The Popularity of Birria

A classic Mexican dish is once again being embraced by the US. Birria, a kind of stew is being embraced by  - well - everyone . This blend of meats , veggies and chilis is coming into its' own, in a variety of ways. There are birria pizzas and fries along with fries and even in pho and tortellinis. Yet, the original recipe is the best.

Tejal Rao wrote about this in today's New York Times Food section. Birria is a classic Mexican pot dinner first written about in 1945 by Josefina Velazquez de Leon  a cookbook writer who traveled through Mexico. It was recorded in a Mexican cookbook, Platillos Regionale de la Republoca Mexicana. Thar recipe called for a whole sheep to be rubbed with a paste of lightly roasted ancho peppers cascabel, a small round pepper and seasoned with cinnamon, cumin and oregano.It draws from Indigenous pre-Columbian cooking rituals.The sheep is put into a pot sealed with masa or corn meal, then tucked into a fire pit to cook slowly like barbecoa.It' was served in bowls with a dribble of tomato salsa and some of the cooking sauces . This included the rendered animal fat, and the pot liquor known as consome. The present day version splits off into variations. There's one made with oxtails , and one made vegetarian with the addition of mushrooms. You could also use goat or lamb too , along with beef shoulder as the accompanying recipe suggests.

The recipe is being a ht with younger generations. Before it was thought of as an older person's dish  according to chef Teddy Vazquez who almost turned down a cooking job in Tiajuana. It was considered either a hangover cure, something to eat with the parents and grandparents on Sunday after church. He updated , went back to Los Angeles and started to sell birria taco to factory workers. He recalibrated the spices and got excited by the consome and the crunch of the tortilla cooked up in the rendered fat. So did his customers. He went from one truck to fifty , selling combo plates of tacos,quesadillas , tostadas and mulitas, a kind of grilled cheese with meat and a cup of the consome.He's even thinking of making a ramen with the birria, He's thinking of serving it when the customers get tired of the regular which won't happen soon. Josef Centanao owner and chef of Los Angeles' Bar Ama has created a vegetarian version. He does cook other versions that include beef chicken , llamb and even tofu. His other meatless version has mushrooms which gives the stew an eartiher flavor. He adds ginger too for zing to spike up the taste . Other chefs add vinegar and different spices. It's a creative way  of claiming it as your own.

BIrria is being embraced by everyone. It's no wonder. It's a flavorful bowl of meat  or veggies and spices that is perfect on its' own or in tacos or quesdadillas.

Planning A Vegan Valentine's Day

What do vegans and vegetarians do for Valentine's day? The same thing as the rest of us - a romantic meal and chocolates except there's a twist - no animals were harmed in the making of any meal or treat. It's easy to do, starting with breakfast and ending with a romantic meal.

Breakfast in bed sounds heavenly for Valentine's day. There's nothing like a big breakfast shared with your loved one.  You can still have  bacon and eggs , thanks to Morningstar Farms and Vegg Vegan egg yolk, The first produces a yummy bacon that cooks into tasty, crispy strips much like the real thing. The second is Vegg's take on egg yolk, perfect for dipping toast points or croissants into. This last is just a mix if the powder and water and then microwaved. The company also makes a power scramble that is like the real thing. They also have  a French toast mix that is a sub in for the usual milk and egg mix. You could easily make this, using thick slices of challah bread for the French toast. What about waffles and pancakes? Use the Vegg egg mix for baking for those, It's mixing a the egg mix with a small pinch of sugar and water and then adding it to the batter.As for butter use Miyoko's oat butter or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

Lunch and dinner can be just as special and equally as vegan. A fun idea is making Beyond Burgers and then filling them with avocado slices , tomato slices , vegan cheese slices and Morningstar Farms bacon. Vegan cheese slices are easy to find. Most grocery stores carry Chao vegan cheese slices. The company has smoked cheddar that works well as a snack or in various dishes. It can  top a homey baked mac made with soy based cheese. You can pair it with soy ham and create a tasty croque Monsiuer , that French bistro classic. Add homemade fries  to it and a glass of hard cider for a truly Gallic meal. As for a romantic dinner, think Gardein's crab cakes which are perfect for a sweet dinner in. They taste exactly like real crab cakes and can easily be cooked in an air fryer. Gardein also makes turkey and gravy that can fool any meat eater Add some stuffing and Brussels sprouts for an elegant dinner for two. As for dessert Daiya has a non dairy cheesecake in such delicious flavors as strawberry, Key Lime and chocolate.

Yes you can have a tasty vegan meal for Valentine's Day. There is a wide variety of products that can help you in creating the perfect meal. Best of al they're easy to cook and delicious to eat.

Wading Through The Soda Stream

 One of the best kitchen gadgets to have right now is the Soda Stream. This takes ordinary water and turns it into healthy plain or flavored seltzer as well as the base for homemade sodas. To be honest it took me a few years to actually get into mine. I'm sorry I came to the party late , wasting money on commercial sodas and seltzers.

This is the Soda Stream machine.

