Those Cooling Dinner Dishes

 It is hellishly hot througho9ut the world. Europe is roasting. The US isn't far behind temp wise. What happens when even eating feels like a chore? have cold,refreshing meals. These take the edge off those steamy sinner time suppers. A bite or sip of something cooling can be revitalizing.

A cup or bowl of gazpacho is the way to go. This chilled soup is the perfect dinner on a ninety degree day. The Spanush make this flavorful soup when the summer heat becomes unbearable.This is one of my favorites and it;s only rotation two to three times  a week during the summer. It's an easy blend of tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, onions or onion powder combined with a bit of water , olive oil and a good red or white wine vinegar. I chill mine for at least two to three hours before serving. This leaves the afternoon free to do anything else. Vichysoisse is another cold soup,perfect for a Summer Sunday meal.Keep in mind that it can be served hot too when the cooler weather arrives. It's usually cooked over a stove top for thirty-five minutes however it's easier to cook in a crock pot during a heat wave.It;s cutting potatoes and leeks into bite sized pieces along with onions, carrots and celery Add one can of cream of mushroom soup and another can of cream of celery for thickness and richness. Evaporated milk and four chicken bouillon cubes are also added. along with butter. Cook for two to three hours on high and then chill for about an hour. Add parsley flakes for decorations.

Never discount canned meats and fish. Canned chicken breast makes for an excellent salad , especially when it'ts combine with mayo and a good sprinkling of tarragon flakes.This is perfect on toasted brioche rolls or croissants. Keep in mind that you can also stuff tomatoes with this mix too. Just core tomatoes and gill with this . You vcan add almonds for crunch and texture . This can also work for lettuce cups too. Just use any big leafed lettuce and fill. Both the tomatoes and lettuce can also be filled with seafood as well. Use canned or fresh crab  and mix with chopped celery , mayo and just the teeniest bit of white sugar. You could add a dash of Old Bay seasoning too. Shrimp, and lobster too make for luxurious fillings. If you make shrimp or lobster salad, then use either to make a great seafood roll for a fun and lush dinner. You could toast the buttered hot dog rolls in the air fryer before stuffing them. Another fun and cool dinner idea is a sushi bowl/It's a lot less work than rolling and cutting the pieces. It starts with rice which can be bought precooked  and fish. Use already cooked shrimp or crab from your grocery store or fish market.  Add a layer of nori or black seaweed, and then fill in with julienned carrots, celery and sliced avocado Cucumber is also included for cool freshness. Give the bowls  good dousing or rice wine vinegar ir sushi vinegar which is rice vinegar and sugar mixed together with salt.

It's summer. The world is on fire - almost literally. Create col suppers that are refreshing and delicious.

Sushi The New American Classic

How did a Japanese classic become one of Amerca's favorite foods?Surprisingly the pandemic had something to do with it.Add in the easy transportability of seafood adds to it being popularity.It's also tasty, being more flavorful than pizza and CHinese.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin wrote about this phenomenom in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section.Forty years ago it was regarded with a raised eyebrow. It had a mystique yet it didn;t pique enough of America's curiousity. It was common init;s native country with it being sold in gas stations and vending machines.Kroger, the Midwestern supermarket giant started selling it in 1991. Now it's everywhere from expensive omnikase restaurants to Target.The pandemic was the dish's biggest booster. People wanted a different flavor. Sushi, with its'briny, sweet and hot flavors did the trick.Also playing into the need is that the generation who were children in the Nineties  when sushi became common , were craving it as adults. There was a whole new slew of consumers according to Richard Barry,, f the National Fisheries Institute The millennials grew up with it and tastes donl't change. If they loved it in childhood, then they'll continue living it into adulthood.

It's not just them heading to expensive sushi bars for three hundred dollars dinners. They're buying it everywhere from big box shops to gas stations. Even bowling alleys and stadiums are selling it to fish hungry Americans. Retail sushi , also, called deli sushi because of its'location in supermarkets , is the fastest growing segments in the stores. Retail sushi brought in close to three billion in sales. Because of this high end sushi bars are also investing in this to go phenomena. At Sugarfish, located both in Manhattan and Southern California, each order is packed in a patterned box by Clement Muk, Chef Kazumori Nozawa fills them with warm rice, cool fish and sauces brushed on at the last minute, He approves for sushi being eaten right after it's made. Healso tested dozens of cardboard take out boxes that didn't absorb soy sauce and kept warm rice from being sticky. Sushi is also number one in the catering industry , letting vegans and pescatarians enjoy fun ,delicious foods. Keep in mind that ist's also becoming more Americanized. Raw fish is being replaced with cooked .

