A Big Food Weekend

This is a weekend for good food between the Lunar New Year and the Superbowl. It's a buffet of delicious food and celebrations. Celebrate one or the other or both,

Even if you'e not Asian you can still appreciate the holiday and it's food. Most Asian countries celebrate this Spring festival, whether it's Tet in Vietnam or Seollal in Korea. Fried Spring rolls are popular with any group and you cna easily order them or buy them. There's something about their crunchy , flaky wrapper filled with a tasty mix fo cabbage and carrots. If you;re craving Korean then think bukgoki or galbi .The first is thinly sliced steak marinated in a twelve (!) spice sauce that includes soy sauce , gochujang, brownssugar and fresh ginger to name a few. Galbi are beef short ribs marinated in a Korean plum sauce. You could alo celebrate wth tteokguk a rice cake soup, The rice cakes symbolize coins  and prosperity for the new year as they cook in a warm beef broth. Another way to celibrate The Year Of The Dragon is by having either steamed or fried dumplings. You can order out (along with getting some kind of sticky rice dice ) or buy them at your local grocery store.

Of coutse egg rolls would go well on either day. Many SuperBowl partieswilkl fearuew some variation of this Chinese classic. You can have them stuffed with shrimp or the American version of Philly cheese steak. There are even hamburger and cheeseburger filled ones for a different game day nosh. Of course sliders are also good while watching the big game. These can have  the classic mini patty made of beef or you can try grilled chicken. Vegan or vegetarian guests can have homemade Beyond Beef ones. Again you cna make these from scratch or just buy White Castle sliders. Another must hav eis a crockpot full of chili. This is great to make. It's a self serve dish that everyone can enjoy. Put out a tray of cornbread and corn chips to put into the bowls. Chicken wings are another classic Super Bowl Dish. Again you can order a variety from Wing Zone or make your own. . A mix of fiery hot and mild is always a good choice. Guests can pick out their favorites  and what works for them. 

If there was ever a weekend for food and partying this is the weekend. Celebrate the Lunar New Year and theh Superbowl with a variety of good food. Enjoy everything from Spring rolls to  chicken wings!

Plus Size Restaurants The Plus Side

Our society is supposed to be all inclusive. No matter who you are,or  what you look like should not matter. Yet it does  in of all places restaurants. Eateries are  surprisingly not up on accommodating  overweight and obese people. Yet they should. We all enjoy a meal out with family and friends. Where we eat shouldn't put a damper on that.

Regular contributor,Kim Severson, wrote this eye opening and thoughtful piece for today's New York Times Food section. She interviewed both customers and managers in exploring this. Eating out for any overweight person can be nerve wracking,There  so many problems that they could encounter. Smaller places like fast food joints and storefront restaurants have very little elbow room to begin with, cramping even those with small frames. The seats are tiny, almost belonging in a nursery school.Bar stools are another problem. They , too, are tiny - not to mention too high for an overweight  person to sit on. Many leave with bruises and marks on their arms and legs due to poor seating. Then there's the fear of breaking flimsy seats. It doesn't help that most restaurant managers don't want to deal with a weight challenged customer , fearing that singling them out may cause unease and embarrassment. if there is a seat for them, the table is usually out in the eatery's hinterlands, far away from the main crowd, and sometimes hidden away.

Luckily all this is changing. One there are apps dedicated to plus size dining such as AllGo by Rebecca Alexander that is sort of like Yelp for the overweight.It also works with corporations and conglomerates to create accommodating offices,  restrooms. theaters and most importantly restaurants that are all inclusive. The last is important because quite a few places have no clue as how to handle  plus sizes. They are loath to do it for two reasons, one, there is no strategy for dealing with them and two, they don't want their dishes linked to obesity. some places like Waffle House, the 2100 unit restaurant chain in Georgia offers booths and fixed counter seating.It also provides larger customers with freestanding chairs at tables and counters.Many other chains have followed suit, adding movable furniture , wider booths and chairs. The last meets industry standards for people who weight as much as 400 pounds. Some of the changes happened thanks to The Americans With Disabilities Act to satisfy their requirements. A few restaurants probably just wanted to expand on the inclusiveness. Golden Corral Buffets has expanded their space which means more space between tables and chairs. Taco Bell has stopped bolting down their chairs allowing for more room and movement. White Castle did the same after almost being sued by a lawyer who had trouble with their chairs.

