Just Beachy Food

Summer is here and it's time to hit the beaches. What comes with that is the bathing suits, towels, sunblock and of course food. What to bring? The easiest would be sandwiches but if you can grill then bring burgers and dogs. Some beaches even have their own snack bars eliminating the what to eat problem.

I usually just go to my local Subway to get a hero and iced tea. I don't have to worry about lugging a cooler and loading it down with sandwiches and drinks. It satisfies me and it's a healthy alternative to getting something fried. Salads go well at the beach however avoid any dressing with a mayo base. Mayo turns quick in hot weather and that could lead to food poisoning (something you don't want when you're enjoying surf and sand) . Go for an herb infused vinaigrette that will keep better. You could also use this a dip for loose veggies such as broccoli florets, grape tomatoes and cauliflower bits.

What to drink with your beach meal? Soda is OK but it is dehydrating and you'll wind up drinking more.A better choice is any kind of water like Fyxx Hybrid Caffeinated water or Vitawater. The first is infused with caffeine and will give you the energy for swimming or volleyball games. The second comes in a variety of different flavors and has zero calories, perfect for keeping that bikini bod.

This is the season to hit the beach . Hit the surf and sand with good food and good drink for a more enjoyable day out.There's nothing like it!

Hot Weathr? Order Out!

No one feels like cooking when the temps soar. You're hot, you're tired,you;re sticky.Why stand over a grill or stove? That only adds to the uncomfortable feeling. Order out. You can splurge and get those fries you've been or enjoy that cool salad, a perfect reward after a day's work.

If you're worried about the sodium and fat in take out, then choose wisely.Every fast food chain has their dishes' calories long with other RDI's listed. Your local Italian and Chinese restaurants wont have this however. Try to get lunches and dinners without a lot of embellishment. Nix the heavy sauces and cheeses. Try boiled dim sum dumplings with just a scallion and soy sauce or an old fashioned pizza sans the mozzarella. These don't have any extra calories. They're just good simple foods that are made with fresh ingredients.

I also recommend going to your local grocery for dinners when it's just too hot. You can pick up some really nice stuff, like grilled chicken or turkey breast There's also a variety of other dishes. like crab cakes and meat loaf with gravy. A lot of supermarkets, like the A&P,feature a large variety of salads.I love the already prepared asparagus salad along with their potato salad.

Close the kitchen when the temps soar. Give yourself a break from cooking. There's nothing wrong with ending a summer day with take out food,

A Good Memorial Day

To all my American foodies out there:

Have a very good Memorial Day. Just remember that the barbecue you're enjoying was made possible by all those brave men and women throughout American history who gave their lives for freedom. Celebrate but do so with thoughtfulness.

Tea Time Tradition

I've recently gotten into the habit of putting sugar and lemon in my tea. I've always preferred plain but now I'm craving the tart sweet addition. I usually prefer my brew without anything. Now I no longer like the simple strong taste but want to amp up my cup.

Hot tea doesn't always have to have the addition of lemon and plain white sugar. You can sub lime juice for the lemon to make it more exotic . I thought of doing that and it would be refreshing in iced tea. You can also try brown granulated raw sugar too. Lavender infused honey is also a great sweetener and it can be used in both hot and iced teas. Another popular taste is mint. This too goes well in any kind of black tea . Wild mint grows in abundance so you can even pick some during a hike or from your backyard.

What teas go well with flavoring? I found just a simple black oolong goes well. I do like the slightly orange flavored Lady Grey for my morning cup however it doesn't need anything. Red or bush teas just require a simple sweentener like a half teaspoon of honey or sugar. I was drinking this last year thanks to the HBO series .The #1 Ladies' Detective Agency.It is a robust tea more suited to winter than summer.Other teas that require no additions are the soothing chamomile and the sturdy Earl Grey varieties.

Well, for now I'll enjoy my afternoon tea English style. I like the way my oolong mixes with lemon and sugar to create a relaxing drink. All I need to finish it are some scones and clotted cream.

