The American Midwest is known for some good food. There's pulled pork sandwiches, burgoo, cobbler and slicker dumplings. This last was a specialty of my great grandmother's . They rounded out many a meal and also absorbed the wonderful gravies that she was known for . They;'re easy to make and good with anything.
Slicker dumplings i, it turns out are also found in the South and Appalachia as well. They are big with chicken and turkey stews as well as with beef ones. The consistency is similar to pasta (hence the name slicker , because of their shiny appearance) . To make them, requires a good cup of chicken or turkey stock (more flavorful in my opinion) along with one beaten egg. Also add in a teaspoon and a half of baking soda to give them some airiness when cooking.The recipe sometimes calls for leavening which leaves them puffy. True slicker dumplings are flat and are more like lasagna noodles, They do puff up slightly when cooked. Slicker dumplings have a mild, breadlike taste . If you want you can add some ground pepper to them. my family recipe call for dropping them into the stew and then letting them cook up and flat to the top. until they form a "crust over the stew).
What are slicker dumplings good with? Usually a rich chicken stew, redolent with carrots, herbs and onions. You can vary it by cooking them with a beef stew and cut up pot roast (if that's the case then sub in beef stock for chicken in their initial making). They'll act as the bread, sopping up the stews juices or cushioning the meat bits. You can also store the leftovers in the fridge and reheat them for another meal (although I doubt that. Usually slicker dumplings disappear in one meal).
Slicker dumplings are a wonderul side of true American cooking. They add texture and flavor to any beef, chicken or turkey stew. Try them tonight for some down home cooking and flavor.!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Nothing BetterThan Entenmann's
A big summer treat for any American kid was a glass of cold milk and Entenmanns' fudge donuts . There was nothing like the taste of a moist vanilla cake drenched in a candy coating of dark, rich chocolate. Then there's their butter cake that can send some people into rapture. Actually any Entenmann's product is good , considering it's factory made and mass produced. Every product tastes like it's just fresh baked and right out of your oven.
Entenmenn's was started in 1898 by William Entenmenn from Stuttgart,Germany. He took his father's bread recipes and started his own bakery in Brooklyn,, New York. It was later moved to bay Shore, Long island when his son suffered rheumatic fever and the family had to get out of the crowded city to the healthier Long Island countryside By the Twenties and Thirties the bakery had become a standard with even the Vanderbilts and the Morgan.s It was in the 1950s that home delivery gave way to supplying grocery stores. By the Sixties Entenmanns had its' own plant on five acres of bay Shore real estate.
Everyone has heard or eaten Entenmanns .They have a wealth of products form their many kids of donuts to their rich chocolate backed holiday butter cookies. there;s also the yummy crumb cake (once a favorite of Frank Sinatra). Entenmann's also bakes loaf cakes from butter to chocolate chip to raisin. These make a great dessert with a side of ice cream or fruit and whipped cream. Then there are the crumb cakes, moist gems with buttery sweet cinnamon toppings. The company also produces a wide variety of Danishes too, filled with sweet cheese or fruit and cinnamon. For the diet conscious there's also the Lite Bites which are only 100 calories. These are great desserts for brown bag lunches.
Entenmann's is a mainstay of American life and our lives. We all have good memeoires of the products, After all there 's nothing like the memory of a cold refrigerated chocolate fudge donut on a hot summer's day.
Entenmenn's was started in 1898 by William Entenmenn from Stuttgart,Germany. He took his father's bread recipes and started his own bakery in Brooklyn,, New York. It was later moved to bay Shore, Long island when his son suffered rheumatic fever and the family had to get out of the crowded city to the healthier Long Island countryside By the Twenties and Thirties the bakery had become a standard with even the Vanderbilts and the Morgan.s It was in the 1950s that home delivery gave way to supplying grocery stores. By the Sixties Entenmanns had its' own plant on five acres of bay Shore real estate.
Everyone has heard or eaten Entenmanns .They have a wealth of products form their many kids of donuts to their rich chocolate backed holiday butter cookies. there;s also the yummy crumb cake (once a favorite of Frank Sinatra). Entenmann's also bakes loaf cakes from butter to chocolate chip to raisin. These make a great dessert with a side of ice cream or fruit and whipped cream. Then there are the crumb cakes, moist gems with buttery sweet cinnamon toppings. The company also produces a wide variety of Danishes too, filled with sweet cheese or fruit and cinnamon. For the diet conscious there's also the Lite Bites which are only 100 calories. These are great desserts for brown bag lunches.
