Halloween Treats Adult Style

Today is Halloween. a time usually reserved for all those sugary sweet. Treats. melisa Clark wrote about it today in her column A Good Appetite. instead of Mars Bars and M&M s she create decadent ,sophisticated treats for the adult palate. She has some amazing recipes. One is a home made caramels but with a twist .They have bourbon. And a crushed pepper in them for bite. These would be a good after dinner treat with a strong, black coffee.Other treats include a bark with a goat cheese. There's also a licorice themed treat based on the Brazilian bonboniere.this requires melting licorice coffee and dark chocolate together. Balls are formed and then rolled or dipped into chocolate sprinkles and jimmies. I imagine these would be great gracing a small bowl of coffee ice cream. Halloween is a wonderful time for treats, both sweet and savory .Try these as a solution to both. They're a wonderful combo.

A Short Pantry

I'm writing this a mile from my home. Thanks to Hurricane Sandy we have noWiFi so I'm writing this in a Dunkin Donuts on Rte 46 . it is packed because there is no electricity in our area and people meed a good cup of coffee to survive. I have gas so I. Can get coffee , tea and hot cocoa any time. As for my readers outside the East Coast ,Just bear with me for the next few days.I do not know what will happen.I 'll try to write as much as I can.

Hurricane Eating Safety Tips

Now that Sandy is in our midst, it's time to think about beating safely.There are so many factors to consider.Hopefully this will only be until Wednesday .Until then here are some tips. Water is one of your most vital essentials during this time.Make sure everyone, including animal companions have at least one gallon of water per each day.This can be used for coffee and tea as well.If you run out and there,s a problem either boil it or put an eyedropper full of bleach to decontaminate it. Juice and even Gatorade are good energy boosters.Have boxed milk for kids and toddlers in case the stores are flooded out for a few days. As for food every fridge should have the basics right now.Make sure you have eggs and milk along with bread.If anything you can always make French toast even if you just have oil to fry it.Any kind of block cheese is good as well.One, it keeps, and two it's a good source of protein. It's also versatile because you can have it hot or cold.Fruit and some veggies will keep.Have pears ,apples and plums around because these can be kept for a few days without rotting. They're also a good source of natural sugar, excellent for an energy boost. For all my readers stuck in this cataclysmic event ,please don't panic .It will get better.If you're lucky to be at home ride it out with the above hurricane essentials.Stay safe.Stay dry,Stay well fed.

Hurricane Cuisine

Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, most of the East Coast will experience hurricane cuisine  tinned food and bottled water mixed with whatever is in the freezer. Anyone can get creative with whatever is in their kitchen, providing they have gas and/or electricity.It's also a time to take out the grill again if need be.

Usually a freezer can keep its 'temps until the second day without power. Don't keep opening it otherwise you'll lose the food inside. Instead concentration what's in the refrigerator part. If you're lucky you 'll have eggs. Paired with almost anything, from meats to cheese to veggies, you can create a nice omelet that the family can enjoy. Cheeses can be melted and made into a Welsh rarebit or fondue.Again bread can be dipped into this as well as boiled potatoes. You can also use the extra veggies along with tinned tuna  or any meat as a hearty salad.

What happens when the freezer goes? Again try to be creative.TV dinners may be hard to cook because they may require the microwave. You can cook some in your oven if you do have a gas stove. For some of the other frozen foods, you;re going to have to get creative and possibly drag out the grill. Frozen burgers can be thawed and cooked , if you have a gas grill. If you have an electric try to use a neighbor's hibachi of there is one. Freezers also keep all that extra sauce you made with your tomato harvest. Thaw it out and make either soup or sauce.Ice cream melted down can be mixed with milk for a malted.

Hurricane cuisine can be much like the phenomena itself, wild daring , outrageous. Yet out of that can come substantial and, yes, even nutritious food, Don't fear it. work with it.

