Full of Thyme And Butter

 Thanksgiving means a lot of things to many people. We need to be grateful for having a day that we can reflect and be grateful for what we have - good food and warm shelters.

As a home chef I am grateful to many things..Today it's thyme and COuntry Crock plant butter. They're what made the Tofurkey (above , looking like a mini monster )  taste so delicious.The duo were also added to accompanying gravy too. As American home chefs we should be thankful for all the ingredients we have readily at our fingertips. That truly is a miracle.

This Thanksgiving and every day be grateful for what you can cook and bake,. Be grateful for the easy of buying ingredients and favorite foods. These truly should be thanked.

The Perfectly Set Table

 Everyone thinks the turkey and trimmings is the star of the Thanksgiving Day table. That's no t really true. It's the table itself.A perfectly decorated one with elegant plates and slverware is what guests will be talking about for weeks after. It's teh table that makes the bird not the other way around.

Regular contributor and chef Tejal Rao wrote about the tablescaping craze in today's New York Times Wednesday's Food section, Setting a beautiful table has been around for centuries. Table scaping as it's called was first coined by British designer David Hicks in the Sixties, There are even contests revolving around this. At Los Angeles County State Fair  There are table scaping contests.These are not only over the top but also have been extremely popular since the 1930'sIt;s not just LA that offers this kind of contest. State fairs around the US have included them their many contests.The tables maybe have evolved but th discipline of selection have remained the same.Tables can be holiday themes or whimsical with papier mache aliens emerging from space crafts. The plates and utensils must be spotless.Each setting should anticipate its' respective menu.Judges dock points for the obvious flaws like spotted or soiled forks and glasses. Even a wrinkled tablecloth could means points off. Every aspect of table setting has to be perfect.

 Themes vary. One seemed to have a memorial dinner complete with an urn for an imaginary 's cat;s ashes One couple Branden Boyer-WHite and Shannon Waters devised one to fit the opening credits of Masterpiece Theater's Mystery series.It was a salute to the illustrator Edward Gorey, with characters that danced across a cross stitched table cloth made to look like inked wood grain. Chef Rao also includes tips for tomorrow;s table. She recommends a color theme of anywhere from two to four colors, Try fallish one s like golden hues, browns and deep oranges. Use handmade items whenever possible. Think of a bundle of twigs wrapped with  ribbons or perhaps pretty construction paper place holders with guests names written in calligraphy.. Start with straight place settings.Use cloth napkins. NO paper ones,NO big centerpieces. People need to see each other and talk.When you finish setting it sit a different angles and see how the whole table looks.If everything looks perfect then sit back and relax for a few minutes before the big task of cooking.

A perfectly set table is what guests will talk about. Make sure it is lovely and charming like those in the LA County Fair. Table scaping is just as important as cooking.

Thanksgiving Advice Just Breathe

 The next two days will resemble a baking contest and the popular comedy"The Bear" . The best advice is to just breathe. Home chefs, you got this. Just take time to give yourself some culinary me tine.

List making helps. f you haven't;t bought anything, tomorrow is the day to do it. Try to find shortcuts to ease the cooking, especially if you're busy at work. Get a simple turkey breast  if  there's just two . It saves on having a ton of left overs. Besides the breast meat is the most tender anyway. Get jarred gravy and stove top stuffing too. This saves on a lot of work. As for mashed potatoes, instant is your best bet. Frozen Brussels sprouts or green beans can be your side. Most big supermarkets like Acme and Lidl sell in store baked pies and rolls. Buy these. If you're planning a bigger meal, then ask for help. Guests love to come early and help out in the kitchen. It's a great way to catch up and chat instead of trying to talk during the whirlwind of putting food on the table and the cacaphony of other guests.The same goes for pie baking. It's a fun way to gossip and share a coffee while rolling out dough and coring apples.You and your fellow bakers can also go in on the costs too if they're also part of the Thanksgiving guest list.

As for yourself - relax. It's so popular  (and traditional) to order a pizza the night before the big day. Consider it tomorrow. Hot slices are always a big hit with the kids too. Chinese food won;t go amiss either. Save your energy for the next day. Take a relaxing bath or drink and herbal tea to ensure a good night''s sleep. No one can function or a limited amount of shut eye. As for Thanksgiving morning, don;t go crazy and create a hearty breakfast or brunch. Keep it simple.There's cereal and instant oatmeal to tide the family over. If you have to cook something hot, stick to any kind of eggs and bacon, whether real or plant based. Check your lists as to what needs to be done first.  Is the bread torn for stuffing along with the celery being washed and cut for it? Again when it's time to start prep, ask for as much help as you can,  Are the pots and pan ready to go ? It's time to take the turkey out of the fridge and getting it ready for the oven. Keep in mind that holidays today are not the formal affairs of the past yet if you want to pamper yourself with  make up and fancy dress, then do so.It's a fun  break from kitchen duty. Grab a glass of wine but don;t go overboard. No one needs a tipsy cook.

It may be Thanksgiving with non stop cooking and breaking but it's also a time to enjoy family, friends and food. Take it easy. Take care of yourself. It'll ensure a less crazy ,less hectic cooking day.

AN Easy Cacio E Pepe

 What can you do with leftover pastina? Turn it into a tasty and quick cacio e pepe. This is an easy make and so delicious?It's a great way of using up any plain pasta and creating a hot meal.

Cacio e pepe does require cheese butter and freshly ground pepper. 

I sed Follow YOur Heart Parmesan, COutry Crock plant butter and Lidl's freshly ground black pepper.

