Wishes for the New Year

Here’s to a New Year marked by new and colorful experiences, dished up with nothing that you can’t handle, fruitful, spicy, full of flavor and measured by good times!

All the best for 2010 from my kitchen to yours.

Read the Fine Print: A Cautionary Tale

I’m probably driving Sylvia mad. And to be honest? She’s barely following this blog. I think it’s a mother/daughter thing. In fact, there’s no doubt. Moms are embarrassing creatures and who wants to listen to them anyway?

Well, if you are reading this, it’s probably safe to say that you aren’t Sylvia and I can continue with this morning’s cautionary tale.

Sylvia got a microwave egg poacher for Christmas (you’re right, it was from me. No wonder my reputation is in the compost bin.). This morning, while I was out running errands, the microwave thing was taken for a ‘test drive’.

All I can say is, even (especially) with the simplest of gadgets, it pays to read the instructions. As if getting an egg poacher wasn’t bad enough, neglecting to read the fine print (use medium power and follow suggested times, pierce egg white and yoke, use a teaspoon of water as in ‘teaspoon measure’ and not as in ‘a spoon that’s used for tea’) resulted in microwave mayhem (i.e. an explosion). Rubbery eggs landed in the trash.

In the spirit of full disclosure you need to know this: I retraced Sylvia’s steps and due to my own impatience had overcooked eggs to share with Pip. Not as explosive an experience as Sylvia had earlier (the eggs were edible), but next time I think I will read the fine print at least twice.

If You Can’t Take the Heat

Remember Gerald? I wrote about him in an earlier entry. Gerald is my friend who, after being on the planet even longer than myself, is just starting to get acquainted with his kitchen. Really? He’s been an inspiration. For the first time in his life, Gerald is cooking. One e-mail from him had me laughing when he wrote, “I just walked in from a foreign place. The supermarket.” Unfortunately, on a more recent occasion, Gerald wrote that he forgot to use his mitts.

Kitchen burns are no fun and today’s picture is an illustration of some of the things you can use to prevent a nasty burn. With the introduction of silicon into the kitchen, there always seems to be something new to help with the hot stuff. Don’t be a Gerald and regard kitchen shops as foreign places. Here are a few items found in my travels that I thought you might find interesting.

The solid red mitt is the traditional felt and fabric kind. When this gets dirty, you can pop it in the wash. The black and red mitt has a silicon grip. Both allow coverage for your wrists, which is particularly useful for oven stuff. The square red ‘pot holder’ also has a pocket so the back of your hand is protected. The blue holder is very flexible but does not have the advantage of a pocket. And the last thing is the red handle cover. This is something you might even want a few of (they come in different sizes), one for each of your favorite pans.

Finally, should you experience a minor mishap (aka burn), run it under cool water and put some anti-biotic ointment on your kitchen 'badge of honor’. A band-aid will keep a minor mishap clean and protected.

Hi Honey

I purchased this honey bear at a local farmer’s market. Bears, as you probably know, have been associated with honey for a long time (there’s Winnie the Pooh for starters). Apparently, the word for ‘bear’ in Russian, Hungarian and Croatian is derived from a noun that means ‘honey’ and a verb that means ‘to eat’. Which explains why we get honey in little plastic squeeze bears (which is handy because honey is so sticky).

There are some people that think eating local honey is a way of introducing small and manageable amounts of local allergens into one’s system. By introducing these very small amounts of pollens into your body, it’s thought that this can help to develop immunities. This does not mean that you are out of luck regarding 'local honey' if you live in a city. In New York there is at least one organization that promotes bees. The ‘New York City Beekeepers Association’ is dedicated to urban bees and if you check out their website, they even offer to make arrangements should you care to ‘host a beehive’!

But, even if the allergen thing is up for dispute, and even if you are not hosting a hive in your back yard or on your rooftop, some honey from your cupboard can always sweeten a nice cup of tea or help you to soothe a sore throat (just mix a little honey with some lemon juice).

Persian Cucumbers or Snack Like an Emperor

This is the season for entertaining, and that means something interesting to snack on before the real meal or just simply snacking, period.

These little Persian Cucumbers (also known as ‘mini seedless’) are one of my favorite appetizers. They are monstrously easy to prepare and there are never any left over. Unlike the large cucumbers that you are probably familiar with, these little guys are not coated with wax for transport, and are possessed of delicate edible skins and a mild flavor without any bitter seeds.

Simply wash them in cool water and drain or pat dry, slice in halves or quarters length wise and, if you are going deluxe, sprinkle with a little salt. I have a pot of Fleur de sel (literally translated as ‘flower of salt’) that is used for just this occasion. It’s a special salt from west-central France (not used for cooking, but as a condiment) that tastes like the ocean and is colored by trace minerals. That said, you don’t need fancy French salt, just a little sprinkle of the kosher stuff and you have a snack fit for a Roman Emperor (Tiberius had cucumbers on his table in winter and summer).

Clementines and Stockings

Cathy and I splurged on a box of clementines this Christmas. They were a little expensive this year (no doubt because they needed a passport to get here), and they never last very long, but this being the season of traditions, an orange or clementine has a role to play. Not all that long ago, experiencing a citrus fruit in the dead of winter was the height of luxury. Granted, this is even a little before my time, but Santa always made sure to put an orange or something related in our stockings (just as Santa’s parents did). As a kid, I always thought this a little strange and a waste of good stocking real estate. Why put a piece of fruit where there could be a toy or some chocolates?

No such thoughts yesterday. These marvels of the citrus family can be peeled with just your fingers, are virtually seedless and very sweet. The perfect snack for a lazy day. A day when phone calls are personal, the shopping is either done or abandoned and there’s no need to do anything except enjoy.

Season’s Greetings

I hope that your holiday season and the New Year are full of treats. Some that you will make yourself (maybe in your kitchen?), some that you will give to others (maybe also from your kitchen!) and some that you will simply happen upon!

(Meet Pip, the one foodie in the household that you have yet to be introduced to. She’s always a treat!)

'Salt of the Earth'

There’s a reason for this saying. All salt is created naturally from oceans. It’s basic not only to our kitchens; it's basic to our very existence. In fact, salt is a chemical necessary for our bodies. Nothing in your kitchen is more fundamental (except perhaps water).

Salt has been used since the beginnings of civilization to preserve foods and enhance flavor. A quick visit to Wikipedia for a bit of history lists a saltworks in China dating back to 6000 BC as well as funeral offerings of it in ancient Egyptian tombs. Pretty interesting stuff!

