Summer Sales For Foodies

This is the season for foodies. It doesn't have to do with the weekend barbecues or the availability of every flavor of ice and ice cream. It has to do with the sales. Every store from the smallish Sur La Table to the giant Target has all sorts of cookware and gadgets at half price right now .

Ive found that many companies are offering their summer dinnerware at up to forty to sixty percent off. there are some pretty Fiesta ware sets along with other brands in summery yellows and reds along with cool greens and blues. This is also the time to pick up any extras like butter dishes or gravy bowls along with tureens. I've also noticed glasses both glass and plastic up for grabs at low prices too. Pick up a few to tide you over during summer party season. You can also use them in the fall and winter as well. Don;t forget the table too. With everything being sold for just a few bucks, snap up some fresh new tablecloths and matching napkins to replace your old , ratty sets.

It's a good time for buying larger items at cost too. Many places , even Home Depot and Lowe's are having phenomenal sales on gas grills. right now. get one and you'll be able to use it til October or even November. Also pick up some brushes and other barbecue necessities too. Even indoor appliances such as microwaves and ice cream machines are being offered with some kind of discount. if you haven;t had the last then take advantage and treat yourself and your family to one.

The hot weather brings many things to us foodies. The best one is the lower pricing on many items.Now is the time to buy and get yourself things you need or things you want. They're all on sale!!1

Hot Weather, Hot Meals?

Is it so wrong to cook during these steamy late Spring and early summer days? A lot of people would say so, sticking with sandwiches and salads. Some would even abandon the kitchen for the grill outside. I say stuff all of that and use your stove during these hot days. There's nothing wrong with cooking during hot weather.

That being stated you can make simple meals like stove top grilling as opposed to the oppressive roasting, baking or broiling. A stove top grill is wonderful for having that barbecued taste indoors without all that carcinogenic charcoal. You can also use your George Foreman grill to grill burgers and dogs along with chicken breasts and steak cuts.. Another idea is using the microwave to make even quick stews and bakes. the last will come out moister and whatever meat you add won't have that dried stringy texture over baking i a n oven can give.

Another idea is using a wok or a fry pan. Wok cooking is not only fun but its 'a also fast. Another plus is that it lets you be creative with the season's bounty and you can have fun stir frying fresh broccoli. cauliflower and onions. Fry pans are a blessing because they allow you to fry up a quick steak or chicken breast after a hard or long day at work. Afterwards just add more butte r, margarine or oil to fry up some accompanying veggies like tomatoes or onions.

Use the kitchen this summer. There's nothing wrong with dong some quick cooking to get a nice hot meal. Even when the temps hit the nineties, treat yourself to a well cooked steak, chicken and home cooked sides.

The Goodness Of Beets

There's nothing like beet salad with a summer lunch. it's sweet yet refreshing , a different taste than other vegetables.Most people discount the root veggie as something for baby food but it;s much much more. It can go from a hearty peasant soup to a tasty side dish. You can buy them fresh , canned or even grow them yourself. Another plus ? They're good for you.

Beets are a part of the Amaranth family and is a cousin to the chard and spinach beet. It has been around for millenniums , being first grown in the Mediterranean area and then heading to china. it was popular in early cuisines however was replaced by spinach as a side dish. The 19th Century changed everything for the beet. it was discovered that its' sucrose could be xtracted and made into sugar. This was a cheaper alternative to the more expensive cane sugar which had to be imported from the West Indies. beets and their parts were used in medicines throughout the years and they have what's known as betalain.

I love beet salad but you can also make the Eastern European cold soup borscht. (there is a hot version that the Ukrainians make and love0This is a combination of beets, beef shank, dill and sour cream, The last gives the soup its'smooth texture and strong taste. I prefer a simple salad using only canned beets, oil vinegar and a liberal dose of onion salt. You can use fresh sliced onions for a more bite and pungency. The salad is best if it's been chilled for a couple of hours. Always remember that beet tastes their best when cold so plan ahead if you do want to serve them.

Nothing beats beets for a refreshing summer vegetable. Make a salad of them to act as a refreshing and tasty side to burgers and ribs at your summer barbecue. They'll not only add color but flavor too!

Googling Your Food

I remember a time when you used to just walk into a restaurant blind and sit down. there were no reviews on Bing. No menus poste d on Google. No reviews listed by anyone and their cousin. You just walked in and if the aroma was good , then that was all you needed to make a judgement.

