Today is Easter Monday - a time when most families throughout Europe take the day off and have a lovely Spring picnic. I wish we could do this here in the States. The weathe r is perfect for it. Besides there’s nothing like enjoying a fun meal with family under sunny skies. An Easter Monday picnic is a great way to unwind after a hectic holiday weekend plus using up leftovers from yesterday’s feasting.
If you do have the day off pack a lunch and pack the kids You can make some delicious ham sandwiches with your Easter meal’s leftover ham. Add some celery seed laced mayo and a potato roll and it’s a great lunch. You can also chop the ham , add celery and mayo and make a yummy ham salad. Another thing is using up those Easter eggs before they go bad. Peel and either have a side of hard boiled eggs or an egg salad. If there are no leftovers, pick up some freshly sliced chicken or turkey at your supermarket and then create heroes for you and your family.
Spring picnics also have the greens of the season too. You can make a light yet filling salad using field greens and any leftover asparagus. Cut the asparagus into one inch pieces, add what’s left over of the Easter eggs . . If you want, toss in some grape tomatoes to give the salad some color. Top with a vinaigrette and voici -la you have the perfect salad.
If you’re lucky to have this day off, then go out and enjoy it. Transform yesterday’s holiday meal into a the perfect picnic lunch. Bring a favorite drink along with a kite or a Frisbee and you have a great and fun Easter Monday outing!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Holy Saturday The Start Of Easter
Today is Holy Saturday the start of the Easter weekend. It's a time for Catholics to get their food blessed by their local clergy while other Christians prepare the dinners for tomorrow; Easter dinner. This year we shared our Easter with the Greek Orthodox so there may be some cross cultural celebrating with classic Hellenic holiday foods with other European dishes.
Today is also when millions of kids and their parents dye eggs which is always fun. This goes back to the Zoroastrians who gave colored eggs out for their new year which was the Spring Equinox. Also ther e is th e legend of Mary Magdalene bringing eggs to eat while waiting for Christ to rise from the dead. upon His Resurrection the eggs turned bright red. This may be the reason behind the Greeks giving out red eggs at Easter.Nowadays kids can have fun dying them different colors and applying wax to create a batik effect.
No matter what you believe in have a good Easter tomorrow. Enjoy it and the sweets and surprises it may bring.
Liz
Today is also when millions of kids and their parents dye eggs which is always fun. This goes back to the Zoroastrians who gave colored eggs out for their new year which was the Spring Equinox. Also ther e is th e legend of Mary Magdalene bringing eggs to eat while waiting for Christ to rise from the dead. upon His Resurrection the eggs turned bright red. This may be the reason behind the Greeks giving out red eggs at Easter.Nowadays kids can have fun dying them different colors and applying wax to create a batik effect.
No matter what you believe in have a good Easter tomorrow. Enjoy it and the sweets and surprises it may bring.
Liz
Friday, April 2, 2010
Good Friday - Day of Fasting And Observance
Today is Good Friday , one of the most holiest of the Christian holidays. It’s a time when some Catholics fast while others , including most of the Protestant sects forgo meat. I will be observing the holiday as well by not eating meat and settling on the traditional Piedmontese style asparagus for dinner . Some prefer to go the fish and seafood route which is allowed . Some of the stricter , such as the Greek Orthodox usually forbid dairy products too or fast for a certain period of time today .
Observe the day whatever Christian beliefes you hold.
Liz
Observe the day whatever Christian beliefes you hold.
Liz
Thursday, April 1, 2010
No Joke Good Irish Cuisine
If you see the phrase good Irish cooking you may think it's a joke, especially with today being April Fool's Day. Yet that was the featured article in yesterday's New York Times Dining Section.,written by Dining regular Julia Moskin. She interviews the Alice Waters of the Emerald Isle, Darina Allen. hers is an interesting piece about the changes in Gaelic cooking and the many improvements that have been made.
