The Taste Of Christmas Memories

Today's New York Times Dining section was a cornucopia of Christmas memories. This homage in a way to Marcel Proust is full of traditional and not so traditional recipes by the section's best writers. There are so many to choose from savory to sweet. All are tasty and can be easily blended into reader's traditions as well.

Most of the section is written in mini article form followed by a recipe.I like the diversity of it all and the dishes are immensely tryable. There are the savory ones, especially the one by Jeff Gordonier. His contribution is a honey glazed ham which has a spin - white miso. Usually holiday hams are awash in ginger ale and/or pineapple however this one calls for the miso along with apple cider and apple sauce.The apple mixture created a crunchy sweet glaze that counter balances the ham's saltiness.Another great piece is the great Frank Bruni's eggplant and pasta. This is a variation of lasagna that his mother made and it involved crisp fried mezzani along with pasta and sauce. It would be good even at a New Year's party too.


Sweets are also represented and some of the Dining section's have given some great ones. Julia Moskin pitches in with an easy Christmas pudding. This is her take on the traditional British kind that doesn't have the rum but everything else. It's a flavorful dessert rich with spices and candied fruits.It doesn't have the liqueur's cloying taste which is refreshing. Another good recipe is Pete Wells ' candied orange peels which have the added zing of rosemary,Of course the holiday wouldn't be complete without cookies and contributor , Kim Severson adds her mother's ginger snap recipe. These are a break from the usual butter cookie ones and provided much needed spiciness to the holiday sweet platter.

There are several other savory and sweet recipes . Go to the Times online to see more. The ones above and those are great additions to any holiday feast.

The Butcher Cometh

Years ago cooks went to specialty stores such as the green grocers, the butchers and even the ice man's to get their food stuffs . The advent of the supermarket changed all that. Butchers along with the rest of the individual food sellers disappeared, The days of not only getting a good chop of meat but friendly advice were gone. Until recently. Like anything retro, butchers are back in in a big way - with plenty of good meats and good suggestions.

This was the subject of an article in today's New York Times Dining section. The piece, written by Dining veteran, Florence Fabricant, tells of the return of the classic butcher shop.This new bunch of meat cutters offer what a supermarket can not - variety and help. An old fashioned shop can sell such rare finds as trotters , lambs neck and kidneys along with fresh oxtails. Some butchers even offer the more exotic rabbit and goat meats for the more adventurous cook and diner. Even better than the variety is the advice a seasoned butcher can give. He (or she) can tell a customer what to do with the cuts, along with what are the cheaper pieces of meat for those on a budget. Another plus is more free range meat. Veal is not white like the supermarket kind, , but pink thanks to the calves being raised on a more organic diet.

Restaurants are also jumping on this trend. A famed Manhattan eatery, Resto has a butcher shop attached to it , appropriately named Cannibal. After all if ,you like what you had, then you can go next door to get the same cut of meat to make at home. This ideait does make sense and saves cooks time . After all you dont' have to go looking all over your grocery's meat department. Just return to the restaurant and ask for what you had on your last visit. The meat also will be fresher along with being better in taste , texture and quality.

Butchers are making a comeback and no wonder. They hark back to an era when a cut of meat was an individual as a person. It was what good cooking and dining was all about. Luckily for both meat lovers and cooks, it's returning


NOTE: I made a mistake in yesterday's entry. November 1st is All Saint's Day - not All Soul's which is today. My apologies.

Learning From The Masters

Yesterday's New York Times Dining section featured some of the greats. There was an article about the truly legendary French chef, Jacques Pepin along with a De Gustibus article by the equally legendary food critic Mimi Sheraton. Reading the two pieces was like taking a master class in cooking. There was so much knolwedge given out, definitely to be stored away for later use.

