It's All Peachy

 This is still peach season. Those golden gems are out there and they are a versatile fruit. You can eat them any way - cook them any way  - bake them any way.They are perfect for meals and snacks.

Peaches first appeared in China and is a deciduous tree, meaning the fruit falls off when they're ripe.Surprisingly nectarines are also peaches but without the peach's characteristic fuzz.They arrived in England and France in the 1600's Most peaches come from China, Greece,Spain,Italy and Turkey,The Spanish brought the fruit to Latin a nd South America They came to the US thanks to Thomas Jefferson.They're now in Marylsnd, Delaware Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and New Jersey.Many states such as New Jersey have farms where visitors can pick bushels of them.There are hundreds of peach and nectarine cultivars.There are two type,s the freestone where the pit easily comes out. These should be eaten fresh, The second category is the clingstone where the pit clings to the flesh.These are good for canning but also for eating too. These golden gems are loaded with all sorts of vitamins from A to K. Eat them for their vitamin C content too. Even the peach skin is an antioxidant, loaded with cancer fighting antioxidants.

Of course the best way to have a peach is after it's been chilled in fridge for a few hours. Yet chilled sliced peaches are also good in salad too. Add  sliced chicken breasts along with feta and grapes along with a simple white wine vinaigrette for an elegant lunch or dinner. Most home chefs love baking with the fruit. Wednesday's New York Times Food section had a recipe for peach cobbler - the summer dessert of choice.Regular contributor Melissa Clark gives two versions, one an easy buttermilk one while the other is an upside down one, made in much the same way as a pineapple upside down cake.If you're making these she recommends using brown sugar as opposed to white to give the peaches a caramel note. Another amazingly good peach dessert is pesche ripiene. These are stuffed peaches made with crumbled amaretto biscuits. chopped peach pits and butter. My family has always added peach schnappes to these for more flavor and kick but you can also use peach juice too after they're baked and cooled. of course peach muffins are a nice way to start the day or a perfect snack.These scratch muffins are packed with flavor from the fruit to cinnamon. Peach cake is also a great summer treat.The simple cake is loaded with peaches and makes for a wonderful afternoon snack with iced tea or served with ice cream for a tasty dessert.

Peaches are in abundance right now. Pick a bushel and use them in cakes, pies,muffins and even salads. Have them stuffed and drizzled with a peach liqueur . Enjoy them anyway  for their flavor and benefits.

The A+ Lunch

 What makes a good school lunch. More what makes a lunch that won't be traded for cupcakes and chips?it takes input from both sides - Mom's and kids. Together they can create something nutritious and non-tradeable.

Children's author and regular contributor  Kevin  Noble Maillard wrote this informative piece in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Schools have already started or will start soon after Labor Day The headache is what to feed kids, especially little ones. High schoolers have their own ideas and can make their own lunches. The real dilemma is  what to feed the kindergarten through third grade crowd? The first idea Mr. Maillard suggests is making a list or more specifically a cheat sheet. He follows his grandmother's rhyme -" Vegetable fruit,main and crunch.Add a treat for a healthy lunch". This eliminates morning guess work but it creates a deep and reliable bench of options. Don;t be afraid to create fusion. Think celery bits and cheddar bunny., meatballs and crackers. for something different. Another must do is organize your kitchen like a chef.have everything in a mise en place scheme says Caroline Flynn a chef now in fort Lauderdale but once worked at the famed ABC Kitchen in New York. Desiinate a part of your kitchen for non perishable food items.

The number one must is enlist the kids as sous-chefs. Have them pack the lunch or prepare the sandwiches. You could also pack the night's dinner as their lunch too however make sure it;s something they like. That meat loaf sandwich could easily be traded for a LUnchable pack or just candy. Another idea is listening to your kids and take them weekend shopping with you. Have them be familiar with different veggies and fruits. If they see produce they like - buy it. Mr. Noble also recommends freezing lunch too. if your little one prefers rice or grain then cook these and freeze them in muffin tins lined with plastic wrap. Freeze, remove and restore in a sealed bag or container according to Lindsay Livingston a Westerville Ohio dietitian.reheat individual molds for ninety seconds full power, adding a tablespoon of water per serving.Also add a token of love which makes every lunch special and sure to put a smile on the young students'face.Looks to Asian obento culture for ideas and inspiration. Create sausage octopi or origiri rice balls in the shape of pandas. Sometimes just a note or a Hershey's kiss will do the job too.

