The Sweet Lure Of Rose Water

It's found in almost every garden yet ignored by most cooks and bakers. It creates a light sweet taste and it was the most popular flavor until vanilla stole its' thunder. It's rosewater, the fragrant flavoring that's been around for centuries. An article about it is featured in today's Dining section of The New York Times.If you haven't discovered it please do.

The article , written by John Willoughby (sounds like a character from Austen's Sense and Sensibility) is a loving paeon to rose water. Yes, he writes, it does smell like something our grandmothers used in their bureau but it's also a refreshing addition. It's one of the oldest flavorings made from steamed rose petals in water. The Arabs first created it form their
chemistry formulas. 18th Century bakers used it in their cakes and scones. Middle Eastern cultures still use it in their pastries and drinks.

Don't be put off by the initial aroma of rose water. Yes, it does smell like cologne but it's really a wonderful flavoring. It goes well either raw or uncooked and is best with cakes and fruits. It is best with strawberries, melons and peaches. It surprisingly goes well in salads too and grilled foods for a different taste . You can buy it at your local market or any Middle Eastern food store.

Don't be put off by the smell of rose water. It's the taste that's perfect for food. Sweet and exotic, refreshing and different, it;s the perfect foil for late summer fruit and cakes.

Leftovers Reinvented

Everyone cringes when you mention leftovers for dinner. That doesn't have to be. In fact last night's meal can be transformed into something special. All you need is some creativity to reinvent that pot roast or roast turkey.

Sometimes it just takes a sprinkle of something to give a tired dish oomph. Try sprinkling toasted bread crumbs on last night pasta for a different spin. This also works on leftover baked mac(although with this you can also try crumbled bacon)Pot pies are a wonderful way to get rid of both leftover roasts and veggies. You can take those extra peas and carrots and add them with cubed roast beef , turkey or chicken to a homemade pot pie. Finish with an phyllo dough crust.

Sandwiches are an easy no brainer way to use up leftovers. There's nothing like a thickly piled turkey or roast beef sandwich covered in gravy and perched atop a slice of bread. You can also make tasty sandwiches out of pot roast and meat loaf too. Some people are into spaghetti sandwiches where they take heated up pasta and layer it on plain white bread. Strange but true.

Leftovers needn't be bland. You can reinvent them into tasty dishes for your family.It just takes a bit of reheating and a bit of creativity.

Flantastic

Flan is one of the best desserts ever created. it;s smooth and creamy, loaded with a variety of good ingredients. It's a cool, sophisticated way to end a meal. Another plus is that it's easy to make.

Flan has been around since Roman times when the ancients had an over abundance of eggs. The recipe is a variation of a Greek pudding recipe.Early flans could be sweet and savory. There were recipes for an eel (Ick) flan as well for a honey one.The name comes from flaon meaning flat cake in Old french and Latin. The dessert took off on the Iberian peninsula where the Arab influence brought in the flavors of almond and citrus. With the Spanish taking over the New World , Spanish colonies embraced the dish. The English also loved the dessert enrobing it in a flaky pastry (Hence the custard tart).

Flan is an easy dessert to make. It involves four whole egg,s plus whole and condensed milk. it is also sweet , using usually 3/4 cups of sugar and a dash of sugar. You can also ground almonds and orange juice (cut back on the sugar if you're doing this).A variation is adding coffee for a flan con cafe. Flan does require molds and a hot bath to bake. This just needs your roasting pan half filled with water. You can add a caramelized sugar sauce to finish it off.

Flan is an easy and elegant dessert to make. It's a great way to end any meal and add a final flair of sophistication. It's cool and classic, perfect with just coffee or tea.

Bunsatility

Everyone loves hamburger and hot dog buns. They;re softer chewier and somewhat sweeter than regular bread plus they're the perfect foil for grilled meat. However they;re also good for a variety of other sandwiches as well. To borrow a well known and well worn phrase - you have to think outside the bun.

Everyone loves a breakfast sandwich. You can use the hamburger ones to create your own Egg McMuffin, Its even better toasted. Another idea is using the hot dog ones and stuffing them with breakfast sausage links or bacon strips, scrambled eggs and cheese. It's' a fun way to start off the morning, Of course the buns are also good for that classic lobster roll. This is where a creamy lobster salad is made and then slathered all over a buttered and toasted bun. Another idea st taking Italian sausage or Philly cheese steaks as well. My favorite is pulled pork in a hamburger roll. This is known as a soak where my Dad was from and it's one of the best hot sandwiches around.

