Your Blizzard Pantry Must Haves

Yet again there's blizzard coming to the East Coast, namely the New York City area.Unless you live in the sunny, summery Southern Hemisphere, this is snow season. That means one thing: a well stocked pantry  - and fridge.Be prepared for a  few days without the grocery store.

Grains are important in a winter pantry. Have boxes of favorite pastas on hand. These can be a main meal, or even go into soups . Also there's nothing like a hearty penne or spaghetti lunch or supper on a cold, snowy day. Rice is also a must have. It's good as a side but also can be incorporated as part of the main meal to give it more substance. Mix it with stew or even thin soups like tomato and minestrone.Barley and bulgur are also good to have in your winter pantry. Bulgur can also be used instead of oatmeal for breakfast as well.Oatmeal is another must along with farina. You can  get a box of the flavored packets or a canister of plain oatmeal  that can be used in baking bread and/or cookies.Should you also have flour? It will come in handy if you're planning on making pizza dough  or roux bases. A snowy day usually means baking so do have a bag of it along with other baking must haves such as baking powder and baking soda.As for the already baked stuff, it helps to have a loaf .Bread can be used in making sandwiches, grilled cheese and French toast.Grind it into crumbs for baked macaroni and cheese topping along with thickener for soups and breading veggies and meats.

Should you include canned meats in the mix? Yes! Canned tuna can be used for salads and casseroles along with that cold weather fave tuna melt. Get a few cans of tuna fish in olive oil. You can make a sunny salad Nicoise with it , a perfect meal to help imagine warmer climes.You may also want to stock up on the lower calorie salmon which is versatile to use in such hot dishes as croquettes and pasta sauce.Another must have is canned chicken which can easily be turned into chicken a la king. A winter pantry should have a small variety of canned vegetables too.You can also stock up on bags of frozen ones too. These can be made into sides but also salads if you have the odd craving for something cold. Corn can also be tossed into corn cakes and corn bread. Canned or frozen spinach can be turned into a dip for movie or football binging. Have a few cans of fruit too. You may want to finish a meal with a fruit cocktail or peaches as a side to pound or angel food cake. Dried fruit or fruit crisps are also good to stock up on. They're perfect low calories snacks when the boredom munchies hit.

Make sure your pantry is well stocked for the stormy,  snowy weather ahead. Have the basics. They'll go  along way when you can't make it to the grocery store.

The Rising Of Rye

Rye bread has been around for millennia, providing sustenance to all of Northern Europeans.It is popular here in the States,however a paler version of it. That's all changing, thanks to a new movement

Julia Moskin wrote about it in yesterday's New York Times' Food section. American's are about to get their tastes bud blown away with a return to traditional ryes.These are more like pumpernickel, the color of a chocolate cake with the spiciness of gingerbread.It is a dense, chewy crumb that requires a slow rise in a hot steamy oven to rise. Icelandic bakers put the rye dough underground to be baked in geothermal springs.Norwegians repurposes it, frying it into crisp crackers. American bakers have made rye pound cakes such as the baker at San Francisco's Bar Tartine. Concord Massachusetts Bondir serves rye in stews, with the chef , Jason Bond, gets the rye in bales.Most Americans are used to the Jewish sissal - or caraway rye, a pale yellow..Massachusetts Brown Bread was the colonists attempts at rye , using it after their wheat crop failed.


Rye bread is not for beginner bakers. The Times recipe calls for two to three days of prep along with getting a buttermilk  or  yogurt starter.There's also getting the rye berries or meal which some groceries have and can also be bought at Amazon.com. The dough is not the usual sticky kind but more like a runny batter.It's an eggless recipe that requires malt syrup or molasses.The loaf pans do have to be very thickly buttered too. An easier version is the recipe for the Jewish one.It's a mix of bread and rye flour,Honey and oil are also added and the whole dough is kneaded with a bread hook.The only labor intensive part is oiling a bowl. The dough is baked in a 450 oven on the lower most rack.  Three knife slashes from a paring knife. have to be made across the top. and then a cornstarch glaze is brushed across it to give that nice glaze .

Rye bread is a delicious chew.They may be a bit labor intensive to bake but worth it. Try this ancient grain and it's dark richness.

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 Best Chocolate Cookbook Ever!

Chocolate lovers rejoice ! There is an excellent cookbook, Crazy About Chocolate that has every kind of chocolate recipe in it!What's even more interesting is that several are savory ones, using cacao in a different and unique way. A chocoholic could make an entire dinner using their favorite food thanks to this unusual cookbook.

