A Hot Spicy August

 The temps are going up this month. Why no turn up the heat on your summer cooking too? add some zesty spices to everything from barbecue to salads to even desserts.It''sa fun way to liven up sometimes bland sometimes boring griller fare.

Za'atar is a Middle Eastern must have.I'ts wonderful mixed with olive oil and drizzled on warm pita no matter what time of year.Yet you can easily put on it on chicken.First make a marinade with two tablespoons of the spice mix and three tablespoons of olive oil Make sure every part  of the chicken is coated for full flavor and then grill. It can also be used for steak too.Rub it on like a dry rub and then sear immediately on a hot grill.This would be good with pita to sop of the juices.Another use for it would b e in a tangy Middle Eastern salad dressing. Take a teaspoon of the mix and then blend it with a third of a cup of fresh lemon juice, and a third of a cup of olive oil. Fresh garlic or garlic powder can b e added. Vigorously whisk everything together. It can be served on fresh greens but also goes well on chilled broccoli, string beans or tomatoes.Keep in mind that this is great on grilled veggies too.Marinated all sorts soft veggie sin this and toss on a hot grill,Za atar is easy to make or you can buy a jar of it.

Berbere spice is another way to add heat and flavor to summer foods. What is berbere spice.Its the main flavoring in dishes from Ethiopia and Eritrea .It features chili peppers fenugreek and warm spice s like cinnamon , cloves all spice and nutmeg.It's a perfect flavor booster for both chicken and beef. For chicken add two tablespoons of the blend and a tablespoon of olive oil.A half teaspoon of black pepper can also be added for more fire. To make the meat incredibly moist add a tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt or lemon juice.Pat the chicken dry and then add the marinade.Let it sit on the meat for anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes.Grill for thirty-five to forty-five minutes until the meat is thoroughly cook.Steaks can also benefit from berbere spice. Mix with three tablespoons of olive oil o r ghee and rub on the meat. Ancho chilis are also perfect mixed with olive oil and rubbed on such griller favorites like pork,chicken and beef.Use it in desserts .Add ground chili powder t o a blend of chocolate and heavy cream.This fiery ganache is perfect on strawberries.Serve it on pound cake or on vanilla ice cream for a sweet heat ending to your summer dinner.

Turn the heat up in your cooking this August. Add any of these zingy spice mixes to your barbecue or desserts.It a great way to zest up he average barbecue.

Fatteh A Savory Reuse Of Pits

 What do you do with leftover bread? You could go sweet and turn it into a lush bread pudding with caramel sauce . Or you could go savory  and turn it into a tasty baked and puffy dinner. Or for the more adventurous  try a chickpea and herb fatteh. This hot and exotic dish is perfect for using up leftover pita bread.

Famed chef and bread lover Yottem Ottolenghi created this tasty recipe for yesterday's New York Times Food section. It's a popular dish throughout the Mideast but it's hard to define, according to Chef Ottolenghi. It is a layering dish using stale plain or whole wheat pita. There are vegetarian versions like his while others contain lamb. Some versions may have tahini and yogurt. One, fattet djaj, has bread, shredded chicken, whole chicken a, layer of yogurt and then topped off with a layer of pine nuts. In Gaza, a think flatbread called saj or makouk dipped in stock which is often loaded with garlic , chilies, and lemon, Freshly cooked rice and toasted nuts top it. It's then finished off with cook chicken or other meats.However ingredients just aren't limited to those. You can add eggplant or tomatoes , broad beans to different pulses like lentils and green peas.

Chef Ottolenghi's fatteh has chickpeas along with the zingy za'atar along with various greens such as chives, parsley and fresh cilantro. Flavoring also comes from garlic and toasted cumin seeds. It's a bit labor intensive with the chickpeas being soaked with baking soda in cold water overnight.Afterwards they're drained and cooked in water with more baking soda. They're then cooked for twenty minutes after which Kosher salt is added. While the chickpeas are cooking, the pita is tossed with olive oil and the za'atar and pepper.This is laid out on a parchment lined baking sheet until golden and crisp. At this point there tahini to be made which is easy and also the chili oil - another easy make. After puree 2/3 chickpeas with lemon and herbs, garlic and cumin. Sieve into a bowl. Add the remaining  chickpeas and then layer everything, from the tahini to the chili oil. It can be served with extra pita and toasted pita on the side. You could add shredded rotisserie chicken to make it heartier.