Ms. Allen is more than just a champion of Irish cooking however. She runs the Ballymaloe Cookery School which is a twelve week course on all sorts of cooking and even 19th Century preparation skills. There is butter making, bacon curing and animal skinning as part of the work. She demands her students have a hands on approach to cooking starting with them planting their own vegetables and herb gardens.Ms Allen is part of the fresh food locavore revolution which advocates cooks use nearby farms and orchards.
Let's not forget her contribution to Irtish cooking. It is simple and humble, learned from her mother in law Myrtle Allen, a proprietress of the Ballymaloe House.This was a restaurant that featured true Irish cooking complete with brown bread , smoked eel, fresh picked turnips and apple cake made with the farm's freshly made yellow butter.She showed what could be done with what the Irish had to work with for centuries,After all the Brits robbing them of their best products After all all the best Irish products such as salmon, lamb and beef were all taken by the British. This left the natives with a limited and simple diet. However the island, is rich in other seafood such as fish both fresh and salt water., along with goats and sheep, herbs berries,turnips onions and the famous potato There are a number of dishes that can be made with these. All are nutritious yet delicious. Most of all they are fresh and locally grown and raised.
Irish cooking is no longer a joke . It's not just corned beef and cabbage anymore. It is a full bodied and flavorful cuisine straight from the garden and fields .The real April fool in all of this are the foodies who think Irtish cooking is nothing more than something from a bad St Patrick's Day menu. It's so much more thanks to Darina Allen.
Ms. Allen is more than just a champion of Irish cooking however. She runs the Ballymaloe Cookery School which is a twelve week course on all sorts of cooking and even 19th Century preparation skills. There is butter making, bacon curing and animal skinning as part of the work. She demands her students have a hands on approach to cooking starting with them planting their own vegetables and herb gardens.Ms Allen is part of the fresh food locavore revolution which advocates cooks use nearby farms and orchards.
Let's not forget her contribution to Irtish cooking. It is simple and humble, learned from her mother in law Myrtle Allen, a proprietress of the Ballymaloe House.This was a restaurant that featured true Irish cooking complete with brown bread , smoked eel, fresh picked turnips and apple cake made with the farm's freshly made yellow butter.She showed what could be done with what the Irish had to work with for centuries,After all the Brits robbing them of their best products After all all the best Irish products such as salmon, lamb and beef were all taken by the British. This left the natives with a limited and simple diet. However the island, is rich in other seafood such as fish both fresh and salt water., along with goats and sheep, herbs berries,turnips onions and the famous potato There are a number of dishes that can be made with these. All are nutritious yet delicious. Most of all they are fresh and locally grown and raised.
Irish cooking is no longer a joke . It's not just corned beef and cabbage anymore. It is a full bodied and flavorful cuisine straight from the garden and fields .The real April fool in all of this are the foodies who think Irtish cooking is nothing more than something from a bad St Patrick's Day menu. It's so much more thanks to Darina Allen.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sweet Holiday Treats
Even though both Passover and Easter have their serious side, they’re also about sweets as well. Each holiday has their own way of ending a meal. With one, it’s all sorts of flourless confections and cakes. With Easter it’s about sumptuous cakes and pastries. Both share the love of good ingredients and delicious treats to end a holiday Seder or dinner.
Passover brings that all time favorite macaroons. These are delightful little coconut and egg white confections. In the past they were just almond flavor however today you can find them in everything from chocolate to cappuccino to rocky road . Another Passover favorite is the flourless cake. Ground nut meal such as almond and walnut stand in for regular white or cake flour. The result is a dense chewy torte that‘s usually flavored with cinnamon, more nuts or chocolate. There is also the traditional sponge cake that is made with potato starch and cake meal. Lemon juice is added for flavor but other ingredients can be added to vary the taste.
