Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

I can safely say that the Christmas spirit has filled me up already this year. It is only December 5th and I'm ready for peppermint, chocolate and candy cane swirls on my Christmas tree. We have already done a few things to help spark the spirit of the season too. Friday night was holiday lights in Washington Park, yesterday Zoe and her Girl Scout troop sang Christmas carols for retired nuns, and we decorated our tree last evening.

I easily have enough ornaments for 2 trees, but the reality is that I have room for one tree in this house. I have moved towards using a primary color scheme for the tree of whites, reds, silvers-with bursts of blues and other colors here and there. I like the winter candy-wonderland look that it gets from this color scheme. A majority of the ornaments on the tree are also of a snowman theme as well. My favorites of these snowmen are the ones where they are baking cookies or wearing a chef's hat...no surprise there, right?

We have a few traditions for the holidays just as everyone surely does. One tradition most everyone has in common though is baking cookies. The types of cookies are likely varied from new fangled hip recipes to time tested family favorites passed down for generations, but the cookies are likely to be universally there.

I used to bake for days and days, so many kinds of cookies, literally 400 or 500 dozen cookies. It was an exhausting process and everyone received a lovely tray of cookies. Now that I am a mom, and my job places more demands on my time I have gotten a little more creative. I mix in some pretzel rods dipped in chocolate and decorated with sprinkles. I whip up a few batches of chocolate bark (that by the way, made at home is a fraction of the cost of the stuff you buy!). Mixing these in with the cookies, cuts time and adds a unique twist to the holiday dessert tray. I can make 4 or 5 batches of chocolate bark in the time it takes me to make 1 batch of cookies!

This year I am going to invite Zoe to help me decorate sugar cookies. I used to make them every year but gave them up a while back because of the time they take to make. Also, I am not known as a baker with a steady hand and I have a friend who can decorate circles around me. I felt decorator inadequate....But this year I have my sugar cookie mojo back. They may not be as perfect or have names on them in intricate detail but they will be made by Zoe and I and with a whole lot of love.

I have always used a simple Martha Stewart cookie and royal icing recipe for the sugar cookies, and because I don't want Martha to beat me up for infringing on her copyright I won't reprint it here...trust me though you can't go wrong with that recipe.

Aside from the sugar cookies, this year I think we will do a few batches of Norwegian butter spritz cookies (another easy one for a 5 year old to help with), almond spice slices that taste great with tea, peanut butter topped with Hershey kiss and chocolate topped with mint kisses. I also think I will do a few batches of fudge and maybe throw in a few other last minute new recipes.

I guess my tradition would be to mix time tested tried and true recipes with new riffs on classics. However you decide to enjoy your baking and eating please accept my fondest wishes for a happy holiday season.

The Turkey Trot

Thanksgiving is MY holiday. Meaning, it is the only holiday that I get to call the shots on-we travel for pretty much everything else but on this glorious day I get to do what I love best, plan a menu and execute it. If you don't believe that this is my holiday, come check out my dining room. It is painted a shade of harvest pumpkin and I have golden curtains...No joke...it is always decorated for this day.

Last year Zoe and I started a tradition of making a little crafty gift for everyone to take home. Last year we used leaves as stamps to print onto beautiful oatmeal paper in gold and green paint and we framed them. This year we made, well...that's a secret until Thursday...but we are pretty pleased and what we made will double as a placecard. Even if nobody keeps these little gifts except me it is a wonderful keepsake and a great tradition we have started.

We always start the day watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Michael runs and gets me the ultra-thick newspaper full of ads along with any other last minute things I might need and I cook, and pop my head in to watch the parade with the family.

Well, what do I cook? It varies slightly from year to year but some things really don't change.
I'm one of the ever-growing crowd that thinks a brined turkey is the best turkey around, so we have been brining for about 10 years now and that will never change. We also always have a soup-we have had escarole, pumpkin, french onion...and I'm always open to change there. We also always have the exact same sweet potato recipe that my friend Lorien gave me at least 15 years ago. Whipped sweet potatoes topped with a brown sugar and pecan topping..yum. This is the first time in at least 10 years that I am making a different recipe. Just thought it was time for a change...Anyways...Here is my menu:

French Onion Soup
Cheddar Dill Biscuits
Harvest Salad with sliced pear, sugared nuts and Gorgonzola cheese
Brined Turkey
Maple Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Bacon Topped Mashed Potato Casserole
Cranberry Sauce
Pumpkin/Carrot Bundt Cake
Chocolate Pudding Pie

**My friends will bring a sausage stuffing and a delish vegetable side.

I am looking forward to sharing this wonderful meal with my family and friends and am wondering what you will be eating on Thursday?

The Coupon Thing

Last year coupon usage went up by 72% last year when the economy was at it's worst. Usage had been flat or down for many years prior. In 2010 usage is down from last year but still significantly higher than it was in previous years. I have personally been using them for at least 15 years on some level. The past few years I have used them on more items and in the past year I have really found myself in the "coupon zone".

I am going to devote my blogging here to grocery/drug store coupons as opposed to clothing or restaurant coupons which I could write a whole piece on as well. But we are supposed to talk about food here so we might as well talk about saving a few bucks on it, right?

I hear all the time from people that the time spent clipping and organizing them isn't worth the savings...That to me is a cop-out. If you don't want to be bothered, that is fine but don't say it isn't worth it because I save a minimum of 20% on each grocery purchase, and have been known to save between 30-40% when the stars align. For our family that conservatively adds up to about $100 per month. I clip while watching TV, and about once a month I purge any expired coupons also while watching the Tube.

I buy the Sunday paper every week, and in Albany you can get it on Saturday for $1. The saving of the whole entire dollar isn't why this is a great idea though. If you buy on Saturday you can look at the grocery and drug store circulars for the upcoming week and possibly use those new coupons on the current sale or save for the next week. If you have time you compare the current ad with the one starting the next day to maximize your savings.

I clip everything I think I will use. I also clip alot from the Internet coupon sites ( I will list the sites below...) and have signed up for coupon notifications from a number of specific brand sites (again I will list them below). I also subscribe to a couple of news feeds on Facebook-Saving Everyday which is a great resource for freebies and sales, Gimmee Freebies and Free Mania are sites that do a fantastic job telling me which stores are featuring sales on items there are currently coupons for. Case in point: I had 3 $1.00 off coupons for Reach Dental Floss last week and one of these sites told me that Target had it on sale for $.97/ea. I got them all for free and had $.09 applied to the remainder of my bill. If you use Facebook I highly recommend these 3 sites.

Aside from the floss I refuse to pay any more than $1 for a tube of toothpaste any more and stocked up on a years worth of of laundry soap with coupons and sales for about $20 recently.

My rules are: only buy what you will use or can store or donate. I can store a years worth of laundry soap but not a years worth of cheese! My friend Susan has been known to donate bags of groceries to the food pantry that were free after double coupons and sales. That to me is AMAZING! Cut coupons for things you only use occasionally....if you run into a sale you will kick yourself for not having clipped it. When you see a new product try to find a coupon if you are worried that it could be a waste of money. New products always have a coupon within the first month or two of launch....

Onto the list:

Coupon Sites in order of my preference:
Couponmom.com
Redplum.com
mambosprouts.com
couponcabin.com
coupons.com
*These sites above have all brands. There is also a coupon toolbar you can download if so inclined. Just Google that.

Brand Websites worth your time: Proctor & Gamble (P&G Brandsaver), Arm & Hammer, Nestle, Kellogs and if you have little ones all the diaper and formula ones too!

Cupcake Wars

Cupcakes are all the rage. I think it may have started with cupcakes on Sex in The City at The Magnolia Bakery in NYC. (FYI-I had the driest least flirty little red velvet number there of my entire life, sold to me by the least happy person on earth). Being the mecca of trends and gourmet culture for the world New York has filled with many cupcakeries. My personal favorite would be Crumb which now has a location right near my mother-in-law on Long Island. Their cupcakes are big enough for two and they know how to make a red velvet! There are too many to list in NYC and there are now mobile cake stands there too in case you are a food truck kind of guy or gal.

