July Means Grilling Time!!!

Now that it's July , it's time to get the grill all ready and fired up for some delicious meals ahead. Again yesterday's New York Times Dining section had an excellent article written by of course, Mark Bittman, about grilling and recipes ideas. Remember grilling is not just burgers and dogs . It's everything from peppers to pork, from cheese to caramel. You can literally cook almost every meal out on the grill.

Most people usually just choose meats for their grilling experience. This is the safest route but there can be some variety. You can think about broadening your horizon by including pork cuts and even lamb to shrimp and scrod. Nothing beats lamb chops from an open flame. Or try shrimp kabobs at this year's Fourth of July barbecue. Even grilled cheese can be grilled outdoors. Us e think slices of white bread any cheese and add in tomatoes and even bacon. For another twist , grill bread cubes cherry tomatoes and olives on a stick for some fun as well. Grilled veggies go good in any salad especially peppers, tomatoes, corn kernels and eggplant. These add not only color but a deep smoky richness to just mixed greens and a simple vinaigrette.

Remember that fruits can be grilled as well. Peaches are the all time preferred because they re easy to fix and cook up nicely. You may wan to serve them afterwards with ice cream or on pound cake with a drizzle of peach schnappes. Grilled watermelon is new but it;s tasty as is grilled grapefruit with brown sugar. Another fun one is grilled bananas served with caramel sauce.

Nothing beats a summer around the grill. get creative this season with different meat sand harvests for a spin on this classic technique. see how many things you can put over the open coals for new tastes and textures.

The Return Of The Oyster

Today's Dining section in the New York Time s had an interesting article about oysters making a comeback in Manhattan's East River. This is a subject close to my heart because I'm an environmentalist and I've bene wanting cleaner waters and cleaner environments for our local sealife now. Oysters are natures' way of filtering out pollutants. They also reflect Manhattan's culinary history.The local indigenous people made them a staple of their diet as did the Europeans who came after them. Now they;re hitting tables once more.

The article , written by David Kamp tells of their return of these bivalves. Most of then look like their ancestors that graced New York's waters, ridged, craggy and tightly shut. However the harbor still has PCBs in it and that makes eating any seafood form the area taboo. The students though are hoping for a day when future generations will be able to eat produce from New York's Rivers. Oysters have been planted in hopes of building reefs similar to what was gracing Manhattan four hundred years ago.

I know a similar program that wa s just instituted in New jersey's Raritan Bay . That area too was rich in oysters and a popular fishing spot between the Lenni Lenape and the English who settled htere. there were even oysters factories in South Amboy, one of the towns that graces the start of the bay area. Hopefully one dayin the green future we'll be able to eat some of the Raritan Bay oysters too.

The bivalve industry was a big and thriving one in this area until over harvesting and depletion kicked in. Now with the work of eco farmers and environmentalists we can bring it back. it may take a while but people will get the benefit of local oysters .

Wine And Fruit- The Perfect Summer Combo

This is the season for fruit - all kinds of it from strawberries to peaches to blueberries. There are also so many wonderful recipes too. however there is a limit to how many cobblers and salads we make and eat. A better way of enjoying the warm weather harvest is with wine. There's nothing more refreshing than an after dinner spritzers with fruit added.

It starts with the wine. I prefer Arbor Mist out of California because it already has fruit essence added to it. I usually go with the peach, strawberry or orchard mix Chardonnay. This is a light white wine that goes well with fresh cut strawberries peaches and even blueberries. I love placing heaping tablespoons of homemade fruit salad in tumblers an d pouring the wine over it. this makes for a relaxing and tasty dessert . It's also a great way to kick back after a hard or busy day.

This is also the weather that calls for sangria. Again Arbor Mist has a Merlot with added orange flavor for this. This is great when making paella for guest and you want a nice fruity drink that will go well with the meal and afterwards as a kind of dessert. If it;s too strong then cut it with ice. You can also add some fresh strawberries to the sangria for a different twist. Arbor Mist has a blackberry Merlot which again is perfect for now which is blackberry season. This would go well with a good barbecued pork roast or accompanying hearty grilled steaks.

You don' have to use have the season;s bounty of fruit the plain old fashioned way. Add some peaches and strawberries, blue berries or blackberries to wine for a lovely drink. it;s a great way to kick back and enjoy the yummy combination of fruit and wine.

Cherishing Family Recipes

This is the time ofyear when family recipes get used the most. You would think Christmas with cookie and cake recipes but, no, somehow summer is the time for nostalgia and centuries old jam recipes. It's a time to not only write them down if they haven't been already but to make sure they're passed to the next generation. Family recipes are the links that connect us to our ancestors and our heritage.