Restaurants should be all inclusive. It will take time but eventually all people will feel welcomed in a favorite eatery. There should be no prejudice against what a person look like.

Baby Foods

Notice something about your foods? Like they're getting smaller?That's because they are. As palates are expanding, dishes are shrinking.Portions are getting tinier and tinier.

The trend may have started with White Castle , the favorite East Coast hamburger chain.They introduced mini hamburgers called sliders.These were small sandwiches that were quarter of  the size of a regular hamburger. The chain sold bags of a dozen by the dozen. They were great for kids because they fit in small hands and weren't overwhelming to eat. It took restaurants and diners a long time to catch on.It's been only the last twenty years that most eateries are now offering them. Now they come in all different styles from pulled pork to chicken to even crab cakes. Sliders are easy to make at home. Just use freshly ground meat such as ground chuck to make a smaller, meatball sized burger. As for the rolls ,King's Hawaiian Rolls are the perfect size for creating these mini marvels. As with regular hamburgers , served with a slice of cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes. The rolls can also be used for making grilled cheese sliders along with mini versions of Sloppy Joes. You could even do a breakfast one with eggs, cheese, and bacon. To get a compact eggs, cook them in them in egg poaching rings for the perfect miniature.

Other dishes are getting smaller. Many restaurants are serving timbales of rice and polenta with a smattering of stew or gravy. Again home chefs can make these at home using timbale molds and cooking the grains into small shapes. They are a perfect way of introducing the kids to more sophisticated tastes without them wasting food. Try polenta timbales in a puddle of chicken cacciatore or pork with mushroom gravy.. Rice timbales can be the perfect base for salmon or sole in lemon butter sauce. Timbales can also be delicately fried baskets of dough, filled with quiche or the onion custard used in the Swabian dish zweibelkugen, onion pie.They can also be filled with spinach and mushrooms for a spin on a classic Julia Child recipe, spinach tart. These make great hors d'ouevre's but an even better main brunch dish, especially with a side of fruit. Fruit itself can be turned into miniature delicacies, thanks to melon ballers and sharp knives. A lemon or orange filled with fruit salad is a fun way to start or end a meal.Apples can be hollowed out too and filled with a mix of minced apple, caramel and crushed walnuts for a tiny but tasty end to a meal.

Baby sized versions of favorite dishes are always a fun and novel way to eat. Try  a plate or  sliders
or an lemon bursting with fruit salad. You'll then realize good things really do come in small packages!!

Honoring Our Vets With A Good Meal

Today is Veteran's Day , the only day pf the year when we truly honor our vets. Why take only one day? There are ways to honor them all year long, whether ith a gathering or raising money for them.

This particular day should  be a special day for any vet in your life.Nothing beats a good meal with good conversation. Many restaurants are offering freebies and discounts for our brave men and women. They will need some proof of military service such as a military  ID or VA card but it could also be  a current leave and earnings statement or LES, other IDs that work are a driver;s license with veteran's designation.There's also a new federal veterans ID card  too that's accepted at many eateries. Applebee's is always good with giving discounts and makes vets and  their families welcome. Bonefish Grill is giving our brave and courageous a free plate of their famed Bang Bang Shrimp while Boston Market has free cookies. City Barbecue is offering a free sandwich.  Krispy Kreme is
letting vets try  their luscious doughnuts and coffee while Olive Garden is graciously allowing
 our vets pick out a free entry of their choice. Military families will get a big kick of getting a blooming onion at no cost at their many Outback Steakhouses or a Castle Combo at White Castle. Urge the smaller restaurants in your neighborhoods to do the same, not only on Veteran's Day but all year round.

