The Meat Controversy

Meat or no meat? That'sa question that's wracking America today. Should Americans follow secretary of Health RFK Jr 'd diet f filets and fermentation? Or should they embrace vegetarianism? What's the best way of life?

New contributor and regular New York Times reporter Lisa Miller wrote this fascinating piece in yesterdays New York Times Wednesday Food section.Carnivore versus herbivore isn't something new. Meat was always touted as the cure all for whatever ailed a person.During the Civil War physicians prescribed minced beef for strength. For those who couldn't;t afford meat which was expensive at the time there were elixirs  derived for meat they also didn't spoil which was common for beef and chicken before the days of refrigeration,Meat juice was promoted as atomic for sustaining and strengthening " the vital forces". One tonic , Valentines Meat Juice  promised that they cured and prevented pneumonia and flu. Not surprisingly vegetarianism was also on the rise at this time. Brothers William and John Harvey Kellogg promoted a meat free diet that released people from diseases, clogged arteries and even animal propensities in young eople. They and John Harvey 's wife Ella came up with that classic staple, Corn flakes. These were a better alternative to meat heavy breakfasts loaded with sausages and bacon.They even came up with what could be called a prototype for IMpossible meat.

The controversy is still alive and well today. RFK Jr is flouting his meat and fermented food diet where he eats steak, sauerkraut and yogurt.  Vice President JD Vance is on this diet. It seems greens are on the taboo list which can be a bad idea.According to MAHA  -Make America Healthy Again followers meat living is presented as a revolutionary rebuttal of established nutrition based science of plant forward eating, The much beloved Mediterranean diet is now suspect. Kennedy himself has dismissed the established nutrition science as dogma,claiming eating a fully meat based diet has made him lose twenty pounds. Even pro meat enthusiasts treat plants as if  they're poisonous. Influencer Anthony Chaffee, who  received a medical degree  in obstetrics and surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin claims that eating a slad has the same long term health risks as smoking cigarettes. There is a problem with all this  so called "scientific Facts" (if they can be called that), An all meat diet can;t cure all diseases.It can;t add decades onto a person;s life. Home chefs should take these claims with a huge grain of salt. They're scientistic based on some fact and not scientific  based on one hundred per cent facts.

What is the right diet? One that should be a balance of good low carb no sugar and salt foods.This is the healthiest way of eating possible. Its' not all meat .It 's a little bit of it.

Lighter Meatballs For Spring

 Meatballs can be heavy, often thought of as being a winter dish,. Yet they can be made much lighter for The warmer months (along with making for great appetizers)Just sub in the turkey for beef and enjoy a lighter fare,

New contributor and famed nutritionist Samantha Cassetty gave this recipe for the Italian classic in today's New York Times  Wednesday Food section, These are low sodium healthy meatballs. Yes, they can go with a pasta, preferably an Anglia e olio one where the flavor would add to the simple sauce. They would also be great appetizers for an Easter brunch on their own. She keeps the sodium at a mere below 760 milligrams of salt, This is a third below of the required daily intake. However what they lack in saltiness, they do make up in flavor. Ms. Cassetty. There is za.atar , that spicy Middle Eastern blend and ground pepper. To give it some saltiness kosher salt, which is larger in grain size than table salt can be used.It contains less sodium too. Garlic and parsley will give the meatballs some flavor too. As for the sauce latter try a mix of Greek yogurt and tahini. How it;s served can be varied.Stuff a couple into a toasted pita or serve with brown rice or bulgar;A side of garlicky greens sauteed in olive soil is a nice since.

Is it hard to make meatballs? NO.This is a great recipe for novice home chefs. These are baked in a 400 degree Farenheit oven which is better than frying them (although they can be air fried too).What gives the meatballs their silkiness and flavor is the mix of yogurt tahini and garlic, bright with a squeeze of lemon juice. One egg is whisked into this and then the ground turkey is added. The spices such a  as za'atar is added a long with the parsley. Use just a teaspoon of the kosher salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper.Hands  should be oiled before rolling the meat into balls.Use two tablespoons of the meat mixture to make around eighteen balls. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake about ten minutes Drizzle the cooked meatballs with yogurt, tahini and lemon juice mixture and garnish with the remaining parsley.Consider these for a great Easter brunch appetizer or even at a shower.

These low salt turkey meatballs are a great alternative to the beef ones. Make them for a lighter Spring fare. They're perfect with pasta or with pita.

A Pasta Dish For Love

 Sports figures influence kids to go  into a sport they love. They influence adults to chase after their dreams .o they ever influence home chefs? Surprisingly yes! One tennis player influenced a chef to create a delicious dish.

Regular contributor and chef Yotam Ottolenghi followed  this in today 's New York Times Wednesday Food section. His inspiration?Arthur Ashe who won Three Grad Slams and died too young at the age of fifty.Chef Ottolunghi used his advice " Start with you are.Use what you have. Do what you can." How can this translate into a delicious shrimp sauce  for pasta?It 's a paeon to resourcefulness  about working with what is ever around. Chef Ottolenghi knows this as he's just coming off a tour. He had to set up an improvised kitchen every night and use pantry ingredients. Luckily  the dishes more or less made themselves thanks with the help of one magic -yet ordinary ingredient olive oil.It is a fat and it carries flavors in way s that water can't. He cooked whole garlic cloves in them and the end result was  a sweet mellowness. The sharp pungency associated with the cloves was softened. A chickpea stew made with tomatoes and garlic bubbled away ,creating a wonderful mix of flavors thanks to a half cup of olive oil.