Easter too has its’ share of delicious sweets. Mostly the desserts are either in the shape of bunnies , lambs or eggs. Carrot cake in the shape of anything related to the Easter bunny is always made. Yet it’s how the cakes are iced with that makes them stand out. This is where amateur icers and pros alike can go crazy. The hardest of all to decorate is the Easter lamb cake. This is where tiny rosettes are dabbed on a plain yellow or chocolate lamb shaped loaf. Jelly beans are used for the eyes, and nose while pink icing is used for the ears and mouth. A ribbon is then tied around the neck and the cake is put onto a bed of dyed green coconut. This is an all time favorite in many households and a specialty in many bakeries.
Passover and Easter are serious holy days with significant religious meanings. However both are also a time for celebrating freedom and resurrection. What better than to do so with festive and delicious desserts. They’re a great way to end any holiday meal
Passover brings that all time favorite macaroons. These are delightful little coconut and egg white confections. In the past they were just almond flavor however today you can find them in everything from chocolate to cappuccino to rocky road . Another Passover favorite is the flourless cake. Ground nut meal such as almond and walnut stand in for regular white or cake flour. The result is a dense chewy torte that‘s usually flavored with cinnamon, more nuts or chocolate. There is also the traditional sponge cake that is made with potato starch and cake meal. Lemon juice is added for flavor but other ingredients can be added to vary the taste.
Easter too has its’ share of delicious sweets. Mostly the desserts are either in the shape of bunnies , lambs or eggs. Carrot cake in the shape of anything related to the Easter bunny is always made. Yet it’s how the cakes are iced with that makes them stand out. This is where amateur icers and pros alike can go crazy. The hardest of all to decorate is the Easter lamb cake. This is where tiny rosettes are dabbed on a plain yellow or chocolate lamb shaped loaf. Jelly beans are used for the eyes, and nose while pink icing is used for the ears and mouth. A ribbon is then tied around the neck and the cake is put onto a bed of dyed green coconut. This is an all time favorite in many households and a specialty in many bakeries.
Passover and Easter are serious holy days with significant religious meanings. However both are also a time for celebrating freedom and resurrection. What better than to do so with festive and delicious desserts. They’re a great way to end any holiday meal
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
A Healthy Versus A Happy Easter
This week people will be scrambling to get kids of all ages the traditional Easter baskets. the problem is that we (especially myself) tend to go overboard with buying chocolates and other sweets. The problem is is how w much is too much? Do you just stop at one big chocolate egg? Pare down on the jelly beans? Ice the Peeps?
For parents who are worried about their kids overdosing on too much sugar, there's always the do it yourself baskets. Take a basket and fill it with healthy fruit and nuts.To stop said child from throwing this at you, add some toys to it. Another, maybe softer approach, is to combine the basket half with fun things and one or two candies like marshmallow or coconut eggs. and a small sprinkling of jelly beans. An Easter egg hunt is also good. You can fill some eggs with money while others get a small smattering of jelly beans or Easter themed M&Ms. The kids can still have fun but there's less sugar and more exercise involved.
Another idea is simply paring down. This is what I've done this year. Instead of three large chocolate eggs. I've only bought one along with two candy bars. Of course the chocolate is one of the best, Butler's. After all if I'm going to skimp on quantity I want to make up for it in quality. You can do this too with any of the larger Perugina eggs that are filled with toys and games. These are hollowed out eggs that can be broken and nibbled on. One can last up to two weeks.You can also try the Godiva's Spring collection where there are four truffles in a billotin. Splurge for a better candy but scrimp on the amount. Besides all that chocolate is not going to taste so good or so fresh weeks from now.
Easter always brings about the dilemma of too much candy. This year think about what to buy. Maybe you just want to pare down with one item of a good brand . Maybe you want to try a few traditional candies in your Easter basket. The best bet is don't go overboard. Just hop down the simplest and the wisest bunny trail or route.
