The Wonders of a Pre-made Piecrust

The Wonders of a Pre-made Piecrust

The Swiss Chard Torta is such a delicate savory pie. The secret is in the crust. Making your own piecrust is not necessarily on the top of anyone’s to-do list, but it is well worth the effort. The trick to good piecrust is to use cold ingredients, cold utensils, and cold hands. You mix the flour (1 cup) and salt (1/2 teaspoon) and then cut in the shortening (1/3 cup). Add a tablespoon of ice water and gently work the dough. Add a couple more tablespoons of ice water and keep working the dough until it comes away from the sides of the bowl. Then you have to refrigerate it for at least an hour, but it’s better to chill it overnight. This “allows the fat to re-solidify, so the gluten will not develop as much when the piecrust is rolled out.” Rolling out chilled pie dough is like pushing Sisyphus’ stone. You roll and roll and don’t seem to be getting anywhere. But as the dough warms a bit and is worked under the pin, it finally begins to give way. The next thing you know, it’s spread thin on your bakery board. Ah, the jubilation at having made your own crust.

Now, who really has time for all that? In our day and age where scheduling is our medium, multitasking is our method, and busyness is our art form, we have to look for shortcuts, cut corners where we can. So when we want to make a Swiss Chard Torta with only an hour to spare, we reach for the wondrous pre-made piecrust. Patented in 1954 by Bill Hamilton Armstrong this pre-made piecrust was first packed as a roll not formed in a tin. It has since saved a many dinner, and dessert. As I’m not into high fructose anything and stay away from BHA, BHT, and TBHQ, I prefer the piecrust from Trader Joes. They actually do have better ingredients, better pizza or piecrust in this case.

So when you are short on time (and who isn’t), don’t pass over the Swiss Chard Torta recipe. Instead, sauté some chopped Swiss chard (1 pound), onion (1/2 cup), and garlic (3 cloves); whip up those eggs (2 large); mix in the ricotta (1 cup) and grated Parmesan (1/2 cup); add the chopped parsley (1/2 cup) and then reach for the premade piecrust. Viola, in about fifteen minutes at 400°F, and then thirty minutes at 350°F, you will have a wonderful semi-homemade dinner for four. And if you don’t tell anyone, chances are they won’t know that you didn’t slave away making your own piecrust from scratch.

Geoffrey

CHILI DOMINATION

CHILI DOMINATION

I couldn’t be more excited about making the cut to compete in the Third Annual Philly Chili Bowl next weekend! As the reigning co-champion of the Fulford Family Reunion Grits Cook-Off (2008), I’m feeling pretty good about handling the heat. As for my recipe… it’s top-secret, but still undecided. Here are my thoughts about a winning chili.

One of the first pitfalls of many chilis is undercooking. A chili should all but melt in your mouth, and the flavors should have enough time to mix and mingle: no single component should be shouting. You want a chili that purrs, with just a hint of danger. Two, acidity: if your chili is tomato-based, try roasting the tomatoes first to bring out their natural sugars, or counter the acid with something sweet. Three, spice. Chili doesn’t have to cause your mouth to combust, but the heat should have a warming effect, and drive you to the bottom of the bowl. Here’s how my Rules of Chili are playing out.

I went first to game: venison, and perhaps a blend of other lean meats. I’d steer clear of beans to keep the focus on the meaty flavors, and slow-cook the tomatoes down into a sludge before putting the chili together. My test batch included cubed venison roast and a “hunter’s blend” from D’Angelo Bros. in the Italian Market, a magical place. (Don’t miss the venison prosciutto!) The mix included no fewer than 7 mammals—rabbit, bison, venison, elk, and more—and was ultra-lean and spicy. The venison was top-notch, and my meat-and-tomato chili simmered for a few hours. It was decent, but was it blue-ribbon worthy? I went back to the drawing board, swinging wide in the other direction.

Next attempt: a veggie-lover’s chili, redolent with a toasty-hot homemade chili paste. I’ve got a few other ideas (eggplant? lentils? poblanos? a cheesy addition?), but they’ll have to go through the test kitchen first. I’ll be there on Saturday with 6 quarts of the best batch: my wooden spoons, fingers, and toes are crossed for victory.

