The New Face Of College Eating

 For years college cafeteria food was just that cafeteria food.it was a better versionof grammar and high school dishes. You got burgers and fries. Sometimes there was French toast for the breakfast menu. Now it's changing  to suit the internationality of students.

This is what's happening at both  the four and two year colleges. Passaic County Community College is one school that offers a variety of different foods, refrelcting it's student body.(heads up I teach there  part timeso I di have a oindness for them) Their dishes represent the large Hispanic population coming in from Paterson and nearby Passaic. Take the food truck MI Sabor Boricoa. Tey have a small stand in the school's five restaurant cafeteria. There is everything from empanadas (the pizza is the best) and tostomes

Ilove their tostone made with mashed fried pmatains. I've always loved them but they make them extra crispy and serve themwith a pink sauce - a mix of ketchup, mayo and garlic powder. Another plus is the Panther Cafe that has extraordinary crispy fries.There is also Totowa Bagels too.

Schools are changing to fit their students tastes. it's a wide palate. It's also an international one too.

Shaking Up Those Fall Recipes

BY now most will be tired of those fall staples -namely everything apple or everything pumpkinspice amongst other ingredients and flavors. Why not try shaking things up with new twists and variations.

instead of apples tyr the other harvest of the season  - pears. There are the BArtlett, Bosc and  Asian to name a few.Instead of baking an apple puie try these beauties in a tart. Add a fragrant frangipane filling ad a buttey crust for a truly different and elegant dessert.Another fun and different idea for alloween is candied pears. This is much the same recipe as with apples but dipping the fruit into a red candy syrup . A stick is inserted in the top part of pear for wasy immersion.You could then roll the bottom in chopped almonds. Grapes are another fall fruit  that's makes for a good snack or dessert. They're full of iron , perfect for fortifying the body for the flu season ahead.Of course these grapes make the perfect jellies.it's surprisingly an easy make.The only problem comes with deseeding the grpaes since Concords are loaded with them. You also have to skin them too which is just a simple pinch . This gets the pulp out.Don;t discrd the skinds though.Their rich purple color is what gives the jam that deep aubergine color.

What about the different spices to use?Pumpkin spice  is a mix of allspice , cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. What about deconstructing this and using the spices individually? Keep in mins that individually mos tof these spices can easily flavor coffee.Use ground ginger to spike chai tea.Allpsice cna be used in savory recipes like jerk chicken or chili.It's great in such diverse dishes as the Pennsylvania Dutch chow chow and a Moroccan couscous. It's a main spcie in carrot cake. Keep in mind that it cna be used in ginger snaps and spice cookies. Cinnamon is another versatile  spice Start a chilly fall morning with ooey gooey cinnamon rolls. THis is a great fall bake and a perfect use of the spice You could also bake a smaller version with cinnamon roll bites which are llke doughnut holes. Cinnamon cna also be used on pork to heighten its' flavor. Ginger can be used in so many Asian dishes. Think a veggie stir fry with slivers of fresh ginger. You could also create a tasty carrot ginger soup.Nutmeg is great sprinkled on Indian pudding or junket, amix of milk sugar and rennet which gives a very creamy dessert.It;s also good on creamed spinach too.

Shake up those fall recipes. Try other fruits of the season. Deconstruct pumpkin spice mix. The end result is tarty recipes that are also true to fall.

Fall Baking

 THis is definitely the time for baking. The weather is perfect for creating everything from muffins to pies.There are spices to try and fruit to add. It'll be a busy season.

Yes , this is also pumpkin spice season.Yet what would be better than pumpkin pie or pumpkin tartlets. You could use fresh pumpkin although most home bakers used the canned variety. This already is spiced and just needs to be poured into a shell. A different spin on it would be creating tartlets, perfect for fall parties. You can easily use a muffin tin for this .It;'s putting cups of pastry dough in them and filling them with a mix of pumpkin puree, half and half , brown sugar, ginger, salt allspice and egg.(the last to bind th epuree and give it some body." After they''re baked you can add a puff of whipped cream. Another pumpkin laden treat is pumpkin bread, perfect for a snack or for breakfast.it too has such warming spices as cinnamon along with the pie filling. Another breakfast treat are pumpkin muffins, made with pumpkin puree and milk. There are also the requisite spices too like ginger and cinnamon.You can also make pumpkin cupcakes too, with out without a tangy cream cheese frosting.

