Chicago Style< Peruvian Flavor

 Our new pope is a Chicogoan.It's a huge honors for,the USAalong with Illinois and CHicago Pope Leo XIV is probably missing that good Chi-town food despite being in a culinary paradise.Chicago food is influence dby Italian and other ethnic groups who settled in the Windy City.

There are already POpe Leo themed dishes.An iconic CHicago  restaurant chain ,Portillo's has already created a dish for the pontiff born Robert Prevost .Its' Italian beef sandwich already has been named "The Leo".This is shredded beef smothered  with three kinds of peppers and a rich beef gravy .It's sandwiched between half a loaf of Italian bread. Bennison Bakery in nearby Evanston has baked a butter cookie with the pope;s image on it. The Pope also grew up with such CHi-town classics as deep dish pizza,  a spin on pizza rustica.It's loaded with sausage pepperoni and generous helpings of tomato sauce and mozzarella. There is also Chicago thin crust pizza which has an ultra fine thin crust and is cut into squares instead of wedges.There;s also Chicago style hot dogs or "dragged through the garden" dogs. This is a Vienna beef hot dog that;s topped with sliced tomatoes, relish, chopped white onions and a green pickle. A dash of celery salt and a stripe of mustard is added for more flavor. Ketchup is never ever used on these weiners. That's sacrilege to any Chicogoan!

The Pope spent a great deal of time in the seaside town of Chiclayo in northwestern Peru.His favorite dish was goat with beans and rice.He was also fond of ceviche, raw seafood "cooked in lime juice.Tje acid in the juice changes' the meat's composition while preserving its' raw ,briny taste.It can be made at home with either raw or cooked fish.Red onion and cilantro are also added for more flavor.Pope Leo also likes second which means dry in Spamish but is also a rich, savory stew.It's usually made from beef or kid macerated in vinegar. This is not quite marinating but softening the meat ,Yellow potatoes are added to thicken it.The recipe varies throughout South America. Ecuadorians also add avocados and ripe plantains along with achiote, a red spice sort of like cinnamon.The Pope may have also enjoyed a variety of potatoes too.A Peruvian staple quinoa is now an everyday American dish that can be made into a delicious bowl .It;s usually cooked with veggies for a healthy lunch or dinner.

POpe Leo has had a very good culinary background. First there was Chicago, then Peru and now Rome. He couldn't;t have asked for a better diet.

Dinner Around The World

Ever wonder what other people eat for dinner? The New York Times Food section did and published a fascinating pictorial of main meals and favorite dinners?Are there difference yes. Yet there are more similarities that unite us.

Food section reporters and  photographers, Sara Bonisteel, Kim Gougenheim and Lisa Dalsimer interviewed sixteen families from sixteen countries around the world. We find out what they cook and eat on a typical weeknight. There are no fancy or multi step holiday meals. These are just everyday ones, with locally sourced foods from their local groceries and markets.It really is an interesting window into what the world eats. The Levy family of Rehovot , Israel, a city not far from the Mediterranean, south of Tel Aviv, observed their Shabbot night meal with  Yemeni soup, chicken schnitzel and chraime. The last is a spicy Moroccan fish dish eaten by Sephardic Jews and it's served with rice and bread. The Charles family of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, use oranges and limes from their yard to marinate their lalo, a flavorful stew made with both beef and blue crab along with spinach and jute leaves. Do the French go all out with their weekday suppers?No. Home chef Marina Pajovic-Devouge serves leftover roasted chicken from the butcher around the corner and pairs it with couscous from a popular frozen food store Picard Suegeles. Her kids get cheese for dessert. Monterrey Mexico couple, Luis Leduc and Katia Barragan take turns cooking. Her turn had huevos revueltos, scrambled eggs served with chorizo and onions. dinner was shared with their daughter, Emma, and dog, Polly.

Good Italian cooking begins at home and that's how home chef , Claudia Bellucci ,from Rome works magic in creating saltimboca alla Romana. This is veal rolled with ham and sage, the herb coming from her balcony garden.There was also pesto with trofie pasta, made with basil along with baked tomatoes au gratin which her daughter Fiamma puts through a taste test. South Americans are notorious steak lovers and that was evident in the Guevara's of Lima,Peru's dinner. Jesus and Margot shared grilled steak along with corn and potatoes with their kids. They're lucky because they have a housekeeper who cooks and cleans up for them. Another lucky family who has a cook is the Osans of Gurgaon, India, a  thriving town, southwest of New Dehli, The family of four, usually eat around nine PM and enjoyed a meal of palek paneer, spinach with cheese, raita - a cooling yogurt and cucumber sauce and kadai aloo, potatoes with onions and spices.  Cucumber salad and chapatis round it out.  Food writer,Ozoz Sokoh of Lago , Nigeria shares a meal of plantain flatbread stuffed with chicken suya, a sweet and spicy dish, with her three children. There is also peanut butter sauce and papaya chutney. Other countries such as Australia, Russia, South Africa and Saudi Arabia. The two things missing? The US and recipes. It would have been nice to have some of them printed so US homes chefs can try them.

