Patates Limonates An Easter Side Dish

 Greek food is one of the most delicious cuisines on the planet. They not only do every day meals right but also holiday ones.One dish that's perfect is patates limonatas, .These can be a tasty side or even main dish for a lunch/

I made mine in my air fryer. These produce , very crispy, French fry like slices, especially if you use the small red potatoes.It was just using these ingredients to flavor them.

Most prates limonate recipes call for two tablespoons of lemon juice to mix with olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.I only used a tablespoon and it still elevated the potatoes flavor.

Coat them in the olive oil lemon juice mix and them pnlace them in the air fryer's basket. Cook at 400 degrees Farenheit for eight minutes .

Give the basket a good shake at the is point and cook them for eight minutes more, again at 400 degrees Farenheit.

They should be crispy and crunchy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside.You can add extra salt if you'd like. The lemon juice really elevated them and give them a more interesting , delicate flavor. I plan on making  air fried potatoes this way all the time.

Try patates limonatas for a different Easter side dish.They're a refreshing change up from the usual roasted spuds. They add to any holiday lamb or ham.

A Simple Good Friday Wish

 Today is ome of the holiest days of The Christian calendar.It is a time for reflection as well as observing Christ's Crucifixion and Entombment. It's also a day to relfect on what we can do to improve the lives and diets of those around us. 

The weather may be warming but there are still hungry families who need food. Consider volunteering at your food pantry or soup kitchen. Plan your garden to include overage for those in need.

Today is a somber day of reflection. Think about what you can do for people whi are not as lucky as yourself..

Are you Peeps or JellyBeans

 Here's a question right in time for 🐣 🗿  Easter. What is your favorite Easter time candy? Do you love a mouthful of marshmallows goodness? Are black jelly beans your passion? Or do you love a chocolate egg with more chocolate candy inside?

Let us know here...

Restaurants In Bloom

 What draws a dinner into a restaurant. Sometimes it's the great foodor the ambiance. Sometimes it's just the decor. A pretty eatery is bound to bring in not only hungry customers but ones hungry for its' aesthetics.

Regular contributer Priya Krishan wrote about this in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. It seems more and more places are also going for a romantic , floral look that compliments the theme of the restaurant. The man responsible is Carlos Franqui. Mr. Franqui is behind such designs gracing Bar Americana and the East Villags Bungalow. Decorating restaurants is a growing trends. Eateries in London,Paris Toronto and Lagos, Nigeria all features arches full of blooms ,both real and plastic. The trend is growing so fast Mr. Franqui has expanded to Miami where the restaurant scene is always thriving. Mr. Ranqui is so popular that  even the Chinese company that he buys his fake flowers from called him because they saw how much he was buying from them. His unspiration comes from his hometown of Fajarda Puerto Rico, on the island's most easternmost coast. He tries to recreate the lush fronds and flowers of the rainforest.

What goes into an arch? It starts with braided branches of real curly willow and wisteria from New York State.over these are layered foliage and flowers, with Mr. Franqui, bending twirling and fluffing them to create a natural look. Many love them , finding the fronds the most important aspect of a restaurant. Paloma Picasso who died at Baby Brasa in the Village said it was not the food but the flowers that drew her in.There are headaches associated with the decorating. Competition is strong amongst other florists. Julie Testa had to block Mr Franqui's company Floratorium because people were confusing his work with hers. Then there was the fire hazard that the boughs caused at Bar Americana in Greenpoint Brooklyn. Mr. Franqui's business partner, Steve Kammerer has also complained that the boughs are difficult to clean and become dusty.Yet many places want the decorative arrangements to emphasize their restaurants themes.

What draws people into a restaurant? Boughs of pretty flowers. They add to the atmosphere and bring about a great dining atmosphere.

Celebrating Baltimore

 Baltimore has always been a city full of food and recipes.It's one of our oldest cties and one that comes with a tradition of seafood and ale.It's also known for other amazing foods and chefs.

Seafood , especially crabs have long been a staple .It became part of the diet of the Susquanhannock tribes that first inhabited the area. Blue crab became popular from its' earliest days,Tourists flock to the city today have them fried and served with apple cider vinegar. Crab cakes are another Baltimore classic.Most restaurants and seafood shacks serve them. They're easy to make at home. You'll need good quality lump crab meat mixed with mayo and chopped celery.It's  then combined with eggs , Old Bay seasoning Worcester sauce and parsley.,Patties areformed and then fried in vegetable oil until golden. Old Bay itself is a Baltimore tradition. Yes, you can use it in crab cakes but it';s also goodf sprinkled on lobster or shrimp. You can even  use it as a dry rub for chicken.Sauerkraut is another strangely Maryland must try.Thanks to the German immigrants coming to the city, this German must have is popular with several dishes. have it with the city's  favorite beer, National Bohmian or  Natty Boh as it's locally called available exclusively in Maryland.

