tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21620011635753185082024-03-13T01:26:29.962-07:00The Chef AnthropologistMonika Sudakov is the chef/co-owner of the Chestnut Street Inn bed and breakfast in Sheffield, IL. She prepares Mediterranean inspired cuisine using locally grown foods. She has a B.A. in French and an M.A. in Cultural Anthropology. Monika is also a Certified Culinary Professional through the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-29622259704348066192013-07-28T14:45:00.002-07:002013-07-28T14:58:07.330-07:00Alinea: The Beginning of Something NewLast week Jeff and I visited Alinea restaurant in Chicago for our 15th anniversary. It had been a bucket list item for a while and we figured this was just the opportunity to drop $500 on dinner that we needed. The restaurant, which was conceived of by acclaimed chef Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas, is best described as what you'd expect a gourmet restaurant to look like and be like in a Lewis Carroll version of Through the Culinary Looking Glass. The design of the building and of the service wear is sleek, the servers and staff elegantly dressed, the food nothing short of theatrical.<br />
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The meal consisted of 15 courses of whimsical, inspired food that was more than just something to eat, but rather something to be experienced. I was skeptical of the molecular gastronomy aspect of the food here because I have on several occasions been disappointed by the level of flavor in comparison to the complexity of a dish but there was no lack of flavor here. I asked the server what Alinea means and he explained that it was the symbol for the beginning of a paragraph. The idea behind naming the restaurant as such being that each course was the beginning of something new. The napkins were plain white with the symbol of Alinea embroidered on them, a constant reminder that we were experiencing things that are novel and genius.<br />
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We arrived a little early for our reservation and when we got to the building we were a bit unsure that we had gotten to the correct location. The building is completely nondescript. No sign, nothing to indicate that inside was a 5 star restaurant. I suspect this is intentional as you have to have a reservation to dine here and they wouldn't want walk ins.<br />
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As if right on cue, the doors opened at 5:30pm. When we entered, this is what we saw. </div>
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The vases were filled with dried herbs of various kinds creating a wonderful aroma as you walk in. The lighting and mood is immediately set and you know you are in for something highly unusual. </div>
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As you enter the kitchen is immediately to the right. They encourage you to look in, say hi and take photos. </div>
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A very sizeable staff in the kitchen considering they serve only about 80 people a night a 15 course taster menu. That being said, the menu is quite complicated and involves a lot of intricate detail. </div>
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Once we headed up to our table we were greeted by a sommelier, head waiter and additional wait staff numbering about 5 per room of 6 tables. They not only replaced our utensils after each course, they also wiped the table clean between courses. In watching the staff handle several tables at a time, including a couple of tables with dietary restrictions, it became evident that this is a highly trained staff that is dancing a highly choreographed piece keeping everything straight and the timing was impeccable.</div>
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Our menu was as follows: The courses appear in order. The circles indicate the size of the item and the situation right or left the sweetness. Those on the left being the more savory and those on the right the sweet. </div>
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Note they brought this to us at the end of the meal. It had on the top "Happy 15th Anniversary" and the date and they had the chef sign it. I thought that was tremendously classy. </div>
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One of the things I thought was an interesting touch was that the utensils were placed on a little pillow. I presume to both protect the utensils and the table. </div>
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Our first course was a little amuse bouche of Osetra Caviar on a little spoon with creme fraiche. The perfect little bite to stimulate your senses and wake up your palate. Slightly salty and slightly sweet with a hint of creamy. </div>
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The next course was rabbit with cherry blossoms, smoke and wasabi. The radish and wasabi added heat, cherry blossoms sweetness and the rabbit was almost like bacon bits. Lots of different textures dancing around in your mouth.</div>
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The third course began the theatrical nature of the meal. Entitled Scallop: Citrus Aroma, Fourteen Texture, the dish arrived in a cauldron bubbling with dry ice. You couldn't even see the what was in there without blowing the dry ice out of the way. </div>
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What was revealed was a shell filled with scallop and seaweed around the shell, covering the dry ice. Incredibly dramatic. </div>
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The contrasting textures, flavors and aromas against the creamy scallop were a triumph. </div>
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Next, Dungeness crab with squash blossom, cardamom and saffron. This one came to the table with the intense floral aroma of saffron. The flavors of the sweet crab paired with the exotic Indian nuance of the cardamom were fantastic and the crispy squash blossom a great seasonal garnish. Again, the play of textures was super, with creamy, crunchy and chewy. </div>
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The drama continued with the following course which arrived on fire. A Japanese log was placed on slate and coal lit with fire. Four little bites were perched on the log and served with chopsticks. The first a bite of crispy pork belly, next a delicious morsel of wagyu beef, then a seared sea bass and finally a crunchy fish head (which was Jeff's least favorite item). I enjoyed them all but we both agreed the wagyu beef was amazing. </div>
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The sixth course was the veal cheeks with lapsang souchong, pine and blackberry. This one was an olfactory triumph. The second it was brought near you could smell the pine immediately. What we noticed was that all the smells of the evening really put you in a specific time and place. This one was the most distinct though. It also happened to be Jeff's favorite course. The veal was delectable.</div>
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Hot potato cold potato was my least favorite of the courses, not because it wasn't good, but just because it was the least inventive of the bunch. The service ware itself was genius. You pull the little pin holding the hot potato and when it comes out the hot potato drops into the cold vichyssoise. Then you eat it quickly so you get the contrast in temperature between the two. Fun, delicious, simple. </div>
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The next course was my favorite. This one will blow your mind. It's simply called Duck ???????? !!!!!!!!!. The duck was served 5 ways, seared fois gras, pate, breast, confit and some kind of other almost duck salad. Then they serve it with a ton of different little garnishes. The point is that you can mix and match however you like and try different ones on different pieces of duck. It is an interactive experience, delicious and super fun. Like being a kid with a bunch of crayons, only they are edible. Jeff and I had a field day. We tried all of the garnishes. Oh, and the duck jus poured over the duck was delectable as is without any of the garnishes. </div>
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The last of the savory courses was a little ravioli. It arrived on a hollow plate suspended on a spoon. They called it Truffle Explosion and warned us to eat the whole thing in one bite and don't open your mouth. It was just that. A liquid explosion of pure truffle flavor inside of the delicate ravioli. Oh. My. God. </div>
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Then a palate cleanser of sorts. This fascinating little contraption which looked like fingers arrived with 5 tiny little bites of ginger with various different flavors from savory to salty to smoky to sweet. The perfect way to clear your palate and move you from savory to sweet. Again, the special service ware throughout the meal was part of the art. Truly amazing. </div>
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The first of the sweet courses was probably the most amusing, at least for the others in the room who were observing. It is a helium balloon made out of green apple taffy. The helium itself is scented with green apple. They instruct you to kiss the balloon and inhale the helium. Then they want you to talk. Jeff and I immediately started giggling and I must have sounded like Mickey Mouse because the table next to us started roaring. The balloon was sticky and delicious. And they even though of the little touch to bring us warm towels to wash off with afterward so we weren't sticky for the next course. I tell you, attention to detail was superior here. </div>
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The second of the sweet items was called strawberry with sorrel, sassafras and pine nut. The server called it frozen strawberry granola, which is essentially what it was. Jeff LOVED this one. I got brain freeze, but it was delicious. Not overly sweet and super crunchy. </div>
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The second to last course was a raspberry fizz. Served in a glass bottle with a glass straw that had rose petal in it. It was fun, fruity, light, frothy. Not revolutionary, but a neat touch. </div>
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And the finale. The finale. This. </div>
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It began with placing a silicone table cloth over the table. Then they brought a bunch of little bowls with all kinds of ingredients to the table. Then one of the chefs came out and proceeded to paint our dessert onto the table. I kid you not. It is truly a work of art. </div>
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The center is a milk chocolate mousse with a pate sucre crust underneath, creme fraiche, freeze dried hazelnut and the purple a violet puree. It all started liquid and the freezes up. Unbelievable. </div>
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Another view because it is just beautiful. And you just literally eat it off the table. It was a huge serving but we ate it all. </div>
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And a close up. Just genius. I still can't believe it happened. </div>
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So that was it. The whole meal took about 3 hours from beginning to end. We didn't do the full wine pairing but rather a modified pairing which the sommelier graciously orchestrated for us so we didn't get too tipsy. Did the meal change my life?? No. Was it worth every penny and something I'll remember forever?? Absolutely. What they do is something only possible in the context of the system they have developed. It isn't me and what I do as a chef. I can learn from it sure. I can be inspired by it. But I will never do this kind of food. I appreciate molecular gastronomy when it is executed well, especially when the food is as delicious and creative as this was. However, it does not fit my model of fresh, local ingredients prepared in a Mediterranean style. My food is simple, elegant and flavorful above all else, allowing the ingredients to speak for themselves. Sometimes I do like getting theatrical, as I did with my Dr. Seuss menu, but even within that structure, there is nothing chemical about it. It is all fresh food, prepared by me, by hand, no gimmicks. And I do not say this to diminish anything we had at Alinea. It truly was an amazing experience. I'd recommend anyone who loves food, who loves the theater of food, to go at least once. You won't regret it. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-47825308371420005892013-07-04T09:10:00.003-07:002013-07-04T09:10:54.757-07:00A Very Big NightFor any of you who who love food and have not yet seen the movie "Big Night" starring Tony Shaloub and Stanley Tucci, you are doing yourselves a great disservice. This is probably one of the foodie movies with the most cult like following. The food depicted in the movie is down right foodgasmic. Food porn at its best. Las weekend Jeff and I paid tribute to the movie by staging our very own "Big Night" dinner featuring some of the dishes from the movie. While we didn't do the entire menu because of both time, space and resources, we tried to remain true. The group present was super enthusiastic and a great time had by all.<br />
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Our first course was a delicious and simple crostini with herbed fresh goat cheese, roasted pepper, crispy kale and balsamic. The perfect way to whet the appetite and prepare your stomach for a serious food orgy.<br />
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Next, a light minestrone, featuring fresh vegetables from the farm, including beet tops and squash of various kinds. I resist the temptation to call minestrone "garbage soup" as many have often referred to it. There is no reason this should be reserved for using leftovers. It is a super vehicle for fresh vegetables in season. Simple, elegant and delicious. The stars of the dish are the umami from the pancetta and the finish of a fantastic high quality freshly grated parmigiano reggiano. </div>
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Next up, a risotto trio featuring a seafood risotto, parmesan risotto and pesto risotto, served on a platter to represent the Italian flag. I will note, making three kinds of risotto at once is a little daunting, but they turned out super. The risotto is a great bone of contention between the brothers in the movie as the 1950's era American audience just doesn't know what to make of it. One brother suggests they remove it from the menu. The main brother who is the chef suggests rather sarcastically that they should replace it with "hot dogs." Needless to say, nobody is putting hot dogs on the menu here at CSI.</div>
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The biggest crowd pleasure, and most complicated menu item on the roster, was the timpano. Timpano, which literally means timpani drum, is essentially a pasta bake with hard boiled eggs, meatballs, cheese, salami, home made marinara and penne encased in a very large pasta blanket, baked and then turned out and sliced. It is a belly bomb, but a delicious one. And it sure makes a heck of a presentation. We got applause for this one. </div>
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The salmon with moscato grape sauce was so popular I wasn't able to get a photo before half of it had already been devoured. Wild Alaskan Sockeye salmon, baked to perfection and topped with a beautiful pink grape sauce. Sweet and savory, succulent, and delicious.</div>
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Next up, cornish hens with parmesan roasted asparagus. The hens were moist and the asparagus super fresh, straight from the farm. Simple, but you can't go wrong with quality ingredients. </div>
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The grand finale?? Tiramisu. Made with luscious ladyfingers, smooth and creamy mascarpone, coffee and chocolate. The real thing, made from scratch, is the most delicate dessert. So often restaurants substitute sponge cake or other heavier cakes and it turns out dry. That's not how it should be. By this point in the meal, many were full, but most stuffed the dessert down with abandon. </div>
