Two days ago the Irish celebrated the feast of Saint Patrick , today other nationalities such as the Italian and the Polish celebrate Saint Joseph’s Day. it’s mostly a big feast on the Italian islands of Malta and Sicily where special dinners and pastries are served. Lots also Italy’s Father’s Day where dad and grandfathers are honored from Trieste to Torino, from the Alps to the Adriatic.
Last year I wrote about this days pastries which are incredible. Many love the zeppolis , the ricotta filled fried puffs along with cream puffs also stuffed with a cannoli filling. However in some Sicilian and Maltese households. However there are also other dishes served before that. Spaghetti is big but it has to be serve d with a meatless sauce or topped with crunchy breadcrumbs. Broccoli rabe can also be served , probably with the salmons balls or fried codfish, baccala that the Sicilians are so fond of eating. Other dishes include stuffed (meatless) peppers and orange salad, all indicative of the two islands’ bounty of fish an harvests
Sweets are also a big part is the festa or holy day. Not only are zeppolis served but also rum cakes and various cookies. Zeppolis are usually made at home and recipes vary from family to family. Most make them with a choux paste, the same dough used in making cream puffs. Some bakers make add orange or lemon zest for more flavor. The filling is always a ricotta cheese one, either redolent with chocolate chips or lemon zest. Some put bitter cherries on top to decorate the zeppolis. This adds a nice dose of tartness to the taste. All are then lightly dusted with confectioner’s sugar .
Saint Joseph’s Day is just as important as St Patricks Day. It celebrates the saint along with fathers throughout Italy. it’s also celebrate s th e foods of Sicily and Malta as well.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
The Truth About Salsa
The Times Dining Section yesterday had an interesting article about real Mexican salsas. We usually think of salsas as those bottled up condiments, similar to ketchup.Either those or the mash up of tomatoes and peppers we usually make for our chips. However real Mexican salsas are not that simple .They're complex and layered with different ingredients and different textures. They're what makes the real deal pop.
The article, written by Dining regular Julia Moskin explores the varieties of salsa and the ingredients in it. The original ones have a mix of tart, sweet salty and different degrees of "heat". This last depend s on th e chilis that are put into it. Salsa shouldn't be too hot unless it's salsa picante . Salsas can be fresh or cooked depending on what they're used for. Fresh chilis are such as the serrano, jalpeno poblano and habenero can be used in making a quick orro the ever popular chipotle. You can buy the peppers in Mexican or Latin American based grocery stores or even in the bigger supermarket chains. Salsa can also have pumpkin seeds and peanuts and the indigenous canela, the native Mexican bark that tastes like cinnamon.
The article also recommends the best tools for making at home salsa. You can buy a molcajete , and a tejolete or roughly translated mortar and pestle. Most kitchen stores such as Williams & Sonoma and even Amazon sell them. Even newbies can make a simple pico di gallo or salsa Mexicana., It's finely cut tomatoes green chilis and onions blended together into a smooth sauce. You can also spike it with tequila to make what's known as a drunken salsa or add cooked onions as opposed to raw. This last imparts sweet taste that would go good with grilled meats. Also salsa depends on how the ingredients were prepared The veggies can be charred for a smokiness, or pan fried in oil for a creaminess. You can also parboil them as well . to maintain their color but to give them some flexibility when they're being crushed.
There;'s nothing like a good salsa m,there it;s on chips or gracing a taco. If you want authentic, make your own, using the different chilis and cooking techniques. You can also serve it not only with chips. but gracing a taco or even on fajitas to give them bite. Get away from the every day salsas and try the traditional , true Mexican one.
The article, written by Dining regular Julia Moskin explores the varieties of salsa and the ingredients in it. The original ones have a mix of tart, sweet salty and different degrees of "heat". This last depend s on th e chilis that are put into it. Salsa shouldn't be too hot unless it's salsa picante . Salsas can be fresh or cooked depending on what they're used for. Fresh chilis are such as the serrano, jalpeno poblano and habenero can be used in making a quick orro the ever popular chipotle. You can buy the peppers in Mexican or Latin American based grocery stores or even in the bigger supermarket chains. Salsa can also have pumpkin seeds and peanuts and the indigenous canela, the native Mexican bark that tastes like cinnamon.
