Coming Together Sharing Food

 Eating with other people is good for your health. That's what Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy is recommending. e knows that sharing food is the cure for loneliness and isolation. It is the antidote America needs to combat the overwhelming  feelings of being alone.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin wrote about the surgeon general in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. SO many people are alone these days.It;'s hard enough to live , harder still to try to eat when they're feeling desolation. Last year Dr. Murthy released a much heralded study on loneliness that identified loneliness as a growing public health epidemic.It can increase the risk of premature death almost s much as obesity and smoking. The study identified "six pillars" of change which the government  can use to combat the problem. There's all sorts of recommendations, whether it'sa shared scone, a family visit to a taco truck, a neighborhood cookout or a Freindsgiving where friends are welcome to come and cook at a Thanksgiving dinner. He showed up at cookbook author Joan Nathan's house with a pot of ras Malai, a cardomon scented dessert of milk and sugar topped with pistachios. He is used to and enjoy socializing over meals. His parents threw informal dinner parties when he was tiny after they left Karnataka  in Southwest India and settled in Miami.

Potlucks are the easiest parties to throw. People can come as they are and make  easy to cook dishes that cna be easily reheated.For the party with Dr. Murthy it was a little more complicated.Ms. Nathan had to cooridinate all sorts of dishes because the surgeon general is a vegetarian, Another invited chef wanted to bring a pork shoulder while another famous chef, Alice Waters opted to get her childhood favorite fresh greens from a local market to create a salad. Some dishes were interesting. Chef and activist Matthew Railford who is also a sixth generation farmer in Georgia brought a suitcase of boiled peanuts.Kevin Tien, chef and owner of Washington D.C.'s Moon Rabbit carried in trays of banh ho choi gio chay, sheets of rice noodles to be wrapped around vegetables and hebs. He also did what most potluck guests do, going into the host's kitchens and immediately looking for serving platters.Others brought in simpler dishes. The chef and owner of Centralina Amy Brandwine  brought a kambucha squash soup while  Chef Andres borught his mothers;vegetable stew and various other foods. Tiffany William, the president of Martha's Table.s brought c hicken wings. A potluck can be anything you want it to be. As long as there;s good company and good food.

No one should have to eat alone. Follow. Dr. Murthy's advice and arrange a pot luck with friends and family.It's a good wau to connect, with food and community.

Thanksgiving Pie Fest

 Pie is always a definite on the Thanksgiving menu. It's a dessert that brings back sweet memories and favorite tastes Nothing beats a homemade slice , with a flaky crust and a delicious filling.

New contributor Vaughn Vreeland who is also supervising video producer for NYT Cooking also wrote this piece about pies in today's New York Times Food section.These are not traditional recipes like pumpkin or pecan. The Times asked Mr. Vreeland to come up with some new recipes that are bound to be instant classics.They can still have the flavor of the holiday like Mr. Vreeland's Cranberry Citrus Meringue Pie.This is a yummy blend of citrus curd featuring lemon and orange juices with a homemade cranberry sauce. It;s topped with a meringue.There is a pumpkin pie but the recipe is shaken up with the addition of  toasted sesame oil and tahini. The finished  products has a top of swirled pumpkin and tahini , creating a pretty marbled effect.Many home bakers make the classic banana pudding for the holiday. Now imagine that in a flaky crust. Mr. Vreeland has a buttery vanilla wafer crumb, similar to a cheese cake crust. It';s filled with a homemade banana pudding.The whipped cream topping has been redone with creme fraiche added to give it a refreshing tang.

Everyone love a good "candy" pie.Tha'ts usually pecan but Mr Vreeland offers a coconut caramel tart. The crust is a yummy chocolate cookie kind of crust.The filling is like a coconut pudding with four large eggs to give it body.The coconut is first toasted in a 350 degree Farenheit oven for six to seven minutes. to turn it golden brown.The caramel topping os a homemade one made with either coconut milk or heavy cream.There's also four tablespoons  of melted butter added to give it smoothness and richness.Chess pie is a popular custard pie in the Midwest. A new twist is added with a third of a cup of maple syrup is added. The topping is whipping cream mixed with espresso.Yes there's an apple pie but again this has a twist.A cup of pomengranate juice is added along with three quarters of teaspoon of cardamon. As for the pie dough , its;a laminated dough.It's made with apple sider molded into squares and then it can be frozen until you're ready to use it.There will be floury bits but that's OK.

Happiness is a slice of homemade pie. TRy these recipes and enjoy pure joy. They're different and a twist on the traditional.

Seven Years Without The Chef

 It has been seven years since we lost the Master Chef of this household. My Mom would have loved our newest obsession -Lidl. It not only would have appealed to her German side but she would have fallen in love with the food and marveled at the prices,

French food and my Mom went hand in hand.Thanks to her mom, my Nonna being Piedmontese there has always been a love of the cuisine that birthed the French diet.I know she would have loved these.

These were four mini vegetable gratin from Duc du Couer,one of the Lidl brands. She would have gone mad for this. They were mini gratins ,full of delicious vegetables, from squash to carrots. ANother plus she would have liked is that they can easily be baked in theair fryer.

