Eggcellent Scrambles

One of the simplest cooking joys is scrambled. eggs. They 're not only a treat to cook because of their easiness but they a treat to eat too. Scrambled eggs are the ultimate comfort food. Best of all they can be eaten any time too.

Regular contributor Ali Slagle gave recipes and tips o them in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.Scrambled eggs are truly the ultimate feel good food. They;re good just plain or even with the addition of spices. Ms.Slagle gives some tips and ideas to make them even better.One is adding cornstarch (which diners may do to get that creamy consistency). A good creamy scramble first starts with a slurry that has corn, tapioca or potato starch.,Any of these keep the eggs' proteins from linking and tightening together under hrat.Even of they;re overcooked , they won;t have that rough, almost omelet look and feel. Another idea is to elevate their taste.Cook the butter (for a really rich flavor use Kerry Gold) until brown bits appear it gives the eggs themselves a slightly nutty taste. without affecting the texture. Spices also add a variation of flavor too. Earthy ones are cumin and coriander while smoked paprika gives them a smoky flavor,. For true bite  try crushed pepper or cayenne. She doesn't;t mention it but adding aux fine herbs elevates the taste making scrambled eggs a French bistro  vibe.

Another great tip is turn off the heat early left in a hot pan too long they can go from creamy to chalky and dry , especially if they;re left too long in the pan.The residual heat from it can overcook it.One key to keep the texture tender I to plate them even before they're done. Don;t  worry about ingesting raw parts.The eggs 's heat will gently cook them more.Ms. Slagle also recommends adding something acidic to balance their richness. This could be a squeeze of lemon or lime or even vinegar. Chopped fresh tomatoes are always good, (they'll b e more like that classic from Piedmonte uovi e pomodori. Just add a bit of garlic) ,Kimchi ,  and pickled onions also work nicely as does ,sharp and salty feta cheese.Keep in mind that scrambled eggs are not just for breakfast, although on toast they make a quick and great breakfast for dinner. Fold them into flour burritos and also add beans cheese and veggies and then freeze.These make for a quick dinner.There is also a recipe for migas,a Mexican scramble cock full  of shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese cumin  ,noon and jalapeno,Shredded tortillas are also added for more body.

Scrambled eggs are the perfect dish. Using these tips they can be turned into the perfect anytime meal. Crack a few eggs and create a tasty breakfast, lunch or dinner,

A Culinary Getaway

 February is the time when most people go away either to a plush ski resort ro a sunny tropical island. yet what happens when you can;t get away? Bring the food to you.It's a fun way to enjoy the slopes or the sand without leaving home.

Think Switzerland when you're making an apres ski type meal. Fondue is always the best and it's a good reason to buy a fondue pot (Keep in mind that you cna also use it for bagna calda and chocolate fondue too).it starts with a good butter and creamy cheese like Fontina, Gruyere or Gouda. You could also use Comte or Emmethaler too if you can find them.A good white wine is also needed.The acid in in it keeps the texture smooth  and even Another must is constarch. First grate the cheese and then toss it in cornstarch. Doing such will help thicken the fondue and prevent any lumps from forming. What to dip in?  Quartered slices of  a good baguette along with apple and boiled potato slices. If you 're leaning towards the Italain Alps of Piemonte, then try the intensely flavorful and delicious bagna calda. This "hot bath" consists of anchovies being cooked in a mix of garlic butter and oil. Savoy cabbage is dipped in it but for a more flavorful bite use parboiled London Broil. This leads to a wonderful marriage of flavors when the beef juices blend with the anchovies. Always have a loaf of French bread for dipping too. What's for dessert? Hot toddies or a more substantial slice of Black Forest torte with strong coffee.

If you'd rather go the sand and sun root then think Caribbean cooking. Nothing takes away that February wintry chill than jerk chicken, This spicy dish requires chicken legs,  along with brown sugar oil and thyme. Of course there are spices and herbs for the kick. There is cayenne for that fiery taste minxed with allspice, paprika , cinnamon and cloves. You'll also need onion  and garlic powder and freshly ground pepper too. This is a dry rub . Toi make sure every bit fo meat is spiced you have to pok holes in the legs so the spices can seep though.It's then baking ona pachment covered sheet pan for about forty minutes. Serve it with Jamaican rice and peas fired up with Scotch Bonnet peppers.This also has allspice berries and coconut milk added . Callaloo is another great dish for a culianry getaway. Try to get the calloloo plant (which looks like a hardier version of spinach) at a local Caribbean grocery.If not its' cousin spianch can sub in just fine. Soak the leaves first in salt water before adding t a skillet. Onions and red peppers  are first cooked in vegtable oil  Tomatoes thyme and Scotch bonnets foloow then the callaloo. .Add hot water to steam the greens and cover for five minutes. You can add crab or fish as they do in Tobago if you want.