The article also recommends the best tools for making at home salsa. You can buy a molcajete , and a tejolete or roughly translated mortar and pestle. Most kitchen stores such as Williams & Sonoma and even Amazon sell them. Even newbies can make a simple pico di gallo or salsa Mexicana., It's finely cut tomatoes green chilis and onions blended together into a smooth sauce. You can also spike it with tequila to make what's known as a drunken salsa or add cooked onions as opposed to raw. This last imparts sweet taste that would go good with grilled meats. Also salsa depends on how the ingredients were prepared The veggies can be charred for a smokiness, or pan fried in oil for a creaminess. You can also parboil them as well . to maintain their color but to give them some flexibility when they're being crushed.
There;'s nothing like a good salsa m,there it;s on chips or gracing a taco. If you want authentic, make your own, using the different chilis and cooking techniques. You can also serve it not only with chips. but gracing a taco or even on fajitas to give them bite. Get away from the every day salsas and try the traditional , true Mexican one.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Food Of The Auld Sod
Irish food is usually put into the same category as British food - ugh. Yet this island is rich both in beef and seafood, lamb and dairy. Irish food is taken from ancient recipe sand local farms. The combination is a rich melding of tastes and flavors, traditions with a modern twist. This is what makes modern Irish foods tasty and rich.
Modern Irish cooking or Nouvelle Irish cuisine consists of a lot of the island‘s salmon and trout along with mussels and oysters. These are served with the traditional greens of cabbage and kale. The early Irish had a more land based diet of cattle, sheep and fowl. This is true today in some regions where rich stews and roasts still rule. Pork plays an important part in the cooking , especially in the breakfasts. Pork sausage figures in th traditional one as does white and black sausages, eggs and tomatoes. The Irish also like their sausages cooked with fatty or streaky bacon along with potatoes and onions. Bacon figures heavily in some dinner dishes as well.
The Irish love sweets too. In fact they are the purveyors of the world’s best chocolate , Butler’s, founded and still based out of Dublin. The Irish are excellent bread bakers and sometimes make sweet ones for dessert. Honey, one of the oldest ingredients in Irish cuisine, is used frequently (it was first used to flavor mead for the tribesmen) as well as oats and apple. Tarts are popular as after dinner treats. One, the sinfully rich Connemara tart is made with cream eggs and apples and then dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg. Guinness makes an appearance in Guinness Cake, a kind of fruitcake that is redolent with raisins. Apple duff, mentioned in James Joyce’s Ulysses is a rich variation of a baked apple but it's encased in puff pastry and served with cream..
Irish cuisine is as ancient and rich as the Gaelic heritage itself. Traditional ingredients are blended together to form cooking that is both traditional yet modern . It' s not just simply corned beef and cabbage but much much more. It’s as varied and a textured as the country’s history and literature.
Modern Irish cooking or Nouvelle Irish cuisine consists of a lot of the island‘s salmon and trout along with mussels and oysters. These are served with the traditional greens of cabbage and kale. The early Irish had a more land based diet of cattle, sheep and fowl. This is true today in some regions where rich stews and roasts still rule. Pork plays an important part in the cooking , especially in the breakfasts. Pork sausage figures in th traditional one as does white and black sausages, eggs and tomatoes. The Irish also like their sausages cooked with fatty or streaky bacon along with potatoes and onions. Bacon figures heavily in some dinner dishes as well.