The first article was about Pepin and his new cookbook coming out this month. The interview, conducted by Dining regular, Jeff, Gordenier, tells of what's going to be in it as well as learning from the master.The articles even comes with how to pictures dealing with sharpening knives along with the proper way of separating a garlic clove . There is also a pictorial how to for making the perfect French omelet.. It is all about technique, how to crack the eggs, how to hold the pan. It's really turning the body into a machine to create the perfect dish. Pepin executes this as wonderfully as a ballet dancer. Even the way he sliced a simple baguette was insightful (slice on an angle facing outward. It keeps the air in the bread's middle fluffy. )

Mimi Sheraton, another master, is featured too. Her De Gustibus article is all about that little known cuisine Danish cooking. Ms. Sheraton has been a food critic for over fifty years and has eaten at some of the world's best restaurants.She explores the current trend of Nordic cooking; one that has actually been around for a long time. There is nothing new, she explains. The Scandinavians basically invented these now followed trends of foraging and locavore dining. It is big again though thanks to chef Rene Redzepi who will be demonstrating how to create the fare this Saturday in lower Manhattan.

Yesterday's Times dining section was a true salute to classic chefs and critics along with simple but elegant dining. In these celebrity chef laden tomes it's refreshing to return to the pros of the industry.Seek their advice.It's always the best.

The Age Of Cheese

Age is everything when it comes to cheese. Time is what gives cheese its' flavor. It can also make or break a good wheel, turning into a dream or a nightmare.The ripening process is just as important to cheese as any other. However it is this process that's causing a price war among cheese makers.

This was the topic of Jeff Gordinier's article in today's New York Times Dining section. The process , also called affinage is the art of maturing or ripening cheese. This is done in a variety of ways, from being brushed to help the rind breathe properly to being flipped to evenly distribute the minerals. Sometimes affinage calls for the process of bathing in wine or brandy.Without it comes trouble. Cheddar can produce a sulphuric rotten egg smell if it's not aged accordingly. If there's too much humidity, then the rind can be overly thick.

There is another problem with affinage. Over pricing. It seems the longer a cheese ages the more expensive it will be on the market. some feel that a fancier approach to affinage is nothing more than a gimmick. Cheese can be ripened in a simple walk in freezer as opposed to the on site 'caves' that some cheesemakers have built. This last could just be simple cave like caverns in the basement of a fromagerie. Some such as Wisconsin cheese makers Mary and David Falk, have created their own warren in the Dairy State's hills. According to them this vastly improves the flavor. Water from artesian wells has trickled over it alogn with fresh country air wafting in. Others such as brothers Mateo and Andy Kehler have created "rent a cave" areas in Vermont, for local dairies to process homemade cheeses. Of course this means higher pricing for these cheeses. The question is are we paying for the taste or th e money that went into creating the perfect affinage environment.

All in all, a good cheese is one that has been fully ripened and without any blemish. How it's matured really doesn't matter. What matters is that cheese makers don't drive up the price with any unnecessary over the top aging techniques. Thats what will drive cheese lovers away and to the cheaper , less polished brands.

A Taste of Bosnia

Bosnian cooking is not really known here in the US. However, thanks to the recent waves of immigrants from the former Yugoslav Republic, that's all changing. It is a delicious cuisine, unique and full of interesting dishes.As it becomes more and more mainstream, others will discover its' charms and flavorful, hearty dishes.


It was a subject of an article in today's New York Times Dining section. John T. Edge, a Dining regular contributor, interviewed Bosnians in St Louis Missouri where there is a huge community started in th e1990s. Many fled their country because of the terrible atrocities and found haven in this bustling Midwestern town. As it once featured German food, St Louis now seems to be the heart of Bosnian cuisine in the US. Bakeries , butchers and cafes have sprung up introducing a new kind of home cooked, home style dining.

Bosnian cooking is varied. Their bread , a round yeasty loaf called lepinja is sliced open and served with cevap, or beef sausages, There is also pljieskavica shaved beef and onions served on the bread as well. This is a favorite of Bosnian American youth. Bosnian Muslims also have contributed their part too. Many brought over the delicious smoked beef also known as suho meso. This subs in as pizza topping s for pepperoni along with other dishes. There is also a native confection which is a chocolate and walnut candy dusted with coconut.

