Dining In The Covid Era

Everything has changed since the pandemic. How we work and go ro school were greatly affected. What was the most affected area? How we eat. Restaurants have forever changed. Like it or not they're the face of the new normal.

Most of the contributors to the New York Times Food section weighed in. Yes, protocol  has changed tremendously. Priya Krishna weighed in on drive throughs which have always been big on the American fast food scene.Even fine dining restaurants like Carlos in Seattle There may even be a way of scanning in a license plate and suggesting dishes based on the drivers' past orders. As for actually dining in, say goodbye to those pretty menus.Tejal Rao predicts we scan in the QR or bar code on our phones and have the menus pop up on them.Patricia Farrell has noticed more eateries are accepting solo diners. Pre-pandemic there was a certain snobbery regarding a person eating. Not anymore. The less people in a place the better. Yurts are becoming a thing too according to Pete Wells.It turns out they're better than indoor dining There's more privacy and better for larger parties. Florence Fabricant noticed that utensils now show up in rolled napkins.

Have the actual food and drink changed?Yes. The chicken sandwich, namely from Popeye's has topped the hamburger in popularity according to Kim Severson.It was at its height during the first half of 2020 and even influenced Manhattan eatery Please to create a fourteen dollar version with the addition of a salted egg yolk.Plant based dishes were also popular, eclipsing meat ones.Again Tejal Rao weighed in on this. She noticed chefs like Jocelyn Ramirez of the vegetarian Todo Verde created ceviche with fresh hearts of palm and mushroom mole tacos. She even spiked mac and cheese with poblano chiles. Also more people are eschewing meats for either health, environmental and ethical reasons. Plus plant based meats like Beyond Burger taste just as good as the real thing.There are even vegan barbecue trucks like LA'sMo Better Brews run by Courtney and Chastitie Lindsey.Robert Simonson has noticed that cocktails are being served not in glasses bu branded flasks , coffee cups and even juice pouches.

Yes, how we eat has changed. We've adapted to it quite well though. These new habits and protocols will stay l,ong after Covid has finally gone.

Feast Season

This is the time for church feast and city fesiivals. Yet can we enjoy ordering and eating favorite  these days?Is it safe to get a bag of zeppoli or funnel cakes in this Covid era? You can.Just be careful.

One the biggest, New York's San Gennaro is back on this weekend. THis is where food stalls line blocks of city streets All sorts of Southern Italian specialties are offered as they have been for over a century. Are they safe? How do you weave around the crowds and where do you eat? One solution is eating in the surrounding area, Little Italy and even Chinatown. You can easily get a plate of spaghetti or dim sum and go for a dessert at a less crowded dessert stand. You can also stick to one block and avoid any crowd. As far as finding a place to eat, there are small parks there as well as the original St Patrick's which has benches located in front of its stone fencesAs for the suburban festival, get what you want tp eat and head back to your car.There have utensils, along with wet naps and bottles of water. Some areas like The Deutch Club in Clark, New Jersey have a field that can be used for picnics during their Steuben Day festival.Many churches have this as well. Take advantage of it.

What do you eat at these festivals? The food is safe Many workers have to wear plastic gloves to handle food so you don't have to worry about catching anything.You can get a slice of pizza or a kabob without any worries. These are usually made fresh and haven't been handled a lot. The same applies to other festival foods. Workers are also required to wear masks and gloves so cooking and serving are safe. Some items come wrapped already like candy apples and  cotton candy. Italian feasts like the St. Joseph's in Lodi, New Jersey have a stand where bags of salted and dried chichi (chickpeas) and sugared hazelsnuts are sold. No one has touched them or breathed on them. This is the way to go as far as take home treats.Sodas and beers are also OK. Just ask for a straw for the sodas (Or you could bring your own drinks if you still have qualms)

It's festival season after a long two year drought of not having them. Enjoy the sights and sounds of them/ Relish the different flavors and tastes of festivals.