I miss those days.

Now you get everything on your Blackberry. Looking for a particular sushi restaurant ? You can find it's location plus the number of stars enthusiasts have given it. Interested in a brick oven pizza or a good polenta? Google it and the answers automatically comes up.In some ways this is great. At least you know that you can always find a good meal as well as the best atmosphere and service too. It cuts out the guess work and gives you a direct answer.

Yet I miss the old days of just driving by a restaurant and stand and stopping. the whole adventure was wondering if it was good or bad. I've found the best places that way, whether they be coffee stand or diner. I like the sense of adventure when I head o ut on my occasional day trips. That's how I disocered this awesome Polish deli in South Amboy that makes the best ham on rye sandwiches. it;s also how I discovered a cool and yummy bakery in Long Branch. This last had received such bad reviews on line and if I had read them I would have avoided the place I walked into it , seduced by the pastries' look and smell. The result was a yummy homemade cupcakes and cookies.

Sometimes it's best to avoid the Internet when you're looking for a good meal or even a snack. If a place catches your eye. then look into it. You may just be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.

What's Wrong With Plain Hot Choolate?

During a mini cold snap here recently I turned to hot chocolate for some comfort. After all there's nothing like a cup of steaming pure cocoa for an after dinner evening treat. However my hot cocoa had another flavor -hazelnut. It made it taste like a fancy coffee or a brand name chocolate. Not what I expected.

It seems hot cocoa is going the way of coffee and tea.It' s gets to be multi flavored. Is this a good thing? I don't think so. Thee are different flavors now and even a white cocoa mix (which Iwonder looks like steamed milk or is beige??), like the said hazelnut, raspberry and mint. In my opinion these make the drink taste most like a liquid cake. In fact I did need a drink of water after my cup. It was too sugary and sweet tasting. I didn't find it all that enjoyable. A real hot chocolate should be a rush of bitter cocoa followed by the rich sweetness of milk or cream.

I don't mind when a hot cocoa brand puts mini marshmallows or extra chocolate in their hit cocoa mixes. It only enhance the drink.It brings out the rich cacao flavor and adds to the creaminess. I do mind when extra flavor is added. After all hot chocolate is a drink - not a pastry ,not a coffee or a tea. It's just a simple drink, that's all.

Explosive Onions

There i an interesting article in today's Times' Dining Section about onions and garlic.It;s not your typical coking piece.In fact, it;s more of a scientific view of them. This is a refreshing take on cooking articles, showing the food in a different light.

The piece, written by Harold McGee is in The Curious Cook., This is a section that runs occasionally, I guess, I never really follow it that much. However Mr McGee's writing caught my eye. He writs bout the chemical properties of the allium family. They're very similar in composition to gunpowder thanks to having a fair quantity of sulfur in their chemical make up.The sulfur is in small quantities that act as protection when the plant is damaged. That's why our eyes and noses run when we slice them. It's called the lachymatory factor and works well with other animals - not us. We 'll go through anything to add our beloved onions and garlics in our fave dishes.

Luckily the sulfur offensive is short lived. The heat of cooking almost eliminates this chemical leaving the onions and garlic almost sweet tasting. However some members of the allium family like chives are almost always used raw. MCGee recommends washing them and these to cut the sulfur odor.He also suggests cooking whole bulbs of garlic as opposed to individual cloves. This also cuts down on the garlic's intensity

Amazing what a simple onion or garlic bulb holds. Who knew they were like gunpowder waiting to go off. However unlike gunpowder, they result in some good things.

In Praise Of Fast Food

Say what you will about fast food joints but they do come in handy. Yeah, they're make fatty and salty food yeah they;re nutritional deserts but they a great if you need a quick meal. There's nothing wrong with going to one every no and then.

My life is nothing but housework these days. There's cleaning dusting ironing sorting an various other duties associated with cat rearing. Throw in teaching class (really just talking to the one or two loyal students who actually do show up) and ther's even less time at the stove. That's when I can rely on my local KFC , Taco Bell or Wendy's for a tasty and filling meal.I may get red meat or fries but it;s still constitutes a hot dinner. That's fine by me. There's also little clean up and that means less time at the sink an more time - fun - cleaning.

For those who pooh pooh the whole fast food concept, think again. Do you actually have time during a busy day to clean veggies, thaw out a roast and then cook the whole thing? I thought not. Then think again about your local drive throuh window. It really is a lifesaver!