Sushi is the new American classic. Will it replace a burger and fries? Actually yes. People love it more than the standards.

Buffets And Tariffs

 President Trump's tariffs affect not only home chefs but all chef;s. Restaurants will be greatly impacted which means higher prices for diners. The worst hit is the affordable all you can eat buffets, in casino towns in Reno, Nevada.Those easy on the wallet lunches and dinners may be a thing of the past.

Regular contributor and chef Priya Krishna wrote about this in Wednesday's New YorkTimes Food section. Prices will go up around the county but in casino towns it will be devastating.Reno has fifty all you can eat sushi buffets. A la carte sushi is becoming a thing of the past and those restaurants offering that are quickly going out of business according to Michael Higdon a local food writer and photographer, He also states there is a lot of pride in having many all you can eat places.There is cost in creating Reno sushi bars. The fish doesn't have the pristine simplicity of pure Japanese sushi. These are more baroque creations made mainly by Latino chefs who infuse their culinary traditions in them. The high cost of seafood and local restauarants' need to offer bounty and variety has created a flamboyant new cuisine. The fish is no longer the star but a supporting character.The menus have punchy names foillowed by a plethora of ingredients. There is the Playboy  -a wild mix of cream cheese with tempura shrimp, onion red snapper .avocado and jalapeno. There is the Mickey , so named because it;s supposed to resemble the Disney mascot. This is a mix of seared tuna, avocado, unagi and sriracha sauce.

Many restaurant owners - who are not Japanese  - adopt the all you can eat menu because it is cost efficient. Jongsoo Park who opened Kuma Sushi a couple of years ago said she wanted to serve premium species such as sea urchins and spot prawns. Yet their high price would have made her open up an ala carte eatery. That was unaffordable. An all you can eat restaurant was a better choice. It provided a quick cash return which made the restaurant immediately profitable.The prpblem with an all you can eat buffets is that it does take a high volume to make a lot of money. with fifty similar restaurants scattered throughout the town that can be come impossible according to Khai Duc Du, owner of Hinoki Sushi. Trump's tariffs on CHina has hit a whopping 145 percent, affecting such sushi essentials as eel and seaweed. It may affect the purveyor of all the fish served in  Reno, Miyuki Wong. She works for the local distributor Sierra Meat and Seafood and sells $200,000 a week of just seafood alone. Eel along has jumped from $8.40 a pound to $11.90 and then after the tariffs $13.95. The alternative is to serve non seafood extras like edamame and dumplings like Reno;s oldest sushi bars Reno Pier owned by Heejin Polon.

Will Reno's sushi bars be a thing of the past with all these new tariffs being slapped on the seafood? Possibly but maybe not. Restaurant owners will find a way of keeping customers , maybe with vegan sushi. The fish iis too expensive.

Party Planning Plans

 Now that's it's the Christmas season it's time to plan those party plans. Everythign has to be considered, wehter indoor or outdoor, dry or boozy vegan or non vegan.Then there are the guest lists, which are almost as complicated as those Christmas card lists. Who to invite on what night?

The first idea to consider is when to hav eit. Christmas and New Years are on a Monday this year. Hannukah is Thursday December 7th to December 15th. That leaves the weekend of the 9th and 10th for Hannukah  parties. Christmas . Kwanzaa occurs on December 26th and lasts til the New Year, January 1st. Now factor in office Christmas parties and school activities like Christmas concerts along with the usual gift and tree buying.  Ask yourself is a Saturday night do better or would a Sunday brunch be easier? Do you want a tree trimming party where there are just fun snacks like pizza cups and sausage rolls or are you looking to host a buffet, complete with two roasts and a variety of sides and desserts? Another question many party givers will be asking themselves should it be completely indoors or outdoors if the weather is somehwat warm.A great idea would be a hybrid with food and drink tables set up both in the yard and in the dining room.Keep in mind that December weather can be iffy so also have a Plan B in place.