It's a long hollowed out canister with the charger being hooked up in the back. The machine itself ranges from $80.00 to an electric version costing $117. on sale. There's also the more deluxe version at $144.00 again on sale.  I bought mine at Target.All models come with a carbonating cylinder which lasts about three to four months, depending on how much you use it.  Bring back the empty to any store and you 'll receive a free replacement.  All come with a bottle or a carafe for the fizzy water.

You fill it with tap water and then set it into the canister.

My model has a large button on top and then it's just pressing so carbonation shoots (and I mean shoot - water does splash out of it) into it.  You can see the bubbles there. 

Afterwards it's then adding (and only adding afterwards) the flavors. 

I bought Soda Stream's cola flavor at my local Acme. I use only half a cap which give it a nice , light cola taste (and much better tasting than Coke or Pepsi.). I shake it up to mix and then pop into the fridge to chill. There are other flavors, like Dr Pete's which is a riff on Dr. Pepper along with their ginger ale. The company recently added Buble seltzer flavors - a definite must buy on my next Target trip. They also have fruit essences too - another must buy. Another plus  - I'm helping the environment by not buying all those cans and bottles. It's just one metal canister every few months.

Homemade soda is really the best. Get Soda Stream for a more refreshing take on soda and seltzer. Buy one today as an early Valentines' day gift for yourself. Then enjoy the fizz and bubbles.

Tail gating At Home

 Tomorrow is the Superbowl and that means partying. However it's a different kind of party with just the family.It still can be fun. Just make classic tail gate recipes, sit back and hope your teams wins.

Tailgaters love ribs, You can easily make a sheet pan version using short ribs with a spicy rub of cumin and red pepper flakes along with onion and pepper sauce. You could easily make a wet sauce , This is just an easy blend of apple cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar and honey. Some add molasses but that's up to you. add a splash of lemon juice and either hot sauce or red pepper flakes for heat. You can use the sauce for burgers if you're also making them or save it for week night meat loaf. Wings are also a tailgating must.  You can oven roast them or do the easier air frying. Air frying them will give the skins an extra crispiness. Yes, they're good fiery but try them with a lemon pepper seasoning for a lighter, tangier taste. Lemon pepper seasoning is easy to whip up. It's just grated rind or zest mixed with ground pepper and then baked for anywhere from twenty five to thirty minutes. Sea salt is added later. You can also use this on grilled chicken breasts and fish too.Of course every football party has to have hot dogs. Make them extra special with the addition of a sharp cheddar stuffing. It's a nice change up from the usual dogs.

Every tailgate party has to have one or two dips. Yes you can make the usual onion one but you could also change it up with subbing in scallions and a little dill. Want to splurge on your family? Then try a crab meat dip that has jumbo lump crab blended with sour cream and cream cheese. Mustard, chopped onion and garlic powder are added for kick. This can be served with either Ritz crackers or potato chips. Sub in lobster meat and go easy on the onions if you want an over the top dip that's perfect not only on chips but crostini too.Tortillas and guacamole are a football party must. Guac is also an easy make. Cube two to three avocados and then mash with one minced vine ripe tomato. Vine ripes give the dip a rich flavor that pairs well with the avocado's buttery taste. Add a small drizzle of olive oil to give the dip a creaminess. Should you add minced onion which can be overpowering at times? Go for it if the family likes strong flavors. If not a small 1/8 teaspoon of onion powder mixed with garlic powder should season it nicely. Remember to add salt a pepper. salsa is another easy dip to create. Again use vine ripes mixed with minced red onions and garlic. Add a dash of hot pepper for some zing or pineapple for unexpected sweetness.

There may not the big Super Bowl parties of years past but there will still be parties. Treat your family to some tailgating classic as you root for your favorite team. It's a tasty way to still enjoy the big game.

A Very Vegan Stracciatella

 Stracciatella is a must make soup for the winter. This Tuscan favorite is one of the tastiest and easiest to whip up. There are only three ingredients - eggs, chicken broth and fresh spinach. The problem is that this isn't made for vegans - until now. 

     Cooking in a vegan household is hard.  There's a lot I can't make  unless I find sub ins.Luckily I was able to get almost comparable subs.

I used Vegg egg yolk, Not Chick-n  bouillon cubes and baby spinach leaves. This cooked up into a really delicious soup for lunch.

It's taking five cups of water and two cubes.

Mash these with a wooden spoon until the water turns a golden yellow. The add two to three tablespoons of Vegg's Egg Yolk Substitute.

There are going to be lumps. Use a spoon to smash the larger ones to release more of the egg yolk powder. Leave the smaller ones. Stracciatella is meant to have lumpy egg strands . That's part of it's charm.

Once this is done add two thirds of an eight ounce bag of spinach.

It may seem like a lot but spinach cooks down quickly in a matter of minutes.

 The soup is done when the leaves turn a dark emerald green and look like collard greens.

