Party Salads ? Why Not?

 Party and salad may not go together. One tends to pair a festive gathering with more appropriate foods, such as charcuterie or roasts. Yet a salad , done right can make a gathering interesting and delicious. It's not just a bowl of greens mixed together with bottled dressing. It's something more.

Chef and regular contributor Hetty Liu McKinnon wrote about this and gave recipes from her newest book Linger: Salads, Sweets And Stories To Savor (Knopf 2025) in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. She recommends thinking outside the bowl. Try smoky roasted veggies or pantry friendly legumes. Add comforting noodles along with homemade chunky dips and great homemade salad dressings. One way of having a phenomenal salad is choosing make ahead dishes that only get better over time. Her example for this is a take on the classic British Coronationsalad. Usually made with chicken and left to marinate , Chef Liu McKinnon subs in chickpeas. A day in the fridge makes the flavors bolder along with bolder and more exciting. Along with chickpeas, cauliflower adds more crunch especially when the two are roasted with a sprinkling of cumin on top. The dressing is a mix of Greek yogurt, apricots (as in the original recipe(, celery and red onion that';s been steeped in water to mellow out the onion-y flavor.

Chef Liu McKinnon also includes a great dip and a salad version of the classic Dan Dan dish. For the dip she takes sliced turnips and fries them in a combo of oil butter ,garlic and miso. The dip is a combination of feta and pistachios blended together with  garlic, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil and a splash of water. Put this and salad leaves on a  large plate, then top with the turnips. Other veggies can also be used as well as crips pita or French bread. The second is a riff on the classic Dana Dan  dish, There is no meat in this one however. Ramen noodles combine with bock choi and canned corn. Toasted sesame seeds and cilantro give it more color and flavor. The dressing is a blend of pantry essentials. Chinese sesame paste or tahini is mixed with Chile oi or Chile crisp along with soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.Two to three tablespoons of non dairy milk like almond, oat or soy is used for creaminess . For all of these everything can be made the day before and assembled the day of , considerably cutting prep time. Just let the salads sit for thirty minutes before serving.

Salads can be the stars of  any party. Make all three or save them for different gatherings. They're sure to be hits.

How To Make Strawberries Shine

 It's June and that means strawberry season. These gems are always the perfect ingredient in any dessert. There's only one problem - they can become soggy. They need to be fleshy and firm.How to do that? Luckily there are different ways to make those berries shine.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Food section. We will be inundated with the juicy fruit for the next few weeks. Strawberries did not have a good start to the year. California , where the winter ones are gtown was beset with bad weather . This caused them to have a bland taste.Luckily fate turned around for them and they and other strawberries have become sweeter and juicier. Unfortunately they do weep or seep moisture into a crumb or crust.Ms Clark gives three new recipes that call for either macerating, roasting or simmeringthem. This condenses their juices and allows them to hold up better in pastry and cakes.Simmering them let them to top a flaky tart. The berries top a tangy cream cheese mixture spread on a base of puff pastry.The tart emergres from th e oven with a crisp, buttery crust.It's a mixture of a lemony creme filling thanks to freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest. The berries are put on top last and then baked in a 425 degrees Farenheit oven.

You could also macerate or soak them in sugar before baking them into biscuits. This prevents from becoming gummy.These then can be turned into the ultimate shortcake with a layer of macerated berries and then a puff of whipped cream. Adding poppy seeds to the biscuits gives them extra crunch. The shortcake is a basic buttermilk one but also very buttery too. A half cup of unsalted butter is used.The strawberry juice is mixed with the buttermilk and added to the dough. As with any shortbread the dough is frozen for forty-five minutes before baking. There is roasting , with the strawberries being briefly roasted before being mixed into a  delicate andtemder almond cake, This gives the fruit an intense flavor and caramelizes the juices. The cakes themselves use only egg whites along with five large egg whites. Browned butter is added. Almond and regular white are combined in the batter.The roasted strawberries are cooled patted dry and then folded into the mix. They're baked in muffin tins with a little granulated sugar sprinkled on top The oven should be set at 400 degrees Farenhweit.

These recipes are the perfect way to enjoy fresh and juicy strawberries. They're create a tender fruit without all that soppiness. Try them for a perfect strawberry dessert.

Comforting Dishes From The Times Pantry

 Comfort food is going to be big this season. We're going to need dishes that soothe and help our troubled souls and minds. Luckily the New York Times has gathered some of the best recipes from  From The Pantry, a series of recipes that helped home chefs during the pandemic. Sadly, it's ending its' run soon yet home chefs can enjoy the many recipes it still offers.

