Good Friday Traditions

 This Good Friday ,remember  the traditions that make this day holy and somber .Many give up meat ,.A few even forgo dairy and eggs. It's up to you on how you want to observe.

I relied on a family recipes noodles with eggs,  from my Swabian German American grandfather's family.It was always made on Good Friday and was a filling dinner after visiting the church.I made it vegan by using Just Egg and then took a traditional route by subbing in spaetzle. It's served with peaches , as many German dishes are served with fruit instead of vegetables.

Today is a day full of somberness and prayer. Pray for those around the world that they can have an Eastrr weekend full of traditional foods and rites wherever they are.

Australia's Easter Treat

 Hot cross buns have alwasy been a Lenten treat. In Australia they're more than that. They're a passion and a harbinger of not only the Easter season but autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. These flavorful rolls are the perfect introduction to cooler days ahead.

Australian writer and Melbourne native Doosie Morris wrote about this Down Under passion in yesterday's New York Times Food section.In most countries hot crossed buns usually appear around Ash Wednesday. Not so with the Australian version, popping up as early as December 26th - Boxing Day.aussies have always had a soft spot for them however the pandemic supercharged the need for them. People want the comfort scent and flavor of citrus and spice. Then there's popping them in th e oven to warm up and slathered with butter and sprinkled with salt which makes them comfort food according t bakery owner Kate Reid.It also aligns with the changing weather. unlike Christmas where turkeys are roasted in mid summer, This British inheritance sort of lines up. with the changing season and the chill that comes with it.They're perfect with a hot cup of coffee or tea  and work as a breakfast or a snack, Melbourne's Falco's bakery had sold a whopping five thousand buns within an hour four days before the holiday.

How did they become so popular and part of the Australian diet? They came over with the British, first being commercially baked at Australia's oldest operating bakery, Maldon Bakery  ninety miles outside Melbourne.Their  first hot cross buns came out 170 years ago when Queen Victoria ruled the British Empire. The recipe hasn't changed according to owner  Rebecca Barnett, and if it had  she and her team would be "drawn and quartered " by the locals for doing such. It hasn't changed since the 1850's with the same  mixed spices, vine fruits and citrus peel. There are some bakers who do experiment with the recipe. Kate Reid of th famed Lune Croissantrie in Melbourne has creaed the  hot cross cruffin, a croissant muffin hybrid. it has the same flavor yet a different shape and mouth feel. There are even cereals and ice cream with the distinctive flavor along with even protein powder. The Aussies are so crazy for them that they have have hot cross bun scented candles, body butter, beard oils and even puppy probiotic!!!

Hot cross buns are a lovely way to celebrate Lent. Down Under they're so much more. They're a much beloved comfort food that not only welcones the Easter season but also fall.

The Milk Wars

 Does any one really drink cow's milk anymore? There seems to be between it and this new crop of plant based ones. Who will win? That's a good question.

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about this in today's New York Times Food section. Dairy milk consumption seems to have decreased thanks to Generation Z the group that were born between 1997 and 2013.THey prefer wither milk alternatives or just bottles of water. Last yeat they bought twenty  per cent less milk than the national average according to the consumer market researc company Circana. Even Masani Bailey who created a nostalgic "Got Milk" series of Titok videos has even pointed that out. There is a lot of baggage that comes with drinking real ro cows milk.Most of this has to do as more and more immirants arrive here and with that their intolerance to anyhting with lactose. Then there's the cows huuting the environment with producing methane gas. There is also the increasing skepticism about the dairy industry and the humane treatment of them as well. Social media is helping to spread this and turn many against the idea of drinking whole milk. 

FUnny enough other dairy products like cheese , yogurt and ice creams. These sales haven't suffered. However this is not enough to bring up numbers. Yes milk is selling. Last year milk sales were around $15.7 billion while all plant based milks garnered only 2.4 billion. However it's just not selling to the demographic who spends the most and creates the trends.That is changing though thanks to campaigns and new milk based products. Marathoner Yvonne Zapata has been chosen to promote milk as an energy drink for Gen Zers.The MIlk Processor Education Program has signed her to their 26.2 project , an ambitious effort to provide training and gear to every woman running a marathon in the US this year. Her portrait is going up on the Gonna Need Milk website. The only problem, - she really doesn;t drink it, preferring the nut milks instead. Then there are new milk based products. People still drink chocolate milk. There is a new one called Spylt  which has it caffeinated (although chocolate has plenty of caffeine in it to begin with ) thanbks to Shark Tank like contests creared by the dairy industry.

