Restaurants Lost

 This year has been a truly devastating one. Besides the genocidal loss of life, businesses have also been badly impacted. None worse is the restaurant industry. It's not just the big cities like New York or Los Angeles were hit. Smaller towns' culinary gems were also destroyed thanks to quarantine and the loss of business. It is catastrophic to say the least.

The New York Times Food section devoted most of today's section to this heart wrenching loss. One of the most saddest is Philadelphia's City Tavern which opened in 1773. This was Ben Franklin's hangout where the menu really hand't changed since then. There was  even a tofu recipe inspired by Franklin's 1770 letter to John Battram. Diners raved about  celebrity chef Walter Staib's  roast duck and Colonial turkey pot pie. Chef Staib is also the host of the PBS show A Taste of History  which now will be his salvation . Other famed eateries that everyone thought would go on forever folded. The famed K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen closed its' doors forever snuffing out the memory of the late chef Paul Prudhomme. Both chef and restaurant opened the world's eyes to such truly Cajun dishes as blackened redfish and chicken-Andouille sausage gumbo. Manhattan's Lucky Strike was also one of this year's victims.It was known for its' lychee martinis and tuna tartare.It was one of regular contributor Julia Moskin's favorites. Chicago 's Blackbird is also no more.Like Lucky strike it came into being in the prosperous 1980's with its' sophisticated menu.

Smaller family owned restaurants have also affected.  Honolulu's Like-Like Drive In which opened even before Hawaii became a state closed after sixty-seven years of feeding the city. For three generations the Nako family served teriyaki burgers, Vienna sausages and lemon chiffon pie to locals and tourists alike. Chef Mark Noguchi  remembered his childhood visits there where he had Green River lime soda and the Hawaiian noodle soup saimin.Dallas' Taco Shop may have opened in only 2012 yet this taqueria  in a former gas station was an instant hit with construction workers and suits alike. People went  for their carnitas, barbacoa and picadilo as owner , former psychologist Emilia Flores made everyone feel welcome . Even bakeries felt the virus's bite. Sunny Donuts in San Jose, California created mouth watering buttermilk, blueberry and chocolate glazed ones as well as one with homemade raspberry jam inside. Sales dropped during the pandemic and the owners Chip and Sara Lim decided to retire. They already had gone through a McDonald's and Dunkin Donuts franchises.

We need to be a restaurant culture again when this pandemic ends - and it will. Support your local  family owned eateries , coffee shops and bakeries. We need them as much as they need us.

New Year New Foods

One of the best New Year's resolutions you can make is to expand your palate.This is the first step to inclusion and breaking down the walls of prejudice.Let's face it any new dish tried is a fun way to find a new favorite.

One trend that will be popular this year is Middle Eastern.Try some of the amazing dishes of this cuisine.Yes, there are juicy and spiced kebobs and creamy hummus, but there's also Za'atar and  baba ghanouj . I can' t say enough good things about Za'atar.It's fantastic with toasted pita and highlights chicken and tomatoes.Baba ghanouj is a tasty ,zingy  dip that takes the simple eggplant  to new heights.Thanks to trying these centuries old recipes, my culinary atlas has grown.I'm excited to try Russian cuisine along with rediscovering Indian and Greek.Even local cuisines should be on anyone's radar.Philadelphia is also my dance card and that is a city with a big platter of different cuisines to buy.
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Another way to expand your culinary atlas is to take cooking classes.There are many good ones out there. Some community colleges offer them and bring in local chefs to teach.Definitely take advantage of these.Another venue is night school.Many towns offer such diverse  courses as Thai and West African.You not only learn to cook the different dishes but some will have field trips to markets to show where to buy ingredients.Specialized markets are another way to further your knowledge.Take a walk down the many aisles.Taste the samples given and ask tons of questions.If it's all overwhelming, then buy some snacks or cookies and jump from there.Many chain grocery stores have a wide variety of multiethnic foods.Try some of the imported foods and spices there.Incorporate them in your Everest cooking.

A brand new years means brand new flavors.Expand your palate to include them.You'll be glad you did!

Are You Cooking School Ready?

It's the time of year when many soon to be high school juniors and seniors start thinking about careers and colleges. Some younger home chefs think it would be fun or interesting to run a kitchen or bakery. As with everything it takes a good education, to get ahead.

