Latest Posts

Peekytoe!

Published by Kathy Hunt

The name sounds almost too cute to be legit but peekytoe is, in fact, a type of crab found on the East Coast. Also known as rock or spider crab, this spindly legged crustacean originally was discarded by fishermen who found it in their lobster pots. They stopped pitching it out in the late 1990’s after the owner of Portland, Maine’s Browne Trading Company, Rod Mitchell, dubbed the unloved crab “peekytoe.” This new, perky moniker won over chefs and consumers, who started buying up and eating the bycatch.

Peekytoe lives among rocks and in waters up to 40-feet deep. An eco-friendly seafood, it’s caught live in traps with no bycatch. After removing the crab from the trap, the fisherman will snap off one large claw. He then returns the crab to the ocean where it regenerates its missing appendage.

When on land, a peekytoe crab will cover itself with algae, grass and other natural debris. This tendency has given the crustacean yet another name, the decorator crab.

Adorable nom de plumes aside, peekytoe is prized for its sweet, moist and firm meat. Fortunately for me, it’s sold picked so I never have to fiddle with cracking the claws and picking out the meat. Someone has already done all the work for me.

Peekytoe goes well with a wealth of foods and flavors. Its affinities include such items as asparagus, avocados, cayenne, chives, garlic, ginger, grapefruit, lemon, lime, mustard, onions, flat-leaf parsley, shrimp, tarragon, tomatoes and watercress.

I’ve found peekytoe to be the ideal ingredient for pasta dishes as well as crab cakes. It also works well in salads, seafood cocktails and sauces. If you haven’t already, take a peek at peekytoe. You won’t be disappointed.

KITCHEN KAT CRAB CAKES
Makes 6 large cakes

1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 pound lump crab meat
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, washed, dried and minced
2 to 4 tablespoons bread crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
flour, for dredging the cakes
lemon wedges, optional

Heat the 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil in a small frying or sauté pan. Add the minced shallots and sauté until soft, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

In a medium-sized bowl mix together the shallots, crab meat, egg, mayonnaise, mustard, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, black pepper, parsley and bread crumbs, adding just enough bread crumbs so that the mixture binds together. Depending on how firm you prefer your cakes, this could be anywhere from 2 to 4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs.

On a plate or other flat, clean work surface, spoon out enough flour to coat 6 large crab cakes. Heat the butter and olive oil over medium in a large, non-stick frying pan.

While the butter and oil are heating, form the crab cakes by taking three to four heaping tablespoons of the crab mixture and, using your hands, shaping it into a 6-inch round patty. Dredge both sides of the cakes in the flour and set aside. Repeat with the remaining mix.

After the cakes are formed and the oil and butter are hot, pan-fry the cakes for 10 minutes, gently flipping them over after 5 minutes so that both sides turn golden brown. Serve with wedges of lemon.

Chicken!

Published by Kathy Hunt

At dinner with friends last night the subject of easy chicken meals arose. Although I don’t cook chicken very often, I do have a surplus of good poultry recipes. While these dishes do require more than three ingredients and take longer than 30 minutes to prepare, they’re definitely worth the extra effort to make.

As for cooking tips, I would advise using local, humanely raised, truly free-range chicken. Chances are that, if you buy locally, you can see how your chicken lived, what it ate and, ultimately, what you’re eating. Plus, you’ll find that chickens allowed to roam about freely in grass pastures taste better and are more healthful for you. Needless to say, it’s more healthful for them, too.

Jumping off my soapbox, I’ll add that you should always cook chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a digital meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken to determine if it’s done.

VINEGARY CHICKEN
Note: If you don’t have white wine on hand, substitute 1/3 cup water and 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar for it.
Serves 4

1 1/2 white onions, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
handful of fresh basil, washed and minced
handful of fresh parsley, washed and minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine (See headnote for substitutions)
3 large, ripe tomatoes, washed and diced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
ground white pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a Dutch Oven or large saute pan. Add the onion, sprinkle the salt over it and saute until soft and slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Arrange the chicken breasts over the onion and sprinkle salt, pepper, minced basil and minced parsley over the chicken.

Mix together the chicken stock, wine, vinegars and lemon then pour into the pan. Bring liquids to a boil then cover and simmer gently for about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, seed and chop the tomatoes. Place tomatoes in a bowl, add the olive oil and white pepper and mix together.