For parents who are worried about their kids overdosing on too much sugar, there's always the do it yourself baskets. Take a basket and fill it with healthy fruit and nuts.To stop said child from throwing this at you, add some toys to it. Another, maybe softer approach, is to combine the basket half with fun things and one or two candies like marshmallow or coconut eggs. and a small sprinkling of jelly beans. An Easter egg hunt is also good. You can fill some eggs with money while others get a small smattering of jelly beans or Easter themed M&Ms. The kids can still have fun but there's less sugar and more exercise involved.
Another idea is simply paring down. This is what I've done this year. Instead of three large chocolate eggs. I've only bought one along with two candy bars. Of course the chocolate is one of the best, Butler's. After all if I'm going to skimp on quantity I want to make up for it in quality. You can do this too with any of the larger Perugina eggs that are filled with toys and games. These are hollowed out eggs that can be broken and nibbled on. One can last up to two weeks.You can also try the Godiva's Spring collection where there are four truffles in a billotin. Splurge for a better candy but scrimp on the amount. Besides all that chocolate is not going to taste so good or so fresh weeks from now.
Easter always brings about the dilemma of too much candy. This year think about what to buy. Maybe you just want to pare down with one item of a good brand . Maybe you want to try a few traditional candies in your Easter basket. The best bet is don't go overboard. Just hop down the simplest and the wisest bunny trail or route.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Matzoh - The Backbone Of Passover Dining
Like any religious holiday one aspect of Passover centers around food. Each dish is symbolic of the exodus from Egypt. There are the bitter herbs and chariest alon g with the most well known symbol. Matzo or matza. It is not just the bread of the holiday but can be used for so many things. It truly is the backbone the holiday table.
Matzo came about when the Jews had to flee Egypt and hastily brought unleavened bread with them. To this day any yeast derived pastry or breadstuff is denied until Passover is over. It is made primarily from wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt and is quickly mixed and rolled out. it’s quickly docked with a fork to prevent any puffiness or rising(other wise it would look like a tortilla or pita bread. It is cooked at high heats to encourage brown spots and quickly taken out of the oven to cool. This last ensures that the bread will have a cracker like crispness and crunch. Some cooks make their own and it has a different texture than store bought commercially made ones. Homemade is denser and chewier while the other is light and crumbly.
Matzo can also be ground up and used in Passover recipes. it’s primarily used to make matzoh balls, These are huge dumplings that range from golf ball to softball size and can be eaten in soup or on their own. Cooks usually add chicken meat fat and th e crackling call grebenes to the meal along with eggs to give them texture. They are boiled in soup, water, or a vegetable broth. Ground matzo is also used instead of cake flour during this time. There are many different recipes that have it as the base. It results in a denser , chewier and richer taste and texture than cakes made with regular flour.
Matzoh is truly the backbone of the Seder. It is considered both the bread and an ingredient.. This simple bread links all the foods and traditions together during this holy time.
Matzo came about when the Jews had to flee Egypt and hastily brought unleavened bread with them. To this day any yeast derived pastry or breadstuff is denied until Passover is over. It is made primarily from wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt and is quickly mixed and rolled out. it’s quickly docked with a fork to prevent any puffiness or rising(other wise it would look like a tortilla or pita bread. It is cooked at high heats to encourage brown spots and quickly taken out of the oven to cool. This last ensures that the bread will have a cracker like crispness and crunch. Some cooks make their own and it has a different texture than store bought commercially made ones. Homemade is denser and chewier while the other is light and crumbly.
Matzo can also be ground up and used in Passover recipes. it’s primarily used to make matzoh balls, These are huge dumplings that range from golf ball to softball size and can be eaten in soup or on their own. Cooks usually add chicken meat fat and th e crackling call grebenes to the meal along with eggs to give them texture. They are boiled in soup, water, or a vegetable broth. Ground matzo is also used instead of cake flour during this time. There are many different recipes that have it as the base. It results in a denser , chewier and richer taste and texture than cakes made with regular flour.
Matzoh is truly the backbone of the Seder. It is considered both the bread and an ingredient.. This simple bread links all the foods and traditions together during this holy time.
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