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<i>"To Eat Good Food is to Be Close to God." </i>- <b>Primo, Big Night</b></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-61007006111320944332013-06-25T10:19:00.000-07:002013-06-25T10:19:32.206-07:00Paprika: Not Just A Garnish For Deviled EggsI use a LOT of paprika in my cooking. I am Hungarian and grew up with a grandmother who cooked classic Hungarian fare so that may have something to do with it. It always surprises my cooking class students that paprika has a flavor because they are accustomed to the brown stuff in the Schilling or Mccormick bottles that are scentless and flavorless. Let's be honest, these companies aren't exactly sourcing the highest quality spices and their spices often sit on store shelves for far longer than they should. 6 months to a year is about as long as you want your spices to sit around before they begin to lose substantial flavor.<br />
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Hungary is the leading producer of paprika which is basically dried and ground peppers of various kinds. It is utilized in the cuisines of many different cultures from Indian to Moroccan to Hungarian. There isn't just one kind of paprika, but rather a number of different kinds that range from sweet to hot to smoked and not smoked. The grading in Hungary is as follows:<br />
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Kulonleges or Unusual<br />
Csiposmentes Csemege which is mild in flavor and can vary in color<br />
Csemegepaprika which tends to be a little stronger flavored<br />
Csipos Csemege, Pikans which is spicy<br />
Rosza which is a lighter color<br />
Edesnemes which is sweet and is the most often exported<br />
Feledes which is a combination of sweet and spicy<br />
Eros which is the strongest flavored<br />
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Paprika is also grown in Spain as well as a few other countries in limited quantities. I am a purist though and always buy Hungarian. Good sources include Penzey's, Spice World and of course, my go to source, <a href="http://zamourispices.com/">Zamourispices.com</a>.<br />
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Paprika, and all your dried herbs and spices for that matter, should be kept in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight in an airtight container. This will insure that you do not lose flavor to oxygen or color due to sunlight. Never freeze or refrigerate your spices as the cold will actually mute the flavor and destroy the cellular structure of the spices. And contrary to what you may see in kitchen design stores, keeping your spices in a drawer next to your oven is a terrible idea. It will destroy them.<br />
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I use paprika in everything from stews to soups to meats. For best flavor, you should add the spice to the heat and toast it prior to adding any liquid. This will bring out the essential oils from the spices which is where all the flavor is.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-45345728805162653872013-05-08T08:34:00.003-07:002013-05-08T08:34:50.038-07:00Frustrated Vegetable LoverDear Restaurants, <div>
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I have a serious beef with many of you. It seems as though you are ignoring the salad course. You treat it like an after thought rather than an important component of your menu. You skimp on ingredients and try to plate it as cheaply and unimaginatively as possible. <div>
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First of all, iceberg lettuce in a bowl with a slice of cucumber and a packaged dressing is not a salad. In fact, we should basically call it hydrating as iceberg lettuce is made up of almost entirely water. That being said, I like iceberg lettuce. In fact I use it sometimes on sandwiches because it gives good crunch. Just don't call it a salad. </div>
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Second, please stop drowning your greens in dressing. I don't care how great your house dressing is. If you totally submerge the greens in it, the greens are overwhelmed and no longer crunchy. You might as well drink a vinaigrette soup. </div>
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Third, please add some pizzazz to your salads. Even if it is just some nuts and maybe a fruit of some kind, give me something besides just greens. </div>
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Next, a salad should not be limited to just greens with toppings. Any vegetable can be turned into a salad. If there is anything I have learned from the Mediterranean cultures of the world, it is that salads are as varied and individual as people are. You can have hot salads, cold salads, creamy dressings, light vinaigrettes, arranged salads, tossed salads, you name it. There is no boundary. Some of my favorite salads in fact don't even have greens in them. Asparagus, roasted beets, brussel sprouts, roasted peppers, eggplant, radishes, oranges, you name it, they make great salads. </div>
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Also, if you use cheese on a salad, please make it delicious cheese. I don't even necessarily mean make it yourself, just make sure it is a star. The salty and fatty composition of the cheese is intended to accentuate the greens and complement them, not overwhelm them. And by all means, please no processed impostor posing as cheese. </div>
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Finally, I applaud the fact that there are a myriad of "baby greens" mixes that are now commercially available. And I'm ecstatic that restaurants use them. But don't forget, there are a ton of other spectacular options out there that many don't even know about that can accentuate your salad, like arugula, radicchio, claytonia, beet greens, radish greens and baby kale. These are not only delicious in flavor, but many offer super health benefits. Incorporating them into salads is one of the best ways to sneak them in and kick up the nutritional value of your salad. </div>
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Call me kooky but when I get a great salad, it can be the highlight of a meal for me. To me the ultimate test of a chef isn't if they can prepare a good steak or grill a chicken breast. That involves nothing more than proper temperature and knowing when to pull the meat off. The true test of a chef is how they can transform a vegetable into something fantastic and one of the best arenas for this kind of artistic expression is in the salad department. </div>
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P.S. Battering and frying said vegetables doesn't count. </div>
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Sincerely, </div>
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Frustrated Vegetable Lover </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-67716067623411375112013-04-09T15:08:00.000-07:002013-04-09T15:08:43.637-07:00Women Chefs: Inequality in the KitchenMuch as been made about women's equality of late, including equal pay for equal work. In a society that has supposedly made great strides in gender equality, there remains a lot of work to be done in truly insuring said equality. One of the areas that seems to be highly reflective of this gender inequality is that of the culinary world. I'm not talking about celebrity chefs and bloggers. I'm talking about actual chefs, who own their own restaurants and who gain international acclaim for their restaurants.<br />
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Every year various publications come out with their lists of favorite restaurants and chefs. Bon Appetit, Food and Wine, James Beard, Zagat, the list goes on and on. I always peruse these lists to see which restaurants I would like to add to my bucket list. Each time I read through the nominees I am struck by how few women they select. There may be a couple of token females, but the vast majority of those on the lists are men.<br />
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I started thinking about this a couple of weeks ago and two questions came to mind. One. Is the lack of female recognition some kind of bias against females in the industry? Or, two. Are there just so few women at the helm of great restaurants that by sheer numbers they cannot compete? Either way, something is wrong with the picture.<br />
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Consider these facts. According to some recent articles on the matter, women represent approximately 50% of those enrolled in culinary schools. They are outnumbered in regular culinary programs by men but in the baking department they make up almost 80% of those enrolled. So the trouble does not lie in the number of those who are actively seeking to find careers in the field of culinary arts. While numbers vary, several sources state that only approximately 15% of executive chefs of independent restaurants are women. That is an alarmingly low number.<br />
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It has been suggested that many of those women who graduate from culinary schools end up working at chain restaurants or hotels and some end up not pursuing careers in the food industry at all. The typical response to the question of why seems to be the same one plaguing other industries that seem to have a bias against women. First, women end up quitting to start families and they cannot be pregnant or mothers and maintain a full time job. While I get that chefs work long hard hours, this supposes that most women decide to have families and are thereby automatically discriminated against. Not so. More and more women today are opting to not get married and are starting families later or not at all so that they can pursue careers.<br />
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A second common response is that women are somehow physically inferior to men and incapable of hacking the long hours, heat and physical labor necessary to be a chef. That's kind of like saying women aren't capable of becoming good soldiers because they are weaker than men are. That makes absolutely no sense. Many women are not only as physically fit as men, but are often more capable of multi-tasking than men, which would make them excellent candidates for running a restaurant. To that notion, I cry foul.<br />
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Thirdly, women are routinely harassed in the context of the kitchen so some feel as though there is no place for them there or they will be treated poorly. Again, that's the same logic that says women are dangerous because they cause men to behave badly. A completely reverse argument that has no merit. Why can't men learn to behave like decent human beings and treat women with the equal respect they deserve? For this I blame men, not women, and we shouldn't suffer because of it. I say, grow up men. Disclaimer: I am happily married to a wonderful man who is very respectful of women and am quite aware that not all men fall into this category of behavior. I am just generalizing.<br />
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Historically there has also been a bias between the public and private arenas of the kitchen. Within the home, the kitchen is often considered to be the woman's domain. Women in many cultures for centuries prepared the food for their families and passed their recipes down from one generation to the next. In the mid-1900's, however, women increasingly got out of the kitchen and pursued jobs outside the house, freeing themselves from the private domain. It makes sense, therefore, that they should also seek to take those very skills that suited them so well in the private domain and utilize them in the public domain.<br />
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The hitch in that giddy up is that the formal restaurant structure that goes all the way back to Marie-Antoine Careme in 1800's France was built around men and haute cuisine has historically been a man's world. This has persisted into 20th and 21st century Europe and America with few exceptions. Strong women like Alice Waters and Susan Feniger have succeeded despite the bias, mostly because they were able to distinguish themselves as something completely unique and new in the industry as a whole.<br />
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I don't know what the solution is, nor do I think I am going to change it, but it certainly is indicative of something that we all sense in the society as a whole. I am proud to have my small place in the industry and to represent the minority as a woman who runs her own kitchen. I hope that at some point there will be more equity in the culinary world as with the world at large. Perhaps sometime in my lifetime.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-6343241427671600662013-03-19T09:53:00.000-07:002013-03-19T09:54:56.149-07:00Not All Caprese Salads Are The Same<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I just returned from a week long trip to Vegas and while there I noticed a trend. Just about every restaurant I went to served a version of a Mozzarella Caprese salad from the more casual spots to higher end places like Valentino's and Gallagher's. My friend and I are caprese junkies so we decided to conduct a very professional survey of the array of capreses we found. I won't lie, we ate them all, but some were indeed superior to others and there are two main factors to that, the quality of the mozzarella and the quality of the tomatoes. It is a very basic salad really and you can jazz it up in various ways with garnishes like pesto and olives, but at its heart it is a showcase for fantastic fresh mozzarella and perfectly sweet, ripe tomatoes. </div>
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First, fresh tomatoes. This salad really is best in the peak of the summer when you have an array of fresh tomatoes of all kinds and colors. In general I'm not a fan of using simple slicing tomatoes for this salad. They don't have as much flavor as some of the more exotic heirloom varietals such as green and red zebra. They are also more watery. I like tomatoes that have a meaty quality, not a mushy one.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">Next, fresh mozzarella. It really isn't that difficult to make yourself. You simply need good quality milk, preferably organic and preferably not ultra-pasteurized. You can purchase a kit that has salt, citric acid and rennet in tiny tablets from www.cheesemaking.com. It's fun and the flavor simply cannot be beat. The only hitch in the giddy up is that you cannot do anything else while making cheese. It is time and temperature sensitive and if you don't pay attention, it won't work. And the whey left behind from the mozzarella process is super healthy for your furrbabies!</span></div>
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Without naming names, I'll share photos of the salads we had. This one was actually one of the more basic ones. Store bought mozzarella, pretty unripe tomatoes and the balsamic was a glaze, not a high quality balsamic vinegar or a reduction. The glazes are made with corn syrup which is totally over powering and makes it have a sickeningly sweet flavor. The olive oil, however, was a wonderful, fruity olive oil which was the best we had. And the delicate basil leaves were lovely.<br />
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This one was actually one of the better ones as far as the tomatoes were concerned. They were ripe and there were multiple varieties. The mozzarella again was store bought and I didn't care for all the raw onion on top but considering the rest of the meal we had at that restaurant, this was definitely the highlight. Again, it used a balsamic glaze which I did not like but they made a basil oil instead of fresh basil on top which was quite nice.<br />
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This was my least favorite. The greens on top totally masked the tomato and mozzarella. It was a lovely salad, but not a true caprese. The tomatoes were very under ripe and the mozzarella was just ok. No basil, no balsamic. There is such a thing as too much of a garnish. </div>
