A Taste of Kindness

 One thing Pope Francis taught us was kindness to others. He was very much like St. Francis ,of whom he took his name. we can learn from both ,especially during these are times.

Food is one of the best ways to reach out to anyone.If you do have a family member, neighbor or friend who is alone and wanting company share a meal with them. Nothing lifts the spirits more than a meal and good conversation.It doesn't;t have to be a fancy meal, McDonald's or even a sandwich in the back yard will do the trick.Invite them over for a Sunday family dinner. It's soon to be barbecue season so save an extra set at the outdoor table.Remember our veterans, especially the elderly ones. Not only share a meal with them but shop for them as well. You can also volunteer at soup kitchens too. It's strange that many just volunteer only on Thanksgiving or Christmas. The needy are hungry all year long. They need food in the  Spring and summer months too. The staff would greatly appreciate the extra hands too. There are also food pantries that will need help and food too.Donate what you can if you can.

It is hard to share however with food prices always rising to astronomical highs and not enough time, thanks to busy schedules.Yet , we lose our humanity when we only think of ourselves. If you're having struggles yourself  reach out. There's no shame in visiting a food pantry. You have to eat. Your family  and animal companions have to eat. Keep in mind that they also have necessary items too, such as diapers, detergent, soap, and paper towels to name a few. Another idea that can work is the community are aptly named community gardens. Cities such as Paterson and Newark, both  New Jersey  highly urban cities have these. Everyone in the neighborhood pitches in, from tilling and hoeing the soil to planting the seeds to weeding and then harvesting the crops. It means fresh veggies and fruits for all. Some gardens even offer cooking classes that show how to make nutritious yet tasty meals with the harvests. They also offer classes for kids for gardening too as well as other classes such as yoga and meditation. It's all about helping each other.

Pope Francis ,like St. Francis helped all. It's time to do the same. The best way is through food.

Mmmmm M and M's

One of the most classic American candies is M&M's. These little multicolored gems are just good on their own or in a variety of different dishes and treats.What is even more interesting is their history and their impact on the American culinary landscape.

M&M's made their debut in 1941 during the beginning of World War II. Forrest Mars Senior based them on the British candy Smarties when he saw soldiers eat them as a snack during the Spanish Civil War. The British version had only debuted a few years before in 1937. and were possibly based on the Moravian version first made in Holesov Czech Republic as early as 1907.Mars was the father of the famed Milky  Ways and Mars Bars  introduced in 1923 and 1932. The candy is nothing more than a chocolate pellet coated with hard panning, basically hardened sugar syrup. Those iconic M's? One  is for Mars - of course and and Bruce Murrie, son of Hershey's chocolate president  William F.R. Murrie. They candy was made with Hershey's chocolate which had control of all the rationed chocolate at the time.After receiving a patent for it ,Mars had the candy made in the posh neighborhood of Clinton Hill, in Newark, New Jersey. Their first customer was the US Army who saw the candy as the perfect foodstuff that wouldn't melt in the pockets of soldiers stationed in tropical climates. It was strictly  army food until the end of the war when it was finally sold to civilians. The iconic brown package came about in 1950 while the Ms came about in 1949.It was black at first and then changed to white in 1954.

Most of us grew up with the classic milk chocolate or peanut ones that came about in 1954. The eighties saw the candies go global with being introduced all over the world, from Australia to Malaysia. They even hit the UK where they 've been competing with Smarties.Holiday M&M's were introduced then too, with pastel candies imprinted with bunny, chick and egg symbols. The Christmas ones were colored with  red, white and green coatings, with the last one  being mint flavored. The M's were replaced with fir trees, bells and candles. The Nineties saw the ushering in of M&M Minis sold in plastic cylinders . The new century welcomed such new flavors as dulce de leche, caramel, and peanut butter.Also entering the candy scene was dark chocolate - a nice break from the milk along with white chocolate.There's also chocolate crispy and pumpkin spice that comes out in the fall. Fruit flavors have also crept into the M&M flavor mill as  well. There are coconut, orange,cherry cordial raspberry and even candy apple.! Newer flavors are birthday cake and pretzel - the last a nice mix of sweet and salty.Mars  also makes pecan pie and caramel which is sooooo addictive.

Everyone has a favorite M&M. What's yours? Mine are caramel and almond for now. That may change when I taste the dark chocolate ones again.

Food For All Urban Farms

There are too many people starving in cities. Either that or they're not eating right, going for cheap junk or fast foods. There is a solution  - farming. It's something that many cites need to do. The end result is a healthy population that can give back to the city.

Urban farms are a new phenomenon but the idea of feeding ones' own has been around for centuries. Many castles had garden in their keep or right outside the castles walls. .The fruits and vegetables grown supplied nourishment for everyone within it. Urban farming is somewhat similar, The produce grown goes to the community whether for schools, food pantries or soup kitchens. It's a great way of getting healthy foods out to a population that may not always eat right due to financial problems.Newark, New Jersey was one of the first cities to have this Theirs is actually in two forms. The first is plot of land measuring two and a half acres. It is not just a farm but a learning center for local schoolchildren. Here they can see how tomatoes and lettuce are grown  as well as harvesting them.Another plus is that for ten dollars a month any Newark resident can have a plot to grow whatever they want.For parents this is a boon. It gives them and their children a relief from gritty city life and into fresh air .It also shows them to have responsibility with tending plants and making sure they thrive.Urban farming may also guide them into fields of biology and other sciences as well.