His shrimp recipe follows similar principles. He used the shrimp to infuse the olive oil with sweetness. Some of it builds the tomato sauce, carrying that seafood flavor in every bite. The rest of the oil is tossed with the cooked prawns along with almonds and coriander. The result is part garnish part sauce. It was the same oil with two different ingredients. That means zero new ingredients to shop for,saving time and money. In front of him were the bones of a simple tomato -pasta,Yet by infusing the oil, the dish is elevated . It will require good extra virgin olive oil (there are several to choose from ,like  the in house brands from Lidl, Stop and SHop and Acme along with the national brands like Bertolli). The shrimp should be of the large variety , and they should already been peeled and deveined Onions and crushed tomatoes (any brand) are also used There are also fennel and cilantro for added taste. Angel hair pasta is used but  also spaghetti is good with this too along with fettucini.

Arthur Ashe inspired many . To inspire a famous chef is even more of a gift and a win.Follow HS advice for a tasty meal .

Kansas City Still Barbecue Capital

 Kansas City is synonymous with barbecue. People have come from all over the world just to get a bite of tender smoked and sauce ribs and other meats. Is it still the capital? Yes! It's growing thanks to inclusivity and ethnic influence.

New contributor , Jed Portman, a major contributor of Serious Eats, wrote about tthis in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday's Food section. Kanasa City has a reputation for having a barbecue that is drenched in sauce as opposed to the more preferred  and more sophisticated Texas style barbecue.The city's heartland barbecue with it's wide variety of meats and thick sauce may feel too approachable to be considered cool Barbecue slathered in sauce doesn't fit the "Texas craft aesthetic" according to Robert Moss, the South Carolina based author of Barbecue: The Hisotry Of the American Institution.It's one of the great American barbecue styles and people have moved away from it. Yet all is not lost. More American prefer the large variety  of smoked meats that the city has to offer.It's a style that involves cooking inexpensive cuts of meat low and slow.Kansas City had one of the largest stockyards in the country .Brisket was almost handed to cooks .A Kansas City specialty - burnt ends , the ends of brisket, was given to peoples. It too is  drowned in sauce.

Kansas City has good barbecue joints that are noteworthy. There is Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que that has been lauded by former president Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain. Cheif stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are big fans of the restaurant which has three locations.Owners Jeff and Joy Steffney  felt the barbecue scene was stagnant, especially in the Seventies and Eighties. They brought a competition exactitude to such age old techniques that involved meat sauce , rub and coals., foreshadowing the rise of craft barbecue in Texas in the 2000s.Kansas City barbecue also has ethnic influences too. There are racks of baby back ribs seasoned with jerky seasoning from Lampang. Thailand. Barbecoa, a Mexican barbecue joint has smoked chicken with echeberra while the South Indian eatery Of COurse serves burnt ends with cardomiHome Chefs can also replicate the recipes at home. Mr. Portman gives recipes for sweet chile baby back ribs and burnt ends..

Kansas City will always be the capital of good barbecue. People will go to it and enjoy all sorts of smoked meats. It;s what the city is known for,

A Chef's Fire

 Most chefs , like the artists they are are driven. Yet for Curtis Duffy, chef of the great Chicago restaurant Ever it's more than drive , it's fireborn of hardship and determination. This is what has made hom the success that he is.

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about his m in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Some may recognize him and his restaurant from the FX series"The Bear" His restaurant servers at the set for the fictionalized Chicago restaurant run by Jeremy Allen White as mercurial chef Carmen Carmy Berzatto. He;s quick to point out that the show isn;t based on him nor is the restaurant based on Ever. Yet he and the main character have the same amount of torture and angst in their lives.It will come out in his memoir due out in August. He wrote Fireproof: memoir of a Chef  with his friend Jeremy Wagner, a novelist.It's not just an autobiography of how he learned to cook and his background. It brings on the worst day of his life when his father took his mother hostage at the supermarket where she worked. Bear, his wild father , a tattop artist shot Jan and then himself. Chef Duffy had just come home from culinary classes at Ohio State University and received a day off from his job at the local country club.After it was all over he got his father's, leather biker jacket, his tattoo equipment and a blue spiral notebook, There was a good bye  telling Curtis that he would someday  be the best chef in the world.

His father also issued a warning Dont walk in his footsteps "It is a world of pain hate, and  sure won;t be loved and won;t be ablet  show love." Instead he has channeled his feelings into martial arts dogs and running. He is scheduled to run a triathlon soon.His love of cooking did not come from his mother or father  but from his sixth grade HOme Ec teacher Ruth Snider. Thanks to her his first dish was a pizza with a frozen's biscuit crust.She also taught him to sew and he made is first backpack for his skateboard from the material she bought him because his parents had been to broke to afford it. She served as a balm when his parents died. Ms. Snider was the most important guest when he opened up his first eatery Grace. He wound up at the famed Charlie Trotter working with the great Chicago chef in 2000. he had convinced his  first wife Kim to move from Ohio. He was also influenced by Thomas Keller and Grant Atchatz ,chefs who believed in minimalist menus and kitchens.It was a militaristic kitchen brigade where everyone worked in sync to create tasting menus worth hundreds of dollars. He's looking for the next generation of chefs who have the same beliefs.

Curtus Duffy has come through the fire to produce great food. He will be an inspiration to younger chefs. His is a menus that will stand out for decades.

Barbecue Gone Bad

The American dream is to own your own company and profit greatly from it. Franchise from Mc Donald's to subway have offered and even guaranteed it.Yet some franchises promise everything and deliver nothing. This is the story of one - Dickey's in Texas.

regular contributor Brett Anderson wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times wednesday's Food section. dickey's is a staple in southern states where it serves up everything from down home barbecue to chicken wings to fried okra. The original owner ,opened up the first dickey's in 1941 in Dallas. He was Travis Dickey a world war One veteran, helped out by his wife Miss Ollie.Their menu was a simple one, selling brisket, pit hams and bottled milk.The family business grew into a small local chain. after his death in 1967 his sons Roland and TD took over. It wasn't until grandson Roland dickey Junior took over in 2006 that the company expanded. He took advantage of the burgeoning love of all things barbecue and expanded from just twenty locations to 550. It made Dickey's the world's largest barbecue chain and one fo the fastest growing restaurant franchises.Its growth was fueled by teaming up with potential owners who had little to no experience but were attracted to the ridiculously low start up costs that promised big returns.

