Careful Planting

 Everyone should start thinking about planting their gardens right now. It's the best ammunition we have to fight high prices which will definitely go up by the beginning of summer. Growing our own fruits and veggies will help in whittling down the food bill.

City , suburban and country families can benefit from growing their own food. Many cities have their own community gardens where all sorts of fruits and veggies are grown. There are even exotic ones like bok choy and Scotch bonnet peppers. However apartment dwellers can also benefit from their own little farms. Pots of tomatoes can be raised on balconies along with lettuce and spinach. You can also grow Meyer lemons and strawberries too, The key to success is placing them in plenty of bright sunshine and watering them on a regular basis. Feeding them is also crucial. Use a water soluble fertilizer. Of course these may be tempting to animal companions and kids so try to keep them out of harm's way. Luckily brownstones have small gardens where you can even keep chickens for eggs. These are perfect for gardens but just be warned There is shade and some veggies like tomatoes and strawberries won't give you a full harvest. There are veggies that can thrive in cool shady areas. Think collard greens , broccoli and any of the root vegetables. Carrots, potatoes , yams and turnips are great and they are versatile for all sorts of dishes.

Suburban and country gardens can be as big as you  want. Start with a list of the most versatile fruits and veggies. Strawberries and  blueberries can be used in a variety of recipes from jam to salad dressings to pies and cakes. Set aside a portion of your yard fro them. Tomatoes are a must. You can eat them fresh but also make everything from salsa, and ketchup to sauces and even jams. Bell peppers are also a good choice. These can be stuffed or turned into a tasty summery gazpacho. If you have a lot of space think about starting your own cornfield or melon field, It will take a few years for an orchard to produce. Apple trees take two to three years as do peach trees. You can plant them now and wait for the return. The same is true with grapes. Vines will take at least three years for a full harvest. If not them then think about growing fig, apricots and cherries. The second step is creating a plan and a key to your garden. Think about what areas are sunny and shady and plant accordingly. It;'s then getting the right soil and fertilizer as well as fencing to keep out the wild life.

Prices are going up. Food bills will be astronomical. Cut them by growing your own fruits and veggies. It's not only economical but fun too.

The Return Of Jamie Oliver

 Twenty years or so ago there was a brilliant young chef sweeping America. he was boyish , British and cheeky yet down tp earth with his practical cooking approach. The chef was Jamie Oliver and he influenced many a home chef. Now he's back again, older, practical and innovative.

I recently discovered him again on Dabl TV which is a CBS owned station featuring lifestyle shows. There's everything form pets to DIY projects to travel to food. The station is worth watching just to pick up some ideas and tips. The cooking features mot only Oliver but his fellow Brit , Gordon Ramsey. However Jamie is sweeter, and kinder, the sweet kid next door you watched grow up into a caring and genial adult. His attitude towards food really hasn't change. One refreshing change though is his turn towards more vegetarian dishes. He also has done videos for The New York Times Food and one features a tasty black bean burger that looks delicious. It's a mix of different mushrooms , from portabellas to cremini, among others, mixed with black beans, chickpeas and rye bread(!).He zings up the finished burgers with mango slices , Greek yogurt and tomato salsa on warmed buns. For Dabl he makes a tasty vegan chili featuring three different kinds of peppers. A plus is that he adds already cooked rice to the chili, a holdover from his younger days when he used already made ingredients.

Like any celebrity Chef Oliver is not without controversy,He has been trying to get English and American school kids to eat healthy for years now. Has it worked? Many say no. Newspaper reports claim that kids just didn;t want his healthy meals. They wanted chips or fries.His suggestions were also too expensive. School districts couldn't afford the fresh pasta or chicken. Kids being kids knew the upside of eating salads, fruits and healthy carbs, but wouldn't have anything  to do about them. They want the tastier fast food treats of burgers and fries along with chips and fatty dips. They regularly munch on junk food , subbing in fried chicken or a handful of cookies for  the better for you alternatives. Many claim that Oliver should have done more research both in children's eating habits and school budgets (although he should know now having five kids , from college age to age six.) He was also involved in another scandal, promoting sustainable fish with Gordon Ramsay while both created dishes using endangered fish. Still, he endures and has a huge fan base.

Jamie Oliver is here to stay. He has some good recipes that everyone can enjoy. Catch him on Dabl TV or on You Tube and learn how to cook easy and delicious.

Warm Toasty Drinks

 Spring may be just around the corner but it's still frosty out there. It's time to warm up with late winter with a warm and toasty drink. They can be boozy or just fill with sweet , hot goodness. Either way they will warm you to your toes.

