Your Secret Weapon Celery

It's as common as bread for stuffing and drippings for gravy. Yet we never give it its' due despite it' being one of the supports of holiday cooking. What is this power ingredient? Celery.

It was the subject of an article in today's New York Times Food section. Alexa Weibel, the section's senior staff editor, wrote about this wonderkind veggie. Celery is good on its' own, especially as a palate cleanser. It's even better lending its' flavor to everything from the bird itself to stuffing.The stalks go in and out of favor. Celery entered the American cooking scene during the late 19th and early 20th Century. Raw stalks were arranged in crystal vases made specifically for showing them off, There were even ornate serving sets deemed incomplete without the vases. Soon they were being served in elegant little side dishes. They were also being served on trains and train stations thanks to train boys and messengers. It was the star of Good Housekeeping's Thanksgiving 1900's issue where there were recipes for celery soup and even blended with mashed potatoes, served with peanut butter on brown bread. We have  Dutch immigrants to thank for bringing the vegetable into the public eye. They started farming it in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1847 which was then nicknamed Celery City.  Harry S. Truman put the stalk on the White House cafeteria menu. In recent years , however, it's been dismissed as a diet food, a kids; snack and Bloody Mary garnish.

That's all about to change. Celery is now a cause celebe thanks to Kim Kardashian juicing it. One of the best aspects is that it's a team player. It works well with other and even stronger flavors, yet imparts its' own citrus-y vegetal taste.Ms. Weibel gives us some interesting recipes that work not just for Thanksgiving but also for Sunday dinners too. Try the celery-leek soup with potato and parsley. This is a take on vichysoisse , with a pound of celery being the star. Dry white wine, thyme and garlic also elevate it as do parsley and bay leaves. It's the perfect way to being your Thanksgiving meal. There is also braised celery with thyme and white wine. The celery is cut into segments and deribbed to make it tender It's first boiled in salted water and then transfer to a glass baking dish.  The pieces are then layered  and again dry white wine is  added to flavor it. Herbes de Provence and peppercorns along with bay leaves, thyme  and  garlic add more complexity.For something refreshing and different there is a celery salad chock full of apples, blue cheese and almonds. The vinaigrette has coarse mustard leaves and sugar added for a completely unusual vibe.

Use celery in your Thanksgiving and other holiday recipes. It is perfect in hot and cold dishes. Try it and rediscover its' bright taste and color.

Respect and Recipes

Today is All Soul's Day, a day when Catholics commemorate their departed loved ones. One of the best ways is to follow the Mexican tradition and making their favorite recipes. it could be a sweet. It could be a savory. It could be a recipe that's over a century old or some out a magazine.

One of the best way to honor one's ancestors and close family members is to continue with their heirloom dishes. If you're lucky some great-great-great grandmother wrote down recipes that were adapted through the centuries for modern cooking.Most families, including mine, relied on the oral tradition of passing down dishes. Memory helps too. Did any of my generation write the recipes down. I did - but only for the posts. Luckily such dishes as my great -grandmother's and great aunt's pumpkin soup recipe were made often. They were also explained step by step, which helps in memorizing them.The family felt that i would make these centuries old Piedmontese dishes when I was ready. Of course there was a bit of nervousness - actually a lot of it , recreating such dishes as risotto and tomatoes provencale in front of the masters. Heaven forbid you mess up a step or accidentally forget a certain spice or herb. Don't ever think of tweaking the recipe.

When I cook these recipes, I think of relatives long gone. It's a connection that everyone should have. This is a gift to the younger generations, especially those who love to cook. Keep in mind that  all recipes should now be stored on the computer. Google Docs has a recipe template where you can plug in ingredients and directions. For those that haven't compiled family recipes this template allows you to do so. Another plus with Google Docs is that you can send the recipes to family members who also have it and they can tweak or edit the recipes. Every branch of a family has several recipes. Combine these to create a cookbook that can be given out at family picnics or to welcome a new spouse to the family.If you do this , make sure to include a few blank pages in the back for the newcomer to add his or her family dishes. A nice idea  - and to continue a loved one's memory is to make the heirloom dishes for the holidays and important events like engagements and baptisms. There's bound to be a flood of memories as well as great stories too.

Today we remember those we have lost. Another way is through honoring the recipes they left us. We will make favorite and family dishes to make sure they are never forgotten.

