Be The Source For Others

 These are tough times. We need to be there for each other. It could be as simple as sharing garden harvests or helping with groceries. Home chefs need to be the source that others in need have to depend upon. It may take a lot but it's worth it. people need to be fed.

One of the best deeds is to share garden harvests. This is the time when tomatoes are in full bloom along with eggplant and zucchini. These can easily be given to those neighbors, friends and family who need them.If you're making sauce invite them over - it's a fun cooking experience and let them go home with a few jars. Give out a couple of boxes of pasta as a thank you gift for helping. Also if you have fruit trees ,make sure that family and friends get the extra peaches and nectarines. This is also late blackberry and blueberry season. Invite them to go picking with you and treat them to a basket. If you;re in New Jersey it's corn season. There are some corn fields where you can pay a small price and pick a bushel. Another idea is making sauces and chowders with your harvest along with main meals like eggplant rolatini or Parmisian  and give it to family and friends who are financially hurting . The dinner can be eaten now or saved for later on.

Everything these days are being cut  and that includes food pantries and food banks and veterans services. it's unfair to be sure but everyone can play a part in alleviating it.if you;re a manufacturer , think about donating something to help. The same goes for local farmers. Thanks to the cruelty and stupidity of this administration many schools and food banks will not be able to buy directly from local farms. This impacts the quality of food as well as the farmers themselves.If you own a farm, think about donating a small part of your harvests to schools. DOGE has also gone after urban farms which feed many of the inner cities across the US. Try to donate whatever you have to help them.Organize fundraisers and bake sales. Talk with local merchants to help and see what they can donate, whether time or money.The DOGE cuts also affects our  VA. Veterans will suffer too. Try to offer some time whether at the VA or with any veteran you know. They too will be affected. Share food and harvests with them. Invite them over for dinner or out to lunch.

Be the source for people to come to. These are tough times and they can be eased a bit if we all come together.  Be the source people come to.

Overbuying

The pandemic has made us all hoarders. Now it seems we buy much more than we need. The result? More wasted food. Can we break this newly acquired habit? Or will it be a new part of our lives?

That's the question many home chefs are asking themselves. I find myself wondering why I bought what I did.  It  eventually gets left  for the wildlife that frequent my backyard. It seems I've been over buying all sorts of things, from soda to produce, from snacks to sides.It stems from a few months ago when shopping trips were limited and we had to buy in bulk. Thanks to this mentality I now have twenty-four packs of Pepsi in my hallway. Yes, they were bargains with buy two, get the third free at my Stop & Shop, but now realizing I'll have them til September. The same for snacks. I've had to get rid of everything from pretzels to half eaten bags of tortilla chips. Then there's the Well Yes soups which we loved but now deem too much . I overbought them and we're stuck with four or five cans. There is cherries that are drying out too quickly along with peaches and oranges that are greening with mold. These will also have to be chucked. You can't save rotten fruit.

Like everyone else around the world, I have to again rethink how I shop. I can see multiple buying essentials such as oatmeal and milk. Those are everyday foodstuffs that are eaten almost daily. Buying two or three containers of each is a good idea. They won't go bad either. As for produce. that depends on if you cook fresh or not. It may be tempting to buy those on sale chicken breasts or skirt steaks but ask yourself if you will use them. You could put them in the freezer however that's probably still full of the frozen veggies you bought in March.Maybe get one package, especially if you're not planning on using it right away. As far as fruits and veggies,again don't overbuy unless you're planning on making sauce with tomatoes. A big bag of baby spinach isn't really necessary for a salad. You'll only use half. Get the smaller bag instead. If you do buy the bigger bags plan other dishes such as using spinach and other greens for omelets or curries. Don't buy a huge bag of peaches or nectarines. These spoil quickly. Only take home two or three of them. Select a small bag of cherries if you want them. A bigger bag may mean ignored ones that can rot and dry out.

