Today is mine and my mother's onomastica or saint's day. It's not a big thing here in the States.People observe it more in Italy,Spain and certain parts of Greece. It's a day when you receive treats for you saint along with gifts. I've always liked it and the custom of having relatives make dinners for you.
Saint's Days involve a meal as was the case when I visited my family in the Piedmontese Alps. My cousin Anna had a barbecue and special cake for me. Usually it's the winter's saints days that get special treatment such as Saint Stephen's,the day after Christmas.Every Stefano throughout Italy gets a pork dinner in addition to the lush holiday dinner the day before. I felt lucky to get a lovely summer feast. Here in the States it's just a dinner or lunch out with candy from Butlers.
Saints Days are a wonderful tradition. You get to know some of your religious heritage while celebrating it on a day just for your name.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Happy Fourth of July!
Happy July 4th weekend everyone! Where ever you are , enjoy a weekend full of barbecue. ice cream and just good summer eating and fun!
Remember those in the Armed Forces who are stationed away from their families and friends. They are keeping our forefathers dream of freedom and liberty alive across the globe.Raise a glass to them too!!
Liz
Remember those in the Armed Forces who are stationed away from their families and friends. They are keeping our forefathers dream of freedom and liberty alive across the globe.Raise a glass to them too!!
Liz
Friday, July 2, 2010
Your Holiday Weekend Check List
This is the start of the July 4th holiday weekend. This is also the time you should be checking your grill, fridge and pantry to make sure things are up to snuff. After all you don't want to be running to the store last minute or worst heading out to get take out food. Follow this list and you'll be OK. In fact print it out and cross off as you read it
A working grill. new grills should be primed, old grilled should be cleaned and checked
All grilling utensils cleaned and ready for use
A good supply of outdoor coolers and plenty of ice for drinks
Variety of meats for different tastes
Ingredients for sides such as cole slaw , macaroni, carrots lettuce tomatoes.
Large jar of mayonnaise for sandwiches and salads
Catsup and mustard
Relish for hot dogs
Rolls for burgers and dogs, Italian bread for antipasto
Wine , beer and seltzer for adults, lemonade and soda for kids
Cheeses and crackers or starters
Fresh cut fruit
Popsicles for kids, graham crackers and marshmallows for s'mores
July 4th themed cake or cupcakes
Wet naps for cleaning afterwards
Bug spray
Plastic containers for leftovers and take homes
Use this guide for a well stocked and well prepared July 4th weekend. Then enjoy!
A working grill. new grills should be primed, old grilled should be cleaned and checked
All grilling utensils cleaned and ready for use
A good supply of outdoor coolers and plenty of ice for drinks
Variety of meats for different tastes
Ingredients for sides such as cole slaw , macaroni, carrots lettuce tomatoes.
Large jar of mayonnaise for sandwiches and salads
Catsup and mustard
Relish for hot dogs
Rolls for burgers and dogs, Italian bread for antipasto
Wine , beer and seltzer for adults, lemonade and soda for kids
Cheeses and crackers or starters
Fresh cut fruit
Popsicles for kids, graham crackers and marshmallows for s'mores
July 4th themed cake or cupcakes
Wet naps for cleaning afterwards
Bug spray
Plastic containers for leftovers and take homes
Use this guide for a well stocked and well prepared July 4th weekend. Then enjoy!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
July Means Grilling Time!!!
Now that it's July , it's time to get the grill all ready and fired up for some delicious meals ahead. Again yesterday's New York Times Dining section had an excellent article written by of course, Mark Bittman, about grilling and recipes ideas. Remember grilling is not just burgers and dogs . It's everything from peppers to pork, from cheese to caramel. You can literally cook almost every meal out on the grill.
Most people usually just choose meats for their grilling experience. This is the safest route but there can be some variety. You can think about broadening your horizon by including pork cuts and even lamb to shrimp and scrod. Nothing beats lamb chops from an open flame. Or try shrimp kabobs at this year's Fourth of July barbecue. Even grilled cheese can be grilled outdoors. Us e think slices of white bread any cheese and add in tomatoes and even bacon. For another twist , grill bread cubes cherry tomatoes and olives on a stick for some fun as well. Grilled veggies go good in any salad especially peppers, tomatoes, corn kernels and eggplant. These add not only color but a deep smoky richness to just mixed greens and a simple vinaigrette.
