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.

America;s Stockpile

 Tariffs affect the American people  among with the countries that sell us their goods. Many are stockpiling, anticipating that tt\heir favorites will be costing much more in the months ahead. Is this the right thing to do? Possibly.

Editor of the New York Times Food section Nikita Richardson sent out a question to New York TImes readers about what they would be stocking up on.Some of the results are in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. More than two hundred and fifty readers responded from a question that started with an anecdote from a Cooking editor. A relative had bought four bottles of Cognac in anticipation of tariffs on imported good.It's not just fancy liqueurs that are being horded.Common foodstuffs are too.A coffee lover, Mary Corbett of San Diego California wnr out and bout sixteen(!) pounds of coffee at Costco.It was due to Columbia and other South American countries. She likes looking at it as ti makes her feel safe.It is a wise choice . Coffee consumption was at an all time high last year in 2024. Another component of a good cup is also under attack - oat milk - which comes from Canada. Barista Josh Orter of Brooklyn's Minor Figues has been sticking up on it.

Of course with this silly trade war with Canada, maple syrup will also be affected.Syrup lovers have also stocked up. Luckily because of its' high sugar content,. maple syrup in glass bottles can last for years. Freezing an opened container of maple syrup can also extend its' shelf life.Olive oil is another foreign product both home and commercial chefs need. Most come from Italy but there are brands being imported from Spain and Greece.Two readers offered suggestions. Denise Adams of East Northport ,New York suggests buying and saving.She has  five bottles on reserve while reader Marsha Gelt in Oakland California recommends buying it in smaller bottles. You get more out of it than form the larger ones because olive oil can only last at best three weeks after being opened. A good idea is buying it from Aldo and Lidl where its a few dollars cheaper than in full priced grocery stores. Home chefs are also stocking up on avocados and pantry goods. Mexican goods such as avocados also face a twenty-five per cent tariff.Many ,like Rebecca Lawton of Fort Worth Texas are buying them now , rock hard and letting them ripen.  are stocking up on dried goods like oarmeal and imported canned goods. These can last for years .

Unfortunately the tariff war will go o  for the next four year - maybe even longer. Does i pay to stockpile while the prices go up. The answer is yes, because who knows what will happen during this presidential term.

Remember Those WHo Labor

 Even though it's Labor Day in the Us, remember laborers around th eworld today They're the ones that help put food on our tables. A lot of American produce come fromt farms around the world. It's also good to remember those locally too.

This is the day to thank everyone involved in the food trade. Be sure to tip the waitstaff generously at any restaurant or cafe. They too aren't immune to the high cost of living. Also thank those local farmers and who provide us with seasonal fresh produce. Say a prayer for countries Mexican farmers who provide us with seventy-seven per cent of fruits and veggies. while their Canadian counterparts who give us eleven per cent, namely wheat from  the Midwest  Provinces Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta. Also be civil to grocery store workers as well. They 're the ones that provide you with delcious baked good and peprare cold cuts for you as well as whole meals.

Enjoy the day before heading of to work or starting a brand new school year. Be kind and generous to all those responsible for putting food on your table.

The January Dilemma Fresh Frozen Or Canned

 Trying to eat healthy in January can be a hard deal. It;s not that we're surrounded by cakes and chips.It's that fresh fruit and veggies are slim picking this time of year. Yes you ca pick up eveyrhing but are they tasty enough? Would a canned or frozen version be better?

This is the problem for all home chefs in colder climes this time of year. Most produce are well past their harvest in the northern part of the US and Canada. Most of the veggies that were in full bloom during the summer are coming in from Mexico and Central America now. Tomatoes are one of these and though they're native to that area, the winter versions are not as red or as delicious as the ones coming from local area farms. It's tough to make a good salad with ones that are watery and bland tasting. You could buy sundried  tomatoes for a different taste but these can be too much after a while. That burst tomato sauce that usually tastes heavenly with the fresh grape variety but has a lesser flavor when the imported ones are used. The best bet is using canned like Muir Glen for any kind of sauce. As for broccoli it's growing in abundance in north central Florida. Luckily it's a veggie that's OK frozen. The frozen version is actually better for broccoli salads . Steaming it helps to improve the flavor . This also works for string beans too. Skip the canned versions and go straight for the frozen green beans.