Remove the lid from the pan and check the chicken. If it’s finished cooking, remove the breasts and place them in a shallow serving bowl. If not, leave them in the pan and allow all the ingredients to simmer for another 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. If you haven’t already, place the chicken breasts in a large, shallow bowl. Pour in the onions and sauce. Ladle the tomatoes over the chicken and serve immediately with a side of couscous.

CHICKEN SOUVLAKI
Serves 4

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons oregano
tzatziki, for serving
4 individual pitas, optional
2 tomatoes, sliced, optional

For the tzatziki
8 ounces plain yogurt, excess water drained
½ cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, grated
¼ teaspoon dried mint
dash of salt

Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and oregano in a small bowl. Place the chicken cubes in a medium-sized bowl and pour the marinade over top. Cover the bowl, place it in the refrigerator and allow the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dried mint and salt and refrigerate the tzatziki.

Preheat the grill.

Using metal skewers, insert the cubes of chicken lengthwise on each skewer, leaving a little room between each chunk of meat. Place the skewers on the hot grill and cook for approximately 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked. Remove the skewers from the grill and place on a platter. Serve immediately with a side of tzatziki sauce and optional pita and tomato.

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PUFF PIE
Serves 6

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups chicken stock
¾ cup low fat milk
¼ cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons flour
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
½ cup pearl onions, peeled and halved
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 sheet puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If using frozen puff pastry, unfold and defrost one sheet of pastry.

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, poach the chicken in 2 cups of stock. Strain the poaching liquid, add the milk, extra ¼ cup stock and flour. Whisk together and then set aside. Allow the chicken to cool before cutting it into small cubes or pieces.

In a large frying pan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrots, onions and mushrooms and cook until softened. Pour in the liquid and the cubed chicken and stir the ingredients together. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper, stir and allow the filling to cook for 5 to 10 minutes.

Place the puff pastry on a cutting board. Using a pie pan as your guide, trim the pastry so that it fits over the pan. Once the pastry is trimmed, butter the bottom and sides of pan. Spoon the heated chicken and mushroom filling into the pan. Lay the pastry over the top of the filling. Bake at 350 degrees for roughly 20 minutes or until the pastry has puffed up and turned a golden brown. Serve immediately.

TARRAGON CHICKEN SALAD
From Gourmet Magazine June 2003
Serves 6

4 cups cubed (½ inch) cooked chicken (about 1¾ lb)
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 celery rib, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices (1 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
2 cups halved seedless green grapes
¾ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
12 slices of whole grain bread

Toss together all ingredients in a large bowl until combined well. Serve between slices of whole grain bread.

Fish – Asbury Park, NJ

Published by Kathy Hunt

I’ve had the amazing fortune of getting good grub around the globe. Anywhere my travels have taken me, I’ve found extraordinary places to eat. Some have been casual and inexpensive. Others have been upscale and costly. Yet, they all have served creative, flavorful, good quality food.

Since I do encounter so many great dining spots, l feel as though I should pass along some favorites. To kick off these periodic, brief reviews, I’ll share a bit about a restaurant at which I recently ate, Fish in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Located in the home of Asbury Park’s first post office and outfitted in wood and earth tones, Fish possesses a clean, contemporary atmosphere and an inspired but pricey menu.

As the name would suggest, Fish specializes in seafood. Clams, cockles, mussels, black cod, octopus, fluke and bronzini all make their way to the tables. Likewise, more familiar names such as shrimp, scallops, salmon, tuna, halibut, lobster and crab turn up in appetizers, pastas and entrees.

Among the delicious seafood dishes tried by my friends and me were mahi with mashed potatoes, asparagus and tomatoes (pictured above) and peekytoe crab tagliatelle with peas, shallots, mascerpone cream and a sunny-side up egg. Not to be left out, the meat-lover in the group enjoyed a mixed grill of chicken, chorizo and flat iron steak with a piquant chimicurri sauce.

Surprisingly, the only miss of the night was my usual standby — lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. Perhaps it was the heatwave. Perhaps it was the gouda and jack cheese sauce. Perhaps it was having it so many times in the past. Whatever the cause, we all agreed that this entree lacked pizazz. Nonetheless, Fish still provided a noteworthy dining experience, one that I would happily repeat again.

What’s New, Cupcake?