Dinner around the world is the same, no matter what the food and the nationalities. It's eating together and sharing good food and talk. It's the recipe that keeps families together.

The Heritage of Jerusalem Artichokes

The Jerusalem artichoke is one of the timeless symbols of the Roman Jews and their ghetto. It has been associated with both for centuries.It is more than a part of their  diets, It's part of their lives  - and now that part is being challenged by rabbis.

How did this all start? Jason Horowicz who covers the goings on in The Vatican and Rome for the New York Times. delved into this controversy in the paper's Food section yesterday. Blame it on the worms and other parasites found.  These creatures are considered trayf or non-kosher. They ate through the choke's tender heart and soft inner leaves rendering the globes inedible to Jews. The head of imports for Israel's rabbinate, Yitzhak Arazi says it's not politics it's just Jewish religious law.The dictate came in the middle of Passover which upset many of the Roman Jews. where the  fried artichoke has been a staple since the 1600's. Artichoke lover, and defender .Umberto Pavoncello, owner of the restaurant Nonna Betta. cites that rabbis back then must have determined that the vegetable was impervious to pests and this deemed edible.  They couldn't change a then ancient law  that would allow them to include artichokes on a whim. Not all cities have stood strong . A Milan branch of the kosher restaurant Ba'ghetto has pulled them from their menu. To be honest what's considered kosher and treyf is up to individual communities. There is no standard universal dietary  laws as there are with Islam.One rabbi, Umberto Piperno, is hoping to patent an ultrasound bug repellent that would be like an "iron dome" for growing  artichokes.

Fried artichokes can be made by anybody. Home chefs .can take the ones from the local grocery and turn them into the crispy Roman treat. The recipe included calls for eight American globe artichokes. Home chefs will need a sharp paring knife or one called a bird's beak 's knife.This has a longer and more hooked blade than the average knife. Using either one, shave off the choke's tough outer leaves until the tender green or yellow leaves appear. The thorny top also has to be cut off, namely about an inch. It's then trimming the stem near the heart,leaving about two inches of it.Plunge the artichokes into  a bowl of lemon juice and rinds  mixed with water to prevent browning.Use olive oil for frying. An electric fryer or a deep cast iron pot can be used. As the oil is heating to about 325 degrees F, take the chokes out of the lemon water and dry them. Tap the flat part against the table to loosen the leaves and them fry. Rub in salt and pepper and then fry for fifteen minutes. They should be bronze in color and a fork can easily pierce the stem.Remove them and drain well. Take out the hearts (which can also be eaten) Leave them stem side up for a few hours and then fry again, heating the oil to 350 degrees F. Fry to crisp them again and then serve with a sprinkle of salt.

No matter what they are, Jerusalem artichokes are still a delectable , light meal. No controversy can mar their delicate flavor or crisped leaves. They are a true delight, full of taste and history.

Nectarines A Nice Summer Treat

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

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

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

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

A True Taste Of Rome

Nothing beats Roman life, especially  the culinary life.There are mouth watering cold cuts, heavenly gelati and the best part of the city,tons of fresh air markets selling fresh verdure or vegetables and frutti, fruit.Now there's a new book, a hybrid of cook book and tour guide to show you around the Eternal City,

Elizabeth Minchilli has given us this interesting book, Eating Rome:Living The Good Life In The Eternal City (St. Martin's Griffin Press) and it is a view into Italian life and cooking. It is the perfect guide for those not only spending a holiday in Rome but two or three months. Every aspect is covered, from breakfasts to desserts. She dispenses useful advice and tips when eating at trattorias along with how to properly eat pizza. There is a mini dictionary and lesson how to cook and serve roman veggies such as artichokes,There is even a chapter on cooking like an Italian mama and how to make it perfectly like she does. The book is also a great travel guide with dozens of ristorantes, gelaterias, and trattorias reviewed in short, punchy paragraphs. This is perfect for first timers, wanting to experience the entire Roman food holiday.Ms. Minchilli lists coffee shops to enjoy an espresso and also explains why tourists should never end a meal with a cappuccino (it's a breakfast coffee). There are also a chapter on the head to tail dining as well and how to enjoy that everyday luxury- a  fresh tripe sandwich .