Happiness is a good school lunch.It makes for smiles and a full stomach. This is a perfect combination for little scholars.

The Lure Of Costco

 Costco is one of those customer nirvanas.It offers food in bulk quantity for relatively low prices.Members of their club can walk in and buy anything from three dozen eggs to even jewelry and designer hand bags. It;s the ultimate shopper and home chef's paradise.

New contributor BenRyder Howe who has also written for New Yorker Magazine wrote about this retail giant in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Costco has been around since the Sixties started by Sol Price. His family were the immigrants from Minsk who  started in New York in trade. In the 1920's they moved to San Diego California where young Sol then went to the University of Southern California.He began by re-presenting grocers and other merchants He began to then  buy San Diego warehouses into member only bazaars. members were charged a small fee.Shoppers could buy anything from hosiery to cigarettes. The bazaars were called Fed Mart. The key was making those members renew year after year.It was easy for him to do. Mr. Price was known for his gift of connecting with consumers.even though he was making money he was at odds with it , thanks to his family's Socialist beliefs.In fact Costoc is one of the best places to work for today.Most people who started off as baggers are now executives and their pay rate is much in line with the Price family values. A starting salary is twenty-six dollars an hour as opposed to other big box stores like Target and Walmart which start employees off at seventeen dollars an hour.

Costco contributed to flourish as it 's name changed in the 1990's. It grew too, with the first Costco opening up in Anchorage Alaska. It has merged with several different companies over the years yet strangely and stubbornly maintained Mr. Price;'s vision. 'Now the stores are world wide with more planned for  South Korea, China Japan and Australia. There have been drawbacks .For years the company refused to add more warehouses.It was because of management concerns regarding that new facilities would be too challenging to run. The concerns seemed to have wane because Costco now opens up thirty warehouses a year. Trends in foreign countries, namely the Asian market come to the States.Expertise in South Korean and Taiwanese shopping have translated into availability  in the US of such products as braised abalone in brown sauce,giant red sea cucumber and Chinese style bacon- cured pork strips. For one Toktoker Yutack Kang has told his 463,00 about  another Asian staple frozen durian pulp and declaring that their Asian food section is superb. This resonates deeply with Asian American shoppers Other shoppers have developed a cult like love of the store.The store is great if you do have a big family to buy for. Smaller ones may wind up with overage  and stale food.

Costco will always be the number one store in the US.It offers a wide arrange of different items .It also lets people buy food in bulk - something other grocery stores don't offer.

Cupcake Mania

 Food videos are addictive.People get hooked on Italian nonnas gracefully making pasta from scratch.Others go wild looking at the latest air fryer recipes.Then there are those cupcake videos that seem to be everywhere.They take a blob of icing and turn it into a masterpiece.

The last has made me cupcake obsessed. I am now actively seeking out those short reels on Facebook. They short and I can look through three or four of them.It starts out with some unknown decorator (only hands are shown) putting a blob of frosting on a cake. Usually they're then turned upside down and the blob is flattened on parchment. The cupcake is then frozen for ten minutes. The decorating starts after this.Stencils are cut out of waxed paper and this delicately laid on top of the frosting. Another colored frosting is then smeared on this. The stencil is lifted and it could be a pretty heart or Frankenstein's or his bride's hair.One jaw dropping one was a deep blue iced cup cake and a stencil of all the continents was then layered on. These were painted in deep green and the finished top looked very much like a map.A little red heart was out at the bottom on it. This would be an amazing try. Then there are the beach ones.where there is turquoise icing smeared on a cupcake. Nilla wafers are crushed and sprinkled on one side to represent sand. Candy shells and pearls can be placed on this or lines are iced on two Pez to create flip flops.