Once again, it's time to readjust our shopping habits. It's cutting back and cutting down. It means  not wasting food and buying what you need.

Fruit On The Grill

It is harvest time for many summer fruits. They are good on their own, but grilling them adds another layer of complexity and flavor. They may be versatile when raw but grill them and they can be added to any dish , sweet or savory. It makes for a nice change in flavors.

Peaches are in season now.They're all over grocery stores and fruit stands, just waiting to be turned into something delicious. Yes, they're good in crumbles and cobblers but roasting them takes the fruit to a  whole new level.It's a simple cook with the peaches being cut in half and pitted, then brushed with olive oil. Doing the last will prevent them from sticking onto the grill grate. Use semi ripe or firm to the touch peaches for this . Too ripe ones have a lot of sugar in them which will burn quickly and are too tender to take the heat.  Grill for four to five minutes on both sides. Serve with with scoops of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of brandy for a lush out there summery dessert. You can also have them with grilled pork tenderloin or better yet chicken. The last works well with the peaches in a salad , whether for lunch or dinner. Nectarines are also big right now and these too can be grilled. They're prepared the same way as the peaches are but use melted butter instead of olive oil.  Grill for only three to five minutes on each side. They can be dusted with brown sugar and served with vanilla ice cream or served with feta cheese for a tasty sweet-savory side dish. Serve with chicken or lamb kabobs for a different outdoor grilling experience.

Smaller fruits can also be put over the coals. Many home chefs would never think of grilling plums but they are delicious this way. Again they're halved , pitted and brushed with oil. You could use olive oil or a lighter one like vegetable for this. Keep the skins on and grill them flesh side down for only five minutes. You could roll them in granulated sugar before grilling for a sweeter treat or cardamon for a spicier version. For a savory side, brush the plum halves with olive oil and then sprinkled with minced rosemary or chili pepper. Both  versions would be perfect alongside a grilled steak. Freshly grated ginger can be added to the olive oil before brushing it onto the fruit. Serve ginger plums with grilled pork ribs for a tangy Asian inspired dinner. Another fruit that's worth grilling is the cherry. You will need a grill pan or grill mat  for them however you could use foil in a pinch. First pit and halve about a pound of  cherries , then spray the grill pan, grill mat or foil with non stick cooking spray. Flip constantly so all sides are cooked. Do this for  three to four minutes or until they become lightly charred. Grilled cherries can be served with chocolate or vanilla ice cream for a crepe Suzette type of dessert.  Season them with salt and pepper  as a savory side with steak or pork They're also good in a salad. Add them and grilled chicken to a mixed green one along with crumbled feta for a truly delicious summer salad.

Grilled fruit is not only a great way to use the summer harvest but a delicious way too. Add any of them to a sweet or savory dish for a unique flavor. Enjoy the bounty of summer , grilled to  sweet  or savory perfection.

Peach Perfection

This is the season for peaches. They're more or less out there, from farmer's markets to the back yard harvests. Who doesn't love their juicy sweetness or tender flesh? Pair them with a puff pastry and it's sheer heaven. The fruits shine their best when put into a simple dessert.

Melissa Clark wrote about them in yesterday's New York Times Food section, along with an article about the fruit's shortage by Patrick Farrell.According to the last there was a "Saint Valentine's Day Massacre where a blast of sub zero air hit the tender buds on the trees.The flash freeze hit New Jersey, southern New York, some of New England along with parts of the Hudson Valley. There is hope ,though, The trees' empty spots practically guarantee bumper crops next Spring and summer for 2017.(although you can sub in nectarines, basically fuzz free peaches for any recipe that calls for them)Ms. Clark teams them up with a quick or rough puff pastry for a caramel peach skillet pie..It's not as time consuming as a regular pastry.It billows and browns in tender flakes.She also recommends using frozen butter which will create those flaky layers and make for an easy roll out. Any extra dough can be frozen in the freezer and then taken out later on for another fruity favorite - the galette.

