Ken Magos Hosting With History

One of my favorite PBS shows is "Drive by History" in which host and historian Ken Magos finds out about the history behind those blue plaque signs that dot the  New Jersey landscape.Now he has come up with a spin off  "Drive by History Eats"in which he,  with the help of Dr. Libby O'Connell and chefs Melissa Fairchild Clark and Anthony Murgola, create dishes eaten by some of New Jersey's most prominent historical figures along  with recipes culled from historical events and ethnic and indigenous group. He has graciously given Foodie Pantry an interesting and insightful interview.

• 1.    How did you come up with the idea for “Drive by History Eats’?

  This idea has been percolating for a while, actually.  It came from past Drive By History investigations where food – either dinner parties with incredibly influential figures, or various immigrant groups bringing new flavors to our region – played a key role in those narratives.

  2.    You cover several different eras in the show, from the indigenous Lenni Lenape  Three Sisters to the meatless dinners of World War One. How did the recipes reflect the times?

  To paraphrase our Food and Culture Historian Dr. Libby O’Connell, “Recipes provide a window into the past.”  By looking at historic recipes, we’re able to discern when new ingredients were introduced to our region (or became more widely available), and also when certain trends in cooking techniques and equipment or gadgets became popular.

   

  In addition, recipes often reflect social and industrial movements through the generations, such as breakthroughs in refrigeration and food preservation and shipment in the late 19^th century, and Meatless Mondays and Wheatless Tuesdays during World War I.

  3.    Have you noticed any similarities between what New Jerseyians ate then and what we eat now?

  Well, New Jersey is called the Garden State for good reason, and has always boasted a wealth of indigenous fresh produce, fruit, berries, fish and game that have kept our ancestors well-fed for literally centuries.  And we’re still enjoying the bounty today.

  4.    What would you say are the most noticeable culinary differences between then and now?

  From pre-colonial through the 20^th century, the most striking culinary trends are probably the addition of new ingredients and flavors brought over by immigrant groups – keeping in mind that even honey bees (not indigenous to North America) were introduced by 17^th century European settlers.

  5.    I see there’s an upcoming program featuring indigenous dishes starring the Three Sisters and grape dumplings. Will there be more episodes featuring indigenous recipes?

  That is certainly a possibility for future seasons.

  6.    Asking that, we can’t forget New Jersey has had a strong immigrant influence too. Will you be featuring dishes from Newark’s Ironbound section along with Union City’s Cuban neighborhood as well as culinary contributions from the first wave of immigrants to the state?

  We’re planning two separate episodes for Season 2 of DBH: Eats focused on Newark stories. 

   

  The first, based on an upcoming episode of Drive By History featuring legendary entrepreneur and community philanthropist Louise Scott, will examine the culinary influence of Newark’s African American community during the Second Great Migration following World War 2. 

   

  The second, tied to our past investigation at the Newark Museum’s Ballantine House and 19^th century Christmas traditions, will examine holiday culinary contributions from the city’s German, Dutch and English communities.

  7.    You can’t mention New Jersey without a reference to our famed boardwalks. Will you be delving into the history of our most beloved dish - the pork roll sandwich along with other classic boardwalk foods?

  I see you’re trying to draw us into the Taylor Ham vs. Pork Roll debate!  Well, let’s just say we’re neutral on that subject, but have definitely toyed with doing an episode on favorite boardwalk dishes.

  8.    Will “Drive by History Eats” be visiting the state’s oldest restaurants such as Mendham’s Black Horse Tavern?

  Restaurants aren’t our focus.

  9.    New Jersey has seen its’ fair share of battles. Will you be exploring what the Colonial and British armies ate and comparing them?

  That’s a great topic idea – thank you for sharing it!  We’ll definitely throw it into the mix for a future episode!

  10.  And the famous I have to ask question - what was your favorite dish from all the recipes that you’ve sampled and why did you like it so much?

  Honestly, all of the dishes were really tasty this season, but if I had to pick I’d say that I had 2 favorite dishes this season.

   

  First was the pork chop from the Whitman episode.  The pork chop itself was delicious, but the braising liquid with all of the vegetables made a fantastic soup for days after the shoot (I chose to take this one home with me, though dishes are always shared with the entire crew at wrap).

