Honoring A Great Down Home Chef

 Dolly Parton was incredibly unique.She was a talented songwriter and singer, penning two of the music era's great hits Jolene  and I Will Always Love You in one session.She was also an amazing philanthropist , donating books to children around the world. Yet she was true to her hillbilly roots and was a great cook and baker. She could create some of the best sweet and savory dishes.

In the last few years she created cakes mixes that were part store bought and mostly homemade. There had to be a stick of really butter added for that homemade buttery taste. There were homey flavors like strawberry and caramel, along with chocolate and coconut.There were buttery already made frostings to add too so there was no need to whip up a bowl. Her Tennessee roots shone through with her buttermilk biscuit and cornbread mixes. Try her banana nut muffin and cinnamon swirl crumb cake - perfect for late summer desserts. There is also a pancake mix with maple syrup in a guitar shaped bottle! There are frozen dessert cups too. She created dessert cups in such yummy combos as banana cream cookies and custard,vanilla shortbread in custard and chocolate mud pie cups.There is also an original whipped cheesecake with a bit of buttermilk added and a molasses graham cracker crust. There is also a decadent chocolate pie with a flaky crust and a dusting of confectioner;s sugar on top. Families will love her peach cobbler with its' brown sugar soaking the fruit,.Serve this for holiday desserts to remember this down home baker.

 Dolly also gave her savory recipes too.The single serve dinners are perfect for someone with a busy lifestyle but craves good old fashioned dinners.  You can buy her shrimp and grits along with her chicken fried steak.The first is a perfect blend of spicy seafood and creamy grits. The chicken fried steak is batter dipped and served with green beans and homestyle mashed potatoes. Many love her  fried chicken and baked Mac. This combo has a cheese sauce infused with buttermilk for a nice tang while the chicken is really tender nuggets.There is a following for her  beef pot roast that has equal amounts if beef and veggies in a tasty gravy.Of course you have her chicken and dumplings.This is creamy gravy covering chicken and homemade dumplings for a tasty hot lunch  or dinner. Her beloved DOllywood also featured some of her favorites too.The parks Front Porch Cafe features  breaded pork chops smothered din bacon and served with succotash and mashed potatoes. Aunt Granny's Cafe offers fried catfish and friedn okra along with black eyed peas and turnip greens.

Dolly Parton devoted her whole life to music.Yet she could have easily devoted her life to cooking and baking. Her recipes, like her songs will live forever.

A Slew Of Sweets

 Creating goodies is one of the most fun things to do in a kitchen. They're even more so when you have a  slew of recipes to work off of. Luckily the New York Times Cooking section put out a mini cookbook of sorts featuring all things baked , sweet or both.

This keeper was part of yesterday's New York Times Sunday issue. There are many good recipes, perfect for snacks, dessert and Easter.They can work at Spring showers or grad parties too, along with warmer weather get togethers. There are twenty-four recipes in total. Most are baked, but some are made thanks to a stove top, food processor or fridge. There are the traditional ones such as The World's Best Chocolate Cake, a lush devil's food with a creamy dark chocolate ganache icing and the plus of an espresso spiked marscapone cream. Chocolate chip cookies are there too.They are the classic New York Times version with their mix of bread and cake flour along the addition of  big chocolate disks. A lovely and classic recipe is Kentucky Butter cake, perfect for an Easter dessert. This has a cup of butter in it along with buttermilk taken from Nell Lewis of surprisingly Platte City Missouri. A glaze of more butter, melted and mixed with confectioner's sugar and vanilla is poured into the holes poked in the finished product. A dusting of confectioner's sugar tops it. There's also Puppy Chow and a traditional shortbread crust too.

Then there are the unique recipes. Shortbread afectionados should try the pretzel shortbread made with half a cup of blitzed pretzel crumbs added to the traditional recipe. There are tea cookies made with Earl Grey tea and spiked with orange zest for a zingy flavor. Those who like mochi should try their hand at the butter mochi bars with a passionfruit glaze. It's the mochiko flour that gives it that marshmallowy texture. For another kind of flour is semolina used in the Namoura, the Lebanese cake contributed by Amanda Saab which she got from her Lebanese grandmother. It's made with whole milk yogurt and semolina flour and flavored with syrup made with vanilla, granulated sugar and lemon juice boiled down into a syrup.Another tasty dessert which is a spin of the classic Hispanic one is a tres leches bread pudding. This is mix of heavy cream, evaporated milk and whole milk mixed with eggs and poured over buttery brioche.This can be served warm or cold with fresh made whipped cream.if you;re having breakfast for dinner finish with sheet pan chocolate chip pancakes. These can be topped with whip cream and fruit or maple syrup and butter. Another spin on the traditional are peanut butter cookies with miso for a different flavor or tapioca with lemongrass.