Published by Kathy Hunt

Ask me to bake a cake and I can whip up something in a snap. Ask me to decorate that cake, to make it cute and whimsical, and I start to panic. As much as I love a bit of kitsch in the kitchen, I’m a disaster at making food fun. My smiley face pancakes will make you cry. Swan napkins? Complete ugly ducklings. Yet, somehow I’ve managed to recreate many of the adorable cupcakes featured in Karen Tack’s and Alan Richardson’s Hello Cupcake (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008) and What’s New, Cupcake? (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010).

Similar to its predecessor, What’s New, Cupcake? offers an assortment of clever but easy cupcake designs. Along with the ducks pictured on its cover, it provides steps for constructing dogs, squirrels, skunks, moose, flamingos, crocodiles, hippos, polar bears and walruses. Animals not your favorite? How about chrysanthemums, roses, apples, golf greens, badminton shuttlecocks, karaoke microphones and ants on a picnic? Follow Tack’s and Richardson’s concise instructions and you can craft any of these.

Since I’m a sucker for Halloween, I first tried jack-o-lanterns. Smart move as these proved to be among the easiest cupcakes in the book. Simply tint store-bought vanilla frosting with orange food coloring and cocoa powder and pipe the colored frosting in rows on top of the cupcakes. Soften Tootsie Rolls and yellow Starbursts in the microwave, roll them out and cut them into eyes, noses and mouths. Place the cut outs on each frosted cupcake. Shove a pretzel twist into space above the eyes and you’ve got a stem and a finished jack-o-lantern.

Elaborate items, such as stuffed turkeys and blow-up lawn santas, are unquestionably time consuming. However, thanks to clear steps, illustrations and photographs in What’s New, Cupcake?, they aren’t all that difficult. As the cover of the first book states, these are “irresistibly playful creations that anyone can make.” Believe me, if I can turn a plain cupcake into an angry rat or plump, playful ghost, you can, too.

While I adore the creativity of these cupcakes, I don’t love the reliance upon store-bought frostings. In the case of “hound dogs” I ended up substituting homemade chocolate ganache for the required canned chocolate icing. The resulting hound dog looked the same but tasted fresher and more chocolaty than the ones slathered in commercially-produced frosting. Nonetheless, store-bought is much simpler and can be more consistent than homemade so, unless you have the extra time and a fool-proof recipe, stick with the requirements in What’s New, Cupcake?. You’re bound to create cute and clever cupcakes and have some fun in the kitchen, too.

Eye-popping Purple Asparagus

Published by Kathy Hunt

They sat glistening in the sun like a display of amethysts at Tiffany’s. One look and I knew that I had to have them. No, they weren’t sparkly earrings, strappy sandals or the latest handbags from Elaine Arsenault. They were one of nature’s gems, purple asparagus.

Unlike white asparagus, which is merely green asparagus that hasn’t seen the light of day, purple asparagus hails from the Albenga region of Italy. There farmers propagated seeds from hardy, opened female plants, producing a variety known as Violetto d’ Albenga. With this variety the stalks grow larger but there are fewer of them. Although its stems appear purple in color, its feathery leaves remain green. Similar to other asparagus, Its flesh ranges from pale green to white.

Twenty percent higher in sugar than its green counterpart, purple asparagus possesses a mildly sweet taste. Due to its low fiber content it’s also tenderer than green and white asparagus. These differences in taste and texture make purple asparagus perfect for raw salads. When blanched alongside its green and white relations, it then can be chopped, tossed and dressed with a little olive oil and lemon juice.

As with all asparagus, look for firm, plump, straight spears that snap when bent. The tips should be compact. Skip those with loose or slimy tips or shriveled, rubbery stalks.

To store, I snap off about an inch from the bottom of the stalks. I then pour an inch of water into a small bowl and, standing the asparagus upright in the water, refrigerate the vegetables. You can also wrap the bottoms of the asparagus in a wet paper towel and slide the bundle into your crisper. Wrapped and refrigerated, they’ll keep for three days. Resting in water, they’ll keep for up to a week.

Although asparagus is available year-round, its natural growing season is spring. In the case of purple asparagus you probably have missed the chance to buy it locally this year. However, many grocery stores now import this variety from Peru and elsewhere.

