Yesterday's Dining section of the New York Times ran an excellent and well detailed article by John T. Edge about that Louisiana staple the po boy. This is a great sandwich that can be made a variety of ways, with seafood or meats, sauces and veggies. New Orleans is celebrating the sandwich in the city of its' birth by having a festival celebrating it this November 22nd. Famous restaurants such as Emeril's and Jack Dempsey's will have cooks making tons of po boys for the crowds and fans expecting to gather there.
The po boy has an interesting history. It is one of the newest sandwiches being born in 1929 during a labor strike for streetcar workers. The strikers who would come for lunch would be called "poor boys' by the Martin family where one time streetcar workers themselves and now had a new business a coffee and sandwich shop. They vowed they would feed the striking and hungry workers a new kind of sandwich that had wider slices of bread. This enabled them to put more fillings on and thus provide a more satisfying lunch. The sandwich took and was perfect for the varied cuisines of New Orleans.
What is a classic po boy? It could range from one with a ham filling to fried shrimp to roast beef and gravy.It's usually also stuffed with lettuce tomatoes and a pickle and the bread is slathered with mayonnaise. There is also a French fries po boy where crinkle fries are stacked on top of beef. There are others that have fried green tomatoes and remoulade sauce,a homage to Creole and Southern cooking at their best. You can make your po boy own using French or Italian bread and a variety of favorite fillings, gravies and extras.
The po boy is a great Louisianan dish , reflective of the city's history. It honors the seafood and beef along with the colorful culinary history . It's also a wonderful dish to make , giving it your own personal spin.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Spinach The Good Green
By now you’re probably sick of being told to eat your spinach. Yet this leafy green is not only good for you but is also tasty and a great addition to any meal. It’s one of the most versatile too. It can go into a cold salad or hot dish. You can eat it for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. It can be served so many different ways that you’ll never grow tired of it.
The plant is one of the oldest. It was first cultivated in India and Persian and brought to Europe and Asia through Muslim traders and invaders. It is still a popular ingredient in Indian cooking and is the base for many of their vegetable dishes. Spinach made its' way into Muslim Spain around the 11th Century and became popular in European cooking. It was a favorite of Catherine de Medici who brought it from Northern Italy into French cuisine when she married the French king Henri IV. Spinach is a member of the Amaranthaceae family and is a cousin to chard. It does flower however its’ the leaves that are edible and widely used. Spinach is an excellent source of iron however it's not absorbed into the body unless it’s eaten with Vitamin C The leaves are also a good source of calcium as well along with Vitamins A,B, K and magnesium.
Spinach is also versatile. There’s nothing like a good spinach salad at lunch. You can add bacon and chopped hard boiled egg to it along with a simple vinaigrette dressing. Another easy dish is a spinach omelet made with freshly sautéed leaves. Just sprinkle in a dash of Parmesan cheese for more zip. This holiday season make creamed spinach as a great side to your turkey or ham. Add a teaspoon of nutmeg and a few pats of butter for a richer, slightly spicier flair.
Spinach is a great addition to any diet. It’s not only good for you but fits in well with your plans. Serve it cold in a delicious and refreshing salad or warm as a great side to any meat. It truly is a good green.
The plant is one of the oldest. It was first cultivated in India and Persian and brought to Europe and Asia through Muslim traders and invaders. It is still a popular ingredient in Indian cooking and is the base for many of their vegetable dishes. Spinach made its' way into Muslim Spain around the 11th Century and became popular in European cooking. It was a favorite of Catherine de Medici who brought it from Northern Italy into French cuisine when she married the French king Henri IV. Spinach is a member of the Amaranthaceae family and is a cousin to chard. It does flower however its’ the leaves that are edible and widely used. Spinach is an excellent source of iron however it's not absorbed into the body unless it’s eaten with Vitamin C The leaves are also a good source of calcium as well along with Vitamins A,B, K and magnesium.
