Lemon Zesty

Lemons are a part of the summer. We use them in ades, ices, dressings and marinades. We even use it as a summer beauty products to lighten hair and to soften rough skin. They are the perfect fruit for just about everything. Use them for everything and anything.

Lemons were first introduced into European cuisine via Arab traders during the start of the Middle Ages. The plant was originally a hybrid of the lime and citron.It was used for centuries by sailors to protect them from scurvy. Columbus brought it to the New World with him while French explorers carried sacks of lemons with them to to Canada. At the court of Louis XI lemons were given out as favors along with oranges at balls.The Spanish on the other hand thought they were evil and even had them excommunicated (because they thought they were misshaped oranges). They are now commercially grown in California although many SoCal homes have them in their gardens

Lemons are excellent for a daily dose of Vitamin C. Remember to take a mix of honey and lemon juice if you have a cold or sore throat. Lemons are also good for stomach aches . My grandmother always had one with her to suck on to relieve digestive problems. I still prefer having lemons or lemon juice when I have a virus. Even fresh made lemonade can help with stomach problems. The fruit also possesses a large quantity of potassium as well as smaller amounts of calcium and magnesium.

Anything lemon is good. You can make a nice fruity lemonade by adding sliced lemons and strawberries to it. Freeze it for some lemon pops. This is the season to take advantage of lemon ice, whether you make it at home or buy it at any gelateria. Remember that lemon juice adds zing to marinade so add a few tablespoons to make your steaks and chickens pop. Also spritz on kabobs before grilling for a zestier taste. They add a zing to the veggies, making them more flavorful.


Lemons are the perfect summer fruit. They're versatile to go from dinner to dessert and liven up any taste. Not only that they'll protect you from those dreaded summer colds.Amp up your Vitamin C intake this season by adding a few lemon to your summer dishes and desserts.

Viva le Patisserie Francaise

In honor of French Independence Day (or the day the Capet monarchy was destroyed in France, depending upon how you look at it) I'm dedicating today's entry to French pastries. These sinfully delicious treats have always been a part of French life. Luckily , they're a part of American life as well. The problem is what to buy when you go to to your local patisserie.

There's really so much to choose from upon entering this kind of bakery. It will be mostly sweets and very little breads. These are sold in what's known as a boulangerie , a store that sells nothing but bread and rolls. A pastry shop will have a variety of tarts and cakes. You'll can get every kind of flavor from chocolate Savoyard (which are a rich cream and chocolate ganache filled loaves) to fraise bavaroise ,(a filling strawberry cake)There will be baba au rhums, wine cork shaped yeast cakes soaked in rum. A typcal patisserie will also serve plum and apricot tarts. These are cream filled buttery shells topped off with the fruits and glazed with an apricot jam. You can also buy similar ones in apple and strawberry depending upon the season.The French love raspberries so don't be surprised to find a few tartes and cakes filled with them. There is also a plain cake known as a galette which is usually served on Twelfth Nigh t or Three Kings Day , January 6th.

Most patisseries here sell variations of eclairs and Napoleons. The first usually has a chocolate covering as opposed to the traditional caramel. It's usually filled with a vanilla cream but also can be filled with just whipped cream. Napoleon, that classic French treat is another dessert It is also called mille feulle meaning a thousand layers. This was a spin on Greek pastries with the name coming from the Greek word for neck. Patisseries will also sell variations on that sweet roll, the brioche, as well as almond and chocolate croissants.

The French love cookies but not the thick hearty kind. You'll be able to buy tuiles (French for tiles) which are thin crunchy butter cookies. Gaufrettes or wafers are also sold. These are rolled cookies sometimes dipped in chocolate.

Celebrate Bastille Day with a visit t your own patisserie. have a love tart au fraise or some tuiles with your afternoon coffee.

Things Go Better With Coke

Cocoa Cola has been a summer standard for more than one hundred years. Who hasn't enjoyed a summer sitting by the beach or the pool with a can of it? Or made Coke ice pops or a Coke float?