The Irish love sweets too. In fact they are the purveyors of the world’s best chocolate , Butler’s, founded and still based out of Dublin. The Irish are excellent bread bakers and sometimes make sweet ones for dessert. Honey, one of the oldest ingredients in Irish cuisine, is used frequently (it was first used to flavor mead for the tribesmen) as well as oats and apple. Tarts are popular as after dinner treats. One, the sinfully rich Connemara tart is made with cream eggs and apples and then dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg. Guinness makes an appearance in Guinness Cake, a kind of fruitcake that is redolent with raisins. Apple duff, mentioned in James Joyce’s Ulysses is a rich variation of a baked apple but it's encased in puff pastry and served with cream..
Irish cuisine is as ancient and rich as the Gaelic heritage itself. Traditional ingredients are blended together to form cooking that is both traditional yet modern . It' s not just simply corned beef and cabbage but much much more. It’s as varied and a textured as the country’s history and literature.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Can Yummy Be Good For You?
There’s a big controversy over if it tastes good can it be good for you? The answer is yes. Some of our favorite things like wine and chocolate, are even a better and easier pill to swallow than broccoli or tomatoes. You’d be surprised over what fun things you can eat . It just takes some know how and of course moderation. If it’s yummy eat it. You ‘d be surprised at the consequences.
For years doctors and dentists have been telling us that chocolate is bad. Not so anymore. Dark chocolate, the lovely, rich bittersweet kind is good for your heart. It’s chock full of flavonoids that help in protecting our arteries against hardening and antioxidants that damage our cells. It’s even better for you than black or green tea. The thing is to eat it in moderation. A healthy dessert would be dark chocolate melted over strawberries and blueberries. You’re eating a treat and not feeling too guilty about it
Even snack foods , usually a taboo, can be healthful too. Think about that handful of nuts you’re eating Almonds were once considered too fatty and crossed off dieters' lists. Not anymore. They can lower cholesterol, and assist in weight loss if, again, eaten in moderation. Salsa , that fun dip is also heart healthy, It’s made out of entirely fresh good for you veggies like tomatoes and peppers and spiced with flavanoid rich onions. Serve with simple unsalted corn chips and you have a delicious low calorie, non fattening snack.
Yummy can be good for you. You just have to know what foods have healthy benefits and eat them in moderation. Forget the bland diet stuff. You can still have tasty fun and help your body in the meantime.
For years doctors and dentists have been telling us that chocolate is bad. Not so anymore. Dark chocolate, the lovely, rich bittersweet kind is good for your heart. It’s chock full of flavonoids that help in protecting our arteries against hardening and antioxidants that damage our cells. It’s even better for you than black or green tea. The thing is to eat it in moderation. A healthy dessert would be dark chocolate melted over strawberries and blueberries. You’re eating a treat and not feeling too guilty about it
Even snack foods , usually a taboo, can be healthful too. Think about that handful of nuts you’re eating Almonds were once considered too fatty and crossed off dieters' lists. Not anymore. They can lower cholesterol, and assist in weight loss if, again, eaten in moderation. Salsa , that fun dip is also heart healthy, It’s made out of entirely fresh good for you veggies like tomatoes and peppers and spiced with flavanoid rich onions. Serve with simple unsalted corn chips and you have a delicious low calorie, non fattening snack.
Yummy can be good for you. You just have to know what foods have healthy benefits and eat them in moderation. Forget the bland diet stuff. You can still have tasty fun and help your body in the meantime.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Add Some Spice
Every dish can be perked up with something. That‘s why we have spices and sauces to help us along the way. A bland meat loaf can be given zing with just a dash of soy sauce. Chicken salad can soar with a pinch of dried tarragon. Even a simple fruit salad can be called sophisticated with just a sprinkle of candied ginger. Spice is not only the variety of life it’s the savior of dull cooking.
Everyone should have some kind of semblance of a spice rack in the kitchen. It could be in those cutely organized tubers and holders or you could just have bottles in a lined up in a cabinet. Just make sure there’s something there, Some herbs can be used fresh such as chives. Some are usable both fresh from the garden or commercially processed like tarragon parsley oregano or rosemary. If you can try to grow these in a regular or window box garden. These add to sauces as well as to roast chicken and roast beef. .Fresh rosemary and oregano are wonderful sprinkled on just made focaccio Another good herb is thyme. Sprinkle it in soups for a lovely , peppery taste. Thyme is what gives Manhattan clam chowder its; unique flavor but it’s also good in minestrone and vegetable soup as well.
