New Spins On An Ancient Holiday

Tonight starts the ancient holiday of Hanukah, the festival of lights. it's a time of presents , games and most importantly feasting. Many used tried and true family recipes, but there's nothing wrong in trying them with fresh spins.

Lakes are always associated with this Jewish holiday. The oil that they're fried in has come to symbolize the miracle of the oil lasting in the temple for eight days (hence the eight branches of the menorah too). The recipe is a basic one, using shredded potatoes, usually Yukon Gold and grated onions.  You could sub in any root vegetable for the spuds. Try parsnips for a different spin. They  have a sweet carrot like flavor that would go well with sour cream or even apple sauce.Even turnips can be used for the tasty treats, just remember to use the smaller ones. Larger turnips tend to have a woody taste while the smaller ones have a sweet pleasant taste. Both can be combined with potatoes for a mellower taste Another idea is sweet potato latkes. Add cinnamon and brown sugar to the recipe to make them more of a dessert treat..As for the sour cream itself, you could jazz it up with a small dab of wasabi or cayenne pepper. For a milder flavor, try a drizzle of dark lavender infused honey. Looking for less calories? Then sub in Greek yogurt which has a lighter, cleaner taste than pure sour cream. A fancier idea is creme fraiche. For more decadence, top with a small sliver of salmon or a tiny teaspoon of caviar.

For a bigger crowd think brisket. It's versatile and can be prepared in a variety of different ways. Serve it slow cooked in Coca-Cola. The soda's sweetness is tempered by the addition of  ancho chili powder and paprika as well as red wine.If this may be too sugary, then think coffee braised. This does have some sweetness too, but it's only a quarter of a cup of brown sugar to two cups of brewed coffee.For a fun Hanukah party consider brisket sliders. These are easy to make, with shredding the meat and mixing it with a spice infused tomato puree.These can also be grilled  like barbecue, with a sweet sauce thanks to one made with honey. Cayenne pepper and smoked paprika stop it from being too candylike. Any form of brisket can be served with the latkes for a heartier meal. How to finish ? With the Israelial Hannukah specialty  - sufganiyot, or jelly doughnut. It's usually filled with raspberry or strawberry jelly, but any other flavor will do. Another fun twist is adding cocoa powder to the dough . Filled with a rich jam or marmalade, this makes a decadent holiday treat. You could even dust the doughnuts with cocoa powder after frying.

Hanukah is the festival of lights . Make the holiday brighter with tasty latkes or brisket, Make it sweeter with homemade sufganiyot. Enjoy these new twists for an ancient holiday.

A Thyme To Cook

Thanks to Hamilton ,people, especially home chefs and foodies are curious what our founding fathers and mothers ate. There is a new cookbook out that delightfully shows not only what our Colonial ancestors ate but also what the Puritans put together.  A Thyme To Discover is a fascinating look back into kitchen history.

Tricia Cohen wrote this little gem while Lisa Graves illustrated it in rich, antique colors. Ms. Cohen has written several historical cookbooks for Skyhorse Publishing.She has covered Medieval feasts as well as the unofficial Poldark recipe book (definitely buying  that!!!) She writes about  the earliest period in American history , and there is even mention of both the light side and dark side of the Columbian Exchange. Europe, Asia , Africa ,and the Americas benefited from the exchange of various foodstuffs such as livestock and bananas along with  an coming here while the New World gave the rest of the world, tomatoes, and potatoes. Sadly diseases were just as easily traded as food.There is a timeline from the Pilgrims to the Colonial Era with some references, especially Abe Lincoln. stretching into the 1800s what I like about the book is that Ms. Cohen gives  a lot of credit to the indigenous people.There are many pages dedicated to the Wampanoag tribe who coexisted with the Pilgrims and Massasoit , the Grand Sachem or Healer.He , along with the famed Squanto helped the settlers plant and harvest so that they could thrive.