Bosnian food may only be catching on in Saint Louis. but it will sure to hit the rest of the US. the reason being is that has made tasty foods that everyone can enjoy. It's traditional but also new at the same time

Chewing On The Chew

Daytime television is changing. The decades old soap operas are gone and in their place talk shows. The Chew is one of these. It's not so much about celebrities but about the food they eat. It's an open dialog and forum that features a variety of personalities.

This new TV show and pioneer of sorts is the subject of a New York Times article in their Dining section. Dining regular , Julia Moskin, explores this as well as interviewing one of the pillars of The Chew, chef , Mario Battali. The premise of the show, according to Mr. Battali is cooking as well as panel discussions.Dr .Oz's daughter, Daphne, is also on the show as are fellow newcomers, Michael Symon, Carla Hall and Clinton Kelly. The show will also feature helpful hints such as creating the perfect sloppy Joe and making olives tastier to name a few.

Is this the future of daytime TV? Execs seem to think so . Thanks to the Food Channel and more foodies out there, food based shows are not only big hits but huge draws for advertisers. The Chew already has food giants like Kraft , Campbells and Hershey's buying advertising time. This beats the usual mix of smaller advertisers and local businesses who buy into the less than lucrative afternoon time slot. Another plus is that the food shows are the most Tivoed and they can be watched at any time. People's tastes are also changing and they want more reality TV instead of manufactured drama. This is what The Chew will provide as other shows . It will be shown on ABC and join The Travel CHannel amongst others in featuring food centric entertainment,.

Food shows are the hottest thing on television right now.It's no wonder that The Chew was created and replaced traditional programming. The proof is literally in the pudding , however , as to whether it will succeed or not.

Foiled For An Easy Barbecue!

As I wrote in yesterday's entry it is still the season to grill and barbecue. However unlike the lazier midsummer ones , the barbecues now are a little more rushed. Blame it on our busy schedules which seem to kick it up a notch come September. however there is a solution. Foil packing your meats and veggies. The result is a quicker and actually tastier way of barbecuing done right.

Foil cooking was the subject of the Al Fresco section in the Dining section of today's New York Times. The piece, written by new regular, Alice Hart, explains the simplicity of this easy cooking method. What's great is that it goes the best on a hot grill but you can also use it in an oven or even on a campfire.Another plus is that you can make the packets up in advance (think your own Swanson TV Dinner line). They can also be transported in a cooler to any camp site and the foil also used as plates later on.. As far as with wrapping use a double layer of foil. . This ensures that the insides will be well cooked and that the package won't tear apart, creating spills.

What to put into a foil pouch or packet? Ms. Hart includes a delicious halibut recipe that is heavily spiced with coriander , cumin seeds and lemons to give it a North African flavor. Fish or chicken really are the best meat s for pouch cooking. They are the juiciest, (although I can see a flank steak also being used) and the most flavorful. Use steak cuts or in the case of poultry breast meat. There are recipes where you can cook veggies this way too. You can add butter and white wine and let it heat up in the packet, marinating the contents.

Foil cooking is an easy way of making , moist and tender meals. It's also fuss free because you can just throw away the foil afterwards. What a perfect way to have a fall barbecue.

New York A Melting Pot Of Chefs

Manhattan has always been a melting pot.For the last four centuries people from around the world have come to it, seeking fame and fortune. It's no different in this century and the island is attracting many a foreign chef . This is good for foodies because now Manhattan has more culinary variety than ever.

This was the subject of an article in today's New York Times Dining section. The piece, written by Glenn Collins, tells of a few restaurateurs who left their countries to start a branch in New York.It should pay off. New York is one of the top destinations cities no matter what the season. Many feel this way including the Alexandrian family of Beirut. They left the Middle East to start an Armenian restaurant . Yes they can bring in the many Armenian -Americans in the tri state area, however they also want the tourist trade too.

