S]'Mores Any Way

 S'mores a re always a special summer treat but imagine making them year round. They can be put under the broiler or turned into a pie. They cna be gobbled during the dog days of July then or the frosty days of December.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark wrote about two variations of this treat in today's New York Times food section.S;m ores are actually almost one hundred years old having first debuted in the 1927 Girl Scout book Tramping and Trailing with The Girl Scouts." even though they were called Some Mores ,one is quite enough the book admonishes. . Ms Clark gives a gooey broiler one and a pie that features a rich pudding like ganache topped with a meringue. The broiler version can be varied. Ritz crackers or even Saltines can be subbed in for the sweet cracker(although I would add chocolate grahams to the list). What is great is that Ms Clark also has the option of dark and light chocolate. Dark chocolate works very well and cuts down on the sweetness of the marshmallows. The snacks are assembled without the tops and then broiled for about two to three minutes Watch them carefully so they don;t burn and create a black gooey mess.(unless you like this).

The pie is more or less similar except the marshmallow topping is homemade as is the graham cracker crust. The crust is a mix of whole wheat flour and white as it is with a graham cracker recipe.Cinnamon and brown sugar are also added for flavor and  half a cup of butter is added to bind the crust together. The ganache is like a homemade pudding that uses chopped bittersweet chocolate instead of chocolate chips. These also melts better too. A pinch of sea salt also helps bringing out the sweetness too. As for the marshmallow filling six eggs whites will be needed along with granulated sugar and cream of tartar.A vanilla bean is also used for flavoring.The crust is baked first and then cooled before the ganache is added.The tart is then placed in the fridge anywhere between one hour and up to twenty four hours for it to firm up.The meringue is then made and whisked constantly in a bowl over simmering water. The mixture has to turn white and the temp should be 175 degrees Farenheit (use a candy thermometer for this)The meringue is then put into a mixer and whipped more as vanilla beans are added. Place the finished fluff on the ganache and use a blow torch to toast it.

S'mores are a true treat. Make then under the broiler on into a pie. Both are tasty treats.

The Kwanzaa Feast

 Kwanzaa is a relatively new holiday yet it's packed with centuries of tradition. It centers around seven principles  such as faith and  purpose that should be practiced year round. with this holiday comes the rich tradition of food. Families are celebrating and cooking at home. Their tables will be filled with good food and good deeds.

Nicole Taylor , chef and author of The Up South Cookbook interviewed five families around the country for today's New York Times Food section. The holiday starts Saturday , December 26th with families eating and free thinking. The holiday itself began in Los Angeles in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, an African American professor who taught African-American studies. Dishes are plentiful and some include slow cooked meatless collard greens Trinidadian grilled fish and bread puddings. The special meal, karamu is held on the day ,kuumba dedicated to creativity. For the Orr-Frasier family of Portland ,Oregon, the meal will be a nod to parents, Rashad and Keita  North Carolingian roots. There will be jelly cakes along with pineapple upside down and red velvet ones. His recipe for coffee rubbed branzino is also featured, highlighted with a rub of medium ground coffee,onion and garlic powders and cumin. There's also brown sugar to even out the spiciness and then it's grilled for five to six minutes on each side.

Folami Prescott-Adams, of Atlanta Georgia gave her BBQ tofu recipe which are slabs of tofu slathered in a mix of melted butter, tamari and barbecue sauces. They're broiled for a couple of minutes in the broiler for a crisp on the outside , tender on the inside main course. Ms. Prescott-Adams cooks ten(!) pounds of it along with nut based meatballs and a vegan Southern stringbean recipe. For Maati Keprimeni Angaza  it will be vegan foods in her Brooklyn apartment. The young dancer will have curry potatoes and black eyed peas along with her step-mother's bread pudding rife with sweet potatoes and raisins. In Richmond Virginia, Janice Bell will have her grandparents recipes of sweet potatoes and corn pudding. she is a pescatarian so there will be fish on her table. Sisters Kerry Coddett and Krystal Stark Kwanzza will be vegan pancakes, shrimp and a mushroom lasagna(made with homemade vegan ricotta) shared with their younger brother. They'll also take out from Sugarcane with such dishes as callaloo, roti and plantain. They will also drink champagne too.

Kwanzaa is a time of thought and creativity. It's also a time of food. The holiday will be different this year but the food will be homemade .

Recettes D'Hiver

France in the winter can be a glorious season. Yes, there are endless ski days in the French Alps and Pyrenees Paris sparkles under a crust of snow while the north and western coasts provide a certain gray moodiness. Even the French Riviera gets a bit nippy but still perfect for a walk along the water. It's also a perfect time for hearty French dishes, full of  wine and rich ingredients. You don't have to visit France for them. They can easily be made in your kitchen.