Feel sad about not getting away this winter. Don;t be. You cna easily have the slopes or sand in yiur kitchen by cooking ski resort or island food. It's a fun way of having the adventure without all the traveling fuss.

A Culinary Winter Vacation

 even though it's a tough time to travel you can stil travel around the globe. Cooking and baking make it easy to have a tast eof the alps or the caribbean. It's a fun trip all within the confines of your kitchen.

Many regret not heading to the slopes this season. You can definitely bring a taste of the Alps to your dining room this January. Piedmonte in Northwestern Italy is known not just for its' challenging and fun slopes but also for it's robust foods, perfect at any chalet.One of the best dishes is bagna calda, literally a hot bath of anchoviies, olive oil, a little butter and garlic.It's usually made in a fondue pot and doners are encouraged to dip their forks in. savoy cabbage, native to this province is what's usually dipped in but you can also serve cubed and semi roasted London Broil or steak with it.Have loaves of crusty Italian bread with it to catch the savory drips of sauce. Another tasty winter dish that can be served is pescoi meaning "not fish" in dialect. This is polenta and butter cooked in savoy cabbage leaves and then pickled ina vinegar and savoia (a type of herb) brine. across the Alps in switzerland there is fondue. This a a perfect date night  supper, made with white wine,  a mix  of Gruyere and Emmenthaler cheeses , nutmeg and lemon juice. You could add a splash of kirsch for kick. Cubes of French bread or boiled potatoes are dipped in. Even heartier fare is German  which can be a good bratwurst grilled indoors and served on a dark rye with plenty of mustard or sauerbraten, a rump roast brined in vinegar, water, bay leaves and sugar and sprinkled with flour. The drippings are strained with gingerbread cookies to make a tangy , sweet sauce,

If you;re dying for heat and the Caribbean then think of jerk. The heat alone will get rid of that winter chill. Try the chicken one which is a Jamaican classic.It's a fiery sweet mix of two Scotch bonnet peppers, cayenne pepper, onions, scallions,nutmeg and allspice berries.A pinch of brown sugar is added to temper all this heat.Serve with another Jamaican recipe, the side dish of rice and peas.This is a  of the two made sweet with the addition of full fat coconut milk and fiery with more of the famed Scotch bonnet peppers.There is also thyme in it and to round it out scallions and onions.Puerto Rico may be known for warm , sunny beaches and turquoise waters but it's also known for its' variety of tasty dishes and drinks.Mofongo is a national dish and is as comforting as mashed potatoes.Everyone has their own recipe for it but the basic one is ripe plantains mashed with garlic.It can be served with meat or just veggies.Empanadas are also found 9n this lush island.8tss sorts of like a Cornish pasties stuffed with chicken,  beef or mixed veggies,Finish with a Coquitlam, akind of rummy nog, made with egg yolks ,rum and condensed and coconut milks.

Your kitchen can be your gateway to international travel.Try any of these dishes to fell like you're on a trip,It's a great trip to a fun destination

Strange Wine

 The wine industry surprisingly has some interesting developments lately. It's not just reds and whites with the occasional blush. This is something different. Wine is becoming exciting again, thanks to news ideas and new wine making concepts.

Orange wine is now on oenophiles' radar. I discovered this just yesterday during a pop ad and it intrigued me. Originally I thought it was a fermentation made from orange juice but that couldn't be the case. You can make orange wine at home but there are no wineries that actually do this. Orange wine is actually white wine made by leaving the grape skins and seeds in contact with the juice. This creates a deep orange hue. What about the taste? It has diverse and aromas not usually associated with wine, such as sourdough, jackfruit along with honey, varnish (!!!) and linseed oil (!!!!!). Palate wise they're dry and big , possessing a tannin like red wine with a sourness  that fruit beers have. Orange wine does pack a punch. You may want to sit down after a few sips.Since this is a bold wine, bold foods should be served with it. Think spicy Moroccan or Ethiopian cuisine - like those spongelike pancakes called injara. The wine also is great with Korean and Japanese foods. It's also good with beef and fish thanks to its' high phenolic content. Coppola and Red Hook Wineries sell orange wine.

