One of the aspects I love about this book is that it can strike a resonant chord with anyone, not just home chefs but anyone going through their own hells.Chef. Huber is a regular contributor to the magazine Cooking Light, and that detailed, colorful writing, usually reserved for recipes and food articles, is present here.Readers will feel like they're in the lush forests of Costa Rica or the dusty roads of Oaxaca , Mexico.She vividly shares her meals with friends  in Northern California , inviting the reader into their circle along with sharing the pure joy of her daughter,Noemi's adoption The book travels the world, from North and Central America to Europe. The places have impacted her and her recipes.

The recipes are important to her and at at the end of each chapter. They are as varied and as interesting as her life. Any home chef, from novices to pros, can recreate these delicious tributes to the people and places in her life. Spring peas are what changed her way of life and cooking and there is a recipe for them along with an accompanying recipe for roasted rack of lamb. Home chefs will share her excitement of opening up their culinary repertoire with spices and herbs.There is the grilled pork en adobada with cebollitas,Ancho and guajillo chilies along with cumin and cinnamon zing up boneless pork loin.Try pollo en jocon, chicken with tomatillos and serrano chilies. Greek cooking has greatly influenced Chef Huber's life and there is an excellent recipe for the garlicky potato dish , skordalia. Since she also spent time in northern Italy, learning the intricacies of pasta making there are some good recipes for surprisingly zucchini frittata.It's so simple yet so flavorful. She also is inspired from restaurants, as we all are, and that's seen in her lasagna and Beijing Peanut Noodles/ Yes, there's a cake one, from Mexico, Pastel Imposible, Or Impossible Cake, a magical blend of chocolate and flan that changes position while baking.

Nourished: A Memoir Of Food, Faith and Enduring Love is not just a cookbook but an inspirational book. Buy it  read it for hope , make the recipes for nourishment, It is  must have for any home library.

Small Bites For A Summer's Night

Big meals seem superfluous in summer. No one wants to really eat when the temps hit the nineties which is why bite sized foods seems perfect. It's time to try the Eastern Mediterranean tradition of mezze. It's a light, tasty way to eat and enjoy the flavors of the season.

David Tanis covered this in his column A City Kitchen in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Mezze is basically a  selection of small plates, similar to tapas.It's a standard in Greece, Turkey and Lebanon where its' big in restaurants but even bigger at homes around the regions. Families gather around their Sunday tables that are laden with small but filled plates along with glasses of  Greek ouzo, Turkish  raki or Lebanese arak. The ingredients represent the regions. Grape leaves and cucumbers are used often. Eggplant is a big staple , especially in the Middle East mezze or mezedhess. Mostly it's served as a Turkish style dip with pita. Zucchini figures large too and it's prepared a variety of different ways.Most of the ingredients can be bought at any farmer's market or even the family garden. Mr. Tanis also recommends going to your local Middle Eastern grocery , not only to pick up the veggies but also buy pita and olives as well as dates and phyllo based desserts. More unusual ingredients such as sumac, pomegranate molasses and Marras pepper flakes, vital to the recipes, can be bought on line.

These recipes are purely vegetarian. There are meat based meze such as lamb, chicken and pork kababs and kefta ,balls of ground beef. You could make the kebabs on a grill and they would make a nice accompaniment to these recipes, however an all veggie meze is lighter fare, perfect for a hot midsummer night,The recipes are relatively easy and drenched in spices. Try the cucumber with feta , mint and sumac.It's taking two pounds of Persian cucumbers cutting them and dressing them in a savory  mix of garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Feta and sumac are added for creaminess and tang. There is also mashed eggplant with capers, scallions and parsley. It's cubing the eggplant, roasting it and then briefly pulsing it in a food processor. Pomegranate molasses is added along with yogurt for smoothness and cayenne pepper for heat. It can be used as a dip for warm pita bread or spread on rounds of French or Italian bread. There's also zucchini and cherry tomatoes with blanched zucchini strips in a tasty dressing composed of pureed red peppers.They're blended with olive oil, mustard, vinegar, Maras pepper and cayenne.The strips and sliced cherry tomatoes are arranged on a platter and then drizzled with the dressing.It's garnished with oregano, parsley and olives.

It's definitely the time of year for an all veggie mezze. Make the tasty dishes with the harvests of the season, drenched in exotic spices and flavors. Enjoy them on a warm, night , as they would do on a warm, starry night in the Middle East.

Nectarines A Nice Summer Treat

Ask people what are the fruis of summer and they'll probably mention strawberries, and blueberries, definitely peaches. Yet another summer harvest is coming in right now Nectarines are also ripening. These wonderful fruits are a nice change from the usual fare and work well in many recipes.