Saint Patrick's Day is Thursday and many will sip an Irish coffee. This was a big after dinner drink in the Seventies and Eighties yet it's much older than that, beginning with Joe Sheridan, a chef at Foyne's Point in Limerick.He created this iconic after dinner cocktail in the 1940's and it came to San Francisco in 1952 thanks to travel writer Stanton Delaplane..Irish coffee a definite toe warmer that has all sorts of flavors in it. Start off with a warmed mug and then fill with just four ounces of strong black coffee and two teaspoons of brown - not white - sugar. One once of  whiskey is then added  followed by a spooning of one ounce of lightly whipped heavy cream.What's the best coffee to use? Any one you want. whatever you think is the best and the most flavorful works. Then there's the whiskey.Many a mixologist would recommend the pricey Jamieson but you can use what works for you. Sip it slowly to fully appreciate the blend of flavors. Another favorite chill chaser is hot buttered rum.This is basically rum mixed with spiced butter. This spiced butter is flavored with cinnamon .cloves and nutmeg along with a pinch of salt and a dash of vanilla Hot water is poured over the rum and butter and a cinnamon stick is added for more taste.

What about those who want a non boozy warmer? Hot chocolate is your best bet. Ditch the packets and make your own. One of the most decadent is French hot chocolate. You should used chopped dark chocolate because this will give the drink a velvety texture. Two cups of whole milk is cooked in a saucepan as the chocolate is added. You can add a tablespoon of brown sugar and a teeny pinch of salt. Many add a good dollop of freshly whipped cream to make it more decadent. if you want a spike of spice then consider the Mexican version.This is made with cocoa powder and chopped bittersweet dark chocolate. Cinnamon is added and for kick a little pinch of chili pepper. You can really zing it up with a teensy bit of cayenne pepper. It's just cooking these and whole milk in a saucepan over a low flame. If tea is more your thing then go for a spicy chai. Use a good Assam or Darjeeling black tea for a more authentic flavor. Cinnamon sticks and cloves give it that tongue nipping taste. Also add green cardamon pods. You can find these at any Asian grocery store. Ginger is a must and it's sliced into coins to be added to this mix. These are boiled with the tea bags and water. Milk is added later along with any kind of sugar. The whole brew is boiled and then poured into cups or mugs for a tasty sip.

It's still winter. RIde it out with a hot toe warming drink. It can be boozy or a teetotaller's delight. All that matter is that it warms you against a late season chill.

Irish Classics Updates

 Saint Patrick's Day is next week and that means the usual corned beef and cabbage along with green beer. However it's a bit different on the Auld Sod and many classic Celtic dishes have been updated.It;'s a fresh way of celebrating the holiday.

Of course there's corned beef.You can easily make your own, considering it's not that hard. You need to brine it now if you want it for Saint Patrick's Day.  It's taking a beef brisket and marinating it in a salty and spicy brine for five to six days. There are also pickling spices such as mustard seed, allspice berries, coriander seeds and peppercorns. The brisket is marinated in these and water for at least five days and then simmered in a bath of more pickling spices and water for several hours or until tender. You can use for tacos as Sam Sifton of The New York Times Food section did, topping it off with a tasty slaw of cabbage and carrots.Mayo and sliced jalapeno peppers are also added for creaminess and zing. Another updated idea for the corned beef and cabbage is using them as filling for egg rolls. You will need wonton wrappers which any grocery store has. These can be fried or air fried and served with a mix of fresh ground peppercorns and soy sauce.

Colcannon or Irish mashed potatoes is another Saint Patrick's Day standard.It's homemade or boxed mashed potatoes usually cooked with kale. I've made this with spinach which give it a richer flavor along with a pretty green tint.Green scallions can also be added for bite along with plenty of butter and cream. To make it vegan friendly, just add Melt plant butter and almond milk. Also don;t be afraid to give it a tiny dash of turmeric for color and flavor or hot pepper for an exciting bite. Keep in mind that colcannon makes an excellent topping for shepherd's pie.If there's any left over you can make a patty or croquette with them . You just need a cup of flour and an egg to bond them and then fry them either in a skillet or air fryer. To make them really tasty shred some corned beef into the batter. Homemade Irish soda bread is a must to bake. Raisins have been the traditional add in but try subbing in chocolate chips and hazel nuts for a newer, fresher spin. This makes for a great breakfast  bread , especially warmed with butter. The recipe can also be turned into muffins, which are perfect for a brunch.

Irish  classics don't have to be the same old stodgy  standbys. Update them to create a tasty , fresh new flavor. It'll make for a fun Saint Patrick's Day.

A Spin On Spaghetti

 Spaghetti is always good whether it's with a  traditional marinara sauce or just con burro with butter. yet they go to a new level with an Vietnamese - American spin on them.It's a tasty and  relatively easy way to enjoy this classic pasta.

Regular contributor and chef, J. Kenji Lopez Alt wrote about them in yesterday's New York Times Food section. They were the creation of Helen An at Thanh Long Restaurant in San Francisco and have become a much beloved classic of the city. It all started with Ms. An's family the Trans fleeing North Vietnam in 19955 and settling in the South Vietnamese city of Dalat. Twenty years later she was forced to flee again, this time with her husband and three daughters to San Francisco. It was here where they arrived penniless to live with her mother-in-law Diana, a small deli owner. Thanh Long's history is murky. Elizabeth An, Helen's daughter claimed her grandmother bought an Italian deli however there is an ad from 1971 promoting it as a Vietnamese one. Ms. An who had experience in both Chinese and French cuisine  felt the restaurant would have more success if the dishes appealed to a local clientele. A disappointing dinner at a Nob Hill Italian restaurant  gave birth to the garlic noodles.It a mix of whole wheat  noodle sauteed with fistfuls of garlic and a blend of fish oyster, and soy sauces. 

