Even though it's fall there's still nothing like a beet salad, It;s the perfect accompaniment for tail gate ribs or burgers still cooked out on the grill.It's also a good side to Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas hams. Luckily there is a company like Aunt Nellie's that fits the bill.
Aunt Nellies,a division of Seneca Foodsof California and New York State and a cousin of Libby's canned fruit and vegetables has excellent jar or what's known as glass beets. These are perfect for beet fans who love the root veggie but hate to go through the canning and preserving process. They are not your typical canned beets, mushy and pudding soft. These have the firm, plump texture and shape of just picked ones. The flavor is phenomenal, sweet with an earthy ripe flavor.I made a tasty salad with them , with the addition of onions and olive oil.Aunt Nellie's adds the right amount of pickling so vinegar or lemon isn't needed.
Aunt Nellie's also makes some other great pickled veggies too. I would love to try my fave - three bean salad, which again is a wonderful holiday meal side, especially with ham. They also have Harvard beets, beets with a creamy sauce. another great addition to any lunch or dinner. Aunt Nellie's' also has red cabbage a must for October fest meals,What is great about the company and their philosophy is that it's harvest to table,All theveggies and beans picked at the peak of freshness and pickled almost immediately to give us that straight from the garden taste.That's what I also love about them too. My salad brought back flavors that normally would be tasted in July or August instead of now in mid October.They can be bought direct from their website as well as on Amazon.com
If you want the just picked taste of fresh beets, then buy Aunt Nellie's; brand.There's nothing like a fresh, summery tasting salad in fall. Buy a few jars today for your tailgating parties or fall dinners.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Saturday, October 12, 2013
The Best Chocolate Cookbook Ever!
Chocolate lovers rejoice ! There is an excellent cookbook, Crazy About Chocolate that has every kind of chocolate recipe in it!What's even more interesting is that several are savory ones, using cacao in a different and unique way. A chocoholic could make an entire dinner using their favorite food thanks to this unusual cookbook.
Krystina Castella wrote this truly original book published by Sterling Publishers. She includes many interesting facts,, from why she loves the brown stuff to cooking with it. I like how she explains the different equipment used in her recipes. This is handy because one item, such as a cookie sheet, sauce, could have several different uses. What I love about this book is it's versatility and flexibility with chocolate. She uses it in its' original form , mole to create an unusual turkey mole chile as well as chocolate bun sliders with a cocoa sauce. What is truly unique is her chocolate butter with grilled corn as well as her smoked ribs with her cocoa barbecue sauce. These would be hits at any tailgate party. There's also a cool chocolate pasta one that I would use as a surprise jaw dropper of a dessert.
Of course, since it is a chocolate cookbook, sweet recipes abound. There is a yummy sounding German chocolate French toast as well as chocolate bagels. Her take on cakes are just drool worthy. There is one for a simple orange marble pound cake as well as one for devil's food and Bundt cake. She also categorizes the recipes into holidays, from steamed Japanese rice cakes with chocolate filling for New Years to chocolate gingerbread men and squares for Christmas. She even has cocoa waffles for the Fourth of July. There are also recipes to suit r all sorts of gatherings from fancy birthday parties to baby showers. Ms. Castella also has every day ones like the scrumptuous chocolate and fruit ices , and fun chocolate cookies for after school snacking.
Please get this cookbook if you're a chocolate lover or just want to create tasty and unusual dishes. You can make all sorts of truly delicious sweets and savories using one of the world's most ancient and most popular ingredients. It's a trip into the sweet world of cacao.
Krystina Castella wrote this truly original book published by Sterling Publishers. She includes many interesting facts,, from why she loves the brown stuff to cooking with it. I like how she explains the different equipment used in her recipes. This is handy because one item, such as a cookie sheet, sauce, could have several different uses. What I love about this book is it's versatility and flexibility with chocolate. She uses it in its' original form , mole to create an unusual turkey mole chile as well as chocolate bun sliders with a cocoa sauce. What is truly unique is her chocolate butter with grilled corn as well as her smoked ribs with her cocoa barbecue sauce. These would be hits at any tailgate party. There's also a cool chocolate pasta one that I would use as a surprise jaw dropper of a dessert.