Keep in mind these are not exact recipes but modern takes on them. The meager  pea soup that the Pilgrims ate on the Mayflower has been updated to include mint for flavoring, along with spinach , garlic , leeks and creme fraiche.Indigenous fruit such as the pawpaw have been replaced by bananas in a cookies with a maple glaze. History foodies will appreciate the venison with blackberry sauce over wild rice cakes.different eras have recipes that reflect the food. As more colonists got molasses and flour, baking took off in the new country. She doesn't include recipes for such treats as flummery and syllabub but she does have the Sally Lund cakes recipe, which was a fave of George' Washington as well as its' etymology , from the French soleil et lune,  There are also recipes from some of America's earliest companies such as King Arthur flour and Jim Beam Brewery.(use both in the Bourbon Oatmeal Raisin  cookies!). There are also pages dedicated to the famous Foodie of the Revolution, Ben Franklin ad his funny write up about gout. The Presidents, from Washington to Lincoln are also represented and of course, there is a beef stew with apple brandy in honor of not Alexander Hamilton, himself, but to his mother who ran a provision shop selling apples. The Spanish influence is also mentioned , with a spicy chipotle, cinnamon chocolate pot de creme recipe.

A Thyme To Remember is a great holiday gift for the foodie with a historic bent. It shows how America survived and thrived along with  fun recipes to try.It's a great  and tasty

way to celebrate our heritage

The Best Salt On Earth

Salt is a crucial part of cooking and baking.Selina Naturally knows this and has produces a variety of different sea and river salts that elevates savory and sweet recipes to pure gourmet levels. Best of all there is a wide range of them to experiment with and have fun creating unique dishes.

The company was formerly known as The Grain and Salt Company, started by Belgian born Jacques Delangre a doctor, in 1976, and actually sells much more than just sea salt or fleur de sel.You could also buy all natural body and hair products along with sea salt for animals (yes, they need a tiny pinch of it - but check with your vet first before you buy).There's also coconut ghee and raw honey as well as monkfruit sweetener and cassava flour for all natural baking.They even sell beverages such as coconut water along with soups such as the Paleo bone broth.Selina naturally also makes  health and body products, geared for men and women's health as well as for weight loss and electrolyte balancing. However the company is primarily known for its' salts.It has branched out in river salts ,which are taken from subterranean rivers. The owners harvest their salts from off the coasts of ,France, Spain ,Guatamala,Portugal,  and Hawaii. To be honest, every kitchen needs a shaker of Selena Naturally salts and you can also buy those at the site too.The family who owns the company has also come up with a sea salt cook book, perfect for those who are new or leery about cooking with too much salt.

This company has the most amazing array of salts. I love their liquid salt from their Fossil River collection. This has several flavors such as cucumber, garlic and truffle. I used the garlic to make a garlic bread that was lighter than the usual loaf  because the bread was spritzed with an infusion of garlic. It was also lightly salted, which heightened the taste. There is also a cucumber infused liquid salt that can be used lightly on salads.Another favorite is the Fossil River salts that are mixed with everything from herbs to rose petals!  This last one I can see sprinkled on shortbread to heighten the buttery taste as well as for decoration. Selina Naturally also mixes their salts with Szechuan pepper and regular peppercorns separately. This is perfect for sprinkling over any meat, whether chicken or steaks  for some kick. Try the wasabi and sesame infused salt over fish and tempura for an interesting meld. of tastes.  There is also a grilling salt that would go well over any rib eye steak along with their applewood smoked salt. Sprinkle some of this over ribs to bring out the meat's unami. .Celtic Sea Salt also has salts blended with dried rosemary that can easily be added to any homemade tomato sauce along with garlic salt  (again reserved for making garlic bread ) and celery salt, perfect for salads.

Selina Naturally has the best array of sea and river salts. Use them to heighten any savory or sweet recipe. They bring a delicious and nutritious kick of flavor to any dish

The Dazzle of Paul Hollywood

Yes, it's that time of year when all home bakers go into a frenzy about what to make for the holidays.ABC knows this and rolls out their annual baking show, The Great Holiday Baking Show, based on the UK's The Great British Baking Show. It even has that main attraction Paul Hollywood, he of the piercing blue eyes and stinging criticiques.

The show is on ABC every Thursday night , with two back to back hour long episodes starting at 9PM. Fans of the original will love this and it features bake loving Yanks from all corners of the country. There was even a priest, Father Kyle, who was sadly booted off Episode Two.Like the original every episode features a signature bake, a cake or cookie they might make for family and friends, a technical bake that features a challenging recipe from the judges and the final - a show stopper, something that would bring gasps if if were made at home. The judges in the past were Mary Berry and Johnny Iuzzini who returns this year with Hollywood. Paul Hollywood 's background is that of being the son of a baker who eventually owned a chain of bakeries in England. Paul, himself, became a baker, working at several five star hotels in the UK and on Cyprus. Iuzzini is also a pastry chef , from the Catskills region in New York State where he learned how to cook and bake as a child. He also attended the CIA, the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park where he specialized in Baking and Pastry Arts. The hosts are chef Ayesha Curry who has written several cookbooks and forer football player and media personality Anthony Adams,

