Super Greens,Super Recipes

Kale, spinach and anything leafy green has been both literally and figuratively shoved down our throats for the last decade or more. The problem is many have not been offered tasty recipes with them. It's just been the usually smoothie or juice . That's about to change.

Kale is good in juices and smoothies.It adds vitamins and nutrients to them. Yet wouldn't it be nice to mix it up with  good pasta instead of coconut water or apple juice? Surprisingly those leaves can be turned into a delicious pesto, perfect with any kind of short or long noodle.It 's simply taking two cups of kale and that pesto staple, basil,  ground together along with pine nuts, garlic and Parmesan cheese.It can be also made with all kale .Just increase the amount used to two and a half cups. This is from the Kristine's Kitchen blog. I would add a dash of pepperocino flakes for some bite too.Anther idea is cooking roasted tomatoes with chopped kale along with garlic and the hot pepper flakes. Shallots and garlic are also added for more flavor. It's supposed to be served with rigatoni but a long pasta like spaghetti or fettucine would work well with it. Kale is a great base for salads too.It's wonderful paired with any fruit such as strawberries or dried cranberries. Like any green, it can benefit from a joining with sliced tomatoes , along with olives for more flavor and a simple vinaigrette. You can also add some more super foods such as broccoli and sliced peppers for more flavor and crunch.

That other super green, spinach, is also delicious in hot and cold dishes. One of the best is when it's stuffed inside crepes. This elegant meal is mostly labor intensive on the crepe part. After all the batter has to be made the night before and then literally brushed on a hot oiled or buttered pan. The spinach itself is usually cooked in a roux with some extras such as mushrooms and bacon. This can also be the filling of Julia Child's famed spinach pie which is kind of a spin on Beef Wellington. One of the most delicious marriages is eggs and spinach. Nothing beats a true French spinach omelet. This involves rich , maybe not so good for you add ins such as shredded Swiss cheese butter and milk. Of course you can just add spinach to the eggs. Made another way with garlic and you have a tasty spinach frittata for lunch or dinner. One of the best  salads is with spinach,, hard boiled eggs and bacon, topped off with a creamy blue cheese dressing. I make mine healthier by using the soy version of the bacon and the blue cheese also soy. It's a tasty blend that works as a main meal or a side dish.

Think of those super greens as super ingredients. Kale and spinach work well in hot and cold dishes, adding the same dose of nutrition. They're far better in these than in juices and smoothies.

Etsy's Sweet Side

Many know Etsy as that cool place to buy cool artesanal jewelry and hand crafted home design ware and clothing. Others (such as myself) use it for handmade mineral cosmetics and lotions. Yet many - incluing me -didn't know that you cn buy all sorts of home made treats. Yup, Etsy is also the coolest treat store too.

I first stumbled upon Etsy's sweet side while probably looking for homemade fudge. The food and beverage section is hard to find.It's not obvious as it is on other web sits such as Amazon or Target You have to first go to Home and then the Food And Drink . There are all sorts of categories, from soups, to herbs, spices and seasonings to baked goods to candies. There's even a section on recipes. The last can be a money maker for any home chef.A Scottish home chef is charging  almost three dollars a recipe for a kind of vanilla fudge called tablet (and as we all know we can get this free on any candy making or Scottish heritage website). Someone else  is charging for vintage cherry and strawberry recipes as well.I'd rather get the actual item than the actual recipe. Home chefs can buy ingredients such as ground capiscum and vanilla beans  along with all kinds of salts and garam masala. Here you can even find the ingredients for making gin.

Etsy also has a wide variety of ready made treats.You can try a huge flavor assortment of cupcakes at the Mississippi based The Dessert Cafe. They also have brownies , from plain to mint to a wide range of oatmeal cookies. I stumbled not on fudge- but on handmade flavored marshmallows from Sweet Jumbles in Jersey City.

These are the strawberry. I also bought the coffee as well as the peppermint (which looks like bloodied gauze) I thought about popping them all in hot cocoa bit they're huge, pillowy types.I have bought chocolate graham crackers which I may make  fancy s'mores with soon.

Etsy is the place for finding all sorts of gourmet goodies. Yes, you can get one of a kind Spanish leather bracelets and lotions that smell like spun sugar. You can also real spun sugar too.