Cupcake displays for wedding cakes have become quite popular as well. Our friends Nate and Kit did this a while back and each little cake was individually decorated with a beautiful wild flower. It was stunning and special and quite tasty.

And that is the thing about cupcakes, isn't it? They are your own personal cake. They are a treasure that you unwrap as you peel back the wrapper. Somehow they seem less of a guilty pleasure because they are petite. You can easily eat one on the go, you can decorate them all differently and personalize them. They make us feel like a kid, we smile, peel back that wrapper and pop it into our mouth.

I have personally made cupcakes that look like Easter eggs, lady bugs, butterflies and boston cream pies. Oh, and you can be way more creative on more levels with that little pat of goodness! How about s'mores for you and key lime for me? Yummy! Make up a base batter of white or chocolate and divide into little bowls and flavor to your hearts content. It really doesn't get any better than this does it?

Now we have tv shows devoted to the cupcake-cupcake wars. Michael was disappointed in this show. He wanted them to actually throw cupcakes at each other but alas, it is a baking competition with the lady from Sprinkles as a judge. The show is fine and I love to see the different creations, but who needs to turn on the telly when we have our very own bonafide cupcake war right here in little ol' Albany.

Yep, that's right. Albany. Who'd a thunk it really. While we have wonderful food we aren't world renowned but apparently love our cupcakes and are very loyal. Our cupcake bakers want us to love them and only them. We have at least 5 cupcakery/bakeries in our area and at least 3 of them offer mobile cupcake units. Albany is NOT NYC so 3 mobile units is a lot. (I ain't complainin' just saying....)

There are however 2 that rise to the top...Bettie's Cupcakes of Saratoga Springs and Coccadotts of Colonie. I think Coccadotts actually existed first but the fame and cupcake came very much around the same time for both shops, or within 6 months of each other.

I'm gonna be honest. I'm a Bettie's girl through and through. I'm going to give you the pros and cons of both and let you decide for yourself though.

I shall start with my personal favorite. Bettie's. Plain and simple, Bettie rocks. She makes cupcakes in 3 sizes and changes up flavors on a weekly basis. Her store is in Saratoga but she has the one and only double decker traveling cupcake bus that travels around to different locations in the area to sell her treats and allow you to sit on the top deck and enjoy. She also has a smaller vehicle that is more of a food truck for cupcakes. Bettie goes by a kitchsy pink 50's motif that I dig. She even dresses vintage and serves old fashion soda fountain soda in her Saratoga location.

So what is it about Bettie's that has won my heart? Ummm....did I mention she is dressed like some Mad Men hottie selling cupcakes from a DOUBLE DECKER BUS?!?!?! Ok, that only gets you so far though. The cupcakes are delicious. My beloved red velvet has the perfect tang and coccoa flavor topped with the perfect cream cheese icing. She makes a coconut cream pie cupcake that is moist, filled with coconut cream and topped with coconut icing. I haven't had a bad cupcake from her shoppe or mobile stand. She gives you just enough without going over the top and making you feel like a bad girl. Bettie also employs some of the nicest people I have ever met, providing fantastic customer service and she doesn't use transfats (preservatives) in her baking. It means the shelf life is shorter but the flavor is undeniably better. It also means she is magical because lack of transfat means you have to work a little harder to get that perfect flavor and consistency from your icing. Bettie was also the first in the area to really embrace social networking and contests as her marketing plan. My complaints about Bettie are: I can't get coconut cream pie cupcakes every day because they are rotated out, her shop isn't located directly next to my house or job and her prices are a bit steep. ($3 at the bus for one)

Coccadotts is the other major player in the area. Located in an adorable shop in Colonie they are a full service baker (a plus!) in addition to cupcakes. Coccadotts offers a wide variety of cupcakes daily and I think most flavors are usually available. Their red velvet is tasty but lacking a little of the depth of flavor that I love. They offer varieties such as mint chocolate and Sex in the City and Tiffany. I am not totally sure if those are flavors or just decorating themes. I had one of them and felt like it was just a regular cupcake with a colored frosting....As of the last I knew Coccadotts does use trans fats, and that is fine. It just isn't my thing if I can avoid it. I think scratch baked goods are made to be eaten same day and don't need a long shelf life. They don't taste good after a day or so. The shop is cute-pink and polka dots. Very girly look. I like that you can get a cookie or cake too. (personally, I think they have the best cookies going and should stick with those rather than cupcakes). The shop is loud and busy and I don't particularly love the style of customer service offered. It is more Long Island and less Albany. As someone who has lived on LI and is married to someone from LI I think I am allowed to say this without getting harangued for it. Coccadotts also is a bit of a copy cat on some things. Bettie got mobile, so Coccadotts got mobile. Bettie embraced Facebook, so Coccadotts did too. Bettie started contests...well, you get the picture. I think Coccadotts can bring a lot to the table so they really don't need to copy anyone.

Anyways, if you are in the area by all means check them both out and decide for yourself. There is no harm in trying your favorite flavor from each shop/truck and picking your fave. All I can say is that cupcakes are taken more seriously here in Albany than the state budget!

Happy Eating!

Apple Dapple

The weather is slowly creeping toward fall-like temperatures. (Too slowly for my taste!) Thursday as part of the end of summer fun Zoe and I went to our favorite apple orchard Indian Ladder Farms (Altamont, NY) to pick some Gala's. It was way to hot-at least 92 degrees, but the hot summer meant apples were ready sooner than usual and Gala's are my favorite...so away we went.



The upside was there was barely anyone there-who really wants to pick apples in that kind of hot weather, right? The other positive was that John who works for Indian Ladder was at the "you pick" stand. He is awesome. He is always friendly and helpful and directed me to the exact perfect spot to get the best of the best for Gala's. (FYI, currently Indian Ladder has Macs and Gala's but I think one or two more varieties will be added this week!)



There are many apple orchards located in the Capital Region-Love Apple Farms, Altamont Orchards, Bowman's etc. I have been to most of them and for the most part they are all fine and dandy, with some offering even more apples and fruits than Indian Ladder. They will just never be our orchard. Indian Ladder Farms is just so special, to us and to the area. Located about 15 minutes from Albany, the farm is nestled at the base of the Helderberg's, and in autumn when leaves are turning the view is just spectacular. They have a small store that produces some of the finest cider donuts to be found (just ask my father-in-law...he can eat them by the dozen!), along with a refreshing cider iced tea and other standard home-style bakery confections. Taking up a little corner of the store is the Yellow Rock Cafe.



The Yellow Rock Cafe offers delicious home-made food using local ingredients (by local I mean like, down the road....). Every weekend they offer a brunch special stuffed french toast. There is generally a soup and a quiche special as well as a hot lunch special as well. Yum. The regular menu offerings are standard breakfasts, sandwiches and snacks. All of the pricing is pretty reasonable and well worth it. During prime harvest time (late Sept-end of October) call for reservations otherwise you will never get a seat.



The store also houses a cold room for produce, cider, local cheeses etc. The produce comes from their own farm as well as surrounding farms. There is a small gift area that has toys, unique stationary products and gourmet foods.



Outside of the store but before you get to the orchards is a barn that in the spring is filled with baby animals and in the fall filled with apples for the "you pick for me" crowd as well as miniature pumpkins and gourds.



Speaking of pumpkins, their pumpkin batch is truly magical to me. (Or maybe I haven't been to very many pumpkin patches....)Watching Zoe traipse around those knots of vines and orange gourds looking for the perfect pumpkin to adorn our porch while the most beautiful colors surround and the air is fresh and crisp is really just about the best feeling on earth.



The coolest and most special part of Indian Ladder Farms is that in 2000 the land was put into a conservancy so it will always be farm land. The Van Eyck family felt strongly enough about not developing the land to make this happen. So these acres will be here for generations, and whether apples and berries grow here or not it is not likely you will ever see a smoke stack or a warehouse here!



http://www.indianladderfarms.com/ is the web address, and I am sure you won't be disappointed. There is no corn maze or spooky Halloween decor just wonderful nature.



