In Print: Clips from Food Sections

5. – The Chicago Tribune Food and The First Family “And all this interest may have even more to do with Michelle than Barack. Some polls have shown the first lady is even more popular than her husband, and for all the focus on her fashions and her biceps, she’s made food a prime area of interest — especially with her new White House kitchen garden.”

4. – The Boston Globe A Recipe for getting Tweens Shaking and Baking “If tweens just starting their summer vacations put down their Wii controllers and cellphones, Katie Wilton has an old-fashioned idea for staying busy: cooking. And that includes learning to make cream cheese-filled strawberries and other things they will never see on a fast-food menu.”

3. – The LA Times Smart Steak Cuts for Lean Times “In the old days, say about this time last year, it wasn’t so hard to throw a bang-up backyard barbecue: You just picked up some nice, thick 28-day dry-aged prime New York strip steaks, lighted a fire, grilled to medium rare and then made an extended curtain call, trying to appear humble as your guests stomped and cheered.  These days, in case you haven’t heard, things are different.”

2. – The NY Times With This Burger, I Thee Wed “As the wedding season gets into full swing, many brides and bridegrooms are taking a decidedly down-home approach. Bring on the grilled steak, sweet potato fries and Rice Krispie treats (not to mention the checkered tablecloths). It’s enough to have the most sophisticated bride scrambling for her grandmother’s Betty Crocker cookbook.”

1. – The Washington Post Take the Roast Outside “Picture friends sipping daiquiris and chatting as the final flourishes are made on a June supper for eight, to be served in a brightly appointed dining room or maybe al fresco. Conviviality is just a pretext for this gathering; the ulterior motive is, in actuality, to show off a newly acquired culinary skill.”

photo from The NY Times

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An Abundance of Parsley

I feel like I have parsley growing out of my ears! One of my favorite herbs, when planting my garden I thought I couldn’t plant enough of it! Well, I am here to tell you I have plenty.

Here is one of my favorite ways to use copious amounts of it. Though it’s traditionally used as a garnish for veal shanks, I think it’s great over grilled anything!

Hand-chopped Gremolata

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
4 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Toss all ingredients together and serve immediately.

In Print: Clips from Food Sections

5. – The Boston Globe We Now Pronounce You Ready To Cook “Everyone who has ever been on the dating circuit knows that a relationship only gets serious when somebody dares to cook dinner. If you follow this logic, then newlyweds truly cross the marital threshold when they engage in those meal preparations that mark everyday life – quick weeknight dinners, an evening entertaining friends, or a cheerful Sunday morning brunch.”

4. – The Chicago Tribune Dips and Chips Enter the 21st Centrury “Today, it’s plain to see that a revolution has been taking place, one that embraces all dunkers and dips. Once described by John F. Mariani (in his 1983 Dictionary of American Food and Drink) as “a condiment, often made with mayonnaise or sour cream, into which one dips any of a variety of vegetables or snacks,” a dip—and its dunkers—is not so easily defined today. The dip-and-chip combo of the 21st Century has evolved, reflecting international culinary influences and a new sophistication and ease.”

3. – The New York Times Blender Drinks are Back “We loved blender drinks in the ’50s, when the piña colada sailed north from San Juan and captured the mainland United States. It was taken up by the tiki bars and restaurants that spread across the country after World War II, inspired by the success of Trader Vic’s in Emeryville, Calif., and Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood. Modern bartenders might embrace the blender if they had been around in those pioneer days.”

2. – The LA TImes Simplicity’s the Secret for Perfect Grilling “In exchange for that simplicity and cooking quality, there are a couple of things you have to think about when cooking with a live fire. The first, of course, is the fire itself. The tendency is to fill the grill with as many coals as will fit. This works well if you’re starting a blacksmith shop, but cooking requires a more deft touch.”

1. – The San Francisco Chronicle The Din of Dining “The clang of dishes, the clink of glasses, the roar of voices and the pulsating music seemed to grow louder as I perused the menu. By the time the server came to our table, I felt the sudden urge to order a side of noise with my fried chicken. But the cacophony would have drowned out my sarcasm. Instead, I pointed to the entree I wanted on my menu.”

In Print: Clips from Food Sections

5. – Baltimore Sun Nature’s Refresher Delivers an Icy Burst of Flavor “”Mint is the easiest thing in the world to grow,” says Miriam Avins, a Baltimore home gardener who acknowledges she’s not exactly a plant whisperer. “It just survives. You kill it in the summer with lack of water and in the fall it comes right back.””

4. – Chicago Tribune Hot day, Haute Dog!‘“Classic Chicago-style hot dogs are legendary, with their all-beef snappiness, poppy seed buns, neon-green relish and racy little sport peppers. It’s the summertime nosh of choice for many, residents and visitors alike. But there are times a classic needs updating…”

3. – Denver Post Showdown- Or How I learned to Grill the Perfect Steak “If you’re lucky, you’ve had that one perfect steak. It was probably cooked by someone else. It might have been at a backyard barbecue or a swanky steakhouse. But you remember the way it tasted the same way you remember your favorite scene in your favorite movie — vivid and a little wistful.”

2. – The Philadelphia Inquirer The Mayonnaise Season is Upon Us “My life is ruled by this question: What can I put mayonnaise on today? Of course mayo isn’t in the forefront of my thoughts every single minute, but it is my subconscious reason for approaching the refrigerator when most people open its door for, say, deli turkey, eggs, bacon, cheese for a quesadilla, salami, arugula, leftover meat loaf, or a pickle – all of which, in my world, go splendidly with a cold emulsification of egg yolks, oil and a little acid such as lemon juice – a.k.a. mayonnaise”

1. – NY Times Oyster Farmers Find a Boutique in the Bay “New York oyster eaters who want to look in their own backyard now have more choices than ever. In the waters around Long Island and stretching into the coves of a couple of neighboring states, dozens of boutique growers are finally getting a handle on the deceptively simple art of oyster farming.”