Celebrating A Culinary Heritage

One particular cusine doesn't not define a country's culinary hisotyr.It's a combination of different recipes from various areas. The dishes are basically the same yet infused with the flavor of each region, This is true of Mexican cuisine. There is no right or wrong way to cook. It's simply cook.

Rick A. Martinez , author the just published cookbook Mi Cocina Recipes and Rapture From My Kitchen In Mexico (Clarkson Potter 2022) wrote about this in todays New York Times Wednesday Food section. As with his cookbook ,he travelled throughout Mexico , looking for recipes similar to what his mother and grandmother made. He came up with a stunning array of regional dishes after touring the entire country. he flew to Mexico City bought a car and went to the various Mexican states. He drove 25,000 miles and visited 300 (!) cities across all thirty-two states of Mexico.He discovered that classic dishes like tamales, pozoles and mole have an infinite mumber of variations. THis is due to the style and sazon - flair and style) of the cook taking center stage.Mr. Martinez biught into the idea of one perfect recipe when that's far from the truth. There are always different variations with subtleties and nuances. He'd order the same dish over and over at different recipes, taking notes on the dishes similarities and differences. The reasons for this is that Mexican cook love their indiviual recipes.

He offers his favorite recipes. There is a mole negro which is rich in Mexican chocolate.This is a grainy paste loaded with cinnamon and sugar. . Instead it's a smooth silky black mix of chilichuacle and guajilo chiles cooked with roasted whole almonds and roasted whole peanuts. A variety of different spices from peppercorns to star anise , cloves and cardamon  amp of the flavor as do raisins and pumpkin seeds. It's the tomatoes and tomatillos that lend the sauce its' silkiness. This is usually served on roasted chicken or turkey.There is also chorizo sandwiches with tomato guajillo .  like a zingy sloppy joe with the chorizo sausage cooked in a sauce of guajillo chiles and chicken broth. The sandwich also has lettuce and  sliced onion on it. Mr. Martinex also includes a chicken soup, rich with the often used veggies of Mexico, such as squash and corn along with onions. It's decorated with fried chiles and crunchy tortilla chips.Yes, there is a recipe for chiles relenos or stuffed chiles. They filled with Mexican cheese , dipped in an egg batter and fried.They're served with  a roasted tomato salsa. Mexico has a coastline bounding with seafood. There is also a recipe for grilled fish  - pescado with a chile lime sauce.Red snapper is used for this and brushed with a mix of achiote paste , orange and lime juices.Iyt's served on wamred tortilla. with lettuce and sliced onions.

There is no right or wrong way to cook Mexican cuisine. It all depends on the person cooking the recipes. It 's up to the chef's taste and flair to make it memorable.

Floridian Foods

 Florida has been in our thoughts and prayers lately. It is  a beautiful state , rich with scenry, sunshine and culture. It also had a wide array of different dishes that are worth trying.They can be Cuban influenced or made with the states's citrus crops.

One of the most popular dishesin the Miami area is the Cuban sandwich. This is a hearty hero type of sandwich that has layers of hot roast pork, ham, pickles, Swiss cheese and pickles.It's served on thick Cuban bread and hasn;t changed since it was first introduced to the state in the early Twentieth Century, Miamians also snack on chicharrones, deep fried pork belly rings  They're fried in their own fat like bacon and spiced. Croquetas or ham croquettes are another popular Floridian dish, reflective of the heavy Cuban influences. These are a tasty mix of minced ham and onion, bonded together by eggs  and then rolled in cracker meal These are then deep fried and can be eaten plain or with sauces. Of course fish are eaten on this peninsula. Fish lovers enjoy broiled flounder, pompano or snapper along with grouper. There are also  stome crabs and pink shrimp to try too. Do Floridians eat gator? Yes!! The tail is

usually deep fried and tastes like chicken nuggets. Restaurants feature it as an appetizer along side wings and crab cakes.