--Kristen

The Magician in the Kitchen

THE MAGICIAN IN THE KITCHEN

By guest blogger Cathy Lee Gruhn

Visit Cathy’s blog, A Fridge, An Oven & A Sink

If you’re reading this blog, you love food.  You love to cook and you love to try new recipes. I found a recipe that’s an ideal trifecta: fantastic taste, a great portable breakfast or afternoon treat, and it’s good for you!  Here’s the kicker, the best part of this recipe – it’s low in calories, fat and sugar and has enormous taste!  It’s the Grab N’ Go Oat Bar by Marlene Koch (pronounced Cook) who, if you aren’t familiar with Marlene Koch, quite simply she is “the magician in the kitchen!”

Now to be honest, I’m working on Marlene’s upcoming cookbook Eat More of What You Love which coming in April 2012, so when the early copy landed on my desk, it was my obligation to begin testing some of the recipes and its two thumbs up! 

This was the first recipe tested not only was simple, I used just a large mixing bowl and a medium/large measuring cup for the wet and dry element—my friend was at my apartment when I pulled the pan out of the oven and kept pestering me, “when can I taste them?” .. Always a good sign!   

When I began to assemble my ingredients, I noted Marlene’s use of no-calorie sweetener.  I normally only bake with “the real stuff” but decided to try the Splenda Baking Blend which is Sucralose and Sugar combined and reduced the amount. I could now become a convert for future baking recipes.  Most of us have the ingredients for this recipe on hand; OK, I didn’t have the prune puree baby food (the only baby food I have is sweet potato and that’s for my dog, but that’s another blog post…) but once I made the bars, I began to think wouldn’t it be fun to use peach puree, almonds and dried dates, or apple-pear puree, pistachios and dried cherries?  Of course I was right on target because Marlene encourages you to mix n’ match fruit purees with different nuts and dried fruit.  Wow—who doesn’t like to have some creative fun-time in the kitchen?!   My early copy of this cookbook has dog-eared pages noting the other recipes I can’t wait to try.  I encourage all to make this recipe and of course to buy the book!

Makes 12 Servings

2 cups quick oats

1 cup white whole wheat flour ( I used Whole Wheat Flour)

3 / 4 cup granulated no-calorie sweetener (like Splendid)

3 tablespoons of brown sugar

3 / 4 teaspoon baking soda

1 /2 teaspoon baking powder

1 /4 cup dried cranberries, chopped finely

1 /4 cup chopped walnuts

1 / 4 cup prune puree (or 3.5 ounce package baby food prunes)

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 egg whites

1 tablespoon molasses

1 1 /2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Lightly spray a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a very large bowl, mix together the first 9 ingredients (oats through walnuts). Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 5 ingredients (prunes through vanilla).  Pour the prune mixture over the dry ingredients.  Mix with a spoon until all the ingredients are combined.  Batter will be sticky.
3. Spread batter into the baking pan and bake for 12-minutes.  Do not overbake.  Set baking pan on rack to cool.  Cut into 12 bars.

Sneak Peek: Mac & Cheese

SNEAK PEEK: MAC & CHEESE

One of the perks of working on cookbooks is the sheer volume of recipes that come across my desk. Without a constant flow of new ideas I fear I’d become lazy and fall into a dinner rut, repeating the same dish over and over.
There’s one upcoming cookbook that I am feeling particularly inspired by at the moment, our forthcoming Macaroni and Cheese cookbook by Ellen Brown which will be published in Fall 2012. It’s full of delicious and creative variations on the ultimate in comfort foods and inspired by restaurant favorites around the country. I had to try the recipe for Herbed Mac and Cheese, adapted from Farmstead and La Laiterie, Providence, RI and it was well worth it. Three types of cheese, including Brie along with bunches of fresh herbs made this a winner in my house.
Try it, you won’t be disappointed!

