A Vegan Jersey Maque Choux

 Cajun food is a perfect chill chaser during this weather.One the famed masque choux  is one of those even if it's typically associated with summer barbecues. It a tasty melange of flavors and ingredients that work any time of year.

I decided to try the recipe after receiving the recipe in my email. It looked very tasty save for one ingredient - corn.With that I decided to sub in peas and chcikpeas since I  sadly can't digest corn.. I also used a base of Lidl's riced cauliflower stir fry which does have a little  corn and chopped green peppers

 

The recipe calls for real back on or ham but I used Morningstar Farms soy slices which gives more or less the same taste.

The true maque choux recipe calls for just butter but I used a mix of Country Crick plant butter and a bit of the Lid; olive oil.

It also calls for heavy cream,I used  a tablespoon of Violife's vegan sour cream and about quarter of a cup of Lidl's almond milk.

Chopped tomatoes are also added for more flavor as the original recipe. I used a generous dusting of onion powder and ground red pepper.

It's simmered over a medium flame for fifteen minutes.

I'd add the bacon later to keep it's crispness.As with any Cajun dish rice is a must so I used Lidl's Ninety minute kind

to stop up the sauce.

I arranged the bacon around the sides with rice 

This was deliciously flavorful with the hot pepper and cream sauce highlighting the vegetables and bacon. This is definitely going to be made a second and third time. It was very tasty and it can be made a variety of ways, whether the original or varied to suite individual  tastes.

Add Macque Choux to your winter table . It;s a fiery , creamy delight that's perfect for a cold night. Try it for a taste of New Orleans,

The Impactful California Cuisine

 Not many US states have the impact on world cuisine as California.It may have been the state where all our entertainment came from but also many food movements that have impacted the globe also derived in both northern and southern parts of California.

Long before there were the Spanish and Americans in The Golden State, there were the indigenous tribes.Due to its size there are several different scores, each uniquely different. They were eating the healthy salmon long before anyone else discovered this fish and its' nutritional power. There were also deer as well. along with sheep and even bear. Small fowl like grouse  and quail were also consumed as well as seafood such as mussels crabs and clams. Most of the tribes relied heavily on accords which went through an elaborate process of boiling and leaching (getting rid of toxic  tanic acids ) to create either a thin gruel or a thick stew . Not surprisingly all the tribes of California roasted and the bus which were high in protein. Crickets and grasshoppers were the most popular.When the Spanish arrived in 1769, They brought the chief components of the Mediterrenean diet that are the cornerstone of California cuisine.OLive oil fresh vegetables and wine were now a part of anew rethought California cuisine.

A change happened in Northern California with the 1849 Gold Rush, It also helped to highlight San Francisco, now becoming a place for wealthy patrons to go . The Forty-Niners brought salted food and hard tack, similar to what sailors ate. The Chinese were also coming into the San Francisco area and with them. Even though they were initially disliked, their food and cooking techniques made a massive impact even to this day in the state.Thanks to the fil industry arriving in So Cal , oranges and lemons were being incorporated in not just Californians' diets but all of America's. The Twentieth Century brought such innovators as Helen Evans Brown,originally a New Yorker and Alice Waters. Waters was influenced by her time in France but used fresh local fruit and vegetables at her restaurant ,Chez Panisse in Berkeley California, The state continues to influence the world today. The juicy and delicious French dip originated in LA along with fish tacos and the ever popular California roll. Where would the world be with out San Francisco sourdough.

California is a powerhouse in the culinary world. It has been that way for centuries.It will continue on, with good food and good flavors.

If you want to help those affected by the California wildfires, consider the American Red Cross and PROJECT HOPE

Dining In Dining Out

 Even though it's wintry up here in the New York area , there's thoughts of eating al fresco. Here's the question - what do you prefer Inside eating where it has a cozy atmosphere albeit  a din of conversations (and let's face it  its always fun to eavesdrop)or outside where you can feel the sun on your face and enjoy food in fresh air. 

What is your preference? Let us know.

For my Sweetie Bella who loved to look out the window when she had her favorite snacks.

NY Pizza For All

 A slice of New York pie was almost always relegated to Manhattan and the five boroughs. It was something people in other states dreamed about  but could never have. However all that's changing  thanks to dedicated and innovative pizza artisans. New York style is coming to the US, whether the mountains or the prairies or the ocean states.

New contributor,Ed Levine, contributor and founder of Srious eats and host of the podcast Special Sauce write about this phenomena in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Mr. Levine is kind of a specialist himself , talking about different cuisines and life in general. He explored how the perfect triangle known as the slices has made its' way across the countries. Pizzerias are serving it and people are falling in love with it. What makes a New York pie so special.Its the entire makeup.It starts with the doughy bottom that charred perfectly in a cola fired oven. From there the low moisture top grade mozzarella and a sauce made from high quality canned and steamed tomatoes.The crust or raised lip should also be charred and riddled with airy bubbles. Most pizzas , especially the slices that non New Yorkers have experienced were  thick gummy slices with bad overly chewy cheese and a not so great sauce. Now thanks to pizza evangelists as it were and affectionados as well a s blogger and pod casters America wants a better slice.