Of course what would fall baking be without apples? They're everywhere. Most sweet tooths love a good cinnamon laced pie. These are great , especially after a fall Sunday dinner but what about something a bit more rustic yet sophisticated?Try a galette which is an easier bake than a regular pie.This is just rolling out the dough and then filling with with sliced apples. The crust is then folded over the apples with an opening in the middle. Some home bakers drizzle caramel on it after it's been baked. Another sweet treat is a turnover stuffed with the fruit. The dough is a light  flaky one that crackles and is the perfect foil for the apple mix. A  These make great snacks to bring to school or to work.  Use puff pastry sheets (which can store easily in your freezer for the shell and Granny Smith apples for the filling. Granny Smiths are the best option for these because of their tartness and are not overly sweet. Turnovers can be decorated with a drizzle of a confectioner's sugar glaze. This is just a blend of the sugar milk and vanilla and then it;s piped onto the turnovers tops.

It's fall and the season for baking. You can go with anything pumpkin or anything apple. The end result is a sweet treat perfect with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

The Pizza Question

Here's the question  of the week Can a pizza be a pizza without the cheese on top? Recently the Wednesday New York Times food section featured an article about tomato pies.It's sometimes called an old fashioned or nonna pie in the  pizzarias. Technically it is a pizza. Or is it?

What do you think? And do you like your pizza with or without cheese?

Sixty Years Of Pop Tarts

 That ubiquitous  breakfast treat and all day snack Pop Tarts hits Its' sixtieth birthday is coming up and the treat;s popularity is as strong as ever.It all started with a box of tester pastries.

New contributor and founder and host of The Box Sessions. Laura M. Holson wrote about her family's experinece with the treat in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Her family were the first to try them in 1964  during th e pastry's debut. How did they get this exciting job? Ms Holson has a theory that her mother saw an opportunity to feed eight hungry kids free dessert. They tried a variety of different flavors , frosted and unfrosted.It was a novelty  for them because this was their first taste at processed foods. Ms. Holson;s family gew up in a small agrifultural commiunity in the Santa Cruz mountains. They only knew fresh fruit and vegetables.It was cheaper for their mothe r to bake dozens of cookies on a Sunday for a week ahead than to buy packaged bake goods and sweets. This was something that required no prep time except for putting it into a toaster or toaster oven. There were even two well sized one in a packet.

The Holsons were ahead of their neighbors. They recieved flavors that had yet to hit store shelves making them special in the eyes of their neighbors and friends,.They tried  frosted strawberry  and brown sugar cinnamon whcih are now the popular retro flavors everyone gets. The family ate POpTarts for dessert. They were too hot on the tongue to eat straight out of th e toaster and they were used to eating oatmeal to start the day. Once eaten, the Holsons filled out forms , grading the pastries for form and texture. Some just sniffed and nibbled while others toook big bites. Not all the Holson kids were enamored by them They preferred their Czexh born great-grandmothers strudels and homemade apricot kolache, a kind of mini danish laden with fruit and cream cheese. Nowadays the family doesn't even want them.  Surprisignly enohg a big Pop Tart fan, Jerry Seinfeld is making a movie about them,. (he likes brown sugar cinnamon with a glass of milk)

The Holsons got to try a new idea and their opinion it seems still matters sixty years onward. Are the pastries that good? It seems they are, in all their sweetness.

Versatile Roti

 Roti is the type of flatbread that can be used in traditional and non traditional dishes. It cna be sweet or savory, served with lamb or jaggery sugar. The one thing it is is tasty and can be made in any home chef's kitchen.

