We will be serving a pasta dinner with red sauce, meatballs and sausage, plus fresh salad, Italian bread and homemade dessert. Call 508-653-5619, #2 to order ahead. Or order online at Pasta Night Order Ahead 11/04/20.
Pick-up between 5:00 - 7:00 pm. When you arrive, please park, place your name in your car window and a volunteer will bring your dinner out.
We have been a non-profit organization in Natick for 94 years, and we appreciate your support! Thank you, the Pasta Night crew.
TOKYO -- While plant-based meat substitutes have drawn much global attention as a way to combat food shortages and protect the environment, researchers in Japan have taken the first steps toward creating cultured meat that could wind up on your grill someday.
Last year, the University of Tokyo unveiled the world's first lab-grown meat meant to mimic steak. Measuring just 10 mm x 8 mm x 7 mm, it is a long way from a juicy porterhouse. But its developers see a lot of potential.
Japan's Nissin Foods Holdings, best known for its instant ramen, is working with the university and others to establish the basic technology to create larger pieces of lab-grown steak by the end of fiscal 2024.
Although most meat substitutes are made from soy and other plant-based products, in 2013 Mark Post, a professor at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, created the world's first beef burger from lab-grown meat. So far, however, high costs have kept cultured meat out of supermarkets.
Cultured meat is made by growing and fusing together bovine muscle cells. But the process is tricky: If the direction of the cells is random, the end product can only be made into mincemeat. To mimic actual cuts of meat, the muscle fibers need to line up in one direction.
"It is important to [be able to] make whole cuts because that is how most people consume meat," said Nissin Foods' Futoshi Nakamura, who is working with University of Tokyo professor Shoji Takeuchi to develop cultured meat.
"It was good to team up with Nissin, which has expertise in making food products. We cannot make cultured meat by ourselves," said Takeuchi, who created the world's first steak meat in his laboratory.
To recreate the texture of steak, developing the proper muscle fibers is key. University researchers and Nissin have devised a method that uses thin-film myoblasts -- precursor cells that form skeletal muscle. These cells are assembled into modules made by pouring liquid containing muscle cells and collagen gel into molds with evenly spaced slits. The modules are then stacked in layers and arranged to allow nutrients to seep deep inside the meat.
The team created a piece of meat shaped like diced steak by stacking 42 modules together and culturing them for about a week. But the meat grown in the lab does not look like what you buy at the butcher shop. Because it lacks blood vessels and fat, meat made from cultured muscle fibers is white; it needs red food coloring to make it look real. The taste also differs from that of natural beef.
For cultured meat to work as a commercial product, the tiny morsels grown in the lab so far will not suffice. Nissin aims to produce a piece of meat measuring 7 cm x 7 cm x 2 cm by the end of fiscal 2024. At the moment, lab-grown beef makes the finest Kobe cuts look like a bargain. The burger grown in the Netherlands cost roughly $300,000 to produce. The process will need to be much cheaper if anyone is ever to sink their teeth into cultured meat.
And even if the cost comes down, it is unclear whether consumers will be keen. A November 2019 survey by Hirosaki University in Aomori Prefecture found that only 27% of respondents willing to try cultured meat. The share rose to 50% when respondents were told that cultured meat could help ease a global food shortage.
"Once people know more about cultured meat, many of them will accept it. It is important for us to keep educating the public about it," Nakamura said.
University of Tokyo professor Shoji Takeuchi developed the world's first lab-grown steak meat. He and Nissin Foods hope to have the basic technology perfected by fiscal 2024.
At present, Japan has no laws governing cultured meat. Discussions have begun aimed at dealing with potential legal issues. At the moment it is not even clear whether cultured meat can be called "meat."
Despite these obstacles, lab-grown meat is attracting attention as means to combat global food shortages. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization estimates demand for meat will jump 80% by 2050, compared with 2007, due to growth in emerging economies.
Raising more cattle and other livestock is becoming harder as it requires massive amounts of feed and water, and generates a lot of greenhouse gases. Lab-grown meat could help resolve this problem.
"There is a lot to be done, but cultured meat could bring many business opportunities," Takeuchi said.
Juicy steak bites top noodles and spinach for this quick and tasty bowl dinner. Steak plays an important role in Korean cooking. Here steak cubes are coated with a garlicky sauce glaze.
Noodles are another staple. There are many noodle shops throughout the country. This noodle side dish calls for spinach, but any green vegetable — broccoli, green beans or peas — can be used.
Helpful Hints:
— Any type of quick-cooking steak can be used (skirt, flank, strip).
— Steamed or fresh Chinese noodles can be found in the produce department. Dried noodles or angel hair pasta can be used instead.
— Four crushed garlic cloves can be used instead of bottled minced garlic.
— An easy way to turn steak cubes over is with tongs or two spoons.
Countdown:
— Place water for noodles on to boil.
— Marinate steak.
— While steak marinates, make Green Noodles and place in 2 bowls.
— Saute steak and add to bowls.
