The Peak Of The Season

Mid August is the time for the bounty of the summer season. This is when everything is ripe and tasty, perfect for a meal and dessert. Take advantage of this at your local farm or farmer's market. You can create some healthy and delicious dishes, full of fresh flavor.

Dave Tanis certainly did in this week;s A City Kitchen column in the Wednesday New York Times' Dining section. he has come up with some really interesting recipes that utilize the best of summer from tomatoes to berries. I like his one for eggplant. Usually most cooks either make it Chinese or Italian style which can drown out its sweet flavor. Mr. Tanis opts for a soup. He chars the eggplant first and adds the Middle Eastern spice mix za'atar for a whiff of the exotic. It's then  blend smooth  . Another recipe is for a corn blini made rich with the kernels stewed in butter with the
addition of creme fraiche.

Mr. Tanis also provides readers with a tomato salad, Sure, these are common this time of year but he gives his a Provencale twist. They are drizzled with a garlicky olive vinaigrette. He also adds the other ingredients  native to the cuisine. capers and anchovies. Peppers are also mentioned and they are stuffed with Frnch bread crotons and creamy feta cheese along with a melange of herbs. For dessert Mr. Tanis takes the berries of the season and teams them with a coconut milk panna cotta to round off the meal.

August provides us with one of the biggest vegetable and fruit bounties of the year. Stock up on these gems and create dishes that play up their fresh taste.Use this amazing harvest for some of the best of summer dining.

Giving Grace

Before every meal we should be thanking the forces that be and grateful for our full tables.Saying grace though  is hard. What to say . especially at a multireligious holiday table can cause problems. However there's a new book out this month that solves that dilemma. Thanks to Bless This Food,  every group, from Muslim to Orthodox, from Christian to Wiccan can offer prayers of thanksgiving.

I normally wouldn't review a book like this but I was so impressed with it , that I felt it has to be given its' due. This surprisingly slim book was written and compiled by Adrian Butash and  published by New World Library  out of Novato, California.Mr Btash has even gotten two Pulitzer Prize winners to contribute.Every section of this book is interesting. I like the different ways of saying grace in all languages including American Sign Language. The introduction shows us how the world's religions say thanks for a bountiful table along with the customs involved.

One would think a book about saying grace would be solely religious. Mr. Butash includes William Shakespeare and Robert Burns along with the indigenous chief Tecumsah Gandhi is also quoted as  is St Francis .Everyone is given an equal amount of credit. The prayers are not only to thank our respective Gods but also to be grateful for breaking bread with friends as well as  for the bountiful crops that supply us. Even the non religious or nature worshippers are mentioned in Wiccan  prayers and indigenous  blessings from North American and Mexican tribes.

Bless This Food is the perfect gift for any foodie, regardless of their beliefs. It is a thoughtful and interesting compilation of different graces.It should be within reach of any table anywhere in the world.

K S S Keep Salads Simple

This is the season for salads. It's a great time to take advantage of all the bountiful harvests out there. The best part of any summer salad is its' easiness . Don't overthink them. Keep them simple and tasty.It means less time in the kitchen and more time at the patio table.

Sometimes just one ingredient can make an entire salad.Take tomatoes or celery for example. A great accompaniment to any barbecued meat is a tomato salad. All you need are three or four vine ripes , sliced and mixed with a simple olive oil and lemon dressing. Mince up a garlic clove and add some oregano along with salt and pepper for flavoring..A chilled tomato salad is  even good spooned on slice s of Italian or French bread. Celery salad is one of the easiest to make as well. Chop up seven or eight stalks,  and again, just mix with  a dressing of only olive oil , lemon, salt and pepper.

Even a classic garden salad is a breeze to whip up.Use  iceberg lettuce and any kind of tomato along with a homemade French dressing.This last is just taking half a cup of mayo with three to four tablespoons of ketchup.Stir tiogether until well blended and then pour over salad. If you want something with a more exotic flavor add some tuna in olive oil along with some pitted black olives  to your salad. This makes a nice simple salad Nicoise without all the other ingredients. You can also try adding in canned salmon, chicken, or turkey to any kind of greens from arugula to baby spinach  to a field mix.

Now is the time for simple dishes that are tasty and cool. An easily made salad with one or two ingredients is all you need . It's a great way to eat both delicious and healthy during these steamy days.

Cold, Frosty Drinks

Right now we're in the midge dais of August.It is hot and sticky.We're hot and sticky.The best relief comes from a cool slushy drink.There's nothing like some cold. And sweet to male our temps drop. A home made version of a Slushie or Slurpee is always a good way to go.There are slush cups you can buy and then fill with the include plastic ice cubs to create frosty drink.This works well with soda usually and some fruit juices? Another way is to use ice cubes and a blender.This is actually the more preferred way and you can have a refreshing frozen treat in no time.Think about turning a home made lemon ade into a looser version of Italian ice by combining it with the ice.You can also make a tasty grape or cranberry one too or a combo of flavors.For purists juice your own ,and have a totally healthy ice. With organic strawberries and blueberries.Sweeten with dark honey ad some mint. of course you can give these icy treats a naught side as well.Try making a pin a co Ada.Add some rum to pineapple juice along with cream of coconut or coconut milk.Pour into a blender with ten ors ice cubes and blend .You can also try a banana daiquiri or any frozen Magarita (this last would be perfect. With home made guar and chips out on the ppatio)Whiskey and bourbon, believe it or not,also make tasty and heady drinks .These can be frozen on the fridge instead of having been blended with ice.Bourbon that warm weather must have of the South can also be incorporated into a frosty slush.Add equal parts lemon and orange juice to it, along with strong black tea to temper it. Yes ,the days are unbearably hot.Cool off with a homemade frozen slushie.You'll feel cooler and ready to deal with the dogs days of August.

