Along the bay of Biscay there lies a region called The Basque . It belongs to France and Spain, mostly to Spain. It's an ancient kingdom, Some think it could even be the lost city of Atlantis. It not onlyhas an ancient language and an ancient cuisine as well.
The region is lucky to have the Bay of Biscay on its northern side and the fertile Spanish Ebro Valley to the south. The area is rich in tomatoes and capsicum peppers and both are used quite liberally in the cuisine. Seafood and grilled meats are also served, roaste d over a charcoal fire. The Basques are also known for a kind of tapas called txikiteo that features highly spiced hams and seafood. Cheese is also very big in the region , usually made from goat's milk . Quince jam is spread over it and it is eaten without bread.
The Basques area is also known for its' deep red cherries. Restaurants as well as homes serve a cherry soup. These are pitted and then poached in a light syrup . Creme fraiche, fresh cream or vanilla ice cream is added to give the soup some body. The Basques also make special cakes as well most loaded with crema or other fruits..
This ancient and mysterious region has some good dishes . They are not full of mystery like the land, and the languag . It's just simple good taste mixed with the local produce..
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
That Fun Treat Ppeanut Brittle
Now that the weather is cooler and ideal for candy making, it's time to start thinking about peanut brittle.This is a simple and yummy treat to whip up. It requires just simple ingredients and it's a good way to introduce older kids to candy making. Besides there's nothing like munching on brittle during a Saturday night movie.
Peanut brittle's popularity came about in 1903s thanks to George Washing Carver's mass introduction of th e legume to American palates. The recipe is actually probably been older thanks to the Southern folklore legend of Tony Beaver. It is said that he stopped a dam from flooding by using just molasses and peanuts. There are even recipes from around 1847 that call for ground nuts cooked in a mix of molasses and butter. The mixture was then left to harden in a baking tin. Other nuts used at the time were almonds and cashews but I suspect peanut brittle was probably the most popular and the most made.
Peanut brittle is a simple enough recipe to follow. A basic recipe is just cooking up granulated sugar, corn syrup, water and raw peanuts. Tthis produces a brown transparent brittle. If you want one that's the color of caramel add butter or margarine along with baking soda. I prefer the e first because I think the taste is purer. If you do want a buttery flavoring then grease a cookie sheet or brownie tuin with butter before you pore in the mixture. Also you can dip the hardened brittled pieces into melted dark chocolate for a more decadent taste.
peanut brittle is a fun and easy treat to make. It basically takes sugar and nuts and then cooking them together to form the best candy on earth. It's a fun way to spend an autumn Saturday afternoon.
Here is an easy recipe that I found at AOL Food.
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1-1/2 cups raw peanuts, blanched or unblanched
Vegetable oil, for the baking sheet
Cooking Instructions
1 Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in an 8-cup glass measure. Cook, uncovered, at 100% for 3 minutes.
2 Remove from oven and stir thoroughly. Add peanuts; stir again. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap. Cook at l00% for 15 minutes.
3 Lightly coat a spatula and a large baking sheet or 16"x12" marble slab with vegetable oil. Remove syrup from oven. Pierce plastic with the tip of a sharp knife and uncover carefully. Pour mixture onto oiled surface. With the oiled spatula, spread peanuts to distribute them evenly through cooling syrup. Let harden.
4 When brittle is cool, break into chunks with a wooden mallet or rolling pin. Store in an airtight container.
Peanut brittle's popularity came about in 1903s thanks to George Washing Carver's mass introduction of th e legume to American palates. The recipe is actually probably been older thanks to the Southern folklore legend of Tony Beaver. It is said that he stopped a dam from flooding by using just molasses and peanuts. There are even recipes from around 1847 that call for ground nuts cooked in a mix of molasses and butter. The mixture was then left to harden in a baking tin. Other nuts used at the time were almonds and cashews but I suspect peanut brittle was probably the most popular and the most made.