Spinach is also versatile. There’s nothing like a good spinach salad at lunch. You can add bacon and chopped hard boiled egg to it along with a simple vinaigrette dressing. Another easy dish is a spinach omelet made with freshly sautéed leaves. Just sprinkle in a dash of Parmesan cheese for more zip. This holiday season make creamed spinach as a great side to your turkey or ham. Add a teaspoon of nutmeg and a few pats of butter for a richer, slightly spicier flair.
Spinach is a great addition to any diet. It’s not only good for you but fits in well with your plans. Serve it cold in a delicious and refreshing salad or warm as a great side to any meat. It truly is a good green.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Is Your Kitchen Holiday Ready?
Even though it's two weeks before Thanksgiving you should be asking yourself is my kitchen ready for the holidays? Are your appliances up to snuff?Do you have the right equipment to make your favorite dishes and to try new ones? these are the questions you should be asking yourself before you ask what to make and serve.
The most important appliance to check are your stove and fridge. These two are the main ones that keep any holiday kitchen functioning. make sure your stove, its' burners and broiler is in working order You'll be needing every part of it for various roasting ,baking and broiling needs. If there is a problem , then have it fixed within the next two weeks. The same philosophy applies to the fridge. You don't w ant it to go when you haven a whole freezer of veggies as well as a lower section stuffed with a turkey. Other appliances that need to be checked are your food processor ,. blender and mixers. Some of these probably haven't been used since last year (or to mix that last August's batch of margaritas). Check out these to make sure they work properly. Luckily every store from Target to Wal-Mart to K-Mart is having big sales right now so you can easily run out and replace anything at low cost.
You should also do a run through on lesser items too. Make sure your cookie sheets are up to snuff as are your graters and corers. Again if they're not , then just buy new ones. Check cookie cutters and icers to make sure they're ready for another round of holiday baking. Replace anything that's looks raggedy or junky..You may also want to get rid of any old spices and sauces that are laying around in your cupboard or fridge. They've probably lost their potency and need to be replaced.
Before you know it the holidays will be here. Make sure your kitchen is ready for them with working appliances. It'll make holiday cooking and baking that much easier and less worry free.
The most important appliance to check are your stove and fridge. These two are the main ones that keep any holiday kitchen functioning. make sure your stove, its' burners and broiler is in working order You'll be needing every part of it for various roasting ,baking and broiling needs. If there is a problem , then have it fixed within the next two weeks. The same philosophy applies to the fridge. You don't w ant it to go when you haven a whole freezer of veggies as well as a lower section stuffed with a turkey. Other appliances that need to be checked are your food processor ,. blender and mixers. Some of these probably haven't been used since last year (or to mix that last August's batch of margaritas). Check out these to make sure they work properly. Luckily every store from Target to Wal-Mart to K-Mart is having big sales right now so you can easily run out and replace anything at low cost.
You should also do a run through on lesser items too. Make sure your cookie sheets are up to snuff as are your graters and corers. Again if they're not , then just buy new ones. Check cookie cutters and icers to make sure they're ready for another round of holiday baking. Replace anything that's looks raggedy or junky..You may also want to get rid of any old spices and sauces that are laying around in your cupboard or fridge. They've probably lost their potency and need to be replaced.
Before you know it the holidays will be here. Make sure your kitchen is ready for them with working appliances. It'll make holiday cooking and baking that much easier and less worry free.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Get Stewed
November’s chilly days call for a nice stew. It’s the perfect and the easiest meal to make for these cold days. You can add as much or a s little as you want. It can be chicken, beef, fish lamb or even vegetarian. Stew is a perfect dish to customize and make your own.
Stew has been around for millenniums. It was first mentioned in ancient Rome‘s by Apicius and or Taillevent wrote about ragouts in his Le Viander cookbook. The English a nd Irish have been making hearty lamb and mutton stews for centuries. These recipes were brought to America where colonists enjoyed Brunswick stew. This was a robust mix of squirrel, rabbit ,pork and beef along with corn, tomatoes and onions. Today the squirrel is omitted but okra and peas are added in for extra flavor.