   

  Second were the grape dumplings.  So simple to make, but incredibly delicious, and surprisingly not heavy at all.  The crew all loved them, too.

   

  I hope the audience tries the recipes at home – They won’t be disappointed!  They’re all available on our show website, DriveByHistoryEats.tv.  

  
  

Pies Of Perfection

 Thanksgiving is only a week away and many home bakers are freaking out. WHat do they serve after the turkey?Or what's the tastiest pie to end the dinner. Don't . The New York \Times Wednesday Food section has another must save section. There are many recipes that can make Thanksgiving a dream.

 Every pie recipe is a keeper. Regular contributor , Melissa Clark, gave us an in depth and extensive article about these great desserts along with good tips that will stay a lifetime.Pies can be tricky to make and making the perfect one takes skill.Ms. Clark gives recipes for three of the most traditional : pumpkin,apple and pecan. There is the recipe for the perfect crust.It is super buttery but perfect for the fillings offered.It has ten tablespoons of unsalted butter, preferably a high fat European one like Plugra for the best tasting crust. The rest is flour fine seas salt and ice cold water.It does need to be refrigerated for at least two hours before using. The best bet is making itTuesdsy night and keeping it overnight in the fridge before baking. You can use a food processor to pulse the dough but Ms. Clark likes using your hand to mix'The butter is cut into cubes and flattened into the flour until they look like cornflakes. If it's made in the food processor, pulse the butter with the flour and sea salt until the butter cubes resemble lima beans.

You can make all three fillings or just one. Her pumpkin pie is actually made with butternut squash. Prepping  pumpkin can be labor intensive and surprisingly it doesn't impart the right taste. Butternut squash does.The company Libby's which as been supplying Thanksgiving bakers pureed pumpkin for decades uses it to create a creamy , mild tasting filling. She also adds ground ginger and cloves to give  it a spicier flavor. Her apple pie is not one of those with a soggy middle and damp top. She recommends cooking the apples beforehand to because cooked apples have already released their liquid. the juice steams and pools, making tt harder to get that perfectly crisp crust. Cook the apples in butter and light brown sugaralong with a variety of spices. Ms. Clark uses cinnamon, ginger nutmeg and brown cloves. There's also cornstarch added for a crispier slice. There is also that Southern classic pecan pie made less cloying by eliminating the corn syrup. Ms Clark suggests using a mix of maple syrup and honey which gives the pie a complex earthy flavor with floral notes. Also simmer the maple syrup before to concentrate it's flavor. Melted butter is also added but Ms. Clark cooks it more for a nutty browned butter. The nuts don't have to be toasted beforehand . You can do it if you want.

These pies will definitely be the perfect ending to the Thanksgiving meal. Make one or all three. They will definitely stand out and shine.

Warming Up The Winter With Alco Eats Spices

 Nothing warms up a chilled body than a bowl of spicy food. It's so easy to create a flavorful bowl of veggies and meat, zinged with a variety of spices. Alco Eats knows this and have created the perfect blend of them for cooking and fiery treats for snacking.

This India based company has created a wide variety of Indian blend spices made from mixes of dried veggies and fruits spiked with such spices as turmeric, ginger, cardamon and white pepper. Dried onion, tomato and even muskmelon round it out. Each spice bottle has a recipe for such Indian classics as butter chicken.

This is great for those home chefs wanting to  dip into South Asian cooking. They could start out with sauteed veggies with the spice designed for them if they don't want to make an entire meal.These are great to make and serve with rice  but also with oven warmed naan. Also consider incorporating a few bottles in a holiday basket, with basmati rice and naan bread.

The company also Funny Nuts. These are cashews coated in biting black pepper and fiery peri-peri sauce.

I love any kind of cashew and these were amazing. The black pepper had the right bite while the peri-peri had the right amount of heat. There is also masala mirch and sour cream and onion. These are perfect stocking stuffers as well as being a good snack for hikes and picnics.They also would be a zingy addition to any holiday buffet table. 

Alco Eats has some amazing spices mixes plus a tasty selection of Fun Nuts. Try any of them for a tasty way to warm up this winter. Their fiery heat is delicious both as a meal and as a snack.

