50 best 4th of July recipes and food ideas of 2021 - TODAY - TODAY |
- 50 best 4th of July recipes and food ideas of 2021 - TODAY - TODAY
- Grilling Recipes: Calabrian Chili Potato Pizza - Sacramento Magazine
- Family recipes from Puerto Rico - Meriden Record-Journal
- 14 Tahini-Filled Recipes to Make All Summer Long - jewishboston.com
- My Delusional, Wonderful Recipe Book - The New Yorker
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50 best 4th of July recipes and food ideas of 2021 - TODAY - TODAY Posted: 15 Jun 2021 09:57 AM PDT What do you serve at a Fourth of July party? Whether it's a smaller gathering or a big backyard cookout, it's best to have all bases covered. This means preparing some savory finger foods for guests to snack on upon arrival, a variety of salads (many of which are easy to make ahead), barbecue (one of the most popular Fourth of July foods) and, of course, dessert. And with scorching summer temperatures, it's always great to serve some refreshing beverages for folks of all ages to enjoy in addition to your holiday cocktails. To celebrate our country's Independence Day, here are 50 of our best Fourth of July food ideas. Finger foods Nathan Congleton / TODAY A twist on classic pigs in a blanket, these beer-boiled bratwursts are wrapped snugly in puff pastry and paired with a creamy beer cheese dipping sauce. One bite and you'll never go back to eating the traditional version again.  Daniel Krieger / The Laws of Cooking...and How to Break Them Buttery, creamy and cheesy — with bacon on top! — these potato bites are the perfect union of flavor and texture. Adding crushed potato chips and fresh chives to garnish takes this dish to the next level.  TODAY Briny capers and fresh dill are the perfect complement to rich and creamy egg yolks. Deviled eggs are timeless party starters that will never go out of style.  Tasty These meatballs have layers upon layers of flavor … literally. The onion shells help keep the meatballs moist and add both flavor and texture. You may need some extra napkins with all that juicy goodness (or just serve with toothpicks for easy eating).  Samah Dada Get a gorgeous dip on the table with Samah Dada's recipe. Smooth, creamy and flavorful, this can be an easy finger food for the Fourth served with a variety of sides, from pita chips to flatbread to crunchy and colorful veggies.  Samantha Okazaki / TODAY Stuffed with creamy avocado, chopped egg, tomatoes and crisp lettuce, these bite-sized bacon cups are the perfect way to enjoy a classic Cobb salad.  Shutterstock Light, crunchy and oozing with cheesy mashed potatoes, this easy-to-make finger food for up to 12 people will be the fastest food in your spread to go.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY Al is a certified master of the grill and his veggies skewers are so delicious and easy to make, they might just become your favorite go-to summer side.  Shutterstock Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, fried green tomatoes are a quintessential summer staple. We recommend pairing these delicious bites with fresh homemade ranch dressing.  Nathan Congleton/TODAY These tuna tacos blend traditional Mexican and Italian flavors into tasty little bites that are perfect for entertaining. Salads Nathan Congleton / TODAY "There's something so refreshing about the combination of juicy watermelon and salty feta," says Siri. "When you add sweet blueberries, you have the perfect, patriotic summer salad."  Nathan Congleton / TODAY Anyone who's a fan of a seven-layer dip will fall in love with this healthier version, chock-full of raw, fresh veggies and topped with some creamy, cheesy bacon. The layers look nice in a clear a bowl and the ingredients can be easily substituted with whatever produce you have on hand.  Raw Brussels sprouts, when shaved, provide a beautiful canvas for toasty walnuts and sharp cheeses, all tossed in a simple lemony dressing. It's a fresh, healthful salad that will go great with other festive Fourth of July foods.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY Grilled vegetables add a naturally smoky touch to this classic pasta salad tossed in a tangy vinaigrette originally created by chef Matt Abdoo's mom. (Mom always knows best!)  Nathan Congleton / TODAY When you need to use whatever you have in the fridge, turn to this recipe. It's one of the best summer salad recipes with pasta. If you have red onion, a little piece of squash or zucchini, berries, peaches, apples or one random tomato, just throw it in there. Plus, it's great when made ahead because of the marination and best served at room temperature — making it one of those easy 4th of July recipes to bring to a potluck.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY Adding tuna to pasta in a zippy vinaigrette is a great way to make this salad shine as an entrée. And with fresh herbs and red onion, it's a perfect foil to the heavier dishes on the table.