Fruit is a bit harder.It's hard to find really good fruit now. There are apples which are coming in from Washington State right now. They're still harvested in the fall but put into a controlled setting to prevent rotting. That's why we still have such a variety to choose from. Grapes still are being harvested in southern California along with Mexico. The good thing about grapes is that they become raisins. If you're not happy with what your grocery has , then get a cannister of raisins. They're also rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals plus they're high in iron.  Citrus has always been the "go to winter fruit". Definitely have more of them in your life.They're also good freshly juiced which you can use for a delicious , fresh drink or perfect in both savory and sweet dishes. The same goes for tangerines as well. Have plenty of these around too. What about those fany little bowls of strawberries and melons  that are seen gracing grocery shelves. Both are probably coming from Mexico and they 're OK if you want a low calorie snack. You could buy frozen strawberries but these are actually better in smoothies and desserts. As for the melon look to winter melons like casaba for a fresher bite.

A New Year's resolution is to eat healthy. It hard to do when it's January. yet you can find your helping of fruit and veggies for better eating.

Gifts For The Gourmet Dad

Father's Day is a week away and it's time to start seriously thinking about gifts for his special day. If he's into serious cooking then think about some interesting cooking and baking gadgets and ingredients your gourmet dad may like. It's be a true surprise and a real treat to receive something unusual.

Men love gadgets. That's a given. A gourmet father may enjoy the various ones designed to make cooking  easier. A sous vide or a water oven is the perfect present, especially for the fussy cook. It's basically a water oven that cooks food perfectly. The food is put into a vacuum sealed pouch and then cooked for a period of time. The end result is juicy. flavorful cuts of meat and tender vegetables.  It can even bake a cake ! Everything comes out restaurant perfect every time.  It is pricey at five hundred dollars but dad will get a lot of use out of it. A bit cheaper but still fun is an air fryer. Whatever is cooked in it also comes out perfect. A big plus is that you can cook fried food in the air fryer without all the grease and calories. Price wise they come as low as $39,99 at Target or Wal-Mart. It will get a lot of use. If your father loves the smokiness of a good barbecued rib or chicken, then think about getting him a smoker. These can be pricing with the most expensive starting at $1,200 however you can buy a simple charcoal one for $170 to $180. It can smoke everything from beef to fish  along with chicken and pork.

For dads who love flavor think about exotic spices. Berber spice is big right now, since it can be used in the Moroccan egg dish shakshuka. It can also be used in Ethiopian dishes along with being a tangy rub for chicken and beef cuts.For a more Asian vibe consider a large shaker full of Chinese five spices. One of the pluses is that this can be made at home.It's a mix of star anise, cloves,Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and fennel seeds. You can also add anise seed, ginger root, nutmeg and turmeric.It's great for rubs but also adds to stews and batters for fried foods. For the baker dads,  think about bottles of Neilsen Massey extracts. The company has such interesting and classic flavors as vanilla, peppermint, coffee and lemon.It also sells vanilla paste and sugars which produces a more vibrant vanilla flavor. You can also buy whole vanilla beans that come from such exotic islands as Madagascar and Tahiti along with Mexico. The company also  sells rose and orange blossom water for Greek and Middle Eastern dessert recipes. A box of Ghiradelli baking chocolate is perfect for those dads who love to bake brownies and cakes.

There's plenty to buy for the gourmet dad.  It can be a fun gadget or an interesting spice. Whatever it will be he will love it, that's a guarantee.

Brownsville Texas The Taco Town

For Mexican food lovers,the border town of Brownsville, Texas is heaven. There you can buy different , fresh made varieties , full of a wide spectrum of spices and fillings.It is one of the best places in all the US to eat the best of the spiciest best.


Regular contributor, Priya Krishna, wrote about this Texas border town in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Brownsville is not an easy town to get to, yet it's attracting all sorts of attention.The town is a relatively poor one, despite its' proximity to the chichi Texas resort South Padre Island. Things are looking up, thanks, in part to Elon Musk, breaking ground for the world's first commercial orbital launching site and the darker Casa Padre, a detention center for immigrant boys. The city's Southmost section, is the place for delicious and famed Mexican dishes. It is supported by Brownsville's robust population of Mexican immigrants, many who arrived thanks to the Bracero Project. This was a collaboration between the US and Mexico that allowed millions of guest workers between the years 1942 to 1964.  This brought in skilled cooks whose taquerias served as models for the ones we eat at today.One of the oldest is Vera's, opened in 1955 by Armindo Vera. His is the most traditional, with him smoking cow heads for barbacoa, until it's tender and falling off the bone. He serves it with corn tortillas, onions, cilantro and several different kinds of salsa.

