What Wise Guys Eat

When I lived in the North End of Boston, in the nineteen eighties and nineties, I hung around a neighborhood bar from time to time, called The Corner Café. It was located on Prince Street near the corner of Salem Street. And it was indeed a neighborhood place. The owner, Richie Longo, was a neighborhood kid who grew up on Prince Street and duly attended Saint Leonard's School-as his first generation Italian-American parents had-along with all the other neighborhood kids.

The regular patrons at the time, were neighborhood people too; all of whom seemed to have nicknames. (although, the nicknames were useful for identification purposes). There was Joe the Lawyer, who wasn't a lawyer at all, but worked as an insurance investigator. Then there was John the Lawyer, who was a stockbroker, and John the Lawyer, who really was a lawyer with an office across the street. And I was always confused about Mary the Nurse, whose nickname seemed unnecessary; she was indeed a nurse, but she was the only regular named Mary.

Then there were the rest of the regulars: mostly young men ,who fancied themselves to be wise guys. Their conversations were peppered with phrases like 'fuggeddaboudit,' and 'ba-da-bing!' And they often talked about 'needing to see this guy,' or 'having to take care of that thing.' But despite the fact that they revered Robert DiNiro, and may have harbored dreams of being known by a nickname like "extreme unction," the most serious crime any of them may ever have committed was betting on the Red Sox late in September.

When these local heros weren't talking about 'this guy,' or 'that thing,' though, the conversation tended to stray toward food; often, toward Chicken Scarpariello. This was a hot dish-literally, and figuratively-during my years in Boston. And the folks often debated the qualities of one preparation over another. The talk often centered around the merits of Cantina d'Italia's recipe, that included sausage, over Felicia's, that didn't. Sausage or not, though, Chicken Scarpariello is the kind of dish that would please any wise guy because it encourages eating with a fork in one hand an a torn-off piece of crusty bread in the other; the latter, used for sopping up the sauce, and for punctuating various exclamations of 'fuggeddaboudit,' or 'ba-da-bing.'

The short version of the history of Chicken Scarpariello, 'shoemaker's-style', is that it was named for the humble fellow who cobbled together the ingredients for the dish from his meager pantry. How it became a wise guy favorite is more obscure, and very likely lost to history. But I suggest that when you serve Chicken Scarpariello at home, the dinner table conversation will become animated and rise a decibel or two above normal. And will you and your fellow diners enjoy it? Fuggeddaboudit.

Skip's Chicken Scarpariello
Chicken, Shoemaker's-Style
Excerpted from my second cookbook, "Almost Italian."

Ingredients:

2 ½ - 3 Lb. Frying chicken cut into 8 pieces
4 Tbs. Olive oil
4 Cloves garlic, peeled, and sliced thinly
1 Cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Verdicchio are popular choices)
6 - 8 hot cherry peppers, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 14 oz. Can chicken broth (preferably low sodium)
4 Tbs. Flat-leaf Italian parsley
2 Tbs. Unsalted butter
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Six Links sweet Italian sausage, cut into 1 in. chunks (optional)
4 Tbs. Flat-leaf Italian parsley

Preparation:

Season the chicken pieces on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, being careful not to let the garlic burn.

Add the chicken pieces to the sauté pan without crowding. Do this step in batches if necessary. Cook the chicken pieces, turning occasionally, until they're golden brown all over; about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and reserve on a plate, covering them with aluminum foil.

Raise the heat to high, and add the wine. Boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen any bits of chicken that may have caramelized on the bottom of the pan, for about 2 minutes. Add the cherry peppers, chicken broth, parsley, and butter. Allow the mixture to return to the boil, then stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary.

Lower the heat to the simmer, return the chicken to the pan, and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. For a real wise guy presentation, add the sausage at this point too.

To Serve

Remove the chicken (and optional sausage) pieces to a platter, cover with the sauce and garnish with the parsley. Serve with plenty of Italian bread for sopping up the sauce.

Serves four

By Skip Lombardi

A Healthy Summertime Snack For Your Kids

Oh, for the lazy days of Summer.... As If!

Nowadays we all rush around trying to balance two jobs, the kids and running the house. Many of us are taking classes on top of that.

The end result is we often just grab whatever is handy to snack on. Chips or sweet snacks like cookies or snack cakes. Not very healthy,eh? Try this instead. Take a few minutes and buy a package of tropical fruit mix at the market along with some wooden skewers. Also buy a package of popcorn chicken bites ( Tyson makes some really good ones).

You have all you need to make a platter of mini kebobs that your children will love.

Just make some up in the morning and place on a platter in the fridge.

They'll grab 'em and go.

Here's the recipe instructions:

Take a skewer and slide two pieces of fruit on
add one piece of pre cooked popcorn chicken
add a slice of banana
you may also put cheese cubes next if you like
now just repeat the process until the skewers are filled up
arrange on a platter and cover with plastic wrap.

Chill and watch them disappear!

This idea works really well as an appetizer also. Simply use long toothpicks instead of skewers and arrange on a bed of rice or lettuce leaves.

To get my recipe "Sweet & Spicy Popcorn Chicken" free just e-mail me at ronnie8444@roniesmagickitchen.com. Please put popcorn chicken in the subject line. I hope you can use this idea.


By Ronnie Daniels

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Experience

Just about everyone loves freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Many of us have fond memories from our childhoods of the aroma of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies filling up the house. Our eager little eyes anxiously awaiting their arrival from oven to countertop.

Chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate comfort food. There's just something about them that makes us feel warm and fuzzy. The chocolate chip cookie has evolved over the years into a mouth-watering variety of textures and flavors.

If you're a fruit lover you'll enjoy banana chocolate chip cookies or cherry chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate lovers will delight over chocolate chocolate chip cookies, double chocolate chip cookies and white chocolate chip cookies.

Another popular variation is the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. Who knew that oatmeal would taste so good with chocolate?

If you want to spice up your favorite chocolate chip cookies even more, you can add tasty morsels like mint chips, craisins, candy bars, espresso beans, m&ms, candy cane, walnuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts, dark chocolate or big chunks of milk chocolate.

Some folks love eating gourmet chocolate chip cookie bars and even chocolate chip cookie pie!

If you have special dietary needs, you can still enjoy home baked chocolate chip cookies. There are special recipes online for low fat chocolate chip cookies, vegan chocolate chip cookies, wheat free and egg free chocolate chip cookies, and whole wheat chocolate chip cookies.

Now that you know about the many ways you can enjoy the world's most famous cookie, I hope you will try many of the delicious recipes so you too can enjoy the ultimate chocolate chip cookie experience.


By Donna Monday

No Bake Cookies Are Easy to Make and Fun to Eat

Got an urge for a homemade cookie snack but don't feel like mixing up a bunch of ingredients and baking? No problem. Whip up a batch of no bake cookies to satisfy your hunger craving.

No bake cookies are easy to make and involve only a few simple ingredients. Fresh ingredients like milk, butter, sugar, peanut butter, uncooked oatmeal (rolled oats), cocoa, marshmallows, chocolate chips, raisins and chopped walnuts or pecans are commonly used to make easy no bake cookies.

Online you can find many delicious and unique no bake cookie recipes like:





Chocolate Peanut Oatmeal Cookies



Chewy Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies



Chocolate Fudge Oatmeal Cookies



Crunchy Cereal Ball Cookies



Old Fashioned Rum Ball Cookies



Wonderful White Chocolate Cookies





Kids enjoy making no bake cookies as well as adults because it's literally as easy as mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl, rolling the dough up into balls, and plopping them down on wax paper to cool.

The most fun part, of course, about no bake cookies is when you get to eat them! For so little effort, they're a great big delight for your sweet tooth.

About The Author

By Donna Monday

Sot Suppe (Norwegian Sweet Soup)

My mother was the daughter of Norwegian immigrants who homesteaded our small Wisconsin dairy farm in the late 1800s. When my mother was a child, sweet soup was a traditional part of Christmas Eve, served cold with julekake, lefse, Christmas bread, or open-faced sandwiches. Sweet Soup is made with dried fruit and tapioca.

Sot Suppe





6 cups water



1/3 cup sugar



1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca



1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (depending upon how well you like the taste of cinnamon; you can also use a cinnamon stick)



2 cups dried fruit (use any kind you like: apples, apricots, peaches or a mixture of dried fruit)



1 cup raisins (dark or golden)



1 cup dried prunes



1 tablespoon lemon juice (you can also use 1 teaspoon of dried lemon rind or several slices of fresh lemon)





In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, tapioca, cinnamon and water. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Stir in fruit (including the lemon if you're using sliced lemon) and heat to boiling again. Cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the fruit is tender.

After the fruit is tender, if you're using lemon juice, stir in the lemon juice (or teaspoon of dried lemon rind). Serve either cold or warm, depending upon your preference. If you use a sliced lemon, remove the lemon rind before serving.

For a light afternoon 'Norwegian' lunch (after hiking, sledding, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing), serve sweet soup with Julekake or Christmas bread, Christmas cookies, open-faced sandwiches, and a variety of sliced cheeses.

Sweet Soup also is good served cold on a hot summer day.

About The Author

By LeAnn R. Ralph

Tantalizing Turkey

You too can make a spectacular turkey dinner!

TT has what you need to help you at every step. You even get carving directions with graphics, guidance about the best way to thaw, stuff and roast your turkey, recipes and more. See what's inside.

Get answers to your most pressing turkey questions about how leftover turkey can be stored properly and what do you need to do to a turkey just before roasting it. Pick up invaluable Turkey Tips about Thermometer Placement and even how do you will know when the turkey is done. Learn about thawing your turkey using both the refrigerator and the cold water methods.

Not sure how to "Get Stuffed" the right way? Never fear, follow the Tantalizing Turkey's simple guidelines and you are on your way! You even get complete details (with approximate cooking times) for the Open Pan Method of roasting your turkey.

Once your turkey is roasted to perfection, don't mess up the meal with poor carving, follow the easy to understand carving instructions (complete with diagrams).