Chef Kenji Lopez puts his own spin on it. He uses spaghetti instead of  the whole wheat noodle  - a nod to its' Italian roots. and another innovation, cooking them in a skillet. Gone is the big pot filled with quarts of boiling water. It also means more concentrated pasta water which provides for a tasty plate. He cooks it for two minutes shorter than recommended for a chewy al dente texture and then transfers it to a wok or saucepan. The flavor comes from the addition of four tablespoons of butter (or a plant based one like Melt). There is a lot of garlic  - namely twenty cloves, mashed in a mortar and pestle . You could lessen it by half if it's not to your liking. It's then time to add the sauces. Keep in mind this will have a briny , fish flavor, thanks to the fish and oyster sauce. Chef Lopez-Alt uses four teaspoons of the oyster and two for the fish and soy. However you can adjust the amounts depending on your taste. It seems like a dish that can constantly be adjusted with each make,Scallions are added for color and flavor and Pecorino Romano cheese for more flavor.

Garlic noodles are an interesting spin on spaghetti. Try them for a different type of pasta dinner.It's a nice change up from the usual.

Hog Season

 KIlling and barbecuing hogs has been a Black Southern ritual for centuries. It was living off the land and living off the meat. It was a way of surviving and self preservation.

Regular contributor and food writer Kayla Stewart wrote about this tradition in today's New York Times Food section.The practice goes deep into the country's history, to a time when plantations slaughtered hundreds of large pigs.It was the high point in the agricultural calendar of the rural South according to Adrian Miller, food scholar and author of Black Smoke:African Americans and the United States of Barbecue. All that meat was to last the entire year. It was a ritual performed only in the fall or winter before the flies returned. Cuts like ham and belly would be kept in the smokehouse for long term use while large quantities of fat were used for making soap and for cooking,Parts like liver, chitlins and lungs were eaten immediately.Those had to be quickly processed and eaten in the days before refrigeration.There is still an elaborate amount of work to be done on the hog's body.It's quartered which requires a numerous amount of men. The work is so intense.It involves  slicing, dicing and salting, all so labor intensive that a celebration always follows.

It is a large  part of the Southern African-American experience.It creates a sense of community and family getting together, Nora E. Doctor of Ridgeville South Carolina, a town council member, is finally back at a hog butchering after being away fro two years. For her  returning to the event is going back to her childhood, It was an even that her parents, aunt and uncle shared. There was crackling shortbread made with pork skin along with pork pot, a dish of hog stomach, fresh neck bones and ears, spiced with onion, sage and coriander and served over rice. At this coming together, the pork was mixed with Sea Island red beans to be served over grits.For other families, like the Rosses, it's about the awareness and honoring of the animal for its' life.Marvin Ross, a fifth generation farmer is one of just a handful of Black farmers. He has other animals such as chicken and , ducks, goats and pigs.He is reclaiming the land through farming, along with maintaining the hog slaughtering tradition, lost because of the Great Migration that lasted for sixty years.

Luckily there are new generations that will continue this ritual. They will follow what their ancestors did, creating food  for the community. It is part of their lives and culture.

That Famed Sauerkraut And Cheese Sandwich

Sauerkraut and cheese may be odd tastefellows yet they somehow work.A recent New YorkTimes Food recipe for an open faced sandwich confirms it. It 's an interesting mix to be sure.

I had to try it, adapting it to the microwave. I discovered  that someone in the recipe's comments section has their own version of it. It';s a microwave version , easily made without having to use the broiler as the original recipe calls for.

I tweaked it, with subbing in vegan cheese and yes I added hot dogs for more oomph..It starts with a rustic bread. I used a slice of unseeded rye.  It was topped with  heaping teaspoons of drained sauerkraut,

With saukerkaut you can put as much or as little as you want.It does add zing  but you don't want  it to be too overpowering,.

I used Field Roast Smoked Vegan hot dogs. These have the best flavor and go well with the sauerkraut and cheese. I cut them lengthwise and in half.

Then the cheese. I used Good Foods Nacho Dip which has a spicy bite instead of using the sliced jalapenos like in the original recipe.

It was then popping them in the microwave for three minutes.

The combo of flavors was like a bite of a ballpark frank with everything. It's zingy , spicy and cheesy. The original version uses shredded cheddar which makes for a bubblier , chewier bite. This isn't bad though. I may try it with vegan bacon next for a different saltier flavor. You could also put this  mix on a baked potato too.

Sauerkraut and cheese may seem an odd combo at first. Yet combined and cooked, they make an interesting pair. Try it for a different spin on grilled cheese.