Honoring Indigenous Recipes

 November is Indigenous People month. It's time to honor their contribution - which is a very big one - to the American table. These recipes can be made for Thanksgiving or even for a celebratory meal.

My state, New Jerse,y was home to the Lenni Lenape or Delaware tribe. One of their  recipes that could easily fit on a breakfast table is Sa'Pan or corn hominy.It's sort of like a sweet polenta with fruit and butter added.it's mixing a cup of white or blue cornmeal with a cup of very cold water. Two cups of boiling water and a pinch of salt is added. Dried fruit is blended in too in this stove top creation.A tablespoon of butter or lard is stirred in and blended .Beat the corn mix until smooth and serve with maple syrup.One of the biggest tribes, the Aligonquian has a dish honoring  The Three Sisters. This is corn, squash and beans ,Lima beans corn and squash are combined with red and green peppers, zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant.Onion garlic and parsley flavor it as does pepper and paprika. The onions, garlic and peppers are sauteed in butter or oil while the squash zucchini and lima beans are steamed and them added to the mix. The Wampanoag tribes of Massachusetts have an excellent stew made from turkey or chicken called sobaheg The birds are mixed with ground corn meal or hominy along with green beans, winter squash, onions and garlic.Ground sunflower seeds are added to thicken it.

The Navajo of the Southwestern US have also contributed to the American table. Their most famous dish, fry bread comes with a sad history. This was created in 1864 when the US government gave  the tribe   flour, sugar, salt and lard as they made their long walk from Arizona to Bosque Redondo, New Mexico. This new land couldn't sustain their traditional crops of vegetables and beans. The recipe is similar to the sopapllas to  the Pueblos and Hispanos of New Mexico. Yeast is added for rise and it's fried in melted shortening or vegetable oil. You could add a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg for flavor. The Pacific Northwest and British Columbia had the Tlingit tribes. They survived on the famous salmon of the area and made chowder with it. Yelloweye chowder , a often made soup is a mix of yelloweye salmon, carrots and celery, Clam juice and chicken stock are the base while bacon, oregano and onions also add flavor.  Heavy cream and milk are also added to give it a New England clam chowder vibe It would make for a nice holiday meal starter or served in small bowls or cups at a holiday party,

The Indigenous tribes have always will have contributed to the American table. Honor them by featuring a dish at your Thanksgiving table. These are the recipes of a true America and represent the country's ancient cultures.

Festive Chickpeas A Crunchy Healthy Snack

 It is hard to find a snack that's good for you and good for your taste buds. Luckily there is one, Festive Chickpeas that fit the bill. These are great , delicious snacks that can be eaten at home or on the run.

One of my favorite beans is the chickpea. They're phenomenal in a summer salad or added to pasta sauce. Dried ones, which are the best ,are usually sold at Italian festivals only held in September. These are the best They are crunchy and salty, the perfect snack. Luckily Festive has come along and not only given us sea salted dried butter flavored chickpeas but ones that are ranch flavored along with honey barbecue, sour cream and onions, and two kinds of spicy, mild and fire hot.  The flavors are not so overpowering. You can still taste the chickpea's unique nutty sweetness and the extra seasoning complements them.They come in one ounce and two ounce bags. They're the perfect lunchbox or picnic snack but also would make a fun stocking stuffer too.

I like these for so many reasons. They have a good crunch and the flavors are  tasty. I can even see Festive Chickpeas in a salad, giving it some oomph and zing. There are other pluses too. The chickpeas are non GMO and there are no preservatives. Also chickpeas are chock full of manganese. You can also eat a handful of any of the Festive kind and feel full. No need to eat  a bowl of them. Chickpeas also help regulate blood sugar and promote brain health. Chickpeas in general help lower Type Two diabetes, cancer  and heart disease. Imagine any other snack doing that!!

Switch over to Festive Chickpeas if you want a healthy good for you, crunchy snack. They are perfect nibble for binge watching or a great side to a fall picnic. Try all their flavors for a delicious and healthy alternative to chips and popcorn!!!!

Four Years Without The Master Chef

 It's hard to believe that four years have elapsed since I lost my Mom, our family's Master Chef. This past year would have made her worry but amused and maybe thrilled that her kids managed.

