Shared Food Shared Thoughts

 It's hard during a pandemic and widening political divide to reach out Yet today is a reminder that we can do just that. What better way is there than sharing home grown crops or something from the oven. Food can unite us better than ideologies.

Sharing your back yard harvest is one way of reaching out. Consider splitting your late summer crops with those struggling with putting food on the table. Donate those extra carrots and tomatoes to your local food banks or just to neighbors , family and friends who need food If you're planting your fall crops such as turnips and beans, try to plant extra so you can give away the overage. This is the time to take all those tomatoes and make sauce.Save a few jars for your kids' teachers or even your postal workers. Include boxes of pasta and maybe a shaker of cheese. (It's even better if you can make the pasta) Baking is another way of showing thanks and unity. Bake some cupcakes for a elderly neighbor who has become a recluse thanks to the pandemic. If you're still into baking bread, then make extra loaves for neighbors. You may not see eye to eye on certain matters but at least you can agree on a warm and crusty loaf.

Another way of showing compassion and unity is by visiting struggling mom and pop eateries , These are still trying to survive even though some pandemic restrictions have been listed. Now many are just getting back on their feet thanks to Hurricane Ida closing or damaging them. Try to have a night out, possibly a Saturday or Sunday eating out or take out supper. Doing such is a nice weekend treat whether it's just a coffee and a croissant or a whole pizza or a plate of dim sum.Remember to generously tip the waitstaff and delivery people. They are struggling as well and just getting back their financial footing. Also consider buying gift certificates from these eateries as well. It's a a good make  up gift if you've been having political differences with friends or loved ones. Better yet take those out  for a dinner or even quick snack. You may forget why you were disagreeing in the first place.

Today reminds us that we were all united once. We all need to be that way again. What better than to close the divide with food, a symbol of togetherness , nurturing and peace

Tuscan Influences

 Tuscan food is some of the best  ITaly can offer. There are amazing dishes from Florence and the surrounding countryside. A book, not a cookbook - but an interesting account of ayoung man's journey in this piece of heaven highlights this cooking and Tuscan life. It's an inspirational read.

There isn't enough good things to say about Andrew Cotto's Cucina Typico and its' sequel Cucina Romana (both published by Black Rose Writing).Its the story of Jacoby Pine an unemployed ad rep and former musician who heads to Italy with his  travel writer fiancee Claire. During this trip he finds  thanks to an old photo that he's related to local nobility, loses a financee and gains a girl. Along the way he meets amazing people, eats amazing food and drinks amazing wine. I thought it would be all about food which it is but it's also a great exciting story, perfect for a movie. Yet it's the descriptions of dishes that made me drool and want to cook. I am not a big pork person but Mr Cotto's luscious and vivid description of the region's cinghiale or wild boor had me craving a ragout made of it. He even gives props to  my great-grandparents. region Piemonte with its Ribiola cheese and shaved white truffles.

This book has made me want to cook again. Of course I can't get my hands on cinghiale much less pork but I can sort of sub in vegan sausage. As for the truffles, there are gourmet  stores that can ship them. However I wonder how good they are. I could sub in dried mushrooms or sliced fresh baby bellas. Will it be as good as what Jacoby and his new ex-pat friend Bill eat? no, but it can be made tasty with the other ingredients. The New York Times has a recipe for the ragout  that includes Chianti, canned tomatoes celery and carrots. A sprig of fresh rosemary seasons it.It will never be the same as rge real thing but a kind of facsimile for vegetarians.It's served over tagliatelli, which is an easy  get.Another recipe from the book that is a must try is the artichoke souffle. The recipe in Cucino Typico has eggs married to artichoke heart bits. THere is a similar recipe that also has goat cheese added to give a silkiness.  Souffles savory or sweet can be tricky but they're worth making simply because of the taste and mouthfeel.

This fall's reading list has to include Andrew Cotto's Cucina Tipico and Cucinoa Romana. These are the perfect books for Italophiles and food lovers. THe recipes and the cast of characters are tasty morsels sure to whet the appetite

An Appreciation Of A Wine Lover

Becky Wasserman's name was not known among everyday wine lovers but to wine critics and oenophiles, she was the force behind those rich red burgundies. SHe  brought them to the forefront, to be loved and rejoiced by those new to wine and those passionate about a good flavorful reds

Eric Asimove, the drinks critic wrote a tribute to Ms Wasserman_Hone who passed in August in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Ms Wasserman_Hone (she later married Englishman Russell Hone) started selling wine barrels to Californian wine makers. She quickly acquired a knowledge of the terroir and wines.She then transitioned to identifying promising young producers and matching them with American wine merchants.When she started, this province in east central France was dominated by big merchants who bought grapes and wine from smaller wine makers or vignerons and then sold the wine under their labels Of course, these merchants prospered instead of the farmers.The produce was also subjected to arbitrary price changes or not to be bought at all, this coming from the merchants.

However Ms. WaSserman was one of the agents of change who challenged this. Often she was the way in for a lot of producers, introducing them to the world.Yet she wasn't motivated by money She  wanted the wines and culture of her adopted Burgundy to be seen and known."If we don"t drink it we don"t sell it" became her mantra for her company Becky Wasserman and Company. Even in the Eighties she foresaw that Burgundy's future lie in re-embracing the sort of farming that existed before chemical farming , that is farming that relies on pesticides.This allows for grapes and wines to be more expressive,She sided with rebel winemaker Rene Lafon of Domain Comte Lafon of Meursault. He stuck with traidtion and grew grapes without the help of any chemicals> Ms WAsserman also worked with vintners jn Alsace and also hosted Burgundy symposiums in her house ar Bouen.

Ms. Wasserman Hone left a tremendous legacy for burgundies and oenophiles. It will keep on going  as more vintners  embrace chemical free farming. This will bring in a new more organic wine.

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.