Saturday, June 9, 2018

Bad Reactions

Foodie Pantry will be closed today. I have been taking amoxicillin for the tooth extracton which has the side effects of extreme nausea and sleepiness. I cannot function without running to the bathroom and either retching or spitting up water. Sorry.

Hopefully things will be better by Monday,

Friday, June 8, 2018

Anthony Bourdain That Rare Oyster

Anthony Bourdain  was literally the epitome of at bon vivant  a good liver. He took life and food by the horns , opening up our eyes and palates. he was definitely one of a kind.

Maybe it was his French blood that made him adore food , his father's family was from Bordeaux or his mother's gutsy American attitude that emboldened him with trying different cuisines. It left him with a passion for the bold and adventurous. This kid from Leonia ,New Jersey tried the world's wildest and most sophisticated dishes , while still being true to his roots. he may have  featured the best restaurants  but also highlighted Hiram's Hot Dogs in nearby Fort Lee. His interest  in food started when he was on a family holiday  in France when he tried an oyster for the first time on an oyster boat. He went to Vassar and worked at seafood restaurants in Provincetown Mass. he dropped out of Vassar and since loved cooking, enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America or the CIA. after graduation in 1978, he ran the top restaurants of the day, Sullivan's, the Supper Club and One Fifth Avenue. His biggest break was when he became the executive chef at the glamourous Les Halles restaurant in Manhattan.

His television career started with Kitchen Confidential in 2000 after he published a book of the same name. His second book, A Cook's Tour in 2001, hit the New York Times' best sellers list. It was about his food and cooking exploits. In 2006 he shot the TV show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. It had one memorable scene in which the Israel-Lebanon conflict happened during filming in Beirut. There was footage of him with Hezbollah supporters along with being holed up with expatriates in the hotel. Two other shows followed. One was The Layover on the Food Channel and the other was the no holds barred.Parts Unknown. This last was wildly popular as he garnered former president Obama as a guest during a trip to Vietnam. Bourdain also took the show to Libya, Tokyo, Punjab, Jamaica, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Armenia. Audiences, especially foodies, loved it, his daringness to try bizarre foods and his love of travel. He also made it to The Simpsons as well as on Inked where he got a tattoo in the episode. He also produced and starred in the movie about food waste called. Wasted:The Story Of Food Waste.

Anthony Bourdain was one of  a kind, an unusual dish to be savored.  There will never be one quite like him. He was one of a kind - that rare oyster with the amazing flavor.


Thursday, June 7, 2018

The Glory Of Islamic Food

Islam, like many other religions has taken a bad wrap lately. People tend to forget its' history and with that the foods that are part of that history. Thankfully , there is a new cookbook that shows not only the foods of this vast religion but also the its' long story. Both are intricately intertwined.

It is the subject of a new cookbook written by cookbook writer, Anissa Helou, a Christian, herself, but also Lebanese born. Mayukh Sen, a James Beard award winning writer on food and culture, interviewed Ms. Helou for yesterday's New York Times Food section. Like many other Lebanese, she was uprooted by the civil war that started in 1975 and ended in 1990. She talked with many from this  diaspora in 1992 and realized there was a need for a cookbook. Lebanese Cookbook was on the shortlist for the Andre Simon award which honors British food and drink books., Eight more recipe books followed, covering such topics as varied as Mediterranean street food to offal. The ninth cookbook , Feast : Food Of The Islamic World , a five hundred page book rivaling LaRousse Gastronomique in size. It starts off with the advent of the religion i the year 610 to the Mughal Dynasty. There are 300 recipes(!) that show the expansive realm of the religion, from Xinjiang to Zanzibar. Ms. Helou felt she had to write this to show how the religion  really is after seeing the rise if ISIS and the Arab Spring vilify it.

The recipes are extensive . (those interested can take a free peek at the book on Amazon). Flat breads are the same yet not the same, thanks to variations that include ghee and nigella seeds. A dessert as simple as rice pudding is made differently according to the country. Moroccans  make it with milk and orange water. The Turkish omit the milk and flavor it with saffron. There is also the Lebanese treat, kabab karaz a dish of ground lamb meatballs cooked in a pool  of sour cherries,raw cane sugar and pomegranate molasses. The meatballs look like tiny ruby marbles as they're piled on pita triangles that have been drizzled with melted butter and topped with chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts. The recipe is interesting because it uses the Lebanese seven spice mixture, easily made at home by combining pepper with ground allspice, cinnamon,coriander, clove ginger and freshly grated nutmeg. The leftover mix can be used in marinades and tabbouleh.It's also special because it comes from the war torn city of Aleppo, once considered the Lyons of Syria,

Ms. Helou is the savior of Islamic cooking. it's told from a , well researched point of view. It's not just a cookbook but history book.,

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Running A Classic

Le Bernardin is one of Manhattan's culinary landmarks. It literally has put New York city on the radar of serious critics and food lovers. One woman is behind its' success Maguy le Coze. Her life has been the industry Her life is the restaurant.

