Mmmmm M and M's

One of the most classic American candies is M&M's. These little multicolored gems are just good on their own or in a variety of different dishes and treats.What is even more interesting is their history and their impact on the American culinary landscape.

M&M's made their debut in 1941 during the beginning of World War II. Forrest Mars Senior based them on the British candy Smarties when he saw soldiers eat them as a snack during the Spanish Civil War. The British version had only debuted a few years before in 1937. and were possibly based on the Moravian version first made in Holesov Czech Republic as early as 1907.Mars was the father of the famed Milky  Ways and Mars Bars  introduced in 1923 and 1932. The candy is nothing more than a chocolate pellet coated with hard panning, basically hardened sugar syrup. Those iconic M's? One  is for Mars - of course and and Bruce Murrie, son of Hershey's chocolate president  William F.R. Murrie. They candy was made with Hershey's chocolate which had control of all the rationed chocolate at the time.After receiving a patent for it ,Mars had the candy made in the posh neighborhood of Clinton Hill, in Newark, New Jersey. Their first customer was the US Army who saw the candy as the perfect foodstuff that wouldn't melt in the pockets of soldiers stationed in tropical climates. It was strictly  army food until the end of the war when it was finally sold to civilians. The iconic brown package came about in 1950 while the Ms came about in 1949.It was black at first and then changed to white in 1954.

Most of us grew up with the classic milk chocolate or peanut ones that came about in 1954. The eighties saw the candies go global with being introduced all over the world, from Australia to Malaysia. They even hit the UK where they 've been competing with Smarties.Holiday M&M's were introduced then too, with pastel candies imprinted with bunny, chick and egg symbols. The Christmas ones were colored with  red, white and green coatings, with the last one  being mint flavored. The M's were replaced with fir trees, bells and candles. The Nineties saw the ushering in of M&M Minis sold in plastic cylinders . The new century welcomed such new flavors as dulce de leche, caramel, and peanut butter.Also entering the candy scene was dark chocolate - a nice break from the milk along with white chocolate.There's also chocolate crispy and pumpkin spice that comes out in the fall. Fruit flavors have also crept into the M&M flavor mill as  well. There are coconut, orange,cherry cordial raspberry and even candy apple.! Newer flavors are birthday cake and pretzel - the last a nice mix of sweet and salty.Mars  also makes pecan pie and caramel which is sooooo addictive.

Everyone has a favorite M&M. What's yours? Mine are caramel and almond for now. That may change when I taste the dark chocolate ones again.

Parties To Chase The Winter Away

January may be a month to detox and chill out after all of December's holiday parties but it can also be a bland month too. Amp up the weekends with fun get togethers to chase the chill away. It'll liven spirits during the cold nights.

One of the most obvious and most fun is a fondue party. This is great for those who were lucky to receive fondue pots for Christmas. Fondue itself is an easy recipe.Most do think it's just dipping stale bread in cheddar, It's more subtle than that. The fondue itself is a mix of Gruyere and Emmenthaler  along with dry white wine and even nutmeg.It's simmering the  wine first (and keep in mind you can serve this too) and then adding the cheeses and nutmeg.  Cut a baguette in rough edged chunks . You can also use boiled potato chunks too.Many Piedmontese from northwestern Italy will tell you the winter is a great time for bagna calda. This is a fun dish, that uses the fondue pot in a different way. Bagna cauda or hot bath is a phenomenal blend of anchovies cooked with a mix of olive oil, butter and garlic .Some recipes call for sardines, but it's more of a taste thing,Savoy cabbage, native to Piedmomte is always used although you can add rare cooked London broil pieces . This variation originated in Paterson, New Jersey with the Piedmontese silk weavers who ran the Paterson mills. Adding meat to the anchovy sauce is amazing. The juices blend perfectly with fish sauce. End it with everyone dipping hunks of Italian bread in the pot. You can also go the sweet route and have a chocolate fondue party. Use the best bittersweet chocolate you can and heavy cream. Then put out a buffet of all sorts of fun dip ins such as cake chunks, marshmallows and of course, fruit.

Fondue parties are more for smaller,, more intimate get togethers.If you want a bigger do, then think a buffet. A Caribbean themed one can be fun, full of spicy foods and rum spiked drinks.Jerk chicken is always a favorite and it's a combination of sweet , spicy and fiery thanks to the addition of Scotch Bonnet peppers. Make up platters of both legs and wings for easy eating. Another fun finger food is a pastelito, an empanada that can be stuffed with meat cheeses ,or veggies.Croquetas are also a tasty addition. These breaded beef and parsley croquettes are a nice change up from the usual appetizers and party bites.Fill a punch bowl full of rum punch, a mix of golden rum, pineapple, orange and lemon juices. Craving warmth and margarita? Then head south with a Saturday night taco party. Set up a taco bar with both soft and hard tacos and different fillings. Try a variety such as chicken , ground beef and a sauteed veggie mix of onions, broccoli and tomatoes.Make sure there's plenty of guac and sour cream along with fixings of shredded lettuce, cheddar and red and green peppers. Scatter around buckets full of Coronas and ice along with bringing out a slushie maker for margaritas. End the night with cups of cinnamon spiked cocoa and churros. The last can be cut up and dipped in caramel and chocolate sauce.