This is where the trouble beings.franchisees have told The Times that Dickey's sales reps sold failing locations to new owners multiple times without any warning. The tactic r educes the numbers of closings reported in public bankruptcy filings and enables fees to continue flowing to the parent company. The franchise's attract military people, cashing in on the founder's own military service. Roland dickey's Juniors mother ,Maurine,a former Dallas commissioner  also leads the company charity that center saround law enforcement, firefighters and other emergency workers. These bring in new owners ,probably impressed by this. One such owner was former military contractor Tracy Norris who saw Dickey's franchises advertised in the military newspaper Stars and Stripes.. he and his wife were interested and it looked like a good deal. Once bought the Norri's had to buy from Dickey approved vendors who were higher in price than their competitors. The Norris'felt like an open checkbook.Their location in Sanger Texas, right outside Roy Roberts Lake closed after eighteen months. They lost everything, including their home. This was the way for most dickey's owners. They invested everything, heart and soul only to have it lost months later.

Is Dickey's a cautionary tale to anyone thinking about a buying a franchise? Yes. Consider the more famous national or international ones. The odds of succeeding with one seems pretty good.

The Joy Of Nowruz Cooking

 Spring is here and with it Nowruz, Persian New Year.It's a time to celebrate the coming of new life .wat better than to enjoy it with a feast of bright ,sunny foods.

Cookbook author , chef and first time contributor Andy Baraghani gives his family recipes in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Each dish and each ingredient symbolize something greater. Herbs symbolize rebirth,fish prosperity, and sweet sticky confections mean a year of joy.His recipes are family ones yet tweaked to symbolize the future. He has the traditional a - or thick Iranian soup, full of lemtils and chickpeas.Swiss chard ,dill and parsley give it the Springy greenness.it also requires reshteh a thick flat noodle used in Persian cooking but if you can;t linguine works nicely too.It's topped with a dollop of Greek yogurt mixed with fresh lemon juice .You could also usekashk,  an Iranian yogurt sour cream hybrid.The cuisine relies heavily on rice so there is sabzi polo, a saffron infused one that;s flavored with parsley, dill and cilantro along with scallions.A scattering of rose petals give it color and a pretty scent.

One of the highlights of any Nowruz table is egg dishes.Like Easter eggs, they symbolize rebirth and new life. Chef Baraghani gives his version of Kuku Sabzi'an herb and scallion frittata. These are five large eggs cooked with a mix of chopped cilantro,parsley dill and scallions. There is also turmeric and fenugreek added for color and flavor.It's cooked in oil in a covered skillet. The final dish should have a dark green or brown color.It's the put into the broiler for four minutes or until the top is set.It's served with flatbread,Torshi or Persian pickles or Mast-o-khar a yogurt and cucumber dish. There is also a recipe for this.It's three Persian cucumber blended with Greek yogurt. Sizzled or fried mint leaves are added a long with garlic, pistachios and lemon juice.For a main course there is fish bathed in saffron. Fish symbolizes prosperity and abundance. Chef Baraghani suggests using cod halibut or salmon.It;s slow cooked,He cooks it with leeks sauteed in a lemon and garlic  blend, The fish is put over this and then warm saffron water (water with crushed saffron in it) is poured over all of this The fish is then baked in a 350 degree Farenheit oven for twenty five to thirty minutes.It would be good served with any of the rice dishes.

Nowruz is a time of feasting and welcoming the New Year. Celebrate with symbolic and tasty foods. They represent a year full of brightness and abundance.

Sweet Treats Tout Suite

 Sometimes there is a craving for a luscious sweet treat. Yet it takes too long to bake and ice cupcakes. It's too cold to make a quick run to the store just for a craving.What to do?Create something sugary and satisfying whether for dessert or just a fun snack.

Regular contributor Ali Slagle gives four tasty recipes in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. There are some fun recipes to choose from. All are perfect for a night in or enjoying something sweet and quick after a favorite meal. They serve one or two people ,c an be made with out a mixer and bowls and best of it all - can be made in only five minutes to half an hour to whip up. What could be better than that? The first is an Aussie or New Zealand party favorite. WHile we give our little ones cupcakes with elaborate toppings ,, they give theirs fairy bread. Even the name is sweet and magical.All it is is buttered white bread covered with sprinkles or "hundreds of thousands" as the Austrailans and New ZealandersThis is a no brainer .Just butter good white bread and then press the slice into a tip plate full of sprinkles (or you could just pour them over the slice).If you want something a little more adult then try the super easy berry. crisp.The topping is a buttery , crunchy ,topping sort of like streusel with the addition of cinnamon. The bottom is a mix or just one kind  - blueberry , raspberries and blackberries that can be fresh or frozen (mor e likely frozen.) The topping is microwaved, the fruit is cooked with brown sugar and lemon  -or white vinegar in a skillet. Sprinkle the fruit with the topping. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Everyone thinks chocolate chips cookies can be a chore to make. Yet Ms. Slagles area dream along with being eggless and flourless! It relies on white miso and any seed or nit butter like peanut, almond or tahini. Also another traditional ingredient - brown sugar is nixed for the light brown variety.Dark brown sugar darkens the cookies exterior before the inside sets. This makes  about eight cookies so they're perfect for sharing or a long weekend in.Then there is the British holiday favorite - sticky toffee pudding cooked in the microwave this tome. Sticky toffee It's sort of like cake in the mug with the addition of quarter of a cup of flour along with a quarter teaspoon of balking powder for lift.The pudding is all about the date so add two chopped and pitted Medjool dates.There's an easy caramel sauce that goes over it , also made in the microwave. This is a mix of butter , brown sugar and cream. This is set aside and the cake is made. It's creating a base of th e baking soda, melted butter,dates and more heavy cream. It's microwaved at thirty second bursts and the dates have to be mashed down Flour and more brown sugar is added to this and the cup is cooked for forty five seconds to one minute. Spoon ice cream, or fresh cream over the top and add the caramel sauce.

