Bun Times Ahead

Buns are fun. They're always a treat whether they're plain , infused with cinnamon and raisins or spiced. They're a great mid morning snack or even a quick way to start the morning. They have more oomph than plain rolls and go better with coffee or tea. Buns are the perfect sweet when you;re craving some kind of pastry.

Buns have been around since medieval times in the form of hot crossed ones. These were spiced and fille d with raisins, However the Anglo Saxons ate them as a sacrifice to the moon goddess Eostre, where our Easter comes from. The cross symbolizes the four quarters of the moon. Later the newly minted English Protestants declared them too Papist tried to ban them. That didn't work and England's wise Elizabeth I relegated bun making to only Christmas and Easter. The 18th Century brought two new forms of bun,. the Sally Lund and the Bath. the first was created by French Huguenot. Solange or Sollie Lyuon.These were a spin of the mancette a type of dinner roll eaten only by the rich. Sally Lunn had nutmeg, rosewater and cinnamon in them. The bath bun created by Dr. William Oliver in the spa town of Bath, England These were a rich yeast dough wrapped around a lump of sugar. it had more crushed sugar on the top and was chock full of raisin sultanas and citron peel.

Nowadays buns are even richer. The chain Cinnabon offers them liberally laced with Madagascar cinnamon and topped with a mega rich cream cheese icing. Local bakeries around the Philly and South Jersey area offer sticky buns. This is again another rich treat more like a gooey cake than a bun. It's made in the same roll around way as the Cinnabon but his also laced and sprinkled with chopped pecans. Again all of these are to be eaten with a knife and fork and usually constitute a dinner as opposed to a snack. However grocery stores in the New York metro area and some bakeries sell traditional buns and these are good split open and slathered with butter.

Buns are a fun treat no matter what time of day. They are great for mid morning and mid afternoon breaks. They're good at breakfast when you're reading the paper or at the mall when you're tired of shopping. Treat yourself to one today.

March Winds Bring Hearty Meals

Just because Spring is right around the corner doesn’t’ mean that it’s time to go over to lighter fare. The month can still get blustery and cold. There will still be a blizzard or two up Old Man Winter‘s sleeve. This means that it’s OK to serve a hot and hearty meal for dinner or even for lunch.

This is the month for St Paddy’s Day and that usually means a rich and satisfying lamb stew. There are plenty of different recipes out there to try. Some require the traditional mutton and vegetables however you can add parsley dumplings or serve over polenta for a twist. Cassoulet, a cold weather favorite in France, is also a good March meal. This is a savory blend of sausage, duck and beans mixed in with spices and cooked sort of like a stew. It’s salvation after a day of chilling temps and sleet.
If course nothing beat s that ultimate comfort food -casserole. You can add a variety of ingredients from the staple s of beef. chicken and potatoes to beer and tuna. There’s nothing like a simple yet creamy slice of one, accompanied by a bright salad and some warmed dinner rolls. Unlike cassoulet, casseroles are pretty easy to whip up and enjoyed by almost everyone. You can vary the ingredients by making the meat ones for week days and if you ’re observing Lent vegetarian and tuna casseroles. Try a breakfast one for a weekend brunch with friends and family.
March has definitely comes in like a lion. To bear its‘ roars and snarls treat yourself to warm , hearty dinners. They’ll get you through the rough first days You’ll feel as content as a cat by the fire.

That Other Day Lewis

Mention the last name Day-Lewis and it'll conjure up pictures of the great actor Daniel. However there is also a great cook with the same last name, his sister Tamasin. Tamasin Day Lewis is one fo the three top chefs in England(the others being Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson). She 's already big time in Britain. Day Lewis soon be as much of a celebrity as her brother is here in the States.

Day-Lewis started off as an actor however went over to her love , cooking. She, like Oliver and Lawson. believe that people should eat fresh cooked meals with fresh ingredients. Day Lewis does not like or use preservatives in her cooking and forget about takeout. That's an absolute taboo in her book. It seems like she firmly believe in healthy living and locavore dining. This philosophy is reflected in her recipes whether it's her roasted beet soup or her saffron chicken (this last looks intriguing).

As any Day Lewis (her father was the poet laureate of England , Cecil Day Lewis) she has a large body of work. She has eleven cook books under her belt, with the last. Singing For Supper published in Britain last October and now will be available here in the States. She also includes her Irish heritage (the Day-Lewises are from Laois County in western Ireland.)along with country style recipes. If you can't get her books then see her videos on the Food Channel UK site.

Mention the name Day Lewis and people will associate it quality. However to film buffs it means the great actor , Daniel, to foodies around the world it means Tamasin and her practical and healthy approach to cooking. She is the star of the family with her inspirational attitude and recipes.
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Acai The Miracle Fruit

Acai is everywhere these days. You can find it in face creams and serums ; in shampoos and conditioners. However this berry is also go for your interior as well as your ex. More and more people , especially foodies, realize this as the fruit gains in North American popularity

There was an excellent article in Wednesday's Times Dining section(kudos to this section because they're really packing it with interesting and well written articles) Seth Kugel, a regular contributor to this section has researched about the fruit and what it can do . Acai has many properties namely it retards the aging process and is a fat super burner. The acai berry , like its' cousins the cranberry and blueberry is chock full of antioxidants and flavaoids . These help the body fight off damaging free radicals. The Brazilians have been eating them for a long time. Acai is usually a side dish and , instead of being an energy booster, it actually makes those who eat it sleepy. Still the extract is being added t power drinks across al of the US and it;s unlikely that you won't find some kind of power water or juice without it. It's been imported since 2000 and is definitely helping the Brazilian economy. The people living in the acai regions now can afford electricity, better food and better housing thanks to the berry's popularity.

