Flag Day - Start Of The Barbecue Season

 Today is Flag Day and it's really the start of the barbecue season. What will work this season of getting back together. Everything and anything goes.

Barbecue is coming back in a big way. We can now have family get togethers and pool parties again. You can go huge with bison burgers and rib eye steaks, For a smaller get together think of grilled lamb chops. These are over the top but affordable. Keep in mind to let them warm up to room temp before putting them on the barbecue.Another over the top meat to grill is lobster. The tail is the best for this so you can easily buy the tails at your local fish market. Preparing it is not as hard as some home chefs think.Use the same cooking shears you use for butterflying chicken to cut away the shell. It's then using a knife to split the tail meat. THis will curl up when cooking so put it on wood skewer to prevent this from happening. You could also use the skewers for shrimp kebobs too. Intersperse grape tomatoes and pepper chunks for more flavor.This works for scallops too along with London Broil.

 It's also time for fancy  summer drinks since we are celebrating again.Many would just prefer beer  but what  about some of the fancier IPA(or India pale ales). Get the best like the San Diego brewed Ballast Point Sculpin. This has a tropical fruit flavor, a great thirst quencher for a hot night. The company has gone out on a limb with such diverse flavors as habenero, grapefruit and coffee.Another IPA is the popular Dogfish Head Flesh and Blood. Try this with good old fashioned burgers and dogs.It's brewed with lemon flesh and blood orange juice. Lemon and orange peels are also added in to give this a grown up lemonade vibe. Another grown up lemonade is the actual stuff with a shot of vodka. Just make the lemonade fresh and add what you feel is a good and heady amount. Want something tamer? Try mocktails. You can create a refreshing one using pureed watermelon, lime juice and seltzer. Garnish with mint leaves.A non'alcoholic punch made up of cranberry and orange juices and spicy ginger beers. Float orange slices in it for a more festive look.

Flag Day begins the barbecue season. Celebrate with a good old fashioned barbecue and a fun drink. It's time to enjoy the grill again.

Happy Birthday ,Poppy.

Honoring The Indigenous

We don't give enough credit to the first Americans - the indigenous tribes who introduced the Europeans to their foods. We should and hopefully we will. Sean Sherman , a Lakota chef is making sure modern Americans are tasting the foods of the first Americans.

 Lakota Chef Sherman and his story was the highlight of today's New York Times Food section.It's part of a series of honoring different chefs and their culinary backgrounds. Funny that native foods are never really covered in the Times, when they should be. They are varied, echoing the elaborate rituals of all the tribes. Chef Sherman , with the help of Beth Dooley, recreated dishes from all over  the pre-Columbian US. He is the creator of the cleverly named Sioux Chef, which brings native influenced dishes to the entire country.  He didn't want the recipes he developed for today's article to  ones from 1491; rather he hopes to celebrate the diversity that defines our communities now. It's a look into what Indigenous chefs are making now and highlighting the ingredients from the regions they reflect. Chef Sherman's team connected with other Indigenous chefs along with farmers, seed keepers, academics and leaders to create original fare from Mexico to Alaska. There is none of the colonial ingredients that are part of European cooking. You won't see wheat flour, dairy, cane sugar and various meats such as beef, chicken and pork.  The palate is still bright and inventive yet traditional. Many tribal elders said they haven't tasted these pure flavors like cedar roasted venison and seaweed flavored oysters. since childhood.

Chef Sherman also highlights his own Lakota heritage. He offers a stew of roasted turnips and winter squash with an agave glaze.The original recipe calls for timpsula, the wild turnip that grows on the plains of his native South Dakota Black Hills. Still, it would be a great side to any fall dinner. The veggies are tossed in sunflower oil then roasted. Agave syrup is layered on and the dish is finished with a sprinkling of sunflower seeds.There is also a bison pot roast , cooked with hominy and flavored with juniper berries and sage.Other regions are also represented.There is heritage turkey from the Onondaga Tribe from the northern New York State which are raised outside. They're not the hormone laced birds we're used to eating. They have meatier thighs and smaller breasts, along with a higher ratio of dark to white meat. Chef Sherman's turkey is served with a berry-mint sauce and walnuts. It can be served with another recipe, this one from the Great Lakes region.It's wild rice and berries with popped rice. The last is made similar to how we used to pop corn, but in a dry , hot skillet. Hazelnuts and different berries such cranberries and blue berries along with sour cherries give it more flavor. The Pacific Northwest  Muckleshoot tribe is also represented with salmon. It's briny tang is offset with crushed blackberries and seaweed.