Peanut brittle is a simple enough recipe to follow. A basic recipe is just cooking up granulated sugar, corn syrup, water and raw peanuts. Tthis produces a brown transparent brittle. If you want one that's the color of caramel add butter or margarine along with baking soda. I prefer the e first because I think the taste is purer. If you do want a buttery flavoring then grease a cookie sheet or brownie tuin with butter before you pore in the mixture. Also you can dip the hardened brittled pieces into melted dark chocolate for a more decadent taste.
peanut brittle is a fun and easy treat to make. It basically takes sugar and nuts and then cooking them together to form the best candy on earth. It's a fun way to spend an autumn Saturday afternoon.
Here is an easy recipe that I found at AOL Food.
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1-1/2 cups raw peanuts, blanched or unblanched
Vegetable oil, for the baking sheet
Cooking Instructions
1 Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in an 8-cup glass measure. Cook, uncovered, at 100% for 3 minutes.
2 Remove from oven and stir thoroughly. Add peanuts; stir again. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap. Cook at l00% for 15 minutes.
3 Lightly coat a spatula and a large baking sheet or 16"x12" marble slab with vegetable oil. Remove syrup from oven. Pierce plastic with the tip of a sharp knife and uncover carefully. Pour mixture onto oiled surface. With the oiled spatula, spread peanuts to distribute them evenly through cooling syrup. Let harden.
4 When brittle is cool, break into chunks with a wooden mallet or rolling pin. Store in an airtight container.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Food Dictates
recently New York State has it to tax soft drinks. They'll be after salt next if Manhattan mayor, Mike, Bloomberg, has his way. Yet is it really fair to make us pay extra for food?Granted too much Coke or Pepsi along with salty french fries are bad for us, but still. Does our local government have to interfere with our diets? Can't we be trusted to guide ourselves through the tricky path of healthy eating?
What the local or even federal government should do is go after the food companies. There should be laws as to what constitutes healthy foodstuffs.Have inspectors look into the amount of "bad" ingredients" that go into a product Maybe there should be bigger tax breaks for corporations that create nutritious , low salt, low fat, no or low sugar foods. There should also be more funding for farms that produce solely organic harvests. In this sense, good eating will be promoted .
Another big problem is how do we wean ourselves off sugary drinks and the like? It's not like we can wear a patch as one can with nicotine. We can try to steer ourselves s into drinking healthier stuff, such as unsweetened tea (will this be taxed as well? ) or just plain spring water.It's the same big job with eating healthy. It's going to be a slow process of weaning ourselves off favorite foods and leaning towards fresher, less preservative laden foods.
If those of you out there who think the taxation is a bad thing, then think about our Prohibition Era. Remember the whole idea of banning alcohol? It could happen with salt and sugar. A glass of Coke could be considered the new crack. You could get pulled over for driving with an illegal bag of chips. Hopefully it won't come to this. Hopefully we'll just eat smart and live better.
What the local or even federal government should do is go after the food companies. There should be laws as to what constitutes healthy foodstuffs.Have inspectors look into the amount of "bad" ingredients" that go into a product Maybe there should be bigger tax breaks for corporations that create nutritious , low salt, low fat, no or low sugar foods. There should also be more funding for farms that produce solely organic harvests. In this sense, good eating will be promoted .
Another big problem is how do we wean ourselves off sugary drinks and the like? It's not like we can wear a patch as one can with nicotine. We can try to steer ourselves s into drinking healthier stuff, such as unsweetened tea (will this be taxed as well? ) or just plain spring water.It's the same big job with eating healthy. It's going to be a slow process of weaning ourselves off favorite foods and leaning towards fresher, less preservative laden foods.
If those of you out there who think the taxation is a bad thing, then think about our Prohibition Era. Remember the whole idea of banning alcohol? It could happen with salt and sugar. A glass of Coke could be considered the new crack. You could get pulled over for driving with an illegal bag of chips. Hopefully it won't come to this. Hopefully we'll just eat smart and live better.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Cupcakes Gone Global!
