Spicing Up New York"s Palate

Middle Eastern cooking has the tantalizing blend of exotic and glam.The aromas and flavors are unique, giving ordinary ingredients such as lamb and eggplant zing and zest.The influence is now livening up dishes across Manhattan and can easily copied into a home chef's menu. New York Times Dining great, Julia Moskin wrote about this in today's food and wine issue.Many Manhattan chefs are adding exotic spices to both main meals and desserts.It's now not in usual to find coriander, pomengranate and saffron at hand in many kitchens.Chefs both with Arab and nonArab are using these to create new dishes as well as put a sophisticated spin on common Arab street foods.There's no room for the tried and true such as falafel and plain hummus.Fattoush ,a traditional salad of the region gets a new twist with avocado ,mint and lemon, thanks to Chef Einat Admony of the Manhattan restaurant Bar Bolonat.Usually made with tomatoes ,greens and shards of bread,it takes a more sensuous turn with the silkiness of the avocado and the sharp bite of lemon mixed with mustard.Manousheh, a domed Lebanese bread is creating fans throughout the city thanks to baker Ziad Hernez.This is a pita painted with zaatar and topped with tomatoes, cucumbers and jibneh, a crumbly feta like cheese with the mildness of mozzarella.Harissa, a popular North African sauce is also being used in more meat dishes.It's a simple easy to copy sauce made from hot peppers and paprika mixed with olive oil. Middle Eastern street fare is getting revamped as well.Kebabs are being made with tuna and halibut and wrapped around a cinnamon skewer.Stuffed vegetables are surrounded by fresh herbs,yogurt along with green and red chiles.Zaatar which is a home mix of the plant zaatar(a distant cousin of oregano) is mixed with ground sumac along with salt then doused with whole sesame seeds.It's also made into a wet form,using olive oil and is added to yogurt for flavor or spread over a pita bread. You could use it to spice up lamb chops or chicken too. Another spice is dukkah from Egypt .This is a fine mix of various spices and nuts now being used to zest up both meat and veggies.Pomengranate, a well used fruit of the area ,is being employed in all sorts of dishes, mostly in syrup form .It's mixed with tahini, a sesame sauce and poured over Brussels sprouts , a food not really used in Arab or Israeli cooking. Middle Eastern food is a delicious mix of the exotic and flavorful.Just making your own version of zaatar and adding to a meat dish is a step away from the ordinary.Add some of this flavor to your cooking for twist on Arabic cooking.

Fun Stuff For Little Chefs

If your little one likes to cook, encourage him or her.It's a well known fact that kids who help out at mealtime have healthier diets and know the difference between good and bad foods.It's easy to entice them ,thanks to some neat kitchen oriented stuff out there. Kids love coloring books and simple word games.They also like to nosh too. A new coloring book combines the two in a fun and informative way.The New York Daily News featured the coloring/ activity book ,developed by Andre Huesten Mack, owner and founder of Mouton Noir Wines.His mentor was none other than them famed Chicago chef, Charlie Trotter.Chef Trotter frequently invited school children into his kitchen for educational three course meals.Mack also believes this, hence the book.It featues coloring book images of some of the current greats like Anthony Bourdain.Tom Coliccjio and the lesser known Eric Ripert of Le Bernadin and April Bloomfield of the famed The Spotted Pig.The games are fun.There is a word search featuring nothing but mushroom types and a scramble word with only fish. Once you've got your future foodie's hooked, it's time to give them the tolls to start.There is a great company named Curious Chef that has kid versions of kitchen gear.This is one neat site.The sets are pricey however butvthey're worth it. Check out the six piece fruit and vegetable prep set for $24.99. It has everything from a melon baller to a cute pepper shaped corer.The pizza kit,,also $24.99, has a neat looking tomato shaped cutting board along with a slice server and a pizza cutter. For parents worried about stains there are aprons to protect clothing as well as oven mitts to prevent burns and even toques to cover little heads.One of the best aspects of the company is the way it divides up the level of experience from apprentice chef for beginners to sous and expert chef.The company also believes in healthy eating so they have nuritious and even sophisticated recipes.Their hip pity hop pear bunny is adorable and it actually would make a neat dessert any time of the year.There is also a recipe for an asparagus and shrimp potato croquet, more suitable with a glass of champagne than with apple juice. Encourage your budding foodie's to explore the fun world of cooking. It's a great way of showing them how to not only eat healthy but create their own dishes and desserts. Start them off with Small Thyme Cooks and some cooking gear from Curious Chef to get them on the right culinary path.

