Last Minute Kitchen Gifts

 Christmas is a week away and it's crunch time. Think anything kitchen , from cookbooks to gadgets. These are great presents that will keep on giving. They can be fun. They can be handy. They can be perfect.

A cookbook is always the most interesting gift to open.It not only gives recipes but the stories behind them as well as great tips. International cuisine ones are  also  travelogues with amazing pictures of the food, country and people. The New York Times Food section had an extensive list of them this past Wednesday.There are fourteen choices, from Mina Stone's Greek influenced Lemon,Love and Olive Oil  (Harper Collins) to Michael Twitty's  Rice  A Savor The South Cookbook 0 Noirth Carolina Press). There are cookbooks that revolve around baking like Cookies: The New Classics A Baking Book (Clarkson Potter) by Jesse Szewcyck and  Sheet Cake Easy One Pan Recipes For Every Day and Every Occasion  (Clarkson Potter) by Abigal Johnson Didge. There are cookbooks about Middle eastern sweets and Korean vegetarianism too,. If you do buy a cookbook, get extra little gifts that tie into the book. This can be a sushi mat or a pretty set of measuring cups and spoons. You could even arrange a fun basket full of the ingredients too.

Anyone loves a gadget. They're so much fun to receive and try out,An air fryer is a definite must give for any home chef. They can cook up anything from chicken nuggets to even cinnamon rolls. They will definitely be much appreciated and will be used for months to come. Another fun and necessary gift is an immersion blender. These can easily whip up smoothies but they're also great for creaming and blending soups and sauces. They're also very easy to handle as well as to clean. Bakers will appreciate fun baking gifts like cookie presses. A plus is that they're easily attainable. Everyone from Target to Walmart has them.Throw in a variety pack of sprinkles for decorating. For those non-bakers who still want a holiday treat think about giving a gingerbread kit. These are fun and also perfect for the budget. Five Below is selling them for around five dollars. Target and Walgreens also have them for as low as $2.99. There are also have sleds and trains too that already come with icing and candies to decorate.

Yes, Christmas is coming. There's no need to go frantic over what to give any home chef or baker. The list is endless , from cookbooks and gadgets to gingerbread house kits. Have fun picking out the right gift.

How To Starve Cancer The Perfect Gift of A Book

 Talking about any dreaded disease is not fun, especially during the holidays. yet what if you could stop a host of diseases just by giving a gift of one very important book. You can. Jane McClelland's part how to , part memoir How To Starve Cancer (Agenor Books 2021) is the book to give this Christmas along with being a book that should be in every home library.

Ms. McClelland herself is a powerhouse , able to starve her own Stage 4 cervical cancer that metastasized to her  one lung. if she had gone the traditional route of chemo and radiation she would have been dead after six weeks of the initial diagnosis. She fought back. The first three hundred and eight pages are dedicated to her life with the disease. Despite it she married a brilliant and cute man and created her own line of all natural bath products with an appearance on the British version of Shark Tank, Dragon's Den.  She never gave up her beloved sailing  which took her to the South Coast of England and her beloved isle of Guernsey. She did not give up on her boat racing or being a mom . She had two sons through surrogacy (the eldest even had a talking role on the international hit Call The Midwife!!!). what is amazing about Ms. McClelland is that she will not give up on herself while battling the snooty patriarchal attitude of the NHS. It's not as kind as it's portrayed as on movies and TV. She had to dig and research, even acting as a guinea pig for treatments established medicine scoffed at.

The second part of the book is geared to how to kill cancer and reboot the immune system.  The book ends with the description of the Ferroptopsis Protocol which is using iron to starve and kill cancer. There are no recipes in the book to help the diet along. Ms. McClelland a licensed  Chartered physiotherapiust, in the UK,only gives suggestions about what to eat and what to avoid. Hopefully there will be a future book of recipes that families can use. Glucose which definitely feeds cancer cells is off the table. If you think you can replace those sweet treats with fruit, think again. She nixes grapes and pineapple, fruits that are pure sugar. Berries such as strawberries and antioxidant rich blueberries are allowed and encouraged but only in small quantities. Even veggies like asparagus are  off the table along with any grain products like bread and white rice. Opt for whole wheat loaves and brown rice instead. She also recommends being on a mostly  pescatarian diet , rich in Omega 3. Think salmon dishes. Also drink a lot of green tea and bottled water. There are also supplements that help in starving and killing cancer. She is a huge believer in intermittent fasting which is a big boost to eradicating the disease. 

How To Starve Cancer is a must give book. It can help with nor only snuffing out cancer but also lower diabetes and heart disease. It is a gift that keeps on giving.

A Holiday Treat Buneulos

 If you're tired of baking Christmas cookies then think about frying up buneulos. These are a great alternative to them along with being  for body. and different . Best of all they are delicious, perfect on Christmas morning with a coffee and tea.