As with anything, research is the key. Look into culinary schools and universities around the country. There are even community colleges that offer AA or an associates degree in the subject. These are usually cheaper and in some states no tuition for state residents making under $45,000 per year. Also two years isn't that big a commitment,If you want to change over into another or related field you can after continuing on at a four year college. Another aspect to consider is whether you want to go to a cooking school or a college. Such universities as John & Wales  offers both.Having both culinary  training and business background would be appealing to a young chef  to be who wants his or her own restaurant right away. The same applies for the Culinary Institute of America or CIA where you can even earn a master's degree in food or culinary business.Of course tuition is the main issue , There are scholarships and financial aid to help. However, education shouldn't come with a price tag, yet many parents often steer their kids towards the much more affordable options.

Are there still cooking schools in the world? Yes, however here in the States, they're more likely to offer other courses as well.Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia , PA, offers a European approach to teaching cooking, with even cooking camps for younger kids and high schoolers. They even have classes abroad at both English and French cooking schools. Of course, there's Europe, namely France, where the idea was born with the Cordon Bleu Cooking Academy. This institution , first established in 1895, is the world's most famed school and a prototype for others  that have followed. It is still accepting students and has such famous alumni as Julia Child, Mario Batali, Giada De Laurentiis and the famed Great British Baking Show judge, Mary Berry. The school has also expanded to London and Florence  as well as into North American, South America, the Middle East and Asia  (strangely they don't have a campus in the US). For some future chefs this would be a dream come true, however they and their parents should take into consideration, everything from housing  to language to even safety.Parents, if you  feel your kid is ready for life abroad, this is the education for him or her. If not, look into an American school that offers a junior or senior year in another country.

Any future chefs should start researching now for the culinary school or hospitality degree that suits them. Picking the right one is key to any success. Select one that will guarantee good training and education in the food industry.

Your Own Artisanal Ice Cream

One of the hottest summer trends right now is artisanal ice cream. This treat is a throwback to earlier variations our grandparents and great-grandparents ate. .Not only are they pure and free of any preservatives, they take the best of the season's fruit as flavoring. The best part - they can be made at home with just a minimum of fuss.

The first question in homemade ice cream making is do you really need an ice cream maker. The answer is no. While having one facilitates the process you can use a simple ice water bath  which is placing a bowl of just cooked cream mixture in a bigger bowl filled with ice water. The bowl is them placed isude the freezer part of the fridge. Another method is using the humble sandwich baggie, This is a fun activity for the kids.It's mixing all the ingredients in a small one, sealing it and them putting it into a gallon weight baggie. Fill the last with four cups and four tablespoons with ice cream salt and then wrap in a dish towel. Shake for five minutes to have a soft serve kind of treat. Another question is do you want to make it French or Philadelphia style? French style  is thick and custardy, usually using three to four egg yolks. If you want a rich, creamy mouthfeel go this route. Philadelphia or American style ice cream is made with just sugar, milk  and cream. Philadelphia style does have a tendency to crystilize quicker than the French, sometimes giving it a watery mouth feel.

Artisanal ice creams always use the best and the freshest get the best whole milk.If you want to have a richer. flavor add whole cream Raw cane sugar is used but you  can also use honey or maple syrup too. What is fun about artisanal ice cream is that flavors, both savory and sweet can be blended. Instead of a plain chocolate, turn it into a sweet, peppery mole with the addition of chili powder.Sea salt is a much used ingredient. Try a home made caramel spiked with nuggets of Celtic sea salt. Artisans like to pair vanilla with lavender.Two tablespoons of the dried flowers should be used in the French style recipe.This would make an elegant end to an outdoor dinner party. Roses are another flower , this new generation of ice cream makers are using. Use the petals just for decoration. Flavor the ice cream mixture with rose water.Fruit is big with the artisan set. Definitely use the best of the harvest right now. One delightful pairing is strawberry and rhubarb.  Use about a pound of cooked rhubarb to about eight ounces of strawberries. You can also just make it with just the rhubarb. Another cool and hip flavor is blackberry.It not only give the cream mixture a rich berry flavor but tints the cream a striking mauve hue.

Artisanal ice cream just isn;t for the trend makers.It can be a delicious part of anyone's summer diet. get creative with the variety of flavors and recipes.

A Top Chef Becomes A Top Entrepreneur

There are some chefs who just cook - and that defines them. Others turn their skills into a multi-level business and that also defines them. Then there is Mike Isabella who is a combination of both.He's setting the Washington DC culinary world atilt and now has a new concept, a modernist food church .

Jennifer Steinhauer interviewed Chef Isabella for yesterday's New York Times Food section. Mr. Isabella first came to prominence ten years ago when he appeared as a contestant on Top Chef. He wowed judge Tom Colicchio with a tasty pepperoni sauce. In the years in between he established eleven restaurants in Washington DC, Virginia, and Maryland.By then end of this year he'll be opening a vast food emporium at Tyson's Galleria, a McLean Virginia luxury mall. His latest venture, a French eatery, Requin will bring life to The Wharf, a refurbished  area of the Washington waterfront. This new eatery is a kind of food church being helmed by him and chef Michael Rafidi who has also has a background in southern Spanish and Moroccan cuisine. Chef Isabella has a whole globe of international restaurants, including Greek,Italian Mexican and Chinese.

