Maya Angelou, Writer,Poet, Home Chef?

Maya Angelou was one of the seminal writers of both the 20th and 21st Centuries.She was also nominated for a Tony award and also appeared on one of the first TV. Miniseries, Roots.Yet she had another talent - cooking.Dr .Angelou was an accomplished hostess and a home chef.Her parties were as legendary as her words. There was a very lovely memorial and remembrance to her in yesterday"s New York Times Dining section.Jessica B. Harris,who knew the great poet and writer, gives us a different facet of her life.In a way, it's no wonder that Ms. Harris memory takes place in California's Sonoma wine country.This is a region where the soil is rich and both fruits and vegetables grow in abundance.Any foodie or adept home chef would live in an area such as this.She was also a True hostess, always having a well stocked pantry.She loved en tertaining any kind of party from the small and intimate to the loud and noisy.Cooking for both was a snap and a pleasure for her.One of the best memories Ms. Harris has is Dr.Angelou's New Year's Day feast.It was a true Southern, affair with hop pin' John,ham roast chicken ,greens and candied sweet potatoes.It was held at her North Carolina house, a home with undoubtedly an ample kitchen to cook and create.Her New York parties had the literati and stage ,from Jimmy Baldwin to the great Nina Simone. It should come as no surprise that Dr. Angelou also wrote a cookbook, first published in 2004 ,Hallelujah!The Welcome Table: A Lifetime Of Memories With Recipes is mixed with her recipes and recounts of her life. It was a best seller, even rivaling her prose and poetry in sales.Like many writers she traveled the world but unlike them she collected recipes.She was adept at recreating many different dishes like her 12 boy curry, so named because it required twelve servants to carry it. This colonial dish ,despite it's somewhat dubious history, was a favorite.She also wrote a humorous poem ,The Health Food Diner, almost Ogden Nashian in it's humor and meter , lightly ridiculed vegans with their righteous ways as well as listing a long and yummy list of all sorts of meats from corned beef to prime rib. Dr. Angelou was an amazing writer but she also was an amazing cook and cookbook writer.Yes, she was remembered for her fiction and poems but she should. Also be remembered for her legacy of good dishes.She was a star, not just of Literary circles but of the kitchen as well.

Chilies Without Heat

Heat is always associated with Mexican chilies and food.It's what makes the cuisine unique and also popular.There is one part of Mexico where the fires isn't always ablaze.It flavors, it adds to the existing flavors ,but it doesn't"t burn brightly.If any thing it smolders. Mark Bittman, wrote about this area, the Yucatan Peninsula is a large article in today"s New York Times Dining section.He travels to the area and ,of course it inspires and influences his cooking.Like other parts of Mexico, chiles are a part of every day eating.However these won't burn the throat or bring on tears when eaten.There's more of a fruitiness, according to Mr. Bittman. Cooking with these are easy and there's a lot a home chef can do with them.Milder chiles are great because they will not dominate and become the main flavor.The best chiles to use are the chipotles which are smoked ,dried jalapenos.With any chile pepper, the key is roasting and/or toasting You can roast them over an open fire or in a skillet( sans oil or butter).You can even use an oven .Any roasting releases complex aromas.Your best bet is using fresh chiles.They benefit the best from roasting.You can discard the skins if you want but it's really not necessary The article has some interesting recipes.There are scrambled peppers and eggs.This makes a different brunch recipe.It has jalapeño along with chopped red bell peppers.The scramble can be served inside a flour tortilla or on toast.It would also be perfect with a side of black beans and rice too,There is also puzzle a pork and chile based dish,driven by smokier milder chilies such as chipotle or nachos.It's kind of like a soupy stew, also using hominy or maize as well.The third recipe is a chile tomato sauce.This is not so hot and could be both the base for chile as well as for arrabiata sauce.Ancho chiles are blended with garlic and onions along with honey and apple cider vinegar.after cooking it is ten pureed and placed into a glass jar.You can save it for a week however it probably won't last ,thanks to it's versatility. Chiles can be both hot and smokey.If you want a more subtle flavor go with the milder ones of the Yucatan Peninsula.You can create some tasty dishes ,enjoying the peppers true flavor with out the tongue and throat searing heat.It's a different twist onMexican favorites,

