Breakfast

Iced Tea

July 7, 2017

Ice Tea or Iced Tea? It depends on where you live. In the South, it’s called ice tea and everywhere else it’s called iced tea.

Iced tea did not take its current form until the popularity of black tea took off, thanks to the work of the Indian Tea Commission at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904. As the legend goes, Richard Blechynden, the head of the commission, watched the fairgoers pass by his elaborate teahouse as the sweltering temperatures made hot beverages unpalatable. Driven to increase the market for Indian black tea in the States, he hit upon the idea of not only serving it iced, but also perhaps more importantly, giving it away for free. His booth was soon the most popular at the fair as the patrons found his golden beverage to be the perfect refreshment.

Spurred on by his success in St. Louis, Blechynden toured the country, giving away more and more iced tea, quickly spreading its popularity nationwide. Brewing the perfect iced tea at home, complete with sweet and often fruity syrups, soon became the hallmark of a great hostess. Iced tea was mixed with all sorts of flavors in delicious punches; lemon, mint, strawberries, cherries, and oranges, whether fresh, preserved, or in syrup form or, for the more mature palette, brandy and bourbon to give it a little extra kick. And though few still have time for such an elaborate and time-consuming production (early recipes recommend beginning to brew tea at breakfast for service at dinner), iced tea remains an American favorite, available in bottles, cans, and even from a soda fountain.

To make iced tea use double the amount of tea or teabags that you would use for hot tea when you’re planning to chill the drink. And allow the tea to come to room temperature before you put it into the refrigerator. Fill an ice cube tray with tepid tea and freeze for ice that won’t dilute your drink. You could also float some minced mint or fruit in the cubes for a special treat.

“Work With What You Got!”

© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved

Making The Most Of Seasonal Berries

May 6, 2017

Just a few fresh berries add color and nutrients to a salad, cocktail, or mocktail.

Stock up on fresh berries, wash and freeze them in a single layer on a sheet pan. Then transfer to a freezer bag for future smoothies and baked goods.

Add a handful of berries to a parfait, with yogurt for breakfast or ice cream for dessert.

Gently fold berries into muffin and pancake batter. Cook a big batch and freeze some for easy breakfasts later.

Make into a savory salsa and serve as a dip or over grilled chicken or wild-caught salmon.

“Work With What You Got!”

© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved

Citrus

February 9, 2017

Oranges and lemons were first brought to the Americas by Spanish explorers. Today the United States is among the world’s top citrus growers and consumers. To choose the best citrus select fruit that is heavy and not too soft. When selecting oranges don’t worry about the color, as it is not a good indicator of how tasty the orange will be. For lemons and limes the juiciest fruit gives a little when you gently squeeze them. I like to roll lemons and limes around on the counter with the palm of my hand to loosen up the juice before cutting into them.

Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes are the most commonly found citrus fruits. Lemons, limes, and oranges come into season just when we need them the most, when days are short and the weather is cold. Rich in vitamin C and fiber, they add a zesty boost to almost any meal. During the winter months, look for other varieties, such as blood oranges, Key limes, and Meyer lemons, as well as grapefruit-like pomelos and tiny kumquats.

We need vitamin C to stay healthy and citrus fruit is a delicious way to add lots of this vital nutrient to your diet. Start the day with orange juice, add a squeeze of lemon to warm water later in the day, or pack grapefruit sections to enjoy as a snack at work or school.

Citrus stars in everything from sweet and savory dishes to non-food uses. Simmer slices of lemons, limes, and oranges in water to use as a natural air freshener, use lemon juice as a gentle alternative to laundry bleach, or combine lemon juice with olive oil to use as furniture polish.

Much of the citrus flavor is in the zest. Finely grate the peel and add to anything that needs a punch of citrus flavor. To get perfectly grated zest without bitter white pith, use a fine zester.

Make your own flavored salt by processing coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, and citrus zest in a food processor. Add this mix to soups, stews, meats and pasta dishes.

Use a vegetable peeler to remove large strips of peel and add to hot tea, mulled wine, soups, and stews to add bold flavor.

To segment citrus like a pro cut a thin slice from either end of the fruit to make a base. Pare away the peel and white part of the rind. Cut into the fruit center between one section and the membrane. Cut along the other side, between section and membrane. Repeat.

www.tinynewyorkkitchen.com

“Work With What You Got!”

© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved

Sunday French Toast

October 18, 2015

I woke up late and decided that it was a good day for French Toast with sliced pears. Every bite was delicious.

“Work With What You Got!”

© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2015 All Rights Reserved

Breakfast

September 19, 2014

Food is the fuel for your day's activities, so it makes no sense at all to eat your biggest meal at night when it's all behind you. – Laurel's Kitchen

Mon Petit Café

September 6, 2014

Many mornings I walk by this sweet French restaurant and love watching people drinking their coffees and eating a croissant or two. 

Constitution Week – Foods of Our Forefathers Part III

September 19, 2013

MayflowerConstitution Week – Foods of Our Forefathers Part III

The abundance of meat in America was a major change in the diet of the early settlers.  Rabbits and squirrels were available year-round nearly everywhere, plus deer and other large game in many regions.  As settlers moved west, buffalo gained importance in the diet.  Fish, shellfish and wild fowl became common food, and they were all essentially “free.”  The existence of these various forms of game was a literal life saver in times of uncertain crops and unbroken land.  The game gradually diminished, of course, as the population expanded and settlers pushed west, but it provided a large share of the diet in early and frontier days. 