The Vegan's Garden

Spring and summer are the best time to be vegan. This is when gardens are bursting with all sorts of veggies and fruits. It’s also the time to think about growing the needed proteins a meatless diet demands. A vegan garden should have every and any kind of harvest to satisfy even the strictest herbivore.

A true vegan garden starts with the very beginning. Decide what you want, and when you want to harvest it. Of course, you’ll have to grow beans for the protein but which ones. Kidney beans are versatile, being used in everything from chili to bean burgers however they do pose a problem. Their harvest is in early autumn. The same goes for fava beans. They do not thrive in very hot climates , preferring a Mediterranean one with mild temps with occasional rain. They also take four to five months to harvest, so again, they’d be ready in the fall. The best beans are the pole beans, namely string beans, which work very  well in salads and as a side. They are quick growers, only taking two months to mature. What about chick peas, those vegan workhorses? Well, for starters, they're not peas or beans but legumes and cool weather growers. Luckily they are frost resistant so you could plant them in late September and expect a December harvest. You may want to try lima beans instead. Just as nutritious , they're easy to plant and tend. They do take three months so plant now for an August harvest.

Many vegans go for the super greens such as kale and spinach. Kale  can be planted from early Spring to early summer. The seedlings need to be thinned after two to three weeks of growth because the plants grow to a mammoth size. The average kale plant is anywhere from two to three feet with a two to three foot spread. They do require  a lot of land.Most vegans usually eat a lot of it so growing an abundance is not such a big deal. The other , spinach, can be planted right now. It's surprisingly a cool weather plant but can grow well in late Spring or early summer. They're versatile in the sense that the seedlings can be planted in either full sunlight or partial shade. They do thrive in sandy soil and need to be watered once a week. One of the pluses is they're the first for harvest so you can have a salad within weeks of planting . Of course vegans should think about tomatoes, Like beans, they're crucial to a vegetarian diet and lend variety to the diet. Before planting , study the different types. If you're more into sauces, then grow plum tomatoes. Enjoy a sandwich or focaccio with the aptly named beefsteak. If you enjoy them as a snack then think about growing cherry ones. You also have to decide whether to grow them from seeds or pots with young plants too.

A vegan garden may take work but  the harvest is worth it. They'll add to the diet and create a variety of different dishes. Plan today for a summer full of veggies.

Dainty Bites

With shower and outdoor tea season  in full swing , it's time to think about dainty bites, those sweet little two bite cakes that are perfect with tea or punch. Surprisingly, they're just as easy to make as they are to eat.

Petit fours are the classic dainty bites.Many home bakers are put off ,one by their small size, and two, French name, One of the simplest recipes, from All Recipes just requires a sponge cake base. It's basically two of everything, from egg yolks to cups of flour to two teaspoons of baking powder.If this is too daunting , then use a cake mix. The frosting can be a buttercream or melted white chocolate similar to  the little cakes that Swiss Colony sells. The last is more elaborate because it needs corn syrup for gloss and body  Fillings are usually some kind of jam , lemon curd or orange marmalade. Remember the cake does have to be sliced so that there's three layers. Some home bakers shave off the cake's top layer for a more even surface. Another idea is soaking the layers. This is simply using a pastry brush to brush liqueur over them to give a boozy zing. That's up to you. Some more experienced bakers do tiny buttercream roses on top. If you're not that adept, then use real violet buds or any kind of sprinkle . Candy confetti will do just fine. Clear a place in the fridge to set the icing and keep the petit fours cool.If you're serving them outside, try to set the table in a shady spot so the icing doesn't melt and slide off.

Fairy cakes are primarily a British treat, being the star of many a child's party. Yet they can be a lovely accompaniment to the petit fours.They're a smaller version of a cupcake (think mini cupcake)usually made up of a sponge cake with an icing. The famed baker and Great British Baking Show judge, Mary Berry, has several excellent recipes for them. There is one that 's a basic sponge cake with a simple confectioner's sugar icing. A chocolate one  has the taste of a brownie and is topped with a sculpted swirl of dark cocoa buttercream icing. There are even   plain ones, sans, icing , flavored with only chopped apples or jam. These would be the perfect foil for those fancier frosted bites. because of their simplicity.Of course the most popular dainty bites are macarons. These, too, can be daunting for home bakers.The recipe is pretty simple though and you can make a vegan one using aquafaba or bean water, the liquid that chickpeas  come packed in. The consistency is similar to egg white and makes a very good and delicate treat. They do require a lower temp oven to bake than macarons made with egg white.. Macarons can be dyed in a variety of pretty colors and flavored with everything from lavender to chocolate to fruits, They also make cute favors for guest to bring home.