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY Creamy avocado and juicy citrus form a perfect marriage in this lively summer salad recipe. There's no lettuce involved but plenty of flavor from fennel, artichoke and ricotta salata. Once tossed in a spicy mustard vinaigrette, this dish will make your taste buds pop!  Nathan Congleton / TODAY This unexpected duo is a match made in sweet, vibrant heaven. You can roast the tomatoes in advance and assemble the dish just before serving. You can use strawberries that are slightly underripe for this so the "green" flavor complements the sweetness of the tomatoes.  TODAY "This potato salad recipe has been in my family for at least three generations. Creamy, slightly sweet and a little zesty, it's a go-to side dish in my house. But I could honestly eat it as a meal all by itself for lunch," Sandra Lee says of this summer staple. "I just love it!"  Nathan Congleton / TODAY The mayo, the mustard, the pickled relish: Damon Stalworth's potato salad has all of the classic potato salad ingredients. A delightful addition to a rack of barbecued ribs slathered in sauce or a quick standalone lunch, this is a simple recipe mixed with hard-boiled eggs for a little extra protein. Barbecue Nathan Congleton / TODAY Sweet, sticky, savory and tender, these teriyaki beef skewers definitely have it all! No matter when you serve them, they're sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike.  Samantha Okazaki / TODAY Just when you thought pulled pork couldn't get any better, Al spices things up with this sweet-and-savory recipe. Cooked slowly for hours and tossed in a spicy vinegar sauce, this pulled pork recipe has a truly tropical twist.  Andy Kitko/STK This on-theme burger is loaded with flavorful marmalade and aioli and is a great choice if you opt for this traditional Fourth of July food.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY Don't want beef? This tasty chicken recipe is easy to make for a crowd because you won't constantly be taking temps for everyone's burger order. You just grill the chicken and assemble with melty blue cheese and red pickled onion.  Samantha Okazaki / TODAY Barbecue chips plus barbecue sauce equals the ultimate barbecue recipe. Here, Sunny Anderson brines bone-in pork chops, grills them, lightly dunks them in a classic barbecue sauce and dredges them in crushed barbecue-flavored kettle chips.  Brandon Goodwin / TODAY Pitmaster Ed Mitchell knows his way around a smoker. His smoked barbecue pork ribs are surprisingly easy to prepare and are fall-off-the-bone tender.  Samantha Okazaki / TODAY Rub brisket with Al's favorite spice mix, then let it rest overnight before cooking. The end result is a super juicy, smoked brisket that will definitely be the hit of the cookout.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY For an authentic Tennessee barbecue pulled pork sandwich experience, all you need is just a bun, a pile of meat and a squirt of sauce. Take things up a notch by topping it with some pickles, coleslaw, herbs or potato chips for crunch.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY Looking for something a little lighter for Fourth of July? These succulent shrimp will be a bright and zesty addition to your summer spread.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY Marinating chicken in beer makes it extra tender and juicy. It also lets the bold spices and aromatics soak deep into the meat for added flavor. Drinks jenifoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto "Iced tea with orange and lemon slices is one of my favorite summer drinks," Martha Stewart says about this refreshingly citrusy drink.  Ken Goodman Photography / Ken Goodman Photography The base of this comforting-yet-refreshing drink is black tea with spices like vanilla, cloves and cardamom added in. It's supposed to be super sweet and is served over a ton of ice, but by making it at home you can control the amount of sweetness as a chilled non-alcoholic treat for friends and family.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY This vibrant, icy drink has a sweet flavor from the hibiscus flowers and a bit of pep from the ginger ale. You can garnish it with fresh mint leaves and lemon or add your own Fourth of July spin by tossing in some blackberries or blueberries.  Shutterstock Kick off your Independence Day gathering with a refreshing summer sip. This colorful lemonade-stand upgrade is sure to hit the spot.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY Grilling the lemons for lemonade adds a subtle smokiness to the most summery of drinks, and the coconut cream adds a tropical taste. The two simple changes take this classic refresher to the next level.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY This is a non-alcoholic take on a wine spritz. Grapefruit is always refreshing in a spritz and an extra dry ginger ale keeps the drink bright. The bitters ensure balance.  Mike Mendell / The Ultimate Book of Modern Juicing Kids may love juice boxes but by simply mixing your favorite berries and water in the blender, you can welcome the little ones at your Fourth of July bash with a fresh and nutritious treat.  