The Perfect Pot Pie

It's that time of year for  homemade pot pies  These are the ones that are not only flavorful but comforting during those first chilly autumn days. They're full of flavor and filling, perfect for a hot lunch or dinner.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin wrote about this kitchen classic in today's New York Time's Food section. She was looking for one that didn't have that white sauce that most cookbooks recommend and that come with frozen pot pies.It's also called a cream sauce yet it's not that.It's actually a bechemel, the classic French and Northern Italian sauce made with  flour and fat called a roux. It is then thinned with milk.How this came about was that cream was saved for butter in early American kitchens so white sauce stood in for milk.The sauce soon went hand in hand with other chicken dishes such as poached along with canned chicken soups.Unfortunately white sauce is not the best idea. Ms. Moskin realized that it muffles flavors instead of highlighting them.Not only is this a problem for the chicken but also for the vegetables too. All wound  up with a bland, milky taste. The combination of flour and fat is nothing more than a liquid pie crust. It's best on biscuits or added to a lasagna where it gives it body, It does not go into a pie because it doubles the starchiness and blandness.Luckily chefs , such as the one at Manhattan's Nomad has gotten rid of the sauce completely., creating a new generation of pot pies.

The recipe has been updated to kind of resemble a steak and kidney pie.The sauce now can be made using stock, wine or a tasty combination as the liquid in your binding sauce. Ms. Moskin also recommends to aggressively season the sauce She uses chicken stock, Madeira and vinegar that's been spiked with just basic salt and pepper along with parsley. Another must for a tasty pie is just use the thighs. These are the most flavorful. The meat should be coated too before cooking in a skillet  because it not only thickens the sauce but leaves those  stuck on brown bits. This enhances the gravy's flavor.. Use a flour mixed with thyme and paprika along with salt. The chicken is then cooked with bacon or pancetta along with  thickly sliced cremoni or button mushrooms.Remember too that the best pot pie is a single crust, not a double one. it means that there won;t be any gloppy goo at the bottom of the pie. The crust can be either be pie crust, biscuit dough or puff pastry (the last one is the best).What about those carrot chunks and peas that add a spark of Day-Glo  color? They belong alongside the pie not in it.Try roasted carrots and peas with mint. Hot buttered asparagus  is also a great side too to a pot pie.

Nothing is more comforting than a chicken pot pie. Made correctly it transcends all other chicken dishes,with its' flavorful gravy and light crust.It is the perfect fall dish to chase away the chill of autumn.

Tasty TV Tidbits

The fall season has most people glued to their TVs and devices, watching and binge watching new or favorite shows.This also applies to food shows both on the PBS and the Cooking Channel. Two stand out , Pati's Mexican Table from Public Television and  Food : Fact Or Fiction.

The first show has been on for five years. It's even received   accolades  worthy of the more well known  Cook's Country or Jacques Pepin's Heart and Soul and has received Emmy and James Beard nominations. The host is the lively and ever enthusiastic Pati Jinich. She actually started out as a political analyst with a Masters in Latin American studies.The show started in 2011, with Ms. Jinich showing how to make different recipes but also trying and tasting them with her friends and sons.Her career, though began in 2007 when she left policy making for her passion  cooking her native food. She launched Pati's Mexican Table, an ongoing series of culinary programs comprised of interesting talks and lectures, cooking demonstrations and tasting tables.What is great about her program is that it's not just a general blanket of Mexican cooking. She shows the various regions and the ingredients local to the area.It's not only tacos and guacamole..It's so much more. Ms. Jinich has done shows revolving around paletas, Mexican ice pops.Mexican brunches, and street food.She combines foods that normally wouldn't go together such as guacamole and steak, along with providing drink recipes too,It's a lively show and informative, especially for those home chefs who want to break out of the typical taco and tortilla box.

The second show is a fun history and food show, Fact Or Fiction.  T Michael McKean is the host., He first started out as Lenny on the Seventies TV show "Laverne & Shirley".along with being a fixture in many Christopher Guest movies.  You would think he wouldn't be a good match but he is. His laid back style , sometimes serious , is perfect for this witty , well crafted and fast paced show. Questions are posed and then there's facts backing them up or if they're fiction. One poser was did the Italians invent pizza?What followed was an interesting collage of history , fact and a pizza expert showing how the ancient Persians made something similar with flatbread and their shields.Another fascinating segment was questioning where hamburgers came from. It was a surprise to know that Genghis and Kubla Khan had a hand in its' invention. How? The Tartars brought it to the Russians where it was transformed into the raw meat dish, steak Tartare. From there it went to Hamburg, Germany via Russian sailors and the rest is history. Again it's a fun and informative  piece that Mr. McKean tells with the enthusiasm of a cool and relaxed history prof, inviting you to share a burger with him at his place.