Shopping List:
To buy: 3/4 pound beef tenderloin, 1 small bottle low-sodium soy sauce, 1 small bottle white vinegar, 1 jar minced garlic, 1 bottle Dijon mustard, 1 small piece fresh ginger or 1 bottle ground ginger, 1 bottle sesame oil, 1/4 pound steamed Chinese, 1 package bean sprouts and 1 package washed, ready-to-eat spinach.
Staples: salt and freshly ground black pepper.
___
Korean Steak Bowl
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
For steak bites:
3/4 pound beef tenderloin
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger or 2 teaspoons ground ginger
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Remove visible fat from steak and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place in a plastic bag. Add soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, mustard, ginger and black pepper. Seal the bag and gently shake to combine ingredients. Marinate 5 minutes turning bag over during that time.
Heat oil in a wok or skillet. Remove steak and saute cubes 2 minutes turning them oven once. Pour marinade into skillet and continue to saute 3 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken slightly. A meat thermometer should read 130 degrees for medium rare. Place steak and sauce over noodles in the bowls.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 310 calories (44% from fat), 15.3 g fat (5.3 g saturated, 6 g monounsaturated), 84 mg cholesterol, 38.8 g protein, 4.7 g carbohydrates, 0.7 g fiber, 1,190 mg sodium.
Green Noodles
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
1/4 pound steamed Chinese noodles
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
6 cups washed, ready-to-eat spinach
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large saucepan half filled with water to a boil. Add the noodles and boil 2 minutes. Add bean sprouts and spinach and boil 1 minute. Drain and toss with the sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste. Divide between 2 dinner bowls.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 296 calories (23% from fat), 7.5 g fat (1.4 g saturated, 2.5 g monounsaturated), 48 mg cholesterol, 12.2 g protein, 47 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 87 mg sodium.
Linda Gassenheimer is the author of over 30 cookbooks, including her newest, "The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook." Listen to Linda on www.WDNA.org and all major podcast sites. Email her at Linda@DinnerInMinutes.com.
New Jersey has taken shots for years on every imaginable subject, including recently being named the most hated state in America. It’s time to strike back. Food is the obvious comeback (we’re certainly not going to brag about our traffic, or taxes). New Yorkers claim to have the best pizza, bagels, hot dogs, pastrami, etc., without offering one shred of evidence to their superiority in any food category. It’s always, “Because we are!”
Here are 25 foods/dishes New Jersey does better than any other state, and we’re going to provide solid evidence for each. None of that ‘'Because we are!" nonsense.
Oh, and the real reason New Jersey is the most hated state? I’m thinking it’s because our food is better, and everyone else is just so damn jealous!
The tomato pie from De Lorenzo's Tomato Pies in Robbinsville.
First of all, don’t mention Trenton tomato pie and Philly tomato pie in the same pizza breath. The former is round and topped with tomatoes and cheese. The latter is a rectangular focaccia with crushed tomatoes and no cheese. The Trenton tomato pie likely started at Joe’s Tomato Pies in 1910.
Little India in Iselin (Woodbridge), along Oak Tree Road, is chock-full of restaurants, markets, sweet shops, jewelry stores and hair salons. It’s a colorful, vibrant stretch just minutes off the Garden State Parkway. There are more Indian restaurants and markets on Oak Tree Road in neighboring Edison, and another Little India in Jersey City, but Iselin’s is the best-known. And the food? New Jersey boasts the best Indian food in the country, according to CNN. So there, New York. Or anywhere else, for that matter.
An Italian hot dog from Tommy's Italian Sausage & Hot Dogs in Elizabeth.
The Italian hot dog was born in New Jersey — in 1932 at Jimmy Buff’s on 9th Street and 14th Avenue in Newark. Peppers. Onions. A hot dog or two. A fistful of potatoes. And the pizza bread is a must.
Jimmy Buff’s West Orange location is a hot dog diner where you can see and hear dogs, onions and peppers popping in the hot oil. Ask for an Italian hot dog in say, Ohio or Iowa, and you’ll get a glassy-eyed look. Oh, and New Jersey is the center of the hot dog universe (but you already knew that).
The famous grill at White Manna in Hackensack.SL
A slider is simply a small burger, one that needs just one hand to hold (you can use the other to collect the dripping grease). In Jersey, onions and pickles are essential slider ingredients — the smell and crunch of those onions is enough to make you swoon.
The two best-known slider joints in the state are White Mana in Jersey City and White Manna in Hackensack. The former is a flying saucer-shaped diner; the latter is a tiny glass-blocked jewel. Both are essential Jersey food experiences. The term “slider” apparently originated with White Castle back in the 1920s. The Original Slider is a company registered trademark.
DiCosmo's in Elizabeth, a little green shack full of flavor.
There will be no mention of chain Italian ice stores in this space. Nothing against them, but if you want the real frozen deal, head to DiCosmo’s in Elizabeth. It’s the little green shack at the corner of Fourth and High. It’s Italian ice legend. Started as a grocery store in 1915, it began selling Italian ice in 1918. The current owners are John and Nancy DiCosmo; they live next door. There are usually four flavors at a time. The lemon ice is flat out super.
