Field Trip: Rudolph W. van der Goot Garden

You may remember (if you've been a very loyal reader) that I shared photos of the Rudolph W. van der Goot Garden a few years ago (scroll down about 2/3 of the page for the photos -- I've drastically changed my blogging style since then).

The garden is a lovely place in June. It's fragrance is the mixture of at least 50 different fragrant varieties of rose, plus the touchable herb garden at the far end.

This year, because the weather has been so rainy, then so incredibly hot, everything there has been growing like mad, even this gorgeous mountain laurel.



Without a doubt, my favorite roses are the ones that open as one color and gradually change to another as time passes. Here's a great example.



This rose looks like it was hand-painted or tie-dyed to make its vibrant stripes.



My friend Nancy, who accompanied me, remarked that she would love roses that took care of themselves. Apart from the seasonal pruning, shrub roses would fit her bill nicely. Perhaps these pink ones?



If you're in New Jersey, I encourage you to visit the rose gardens around the state. Now is definitely the time.



Better yet, buy a plant and start a rose garden of your very own!

Grilled Pizzas at Home, Trial 1

I'm not a big fan of hot weather, but I really do enjoy grilling on our new Weber Q.



Not long ago, I received a copy of Grilled Pizzas & Piadinas by Craig W. Priebe with Dianne Jacob. It inspired me to make the pizza shown above, topped with sauteed onions, spinach, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and vegetarian cheese.



I used Priebe's Basic Grilled Pizza Dough recipe, and was very impressed with its grillability. It came out exactly as he explained it would in his detailed photos and directions. I was very happy that he gave step-by-step instructions because I've made pizzas in such a variety of ways, except grilled, and his was different.



As you can see from the upskirt, I got some great grill marks from the Weber. The pizza crust was thin (although I used the thicker crust variation from the cookbook) and crispy. It was a bit overpowered by the burnt grill taste, but otherwise, I enjoyed it.

I also made a simpler version with my tomato sauce and shredded real milk cheeses. It did not compare to the one with the sauteed veggies. Although I didn't try a recipe for one of the gorgeous combinations he supplies in the book (lovely photos), I'm glad I gave his basic dough a shot. It gave me the courage to try something different (and tasty) on my grill.

Savory, Filling, Vegan Casserole

One of my favorite cookbooks is Vegan With a Vengeance because the recipes are so simple to make and truly delicious. The incredibly tasty and healthy mush shown above is the Chickpea Broccoli Casserole from page 96.

Packed with yummy organic broccoli, carrots, and chickpeas, this casserole was just the ticket for an afternoon of easy one-pot cooking. I also enjoyed using the chives from my AeroGarden in something other than potatoes for a change.

In my version, I didn't completely mash up all the chickpeas because I like having a variety of textures. Although this could be seen as a plain or bland recipe, what I continue to learn in cooking is that a recipe is only as good as your ingredients. I used seasoned breadcrumbs, so there was a bit of an Italian flavor to the casserole. Also, I added minced garlic as well as ginger, which gave it such a nice zing!

And, as Isa says in the recipe, it tastes good cold as well.

So, if you're looking to add some fiber, protein, beta carotene and other vitamins to your diet in a pretty low-fat and yummy way, get a copy of Vegan With a Vengeance and turn to page 96 for the Chickpea Broccoli Casserole.

Restaurant Review: Leone's in Montclair, NJ

Last week, Jamie and I took a great field trip to Montclair to see the Presby Iris Gardens. While I've made my annual pilgrimage to see the irises each May, it was Jamie's inaugural visit. She happily brought her camera along and took many photos of the flowers in all their finery.

By the time we'd walked the length of the gardens, we'd worked up quite an appetite. We had originally planned to go to a vegetarian restaurant, but it was closed, so we headed to downtown Montclair to see what we could find. One of the few open spots was Leone's.

We were the sole diners for a bit, so we had ideal service and attention from the staff. We both were so taken with many of the dishes that it was difficult to decide, but we finally settled on splitting the homemade cavatelli and broccoli along with a pizza from their brick oven.



The cavatelli couldn't have been tastier. The light broth was garlicky and savory. I sopped up the remains with their fresh bread.