Entenmann's is a mainstay of American life and our lives. We all have good memeoires of the products, After all there 's nothing like the memory of a cold refrigerated chocolate fudge donut on a hot summer's day.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Swedish Cooking Perfect For Long Summer Days
Sweden isn't notorious for any summertime activities. Everyone knows it primarily for skiing and phenomenal Christmas sweets However this is also one of the countries for the Midnight Sun, a time when summer days are 24 hours long. It's also known as the best place for extravagant summer outings. These usually consist of hampers filled with native dishes, popular during the warmer months.
The Swedes are big on seafood and you'll find that in any hamper. They make a smorgastarta,
which kind of resembles a big tea sandwich.I t requires a loaf of bread, cream cheese and fillings such as hard boiled egg or shrimp. You can also use egg and salmon or even liver pate and then frost with a cream cheese "icing" plain cream cheese. The construct on is similar to those chocolate wafer cakes. Another favorite is open faced sandwiches with that staple from Viking days, herring. Another one meatball are served as are potatoes for great midsummer feasts.
Sweden is also known for its' crayfish and there are even festivals celebrating it. If you're over in Stockholm, It's a great pleasure to be invited to a crayfish dinner where they're prepared with dill , sugar and salt. They're served with side dish of new boiled potatoes and shaved cucumber. There is usually buttered rye bread too to help blance the fish's taste..
Sweden is the land of the Midnight Sun and all day revelry and fun. The picnics reflect it in their easy to make dishes, perfect for a summer outing anywhere. Even in places where the sun goes down at eight PM!
The Swedes are big on seafood and you'll find that in any hamper. They make a smorgastarta,
which kind of resembles a big tea sandwich.I t requires a loaf of bread, cream cheese and fillings such as hard boiled egg or shrimp. You can also use egg and salmon or even liver pate and then frost with a cream cheese "icing" plain cream cheese. The construct on is similar to those chocolate wafer cakes. Another favorite is open faced sandwiches with that staple from Viking days, herring. Another one meatball are served as are potatoes for great midsummer feasts.
Sweden is also known for its' crayfish and there are even festivals celebrating it. If you're over in Stockholm, It's a great pleasure to be invited to a crayfish dinner where they're prepared with dill , sugar and salt. They're served with side dish of new boiled potatoes and shaved cucumber. There is usually buttered rye bread too to help blance the fish's taste..
Sweden is the land of the Midnight Sun and all day revelry and fun. The picnics reflect it in their easy to make dishes, perfect for a summer outing anywhere. Even in places where the sun goes down at eight PM!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Birthday Cakes - Our Favorite Memory
There's nothing like a birthday cake to evoke memories of good times and good tastes. Our earliest memories are the festivities to mark our coming into this world. Memories of favors or games may fade but cake ones remain strong. they kind of like what Madeleine's were to Marcel Proust.
The best ones are the homemade ones in my opinion These are the one from Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines, usually in a chocolate or devil's food. The best icing ? Homemade butter cream where the icing gets hard on the top forming a thin crust but remains buttery soft underneath.The decoration? Colored sprinkles to round it out. It's still a favorite of mine - unless you sub in the vanilla icing with fudge frosting.
Of course as we get older some of our tastes change. I've enjoyed strawberry shortcake or Grand Marnier infused sponge cake as a birthday dessert with family or at a friends. There were the birthday cannoli as well (trying putting a candle in one of those) and the birthday crostata. A fun one is the cupcake, really a mini version of the standard birthday cake bit a cake just for me and me alone.
Yes, there' s nothing like a fun birthday cake to bring back the good memories. Just the taste of mosit vanilla cake frosted delicately with homemade buttercream icing can remind one of the small joys in life. Not to mention the fun that came with it.
Happy Birthday to anyone celebrating today!!!
The best ones are the homemade ones in my opinion These are the one from Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines, usually in a chocolate or devil's food. The best icing ? Homemade butter cream where the icing gets hard on the top forming a thin crust but remains buttery soft underneath.The decoration? Colored sprinkles to round it out. It's still a favorite of mine - unless you sub in the vanilla icing with fudge frosting.
Of course as we get older some of our tastes change. I've enjoyed strawberry shortcake or Grand Marnier infused sponge cake as a birthday dessert with family or at a friends. There were the birthday cannoli as well (trying putting a candle in one of those) and the birthday crostata. A fun one is the cupcake, really a mini version of the standard birthday cake bit a cake just for me and me alone.