In South Jersey, Italian ice is called water (pronounced "wooder’') ice. Recommended: Stio’s in Williamstown.
Chicken savoy at the Belmont Tavern in Belleville.
Stretch’s Chicken Savoy! Shrimp Beeps! If you’ve never heard of these dishes, you clearly have not visited the Belmont Tavern, located on the little slice of Belleville along Bloomfield Avenue. Wood paneling, American-flag-decorated bar, fluorescent lighting, cash-only — it was high on my list of the state’s greatest old-school restaurants.
The best description of chicken savoy comes from seriouseats.com: "Cut-up chicken rubbed down with a fat handful of garlic, hard cheese, and herbs, then roasted in a screaming-hot oven and splashed with vinegar, which sends aromas of schmaltz and spice right up to your nose.''
Scrapple fries are on the menu at Waller's Deli in Tabernacle.
“Everything in the pig except the oink” isn’t exactly an enticing description, but scrapple lovers don’t care what goes in their favorite breakfast meat. And scrapple fries? Be still my heart. You can get them in Pennsylvania, but I can’t imagine anyone doing them better than Waller’s Deli in the Pine Barrens. Scrapple can be traced to blood pudding in Dutch and German cuisine. When settlers arrived in this country, they left out the blood part. That was probably a good thing.
The legendary Ripper from Rutt's Hut in Clifton.
One of the state’s — no, the nation’s — legendary hot dog stands. An essential Jersey food experience. And home of the Ripper, that deep-fried dog so named because the dog rips open during its hot oil bath. That’s Rutt’s Hut in Clifton. Abe Rutt opened the brick-walled roadhouse in 1928; bacon and eggs back then cost 80 cents. The current owners bought the business in 1975.
Get one dog with the distinctive relish, another with mustard, and you’ll be in hot dog heaven. The Ripper is the OG of dogs. It was named the best hot dog in the U.S. by the Daily Meal.
Boost! has been around since 1913, but only for South Jerseyans.
Most of New Jersey has never heard of Boost! and that’s OK. Popular in Burlington and Camden counties, practically unknown everywhere else, the drink has been described by some as a lemony cola. Others call it “liquid crack.”
It was the work of Benjamin Rice Faunce, who introduced it at his Riverside pharmacy in 1913. It’s a strange brew in more ways than one — you mix it with water (four parts water, one part Boost!, or 3/1 if you want a thicker, stronger drink). You can also find it as already-mixed soda or in slushie form at delis and convenience stores. But don’t go looking for it in Central or North Jersey — you won’t find it. Not to be confused with Boost nutritional drinks, or Boost Mobile, for that matter.
The fat sandwich from Jersey Pizza Co. in Wood-RIdge.
New Jersey may have contributed more than any other state to the nation’s ever-increasing collective waistline. I submit to evidence Exhibit No. 1: the fat sandwich, hatched at the infamous grease trucks on College Avenue in New Brunswick in the 1980s. They are not for the weak-hearted, or the calorie conscious. They feature cheesesteak, hamburgers, chicken tenders, chicken cutlets, gyro, French fries, eggs, mozzarella sticks, meatballs, onion rings, cheese, marinara sauce, BBQ sauce, lettuce, ketchup, mayo — sometimes all in the same sandwich.
Maxim magazine named the Fat Darrell at one of the grease trucks the nation’s best sandwich in 2004. Not best fat sandwich, the best sandwich. The grease trucks are long gone from Rutgers, but you can find fat sandwiches at delis around the state. I once spent a week eating fat sandwiches and lived to tell the tale.
Delis from here to Havana claim to have invented the Sloppy Joe, but Town Hall Deli in South Orange says it was absolutely the first to introduce it in this country. It appeared on the menu in the 1930s. It’s not the beef-filled Sloppy Joe familiar to the rest of the nation, but the Jersey version, usually with turkey, roast beef, Swiss and Russian dressing.
Get stuck with some sticky buns from Aversa's Bakery in Brigantine.
Sticky buns are often called cinnamon buns or cinnamon rolls, but they’re not the same thing. Gooey gobs of sweet, sticky caramel, raisins or pecans and soft, chewy cake make up the classic sticky bun. My favorite ones in Jersey can be found at Aversa’s Bakery in Brigantine.
I’ve lost count of the number of times over the years that breakfast has consisted of a half dozen with raisins and a cup of coffee from Wawa, just down the road. I’ve eaten sticky buns up and down the East Coast. None have come close to Aversa’s, or Jersey’s in general. There are other Aversa’s locations in Turnersville and Margate.
Panzarotti is definitely a South Jersey thing. Some have likened them to calzones, but they look more like turnovers: deep-fried pizza dough stuffed with cheese and sauce. Apparently the Tarantini family was the originator. It started selling them on the streets of Camden in 1963. Today the fourth generation of Tarantinis turns out thousands of panzarotti a week in its Cherry Hill factory.