The Exotic Side Of Atlantic City

Atlantic City has always been known for it's 'gambling and Jersey shore foods.After all it was the birthplace of the famed pork roll sandwich and salt water taffy.Now it's also being recognized as a sort of capital of Vietnamese cooking.There are now a growing group of Vietnamese restaurants that are becoming visitor favorites. It was an article in Wednesday's New York Times ODining section and was written by Robert Sietsema.The piece features one of Southeast Asia's tastiest dishes ,a soup called pho.THis is a broth with a melange of meats and spices?The broth is beef and star anise are the main overtones.There's also chicken along with scallions and garlic.This is served with noodles and is the perfect alternative to all that boardwalk fare.Some restaurants feature the foods from the Mekong Delta , the southern part of the country and one is hu tie ,a pork broth that also has seafood in it. Atlantic City does have a large Vietnamese population due to the gambling industry.They've hired many immigrants in their casinos so there is a need for this kind of restaurant.Like all Asian owned eateries they are big on family and many cater to those who love home cooking.No overly fancy or rich casino meals here. The stars are some home cooked mealsThere is Tom ram man ,a juicy shrimp grilled in a caramel sauce and cooked in a traditional clay pot along with boa xao luc lac ,This is cubes of beefsteak coated with black pepper and served wrapped radicchio and lettuce.People new to the cuisine could try Bo hue ,a spicy beef soup along with rice noodles. If you're going to Atlantic City fpr a vacation do stop and try any of the Vietnamese restaurants that dot the city.They are refreshing departure from the usual fried clams and pork rolls.Enjoy simple home cooked els after a night of too glamgambling

An Exotic Turn On Rice

Rice is one of those easy summer dishes,It can be used as a hot dish with sauteed zucchini or as a salad with chopped onions and pepper strips. However, for a real twist use the Indian basmati rice. This is a perfect side and ingredient to any summer meal.

Dave Tanis praised it in his weekly column A City Kitchen in yesterday;s New York Times Dining section. Basmati rice has a sweet flavor and a delicate texture , different from the ordinary boiled in a minute kind.It is also a staple of Indian cooking and offsets the fiery flavors of that cuisine. Basmati rice also goes well with summer corn, which is  popular on the subcontinent.It can grace a pilaf or a puleo, giving it more sweetness and color.Mr. Tanis decided to combine the two into an interesting pilaf.

He makes this as a vegan recipe.It has the saffron and turmeric for color along with coriander and cumin for bite and heat. Since this is meatless , he adds cashews for crunch and protein as well as raisins for sweetness and chewiness.. He serves this withthe side dish  raita.This is a fiery mix of jalapeno and yogurt along with mustard seeds. Vegetable oil and mint are used to give the dip its' smoothness and coolness. As Mr. Tanis did, the two dishes can be served with a plate of fresh from the farm tomatoes. You could add some grilled chicken or even shrimp to the rice if you want it to be more substantial.

Basmati rice is a nice sub for the regular one. Add some farm fresh corn to it for added sweetness along withthe usual  fiery Indian spices.It's an easy summer dish with the taste of the exotic

Know Your Veggie's Age

is there such a thing as an old tomato?Or a young zucchini.Yes.A veggie's age and when you use it cam definitely affect the dish it's in.To maximize any vegetable's flavor and nutritional potential ,understand how old it is and how it's age can. And will make a difference. Knowing your veggie's age was the main article in today's New York Times Dining section.It was part of Melissa Clark's. A Good Appetite and it was full of good advice.After all many don't know when a tomTo is at its best for sauce making or when. Is a good time to batter coat it and then fry it.An older tomato is the best for any sauces or even making ketchup.A straight off the vine one that's still firm and green is perfect for frying. This is known as micro seasonality ,finding the ripest during season.Both chefs and home cooks are using this to optimize any veggie's flavor and cooking potential. it does take a bit of knowledge and just basic sense to use this method.Fpr example cilantro is better as a garnish. When it.s just shoots,Mature leaves are best flavoring dishes while the flowers are best in noodle dishes.Most cooks ,amateur or pro ,know that the best zucchini flavor is when it's young .The texture too is at it's best then as well,being soft and tender.As they get older the zucchini gets tougher and the seeds grow.The only thing to do with it is stuff it either with breadcrumbs or a mix of ground beef.Even fruit has micro seasons.Use the ripe berries for nibbling ,while the younger green ones are just right for pickling. Knowing your veggie's age can help in making. Tasty dishes.Understanding when to use them and in what dishes is vital to creating the best dish for that particular veggie.It will be the difference between a good dish and a mediocre one.