The pizza was covered with balsamic-vinegar-soaked onions that were very piquant.



The crust was lovely, although a bit soaked through with the vinegar. I probably could have used a little less of the vinegar and a little more of the great, smoky, crunchy crust.

If you're around the center of Montclair, definitely go visit Leone's for some pasta and a brick-oven pie.

Leone's is located at 19 South Park Street.

Gardens Update

Nope, that's no typo, I meant gardens. First, the best news:



After three years, my transplanted irises finally bloomed! The bonus was that the clematis of nearly the same hue has been happily blooming for over a week. When I park my car in the lot, rather than in the driveway, I have a great view of the irises and the clematis.



Now we're starting to enter the period when my garden goes from being mostly blues and pinks to yellows and oranges for the late spring and early summer. I can already see the buds in the lilies.



Because it's been a rather wet May (and cool up until a few days ago), the columbines have been hanging in there. This pink one is particularly enhanced by the fuchsia-striped clematis growing against the garage wall.



From the front view, it's hard to miss these cheerful dianthus flowers. They're pretty hardy and will keep it up all summer if I continue to dead-head them.

Moving right along...



Mom's garden is highly colorful at the moment as well. Her giant, showy irises by the shed are breathtaking.



Toward the rear of the garden (you can see the deer fence in the background), the rhododendrons are just beginning to show their glorious colors.



This lovely ground cover is lysimachia that I bought her for Mother's Day at the Rutgers Gardens Fair. It's well placed, near the swing and by a big tree that now wears a wren house decorated with a face that resembles Dave. (John and I hunted for days to find that during our last trip to Maine.)



Looking as other-worldly as its name is the trillium planted close to the lysimachia.

Speaking of other-worldly, some of the orchids in bloom in the greenhouse were quite remarkable. Since I am far from an expert on the names (leave that to Mom and Dave), I'll just include a small sample of the beauties they have on display.







Not an orchid, but an amaryllis:



Back to the orchids.











Can't wait to see what's blooming next time!

By the way, if you're in NJ or within driving distance, don't miss the Presby Iris Gardens. The bloom time was a bit late this year, but during the next few days, it will be prime viewing time. Please let me know if you go.

Run, Don't Walk to 503 Park

Sometimes, the quiet, unassuming little towns harbor the best restaurants (my idea of "best" is great value for a fair price). Chef/Owner Tom Vogler of 503 Park in Scotch Plains, NJ, offers just that. His food is tasty, thoughtfully prepared and very reasonably priced.

Scotch Plains is a tiny town sandwiched between Route 22 East and the towns of Westfield and North Plainfield. It's a small town with a population about a third the size of the Rutgers student population. 503 Park is located on Park Avenue, one of the major arteries (if not THE major artery) of the town.

Last week, my friend Jamie Novak and I enjoyed a delicious three-course lunch at 503 Park for just $20! We opened with the Baba Ganoush, which was lemony and fresh; then moved on to the incredibly light and creamy Salmon Crepes in Tarragon Cream; and finished with the Chef's special Grilled Shrimp and Vegetable Salad. We split all the dishes, which made me think that I probably would not have ordered more than just one at a sitting unless sharing with another person.

While we dined on this very tasty fare, I interviewed Vogler on the dishes and asked Jamie how she liked them. Jamie, by the way, has loads of on-camera experience, so she was an ideal guest reviewer. She's also marvelous company, always quick with a laugh or a compliment.

Here's a short video (4 minutes, 20 seconds) of our visit to 503 Park in Scotch Plains, NJ.



Now, make your reservations for Father's Day (or any lunch or dinner, for that matter) at 503 Park. Mind you, reservations aren't necessarily needed, but always good to make.

Restaurant Review: Land Thai Kitchen, NYC

Last Wednesday, my cousin Cynthia and I spent a day in NYC going to museums and eating at great restaurants. Well, let me correct that, we actually only went to one museum, but visited the shops of several because we were looking for Mother's Day gifts for our respective moms. I couldn't find anything for my mom that didn't cost a bundle, so I decided to buy her plants at the Rutgers Gardens plant fair (which was held in the pouring rain on Friday and lovely weather the rest of the weekend. Guess which day I went.).

