Research

     For the sake of culinary research I will not be able to issue any VinnyPosts until June.  So stand by for reports of my findings.  They will be prolific!

Now That Takes the Cake

     It was late September of 1967 and Hainer Hall, the freshman men's dorm at Eastern Baptist College was bursting at the seams with incoming students.  Two of the young men matriculating there were from nearby high schools, but they had never previously met.  Both were just 18 years old but Bob had already been baking and decorating cakes for 2 years.  They soon became close friends, joining the same fraternity and being elected to class offices.

     Different career paths emerged for them: education and social work but upon graduation they shared an apartment in Conshohocken with another classmate.  As time went on they followed their career track and cake baking and decorating was still Bob's favored avocation even baking the wedding cake for a very warm evening wedding in July 1975.

      Over the years the friendship grew and their culinary pursuits took them literally all over the world: India, Italy, Japan, France, Korea and Australia just to name a few.  And just last weekend they traveled together to deliver another wedding cake and also to celebrate a new accomplishment: cake sculpturing.  It was a special groom's cake of Taz, the Tasmanian Devil.

     And this week there will be another culinary pursuit as the two fraternity brothers explore the Crescent City.  Doesn't that take the cake?

What's that in your hat?

As you may recall, earlier in the week I had more leeks than I knew what to do with.  So with some creativity I made soup with the Allium porrum that I had on hand.  Leeks are related to the onion, both being members of the lily family.  But unlike onions leeks do not have a bulb on the root end and are more refined and subtle with a sweet flavor.  They are native to the Mediterranean region and have been cultivated for over 3,000 years.  They are even mentioned in the Bible, in the book of Numbers, as a food missed by the Children of Israel when they left Egypt.  Leeks have been a popular staple in Europe, even though their name in French is poireau which translates "simpleton."  Due to their flavor they have often been referred to as "poor man's asparagus."
     But did you know that the leek is the official emblem of Wales?  It dates back to the 7th Century when King Cadwaladr of Gwynedd instructed his warriors to place a leek on their helmets to distinguish them from the Saxon enemy they faced in a battle that took place in a leek field.  That victory continues to be celebrated each year on St. David's Day, March 1st.  The event is also referenced by Shakespeare in his play, Henry V when Henry, wearing a leek in his hat proclaims, "...for I am Welsh, you know, good countryman."
     Leeks are a good dietary provider of folic acid for good circulation, calcium for strong bones, potassium to strengthen the heart, and Vitamin C for tissue growth and repair.  Leeks are also known to be effective anti arthritic agents.  To learn more about growing leeks, click on the highlighted University of Minnesota site.
     Check out this website for some interesting uses for leeks in cooking.

The Vicissitudes of Life

     This week I discovered that it is impossible to purchase just one leek.  Like every other consumer item, leeks are sold in bulk.  I only needed one for a recipe, but it was impossible to get just one.  They were sold in triplets.  So reluctantly I made the purchase and then had 2 more than I needed and had them chilling in the refrigerator until I could figure out what to do with them. 
     I also noticed that the parsley in my porch herb pot was growing prolifically, out of control, in addition to having a left over ham quarter and some Yukon gold spuds about to sprout eyes.  So what to do with these disparate elements?  What else, make soup!
     I didn't need a recipe, it was a no-brainer to cook up a tantalizing and healthy soup with the ingredients at hand.  First I sauteed the leeks in butter after a thorough rinsing to remove any sand or grit, then I added some vegetable stock and threw in the diced potatoes and allowed the mix to simmer for 15 minutes.  While that was on the stove I cubed the ham and assembled my food processor.  When the timer sounded I removed half of the potato leek mix into the processor and pureed it as I added the ham to the pot, along with a dash of marjoram and a teaspoon full of thyme.  The puree was then added back into the soup along with some chopped parsley and the soup was ready to cool.  Later in the day I delivered it to my uncle for a week's worth of lunches.
     To paraphrase "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade" I would posit "When life hands you leeks, make soup!"
    

The King of Herbs

     Last Friday I received two basil plants to complete my herb collection growing in porch pots.  Surprisingly, one was purple, a color of the herb I had never encountered before.  I quickly discovered that it was one of the more than a dozen varieties of the King of Herbs and is a Red Rubin.  So I did a little more investigation and found out quite a bit about this most well known of herbs grown on our planet.