Of course, since it is a chocolate cookbook, sweet recipes abound. There is a yummy sounding German chocolate French toast as well as chocolate bagels. Her take on cakes are just drool worthy. There is one for a simple orange marble pound cake as well as one for devil's food and Bundt cake. She also categorizes the recipes into holidays, from steamed Japanese rice cakes with chocolate filling for New Years to chocolate gingerbread men and squares for Christmas. She even has cocoa waffles for the Fourth of July. There are also recipes to suit r all sorts of gatherings from fancy birthday parties to baby showers. Ms. Castella also has every day ones like the scrumptuous chocolate and fruit ices , and fun chocolate cookies for after school snacking.
Please get this cookbook if you're a chocolate lover or just want to create tasty and unusual dishes. You can make all sorts of truly delicious sweets and savories using one of the world's most ancient and most popular ingredients. It's a trip into the sweet world of cacao.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Sweet Blasts Fron The Past
New York is full of fancy confectioners shops with imported French and Italian sweets. However the city and its' boroughs also have a few old fashioned candy stores (and one with a British twist) that cater to nostalgia. Whether you're visiting or living in area go see these neat throwbacks to a more innocent and sweeter time.
Sheila McClear covered this in Wednesday's The New York Daily News Food section (and again The NY Daily News has some excellent articles on cooking and restaurants). All the boroughs have one gem that sells childhood classics, however it's Brooklyn that has the most. This borough may appeal to hipsters but it also appeals to the old guard. There is the Williams Candy Shop on Surf Street that has marshmallow kabobs, three huge mallows on a stick covered in caramel and coated in coconut.Staten Island, for all its' Jersey like suburbia has Philip's Candy .There's homemade peanut brittle and homemade fudge along with marzipan.
Manhattan has some of the best, both British and American. Trendy Bleeker Street gives us The London Candy Company which features English faves such as the heady but addictive Wine Gums, along with anything and everything Cadbury. There's also midtown's Myzel's, where Polish immigrant Paulina Myzel sells all different kinds of licorice (which turns out to be a great balm for sore throats) and homemade cookies she bakes herself. Along with these there are the fun Halloween candies such as gummy brains and gummy teeth. Economy Candy has some cool retro treats such as Bonamo Turkish Taffy , AstroBars and the ever popular Pez dispensers.
If you're in the city or its' boroughs this Halloween season, treat yourself to some neat sweets. These are a fun and not so fancy throwback to our childhoods. Buy a few bags of your faves and get the best sugar high ever!
Sheila McClear covered this in Wednesday's The New York Daily News Food section (and again The NY Daily News has some excellent articles on cooking and restaurants). All the boroughs have one gem that sells childhood classics, however it's Brooklyn that has the most. This borough may appeal to hipsters but it also appeals to the old guard. There is the Williams Candy Shop on Surf Street that has marshmallow kabobs, three huge mallows on a stick covered in caramel and coated in coconut.Staten Island, for all its' Jersey like suburbia has Philip's Candy .There's homemade peanut brittle and homemade fudge along with marzipan.
Manhattan has some of the best, both British and American. Trendy Bleeker Street gives us The London Candy Company which features English faves such as the heady but addictive Wine Gums, along with anything and everything Cadbury. There's also midtown's Myzel's, where Polish immigrant Paulina Myzel sells all different kinds of licorice (which turns out to be a great balm for sore throats) and homemade cookies she bakes herself. Along with these there are the fun Halloween candies such as gummy brains and gummy teeth. Economy Candy has some cool retro treats such as Bonamo Turkish Taffy , AstroBars and the ever popular Pez dispensers.