The Green Kitchen

Everyone is hyper aware of global warming and what it can do to the planet. They are cutting down on ordering on  line along with buying locally grown produce. Yet to fully go green, home chefs have to rethink the way they clean,and cook. Nowadays that's pretty easy.

Water is always at the crux of conservation. One way to save is only boiling a cup of water for one cup of tea or hot cocoa. Boiling more just is a waste of energy. Another idea is keeping bottled tap water in the fridge as opposed to running the tap until you get cold water. The water is already chilled and good to go. You can keep bottled water in the freezer during the hot days of summer. One you don;t have to keep opening the freezer door to fetch ice cubes. The ice inside melts providing refreshing, thirst quenching sips. (have a few of these ready for those trips to the beach too.) Vegetables and fruit always have to be washed. Instead of rinsing them with running water , just place them in a large pan of water  and use a vegetable scrubber on the skins.Another chore we have to do every day is washing the dishes.If you have only a few from one meal, wait until the next to wash everything. You could also put all the dishes, cups and utensils in the dish rack and spray them clean with your sink's spray nozzle.Also don't prerinse dishes and cups before putting them in the dishwasher. The machine usually does a good job of it.

Not surprisingly how you cook on can also help in saving the environment, One of the easiest actions is using pots and pans the same diameter as the burner. This will not only save energy but also money.  Electric stove owners can save $36 annually while those who have a gas stove will save around $18. Also reduce  the amount of heat needed. Don't force a boil or try to cook something fast. That's what the microwave is for. Also a microwave can take up less energy than any stove.however it does have a lot of drawbacks. A better medium would be conscientiously using the stove and oven. Don't preheat unless you have to Another energy conserving idea is cooking several dishes together. This means one thing - more yummy sheet meals where the mains and the sides are all roasted together on one pan.Then there's the cook's tic of opening the door to see if everything is browning or baking well. Don't. It's a bad habit that allows  heat to go out. Instead always keep the oven window clean so  you can see clearly through it.Check the oven door seal too. A poorly fitted or degraded one can leach heat and energy  A good test is slip a piece of paper between the seal and the door.If it goes through then replace the seal or buy a new oven.

A green kitchen is a good one. You're making an effort to not only save the planet but also money. The ecology is helped and so are you,

Are You A Kitchen Hoarder?

We're all guilty of it,some of us more than others.We mean to quit , yet can't thanks to enablers like stores, TV  and,even family. What is this crime? Kitchen hoarding and be honest - we've  all done it at one time or another in our lives.

Kitchen hoarding just doesn't apply to food. It also applies to gadgets, dishes, and even pot holders(well, these are so darn cute, that they're impossible to pass up ) The collecting gets to be too much and the room starts looking like a hoarder's paradise. The problem is that's it's hard to throw out stuff.My fridge looks like a hungry hoarder's, thanks to holding on to all sorts of food and over buying.I have about six jars of jelly, all with varying amounts of the stuff.Some even have developed a top layer of mold on them which I always skim off. I always mean to use ll of them up but wind up buying a new jar of a different flavor. The same holds true for all those mayo jars and catsup bottles taking up space. I somehow develop memory loss when I go food shopping. This is also why I have four kinds of cookies and crackers in the misnamed bread drawer.Luckily the baked goods can be given to the critters outside, from the birds to the raccoons. Cookies can also be put into the food processor to make crumbs for topping sundaes and cupcakes as wells layers in trifle.


. The leftovers sides and main meals are another story. It seems wasteful to throw away even a forkful of salad yet if it's left too long it's forgotten, mold appears. It's not that black spot kind of rot, but that big fuzzy white kind that could grow into an animal companion if left  alone Home chefs have to make a rule. If not eaten in  fours days to a week toss. The same applies to cookies and snacks but with a slightly longer time frame. Also make a point of not buying anything until you're out of it. Doing this also cuts down on kitchen clutter.Let's face it. This is hard to do especially when
stores have such a tempting array of goodies.As for gadgets, don't be seduced by those cooking articles and blogs. This is how I wound up with an emulsion blender, bought in the beginning of the summer. Two months later it's still in its box, waiting to be used.Ditto for the ice cream maker that  was only used twice and is still sitting in the fridge containing month old home made lemon ice.I have to contain myself when I see a cotton candy machine, which I know would be perfect in creating wild and exciting desserts. .Unfortunately it would sit in the box it came in for a year before I would actually use it. Even a large array of cute potholders will take up room. Cut it don to a managable four.

