Sharing Cuisines And Backgrounds

 What we eat tells other who we are. It's a glimpse into our histories and traditions. A plate of rice or yams can explain our pasts and who are ancestors were. Our recipes are a mirror of us, passed down for generations in some cases.

Regular  contributor Yewande Komolafe wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Food section. She tells of her own roots in Lagos, Nigeria in her new monthly column. Like Marcel Proust  with his madeleines, ,  Chef Komolafe reminisces about the aromas and taste of her past, She tells how diasporas shape and will always shape the American cuisine. The broader region of West Africa has also been responsible for the way America eats.Our barbecues and gumbos, fried fish and rice dishes are all part of the gifts the enslaved brought to America. They brought over fried foods along with okra and yams to add to the North American diet. Her own recipes made for guests, explains who she ; her background and her ideas on food. WE all do this , letting friends and colleagues into a slice of our lives and our histories. These dishes connect us to our our pasts and to those ancestors where we inherited those recipes.

Chef Komolafe also offers up a side dish - roasted carrots with yaji spice relish. Yaji is an essential pantry spice that should be in every kitchen. It's a homemade and simple blend of toasted peanuts, ground ginger, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powders combined with fine sea salt. All of this is then pulsed in a spice grinder but you can also use a mortar and pestle to create it.Chef Komolafe roasts the carrots on a sheet pan at 400 degrees Farenheit after coating them in a neutral oil such as vegetable or grapeseed.The relish , made with yaji , grated lemon, grated ginger and chopped scallions. Parsley and more oil is added.The carrots are then tossed with the relish in a large bowl. Toasted peanuts are scattered over the carrots. This would be a good side with roasted chicken for a Sunday meal or a a small Saturday get together. It could even be used for grilled vegetables too such as broccoli and cauliflower.

How we cook instantly telegraphs whop we are and where we come from. This is evident in CHef Komolafe's cooking and the ingredients she uses. They reflect her and her family's past while letting her guest know who she is ,

From Cookies To Needles And Pins

 One of the joys of any holiday season was receiving a tin of Royal Dansk cookies. These were the perfect butter cookies baked in different shapes and decorated with big crystals of sugar. Yet the real treat came later when all the cookies were eaten and there was a big empty tin. Crayons were put in them or in most households - sewing items. What else could you do with them.

That was the question regular contributor Priya Krishna asked in her article about them in today's New York Times Food section. They hold a wealth of memories for everyone. If you lived in a sewing household these tins were perfect for storing colorful spools of thread. pin cushions, stuck full of pins, needles  of all sizes and coiled tape measures.That's what f ilm critic carlo Aguilar 's mother did. He even thought it was just a LAtin thing when everyone reused the tins for sewing The round, dark blue tins , full of sewing tools broke Twitter in August. It was placed next to one full of luscious looking cookies neatly separated by their traditional frilly white wrappers. Written underneath the untouched Royal Dansk tin was MY Fall Plans  while the sewing tin one proclaimed The Delta Variant. The Royal Dansk tin also gave way for nostalgia  for another multi used container, the COuntry Crock tub. This was made of sturdy plastic and could handle several dishwasher washings and storing everything from holiday leftovers to Play-Doh. Used Cool Whip tubs were also used for all sorts of leftovers and doodads like nails and screws.

These tins and tubs are growing in fascination and nostalgia.Yet , like Country Crock they're still used. Their Instagram page shows what you can do with the tubs. They make for cute bird houses and popcorn holders for home movie nights'They're also great for storing leftovers, especially small amounts< Some chefs like eric Rivera , owner of the Seattle restaurant Addo remembers his mother storing her sofrito, a mix of red bell peppers, tomatoes and garlic. Nescafe's glass jars also held a place of esteem in some households. Megha Desai's family used them for storing chai masala. Her mother got Vlasic pickled jars from their local Italian restaurant to store lentils. Those Royal Dansk tins were not only used for storing pins and needles but for wood ear mushrooms  to keep them fresh in Huffington Post reporter Marina Fang's family kitchen., Chef Rivera uses them at Addo as part of dessert in a tasting menu. They come to the table  bearing a surprise - a sugar cookie flavored vanilla ice cream. He's bought several on E Bay just for this. Keep in mind that these tins and the Country Crock tubs do not make for good recyclables. They and their fellow often recycled Cool Whip tubs do not break down easily and will stay for hundreds of years. They're best used for second and third lives instead of land fills.

These tins and tubs have long lives. Once the cookies,spread, whipped cream, and instant coffee are used, these takes on new second and third lives. Use them as you will, whether for sewing gear, bird houses or leftovers.

Fall Sides

 It's officially autumn now. It's time to forgo those salads and slaws and think heavier sides to go with those roasts and stews. Luckily there's a whole array of  side dishes you can make. They can be simple or complex but all will have great flavor.

