Two Takes On Bread

Everyone likes bread.However this kitchen and diet necessity can sometimes be boring .Luckily it is versatile whether to use as a cushion for food or remade as exotic street fare.These are two ways to enjoy it, both going from the mundane to the exotic and unusual. Bread was the topic of both Melissa Clark's A Good Appetite and David Tanis"City Kitchen columns in yesterday's New York Dining section.Ms. Clark decided to broil slices of thick, fine crumbed Pullman loaves or pan de mie (translated honey bread) The bread's soft spongy texture makes it perfect for the base of crab toast.This is a nice Summer Sunday supper.This involves buttering and toasting thick slices in the broiler and putting soft shell crabs under it too.Home chefs can get the crustaceans cleaned at your local fishmonger.The sauce over it is pureed Italian parsley spiked with jalapenos.This is smeared on top as a kind of pesto.If you want something simpler you could just make a garlic butter or an Old Bay mix to drizzle over the toast slices. David Tanis has a more exotic spin on the staff of life.He turns to Indian street food, namely dhokla a savory steamed loaf"Instead of traditional flour it is made with semolina.Ginger, green chile and turmeric are added for bite and fire.As for leavening there are two ways home chefs can go.There"s the old style Indian method which calls for soaking dried grains or legumes overnight,grinding them to make a batter and letting that ferment overnight.The result is natural yeast.A quicker and preferred way is mixing baking powder and flour which only takes an hour to rise.The result when baked is a springy almost spongecake bread.This would be good on it's own but then there is the tarka,the fiery topping made from a blend of cumin and curry cooked in vegetable oil.It is served with mint infused yogurt, also spoked with chiles. Bread made be just an ordinary part of one's diet but it can be made extraordinary.Try Melissa Clark's crab toast or David Tanis dhokla.They both will bring flavor and excitement to something so mundane.

The Perfect Summer Burger

This is the season for hamburgers.Nothing beats the good home made ones straight from a skillet or barbecue grill.These are the best whether just plain on a bun or dressed with condiments and extras. This German American classic was deconstructed in an article in today's New York Times Dining section by regular contributor and former editor of the issue,Sam Sifton.He relied on different sources for advice in making two varieties of the meat patty.The kind made depends on if you're a meat lover or not.There is the tavern style.This requires more meat namely eight ounces to a regular burger's four.However don't go past the eight ounces otherwise you"ll windup with an underdone mini meatloaf,according to chef Geoffrey Zakarian ,who creates lush and flavorful kind for the Manhattan restaurant The National Bar And Dining Rooms.Seasoning is more intense with more sea salt and pepper used.The result is a juicy patty brimming with flavor served on a toasted bun.The other version known as diner style is a thinner, crisper patty.These can be doubled on a bun for meat lovers .The tavern style is usually cooked for three minutes while the other is only cooked for a quick two and should have a burnished crust.The most preferred method of cooking is a good cast iron skillet over a regular flame on a burner or a grill.The hamburger meat should be chilled before cooking because the fat should still be solid and be allowed to melt slowly within the chuck. Mr. Sifton gives good advice as well. Forming the patties is the most important step.This is also the time to add extras and chefs will do so.Some butchers will as well throwing in bacon and even cheddar chunks and potato chips.Home chefs can add chopped onion for more flavorful burgers.The meat should be a ground chuck ,not too fatty but not too lean either.However it should be ground at home.Store ground meat can pose a health problem and there is also a second problem,that of the fat globules which makes for a mushy feel to the patty's interior.Keep it in the fridge until you're ready to cook. As for forming them, an ice cream scoop or spoon is recommended to extract a golf ball sized chunk of meat.This has to be tossed onto the grill in one fluid, swift movement.A pat of butter should be used as the grease.Use a heavy spatula to press down.It flattens the ball. Which now should be the size of a hamburger bun.Season and then wait ninety seconds before flipping on the raw side.What can you put on a done burger?Ripe tomato slices and Bibb lettuce only suggests Chef Zakarian, the last being perfect for holding the patty's juices.Then it's just ketchup and mustard. Mayo , sliced pickles and onions can also be added but these will infringe on the burger's taste. Nothing beats a perfect burger. The best is a homemade one, straight from the grill and brimming with juiciness. What better than that for a summer's meal.