The good food isn't limited to just the US side. The town across the border, Matamoros hosts Marcelos, a family owned restaurant. It, too, is extremely popular, drawing guests as far away as China and Germany. The reason for it's worldwide popularity is the way its' food is cooked. These are family recipes created by Evangelina Rocha and her husband, Abel Mondragon. They and their sons , Adan and Isai create their famed chicharrones verdes, pork skins bathed in tomatillos,green chilies and cilantro, then served inside plush corn tortillas.Their tacos are famed, thanks to the tender loving care put into them. The meat has to be cleaned. The dried beans have to be high quality while the salsa should be made exactly to the recipe.Back in Brownsville there is competition with Sylvia's and Easy To Go Tacos, the last serving flautas, fried rolled tacos stuffed with meat. They also serve tostadas and fajitas too along with borrachos, spicy tamales. Has politics affected the restaurants in this border town? ICE agents do eat at these places. There is the wall being built yet there have been tension between Mexico and Texas for decades, long before Trump came in.

Politics aside , Brownsville will always be the taco capital of the world. It has the best taquerias that serve family recipes , full of good ingredients. This border town knows there are no sides when it comes to delicious Mexican food.

LA's Oaxacan Vibe

Los Angeles  has always had a Mexican vibe and connections to the mother country, Mexico.It is also the hub of Oaxacan American life, with restaurants featuring the delicious foods of this Mexican state.Here , everyone can have a taste of true Mexican cuisine.

Tejal Rao wrote about the Oaxacan dining scene in Wednesday's New York Times Food section.Ms Rao, an accomplished chef and cookbook author in her own right  is now the Los Angeles restaurant critic for the NYT. She was able to get into the kitchens, learning about Oaxacan's migration and establishment in LA. The Oaxacan's have always been drawn to southern California for decades, shaping the city and influencing its' history and businesses. They are the ones running the food industry, owning specialty  markets, restaurants and food trucks. There was a big influx in the 1990's , just before the country's devaluation of the peso threw the country  in turmoil.It was easy to set up restaurants because Oaxacan cuisine is what everyone wants - freshly made with all natural ingredients. .Also immigrants want the exact same dishes  that they grew up on. Unlike dishes from other Mexican states which have subbed in ingredients, Oaxacan  ones have items such as tortillas known as tlayudas, grasshoppers (!)  known as chaplunes and dark chocolate. Sausages called moronga that are made fresh, daily ,using herbs and every part of the pig are also part of the restaurants' daily fare.

Oaxacan restaurants throughout LA would not open without these. Diners can enjoy true  southern Mexican fare such as the airy and diaphanous tortilla drizzled with the golden dregs of homemade lard and then spread with layers of black beans, quesillo,cheese and shredded cabbage.Moronga is also served, a kind of homemade blood sausage where there's not only pork but also tomatoes, jalapenos along with fatback and pork skins. Flour and herbs such as oregano and mint are added for substance and flavor. It is scored and pressed against the grill until it turns crisp. .The restaurant , Gish Bac is known for another Mexican dish , barbacoa. One of the owners, Maria Ramos learned  to make it as a child from her parents. It is different from the Caribbean version, which came from the indigenous Taino tribes that grilled  meat on spits.. The Mexican version is usually beef, goat or sheep  steam cooked in an underground oven until its' juicy  and succulent. She and her husband, David Padilla,as immigrants in 1993 made it just for quincianeras and weddings. They became so successful  that they opened up a restaurant that featured the slow roasted ,goat meat , basted in its' own restorative juices.

Oaxacan food is one of the strongest influences in Angelino cuisine. It's is classic Mexican ingredients cooked into flavorful dishes with recipes.They make for some of the best meals in this ever changing city.

Strange Fruit

Are we getting a bit too creative with how we grow our fruits and vegetables? Lately the old standards, especially grapes and tomatoes are not what they've been for millennia. It seems their genes have been tinkered with - to create - monster fruit?

I've noticed this with a new kind of grape the tear drop.