The Grill Of Your Dreams

We"re on the verge of barbecue season.This is the time of year when stores sell a variety of grills.Don't be overwhelmed by the variety of different types.Choose one that fits your grilling needs and warnsBuying the right one is the key to a successful grilling season. Grills are like any other appliance.The fancier they are, the more stuff comes with them.There's also the question of what kind of fuel you want to use.if you want a no problem , easy grill then think electric.The problem is that you won't get smoky flavor when you cook on it.Sadly there's not a big variety to choose from.This may not be the one for you if you're an avid barbecuer.Many electric grills also don't have a lot of voltage so they're only good for grilling burgers and dogs .Most people love gas grills.These come in a gamut of types with a wide range of pricing too.A simple gas grill will cost only $200. These are good for cooking the simple stuff like steaks and kabobs, but nothing more elaborate.Also they will not last as long as their more expensive counterparts.The luxury models even have rotisseries and side burners.These are perfect for more advanced cooks or ones that like to do most of their summer cooking out of doors.The top of the line grills will be made from stainless steel and can cost upwards from a grand and beyond. If you are a traditionalist, then consider a new charcoal grill. These , too, range in pricing from what's known as a simple kettle to smokers.Everyone swears by the Weber model.It has multiple air vents along with room for indirect and direct smoking.A better one is the Kamado cooker which is excellent for smoking meats.It also will last a long time?There's also the Hasty Bake which can bake meats such as chicken and Cornish hens.People concerned about their health and the environment will probably choose the wood pellet kind(cooking over charcoal can cause the meat to become carcinogenic).A better choice is the wood pellet grill.These are grills that are fueled by a hardwood pill like piece of wood.They burn quickly and cleanly into a fine ash.These come in different "flavors" such as hickory,oak,cherry, apple or mesquite.They're fed from a storage hopper into a burning box at a controlled rate.Heating time is literally within minutes.The pricing is high ,even for the least expensive,$400 to 2 grand for the best one.Also the pellets can be pricey as well however pellet grill owners usually buy their fuel in bulk. As with any appliance, determine what is the best grill for you by your cooking needs and tastes.It should be a perfect match, resulting in your best barbecue season. Pick the right one, the one that suits your outdoor cooking needs.

Gearing Up For Picnic Season

The warm weather brings the urge to eat outside.There's nothing like a relaxing picnic on the beach or in the park .Yet a meal al fresco isn't just a sandwich on a bench .It's much more and if you want an enjoyable, trouble free one,you're going to have to have some gear.It's up to you to make it as simple or involved. The first step is having some kind of container for your grub.It can be as basic as a Styrofoam cooler you can buy at your local supermarket or as fancy as a British hamper from Williams Somona.The last will come with actual china plates, cloth napkins and cutlery.It's perfect for impressing a date or doing a picnic Downton Abbey style.However if it's not you, don't buy it.A better option is a cooler on wheels which can be bought at any Target or K-Mart.It will have room for ice which means you can easily store bottled drinks along with salads and sandwiches.It's good for the more involved meals that include meats for grilling and any mayo based dish.Another idea is a portable grill.Most picnic spots do have them, however many picnickers want their own to cook on.Get a decent easy to handle portastove that will last for several years.It can be used again in the fall for tailgating season.Also buy one that has two grills for cooking both burgers and dogs. There seems to be some division on utensils.Some people like the idea of plastic while others tend to use their house sets for dining outside.Plastic breaks ,especially the knives,rendering themselves useless when cutting steaks or even chicken breasts.Ditto for forks .The tines have a tendency to break off too if you're stabbing something tough.Bringing the utensils from home is not a good idea either.They could get lost.The best bet is heading down to your dollar store and purchasing cutlery from there.Knives and forks won't be as flimsy as the plastic ones yet not as precious as say the family silverware.The dollar store can also provide you with spatulas, larger knives and ladles..These also come in handy when you need extras for big holiday dinners.As for containers, invest in cheaper plastic containers with snap on lids for salads and even meats. You don't have to use the good Pyrex or even Tupperware. Nothing beats a relaxing meal al fresco.However for it to be enjoyable you do need some basics.A few simple containers, easy to handle cutlery and and ice filled cooler makes it easier to dine in the great outdoors.It'll make for a more enjoyable meal.

Milk Punch Hip Again?

This is the season for celebrations.Between weddings, graduations and engagements, people will. E looking for something to toast the celebrated.Surprisingly a centuries old recipe might do the trick.Milk punch is hot again and in a whole new way.It's also an elegant touch to any shower or party. It was the lone non bread article in The New York Times Dining section that was yeast centric on Wednesday.Robert Simonson wrote about it and how it's sweeping the nation ,from New York to San Francisco.The drink is nothing new,being first made during the Renaissance.A century later, the famed first female playwright Aphra Behn reinvented the quaff during England "s Restoration period.She made it as an individual drink ,similar to what is now being served.One of the more popular is the California style made with rum, spices and Batavia arrack, a fermented sweet rice wine..It's served at San Francisco's Coachman Bar where it's known for the 19th Century drinks.It's also a favorite choice at Manhattan's Underground too.Chicago's Punch House, famed for it's punches has an ancient recipe revamped and changed every week. Most of these punches are not creamy or milky,like what is served in New Orleans bars .The ingredients are mixed with hot milk so that the milk curdles.The blend is sieved repeatedly until the liquid becomes clear.This is a time intensive project, taking hours to make.It then rests a day before being served.However there is a cult following for this and bartenders let milk punch lovers know hone they"re making it.This kind of milk punch does take some getting used to.Not many people enjoy a mix of spirits and dairy.,Once acquired ,it's addictive.Some bars such as Bar Pleides make a milk punch base and patrons canchoose their spirit of choice to add. Don't try this at home.Stick with the old fashioned milk punch recipe where bourbon or rum is added.For added richness use half milk and half whole cream .You could also add some chocolate syrup for a twist on the kid classic. Milk punch is an elegant drink, perfect for an elegant party or just a night out.You can try it both ways ,either clear or creamy .Either way it's a rich drink ,perfect forth times ahead.