Shutterstock A cold glass of lemonade is so refreshing on a hot summer day. My favorite recipes are full of lemon flavor. This one uses the fruit in three ways: its juice, fresh slices, and a syrup cooked with the rinds," says Martha Stewart.  Alamy stock Make a big pitcher of this light, fizzy and flavorful drink. The prep is easy with just three ingredients. Just pour them together and mix!  Patty Lee / TODAY A handful of ingredients is all you need to make this delicious summer drink that's like a mint julep for the whole family to enjoy. Desserts Nathan Congleton / TODAY Poke cakes are super simple, taste great and make for a very pretty slice on the plate. Sunny Anderson decorates hers with vibrant red and blue berries with swirls of red and blue sauce inside the vanilla and sour cream-frosted cake.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY This recipe is fun, festive and simple for kids to follow. It's the perfect treat to bring to any summer barbecue or pool party. Just beware of the sugar high.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY This recipe shakes up classic Rice Krispies treats with flag-colored sprinkles, fun shapes and lollipop sticks.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY Despite being a showstopper when presented to guests, this recipe is super simple to make and tastes incredible with cool, creamy vanilla balancing the gently tart huckleberry all sandwiched between a warm, chewy sugar doughnut.  Anna Helm Baxter / Anna Helm Baxter We're big fans of shortcut desserts, which is why this recipe is one of our favorites! Make the cake look even more impressive by piping the whipped cream on top using a large star-shaped piping tip.  Anna Helm Baxter / Anna Helm Baxter Equal parts thirst-quenching and indulgent! Watermelon "pizzas" are made using thick slices of baby watermelon (it's prime season, after all) and are such an easy way to serve dessert. You can set up a mix and match toppings bar so guests can make their own, too.  Claudia Amato/TODAY Who doesn't love a popsicle, especially when it's made with real fruit? They're easy to eat, a fun dessert and are color customized to suit the patriotic summer celebration.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY "I love baking a fresh pie crust and then just filling it with fresh fruit and ice cream. It's simple and really takes me back to my childhood," Alex Guarnaschelli said of her summery recipe. "I think strawberry ice cream works best with a drizzle of aged or reduced balsamic vinegar for some grown-up acidity. If you want to get even more into summer, top the berries with some fresh basil or mint leaves."  Nathan Congleton / TODAY An easy, no-bake pudding pie is almost simple enough for kids to make on their own. From the beginning to end, this recipe is perfect for summertime fun for kids in the kitchen.  Nathan Congleton / TODAY Is it really a summer gathering without s'mores? How about bacon s'mores? Thick-cut bacon has a similar structure as the graham cracker and adds a whole bunch of flavor dimension for the salty-sweet fans out there.  |
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Grilling Recipes: Calabrian Chili Potato Pizza - Sacramento Magazine Posted: 15 Jun 2021 11:34 AM PDT  Local photographer and recipe developer Erin Alderson dove headfirst into outdoor pizza making while working at home during the pandemic. Her passion was largely born out of necessity: Fair Oaks, where she lives with her husband and 6-year-old son, doesn't offer a lot of awesome pizza options. So she took matters into her own hands and started making pizza in the backyard in an Ooni Pro pizza oven, a portable oven that runs on propane or wood. Using wood (mostly almond), she can get the oven up to 900 degrees. At that temperature, it can bake a pizza in under two minutes.
Alderson used to run a vegetarian recipe blog called Naturally Ella, and she still Instagrams under that name. Her feed these days is filled with images of artful wood-fired pizzas, each one boasting a thick ring of charred crust encircling a silky vegetable center. "I like to do experimental vegetarian pizzas," she says. "Not a lot of tomato sauce bases, because I like the vegetables to really shine." She might pair asparagus with burrata and fennel fronds, or shaved potato with mozzarella and Calabrian chili. Occasionally, she asks her Instagram followers to suggest three ingredients they'd like to see on a pizza. That's how she came up with a pizza topped with olives, feta and an egg. "It was amazing," she says. Alderson makes her dough using freshly milled heritage-flour varieties from nearby Capay Mills and LA's Grist & Toll, where she belongs to a monthly flour share. She likes to play around with soft and hard wheats to create subtle flavors and textures. Her favorite right now is Chiddam Blanc de Mars, a white wheat that gives the crust a light, warm wheat flavor and a bready texture.