This iconic drink started in 1885 , possibly as a competitor to an Italian coca wine, Vin Mariani. It was first made in Columbus, prohibition was launched through some of Georgia's counties and that's when Coke became carbonated. Its' early use was more for medicinal , claiming to cure everything from headaches impotence to addiction. It was also sold as a syrup to squelch nausea and calm upset stomachs. (in fact Coke is still used for that purpose today. I you feel a little queasy, COLA Coke over crushed ice really helps). It's iconic lettering was there from the very beginning thanks to Pemberton's bookkeeper, Frank Mason Robinson who designed it. it was a copy of the flowery cursive handwriting known as Spencerian script , popular of the times. The bottle as we know it was designed by Earl R. Dean in 1915.

Throughout the decades there have been many recipes involving Coke. There's the famous Coca Cola cake frosted with Coca Cola icing. This is a devil's food with the drink's added sweetness. Some barbecuers like to make a Coke marinade because they say it tenderizes the meat and leaves that sugary taste. You can also use it to make a teriyaki chicken or even throw a cup into a meat loaf mix to flavor it. Coke can even be used in a dressing for a sweet slaw or a different tasting salad dressing. Mostly it's use d in desserts, whether in ice creams or in pies. cakes and breads. I wonder if there's a Coca Cola cookie out there. Now that would be neat.

Coke has gone with our troops in war and celebrated our most glorious events as a country. It's our first party drink and the drink that gets us through a rough day. It really is a part of the American way of living.

Smart Cookies

Who doesn't like cookies? They're our passion from childhood to old age. We go mad for Oreos dipped in milk. Our first baking experience involves a batch of chocolate chips. Cookies see us through a broken heart or a denied job promotion. They really are our BFFs for life.

We have the Dutch to thank for this amazing invention. First called keokje or little cakes the cookie was really a tester for larger cakes. Dutch bakers put a small rounded heap of batter in oil and fried it. It then became a staple in the city of New Amsterdam when early Dutch settlers made keokjes by the dozen. The English soon picked up on their goodness and called them tea biscuits. The Scots soon followed rechristening them tea buns. There has always been a cookie in some shape or form. The Italians make biscotti(meaning twice baked )which the French took for their biscuit. The Germans called theirkeis and took cookie baking to a high art. Early Yanks redubbed the cookie cry babies (I'm guessing for the reaction that happened when you took it away from a kid) and snickerdoodles. The last is really a mix of flour cinnamon and sugar along with butter and eggs. A form of it goes back to Roman times.

America has so many different kinds of cookies. The most famous , the chocolate chip was invented by Massachusetts inn owner. Ruth Wakefield, in the early 1930's . She was either clumsy or crafty, dumping in a chopped chocolate bar into her batch of vanilla cookie dough. It was said she had run out of nuts and was looking for a substitute. Others say her elbow bumped into a candy bar,and shattered it. It then fell into the batter and history was made. That was the birth of the first modern cookie and soon became the object of desire for many. Other cookie s such as the buttery Scottish shortbread have had a longer run. That came from a medieval Scottish biscuit bread that was baked twice. Other cookies such as gingerbread was an offshoot of the Bavarian gingerbread cake, while the oatmeal raisin was a nod to Scottish bakers.

What's your favorite cookie? Are you big on Vienna Fingers or just in love with your local bakery's monster sugar cookies?Write to me and I'll put it in a future blog. You can reach me at Foodie Pantry or LIZRWRITER@aol.com. I'd love to hear from all my fellow cookie monsters out there!!!

Water Logged What Designer Water To Choose

Summer brings about thirst. In th e old days we used to slurp our water out of the garden hose and thought it was satisfying. Not anymore. Now we have to carry the latest trend in designer H20s. What to drink? There are as many varieties out there as there are oceans, seas and lakes. The conundrum is what's the best one for you.

Many people are curious as to what's the difference between bottled and tap water. After all water is just simply water, isn't it? Not exactly. Bottled water could be from glaciers , springs or wells.It could even come straight from a tap. What makes it different from what's coming out out your kitchen and bathroom faucets is that it has to be doubly purified and meet FDA regulations.


Sometimes it's just best to stick with the simple stuff. There's Poland Springs which has been around for ages, and the standard of office water coolers.This is the best for those with families The company has their water smaller bottles or Aquapods that you can give to small kids. Another good water is Dasani. This has a light clean taste and is refreshing chilled. You can also try Fiji. Of course for true snob appeal you can carry around a bottle of Evian (which when spelled backwards is the word naive - think about it).