Now comes the hard part. What to serve? Do you want it catered? Do you prefer a homemade or pot luck where guests bring their best and favorte dishes? Will it just be a cookie exchange kind of gathering? Will there be vegans who require a different kind of holiday menu? A combination of herbivore and carnivore? As every good host knows you have to make allowances for everyone.  A good rule of thumb is asking guests what they'd like. Some may prefer  hot wings and pizza rolls along with sushi and charcuterie platters. Other may suggest something easy like a big pot of chili where everyone can just grab a cup or bowl.  If there are kids invited, make sure you have all the allergies listed as well as their dislikes and likes. Nothing says an unhappy kid than one picking at a plate of "adult " food ( think caviar on toast or some kind of smelly cheese) . Have chicken nuggets , whether real or plant based  with a variety of dipping sauces along with sliders and pigs in the blankets. Little ones and even grown ups would get a kick out of an sundae bar too.

It's time to start on those party plans. Get ready. It's a lot fo prep work but worth it in the end.

Back To School Bentos

 School lunch is on every parent's mind right now. What to give that fussy back to schooler? Should there be a treat? More protein than veggies? The opposite? Luckily there is a solution. The classic Japanese bento box - a must have for every student big or small.

Regular contributor and chef J Kenji Lopez-Alt write about this in yesterday's New York Times Food section. He is a father himself and uses the handy Bento box for his kids lunches. These are nothing new . originating during Japan's Edo period which was from 1603 to 1868.Travelers would pack rice balls into bamboo pouches carried around the waist according to Emiko Davies, author of Gohan, her upcoming book on Japanese cooking.In recent years Tupperware was used when transporting rice balls to picnics.Now there is a whole new gneration of fun and colorful Bento boxes. The food choices should be just as colorful. Namiko Chen of the blog Just One Cookbook recommneds this by pairing white rice with brown meats and red fruits. There should also be yellow eggs for more protein. The philosophy is that if its' colorful, then it's pleasing to the eye and fun to eat. Chef Lopez-Alt gives his daughter,s favorte Bento filler , a take on sanshoko-don, He gives the rice for  this three color rice bowl with chicken cooked with ginger mirin and shoyu or soy sauce. It's mixed with such healthy greens as spinach or kale. It's founded out wuth scambled eggs made with mirin, a sweet condiment that tastes like saki but without the alcohol.

What should parents put in their kids. Bentos? Chef Lopez-Alt recommneds deconstructed foods. Think homemade Luncables those easy lunches where kids can construct their own sandwiches and pizzas. Add cut pieces of carrots, avocados and cucumbers . Microwave sushi rice the night before and pack it in foil for the morning. Keep in mind that even salads and  salads can be constructed at school. Pack tuna salald  and bread separately. Pack salad ingredients separately too, with a small cup of dressing on the side. Parents should plan ahead but not that far ahead. He usually scours his fridge after doing the dishes or when the kids have gone to bed. There could be leftover meatballs or dumplings to microwave for the next day. He also gives four recomnedations. Kids could munch on rice with toppings along with having raw fruit and a cookie for dessert. A noodle Bento could include soba or udon noodles along with dumplings and a hard boiled egg. You could also go traditional with a sandwich , pickles or a treat. If they're not into that then think a pasta salad  along with fruit and cheese and a raw veggie. Include a treat like a brownie ro a cookie.

Bento boxes are kust as important as notebooks and pencils for the school year. Pack them with healthy and fun choices. The kids will definitely appreciate them and the work that went into them. 

A Culinary Road Trip For Dad

 father's Day is usually about grilling dogs and burgers on the grill. There's the occasional steak but that's it.It's time to liven up dad's special day  with some international recipes.

