Can Do Can Don't

Our diets now consist mostly of canned food. It's convenient during these times and for the most part tasty. Can we live on canned food? Will it be just as good as fresh? Can it last us through this self containment period or will it go bad after a few weeks?

This is a big question many of us are going through. Let's face it food shopping today is not the leisurely trip it once was.It's a quick grab for whatever's left on the shelf and then a quick scoot out. Some of what we'll buy now can last us well after this pandemic is over. This was the subject of an article in Wednesday's New York Times. It was written by famed chef and food writer J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. He explored a variety of shelf lives for different foods, from spices (which can literally last forever) to flour ( which lasts long too) and foods that never have an expiration date. These are vinegar, honey vanilla, molasses and corn syrup. Salt and pepper never expire either. What about those cans? As a rule metal lasts longer than glass which lasts longer than plastic. There are some tinned foods left from century old Antarctic expeditions that are still edible. The only food that has to be opened by the expiration date is baby food. Canned food can last for years so what you buy now will still be good two to three years for now. The same is true for canned soda which will still keep its' fizz for twelve months or more.

 Do check, however on the can's appearance when you go food shopping. Don't buy if the can is bulging or rusting. Those are two very sure signs of spoilage. Even canned meats like deviled ham and chicken will last for years along with canned tuna , salmon and crab. Tuna in oil will also last long too so you can stock up now and use it for salad Nicoise over the summer. As for jarred foods,you can see if the product is spoiled if the lid's  center pops up in the middle. This definitely means spoilage.Canned foods are also as versatile as their fresh counterparts. Canned corn can be tasty side dish served hot with a butter sauce but it can also work well in a salad too. Use fresh chopped peppers to turn it into fiesta corn. Green beans can be graced with an almondine sauce or flavoring minestrone soup. Keep in mind that canned meats can be made into a variety of different dishes. It may garner smirks and giggles but Spam is transformable into anything.Turn it into a breakfast omelet with some eggs and cheese. Spam burgers can be fun and you can even create Spam fingers in your air fryer. Serve with a barbecue sauce for a different kind of dinner. As for canned fruit, buy the healthier choice  which is fruit packed in water instead of syrup. Mostly this is peaches -versatile for desserts and snacking and fruit salad. Think canned peaches and vanilla ice cream on waffles for dessert.

Canned food is a staple in our lives these days. We need it and will need it for months to come. Choose cans wisely and turn them into delicious meals.

A Hunk of Roast Beef

I normally don't write personal stories on this blog. Foodie Pantry has always been about recipes and dishes, trends and cuisines. Yet I feel this one story has to be told. It's about my 24 year old British shorthair , Shelby, who we lost yesterday to lung cancer She was an exceptional cat, a true gourmand, perfect for this foodie cat mom.

She was a rescue cat from our local shelter. The story started when our other house cat , a fiery calico, appropriately  named Sparkey sneaked out. My brother went to the local shelter, here in Bergen Country ,in the hopes of finding her (she was hiding in her old stomping grounds, a wild patch of land called The Gully behind my house). He had come back with the news , not of Sparkey, but of Shelby, a big friendly "male" who love to be petted. The he was a she , an older rescue, maybe ten, maybe eleven years  in age Another cat? No! We had way too many inside and out. Not another. Yet when I went for a second visit, fell in love with this chunky girl with the most expressive celadon colored eyes. Her eyes are what riveted you to her. They were wide discs that took in everything.  Her fur was a thick, slate gray, the color of dark rain clouds. She had huge round paws that were almost circular in shape. I knew she had to have some kind of  pedigree to her but what? Maybe Persian? I found out she was a British shorthair thanks to looking though a cat magazine that featured the breed., She became my little aristocrat.True to her English blood  she loved London broil and roast beef. She'd walk the length of her couch (everything in the living room was automatically declared hers) over her Froggie pillow to make sure she got a bite of my roast beef . I always had extra for her, She gobbled it down,

It wasn't just roast beef. From the start she loved pepperoni. I guess her original pet parent spoiled her with it. She loved nibbling on the slices, even the soy ones my brother ate. Chicken was another favorite along with ham and any Italian cold cuts. She loved the Wendy's burgers and Popeye's chicken I brought home. Shelby was a big cheese lover too. Any cheese, from the gooey mozzarella on my pizza to cream cheese to Brie was always- well - catnip to her. She loved cheddar, not settling for just a few small pieces. She wanted the whole slice  - to herself . Other favorites were butter and margarine. Every morning  we ate breakfast together, She had her food along with two little bites of margarine soaked whole wheat toast even up to her passing. Eggs were another passion. She went mad for the eggy custard flan that my brother's assistant would make us for the holidays. Shelby would give that unblinking celadon stare that said quite loudly "That's mine. Please give me it and I 'll let you have the leftovers". Of course she also loved soft boiled eggs, enthusiastically licking the yolk that I purposely left for her. Whipped cream was another favorite. I'd  dip my fingers in whatever sundae or fruit and cream and let her lick each one. Usually she'd be full after the ninth fingertip.To build her up in her later years I'd give her baby food which she shared with another of our rescue cats, a handsome but skittish rescue boy named Lucky. They'd share a jar of Gerber's ham  and be satisfied for the evening (or until her late night snack at around 11:30).

Shelby, I miss you . I miss my little foodie aristocrat who loved eating as much as her pet mama.I know you are up in heaven , nibbling the best cheddar and of  course, roast beef. One day we'll be together again, raiding the angels' refrigerator.

The Year In Review Foodwise

What did the year soon to be past contribute food wise? What were the new tastes and treats that stunned us for the last twelve months?What did we like  and what did we go "Ewwwww" over?

Food wise we had a Mid East summit. Za'atar and harissa seemed to be the stars of 2015. Everyone went crazy over the first, a mix of different spices such as sumac (not the poisonous kind)thyme, marjoram and oregano. Toasted sesame seeds is added for crunch as is seas salt. It is then mixed in with olive oil and served with another 2015 fad, the had rolled bagel. This is not the big New York puffy kind that kind of looks like a butt (sorry , but it does) A real Israeli bagel looks like a big circular pretzel.It is torn into bits and then the ends are dipped in the za'atar and oil.The bled can also be used in cooking veggies along with being sprinkled on salads and scrambled eggs. North Africa gave us harissa. a spicy paste that goes well with veggies or lamb. This is soaked red chili peppers mixed with olive oil, garlic and salt. A trio of spices, cumin, coriander and ground caraway seeds round it out and temper the heat.


Artesanal foodstuffs went amok. Hipsters throughout Brooklyn started their own food companies, from pickles to bacon. Entrepreneurs who have Smith Brothers beards  are churning out handmade goodies in old Brooklyn factories that were probably churning out the same products 160 years ago. Flea markets  were the battleground for these food makers as they vied to get hip foodies attentions and taste buds.Despite at how annoying it is, the movement is actually a good thing. Artesenal baby foods led to some of top manufacturers like Gerber and Beechnut to create preservative free ones along with ones featuring more avocados and squash. The homemade movement has also influenced bread companies as well. Our stores sell much more whole wheat and whole grain now than they ever have done. Even companies like Stop & Shop have their own artesenal foods like crackers and cereals,

What will 2016 bring? We'll find out tomorrow .Foodie Pantry has some interesting predictions.