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This final one was the best. Ripe tomatoes, fresh burratta mozzarella made in house and it was not overly garnished. Again, they used the glaze but it was wasn't over powering because it was used sparsely. The olive oil was fruity and they had a delicious sea salt on top that accented the creamy mozzarella beautifully. </div>
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This final photo is of a caprese I made last summer using fresh tomatoes from the farm and fresh basil from our garden. It was delicious, beautiful and took advantage of the delicate fresh mozzarella I made. And you will notice the balsamic on top was not a syrupy glaze, but rather a delicate drizzle of a reduction I made. Just the way I like it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-73070922009100888362013-01-29T07:06:00.001-08:002013-01-29T07:06:08.355-08:00Internal Culinary ConflictI have a confession to make. I am internally conflicted. Not a conflict of character or some moral dilemma, although there are aspects of that to my confliction. My conflict resides in an obsessive fascination with molecular gastronomy while simultaneously disdaining it. I read articles and watch videos about Grant Achatz and Ferran Adria in excess and I am always seeking to try restaurants that are pushing the envelope and offering unique taster menus that I can try. Yet, there is a fundamental issue I have with most of the basic tenets of this kind of culinary artistry, particularly as it pertains to what I do and how I have defined myself as a chef.<br />
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Much of my interest and education in cooking has revolved around being true to culture. Finding spices, ingredients and techniques that somehow represent a group of people and bringing them to my little corner of the world. Food as education. Food as cultural exchange. Generally this food tends to be more rustic, simplistic, yet elegant and always focused upon the ingredients being utilized. I have sought out farmers whom I have built a relationship with to provide me with the fresh ingredients that are the basis of my cuisine. Meat, eggs, vegetables, spices, all the necessary components of my culinary artists palate so to speak.<br />
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I also have cultivated a theory of food that is very much centered on taking chemicals and processing out of the equation. Eliminating unecessary ingredients that may pose a health risk or simply adulterate the natural quality of the food I am creating. I go out of my way to spend quite a bit of money on these ingredients, using organically grown, sustainable products where I can.<br />
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Yet, the use of various chemicals in the culinary laboratory that has been the foundation of molecular gastronomy intrigues me. The ability to morph a food into something it is not, yet maintaining the essence of flavor of that ingredient so as to create a transformative experience for a diner is something beyond cooking. It is part mad scientist, part modern artist. The dancer in me, the artist in me, craves that kind of freedom. The academic in me pulls me in the other direction, telling me to maintain the dignity of the ingredients, the history, the culture.<br />
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Where then do I fit in as part artist, part academic?? I did not come to cooking from a traditional background. I came to it from a history of both artist and student. First a dancer, then an anthropologist interested in culinary anthropology. Food for me represented the transition between the two and an opportunity to fuse both my loves. As I have evolved I think much of my cooking has gone beyond the cerebral and is now returning to the more intuitive but there remains an evolution between the two that still eludes me.<br />
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Perhaps that is what constantly pushes me to create new recipes and do new things. This constant conflict I feel. As others inspire me, as new ingredients come my way, I am attempting to make sense of my conflict and trying to formulate a new normal for myself. I guess with that being said than I have come to what my true New Year's Resolution is, albeit an month late. Find the resolution to the conflict. Create the amalgamation between the cerebral and the intuitive, between academic and artist. Stop beating yourself up for wanting to try new techniques that may involve adding chemicals to your food. Don't allow yourself to be pigeon holed by some unattainable and unsustainable ideology.<br />
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I am a chef. I am an anthropologist. I can be both and that doesn't mean compromising my ideals or my "culinary morals." I guess it is like discovering a new faith. Somewhere underneath it all exists a kind of culinary spirituality but my culinary truth cannot follow a specific dogma or church of worship. I have to find the faith within my own self and manifest it within my own personal expression.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-597326134923028782013-01-12T11:56:00.002-08:002013-01-12T12:08:58.426-08:00Tyranny Or Just a New Business Model?<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">When Jeff and I lived in Las Vegas, one of our favorite forms of entertainment on a night off was to go to a high end restaurant, ask for the chef's taster menu and not even look at the menu. We'd spend hours there, enjoying whatever it was they put in front of us, experiencing new flavors and foods we had never tasted before and overall participating in a culinary theatrical experience that titillated our every sense. In some ways I considered this to be my culinary awakening, my education of sorts in the world of food and flavors. We visited a myriad of restaurants from famous chefs like Commander's Palace, Robuchon's, Picasso and more. Since then we have continued this form of entertainment and virtually every trip we take revolves around finding a restaurant with this type of menu where we can submit ourselves to the creative whims of a chef and allow them to take us on a culinary journey. We find this kind of dining fun, inspirational and tremendously stimulating, as I suspect a vast many people do or they would not have perpetuated as they have.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">In a recent article in Vanity Fair written by Corby Kummer entitled <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/02/top-chefs-totalitarian-restaurants" target="_blank"><i>Tyranny-It's What's For Dinner</i></a>, however, this type of taster menu is scrutinized as being over the top, arrogant and completely void of the desires and needs of the customer. Kummer states:</span><br />
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<i>"<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Mercy is a rare commodity at restaurants like this, where the diner is essentially strapped into a chair and expected to be enraptured for a minimum of three and often four and five hours, and to consume dozens of dishes. Choice, changes, selective omissions—control, really, over any part of an inevitably very expensive experience—are not an option.</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> "</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">While I appreciate the argument and think it perhaps has some validity on certain occasions, I have to disagree that there isn't a place for it in this current culinary landscape. Chefs like Thomas Keller of the French Laundry and Grant Achatz of Alinea and Next have elevated food to an art form and a scientific experience unlike any other. They represent the best of the movement known as Molecular Gastronomy, a movement which began with the genius of Ferran Adria at the now closed El Bulli in Spain. There is a time and a place for it and as long as the diner knows what they are getting themselves into, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the long, drawn out saga of a 20-40 course dinner. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.98958396911621px;">Do some chefs abuse the system for the sake of fitting into a mold they perceive to be the "in thing" without the purpose of exploring new territory scientifically and new flavors? Yes. There are many "celebrity chefs" that are just that, celebrities. Their food isn't exactly overwhelming, the service nothing spectacular, yet they are able to capitalize on their celebrity by presenting inferior food at their restaurants. These aren't the places I look to when we are planning our getaways. They also aren't the places I have sought to emulate in my own restaurant. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.98958396911621px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.98958396911621px;">My number one focus is on flavor and on presenting fresh, local food without too much fanfare. I am not interested in making foams and hollow shells of shrimp juice with edible seaweed balls in the center. The number one most important aspect of my cooking is in my use of spices, which I apply carefully to accentuate the natural flavor of foods. I often say that I spend way too much money on organic meat, eggs and produce to then inject them with a bunch of chemicals to turn them into something they are not. I prefer to keep things elegant, but simple. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.98958396911621px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.98958396911621px;">I do however like the notion and experience of a chef's taster menu where it is up to the chef to be creative and produce a menu reflective of their personality and individuality. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I see food and cooking as an art form, not as a science experiment. I don't want frankenfoods, I want real meat, real eggs and real fruits/vegetables that are recognizable at least in some form or another. To me cooking is a symbiotic relationship between those who grow the food, those who prepare it, and those who consume it. In essence the chef is the mediator between the earth and the body, transforming raw material into energy and hopefully pleasure of the senses. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.98958396911621px;">Food to me also represents a unique opportunity to educate people about other cultures and new flavors. Everyone on the planet has to eat and in many ways, food is the safest medium within which to explore other cultures without invoking religion, politics or other more volatile topics. And as a cultural anthropologist by training, this aspect of food is perhaps the most interesting part of cooking. I have the unique opportunity at every meal to be a chef anthroplogist, creating foods that are in some way representative of an entire group of people. I'm somewhat of a foodie geek in that regards. If there is a show or a cookbook that can meld these two topics together, I'm all the more interested in it. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 21px;">There is another value to serving a taster menu with just one option per night and that is economics. The restaurant industry is perhaps the highest risk industry out there. Restaurants fail at epic rates and the two biggest factors in that are overstaffing/understaffing and food waste. By keeping the menu simple and only serving those who have reservations, we have virtually eliminated both of these pitfalls. And many restaurants are following suit. It has less to do with not wanting to cater to the customers desires than simply a matter of survival. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 21px;">That being said, myself and many other chefs are perfectly willing to make adjustments accordingly for dietary restrictions. Few of us are culinary Nazis in the vein of what Kummer describes in this article. If I have someone coming who is a vegetarian and I had planned a beef entree, I am more than happy to come up with an alternative for that individual. Again, this makes good business sense. The more people you can accommodate, the higher your profit margin and the more likely you'll get repeat business. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 21px;">I will say, however, that I am less apt to accommodate someones "dislikes" and I have a sound reason for doing so. Most people who claim to dislike a food have either never had it before and just think they dislike it, or they only had it when they were kids and have been afraid to try it since. I always say, if I didn't like something, it probably wasn't prepared properly and I'm willing to give it a second or even third chance. By not offering people a choice or a way out of tasting something they don't think they'll like, you force them to be adventurous and break out of their comfort zone. More often than not I end up hearing from guests that they didn't think they'd like something but that they loved it. Those who dine with us do so knowing that they are going to be in for a slightly unique experience and see it as an opportunity to take a little culinary adventure. There are plenty of places that serve what they know and if that's what they want, they can go there. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 21px;">Finally, I would argue that this new kind of celebrity chef driven scientifically engineered menu is a natural evolution that reflects the current society at large. We live in a world that values celebrity. Our 24 hour news cycle is filled with what I call pseudo-news of celebrities doing ordinary things and people feed off of this kind of news. We also live in a world that increasingly values technological advancement and it is no surprise that this trickles down to the most basic of human needs, namely food. And lastly, we live in a world that is increasingly food centric. The fact that food television is as popular as it is and that reality tv shows like Top Chef and Kitchen Nightmares are as prevalent as they are has created an entire generation of food savvy individuals who are already quite sophisticated in their food knowledge at a very young age. Chefs are therefore challenged to create things that are new and exciting for this generation of diners who I would argue have a somewhat short attention spans and need a little bit of in your face food creativity. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 21px;">In the end it remains to be seen if we will eventually fatigue of this current trend and get back to basics or not. I already see the trend heading that direction with more and more farm to table restaurants popping up and the slow food movement growing in waves. Which style of restaurant will be sustainable? I'm not sure. Part of that will be dictated by economics and the ability of people to have the kind of expendable income needed to partake of these $300 and $400 taster menus. I suspect the two will continue to evolve alongside one another, offering an outlet for all kinds of diners of all demographics and socio-economic situations. I think that in many ways we are at the forefront of that evolution by combining the back to basics approach with the taster menu approach but at a much more affordable price that anyone can participate in. </span></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-10740866173120246162012-11-30T11:18:00.003-08:002012-11-30T11:18:39.370-08:00Thinking of Becoming an Innkeeper?<br />
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Here is some food for thought, in this case, no pun
intended. First ask yourself why you want to be an innkeeper. If you think it
would be fun, it is. If you think it’ll be an easy retirement job that will
make some extra money? Think again. Innkeeping is not only a full time job but
a full time commitment. It involves working holidays, weekends and basically
all those days that others generally have off. You are on call 24 hours a day,
7 days a week, and the physical labor is often grueling. Next, you should
ask yourself if you are a people person.