    

     Basil has been around for thousands of years.  It originated in the Middle East and Asia and is also known as St. Joseph's Wort.  It is a low growing plant with tender but large leaves and a member of the mint family.  The name comes to us from the Greek language and is translated as king.  It truly is the king of herbs and is often associated with religion and folklore.  It has been described as a holy herb, especially in the Greek Orthodox Church where it is kept potted near the altar to provide religious healing and is used in the preparation of holy water.  In India it was used in courts of law where citizens would swear their oath upon it.  In Italy it symbolized love and was worn as an adornment in the hair, hoping to attract a true love.  For that reason it was also carried in the pockets of Mexicans.
     Basil prefers to grow in warm weather with lots of sun and some varieties can reach a height of 3 feet.  It matures in 85 days and produces a brilliant white blossom which is also edible.  Some of the varieties have the name of the flavor they impart, like cinnamon, lemon, anise and sweet.  Beside the familiar green basil there are different colored plants with names like Red Rubin, Dark Opal, Osmin, Purple Thai and Asian.  While the majority of basil plants are grown for their use in cooking, some are strictly ornamental and other are cultivated for their medicinal value.
     Basil is a mildly sedative herb that lowers fever, relaxes spasms, improves digestion, combats colds and flu, counteracts migraines and insomnia, anxiety and exhaustion.  It is also a preventative aid against parasites and bacteria.  Of the essential oils contained in basil, one of the most important is eugenol which reduces inflammation within the body.  It contains high levels of beta-carotene, Vitamin A and lutein which are all valuable antioxidants and reduce the effects of aging.
     And you thought it was only good as a flavoring for tomato sauce!

In Penn's Woods

     On Monday I had the somber duty to perform a funeral service for the father of a long time friend from North Wales.  We alternately laughed and cried as we recalled a life well lived.  Then after the interment where four generations of my own kin are laid to rest we gathered for lunch at a venerable local landmark, The William Penn Inn.  The family had only contacted them on Friday afternoon and amazingly the management provided our group with a sumptuous buffet luncheon.  On one side of the room there before us was a fresh fruit and salad table and across the room was another table of entrees and sides that could satisfy any palate.  We could choose from glazed salmon, capon and pork loin and the accompanying rice pilaf, creamy mashed potatoes, green beans and cauliflower gratin.  And on the tables were warm, fresh baked dinner rolls with compound butter.  And for dessert a strawberry sundae with flecks of real vanilla bean in the ice cream.  It was a meal rivaled only by the conviviality of the guests who gathered in memory and in gratitude for the life of Milton Schatz.

photo courtesy of DJM

     But I guess I shouldn't have been surprised by the quality of the meal or it's prompt preparation and presentation.  After all, the William Penn Inn has been providing such accommodation for nearly 300 years.  Penn's Woods was originally a colony founded by Quaker William Penn as a noble experiment in religious tolerance.  And around 1700 Penn himself, along with his daughter, Letitia, visited the Gwynedd Friends Meeting, staying in the area for a few days before traveling on to tour his expansive land grant.  A public house was established just across "The Great Road" (Sumneytown Pike) from the meeting house in 1714 that fronted "The State Road" (DeKalb Pike) to provide food and lodging for weary travelers making their way from Penn's "Greene Country Towne" to locations north and west of Philadelphia.  The way station was originally deeded to the Evans family, early welsh settlers in Gwynedd.  Over a century later, in 1818, the structure was sold to David Acuff and remained under that family's ownership for 3 generations.  In 1827 proprietor Acuff secured a license to operate a tavern and gave his venture it's present moniker.

     It was at the turn of the century in 1900 that Algernon Yothers leased the inn from the Acuff family and expanded the operation to include stables at the rear of the property that were equipped with "pure artisan well water and electric lights."  He also raised the roof to add a third floor and added on a two story porch.  Since that time there have been a succession of owners, each contributing their own special touch in decor, menu, and service.  The William Penn Inn today is the oldest continuously operated country inn in Pennsylvania.  It remains one of the foremost locations for a special event or a memorable meal.  After all, they've been in the business for nearly three centuries.

