Helping Other Help Themselves

 It is tough to be on your own or in a new country. That's where being a neighbor comes in. Sometmes a cooked meal can do more than anything else. Food is always a good way to connect.

Elderly neighbors or shut ins can appreciate having their grocery shopping done for them. Volunteer when you go on your own shopping trip. Sit down with them to write out a list that should include nutritional foods like fruit and veggies. Yes, they can have treats within limits but also make sure they get a wide variety of good produce too. Ask them also what their allergies are along with restrictions too. They may be diabetic which means restricting sweets and even some fruits or have hypertension issues which means buying low sodium products and staying away from some processed and canned foods. Also include necessities like toilet paper and paper towels. If you have newly arrived neighbors in your neighborhood ask if they'd like to visit the local groceries and markets. You may also benefit when they introduce you to ingredients and spices that are native to their cuisine. Another big help is looking on like for specific shops that sell food they're familiar with. There are always Asian ,  AfricanSouth American and Caribbean markets that are within walking and driving distance

Cooking brings everyone together. Always keep older friends, fmaily and neighbors in mine when you have a Sunday dinner or a late season barbecue. Even an invitation to an at home tail gating party will be fun. A plus is asking them if they have any favorite dishes or desserts and then creating them for them.If they want to help let them. You can also use a pair of extra hands however make sure that they don't do anything too strenuous or that can do them harm. As for new neighbors, co-workers and classmates  treat them to a dinner featuring the best of either American or your own ethnic cusine. They 'll appciate the work that went into it and enjoy both the food and the company. Keep in mind  that there may be dietary restrictions. You could try making Impossible Meat or Beyond Beef hamburgers or Gardein's plant based chicken nuggets. Roasted veggies like eggplants, tomatoes, ,peppers and asparagus make for a tasty barbecue. You can even grill fruit such as pineapple and peaches. Introduce them to that great American dessert s'mores. It's a fun treat for adult and kids alike.

Today is a day for remembering. Remember the elderly and the newly arrived  when you shop or plan a dinner or party. They'll like that you kept them in mind  as they enjoy good food and good conversation.

Diwali Feasting

Today is Diwali, the  Hindu festival of lights, starts today. It's a time of celebrating but also feasting on delicious savory and sweet dishes They are easy to make , not just for this holiday but for  an every day treat as well. Usher in  the harvest with them or just have them star in a dinner.

Diwali is praying to the goddess Laksmhi, the goddess of prosperity and fertility. Families dress up in their best clothes, visit each other and exchange gifts.it's a five day affair with families honoring each other on the different days. Food  plays an important part and various  New York Times Food writers gives us some excellent savory and sweet ones. Try David Tanis' Chana Dal Sundal,  Southern India  street fare that reminds one of popcorn.It is the perfect party food, especially if there are a lot of kids in attendance . It's simply cooking cold water soaked chickpeas in abundant lightly salted water and then afterwards placing them on a cookie sheet to dry. They're then tossed with curry leaves cooked with curry leaves, red chiles and mustard seeds. A pinch of asafetida gives it a mild leek taste. An eggplant curry would be a great main dish . Again, most of the ingredients from the Chana Dal Sundal are used along with tamarind paste and unsweetened coconut. The eggplants are sliced and  slashed . Spices are then pressed into them and cooked over a high heat for six minutes.  A heartier dish is lamb curry , from David Tanis. It is rich with coriander, turmeric and cumin. The Indian clarified butter, ghee is used to cook the meat and sliced onions. A raita or sauce made from Greek yogurt, cumin and mustard seeds is also made to pour over the lamb.

Diwali is really a holiday of sweets, with sugary treats given to children.Kids will adore the chocolate burfi  - a kind of fudge given on holidays,birthdays and special occasions.  Like fudge it's super easy to make, using ghee, cocoa powder, and both condensed milk and powdered milk. A few drops of rose water  along with sugar gives the treet its' rich sweetness.The treat is made in layers, from the buttery ghee bottom to the chocolate top. Adults may choose shrikhand or sweet strained yogurt recipe from famed Indian food writer, Teja Rao.. This  is made by straining Greek yogurt for twenty-four hours in the  fridge and then gently adding in pistachios, confectioners sugar, saffron,  and cardamon. Once everything is thoroughly mixed , place into serving dishes and decorate with more pistachio and saffron threads.. A European take , again from Dave Tanis, is the coconut cardamom panna cotta. The spice's pods are added as well as unsweetened coconut milk. It's decorated with candied grated ginger along with peaches, nectarines, blackberries or raspberries. Sip some of Melissa Clark' mango rose waters Lassi, a refreshing mix of  mango, yogurt, milk and rose water. This can also be frozen intoa frozen yogurt for dessert.