Makes 4 to 6 servings
1/2 pound penne
4 ounces Brie
3 ounces Gruyère, grated
3 ounces sharp white Cheddar, grated
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage (substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme (substitute a pinch dried)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups whole milk, heated
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta until it is just beginning to soften to the al dente stage. Drain the pasta, run it under cold water, and return it to the pot.
Scrape the white rind off the Brie, and chop it finely. Combine the Brie with the Gruyère and Cheddar, and set aside 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, or until the mixture turns slightly beige, is bubbly, and appears to have grown in volume. Stir in the rosemary, sage, thyme, and nutmeg. Increase the heat to medium, and slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer the sauce for 2 minutes. Add the cheese to the sauce by 1/2-cup measures, stirring until the cheese melts before making another addition. Pour the sauce over the pasta, and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer the pasta to the prepared pan.
Heat the remaining butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, and cook for 2 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown. Combine the browned crumbs with the remaining cheese mixture, and sprinkle it over the top of the dish.
Bake the casserole for 20 minutes to 30 minutes, or until the cheese sauce is bubbly and the crumbs on the top are deep brown. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then serve.

-Amanda

Aroused by Arugula

When I was growing up dinners in my house always involved lots of side dishes. My mom would orchestrate a symphony of recipes: chopping vegetables while the water was coming to a boil for pasta and the chicken was simmering in a lovely lemon-wine sauce. She would have one steamer heating up and another going full steam with four large artichokes cooking away. She would turn off the chicken and artichokes and let them sit while tossing a salad. When the pasta water and steamer were roiling, she’d add the angel hair to the water and the broccoli to the steamer. It would be a frenzy for a few moments but would all come together just about when my dad would walk in the door. It was quite a production.

No matter how crazy it got, we always seemed to have salad. Back then, iceberg lettuce was the bed for an array of other vegetables. Although, at the time I wasn’t too keen on the veggies we ate—most were weeks old and still tasting of the wax and chemical coatings that preserved them during transit from some farm thousands of miles away—so I would smother them in Catalina dressing (the sweet red stuff).

My dinners are a bit different these days. We don’t have quite as many side dishes and the quality of the ingredients is much better—thank-you, Slow Food. And we still eat salads with most meals. In fact, my six-year-old oftentimes prefers salad to the main dish. Maybe it’s because of the fantastic Annie’s dressing or maybe it’s because our vegetables are better quality. There’s nothing like organic, locally grown, fresh picked tomatoes. Add some shredded carrots, red beats, marinated button mushrooms, pignolis, and some shaved Romano cheese, and the salad is delectable. And definitely, we’ve improved on the lettuce—no more iceberg. Don’t get me wrong, I like the crispy crunch of iceberg, but I prefer butter lettuce, Swiss chard, endive, and arugula, among others. While butter lettuce is my favorite, arugula, aka “garden rocket,” adds such a nice rich peppery taste. Its strong flavor adds a nice contrast to the other vegetables in a green salad. Full of vitamin C,  potassium, and lactucarium (or “lettuce opium”), arugula is considered an aphrodisiac according to Dr. Julie Upton. Now my salads can turn me on even without being smothered in dressing.

Geoffrey

Here’s a great recipe from Chef Keith Snow’s The Harvest Eating Cookbook. You can see Keith on harvesteating.com, roku.com, and coming soon on RFDTV.com.





Arugula Salad
Photo by Travis Runion

 Arugula Salad

Makes 4 servings

2 bunches arugula

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (on a baking sheet in a 250° oven for 10 minutes)

Parmesan cheese

1.  Wash and spin dry the arugula. Reserve in a salad bowl.

2.  Make the vinaigrette by combining the vinegars and olive oil and whisking to emulsify. Season the greens directly with salt and pepper and toss gently with the vinaigrette. Add the toasted pine nuts.

3.  Divide the salad among four plates. With your vegetable peeler, make long shavings of Parmesan and arrange on top of each salad. Drizzle a little extra balsamic vinegar over the cheese.

Shepherd's Pie

A Dish Fit for the Upstairs AND Downstairs

All of this Downton Abbey watching has made me hungry.  To be clear, I certainly have no illusions that early 20^th Century British cuisine was all that tasty.  Let’s be honest, just because Lady Mary and Cousin Matthew dressed in their finery for a weekday dinner didn’t make the boiled potatoes and joint of mutton any less bland.  Still, my recent addiction to the hit soap opera, um, period drama has turned my appetite positively Anglophilic.  Makes me want to ring the bell and ask Mrs. Patmore to prepare something delicious for dinner.