Dressing Up

What makes an ordinary bowl of tossed greens and chopped veggies a stand out? The dressing.Any dressing from a simple vinaigrette to a creamy ranch or tangy Thousand Island can add zip and verve even to just shredded iceberg lettuce and tomato wedges.Homemade dressings are not only yummy they're a snap to make.Even kids could create fancy ones for the evening salad. Sometimes the simplest is the best.Many salad devotees opt for the great Italian food writer,Marcella Hazan's recipe for a good side salad! Toss greens in olive oil, add a few drops of vinegar and then shake in fresh ground pepper and sea salt.This dressing works well if you have a strong main meal such as pasta or a roasted meat.The salad is secondary in this case.However with these hot June days, salads are becoming the main meal. Yes, you can still have an oil and vinegar base but try adding aromatic herbs such as oregano and rosemary.This is a basic Italian dressing recipe and can even be used on heroes too.A fruit infused vinaigrette is always a nice change of pace.Buy fresh picked blue berries or strawberries and bruise then( crush them with the back of a spoon)'Add to a white wine vinegar for fourteen days. If you want you can make several different fruit flavors, including peach and blackberry along with raspberry.Try these with salads having grilled chicken or turkey as the main ingredient. Creamy dressings are a bonus.They not only give a certain oomph to ordinary salads but they are chock full of flavor.One of the easiest and tastiest is French.This is just a simple mix of mayo and ketchup.There are recipes that nix the mayonnaise and sub in corn oil and white vinegar.Many prefer the first recipe .For added zing put in sweet relish or even chopped gherkins to create Thousand Island dressing.Sub in chopped pickles for the gherkins or sweet relish and you have Russian dressing.This is not only good in a salad but also slathered on a Reuben sandwich as well. Ranch dressing is popular right now and it's an easy one. Mix buttermilk with mayo and add garlic , onion powder and chives.Caesar salad is always a treat and the dressing is an easy to whip up.It"s mayo ,anchovy paste,Parmesian cheese and lemon juice mixed together and then minced garlic is thrown in.If you're making a creamy dressing ,then think big salad.Any of these dressing goes well with a chef salad laden with all sorts of meat. You can also add grilled shrimp, salmon to these as well as croutons and variety of veggies. warm weather calls for a salad.Jazz it up with a home made dressing.Any one is easy to whip up and dress a variety of meats,greens and veggies.

The Delights Of Salmon

Here the scoop not only is salmon good for you,it's also one of the most flavorful meats.It's also the most versatile.You can grill it,bake it or broil it.Even canned salmon is versatile and a healthy meal choice.It too can be turned into a variety of different salads and even dips.Because it's light, it's the perfect meat for these warm late Spring days. Salmon has a tremendous amount of benefits.One is that it is chocked with an unusually high amount of Omega 3 proteins, in fact more than any other fish. The protein is excellent for lowering cholesterol as well as strengthening cells.It can also help the body fight off such cancers as colon, breast and prostrate.It even decreases the risk of bolo related cancers such as Hodkins lymphoma.Incorporating salmon into your daily diet can also make you happier.Studies have shown that people who have a salmon rich diet do not suffer from depression along with having a decreased risk of hostility.It's also good for joints, reinforcing cartilage.Another benefit is that eating the fish two times a week can significantly cut down on the onset of macular degeneration ,a condition in which the retinas dry up. Salmon is also a flavorful fish on it's own. Unlike tuna, which has the best flavor when it's packed in oil, salmons,strong, almost earthy flavor stands up. However it works wells with such a variety of herbs,spices and sauces, more so than any other fish. There are several different types to choose from.The first choice is wild or farmed?Which is the better and healthier choice? Many chefs and nutritionists will tell you to buy wild.Farmed salmon is no different than chicken , beef or pork that have been raised in pens.They can get lice from each other, thanks to rampant over crowding and then treated with antibiotics which humans can later ingest.Salmon farmers and Congress are in talks about improving conditions, making the penned area more in the free range tradition. There are also different types.King or Chinook salmon have a rich flavor and firm flesh.This is excellent smoked but can be cooked another way as well.For more flavor and color consider there'd or sockeye kind,This makes the best sushi,because of these two attributes and works well with other strong flavors ,Coho or silver salmons the most used, especially in restaurants.It's a light orange in hue and has a mild flavor.It's basically what 's in cans and works great in light dishes such as salads.There is also the pink or bumpy and dog.The pink is an excellent source of protein yet it and chum or dog are ignored or dismissed by salmon snobs?The last is prized in Europe and is versatile in a number of dishes. If you want a dish that is both healthy and flavorful, consider salmon. it is perfect in a salad of summer vegetables or grilled with lemon. not only thAt but you'll be delivering a healthy dose of benefits to every part of your body. Enjoy salmon in any form,It really is a true treat.