Alan Richman, food writer for GQ Magazine conducted the interview with Mlle. Le Coze for today's New York Times Food section. Hers is a story of duty and the familiar. She was the daughter of hotel owners in Port Navalo,Brittany , France and was waiting tables in their restaurant at the age of twelve.Her parents wanted her to take the route they did. Marry a chef, tend to his customers, be the face of the restaurant and don't look any further than the front door. That was not Mlle. Le Coze. She came of age in the militant, swinging Sixties of France.She understood their wants but realized it was not for her. She and her brother, Gilbert,  was eighteen months younger,left for Paris , He worked in the City Of Lights as did she, but modeling for the fashion houses along with working for a hairdresser.. Summers were still spent in Brittany, helping their parents. Their restaurant began in 1972  in Paris.with Gilbert adopting Japanese ways of cooking seafood. It was not an easy time. They coasted after their first good review. A second review, a disaster according to her, destroyed them , The restaurant closed after they forgot to pay taxes and the government stepped in.

Gilbert redid the menu and reopened the eatery. Thankfully there was a good review from the renowned chef, Michel Guerard, and it revived Le Berardin, named for a song their father used to sing to them.Gilbert was smarter this time. They made money with Maguy the showpiece. The money allowed her to, take  lark holidays every summer in St. Tropez. It was at this time the restaurant moved to the chicer neighborhood around the Eiffel Tower. Fascinated by New York, they branched out to Manhattan in 1984.It would not be without sadness. Gilbert died of a heart attack at age forty-nine.It still pains her to talk about it. Yet ,Le Bernardin continues to this day. in the city. The main one was sold. The chef and co-owner, Eric Ripert, still follows the basic seafood menu that Gilbert created in the early Seventies.It's mega expensive but well worth it. The vegetable tasting menu is $172 dollars. for a select range of vegetables in sauce.The chef's tasting menu is close to four hundred dollars (!) but has such dishes as caviar along with langoustime with a balsamic glaze.  Le Bernardin hasn't escaped the MeToo movement. There have been lawsuits by former workers about sexual harassment. Even one worker has accused her of fat shaming her after giving birth. Mlle. Le Coze denies it. She is frank and sensible but not relentless with her staff. She is simply a restaurant owner.

Le Bernardin will be around for a while as will Mlle. le Coze. She is  the backbone of this New York classic.She brings joi de 'vivre to the city's restaurant world.

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Mush Mouth

Having dental work and oral surgery is annoying along with being painful. The worst part is that you're on a really strict diet for a few days.Luckily you can make it work and more or less have the same foods you normally eat.

Unfortunately I had a back molar pulled today and was promptly told what to eat and not eat. No chewy meats like steak. No crunchy foods  like pretzels and chips. I can eat guacamole but not the corn chips that accompany them. Another  taboo - hot food which can dissolve the stitches in my mouth.Foods have to be tepid, room temperature or better yet cold foods. No crunchy Smarties (which got me into this mess in the first place). No popcorn - another culprit that could have damaged the tooth that needed to be pulled. Soft squishy tomatoes  are fine celery isn;t unless it's chopped up.Forget hot chocolate - way too hot and sugary. Very sugary drinks such as it and even icy sodas should be avoided for at least a day or two. They can irritate the raw extraction site. Warm coffee is fine  as is warm water . It 'll be another twenty-four hours before I can satisfy my Panera  and Starbucks cravings,

Of course my meals will be slightly altered. Thankfully I can have my daily breakfast of flavored oatmeal. My hot herbal tea will need a few ice cubes now. I can still have scrambled  or soft boiled eggs at home or at my favorite diner. Omelets are on the list too. I just can;t have a side of bacon and home fries.Corned beef hash is OK with it so I may try this new combo./ As for meals, clear soups such as vegetable broth is allowed along with pureed or mushy foods.Mashed potatoes are high on the list. They can be enhanced with a huge knob of butter or a few tablespoons of gravy. Polenta is also on the list. Cheesy polenta is even better.It's soft, creamy and chock full of protein.Baked mac and cheese is not just the comfort food that will get you through this but it's perfectly fine to eat. Another mushy pasta dish is pastina, those little stars  mixed with melted butter.It's also allowed. Yay! if you want something more nutritious  them have pureed beans and rice along with pureed yams.Finish with Hagen -Daz mini cups .


Extractions are a pain, both literally and figuratively, The restricted diet that goes with it is evne worse. Just - grin - and bear it  - and embrace the mushiness.

Monday, June 4, 2018

Starring Veggies

It is hard to be a chef in a vegetarian house. You have to be both creative and thoughtful  since there is no m eat as the main course. What takes over? The designated veggie. It s possible to have a rounded dinner or even holiday meal where veggies shine.