Melissa Clark curated these in today's New York Times food section. She offers the highlights of it and what the recipes can do.  They're confident and flexible along with being versatile to stretch to two or even three meals.They represent the best of pantry cooking, which done right can help you adapt your favorite recipes to what's in the pantry. Ms. Clark also shows how to get past all those panic bought beans and boxes of pasta and create comforting meals for the entire family to enjoy. She starts with the recipe for baked polenta. This is the perfect dish for fall and for a weekend supper. It starts with corn kernels,whether canned, frozen or right off the cob sizzled in a pan with butter. Polenta grains are added. Then throw in anything you want, Alliums like shallots or scalions, greens, like kale . You could add some cheese like feta ,blue or Parmesan. She suggests my favorite, adding eggs along with a lot of freshly ground pepper and sea salt. Another pantry dish is the famed Irish dish colcannon. She up the flavor with crispy fried leeks and add some sliced garlic cloves. Cabbage or kale is traditional but you can use broccoli rabe too. Add milk or vegetable broth and lots of butter for a truly creamy taste.

Comfort meals got us and are still getting us through this pandemic. There are recipes for tuna casserole and roasted chicken. Ms. Clark's take on the tuna casserole?  Zing it up with garlic and white wine! There's also a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat. You can use tuna in water but use the one in olive oil for a richer flavor.It'll be mashed into white beans , giving the dish a chunky texture. It's topped with Gruyere, according to the original recipe by Diana Henry, a British based food writer. her recipe was a Breton  tuna and white bean gratin. Ms. Clark gives it an American spin by adding potato chips to the topping. Roasted chicken is another dish that's not only comforting but versatile too. The bones can be used for stock while leftovers can be turned into chicken salad for lunchtime sandwiches. The stock though is the best. It's just taking the bones, and  cooking them with aromatics such as ginger or onions , carrots or herb stems. Cover with cold water and simmer for two to three hours. How does she end these meals? With a comforting dessert, the classic chocolate cake made with mayo! This is a rich cake anyway, made with Dutch cocoa and chocolate chips. The liquid used is hot coffee although you can use tea too. Vanilla can be used but so can bourbon or brandy if you don't have the first. Ms. Clark recommends just dusting it with confectioner's sugar although you can add a cream cheese frosting or chocolate glaze for more decadence.

There's nothing like comfort food,especially during these crazy times. Make what you want. Then enjoy these good for the soul, good for the mind dishes.

The Rise Of Cauliflower Crust Pizza

It slowly crept into our lives , shaking up our culinary world. Some embraced it. Others were wary. What is this phenomenon? Cauliflower crust pizza. Once an outsider, now it's a big part of home cooking. What's the deal with it and why are so many embracing it?

Cauliflower pizza surprisingly is nothing new. It's been around since 2009, and its' invention was credited to the founder of the blog Your Lighter Side. A quick look at this blog and it's still has all sorts of cauliflower based recipes, including cauliflower pizza sticks and garlic roasted cauliflower. The recipe even made it to The Today Show. The idea was a hit with everyone, especially pizza lovers who wanted to have something light but with the same flavor.  Now everyone and every store seems to have a version from Trader Joe's and Stop & Shop. Even the glam mall pizzeria, California Pizza Kitchen has their version where it's topped with caramelized onions and fresh tomatoes. There's even a Los Angeles Skinny Bitch Pizzas that will deliver them. From their inception and first pictures on Pinterest, cauliflower pizza has become the star of the foodie universe. It's a great idea. A gluten free low carb pizza that still offers the great flavor and toppings. Who wouldn't love it?

The pies are all over, even creating entrepreneurs out of ordinary people. Gail Becker, a working mother of two boys decided to try the recipe at home. It seemed perfect for her, because she suffered from celiac disease and was looking for an alternative. The problem was its that the recipe is labor intensive. It takes ninety minutes to rice, drain and bake the cauliflower. There had to be an easier and better way. No such luck. Ms. Becker scoured every supermarket in her area. Not finding any she create her own frozen crust that combines tapioca and almond flour with the cauliflower and coconut oil. Caulipower was born, The company, a big success, now offers eight (!) different kinds of pizzas. She also used the cauliflower crust on chicken to create a new kind of tenders. Other companies, namely Green Giant have followed suit. The crust is an easy bake - only sixteen minutes in the oven , then it's taken out , topped and put back in. Does it beat regular pizza? That depends on the pie. Nothing can beat Blaze Pizza, yet there are others it can surpass.