Incomparable Jersey tomatoes, from Stony Hill Farmers Market in Chester.EJA
The iconic Jersey tomato is not just any old tomato grown in New Jersey. It goes back to two leading varieties grown at the Rutgers Agricultural Experiment Station — the Rutgers tomato in 1934 and the Ramapo tomato in 1968.
In 2016, Rutgers University released a reinvented Rutgers tomato in commemoration of the university’s 250th anniversary. No tomato anywhere on earth tastes better than a fresh-sliced Jersey tomato on a sandwich.
The Arlington Diner, a beacon on the banks of the Passaic, in North Arlington.
New Jersey is the diner capital of the world, with about 600 diners, so it goes without saying that the best diner food can be found here. Eggs, pancakes, omelets, club sandwiches, burgers, steaks, seafood, salads, chops, the cakes in the revolving display case — you name it, the Jersey diner has it, and at all hours of the day and night.
New Yorkers should have absolutely no say on this subject. Most don’t know the difference between a diner, coffee shop and luncheonette. Crain’s New York Business and The New York Times are among those that lump all three together. Repeat after me, New Yorkers: Coffee shops are not diners. Luncheonettes are not diners. Ask any New Jerseyan; they’ll set you straight. What does a diner look like? See the photo.
Salt water taffy at James Candy Co. in Atlantic City.SL
Slippery, sticky, chewy, gooey, rock-hard at one point, pillowy-soft at another. For more than 100 years, people have gone daffy over taffy.Shriver’s, the oldest business on the Ocean City boardwalk — it opened in 1898 — offers a staggering 70 flavors of taffy, with chocolate the overwhelming bestseller. One cloud on the taffy horizon: the James Candy Co., makers of Fralinger’s and James taffy, filed for bankruptcy in 2018.
Thin-crust perfection: Thin-crust pizza at Kinchley's Tavern in Ramsey.
New York City is the center of the pizza universe (that’s what they keep telling us, anyway), but when it comes to true thin-crust, New Jersey has NYC beat — and it’s not even close (good luck finding Star Tavern-like thin-crust anywhere in NYC).
The crisp. The crunch. The slight char around the edges. Thin-crust delivers a different sensory and textural experience than normal “NYC-style” pizza. Star Tavern in Orange is often considered NJ’s thin-crust gold standard. I like De Lorenzo’s in Robbinsville and Vic’s in Bradley Beach, among other places.
A nonstop meat orgy. That’s the best way to describe rodizio, an endless procession of chicken, steak, ribs and more that is a Spanish/Portuguese restaurant fixture. I did five straight days of rodizio for a story years back, and I’m still not sure how I survived. Your waiter will keep bringing meat to your table until you tell him to stop, or until you keel over. Brasilia, in the Ironbound, claims to have introduced rodizio to Newark in 1987, when it opened. Oh, and don’t even think of asking for doggie bags. That’s a big rodizio no-no.
A beacon of light on the boardwalk: Kohr's custard and ice cream stand in Seaside Heights.SL
Nothing says Jersey Shore summer like soft-serve from Kohr’s or Kohr Bros., both descendants of the five Kohr brothers who opened an ice cream stand on the Coney Island boardwalk in 1919. I’ve had soft serve at both Kohr’s and Kohr Bros., and honestly can’t tell the difference. There are four Kohr Bros. locations in Virginia Beach, three in Ocean City, Maryland and three in Rehobeth Beach, Delaware. But Kohr’s and Kohr Bros. will always be a Jersey thing.
Chili dogs bathed in onions and sauerkraut at HIram's in Fort Lee.
The chili dog may or may not have originated in Paterson or Plainfield — both cities claim the honor — but there’s no doubt this dog, also known as a Texas weiner, is close to Jersey’s heart, and stomach. Hiram’s, in Fort Lee, makes one of the state’s best (see photo), but you can find chili dogs all over the state. No other state can make that claim.
Sausage on the grill at Dentato's in Seaside Heights.
Amid the onslaught of pizza, lemonade, tacos, cheesesteaks. ice cream, fries and funnel cake, sausage sandwiches get overlooked when it comes to boardwalk food. But sweet or spicy sausage (I’m a spicy guy) with onions and peppers, stuffed in a good sturdy roll is my idea of a boardwalk good time. Dentato’s Clam Bar in Seaside Heights (photo) makes the state’s best. Which raises this question: Does any state do Italian food better than New Jersey?
Don’t let your Canadian friends try to tell you otherwise: Disco fries are not poutine, that north-of-the-border dish of fries, gravy and cheese. Different kinds of cheeses are used — white cheese curds in poutine, mozzarella in disco fries.
Disco fries apparently first appeared in the 1940s, but gained their name, and popularity, in the disco-loving ’70s, when mirror-ball-weary food fiends ordered them at late-night Jersey diners. Slop some brown gravy over those mozzarella cheese-topped fries, and you’ve got disco fries. Provide your own Donna Summer or "Saturday Night Fever'' soundtrack.
Behold, the pork roll, egg and cheese sandwich at Gronsky's Milk House in High Bridge.