A sweet treat can be had in as little as a few minutes.Make any of these for a fun dessert or snack. They're quick treats to satisfy any sweet tooth.

New York's Best Pizza

 Last week the New York Times Food section gave a very good and extensive guide to finding the city's best bagels. Now it's a guide for the best pizza. The city is famous for its' yummy slices , rich with sauce and cheese. WHich is the best? That's a hard answer.

Keep in mind this guide stretches to all the boroughs so you don;t have leave your own to get a tasty pie. Even if you're in New Jersey, it's an easy trip to Staten Island to get a dinner. The same goes for Long Islanders seeking a great pizza in Brooklyn or Queens. Those from Westchester and even Connecticut can visit the Bronx for an out of the world creation too. Yet it's Manhattan pizzerias that attracts the famous and ordinary alike.Greenwich Village was always known for it's excellent Italian restaurants, spillover from Little Italy. Joe's Pizzeria is one of these, located on Carmine Street.They serve a New York style pizza with a slightly chewy cheese and a wealth of pepperoni.A Staten Island favorite Joe And pat's Pizzeria has branched out to the East Village. They also serve Italian American classics liked stuffed manicotti veal alla Milanese and chicken Parmigian. Yet it's the pizzas that shine.Try their vodka sauce topped one.It has a creamy  tomato sauce that is well known throughout the city.Also try their calamari one as well. Coal oven pizza is always desirable. Try Arturos's in Greenwich Village.Their arugula and prosciutto one.It's a cross between a bar pie and a deep dish one/

Of course the boroughs are known for their amazing pizzerias.The Bronx has its' own Little Italy at Arthur Avenue. Yet go to the Morris Park section and have a slice from Emilio's.fans go made for their chicken and vodka sauce pie.For zing try their Partanna pizza which has red onions and a dusting of Calabrian chili along with pecorino cheese,oregano and the surprise drizzle of orange blossom honey. Another borough Brooklyn is also home to some great places. A visit to L & B Spumoni Gardens is well worth it ,especially for fans of the Chuck E. Cheese pies. They kind of mimic it with the fried doughy crust and gooey cheese.They also have thick, satisfying squares of Sicilian pizza and ice cold beer to wash it down. Have a dessert of their almond Spumoni too.  Astoria Queens may be known for Greek food but you can find a decent pizza there too. Go to the sweetly namedMilk flower for the personal pan style ones.Try the unusual stun Dunn which features caramelized onions along with a mix of Gruyere(!) and mozzarella along with scallions and red onions. Jersey it's will love going to Staten Island for Seppe's Pizza Bar 's pies.The place is on the Narrow facing Brooklyn, perfect for warm weather dining. Their pizza  topping has a combo of hot honey, jalapenos and pepperoni. It's a refreshing combo of sweetness and bite.

New York is a pizza city. Visit Manhattan, Take a trip to the outer boroughs for some good pie. This is not only what New Yorker's rave about but the entire world .

The Cult Of Weiser Melons

 There are new stars in SoCal and its the Weiser. They're hitting Los Angeles by storm and becoming the darlings of the West Coast culinary world. Yet what is it about this fruit that makes them so special?

Regular contributor and Los Angelino herself, Tejal Rao wrote about this fruit phenom in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section.The Weiser melons  are grown by by Alex Wiser son of the original owner Sid in the farmland outside of Los Angeles. The farm , once known for its; potatoes and apples now grows a wide variety of melons. These are usually sold at trendy farmer's markets through the Los Angeles area. He offers several different ones, namely eight varieties all used by the top chefs of the area. Weiser melons are so known in the area that they;'re named dropped on melons. They're also versatile being employed in a variety of savory and sweet dishes. Famed chef Aaron LIndell who runs  Echo Park's Quarter Sheets pizzeria uses two kinds in his sweet and sour salad. His melon salad uses Bonny a sweet and sour melon variety along with PIel de Sapo or brilliant melon.The chilled fruit is drenched in a vegan fish sauce, left to infuse with melon straps tweaked with lime juice and olive oil.It's served on a bed of toasted sesame and coriander seeds.

Other chefs have gotten creative with the Weiser melons as well. Yang's Kitchen in Alhambra uses the melons for  a pale orange soft serve ice cream.It's flavor is so intense and sweet many would mistake it for being artificially flavored. Some diners have it swirled with vanilla and compare it to  the taste of Melona - a Korean ice pop.At the Iranian restaurant Aziramin Silver Lake  the farm's cantaloupes are frozen into a delicate and hydrating paoudeh, a granite infused with rose water.It's layered with half a dozen more varieties of chilled melon. A mint syrup is drizzled over this. Yet many home chefs also go wild for the Weiser melons There are also melon jam filled doughnuts  at Ed Cornells  Cafe Tropical. They're the Weisermelon Doughnuts.What makes the melons so successful with both professional and home chefs is wide choice of different types that appeal to the many ethnic groups that make up the area. Ms. Rao asked for help as she soughtt different ones She chose several different ones, such as Piel de Sapo and the Cavaillon both sweet in their own way.