Dainty bites are the perfect sweets for an outdoor tea or brunch. They have the right amount of flavor without being overpowering. Serve them with iced teas or tea punches for the perfect Spring Sunday gathering.

The Perfect Mac and Cheese

It's the fantasy of every kid and foodie alike - the perfect baked macaroni and cheese. There's nothing like the melding of all the good stuff, pasta, and cheddar whisked with milk.Is it hard to get this culinary unicorn? Not at all.

Alison Roman, author of the new cookbook, Dining In wrote an informative guide on making the best version in yesterday's New York Times Food section.It may be a simple dish in some more experienced home chefs' eyes  but it does require a lot of thought and care. She gives detailed how tos on selecting the perfect ingredients. The noodles used should be any tubular ones from elbow macaroni to tubes such as ziti, penne, and rigatoni. She also suggests a better, new on the scene cavatappi, This is a curly , ribbed noodle that's longer than an elbow.It's perfect for stabbing with a fork and holds the sauce expertly.It's also thick which guarantees against mushiness.Spaghetti and fellow long noodles such as fettucene and linguine are frowned upon but there are recipes for them and using them might provide for an interesting change. Ms. Roman suggests boiling the pasta in water that's "salty as the sea."This ensures that the noodles will have flavor throughout. They also have to be cooked al dente because then they can cook in the oven. They'll still release starch that will thicken the sauce and also their flavor will deepen.

Choosing the right cheese is crucial too.Ms. Roman firmly recommends using cheddar, whether sharp, extra sharp, or sharp white.Can other cheeses be used? Home chefs can use Gruyere or fontina to bolster the flavor but only use half. Remember that Gruyere is richer and fattier than any of the cheddar and could easily break up the sauce. Definitely avoid ultra mild cheese such as Montery Jack or Colby. They are fine for melting but lack the salt or tang to make the dish interesting/ A cup of Parmesan or Pecorino wouldn't go amiss but only add a quarter of a cup.It will give the casserole a deeper flavor along with saltiness without the graininess of too much of it.Also nix the bags of shredded fromage. Buy a block and grate from it. Baked mac and cheese doesn't benefit from experimentation . Keep it true to the recipe or you could wind up with a broken sauce. This is when everything separates. The taste will still be delicious but not creamy as expected. As for the other dairy, whole milk is the best. Heavy cream and half and half are just too rich . Two per cent can be used but make sure it's not non fat. This will break the sauce and cause a grainy texture. Make sure that the thickener always use a homemade thickener namely bechamel sauce.

The perfect baked macaroni and cheese can be had. Use cheddar and chunky pasta along with whole milk.It's taking the right ingredients and creating an American classic that's beyond delicious.

Never A Sundae

Are ice cream sundaes the phone in go to dessert of many restaurants? New York Times restaurant critic ,Pete Wells, seems to think so.His is a scathing, yet sometimes true assessment of a childhood favorite turned trite. After all, if you want a sundae , go to Dairy Queen, if you want an elegant dessert go to the right restaurant.

His  rant of sorts was the main article in today's New York Times Food section.He feels that this American classic is served in restaurants that have, as he puts it, a healthy sense of their own self-worth but don't have too many bells and whistles to show for it. These are the wine bars and gastro pubs along with the all day cafes and places where there is a young chef who has cooked somewhere in a chic European eatery.Chefs at these places are cagey. They won't tell you their dessert is a sundae. They'll describe it in detail, as a fancy flavored ice cream such as mascarpone  topped with caramel sauce and  a chocolate crumble for some variety. Mr. Wells expects dessert to surprise him, a sweet amuse-bouche to end the meal.It should . However that means hiring a pastry chef which is usually out of many a restaurant's budget. According to Shuna Lydon, who has worked and led some  pastry kitchens, large and small, famed and not so famed, there is more of a need for sous-pastry chefs It's thirty or forty grand less a year, despite the same amount of work, These have little or no experience with baking or with running a department that could turn out as many as twelve different desserts a night.