Fatteh is a great way of using up any leftover pita. It's also a tasty way of cooking chickpeas with za'atar and tahini, Try it for a different spin on bread pudding.

Be Brave This Year

There's one resolution that home chefs should make this year - be brave.Jump into new recipes.Try new taters.Buy new ingredients.

One idea is buy a new gadget (or ask for one).I love my new air fryer.

It was something I actually didn't expect but now having it has given me a ton of possibilities.It also gets me to work with panko breadcrumbs  which I've done with only or two recipes.Cooking breaded cauliflower may not seem adventurous to some but this good for you veggie has never been on my culinary  top ten list.NowI'm going to be dunking it in crumbs and blasting it with hot air.

If you have your eye on other kitchen gadgets like this, get them.I thought I would only use my immersion blender for soups, but it works well with creating salad dressings and dips.As for new ingredients,I was not one for poppyseed but baking them into cakes brought the sweet's taste to a whole new level.I'd love to try a poppyseed butter cream frosting.Roast garlic is another experiment I want to try.It's versatile that it can be  whole into a side or blended with olive oil and think for a creamy sauce for chicken.Another spice I'm going to get daring with is sumac..This is one of the ingredients in Za'atar but it can be used for flavoring chicken, steak and various salads..

It's 2019.Be bold  and adventurous with your cooking.Go where you wouldn't go before!

New Year New Foods

One of the best New Year's resolutions you can make is to expand your palate.This is the first step to inclusion and breaking down the walls of prejudice.Let's face it any new dish tried is a fun way to find a new favorite.

One trend that will be popular this year is Middle Eastern.Try some of the amazing dishes of this cuisine.Yes, there are juicy and spiced kebobs and creamy hummus, but there's also Za'atar and  baba ghanouj . I can' t say enough good things about Za'atar.It's fantastic with toasted pita and highlights chicken and tomatoes.Baba ghanouj is a tasty ,zingy  dip that takes the simple eggplant  to new heights.Thanks to trying these centuries old recipes, my culinary atlas has grown.I'm excited to try Russian cuisine along with rediscovering Indian and Greek.Even local cuisines should be on anyone's radar.Philadelphia is also my dance card and that is a city with a big platter of different cuisines to buy.
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Another way to expand your culinary atlas is to take cooking classes.There are many good ones out there. Some community colleges offer them and bring in local chefs to teach.Definitely take advantage of these.Another venue is night school.Many towns offer such diverse  courses as Thai and West African.You not only learn to cook the different dishes but some will have field trips to markets to show where to buy ingredients.Specialized markets are another way to further your knowledge.Take a walk down the many aisles.Taste the samples given and ask tons of questions.If it's all overwhelming, then buy some snacks or cookies and jump from there.Many chain grocery stores have a wide variety of multiethnic foods.Try some of the imported foods and spices there.Incorporate them in your Everest cooking.

A brand new years means brand new flavors.Expand your palate to include them.You'll be glad you did!

The Vegan Stew Dilemma

One of the highlights of any stew is the chunks of meat bobbing in it. They give it flavor and chewiness, along with much needed oomph. What happens when its' eliminated from the equation? There in lies the problem.

That is my dilemma, I 'm a meat eater in a vegan household.There was a recipe in Wednesday's New York Times Food section by regular Melissa Clark, It was a beef and onion stew , fortified with beer. It 's based on the Flemish carbonnade. It sounds wonderful and I can imagine the marriage of earthy beef with sweet onion,.Unfortunately the neat has to be erased from the picture. Do I make it anyway with just more onions? That would be eight onions!! It would turn into a side dish at that point  do I sub in firm tofu at that point?Or add faux beef crumbles to it. That works with Bolognese sauce and chili a stew itself,.The last is the kind that lets all the ingredients shine.A spoonful of it  and you have equal flavors of the protein, tomatoes and chiles. Yet one that solely or partially relies on the meat for taste is at a loss when the lesser stars such as carrots and potatoes have to carry the dish. Probably the best bet is getting the vegan beef chunks from Vegetarian Plus which is sold at Whole Foods. Theylook like lumpy meat balls. Hopefully the taste will compensate for that along with their ability to blend in.