Although there are many types of salt (and I will get to them later), most cooks prefer Kosher salt as their basic cooking salt. Granulated and Iodized salts have additives that contribute metallic or other unappealing aftertastes. Kosher salt is relatively pure and because of its large grains or flakes (you can purchase it either way), is very easy to use. The larger the flake or crystal, the quicker it will dissolve during cooking. Kosher salt comes in large boxes and is very affordable, which is also a good thing.

Salt can corrode metal, so store your salt in glass or ceramic or wood.

Dijon Mustard and a Well Dressed Salad

While we are on the subject of salad dressing, I thought you might like to know about Dijon Mustard and making a simple vinaigrette.

Dijon is French mustard that has a nice sharp taste and is a simple step away from the oil and vinegar dressing that I wrote about yesterday. There are so many ways to make a salad dressing that once you get the hang of it, you won’t even think of buying bottled dressing. What you can make at home will be healthier, less expensive and will also start to reflect your cooking style.


If you would like some firm quantities, let’s start with this:

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons of good quality wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

Put all the ingredients in a jar with a very tight lid and shake the jar like crazy.
Done! Now add a little salt and pepper to taste and shake again.

Your salad is about to be very well dressed!

Toss Like a Fool

Here is the lovely gift from Ben. When I look at this, I’ll remember Ben’s surprise visit with his pal Allie, Impromptu Pizza and some crazy rounds of UNO.

Apart from being beautiful and fun, this bottle is also useful. The outside bottle stores olive oil while the grape bottle suspended inside holds vinegar. Because Ben and Sylvia like Balsamic vinegar, that’s what’s in there now. So, next time you need some salad dressing, get yourself set up with some nice vinegar and the best olive oil that you can lay your hands on. That, and a little saying will be all you need:

Use oil like a king,
Vinegar like a pauper,
And toss like a fool.

No recipe required. When you are faced with a bowl of greens, put enough olive oil to coat (just enough… don’t make your salad soggy), a much much smaller amount of vinegar (just enough to make an appearance), a pinch of salt, a grind of pepper and toss until everything is distributed evenly (you won’t feel foolish, I promise).

Impromptu Pizza

Ben (Sylvia’s brother) stopped by this afternoon to wish me a Happy Birthday (I’m really stretching this one out!) and presented me with a lovely oil and vinegar thing. I’ll get to that in a future blog. What I think you’d be more interested in is a recipe for Impromptu Pizza. Why ‘impromptu’? Because unlike last night’s pizza that was made with homemade dough and planned very much in advance, this was as spur-of-the-moment as Ben’s visit.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Find your oven mitts and a baking sheet.

Ingredients you will need:

flat Bread
olive oil
salt and pepper
freshly chopped garlic
tomato sauce
mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese


Put a round of flat bread on your baking sheet and place it in the oven for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, using your mitts, remove the baking sheet with the bread from the oven, making sure to put it on a heat proof surface.

Brush a teaspoon of olive oil on the surface of the bread. Then put a large spoonful of tomato sauce followed by a pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper and a sprinkle of fresh garlic ‘to taste’ (meaning ‘how you like it’). Next come a few slices of mozzarella and a grating of Parmesan.

Place your pizza, still on the sheet, back in the oven for about 10 minutes.

That’s it! I used some fresh basil leaves left over from last night, making it look as though I had this planned!

“Never Apologize”

Nothing wrong a day that starts out with new cookbooks! These were waiting for me this morning, a present from my sister and I am delighted!

There is not a ‘foodie’ on the planet that is not in love with Julia Child. If you ever have the opportunity to watch episodes of her cooking show (she is one of the first to cook on TV), you should. She is light hearted and generous and such fun!

Because it’s my big day (and I’m doing my favorite thing, which is cooking for friends), this is going to be a short entry. What I would like to leave you with (consider it a virtual party bag) is something that Julia insisted on.

“Never apologize for a meal.”

Not sure if that’s a direct quote, but it’s something I have learned to practice. Friends are always happy to be fed. Don’t point out what you think may be your mistakes! Focus on the positive. Cooking, like so many endeavors, provides many metaphor moments. This is a big one. Bon appetit!

GNO and Ann’s ‘Martha’ Moment

Tomorrow’s my birthday, and by way of celebration my pals and I had a birthday edition of GNO (Girls Nite Out). These occasions are always life affirming. We usually start by going to an art museum or some galleries and finish by finding an affordable restaurant where we can catch up each with other’s news and have a good laugh.

Because we are in the middle of holidays, last night there was an exchange of gifts. Ann brought each of us two canning jars of herbs from her garden, and was laughing at herself for having a ‘Martha’ (as in Martha Stewart) moment with the ribbons. These herbs smell incredible. As fresh as something dried can be!

Dried herbs can go stale. If you have had yours for more than a year, toss them and get some ‘fresh’. Herbs are best stored in tight jars or containers and away from light. These gifts will go in the cupboard, keeping the rest of the spices and herbs company (after I label them with the date). Not that I anticipate them lasting long. The Bay leaves will be used in soups and when cooking beans. The rosemary will be used for roast vegetables or chicken. I suspect they will find their way into many other winter dishes as well.

Thank you Ann, Martha has nothing on you!

Learn Something New Everyday

Did you know that the average bite of food we eat travels 2000 miles?

This is the sort of stuff you learn while listening to the radio and doing Christmas cards. I quickly jotted down this interesting fact.

I thought that you might find this fact interesting as well. How far is Peru? That’s where the bananas I purchased yesterday came from. What I do remember Bill McKibben saying, is that it’s only in recent times that people are accustomed to eating food from such a distance. The current popularity of Farmer’s Markets explains our desire to eat food that doesn’t have to have a passport to get here and that is seasonal. It’s also nice to know who produced it. Eating locally means what we eat is fresher, costs less to transport and impacts less on the environment. Interesting. Now you’ve had your ‘learn something new everyday’ moment.

'Set the Table' Please

This is a picture of an informal Place Setting. When you need to ‘set the table’ this is standard. If you were getting very fancy and had salad forks or dessertspoons, etc, it would be a little more complicated.

But, as our goal is getting the ‘basics’, this will serve. Having a table set with a special glass or a napkin shows that you are paying attention to the details. Your guests will know that you have thought of them and will feel welcomed. Haven’t had time to prepare the table? Put your guests to work! They’ll feel useful and that’s welcoming too.