SIMPLE PURPLE ASPARAGUS
Serves 4

1½ lb purple asparagus, trimmed
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, grated
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Steam the asparagus on a steamer rack set over boiling water, covered, until just tender, 2 to 5 minutes (depending on thickness), then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Place on an oval serving platter.

Whisk together the vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil in a small bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the asparagus spears and serve.

Planet Barbecue!

Published by Kathy Hunt

With grilling season in full swing I’m sharing another quality cookbook devoted to the barbecue. Back in April I had raved about Francis Mallman’s Seven Fires Grilling the Argentinian Way (Artisan, 2009). Today Steven Raichlen’s Barbecue Planet! (Workman, 2010) has captured my attention and my trusty Coleman. Covering six continents and 60 countries, Planet Barbecue! is aimed not only at globetrotting but also at curious cooks. Filled with color photos and over 300 global recipes, it provides a fascinating glimpse at how people around the world grill food.

If you like to grill, you’ve probably encountered Steven Raichlen in one form or another. He hosts the PBS cooking series “Primal Grill with Steven Raichlen,” possesses a line of grill tools and seasonings, blogs about grilling and writes award-winning cookbooks on – what else – grilling. He’s been called ‘America’s grill expert.’ After reading and cooking from Planet Barbecue! I understand why. This is a highly comprehensive yet user-friendly book.

Planet Barbecue! starts with a brief discourse on the discovery of fire and beginnings of barbecuing. After providing a time line as well suggestions for eco-conscious grilling, it moves into techniques and recipes. Here barbecued starters, salads, breads, meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables and desserts all get their due.

What I’ve found particularly appealing are the sections on grilled salads and breads. Too often I just grill peppers, eggplants, zucchini and tomatoes and serve them with a splash of lemon juice and olive oil. I overlook the fact that, by chopping my veg and adding a few herbs, spices and uncooked vegetables to them, I can create a vibrant salad. A perfect example is Raichlen’s grilled eggplant salad with Jerusalem flavors, which features grilled tomato and eggplant as well as garlic, walnuts, parsley, Greek yogurt and tahini. It’s quick, easy and much more intriguing than my usual barbecued vegetable offerings.

The chapter on grilled breads has equally piqued my interest. As Raichlen points out, baking bread over fire is not a new technique; archeological evidence indicates that as far back as 2600 B.C. people cooked bread over charcoal. Even today South American arepas, Indian papadoms, Turkish pide and South African rooster brood are made this way. Thanks to the inclusion of basic dough recipes and bread grilling tips, I can create these special breads on my own grill.

As one might expect, the cookbook does address such barbecue standards as ribs, steaks, burgers and kebabs. However, the burgers are as likely to be Balkan grilled veal and pork burgers as they are to be classic American hamburgers. The kebabs? They could come in the form of chicken or shrimp or the more exotic lamb, goat or mashed potatoes, the last of which is also known as “knish on a stick.” That’s one of the many aspects that I love about Raichlen’s book — I receive ample portions of both the familiar and the exotic, all for my grill.

Cool Foods for a Hot Season

Published by Kathy Hunt

Thanks to a recent and premature East Coast heatwave, I’ve already started thinking of ways to beat the summer heat. While I could always spend the day in a frigid Starbucks or hovering over our struggling window air conditioner, I do have a few other, less radical tricks for staying cool this summer. As you might expect, they involve food and plenty of it.

You may have heard how in Morocco, India and other steamy or arid lands folks cool off with hot and spicy foods. Steaming hot teas are especially popular for they hydrate and make the consumers sweat. Keep on drinking and hydrating. Keep on sweating and cooling off. Truthfully, I’m not a fan of the ‘hot drinks and food in summer’ practice. Give me a icy glass of water, a little cold soup and I’m chillin’.

That brings me to the first food trick, chilled soups. Sometimes referred to as “liquid salads,” cold vegetable soups do wonders for heat sufferers around the globe. In Spain and Portugal the overheated reach for red gazpacho and ajo blanco, a garlic-almond soup sometimes referred to as ‘white gazpacho.’ In Eastern Europe it’s purplish, beet-laden borscht and chlodnik that soothes the masses. Chlodnik features grated beets, cucumbers, onions, radishes, dill and yogurt, which turns the soup an eye-popping pink. In the Mediterranean diners refresh themselves with several variations of an iced, yogurt-cucumber-garlic-mint soup. Turks call it cacik. Greeks call it tzatziki. I call it good.