If you're in the city or its' boroughs this Halloween season, treat yourself to some neat sweets. These are a fun and not so fancy throwback to our childhoods. Buy a few bags of your faves and get the best sugar high ever!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Weeding Out Your Food
The next time you spruce up your lawn pay close attention to your weeds. Yes, they can be pesky little suckers, ruining a fall landscape, yet they can add to any salad or even cooked dish.It's a delicious walk on the wild side.
It was further explored in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.newcomer Ben Paynter described what wild plants can be used and how restaurants are employing them in different dishes, Foraging is nothing new. Humanity has been doing it since our earliest days, Mostly then it was a tremendous hit or miss deal. Pick a weed then and hopefully it was not only tasty but non toxic.;Nowwe and farmers are better read and equipped to pick out weeds that will go well in various dishes. Many farms now are just growing weeds to supply the wave of wild plant chefs.
Many chefs are embracing this natural plant cuisine. Mr.Paynter focused on the ones in Kansas City however trendy New York restaurants such as Daniel, Gramercy Tavern and Acme are also embracing the foraging craze.Weeds can provide an entirely new facet to cooking and cooks can create some new spins on old classics. Chicory is one of the most popular,It can be used in salads to give them a kind of earthy coffee flavor. The ever common dandelion is turned into an amuse bouche in Kansas City. Sous chef, Josh Eans turns the petals into a tasty morsel while the stems and the rest of the flowers were battered dipped and fried into a tasty tempura.
Foraging is not only a great way of getting rid of those pesky weeds. It;s also an interesting way to change up your menu. Hit the garden and woods this weekend and start looking for your next culinary creation.
NOTE: If you are thinking about foraging , read up on it first whether on the Internet or on a books solely on the subject. ,Be aware of which plants are poisonous and which ones are safe.
It was further explored in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.newcomer Ben Paynter described what wild plants can be used and how restaurants are employing them in different dishes, Foraging is nothing new. Humanity has been doing it since our earliest days, Mostly then it was a tremendous hit or miss deal. Pick a weed then and hopefully it was not only tasty but non toxic.;Nowwe and farmers are better read and equipped to pick out weeds that will go well in various dishes. Many farms now are just growing weeds to supply the wave of wild plant chefs.
Many chefs are embracing this natural plant cuisine. Mr.Paynter focused on the ones in Kansas City however trendy New York restaurants such as Daniel, Gramercy Tavern and Acme are also embracing the foraging craze.Weeds can provide an entirely new facet to cooking and cooks can create some new spins on old classics. Chicory is one of the most popular,It can be used in salads to give them a kind of earthy coffee flavor. The ever common dandelion is turned into an amuse bouche in Kansas City. Sous chef, Josh Eans turns the petals into a tasty morsel while the stems and the rest of the flowers were battered dipped and fried into a tasty tempura.
Foraging is not only a great way of getting rid of those pesky weeds. It;s also an interesting way to change up your menu. Hit the garden and woods this weekend and start looking for your next culinary creation.
NOTE: If you are thinking about foraging , read up on it first whether on the Internet or on a books solely on the subject. ,Be aware of which plants are poisonous and which ones are safe.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
A Better Butter
Can butter be made any better? The answer is yes, especially if you make it yourself. That may sound crazy and definitely labor intensive but it is worth it.Homemade and fermented butter can create better dishes and baked goods. It also enhances ordinary breads and rolls with its' creamy , tangy flavor.
Melissa Clark experimented with it and write about it extensively in her A Good Appetite column in today's New York Times Dining section. There is a whole movement out there who is using fermented butter, butter that has a higher fat content , 86 to 84 content to the standard 80 per cent. It is different that our regular sticks, pats ad tubs.It's denser in texture and a deeper shade of yellow. Many have taken making this rare treat in their kitchen, as Ms, Clark has done. It is labor intensive yet only requires three simple ingredients: yogurt, high quality cream and sea salt.It requires kneading along with intense three day fermenting. It is then washed and ready to serve.