So we picked 22lbs of apples, which we will use over the course of a month or so. Michael can't eat uncooked apples though and he does love them. I found this caramel apple cake about 6 years ago and I make it for him every year with some of our apples.



Caramel Apple Cake





9 Tbl Butter, Softened (Divided)

1 Cup + 1 Tbl Sugar

1/2 Jar Caramel Sauce

6 Medium Apples-peeled, cored and cut into 6 wedges

1 1/4 Cup Flour

1 1/4 Tea Cinnamon

1 Tea Baking Powder

1 Tea Ground Ginger

1/2 Tea Ground Allspice

1/2 Tea Salt

1/4 Tea Baking Soda

2 Large Eggs

1 1/2 Tea Vanilla

1/2 Cup Sour Cream



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Grease bottom of springform pan with nonstick spray, line interior with foil and spray foil. Wrap outside of pan with foil as well. Set on a baking sheet.

3. Melt 3 Tbl butter in nonstick skillet, lay apples in skillet, sprinkle with 1 Tbl sugar. Cook for 6-8 minutes til tender but not mushy.

4. Arrange apples in 2 concentric circles in prepared pan, drizzle with 3 Tbl caramel sauce.

5. Beat 6 Tbl butter with 1 Cup flour (will be slightly grainy). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating in each one, then stir in vanilla.

6. Stir in 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce.

7. Whisk together all dry ingredients.

8. Stir half of the dry ingredients into the wet, then all the sour cream, following with remaining dry. Stir til just incorporated.

9. Pour into pan over apples, bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

10. Cool on wire rack.

11. Enjoy!



We use Gala apples, but I have made it with Mac's Empires and Cortlands...all were great. I buy caramel sauce, but if you are so inclined make your own! (Don't use the little caramel's that you melt for caramel apples....they don't melt enough to work well)

The Fresh Market Comes to The Capital Region

I was lucky enough to already be off from work today so I was very excited to learn that my day off coincided with the opening of The Fresh Market, the new grocery store in Latham. Today was a day that the Kitchen Gods were shining down on me bringing me very good luck!

The store opening was set for 9am, but I got there right around 8am thinking I would stand around and be part of the fun. To my great surprise the management starting letting us in right away. (Thanks Kitchen Gods!) I got a little half size cart, which was perfect for a busy day like today when having to navigate through the throngs of people. They immediately gave me a Fresh Market reusable shopping bag and 2 single pot size bags of their blend coffee. Yeah free stuff!

Upon entering I went to the right, and saw the natural wood walls and floors and the amazing colors of their floral and produce departments. I didn't spend much time in the floral area but they had beautiful orchids in pots for $19.99-orchids aren't my thing but I even noticed how much nicer they were than what I usually see.

It was on to produce...I saw all of the things I expected and a few good prices-blueberries @ $2.50/pint. Many prices were comparable to the other local grocers. I liked that they listed country of origin and the way the produce was grown (conventional means or organic). Whole Foods does that but most of our local places don't. I also thought they had more local produce than the more established local grocers. One new (to me) thing I saw in this department was a vacuum packed marinated artichoke leaf pouch. Looked interesting. I tasted the fresh pineapple and it was perfectly in season.

Continuing along the outside wall is the seafood/meat/poultry. Everything looked fresh, which it should because the store just opened but you can tell quality meats and these were impeccable. They had turdukin, stuffed pork and chicken. Portabello caps stuffed with Italian meatloaf. I decided to try their chicken stuffed with portabello and cheese and the cordon bleu. The best buy for me of the whole store was $2.99/lb for antibiotic free, grain fed chicken breast. I bought 2 pounds and wish I had bought more! The normal price of $5.99/lbo will keep me going back for more. The strip steak looked amazing and I will be back for it.

Along the back wall is dairy, cold drinks and desserts. I didn't spend too much time here but it all looked great and there were some good B1G1 yogurt deals.

In the middle is a large island that consists of sushi, prepared salads, prepared meats (think-wings, rotisserie chickens, ribs etc), cheeses, deli meats and grab and go salads and entrees. The staff offered me samples of everything! (Yeah staff!) The lemon orzo salad with pine nuts had a great flavor and the $5.99/lb price seemed about right. The honey lemon pasta salad was intriguing and tasted fresh but I am not sure it is my taste. The rotisserie chickens were $7.99/ea and looked delicious. I sampled their sticky sesame chicken wing-it was great. Loved it-perfectly cooked with crisp skin and flavorful (not cloying sweet) sauce. I would buy those! They had either 4 or 5 flavors of wings, ribs, chickens and some beef products that weren't out yet. The cheeses were good looking but didn't excite me as something new overall. And they were so busy no one was available to offer samples or even to cut a wedge into a smaller size for purchase as most were pretty huge. I am sure as they settle in that won't be a problem.

The dry goods had all that I would expect-coffees, sauces, chips, cereals etc. The best deals were the Frontera products. If you know who Rick Bayless (The first Top Chef Master) is you know he is awesome. Frontera is his line and everything I have had is quality. The salsa was B1G1 free, and the chips were 2 for $3. Yahoo! Dinner for 3 nights for me if I don't have to share! I could live on the stuff. There was an interesting taco seasoning pouch also Fronterra @ $2.99. I decided I needed to give it a try. It isn't a dry seasoning, rather a sauce...Prices varied. Some were great some where expensive. However, I don't go to a store like this to buy Rice Krispies so I don't care that they are $4/box. The boxed goods that were healthful, organic etc were all right at the price I expected.

The bulk section was smallish but you can make your own peanut butter, get dried spices and herbs all in little pouches. Grind your own Fresh Market brand coffee at $9.99/lb.

At checkout they offered to carry my bags to the car and said that was a regular offering not just a special service for the grand opening.

I really enjoyed my experience and will definitely be back. I likely won't go there for staples like ketchup or cereal and paper goods but produce and meat are a premium at a fair price. Loved it.

Gems of Vancouver-Sweet Style

As I pack my souvenirs and conference materials and get ready to head to the airport home I want to take a moment to share 2 wonderful little spots that I found while here in Vancouver. My disclaimer is this, I have never been to Vancouver before, nor did I do any research on dining options for this trip knowing full well I wouldn't have much down time. I am telling you that because you may know about these 2 spots, they may be "over" or big conglomerates-I completely doubt it though and they are so good that I don't care if they are owned by the Russian Mafia!

First, let's spend a moment talking about Mink Chocolates (www.minkchocolates.com) 863 W. Hastings Street, Vancouver. I noticed the little sandwich board with an arrow beckoning shoppers and chocolate lovers down the few stairs to their shop. I walked by the place at least two or three times. On my way back from Chinatown I was hot, tired and in need of a pick me up. I decided a treat was in order! Mink bills themselves as a "chocolate cafe". I decided on the frozen chocolate (12 oz size, about $5.50 including tax). It was available in milk or dark chocolate. I went with the milk chocolate. It was one of the best tasting things I have ever put into my mouth. It was frozen, perfectly blended-no chunks of ice-just perfectly smooth consistency that wasn't as thick as a milkshake. The flavor was really of the most perfect milk chocolate bar. It was something so simple and so perfect. It was really worth the visit. Additionally, Mink gives you a little square of dark chocolate with your order as a little treat. It was divinity in a frosty cup....sigh....Also at Mink they have a frozen mocha, ass't coffee drinks and delicious chocolate bars in unique flavors like pb&j, rose petal and rice krispie treat...

My second pick is Bella Gelateria (www.bellagelateria.com) 1001 W Cordova Street, Vancouver. Several classmates of mine highly recommended this place, speaking of the proprietor who shared with them his love for the best ingredients that he gathers from around the world. Some folks had been there every day this week. I had to go! I ordered a 2 flavor cup ($6.60 including tax). I decided on ricotta lemon and Tahitian vanilla. The tart ricotta lemon complimented the vanilla perfectly. They both were the true essence of perfectly made gelato-smooth, creamy, highly concentrated flavors. They had many other flavors of gelato and sorbetto including cilantro lime, hazelnut, milk, cherry....It is a small shop but you can watch the gelato being made, and they are liberal with the samples. A real treasure.