The turkey however is only one part of the presentation. Don't miss out on the mouth watering Turkey Apple Stuffing recipe and complete details on how to make Turkey Gravy with drippings or without. The recipes continue with ideas for dealing with the leftovers (the best part). Lots of ideas for you to use up the remains of your bird and enjoy dessert with this recipe for Handy Turkey Cookies (which doesn't actually contain turkey but who cares it tastes great)!

Handy Turkey Cookies

(NAPSA) - A Thanksgiving feast is not complete without dessert. And such a sweet ending can be a terrific way for youngsters to join in the preparation. Decorating these simple, "handy" cookies can be a light, tasty way to top a scrumptious meal-with some help from the little ones.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies

For the dough:





1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened



3/4 cup sugar



1 large egg



1 teaspoon vanilla extract



2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour



1 teaspoon baking soda



1 teaspoon cream of tartar





For the decorations:





1 cup prepared vanilla frosting (from a 16 oz. can)



Assorted colored sugars



Mini chocolate chips



Candy corn



Red fruit leather





Special aids:





Hand-shaped template or cookie cutter



Small resealable plastic bag



Scissors





Making the cookies:

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg and beat for 1 minute longer. Beat in vanilla just until incorporated.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Using a wooden spoon, stir butter mixture, one-third at a time, into flour mixture until blended. (The mixture will be crumbly.)

Gather dough into a ball; flatten into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray 2 baking sheets with vegetable cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Using a template made by cutting out a tracing of your hand or a hand-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies.

Transfer cutouts, 2 inches apart, to the prepared baking sheets. Reroll scraps for additional cookies. Bake until lightly browned around the edges, 8-10 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Decorating the cookies:

Spoon frosting into a resealable plastic bag; snip off 1 corner. Pipe a feather design onto each finger.

Sprinkle "feathers" with colored sugar. Pipe a dot for the "eye" on each thumb. Place a mini chocolate chip on each frosting "eye." Cut a candy corn for each nose and attach to thumb with a little frosting.

Using scissors, cut the fruit leather on its backing paper into 2-inch pieces; cut out "wattles."

Remove paper from fruit leather. Using a dab of frosting, attach "wattles" to thumbs. Let stand until frosting is set, about 1 hour.


By Chris Sadler

Frugal and Easy Thanksgiving Recipes

Here it is - that time of year when everyone's thoughts turn to food! I'm thankful that at our house, we have plenty of food, but sometimes I am not so grateful that I am the one who usually gets to cook it!

So I am always on the lookout for simple, tasty recipes that are also easy on the budget. Here are a few of my family's favorites:

Corn-Rice Casserole





1 1/2 cups minute rice (uncooked)



2 cans cream-style corn



1 small onion, chopped



1 medium green pepper, chopped



1/2 cup butter or margarine



8 oz. jar Cheez Whiz





Melt butter in large saucepan and add onion and green pepper. Cook until tender. Add other ingredients and cook on low for about 5 minutes, stirring often.

Pour into greased 2-quart baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.

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Sweet Potato Casserole





2 16-oz. cans sweet potatoes



1/4 cup butter



3/4 cup sugar



1/2 tsp. salt



2 eggs



1/2 cup milk



1 tsp. vanilla





Topping:





1 cup brown sugar



1/4 cup butter



2 tsp. cinnamon



1/4 cup flour





Drain sweet potatoes and mash. Add other ingredients and mix well. Pour into ungreased 9" square baking pan. Mix all topping ingredients till crumbly. Spread on yams then bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Tip: You can make this the day before. Just refrigerate till you are ready to bake.

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This one is perfect for supper the night before Thanksgiving.

Harvest Time Soup





1 1/2 cups water



1 cup cubed potatoes



1/2 cup chopped carrots



1/2 cup chopped celery



3/4 lb. process cheese spread, cubed



1 cup ham, cubed





Bring water, potatoes, carrots and celery to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer till vegetables are tender.

Add cheese and ham; cook, stirring till cheese is melted.

This makes about 4 servings, but it could easily be cut in half or doubled.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Samuel Adams, father of the American Revolution:

"It is therefore recommended ... to set apart Thursday the eighteenth day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise, that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor ..."-November 1, 1777

(adopted by the 13 states as the first official Thanksgiving Proclamation)


By Cyndi Roberts

Shake Things Up With Fun Milkshakes

Milkshakes have been around since the old days of drugstore soda fountains. Now days we tend to drink milkshakes mainly when we go out for a bite to eat at a fast food restaurant.

Milkshakes are healthy (they contain calcium) and delicious. The most common milkshake flavors are: strawberry, vanilla and chocolate.

But you don't have to wait for your next fast food trip to enjoy a frothy, cold milkshake. Why not whip out your blender and make your own?

Milkshakes are extremely easy to make and only take a minute or two. Kids especially love milkshakes. What a great way to get them to drink more milk.

If you're bored with the regular strawberry, vanilla and chocolate milkshakes, try these mouth-watering variations:

Blueberry Breakfast Milkshake - with fresh blueberries and apple juice

Peanut Butter Cup Milkshake - with peanut butter cups and chocolate syrup

Jello Milkshake - with any flavor jello and vanilla ice cream

Chocolate Cherry Milkshake - with cherries and chocolate syrup

Chunky Monkey Milkshake - with bananas and chocolate chips

Vanilla Vision Milkshake - with vanilla pudding

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake - with canned pumpkin and cinnamon

Coffee Fudge Swirl Milkshake - with instant coffee and fudge ripple ice cream

Strawberry Orange Milkshake - with fresh strawberries and orange juice

Irish Milkshake - with Irish cream liquor

Chocolate Tofu Milkshake - with bananas, cocoa powder and maple syrup

You can find these refreshing cold drink milkshake recipes online with the click of your mouse. So start shaking things up with a fun milkshake today!


By Donna Monday

Finding the Best Recipes

Trying to find a dynamite recipe to wow guests or cook up a special supper for your special someone? Finding the best recipes is simple. First, perform a careful analysis of the situation for which you are cooking to narrow down the search. Cookbooks are very specific, so whether you are a hometown soup cook, a college student, or a soon-to-be fine cuisine artist, there is a cookbook for you. Find your niche, and get cooking!

Weight loss cookbooks are currently all the rage among dieters. There is a cookbook for every new fad diet around, be it South Beach, Atkins, or Weight Watchers. These cookbooks contain ideas for recipes that help you forget you are on a diet. Magazines like Cosmopolitan and Shape also contain delectable, yet guilt-free recipes if you are watching your waistline. The downside of these cookbooks is that you will spend a fortune purchasing all the diet-friendly ingredients.

Another large recipe market is the young-person-learning-to-cook cookbook. My favorite in this group is A Man, A Can, A Plan. This book contains simple recipes for the most novice of cooks. It details how to make delicious and filling dinners using mostly canned ingredients. Cooking for Dummies makes even the most exotic of dishes attainable, and these books come in several subgroups for ethnic recipes as well. Several cookbooks exist on that limit the supplies needed to a meager four ingredients, perfect for those twenty-somethings who cannot cook and feel strapped for cash.

For a special occasion, cooking shows are a fabulous resource to find recipes to amaze your guests. These recipes tend to be a bit more complicated and are not for the weak of heart, but if you are feeling up for a challenge, tune into the food network for an afternoon of yummy learning. Be sure to make notes, as there will be several ingredients to remember as well as cooking strategies and techniques that may be unfamiliar. These shows often supply other trade secrets as well on topics such as creating an atmosphere to compliment your cooking.

The true secret for finding the best recipes is to use personalized cookbooks. Everyone has them. You know, the church fundraiser where everyone turned in their favorite recipe and sold the compiled book to foot the youth group's bus bill to Habitat for Humanity? The inherited cookbook that gets passed through the generations of your family is another great place to find scrumptious recipes. Often these homemade cookbooks contain the best recipe secrets because they are unique. Also, people relate food to emotions, so when you cook Great Aunt Sally's famous meatloaf, a certain joy comes from the connection one feels through creating a dish that was created long ago by a special relative.

By Keith Kingston

A Simple Technique to Remember Grocery Items

Whoops! I Forgot the ... at the Grocery Store!

Have you ever left the grocery store and said, "Whoops, I forgot one recipe ingredient"? Or, "Whoops, I forgot to use my coupon"? Or even while in the store, "Whoops, I passed that aisle, and now I have to go back"?

Here's a simple technique to help. Use an aisle-by-aisle grocery list. Include coupon reminders on your list.

You could make an aisle-by-aisle template for your store, and then write the items in the proper aisle. Another way is to write down the items in groups, by category. This requires some thought and discipline ahead of time. Most people just jot down the items in the order that they think of them, and they end up with a randomly ordered list.

Alternatively, you could use computer software. Then you can simply select the items and let the computer figure out the aisles. Of course, you'd first have to enter the aisle information into the computer so that it knows what to work with.

One shopper's experience with aisle-by-aisle shopping follows:

Before using the program my shopping took forever. I would have a list created by the "what do I need" method. Things were jotted down as I thought of them so my lists were a mess. I would need to go back and forth through the store checking off items willy-nilly. This would take forever, making me stay in the store for 2-3 hours each time. I would often forget items and have to return to the store hours later.

Now I can shop aisle by aisle and rarely forget to pick items. I can keep track of coupons and make sure that I get the discounts that I am entitled to. I have tried different methods of shopping but the Aisle-by-Aisle program has made my shopping easier. I can use my time more efficiently and I am able to have more free time with my family due to quicker shopping.!!!!

Spanish Food - The Perfect Paella

Looking for a traditional Spanish recipe? Without doubt, the best-known is going to be the prodigious paella ... that tasty, adaptable, gregarious dish famed throughout Spain and the World.

And, what an impressive choice of recipes exist for a pleasurable paella: seafood, chicken, rabbit ... or a mixture of all three! Perhaps you are non-meat eating ... well, just opt for one of the several vegetarian paella recipes. Bit of a health fanatic? Then substitute white rice for whole-grain rice or wild rice.