It’s been a busy day for me, so I hope this will suffice. In fact, I have my son and some friends coming over for dinner and need to ‘set the table’ myself!

Pasta for Beginners: Episode Three

As you know, I was going to call this Episode 'Unbirthday Pasta' (which I changed,thinking that this new title is more fun). I’m sure that Marin's birthday is long gone and that Sylvia made her friend happy with this simple dinner. That said, there’s no need to abandon our endeavor to master this pasta staple that is good for any day. Are you ready? Read through the instructions first and imagine how all this is going to work in your kitchen. The previous episodes were about ingredients and tools. This episode deals with hot water and timing. It's important that you have your work space ready and are thinking about what's going to happen and when. Don't feel silly about doing this. All cooks prepare ahead. In fact, the more professional the cook, the more preparation...really!

PS To really make this easy, try making one serving first. You can use a smaller pot and with about two handfuls of Pasta you will have a generous portion for one. The big pot thing is for when you are cooking the whole box and serving about four.

New Kitchen Primer Presents
It's Not Marin's Birthday Pasta or Episode Three: Method

Today's photo is pasta as Marin likes it. Very simple. That's why we are starting with this dish. Pasta is tremendously versatile and we have lots of variety in the future. But let's get cooking pasta itself down to an art before getting too ambitious. It's always about the basics!


1. Put cold water in your largest pot and place on stove (leave some room in the pot, the pasta is going to expand about twice in volume).

2. Over high heat, bring water to a boil (large bubbles). Placing the lid on will help. When you have achieved a boil, remove the lid (we're finished with it for now) and add a generous teaspoon of kosher salt.

3. Add pasta to boiling water and give it a stir. You want to keep the water active, but you may want to turn the heat down just a bit. Be nice to your pot and try not to let it boil over.
After about 10 minutes (check the package for timing suggestions), remove one piece of pasta from the pot (use a slotted spoon or strainer) and cut it in half.

NOW… here’s the tricky part. Don’t over cook your pasta. It should be ‘al dente’, which means having a ‘little bite’. Mushy pasta won’t harm anyone, but it’s not as fun as al dente.

If, after cutting or breaking a piece of pasta, you see a white core, it’s not done. Keep cooking. That said, just the teeniest, tinniest amount is OK, because it’s going to take a while to get the pasta out of the pot and it will continue to cook, though just a little. This takes practice and once you have some experience, ‘al dente’ will be your specialty.

4. Pasta done? Turn off the burner.

If you are using a colander, place it in the sink and using your mitts, carefully empty the pot of water and pasta into the colander, then transfer to a bowl (if you are not sure about this, practice ahead of time with a cold pot of water to see if you can manage it. This is a dress rehearsal, so use your mitts).

If you are using the ‘scoop’ method, place a bowl near to your pot and using a slotted spoon or similar tool, ladle the pasta into the bowl.

Either way, do not rinse off the pasta. The starch that was released during cooking will help the sauce to cling to the pasta.

Once your pasta is drained, toss it in the bowl with some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a little salt and some freshly ground pepper (or let your guests do the pepper thing themselves). Success! You’ve just made Marin’s Birthday Pasta.

Pasta for Beginners: Episode Two

What I haven’t told you is that all the Pasta Episodes were originally one entry entitled ‘Marin’s Birthday Pasta’. At the end of Episode Three, you will be able to make Marin, or if you don’t know a Marin, any one of your family or friends, a simple pasta dish. I won’t call it a meal because I would like you to also eat a salad or some vegetables to balance things out, but don’t let me get ahead of myself. Let’s proceed! You are well on the way!

New Kitchen Primer Presents
Episode Two: Ingredients

Today’s photo has the ingredients needed to make pasta with cheese.

Water: Get it cold out of the tap. If you want to use filtered, that’s great too. Just make sure you start out with it cold, it’s fresher that way.

Pasta: Pasta (and it’s many forms) is universal. Pasta can be made from scratch, purchased fresh or dried. To simplify matters, let’s start with dried and think Italian. Starting with shapes will also make your life easier. These are called Farfalle or ‘bow ties’. As you become more experienced, you will start to pair the shape of the pasta with the sort of sauce it’s going to keep company with. Whatever the shape, purchase the best pasta that you can afford, which hopefully means pasta from Italy made with Durum flour. The better the quality, the less likely you will be to over cook it.

Salt: I keep this little pot of kosher salt next to the stove. Kosher salt is very inexpensive and comes in a large box. It is softer and not as sharp tasting as the iodized salt that comes in round cardboard containers.

Pepper: Nothing can match the bright taste of freshly ground pepper. If you don’t have a grinder, supermarkets sell peppercorns in jars that have one built in.

Cheese Grater (not an ingredient, but we had enough going on yesterday): Just as with pepper, freshly grated is best. Graters come in many shapes and forms. This is a simple hand grater that sometimes makes it to the table so that everyone can grate their own cheese.

Cheese: If you have not read the entry “Parmigiano- Reggiano and the Moon”, now’s the time. There is no substitute for this marvel. If you can’t get Parmigiano –Reggiano, buy the best that you can find. A little goes a long way. Remember to tightly wrap your cheese in fresh plastic wrap when finished.


I think that that’s for this episode. Next installment? Episode Three: Unbirthday Pasta

Pasta for Beginners: Episode One

I would like to introduce you to someone. When I write this blog, I think not only of my daughter Sylvia, and her friends, but also of my friend, Gerald. Gerald is very smart about many things. He's smart about training people to communicate, he’s smart at learning to dance and most of all he’s smart about being a good friend. What Gerald is not smart about is his kitchen (although he is learning and that makes me very happy). I imagine that there are a lot of people in the world just like Gerald (and Sylvia too for that matter). So, when Gerald did me the favor of reading the bolg I had intended for today and had some questions about equipment, I decided to back up and do this in stages.

New Kitchen Primer Presents
Pasta for Beginners
Episode One: Equipment

The photo for today shows more than you need, but has all the basics.

A large pot: This one has the addition of a built-in liner with holes so that when your pasta is done, you can simply lift out the liner to drain.

A pot lid: This is not essential, but will help to get your water boiling.

A colander: If you don't have the built in liner, this is what you use to drain the cooked pasta. If you don’t have a colander, ask for one for Christmas or Hanukah or your birthday. This is a very useful thing to have in the kitchen

A large bowl: This can be used to hold the pasta after you have either drained it or scooped it out of the pot.

