Last night I watch NBC's latest reality show, Chopping Block,followed by the Food Channel's Throwdown With Bobby Flay. Both were entertaining but , really, cooking is an art not a competition between chefs or even ordinary people. Since when did cooks have to become gladiators with whisk? What's happened to the simple cooking show where it was part entertainment , part education?
I tried to get into Chopping Block, thinking it was like a foodista's version of Project Runway except the contestants were just vicious and some were just plain incompetent. It did not make for must see TV. it showed people at their worst which made them produce lousy main courses and desserts. This bloodsport may appeal to some , not to myself. Maybe that's the reason I was never too keen on Gordon Ramsay's show. Cooking is science requiring skill and patience along with creativity. It doesn't need the added pressure of bullying.
Thenthere's the Bobby Flay show. In it he dupes restaurant owners and plain folk alike into challenges. the worst part is that he tries to out do them and then persuade their friends and family into liking his version? Whatever happened to just visiting them and getting hints and tips. Why can't he be like Guy Fienga and extol even the greasiest spoon? It's horrible seeing the cooks' faces fall after their near and dear go mad for one of Flay's creations. Then when the food crtitics are brought in, it gets' even worse.
Leave the food fights to our school's cafeterias.Don't turn cooking into a bloodsport. let's leave that for everyday life.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
White House Dictate Eat Your Veggies!!!
Once again Michelle Obama has set another trend. This time it's regarding fresh fruit and veggies. She wants all Americans, from the poorest to the richest to enjoy the bounty of America's' farms and fields. She's right. We need more fresh organic fruit and vegetables in our diets. It's the unhealthy canned stuff that plays havoc with our weight , and blood pressure. We should follow our First Lady 's example and incorporate healthier recipes in our daily lives.
The first place to begin are the farmer's markets. Even though this is only March, there should be a listing of local ones on the internet. I imagine in some warmer weather areas they're already starting up. For those around the New York City area, we'll have to wait for another month. (Most start up again in mid to late April or early May). If not, then check your grocery's fresh fruit and veggie section. There are a few greens featured right now that would go well steamed or even raw in salads. Consider introducing your kids to the more exotic veggies like kale and broccoli rape.Also don't discount making healthy pasta sauces, mixing tomatoes, and onions with olive oil over spelt pasta.Homemade vegetable soups, using your own veggie stock are also a good way of making sure your family receives the vitamins and nutrients that they need.
Fresh fruit is easier to sell to your family than veggies. Everyone loves munching on a banana or strawberries. Incorporate more fruits , especially during the summer months when everyone is more acitve. . Think about bringing watermelon chunks or grapes to the beach as opposed to chips and candy. Make ice cream less sundaes using various fruits like raspberries a sprtiz of chocolate syrup and low calorie whipped cream. Another good way to bring more fruit into your diet is make ades. Everyone loves an old fashioned lemon, limem or even an orange ade. These have less calories , chemicals and sugars than any drink out there and are much healthier for your family.
Michelle Obama has set a good trend by promoting organic fruits and vegetables. Follow her lead to give your family what they deserve -a healthier lifestyle. Enjoy what America has to offer in her bounty.
The first place to begin are the farmer's markets. Even though this is only March, there should be a listing of local ones on the internet. I imagine in some warmer weather areas they're already starting up. For those around the New York City area, we'll have to wait for another month. (Most start up again in mid to late April or early May). If not, then check your grocery's fresh fruit and veggie section. There are a few greens featured right now that would go well steamed or even raw in salads. Consider introducing your kids to the more exotic veggies like kale and broccoli rape.Also don't discount making healthy pasta sauces, mixing tomatoes, and onions with olive oil over spelt pasta.Homemade vegetable soups, using your own veggie stock are also a good way of making sure your family receives the vitamins and nutrients that they need.
Fresh fruit is easier to sell to your family than veggies. Everyone loves munching on a banana or strawberries. Incorporate more fruits , especially during the summer months when everyone is more acitve. . Think about bringing watermelon chunks or grapes to the beach as opposed to chips and candy. Make ice cream less sundaes using various fruits like raspberries a sprtiz of chocolate syrup and low calorie whipped cream. Another good way to bring more fruit into your diet is make ades. Everyone loves an old fashioned lemon, limem or even an orange ade. These have less calories , chemicals and sugars than any drink out there and are much healthier for your family.