Another idea is to look at vegan stew recipes that focus on the vegetables.Potatoes are pretty hearty and they could be considered the "meat" if there is none. One recipe that I could try is vegan Hungarian paprika stew.It's an intriguing blend of two kinds of paprika, sweet and smoked along with onions, bell peppers and tomatoes. A blob of yogurt tops it off , giving the fiery dish a refreshing dash of cool.Another potato based stew has leeks along with carrots,bell peppers and nutritional yeast.Cauliflower, cannellini beans  and kale can also be added to give it more body.Flax and chia seeds can also be added for more nutritional value. Chickpeas, the bean of the moment ,can also be the star of vegetarian stews. What I love about them is that they're so meaty and versatile. In a way they're like meat, flavoring the stew and acting as the backbone. Go exotic with a Lebanese style one, rich with za'atar and cumin. Tomato paste also are added for color and zing.It also has garlic but theis can be omitted if you want.

Yes, it would be nice to have an old fashioned beef or chicken stew.sadly, that;s a no go in my house. Luckily veggies and beans are great stand ins. They can give a rich, tasty stew, perfect on a cold day,

Eating Your Feelings

This time of year brings a cornucopia of feelings. We're either stressed out from shopping, tired from all those parties or even "Hangry" at ourselves for indulging in too many holiday goodies. Luckily there's a new book that helps us eat ( yes, eat!) through our feelings. This new diet will help us and our bodies feel better.

The food and inspirational blogger Lindsey Smith has written, this funny and insightful book, Eat Your Feelings : The Food Mood Girl's Guide to Transforming Your Emotional Eating with recipes (Wednesday Books 2017).It's definitely the must have and must give gift for anyone that has issues with diets and moods. Ms. Smith is one of us, She eats junky food, she scrimps to save calories, the book could have been written by anyone, from millennial to baby boomer. The first half of the book offers explanations of why we eat what we eat. It even includes ancestry as one of the reasons for our tastes in food - not surprising  because genetics affects every other part of our lives. What I love about this book is how she parses out what makes us eat, how hormones and moods influence our meal and snack choices. Cravings are also spelled out  and it helps that she explains why they happen as well as the recipes that will help ease them.A big plus in the book is how not to rely on the scale but on our jeans.If they're too tight, then diet.Another bonus is how to create your food mood for the day. This includes making your bed right away along with planning the night before and setting your intentions.Comncerned foodies will also like the food additive descriptions and how they can mess up lives and diets.

Yes, this is a recipe book, but it also has explanations of every fruit, vegetable, nut, and grain. It's an excellent guide to bring to the supermarket. It's a great way to plan out meals and snacks. Another plus is the basic cooking guide that even the most novel of novice chefs can follow.  She also has a flavoring guides for the most popular cuisines, right now, from Italian , Chinese and Thai to Greek, Indian and African.The recipes themselves are grouped according to what they can do. If you're feeling sad then make peanut butter chip banana ice cream or dark chocolate sea salt brownies (that would cheer up anyone) There is also spinach lasagna soup to lift spirits too, Feeling exhausted and tired this holiday season? Then whip up a happy quinoa bowl full of mood boosting grains, cinnamon and blueberries or fun mini quiches made with an almond meal-Parmesan cheese flour. Boredom can be relieved with a quick nut butter fudge or a falafel burger with za'atar fries. This is the time of year when many feel stressed or anxious.Make  cookie dough contraband  complete with chocolate chips or a warm soothing bowl of comforting coconut curry to combat those feelings. Hanger pains get soothed with chunky monkey banana bites or the more filling roasted cauliflower mash,

Lindsey Smith had come up with the perfect recipe book.Eat Your Feelings is a great way to eat healthy and to train yourself not to always rely on food. It is fun and insightful - the perfect book for those who want to improve their lives and moods.

Healing Meals

One of the most saddest and maddening events of the summer was the Charlottesville march .It was a ridiculous and grossly archaic show of prejudice. We need to come together and the best way is by food. It unites us more than anything. A meal that heals is the best kind possible bandaid. We overlook our differences as we come together to  sample our society's different foods and flavors.

