No Ketchup, No Duck Sauce . But Bubbies food, YUMMY! How

In olden times Bubbies used fresh veggies. Onions, Garlic, Potatoes, Carrots, etc. One pot meals. Now we put a lot of commercial foods in our cooking. Sauces, marinades, onion soup mix, loads of new spices, etc.
Has this been an improvement? In taste? In time spent cooking? In health?

What say you?

I personally am leaning toward the old tradition. Times seemed simpler then.

Wow, I was expecting something totally different based on the title.

I thought this thread would be a mother complaining that her kids like their Bubby's food better than hers, even though Bubby doesn't use duck sauce or ketchup, which condiments the kids love, and won't touch Mom's food without. Laughing

Sorry, no thoughts here...
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Silver Member Joined: Mar 26 2009 Posts: 947

Weren't our bubbes using lots of canned soup in everything? Puke

Give me duck sauce anyday.

And many of the "new" spices are new only to us. They've existed in other cultures forever.

Gold Member Joined: Feb 05 2008 Posts: 2428 Location: UK

Actually I think I cook healthier than my mother,

I never use soup mixes, rarely ketchup or duck sauce, etc.

I rather use loads of natural spices, herbs etc, I know my mother didn't use them, but my food is tastier...
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Gold Member Joined: Jul 07 2009 Posts: 1728

I also cook in a similar style to my grandmother. I don't use tons of sugar, ketchup, duck suace, jarred sauces etc.
I make as much as I can. I like using fresh foods and lots of herbs/spices to give flavor.
I receive lots of compliments on my food/cooking so I'm not sure that all the extras are necessary

Diamond Member Joined: May 10 2010 Posts: 3030

Can you post some of your recipes that don't use any ketchup/duck sauce type of things?

Herbs and spices have been around a long, long time... Yosef was taken down to Mitzraim by spice merchants!

Our alte-bubbies did use spices. They also used a lot of schmaltz for frying, which is much more flavorful than the bland healthful oils favored now.

A few ways to add flavor to cooking I can think of off-hand:
1) use soup stocks
2) caramelize onions -- long, slow cooking of onion slices (30 minutes) in a bit of oil makes them sweet.
3) use fresh ingredients. For example, fresh-squeezed lemon juice tastes a lot better than that so-called lemon juice in a plastic bottle.
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Executive Member Joined: May 22 2007 Posts: 282

I am very into using salt, paprika, pepper (in that order) and lots of onions. I get loads of compliments from my mother-in-law who does use alot of spice mixes and the such. I take after my mother, who is hungarian.

However I do have 1 mainstay in my menu which we call ketchup chicken. I got the recipe from my sis-in-law. It is fabulous and everyone enjoys it in my family. Super simple and yum! Try it out:

8 tablespoons ketchup (Hunts High fructose corn syrup free)
8 tablespoons Mayonnaise
8 Tablespoons lemon juice
8 tablespoons duck sauce

Mix well, then heat till bubbling and pour over 4 chicken quarters (I slice 1 very big onion and put under chicken)

Bake in over at 375 for about 2 hours COVERED

Enjoy!

Gold Member Joined: Jul 07 2009 Posts: 1728

Sauces, marinades and spices were used already in Ancient Times, for those who could afford.

Yes, ketchup is new, and I find it weird in heimishe recipes. No idea about duck sauce... cooked duck blood?
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tart chicken

1/2 bag fresh cranberries
1 or two lemons
dried dill
chicken

sprinkle dill on chicken. add cranberries. squeeze lemons over chicken. cover, bake. uncover halfway through. I don't cook by specific times, check with another recipe Smile

you pretty much end up with a cranberry sauce consistency in the pan. I keep the skin on, so the fat gels the juices together. I get lots of compliments on this one. add some honey if you like things less tart.

I've also combined tomato juice, salt, pepper, vinegar, honey, and fresh apricots with chicken. that's yummy.

mix honey and mustard and slather chicken in it. bake open until the honey mustard forms a nice crust. if you're hosting a lot of guys, do this with chicken wings. messy but very guy friendly.

brush a little oil over chicken. spice if wanted. top with heaps of minced onion and garlic. bake open until the chicken is done and the top part of the heap is toasted. I call it "everything bagel chicken."

lemon/orange juice and garlic are nice together

get a falafel recipe, use those spices on chicken.

cinnamon and onion powder are good together on chicken.

sautee some onions and fresh bartlett/anjou pears. add 1.5 cups wine. heat a few minutes, then add chicken or meat. cover and cook until done. make sure to use a white wine that you have tasted before and like the flavor of. definitely yummy.

You are very right. I wonder if people know what goes into the sauces. I almost never use them and the food comes out pretty tasty. Onions, garlic, spices...they do the trick.
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You can make the sauces at home, or check the ingredients carefully. There are organic sauces also, but expensive.

Silver Member Joined: Feb 24 2011 Posts: 677

my hungarian grandmother who is a deliocious cook adds sauteed onions to EVERYTHING. thats why everything tastes so good.
I also would add that yes her food is delicious, but I think its more that its comforting and nostalgic more than it being a truly amazing dish.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 07 2009 Posts: 1728

lemon rosemary chicken is yum
salt roasted chicken is good
plain spiced chicken always goes over well
you can saute onions, add your chicken and brown spice w/ s&p, cumin, paprika, tumeric, and a sprinkle of cinn. add some water cook till soft- delicious! throw in some potatoes and carrots
curry chicken
40 clove chicken in kp
make a paste of parsley, coriander, scallions, garlic a bit of oil, salt, paprika, cumin, spread over chicken and bake or broil-

I'm not so adventurous in the kitchen and we don't really like sweet foods but I'm sure there are tons of other things to try as well.
if you like fruity chicken you can do things w/ prunes, oranges, plums look around experiment.

Gold Member Joined: Nov 17 2010 Posts: 1193

Manyhats, I find it very interesting that you posted this topic today; especially because my Mom is arriving today from out of town. She's a senior citizen and after some thought, I opted to prepare some cooked chicken - she likes it very soft, in a little bit of water, with sliced carrots, onions and zucchini for the flavor. She also likes mashed potatoes, from scratch, with a little bit of salt. Hope she enjoys!

Platinum Member Joined: Feb 20 2009 Posts: 7672

My mil is moroccan, and she would shudder if I said I put ketchup in my cooking lol. She cooks with fresh ingredients, and uses lots of flavorful spices and herbs. I am more of an eclectic cook, but I enjoy moroccan cooking as well. I modify it to incorporate less oil. It is such tasty cuisine, processed ingredients would just ruin it.

Pumpkin'sbubby,

I hope your mother is in good health. I'm sure Mom will appreciate your home cooked meal.

Thanks to all of you for sharing healthful meals a la Bubbies.

Let's keep them coming.

Roasted Chicken/turkey parts

I make a solution of olive oil, smashed garlic, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Loosen skin on bird - but do not seperate. Massage oil mixture under AND over skin.

Place in a preheated 375 degree oven, without a cover.

Baste every 20 minutes.

Poultry ready when juices run clear.