The state has always been known for its' citrus, The Spanish brought the fruits over in the 1490's when they first  colonized the Caribbean. There have been orange groves since the mid 1800's and Floridians and visitors have been enjoying fresh juice ever since. Lemons have been grown there  for commercial use since th e late 1800's. Grapefruit is another citrus fruit that the state produces and it originates from the Indian River area in Melbourne Florida near the Atlantic Coast. They're shipped everywhere from the United Kingdom to South Korea.The warm climate and sunny days are also perfect for growing limes and even homeownrrs have a tree or two in their backyards. This brings about the state's most popular and delicious dessert Key LIme pie.it was first made in Key West. home of Ernest Hemingway in the 1890's. the main ingredient was coindensed milk which people fo the time used since fresh milk was so scarce. Most long time Floridian families have their version of this  but it's mostyl an eggless custard zinged up with the juice of eight to ten limes.

Our hearts and prayers are with Floridians right now as they try to rebuild after Hurricane Ian. See the state as a great culinary one. It's full of interesting dishes and flavors.

A Thanksgiving Up North

 Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian neighbors to the north. Like us , they have a day of feasting and thanking mixed with cooking and hosting. Their recipes reflect who they are and the great products the country is known for.

American home chefs could use this day and the Candian recipes as a tester day for our Thanksgiving next month. Maple syrup is big in Quebec province and it can be used for both sweet and savory recipes. Of course the most obvious way to go with it for yams or sweet potatoes.The syrup's earthy flavor brings out the yam's or the sweet potatoes own sweet flavor, however be sparing with it. You don't want ot to taste like candy. Lemon juice is often added to cut the sugariness.Another take on them is cutting the sweet potatoes or yams into planks, brushing with a combination of melted butter or margarine and then air frying them  This gives the fries a nice crispy exterior while still maintaining a soft meaty inside. Maple syrup can also be used as a glaze for turkey too. This is sually made with the addition of orange juice, and vegetable stock. Wait thirty minutes before poring over the roasting bird. It's then poured over the bird again two and a half hours after the first glazing and when the oven temperature has been lowered. The extra glaze can be pured over the finished roast or served as a sauce alongside it.

What do you stuff a Canadian Thanksgiving bird with? A  French Canadian stuffing!!! It's usually a meat based one as opposed to the American  mostly bread kind. The Quebecois version is usually a mix of both pork and beef along with two large chopped onions. There is bread as a base but also some families add breadcrumbs as well. Their sides are like ours. There's always a big bowl of homemade mashed potatoes and Brussel sprouts, the last usually served with crumbled bacon on top. Are Thanksgiving Day desserts the same up north as they are here? There are pumpkin and apple pies but there are also mouth watering butter tarts too. These are miniature pies usally filled with raisins, quarter of a cup of butter,corn syrup and brown sugar.Eggs are added for a custardy silkiness and vanilla for more flavor. The tarts can be topped with either whipped cream, creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream.Another popular Thanksgiving (and year round ) dessert is the nanaimo bar , named for the British Columbia city of Nanaimo. It's a rich layered bar , made with a chocolate and coconut laced cracker crumb  as the first layered topped with a custardy middle.It's then  topped with a chocolate candy topping. They have to be chilled between layers to get that neat tricolor look.Shortbread is also baked for the holiday with some home chefs adding maple syrup for flavor.

To all our Canadian friends, enjoy this holiday. Give thanks for delicious food and recipes handed down, Be grateful for what you have.

A Season of Comfort And Warmth

There's mothing like comfort food on a chilly October night. It could be a roast chicken or a bowl of chili .It's definitely a recipe that brings so much joy and happiness that''s it's easy to forget a not so great day or bad news.

That's how I feel about my Mom's chili recipe. This has been a staple in my life since childhood. (I think she got the recipe from my father's aunt, my great-aunt but I'm not sure). It's been passed around the family and everyone has loved it. 