Regular contributor and cookbook author Priya Krishna wrote about this basic yet versatile bread in today New York Times Wednesday Food section. Roti is a staple at many Indian restaurants but thnaks to both forced and voluntary migrations is alsoa staple in such diverse cuisines as Caribbean, Malaysian and Guyanese. The name itse;f derives from Northern Indian according to Professor Krish Ray who teaches food stiduies at NYU. However the basic recipe was common. Early people made rounds of unleavend bread cooked over open fires and either eaten plain or with somekind of meat and /or veggies. You can make it at home or even buy it at any grovery store. Caribbean chef Peter Prime gets the rounds at his local Caribbean mart in Mary;and. He does create his own too  - theTrinidadian buss up shut which has butter giving the bread a smoother texture. Keep in mind that it can also be made much easier wirh the help of the Rotimatic which sells for $1299 .

However Ms Krishna also includes a recipe for it. it calls for ghee, the clarified melted butter but you can use melted unslated butter too. There is flour, usually refined white will do along with baking powder for rise. A tablespoon of light brown sugar imparts a sweet taste making it perfect for dessert recipes too.The ingredients are added to the flour and baking powder by the well method. The dough at first will be shaggy looking but as tablespoons of water are added , it should evolve into a smooth ball. when this happens cover it with either plastic wrap or a kitchen towel  and let it rest  for anywhere between one to four hours. In the meantime combine the ghee or melted butter with coconut oil. When the dough has rested them roll it out on a floured surface. Formronds, and cut a slit in the middle Add the butter coconut oil mixture, then roll the dough onto itself, It should form cone. Sealt the ends , return to a buttered pan and allow it to rest for thirty more minutes. The dough is cooked in al large skillet with the butter mix to fry it. Keep brushing it with butter and shredding it with two spatulas. Repeat until allk the pieces are cooked . Serve with curry or a sweet filling.

Roti is a delcious bread that can be served with a variety of fillings. Have it sweet or savory.It''s a delicious treat either way.

Warm Hugs Of Stew

 The air is getting nippy.It's definitely sweater weather. Ther'es aneed for a warm meal  - a hug of a warn meal that 's comforting and delicious. This is where stew comes in.

Stew sometimes get a bad rap yet it's an easy cook and as comforting as meat loaf and gravy. You can stick to basic recipes but there are also fancier ones that as good too. Basic protein usually is beef , chicken and lamb.yet you cna also use pork and seafood, especially shrimp. What about tofu? Yes, there's an interesting Korean stew that fullof spice and tofu.  Another plus is that you can use your crockpot or Instapot for making a good warm one while you;re at work. if you're going for a beef one select two pound of stew meat to firs tbrown You cna use vegetable oil for this but olive oil givesthe meat more flavor. Add a can of tomato sauce or whole tomatoes along with such spices as marjoram and thyme. A clove fo garlic wouldn't go  amiss for more flavor. Of course add your favorite veggies.Onions, potatoes, carrots and peas are the ones that work best with a simpl e beef stew. Keep in mind that these cna be added to chicken and pork stews tooA fish stew should hve either a chicken stock or clam juice as its' base. You can add tomatoes along with green ro black olives for more flavor along with new potatoes.

If you're thinking about a tofu stew then think Eastern. Korean cooking gives us sundubi jjigae which is made with soft or uncurdled tofu. Korean chili oil is need for this  You cna buy it or make this mix of Korean chili flakes, canola oil, ginger and garlic. Assorted veggies such as bok choy are added to the mix along with either pork belly or shrimp and clams. The meat are determined on what you want in it. Kimchi, fermed , shredded cabbage is also added to it.It's cooked for about thirty minutes and is usally served with rice Of course you can als try the warming  Southern French cassoulet recipe.. This Languedoc has satisfied geenrations of French people looking for a hot delicious bowl after a cool fall day, It starts with chicken but also has pork and duck added too. The pork is two kinds , some kind of bacon like lardons or even pancetta and sausages.The there are thebeans and aromatics. This is one of those rare stews that omits all veggies, better to taste the delicious flavors of beans and meat cooked together. Use white cannelini beans for this, It's cookef for four hours in a 350 degree Farenheit oven. 

Cold weather deserves a warm hug. That can definitely come in the form of a delicious hot stew. Make one to wars off the nippiness and embrace a comforting blend of flavors.