Then there's Stella Rosa that sells all sorts of fruity wines. I found this out from Mike Colameco's Food Bites on PBS Sunday afternoon. His is just a two minute filler between America's Test Kitchen and Lydia's Family Table. Chef Colameco was mentioning about the billboard ads for Stella Rosa' wine of the month club that he saw on his way to his second home in Cape May. They were featuring a wine of the month club featuring fruity  berry wines. This  deserves some investigating. Stella Rosa does have some odd flavors like watermelon (!) and grapefruit (!) flavored ones.They also have pineapple and mango too as well as cherry , blueberry, peach and even vanilla.Where do these come from? The Ribolo family in Los Angeles where they founded LA's historic San Antonio Winery. Their "regular" wines come from the aromatic grapes grown in their native Asti in Piedmonte and they were the base of the winery's first big seller Moscato d'Asti. They also created Rosso, the first semi sweet, semi sparkling red wine blend.The family also has tasting rooms  and bistros across California.

Wine is becoming exciting again. Try a bottle of orange. Join Stella Rosa's wine of the month club. It'll make for some interesting drinking.

Invite To A Big Lasagna Party

We all need a big get together and party right now.Luckily there is just that thanks, to regular New York Times Food contributor, Samin Nosrat, She is hosting a gathering this Sunday 7 PM Eastern standard TIme. on Instagram. Come one, come all.

Chef Nosrat is not new to dinner parties and gatherings. Since her college days she has thrown together meals that ranged from paellas cooked on a rusted fire pit in a yard to churning out gallons of ice cream in her apartment. She has thrown parties in abandoned airplane hangars and deserted beaches and sprawling farms. Then there were the  get togethers at Tartine, the famed San Francisco eatery, where their corner bakery was set up to feed the restaurant's bakers. The group enjoyed Chef Nosrat's shrimp boils, brisket and latkes. She baked twelve layer lasagnas and billowy  souffles they all enjoyed. Now
 Chef Nosrat is coming into our homes as we go into her Southern Californian one.Her dish of choosing? An old fashioned lasagna, perfect with a bottle of red wine. For some of you novice chefs out there freaking out right now, don't worry. You can make your own creation, whether it's spaghetti and meatballs or just a sandwich. Just so long as you're there. That's what matters.

Is Chef Nosrat's recipe an easy one? It's a classic one, familiar to those who have grown up with Southern Italian recipes and big Sunday pasta dinners. The filling is ricotta along with fresh or even frozen spinach. She suggests using string cheese - fun - if you don't have Provolone or mozzarella handy. There's also grated Parmesan Asiago or Grano Padano. You can use dried Italian seasoning or fresh basil along with fresh Italian parsley and chives. There is the Bechamel sauce, an easy mix that can also go over chicken or fish. Again it's just flour, butter, milk and nutmeg mixed together. The tomato sauce can be your favorite jarred one or the one from the NY Times Simple Tomato sauce located in NYT Cooking. If you're really ambitious make the sheets of lasagna noodles yourself (again the recipe is on the NYT Cooking site). There's more cheese added. from Grano Padano to string. Assembling it may be labor intensive however if your family is joining you, then employ them to help. As for the wine, Chef Nosrat suggests Chianti or a barbera from Piemonte. The kids can have a celebratory soda or chocolate milk.

Mark  this Sunday at seven as a dinner date. Make Chef Nosrat's lush and classic homemade lasagna or not. Just be there to enjoy good food and good talk.

Inclusion Dining

As a country we are more divided as ever - unlike how we were eighteen years ago. Tragedy brought us solidarity that was inclusive of everyone.We banded and bonded together, sharing hearts and help. We can still be more together - even if it's in the small act of eating out.

Here's a challenge to anyone out there, but especially here in the States. Eat at a restaurant whose cuisine is new to you. It can be any kind , from Ethiopian to American. It's a way of not only supporting your local businesses but also also expanding your and your family's palates. Nowadays it's easy , thanks to the internet. Should you read the Yelp or any other reviews? That's up to you. One, the site does point out an eatery's best dishes and what you should try. On the other hand, you may find a sour review or two. Ignore those. What some people may find not to their tastes may be fine for another.  The best way to glean info is to visit the restaurant's website, As we all know there will be the menus and some will even have the dishes explained along with the ingredients. It's a good way to show the kids what  they can order and pick out what may appeal to them before going. You can also try a take out before visiting there for a lunch and dinner. Get a sampler so favorites can be established.

