Mussels - Gems Of The Sea

Mussels are a different and unique alternative to other seafood. They are also more versatile, being able to go with a variety of sauces. They’re also one of the most fun foods to eat as well. The are perfect for just two or at a party . Best of all they are easy to cook and even a novice chef can enjoy them.
People have been eating mussels since the beginning of time. There have been shells found in ancient settlement sites . Today they’re still loved in a variety of countries and a variety of ways. The most famous is the Belgian style where they are steamed with white wine and served with fries. The Italians prefer theirs with pasta while Indians like the plump meat in a spicy sauce. In Turkey they are covered in flour and fried and usually accompany cold icy, Turkish beer.. The French love to have fresh mussels in a seaside bake similar to our clam bakes. Mussels are also extremely popular in the East too. The Chinese cook them with garlic and fermented black bean for a fiery main dish.
You can make mussels any of these ways although the bes t is usually steamed and then serve d with a white wine and butter sauce. You do have to make sure that you are cooking live mussels because dead ones will turn highly toxic. Throw away any dead ones. You can check this by seeing what shells are closed tight. These are the living ones. If they’re open then toss them immediately. After that they do require some cleaning, namely removing their fibers or beards. This can be done with either cutting htem or a quick strong tug. Also remember that mussels are salt or fresh water. It’s up to you which you want.
Mussels are a different alternative to the usual clams and shrimp. They can be served a variety of ways, whether in a spicy sauce or just with wine an d butter. They are satisfying and briny, a true taste of the water. Have them for your next dinner or at your next party.

Getting Your Goat

Now that spring is here a lot of cultures are turning to goat to grace their holiday tables. Goat meat is nothing new. it;s been a Caribbean staple for centuries as well as a Middle Eastern one. However some people are squeamish about eating it. It may take a while to get used to but it is known to be delicious , especially if served right.

For millenniums now goat meat has graced Indian, Pakistani and Arabic cooking. The meat is still grilled today and is also subbed in for lamb. Both meats are similar in taste and often the Indians refer t o it as"mutton" Caribbean cuisine has several goat meat recipes, particularly Jamaican. There it's turned into a spicy curry or jerk to be eaten with rice. Kid meat or young goat is big in Mexico where the recipe starts with milk fed young goats and then spiced. with chilis They are they put on a spit to roast also known as asado. The Mexicans also prefer a kid stew called guisado which is made with smaller bits of the meat soaked in various spices.

Any big city butcher will sell goat meat. You can buy mature goat known as chevron or kid as a whole carcass(not recommended for the squeamish,) quarters or cuts. Fresh meat should be removed from the wrapping paper that It comes in and rewrapped. You can leave it without wrapping if you're planning on cooking it that day. The cuts can be frozen up to three days. Cooked goat meat also has to be stored right away and in the coldest part of the fridge. Since it doesn't last as long as other meats such as beef or chicken, it has to be eaten within days of cooking.

Goat meat is an acquired taste. However if you're looking for a different alternative to lamb this holiday season, then try it. It is versatile and can be served anyway from barbecue to cutlets to stews. Enjoy it as an alternative to lamb or chicken for your Spring holiday meals..

Spring Awakening

Now that spring has finally sprung - it’s time to start looking into the season‘s offering. Fresh veggies are going to start coming to supermarkets. There is also going to be a run on just picked fruits as well. We can say goodbye to everything canned and frozen. Ripe from the garden or farm is coming back and with a vengeance.
Even though it’s only march I‘ve noticed an abundance of asparagus both in the markets and at local restaurants. This quintessential Spring vegetable will be seen more next month, gracing Easter dinners and Passover Seders. It’s a wonderful and versatile green. You can grill them , parboil and then add in salad or serve as a lovely side dish,. My favorite recipe is a family one, IN Northern Italy especially in the Piedmonte they are par boiled , then topped with melted butter , Parmesan cheese and sliced hard boiled eggs. Other popular veggies to eat right now are onions, peas and fiddleheads. These are great accompanying any Spring roast such a s lamb or chicken.

Strawberries also make their debut during the spring as well. This is the time to indulge any favorite dishes with them. There’s nothing like a quick made shortcake or just the decadent strawberries and chocolate. Apricots are also ripe and delicious just picked right now too. Another warm weather favorite. The beloved watermelon returns to shelves during this time as well. There’s nothing like eating a slice of watermelon on a balmy spring night after a satisfying dinner.

Now that Spring is here put your cans and frozen foods away for the fall. Enjoy what the new harvests are offering. Treat your winter weary palate to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Angel Champagne - A Heavenly Drink

It’s hard to imagine Mariah Carey as a serious actress- yet she proved that with the movie Precious. Now she’s ready to prove she‘s a serious entrepreneur with her latest venture champagne. Yup, champagne. She’s following Francis Ford Coppola‘s path in branching out with the brand new Angel Champagne.

The bubbly is to be introduced here in the States sometime this Spring. Surprisingly, it’s not made on her native Long Island but in France’s first capital, Reims. Right now it’s only sold in Europe coming in the larger sized liters and jeroboam bottles. I’m hoping that they’ll come out with the smaller sized ponies or splits (think small soda bottle size) because even a 750 ml bottle is 840 British pounds which translates into the pricey $1,290 .

Is a champagne worth all this money? The answer is yes. There are three vintages, either brut or blush(rose), each with a distinctive taste, Angel is not your typical champagne ,opened for birthdays and anniversaries. It is a true artisan blend of grown Chardonnay grapes specially fermented to give Angel its’ unique layered taste. The notes are pear and green apple while the brut rose is reminiscent of strawberries and flowers.

