Maholo Hawaii

 Our hearts and our prayers are with the brave people and their animals of Lahaina. These people are not onyl couragious but resilient. These are the ones  - and the island that have contributed so much to the American table.

Keep in mind that Hawaiian food was really the first fusion food., It was  from Twelfth Century Polynesian colonizers who brought such basic staples as pigs, sugar came and taro for poi, There were also coconuts, sweet potatoes and yams. These made up the island diet for centuries until British and American colonizers came in. These people exploited the indigenous people with their introduction of sugarcane and pineapple plantations. New England missionaries brought in their own dishes with the salted fish becoming the Hawaiian staple, lomiloni, a simple tomato and salted salmon salad. it was the plantation workers, the Filipinos,  Chinese Portuguese , Puerto Ricans and Japanese workers created a kind of fusion food as far backa s the 1850's when they would pass around bowls of rice and top them with their version of chicken, beef fish and vegetables. The Japanese brought over what everyone loves about the islands  shaved ice. Spam also became popular after the Second World War and it's used in various dishes.

Thanks to bloggers like Relle Lum,a recent contestant on PBS's Great American Recipe show, people from all over the world can make the multiethnic and delicious dishes. er recipes reflect the island' as well as her ancestry on her blog, two months ago the New York Times Wednesday food section also celebrated Hawaiian cuisine. They feaured pinkabet, a Filipino stew made with fatty pork shoulder or butt, Filipino fish sauce or patis, Japanese eggplants , okra and long beans. Ginger, tomatoes andonions flavor it  along with bitter melon. The pork is sauteed first and then the veggies are added. It;s served over rice. Relle's dish of mochiko chicken is the Hawaiian form of fried chicken. what makes it different is adding soy sauce, rice flour and sugar  to the coating.it's also marinated from four hours to over night.It's served with chopped scallions on a bed of rice.As for dessert you could try Relle's malasadas a fluffy Portuguese doughnut she made on the Great American Recipe. These are made mostly for Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday but you can make them any time. They can also be filled with guava , custard chocolate , haupia or coconut pudding or passionfruit or lilikoi.

To the people of Lahaina, stay brave.It;s tough going right now. All of the world is behind you and your amazing recipes right now.

A Different Kind Of Fettucine Alfredo

 Vegan fettucnine Alfredo is somethign of a golden unicorn. You can make the sauce at home but it's hard to get the ingredients. Then there's trying to find the easier already made ones. Luckily Tattooed Chef comes to the rescue with their version.

I like Tattooed Chef , especially their pizzas and mac and cauliflower. This was a no brainer and a surprise to see this in my local Acme. The package picture looked tasty.

However it was a bit dispiriting to see this.

It was going to take more than the necessary three tablespoons fo water and two tablespoons of olive oil. 
Howver after a few minutes those lumps turned into fettucine nests and chicken bites.

I added a bit more oil to give it more body and then it was steamed - sauteed for seven minutes. To be honest the portions were kind of small. Luckily I had some pasta  with salsa cruda and rotelli left over from yesterday so I added it.

The tomaotes and spices gav e it more color and flavor and there was enough for two people.

The two pastas werent bade mixed together and both were good with the combined sauce. Its not a bad side  but onits' own there should either be a hot veggie side or a salad to round it out.

Tattoed Chef's meatless fettuchine Alfredo is a nice addition to any dinner. It's a creamy , flavorful version of the real thing but better for you. Try it today for a nice change up from the regular red pasta sauces.

Budgeting 101

 Many kids are going to be settling into their first apartments for the first time. They may be leaving the dorms nd living off campus or finally getting that place with the first job. That means shopping - and that could be a big shock.It's time for budgeting basics.

Kids usually imitate their parents and pick up their habits. If you're a thrifty shopper , the your kids most surely will be too. Take homor her on comparison shopping. Some farmers markets will be cheaper than grocery stores , especially when it comes to produce. Another good idea is taking them to various grocery stores and showing them the difference in prices. Aldi has the best prices for veggies and fruit along with for ice cream and boxes of rice and pasta. If there's no Also, then head to Wal-Mart. Thousands every day rely on it's lower prices and they do have good deals on various meat cuts along with veggies and breads. They also offer specials on non food items likes paper towels and dish soap too. while they're there they should also look into buying kitchen basics like microwave, towels, dishes , and air fryers. You can also pick up good deals on kitchen inplements such as spatulas and whisks too along with utensils and knife sets. Local groceries such as Acme also have some of the most expensive deals around too. They're usually to or three dollar cheaper than the other groceries.

Another must have is the grocery story app. All of them have this and you can save a lot on them. They offer rewards towards massive discounts and free food.The app tracks what you buy the most and gives you discounts on those items. Also scour the store for bargains. Most days stores will have a buy one get one  free or the second one half price. Look for these. The extras can be frozen and eaten on another day. Never discount the day old items too. You can still eat those leftover breads and muffins along with fruits and veggies. Also always go for the generic brands. Their flavor is actually much better because they have to compete with the national brands. They also have flavors that the national brands may not have. Acme has garlic butter pretzel twists that brands like Bachmann's don't. Diet changes can also mean lower grocery bills. Meat and seafood can be cut out or cut down to maybe two or three times a month. Think of veggie dinners like ratatouille or bean burritos to stretch the dollar.