Do you enjoy entertaining? Are you ok with people touching and looking through
your personal items? If so, innkeeping is for you. </div>
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Keep in mind that if you believe that starting up a bed and
breakfast sounds like a lucrative investment, it isn’t. You will never become
rich as an innkeeper. But, you will have wonderful times, be an entrepreneur
and be self employed. This comes with a lot of perks and a lot of downfalls,
biggest one being the lack of benefits which come with a normal 9 to 5 job. If
you are smart, you’ll diversify, as most bed and breakfasts do. Maybe you’ll
serve meals, maybe you’ll do cooking classes and you will likely want to sell
some retail. All of these will contribute to your bottom line, but not by much.
Innkeeping is ultimately a lifestyle choice and one that can be tremendously
rewarding. </div>
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Before you begin, make sure you have written yourself a very
clear and detailed business plan. You should be absolutely certain of your
finances. Know what you can afford before you start looking because banks don’t
understand innkeeping as an industry and getting a loan is a tremendous
challenge. Then, estimate your expenses at about 20% more because even if you
purchase an existing property, which you should, you will likely end up with
hidden expenses you didn’t anticipate ranging from home improvements to
marketing. With regards to getting an existing property, there are pros and
cons to that. A newly built facility, whether from the ground up or taking an
existing property and building to suit, is great because you can get exactly
the amenities and floor plan you want. However, a very serious pitfall often
encountered by would be innkeepers is zoning. You cannot apply for zoning to
become a bed and breakfast until you own a property and if your request is
denied, you are stuck with a property you bought with the intent of turning it
into a business and cannot do anything with it. We have known several innkeeper
friends who spent months fighting their county boards and thousands in legal
fees trying to get their inns zoned properly. </div>
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Next thing to consider is location. Where do you want to be
in terms of potential business? Keep the following factors in mind. It always
helps to be near a major thoroughfare, such as a highway, so that people can
reach you easily. Secondly, being near things to do is helpful, for example
shopping, outdoor activities, historical sites, wineries. Your guests will want
a reason to come see you. Third, having a significant population within a two
to three hour drive is a must. If you are more remote than that you will have a
tough time drawing an audience. People who frequent inns tend to keep their
searches to within a two to three hour drive.</div>
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Finally, you should consider the amenities you want to
offer. What will set you apart? What is your identity as a bed and breakfast?
Are you a foodies destination? Are you going to try to capture a market focused
on hunting and fishing? Do you want to have a winery attached to your property?
There are an infinite number of approaches you can take, all of which will
determine what kind of marketing you will undertake which is probably the
single most important aspect to getting into this business. Marketing has
become an almost full time job in and of itself. Having an action plan and
understanding your avenues of promoting yourself will make the difference
between success and failure within the first year. </div>
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There are a number of fantastic resources available to
aspiring innkeepers. Most state organizations offer training programs and
several properties do weekend seminars for would be innkeepers. Additionally,
there are many books are out there for aspiring innkeepers that offer more
expanded versions of what I outlined here that are fantastic reference sources.
One of my personal favorites is Mary White’s “Running a Bed and Breakfast For
Dummies.” Hers was one of the few books that set a positive tone, encouraging
future innkeepers to jump into this endeavor rather than discouraging them or scaring
them away with all kinds of fear mongering as some of the other books did. Mary
is the founder of Bnbfinder.com, is a leader in the industry in terms of
advocacy for inns and a regular contributor to numerous publications on the
subject of innkeeping. Above all, ask questions. Innkeepers are a friendly
bunch and will gladly discuss their industry with you. Pick their brains and
you will glean great insight into the many different approaches that have
worked and not worked. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-25517367660318724962012-10-31T09:41:00.000-07:002012-10-31T09:41:07.615-07:00Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?You've probably all played this game before. Name 5 people dead or alive that you'd like to have to dinner. I've seen the game circulate on Facebook and through various emails numerous times. It's always fun to see who people select and why and to think about who I would select and why. Lo and behold yesterday Jeff and I started thinking about it yet again only this time, we wanted to limit it to specific groups. I got to thinking about who would be the food world figures I'd want to have around a dinner table. Now, our dining room table seats 14, so counting us, that means we would have space to invite 12 special guests. Here is my wish list. I can only imagine how fascinating the conversation would be.<br />
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1) Julia Child-That one was obvious as I am probably her biggest fan ever. But more importantly, Julia is a fascinating character for two major reasons. I would argue that she pioneered the notion of a TV Celebrity Chef. Secondly, she broke into a field that prior to her was dominated by men and to a certain extent opened the doors for other women to pursue culinary professions.<br />
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2) Anthony Bourdain-The irreverent chef, author and host of several travel/food shows is not only fiercely intelligent but quite thought provoking on the subject of all things food/culture related. He is also uber sexy.<br />
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3) Michelle Obama-Her <b><a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/" target="_blank">Let's Move</a> </b>campaign is something I have been passionate about for a long time. What we eat and how it relates to our health both as individuals and as a nation is extremely important and someone in her position gives so much credibility to the cause.<br />
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4) Michael Pollan-This journalist who wrote my favorite book <a href="http://michaelpollan.com/books/the-omnivores-dilemma/" target="_blank"><i>Omnivore's Dilemma</i> </a>is someone who I greatly respect with regard to his diligence in exposing the dangers of a corporate dominated food system. He opened my eyes to many of the things I am now passionate about, i.e. organic, fresh, local food and eating for health.<br />
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5) Thomas Keller-Arguably one of the most influential chefs of the last 20 years. His <a href="http://www.frenchlaundry.com/" target="_blank">French Laundry</a> revolutionized the culinary scene and he has since trained numerous brilliant chefs who currently head the top rated restaurants in the world. I particularly am inspired by his creative and playful approach to food and his down to earth demeanor.<br />
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6) Grant Achatz-The current big man on top with respect to the food scene. <a href="http://www.nextrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Next</a> and <a href="http://www.alinearestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Alinea</a> are certainly two of the top restaurants in Chicago and perhaps in the world. I also find his story of battling throat cancer and how it influenced his cooking to be tremendously awe inspiring.<br />
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7) Jamie Oliver-He is a hero in my book for his dedication to battling youth obesity and trying to change the food system in our schools. His Food Revolution prompted me to act personally with regards to educating kids about real food and how it can impact their lives long term.<br />
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8) <a href="http://paula-wolfert.com/" target="_blank">Paula Wolfert</a>-Chef and author of the first cookbook on Moroccan cuisine called <i>Couscous and Other Good Food From Morocco</i> and more recently <i>The Food of Morocco</i> has inspired me since my early days in the kitchen. Her work was integral in my research for my Master's Thesis on Moroccan Tea Ritual and her knowledge about Moroccan food and culture is tremendous.<br />
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9) Mark Bittman-Chef/author who regularly contributes to the NY Times on the subject of food. Fiercely intelligent, outspoken and en pointe with his assessments about the current state of food in this country.<br />
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10) Ferran Adria-Often cited with starting the trend of molecular gastronomy and owner of what was long considered to be one of the best restaurants in the world prior to its closing in 2011, El Bulli.<br />
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11) James Beard-The flamboyant chef/author was oft cited as being larger than life. He was passionate about food and was certainly influential in bringing haute cuisine to this country during the 20th century.<br />
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12) Auguste Escoffier-Father of the brigade de cuisine system still utilized in formal kitchens to this day and credited with codifying haute French cuisine.<br />
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That rounds out the group. An eclectic mix to say the least. Now, what would I serve them? That's a topic for another blog post.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-32447009864352581202012-09-20T08:58:00.000-07:002012-09-20T08:58:08.705-07:00The “inns” and “outs” of innkeeping: Playing the Amenity Game
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The most requested amenity made by potential guests calling
to inquire about reservations for any bed and breakfast is also the one that
gets the least amount of use. Can you figure out what it might be? If you said
Jacuzzi tub, you’d be correct. Everyone thinks it would be great to have one,
but when push comes to shove, they end up not using it. We of course have
antique ceramic tubs from the 1920’s that we would never replace because of their
historical value, so that amenity in our case is “out.” So what’s “inn”? Read
on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The amenities game is a big question mark in the bed and
breakfast industry. If you were to look at a list of every possible
configuration of amenities you could offer the list would boggle your mind (and
put you “out” of business). No one inn could ever offer them all so each
innkeeper must decide what fits the identity of their inns and their
personalities. What are you selling? It is a marketing game that you have to constantly
play with in order to maximize appeal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We decided early on that our primary amenities would revolve
around our identity as a “foodies bed and breakfast.” These included home baked
goodies, chocolates in all the rooms, beverages including a gourmet assortment
of loose leaf teas, full hot breakfast and of course our four-course fixed
price dinners. In addition we felt that enjoying a nice glass of wine or a beer
with a meal was important to creating a gourmet ambiance so we bit the bullet
and got a liquor license which most bed and breakfasts do not have. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In addition to the “foodie” theme, we also had a few
specific items we knew we needed to focus on as far as amenities go. First off,
why do so many hotels, even high end ones, skimp on the quality of the toilet
paper they use? It may sound bizarre to say, but Jeff and I felt that it was
important to have nice toilet paper and not that single ply stuff that feels
like sandpaper. And believe it or not, guests notice. We have had many comments
on it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Second, and perhaps one of the most important amenities because
it is in the name of our business, is the bed. We actually spent several hours
with a mattress expert going over the pros and cons of beds and trying to
identify what kind would be ideal across the board for everyone. We ended up
deciding upon a Simmons Beautyrest single coil mattresses as opposed to the
Tempurpedic mattresses because the Tempurpedics tend to sleep hot and that can
make things uncomfortable for some. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The third important amenity to consider was the bedding. You
can have a great mattress but if the bedding isn’t soft and the pillows aren’t
plush, it won’t matter a bit. It took us a long time to find the sheets we love
which are soft and wash well and we recently upgraded all our pillows to those
“My Pillow” pillows you see on TV. Yes, they work. A couple of additional items
we like to have in our rooms include signature toiletries, robes and bottles of
water. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This next amenity is more about our personalities than
anything else, but we decided that media was something we wanted to focus on.
