Cool Ice Cream Recipes

Yesterday's New York Times Dining section was completely devoted to ice cream. Yesterday I wrote about Julia Moskin's article on the city's most expensive ice creams. Today it's about Melissa Clark's forays into making egg free or Philadelphia style ice cream. She offers good advice and tips on churning out a better than the store kind.

When I was making ice cream I always made the eggless kind. To me this was the purer , better tasting. After all what could beat rich cream .A custardy ice cream is great however it requires a lot of work and patience along with some luck. If you're a novice stick with the Philly or American version as it's sometime called. The trick is using good cream, natural ingredients and just regular sugar. Another trick is combing heavy cream and milk with a ratio of 65 to 35 percent .This is from pastry chef and owner of the ice cream company The General Greene, Nick Morgenstern. he also recommends adding a dash of salt to bring out the flavors as well.

I like the recipes that come with the article. They were a summer berry, made with a combination of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries)maple spice , roasted hazelnut vanilla and bittersweet chocolate. The maple spice sounds intriguing because it combines maple and cinnamon flavors . I can see this over a piping hot waffle. The dark chocolate recipe calls for rum and that's an interesting twist. This I can see on it's own in a little shot glass served after a steak dinner.

Ice cream is a great treat. An even greater treat is having homemade. Think about making a simple Philadelphia style kind during these hot days.

New York's Priciest Ice Cream

Ice cream is a city staple especially during these hot August days. Today's New York Times Dining section has more or less devoted most of its' space to ice cream.There's an interesting and eye opening article on Manhattan's most expensive gelaterias. This is one of my favorites, the Torinese based Grom down on Bleeker Street.

The first piece is from Dining regular, Julia Moskin. It's all about the four dollar small cup of ice cream.New York City isn't the only place that serves dollar rich gelati. Los Angeles, Boston and Beverly Hills top the list. What's surprising is that even Columbus Ohio is dishing out expensive ice cream . Foodies and gourmands are everywhere nowadays and will pay whatever the price for organic whipped cream and expensive French chocolate bits. Dairy Queen and Carvel just don't cut it anymore. There are also expensive packaged ice creams like MilkMade which goes for fifty bucks a pint. These are hand made and are only sold in Manhattan

I know Grom is part of the Slow Foods movement, also born in Torino.That means only the best ingredients are used, from Syrian pistachios and chocolate from Columbia. it also means importing the milk from the plains of Asti too(which I read in Grom's brochure on my last visit there). Of course the gelati and granita are the best . The Piedmontese cook with care and precision,Their ice cream is going to be outstanding. is five dollars a cup worth it though? Not everyday but maybe once or twice a season.

Like any other treat these days ice cream is becoming artisanal. It does mean paying more however the result is worth it. You get quality ice cream made with the best ingredients.

Pack This Not That

This is the month when everyone will be on the road. That means more people will be eating on the road whether in a fast food places or from a cooler. Travelers will be wolfing down everything from chips, soda candy bars along with burgers fries and sodas. This isn't the best way to start a vacation. Eat healthy whether you're in transit or enjoying a day at the beach.

Fruit and veggies are perfect for snacking. They give you energy along with proper nutrition and vitamins. Think about packing grapes and plums for a fun sweet break on the road. Graham crackers and Saltines are also good for crunchy snacking. For savory think of chilled grape tomatoes along with broccoli and cauliflower florets.There are mini dips, small cups of dip that you can have with these last.You can also pack filled pita pockets . Try apple and peanut butter, or tomatoes and cheese. These also make great lunches .There's no grease or salt to weigh you down and make you feel bloated.

If you're thirsty nix the sodas and some juice.Try water and zero calorie energy drinks such as Fyxx Hybrid to keep you going on those long hauls. You;'ll feel energized and won't have the need to pull over to nap. Chilled milk is also good for you and the kids . Keep bottles in a cooler for a snack with fruit or even graham crackers.

This is the season for traveling. With that comes the need to snack during the long drive. Eat as carefully as you drive. You'll start your vacation healthier and happier.

Too Much Harvest

August is the time for reaping all those veggies and fruits that you planted in the Spring. It's also the season for a lot of farms to offer good bargains their produce and offer baskets at low prices. Of course none of us can resist the lure of anything fresh picked . The problem is what happens when you have too much of a good harvest.

Right now gardens are yielding all sorts of vegetables esepcially the tomato. A few tomatoes are good. However what happens when you're glutted with them? The easiest answer is sauce. There's nothing wrong with making huge quantities of homemade pasta sauce to be frozen now and used during the fall and winter. You can also make homemade salsa and catsup if you're ambitious. Corn is another veggie that's in abundance right now. You can freeze it buty blanch (boil for five nmiutes first) The same method applies to broccoli, peas ans carrots. Save these for stews and sides at a later date.