Nothing stirs internet debate in this state quite like the “Is it Taylor ham or pork roll?” question. Let me repeat for the gazillionth time: All Taylor ham is pork roll. Not all pork roll is Taylor ham. Nothing more needs to be said, but people will keep saying it anyway.
The state’s most iconic sandwich, when done right, is a greasy, gooey, glorious wonder. Trenton is the Taylor ham/pork roll capital of the universe. Both Taylor Provisions and Case, the two biggest makers, are headquartered there. Here’s my list of N.J.'s 25 best TH/PREC sandwiches, ranked. If you can get a real Taylor ham/pork roll sandwich outside New Jersey, and not some crummy imitation, let us know.
Funnel cake is a boardwalk staple, including in Atlantic City.
I don’t quite get funnel cake — something about all that greasy fried dough and gobs of powdered sugar — but what do I know? Funnel cake is as much a Jersey boardwalk staple as pizza, lemonade and ice cream. Most credit the Pennsylvania Dutch for their invention, but it’s doubtful any state boasts more funnel cake per capita than New Jersey. The term “funnel cake” comes from the method of squeezing batter through a funnel in a circular pattern into hot oil to achieve a dizzying pattern of crispy-fried dough. It’s hard to imagine a county fair without funnel cake.
If I had to take one sandwich to my desert island, or the pearly gates, it might well be the roast beef and homemade mozzarella sandwich — available Thursdays and Saturdays only — at Fiore’s. The store looks like some old-school deli movie set — brick storefront, tin ceiling, fluorescent lighting, a display case filled with olives, roasted red peppers, mushrooms and other specialties.
The shelves are packed with pastas, sauce, tomatoes and cookies. A photo of Mother Teresa is wedged between sardine tins. There’s no website or official Facebook page — no surprise there. The shop opened more than 100 years ago as a “milk and cheese store.” It seems destined to last another 100 years.
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If you’re intimidated or too busy to make your own pie, no worries. There are many fantastic places to pick up a pie. Be sure to call ahead in plenty of time, since most places require advance orders. Here are some of our favorites.
Antoinette Baking Co.
207 N. Main St.
“The pie,” is caramel cheesecake, caramelized white chocolate with crispy crepe crumbs, and pumpkin mousse with candied hazelnuts, all layered into a buttery graham-infused crust and topped with whipped cream, meringues and other edible decor.
Little J’s Bakery
10032 S. Sheridan Road, Suite L
Customers line up for the south Tulsa bakery’s pecan and pumpkin pies, plus other classics like chocolate cream pie, pictured.
Esperance
610 W. Main St., Jenks
Pies are made using a shortbread crust. The Marlborough is a take on an apple custard pie. The cherry cream pie, pictured, is a tart, cheesecake-like delight.
Merritt’s Bakery
3202 E. 15th St.
This longstanding bakery will sell nearly 900 of its pecan pies over the holidays. The caramel apple pie, pictured, is a sweet spin on a classic.
Saint Amon
6333 E. 120th Court, Suite F
Special flavors this holiday season will be a peach and blackberry pie, pictured, along with a cherry pie with a dash of brandy and chocolate.
More locations:
Blue Dome Market
211 E. Second St.
Known for its lemon chiffon and savory pies (aka quiche).
Blue Moon
3512 S. Peoria Ave.
Known for its cream pies, especially chocolate, coconut and banana.
Cherry Street Kitchen
1441 S. Quaker Ave.
The sour cream apple has been a tried-and-true hit.
Coffee House on Cherry Street
1502 E. 15th St.
All pies are gluten free. Try the popular chocolate espresso cream pie, which uses the coffee house’s brewed espresso.
Lambrusco’z
1344 E. 41st St.
Pecan and pumpkin are always popular choices, but don’t skip the gluten-free baked fudge available during the holidays.
Le Louvre
8313 S. Memorial Drive
This French bakery is known for its pecan and salted caramel tart.
Queenie’s
1816 Utica Square
It’s no secret that this Utica Square shop’s Mystery pecan pie is a stand-out during the season.
Shiloh’s
2604 N. Aspen Ave., Broken Arrow
Traditional pumpkin and pecan pies are best-sellers at this home cooking restaurant.
Stonehorse
1748 Utica Square
Seasonal tarts — not pies —fill the cases at this Utica Square staple.
From now until Christmas, the bakers at Merritt’s Bakery will concoct around 5,000 pies.
That’s a lot of pie. And most of those are made for just two days: Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“It’s a real trick to schedule everything because nothing can be done very much ahead. We don’t bake and freeze,” says Larry Merritt, owner of Merritt’s Bakery.
Merritt’s has been in Tulsa 41 years, and has grown considerably since the early days when Larry and Bobbie Merritt were the only two employees. Now Merritt’s has 60 employees and three locations.
That’s where thousands of unbaked pie crusts are stored no more than a month before they’re filled and baked for the holidays.