When you discover your daughter has run off with the chauffeur, or when you return from war and find out you can’t be “properly married” ... is there anything more comforting than Shepherd’s Pie?  Shepherd’s Pie is now commonly known as the British casserole that features a layer of ground meat and vegetables, topped with a layer of mashed potatoes.  Technically, Shepherd’s Pie uses ground lamb (hence, the “Shepherd” reference) and “Cottage Pie” uses ground beef.  More etymological theories abound:  some say Cottage Pie gets its name because it does not use mashed potatoes, but rather cut potatoes that are stacked to resemble a cottage roof.  Others argue that Cottage Pie is a reference to the dish’s plebeian roots-- usually made by peasants who wanted to stretch their Sunday roast into subsequent meals.  The debate gets heated!  Well, no matter which theory you espouse:   you say tomato....and I’m going to rail against tradition and propriety (just like Lady Sybil!) and continue to refer to the delicious mixture of ground beef with mashed spuds on top as “Shepherd’s Pie.”  Scandalous!

The question is: would Mrs. Patmore have prepared Shepherd’s Pie for the “Upstairs” clan of Lords and Ladies?  Or would it have been strictly a servant meal?   Well, here’s another reason to be glad that the British class system has withered—now everyone can enjoy this comforting, delicious dish.  And with our modern culinary flourishes, it’s definitely more appetizing than it would have been at Downton. So break out the claret and try it.  I went back to my classic cookbook for this recipe:  Marks & Spencer’s British Cookbook by Pamela Gwyther (2005).  Or for a version from a celebrity British expat, check out  Lisa Vanderpump’s cookbook and entertaining guide, Simply Divine.  They’re both simply smashing recipes!

Happy Shepherd-ing,

Jennifer

Adapted from Marks & Spencer’s The British Cookbook:

1.       Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a dutch oven (or similar pot with lid), saute 2 onions and 2 garlic cloves (all finely chopped) in some olive oil. Add 1 ½ pounds of ground meat, stirring continually until it’s browned.  Add 2 carrots (finely chopped) *; season with salt and pepper.  Then add a tablespoon of flour, 8 ounces of beef or chicken stock, and about 4 ounces of red wine.  Cover the pot with the lid and put in oven for about an hour.  Check on it every once in a while—mixture should be thick but not dry.  Add some more stock if needed, along with more salt and pepper to taste, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce if desired.

2.       While meat is cooking, make your potatoes. Cut potatoes (russets or Idahos are good choices) into chunks and boil in salted water for 15 minutes until tender.  Drain and mash until smooth. Add 2 ounces of butter, 2 tablespoons of cream or milk, and season with salt and pepper.

3.       Take your meat mixture out of oven, and spoon into ovenproof serving dish.  Spread the potato on top.  Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees and cook for 15 minutes until the top layer of potatoes is golden brown.

*Though technically not part of the recipe, I know some people can’t imagine Shepherd’s Pie without peas.  Add a handful or two of frozen peas if desired.

Image via here.

Capers, Love at First Bite

Chicken piccata

Capers, Love at First Bite

The small berries from the Mediterranean pack just the right kick. I can’t remember the first time I had capers. It may have been at my first restaurant job in college, having the chef’s special after my shift. Or maybe further back to when I was in junior high and my mother thought she’d expand our horizons. Whenever she wanted to do or eat something that she knew my brother and I probably wouldn’t like, she said it was to expand our horizons. Whenever it was, today I think these little berries are one of the best complements to pasta and chicken dishes, offering a perfect briny flavor and a decorative element at the same time.

Capers were first used in ancient Greece as a carminative. They are little fruit that grow on the caper bush, a perennial winter-deciduous plant found in the Mediterranean. They are widely used in Cypriot, Italian, and Greek cuisine. They are the “secret” ingredient in tartar sauce.  Some people think that the selenium and rutin found in capers help fight cancer. You’d probably have to eat a handful a day for noticeable affects, though. I prefer to eat them periodically in egg, pasta, and chicken dishes.  