Michelle Obama has set a good trend by promoting organic fruits and vegetables. Follow her lead to give your family what they deserve -a healthier lifestyle. Enjoy what America has to offer in her bounty.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
On The Border A Mexican Treat
One of my favorite chain restaurants is On The Border, a salute to south of the border kitsch.Yes, there are sombreros and the ubiquitous adobe tiles. There's piped in mariachi music and the usual cadre of cheery waitstaff. However unlike some chains, the food is phenomenal with a wide variety of flavors and dishes for everyone and every taste.
The one thing I like about On The Border is their build a burrito. This is kind of like the build a bear concept except you had yummy ingredients instead of fluffy stuffing. The healthiest choice is the one with the sauteed veggies and guacamole. it also helps if you choose the grilled way of cooking it too. Of course, you can get the chicken and beef, and load it up with sour cream and stuff. Mostly everything is relatively healthy at On The Border. There are some good fajitas that come with a large plate of meat and grilled veggies. there are also fish tacos for those who want to eat an even healthier meal. Every dish has a side of rice and beans which are a lot better for you than fries and onion rings. On The Border also has a quick and easy take out system.
I have yet to try On The Border's desserts. They all look decadent with a Mexican twist especially the Kahlua ice cream cake or the dulce de leche cheesecake. Another item I have yet to try is their drinks, sticking with their mugs of soda or strawberry lemonade.
If you're looking for an affordable and fun chain restaurant, look no further than On The Border. yes, it's full of hokey Mexican kitsch but it's also full of good dishes at good prices.
The one thing I like about On The Border is their build a burrito. This is kind of like the build a bear concept except you had yummy ingredients instead of fluffy stuffing. The healthiest choice is the one with the sauteed veggies and guacamole. it also helps if you choose the grilled way of cooking it too. Of course, you can get the chicken and beef, and load it up with sour cream and stuff. Mostly everything is relatively healthy at On The Border. There are some good fajitas that come with a large plate of meat and grilled veggies. there are also fish tacos for those who want to eat an even healthier meal. Every dish has a side of rice and beans which are a lot better for you than fries and onion rings. On The Border also has a quick and easy take out system.
I have yet to try On The Border's desserts. They all look decadent with a Mexican twist especially the Kahlua ice cream cake or the dulce de leche cheesecake. Another item I have yet to try is their drinks, sticking with their mugs of soda or strawberry lemonade.
If you're looking for an affordable and fun chain restaurant, look no further than On The Border. yes, it's full of hokey Mexican kitsch but it's also full of good dishes at good prices.
Monday, March 9, 2009
In A Stew
March's blustery weather calls for some heasrty meals. A simple dish of stew meets this.It's not only warm and filling but easy to make. Another plus is you can use frozen veggies as well as leftovers to create it. Add some dumplings and you're ready to go.
Stew has been around for millennia. The earliest man (and probably woman) made some kind of dish using foraged roots, leftover meats and water. When pottery was invented, it became easier to make stews and store them. They were first metnioned in Apicius' writings as early as the First Century BCE. In the 1300's the French chef Tallevent put a stew recipe in one of the earliest cookbooks. The famed Irish stew, more of a lamb and mutton stew, was mentioned by Lord Byron in 1814.
Today's stews are just as ingenious and far more tastier than the earlier ones. Use a crock pot to cook yours. It can be left simmering all day while you do other things. You'll have a nice slow cooked meal when it's time to eat. Remember you don't have to use lamb or beef. Chicken and turkey stews are just as good. Pork is another good meat to use because it imparts a rich flavor to the broth ands vegetables too. As for the veggies and spices you can get creative here. You can add any kind of bean , from butter to pinto, as well as peppers or corn if you don' t like the traditionally used cabbage or potatoes. Spices are also important as is a cup or two of red wine. If your family likes a more chili like concoction then add powdered chili and cayenne powders. If you desire a more sophisticated one, then add red wine for the Gallic bouef bourguiognon. Add dumplings the way my great granny Roberts did. Her slicker dumplings always complemented her stews and made them even more heartier.
If the chill and dampness of early March is getting to you, then combat it with a nice warm stew. This is the perfect dinner after a stressful day and rainy , cold ride home. You'll warm up just by thinking about it.
Stew has been around for millennia. The earliest man (and probably woman) made some kind of dish using foraged roots, leftover meats and water. When pottery was invented, it became easier to make stews and store them. They were first metnioned in Apicius' writings as early as the First Century BCE. In the 1300's the French chef Tallevent put a stew recipe in one of the earliest cookbooks. The famed Irish stew, more of a lamb and mutton stew, was mentioned by Lord Byron in 1814.