This is the same philosophy for other chefs. Spanish chef , Miguel Sanchez Romera closed his place in the gastronomy capital of the world Barcelona to start a restaurant with his name at the trendy Dream Downtown Hotel.He'll probably receive a bigger following here than back in his native Spain. An English chef Niall Howard also will undoubtedly get more fans when he opens the New York branch of Hakkasan here later this fall. Other chefs are coming from such diverse places as Peru , Denmark,Italy, South Korea and Russia.

New York has always been an immigrant's dream. Nowadays it's a reality to chefs who open their restaurants here. it also means they've made it in one of the toughest restaurant towns in the world

Norwegian Good

Norwegian - and actually any Scandanavian cooking has always been maligned. People make fun of the supposed overuse of herring or lutefisk. There are always jokes about reindeer meat and lingonberries. However the Scandinavian peninsula is suddenly a culinary hot spot. It's featuring fresh dishes cooking the way the Vikings cooked and foodies are loving this modern Viking invasion.

This was the subject of Julia Moskin''s article in today's New York Times Dining section. In it, she explores the old techniques of drying, smoking along with pickling and curing. Even modern utensils are nixed for the more classic shells, juniper, hay and twigs as kitchen tools. Garden scraps are also used as decorations as opposed to fancy sauces swirled into patterns, The food itself wouldn't be out of place at a Viking feast. Yes there was reindeer but also moose and bear cooked with vegetables. This last is a true Lapp dish that 's now turning culinary heads.

Modern classics are also made however they have a distinct Northern European twist, Creme brulee is baked but it's with Danish cream. There is also a sourdough battered haddock served on juniper branches. Root vegetables , another Nordic staple, are plated with a sauce of cream whisked with vinegar, fermented beer and garnished with salted cod roe. Sweet dishes such as lemon shortbread is placed on a cloud like bed of perfumed lavender cream. Apples and oatmeal are scented with earthy hay and pine aromas. These were seen in the Manhattan restaurant Compose and created by Nordic chef Marcus Phillips.There seems to not be a dearth of salmon and creamed herring. The new batch of cooks want to stick with the idea of purity, freshness along with simplicity and ethics in cooking. Simple but effective.

Scandinavian cooking is now the hottest cuisine on the planet. Chefs and foodies are appreciating the rustic yet sophisticated way of using natural ingredients and equipment to create unique dishes. It's a take on the modern with roots going back one thousand years.

A Change Of Menu

Change is good , especially when it comes to menus. After all diners get bored with ordering the same old food when they visit a restaurant. Chefs probably tire of making the same dishes day after day, and night after night. That;s why Dave Beran's Chicago based restaurant , appropriately named Next is popular. A dish doesn't stay on the menu for long . In fact the eatery changes all its' dishes to give Next a new feel and does so every four months.

This was the topic of regular contributor Sam Sifton's article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. Eating at Next is more of a theatrical experience than a culinary one. The place never takes reservations. It has no phone anyway.It's by ticket only. The menu is far from being a traditional one. it focuses on certain themes. One recent one was la Belle Epoque celebrating the foods of a turn of the 19th Century Paris where the work of Auguste Escoffier was explored. This was a nine course extravaganza that featured the lush and decadent dishes of the era. There was turtle soup and truffled egg custard. there was also lamb and chicken along with duck finished with a chocolate bombe filled with a coffee semifreddo and mignardiese which were the petit fours of the time. Drinks of the era,port and claret were served too.

The current theme is Thai and with it all the bright colors and flavors that make up that cuisine. However it's not an homage to authentic Thai food but to the restaurants that everyone orders from. There was the famed pad thai, ubiquitous on any menu, with its'silken noodles and crunchy peanuts. Papaya salad was also made as was a delicious beef cheek curry. There was also a Penang take out curry too. Desserts were innovative with a watermelon and lemon grass consomme along with coconuts filled with corn pudding. This menu will only be in place for a few months. The next theme may include a World War II menu or something lifted form a children's book (maybe Alice In Wonderland or Green Eggs and Ham?)

