A Rosh Hashana Dish's Journey

 All holiday recipes have stories.It;s no different with a Rosh Hashana dish that went from Spanish Morocco to Switzerland to Martha;s Vineyard.it represents a variety of heritages that have significantly contributed to thmelange of vegetables and spices.

Regular contributor and family cook book author  Joan Nathan wrote about this historic dish in yesterday's New York Times Food section. The recipe is legumbres para rosana and it  was Marina Pinto Kaufman's family recipe that goes back hundred of years to Spain.Her family lived for centuries  in Tetouan in what was then Spanish Moroccom after escaping the Spanish Inquisition that started in 1478. In Morocco recipes were a very important to the status of the cook and her family. Ms Pinto Kaufman herself was born in Casablanca in 1940 and later moved to Tangier as a child and then Geneva shortly after Tangier lost its' international zone status in 1956. She worked for the UN , coming to the US ,first in 1960 and then 1966, She met her husband Srephen. She started cooking when they married, devouring Jewish cookbooks, even finding a picture of her grandmother Myriam Abensur in Claudia Roden's Book of Jewish Food.Paula Wolfert was another influence in her life.

The dish itself abides to the traditions f the Talmud."every man should make a habit on New Year's of  eating pumpkin, fenugreek, leek, beet and dates"it states. The harvest foods are served raw or cooked and vary by country. Ms. Pinto Kaufman is a secular Jew continues the custom only with her cooking, tampering with it slightly to make it easier for the home chef.It;s a vibrant,colorful dish with bright orange sweet potatoes and yellow squash.There are also caramelized onions, zucchini, raisins, chickpeas and carrots.it's a distant cousin of the Ashkenazi, or Eastern European tsimmes which is also made with carrots and  sweet potatoes.The best part of the recipe is that can be made a day or two in advance and reheated for the main meal.it can be the perfect side to roast chicken, a brisket or Ms. Pinto Kaufmans' cumin flavored meatballs with peas.It definitely has a Moroccan vibe thanks to the addition of cardamon , ground cinnamon, coriander and sliced almonds.The dish is a bit labor intensive with the veggies being first boiled then roasted.Spices are added later.

Legumbres para rosana brings together religion, history and culture in one dish.It is bright and colorful. Make this dish for a New Year's feast.

CHicken Tenders An American Classic Explained

 CHicken tenders are ubiquitous in the American diet. They are everywhere from , dine in move theaters to school cafeterias. Yet how did they become into being and what makes them so popular? How did this simple chicken dish become a national treasure.

Regular contributor and Food section superstar Pete Wells wrote about this tasty treat in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. It is their  fiftieth anniversary and according to legend they were created in Manchester, New Hampshire in the Southern part of the state.There probably were dishes that featured this part of the chicken breast but it was a Greek family living in Manchester that turned it into a delicious dinner and snack.The children of one of the owners of PUritan Candy store Arthur Pappas (the either was co owner LOuis Canotas) took this little used part and turned it into something indescribable.It'ss basically the tenderloin of the chicken which came loose when the breast was being sliced .It wasn't;t a muscle used by the bird like the wing or the thigh, hence the tenderness.Charlie Pappas saw that this piece was often separating from the rest of the cut and that struck him with an idea. The rest is history.It was not what a typical Greek restaurant would serve.It was siaked in a kind of duck sauce and then coked. It soon became a popular item on the Puritan menu.

It caught on. Burger King was one of the first restaurants to serve it in the 1980's/ It needed a good Chick'n snack to compete with McDOnald's chicken nuggets and hit upon the chicken tender. It was so popular that the fast food chain had to pull ads across the country when restaurants fan out of it. Other places also cashews din on its' popularity, Soon chicken tenders were at birthday parties, weddings and eve bar mitzphas. that the Puritian hosted. The restaurant stills sells them with super Sized buckets containing a whopping 150 pieces.On a typical week Arthur Papps fries up four tons (!) of them, on a super busy week he fries up five tons. It's funny how the strips became so popular. Without breading and sauces , they meat has little flavor..This is sio mild that it won;t offend anyone which may be a reason for its popularity. Yet there are now variations of it , from coconut crusted tenders to it being dredged in Ritz cracker crumbs and even Capt'n Crunch before frying.One brew pub offers them with different sauces like Western apricot and Korean barbecue.

No matter how you have them, chicken tenders are good. THey're here to stay.These strips of white meat are as classic as apple pie and roast turkey on the American table.