Got a large family and not much money to feed them on? Use plenty of rice and imagination along with a tasty stock, plus whatever you can find in the cupboard! I have certainly enjoyed many paellas where there have been more bones/shells than meat/ seafood! And, very tasty they have been too, the richness of the company more than compensating for any paucity in the ingrediants.

So ... how do you go about making the perfect paella? First of all, you need to choose your rice. The short-grained rice from Valencia - where most Spanish rice originates - is fine for making paellas. However, the "bomba" rice grown in the neighboring region of Murcia, is the "king" of paella rice: again, short-grained, it has the ability to absorb the stock whilst remaining firm.

Another "must" is to use saffron ("azafrán") to create the gentle, yellow color for which this delectable dish is renowned. Yes, it is possible to buy cheaper, artificial colorings but ... go for the traditional - it will bestow a wonderful aroma and unique flavor.

Many Spaniards swear a perfect paella can only be achieved when using a tasty, home-made stock. Whatever you decide, allow at least double the amount of liquid to rice. If, during cooking, the dish becomes a little dry, just add a dash more water or stock.

Another tip I have been told, on more than one occasion, is to gently fry the rice for a few minutes before adding the stock, ensuring that it is well-coated in oil. I think all Spaniards would agree that, once cooked, it is best to leave your paella to stand for a good five minutes before serving.

Perhaps the most important ingrediant for making that perfect paella, is to use lashings and lashings of love whilst preparing it - for surely, that is something we can all afford - and to enjoy to the full the marvellous company of those who will share it with you.

I shall now have to choose a paella recipe to offer you as an example! I think I will opt for a seafood paella, typical of the region of Valencia, where I live. The ingrediants are for a hearty four servings. If you are not a hefty eater, or on a diet, then reduce the amount of rice/stock slightly.

Paella Valenciana - Paella From Valencia

Ingrediants:

- 4 cups rice.
- 8 cups fish stock.
- 8 king-sized prawns/langoustines.
- 8 mussels.
- 200 gr shrimps.
- 200 gr peas (fresh or frozen).
- 2 tomatoes, skinned and chopped.
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced.
- 3 strands saffron, crumbled.
- Olive oil for frying.

Method:

1. Sauté garlic in a paella-type pan.

2. Add tomatoes, peas, shrimps and saffron.

3. Cook for a few minutes.

4. Add rice and stock.

5. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

6. Decorate with prawns and mussels.

7. Cover paella with a lid.

8. Poach the seafood for a few minutes.

9. Decorate paella with lemon quarters.

10. Enjoy!

By Linda Plummer

Cookbook Publishing - The Basic Ingredients and the Secrets to Success

You are about to embark on the most exciting enterprise of your life -- publishing a cook book! You will soon learn that writing a cook book is truly a fun, exciting and challenging project - more than you can imagine. Like me, you can publish your own wildly successful cook book. And if you ask me if I think publishing a cook book is worth the time and effort? You bet I do!

My cook book, Fit to Cook - Why 'Waist' Time in the Kitchen? sold over 250,000 copies (with, I might add, less than 10% of those sales coming from book stores). However, I wasted a great deal of time, back-tracking and scrambling in order to sell all those books because in the beginning I did not have a complete grasp of the publishing industry and the process of marketing a cook book.

Before you rack your brain figuring out how to write a cook book, and more importantly, how to publish a cook book, take some time to thoroughly research the why and what you are writing about, who you are writing for and when is the best time to launch your book.

Whether you want to get published or whether you want to self publish your cook book, the same basics apply - you need a good understanding of the publishing industry. Without the basics, will you know if your contracts are in order, that your book is the best it can be and that your cook book marketing plan is actually an effective strategy? No - but, knowledge is power. It is crucial that you take enough time to educate yourself about the entire publishing industry.

Understanding publishing, and the marketing of books, will clearly help you to identify why you are writing a cook book. Perhaps you are writing a cook book just to record secret family recipes or to have all of your own favorite recipes in a book format; maybe you are writing a cook book for a community or church fundraiser; or best of all, your goal is to create a bestseller. Cook books that are written for a very small group do not require business and marketing plans because you already know how many books will be purchased and who the buyers are. However, if you are planning to publish your own cook book for the mass markets, you need to understand that you have moved beyond author to publisher. That means that you are now a business person whose primary goal is the creation of a product to sell. There is no point in printing a book that no one will want to buy.

When I began writing my own cook book, I naively thought that it would be a two or three month process, and that in no time I would have a book on every book store shelf in the country. Ha, ha, ha, chuckle chuckle? Experience is a great educator, but who says that you have to learn the hard way? Obviously I had no idea how to publish a cook book in the beginning! However, through this article and via the publishing course that I and my partners have created, I intend to help you avoid losing time and money.

How did I create such a successful cook book? The short answer is research, research, research, and then more research. Thankfully I had the wisdom to do the research before going to print. But research can, and did, take years.

In my experience, after I learned how to write a cook book I had to learn all about cook book publishing:

copyright

trademarks

ISBN numbers

cataloging in publication data

printing terms like cover stock, bindings, signatures and bluelines

learning how to obtain printing quotes, (crucial in knowing how many books you can afford to print)

barcodes

graphic design (makes the difference between great sales and no sales)

editing (cannot, and I mean cannot, be done by yourself, friends or family)

titles and subtitles (they can make or break a book)

title search (avoid duplicating someone else's title)

distribution

Next, I had to learn about how to start a business:

business plan

incorporation

toll free numbers

corporate logos and identity

websites

shipping arrangements

accounting principles

Most importantly I had to become wise about marketing:

writing a plan

researching competition

understanding target markets

going through the difficult but crucial process of choosing a book title

discovering the importance of a book's cover - both the front cover and the back cover - and how to design the cover

looking outside book stores for buyers

learning the importance of publicity

discovering the essential need for a stellar media kit and how to create one

approaching the media and the importance of a good publicist

I learned, and I will share with you, a key point to consider when you are discovering how to write a cook book. Before you even begin to write your cook book, you must identify your target market. Who will actually buy your cook book? It is amazing that so many authors think that "everyone" will want their book, but that is not so. Not "everyone" is a target for anything! - not even the Bible.

Know who will actually buy your book. Interviewing the owners of cook book stores and specialty cooking stores can help you to identify cook book trends so that you know what people are actually buying. It is also a good idea to think of corporations and organizations that might benefit by using your book as a promotional item. Approach them even before you go to print, offering them special discounts, opportunities to place their information in a special printing of the book, advertising chances to offer your cook book as a "freebie" with the purchase of their product - just to name a few cook book marketing ideas.

If your cook book is targeted to busy families, the recipes must be easy to prepare in a short time period; if it is targeted to gourmet cooks, the recipes must be of the quality that you would expect to find in a four or five star restaurant; if it is targeted to a specific ethnic group, the recipes must be authentic; but if it is targeted to the mass market, your cook book must have a very wide scope with recipes that make any mouth water, and the ingredients must be readily available in grocery stores.

Once you have identified who will buy your book, you can target your marketing plan and your book design with your customers in mind, such as:

· Where do they shop?

· Where do they play?

· What style of book appeals to them? - (research your competition closely).

· What price are they willing to pay?

· How many pictures do they want in a cook book? (a lack of photos can kill book sales)

· What colors attract them? (spend time in book stores and libraries, learning which books have the most appealing appearance)

· What size of book is currently popular?

· What type of book binding increases sales?

· Are they concerned about health or other issues?

· Do they appreciate little stories, jokes, cooking tips or other information in the book?

Sometimes I took two steps forward then had to take one step back, but at other times I took one step forward and two back. Don't waste time the way that I did - use my experiences to your advantage. Once you have a grasp of the basics, you can actually begin to put your cook book publishing and marketing plans into action.

Of course, a cook book has special challenges that other books may not have. Your primary goal is to give people unique, delicious recipes that they can create successfully in their own homes. That means that you have to measure exactly and your instructions must be clear and simple. You will have to test each recipe over and over until it turns out perfectly every time, then you will have to enlist other people to prepare those recipes independently of you. No matter what their comments, you must take the critiques of your testers seriously because if they do not achieve great results the chances are very good that your customers will be unhappy with their "flops". Finally, it is a good idea to have the recipes tested by a professional home economist or other food expert.

Depending on the focus of your cook book, you might want to include nutrition information such as calories and fat content. Fortunately, there is now computer software that will do the calculations for you. You must also provide an index at the back of the book, and thankfully, software is available for this chore also.

Food photography is a special challenge of its own, requiring many tricks to make good look appealing. A good food photographer is a vital part of your cook book publishing team. Great attention must be paid to every minute detail, down to the grains of pepper in a dish and to the bubbles on top of a cup of coffee. Each photograph can require four hours of shooting time, if not more, so plan adequate time for the photo shoot.

The services of a food stylist are very helpful, but with research you can do a great deal of the food styling yourself. Find as many books as you can on the subject and practice in advance of the photo shoot. I learned simple tricks like:

sticking sandpaper to the plate to prevent food from slipping

using whipped icing or shaving cream in place of ice cream or whipped cream

placing a shot glass under a very thickly cut slice of lemon to prevent the lemon from absorbing the liquid underneath

using beef bouillon in place of "coffee"

using dish detergent to create bubbles in the "coffee"

using a blow torch to make meat appear cooked

and the list goes on?

Food styling is such fun, but it requires a great deal of time, even in advance of the photo shoot. You will need all of your "props" in place, such as dishes, cutlery, flowers, table linens, food items and backgrounds. Many companies will happily lend these items to you in exchange for a credit in the book - this can appear on the Cataloging in Publication data page at the beginning of your book.

When your book is ready to go to print, it is time to put your cook book marketing and publicity campaign into gear:

· Decide on the best time of year to launch your book. September is usually the best month for Christmas sales, but you also face steep competition. Try to think of a time that is appropriate for your book, such as January for a healthy eating book, late Spring for a barbecue book, Valentine's Day for a romantic book, Heart and Stroke month for a heart-healthy book, etc.