Diwali is a time of lights and celebrating. It's also a time of feasting. Make savory and sweet treats to enjoy with family and friends.

Summer Eggplant

Eggplant is one of summer's most versatile gems.It can be turned into a variety of different dishes from fried to gracing a pasta sauce.It can be baked  into a type of casserole or turned into a delicious spread. Anyway you cook them, eggplants are the tastiest veggie around.

David Tanis  knows this and wrote about them in his A City Kitchen  in yesterday's New York Times Food section.He uses Sicilian recipes because the eggplant is one of the basic ingredients in their cuisine.It came to the island from the Arab influence and has remained there since the Middle Ages. Two other staples , tomato and peppers , came in through the Spanish during the Columbian period and the three mesh together nicely.It's also part of the cucina povera or "poor cuisine" where simple ingredients and a pinch of this or a pinch of that is added. There are no fancy ingredients, just veggies from the garden, olive oil and herbs.Eggplant has always been considered  cheap. Fried slices of it , coated in breadcrumbs were always known as "poor man's oysters." and this is a stand in for lamb chops in some Sicilian households. They're  also great in salads, or pickled. Stuffed eggplant is a standard and it's usually filled with rice and ground beef.

Mr. Tanis gives three eggplant recipes that are perfect for a summery dinner. The first is pasta alla Norma, named for the famed opera by Vincenzo Bellini, He  came from Cataniia where he ate this dish daily for lunch. It's simply  mixing fried cubes of eggplant with penne pasta. The seasoning , again, is pure cucina povera, It's garlic , tomatoes and basil  mixed with the cubes. Toasted bread crumbs and cheese  are usually sprinkled on top. Another tasty dish is caponata, which from the island's Arabic period.It's stewed in oil, and sweetened with sugar. The savory kick comes from vinegar, capers , tomatoes and onions cooked into a type of sauce.  The eggplant is then added and let set to allow all the flavors to meld.It should sit for at least an hour before serving.Baked eggplant parmagiana is another delicious way to cook or rather bake the veggie. The original recipe recommends layering it with tuma cheese, that highly aromatic cheese from Piedmonte but Mr.Tanis uses smoked mozzarella and fresh ricotta. Anchovies fillets are scattered on top, their saltiness bringing out the eggplant's sweetness.

Take advantage of eggplants  this summer. Use them in a variety of different dishes, They're versatile and tasty, perfect with other summer harvests of  tomatoes and peppers.

Your Own City Garden

Pity the poor apartment dweller.who doesn't have the luxury of fresh herbs or veggies. They have to go to their local farmer's markets or supermarkets for these culinary essentials. However that can change. City dwellers can grow their own greens and aromatics along with mushrooms! It's easy to do , even for brown thumbers.

It was the subject of an article by new writer Annie Raver in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Ms. Raver interviewed Kerry Trueman and Matt Rosenberg who are "urban gardeners" that first turned their roof into a rooftop garden. They started with tomatoes and them built large planters to hold roses and strawberries, Corn, blueberries and even hops followed.Sadly this had to be dismantled due to a 1998 legal dispute  to keep their building rent stabilized.Their window boxes now hold their greens. These are deeper than the typical windowbox with a length of 4.1/2 feet and a depth of 1 1/2 feet. The Trueman-Rosenbergs also made sure these were situated at the north, east and south to better capture the sun. They have sugar peas climbing up a homemade bamboo and yarn trellis. They have black edamame or panther soybeans as well along with Bright Light chard, a more heat resilient green than spinach. Apartment owners can also grow plant indoors, namely mushrooms. Home Depot sells kits  that can be easily set up Keep in mind that if city folk want eggplants and tomatoes, they do need eight hour of sun while lettuces and herbs need only two to three hours of light.

Many apartment and condo dwellers may have reservarions about starting a garden.After all it does involve- dirt - along with fertilizer and water. However nowadays its' extremely easy - and neat to maintain plants. The window boxes have only three sides instead of the traditional four.The open side faces the apartment where the roots are contained in malleable bags called Root Pouches. These can be moved around and easily washed.At the end of the season they can be cleaned, folded and stored for next Spring They also come in different sizes so herbs can be grown in the one gallon pouch while veggies can be grown in the bigger ones. The Root Pouches are also made from recycled plastic water bottles , another plus. As for potting soil, it now comes in lightweight compressed bricks. Just add water and it expands into ten pounds of potting soil.Another help is Rain Mat which helps seedlings grow deep, downward roots. This makes the plants heat and drought resistant. There is Better Than Rocks, a recycled plastic that prevents the plants from becoming waterlogged from storms and Terra Sorb which retains water and keeps the soil moist during heat waves.