Business clients must have Wi-FI and most men won’t go to a bed and breakfast
if there is no television available. That being said, we ended up getting
satellite TV and put VCR/DVD combos in all the rooms along with a list of
approximately 1000 movie titles they can choose from to watch while they are
here. Jeff and I are huge movie buffs so honestly, it was an excuse for us to
get a bunch of movies under the guise of an amenity for the inn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, it was important for us to maintain nice gardens,
including a vegetable and herb garden that guests could enjoy. We keep our
patio manicured and lush looking so guests can sit outside with a glass of wine
or a cup of coffee. We will never, however, get a pool or a Jacuzzi tub because
of the potential liability involved with the combination of a liquor license
and drowning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The bottom line is that if you are planning a trip to a bed
and breakfast, you should decide what specific amenities are important to you
and then do your homework before deciding upon a property. All of them have
websites and they generally outline clearly what they do and do not offer so
you can make an educated decision as to what fits you perfectly.</span></div>
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Courtesy of the Bureau County RepublicanAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-89796577724777016412012-07-22T10:10:00.001-07:002012-07-22T10:10:54.947-07:00Happy 100th Birthday Julia: A Loving Tribute<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This August 15 would have marked the 100th birthday of the late great Julia Child. Around the country restaurants and individuals alike are celebrating the life and legacy of this great woman. She was more than just the woman who taught us to cook French food. Her greater achievement perhaps was the reintroduction of the joy of cooking to an America that was being sucked into a vortex of fast, easy and convenient. Her delightful nonchalance, infectious laugh, breathless warble and certainly her unusual height made her unforgettable. As for me, she represents everything I have ever strived for and worked toward, not just as a chef, but as a woman. <br />
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Julia McWilliams was not born a chef and foodie. In fact, she did not arrive at her passion until well into her 30's. "I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate." Her discovery of good food and wine was directly a result of having met the love of her life, Paul Child. Not unlike Julia, I did not particulary have an affinity for food and cooking until I met the love of my life, Jeff. Our courtship revolved around him taking me to new restaurants of various ethnicities and showing me that food wasn't taboo. It was an opportunity to learn something and to experience a social experience unlike any other. <br />
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Julia became a Francophile as a result of her introduction to food and her lifelong mission was to teach people not only of the virtues of French cooking, but to appreciate French sensibilities of life, love, good food, good company and passion. To her, the greatest things in life were the company of good friends around a fantastic and carefully prepared meal. "In France, cooking is an art form and a national sport." I was a Francophile prior to my introduction to cooking. I have always had a passion for the language and the culture and in fact got one of my two bachelor's degrees in French. Having spent 6 months in Paris for my Sophomore year study abroad, I understand the infatuation Julia had with the city and the country in general. There is something you simply cannot explain to those who have not been there. Some kind of warmth, like a passionate embrace that envelopes you the moment you step out onto the Parisian streets. <br />
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Julia's foray into the world of television was really a case of being in the right place at the right time. Not necessarily her ultimate goal. That being said, she was nothing if not a natural. Not a beautiful woman by any means, in fact, in many ways she was quite awkward and gangly at 6 feet 2 inches in height. But she had that je ne sais quoi. That IT factor that you so often hear people talk about. She was quick witted, funny, unashamed of her imperfections and down to earth. People could relate to her and weren't intimidated by her. If she could do it, then there was no reason why you or I couldn't do it. "Find something you are passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it." Her passion for what she did was evident even until her later years in life when her health began to fail. Everyone who met her was instantly enthralled by her. Her charisma was infectious to say the least. <br />
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And always with her was her partner in crime. Her best friend and lover. The butter to her bread. Paul. I think it was truly one of the great partnerships in history. One that I believe inspires me and Jeff to do what we do every day. Nothing in life is worth much if you cannot do it besides the one you love. "The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they're
right if you love to be with them all of the time." <br />
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Dear Julia. Happy birthday. Thank you for your inspiration, your guidance and your honesty. Myself and many of us will forever remember you fondly. I will leave you with a couple of my favorite Julia quotes and a reminder that no matter what might go wrong in the kitchen, always think to yourself, what would Julia do?<br />
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"Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all."<br />
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"Everything in moderation, including moderation."<br />
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"How can a nation be called great if its bread tastes like kleenex."<br />
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"The best way to execute french cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken. Bon appétit."<br />
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Bon appetit Julia!<br />
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Love, Mini JuliaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-47927358441708334582012-06-20T13:53:00.000-07:002012-06-20T13:53:47.691-07:00Food Politics: Big Business Versus the Future"Congressional reluctance to favor children's health above the rights of soft drink producers is a direct result of election laws that require legislators to obtain corporate funding for their campaigns. Like most corporations, soft drink companies donate funds to local and national candidates. More rational campaign financing laws might permit Congress to take positions based on public good rather than private greed." p. 217, <em>Food Politics</em> by Marion Nestle<br />
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This quote more than perhaps any other in this 400 page tome summarizes in a nutshell what the book <em>Food Politics</em> is all about. It analyzes every aspect of the food industry from its marketing practices to new product development to regulation of supplements. It is a brilliant, eye opening work, which despite the fact that it was published in 2003 is as relevent if not more so today when corporate donations are even more inextricably tied to the works of Congress and the election of candidates for office. <br />
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One of the central issues at hand in the politics of food is the conflict of interest between freedom and regulation. According to Nestle, what we perceive to be our freedom to choose what we put into our bodies is not actually a result of democracy but rather a product of brilliant marketing which subliminally if not blatantly drives our decisions about consumption. The primary target of this marketing tends to be the most economically deprived and even more heinously those who cannot make sound decisions for themselves, our children. <br />
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It's no secret that there is an obesity epidemic in this country. Statistics about current childhood obesity and estimates of the levels of obesity in the coming decades are on the news constantly. We are in a serious health crisis in this country that will not only affect our individual rights, but the economics of our future. Individuals who are dying of diseases directly attributable to diet are a burden on society and particularly in the younger set will create a serious gap in manpower in the not so distant future. For example, many of today's kids will not be able to pass a fitness test necessary to serve in our armed forces. If there was a need to build an army and nobody is fit enough to serve our national security is in serious trouble.<br />
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Today more than ever, we have a situation where we are concerned with economic growth. Let's face it, all businesses are alive to make a profit. That's what business is all about. But, at what point does responsibility to society as a whole come into the picture? I'm not talking about socialism, I'm talking about the perpetuation of society and the golden rule. Should businesses be allowed to profit on the backs of those who are becoming ill and dying from what they produce? At what point does life mean more than money? It's something we all have to ask ourselves when we step into the voting booth. Food corporations and agribusiness lobbyists are amongst the largest in the country and they are wooing candidates on both sides of the aisle. <br />
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Awareness of health and nutrition is out there and more and more people are subscribing to the tenets of farm to table and sustainability. But this represents a very small portion of our food system. While government makes it easier for corporations to produce frankenfoods with outrageous health proclamations by relaxing their regulations, it makes it increasingly difficult for small family farms to grow and sell real natural food to you and me. That's no mistake. That is by design. <br />
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So what can you or I do about it? Money talks. Where you choose to spend your dollar speaks volumes. Your purchasing habits may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but if everyone were to act with their dollars that would send a message to these corporations where it counts, in their pocketbooks. Ultimately we have to take back control of our lives by choosing wisely and voting wisely because what is happening is not ok. Become your own advocate. And next time you are in the grocery store and deciding upon the liter bottle of sweetened cola, pass it by and purchase some juicy naturally sweet fruit instead. Your body will thank you. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-85809627463329577212012-06-05T18:26:00.001-07:002012-06-05T18:26:23.940-07:00InspirationOne of the things I find most exciting about being a chef is when I am inspired to create something out of the blue. Sometimes it is a random thought or something I read that sparks the inspiration, but often it is a result of a need to create something to accommodate a dietary restriction. Some people find this incredibly stressful. I find it a unique challenge and a distinct opportunity to express myself creatively while creating a special experience for someone that has been marginalized to some extent because of what they can and cannot eat. If I can give someone pleasure through food when they felt like that opportunity was no longer available to them, I have done something truly remarkable and something that I feel very proud of. <br />
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This week, despite the fact that I'm still in recovery mode after having had surgery just a couple of weeks ago, I was inspired by just such a challenge. I needed a dessert for someone who was lactose intolerant so my usual go to that I am quite well known for, creme brulees of various flavors, was out. Chocolate desserts are also out as most involve some kind of dairy. I was leaning toward sorbet but I didn't want to do someting average, namely a mainstream flavor. Then I thought, what if I was in Morocco. What flavors would I lean toward for a special sorbet?? Then I looked at what I had in the house and decided I'd try an orange sorbet. <br />
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While I don't have an exact recipe because I was just tossing and adding stuff until it tasted right, the basic recipe included 2 Cara Cara oranges, zest from those two oranges, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of honey, 2 tbl vanilla extract, 2 tbl orange blossom water, 2 tsps ground cinnamon, 2 tsps ground ginger, a huge pinch of saffron, roughly a cup or so, perhaps more, of Simply Orange juice and finally just a cup or so of plain soy milk (although I suspect almond or rice milk would work just as well). A final last minute addition was about 2 cups of toasted almond slivers that I folded after I had frozen the sorbet to about a soft serve with an ice cream machine. So I guess you'd call it a Moroccan Inspired Orange, Saffron and Almond Sorbet. It yielded about 12 or so large servings.<br />