Cauliflower pizza is here to stay and it will ride out any trends. People like it and have embraced it's veggie flavor and crispy crust. It's a nice alternative to the traditional pie.

Spins On Salads

It's time to rethink salads and sides now that it's barbecue and picnic season. Liven them up with different spins that complement not only the ingredients but the main course. Get bold and daring with non -traditional flavors that will add zing to an outdoor meal.

One of the most classic barbecue salads is cole slaw. This centuries old dish is usually shredded cabbage with a good dollop of mayo mixed with oil and vinegar. More adventurous home chefs toss in a handful of raisins or carrot slivers for color and sweetness.Forget those. A better - and less cloying recipe is subbing in the mayo with a tangy French or apple cider vinegar based vinaigrette. Either one brings out the cabbage's musky green flavor and keeps the crunch. Another idea is giving it an Asian flavor with the addition of super crunchy water chestnuts  and a dressing that features soy sauce, chopped scallions and ginger.Macaroni salad always makes an appearance even though it's not that popular. It's an easy make, Just boil elbow macaroni  cool and add   what else - mayo. A more preferred recipe is tricolore rotelli with wheat, tomato and spinach pasta is cooked and then cooled. I would ditch the mayo and use a dressing of olive oil, dried oregano and rosemary. Spike it up with cut up bits of salami , cut up black olives and grape or cherry tomatoes.It's a great side for steaks and hamburgers and you could add leftover cubed fillets to it for a next day  lunch or supper.

Potato salad is another gloppy salad that sometimes gets drowned in mayo. The best bet is add other ingredients to give it more complexity. Add some sliced hard boiled eggs and celery for color and flavor. Another idea to zing it up by mixing the mayo with sour cream and adding chives and crumbled bacon. Think a variation of a baked potato for a hot summer's night. Use about three fourths cup of sour cream or even Greek yogurt to half a cup of mayo.Olive oil , too, works for a potato salad. It gives the salad more body and allows you to add such herbs as rosemary and oregano for a Sicilian style one. How to really change up potato salad? Roast the potatoes instead of boiling them. Preheat the oven at 375 degrees Farenheit and roast for about forty-five minutes until the potatoes are tender. Let cool for fifteen minutes before cutting and adding to the salad bowl. They work well with either mayo or olive oil. Add some scallions for color and bacon for crunch. Really change up the recipe with sweet potatoes. Their sweetness is offset by adding such savory ingredients as garlic and hot salt. Mayo may be too much so sub in Greek yogurt or sour cream mixed with a simple vinaigrette.
Salads are a mainstay for any summer barbecue or picnic. Liven them up with some changes. It'll make for an exciting meal and a turn from the usual boring side dishes of cole slaws and salads.

Can Hearty And Healthy Coexist?

Can a hearty winter dish be also healthy? is a plate full of sauce not only good tasting but good for you? There are cold weather recipes that are both filling but light.

It's not January with out stew. Who doesn't love a bowl swimming with gravy, veggies and some kind of protein?The only problem is that it can be rich with calories and fat. A safer, yet just as satisfying dish is a vegan stew. Try one that employs traditional winter root vegetables such as turnips and parsnips.Onions, carrots and potatoes round it out and give it a backbone.You don't need meat for flavor. Add a dash of cumin or turmeric instead Instead of heavy dumplings serve with brown rice.What's also great about this stew is that it translates very well into second day leftovers.Bean stew is another hearty and healthy chill chaser.Mix white beans  or cannellini with tomatoes along with white wine and olive oil. Season with both thyme and sage to give it some oomph.This dish might be even better with crusty hunks of Italian bread but go light with the Northern Italian grissini which are between only fourteen and twenty-one calories a breadstick.

