Mom's Manhatten Clam Chowder

There has always been a debate over whose was better, Aunt Helene's or Mom's. Both - good, both - different.

I love this recipe. No measurements - who needs them anyhow. Of course this is my kind of cooking - a little of this, a lot of that. It always comes together anyhow.

Clams - chopped.
Onions, carrots, celery and potatoes - diced.
Oregano, paprika - to taste.
Accent, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley.
Little bit of dill.
2 cans tomato soup (diluted with 2 cans of water).

In a medium soup pan, brown onions in one stick of butter. Add remaining ingredients plus water to partially fill and simmer for a half hour.

From recipe card from Mom - 2009.

Closet Foodie

A little while ago, on Facebook, my friend Mary Beth posted a comment to one of my posts. Simply put "Did you ever notice that your posts have a lot to do with food?".

Now that I think about it she has a very valid point. My first post of that day on Facebook involved coffee, pancakes and bacon with regards to their restorative powers. The post she was commenting on had to do with my recent making of some cole slaw to go with that nights fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy.


I'll admit to late night excursions on the net to peruse food porn browsing through a number of foodie blog regulars as well as whatever else I happen to stumble across.


And more and more I find myself in the kitchen cooking not as much for the purpose of feeding the brood as for the relaxing effect it has on me.


I like food. I like preparing food. I like watching others prepare and talk about food. I find entertainment in food. I don't mind eating food either.

This could be a trend.

Since Mary Beth's comment, I've made a number of other food related posts. In response I've had other friends comment on my (could it be?) obsession.

I do follow a couple of foodie blogs from Florida and the West Coast on a very regular basis. I don't ever see myself getting to the point where I start blogging exclusively about food though. Maybe just the ocassional comment or observation. Or maybe I'll just stick with teasing my friends with what has been on my plate or in my cup.

But where will it lead to?

Its Been a Long Time

Time flies like an arrow
Black flies like a fisherman.

Can it have been over four months since I last posted?

A lot has happened over these months. The Christmas season has come and gone. A new year is upon us.

My Patriots reached the pinnacle of the football world only to be knocked off by the upstart Giants.

Winter has come and, well, is still here.

After three record months of snow fall it looks like we may be in line for month number four. At the end of the first month of March we have a winter storm going across northern New York.

After several years of below average snow falls this one has everyone in the area ready for Spring.

I am ready for Spring. The seed catalogs have been coming for some time now. The thought of fresh little shoots of a salad garden breaking through the ground make this last month of Winter weather the longest of all.

So, Think Snow (Melting Snow that is).

Single Skillet Meals
Our local PBS station was having a membership drive/fundraiser today. They had a chef on (I did not catch his name) who had guests on cooking up Single Skillet Meals. One really caught my attention.

1. Boil up some Pierogies. Drain them out.
2. In a large skillet, saute some chopped onions and a chipped head of cabbage till tender. Brown very lightly.
3. Slice up some Kielbasa and toss it in. Mix it up to let the Kielbasa cook up.
4. Toss with the Pierogies. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Enjoy (perhaps with a Pilsner Urquell?).

Life is indeed good.

Autumn

The last several days have been hot and humid here. Very summer like. We really have not had that much summer like weather this year.

Last night though it was quite chilly in the house. With the windows opened and outside temperatures dipping into the 50's we hit that ever so perfect sleeping weather that signals the coming of Autumn.

Driving around town there are other hints in the air. Selected trees have started their annual change with colors starting to peek through. And if that were not enough, the air is just starting to get that 'fall' smell to it.

And now for the exciting part. As the weather starts to change, so does the menu.

There are a bunch of foods that we only eat once the weather chills. Most involve extended cooking times (and who wants a hot kitchen in the summer?) or simply have the connotation associated with them that they are only eaten when we can fully appreciate the spiritual (as well as bodily) warmth that can be derived from them.

Yesterday my wife came home with a nice corned beef that will be dinner in a day or two. Definitely this food falls into this category. And this morning, while lying in bed, before the children started stomping around, I found myself thinking Pot Roast ala Elise.

But, I am not ready to give up on Summer food quite yet. There will still be plenty of opportunities to BBQ and grill in the weeks to come. Chicken, ribs, burgers and dogs still will be visiting my back yard. Cole slaw, potato salad and fresh garden veggies are still to be enjoyed.

Because Autumn is still twelve days away.

Bread

While I like the 70's soft rock band of the same name, and have even been known to sing their tunes while driving long distances in my car, this post is about the more substantial, soul filling, warm feeling, baked loaf.

Last week I baked two cheater loafs of bread. They almost did not count as they started life as lifeless, frozen pucks which I had to wait several hours for before being able to bake them.

But you know, when they were baking, they really smelled good (or so I have been told - fodder for a post to follow). And, neither one lasted more than a couple of hours, being devoured by the kids and I while still warm and fresh.

It must be getting on towards autumn.

During the summer, fresh bread loses some of its appeal. Well, actually the baking process and hot kitchen makes it less appealing. But as the weather cools down there is nothing like fresh, home baked bread to make you feel all warm inside.

I'm thinking that I need to bake some more this fall. Previous efforts at making bread have resulted in mixed results. I can bake an Onion Lover's Twist that comes out reliably good. This is a recipe that I got from my Mom, who had picked it up from it's origin as a Pillsbury bake Off Winner. This is the ultimate bread for me - warm and tasty plus lots of memories from growing up.

It doesn't get any better than that.

Fair Time

The end of summer is drawing near as every student counting the days will be able to tell you. The corn is growing high with sweet corn stands starting to open here and there. Second cutting of hay is ongoing and gardens are ripening up nicely.

Time of the year for the fair.

Growing up in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont the end of summer heralded the Caledonia County Fair. Ah... memories of the Midway, the rides, the games, the food. As I grew older I ventured more around the fair grounds and discovered the livestock, floral hall, horse pulling. I also got to attend other area fairs. To the north was the Barton (Orleans County) Fair which was nearly a carbon copy of the Caledonia County Fair. Across the Connecticut river to the south was the North Haverhill Fair, one of my favorites just because of the emphasis on agriculture.

Since moving to Northern New York my fair going has bounced between the St. Lawrence County Fair and the Franklin County Fair, which happens to be going on this week.

But coming up next month is the one that I (currently) like the best - the Hammond 4-H and FFA Fair. What can I say, this fair is strictly a small town agriculture fair primarily devoted to the kids of agriculture. In other words - this is what fairs started out as, a celebration of agriculture and as well the end of another fruitful growing season.

I guess that I had better mention the food. The Caledonia County Fair is the best place to get Apple Crisp. All of the other fairs offer up the same fare that we all look forward too, sausage and peppers, fries, fried dough. (sigh).

Perseveration

The other night I was browsing the channels and stumbled across Bobby Flay's 'Throwdown' on the Food Network. And the throwdown for this episode was 'Fish & Chips'. I have been salivating ever since.

I have never made this myself but am ready to try. Over the last ten plus years I really have not eaten that much in the way of fried food but that is about to change.

Back in my bachelor days I had an apartment in Burlington, Vermont, a mere stones throw away from The Vermont Pub and Brewery. Many a night my buddy Mike and I would end up there and I recall more than once partaking of a pint or two of Dogbite Bitter with a plate of their Fish & Chips. Very tasty indeed.

So now, I need to make some up. I have a feeling that until I do I will not be able to get this out of my head.