A Second Look At The Staff

 Workers of all kinds  are really the backbone of the restaurant industry. How they're treated and in return treat us is crucial to an eatery's life and future. The mass close downs illuminated the fact that chefs waiters and busboys have hard lives , in and out of a restaurant.

Cookbook, author , chef and regular contributor Tejal Rao wrote about the industry in today' New York Times Food section. Hospitality is really an intangible concept. A diner might have it. A fancy restaurant may just miss at it.It all depends on how well the staff , from the busboys up to the chefs are treated and treat not only the customers but themselves as well. Danny Meyer, a New York restauranteur has talked about measuring the hospitality or HQ of his staff. It's a way of measuring aspects of a worker's emotional intelligence as well as his or her kindness, optimism, curiosity and empathy as well as self awareness and integrity. It makes for a feel good atmosphere, one of relentless positivity.This has been the heart of the American restaurant for over one hundred years.people who serve and cook for us as well as clean up after  should approach the table with a kind of joy. After all that's what we're paying for.An attitude from any restaurant worker could ruin a place's reputation which will lead to less diners and less money made.

However the pandemic made it extremely tough to maintain any kind of positive attitude. Chef Minh Phan, owner of Los Angeles' Porridge and Puff  saw her staff crumble during the pandemic. There was staff burnout, who were worn down by the physical and emotional labor  of cooking and serving during lockdown.She blames herself for pushing them so hard. Then there was the mask enforcing when some restrictions were lifted.  Diners didn;t want to wear them and even resorted to chilling threats upon restaurant owners. Pico's a family owned Mexican restaurant  in Houston enforced the mask regulation only to be met with  being threats of calling in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport workers. The incident points to the deep dysfunction at the heart of this industry. Cooks are constantly at risk thanks to the nature and they can't really leave. Their health benefits are often tied to their jobs. Many dish washers and busboys are illegal immigrants who need a job that exposes them to customers finding out about their status. Some eateries are being equal. Be U,a tiny Vietnamese restaurant in LA has the workers start at eighteen dollars an hour and everyone shares in the tip jar, from cooks to servers Uyen Le, the chef and owners feels American workers are ridiculously underpaid and wants to do something about it. Another restauranteur , Adrian LIpscombe  gave free food certificates to her restaurant Uptowne Cafe and Bakery, which bolstered the morale for her staff.

This pandemic has exposed the disparities of many restaurant workers. It's hard for everyone to be happy and in sync when their lives are being threatened on all levels. Hopefully it will all change as we all get vaccinated and then hospitality comes back.

Back To School Lunches

 Kids are finally getting back to the classroom. That means some schools will allow lunches which can be daunting to parents. The main question is what to pack? Sandwiches or a Bento box full of cut veggies and fruits. 

Keep in mind the little ones have been eating what you've been eating for the last year. That may be fast food , leftovers or freshly made hot lunches. Grade schoolers may not like the idea of a sandwich after a year of chicken nuggets and Happy Meals. They will warm to fun shaped sandwiches and fun snacks. Think about buying sandwich shapers that comes in such molds as trains, cats, flowers and hearts.As far as snacks , try to get healthy ones instead of potato chips. If they do insist on chips then try Sensible Portions Sea Salt veggie chips. These look like Pringles but are a bit healthier being made with spinach , broccoli and peas in a potato based chips. These tasty chips can only be found at Target although you can find their veggie straws in your local grocery. These also come in different flavors like ranch, barbecue and sea salt. The company even makes apple straws which make for a nice dessert instead of cookies.  Should you send leftovers to school?  Yes, if there's access to a microwave. Just keep the portions manageable.

A healthy lunch is always a good idea too. Bento boxes work well for this.if you're new to them, you can buy them at your local Target.Amazon has a wide selection too. They are microwavable and usually come with a spork.  What to put into them? Nut butters are a great idea but be careful with these. Your kid may not suffer from nut allergies but their friends could have them.If that's the case then think of cream cheese with riced veggies like cauliflower and broccoli mixed in.Half a bagel with cream cheese is another good idea. Mini sandwiches are also good. Use whole wheat or whole grain bread filled with turkey or chicken. Manageable cut veggies like carrots or celery sticks are a crunchy fun side that kids will like. As far as sweet nibbles, toss in a few grapes or sliced strawberries. You can also give them some blueberries and for an absolute eye opener gooseberries. These last are becoming popular again and their tart unusual flavor will definitely make them the talk of the classroom. You could throw in some chocolate for a sugar burst. Two or three Hershey Kisses are always a nice end but you could also M&M's or Andes Mints too.

Schools are reopening again. It's time to hone those lunchbox skills with interesting sandwiches and sides. make them fun. Make them tasty. Make them desirable so that kids will gobble them up.

Bursting and Smashing

 There seems to be an aggressive way of cooking these days. Ingredients are somehow mangled or exploded. Is this a new trend or are we just bored with the usual slicing and dicing .