Mr. Wells , surprisingly does have some favorites in the sundae department. He does give high marks to NoLiTa eatery Uncle Boons that has a sundae built out of layers of coconut and other Thai flavors.It starts with a coconut gelato bought from Il Laboratorio, an ice cream supplier to most New York City restaurants. A thin coconut wafer and toasted curls of the fresh roasted fruit finish it as does candied peanuts and whipped cream sweetened with palm sugar.  Then there's chef ,John Fraser of Dovetail, spent his early years making the icy confections in a sundae shop. He has carried the idea to his other restaurants, Narcissa in the East Village and  his latest, Loyal on Bleecker Street. which has several afters to choose from.Loyal 's sundae has an array of candy to choose from.Sundaes do serve a purpose in a restaurant. It can be a shared dessert amongst friends and a nice surprise for kids who are bored with a restaurant's appetizers and entrees. Yet the question is do you really need a big gooey dessert to end a lush meal? Wouldn't a selection of petit fours and/or cookies along with coffee or tea be ample enough? Most people normally wouldn't have a big dessert at home, settling for a piece of fruit , cookie, or a thin slice of cake after a big meal. it's kind of gilding the culinary lily by having a lush tart or plated baked something.

Are sundaes just a phone in dessert? Maybe? Would it be better to create something new with ice cream ,syrup and whipped cream? Possibly.Yet to some diners and foodies , a sundae for an ending is better than no ending at all.

The Sargento Story

Could a funeral director do a 180 and create one of this country's leading cheese companies? Most would say no but it's actually a yes/A new book, traces the story of Sargento Cheese and the man behind it, Leonard Gentine.It's an interesting study in American entrepreneurship.

Treated Like Family (Center Street Publishers 2018) was written by  Tom Faley, a thirty year old employee, himself, of the Sargento Company. He was also involved in expanding the food company , developing many departments including marketing,consumer research, consumer promotions and new product development. He knows the company inside out, even acquiring most of the book's material from the founder himself. Sargento's is an unlikely tale , full of old fashioned dedication and hard work. The books starts off with Leonard's grandparents, Josephine and Joseph Gentine leaving the war ravaged area of Alsace-Lorraine,Chavannes-les- Grands for Wisconsin and ends with their great-great- grandson, Louie becoming the heir apparent to a multi-million dollar industry. It is Leonard, though, who is the star of the book. Mr. Faley writes this valentine for him. It all started out with an accident with a funeral director and Leonard paying off the cost of repairs by working for him. He worked hard on the journey from funeral director to mink farmer to finally a cheese company. What is inspiring is that he took the work ethic and humanitas of his first employer, Hobsen Brigsen. He applied that to Sargento, creating a home away from home for his employees.

The book is a long one, and at times, picayune There are dozens of factoids such as Leonard's kids childhood pastimes, pages on his courtship with his wife Dolores, and details of sales meetings from almost every year. Do we really care about who went on a sales trip in Chicago consumer research, Alsace-Lorraine,o in 1960 or who bought Leonard's funeral home? It would have been better if Mr. Faley has streamlined some of this. You do have to admire Mr. Gentine's tenacity and passion to create the perfect cheese company with partner Joe Sartori. (hence the name SAR  from Sartori, GENT from Gentine and the O to make it sound more Italian).What impressed me was the company's  drive for innovation. Sargento was the first cheese company to sell shredded cheese and that section was riveting about creating the first bag of it (a godsend to home chefs) and the first to mix different varieties in one package. They were also the first company to offer shredded cheese for tacos in 1969, years before Mexican food became trendy. Sargento was also a pioneer in reclosable cheese packages -again a boon for home chefs who used to have tot hrow out moldy , badly packaged fromage. Another important takeaway is how employees were always treated like family. This is a must read for any manager or future entrepreneur because it's a detailed guide on how to hire and treat employees.

Treated Like Family is an interesting lesson in American marketing and creativity.It is also a valuable one in boss/employee relations,For those thinking about starting their own companies, the bookis a definite must read.