Review-La Casa Gelato (Vancouver)

La Casa Gelato was recommended to me by a friend and I love gelato so I decided to give it a whirl. The claim to fame for this place is that they have over 200 flavors (currently they have 218) of gelato all of the time. My review of the gelato is that it is so-so. Not really worth the effort for my taste.

I am staying in a hotel in the convention center area of Vancouver and to get to La Casa Gelato was a $12 taxi ride each way. I don't mind the ride nor the cost but it has to be worth the trip. Upon arriving at L.C.G. I saw that it was certainly off the beaten path and there was a steady stream of customers going in and out. When you enter you are greeted by some wonderfully gaudy murals on all of the walls of cities like Sydney, New York, Rome etc. There is also some very loud chez Italian music. I loved all of that. The gelato freezers take up 3 of the 4 walls around the perimeter, with the register taking the 4th. There is no table seating (something we would have liked to know before we let our taxi go...) and you just go up and pay for whatever size you want and they give you a poker chip in the color that corresponds with your scoop selection. You then give the chip to a server behind the gelato freezers when you make your decisions. That process was smooth and I have no complaints about it.

We spent at least 10 or 15 minutes walking around the cases looking at all the flavors. It is customary at most Gelatarias that I am aware of to provide samples so people can get a better idea of the flavors. There are signs all over L.C.G. basically telling you not to ask for samples that they are too busy. That kind of bugged me-they have built a reputation on having so many flavors many of which are very out of the ordinary so not allowing us to try them is counter-productive. People were asking for samples and receiving them but it was like you felt bad asking...Anyways, onto the flavors:

They have all of the basics-pistachio, coconut (3 different varieties), chocolate, hazelnut, vanilla etc. Then they have the slightly unusual flavors like spicy mango (my friend said it was very spicy) or spumoni all of which look great. Then you get into the flavors that to me seem like an acquired taste-like pear-blue cheese-Gorgonzola, or durian. So you have a big decision to make especially if you are just getting one scoop....When it comes to gelato I am a sucker for coconut with a hint of chocolate and knew that when the time came to make a choice I would likely go that route. The coconut with mini chips had a good coconut flavor but the mini chips didn't really feel like a part of the gelato, they didn't melt into it. The coconut cream pie had flecks of graham cracker crust and a nice flavor to it. The chocolate coconut (which I ultimately went with) was a chocolate base with coconut mixed in.

All of the flavors I tried tasted fine, but they didn't have that rich intense gelato flavor that I am used to. They tasted more like regular ice cream. I was a little disappointed, especially after having an amazing cantaloupe gelato from little ol' Troy, NY on Saturday...That one tasted like the absolute essence of melon. Exactly what good gelato should taste like.

So, I guess I would say maybe if La Casa Gelato made fewer flavors they could spend more time perfecting the taste of them and make a more supple premium product. However, if you are more of a Andrew Zimmern Bizzare Foods kind of eater then La Casa Gelato might be perfect for you and your wild fennel and sage gelato.

If you do visit Vancouver there are gelataria's all over the place and you will have many choices. Overall thought I don't think I will recommend La Casa Gelato for a special trip.

Review-The Wine n' Diner

This morning we finally got to check out the new restaurant on Delaware Ave-The Wine n' Diner. The Wine n' Diner is in the location as Albany's beloved Bagel Bite used to be and the ill-fated Avenue A stood for a couple of years. I hope The Wine n' Diner can withstand the growing pains and lack of customer base that a start-up has to endure.

I think the Wine n' Diner will be able to fill a breakfast/brunch void that was left by the departure of The Bagel Bite (no, A Better Bite by the Capital is NOT just as good!), and that the over-priced Avenue A had no interest in filling.

We went in this morning for the first time and I was struck by how different it looked from it's predecessors. There is a variety of funky artwork on the walls created by local artists. There are huge wooden plank style booths(easily can seat 6) along the far wall and some tables in the middle of the room. The Avenue A bar is still there with a flat panel TV behind the bar and plenty of bar seating for singles or those who want to catch whatever is on the tube while munching out. The overall effect is very open and not at all over-crowded.

We went at about 10am for brunch and had a variety of options to choose from-egg/omlettey-breakfasty options as well as the more traditional lunch choices like salads, burgers and blue-plate specials. Yes, that's right blue-plate specials. They have a variety of them in the diner tradition and not a single one is priced over $9. Mac n' Cheese, Meatloaf, Chicken Fried Steak etc. are the blue-plates.

We ordered 2 breakfasts and a blue plate for our visit today. My 4 year old had scrambled eggs, toast, home-fried potatoes and bacon for $6. It was more than enough food for any one adult let alone a 4 year old. My husband had the Goomba Omelet ($7.50) which was an omelet filled with fettuccine, marinara, sausage and mozzarella. That's right fettuccine! We thought it might be a bit odd but he really enjoyed the flavors. The omelet had just enough fillings to make it satisfying and tasty but not too much. The omelet came with home fries as well and his were tossed in a little marinara. The waitress told us that this was one of their signature dishes and it is certainly a well put together original for us. I generally prefer my breakfast for dinner and my dinner, well anytime. I picked my favorite comfort food of all time from the Blue Plate selections-hot open turkey ($7). It was triangles of perfectly toasted white bread with sliced white meat turkey and a fluffy scoop of home-made left the skin-on mashed potatoes. Both were drizzled with a nice gravy. The potatoes were the perfect blend of creamy and lumpy in texture-the real deal. Yet they had some fluff to their consistency-maybe the whipping? Who knows but they were delish. The toasted bread was great and kept it from becoming a gluey mess under the turkey and gravy. The only thing that was missing for me was a little something cranberry-relish or cranberry sauce. That is just my thing though....

Overall we really enjoyed our meal and the service. We saw plenty of other things we want to try too-like Southern Fried Chicken &Waffles with Maple Gravy, The Turduken Trifecta (Turkey, Duck, Chicken and stuffing on a potato roll) and the Death Row Omelet (eggs, sausage, bacon, cheddar and mozzarella).

Other things you should know-Breakfast is served all day, they offer several awesome looking veggie options, they have a decent sized kids menu, all the desserts are $5 and there is a great assortment of deep-fried snack foods mixed in with the traditional pie and such.

www.wine-n-diner.com Check out the menu for yourself. I highly recommend.

It's a 100 degrees, it must be Gazpacho!

Do you make a certain dish once a year? Most of us do, with the obvious choices being Christmas and Thanksgiving, right? A family cookie recipe that is shared for generations of family and friends or a turkey recipe that just takes like that autumn day are obvious choices. I know my brain won't believe it is Thanksgiving unless I am eating the pecan crumb topped sweet potato casserole I have been making for the past 12 years. But what about other times of the year? Do you turn your bounty of zucchini or berries into miles of bread and pies? How about an annual pickle making event or is there a cake that is so special that it is relegated to birthdays or anniversaries?

Every summer about mid-July when the bounty of home-grown and farmer's market veggies start to flourish and the temperature is too hot to turn on an oven my mind and my stomach start thinking about gazpacho.

For those who may not know, gazpacho is a cold soup. My version is a pretty traditional tomato based concoction, but I have seen it made of mango, green chilies and any number of other fresh produce combinations. I make it once a year and when I make it I double the recipe. I share a few bowls with co-workers and I take the rest for lunch for about a week. It is refreshing, crunchy, spicy and a reasonably healthy option. If I like it so much, then why do I make it once a year? Well, to make it the way I like it is kind of a pain. I want the veggies peeled, seeded and diced rather finely. That takes a bit of time and in the summer when I am hot I am generally a bit impatient being in a warm kitchen so I pick a reasonably coolish day and spend the hour or so chopping and by making a double batch it is worth my while!

Below is my fast and loose recipe for Gazpacho, and keep in mind that just because I like the veg diced small doesn't mean you have to do it that way too. I love Cilantro, but some people think it tastes like soap-so replace it with parsley or basil. My point is, use this recipe as a jumping off point, taste as you go, make it as spicy as you want and enjoy!