There are some good television shows on right now., especially those centered around cooking and food. Take a look at both Pati's Mexican Table and Food Fact Or Fiction. They'll het the appetite for good food and where it came from.

Microwaves Which One Is For You?

As much fun as cooking is, shopping for the  perfect microwave that facilitates it is not. There are different sizes and types to think about as well as availability.The best and easiest way to approach this is to be prepared. Go into the store with not just an idea but some knowledge too.

One of the first questions to ask when considering a new microwave is its' use.  Will it be used for reheating lasagnas and casseroles or its it just for making popcorn or heating up coffee?If it's the first then you'll need a bigger model.Aim for one that's over 1.2 cubic feet. If it's just you and you rarely use one then buy a smaller one,, about .5 cubic feet.Another choice to consider is conventional or convection.A conventional microwave oven emits waves that pass through glass and plastic containers to cook all different types of foods.and drinks.Convection microwaves step it up a notch by having a fan to circulate the warm air. This results in more thorough cooking  which translates to juicier pot roasts and crustier pizzas instead of greyish meat and soggy slices. Some convection microwaves have a quartz halogen bulb that emits an intense heat used for roasting  and grilling. This is perfect for those who want a more flavorful chop or crisped burgers and dogs.They also have more cooking modes than the average microwave so expect to pay more.One of the best is from Samsung that even has a slim fry which is an oil-less fryer (!) Cuisinart also has an excellent one that has an outstanding grill , perfect for getting that barbecued taste in the upcoming winter months.

The next aspect to consider is style. Most home chefs prefer the compact counter top ones. These are perfect for reheating or cooking frozen dinners. A typical size for this kind is 18 inches wide by 14 inches deep and 12 inches tall. These are one of the most affordable and can be taken from one home to another. The colors are usual, stainless steel, black, white or red. There are some that comes in aqua ,cream yellow and pink, A handy extra is a microwave cart if you don';t have one already. Target can't be beat for them. It has the most elegant and pared down styles that can also hold microwave accessories and even cookbooks Then there are built in microwaves.These would appeal to those who are planning or thinking about a complete kitchen makeover. They often feature oven style front facing doors. They have a variety of features that make them a luxury item. Look for those with a range hood which makes them better at venting.. Some microwaves have child locks which eliminates any worries and fears about the little ones experimenting.When looking into a microwave , think about how it ill look in your cabinets. Choose one that is stylish and will look good with the cabinet's style.If's it a sleek modern then go with the stainless steel or black , if it's a French Provincial cream, then go with the white. Think about a black one if your ideal kitchen is going to done in fruitwoods  or teak.

Microwaves make home cooking easy. Looking for one should be even easier. Just go in with the right info and a definite idea of what you want. It means fitting the right appliance in the right kitchen.

October A Month of Cooking

Now that it's October and the weather is cooler, Its time to start making reals meals and real desserts. - none of this grilled or iced stuff.It's also time for Octoberfests both in Germany and America. The month also brings Halloween parties and treats along with a celebratory tea for Samuel Taylor Coleridge's birthday.

Octoberfest is big ,especially in the German  .neighborhoods. Many restaurants such as Bahr's in New Jersey's Atlantic Highlands offers a full menu complete with rouladen and potato pancakes. It's easy to recreate any German dish. Rouladen is one of the most delicious to make. It's simply rolled flank steak that's stuffed with pickles and onions although some family recipes  sub in creamed spinach. This last is a fantastic pairing with the beef, each flavor complementing each other.Potato pancakes are another yummy October fest treat.They are labor intensive to make,especially with grating the potatoes but so worth it. Serve it with homemade apple sauce which brings up the other October activity - apple picking. This is definitely the month and the season for it. Remember there are several different types of apples. They're not all the same. Use the correct one for the recipe you want and your pies and fritters along with applesauce will turn out perfect. Apples can also be used in many German dishes too, such as roast pork..They are sliced and usually placed with onions around the roast to infuse flavor. Apple butter and apple sauce can also be used as glazes for these roasts as well as for pork chops.