A Good Old Fashioned Bagel

Real bagels in New York are about bas easy to find as one of those mythical sewer alligators.They're usua Ly puffy and pale with hardly any taste.Like the artesenal breads that are repopulating the city ,home style bagels are making a return and in a big way. The New York Post (yes, that rag owned by the Murdoch family) covered them in their Wednesday food section.Old fashioned and Isreali bagels are Back in style. The old fashioned style is more circular, looking like a ring and having a dark mahogany color.The texture is springier and chewier, reminiscent of the days when bagels were actually hand rolled. New York bakers Bari Musacchio and David Heffernam , who came from the city's best restaurants decided that a better bagel was needed.Ms.Musacchio felt like it was a desert ,not being Abe to find even an adequate one.Their are hand rolled creating an almost pretzel like bread.A Montreal version is also coming to the Big Apple.These have no egg but instead malt and honey and are first boiled in honey water. Bagel lovers can also rejoice at the Jerusalem style bagel coming to the city.This is a longer, thinner version, usually covered in sesame seeds or salt.They're then dipped in olive oil and the traditional zatar, a mix of sea salt and various herbs. This is an excellent snack and I can see it becoming the next big thing.The bagel itself without the dipping sauce may also become popular.It 's got the appeal of a pretzel along withe chewy inside and crusty outside. The era of the puffy, pale bagel may well be on it's way out.The thinner, crustier one is coming back.It's a whole new era of holes.

Bread Spread

Bread lovers should be in heaven today.The New York Times Dining section is entirely devoted to the staff of life.This is a great edition with drool worthy pictures and interesting stories about bread makers.All the greats from Pete Wells to David Tanis weigh in .There's even a tasty recipe for a sweet and savory butter to slather on the slice of your choice. One of the best articles of the issue is the one written by Dining regular Jeff Gordonier.He wrote about the return of true artesanal bread with bakers harking back to ancient methods of fermenting the dough first.There a big push also to return to grains that have almost been forgotten.Bakers such as Peter Endriss of Brooklyn"s Runner And Stone is influenced by his German roots where bread has a deep brownish black hue and rye flour is liberally used.His almond croissant is not a golden sticky bar but a crescent that is gnarled and mahogany in color.Another bread maker,the Finnish Simo Kuusisto of nearby Nordic Bakery creates a dark chewy rye, the kind of loaf he grew up on.There is definitely a movement that these men are a part of ,that is to go back to an era when bread wasn't a cookie cutter loaf with a spongey middle and an embarrassing, mushy crust.Spelt and kamut along with stone ground whole-wheat .The one country not into this are the Japanese who make a delicious sounding milk bread that begins with a flour and whole milk starter.The results are perfectly square loaves with buttery golden crusts.There is even a pictorial featuring the best breads of New York City. The bread issue also includes recipes(including the Japanese milk bread one above)There is a recipe from San Francisco's famed Tartine Bakery.Baker Chad Robertson creates a chewy, crusty loaf .The key is how its kneaded with the dough being folded into a kind of envelope .Of course there is the untraditional addition of rice flour to the recipe mostly as the layer that will be for the crust. Florence Fabricant also contributes her recipe ,an earthy walnut and whole wheat one, sweetened with maple syrup.Any of these would work well with the aforementioned savory butter.This is from Melissa Clark in the Restaurant Takeaway column, It involves adding chicken fat to butter along with a tablespoon of maple syrup.Bay leaf is also added for zing .Ms. Clark also contributes a spaghetti recipe made with bread crumbs, egg yolks and anchovies.She heartily recommends making your own crumbs, using the heels of stale Italian and French loaves.The bread crumbs are good for other recipes too, from stuffed mushrooms to coating veggies for frying.She also has another article about homemade English muffins.This is a must save although the recipe is labor intensive.David Tanis of A City Kitchen gives us his recipe for the perfect slice of toasted bread.The best one is one made from a baguette. he takes a slice and rubs olive oil and garlic,Spanish style on both sides.He also recommends rubbing a fresh sliced tomato too for a tangier taste.Imagine this with a salad Nicoise or a fragrant bouillabaisse. The brewed issue is definitely a must save.It has some of the best recipes from actual loaves to bread centric ones.Try them for a change from the ordinary store bought ones.