The book is also excellent for true Roman and some Puglese recipes (Ms. Minchella's husband is from Bari)It's perfect for recreating dishes and giving the family table that dolce vita feeling. There are traditional dishes such as rabbit vignarola, a spring stew made with rabbit, fava beans ,peas and artichokes.Unlike other Italian cookbooks, Ms. Minchilli  features many green or verdure recipes There is an entire chapter on the star of the local cuisine, artichoke. It is popular, first being made in the Jewish Ghetto. She gives the recipe for  carcioffi de giudea , crispy deep fried chokes that are easy to make and easy to eat How to make a good Panini, always a puzzle to American home chefs is demystified along with a helpful guide regarding the breads used.Another treat of Roman dining is coffee and there are some delicious recipes such as an almond coffee, made with homemade almond milk, PIzza and pasta are also included along with some  very versatile pancetta recipes.She wrote about  grappa too, that dessert must have , perfect for relaxing and curling one's toes.

For anyone going to Rome or just those home chefs who love the city's unique cuisine , Eating Rome:The Good Life In the Eternal City is the perfect gift. It captures the flavors of a city known for delicious meals an desserts, coffees and sweets. It is the a sweet paean to a flavorful city, full of good foods and yummy treats!

Time For Blood Oranges

Nothing beats a dreary Day than a sweet piece of citrus.January is the time of and for oranges.This includes the very juicy blood orange.This lovely globe is not only healthy but also very tasty too. It was the star of Melissa Clark's A Good Appetite column in today's New York Times Dining section. blood oranges are always a good fruit choice because they 're so versatile. You can add the wedges to a salad or try it with black bass and roasted fennel as Ms. Clark suggests.She also recommends a yummy looking upside down cake with them .It includes the orange rind along with cornmeal for a denser texture.You can also make a rich tasting juice with them as they do in Rome. Blood oranges originated in Italy in the ash rich soil of Sicily.There are several kinds.The Italians love the Tarocco with it's sweet berry like taste.Unfortunately it's a hard sell here. Americans like Moros because of their rich, red color. They're used in both restaurants and bars,adding to dinners and fancy cocktails. these are the best for juicing.They produce an almost cranberry hue , unlike regular oranges which give their juice a carrot like color. Some Moros as well as other blood oranges are grown in the Italian like climate of California.Other blood oranges are coming from Texas and Arizona. This is the time to chase those winter blues away.Have a blood orange to do that.It's sweet, rich taste will surely make you smile.

Apple Picking Time

Now that it's officially fall, it's time to pick apples. This is the season when some of the best varieties are ripe and ready for desserts or just a healthy snack..What are the  kinds to look for right now? There are several that ripen in early to mid October. It's just a matter of knowing what to  pick.

Right now several types are ripening. These are perfect for almost everything from pie filling to crisps. They;re also good just sliced and dipped in caramel. Braeburn apples are probably the most abundant right now. These have red and orange vertical stripes and have a combination sweet and tart flavor.Because of their completely rounded or spherical shape they are the best for baked apples. The Rome variety which is the most widely known is the perfect apple we see depicted in still lifes as well as being the symbol for all apples. The flesh is very firm and meaty.They're also good for baked apples although they re better sliced  and dotting an apple crumb cake.

If you want something just a tad different then try the Winesaps or Granny Smiths. Winesaps are mainly used in cider production although  they're  better in baking. They impart a sweet ,almost mild taste to breads, cakes and muffins.They have a firm texture which is good for any cooking or baking application, You can even slice and cook them with a roast loin of pork. Granny Smiths are fine for the taking as well. These are bright green and have a lovely tart taste that make them perfect for candy or caramel apples However they;re excellent in salads too.You can even slice them into a slaw with raisins carrots and walnuts. This would be perfect for those tailgating barbecues  and would offset  the smokiness of bratswursts hot dogs and hamburgers.

This is  the time to head to an orchard and start picking.There are so many different varieties , to make into a slew of dishes. You can have your pickings baked or dipped in caramel, turned into a salad or a side dish. Use them anyway you can to enjoy fall's bounteous harvest!