Red meat is always important to the man of the house. You could go the way of the English and serve him Yorkshire pudding  with roast beef. It's a simple make because the pudding is nothing more than a savory popover. It's a mix of egg flour , milk and water. You can add the roast dripping along with a pinch of English powder mustard if you want. Finish with  chocolate stout cupcakes with a Guinness  infused buttercream frosting. Of course homemade sausage rolls, sausages encased in a flaky puff pastry crust and doused with HP sauce is another British treat dad would love, especially on a lazy Sunday afternoon. A picnic French style is always a fun way to reconnect with dads. Pack not just the soccer ball and bubble wands but  some good flaky croissants  that can be slathered with Brie or layered with slices of Gruyere and ham. A charcuterie style one is a great way for fathers to sample a variety of cold cuts, cheeses and different breads. Bring along a baguette too for quick sandwiches. Include grapes and wine  - if your local parks allow it.Dessert could be a box of macarons in all sorts of tasty flavors. You could also do a German style with wursts, hard rolls and mustard. Make sure you pack homemade potato salad too.

What father doesn't love Italian food? You could easily treat dad to a sausage straight from the grill and pepper sandwich. The peppers can also be grilled for added smoky flavor and you could add some grilled onions for more taste. A meatball sub  brimming with homemade meat balls and sauce is a fun late lunch.Another idea, and in keeping with the season is pasta con vongole, or with clams.  This is spaghetti made with a very easy sauce of manila clams,garlic, olive oil and red pepper flakes.Chopped parsley is sprinkled on top for coloring.What could finish this? Affogato or drowned ice cream. This is a yummy treat of vanilla or chocolate  ice cream drowned in a shot of very hot espresso. Place the ice cream in a glass or metal dish or bowl that's been chilled. This will cool down the coffee somewhat.  Add a splash of amaretto if you want. even better, crown it with some whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate on top.A culinary turn  East and dad could have homemade customized sushi,it is a bit more labor intensive , especially when making the rice. This can be made in an Instapot with Japanese short rice being mixed with salt sugar and rice vinegar. You will also have to have the dried seaweed or nori to wrap it in. Most grocery stores do carry it.. You can fill the rolls with dad's favorite from shrimp to crab for a tasty lunch. Have sake to drink for an authentic lunch or dinner.

Treat the man in your life to culinary trip for Father's Day, it could be an English country lunch, or French or German  picnic. He could feast on Italian Japanese or any international dish for his special day.

LA A Veritable Sushi Bar

 Los Angeles is known for many things. Sunny weather. Laid back lifestyle. Now it's known for its' wide range of sushi. This is just ordinary rolls but ones that transcend artistry and taste.

Chef herself and regular contributor Tejal Rao wrote about the city's thriving sushi scene in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Not surprisingly Los Angeles has had this type of cuisine since the early 1900's. It stopped in the 1949's when Japanese Americans were bused off to internment camps. It was only until 1966 when Noritashi Kanai opened the country's first modern sushi bar, Kawafuku in the city's Little Tokyo section.It not only offered Japanese fish but tuna bellies from Boston which chefs at the time looked down on. he also offered sea urchin which only Italian immigrant ate. Not far away  the California  roll was born at Ichiro Matsura's counter . He subbed in avocado for tuna for those who wanted  a fishless bite. Osho followed in 1970,in the shadow of 20th century Fox studios. It not only attracted actors and producers but also more ambitious sushi chefs to LA. It went from immigrant status to a novelty in the 1980's along with being a culinary accessory to a certain kind of lifestyle. Now's it's everywhere. Even drugstores sell it now. There are caviar laced omakases and cream cheese buffered hand rolls coming from ghost kitchens. There are pop up and home kitchens selling the rolls.

Another interesting thing is that Los Angeles sushi is varied, unlike what's being served to the rest of the country. Most of us are eating salmon and tuna filets. A great Angeleno sushi chef will offer up a buffet if shrimp, crab, clams, abalone and scallop along with such unusual choices as mackerel and trout, There's also snapper and liver, eggs and milt, the reproductive gland of male fish. A really good sushi chef is known for his range and skill. stylish local chefs at Nobu Matsuhisa' restaurants also employ citrus juices, herbs, oils , and vegetables. Nobu Matsuhisa also fine tunes techniques that he learned in Peru for a different vibe. Other sushi chefs do the same.Morihiro Onodera who runs a restaurant of the same name hand polishes his rice every mroning in his restaurant's dining room. This is done through a small mill. He also opens his meals with a gelatinous cube, whether it's a  custardy tofu or  tomatoes set in jelly. There's also cubes of okra and salmon eggs. he torches fish so that they simmer with char and bubbles of fat.Then there's take out sushi, made luxurious by chef Yoshiyuki Inoue. These are varied and look like a box of chocolate bonbons. These are delicate pieces of various fish like squid and eel or halibut and eel on tiny perfect beds of rice.

