Loafing Around

One of the best hot meals for fall is meatloaf. It's an easy cook and it offers creativity.Add this,subtract that, Anyone can master it, from novices to old pros. Best of all it is great left over as a sandwich.

Meat loaf has been around since ancient Roman times and was featured in French cooking in the 1600's. The Germans and Amish brought it to the states in the 1700's here it remains a staple. It has its' origins in scrapple a mixture of  corn meal  and ground pork. Almost every country has their take on it. The Italians call it polpettone and put ham, eggs and cheese in it while the Middle Easterners call it kefta and sub in lamb for the beef. The Vettnamese boil theirs and call it gio. South Africans spice up their  loaves or bobeti with curry, dried apricots  and almonds. They then cover it
with  a whipped egg and milk topping, sort of like a meringue.Americans fill ours with everything  from Saltines, cereal grains and bread, a hold over from the Great Depression when meat and money were scarce. Adding wheat products gave it consistency and made it filling. it's usually served with ketchup . There is a meat loaf sauce, surprisingly, made from ketchup and brown. sugar. Barbecue sauce can be added to the recipe or just served on the side to give it more tang. Some recipes call for hard boiled eggs and gherkins to be included to give the loaf color and flavor.

The recipe is an  easy one that even the most novice of home chefs can follow and create a successful dinner. Basic meat loaf takes a pound and a half o f good ground beef along with one egg for binding and a cup of milk for smoothness.There's also a cup of dried bread crumbs for consistency (without it , it would be too crumbly and fall apart) along with one chopped onion. This recipe can be varied. For fun , try a Tex-Mex style that has a combination of chopped chili peppers and chili powder. Grated cheddar cheese is sprinkled over the top for color and flavor. The slices can be served on a bed of tortilla chips along with some hot sauce for extra fire. For a more grown up version add  three quarters of a cup of dry red wine along with cremini mushrooms. This recipe also calls for thyme, rosemary and garlic. Try this type of meat loaf with wild rice or a simple tomato risotto. if you don;t want to use ground beef, then think ham loaf. This is a yummy mix of ground smoked ham and pork mixed with chopped celery and red pepper. There are still breadcrumbs used as a binder along with two eggs. The spicing is nutmeg and allspice for more verve.Serve with apple rings or applesaucef for a nice autumnal dinner.

Meat loaf may be considered basic but it's a delicious blend of complex  flavors and textures.It is one of the tastiest and easiest recipes to make. Keep to the recipe or add your own spin on it, the result is always a tasty slice.

Turkey And Stuffing , Eh?

Today is Canada's Thanksgiving. Is it the same as ours, with table groaning with family dishes and a big bird?Yes. Although there are some surprises that would shock us Yanks to the south and west of them.

Of course the big difference is the dates. We celebrate on the fourth Thursday of November and it's the stepping stone into  the Christmas season (after all there are some big box stores that open at eight PM that night).The Canadians always celebrate the second Monday of every October.It was started in 1897 with the chosen day only gelling in 1957.Both countries have the English Reformation and the Puritans to thank for the day, since both had harvest festivals and "days of thanksgiving." Surprisingly one day of thanksgiving evolved in Guy Fawkes Day after the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1606. The Puritans , as we know, brought it to America but the Canadians were already celebrating as early as 1578, thanks to Martin Frobisher who navigated his ship through the treacherous Northwest Passage. The French Canadians call it "Action de grace" or an act of grace.Only the Atlantic Provinces such as Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Labrador consider it an optional holiday. It sort of falls under the Days of Rest Act where government employees and banks have a designated day off. What is great about the Canadian Thanksgiving is that the indigenous people are also thanked for their generosity of food and land. We need to incorporate that into our blessings.this November.

What do the Canadians eat? Is it the same as what we Americans eat?. Yes and no.Many Loyalists left the Colonies after the Revolution and headed up north. They brought turkey and stuffing recipes with them.and tweaked some of our recipes along the way. Their pumpkin pie is a bit spicier than ours with the addition of such spices as ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. Ours is a bit more custardy and sweeter. We also have apple pies along with that Southern classic pecan. Canadians are also big on breadcrumb or rice stuffing. while we Yanks also like that,We vary it with oysters and sausage. Our neighbors up north also prefer healthier breads, going for whole wheat loaves while we go mad for those yummy King's Hawaiian rolls , or artesenal breads. The French Canadians have a decidedly more Gallic spin on their holiday meal.Some families may make apple tarte tatin, a buttery, fruity pie with a base of puff pastry,Others may end their feasting with a quartre quatre cake, a twist on pound cake.Varied recipes include adding dried cranberries , walnuts or even extra vanilla.Their dindon or turkey is stuffed with a flavorful mix of pork and beef,, spiced with poultry seasoning and cloves. Russet potatoes give it body.