Where should you go first?If you live near any big city or town, then you know there will be ethnic neighborhoods with restaurants catering to locals. These are probably the most authentic , with foods and beverages made exactly as they would be back home. I 'm fortunate to live only two towns away from Paterson, New Jersey. It has always been an ethnically diverse town thanks to the silk industry drawing in silk weavers from Piedmonte, Italy, Lyons, France and Damascus, Syria.The last is still a strong influence and thanks to it, discovered my new found love of Middle Eastern food. It's a city that has everything from Turkish and Syrian to South American. There are even a hot dog stands that have been there for almost 100 years and still family owned. What about the suburbs? Strip malls. These have some of the best privately owned cafes and restaurants from Indian to Taiwanese. They often have lunch time buffets where you can sample all their top dishes along with coupons in your local Val Pack. Take advantage of both.

A day our enemies thought would divide us brought us together. We should do the same now, even if it's trivial as trying out a new cuisine. It not only expands our palates but our hearts as well.

A Piedmontese Picnic

Piemonte , located in the northern and most western part of Italy has summers are pure perfection at times, especially up in the Alps. Many trek to these mountains to enjoy the fresh air and cool streams. However they're also there to enjoy something far greater - Piemontese picnic dishes.

This is the food my mother and I grew up on. Piemontese food is more like what you'd get along the French Riviera (remember that our cuisine is the origin of French cooking).One of the most famous is cold veal with  tuna sauce - vitello tonnato. The simplest version of the sauce is mashed tuna in water mixed with mayo.Capers and their brine are added along with salt and pepper. The veal is boiled - bollito - along with such vegetables as carrots , leeks and parsnips. The last you can switch it up with subbing in cauliflower and broccoli for the leeks and parsnips. Also you can nix the meat if you feel it's too much trouble to make.Insalata rizzo is another favorite - and a family one too. It's taking a can of peas and carrots and mixing it rice. Again mayo is added to give it creaminess. Capers could be added if you want more saltiness. Another picnic must is insalata di carne cruda,is a minced raw beef or veal appetizer, prepared with lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. It's sort of like steak tatare and served with salad greens.

Salumeria - the Piemontese version of charcuterie - is always a big thing. There's a variety of different cured meats and a large baguette to slice for sandwiches. You could make bagnet verde, a cold sauce made from parsley, garlic, and those Piemontese staple breadcrumbs and anchovies for the meats. It's a nice alternative to aioli and plain olive oil. There is also bagnet ross, a combination of ripe tomatoes, onions, peppers, celery and parsley. Mashed anchovies and mustard are added for texture.All the ingredients are cooked and then pureed. Bagnet ross can be  chilled. Use it for dipping raw veggies or just hunks of bread. A great picnic idea is having the province's many cheeses with sliced rolls or baguettes.Tuma is a very strong, almost Limburger type cheese that would pair well with a hearty Barolo., the region's famed red wine.A less  - overpowering - fromage is Robiola, a Brie type cheese that would pair with grissini, the ultra thin bread sticks first made in Torino.

A Piemontese picnic is a sophisticated and delicious way to enjoy eating outdoors.There's a 's variety of refreshing and chilled dishes that make for good eating. Plan one and enjoy the flavors' of one of Italy most beautiful provinces.

Summer Eggplant

Eggplant is one of summer's most versatile gems.It can be turned into a variety of different dishes from fried to gracing a pasta sauce.It can be baked  into a type of casserole or turned into a delicious spread. Anyway you cook them, eggplants are the tastiest veggie around.

David Tanis  knows this and wrote about them in his A City Kitchen  in yesterday's New York Times Food section.He uses Sicilian recipes because the eggplant is one of the basic ingredients in their cuisine.It came to the island from the Arab influence and has remained there since the Middle Ages. Two other staples , tomato and peppers , came in through the Spanish during the Columbian period and the three mesh together nicely.It's also part of the cucina povera or "poor cuisine" where simple ingredients and a pinch of this or a pinch of that is added. There are no fancy ingredients, just veggies from the garden, olive oil and herbs.Eggplant has always been considered  cheap. Fried slices of it , coated in breadcrumbs were always known as "poor man's oysters." and this is a stand in for lamb chops in some Sicilian households. They're  also great in salads, or pickled. Stuffed eggplant is a standard and it's usually filled with rice and ground beef.