Christina Morales ,a regular contributor to the New York Food section  wrote about these tasty treats in yesterday's issue. They are a Mexican,  Latin American and Spanish Caribbean sweet originating in Spain. Many countries have their own version  and also different names.  Originally Spain's  first created the,mSephardic Jews during the Arab invasion. The use of anise in the original recipe is a telltale sign.  They may have born in Turkey and the recipe carried from there with the Sephardim tribes.There are different versions of buneulos made with slightly different ingredients. Cubans use the widely available root vegetable yucca which gives the fried buneulo a puffy  doughnut look. The shapes are different too., Some home bakers make figure eights . Some fry them in disc form so they look like Native American flatbreads. Syrup is uslaly drizzled on them and again that varies. The Mexicans usually make one that has piloncillo or Mexican brown sugar, clove and anise, Columbians  turn them into balls and fill them with cheese for a savory sweet treat. Cubans steep them in a syrup flavored with citrusl,anise and cinnamon

The Times give two recipes for them. One is  the Cuban with the anise syrup. The batter is a mix of succulewnts such as yucca but also boniato or sweet potato, malanga, taro and name  (pronounced nom -may a cross between a potato and sweet potato) Flour is also added for body a sis pumpkin, winter squash or calabazas. The way to prepare them is like preparing gnocchi, with the starches being hsnd mixed with the flour and three eggs. Squares are formed and then deep fried in a skillet full of bubbling hot canola oil.The syrup is an easy mix of granulated sugar, star anise, cinnamon, lime and lime peel.It's cooked over a low heat for fifteen to twenty minutes. You could also try the Mexican ones that are more cookie like  with just flour, eggs, baking powder and melted unsalted butter. The syrup is again a simple cooked mix of piloncillo (bought at a Mexican grocery) along with guavas, cinnamon, orange peel and anise seeds.

Buneulos are a different kind of holiday treat. Make them for Christmas for a nice ending. They are simple to make and just as easy to eat.

The Rich Vegan Legacy Of Africa

Many of america's foods come from  West Africa from yams to rice. What many don;t know is that the area also has a rich vegetarian history that can be easily incorporated into our diets. The dishes are not just good for you. They are also delicious too , with many interesting spices  to liven up the veggies.

Yewande Komolafe ,a  recipe developer  and regular contributor to the New York Times Food section wrote about this bountiful cuisine. Ms. Komolafe herself is from Lagos, Nigeria where there is a wealth of meat free recipes. She is not new to the idea of a plant based diet as is the chefs she interviews. Also a plus is West African cooks are passionate about adaptations to their recipes. Many will balk at a new method of cooking a dish however replacing meat with plant based ingredients will provide new paths to familiar pathways. Afia Amoako ,a Canadian grad student, believes that there is no standard recipe, only standard methods for layering and building flavor. Mushrooms can easily be subbed in for chicken or beef. Chef Fatmata Binta explores the plant based recipes of her F ulani tribe , based in Ghana for her project The Fulani Kitchen. Many ingredients can be foraged along with being easily transported. The foods also have to be non perishable and preserved, usually sun dried.One chef, Salimatu Amabebe feels a connection to his father and grandparents by cooking a plant based Nigerian diet.

There are also recipes that any chef can make for the holidays and beyond. One is the very interesting roasted mushrooms in a sauce called Ata Din Din. This is roasting a host of mushrooms , from shiitake to oysters with thyme on a sheet pan. At the same time the Ata Din Din sauce is created, a fiery blend of  red  pepper ginger and habanero chiles topped with a pickle of onions, salt and vinegar.  For another blood warming dish try the moin moin or steamed filled bean cakes from Nigeria.It's a mix of  dried honey beans or black eyed peas cooked with habanero peppers along with red peppers and red onions, Mushrooms or the Ata Din Din can be used as the stuffing. They're formed by filling rolled cone shaped banana leaves. Dessert is coconut lemongrass tapioca with caramelized citrus. It's made with small pearl tapioca and ginger along witht eh lemongrass  and topped with caramelized citrus slices such as blood oranges, grapefruits and tangerines. Lemongrass infused coconut milk is then ladled onto this.

West Africa has a rich culinary history. It's made even richer with plant based recipes. There may be no meat but there is a  lot of flavor.

Is Peach Melba The One

Peach Melba is an elegant dessert first made at London's Savoy Hotel by the great chef Auguste Escoffier in 1892 for the Australian opera singer Nellie Melba. It;s a lovely blend of a raspberry coulis with peaches and vanilla ice cream.

I decided to give it a try today in my search for the perfect holiday dessert. 

It starts with twelve ounces of raspberries. I used Driscoll's fresh ones but you could use the frozen ones instead.

Then there was the sugar factor. Most recipes call for a cup of refined granulated sugar. I didn't like this idea so I added a more natural source  - a quarter cup of lite maple syrup (you could also add honey too , especially the ones made from lavender or wild flowers).

I liked Stop & Shop's Lite maple syrup but again you can add any of your choosing. A quick squeeze of lemon is also needed.

I used about five tablespoons of water too. I first cooked it on the stove.

The gas went off and I then had to use the microwave which I was reluctant to use. There's this Internet rumor that raspberries spark when heated in one. I put mine in for two minutes and crossed my fingers that they would come out OK They did.

It was then blitzing them with my immersion blender. The coulis should have been strained through a muslin cloth but I like it with a thicker, seedier mouth feel.