Before COVID, Alderson used to host backyard pizza parties for friends. They'd sit around, drinking wine and eating pizza as it came out of the Ooni. Now, every Saturday is family pizza-and-a-movie night at Alderson's home. Each member of the family gets their own personal pizza. "Mine is usually the wildest," she says. "My son goes for cheese, and my husband is somewhere in between." Calabrian Chili Potato PizzaOne of Erin's favorite pizzas features a zingy paste made with Calabrian peppers. If heat isn't your thing, substitute ancho chili peppers. In either case, you'll end up with extra paste, which you can stir into hummus or soup, spread on grilled cheese or use as a base for grain bowls. Serves 2. Calabrian Chili Paste:1 teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon fennel seeds 2 dried Calabrian chili peppers, stems and seeds removed ¼ cup cooking olive oil, divided 2 large shallots, minced 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon tomato paste ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar Pizza: Pizza dough (your recipe or premade) 1 small Yukon Gold potato 1/4 small red onion 3 ounces grated or torn mozzarella cheese Fresh basil or dill, for serving Good-quality olive oil, for serving
To make chili paste: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast cumin and fennel seeds until fragrant. Place in a food processor or high-speed blender and pulse until ground. Return skillet to heat and toast chili peppers, making sure they don't burn. Place peppers in a bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 20 minutes to soften. While chili peppers are soaking, return pan to medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons cooking olive oil followed by minced shallots and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook shallots until soft and starting to deepen in color, about 15 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Transfer soaked chili peppers and ⅓ cup soaking liquid to food processor and puree until mostly smooth. Add shallot mixture, apple cider vinegar, remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt and remaining 2 tablespoons cooking olive oil. Blend until smooth. To assemble pizza: Remove dough from refrigerator, cover with a clean towel and set aside. Scrub potatoes. Cut potatoes and onions into ⅛-inch rounds. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add potato slices. Blanch for 3 minutes, just until potatoes start to soften. Remove from water and toss with ⅓ cup chili paste. Preheat pizza oven or grill. Stretch pizza dough into a 12-to-14-inch circle. Top dough with potato and onion slices and mozzarella. Bake until done. Remove pizza from heat and top with sprinkle of fresh herbs and solid drizzle of good-quality olive oil.
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Family recipes from Puerto Rico - Meriden Record-Journal Posted: 15 Jun 2021 10:32 AM PDT The summer temperatures are ticking up and the world seems to be moving toward a different, wonderful direction unlike any before. With this revitalized existence, it's important to consider what aspects of pre-pandemic life you value and want to take with you, and which you need to leave in the past. Through it all, food speaks (and gets to stay)! Flavor can mean comfort and familiarity or the spontaneity of trying something new. To Latinx-Americans, culinary cuisine can be a reminder of their homelands, their childhoods, or a backyard pig roast. The Puerto-Rican recipes my father brings to our home remind us of priceless memories and exciting new adventures to be had. Here are a few recipes from the island so you can experience a little touch of tropical paradise in Connecticut: For a quick and easy any time of day snack, try tostones. There's very little preparation, and only three ingredients. The first step is to prepare the plantains. Using a paring knife, slice off the ends of the plantains and cut a long slit along the length of the plantain to more easily remove the peel. Once the peel is off and discarded, slice the plantain into rounds. The slices should be about one inch each (or about 10 pieces per plantain). In a large skillet, heat about two cups of vegetable oil over medium heat. When the oil is brought to a simmer, add the plantains. Fry them until they just start to turn golden or for about 1 minute per side. While keeping the oil still simmering, use your spatula to move the plantains to a cutting board. Working with one piece at a time, use a tostonera (or if you're like us, a large tin can) to gently press each plantain flat to about a half inch thick. To avoid crowding the pan and uneven cooking, working in small batches is best when refrying the now flattened pieces. Remembering the one minute per side time frame, refry the pieces until they're golden brown. Using the spatula again, move the tostones to a plate lined with paper-towel. While hot, season with salt and adobo to taste. These delicious bites are best served hot, with MayoKetchup as a dipping sauce! For this sauce, simply create a mix of half ketchup and half mayonnaise and add a dash of minced garlic for flavor. For a meal that's worth the wait, the next recipe up is pernil. The first step is to create a seasoning mixture by combining minced garlic, Adobo, salt and pepper for flavor. Next, place your cut of meat in a large, shallow pan, leaving room for juices and drippings. Use a boning or utility knife to make roughly 20 slits, about 1 inch deep throughout the meat. Then, rub the mixture and a packet of Sazon all over the meat paying special attention to filling all slits. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The following day, bring the meat to room temperature while the oven is preheating to 200F°. Slow-bake the meat for four or more hours or until the pork is browning and peeling apart. After the four hour mark, raise the temperature to 375° and switch oven mode to "broil" for fifteen minutes to acquire the coveted crispy skin. Once the pernil is out of the oven, let it cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Finally, as a unique dessert to kick off the summer right, piraguas are the obvious choice. These flavored shaved ice treats are indigineous to Puerto Rico, but have been adapted by many cultures. (They tend to remind us of either the homeland, or hot summer days in New York City!) For an at home DIY version, no block of ice or expensive ice shaving machine is necessary— a simple blender will do the trick! Choose the setting that's closest to shaved ice and blend away to set up the base of this iconic treat. As for the syrup flavor, two classics are crema de coco (coconut cream) and parcha (passionfruit). Combining one small can of coconut evaporated milk, one can of condensed milk, a half cup of heavy cream, and a splash of vanilla will create the creamy coconut combination for the more decadent of the two flavors. The parcha syrup can be created simply by blending the contents of a passionfruit with one quarter cup of sugar and a cup of water. Drain out the seeds through a strainer, and the vibrant orange mixture should have a sweet and tangy contrast as opposed to the lighter, creamy flavor of the crema de coco. Shape out the ice into a plastic cup with a traditional pointed top, drizzle your flavor of choice generously, and enjoy! These recipes have been passed down from generation to generation, and have their own flare that comes with family traditions. If you make your own versions of these and are moved to add your own special touches, please do and remember two things. The first is to have fun with it! The second is meals like these are best when shared with those you hold dear. Francesca Fontánez is a Meriden-based journalist, educator, and creative. A graduate of both the University of New Haven and the University of Bridgeport, she is happy to be back in Meriden writing about the city she loves. When she's not helping out in the English department at Maloney High School, she's either exploring the Eastern seaboard for her lifestyle blog (@ eastsidevibes on Instagram) or working on music for her band, Cessa and The Zach. Email Francesca at eastsidevibeswithcess@gmail.com with tips on what you want to read about next, or just to say hi!  |
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14 Tahini-Filled Recipes to Make All Summer Long - jewishboston.com Posted: 15 Jun 2021 09:47 AM PDT Few things are better than tahini. Once difficult to track down in most grocery stories, the sesame seed paste is best known as the base for hummus and baba ganoush. But why should it just be restricted to those? It's smooth, creamy and has a distinct flavor that adds a nuttiness to both savory and sweet dishes. This collection of unique summer recipes is your go-to for having tahini with any meal: breakfast, lunch, dinner and, of course, dessert!
(Photo: Flora & Vino) ICYMI, breakfast cookies are in. Healthy, delicious and fun, this version puts your summer zucchinis to work. Stash these breakfast treats in the fridge or freezer for an on-the-go bite.
(Photo: Cookie+Kate) Dates are probably the most underrated smoothie ingredient. Pair with a banana and the nuttiness of tahini and you've got yourself a slam dunk in a glass.
(Photo: Camille Styles) This fresh pasta salad has a wonderful umami flavor from the tahini and miso dressing. Just toss and go—picnic, beach, Shabbat lunch on the deck, you name it.
(Photo: Even Sung/The New York Times) The 500-plus glowing reviews speak for themselves!
(Photo: The Lemon Bowl) Real talk: Grilled is the best way to eat asparagus. Why not give it a little extra flavor when you want something new?
(Photo: Lauren Jun) These fresh bites are as delicious as they are pretty.
(Photo: Emma Fishman/Bon Appétit) Grilled cabbage gets all caramelized like your favorite roasted veggies! Douse it in this lemony tahini sauce and top with dill and sesame seeds for a perfect appetizer.
(Photo: The Cutting Veg) Sweet, spicy and creamy, this tahini barbecue sauce is the ideal accompaniment to sweet potato fries. Enjoy it any time of day, even topped with runny eggs for breakfast.
(Photo: Tina Rupp) This chicken is marinated in a cardamom-yogurt sauce before grilling, then served with a tahini garlic sauce. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
(Photo: Jar of Lemons) Ever been in the mood for something chocolatey that's also healthy and light? Us too. This is the ultimate solution for summer.
(Photo: The Kitchn) As if fresh, juicy peaches on a bed of sweetened tahini and baked on a puff pastry weren't enough, this summer tart is finished with peach syrup, honey yogurt and a little nutmeg and hand-torn basil.
(Photo: Snixy Kitchen) These healthy popsicles masquerade as dessert with a cloak of dark chocolate and toasted sesame seeds.