Kitchen hoarding is not good.. Stop yourself if you start buying too many twofer ones or a neat new gaget that will make cooking and baking fun. You'll have a room full of junk and excess.

Super Healthy Snacks For The Suoer Bowl

The Super Bowl is always a day geared towards snacking .There are platters of buffalo wings, endless pizzas and plates of sliders or pulled pork.These may be tasty but they,re a fumble diet wise.You can still score, but with healthier sandwiches and treats.They're the touchdowns of the day! One of the healthiest game day treats is a sub sandwich.You can start with a base of whole-wheat bread and then add on healthy lean meats like chicken or turkey.For even more of a bonus, think soy cold cuts.These come in a variety of flavors,from pepperoni to baloney and taste pretty much like the real deal.Make a simple dressing of just oil and red wine vinegar as you also layer on shredded lettuce, onion slices and low fat Provolone and American cheese.A warmer dish is vegan chili.This can be made solely with a variety of beans or again with a soy version of beef.You can make it as hot or mild as you want.Serve with polenta, brown rice or whole-wheat tortilla chips. Pizza is another Super Bowl fave.You can make your own with pita bread and fresh tomato quarters along with a minimum of mozzarella cheese. Add some heart healthy toppings such as mushrooms, scallion, artichoke hearts and olives. bruschetta, usually reserved for more formal affairs is another great nibble.Again go for whole wheat Italian bread and mix tomatoes capers and bell peppers to create a topping.You can serve them hot with a light sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.Prefer more South of the border?Then think chicken or tilapia tacos with guacamole and minced fresh veggies to put on top.Hold the sour cream and pour on the home made salsa . finish with fresh fruit kabobs, made from apples, oranges and grapes.Serve these with a honey sweetened Greek yogurt. Make your game day a winner with healthy nibbles and bites.Serve dishes that are bursting with vitamins and minerals.You're sure to touch down with high points for staying away from all that grease ,salt and fat!

Christmas Eve

Tonight is Christmas Eve. Enjoy it with loved ones, whether they be family and friends. Cherish your family recipes and holiday dishes. Remember the needy and the ones at war. Pray for worldwide peace and tolerance.

Liz

Cool Britannia - English Food That Rules

If you mentioned British cooking to most people, they'd grimace. This was just a scant decade ago but English cusine has changed. Drastically. British food is no longer that over boiled beef and suet pudding. Nor is it that beloved messy fry up of beans, eggs, bacon and tomatoes. It actually is good cooking using the best of Britain's farms and waters. It still reflects the English and their solid character but there's a new spin on it.

When did this culinary revolution happen in the UK? Was it always there, bubbling beneath the surface or did it just explode? My opinion is it started with The Two Fat Ladies in the late Nineties. Clarissa Dickson Wright and Jennifer Patterson opened up the world's eyes to traditional British cooking. They used eggs and produce bought fresh from roadside stands. They disregarded the current craze to count calories and infused dishes with real cream and butter as Victorian house cooks did. They made English cooking not only interesting but alluring. Another British chef, Nigella Lawson did the same, this time combining sensuality and good sense to her easy but tasty dishes. Not only that , she demonstrated how to make even the simplest dishes look complex and rich. A hipper version of the new Cool Britannia was and still is Jamie Oliver. This young wonder showed a worldwide audience how to take fresh and frozen meals and bang them together to create a memorable dinner. He gave us permission us to use pre made food stuffs to hurry along prep time , letting any novice chef look like a pro. He breathed new life to Brit staples such as mushy peas and fish and chips.

What exactly is English cuisine? That varies depending upon where you are. If you're along the coast fish is a big draw. There is the famous Cornish fish pie called stargazey where smelts' heads are poking through the crust. They're looking heavenwards or gazing towards the skies(hence the name) There is the traditional English country fare of roast partridge or jugged hare served with potatoes (a British staple no matter where you are in the UK). Britain also offers the upper class high teas with their watercress sandwiches and delicate cakes along with pub grub - hearty food that can stand up to a pint of ale or stout. If you're lucky to vacation in England this summer experience all of these. British cooking is surprisingly as varied as French or Italian cooking and as hearty as German.You can eat well in the UK no matter what you get.

Britain is usually known for its' well crafted literature, gifted actors and over the top rock stars. Yet it should also be famous for it's rich and varied cuisine. It definitely fits in with the rest of the country 's new Cool Britannia image.