Clean That Grill Get Ready For This year's barbecues!

June is the time to reopen the pool, dust off the lounge chairs and of course clean and prep the grill. It's a nasty chore but someone has to do it. You should also be looking at your cooking instruments and deciding if they're worth cleaning or tossing. After all a successful barbecue begins with a well functioning grill and good utensils.



Consider cleaning your grill like cleaning your oven. The main idea is here is to get rid of that yucky left over fat and food bits that have been stuck there all year. You can use a special grill cleaner (found in your grocery's cleanser's aisle) or just use regular oven cleaner. The oven cleaner works just as well and probably doesn't cost as much. There is also a method involving tin foil too but I think the soap and water method is the best. The other is putting the foil over a hot grill and letting the food remnants turn to ash. To be honest I don't know if this really cleans it or not. Otherwise use a wire brush and some Comet or Bon Ami to get it clean and then rinse. Don't be too hard on the scrubbing otherwise you can ruin the metal. Also rinse out the pit used to hold the charcoal. This probably has a buildup of dust and debris from your garage (you should have all grills covered in the winter).

For a gas grill, you 'll have to take it apart. Lift everything out layer by layer until you get to the burners . Make sure you inspect these carefully. Check to see if they're not clogged otherwise you'll have uneven heat coming through and half cooked foods. While the grill is empty clean it with soapy water . Put all the cleaned layers back in and then do a priming to burn off any soapy residue (otherwise your first barbecue will taste like cleanser. )Your grill should now be ready for use and a whole season of good cooking.

Get everything ready for the summer ahead. That means clean the grill and prime it for some ribs, burgers , chicken and kabobs. It'll make for tastier eating and better cooking.

Crepes Light Summer Cooking

Crepes are one of the most wonderful foods tha t the French have given us. They are versatile and can be made for lunch , dinner and dessert. You can make them as decadent or as healthy as you want. Best if all they are easy enough ad quick enough to whip up - a plus for these warm early summer days.

Surprisingly crepes are not just solely French. The Italians have a version of it called crespella,. Tortillas are a variatoin of it and the Asians introduced Europe to their buckwheat ones. These are still a favorite in Brittany where they're washed down with dry cider. White flour was introduced to the recipe at the turn of the 19th Century. They're divided into two type, crepes sucree or sweet crepes or savory gallettes, crepes salee. The batter is an easy one. It's simply milk, eggs ,water and flour beaten together and then cooked for two minutes on a well oiled crepe or frying pan. You can also cook them on a griddle too.

What you stuff into a crepe is your business. I love the versatility of them. Add sugar to the batter and you have the perfect base for any dessert. I usually like mine the street vendor way as they sell them in paris. This is just a slightly sweetened crepe spritzed with a little lemon juice and dusted with confectioners sugar. You can also fill them with jam, fresh fruit or ice cream for a really special dessert and let's not forget crepes Suzettes. For savory crepes now is the time to fill them with fresh veggies , especially ratatouille. This is is one of the best savory stuffings, although spinach and mushroom is a close second. Crepes filled with seafood and then covered in a sherry bechamel sauce is a lovely and elegant summer dinner. You can so have fill them with chicken in a light tarragon sauce too or for heartier fare ham with a cheddar sauce.

Crepes are a wonderful meal to make during the hot weather. The prep and cooking time are next to nothing. The added bonus is you can have them anyway you like. Try them for a light lunch elegant dinner or unique dessert. They are toujours magnifique!!!!

June Means Fruit Time!!!!

Spring harvesting has arrived. With the arrival of June come bounties of all sorts of good fruits. There are strawberries and gooseberries to peaches and rhubarb. This is the time to enjoy the fresh picked sweets whether from your garden or from the store.

Strawberries will be in abundance this month. Enjoy them. You can soak them in Asti or make preserves with them. They are also good sliced over pancakes and waffles and of course this is the season for strawberry shortcake . Many farms throughout the area will be offering strawberry picking. Take advantage of these. if you're in the UK it''s also gooseberry season. These are used in jams and in pies. The most famous dish is gooseberry fool . This is when the fruits are pureed with whipped cream and then served with more cream. It's popular in the English countryside.

Rhubarb is another big June harvest. This is where you pick the stalks (not the leaves that are highly poisonous) and then cook them into pie filling or jam. Sometime strawberries are combined with the rhubarb to give it a sweeter taste. Rhubarb pie is wonderful especially when it's home made and covered in real whipped cream. You can also make a compote with the rhubarb as well. Just make sure that the freshly picked stalks are thoroughly rinsed free of all dirt and bugs.


Now that June is here, it's time to enjoy the fruits of a late spring - early summer harvest. Relish these sweet and natural treats any way you like. Like a perfect June day , they're wonderful and memorable.

Late Night Snacking

Watching some of Jay Leno's last late night show got me to thinking about late night snacking. There are some foodies (not myself, however) who enjoy raiding the fridge or cookie jar after hours. There's something decadently fun about eating when the rest of the household is asleep.