<br />
I heated the water and sugar in a microwave on high for 3 mins. Then stir to dissolve any remaining sugar. Then I heated an additional 3 minutes to create a simple syrup. This was then added to the 2 peeled oranges, the zest from those oranges, saffron, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and the orange blossom water in a Vitamix or food processor and pureed until smooth. I then strained the mixture to get any bits of pith out of the mixture. To that I added the honey, orange juice and soy milk and whisked until well combined. This was frozen in a home model ice cream machine until soft serve, folded with the almonds and then I put it in the freezer overnight to finish freezing. And voila. Here is a photo: <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3FPuilbrgJxGH04F_dJbX4y_-eU-jcboKMosYZTVEbAUyhPj26bD6DTkJ8aLo2_e4gUCw6U9WMZydqGHQK1VaONJqwCdsoY_arPnnuoM0y5zdjVL9zdnDW9Yz231RAp0vdBbTGpjWbQf/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3FPuilbrgJxGH04F_dJbX4y_-eU-jcboKMosYZTVEbAUyhPj26bD6DTkJ8aLo2_e4gUCw6U9WMZydqGHQK1VaONJqwCdsoY_arPnnuoM0y5zdjVL9zdnDW9Yz231RAp0vdBbTGpjWbQf/s320/008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-77085514856089242092012-05-29T14:08:00.000-07:002012-05-29T14:08:01.818-07:00The Problem with Next Food Network StarMany of you are going to look at the title of this blog and think, ok, sour grapes. Quit whining. While there is some truth to that, I think I can back up my stance pretty easily. It's no secret that I've been yearning to have my own show on any tv network focusing on Mediterranean inspired cuisine. Many of you have supported me in this endeavor, seen my pilot, came to my fundraiser to help find an agent and sent in letters to the Food Network. Over and over again upon teaching cooking classes or after appearances on Paula Sands Live! you encourage me, telling me I should have my own cooking show or I'd be great on Chopped. <br />
<br />
Well, here is the problem. I've tried. I have repeatedly sent in applications to show after show after show to no avail. Apparently I am having trouble getting their attention. It doesn't matter if I cook food that many people love or if I have natural ability to cook, teach and entertain at the same time as I often do in my cooking classes. The network execs simply don't know I exist and are having trouble finding this needle in an ever growing haystack of would be Julia Childs. <br />
<br />
Why?? I have a theory. Have you noticed how arrogant and nasty some of the personalities on these shows can be?? Many present an over the top persona that not only looks over the top but appears to have over the top ego. The problem is I'm too much Tinkerbell and not enough Lady Gaga. I have lofty ideas that I might be recognized for being a good chef, one who presents the kind of food that is missing on the television scene and one who is just cute, nice and down to earth. Unfortunately, while this may be the kind of person who would ultimately produce a "star," it isn't the kind of person who would initially get ratings on a reality competition show that thrives on conflict. <br />
<br />
So the question is, how does someone who refuses to play the bitch get the attention of the kind of formulaic media production that is the Food Network?? How do I convince them that nice and talented are enough for ratings and in the long run will create a star that has staying power, not just a one shot wonder??<br />
<br />
I'm not sure of the answer but I'm certainly going to keep working at it. Until then, I'll keep doing what I do best, which is cooking with passion and passing along that passion to those who really love food, not sensationalism. Perhaps one day this passion is what will get me noticed. I may be a small fish in a big pond, but eventually even a tadpole grows up into a bullfrog and can hop onto the biggest lily pad in the pond. I'm hoping that this bullfrog will be hopping onto the Food Network lily pad sooner rather than later. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQVp4x-9_-WYR059Iqt0CCYWb74Dg48u4n34MhdP156M8pKNZnZNjUkE580lAjf3WIo6_2l6bFpzybWrt4zY104pmnHsQBZaQDApmksCdJgSIG_TgkDv_lGSTLqmO3ti0Z597vOuD55XY/s1600/+IMG_1157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQVp4x-9_-WYR059Iqt0CCYWb74Dg48u4n34MhdP156M8pKNZnZNjUkE580lAjf3WIo6_2l6bFpzybWrt4zY104pmnHsQBZaQDApmksCdJgSIG_TgkDv_lGSTLqmO3ti0Z597vOuD55XY/s320/+IMG_1157.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-92134592107900953152012-05-24T15:42:00.000-07:002012-05-24T15:42:18.105-07:00The Sad Truth About Our Industrialized Food SystemI find it incomprehensible how institutions like schoools, hospitals and nursing homes have become the lowest rung of importance in our industrialized food system. I don't know if any of you have had the occasion of late to experience any of the foods served at any of these institutions but the situation is atrocious. <br />
<br />
Many of you know that I have spent some time working with children and doing cooking demos at schools trying to educate kids on the benefits of healthy eating. Part of that was inspired by the likes of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, part by the White House Let's Move initiative, but basically I was motivated to try to connect with kids and show them that healthy doesn't necessarily mean yucky. Believe it or not, kids are much more open minded than we think they are. If you give them the opportunity to try new things, they are quite receptive. That being said, when you see what they are actually being fed by school cafeterias, it is incredibly disheartening. All the education and encouragement in the world won't be worth a darn thing if they continue serving the slop they do in schools. <br />
<br />
Many kids in this country only have 2 meals a day and they are the 2 that they get for free at school. When all they are being fed is fried, fatty, white starches and processed, pre-packaged frankenfoods it is no wonder that we are suffering from an epidemic of obesity amongst school aged children. It is absolutely disgusting. <br />
<br />
However, if you think schools are bad, nursing homes are even worse. About a month and a half ago my grandmother had to be admitted to a nursing home and I frequently had occasion to visit her during meal times. A sampling of the "food" she has been fed that supposedly meets some kind of minimal nutritional requirement includes items like cheetos, white bread, mashed potatoes from a box, chocolate cookies, chocolate or strawberry milk, sloppy joes and mystery meat I have yet to identify as having come from any particular animal. While I understand there are huge costs associated with running a nursing facility, many older individuals suffer from numerous dietary restrictions associated with everything from diabetes to heart problems to diverticulitis to acid reflux. You can't tell me that these foods qualify as healthy for those individuals. Heck, I don't think they qualify as healthy for even a younger individual without any health problems. <br />
<br />
And last week, when I was in the hospital after what I'd call moderately invasive surgery, the items offered to me for meals included hamburgers, pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, cake, cookies, flavored milk, veggies with ranch dressing and JELLO. When I asked the gentleman if they had yogurt, I was promptly told that never in the years that he has been working at that hospital has anyone ever asked for or been served yogurt. I was mortified. <br />
<br />
What has to occur in the history of an industrialized food system that places such little value on the most vulnerable members of the population? I understand the food lobby is huge and I get that food manufacturers are being paid government subsidies to provide these institutions with cheap food in abundance, but why do we stand for it?? Are we so desensitized to what good food is that we actually believe that this kind of food is healthy or even remotely nutritious?? <br />
<br />
It makes sense that kids are not standing up for something better because they don't know any better, but their parents should be angered by what they are being fed. And the adult children of those who are in nursing homes should be even more insensed by what their parents are being fed. What's more is that any patient who has ever been in a hospital should be outraged by the offerings they are being given when they are at their most fragile. I don't know about you but for me, it's not ok. Something has to be done. I don't believe that the system cannot be changed by a few people. If one person gets another person to speak up against this kind of atrocity, eventually we'll have an army of folks speaking out against what I think is the deliberate poisoning of a vast segment of our population. We have to realize at some point that what we put into our bodies in the form of food is as important if not more important than any kind of medication you might be prescribed. We have to get back to a society where food is real, not synthetic. Respected, not abused. It's time for us all to wake up and smell the coffee before it's too late.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-78469388327141088742012-05-03T07:29:00.000-07:002012-05-03T07:29:12.143-07:00Dear Mr. Comedien<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dear Mr. Comedian<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A couple of weeks ago we were watching comedian Bill Engvall
do stand-up and he came to a section where he was ranting about his awful
experience at a bed and breakfast. While obviously he was going for a laugh, he
proceeded to outline a list of stereotypes about bed and breakfasts that we as
innkeepers fight to debunk constantly. As a result, I felt compelled to write a
letter to him. Here it is. Enjoy. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dear Mr. Bill Engvall. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My husband and I are big fans. We happened to catch one of
your stand-up routines recently where you were describing your terrible
experience at a bed and breakfast your wife dragged you to. As innkeepers, we
felt the need to share a few things with you about bnb’s that you may have not
realized. Gone are the days of the home stays where you are surrounded by lace
and “antiques” that are more what I’d call old stuff rather than something
expensive and historical. Here to stay are properties that want to compete with
the top luxury hotels in the world, pampering you in every possible way they
can think of. High tech amenities like wi-fi, satellite tv, vast movie libraries
and innkeepers who Tweet, Post on Facebook, Pin and make cool videos on Youtube
are the new norm. But let me be more specific and address some of your unique
qualms.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">First, shared bathrooms. While shared bathrooms were common
in bnb’s when they first hit the scene, most American bnb’s know that people do
not enjoy sharing and most have en suite private baths. Not only that, many
offer upgrades like Jacuzzi tubs, heated floors/towel racks, signature spa
quality toiletries, fluffy robes, soft water and super fluffy towels. That way
you don’t have to worry about who is going to “smell” after you and you won’t
have to worry about running into anyone in the hall in the middle of the night
in your skivvies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Second, hard mattresses and uncomfortable bedding. I can
assure you that the bedding/mattress industry for bnb’s is big business. Not a
conference goes by where numerous vendors don’t appear with the highest quality
sheets and newest upgrades in pillows and mattresses. In fact, most bnb’s have
upgraded pillow top mattresses that would rival any high end hotel. Sheets are
so satiny it is like sleeping on an Indian sari and pillows have been designed
to be snore resistant, sweat resistant, crick in the neck resistant, stain
resistant, bug resistant and practically perfect in every way like Mary
Poppins.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Third, frou frou breakfasts that you have to eat with a
bunch of other people you don’t know. Now, as a bnb that specializes in gourmet
food, I’m not going to feed you foams on a cloud of egg dust with essence of
bacon. I’m going to feed you a hearty yet elegant breakfast that you will feel
satiated by and will fuel you for a day of whatever it is you might want to do.
And while you can opt to enjoy a meal with others at the bnb, if you make it
known you are interested in dining privately, most inns will make it happen. We
don’t require you to become best friends with the couple in the room next door
as part of the inn’s rules.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, area attractions that are less than attractive.
Believe it or not, if you inquire about activities with the innkeepers of any
bnb, they will give you a long list of many different kinds of activities
geared toward almost any taste. Mancations are big business and if you are
looking for fishing, beer, golf or something that doesn’t involve antiques and
girly shopping, it’s out there no problem. You just have to ask. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So my point is give bnb’s a chance. I know that in the past
things were a little different. But to quote the Professional Association of
Innkeepers International bnb’s are the “Better Way to Stay.” Each is unique.