They 're supposed to be tear drop shaped but look like dark purple ancho chilis. In fact they were first branded as chili pepper grapes but that confused consumers. Buyers thought they would be spicy and sweet   which was wrong. The name was quickly changed to finger grapes. Again,people didn't

 like the idea of naming them after body parts.. Unlike other grapes, they can be split open to be filled with salty cheese. Tear drop grapes can also be grilled with lemon juice and oil. They are also good gracing poultry , duck and pork along with any kind of nut. Pop them in vanilla yogurt for a different kind of dessert or snack.They first came into being in 2002.

Another strange fruit is 

these multicolored grape tomatoes that look more like grapes than actual grapes. They a mix of cocktail, cherry and grape. They're greenhouse grown in Mexico and have a variety of flavors, from  very strong tomato-y to mild , sweet fruity flavor. They're a fun low calorie snack that only need a dusting of sea salt. These are for those who are already bored with the ripe , rich taste of regular grape and cherry toms. They can be used in salads, but I've put them in Aldi's pasta Alfredo, to give it some acidity. You could halve them and put them in omelets, or pair them with 

stale Italian or French bread, minced garlic, , olive oil for a spin on Neopolitan bread salad. They also can be used in any kind of kabob for color and taste.

These are strange fruits indeed. Yet they 're fun to eat and experiment with in old and new recipes. Try them for something different.

Where Does Your Produce Come From

Ever wonder where those January strawberries came from? Or those tomatoes that  you ate last month and during this one? Probably not from the US. Think Mexico, Centra andl  South America and even Australia and New Zealand. Produce is not all American anymore - and with it comes a whole host of problems and dilemmas.

David Karp, a pomologist or self proclaimed "fruit detective", wrote this interesting and eye opening piece in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Supermarkets have a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables, now during a Northern Hemisphere winter. It's easy to get tomatoes and grapes along with blueberries and peppers./ Years ago, the only  fresh produce you could get during mid March was oranges for fruit and winter cabbage for veggies.That was it.I had to f you wanted anything else, you would have settle for canned, pickled or preserved. Now, thanks to farms in Mexico ,and the southern hemisphere where it's the height of summer, we can have a wide range of just picked . Of course this is wonderful, especially for families with growing kids and teens. A varied diet, full of fresh produce is vital to having a healthy kid.There's also other pluses too . It's sometimes fresher than the domestic kinds. Gala apples, harvested in New Zealand are crunchier than their American counterparts. Chile's pink , seedless Muscat grapes are more flavorful than locally grown ones.Imports, though , can also go the opposite way. Mexican and Peruvian asparagus tends to be fibrous and rubbery while our stalks are plumper, juicier and just more tastier .

There are a lot of downsides to these imports. They do suffer in transit.. They are perishable, after all and can arrive bruised , nicked and rotten. They could also be prematurely picked  and allowed to ripen in the store. or lose their flavor thanks to treatments  to kill pests. Mangoes, have to soaked in hot water while citrus has to be kept in cold temperatures to control any bugs that may sneak in..Another issue is the large carbon footprint imported produce can cause  which can irk eco minded consumers..Most harvests arrive here by plane which guarantees fresher ,"younger " fruit  but that also means carbon emissions and pollution. A scarier aspect of importers is that they can be connected to drug cartels.looking to launder money and diversify their operations control. Even scarier extorting  the production and packaging of certain crops mostly from Mexico, Growers and militias have fought back . The implications of cartel control has remained unclear, especially in the areas of quality, cost, and healthfulness. Imported produce also has one more damaging side effect - hurting local organic farmers. They suffer the most , especially in when their crops are in season. After all consumers go for the cheaper which is the non organic., whether local or imported.If we buy nothing but  imports , then these small or niche growers will suffer greatly.

What should a home chef do? If you value nutrition over the earth then buy the produce,If you;re more green minded, then don't. It is your choice and sadly there is no  happy middle ground.

The Perfect Cup Of Cocoa

Now that we're firmly entrenched in winter, it' time to enjoy a steaming cup of hot winter. This is the perfect cold weather pick me up. It not only is a sweet treat but a tummy warmer, taking away that frosty nip.