Honoring All Food Laborers

 It takes a lot of labor to put a meal om  the table .There's a whole chain from the farm workers to the cashiers who check out the groceries.Then there are the restaurant worlers and delivery drivers whohave been working hard since the pandemic started.

On this Labor Day thank those who make our eating possible. Write a nice note to your grocery's manager telling him or her about  the cashier who went the extra mile to help. Tip extra generously at your favorite restaurants. Your server will appreciate the extra money.  Help in raising awareness to farmworkers  on social media; Your voice will be heard. Home chefs also need to be appreciated too They're the ones who go out get the food, prep it and then cook. Then there's washing up and other little extras like making snacks or baking treats like cakes cookies and cupcakes.

Labor Day celebrates evey worker but the most important ones feed and nourish us. Remember them today and the rest of the year. They deserve respect and applause.

A Late Summer Feast

 Rhis is when the barbecue and picnic season is winding down. Yet you can still take advantage of the late summer harvests and a chance to create great dishes with fresh produce,

Tomatoes are still in abundance right now. Of course they're perfect in a sandwich with a lot of mayo but there are other dishes you can make too.Try a salsa cruda a tomato sauce where the pasta itself cooks the sauce. This is just when you can dice the tomatoes and let them along with onions and peppers marinate in an olive oil bath. Minced garlic is a must as is oregano. you can add a teaspoon of red wine vinegar for some bite. Another interesting idea is tomato jam. This is made similar to gently simmered jams and involves Roma tomatoes, ginger and brown sugar?Cumin, paprika and pepper flakes give it bite. Try it on a grilled steak or spoon it on slices of toasted Italian bread. Top with grated Parmesan or shredded mozzarella. Corn is another late summer crop that's in abundance right now. Try it as elote , Mexican street corn. This is grill roasted corn slathered with a mix of sour cream or Mexican crema, ,cotija or feta cheese and a variety of such spices as ancho chili powder and garlic. more cheese is sprinkled over them.

Root veggies are making their debut right now too. Late summer yields up beets, turnips and carrot. Beets are great, roasted or boiled . Most home chefs prefer roasting them because the process brings out the veggie's full flavor. Have them in a simple salad dressed with an easy vinaigrette. You could also add onions and some feta cheese to compliment the beets' sweetness. Turnips also make their debut right about now. You can make them mashed. The recipe is similar to mashed potatoes , save with the addition of a teaspoon of sugar. This would make a great side with store bought rotisserie or oven grilled chicken. These can also be grilled too. Just the turnips into cube , slide them onto skewers and brush with olive oil along with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. You can also infuse the oil with dill and lemon for a more flavorful kebab. Another root vegetable ripening in September is the carrot. Yes, you can serve them raw with tasty dips but try roasting them with olive oil, salt and pepper. This is a great side with any kind of poultry.

Late summer means taking advantage of the harvests right now. Turn them into a feast of flavors and colors. Make a great feast of all this produce right now.

Jam Time

 A favorite fall activity is making preserves and jellies. It's a great way to use up late summer and early fall harvests. not only that but you can start the day with homemade goodness on a croissant or toast.

Yewande Komolafe,a food stylist and author wrote an interesting article about preserves in Wednesday's New York Times Food section.Canning is a pretty straightforward cooking procedure. All you need is fruit, sugar acid and pectin. The last is found in such thick skinned fruits as stone fruits like plums,  and other fruits such as guavas, pears , apples and citrus..These will thicken naturally when simmered. For thinner skinned fruits store bought pectin needs to be added. Get the storebought powdered kind.There does have to be prepping. Cut out any bruised spots.Ms. Komolafe also recommends adding aromatics and even herbs to enhance and bring out the fruits' flavors, She pairs ginger with plums for a sweet and heat flavor. She also spikes a fig jam with rosemary.