Spices are also very good. These are dried from plants such as bark (cinnamon and nutmeg) buds (cloves ) fruits (paprika) and roots such as ginger. These you can add to even cakes to sweets as well to make distinctive breads and cakes along with cookies. Spices usually associated with baking such as nutmeg can also be used in sauces to give a different spin on regular brown sauces or gravies. Ground vanilla seed can be added to squash to bring out its’ earthy flavor better than salt could. The best bet is to experiment and see which works for you and your tastes.
Don’t; let blandness force you to be a dull cook. Liven up your dishes with herbs and spices. These will not only make simple roasts and sauces better it will also excite your palate. There’s nothing better than adding a little real spice to your life!
Everyone should have some kind of semblance of a spice rack in the kitchen. It could be in those cutely organized tubers and holders or you could just have bottles in a lined up in a cabinet. Just make sure there’s something there, Some herbs can be used fresh such as chives. Some are usable both fresh from the garden or commercially processed like tarragon parsley oregano or rosemary. If you can try to grow these in a regular or window box garden. These add to sauces as well as to roast chicken and roast beef. .Fresh rosemary and oregano are wonderful sprinkled on just made focaccio Another good herb is thyme. Sprinkle it in soups for a lovely , peppery taste. Thyme is what gives Manhattan clam chowder its; unique flavor but it’s also good in minestrone and vegetable soup as well.
Spices are also very good. These are dried from plants such as bark (cinnamon and nutmeg) buds (cloves ) fruits (paprika) and roots such as ginger. These you can add to even cakes to sweets as well to make distinctive breads and cakes along with cookies. Spices usually associated with baking such as nutmeg can also be used in sauces to give a different spin on regular brown sauces or gravies. Ground vanilla seed can be added to squash to bring out its’ earthy flavor better than salt could. The best bet is to experiment and see which works for you and your tastes.
Don’t; let blandness force you to be a dull cook. Liven up your dishes with herbs and spices. These will not only make simple roasts and sauces better it will also excite your palate. There’s nothing better than adding a little real spice to your life!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Omelets Versus Frittatas
What makes the better brunch and breakfast staple? Omelet or frittatta? There has been a battle about this for decades. some purist foodies prefer a runny omelet, gooey with cheese and redolent with tomatoes, ham and even chicken . Others prefer a flat but textured fritatta, redolent with herbs and Parmesan. There are two schools of thought on this and which makes for a better morning staple.
Both egg dishes are pretty decadent however they could also be healthy. Omelets are traditionally two to three eggs and have rich cheese thrown into them, such as Gruyere or cheddar. You can also toss in a huge handful of leftover or from the packet ham . Some foodies can also add a n American spin on this French classic with some healthy pepper bits thus creating the classic Western omlet.. Another plus in making the omelet is cooking in it pure butter ala francaiseThis gives it a rich taste but also packs on th e calories not to mention the cholesterol. A healthier version is spraying your omelet pan with Pam, and just tossing in healthy veggies like broccoli and onions.
Frittatta, the Italian version of the omelet is made a little differently and , in my opinion can be better for you. You can cook the eggs in butter however heart healthy olive oil is recommended. Mostly frittatas have veggies such as onion and spinach added to them. Omele s have this too but then there's usually the addition of bacon and cheese. Once in a while sausage is crumbled in them or some grated Parmesan but it's never in excess as with an omelet. The taste of the egg comes though. Luckily both dishes can be made with egg whites as well.
