Pepperoni Pizza Kind Of Italian

Here's a question - is pepperoni pizza really Italian?

Surprisingly not. There is no such thing on pizzerias in Italy. In fact it;s an American invention There is no pepperoni in Italy, It's kind of a hybrid food sort of what fortune cookies are to Chinese cuisine. However it is the most popular choice for pizza lovers through out the US. Why? because it goes well with the cheese and tomato sauce.

Julia Moskin explored the whole myth and story of the pie in today's New York Times Dining section. Pepperoni is an American invention probably taken from Calabrese and Abruzzese sausage recipes. These last are infused with red chilis and super hot, not unlike America's most popular brand. Hormel. The Hormel pepperoni is similar to these, fine grained with a slightly smoky flavor and a bright red coloring. Many chefs will refuse to top a pizza with it. They choose lardo a finer salami that can be sliced over fresh from the oven pies.

Mid America does demand pepperoni on its'pizzas. Let's face it it is the tastiest of all the toppings. it;s got a lot going for it too. Cooked up it leaves a spicy oil that mixes in with the mozzarella and tomatoes. Most like their pepperoni crispy edged, sort of like fried Taylor ham. It gives a kind of crunchiness to an ordinarily soft dish. Most pepperoni used in Manhattan pizzerias are cut fresh. Pre cut slices can be tough which ruins the whole pie.

Pepperoni pizza may not be truly Italian, but it is truly loved .It'ss an American classic. It goes right up there with game day, wings and beer

Soup Homemade Vs Canned Controversy

This is the weather when soup reigns supreme. It;s the perfect lunch after a morning shoveling snow. It's the ideal light supper on a Sunday night after a day of skating skiing or even just walking. The question is to make it fresh or open a can? What's best? What's easiest? There in lies the question

Of course fresh , homemade soup is the healthiest for you. You don't have all that extra sodium that soup companies add to theirs. You also know the ingredients are fresh and at times organic. You can tailor the mixes to fit your families likes and dislikes as well as allergies. However they are time consuming t make. There is a lot of prep time for ingredients such as squash , broccoli and cauliflower Seafood has to be precooked and shelled. Meats have to be deboned and cut up. if you make too much you'll have a freezer full til June.

Canned soups do have an allure to them. One it;s just opening up the can and dumping it into a waiting saucepan. This is a plus for the more complicated soups such as Italian wedding and any of the clam chowders.Also you don;t have to go on a wild goose chase of the out of season ingredients such as broccoli or tomatoes. The down side are the sodiums along with the preservatives which can trigger allergic reactions. You can buy all natural organic soups however some taste like dish water.

The best bet is to make the soups you're familiar with and buy the more complicated ones . Vary between then them. Any soup is good , especially during these cold times.

Just The Simple Things

Sometimes all it takes is a simple sandwich to satisfy a foodie. I found that out yesterday when all I wanted for dinner was just a peanut butter sandwich . Nothing fancy , nothing elaborate . Just something comforting , tasty and easy to make. I'm not alone . A lot of foodies just prefer something easy yet delicious.

Let's face it how many of us have come home and only ate a bowl of cereal and milk. It may not be the best dinner but it's still satisfying. Or how many have just had a baloney and mustard sandwich after a hard day's work. I can't even recount the number of times friends have just eaten nothing but a yogurt and coffee or fried up a couple of burgers to be put on white bread. Even a dish like mashed bananas and chocolate syrup makes a simple treat. Skip the iced cream, skip the whip cream and sprinkles. Just the fruit and sweetener will do it.

It's always good to have easy stuff in the pantry.Now is the time to stock up on Spaghetti-os along with Ramen soups . Have a large jar of peanut butter on the ready along with crackers. You can make mini sandwiches with these two if you need a quick dinner or snack.Even cans of deviled chicken and ham can be made into pates with just a dash of spice and some mayonnaise. Spread this over roils or croissants. for lunch. Keep extra eggs because you can make egg salad for sandwiches.

There;s nothing like eating something uncomplicated that doesn't require a lot of prep time. it could be a sandwich or even just a bowl of oatmeal. Whatever it takes to satisfy, then go for it.

The Sweet Side Of Vinegar

Vinegar is the much maligned condiment. It's also second a s in oil and vinegar. People talk about sour type s that have a vinegar personality or face. yet, this kitchen necessity is very much needed for all sorts of dishes. Its gives everything from dressings to marinades their wonderful flavor.
Vinegar has been around for about 10,000 years. The ancient Babylonians used it to preserve foods while Hannibal used it to crumble rocks during his passage through the Alps. even Cleopatra drank pearls dissolved in vinegar to win a bet. Vinegar is an all natural by product of aerobic bacteria mixing with wine or cider. You can even use it for cleaning because it gets rid of germs and bacteria easily. There are several different kinds from red wine to balsamic along with malt and apple cider. My favorites are the red wine and cider. I'm a big fan of the last because you can make a wonderful light Waldorf salad with it. Balsamic vinegar, that delight of foodies the world over has been around since the medieval period . It originated in Emilia Romano and is made through an aging process of twelve years It also involves pouring older vinegar in with freshly made ones.