This recipe easily feeds me a large bowl of Gazpacho for 5 work days with a couple of extra bowls for friends!

3-4 large tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
42-46 Oz bottle Tomato Juice*
2 large peeled & seeded cukes chopped finely
1 cup chopped red/green/yellow/orange pepper
1/2 of a large red onion finely chopped
2 small jalapeno-remove seeds/veins and finely diced**
2 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Sea Salt to Taste
2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
half a bunch of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

*I use spicy V8 juice. You can use regular, low sodium or even clamato if you want to. This is your "broth" and a great chance to make it your own.
**Remember that the seeds and veins hold most of the heat in a jalapeno, I always leave a few in to add a little punch to the soup, but if you don't want heat fully remove the seeds and veins. Wash your hands after doing this part so you don't accidentally rub jalapeno in your eyes!

Grab a dutch oven or over-sized Tupperware with a tight fitting in lid and start pouring, chopping, dumping it in. Stir and taste as you go. You may want to start with less cumin or you may love the taste of red onion...make it your own and enjoy!

Restaurant Review-Lancaster Brewing Company

We love to eat a breweries. The food is usually as good as the small-batch handcrafted beer. One of the best meals we ever ate was at the Great Lakes Brewery in Cleveland, so I was very excited to hear that The Lancaster Brewing Company was less than 5 minutes from our hotel in Harrisburg, PA.

My overall rating, 2 1/2 out of 4 forks. I will outline the good and the not great for you below...

The Good:

Michael had a strawberry wheat beer which he said was great, as they are primarily a brewery that is a good sign. The children's menu was reasonably priced (everything was $5-$7) and came with a drink and ice cream. Zoe picked home-made mac & cheese with a side of applesauce. The mac was a penne pasta and you could see the real cheese in the sauce. She and I both enjoyed it a great deal! :) The waitress brought us a basket of rolls, one of these rolls was an onion pumpernickel which I immediately claimed for my own. Delicious. Just enough onion and the pumpernickle was flavorful. The roll was soft yet still had some body to it, enough to make it chewy. Michael ordered a lamb burger that came with greek feta and homemade potato chips. He loved the burger and we all enjoyed the kettle-style thick cut chips. Lastly, our waitress was great. She made a point of getting Zoe's dinner out while our meals were still being prepared, she brought Zoe's rootbeer in a papercup that she took the time to decorate for her. These things are small touches, but they meant alot to a 4 year old who was eating dinner about 3 hours later than normal.

The So-So:
We decided for an app to try the cheesesteak rolls, not really sure what they were....It turns out they are shaved steak, onion and cheese fried in an eggroll wrapper. They were served with some sort of flavored mayo and horseradish sauce. The rolls retained way to much fryer oil, it literal dripped out of them. The flavored mayo, we don't know what flavor it was but it wasn't tasty....The horse sauce had a nice amount of bite to it though and that was good. I ordered the pretzel crusted chicken with roasted red smashed potatoes in a mustard sauce. I have to admit I have pretty high standards for this dish, I have had it out and have cooked in myself....This was my least favorite version of them all. The potatoes were not smashed enough and the mustard didn't harmonize with the flavor of the potatoes, it was actually just too grainy. The pretzel crust on the chicken was a little thick and the mustard sauce on the chicken was not quite plentiful enough. The chicken was however moist on the inside. But in a few spots the pretzel crust was not cooked enough, probably because it was so thick. However, the dish was certainly edible just not great.

Would I go back there? Maybe for beers and burgers. Would I recommend it? Sure, and I would tell people it is certainly better than going to Friendly's and to stick with beers and burgers.

Is it a shoulder or a butt?

I have been making pulled pork for quite a while and the recipe calls for 5 lb pork shoulder-butt. Hmmmm....is it a shoulder or a butt, because those two areas of the pig are definitely not at all similar in location. We just had Kalua Pork this weekend which is like an Hawaiian version of pulled pork and that also called for a butt, but nobody had one. Every store had a pork shoulder-picnic roast. I did a little research to figure out if I could substitute one for the other and as it turns out they are not the same.

Here is the deal though so you aren't kept up at night contemplating this one. The pork shoulder is broken down into two sections-the picnic roast and the butt. In some places the butt is also called Boston Butt (just to keep you on your toes)....The butt is the upper portion of the shoulder while the picnic is the lower section of meat. You can use either one for most recipes as they generally are interchangeable. The biggest difference is-the butt has very little inedible (think skin/fat, and bones) and therefore you get more bang for your buck pound for pound.

Anyways, here is the amazing pulled pork recipe that was shared with me by a co-worker years ago. It is a hit every time.

Pulled Pork with Spicy Mustard Sauce (serves 6-8)

5-7 lb pork shoulder butt

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Brown Mustard

3 Teaspoon Paprika

3 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

Mix all spices together with sugar and salt to create a dry rub. Massage this rub all over the pork. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees, roast pork for 6 hours.

While pork is cooking make sauce:

1 1/2 Cups Cider Vinegar

1 Cup Mustard

1/2 Cup Ketchup

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Clove Smashed Garlic

1 Teaspoon Salt

2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Combine all of these ingredients together in saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cooking 10 minutes.

When pork comes out of oven let it rest for 10 minutes, then using forks "pull" it apart. It should shred very easily. Try not to eat all of the crusty bits from the outside of the pork while you do this (it's nice to share!).

I always douse the pork with a little of the mustard sauce and serve the rest on the side.

For try Southern style serve this on a roll with some coleslaw.

Ohh La La....

I love crepes. When I go to a creperie I struggle with a single decision-do I partake in the sweet or the savory? Ok, maybe a second thought does cross my mind-can I justify a sweet AND a savory? I rarely give into the urge for both because it is just too rich so more often than not I end up with a yummy savory crepe..

In case you don't know what a crepe is-it is a very thin french "pancake" that is cooked on a circular frying pan in a pat of butter. The batter is very thin and easy spread out to the edges of the pan with a wooden spatula. The pan is hot and the batter so thin you have to work quickly and then flip it to give the other side a nice golden color and within a moment the pancake is cooked, and you fill it with any number of options.

I can't for the life of me remember my first crepe experience. But crepes are in my head today as we had lunch at Chez Daisies on Jay Street in Schenectady, so I thought this was a good time to discuss them.

My favorite savory crepes involve some sort of protein (usually chicken) with spinach and a creamy cheese like brie or goat. I am a sweet crepe purist...nothing tastes better to me than Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread) with strawberries in a warm crepe topped with some fresh whipped cream.

I thought you might like the down-low on a few crepes I have enjoyed across the country...Here they are in order of preference:

Crepes n' Crepes in Denver, CO- I had been in Denver for a good three days before I found this gem tucked off to the side of a little plaza. I went in and the atmosphere was consistent with most creperies, a touch of french whimsy and a smallish seating area. I love good food, but am really a cheapskate so I was even more excited to see that they had some sort of "crepe happy hour" special going on and the crepes were all half price...(Gee....does that mean for the price of 1 crepe I can enjoy a savory and a sweet crepe-sold)! I started with one of the aforementioned chicken, spinach, creamy goat cheese offerings, I do believe there were some yummy sauteed mushrooms involved. The best part though was that the crepe was incredibly warm and fresh. In my opinion crepes aren't really to-go food and the longer they sit the more rubbery the actual thin crepe pancake becomes. I watched this one made from about 3 feet away from me. The crepe itself was delicate and hot, the cheese, spinach and chicken were mixed together in the filling so I got each taste in every bite. For dessert I decided on a version of a crepe sundae-warm crepes folded into quarters with strawberries, bananas, chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. The waiter told me it was big enough for two...don't judge me waiter-man! I am a sucker for warm/cold combos as well as bananas and ice cream so this worked on every level for me.