Mr. Isabella is much more than a restauranteur . He is a mogul, somewhat rare in the food world. His empire is worth thirty million and it includes stands in airports and sports arenas. He has an army of six hundred workers whiich will double when the new restaurants open. This boy  from New Jersey had humble beginnings. His culinary career started at the now defunct Restaurant School of New York, did stints in Manhattan and Philadelphia. He cooked for the famed Marcus Samunessen and prolific restaurateur Stephen Starr. He experimented with eastern Mediterranean food at Zaytinya. He met Tom Colicchio at food writer , Joan Nathan's house where he pushed Mr. Nathan to let him compete on Top Chef. After the show he started Graffiato in Washington 's Chinatown section. His future lies with the success of Isabella's Eatery at the upscale mall.. It will have a variety of different cuisines from Mediterranean to Japanese , with Italian thrown in He'll also have an  ice cream parlor and a coffee bar.

Mike Isabella is beyond just a restauranteur. He is a giant in the industry  and his empire will keep growing. It will be exciting and interesting as to what he'll do next.

Happiness Is Breyer's Ice Cream

One of the best American ice cream's is Breyer's  Any Yank will tell you why he or she loves it..It's smooth and light , creamy and flavorful. Breyer's either be the perfect dessert or the most satisfying snack. Best of all it can be used in making many treats, ideal for the warm days ahead of us.

Breyer's is one of America's oldest food manufacturers starting right after the Civil War in 1866. William A Breyer started by hand cranking his creamy concoctions. It was made in the Philadelphia style, which had already been popular for a century. The Philly way eschews eggs, producing a lighter product and taste. It's more of a thick kind of ice milk as opposed to the eggy French style of ice cream.Breyer created different flavors right away, adding fruits, nuts and extracts, which are still being used today.He opened the first ice cream shop in 1882 and four more quickly followed. The rich mixture of whole cream and cane sugar. It was cranked in one store and delivered by a horse drawn carriage to the other three. By 1896 Breyer and his family set up the first ice cream factory as more and more people clamored for the icy treat. The Twentieth Century brought more sales to the company that topped millions, and was sold to grocery stores in New York City, Staten Island, Jersey City , Newark and even south to Washington D.C. The family sold it as early as 1926 to National Dairy Products Corporation. It has been bought and sold several times, from Kraft to Good Humor and finally to Unilever who make the ice cream in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. They now produce gluten and even sugar-free ice creams  for those with celiac disease.

Breyer's is one of my favorite ice creams, simply because of the light mouthfeel and taste. It's not a heavy , custardy feeling , like some other brands. It's good on it's own but that lightness helps to make sodas and sundaes airier too. One of my favorites is their coffee flavor. This is perfect in chocolate flavored soda (yes, there is one - and Stop & Shop makes it )along with making an excellent mochaccino sundae. This consists of two  plump scoops , drenched in chocolate syrup and covered in Reddi-Whip. Their fudge ripple is to die for, with the vanilla ice cream marbled with thick fudgy veins. My new favorite is the new Breyer's Blast that has chopped up Samoas,from the Girl scout cookie collection.Samoas on their own are more like candy, with their coating of chocolate, caramel and toasted coconut. This marriage has created a yummy, chewy but light coconut flavored ice cream, that I would love to put into a summery ice cream pie.Another must try are their Gelato Indulgences.My to try list has their lush chocolate caramel, that dripping with the last and decorated with decadent chocolate curls along with Tiramisu Gelato, that's made with marscapone cheese,espresso syrup and lady finger bits.

There's a reason why Breyer's is America's favorite ice cream. It is delicious and light, perfect for dessert or as a cool treat on a hot day. Try this classic , It's sure to be your classic ice cream go to after one spoonful

An Ice Cream Classic Redone

One of the best ice cream flavors is fudge ripple . It's a classic that goes well as a scoop, sundae or soda.Imagine a homemade version, spiked with malt.You can, thanks to a recipe in yesterday's New York Times Food section.