Exploring them is exciting and an opportunity to experience intimately the best
there is to see of any given area. So please Mr. Engvall, please come stay with
us. Let us pamper you and change your mind for good about how great bnb’s can
really be. And maybe if we succeed we could score a couple of tix to your next
show? Wink wink. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sincerely, </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Monika and Jeff Sudakov, Innkeepers</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chestnut Street Inn</span></div>
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Courtesy of the Bureau County RepublicanAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-46063136479604407362012-04-16T10:02:00.000-07:002012-04-16T10:02:03.983-07:00Happy National Eggs Benedict Day!!!Today is National Eggs Benedict Day. Eggs Benedict is definitely one of my favorite breakfasts. I happen to love my eggs poached and still runny. The creamy yolks to quote the movie Julie and Julia are like "cheese sauce." I do get bored with the traditional version however so I started messing around with the recipe and came up with the following. I served it about a month or so ago. The only thing traditional about it was the poached eggs and the Hollandaise Sauce. <br />
<br />
A quick note about poaching eggs. You can poach them the old fashioned way in a pot of gently simmering water with a hint of vinegar in it, but that can be really tricky and very time consuming. My preference is to use an egg poaching pan, which you can get at most high end kitchen supply stores. It makes perfect little poached eggs that are all uniform in shape and size. To keep eggs warm if you plan on doing a bunch of them, place the poached eggs in a bowl of warm water until you are ready to serve. This keeps them warm, but stops the cooking process so they don't get overdone. <br />
<br />
Also, I'm a Hollandaise Sauce snob. There is no place for a packaged mix of Hollandaise in my book, especially because many of the packaged mixes are not gluten free and have numerous fillers in them including a ton of sodium. It is extremely easy to make and nothing replaces the real thing. I use good quality cage free eggs that I know are fresh so there is no concern about salmonella. <br />
<br />
<strong><u>Eggs Benedict a la Crab Louie</u></strong><br />
<br />
Crab Louie is a sauce made with crab, asparagus and Hollandaise that often goes over a filet or a chicken breast. In this case I decided to put it over my poached eggs for a new and improved version of Eggs Benedict. If you do not like crab or have an allergy, just do the roasted asparagus with the Hollandaise and skip the crab part. Instead of english muffins I use home baked rolls which are much heartier and absorb the creamy eggs and sauce really well. <br />
<br />
<strong>Rolls</strong><br />
<br />
Yields: 10 Servings<br />
<br />
3 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour<br />
6 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil<br />
1 tsp Kosher Salt<br />
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp granulated Sugar<br />
2 tsps Yeast<br />
1 1/2 cups water (110 degrees)<br />
<br />
Place yeast, 1 tsp sugar and lukewarm water in a large bowl. Make sure the water is at the proper temperature or the yeast will not be activated properly. Allow to stand in a warm place for 10 minutes or until the yeast becomes frothy. Add salt, sugar, oil and flour and knead until the dough is smooth and not sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to proof for 2 hours in a warm place. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray or more oil and divide the dough into 10 equally sized rolls. Allow to proof for an additional hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 20 mins. Allow to cool completely before using. <br />
<br />
<strong>Hollandaise Sauce</strong><br />
<br />
Yields: Approx. 8 Servings<br />
<br />
3 Egg Yolks<br />
8 Tbl Unsalted Butter, Melted<br />
Pinch Kosher Salt<br />
Pinch Freshly Grated Nutmeg<br />
Pinch Freshly Ground Pepper<br />
1 tbl Lemon Juice<br />
1 tbl water<br />
<br />
Place egg yolks, water, lemon juice, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large measuring cup. Puree with an immersion blender. Slowly add hot melted butter, pureeing with immersion blender until the sauce is light golden yellow and thick. If sauce begins to separate, simply reblend. <br />
<br />
<strong>Asparagus</strong><br />
<br />
Yields: Approx. 8 Servings<br />
<br />
1 lb asparagus, trimmed<br />
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper<br />
2 tbl White Truffle Oil<br />
<br />
Place asparagus on baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Place in a 375 degree oven for approx. 15 mins or until the asparagus are just cooked through, but still crisp. <br />
<br />
<strong>To Assemble:</strong> <br />
<br />
Yields: 8 Servings<br />
<br />
8 Rolls, halved and toasted (I cut off the very top of the roll to make it level so it doesn't tip over)<br />
1 lb roasted asparagus<br />
8 oz lump crab meat (You can get this in a can or in vacuum sealed pouches), room temperature<br />
4 large beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 16 thick slices<br />
1 batch Hollandaise Sauce<br />
16 Poached Farm Fresh Eggs<br />
<br />
Place one roll on each plate. Top each half with tomato slice, then asparagus, then poached eggs, then garnish with crab meat and finally a dollop of Hollandaise sauce. Garnish with a dash of Paprika. Serve with fruit, bacon or sausage and/or greens tossed in a light vinaigrette. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-76581596091584538072012-03-26T09:05:00.000-07:002012-03-26T09:05:32.441-07:00Spinach: It Isn't Just for Popeye<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today is National Spinach Day so I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite spinach recipes. Spinach isn't just good for you, it is delicious. I happen to love it both raw and cooked. The key with cooking spinach is to always add just a hint of freshly grated nutmeg. It adds a bit of that je ne sais quoi. I am a bit of a spinach snob though. I don't really like frozen spinach and I definitely will not buy that mushy stuff they call spinach in a can. I like fresh baby spinach leaves that I can either get at the store or even better straight from the farm. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette</span></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yields: 6 Servings<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 eggs</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">2
lbs</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> baby spinach leaves</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp sugar</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">6 Tbls Apple Cider Vinegar</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pinch Salt & pepper</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Sliced Shallots</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Cloves Garlic minced</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">8 slices </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">thick cut applewood smoked </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">bacon</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Place eggs in saucepan and cover with water
and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 mins. Rinse under cold
water and let cool. Peel and cut egg into slices with an egg slicer. Chop bacon
into smaller pieces and cook in a sauté pan until crisp. Remove bacon from pan
and drain on paper towels. Do not discard the bacon fat. Combine vinegar with
sugar, salt & pepper. Saute shallots in bacon fat until light golden. Add
garlic and cook for one minute until the garlic begins to exude its aroma. Add
vinegar/sugar mix and bring to a boil. Cook for one minute and remove from
heat. Pour hot dressing over spinach leaves and toss quickly so the leaves do
not wilt. Serve with egg slices and a sprinkle of the cooked bacon bits. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <img height="212" id="il_fi" src="http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/fresh-spinach.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="320" /></span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div style="mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Creamed Spinach<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Yields: 4 Servings</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 lbs spinach, thick stems removed</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 shallots, sliced</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2-3 garlic cloves, minced</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Tbl unsalted butter</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pinch Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;">
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pinch Nutmeg<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="color: black;">1 Tbl AP Flour</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">¼ cup Heavy Cream</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div style="mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Heat butter and oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat.
Add shallot and sauté until softened. Add garlic and sauté one minute or until
fragrant. Add spinach and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook uncovered
until the spinach has wilted and all the liquid has evaporated. Add flour and
sauté for a couple of minutes to cook the rawness out of the flour. Add cream
and bring to a simmer. Add parmesan and heat through to melt. Adjust seasoning
to taste.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-9176978356716910572012-03-17T10:28:00.002-07:002012-03-20T08:45:54.463-07:00Messing Around<span style="font-family: inherit;">
I am often asked by guests staying or dining with us if specific recipes are in my cookbook and often my answer is "kind of." Not a good answer I suppose but an honest one. I view recipes as guidelines that can be deviated from and played with. So I usually get a basic recipe that works, write it down and then mess around with it. I guess you could say I get easily bored or you could say that I like to be creative in the kitchen. Either way, the result is that I never make a recipe the same exact way twice. </span><br />
<br />
Part of this involves availability of ingredients and what is fresh. Because I like to support local organic farms I often base my specific recipe on any given day on what I can get from those farms. While a recipe may call for spinach, if the farm has kale or arugula, I'll use it and find a way to make it work. Keeps things fresh and keeps me on my toes. <br />
<br />
The other part of it is that I like to keep things new for repeat guests. We do get a lot of repeat guests and I want to keep them coming back for different and exciting things. If it is the same every time, they will get bored, so this is my opportunity to keep them guessing and keep them coming back for more. <br />
<br />
With that in mind, this last weekend I happened to have a group of regulars coming for a special dinner party for their co-workers. I had served sausage stuffed mushrooms many times for them and others and I love my recipe but I felt like tweaking a bit. So I shook things up a bit and came up with a new version. I wouldn't necessarily say improved, just slightly different. I'll continue making both versions as they are both quite popular. Here are both recipes. Try them both, play with them and remember, keep it fresh. One of the safest places to try something new is in the kitchen. The worst that could happen is that you may not like something, but don't let that stop your creativity. Your taste buds will appreciate you. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yields: 12 Servings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">24 Stuffing Mushrooms (Stems
removed and peeled)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">¼ cup vermouth or sherry</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 pound Italian Sausage
(Casings Removed)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Tbl Italian Seasoning</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 8 oz package cream cheese
(Room Temperature)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup grated parmesan
cheese plus 2-3 tbls for sprinkling over top of mushrooms</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp Worcestershire sauce</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pinch salt & Pepper</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsps garlic powder</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 egg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Begin by browning the sausage with some Italian
seasoning in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for approx. 10 minutes or
until no pink remains. If the sausage is very fatty, drain before assembling.
If the sausage is only a little fatty, keep the juices as they will keep the
mushrooms moist. Cool filling completely before assembling mushrooms. Place
mushroom caps in a greased casserole and sprinkle with vermouth or sherry.
Combine sausage with cream cheese, parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt,
pepper, garlic powder and egg. Make sure the filling is well combined. It is
easiest to use your hands for this process. Fill each mushroom cap with approx.
1 Tbl filling until all the filling has been utilized. Sprinkle each cap with
more grated parmesan. Place mushrooms in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake
approx. 25 mins or until the tops begin to turn golden. Serve hot.</span></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdh4HnvZE-YCZT8h04t8u496B_bGvd4rKxRAiryOsfP0KUVXl9UV2ObF9P_xQY8vrtXOP2ybj1iw0GBYzJUgAzk1IWJw3-5APzanhJW9O9KeFpfYazCbPTNoUO5fS-VGDL8XnY3QNNEr_-/s1600/Sausage+Mush+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdh4HnvZE-YCZT8h04t8u496B_bGvd4rKxRAiryOsfP0KUVXl9UV2ObF9P_xQY8vrtXOP2ybj1iw0GBYzJUgAzk1IWJw3-5APzanhJW9O9KeFpfYazCbPTNoUO5fS-VGDL8XnY3QNNEr_-/s320/Sausage+Mush+1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Revised Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms</span></u></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yields: 12 Servings</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 lb bulk sausage</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 onion, minced</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 garlic cloves, minced</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 small sweet peppers, minced</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsps truffle oil</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Tbl Herbes de Provence</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 cup dry sherry</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pinch freshly grated nutmeg</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pinch Freshly Ground Pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp anchovy paste</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">8 oz mascarpone</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Tbl chopped italian parsley</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Tbl chopped cilantro</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 egg</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">24 stuffer mushrooms, stems removed and peeled</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Place mushrooms on baking sheet. Place sausage in saute pan and begin browning over medium high heat. Add onion and continue sauteeing until tender, approx. 5 mins. Add garlic and heat for one minute or until fragrant. Add peppers, truffle oil, herbes de provence, anchovy paste, nutmeg, pepper and wine. Cook until all the liquid has evaporated and the sausage is cooked through. Add parsley and cilantro and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Allow to cool completely. Add mascarpone and parmesan cheeses as well as egg and combine well. Fill each mushroom cap generously. Bake at 375 degrees for approx. 15-20 mins or until the filling is golden brown on top. Serve garnished with a little balsamic reduction.</span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN97Ux3PKXstxxFf2wSRMucEx1GjDqe8hPf9V_prUNVMoqVnIsSiur1W7GOZjyDmDZuz7vfTn2akY-LgUG2GEYUHzyF8fk7GHsRN7lFfm3QUMp9h5xmg7CLrWeZkgHWXo_WWT-519HJHSu/s1600/Sausage+Mush+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN97Ux3PKXstxxFf2wSRMucEx1GjDqe8hPf9V_prUNVMoqVnIsSiur1W7GOZjyDmDZuz7vfTn2akY-LgUG2GEYUHzyF8fk7GHsRN7lFfm3QUMp9h5xmg7CLrWeZkgHWXo_WWT-519HJHSu/s320/Sausage+Mush+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-41424954446907628842012-03-12T11:29:00.000-07:002012-03-12T11:29:51.412-07:00Celebrating St. Patrick's DaySaint Patrick was considered to be the person who brought Christianity to Ireland. Much mythology surrounds the life of Saint Patrick, including his description of the Holy Trinity using the three leaves of the Irish clover or shamrock. He is purported to have died on March 17, 461, which is the day chosen to commemmorate his life. The holiday has been celebrated by the Irish as a feasting day for over 1000 years, but ironically the first St. Patrick's Day parade was held by Irish Americans in New York in the late 1700's. Since then, Irish and non-Irish alike have adopted the holiday and the traditional corned beef and cabbage and green beer have become a favorite in households across the US. <br />