Krystina Castella wrote this truly original book published by Sterling Publishers. She includes many interesting facts,, from why she loves the brown stuff to cooking with it. I like how she explains the different equipment used  in her recipes. This is handy because one item, such as a cookie sheet, sauce, could have several different uses. What I love about this book is it's versatility and flexibility with chocolate. She uses it in its' original form , mole to create an unusual turkey mole chile as well as chocolate bun sliders with a cocoa sauce. What is truly unique is her chocolate butter with grilled corn as well as her smoked ribs with her cocoa barbecue sauce. These would be hits at any tailgate party. There's also a cool chocolate pasta one that I would  use as a surprise jaw dropper of a dessert.

Of course, since it is a chocolate cookbook, sweet recipes abound. There is a yummy sounding German chocolate French toast as well as chocolate bagels. Her take on cakes are just drool worthy. There is one for a simple orange marble pound cake as well as one for devil's food and Bundt cake. She also categorizes the recipes into holidays, from  steamed Japanese rice cakes with chocolate filling for New Years to chocolate gingerbread men and squares for Christmas. She even has cocoa waffles for  the Fourth of July. There are also recipes to suit r all sorts of gatherings from fancy birthday parties to baby showers. Ms. Castella also has every day ones like the scrumptuous chocolate  and fruit ices , and fun chocolate cookies for after school snacking.

Please get this cookbook if you're a chocolate lover or just want to create tasty and unusual dishes. You can make all sorts of truly delicious sweets and savories using one of the world's most ancient and most popular ingredients. It's a trip into the sweet world of cacao.

Fall Baking

This is the perfect time for cake baking. The weather is free of humidity.The air is cool and crisp and many bakers do appreciate a hot oven warming up a cold kitchen.It's time to get out the flour and sugar and start creating good old fashioned cakes.

One of the best cakes to make is a pound. It's the most versatile, going from bake sales to a finishing off a nice Sunday dinner.It's also good in the sense that it is a true scratch cake and doesn't come from a chemical laced mix.Pound cake is one of the earliest recipes having graced tables from Colonial times. You can stick with the basic recipe and make a simple vanilla one or vary it with spices or chocolate chips. Try baking one with a fall theme, by using apple cider. Glaze with caramel sauce to finish it. Sour cream pound cakes may be very dense and rich but they are tasty.

Coffee cakes are another fall treat that can be easily made. They too are wonderful for finishing a fall meal or perfect for a church gathering or bridal shower. Coffee cakes start with an almost yeasty bottom topped with luscious cinnamon laced crumbs. Aptly enough they're also called crumb cake too as well as streusel cakes.A crumb cake is one of the simplest cakes to make and always turns out right. You can also create different varieties as well , adding cocoa powder instead of cinnamon to the spice mix. Another idea is keeping the cinnamon but blending in cooked apples for a fruitier treat. Add sour cream too to the cake batter for again a rich and smoother cake .

It's the perfect time for baking now that the weather is cooler.Try a classic pound cake or delicious crumb to celebrate the season. Either one is perfect for an autumn get together or bake sale.

Coleridge's Devon

Devonshire cooking hasn't changed much since its' literary son, Samuel Taylor Coleridge was born there on this date (as am I however not in beautiful Devon however) in 1772. The food reflects both the land and the sea, the farms and the arbors that make up one of England's most loveliest and varied counties. It is full of fresh seafood as well as beef and lamb. Greenery also plays an important part of the cuisine , with berries and dandelions being part of the diet and landscape.

One dish that the young poet would have feasted on is blackbird pie. Yes, that blackbird pie from the famed children's rhyme. This involves plucking and boning the little birds and then placing them neatly in a pie shell along with bacon , liver, onions and mushrooms. The dish is no longer made (unless by those wishing to recreate 18th Century cookery.). Devon was also known for its' classic skylark recipe, which basically is plucking and then roasting the buttered birds over a spit and then serving them on buttered toast. For the more faint hearted there is also a rabbit stew that is more to contemporary tastes along with a mutton pie that could easily work as a dinner or even a Sunday lunch. Devon cuisine featured the sea as well. , considering it is sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the English Channel. Coleridge probably enjoyed a few eel pies as well as homemade fishcakes too during his childhood there.