 Indigenous cooking is truly American cuisine. Chef Sherman is making sure we know that and start enjoying native dishes. It's much much more than inclusiveness. It's this country's heritage.

Cooking Wild

Bears and moose and seals! Oh my! This isn't a list of just wild animals but the ingredients of some truly wild dishes in a new cookbook The Wild Game Cookbook. Although I don't ascribe to cooking all animals (seriously, ultra cute sandpipers and baby seals along with bunnies on a platter?)there are some home chefs out there who prefer the Papa Hemingway way  of hunting and then cooking your catch. Now there are some interesting recipes about what to do with those carcasses.

Chef and hunter John-Paul Grappe wrote this informative, to say the least, book (Robert Rose Publishers) with dishes featuring every kind of wild life from larks to moose. :This cookbook may be very offensive to animal lovers and animal rights activists. There are people who do love hunting and cooking their kill however, and this is the perfect gift for them. Chef Grappe is not only a restauranteur but has also been an instructor for the last twenty five years. The book is also good for nature lovers with its detailed pictures of wild animals along with information and vital stats about them. There is some interesting info about curing game birds as well as cooking with game, including one section about dealing with muscled meat.Hunters will appreciate the varied tips and advice about prepping freshly killed animals. There is even a mushroom guide about what kinds to use in dishes. as well as a four page pictorial how to on how to prepare fowl along with a dictionary on different cooking techniques such as braising and frying.

Chef Grappe does have some recipes that home chefs can make with turkey,goose, duck and rabbit bought from their local butcher. There is a stuffed turkey poult with a tarragon rich fumet that would make a nice alternative to a typical roast turkey dinner. Some may want to try roasted young goose stuffed with roast chestnuts or duck l'orange. The hare or rabbit recipes have a decidedly Gallic taste to them thanks to Chef Grappe's French Canadian heritage. Hunters may appreciate the venison loaf or the bison rib eye steak.Chef Grappe also includes ones for boar that are rich with sauces such as Sauce Diane and sparkling cider. However there are also beaver and seal recipes here, including one for a beaver tail. I hate to say this in any review on this blog but those particular recipes  are just distasteful as are the ones for squirrels.Yes, people eat these animals and have for centuries , however I can't see that happening in a civilized society where farm animal meat is plentiful.

If you're a hunter who loves to cook your catch, then The Complete Wild Game Cookbook is for you. It's certainly informative and eye opening with a wide array of recipes. if you love game, then buy this book.There's all sorts of dishes from the smallest lark to the biggest moose or caribou.

Amping Up Your Barbecue

July Fourth not only signifies the birth of our nation but also the start of the barbecue season. It's time to amp up the old tired recipes and try some new recipes. Shoot some spark in your outdoor grilling for tastier and fun meals.

Most home grillers make just beef and turkey, but you can try bison and emu as well. Both are flavorful and lower in fat and calories. Emu is 95 percent fat free and it's perfect for dieters who still love a rich burger but don't want the pounds,Bison is only 152 calories  too and it is another alternative to beef. Some gourmet supermarkets do sell both meats but you can also get them on line Of course you can also take the traditional recipe and give it a tweak. Add a dash of chili powder for some heat or even cumin for a more exotic flavor. Adding the last is a health benefit because it aids  digestion. Another way to ratchet up those burgers is by serving them on brioches . Top with a homemade chutney for flavor.Hot dogs, another summer classic, can also be transformed into a gourmet treat. Slit the dogs before cooking and when they're hot off the grill stuff them with  real English cheddar and apple wood smoked bacon Good cheese shops will have several different kinds of cheddars while the bacon can be had at the local grocery.

Potato salad is another must have for a barbecue. The usual recipe has mayo and celery however you can try it Moroccan style with tomatoes and saffron. Paprika and cumin are also stirred in for color and zing.Home chefs can also make one with an oil and vinegar dressing, using champagne vinegar and chervil. Mediterranean style is also good especially when you're serving kabobs.This one has feta cheese . kalamata olives and rosemary.,It is also eye catching thanks to using baby red, whit,e and purple spuds. For a really different spin try sweet potatoes.They have to be roasted first, usually with a drizzle of olive oil They need a simple dressing such as a red wine vinaigrette. because of their intense sweet flavor . Macaroni salad is always on the picnic table. Mix it up by subbing in soba noodles or penne instead of the usual elbow kind Give family and guests something to talk about with an Asian style pasta salad , complete with spicy Thai chilis and peanuts. Meats and fish can also be added  .Try grilled chicken and even salmon to rev up the noodles. Another tasty and rarely made dish is the Neopolitan   tomatoes and bread salad. This is taking sliced tomatoes and onions and mixing it with cubes of stale Italian bread and  olive oil. Rosemary and oregano are also used. The salad should be made two to three hours in advance and chilled.

