Summer is a great time for all sorts of celebrations, especially birthday parties. However a warm weather celebration does have its' limitations. Yes, you can feast but just watch what you serve. What may work for winter parties may not cut it for hot weather festivities. Yet you can have some great stuff , only made during these steamy times.
Salads are big during any party. Who doesn't love the mix of pastas , dressings and veggies?However be careful of what is in them. Mayo is always suspect because it turns very quickly Instead sub in olive oil for a healthier spin.Using olive oil also lets the other flavors shine through because of its' light taste.It also keeps better and longer in leftovers.Also be careful with what veggies you serve. Again tomatoes can turn very quickly , especially if they're cut as with cauliflower and sometimes broccoli. Don't over buy these veggies for crudites. Buy enough for whatever the amount of people coming. If you run out then you can always run to the store to quickly pick up replacements.
Cake is one of the mainstays for any birthday party no matter what the season. Yet you have to be careful with what you either bake or buy. Avoid any whipped cream topping. Dairy turns fast as well. If you're making the cake then use Cook Whip which is just as tasty and even lower in calories than whipped cream. There is the easy to make good old fashioned butter cream which tends to last longer . Another idea is serving a plain pound cake with a side of Cool Whip and fresh berries.Ice cream cake is another choice (albeit an expensive one). It does go fast and is easy to store the leftovers because it is frozen.
Summer is a great time for birthday parties, despite the hot weather. Choose your foods and desserts wisely to ensure a trouble free celebration. Then enjoy!It's the perfect time for cake and candles.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Summer Stock
How can you enjoy this summer's vegetables all year long? By turning them into delicious soups you can enjoy all year round. This is the time to turn that bumper crop into yummy chowders and bisques . Then you can freez e them for those blisteringly cold winter days when a steaming bowl is called for.
The best kind of soup to make is a vegetable. This is a great way of getting rid of extra tomatoes, celery and onions. You can make it vegetarian by creating your own or adding a store bought vegetarian bouillion. Finely chop the veggies and saute in olive oil until translucent. Add to stock. You can also throw in garlic and chopped leeks for flavor. If you want to make an Italian minestrone add some elbow macaroni along with red wine and kidney beans, Some minestrones call for spinach and cabbage. You can certainly add those for a heartier, thicker soup.
Your garden veggies also go well in bisques and chowders. Tomato bisque is a delicious turn on classic tomato soup. Bisques are more of a potage, usually made with milk and flour,although you can add cream. Tomatoes are then added , These are usually stewed thus giving the soups chunky texture. Veggie chowders are another wonderful dish to whip up. Chowders are, by definition a thick soup, usually made with seafood such as clam chowders and thickened with a potato or tomato base. However ex out the clams or any other fish and sub in corn. fresh from the ear niblets are the best for these because they give it a delicate sweetness. Also add garden fresh onions or scallions for some bite.
You can taste summer all year long in a homemade soup. Use the veggies you're growing now for a tasty winter dish that 'll warm you up like the summer sun. They are the perfect souvenir of a bountiful July or August.!
The best kind of soup to make is a vegetable. This is a great way of getting rid of extra tomatoes, celery and onions. You can make it vegetarian by creating your own or adding a store bought vegetarian bouillion. Finely chop the veggies and saute in olive oil until translucent. Add to stock. You can also throw in garlic and chopped leeks for flavor. If you want to make an Italian minestrone add some elbow macaroni along with red wine and kidney beans, Some minestrones call for spinach and cabbage. You can certainly add those for a heartier, thicker soup.
Your garden veggies also go well in bisques and chowders. Tomato bisque is a delicious turn on classic tomato soup. Bisques are more of a potage, usually made with milk and flour,although you can add cream. Tomatoes are then added , These are usually stewed thus giving the soups chunky texture. Veggie chowders are another wonderful dish to whip up. Chowders are, by definition a thick soup, usually made with seafood such as clam chowders and thickened with a potato or tomato base. However ex out the clams or any other fish and sub in corn. fresh from the ear niblets are the best for these because they give it a delicate sweetness. Also add garden fresh onions or scallions for some bite.
You can taste summer all year long in a homemade soup. Use the veggies you're growing now for a tasty winter dish that 'll warm you up like the summer sun. They are the perfect souvenir of a bountiful July or August.!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Fritters - QUick And Easy Treats
It's summer and th elast thing anyone wants is a complicated dish. It's too hot to create complicated dishes and then cook them. That's why fritters come in so handy. These quick fry treats can be made sweet or savory. They can make the perfect appetizer, main dish or dessert. They're easy and tasty - perfect for any summer gathering.