Thanks the Mayans for this chill chaser. They began enjoying it about 2,500 to 3,000 years ago. Theirs was a spicy brew being made with mashed cocoa seeds mixed with water, cornmeal, and chili peppers. It was poured back and forth in cups until a froth formed and drunk. The Spanish found it  bitter yet went mad for it. Thanks to it being part of the dowry for Iberian princesses. the drink was soon spread throughout Europe. The Spanish and English added sugar to make it more palatable and it was dr Hans Sloane wo added milk to the beverage when he had it during a visit to Jamaica. In 1828 dutch Coenraad  Johannes van Houten developed a process to turn chocolate into a powder. From there it was easy for anyone from any class to make a soothing cup. The best cocoa mix is still from Holland - Droste. It's this one that I recommend to make a rich European style hot cocoa. Take two tablespoons of the Droste powder and pour in a trickle of milk to make a paste. Here is where I vary it. I add light cream for a richer mouth feel. Heat a cup of milk over a low flame  for two or three minutes (not too long, or a skin will form on the milk's surface. Pour in, stir and add a tablespoon of sugar. Stir again and top with a blob of real whipped cream.

The above is more of a a liquid dessert , perfect after any meal (and maybe after a morning of shoveling the white stuff) however many Americans prefer a lighter - maybe a more watery(?) version. An American classic is Ovaltine. This Swiss (!) import has graced both British and American tables since the early 1900's. It used to have a malty flavor thanks to the addition of malt for added nutrition., however this is not so anymore. Another good mix is Nesquik cocoa powder. Generations have run to this instant mix , creating not just awesome hot cocoa but also glasses of icy cold chocolate milk. Nesquik also comes in syrup form  for a less messier version. What about those packets?.  Do they make a satisfying hot chocolate? To some purists the answer is no. Yet, they're perfect for those in a hurry, The same with those K-Pods, You won;t have the creamy mouth feel of the real thing yet they're just as delicious. Land O'Lakes has one of the best. Their hot cocoa is nicely rich and their chocolate mint is tasty. Their hazelnut hot cocoa, however, can be a bit too sweet. Swiss Miss is another popular brand and the dark cocoa flavor has a richness that's satisfying. The marshmallow lover's one is fun chock full of mini marshmallows , perfect for s movie night.

Hot cocoa is definitely the best chill chaser.Whether it's a rich Droste one or one from a packet, they''re perfect for keeping you warm/ Make it to take away the mid winter cold.

Celebrating All Soul's And All Saint's Days

Today is All Soul's Day while tomorrow is All Saint's Day. Before Halloween became a big holiday , these two holy days were filled with remembrance and feasting throughout the Christian world. The souls gone and the saints who protect can still be remembered with prayers and food.

Today is huge in Mexico. It's a time when families visit cemeteries , bringing favorite foods for loved ones lost as well as for  themselves.The indigenous people originally celebrated in the beginning of summer and the holiday was then moved to coincide with the Christian days of remembrance after  Spanish colonization.Many celebrate the day with homemade tamales for both the living and deceased along with pan de los muertos., a type of sweet bread. Anise seeds flavor it , giving the same taste as the Italian biscotti.Drinks to toast and commemorate are Jamaican iced tea, a type of tea made with Jamaican hibiscus  plant's flowers and leaves along with pulque  -a type of alcoholic beverage made with the fermented sap of the agave plant. Other drinks are atole and champurrdo, corn or masa based drinks flavored with sugar, vanilla and cinnamon.Guatamalens make fiambre ,a kind of picnic course that includes sausages and cold cuts along with pickled baby corn, beets and onions.. There are also various cheeses, chicken and olives. Some families even include Brussels sprouts and pacaya flowers, from the pacaya palm. The last is dipped in egg batter and then fried.

Europe also celebrates  as it has since the Sixth Century AD. In Italy, France and Spain families roast chestnuts, cutting a cross in each one to allow steam to rise. This is symbolic of the soul leaving the body. The Spaniards also make pannellets or almond cakes. The dough is formed with mashed potatoes, sugar and almonds.and then rolled in  beaten egg and pine nuts. They resemble the Italian cookies, pignoli. In England, it's soul cakes, popularized in Sting's song of the same name. These are yeast breads , flavored with cinnamon and decorated with raisins. They were baked in the shape of men and women ,and given out to children who went begging.All Saint's day also gets special treats, especially in Italy and Sicily. Children who pray for the passed are rewarded with the homemade favi de morti , beans of the dead. These are almond paste cookies that have been spiced up with lemon and cinnamon.It's kind of like a baked marzipan that's have been rolled into long rolls then cut into pieces to resemble broad beans.