Ham, of course, appeared on almost every settler’s table, rich or poor.  It might be the only meat served at a meal or it might appear in company with more exotic roasts and fowl, but it was always there – breakfast, dinner and supper. 

Corn was also a staple of the colonists, either fresh in summer, or as hominy or corn meal all year.  Corn was also put to another use by an early Virginian, Captain George Thorpe, who may have been the first food technologist in America as he invented Bourbon whiskey shortly before he was massacred by the Indians in 1622.

Meal patterns for working people in rural early America were very different from those common today.  Breakfast was usually early and light which consisted of bread, hominy grits, and sometimes fruit in season.  Coffee, which was a new beverage at the time, was popular that is if it was available.  A drink made from caramelized grain was sometimes substituted.  Chicory was popular in the South, either alone or used to stretch the coffee.  Tea was often made from local leaves such as sage, raspberry or dittany.  Alcohol in some form was often served. 

Breakfast in more elegant homes or large plantations might be later in the morning, and include thinly sliced roast and ham. 

Dinner was served somewhere between midday and midafternoon, depending on the family’s circumstances, and was the big meal of the day.  There was almost always ham, as well as greens (called sallat), cabbage and other vegetables.  In the proper season, special dainties would appear – fresh fruits and berries, or fresh meat at appropriate butchering times. 

Desserts could be simple such as a scooped out pumpkin, baked until done and then filled with milk, to be eaten right out of the shell.  Or dessert could be more complex such as ice cream or other fruit flavored frozen pudding or a blanc mange.  Blanc mange was prepared from milk and loaf sugar, flavored with a tablespoon or two of rosewater, thickened with a solution of isinglass (derived from fish bladder, soaked overnight in boiling water).  This mixture was boiled for 15 to 20 minutes, then poured into molds to set. 

If isinglass was not available (most was imported from England), homemade calves foot jelly could be substituted, but eh dessert was not as fine. 

Various alcoholic beverages, including wines, applejack, “perry” (hard cider made from pears), or beer were commonly consumed. 

In winter, peaches and other fruit disappeared from the dinner table, to be replaced by dishes made from stored apples and dried fruit of various sorts.  Soups or broths also took their place.  Milk grew scarce as cows “dried up” in the short days.  Vegetables gradually decreased in variety as stored crops wilted. 

Apples quickly became a staple in early America.  Orchards were easy to start, required a minimum of care, and apples stored well.  Housewives devised a multitude of “receipts,” including sauces and butters for off-season, as well as many using dried apples. 

Supper was late and a light bread and butter, some of the left-over roast from dinner, fruit (fresh if in season, pickled and spiced otherwise), and coffee or tea.  

To Be Continued…

 

Pack Your Omelet Full Of Goodness

July 22, 2013

Cooking OmeletPack Your Omelet Full Of Goodness

Omelets are one of those dishes that you can have for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  The versatile omelet is low in calories too especially if you start with one egg and two egg whites (about 100 calories).  Add the fillings of your choice and you have a protein packed meal that will satisfy your hunger.

Cheese Choices

Choose 1/4 cup of one of these cheese for your omelet.

Shredded Swiss

Shredded Cheddar

Crumbled Feta

Vegetables

Choose as many vegetables as you want because they are full of fiber and low in calories.

Chopped Broccoli

Sliced Mushrooms

Chopped Tomatoes

Proteins

Choose1/4 cup of these delicious proteins.

Smoked Salmon

Turkey Bacon

Ham

Optional

Choose one of these for a total treat.

Sautéed Potatoes

Avocado

Crème Fraiche

 

Meals on Wheels

July 21, 2013

Food TruckMeals on Wheels

Breakfast, lunch or dinner?  Track your favorite NYC (and other cities too) food truck at www.roaminghunger.com.

Mother’s Day Brunch

May 10, 2013

Mother's Day FlowersMother’s Day Brunch

Put mom in a good mood this Sunday and make Mother’s Day a special day with a memorable brunch.  When my children were younger they often made me breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day.  They made me promise to stay in bed propped up on pillows while they wobbled trays of pancakes, sausage, fresh juice and chopped fruit to my bed. These breakfasts made by little hands were so sweet. They were so proud of themselves that they would hop up on my bed all smiles asking if they each could have a sausage or piece of bacon.  Before I knew it they would eat my entire “breakfast in bed.”

Eggs Benedict

Mother’s Day Scramble

Eggs Florentine With Waffles & Hollandaise

 

Pecan Pancakes

Lemon Curd French Toast

 

Melon Balls

Mixed Berries With Crème Fraiche

Raspberry Parfaits With Yogurt & Granola

 

Cherry Pecan Scones

Cherry Almond Quick Bread

 

Roasted Tomatoes

Hash Browns With Fresh Chives

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

 

Smoked Sausage

Smoked Bacon

Smoked Salmon

 

Freshly Brewed Coffee or Tea

Fresh Squeezed OJ

Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice

Mother’s Day Mimosas

Citrus Spritzers

Bloody Marys

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