Fritters have been around since Roman times. Dough, made of flour and egg whites was tossed into hot fat and fried until crisp. The great Roman writer,Cato, had written about these treats then called scribilita. Medieval Europeans enjoyed a similar treat aptly called a "Cryspy". They were filled with wine(how?) along with eggs and cream. Towards the 18 th Century the French started to put the dough now named choux into pastry bags to form tubes called bugie .The Americans loved this and recreated this tasty sweet fritter renaming it the cruller".
Fritters are a great and fun way of using summer's bounty. Kids may not want to eat veggies yet they'll go mad for zucchini or corn fritters with a dipping sauce. Zucchini or any squash can be cut up in a food processor them mixed in a simple batter of egg and flour with a splash of milk. Corn fritters are a little more complicated with shortening and baking powder added. You can also add Bisquick since it has baking powder in it already. You can use the same kind of batter to make apple and banana fritters.As for the actual frying, vegetable oil is the best.It has the lightest taste and makes for a nice crispy, crunchy texture.
Fritters are a great dish that can easily be made during these sweltering days. Try make savor y ones for dinner or sweet ones to accompany ice cream. Either way they're a fast and troublefree- perfect for summer time!
Fritters have been around since Roman times. Dough, made of flour and egg whites was tossed into hot fat and fried until crisp. The great Roman writer,Cato, had written about these treats then called scribilita. Medieval Europeans enjoyed a similar treat aptly called a "Cryspy". They were filled with wine(how?) along with eggs and cream. Towards the 18 th Century the French started to put the dough now named choux into pastry bags to form tubes called bugie .The Americans loved this and recreated this tasty sweet fritter renaming it the cruller".
Fritters are a great and fun way of using summer's bounty. Kids may not want to eat veggies yet they'll go mad for zucchini or corn fritters with a dipping sauce. Zucchini or any squash can be cut up in a food processor them mixed in a simple batter of egg and flour with a splash of milk. Corn fritters are a little more complicated with shortening and baking powder added. You can also add Bisquick since it has baking powder in it already. You can use the same kind of batter to make apple and banana fritters.As for the actual frying, vegetable oil is the best.It has the lightest taste and makes for a nice crispy, crunchy texture.
Fritters are a great dish that can easily be made during these sweltering days. Try make savor y ones for dinner or sweet ones to accompany ice cream. Either way they're a fast and troublefree- perfect for summer time!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Kamado Grills
Japan is known for giving us unique grills. There was the hibachi which now is a picnic staple.Then there's the Kamado grill, a unique creation that can not only barbecue meat but also bake desserts . Thanks to this versatility this strange looking cooker is fast becoming an foodie trend.
New York Times Dining regular contributor, John T. Edge wrote about the Kamado in yesterday's Dining section. It seems more and more outdoor cooks are discovering the grill's charms and many assets. The eggs , as they're fondly called, are more compact than emammoth grills such as Weber. they are small egg shaped (hence the nickname) , green and dimpled, looking sort of like a giant avocado.They require less heat and therefore less coals to function. They also light faster and leave meats moist and succulent - in other words the perfect barbecue. Kamodos have only been in this country for about thirty years., due in part toEd fisher who first exported pachinko games to the United States.
Kamado grills are getting a big following thanks to their versatility. Not only can you grill typical barbecue meats on them, but you can also bake. Some serious egg lovers have baked Bundt cakes and cobblers on theirs. It's also good for baking pizza dough ,giving the crust a crispy firecrackled look. Kamado grills can also cold smoke fish such as salmon thanks to the wide disparity of temperatures.It can reach up to 1200 degrees Farenheit and goes down as low as 100 degrees.
Kamado grills are fast becoming an outdoor favorite. They are more versatile than the regular grill that just barbecue. More and more backyards will sport this odd shaped egg than traditional grills in future summers.
New York Times Dining regular contributor, John T. Edge wrote about the Kamado in yesterday's Dining section. It seems more and more outdoor cooks are discovering the grill's charms and many assets. The eggs , as they're fondly called, are more compact than emammoth grills such as Weber. they are small egg shaped (hence the nickname) , green and dimpled, looking sort of like a giant avocado.They require less heat and therefore less coals to function. They also light faster and leave meats moist and succulent - in other words the perfect barbecue. Kamodos have only been in this country for about thirty years., due in part toEd fisher who first exported pachinko games to the United States.
