Tasting The Trends

After writing about avocado toast yesterday, I had to try it.I had all the ingredients and it was an intriguing recipe. I was also curious about the taste,especially on toasted bread.

First I started with the bread.Toasted Italian drizzled with olive oil was the best bet for this this breakfast turned dinner.

IT was cut in half  and I drizzled the oil on top.It went into the toaster oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.Meanwhile I cut up the avocadoes.

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Coarsely chop the avocadoes, add some olive oil to make it workable.

Then one sliced and diced tomato.

I used a potato masher to mash them together.Avocado topping has to be coarser and C hunker than guacamole.

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It was spooned on the hot toast.

How was it. It's an interesting departure from guacamole which I like better.I think the mash  and the bread  were at war with each other flavorwise. It must be  intense when the avocado and an egg are combined. I think any toasted bread is better with tomato not a cousin of guacamole.Still it's what trending.

An Aussie Breakfast

The latest passion for New York foodies is breakfast - and not just any breakfast . what the Aussies eat down under to wake up is becoming an obsession, Why?Probably because there's more healthy ingredients as opposed to the usual Manhattanite breakfast.

Julia Moskin wrote about this latest trend in Wednesday's New York Times Food section., Let's face it our breakfasts are usually fast, brown, greasy and starchy. They're also not picture perfect - not good for this Instagram age.Australian cafes throughout the city. Australians prefer healthy starters made with fresh , all natural ingredients that do take a while to make and cook,  another reason is that their breakfasts can last up into the late afternoon. There's time to create elaborate dishes and then photograph them.One of the trendiest early morning recipes was avocado toast, made first in 1993 at the famed Bill's in Melbourne. It's now taken hold here in the city. It's an easy make., with toasted sourdough slices topped with slightly mashed avocado halves.Poached or fried eggs can top it, but home chefs can also use thinly sliced pickled red onions or pickled chiles.( to be honest it would make a good brunch or lunch dish too)You could also serve with another Down Under dish, folded eggs. According to Ms. Moskin they're folded eggs but is a hybrid between an omelet and scrambled.

It wasn't always this way. In the Eighties and Nineties Australia had the reputation of a culinary backwater, influenced  heavily by British . The typical diet consisted of meat pies. sausage rolls, canned veggies and chocolate bars.As with our revolution theirs upended a formal Eurocentric
fine dining scene. Locally  fresh home grown food was embraced and the country's immigrant food traditions.. People started to eat slow risen sourdough and whole grained breads. Mediterranean cheese such as feta, halloumi and pecorino.Multi talented chefs such as Tetsuya Wakada, Kylie Kwong and David Thompson brought Asian flavors to the forefront. The philosophy behind it is more eating than cooking.The flavors are natural; the ingredients fresh  which has a lot to do with the finished dish's flavor.It's evident in the other recipe given - a breakfast salad. It consists of marinated feta cheese, avocadoes, sliced hard boiled eggs.cucumbers  and alfalfa sprouts topping romaine lettuce. Herbs such as basil, chives, cilantro and mint are added. Everything is simply dressed with just olive oil. Again this would make a nice brunch or lunch plate.

The Aussie breakfast is fast becoming the New York breakfast .It's healthy and delicious , full of good green ingredients.It ' not only perfect for Instagram, it;s perfect for the hungry New Yorker.

My Own No Passport Required

It is hard not to like Chef Marcus Samuelsson ' s new show No Passport Required.  The hour long show features the famed chef cooking and eating exotic food in - various cities , US cities.He has tried sa moon in the heavily Arab Detroit, enjoyed a Cajun influenced Tet in the Vietnamese section of New Orleans and made mole and carnitas  in Chicago's Mexican Back of the Yards neighborhood.I decided to have my own No Passport Required  and we t to the Middle Eastern neighborhood in Paterson , New Jersey.It was a culinary v stay cation for me.