Today's stews are just as ingenious and far more tastier than the earlier ones. Use a crock pot to cook yours. It can be left simmering all day while you do other things. You'll have a nice slow cooked meal when it's time to eat. Remember you don't have to use lamb or beef. Chicken and turkey stews are just as good. Pork is another good meat to use because it imparts a rich flavor to the broth ands vegetables too. As for the veggies and spices you can get creative here. You can add any kind of bean , from butter to pinto, as well as peppers or corn if you don' t like the traditionally used cabbage or potatoes. Spices are also important as is a cup or two of red wine. If your family likes a more chili like concoction then add powdered chili and cayenne powders. If you desire a more sophisticated one, then add red wine for the Gallic bouef bourguiognon. Add dumplings the way my great granny Roberts did. Her slicker dumplings always complemented her stews and made them even more heartier.
If the chill and dampness of early March is getting to you, then combat it with a nice warm stew. This is the perfect dinner after a stressful day and rainy , cold ride home. You'll warm up just by thinking about it.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Sicilian Cooking - A Melange Of Influences
Sicily is not like other Italian provinces. this island , closer to Africa, than to Europe, has been influenced by a cornucopia of different cultures. there were the Arabs, the Spaniards, the North Africans, the Greeks the Germans and then the Italians themselves. All left a part of their cuisine which was reinterpreted by the natives to create a unique culinary tradition.
Thanks to its' location in the sunny Mediterranean, Sicily has had a wealth of tropical fruit for millennia. The Arabs first brought over oranges between the 9th and 11th Centuries. The most famous are the blood oranges that have a deep red pulp. There are also varieties of lemons and limes also from the Arab invasions. These come in variants where the taste may be sweeter or more bitter or shapes such as the bell shaped lemons. The Sicilians love citrus so much that In fact, of their lunch treats, arancia, are fried rice balls shaped to look like oranges.
While the Arabs brought succulent citrus to the Sicilian island, the Greeks gave it their love of olives, fresh veggies, broad beans and fish. This is evident on the easternmost shores, namely in Catania where early sailors and settlers lived. The Italian influence is much seen in the Sicilian passion for eggplant and peppers, either made with sauce or stuffed. Dishes also include tuna , bream and cuttlefish from local waters. Some are served with couscous, a nod to the connection with Algeria and Libya.
Sicilian desserts are amazing They have cannoli, fried pastry tubes filled with ricotta cream and chocolate chips but there is also frutta martorano, marzipan sweets molded and dyed to look like the real fruit slices and wedges. Another dessert specialty is cassata sicliliana, a layered dessert consisting of cream and marzipan on a base of liqueur soaked sponge cake. Granita is another well known dessert, commonly eaten for breakfast in the summer. It's a coarser version of Italian ice and usually has the added ingredient of cream. It can also be made without it for a more low cal version (popular in Manhattan).
Sicilian cuisine truly reflects its' history. It has taken from the Arabs, Greeks, North Africans and Italians. It adds its' own spin and makes the dishes and cuisine its' own. It truly is a culinary wonder.
Thanks to its' location in the sunny Mediterranean, Sicily has had a wealth of tropical fruit for millennia. The Arabs first brought over oranges between the 9th and 11th Centuries. The most famous are the blood oranges that have a deep red pulp. There are also varieties of lemons and limes also from the Arab invasions. These come in variants where the taste may be sweeter or more bitter or shapes such as the bell shaped lemons. The Sicilians love citrus so much that In fact, of their lunch treats, arancia, are fried rice balls shaped to look like oranges.
While the Arabs brought succulent citrus to the Sicilian island, the Greeks gave it their love of olives, fresh veggies, broad beans and fish. This is evident on the easternmost shores, namely in Catania where early sailors and settlers lived. The Italian influence is much seen in the Sicilian passion for eggplant and peppers, either made with sauce or stuffed. Dishes also include tuna , bream and cuttlefish from local waters. Some are served with couscous, a nod to the connection with Algeria and Libya.
Sicilian desserts are amazing They have cannoli, fried pastry tubes filled with ricotta cream and chocolate chips but there is also frutta martorano, marzipan sweets molded and dyed to look like the real fruit slices and wedges. Another dessert specialty is cassata sicliliana, a layered dessert consisting of cream and marzipan on a base of liqueur soaked sponge cake. Granita is another well known dessert, commonly eaten for breakfast in the summer. It's a coarser version of Italian ice and usually has the added ingredient of cream. It can also be made without it for a more low cal version (popular in Manhattan).
Sicilian cuisine truly reflects its' history. It has taken from the Arabs, Greeks, North Africans and Italians. It adds its' own spin and makes the dishes and cuisine its' own. It truly is a culinary wonder.
