Serves four hungry eaters Many of us are getting a little stir crazy, staying in our homes during this pandemic. A friend that I often share recipes (and used to have over to dinner often), suggested a virtual dinner together. We both cooked this recipe and selected a nice chardonnay and set down to eat with our laptops so we could ‘sit across’ from each other. To make it even more interesting we each traded a plate of our cooked version (I drove over to his place and we exchanged food boxes just before our dinner, so our plates were … Continue reading Shrimp Scampi, Steamed Clams & Linguini with Marinara Sauce→
Serves 4-6- < My Aunt Betty gave me her recipe for a casserole that she made for us on one of her visits whan I was a child. She told me she loved making it as she always had a small glass of Grand Marnier to sip on while it baked. She kept the recipe in a little wooden box where she keeps all her favorite recipes. She showed it to me, with all its handwritten 3×5 cards, many years ago. She told me she is not a rich woman, but when she dies she has put that … Continue reading Aunt Betty’s Casserole Recipe with Grand Marnier Liqueur→
Gazpacho, Tomato & Watermelon Soup Adapted by Chef Alan Zox, from the Hali’mall General Store Cookbook, author Beverly Gannon, Hawaii Recipe for 6-8 cups of soup Gazpacho is one of those extraordinary thirst-quenching drinks which also serves as a meal. When eating and drinking a version of this gazpacho in Hawaii last summer I found myself in heaven. Of course, the ingredients make such a great difference but honestly canned San Marzano roma tomatoes, complemented by tomato paste with seasoning, tastes as good as this homegrown variety. Ingredients 3 pounds seedless watermelon 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions 3 pounds fresh … Continue reading Hawaiian Healthy Eating→
An Article about “Eating Well” An Article about “Eating Well” adapted by Alan Zox, Ph.D, founder of Zox kitchen Blog from the original article published in The NY Times by Mark Bittman, author of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian; and David Katz, M.D. author of the forthcoming book: The Truth about Food. “Eating Well” has become one of the most popular phrases of the decade. And perhaps this is why so many people are uncertain about how they should feed themselves. The original article from which this adapted version comes appeared in the New York Times originally. I have always enjoyed it and often refer to … Continue reading Eating Well→
The Scargo Cafe is a popular, attractive Bar/restaurant in Cape Cod on Rt. 6. The restaurant has been active and successful for more than 34 years. The ambience and appeal of the Cafe is enhanced by its location across the street from a sophisticated film venue that shows foreign films; and a live theatre is also adjacent to Scargo. Consequently, entertainment venues and Scargo’s restaurant are all within walking distance of one another. Personally, I enjoy lunch as much as dinner, so the region offers a variety of choices- food options, plus live theater, and foreign films from which to choose. … Continue reading Chefs Coping with COVID→
Lobsters are most often considered gourmet eating. But there is a shift in taste and practice from years past. Lobsters were not considered to be a special culinary treat but rather an undesirable food that was fed to prisoners at the Boston County Jail. Lobsters were so plentiful they could be hand-picked on the beaches of Boston. Today 80% of the US lobster catch are caught by Maine Lobster boats. That’s a $1.5 Billion benefit to the Maine economy, plus providing about $500 million gross income to 4500 Maine Lobstermen (and Lobsterwomen). This lobster crustacean is still considered to be a special treat, … Continue reading Springtime Lobster→
BBQ is sometimes too good to be true. Today’s article discusses the use of “Liquid Smoke”. But this method is not my cup of tea, given the chemicals that are used. There are other options available that do not include chemicals. I thought it would be helpful to elaborate a bit more fully. There are two fundamental methods to BBQ: 1) One is to use charcoal and BBQ a steak or burger, lobster, or a pork roast directly on the grill. This method may take less than 30 minutes. This is the method the Pink Adobe recipe uses, however they list ‘Liquid Smoke’ … Continue reading Healthy BBQ Adapted from The Pink Adobe→
Adapted By Chef Alan Zox Yields 6-8 Servings Rosalea Murphy is the Owner and Chef of the Pink Adobe in Santa Fe New Mexico. Today I am sharing her recipe for “Easy Chocolate Cake”. I mentioned the Cake last week when I was describing it in some detail. It takes less than an hour to prepare and bake. It is appropriately known as the Easy Chocolate Cake because it is exceptionally trouble-free with unique ingredients. The cake takes less than an hour to make with 20 additional minutes to cool down. Making the cake is exceptionally trouble-free and delicious as well. The ingredients include sour cream and flour at the heart of … Continue reading THE EASY SANTA FE CHOCOLATE CAKE→