This is such an easy recipe that I adapted to my crockpot. It;'s a yummy mix of two dfferent kind of beans, kidney and pinto, Gardein crumbles, and Acme's Signature brand salsa roasted tomatoes. There are dashes of salt , freshly ground pepper along with  chili ,garlic and onion powders.Olive oil and water are added for smoothness and a small squirt of liquid stevia (yes stevia!!!)  cut out the tomatoes' acidity.Ghere are even fresh cut tomatoes added to temper the spice and add more flavor.

It's cooked for two to three hours however I'm always taking tablespoons for tasting every five minutes. That's how good this is. It' served here with corn muffins but crackers, polenta or rice also make for good bases. This is one of my most favorite comfort foods. We need these during these crazy, uncertain and often mean times. A mouthful of our favorite recipe is like a flavorful secuirty blanket . Ther'es something soothing in usuing familiar recipes and ingredients. 

What are your favorite comfort foods? Are they family recipes or one you've had forever. Are they savory? or sweet? Whatever they are , they all shore one thing - comfort on a cold fall day.

Are Food Magazines Still Tasty

Are food magazines still relevent in this digital age? Are they worth the money when recipes could be got for free on the internet? Some home chefs and bakers think so as do their publishers.

Food magazines have been around since the 1800's. One of the earliest was the strangely titled Berney's Mystery of Living  from 1868 that offers "tasty morsels" of recipes. There was also The Table 1886 , American Cookery,1876 the Caterer Philadelphia 1882, Cooking Club  1895 and The Boston Cooking School Magazine 1896. These were undoubtedly aimed at young housewives who had the benefit of an education but not the luxury of a cook. They probably were bored of the tried and true dinners and desserts their mothers and grandmothers clung to. They wanted to try what the families of the Gilded Age ate.(look at the dates of these magazines, they' began publication right after the Civil War when American wealth was exploding and ordinary people wanted to emulate the magnates and tycoons). Young home chefs were also eager to replicate fancy French and English dishes and sweets.Women's magazines also had offered recipes .These were usually featureing some  popular product of the day, like evaporated milk or Jello. The first serious magazine was Gourmet created in 1942. This was for serious home chefs who were taking advantage of their modern kitchens. Dishes and desserts were more complicated thanks to publisher and writer Earle McAusalnd. Fifties housewives could appreciate recipes from James Beard who wrote for the magazine in its' early days.

The question nowadays is are these food magazines worth buyig?. Most , including Gourmet are on line. It and many other require a subscription to look at recipes. There are tons of different blogs from mommy ones to cake to air fryer ones that offer free recipes along with suggestions and variations. They're easy to access and also there's no worry of ruining pages with ingredients or messy hands. You just have to quickly wipe a tablet off if there's a splotch of frosting or a drip of gravy on it.  Then there's the ecological dilemma of wasting paper  - and trees for them. Yet there are some home chefs and bakers who love these magazines. They do offer some great theme ideas , especially for upcoming Halloween parties. There are always some interesting and fun recipes for cakes and treats.Next month there will be a plethora of Thanksgiving recipes , from different kinds of turkey brines to variations on pumpkin pies. There are even smaller sized food magazines that feature such dishes as dump cakes and keto desserts. 

Are food magazines worth buying. The answer is yes if you're a devoted home chef. They're fun reads too as they offer advice and suggestions. They are work picking up.

The Popularity Of West African Restaurants.

 People are noticing how good West African dishes are. The food can be tasty and quickly made, perfect for today's hungry customers. It seems that these places are popping up all over, introducing an ancient and flavorful cuisine.

Regular contributor Kayla Stewart wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Food section. West African immigrants are coming in large numbers to the US. In 1980 there were only about 40,000 West Africansliving here. By 2019 the mumber was 890,000, mostly Nigerians living in the bigger cities of Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, new York City and Washington D.C.. This means a growing need of restuarants that offer fast and casual dining that appeal to everyone.They're proliferating everyhwere, from shopping centers to strip malls to food halls. Second generation owners are showcasing traditional and family recipes.They're also trying to reach out to non-African diners as well.There are also some well established myths that chefs such as Pierre Thiam, onwer of Manhattan's Teranga restaurant are trying to dispel. He sees people think of the African continent as a place of scarcity.It isn't,. There is an abundance of ingredients and creativity. Chef Thiem shows this by creating lush grain bowls , full of jollof rice, sweet potatoes, black eye peas, chicken and shrimp. 