One of the best fall and winter sides is stuffing. It goes not only well with turkey but also chicken and pork. Use Stovetop Stuffing if you want to go the easy route. This is super simple to make and lets you concentrate more on the main dish. You can try a classic stuffing made with stale French bread ,sage, chopped celery and chicken broth. You can add eggs if you want for a more custardy mouth feel,You can also change up the bread and sub in challah or sourdough. If you're serving a pork roast, think about adding chopped Granny Smith apples to it to compliment the meat. A novel way of serving it is bake the stuffing in a muffin tin so you can have cups to fill with meat and gravy. Another fall side is squash. Any meat benefits from its' mild flavor so it doesn't steal the spotlight. Butternut, a rich orange squash is the best to serve right now. You can bake or even microwave it. Fill the hollowed out section with butter or cinnamon. Brown sugar also works, You can also go savory by adding garlic to the butter.

Fall is when many cruciferous veggies come into harvest.Cabbage  was a staple in the summer as many turned it into slaw to accompany hoi dogs and hamburgers. You can try frying it in butter and add some minced garlic for a truly flavorful side. Cabbage leaves can also be sauteed in oil. You can add bacon and onions for more flavor along with a scant cup of vegetable broth. Kale is also popular right now. Think about sauteing it in olive oil with lemon and garlic for a nutritious side with chicken or steak. Remember to not dry the leaves after initially washing it. This makes them less chewy and more tender.Brussels sprout are the perennial autumn favorite. You see them everywhere now., from groceries to farmer's markets. One delicious way to make them is steam  either on the stovetop or microwave, then dress them with melted butter and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.They and kale can be turned into crispy chips  after a few minutes in an air fryer.These would be a great side for burgers or chicken nuggets.

Fall is here and with a wide variety of different side dish. You can go the traditional route with stuffing, squash or cabbage or try something new like kale or Brussels sprouts chips.  No matter which way you'll go you have a perfect complement to your main course. 

Baby Bellas Big Taste

 If you like portabellas, then you'll love the smaller version - baby bellas. Gr oceries sell them already slicedand they are great  lirr le morsels full of bug flavor

I bought these gems at my local Acme. They were too good to resist and my home chef's mind was full of possibilities. I decided to air fry them .After washing them they were tossed in olive oil and McCormick's Perfect Pinch 

I've sprinkled this blend of different herbs and spices  on popcorn (!) and it was tasty. Why not add it to the baby bellas? It was the perfect marriage.Ir's mostly garlic but there's also rosemary and ground orange peel in it along with paprika and celery seed. I definitely plan on using it for the bigger portabellas.

It was then setting the air fryer at 400 degrees Farenheit for five minutes, then toss the mushrooms so they're evenly cooked. Five more minutes at a lesser heat of 380 degrees Farenheit.

They came our perfect and delicious!!!!!

   They tasted like garlic steak and I plan on making them into a sandwich with garlic bread the next time. They were moist and a little crisp around the edges. I served them with Brussels sprouts drenched in butter and sprinkled in vegan Parmesan cheese. You can also try them with fries or on a bed of flavored rice. They are also a great meat sub in for Sunday dinner.

Baby bellas may be cute but they are grown up in flavor.Try them as a vegan alternative to steak. They are incredibly flavorful to eat with anything from veggies to potatoes to rice.

Big Plans For Fall

 All home chefs should get excited about cooking and baking. New and tried and true recipes come out as we prep for the holiday season ahead.It could be a new way to cook a roast or a new side or a different dessert recipe,

It's exciting to see Brussels sprouts at the Farmer's Market . this is a sure sign of fall. There's nothing like them steamed the serving them with melted butter and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. AIr frying them seems intriguing. They will crisp up and their flavor will come through better than with steaming. Of course there has to be the melted butter and Parmesan. These bring out their flavor too. With that you may want to think about the main course. Cooking in a vegetarian household that means Gardein' breaded turkey cutlets  complete with sage laced gravy. That brings up another fall and winter side - stuffing. The question asked go with Stove top Stuffing or the decades old family recipe that comes out more like a savory bread pudding. Decisions, decisions.Butternut squash is equally as exciting. Should it be stuffed or just steamed , served again with what else - butter. It can be cubed and then air fried, drizzled with olive oil and maybe dusted with nutmeg.