Ravenous-Saratoga Springs, NY- This little whole in the wall on Phila Street near the parking garage has only one criticism in my opinion-it is just too small! The whole joint probably seats 20 people. They offer all of the usual crepe suspects as well as special of the day crepes. On our last visit my husband, Michael had the special which was a Reuben crepe. Not my thing, but he seemed to really enjoy it. What sets Ravenous apart is the Pomme Frites that they offer along with crepes. Pomme Frites are fries in the french tradition that are double fried for extra crispness and then salted and served with a variety of flavored mayos (think pesto-mayo, garlic-mayo, chipotle-mayo etc). Let me tell you, these ain't no freedom fries! At Ravenous they are served in a cone holder and you can order some of those awesome mayo's for a small fee. They are the perfect accompaniment to round out the crepe meal.

Profi's Crepes-Reading Terminal Market Philadelphia, PA-In case you don't know Reading Terminal Market is a food lover's paradise offering everything from Philly Cheese steak, warm cookies out of the oven and yes, crepes. I had a delicious egg and cheese breakfast crepe. The eggs were fluffy and the cheese was a goat variety. (I can't help it...I'm a slave to goat cheese!) The crepe was tasty and for $5 a real steal. They have all your crepe fillings to get you through breakfast, lunch and a sweet tooth. A great option that is a little different in the RTM.

The Village Creperie Cafe-Huntington, NY-Michael and I stole away for a quick bite alone one day during a visit with his family. We left Zoe with Grandma and away we went...Another small spot with some french appeal in the accessories around the place. I was disappointed with the crepe selection, but on the upside they let me add the cheeses I wanted to one of their creations. But in actuality they had maybe 6 or 7 options for savory and like 4 for sweet. Just not very creative. All savory crepes came with a nice little green salad. The crepe was freshly made and served immediately. The cheese was of good quality and oozed throughout the entire crepe.

Chez Daisies-Jay Street Schenectady, NY - Today was my first visit and to give the Chez Daisies crew credit I need to try them a second time which may move them higher on the list. The prices were about what you would expect-$7.25/ea for crepes. They also had 3 salads that revolved around avocado in some way for around $5 each. The storefront is rather small but decorated in a decidedly french cafe tradition. You order at the counter and then walk through the doorway that leads to the quaint dining area and pick a seat. In order to keep costs in check they have installed a window into the dining area and you pick up your own food at here so they can eliminate table service. We were hoping to watch the precise process of a small ladle of batter being spread onto the crepe pan and cooked in the blink of an eye. I was disappointed to see precooked crepes reheated on the pan and then filled. I am sorry, they just don't taste the same. Crepes get a little rubbery and lose that delicate flavor and texture when not fresh. It was also a disappointment to Zoe, my daughter who was having her first crepe experience so this lost some some excitement for her. I had the trois fromages (3 cheeses) that was topped with a stewed apple compote and chopped walnuts. The crepe was fine, the cheeses had a good flavor. I didn't care for the apples, they lacked flavor and seemed bruised and maybe old (?) and the walnuts were just tossed on top. Perhaps a sauce that incorporated walnuts may have been better to bring the dish together. Zoe had the Petit Enfant which was supposed to be peanut butter, nutella and banana. They were out of peanut butter...the crepe was fine but I think the peanut butter would have cut the nutella yet added a complimentary richness to the plate. All in all not my beloved crepe experience. On the upside the staff was very friendly, the prices were reasonable and the restaurant was very clean.

If you haven't given crepes a try or it has been ages since you dined on the little pillow of cheese and veggies or nutella and fruit I urge you to seek one out!

The Triple Crown

There is a block in New York City that satisfies pretty much all of my food needs. The problem is that I don't get to NYC all that often and when I do it is difficult for me to make more than one trip to this area so I have some tough choices to make, but I've learned to improvise....

So, what could this bountiful food block have to offer and where exactly can it be found? It is Spring Street, between Mott & Mulberry in the (sadly) ever-shrinking Little Italy section of New York City.

We start my culinary adventure at Lombardi's on the corner of Spring & Mott. The claim to be the first coal fired pizza restaurant and therefore the oldest. I can't imagine that it isn't true, but I really don't care either way because if the pizza weren't so damn good it wouldn't matter how it was cooked. I am going to devote an entire blog entry to Lombardi's in the near future so I will leave the details for that post but let me just say that after eating Lombardi's pizza I can't even stomach another pie for at least a month. They all taste terrible to me-that is how good their pizza is.

After eating more than my fill of pizza I waddle down towards Mulberry and right next to each other in the middle of the block they stand like beacons of dessert goodness calling to me, literally fighting for my love. On the left is my beloved Pinkberry and to the right is the one and only Rice to Riches rice pudding shop.

What's a girl to do? I really am not piggish enough to eat a bowl of rice pudding and a serving of Pinkberry's swirly goodness, so I get the Pinkberry (medium original with strawberries please!), and after I have inhaled every last swirly bite I roll myself next door to Rice to Riches for a to go cup to have for breakfast the next morning. (As far as I am concerned nothing starts the day better than delicious homemade rice pudding that you have painstakingly kept chilled and protected in your travels throughout New York City...).

Now, I know I haven't really told you much at all about neither Pinkberry nor Rice to Riches and I promise that a post about each is on the way-they are both worthy of their own moment in the blogosphere sun.

You can't go to New York City without tripping over some of the best food on earth. There are literally thousands of other spots in NYC that are bound to be someones faves but to have 3 of my most beloved all right there is something special to me and I thought you might like to partake in one or all 3 next time you find your stomach grumbling someplace between Mott and Mulberry whilst standing on Spring Street.

Aisle after Aisle of Possibilities

I love the grocery store. Whether home or on the road it is a favorite spot for me. I travel an hour and a half to pick up staples like olive oil and soy sauce at Trader Joe's. If I see a Whole Foods I make a point to try to stop in and indulge in a luxurious little treat, like a super creamy goat cheese or a fig and hazelnut spread. I went all the way to Thailand and had 3 requirements for the trip and one of them was to visit a Thai grocery store in Bangkok (and, yes all 3 of my needs were met and then some!).

You know there is something quite enjoyable about just going to my local Price Chopper or Hannaford though too. I am generally an early riser and often will do my grocery shopping on a Sunday morning around 7:30 or 8:00am. The store is relatively quiet and produce is freshly stocked and I can hear my own thoughts.

What is it about the grocery store that is so appealing to me? There are a few reasons. I think the most important is the aisles of possibilities that await me. I can slowly stroll up and down the aisles reading labels for ingredients, recipe ideas and nutritional content. I can see what the freshest looking protein is and build meals around it using seasonal produce and pantry staples. I am not a creative type by trade-I can't paint or sing or dance but I can dream up a recipe or menu and the grocery store is MY palette. It is a tool that allows me to express my point of view.

I can take my time, going back and forth when a new thought pops into my head and grab that package of mushrooms or the perfect purple potatoes to turn into a delicious salad when the idea hits me. I am also a coupon shopper who loves a good bargain, so between my improv menu planning and my coupon sorting I am not a quick shopper (don't get me wrong, I can be in and out in 15 minutes or less if I need to be...but I don't enjoy it). I often am in the grocery store for 1 - 1 1/2 hours to do weekly/bi-weekly shopping for 3 people.

I know that I am not the only one who loves to grocery shop either. I may take it to the extreme but many working moms that I know have said it is a weekly solace to go out and do the shopping, regain some control and perspective on their lives in that brief hour walking from aisle to aisle checking items off their list. I know several people who travel for Trader Joe's, a friend who immediately went to a grocery store after a 6+hour flight to London and folks that go from store to store looking for the best value for their money or the perfect ripe beefsteak tomato.

Next time you are in the grocery store I hope you open your eyes to all the possibilities.

Chain Restaurants Are the Root of All Evil. Aren't They?

I am a big supporter of buying local, especially when it comes to the food I eat. Local food will win out over organic for me every single time. The impact of transporting and storing the food is greatly lessened by eating local. The food is fresher for obvious reasons. You are supporting your local economy. And if you are shopping in the green market you may even meet the producer and learn more about their growing processes, or get special tips on how to prepare the food. So yes, I love local.