The sheer number of pies picked up the day before Thanksgiving alone is staggering. That’s when shifts of bakers come in to bake through the night, starting about 24 hours before the first pies go out. Three bakers work for 8 or 9 hours before the night crew comes in to cook in the wee hours before handing it off to the morning crew. Around the clock they bake until every Thanksgiving order has been filled.
Merritt’s makes more than 30 varieties of pies, including some hard-to-find pies like mincemeat, sweet potato and egg custard.
The top four holiday pies sold are, in order, pumpkin, pecan, apple and chocolate cream.
Merritt’s pies don’t have intricate cut-outs or details, but that’s just how Larry Merritt intends it to be.
“We try to stay fairly middle of the road,” he says. “The working class is our market.”
The most outside-the-box holiday pies Merritt’s makes are the Dutch apple or caramel apple, both of which are delicious.
Merritt estimates he will sell between 800 and 900 pecan pies over the holidays. The pecan pies are made with pecans from the Miller Pecan Co. in Afton. He says fresh, local pecans are the secret to a great pecan pie.
If Houston had a sugar fairy, it would surely be Rebecca Masson. In fact, that’s the pastry chef’s nickname.
For years before she opened her first bakery, Fluff Bake Bar, in Midtown in 2015, Masson was a sweet presence on the Houston dining scene, known for her addictive cookies, cakes, brownies and bars. Her reputation as one of the city’s best bakers was cemented in 2011, when she competed on Bravo’s “Top Chef: Just Desserts.”
Today, Masson has a new shop in the Heights called Fluff. And Masson is still waving her sugar wand. Here’s her recipe for apple pie (with a buttery crumble topping), which she makes during the holiday season using pink-tinted Mountain Rose apples. It’s also good using Granny Smiths.
CRUST
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
¼ cup ice water
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
TOPPING
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
Pinch kosher salt
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cubed
FILLING
3 pounds Mountain Rose or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
To make the crust:
pulse the flour with the granulated sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining. Sprinkle the ice water and vinegar on top and pulse until evenly moistened. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather up any crumbs and form into a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 14-inch round, a scant ¼-inch thick. Ease the dough into a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate and trim the overhang to 2 inches. Fold the overhanging dough under itself to form a ½-inch-high rim; crimp decoratively. Freeze the crust for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the topping:
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, mix the flour with the oats, brown sugar and salt at low speed. With the machine at medium speed, gradually beat in the butter. Transfer to a bowl and press into clumps. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss the apples with the flour, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Spread the apple mixture in the crust and set the pie on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake the pie for about 25 minutes, until the crust is just starting to brown.
Remove the pie from the oven and gently pack the crumb topping onto the apples. Bake for 30 minutes longer, until the topping is golden and the pie is just starting to bubble. Let cool completely on a rack before serving.
With the holidays finally here, a common dessert is pies! We asked you on Facebook what your favorite Pie was and here were the top eight! Dakota Radio Group wants to see which of these eight pie takes home the title of Food Fight: Pie Edition Champion. Vote Weekly in our poll on DRGNews.com. While on your favorite station’s page poll, enter daily to win a prize pack from Perkins. Food Fight: Pie Edition is brought to you in part by Slumberland Furniture, Medicine Creek Bar and Grill Out Back in Blunt, and River City Public Transit. Good luck and let the pie food fight begin!
The United Church of Sandwich recently announced that it will be hosting Pie of the Month events beginning in November.
Preorders and prepayment will be required. The cost for each pie is $20.
The November pie will be pumpkin. The order deadline is Nov. 18; pickup date is Wednesday, Nov. 25.
The December pie will be apple crumb. Order deadline is Dec. 17. Pickup date is Thursday, Dec. 24.
Pecan, mincemeat and raisin pies are being offered as specialty pies for $24 in November and December.
Also available are Pie of the Month memberships. Can’t figure out what to get that hard to shop for person? What about a Pie of the Month membership? The United Church of Sandwich is offering a three-month membership, January to March, or a six-month membership for pies January-June. Members get pies at a reduced price.
These pies can be bought baked or frozen with baking instructions.
All pies will be available for pickup only at the church, 512 Lions Road in Sandwich. No shipping or delivery is available.
To place an order or for details, visit UnitedChurchSandwich.org or call the church office at 815-786-9243.
Even if you're not particularly hungry, hearing Zoey Deutch talk about pasta (and food in general) will deliver an almost-instant hankering for carbs. "I love to cook, everyone in my family cooks," says the actor, whose mother is actor Lea Thompson, in a phone interview with TZR. "So, it's been engrained in my DNA from a very young age —.the joy of cooking."
As the master of her own Los Angeles domain, The Politician star has carried on her family's cooking torch, transforming her kitchen into a sort of culinary lab. "I love to follow and try out new recipes but, inevitably, I go off the rails and do my own thing," she explains. "I'm definitely someone who tries to use what I have in my fridge rather than going out to the store every time to find ingredients for said thing."