· Produce galley copies.

· Send galleys to appropriate book clubs (look at their websites to learn their submission requirements).

· Research appropriate catalogs and send galleys to them.

· Have your publicist approach magazines that review cook books (magazines have long lead times).

· Stay in contact with any corporations and organizations that might use your book for promotions.

· Find a reputable distributor to have your book accepted by the book store trade, as well as other retailers.

· Contact non-book store book sellers.

When your book is ready to roll off the press, get your publicity campaign into high gear. You can have the best book in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one will buy it. The easy part is over - publicity and marketing now become your life. This part is the most fun, as you now reap the rewards of all of your efforts. Your goal now is to turn your cook book title into a household word. Go for it -- publish your own cook book!

Rockfish Bessie

Ingredients
5-6 lbs. Whole Rockfish
1 Onion
1 Lemon
1 Lime
Cilantro
Corn Husks
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Preheat over to 375F.

Make sure the fish is clean of all entrails. Slice the onion, salt and pepper it and place it in the cavity.

Chop the cilantro and slice the lemon and lime and place it on top of the fish. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top of the fish then salt and pepper the top. Cover the fish entirely in corn husks and then wrap the fish in tin foil.

Place fish in a baking pan and place in the over. Bake for 30 minutes and then flip it over carefully and bake for another half hour. If the meat flakes, its ready.

Serve with salsa, rice pilaf, black beans and fried plantains.

By Paul Rinehart

Spanish Food - How To Prepare Boquerones

Whilst on your travels in Spain and pausing to take a breath from site-seeing, you have surely experimented with "tapas" at a welcoming bar.

If this is the case, it is more than likely that you have come across the small, tasty filleted fish, preserved in olive oil, sliced garlic and chopped parsley, and highly popular throughout Spain. This delectable dish is usually known as "boquerones" but, depending on the area, can also be called "anchoas".

Boquerones are small, fresh anchovies. Accompanied by crisp, fresh Spanish bread, a glass of ruby-red wine or refreshing Asturian cider, they are a delight to eat. Moreover - as with many traditional Spanish dishes which comprise the renowned Mediterranean Diet - they are extremely healthy.

Like its friend the sardine, the anchovy is an oily fish, packed full of proteins and minerals, protecting against heart disease, and "good" for cholesterol. What´s more, in many areas of Spain - in particular the Mediterranean coast - fresh anchovies are extremely cheap.

On first coming to Spain, I happily enjoyed many tapas of boquerones, completely unaware of one fact ... all those little anchovies I had eaten were not cooked! For a moment, I deeply regretted asking my Spanish neighbor, Carmen, how to make them!

Fortunately, Carmen went into immediate action and saved the day! She frog-marched me to the local fishmongers, bought a kilo of the little fish, took me home and showed me "her way" of preparing them. They were so delicious that I quickly recovered my passion for boquerones and have been enjoying them ever since!

Methods for preparing boquerones tend to vary slightly from family to family. However, the basic principles are always the same. You first have to clean and fillet the fish, which is simple enough, but rather tedious until you get the hang of it.

Next, you soak the fillets, either in white wine vinegar or a mixture of half vinegar and half water. The vinegar will clean and bleach the fish and also soften any remaining little bones. Some people sprinkle the fish with salt; others (myself included) feel that the fish is salty enough already.

The fish has to be left for a good few hours soaking in the vinegar. Again, this tends to vary, with some Spaniards leaving them overnight in the fridge and others just waiting a couple of hours. Also, some families change the vinegar/water-and-vinegar mixture once during this process, whilst others don´t bother.

Once you have thrown away the vinegar, the bleached fillets are covered with a good quality virgin olive oil, which will preserve them. You can add as much, or as little, sliced garlic as you wish, plus freshly chopped parsley.

So ... here is the actual recipe.

BOQUERONES

Ingrediants:
- 1 kilo fresh anchovies.
- White wine vinegar.
- Virgin olive oil.
- Garlic.
- Parsley.
- Salt (optional).

Method:

1. Top and tail anchovies.

2. Slit along underside and discard innards.

3. Open out fish.

4. Remove central bone by lifting from tail end upwards.

5. Rinse well.

6. Place a layer of anchovy fillets in a shallow dish.

7. Sprinkle with salt (optional) and pour on plenty of vinegar.

8. Repeat with another layer, changing direction.

9. Leave to soak in vinegar for a few hours or overnight.

10. Pour off vinegar.

11. Very gently rinse fillets.

12. Cover fillets in virgin olive oil.

13. Add slices of garlic and chopped parsley.

It is so pleasant to find something in life that is a delight to the senses, affordable, healthy and does nobody any harm (apologies to any vegetarians out there and, also, the little anchovies ...). So ... do make the most of fresh anchovies whilst you are in Spain and enjoy!

By Linda Plummer

Blue Cheese Omnivorous

Ingredients

Romaine Lettuce (head $1.29)
1 pound of steak ($10 per pound)
1 box of colorful pasta ($1.03 Blue's Clues because my inner child sways me at times.)
1 red pepper ($2.62)
Blue Cheese dressing ($2.43)
½ pound block of blue cheese ($3.79 optional ingredient)

*Save money everywhere but in buying the meat. Cheap meat is too tough for this.

Wash and shred lettuce. Put it in the refrigerator so that it remains cold and crispy at serving time.

Then, cook pasta until tender but not downright floppy. We want the pasta to be somewhat cooler, so in this instance, it's okay to rinse it off with cool water a little bit so it no longer steams.

Meanwhile, cut steak into slices and sear with salt and pepper. Do this in a shallow pan and a tablespoon of oil in the pan. As the meat cooks, toss it around a bit. When it starts sticking to the pan, you're done in thirty seconds.

As the steak finishes, wash and half the red pepper. Faux roast a half on an electric range or carefully roast a half on a gas stove so that the outside is dark and toasty. While the pepper can still keep its shape, remove it carefully from the heat and slice lengthwise. It's a lovely and tasty garnish with dramatic flair during cooking!

Assembly for presentation:

Toss the lettuce and cooled pasta together evenly. Now add enough dressing to coat the pasta and lettuce in a toss. Put this tossed mix as a bed on a plate or in a bowl. With clean fingers, crumble some of the wedge of blue cheese. Now place the steak strips on top in no particular pattern. Lightly drizzle with blue cheese dressing (diners can add more to taste). Finally, garnish the top with the most aesthetic strips of red pepper providing remaining slices for your companion.

What you have is a colorful and healthy salad for the human omnivore. Most every need of nutrition is encompassed in this attractive dish that goes well with red wine, water, or even cola for the kiddies.

By Bryan Applegate

Kalasan Fried Chicken (Indonesian Sweet Fried Chicken)

Ingredients:

4 pcs Big Red Chili (omit the seeds)
100 cc of coconut water
1 pc Tomato (Cut into 4 pcs)
2 pcs Shallots (1 pc cut into 2 pcs)
3 pcs of Salam leaves or bay leaves as a substitute
1 pc of Galangal (bruised)
1 pc of Brown Sugar
1 chicken (cut into smaller pieces)

Method:

Simmer chicken with coconut water, salt and all the ingredients until the water has almost evaporated and the chicken is tender.
Drain and allow to cool.
Set aside the red chili, tomato and red onion from the chicken to make the chili sauce.
Deep-fried chicken in hot oil until golden brown but do not fried it too crunchy.
The chicken is ready to be served with the chili sauce

Chili Sauce:

Grind the red chili, tomato and red onion that have been set aside. Add salt, sugar and shrimp paste. For serving: add Indonesian lime (limau orange) and sweet soy sauce into the chili sauce.

By Hanny and her husband

Handy Home-Prepared Mixes

Pre-packaged store-bought box mixes are expensive. Have you considered homemade alternatives? Made-from-scratch mixes are healthy, cost beneficial, store well, and taste great. Often times, you're paying for the packaging of commercial "convenience" foods and you don't have any control over the additives and preservatives they contain. When making your own mixes, you tailor the ingredients, so have control over the quality and quantity.

Making your own bulk mixes is a great way to stock your pantry. Creative containers make homemade mixes a terrific frugal gift idea too. There's something deeply satisfying when cooking from scratch. It takes some minimal preparation, but many of the ingredients are already a staple in your pantry. It's not as time consuming as you may think.

Supplies

Plastic baggies
Glass containers with tight fitted lids
Prep area
Labels
Appropriate ingredients
Storage area
Basic kitchen tools
Plastic containers
Decorative items for gifts. (ribbons, printable recipe cards, labels)

Master Baking Mix

9 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup baking powder
1 Tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups nonfat dry milk solids
2 cups shortening (which does not require refrigeration)

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar and sugar three times. Add dry milk. Mix well. Cut in shortening until mixture looks like cornmeal. Store in covered container at room temperature.

Biscuits
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine 1 1/2 cups Master Baking Mix and 1/3 cup milk in a bowl. Add milk and stir. Knead lightly on floured board. Roll 1/2-inch thick; cut and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Makes 8.
Options: Add grated cheese and chopped herbs. Increase milk to 1/2 cup for drop biscuits.

Muffins
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Beat together in a bowl 1 egg, 1 cup milk and 2 tablespoons sugar. Add 3 cups Master Baking Mix. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon into greased muffin pans or into paper muffin cups and bake 20 minutes.
Options: Add drained fruit, chopped nuts or dried fruit. Replace 1/3 cup of Master Baking Mix called for with quick-cooking oatmeal or All-Bran® cereal. Add chopped dried fruit and nuts to recipe and bake as a fruit bread in a greased 8 x 5-inch loaf pan. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Pancakes or Waffles
Beat together 1 cup milk and 1 egg. Stir in 1 1/2 cups Master Baking Mix. Bake on griddle or waffle iron.

Dumplings
Mix 1/3 cup water to 1 cup Master Baking Mix. Drop into hot stock and cook 10 minutes, uncovered, and 10 minutes, covered.