Another hearty winter dish is pasta. Who wouldn't want a bowl swimming with spaghetti or gemelli, along with meatballs?. The last can be made with low calorie mushrooms or beans and have the same spicy flavor as the real thing.Not surprisingly pasta can be low calorie Instead of the usual whole grain wheat , think ancient grains such as quinoa and brown rice. These can be found in all forms including lasagna noodles.Even this calorie rich casserole can be made lighter.it can be made with quinoa and zucchini slices standing in for the pasta.Instead of ground beef and hard boiled eggs.Add red and green peppers along with spinach for color.You can also use cauliflower instead of the quinoa.Pizza  is another hearty dish, surprisingly and we all love one with a thick , yeasty crust , and topped with an overload of meat and cheese. Despite it being a great chill chaser it is loaded with calories. Lower those with subbing in a mix of cauliflower and beaten egg as the crust.Sub in low calorie mozzarella or the vegan cheese and top with healthy but tasty topping. Try oven crisped portabello mushrooms , seared  peppers and even roasted tomatoes. Craving meat? Then go vegan with soy pepperoni and bacon.

Hearty dishes can be light  in calories. They can be just as filling and delicious as their calorie rich cousins. Make them on a cold winter's day.

Melissa Clark's Thanksgiving Issue

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and with it brings recipe anxiety. Many home chefs are wondering what to cook and how to cook it. There's also the problem of finding new dishes to liven up the meal. Not to worry. Melissa Clark comes to rescue,

She was the star  - and rightly so - of today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. She has contributed some of the paper's best recipes along with great advice for several years.It's no wonder.Cooking  is in her veins. Her chief influence were her parents who were also creative with recipes. The one that has her father's influence is her roast turkey with garlic, rosemary  and anchovies. He didn't like cooking a bland bird, threatening to sub in something else like a leg of lamb. His daughter takes it a step further and treats the turkey as if it were a leg of lamb. She pierces the legs all over  and stuffs the tiny  slits with a paste of garlic ,rosemary and anchovies. This is also rubbed all over the rest of the bird as well.  This also makes for a more fragrant gravy too.The bird sits for an hour before being popped into a 450 F degree oven.Of course stuffing has to come with it. Hers is made with rich  buttery brioche and roasted peeled chestnuts. As with any stuffing, sage and  thyme are added. Ms. Clark uses fresh for maximum flavor. Another must is chicken or turkey stock,It has to be homemade for the best taste. Season it with leeks and parsley tops .

Sides are always important to the Thanksgiving meal.Again Ms. Clark knows how to elevate the humble cranberry, turning it into a  dinner table star. She takes her Aunt Sandy's recipe, originally from a magazine and updates it. Gone is the orange that gave the berries some tang. In its place is pomegranate There are also pistachios for crunch and more color. Instead of sugar she makes it healthier by subbing in half a cup of honey.Other dishes are mashed sweet potatoes with bourbon(!) and brown sugar along with broccoli with fried shallots and olives. These would definitely be eye openers at any table, thanks to the different spin on them.Every holiday table has to have potatoes and salad. Again, Ms. Clark does not disappoint with her recipes.The potatoes are slathered in a duck fat confit , made fragrant with thyme, sage and garlic. The result is a crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside potato that will sure to be a hit. Her salad has anchovy  - again-blended with lemon juice and parsley. This is a great dressing to make for weeknight salads too. Pie is de rigeur . Her pumpkin pie is laced with rum along with ginger and star anise.Four egg yolks give the filling richness. To gild the lily even more there is a ginger ice cream recipe, zinged up with fresh ginger and cinnamon.It's perfect with the pie, as it's decorated with candied ginger.

Follow Ms. Clark's recipes for a fun twist on a classic holiday meal. The result is a tasty dinner , from beginning to end. Try all of them - or just try one or two for a unique Thanksgiving.

Sauces And Salsas And Ketchup , Oh My!!

It's late summer and that means bumper crops, namely tomatoes.Luckily these ruby red gems can be turnd into a a variety of dishes that can be eaten later on. Tomatoes are one  the most versatile garden fruits, Transform them into anything and the result is a tasty dish.

Of course all home chefs will tell you a tomato garden's overage can be made into a sauce, perfect for pasta.There are so many to make that you can have an entire month of them. If you're looking into a right now sauce think then salsa crudo, This is one of the easiest pasta sauces to make.It's taking ripe tomatoes and mixing them with olive oil and seasoning  along with minced garlic  Set the sauce aside for half an hour or more (a day would be ideal to let all the flavors meld together) and then pour over any kind of pasta. Capers,or  black pitted olives can be added to zing it up.The extra tomatoes can also be cooked into a regular sauce.It is labor intensive but worth it,Most recipes call for four tomatoes but  you could even double or triple the recipe..Making home made tomato sauce is also a great way of using those extra basil leaves.You can also add a good pinch of hot pepper flakes to make an arrabiata sauce. Another spin is roasting the tomatoes first for a deep smoky flavor., perfect for any meat sauce. You can also  make a pizza sauce using fresh tomatoes too.It's basically the same as pasta sauce save for the inclusion of thyme, onions and two tablespoons of sugar.

