Today'ss Times

This is going to be quick. I saw that today's Dining section of the New York Times has a whole article about the Food Channel spinoff. At first I thought this wasn't going to be so good. After all do we really need more cooking shows with celebrity chefs? However it's going to be slightly different There are going to be imported shows from the great North, Canada which will be very interesting. I feel that country doesn't get enough air time and its' chefs bring about real cooking with good and practical ideas.

Another plus for this channel is the variety of shows. There will be some that show how unusual food machines are made along Unique Eats along with some newer and grittier shows. The Food Channel has become bland (which to a certain aspect I agree.) It needs to be shaken up with new faces and new cooking techniques and ideas.

Will it? I hope so. we need a revolution to come along and shake us out of our boring culinary existences.

On Everything I Want To Cook

Now that I'm the chief chef in my family, I have to fund tempting meals and dishes that will coax about appetites (here;s the fill in- my Mom broke her hip and I am in charge of everything, from laundry to cat duties). With this comes the fun task of creating healthy and happy meals guarantee to please.

What would I like to cook? Easy answer. Anything that has to do with risotto, along with steamed fresh vegetables.I also love making French bistro foods as a bi monthly indulgence (let';s face it croque monseiur fried in butter served with a ton of pomme frites is way too much) I also want to make heart healthy salads that combine new ingredients like blueberries and fresh foraged greens

Right now I am busy with my other job (yes there's more to life than just Foodie Pantry) Hopefully another article will come your way soon.,

Some Quick Thoughts

I have to admit I have very little time now to write. Not to mention cook, I;m grateful for instant things, like Jello cups for dessert and take out food for every meal time.I wish i could go back to the old days when Icould write about a lot fo different topics and also spend hours food shopping. I'm lucky to have some time to write a few quick thoughts.

So anyonehave any ideas about quick meals and easier ways of grocery shopping. Let me know

Foodie Pantry Partially Opened

Readers,
I may decide to keep Foodie Pantry partially open because I will miss writing for it too much. I also will miss you readers from all over the world. The upcoming days will decide what will happen
Liz

Time Off

To all my loyal readers,

I am going to take a temporary leave from Foodie Pantry.I have a lot of family problems and work. There is no time right now to devote to researching and writing a blog.
I apologize to all of you.

Hopefully we'll meet again in June.......

Odd Couples

Ever look at certain couples and wonder what they have in common? I mean sometimes there’s a nerd with a hot looking model. Sometimes it’s a Goth with a preppie. Or an academic type with a homeboy. It’s the same thing with food. There are odd couplings that make you want to go “Huh?” The truth is they’re pretty good together and create a unique and delicious taste!
You would never think of adding to horse radish to any salad yet a dose of it in cole slaw is wonderful. It livens up the cabbage and brings out its’ initial sweetness. It also cuts the creaminess of the mayonnaise and gives it a sharp exciting bite .Another odd yet yummy coupling is bacon and cream cheese on a toasted bagel. You would think it would make anyone sick while eating it but you’re wrong. The cream cheeses delicate taste balances the bacon’s saltiness. It’s the same principle behind bacon with maple syrup anything. The extreme salinity balances out the sweet. That’s why there are bacon maple lollipops and bacon maple doughnuts out there these days.

Traditional sweets are getting some strange friends these days. Besides the bacon and maple there’s the caramel and sea salt. This is pretty common these days and the pairing does make sense. The sea salt brings out the caramel’s meld of butter and sugar while providing an unexpected crunch. It’s the same principle about adding salt to cookie and cake mixes. Another wild pairing is chocolate with chili peppers. The Aztecs originally came up with this centuries ago but once chocolate was sweetened by the Europeans the coupling was dropped. Peppers brings out chocolate’s wild side and let its’ different and complex flavors come to life. Of course it can also be paired with mild and edible lavender. It’s a different taste, sweeter and perhaps even earthier.
There will always be odd couples out there, especially in the culinary world. They create something new and a vast improvement on already established tastes. It may not be something we’re used to but it’ll always result in something we’ll like and possibly even come to love.

Mmmm Butter

There's nothing like the taste of butter.It's smooth, creamy and sometimes slightly salty. Yes, it;s bad for you but so are a lot of things and a lot of foods for that matter.We still eat them. Butter is different, It's a much needed ingredient in a lot of cuisines, especially French and Northern Italian. Unlike some other bad for you ingredients, it add richness and complexity to all sorts of dishes from breakfast to dessert.


Butter is the perfect element to fry food. However this does come with a warning. Use it in moderation. Too much butter cna make any dish from eggs to that French bistro treat the croque monsuier too soggy. Use a small pat or knob . You can add more if it seems the process needs it. Butter is a wonderful component in sauces.It gives Hollandaise its creaminess and gives pasta con burro its' delicacy. You can also use it for flavoring in some roues but again be gentle with its use.

Butter is also important in baking. Pound cake practically calls for it. There are also some scratch cakes that demand butter because it's necessary for the cake's texture and consistency. Icings need butter. A good butter cream is nothing when it;s made with a substitute like margarine or even - gasp- lard. It gives frosting a creaminess and much needed spreadability.It also creates a consistant texture so the cupcake or cake has smooth surface.

Is butter so bad? Not really. Just use it with wisdom and moderation. You don't have to scrimp on somehting that will add to your cooking. Just treat it with respect.