Pollo al Mottone

     Of all the cuisines I enjoy cooking the flavors of Tuscany are still my favorite.  There is something unpretentious and straight forward about that style of cooking that I admire.  This northern portion of Italy discovered fresh and local long before it became a buzz word in high end restaurants.
     So when I recently came across one of Steven Raichlen's grilling recipes for grilled chicken under a brick I immediately had to try it.  I already own two of his cookbooks, Beer Can Chicken and How to Grill.  This most recent recipe, however, appeared in the June/July 2012 edition of Fine Cooking magazine.
     As is typical for Tuscan cooking, the instructions are very easy to follow and the ingredients are few.  The premise is that applying pressure (an aluminum covered brick) on top of the chicken will keep the bone in breast moist and prevent it from drying out as white meat is prone to do.  Cooking over indirect heat also cooks evenly and helps to eliminate flair ups.  But before the chicken is cooked it is given a rub of fresh herbs that have been given a quick chop in a food processor.  So I went to my back porch herb pot and picked some  sage and rosemary and added it to some garlic cloves and peppercorns and a touch of kosher salt.  The recipe calls for a drizzle of olive oil on the skin of the chicken before rubbing on the herb mixture, but I added my own touch by gently lifting the skin from the meat and spreading half of the herbs under the skin with a spash of olive oil.  The result was a, moist and flavorful Tuscan chicken that had a golden brown and crisp skin and tender, juicy white meat.
     Here's what the author has to say about pollo al Mottone:  Although this technique is traditionally used with a spatch-cocked whole chicken, I like to use it for chicken breasts, which are notorious for drying out when exposed to the high heat of the grill.  The weight of the brick presses the meat into the grill for faster, more even cooking, excellent crisping, and gorgeous grill marks.  It also works as a cover for the meat, keeping it moist.
     And I purposely made enough to cut up later for a Tuscan chicken salad!

The Week Ahead

     I'm planning the meals for the week with leftovers in mind.  That way I can cook once and eat twice.  Here's how the week looks from a culinary perspective:

Saturday

Tuscan Grilled Chicken Breasts

Potato Wedges

Grilled Tomatoes

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Green Beans

Sunday

Mother's Day Brunch with Dot

Monday

Chicken Salad

Tomato Slices

Steamed Asparagus

Tuesday

Baked Ham Loaf

Roasted New Potatoes

Wilted Spinach

Wednesday

Kitchen Closed

Thursday

Cold Ham Loaf Platter

Cucumbers & Onions

Potato Salad



By Popular Demand

     On February 19 I touted the virtues of kale.  The post was titled "The Queen of Greens."  Since that time folks have asked how kale can be prepared.  Here is my favorite recipe, provided by allrecipes.com.

SWEET AND SAVORY KALE

2 Tbsp olive oil                                                          1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 small onion, diced                                                 4 cups stemmed, torn & rinsed kale

2 cloves garlic, minced                                            1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard                                              salt & pepper to taste

4 tsp white sugar                                                      1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

     Heat olive oil in a larg pot over medium heat.  Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion softens and turns transluscent, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the mustard, sugar, vinegar, and chicken stock, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Stir in the kale, cover, and cook 5 minutes until wilted.

     Stir in the dried cranberries, and continue boiling, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced by about half, and the cranberries have softened, about 15 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with sliced almonds before serving.

Knowing the Score

     Have you ever read one of those nutrition labels on the side of a food box and wondered what all those numbers meant?  I'm often left perplexed by the long list of categories and accompanying numbers and wonder just how healthy the food in the box or can really is.  And apparently a lot of others feel that way as well.
     In a collaboration between Topco Associates and the Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut a simplified system was developed in 2008.  Dr. David Katz chaired a group at the Yale Prevention Research Center to create an "independent and simplified nutritional scoring system" which they termed the Overall Nutritional Quality Index or ONQI for short.  They examined 30 different factors like cholesterol, fat content, fiber, vitamins and minerals and calorie density and methodically combined them using an algorithm which converts complex nutritional information into a single, easy to use score.
     They termed their new system NuVal.  Each item studied is given a single numerical value between 1 and 100 with 100 being the top of the scale.  For example, blueberries receive a NuVal rating of 100 while Chips Ahoy! cookies get a score of 2.  (For a more complete sampling of scores click on the red highlighted term.)
     Several national market  chains are currently using the NuVal scoring system with the hope of educating the shopping public so better choices can be made and thus, better and more nutritious meals prepared.  Sadly none of our local market have signed on with the project.  And that is a shame because it can reduce the complexity of factoring a dozen numbers in one's head while pushing the grocery cart.
     The NuVal program is not without it's critics, however.  And it seems that the criticism is not with the mathematics of the system, but with it's use or potential misuse.  Some say that the NuVal numbers can be manipulated in meal preparation by including 2 healthy foods in an attempt to counteract 1 bad food.  But with that logic we could also assert that a car could potentially be a lethal weapon if not driven properly.  Each food product with a NuVal equivalent should stand alone on it's own merit.
     Is a single number easier to comprehend than a dozen?  Once the NuVal system gains national recognition I think we will all know the score.