Most vegetarian and vegan home chefs usually fall back on tofu. There's Gardien and Morningstar Farms to give a sub in for the real thing. However , as any vegan home chef will tell you, these products get old quick.Gardien does have some delicious meat alternatives like   their burgers and beef tips, yet most of their products come with  accompanying sauces. These are only teriyaki and Mandarin sauce and there's not much to do with them ,other than serve them with broccoli and rice.Also many stores (such as mine) don't carry the full line so I'm stuck with making the same three or four dishes almost every day.Morningstar Farms is the same. Their soy beef crumbles are versatile ,I've put them in homemade tomato sauce, chili and some thrown together Chinese influenced  stir fries. Yet that's it. Pasta every day is not good.Again it gets old real quick. To vary my menu as well as adding color to  dishes I've  decided to have three different veggies each prepared different ways. One it get us out of the culinary doldrums, two, an all veggie meal means more nutrition and lower calories and three, it's a great way to enjoy a harvest of various flavors and textures. The key aspect to remember is use spices along with vegan butter and olive oil to create interesting main and side dishes.

One veggie that is recapturing the nation's attention is eggplant. It's not being turned in oil sodden Parmesan style but robust grill worthy steaks. These will definitely be the main course and they're easy to make..It's taking one eggplant and cutting it lengthwise into three planks or steaks. Drizzle olive oil and add dashes of sea salt and pepper. Just grill for four minutes on each side. You can also broil them for a couple of minutes too.What is great about eggplant is that's its a sponge. Marinate it however way you like and the marinade's flavor will soak in, creating a rich flavor. Spiralized zucchini is another good choice. Zoodles, as they're commonly called are easy to make along with being made by Birdseye . They are great just sauteed with butter and garlic. Since the veggie is heavily water laden, you don;t have to worry about the sauce. The water is cooked out and blends nicely with the oil and butter. You can sprinkle on some vegan Parmesan cheese for a pasta vibe. Cauliflower has become a main star thanks to the many ways to cook it. It's now a main dish as "risotto'. It has the same ingredients as a regular risotto, with white wine and sauteed onions. One dish on my radar is cauliflower risotto Milanese , the elegant Lombard dish made with saffron.

Let the veggies be the star of the dinner show. Get creative as you turn them into main dishes. They'll add color and zing to the meal.

Saturday, June 2, 2018

Good Foods, Good Teeth

Our teeth usually are the last body part we think of when we eat. Yet they, like our bones, need  healthy foods to thrive . A bad diet can lead to  bad dental problems which could lead to bad heart problems. The best way to avoid these is to give your choppers a diet rich in nutrients . The reward? A bright white smile!

There are reasons why parents freak out over their kids eating too much candy or soda.  These are loaded in sugar which mixes with bacteria. This then turns into an acid which breaks down tooth enamel. Also , a passion for sweets lasts well into adulthood and it;s hard to get out  the habit of wanting them. Start the little ones early with healthier treats such as apple or  pear slices.  Surprisingly bananas and raisins are high in sugar and not good for developing teeth. Kids love colas and other fizzy sweet drinks.Even juices are suspect, Let them drink milk or chilled water. What about flavored seltzer? There' no sugar in it, true, but the carbonation resulting from a hit of carbon dioxide can cause acids to form in the mouth. Even if you make it at home using a SodaStream, there;s a huge risk of cavities forming. A better bet is a chilled decaf herbal tea however make sure it's distilled. It can create problems in children so you may want to stick with fruit infused waters. These are easy to make,It's just taking any kind of fruit like pineapples or berries and infusing them in chilled water for four hours.

It's not too late for any adult to adopt a tooth healthy diet. Unfortunately our sugar habits are very much ingrained in us. One of our worst habits is imbibing too much coffee. Thanks to all these coffee shops, we're a country hooked on it. Caffeine does cause problems as well as creating halitosis or bad breath . It reacts with the mouth's bacteria which forms the corrosive acid that destroys enamel. You can have  your java fix but drink it quickly. Don't spend the day sipping it. That can lead to more harm. Also brush your teeth or at least rinse them after your daily cup. The same advice applies to tea too. Avoid the sugary extras like those chocolate and caramel drizzles or that pound of sugar you put into  your cappuccino. We have a tendency to snack  and unfortunately on the wrong kinds of food. Nix the afternoon Skittles and Oreos. As with kids, apples and pears are the best for your teeth. The fruit's rough flesh scrape the teeth much like a toothbrush. They also stimulate the mouth to produce more saliva which washes away the bacteria.  Raw carrots and celery  are also good for the teeth and also scrape away bacteria. If you do seriously crave sweets then go for dark chocolate. It's rich in flavanoids which help in oral health.

A healthy diet means healthy teeth. Eat right and you can have that bright white smile. It's not good genes that produce good bicuspids and canines. It good food.