A Happy And Diversified Fourth

Celebrate the Fourth and the diversity that is our country. Have a barbecue with German hamburgers hot dogs and cole slaw. Rinse it down with beer from Germany and Mexico. Or if you prefer fried chicken, whose recipe came with the enslaved from West Africa. Finish with ice cream that had its' origins in Italy and France. Or you could have French based marshmallows with Brazilian chocolate on good old American graham crackers which are taken from the English digestive biscuits. Snack on indigenous popcorn later on as you watch the fireworks.

Just remember that America isn't about one race, one religion and one nationality. All of us make up the melting  pot and mosaic that is this great country. Don't listen to the harmful otherwise.

Celebrate everyone and everything about them, especially their foods!!!

Happy 4th of. July to Americans around the globe!!!!!!

🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆

America's Ice Cream Diversity

On this Fourth of July eve, remember that America is one of the  most ethnically  diverse countries in the world. We have come together as one for decades. It's the same with our food, especially our ice cream. The days of just vanilla, chocolate and strawberry are over.  There are some new exotic flavors.

Regular contributor, Ligaya Mishan, wrote about the diversity of the ice cream in this country in today's New York Times Food section. It is truly a part of our heritage, from Jefferson bringing back a vanilla ice cream recipe. It was a fancy treat  being made by French and Italian chefs for wealthy European families. Here in the States, it was the dessert of the masses, being made in labor saving machines to drive the price down. It belongs to us and each ethnic group puts their own spin on  it. Ms Mishan had the lucky job of traveling to different cities and trying all sorts of frozen treats , from the Caribbean to Thailand, from Syria to Peru. It would have been nice if she had included recipes so home chefs could make some of these treats. Fortunately the shops are in major cities around the US so anyone can visit it, whether they 're a native or a tourist.Of course the bigger cities such as Los Angeles and New York have the most  dessert diversity. In LA, try the Iranian Saffron and Rose which is the shop's most popular flavor..It is one of the oldest , having been started by Ali Kashani-Rayfe in 1979 after the Revolution. Way on the other coast,  New York City's Island Pops , owned by Trinidad born Shelly Marshall and her husband , Khalid Hamid, use soursop and ponce de creme a Caribbean egg nog  as their flavors.

America's heartland has some pretty awesome ice cream shops.Richardson Texas is home to Big dash, a Syrian ice cream parlor that started off as a kitchen. Owners ,Asmaa Khattab and her husband, Kareem, create booza, Arabic for ice cream with giant  wooden mallets in buckets.It is a chewy kind of treat, thanks to the addition of mastic, the ingredient that makes gum sticky . It's rolled into a log and covered with pistachios. Lexington Kentucky residents enjoy Crank & Boom which features Toa Green's traditional Thai ice creams such as coconut served on a hot dog bun.Miami is such a Cuban influenced town ,it's no wonder about Azucar. thrives. Owner , Cuban -American Suzy Batle chose the city's Little Havana neighborhood to create Cuban vanilla, richer than the American version, thanks to the inclusion of egg yolks. There is also violeta  and Abuela Maria, made with maria cookies, cream cheese and guava marmalade. Stroudsburg PA has a Peruvian ice creamery  LLama Ice Cream East that feature the Peruvian fruit lucama while Seattle boasts  the Filipino Central District Ice Cream. Columbus OH, is proud of  the Indian Mardi Gras Homemade Ice Cream black plum jamun flavor.Paleterias Tropicana of Kansas City , KS has a salute to Mexican classics like mamey. Of course  Asato Family Shop in Honolulu features guri-guri, a Japanese confection of soda and condensed milk.

America  and its' food are wonderfully and deliciously diverse. Its' variety of ice creams are no different. They reflect the different  groups and flavors that make this country great.

The Safe Side of Barbecuing

As much as we all love a summer barbecue we should be aware of the dangers. The one big threat is that it can be a catalyst for serious health conditions. What to do?Have a mindful cook out.

Sophie Egan wrote about the potential   risk of cancer from barbecued foods in today's New York Times Science section. It was a piece that definitely caught my eye and it needs to be put out there.Ms Egan, who writes extensively about health and eating for The Times points out there are ways to have a healthier cookout. Barbecued foods do not directly cause the disease. What happens is that compounds  called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines get generated when food, especially, meat  - namely  beef - is cooked on the grill.Lab studies have shown that they alter DNA in a way that eating grilled meats could cause cancer. How are these compounds formed? The first, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are formed when any kind of organic matter- namely meat fat that drips off meat and onto the grill grates. The carbon inside gets combusted in the flames and then gets carried off in the smoke that's breathed in.The other , heterocyclic amines or HCAs is the black char that happens when high temperatures meet muscle meat such as red meat, poultry and even fish. Cooked amino acids react with another substance and creates creatine.It's not found in veggies which are the safest to grill.