The New York Times Sunday Home section had a recipe for crispy gnocchi and burst tomatoes. This is a must make which I'll probably be creating tomorrow. It's the sauce that's intriguing me. The tomatoes can be either cherry or grape, They're better in flavor than their bigger cousin, the beefsteak. They're cooked in a mix of  browned butter, pepper flakes and garlic. Heat splits the skin and they burst. it's then smashing them with a spoon to help that bursting along.Why burst them? They instantly release the juice into the butter  sauce. it seems that there are other recipes for burst tomatoes , namely with shrimp.It's an easy summer sauce for those future sweltering days. Tomatoes can also be smashed. Martha Stewart has a recipe for these that involves just smashing cherry tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper. These make a great side but add some olive oil and they make a nice topping for crostini or spooned on top of sliced and split Italian and French breads. It could also be one of the layers in pain bagnat, that tasty Provencale layered sandwich of tuna, anchovies , veggies and eggs.

Smashing isn't just relegated to tomatoes. Smashed potatoes are a popular side and many love their crispy , crunchiness. New potatoes work best for this because they're easily smashed. Recipetineats has a good recipe for them.It's boiling them until ty're soft for about thirty minutes. It's then draining them in a colander and then using a large fork or potato masher to smash them. The thinner they're smashed, the crispier they'll be while thicker means fluffier insides. leave on a tray to steam dry. Drizzle with both melted butter - for flavor and olive oil to get that crispy texture.Bake them in 390 degree F oven for forty-five minutes. You can also use your microwave and air fryer to get a similar taste and texture. Melted butter or ghee is brushed on each side and the potatoes are then air fried  at 400 degrees F for ten to twelve minutes.  Flip them halfway through so they're equally crisped on both sides. You can also dust them with garlic and onion powder for more flavor or dried herbs. You can also smash Brussels sprouts in the same manner too, save they're smashed with a glass' bottom. 

Cooking seems to be getting a bit violent, with bursting and smashing veggies. However the methods produce some of the most flavorful sauces and crispiest sides. Take your frustrations out on tomatoes, potatoes and Brussels sprouts,. Burstt them Smash them. The end result is a delicious dish.

Auga A New Kind Of Soup

 Everyone thinks soup are the most mundane food on the planet. Yet a new company is shaking up that belief. The Baltic area company Auga is creating interesting ones , full of good ingredients and flavors.  They're not the traditional canned ones. They're not even canned.

This is one of the soups that caught my eye at Stop & Shop. One it comes in a bag. You can reheat the soup in it if you';re in a hurry or don't want an extra pot to clean. It comes out very thick so it does need to be thinned out with about half a cup of water.

I tried the carrot soup first.

This was before I added the water. It looked like mashed squash and a bit too thick texture wise.. Adding water or even any kind of milk will make it silky and also reduce the intense carrot taste. There is coconut milk in it along with rice flour for thickening and sea salt and spices.  It just takes three  minutes to cook in the microwave.

                                It becomes lighter in color and thinner  even though it looks custardy, 

As for the taste, it tasted like steamed carrots with garlic. I add a huge tablespoon or two of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter since I'm used to cooking my carrots with butter. It tasted better and was a nice lunch. I also have the tomato but would like to try Auga's champignon or mushroom flavor along with their minestrone. The company has all natural "canned" (meaning plastic bagged) beans and veggies which also look interesting and healthy along with their organic eggs and milk. The company also produces breakfast products such as oatmeal cups.

Auga is shaking up the natural food market. Their soups are a nod to the traditional yet a departure . Try them for a fresher tasting bowl of soup.

Oh Gooseberries!

 These golden orbs stood out yellow and shiny on Easter morning. They were nestled between the strawberries and blueberries at Stop and Shop. What are they? Gooseberries or Cape gooseberries.

They truly intrigued me. I've heard about them as many other people have, yet I thought they were just wild growing somewhere. It turns out they're from originally from England but also thrive in Peru , Columbia and even Hawaii. That may explain why they're mentioned in  some Nineteenth Century  British novels and stories. Their Latin name is Physalis Peruviana and the fruit grows inside a  calyx, or petals, producing a small tomato like fruit. They have a sticky exterior, Imagine a grape tomato covered in honey or maple syrup. You have to wash your hands after eating them. Their flavor is a strange mix of sweet and tart. Think pineapple married to peach while the texture is like that of a tomato. The skin is thick with a pulpy , seeded inside. They  have Vitamin K - good for blood clotting and beta carotine.

The question is what do you with them? The Brits turn them into pies and crumbles along with soaking them in gin and turning them into jam. You could put them into a cake. The recipe that I think would highlight them best is the classic English fool. This  was found on the Good Food section of the BBC. Fool is usually made with freshly whipped cream but this one has Greek  yogurt added. You could just make it with the heavy cream and confectioners sugar, along with vanilla extract. You do have to smash them  until they become pulpy. I'm also thinking salads. They're like tomatoes and would be an interesting change up from orange or apple slices. They'd be great in a grilled chicken one dressed with a light vinaigrette. You could also add some slices to fruit salad to for some tang and color.

Those golden robs have a lot of potential. Buy them if you see them at your local grocery. Gooseberries are an interesting fruit, a neat snack and addition to desserts and salads.

