The Old College Try

 College can bring many memories with it. Awesome professors, Interesting classes and fun activities. Yet what about the food? Many barely remember what they ever ate during those two ro four years. Why? Maybe colleges need tutoring in what to serve.

THis was apparent wen I went to my college;s cherished tradition of  breakfast night., Fairleigh Dickinson University has this on both their Florham-Madison and Teaneck-Hackensack campuses. It's where University staff, proffs and office workers alike get together - with the help of cafeteria staff to serve a hot breakfast the night before the first exam.(It wasn't there when I was an undergrad.) It's fun  - and tiring. I served my students and others  all sorts of first meal staples and treats. There was herbed scrambled eggs, Tater tots, French  toast - so popular, - pancakes and two kinds of meat sausage -turkey links and pork patties. I'm sure the starch and sugar rush helped in studying - although it was more of a party with music and dance-offs.Yet it got me thinking. FDU always had good cafeteria food in my day. I can still remember the creamy scrambled eggs and crispy ,crunchy bacon. Yet kids today are smarter than we were. WHy weren't they demanding more fruit and even veggies in our cafeteria year round.

Processed food and the college diet go hand in hand.It;'s easier for cafeteria to buy it in bulk.It's quick and easy to prepare especially for a large crowd. The cafeteria in our Student Union Building has a relatively good salad bar. Our other does not. Kids can get bowls with healthy chicken and quorn yet I feel they can do more. Even community colleges  -I've also taught in one - Passaic Community College - can offer more healthier choices. PCC has a varied menu - one of the best I've had with Jamaican chicken jerk and tasty empanadas yet I don;t recall salads. More progressive colleges such as Bowdoin College in Bowdoin Maine offers fresh ,organic veggies WHy fresh? The campus has it's own gardens and many of the veggies find their way into soups and salads. There are vegan and vegetarian options as well as gluten free. Cornell University in upstate New York actually has a food court counting twelve eateries. Students can buy fresh baked goods along with fresh veggies and fruits. even their ice cream isn;Lt processed. It's also made fresh at the college creamery.

Schools have a lot to learn from their students. Hopefully Faiirleigh and other schools can learn from these other colleges. It's time to take eating seriously as studying on campus.

Classics Made Easy

 It used to be that gnocchi were hard to make. it involved boiling potatoes then mashing them with flour and egg to form ropes. These were cut into bite sized pieces and then stamped with a fork to form little grooves. Then there was a drying period where they would be laid out on a table or  even a bed(!) to dry. Not anymore. Thank heavens for modern day gnocchi.

I realized the ease of these when I made two of Lidl's I stand gnocchi and sauce for Sunday supper.

This was an easy  cook without boiling water for seven minutes before adding already made ones and a delicious porcini mushroom sauce.

The four packets were added at the same time and left to boil for another seven to ten minutes then simmered for an additional five.

What I loved is that I made a whole pot of gnocchi and sauce for under half an hour . it wasn't any labor involved. Just occasional stirring to prevent the little puffs from sticking together.

The results were just as good as my Mom's Nonna;s  and great aunt's. This was a creamy warm dish,perfect on a rainy Sunday in May. It was filling and delicious.I will be trying their four cheese variety next.

Nothing beats homemade, that's true. Yet Lidl's instant gnocchi is worth trying. It's flavor and satisfaction in less than half an hour.

Derby Fare Your Way

 The famed Kentucky Derby brings its' own special drinks and foods to the American table.What would a Derby party be without a cooling sip of min julips and tasty bites of hot browns and burgo.. Yet these can be redone to fit summer parties and everyday meals.It's just varying the classic recipes to fit your tastes

Mint juleps are di figeur for today's parties. It;s a simple drink first starting in the 17o00's an dusting Kentucky's most famous product - bourbon. The classic recipes involves making a simple syrup which is nothing more than granulated sugar and water cooked down in a sauce pan, and mixing freshly chopped mint leaves together. Pour as much  or as little bourbon as you like into this and add pebbled or crushed ice. For something slightly different use maple syrup instead of the simple syrup.This would be perfect for a late Sunday brunch because the maple flavor would pair well with French toast, waffles or pancakes. You could also create a cherry mint julep by subbing in Luxardo liqueur a cherry rich after dinner cordial.Another idea is a strawberry flavored one. Add minced or pureed strawberries to the sugar and mint , then the bourbon and ice. Chocolate and mint go hand in hand and you can easily sub in the mints leaves with chocolate mint to create a sweet dessert drink.