I know she would have been worried out of her mind about my twice broken arm and the surgery that followed the first break. What would she have made of my brother's spinach salad and his successful attempt on our family's potato salad recipe? She would have liked the spinach salad and maybe the ingenuity he put into the salad. He used already boiled potatoes and a variety of vegan mayonnaise. Would she have liked the added capers and green olives? Maybe. She would have said maybe add more celery and a bit more onion, both needed for crunch and texture.She definitely would have offered input on jazzing up store bought tomato sauce that my brother is fond of having with his penne or rotelli. His Halloween barbecue would have tickled her and she would have loved bundling up in front of the fire pit munching on a "real" hot dog and having a plate of potato salad, followed by hot coffee and Halloween cupcakes.

What would she have thought of my "one arm cooking"? She would have worried that I was doing too much and hurting my afflicted arm when I made my well known air fryer portabellas. Yet she would have been happy that I was actually cooking and would have been at my side to do most of the work. My taking the right vitamins and my daily dose of calcium  would have been her top priority. She would want me strong again and healthy. I think she also would have wanted me to eat more protein, namely meat and dairy to build stronger bones. We would have had more rotisserie chicken from the Acme and may even steak sandwiches along with a snack of Brie on crackers. She definitely would have made me drink cow's milk instead of the usual almond milk and also eat more yogurt too. We would have gone the Piedmontese route with using butter to fry and saute - after all it is dairy too  - instead of relying on "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter". Greens , especially kale and spinach would have been more on the menu. These too are rich in iron and good for healing bones.

This would have been a tough year for her to witness but she was tough and could handle anything thrown her way. A kid with a twice broken arm wouldn't have fazed her. She would definitely go into Master Chef mode and created healthy, protein rich dishes for us.

The Thanksgiving Issue Part Two

 Yesterday The New York Times Food section printed their unofficial Thanksgiving issue. It was chock full of ideas and recipes. There is still more to go over and share with family and our veterans alike.

 We discovered spins on turkey thanks to Padma Lakschmi and some interesting dishes from a Liberian Thanksgiving. Now it's time to look into traditional and classic New York Times recipes. These reflect over 150 years of them from The Times. Krysten Chambrot food editor of the section  created the assembly of these tasty dishes.She's had help from Amanda Hesser, co-founder of the cooking and home company Food 52, and former Times food writer and editor. Some of the recipes weren't originally meant for the holiday but they can easily be made for it.  You could easily start the meal off with Craig Claiborne;s Florentine dip first published in 1959.It's a heady mix of anchovies, capers and lemon juice mixed into a blend if sour cream and cream cheese. Chives, garlic and parsley add to the flavor. A different side is red cabbage glazed with maple syrup. This would also be good with a holiday pork roast or  a Christmas ham too. It's from 1991 , created by Yves Labbe. Red cabbage is first sauteed in bacon drippings with onions, apples, a bay leaf and maple syrup. This is then baked in the oven for thirty minutes after being seasoned with salt and pepper.

You can never go wrong with an Edna Lewis recipe. Her recipe for baked sweet potatoes with lemon was first published in 1993 right after she wrote her seminal cookbook "The Taste of Country Cooking" when she worked at the famed Gage & Tollner.The sweet potatoes are first boiled as a syrup of brown sugar, lemon zest and nutmeg in water. Butter is whisked in and then lemon juice. The potatoes are then sliced into half inch thick  discs or coins and put into a buttered shallow baking dish. The lemon syrup is poured on top and the whole dish is baked for half an hour at 425 degrees. What to end the dinner with? Not a traditional pie but David Lebovitz's fresh ginger cake first made by Times readers in 1999. Mr. Lebovitz was the pastry chef at the famed La Panisse in Berkeley California. This recipe is from his first cookbook "Room For Dessert". It's sort of like a gingerbread, but made with fresh peeled and cur ginger along with cloves , cinnamon and black pepper.It only has two eggs so it's not as rich as other holiday cakes. It would go well with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream.

These are great Thanksgiving recipes to be shared with everyone, including our veterans. They can also be made for other holidays too. Enjoy these New York Times classic recipes and their classic flavors. They are the perfect accompaniment to turkey, ham or roast port.