One of the most famous winter dishes is onion soup. This is a lush blend of caramelized onions thyme sprigs, beef stock and dry white wine.It's usually served in piping hot crocks. Thick slices of baguette topped with a blend of shredded Swiss and Gruyere cheeses. The onions are cooked first with garlic until a creamy brown and then beef broth and the wine are added. It's then ladled into individual pots and topped with the bread and cheese. Another hearty and flavorful one is cassoulet. This layered dish has duck legs cooked with cannellini or tarbais beans - which are preferred along with pancetta A pork ragu is added to the stew This is a mix of boneless pork shoulder - Boston butt- along with carrots and crushed tomatoes. Chicken broth and a variety of spices from thyme to bay leaves round out the recipe. More pork sausage,usually Toulouse, made with duck , ground black pepper and pork top it off along  garlic sausage and breadcrumbs . Keep in mind this is a labor intensive dish with the duck confit being made the day before.If you don;'t have the time , the duck legs can be confitted even three weeks before.Then the day of it's cooking the beans and ragu, and then browning the bread crumbs. The whole stew is then baked for half an hour .

For something a bit easier, think raclette. This is a popular ski resort dish  that originated in Switzerland.  Raceltte cheese is used for the dish but if you can't find it then Gruyere or Swiss also works. You can even use cheddar too! Usually a special machine is used to melt the cheese however putting it in a skillet in your broiler also does the trick.It's served with peeled boiled potatoes  along with pickled cornichons and gherkins for some tang.Also have cured meats like ham, prosciutto and slalami. The cheese is melted and then scraped over the pickled veggies and meats. It's a fun, communal dinner, perfect for a Saturday or Sunday night supper.One of the most famous winter dishes is the famed bouef bourguignon. Julia Child had the best recipe for it. This is a combination of cubed lean beef cooked with beef stock, tomato paste and red wine.Thyme, bay leaf and garlic flavor it while two tablespoons of flour thicken it.Ms Child also added braised  pearl onions - an easy make - and  butter sauteed mushrooms to it for more taste. It's the perfect dish for company but also for a Sunday dinner as well. Add hot crusty baguettes with butter and a crisp green salad as sides.

France is  beautiful in the winter. However you don't have to travel there to get tasty and hearty French winter fare. It can be made dans votre cuisine in your kitchen

Your Fall Kitchen Arsenal

Now that we're swinging into the holiday cooking season, it pays to reassess your kitchen arsenal. Take stock of what you have and what you may need. Having a kitchen that's ready for all that cooking and baking is a plus. It makes for easy, headache free experiences , without any unnecessary drama.

The first and most important task is assessing your bigger appliances. Is the stove working properly? What about the broiler? If you feel your oven isn't working to full capacity, either get it checked out or replace it. You don't want it conking out on a heavy cooking day like Thanksgiving. The same goes for the microwave and the toaster oven. If they're acting wonky, then it's time to replace them. Another must is checking out the appliances that you only bring out for Thanksgiving and Christmas. How is the electric carver working? Again replace it if there's a problem or it's not working right. As for the carving knives, make sure they've been sharpened ahead of the holidays. You can take them to any knife sharpener or buy your own whetstone. Amazon has a wide variety of the last  and they 're all reasonably priced  from $12 .00 for a simple brick like whetstone to a more elaborate one for $34.00. Keep in mind that you can use these all year round and will also come in handy when you have to use your knives on barbecued roasts. Also check your turkey basters. You may need to get a new one or you may just need to wash it after being dormant for almost a year. Again, every grocery store and big box store like Target and Wal-mart sell themThey're an easy find.

With holidays come baking. Since Thanksgiving is a big pie day, reassess your pie plates.Can they hold up for another season. Do you feel like you need pie weights? You can buy these but keep in mind that you can sub in everything from beans to even a metal chain. Pie weights are used for blind baking - that is baking the crust and not the filling. This is good for cream pies more. Also if you're thinking about making sweet potato or apple pies, make sure you have good paring knives to get rid of the skin. Some home chefs like to take this month to test bake Christmas cookies.  If that's the case, then  make sure you'll have a roll or two of parchment paper and baking sheets for cookies. How are your cookie cutters? Plastic ones can crack while metal ones can rust. Replace them if yours are not in the best shape.  How is your cookie press? Again, get a new one if the barrel or nozzle are cracked.  Also if you want to change up the designs , now is the time to get the Christmas themed ones. Try to buy the ones from the company that made your press. The discs will be easier to fit into then gun then. Candy makers should also look over their molds. Are the molds OK and usable? Or are they cracked and misshapened thanks to hot sugar and chocolate being poured into them. If so, then head to your craft store for new ones.

Holiday time is stress time. It can be even worse when your kitchen arsenal isn't up to par. Make sure everything is working and up to par before the big days arrive. You'll feel better along with creating better meals and treats.