Budgeting is important when you're just starting out. Be smart. Be savvy to create good meals with very little.

A Rainy Day Barbecue

 Can you still have that barbecue on a damp August day? Yes!It's easy to bring the outdoors inside . You cna still have tasty favorites in the comfort of a dry home.

A barbecue starts off with a grill and you can easily buy an indoor one at Target or Walmart.They come either square or round and at a variety of prices too.Invest in one if you like the taste of barbecued meats and veggies all year round. Another easy option is the air fryer. You may not get that smoky  mesquite or hickory taste that cooking over an open flame brings but the food will still be crisp.Try pork ribs with a tangy barbecue sauce. You will have to cut them into smaller pieces to fit your air fryer's basket.It's them marinating them in your favorite sauce and wrapping the pieces in foil. Cook them for thirty minutes at 380 degrees Farenheit. After the half hour unwrap them and  then let them brown in the  air fryer basket for another ten minutes, again at 380 degrees Farenheit. Make sure that the basket is well sprayed with cooking spray. ( use the olive oil flavored spray for this); Hamburgers and hot dogs can also beneft from air fryer cooking. To be honest I think both come out crispier on the outside and juicier on the inside than ones cooked on the grill.

Veggies can also be cooked on an indoor grill or  in the air fryer. Marinated asparagus spears are always a good side. You can also grill tomatoes - perfect on Italian or French bread with a little olive oil and oregano. What about that classic barbecue staple corn? Yes, the ears can be cooked nicely in an air fryer. You may have to cut the ends off the ribs in order to makw them fit but that depends on the size of your basket. Layer them side by side for an  even grill and remember don't stack them on top of each other. Drizzle olive oil or melted butter on top. ( you can add more butter later for a really buttery taste) and air fry for eight minutes at 380 degrees Farenheit. Roll them over halfway through the cooking so they're perfectly roasted and golden all over. As with an outdoor barbecue make sure there are salads too. You can easily whip up a three bean or a tasty pasta salad to go with the main course. For dessert you can still make s'mores but this time use the air fryer (make sure the basket is thoroughly washed out though) . It;s slicing the marshmallows in half , and placing the sticky side on the graham cracker. Make four of these and then place in the air fryer. Cook at 390 degrees Farenheit for five minutes. Add a square of any kind of chocolate and then top with another graham cracker.

Let the summer rains come. YOu can still have a fun barbecue but an indoor one. It's a fun way to chase a rainy day away.

A Trippy Stripey Sip

 Nothing hits like a relaxing cocktail. Mostly everyone goes for the taste, whether for a punchy bright screw driver to a creamy White Russian. Yet there's a new layer to both cocktail and mocktail culture. That's layering. All of a sudden drinks are both eye catching and flavorful.

Regular contributor and cocktail expert Robert Simonson  wrote about this not so mew phenomenom in yesterday's new York Times Food section. Striped drinks are nothing new. They go back to the other turn of the century when the very popular Pousse Cafe or Coffee Pusher was invented. This is a ribboned drink of creme de menthe, grenadine , bourbon and triple sec layered with rum. Then there was the mid Twentieth Century New York Sour, basically a whiskey sour with a top layer or float of red wine.Now a whole new generation of both drinkers and even non drinkers are discovering them. Bartenders are calling them "the fajita effect."One catches the eye of drinkers or diners and then others order it. There is also the social media effect where people are taking picures of these colorful drinks and posting them on different platforms. "There is an aesthetic appeal. " claims Conrad Hayes, the beverage director at the trendy Brooklyn bar Ottava. The result is striking with bright or deeply rich floaters - the layers on top and sinkers - the bottom layers.

The drinks are deceptively easy to make so any home bartender could easily make them. The Brother Wolf, an aperitivo bar  in Nashville makes the jaunty Bicicletta. This is soda water layered with Pinot grigio and Italian red bitter liqueur. Another drink that can be served to guests is the Oaxacan Sunrise, which is Mezcal and orange juice blended . Grenadine is the sinker that provides the deep orange base.This  is  a popular drink at Dante;s in New York.At Paducah ,Kentuckey's Freight House they make the easy to replicate Oh Brother where Are Thou which has layers of bourbon, honey syrup and red wine.There are some bars that will let customers mix their own - which is good practice for those wanting to do this at home. There's Chez Zou in Manhattan,Their concoction  Haifa Vice  lets drinkers apply their floater themselves. The drink comes in a special glass vessel with two chambers. One is a milk punch, made of rum mango coconut and fruit juices. The other is a mix of Aperol and pomegranate. The orange punch is poured in first , followed by the red float.Lilistar also has a do it yourself drink in a hollowed out passion fruit. Then there are the mock tails at Brooklyns ElNico layered drinks made with yogurt green tea and grapefruit. The floater  is beet juice and when combined  produces a healthy alternative  to an alcoholic beverage.

Layered drinks are becoming popular again. These fun sips are easy to make. Try them at home or at any bar.

