Egg Time

This is the season for eggs, especially with Easter around the corner. There's nothing better than organic eggs.Even better are the ones that can be found in backyard chicken coops.That's right  - more and more people are raising chickens in their backyards. This ensures a richer quality egg and better meals involving them.

This was the subject of Julia Moskin's article in today's New York Times Dining section. She writes about the urban farm movement where even apartment dwellers have chicken coops. Mind the chickens that are urbanites usually are the smaller kind like the Olandsk dwarf hen which is the size of a grapefruit. Its' eggs fried are the size of a silver dollar pancakes. Most chickens that are being raised are normal sized and can even be bought from catalogs and online. Eggs start to be laid in the Spring when there is more daylight. hence the egg connection with Easter,Passover and the Persian New Year.

What about the eggs? Much better than store bought. That's the consensus amongst chicken owners. The yolk is different.instead of just being yellow it's that deep rich orange yellow of a taxi cab. The whites are different too.They're never runny and make excellent meringues.They also have a freshness and sweet ness to them that the store bought ones don;t have.  The eggs also pick up what the chicken has eaten and the eggs possess either a grassy, earthy nutty or even chickeny kind of flavor. They can be used even to enhance stews and soups as well as make flavorful egg noodles.Of course fresh eggs made wonderful omelets, especially mixed with freshly grown garden vegetables.They also make better tasting scrambled  and poached coddled and sunnyside up.

There's nothing like a good egg made any kind of way. Better yet, if you have the room start a hatchery  and raise your own. It's a good experience plus the benefits are eggs-tra great. It's organic food right at your doorstep.
\

Back To Nature Healthy Fun Treats

Is there such a thing as a good for you cookie? Or a healthy baked mac and cheese dinner? Or nutritious snacks that aren't fruits and veggies. The answer is yes. Thanks to a great all natural company, Back To Nature conscientious foodies can enjoy not only healthy treats but also fun ones too.

Back To Nature is a California company that started in Pasadena in 1960. In an era when most Americans were clamoring for processed TV dinners and mass produced snacks, Back To Nature started its' line with granola. Fifty years later it has expanded to include everything from all natural juices to prepared dinner along with fun snacks. Their philosophy is simple make everything with unbleached flour and cane juice along with honey and fruit concentrates. It works. Foodies who want tasty treats without all that fructose and transfat turn to Back To Nature for cookies , nuts and crackers.

I bought their Classic Creme cookies and was instantly hooked. It's hard to find a relatively all natural cookie in the grocery store however I did. I like the fact that Back To Nature's spin on the classic Oreo is even better than the original cookie. It was just as chocolate-y with the right amount of filling. I am looking forward to trying some of the other flavors, namely the Fudge Stripe and Crispy Oatmeal. After looking through their site I also want to try some of their nuts, crackers and definitely their version of a more wholesome baked mac and cheese.This is a must have brand all households should have.

Back To Nature puts the fun back into healthy eating and snacking, Their wide variety makes snack time as well as dinner time a pleasure. Best of all the products are not processed. They're pure and simple - the way food should be.

Sweets From Bulgaria

The other day was dedicated to Bulgarian cooking. This was a varied hybrid cuisine of Slavic and Greek dishes. Bulgarian sweets are also the same, having as many different kinds of cake and pastries like the Italians, Germans and of course, the French.The Bulgarians are lucky to have such a wide cornucopia of desserts to choose from.The array is one of the most dazzling of all the European.

Thanks to Greece as well as the Ottoman Turk influence baklava is a big treat/. This is the very popular layering of crisp and flaky phylo dough and chopped nuts. Usually the nuts are pistachios or walnuts and honey or a simple syrup is poured over the layers.Another treat of the area, halvah is also made. This is a kind of treat has a base of flour, clarified butter and semolina. There is also a tahini version which derives from sesame seeds.The Bulgarians also love fruit so there are a lot of fruit tarts such as with their cherry ones and a fruity  called Kompot. This is a a kind of tea made with fruit cooked in a large volume of water. Apples and rhubarb are used as are gooseberries, peaches and strawberries along with sour cheeries and apricots.

Sweet breads are also popular, probably thanks to the Slavic influence on the country. Many Bulgarians are probably making their own version of kozunak, a sweet Easter bread.This is like the Italian panettone , a sweet bread redolent with fruits and nuts. Rum or poppy seeds can be sprinkled on top. Another  treat is sweet pita which is a fried pita usually served with jam and cheese. Kazaniak doughnuts, are also a big favorite, and they're similar to our American ones with powdered sugar.There is also lokum, a puff pastry  that has poppy seeds on top.

Bulgaria isn't just known for its' hybrid main dishes but for a wide variety of dishes. There's influence from Greece, Turley and to the north , the Slavic states.It makes for an interesting dessert table. It also makes for great endings to great meals.

Bulgarian Cooking A Hybrid Cuisine

Bulgaria is one of those countries that's off the beaten path on European tours. However it's an interesting place with an even interesting cuisine. Mix Greek and Slavic tastes and flavors with a pinch of exotic and it comes out Bulgarian. From salads to sweets, it 's a interesting array of dishes.