Chase the January blues away with a rousing party. It can be a few people or a houseful. Just have fun coming together with good food and great people.

The FDA And The Shutdown

Everyone in this country is affected by this government shutdown.It's not just the workers and their families but  well -anyone who eats.The FDA , the Food and Drug Administration has been severely impacted by this ridiculous turn of events.

Roughly forty-one thousand FDA workers are at home, not receiving any pay. They and their jobs are vital to not only what we eat and drink but also what medications we take.This  program ,started by Teddy Roosevelt, due in part to Upton Sinclair"s The Jungle, the eye opening novel that damned the meat processing industry in early 1900's century Chicago.The 1906 Food and Drug Act and the 1906 Meat Inspection Act changed all that, enabling the American people to eat healthier and better.Today's FDA creates the guidelines food,drink and drug companies must follow in order for their products to be distributed along with protecting us from food born illnesses.They approve the medications we take along with pulling any questionable supplements off store shelves.They even make sure ads aren't tricking us.We rely on them not just with keeping our foods safe but also our cosmetics and soaps.

Now we're in dangerous territory. Our lives will be compromised as the shutdown continues.It is said that the FDA doesn't have enough money to begin with to get their jobs done properly. Still, they have made great strides in keeping us safe.Yet ,there will be  lapses, thanks to this shutdown.Many of our dollar stores import food and cosmetics from countries that don't have the strident rules and regulations we have.Lead based make up  along with foods with questionable ingredients will be on the shelves of many lower cost chains.The home front won't be monitored either.Selecting lettuce in the grocery store is going to be like walking through a minefield.Which one will give us food poisoning?Or salmonella? Will it be safe to buy chicken? Or beef? The FDA website recommends to be just as vigilant as ever.Continue washing meats and veg, along with cooking them at the appropriate temperatures and times.Luckily such high risk products as seafood, baby formula , and cheese will continue to be tested and inspected.

Hopefully the shutdown will end very soon.Our lives should not be put at risk because of one politician's tantrum.This needs to stop - NOW!

Warm Green Dishes

This is the time of year for hearty plates,steaming with delicious ridicule.Some may argue that it's the perfect season for venison stew or roast chicken with stuffing.Hold those thoughts.A meatless winter dish, rife with veggies is just as good - and filling.It's just how that's re cooked that makes the difference.

Both Melissa Clark and David Tanks contributed completely plant based recipes in their respective New York Times Food section columns yesterday.Ms.Clark had written about grain bowls which are an easy make.What is great about them is that you can even use leftovers to create them.Last night's rice can be mixed with onions from two days ago ,freshened up with just sliced tomatoes and ground herbs.Ms.Clark starts with farro, an ancient grain that can be cooked like pasta.The next lingredient is egg.This provides the protein.The recipe also calls for broccoli.Turnips and freshly cut radishes add crunch, A lemony tahini  sauce tops it.Hot sauce is added for more bite and heat.What:s good about grain bowls, is that you can get creative as possible with them.Sub in rice or orzo for the farro .Tofu chicken strips or ground soy crumbles can be the protein.Green beans or Brussels sprouts cam be the Green and for texture,almonds or pecans.Try a hot sauce or an aquafaba Hollandaise.

For a definitely more heartier and more filling dish, think about David bank's garden pie recipe.His City Kitchen column features a meatless version of the English classic.The original dish is made with minced lamb and vegetables ,topped with a baked mash potato crust.If it was made with beef, it was called a cottage pie.There are even variations made with fish.Mr, Tanis ' version draws attention to mushrooms and leeks. He uses two kinds of mushrooms ,shiitake caps and brown or white mushrooms. Leeks give it a nice onion flavor too.Garlic,thyme and parsley add zing to the recipe and if you want add two tablespoons of white miso for the unami  flavor.There are two cups of whole milk added.If you want to go truly vegan, then sub in almond milk which tastes the closest to the real thing.Cornstarch is also added for thickening. It's topped with a homemade mash and breadcrumbs which gives it a lovely golden crust.If both are too much to make, use instant mashed and store bought crumbs.

There's no need to rely on heavy meat dishes this winter.Try a hearty and healthy veggie laden dish.A grain bowl or garden pie is just as delicious and filling.

A Variety of Gumbos

One of the tastiest and colorful dishes in American cuisine is gumbo.This rich stew is now undergoing some tweaks and updates.Are these new versions just as good as the original? Yes!