Kamado grills are getting a big following thanks to their versatility. Not only can you grill typical barbecue meats on them, but you can also bake. Some serious egg lovers have baked Bundt cakes and cobblers on theirs. It's also good for baking pizza dough ,giving the crust a crispy firecrackled look. Kamado grills can also cold smoke fish such as salmon thanks to the wide disparity of temperatures.It can reach up to 1200 degrees Farenheit and goes down as low as 100 degrees.
Kamado grills are fast becoming an outdoor favorite. They are more versatile than the regular grill that just barbecue. More and more backyards will sport this odd shaped egg than traditional grills in future summers.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Champagne The Peasant Variety
Champagne is usually reserved for special occasions along with being the drink of the elite classes. However there is a slight but subtle change happening in this often times narrowed field. .More emphasis is placed on where the grapes are grown now as opposed to luxury vintner methods. The result is a more varied drink coming from small artisan wineries.
This is the subject of today's New York Times Pour column in their Wednesday Dining section. The article, written by Pour columnist , Eric Asimov, tells of a new trend hitting French vintners.It seems that where the grapes originate are much more important than who turns them into a vintage. This means the Aube section, long a supplier, is now in the spotlight.This area is directly south of Reims, the champagne capital of France where there was always a snobbery for this section, even granting it only second class status.
The champagnes from Aube are earthy and multilayered both in taste and body. Since the grapes are excellent in making pinot noirs, the champagnes have the same smoky taste as the wines. Some such as a Recolte Blanc has both floral and mineral notes, giving the drink a lighter than light flavor. Why do so many Aube based champagnes have many layers? Probably the soil has something to do with it. There have been tiny fossilized shells which result in chalky deposits. Chablis has the same sort of earth and has always given the world the best wines full bodied with many notes.
A new breed of champagne is bubbling up.It doesn't rely on the house that creates it. It's the earth - the terroir that now is taking credit and it is producing some amazing bottles of bubbly
.
This is the subject of today's New York Times Pour column in their Wednesday Dining section. The article, written by Pour columnist , Eric Asimov, tells of a new trend hitting French vintners.It seems that where the grapes originate are much more important than who turns them into a vintage. This means the Aube section, long a supplier, is now in the spotlight.This area is directly south of Reims, the champagne capital of France where there was always a snobbery for this section, even granting it only second class status.
The champagnes from Aube are earthy and multilayered both in taste and body. Since the grapes are excellent in making pinot noirs, the champagnes have the same smoky taste as the wines. Some such as a Recolte Blanc has both floral and mineral notes, giving the drink a lighter than light flavor. Why do so many Aube based champagnes have many layers? Probably the soil has something to do with it. There have been tiny fossilized shells which result in chalky deposits. Chablis has the same sort of earth and has always given the world the best wines full bodied with many notes.
A new breed of champagne is bubbling up.It doesn't rely on the house that creates it. It's the earth - the terroir that now is taking credit and it is producing some amazing bottles of bubbly
.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Mediterranean Dining
Summer is here and it's hot - too hot for cooking. What to do? Look to the Mediterranean for inspiration. Despite the soaring temps , cooks from this region create some of the world's best dishes. You can too without all the fuss and bother of a hot stove.
Salads are big in the Mediterranean diets Italians, Spaniards, French and Greeks are known for their delicious mix of greens and dressing. Think about adding provolone along with salami and capacola to mixed field greens. For a Gallic twist replace the cheese and meats with black and green olives and tuna . Both types can be served with crunchy sliced baguettes. A good Greek salad is also a hearty way to have supper. Add already made stuffed grape leaves, along with creamy chunks of feta and salty anchovies to arugula and bitter greens. Spain is a big seafood country and its' salads reflect that. Add some salted cod or shrimp along with avocado and herbs to create a tasty, good for you one. Morocco has an easy carrot salad that just has carrots along with lemon juice, spicy paprika and garlic.
Grilled meats are also popular thanks to the North African influence on Mediterranean cuisine. You could easily grill beef, and lamb kabobs along with cut peppers and onions. Serve with minty yogurt sauce for a true Moroccan treat. Couscous is a great side to this and it's ridiculously easy to make. You can add some chopped parsley, olive oil or even lemon juice for some variety. Orzo , another staple, can be made hot or cold as a salad with artichoke hearts and cucumbers.
Don't fret if the weather interferes with your cooking. Look to the Mediterranean region for delicious easy dishes to for your summer time dining. They're simple to create and can be made no matter how hot it gets.