The season also brings about the urge to bake. The New York Times featured Otis Lee's poundcake with a lemony cream cheese base glaze.It's still a staple at his Fo Fo deli in Detroit now run by his son, Keith Lee. I 'm thinking thus would be the perfect ending to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Of course I'll bake it beforehand. It'll be nice after a week day dinner or afternoon snack. apples are another fall treat.Again I'm thinking of them baked, but in the microwave and stuffed with caramel, butter and maybe chopped walnuts. Crisps are also interesting.This is an easy make and a perfect weekend dessert that stretches two days. The same thing for galettes, those rustic apple tarts , reminiscent of a French country kitchen,This is also the season for pears. They could be poached but why ruin their fresh goodness. Just eat them plain as a snack or as a healthy dessert.

It's the fall season and it's the time for exciting recipes and ingredients. Get your heart racing with cooking and baking. Experiment, with the wonders of the season,

The Savory SIde Of Fall Spices

 zit is the season for pumpkin spice and all the other autumnal spices. Yes, they're wonderful in everything from muffins to frostings. However the traditional blends also can be use to highlight savory dishes too. They're an interesting addition to any dish, giving an earthy flavor to main courses and sides.

Cinnamon has long been used as a savory spice. Indian cooks have used it for century in their main courses.Think about Indian butter chicken that not only has cinnamon to give it some spice but also cumin, tumeric and coriander. For a different side try the Indian style basmati rice laced with the spice. Meats such as pork can benefit from a dash of cinnamon. Try a pork roast  with a spicy mix of it, dried minced onion, rosemary, sage, and garlic powder. You can also try it on pork chops cooked with apples for a fall Sunday dinner. The Greeks also cook savory dishes using it . The famed dish patstitsio uses two teaspoons of ground cinnamon to this lasagna like dish. You would think it wouldn't work with the tomato added but it brings out the fruit's' flavor and also gives the ground beef an earthy flavor that sets the dish apart.Other fall spices such as allspice and nutmeg are also added , giving the dish a more complex flavor.

Allspice and nutmeg are the other fall spices liberally used in autumn baking. Yet allspice can be used also in a variety of dishes . Since it has a stronger taste it can easily be added in seafood dishes. It tempers other spices too such as cayenne. It also figures largely in Middle Eastern cooking.It gives lift to the traditional beef meatballs called kibbeh. You could also rub it on lamb shoulder or lamb chops for a different spin. Allspice is one of the ingredients in Caribbean jerk.This is an easily made spice mix that you can whip up in your kitchen. The spice is mixed with cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin and smoked paprika. Hot pepper flakes are added in for zing and bite.Nutmeg, the other and perhaps most subtle of all the fall spices, can also be used in main dishes and sides Think about using it in a seasoning for poultry, especially for turkey. It would make for a flavorful Thanksgiving  bird. It''s also a great addition to creamed spinach. Keep in mind with nutmeg you can buy the nut and micro grate it yourself or buy the already grated kind.

Fall spices are essentially for all dishes. Try them in savory ones to lit up ordinary dishes, They add a subtlety and warmth making for  memorable recipes.

Recipes And Stars

 Chat about food is always interesting. Ruth Rodgers, London's American born proprietor knows this and has started a podcast that has celebrity stories and recipes.

Mark Landler, the London bureau editor for The New York Times interviewed her in  yesterday's New York Times Food section. The River Cafe is one of London's most glamorous Italian restaurants, starting out as a canteen for Ms. Rogers architect husband richard Rogers. Its' varied and chic plates have attracted all sorts of celebrities. Michael Caine, the cockney charmer from Alfie and The Man Who Would Be King is a Wednesday regular and also the first star  to be interviewed. Other stars and celebs are David Beckham, Paul McCartney, al Gore, Glenn Close, Tracey Ullman and Salmon Rushdie.She's also interviewed Pete Davidson from Saturday Night Live and the great actor Ralph Fiennes. The chats are entertaining. Paul McCartney told of the first time he and John Lennon drank wine and how it reminded him of vinegar. He and his daughter, designer Stella McCartney have cooked on the podcast.

The idea for all of this came from Brooklyn pizzeria the famed  Roberta's. Ms. Rogers visited the hipster hangout known for their unusual pizza toppings.They also had a radio station in their back yard. Another spark came from Ian McKellan who read her riboletta recipe at a fundraiser in 2009. She realized that food and recipes could be drama. Each episode of River Cafe Table 4 (the most popular table in the restaurant) starts with a recipe reading. Mr. Mccartney did one for roasted eggplant, David Beckham read tagliatelle with girolles or small mushrooms while PBS  host Christiane Amanpour read one for the cocktail Negroni Caldo. She asks about childhoods along with health,work and success. Their careers are never mentioned or promotions for their newest movies or albums,. Some are cozy reminisces while another provide to be stark as artist Tracy Emin talked about life with a single mother.

There's nothing like food and talking about food is even better. Ruth Rogers podcasts provide an interesting slice of .life among celebrities. Listen to it for entertaining stories and recipes.