I think the air fryer would have been my Mom's best friend. She would have loved its' convenience and the way it thoroughly roasts and bakes in a matter of minutes.I can see her using it for these and also making a lush salad to go with it.

These were baked/roasted for twenty minutes and had a nice crunchy exterior and a soft eggy middle. My Mom may have added a sliced of hand to this , highlighting the gratin's flavor. She would have also bought Lidl's escargot along with foods that represented her Swabian German heritage.I know she would have bought Lidl's stollen and sttollen bites because it's a tricky loaf to bake. Their sliced Black Forest ham would have been the base of many of our lunches and I know she would have loved their gnocchi and pasta too. The price of Lidl's soda  would have amazed her as would its' taste. 

My Mom would have been just as crazy for Lidl as her kids now are. She would have loved the weekly trips to the store , buying all sorts of good food from all over the world.. A good chef appreciates good food.

Treating Our Veterans

 NO matter how this country turns out , we'll always have veterans to thank for our freedom. On this special day we should not only remember them but honor them. In fact this shouldn't be just for one day but for the entire year.

One way is by helping out any elderly veterans in your neighborhood. You can include them in your shopping trips - even make a fun day out of it by going for lunch or coffee. It not only helps them out with one chore but also occupies what could have been a long day. Another thank you could be shopping for them if the weather becomes too rainy or snowy.A home cooked meal wouldn't;t go amiss either. If you;re making a shepherd's pie then think about making a second smaller one if he or she is living alone.If it'sa couple then make a larger one. You could also try any other pie or casserole like lasagna or a baked macaroni and cheese.Any meal together would be nice too. If they have nowhere to go on Thanksgiving then put your veteran on the top of your guest list. Make sure they have a dinner to take home too.Include turkey and all the trimmings plus a slice of their favorite pie.

Some veterans have problems with shopping. benefits may be cut and there's no money. Donate to food pantries in your area. Ask your grocery stores to do the same if they can. Burger your local and favorite restaurants to offer half price days for service people. They can designate a day that veterans and their families can eat half price or buy one meal and get the second at half price.For younger veterans just coming home , give them and their spouses gift certificates not just to Restaurants but also grocery stores. These days fifty dollars  -even twenty-five dollars can be quite helpful. It can buy a few basics like eggs and milk.Thjnk a gift certificate to Wal-Mart or Lidl will go a a long way. Both not only have lower priced foods there's also clothes and hygiene basics they can buy. Giving them a gift certificate now could also mean them having a great Thanksgiving. They can splurge on a turkey or  a couple of their favorite pies. They can also save the gift certificate for Christmas or Hannukah and splurge on treats and sweets.

It's is Veteran's Day. Not only should we only those who fought but treat them with the utmost respect. They deserve it.

Getting Holiday Ready

 Thanksgiving is now less than three weeks away. Christmas and Hannukah  are a month afterwards, both being celebrated on the same day this year. It's time to think about all that cooking and baking.Are you ready?

First of all ask yourself what you want to do for Thanksgiving. Some singles may prefer to eat out but you can just get a turkey breast, a jar of gravy and instant stuffing. This and a yam are perfect for just celebrating for one. It can even apply to two people if they just want a quiet dinner in. You may want to make a salad and just buy a small pie for afterwards.As for families this is where celebrating and cooking get intensive and extensive. Do you have a sit down dinner or a buffet? Do you decide on a sit-down for Thanksgiving and then a holiday buffet a month afterwards or vice versa. ANother aspect to consider is will the dinner include vegetarians and vegans. Even though both shun meat , they're different. Vegetarians will and can eat eggs and dairy. Vegans strictly prohibit this. If you have a few vegans coming over then consider making a Tofurky along with the real thing -a turkey. Luckily Tofurky comes with it's own gravy packet and stuffing so vegans will be happy with this.Also include many vegetables on the menu too.Brussells sprouts are a tasty side with vegan butter and vegan Parmesan cheese drizzled on top. Green bean almandine, string beans with almonds is another crowd pleasing side vegetarians and vegans will love.

Of course there's always a children's table. The question is will it be at the end of the adult table or in the kitchen or enclosed porch. Designate someone to look in on them from time to time. You could also put the oldest child or children in charge. Keep in mind then there should be two of everything. The kid table needs a platter of sliced  turkey along with a gravy boat and sides. The high chair set can seat next to their parents at the main table. Another idea to consider is making it allergy free.Keep in mind there will always  guests with allergies. Have alternatives for them. Also try not to serve any nuts and offer both gluten free breads and rolls.This also applies to milk too so have either soy, almond and oat varieties out for coffee. These also come in chocolate versions so they're perfect for the kids.desserts are another topic worth thinking about right now.Of course everyone will want pies. The question is which ones.Pumpkin is always the favorite yet do you make a traditional one or have one with a twist? Do guests want  not only pumpkin but also apple or pecan? ANother question is does anyone want to bake? Say yes not just to be kind but it takes a lot of pressure off you in the kitchen.

It's never too early to think about the holidays. Its' time to really ponder your plans. Figuring out what to serve is the first step to creating a memorable Thanksgiving meal.

