It;'s Mocktail TIme

 Hot weather deserves a cooling sip. Mocktails fill his need .They can be chocolate-y ,fruit and/or minty. What they have in common is that they're perfect for the steamy days ahead.

One mocktail I'm enjoying now is peaches and cream. This is a yummy mix of peach nectar and vanilla flavored seltzer/It's just taking a tall glass and filling a third of it with a rich, thick peach nectar (Stop and Shop has the best and its; in an easy to our container) and then topping it with two thirds of the seltzer.This has gotten me through quite a few hot June days.I [an on making a non alcoholic Sunrise using it too. This  is mixing the nectar with lemon-lime flavored seltzer.  You can also mix the peach nectar with ginger ale for a kind of Bellini. These are perfect for a brunch with the kids. Keep in mind that apricot nectar can also be used in these drinks as well. Other fruits can be used in mocktails as well. This is blueberry season so think drinks with these bright blue little gems.Muddle or crush the blueberries until they're fully crushed and fragrant. It;s then adding a good splash of lemon seltzer and maybe just a drizzle of honey to sweeten the drinks (some of the berries will be bitter)> Garnish with a fresh mint leaf or two.

Yes, you can make a chocolate mocktail without the alcohol. This is a decadent fix after a summery seafood dinner.This is an easy mix of boiled milk with chocolate chips and a pinch of sea salt.  Add vanilla coffee syrup and mix well. The drink is then poured into glasses and chilled (think frozen hot chocolate). Serve in martini  glasses or tumblers that are rimmed with chocolate cookie crumbs.Another fun cocoa flavored mocktail is one that sort of would be in place at an ice cream parlor. Add a good squirt of any chocolate syrup (Bosco is great here) and some milk or cream. To give it fizz and oomph , top off with cherry flavored seltzer(It's basically an egg cream with something extra). You can also do the same with another fruit of the season - strawberries.Puree three or four strawberries and then add milk to them . Mix in equal parts chocolate syrup and plain seltzer.Stir until the drink is thoroughly mixed. Serve in a tall glass with a sliced strawberry on the rim.You can also make a simple strawberry syrup for this by cooking together white granulated sugar and Walter. Strawberries are added and crushed as  they're cooking . Strain out the pulp and seeds. This syrup can also be used in fruity mocktails too.

Happiness is a cold drink on a hot day. Make any of these mocktails to beat the beat. Sit back and sip.

A Meal And An Egg Cream

 Phil rosenhal is best known for being one fo the creators of the great comedy "Everybody Loves Raymond." Yet he's also a  foodie, loving every high and low end place. he now has another season of his popular season and a diner all set to open.Then there's the egg creams. Every episode ends with a delicious glass of foam and chocolate.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin contributed the article about him in today's New York Times Food Wednesday section.For Ray ROmano fans, Mr.rosenthal's name is well known.He produced and wrote the show's episodes while his wife Monica Horan played Amy, Ray's sister-in-law on the show.Yet he also had a soft spot for food - all kinds.It's surprising ,considering his background. His parents, both escapees from Nazi Germany (his mother and grandmother spent time in a French concentration camp) stuck to basically bland food. He didn't;t taste garlic until he was an undergrad at nearby. Hoftsra University His father  only care for one dish - scrambled eggs. In fact his question about them -"Are they fluffy?" is on his tombstone. When Mr Rosenthal was an aspiring actor he saved up for months to eat at such gourmet Meccas like the famous La Lutece and The Quilted Giraffe.He then could afford to eat anywhere after he moved to Los Angeles and garnered success with Raymond.

After his TV show ended, he became wrapped up in  food reporting. He hired the late  Anthony Bourdain's production company Zero Point Zero for his own show "Somebody Feed Phil."It first aired on PBS and then moved to Netflix. He had originally pitched another comedy but that didn't take off so he turned his attention to food. He traveled around more and spent more time with food experts., chef Nancy Silverton who now also cooks for his diner Max and Helen's .named for his parents. There was also the late Los Angeles Times food critic Jonathan Gold. He adopted  Mr. Gold's philosophy of showing what other people eat , clsoign teh gaps between ethnic groups. Mr. Rosenthal even has cookbooks and a new one "Phil'd favorites  is coming out in November. Being from the New York area every episode ends with an egg cream. This is a sip of heaven for egg cream lovers. His recipe calls for the classic city soda shop syrup Fox's U-UBet and milk mixed with a plain seltzer (although it';s sheer perfection blended with a cherry flavored seltzer).Use three tablespoons of syrup to one half cup of milk and add seltzer to taste. Cut down on the milk for a truly foamy, fizzy drink.

Does the world need another foodie exploring restaurants and countries> Yes, if the foodie in question is Phil ROsenthal. He brings sweetness and dedication along with a love of food and people to a great show.

Cool And Tasty Drinks

 This heat wave calls for cooling and fun drinks. They're frosty and fizzy - the perfect thirst quenchers  for these steamy days. They're easy to make and even easier to sip.