Devonshire is also known for its' greenery and fruits. Dandelion wine is one of the favorite homemade drinks. It involved fermenting the greens with raisins, brown sugar and yeast along with lemons. Another is apple cider as well as a gooseberry wine both being very easy to make, These were probably served as were traditional punches during the holidays and the young poet probably imbibed , relishing the headiness of these home made brews. Devon is also the birthplace of clotted cream, that English classic that goes well with everything from fruit to fresh baked scones. Devon is also know fo r its' walnut cake and Somerset pound, a lemon cake made with sultana raisins. There is also a local sponge cake recipe consisting of just eggs, flour and sugartoo

Samuel Taylor Coleridge probably was inspired by the land and seascapes about him. Hopefully he enjoyed them as he enjoyed roasted skylark or mutton pie, washed down with good Devonshire cider, homemade dandeline or green gooseberry wine. He not only fed his soul but also himself with classic and traditionals western English food.

Mmmm Butter

There's nothing like the taste of butter.It's smooth, creamy and sometimes slightly salty. Yes, it;s bad for you but so are a lot of things and a lot of foods for that matter.We still eat them. Butter is different, It's a much needed ingredient in a lot of cuisines, especially French and Northern Italian. Unlike some other bad for you ingredients, it add richness and complexity to all sorts of dishes from breakfast to dessert.


Butter is the perfect element to fry food. However this does come with a warning. Use it in moderation. Too much butter cna make any dish from eggs to that French bistro treat the croque monsuier too soggy. Use a small pat or knob . You can add more if it seems the process needs it. Butter is a wonderful component in sauces.It gives Hollandaise its creaminess and gives pasta con burro its' delicacy. You can also use it for flavoring in some roues but again be gentle with its use.

Butter is also important in baking. Pound cake practically calls for it. There are also some scratch cakes that demand butter because it's necessary for the cake's texture and consistency. Icings need butter. A good butter cream is nothing when it;s made with a substitute like margarine or even - gasp- lard. It gives frosting a creaminess and much needed spreadability.It also creates a consistant texture so the cupcake or cake has smooth surface.

Is butter so bad? Not really. Just use it with wisdom and moderation. You don't have to scrimp on somehting that will add to your cooking. Just treat it with respect.

Pound For Pound Cake

Pound cakes are probably the most under rated of all cakes.Foodies don't like them becauseof their plainness or the calories. They are rich and dense, yet versatile to be eaten for breakfast, snack or dessert. They can be served just plain or toasted, dusted with sugar or drizzled with a simple icing. They can be covered in fruit , whipped cream or ice cream. Yet, no one tends to serve or even bake them anymore.

Pound cake actually started off as a sweetened bread in the Middle Ages. The recipe got changed around a bit to include a pound of everything by the British in the 1700s. Pound cake's recipe became lighter in the 1900's with the arrival of baking soda and baking powder. Flavorings also were added such as lemon for a variation on the taste. Pound cake mixes were also ushered in during the 20th Century making it easier to create the perfect pound cake. Now you can also buy slices in almost every deli and supermarket across the US. There's still the plain but also there's the marble, lemon, orange and sometimes even pistacchio. Some have icing on them as well.

Pound cake can still be made at home using the same ingredients that have been used for the last three centuries. You can make it British style by adding dried currents and raisins or glaceed cherries You can make it French style, by adding chocolate or lemon . This is big in Brittany where pound cake is baked and served the most It's called quartre quarts or four fours.Mexicans bakes theirs with walnuts , called a panque des nueces You can add your own spins by adding a quarter cup of brandy, chocolate chips or cinnamon

Pound cake is an underrated cake that should deserve more press. It is one of the most versatile cakes out there and can be served with almost anything. It is definitely a cake to make this fall.

Petit Fours The Perfect Dessert

Spring is the time for outdoor teas and afternoon lunches. The tiny sweet, the petit four fits this bill completely. They make the perfect dessert after sandwiches and soups. Although they are bite sized , they are rich with flavor. They are the perfect accompaniment to any tea or coffee.

Petit fours had their start in 18th Century France the words mean little oven. They were baked at the end of the day when the ovens were cooling down and there was some light baking still to be done. Petit four is an actually misconception of the term in American eyes. They actually include meringues, macaroons and tartlets along with cigarettes (those long, rolled up wafers). There are also savory petit fours. , little amuse bouches that are served as appetizers.

Anyone can make petit fours using a sponge or pound cake as the base. As the filling any raspberry or strawberry jam will do nicely or a think layer of butter cream. For the coating you can also do butter cream or the heavier fondant. You can also enrobe them in white chocolate as well. Decorating can be fun because you can create everything from flowers and buds for the Spring and even candles and wreaths for Christmas time.

Petit fours are a nice ending to any spring time tea or social. Buy them or make them yourself. Enjoy these flavorful little treats.