What Is Classy Eating?

Over a century ago, a class meal meant endless platters of Oysters Rockefeller, partridge and wine sorbet. In th e Fifties it was deigned as lobster and any cocktail. The Eighties brought about a new standard classy eats. How is it defined today.? Therein lies the a good foodie question. The concept was the subject of an article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. The piece , written by Dining regular Jeff Gordinier, writes about the evolution of sophisticated foods. At one time Famous Amos' cookies were considered good eats along with pasta salad and sun dried tomatoes.(Mind you this was back in the Cheap But Glamorous 1980''s era) Nowadays it's anything artisanal attached to its name. As with hand embroidered or hand knitted goods, homemade stuff that is considered classy - even valuable. Certain companies such as that ever luxurious Godiva have jumped on this creating a line of hand made chocolates with unusual flavors. This is an on going completion with all the new boutique chocolatiers who make their candies by hand with unusual flavors and fillings. Some foods will always remain class acts as Mr. Gordinier;s article states. Take pears for instance. They are still considered a luxury item A lot of consumers got them from fruit companies such as Harry and David's out in the Pacific Northwest. Now , however, you can go to any artesanal farm and pick them yourself. (they may even have a history.) Lobster will remain a luxury food because of all the hype attached to it. After all it was nothing more than a poor man's seafood and was served regularly to Ellis Island detainees almost on daily basis. Somehow the tables turned in the late Forties and lobster was the chic food to have , especially in restaurants. other foods such as asparagus and steak will always remain on ultra rich list too. What makes a food luxurious? The era. Like clothing, and music, food is also influenced by the times around it. What make be considered poorman's food today be be the the next luxury. What may be considered posh now will be considered passe later on.

Rib Tickling Goodness.

I recently wrote about braising meat a nd how good t h e process is. After all it tenderizes it, turning even the toughest cuts into buttery soft morsels. Well, add ribs to that list. Slow cooking them is the best thing to do, especially if you want a tender, falling off the bone treat. This method turns ordinary ribs into something special. Braising was again the subject of an article in today's New York Times Wednesday Dining section. The extensive article, written by Steven Raichlen explains why a sow cooked rib is better than one that has been on the grill. As anyone can attest, this method can turn even the best ones into stringy, dried out jerky. Slow cooking ribs tenderizes them and create a chemical effect. heat breaks down the tough connective tissue known as collagen into a softer gelatin. This works itself into the meat, creating a tender, chewy bite. Another plus of slow cooking ribs is that you get away from all those gloppy sugary sweet sauces. You can turn them into something adult and decadent by adding bourbon and peppercorns while braising. Brine's can be interesting with a variety of flavors A popular one is a mix of cider vinegar and carrot juice. Another recipe that was included is one from y family's native Piedmont where pork ribs are braised in , all things, milk and honey (there are onions, and garlic along with rosemary and sage too, to create a savory sweet blend. Again, you can create your own brines and washes, using out of the ordinary ingredients. Braising isn't just for stew meats. You can create delectable ribs too using this time honored method. Best of all , it leaves the meat juicy and falling off the bone - what ribs should be.

Bay Leaf The Forgotten Spice

Bay leaf should b e known as the forgotten spice. It's not as glamorous as turmeric or cumin or as popular as oregano or rosemary. Yet it is just as flavorful as these and can enhance any dish. However most home cooks don't know what it it is or how to use it. This is a shame. They're missing out on one of the more flavorful spices. The bay leaf comes from the bay laurel an ancient plant that was first ascribed to the legendary Oracle of Delphi. It was said that the Oracle chewed the leaves bay leaves are what the first Olympic winners wore as did the Roman emperors. it was also used in medieval Valentine's Day festivities. Pin a bay leaf to your pillow on Valentine's Day Eve and you will see your future beloved in your dreams. It was first cultivated in Asia Minor and then brought to Europe and North America. Surprisingly enough it is one of the most widely used herbs in these two areas. bay leaves should be used when they are a deep olive green in color. Brown ones have lost their flavor and should be discarded. What can you do with bay leaves? They add depth and a certain aroma to both beef and chicken stocks. Just one crumbled leaf will do it otherwise both the scent and flavor will overpower the broth (leaving for a medicinal tasting soup later on). You can also add one bay leaf to stew meat when you're braising it. The meat will absorb the bay leaf's aroma and have a subtle herbal taste. Remember to remove the laf after cooking because it doesn' t soften even after an hour of cooking. You can also add the leaf crumbled to homemade pates. Be sparing with it though becuase it can have an overpowering flavor if two or three leaves are used. Bay leaf is agreat addition to homemade soups and stews. It works its' subtle magic on braised meats and pates.Try some today to give your dishes an aromatic air of sophistication.

Spring Awakening

With Spring comes a new array of all sorts of things. Weather changes. Fashion trends emerge. Attitudes change . Gone is the gloominess and heaviness associated with winter. Everything now turns to a freshness that is welcoming With that is Spring cuisine. More fruits and veggies are being showcased. Different kinds of meats arre once again in the spotlight. It;s a refreshing spin and also a welcoming one . One of the biggest changes is the reemergence of asparagus. An old saying goes when you see i in the market, then it must be Spring. There's nothing like these deliciously tangy stalks bursitng with flavor and vitamins. Asparagus are good grilled, and along side any Easter ham or lamb. They are also phenomenal boiled and then topped with melted butter, Parmesan cheese and sliced hard boiled eggs. Another trend I'm excited about is the return of nectarines and peaches. We've been surviving on bananas and apples for so long. It's just wonderful seeing other fruits making an appearance. Of course Spring brings lamb. It's a staple for both the Orthodox,and Catholic Easter along with for Passover. Many cooks prefer just getting a aside of it for their holiday dinners. You can go a different route and serve lamb chops. This is great because it cuts down on leftovers. Another meat making a reemergence since Christmas is ham. Ham is almost always served in most German homes for Easter. however it usually is now accompanied by seasonal greens as opposed to the usual baked beans and potato salad. A favorite dinner is a fresh roasted ham with asparagus on the side. Spring is here and with it an emergence of fresh and tasty fruits and vegetables. There's also a different way of cooking too, with emphasis on lighter fare. Welcome the new season with the foods that are best associated with it.