Those tomatoes can be used for everyone's favorite dip - salsa. It's a great snack that's also super healthy and packed with nutrition.It's an easy mix of fresh tomatoes, onions and bell peppers. For heat throw in minced jalapenos .Lime juice is also added along with that Mexican staple cilantro. You could even  add a dash of cumin if you wanted. The tomatoes can be roasted for a smokier, deeper taste This would be great topping beef tacos or fajitas. If you want a  sweeter sauce do the unexpected - throw in some unsweetened raspberries - they're also going through a second season right now . Blueberry tomato salsa is another great marriage of flavors and it's not only good with corn chips but also with beef or chicken.Many tomato growers and home chefs have experimented with ketchup recipes.It's not as difficult as you might think.It does require a slow cooker and an immersion blender.The tomatoes do need to be cooked down and occasionally blended with the blender.The spicing is important too because this is what gives the condiment its' kick.It needs sugar, honey or molasses along with apple cider vinegar to give it that sweet tang.Cinnamon and clover are also added along with Dijon mustard and Worcester sauce. Once you get the hang of making ketchup, it's pretty easy and can be made in batches for holiday and birthday gifts.

The last of the tomatoes means sauce, salsa and ketchup  long after summer ends. You'll have that  fresh taste all year round. It's a perfect end to a bountiful season.

Squid Making A Better Calamari And Roast

Squid can take some getting used to, taste and texturewise. One of the best ways to become acclimated with this seafood classic is trying it as calamari. No, not those overly salty rings that most sports bars sell, but a light crispy kind There are other ways to enjoy them as well from stuffed to roasted.

David Tanis devoted his entire A City Kitchen column to them in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Most people have only had squid cut into rings , then battered dipped and fried.This calamari is usually dipped into a strongly spiced marinara sauce, masking the sea creature's flavor. The best intro to squid as Mr. Tanis recommends is an Italian restaurant with it being part of a fritto misto. there it will have a light, almost tempura like coating and be served with only fresh lemon and salt. Surprisingly enough Thai restaurants also offer squid but it is usually stir fried and spiced up with ginger and chile peppers.Baby squid can be fried whole as they do in Spain These are called chipirones and they're  are like an elegant cousin to calamari.Neophytes should buy fresh squid, ones with a fresh ocean scent with a shiny, plump bodies They shouldn't be flat or deflated. Also they come with a purplish gray  membrane or hood that can be removed.

Home chefs should start with simple recipes first. Squid can be roasted in the oven with a bit of olive oil and garlic.This is easy , with the squid being cut and laid flat on a roasting pan.It can also be braised in either a hearty tomato or red wine sauce.The fish  can also  be stewed in is' own ink and serve over rice as a paella nero or black rice. Mr. Tanis gives a Sicilian classic calamari ripiene or stuffed squid.It is filled with a savory bread crumb filling that he punches up with the addition of chard, fennel  anchovy pecorino and pine nuts. Fennel seeds and oregano are what give the stuffing and squid an nice herbal taste. You can use toothpicks to keep the stuffing in but it really isn't necessary. Mr. Tanis als recommends getting the tentacles too , as these are good roasted.A good drink with it is Etna Bianco a crisp Sicilian white wine or even a good sherry.


Home chefs should be introduced to this versatile sea creature. It can be made a variety of different ways from the crispy calamari to stuffed with herbs and bread crumbs. Serve it this season for something tasty and out of the ordinary.