Friday, March 6, 2009
The Versatile Cabbage
This is the month where cabbage affectionados will be going wild. St. Paddy's Day is coming and the veggie will be presented a variety of ways. The thing is that cabbage shouldn't be reserved for Ireland's big day. its's a good enough vegetable to be eaten all year round.
The cabbage is part of the Brassacae family ( the same family that give you Brussels Sprouts) and is a cousin to the turnip.The name derives from the Norman Picard word for swollen head, caboche . it was eaten in Europe for centuries , long before two other staples, potaotes and tomatoes, came imported from the New World. It is one of the best sources of Vitamin C in the winter months (probably why it was a staple in so many homes ).
What todo with cabbage. Most European cultures stuff it. My Piedmontese relatives make pas coi, (loosely transplated "not fish"' in dialect) This is where you take the leaves , them with uncooked polenta and then fry, The rolls are then married in a pickling of salvia and vinegar in the fridge overnight. My Swabian German cousins make the ubiquitous sauerkraut with them. You can do this but you can also make a raw cabbage salad with carrots and sweet vinaigrette dressing. Cabbage is also good in soup and there's even the cabbage soup diet where the soup is one of the main things you eat.
Don't save cabbage just for St Paddy's Day. have it al lyear round in soups or stuffed or even as a tangy salad. Use this versatile vegetable as often as you like.
The cabbage is part of the Brassacae family ( the same family that give you Brussels Sprouts) and is a cousin to the turnip.The name derives from the Norman Picard word for swollen head, caboche . it was eaten in Europe for centuries , long before two other staples, potaotes and tomatoes, came imported from the New World. It is one of the best sources of Vitamin C in the winter months (probably why it was a staple in so many homes ).
What todo with cabbage. Most European cultures stuff it. My Piedmontese relatives make pas coi, (loosely transplated "not fish"' in dialect) This is where you take the leaves , them with uncooked polenta and then fry, The rolls are then married in a pickling of salvia and vinegar in the fridge overnight. My Swabian German cousins make the ubiquitous sauerkraut with them. You can do this but you can also make a raw cabbage salad with carrots and sweet vinaigrette dressing. Cabbage is also good in soup and there's even the cabbage soup diet where the soup is one of the main things you eat.
Don't save cabbage just for St Paddy's Day. have it al lyear round in soups or stuffed or even as a tangy salad. Use this versatile vegetable as often as you like.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Spice Cakes - Fiery Little treats
I recently visited one of my favorite bakeries here in North Jersey, the B&W in Hackensack and bought my favorite cake.It's a spice cake with chocolate icing. This has been a popular treat with my German relatives for decades. It has a little more excitement than a cupcake, but not the full on spiciness of a gingerbread square.
Spice cakes started in England around the 1100's, Popular and easy to make they were a hot item at the fairs. especially the Saint Bartholomew's Day one. The Germans had something simliar, but eventually redisgned it so the cake became the cookie or lebkuchen. Why my German ancestors loved the cake form I don't know . Perhaps they first had it here and made it part of a family traditon. Perhaps it was similar to a type of ginger cak baked in their native Swabia and Bavaria. It's always been a family favorite whether it was bought or made.
You can make your own spice cakes if your bakery doesnt bake them. Take a package of any gingerbread mix , add a sparse amount of raisins and bake in cupcake papers.You can leave them plain or dust with powdered sugar.The B& W ices them with a fine chocolate glaze that offsets the rich, spicy taste of anise , ginger cardomin and clove. You can also leave them plain and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. the best way is with coffee or tea and usually as an afternoon snack.
Spice cakes are a wonderful treat. They have an old world richness and feel , different from the mass produced American snack cakes. Buy or bake them to enjoy their flavor.
Spice cakes started in England around the 1100's, Popular and easy to make they were a hot item at the fairs. especially the Saint Bartholomew's Day one. The Germans had something simliar, but eventually redisgned it so the cake became the cookie or lebkuchen. Why my German ancestors loved the cake form I don't know . Perhaps they first had it here and made it part of a family traditon. Perhaps it was similar to a type of ginger cak baked in their native Swabia and Bavaria. It's always been a family favorite whether it was bought or made.
You can make your own spice cakes if your bakery doesnt bake them. Take a package of any gingerbread mix , add a sparse amount of raisins and bake in cupcake papers.You can leave them plain or dust with powdered sugar.The B& W ices them with a fine chocolate glaze that offsets the rich, spicy taste of anise , ginger cardomin and clove. You can also leave them plain and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. the best way is with coffee or tea and usually as an afternoon snack.
Spice cakes are a wonderful treat. They have an old world richness and feel , different from the mass produced American snack cakes. Buy or bake them to enjoy their flavor.
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