Kitchen Ceaning Yays And Nays

One of the worst summer chores is cleaning the kitchen.This involves getting rid of smelly leftovers and stale hard as rock whatever.The chore can be made less difficult simply by sorting.Figure put what is keepable and what's toss able. You'll have a cleaner, fresher cooking area, prefect for the minimal cooking of the season. If you haven't cleaned out your freezer now is the time to do so. After all, it'll be stocked with ice pops and pints of ice cream.Despite the old wives tale ,you can eat last year's ice pops only if they don't have a slight odor.Ice cream is another matter.It starts acquiring a funny taste at around six months. Get rid of it if it's been in the fridge for a whole twelve months. Frozen foods are different .They can be kept until their expiration dates. Check all dates before cooking or tossing. If you have frozen herbs or homemade pesto, again remember when they went into cold storage. Herbs only have one year. A little different theory works for down below.Fruit and veggies should be cleaned out after two weeks or ten days, depending on the particular produce. Tomatoes will emit a sour, earthy smell when they rot and will have almost prune like skins. Some foods will have the green patina of mold. Any cold cut will,after a week as will Ginger and some cheeses. Try to weed these out on a regular basis to have an odor free fridge.Canned and bottled foods and drinks can be kept much longer. Barbecue sauces, ketchup and mustards can sometimes last years however if they look syrupy or gummy chuck them into the garbage bin. Baked goods have much better and longer shelf lives. Some people even thrive on rock solid stale cookies and cake. they are good dunked into coffee. However they can be so hard as to break teeth.Luckily wild life such as raccoons and wood chucks have sweet tooths.You can toss anything without chocolate to them. Chocolate is dangerous to most animals so throw chocolate chips and stale brownies away. Stale baked goods can also be repurposed. Grind them up into crumbs to sprinkle over ice cream or as a filling for an ice cream cake.The same applies to bread especially French or Italian loaves. These actually make the best crumbs and they can be reused in a variety of dishes.Try them to thicken soups or as a breading for fried foods. unfortunately bread and cake's ingredients can't be saved. the only long lasting one is sugar or honey.Eggs turn after a month, flours gets wormy. toss these or give them away if you can't use them.Milk has both a sour smell and taste after only two or three days. flavorings such as vanilla and almond extract can surprisingly hold on for six months to a year, thanks to the alcohol in both. A clean kitchen is an inviting one.Remember to purge it of old rotty foods on a regular basis. it makes for not only an uncluttered one but one that is free of nasty smells and molds.

Know Your Lettuce

This is the time of year for salads.Unlike other summer dishes, these can be varied thanks to the mammy kids of greens to start off with as a base. Home chefs just think there is only romaine and iceberg.They're sort of right, however there are so many different types that you can make an entirely different salad almost every night of the week. Yes, most Americans do buy more iceberg and Romaine than any other kind.Both have their merits.Sadly iceberg has the least nutrition and the least flavor but it is the best base for tossing a salad with strong flavors.A popular summer one is a wedge of iceberg drenched in bleu cheese.You could also add tomatoes and crumbled bacon too.Iceberg also is good for chef salads too, because of the variety of strong flavored meats and cheese.Romaine is another well loved type.It's the base of Caesar salads but can be used as a base for others as well.You can add sliced avocado slices along with tomatoes for a nice vegan side or main meal.Romaine is good too with turkey ,chicken and most seafood.For a more elegant bowl, think aboutbadding crab and lobster morsels with a simple oil and lemon vinaigrette.Try to eat Romaine at least twice a week.It is high in Vitamin C as well as in phosphates and folates. Bibb and butter lettuce are excellent selections.They are top of the line because of their rich buttery flavor.Their leaves form perfect C's and they are the best choice for holding chicken, tuna, crab and turkey salads.It is also good with a simple vinaigrette to emphasize its amazing flavor. Mention escarole and most home chefs will say it's a soup ingredient.However this Vitamin C rich green is actually a great base for salads.The trick is to buy it or if you're growing it in your garden, to pick the Leaves early on.They will be very sweet,only acquiring the bitter aftertaste later on.Escarole leaves are a wonderful base for Mediterrenean salads with strong flavored ingredients.Think an escarole salad with salame, or prosciutto, Provolone or feta cheese and any kind of olive from black to kalamata.Mesclun is another choice.This is actually a mix of different lettuces that have been seeded and grown together.Mix them with the feathery frisee or the peppery chicory.Again these are rich in vitamins and nutrients and a nice spin to a salad.Since these are strong flavored greens ,think delicate add ins such as plain croutons, grape tomatoes and possibly snap beans.Stick with a very light dressing possibly with a citrus base. Vary your salads this summer.Get out of theviceberg and Romaine comfort zone and try the other greens. have fun discovering other types of lettuce and creating new and exciting salads.