The other night I made an over the top chicken piccata. The key to a successful piccata is freshly squeezed lemon juice and good capers. With this combination you really don’t need any salt, although a little mixed the flour helps. After muscling out a half cup of lemon juice from two lemons, I dredged my washed and trimmed boneless chicken breasts in seasoned flour and fried them in some olive oil until golden brown. Then pouring in the lemon juice and some chicken broth I let the chicken finish off in the simmering brew, but not before adding a handful of capers for a magical finish. Oh, the tartness of the lemon and capers against the battered chicken. I love it when food bites you back.

Chicken Piccata

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 (4-ounce) chicken breasts (1 pound)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Juice of 2 lemons

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup capers

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Mix the flour, salt, and pepper on a large plate. Wash and trim the chicken breasts. Pound them flat in a plastic freezer bag. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the chicken in the flour and fry in the skillet until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. When golden brown add the lemon juice, chicken broth, and capers and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes or until cooked through.

To make the sauce, in same skillet, add the butter and flour and mix to make a roux. Cook until a good sauce consistency and then pour over the chicken and serve. Makes 4 servings.



FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY AT HOME

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY AT HOME

Tips from a Pro

by Paulette Phlipot, photographer for RIPE: A Fresh Colorful
Approach to Fruits and Vegetables (April 2012)

Light: Choose a location with the most desirable light. The diffused light from a window can produce beautiful results. If the light seems too bright, a sheer curtain will help. Learn how to reflect light back onto your subject—a hand-held mirror works great, as does a piece of cardboard covered in foil.

Location: Once you have chosen a space that has nice light, start thinking about the background of your photo. A painted wall is great, as is a piece of poster board or a piece of fabric. The main thing to consider is keeping your background simple so the food can stand out.

Presentation: Decide what kind, color, shape, and size of plate or bowl you will use. Choose colors that contrast well with your food. White will almost always work. Decide if you would like to add a napkin, silverware, ingredients, or additional props to the photo. Be cautious of over-propping though, or choosing props with too many design elements. “Less is more” for food photography.

Composition: Is the image better as a horizontal photo or a vertical photo? Should you step a bit closer or should you step back? How about the angle you’ve chosen to take the photo from—should you bend down a little or should you find a chair to stand on so you can look down on the plate? It's helpful to start at the height of the food then adjust your angle from there. A tighter crop works best.

Blurry background: You will notice a lot of food photos have a blurry background. This helps to separate the food from the surroundings. If you are photographing with an SLR camera, set your aperture to 2.8, 5.6, or whatever is the lowest number (largest aperture) you have. If taking photos with a point and shoot, put it on the “macro” setting.

Flash or no flash? I recommend sticking with natural light. Using a flash for food photography can be tricky. 

Stabilize: Use a tripod if you have one. Otherwise, brace the camera against yourself, a wall, or even a chair.

Focus: Continually check your focus. Having accurate focus is imperative to successful food photography.

When to shoot: Take photos along the way as you make your recipe. You'll be surprised how nice preparation photos can look and how helpful they can be displayed next to your recipe. Shoot the finished dish as soon as it is ready; no matter how good of a photographer you are, you will never be able to make wilted greens look fresh.

Most important: Have fun, get creative, and take lots of photos!

Reprinted from Teton Family Magazine / tetonfamilymagazine.com

Photos © 2012 Paulette Phlipot

CITRUS LIBATIONS

CITRUS LIBATIONS

One of the many factors to take into account when choosing a life partner is your beloved’s hometown. Is it a place you want to visit for the rest of your life?

One of the many pieces of good luck I’ve run into is my family-in-law. Not only generous, intelligent people, they live in south Florida with a pool and a beach of retirees nearby. Visiting them is a vacation complete with poolside chips and salsa. In sunny Florida, citrus trees abound, and if you can escape the crippling blights that come around every few years, you have on your hands the best Christmas present your daughter-in-law could ever want.