Mac in the Box

     The other afternoon I followed a rather detailed and lengthy recipe to make some home made macaroni and cheese for our evening meal.  I was heating, stirring, whisking, then stirring again as two different cheeses melted into a flour, butter and milk roux.  All the while in a separate saucepan the elbow pasta was boiling before being drained and added to the mix.  There were quite a few ingredients ranging from bay leaves and thyme, to Dijon mustard and Tabasco sauce.  But the final product was well worth all the effort.  It came out of the oven with a golden brown crust of Parmesan-Reggiano cheese and bread crumbs.  It was classic comfort food, to be sure.
     I knew that all my culinary ambition would create something that no store bought box of dried noodles, artificial cheese sauce and powdered ingredients could rival.  After all, macaroni and cheese recipes appeared in cookbooks dating back to the Medieval Age.  It is a food that transcends time & space, geography & culture.  At one time in 18th Century Italy it was considered a dish for only the upper class and was also enjoyed in the fashionable Parisian circles around the time of the French Revolution. 
     In America after our own revolution Thomas Jefferson liked mac and cheese so much that he had the ingredients imported from Europe for his kitchen staff so they could prepare it for formal dinner parties at Monticello.  His cousin, Mary Randolph, included the recipe in her 1824 cookbook, "The Virginia Housewife," and listed only 3 basic elements: macaroni, cheese, and butter. 
     It continued to be a tedious process to prepare until the Kraft Corporation developed the now famous packaged version in 1937 with the slogan on the box, "Make a meal for 4 in 9 minutes."  All of a sudden it was quick, easy and affordable.  Store shelves have are now lined with dozens of different varieties of America's comfort food.  Just take a look:

     But exactly how healthy is it, compared to the dish I took so long to make at home?  I went on line to check out the nutrition facts and discovered that my home made version is full of calories and fat and little else.  A 1 cup serving can contain as much as 420 calories!!!  But purchasing a packaged brand is nearly twice as bad.  Kraft Mac & cheese contains 800 mg of sodium per serving and 18 grams of fat while the store brand (Richfood) had over 700mg of sodium!  And the "healthy" brands (Annie's and Back to Nature) had 520mg and 660mg respectively of sodium in each cup serving.  But the absolute worst was the Richfood Deluxe Mac & Cheese with over a 1000 mg of sodium and 350 calories, 110 of them coming from fat and 24% of each bite containing saturated fat.

    

     So I consulted NuVal (more about the organization tomorrow) to determine what score they assign to the food we all crave.  They have developed a universal scale that calculates the nutritional value of food from 1-100 with one hundred being the best.  They gave Kraft mac & cheese a score of 5.  In comparison Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies came in at 10.  There was a only a slight improvement when Kraft used whole grain pasta.  That improved the rating to 18.  But that's still not very good.  And the home made version, while not on the official list of store bought items nuVal rates, remains down near the bottom along with things like Chips Ahoy! Cookies.
     Knowing now what I have learned about one of my favorite adult comfort foods I guess I will have to be content to prepare it and enjoy it only on special occasions.  Just another one of life's pleasures that must be experienced with restraint.  Life can be so cruel...

Hoecakes & Hospitality

   

      "Hoecakes and Hospitality:  Cooking with Martha Washington" is currently on exhibit until August 11, 2013 at the F. M. Kirby Foundation Gallery of the Donald W. Reynolds Museum at Mount Vernon.  It details the culinary challenges that Martha and her staff of nearly 300 servants, slaves, assistants and scullions faced to prepare 3 meals each day for the vast volume of official guests who visited there.  In one year alone they served more than 700 people who came by Mount Vernon for business and/or pleasure.  George and Martha were married in 1759 and lived on the estate for the next 40 years.
     It has been documented that George's favorite breakfast food was something called Indian Hoe Cakes, a sort of cornmeal based cooked cake that our first President enjoyed slathered in butter and honey.  They received that name when they were originally cooked over an open fire on the back side of a hoe by workers in the field.
     It was in 1771 that wheat became the principle crop on Washington's vast farm, replacing tobacco for the first time.  Not far from his home, George had a new mill constructed along Dogue Run to provide the water power to turn the millstone.  At that location both wheat and corn were ground to make flour and meal.  Soon a wharf was added so that the farmer/statesman could transport his finished milled products by ship to Europe as well as the West Indies.  Some twenty years later inventor Oliver Evans patented a new milling machine and was promptly invited by the Washington's to install his revolutionary technology at their mill.
     On a recent visit there I purchased a 2 pound bag of corn meal and have been using it since that time to bake cornbread, a more contemporary form of Hoe Cake,  according to Martha's own recipe.  It is as follows:

CORNBREAD

3/4 cup cornmeal                                                    3/4 tsp salt

1 cup flour                                                                 1 cup milk

1/3 cup sugar                                                            1 egg, well beaten

3 tsp baking powder                                               2 Tbsp melted shortening

                                                                                           (or butter, margarine, or oil)



Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl: cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add milk, egg, and shortening.  Mix together.  Pour into a greased shallow baking dish.  Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.  Cut into wedges and serve warm with butter, honey, or jam.