The show lacks the wit and sparkle that the British version had under Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins. Ayesha and Anthony are likeable enough,  especially Anthony when 'he's cadging candied cherries off contestant Cindy Maliniak. They do add to the show especially when they interact with the bakers and are a nice foil to Paul's snark. Yesterdays episodes featured making naked cakes. which are layers cakes with just fillings and iced top layers.These  were pretty in their own messy ways,but I feel that British bakers would have handled the challenge better. The second hour featured everything yeasty. This is where the bakers got truly creative , especially with the first one which featured doughnuts . They reflected the contestants backgrounds. The episode's show stopper was a sweet bread with different fillings and decorations. Again the bakers became truly creative with flavors reflecting  Hector De Haro's Mexican heritage and Vallery Lomas' Louisiana's influenced King Cake, Hopefully upcoming episodes will feature more Christmassy  challenges like mince pies and cookies. They did have to recreate a log but it was more of a sponge cake.

Will the American holiday version  stand up to the British? Hopefully it will .It is entertaining and inspiring to home bakers , longing for a challenge

A Star's Recipe

Hollywood is so filled with stars giving out such high falutin advice,it's nice to see one that has down to earth, homey suggestions. That star is Valerie Bertinelli and she  has written a great new cookbook. I'ts perfect for home chefs who want old fashioned recipes with a twist.

Valerie Bertinelli's Home Cooking (Oxmoor House Punlishing) is one of those definite must give Christmas gifts for the home chefs in your life.Ms. Bertinelli is no glam star pushing juice cleanses and impossible to find ingredients  turned into questionably healthy dishes made by her private chef.. She's one of us, shopping at her local farmer's market, reinventing classic childhood dishes and celebrating her family's long culinary tradition. I've always liked her as an actress.I love her as a fellow home chef. Our great grandparents are from the same area in Piedmont, in northwestern Italy. I wish she would have added more Piedmontese dishes such as vitello en tonno,  veal in tuna sauce and fileto Piedmontese, filet mignon awash in bagna cauda.It's sort of surprising that she has no sabayon recipe either. It would have been interesting to see her take on it, since the recipe varies from town to town. Still she does have her mother's risotto recipe (made with pork instead of the traditional chicken giblets) and the soothingly refreshing granita. The book is divided into breakfast, main dishes and sides. There are also sections on cocktails which look fun to make and nibbles such as the brown sugar Sriracha bacon bites. Her  recipe introductions are like her, so warm and welcoming,  that you feel a friend has written them.

Ms. Bertinelli cooks like a real person. Her breakfast section includes a mix of sweet and savory. Breakfast enthusiasts will love her Overnight Almond Apricot Muesli, a happy marriage of oats , spices dried fruit and nuts along with her take on a fritata, created with egg whites,arugula, tomatoes and goat cheese. The main meals are amazing. Steak enthusiasts will love the dish her husband, Tom came up with It is a steak rubbed with a blend of espresso granules and chili powder and topped with a generous pat of butter.Her barbecue chicken wirh spicy BBQ sauce will be a summer must have or even a tail gate classic.Ms. Bertinelli also has old school dishes such as her mother's chicken pot pie , elevated to gourmet level with the addition of cremini mushrooms and tuna noodle casserole with potato chip topping - a sure winner with the family. I love her bucatini pasta with wilted spinach and lemon marscapone sauce. Lemon is her favorite flavor and it pops up quite a lot. It's also in her desserts. End any of her meals with the delicate lemon-raspberry panna cotta or her English lemon cake, There are plenty of fun recipes for snacking and entertaining. Party givers will love her microwave potato chips and her mom's batter dipped onion rings along with the recipes for s'mores popcorn and peanut butter chocolate pretzels.

Valerie Bertinelli's Home Cooking is the best holiday gift a home chef could want. It's filled with homey and delicious recipes that are sure to be family classics. Buy it for the cooks in your life or for yourself.

Your Perfect Gingerbread House

One of the staples of the holiday is a gingerbread house. It is as ubiquitous as Santa, and cookies. It is also the dream of every home baker to create the perfect one. Unfortunately, it's one of the hardest baking projects any baker can tackle . However, there's a guide to help build that perfect house.