The other type of urban farm is repurposing an old factory and turning it into a multi story farm. This also has been stated in Newark and  happening in some of the larger cities like Chicago. One of the more famous one's there is Sweetwater .Thanks to Emmanuel Pratt, founder of the Sweetwater Project, Chicagoans not only get fresh veggies and herbs, their children also receive lessons in how to fertilize and plant. Kindergarteners up to grad students learn about the plants along with the fish that provide the fertilizers. There are tanks of tilipia which provide nitrogen waste for the crops.Professor Pratt has created more of these urban farms in Milwaukee and Detroit too.The Japanese have also jumped on this concept, creating the world's largest interior farm in eastern Japan in an area badly hit by the tsunami. It has created no only a huge bounty of crops but very little waste, thanks to installing LED lights. The lettuce will keep under them and not wilt. Another plus of urban farming is that the crops are not subjected to drought or heavy rainfalls.More and more cities need to think about this sustainable method of feeding their citizens. Instead of caving into Big Business, they need to reclaim the land .

Big cities need to rethink selling out old factories and green lands to businesses. Urban farming is a cheaper  way of getting fresh fruit and veggies out to a population who need it. It's benefits everyone, especially the next generation.

King's Example

Today we celebrate Matrin Luther King's birthday , man who wanted to unite the country and make segregation an archaic idea. Unfortunately we still have the great divide, even more so with the poor of all colors and creeds. Thankfully there are a few small actions we can do to have some easement.

I cannot express the importance of helping out in food pantries across the U.S.. Assisting is not only good way of getting in touch with all of your community but also seeing what needs to be fixed. Sometimes it just takes this to push oneself into politics and community service. Bring the kids along too. The earlier they learn about helping others, the better. Too may kids feel entitlement  and they need to be shown not to take anything for granted Another idea is also bringing a festive air (if that's possible) to a soup kitchen by having a decorative cake or baking cookies to go with after meal tea or coffee. One idea to consider is a pantry garden. This is taking a little more of your yard to grow  bumper crops fruits and vegetables during the spring and summer months. The overage can be donated to your local food pantry or soup kitchen Of course it's too early to plant but it;s not too early to draw up plans or look into planting veggies you haven;t grown before.

For those living in urban areas, it time to protest for more urban farms. The concept is in full bloom in Newark , New Jersey where a variety of benefactors such as Goldman Sachs are contributing. It's refurbishing old warehouses and factories into indoor vertical farms. All sorts of vegetables and greens are grown inside , tended by locals. This creates not only ingredients for nutritional dishes but also jobs for the immediate community.Every city throughout the US should have at least two or three. It's up to the townspeople to help bring these vertical farms to their towns. Teachers in these urban area schools should also urge for nutrition or better nutrition classes too. Another idea to push is pay or help restaurants. If patrons don't have money, then they can help out , whether clearing tables or aiding around the kitchen.The concept was first instituted by rocker Jon Bon Jovi in his Red Bank, New Jersey restaurant JBJ Soul Kitchen. They also need volunteers to help out as well if you live in the area.Again this is an excellent restaurant idea in big cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.

Reverend King may have been impressed with the progress we have made, however it would have dismayed him to see the great divide between this nation's upper and lower classes. We can come together foodwise  It only takes a helping hand to start a change .

New Jersey A Culinary Capital????

Mention to people you live in Jersey and they tend to regard you with a smirk. (we have HBO’s The Sopranos to thank for this) Mention the fact that Jersey (as we’re known ) has the best restaurants and the freshest ingredients like the Isle of Jersey in the Channel Islands and you’re met with a guffaw. Surprisingly enough the Garden State actually has good eateries. In fact we even have four star ones.

Take today for example. I went to one of the area’s most famous parks, The Cherry Blossom park in Newark . (yes that Newark where it’s not so bad) The area is famous for its’ scores of cherry blossoms that rival those down in Washington. Across the way from the park is a bi-level strip mall and in it a nondescript Italian restaurant, City Park. Thinking it was just another pizzeria, I walked in . Imagine my surprise when the menu was similar to the more famous New York restaurants. City park on the Bellville -Newark border not only serves up brick oven homemade pizza worthy of John’s in New York but also mushroom risotto, worthy of any celebrity chef eatery. This was an amazing meld of porcini mushrooms, garlic and arborio rice. City Park also has a seafood risotto as well as porcini ravioli. It was a brilliant find.
Not to be outdone but a few miles away Newark has the Maize restaurant in the Robert Treat Hotel in the city‘s financial section. This is one of Jersey’s four stars restaurants (albeit the Maize is part of a chain). It has a phenomenal array of all sorts of dishes from fusion to vegetarian. Union NJ .a few miles south of there , has one of the few three star restaurants in the state as does its’ neighbor Maplewood. Good food in quality restaurants abound here throughout the state, whether it‘s in a grand casino in Atlantic City or a small family restaurant in any of our historic counties.


The next time anyone visits Jersey, stop by our restaurants. We’re not all fast food and clichés. We actually have a bumper crop of excellent restaurants here in the Garden State.