Today’s stews are just as interesting to whip up. What’s even better is that you can make it in the morning and pop in into a slow cooker for your evening meal . By the time you come home from work, voila - a nice hot dinner! You can vary your stews with red wine for a more French taste or paprika for a Hungarian goulash vibe. Also you can top with a quick Bisquick crust or make dumplings to add to the stew’s richness. If you feel your stew is too ‘thin” then add some barley to thicken it.. Another good thing is that stew is reheatable and makes for good leftovers as well.
This is the perfect season to create a hearty stew. You can use tried and true recipes such as Brunswick or your own creation to come up with a rich and flavorful dinner. Either way a hearty , hot stew is the best way to chase away November’s chills and frosts.
Stew has been around for millenniums. It was first mentioned in ancient Rome‘s by Apicius and or Taillevent wrote about ragouts in his Le Viander cookbook. The English a nd Irish have been making hearty lamb and mutton stews for centuries. These recipes were brought to America where colonists enjoyed Brunswick stew. This was a robust mix of squirrel, rabbit ,pork and beef along with corn, tomatoes and onions. Today the squirrel is omitted but okra and peas are added in for extra flavor.
Today’s stews are just as interesting to whip up. What’s even better is that you can make it in the morning and pop in into a slow cooker for your evening meal . By the time you come home from work, voila - a nice hot dinner! You can vary your stews with red wine for a more French taste or paprika for a Hungarian goulash vibe. Also you can top with a quick Bisquick crust or make dumplings to add to the stew’s richness. If you feel your stew is too ‘thin” then add some barley to thicken it.. Another good thing is that stew is reheatable and makes for good leftovers as well.
This is the perfect season to create a hearty stew. You can use tried and true recipes such as Brunswick or your own creation to come up with a rich and flavorful dinner. Either way a hearty , hot stew is the best way to chase away November’s chills and frosts.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Support Your Restuarants
It's tough on all of us during these hard economic times. It's cheaper to eat in than out. Unfortunately doing this hurts our local restaurants . Some have gone out of business due to this -although in my area', it's mostly in Manhattan. The local restaurants need our business to survive and we need them. They are a good source of jobs and bring people who otherwise wouldn't visit our main streets and stores.
What to do? You can eat out at least once a month. There's nothing wrong with that plus its nice to get away from cooking and the cleaning up afterwards. It's also good to have a girls or guys night out to reconnect with friends and to add some spice to a weekend. Another good idea is to have a lunch out everything and then with office mates as a chance to recharge batteries. Nothing beats a hot pasta or salad in the middle of the work day if you feel that' s too much on your wallet or purse then you can even if you steal away to a fast food joint for a hamburger or chicken nuggets.
Another way of supporting local restaurants is taking advantage of the coupons that come in your mail. This is a fun way of treating yourself and your family along with saving some bucks. Also sign up for all the chain restaurant's newsletters . They will send you various coupons for your birthday and for the monthly specials that they have. This way you can have a nice meal at a discount. Chain restaurants also have some great luncheon twofers where you can get the second entree at half price. These are usually advertised in your Sunday coupon section. Look for them there.
Support your local restuarants during these hard, economic times. The owners and staff will not only appreciate your custom but also will be glad to see you . Try to eat out at least once a month . it's well worth it.
What to do? You can eat out at least once a month. There's nothing wrong with that plus its nice to get away from cooking and the cleaning up afterwards. It's also good to have a girls or guys night out to reconnect with friends and to add some spice to a weekend. Another good idea is to have a lunch out everything and then with office mates as a chance to recharge batteries. Nothing beats a hot pasta or salad in the middle of the work day if you feel that' s too much on your wallet or purse then you can even if you steal away to a fast food joint for a hamburger or chicken nuggets.