The Healthiest Time To Eat

Warm weather brings a multitude of great things.Days that stretch well into the evening hours! Sunny afternoons spend on a sandy beach.Gardens rife with multicolored blooms.One of the best aspects is healthier eating.The summer brings about some of the best harvests of the year.Enjoy this the most because it's so beneficial. Warm ,sun filled days give us sweet ,wholesome berries.Start buying or go to the farms to pick them yourself.Strawberries and blueberries abound as do the first wave of raspberries( this last actually has two harvest seasons, one now and the second in September, early October)"Use these as sweeteners in cereals and oatmeal as well as in teas , and ades .They can be pulverized and turned into a syrup.You can add a bit of dark honey of you want them a bit more palatable.Later on in the season you can enjoy peaches and plums. Instead of relying on ice cream or frozen yogurt for cooling treat, think about one of them, chilled nicely in the fridge.Any fruit goes well in a salad and even adds another layer of texture and flavor. Another idea is making fresh fruit chutneys or salsas to be served with whole wheat tortilla chips. Just as the season brings about many fruits, it also showers us with veggies and tons of them.Tomatoes are the most planted and the most eaten.Nothing beats a fresh picked, sun warmed one dusted with the tiniest pinch of seasalt. Tomatoes are also versatile.They are great in a raw primavera sauce or just being a part of a kabob.Think about tomato pan bagna , a Provencale sandwich that features olive oil drenched tomatoes and sliced raw onion on a whole wheat baguette.The entire sandwich is Saran wrapped and compressed under heavy bricks so that the bread sops up the juices and oils.Green peppers are another warm weather must eat.These are good sliced raw or stuffed with lean beef and chopped mushrooms.As the season becomes summer , eggplant will be ready to be picked. Make the heart healthy and drool worthy dish ratatouille.This mélange of it along with onions and tomatoes is one of the tastiest summer dishes.It can be the centerpiece of any outdoor gathering or just a simple weekend supper. This is the season to start eating right.Take advantage of nature's bounty and change your diet.It's Mother Nature's way of gently pushing us to a better lifestyle.