This "off-the-rails" process has manifested itself into a full-blown talent. Deutch's self-made menus often feature decadent dishes like chicken piccata, lemon ricotta pasta, skirt steak with chimichurri sauce, and the occasional salad. "I make my own Caesar dressing, cut up some stale bread, sprinkle it with oil, salt, and pepper, and put it in the oven to make croutons," explains the actor, her voice speeding up slightly with enthusiasm over her home creations. (Hungry yet?)
As it happens, Deutch's make-it-up-as-I-go approach to cooking is how she came to create her now-famous vodka tomato sauce (featured below), which the California native says she puts on everything from pasta to pizza. "[This sauce] was sort of an amalgamation of a lot of different recipes," says the 25-year-old. "I put that recipe together in March or April [of 2020] because I had posted about it, and people were like, 'What is this?!' I finally understand the difficulty in actually writing out a recipe, because I'm so used to just tasting as I go."
And while many are baking up confections and spongey breads at the moment, Deutch says classic Italian dishes are her idea of cozy, fall comfort food. "Paired alongside an Aperol spritz, and you've got my dream meal," she muses.
In fact, the actor explains that baking is one aspect of the cooking world that she generally avoids. "I don't like it because it requires you to really follow a recipe — it's chemistry," Deutch explains. "That said, I have dipped my toes in the banana bread chapter of the quarantine life. I put Rolo chocolate in my [banana bread] and it came out really delicious."
When not eating Rolo-infused loaves of bread or decadent bowls of pasta, Deutch can be found taking online Italian lessons ("I'm failing miserably"), bingeing The Sopranos ('It's a real commitment"), and reinstating her long-gone fitness routine. "I didn't work out for eight months," says the actor (who tested positive for COVID-19 in May, but has since recovered). "I finally understand the age-old [notion] that working out is good for your mental health. I'm deeply on board with that."
Also good for the mind? Pasta. In fact, to help you better understand Deutch's devotion to Italian fare, below her Insta-famous vodka sauce recipe. (And, because this is straight from the actor, be warned, it does not include exact measurements. So, as Deutch says, "eyeball it.")
Zoey Deutch
ZD Vodka Sauce
Ingredients
Salt, pepper, red pepper
Olive oil
Tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon vodka
1/4 - 1/2 cup heavy cream (eyeball it)
Salted butter (if you ever buy unsalted butter, we aren't friends)
Parsley (optional garnish)
Pasta (I use Conchiglie pasta, but use whatever you have)
DON'T FORGET YOUR 1/2 CUP OF PASTA WATER
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the garlic and shallot and heat while stirring for approximately 2-3 minutes (don't let them burn).
Add tomato paste (I probably use about half the tube); bring to a slight boil and season lightly with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Stir a lot, my friends.
Add vodka. Lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer, until your [boiling] pasta is ready.
Before pasta is done, add heavy cream.
Add pasta and pasta water to sauce. Finish by swirling butter and fresh grated parmesan into the sauce. I like to add some parsley to the top of mine, as well.
Did you know, according to the National Pasta Association, the average person in the U.S. eats about 20 pounds of pasta a year? Pasta is a staple in many diets around the world, but is it actually healthy? New research published in Frontiers in Nutrition says yes.
Is pasta really healthy for you?
In the study, researchers examined pasta consumption in both adults and children associated with shortfall nutrition intakes and overall diet quality. They found that, compared to those who did not consume pasta, adults and children who ate pasta as a part of their regular diet had a better diet quality and better nutrition intakes.
“Pasta can be an effective building block for good nutrition throughout the lifecycle, as it serves as a perfect delivery system for fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, and legumes,” registered dietitian Diane Welland said. “Think of pasta as a canvas from which you can add almost any nutrient-dense, fiber-rich food you and your family like, to create memorable and delicious meals. This analysis underscores the nutritional importance of grains, such as pasta, as consistent with a healthy diet. It shows that pasta eaters have better quality diets than those who don’t eat pasta.”
And while pasta is healthiest when paired with other nutrient-rich foods, it has a few health benefits of its own, according to Welland.
Pasta is rich in folic acid, which helps your body maintain and produce new cells. This has also been shown to prevent colon and cervical cancers. Not only that, but pasta breaks down into glucose, fueling your body to keep you energized. It also has a low glycemic index (GI), which helps to regulate your blood sugar levels. In fact, studies have shown that people on a low GI diet still lose weight while consuming pasta regularly.
The study also found that pasta consumption was associated with higher intakes of nutrients such as iron, magnesium, dietary fiber, and vitamin E, as well as lower intakes of saturated fat.
However, this doesn’t mean you should be eating pasta all the time. Moderation and balance are key to any diet. And studies also show that the type of pasta you eat and what you pair it with make a huge difference.
Refined pasta is what most people buy from their local grocery store in a box. However, the process of refining pasta strips the wheat kernel of the bran and germ, which removes many of the nutrients.
Enriched pasta has some nutrients added back in, such as B vitamins and iron. However, whole-grain pasta may be the better option if you want a nutrient-dense pasta.
Whole-grain pasta contains all parts of the wheat kernel and is high in fiber, manganese, selenium, copper, and phosphorus. It is also lower in calories than refined pasta but will keep you full longer.