Oven mitts: Another kitchen essential, you will need these if you are going to take the pot of cooked pasta to the sink and your colander.

Implements: This picture shows a ‘spider’ and also a ‘pasta fork’. If you are not comfortable picking up a hot pot of water, these tools will help you scoop out the pasta from the water to the bowl. Any spoon with holes or a strainer of some sort will do the job.

Timer: Not essential, but very useful. You may have a timer built into your stove or use the one on your microwave. If you do use the microwave timer, make sure you have a bowl or cup of water in the microwave. To keep your microwave happy, never turn it on when empty.

I think that that’s enough information for one day. Stay tuned for the next and thrilling installment, Episode Two: Ingredients

What I Ate On My Winter Vacation

Almonds! I do love almonds and often find myself grabbing a handful during the day to stave off hunger and the desire to eat something less healthy. The benefits of almonds are no secret. They have practically no carbohydrates, are full of fiber and a rich source of vitamin E. They are also rich in monounsaturated fat, which is considered one of the good fats that help to lower cholesterol levels.

In California, at my dad’s house, they are a kitchen staple. Suzanne, my father’s helper, makes sure that roasted almonds are always available. Apart from whole nuts, Suzanne also has jars of ground roasted almonds on hand as a condiment and as a substitute for less healthful seasonings. Our mornings there always start with steamed vegetables, rice, ground almonds and Tamari sauce. Not my usual granola, but that’s what’s great about being away from home, trying something new!

Almonds are great raw, but even more delicious roasted. Here’s how:

1. Set your oven to 350 degrees and find your oven mitts.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, spread shelled raw almonds in a single layer.
3. Place almonds on rack in oven. Stir once or twice during cooking.
4. When the almonds are golden brown (about 10-15 minutes), remove from the oven. (Don’t forget your mitts and remember to put the hot baking sheet on a trivet, the top of the stove or any heatproof surface.)

After they cool, you can eat them as is or grind them in a processor or blender and enjoy your almond ‘sprinkles’ on everything from vegetables to ice cream.

Label Your Food!!

A friend admonished me once for using too many exclamation marks. He may be right, but in this instance, I hope they are the attention grabbers that they are intended to be.

On a recent weekend, Sylvia’s Aunt Cathy and I made a quick trip to her apartment. Whoa! I have seen it in worse condition (which is not saying much), but I had never experienced it smelling so bad. Sylvia had made a desperate plea for me to check out the refrigerator. By the time we arrived, Marin had tossed the culprit. It was an out-of-date container of milk. That was part of the problem, but there were some leaking milk containers as well, which meant pulling things out of the fridge and doing some damage control.

The sink is not the only place where Sylvia lives that science experiments take place. Honestly? It was a little scary. I recognized leftovers that had long passed their usefulness and were working their way to historical and possibly dangerous. This is not an appropriate venue for souvenir collecting. Some of the containers had ware-housed food for so long, that it seemed best to throw out not only the food, but the container as well. Better safe than sick.

This is what I am going to tell Sylvia:

1. Just keep what you know you are going to eat later. Label it.
2. Label every container, box, storage bag with the date stored and or opened.
3. Freeze food that is perishable or that you want to save for later. Label it.
4. Re-store open packages in a bag or container that is airtight and label it.

I hope that’s emphatic enough! A permanent marker and some tape will be your ticket to food that isn’t scary and leftovers that can be enjoyed safely. Look on the containers of foods that you purchase. There are usually storage instructions somewhere. Most foods can be stored safely for a couple of days or up to a week. Things like cranberry sauce last for much longer (it’s basically fruit and sugar). Watch out for foods with a lot of dairy. Soups without dairy and starches (pasta, rice) freeze brilliantly, as does tomato sauce. Label it!!

Food for Thought

Admission: I have been overwhelmed by the demands of the season (and it’s not over yet!). Not just the holiday season, but this season in my life. My children are learning self-sufficiency and my parents need more assistance. Days just don’t seem adequate to the tasks at hand.

When I think of the things that carry me through, I always think of friends, work, my home and the small daily occurrences of a nice meal, an interesting conversation or some little bit of order. Most often each of those is associated with the kitchen. This is the room that I miss the most when gone. Tomorrow starts a week away from my desk, my kitchen and this blog. It’s time to visit my father. I’ll be back soon and look forward to establishing, once again, the rhythm of writing and shooting and helping you out in your kitchen.

Practice on the beans, make some soup and don’t forget to keep the most important room in the house clean and cook-ready. What do you think of a series titled ‘Pantry Chronicles’? This will be my food for thought while away!

Aromatics, Herbs and Spices

Aromatics and herbs are flavorings that you can add to your beans while they are cooking. Now that you are an advanced bean cooker, you are ready to push the flavor envelope.

After taking pictures of these beans, they looked to good to abandon. With sage leaves retrieved from the garden, a sliced onion plus a few peppercorns, there were delicious beans (ready in less than an hour) for lunch.

Other suggestions for aromatics or herbs that you might like to try:

A carrot, a celery stalk, a few cloves of garlic.

A bay leaf, a few whole cloves (not garlic cloves, but the little brown spiky spice ones), a sprig of fresh thyme or parsley.

Do you recognize the pot? This repeat performer is the pot I rescued back in October. Pretty isn’t it?

‘Beans: To Soak or Not to Soak’

There seems to be a lot of controversy over soaking or not, but you know what? If you want to plan ahead and cut down on cooking time, soak. If you are like me and decide the day you are cooking that you would like beans, you don’t have to soak. It’s really that simple.

But, can we back-up for just a moment? I’m not sure I have waxed poetic enough about the virtues of beans. Beans not only have protein and fiber, but the darker they are in color, the richer they are in anti-oxidants. Did I mention iron, B vitamins and folic acid as well? You get the idea. Apart form the myriad of health benefits; dried beans are easily stored (try to use them within a year) and very affordable. Once cooked, they can be eaten as is, used in all sorts of recipes or mixed with something simple like chopped onions and vinaigrette. Cooked beans can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days or stored in the freezer (in a plastic container or freezer bag) for up to 6 months. Either way, store them along with some of the cooking liquid.

Canned beans are OK. If this is what you need to do to get started, fine. No one is judging. They will be more expensive, not taste as good or have as much nutritional value, but whatever works.

If you are ready to start from scratch, here’s how.