Parent Dash

 Mothers and  fathers will always worry  - and cook for their young.It doesn't;t matter if your two or twenty-two, they'll be there if you need food.Yet what's good to make and to give? There are the classics and not so classic/

Most college kids appreciate and miss their mom's cooking. THis is when mothers - and even dads should think about make a double batch of sauce. A plus is that tomatoes from a late summer - early fall harvest cna be added for more flavor. If  the kids are vegan or vegetarian add in some plant based meat balls. Lidl has excellent ones from their Vendomo brand. Keep in mind if you do that the sauce then makes  for a great meatball sandwich too. Non meat meat balls can be frozen too , whether thye're in sauce or not. Add some ground beef , cumin and chili pepper to make a tasty chili. Throw in kidney and pinto beans for a heartier dish. This too can be frozen and stored in the freezer for months.Do you feel like your offspring needs a nudge when cooking? Then just send a care package or better yet - a gift certificate from their local grocery store. A care package could included canned soups , boxes of pasta and many a mini spice selection. YOu could also include a mini griddle and frying pan which can be found at any store.

Homemade treats have always been sent to kids away from home. Mothers  have a lways sent cakes and biscuits for their sons at the front and for those going to college. Now moms and dads are also experimenting with breads too. Since these go stale quickly try to make the bread the day before.It's Ok if it's a day old. It cna be turned into toast . Another idea is bringing the sourdough starter and baking with kids in their apartment or dorm (if it has a kitchenette) A good  idea is bringing pizza dough with you .This can be tuned into tasty [ies along with calzones for a hot filling meal.PIzza dough can be formed into balls and then frozen. They should be fine for transport Include pizza sauce and mozzarella too.Of course a ton of homemade cookies is always welcomed. Think one kind like chocolate chip or a variety that can include sugar , peanut butter and oatmeal. If you don't feel like baking then make cow patties , those non bake cookies that are a mix of peanut butter oatmeal and cocoa. These are fun and great to share.

Forget Door Dash.There's mom and dad who can cook and bake. Create tasty meals and desserts for your kids to have a taste of home.

A Food Weekend

 The New York Times had an excellent food themed weekend Sunday paper.The magazine was chock full of cuisine stories along with the Best US restaurant guide insert. It was a tasty read all around.

The magazine had six different food journeys. One was the amusing tale of their son Ollie by Peden and Munk.They went to France to get their son to like eggs. He even made homemade mayonnaise which has  - eggs.That he liked. It was fun to see which dishes got a thumbs up and a thumbs down.Then there was chicken that tastes like home about funding a chicken dish in Senegal.This was a spicy mix of chicken cooked in a flavorful spice stew that starts with MAggi broth and has fire added to it thanks to Scotch Bonnet peppers. Another story was about California sea urchins and how to fix a sex drive with them. Another interesting article was about Peruvian peppers. It can be made into a salsa to serve with various Peruvian dishes.The tastiest was about real Italian gelato, Tamara Shopsin wrote about trying to find the best taste after she lost her own .Italy now makes a yogurt version which looks creamy and tasty just like the milk based one

Then there's the Best Restaurant guide This is perfect for anyone traveling this fall.It could be a day trip to Mystic CT to eat at the Shipwright's Daughter. You would think it would be a seafood restaurant given it sits on the end of the Long Island Sound but it also has a mouth watering tete de veau and a roast chicken.If you;re going further failed look into North Of BOurbon in Louisville. This is Cajun country like fried cat fish served with Haitian pikliz, pickled vegetable relish. Chicago does have garden dogs but stop at the Spanish eatery Asador Bastian for Galacian ribe eye, rimmed with yellow fat or even plancha and a simple tortilla.Even small towns like Alna in rural Maine offer good and inventive food. Try The Alna Store for a buttermilk wedge of lettuce dusted with crispy fried shallots and capers or the shrimp on top of a creamy mound of grits.If you're not planning on leaving the New York area there's; Shaw-Nae's House ,a soul food house serving Soul Fries , fries buried under collard green ,fried chicken chunks and baked Mac and cheese.There's also Pennty for good seafood like grilled squid stuffed with tuna.

The Times always has excellent food articles. Yesterday's were no exception. Read them and get inspired. = and hungry.

Roast Season

Now that the weather is cooler it's time to think about roasts. These are the perfect Sunday meal.It brings about hearty food that's perfect for the chilly afternoons ahead. Yet many home chefs are sort of in the dark a botu roasting. Are they using the right pan? Do they need a meat thermometer/ How to flavor a roast? There needs to be a simple guide to follow.