On the years when the lemons come in late, I get a battered, fragrant box of fruit in the mail. When it’s cold outside and it seems that my garden will never grow again it’s just the thing to keep me going. Some years I devote the bulk of the lemons to preserving in salt for a zingy addition to stews, sautéed vegetables, or salad dressings. Simply slice lemons thickly, layer them in clean jars with kosher salt, and wait a few weeks. On alternating years, I sit myself down in front of a few episodes of a medical drama and zest one or two dozen lemons for limoncello, a pungent Italian beverage drunk ice-cold in small nips. Steeping the zest in a basic mid-range vodka for a few months yields an additive-free lemon extract, excellent for baking. Taking it one step further with a simple syrup results in the ultimate summer aperitif. We store a bottle in the freezer and give away lots more to eager friends and neighbors. It’s far better than anything you can buy outside of Italy.

(Original recipe gleaned from here, riffs are mine)

Yields 750 ml limoncello

10 to 12 organic lemons, scrubbed clean

1 (750-ml) bottle mid-range vodka or Everclear

Granulated sugar, as needed

Honey, to taste (optional/recommended)

Using a Microplane, vegetable peeler, or a sharp knife, remove the yellow zest from each lemon, avoiding the white pith. Pour off about half of the vodka into a second clean bottle or jar and divide the zest between the two containers. Tightly seal both vessels, shake to distribute, and store in a cool, dark place for 4 months. (Be sure to date the bottle from the time you start the limoncello. It’s easy to lose track of time.)

After 4 months, set a fine sieve lined with a few layers of cheesecloth or a wet paper coffee filter over a pitcher. Strain the vodka through the sieve, discarding the spent zest.

Combine 2 cups of water with 2 cups of sugar in a saucepan, or use 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup of honey—it’s up to you. I find that a little honey goes a long way in making the limoncello uniquely yours. Heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup begins to bubble like lava: it should be thick. Cool to room temperature, then stir half the syrup into the steeped vodka. Taste as you go: you may not want to add all of the syrup.

Decant the limoncello into clean bottles. Give it two weeks to sit before storing in the freezer and enjoying straight, in a glass of fizzy water, or in a cocktail.

-Kristen

Image by N. Keller via here.

Stop the World and Melt with You

Stop the World and Melt with You

Is there really anything better than melted cheese?  With apologies to the lactose-intolerant (poor devils), it seems like it’s everybody’s gloriously indulgent comfort food.  In preparation for Super Bowl weekend, I know many folks are readying their microwaves to make the famed Velveeta and Rotel Dip combo.  But might I suggest an even more delicious (and nostalgic) form of melted cheese?  How about fondue?

I say “nostalgic” because it seems that the fondue craze really took off in the United States in the ‘60s and ‘70s.  I seem to recall that my parents were always having fondue parties when I was a child.  And I clearly remember my mother’s fondue set.  It had about 10 dipping forks, with differently-colored  beads on the handles.  I always had to have the pink one (kind of like I always had to be the Shoe in Monopoly . . . )  I assume that the color-codes made it easy for people to clearly identify their own forks—an ultimately moot concern when you’re continuously dipping your fork from your mouth to a communal pot.  I believe the Fondue Party trend petered out by the 80s—but I can’t help but wonder if Seinfeld’s “Double Dip ” episode (from the 90’s) had anything to do with the rise of fondue pots being donated to the Goodwill.

Whether you’re persnickety about communal eating or not, it’s fair to say that fondue is usually shared by people who really like one another.  But it’s a pity that fondue is now relegated to Valentine’s dinners at restaurants like The Melting Pot.  Let’s reawaken the fondue party! What could be better than enjoying melted cheese with friends, in the comfort of your own home?  So grab 6 of your favorite people, dust off that vintage fondue pot, and get melting!

Happy Fondue-ing,

Jennifer

The following recipe is adapted from an upcoming book here at Running Press, The Mad, Mad , Mad, Mad Sixties Cookbook by Rick Rodgers and Heather Maclean (to be published in April 2012)—which has all sorts of great ideas for giving retro parties.  Here is the traditional Swiss-inspired cheese fondue recipe:

(Makes about 6 servings)

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups shredded Gruyere cheese,  2 ½ cups of shredded Emmenthaler cheese, and ½ cup of diced Appenzeller cheese (or you can use all Gruyere. . . but I think it’s better with the combination)

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1 garlic clove

1 cup dry white wine (It’s important that it’s something acidic like Pinot Grigio or your cheese won’t melt properly-- Do NOT use Chardonnay)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon kirsch (or you can use Cognac or brandy)

Nutmeg

Directions

1.       Toss cheese with cornstarch in a large bowl. Set aside.

2.       Get a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, and rub it all over with the garlic clove. Then discard the clove.