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian readers. Enjoy the feasting and leftovers along with family and friends. It is a day of celebration but also of thankfulness and thought.

The Food Issue For Thought

Tomorrow's New York Times Magazine is devoted to all things food.Yet it isn't covering trends or cuisines or eve recipes. It has a buffet of interesting and very thought provoking articles. It will definitely make you think about your Sunday dinner along with what you're eating in general.

Again, this is an eye opening issue and focuses on issues big and small that affect the way America eats. One is about what goes on in a slaughterhouse and how the practices there are being secretly recorded. Over a century ago  Upton Sinclair who had worked at a Chicago slaughterhouse in 1906 recorded the horrors in his famed and still effectively  shocking book The Jungle.President of the Time, Teddy Roosevelt, passed The Federal Meat Inspection Act which benefited both consumer and industry until the 1950's, Everything changed in the Sixties and Seventies meat packing became automated.  That's when it went down hill. A spoiler alert you will think twice about eating any and all pork products, from bacon to ham.Another eye opener is the article about the Obama Administration and Big Food. To anyone who though the NRA and the Gun Lobby were powerful think again. These are the powers that stopped both the President and the First Lady from getting America to eat healthier. It's lucky for us that the group spawned the Little Food movement that encourages farms and fresh eating.In the mean time they hurled accusations at the First Couple from demonizing farmers to interfering with food companies.

There are also two other articles that feature bettering food.One has to do with that rarities of rarities blue M&Ms. Mars , the company that makes them along with many other big food manufacturers like Kraft , Nestle USA and General Mills are getting rid of artificial dyes and replacing then with natural colorants. It's easy to do with reds, greens browns and yellow. Blue is different.It's a rarity among animals and nature. When it does occur in the natural world, it isn't truly blue but rather a trick of diffraction or the scattering of light. This is why the sky, water and ice are varying shades of blue.The only plant that could give all natural blue hue is spirulina or blue green algae.If this works then the world and M&M lovers will get the blue hue again, but perhaps not as bright as when it was first dyed. The second article in bettering food is about reducing the salt in frozen  pizza. This is a heavy load. Decreasing NaCL can result in not only a bland taste in the sauce and the toppings but also a flat crust. For a successful crust pizza needs baking soda. Companies like DiGiono use on that is loaded with salt. Even halve the amount and it results in a not so yummy looking pie. The solution lies in subbing in potassium chloride or mineral salts, the last named  for better advertising,It will give pies a healthier makeup  without sacrificing taste.

The Sunday Times Magazine truly has articles that are food for thought. Read them. They are eye opening, food for a foodie's and home chef;'s mind.

Fall Salads

Fall isn't what it used to be. By now, the days would have had a definite nip to them. It would have meant hot meals and hot drinks. Not anymore. Thanks to global warming - and yes, it does exist -s we're having summery weather and balmy breezes right up to November.How to survive? Adopt a summer menu. Eat salads - fall salads.

Tossing together greens and veggies many be a tricky aspect right now. After all,  it's not the height of  summer when there are daily harvests. The tomatoes are riper and have that glow  only a summer sun can give. Vegetable choices are limited. There aren't any fresh ears of corn or bright colorful peppers. What to do? Work with what the stores do have. Yes, there are tomatoes. They're just  not going to be the gems of two months ago. Canned tomatoes can be used in salads but they may be a bit juicy, depending on what brand is used. Luckily California can give us greens all year round. You still can make a lovely mixed greens salad using tomatoes and spinach or arugula. Canned veggies are never as good as fresh but they'll do. Add some canned corn along with sweet peas for some color and texture. Beet salad is always delicious  and the canned kind can be elevated by adding freshly sliced onions. It's a nice addition to even a fall picnic or tailgating party. A  chilled green bean salad is another refreshing side , especially when it's dressed with a crisp , classic vinaigrette. Even canned asparagus can be turned into a salad. Use a citrus based dressing to give it some dash.