Sushi is everywhere now. Yet it's  Los Angeles that's offers a variety of delicious  pieces skillfully made.It is a place to go to , jsut for it alone.

Are You Ready

Thanksgiving is only two days away. Are you ready to handle the year's biggest day of cooking? If not, it's time to assess what you have and also take a break.

By now you should have almost everything. The turkey should be in the freezer and on the way to defrosting tomorrow. The ingredients for the sides should all be bought too. Have you thought about the vegans and variations of that lifestyle? Have you bought the almond and soy milks and whipped creams? What about the family and guests with allergies? Keep in mind that the almond byproducts may cause trouble to those with nut allergies. Stick with soy milk and coconut milk whipped creams. Do you have the ingredients for everyone's favorite dishes?Make the green bean casserole without the fried onions on top and there may be a riot.People love and even swear by tradition. Thanksgiving Day is not the day to get arty or creative with the green beans or any beans for that matter. At best a new twist on a classic recipe may be met with a wrinkled nose and a polite "No, thank you." At worst a tantrum and someone leaving the table with their plate full of just turkey and gravy. Also make sure that you've bought the right amount of wine (although someone may bring a bottle as a gift) along with soda, juice and seltzer for kids and non-drinkers.

As for yourself, use tomorrow as a day off(or at least until it's time to bake the pies). If you have the day off from work, then treat yourself. Have lunch out, whether it's at your favorite cafe or fast food joint.  Feast on the Popeye's chicken sandwich, treat yourself to Dunkin Donut's new Beyond Meat sausage patty sandwich. Go for the mani and pedi, with a huge cup of hot or cold Dunkin's or Starbucks. Hang out at Panera's with a croissant and their signature hot chocolate. Just relax and don't think about the day until the day happens. Dinner should be easy too. It's actually the night when the most pizza is ordered throughout the US. Order the double pepperoni and sauce. Or go for sushi or burgers - whatever make you and your family happy. If you're still antsy about Thanksgiving, you could bring out all the linens and steam or iron them. Doing either is surprisingly relaxing. The spouse and kids can also help by polishing the silver and making sure the crystal sparkles. Most importantly get to bed at a reasonable hour. Sleep is your best friend , especially when you have to be bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning. End the night with a soothing mint or chamomile tea (I"m loving the Nana mint teas from Wissotzky Teas) to get you drowsy and sleepy.

Are you fully ready for the Super Bowl of cooking? If not, make yourself ready but don't  sweat it. No meal  - not even Thanksgiving itself - is worth worry and angst.

The Appetite of War

Tomorrow marks the centennial of the 1918 Armistice and the end of World War I , the war to end all wars. Unfortunately that was not the case. The 20th Century produced many more conflicts. Surprisingly or may not so surprisingly those conflicts influenced the way we cooked and ate.

World War I brought out prejudices and hatreds , buried for a while but then reborn with the US going against the Germans. German delicacies and every day foods were either shunned or renamed. Sauerkraut was renamed "liberty cabbage " while hamburgers received the new name of"liberty sausages" (whoever named the last really didn't think that one through).The idea was taken up at the turn of this century  with the French not supporting the Iraq War, It seemed those "true blue Americans" liked the idea of renaming French fries "liberty fries". It's a surprise that crepes weren't named liberty pancakes or champagne liberty sparkling wine. Luckily German Americans could go back to not only eating the foods they grew up on but also calling them by their correct names too. The Second World War also brought out biases, especially for German, Italian - and Japanese Americans, the last being sent to interment camps. Gone was their diet of traditional Japanese food and in its' stead they were fed a steady diet of spam, hotdogs and soggy potatoes. Cooks got created and made hot dog sushi along with a dish  called "Weenie Royale"made with hot dogs, eggs and rice.