If a mayor, principal, or college president is looking for a way to unite , then look no further than a community table. Hosting dinners, lunches and/or end of season barbecues is a great way of getting people of all backgrounds together. It starts with research and organization. Create a multicultural committee where all voices are heard and dietary issues are discussed. Another good idea is getting religious leaders involved. They may want to host it at their church, synagogue, or mosque to reinforce community.If not, then think about campus halls, cafeterias or even gyms. There can even be entertainment by different ethnic groups so that others can be exposed to customs and languages. If it's outdoors (and towns should consider their local parks for a community gathering) then have games and competitions for the kids to come together and enjoy.The community get together can also be done on a smaller basis. Try block parties , using the same principles  of a varied committee to oversee food and entertainment.

What is great about a community gathering is the introduction to all sorts of foods, especially if its'a pot luck. People get to try such diverse dishes as kim chi and satays, while enjoying such classics as hot dogs and cole slaw. Those who usually stick to all American fare will enjoy a change of pace with curries and paellas. It's a wonderful introduction for the more adventurous home chefs to experiment with different flavors such as za'atar , sriracha, or garam  masala.Keep in mind that there will be restrictions. Mormons are not allowed to imbibe in any spirits and this also  includes coffee and caffeinated tea. Jews and Muslims may  also have restrictions depending on how religious they are. Be aware of these and do not offend.Also some may be vegan so have veggie dishes on the ready too. Alcohol may seem a good idea however too such may create the opposite of the dinner's intention. Someone may get drunk and mouth off about one group - something no one wants to see happen. End with favors to take home - (Oriental Trading Company has some neat ones that would go at any multicultural gathering).Another idea is to create a cookbook with a variety of dishes to take home.

We are a country sadly coming apart. We need to be united again and that can come with a good meal and good conversation. Let food heal us.

Your Spring Planning Guide

Spring is a time of holiday and party planning, thanks to Easter and Passover.It's also shower season  and graduation party season too. All of these bring a certain amount of panic. However, don't worry. Start plotting and planning  - and it'll be smooth sailing through this busy season.

Easter and Passover require thought. Even though they're a couple of weeks away it's time to begin to write all sorts of lists The most important is the guest list. Who's coming - who's coming for both dinner and dessert and who's just stopping by for dessert.Another important list is an allergy and likes and dislikes. list.. There's also the question of the ham. Do  you want a dry or wet one? Do you want to just serve it as the solo main dish or have an accompanying leg of lamb? What about the vegans in you life? What will they eat? As for sides, do you want Spring fresh asparagus or go for more heartier fare such as homemade potato salad and baked beans? Passover also brings about several dilemmas for the home chef  Will a brisket be satisfying or lamb? would a leg of lamb be more satisfying than lamb chops?.Should the seder table be based on family traditions or jazzed up with a more trendy Mediterranean one that features za'atar and harissa? Also, should the desserts for both be a  buffet of different sweet treats or just one type of dessert. Another question, should the dinners be held outdoors if the weather is warm and sunny?

Showers and college grad parties will also crop up like Spring flowers.Many weddings take place in June and July so April and May are prime shower months. There may also be proposed baby showers too. Again the hosts not only have to start compiling lists but possible seating arrangements too. The last thing any party giver and celebrant need is a battle erupting. Another question is indoors or outdoors? If the house is too small, then consider a backyard venue which means start looking into tent, chair and table rentals. Now comes the next question is buffet or pot luck better? To be honest , people (and you do have to have to invite the opposite sex) are too busy gossiping and playing catch up to eat. Think about serving nibbles such as spinach pies or mini pizzas along with cheese puffs and small skewers of  cheese and veggies. Desserts can follow in the same vain with mini cupcakes and petit fours  iced with frosting that reflects the wedding's color scheme. Graduation parties also require planning too. Keep in mind that you may be housing  former dorm mates and roomies Respect their likes and dislikes along with allergies and culinary bent. If they can contribute great - they may even have some interesting contributions to the buffet.

Spring is hear and with it a varieties of holiday dinners and parties to plan.  Don't panic, Careful planning will help you get through this hectic season with ease.

Tricks, Treats Or Favors

One of the best aspects of any party are the favors. Since Halloween is all about treats then make the favors at your costume party savory and sweet fun. These can be eaten as games are being played or later on as a nice snack at home.