You can dial down the risk. Grill fish which doesn 't take as long as red meat or chicken, along with plant based burgers.Even hot dogs are at risk. What to do if you cook out a lot? Try Beyond Burgers or Gardein's meatless ones. Both taste like the real thing and are better for you than red meat patties.
Another way is marinate.Even if you marinate for just thirty minutes you can reduce the formations of HCA. A layer of oil or sugar  creates a barrier that becomes seared instead of the meat. If you feel that a marinade may take away the flavor, then try a simple one of olive oil with lemon or lime squeezed in. Another suggestion is focus on more produce. Make kabobs that feature pepper chunks and cherry tomatoes. Try chicken with onions or for a sweet twist ,peaches and pineapples.It also reduces the surface area of meat being grilled. Cooking your steaks and burgers with spices, herbs and even tea- ingredients with phenolic compounds - antioxidants - quenches the formation of those carcinogenic compounds. Also cut down on grilling times and pull the pieces off when char starts to appear.Reduce fuel too and flip often. Another important factor is the wood. Use pine instead of hickory and maple. Definitely nix the charcoal.

You can still have a barbecue but make it a mindful one. Take the extra steps, from changing to pine chips for fuel, to marinating your steaks. It'll present less of a risk and you can enjoy your favorite grilled foods.

Marshmallows Those Sweet Summer Treats

Marshmallows are the ubiquitous summer ingredients. They 're in salads, desserts and treats, in pies and on sticks . How did these little puffs become a summer staple? Is it because they're fun  or  because they add a certain sweetness to a variety of different dishes.

Marshmallows have been with us since ancient times.They are derived from the mallow plant that grows in marshy areas - hence the name. The Egyptians used the sweet fleshy roots in both rituals and medicines. The French had the idea to whip the sap into a fluffy candy mold.The molds were filled with starch to give them shape. Then the Americans took over with a way to mass produce them. it involved an extrusion machine which gives uniform , perfectly cut puffs. As soon as marshmallows hit our shores , they were in such desserts as banana fluff, a dish you can easily make today. End a barbecue with this mix of mini marshmallows, banana pudding and Cool Whip.Marshmallows in salads may have come from cookbooks and magazines, maybe in the 1930's. It was a different salad, that could be served as a side or dessert. It was also an easy make during hot summer months spent in  stuffy  kitchens.  You could definitely make as a retro dessert with hamburgers and hot dogs.Mix Cool Whip with sour cream (???), maraschino cherries and mandarin cherries. Mini marshmallows and almonds along with vanilla extract give it flavor. Coconut flakes are added  as well.

This may be a side but what about a summery marshmallow dessert? The most obvious is s'mores. It's  a classic layering of graham crackers, toasted marshmallows and a square of Hershey's milk chocolate. Zing it up by using chocolate graham crackers and a dark rich chocolate such as Lindt's 80 % dark chocolate. It's a more adult spin on the classic kid treat. Of course just plain toasted marshmallows are a nice end to a cook out.You could make them naughty by turning them into shot glasses for different liqueurs like Bailey's Irish Cream or Kahlua.Popcorn and marshmallow are a perfect marriage, and a fun dessert at an outdoor movie party.It's melting eight or nine big marshmallows with half a cup of brown sugar and a quarter cup of butter.Cook for twenty or thirty seconds, stir to make sure everything's melted and then pour over the popcorn (which can be bought or home made. Toss in some peanuts for a Crackerjack kind of crunch.Toasted marshmallow could also top an after dinner iced coffee. Float two or three toasted marshmallows on top of the coffee.

Marshmallows are a must have summer cooking ingredient. Try them in a sweet tangy side salad or as a fluffy topper to an icy cup of java. Either way, they're a fun bite.

Natural Vs Chemical Kitchen Cleaners

Maybe more so than the bathroom, the kitchen is the dirtiest and messiest room in the house. This is the place where oil gets splattered and  mud gets scattered. It's a smelly fridge competing with a smelly sink. Kitchens need constant cleaning - and here is the dilemma - do you go for the safe all natural cleansers, versus the heavy duty super efficient industrial ones.

Everyone wants a clean and sparkling kitchen. Yet who has the time to whip up a natural cleanser when it's easier to go out and buy a bottle? The problem is that many cleaners have a whole host of bad for you chemicals.Any product that boast's it's antibacterial should be given a second glance. It's probably chock full of quarternary ammonium compounds or QUATS. Firstly they help in creating antibiotic resisting bacteria which can be lethal to the very young, very old and the immune challenged .On top of that , they are responsible  for creating asthma. What do you sub in then? Tea tree oil mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar and water can do the trick. Bleach can work too, as with hydrogen peroxide. Just wear old, ratty clothes when you're working with the last two. Bleach can get all over and there is a tendency to wipe our hands on our jeans after we clean (I know do). Even a tiny drop can ruin denim.