Ice cream is a popular late nighter's snack. You don't have to worry about manners. Just take a spoon and eat it fresh from the container. You can even be a little selfish and add whipped cream and syrup to it. A word of warning though. Make sure all the extras are gone before you put it away. You'll hear screaming if a very fussy family member finds traces of your late night sundae as they scoop out for their dessert. Leftover cake is a very good bite when you're watching Conan or Jimmy (or that repeat of Larry King) Have it with the ice cream and a cup of tea . A few cookies or a brownie are also fun to nibble on. Just keep in mind that the sugar will keep you up til dawn. I'd recommned this on a Saturday or Sunday when you can stay in bed til noon.

Leftover dinner makes a good nosh. Everyone has eaten pizza some time or other after the midnight hour. That Chinese takeout you had at five or six is still good at one or two AM. Cold chicken or turkey are made for snacking and it's fun to chew on a wing or leg (if there are any left) as you're watching late night HBO or Starz. Reheated meat loaf or burger is good too a bit heavy but if you're beset by hunger pangs then nosh away.

OK, foodies,here's your chance to shine. Tell me and the rest of our readers what's your favorite late night nibbles are. Let's compare what's good to eat when the strs are out.

Icing On The Cake

Nothing complements a cake like a good old fashioned icing. There are several kinds from butter cream to glaze that work well on every kind from sheet cakes to cup cakes. The best ones are the ones from scratch. Don;t use the canned ones. They taste artificial and ruin the flavor of a good homemade no mix involved cake.



Icings have been around for along time. From the 1600's to the late 1800's boiled icings were the frosting of choice. (although interesting enough frosting and icing were two separate coverings). Early icings were similar to royal icing which are boiled. They consist of hot water, confectioners' sugar and egg whites. Most Americans prefer butter cream , the usual mix of confectioners sugar unsalted butter, flavoringsuch as usually vanilla and milk. Cocoa powder can be added to create fudge frosting. if you want a simple icing you can just mix water, milk or whole cream with powdered sugar to create a glaze. This last is perfect for Bundt cakes , doughnuts and holiday cookies such as gingerbread.


What kind of frosting tastes good with cakes. I prefer a lemon butter cream with a vanilla cake although orange is good. Chocolate cakes are better frosted with a fudge or a chocolate mint (add mint extract) . The mint will cut the sweetness as does the lemon. Cream cheese icing another good tasting and very versatile icing. It can be used for both carrot and red velvet cake. It;s about as much work as a regular butter cream.


Icings always finish off the cake Think of them as the frame around the picture. A good simple one is all you need to showcase your work.

Pickled Pink

It's a new tradition here at Foodie Pantry to write about what was in yesterday's New York Times Food Section. The main article was about pickling. This is a great way of preserving not just summer produce but also meats. You can also store up on any favorite veggie or fruit and enjoy the taste at your leisure.

Canning is nothing new. It's been used for the last two centuries to preserve everything from chicken to strawberries. The Times article written by Julia Moskin also dispels some of the old myths such as using pectins. Pectins are emulsifiers used in the preservation process. You can make your own using green apples . Commercially made pectins are a recent addition to canning. Many purists believe that the fruits and veggies have enough of their own. The article also goes on about what also to can such as cucumbers along with various fruits . There is even a recipe for sun cooked strawberry preserves. This involves letting the sun do its' work after a quick boiling.

If you are thinking about canning this summer remember to also follow safety tips. You should have new jars and paper towels on hand. Canning takes place in a water bath locale so sterilizing the jars isn't an issue. They should be clean to begin with However is the lids that need looking at Make sure they are tight and not easily loosened. This will cause air to rush in. Some air space is needed for creating a vacuum seal. If you're having reservations about canning, attend classes or check the various magazines and web sites devoted to it.

Canning can be a great way to save a season's harvests. Homemade jams , relishes and pickles are a nice addition to any meal. They give an old fashioned flavor not found in the commercially canned stuff.

Winter Dishes In Summer

Just because the warm weather is here, doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your favorite winter dishes.Cook them with a lighter hand . Go easy on the sauces and gravy. You can have the same good stuff now that you munched on in December.



We all love meat and gravy during the colder months and why not. We need those hearty hot roast beef or turkey sandwiches to get us through snow shoveling or holiday shopping. Eat one of those now and you'll pass out. Yet who hasn't craved one when the temps hit the nineties? You can make a lighter one, substituting the heavy roue based gravy with au jus (the French for with juice) and serve on a flayed pita or even a very thin slice of bread. You don't get all the heaviness this way, just the taste. Creamed veggies are also a winter staple. Yet somehow creamed cauliflower or lima beans aren't too yummy when you're sweltering in shorts. Turn these into steamed salads dressed with a cool ranch dressing. The taste is zippier even than and is great accompanying kabobs or steaks. You can also have your baked potato but wrap it in foil and bake it on th e grill. Add some herbed low fat sour cream or even creme fraiche as opposed to butter and American cheese.



Some winter desserts can be lightened up to suit winter tastes. A German BlackForest cake can be a chocolate Bundt cake with the middle filled with fresh picked pitted cherries and whipped cream. Bake airy meringues instead of the traditional cold weather chocolate chips and gingerbread. For some dash add cinnamon or dip them in chocolate. Even those rich and warm lattes can be made into cooling almost frozen drinks (check ou the Dunkin Donuts ones that taste like coffee shakes).


Have all your favorite winter foods now. Just "summerize" them so that they're light and not heavy. That way you'll enjoy them all year round.