Remember that fruits can be grilled as well. Peaches are the all time preferred because they re easy to fix and cook up nicely. You may wan to serve them afterwards with ice cream or on pound cake with a drizzle of peach schnappes. Grilled watermelon is new but it;s tasty as is grilled grapefruit with brown sugar. Another fun one is grilled bananas served with caramel sauce.
Nothing beats a summer around the grill. get creative this season with different meat sand harvests for a spin on this classic technique. see how many things you can put over the open coals for new tastes and textures.
Most people usually just choose meats for their grilling experience. This is the safest route but there can be some variety. You can think about broadening your horizon by including pork cuts and even lamb to shrimp and scrod. Nothing beats lamb chops from an open flame. Or try shrimp kabobs at this year's Fourth of July barbecue. Even grilled cheese can be grilled outdoors. Us e think slices of white bread any cheese and add in tomatoes and even bacon. For another twist , grill bread cubes cherry tomatoes and olives on a stick for some fun as well. Grilled veggies go good in any salad especially peppers, tomatoes, corn kernels and eggplant. These add not only color but a deep smoky richness to just mixed greens and a simple vinaigrette.
Remember that fruits can be grilled as well. Peaches are the all time preferred because they re easy to fix and cook up nicely. You may wan to serve them afterwards with ice cream or on pound cake with a drizzle of peach schnappes. Grilled watermelon is new but it;s tasty as is grilled grapefruit with brown sugar. Another fun one is grilled bananas served with caramel sauce.
Nothing beats a summer around the grill. get creative this season with different meat sand harvests for a spin on this classic technique. see how many things you can put over the open coals for new tastes and textures.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
The Return Of The Oyster
Today's Dining section in the New York Time s had an interesting article about oysters making a comeback in Manhattan's East River. This is a subject close to my heart because I'm an environmentalist and I've bene wanting cleaner waters and cleaner environments for our local sealife now. Oysters are natures' way of filtering out pollutants. They also reflect Manhattan's culinary history.The local indigenous people made them a staple of their diet as did the Europeans who came after them. Now they;re hitting tables once more.
The article , written by David Kamp tells of their return of these bivalves. Most of then look like their ancestors that graced New York's waters, ridged, craggy and tightly shut. However the harbor still has PCBs in it and that makes eating any seafood form the area taboo. The students though are hoping for a day when future generations will be able to eat produce from New York's Rivers. Oysters have been planted in hopes of building reefs similar to what was gracing Manhattan four hundred years ago.
I know a similar program that wa s just instituted in New jersey's Raritan Bay . That area too was rich in oysters and a popular fishing spot between the Lenni Lenape and the English who settled htere. there were even oysters factories in South Amboy, one of the towns that graces the start of the bay area. Hopefully one dayin the green future we'll be able to eat some of the Raritan Bay oysters too.
The bivalve industry was a big and thriving one in this area until over harvesting and depletion kicked in. Now with the work of eco farmers and environmentalists we can bring it back. it may take a while but people will get the benefit of local oysters .
The article , written by David Kamp tells of their return of these bivalves. Most of then look like their ancestors that graced New York's waters, ridged, craggy and tightly shut. However the harbor still has PCBs in it and that makes eating any seafood form the area taboo. The students though are hoping for a day when future generations will be able to eat produce from New York's Rivers. Oysters have been planted in hopes of building reefs similar to what was gracing Manhattan four hundred years ago.
I know a similar program that wa s just instituted in New jersey's Raritan Bay . That area too was rich in oysters and a popular fishing spot between the Lenni Lenape and the English who settled htere. there were even oysters factories in South Amboy, one of the towns that graces the start of the bay area. Hopefully one dayin the green future we'll be able to eat some of the Raritan Bay oysters too.
The bivalve industry was a big and thriving one in this area until over harvesting and depletion kicked in. Now with the work of eco farmers and environmentalists we can bring it back. it may take a while but people will get the benefit of local oysters .
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Wine And Fruit- The Perfect Summer Combo
This is the season for fruit - all kinds of it from strawberries to peaches to blueberries. There are also so many wonderful recipes too. however there is a limit to how many cobblers and salads we make and eat. A better way of enjoying the warm weather harvest is with wine. There's nothing more refreshing than an after dinner spritzers with fruit added.