Bleach is my go to for cleaning the kitchen sink however I found another natural cleanser that also does the trick.Apple cider vinegar and baking soda  together has been my preference for cleaning stubbornly greasy pans . I thought , well if it works for metal, it could work for porcelain. It did. Use about a quarter of a cup of baking soda over the surface. Add about half a cup of vinegar over the baking soda. Stand back and enjoy the foamy reaction (really the best part of it) and then wipe down with a sponge.The result is the same as the bleach cleaning - a sparkling white and clean surface. Remember that baking soda is also very good at removing tea and coffee stains from cups and mugs.
As far as removing mold from underneath drying racks, I'd go with the bleach. Black mold can be very difficult  and bleach has the power to get rid of it.  You could use vinegar - white works well with an old toothbrush  to scrub it away. That is if you have the time.It can be labor intensive, however.

What's the best cleanser for your kitchen? Natural or chemical? Natural if you have the time to clean. However some of the chemical ones do come in handy when you;re pressed for time. Use whatever works for a clean , sparkling kitchen.

The Perfect Ice Cream Cake

It's summer and that means cool ways to end a meal. One of the best and most fun is ice cream cake. you can buy it at the store or your favorite ice cream parlor. A better idea is making it yourself. It's not only cheaper but can be made with a variety of flavors and fillings.

Before you even buy or  ice cream for it you should have some kind of mold. I have two. Below is a smaller mold perfect for two servings.

 This is a loaf mold used for baking breads but it's the perfect mold for ice cream loafs. Both were bought on Amazon.

As for the ice cream, you can use store bought or if you;re ambitious make it. Since it's summer , make it easy on yourself and just buy it. I usually go for the vegan and use either Soy Delicious coconut based ones or Stop & Shops. Last time I made a kind of Neopolitan loaf with a layer of strawberry  and vanilla coconut ice cream.  Crumbled chocolate wafers mixed with melted I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. served as the base and then middle. If you're using two flavors make sure they complement each other. Don't go for a strawberry / mint chocolate chip pairing. The strawberry will be good with another fruit filled ice cream or just chocolate and vanilla. The mint chocolate chip really only goes with chocolate.

 My  next cake will be chocolate with a caramel and wafer middle.As for the crunchy middle and base, you can also use  vanilla snaps for vanilla and fruit ice cream cakes, Do not use sandwich cookies. The fillings will make the middles and bases lumpy Go for  snaps , wafers or shortbread. For more of a crunch try the brand Jules Destrooper. It offers buttery crisps along with crunch almond crisps and ginger tiles. As for the "frosting", think chocolate sauce or a hard shell topping.  I usually finish mine with coconut milk whipped topping.Since I'm creating a chocolate and caramel cake, it will have the extra topping of grated dark chocolate.

Ice cream cakes are a fun summer dessert. They're easy to make and fun to decorate. Create one for that special warm weather barbecue.

Spiked Seltzers For Summer

Seltzer was always seen as the supporting player in cocktails and spritzers.It gave a fizzy kick to mix drinks and wine. Now there's a new kind of seltzer that's a star. It's the hard kind , guaranteed less calories but more of a buzz.

Joshua M. Bernstein  who has written several books about beer and plans tasting tours for  beer connoisseurs wrote about this relatively new offshoot. Hard seltzer is seltzer  with fermented sugar and barley malt to give it the shot of alcohol. It can be tough for manufacturers looking to retain the water's blank canvas. During the fermentation process yeast create aroma and character - perfect for beer  - not so great for fizzy water. One brewery, Platform Beer Company spent six month refining recipes and techniques before settling on the barley malt and  cane sugar that is run through a special filtration process. The company also uses a brewing enzyme to reduce gluten content.It worked. The founder,Paul Benner was surprised at the clarity and how much the final product looks like water. By December , the company debuted its'  sparkling Black Cherry that contained only one hundred calories and  four grams of carbohydrates. Unfortunately the FDA forbids alcohol companies to make health claims about their products. However breweries prominently display the calories and amount of carbs on the cans,

The big question is will hard seltzer make a splash in the drinks world? Most people do like it. It's a polarizing guilty pleasure and some find it more refreshing than craft beers and hard ciders. Still, there will always be skeptics. The creator of HRD WTR, Eddie Leon, has said it's a fun ride like a moped, but you don't want to be caught riding one. Yet hard seltzer could catch on with more people. There's the diet factor although most drinks, including some cocktails like mimosas and gin and tonics are very low in calories. . Another reason is that seltzer can blend with any fruit juice or even macerated fruit such as strawberries. Add a few blueberries or a lime slice to a hard seltzer and it's a fun buzzy sip ,Hard seltzers come in many flavors. One company , White Claw,  has mango, black cherry and natural  lime.Another brand,Truly Spiked and Sparkling has even more flavors , including grapefruit and pomelo pomegranate, and lemon and yuzo. Smirnoff, the vodka people,have dipped their toes in the sparkling waters and offer such diverse flavors as watermelon and raspberry rose.

Hard seltzer is an intriguing idea. Will it be as popular as hard ciders and lemonades? Probably.  People will want a light and fizzy change of pace and hard seltzer will fill that bill.