Many Coleridge fans along, with most English majors, know that the third week of the month, October 21st is is the great poet's birthday. Some celebrate with a Devonshire cream tea, since he was born in the scenic county of Devonshire. Cream teas are a  wonderful combination of clotted cream, scones and jam. It's traditional for the last to be strawberry. Scones are split and one half is slathered with clotted cream,a cooked cream from Devon while the other half is covered with the strawberry jam.They're 'washed down with straight , sweetened or unsweetened black tea. Milk and cream aren't added  because they'll take away from the clotted cream. If  the cream is hard to come by (it can be bought on Amazon) then blend freshly whipped cream with sour cream and a tablespoon of confectioner's sugar.The month ends with Halloween where there's all sort of sweets and treats.This is where home chefs and bakers can explore their creative side with creating dishes such as Monster Meat Loaf or Spider Burgers - basically cooked , and split hot dogs served on a hamburger buns.Then there is Bones and Blood, breadsticks baked in the shape of bones and dipped into marinara sauce. End with Yeti cupcakes that are iced with vanilla icing and shredded coconuts. Candy eyes and fangs are added for the finishing touches.

It's October, a month of fun and feasting.It's also a time for making delicious dinners and tantalizing desserts. Celebrate the festivities with gusto.

One Dough Many Recipes

Name one dough that can have as many recipes as pizza has toppings. The answer - pizza dough. It's so versatile that it can be used for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's great too in creating snacks and fun desserts too. Make a batch of pizza dough and you'll have a wide swath of delicious dishes.

Pizza dough is one of the easiest to make.It's a bread dough recipe without butter and eggs. You can use white or whole wheat flour or a mix of the two. Olive oil, along with salt and surprisingly sugar,  is also needed for body and flavor. Yeast is to give it a defined crust.Some home chefs add Italian seasonings such as oregano and rosemary to give it more flavor. There is even the option of subbing in brown sugar for white for a healthier dough.Of course the dough can be used for pizza and if more flour is added - it creates a great, chewy crust for Sicilian or Nonna style pies..The dough can also be divided to create individual pizzas, perfect for fun dinner with the kids where they make their own. A byproduct of pizza dough is calzone - or big sock in Italian.Calzones are fun to whip up because the variety of stuffings rivals that of pizza toppings. The original recipe calls for ricotta and mozzarella along with smoked ham. It has a nice creamy texture and taste, heightened by the meat's saltiness. Italian salame or even paper thin sliced prosciutto can be subbed in for the ham. Fresh goat cheese can also be used instead of the traditional ones which gives a lighter in calorie calzone. Veggies and calzones go hand in hand. Add chopped red peppers, broccoli, onions and spinach  for a colorful,t asty one..

Pizza dough can be made into other Italian treats. It can easily be cut and hand rolled into grissini, those Torinese .extra thin, extra crispy breadsticks. They're then rubbed with olive oil and baked for only fifteen to twenty minutes until they're golden brown. These would be perfect with minestrone soup on a crisp fall day. Another crunchy idea are crackers!The dough can easily be rolled to a wafer thinness and then cut into squares. They're then docked or poked with a fork before being given a wash of olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt.Again these would be great with soup but also with soft cheeses like Brie.Pizza dough also makes for nice dinner rolls and Italian bread, perfect for a Sunday dinner. What many don't know is that the dough can take on a Middle Eastern cast. It's perfect for making pita bread.The only difference is that's it's made on an ultra hot cast iron skillet instead of in the oven.Pizza dough can also be turned into yummy cinnamon rolls and donuts.It's rolling out the dough , brushing it with melted butter and then adding a mix of cinnamon and sugar.Raisins, nuts and even chocolate chips can be added to the filling.The dough. can also be cut into doughnuts and fried in vegetable oil. These can be dipped in cinnamon or powdered sugar for an extra boost of sweetness.

Pizza dough can be used to create a luscious pie but it can be used for so many other recipes as well. Try it as pita bread or doughnuts. Bake yummy grissin or cinnamon rolls for a weekend dinner. It's versatile and fun, perfect for so many recipes.

The Chlie Pepper Bible - The Perfect Pepper Book

Peppers, both hot and sweet, are wonderful to put into any dish. They liven up everything , from simple salads to tame drinks. Now there's a new cookbook celebrating them and their long history.It's a great addition to any home chef's library.