What does acai taste like? Unlike its' cousins, it doesn't come in varying degrees of tartness and sweetness.I t is a bitter taste however most Brazilians like it that way. I guess the taste would be comparable to baker's chocolate or 80 percent dark, cacao; rich but with almost a sour aftertaste. Once the berry hits the states it's sweetened and mixed with other flavors like mango or blueberry to make it more palatable.

Acai berries are gaining in popularity. Yes, they are good for your skin and hair but they're even better for your your health. Try to incorporate them in your every day diet. They will give you a lift while protecting your body. Plus you'll look good, thanks to these healthy Brazilian treats.

Bot Cuisine

Robots in the kitchen? Sounds like a crazy 1950's movie theme but it was the subject of an article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. Before all of you get excited and wonder when Target and Williams and Sonoma are stocking these, remember the kitchen 'bots are only in prototype phase right now. Maybe by mod decade they'll hit homes.

Ian Dalywrote this piece wher e he interviewed the robots' creators at the Carnegie Mellon Institute in Pittsburgh. One robot, dubbed the "Snackbot" served him a granola bar , not unlike Rosie on the cartoon series "The Jetsons"and even called him by his name.The Snackbot is just one type of kitchen automaton. A Chinese company, Fanxing Science and Technology have created other robots that can easily whip up thousands of Chinese delicacies. They know how to bake boil and steam. One even has a creepy looking human looking hand attached to pick up sushi. American scientists have also created a robot that whips up omelets.

As much as it sounds like a fantasy to have a robot doing all your cooking there is one big drawback. They're not human. Robots can't taste so food can either be uber spiced or too bland.A Japanese ramen restaurant has a robot to cook its' food, Unfortunately the cuisine is none too great because the bot can' ;taste it and make any necessary adjustments . Another drawback is that we flesh and blood cooks love to add and reinvent recipes making them our own. Without this human factor food is going to be as exciting and tasty as institution food.

Robots in the kitchen. Well , I wouldn't mind them to clean and core and knead for me but we already have gadgets that do that. Call me old fashioned but I prefer my cooks to have a pulse. i also prefer to have help that I can talk to and get a response.
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The Ultimate Comfort Food - TV Dinners

Nothing beats a TV dinner on a cold snowy or rainy night. There’s something infinitely comforting about either a piping hot, gravy infused pie or satisfying meatloaf with mashed potato. They’ve been a part of the American culinary landscape for almost sixty years and they’re just as good now as they were then.

C.A. Swanson and Sons created the first frozen meal in 1953. The first dinners were a take off of a traditional Thanksgiving one with sliced white meat, gravy and cornbread stuffing, peas and carrots were also added to round it out, The tray were designed to fit nicely in that new American addition to the living room - the TV tray. In 1960 Swanson added desserts such as apple cobbler and brownies . Nine years later the first frozen breakfast called Fresh Starts, appeared on the scene, giving busy families a chance to enjoy a hearty hassle free meal. Hungry man dinners appeared four years late r in 1973. These has big portions and diverse meals such a fried chicken and meat loaf. There are still Swanson TV dinners but now they’re in microwavable plastic try as opposed to the original aluminum.
What are the best TV dinners today? I’ve just discovered Marie Callendar’s meat pies. These are wonderful, homemade style potpies chock full of turkey or chicken chunks; a light gravy and veggies. I love the flaky crust which is similar to homemade. Of course there’s always Swanson, a favorite of mien since childhood. Nothing still beats their turkey and gravy and it’s still the best comfort food especially after a long, hard day.
TV dinners are a big part of the American landscape. They bring back good memories of sitting in front of the TV watching favorite shows. They’re still the perfect dinner or even lunch for those of us too busy sometimes to cook.

Oh Canada And Its' Cusiine

Mike Myers makes a joke of his native Canada's cuisine. He said once that" You never hear any one saying "Let's order out Canadian." The problem is that unlike our neighbor to the south, Mexico, the country's cuisine is not well known or popular here. However thanks to the Vancouver, Games, now everyone south of their border is curious. Is it just mooseburgers , Molson's and maple syrup ?Or is it something much more complex ? Is it a blend of indigenous and immigrant foods?.

What is Canadian cuisine?It's a mixture of the First Peoples tribes, European and Asian cooking . It's mostly French around Quebec and Montreal, where the locals enjoy pea soup and tourtieres. flaky meat pies usually eaten after Christmas Midnight Mass. Would you believe that the Chinese buffet, so popular here in the US is really a Vancouver invention? It started as early as the 1870''s when Chinese cooks made lunches for Swedish lumber jacks. The result was combining the smorgasbord with a variety of good provincial Cantonese and Mandarin foods . Indigenous and European cuisines came together in the fried bannock cakes, so beloved by the Inuit people. These were introduced to them when Scottish fur traders began business with them. Native meats are also eaten such as beaver and caribou. Seafood is big in Canada too. The country is basically surrounded by water, from north and th e Arctic Ocean to south with the Great Lakes. The Maritime and Pacific provences also benefit from the abundance of the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans. too.

Canadians also like their sweets. and there are many to choose from. one popular one is the naimioni which is a loaf cake filled with cream and topped with chocolate. this is from British Columbia. Another is the sugar pie which is similar to a cream pie and made with maple syrup , cream and sugar. Imagine a pecan pie with the the pecans and you have this treat. Canadians also have their version of Dunkin Donuts with Tim Horton's named for its' founder Canadian hockey great Tim Horton. Some Tim Horton's can be found in the states. , namely in Maine and New York(however they're also in Indiana and Kentucky right now too)

Canadian cuisine is varied and multicultural. Like the US and Mexico it is a blend of indigenous ingredients and European style cooking techniques. The food and the provinces it represents are as varied and and as delicious as any other on this continent.