Spins On Squid

Squid or calamari is one of those foods that people either love or hate.The way it's cooked is probably the cause of this polarization.Yet if done right the meat can be rich in a briny sense and also tender.Most calamari recipes recipes call for overcooking.It's time to change that way of thinking and cooking. David Tanis explored this in his A City Kitchen column in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.He gives hints as well as recipes for this sustainable seafood.The best squid to buy are ones that have pinkish purple skin that's agleam to it.Also the eyes should be bright.You can buy it already cleaned and ready to cook. This means the fish has been gutted ,scraped and rinsed and divided into bodies or tubes and tentacles.What is great about it is that it can hold up to any seasoning or spicing.It can be good mildly seasoned or doused with a myriad of flavorings.Mr Tanis gives the recipe for a Chinese style crisp fried squid with five spices.This is a more sophisticated version of calamari with a batter liberally laced with the five spice mix.You can make this at home using,fennel seeds, star anise, cinnamon and Szechuan pepper.After fringe in just vegetable oil for two minutes, sprinkle cilantro and diced Serrano chiles over them.Serve with lime . Mr Tanis also recommend roasting them.Squid retains it's tenderness when cooked quickly and this another good way to do it.His recipe is Spanish style ,fired with chorizo and pimenton.Roast ,not on a grill, but in hot oven.It and the fragrant gravy that the combination makes is good spooned over baby spinach and Yukon Gold potatoes.Another way of cooking the seafood is braising.However it has to be cooked for an entire hourvto return to that soft ,slightly chewy tenderness.This would be a better winter dish with tomatoes and leeks.However you could try a spin on bouillabaisse by adding the braised squid.The best bet for the warm weather is a quick method.Another idea, not mentioned is out door grilling and then serving the squid with a lemon butter sauce. squid done well is heaven.The key is a short cooking time for a tender, tasty fish.Your opinion of it being gummy, tough calamari will change upon trying it these three ways.

Super Healthy Super Bowl

Tomorrow is one of America's biggest food days after Thanksgiving.  That means everyone from New York to LA , from Maine to Hawaii are going to be stuffing themsleves silly. It's a day when calories and pounds are crazily packed on. However Super Bowl Sunday can be  a day to be careful and eat with a watchful eye.

Most fans don't realize that they can have just as much fun with some healthy choices as they can with unhealthy ones.For example, that staple wings can be even better for you if they're baked or roasted. You do  have to use olive oil for moisture but that's it. The result is even better than fried wings  with tender meat and a crispy skin coating.Another Super Bowl must have are sliders. Most foodies love theirs  made from pure beef or pulled pork on buttered and toasted rolls. A much healthier alternative is turkey burger or pulled chicken. Of course you can sub in veggie burgers and there is even a vegan version of pulled pork that tastes exactly like the real thing. Sub in  unbuttered whole wheat buns for white for more goodness.

Most fans would agree that pizza is one of the best heart healthy foods to eat during any game. Yes and no.  Pizza can be healthy if the toppings are roasted veggies or even chicken. However everyone loves theirs piled with pepperoni and sometimes steak. Some companies and privately owned pizzerias offer ones with double stuffed crusts that ar e just super  loaded  with cheese. Keep the game pizza simple, with an option of onions , peppers and mushrooms as toppings. A pie also tastes better with extra sauce as opposed to extra cheese. Also suppliment that slice with salad. You won't reach for a third or fourth slice if you have greens with the first or second.

Tomorrow is a big food day however make it a healthy eating day. Make choices that are winning. You'll score one for the home team your body if you do.

Colonial Dining

Fourth of July brings about thoughts of barbecues and picnics. There's nothing like roasted meat followed by a cold draft of beer. Surprisingly what we're eating in the 21st Century wasn't that much different than what our country's founders dined on in the 18th Century. There was still meat cooked outside on a fire followed by home made brews - the first artisanal beers.

The average Colonist had the same amount of meals we have today. However lunch was a more 19th Century invention . Instead a bigger dinner was served at noon while a smaller repast was cooked for the evening hours. Breakfast came early for the working classes while the rich had what would be called brunch today. There were very few innovations so foods were either roasted, baked or boiled. Some caught their own meat such as wild turkey or deer along with terrapins, rabbits and the occasional possum. Many who were lucky to live along bays and the Atlantic had diets rich in seafood. Most foods were roasted over outdoor spits and eaten with wild onions ,leeks or even apples picked from local trees.

Our founding fathers would have been amazed at our addiction to water. Since there was no purification or desalination plants the water was often contaminated. Some colonists were smart enough to collect rain water or dig wells for fresh sweet water. Most though preferred their local taverns for ale or hard cider. There were coffee houses back then, sort of similar to our modern day Starbucks where men (not women) sat and sipped , discussing ideas and news of the day. Boston had the first established in 1678. Hot chocolate was also popular mostly amongst the upper classes. The lower classes though did have fresh milk provided by their cows.

When you think about it , there's not much difference food or drink wise between our colonial ancestors and us. They enjoyed a good roasted meat with ale. As with us they hung out in coffee house , drinking the best brews and discussing the events of the day. Our Founding Fathers would have loved this era- it's not that far removed food and drinkwise from theirs.