Weiser melons are the darling of the LA area. Hopefully they'll make their way to the East Coast. It would be wonderful trying these sweet gems when they're in season.

Robots In Restaurants

 Everyone thought the future would be like the Jetsons.We'd be living in high rise apartments with Rosie the Robot folding our clothes and washing our dishes. That hasn't;t happened - yet - not to the homeowner. However it is becoming a matter of fact in many restaurants throughout the county.

New contributor Meghan McCarron, a James beard finalist in investigative reporting, wrote this fascinating piece in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. AI help is becoming the norm in many fast food chains. They help with bussing food to the tables to helping prepare it.it is cost effective to use machines instead of hiring people. There are no extra salaries along with egos to deal with which can be a plus. AI can also work through anything. There are no snow days to worry about or traffic snarls to make them late.The machines cost but that pays itself off .This is good because it frees up human workers to concentrate on the actual cooking.They can handle heavy lifting where human servers can not. Juan Higueros, chief operating officer and cofounder of  Bear Robotics used his previous experience as a restaurant owner to design their robots.He noticed that this waitstaff had trouble carrying trays and the only solution to help them were trays on wheels. He then designed automated servers who can carry thousands of pounds of food without any effort. This helped tremendously and made the busy times easier.

Yet there is the missing human factor. People want human chefs and waitstaff. They want to know that their food is cooked with love and that the chef has put his or her all into the dish. Diners also want to interact with the server too. A good waiter can make or break a restaurant.  AI can;t really do that for some people. However at that same Long Beach Denny's one customer, Diane Deconnick liked one robot, named LIly by the waiter himself who took Ms. Deconnick's order off the tray. She even tipped it the usual twenty per cent that human help receive. This is rare because most don't like an automated server. Yet everyone does use one form of AI to order food - their phones. Most major chains have apps where customers can order with very little friction. Restauranteurs may balk at the idea of having a robot chef, but they'll embrace robots do menial jobs. Chipotle already has one that not only pits avocados but also peels and slices them. Stellar Pizza is full automated however owner Benson Tsai  believes automation should stay behind the scenes. His food trucks always have one person and that's the one who hands out the orders to customers.

Will robots take over the food industry. They will and this will benefit both customers and workers. It may make for a better dining experience after all.

Sacramento's Food Future

 Sacramento ha s long been known for one thing - being California's capital city. Yet something else is happening here. A food revolution is coming about. There are innovatove chefs and trendy restaurants making this Northern Californian city the place to be.

New contributor and known journalist Ella Quittner, wrote about this in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Sacramento has always had a diverse food scen from its' earliest history but now it's even more so.The area is not too far fromthe Napa Valley so both fresh produce and a good assortment of wines are always to be had. This greatly affects restuarants and enables chefs to become more creative.There has always been a stalward farm to table movment in Sacramento yet it took some young chefs to really cement that idea.A growing group of Sacramento born chefs are returning home too.LuciaPlumb_Reyes is one of them, opening up the much loved bakery Moonbelly in August of 2022. She wanted her child to be raised near family and also took advantage of the phenomenal  low housing prices the city is known for. The result is such artisinal breads as walnut bread along with fruit croissants. Another plus is using the local fresh fruit in her croissants which make them even more special.

She;s not the only one. Sacramento native, Billy Ngo owns and cooks at the popular Kru where he has made such dishes as charred sturgeon slivers topped with caviar. For him the city was and always will be cool. Newcomers are also discovering all that Sacramento has to offer. Newcomer chefs like Alex Sherry 38 and his wife Chuttharat Sae Tong, 44 have opened up a funky sourdough based pizza shop Majka. They put feta and squash on a sourdough base for an unusual twist on the traditional Italian pie along with creating salads with locally sourced fruits and vegetables. Even classic eateries such as Franks' Fat, one of the city's first Chinese restaurants  since 1939 has a good fan base too. They serve traditional Chinese American fare witht eh addition of either chocolate cream or banana cream pie for dessert. Sacramento has caught Michilin's eye with its' French inspired restaurant The Kitchen winning a "Bib Gourmand" award. 

Sacramento is becoming a dynamic and vibrant restaurant paradise.It's worth taking a trip to this capital city just for the variety and good dining.It would be a memorable trip.

The Milk Wars

 Does any one really drink cow's milk anymore? There seems to be between it and this new crop of plant based ones. Who will win? That's a good question.

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about this in today's New York Times Food section. Dairy milk consumption seems to have decreased thanks to Generation Z the group that were born between 1997 and 2013.THey prefer wither milk alternatives or just bottles of water. Last yeat they bought twenty  per cent less milk than the national average according to the consumer market researc company Circana. Even Masani Bailey who created a nostalgic "Got Milk" series of Titok videos has even pointed that out. There is a lot of baggage that comes with drinking real ro cows milk.Most of this has to do as more and more immirants arrive here and with that their intolerance to anyhting with lactose. Then there's the cows huuting the environment with producing methane gas. There is also the increasing skepticism about the dairy industry and the humane treatment of them as well. Social media is helping to spread this and turn many against the idea of drinking whole milk. 

FUnny enough other dairy products like cheese , yogurt and ice creams. These sales haven't suffered. However this is not enough to bring up numbers. Yes milk is selling. Last year milk sales were around $15.7 billion while all plant based milks garnered only 2.4 billion. However it's just not selling to the demographic who spends the most and creates the trends.That is changing though thanks to campaigns and new milk based products. Marathoner Yvonne Zapata has been chosen to promote milk as an energy drink for Gen Zers.The MIlk Processor Education Program has signed her to their 26.2 project , an ambitious effort to provide training and gear to every woman running a marathon in the US this year. Her portrait is going up on the Gonna Need Milk website. The only problem, - she really doesn;t drink it, preferring the nut milks instead. Then there are new milk based products. People still drink chocolate milk. There is a new one called Spylt  which has it caffeinated (although chocolate has plenty of caffeine in it to begin with ) thanbks to Shark Tank like contests creared by the dairy industry.