The up side of war - if there is one - is what comes out of it, namely inventions. The soy sausage was one of those byproducts. German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer wanted a nutritious meat substitute to feed the German people.  His first idea was a wheat flourless bread. made from rice flour, barley and Romanian corn flour however that flew out the window when Romania entered the war. It was then onto to soy and creating something that would be filling. Chancellor Adenauer came up with the soy sausage and the rest is history. However , it didn't meet the German government specifications of what should be called sausage (there had to be meat). Funny enough he had better luck peddling it to his enemies. King George V of England granted him a patent in June 1918. Another by product of the Great War was the teabag.It was actually invented a decade earlier by an American tea merchant who used it to send out samples to his customers. Yanks quickly plunked them into their cups of hot water yet it was the Germans who ran with the idea. They copied the idea and gave the small cotton bags to every soldier.. They were  called tea bombs.

Life has to continue during a war. That means eating. There may be rationing, there may be new foods to come out of it. We all have to have sustenance, despite the circumstances.

Exotic Ad Easy - Mother's Day Meals

What do you give the woman who cooks for you all year round, including major holidays. A home cooked meal - and not a can of Spaghetti-o's heated in the microwave. Give your mom something out of the ordinary. Think easy and exotic. It'll be simple yet memorable - the perfect Mother's Day gift.

Many non chefs or novice home cooks look to ordinary for a lunch or dinner. It's usually a meat loaf or pasta with prepared sauce. Yet there are many dishes from around the world that are just as simple to execute. Think the Southern French or Provencale dish pain bagnat.It's a tuna sandwich amped up with tuna in oil (always a richer taste however if it's too much then stick with  tuna in water) There's also hard boiled eggs, anchovies and sliced bell peppers. Scallions and Dijon mustard are added for more flavor. Use a rustic bread like a hollowed out ciambatta or French bread. After constructing, soak in oil  and wrap in Saran wrap for twenty four hours. This allows all the flavors to meld into all these delicious tastes of briny and mellow, sweet and salty. If you want a cooked meal then think of Indian curried chicken. This is heating boneless breasts with onion in olive oil simmering in a large skillet.  One third of a cup of curry powder is then added and then the covered dish is cooked for forty five minutes over a medium low heat. Afterwards, remove the skillet's lid and cook for an additional fifteen minutes. Just be careful because curry burns easily. Cook up some basmati rice for real authenticity or serve with warmed naan bread.

Mexican food is always fun and super easy to whip up. Forget the tacos, unless they're mom's favorite. Think fajitas with either chicken, flank steak,or grilled shrimp. Of course its' the  chili powder and cumin mix gives it zing but it's also the addition of sliced bell peppers and onions that highlight this recipe too For vegan mothers, you can sub in any kind of mushroom from button to portobello. Make sure the lady of the day also gets a margarita Try a frozen watermelon one, made with Cointreu and tequila along with two and a half cups of cubed watermelon and one and a half cups of crushed ice.If mom likes sushi, surprise her with home made tuna or California rolls. It is a bit labor intensive ,but that's mostly comes from preparing the rice. Start with the glutenous white sort and rinse in a colander or sieve until the water pouring through is clear. It's then boiling it for twenty minutes.At the same time combine rice wine vinegar, sugar , vegetable oil and salt in a saucepan. Cook until the sugar dissolved and then stir into the rice  to create  that tangy layer. If you're unsure about using raw fish, then use cubed avocado and matchstick cut carrots,cucumbers ,green bell peppers and zucchini. Serve with a sake for a nice touch. Instead of sushi you can sub in the tasty , fried tempura. The batter is feather light, consisting of only egg whites, flour and water, beaten almost like a meringue . All sorts of meats and vegetables can be dipped in and then fried in vegetable. oil.

Treat mom to a easy and exotic  meal for her special day, Don't go for the ordinary. Travel the culinary globe for the right recipe that's fun and different.

Buffet Bonanza

In the last twenty years a phenomenon  has happened with American dining - the birth of the all you can eat buffet. These are all over the US right now, competing with fast food and slow food. Are they all that they promised? Yes and even more.