The Perfect Summer Party

IT is now summer 2014 and with it comes a dearth of summer parties.From showers to grad parties to barbecues? Hosts will be creating get togethers.Some parties will be successful while others will may miss the mark.Anyone can throw the perfect summer party.Just follow a few simple rules and you"ll have a memorable gathering. The first step in creating the perfect summer do is planning your menu.Many people want to have everything at a barbecue, from hot dogs to chicken to bruscheta.Whoa! whoa!Whoa! If you want a barbecue then stick with a barbecue centered course of action. Add some coleslaw or a macaroni salad as sides to offset the spiciness of the barbecue .As for bread think corn bread which is good mopping up extra sauce or good with butter.As for hot dogs and hamburgers, roasted plank fries and a corn onion salad would be great accompaniments.Have a table with add ons, such as lettuce ,tomatoes,onions and sliced pickles.For dessert, think mini sundaes with homemade ice cream and s ' mores for the kids while adults can enjoy a fresh made blueberry or strawberry crisp?Have chilled bottles of beer for the adults and chilled bottles of both root and birch beer for the little ones and non drinkers.End with iced coffees. Many hosts want to throw a party with exotic or sophisticated fare.Don't go all over the culinary map for your dishes.If you want to serve lamb kabobs and Harissa, don't have a side of potato salad followed by pad Thai.Stick with just one nationality.Finish off the kabobs with a rice pilaf or couscous.Finish with honeyed figs,or serve them with a fruity sorbet.If you want to have bruschetta, fine,but remember it goes best with a steak or chicken with an oregano rub.A perfect side is a tomato salad and a perfect dessert are strawberries soaked in either Asti Spumente or Marsala wine.If you're throwing a potluck party, make sure everyone is on the same page.If many people are involved have a meeting and discuss the menu and who should bring what.Also find out what their culinary strengths and weaknesses are a d assign dishes accordingly. Anyone can throw the perfect summer party.It starts with organization and ends up with happy guests.There's nothing complicated at all about it.

Gluten Free Not Just A FadAnymore

It was just a scant decade or so ago that we heard stars chatter on about the benefits of a gluten free diet.Everyone thought it was just one of those flash in the pan dietary restrictions. However we have now learned that it is a condition.A good portion of the American population now has some form of celiac disease, a serious allergy to gluten.Luckily restaurants and home chefs are well aware of it and are changing their ingredients to ease the condition. It was the topic of an article in Wednesday's New York Times Dining section.Regular contributor, Kim Severson, delved into this international problem.Celiac disease is a painful and scary allergy that at it's best, can cause diarrhea and bloating while at it's" worst cause severe malnutrition and irreversible damage to the small intestine, Liver and brain.For children it means intolerable stomach pain and severe malnourishment.It is caused by gluten, the protein in wheat that gives dough it's elasticity.It's a hard allergy to live with because sufferers can,t even have a slice of bread or enjoy a cake without it.Luckily that 's all changing.Homes and restaurants across the country are going gluten free, looking for other grains to fill the need. Now there is pasta made from rice flour and ground chickpeas, as well as pizzas, cookies and cupcakes. a child with the allergy now can have the same treats as friends can. Gluten free also means healthy.Many non sufferers are embracing this diet too.Dishes will be Lighter and simpler.The taste won't be that different either. It does mean losing weight, less intestinal inflammation and surprisingly less fatigue.It's also actually more adaptable than any other diet.If some restaurants adapted a low carb diet, they'd have to get rid of their bread including sandwiches along with most desserts Adapting a gluten free menu is much easier.It also gets diners to try new grains such as buckwheat and chickpea.The diet may meet with some opposition.Some hard core Christians as well as ethnic groups may be offended because grains are an important part of the Bible and their upbringing.They feel they will either be less Christian or lose their culinary history by adapting this kind of diet. Gluten free goods are here to stay.It's perfect for those with celiac disease, even better for those who want to eat better. It's a great diet and one that will be mainstream and fully acceptable soon enough.

Cool Foods For Summer

It is already hot and sticky in most of the Northern Hemisphere.It's impossible to eat let alone cook.What's a foodie to do? Go for cool foods.Make dishes that require minimal kitchen time along with minimal prep time.The results are light and airy dishes, perfect for lunch or even dinner. David Tanis tackled this issue in his City Kitchen in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.He suggests taking a page from Italian home chefs.Make it fresh and simple and you"ll never go wrong.He suggests making a simple diced base salad.It requires minmal cooking and prep time.What is great about insalata di risotto is that is can be made in a variety of ways.Mr Tanis turns his into a frutti di mare. He takes shrimp ,squid and mussels boiled on salted water as the main ingredients.Green beans and sliced cherry tomatoes are the veggies , both fresh picked and perfect foils for the seafood.It's all placed on a bed of Arborio rice. This variety is used instead of white rice because it will hold up to the oil and vinegar.Regular white rice will get mushy after too much time in the vinaigrette. Arborio holds up much better, however if you want to use brown rice for a healthier spin.Just don't use Too much dressing on it Rice salads can be varied on ingredients. According to Mr. Tanis, Italian home chefs add leftovers such as chicken and /or various cold cuts.It's a great way of cleaning the fridge. Leftover meats can be julienned and added to any overage from barbecues can be sliced up and then cubes into bite sized pieces. Think a grilled London broil salad, dressed with a garlicky vinaigrette, graced with thinly sliced beefsteak tomatoes.For a vegan insalata, grill asparagus , corn ,and peppers.Use a dressing full of lemon , olive oil and fresh picked herbs.For a truly refreshing evening meal or even a Sunday brunch. For another lighter turn try flakes tilapia or salmon,both broiled ,witness just peas and onion and a simple oil and red wine vinegar. This is the start of light cooking and eating.Try an insalata riso fora meal that's both light and yeasty.It's easy to male and easy to eat,perfect for the onset of summer.