Masking And Menus

Eating out is always a pleasure these days. It's a chance to get dressed up and sit down with friends. It's enjoying a lunch or dinner at a favorite eatery that hasn't been visited in months. There's only just one problem. Mask protocol. Do you wear it after you've been seated and order or take it off as soon as you sit?

That's the question New York Times restaurant critic, Pete Wells posed in his Critic's Notebook column in yesterday's Food section. He , himself, has an unusual one, homemade by a friend. It has shoelaces to hold it in place. This can get a bit too much as the laces have to be untied and tied every time it's worn. This can be disconcerting and uncomfortable, especially for a restaurant critic where the mask has to come off in the middle of a fine eatery..  Yet, it's what the New York Department of Health And Mental Hygiene recommends although the recommendation  doesn't have to be carried out. According to their guidelines " face coverings are not required when diners are seated but wearing a face covering as much as possible once at the table is the best way to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission for restaurant workers and dining companions." Mr. Wells has observed this has reached very few diners. Very few people keep their faces covered until the first plate of food or drink has arrived. Here in New Jersey, diners need only to wear a mask when going into an eatery's interior. Children under the age of two and those with medical problems (this could mean respiratory problems) don't have to wear any face coverings.

Are any of these OK? Many either take the masks off, stashing them in their pockets or wearing them around their necks like doctors. Some just push the masks down on their chin making them look like they've just seen a medieval dentist according to Mr. Wells. However restaurants sometimes give you your rolls and butter or oil before you even order. Yes, you could wait until after your ordered has been taken and the server gone, but who does? We arrive at restaurants hungry and a roll, even a slice of bread look downright good.Another thing is it is hard to talk with them on, and it is more freeing with having them off.  Afterwards, it's nice to just hang out and talk while waiting for coffee. Then there's the idea of masking up between courses.It is safer but for some an annoyance.Putting it on and off for at least three times during the meal can be irritating. Many forget, rapt in the meal or conversation.It is required and good manners to wear it if you have to use the restroom or entering or leaving the place. A better idea is taking diner's temperatures before they sit down although some can be asymptomatic.  Wearing your mask constantly could work if there are signs gently reminding people. It's hard to say how people will react however.

Should you wear your mask more at a restaurant? It does make sense and it is better for everyone. Yet will we? If we 're gently reminded , possibly

The Inequality of Craft Foods

There are many  excellent Black food crafters out there yet it's the white ones that get all the credit It's a system, like much of the food industry based on decades of racism. Will it end? Will there be equality? Hopefully there will be and soon.

 Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote this eye opening piece for today's New York Times Food section.  She interviewed Shakirah Simley who works in food policy  who also had an artesinal jam company Slow Jams. Food artesans of color have been ignored and shunned  while creating some of the country's best craft foods such as jams and pickles. Surprisingly a bucket of moldy jam started it all off.It belonged to Jessica Koslow owner of the hip Sqrl. This is a trendy breakfast cafe in Los Angeles famed for its' homemade type jams and Instagram pictures of those jams on toast with a slick of ricotta cheese. Yet this prize winning eatery got sloppy and let mold take over it's foodstuff, so much so that workers had to scrape the stuff off in layers.It infuriated Black artesans whose own jams were looked over and passed over in competitions. A few like New jersey jam maker Ashley Rouse, a jam maker who also has a  successful jam company, Trade Street Jam Company wondered how Chef Koslow got a book and all this success after a visit to LA and Sqrl.

Racism goes deeper than just jams. It seeps into every aspect of craft food making, excluding people of color along with women and the LGBTQ community . Slowly but surely it is changing thanks to Ms. Simley who is  now the director of the office of racial equality in San Francisco. She urged The Good Food Awards, held in San Francisco to waive their $78 entry fee for people of color. About twenty percent  of the entrants identified as Black. Only one of the fifty-five companies entering the preserves category is black owned. There's a new equity task force  set up by the Good Food Foundation to examine how to make its' premier competition for cheesemakers, beekeepers and other provisioners less white.The organization is rethinking the very natures of its' rules and categories. For example the rules require that ingredients be seasonal, local and preferably organic. This may disqualify a brilliant Jamaican hot sauce maker in the Bronx that gets his or her peppers at a corner produce store.  

People will be surprised that there are Black food artsesans. Yet they should be more surprised at the inequalities they face, from funding to food competitions. Will it change. Hopefully soon.

Fried Eggplant A Summer Favorite Redone

One of summer's favorites is fried eggplant. There's nothing like eating "poor man's oysters" as it was once called. I decided to update and veganize it a bit.

First it's slicing and salting or debittering it. This takes out the bitter flavor and sometimes itchy feeling after eating it.

This is just slicing it and sprinkling the slices with salt (I used sea salt). Brown liquid will come out after half an hour. This is just the moisture and that bitterness coming out. Also doing this gets rid of that sponginess sliced eggplant has. (I watched Chef Tony on You Tube for all this info. He's a great chef with must watch videos).