The concept buying a single slice was new in some areas.when Ann Kim opened her place in Minnesota customers were confused at the concept of one slice.  People were dumbfounded when she placed back in the oven and crisped it up.Fellow pizzarias owner Justin de Leon faced something similar when he first opened up Apollomia's in LOs Angeles. Customers were familiar with the greasy paper plates the pizza slices came on ot the paper bags for take out pizza. They even asked for plastic knives and forks. However the country is becoming  acclimated to the idea of New York slices. Righteous Pizza of Rexburg Idaho is getting a big play, Bill Crawford , the owner and chef is creating pies that are the main drive of their business. They are mazed out to their capacity yet they;re constantly growing. Making a New York style pizza is learned. California pizza maker Tony Gemignani opened up Tony Gemignani's International School of Pizza in 2018. Bill Crawford is a proud graduate along wit Ann Kim and some other like Audrey Kelly and Laura Meyer  who have their own pizzas.

New York pizza is becoming a thing.People love th e lush combination of good cheese, good sauce and good crust. It's soon to be all over America 

Backyard Saffron

Saffron has always been the world's most sought after spice.It's been used for centuries  and it's what gives risotto Milanese and paella their distinct golden coloring and rich flavor. Yet this import is now being grown on farms across America.It's becoming a popular crop.

New contributor Jane Black wrote this for today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Saffron is a big crop of Iran but due to sanctions the US can't be imported here.It can be bought from Spain,India and Afghanistan, the last, also may have sanctions against US trade. This is where American saffron farmers come in. The crop is becoming popular with people who wouldn't have even dreamed about farming. It's always has been popular and surprisingly enough one of America;s earliest cash crops.It was part of Colonial Philadelphia;s commodity trade and was even as valuable as gold. The Pennsylvania Dutch embraced to and used it's golden goodness in teas, soups and cake,s It was even traded to the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean until the trade was disturbed by the War of 1812. Now saffron is making a huge comeback, although it was always a part of such great rice dishes like paella and risotto MIlanese.

Saffron farming is hard work however. It takes money to buy the corms or crocus bulbs to get the saffron. The harvesting the spice is hard. The croci has to be picked by farmers on their hands and knees in the dark!They have to be harvested in the dark before the sun rises and then each stigma, the sticky part of the flower's pistil.Melinda Price, of Peace and Plenty Farm in northern California processed 50, 000 to do . She uses her saffron to make unusual products like saffron infused honey and lemonade.They're solid money makes and don't require a big crop.Another saffron farmer, Jette Mandl Abramson came to a similar conclusion. She creates a saffron tincture that is one of her most popular.It does have its' medicinal qualities too. It's anti-inflammatory , helping in cardiovascular problems along with alleviating arthritis.it also helps in inducing sleep and suppressing tumors too. Most home chefs use it a variety of dishes and it adds to any recipe.

Saffron is becoming a hot crop. Will it be a new sensation this year? POssibly thanks to the amount of interest in it.

The Treat Of Bread,,OIl and Vinegar

 Sometimes a good lunch or even supper consists of just a few ingredients. You can easily just use oil  balsamic vinegar and a good hunk of Italian or French bread. 

My friend Russell gave me this lovely set for a Christmas gift,He knows I go mad for bread in any kind of olive oil.

This set came with a pretty plate. I can also use the set not only for bread but also for vegetables, I can see dipping cauliflower and broccoli florets in a mix of the oil and the balsamic. You can also do with his with any vinegar. Add hot honey to this or oregano. For some fire think a quick sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a fiery ,blood warming bite. 

This makes for a nice gift, whether for a housewarming or even Valentines or Galentine/s Day.it also is a great treat for yourself if you;re big into dipping.

Cherry Tomato Sauce New Product for A New Year

 There are a lot of products home chefs want to try in the new year.They can be an experiment to be used maybe once to try or if liked, incorporated into much loved sihes. ONe such is cherry tomato sauce. Who knew those little gems could be turned into something so rich and flavorful.

I saw Lidl's Italiamo  brand cherry tomato sauce and had to try it.It was too tempting to pass up.

This I could have fun with  was my first thought. Imagine what I could make with it.It would be a perfect addition to the Lidl sauces I already use. It's not only cherry tomatoes. There's carrots for sweetness, along with onions and basil to enhance the tomatoes flavor. Olive oil makes it smooth. I added a bit to last night's sauce

This was a wild thrown in into a pot .It was last night spaghetti with the sauce. The cherry tomato sauce was also great in making a cheese less French bread pizza for lunch.

I loved this., It was just slathering the sauce along with drenching a hearty slice of baguette with olive oil and oregano.Two minutes in the microwave produced a crunchy , saucy bite that was very satisfying and flavorful. You could also use this sauce for English muffin pizzas and regular ones too.

The new year is full of fun and products to try .Lidl's Italiamo Cherry Tomato sauce is one of them. Give ti a go for a nice variation on sauces and recipes.