Many party givers lean towards the sweet but savory favors are also a fun gift. Think flavored popcorn. in festive All Hallow's bags.Making the different flavors is easy to do.Start off with about twelve to sixteen cups of plain air-popped corn. For a zingy lemon -brown butter  heat six tablespoons of butter in a skillet until browned.It usually takes about seven minutes. Afterward, stir in one and a half teaspoons of lemon zest and toss. It can also just be a plain buttered, perfect for watching those scary movies. Give your popped corn a Mediterranean twist with the addition of za'atar, that spicy mix of sumac ,dried thyme, and sesame seeds . Or try it Cajun style with  cayenne pepper, oregano, black and red pepper. Another fun party bag treat is the classic  Chex mix. Again this is an easy make. It's a mix of all Chex cereals, rice , corn, and wheat tossed with mixed nuts and bite-sized pretzels, whether sticks or nuggets. Garlic and onion powder along with Worcester sauce is added for flavor. You can vary the recipe or tailor it to suit your guests' tastes with dashes of dried herbs , spices or even freshly ground pepper. The recipe may have to be altered a bit to suit those with wheat and nut allergies. Sunflower or pumpkin seeds can be subbed in. The last would be keeping with te holiday.

A bag full of sweet treats is always nice. Both big and little party guests love a favor bag of goodies.One of the most fun and festive is Halloween bark This can be made with white,tinted, dark or milk chocolate as the base. Candy corn, whether the traditional or new salted chocolate from Brach's is a definite add in.Popcorn is another . Many recipes call for caramel but just plain popcorn would  be better to prevent the bark from becoming too sweet.Some party givers add Oreos but plain chocolate wafers give the chocolate burst without all that sugary creme For some fun toss in a dash of cayenne pepper, however, be sparing with it..For the orange chocolate add the tiniest bit of orange juice for some citrusy bite. Cranberries are another fun and colorful add in.Give a homemade bark a burst of saltiness by throwing in some crushed pretzels. Break the finished candy into small pieces that fit easily into a goodie bag. Dipped Oreos are another fun  nosh . Coat them in white chocolate and then , using a toothpick, draw faces on them with melted dark or milk chocolate or edible ink. This last can be bought online or at craft shops such as Michael's. Oreos can also be dipped in orange chocolate and decorated like jack o lanterns. Encase them up in black or orange saran wrap and then tie with a black or orange bow.

Halloween party favors can be savory or sweet. They're fun mementos to be enjoyed at the party or afterwards. They definitely more treat than trick!

The Spice Of Your Life

Spices are what make a kitchen interesting and meals delicious. They can be as simple as just dried oregano or as complex as za'atar. Whatever they are, they are fun to use and can jazz up any recipe. They can  add zest and excitement, making meal time unique and different from the everyday..

Surprisingly enough spices can also cause fear in many home chefs.They feel that using just a pinch of any one can be too much. The result is a bland dish that usually makes family and guests reach for the salt and pepper shakers. If any home chefs have qualms don't. Start off with the less "scary" ones. such as garlic or onion powder. The first is great for subbing in chopped or minced garlic. A small pinch can do a lot for home made tomato sauces and to liven up cream cheese. Onion powder can be used for the real thing. It gives some sweetness to guacamole along with some chilis and sauces. Oregano and rosemary are the backbones of Italian cooking. They give sauces, from pizza to pasta ones body and complex layers. They also work well as dry rubs for chicken, steaks and fish.Cinnamon, so often used for desserts and cappuccinos, can also be used for savory dishes too. Try it in a lamb tagine or sprinkled on roasted butternut squash.It can also be used in a classic Bolognese sauce for depth.Nutmeg and mace, closely related spices, are great in fall dishes such as squash soups and Indian inspired shrimp kabobs.

Once home chefs have mastered cooking with simple spices they can move onto more complex blends. One blend was highlighted in Wednesday's New York Times' A City Kitchen column, David Tanis used Lebanese spices, a mix called baharat, the Arab word for spice. This is a seven spice blend consisting of one tablespoon each of black pepper,allspice, coriander,cumin, cloves,  cinnamon and grated nutmeg.Mr. Tanis rubs it on both sides of a butterflied leg of lamb.They are massaged along with olive oil into the meat. The spice offers a warm sweetness that also works in tabbouleh and grilled kofta,lamb meatballs.Zing up chicken kebobs with it too. Once baharat is mastered it's time to move on to za'atar. The Israeli spice combo is a hot trend right now and pretty easy to make. It is fresh oregano mixed with cumin and sesame seeds. Fresh ground pepper and Kosher salt is used along with sumac. Some may freak out at the last. but this is the non poisonous kind found primarily in the Middle East.It can be bought at some grocery stores , online at spice sellers or on Amazon.One of the best ways to enjoy it is with bagels.,the true Israeli kind that are more ropy than plump.It's also good rubbed on chicken before roasting or even chicken and lamb kabobs.