One of the most perfect temp lowing swigs is root beer. It's great just on it's own, served in a frosty mug. If you can, check out any of the remaining Stewart's in the New York metro area where you can buy a mug along with a tasty  hot dog, hamburger or side, . You can also buy a six pack of it at your local grocery store and bring it home for a frosty mug. How do you frost a mug? It's just the simple method of filling a mug or even a glass with ice cubes. Make sure they touch every part of the interior surface. Now add some cold water making sure it covers the entire inner portion(you can do this by tilting the mug or glass this way and that). Place the glass into the freezer for five to eight minutes,Fill with root beer and a straw. You can also do this with Stewart's grape or orange sodas too. Another root beer treat is the classic root bear float. What's the best brand and flavor for this? Many choose Breyer's for its' richness and creaminess . As for a vegan version, coconut milk based ice cream has the same creamy texture and flavor.It blends well with the root beer. To make it lux, add a shot of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry,

Another fizzy cold treat is the egg cream. This fountain and diner favorite originated in New York City in the 1880's and actually had raw egg in it!!!We drink the poorer version which has no eggs but still plenty of froth. What makes the perfect one? It starts with the syrup. Purists will insist on Fox's U-Bet syrup. What's the difference between it and the classic Hershey's one? Fox's U Bet has dried milk and real cocoa in their recipe. This results in a richer chocolate-y flavor than the other which is made up of cocoa, water and corn syrup. Hershey's works in a pinch.Any kind of milk, dairy and plant based works. The best seltzer to use comes from a syphon but the bottled kinds is also good. Even better is the flavored ones. Try a cherry or raspberry one for added oomph to the drink. It's like a liquid bonbon.  There is the vanilla variation which does take a little more work. The vanilla syrup is created by simmering water and sugar with a vanilla bean, The syrup is made first and then poured over the vanilla bean. The whole thing is steeped for a day before using. Since the syrup is thinner than the chocolate one, use half and half for a creamier , thicker drink.

It's blisteringly hot. Coo; down with a sweet fizzy drink, whether it's a mug of root beer ,a root beer float or an egg cream.Enjoy the iciness .

Sweet Summer Treats

 What's a good way t  end a summer meal or  offer relief a hot day? Try a summer treat.It could be homemade ice cream or an ice box cake. These help when those days get sweltering and sticky.

Homemade ice cream is actually a simple male. You don't even need an ice cream maker. One that's been on my radar is Melissa Clark's vegan peanut butter. It's cooking creamy peanut butter with simmered maple syrup and unsweetened oat milk creamer. The last is what gives it body and that plush creamy mouth feel. Ms. Clark adds vanilla and sea salt too. I'm leaning towards adding a handful of dark chocolate chips too for Reese's Peanut Butter cup vibe. It's then pureed with an immersion blender and then put into a pan Freeze for four  to six hours before serving. I can see making a sundae with this,  chocolate syrup and vegan whipped cream. If you're still going the vegan route, then try the ice cream made with just frozen bananas. This is a ridiculously simple recipe that just uses four or five of the fruit. The slices are frozen overnight and then whiled in a blender. The result is a creamy treat that can be jazzed up with chocolate sauce,and sprinkles.Another cook treat is an old fashioned egg cream.This is a blend of any kind of milk with chocolate syrup. Seltzer is added for fizz and froth. Serve this in a tall glass with a straw.It's just a refreshing treat on a hot day.

People still love cake during these blazing months and one of the best is the icebox cake. Everyone grew up on the Nabisco chocolate wafer one that has the wafers mortared together with either freshly whipped cream or Cool Whip. There are some variations on this with home chefs adding mint flavoring to the cream or sprinkling the log with shaved chocolate. Slices can be served with sliced strawberries for a fancier look. You could also create a strawberry one that has the berries layered with graham crackers and a mix of whipped cream, powdered sugar and cream cheese. Sub in chocolate graham crackers for a slightly more decadent treat. You could also layer the chocolate graham crackers with ganache and whipped cream. Sub in marshmallow for the cream and you have a s'mores cake (remember to lightly toast it with a small blow torch).Frozen pound cake makes another excellent base for this type of treat. It can be sliced lengthwise into layers and stuffed with summer fruit like blueberries,blackberries or peaches.Whipped cream is also added.

There's nothing like a sweet treat to perk you up during a heat wave. It could be homemade ice cream, an egg cream or an icebox cake. They're all perfect for a blistering summer day.

Eat Complete For Complete Health

Most cookbooks are usually known for their great recipes or for the author. Rarely are they known for improving lifestyles or helping to stave off illness. Yet there is one new cookbook that not only has tasty recipes but also great advice on how to eat right.

Dr. Drew Ramsey wrote this phenomenal book, Eat Complete (Harper Press) which shows home chefs how to cook with twenty-one nutrients  that fuel brain power,boost, help with  weight loss and just transforms over all health.The opening chapters are must reads as he tells us how to eat complete  and with mindfulness. He also breaks down  what we need to eat in three categories, seven for foundation, seven for protection and seven for ignition.A change of diet even aided his  patient,
 a young man vanquish his depression and helped him turn his life around.There is also some very sound advice on how to feed our brains, since they are the organs that require the most energy.There is advice on why we should eat grass fed meat, dairy and eggs as well as adding color to our plates.The book is also a must for those suffering from gluten allergies , since all the recipes are gluten free.He also explains in detail about our vitamin intakes , probiotics and prebiotics along with our Omega 3 s and mineral intakes.There is a great section on the problems that arise with each meal and how they can be solved. Home chefs can definitely learn from the book and incorporate his suggestions for a better life for themselves and their families.