The results are amazing. Not only do you get fresh , old fashioned butter but rich buttermilk to boot as Ms. Clark found out. Both enhance any dish (as well as a having a fresh cold glass of buttermilk.) The acid in the butter makes it perfect for baking as she discovered in creating simple butter cookies.These were crumblier , crisper and more buttery. The biscuits she baked turned out to be softer and more tender due to the butter's acidity to tenderize the ingredients. Hopefully Ms. Clark used the butter also on sautes and in making mashed potatoes and creamed veggies. These would taste phenomenal with the hommade stuff.
If you have the time and crave a better butter then think about making your own. It will not only enhance your baked dishes but also redefine the way you use it on bread and rolls. Homemade butter is nothing but a plus to your kitchen. It is hard work but definitely worth it.
Melissa Clark experimented with it and write about it extensively in her A Good Appetite column in today's New York Times Dining section. There is a whole movement out there who is using fermented butter, butter that has a higher fat content , 86 to 84 content to the standard 80 per cent. It is different that our regular sticks, pats ad tubs.It's denser in texture and a deeper shade of yellow. Many have taken making this rare treat in their kitchen, as Ms, Clark has done. It is labor intensive yet only requires three simple ingredients: yogurt, high quality cream and sea salt.It requires kneading along with intense three day fermenting. It is then washed and ready to serve.
The results are amazing. Not only do you get fresh , old fashioned butter but rich buttermilk to boot as Ms. Clark found out. Both enhance any dish (as well as a having a fresh cold glass of buttermilk.) The acid in the butter makes it perfect for baking as she discovered in creating simple butter cookies.These were crumblier , crisper and more buttery. The biscuits she baked turned out to be softer and more tender due to the butter's acidity to tenderize the ingredients. Hopefully Ms. Clark used the butter also on sautes and in making mashed potatoes and creamed veggies. These would taste phenomenal with the hommade stuff.
If you have the time and crave a better butter then think about making your own. It will not only enhance your baked dishes but also redefine the way you use it on bread and rolls. Homemade butter is nothing but a plus to your kitchen. It is hard work but definitely worth it.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
It's Octoberfest Time!
Every fall Germany and Germans around the world go crazy. Why?It's Oktoberfest! It's a time to enjoy the best Deutchland has to offer and it offers a whole cornucopia of yummy foods and drinks. It'sa perfect time to celebrate , with clear autumn skies and endless steins of beer!
Oktoberfest has its' origins in a wedding celebration that took place 200 years ago.Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.It actually started as horse race and then eventually evolved into an actual festival. Small beer stands were set up to quench thirsts back then, because it was more of a fair. Now Germans around the celebrate it , from parades and in German clubs to restaurants and even casinos. The foods are always delicious . Every kind of wurst is sold, from frankfurters to bratwurst and with it every and any kind of beer from weisse bier to the darker, earthier brews.There are also spaetzle, the little flour dumpling that are excellent with a rich brown gravy.
The Germans are crack experts at baking and that reflects heavily at any Oktoberfest. Nothing beats a freshly made pretzel(or two or three) along with the many fantastic cakes.There is the heavenly Black Forest cake, a mix if dark chocolate cake, cherries and whipped cream. Sometimes shaved dark chocolate is sprinkled on it for added decadence.There's also the fruit cakes, such as plum and apple.These are more like tarts with a pie crust bottoms ,laden with fruit slices. Another treat is beesting cake or beinenstich, tasty mix of a honey butter cream, crunchy glazed almond topping and a fluffy spring cake.
If you haven't been to one yet, go to an Octoberfest.It's a great way to experience all that wonderful German food. Enjoy a wurst and beef followed by pretzels and cake.It's the best eating experience in the world!
Oktoberfest has its' origins in a wedding celebration that took place 200 years ago.Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.It actually started as horse race and then eventually evolved into an actual festival. Small beer stands were set up to quench thirsts back then, because it was more of a fair. Now Germans around the celebrate it , from parades and in German clubs to restaurants and even casinos. The foods are always delicious . Every kind of wurst is sold, from frankfurters to bratwurst and with it every and any kind of beer from weisse bier to the darker, earthier brews.There are also spaetzle, the little flour dumpling that are excellent with a rich brown gravy.