1. Start with about one pound of beans.
2. Don’t forget to sort through and remove any stones (see previous entry).
3. Rinse beans well (a colander is your best bet here) with cold water.

Soaking Method
After doing the 3 basic steps above, put your beans in a large pot and cover with about 6 inches of cold water. After 6-12 hours, drain and return to pot. Cover with about 2 inches of water, put lid on and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer (this is a just below boiling) and continue to cook, partially covered this time, until done. Add water if needed.

No Soak Method
After doing the 3 basic steps above, put beans in a large pot and cover with cold water by 2-3 inches. Place lid on pot until a boil is reached and then lower to a simmer and keep partially covered until done. Add water as needed.

For both methods, keep checking for doneness (about every 10 minutes or so). When the beans are becoming tender, add about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper.

Read this through a few times. Imagine the steps. Now do it for real! You will have some simple, healthy and very affordable meals in your future.

Meet The Bean’s

May I introduce your inner (and possibly undiscovered) food geek to The Bean’s? If you were truly on familiar terms, you might affectionately call them legumes. Either form of address is acceptable.

The Bean’s are your friends. They deliver an economical source of protein. In other words they are cheap and good! But that’s not to say they are without prestige. Harold McGee, food geek extraordinaire, says that in the ancient world of the Romans, four prominent families based their names on four major beans, Lentulus from the lentil, Fabius from the fava, Piso from the pea and Cicero from the chickpea.

That’s your history moment for the day! Let’s get back to the here and now and start with some practical stuff. Dried beans, before you buy them, are washed with stones. What you must do before cooking them is check them for those pesky little rocks. Spread your beans out on a baking sheet, picking out any stones and also discarding any beans that look weird.

That’s what this picture is about. In two cups of black beans I found four small stones. Not very many, but it only takes one to crack a tooth. Something that I’ve experienced first hand and would highly recommend avoiding.

While you go back to studying the Romans, I’m going to work on my next entry:
‘Beans: To Soak or Not to Soak’. Bet you can’t wait for the next installment!

Creature of Habit

True confession time. When it comes to breakfast I am a total bore. There’s flexibility when it comes to the question of coffee or tea, but I never waver in my desire for Granola. It’s been a long time since I bought this stuff pre-made at the supermarket. Even the Coop disappoints. Sugary and expensive, there’s just no point. Especially when granola is a snap to make at home and very economical. If you follow the link, you will have a basic recipe for my (and what I hope might become your) morning ritual. Like almost all recipes, this one is easy to tailor to your own culinary eccentricities. Don’t like cinnamon? Skip it! You’ve run out of raisins? No sweat. There’s no such thing as the Granola Police, and this is all about you. Maybe there is something else in the cupboard that seems like a good idea.

I like to add freshly ground nutmeg along with anise seed and cardamom that I pummel in a mortar with a pestle. Sometimes I use chopped apricots and cranberries as part of the dried fruit. Maple syrup can be a stand in for honey. I may be a bore regarding granola in general, but every batch seems just a little different and that’s all to the good. A hearty bowl of this stuff and food is a non issue until lunch!

Ways to eat granola:

Traditional- in a bowl with milk
Super Hearty- over plain yogurt with some extra honey
Granola Deluxe- either of the above with fresh fruit
On The Road- running late or need a snack? Eat like trail mix

Looks Aren’t Everything

This is probably the least pretty picture that I have posted so far. What is it?

It’s a Sweet Potato with little cavities cut out to make room for slivers of garlic. In total, there are about six holes in this potato with corresponding pieces of garlic crammed in. Once you’ve done that, wrap the whole thing in some foil and put it in the oven next to what ever else is cooking. Leave it there until it gets soft (about one hour at 450 degrees or longer if it is in an oven that is at a lower temperature). Carefully open the foil and slice it into disks. Heaven!

This is the easiest and best way I know of to cook sweet potatoes. If someone asks you to make a contribution to the Thanksgiving meal, do this. You can’t go wrong. I’d stake my garlic press on it!

I hope that your holiday is as effortless and delicious as this potato is destined to be.

France Comes To Brooklyn

Tomorrow Cathy graduates from FCI (The French Culinary Institute). The little cap goes and in it’s place, the glory of a very, very tall hat. Cathy’s toque will announce (in a very not so subtle way) that she triumphed and survived the last six months. After the fruit tarts you saw in an October entry, there were cakes, plated desserts, chocolates, breads, sugar sculptures and chocolate creations whose purpose was to display petit fours (bite sized cakes) and even more chocolate! Early mornings, homework and tests, resembled the stress of medical school more than the alchemy of butter and flour.

The most interesting part of this culinary journey has been watching Cathy master not only her pastry dough, but also herself. In the crucible of the kitchen she has learned about what it’s like to meet expectations, work with other people and deal with deadlines and critiques. Not easy, not always pretty, but in the end, very impressive. Tomorrow’s graduation represents a lot of hard work, accomplishment and self-acceptance.

The celebration has started already. Cathy’s sister-in-law has come from France and we will be toasting with a lovely bottle of Champagne.

Dry vs. Liquid and Rome

There are two types of measuring. Liquid and dry.

When measuring liquids, use a transparent measuring cup that allows you to see that the liquid is level. When you judge the amount, make sure that you are level with the cup. Am I making sense? In other words, don’t expect to get your measuring right if you are not looking straight on at the lines of your measuring cup or if it’s off kilter in anyway.

Dry measuring is done with those little cups that (usually) have a handle and look like small saucepans. After filling the size cup required, drag a knife across the top, scraping off any excess that’s above the rim of the cup.

Measuring spoons are used for both dry and liquid ingredients.

Baking requires precision. There is a very calculated chemical event that makes a cake rise, or affects the texture of what it is you are making. When baking, you need to make extra sure that your measured ingredients are as precise as you can get them. Also, most baking recipes that require eggs are referring to Grade A Large (this does vary, so check your cookbook).

When it comes to cooking (as opposed to baking), it’s a good idea to follow a first time recipe fairly closely. Once you have tried a recipe as dictated, you can express yourself a bit more the next time you cook it. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, cooking does not need to be scary. Everybody does things more than once to get it right. This also applies to cooking.

Help out the whole process by starting with a clean kitchen. Have your cooking tools handy and make sure that you have the ingredients to pull off what ever it is you are trying to accomplish. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and as long as the food you are cooking with has been stored correctly and you have exercised good kitchen hygiene, there’s nothing to fear! As you spend more time in the kitchen, you’ll be surprised how all that experience adds up and how much easier things become. Relax! Everything will taste so much better.