Can milk ever regain its popularity? The dairy industry is betting on it. People still need it and some love drinking it. It's here to stay.

Ready For Easter Brunch

One of the most fun and delicious traditions is Easter brunch.It's a great way for family and friends to gather.Yet it does require a lot. The key is to be ready and well stocked for it.

One of the most important things to dois make a list of who is coming along with their likes and dislikes.If you have vegans coming remember to buy products like Morningstar Farms soy bacon and Just Egg egg substitute. Keep in mind that this last can also be used in baking. Also take into consideration kid's allergies. Keep the brunch free of nuts along with products that were processed where there were nuts.Gluten free is easy to get and create. There aremany gluten free flours so you can make everything from waffles to cupcakes .Once you have your list , ask yourself if the weather is nice enough for outdoor dining. You could set up tables and folding chairs set in various spits in the backyard or just have one set table. THis is also time to air out the good Spring linen tablecloth and napkins for indoor dining. Should there be a kid's table? Yes, They'll be a noisy , excited crowd after an Easter egg hunt fueled by chocolate eggs  Have fun favors you can get at your local dollar store or FIve Below or small cupcake liners filled with a Peep and jelly beans.

As for the food, you can easily ge tthe ham now along with any of the canned sides.Canned pineapple is a must have in many an Easter dinner so get it now before the stores sell out. Do you want to have an omelet bar? Try to buy eggs in the next few days, despite everyone using them for dying. Wal-mart has a good deal with eighteen eggs for only $3,13. You could get two containers with saving some for decoration.If you're planning on making egg cups make sure you have the right muffin pans for them. You  may have to buy a second one to accomodate a large crowd.If it's a true brunch , then it 's time to check your griddle to make sure it's working. the same thing for your waffle maker.That brings up the question do you have enough flour or Bisquick for waffles and pancakes? As for dessert , do you let guests bring their own creations or do you bake for the enire crowd? Now is the  time to buy the cake mixes , Dream Whip if you're making a lamb cake and confectioner's sugar for frosting. Also now is the time for buying the extras for baking like coconut and marashmallow for grass and bunny tails. Make sure your food coloring is usable and you have enough.

Easter brunch is a great way to celebrate the holiday. Make sure you're ready for it.Preparedness will go a long way in making a memeorable meal.

Matzoh Savory and Sweet

 Matzoh is one of those Passover essentials that can be used in a variety of different ways.It is a bread substitute as well as a flour one. It can be used for both savory and sweet recipes, all adding to the seder.

Matzoh is eaten during the entire Passover  and can be served soft like pita or crispy like crackers It has to be made from one of the five ancient grains, wheat, spelt barley rye or oat. Some sephardic communitiies allow it to be made with eggs ot fruit juice.it not only symbolizes redemtion and freedom but also humbleness , being called poor man's bread. It also commemorates when the Jews had to flee Egypt  and couldn't wait for their bread to rise. it can be used in all sorts of recipes. One of the most traditional is matzoh brei, an egg and matzo combination.This makes for a good breakfast or even a light lunch.It's  a mix of crumbled sheets of crumbled matzohs , caramelized onions and eggs. You can add chives if you want for more color or flavor. Of course there is matzoh ball soup, These are made with matzoh meal, eggs , chicken stock and schmaltz or chicken fat. If the last is too fatty for you then use kosher vegetable oil.  The're shaped into ping pong ball sized rounds and thne dropped into lightlly salted water to cook. They're then transferred to chicken broth for a satisfying light dinner.

Matzoh can do double duty as a base for sweet recipes. Keep in mind that matzoh brei can also be made sweet.It's still the same egg and crumbled matzoh base but orange water and a pinch of sugar are added.It's cooked in butter and served garnished with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Kosher apple sauce or jam can also be served with it.Matzoh is becoming popular in holiday candies. There is the famed matzoh crack which is homemade butter toffee evenly spread over four sheets Dark chocolate chips are scattered on top to melt over the hot toffee. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate over the sheets and top with chopped pecans and sea salt. Place the entire pan in the fridge to set and chill for forty-five minutes. Cut into squares and serve.Surprisingly enough matzoh can be turned into an ice box cake. Layers of matzoh are interspersed with vanilla or chocolate pudding mixed with Cool Whip. It's topped with a mocha ganache icing and then chilled.It can even be turned  into tiramisu . Soak the matzohs in a good strong brew and layer with a chocolate creme. Top with a chocolate ganache and sprinkle with espresso.

Matzoh can be in both savory and sweet dishes Try it as a savory lunch or a delicious dessert. It's versatile anyway you use it.