Next is what other restaurants should strive for.It's innovative in its' theme menus and changes. Entertaining as well in the way it can pull it all off and leave guests hungering for more.Let's hope it influences other restaurants from New York to Los Angeles with its' constant changes.

Ice Cream Treats

This is the season for all sorts of frozen goodies. The best part is you can take an ordinary car ton of ice cream add some extra ingredients and have an elegant dessert along with a fun treat.It doesn't take a lot of work either. Just a few scoops and some creativity is all you really need.


This was the subject of NY Times regular Melissa Clark's column A Good Appetite. She explores different variations of ice cream and extras to create interesting desserts. She created and has recipes for the elaborate and the simple.Among the more complicated ones is the bomb. This was a popular mid Century dessert that's relatively easy to make. made out of one or tow flavors, it;s two flavors that have been layered over each other in a dome shape The ice cream is first warmed and softened and then layered in a metal bowl.It;s then refrozen and decorated. ms. Clark made hers with with coconut macaroons and mango ice cream for a tropical, summery taste
A sundae is also mentioned however it's not just chocolate syrup and Reddi Whip over plain ice cream. It's a specially made maple flavored sauce along with creme fraiche.Ms. Clark adds rum for butter and heavy cream for richness and bitter sweet chocolate shavings for bite along with dollops of creme fraiche, the last usually not associated with ice cream dishes. There is also an easy malted milk bonbon that just takes simple ice cream , whether it be chocolate or coffee and then mixed with malted milk powder.. The balls are then rolled in crushed malt ball pieces and frozen.

Ice cream mixed with anything is a good treat. However be creative and innovative and come up with a n unusual dessert. All it takes is a scoop and some interesting ingredients!

Healing And Hydroponic

The New York Times Dining section had two very interesting and diverse articles yesterday. One was on the healing powers of certain foods while the other was on hydroponic farming. Actually the first is sort of dependent on the second one, because it's all the leafy green stuff that can help a body. Any green, whether it be spinach or even lettuce, if grown hydroponically , can have a few more benefits than ones coming from the land.

The first article written by Jeff Gordinier tells the story of chef Seamus Mullen who was stricken with rheumatoid arthritis in his late thirties. The disease literally crippled him, leaving him in agony most of the time. For anybody this is bad news but for a chef even worse. Luckily he improved his diet which led to his new cookbook. Entitled "Seamus Mullen's Hero Food : How Cooking Delicious Things Can Make Us Feel Better ", it shows how certain foods can help with inflammatory disease s and boost the body's immune system. Some of the best foods for a person are olive oil, almonds and leafy green vegetables. Mr. Mullen uses these already in his Spanish tapas restaurant Boqueria.

No doubt hydroponically grown greens are also good for you. That was the other article, written by Glenn Collins, another long time Dining contributor. Hydroponic lettuce has received a bad rap over the last few years. Not so anymore. It's actually become more flavorful. This is due to new techniques in this dirt free farming. There's more technological sophistication where there are even weather stations installed to help with the sun and temperature conditions . This helps crops thrive without the usual worries about drought or too much rain. The ambiance is perfect in creating flavorful and tender leaves.

Leafy greens can help us. Just ask Seamus Mullen who greatly benefited from them. Even better are the hydroponically grown ones. They're not only good for us but good tasting thanks to modern, soil free farming methods.

Every Part Of The Plant

Is it proper to eat trash? Yes if it it's the refuse that came off common fruits and vegetables. Surprisingly enough what most of us toss from our produce can be used in a variety of recipes.Much can be made from roots and leaves along with pits and peelings.Don't throw anything out. Not after reading this.