The dish itself is just scoops of vanilla ice cream arranged with peaches (usually fresh but canned work during this time of year) The raspberry coulis is drizzled over it.

It's a very summery tasting dessert and ti does have a fun,fruity flavor. I may make this for the holiday. I did try the coulis with chocolate syrup and the soy vanilla ice cream a second time and that was phenomenal. Chocolate and raspberry work so well together. that that may be the Christmas dessert.

I stored the coulis in a jar kept chilled in the fridge. It can also be stirred in plain yogurts along in oatmeal. You can make a fruity, pulpy soda with it too.

Peach Melba may be the perfect Christmas dessert.It is an easy elegance that is also delicious. Try it for a tasty end to a holiday meal.

What To Make What To Bake

 Christmas is less than two weeks away and many home chefs and bakers have no clue as to whip up. Do you go with a roast or with a ham? Bake the traditional cookies or try your hand at a lush dessert? There are so  many options. Yet what is the right one?

This is my problem on two accounts. What I will make as the main course will be vegan . That's a given. Yet what will it be? My go to is the comforting and tasty Gardein's turkey cutlets. They're easy to make in the air fryer and the accompanying gravy packets can easily be cooked in the microwave. This last is easy to make. Just thaw out add some water and a bit of I can't Believe it's Not Butter and a pinch of onion powder. The sides are an easy stuffing mix usually from Acme. Then there's either Brussels sprouts or green beans. I could change it up, I've seen two recipes that could change my mind.I recently saw the great British chef Mary Berry make a venison Wellington on her Great Country House series. She turned venison into something special at Scone Castle. I looked up a vegan version and found I could make one with Beyond beef, spinach, and chopped mushrooms wrapped in already made puff pastry. Then there's a tofu ham loaf that I know I can make tasty with a root beer glaze. I prepped the Thanksgiving Tofurky as it was the real thing. I can do the same with a faux ham with a delicious tried and true recipe.

Then there's the question of dessert. Who doesn't love a home baked cookie at Christmas however they are work. Even the Pillsbury Slice and Bakes can be laborious. Yet there are some recipes I would love to try, like peanut blossoms or almond spritz cookies.  I did buy a gingerbread house kit at Five Below. This can be dismantled and eaten, hence taking care of the cookie and candy side of the holiday. Yet what to make for Christmas Day dessert? I thought maybe a spice cake with a chocolate ganache icing , a riff on Hackensack New Jersey's  great B & W's Bakery's spice cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Then I saw a PBS special on London's historic hotel  The Savoy and one of its illustrious chefs ,Auguste Escoffier. He was famed for creating amazing desserts , named for the prominent women of the late Victorian Era. One was for the Australian opera singer , Nellie Melba which was a marriage of  raspberry coulis over peaches and vanilla ice cream. That looked wonderful so I Googled the recipe. It's surprisingly easy to make. It would be a breeze to make after a labor intensive  fake meat dinner.. I can easily buy canned peaches and there are fresh raspberries in all the stores. 

I still don't what to make. I am leaning towards the tried and true Gardein turkey and peach Melba.  Or it may be something else? Or something new? There's still a lot of time to decide.

Food And Prayers

 The US Midwest   and South has just gone through  one of the largest and most devastating tornado clusters in American history. Prayers will help. They always do. Yet food , hot and donated will also benefit.

This is one of the most horrirfic natural weather disasters to ever hit the continental US. Six states, were hit, destroying homes, schools and hospitals. The field of impact ranges from southern Illinois to western Kentucky.Arkansas,Missouri and Tennessee have also been hit. There are people and animals without electricity, water and food. Mayfield Kentucky was completely devastated. You can donate to the Kentucky REd Cross along with Aspire Appalachia and United Way  Company. You can also donate baby and pet food along with canned food to The Salvation Army, Kentucky/Tennessee Division. Food donations go to Dare To Care Food Bank, Hope To All Food Pantry at 307 W, Mose Rager Boulevard Drakesboro, KY and Community Kitchen 1237 Martin Luther King Boulevard in Paducah, KY, Give what you can and what can last, Breads, coolies crackers and cold cuts along with cheeses are good choices. Bottled water is a must. It can provide sustenance and cleaning too.

Raising money can also help. Think about creating  a bake sale which is perfect for those who  don't like to bake.Due to the virus, try to have it in a large, spacious area like your school gym or church hall.(some colleges are having holiday bake sales in their parking lots where there's a lot of space and fresh air.)  If you're really talented or can bake with help then think about making gingerbread houses or chocolate Yule logs , sweets that many home bakers find complicated to make. You can also try making fun gingerbread ornaments with royal icing and pretty decorations. These can be hung on the tree and eaten afterwards. Another big bake sale seller at this time are a wide array of cookies. The fancy spritz cookies are easy t make now thanks to improvements in cookie presses (there are even electric ones now). There are holiday themed discs that can be used in the presses and the dough can be tinted green and red for the holiday. of course oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip will always sell.

This is the season for heart and helping. Do what you can to help those devastated by the megatornados that hit six states in the Midwest and South. it could be cans pf pet food and formula. It could be the proceeds of a bake sale. Just reach out and help.