There's another kind of decorating that has caught my eye. This is the side one. A  frosted cupcake is rolled in a pile of sprinkles or little candy nonperiels. A swirl of another color frosting is  piped in the middle .This seems like the easiest and prettiest. You don;t need the puff in the middle. The cupcakes look sweet without them. I'm also amazed by the Russian flowers ones. These have a garden of brightly colored buttercream bids on them. I have these tips but have yet to use them. To be honest I don't; know when I would have to time or even occasion anymore to make a fancy cupcake. They're nice treats but total sugar bombs.Yet I'm obsessed by these short videos. I think Facebook has the best. The how to is only a few minutes and I can go on to the next. The Tiktok ones are a bit flashy with music and some voice overs.Ive watched the You Tube ones and although they ;re very informative they're also annoying. I do appreciate what tips they recommend and how to get the right consistency but they're something about someone going on like it was a decorating class. I just want something quick and fun to watch.

Cupcake vdeos - any food video are  addictive to watch,They're an obsession. Even if you don't even set foot in the kitchen these can be fascinating.

Healthy Harvests

 This is the time when everyone's gardens and pick your own orchards are in full harvest. Take advantage of these for healthy eating. Fresh fruit ans veggies have so many benefits. Eat them fresh for even more benefits.

This is the time for peach picking. Orchards around the area are bursting with clusters of these golden gems.As good as they are in crumbles and crisps , they're even better eaten chilled and fresh from the fridge. They're loaded with important vitamins like C and K which your body uses to heal wounds. They're also the rare fruit that has Vitamin E which keeps eyes and skin healthy too.Surprisingly peaches also contain trace amounts of zinc and copper,Zinc helps in getting the thyroid to work properly as well as helping blood to clot. Copper helps your teeth and bones to grow along with protecting cells and the immune system. Eat the whole fruit because their skin is rich in cancer preventing antioxidants.  Another fruit in full bloom right now is watermelon.Nothing beats a cold, sweet wedge after a barbecue or picnic.It's low calorie - only forty-six per slice so you can indulge in a few slices . A slice also has a big dose of lycoprene which is usually found in tomatoes.It improves heart health and even helps in preventing sunburn.Keep in mind that water melon is ninety per cent water  so it's also perfect for hydration, Dust it with a tiny bit of sea salt. This not only improves the taste but also replenishes electrolytes and carbohydrates.

Gardens are full of all sorts of tomatoes right now too. This is on e of the most versatile harvests because there are so many recipes that call for just picked from the vine tomatoes. They're also good eaten fresh with just a tiny sprinkle of salt on them too. These are high in Vitamin C which brightens skin and reduces inflammation,Cooked tomatoes release lycoprene to which helps in preventing cancer. eating them any way in any recipe will also improve your brain and prostrate health.This fruit - and it is a fruit is also rich in magnesium, which supplies the body with electrolytes.Electrolytes help cell function normally.Magnesium also helps in easing sore muscles after exercising too. Gardens are also full of zucchini too. These can be sliced into coins and sauteed with garlic and butter for a tasty side or  air fried to create a fun snack. They are high in Vitamin A and manganese, the last vital for forming connective tissue and bones.It also plays a role in calcium absorption and blood sugar regulation.Eggplant is also another garden gem that's in full harvest right now. It too is rich in Vitamins A and K. Eating it also reduces the risk of heart problems as well.

Summer harvests are like a giant vitamin and much tastier. Eat as much as you can, They will definitely boost your health and make you feel better.

A Bite of Seafood

 One of the joys of summer is a buttery or grilled bun stuffed with seafood.It could be lobster,.It could have a filling of chopped shrimp or tangy spiced crab.These are the tastes of summer to be savored with a side of fries and a tall glass of something icy and refreshing.