Utilizing entire stalks and roots was the main article in today's New York Times Dining section regular, Julia Moskin.In it she explores the idea of "nose to tail"vegetable cooking. This process has long been used with meats ;cooking every part of an animal's body. Now chefs are looking at the discarded parts of corn, broccoli and some fruits to make delicious dishes. It just comes with one caveat. Sometimes the pieces such as the kernel inside certain pits contain what's is known as cyanogens, compounds that are part of the highly lethal cyanide. Before cooking ,it's wise to read up on what's OK to eat and not eat.

The yield is remarkable. Broccoli stalks can be made into a delicious salad once cooked. Cauliflower leaves can be cooked into a tender cabbage like dish and it has almost the same taste except with the cauliflower undertones. Fruit pits are crushed and used as flavorings in puddings and ice creams. Discarded celery stalks are used to make a pungent celery salt while other roots and leaves can create entirely new dishes. Using entire veggies and fruits are nothing new. There are century old recipes for pickled green tomatoes and watermelon rinds. After all early American cooks used everything thanks to bumper crops and a need to satisfy hungry families.

Don' tthrow away anything from your produce. Those stalks and leaves can create some tasty and new dishes. Save anything and everything before you throw them out.If not you may be missing out on a valuable ingredient,

A Cold Perfect Cup Of Joe Or Tea

July calls for a tall glass of iced coffee or tea. There's nothing like a glass of either one when the temps hit the nineties or triple digits. The thing is if they're made wrong, both can taste like dishwater. Luckily there are a few solutions to make each glass of joe or Pekoe the perfect thirst quencher for these hot days.

Todays' Curious Cook column in the New York Times Dining section gave readers pointers making the most flavorful glass of any iced brew. Writer Harold McGee demystifies the process. It's not just pouring freshly brewed coffee or tea over ice (although you can do this). It's actually less work than what 's expected. Take cold water as opposed to hot. The usual boiling water cooks the leaves or grounds and also extracts. This forces chemical reactions and drives the aroma reactions out.Cold water immersion is a slower process and creates a more simpler extract.

Cold brewing produces a less acidic drink that also doesn;t have as much caffeine. The color is also clearer than coffees and teas first boiled and then chilled. The taste is also purer and more robust.If you want to make a lot of iced coffee , remember it's five cups to every half pound of coffee. There can be some variations with iced tea and the amounts used. The tea leaves also plays an important part in creating the perfect taste. The more fragile the leaves or smaller the particles the less tea and time needed for brewing. If a cold brew is taking its' time to steep just add more tea.

Summer demands a cooling glass of iced coffee or tea. Cold brew either for the perfect taste to enjoy during these sweltering days! It'll be the next best thing to air conditioning!

Kamado Grills

Japan is known for giving us unique grills. There was the hibachi which now is a picnic staple.Then there's the Kamado grill, a unique creation that can not only barbecue meat but also bake desserts . Thanks to this versatility this strange looking cooker is fast becoming an foodie trend.

New York Times Dining regular contributor, John T. Edge wrote about the Kamado in yesterday's Dining section. It seems more and more outdoor cooks are discovering the grill's charms and many assets. The eggs , as they're fondly called, are more compact than emammoth grills such as Weber. they are small egg shaped (hence the nickname) , green and dimpled, looking sort of like a giant avocado.They require less heat and therefore less coals to function. They also light faster and leave meats moist and succulent - in other words the perfect barbecue. Kamodos have only been in this country for about thirty years., due in part toEd fisher who first exported pachinko games to the United States.

Kamado grills are getting a big following thanks to their versatility. Not only can you grill typical barbecue meats on them, but you can also bake. Some serious egg lovers have baked Bundt cakes and cobblers on theirs. It's also good for baking pizza dough ,giving the crust a crispy firecrackled look. Kamado grills can also cold smoke fish such as salmon thanks to the wide disparity of temperatures.It can reach up to 1200 degrees Farenheit and goes down as low as 100 degrees.