The Germans are crack experts at baking and that reflects heavily at any Oktoberfest. Nothing beats a freshly made pretzel(or two or three) along with the many fantastic cakes.There is the heavenly Black Forest cake, a mix if dark chocolate cake, cherries and whipped cream. Sometimes shaved dark chocolate is sprinkled on it for added decadence.There's also the fruit cakes, such as plum and apple.These are more like tarts with a pie crust bottoms ,laden with fruit slices. Another treat is beesting cake or beinenstich, tasty mix of a honey butter cream, crunchy glazed almond topping and a fluffy spring cake.
If you haven't been to one yet, go to an Octoberfest.It's a great way to experience all that wonderful German food. Enjoy a wurst and beef followed by pretzels and cake.It's the best eating experience in the world!
Monday, October 7, 2013
Piedmonte''s Fall Feast
One of the best places to be in autumn is Piedmonte in the northwestern corner of Italy. This is where fall comes to life, with bright colors and bountiful harvests.It''s also a time for the dishes of the season , both hearty and delicate.
Truffles usher in the change of season and they are abundant in the specifically designated forest lands.These fungi , the diamonds of the food world, are used in pasta dishes as well as in flavoring oil and make a fine meal on a crisp October Sunday. Another cool weather favorite is bagna calda,literally hot bathin both the French influnced dialect and Italian.This is a savory and addictive blend of anchovies , butter and olive oil. cooked with garlic to create a bubbling sauce. Various veggies form mushrooms to Savoy cabbage are dipped into it and cooked. London Broil or any steak can also be cut up and the pieces cooked in it. The highlight however is soaking chunks of Italian bread in the sauce and then devouring them.
Fall desserts in the Turino and surrounding countryside are also wonderful. The Piedmontese are fond of fritters an make them using apples or even chestnut flour.Zabaglione or sabayon, a rich egg yolk custard made with Marsala wine often finishes a meal. The best dessert, though, is bonet, literally bonnet, a tasty treat harking back to the Renaissance,This is a slow baked creme caramel, made with crushed amaretto cookies , along with rum and cocoa powder.It can be made without the chocolate powder to emulate the original 15th Century recipe. The name means "hat' and could refer to the dessert's shape or that fact that like a hat it's the last thing considered. Either way it's a lovely dessert , served with espresso.
Piedmonte is beautiful in the fall. It is full of colors, flavors and aromas of good food. This is the season to enjoy it and its rich, culinary history.
Truffles usher in the change of season and they are abundant in the specifically designated forest lands.These fungi , the diamonds of the food world, are used in pasta dishes as well as in flavoring oil and make a fine meal on a crisp October Sunday. Another cool weather favorite is bagna calda,literally hot bathin both the French influnced dialect and Italian.This is a savory and addictive blend of anchovies , butter and olive oil. cooked with garlic to create a bubbling sauce. Various veggies form mushrooms to Savoy cabbage are dipped into it and cooked. London Broil or any steak can also be cut up and the pieces cooked in it. The highlight however is soaking chunks of Italian bread in the sauce and then devouring them.
Fall desserts in the Turino and surrounding countryside are also wonderful. The Piedmontese are fond of fritters an make them using apples or even chestnut flour.Zabaglione or sabayon, a rich egg yolk custard made with Marsala wine often finishes a meal. The best dessert, though, is bonet, literally bonnet, a tasty treat harking back to the Renaissance,This is a slow baked creme caramel, made with crushed amaretto cookies , along with rum and cocoa powder.It can be made without the chocolate powder to emulate the original 15th Century recipe. The name means "hat' and could refer to the dessert's shape or that fact that like a hat it's the last thing considered. Either way it's a lovely dessert , served with espresso.
Piedmonte is beautiful in the fall. It is full of colors, flavors and aromas of good food. This is the season to enjoy it and its rich, culinary history.
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