While I regret not taking any photos of the great eats, I'd like to give Land Thai Kitchen a review regardless. The little restaurant is located at 450 Amsterdam Avenue between 81st and 82nd streets. It's a nice neighborhood, full of neat shops and restaurants, and is close to Central Park and the Museum of Natural History (not one of the places we visited, albeit one of my favorite places).

We were there for lunch, so we took advantage of the truly reasonable prix fixed menu ($8 for two courses!). I had the organic greens as an opening course. It was a tiny salad with a lovely citrus dressing. For the second course, I had the wok vegetable medley with tofu. It was a small serving, but truly fine for me. It was a tasty dish of lightly fried tofu, napa cabbage, snow peas, broccoli and baby corn in a light mushroom sauce.

Cynthia had the green papaya salad and the green curry with chicken. She enjoyed her meal as well.

So, if you're up in that neighborhood, I recommend lunching at Land.

Book Review: Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs

I should probably preface this review by saying that my taste in literature typically belongs to the non-fiction and cookbook shelves of the book store. However, I am an avid reader of anything by Alexander McCall Smith and John Irving (two very different authors, I must note).

Importantly, prior to reading the uncorrected manuscript of the review book, I had just completed Vikram Seth's "Two Lives." Mind you, non-fiction or fiction, I will read anything Seth puts to paper. If you've never read his work, please read "The Golden Gate." It's a brilliant novel written completely in verse. Seth's also the author of the world's longest novel, "A Suitable Boy" (well worth several reads).

This is probably the toughest review to do because as a writer, I know the time and effort it takes to research and write a piece of merit. However, since I was asked to review Kate Jacobs' "Comfort Food" for this blog, I will do my level best to be honest and constructive without brutality.

While I am sure there are folks who will find this a pleasurable, light, quick read, I did not enjoy the book. As I said previously, I had just finished "Two Lives," which is an account of Seth's aunt's and uncle's lives told through letters and interviews. It's a pretty heavy book, and perhaps I thought "Comfort Food" might serve as a palate cleanser prior to my next Seth book, "From Heaven Lake."

Regrettably, I could not identify with Jacobs' characters. They seemed shallow and thin to me in the shadow of the Seths. Yes, I know we're talking about real-life people compared to characters in a novel. And, to that I say, let's turn to Alexander McCall Smith's "44 Scotland Street" series for a non-fiction comparison. I find his characters to have incredible depth and voice (even the dog Cyril) -- and his are written within a few pages each day as a serial in "The Scotsman" newspaper.

I guess I like to find characters sympathetic. While I do have enormous sympathy for Gus' having lost her husband (I shudder to think what kind of shape I'd be in if I lost John), I just didn't feel like I wanted to know her better. During the whole book, it seemed as if I were a long arm's length away from an intimacy with any of the characters.

The story will appeal to many, I'm sure, because so many of us are familiar with the Food Network and its stars, as well as Martha Stewart's shows (I love Everyday Baking). But sadly, I thought it was trite and predictable all the way to the end. I wish I hadn't. I guess I'm a very demanding reader.

But please, as I feel with any review, don't just take my word for it. When the book becomes available in your local library, please check it out and read it for yourself. Maybe if I hadn't been steeped in such heavy subject matter before reading "Comfort Food" I might have enjoyed it thoroughly.

It's just not my flavor.

First May Garden Update

May is such a lovely time. While I await the arrival of the irises, I am enchanted by the new tulips and the long-standing creeping phlox. Above is the view (while kneeling) from the front door. It's been pretty rainy and cool for the past few days, so the tulips have really been hanging in there.



While not as prolific as in previous years, the columbines are back. No purple ones as of yet, but plenty of tiny red ones.



Mom calls the tiny blue forget-me-nots "bachelor's buttons." Have you heard of that?



Above is another look at the tulips in the expanded plot. As you can see, no squirrel tracks at the moment. Why not?



That's why! We bought a plastic, hand-painted owl whose head revolves 360 degrees when the wind sends it spinning. For now, I move it between the wood pile and one of the plant stands on the left. It's been working like a charm. Yay!



I forgot how much I love the Japanese red maple. I'd pruned it a bit harshly last year, but it seems to have forgiven me, so I'm letting it bush out some before the next trimming.

