Capers Let Them Add Zest To Your Summer Dishes

If you want to add zing to any marinade sauce or salad then think about capers. These salted buds can liven up anything from boring kabobs to a bland vinaigrette . They are wonderful , thrown into a lemon marinade or add dash to chilled veggies. Capers are the perfect ingredient for any summertime dish.

Capers are the unripened flower buds of the prickly perennial Capparis spinosa. They're indigenous to the Mediterranean region, growing on rocky coastal areas. The ancient Greeks used it in a tea to combat gas but mostly it has been a vital and much loved ingredient in Mediterranean cooking for the last millennium or so. It is big in Cypriot cooking mostly in salads (and even in potato salads there too!) The buds acquire their salty taste by being fermented in either wine, vinegar, salt, or brine. Capers from southern France are the most prized and the most expensive because of their size(the smaller the better)Most grocery stores sell the larger buds,. You can also make your own version using nasturtium seeds.

What to do with capers? They're good livening up a celery or fennel salad. Their saltiness highlights both the celery and the fennel's sweetness. Also a handful of capers can add spark to a simple grilled chicken or salmon salad. Another idea is adding a small teaspoon to a creamy lobster or shrimp and mayo mix and foregoing the salt. Capers can also be used a a pizza topping or in a garden bruschetta. There are several ways in which to enjoy them.

If you're looking for a spin on your old summer recipes, think about adding some capers to the mix. They'll punch up any salad or sauce , bringing out the other ingredients' flavors. They're a fun addition to any hot weather dish.

Purely Decadent Purely Irresistable

We all know I'm not a big lover of ice cream. It's a little too viscous for me and leaves my lactose intolerant stomach a bit queasy. HoweverI have discovered Purely Decadent - anon dairy ice cream that is perfect for me. The plus ? It has all these wonderful flavors including a sinful concoction called pomegranate chip.

Purely Decadent is made by the sweetly named Turtle Mountain out of Oregon. They make a lot of non dairy ice cream but Purely Decadent is their premium brands. They have 35 per cent less calories than regular ice cream and no cholesterol and trans fat. I have only tried Pomegranate Chip (and will not sway from this ) but the company offers up such yummy flavors as Snickerdoodle , Chunky Mint Madness, regular Chocolate Chip Mint and Dulce de Leche. I can't tear myself away from the Pomegranate Chip though. This is a tart like a raspberry sherbet like ice cream loaded with big hunks of decadent and delicious dark chocolate. It's like the best treat ever (and no Turtle Mountain isn't giving me anything to write this. I would marry PC if I had the chance - that's how good it is.)Purely Decadent also comes in coconut milk base with six flavors along with the soy variety.


The company also produces Soy Delicious which has everything from bars to sandwiches. Their fruit and fudgesicle bars look good and I would be willing to try them. There are also the So Delicious brand of mini ice cream sandwiches (my brother loves these) which are just bite sized and perfect for a small dessert or afternoon snack.

The next time you're in your store's ice cream section check out the Turtle Mountain Brands, especially the Purely Decadent pints. These are wonderful and tasty plus good for you. They're not a bad addiction.

Summer Time And the Eating Is Easy

Now that the temps are hitting the century mark here in North Jersey (and the rest of America's East Coast) no one feels like cooking or even eating. What to do? We can't exist on ice water and flavored ices. The best bet is making easy meals like salads and sandwiches. They''re not only filling but a snap to make.

I tend to go off into a Mediterranean mode when the temps hit the high nineties. I love a good Italian bread either with morta della , that melt in your mouth ham or sliced mozzarella and tomatoes. To me this is the easiest but also the most delicious and filling. All it takes is sliced bread and thena layering on meat and fillings. Another simple lunch or dinner treat is a salad. Here it's fun to vary ingredients. Get away from the regular field greens, romaine, and spinach. Instead try new greens. There's nothing like a celery and olive salad to liven up a lunch table or a fennel salad to spruce up dinner. Peas also make a neat side when they're e done cold and with a dressing.