I found that keeping these culinary heirlooms in a recipe box is the safest bet. Of course you; may have to up date the measurements to fit modern standards. You may even have to update processes to work with modern appliances (think canning recipes where there are some new techniques added" Once you've written everything down or typed you can make a decorative cookbook using scrapbooks. This would make a wonderful shower gift and would be perfect in welcoming a new in law into the family.

It;s also good to ask relatives for recipes. However don't be surprised that they may not want to give you Gran's barbecue ribs or Aunties peach cobbler recipes Some people can be possessive with anything and it may take a lot of sweet talking (plus getting them blotto wouldn't hinder). Most though do want the dishes to be carried on.

Cherish these family recipes. They 're not only burst with old fashioned goodness and flavor they are a link to everyone's family history . There's no better way to celebrate with food and nothing tops a dish that been several generations in the making.

A simple Saturday lunch

Saturdays are usually busy times in any household. It' s either house cleaning, grocery shopping or catching up on chores. There's no time for an elaborate mid day meal. There's nothing wrong with a simple lunch between the endless rounds of laundry and dusting. Sometimes just a good old fashioned sandwich and a glass of juice will tide you over until dinner,

What makes a simple lunch?For me it's a crunchy peanut butter slathered on two slice s of Arnold's sandwich bread.This and a glass of juice can carry me to dinner thanks to the protein s and sugar respectively in each one. Sometimes it's a simple turkey or roast beef sandwich, again with no mayo, just covered with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper .Now that it's summer another simple lunch time treat is a tomato and mayo sandwich. Nothing beats fresh picked fresh sliced tomatoes on may drenched white bread. of course there are salads. Sometimes just a simple mixed green with tuna and grape tomatoes is all you need on hot summer days. Also a salad make from all veggies is a good , simple lunch and one that can be enjoyed with garlic or onion flatbreads.

of course you can make a simple hot lunch for yourself as well. Boil some pasta and just melt a huge hunk of butter over it if you want add some fresh cut garlic too for taste or a few drops of olive oil to balance out the butter. Polenta is another good simple lunch . Make enough for one or two bowls and serve with butter and Parmesan cheese.A hot open faced sandwich is always good and it;s easy to make. Just used gravy in a jar, deli meats and bread and there you have it. Something hot and satisfying to get you through a round of work

Saturdays usually mean a day of catching up ion chores and finally getting to those DIY projects. Don't bog yourself down with the addition of making elaborate lunches. Stick to simple stuff that will sustain you through all that work!

Farm Fresh Goodness

It' time t visit the farms as late June melts into early July Summer is the season for all things fresh and handpicked. What better than harvesting them yourself at the local farms in your area. It's also a fun way of getting the kids away from their Play Stations . You can start with strawberry season which is right now and work your way though the second raspberry season in mid September.

One of the first things you can do is Google what farms are in your area.I've mentioned this in one of last summer's posts. Mostly every state has some kind of farm with some kind of festival too.How you pick depends on the farms. Most give you pails or baskets and you pay by them. Some have an entry fee which is minimal. Others such as our great Delicious Orchards here in New Jersey come with a store where you can by other food stuffs such as fresh baked goods, cheeses and even meats. Their produce is usually from the gardens and orchards around it.

If you do decide to go any kind of fruit o veggie picking make sure you're prepared. Wear a protective straw hat to keep out the sun's strong rays. Also bring along plenty of sunblock an lip balm as well. Wear a comfy old shorts and a tee and make sure you have comfortable sneakers . I wouldn't recommend flip flops because your heels and ankles may get cut up by thorns or rocks. Bring plenty of water too. Picking is thirsty work and you want to keep hydrated.Also bring a rain poncho if the weather is looking cloudy or there are storms predicted.

This is the time to get out to your farms and enjoy their bounty. You can literally enjoy the cream of the crop. It makes for both healthy and delicious eating!!

Cooking Co Ops

Yesterday's New York Times' Dining section had an interesting piece about kitchen co ops. This is where two or more families cook for each other and share meals. it;s kind of a spin on the Sunday church suppers where casseroles and baked macs are brought. Kitchen co ops not only widen your choices, they;re also money saving.

The article , written by Laurie Woolever, tell about how three families not only swap recipe but gaining good friends. One makes enchiladas while the others make Greek watermelon barley salad , lentil soup and Vietnamese pork salad. This would be a great idea if I were closer with friends and neighbors. I 'd like a once a week get together with people pitching in.However the down side is that everyone has different tastes and favorites and they may not agree with what i like or even like to make.

Another plus of having a kitchen co op is that it is surprisingly cheaper. You may have t make more food but it's not like you have to make everything. Other people bring dishes and desserts. Then the next week you may have to only bring sides which are far less expensive to make. It also cuts down on shopping time too, having only to buy so much.

Kitchen co ops are big right now and they're gaining in popularity if it's something you'd like to try contact friends and family. It'll be fun coming up with new recipes and serving your best ones.