How are your gardens this week?

An Open Letter to a Cookie Opener

Oh, Richard.

You are definitely one of my favorite people on Earth (not that I know others on alternate planets, but you would be the first I'd call should that happen.) I especially enjoy your brand of mirth when you separate "fun filled" snacks to stack their creamy, if not nearly solid, centers atop each other to attain ultimate sugar satisfaction.

I envy your ability to play with sugary bits while I challenge my oven and mixer with agave-laden mixes. As always, I live vicariously through you, wishing I could walk a mile in your chocolaty shoes.

Your friend and fan,
Deb

Mithaas with Sandhya

Isn't she lovely? That's my friend Sandhya, who not only is a great cook in her own right, but knows where to find the yummy stuff. Joining us on our little excursion in Edison, NJ, was her wee man, Varun. He's just the cutest, most well-behaved fella around.



One of the great options with Indian food is the Thali, a nice selection of several dishes served with rice and breads. Mine (shown below) had raita (yogurt sauce), carrot pickle, aloo gobi, kali dal, paneer and tomato sauce, rice, papadums and roti. The whole thing was so tasty that I ate nearly the whole thing except the carrot pickle, which I gladly gave to Sandhya since she loves it so.



Sandhya's thali, which had extra pooris and papadums for Varun, had winter vegetable curries, sweet pumpkin and tomato curry, rice, kadhi and shri.



We really enjoyed our lunch and would recommend it highly. If you're ever in Edison, visit Mithaas and Moghul on Oak Tree Road.

Without Fanfare, Another Year Here and There

Yes indeed, I missed the third anniversary of this blog. Sorry about that. It's somewhat ironic because I really whooped it up on Altered Plates. But, you only get one first anniversary, so there it is. But, I still truly enjoy blogging here, at my original blog, although my topics have changed quite a bit in the past three years.

First, since Deb's Delectables is in limbo, I don't have much to say on the subject these days. People do ask for orders, and family members often ask about the project, but there are still too many other higher-priority items to deal with first. So, until I get back to it, the blog will continue as it has, featuring fun product reviews, recipes, travelogues, and garden updates.

Speaking of garden updates, here's a quickie:



The primulae are super-happy and vibrant in yellow, reds, purples, and pinks.



The forget-me-nots are bright blue with white centers, contrasting well with the plum tulips (a new addition to the garden, planted last November).



And, we have some other new additions to the expanded front tree garden (fortunately, the squirrels didn't eat these bulbs):



This lovely light blue blub is called Puschkinia. It's pretty small, topping out at around 4 inches. I should have planted more together in bunches. In fact, I planted just the way you're NOT supposed to in all ways in that front garden, but I'll make up for it by planting a bunch of seeds for summer-blooming flowers soon.



There you can see what I mean. A long line of tulips about to burst, followed by the already blooming grape hyacinths. In the far left area, you can see one of the few anemones left by the gluttonous, evil squirrels. Bad squirrel karma on them!

What's blooming by you?

As always, I thank you for visiting, especially long-time readers and those who take the time to leave their thoughts and suggestions in the comments. You're the coolest!

Egg Matzo Taste Test Just in Time for Passover

Yesterday, I went shopping for egg matzo because Passover is approaching, and it's the only time of year you can get straight egg matzo. If you've not tried it, you should because it's vastly different than plain matzo. In fact, it's far superior, especially for making matzo brei. However, be very selective about the matzo you buy, or else you might have the experience I had this morning. To save you the disappointment and disgust, here's the results of my egg matzo taste test between Streit's and Manischewitz, two commonly stocked matzo brands.

First, I need to be honest with you -- I hardly ever buy Manischewitz-branded anything because if I buy matzo, it will more than likely be Streit's since it is very fresh, has a lot of flavor and typically costs less (not to mention the fact that the factory is right down the street from Babycakes bakery in NYC). And, because Mom and Dave frequently have matzo in the house, if I want some, they are usually very generous and hand me a box before I return home.

If I had not had such a gut-level reaction to the Manischewitz egg matzo this morning, I probably wouldn't have been inspired to write this review. However, the company's egg matzo was so tasteless that I was compelled to share this with you. First, I opened a fresh box and snapped off a small piece. Too bland for words. Mind you, Streit's and Manischewitz use the same ingredients in their egg mazto, but they are worlds apart in flavor and texture.