Mango Lassi

Now that you know how to cut a mango, you are ready to make a lassi. Basically, a mango lassi is an exotic fruit smoothie. The addition of cardamom will transport you to India or, at the very least, your favorite Indian restaurant. I’m giving you the recipe for a sweet lassi, if you like things more on the savory side, substitute a pinch of salt for the sugar. A pinch is exactly what it sounds like, just the amount of salt that you can grasp with your thumb and forefinger. Additionally, if you would like a thinner lassi, add a bit of milk. This is one of those recipes that are not exact and you can have fun making it your own.


Mango Lassi

The flesh of one mango (about 1 cup)
1 cup of plain yogurt
1/2 a cup of crushed ice or ice cubes
1 Tablespoon of sugar
1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom or to taste

Put all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Enjoy!

It’s a bird, it’s a plane… it’s Superfruit!

Why? Not because it comes from outer space, but because it’s rich in healthy properties. Fruits that deliver complex health benefits are termed ‘superfruit’ and mangos are superheroes in this category. Mangos are charged with vitamins A, C and E for starters. And the list goes on: B6, potassium, copper and 17 amino acids. There’s more, but I think that we have established already, that mangos are good for you.

The really super thing is that mangos are delicious. Choose a fruit that is free of bruises and slightly soft. Like most superheroes, mangos come in all colors and sizes. If the mangos where you shop aren’t ripe, buy one anyway and keep it on your counter until it’s ready.

Here’s how to cut a mango. There is a long, thin, oval pit in the middle. Cut along the length of the fruit either side of the pit. At this point you can scoop out the flesh from the sidepieces with a spoon or do a ‘hedgehog’ cut. This is done by taking a small knife and cutting just through the flesh – not the skin. Turn it inside out. Eat!

Or, if you are not crazy about using a knife in the manner suggested above, simply peel it with a vegetable peeler. Then you can use a non-scary knife to cut off the flesh. Be brave! It’s worth it!

Great Expectations

Today I started what I hope will become a weekly pilgrimage to Sylvia’s program. Equipped for this mission with a basket containing the requisite apron and dishtowel along with a fresh copy of Joy of Cooking and the latest Bon Appetit my expectations knew no bounds.

Sylvia and I would cook dinner! What could be simpler and more fun? Like the woodland creatures to Snow White, Sylvia and I would cook as her friends flocked to the apartment and commenced to make merry. We would be entertaining in an instant!

Of course, it wasn’t quite like that. Real life doesn’t take long to rear its formidable head. The first hour at the apartment was filled with taking care of other business and then cleaning. Sylvia’s household doesn’t have a vacuum cleaner! Snack remains are not so easily dispatched with a whisk broom and dustpan. I have seen the kitchen in worse condition, but there was a lively event taking place in the sink.

While I plucked nasty dishes from the cultural event in full swing and dispatched them to the ‘dirty dish cabinet’ (dishwasher), Sylvia wrote down the ingredients needed for a root vegetable pasta dish in Bon Appetit. “ Pasta? “ I’m thinking to myself. But in the spirit of engendering kitchen enthusiasm, Sylvia gets my full support. Besides, Sylvia’s roommate, Marin, thrives on a steady diet of this stuff and she’s joining us.

I’m tempted at this point to launch into the epic saga of our trip to Walbaum’s, but really I want to stay in the kitchen. All you need to know is that we returned safely with root veg in hand along with a can of promises. Instant homemade breadsticks! How could I refuse? Sylvia declared that this would be her introduction to baking. These days, if it’s a question of additives and enthusiasm VS no enthusiasm, I tell myself that Sylvia will come around to the ‘pure side’ eventually. In the mean time, my goal is to get her in the kitchen and enjoying herself. We did that tonight. Marin was waxing poetic about the chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano that was freshly grated onto her penne while Sylvia and I tucked into our version with the root vegetables.

There were a few discoveries tonight. By letting go of some of my expectations and accepting some of Sylvia’s, we had a very nice evening. Grand plans often have to start modestly. Canned promises sometimes deliver; the bread sticks were a total hit. And last, but not least, I need to get Sylvia a chopping board.

Today’s No Cook Meal

If you have been following the blog, you will know that I have been away for a week, having left off with the entry about having coffee and cake with my mother in Wales. Truth be told, we did enjoy this ritual at Herbert Lewis, but just once. What I was really doing was moving my mother to a small retirement flat (the British word for apartment). I’m back and exhausted!

Who wants to cook? Not me, not today. Everyone has days like this (some more than others). I’ve been thinking about healthy no-cook things to eat. In this category, there’s nothing more basic than a slice of bread with some peanut butter (and if the spirit moves you adding something like honey or jam). Simple? Yes, very. That said, all peanut butters (and most things that come in a jar or can or box or package) are not created equal. Just for my own education I purchased a jar of Jiff today. As soon as I finish this bit of writing, I am going to throw it away. Why? Because here are the ingredients:

Roasted peanuts and sugar, 2 % or less of molasses, fully hydrogenated vegetable oils (rapeseed and soybean), mono and diglycerides, salt.

Sugar? Why here? Hydrogenated fats have been linked with the increased rise in coronary heart disease. I’m not interested in consuming those. As for the mono and diglycerides, simply put, they are fats used to make the peanut butter creamy. I can stir it, thank you very much!

I think I will stick to my Smuckers. With just peanuts and salt it’s healthier and tastes better. There’s nothing wrong with the basics.

Daughter From America

A lot of things happen over coffee and cake, or any sort of food and drink, for that matter. This is a picture of my mother at her favorite meeting place, Herbert Lewis. Marj lives in a small town in Wales called Chepstow. Lewis’ is a shop that has a little restaurant on the second floor and my mother often stops there when she is in town. More often than not there is someone there that she knows (Chepstow isn’t very big). After she introduces her “daughter from America” (that’s me), we exchange pleasantries and sometimes a bit of local news. If it weren’t for the coffee and cake, who knows what would happen? Friends would not meet and everyone would be in the dark regarding the latest in Chepstow affairs. Unimaginable!

What is truly unimaginable is a life without these moments. So much happens over a cup of something and a bite to eat. Isn’t it marvelous that something we are required to do every day, eat and drink, can be such a pleasure and so much a part of how we relate to one another? Amazing the way that works.