Yes, there' s nothing like a fun birthday cake to bring back the good memories. Just the taste of mosit vanilla cake frosted delicately with homemade buttercream icing can remind one of the small joys in life. Not to mention the fun that came with it.
Happy Birthday to anyone celebrating today!!!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Butler's The New Best Chococlate
The other day I wrote about Butler's Chocolates as one of the new things to watch on the foodie scene. It is an amazing shop, different from Godiva yet similar in some ways. It's also a great place to stop in for a coffee or an ice cream.
Butler's originated in Dublin in 1932 on small little street called Lad Lane. Marion bailey was an expert chocolate maker and began to sell her creations in the small sweet shop, Like today's recipes she used only the best Irish butter, imported chocolate and fresh fruit san d nuts. later in 1959, Seamus Sorenson bought it from her yet still kept the original headquarters in Lad Lane. over th e last fifty years it expanded its facilities moving from the original area to Pearse Street then eventually opening a factory in Clonshaugh Dublin,. They went first to New Zealand and then to , of all places, my local mall in Northern New Jersey. I'm glad they did though.
Butler's has become my new favorite candy. I love the dark bitter chocolate bars filled with praline and whole almonds as well as their "gift" chocolates, a free bonbon when you ordered coffee. It's has a smooth caramel center, and a creamy, milky chocolate exterior. I can't wait to go tonight to buy their fudge and brittle. The iced mocha lattes are the best, having the consistency of a rich chocolate milk shake. it;'s a quick pick me up when you're bargain shopping.I''m also in live with their Grand Marnier mousse cake , a perfect round or orange liqueur flavored mousse on top of a moist chocolate cake round.
Be lucky if you live in the Bergen County region of New Jersey . You;re only a stone's throw away from some of the best candy in the world. If not , then take a trip to Dublin to experience this amazing chocolates or visit their web site.
Butler's originated in Dublin in 1932 on small little street called Lad Lane. Marion bailey was an expert chocolate maker and began to sell her creations in the small sweet shop, Like today's recipes she used only the best Irish butter, imported chocolate and fresh fruit san d nuts. later in 1959, Seamus Sorenson bought it from her yet still kept the original headquarters in Lad Lane. over th e last fifty years it expanded its facilities moving from the original area to Pearse Street then eventually opening a factory in Clonshaugh Dublin,. They went first to New Zealand and then to , of all places, my local mall in Northern New Jersey. I'm glad they did though.
Butler's has become my new favorite candy. I love the dark bitter chocolate bars filled with praline and whole almonds as well as their "gift" chocolates, a free bonbon when you ordered coffee. It's has a smooth caramel center, and a creamy, milky chocolate exterior. I can't wait to go tonight to buy their fudge and brittle. The iced mocha lattes are the best, having the consistency of a rich chocolate milk shake. it;'s a quick pick me up when you're bargain shopping.I''m also in live with their Grand Marnier mousse cake , a perfect round or orange liqueur flavored mousse on top of a moist chocolate cake round.
Be lucky if you live in the Bergen County region of New Jersey . You;re only a stone's throw away from some of the best candy in the world. If not , then take a trip to Dublin to experience this amazing chocolates or visit their web site.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Gyro In the Making
Yesterday's New York Times Food section had an interesting article on the gyro, that yummy Greek mainstay. New York city is known fro them (probably selling more a day than Athens does) and it can either be a delight or a nightmare. if dome right a gyro is heaven with a melange of all different tastes and textures,
Gyro is actually where our word hero comes from. the article written by David Sagal, explains how they became a part of tho American culinary scene. It actually started with a non Greek, John Garlic (no kidding) who mass produced the gyro cone and sold them from fairs to universities, making the gyro a staple of American fast food. The meat, a combination of lamb and beef along with bread crumbs, water oregano and other seasoning was put in these cones made for easy rotisserie grilling. They had been a staple of of Greek restaurants and Greek family barbecues for decades. Now was the chance to bring it to the masses.
Sadly enough the article doesn't go into the delight of having one. A gyro is a wonderful meal, especially when it's made fresh with lamb or beef. There are the wonderful spices of oragano and marjoram in the meat iself. Add feta cheese, tomatoes and onion and top with tzatziki sauce. This last is a topping of yogurt, sliced cucumbers, garlic oil and vinegar. It moistens the meet in much the same way mayo does a sandwich.