Yellow Cake
Sift together in a large bowl 3 cups Master Baking Mix and 1 1/4 cups sugar. Mix together in a small bowl 2 beaten eggs, 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add this to dry ingredients. Beat at high speed for 4 minutes. Grease a 9-inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Frost or sprinkle confectioners' sugar over the top. Options: For chocolate cake increase the sugar to 1 1/2 and add 1/2 cup of cococa powder.

Coffee Cake
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Beat together in a bowl 1/3 cup milk and 1 egg. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 2 1/4 cups Master Baking Mix. Stir until well blended, about one minute. Pour into a greased 8-inch square baking pan. Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 3 tablespoons margarine and 1/4 cup chopped nuts and sprinkle over the top. Bake 25 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookies
Place 2 1/4 cups Master Baking Mix in a bowl. Stir in 1 3/4 cups brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Combine 1/3 cup milk, 2 beaten eggs and 1/2 cup melted shortening. Stir into mix and blend well. Add 3 cups oatmeal and mix. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 12 minutes.

Banana Bread
Beat 2 eggs and 1/4 cup sugar together in a bowl until well blended. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1 1/4 cups (about 3) mashed bananas. Stir in 2 1/2 cups Master Baking Mix. Pour into a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 55 minutes or until brown.

Pizza Crust
Add 1/2 cup water to 2 cups Master Baking Mix and form into a ball. Knead and roll out 1/2-inch thick. Place in a 10-inch pan, leaving a rim around the edge. Brush the dough with oil, then spread with favorite toppings.

Basic Mixes

Chicken Coating Mix

1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons onion powder or dried minced onion
2 teaspoons dried minced celery
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper


Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
To use: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Gently beat 1/2 cup milk and 1 egg together in a bowl. Wash and pat dry chicken. Fill a bag with 1 cup of the coating mix. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk-egg mixture and then drop a piece of chicken into the bag and shake. Let pieces dry thoroughly before baking. Place chicken on a shallow, lightly greased baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until tender.

Stuffing Mix

6 cups large bread cubes
1/4 cup dried minced onion
1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon leaf thyme, crumbled
1/2 cup dried minced celery
1/2 teaspoon leaf sage, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cubes chicken bouillon, crumbled, or 3 Tablespoons chicken bouillon powder

Bake bread cubes on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, turning a few times to brown evenly. Toss bread cubes with remaining ingredients until the cubes are evenly coated. Store in a tightly closed container on the shelf for 1 to 4 months, or freeze for 1 year. To use: Melt 3 tablespoons butter; stir into 2 cups Stuffing Mix in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup chicken broth or water, stirring gently. Warm in a pan on top of the stove, in the oven, or in a microwave.

Condiments

Ranch Dressing Mix

15 saltine crackers
1 cup dry parsley
1/2 cup dry onions
2 Tablespoons thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Whirl in blender until crumbs are very small. Store in an airtight container. It will keep for 1 year.
To use: Whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup buttermilk and 1 Tablespoon Ranch Dressing Mix.

Italian Dressing Mix

2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
6 Tablespoons granulated sugar


Mix and store in an airtight container.
To make dressing: Use 3 Tablespoon mix with 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil and 1/2 cup wine vinegar.

Beverages

Cocoa Mix

8 1/2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
1 1/2 cups non-dairy coffee creamer
3 cups instant chocolate drink mix for milk
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar


In a large bowl, combine all and blend well. Store in an airtight container.
To serve: Combine 1/2 cup of mix with 9 ounces of boiling water. Stir well. Makes 16 cups of mix.

Cappuccino Mix

1 cup instant coffee creamer
1 cup instant chocolate drink mix
2/3 cup instant coffee crystals, regular or decaffeinated
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg


Combine creamer, drink mix, coffee crystals, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and mix well. Store in airtight container. Makes 3 cups dry mix, 15 servings.
To prepare: Add 3 Tablespoons mix to 6 ounces of hot water and stir well.

Spice Blends

All Purpose Spice Mix

1/3 cup Grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Sesame seeds
2 Tablespoon Paprika
1 Tablespoon Poppy seeds
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 teaspoon Dried parsley
1 teaspoon Onion flakes
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 teaspoon Celery seed
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper


Crush bouillon cube into fine powder, put in screw-top jar. Add remaining ingredients and shake until well mixed. Store in refrigerator for up to 4 months. May be used on fish, meat, stews, casseroles, salads, vegetables.

Onion Soup Mix

2 cups powdered milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup beef bouillon crystals
2 Tablespoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed

Mix and store in an airtight container in refrigerator.
To prepare: Mix 1/3 cup dry Onion Soup Mix with 1 1/2 cups water. Cook and stir until thickened.

Gift Ideas (Gifts In a Jar)

Dreamsicle Cookies

1/2 cup orange-flavored drink mix (Tang)
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups vanilla baking chips
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder


Combine the flour with baking soda and baking powder. Starting with the Tang, then sugar, chips and flour mix, layer the ingredients in a glass jar.
Attach Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F Empty contents into a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix well. Roll heaping tablespoonfuls into balls. Place 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

Colorful Soup Mix in a Jar

1 cube beef bouillon
1/4 cup dried minced onion
1/2 cup dried split peas
1/2 cup uncooked twist macaroni
1/4 cup barley
1/2 cup dry lentils
1/3 cup long-grain white rice
1 cup uncooked tri-color spiral pasta

Use a funnel. Layer ingredients in the following order: bouillon, onion flakes, split peas, small shape pasta, barley, lentils, rice, and enough tricolor spiral pasta to fill jar.
Attach Instructions: Brown 1 pound ground beef or stew beef in a little olive oil. Remove tricolor pasta from top of jar and reserve. Add the rest of the jar contents to the pan and add 12 cups water. Boil and simmer 45 minutes. Add tricolor pasta and simmer 15 minutes more.

Tips

Be sure to store your mixes in a cool, dark place. They hold a shelf life of approximately six months. You can also freeze flour for 24 hours prior to using in your mixes to prevent the possibility of bugs.

Gifts In a Jar Tips

When assembling gifts in a jar, you should use one quart, wide mouth canning jars;however, many containers will work such as mugs, baskets, gift bags, flower pots, bowls, and teapots. Press each layer firmly in place before adding the next ingredient. You can decorate with fabric, floral and ribbon embellishments, or by drawing on jars with glass paint markers. You can consider attaching small gifts to the container such as ornaments, cookie cutters, measuring spoons, or a wooden spoon. Don't forget to attach the recipe to your homemade gift.

If you enjoyed these mix recipes, you'll love Just Recipes website with over 700 mix recipes at your fingertips.
http://www.melborponsti.com/inxmix.html

You're well on your way to creating great alternatives to store-bought convenience foods. Who thought it could be so simple and sensible? You'll create something handy, frugal, healthy, and tasty. They're wonderful for stocking up, camping trips, and emergencies too. You'll even have wonderful kitchen gifts to share. Not bad for thinking "outside of the box".

By Sara Noel

Fish Recipes

These recipes are wonderful and they are old family recpies. Armenian Baked Fish

3 lbs. whitefish-in the white fleshed bland fish may be substituted
3 fresh tomatoes or one small canned tomatoes
1 cloves garlic mashed
1 tbsp. flour
1 c. water
4 tbsp. minced parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

fillet and rinse fish. Spread the fillets skin side down in a buttered baking pan. Cover fish with tomatoes garlic and the flour mixed with water. Spread with parsley. Seasoned with salt and pepper. Pour oil and lemon juice all around fish. Bake at 325 after 420 to 40 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. Spoon pan juices over the fish several times while baking. May be served hot or cold. Garnish with sliced lemon. Serves six.

Pine smoked trout

Use a wire holder to get a smoky flavor when cooking trout. The idea is to be able to turn the meat over like the type made to hold hot dogs or hamburgers.

Cut server pine boughs and place them on your campfire. Lay the holder with your trout directly on top. Light the pine boughs, then the fire will sear, cook, and smoke your trout in about a minute before burning out. Just turn the holder over to sear the other side - repeat the process. A couple of boughs and less than a minute for each side is perfect for a half-pound trout.

Pickled Bluegills

Use only a stainless steel pan for good taste.

Cut fish into small pieces - you will need about 5 cups of fish. Soak in a quart of water and one cup of salt for 2 days. Rinse fish in cold water and drain. Then pour two cups of white vinegar over the fish and put it in the fridge for another 2 days. Pour it off.

Next, cook the following mix for five minutes and let cool

2 cups white vinegar
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. whole black pepper
1 tsp. whole allspice
1 tsp. whole cloves
4 bay leaves

After it cools pour it over the fish, and place slices of lemon and onions on top. Refrigerate for 5 days, then remove the spices and pack into jars. It makes three pints.

Sunfish

Once you have skinned and filleted the Sunfish, try this recipe.

You'll need:

1 lb. sunfish fillets
2 scallionis sliced thin
1 green pepper sliced thin
1 small jar of spaghetti sauce
1 chopped tomato
½ cup water
½ cup white wine
Pinch salt

Combine scallions, pepper and sauce. Cover and simmer for r10 minutes. Add fish, salt, tomato nad wine. Simmer, covered, for six minutes. Ladle over rice and rim with parsley.

When you are all done skimming and filleting your sunfish, plant the carcasses deep in your tomato patch or rose bed. They make excellent fertilizer.

Fish Loaf

After you fillet your fish, don't throw away the bones. There is still meat attached to them, and you can make a tasty dish with the leftovers. Begin by either baking the backbone scrapings in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven or steaming them over boiling water until they are cooked. While the fish is cooking, gather the following ingredients:

1 cup toasted break cubes
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
½ cup tomato sauce
¾ cup grated cheddar cheese
Paprika
1 ¼ cups cooked, flaked fish (from the scrapings)

Mix all ingredients except paprika and one-quarter cup of the grated cheese in a large bowl. Work in the flaked fish until a uniform texture is attained. Spoon the mixture into a 9X5-inch bread pan and shape it into a loaf. Spread the remaining grated cheese over the loaf and sprinkle paprika on top. Bake the loaf at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour. Let it cool five to 10 minutes before cutting.