Bulgaria lies between Greece ,Serbia, Romania and Turkey. These countries , surely have had a hand in creating the national cuisine. There were native people there from the very beginning as well ans their recips have been passed down in various meat dishes and cheese.It's famed for its' rich salads  which accompany every meal.They even have a special Easter salad for their Bulgarian Orthodox Easter which features sliced boiled eggs. There is even one whimsically named Snow White because most of the ingredients are white.They also eat a lot of yogurt,first enjoying it as far back as 3,000 years ago. Cheese also plays an important part in the Bulgarian lifestyle. There are many varieties

Thanks to a strong Turkish and Greek influence kabobs are a big part of Bulgarian cuisine. Lamb ones figure prominently in dinners and street fare.Meatballs also make up some dishes whether as a main dish or an addition to soup. The Bulgarians love cold cuts and their spicy salame,lukanka is one of the most popular.It is a blend of pork and beef with a good dose of black pepper, cumin and salt. There is also sujuk which is a milder version but has a slight kick thanks to red pepper. fish is also popular and it's either baked in flaky pastry or grilled.

Bulgarian cooking represents the hybrid dishes of its' more dominent neighbors. However it blends the tastes of its' own people to create a cuisine that is both interesting and bold.


Monday Buglarian breads and sweets

Healthier Holidays

The Spring holidays are almost here and with it comes a wealth of food.While the dishes are traditional ,they're not always healthy. A better alternative is keeping centuries old dishes but creating them with a more nutritious twist Passover and Easter both demand big meals. Passover is usually celebrated with a roasted brisket the first night and maybe chicken the next . Instead, try just chicken and then celebrate with vegetarian fare. take advantage of Spring vegetables by roasting a variety. There can still be the standard haroset and bitter herbs. Easter as well is celebrated with either a ham or a lamb.Think healthier with chicken or even turkey.Both go well with the veggie of the season asparagus.Also a side dish of roasted veggies is a nice alternative to stuffing or potato salad. sweets also play an important part ,especially in Easter. Cookies, cake and candy are great but they'll leave both kids and adults hyper.Instead get a token chocolate bunny for the kids and have fresh fruit bunnies and chicks. StSick eyes ,feet and beaks (which can be picked up at any craft store) and stick them on nectarines . Cut out little bunny ears and again put on plums or peaches. Fill Easter eggs with grapes , sunflower seeds or just fun stickers.Passover called for dense flour less cakes however think light with fruit trays or fruit kabobs.Even freshly made fruit sorbets can be a nice ending to any holiday meal. The holidays call for food.Instead of creating calorie rich dishes,think light and healthy.The meal can still reflect tradition but can also can reflect healthier fare.Eating light can be the start of a new tradition.

Revamping A Classic Restaurant

Can anyone improve on a classic restaurant? Can a classic be revamped to fit the current times? Those are the questions facing the famed Clinton years Maloney and Porcelli. With any luck it can and appeal to its' faithful and its' new clientele.

The restaurant's comeback was the main feature in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.Dining section regular Jeff Gordinier wrote about Maloney and Porcelli's return to the world of Manhattan eateries.Its' owners are creating a new persona for the restaurant, This includes everything from new lighting to music, It is keeping its' signature dishes  , fried herb versions of Tater Tots to a roaming martini cart.

The restaurant, famed during the last two decades is also famous for its' tableside cooking.The chef makes the fame Bronson Pinchot (yes, it's probably named for that actor who played Balki in the sitcom Perfect Strangers).It's a revved up steak au poivre dish .It's not only cooking but also entertainment for the diners. Of course Maloney and Porcelli will bring back its' classic dish of  crunchy pork shank. This was a dream to behold and taste. It is a crispy ,crackly  and gigantic enough to make it one of the restaurant's best loved dishes.

Maloeny and Porcelli  will probably delight its old customers and fans.Its' approach to cooking is novel enough and entertaining. Not only that- it is revamped.That alone will bring in the curious.

A Spring Hit Onion Tart

Nothing heralds Spring like a good quiche or savory tart. One that fits the bill in an onion one, chock full of flavor.It's perfect for an Easter brunch and also perfect for a light dinner.It's also easy to make and great served as leftovers.

This treat was the subject of Dave Tanis' City Kitchen in today's New York Times Dining section. Mr/. Tanis gives the recipe for a Spring favorite that is rich with onions and also fromage blanche along with creme fraiche and bacon. It's sort of like an Alsatian pizza, made with scraps of dough left over from baking day., The Germans make something similar called zweibelkugen or onion cake, however theirs is more eggy and quiche like.

The tart is easy to make. Again it's based on the same premise as pizza . Mr. Tanis offers his variation with ricotta and picheline olives for a vegetarian version. He also adds a sprinkle of caraway seeds for a  nice aromatic touch. I would probably add more onion  and even some tomatoes for a little zing, Another variant could be ham or smoked French sausage. The crust would be the same,perhaps brushed with a little butter for color and flavor.

 A tasty and fresh from the oven onion tart is a nice way  to usher in Spring. It's the perfect to have at a holiday brunch or even for an evening meal