It seems that every town now has some kind of buffet. They used to be few and far between.I remember going to one twenty years ago for a bridal shower. It was amazing to see , with the variety of meats and sides.I had only ever experienced this in Atlantic City , where there was an all you can eat buffet in every hotel/casino. This probably was taken from Las Vegas where the concept is used to keep gamblers in the casino.Now it's one of the top industries for Chinese immigrants.providing employment for many young Asians..The buffets are taking over from the concept if a sit down restaurant where there is a set menu, usually  featuring Cantonese or sometimes Szechuan dishes or a combination of both.The buffets do offer such classic dishes as fried rice, lo mein and shrimp in lobster sauce but they also appeal to trends such as a sushi station along with other ethnic dishes such as ravioli and kielbasa.I know two local ones that also feature a weekend brunch menu that highlight bacon and sausages, along with pancakes and egg foo yung  (oh, well, they do try). Another non-Chinese idea is dessert. The Chinese usually just have fruit, namely oranges yet most buffets have a whole pastry  tray featuring Italian specialties like panna cotta and tiramisu. There are also neat little squares of vanilla, chocolate and carrot cakes as well as ice cream too. Fruit is there , thankfully, as a respite from all those calories..

Are these buffets good for a country known for overeating and obesity? Actually yes. Unlike most restaurants and fast food joints , people have more healthy choices. Any diner can make a plate of lean meats and veggies with melon or strawberries for dessert. It's just staying away from the sauced dishes and fried foods like chicken, cod, French fries and onion rings. Throw in a good portion of  plain white rice to fill up, This will fill you so you don't go back for seconds , thirds or even fourths. Another smart idea is portion control. Yes , you can have those fish sticks, just don;t pile your plate with them as some careless diners are wont to do. The same for those "fun" sides like crab filled mushrooms, and fried plantains. The idea also applies to dessert too. As tasty as your buffet's chocolate cake is, don't go hog wild and get three pieces. Share it table side.All buffets also offer bottomless drinks. Again choose wisely. Buffet foods tends to be salty which brings on massive thirst. Before you know it you;ve finished off your first glass and want more. Soda and sweet tea is loaded with sugar and calories. Stick with lemon water and unsweetened ice tea.Some buffets do offer club soda  and this is a great choice of having a fizzy drink without all the guilt.

Buffets are now a fixture in America. They're not going away any time soon People love them too much . After all, they are fun to visit and to indulge those foodie passions and crushes.

Don't Cook That - Eat it Raw

Why cook when you can eat your food raw? That's the philosophy of some chefs especially those who don't want to heat up a kitchen duyring these sweltering days. Surprsingly enough you can  eat  just about anything without it having been near a stove. There are all sorts of dishes that benefit with just being eaten fresh - in fact there's more flavor to them

Sushi is one of the most famous raw dishes in the world. Eating this Japanese staple is now a worldwide occurrence with more people putting aside their fears of downing uncooked seafood.They love the taste and the slippery cold feeling of raw, just sliced  tuna and eel.along with the brininess of  fresh seaweed wrappers. People go mad for almost every kind and practically gobble it down without much thought of any side effects. Long before sushi made it;s debut here Americans were slurping down raw oysters and clams. These have been relatively safe to eat , especially with local waters being cleaned up.. Nothing beats a bucket of clams and a few beers at any beachside bar.

What about eating other "raw foods"? Steak tartare which does elicit a certain amount of squeamishness from some although it  is perfectly all right to eat.As long as the meat is from a clean and sanitized butcher as well as being pre ordered it's fine.It has to to come from the cow's sirloin, tenderloin and T-bone areas. It's them mixed with a raw egg- again perfectly OK and seasoned with fresh chopped onion and spices. Carpaccio, is  a cousin to steak tartare and is now popular in many Italian restuarants across the world. It is sliced raw beef dressed with a creamy olive oil viniagrette and made at Venice's famed Harry's Bar by none other than its equally famed owner Giuseppe Cipriani.

This summer ditch the stove and have any of these raw dishes. They're  fine  and maybe even a little bit rebellious to eat a dish without being cooked. Just think of it as a new,cooler  way to eat during a heat wave