Add chili peppers or hot pepper sauce as desired.

Baked Ciscoes

10 ciscoes, filleted
1 ½ tbsps. Lemon juice
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup light cream
1 ½ tsps. Flour
1 tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper
Buttered toast

Quarter the fiillets. Place fish pieces in a buttered flat baking dish. Sprinkle with the lemon juice. Heat butter and flour in saucepan. Add the two cups heavy cream and the cup of light cream slowly. Bring to boiling point, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over fish and sp rinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about one hour. Serve fish and sauce on (or with) buttered toast.

Recipe: Chocolate Modeling Clay

Ingredients:

6 oz. chocolate chips

5 teaspoons corn syrup

1 gallon size zip-top bag

Rolling pin, cookie cutters, plastic table knife

Directions:

1. Melt the chocolate chips in the top half of a double boiler. Stir in the corn syrup.

2. Using a wide mouth jar as a stand, place the zip-top bag inside, making sure the top edges of the bag drape over the outside of the jar. Pour the melted chocolate into the bag and seal. Let it cool.

3. Knead until the chocolate is well mixed, smooth, and clings together. You may want to add a few drops of water for a softer consistency.

4. Use nonstick cooking spray to grease the counter, rolling pin, cookie cutters, and your hands. As you begin to work the clay, the warmth from the kneading will make dough smooth and satiny. Cut, shape and sculpt your Valentine creations.

5. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Copyright Nine Twenty Press

You have permission to reprint this article electronically or in print, free of charge, provided that each article is:

1. Printed in its full form with no changes
2. Includes an active link
3. And the following byline appears at the bottom of each article:

By Rondi Hillstrom Davis

Spanish Food - How To Make Spicy Gazpacho Soup

Home-made soups are so good for you - all that nourishing stock and chock-a-block full of vitamins and minerals.

But ... who on earth could face boiling bones for hours on end during the scorching Spanish summer weather, not to mention preparing the soup once the stock is made? I don´t think it would tickle anybody´s fancy to then have to tuck into a piping-hot soup!

For this reason, the Spanish came up with their wonderful, ice-cold soup - gazpacho - beautifully colorful, packed with goodness, cheap and simple to prepare, no cooking and ... most important of all, an absolute delight to drink.

Traditional gazpacho originates from romantic Andalucia - that large, exotic southerly region of Spain which is home to such extensive Arabic influence.

The chilled, raw soup was originally made by pounding bread and garlic with tomatoes, cucumber and peppers but, nowadays, your electric blender renders this effortless! Olive oil endows it with a smooth, creamy consistency and vinegar adds a refreshing tang - just what you need when life gets too hot to handle!

The spicy soup should be served in true Spanish style with small bowls of accompaniments - finely chopped peppers, cucumber, onion ... even hard-boiled eggs and croutons, if you feel up to it! Guests will then sprinkle what appeals to them on the soup.

Traditional gazpacho is tomato-based, with most Spanish families having developed their own, unique recipes. However, nowadays, you will also find gazpacho recipes that have nothing to do with tomatoes - white, almond-based gazpachos, fruit-based gazpachos, etc.

Do you suffer from insomnia? Could be that drinking gazpacho is the answer, for in Pedro Almodovar´s 1987 film "Mujeres Al Borde De Un Ataque De Nervios", various characters help themselves to the soup and promptly fall asleep!

However, don´t fall asleep just yet as you haven´t read over the recipe!

Ingrediants for 4 servings:

- 4 ripe tomatoes - 1 onion - ½ red pepper - ½ green pepper - ½ cucumber - 3 cloves garlic - 50 g bread - 3 dessertspoons vinegar - 8 dessertspoons olive oil - Water - Salt/pepper - ¼ chilli pepper (optional)

Garnishings:

- 2 hard-boiled eggs - ½ finely chopped onion - ½ finely chopped red pepper - ½ finely chopped green pepper - ½ finely chopped cucumber

Method:

1. Break up bread and soak in water for 30 minutes.

2. Skin tomatoes, remove seeds and stalks from peppers.

3. Peel cucumber, onion and garlic.

4. Chop onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppers and cucumber.

5. Place in electric blender.

6. Squeeze out excess water from bread and add to blender.

7. Add oil and vinegar.

8. Blend well.

9. If necessary, add sufficient water for soup-like consistency.

10. Pour into a bowl with ice cubes.

11. Fridge for a couple of hours.

12. Serve in bowls, with garnishings in separate dishes.

Gazpacho is best enjoyed sitting in the shade, looking out onto an azure sea, blue sky and golden sun and sands!

By Linda Plummer

Spanish Food - The Tasty Tortilla

It certainly is a poor man or woman who cannot find a few eggs, a couple of potatoes and an onion in their store cupboard!

The ever-practical Spaniard realized this and thus created their marvellous "tortilla" - an easy-to-make dish that could be savoured by rich and poor alike.

Not only cheap to make the tortilla, or Spanish omelette, is immenseley adaptable: you can eat it hot or cold, depending on the weather and your mood; you can enjoy a small slice as a "tapa" (snack) in between meals; or, accompanied by a multi-coloured mixed salad and crusty, fresh Spanish bread, you have a marvellous main meal! Should unexpected guests come knocking at your door ... just whip out the ever-adaptable toritilla, pour them a glass of smooth, Spanish wine and they are bound to be delighted!

Unlike the better-known French omelette which should be made quickly and over a high heat, the Spanish omelette needs to be cooked more gently, so that the middle is not too runny. The French omelette is best eaten straight away and always hot. Its Spanish counterpart, on the other hand, improves if left to rest for at least five minutes before eating, keeps well for a couple of days in the fridge, and can easily be re-heated in the microwave, unless you prefer it cold.

As with the French omelette, the Spanish tortilla is made in a frying pan (preferably non-stick) but, unlike the French version, both sides need to be cooked. For this reason, it is possible to buy special tortilla frying pans - a sort of double pan which allows you to just swish it over and cook the other side!

I have to say, I prefer the traditional method of placing a plate on top of the pan, turning the tortilla out and then returning to the pan to cook the underside. But, perhaps the simplest method is to just place the frying pan under the grill to brown the tortilla.

Whichever way you choose to prepare it, once cooked, leave it to cool a little, cover with a large plate, then gently ease the omelette out. It should be circular, about an inch-and-a-half thick, and it is usual to cut it in slices or wedges. Having said that, you can divide it into small cubes, pop a cocktail stick on top, and serve along with other "bits and pieces" as apéritifs.

Spanish recipes for tortilla vary slightly from region to region - also what you have in the fridge and what you fancy! You can replace the potato with, say, spinach, leave out the onion, add a bit more garlic, etc, etc. Just use your imagination!

Below is a recipe for a traditional potato-and-onion tortilla.

TORTILLA - Spanish Omelette

Ingrediants:

Olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed with 1 teaspoon salt 2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and diced Black pepper 6 eggs, beaten

Method:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. 2. Add onion, garlic, pepper and potatoes. 3. Gently fry until golden-brown and potatoes slightly softened. 4. Tip potato-and-onion mixture into bowl containing the beaten eggs. 5. Stir and transfer to a large frying pan containing clean oil. 6. Cook over a low heat for 10-15 minutes. 7. Transfer pan to a preheated hot grill until top is browned. 8. Alternatively, turn upside down onto a plate and return to pan to brown underside. 9. Carefully tip onto plate and slice as you would a cake.

By Linda Plummer

London Broil - Garlic

eRix Recipes

London broil - Garlic


Ingredients:

? 2 lbs. London Broil beef
? 1 ½ cups cubed, peeled carrots
? 1 ½ cups cubed cabbage
? ½ cup cubed Spanish yellow onion
? 2 cups halved, unpeeled red potatoes
? 1 teaspoon salt
? 1 tablespoon of canola vegetable oil
? 4 quartered cloves of garlic from bulb
? ½ cup of water

Step One - take the 2 lb. London broil beef slab and infuse it with the 4 quartered cloves of garlic. The easiest

way to accomplish this is to take a chopstick or a paring knife to make incision into the beef about 2 inches apart,

then take the garlic and insert it into the holes created. Take ½ of the teaspoon of oil a put it into a pan

warming to medium-high heat. Take ½ teaspoon of salt and dust the slab of beef. When the pan is warmed for about 2

minutes, place the beef into it and spend 10 minutes browning all sides of the beef. DO NOT WASH THE FRYING PAN,

keep the heat on medium-high and place the ½ cup of water into the pan and bring to a boil, then remove from heat

and save to be put on the vegetables. From that point place the seared meat onto a broiler rack lined with foil

and place into a pre-heated 400º oven for 20 minutes. This should bring a meat cooking preference of medium-rare. 

Adjust the time longer or shorter for your liking of meat doneness.

Step Two - while the London broil beef slab is in the oven, take ½ tablespoon of canola oil and place into another

frying pan warming to high heat. Next take the halved potatoes and carrots and begin to cook for about 4 minutes,

then add the onion and cabbage and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Add the other ½ teaspoon of salt and the ½ cup

of water that is in the pan used to brown the beef, then cover and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from the

heat and let to rest until serving time.

Step Three - a simple, clean presentation of the food will always wet the appetite of those about to eat a meal. 

Therefore, never crowd the plate with more than three items at a time. I suggest you take the beef sliced about ¼"

thick-against the grain of the meat to ensure tender cuts-and place it a fan shape on the lower left portion of

the plate. Nest take the vegetables and place the above and to the left of the meat. Compliment this with your

favorite salad placed across from the vegetables and you have a delicious, hearty garlic infused London broil your

family and friends will rave about. I like how cool the slices of garlic appear within the meat and how good it

really tastes.