Spices are not only the variety of life but also the extra oomph dishes need. They can be as simple as just a pinch of oregano or as complex as a teaspoon of baharat or za'atar. Add them to any recipe for some zest and zing!

A Barbecue With Sauce

It's the start of the barbecue season and that means the usual fare - burgers- dogs  and salads. The problem is that they can be boring. It's time to liven up the Q and change up those traditional recipes. Replace the ho-hum with something exciting.

Hamburgers are standard grill fare. Most home chefs usually buy the premade patties then slap them on the grill to cook up. Instead a more interesting option is buying ground beef and adding to it. Try the classic hamburger recipe that mixes ground chuck with beaten egg, breadcrumbs and Worcester sauce. This not only makes for a more flavorful bite  but a thicker burger. Bacon  makes anything taste better so think about creating a burger with a bacon center (get the already cooked bacon for this or make your own). It's the same with cheese. You can make cheddar burgers with the surprise of the sharp Vermont kind or pizza burgers with a mozzarella center. Serve the last with tomato sauce. Jalapeno burgers are always a crowd pleaser too. Add four chopped and seeded peppers to a pound of ground meat. Homemade burgers usually made with chickpeas can get an exotic spicing up with everything from cumin to turmeric. Hot dogs are a little more difficult to change up yet they can be amped up with cheese or any kind of filling. Before cooking ,slit the hot dogs lengthwise so they'll cook up with a gash. Fill the gash with melted cheddar or better yet pulled pork.Vegetarians can have their soy dogs filled with ratatouille or a hot onion chutney.

One of the most predictable barbecue dishes is salad, namely macaroni. It's usually the elbow kind mixed with Hellman's, Sometimes celery is added for color but that's it. Try tricolore rotelli instead of the traditional.and for a healthier spin olive oil instead of the mayo. Sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts round it out. For a real eye opener make a spaghetti salad.It will create both memories and smiles. Add some chopped salami and ham, along with peppers and tomatoes in an Italian dressing to a bowl of cold pasta. Make a veggie salad fun by using a spiralizer. These are great gadgets that turn veggies into long strands or "noodles". Think of making a cucumber noodle salad with sour cream and fresh dill. Sub in Greek yogurt for a healthier dish. Chickpeas and their liquid can have double use at a cookout. Use the first along with parsley and chopped onions in a Mediterranean style salad with za'atar dressing. Za'atar is a mix of sumac , oregano, marjoram along with toasted sesame seeds and thyme. Sea salt rounds this easy to make spice. The accompanying liquid has the same composition as egg whites and can be transformed into a vegan mayonnaise, along with adding lemon juice, Worcester sauce, dry mustard and a pinch of sugar. This can also be used as a condiment too.

Don;t have a boring barbecue. Liven it up with unique homemade burgers and fancily filled dogs along with some wild salads. It'll be not only tasty but fun - exactly what a cook out should be.

The Year In Review Foodwise

What did the year soon to be past contribute food wise? What were the new tastes and treats that stunned us for the last twelve months?What did we like  and what did we go "Ewwwww" over?

Food wise we had a Mid East summit. Za'atar and harissa seemed to be the stars of 2015. Everyone went crazy over the first, a mix of different spices such as sumac (not the poisonous kind)thyme, marjoram and oregano. Toasted sesame seeds is added for crunch as is seas salt. It is then mixed in with olive oil and served with another 2015 fad, the had rolled bagel. This is not the big New York puffy kind that kind of looks like a butt (sorry , but it does) A real Israeli bagel looks like a big circular pretzel.It is torn into bits and then the ends are dipped in the za'atar and oil.The bled can also be used in cooking veggies along with being sprinkled on salads and scrambled eggs. North Africa gave us harissa. a spicy paste that goes well with veggies or lamb. This is soaked red chili peppers mixed with olive oil, garlic and salt. A trio of spices, cumin, coriander and ground caraway seeds round it out and temper the heat.