Burger Variations

I saw that the Dining section of Wednesday's Times had an interesting article about non traditional burgers. They were made with pork and lamb but you can use other meats as well. You can stray away from 100 per cent beef and even try chicken or turkey. You can still have a traditional barbecue but with a new twist.

Using different meats also means trying different tastes. You can go with a lamb based patty but you can use spices like cumin and coriander for a Middle Eastern spin. Pork burgers can take on an Asian flair with the addition of soy sauce and scallions. Or you can turn them completely around and serve them with apple sauce German style. Most people usually go with the low cal, low fat turkey burgers which can be dry. Look for the alternative, emu . Yes,you read right emu, that big ostrich like bird.Unfortunately it is expensive with ground emu meat selling for 32 bucks a pound.

What to serve with exotic burgers? Try a potato salad made with roasted yams instead of Yukon Gold ones. Or if you're making pork burgers then go with a cross between kim chee and coleslaw, a spicier cabbage salad with a lot of crunch. Lamb burgers can be accompanied by veggie kabobs and a cold rice salad.

This Memorial Day think outside the bun.Try different meats to spice up your barbecue. It'll make your party not just memorable but tasty!!!!

Seaside Sweets

After a fun day at the beach I stopped at Long branch's Cake Bake and Roll bakery. This is a kind of jersey shore Magnolia Bakery but the offerings were much better and cheaper too. Located int he same block of ultra modern and ultra new buildings as the boutique hotel bungalow this is a fun and cheery place to stop after a day of sun and surf. i really enjoyed it.

When you walk in the bakery divides.To the left there are coffees and teas that you can get(there are also tables where you can sit down). To the right there is a great array of different sweet and savory baked goods.I wanted some cookies to bring home and chose a nice array of butter cookies with various toppings (cinnamon, chocolate chips and colored sprinkles) These are the closest Ive tasted to home made and have a nice buttery homemade taste and crunch to them. The clerk also suggested I try their cupcakes and I ordered one. Despite what I've read on other on line reviews, the cupcake was delicious and better than I've had in some of Manhattan's trendy bakeries.the icing was light and delicate and the cake was fluffy and light. the flavor was a vanilla the icing was an unusual lime.The next time I;d like to try some of the chocolate , red velvet and carrot ones.

Cake Bake and Roll also had tarts, both sweet and savory along with bars, giant cookies cakes and unusual breads (one looked like a vine with ivy leaves). It also makes fresh crepes which I know I will be trying on my second trip back. The mini foccaccios looked yummy too.

For any of you heading to Long Branch or Monmouth Beach for sun and surf make a side trip to Cake Bake and Roll at the beginning of Pier Village in Long Branch. You'll enjoy a sweet treat after a day of salty ocean fun!

Gutte Pretzels

There was a great article in today's Dining section of the New York Times. It was about pretzels stores in New York. Most of Manhattan's salty treats are covered in salt with really little or no taste. This frustrates me because I love good old fashioned homemade pretzels. I know two place here in Jersey thatt make them. In New York it;s a desert. Luckily the writer Julia Moskin has found a great one in the East Village.

The store featured is Sigmund and it's owned not by a German but a Russian born pastry chef, Lina Kulchinsky. She makes the traditional mahogany ones that are first dipped in a lye water solution to make the salt stick. There is another variation by Sue Torres the pastry chef at Manhattan;s Rusty Knot that makes a pretzel covered hot dog. This is not new The Germans have been eating big pretzels and sausages for breakfast for years. They don't have pretzels with mustard like they have here.

There is even a pretzel recipe that looks good. It seems like a simple recipe that involves lard and yeast along with barley malt syrup.Think I'd like to make homemade ones however it probably would require a lot of practice. There's also the alchemy of ingredients that work , probably the yeast is the magic component in all if it.Even though I'm mostly German I have yet to make these. We have no family recipes for them and none were handed down.
Big pretzels are wonderful. Homemade ones even better if they're done right. I'm looking forward to trying the East Village ones. I bet they're gutte!