Vegan For Holy Week

 Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, the beginning of the Christian Holy week. Some fast while ohers just observe Good Friday. However if you want to observe but not fast so muc then think about going vegan for a week.It's an easy practice for avoiding meat and other indulgences.

Home chefs can take a page from the Greak Orthodox. They forgo all meat , dairy and egg for their Lenten period which started on February 27th. Their's is a  strictly vegan until  their Easter Sunday which is a week after ours. it is an easy to do thanks to all the vegan products that have exploded on the market in the last few years. You can easily make both red and white chili using soy crumbles or plant based chicken strips.The crumbles cna be used to make a vegetarian Bolognese too, perfect with penne or spaghetti. Kids will love the chiocken nuggets that both Gardein and Morningstar Farsm sell. You may want to try the last's Veggetizers, small fun bites in such flavors as pizza and popcorn chicken for a quick weeknight meal.  Tey also have plant based taquito bites chorizo nacho bites and buffalo chicken wings.Their bacon is excellent , especially when served with Just Egg's egg substitute. This last is perfect for scrambles  and makes for a good breakfast or even breakfast for dinner. It can even be used in baking too.

Holy Week is also a good time to forgo dairy too. Again this is easy thanks to all the plant based milks out there. There are even chocolate versions sold in handy boxes with straws.Keep in mind that oat milk has the highest calories with 120 a cup. You may want to try almond or soy milk for lesser calories. What about ice cream, whipped cream and cheese.Again there are so many to choose from thanks to people going vegan. even Ben and Jerry have their own line featuring some of the best loved flavors like mint chocolate cookie and Colin Kaepernick's Change The Whirled. That ice cream giant Breyer's also sells  non dairy version of their most popular flavors. You can make your own using coconut milk maple syrup or cane sugar and vanilla extract. It will have a coconut taste but you can off set this with fruit juice to create a sorbet or  chocolate bits. THere is also vegan whipped cream thanks to Reddi Whip  producing both a coconut and almond version of their original. as for cheese, try Chao's . Theyy have both sliced  and shredded that are perfect for grilled cheese or in salads.

You can do some fasting for Holy Week by forgoing meat, dairy and eggs. It's easy nowadays, thanks to all the different products. You may continue it even after Easter.

Relying On Tradition

 The holidays teach us one thing - to rely on tradition.It's what guides us through celebrations and holy days. This also includes time homored recipes used in many an Easter or Passover meal.

This was on my mind as I bought spaetzle and risotto at Aldi's today. It's a Swabian German custom to have noodles and eggs on Good Friday, one of the holiest and most somber days of the Christian calendar. I'm taking a family tradition and updating it by subbing in the spaeztle for egg noodles. (although I suspect the original dish used them.) It's served with a side of sliced peaches as all German dishes have some kind of fruit incorporated in the dish.As for Easter it's a new tradition of risotto and fresh asparagus This replaces the old one of again the Swabian influenced ham served with beans and potato salad. I've made this every year for the past few years. Yes, I'll bake the Easter lamb cake  , following in my Mom's step. I'll mix in the Dream Whip  as she did for a denser, richer cake, but add my own spins. There willbe Just Egg instead of real eggs, almond milk instead of cow's. The icing will have vegetable shortening like hers in it to give it the perfect texture for the crumb coat and rosettes.I may give it a dash of either lemon or grapefruit juice just to zing it up.

Others are also relying on family recipes. Many will be observing Passover starting April 5th. There will be variations on moms' and grandmothers' brisket recipes.  Home chefs may add cayenne pepper for some spike and heat.Others will try a brown sugar rub that gives the surface a crackly crust.. Tzimmes, the carrot and stewed prune side dish is always served  but the family recipe will get some new ingredients.It could be lemon or lime juice to cut all that sweetness or maybe star anise .Kugel that Passover staple may be savory on a few tables this year.It's suually a sweet dish but there are several savory ones that feature spinach and mushrooms. Easter is usually ham or lamb. A few home chefs are eager to try Eric Kim's pineapple ham featured in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. This is like a retro dish from the Fifties, complete with golden pineapple rings. The glaze is made with Dijon mustard ,brown sugar and fresh juice from both pineapples and lemons. Some may use their granny's recipe and add a ginger ale based glaze on it. as for th elamb, it's usually baked with rosemary sprigs.and fresh lemon juice. There will be updating with an olive oil rub or the addition of red wine vinegar.

Tradition guides us.it guides our cooking.It gives the template for traditionak dishes that can be given new spins and updates.