This issue is the perfect treat book. Make any of these for a fun and soothing bite. They're a fun day in the kitchen.

Gator Anyone

 Mention alligator at a tailgating party and people will automatically think of a mascot. Yet at Louisiana ones it means the main meat on the barbecue menu. It's usually served when Lousiana and Florida college go against each other on the football field. It's not hot dogs and burgers but it is supposed to be tasty.

Christina Morales, a new and regular contributor to the Wednesday New York Times Food section wrote about this Southern staple in today's issue.It actually started as a tease when Louisiana State University or LSU fought against the University of Florida Gators team twelve years ago. Now this is standard despite it being cruel. Tailgaters either bring ones they've caught or ones they've bought at an alligator farm!! The reptile can be char grilled, blackened, fried, stewed or even roasted whole, the last being done on a rotisserie powered by a windshield wiper motor. everyone always what the meat tastes like? Chicken. It has the taste and even the texture of it.It is a white , tender flesh that is usally brined

Many tailgaters also douse the gators with beer for more flavor. It has always been a food source in The Bayou state.The story started with the Indigenous tribe the Coushatas from the southwestern part of the state. They found a gator stuck in a hole of a dried up pond. The creature asked to be placed in a nearby rivet and would reward them, according to Eli Langley a tribal story teller for the Coushatas.

Of course the reward was its' meat. The Chitimacha People, another southwestern Louisiana tribe ate the meat fried in bear grease according to Chitimacha the tribal historic preservation officer Kimberly Walden.The gators were a convenient food source, being so large.They even provided a French government officials with an alligator feast. for the following Cajuns and Creoles the swamps became a pantry. If they killed it , they ate it according to Louisiana chef and cookbook writer John Foise. Now gator meat is served in a variety of ways at different local restaurants. At Prejean's  a Lafayette Louisiana eatery serve gator legs . They're marinated in buttermilk for three hours , then breaded and fried like chicken wings. Roux 61 in Baton Rouge goes for the more unusual. They blacken the meat and put into into spicy tacos. They gave the recipe to the article. If you're wondering where to get gator meat , especially in the New York area,  there are specialty butchers who do sell it. Try Wild Fork Farms or The Louisiana Crawfish Company which also sells turtle meat and crawfish too.

Alligators do make for an interesting meal.  They have a mild tasting meat, perfect for a host of different recipes. However it is cruel to eat them, farmed or otherwise. 

 

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.

Moore's Does It Again

Just in time for the Super Bowl , Moore's comes out with a new sauce - a creamy ranch buffalo wing sauce.

I thought it would be super spicy - Moore's does have that reputation. Yet despite the fact that cayenne is one of the ingredients, the bite is relatively mild.Since it's made with ranch dressing it can also be used as a salad dressing and a dip for veggies. I already know that I'll be using it as a dip for my tempura green beans for next week's Super Bowl Feast. For now I  used it on Gardein's soy chicken tenders.

Of course I used my air fryer.

As always it perfectly air fries the pieces until they're nice and crisp, perfect for the sauce.

How is it with the tenders? I liked that  the creaminess and mildness didn't over power the chicken. Sometimes a sauce is so strong that you have to scrape it off the food. Not here. I really like this sauce a lot. Another plus is that it has a lot of natural ingredients such as buttermilk and cayenne peppers. I would even try it with Gardein's fish fillets too and drizzle it on roasted veggies too.

Moore's Sauces and Marinades are perfect for any party or meal. Definitely try this creamy and surprisingly mild sauce on everything from crudites to chicken wings and tenders. It's the perfect addition to any fun food.

The Rise Of Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing has become an American classic , much like burgers and fries, or apple pie. Except unlike those it's everywhere - from our veggies to pizza - yes - pizza. This simple dip has not only taken over our kitchens but our lives as well. It's  as much a part of our culinary landscape as Thanksgiving turkey  or apple pie

Julia Moskin wrote about everyone's favorite dressing in today's New York Times Food section.Americans  love this uniquely American dressing.In fact in Europe ranch is simply known as American, that's how much it's entwined in our culture and identity.The reason for this lies in the dressings truly US' roots. It was first created in Alaska, by former plumber Steven Henson, a Nebraskan from Thayer Nebraska. He was on a construction crew and sometimes cooked for his fellow workers. In that part of the US, fresh ingredients such as dairy, herbs, garlic and onions were hard to come by. They had to come in powder form which served as the basis of ranch  dressing. by 1954, Mr Hensen and his wife , Gayle, had bought a ranch north of Santa Barbara California which they renamed Hidden Valley. There was a guest ranch house and a steak restaurant also on the property with the latter becoming more popular. The reason - a creamy , garlicky, spicy salad dressing. According to their son, Nolan,  diners were bringing mayo jars to be filled with it. Ranch dressing was being poured on everything, from steaks and veggies to salads. The senior Hensens created much easier to carry   envelopes of the dried ingredients to be mixed with buttermilk or mayonnaise at the diner's home The base for ranch is not a new idea. French onion dip is a precursor as is Mediterranean aioli and Middle Eastern toum.