Since both hamburger and hot dog buns have a certain sweetness you can use them in bread pudding. They're also soft enough so you don't have any hard edges. Another idea is using them in English summer pudding. This recipe originally calls for brioche but you can use these in a pinch. Also both types of buns make excellent stuffing for turkey or even roast chicken.

Think outside the bun when it comes to hamburger and hot dog rolls. You can use them for any kind of sandwich. You can even have them in a dessert. They're not just for your average burgers and dogs.

Sandwich Time

Pretty soon the kids will be off to school and with them will go that time honored lunch - the sandwich. They are easy to make and easier to pack. Yet a lot of kids will probably swap theirs or worse trash them. Why?Probably because they're boring. They're not that easy. Sandwich making requires some skill ands creativity.

The base of any sandwich is bread and it should be a good one. I recommend wheat. Its tastier and more wholesome. If your little foodie hates hole wheat then go back to white but try Pepperidge Farms sandwich. The bread is heartier than average whites and holds up well. If you want you can also use pita for lower calories. This also comes in wheat too. As for fillings, there's the low sodium deli meat or you can used any left overs from the previous night's roasts.Veggies are also a good stuffing, especially if they're grilled. You can create a nice colorful sandwich by using grilled tomatoes and peppers.

The extras are what make a sandwich pop. Sprinkle in some tarragon to the mayo or maybe a handful of celery seeds. Another fun idea is to add slices of spiced tomatoes or onions. You can also try something different like chopped artichokes or asparagus.Better yet you can create your own special sauce that the kids will like.

Remember a good sandwich will be eaten .A bad one will be tossed or swapped. Be creative and you'll have ones that willbe gobbled.

A Lusher Kiddie Meal

It's good to take the kids out to eat. They learn manners, discover new cuisines and cultures. However nowadays parents just don't trust them and relegate them to fast food joints and Happy meals. Not so anymore. there are some fancy restaurants that do encourage the littlest diners to come and enjoy their food.

In yesterday'sTimes' Dining section this idea was explored. The article, written by Glenn Collins tells about the famed Four Seasons opening its' doors to all ages. There are no kids menus, Kids can eat the same entrees as their elders. They can chow down on chicken croquettes or sirloin burgers. Best of all there's no phony niceness by servers. The waitstaff is genuinely kind to the kids which is a big plus in my book.

I am a big advocate of doing this because I was taken to three star restaurants as a child. I remember eating at some of New York's finest Northern Italian and French bistros. My folks believed that children should have great culinary experiences. My mother is still for this, advising anyone with kids to do such. Eating at good restaurants broadens young minds and young palates.

Take your kids out today. Just avoid the places with drive throughs and golden arches. Years later they'll thank you for that.

Revisiting Old Favorites

Recently I wetn back to two diners that I haven't gone to in a number of years. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the decor was updated and the food has improved. It was a real treat to visit one since I had been going there since my childhood. The food was still good and actually a lot cheaper than other diners in the area. I now will add these two to my repetoire of eateries.

That's the thing about restaurants. I 've noticed that if you go to them on a steady basis for a number of years they hit highs and lows. Right now three regular hangouts of mine are in a rut. I visited one yesterday and got violently ill from the soup(all right it was a chili - Sloppy Joe kind of soup)I was surprised that their quality of food had slipped that badly. However the owner had opened up another location and spent more of his time at that one. His sous chef is now my hang out's main cook and his work although, passable is not great. I think I will hold going there for a while. How long I don't know.

The problem with any restaurant is that if the food quality lowers then the place loses customers. That means an old favorite can close. What do you do? Continue going giving them your custom and getting stuck with a bad meal?Or trying another place and allowing them some business. I think the best way is to just rotate where you eat or just visit every few months. I've done this with one of my favorites, a hot dog place,the Galloping Hill Grill, where I used to work in Union NJ. It's only when I crave their dogs and birch beer that I visit . I feel that way they never disappont. (Of course they are one of the best in the state).

What do you do when your favorite eatery goes bad?Stop going there for a while. Give it a few months, maybe even a few years. Then go back. You may just be pleasantly surprised at what you;ll get to eat.