Adapted from the book: The Pink Adobe, by author Rosalea Murphy The Pink Adobe is a restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico that thrives on culinary diversity and delicious international cuisine from the Southwest, founded by the unique and extraordinary owner, Rosalea Murphy. I enjoyed the special pleasure of eating at the restaurant several times while visiting friends in Santa Fe. In today’s world of culinary diversity, the Pink Adobe, is perhaps less unique but no less special. Thumbing through the restaurant’s cookbook, one discovers an array of dishes that standout, including Mexican, French, Italian and Latin America in origin. I particularly enjoy her New Orleans Oyster Stew, Chicken … Continue reading CHICKEN MEZRA WITH RED GLAZE→
Mustard seeds are condiments harvested from mustard plants and shrubs, grown all over the world. Major producers are India, Pakistan, Canada, Nepal, and Myanmar. Seeds are harvested from three types of mustard plant: black mustard, brown mustard and yellow/white mustard. Mustard seeds have been used for condiments for thousands of years. Black mustard is thought to be the seed mentioned by Jesus in the Parable of the Mustard Seed. Black mustard seeds have a pungent spicy aroma and flavor. When fried in oil they produce a sweet and mild nutty taste. White/yellow mustard seeds have a mild flavor and are the most … Continue reading Creamy Mustard and Sauté Chicken→
It may be awhile before you can travel to Mexico. Why not bring the taste of Mexico to your table? On Cinco de Mayo we usually go out to a local restaurant to celebrate the tastes of Mexico. This May we are at home. While staying at home, you will enjoy this delicious spicy Mexican chili. It’s not only easy to prepare for dinner, but will provide a tasty leftover lunch. So if you are saving lives, by staying home like we are, make this recipe for seven, and heat up some leftovers anytime and add some grated cheese. Ingredients … Continue reading Spicy Mexican Chili→
Congratulations Carol W. of Seattle WA . You are the winner of the 2020 Zox Kitchen Recipe Contest. We want to thank all of you that sent in your favorite recipes and photos. I take great pleasure in notifying you, Carol, that your Banana Bread Recipe is our winner. My Team at Zox Kitchen found your recipe and photo to be among the most attractive submitted. After selecting the finalists and cooking each recipe, your Banana Bread Recipe was determined to be the tastiest. It was also selected as it is so simple and we would like all our readers … Continue reading WE HAVE A WINNER!→
My wife and I found a wonderful retreat on the big island of Hawaii, located about 4 miles from Pāhoa. Puna Rainforest is a magical home away from home covered in fruit trees, avocados, lemons, limes, pineapples, and banana trees among others. Steam vents also fill part of the property with warm and cold swimming plunges for guests. These are created by underground lava flows that heat these plunges. Interestingly the vents and the plunges no longer present a threat from nearby volcanoes. Elijah, an Environmental Engineer and his partner, Jackylynn, a Biologist, jointly own the property. They are constantly … Continue reading Rainforest Cottages in Hawaii→
Kim and I had a fascinating day visiting farmers markets on the Big Island of Hawaii. We were amazed at the number of quality products from local farmers as well as local artists. Below are references to those that we found and others in the area that appear online. Anyone living here, or visiting, should take some time to stop in at a number of the local farmer’s markets. I have noted below a nonprofit organization committed to bringing local farmers together with folks who want to buy fresh organic produce. KITCHEN OF CREATION Captain Cook, Hawaii, 96704 808-896-7533 Email: … Continue reading FARMERS MARKETS IN HAWAII→
During my stay in Hawaii, I have visited many farmers’ markets and interviewed individuals with very interesting products and services. Of course many are food products. My focus has been on finding farmers producing food organically with sustainable farming methods. I have also come across many interesting non-food vendors and listed them with their products and services here in this article. What I have found is that there are many small family businesses here that have a common interest in organic, sustainable products, and they are passionate about quality and serving their customers’ interests while respecting the environment. While many … Continue reading MORE FARMERS’ MARKET VENDORS→
NAIKELA BOTANICALS Chance Naikela -Eat It * Drink it * Love it – 808-426-6514 https://www.naikela.com/ Over the holidays I am spending time in Hawaii. During my visits to the North Shore to watch surfers surf the spectacular 20-30 foot waves I stopped by food trucks for lunch. The interesting thing about food trucks is they use fresh food, unlike restaurants or cafes that may be using frozen ingredients. The three I stopped at all used fresh ingredients and served marvelous food at very reasonable prices. I also stopped by Naikela Botanicals. They grow, produce and sell superfood teas containing a … Continue reading EVEN MORE VENDORS AT FARMERS’ MARKETS→
Most of us enjoy the very idea let alone the practice of eating a meal by the fireplace. We might prefer the charcoal pit or eating alongside a wood-fired meal. In days past, eating over wood-fired grills was as thrilling as it was practical. We used to do this at home when my Dad was in town. Food seemed to taste better and more appealing when he was around. We grilled at high temperature or when our meal was smoked, we cooked at low temperature- either was a delight to experience. And it brought family together. We heard about southern … Continue reading Grilling and Smoking -A Close Look at the Joys of BBQ→