The foods of the Kentucky Derby can also be reimagined. The famed Louisville hot brown is a an open faced turkey sandwich topped with bacon and tomatoes. Mornay sauce is poured over it and the sandwich is broiled  for five minutes in a broiler. It's usually made like a casserole with it being cut into individual squares for single servings. You could turn the sandwich into a variation, Devonshire turkey which was created in Pennsylvania a few years after the Hot Browns. This is omitting  the Mornay sauce so it's more of a dryer , yet still tasty sandwich. The Mornay sauce can be subbed out for a creamier bechamel sauce and Canadian bacon can be used instead of regular bacon. Borgoo is another classic Kentucky dish.This stew is a variation of Brunswick stew and made with a melange of pork, beef and chicken along with potaotes carrots and tomatoes.Okra , green beans corm and a diced onion also are mixed in to give it more colro and taste. Barbecue sauce give it its; classic tang while apple cider vinegar gives it bite. It's usually made with garlic, bell peppers and celery  however you can omit these. For a more vegan version nix the meats and add kidney and pinto beans. Sub in vegetable broth instead of the standard chicken one too for a more vegetarian friendly dish.

Kentucky Derby treats can be served any time of the year not just the first Saturday of May. Try the julep variations .Make diufferent forms of Hot Browns and burgoo. They're all tasty.

Summer Cocktails

 Tomorrow is the Kentucky Derby and with it comes the famed cocktail the mint julep. Summer cocktails are wonderful. They're light ,fruity and delicious with summery nibbles and hors'douevre's

Here 's the question - what your favorite summer cocktail? Mine would be crushed strawberries with chilled Prosecco poured over them.It celebrates the fruit of the season while giving some kick.

Let us know what your favorite heady sip is.

Where's The Kitchen

 All restaurants should have a fiully stocked kitchen, right? There should be a large range with plenty of space to cook three or four dishes, a big fridge to hold supplies and a huge table to create many mise enplaces. Yet what happens when an eatery has no kitchen? Can it still survive? Surprisingly yes!

Regular contributor and chef herself, Piya Krishna wrote about this phenomenon in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. She visited a handful of restaurants across the US to see exactly how chefs fare with little to no prep and cooking space. They do very well, relying on innovation to create mouth watering and memorable dishes for customers. Take Friends and Family in Oakland ,California where the only cooker is a panini press. Chef Gaby Maeda uses it to do all sorts of things, from griddling onions to charring cabbage. Without a fryer she bastes chicken wings in brown butter to give them that "unctiousness" only a deep fryer can give.Mexican food can be made without a grill. Chef and owner of Denver's Alma  Finda Fina Johhnny Curiel has to forgo this major component of south of the border cooking.Instead he whips up braises and crudos in a cooking space that consists mainly of three induction burners and a convection oven.There is a griddle in the back of the restaurant where he and his staff turn ground, corn into nixtamalized  tortillas..

Can a chef cook into a five foot kitchen? Yes! At Charleston, South Carolina's Kultura ,chef and owner Nikko Cagalaman makes Filipino recipes in a kitchen with just one(!) power plug. Guests sit at a bar just "one hand"away from cooking stations. He doesn;t pan fry scallops. Now they seared on top like creme brule and cooked in a sauce. New  York City has always been the city with zero space for almost everything. Chef Sunny Lee of  Sunn's knows this and this is why her Manhattan eatery is so miniscule She borrowed a wok from next door restaurant Tolo to char broccoli for nanui. Her kitchen accessories, microplanes ,scissors and strainers all hand like pictures on a wall. Since she can't char veggies she tosses shallot powder into a tangy dressing to mimic the taste of char.Her salads are all made from pickled veggies because she doesn't have a fridge for fresh ones.Cellar Door Provisions in Chicago runs under the same premise.Ethan Pikas shrank the kitchen by a third during the pandemic and now he and his chef de cuisine Alex Cochran steam buns ,simmer stock and roast a pig's head all in one oven. Most of his foods are brined which saves from cooking them. He creates a fig leaf vinegar which can dress up a beurre blanc for sole..Brined white asparagus punches up beef tartare.

Can a restaurant survive without a kitchen?Priya KrYes.It does take a talented chef and innovation to do so. It does work=/

Tangy And Tasty Salsas

 Wamr weather brings out the chips and dips especially crunchy tortilla ones with bright,s sassy salsas. Nothing beats a homemade dip made with fresh ingredients. Best of all it can be made mild or very hot  or even something in the middle. Salsas are a fun addition to any Springtime party.