Usually breading it involves egg, flour and breadcrumbs. I went vegan with Vegg , the faux yolk mix. I used two teaspoons mixed with  half a cup of water. 

This was microwaved for two minutes and whisked.

The eggplant was dipped in it. with both sides completely soaked.

The slices were then breaded on both sides. I kept the skins on which I may not do the next time. 

I used Stop & Shop's plain breadcrumbs but you can use ones with Italian flavoring. You can also add vegan Parmesan cheese, oregano, parsley and garlic salt if you want a more flavorful breading.

I piled these  because my air fryer only takes two at a time. It's spraying the basket with cooking spray and cook both sides at 400 degrees F for six minutes each side.

This is the end result.

The slices were crunchy and tasty. They were a bit salty and I think I should have added some oregano and garlic salt to the breading. I will definitely make these again though. It was served with a simple tomato salad.

This is the recipe for those wanting a new twist on fried eggplant. The slices taste the same  - maybe even  better - than the original recipe. Try it and see how good this summer classic is updated with Vegg and fried in the air fryer.

Overbuying

The pandemic has made us all hoarders. Now it seems we buy much more than we need. The result? More wasted food. Can we break this newly acquired habit? Or will it be a new part of our lives?

That's the question many home chefs are asking themselves. I find myself wondering why I bought what I did.  It  eventually gets left  for the wildlife that frequent my backyard. It seems I've been over buying all sorts of things, from soda to produce, from snacks to sides.It stems from a few months ago when shopping trips were limited and we had to buy in bulk. Thanks to this mentality I now have twenty-four packs of Pepsi in my hallway. Yes, they were bargains with buy two, get the third free at my Stop & Shop, but now realizing I'll have them til September. The same for snacks. I've had to get rid of everything from pretzels to half eaten bags of tortilla chips. Then there's the Well Yes soups which we loved but now deem too much . I overbought them and we're stuck with four or five cans. There is cherries that are drying out too quickly along with peaches and oranges that are greening with mold. These will also have to be chucked. You can't save rotten fruit.

Like everyone else around the world, I have to again rethink how I shop. I can see multiple buying essentials such as oatmeal and milk. Those are everyday foodstuffs that are eaten almost daily. Buying two or three containers of each is a good idea. They won't go bad either. As for produce. that depends on if you cook fresh or not. It may be tempting to buy those on sale chicken breasts or skirt steaks but ask yourself if you will use them. You could put them in the freezer however that's probably still full of the frozen veggies you bought in March.Maybe get one package, especially if you're not planning on using it right away. As far as fruits and veggies,again don't overbuy unless you're planning on making sauce with tomatoes. A big bag of baby spinach isn't really necessary for a salad. You'll only use half. Get the smaller bag instead. If you do buy the bigger bags plan other dishes such as using spinach and other greens for omelets or curries. Don't buy a huge bag of peaches or nectarines. These spoil quickly. Only take home two or three of them. Select a small bag of cherries if you want them. A bigger bag may mean ignored ones that can rot and dry out.

Once again, it's time to readjust our shopping habits. It's cutting back and cutting down. It means  not wasting food and buying what you need.

Fruit On The Grill

It is harvest time for many summer fruits. They are good on their own, but grilling them adds another layer of complexity and flavor. They may be versatile when raw but grill them and they can be added to any dish , sweet or savory. It makes for a nice change in flavors.

Peaches are in season now.They're all over grocery stores and fruit stands, just waiting to be turned into something delicious. Yes, they're good in crumbles and cobblers but roasting them takes the fruit to a  whole new level.It's a simple cook with the peaches being cut in half and pitted, then brushed with olive oil. Doing the last will prevent them from sticking onto the grill grate. Use semi ripe or firm to the touch peaches for this . Too ripe ones have a lot of sugar in them which will burn quickly and are too tender to take the heat.  Grill for four to five minutes on both sides. Serve with with scoops of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of brandy for a lush out there summery dessert. You can also have them with grilled pork tenderloin or better yet chicken. The last works well with the peaches in a salad , whether for lunch or dinner. Nectarines are also big right now and these too can be grilled. They're prepared the same way as the peaches are but use melted butter instead of olive oil.  Grill for only three to five minutes on each side. They can be dusted with brown sugar and served with vanilla ice cream or served with feta cheese for a tasty sweet-savory side dish. Serve with chicken or lamb kabobs for a different outdoor grilling experience.