What about combining fall fruits and vegetables?. The first is easy to do. Apples , pears and Concord grapes blend very easily into salads. One of the most delicious is a Waldorf salad. It is a blend of chopped apples, grapes and walnuts.Celery is the base of it and this can be bought all year round. It is versatile, Add chicken to it and it's a lunch or dinner. Without it , it makes a nice side to grilled chicken or even  turkey burgers.Apples also pair well with spinach and kale, Combine them in a salad with walnuts and dried cranberries. Pears are also popular right now. A delicious one is where slices are mixed with Roquefort cheese and any kind of lettuce. Be sure to use three kinds of pear,  the sweet, large Anjou, the brown, textured Bosc and the bright yellow tart tasting Bartlett. One spin on it calls for avocado ,or the alligator pear but this can be omitted.The salad is  served with a mustard dressing. Grapes can be added to any salad, They bring an earthy sweetness that goes with any green. Fall veggies are kind of limited however there is a lot to do with carrots and cabbage. These can be the stars of a salad or  supporting players. A chilled carrot salad is a nice palate cleanser at a tailgate party. A vinaigrette dressed slaw is perfect at any fall barbecue or picnic.Add some sesame seeds for crunch and flavor.


Fall isn't what it used to be.We still have shorts and flipflop weather til Halloween. Hot days mean easy eating. Create a fall salad, head to the beach or the park and enjoy a summery October.

Spins On Classic Cakes

Classics are always in need of updating.This applies to almost everything, from main meals to sides to desserts, especially the last.Sometimes it takes a little tweak here and there as seen with snack cakes. Sometimes it takes a complete makeover like turning crepes into cakes.

These two updates were written in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Melissa  Clark wrote about sprucing up the classic snack cake in her A Good Appetite column.. We've all eaten them, whether from Tastikake, Entemann's or home baked.. She creates a more lux one, thanks to the inclusion of pears and a brown butter glaze.It has a moist tender crumb, not unlike banana and pumpkin breads.Instead of baking it in a loaf pan , it's baked in a cake pan, easy for cutting squares. What is great about this recipe is that it can be baked in muffin tins and given extra spice with nutmeg and clove. The icing is optional  if home bakers decide on this. Yet the cake is a  perfect treat, even as a dessert.  What gives it flavor and moisture are the pears.This is the season for them.Use the bigger Anjou kind. Don';t get the  smaller Forell or Seckell pears, These are two small and more intense in flavor than the delicate Anjou. Not only is there flour but also  three quarters of a cup of rolled oats,Toasted walnuts or pecans are also tossed in for crunch although these are optional. Four large eggs are used for body because there's no liquid in it, hence the dense texture. The glaze  is equally mouth watering.It's a marriage of butter and brown sugar combined with heavy cream that creates a kind of caramel. The cake would be perfect at any Sunday dinner or holiday table.

Another classic that's been updated is the crepe.They are good on their own, whether as a savory, filled with chicken or ratatouille or sweet with a filling of ice cream or with butter and sugar. Another regular contributor to the Food section,Samantha Seneviratne creates a chocolate hazelnut  crepe cake. She takes the basic crepe recipe and adds a cup of hazelnut meal. It is richer than a cake  thanks to the inclusion of egg yolks, whole milk and heavy cream. It does have to have body, one to withstand the intense heat of the crepe pan and two able to stand up to the cream.As with any batter it does have to be refrigerated before using, usually between two and forty-eight hours (it's actually easier to make the batter the day before  and spend the next day entirely on the cake's creation). Home bakers don't need a special crepe maker for this. A skillet will do just as well, however remember to use about three tablespoons of batter for each crepe. If there's too much , the result is thick, unwieldy layer. There should be twenty crepes. The chocolate cream is a mix of high quality chocolate (think Valrhona brand) along with good quality cocoa powder (Droste would be the best choice for this) along with milk. Brandy or coffee is added, the choice is up to what flavor is wanted.Stacking it is easy, Lay on the cream then a crepe and stack. The cake is decorated with whipped heavy cream and more hazelnuts.

Classics need to be updated every no and then. As with the snack cake and crepes, the update is a yummy new classic, full of flavor and moisture. They are so good, the original recipes will hardly be missed.