Paterson has always attracted immigrants.When Alexander Hamilton (yes, that Alexander Hamilton)founded this city, he modeled it after the English industrial town of Manchester. Factories sprang up , using the Great Paterson Falls as its' power source.The silk and weaving industries sprang up,attracting the first wave of Syrian weavers.Now South Main Street not only has them but also Turks,Lebanese,and Palestinians  .The area is known as Little Istanbul or Little Ramallah.Go there and you feel like you're on the strèets of Istanbul
I went to Star Pide on the Main Street.Pide means bread in Turkish and they bake what's known as a Turkish pizza

We started with a salad and it was probably the best I've ever tasted.It was diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion.It was a simple dressing.Parsley was sprinkled all through it giving it a sprightly green flavor.They also place a dish of small yellow peppers and a spicy paprika  mix.

The Turkish pizza ,as it's known was flavorful with a crispy crust and laden with a generous amount of mozzarella.I also tried the ground beef topped with bacon crispy  pastrami.This was delicious with a generous helping of spiced beef.

The pastry shop across the street beckoned.It was a blend of American butter cookies and Middle Eastern treats.N albus Pastry and Sweet a is run by incredibly generous bakers who let us try a sweet cheese and shredded wheat called kanafah.They even brewed us a complimentary kettle of tea.I also tried kadaif, a honey soaked shredded wheat nest filled with pistachios and almonds.That was wonderful and even not too sweet thanks to the nuts used.Next time I'm going for the baklava.

Visiting Little Ramallah in Paterson was my  No Passport Required meal.Be adventurous.Visit the Culinary rich hoods where you live.It's a fun stay cation away from the ordinary.

Pan Con Tomato My Way

One of the best combos of the summer season is tomatoes with bread,especially with French or Italian. It is the perfect marriage. ,enhanced with olive oil and garlic.One version of this is pan con to mate from the Catalina area of Spain.

It was the subject of David Tanis' City Kitchen in today's New York Times Food section.Mr.Tanis had me at bread and tomatoes.As soon as I saw the pictures tomatoes on toasted slices I was hooked.
The original recipe was to use up stale bread hence the crunch.Mr.Tanis recommend huge slices of toasted sourdough bread.I used toasted Italian bread ,first rubbed with garlic.

A second batch really browned I cell and got crispy and crunchy.

Then it was taking a grater (I used my Mom's old Chef's Club from Macy  

It's then slicing vine ripes(mine came from Stop &Shop, but feel free to use the first harvest of the summer)

I  also added a glue of olive oil and the garlic that was rubbed on the bread.The last didn't work out so well.Next time I'll try a sprinkle of garlic powder.

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It,s then just spooned on the toasted bread 

Pan con tomato was delicious.I sprinkled a pinch of sea salt on it and gobbled it down.This is something I will make again. I might add tuna in olive oil or better yet anchovies! It is a perfect summery dinner  light enough for a hot night but sustaining  enough.

David Tanis, thanks for this new favorite.I will be making this tasty dish a lot  - as long as there are fresh tomatoes.

A Birthday Treat

It being my brother's birthday today,I decided to do the sisterly thing and make him a cake. (No, not the cookie above, that,s from the splendid Dixie Lee Bakery in Keansburg New Jersey) I had no desire of firing up the oven on a hot summer's day, so I went for the alternative a homemade ice cream cake.

I first bought a small silicone cake mold from Amazon. As for the ice cream my brother is a vegan so I bought Soy Good coconut milk ice cream in chocolate and mocha almond.

Non dairy ice cream doesn't melt as fast as regular dairy base so they were left out for twenty minues.The first layer was mocha. Then was the crunchy chocolate middle.

IT was grinding up Nabisco chocolate wafers

Then add in  a tablespoon of melted margarine e or butter.I went for I Can't Believe It's N not Butter.Mix quickly and spoon over the first layer.I should have given the crumb mix time to cool down.I didn,t.

Next came the chocolate layer and another layer of the crumbs.Again I used about ten crumbled wafers and more spread.It was then placed in the fridge overnight. 

 

The next day it was unmolded.

Hershey Hard Shell was poured over it to give it a glossy icing, then a crown of whipped cream.

This is the cross section.You can see the layers.

The chocolate was harder to work with yet both together worked.

Will I do this again. Yes. This was my recipe.It has to be adjusted and tweaked.

As for the taste - amazingly good!

Helping Food

Even though it's midsummer, you can still have bake sales and dinners to raise money. There are so many causes that need our financial backing and one of the best ways has to involve our culinary and baking skills.Even grilling expertise can come in handy aiding a cause that's dear to our hearts.