The pie consists of about nine cups of peaches or nectarine. They need to be sliced and pitted, then tossed with granulated sugar. Let them sit while you make the caramel.This is a basic caramel, made with just sugar and water.It should be cooked over a medium heat until it's a dark amber color.Ms Clark recommends testing the color by dribbling some on a white plate.The peaches (or nectarines) and their juices are put into this and cooked until they soften for about five minutes.The tapioca along with vanilla bean paste and the exotic cardamon is added into the skillet.Only half the puff pastry is used and its' rolled out for the pie's top.It should be quarter of an inch thick.Tuck the edges into the skillet to seal in the juices and then sprinkle on cinnamon sugar for some glistening and sparkle..It's baked in a 350 degree Farenheit oven until the layers become fluffy and golden.Leave it to cool for twenty minutes before serving with ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

Peaches are a wonderful treat. Bake them in this tasty skillet pie for a tasty summer treat. Enjoy their goodness and sweetness,

Nectarines A Nice Summer Treat

Ask people what are the fruis of summer and they'll probably mention strawberries, and blueberries, definitely peaches. Yet another summer harvest is coming in right now Nectarines are also ripening. These wonderful fruits are a nice change from the usual fare and work well in many recipes.

What is a nectarine? A peach without the fuzz.The Chinese first planted them over 2,000 years ago and then the seeds were cultivated in ancient Persia, Greece and Rome, They were popular during the medieval era , growing in England and Spain. The Spanish brought them over to the Americas in the late 16th and early 17th Centuries. Nowadays California is their chief grower, with 95 percent of all nectarine harvests coming from there. Some peach seeds may turn out to be nectarine trees and vice versa.Many growers graft nectarine branches onto peach trees to guarantee a crop of then. The fruit's name means full of nectar.It's the perfect dessert or snack for dieters. Each piece of fruit only has sixty two calories. Surprisingly it's one of the few fruits that has protein in it as well.. Nectarines are also high in Vitamin A and beta carotene (hence the bright yellow flesh).It also has Vitamin,C, potassium and most importantly fiber.The fruit can be kept out for two to three days before they develop brown spots. As with other fruits, nectarines are better stored in the fridge Besides nothing beats the taste of a chilled one on a sweltering day.

Since they're basically peaches, nectarines can be made into the same dishes as peaches. Try them in a cobbler laced with brown sugar.They'd also be tasty in a crisp, either made with oatmeal or Bisquick. A more elegant dessert is a nectarine tart with a hazelnut crust.The fruit works well in cakes too. Try a buttery scratch one laden with slices and a hint of nutmeg.Fruit can be roasted over the grill so why not roasted some nectarines along with plums and peaches. Top the hot fruit with vanilla ice cream for a truly decadent summertime dessert.Another fun dessert idea is trifle with the fruit layered with store bought yellow cake or pound cake and whipped cream. You could even douse it with peach schnapps for a boozy, fun way to end an evening. You could also turn the fruit into a homemade nectarine liqueur. This last is just taking a pound of the nectarines and letting that ferment with three cups of vodka and a cup of sugar. The process takes about three months then before the drink is ready so it will make a nice addition to fall drinking and dining.Nectarines can also be cubed and used in salads for color and sweetness. Add them to a grilled chicken salad along with almonds.  It can also be pulverized and added to apple cider vinegar for a sweet dressing or even marinade.

Make nectarines part of your summer diet. They are a sweet, healthy treat on their own along with being wonderful in a variety of sweet and savory dishes. Get a basket of them at your local market or farm stand.

The Perfect Summer Dessert

Summer brings about a desire for light, airy desserts.They usually involve cream and the fruit harvest of the season.Imagine a sugary , dense Sicilian cassata  , usually a cold weather cake transformed into one perfect for a warm weather party.