Kamado grills are fast becoming an outdoor favorite. They are more versatile than the regular grill that just barbecue. More and more backyards will sport this odd shaped egg than traditional grills in future summers.

Flash Feasting Paris' Annual Dinner In White

Imagine a warm, summer's night. Thousands dress up in white to convene at a place for bacchanalian dining and drinking. There is music and dancing afterwards. Is it a new cult? A coven meeting to celebrate midsummer, No, it's thousands of elegant Parisians to have a flash feast in front of the Louvre Museum and Notre Dame Cathedral.

This version of a flash mob was written about in yesterday's New York Times Dining section by newcomer Liesl Schillinger. She tells of how a group of very well behaved city people came together at exactly eight o clock last year and had the grandest picnic of them all. It's an annual event, since 1988, called "Diner en Blanche" or "Dinner In White". Men wear pristine white suits while women float in dresses of the same snowy color.. They carried picnic baskets filled with foie gras, poached salmon and different cheeses.Champagne along with wine and water were drunk. Each table provides its' own meal along with linens and silverware. There was also dessert and hors d'ouevres too. Just as soon as the meal is finished, everything is cleared away and cleaned up. so that there;s dancing in t he squares.

Not everyone can just join in. There are private invitations. otherwise it would be the largest food fest ever (and quite messy in the end) . The actual venue is kept a secret until a few days before to avoid gatecrashers. However both New York and Montreal and planning on these flash feasts and of course - the invites are going out via Facebook and Twitter. Don't think that these dinners will have a few hundred gate crashers. There is also a penalty for those who behave raucously or don't clean up. They get barred from next year's Diner en Blanche.

it should be interesting to see how New York and Montreal's flash feasts do. Will both be as casually elegant as their French counterpart? Even more interesting how will the food be?

Spain's Newest Wave of Chefs

The Spanish have been the Alexander McQueen or Vivienne Westwood of cooking for the last ten years. They literally reinvented cooking and time honored dishes with new techniques outre spins. This was due to the vision of one man- Ferran Adria and his restaurant El Bulli. Sadly enough El Bulli is closing however Spain will still remain on the cutting edge of cooking innovation.

This was the subject of the great Julia Moskin's article in today's New York Times Wednesday Dining section. El Bulli has been a culinary mecca for foodies around the world. Their tongues were seduced by his new and inventive techniques that involved emulsions and foams. Euros were poured into the Spanish economy and tourism increased in Adria's town of Barcelona thanks to him. There was the worry that Spain would lose that. Not true however. Adria may be stepping down but there are a number of talented and avant garde chefs willing to carry on Spain's new tradition.

The latest crop, much like Adria , are just as genius. There are young chefs ,like Paco Morales of Bilbao who creates a shimmering jellied tomato water with herbs and fresh shaved vegetables. Another chef Valencia's Quique Dacosta of Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum's restaurant created a dish of just a single oyster draped in a film of edible titanium alloy to reflect the museum's silvery window. There are other chefs such as Carme Ruscalleda and her son, Raul Balam,that create food that's more whimsical edible art than actual food. Better yet they are using Spain's vast bounty of seafood, vegetables and fruits as opposed to using ingredients from out of the country.

Even though one chapter of Spain's new culinary history is closing another will be opening. There is a whole new generation of chefs that will keep this avant garde art form of cooking alive. They have the creativity and talent to keep the Iberian peninsula in forefront of global cooking.

Family Recipes For Success

Kids whose parents own restaurants are very lucky. Not only do you grow up with great food you inherit the business. What's even better is that the second generation is tech and media savvy,tapping into the foodie cult with a vengeance. What the parents started as a small eatery is transformed into a superstar.