Artesanal foodstuffs went amok. Hipsters throughout Brooklyn started their own food companies, from pickles to bacon. Entrepreneurs who have Smith Brothers beards  are churning out handmade goodies in old Brooklyn factories that were probably churning out the same products 160 years ago. Flea markets  were the battleground for these food makers as they vied to get hip foodies attentions and taste buds.Despite at how annoying it is, the movement is actually a good thing. Artesenal baby foods led to some of top manufacturers like Gerber and Beechnut to create preservative free ones along with ones featuring more avocados and squash. The homemade movement has also influenced bread companies as well. Our stores sell much more whole wheat and whole grain now than they ever have done. Even companies like Stop & Shop have their own artesenal foods like crackers and cereals,

What will 2016 bring? We'll find out tomorrow .Foodie Pantry has some interesting predictions.

Cold Days, Sunny Meals

The temps are dipping. There's more night than light and the pressure of the holidays are coming  at full speed. It would be nice to escape this, take a trip to a warm happy go lucky island or exciting , exotic country. However that ' s impossible - or is it? Cooking sunny bright meals, from sunny bright places is a mini escape from  dull, chilly days.It's an exciting way to enjoy winter cooking.

One sunny bright place that has so many tasty recipes is Morocco. This corner of northwestern Africa has some yummy dishes that are easy to make. Cooking Moroccan may also be the perfect time to add a tajine pot to your kitchen arsenal. Everyone from Williams-Sonoma to J.C. Penney's now sell  them.  If you don't have one, no worry. A pressure cooker can sub for it. Slow cook a chicken with an array  of such spices as cumin and ginger.Saffron colors it to a blazing sun yellow  while raisins temper the spices kick. A plus is that it takes an hour which allows you to work around cooking it. A second  plus is that the recipe is bendable.You can use lamb or veggies instead of fowl.. Couscous is another dish that will bring to mind colorful bazaars and rainbow sunsets. Squash and chickpeas are added to this wheat semolina along with dried fruit and spices such as turmeric and cinnamon. For a light weekend supper try bagels with za'atar, an easy to make dip. This is a mix of sumac,thyme and roasted sesame seeds along with marjoram, oregano and coarse salt. Dip the bagel(it should be hand rolled , not those big puffy kinds) first in  a small bowl of olive oil and then the spice mix. Za'atar can also be sprinkled on eggs,, salads and veggies to zing them up.

Everyone love the Caribbean , with it's warm seas and balmy nights. To capture some of that heat , try making a few of the dishes of the area. Jamaica gives us the fiery jerk - which can be translated into a pork , chicken or chicken wing dish. You can buy jerk seasoning or better yet make it yourself. It's a blend of onion powder, chives, allspice and cinnamon. Cayenne gives it its' color and fire while nutmeg and cinnamon gives it a tinge of sweetness. It can be rubbed on the wings a few hours before.  Serve it with a tangy pineapple infused sauce. Jerk pork is another fiery dish, guaranteed to satisfy that longing for Kingston. It's taking pork loin, marinating it with a heady mix of Scotch Bonnet peppers, a mix of orange and lime juices along with  a blend of soy sauce and olive oil and then grilling it over an open flame (hopefully the grill hasn't been put away yet) Serve with a plate of hot festivals, a fried zeppoli like fritter that tempers the jerk's spiciness. Plaintains can also be served. These are a type of banana that are excellent prepared the sweet way with brown sugar and butter. Vanilla and cinnamon are also added to accentuate the taste.Plaintains can also be fried into a fun crispy chip too.

Let your kitchen take you to those exotic, sunny places. It's easy to make a tangine or jerk chicken and pretend you're in Morocco or Jamaica. Consider these exotic dishes a vacation for your palate.

Discover Israeli Cooking

Many Americans have a narrow knowledge of Israeli cooking. They think it could be halvah and tabbouleh , possibly falafel If they're a bit more sophisticated , they may know of hand rolled bagels and za'atar the mixed bag of spices used in cooking.However it's a bit more than just those . It's one of the most flavorful and varied of Mediterranean cuisines. It has ancient grains and fresh herbs along with much loved meat dishes and cool salads.