Can milk ever regain its popularity? The dairy industry is betting on it. People still need it and some love drinking it. It's here to stay.

The Perfect Roast Turkey

 The star of any Thanksgiving table is the roast turkey.it has to be golden brown perfection, with juicy meat and a buttery flavor. what does it take to get the ideal bird? A variety of different methods and ingredients some surprisng some traditional.

Regular contributor and chef J. Kenji Lopez-Alt explored this in today's New YorkTimes Food section. Thanksgiving is only two weeks away(!!!!) and hime chefs across the country are getting antsy about roasting the best version of turkey. There are many ways to achieve this and any one from the novice home chef to experienced cook can achieve this. Keep in mind that turkey ,like most poultry. has both dark and light meat.That means different conistencies that have to be cooked two different ways. Dark meat has an abundance of connective tissues which needs to be cooked hot and long  so that the tough , elastic collagen breaks down to essentially a gelatin. This moistens and tenderizes the meat. The temperature to enable this has to be between 170 and 180 degrees Farenheit, Unfortunately this will dry out the leaner, white met which only needs less than 160 degrees Farenheit before it turns dry and stringy. Home chefs need a method to figure out how to roas tht etwo meats or alter how the meat reacts to the temps.. Chef Lopez-Alt recommneds doing these simultaneously.

How though? It starts with brining. A salt brine is much better as it brings out the juices. You could go with a dry brine which is simply salnting the bird before cooking it. You can easily cook it in a wet brine. The salt breaks down the bundles  of protein sheaths call fibrils which wrap themselves around the turkey's muscles. The fibrils are like fiber optic cables which gives meat its' distinctive grain, A liquid brine can require a large pot which takes up fridge room along with diluting the turkey's flavor. Chef Lopez-Alt recommends an unusual brine - mayo. Dry brine it first then slather a mix of Hellmanns', parsley, sage and thyme. Also add in scallions lemons and kosher salt. Get this mix into every crack and crevice. Save what's left over for the next day turkey sandwiches. As for the roasting butterflying is the best way. You will need meat scissors for this.It's cutting the lengs and spreading them away from the body. The breastbone is broken and flattened. Cooking a "flattened" turkey allows for the meat to cook faster .It just requires a lower temp in a faster amount of time.It only takes an hour an half to thoroughly cook. You can even cook it with a layer of veggies to prevent th e drippings from drying out. keep in mind this only works for turkey's weighing between ten and fourteen pounds

The perfectly roasted bird can be had. It just taking an untraditional methods to get the crisp skin and juicy meat. It may be different but worth it,.

Good Beach Treats

 This is beach season, n dougt about it. It's a fun time, being out in sun and sea air. The last somehow creates an appetite and that means satsisfying . Time to bring the cooler full of cool drinks and good food.

Regular contributir, cookbook author and actor Naz Deravian wrote about the perfect beach picnic in yesterday's New York Times Food section.It all starts with the right cooler. Choose one with a large insulated interior.Lauren Rivard, founder of the Picnic Collective , a picnic catering company out of Costa Mesa, California strongly suggests avoiding coolers with multiple compartments like those soft collapsable coolers with various sleeves and pockets. These take up space. As far as the containers for sandwiches, dips and treats, use  lightweight , reusable containers that fit into your cooler. (Any store has these) DO NOT use glass ones. These are heavy and not safe to use outdoors. Remember to place the heavier, perishable items at the bottm, then slip in the smaller rounder shaped ones like cans and thermoses in mooks and crannies. TO keep the cooler from loosing its' cool,Alanna O'Neil a photographer on Maui and the author of "The Art Of Picnics: Seasonal Outdoor entertaining." recommneds freezing all your water , sodas and juices the night before. This knot only chills what's on top of them but creates a nice even base. They also melt less quicker than ice cubes.

What foods should go into the cooler? Beach proof ones.Think sturdy foods that can stand hours outside without getting soggy.wrap sandwiches in parchment paper and then place in baggies to reduce condensation. Ms. Deravian gives two recipes. One is for am artichoke and olive farro salad. The recipe calls for farro,a hearty grain which travels well. It has marinated artichokes and olives along with crumbled feta and red onions. You could add chopped bell peppers and halved grape tomatoes too. You can sub in orzo too or make a tasty orzo - veggie salad with tomatoes and broccoli florets. There is also a ranch dip, perfect with those bags of potato chips or chilled crudiutes. It's made with full fat Greek yogurt,garlic, dill and chives along with Kosher salt. A tablespoon of lemon juice gives it zing. What about dessert? Think chill grapes, watermelon and pineapple chunks.  Ms Rivard recommneds adding a  thermos of chilled coffee or tea in an insulated flask for a pick me up along with those indiviually wrapped RIce Krispie treats for a sugar rush. These can be bought or homemade.

It's beach weather . Head to it with a cooler of good food and chill drinks.It's perfect for enjoying the sea and sand.

A Buttermilk Brined Turkey

 Thanksgiving turkey always comes with a lot of questions. Should it be brined? Roasted? Deep fried?  Should you just serve the breasts or the whole bird? What's the tastiest way to cook it? There is now one definitive answer  -brined in buttermilk.