This was the subject of an article by Steven Stern in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. Several children of restaurateurs and food business people were interviewed. Interestingly enough they were the children of immigrants who had gone to college and then went off into the corporate world. They realized that returning to the family business was more profitable.Of course, once they returned, the kids then amp almost everything from the decor to the recipes. New dishes are added as in one case of a butcher shop where truffle hot dogs are sold along classic Romanian sausages and dishes thanks to the son combining the traditional with the trendy.

Having a tech savvy kid also helps a family business. He or she can easily put the family business on Twitter and Facebook to bring in more customers. They can also create an app for IPhones and websites too. This is all well and good however a family restaurant is nothing without good food and dedication. Also creating dishes that satisfy both the old guard and new customers also helps.Luckily these second generation restaurateurs know that and continue on with their family recipes.

There's nothing like growing up in a restaurant, butcher shop or bakery. Even better is coming back years later and turning the business into your own. Now there's a new generation taking a spin on their family's recipes and eateries.Success is in the genes - so is good food.

Gluten Free Goodness

Once upon a time there were gluten free baked goods. To be honest they were horrible tasting not to mention thick and lumpy. . Not so any more.Gluten free baked goods can be just as yummy as their their regular counterparts. In fact they can be addictive - so much so that cake and bread lovers can easily switch over to this healthier alternative.

Gluten free flours were the subject of today's New York Times Dining regular Melissa Clark's article. She covered both professional and home baking regarding this revolution. Wheat free baking is more than just a trend. Thanks to a rise in celiac allergies, more and more moms are seeking out gluten free products to buy and make for their children. Famed bakeries like Babycakes in Manhattan and Los Angeles has always produced gluten free goodies and their cupcakes rival those of the famed Magnolia Bakery in taste and lightness. They are almost ethereal in their taste and texture and have gotten a following.


A better idea, as expressed in Ms Clark's article is that the flours are available to home bakers. Supermarkets carry a wide range of flours such as sweet potato (!), sorghum, teff ( a species of lovegrass that can be ground into a flour)and oat. Also gums such as xanthum and guar, used commercially to bind cakes and cookies can now be bought at your local health store Home bakers will be happy to know that baking with these flours produce a better and actually lighter product. There is even a pizza recipes thrown in so wheat allergy sufferers can enjoy a fresh baked pie with the works.

Gluten free used to be impossible to find and even more impossible to digest. However all that is changing. Thanks to improved flours and regularity in stores and bakery gluten free is definitely becoming part of the American diet.

Note:
I forgot to thank the New York Times Dining Section and their great staff of writers who provide me topics for my Wednesday and Thursday entries. My toque is off to you in gratitude!

A Very Low Calorie Diet

Ever think that eating cake and pizza could lose you a few pounds? Or diving into a whole plate of brownies could actually be good for your waistline? It is if you pantomime eating it. That's right. Do what you did when you were little and make believe you're eating.

This strange concept was the subject of an article by Henry Alford in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. Mr. Alford got himself to believe that he was actually snacking, He used utensils or his fingers imagining cutting into a tortilla or cake and then began to chew and even swallow. He tricked his body into thinking he was eating the actual thing. The best part of it - at then end of this experiment he actually lost weight - ten pounds to be exact. It seems that a recent Carnegie-Mellon study showed that people who repeatedly pretended to eat their favorite foods actually satisfied the craving for them. It started off with M&M's and then Mr. Alford took it a step further.

Is this a good idea? Actually the author also tried imagining eating high calorie treats when he was eating low calorie ones. he also conducted the test during trips to culinary rich countries such as France and Germany where many a diet was destroyed.I have a better idea. Why not let yourself have a small version of what you desire every now and then. It's a break from eating healthy foods and something to look forward to once in a while. Have that cream puff but once a month or every two months . Enjoy that overloaded bacon cheeseburger and fries but once a season.Don't deprive yourself of the things you love. Just cut down on them.

Dieters will do and try anything to shed pounds. Sometimes the best bet is just moderation. Don't go overboard every day with favorite foods. Stave off them. That's how you really lose the weight.