Well it looks like that American standard has gone international. What am I writing about? Not Coke or Pepsi. Not hamburgers or popcorn but cupcakes. Yes, cupcakes. In yesterday's Food section of the Times (remember it's Thursday and one article is always dissected) there was a piece about cupcakes shop hitting theMiddle East. Who on earth can resist this classic sweet. There's nothing like a moist tender cake under a big fluffy mound of buttery frosting!
The article written by Anna Louis Sussman write;s about Sugar Daddy's, a new cupcake shop in Amman, Jordan>, The owner FadiJaber, had an epiphany after eating at the famed Magnolia bakery in Greenwich Village. His customers, mostly women, fell in love with them, thanks to Sex and the city reruns that feature Carrie and friends munching on the famed treats. He has also opened shops in Lebanon, Isreal and Tel Aviv. Not only does he sell American style cupcakes but also brownies and cheesecakes.
You might wonder how well the cupcake translates for international tongues. Everyone from England to China seems to like this low key treat. They can also be adopted to fit the country's tastes. Mr. Jaber makes a "Blind Date" cupcake that's made with chopped dates and a cream cheese icing. Most people worldwide love chocolate and vanilla so even these flavors are nothing out of the ordinary. What may be startling or new to some palate is the amount of icing that every cupcake requires. This may come off as super sweet to countries who prefer plain cakes.
Cupcakes are not only favored by our celebs but by the entire world these days. Let's face it. Who can resist these sweet and colorful treats No one on the planet can!
The article written by Anna Louis Sussman write;s about Sugar Daddy's, a new cupcake shop in Amman, Jordan>, The owner FadiJaber, had an epiphany after eating at the famed Magnolia bakery in Greenwich Village. His customers, mostly women, fell in love with them, thanks to Sex and the city reruns that feature Carrie and friends munching on the famed treats. He has also opened shops in Lebanon, Isreal and Tel Aviv. Not only does he sell American style cupcakes but also brownies and cheesecakes.
You might wonder how well the cupcake translates for international tongues. Everyone from England to China seems to like this low key treat. They can also be adopted to fit the country's tastes. Mr. Jaber makes a "Blind Date" cupcake that's made with chopped dates and a cream cheese icing. Most people worldwide love chocolate and vanilla so even these flavors are nothing out of the ordinary. What may be startling or new to some palate is the amount of icing that every cupcake requires. This may come off as super sweet to countries who prefer plain cakes.
Cupcakes are not only favored by our celebs but by the entire world these days. Let's face it. Who can resist these sweet and colorful treats No one on the planet can!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Dates To Remember
Dates are not a popular fruit. You may see them at Christmas time or in Arab grocery stores here in the US . A lot of Americans won't eat them because they're too sweet or gooey or whatever. yet, like other fruits, they're packed with vitamins and minerals . Another plus - they're pretty tasty too.
Dates come from the date palm tree which is cultivated in Northern Africa and the Middle East. they have been growing there for centuries and dates have been a part of th e regional cuisine for 6,000 years. They were the food eaten by the ancient Egyptians . Egypt is the third largest date grower and importer of them. The Iraqis are first with the Saudi Arabians being second. Dates are chock full of vitamins and minerals, being high in potassium and magnesium. along with calcium and iron. The only drawback is that they are high in calories because of the sugar.
What to do with dates? Most Middle Easterners stuff them with almonds or cream cheese as well as with candied lemon or orange peel. Americans stuff dates with peanut butter and usually serve only at Christmas. However there is the famous date and nut bread along with date pies and date cookies. It can also be used in some North African recipes, such as Moroccan tangine recipes.
Don't discount the date. it is tasty and nutritious. Plus it give you a dose of much needed vitamins and minerals. It's sweet and healthy treat from the oasis.