 Famed chef and cookbook writer Samin Nosrat wrote about two different kinds of turkey cooking methods in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. She is known for her buttermilk brined chicken and has gotten many requests for a turkey version.it This three ingredient wonder is the star of her cookbook, Salt.Fat.Acid, Heat. She finally gave in and experimented with it to produce a tender , tasty bird with darkened skin. She also gives recipes for chicken and turkey breast also brined in the famed buttermilk and sea salt mix. The chicken is a perfect sub in for those celebrating with two or three people this year. There's the delicious main course without the large amount of leftovers. This also applies to turkey breast, another good ideas for those celebrating small this year. The key for all to be successful is the amount of sea salt used. You should use about seven tablespoons which is about 128 grams.  The turkey breast and chicken  only needs about two tablespoons of salt. What you use is up to you, Sea salts vary. You can experiment with different kinds to get the right flavor or a flavor that your family likes.

The star of the recipe however is the buttermilk. Ms. Nosrat uses three quarts of it for the turkey, two cups for the chicken and turkey. Again what brand you use is up to you. marinating times vary. The turkey will take two days while the breast takes twenty-four to thirty-six hours. The chicken takes the least amount of time - twelve to twenty-four hours. The last is perfect if you want to free up the refrigerator for sides or dessert. The turkey is spatchcocked or butterflied. This is simply removing the backbone and flattening it out.Why do this? it reduces the cooking time in half along with ensure a bird with a lovely, golden skin instead of a blackened one. There's a greater surface area for browning then. Spatchcocking also streamlines the entire brining process too. without its' spine a turkey can be easily folded in half and slipped into a two gallon zipper top. bag. It also makes for easier roasting in the oven too. The turkey is cooked for about an hour and forty minutes  If you're using a ten to fourteen pound bird. A three to four pound chicken takes about an hour while two and a half pound breast takes about forty minutes for a boneless one and fifty minutes for a bone in breast.

What is the best method for the tastiest turkey? Brined in buttermilk and sea salt. It'll give you the perfect flavor that delicious and memorable.

A Vegan Approach To Butchery

A vegan surrounded by meat? Sounds strange yet that's what's happening with a new generation of butchers. Vegans know more about the meat industries and its' many cruelties, then any old school meat man or woman. They can actually bring a kinder, gentler approach to how meat is.

Melissa Clark,who writes A Good Appetite column in the Wednesday New York Times food section , wrote about vegan or ethical butchers in today's food section. They want to revolutionize the current US food system. Their shops sell meat from animals bred on grassland and pasture, with an emphasis on animal well being, environmental conservation and less wasteful  whole animal butchery. This is a complete turn around from the industrial like factory farming. It has constantly been criticized for its' overuse of antibiotics,, waste and inhumane treatment of animals. The outcry has been strong, however, and some butchers are changing their practices. Yet, it is not enough, according to the more ethical ones.The system needs to be re-evaluated and redesigned.How did it all start?Namely with Michael Pollan, the writer (and brother  and son of Tracy and Corky Pollan). His  2002 article in the New York Times magazine exposed the abuse of factory farmed beef cattle and his subsequent 2006 book, The Omnivore's Dilemma.

One question the book raised was can a person kill an animal for food. This struck a chord with many people, including vegans and vegetarians. They had wanted to change the horrible factory farming system. For one ethical butcher, Janice Schindler, the introduction to her new profession was a live  Thanksgiving turkey at a "Kill Your Own Turkey Dinner "event at a local farm.  The "process" started with putting it in a poultry cone, a roll of metal or sturdy plastic that looking like a giant decorating nozzle. The position relaxes the animal, allowing the butcher to cut the an artery. It stuns and then they bleed. She then spent the day at the eviscerating table. Many vegan butchers that Ms Clark interviewed had similar epiphanies. That this form of butchery is not as  "gruesome" and can help the planet.It regenerates large swaths of grassland, although not all studies show improved carbon sequestration on the land. Two other problems are vitriol from fellow vegans and the price of ethical meat is considerably pricey.What's recommended is on the last , don't buy that much  of it and eat more plant based foods.

Ethical butchery may replace the mass produced inhumane way of cutting meat. Will it help the planet? Possibly? Will it make consumers more aware of what's a better way of buying chicken and beef? Absolutely.

A New Take On Pork Shoulder

If it's August , that means one thing - you've exhausted grilling every type and cut of meat available.However there's a cut of meat you may not have tried yet - or at least over an open fire. It's pork shoulder - usually a cut reserved braising on chill fall or freezing winter days. Surprisingly it's also perfect for summer eating too,

Alison Roman explored this new side of pork shoulder in yesterday's New York Times Food section.
Shoulder is usually reserved for braising in a Dutch oven.It's one of those cuts that gets retired during the warm weather, only to become popular in the fall when cool days arrive. Yet , this cut can be sliced into pork chop like pieces and grilled. They should be cooked hot and fast - not the typical one hour in a Dutch oven.This makes the fatty bits char and crisp, which only add to the flavor. Some may worry that this won't thoroughly cook the meat and make one sick. Not to fret.According
 to USDA, United States Department of Agriculture, pork can have an internal temperature of 145 degrees F to be considered safe. (have a meat thermometer handy to gauge the temperature). This should give you medium rare meat, perfectly pink and juicy.Flavoring them is a cinch. Try a sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Another variation is citrus juice, chili paste and fish sauce. They can be marinated for up to twenty-four hours in advance.