3.       Add wine and lemon juice to the saucepan and put over medium-high heat.  Just barely bring it to a simmer.

4.       Add the cheese a handful at a time. Stir the first batch until it’s almost completely melted, then add the next handful.  The cheese can bubble gently, but do NOT let it boil.

5.       Transfer to your fondue pot .  Stir in kirsch and sprinkle with nutmeg before bringing to the table, keeping it on a low-heat setting.  Serve with a big bowl of bite-sized French bread cubes.

6.       Fondue tip:  When you’re dipping your fork, be sure to drag along bottom of pot to discourage cheese from burning.

Photo via here

Popcorn

Popcorn

Light and fluffy it’s the movie accompaniment of choice for millions of people. Growing up popcorn always meant throwing a bag of kernels processed with some sort of flavorings into the microwave for about four minutes, until thoroughly nuked and piping hot. There’s even a warning on the bag so you can’t sue if you get steam burns opening it. I love popcorn. But what really is in that bag that’s so conveniently packaged? 

A report from the FDA reveals that a chemical used to coat microwave popcorn bags breaks down when heated into a likely carcinogenic substance called perfluorooctanoic (PFOA). These PFOA’s are also now thought to interfere with children’s vaccines. Another “danger in microwave popcorn is diacetyl, an FDA-approved chemical found in the fake butter flavoring,” according to care2.com. Diacetyl is dangerous when inhaled—so keep your face out of the bag when you first open it—but safe to ingest. The major manufacturers stopped using diacetyl a couple years ago. Today, Americans consume about 17 billion quarts of popped corn each year.

My wife’s family grew up popping natural kernels in an air popper. Sure, she had the microwaved stuff in college, but she assured me that there was nothing better than fresh homemade popcorn. So I tried it. To be honest, the first time I had homemade popcorn, it tasted weird to me. I wasn’t quite convinced this was the way to go. A few movies later, freshly popped "rainbow" kernels (yellow and white and red mixture) became my standard. Convenience and technology is good, but when it comes down to it, I think fresh and natural (fewer ingredients) is always better. The flavor really is better, and you can control what goes into your body. Who needs the danger of perfluorooctanoic and diacetyl when you can have plain oil, kernels, and salt?

Popcorn is easy to make and is quite versatile. You can have it as many ways as you can imagine. The standard way is with butter and salt, but you can have BBQ popcorn, ranch-flavored popcorn, hot mustard popcorn, or spicy popcorn. For sweet popcorn there’s caramel corn, chocolate popcorn, or cinnamon-sugar popcorn, or you can mix it with nuts and chocolate chips for a sweet-and-salty trail mix. You can even string it together to decorate a Christmas tree. According to thenibble.com, Native Americans made popcorn corsages and headdresses for dance rituals, which were also sold to his sailors. The Iroquois even made popcorn soup and popcorn beer. I don’t know much about that, but here is how you can make it at home:

Plain Popcorn

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/3 cup popcorn kernels

1 tablespoon salt, or more to taste

Pour the oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Add 3 or 4 kernels of popcorn and cover the pan. When the kernels have popped, add the remaining kernels, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to medium high. When the kernels start popping, shake the pan intermittently to prevent burning. When the popping begins to subside, turn off the heat and shake the pan for a few more seconds to allow for more popping. Pour the popcorn into a bowl and add the salt. Shake the bowl to distribute the salt.

Variations:

Cheddar Popcorn: To the plain popcorn add 1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese and 1/3 cup melted butter.

Ranch-Style Popcorn: Melt 1 cup of butter in a saucepan and add 1 envelope of Ranch dressing mix. Stir to mix and toss with the plain popcorn.

Hot Mustard Popcorn: Combine 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, a dash of cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix together and toss with the plain popcorn.