David Tanis did just that and wrote about it in his column, A City Kitchen, in yesterday's New York Times Food section Cassata is a passed down kind of a recipe , first originating in Arab ruled Sicily in the late 1100's. It is usually a heavy affair , made with layers of ricotta cheese  plus chocolate or vanilla filling.It's covered with a shell of almond marzipan and elaborately decorated. Most Sicilian bakers also soak the cake  layers in rum or liqueur It's not what many would think of a dessert for a sweltering late June dessert. Mr Tanis lightens it up considerably.The only part kept is the sponge cake for the layers. Gone is the cloying , sugary icing along with the rococo decorations. The filling is only ricotta while for the liqueur use  either the eye opening grappa or vodka . Fresh fruit is used instead of the usual candied ones, so it has the feel of an elaborate shortcake. Home bakers should not be put off by this recipe as they would be by the original. It' 's pretty easy to create and assemble. They can also put their own spin on the recipe. Mr. Tanis uses strawberries but recommends also trying peaches, mangoes and nectarines.If they want , they could even sub in the less sweeter blackberries and raspberries, also in season right now.

What makes cassata so unique is the ricotta. It should be the freshest and the tastiest. Most good cheese stores or salumerias, Italian delis, should have it.It must be  moist , without any sourness.Taste it if you can before buying.The texture should be smooth  not grainy. Mr. Tanis suggests sampling  several kinds to understand the broad ranges of them. As for the soaking the layers, home bakers can play around with the syrup.If the grappa is too intense (and it might be to those who aren't used to its' strong flavor), try light rum or better yet limoncello, the tart Italian liqueur. For a non alcoholic one, sub in a honey syrup, perhaps a floral infused one.Orange liqueur can also be great in soaking the cake layers. One of the best things about cassata is that the cake layers can be made a day ahead. They are a classic sponge made with six eggs. flavored with true Sicilian flavors, almond and lemon. Bake it the day before serving because it will be easier to slice into layers at a day old. The ideal time to assemble a cassata is in the morning so that the flavors will meld . Paint the layers first with the liqueur infused lemon syrup then spread the layers with the ricotta.Settle it in the fridge for the afternoon, or  the entire day if you have time.Add the strawberries or any other fruit on top just before serving. the berries can be tossed in sugar and lemon before or just dusted with confectioner's sugar.

A toned down cassata is the perfect cake for summer. Add some fresh strawberries along with grappa  or vodka for zing. It's a nice treat on a sultry night,

Battered Up

This is definitely the harvest season where all sorts of fruits and veggies abound..Every home chef gets excited with what to do with them. A novel idea is batter dipping them and frying them .They make a fun appetizer or interesting dessert.

Anything fried may disgust or revolt those who are big into eating healthy. You can try baking too, as there are plenty of recipes regarding baking batter dipped foods.They are tastier as seen in the Piedmontese summer classic fried squash blossoms. My family has probably been making them for centuries If you're growing squash , this is a great way  to use the blooms and they do make interesting and delicious appetizers. I used a traditional recipe, one cup of water mixed with one cup of flour. One egg and a tablespoon of olive oil is added and the batter is chilled. For the perfect batter make it about an hour to an hour and a half before frying so the batter is completely cold. The resulting batter is very dense however . You can sub in 1/2 cup of sparkling water. This will create a lighter and fluffier consistency and also makes for a crisper flower.The squash flowers can be baked however they are usually stuffed either with ricotta or meat. Ripened squash itself is yummy sliced, battered and fried. Add beer for more flavor Zucchini can also be made this way as well. A batter made with cornstarch is your best bet with these and it will create a nice crisp coating when cooked.up