What is a nectarine? A peach without the fuzz.The Chinese first planted them over 2,000 years ago and then the seeds were cultivated in ancient Persia, Greece and Rome, They were popular during the medieval era , growing in England and Spain. The Spanish brought them over to the Americas in the late 16th and early 17th Centuries. Nowadays California is their chief grower, with 95 percent of all nectarine harvests coming from there. Some peach seeds may turn out to be nectarine trees and vice versa.Many growers graft nectarine branches onto peach trees to guarantee a crop of then. The fruit's name means full of nectar.It's the perfect dessert or snack for dieters. Each piece of fruit only has sixty two calories. Surprisingly it's one of the few fruits that has protein in it as well.. Nectarines are also high in Vitamin A and beta carotene (hence the bright yellow flesh).It also has Vitamin,C, potassium and most importantly fiber.The fruit can be kept out for two to three days before they develop brown spots. As with other fruits, nectarines are better stored in the fridge Besides nothing beats the taste of a chilled one on a sweltering day.

Since they're basically peaches, nectarines can be made into the same dishes as peaches. Try them in a cobbler laced with brown sugar.They'd also be tasty in a crisp, either made with oatmeal or Bisquick. A more elegant dessert is a nectarine tart with a hazelnut crust.The fruit works well in cakes too. Try a buttery scratch one laden with slices and a hint of nutmeg.Fruit can be roasted over the grill so why not roasted some nectarines along with plums and peaches. Top the hot fruit with vanilla ice cream for a truly decadent summertime dessert.Another fun dessert idea is trifle with the fruit layered with store bought yellow cake or pound cake and whipped cream. You could even douse it with peach schnapps for a boozy, fun way to end an evening. You could also turn the fruit into a homemade nectarine liqueur. This last is just taking a pound of the nectarines and letting that ferment with three cups of vodka and a cup of sugar. The process takes about three months then before the drink is ready so it will make a nice addition to fall drinking and dining.Nectarines can also be cubed and used in salads for color and sweetness. Add them to a grilled chicken salad along with almonds.  It can also be pulverized and added to apple cider vinegar for a sweet dressing or even marinade.

Make nectarines part of your summer diet. They are a sweet, healthy treat on their own along with being wonderful in a variety of sweet and savory dishes. Get a basket of them at your local market or farm stand.

Advent Foods

Advent started on Saturday and it's a preclude to Christmas.With it comes the start of the holiday food season and all the goodies and treats that come with it. There are some interesting dishes as well, with religious origins, , reminding us of the holiness of the season.

One of the most fun items associated with the period is the advent calendar This is a fn way of also counting down the days until Christmas. every day is marked with a small chocolate candy , usually molded in holiday shapes like a wreath , elf or some times toys like a train or a doll.It is also celebrated with a variety of sweets and sweet breads as seen in Germany Austria and German Switzerland.Both Germans and Austrians bake a tasty buttery cookie called a vanillekipferin.This is also an excellent Christmas cookie to make for cookie swaps and tree trimming parties.What makes it's unusual is the ground hazelnuts however you can also use ground almonds or peanuts. Nusseken, mini nut cakes , a delicious blend of hazelnuts , and chocolate on a cake, made with apricot jam. It is usually washed down with a variation of eggnog that has the added kick of vodka

In many of the Orthodox  countries such as Greece, Advent is a fasting period starting from November 16 to Christmas Eve. All red meat , poultry and dairy are forbidden. Some areas also forbid eating fish even. It then becomes a period of purification where Greeks eat vegetables and vegetable broths as well as plain breads.Indian Christians also observe Advent. Their culinary traditions reflect their heritage with rice and fruit dishes.They make a cake called vattayappams.Rice powder is mixed with jaggery, a sugary  mix of date, cane sugar and palm sap>Raisins are added for decoration.

Advent can be a time of both joy and somberness. The foods and traditions reflectthese. It is a preclude to Christmas and reflects all the festivity and holiness of the season.

Chestnuts For All Soul's Day

November 1st is All Soul's Day, an important holy day for Catholics throughout the world. It's the day to honor the souls of loved ones who have passed. In Mexico , it's called Day of The Dead. Families spend it at a picnic in the cemetery honoring their ancestors. There are special skull shaped candies and foods that are eaten. My family has always followed my grandmother's Piedmontese tradition and eaten hot chestnuts. Crosses were made on the tops and the steam rising from them represented the souls of the dead.

Chestnuts themselves are a wonderful and versatile food. They are the fruit of the beech tree and grown on five continents. The nuts were first introduced to southern Europe by the ancient Sardis from Asia Minor (present day Turkey) and have become a staple of Italy, southern France and Greece. (Alexander's army were sustained by chestnuts) They are well known in Italy with chestnut festivals during this time in the North. The Tuscans soak them in wine while the French make the decadent treat marron glace or candied chestnut. The flour can also be ground into flour for baking cakes. Chestnut flour was used in making the original version of polenta

The chestnut is the only nut that has Vitamin C in it. Other vitamins are B1, B2 and B3 along with the minerals zinc, magnesium and phosphorous. Because of these it is a good staple to introduce into a fall and winter diet. Most people usually just eat them on Thanksgiving when they're blended with stuffing. However to get a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals try to have chestnuts on a twice weekly basis when they're in season.

Today is the day we honor our beloved ones who have left us. With that we eat chestnuts to symbolize them. Chestnuts are truly the food of November .Go out and buy them today.