Judith Finlayson wrote The Chile Pepper Bible (Robert Rose Press) that' has both savory and sweet (!) recipes featuring all sorts of peppers. She is the author of many cookbooks that center around slow cooking, dips and salsa along with vegetarian cooking and appetizers.This latest is a dazzling amount of recipes that range from salsas to ice cream. Many home chefs refuse to cook with any kind of peppers, fearing the heat may be too much. This book alleviates all fears. Ms. Finlayson opens up the book with a detailed picture guide on every pepper grown on earth. She also gives us the Scoville scale which measures the levels of heat or fieriness..It was created in 1912 by William Scoville , a chemist who determined how much sugar water it takes to neutralize the heat. It takes 5,000 drops to neutralize a jalapeno pepper  so it would be classified as 5,000 SHU or Scoville Heat Unit. This is what I love about the book,It has so many nuggets of information and history. She writes of how peppers became a staple of various regions, from India to England, and from America to China. There is an interesting history of Tabasco Sauce along with the chemical breakdown of capiscums.  The last surprisingly links them to the vanilla plant.

 There are many international recipes since peppers are universally used in all aspects of cooking, The recipes are divided into sections , from appetizers all the way to dessert. Each has a good amount of recipes to try The appetizer section has such diversity as the Southern classic deviled eggs with cayenne and pickled bird type peppers to  the Korean kimchi patties with a chili paste dip.Soups are also represented in the book and there is a variety to choose from. Home chefs will love making Bermudan Fish Chowder along with the famed Chinese Hot and Sour Soup, redolent with red finger chiles and sliced onions and scallions.Meat lovers will enjoy the recipes for Brazilian feijoada, Turkish style stuffed peppers and Catalan meatballs.There is also Ms. Finlayson's version of Kung Pao Chicken given a kick with the addition of cayenne peppers.If a whole meal made with heat is too daunting, there are plenty of side recipes.Try her recipe for the Indian based Spinach and Tomato Dal, a flavorful chickpea paste livened up with Kashmiri ground chile pepper.Her paprika laced Home Style Hash  Browns will liven up any weekend brunch, The most surprising are the dessert and drink recipes.Pecan pie along with spicy orange coconut ice cream gets a jolt of fire along with tomato drinks.

The Chile Pepper Bible is a great cookbook for those who to add heat and spice to their cooking and baking. Home chefs can experiment with recipes from all over the world and create spicy and interesting dishes and even desserts. It's an exciting and interesting must have for any kitchen,

The First Cookbook Issue Ever

Cookbooks play an important part in any home or even professional chef's arsenal.They not only provide inspiration for meals, they also broaden horizons.They teach home chefs new techniques and introduce them to ingredients they've never tried before.Now the New York Times has created the first cookbook issue. They review and recommend cookbooks  that would be perfect in any kitchen.

Fall 2016 has some culinary celebrities coming out with some interesting compilations. Alton Brown, the Food Network's genius has Everyday Cook . Fans may be disappointed  that it's not full of puns that he's famed for. It's a more introspective book, as Food regular contributor Kim Severson wrote.it reflects his midlife crisis of going through a divorce, drinking and eating too much peanut M&Ms. His recipes are cozy, the kind you'd make for family and friends. There are warm Saltines brushed with dried mustard,hot sauce and butter along with a unique but delicious breakfast carbonara that marries spaghetti with breakfast sausage and eggs.Mr. Brown not only has a cookbook out but also a one man show called "Eat Your Science." Another celebrity with a new cookbook is British chef and radio personality, Diana Henry/ Ms Henry has written "Simple Effortless Food, Big Flavors, Tejan Rao, another regular contributor describes her recipes as having very little instruction because they're so precisely worded. A yogurt marinaded chicken has only three neatly worded paragraphs on how to prepare and cook it.It also includes how to dress a salad too. A recipe for Greek style beans is terse for a recipe that takes exactly one hour to make.

Yet another contributor, Margeaux Laskey reviewed Poole's by Ashley Christensen, a cookbook featuring the best recipes of here famed diner in Raleigh, North Carolina.This is not your ordinary diner food. This is home recipes with an artesinal twist. She calls for roasting and pickling peppers and making cider vinegar mayonnaise .The book has some homey recipes like macaroni au gratin and a warm broccoli salad with a bacon vinaigrette. The piece de resistance is the famed sweet potato hummingbird cake.It's a  fruity, spicy confection topped with a light cream cheese buttercream icing. Chopped peanuts top it.Newcomer Oliver Strand writes about Jessica Koslow's new book, Everything I  Want To Eat: Squirl and The New California Cooking which has the best recipes from her whimsically named restaurant, Squrl.It's a mash up of diner and health food combined with Michelin starred eateries.The style is raw and direct, not much on words as usual cookbooks are.The exotic is also featured. David Tanis reviews Naomi Duguid's book Taste of Persia that features herbed yogurt soup along with fish kabobs made with Alaskan baked cod and tomatoes.

Cookbooks are the best tools in any chef's arsenal. This fall there are more to add. Go for the exotic , or try the homey. They are all informative and fun.