If I don’t make any blog entries this week, it’s because I am in Wales with my mother. More likely than not, we will be having a coffee at Herbert Lewis, meeting her friends and catching up on all the local news.

Advanced Garlic

Let’s review: (When it comes to something as essential and delightful as garlic, it’s important that we know our stuff!)

Garlic 101: Choose firm heavy cloves that are not sprouting.

Garlic Practical: See entry ‘Remove Your Coat’

And today’s lesson:

Advanced Garlic: A truly fresh clove will be juicy and white on the inside. This is the ideal. When there is a little green sprout, no need to panic. You can choose to do nothing, or (if you are feeling fancy) remove the slightly harsh tasting intrusion with the tip of your paring knife. That’s it!

I’m sure you passed.

Here’s a recipe for Roasted Garlic.
Roasted garlic is delicious on crackers or bread and useful for flavoring soups, stews, mashed potatoes or salad dressings.

Parmigiano-Reggiano and the Moon

Ah, the alchemy of milk, salt and time. With Parmigiano-Reggiano place matters as well. This naturally aged cheese is named after the provinces in Italy where it is produced. Cheeses that are simply called Parmesan, are just imposters and although the real deal is more expensive than the wanna-be’s, there is no substitute. Of all your food purchases this is probably the starkest culinary case of ‘you get what you pay for’.

This marvelous cheese can be grated (a little goes a long way) into soups, over pasta and is a key ingredient to pesto and Caesar salad. Also considered a ‘table cheese’, you can do as the Italians and pair it with fruit and nuts for an easy dessert (I just had the shavings from this photograph with an apple and was transported). When there is nothing left but the memory of delicious meals and rind, pop the rind into your next batch of soup. Nothing need go to waste.

Because Parmigiano-Reggiano is so easy to digest it’s good for persons who are lactose intolerant. It’s also big source of Calcium and Phosphorus, so much so that the Russian cosmonauts found it useful in staving off bone loss during their long periods of weightlessness on the space station MIR. As if that were not enough, Parmigiano-Reggiano is low in fat and sodium.

Each time you store your Parmigiano, wrap it as tightly as you can in fresh plastic and place in the cheese drawer of your refrigerator. This is not a cheese that freezes.

Feeling a bit lazy and want a quick meal? Just grate a little of this marvel on top of some noodles or ravioli- along with a little salt and freshly ground pepper you can be in Italy or over the Moon.

Kid in a Candy Shop

I’m going to forego the original idea for today, which involved discussing the virtues of fresh foods and a little tirade against the industrialization of what we eat (aren’t you relieved?). Instead I am going to talk about candy.

Candy! Have I gone mad? Well, yes, sort of.

Today I returned from an emergency visit to Sylvia’s program with a bag of contraband. It appears (evidenced by candy wrappers everywhere), that Sylvia has been living on a steady diet of candy. Now, I am not opposed to candy as a concept. I’ve been known to stash dark chocolate bars in difficult to reach places around the kitchen. I’m not even a paragon of virtue when it comes to refined sugar and flour (see entry ‘Life is Tough’). I am, however, a firm believer in moderation. But that’s not what I am talking about. There’s no moderation going on around here! No wonder Sylvia’s employers are commenting on how tired she is. Caring staff members at her program are distressed not only by Sylvia’s exhaustion, but by how unfocused and distractible she has become.

Generally I am prepared stand alone as ‘the health food nut’ (Sylvia’s words) and to even be dismissed as a food evangelist. But, apart from my daughter, no one was judging me today. In fact, I had company. It doesn’t take a degree in nutrition to figure out that a steady diet of refined sugar and additives is a unlimited pass for a body sugar rollercoaster ride that can only crash and burn.

What Sylvia doesn’t know is that her insulin levels spike from all that refined sugar. Because her body has to do very little work to assimilate those calories, it’s not long before her unsatisfied appetite wants more. All these empty calories put her on the path towards excess weight, diabetes, heart disease and more.

Living in a candy shop with all the thrill of instant gratification may just land Sylvia back in Brooklyn and under the watchful eye of this ‘health food nut’. Not an outcome that either of us relishes.

Garlic 101

Fresh is always better and garlic is no exception. We haven’t yet gone over how to choose a head of garlic.

It’s best if you can select your garlic individually and not buy them already packaged in a box (I took poetic license for the photo). This way you will be able to feel it’s weight- the heavier the better, check for firmness- every side of it should be solid with nothing shriveled, and make sure that it is not sprouting. Color and size do not matter. Larger cloves will be easier to work with but don’t sacrifice any of the other characteristics to get a large clove.

Garlic is easy to store. Just keep your heads of garlic in a dark, cool, dry place. I keep mine in a covered basket at the end of the kitchen. If your garlic gets soft, toss it. There you have it. Next class? Intermediate Garlic!

Pop Quiz: Remember how to take the skin off a clove? See earlier blog ‘Take Off Your Coat’.

What Ever It Takes

Just got off the phone with Sylvia and was attempting a little ‘remote control’. Sylvia is back at her apartment, but still fighting that nasty cold. Step, by step we went over what she could do to take care of herself. Drink lots of fluids, get some oranges to snack on, eat some leafy green stuff and finish off that chicken soup I sent her home with.

I also enquired about the condition of her kitchen. Not so good. Yesterday I had a conversation with the mother of one of Sylvia’ pals. She had a solution that I wasn’t too keen on at first, but have been giving some thought to. Paper plates. Personally, I love a real dish. Can’t get enough of them to be honest. But, Sylvia doesn’t care about real dishes and we are trying to problem solve here. The kitchen is a mess. Even if Sylvia took care of her dishes (Ok, call me an optimist), her roommates don’t excel in this department either. Maybe paper plates are not such a bad idea. Bad for the environment? Yup. Expensive? A big ‘yup’ there too. That said, it’s time to be practical. Sylvia is not well, her kitchen doesn’t work because it is not clean, and until she can get in there and start to take care of herself, things aren’t going to get better.

So here’s today’s idea. Maybe paper plates are a solution for now. If we can overcome what is a major obstacle, Sylvia may start to inhabit her kitchen and have some success. A few real meals under her belt and perhaps the china will come out.

Pease Porridge Hot

Let’s talk about Porridge (as in Oatmeal).

Let’s also forget about the fact that your mother was always suggesting that you eat it for breakfast. As a free citizen, you can come to the wisdom of this all on your own. What you need to know is that oatmeal has a very long history, which recommends it right there. For a food to be around as long as oatmeal has, it has to be good.