Anyone can have a garden with fresh veggies and herbs. Apartment dwellers will love the idea of having their favorites at their fingertips.It's easy to have a high rise green spot.

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Cool Salads That Are Hot

Pasta salads are a staple during this sweltering days. As cooling as they are , they can be a bit boring.After all there's only so much you can do with macaroni doused with runny mayo.However zing and zest can be added for a new twist.Toss in a few exotic ingredients and you have more than just a simple bowl, you have an adventure. David Tanis explored this in his A City Kitchen column in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.He recommended Also mixing the pasta at times and trying something different such as couscous.He combines pearl or Isreali couscous.This is slightly different than regular couscous, in the sense it is smaller and nuttier tasting.Mr. Tanis brings the flavors of the Middle East with dashes of turmeric,cinnamon and cumin.It has homespun American familiarity with potatoes,roasted peppers green beans and tomatoes.Torn mint is scattered on top for more color and another layer of flavor.The finished salad is bright and colorful,perfect on it own or as a side to any kind of kabob or grilled lamb.Regular couscous can be used too , although it won't be as flavorful as the pearl variety. Couscous and it's cousin bulgar are great in cold salads and they're a nice alternative to lettuce and pasta.Incorporate these grains in your summer dining to liven up meals and parties. Mr .Tanis also gives his take on the pasta salad. It 's a kind of riff on Pasta al a Norma.This is made with eggplant and unlike the hot pasta dish ,the vegetables which include tomatoes are cooked separately.The first is cooked over a stove top grill while the tomatoes are broiled.Mr.Tanis recommends cooking ziti, his pasta of choice,in very salty water until al dente.The dressing is a simple olive oil mixed with pepper flakes,or peperoncino as well as garlic.Another pasta spin is on cold buckwheat noodles that are much beloved by both the Japanese and Koreans.The soba noodles are usually served in cold to ice cold broth however Mr. Tanis nixes the broth, opting instead for a second bath in ice cold water and then patted dry with a paper towel.He adds traditionally used vegetables such as cucumbers,scallions and radish sprouts.The dressing is a mix of sweet and hot,miso mixed with mirin and soy sauce.Cayeene pepper is added for zing while sugar brings the undertone of sweetness.Lime juice is also put into to give a burst of citrus.This salad is just perfect on it's own, great after a Sunday at the beach. Pasta salads need not be those sad mayo drenched affairs that evoke grimaces and upturned noses.These are bright and fun, exotic and fun.Serve this to liven up your summer table.

The Versatile Eggplant

February calls for hearty meals. There's nothing that fits this requirement than the eggplant. You can cook it a variety of ways, from breaded to stir fried. It's easy to prepare and easy to use. Anyone, from foodie novice to seasoned gourmand can create a tasty dish with it.

Surprisingly enough eggplant has been around since prehistoric times. it was probably one of the first veggies primitive man ate. This cousin of belladonna or deadly nightshade had its' or gins in India and China. It has been written about since the 5th century ACE. It didn't take hold in European households until the Moor s introduced to Spain and Italians trade with the Middle East. The French loved it grilled while Italians made it stuffed or breaded. Even though Americans were leery of this vegetable, President Andrew Jackson loved Spanish style stuffed eggplant and frequently requested it for its' dinner. The great playwright and vegetarian George Bernard Shaw integrated eggplant into his diet as much as possible enjoying an eggplant au gratin.

Eggplants have changed since their early days when they actually resembled swan's eggs. There are many kind s including a seedless Sicilian, Listada di Gandia along with some Asian varieties For a hearty winter dish , think of ratatouille, full of cube d eggplant mingling with tomatoes and onions in a rich vegetable broth.My German great grandparents and grandfather loved making it breaded and calling it poor man's oysters ( I guess it tastes like them). For a healthier alternative stir fry eggplant in garlic and oil and serve with brown rice. Eggplant is a good anti coagulant. It's perfect for reducing the risk of strokes as well as liver problems.

This winter use eggplant to create a hearty flavorful meal. They are wonderful anyway you cook them and provide some good eating too. Pick up a few for your cold weather recipes.