Trick number two? Frozen desserts. Often it’s sorbet, that energizing and non-fat, iced fruit puree that has been dished out in France since the 17th century. Other days it’s the Italian relative, granita. Consisting of one part sugar to four parts water and/or fruit juice, coffee or wine, granita possesses a coarse, crystalline texture that sets it apart from the velvety sorbet. Crunchy or smooth, these are two indulgences that always satisfy.

While I usually skip the thirst-inducing gelatos, custards and ice creams, I do have a weakness for another childhood summer sweet — strawberry yogurt pie. A bit kitschy but always a favorite, this frozen treat never fails to beat the heat.

Until the next heatwave . . .

PAT HUNT’S STRAWBERRY YOGURT PIE
Serves 8

2 1/2 (6-ounce) containers of strawberry yogurt
1 (8-ounce) container of Lite Cool Whip
1 store-bought graham cracker pie crust
1 handful of fresh strawberries, washed, trimmed and halved

In a medium-sized bowl mix together the strawberry yogurt and Cool Whip until well-combined. Pour the filling into the graham cracker pie crust, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until lightly set. Remove the pie and place the halved strawberries around the edge of the crust. Cover again and return to the freezer where the pie should remain until frozen. Remove 30 minutes before serving so that the pie thaws slightly and is easier to cut and consume.

KITCHEN KAT’S STRAWBERRY YOGURT PIE
Serves 8

If you have a little extra time, try this version, too.

For the graham cracker crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
1/2 cup organic strawberry puree (1/2 pint of organic strawberries blitzed in a blender or food processor)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cup organic, vanilla yogurt
1 (8-ounce container) Cool Whip
handful of fresh, organic strawberries, washed, trimmed and halved

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter until well-blended. Spread over and press into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.

Mix together the puree, sugar, yogurt and Cool Whip. Pour the filling into the graham cracker pie crust, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until lightly set. Remove the pie and place the halved strawberries around the edge of the crust. Cover again and return to the freezer where the pie should remain until frozen. Remove 30 minutes before serving so that the pie thaws slightly and is easier to cut and consume.

London Eats

Published by Kathy Hunt

No matter what detractors of British cuisine may say, I ate well in London. So well, in fact, that I’m now working off three extra pounds. Considering that in many countries I’ve lost weight, that’s pretty high praise for English cooking.

Where I ate obviously influenced how well I ate. Armed with Time Out London, London Zagat, and tips from friends and local foodies, I sought out places that would please my finicky palate. For breakfast I went to cafes such as Gail’s Bread, Ottolenghi and The Tabernacle. Located in Notting Hill and close to the flat where I had stayed, these three served up consistently good food in warm, cheery atmospheres.

Since lunch was always right around the corner, I never succumbed to the full English breakfast of poached eggs, bacon, sausage, fried tomatoes, fried mushrooms, beans, toast and tea. Yet, I did love many less filling, local specialties. Currant-studded Chelsea buns, jam-slathered scones and scrambled eggs on toast with sauteed mushrooms ranked high on the list of favorites.

Often I grabbed lunch on-the-go. Olive focaccia from Lina Stores in SoHo, Cornish pasties or locally produced breads and cheese fit this bill. The chain noodle shop Wagamama also fell into the category of quick, easy lunches. Started in London in the 1990’s, Wagamama offered fresh tasting, Asian-inspired meals at relatively inexpensive prices.

Far from fast or inexpensive, Harrod’s in Knightsbridge nonetheless gave me the best lunch of my London visit. Famed for its luxury items, the department store possesses an extravagant, ground floor food hall. Here I saw everything from shredded beef biltong to black truffle puree. I also found a wonderful late lunch at its “easy eatery,” the Sea Grill. Its succulent pan-roasted Scottish salmon with tomato-garlic salsa and sauteed spinach was well worth splashing out on.

So, too, was dinner at E&O in Notting Hill, Ottolenghi in Islington and The Gate in Hammersmith. Of the three, The Gate remains the most memorable. Never has vegetarian cuisine tasted so good. If you go, consider the potato and wild mushroom rotolo for your entree and the Eton mess for dessert. Likewise outstanding was the Pan-Asian offerings at E&O. Baby aubergine and spicy miso dim sum, king prawn & black cod gyoza, chili tofu and the utterly British banoffee pie are just a few of the highlights from this vibrant restaurant.