The Mayo Clinic, a well-regarded institution, has determined that a daily bowl of oatmeal can actually lower blood cholesterol because of its soluble fiber content. Athletes’ prefer oatmeal because oats encourage slow digestion and have a lot of B vitamins. I could go on, but I’m probably beginning to sound like your mother. Stated simply, Oatmeal is very good for you.

(Are you ready?) Here’s a link to a very easy recipe for one serving of Oatmeal. (See how I slipped that in there? This is a first for me and I hope the link works!)

A word about my recipe format. If you print out the PDF (the bar is in the upper righthand corner on the link page), you will have the recipe on one regular size sheet of paper. If you would like to start your own cookbook from this and future recipes, the dotted lines (you’ll see them when you print it out) can be used as trim marks and your pages will fit into any 5x7 photo album.

The Most Interesting Asian Pear

Just started to read about Asian Pears and if you are a history buff, I highly recommend it! History aside (although being part of the rose family and cousin to the apple and being spread by Aryan tribes from the Caucasus to Europe and Northern India is kind of cool), Asian Pears are originally wild and what we eat now is the product of interbreeding with native pears from Europe and Asia.

What you really need to know is that Asian Pears are best chilled, have the firm texture and crunch of an apple, but the delicate sweetness of a pear. They make a terrific snack all by themselves, but are also known as ‘salad pears’. Why? Because over a little bed of wild salad greens with some shaved parmesan cheese and a bit of dressing, they are truly out of this world! Too much work? Just try a thin slice of parmesan. Or not. Either way, you can’t go wrong with a wild pear.

Making Nice or Mise en Place

I’ve been trying to analyze the reasons that a person might not want to use their kitchen. Of course, I’m thinking of Sylvia and her kitchen, but I suspect that many people have simply not moved in. What do I mean by that? Check out where you cook (or could cook!). Is there anything there that gives you pleasure to look at? Are there things that you don’t like and could change? Do you have a clean and clear place to work and your tools in places that are easy to get to? Just wondering.

Getting moved-in to your kitchen can be fun. Really. This past weekend I bought some new shelves. They are more substantial then the ones they replaced and every time I walk into the kitchen the new sense of organization makes me happy.

The French have a phrase for this. It’s ‘mise en place’, literally translated as ‘putting in place’. In a professional kitchen this means having everything ready for the recipe about to be prepared. For home cooks it means a clean and organized place that helps with the job of making a meal.

Move in! Make yourself happy!

Imprecise Chicken Soup

What a coup! I finally got Sylvia in the kitchen. This is no small task, but even Sylvia knows that if she is going to live independently, cooking is required. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Just something straight forward, basic and quick. I’m hoping that Sylvia will also discover that making things from ‘scratch’ (well, almost scratch) saves money. I suspect that my lectures about meals made from basic ingredients will not be as influential as the discovery that a dollar goes a lot further if you make it yourself. Not to mention the advantage of leftovers!

So, back to the kitchen. We chopped our raw ingredients- carrots, celery, onions, and a boneless chicken breast and had on hand a box of organic chicken broth ( this is the not- cooking-totally -from-scratch part, but... we can do homemade broth another day. Using a good quality broth will be almost as good and will make this recipe happen in a flash!). Put a pot large enough to hold all your ingredients on the stove with about three tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom. Cook the chopped carrots, celery and onion in the oil until soft. Next, add the broth. When the broth is hot, add the chicken breast. If you like noodles, toss in a handful when the chicken is cooked through. A little salt and pepper to taste and when the noodles are soft, you have soup!

If this all sounds a little imprecise, there’s a reason for that. Don’t be afraid to chop up what ever vegetables you have on hand and add a box of broth. I’ll work on a precise recipe that you can link to (Friday I got help my friend Kelly, and have finally figured it out!). Soon you will be able to download some simple recipes and really get started on your kitchen basics.

PS Notice that when Sylvia chops onions, she keeps her knuckles curled under? That’s my girl!

Looking for Crystal

Generally, as you know, I shop at the Coop. I’m sure you’ve figured out that the Coop is a bastion of the organic and healthy, and although they do sell some convenience foods, like microwavable meals and soups, for the most part it’s pretty basic.

It is, however, a little out ot the way for me so today I shopped at our local supermarket. Sylvia is still home with a cold and I thought I’d get a cantaloupe (loads of vitamin C) and some chicken (chicken soup being the classic cure-all). Ah Ha! I thought. Time to do a little investigating. I can read the labels of things that Sylvia buys for herself and perhaps understand the allure. The Coop does not sell Crystal Light, a flavor powder that Sylvia is constantly putting in the water she drinks.

Crystal Light is sweetened with a product called Aspartame. I decided to ‘google’ it. Pretty astounding. There seems to be plenty of controversy surrounding this stuff (and Aspartame is only one of many unpronounceable ingredients - always a red flag in my book). There’s mention of cancer and seizures and all sorts of unhappy consequences. Some of it may be food zealotry, but rather then continue to waste time trying to justify the consumption of chemicals, I’ve convinced Sylvia to buy some lemons and limes to flavor her next glass of water.

Pineapple Revisited

Perhaps Saturday’s blog got you thinking about pineapple. It did me. I thought I’d pass along what I know about pineapple and also my method for preparing it. I’m also going to attempt a little story board that should help with the process.

How to pick a ready to eat pineapple? There are a few clues. If you can easily pluck the center leaf out of the top you are on your way. Next clue? Look at the color. Unlike our immature fruit of Saturday, a ripe pineapple will smell sweet and have a yellow or golden color. It should yield slightly to pressure but not be overly soft.

Now the tricky part.... but take courage. Fresh pineapple is totally worth it. On a clean cutting board, preferably one dedicated to sweet things, slice off the top and then the bottom. Now you can stand the fruit upright and proceed to the skin. You can make as many top to bottom slices as you like. What you want to do is cut enough side off to avoid most ot the ‘eyes’. Don’t worry if you don’t get all the little eyes out, a small knife or pointed vegetable peeler can be used to follow-up and remove the rest. Now that the skin is off, slice it in half and then again to make four pieces. Now cut out the woody core. I make a ‘V’ cut down the length. Voila! Everything left is ready to eat. However you slice it now is up to you.

Sylvia is still home and this pineapple is almost a goner. I’m hoping that all the vitamin C that’s packed into this lovely fruit will speed her recovery and prevent me from catching that nasty cold.