Dates come from the date palm tree which is cultivated in Northern Africa and the Middle East. they have been growing there for centuries and dates have been a part of th e regional cuisine for 6,000 years. They were the food eaten by the ancient Egyptians . Egypt is the third largest date grower and importer of them. The Iraqis are first with the Saudi Arabians being second. Dates are chock full of vitamins and minerals, being high in potassium and magnesium. along with calcium and iron. The only drawback is that they are high in calories because of the sugar.
What to do with dates? Most Middle Easterners stuff them with almonds or cream cheese as well as with candied lemon or orange peel. Americans stuff dates with peanut butter and usually serve only at Christmas. However there is the famous date and nut bread along with date pies and date cookies. It can also be used in some North African recipes, such as Moroccan tangine recipes.
Don't discount the date. it is tasty and nutritious. Plus it give you a dose of much needed vitamins and minerals. It's sweet and healthy treat from the oasis.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Just Desserts
If you're a sweet toothed foodie like I am, then you have to have dessert. Lunch or dinner just isn't the same without ending it with something sugary. The problem is what to finish off a meal with? Do you go fro something healthy ? Or something sinful and decadent?
I wanted something of the last. I just bought Jello's latest mousse cups. These looked yummy in the store and proved to be just that. I love mousse better than pudding (which to me is too dense and gummy) and Jello's latest offering is just as light and as flavorful as any homemade kind. It's actually perfect for those nights when I 'm coming home late from teaching and want a quick meal something after.Another quickie dessert is just ice cream with syrup. I recently bought the soy based Pure Decadence in Chocolate Obsession. Ii usually get their Pomegranate Chip, but alas, the store sold out of it. Sometimes just a scoop of ice cream with syrup is enough dessert. Ices are good too. They're low calorie, and always refreshing.During the summer I was polishing off my Taco Bell meals with their deliciously icy Frutistas.
Fruit makes a healthier, more nutritious ending to a meal, especially if it's dinner. Now that's it's fall I can once again go back to my beloved apples dipped in caramel. This is a great meal topper and fun to share. Marzetti has an excellent caramel dipping sauce that also goes well on pound cake and ice cream. I prefer apples . This is also the season for pears and there's nothing like a healthy dessert of just a pear. Baked apples are a good meal ender and they're easy to make in the microwave. My version has caramel and chopped walnuts along with butter in the apple core. It's kind of like an inside out caramel apple. I have updated my grandmother's baked apple recipe which calls for red wine, sugar and butter. This is a quick and fancy dessert , perfect
for company.
Desserts can be fun or healthy or both. It depends on you. Sometimes just a bowl of ice cream with syrup and fruit will suffice. Sometimes dessert is just a bit fancier with whipped cream or elaborately created. In the end it's up to you , the foodie, to decide how to end your meals.
I wanted something of the last. I just bought Jello's latest mousse cups. These looked yummy in the store and proved to be just that. I love mousse better than pudding (which to me is too dense and gummy) and Jello's latest offering is just as light and as flavorful as any homemade kind. It's actually perfect for those nights when I 'm coming home late from teaching and want a quick meal something after.Another quickie dessert is just ice cream with syrup. I recently bought the soy based Pure Decadence in Chocolate Obsession. Ii usually get their Pomegranate Chip, but alas, the store sold out of it. Sometimes just a scoop of ice cream with syrup is enough dessert. Ices are good too. They're low calorie, and always refreshing.During the summer I was polishing off my Taco Bell meals with their deliciously icy Frutistas.
Fruit makes a healthier, more nutritious ending to a meal, especially if it's dinner. Now that's it's fall I can once again go back to my beloved apples dipped in caramel. This is a great meal topper and fun to share. Marzetti has an excellent caramel dipping sauce that also goes well on pound cake and ice cream. I prefer apples . This is also the season for pears and there's nothing like a healthy dessert of just a pear. Baked apples are a good meal ender and they're easy to make in the microwave. My version has caramel and chopped walnuts along with butter in the apple core. It's kind of like an inside out caramel apple. I have updated my grandmother's baked apple recipe which calls for red wine, sugar and butter. This is a quick and fancy dessert , perfect
for company.