As for the military people in your orbit, honor them with a home cooked meal or even a  basket of home baked treats.Find out their favorite foods and treat them to it. After all there's nothing like a scratch meat loaf covered in gravy with a side of mashed potatoes or a roast chicken or turkey with all the trimmings.They'll enjoy fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies or an apple pie. Don't  just make them for this day but all year long.We never really think of our veterans in the Spring and summer yet we should. Think of throwing  barbecues fo them  at your local VFW for those ho have served in wars from the second World War to our current conflicts.  Have stores donate everything from hot dogs and hamburgers to ice cream and soda. Another idea is an old-fashioned potluck picnic where everyone brings everything from macaroni and cold slaw to icebox  cakes and watermelon. Kids can also help the military during the summer months by having lemonade stands and donating the proceeds to local families for a dinner out or a day at their local  amusement or water park. They can also help out with delivering meals to elderly housebound vets as well.

We should celebrate our  veterans all year long,Yes, today is special but so are the other days in the year. Treat them and their families to good food and good conversation every day not just today.
                                                                

Bring Your Restaurant Home

Who doesn't love to eat out? Our favorite eateries, whether they be privately owned or chain, provide us with some of our favorite dishes and desserts. The problem is that eating out regularly can be costly. You can cut back and still enjoy the great food. Just make it at home.

One of the best part of being a regular customer at a family owned restaurant is that the family comes to know you. They basically have your order already in the oven when you and yours walk through their doors. If you love the recipe, don't be afraid to ask for it. Some will be happy to give it to you, enthusiastically writing it down. They'll even give you advice on how to cook or bake it. Common dishes like fried rice or spaghetti are easy to copy as are pizzas and certain grilled meats.The same can apply to desserts as well . Ask for the recipe. If your restaurant refuses to give their recipes away, there is the Internet where the dish or dessert  and a million variations can be found.

Chain restaurants are another matter. Most of their dishes can be found in your supermarket., usually in the frozen food aisle. Chains realize they have a loyal following and branched out to their fans who also like to eat in once in a while. If you crave sliders then you can buy White Castle's famed mini burgers along with their fries at your local super market.If your family loves TGIF's, there 's all sorts of their famed dishes in your grocer's freezers, from the spinach dip to the quesadillas and honey barbecue wings.The same applies to PF Changs. They sell everything from spring rolls and dumplings  to main meals to noodle dishes. Throw in a fancy drink and it's just like eating at the restaurant without all the noise and sometimes hour long wait.

There's nothing like your favorite restaurant food. However sometimes the budget doesn;t always allow it. Have it at home. Save pennies and also save a trip by just eating it at your dining room table.

Hamburger Heaven

Hamburgers are the meal of choice during these summer days. They're easy to cook up and also fun to stop for on a balmy night. The best thing is you can have them your way, as a famous burger chain has always offered. You can have them as plain or as fancy as you want.

We have to thank Louis Lassen for creating the first burger in 1900 in Connecticut. Yet it was the Menches family of Hamburg New York who gave this concoction of ground beef and bread its' name .A few years after that the cheeseburger was born in Pasadena California where a young Lionel Steinberger (what else???) accidentally added a slab of cheddar to his sandwich. The very first hamburger chain was White Castle, created in the late Teens and early Twenties. Of course we all know about Ray Kroc who franchised the McDonald brothers' hamburger stand. The burger is a huge part of our modern lives. We can get them anywhere from diners to fancy restaurants. Hamburgers now come in everything kind of meat from bison and ostrich to the vegetarian quorn and tofu.

Cooking hamburgers can let you be creative. Add pizza sauce for a pizza burger or some onion soup to make it very tasty. You don't have to stick American or cheddar on the top ; instead go with Swiss or pepper jack slices for more of a kick. Ketchup is always a good moistener but barbecue sauce on any burger gives it zing and renders it much more flavorful . As for the bun nothing beat a regular sesame seed one that's been lightly toasted. Another good base are onion rolls that have bits of sauteed onion baked in the bread


Have your hamburgers your way. This is a food that's not only fun to eat but also fun to whip up . Add the usual or come up with something entirely new. That's what's so great about them. Make your hamburger your heaven!