It starts with the wine. I prefer Arbor Mist out of California because it already has fruit essence added to it. I usually go with the peach, strawberry or orchard mix Chardonnay. This is a light white wine that goes well with fresh cut strawberries peaches and even blueberries. I love placing heaping tablespoons of homemade fruit salad in tumblers an d pouring the wine over it. this makes for a relaxing and tasty dessert . It's also a great way to kick back after a hard or busy day.
This is also the weather that calls for sangria. Again Arbor Mist has a Merlot with added orange flavor for this. This is great when making paella for guest and you want a nice fruity drink that will go well with the meal and afterwards as a kind of dessert. If it;s too strong then cut it with ice. You can also add some fresh strawberries to the sangria for a different twist. Arbor Mist has a blackberry Merlot which again is perfect for now which is blackberry season. This would go well with a good barbecued pork roast or accompanying hearty grilled steaks.
You don' have to use have the season;s bounty of fruit the plain old fashioned way. Add some peaches and strawberries, blue berries or blackberries to wine for a lovely drink. it;s a great way to kick back and enjoy the yummy combination of fruit and wine.
It starts with the wine. I prefer Arbor Mist out of California because it already has fruit essence added to it. I usually go with the peach, strawberry or orchard mix Chardonnay. This is a light white wine that goes well with fresh cut strawberries peaches and even blueberries. I love placing heaping tablespoons of homemade fruit salad in tumblers an d pouring the wine over it. this makes for a relaxing and tasty dessert . It's also a great way to kick back after a hard or busy day.
This is also the weather that calls for sangria. Again Arbor Mist has a Merlot with added orange flavor for this. This is great when making paella for guest and you want a nice fruity drink that will go well with the meal and afterwards as a kind of dessert. If it;s too strong then cut it with ice. You can also add some fresh strawberries to the sangria for a different twist. Arbor Mist has a blackberry Merlot which again is perfect for now which is blackberry season. This would go well with a good barbecued pork roast or accompanying hearty grilled steaks.
You don' have to use have the season;s bounty of fruit the plain old fashioned way. Add some peaches and strawberries, blue berries or blackberries to wine for a lovely drink. it;s a great way to kick back and enjoy the yummy combination of fruit and wine.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Cherishing Family Recipes
This is the time ofyear when family recipes get used the most. You would think Christmas with cookie and cake recipes but, no, somehow summer is the time for nostalgia and centuries old jam recipes. It's a time to not only write them down if they haven't been already but to make sure they're passed to the next generation. Family recipes are the links that connect us to our ancestors and our heritage.
I found that keeping these culinary heirlooms in a recipe box is the safest bet. Of course you; may have to up date the measurements to fit modern standards. You may even have to update processes to work with modern appliances (think canning recipes where there are some new techniques added" Once you've written everything down or typed you can make a decorative cookbook using scrapbooks. This would make a wonderful shower gift and would be perfect in welcoming a new in law into the family.
It;s also good to ask relatives for recipes. However don't be surprised that they may not want to give you Gran's barbecue ribs or Aunties peach cobbler recipes Some people can be possessive with anything and it may take a lot of sweet talking (plus getting them blotto wouldn't hinder). Most though do want the dishes to be carried on.
Cherish these family recipes. They 're not only burst with old fashioned goodness and flavor they are a link to everyone's family history . There's no better way to celebrate with food and nothing tops a dish that been several generations in the making.
I found that keeping these culinary heirlooms in a recipe box is the safest bet. Of course you; may have to up date the measurements to fit modern standards. You may even have to update processes to work with modern appliances (think canning recipes where there are some new techniques added" Once you've written everything down or typed you can make a decorative cookbook using scrapbooks. This would make a wonderful shower gift and would be perfect in welcoming a new in law into the family.
It;s also good to ask relatives for recipes. However don't be surprised that they may not want to give you Gran's barbecue ribs or Aunties peach cobbler recipes Some people can be possessive with anything and it may take a lot of sweet talking (plus getting them blotto wouldn't hinder). Most though do want the dishes to be carried on.
Cherish these family recipes. They 're not only burst with old fashioned goodness and flavor they are a link to everyone's family history . There's no better way to celebrate with food and nothing tops a dish that been several generations in the making.
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