Nafas That Special Sense

 The  phrase "It tastes like it was made with love" may have some truth in it. Middle Easterners call this nafas - a kind of energy transmitted through ones' cooking and baking through the vibes the home chef gives out. it definitely affects the taste and flavor of whatever dish is being made.

Reem Kassis, a Palestinian cookbook author who also writes about history and politics explored this in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Nafas is an energy that some people possess that make their meals not only good but exceptional. This is seen in other cultures too.(and I've witnessed it first hand with my Mom's amazing cooking). In Korea it's known as sonmat or hand taste. Across India it's both known as haatachi chav - hand's taste in Marathi while in Hindi  nafas is called maza haath mein hota hai or the taste that comes from the hand. Some like Palestinian Labiba Halloun is known for it as people ask for months in advance for her kubbeh niyah , a tartare of bulgur and ground lamb for wedding feasts/ Yet there could be something scientific in it as well. Rob Dunn a professor at North Carolina State University studies the biology underlying differences between sour dough starters. He claims that the microbes in our hands  and in our environments lead to variations in our dishes. He has experimented with exact same doughs but kneaded by a variety of people. The common taste is there but each varies slightly. Researchers in his lab also discovered that sourdough breads tasted weird when they were made strictly in a lab environment while those made at home has a "home flavor". 

Ms Kassis also includes her grandmother recipes for carrots maqliba a kind of rice cake and another Middle Eastern dish narjissiya with asparagus and Halloumi and sumac. The first is rib eye steak cut into cubes and sauteed with onions. Carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks are then added as is basmati rice spiced with ,pepper, cinnamon, turmeric and cumin. This layered cake is cooked for ten minutes more with a plate on top to keep in the steam. The  whole mound is then inverted on the plate and decorated with fried or  toasted slivered almonds. The narjissiya has the best of Islamic cooking, starting with sunnyside up eggs and halloumi, a Middle Eastern cheese made from a combination of goats and sheep's milk.Asparagus is also added. The cheese is first cooked until browned in olive oil, then set aside while the eggs and spears are sauteed together with garlic. Pita croutons which are easily made by baking them in a 350 F degree oven for ten to fifteen minutes, and sumac oil  - just a mix of olive oil and this - are placed on top of the cheese, eggs and asparagus, along with plain yogurt. You could probably sub in the sumac oil with za'atar to really make it flavorful.

Nafas , which could translate to the love of cooking and the love of the ones you're feeding - is not only prevalent in Middle Eastern cooking but around the world. Love can come through what you're cooking. A good home chef always shows it. 

The Golden Unicorn The Home Baked Croissant

 Is there such a treat as the home baked croissant? After all this is one of the hardest and most complicated breads or rolls to make. Surprisingly the answer is yes - and even better home bakers can make chocolate, almond and even ham and cheese ones. You don't have to go to a fancy bakery anymore to get these gems.

Claire Saffitz, a  well known pastry chef who both writes for Bon Appetit and appears on their You Tube channel, pondered this and wrote a very detailed how to. Croissants are tough to create. There's that crisp brittle egg washed crust with layers of flaky , buttery bread underneath.  Keep in mind that the bakery made ones are rolled out by slab rollers in temperature controlled rooms. The dough is laminated quickly meaning  flattening the butter out between rolls of dough  which produces light flaky  uniform crescents. Home bakers can do this but this has to be done by hand, making it slower, harder and much more variable. Chef Saffitz encourages though, stating that once you master the dough you can then master  adding those delicious  fillings like ham and cheese, chocolate and almond. Keep in mind that not only baking croissants is labor intensive it's also time consuming. Most of the active works takes place on the first day. Also the kitchen temp has to be cool. Keep it at seventy-six degrees or lower . Make room  in both the fridge and the freezer for the dough or detrempe as the French call it. All the ingredients must be weighed too. The liquid to flour ratio has to be perfect too or you'll wind up with either too dry or too soggy croissants.

The ingredients are just as important. Look for a high protein flour which can support all that butter as well as being a high gluten flour. Chef Saffitz recommends the classic King Arthur all purpose flour; It has a relatively high protein content of 11. 7 and it contains a small amount of malted barley flour. This last gives the crust a crispier cracklier exterior. Yeast is another important factor. Use fresh or baker's yeast.It is more reliable than active dry yeast however the last is easier to find. Make sure it's alive and it's well before its' expiration date.  You can also proof it by adding warm milk in the base recipe and then adding the yeast to proof that. One of the most important ingredients is the butter. Please use European ones like Plusgras or Kerrygold.It's eighty two percent  butter fat at least  where as American butters top out at that . The high fat content lends to the flavor and also makes the butter more "plastic" or malleable. Kerrygold is the best for this because it maintains a waxy malleable texture while resisting cracking or splitting when its' being rolled inside the dough. Then there's the egg wash. Just go careful with this. Use a mix of the yolk and heavy cream for a glossy bronzed crust and wipe the drips off the baking pan. They can burn while the croissants bake.

Yes you can bake buttery,. crisp croissants at home. It's a labor intensive process but once you get the hang of it , it'll be easy. The result is a golden unicorn with flaky layers and a heavenly rich taste.