Guilty Foodie Pleasure Cupcake Wars

There;s something primal and infinitely satisfying about people battling each other.It has hit the arts, hence the Oscars, Emmys and Tonys. It' s entered the fashion world thus creating drama in "Project Runway" Competition has been in the culinary arts ever since the first bake off our country fair pie baking contest. One of the best food fights is "Cupcake Wars." The Food network classic combines reality TV with some serious baking and snarling. Cupcake Wars is a guilty pleasure usually enjoyed in its' second or third showing on Saturdays and Sundays. It's kind of like Project Runway (and no wonder - Heidi Klum's company Magical Elves produces the show) with frosting and aprons. Four cupcake specialists who have their own commercial or home businesses compete in two rounds. the firs t is the elimination round where it narrows it down to three. the second is the them round where the remaining baker shave to create cupcakes for the remaining event. The last and winning round deals with the final two bakers creating themed displays for their cakes that will tie in with whatever benefit or event that the cupcakes will be showcased at. There are two regular judges and renowned pastry chefs, the French Florian Bellanger and American Candace Nelson along with a weekly rotating guest judge. The host. Just Willman. provides the suspense as he gleefully tells contestants the minutes they have left. It is fun (and possibly a little mean ) watching seasoned bakers as well as some teen whizzes creating interesting creations and toppings. The most interesting is when they start catting about each other. There are some designer worthy gripes and snipes flying about. Everything form frostings to final displays are ripped apart. Snark and spark get whipped into a gladiator type battle that has usually sedate bakers turning into kitchen warriors. What is truly amazing is the the last battle where the two final contestants have to bake one thousand cupcakes. these will be served at the chosen event . A more interesting question is where does the losers brigade of sweets wind up? Hopefully at some soup kitchen as a lovely treat. If you want to sink your teeth in a thoroughly guilty pleasure then try "Cupcake Wars" on the Food Channel .it's has competition, tears and fangs. Oh yeah, it also has yummy cupcakes too.

Radiation Fears

There has been a lot of talk regarding Japan and the radiation coming out of the nuclear plant in Fukushima . People fear it will hit everything from the milk to the seafood to the vegetables. After all it will hit California first the nation;s salad bowl along with the fishing industries of the e Pacific Northwest. Yet will our food be affected? Will we? According to all news reports the radiation coming over to the States via the wind currents are very small amounts. of course the most common fear is that it will affect the California dairy products. radiation particles will settle in the grass , the cows eat the grass and then have their milk contaminated. It has shown up in Washington State milk. Experts say not to worry . The amounts are so incredibly low. You get more dosage from your dental X-rays. As for our lettuce, tomatoes and other harvests coming form the Pacific. Again the radiation amounts are so small that they're not worth obsessing over. Avoid them if you like. That's your call. What about the Pacific itself? Japanese officials have repeatedly reassured the world that the contaminated water has been contained. That means that the North Pacific wildlife such as the cod used in Wendy's fish sandwiches is OK. That means that it doesn't pose a health risk. This must also go for the tuna caught in Japanese waters too. Again , to a certain extent water is like air. The further it moves away from the site , the less radiation will be in it. The marine life like their land cousins won't be too affected by low levels of contaminaton. Should we worry about our food? That's up to the individual.Just remember that there is always some low level of radiation in whatever we eat, from veggies to milk to meat. We haven't fretted about in the past. Soudl we do so now?

A Good Browned Meat

There are so many ways ot cook meat, Searing, grilling, baking roasting, the list goes on and on. However most home chefs forget about a relatively easy method called browning. This is a great way of cooking meat while retaining its' true taste.It's not overpowered by the process. browning actually works with whatever you're cooking. Browning meat was the subject of a great article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. The article, written by John Willoughby, tells how to perfectly brown meats such as pork or lamb. Browning or braising is big in Moroccan cuisine where it's used in many a tagine or fragrant stew. Browned meat can also be used in Vietnamese or Indian cooking as demonstated in the article's recipes for clay pot pork and braised chicken thighs with Indian flavors. (there is also a great recipe for tagine lamb stew too). Most browning takes place with a Dutch oven . The meat needs to be covered so there is a nice slow and even browning process. Browning or braising is also a great way of maintianing the true flavor of the piece.It's also a good way of ridding any meat of fat, resulting in a tender and juicy bite. Another thing is that even simple spices can take on layers and subtleties. Stud braised beef with peppercorns while cooking and it becoming something exotic .It aloso lets the meat's juice flavor infuse any accompanying veggies and even fruits . In turn the meat could also be infused with their juices too. Braising or browning is about the best way to cook meat. It can create a tender, flavorful dish . It can turn a simple cut ino something exotic and different. Browning slowly , yet magically, turns ordinary cuts into special creations.