If you have too much fruit then there are a number of alternatives. You can freeze straswberries. Just slice and add sugar and place in freezer bags. Peaches are a little difficult but still doable. Wash in very cold water pat dry with paper towels , cut in half and discard the stone. Then just drop into freezer bags and freeze. Of course with extra fruit you can make preserves out of them or usr as a topping for cakes and ice cream. You can also make sweet salsa to accompany roast meats, especially chicken and pork.

Don't worry if you have an overly boutniful harvest. There's plenty ot do with all those extra fruits and veggies. You'll be glad that Mother Nature blessed you with so much good homegrown goodness.

Light Wines For Summer

Everyone thinks wine is a winter drink to be served with heavy meals. Not true. There are plenty of light, fruity wines out there that would go well with salads and barbecues. They are delicate and crisp the perfect foils for grilled meats and vegetables. Some can even be used for accompanying desserts- unlike the more robust winter geared wines.

Summer wines are usually white although there are some refreshing reds and roses. Mostly everyone prefers the first however because it does go well with chicken and fish. Portugal gives us the perfect one in Vinho Verde a white with notes of grapefruit ans citrus. This can even be made into a white wine spritzer , perfect for back yard appetizers and finger sandwiches. Another summer stunner is the German Reisling wine. It too has citrusy notes as well as pear and apple. It can be accompany everything from the first course to dessert. It's the perfect drink on a warm August night.

Reds and roses get their due during these steamy days. Reds are always good next to a juicy home made burgers . The Spanish Riojas and French Beaujolais , with their mellow fruitiness and peppery notes are excellent with any barbecued ribs or grilled steaks. Roses are also good with these meats too. Roses are perfect with grilled salmon too. Try to buy ones that are low on tannins which give the wine depth and full bodiedness.

Don;t think that wine is only for the colder months. It's not. A good summer meals deserves a good summer wine. It'll bring out the sharp and delicious flavors of a barbecue or outdoor party.

Vegan Barbecues

Vegan and barbecue somehow don't go together in the same sentence yet that's not true. Even meat free eaters can enjoy every summer treat a meat lover can. It's easy. To sum it up in one word tofu. There are so many tofu products right now that any vegetarian could have a better barbecue than any carnivore right now.



Luckily the variety of veggie burgers has increased over the last decade. Years ago they only came in one tasteless flavor. Now the patties taste like actual patties and have extras such as salsa , basil, black bean, tomato and even soy cheddar cheese thrown in.Some even have an already grilled taste. Add some ketchup, onions and tomato and you have a regular burger. Even better is that you can fools guests into thinking they're eating Angus beef when in fact they're gobbling down the very healthy good for them soy.



Not to be out done but some companies like the truly vegan Morning Star Farms have hot dogs too. Put these on the grill and they taste like Nathan's real beef kind. Granted they're not as juicy but the texture isn't bad and the ends do get nice and crispy if you split them. There are also ribs and chicken patties for variation along with Morning Star's newest creation the turkey burger. All of these are great for the barbecue and would make for tasty filling meals.



Yes , vegans can have a great time barbecuing. It's easy thanks to the wide array of soy products out there. In fact they might even convert a few carnivores during a grilling spree.

Fit For A Pasha

Yesterday's New York Times Dining section had a few interesting articles.Another one about the Bulgarian-British chef, Silvena Rowe caught my eye. She has just come out with a new cookbook entitled "Purple Citrus & Sweet Perfume." It is also unusual because it deals with the cuisine of the Ottoman Empire. This is a delectable feast of different Mediterranean influenced dishes suitable for any pasha.

The foods are sumptuous, with rich ingredients that make the mouth water. The article, written by Olivia Snaije tells of Chef Rowe's travels and fond memories. her father, a Turk was also somewhat of cook and instilled in her a love of Eastern cooking. She talks lovingly of his eggplant borek, that is stuffed with feta and coated in melted butter. She has also traveled throughout the Middle East gathering up recipes as she goes.

Chef Rowe also is the top chef at London's famed Mayfair Hotel. There she incorporates these Middle Eastern treats into her menus. She is a big fan of pomegranate molasses which is a long time staple in Middle Eastern cuisine. Chickpeas are well used in her kitchen in almost everything. She is also big on using nuts which are another staple in that cuisine.

If you want to eat like a pasha then buy Chef Silvena Rowe's latest cookbook. You'll dine on fine Middle eastern cooking with relatively easy to navigate recipes. It's a good way to eat on these sultry summer days