The Perfect Pot Pie

It's that time of year for  homemade pot pies  These are the ones that are not only flavorful but comforting during those first chilly autumn days. They're full of flavor and filling, perfect for a hot lunch or dinner.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin wrote about this kitchen classic in today's New York Time's Food section. She was looking for one that didn't have that white sauce that most cookbooks recommend and that come with frozen pot pies.It's also called a cream sauce yet it's not that.It's actually a bechemel, the classic French and Northern Italian sauce made with  flour and fat called a roux. It is then thinned with milk.How this came about was that cream was saved for butter in early American kitchens so white sauce stood in for milk.The sauce soon went hand in hand with other chicken dishes such as poached along with canned chicken soups.Unfortunately white sauce is not the best idea. Ms. Moskin realized that it muffles flavors instead of highlighting them.Not only is this a problem for the chicken but also for the vegetables too. All wound  up with a bland, milky taste. The combination of flour and fat is nothing more than a liquid pie crust. It's best on biscuits or added to a lasagna where it gives it body, It does not go into a pie because it doubles the starchiness and blandness.Luckily chefs , such as the one at Manhattan's Nomad has gotten rid of the sauce completely., creating a new generation of pot pies.

The recipe has been updated to kind of resemble a steak and kidney pie.The sauce now can be made using stock, wine or a tasty combination as the liquid in your binding sauce. Ms. Moskin also recommends to aggressively season the sauce She uses chicken stock, Madeira and vinegar that's been spiked with just basic salt and pepper along with parsley. Another must for a tasty pie is just use the thighs. These are the most flavorful. The meat should be coated too before cooking in a skillet  because it not only thickens the sauce but leaves those  stuck on brown bits. This enhances the gravy's flavor.. Use a flour mixed with thyme and paprika along with salt. The chicken is then cooked with bacon or pancetta along with  thickly sliced cremoni or button mushrooms.Remember too that the best pot pie is a single crust, not a double one. it means that there won;t be any gloppy goo at the bottom of the pie. The crust can be either be pie crust, biscuit dough or puff pastry (the last one is the best).What about those carrot chunks and peas that add a spark of Day-Glo  color? They belong alongside the pie not in it.Try roasted carrots and peas with mint. Hot buttered asparagus  is also a great side too to a pot pie.

Nothing is more comforting than a chicken pot pie. Made correctly it transcends all other chicken dishes,with its' flavorful gravy and light crust.It is the perfect fall dish to chase away the chill of autumn.

Tasty TV Tidbits

The fall season has most people glued to their TVs and devices, watching and binge watching new or favorite shows.This also applies to food shows both on the PBS and the Cooking Channel. Two stand out , Pati's Mexican Table from Public Television and  Food : Fact Or Fiction.

The first show has been on for five years. It's even received   accolades  worthy of the more well known  Cook's Country or Jacques Pepin's Heart and Soul and has received Emmy and James Beard nominations. The host is the lively and ever enthusiastic Pati Jinich. She actually started out as a political analyst with a Masters in Latin American studies.The show started in 2011, with Ms. Jinich showing how to make different recipes but also trying and tasting them with her friends and sons.Her career, though began in 2007 when she left policy making for her passion  cooking her native food. She launched Pati's Mexican Table, an ongoing series of culinary programs comprised of interesting talks and lectures, cooking demonstrations and tasting tables.What is great about her program is that it's not just a general blanket of Mexican cooking. She shows the various regions and the ingredients local to the area.It's not only tacos and guacamole..It's so much more. Ms. Jinich has done shows revolving around paletas, Mexican ice pops.Mexican brunches, and street food.She combines foods that normally wouldn't go together such as guacamole and steak, along with providing drink recipes too,It's a lively show and informative, especially for those home chefs who want to break out of the typical taco and tortilla box.

The second show is a fun history and food show, Fact Or Fiction.  T Michael McKean is the host., He first started out as Lenny on the Seventies TV show "Laverne & Shirley".along with being a fixture in many Christopher Guest movies.  You would think he wouldn't be a good match but he is. His laid back style , sometimes serious , is perfect for this witty , well crafted and fast paced show. Questions are posed and then there's facts backing them up or if they're fiction. One poser was did the Italians invent pizza?What followed was an interesting collage of history , fact and a pizza expert showing how the ancient Persians made something similar with flatbread and their shields.Another fascinating segment was questioning where hamburgers came from. It was a surprise to know that Genghis and Kubla Khan had a hand in its' invention. How? The Tartars brought it to the Russians where it was transformed into the raw meat dish, steak Tartare. From there it went to Hamburg, Germany via Russian sailors and the rest is history. Again it's a fun and informative  piece that Mr. McKean tells with the enthusiasm of a cool and relaxed history prof, inviting you to share a burger with him at his place.

There are some good television shows on right now., especially those centered around cooking and food. Take a look at both Pati's Mexican Table and Food Fact Or Fiction. They'll het the appetite for good food and where it came from.