While Streit's is almost flaky when broken, Manischewitz's egg matzo is as stiff, if not stiffer than traditional matzo. In Streit's sample, I could taste the sweetness of the apple cider and the yolk of the egg. Not so in Manischewitz's.

When I topped the egg matzos with whipped cream cheese (think Temptee) and belly lox, Streit's brought out the smoky flavor of the fish and the cream of the cheese. Manischewitz's merely made the fish taste salty. Even worse, the cream cheese brought out the burnt flavor of the matzo.

Overall, I've definitely decided to swear off all egg matzo not Streit's. There's just no substitute, and Manischewitz should be ashamed of itself for even offering such a tasteless product (at such a high price!).

Chelsea in Chelsea, Amongst Other Lower Manhattan Locales

See those green balls of deliciousness? They are what God would have if he asked for falafel. Taim's classic green falafel sandwich was the first dish of the day on my outing with my friend Chelsea to (a week belatedly) celebrate my birthday. The object of our day was to eat and shop our way around several neighborhoods of New York. We did pretty well, considering it was one of the windiest days of the year and we both were tight on cash.

Our first stop wasn't actually Taim; it was Chelsea Market. We wandered through a bunch of the stores, especially the restaurant supply store and the fresh market. However, much as I wanted to drop a few bills, I only walked out with one bag and that only contained unbleached parchment paper and cupcake cups.

After CM, we enjoyed that fabulous falafel at Taim, then headed over to Union Square to see what all the fuss was about at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. We have WF and TJ's here in Jersey, so I thought the New York stores might be different. They weren't. In fact, they were smaller and generally unimpressive as far as their chains were concerned. You could easily go to West Orange or Princeton and experience very nice WF stores. And, if you wanted a nice TJ's, there are many to pick from in Jersey.

Our favorite stop in Union Square was Lush. Both Chelsea and I are big Lushies, and we dropped quite a bit of cash at the wee store. While the London and Toronto stores are much better, it was still a nice experience. I highly recommend the Karma soap.



If you're lucky, you might recognize the delicious pizza above from Luzzo's, our next stop. It's definitely my favorite pizza in NY, and I'm happy to say that Chelsea became a convert as well.



There she is, looking every bit the Mona Lisa with the pizza.

Since we were in the St. Mark's area, we had to stop by Angelica Kitchen for take out. I had to have the walnut lentil pate (which is what I always order because it's so tasty). Unfortunately, the one thing I should have bought, the Angelica Home Kitchen cookbook, wasn't available in the take out side of the restaurant.

After Angelica, we headed down to the Lower East Side for cupcakes, Jewish food, and fancy cheeses. We started at Russ and Daughters for some old fashioned belly lox (nice and salty!). I was impressed by the counter man's ability to slice and clean the lox before wrapping up my little package. I also ordered some whitefish salad, but they only serve whitefish and salmon salad, so that's what I walked out with.

Then, we headed up the street to Yonah Shimmel's for some knishes. While we were there, a long-time customer came in to complain that the recipe had changed. I believe him since the sweet potato knish doesn't taste the same any more.

Our second-to-last stop was Babycakes. Chelsea loved the cupcakes. Per usual, I ordered a couple of cupcake tops and multiple pieces of coffee cake. They didn't last long.

Finally, we headed down the block to Essex Street Market in search of Saxelby cheesemongers. There, I bought Constant Bliss cheese and some Parmigiano Reggiano that was probably among the best I've tasted.

The highlights of our day were probably Taim's falafel (a new must-have for NYC visits), Luzzo's pizza, and Lush.

What are your NYC favorites?

Shelterrific Says "Show Us Your Collections"

To that I say, "See my lovely Polish pottery!"

Mind you, not all the dishes in that cabinet are Polish pottery, just the blue and white circular patterned ones. The rest are most likely from China.

When John and I first announced we planned to marry (more than two years and one elopement ago), people asked us where we registered, what we wanted, and other such questions. Since we weren't sure about anything except that we were going to elope, I volunteered "Polish pottery," which led to Mom and Dave buying us our dinner dishes and loads of lovely serviceware.