Eating whole grains also offers additional benefits, with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Some studies have shown that eating refined carbs has the opposite effect, actually increasing the risk of heart disease, so this is an important distinction to make when choosing your pasta.
The bottom line is this: pasta is a normal and healthy part of a balanced diet, but you should still be considerate of what kind of pasta you eat. Go for whole-grain pasta if you can and choose toppings that offer more nutritional value. Smothering your pasta in rich, creamy alfredo sauce and bacon bits may be delicious and comforting, but probably isn’t offering you the maximum health benefits.
MedicalNewsToday suggests these tips when preparing a healthy pasta-based meal:
Add plenty of vegetables
Use lean proteins
Make sauces at home instead of buying pre-made ones
Limit the amount of oil to 1–2 tablespoons
Replace cheese with nutritional yeast
Use whole-grain, bean-based, or lentil-based pasta
Did you know, according to the National Pasta Association, the average person in the U.S. eats about 20 pounds of pasta a year? Pasta is a staple in many diets around the world, but is it actually healthy? New research published in Frontiers in Nutrition says yes.
Is pasta really healthy for you?
In the study, researchers examined pasta consumption in both adults and children associated with shortfall nutrition intakes and overall diet quality. They found that, compared to those who did not consume pasta, adults and children who ate pasta as a part of their regular diet had a better diet quality and better nutrition intakes.
“Pasta can be an effective building block for good nutrition throughout the lifecycle, as it serves as a perfect delivery system for fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, and legumes,” registered dietitian Diane Welland said. “Think of pasta as a canvas from which you can add almost any nutrient-dense, fiber-rich food you and your family like, to create memorable and delicious meals. This analysis underscores the nutritional importance of grains, such as pasta, as consistent with a healthy diet. It shows that pasta eaters have better quality diets than those who don’t eat pasta.”
And while pasta is healthiest when paired with other nutrient-rich foods, it has a few health benefits of its own, according to Welland.
Pasta is rich in folic acid, which helps your body maintain and produce new cells. This has also been shown to prevent colon and cervical cancers. Not only that, but pasta breaks down into glucose, fueling your body to keep you energized. It also has a low glycemic index (GI), which helps to regulate your blood sugar levels. In fact, studies have shown that people on a low GI diet still lose weight while consuming pasta regularly.
The study also found that pasta consumption was associated with higher intakes of nutrients such as iron, magnesium, dietary fiber, and vitamin E, as well as lower intakes of saturated fat.
However, this doesn’t mean you should be eating pasta all the time. Moderation and balance are key to any diet. And studies also show that the type of pasta you eat and what you pair it with make a huge difference.
Refined pasta is what most people buy from their local grocery store in a box. However, the process of refining pasta strips the wheat kernel of the bran and germ, which removes many of the nutrients.
Enriched pasta has some nutrients added back in, such as B vitamins and iron. However, whole-grain pasta may be the better option if you want a nutrient-dense pasta.
Whole-grain pasta contains all parts of the wheat kernel and is high in fiber, manganese, selenium, copper, and phosphorus. It is also lower in calories than refined pasta but will keep you full longer.
Eating whole grains also offers additional benefits, with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Some studies have shown that eating refined carbs has the opposite effect, actually increasing the risk of heart disease, so this is an important distinction to make when choosing your pasta.
The bottom line is this: pasta is a normal and healthy part of a balanced diet, but you should still be considerate of what kind of pasta you eat. Go for whole-grain pasta if you can and choose toppings that offer more nutritional value. Smothering your pasta in rich, creamy alfredo sauce and bacon bits may be delicious and comforting, but probably isn’t offering you the maximum health benefits.
MedicalNewsToday suggests these tips when preparing a healthy pasta-based meal:
Add plenty of vegetables
Use lean proteins
Make sauces at home instead of buying pre-made ones
Limit the amount of oil to 1–2 tablespoons
Replace cheese with nutritional yeast
Use whole-grain, bean-based, or lentil-based pasta
When it comes to delicious food, Oregon has a lot to boast about. From mouth-watering donuts to fresh seafood and locally sourced produce, Oregon has something for everyone. One of Oregon’s best kept secrets is a mom and pop restaurant with incredible high quality steaks and seafood called Omar’s. This Ashland Oregon restaurant is well worth a visit.
From Omar’s Facebook page.
Omar’s was established in 1946 and has been continuously in operation since then. Through the years the restaurant has seen a number of different managers, but their goal has always been the same: serve high quality food and provide guests with a warm, relaxing and comfortable environment.
From Omar’s Facebook page.
Omar and Hazel Hill constructed Omar’s Steak & Chicken House on the site of the former Berkeley Hot Springs in Ashland Oregon. During construction and excavation in 1946 they found a number of mastodon bones. Omar had gained quality experience working at the Brown Derby and Savoy Hotel in Hollywood and this experience showed right away and established Omar’s as a premier dining spot in Southern Oregon.
The Best Place To Get Delicious Food In Southern Oregon