By Eric Smith

Tayberry Jam

The taste of Summer, bursting with flavour and anti-oxidant effects. Tayberries are a Raspberry / Blackberry cross that combines the best of both. Big, succulent fruits that crop early. Blackberries were eaten even in Stone Age times, pips from the fruit were found in the stomach remains of a Neolithic man preserved in clay in Essex.

Blackberry picking time was once a most important country activity. Country people would pick in droves, gathering the fruit for jams, tarts, crumble, jellies, teas, wine, ale, syrup, vinegar, cordial, summer puddings and the rest ! Tayberry, Raspberry or Blackberry jelly is a great way to preserve this fruit for when it is needed in the winter - it makes a great base for a hot toddy.

Legend has it that wild Blackberries should not be eaten after October 10th because the Devil spits on every bush at this time and they certainly lose flavour and become 'fly blown' as autumn progresses. Roger Phillips in 'Wild Food' (my favourite food book) notes that this choice of date falls around Michaelmas Day (allowing for an 11 day calendar shift in 1752). This feast day celebrates "the primeval war in which St. Michael the Archangel hurled Lucifer out of Heaven and down to earth" and provides more evidence of how Christianity assimilated much of folklore for its own ends.

These berries are rich in vitamin C and provide a recognised boost to the immune system. The fresh berries are rich in bioflavonoids, fibre and folate. There are also traces of salicylate - a natural aspirin like compound that can trigger allergic reactions in some people. The leaves and roots are also a valuable herb that can help to control diarrhoea. The chewing of blackberry leaves for bleeding gums goes back at least 2000 years.

For this recipe I used about 2 pounds of fresh Tayberries with a quarter pint of water (and a couple of Strawberries thrown in). Let it simmer for a few minutes, add 2 pounds of sugar and stir until it dissolves, then add the pectin and a knob of butter, get it to a rolling boil for a few minutes and pour into sterilised jars, and seal. It won't last until winter as my son keeps eating it, and so do I. Yum !

Rowan Jelly (Mountain Ash - Pyrus aucuparia)

Sharp and sour but sweet and succulent all at the same time, this traditional accompanyment to cold meat is bursting with flavour, and folklore !

'Rowan tree and red thread - have the witches all in dread'

On May eve Rowan crosses used to be worn in UK and were sometimes fastened to cattle (or their barns) for protection against witches and other 'evil doers'. Legend has it that the crosses had to be made without a metal knife to work properly. Rowan branches were also bought indoors on a Good Friday as this tree had a reputation for strong protection against psychic forces.

This 'mish-mash' of folklore and Christianity indicates older uses of the tree having been 'assimilated' into a religion that converted people by adapting their beliefs and practices to its own ends. 'Rowan' is the most interesting of tree names with connections to both ancient Norse and Hindu/Sanskrit culture. Spelled several ways it is connected to the old Norse word 'Runa' - meaning a charm - and being able to ward off the effects of the 'evil eye'. In even earlier times 'Runa' was the Sanskrit word for 'magician'. 'Run-stafas' were staves cut from the Rowan tree and inscribed with runes for magical (and most likely protective) reasons. The smooth bark is ideal for this purpose.

The Rowan was such a sacred tree to the Celts that many churchyards in Wales still include the tree, not unlike the Yew tree in English churchyards. The berries were much used by the Celts for brewing wine, spirit, flavouring mead, ale, perry and cider. Try squeezing some of the fresh berry juice and putting it into a gin and tonic - it makes a convincing alternative to Angostura bitters. The fresh juice is mildly laxative and good for soothing inflamed mucous membranes. In herbal medicine the juice forms the basis of an astringent gargle for sore throats and in the 19th century it was used to treat scurvy - the disease of vitamin C deficiency.

Rowan berries are around from July/August through to November in the UK and may even stay on a tree until January if the thrushes don't eat them. They are at their best for Rowan Jelly when they have attained full colour but are not yet mushy. They contain varying amounts of tartaric, citric and malic acid dependent on their ripeness. Cut them from the stalks in clusters and remove as much stem as possible before cooking. When made into a jelly the fruit becomes quite astringent and the tart taste makes a good 'digestif' accompaniment to meats such as venison, cold game or fowl.

Take about 3 pounds of Rowan berries and two pounds of juicy apples. Peel and core the apples, slice them and place them to simmer in 2 pints of water for 10 minutes, while you are washing and sorting the berries. Add the berries and simmer to a pulp. Use a potato masher to help this process if you like. Let the mixture cool a bit and then strain it through a jelly bag, leaving it to drip overnight.

Warm about 2 pounds of sugar and stir in the liquid mixture and heat to a simmer. I must admit to adding some pectin at this point as I have a problem with runny jams. You can do this and leave the apples out for a clear jelly. Add a knob of butter and stir to a rolling boil for a few minutes and put it into sterilised jars and seal. It is a most unusual taste but the thing that delights me most about this jelly is the fantastic colour.

With thanks to: J. Lust, C.L. Zalewski, R. Phillips, Edward Step

Rosemary flower candies (Rosemarinus officinalis)

Leave your tic-tacs at home. This medicinal plant provides delicious mouth fresheners to integrate into a balanced healing diet.

When a herb or plant has the designation 'officinalis' it means it has been recognised to have medicinal qualities. 'Rosemarinus', so called because of marine connections (colour of sea - grows by sea e.g. Mediterranean) is possibly the best example of a herb that we commonly grow that has extensive folklore and many attributed medicinal values.

Beloved by the Romans, who bought it to the UK from Turkey, they believed this valuable herb could preserve dead bodies from corruption and it was often strewn or grown in graveyards and around tombs. It was well known to the Tudors as a stimulant to the system. In 'The Garden of Health' (1579) William Langham writes: "Carry the flowers about thee to make thee merry and glad and well beloved of all men...hang the flowers on thy bed and place Rosemary in the bath to make thee lusty, lively, joyful, strong and young. To comfort the heart steep Rosemary flowers in rose water and drink it".

Gerard agrees in his 1636 Herbal. "The flowers of Rosemary, made up into lozenges with sugar and eaten make the heart merry, quicken the spirits and make them more lively". He also notes that Rosemary water acts as a breath freshener.

Rosemary has long been recognised as a valuable heart and liver tonic and its use can help to reduce high blood pressure. It has been used in the treatment of nervous complaints, digestive disorders and menstrual pains.

Rosemary is a symbol of constancy in love because it remains fresh and fragrant when cut, longer most other evergreens. For this reason it was often used for solemn occasions such as weddings or funerals - 'Be it for my bridal or my burial'. As in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Rosemary is for remembrance and in the language of flowers the gift of Rosemary means 'Never will your memory fade'. Ancient myth has it that 'Where Rosemary flourishes - the woman rules'. Rosemary is sometimes used in psychic work as an aid to concentration, memory and mental steadiness. Under the pillow or over the bed its delicious aroma is said to prevent nightmares.

One word of warning though - excessive use of Rosemary taken internally can cause fatal poisoning, but that is no reason to not sample the delicious and invigorating herbal tea or eat a few of the flowers.

Like the raw flowers, Rosemary sugar candies are a tiny taste explosion and quite delicious. Preserving them in sugar helps to extend the amount of time you can experience this uplifting Epicurean event. First of all find a plant with flowers. It often flowers twice a year so this should not be too difficult. You can either pick the whole flower from the plant, or set up some arrangement that catches them as they fall naturally.

In a warm place, such as a sunlit window sill above a radiator, drop the flowers onto dried (even warmed) white sugar. Make sure the receptacle is open enough that moisture can evaporate from the flowers into the sugar and then into the atmosphere. Also make sure that no moisture gets to this mixture at any point as the sugar will 'clump' and the flowers will start to rot, spoiling the taste. Shake the mixture now and then to aid the process.

When thoroughly dry, seal the sugar/flower mixture into a moisture-proof receptacle and every now and then - treat yourself !

With thanks to: J. Lust, M. Woodward, D. Conway, C.L. Zalewski, R. Genders.

Wild Watercress Soupt (Nasturtium officinale)

Wild Watercress soup is a delicious and nutritious recipe with the leaves available in spring and early summer. Watercress is rich in Vitamins A and C, iron, iodine and phosphorus. Watercress has been used as part of a holistic response to cancer of the lungs, larynx, oesophagus, prostate, bladder, uterus, stomach and intestines. It can be used in the treatment of:

skin problems
bronchitis
winter colds or flu
liver or kidney fatigue
sinusitis

However there are dangers: watercress may cause cystitis in some people and its medicinal use is not advised for those who have a delicate stomach or suffer from acidosis or heartburn. Excessive or prolonged use may lead to kidney problems. Some doctors advise against its use during pregnancy. Wild watercress often grows in streams inhabited by water snails which carry liver fluke. There is also the possibility of bacterial infection. Eating wild watercress in a raw state is not advised for this reason. Cooking the leaves for a short period removes the dangers. Also make sure that the watercourse feeding the stream in which the watercress grows is free from industrial or agricultural pollution.

Ingredients for watercress soup: Pick the watercress from clean water areas by pinching out the tops of the plants. Uprooting them will destroy this resource for everyone. Gather a good handful for each person who will be sharing this delicious spring treat. Other ingredients for a soup for 4 people are:

2 large potatoes
generous knob of butter
dash of olive oil (to prevent butter burning)
stock cube (chicken or vegetable)
salt and freshly ground pepper
single cream

Instructions:
1. Cube the potatoes and cook them gently in the oil and butter until they are starting to soften
2. Add boiling water and dissolve the stock cube. Simmer for 10-15 minutes
3. Coarsely chop the watercress and add to the mix for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally
4. Liquidise and add in some single cream to taste. Add Salt and pepper to taste
5. Use some purchased raw watercress leaves and pepper to garnish

This nutritious soup is warming when hot and a refreshing summer soup when served cold. Watercress is part of the Nasturtium family whose peppery leaves are well known for their nutraceutical value. In addition to containing high vitamin C contents and antioxidant Beta-carotene, it contains vitamin E and is a natural antibiotic. It is sometimes used in complementary medicine to speed up the body's detoxification processes.