Peanut Butter And Pickles

Peanut butter is great on its' own .It'a phenomenal with chocolate and even bananas. With pickles? Surprisingly yes. More an dmore people are going for a pickle and peanut butter combo.

This crazy combo was a feature of Wednesday's New York Times DIning section. Dwight Garner, who seems new to The Times experimented with it in the DeGustibus column,It actually has been around for generations, wit h Mr. Garner's father eating it durng his law school days. Even Southern grannies have made this for lunches and snacks .If it's still gross imagine as a sophisticated version of PB & J.

How the sandiwch is made is important  Mr. Garner suggests Clausen's or any pickle that has a slight sweetness. (I would suggest the sugary gherkins) to itl Bread and butter pickles work just fine as well. It should be crunchy and hold up to the creaminess of the peanut butter. As for the peanut butter itself, stay away from crunchy and try a classic like Smuckers.Also put it all on a good white breadsuch as Arnold's.

Peanut butter is good. So are pickles. Together they create an interesting treat.

Reclaiming Quiche

Quiche is one of those foods that goes through waves of popularity. It was hot from t he Sixties to the Eighties and then fell out of favor. Some restaurants serve it still as do grocery stories, however' the recipe is so far from the original, that's it not really quiche. That's about to change. Some new recipes are emerging that restore the dish back to all its' Gallic glory.

It was the topic of an article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. City Kitchen by Dave Tanis. Mr. Tanis explores true quiches, those light , eggy pies with even lighter and crispy crusts, These are the closest f not the exact of what French groceries sell as well as what is made in homes. What makes them lighter is what they're baked in. Most Americans bake kitchens in deep dish pie plates. Don't!This ruins the texture. Bake any quiche in a shallow dish with a removable bottom.This ensures a creamy filling with a slightly unctuous or oild texture.

Mr. Tanis gives some good recipes Of course he includes the classic quiche Lorraine,..However instead of the usual ham he suggests bacon along with Gruyere instead of the usual Swiss.There is also a tasty crab meat one that;s seasoned with fresh tarragon and chives. The trio is rounded out by a quiche with herbs and goat cheese.It has scallions and thyme along with parsley. There is a double surprise of lemon zest and the goat cheese placed at the quiche's bottom. These are great for not only Sunday brunches but for a Saturday night dinner too.

Qucihes made right are wonderful. Use these recipes with the proper baking equipment to create a true Gallic tarte salee or savory quiche. It's like tasting the best that France has to offer

The Most Perfect Dumplings

New York City is known for it's big Chinese community. The community has given the city some of the best recipes and dishes from Beijing duck to dumplings. It's the last that making waves again. Dumplings are becoming hot again  -although they never went out of style.There are some new variations as well as traditional dumplings too.

New York Times Dining regular, Jeff Gordonier has  the lucky assignment of tasting and rating some of New York''s best dumplings.He has found traditional ones in Queens' Flushing where there is the second largest Chinese population in the world. Here dumplings are made the old fashioned way but with a spin - lamb is used. The ingredient, more suited to Mongolian tables, are a big draw at Mission Chinese Food on Manhattan's Lower East side. These were so popular that the restaurant;s chef and recipe's creator, Danny Bowien has made close to 1,000 on some days.

The dumpling takes on a funky New York neighborhood twist too. Mr . Gordonier was also fortunate to try the pretzel dumpling which has a funky inside and a chewy pretzel like outside. The inside can be made of a tasty pork a d scallion or a variation on chicken parm. There are also fillings such as pad Thai, cheesesteak and barbecued pork. Another restaurant, the trendy Brooklyn Red Farm creates dumplings that look like small golden crabs,complete with black sesame seed eyes. Dumplings are easy to make at home as well and you can try these with any number of ingredients.

Dumplings are definitely hot right now however there was never a time when they weren't popular. Go to Manhattan to sample these tasty treats. If not make them yourself, whether with the traditional or new trendy ones. Either way ,it makes for some good eating.