What's on your brunch plate? The omelet or the frittatta? it;s a hard choiceto make and usually one made by taste. The first is pure decadence with its' butter and lush ingredients, the second is is more flavorful with a huge dose of fresh produce and olive oil. It's your decision though. Both are the best part of breakfast or brunch,
Both egg dishes are pretty decadent however they could also be healthy. Omelets are traditionally two to three eggs and have rich cheese thrown into them, such as Gruyere or cheddar. You can also toss in a huge handful of leftover or from the packet ham . Some foodies can also add a n American spin on this French classic with some healthy pepper bits thus creating the classic Western omlet.. Another plus in making the omelet is cooking in it pure butter ala francaiseThis gives it a rich taste but also packs on th e calories not to mention the cholesterol. A healthier version is spraying your omelet pan with Pam, and just tossing in healthy veggies like broccoli and onions.
Frittatta, the Italian version of the omelet is made a little differently and , in my opinion can be better for you. You can cook the eggs in butter however heart healthy olive oil is recommended. Mostly frittatas have veggies such as onion and spinach added to them. Omele s have this too but then there's usually the addition of bacon and cheese. Once in a while sausage is crumbled in them or some grated Parmesan but it's never in excess as with an omelet. The taste of the egg comes though. Luckily both dishes can be made with egg whites as well.
What's on your brunch plate? The omelet or the frittatta? it;s a hard choiceto make and usually one made by taste. The first is pure decadence with its' butter and lush ingredients, the second is is more flavorful with a huge dose of fresh produce and olive oil. It's your decision though. Both are the best part of breakfast or brunch,
Friday, March 12, 2010
The Sugar Tax Controversy
As you've probably heard right now New York City i s instituting a sugar or soft drink tax. This is a few cents added onto sodas.It's supposed to get kids and even adults to kick their sugar addiction. According to Mayor Michael Bloomburg this will lead to less obesity and a city full of healthy kids.
To be honest it's not going to work. Kids will drink the sodas anyway. Once you're addicted to Coke and Mountain Dew, that's it. You'll be drinking these for the rest of your life. We can however teach children that water is the best alternative when they;re thirsty. Nothing beats a bottle of chilled them as opposed to any kind of soda , iced tea or even juice for these. Also teaching them about an all around healthy diet early on is also a deterrent in going for sugary drink as and snacks.
Another problem here is other foods can cause problems. Do we put a ban on hamburgers and fries? Forbid them to eat chili dogs? Restrict potato chips until they 're eighteen like we do with cigarettes? Do we make certain foods illegal ?What about diner food with its' unhealthy portions?. Even the kid's plate of something chicken nuggets or spaghetti can feed tow adults. This should be looked into as well and regulated/
Putting a tax on Coke and Pepsi is not going to change a kid's habits.Introducing him or her to healthy home cooked foods and locally grown fruits and vegetables will . Instead of tacking on a few cents onto a soda. , Mayor Bloomburg should think about having more farmer"s markets in his Manhattan. He'll get his dream of healthier thinner kids thanks to eating all the right foods found at their fingertips.
To be honest it's not going to work. Kids will drink the sodas anyway. Once you're addicted to Coke and Mountain Dew, that's it. You'll be drinking these for the rest of your life. We can however teach children that water is the best alternative when they;re thirsty. Nothing beats a bottle of chilled them as opposed to any kind of soda , iced tea or even juice for these. Also teaching them about an all around healthy diet early on is also a deterrent in going for sugary drink as and snacks.
Another problem here is other foods can cause problems. Do we put a ban on hamburgers and fries? Forbid them to eat chili dogs? Restrict potato chips until they 're eighteen like we do with cigarettes? Do we make certain foods illegal ?What about diner food with its' unhealthy portions?. Even the kid's plate of something chicken nuggets or spaghetti can feed tow adults. This should be looked into as well and regulated/
Putting a tax on Coke and Pepsi is not going to change a kid's habits.Introducing him or her to healthy home cooked foods and locally grown fruits and vegetables will . Instead of tacking on a few cents onto a soda. , Mayor Bloomburg should think about having more farmer"s markets in his Manhattan. He'll get his dream of healthier thinner kids thanks to eating all the right foods found at their fingertips.
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