Lobster rolls are a classic summer sandwich. The new York Times Wednesday Food section recently published an article by Korsha Wilson about hot and cold lobster rolls.Yes, hot lobster are a thing now.It's actually not new but a century old.It was first created at Perry's in Milford, Connecticut on the Long Island Sound. A dinner wanted a lobster and butter sauce to go so the meat and sauce were put on a bun.Both hot and cold versions are pretty easy fixes. You can buy lobster meat at your local  grocery or  seafood market.The tail meat which is the meatiest and sweetest is always used for the sandwiches..For the hot lobster toast the buns in butter in a skillet. Put them inside part down for a couple of minutes. After that let the pan cool, wipe it and add more butter. Toss in the lobster meat and cook in butter and gently warm it Stuff the rolls with it and sprinkled with  celery seeds.The cold or Maine version has a pound of  chilled lobster mixed with a cup of mayo and four chopped celery sticks. Put this on fried in butter hot dog rolls. This is the one everyone likes and orders .

Shrimp salad is another summery lunch or dinner treat.Keep in mind that you have to be careful when buying fresh shrimp.Its fine if you live in a coastal area and you know the place is reputable. If not then go for  frozen shrimp.They're typically flash frozen once they're caught so this ensures freshness. Boil a pot of water and add the shrimp for two minutes.They'll turn a bright pink when they're done.As for the dressing it's mixing mayo with lemon juice. Dill and parsley are added for color and flavor. You can chop of the shrimp so it's easier to eat. Unlike lobster salad, shrimp salad can go with any bread.It's good stuffed into a pita for a lighter bite or on a sliced croissant for a more elegant meal.Crab meat is also great in a salad. Turn it into a salad for the San Francisco classic sandwich. Crab can be expensive to you can buy imitation crab which is really a paste of Pollock along with other fish pressed into shapes that resemble crab meat. You can also use crab legs too if you want Again use mayo here and mix it with freshly squeezed lemon juice  and diced celery.Fresh dill and chives work well with the crab meat so these can be added too. As for the bread you can use a Portuguese roll, much like the San Francisco version . You can also turn them into sliders too.

It's summer. It;'s the perfect time for a seafood salad. Have one with a tall glass of iced tea for a truly warm weather experience

Robots In Restaurants

 Everyone thought the future would be like the Jetsons.We'd be living in high rise apartments with Rosie the Robot folding our clothes and washing our dishes. That hasn't;t happened - yet - not to the homeowner. However it is becoming a matter of fact in many restaurants throughout the county.

New contributor Meghan McCarron, a James beard finalist in investigative reporting, wrote this fascinating piece in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. AI help is becoming the norm in many fast food chains. They help with bussing food to the tables to helping prepare it.it is cost effective to use machines instead of hiring people. There are no extra salaries along with egos to deal with which can be a plus. AI can also work through anything. There are no snow days to worry about or traffic snarls to make them late.The machines cost but that pays itself off .This is good because it frees up human workers to concentrate on the actual cooking.They can handle heavy lifting where human servers can not. Juan Higueros, chief operating officer and cofounder of  Bear Robotics used his previous experience as a restaurant owner to design their robots.He noticed that this waitstaff had trouble carrying trays and the only solution to help them were trays on wheels. He then designed automated servers who can carry thousands of pounds of food without any effort. This helped tremendously and made the busy times easier.

Yet there is the missing human factor. People want human chefs and waitstaff. They want to know that their food is cooked with love and that the chef has put his or her all into the dish. Diners also want to interact with the server too. A good waiter can make or break a restaurant.  AI can;t really do that for some people. However at that same Long Beach Denny's one customer, Diane Deconnick liked one robot, named LIly by the waiter himself who took Ms. Deconnick's order off the tray. She even tipped it the usual twenty per cent that human help receive. This is rare because most don't like an automated server. Yet everyone does use one form of AI to order food - their phones. Most major chains have apps where customers can order with very little friction. Restauranteurs may balk at the idea of having a robot chef, but they'll embrace robots do menial jobs. Chipotle already has one that not only pits avocados but also peels and slices them. Stellar Pizza is full automated however owner Benson Tsai  believes automation should stay behind the scenes. His food trucks always have one person and that's the one who hands out the orders to customers.

Will robots take over the food industry. They will and this will benefit both customers and workers. It may make for a better dining experience after all.