It took until the 1980's for the dressing to become nationally known.It has spread eastward in the Seventies however it wasn't until 1986 when Doritos introduced Cool Ranch Doritos that ranch became a phenomena. Everyone loved the cool flavor and crunch and the chips opened the door for ranch to go from salad topper to dip. People were dipping french fries into it, chips and even using it on Buffalo wings replacing blue cheese dressing.As for the pizza and ranch marriage, it was Domino's Pizza who first used it on their wings. Consumers then realized it went well with their leftover pizza crusts.Before long the Millennials were dunking whole slices of the pie into it.There was resistance at first , but now Domino's and other pizza chains offer pies drizzled with it. Even upscale fancier places such as Emily's , owned by chef Marc Hyland and his wife , EMily offer ranch  topped pizza. Because of it's popularity - it was voted America's favorite dressing - other eateries are making their versions of it.Williamsburg Brooklyn's Samesa offers a Middle Eastern version made with labneh,a thick yogurt alongside chicken wings crusted with the zesty za'atar. Parcel 32 in Charleston, South Carolina has a cumin buttermilk aioli  while at Compere Lapin in New Orleans jerk roasted corn is served with ranch infused bread crumbs, thanks to chef Nina Compton's creativity.

We love ranch dressing. What's not to love?It's a mix of cool and spicy that goes well with everything. It definitely is the star of the American culinary scene.

Juneteenth Menu

Junettenth is an important holiday in the African-American community. It's also a showcase for recipes that have been in families for generations along with highlighting the flavors of the community. It's a time of remembrance and celebration.

Nicole Taylor wrote about it in yesterday's New York Times Food section Juneteenth is June 19th, commemorating the end of slavery, albeit two years after Abe Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.Texans erupted in joy  which led to the festivities. The state still holds the country's largest Juneteenth celebrations with parades featuring horses and souped up cars. Tender, fatty brisket can also be had along with barbecue. There are other celebrations throughout the south and in major cities such as new York, LA and Chicago. The food must be red or have a red tint. The color symbolizes ingenuity and resilience in bondage. Strawberry pop is the drink of choice at most of the gatherings. Kola nut tea and bissap - hibiscus tea  are also served - first coming over with the enslaved from Africa. Some of the celebrations are more spiritual, giving thanks to the ancestors with more traditional foods such as black eyed peas and collard greens.

Of course red food rules. spicy hot links, beef sausage dyed with red food coloring, are on many grills during Juneteenth. Texas Pete Hot Sauce is also served, its' orange-y red color livening up everything from fish to rice. The menu varies from state to state. Char grilled oysters are served in Mississippi while the Carolinas serve up vinegar tinged pulled pork.There is also always bowls of  potato salad made form family recipes. The dessert is usually Red Velvet cake or pie . Ms. Taylor, who has written the cookbook, The Up South Cookbook : Chasing Dixie in a Brooklyn Kitchen. includes a recipe for strawberry slab pie which is the perfect end for any summer meal.  The filling is fresh strawberries mixed with brown sugar and zinged up with grapefruit juice and zest. Grated fresh ginger is also added to get away from the usually cloying fruit jam flavor. The crust, too, is unusual with a teaspoon of cracked pepper added for more fire. Buttermilk and butter temper it. There are pastry circles on top, also brushed with buttermilk for decoration.

Juneteenth is a celebration rich in tradition and food. It will represent freedom and ingenuity with tasty and tempting foods. Enjoy it this day, full of meaning and flavor.

The Rising Of Rye

Rye bread has been around for millennia, providing sustenance to all of Northern Europeans.It is popular here in the States,however a paler version of it. That's all changing, thanks to a new movement

Julia Moskin wrote about it in yesterday's New York Times' Food section. American's are about to get their tastes bud blown away with a return to traditional ryes.These are more like pumpernickel, the color of a chocolate cake with the spiciness of gingerbread.It is a dense, chewy crumb that requires a slow rise in a hot steamy oven to rise. Icelandic bakers put the rye dough underground to be baked in geothermal springs.Norwegians repurposes it, frying it into crisp crackers. American bakers have made rye pound cakes such as the baker at San Francisco's Bar Tartine. Concord Massachusetts Bondir serves rye in stews, with the chef , Jason Bond, gets the rye in bales.Most Americans are used to the Jewish sissal - or caraway rye, a pale yellow..Massachusetts Brown Bread was the colonists attempts at rye , using it after their wheat crop failed.