All Soul's Day  and All Saint's Day are a time of prayer and remembrance. They are also a time to celebrate those we have lost with good food and feasts. They are solemn days but days filled with flavor.

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.

Holiday Tamales

Christmas foods are always traditional no matter where you are in the world. It certainly is true in the Latin America  where centuries old dishes are brought out to every one's delight. In this case it's the tamale,  standard fare in any Western meal .It's made special with different ingredients and a lot of love.

It was the topic of an article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. The piece , written by newcomer, Fernanda Santos, explores this Latin.Tamales are a big part of Latinos holiday fare and also everyday fare.They truly are an American food, their origins dating well before Columbus where for centuries; before him various tribes were making different types of corn rolled baked in clay pots. The premise is easy .Tamales are a stuffed corn based roll, wrapped in parchment or corn husks and steamed. With practice anyone can make them.

Tamales vary fron country to country, Mexicans like theirs stuffed with pork or beef although chicken is also preferred too.Along the Mexican Gulf Coast, in Tabasco, the husks are filled with garfish. In Oaxaca ,it;s chicken with a spicy chocolate based mole sauce, Venezuela also has this tradition however they sweeten their fillings with raisins along with olives. The meat of choice there is pork. The Brazilians have something similar too filled with cheese and meat.Most beginners usually stick with a simple beef tamale and a tomato sauce made with cumin and chiles.

Tamales are a part of the Christmas feasting tables as any roast or ham, They can  be made in the traditional style or according to the region. They're a different and tasty way of celebrating a holiday.

Holiday Theme Parties

Holiday parties can be exciting. You can spend time in Mexico, Italy, possibly even Israel or China/ How can this be ? By hosting a food themed party. This is always fun and it 's a bit different than the usual holiday party fare.

First of all pick a cuisine that you know your guests will like. This is not the time to spring something too exotic on unwitting guests. Usually Mexican or Italian is always a good bet because they're both popular and tasty.Also it's relatively easy to cook any of the dishes. People love tacos and tortillas and you can make them with a variety of meats from chicken to beef. You can also throw a spin into it by adding fish or pork too. End with Mexican hot cocoa with a dash of Kahlua. Italian food can be  great too. Think of having a sophisticated Roman meal complete with the tasty stracciatella soup and a fritto misto, a tempura like mixed of cod fish and different vegetables.

Of course you can also have an Israeli Hanukkah too.These are not just latke but also foods that reflect the Middle East influence, There are lamb kabobs or shishlik which can be easily grilled inside or outside, along with hummus served on pita bread. You can finish with the traditional jelly doughnuts or sufganiyot. Chinese food is another exotic cuisine that's party friendly. Instead of the traditional egg rolls try pork and shrimp dumplings or crab rangoon for appetizers.Sesame chicken on skewers is also good too.You can also set up hot pots , literally Chinese fondue for guests to share and mingle.

Holiday themed parties are a fun way to celebrate.It;s also a neat way of introducing guests to exotic dishes and fun cuisines.Think of it as a night of travel and culinary adventure.

From Fan To Chef

How many times has any foodie gone to a restaurant and fallen madly in love with a certain dish. Then the dish is recreated at home, to be enjoyed at many a meal or party. Sometimes an extraordinary dish inspires a foodie so much th at he or she then becomes a chef.

This was the topic of yesterday’s article by Francis Lam in yesterday’s New York Times Dining section. Many foodies are so entranced by a certain dish that it fuels the desire not only to be a professional cook but also to open a restaurant. Most of these newly christened chefs are world travelers and have been inspired by the exotic cuisines of Thailand and Mexico. They have the money and the means to open up an eatery that reflects their culinary journeys. It’s also a great way of opening up American palates these foreign dishes.

Do these traditional dishes work in the hands of novice cooks Yes. Most ethnic dishes are better made by those who have no ties to the culture. They’re not influenced or shadowed by family recipes. There’s no “This is how we’ve made it for centuries”. Chefs cook straight from the source which is usually a native cook ironically using his or her own family recipe. When it’s passed to a stranger , the recipe is tweaked and made better by little improvements. These newly minted chefs know what their fellow countrymen like to eat and these recipes are reworked to appeal to American tastes.

A good dish always creates a million fans, It’s rare that it creates a chef. Yet this is what’s happening . Foodie fans don’t become groupies - they become cooks .