The first question is what kind of roasting pan to use? The best kind is a straight sided stainless steel one with a V shaped or curved rack. This type of pan works well with  large roasts.It also works wonders to caramelize veggies and making sauce in the pan. This can easily be bought at such stores as Kohl's Target and Wal-Mart. Can you use a baking pan instead of a roasting one?Not really. Both serve different purposes and are constructed differently too. The roasting ones are generally larger and deeper with high sides.They're designed to accommodate large joints of meat and poultry.Baking pans are usually shallower and come in a variety of sizes and shapes.Their primary goal is to keep an even heat and hold in the batter or other liquid ingredients. What is the point of investing in a roasting pan?It's mainly to roast larger pieces of meat  and poultry like turkey easily.It;'s also good for racks of lambs and crown roast. Can you use something other than a roasting pan? Chicken and vegetables can use a rimmed baking sheet. You can also use a deep Dutch oven or aluminum roasting pan to do the job.

Will you need a meat thermometer for your roasts?Yes.it will result in well cooked roasts and lead to juicy chicken and turkey. You can buy them anywhere from Walmart to Target to any kitchen shop. They usually run around fifteen dollars and can also be used for hamburgers and ribs too.If you don't want to buy one there are ways to see if the meat is done. The juices will run clear.It's piping hot all the way through and the meat should be steaming.There also should be no pink meat left. Another good gadget to have is a baster. This sucks up the juices from the pan's bottom. and then you can squirt them all over the meat. This is a super cheap buy with one costing around two dollars for the cheapest and around ten dollars for the most expensive.Now what about marinades? What makes for a juicy interior and a crusty, crispy outside? Some  chefs recommend just rubbing it with olive oil and then a good sprinkling with freshly ground pepper and sea salt. As for chicken, rubbing butter or plant based butter under the skin and just a light seasoning of salt, pepper and some rosemary  should create a flavorful bird.

It's roasting season.Are you ready? With the right equipment you can create a tasty Sunday roast that's both flavorful and moist.

Your Favorite Fall Treat

 This is the time of year when everyone gets back into the kitchen to either cook or bake. What's your fall favorite? Will you be air frying spicy wings for your tail gating party? IS artichoke spinach dip on your radar?Or I it sweets you'r thinking of? Are you buying flour for your apple cider doughnuts or spice cupcakes?

What treat do you want to make as this season changes? Let us know

Texas Toast Your Way

 Everything in Texas is bigger including their toast. THis is garlic bread on steroids and can be used not just for Italain dish's but makes a nice base for sandwiches like roast beef au jus. Like garlic bread it's a simple make.

Regular contributor Christina Morales wrote about this treat in yesterday's New York Times Food section.This is a big  slice of bread with a buttery and garlicky top. Where it came from is iffy. Two outposts of Pig Stand, a popular barbecue stand throughout the state claimed to have invented it in either Denton or Beaumont.It was first made in the 1940's. A cook buttered both sides of a plump bread that was too thick to put in a toaster.It was then browned on a griddle. The last location of Pig Stand in San Antonio closed last year had made the bread the same way for decades. One longstanding waitress, Mary Ann Hill who had worked their since the Sixties recalled customers loved the bread so much that they asked for several pieces in advance and while others asked her to soak pieces in butter. Other Texans claimed fame in inventing Texas toast. Gene Dunson , owner of the Dallas restaurant Gene's Wheel toook thick slices fo bread from his baker ,brushed both sides with butter and  toasted it on the griddle. Customers fell madly in love with the slices

The bread is now finding its' way into sandwiches.Ian So who is the chef at Vuji Cafe in Houston tried several breads in his Vietnamese themed restaurant to see how they'd hold up.Nothing  really held up to his spicy jam packed sandwiches like the Texas toast from the Texas grocery store H.E.B. Texas toast is big in the frozen food aisle where there are several different brands featuring it. Yet it's a snap to make. All that's  needed is six thick sliced pieces of white bread. You can buy an uncut loaf  at any store or bakery (although the bakery is your best bet.) The slices should be three quarters of an inch thick.It's then brushing both sides with a mix of melted butter olive oil, parsley and  kosher salt like Diamon. Garlic powder can  be added to this , especially if you're planning to serve it with spaghetti and a lot of sauce. (the bread is perfect for sopping up all that rich tomato goodness.. Generously brush both sides. place  sliceson a sheet pan  and bake in a pre set 375 degrees Farenheit oven for eight to twenty two minutes or until the bottoms are brown .FLip over and bake the other side for three to ficew minutes more. (this side wont take long to brown.) Sprinkle with more salt  and serve hot. Keep in mind this would be great topped with meatballs and pesto sauce or London broil with gravy.

Texas toast is a great side for any dish. It's also a snap to make. Try it this weekend as a side to pasta or as a base for meat balls or roast beef.