Vinegar is not just for salads You can also use it in pickling which was it;s original use. Chutneys and relishes call fo r it as do slaws. The famed German dish sauerbraten starts off with a vinegar marinade. A lot of barbecue recipes call for marinating the meat in red wine vinegar. This produces a much more tender texture and it's perfect them for mixing with the actual sauce Vinegar is also used in making the well known Chinese hot and sour soup. A few tablespoons of rice wine vinegar gives the soup its' famous bite.

Vinegar doesn't mean sourness. It's a great addition to any dressing or dish. Try all sorts from balsamic to red wine to cider. Soon enough you'll be adding it to everything

Rice A Tility

Rice is one of the most versatile foods in the kitchen. it can be used a side , a main a dessert and a s flour. It can come in a variety of different types for simple or gourmet dishes. You can add anything to it from spice to sugar to make it unique and tasty.



Savory rice dishes are great for an evening and even a party meal. There' s nothing as sophisticated yet homey about risotto that perfect Northern Italian concoction made with arborio rice. Arborio is a little different than regular rice . The grains are shorter and fatter than regular rice and are also high in starch. This lends to the creaminess of such dishes as risotto Milanese, an easy and lovely saffron rich dish. Milanese and regular risotto (made with tomato and chicken gizzards) are good dishes during these snowy days.If you prefer a regular rice dish then stick with the spicy yet satisfying gumbo. The gumbo can be made first and then poured over white or brown rice. Another fun and excellent recipe is the party perfect paella. It's a blend of all sorts of meats from seafood to chicken to sausage along with peppers , corn and tomatoes. This is a great and again easy dish to make.



Rice can also be used for desserts too. Try leftover brown or white in rice pudding. Again you can vary this sweet, by adding raisins, chocolate chips or nuts to produce something that's either decadent, healthy or mix of both. Some risoterrias or rice restaurants (New York City has one or two of these) sell rice flour products such as cookies.Rice flour is great for kids who have gluten and wheat allergies. You can also buy rice flour at certain groceries.



Rice is certainly one of the most versatile kitchen staples. You can make it anyway savory or sweet and never be disappointed. Always have some on hand for some great dishes!

Joy of Noodles

The Chinese new year will be upon us soon and what better way t celebrate that with noodles. There;'s nothing like pulled noodles that are mixed with a variety of meats and veggies. Not only that they're versatile on their own or gracing a warm generous bowl of broth. What a perfect way to bring in the year of the Rabbit.

Yesterday's New York Times Dining section had an excellent article plus recipe about noodles. The piece was written by Times regular Julia Moskin and explored all different types of this Asian specialty. We American s are used to just the lo mein which means tossed preferably in a wok . However la mien noodles are gaining in popularity. The phrase translates into pulled and the noodle making process is not unlike making pizza dough. There is a lot of stretching and pulling to create a fine kind of Asian pasta not unlike tagliarini. . The noodles should have crunch and texture ad a sort of chewiness, Imagine a very tough spaghetti that snaps in your mouth . Noodle shops have been around for 1,000 years in China and haven't really changed over the centuries.

The noodles are not just plain tasting, like pasta. Some are seasoned with fresh chilies , cumin and Szechuan peppercorns for fire and bite. There are also blander egg noodles and ones that are made with an ash called peng. these produce a more tender noodle thanks to the alkali that interferes with the gluten. The noodle dishes have all sorts of meats and veggies along with spices in them. Popular ones include chicken ginger and cabbage. other have ingredients like winter squash and along with radishes, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and mushrooms. Red pepper and fresh ginger are always used as is cardamon and star anise.

Next week is the year of the Rabbit It's time to celebrate the new year and welcome in prosperity. it's also time to enjoy the best of Chinese noodles. They're a great way of welcoming in the holiday!

End Of The Minimalist Era

The New York Times has gone through more shakeups in the last few years than any other paper. There's talk of it going completely online, eliminating its'151 year old print format. Sections have been revamped and reduced. Now these changes have hit the Wednesday Dining section Mark Bittman's has written today's last The Minimalist column,

The Minimalist was a relatively new addition to The Times Dining section. there was always a food section every Wednesday. That was a norm for almost every US paper. At that time it was called Dining In/Dining Put and the section was not started by Bittman but by Rick Flaste. Mr. Bittman took it over a few years later. His goal was , in his own words to make home cooking more accessible. He did. His global audience learned a thing or two about cooking and how to throw together simple ingredients to form gourmet dishes.

Some of his favorites are memorable. I remember his chicken under a brick recipe. This was based on pollo al mattone recipe from Etruscan Italy . After deboning,spicing and buttering a chicken it is them spread out in a skillet and cooked under a heavy tile or brick. The end result is wonderfully flavored and tender meat. Another interesting recipe was his watermelon and tomato salad, combining both of summer's best flavors in one salad. Another one is a simple spaghetti with scrambled eggs and scrambled eggs with shrimp.

There;s no need to miss Mr. Bittman. He will be featured in the Sunday Times magazine food section taking over from the Dining section's editor Pete Wells. Mr. Bittman also wrote a cook book featuring these simple yet interesting recipes. As long as there's a Mark Bittman, there will always be a Minimalist.