Another way of supporting local restaurants is taking advantage of the coupons that come in your mail. This is a fun way of treating yourself and your family along with saving some bucks. Also sign up for all the chain restaurant's newsletters . They will send you various coupons for your birthday and for the monthly specials that they have. This way you can have a nice meal at a discount. Chain restaurants also have some great luncheon twofers where you can get the second entree at half price. These are usually advertised in your Sunday coupon section. Look for them there.
Support your local restuarants during these hard, economic times. The owners and staff will not only appreciate your custom but also will be glad to see you . Try to eat out at least once a month . it's well worth it.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Swiss Chard A Fall Gourmet Treat
This is the season for Swiss chard. Unfortunately not a lot of people outside chefs and foodies know about it. That is a shame because it's so tasty and nutritious. it;s a big vegetable in northern Italian cooking and rounds out an autumn table throughout Piedmonte. It;s also versatile and easy to cook with not being whats; known as a tempermental veggie.
Swiss chard is a variation of spinach to be disntinguished from French chard. it;'s is distinguishable from the other supermarket greens by its' shiny green leave s and yellow, white or red ribbing. It does have a slightly bitter taste when raw but that dissipates upon cooking. Cooked Swiss chard tastes like a more subtle more sophisticated version of spinach. it's the perfect veggie for cold weather because it is packed with the necessary Vitamins,. A, B and C as well as being high in calcium.
The Piedmontese love Swiss chard. MY family used booth the stalks and the leaves. the stalks are cooked with a beaten egg, melted butter and vinegar to create a tart but tasty side dish. The leaves can be eaten raw as a salad or thrown in to create a mixed field green one. . We usually cook ours the same way as spinach and just add butter on top. IT'S a nice side dish to roasted chicken or London broil.
This season embrace Swiss chard. It's a good for you vegetable but also a one that will add sophistication to your table. It's a more elegant way of introducing greens to your fall table.
Piedmontese Style Swiss Chard,
1 bunch Swiss chard stalks cut in 2 inch pieces.
Butter and olive oil for sauteing,
1 beaten egg
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
dash water
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Boil the Swiss chard in salted water for 10 minutes. At the same time heat butter and oil in a frying pan (there should be enough to coat the pan's bottom). After chard is done drain and put into frying pan. At the same time whisk a beaten egg with the vinegar and water . Stir in the Parmesan cheese and our over the Swiss chard. Cook for ten minutes or until egg is thoroughly cooked.
Swiss chard is a variation of spinach to be disntinguished from French chard. it;'s is distinguishable from the other supermarket greens by its' shiny green leave s and yellow, white or red ribbing. It does have a slightly bitter taste when raw but that dissipates upon cooking. Cooked Swiss chard tastes like a more subtle more sophisticated version of spinach. it's the perfect veggie for cold weather because it is packed with the necessary Vitamins,. A, B and C as well as being high in calcium.
The Piedmontese love Swiss chard. MY family used booth the stalks and the leaves. the stalks are cooked with a beaten egg, melted butter and vinegar to create a tart but tasty side dish. The leaves can be eaten raw as a salad or thrown in to create a mixed field green one. . We usually cook ours the same way as spinach and just add butter on top. IT'S a nice side dish to roasted chicken or London broil.
This season embrace Swiss chard. It's a good for you vegetable but also a one that will add sophistication to your table. It's a more elegant way of introducing greens to your fall table.
Piedmontese Style Swiss Chard,
1 bunch Swiss chard stalks cut in 2 inch pieces.