Stracciatella is great with a sprinkle of Parmesan or a drizzle of olive oil. I like mine with a warm piece of garlic bread. Another great thing about it is that it reheats well too. You can make a big batch of it and then have it a day or two later.

A vegan stracciatella is the perfect soup for these frosty nights. It's an easy cook on the stove. Make up a pot and enjoy its' soothing warmth and flavor.

The Return Of Applejack

 One of the most American of drinks is making a huge comeback. Applejack is returning to bars and homes, bolstered by a new curiosity abut this fruity spirit. It's becoming popular , not only with hipsters but with those wanting to make this drink, as old as the US itself.

Julia Moskin wrote about it and the distilleries making it in yesterday's New York Times food section. She even has included a recipe for an applejack butter pecan Bundt cake with caramel frosting and a wild drink recipe calling for it, These are new applications for a drink that 's usually been just been served on its' own. The alcohol began with early colonists making do with what was grown around them - namely apple trees. The harvest was then jacked , a distilling method that does not involve the usual method of boiling but of freezing. Any household with an abundance of cold weather and apple cider could make this heady drink. With each freeze the water in the cider turns to slush. Each time the ice is skimmed off, the concentration of alcohol grows and what's left in the barrel reaches forty proof.That clear spirit is applejack, not as strong as vodka but potent enough. American legend , Johnny Appleseed or as he was baptized, John Chapman,an apple grower went through the Blue Ridge Mountains scattering seeds. It wasn't for the promise of pie but for applejack. Apple orchards were prime real estate in the 1700's because apples were not only a viable food source but also important for making the spirit.

Now apple jack distilleries are making a big comeback one hundred years after Prohibition nearly obliterated them and authorities razed the orchards that produced them. One of the oldest is Laird from Colt's Neck New jersey that actually started making hard cider and apple jack in 1698. Laird's apple jack was so popular during the Colonial Era that even George Washington wanted the recipe to bring back to Mount Vernon ( Laird's longstanding relationship with the White House came in handy during Prohibition when the distillery was granted a "special federal license" to make  it for "medicinal  purposes"). The company today has a good selection of apple brandies made from Winesaps, Jonathans,Delicious and Pippin apples. Many other distilleries use these as well as Arkansas Black. They can't use  big sweet apples like Red and Golden delicious because they were bred for eating and are too sugary in flavor. Applejack is also aged, much like Calvados, the much loved apple brandy from Normandy, The spirit is usually aged in cast off casks from bourbon and scotch makers. Apple jack can be drunk by itself or mixed with dark rum as well as other juices. Ms Moskin puts it into a kicky Bundt cake that's also rich with butter and cream cheese.

The most American of spirits is coming back to lift our spirits. applejack is returning to the homes and bars once again. Try this heady sip and enjoy its' kick and fruity flavor.

Dumplings For The New Year

 The Lunar New Year is fast approaching it and with it comes all the treats of the season. One of them is a plate of dumplings. These are easy to make and fun to eat. Even creating the dough or skins is a simple task. Celebrate the Year of the Ox with a tasty plump dumpling.

Genevieve Ko wrote about these delicious dumplings in today New York Times Food section. Ms Ko, author of Better Baking also gave a few good recipes and how tos  as well. Any home chef, whether novice or experienced can create them. There are two, one savory, filled wit tofu and veggies and the other sweet,  tang yuan, stuffed with sesame seeds, peanut butter and sugar swimming in a sweet ginger soup. Making the dough is therapeutic. There's a soothing rhythm to kneading and rolling out the dough cutting the circles, then filling them.Many home chefs think that making skins or wrappers is hard. They're really not. It's a mix of just flour and hot water. Using the last ensures wrappers that are thin and simple to pleat. Make them with cold water and you wind up with ones that are tougher and more elastic.The tang yuan requires a different dough. The sweet dumplings have wrappers made from rice flour and a cooked mix of water and a neutral oil like grapeseed. Both kinds of wrappers need to stand, the savory for half and hour the rice flour one for only ten minutes.

The fillings are tasty and can be modified. You can be vary them or put your own spin on them. Ms. Ko uses tofu mixed with spinach, watercress or baby bok choy. There's also celery stalks too added and chili crisp for flavor. Chili crisp is a fiery savory/sweet mix you can buy or make yourself. It's a blend of red pepper flakes, ginger, sugar and cinnamon. There's also soy salt to balance this out. The dumplings are  cooked immediately in a mix of oil and water. This ensures a crispy bottom and a tender top. Keep in mind oil and water cooking together can be lethal so keep a cover on the pan until the rapid firecracker popping stops. By then the water has evaporated and you can finish cooking the dumplings in an uncovered pan. As for the sweet ones, they're cooked in the ginger soup. This again is a mix of scrubbed ginger with either rock or granulated sugar. This will only take ten minutes and then divide the dumplings and soup into individual bowls. The filling is a combined mash of ground and toasted sesame seeds and peanut butter. This is put into a freezer to firm up before being turned into filling.

It's the Year of the Ox! Celebrate with savory and sweet dumplings. They're a great way to ring in the Lunar New Year.