But I have a dirty little secret, and you know what? Most of you do too....I love Thai Lettuce Wraps from The Cheesecake Factory, I could eat the spinach-lavosh dip from Houlihan's breakfast lunch and dinner, and yes there are days when nothing but a Quarter Pounder with cheese (no onions) will do. I enjoy chain restaurants. There. I said it. It feels good getting that off my chest.

Look, I love to eat at locally owned restaurants. Bombers on Lark Street in Albany has the best wings, I defy you to find better Thai in the Capital Region than Blue Spice and I swoon a little bit when get the special treat of Debbie's Kitchens sandwiches for lunch. But here is the thing...chain restaurants are NOT the root of all evil. (Just some of it!)

You will not find the most creative menus at most chains, they lack charm and personality, the profits leave our community. I get it, I really do. But I see our local produce purveyors pull their trucks up outside the chains to drop off just like they do the local haunts. Chains are generally larger in size and therefore employ more people. Chains often draw people in and help support surrounding businesses. When PF Changs and Cheesecake Factory opened here in Albany you couldn't get into either of them without waiting 2 hours (yeah, I don't like the lettuce wraps that much....). So some crazy fools waited and the rest of us did some shopping, or ate at Ralph's or Professor Java's or wherever. The point is the chains drove people to the area and helped support the other businesses.

So anyways, I will always recommend the locals first when you ask me for a recommendation. I truly will. But don't act horrified if you hear that I ate at Smokey Bones last night. We dig the wings! And please don't get on your high horse with me either. When we support the businesses in our community we encourage local and national entrepreneurs to take a chance on our community. In the end we all end up with more options, and in reality I am always looking for more of those. Without all those options, what the heck would I have to write about.

So, maybe I will see you at Chipotle sometime soon...it is a chain that is new to our area that I am interested in checking out. If not there then likely at The Hidden Cafe the glorious local gem in Delaware Plaza...where ever I see you it will be delicious!

Ode to Grandma's

Grandma's are great people. Even the cranky ones who don't let you sit on the furniture or the slightly kooky ones who talk to their cats too much are great. Grandma's indulge in whims, and make some of the best food ever.

Currently, my grandma is fighting a battle for her life that she is likely to lose in the next few days. She is older and has a hard life, so this isn't a surprise but doesn't mean it isn't sad. As with most things in my life when I think about the happy times with my grandma I am reminded of food. There are a number of things that stand out for me when I think back on our shared culinary memories...

Strawberries that we used to go pick at Jackson's Farms in Campville. We would walk there and pick about 4 quarts and she would clean them up and put them in a big yellow Pyrex bowl that all grandma's had and sprinkle them with a little sugar for me.

We used to make zucchini bread every summer. At least 150 loaves of it, while I was with her...she made even more than that though. Everyone we knew would give her pounds and pounds of their home grown zucchini and with a grinder that was likely her grandmothers we would grind down the zucchini and drain off the liquid and put it into the spicy moist quick bread mixture that she was known for. She made some loaves with candied fruit (blah!) and the rest with nuts. The house smelled of zucchini bread for days on end, and I got to eat slices of it warm from the oven with a little bit of butter. Pure heaven.

I have only recently begun to appreciate her peanut butter cookies. Most kids are more into chocolate chip or something frosted and covered with sprinkles and I was one of those kids. Peanut butter cookies weren't sexy so they weren't a big deal to me. But now I wish I could have one of her peanutty warm from the oven cookies that had the traditional crosshatch design from a fork on the top. I have the recipe but of course they will never taste the same.

And then there was the cheesecake. There was some debate (not in my mind) that it wasn't her recipe. Another relative claimed that it was "her" recipe....well, if you never make it and nobody ever asks you to make it I don't think you get to claim it....

The cheesecake was my grandma's command performance. She didn't just make it to have around. It was special. It was a pricey little number to pull together and it took 24 hours to be fully set. Family and friends would give my grandma a brown grocery bag of cream cheese and sour cream and ask her to make them one to take to work or to a friend. It was that special.

Her cheesecake wasn't a round New York Style confection covered in cherries or strawberries. She made hers in a 13x9 yellow Pyrex pan. It had a graham cracker crust and a sour cream topping. To me there will never be another cheesecake as good. In honor of my grandma I want to share her recipe here....I would love to see some of your grandma's recipes too.

Sour Cream Topped Cheesecake by Velma Sansky

Crust:
2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
3/4 Stick Melted Butter
1/4 Cup Sugar

Cheesecake Layer:
3 8oz Packages of Cream Cheese-softened
4 Eggs
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Sour Cream Layer:
1 Pint Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together all crust ingredients and press into a 13x9 pan that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

Combine all ingredients for cream cheese layer and pour into crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Mix together all ingredients for sour cream layer, pour over cream cheese mixture and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Turn oven off and open door pulling rack out slightly. This should help the cheesecake to cook more gradually and reduce the instances of cracking.

Cover cooked cheesecake with foil and chill at least 12 hours to allow it to completely set before serving.

**You can use low fat cream cheese and sour cream with excellent results. Stay away from fat free products. It will be a disappointment.

Meatloaf, smeatloaf, double-beatloaf

I have never been a meatloaf gal. It wasn't something my mom made growing up. While other mom's made it quite often I can't think of a single time that my mom did in fact make a meatloaf.

My husband enjoys meatloaf, and because I like for my cooking to be pleasing I have made a few in my past 13 years with him. Some have been in the loaf pan and others have been free-form. I have always preferred the free-form variety as it isn't stewing in it's own fat that way. Either way haven't ever been a big fan.

Recently I got it in my head to try a turkey meatloaf one last time....It turned out amazing, we all loved it and Michael said it was the best he has ever eaten. Here is the recipe (makes 1 reasonably sized meatloaf for a family of 4 with a little leftover)-


3 Portabella mushroom caps cleaned and finely diced
1 yellow onion finely diced
2 Teaspoons olive oil
Pinch of Thyme, Salt & Pepper
2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 Cup Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 Teaspoon Tomato Paste
1/3-1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
1 pound Ground Turkey Breast
1 Tablespoon Crushed Garlic
1 egg lightly beaten

For Topping/Dipping Sauce-
1/2 Cup Ketchup
1/2 Cup of your favorite mustard (I used a stone ground variety from Trader Joe's)
2 turns of Cracked Black Pepper
1/4 Brown Sugar
2-3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In saute pan over medium heat cook the onion and mushroom in the olive oil with salt, pepper & thyme for about 5-7 minutes-until mushrooms are cooked through and onions are translucent. Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste & chicken broth and mix it well. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

While this mixture cools down, mix turkey, garlic, beaten egg, 1/3 cup breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl with your hands. Knead the entire mixture together, so all ingredients are incorporated together (just as you would when making meatballs). Add more breadcrumbs if the meat is still "wet". You want to bind this together so you can form a loaf eventually. Mix in the onion-mushroom mixture.

At this point make a little slider patty out of some of the mixture, quickly pan fry and taste to check seasonings. You can decide if it needs more salt or pepper etc and go from there.

Grease a cookie sheet or baking dish. Form meat mixture free form into a loaf. Try to keep it the same width and thickness all the way through for even cooking.

Mix all of the ingredients together for the sauce until combined over a low heat on the stove top. Add a bit more Worcestershire if you want a little more zip, or more brown sugar for more sweet.

Baste some of the sauce onto the top of the meatloaf. Set remaining sauce aside to use as a meatloaf dip with the meal. ( The sauce is so good-you will want to do this!)

Bake meatloaf until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees-about 40-50 minutes.

This recipe is a meshing of about 10 different recipes that I considered trying, and it worked for us. Remember ground turkey isn't that flavorful on it's own and needs the herbs and spices. I thought the mushrooms added some extra smoky meaty flavor.

You can personalize this a million different ways though-use different veggies (like sauteed spinach or diced tomato and maybe a little grated cheese for an Italian version)...

Enjoy!

Different Drummer's Kitchen

I can't believe I didn't write about this immediately, but hey the blog is like 3 days old so cut a gal some slack right?