When I think over my London dining experiences, I’m not surprised that I packed on pounds. I’m just surprised that I didn’t gain more!

BUTTERMILK SCONES
from Trudie Styler and Joseph Sponzo’s The Lake House Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, 1999)
Makes 6

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons plain white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, diced
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
beaten egg, to glaze

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add the raisins and sugar and stir to combine. Make a well in the center then stir in enough buttermilk to form a soft dough.

On a lightly floured work surface turn out the dough and knead lightly. Roll the dough out to 1″ thick and cut into rounds with a 2 1/2″ plain cutter. Transfer the rounds to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the scones with the beaten egg. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes until risen and golden brown on top. Serve hot or cold.

Small Dispatch from a Small Island

Published by Kathy Hunt

This week I’ve been working in England, a country much maligned for yet also quite obsessed with its cuisine. Mention that you write about food and suddenly everyone wants to have a discussion with you. Opinions vary on what constitutes good English food. For some it’s the infusion of other cultures and cuisines that has elevated British cooking. After all, the Indian-inspired chicken tikka masala has become the national dish of England. For others it’s a nostalgia for the past, for Sunday roasts and British sweets.

For many it’s the local, seasonal movement. Daily farmers’ markets thrive in London. Cheese, bread and butcher shops showcasing English-produced goods abound in the city. Stores stocked with local honeys, preserves and condiments blossom. The country is even producing its own white wines. While I can’t attest to the quality of wine, I can vouch for the deliciousness of other homegrown goods.

Ask what sparked this passion for good food and you’ll get a range of responses. The end of WII rationing, which really didn’t end until the 1950’s, slowly opened doors for better cooking. (Rationing and the resultant apathy about cooking are often blamed for England’s terrible culinary reputation.) Immigration and the introduction of different cuisines bolstered the English spirit for good, flavorful food. Likewise, gastronomic writers such as Elizabeth David reinvigorated passions as did celebrity cooks and chefs such Delia Smith, Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver.

Of course, if you stick to the tourist trail, you’ll still think that British cuisine consists solely of fish, chips and mushy peas. Venture off the beaten path, though, and you’ll find that the English are quite passionate about food.

Flashy Dragon Fruit

Published by Kathy Hunt

I try to live by the adage, “when in Rome . . ..” As a result, I’ve eaten a fair number of exotic and heavenly foods. I’ve also consumed more than a few odd or unpalatable things. Icelandic hakarl, or putrid shark, ranks high among these as does Vietnamese dragon fruit. Possessing hot pink skin, green spines and black-specked, white flesh, dragon fruit remains one of the flashiest edibles out there. It’s also one of the blandest that I’ve tried. Hence, seeing it touted in this week’s New York Times as the next hot food, I couldn’t help but wonder why. Granted, it’s stunning looking but . . ..

A member of the cactus family, dragon fruit thrives in tropical climates. Although native to Central America, it’s cultivated throughout South America, parts of the West Indies, Southeast Asia and Florida. In Spanish it’s called pitaya. It’s also known as the strawberry pear.

I can see the pear comparison. Similar to an unripe or winter pear, the whitish flesh is a tad gritty but juicy. Unlike a pear, this flesh is flecked with tiny, black seeds, which you can eat. That’s a relief to me for the seeds are far too numerous to consider removing.

In Vietnam I found mounds of dragon fruit in the markets. I encountered them peeled and sliced at hotel breakfast buffets. I ate them as dessert or as part of salad plates. Everywhere I went, dragon fruit was there.

Although I loved seeing this bizarre fruit, I felt apathetic about consuming it. Extremely mild in flavor, it reminded me off-season produce — it appeared gorgeous but tasted dull. As many have said before me, it was simply “refreshing.”

Don’t let my lackluster assessment dissuade you from trying dragon fruit. Look for it at your local Latin or Asian market. If you don’t want to tackle an entire fruit, you can sample it in herbal teas, fruit juice blends and energy drinks. You can also check it out in SKYY’s latest infused offering, dragon fruit.

Placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated, fresh dragon fruit will keep for up to five days. To serve, peel the fruit with a pairing knife and then cut in half or in slices. Chill before serving. The flesh can be scooped out and eaten with a spoon.