Smaller fruits can also be put over the coals. Many home chefs would never think of grilling plums but they are delicious this way. Again they're halved , pitted and brushed with oil. You could use olive oil or a lighter one like vegetable for this. Keep the skins on and grill them flesh side down for only five minutes. You could roll them in granulated sugar before grilling for a sweeter treat or cardamon for a spicier version. For a savory side, brush the plum halves with olive oil and then sprinkled with minced rosemary or chili pepper. Both  versions would be perfect alongside a grilled steak. Freshly grated ginger can be added to the olive oil before brushing it onto the fruit. Serve ginger plums with grilled pork ribs for a tangy Asian inspired dinner. Another fruit that's worth grilling is the cherry. You will need a grill pan or grill mat  for them however you could use foil in a pinch. First pit and halve about a pound of  cherries , then spray the grill pan, grill mat or foil with non stick cooking spray. Flip constantly so all sides are cooked. Do this for  three to four minutes or until they become lightly charred. Grilled cherries can be served with chocolate or vanilla ice cream for a crepe Suzette type of dessert.  Season them with salt and pepper  as a savory side with steak or pork They're also good in a salad. Add them and grilled chicken to a mixed green one along with crumbled feta for a truly delicious summer salad.

Grilled fruit is not only a great way to use the summer harvest but a delicious way too. Add any of them to a sweet or savory dish for a unique flavor. Enjoy the bounty of summer , grilled to  sweet  or savory perfection.

Veganizing A Classic

 Zuppa di pompeist or breadcrumb soup has nourished my Piedmontese side of the family  for centuries. It's just three ingredients: chicken broth , beaten eggs and bread crumbs. It's hard to reckon with these though in a vegan household. Yet , there is a way around it and a pretty delicious one too.

I recently discovered Not Chick'n Bouillon Cubes. These taste like the real thing which got me thinking upon first tasting them. I can make pompeist with this. I have Vegg :The Plant based egg yolk powder. Combine these two with bread crumbs and I have the family classic.

It's just taking two of the bouillon cubes, and dropping them in two to three cups of boiling water.

They're were mushy to begin with and had to be thoroughly broken up with a fork. 

Then I added two teaspoons of the Vegg and stirred vigorously. Next time I 'll use a whisk which I think will give the soup a smoother consistency.

Then about a cup of breadcrumbs (I used Stop & Shop's brand).

Stir or whisk these in as the soup simmers. Serve.

It looks and tastes exactly like the pompeists I've made and my Mom has made in the past. The flavor is exactly the same as the ones with real eggs and real chicken broth. I intend on making this a lot , especially as we go into fall. 

If you want a cup of comforting vegan goodness, then try this no meat no egg pompeist recipe. It is just as soothing and delicious as the real thing. It will also make you feel good ,knowing no animals were harmed in making it as too.

The Taste of Tamerind

Tamerind is a comforting and exotic  flavor all at once.It's tangy  and sweet, perfect for all sorts of dishes. It's great as an addition for summer dishes and drinks.

Nik Sharma, creator of the award winning  A Brown Table that highlights Indian cuisine  wrote an interesting piece about this fruit(?) in yesterday's New York Times' Food section. Tamarind is actually a hard wood, not unlike teak and it produces pods. Those pods contain a sticky sweet and sour pulp that's made into a syrup. The Italians mix it with either mineral or even tap water for a refreshing cola like drink. It's also used in Worcester sauce for that unique flavor yet it's the Africans and Indians that have made the most use of it. It grows well in hot climates, originating in Africa and migrating over to India. Tamarind is great for any pantry since it lasts for months. Use it now or use it for baking and cooking in the fall and winter. You can make the extract at home by  boiling the pulp, then steeping  and softening it for a few minutes.  Buy the packaging that says "SOUR" which is the best for cooking and baking. You can get the sweet  as Mr. Sharma does but that's just for eating out of the package.There is also the liquid concentrate. This also can be heated up to reduce its' volume but it will lose its' fruity flavor.

There are several different recipes. Try the roasted new potatoes with garlic and tamarind. It's a sweet and savory side that has new yellow potatoes flavored with the pulp along with date syrup (although you can also use honey or maple syrup). This is a syrup poured over the potatoes after they've been oven roasted with olive oil and salt.  Cumin and serrano chiles are added for fire and bite so it's not too tangy. Seafood can also benefit from tamarind. Mr. Sharma gives us shrimp, cilantro and tamarind soup.The last is only a tablespoon so it doesn't over power the briny seafood taste. There's also a yellow onion and tomato paste added along with green chile and black pepper along with cilantro.A sweeter dish is an almond, black pepper and fig cake  drizzled with a tamarind paste glaze. The cake combines these diverse flavors with the figs being dusted with the black pepper. The batter is made from almond flour which has a delicacy that works with the other intense flavors. The glaze is unusual because it combines olive oil the tamarind paste and confectioners sugar. Usually water is added to make a glaze but the olive oil gives it more heft. Water can be added to thin it out of it is too thick.

Tamarind is a wonderful flavor , perfect in a refreshing drink or interesting dish. Try it in a savory side or soup. Use it  to give more flavor to a homemade almond, black pepper and fig cake. It's a great add in for any savory or sweet recipe.