Tastes Of Spring

 Spring brings with it a freshness.It happens in fashion, weather and cooking.Cooking and baking brings a plethora of natural ,refreshing tastes that liven up any meal.

Mint is a lovely addition to any meal. It can be grown in the back yard and bloom sometime in May if you live in the Northeast.Another Spring ingredient lamb is perfect with this herb.Add garlic to a lamb chop sauce rich with mint and soy sauce.  The English have perfected English sauce creating one that also has apple cider vinegar boiling water and just a tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of salt. It's just cooking all of this to two cups of fresh mint(which you can also buy at your local grocery store),It's a ten minutes cook and pureeing when the sauce cools. You can also use this brightly flavored sauce on leg of lamb too.Surprisingly enough chicken and mint pair well together. The sweet herbiness can bring out the bird's earthiness and take it up a level.MInt pairs wonderfully with peas. Add two tablespoons of mint sauce  to mushy peas if you;re making this side dish with fish and chips. Mint tea is also a perfect drink for warmer spring days. Use a mint infused simple syrup for this. It's easy to make and store. It;s boiling a half a cup of sugar with a cup of water and half a cup of mint leaves. Strain to remove mint leaves and cool.

One of the most Springtime flavors is fresh asparagus. It's abundant as we head into April. It;s delicious Piedmontese style steamed and dressed with melted butter,sliced hard boiled eggs and Parmesan cheese. However you can make  a vegan version by using plant based butter and cheese and omitting the eggs. The taste is still the same with the asparagus' earthy greenness shining through.The grills will be getting fired up once warmer weather arrives and it's a good time to try grilled asparagus. This is an easy cook.It 's coated in olive oil and then simply seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook on a preheated grill, lightly turning the spears.They will be done in anywhere from three to five minutes. Keep in mind you can add them to a salad too for more flavor.Peas are also a tasty Spring veggie and make for a perfect side to any main course. Sauteed petit pois in butter sauce make a good accompaniment to Cornish hens. A pea salad is a great early barbecue dish. You can just dress cooked and cooled with  a simple vinaigrette or the traditional pea salad dressing. This is am mix of mayonnaise, , bacon ranch dressing and red onion. This is the perfect dish for a Spring barbecue.

Spring is here and with it comes fresh flavors. Use these for a taste of brightness.Like Spring flowers hey'll liven up any table.

Barbecue or Picnic

 Eating outdoors is here. The question is do you want to go on a picnic or a barbecue? A picnic can be fun especially a beach one but it's also good in a park or  I  the mountains too. A barbecue is another fun eating outdoors option. There's everything from grilled wings and burgers and dogs to corn and s'mores later on.

What is your favorite? Let us know here . Mine would be a beach picnic? Is yours the same?

Dining Alone

 Is there still a stigma for dining alone? Yes and no . Even though it is liberating to head into any eatery and not worry about what friends think of your eating choices people who go solo are still treated somewhat badly. Why is that? what's so bad with just having a good meal by oneself?

Regular contributor and chef Priya Kirshna wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. There is nothing wrong with dining for one. Many think of it as an adventure to try different cuisines or just have a relaxing meal with out the distraction of talk. It shows in numbers taken from Open Table, a site that takes restaurant bookings from all over the world.The percentage of people eating alone rose sixty-four percent in 2019 while between 2022 and 2025 it only jumped to twenty percent.The increase is probably even greater now since many people just walk into a restaurant sans reservations.. Yet more solo dining doesn't necessarily mean better accommodations. Many feel that they're taking up valuable table space by sitting at a full table. there's also the feeling of fearfulness this can bring along with the feeling of being judged by other diners.According to Rajika Shah, a Los Angeles lawyer the host or hostess's whole demeanor changes when just one walks in.It's either a look of panic as in what to do with this person or a look of sympathy.

Some places do accommodate the solo eaters Bar areas often have tables for one, Mind they're those mile high ones with stools people have to clamber up on. Bar dining has been the default way to go, providing there is space and seating. Many independent restaurants are taking reservations for the bar area but a majority does not. Luckily there are the chain restaurants like Olive Garden and Applebees that are happy to serve just one person.Tiktok features  videos of people eating alone at the OLive Garden. Their restaurants are designed with a bar in the center to make customers feel more comfortable instead of feeling  isolated.Other restaurants , both private and chain should take notice, There is a level of comfortableness in eating alone according to the interviews done for the article.Of course they' felt more at ease in a chain restaurant than a fancier high priced one.It's also easier to dine alone in big cities where there is always a level of anonymity. Still it's a trend to catch on throughout the country.

Dining olo should be a fun experience. There's no friends and their prejudices to weigh upon order selection.It's just the diner alone enjoying quiet time with good food.

Good Recipes For Good Eggs

 Surprisingly enough egg prices have dropped sharply . That means everyone can enjoy eggs and in a variety of ways. They can be eaten for breakfast, lunch , dinner and even for a filling snack.

New York Times Food and cooking editor Adina Steiman gives a host of egg centric recipes in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. SOme are perfect for Spring brunches with a talked chilled mimosas.Other's are just great breakfasts complete with a cup of eye opening coffee or brisk fruity tea. Even though there are many ingredients in these recipes the eggs, white and yolk shine through one recipe that can take a home chef through three meals is scrambled eggs. Ms. Striman suggests a number of ethnic dishes from the Turkish menemen and Mexican miga to the strapastratha to the Pakistani aloo. A good way of having them is with tomatoes and garlic Piedmontese style to be eaten with big slices of Italian bread. Of course there are frittatas that can handle all sorts of wonderful ingredients Try the emerald colored Herby tasting kuku sabzi for the Persian New Year.It';s fresh with all sorts of herbs from cilantro to parsley and is good eaten with chunks of feta and pita wedges.

