Canned Crab

Crab meat must have been much cheaper than it is now back in the old days because I see quite a few recipes that use it, even in the Depression Era.  Few of these recipes are anything resembling a crabcake, mostly they are some sort of deviled crab in a can doctored with more butter and a few spices.  I come from Maryland so I certainly like crab but the thought of canned deviled crab gives me the heebee-jeebee's.  This particular ad is for a company that I can't even locate anymore.  The ad is from 1912 so it's not surprising.  The company is located in Hampton Va. so it's almost certainly Smith Island crabs.  There's been a bit of a "war" down there for over a century between Marylanders and Virginians over crabbing rights in the waters around Smith Island.  These days I don't think it matters much anymore.  The last time I purchased a can of claw meat it was sourced from the Philippines, sad... really sad.

Happy Easter

Today and tomorrow I will be spending time with family and of course with the stove as we prepare to celebrate Easter.  I'm taking the weekend off from the blog because I need a break.  I'll be back Monday, have a happy Easter!

Noodles And Pot Cheese

Noodles and Pot cheese is a meal that my dad has been talking about for awhile now.  He remembered as a kid growing up in New Brunswick, NJ his parents going out to the dairy farm down the road and one of the things they would buy every so often was pot cheese.  It took me a bit of looking but pot cheese in essence is just a curdled milk cheese, a way for farmers to use up leftover milk after the cream has separated and been skimmed off.  While skim milk is what is traditionally used in this recipe, it's important to remember that unless you've had organic skim milk you've never really experienced what real skim milk is.  The commercial dairy skim milk is little better than powdered milk mixed with alot of water and lacks the taste and richness of true skim milk which is closer to 2% milk in flavor and richness.  So if you're going to do this, go organic and get some organic skim milk.  You will also need some cheesecloth and a colander.  1 quart of milk makes enough pot cheese for 4 servings and it needs to be used up within a day as it doesn't keep well.

When Only The Best Will Do

"Salads should dress for dinner" proclaims this 1938 ad for Heinz vinegars and Olive oils.  I heartily agree, what's the use of eating a salad if it doesn't have a dressing made from the best ingredients?  However it can be daunting finding the best ingredients for whatever you're cooking and so much noise is generated by the marketeers trying to sell you sub-normal garbage.  It's ever more important to read labels today and find out what's really in your food and, I'm sorry to say this, but if it's cheap it's probably garbage with no taste and no nutritional value.  It's not all bad news though as there are always tasty options and over time you're going to find that they're not as expensive as you might think.