Salads are big in the Mediterranean diets Italians, Spaniards, French and Greeks are known for their delicious mix of greens and dressing. Think about adding provolone along with salami and capacola to mixed field greens. For a Gallic twist replace the cheese and meats with black and green olives and tuna . Both types can be served with crunchy sliced baguettes. A good Greek salad is also a hearty way to have supper. Add already made stuffed grape leaves, along with creamy chunks of feta and salty anchovies to arugula and bitter greens. Spain is a big seafood country and its' salads reflect that. Add some salted cod or shrimp along with avocado and herbs to create a tasty, good for you one. Morocco has an easy carrot salad that just has carrots along with lemon juice, spicy paprika and garlic.
Grilled meats are also popular thanks to the North African influence on Mediterranean cuisine. You could easily grill beef, and lamb kabobs along with cut peppers and onions. Serve with minty yogurt sauce for a true Moroccan treat. Couscous is a great side to this and it's ridiculously easy to make. You can add some chopped parsley, olive oil or even lemon juice for some variety. Orzo , another staple, can be made hot or cold as a salad with artichoke hearts and cucumbers.
Don't fret if the weather interferes with your cooking. Look to the Mediterranean region for delicious easy dishes to for your summer time dining. They're simple to create and can be made no matter how hot it gets.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Boardwalk Treats
Any New Jersey kid will tell you boardwalk food rules. Not matter where you go on the Garden State Coast Thea's some kind of seaside amusement area that has a large variety of fun foods ,. You can get sausage an dpeppers, fried Oreos and boardwalk staples cotton candy and candy apples. It a fun way to end a day at the beach.
I recently reconnected with boardwalk food at Keansburg Amusement Park. Technically the place isn't really a boardwalk and it's not on our state's oceanside.It's on the Raritan Bay with amazing views of Manhattan Brooklyn and Staten Island. However the park has the some kind of fun, (and somewhat seedy) allure of any of our other boardwalk like Seaside Heights or Wildwood. The food is relatively the same. A lot of Italians have had business since the boardwalk's early days in Altantic City so there's always pizza and calzones. Seafood also always predominates and almost every Jersey boardwalk has a raw bar where diners can also chow down on fresh fried fish and chips as well as crab legs, and raw oysters. These and other fast food places sell beer too, a boardwalk staple.
Sweets play an important part in boardwalk cuisine, Zeppoli, those yummy fried Sicilian dough balls, had their own stand at Keansburg. I was tempted to buy a bag of the fresh made, freshly sugared treats however got waylaid by those classics: candy apples and cotton candy. No trip to any boardwalk would be complete without them. I had a Granny Smith that was perfectly enrobed in a crunchy candy coating and topped with fresh coconut. The cotton candy was typical sweet and sticky,but fun to inhale. Other treats were ice cream along with waffles Italian ices (both are staples) and fried anything. Most boardwalks also have a homemade candy booth where there's everything from homemade fudge to saltwater taffy,along with molasses pops and haystacks .
Boardwalk food is a summer treat that has to be experienced. Anything from pizza to fries , to ice cream or fudge is spend to a fun day at the beach. If you're in Jersey visit our boardwalks for some culinary treats.
I recently reconnected with boardwalk food at Keansburg Amusement Park. Technically the place isn't really a boardwalk and it's not on our state's oceanside.It's on the Raritan Bay with amazing views of Manhattan Brooklyn and Staten Island. However the park has the some kind of fun, (and somewhat seedy) allure of any of our other boardwalk like Seaside Heights or Wildwood. The food is relatively the same. A lot of Italians have had business since the boardwalk's early days in Altantic City so there's always pizza and calzones. Seafood also always predominates and almost every Jersey boardwalk has a raw bar where diners can also chow down on fresh fried fish and chips as well as crab legs, and raw oysters. These and other fast food places sell beer too, a boardwalk staple.
Sweets play an important part in boardwalk cuisine, Zeppoli, those yummy fried Sicilian dough balls, had their own stand at Keansburg. I was tempted to buy a bag of the fresh made, freshly sugared treats however got waylaid by those classics: candy apples and cotton candy. No trip to any boardwalk would be complete without them. I had a Granny Smith that was perfectly enrobed in a crunchy candy coating and topped with fresh coconut. The cotton candy was typical sweet and sticky,but fun to inhale. Other treats were ice cream along with waffles Italian ices (both are staples) and fried anything. Most boardwalks also have a homemade candy booth where there's everything from homemade fudge to saltwater taffy,along with molasses pops and haystacks .
Boardwalk food is a summer treat that has to be experienced. Anything from pizza to fries , to ice cream or fudge is spend to a fun day at the beach. If you're in Jersey visit our boardwalks for some culinary treats.
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