A quicker picker-Tupper

FOOD & DRINK > FEATURES

The upcoming holiday promises to release uncontainable joy. Give your tasty grub the proper holders to maximize its freshness and your fun. 

By Phyllis Stein-Novack 

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Sep. 1, 2011

Monday is Labor Day, the one day of the year when we celebrate and recognize the everyday men and women who built America and made her great. 

Labor Day used to signal the end of the cookout season. Not any more. It also once meant people would close their beach homes for the season. Not any more. September is a beautiful month to go to the beach. I spent a long weekend last September as the guest of my dear friend Thom Motta, who has a beautiful home on the bay in Little Egg Harbor. The taboo of putting away white clothes also is gone. I wear white all year-round. 

When I think of Labor Day or any other holiday built around food, I think of Tupperware. The invention of Tupperware brought about a revolution in American kitchens. We have Earl Silas Tupper to thank for developing the product in 1946. Toting everything to a party, from a homemade cake to chips and dip, is as easy as burping the lid. He invented the burp as well.  

I’ve become a bit of a lazy cook. Trader Joe’s is the reason for it. When the store opened in 2003 a few blocks from my home, I stopped preparing certain dishes. Its dips are tasty and priced just right. I no longer make hummus from scratch. I just buy it. 

Still there are those times when homemade treats are best. A Labor Day cookout fills the bill for me. Just tuck them into Tupperware, and tote to the cookout. 

Marinated Picholine  Olives 

From “Ten: All the Foods We Love and 10 Recipes for Each” by Sheila Lukins

Ingredients: 

1-1/2 cups (8 ounces) of Picholine olives, drained and rinsed  
1 long, fresh red chile, such as a Serrano or red jalapeno, thinly-sliced crosswise 
2 garlic cloves, quartered lengthwise 
2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary, chopped 
2 teaspoons of orange zest, finely grated 
1 large sprig of thyme 
2 very thin lemon slices, pitted and cut into small pieces 
3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice 
3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil 

Directions: 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and toss them together gently. Let sit at room temperature, tossing the mixture occasionally, for six hours. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let the olives come to room temperature before serving. 

Makes 1-1/2 cups. 

Note from Phyllis: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. 

Cool Green Bean Salad n with Feta and Toasted  Pine Nuts 

Ingredients: 

2 pounds of green beans, the thinnest available, trimmed 
8 ounces of imported feta cheese, crumbled 
1/2 cup of toasted pine nuts 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil 
6 to 8 tablespoons of vinegar, such as red wine, sherry or balsamic 
Small handful of chopped fresh herbs, such as Italian parsley, cilantro or chives 

Page: 1 2 |Next