Give Mariah Carey credit. Not only does she do a powerful turn in Precious but she also has created a powerful champagne. I think she’ll be winning awards for this last. Angel really is sent from heaven. How appropriate considering it’s like nectar from the gods.

Go to www.angelchampagne.com to order and find out more.

Celebrating Saint Joseph’s Day

Two days ago the Irish celebrated the feast of Saint Patrick , today other nationalities such as the Italian and the Polish celebrate Saint Joseph’s Day. it’s mostly a big feast on the Italian islands of Malta and Sicily where special dinners and pastries are served. Lots also Italy’s Father’s Day where dad and grandfathers are honored from Trieste to Torino, from the Alps to the Adriatic.

Last year I wrote about this days pastries which are incredible. Many love the zeppolis , the ricotta filled fried puffs along with cream puffs also stuffed with a cannoli filling. However in some Sicilian and Maltese households. However there are also other dishes served before that. Spaghetti is big but it has to be serve d with a meatless sauce or topped with crunchy breadcrumbs. Broccoli rabe can also be served , probably with the salmons balls or fried codfish, baccala that the Sicilians are so fond of eating. Other dishes include stuffed (meatless) peppers and orange salad, all indicative of the two islands’ bounty of fish an harvests
Sweets are also a big part is the festa or holy day. Not only are zeppolis served but also rum cakes and various cookies. Zeppolis are usually made at home and recipes vary from family to family. Most make them with a choux paste, the same dough used in making cream puffs. Some bakers make add orange or lemon zest for more flavor. The filling is always a ricotta cheese one, either redolent with chocolate chips or lemon zest. Some put bitter cherries on top to decorate the zeppolis. This adds a nice dose of tartness to the taste. All are then lightly dusted with confectioner’s sugar .
Saint Joseph’s Day is just as important as St Patricks Day. It celebrates the saint along with fathers throughout Italy. it’s also celebrate s th e foods of Sicily and Malta as well.

The Truth About Salsa

The Times Dining Section yesterday had an interesting article about real Mexican salsas. We usually think of salsas as those bottled up condiments, similar to ketchup.Either those or the mash up of tomatoes and peppers we usually make for our chips. However real Mexican salsas are not that simple .They're complex and layered with different ingredients and different textures. They're what makes the real deal pop.

The article, written by Dining regular Julia Moskin explores the varieties of salsa and the ingredients in it. The original ones have a mix of tart, sweet salty and different degrees of "heat". This last depend s on th e chilis that are put into it. Salsa shouldn't be too hot unless it's salsa picante . Salsas can be fresh or cooked depending on what they're used for. Fresh chilis are such as the serrano, jalpeno poblano and habenero can be used in making a quick orro the ever popular chipotle. You can buy the peppers in Mexican or Latin American based grocery stores or even in the bigger supermarket chains. Salsa can also have pumpkin seeds and peanuts and the indigenous canela, the native Mexican bark that tastes like cinnamon.

The article also recommends the best tools for making at home salsa. You can buy a molcajete , and a tejolete or roughly translated mortar and pestle. Most kitchen stores such as Williams & Sonoma and even Amazon sell them. Even newbies can make a simple pico di gallo or salsa Mexicana., It's finely cut tomatoes green chilis and onions blended together into a smooth sauce. You can also spike it with tequila to make what's known as a drunken salsa or add cooked onions as opposed to raw. This last imparts sweet taste that would go good with grilled meats. Also salsa depends on how the ingredients were prepared The veggies can be charred for a smokiness, or pan fried in oil for a creaminess. You can also parboil them as well . to maintain their color but to give them some flexibility when they're being crushed.

There;'s nothing like a good salsa m,there it;s on chips or gracing a taco. If you want authentic, make your own, using the different chilis and cooking techniques. You can also serve it not only with chips. but gracing a taco or even on fajitas to give them bite. Get away from the every day salsas and try the traditional , true Mexican one.

Food Of The Auld Sod

Irish food is usually put into the same category as British food - ugh. Yet this island is rich both in beef and seafood, lamb and dairy. Irish food is taken from ancient recipe sand local farms. The combination is a rich melding of tastes and flavors, traditions with a modern twist. This is what makes modern Irish foods tasty and rich.

Modern Irish cooking or Nouvelle Irish cuisine consists of a lot of the island‘s salmon and trout along with mussels and oysters. These are served with the traditional greens of cabbage and kale. The early Irish had a more land based diet of cattle, sheep and fowl. This is true today in some regions where rich stews and roasts still rule. Pork plays an important part in the cooking , especially in the breakfasts. Pork sausage figures in th traditional one as does white and black sausages, eggs and tomatoes. The Irish also like their sausages cooked with fatty or streaky bacon along with potatoes and onions. Bacon figures heavily in some dinner dishes as well.

The Irish love sweets too. In fact they are the purveyors of the world’s best chocolate , Butler’s, founded and still based out of Dublin. The Irish are excellent bread bakers and sometimes make sweet ones for dessert. Honey, one of the oldest ingredients in Irish cuisine, is used frequently (it was first used to flavor mead for the tribesmen) as well as oats and apple. Tarts are popular as after dinner treats. One, the sinfully rich Connemara tart is made with cream eggs and apples and then dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg. Guinness makes an appearance in Guinness Cake, a kind of fruitcake that is redolent with raisins. Apple duff, mentioned in James Joyce’s Ulysses is a rich variation of a baked apple but it's encased in puff pastry and served with cream..

Irish cuisine is as ancient and rich as the Gaelic heritage itself. Traditional ingredients are blended together to form cooking that is both traditional yet modern . It' s not just simply corned beef and cabbage but much much more. It’s as varied and a textured as the country’s history and literature.