Ifyou feel up to a dessert, then keep it simple and cool. I love the chocolate and vanilla sponge cake cups my local A&P and Stop and Shop offer. These are easy to fill with sliced berries and Cool Whip. You can also fill them with ice cream and then drizzle either chocolate or caramel sauce on them. Another hot weather treat is just chilled strawberries or blue berries. On a diet? Then try some of Skinny Cow's yummy ice cream sandwiches. I just bought their strawberry shortcake and cookies and cream ones. Another favorite is the dairy free Purely Decadent Pomegranate chip ice cream with hunks of bittersweet chocolate in it.

The temps may be boiling but that doesn't have to be your kitchen. Cool down with easy food and easy eating. Your stomach will thank you for it.

Fried Veggies Healthy or Harmful

We all knowthat veggies are good for you. We also know that fried foods are bad for you as well. What happens though when you start frying up those veggies?Are they still healthy? Are they still harmful? What's the deal with them?

We've always had fried vegetables at our table. Thanks to our Piedmontese heritage fritto misto or fried assortment (loosely translated) has been included in our summer dining. Mostly it's been squash flowers lately which is true Piedmontese cuisine. We just use a light coating of bread crumbs and then fry in margarine. This also applies for cauliflower which again is just lightly dusted with crumbs after an egg wash. The health benefits of these outweights any of the risks associated with frying.

Another method is coating veggies in batter. This is great for green tomatoes along with zucchini and peppers. I would make sure the batter is light and just barely coats the vegetable's surface. Also what you fry the veggies in is also an important factor. Butter is tasty but it's not good for you. Don't use fat because it counterbalances the veggies' health benefits. A canola or a light extra virgin olive oil is good for well as a quick fry. Another way of making the fry up healthier is cutting out the salt. Use dipping saluces such as a a fruity vinegar or a salsa for more flavor.

You can have tasty fried food with the benefit of healthy eating. Fry up some veggies today for a quick crunchy treat. They're one fo the few fried snacks that's actually good for you.

Hitting The Jackpot In Brigantine Laragosta Ristorante

Well the Atlantic City proved to be interesting, foodies. My Mom and I stopped by the Flying Cloud again and had really good food (sadly though the extreme heat made me sick and I couldn't enjoy it)The next day we were devoured by sand flies on Brigantine Beach. Cranky, hot, and chewed up, we drove around Brigantine Island looking for a decent restaurant. Low and behold we found a very very good Italian one. It was on a par with my beloved Marinella's in New York.


The name of the restaurant is Laragosta and it was started in 1984 when its' owner came from Calabrian in Southern Italy. They actually had a branch up by me in nearby Ridgewood NJ but closed. Too bad I would have loved to have tried it.The menu is rich and varied with all sorts, of pasta , chicken and fish dinners. After starting off with some garlic knots which were free we then settled on a simple lemon chicken in bread crumbs with a side of salad. It was refreshing and light. The meat was tender beneath a crunchy breading while the romaine lettuce proved to be the perfect base to a light lemon infused salad.I would hav e liked to have gone back for another meal but maybe on a second visit int he fall.

Another discovery was at Harrah's where my Mom and I stayed. it was at Temptations a cappuccino/ chocolate bar where we had the best hot cocoa in the world. It was Jacques Torres and it was exactly like what we had in Paris. Dense, rich without being too sweet. this was the perfect relaxer after a day of pure activity.

Despiter the getting sick and th esanflies we did have a great culinary time in Atlantic City. It was like hitting hte jackpotfood wise! Thnaks to Jacques Torres and the great Laragosta Restaurant.

Laragosta Restuarant is located at 3400 Atlantic Brigantine Boulevard,at the first traffic circle that leads to the northern part of the island.

A Quick Foodie Welcome Back

This is a short entry to let your fellow foodies out there know that I've returned. I've got a few things to write about and found soem new paces to eat down in Atlantic City.



How was it otherwise? Let's just say that I was a new foodie treat for the sand flies onthe Brigantine beach. Talk about feeling yummy!

Foodie On Vacation

Yup, It’s that time year again when this foodie goes on vacation. Where to? The usual place Atlantic City. I will be off Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday but will report back with some neat impressions of the Atlantic Coast’s gambling mecca. ,Mom I may try the fondue restaurant in the center of AC or the microbrewery /restuarant at the AC Hilton.

We’ll see what comes of it. Wish me luck . In the meantime pick out your favorite Foodie Pantry entries and enjoy rereading them.


Liz