New contributor ,chef and author Rick Martinez gave three good salsa recipes in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. One idea he recomends is taken from Mexican chefs is that it can be improvised. Making it should bring as much joy as eating it. Salsa is more than just a condiment even though its' name literally means sauce.I t's a quintessential part of the Mexican table - something that both tickles and gratifies the palate. A good one should add depth, poignancy and zest in spicy, sweet and sour flavors.How the salsa is ultimately made is up to its' maker.Anything is fair game. Just be sure to add tomatoes, tomatillos,garlic, white onion, herbs Chiles, and even avocados. Keep in mind that lime juice is only used in American salsa recipes ,Mexicans usually add a squeeze of limes on its own to dishes.,Another rule of thumb is use chiles that work for you.A good thing to remember is that the smaller the chile the hotter it will be.When shopping for fresh ones, look for ones with firm shiny skins., Dried chiles should be soft and pliant.

The salsa  recipes are just great for parties or even a light and fun dinner. There are tostadas de tinga de pollo or shredded chicken and salso toastadas. made with the two given recipes.This is a meaty one wit bacon and chicken (taken from rotisserie or home roasted chicken) Try one or both salsa recipes.. The pure jalapeno one is an easy but fiery one.It;s boiling them with water and kosher salt until they're softened and just holding their shape. You'll need a mortar and pestle or molcajete which can be bought at Amazon . They usually average around twenty-five dollars however there are more expensive and more authentic ones for around sixty dollars. You can also use a bowl and a potato masher too. Grind until a chunky paste forms.Add some of the reserved boiled water along with garlic powder. You could also make the aguacate ahumado This is one made with sweet Roma tomatoes, a medium avocado ,a chopped white onion and five chipotle Chiles along with adobo ones. Adobo sauce is also added. These are just chopped and mixed together. Serve right away although anything leftover (which there probably won;t be) can be stored in the fridge.

Salsas a just a great accompaniment to any Mexican dish or a big bowl of crunchy chips. Make these for the warm days ahead.They're great tfor parties or just simple snacking.

Sweet Treats For Less

 May is the time for parties and get togethers. Yet these can be expensive ,especially desserts. WHat to do? The old fashioned thing - make and bake yourself. You can have fun with with all sorts of treats from cakes to candy.

LIke yesterday with savory main courses and sides, a sumptuous dessert table is easy to create at home. This is  fun to do, especially to decorate. Customized sheet cakes are  very expensive at $28. at Acme while Wal-Mart sells one at a startling $24.96. A fully frosted and decorated vegan cake can go up to a jaw dropping $80. at the Vegan pastry Lab in Englewood, New Jersey(their cakes are phenomenal but stick to the occasional cupcake from them)THis is a time for bake your own.Before you bakes anything make sure you have the right pans. For a party think a throw away cake pans that makes for an easy cleanup. Also have a good cake carrier .Wal-Mart has the Mainstays cake and cupcakes carrier which makes it easy for you to transport dessert to any event. Also make sure your decorating Both Wal-Mart and Amazon has good prices on these and the icing bags. Home bakers can buy a fifteen piece cake decorating set for only $4.30. This a really complete set with cake scrapers to make wavy lines  and ruffles on the cakes sides like bakeries do.

As for the actual ingredients, it pays to shop around for the best prices for sugar and mixes. Again look to Wal-MArt for good prices and a good variety. The store seems to have almost every flavor of Duncan Hine's Dolly Parton's cakes and icing.They're is selling the mixes for $1.97 right now. These can be great for parties ,Create a chocolate covered strawberry treat by baking her strawberry cake and then frosting it with her chocolate frosting. You can create your own scratch cakes ,cupcakes and cookies.Target, Wal-mart and Acme have the cheapest prices on all purpose flour with Wal-Mart being the cheapest at $1.99  for a two pound bag. Target  has the  Good and Gathered unbleached variety at $2.59 for five pounds. What about confectioner's sugar.It's all important for creating perfect glazes and frostings. Acme has it in sale now for $2.49 a pound. ( heads up confectioner;s sugar or any sugar doesn't;t go bad,it will get lumpy and lose it;'s taste with age) As for frosting gels to write messages and names, Wal-Mart has the best bet at $1,56 a tube.As for other candy decorations, you can get creative with cheap bags of M&M,s Sour Patch kids and other small bite sized pieces.

Desserts can be made at a cost for any big shower or party. Best of all they';re fun to make and decorate. Save money by baking a fun slice or cupcake.