How much should you put in?I used about three tablespoons of plant butter and a good sprinkle of the vegan Parmesan.I love a good peppery dish, full of black flecks.It took about four to five grinds.It was then four minutes in the micro

wave. it was a dish worth waiting for. I thought of this all day.It' was spiky , silky and wonderful after a long hard day. Cacio e pepe can be made with any kind of pasta. Pastina is a  nice alternative  and absorbs all these flavors.

Make cacio e pepe with any leftover pasta. It's a great meal on a cold night.It makes for a tasty lunch or dinner.

A Quiet Powerhouse IN The Diner Industry

It takes a lot of guts and determination to run any eating establishment.  You have to be strong to deal with suppliers yet kind when dealing with all sorts of customers. Eva Diakakis was one of these diner owners. She owned the Famed Bendix Diner on Route 17 in Hasbrouck Heights , New Jersey for a number of years. She brought home cooking  and comfort to people who needed both.

The Bemdix Diner on it's own is a salute to Jersey  diner history. It started in the 1940's , named after the nearby Bendix  Corporation. It was a popular spot thanks to it's location in the middle of Route 17 and near Route 46. Eva and her husband John bought it and then had their son  John took over.They were from the beautiful island of Kos, just south of another lovely Greek isle, Karpathos. They brought their recipes to the states , settling in New York. Their son John,a former comedian took over the diner. He rose to local fame through documentaries.He is legally blind yet expertly took over the diner from his parents.His three sons, Michael Anthony and Dimitri helped their yiayia or Granny with cooking .She taught them an amazing slew of recipes that are still being made for diners today.Yet it was Eva;s kindness and caring that stood out. She knew her customers well and became family to them. She was that to mine, always treating my Mom with such kindness and friendliness. She knew her and my brother's favorite dishes along with mine.

Her food was amazing. She knew my brother was a vegetarian and went out for her way to make vegan soups like a tomato basil for him. She and their cook Julio whipped original vegan dishes for him as well. He loves his mashed potatoes and Eva always made sure he had a big plate of them, airily whipped and as light as a meringue. However it was her French fries that shone. They were crisp and tasty , a specialty of both her and her other son Chris. Of course there were Greek specialties that she also made for her fellow Kossians and Karpathians. (she went to high school on Karpathos because Kos was such a small island it couldn't afford one). Eva was a truly spiritual and virtuous individual who followed all the Greek Orthodox fasting days .She read the Bible daily and also made special breads for the church. She also had special breads for her customers like us too. They were always a treat, thickly sliced and spread with a generous layer of butter.

There will never be another Eva Diakakis, She was a gentle soul yet one with a steel backbone. She guided her family and business with such will and force. She made a huge impact on their and on her customers who became family to her.

Diner Favorites

 New Jersey is the state of diners. Although we don;t have as many as we used to , they are still the eatery of choice for so many New Jerseyans. Yet no matter where you are there is some kind of diner that offers up loaded potato skins,gigantic slices of French toast or shrimp scampi 24/7. 

The question is what's your favorite diner food?Mine is a turkey burger with a shareable  plate of crispy golden fries.There has to be a tall icy Pepsi with those too. What do you like at your favorite diner? The lemon meringue pie with that giant puff of meringue on top. A large bowl of chicken noodle soup? Or some thing reflecting many diner owner's heritage - Greek food - moussaka or dolmades stuffed grape leaves. Let us know.

Verdant Sides

 Sometimes a Thanksgiving dinner needs some livening up. There should be splashes of color amongst the tans and browns along with a fresh harvest taste. It;s time to add some greens, purples and red to have a vibrant lively table.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark wrote about this and created recipes for her A Good Appetite column in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Vegetables are an excellent addition to any table. They add nutrients and vitamins to a starchy, high caloric meal. Their flavor is also a nice change up too, providing afresh from the garden taste amidst all the bread and gravy. The first recipe is a springy green beans with lime and red onions. These have to be made right when you're ready to serve the turkey but  it's not a labor intensive dish.Herbs  such as coriander and lime juice bring them to life. Another Thanksgiving dish that gets a makeover is squash. It's sliced and de -seeded and then glazed with maple syrup. Home chefs can use any combination of squash - delicata, honey nut, butternut and kabocha. Charred lemon give it that zing that goes well with the maple which is also mixed with butter and pepper.  The lemons is first boiled This is spread over the squash and lemons and then pan roasted.

The other dishes are just as bright and tasty.Every Thanksgiving table needs a salad. WHy not have one that features ruby red cabbage highlighted with  walnuts and feta .Cabbage wedges are first roasted to bring out their sweetness. Feta adds creaminess and saltiness, a perfect foil for the cabbage's sweetness. Walnuts are added for crunch, Pomegranate seeds add crunch and more flavor. The dressing is a vinaigrette punched up with Dijon mustard. Another side which would even be great at any holiday party is a giant roasted vegetable platter. THis is perfect for those who like to pick and choose their sides.This is a roasted mix of purple, white or yellow cauliflower and winter squash such as kabocha, delicata butternut or honey nut. There's also broccoli or broccolini fennel and carrots. It requires three parchment lined sheets and the roasting times all vary for the veggies. Broccoli takes takes ten to fifteen minutes fed onions fifteen to twenty, fennel twenty to twenty-five cauliflower twenty-five to thirty-five, squash thirty to thirty-five and carrots thirty to forty minutes(actually airfrying them will be shorter timewise). The dressing is a garlicky yogurt, spiked with lemon juice,THis is drizzled on the veggies along with apple cider vinegar and hot honey (this is mixed with red chili flakes.). It's a pick and choose platter for fussy guests.

Give Thnaksgiving a burst of color with these veggie dishes. They're exciting and tasty. They're the perfect foil for all those tans and browns of the holiday table.