A Rainbow Of Spices

Indian food is a variety of so many different colors and tastes.It reflects this mysterious, ancient country with it's exotics recipes and amazing ingredients.It is also a fun cuisine to cook,from it's" appetizers to desserts. There's a new cookbook put there showcasing these, and they are the perfect dishes to welcome in the summer. The cookbook is Spices And Seasons,Simple Sustainable Indian Flavors (Hippocrene Books,New York)written by Rinku Bhattacharya.This is her second book and she has written for newspapers and appeared on television.I love this book, not just because I love Indian food but because Ms. Bhattacharya also explains and show how to make your own arsenal of Indian spices.These are vital in creating the right flavor and can be made for a few pennies.Not only that she lists the health benefits of them as well. Another plus is that she uses farm fresh vegetables from the far den.With spices, such as turmeric and cardamon ,mixed with tomatoes, peppers and eggplants she creates dishes that are not only flavorful but also better than any tonic or medicine.These recipes are also the direct opposite of Indian take out which is usually sodden with cream and butter.Most of her recipes don't have these, opting for a tiny bit of ghee or clarified butter.Even the dessert recipes such as the Ginger and cardamon cookies and the frozen treat, raspberry mufti are far from being rich. The other recipes are drool worthy.This is not all curry, although there are recipes for it.There is also chutney ones and many focus on dal, the creamy lentil dish that's made a variety of ways.You could try lentils with cabbage or slow simmered for a tasty dinner.Ms. Bhattacharya includes some great recipes for these warm days.Tofu is put on skewers with tomatoes and onions.There's a long list of salads to choose from ,such as a black ,bean corn and stone fruit one and an essential Indian one that have cucumbers and tomatoes drenched in spices and dusted with crushed peanuts.Eggplants and potatoes are curried with tomatoes to create a light summer dinner.There recipes for winter too,fiery pilafs that contain chickpeas and mushrooms.Another is a chicken orzo spiced one ,fragrant with cinnamon, cardamon and saffron.A different kind of holiday dish is the Surprise The Guests Pink Chicken Biryani, chicken cooked with a tomato rich tika sauce. Breads are a must at an Indian table and there are several recipes to choose from naan to parathas.There's even a version of crostini which is perfect for dipping into the curries or dal's. Spices And Seasons, Simple , Sustainable Indian Flavors, is a great cookbook for any Indian food lover like myself. it also is a great book for a home chef wanting to try cooking of the Subcontinent too. The recipes are flavorful and healthy, a perfect combination for modern eating.

Waking Up Brunch

Sometimes brunch can be a sleepy affair.It's the same old omelets, French toast and eggs Benedict.Once in a while a delicate salad or quiche is thrown into spike it up a little.Yet it still remains the same - a sedate meal for both the mind and the palate.However it's time to give this weekend tradition a well deserved jolt. Melissa Clark got the chance to do this and garner some interesting recipes from some of Manhattan's best chefs.New York City is notorious for its brunches . In fact the town probably invented them but as with every meal ,dishes can become boring .Chefs stuck on the shift resentfully whip up the same over used recipes.Luckily that's all changing.Cooks are tapping into their creative vein and inventing new recipes that are sure to be favorites.The ingredients are all the same, eggs,bread, and sausages along with fruit but they're being reconstructed. Instead of a frittata, eggs are now being whipped into a silky terrine ,more like a savory bread pudding.The reasonably priced restaurant El Rey Coffee Bar and Luncheonette. Chef April Bloomfield will still serve a variety of egg dishes at her place, the Breslin. She gives brunch goers, eggs poached with curried lentils and and yogurt or fried with cotechino sausage and beans.There are even baked eggs, flavored with tomato and chorizo. These new dishes will bring in new diners too,looking for something different as well as keeping regulars happy.For most restaurants brunch is the most lucrative meal of the week.Many who can't afford the restaurants dinners will usually try the cheaper Sunday brunch menu.Brunch is also cost effective too.It has given rise to nose to tail cooking.Every part of the animal is used in these new recipes. At the famed Hearth restaurant, the chef serves a slab of pork blade steak, that works well with breakfast menu but not with a lunch or dinner one.Also fruits and vegetables never go to waste.Danny Amend of the Brooklyn hotspot Marco's reconfigured grapefruit slices as a savory salad,drizzled with olive oil and seasalt,served with chorizo sausages.The fruit would maybe be used as decoration otherwise and in this recipe, the entire fruit is being used.As for the booze that always accompanies brunch,that too has been reconfigured.The new star of the city cooking scene,Wylie Dufresne serves popcorn seasoned with Bloody Mary spices, such as Tabasco at his restaurant, Alders. Brunch is no longer a snooze affair in New York restaurants.New recipes are waking up brunch lovers. It's eggs and sausage but with a spark .