Tomatoes can be battered too but be warmed - only certain batters work. I tried the squash flower batter on them, having made too  much of it.It didn't stick, sliding off in little piles onto   the frying pan. This is probably due to the tomatoes being too watery ,Most  home chefs usually use green tomatoes (maybe that was my first mistake using too ripe ones). Beer batter works the best for them also you can also panko too.string beans can be batter dipped. These are usually first dipped in buttermilk or beaten egg first and then dredged in cornmeal or panko breadcrumbs. Surprisingly fruits can be batter dipped as well. They actually become juicer when they're coated and cooked this way. The coating is more of a yeast based one Club soda is used for a frothy consistency and then the berries are fried in canola oil. They can be dusted with confectioners sugar or dipped in chocolate after frying. Peaches and nectarines, also in harvest right now, can also be battered and fried.The batter offered with them is a simple one, without yeast.It does need baking powder to create a lighter , airier coating. The fruit is peeled and cut into quarters and then dusted with a mix of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg before dipping.

Batter up the fruits and veggies of the season for some flavorful eating. It's an easy technique that just  requires a  skillet and some oil. Try it with some squash flowers or strawberries.

Surplus Harvest? No Problem

Mid August produces so much fruits and veggies. Between the garden and the farmer's markets, we;re over inundated with tomatoes and plums, corn and berries. No problem . Surplus is always a plus. You can turn any harvest, no matter how big - into something tasty .

Right now tomatoes are literally falling off the vine. Probably every backyard farmer has a bumper crop of them right now , with the question of what to do. One of the easiest and most traditional ways is turning them into a sauce. The best part of this is that sauce can be frozen and used as we ease into fall. We can still taste summer in a bowl of pasta  even on a chilly autumn day .Corn is another veggie in abundance right now. Scrape off the kernels off and you can make either creamed corn or a yummy corn chowder (which can also be frozen). Zucchini  can be be stuffed or  sliced and fried in a tempura batter for a tasty poolside appetizer.

Fruits are also at their high season. There are still some strawberries around and we're also getting into the second raspberry season. Easily toss these into salads for color and a different flavor.If you're good at jam making, then try jams. Not only are they tasty but make nice holiday gifts later on.Peaches and nectarines can be pureed and made into a base for a fresh fruity sorbet or ice cream, The same with plums although you could also turn them into a jam as well,. Any fruit can also be juiced to make a healthy drink as well with the mash being used for compost or a base for different dessert dishes.

Don't [panic when you have too many fruits or veggies. They can easily be turned into a variety of dishes and drinks.It's always easy to use up any surplus harvest.

There's Still Time for Fruit

Even though August is winding down, we still have plenty of harvests around , especially with fruit. There's nothing like using them in great , home made dishes whether a tart or even a clafoutis style pancake,It's a nice way of  enjoying summer's bounty.

Both Melissa Clark and Florence Fabricant gave us good recipes and ideas in yesterday's New YorkTimes Dining section. Ms. Clark  created a sort of clafoutis style pancake made surpisingly of corn and blackberries in her A Good Appetite Column. This recipe is actually lifted form a 1966 Times recipe made by Dasvid Eyre and is named for him.It involves putting corn along with corn meal in a large skillet sied griddle cake. She tops it with fresh blackberries along with sugar. You can easily make this even without the fruit or try others such as cherries or apples along with peaches, The berries are cooked in a simple syrup and then added on top of the pancake.

For Dining regular Florence Fabricant, a tart using a stone or pitted fruit is a nice summery treat. With this she employs peaches, plums, nectarines and even figs, She quarters these and sticks them  in a simple buttery crust. It is a tedious job  artfully placing the quarters in a flower like pattern. Then comes the equally tedious buttering to get a nice carmelization on top of the fruit. Ms. Fabricant reinvents this as pouring mellted butter over the fruit and then sprinkled sugar to help in the glazing process.It gives the entire tart a nice shiny coating and emphasizes the fruit. She  suggests serving it with creme fraiche to cut the sugariness.

Take advantage of the fruits that we still have. They're perfect for topping tarts and pancakes, giving each a burst of added flavor. Use them now, while we still have them.