Zest up your barbecue wit exotic meats and salads. Revamp the classic into new and tastier recipes. It'll make your barbecue much more special and exciting.

Good Indulgemces

Surprisingly what's bad for you is actually good for you too.Some of what's seemingly decadent has all sorts of benefits.Even though they may taste sinful. These goodies are actually full of vitamins and antioxidants along with tremendous benefits for your body ,skin and wen hair.Not only are you treating your palate, you're also treating your body. Some lush looking meats are actually very good for you.Salmon is one of those good for you decadent fish.The taste is rich,flavorful with a smooth taste.It is greet steams or grilled, perfect with a squeeze of lemon or even lime.As we all know is its packed with essential Omega 3s , .These stave off certain cancers and even lower cholesterol.Mussels,a staple in Belgian cooking , are great bathed in a white wine sauce.They're low in calories but high in Vitamin B12 and selenium.However since they're basically filters, taking in "dirty" or contaminated sea water and spitting out purified, clean water, caution should be exercised.Contaminants and algae can sometimes be found.Mussels are good steamed in white wine but they're also tasty drenched in a healthy tomato sauce. Sop up the juices and sauce with slices of whole wheat Italian bread. Bison meat may sound like a true indulgence,thanks to it being from an animal not usually known for its meat.It's abetted alternative to the standard burger.It's loaded with zinc and Vitamin B. It's low in calories and fats so you can make yourself a quarter pounder.Emu may sound like the most exotic and the most decadent It actually has Vitamin C?The lean but tasty meat are great for athletes, because of the high concentrate of protein. What about those decadent desserts? Again it's pleasant shock to know that some of the dreamiest creations are actually good for you.Black cherries are a great snack,but also a wonderful component of any dessert.They can literally chew the fat, reducing pounds.They're also good in combatting gout and diabetes along with rheumatism.You can make a Black Forest cake however a healthier treat is a pie.Rolled oats is added to the crust for texture and more benefits.Brown sugar, much more beneficial than refined white kind, is added for sweetness.Serve this with a big scoop of vanilla soy ice cream.Mangoes which would work at any luau are another seemingingly decadent food.Yet, as with any fruit, they are chock full of good stuff.They help the body fight cancer as wells alkalize it.The fruit helps keep cholesterol in check which is perfect for those having trouble with it.Mango is good raw however yup can slice and grill it.Brush it with some margarine and again brown sugar to give it a glaze.Want ice cream?Then try any of the ones made with Greek yogurt,soy or coconut milk.These're taste as good as the real ice cream.Make healthy parfaits or ice cream pies with these.Delicious but not that sinful. If it tastes good ,it may be bad.Yet maybe not.Sometimes the best tasting, most decadent dishes are actually the most healthiest.Indulge.Enjoy.Savor.

Be Daring In The New Year

This is the time for resolutions.Most go for a better and heather dietOthers vow to give up certain foods.Why not be different and be daring?Make 2013 the year of trying new and interesting dishes . There are so many different foods and cuisines out there that's it's easy to explore.If you're tired of Chinese, then go for Thai or Malaysian. the food dissimilar but there are differences that give the cuisines zing. African cuisine is always an adventure and you can always get any recipes on line if you don't live near a major city.Arabian food itself is welcome change with it's rich lamb dishes and exotic couscous. Sometimes it's just a matter of changing up a recipe. Instead of the usual pizza, try one with shrimp or duck. Add a huge dash of hot pepper to your sauces for a spicy arrabiata.Switch from regular hamburgers to emu or bison for a leaner but tastier treat. try exotic grains or classic ones like quinoa or millet for a different mix up.Use more sauces if you don't already.Vary your veggies too for excitement. add asparagus and artichokes to your salads. Be fun and daring this New Year. See cooking and eating as new adventures. it'll heat up your kitchen and spice up your life!