Melissa Clark wrote abut this in her A Good Appetite column. The inspiration comes from The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory where she got a double shot of malt in her chocolate malted.Her recipe for fudge ripple is a marriage of  malted vanilla ice cream with a malt shot veins of dark chocolate.There was only one problem with the original recipe. Malt powder is tooth achingly sweet. According to Ms. Clark it's made with heaps of sugar which will impact the flavors tremendously.A better solution is to augment the powder with barley malt syrup, a dark sticky amber liquid.It's heady  and thick but not too sweet.Dilute the malt powder with it to create a richer more layered flavor. Health food stores carry it but it can also be bought at Amazon online (it is pricey, however with a twenty ounce jar costing close to fifteen dollars).If you can't get it stick with the malt powder but maybe cut down on the amount used, from the original 2/3 cup to maybe 1/3.for the base.

The ice cream base is a traditional  French vanilla with two cups of heavy cream and six egg yolks to give it body (save the whites for meringue nests to nest the ice cream if you're ambitious enough) Light brown sugar is added instead the usual white for a mellower, more complex flavor. The fudge ripple is made with  the barley malt syrup  too, mixed with unsweetened Dutch process cocoa.  According to Ms Clark adding the syrup will give it a double duty.It adds a punch of flavor but also keeps the fudge sauce supple in the ice cream. The finished product ends up with soft ripples instead of those rock hard seams that come with store bought fudge ripple.I wonder if this recipe can be varied, with one, making it Philadelphia style without the egg yolks and two, with a coffee or even chocolate ice cream base. There are recipes for these on the net. The malted vein would definitely work with the flavors. Be warned , however.Ms. Clark's recipe is a labor intensive one, with the cream being heated with the milk, then adding the eggs, followed by straining. The marbling is easy.It's a layer of ice cream, then a layer of the fudge sauce, then another layer of ice cream followed by more fudge sauce. She served it with either fresh whipped cream or crushed malted milk balls.

Homemade fudge ripple ice cream is the ultimate dream for any foodie. Imagine it with fresh whipped cream , with the malted taste blending perfectly with the chocolate and vanilla. It truly is an ice cream lover's dream.

QVC's Kitchen King - David Venable

If you haven't heard of  David Venable, then you're not a foodie or a QVC fan. This dynamo is responsible for selling tons of anything kitchen , from cookbooks to pots and pans to even foods. He's become something of a cult hero, bringing the fun and exciting cooking world to the home shopping hungry masses.

Mr. Venable was interviewed by regular contributor , Kim Severson in yesterday's New York Times Food section.He is one of the powerhouse hosts that makes QVC one of the biggest businesses in America. He cheerleads and dances , hawking some of the most popular cookware , such as La Creuset and Rachel Ray Kitchenware.His segments also features famous chefs too, callers can chat with Gordon Ramsey or Ina Garten  as they place their orders. doing this helps to increase sales. Rachel Ray moved four million in cookware overnight. Any chef hawking his or her cookbook can  expect to have a quick sell out in minutes. Molly Gilbert, a low key cook who wrote "Sheet Pan Suppers" was dazzled by just how quick her book sold. To be honest QVC is a foodie paradise.It  sells almost anything , from juicers to mixers to zesters and knives. There is also  all sorts of foods such as lobster and steak and flavorings you can buy any time as well..

However the company would be nothing with out Mr. Venable. A native of Charlotte, North Carolina and helped his single mother with cooking.His stage presence came from his college years singing in an a cappella group. Clef Hangers. These two factors have created a presence that hooks people.He dances , with his zany sidekick, Mary DeAngelis, He listens to the lonely foodie He sells home chefs and home bakers dream cook and bakeware..The most important facet is that he connects with people. Sometimes he's all they have..The popularity has paid off . He has written a cookbook himself, entitled In The Kitchen with David:QVC's Resident Foodie Presents Comfort Foods That Take You Home (Random House) three years go and hosts a dinner "In The Kitchen with David' at QVC's campus near Philadelphia. Mr. Venable has a huge number of fans who also just watch to hear his favorite catchphrases like "Swine is divine" or "I do not want to live in a world without potatoes." For a a guest to do a happy dance,  his signature jig after tasting something yummy is the height of Venable fandom.He gives the wares and cookbook recipes resonance, making them important to have .Foodies think nothing of spending $339 dollars for a La Creuset pot  after he gives a passionate spiel about it.

David Venable may not be the next Epicurus or Escoffier. He is a man who know what foodies want , because he is one himself. Thanks to this he has made QVC not only rich but also the leader in cookbook, food and kitchen gear/

Holiday Classics

Holiday classics this time of year may include Frosty  and Rudolph but  they also include chestnuts and Jello.