Serves eight

This Week

     I must admit that for the past several weeks I have been remiss in planning a weekly menu for our household.  The truth is that I haven't had to with schedules being the way they were.  But now things have settled down once again and I sat down this morning to chart out our evening meals for the coming week.  Here's what I am planning:

Sunday

Ham, Mac & Cheese

Steamed Cilantro Green Beans

Martha Washington Corn Bread

Monday

Roast Italian Pork Tenderloin

Pine Nut Couscous

Grilled Beefsteak Tomatoes

Tuesday

Mac & Cheese Reprise

Sweet & Savory Kale

Garden Salad

Wednesday

Hot Pork Open Faced Sandwiches

Pennsylvania Dutch Wide Noodles

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Thursday

Grilled Chicken

Yukon Gold Potato Wedges

Grilled Onion Slices

The Last Supper

     Our dining experience on North Carolina's Outer Banks had been up to now a big disappointment.  Many of the tourist establishments had not yet open for the season and we were left to our own devises, cooking on our own.  Now that was great as we prepared some pretty fantastic meals of tenderloin steaks, salmon and grilled chicken.  But as our final evening drew nigh we were still searching for a meal that would exemplify our vacation and be a lasting memory of our time spent together.
     And I am happy to report that serindipitous happenstances still occur.  Somewhere, somehow someone in our group happened to read about a very small restaurant in Duck, called simply The Roadside Bar & Grille.  It wasn't much to look at, if you could find it at all.  It was in a small cottage, the oldest in Duck so they say, and was nearly obscured by massive olive hedges.
     There were only 3 booths upstairs by the bar and just 7 more in a downstairs dining nook.  In nice weather diners could enjoy their meal out on a tiny patio area.  So you can imagine how our group of 10 took over the place when we arrived.  Our server was prompt and courteous and forthright about menu items.  (He doesn't care for soft shell crabs). And the philosophy in the kitchen was simple:  Do what you do well and don't get side tracked with the superfluous.  In addition to 2 dinner specials there were only 7 menu items for dinner in addition to starters and salads.  Of course as you might expect seafood was a standout on the menu and many items with a decidedly southern accent like the shrimp and grits with red eye gravy for an appetizer.
     Our week long search for a good meal had a successful conclusion.  Oh yes, and the restaurant had one additional policy that was clearly stated by the following sign on the wall:

     Up to this point our group has not been able to scare up any authentic Carolina cuisine. It has been a major disappointment for me.  This is our last day here in Corolla and chances are slim to none that we will find anything to tantalize our palates.  I guess the folks here aren't into appeazing the tourists.  One more meal and we will be heading back north to Yankee cuisine.

Gone Crabbing

     This morning a bunch of us went down to the dock in Corolla to catch some crabs.  We used the traditional bait, chicken necks.  But apparently the crabs wanted something else. After an hour and a half of fruitless effort we gave up and came home to eat leftovers for lunch.
     We've been here five days and still haven't had any Carolina cuisine.  Time is running out.

The Quest Continues

     It shouldn't be this difficult.  I am in North Carolina for a week and am in search of some authentic Carolina cuisine.  But up to this point it has been elusive.  Last night we decided to prepare our own meal for the group, but were thwarted when we discovered that the propane tank for our McMansion was empty.  So we limped along with a spare cylinder and the chef of the day grilled up some chicken breasts with cornbread and muffins.  It assuaged our hunger but was not the real deal, Carolina-style.
     So the quest continues...

In search of a good meal

     Finding an authentic Carolina meal on the outer banks during off season is not an easy task.  Our group decided to travel to an area near our McMansion called Tim Buck II.  We arrived at the North Banks Restaurant and Raw Bar just ahead of the 7 pm crowd and ordered up appetizers and entrees.  The presentation of the food was impressive but the quality, however, was not.


     Fresh and local was not the order of the day as the shrimp were caught long ago and far away for those ordering the steamer pot, the pick and peel and the jambalaya.  Unfortunately they were rubbery and mealy.  The crab cakes had real lumps of meat but also contained a lot of filler.  The fried oysters were minuscule and took on the appearance of a freezer to fryer special.  The she crab soup was long on cream and short on flavor.


     Perhaps the only thing the restaurant did well was to serve alcoholic drinks in bodacious proportions.  And that suited our crowd very well, judging by the decibel level of the conversation as the evening ensued.


     A return trip for another meal there?  Not likely.