A Good Old Fashioned Clambake

Summer and seafood go together. There's nothing like gathering friends on a beach with a campfire and freshly caught clams and lobsters. It's a fun way of celebrating a good day of swimming and sunning. The best part is that it's fun. Everybody chips in and helps in making a tasty dinner.

A clambake should take place on the beach however if your local one has restrictions you can easily have It in your backyard. As with a fire pit,dig a large hole in the sand or dirt. Cover the whole bottom with large stones or rocks. These can be found in the woods near the beach.(pick up anything that has some heft)Add branches, brushand then charcoal to build a large fire along with seaweed (although no sweat if you don't; have it on hand). If you're cooking lobsters, have a pot ready to boil them and with these you can use sea water hauled in from the beach.

Of course any clambake should have clams, but you can also have lobsters, mussels and potatoes. A good recipe is a kind of stew that involves clams, (any kind),mussels onions, celery,potatoes and corn.Cook these together in a pot along with melted butter and some fresh water. Of course you can just cook clams and have a baked potato with melted butter on it along with simply roasted ear of corn. This also goes for lobster too. because th emeat is so flavorful, just add butter that was melted in an old can over the flames.

A clambake is the best summer memory ever. There's nothing like enjoying freshly cooked clams and lobsters under a warm starry night . It's just good and simple eating

A New Discovery Seaweed

People think seaweed is just that green stuff served alongside sushi. Most discard it Most wouldn't dream of even touching it. Yet this staple has been a part of some diets for century. It;s actually not bad and if prepared right can be very tasty. Once you get used to the taste it can actually be downright addcitive.

Seaweed has been a part of many cultures for centuries. Mainly it's the Asians, namely the Japanese that have it in their diets. However it's also eaten in Europe too, namelyin the United Kingdom and Ireland. Seaweed helped save thousands of lives during the Potato Famine of 1848 and is still harvested there today. It's rich in beta carotene, chromium and zinc .Seaweed is also high in vitamins A and C along with being low in calories and fats like land grown greens. There are several different types ranging from Agar to Dulse to Irish Moss (used as food for the Irish during their famine).There is also the common kelp, Nori, Kombu , Sloke and wakame.

How do you eat seaweed? There are dried Nori sheets you can buy in packages at Chinese food stores. These are flavored usually with a light coating of wasabi mustard. You can also use seaweed as flavoring in miso soup. The greens are probably best mixed in salads. Th e flavor is the strongest when it's raw and it some have a nice crunch to them. You can cook seaweed into vegetable stews too for color and nutrients ifyou want Most use wakame for this because it resembles arugula in a way.

Seaweed is one fo the food world's most misunderstood of greens. Try it in your next salad or soup. It's high in mineral and vitamins, like any regular land grown green You may be surprised by this emerald gem of the ocean.

The Sweet Side Of Vinegar

Vinegar is the much maligned condiment. It's also second a s in oil and vinegar. People talk about sour type s that have a vinegar personality or face. yet, this kitchen necessity is very much needed for all sorts of dishes. Its gives everything from dressings to marinades their wonderful flavor.
Vinegar has been around for about 10,000 years. The ancient Babylonians used it to preserve foods while Hannibal used it to crumble rocks during his passage through the Alps. even Cleopatra drank pearls dissolved in vinegar to win a bet. Vinegar is an all natural by product of aerobic bacteria mixing with wine or cider. You can even use it for cleaning because it gets rid of germs and bacteria easily. There are several different kinds from red wine to balsamic along with malt and apple cider. My favorites are the red wine and cider. I'm a big fan of the last because you can make a wonderful light Waldorf salad with it. Balsamic vinegar, that delight of foodies the world over has been around since the medieval period . It originated in Emilia Romano and is made through an aging process of twelve years It also involves pouring older vinegar in with freshly made ones.

Vinegar is not just for salads You can also use it in pickling which was it;s original use. Chutneys and relishes call fo r it as do slaws. The famed German dish sauerbraten starts off with a vinegar marinade. A lot of barbecue recipes call for marinating the meat in red wine vinegar. This produces a much more tender texture and it's perfect them for mixing with the actual sauce Vinegar is also used in making the well known Chinese hot and sour soup. A few tablespoons of rice wine vinegar gives the soup its' famous bite.

Vinegar doesn't mean sourness. It's a great addition to any dressing or dish. Try all sorts from balsamic to red wine to cider. Soon enough you'll be adding it to everything

Make Your Own Marinades

This is the high season for grilling. It's also the time when good steaks, chickens and even fish can get dried out from too much grilling. What to do ? Marinate them. The best ones are the ones you make yourself. You can add favorite ingredients and create unique flavors . Best of all you won't have dried out meat.

A basic marinade consists f four parts. Vinegar or citrus for tendering the meat, flavorings of any kind, oil to give the meat some moisture and to hold everything together and a little salt. This las t is to make the meat more flavorful and juicy. Vinegars can anything from the basic red wine vinegar to s sweeter fruit infused one. I would suggest using an apple cider vinegar. i think this has a lovely taste and would add a little bit of sweet and sour tot he marinade.As for oil, simple light olive oil is the best and of course use freshly ground sea salt. Seasonings can range from anything like the fiery hot ginger to the mellow rosemary. I would think of adding garlic for some steak and pork marinades to give the meat more flavor and zest.Some grillers add their spins . Some put beer and bourbon in their sauces for a wilder flavor. Some add macerated fruit like peaches or oranges The flavor is up to you.

One of the most important parts in creating the perfect marinade are the rations. Always remember to add. Add one cup of vinegar or citrus to one cup oil plus a tablespoon of fresh ground sea salt. (you may vary the salt amount according to your tastes). then with the spices, i;d say go by the pinch and dash method. Whatever makes the most flavorful ten stick with it. .

A home made marinade is the great for this season's different cuts. make your ribs and filets unique by creating g a one of a kind marinade. It'll be the hit of the grilling season!!!

Sushi For You

Yesterday's New York Times Dining had a interesting article about making your own sushi. This is interesting to me since I've been doing a lot of cooking lately. Sushi making looks like a lot of fun and requires very little effort. This last alone is a lure.

There were two articles one by the amazing Mark Bittman. He is a regular contributor to The Times and I like his minimalist style of cooking. His spin on sushi is simple. Just roll up the fish and veggies with rice and then wrap seaweed around them. The only complicated part is making the rice.It;s not just a simple boiling . Sushi rice dies require the addition if rice vinegar ,sugar salt and kelp. You also need awasezu and sake to boil the rice. This is what gives the rolls their sweetness and balances the seafood saltiness.

I'm not a big fan

of raw fish (and it would be hard to make with my cats hanging around, loudly demanding a morsel thrown their way). I would sub in hard boiled egg,, avocado seaweed and may be asparagus. I may even put a mash of peas or edamame in mine.

Sushi sounds like an easy challenge but it also sounds like fun.I probably will try it soon. There are so many possibilities and it'll be fun putting my own spin on this classic.