There are three methods to making jams and jellies. The easiest is the no cook way or refrigerator which has crushed raw fruit mixed with sugar and pectin, The jars are then placed into the fridge. The next step is the gentle simmer. This is involves cooking for twenty five minutes going from boiling to simmering..It creates a more spreadable jam, perfect for brioches and croissants. The last method is more involved and traditional. This is cooking the fruit to extract the juice and pectin. The solids are then strained away. Ms. Komolafe recommends using apples for this method.It should be a balance of tart and sweet. Think marmalades which are given a bite thanks to the rind.This will take about thirty five to forty minutes  along with eigh cups of water. The mash is then strained through cheesecloth and reboiled. The end result is ladled into sterilized jars and chilled.

Use those summer harvest to create tasty jellies and jams. They're perfect for breakfast on a croissant or buttered toast. Use yhem for glazes for roasts. They are a fun make, full of possibilities.

Helping After Ida

 Hurricane Ida left most of the US in unsurpassed misery.Some areas got hit worse than others. These are people with flooded kitchens , no houses or no means of transportation. IT;s time to step up.

If you have family or friends in affected areas, then start making up care packages. Keep in mind that they may not have power to reheat your dishes. You may want to bring over casseroles when they've a few minutes out of the oven or better yet, invite family and friends over for dinner.They'll appreciate a hot meal as well as concern and a chance to vent their feelings. If you want to bring prepared food over think heroes loaded with all sorts of meats and veggies. It's like a big meal unto itself. Another idea is bring all the fixings for a barbecue. They can have a hot lunch or dinner with  grilled steaks or chicken. Hamburgers are also a good bring as are hot dogs. Make some chilled salads like macaroni or three bean. Add a touch of lightness with a fruit salad or some kind of chilled pie.

Another way to help your community is donating time to shelters who are housing many families right now. Donate what you can like cans of veggies and beans. Ask your local restaurants to donate food too. They can create large quantities of lasagna or chicken and mashed potatoes .They  can also provide rolls and salads too. Groups can also donate much needed water and baby formula. Remember to also donate pet food because many have brought their animal companions with them too. Also donate cat litter  along with people essentials like deodorants, toothpaste and diapers. Bring bags of apples and oranges for kids to snack on. If you feel like creating a big bake with cookies or cupcakes do so. You can also buy large trays of these to the shelter

Many have been affected by Hurricane Ida. We have to do what we can to help those who were affected. It could be making a meal or donating food. Nourish them  not just with dinner or lunch but with care and love.

An Austen Favorite Tackles LA

 Los Angeles has a variety of food trucks yet there will be one that stand out >It's run by the Vasquez sisters of Austen>Thanks to them Angelenos will taste real Mexican food and not the TEx Mex stuff that's out there

Regular contributor Priya Krishna wrote about them in today's New York Times Food section, Maritza and Reyna have had tremendous success with their restaurant Veracruz.I All Natural. lt is popular because it sells true regional Mexican food like street corn loaded with queso fresca and refreshing raspado, a refreshing shaved ice dish created from spices pureed fruit and milk. The Vazquez sisters also make pork torta, a fiery pulled pork sandwich. Their breakfast taco or miga is a stand our, much beloved by Austen residentsThe recipes have an extensive following. from  local food magazine editor Nadia CHaudery to Rachel Ray. Veracruz has even made it into the South by SOuthwest Festival.

The sisters came to Texas twenty-two years ago with their mother and Maritza's former husband and stepdaughter. They worked at a taqueria and was displeased with the food they made there. It was all Tex=Mex loaded with queso>They were successful in showing the locals good regional food from south of the border. Their LA one called Hot Tacos will sell tacos, taco bowls and quesadillas, It will be reasonably priced  with a steak bowl going for eleven dollars.They also have celebrated other Mexican immigrants  by supporting them when they've opened up their own eateries.

There are food trucks and there are food trucks that stand out. Hot Tacos will be like Veracruz All Natural will stand out. It will introduce good Mexican home cooking to a whole new fan base longing for the real taste of Mexico