Visiting Hawaii has been an extraordinary experience for me and my partner. Living here is a bit expensive, but it seems to me that the lifestyle is worth the effort. People live all over several different islands – 137 to be exact. But there are four major islands- Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii known as the big island. Each has its own special qualities and other characteristics that cut across virtually everyone who lives there. For example, the range of different types of people in the Hawaiian region is reflected by significant numbers of Japanese, Filipino, Native Hawaiian, White, Chinese, … Continue reading Hawaii and Eating Hawaiian Seafood→
Here’s a meal that is ideal and unique for cool winter nights. Italians know the dish well while other ethnic groups may be less familiar while no less appreciative. Called Osso Buco it is festive and flavorful when browned in the oven followed by braising at temperatures that are low and slow. The method relies on breaking down connective tissue that binds together tough muscle fiber. This approach is most often used when cooking any tough, unpalatable cut of chicken, as in Coq au Vin; fibrous vegetables, like artichoke; or Sweet & Sour Pot au Feu for Winter dishes. See … Continue reading Osso Buco – Italian Braised Veal→
The Island of Oahu in the State of Hawaii has become a culture of big waves and big eaters especially shrimp during the winter months of November to March. Growing numbers of surfing competitors and fans have created excitement and enthusiasm that grows larger and larger each year. Surfers follow the Winter Trade Winds by watching and surfing enormous waves that burst along the reef-lined shore where waves can reach upwards of 30 to 40 feet a run. One of the original heroes of the surfing world is Eddie Aikau, the first lifeguard of Waikiki. Eddie saved countless surfers in … Continue reading The North Shore Culture of Oahu: Highlights Winter Surfing & Delicious Shrimp→
Harvest season has arrived. But it’s not a happy time for everyone. In fact some of us find this time of year too unsettling and off putting. Is it the end of warm weather and sunshine that depresses us? Certainly, it’s a time of change that leaves some people feeling blue and off balance. Nonetheless, I for one enjoy the Fall and all that it brings us…with or without constant sunshine. I love eating the multiplicity of produce and vegetables that are virtually countless and wonderful tasting. Each Fall season I am happiest when I discover new ways to prepare … Continue reading A Vegetable Harvest Medley—Italian Style→
Sous vide ovens have been around for more than 45 years, primarily in France and Europe. Only in the last couple of years have home versions become available. Sous vide immersion cookers available by Sancere. Other versions are also available online by Sous Vide Supreme. They are selling like hotcakes. I found a new “demi” version on Amazon.com that was no bigger than a small microwave oven, with a discount that was remarkable. Ideally you will also need to purchase a vacuum bag sealer, which can also be found online. What are we talking about here? Sous vide in … Continue reading Enjoy Sous Vide—The New Home Cooking Method→
20 min to make 4-6 servings Sauces serve to make average dishes more flavorful and special. Yet sometimes meals with sauces are too time consuming and overly caloric. Still it’s nice to have a few sauces in your Grab Bag of flavor enhancers. Virtually every culture has its favorites. I have several I enjoy with the seasons of the year. Here’s a few others to consider besides today’s recipe of Chimichurri. French sauces specialize in six basic “mother sauces” including Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Tomato, Hollandaise and Mayonnaise Sauce. Their popularity is only exceeded by the many dishes they complement. Italian … Continue reading Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce→
By: Chef Alan Zox, Ph.D November 20, 2019 Poke (pronounced poh-Kay) is a salad of cubed raw fish marinated in delicious Asian style sauces. It’s easy to eat with rice, noodles or vegetables. Poke dishes are popular nationwide especially in Hawaii, California, Seattle, Austin, Chicago, and New York City and is growing in popularity. The dish is simple to prepare at home and delightful to make for parties as well. Children and Adults of all ages love the healthy nature of Poke and the refreshing nature of the low-fat dish. Ingredients Sushi-grade ahi tuna, cut into 3/4-inch cubes Arborio rice: … Continue reading Hawaiian Poke: Featuring Ahi Tuna with Herbs & Asian Spices→
Street food has become a favorite way to satisfy one’s hunger for special types of cuisine. It’s been documented in a recent film called Chef that tells the story of the gourmet chef who cooks across the country from Miami to L.A. in a food truck. This interest in food trucks and mobile food delivery has been around a while, but seems to be growing in neighborhoods across the U.S. In fact, exotic food of all kinds has become accessible to the public thirst to taste something different and delicious. Food celebrities who cook for us on TV have … Continue reading Street Food Mexican Style→
Chef Alan Zox, Ph.D cooks, writes and teaches about healthy, flavorful food.