That said , one would think the recipes would be boring - they're not. Best of all,Dr. Ramsey gives recipe suggestions in the chapters about the twenty one nutrients If you want  more Vitamin E in your diet then try the recipes for clove spiked cocktail nut mix or the buttermilk strawberry smoothie. An iron rich diet  would include Dr. Ramsey's pumpkin crusted lamb chops and mussels with garlicky kale ribbons.Anybody , even finicky kids will like the dishes. Teens  and chocolate lovers will go mad for the spinach spiked chocolate cashew smoothie.Serve the sunflower-Parmesan crisps with
 navy bean -rosemary hummus at a party for a healthy and flavorful alternative to any sour cream dip.Make the sweet potato chips with the spicy Romesco sauce for a fun but nutritious treat.There are great dinner recipes such as roasted chicken with anchovies and olives along with the roasted pork loin with red cabbage fennel sauerkraut with toasted cumin seeds.Even the desserts are packed full of nutrition. There are sesame seed cinnamon baked apples , the classic dessert amped up with turmeric and olive oil to end a meal or the mouth watering double chocolate avocado (!!) mousse. Finish with a cinnamon-almond egg cream!

Eat Complete is the  must have book for any home library.It will no only provide home chefs with delicious recipes but with a template for eating healthier. Meals and snacks will no only be delicious but helpful in creating a better life, body and brain

Real Old Fashioned Sodas

Our great grandparents enjoyed a treat that's a rarity today - an old fashioned fountain soda.These were amazing concoctions all made before the birth of Coca Cola and Pepsi. Everything but the kitchen sink went into these lavish hot weather treats. Ingredients were fresh made and full of foamy goodness. Will those days ever come back? Yes thanks to a few dedicated purists..


This was the subject of an article in today's New York Times Dining section. The great Julia Moskin wrote the well researched piece that took her to old fashioned soda fountains. Before the birth of Coke in the 1890s soda, including colas were mixed in pharmacies across the country. After the drink's invention sodas weren't that special anymore and a once a week treat like ice cream sodas could be made at home. Thanks to a few dedicated soda jerks that world is coming back. The name jerk come from the jerking motion of pulling the soda taps and the modern ones are just as proud of the title as their 1890s counterparts were.



During the golden era of home made soda, the egg cream reigned king. This was and still is an amazing concoction that involves cream, chocolate and seltzer. The original recipe is making a comeback as is a strawberry egg cream made with fresh Long Island strawberries. Other creations are calling for fresh huckleberries and locally grown hazelnuts. Fresh milk from Hudson Valley dairies is also used giving the drinks a purer flavor. Artesanal seltzers are also being used. Before carbonation, pharmacists used water mixed with potassium, calcium and magnesium to give it fizz (this water was also made for medicinal purposes as well). Homemade sodas are also made, using the same ingredients as 19th century jerks used.


Nothing beats an ice cream soda on a hot summer's day. Even better is when it's made the old fashioned way with homemade seltzer and fresh ingredients. If there is a true soda fountain in your neighborhood visit it. Enjoy the purity of a real 19th century treat!

Egg Creams A Hot Weather Treat

Happiness is a cold, frothy chocolate-y egg cream. For those who aren't from the New York area this is a wonderful concoction that's perfect for hot summer days. You can get it out at a diner or make one at home . A five year old can make it, that's how easy it is to whip up.

Egg creams are just a mixture of t seltzer, chcocolate syrup and milk. Why were they named egg creams if the main ingredients don't contain egg or cream (although you can put this in if you want a rich dense drinks)? The origins may have stemmed from a common 19th Century practice of putting egg and cream together with flavoring for a nourishing drink. It may have come from the Yiddish word echt meaning genuine or real . This comes from describing the cream. The name could have also come from the French chocolat et creme, a drink that WWII soldiers brought home with them from France. More than likely it's the second explanation with egg creams originating in Brooklyn soda shops. There were variations of it with vanilla syrup being used as well as the San Francisco version that mixes hazelnut and chocolate syrup.

How to make a good egg cream? That hinges on the syrup,. My favourite is the A&P brand which tastes exactly like Hershey's. Some people like Fox-s U-Bet, which is thinner and has a stronger, sweeter taste. As for the milk, just regular will do (don't try any soy or rice milk subs, there won't be the texture or the taste). Some recipes called for whipped cream to be mixed into the syrup and you can do this for a more decadent taste . Then add seltzer. This should all be done in a tall glass ,by the way, so you can have a lovely head of foam. Also make sure the seltzer and milk are well chilled. Adding ice will only dilute the flavor later on when the cubes melt.

An egg cream is the perfect antidote for these dog days of August. Make up one in a tall glass using your favorite chocolate syrup, chilled milk and seltzer. Then insert straw , sit back with your feet up and enjoy!!!