There are some spins on water as well. The latest comes in the form of Fyxx Hybrid Energy Drink . This is Ohio spring water infused with caffeine to give drinkers a boost during afternoon crashes. There is also Propel which has vitamins in it for those who forget to take their daily requirement. This also comes flavored so you can have a touch of lemon or strawberry . Propel is a low calorie substitute for soda or iced tea.You can have a glass with your meals.

An important rule of Summer is keeping yourself hydrated during the hot days. This is easy to do nowadays thanks to the varieties of waters out there. Pick one that fits your lifestyle and enjoy it.

Allergies Itching To Know What's What

In every foodie's life rain must fall and they have to restrict their diets. This sometimes come in the forms of allergies. It could be a mild case with a slight rash or the serious, heavy duty kind that could land you in the ER. Some foods can be serious culprits like tomatoes, tuna fish or peanuts. Some can be mild offenders like oranges and chocolate.

What exactly are allergies? They're basically disorders of the immune system that react to allergens in the environment. It could come from plant, food or even insect venom (i.e. bee or wasp bites). Food allergies occur because the body thinks the food ingested is harmful. How do you know when you're having an allergic reaction? Sometimes it could be as simple as an itchy mouth or as complicated as breathing problems. Reactions could also mimic food poisoning or a virus with vomiting and diarrhea. These can sometimes be the beginning of a more fatal kind of allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This is where blood vessels are affected by the allergens and lead to a severe drop in blood pressure. If that happens to you or someone nearby , immediately rush them to the nearest ER for prompt treatment.

Food allergies can vary from person to person. They're usually inherited from a parent or grandparent who also suffered from them. There are several different types with the most common being shellfish and nuts. Other allergies could be to wheat, soy, eggs and milk. These are most common in children and they usually outgrow them by their early teen years. Sadly enough any allergies you acquire as an adult stay with you forever. The surest way to an easier reaction free life is know your allergies and stridently remove the foods causing them from your diet.This can be hard if it's some tasty like lobster or fruit. Yet you can substitute other foods for whatever bothers you.

Allergies , like , everything in life, happen. The trick is to know what stuff will cause that rash or stomach discomfort and avoid it. Doing this will save you a lot of grief (and possible avoid a visit to your local ER).

Peanuts - Crunchy Earthy Goodness

There's nothing like a handful of fresh roasted peanuts. The taste is amazing with a combination of roasted , nutty and sweet. The peanut is also a good summer snack. It's perfect for the ball park or the beach. Even better - you can just sit out in your back yard on a summer night eating a whole bag.

Peanuts are American but originated in South America not North. Most likely they came from Brazil and Peru. We have the Spanish explorers to thank for bringing the seeds back to Europe. Traders then exported them to Asia and Africa. It was then brought over from Africa, sadly enough during the slave trade era. Its' nickname in the South 'goober comes straight from the African nguba. We have George Washington Carver to thank for the spread of peanuts during the late 1800s. He was promoted them while at the revered Tuskegee Institute. Peanut crops replaced cotton after a boll weevil epidemic decimated the crop. Carver developed recipes to serve peanuts in a variety of ways , from soups to desserts. Roasted peanuts came around at this time, thanks to Italian immigrants, Amedo Obici and Mario Peruzzi. They also put the nuts in air tight bags and sold them under the name Planters (and created that iconic figure "Mr Peanut"). Around this time peanut butter was invented by a St. Louis Missouri physician . It was given as a protein for people with poor teeth who could not chew the crunchy nuts. Modern peanut butter machines were built in 1922 and that when it was mass marketed.

Peanuts are good for you. Although they are high in calories they 're loaded with good stuff such as zinc, magnesium and potassium. They are high in unsaturated fats and have no cholesterol. Eating them may protect you against any heart disease. They are also high in much needed fiber. If you feel like they're too fattening , then limit your intake. Sometimes just a handful of nuts will be satisfying. Besides they're fun to shell anyway (and you can use the shells as mulch). You can also have a peanut butter sandwich every now and then. This is a quick lunch, uber nutritious with a glass of milk. This is perfect for busy days when a regular meal is impossible.

Peanuts are the perfect snack for any time. Spend a summer evening shelling them and enjoying their rich earthy taste.