Rye bread is not for beginner bakers. The Times recipe calls for two to three days of prep along with getting a buttermilk  or  yogurt starter.There's also getting the rye berries or meal which some groceries have and can also be bought at Amazon.com. The dough is not the usual sticky kind but more like a runny batter.It's an eggless recipe that requires malt syrup or molasses.The loaf pans do have to be very thickly buttered too. An easier version is the recipe for the Jewish one.It's a mix of bread and rye flour,Honey and oil are also added and the whole dough is kneaded with a bread hook.The only labor intensive part is oiling a bowl. The dough is baked in a 450 oven on the lower most rack.  Three knife slashes from a paring knife. have to be made across the top. and then a cornstarch glaze is brushed across it to give that nice glaze .

Rye bread is a delicious chew.They may be a bit labor intensive to bake but worth it. Try this ancient grain and it's dark richness.

A Better Biscuit

Biscuits have been much misaligned in recent years.They're returning to their glory where they're golden gems, flaky and light.Not only that they're also easy to make and even the most novice of bakers can create the perfect round. Julia Moskin explored them in her column in todays's New York Tomes Dining section.As she has found out biscuits have been an American standard since our early days.They're the child of scones and the only difference in the two recipes is just a bit of sugar and an egg.(actually two eggs).Scones are Scottish in origin ,first being made from barley or oat flour with fat and some kind of liquid.Triangular pieces were baked on a griddle .As the ingredients improved and became lighter .so did the scones.Biscuits veered off in another direction.Southern cooks added buttermilk, lard and a low protein wheat.This last was only available in the South and gave the rounds their tenderness.Biscuits can be used as a base for jam and butter as well as for small sandwiches, preferably ham in the true Southern style. Baking both are easy .Ms .Moskin includes one recipe with slight variations for making both scones and biscuits.Scones require eggs and water while biscuits require more butter. both need heavy cream for texture and richness.What both kinds need is basically a hands off way of making them.The dough should not be over kneaded .Just gently knead until all ingredients are mixed.They also need butter,which gives them the needed flakiness.Both recipes are versatile.Cheddar bits can be added to the biscuit to create a Cocktail nibble.Scones can benefit from dried blueberries or cinnamon, or herbs if you'd like a brunch one.Ms .Moskin also includes a recipe for a honey butter liberally laced with sea salt as a sweet savory spread to vary the flavor. Homemade biscuits are always a treat.They're easy to make and a true treat to eat.Make a batch of them or Scones to enjoy their goodness.

Jersey's Best Dogs

Everything tastes better in New Jersey. That applies to our hot dogs as well. In New York , they;re just plain boiled  , sometimes served with a small blob of sauerkraut and that's it. Go across the Hudson and it's an entirely different affair. They;re plumper,t astier and best of all served with everything under the sun.'

Robert Seistsma got to experience an entire variety of Jersey style dogs at different stands throughout northern and central parts of the state (including a quick run across the Delaware to Pennsylvania) Most Jersey dogs are deep-fried ,giving that extra crunch and extra flavor.To be honest they taste better fried than boiled and it does bring out the flavor more.The Garden State dogs are a mix of both pork and beef too.There are different names for them as well such as The Ripper which is slit hot dog with a sweet mustard relish and The Texas Weiner, a hot dog with cumin free chili loaded on top.There is also the Italian Hot Dog which is really three dogs in hollowed out pizza bread.These are layered with potatoes, peppers and onions. Mr.Seistsma discovered a variety of dogs .All are tasty .At one stop in the westernmost Jersey town,Buttzville, he ate a deep fried ball park frank,lovingly garnished with mustard ,chopped raw onions and spear pickles.This would be usual in itself ,but diners had the choice of either birch beer or buttermilk to go with it. The jersey Shore ,known for its'quick food bites is also represented here too.Max's Famous HotDogs of Long Branch was also visited.Their hot dogs are huge and fat ,split down the middle.These can be eaten with bacon , or filled with cheese or chili, true meaty chili. The famed WindMill is also mentioned ,and they are know for their crisp tasty foot longs.The Wind Mill also has a deck where you can enjoy the dogs with an ocean view.Not known for any view however Newark is known for creating the Italian hot dog.This is not for the faint hearted It,s a sausage stuffed inside a loaf of Sicilian pizza bread.Elizabeth's Tommy 's Italian Sausage. and Dogs has an even more decadent one, stuffed with three deep fried dogs ,along with fried potatoes ,onions and peppers. If you want super dogs then come to Jersey.The Garden State has the plumpest and tastiest franks loaded with all sorts of great toppings.Stop at any of these stands mentioned here or any others and enjoy e dog of a lifetime!