Holiday Tortes

 A different kind of cake to think about for holiday baking is a torte. It's a denser , more flavorful version of a cake and somewhat easy to create. it's an elegant sweet, perfect for any holiday table.

What is a torte exactly? It is a rich dense multilayered cake, usually made from ground nuts or breadcrumbs.Unlike a regular cake there is very little to no flour added.They're usually covered in a rich frosting and can be filledd with buttercream, whipped cream, jams or fruit. The Germans and the Austrians are best known for them, namely in the famed Black Forest Cake. This is chocolate and ream cake filled with whipped cream and cherries. The layers are made with ground walnuts and cocoa.This is one of the newest recipes to the sort, having been invented in the Spring of 1930. The actual sweet can from Eastern and Central Europe before becoming a standard in Viennese coffee houses. Many home bakers do shy away from them probably for two reasons. The first is that it does need a Springform pan fro some recipes. Sometimes spring form cakes can turn out to be flops The second reason is that it's labor intensive. It used to be both home and professional bakers had to grind the nuts (I remember my Mom doing this for her Black Forest torte. Nowadays though walnut and almond flours can even be had at Wal-mart. As for the breadcrumbs - Italian or French bread will give the torte its' best texture.Many recipes do call for regular flour to give the cake a silken crumb.

A torte can be an exciting and delicious treat to make. There are so many variations to choose from. The Black Forest is one of the  most popular and the first many home bakers choose.Some actually start off with a flour based cake but this really isn;t authentic. Use ground hazelnuts mixed with baking powder for the gateau or cake part.The filling is fresh or frozen pitted cherries cooked into a syrupy filling. Cornstarch is added to thicken it to a jam consistency. Depending on the recipe the layers are doused with kirsche a heady cherry liqueur made in Germany. It's assembled and frosted with fresh whipped. cream. The torte is liberally dusted with shaved dark chocolate and decorated with cherries.It's a show stopper for any holiday dinner or even dinner party. Another great torte is the Austrian Sacher torte. This is a mouthwatering marriage of apricot and chocolate.what gives the three tiered cake its' lightness is the addition of egg whites. The bite is airy and light.The filling is strained apricot preserves the fruit has t be removed (unless you want a chunky filling which would give it a more intense apricot flavor).Let it air dry and then pour the melted chocolate glaze over it and let the icing set. For a true Viennese experience serve with cups of strong coffee.

Think tortes instead of cakes for this holiday season.They're different but just as delicious. THey're also impressive , creating a sight , showing off your baking talent.

The Perfect Vegan Dinner Party

 Creating a dinner party is hard. Creating a vegan dinner party is even harder?Or is it. All you need is a good main course , sides and a show stopping dessert. Can it be perfect for those avoiding meat? Yes!!!

Regular contributor Dasvid Tanis created this in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. The most problematic question is what makes for a good main course? You can't have roasts or anything like cutlets.Mr. Tanis turned to Italy for inspiration. He has come up with a polenta and  roasted mushroom torta. This is a layered casserole, baked in a spring form pan that's usually reserved for cheesecakes. Creamy cheese such as mozzarella.Parmesan and Gorgonzola(you could use vegan cheeses if you want - just research their baking times). Roasted mushrooms and a bright green gemolata cover it. Keep in mind that the polenta should be made several hours  or even a day in advance to allow it to firm up.when it's ready spoon into the buttered spring form pan and then layer on the cheese.Bake on the oven's middle rack for forty-five minutes in a  350 degree Farenheit oven. Turn the heat up ten minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbly, Take out of the oven and set aside.The mushrooms are first pan sauteed in olive oil and then season with salt and pepper. Roast them and at the same time reheat the torta Make the gremolata  by combining parsley , lemon garlic and crushed red pepper. Add the roasted mushrooms and serve with the polenta.

Since this is such a big flavored dish, the salad with it should be mild.Try a radicchio salad with walnuts and the fruit of the season -pears. Use ruby red radicchio along with brown sugared walnuts. Its creating a buttery caramel sauce by cooking butter and brown sugar. It will turn into a syrup. and then add the walnuts. Cook until nuts are fragrant.The dressing is a mix of two vinegars -red and balsamic, walnut oil and olive oil.Mix the greens ,walnuts and sliced pears together.what makes for a good dessert? Try homemade chocolate amaretti cookies. These are a simple bake using cocoa, egg  whites. and a dash of almond extract. The texture is like crinkle cookies. Three large egg whites are used and they're they only liquid involved. The rest is dark Dutch cocoa and almond flour.This last and the almond extract blend well with the cocoa.Once the dough is made they're pinched into walnut sized balls and then rolled first in granulated sugar and then powdered sugar. A blanched almond is pushed into their middles and they're baked on parchment in a 325 degree Farenheit oven for fifteen to twenty minutes The dough will be sticky at first but the two sugars should remedy that. You can end with a dessert wine or a good espresso.

A vegetarian dinner possible rich with good food is possible. This is a great dinner for a SUnday or for a weekend dinner party. There's no meat yet its still tasty and filling.