Thrasher's fries are another treat Baltimoreans love. These originally came from Georgia and became a staple of first Ocean Cty , the seaside town and then Baltimore. Pit beef is another must eat when visiting this historic city. (it's where Francis Scott Key wrote our national anthem during the British attack of 1814). This is a kaiser roll loaded with thinly sliced char broiled roast beef.Most eat it with a slice of raw onion or tiger sauce - a mix of mayonnaise and horseradish. Oysters are another fun snack food or main course too.Many a restaurant will serve either pit beef or oysters to satisfy all tastes. What about signature desserts? Snowballs are consumed on a hot day. This is not like Hawaiian shaved ice but finely packed shaved ice packed into a cup and then doused with syrups. There is the sky blue made with eggs, vanilla and sugar along with a Tiger's blood , a combo of watermelon, coconut and strawberry. A marshmallow creme is poured over the ice for a creamy sweet flavor. The ice comes in a wide variety of flavors such a smint or grape.

Baltimore is a food lover's dream. It has classic crab cakes to Snowballs.It's worth a trip to see this famous port. It's historic , but also delicious.

Thoughts go out to the families affected by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Stay strong.

Easter Ready

 Easter is less than a week away. It;s time to get ready on a nother holiday meal that rivals a CHristmas Day one. Luckily with Easter there is leeway.Norhing has to be set in stone.

One thing to bring into the mix is the main course. This is the time to get the Easter ham. Some stores like Shop-Rite and Stop and Shop have discounts, especially if you've already spent five hundred dollars during the month of Marcn. With the ham,  ake sure you have the ingredients for the glaze.Is there enough brown sugar and honey which serve as the base? You can always buy the extras such as oranges for juice or any kind of soda at the end of the week. Another point to ponder is will there be vegans or vegetarians present. What do you serve them?Start looking at recipes on line and experiment with them. It pays to execute the recipe even once.This way you can adjust the sasonings and cooking time. You can also do this with sides too. If you want to make air fryer potatoes for the first time, then do a dress rehearsal sometime this week. Also check out pots and pans. Get new ones for both cooking and baking if you need them. If you're planning on barbecuing, make sure the grill is clean and you have charcoal for cooking.

Baking is another Easter must. Do you have the molds to make bunny and chick cakes?What about the fun holiday themed cupcake papers? (although you can use pastel ones if you cant find ones with bunnies or chicks on them)What  flavor cake do you want to make? CHocolate usually sells out faster than vanilla. Also keep in  mind that some mixes like Duncan Hines Dolly Parton mixes require a lot of eggs, butter and milk instead of the usual vegetable oil. Also make sure you have plenty of the last too because other mixes do require vegetable oil in their batters.Scratch cakes, cupcakes and cookies need flour along with different kinds of sugar. Buy now when many stores like Lidl and Aldi have good sales.Make sure there's enough vanilla and almond extract along with orange and lemon ones.Easter cakes always require coconut so buy some. It also has to be tinted green.Did you use all the green food coloring for Christmas baking?If so then you need a new bottle it along with red and blue dyes.. Do you have enough yellow to create cute chickie and duckling treats? Buy it now before it all sells out.

This is the week to get read for the big day ahead. Be prepared.Have everything you need on hand. It'll make for a smooth holiday dinner.

A Glazing How To

 Palm Sundy is tomorrow and Easter is next week>That means a table faturing a good roasted han in some households. This can mean a holiday treat especially if the ham has a good glaze that complements the meat's saltiness>

What is a glaze  any way?It comes from the French - glace au viande and it's usually made by reducing the meats juice's by a slow simmering over a burner. Doing this evaporates the juice creating a think gelatin that is brushed over the meat duing the roasting. The cut is then returned to the oven and lets the glaze to bake on. It's different with ham. Since the meat has no juice  being cured a glaze has to be made.What makes a good ham glaze For decades home chefs used brown sugar. This was usually just mixed with water and spooned over the meat.Between it and the cloves that were inserted into the fat , this give the hand that sweet flavor. Throughout the Twentieth Century home chefs experimented with everything from ginger ale and Dr pepper to orange juice and honey. What is the best? That depends on your  tastes. If you want a super sweet one then use any cola or ginger ale.A tangier one involves orange juice.

A glaze is easy to create. All you need is brown sugar, orange juice, honey cinnamon and cloves. It's boiling the first three to make a thin syrup and adding the spices later.Keep in mind that any glaze can be made as the ham is cooking. It should be spooned on or brushed for a more even coating ten to twenty minutes before serving. This still has the ham having tender meat but with a nice , crunchy crust. If you want to have a true Southern style ham then try a Dr. Pepper glaze. THis is combing the drink with orange juice, brown sugar and Dijon mustard, the last for cutting through all that sweetness. Again just cook the ingredients in  a sauce pan over a low flame. Can you use Coke or Pepsi? Yes! The taste will change slightly give the ham a caramel flavor.  Ginger ale glaze also is an interesting spin but a more intense and zingier flavor would come from using ginger beer (This can be bought at any grocery store).Use a deep golden honey and Dijon mustard along with some fresh ginger to emphasize the flavor.

A good ham is a holiday must Adding a glaze elevates this to  something special. Try either a traditional glaze or one with soda for a tasty Palm Sunday or Easter bite.