Jello???? Yes, it and so many other basics are the start of many a holiday dish. They're also comfort food and what's a holiday without that.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire is a classic, in particularly a New York one.They're everywhere in Manhattan The tradition started centuries ago on London and Parisian streets as well. You can roast them at home. using a perforated metal pie plate for stovetop cooking. Cut an X on the tops to release steam or they'll explode. Their taste is sweetly intense so you really don't need any seasonings. They're a nice accompaniment to popcorn at a tree trimming party.as for popcorn itself, nothing  beats the old fashioned way on the stove in a sturdy pot.Use 1/3 cup cooking oil or coconut oil to 1/2 cup of kernels. The pot should be warmed before the oil is even added. It should be shaken every now and them so each kernel is evenly coated in oil. Butter is always recommended for that old fashioned movie theater taste. .Melt it right after  the popcorn is popped , preferably in the same pot where you cooked the popcorn. For caramel use butter , again, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt to start with Baking soda and a touch of vanilla finish it off . Pour over the popcorn until every kernel is coated , cool and then munch.

As for Jello, it's really is a holiday classic. You can do a cheesy fun dessert with red and green cubes . Serve with Cool whip  dusted with gold and silver sanding sugar for a sparkly spin.Surprisingly it can also be made into sophisticated sweets  for elegant holiday parties.TRy a light and airy Key Lime Cloud Square which is  a combo of lime Jello, cream cheese and CoolWhip. It's a perfect end if you're having a chicken and champagne dinner party.A fun and creative dessert are Jello stained glass bars  which require four  flavors of it along with a mix of plain  gelatin and condensed milk. There's no baking with this which makes it super easy to make, Jello salads are the holiday buffer must have and actually standard.Try them with any kind of fruit as a sweet side to casseroles. Miracle Whip and Philadelphia Cream cheese are also holiday classics, being used in everything from crab spread to cheesecake,You can make yummy salads using leftover holiday  roasts and Miracle Whip.

This is the season for holiday classics. It could be a plate of steamed chestnuts roasted on an open fire or a Jello salad. Either way, they are the perfect comfort foods for the holidays, full of memories and taste.

PretzeLTwists

Nothing beats any kind ofretzel ,especially during this time of year.They're a holiday party staple as well as being a chill chaser ,eaten hot on the street.everyone thinks New York City owns this salty treat think again as competitor from Philly arrives on the foodie scene. It was the subject of an article in Wednesday's New York Daily News Now Foxus,Regular contributor,Jeannette Settembre wrote about Peltzer's Pretzels a new Brooklyn must go.Owner Leon Pelzer Kirkland and his wife,Barella, bring their version of the German classic to New York.This ISA different kind ,one that's twisted in to a knot with less salt.Philly pretzels are more about flavor than they are about size.Also they are free of those large sodium chunks everyone in the Metro area loves. what's sort of sad is that this city institution is losing some of its'street cred.City bakers are putting different spins on this centuries old recipe(the first pretzels were made in Bavarian monasteries by Priests.They were given to good children as a reward for learning their prayers)Baker Maury Ruben has created an equal Ly buttery and salty Croisszel ,a hybrid of the treat and a croissant.The average vendor sold pretzel is made en masse by J and J Snack Foods and given out to the 400 street carts.the only he comes from Pelzer's .They can bring this classic street food back to its'former glory. Is New York ready for some Philly style pretzels?Hopefully yes.If they take off ,New Yorkers may be seeing more of them on Manhattan's streets.

Charley's Cheesesteaks

Mall food is just that  - mall food. It's usually a slice of pizza or a burger which are not that filling. Enter Charley's Cheese steaks - a tasty and filling alternative to all that food cour drek. Having a satisfying hot sandwich is the perfect antidote to those post shopping hunger pangs.

Thanks to a misguided turn into Philadelphia Pennsylvania, the founder and creator , Charley (no last name supplied) tried the city's most famous food the cheese steak and fell instantly in love. he took it back to his native Columbus Ohio and started a sub shack on OSU's campus.It was a success and franchising soon followed.Now Charley's cheesecake is all over the world.offering all sorts of variations on the great sandwich, including chicken and breakfast versions with bacon and eggs..Charley's is also known for its' homemade lemonade and ice teas too .

I tried it for the first time last night and enjoyed the veggie lover's one.This is sans cheese steak but loaded with three kinds of cheese ranging from Swiss to provolone. Every sandwich, with meat or not has  quick grilled onions.It was savory and filling with added peppers and mushrooms. Two people can share a sandwich , thanks to its' generous size.I would love to try the original which has steak , onions and provolone cheese..There is also one with bacon added along with bleu cheese. I had their cup of fries. These were tasty and super crunchy.

Head to Charley's Cheese steaks for a tasty alternative to mall food. There's nothing as satisfying as a sub chick full of steak  , onion and cheese. It's a great pick me up after a day of heavy duty shopping.