Brett Anderson,a New Orleans restaurant critic and food writer, contributed this fascinating piece in today's New York Times Food section.Gumbo is one of the pillars of Southern cooking.It is the classic dish of New Orleans, first coming to the city with enslaved Africans in the 1700's.It's name comes from the Bantu word for okra. Like the city itself, different nationalities  contributed to the dish , making it unique.The indigenous Americans added file or sassafras  as a thickened.The French contributed roux, the flour and lard mixture that serves as the area's base.Other ethnic groups added spices and sausages,along with the holy trinity of Cajun cooking, celery, onions and
peppers.


Like New Orleans, the dish is still constantly changing.Hurricane Katrina redefined the city in 2006.New ethnic groups came in, changing the city along with its '  cuisine.Gumbo takes on an Indian flavor at Saffron Nola. Chef Arvinder  Vikhu  fell in love with the dish thirty years ago after trying it in a New Orleans hotel.He gave the dish a different vibe ,enlivening  it with ginger, turmeric and ginger. A Far Eastern influence comes from the Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants that dot New Orleans' outskirts.Restaurateur Marcus Jacobs uses their flavors in his restaurant, Marjie's Thai curry gumbo.Some,such as the grand dame of Cajun cooking,Leah Chase, scoffs at this.She is the owner of the famed Dooky Chase.Hers is a traditional made with either  Andouille sausage or chicken.A few chefs have even served potato  salad with gumbo.This is sacrilege.The dish has to be served with rice although some chefs have used basmati and jasmine  kinds with it.

Gumbo is just New Orleans itself.It's constantly changing yet retains its'  roots.It will still go on, reflecting a rich and varied heritage.
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Shutdown Support

We are in the middle of a rare government shutdown. Thousands of families are affected, thanks to a president bent on getting his ways. We need to support all those workers  in whatever way possible.

There are many ways to help out. Making a casserole or large shepherd's pie  is always welcome. It'll not only feed the family but also provide leftovers. Another idea is hosting family dinners or inviting the kids over for a Taco Tuesday or Meat Loaf Monday .  For a really nice treat, take them out to their favorite  restaurant. Getting together, even with the kids , is a great way to temporarily forget what's going on.It'll save on food bills for the affected families.Many families may balk at the idea of charity however there are a couple of ways around this. One is telling them you'll save them a shopping trip and shop for them. Tell them that they can pay you later when the shutdown ends. You can also give them a belated holiday gift in the form of a gift certificate for their favorite supermarket. $100 dollars may not buy a lot these days but it's enough to get the basics, from fresh fruit and vegetables to toilet paper and paper towels.If the whole neighborhood or family chips in, there could be close to five hundred dollars of gift certificates. This could last a couple of weeks  if those affected are frugal.

This idea can also apply to smaller food purveyors and restaurants.Bakeries can definitely help out with whatever overage they have. There are so many loaves and rolls  that will be turned into breadcrumbs.Even offering a free cookie or cupcake helps and brings even just a glint of  happiness.Family owned restaurants can give certain percentages off on lunches and dinners. Diners can follow suit as well.Since some food pantries will also be affected , smaller shops can donate meats, fruits and vegetables.Mid size companies that produce pasta and ice cream could also donate along with any of the artisanal  food producers.As for food pantries, a very good portion are welcoming those hurt by the shutdown.There's no shame in accepting help .It will just be temporary and food pantries can provide the sustenance needed during these hard times.

We need to stand shoulder to shoulder with those affected by this shutdown.Unlike our government, we will be there for them.We will make sure they do not want.

Rescue Mission

Some dishes flop.It's just the nature of cooking.My cabbage steaks were not a big hit.I should have kept them in the oven for another ten minutes.Another problem was that there was just too much cabbage


There was only one thing to do - turn those crispy leaves into pescoi ,Piedmontese stuffed cabbage.This dish is usually made by first cooking polenta,and then letting it cool.Once cooled it placed in cabbage leaves.These are rolled, like dolmade,grape leaves, tied with just seeing thread(always white) and then fried in butter.The rolls are then fried until the cabbage leaves turn translucent and the polenta can be seen.These are then submerged in a mix of salvia, a type of thyme,red wine vinegar and garlic.

I marinated the steaks in garlic and thyme infused red wine vinegar for two days.

It had a stronger, more pickled taste than the rolls.The polenta was needed.

I used masa harina, the Mexican cornmeal which is finer  than the regular cornmeal.I cooked up a cup of it.

Then I deconstructed a centuries old dish.Instead of being one stuffed inside the other,they were placed side by side.

I put the polenta on the cabbage leaves and magic!!!The same taste that I grew up on.The polenta's mildness was the perfect foil to the puckering tartness.I like this deconstructed way better.There's never the threat of getting thread caught on my teeth

The cabbage steaks bombed.The deconstructed pescoi didn't.This was the perfect rescue mission.

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