(Photo: olives+thyme) This brown butter, tahini chocolate chip cookie dough with all the s'mores fixings will have you coming back for s'more.
(Photo: Inspired Taste) Want to try making your own tahini? It's easier than you think! (Make sure you toast the sesame seeds first for a richer flavor.)  |
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My Delusional, Wonderful Recipe Book - The New Yorker Posted: 15 Jun 2021 03:00 AM PDT  In the proverbial house fire from which you can rescue just one item, many of us know what we'd choose: photo albums, love letters. For me, it's always been my ring binder of recipes. But why? Like a beloved relative one never gets around to visiting, it is unkempt, neglected, a source of shame. Theoretically, its glue-stained pages contain all the recipes I could ever need: old favorites (sausage pasta from a supermarket card), holiday souvenirs (Irish seaweed pudding), a superlative fish pie. Yet I never cook from it. My real cookbooks are more tempting, with their beautifully styled enticements to try bottarga spaghetti or greengage sorbet. The rotation of easy meals that I make rarely changes, and there's never enough time to launch into Georgian dumplings. Since I filed away instructions for making Colombian oat milk, the Internet was invented; my bookshelves contain innumerable foolproof bread recipes, so why would I trust this one? But, as with so many other scruffy fragments of the past, I can't quite abandon my recipe collection. Occasionally, on a wintry holiday afternoon, I'll pull out the old blue binder and add hole reinforcers to pages, attempt an index, sort the ridiculous (Campari chocolate truffles) from the merely unlikely (Florentine rice cake). The last time I braved it, in the midst of finishing my fourth novel, I was so tired that I labelled the book, carefully, "RECIPIES." The small children for whom I gathered sustaining breakfast-cake preparations and secretly-whole-meal-cookie recipes are now long grown. The daunting dinner parties for which I might have attempted Brazilian salmon moqueca or Iraqi lamb pilaf, with interesting side dishes and too much washing up, have become the unmourned casualties of divorce. Although there are recipes that I'm glad I saved (oddly, often American ones—Marian Burros's famous plum torte, Suzanne Dunaway's no-knead focaccia), they are wildly outnumbered by the preposterously aspirational and the tragically outdated: instructions for a future I never had. When, pray, did I think I'd be making Cowboy Campfire Beef, given that I loathe camping? For which incarnation of future me did I, at the age of nineteen, laboriously copy down the recipe for Lemon Tart for Twelve ("DON'T OVERHANDLE")? The book is filled with recipes for dishes that I tasted once and decided I had to re-create: a raucous party's mango daiquiri, the French chicken stew of dreams. There are umpteen apple cakes (Dutch, French, Mecklenburg, Dorset, whole-meal, mincemeat, polenta, caraway) and pages of marmalades. I never eat marmalade. Paging through, I grow more and more irritated; I've barely attempted a tenth of these, and even the usable dishes (red-braised beef shin, Estonian smoked haddock) have missed their moment; neither my resident teen-ager nor my vegan girlfriend would go near them. Slowly, I've accepted that my recipe book is not a work in progress but an artifact, which contains hints and scraps of my former self. Again and again, I'm struck by how desperately a younger me wanted reassurance: the "best" coleslaw, the "perfect" falafel. Was it my weakness for the idea of an anthology, or a pathetic elder-child insecurity about my own opinion? Was it a fear of losing the past, or does every family have an archivist who insures the preservation of three different Hungarian great-aunts' nut-cake recipes, an apricot-jam preparation scribbled in a French hotelier's schoolbook-curly handwriting, and an old friend's mother's flapjack guidance, written out twice? There are traces of others in the book, too. I will probably never bake my son another birthday cake, but at least I have his recipe for "ricey sauce"; and my daughter's unusual prawn pie; and the record I kept, thank God, of a snowy day of cooking in 2012: On sepia scraps of school paper, I also have a few verbatim recipes from my much-missed hero, my grandmother. I never asked her the important questions, like "How did you survive so much loss and grief?" It was impossible; she'd cry the moment anything touched on the past. But I did manage to extract her recipes for a few vital dishes. Spinach: "defrost spinach, add a roux made of olive oil, such-much flour, and lots of crushed garlic. Boil." Or her "korozet," technically körözött, a Hungarian spread: "medium pot curd cheese, spring onions, large carton yoghurt, 2 tsp caraway and paprika, stir beautifully with spoon." And there, through her unreplicable food, she comes back to life.  |
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