The White House Pastry Chef

Today's New York Times Dining section is packed with a lot of good articles I 'll write about one today and the other about corporate gardens tomorrow.The one that I'd like to tell about now is regarding the White House pastry chef, Bill Yosses. He has an interesting background and an even interesting job description at the White House.

Yosses was first hired under former First Lady ,Laura Bush. His background is being a pastry chef at the famed Montrachet and Bouley restaurants in New York. However in Washington, he is also the chief bee keeper and tender of the herb garden. It's not like he wants to be uber busy :it;s just that he;sot really needed in the Obama kitchen much. Thanks to our new First Lady's healthier foods campaigns, rich gooey pastries are out at the everyday meals. Not that President Obama and the First Daughters are deprived of sweets. Yosses makes a white sugar free fruit and oat bar made with honey and maple syrup. This is mixed together with toasted sunflower seeds and dried cherries and baked for 25 to 30 minutes.This is a recipe I would love to try because it's a great healthy snack and probably wouldn't be so bad with a cup of coffee.

Yosses does still bake for the White House State dinners. He has also coauthored a book with Dining contributor Melissa Clark (today's article was by regular contributor Julia Moskin)There is an updated recipe for a Mamie Eisenhower cheesecake with a chocolate cookie crust. Now this is somehing I would love to make. It has a sour cream frosting on top and a rich , smooth cheesecake.

Bill Yosses is a White House history maker. He can still create yummy but good for you sweets in the Obamas healthy eating White House. That's a feat that should be copied through tth eUS> He manages to make even the healthiest ingredients the most decadent with his knowledge and flair,

Taste of Home Magazine

I get a ton of magazines every month, mostly fashion (yes I'm a fashionista too) . However one that I haven;t ordered is being stuffed in my mailbox and to my luck it's a food one.It's Taste Of Home and although it;s not Gourmet, it still has some interesting recipes. it's a relatively thin monthly but it covers the gamut from simple suppers to kitchen redecorating. It's about 80 pages from cover to cover.

What I like about Taste of Home is the fact that ordinary cooks from across the US. There are put into themed articles like Mexican or shower foods or even foods for a particular holiday. I love the fact that they're easy to follow and the ingredients can be bought in any supermarket aisle. In the latest April/May issue there's a cappuccino granita that's caught my eye as well as a mushroom lasagna and a candy explosion cake. Yum.

If you get the chance pick up your subscribe to this neat , little magazine. It's really good for creating different meals or if you're planning a party or holiday meal. A Taste of Home is like a recipe box full of good ideas and foods.

Mister Right

I love my news olive oil mister that I bought through that great site Sur La Table. It is just a neat gadget and I wish I had bought it sooner.There's a lot you can do with it from coating a saute or fry pan to spritzing salads.

It does take some figuring out. I didn't realize the oddly shaped cover was responsible for the nozzle to spray . t has to be pumped up and down so that the sprayer could work. The first time I over filled it by about three tablespoons which was wrong and messy. However once I got the hang of it I found that it's he most fun gadget ever. My new favorite snack is oil misted grape tomatoes. Just wash them, leave them in their container and give them a good misting. Add fresh ground sea salt, shake the container and serve. These are just a yummy go to if you're hungry or a great side with any kind of sandwich.

I'm looking forward to cooking with my mister. I bet it'll be perfect for quick frying or even sauteing spinach. I also plan on using it when I reheat pizza and spinach rolls too. Talk about mister right!

Remember Mom Tomorrow

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. Remember your moms with a nice brunch or buffet out. You can also try cooking too. Some easy recipes are frittata and French toast. If you're planning on a get together later on in the day, think about a simple but great barbecue with some rice salads.

Another fun way is eating out as a family. Most restaurants and even diners have great Mother's Day brunches where there are omelet bars and pasta stations along with carving boards and dessert tables. These are great if there's a large crowd coming. You don't have to spend the day endlessly cooking and cleaning up. End up at home with a special Mother's Day cake (all bakeries and grocery stores have this) along with some fresh made bon bons from your local chocolatier.

However it;s spent, make sure all moms young and old have a day off from cooking and cleaning., There's nothing like some one else making a sumptuous brunch or dinner.

Event Planning

This has been a busy day for me, with housework and shopping and everything. Now I find that I'm sucked into event planning too for a club at the college where I teach. Some people think this is fun. It is in a way. However for me it's a headache , especially when there's a tight budget to deal with too.

This is the season for all sorts of events, from graduations to office showers to everything else. Somehow Spring and early summer is always chock full of parties and get togethers. In these situations I found the best solution is heading to the local grocery. In my case it's the Stop & Shop where I will be ordering a lovely plate of crudites and brownies for next Sunday's awards ceremony after party. This is the easiest and I don't have to spend my weekend cutting up veggies and baking and frosting endless trays. I recommend everyone stuck with some party to do the same. It's just easier and cost wise perfect.

I have an already busy schedule. Now I am stuck with an event that requires legwork and setting up. Luckily , despite the season, this is my only one so far.

Sushi For You

Yesterday's New York Times Dining had a interesting article about making your own sushi. This is interesting to me since I've been doing a lot of cooking lately. Sushi making looks like a lot of fun and requires very little effort. This last alone is a lure.

There were two articles one by the amazing Mark Bittman. He is a regular contributor to The Times and I like his minimalist style of cooking. His spin on sushi is simple. Just roll up the fish and veggies with rice and then wrap seaweed around them. The only complicated part is making the rice.It;s not just a simple boiling . Sushi rice dies require the addition if rice vinegar ,sugar salt and kelp. You also need awasezu and sake to boil the rice. This is what gives the rolls their sweetness and balances the seafood saltiness.

I'm not a big fan

of raw fish (and it would be hard to make with my cats hanging around, loudly demanding a morsel thrown their way). I would sub in hard boiled egg,, avocado seaweed and may be asparagus. I may even put a mash of peas or edamame in mine.

Sushi sounds like an easy challenge but it also sounds like fun.I probably will try it soon. There are so many possibilities and it'll be fun putting my own spin on this classic.

This Is The Weekend To Cook!

Mother's Day is this weekend and this is the weekend to cook! I've just received my shipment from Sur La Table . I am over the moon about my new olive oil mister (which will definitely be used) along with my tomato savers and the colander ladles. Both Saturday and Sunday will be spent putting new spins on old favorites.Will I have enough time to create the perfect Saturday supper and Sunday morning brunch? I hope so.

Any meal comes down to planning. I know that for the dinner I will be making spaghetti with Bolognese sauce. The twist on this will be adding the chicken flavored soy strips to it .It'll be like a vegan cacciatore over pasta instead of the usual polenta. The"chicken" will add texture and more taste. It'll also be a turn from the usual, heavier recipe.Of course with it comes fresh made garlic bread and a nice crisp salad.

As for Mother's Day, I may make my Mom's favorite, Eggs Benedict. As you all know I made this just last week and it was a great success. I fried the eggs with the bacon as opposed to poaching them. This gave them a richer flavor and the yolks were more well cooked. I could also go the other route and make French toast, much in the style of its' parent pain perdu. This is where you sub in French bread slices for regular white or challah bread.It makes for a nicely chewy and more flavorful French toast.

This is definitely the weekend to cook. You can try to make the classics or try something else. Just plan now for what you'll be doing. It's easier and you can have more time to cook.