Different Drummer's Kitchen located in Stuyvesant Plaza Albany just relocated to bigger digs next to Jean Paul Spa. I was in the shop both Friday & Saturday and (I'm a real sucker for prize give-aways and great kitchen equipment and they had both!) and couldn't believe the selection of tools and equipment along with the store layout and the new demo kitchen (more on that in a minute!).

They have everything you need to pimp out your kitchen-from basics like pots, pans and tea kettles to items for the true culinary aficionado-fondue pots, ravioli press, cake pans that look like butterflies. And then they have everything you didn't even know you needed-corn cob shuckers, strawberry stem removers (my technical term not theirs...), spoon rests that attach to the pot! My oh my.....

The store is logically organized with open shelving by category. If you want a fondue pot they are all in one spot (happens to be right in front by the door towards your right...), and along with the fondue pots you will find accessories like fuel and cookbooks. Like I said the shelves are very open and not too crammed so you can have a very touchable experience. The entire store pretty much follows this layout scheme and I applaud them for making it so consumer friendly.

In regards to pricing, I won't sugar-coat this....some of their items are not budget shopper friendly. However, ALL of their items are of high quality and well worth the cost if you can fit it into your budget. This is a great place to shop for the dutch oven that will last you for the next 20 years or a wedding gift. And if you can afford to completely stock your kitchen here I say do it-you are supporting a local business who has great expertise, getting a high quality product and having a pleasant shopping experience...None of those things are true at any of our big box stores, right?

Fear not, if money is a little tight right now they have plenty of high-quality inexpensive baking pans, gizmos and gadgets. I personally fell in love with a set of pink and gold cupcake liners that look like princess crowns. They are too short for an actual cupcake but a chocolate dipped strawberry will look lovely in them and my daughter will feel like royalty. My point is, you can easily pick up a little treat for the utensil bin for less than $10, in some cases less than $5.

One thing that I didn't mention was the new demo kitchen. Oh my gravy, is it beautiful! Stainless steel appliances, huge demo area, surrounded by high tables for the students. They have already scheduled a number of 3 hour classes that range from about $55-$75 each. I don't have the list with me but I know they are hosting an Indonesian foods class, croissant making and the one I want the most-Italian Cheeses. I am salivating at the thought of that one. This is a great way to get a little hands on experience on a new topic or just get out of the house for a few hours. I am considering checking to see if they will allow me to do my birthday there and invite my girlfriends to do a cooking class with me. I think that would be a hoot!

Finally, I would be negligent if I didn't mention that Different Drummer's Kitchen has locations in Lenox and Northampton, MA as well! So if Albany is not in your reach maybe the other spots are...

Please check out Different Drummer's Kitchen! You won't regret it....

It will be delicious!

Opa!

Every May St. Sophia's Greek Orthodox Church on Whitehall Road in Albany holds their very popular Greek Festival. It seems like most years we are out of town or forget all about it until it is too late. Not this year!

You can go in to their community room and be served a delicous Greek dinner and dessert. It is cool and comfy and a great spot to eat if you want to sit and relax and be waited on. The meals are a bit more expensive, but you get salad and bread with them so it probably evens out.

Michael, Zoe and I opted for the big tent experience. There are tables and chairs in the middle, and at one corner is a Greek band playing music that makes you want to get up and dance. All around the perimeter are food tables-spanakopita (phyllo pockets filled with feta, onion, spinach and spices), antipasti platters of olives, tapenades and other yummy spreads to slather on warm pita bread, gyro's of succulent lamb, chicken and beef, and savory traditional Greek Salads. (Don't even get me started on the pastry tables!)

For $20 we were able to get a large Greek salad with chicken, a chicken soulvaki and a large water.

Zoe and I split the Greek salad, the lettuce was pre-tossed in their oily-oregano filled dressing. I don't find Greek dressings to have a vinegary taste, which usually is a deal breaker for me but the blend of delicious olive oil, pepper and oregano makes it work. I walked down the salad line and said yes or no to each of the toppings offered-yes to tomato, no to anchovies, yes to cucumbers but no to pepperonci's, and a big yes to feta cheese.

Michael got in the gyro line, as he said it is like waiting in lines at Disney-you walk through the maze of ropes waiting for your turn to let your tongue go on a tasty ride. Unfortunately for him they were sold out of the lamb gyro, so he got chicken soulvaki. Same chicken as on our salad, but with fresh sliced tomato, yogurt sauce all wrapped in a warm pita.

I also bought us a dish of Loukoumades-which are essentially Greek Donut holes-puffs of dough are deep fried, tossed in honey, then sprinkled with your choice of toppings-cinnamon, powdered sugar, nuts. I asked for a small, they laughed and handed me a dish that had at least 25 of the little bites of deep fried goodness inside.

It was great to be able to attend the festival. We supported a church in our neighborhood and even more importantly we introduced Zoe to a new culture. She watched Greek dancers, ate piles of feta cheese and saw the Greek flag.

It is so nice to see the entire community come out for St. Sophia's each year. It is a huge undertaking for the church but THEIR community comes together and makes it happen-all with a smile on their faces. The thousands of pastries, the mountains of onions to slice, the lambs to be roasted-they do it all and our community benefits from their pride in the Greek heritage.

It is too bad that we don't see more events of this magnitude in our area. In the meantime, I will put the 2011 festival on our calendar so we don't miss out!

It will be delicious!

Made With Love

We have all heard the phrase "made with love". My husband Michael and my brother-in-law Christopher actually say it even more accurately-"love is what makes it taste so good".

It sounds silly, right? What makes it taste so good is the expensive imported olive oil, or the locally produced artisan goat cheese. Well sure those things count but I think Michael and Christopher are actually on to something here.

When you cultivate a tomato plant from a seedling and harvest your own fruit and share them in a salad they are the best tasting tomatoes around. Can't be beat, right? The family and friends you are breaking bread with are thinking the same thing. They taste fresh of course, but the fact that someone loved that seedling into fruition gives it a little something extra special.

OK, maybe that was an obvious example. Try this one on-Michael's Zia (Zia=aunt in Italian) will throw together a salad for me to eat. There is nothing special in this salad, it actually has far fewer ingredients than I would normally put in if I made it myself. Generally, there is Romaine lettuce, cucumber and maybe some sliced onion. But then the Zia magic happens-she squeezes a lemon over the top, drizzles it with a little olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.

The result is the most perfectly dressed salad around-lemony tart, salty and fresh tasting. The ingredients in her dressing are just like those in the bowl-simple. So what really gives here? She makes it for us because she cares about us.

Zia wants our hunger to be satiated. She wants us to find enjoyment in what we are eating. She wants to share with us the way her own mother cooked for her in her own childhood.

If that isn't love, then what is?

Next time your kids make you breakfast in bed for mother's day or your mom makes you soup when you are sick think about how much better it tastes because of the love.

It will be delicious.

I am Ms. Ravenous

I am ravenous! When I am full I am ravenous. When I am tired I am ravenous. When I am sad or happy or angry I am ravenous. A great deal of happy times in my life revolve around food. Whether it be baking hundreds (no joke) of loafs of zucchini bread at a time with my grandmother using her antique hand crank grinder, or enjoying a meal at a new restaurant or baking pinkalicious cupcakes with my daughter it brings me joy.

I am always thinking about food-what to cook, how I might want to change up the recipe, what new local cheeses are at the green market, what restaurants I want to try, or what restaurants I want to go back to. There are surely other like-minded people out there who would be interested in hearing my thoughts on the matter, and that is why I decided to start writing a blog.

When I told my husband I wanted to start writing a blog, he said "great, about what?" I said "food." He said "yes, but about what." I said "food." I am guessing he thought I would narrow my focus-a blog about great restaurants, or one about cooking in the kitchen with your kids, or one where I share recipes. Well, I don't want to limit myself. My blog will be about all of those things and many others. I may decide to share a great recipe, or give my unsolicited restaurant review or talk about my favorite food memories...really, you just never will know.

Those of you who know me personally may find some of my entries redundant to stories I've told, but my hope is to put it all down in one collection of riffs on my life as Ms. Ravenous.

I hope you enjoy the taste!