Thanks to Dr A. Dracea, J. Lust, R. Phillips

Digging Up Earthnuts (Conopodium Majus)

The custom of grubbing for Earthnuts, or Pignuts is as ancient as mankind itself. Although these tasty tubers are beloved of pigs (hence the name) they are a most unusual and rewarding woodland snack and there was a time when they were a popular nibble for country children on their way to and from school.

The fern like leaves appear along with the Lesser Celandine in the spring. During May and July they develop umbellifer heads with white flowers not unlike Cow Parsley. According to Gerard and others the Dutch once ate them 'boiled and buttered, as we do parseneps and carrots'. Unearthing a pignut is a delicate operation. The root disconnects from the tuber very easily, which can be several inches from where the stem appears above ground.

Follow the stem under the earth using careful scraping with a twig, fingernail or knife. Eventually you will reach the pignut which is covered with a chestnut coloured skin. If you can wash the nut at this stage it avoids getting muddy fingernails while peeling. As soon as I found the one shown in the picture, an earthworm appeared and dived into the hole it left!

Scrape off the papery outer coating to reveal the Earthnut. The older name for Earthnuts is 'Earth Chestnuts' and this gives you a clue to their taste - a chestnut texture but with a more earthy taste. There's nothing like carefully digging one of these up during a walk in the woods. Do it with your fingernails. As the earthy taste hits the senses you are drawn more completely into contact with the nature around you. A true 'pomme de terre'.

Gerard's Herbal mentions that 'There is a Plaister made of the seeds hereof, whereof to write in this place were impertinent to our historie'....Probably witches again! Earthnuts get a mention in Shakespeare's 'Tempest', from Caliban as he promises:

"I prithee, let me bring thee where crabs grow;
And with my long nails I will dig thee pignuts".

With thanks to R. Maybee, R. Phillips and M. Woodward's version of Gerard's Herbal.

The Secret To Making Perfect Chili Fit For A King

Every autumn my thoughts turn to making chili. The garden is about done. The freezer is full of veggies. All the canning is done, and winter is coming. Just before winter hits, the price of beef drops as cattlemen sell off any remaining stock that they don't want to "winter over". It is the perfect time to stock the freezer with homemade chili.

There is nothing better than to come home at the end of a cold winter day, chilled to the bone, and sit down to a bowl of piping hot chili and steaming black coffee. It is more than food for the body. It is truly a comfort worth remembering.

By itself, chili is absolutely delicious. As a side dish to grilled cheese sandwiches, tuna melts, or toasted BLTs, it is out of this world. But there is a fabulous meal I call "perfect chili fit for a king" that is even better. It is a masterpiece of cookery.

There are two great secrets to making "perfect chili fit for a king". One is in the making, and the other is in the serving. The first secret involves understanding the word "perfect". More people disagree on what makes good chili than any other dish. Some think that hotter is better. Others say milder. Some like it soupy. Others like it thick. And that is the secret to this recipe. When you finish making it, you will have 3-4 gallons of chili that is perfect FOR YOU...not for me. Yes, I said 3-4 gallons. When frozen in quart containers, you will have 12-16 wonderful meals that can be served in a matter of minutes. Just remove it from the container, add about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water (depending on how you like it), turn on the burner, put on the coffee, and start the grilled cheese and garlic sandwiches. Your family will be eating in about 20 minutes.

To begin with, you will need at least a 16 quart pot. I use the same 20 quart pot normally used for canning just to be sure I have a pot that's big enough. And you will need the following ingredients.

5 lbs. of ground chuck

5 Family size (40 1/2 oz.) cans of dark red kidney beans (drained)

1 Institutional size can (6 lb. 9 oz.) of whole peeled tomatoes

3 large bell peppers (washed, cored, and seeded) mixed colors preferred

3 medium to large oninions (about the size of an orange...peeled and washed)

2 to 4 TBS (tablespoons) Ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp (teaspoons) to 1 TBS of crushed red pepper

1 to 2 TBS of salt

1/4 to 1/2 cup of chili powder

grated sharp cheddar cheese

sour cream

chopped chives (fresh or dried)

Open the tomatoes and carefully pour the entire contents into the cooking pot. Making sure you keep your hand submerged below the liquid line, find the whole tomatoes one by one. Poke a hole in them with your thumb, then squeeze the tomato until the pieces squish out between your fingers. WARNING. If you do not poke a hole in the tomato before you squish it, I promise you that both you and your kitchen will be wearing tomato juice. The same is true if you squish them with your hands above the liquid. Continue squishing the pieces of tomato until they are the size you prefer.

Chop all the bell peppers into dime-sized chunks and divide into two equal portions. Put one half into a bowl and the other in the pot with the tomatoes. Do the same with the onions, placing half in the pot and the other half in the same bowl as the bell peppers.

Add the drained kidney beans to the pot.

Add 2 TBS (tablespoons) of Ground black pepper.

Add 1 1/2 tsp (teaspoons) of crushed red pepper.

Add 1 TBS of salt.

Add 1/4 cup of chili powder.

Take a strong spoon and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Put the pot on the stove, and set the burner on the LOWEST possible setting that will boil water. At this point, you may feel that the chili is too thick. If you are not sure, the best way to tell is if the chili is too hard to stir. If it is, add water to the pot until it is the consistency you prefer. Stir again. Cover the pot. (Note: if you are adding more than two glasses of water, you may want to substitute tomato juice for part of it.)

From now own, two things are very important. Always keep the chili at the consistency you want by adding water when necessary. So that when the chili is done, the consistency will be perfect for you. It is equally important to stir the pot every 5-10 minutes. When you are cooking this much chili at one time, it is possible to burn it on the bottom while the chili on the top is still cold. Stirring keeps the chili evenly heated from top to bottom.

Take a large frying pan and press enough ground chuck into the pan to cover the bottom with a layer about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Salt and pepper the meat and then top with a handful of the chopped onions and peppers from the bowl. Cover and cook with the burner set about one notch higher than the pot is set on. Your goal is to partially cook the gound chuck, onions and peppers. Check the meat about every 5 minutes until it starts to firm. When the meat firms and starts changing colors on the bottom, take a strong spatula (the kind used for flipping hamburgers) and use the edge to start cutting the meat into pie shaped pieces. Flip the pieces to the opposite side, cover, and continue cooking. When the other side starts to firm, using the edge of the spatula, cut the hamburger into the size pieces you prefer (Again, I prefer mine about the size of a dime). Keep flipping the smaller pieces until they have completely turned on the outside and are firm. Remove the pan from the burner, and transfer the meat to the pot using a slotted spoon. Allow all the grease to drain from the spoon before you put the meat in the pot. Pour off the grease in the frying pan, and repeat until you have used all the ground chuck. When you are finished, pour any remaining chopped peppers and onions into the pot. Again, each time you add meat to the pot, adjust the consistency with water if necessary.

Now, everything is in the pot, and it is the perfect consistency. Now, it's time to adjust the spices. If you haven't been doing so, you should begin tasting the chili. If you want a stronger chili flavor, add more chili powder 1 or 2 TBS at a time. To make it more spicy, add black pepper 1 TBS at a time. If you want it to have more bite, add crushed red pepper 1 tsp at a time. If it needs salt, add salt 1/2 TBS at a time. Stir thoroughly each time you alter the flavor, and continue cooking for at least 5-15 minutes before tasting again. ALWAYS sir the pot thoroughly before you taste. Continue altering the flavor until it's perfect for you.

Remember the half of the raw onions and peppers that were added directly to the pot? They will tell you when the chili is done. When the raw onions in the pot start to turn clear, turn the burner off. Do not overcook the peppers and onions as they add a wonderful sweet crisp texture to the chili. If you can stand it, allow the chili to sit covered for about an hour to allow the flavors to mature and mingle. Stir and serve. If you prefer, reheat a portion of the chili in a smaller pot and serve bubbling hot. Allow the remaining chili to stand in the original pot until it cools enough to place in containers and freeze.

There you have it. Perfect chili. Just the way YOU like it.

The second secret that makes perfect chili fit for a king is in the serving. While perfect chili is in a category all by itself, it can be wonderfully enhanced by making it into a meal that rewards all your tastes and senses. Hot, cold, sweet, spicy, sharp, flat ... something for every aspect of your culinary pallet.

With that in mind, let's plan the meal. To begin with dispense with the ordinary salad and add something with more zest and contrast. To accomplish this, there is nothing finer than an ice-cold fruit plate served with bubbling hot chili. For the fruit plate, you will need the following ingredients.

1 20 oz. can of pineapple chunks.

1 29 oz. can of peach halves (heavy syrup preferred)

1 29 oz. can of pear halves (heavy syrup preferred)

1 6 oz. jar of red maraschino cherries

1 6 oz. jar of green maraschino cherries

1 samll jar of spiced crabapple rings

crisp cold lettuce

jalapeno pepper-jack cheese

Put all of the ingredients in the bottom of the refrigerator for at least 24 hours (48 hours would be better).

Just before serving time, remove the ingredients from the refrigerator and drain all the fruit. Divide the pear and peach halves equally on six salad plates covered with a bed of cold crisp lettuce. Fill in around the fruit halves with pineapple chunks and crabapple slices. Spread the cold red and green maraschino cherries equally over all the fruit plates, and line the outer edge of each plate with bite-size nuggets of jalapeno pepper-jack cheese.

Fill the bowls of chili straight from the bubbling pot. Top with grated sharp cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Finish with a light dusting of chives. Serve the fruit plate and chili with hunks of hot buttered garlic bread and sweet iced tea. For dessert, follow up with pecan pie, lemon meringue pie, or hot blueberry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream ... served with steaming cups of strong black coffee. Oh! My!

Perfect chili can be more than just stick-to-your ribs "down home" cooking. It can be a culinary masterpiece that produces such delicious complementing and contrasting flavors and sensations that it is quite literally "Fit for a King".

Bon appetit!

by John Foutz