Homemade cookies and pies are still wanted during these steamy days. A great way of supporting any organization is homemade treats - but keep the recipes no fuss.There are several recipes for no bake cookies. Try the classic mix of quick cooked oats , cocoa and peanut butter. It's just boiling them along with milk, margarine , white sugar and vanilla for a few minutes,then dropping teaspoons full of the mix onto waxed paper. Sprinkles or chopped peanuts can be added for a more decorative look. Change up the peanut butter for coconut for a variation with a Mounds bar flavor. Slice and bake cookies are still cookies baked at home and again they can be the star of any summer sale. The same go for brownies too.A bigger seller with these is iced coffee, always needed on a hot, humid day.If a bake sale is too labor intensive then think about having an ice cream social. This can raise money for a cause or even a political candidate .It's not only a great way to raise money but also get to know who's running for local office or new neighbors.Set up a sundae bar with six or seven flavors of ice cream,along with a whole slew of toppings gs from fresh fruit to caramel and hot fudge.

Another idea is having a beefsteak. This is a fundraiser where nothing but beef tenderloin is served. It has changed over the years.It used to be men only with only one cut of beef served.Now women and kids can join in to enjoy a variety of filets and steaks..Beefsteak are usually held in church basements or halls however you could hold one in your church parking lot or park. Switch it up a bit by also serving hot dogs, hamburgers, and ribs. Add some home made potato salad or baked potatoes.Vegetarians can have their version or a tofu fest where veggie "meats" are served.This would be the perfect venue for animal rights groups and shelters. Throwing a beefsteak for veterans and their families is another great idea and welcoming them back into the fold.

Food can aid in fund raising and help in assisting our vets and shelters.It may be summer but you can have a fun bake sale , picnic or ice cream social. The weather doesn't matter.Good deeds are all year round.

Wild About Rosemary

One of the most used summer herbs is rosemary. It's a great addition to salads, sauces, marinades and even some desserts. One of the most ancient of ingredients is a warm weather must have, whether garden grown or market bought.

Rosemary has been used for centuries, starting in kitchens in old Rome and Athens.It is part of the mint family, first growing in the Mediterranean and Asia.The plant thrives in coastal areas and it's name means dew - ros- of the  sea - marinus. lady Elizabeth kent first mentioned it in her 1823 study Flora Domestica.The famed botanist , Carl Linnaeus solidified the name later on  in the Nineteenth Century. (although you don't have to live by the ocean to grow it. It can thrive in any backyard garden)Rosemary is an aromatic evergreen shrub.It is hardy surviving droughts and long rainless periods.It's a fuzzy kind of plant, with short, dense woolly hair. Its' flowers are white,pink, purple or deep blue.It 's notorious for flowering outside its' growing season. Blooms have been reported in December and February.If you are thinking of growing it, remember it does well in loamy soil. Don't over water it  which can water log it. It can be propagated from an existing plant by clipping a shoot and planting it directly into the soil.

Most know rosemary from homemade tomato sauce which it does play a vital role .With its' cousin, oregano, it tempers the sauce with a fresh , aromatic flavor. The herb can be used in focaccia where cut sprigs are added to the dough and then sprinkled on top for decoration.Think about using it when creating grissini or Italian breadsticks. A tablespoon of fresh , chopped leaves will definitely add to the recipe.To make more herby also add thyme, another herb rosemary shines with when blended together.Another idea is rosemary infused olive oil - a nice appetizer when paired with breadsticks or slices of Italian and French bread.It's just cooking a cup of oil and five to six sprigs over a medium low heat for five minutes. Transfer to a cruet where it will keep for a month. Rosemary is also very good in soups. Try it in a hearty veggie or a delicate onion one.One of the most famous dishes using it is rosemary chicken. Chicken meat is mild and the rosemary brings out its' subtle flavor. A great recipe is chicken breasts cooked in oil  with two sprigs along with garlic and lemon For the more daring home chef, there is rosemary ice cream , where it melds with honey and cream for a unique flavor.

Rosemary is an ancient herb  that can be used in any modern dish.It will add to any recipe from savory to sweet. Try it in your summer cooking for a nice boost of flavor.