Luckily Julia Moskin becomes our Property Brothers in today's holiday issue of the New York Times Food section. She has got the former White House pastry chef, Bill Yosses, to give some tips as well as a cut out pattern to create the perfect house. (Keep in mind that the recipe is printed on the pattern for the house's front and back while the decorating tips are printed on the pattern that will make up both the house's sides and roof). Guests and especially the baker will want to nibble on the creation so the gingerbread itself has to be tasty. Chef Yosses suggests adding orange and lemon zest to cut the spiciness. Also a pound of butter also helps,giving it more of a butter cookie vibe. The spices are there - in heaping teaspoons, mostly ginger and cinnamon  which ,along, with molasses , give the cookie its' rich deep tan color.The pieces are baked in batches. The dough has to be refrigerated overnight before baking and it needs three days to a week to dry out for construction.. The walls will have to be rebaked for fifteen minutes when the candy windows are added.This is done by cutting out a circle and placing crushed hard candy in the middle. Again the suggestion is using one color for the window although you can use two ot three colors for a festive stained glass look.

The hardest part is the decorating and assembling. The icing will also act as the glue that holds the whole thing together. It is royal icing, made with a pound (!) of confectioner's sugar , two egg whites and one teaspoon of lemon juice. The egg whites will give the icing the stiffness it needs to hold everything together. The lemon juice gives it that crisp whiteness that makes lovely snowflakes and and snow dusted tiles. Putting it together will be the hardest part. Have help at the ready. Chef Yosses recommends using thick sealable one gallon plastic bags for the icing instead of the traditional pastry bags..Luckily you won't need any special tips, Just snip off a corner and use your dominant hand to guide the lines. Two bags are needed for construction and decoration. For constructing snip a hole measuring 3/8 ths of an inch while the decorating bag get's a 1/8 th of an inch opening. rest the bag in your palm and manipulate the opening with your thumb and forefinger. Decorating can be done in the traditional manner or with brightly colored candy like Gumballs and gum drops.. Assembling will be the hardest part . It starts with a steady wooden board or even an inexpensive cutting board. You can also go to an art store for a canvas painting panel. Use a can, mug or jar to prop this up. Make sure that the front wall sits inside the side walls. When the four walls are in place, then carefully (what else?) place one roof slab. This may slip so  add more icing and prop it up with a  ramekin or small glass. Wait until the icing dries before placing the other side.

A gingerbread house is a real thing of beauty not   home chef's unicorn. Do it properly and it will be the highlight of your holiday and baking career/It is easier than you think so go bake that house!.

Flying Solo Without The Master

Today was my first big cooking day without my Mom's help. It was dicey to say the least and I made a vat of sauce for two simple helpings of ravioli. I have to get used to this  - cooking and life without her.

We were never one of those families who write down recipes. We figured if you've made it more than enough times, then it was engrained in your memory.It becomes a part of you. I had thought this but realized I was wrong. I do need our family recipes written down. Sadly, they all went with my Mom. I will never get the exact measurements for our Piedmontese stuffed cabbage rolls, pescoi That will have to be made from memory and what my brother can remember. As for the sauce, luckily there are recipes on the net that I can follow. The sauce was smooth, not rich however thanks to the inclusion of sugar. I use my own spin  dark honey in homemade sauces. As usual I panicked  simply because I sauteed the garlic too soon.it resulted in burnt cloves and popping oil. I also added way too much sauce which would have been perfect had I made two or three pounds of spaghetti.Instead it was only four helpings of ravioli.

For those of you who scoff at writing down family recipes, don't.. Write down everything, keep them on index cards. Staples still sells these. You can also type them up and print them out to create a family cookbook. (This is the perfect holiday and bridal shower gift). If you can include a picture of the dish do so. Write down exact measurements. A pinch of something for you is a dab for someone else  . Make sure the measurements are exact, from a 3/4 of a teaspoon to 1/8 of  a cup. Also make sure the ingredients are the exact same ones. You can't sub in cinnamon for coriander or use an oat flour for a white one. Variations can be included,especially if there are allergies running through the bloodlines.Also give credit where credit is due. My Mom's apple pie recipe was taken by a few in-laws and it became their signature dish, with their branches giving them the acclaim. If Nama made the nutmeg Snickerdoodles, add her name, with the first and last name, and possibly the date it was first made. Include any family history regarding it too,Stories get lost from generation to generation.

I'm flying solo these days. I hate it. I wish my Mom and I had written down our family recipes.I need exact measurements with exact ingredients.