Melissa Clark explored this in her Cookbooks column in Wednesday's New York Times Food section.She reviewed and tested some of the recipes in Zahav: A World Of Israeli Cooking (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publishers),written by restaurant owner, Michael Solomonov and Stephen Cook. Both are co-owners in the wildly popular Philadelphia restaurant Zahav.It's much more than just a cookbook,veering into memoir territory. Not many cookbooks have an account of a brother's death by a Lebanese sniper or his feelings about being shipped off to a boarding school. The recipes are perfect for any novice home chef . They are direct, simple and immediate. There is a recipe on the gaining in popularity za'atar, a mix of common and exotic spices and harissa, the fiery red pepper paste from North Africa.Of course there are several recipes dedicated to tabbouleh along with hummus which figures huge in the Israeli diet as it does throughout the Middle Eastern world.The main star, though, is the sesame paste tahini. It's used in so many dishes, from savory to sweet being the backbone of both main courses , sides and desserts.There is a caveat to the book though, Ms. Clark warns, some of the ingredients may be hard to find in an American supermarket. A trip to Amazon.com can solve that.

Ms. Clark includes two recipes in her review. One is a pastel, an Israeli meat pie, similar to the Greek pastitsio.It has spiced ground beef along with carrots and onions along with parsley , dill and sesame seeds. However , instead of using pasta or lasagna as layers as the Italians and Greeks do, puff pastry is used, creating a take on a Cornish pasty,She also includes a simple recipe for halvah that requires - what else - tahini.It's as easy to make as simple fudge and a great end to any of the meals in the book. For those who love hummus , there is a snippet of advice as well. Chef Solomonov recommends using overcooked chickpeas for it. They create a dip with an almost buttercream consistency where it  silkily melts on the tongue. His hummus is the star of the restaurant, with all the flavors, including lemon and garlic  being equally balanced in a perfect blend.Any of these recipes could work well at a fall dinner party, especially the pastel served with a good red wine. The halvah would be nice to make as a dinner party or holiday gift.

Israeli cooking is so much more than just hummus and tabbouleh .It is a wide variety of meats and vegetables cooked fresh with exotic spices.Chef Solomonov knows this and displays it in both his restaurant and cookbook, Zahav,A World Of Israeli Cooking.

Lebanese Cooking Redefined

Most people think Lebanese cuisine consists of hummus smeared on pita. There may be some lamb involved but that's it. However the cooking is much more than that, with complex savory and sweet dishes. Spices abound, it's the backbone of the cuisine. It's both sophisticated and earthy , much like the country itself.

It was the topic of Melissa Clark's Cookbook column in today's New York Times Food section. She tried out different recipes from author Maureen Abood's Rosewater And Orange Blossoms (Running Press 2015).The book is taken from her blog of the same name. Ms. Abood is Lebanese - American, having grown up in Michigan, surrounded by a tightknit immigrant family who never forgot their homeland. Hers was a childhood filled with flatbread with za'atar,the mix  of dried herbs with sumac and salt along with roasted eggplant. She learned how to create multicourse feasts from her mother, grandmother and aunts.She has stated that Lebanese food is "extremely refined and very aromatic" Savory dishes will call for both cinnamon and parsley\,Herbs coexist with spices in an assortment of dishes  It's both healthy and rich, with salads existing next to fragrant lamb , beef and chicken Her cookbook reflects this , mixing traditional Lebanese recipes with fresh , modern twists..Ms. Abood has a culinary pedigree, having worked as a professional chef in San Francisco after graduating culinary school.

Ms Clark gives us good recipes from the book. There is eggplant with lamb , tomato and pine nuts , crunchy roasted za'atar chickpeas and greybeh, lavender and orange blossom cookies.The first is a hearty dish  good for now ,perfect for the cooler months. Imagine an eggplant Parmesan with the addition of lamb and butter toasted pine nuts.Cinnamon and garlic are also added for fragrance and flavor . To add another layer of richness,MsClark then tops the whole dish off with mozzarella. The chickpeas would make a good snack or hors d'ouevre. It's simply roasting canned chickpeas in a 400 degree oven for half an hour. They're then tossed in a mix of extra virgin olive oil, za'atar and sea salt. These can keep up to a week however they're sure to be gone in seconds. The cookies, are a form of shortbread.Orange blossom water,a staple in Lebanese cooking adds a light aromatic touch as the surprise ingredient of two teaspoons of dried lavender. There are also other dishes such as the traditional lamb kibbeh also made with tomatoes for a vegan version.

Lebanese food is much more than just hummus and pita. It is dishes rich with spices and herbs. It is layered casseroles that combine staples like eggplant, tomatoes and lamb. It is the food of good cooking and good eating,.