Desserts can be fun or healthy or both. It depends on you. Sometimes just a bowl of ice cream with syrup and fruit will suffice. Sometimes dessert is just a bit fancier with whipped cream or elaborately created. In the end it's up to you , the foodie, to decide how to end your meals.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Homemade Or Bought Foodie Controversy
Store bought or home made?
Here's the controversy of foodies around the world. Is it better to make the product or simply buy it? What do we value more,? Good taste ? Made with love? Or just simple convenience? For some foodstuffs , yes , homemade is the better choice. For others, nothing beats factory produced, surprisingly and even sadly enough. In the end it's up to the individual foodie.
What food does taste better if it's home cooked? Pasta with homemade sauce is at the top of my list. As much as I love eating Italian food out, nothing compares with a well made, stove top sauce. The tomatoes are fresh ,and the basil is just picked from my garden. As for fresh made pasta, this is a labor intensive . Creating it is fun though and can be done quicker if you have help. Hamburgers are better at home than they are out. You can add to the chopped meat, something a chain restaurant can 't do. Let's face it. Wendy's or Burger King are not going to toss in chopped onions or mix in ground pork to their patties. You can. Plank fries are better if you cut and fry them yourself. Soups are another food that taste better made from scratch than out of a can. They also don't have the whopping amount of sodium that their canned cousins have.
What foods should be store bought? Breads for one. They are fun to make if you have a bread maker and some spare time . Yet, so many grocery stores these days have excellent in house bakeries where you can buy a wide range of breads. The same philosophy goes for cakes, cup cakes and cookies. Roast chicken and ribs are also good if they're already cooked. This saves time s especially if you're coming home late from work. Some sides like baked potatoes and vegetables can go either way. You can make up sides on the weekend and freeze them or you can just snap them up from your store's frozen food department.
There will always be this controversy of fresh versus pre made. The choice depends on you. If you feel better serving yourself and your family fresh than do it. However if you don't have the time, then reach for the quick easy to make items. It's your decision. Whatever works for you and your family as well as your dietary needs.
Here's the controversy of foodies around the world. Is it better to make the product or simply buy it? What do we value more,? Good taste ? Made with love? Or just simple convenience? For some foodstuffs , yes , homemade is the better choice. For others, nothing beats factory produced, surprisingly and even sadly enough. In the end it's up to the individual foodie.
What food does taste better if it's home cooked? Pasta with homemade sauce is at the top of my list. As much as I love eating Italian food out, nothing compares with a well made, stove top sauce. The tomatoes are fresh ,and the basil is just picked from my garden. As for fresh made pasta, this is a labor intensive . Creating it is fun though and can be done quicker if you have help. Hamburgers are better at home than they are out. You can add to the chopped meat, something a chain restaurant can 't do. Let's face it. Wendy's or Burger King are not going to toss in chopped onions or mix in ground pork to their patties. You can. Plank fries are better if you cut and fry them yourself. Soups are another food that taste better made from scratch than out of a can. They also don't have the whopping amount of sodium that their canned cousins have.
What foods should be store bought? Breads for one. They are fun to make if you have a bread maker and some spare time . Yet, so many grocery stores these days have excellent in house bakeries where you can buy a wide range of breads. The same philosophy goes for cakes, cup cakes and cookies. Roast chicken and ribs are also good if they're already cooked. This saves time s especially if you're coming home late from work. Some sides like baked potatoes and vegetables can go either way. You can make up sides on the weekend and freeze them or you can just snap them up from your store's frozen food department.
There will always be this controversy of fresh versus pre made. The choice depends on you. If you feel better serving yourself and your family fresh than do it. However if you don't have the time, then reach for the quick easy to make items. It's your decision. Whatever works for you and your family as well as your dietary needs.
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