Some second generation chefs have incorporated the American influences that they've grown up with into their dishes.At Suya Suya West African Grill in Philadelphia chef Dera Nd-Ezuma who developed a love fo tacos believes in this.Chef Nd-Ezuma uses them to hold such Nigerian traditional recipes like steak marinated in yaji spice, a fiery blend of ground chiles,ginger garlic and onion powders along with ground peanuts and a crushed bouillon cube. He feels that the reason for his success is that people want to experience it in a way that feels comfortable. He even feels overwhelmed when going to other African eateries. He can only imagine how non Nigerians feel. Germine Awad , a psychology professor at the University of Michigan calls this "openness to experience" -  which means piquing a potential customer's customer rather than how something is served. Yet many of the first generation Africans have a problem with the "Americanization" of  their dishes. Many chefs ignore this criticism. They want to showcase their talents and bring their version of traditional dishes and flavorings to the world.It's just finding a balance with adding avocado kale to suya bowls.

West African food is now a part of the American table. It's a joyous fusion of traditional and non-traditional ingredients and flavors. The dishes are becoming popular with everyone.

Linda Ronstadt's Harmony Of Food

 Linda Ronstadt is legend. Her smoky ,silky voice has led to many platinum records, both hard rock and nods to the Big Band Era.Surprisinngly this icon is going into food with a new cookbook clebrating her Sonoran Desert roots. It's an inreresting look at cooking of that region.

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about the singer in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. To talk to Ms. Ronstadt about her career is a treat in itself but it's another interesting facet of a life that's captivating. What is really interesting however is that Ms. Ronstadt doesn;t cook despite her heritage , equally  as fascinating. One grandfather invented the electric stove while the other was a master of meat and mesquite. Yet she does like helping out and she does host legendary brunches,. When her children were little she made sure they had breakfast with linen napkins despite the fact she never cooked breakfast for them. In fact the cookbook surprised them. Ms. Ronstadt's only culinary dish is peanut butter and jelly  or honey. 9although she does makeit lush by buttering the bread first and them layering on Laura Scudder's  organic peanut butter. When she does cook she brings the same precision to her recipes that she brought to her music. Broccoli has to be steamed three minutes.Vinaigrette can't be made with balsamic vinegar.

Her recipes for the book are party family ,part traditional. Feels Like Home: A Song For The Sonoran Borderland  (Heydey Press 2022) cowritten with New York Tiomes journalist  Lawrence Downes who also met Ms . Rondstadt when he was writing about traditional Mexican music. Yet it was her friend, CC Goldwater, granddaughter of the famed Republican senator Barry Goldwater who suggested the cookbook. Ms. Goldwater imagined it as a fundraiser for Parkinson Diesease research,Ms. Ronstadt suffers from the disease.They and friends Bill and Athena Steen who have made a name teaching people to build from adobe wanted to contribute family recipes. The recipes featured in the article are El MInuto's Crisps a, cheesey , crunchy snack, Ms, Ronstadt ate regularly at  the famed Tuscoon eatery El Minuto that was across the street from where her brother was chief of police. Tortillas are fried in oil followed by green chili  strips.  These strips are put on top of the fried tortillas and then layered with both Cheddar and Monterery Jack cheeses to be broiled until gooey and crisp.. There are her grandfather's meatballs or albondegas , braised in water as opposed to being fried in oil. They're loaded with beef and tomatoes along with garlic,mint, Mexican oregano and cilantro.

Linda Ronstadt is legendary. Now her favorite and family recipes are too. They represent her love of heritage and her beloved Sonoran desert.