Along the way, we've added a few other items to our daily dish collection such as dessert bowls and salad plates.



Above you can see that we have a platter, octagonal small bowl, spoon rest/ladle (although I wouldn't use it as a ladle), and oval baker in addition to the dishes. We use the Polish pottery every day, and the platters and other serviceware when guests come to visit and dine at our home.

It's really sturdy stuff -- you can bake in it, microwave it, and run it through the dishwasher. I've even dropped bowls from the second shelf in the cabinet onto the counter without any damage to the bowl (or the counter). My favorite aspect of this pottery is that it holds on to heat and moisture very well -- so if we heat the plates before serving the food, it stays hot much longer than usual. Also, when I bake in the Polish pottery, the food stays very moist and tasty.

The pattern we picked is the classic Peacock. However, I've decided that when we purchase more (or are asked for gift suggestions for our anniversary), we'll probably get the Flowering Peacock pattern since it goes so well with it and is so pretty.

There are quite a few different patterns available, but I find that sticking with the classics allows me to find many more of the pieces I'd like, like large vases, etc. I've included a few resources for finding Polish pottery online, but some great places to find pieces include yard sales and the odd pottery store. I found my first two bowls at a Cracker Barrel store in Nashville, Tennessee many years ago. Good hunting to you!

Polish Pottery Resources
Blue Rose Polish Pottery
Polish Pottery House
Polish Pottery on Ebay

Have I Ever Mentioned How Much I Dislike Squirrels?

As you can see, the neighborhood squirrels have been digging in my garden, hopefully not deep enough to get to the tulip bulbs (some of which have already been poking their lovely green leaves up through the topsoil and mulch).



I've tried "deer be gone," which smells like pee. That will work for a day or two and must be reapplied when it rains. Just a word to the wise, don't spray it when it's windy. It's not as funny as it sounds.

I've also tried cayenne pepper, both when I planted the bulbs and on top of the mulch. That also lasts until it rains, and I have to use a lot of it. Makes me wish the feral cats of the neighborhood would stop all their wacky mating and go chase the squirrels already.

My big fear is that when the bulbs actually do bloom the wee rodents will rip off the flowers before we have a chance to enjoy them. If you have any suggestions at all (other than pet ownership, because we cannot at the moment), I'd greatly appreciate your help.

Fantastic Stir-Fried Eggplant with Ginger Plum Sauce

A couple of months ago, Mom and Dave purchased a copy of Mollie Katzen's The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without cookbook and lent it to me to try a few recipes. I've had a few recipes in mind to try for a review, but recently bought a really nice eggplant, so I thought I'd give the stir-fried eggplant with ginger plum sauce a try.

This very tasty dish was a snap to make, with only a few key ingredients (plum jam -- although I used a no-sugar-added plum spread, minced ginger, Dijon mustard -- I used regular organic yellow mustard, fresh eggplants and seasoning) and one pan. The secret is in getting a good sear on the eggplant prior to cutting the heat and mixing in the sauce.

This dish is sweet and tangy in the most delicious way. I found it to be very satisfying with jasmine rice and a few garlic-sauteed asparagus tips. Add a few cashews or almonds and you have yourself a great vegan meal.

I strongly recommend buying the book or borrowing it from your local library. It's worth the $15.

Product Review: SideSwipe Spatula Mixer Blade

If you're a stand mixer user like me, you probably understand what I mean when I say that the silicone spatula is a dear friend. However, a new gadget from Frut LLC called the SideSwipe makes using the stand mixer a lot less silicone-spatula intensive.

The way it works is by using flexible silicone fins to wipe down the sides of the mixing bowl so that you don't have to keep stopping your mixer when you're blending ingredients. I had heard about it and decided to give it a try on one of John's favorite dishes, whipped potatoes. Below is a very short video of how I tested the SideSwipe. My review follows.



I'm definitely a convert. Using the SideSwipe was a snap and actually cut the time it normally takes to make whipped potatoes by many minutes. I'll try it again soon on cake or cookie batter, which tends to be a bit stickier. But, in the meantime, I encourage you to share with me your experiences with the SideSwipe if you've tried it .