The United States Of Hot Dogs

 What makes a good hot dog? That depends on who you ask and where you ask it. There are so many variations of this simple and much loved summer fare. It may have a different meat other than beef or pork. Toppings vary greatly from state to state. Who has the best?

New contributor and co author of many cookbooks, J. J.  Goode wrote this fascinating piece in today's New York Times Food section. With it comes some luscious pictures and descriptions of tasty looking frankfurters. Not surprisingly New York both City and state have the most kinds.Syracuse has Snappy Grillers,a take on the German weisswurst or white sausages. These not onyl have pork and beef but also veal added along woth egg whites, non fat milk and spices.Buffalo has Ted's which charcoal grills foot long doggies. Of course there is the famed Nathan's in Coney Island where the dogs are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Then there is Pennsylvania's Texas Tommy's where the dogs are split and topped with bacon and cheddar strips - yum!!! Rhode Island's New York system served their meaty dogs (much like a Snappy griller) with chili sauce and onions. Then there are my Jersey favorites, Hirams in Fort Lee (my Mom's high school hangout) and Rutt's Hut in Clifton. These serve the Rippers (as does the Windmill Chain at the Jersey shore and Westfield)Hirams and Rut's Hut fry these foot long dogs until the skins crackle and they burst with juicy goodness,They're topped with chili cheese or relish - although plain is still very good. Washington D C has a smoked pork and beef one , derived from a breakfast sausage.

Of course Chicago dogs could rival those of New York ,New Jersey. and DC.They're known for their "dragged through the garden" ones.This means the franks are slathered in mustard and topped with neon green relish , chopped white onions, tomatoes ,pickle spears. peppers and celery salt. The South has the Slaw Dog ,c oming out of North Carolina. This is a bright red   colored beef dog topped with a creamy, finely cut  coleslaw. Cheese Dogs in Ohio top theirs with a good mound of cheddar along with a stripe of mustard. If you;re into Mexican then bite into the Sonoran. This Arizonan version has a strong Mexican influence where it's served in a roll similar to a bollilo and topped with pinto beans, onions and sliced tomatoes.It comes with two charred peppers on the side. There are the Coney's in Michigan and the bologna dog from Baltimore's Jewish Deli. The last is a beef hot dog wrapped in agriddled slice of bologna for a truly meaty experience .Cleveland has kielbasa instead to celebate the town's Polish heritage while Alaska has reindeer dogs!!!!. Seattle has the Seattle dog which is a hot dog  served on  a cream cheese slathered bun and topped with griddled onions Even Puerto Rico has its version, a Puerto Rican style dog that has carne molida cooked with onions as a kind of chili topping.

Everyone across the country is proud of their region's hot dog. They could be foot long, or served in acream cheese slathered bun.A ny way you make them, they're nothing more than delicious.

The Great American Recipe Winner

 Who would have thought a homey PBS cooking show would be full of twist and turns? That's exactly what the great American recipe brought in the last week. Did any one pick Brad Mahlof as the winner? That was the surprise.

There were several favorites as we watched the eight episodes. I honestly thought Khela Brewer from Overland Park, Kansas would be in the top three. Her savory dishes were perfection along with her fudgey brownies  topped with ganache for the "Bake Sale" Episode.The meats were seared as a seasoned chef would do them. Her gravies and sauces were again perfectly made. It was a shock when she didn't make the final three.I wasn't surprised  though when Leaana Pierre of Norcross Georgia and Salmah Hack of Orlando Florida also made the final three. They also cooked and baked to perfection and opened a window into their individual heritages.As far as the others, maybe Hawaiian born and famed blogger Relle Lum from Maui or Abbe Odenwalder of Denver had a chance. They made a few small mistakes when it came to seasoning yet they did have dishes that sometimes outshone the others. As for Ted Pappas of Chicago and Maria Givens of Seattle, some of their creations were interesting. Ted relied on his Greek heritage for inspiration while Maria shed light on her indigenous ancestry and the native ingredients.

Yet it was Brad's unique Libyan -Jewish background that made him stand out. There was were many mistakes on his path to winning. The judges, including host Alejandra Ramo, along with Tiffany Derry,Leah Cohen and Graham Elliot were often critical of either his execution or flavorings.Personally I was sure he would never make the final three. It seemed he just wasn't that good despite the fact that his recipes brought light to Israeli and North African cuisine. Even his final three dishes brought about some sharp words from the judges. He won for his mafrum, meat stuffed veggies with couscous and side salads. His upside down fig cake which looked delicious also drew criticism. It seemed Leanna 's dishes , her salt cod ,a Jamaican favorite could have been a sure winner. Her baking always came out on top too. The same goes for Salma who created cassava pone for the finale. One of these great home chefs should have been the winner. I was sure they would be. Again it was a surprise that Brad won. yet he did bring a different spin and view on traditional recipes , although that could be said for all the chefs. it should be interesting what the future brings for him.

The Great American Recipe was a fun watch .Who knew this fun and sweet competition has as many twists and turns as any of the more cutting edge competitions. An unexpected star was born and what a surprise he was.