It's Apple Season!

Grace's Marketplace Long Island
It'a Apple Season! 

     We're sad to see summer go, but the upside is, it's Apple Season! Running through late October, now is the time when apples are most delicious, with peak flavor and texture. Perfect in recipes or right off the tree, apples are full of fiber, vitamin c, antioxidants and are a proven "heart-healthy" food (there's a reason they help keep the doctor away). Great at breakfast, lunch, or an an after school snack, it's time to enjoy the many varieties of these gifts of Fall. While it's fun to pick your own, if you don't have time to head to the orchards, come over to Grace's where we carry 18 different types of apples with nearly half of them are locally sourced! 

Fun Apple Facts: 

• There are over 2,500 varieties of apples in the United States and over 7,500 worldwide. 
• Apples are a member of the rose family. 
• It takes about 36 apples to create one gallon of cider
• The top apple producers around the world are China, United States, Turkey, Poland and Italy
• Some favorite apple varieties include:Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonagold, Empire, McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Northern Spy, Pink Lady, Fuji, Cortland, Gala and Braeburn

Celebrate Fall & treat yourself to a cup of tea and a slice of Apple Pie.

Apple Pie Crumble 

Here is Grace's Quickest & Easiest Apple Pie Recipe Ever! 

Ingredients: 

• 1 Frozen deep-dish piecrust
• 1/2 cup of Chopped Pecans
• 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup of Packed Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoon of Butter
• 1 Egg White 
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 3 lbs of Apples (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Gala Apples-works best) Peeled, Cored & Cut into Wedges
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and thaw crust at room temperature.

2. Mix pecans, flour, and brown sugar in bowl. Work the butter in with your fingertips until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Set aside. 

3. Poke a fork along the bottom and sides of the pie crust. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and brush the bottom and sides of the hot crust with light coating of egg white. 

4. Reset your oven to 425 degrees. 

5. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Toss in apple wedges and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap or waxed paper and microwave on High for 12 minutes, stirring halfway through. Spoon filling into crust and sprinkle over the pecan topping. 

6. Bake the pie for 10-12 minutes or until topping is golden. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy! 

An Everyday Gourmet Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day: No Restaurant? No Problem!

            Welcome to Valentine’s Day in New York City, where going out to dinner has key winning ingredients like cliché prefix menus and a 30 minute wait to be seated WITH a reservation. I’ve decided a long time ago that being in the comfort of your own home, no matter how simple or complex the spread, always gets the evening started on a relaxed note. People are often intimidated by the idea of cooking on a regular night, let alone an especially romantic occasion like February 14^th. I wanted to share with you some tricks/helpful hints that your partner will think you put in a “gourmet” effort but you actually spent “everyday” time on your preparation.

          First of all, after the gifts and cards exchange, a nibbly appetizer is key. It leaves so much more time for all those intimate eye gazes and romantic conversation. A simple cheese board, that goes a little further than just adding crackers could be the perfect sensory aphrodisiac. Its light in fare, has plenty of color, and full of different textures to awaken all the palette pleasures.

           Second key ingredient is a good wine! Better than any cocktail, wine is elegant, its simple, its sultry. There are delicious wines for any budget (expensive does not always mean the best). I found that a greatly/ poorly paired wine can absolutely make or break a meal. There are general rules you can always follow like contrast the pair completely, or try to have one that has a lot of complimentary flavors.

             The important message is to always remember is that romance in the kitchen is a lot like having the perfect Valentine. All the ingredients have to complement each other. There’s a level of chemistry involved. It takes a little bit of effort but shouldn’t be too hard or forced. If you love your valentine, it shouldn’t be hard to create a romantic meal that they will love right back. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Happy Cooking!

With Love,
Grace

 

How to get ready for Superbowl Sunday...

Entertaining family and friends has become second nature to me as I have been hosting my own family for Sunday Dinner (I have 6 children & 14 grandchildren)  for many years and as well as business friends and family from abroad. However, nothing rallies my family together than a sports event like the Superbowl. My eldest son Frank played football for Purdue and my grandchildren are following suit. I just wanted to share some helpful tips that has made the Doria house the house to be during the Superbowl! I’ll break it down into three categories (Food , Refreshments, Décor)

Food
Appetizer: Most likely, guest will be arriving at different times throughout the day so it is
certainly very important to have several appetizers out and ready for the early birds. Specifically for Superbowl, I would have fresh tortilla chips, carrot & celery sticks with a side of salsa and guacamole. With everyone having such a complicated dietary restriction (my grandsons have different type of food allergies, it is always best to include other dipping options. My go to dips are Sabrett Hummus (Vegan & Lactose Intolerant Safe) and a wild card dipping sauce (Sabrett Artichoke Dip).  

Grace’s Antipasto
Platter: I also recommend having a more substantial appetizer. I order an antipasto platter from my store which includes all my favorite Italian meats, bocconcini and assorted grilled vegetables. I’m sure there are pickers in your team of family and friends. The Antipasto Platter is a great solution
since it’s filling and your guest can pick and choose what they want.

Main Event

Buffalo Wings- There is one rule in my house when it comes to Buffalo wings. The hotter they are the better it is. My sons love eating everything with hot sauce so for the big game I make sure that the Buffalo wings are spicy! My granddaughter went to college at University at Buffalo. So when I
visited her several times a year, we would go to legendary Buffalo Wing establishments to try out different flavors. For example, we would frequently visit Anchor Bar and Duffs’. We try to bring similar heat and finesse to the Buffalo wings that we sell at Grace’s Marketplace. However, keep some barbeque ones on the side for the little ones.

Grace's Marketplace Delicious Sandwich Boards

There is no Superbowl Party without a Sandwich Board. I definitely make sure that I have all different types of sandwiches so that everyone is  covered. I always include several vegetarian options for example, the most popular sandwich we sell at our catering department, Fresh Mozzarella, Marinated Tomatoes & Basil wrap. Plus, my daughters in laws are also sure to seek out
figure friendly options therefore I include Grilled Vegetables and Light Tuna Salad wraps in my sandwich board.

Beers & Refreshment

Superbowl  and Beer
just go so well together. I have my all-time favorites that I serve at both
favorite big sport event and summer dinner parties. I use a three-tier rule,
one domestic, one international brew, and one non-alcoholic.

Domestic:

Sam Adams Boston Lager: Popular amongst most crowds and it’s
a name that everyone is familiar with. All American Beer.

International:

Stella Artois: Smooth finish, delightful flavor for Beer.

Non Alcoholic:                                 

O’douls: Have been serving it for years. No Complaints yet!
Closest in taste to a regular beer

Refreshments:

Root Beer & Soda’s in Glass Bottle: I just adore how vintage
a bucket full of glass sodas look. Everyone has a favorite. Pepsi  or Coca Cola? We are a Coca Cola crowd.

Dessert

This is the area where I really get festive. I usually order
a batch of Football themed cupcakes for the children. For the adults, I usually
have fresh biscotti from the market for coffee or tea.

Décor

Superbowl Sunday is all about comfort and cleanliness.  Definitely some football themed napkins and lots of them! It’s great to quickly wipe out quick mess and spills. Of course, as passionate as we are about food is as passionate as we get for our teams. My family certainly represents the team of their choice even if they didn’t have a fantastic year. There are lots of Greens and
Blues in my home.
 
Have a fun-filled Superbowl Sunday.

Happy Cooking!
Grace