Butter and olive oil for sauteing,
1 beaten egg
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
dash water
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Boil the Swiss chard in salted water for 10 minutes. At the same time heat butter and oil in a frying pan (there should be enough to coat the pan's bottom). After chard is done drain and put into frying pan. At the same time whisk a beaten egg with the vinegar and water . Stir in the Parmesan cheese and our over the Swiss chard. Cook for ten minutes or until egg is thoroughly cooked.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
A Good Foodie Read
This is the season for poring over cookbooks , looking for new recipes for the holidays. Yesterday's New York Times Dining section had an excellent review of some of the fall's best cookbooks. Some are old favorites , like LaRousse Gastronomique. some are new spins on old cuisines such as as How To Roast A Lamb :New Greek Classics. All are worth adding to your bookshelf. There are some great ideas here not just for you but also for the other foodies on in your life.
The article, written by Julia Moskin lists a variety of books.She mentions Larousse Gastronomique, which is a must have for any foodie out there. This is the ultimate go to book , first created in 1938. It is an encyclopedia of food rather than a cookbook. My Mom still has hers and it is worth every penny. Clarkson Potter is the publisher and it now cost $90 but worth the steep price. LaRousse will give you explanations on everything from simple boiling to creating a perfect croquenbouche. It has detailed drawing of meat cuts along with fruits and vegetables. There is also the down to earth Damned Good Food by Mitch Omer and Ann Bauer, (published by Borealis books). This is a foodie's cookbook with recipes that are redolent with butter, cheese, bacon and brown sugar.. Greek and Italian cooking are also here with the books How To Roast A Lamb : New Greek Classic Cooking written by Micheal Psilakis and published by Little Brown and the Italian Why Italians Love To Talk About Food written by Elena Kostiokovitch. These have new spins on traditional recipes and would be perfect to dig through for some holiday dishes and desserts.
Dessert recipe books are also mentioned in the article. There is the great macaroon or macaron book entitled I Love Macarons written by Japanese pastry chef Hisako Ogita. It's not really a cookbook but a how to about how to tint and create fillings for these little treats. Another baking book , The Craft of Baking cowritten by Karen DeMasco and Mindy Fox is a great book for any kind of baker or cake lover. It also encourages them to be creative and innovative with the recipes as well.
This is the season to pick up a good cookbook. The ones listed here will certainly help you in preparing and making a good holiday meal or even a dinner for friends. Stroll through your bookstore to look over them at them .Hopefully after a good browse you'll be inspired to buy them. They're worthy additions to any foodie' s library collection.
The article, written by Julia Moskin lists a variety of books.She mentions Larousse Gastronomique, which is a must have for any foodie out there. This is the ultimate go to book , first created in 1938. It is an encyclopedia of food rather than a cookbook. My Mom still has hers and it is worth every penny. Clarkson Potter is the publisher and it now cost $90 but worth the steep price. LaRousse will give you explanations on everything from simple boiling to creating a perfect croquenbouche. It has detailed drawing of meat cuts along with fruits and vegetables. There is also the down to earth Damned Good Food by Mitch Omer and Ann Bauer, (published by Borealis books). This is a foodie's cookbook with recipes that are redolent with butter, cheese, bacon and brown sugar.. Greek and Italian cooking are also here with the books How To Roast A Lamb : New Greek Classic Cooking written by Micheal Psilakis and published by Little Brown and the Italian Why Italians Love To Talk About Food written by Elena Kostiokovitch. These have new spins on traditional recipes and would be perfect to dig through for some holiday dishes and desserts.
Dessert recipe books are also mentioned in the article. There is the great macaroon or macaron book entitled I Love Macarons written by Japanese pastry chef Hisako Ogita. It's not really a cookbook but a how to about how to tint and create fillings for these little treats. Another baking book , The Craft of Baking cowritten by Karen DeMasco and Mindy Fox is a great book for any kind of baker or cake lover. It also encourages them to be creative and innovative with the recipes as well.
This is the season to pick up a good cookbook. The ones listed here will certainly help you in preparing and making a good holiday meal or even a dinner for friends. Stroll through your bookstore to look over them at them .Hopefully after a good browse you'll be inspired to buy them. They're worthy additions to any foodie' s library collection.
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