Eggs are the basis of  custard. Yes everyone likes a sweet one but think of a savory custard instead. Times Food contributor Eric Kim microwave steams them to create such a one, in the style of Asian egg custards.They mixed with chicken stock and soy sauce for flavor. Of course nothing beats an old fashioned egg sandwich. Try Ali Slagle's sheet pan recipe for egg patties. These can be put on toasted English muffin with cheese slices along with ham or crisp bacon.since brunch season will be in full swing soon, try two recipes perfect for any late Sunday morning table.Make egg bites made with a generous amount of cottage cheese and your favorite cheese like Cheddar or Gruyere for an airy, puffy croquette.Mozzarella can also be used for goodness - think about adding sun dried tomatoes to this blend or Montery Jack for bite and spice. A variety of veggies from broccoli to onions give it that omelet vibe and also include crumbled bacon or sausage.The egg bites are cooked in a water bath in the oven to solidify them. These would be perfect for an Easter brunch , complete with a simple side salad.

Eggs can be had now Use them in any of these dishes or favorite ones. Enjoy their yellow jammy goodness once more.

A Winter Spring Fusion

 Even though it is Spring the temps have a wintry chill to them. You  still need something warm and rib sticking. Yet you can have something satisfying but with hints of spring to it.

One of the best winter Spring fusion dishes is a cream based pasta primavera. This combines veggies with whole cream and milk.You can use the  fresh veggies that your grocery is offering right now or use frozen. TRy it with peas, broccoli and cauliflower. Saute the vegetables in butter or plant based butter and garlic . t Add the cream or plant based milk . You can use chicken , or vegetable broth to thicken the sauce along with cornstarch. A chunky pasta is the best with this, Think penne or bow ties. Another fusion dish would be a homemade veggie soup.Again you can use frozen or fresh vegetables for this. It can easily be turned into pasta e fagiole.Beabs and small pasta like macaroni or ditalini can be added. The base can be beef, chicken or vegetable broth . You can also make pea soup but add mint for a bright, fresh flavor. This is not like a traditional one with ham as a base.This has onion for more flavor along with a clove of garlic.One cup of fresh mint leaves (your grocery can  produce you with these) are the main flavor point here.

Roasts figure into this time as well however there not the heavy ones served on snowy cold days, Think a lighter meat sich as chicken or Cornish hen.The flavor is not as heavy and pares well with such early Spring vegetables as asparagus, Cornish hens can be glazed with orange marmalade for a crispy, salty and sweet skin. You can do the same with chicken too. Lamb has always been associated with the coming of the new season. You could roast a whole leg of lamb if you want, just to do a dress rehearsal for your Easter dinner. Lamb chops are an easier way to go.They can be grilled or roasted with lemon juice and herbs for a fresh flavor.What do you serve with any of these roasts? Nix gravies and stuffing. You can still have mashed potatoes but make try a garlic mash or potato croquettes or gratins (which you can buy at Lidl). Roasted carrots are always good too. They can be glazed or just brushed with butter and then roasted. Asparagus is ccming into its' own . Create a dish of steamed stalks drenched in butter and then sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, You could add sliced hard boiled eggs too.

This is the time of year when there's still a lingering nip in the air.Create Spring forward dishes that are rib sticking yet fresh. It's a nice way to keep warm but have a Spring greenness to it.

Quick Easy And Asian

Stir fry is easy even if you don.t have a wok. All you need is veggies, protein and Asian flavorings. This could be soy sauce rice wine vinegar miso or ginger. Together they can make a tasty dish on a bed of red or cellophane noodles.

This was my Saturday supper the other night. I had leftover   Morningstar Farm plant based beef crumbles

Lidl also had Green Giant vegetables that were too good to pass up. I used a good soy sauce (Acme's Signature brand which is on a part with the more expensive ones) and onion powder.

It was all cooked down in a good bath of Lidl olive oil (and also about a tablespoon of I Can'i Believe It's Not Butter) When the mixture became too dry I added about a quarter of a cup of water to it to create a sauce. You can add ginger to this of you want or Szechuan peppers for zing

It was truly delicious over Lidl's white rice but it would also be good over cellophane noodles too. I may add scallions next time but the altogether result was fresh and tasty.

This was a quick and easy meal.It's perfect if you want Chinese but also want something home cooked. It's just three ingredients and a dash of onion powder and soy sauce . Try for a super simple dinner.

 

Coco Polo Sweet And Healthy Chocolate

 Spring is here and that usually means lighter treats. However it's also the season for rich Easter candy that's full of calories and sugar. Not to worry. Coco Polo Bliss  can easily be put into any Easter basket and truly enjoyed.

I discovered this treat not long ago as I was searching for something that wasn't too sugary. Luckily there is Coco Polo Bliss

This is a chocolate made with upcycled cacao pods that ordinarily would have been discarded in the chocolate making process.It enhances the candy's nutritional profile. The company has been around for almost thirty years with founders John Cunnell, Diane Yamate and Sandra O'Shea. 

The Bliss version comes in these elegant little squares. They are sweeter in a fruity, raisin-y flavor thanks to the candy being made with stevia. It'a a nice change up from regular chocolate.I would love to try their hibiscus infused flavored ones .These would be a wonderful addition to any brunch dessert.

Try Coco Polo Bliss for a truly light and lovely Spring treat.It;s different from the other chocolate out there. It;s sustainable and upcycled, good for you and good for the planet.