Preparing the meat may be a  bit more labor intensive . The pork shoulder should be cut crosswise into one inch thick steaks, Ms. Roman cautions that some pieces may not stay in the steak shape, depending on the cut and shape of the shoulder bought). Season with salt and pepper, place in either a shallow baking dish or resealable plastic bag. You can just leave it at this if you want just the pork flavor. For Ms. Roman's marinade combine fish sauce, light brown sugar and sambal -  hot chili paste, garlic and half a cup of lime juice, Mix in a bowl to dissolve the sugar.Pour half  the mixture over the chops and let marinate for fifteen to twenty minutes while the grill is being fired up. You don;t have to worry about leaving it out. That's fine. The grill at this point should be "screaming hot" as Ms. Roman puts it.Once on the grill, the pork should be a deepened brown color and lightly charred on both sides. Each side should be grilled for only two to four minutes each. Let stand in a  shallow baking dish and pour the rest of the marinade. Serve with rice noodles or rice. Top with lettuce , shallots and mint. Serve with grilled citrus for squeezing.

Try a pork shoulder chop for a new grilling experience. It's get you out of the barbecue doldrums  and into exciting new territory. Don;t wait for fall to eat it. It's perfect now for a summer meal.

Homemade Yogurt Tasty Goodness

Nowadays we're dazzled by the variety of yogurt in our supermarkets.It' whipped, sprinkled  with candy ,topped with nuts.It's French style Greek style , old school style. It's just too much. A simpler and much better version is the homemade kind - one made in your kitchen,

Melissa Clark knows this and wrote about it in an extensive column in yesterday's New York Times Food section.It's the easiest foods to make yet it does require some thought and good choices. You being with the starter - namely the good bacteria that will ferment the milk,Ms Clark suggests thinking of it like the sourdough starter that results in a crusty, tangy  bread.The two bacteria that are used the most are Lactobacillus delbruecki subspecies bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. The first turns laciose into lactic acid and  is what gives yogurt its' tangy or sour taste. The second breaks down lactose into a digestible fatty acid. Where can these be had? In any live plain yogurt. Remember to look for the words "live""living" or "alive" in the ingredients ass.It has to be without preservatives but with an enjoyable flavor.  This is what will flavor your finished product.Another option is heirloom yogurt starter usually found online and at some health food stores. For a nondairy yogurt,use a commercial yogurt probiotic powder or capsules . A vegan non dairy starter can be used as well.

What about the milk? There are several options, such as cow's milk.There are two types, one known as creamline or non homogenized milk and homogenized. Creamline will produce a yellow layer that will sit on top of the yogurt. Homogenized is smooth throughout and won't separate. Ms. Clark recommends choosing pasteurized milk for the best results.Don't use sterilized or ultrapasteurized (UHT).The pasteurized kind produces a better flavor and ferments more willingly. Another variable is the fat content. Fat adds creaminess and body. The less milk fat, the thinner the yogurt's  texture. For a really rich one add cream.If you're worried about calories,then just use the 2% kind. Keep in mind you can also use goat's, sheep and even buffalo milk.For the best non-dairy cashew milk works the best. Another one is soy which also produces a rich, creamy mouthfeel. As for making the yogurt itself, it just cooking the milk and cream until the liquid simmers - about 110 to 120 degrees F. Let it cool until ipleasantly warm ( Ms. Clark suggests just stick a pinkie in to test)Transfer half a cup of warm milk to a bowl and whisk in the yogurt starter. Stir this into the pot of remaining milk.Set it someplace warm, such as the top of your fridge;Let it sit for six to twelve hours or until it tastes tangy.

Nothing beats a cup of homemade yogurt. It's just plain and delicious, made in your kitchen. Best of all it's just a simple fermentation without all those commercial bells and whistles.

Celebrating Versailles

Desserts had their renaissance and glory days during the last days of the Bourbons. They were creamy, and elegant, sculpted and delicious. Now thanks to a modern day pastry chef , home bakers and chefs can recreate them for their summer parties.

Yottom Ottolenghi wrote about them the other day in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. He is hosting a night at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the museum's Visitors To Versailles exhibit. It is a joint venture between the Met and the Chateau de Versailles, featuring every aspect of court life from April to closing at the end of July. To celebrate his night there, Chef Ottolenghi has created two desserts worthy of any Versailles pastry chef. One is an elaborate apricot tart made with the heavenly frangipane cream and marzipan a must and luxury of Marie Antoinette. On top of the tart is a creme patisserie layer, a cooked cream that was becoming popular in the late 1700's. It's kind of like a sweet roux married to a sabayon thanks to the addition of  four egg yolks. The star of this though, is poached apricots. Lime and Sauternes, a sweet white  dessert wine are added to it for more flavor. The apricots are cooked again, this time baked when they 're added to the pie. The pie and all its' components is a bit to elaborate to make during these sweltering summer days. Unfortunately there are no short cuts here.

Luckily, there is an easier alternative which I wanted to try. This still has the poached apricots in Sauterne  but without all the fuss of crusts and layering different creams. It is still an elaborate make and will probably take me an entire afternoon. I do want to try this with the apricots but also want to try this with peaches and possibly nectarines.. Could berries be added, like strawberries or blackberries?. I was wondering if it's really necessary to add the Sauterne ttoo - can I just use water?. It's only a scant cup. Will the additional flavor really be missed? Maybe. The fruit slices are cooked twice, once poached, then briefly cooked over a high heat. The cream that goes with it is a marriage of mascarpone and heavy cream. Unsalted and toasted pistachios are added to it along with crushed amaretti cookies and sugar. Again I wonder if I can put in variations. Suppose salted pistachios are used for more depth and to cut the sweetness? As for amaretti cookies which are a rarity around here in the summer - can I switch in crushed biscotti? Both are flavored with anise, except the biscotti has a milder dose of it.  Then another interesting poser- can I freeze it to make a kind of semi freddo? That would make a neat dessert with the apricots.

The French patisserie chefs of Versailles made amazing desserts. It will be fun to emulate them and create these sweets. They are a salute to the glory of Gallic baking and cooking. Let's see if us commoners can recreate them,