Gyros are a fun dinner or even snack. The article doesn't say that the bestones are what you can find in authentic Greek restuarants or if you're lucky to attend one, at a true Helenic barbecue.
Gyro is actually where our word hero comes from. the article written by David Sagal, explains how they became a part of tho American culinary scene. It actually started with a non Greek, John Garlic (no kidding) who mass produced the gyro cone and sold them from fairs to universities, making the gyro a staple of American fast food. The meat, a combination of lamb and beef along with bread crumbs, water oregano and other seasoning was put in these cones made for easy rotisserie grilling. They had been a staple of of Greek restaurants and Greek family barbecues for decades. Now was the chance to bring it to the masses.
Sadly enough the article doesn't go into the delight of having one. A gyro is a wonderful meal, especially when it's made fresh with lamb or beef. There are the wonderful spices of oragano and marjoram in the meat iself. Add feta cheese, tomatoes and onion and top with tzatziki sauce. This last is a topping of yogurt, sliced cucumbers, garlic oil and vinegar. It moistens the meet in much the same way mayo does a sandwich.
Gyros are a fun dinner or even snack. The article doesn't say that the bestones are what you can find in authentic Greek restuarants or if you're lucky to attend one, at a true Helenic barbecue.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
New Stuff Plus Butler's Chocolates
There's a ton of new products and one fmalous newly arrived Irish candy store chain to write about today. I found a greatweb article yesterday about all the new food that will be coming out in Fall of 2009 and January 2010. Plus I happened on a great new candy store, coffee shop at my mall called Butlers. This is a foodie cornucopia of neat new tastes and textures.
Well, the newest foods on the markets are actually old ones with new spins. There is the pequino whic is like a watermelon for Barbie. It tastes more like a pickle and would probably be good in a salad or doused with vinaigrette aliongside burger s and kabobs. There's also a jalapeno infused relish that would be tasty along side spicy ribs next summer. That old standard cheese takes on a new spin with smoked (!yes smoked) blue cheese and a mild cheddar coated with a ground esspresso bean rind. The biggest surprise is the addition of bacon to both chocolate and pancake mixes.The meat's saltiness acts as a perfect foil for the sweet. If you think about it , combining bacon with sweet is nothing new. We've been dipping it into our maple syrup and pancakes for some tiome now.
Speaking of new and chocolate, the Irish chain Butler's has finally landed here in the States and at my local mall. I'll be writing more about it this Friday. I just stopped yesterday in for a chocolate iced latte which was phenomenal.It was like a mocha shake , all thick and creamy.They also sell phenomenal pastries and we had a mini cake with a Grand Marnier mousse on top of a moist chocolate cake round. Yummm. Another fun plus is that the store gives you an indvidual bonbon with your coffee. This was smooth and creamy too. I can't wait to go back Friday to get some other great treats
Foodies be on the lookout for all sorts of new foods to hit your local grocery shelves. Also keep an eye out for Butler's at your local malls. The new is coming so be prepared.
Well, the newest foods on the markets are actually old ones with new spins. There is the pequino whic is like a watermelon for Barbie. It tastes more like a pickle and would probably be good in a salad or doused with vinaigrette aliongside burger s and kabobs. There's also a jalapeno infused relish that would be tasty along side spicy ribs next summer. That old standard cheese takes on a new spin with smoked (!yes smoked) blue cheese and a mild cheddar coated with a ground esspresso bean rind. The biggest surprise is the addition of bacon to both chocolate and pancake mixes.The meat's saltiness acts as a perfect foil for the sweet. If you think about it , combining bacon with sweet is nothing new. We've been dipping it into our maple syrup and pancakes for some tiome now.
Speaking of new and chocolate, the Irish chain Butler's has finally landed here in the States and at my local mall. I'll be writing more about it this Friday. I just stopped yesterday in for a chocolate iced latte which was phenomenal.It was like a mocha shake , all thick and creamy.They also sell phenomenal pastries and we had a mini cake with a Grand Marnier mousse on top of a moist chocolate cake round. Yummm. Another fun plus is that the store gives you an indvidual bonbon with your coffee. This was smooth and creamy too. I can't wait to go back Friday to get some other great treats
Foodies be on the lookout for all sorts of new foods to hit your local grocery shelves. Also keep an eye out for Butler's at your local malls. The new is coming so be prepared.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
