Greenwich Free Press

Fresh Lemonade

June 24, 2015

Fresh Lemonade

How To Make Nose-To-Tale Lemonade!

Tossing entire lemons, peels and all, into a blender instead of just juicing them results in a frothy, thirst-quenching concoction that may ruin you for the regular stuff. The oil from the skin provides a serious flavor boost. Here’s how to do it: Wash 1 lemon and then quarter it. Remove the seeds and some of the thick pith at the ends and sides of the slices. Place in a blender with two tablespoons of sugar and some ice cubes. Cover with about 1 1/2 cups ice-cold water, and blend on high for a minute or so until smooth.

“Work With What You Got!”

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

Happy Father’s Day

June 21, 2015

Tiny New York Kitchen Wishes ALL The Fathers, Step-Fathers, Foster Fathers & All Men Who Act As Fathers To Those Who Need One, A Very Happy Father’s Day!

Ice Cream Stop In Newtown, Connecticut

June 20, 2015

Often on the weekends I stop for ice cream at Ferris Acres Creamery in Newtown, Connecticut. The drive from my house to the creamery is breathtaking between the countryside and beautiful historic homes. When arriving to the creamery the parking lot is typically full, but somehow everyone finds a place to park. The line is typically long, but moves fairly quickly. It’s wonderful to see families of all sorts deciding on flavors and chatting about this and that. Getting ice cream at Ferris Acres is always about happiness. Last night I ordered a scoop of “Paradise Found” which is coconut ice cream, chocolate swirls, toasted coconut, and toasted almonds. Think mounds bar in the form of ice cream. While I ate my treat I was able to watch the cows on the hillside who’s milk was used for ice cream making. Life is good and I have so much to be grateful for.

Burgers 101

June 18, 2015

Burgers 101

Whether you’re cooking on a gas or charcoal grill or in a fry pan on the stovetop, here are tips on making the perfect burger that is meaty and satisfying, yet never dense and bricklike. To make the best burgers, use a light touch with the meat.

DON’T FEAR THE FAT For the juiciest beef burgers, use ground chuck (80% lean/20% fat) or sirloin (85% lean/15% fat). Leaner cuts and grass-fed beef will yield a drier burger. When buying chicken or turkey, opt for dark meat. It’s still lower in fat than beef and will result in a much tastier burger than white meat.

FRESH IS BEST Keep in mind that you don’t need to buy ground meat. You can choose any boneless cut and then ask your butcher to grind it for you or grind it yourself. Use a coarser grind to avoid a mushy texture. For a special treat add some freshly ground short ribs, dry-aged steak, brisket or a combination.

MAKE AN IMPRESSION The edges of a burger cook faster than the center, which can cause the burger to puff up into a sphere. To avoid this, when shaping the patty, press your thumb into the center to make a dimple about the size of a quarter.

HOLD THE SALT Wait to add salt until after the patties are formed and just before cooking, and then season generously. Salt inside a patty will start to dissolve the protein strands, which will adversely affect the texture of the burger.

GRILL OR GRIDDLE Burger lovers are divided about the best cooking method. Grilling adds terrific smoky flavor, but some insist that a griddle or fry pan allows the flavorful fat to stay with the burger during cooking. Whichever method you choose, DO NOT press down on the meat with the spatula because it will release the juices and fat. Resist that urge!

DON’T FLIP OUT Flip the burgers only once, and only after they have formed a nice brown seal. Don’t flip too soon, and don’t move the burgers around. When the burgers are ready to be flipped, they should dislodge from the cooking surface easily. If they stick, let them cook for a few moments more.

COOKED TO PERFECTION The surest way to measure a burger’s doneness is to check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. The thickest part of a beef burger should register 130 degrees for medium-rare, 140 degrees for medium, and 150 degrees for well done. Let your burgers rest for a couple of minutes before serving to allow the internal juices to redistribute evenly through the meat.

“Work With What You Got!”

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

Don’t Eat Anything

June 16, 2015

Don’t Eat Anything Your Great-Grandmother Wouldn’t Recognize As Food. – Michael Pollen

My Great-Grandmother, Libby (pictured here), was of Czech stock. Her mother came from Prague and settled a little town in Nebraska, which was named Prague. How original! Somehow Libby made it to Lincoln, Nebraska where she lived for many many years. She lived in an old farmhouse on the edge of town. Neighbors had milking cows in their backyards and Libby kept chickens, which were NOT for eggs. When we would pull up to her house for chicken dinner I can vividly recall seeing fresh blood next to an axe on a big old stump. Feathers everywhere. Yes, it certainly was a very fresh chicken dinner complete with homemade dumplings.

Gilling Bison

June 15, 2015

Whenever I come across bison at the butchers I snap it up right away. It’s so much leaner than beef, which I like. I love to grill it and serve with a green salad and corn on the cob. I made sure to marinade these bison steaks a good 24 hours to ensure that they would come out tender and not dry. If you can find bison in your area I highly recommend picking some up. Often times Whole Foods will tend to carry it.

“Work With What You Got!”

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

Flag Day

June 14, 2015

Flag Day

In America, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14th. It commemorates the adoption of the United States flag, which happened on June 14, 1777, by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. The United States Army also celebrates the Army Birthday on this date. Congress adopted “the American continental army” after reaching a consensus position in the Committee of the Whole on June 14, 1775.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14th as Flag Day. In August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress, however Flag Day is not an official federal holiday.

On June 14, 1937, Pennsylvania became the first U.S. state to celebrate Flag Day as a state holiday, beginning in the town of Rennerdate.

New York Statutes designate the second Sunday in June as Flag Day, a state holiday.

Possibly the oldest continuing Flag Day parade is in Fairfield, Washington. Beginning in 1909 or 1910, Fairfield has held a parade every year since, with the possible exception of 1918, and celebrated the “Centennial” parade in 2010, along with some other commemorative events.

Quincy, Massachusetts has had an annual Flag Day parade since 1952, and claims it “is the longest-running parade of its kind in the nation.”

The largest Flag Day parade is held annually in Troy, New York, which bases its parade on the Quincy parade and typically draws at least 50,000 spectators.

The Three Oaks, Michigan Flag Day parade is held annually on the weekend of Flag Day and is a three-day event. They claim to have the largest Flag Day parade in the nation as well as the oldest.

“Work With What You Got!”

© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen All Rights Reserved

New York City Street Fair Wok Cooking

June 12, 2015

Tiny New York Kitchen Out & About

Gotta Love NYC Ice Cream Trucks!

June 12, 2015

One of the great things about summertime in New York City is spotting all of the ice cream trucks around the city. It seems like there’s one on every corner!

NYPD Smart Cars

June 10, 2015

It nice to see that the NYPD is using Smart Cars for traffic patrol. Way to save the enviorment New York!

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