Mr. Tanis gives three eggplant recipes that are perfect for a summery dinner. The first is pasta alla Norma, named for the famed opera by Vincenzo Bellini, He  came from Cataniia where he ate this dish daily for lunch. It's simply  mixing fried cubes of eggplant with penne pasta. The seasoning , again, is pure cucina povera, It's garlic , tomatoes and basil  mixed with the cubes. Toasted bread crumbs and cheese  are usually sprinkled on top. Another tasty dish is caponata, which from the island's Arabic period.It's stewed in oil, and sweetened with sugar. The savory kick comes from vinegar, capers , tomatoes and onions cooked into a type of sauce.  The eggplant is then added and let set to allow all the flavors to meld.It should sit for at least an hour before serving.Baked eggplant parmagiana is another delicious way to cook or rather bake the veggie. The original recipe recommends layering it with tuma cheese, that highly aromatic cheese from Piedmonte but Mr.Tanis uses smoked mozzarella and fresh ricotta. Anchovies fillets are scattered on top, their saltiness bringing out the eggplant's sweetness.

Take advantage of eggplants  this summer. Use them in a variety of different dishes, They're versatile and tasty, perfect with other summer harvests of  tomatoes and peppers.

Nectar Of The Foodies

One of the most refreshing drinks is nectar.It;s a variation of fruit ade and a nice change of pace.Nectar is also great as the base of some cocktails and fizzy drinks.it can also be used in recipes too for a fresh spin.

What is nectar? Many people confuse it with juice which is the pressed liquid from any fruit and then sweetened. Nectar is more or less the undiluted , untreated juice (although the definition does vary ) that contains some pulp or puree.In the US nectar can have as much as 100 per cent fruit juice and as little as 1 per cent with the supplements of sugar and corn syrup thickening it. Read the bottle or box before you buy and always pick the one with the best nutritional value. There are several different brands to choose  from. Goya is one of the best because the company has many different flavors from sugar cane to banana to guava and papaya. There is also the all natural brand Bionaturae, made with all organic fruit and naturally sweetened from apples from Piemonte Italy( a bonus in my book). They have more traditional flavors such as apricot and peach along with sour cherry and wild berry. Even grocery stores such as Stop & Shop have a really good peach nectar that is tasty and light without any cloying sweetness.

Most people will ask what can be done with nectars. They make excellent bases for homemade sodas. or sparklers. Add as much or as little nectar as you want and then fill  with seltzer or club soda. Peach nectar can be blended with champagne to make Bellinis , those oh so delicious brunch  cocktails. Mix it with cider to create a Baby Bellini.  Many cocktails can be created using guava and mango nectar too. Iced teas can also benefit  from a teaspoon or two of them and  it's a healthier way of creating a refreshing summer cooler. Nectars can also be frozen to create a fruiter popsicle as well and they can also be added to smoothies too  to give them a dash of excitement. Surprisingly enough you can also add any flavor of it to plain gelatin to make a more natural tasting version of Jello. Some muffin and cobbler recipes call for nectar as well to give it that boost of more flavor.

Try nectar and see why many love it .It is refreshing and versatile, being made into delicious drinks and treats. It's the perfect drink, the drink of the gods and goddesses as well as of foodies.

Truffles American Style

Truffles have always been a European treat.Legendary here and the dream of may gourmets and foodies alike , this fungi was imported at exorbitant prices. However that's all changing. It's now being cultivated in North America- with hopefully lower prices.

Dining section newcomer, Nick Czap explored this new territory on the American eating scene in yesterday's New York Times. He found that truffles are not only being grown in Italy's Piemonte  but now in Oregon.The state is home to four kinds of the delicious fungi: the Oregon black truffle, the Oregon winter white, the Oregon spring white and the rare Oregon brown truffle. The black truffle variety emits an aroma of pineapple and dark chocolate combined, while the white and brown have a more pungent smell , a mix of sulphur and ripe cheeses. While Europeans have been hunting truffles for centuries, Oregon's quest is relatively new starting with the great chef ,James Beard , promoting it, as late as 1977

There is also a unique difference between American and Italian harvesting techniques. Truffles have long been sniffed and snuffled out by dogs and pigs.(Italian law mandates that only dogs can now sniff out the mushroom). The US uses search  rescue dogs, from papillons to Labs along with Newfoundlands and Beaucerons to  to find the delicacy. Any canine can be trained to be a truffle dog. He or she just has to withstand the conditions which are sometimes cold and always damp.

Truffles have always been the domain of European gourmets. yet that is changing. With more foodies discovering the Oregon genuses, there will be more need for the home grown variety. It also means more American born dogs will turn into truffle hounds too - a good thing for truffle lovers.