<br />
I myself am not Irish, although many think that with my red hair I am, but I have come to appreciate the food traditions of the holiday and enjoy the festivities. As such, every year at the Chestnut Street Inn we put together a special menu honoring the occasion. This year, we are deviating from the traditional corned beef and cabbage with an Irish Stew. We also always include a good beer and cheese soup and dessert often includes Irish Cream liqueur. Here are a couple of my favorite recipes. <br />
<br />
<span lang="EN"><strong><u>Beer and Cheese Soup</u></strong><br />
</span><br />
Yields: Approx. 8 Servings<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
3 Slices Applewood Smoked Bacon, cut into chunks<br />
1 onion, diced<br />
3-4 garlic cloves, minced<br />
2 carrots, peeled and diced<br />
2 celery stalks, diced<br />
2 lg Russett or Kennebec potatoes, peeled and diced<br />
Pinch Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper<br />
1 Tsp Smoked Hot Hungarian Paprika<br />
2 Bay Leaves<br />
2 Tbls Herbes de Provence<br />
1 Bottle Beer (Stout or Ale)<br />
4 Cups Kitchen Basics or Pacifica Chicken Broth<br />
½-3/4 Cup Daisy Sour Cream<br />
1 Cup Aged Irish or English Cheddar Cheese, grated<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Cook bacon in a medium stock pot over medium heat. Remove to paper towels to allow to drain. Add onion to bacon fat and sauté until translucent, approx. 5 mins. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant approx. one minute. Add carrots, celery and potato and sauté for an additional couple of minutes. Add spices and heat for one minute. Add beer. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, until all the liquid has evaporated. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low for 45 mins. Remove bay leaves and puree with an immersion blender. Add sour cream and cheese and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with reserved bacon pieces and a dollop of homemade crème fraiche.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<span lang="EN"><strong><u>Irish Stew</u></strong></span><br />
<br />
<br />
Yields: Approx. 8-10 Servings<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
2 1/2 lbs Beef Stew Meat<br />
2 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil<br />
1 lg onion, diced<br />
2-3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 lb baby carrots<br />
1 lb frozen pearl onions, thawed<br />
2 lbs baby red potatoes or dutch potatoes, washed<br />
4 cups beef broth<br />
Pinch Kosher Salt and Freshly ground pepper<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
2 Tbl Herbes de Provence<br />
3-4 Tbl all purpose flour<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Place olive oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Add beef and cook for approx. 5 mins to brown. Add onion and sauté for 5 mins until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for one minute until fragrant. Add carrots, onions and potatoes and season with salt, pepper, bay leaves and Herbes de Provence. Add flour and stir for approx. one minute to cook through. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for approx. 2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if needed. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with Daisy Sour Cream.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-22170916503578635232012-03-02T13:24:00.001-08:002012-03-02T13:24:30.066-08:00You May Not Care Where Your Food Comes From But I DoIt's no secret that I am passionate about food. Specifically, locally grown food. I make it a point to go out and purchase it and carefully prepare it for my guests to eat. I'm not shy about advertising it because it is something I believe in and I have found that in general guests appreciate my passion. So it came as quite a surprise last weekend when a guest who was dining with us seemed less than enthusiastic about the fact that I support local farms and serve their food. When I explained that my greens came from Indian Trails Farm in Kewanee, the butternut squash and sweet potatoes from Coneflower Farm in Tiskilwa and the eggs and meat from Meadow Haven Farm here in Sheffield, I expected the usual response, which generally is curiosity, enthusiasm and support. This gentleman said very loudly in front of an entire roomful of guests "I don't care. That does nothing for me." I could feel the others in the room sink into their chairs in a sense of deflation. And I wanted to go hide in the kitchen. Instead, I said something to the effect of "That's too bad because you are an organic being and you should care about what you are putting into your body." Perhaps a bit rude, but I felt the need to not only justify what I do but also to stand up for the farms that work so hard to grow nutritious and delicious organic foods for me to serve. <br />
<br />
So as I say, while certain guests may not care what they put into their bodies, I do. When they dine at my restaurant I am responsible for what they eat and I take that responsibility extremely seriously. Yes, taste is the number one priority, but quality is a close second. I want to provide the freshest, most nutritious food possible whenever I can as the seasons allow. This involves several things in my eyes. First, the food should not travel thousands of miles to get to me. It should be fresh and that inherently means it cannot spend days on a semi making it's way into a grocery store where it will sit on a shelf for days before making its way onto the table. And let's be honest, I know this isn't always possible, particularly in the winter. But, some things are available year round and I can be discriminatory in terms of reading labels on foods at the grocery store and select those that have travelled the least to get to me. Secondly, I want to know how that food was grown and where it came from. I don't want to provide food that came from a foreign country where I cannot guarantee the growing practices were as regulated as they are in this country. I also want to know that when the chicken and eggs say they are free range, those chickens indeed spent time roaming the outdoors, soaking in the sunlight and didn't simply have the opportunity to go outside via one small door attached to their coop. Third, I cook from scratch as much as possible, avoiding processed foods that contain ingredients I cannot pronounce and don't recognize. <br />
<br />
Supporting local farms isn't just a matter of quality and taste either. It is a matter of economics. I want to support Americans, but more specifically, I want to support those who are within my immediate community. Spending money locally directly benefits my local community. It keeps those dollars within our area. I can directly see the results of my relationship with those farmers in the form of say improvements they make on their farms, sending their kids to college or helping them pay for their health care. Locavorism isn't some idealistic hippie notion that only those in a commune appreciate, it is the wave of the future. Small businesses thrive when those in their communities step up and support them. They do not thrive on multi-national ad campaigns and big corporations. Our future depends upon these kinds of businesses making a go of it and being successful within their communities. <br />
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And finally, a statistic that I once heard that always sticks with me. Americans in general spend approximately 5% of their expendable incomes on food and about 25% on pharmaceuticals. These numbers are reversed in Europe where they spend approximately 25% on food and only 5% on pharmaceuticals. Europeans see the value in respecting the notion of "You Are What You Eat." This isn't just a catchy phrase. This is a motto to live by. What you put into your body has a direct correlation with what your body puts out. Eating natural, high quality food is like putting premium fuel into a car. It functions better, lasts longer and requires less care. I practice what I preach with my own body and I believe that by feeding my guests locally and naturally I am in some way nourishing their bodies, although I do give my car regular gas. Hospitality doesn't just mean being nice in my book, it means caring about my guests and feeding them the best possible quality food I can find. That's my philosophy and I'm sticking to it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.meadowhavenfarm.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjry3EYMMa_LNeP4GNNANfPLm431wHG1WB0Jg2buYOsxyV3shIGzqjIM4iMH9Xbh2apGvTlINyBCK2pArJOQ3ZJrPZGwdUT5e0OYNpFMV58ETykBu5sZx3AN2_pmEgW1xs3ZPnfsMp9uuF3/s640/Grass+Fed+Beef.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-21913227318173402712012-02-23T10:53:00.000-08:002012-02-23T10:54:21.718-08:00Is Gluten Free Healthier for Everyone??<div style="text-align: center;">
Yesterday I appeared on Paula Sands Live! and she asked me point blank should someone who doesn't have a gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease eat a gluten free diet. The short answer I gave her is no. The long answer requires a little more discussion. While eating a completely gluten free menu isn't going to harm you, if you don't need to eat gluten free, you shouldn't go out of your way to do so. The bottom line is that in recent years Gluten Free has become somewhat of a fad diet and many people are jumping on the band wagon without proper diagnosis, without a gluten sensitivity or intolerance and without considering the long term health benefits/detriments. </div>
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1 in approximately 133 individuals is affected with Celiac Disease. Celiac disease is defined as someone who cannot tolerate gluten. The gluten attacks the villi in their small intestine, which are the small hairlike protrusions that actually help to absorb nutrients, causing them to shrivel up and thus instigating a host of medical ailments ranging from gastro-intestinal problems to iron deficiencies to skin rashes to migraines. These individuals when taken off of a diet including gluten can regrow the villi and resume a normal life sans symptoms. </div>
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Wheat allergies, intolerances and sensitivities are not necessarily related to Celiac disease but are legitimate allergies nonetheless which also require an individual to remain on a gluten free diet. Symptoms again can range from mild skin irritations and stomach discomfort to full anaphylaxis. The bottom line is, the need to live gluten free exists. BUT, that being said, many believe that eating gluten free is somehow healthier for you. They equate gluten free with low fat, low carb, low glycemic or low sugar. This is often not the case. Many of the carbohydrates that are often included in a gluten free diet, i.e. rice, potatoes and corn, can often be higher in starches and sugars than flour and may in fact cause weight gain, not loss. </div>
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There is also a significant problem with many gluten free products that are being marketed to consumers. Gluten free is big business and many manufacturers see it as an opportunity to make money. While these products may be gluten free, they are not made with your overall health and wellness in mind. If you actively read labels you'll notice that often pre-packaged gluten free foods and snacks are actually quite high in fat, sugar, sodium and carbohydrates as well as a host of other ingredients that are included to create a certain mouth feel or texture people associate with like products with gluten in them. You might not get sick, but you may in fact create a myriad of other problems by eating these products like hypertension, diabetes and obesity. </div>
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I think the rule of thumb is that you should not self diagnose. You should consult a medical practitioner to determine if you have a legitimate allergy or Celiac disease before restricting anything from your diet. A simple blood test is needed to identify if you have a preponderance toward Celiac Disease, after which an endoscopy or biopsy may be performed to confirm the disease. One quick note: if you have already begun eating gluten free, you may test with a false negative even if you have it. You must be consuming gluten for the test to be accurate. As far as a wheat/gluten allergy, intolerance or sensitivity, there are various skin prick tests that can be performed to confirm such an allergy, but often a doctor will recommend you do an elimination diet to test your sensitivity to wheat or gluten. </div>
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Eating gluten free is not a diet plan. Case in point. Last year I attended a fairly well known Gluten Free Expo where a registered dietition was appearing as an expert in eating gluten free. The dietition was well over what I consider to be a healthy weight and if indeed she was practicing what she preaches, she was the poster child for the fact that consuming gluten free foods without need or without consideration of overall health and wellness will not make you lose weight. If you think you are doing something good for you by eating an entire bag of gluten free pretzels over the non gluten free ones because you think they won't make you gain weight, think again. Ultimately you have to read labels, know your body and know that there is no miracle short cut to losing weight, especially not a gluten free one. I always say, moderation is key, exercise is a must and knowledge about what you are putting into your body is necessary. Disappointing I know, but if it sounds too good to be true, it is, especially when it comes to losing weight. </div>
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Chef Monika is the author of "Let's Party: Gluten Free Entertaining for Everyone"</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYzkyi26HwNsshUFHD4349LW29KxCrrN1zwQUL3644iIb-wuuM629Kk69xXWwRBRNQS_HKMveKIyTbmGDm5pKAkVwg-Mh0iebvamgGcCHrKm7q1RJpkjHEJNeVOYZE3ItOkMyN9Ql7mVe/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYzkyi26HwNsshUFHD4349LW29KxCrrN1zwQUL3644iIb-wuuM629Kk69xXWwRBRNQS_HKMveKIyTbmGDm5pKAkVwg-Mh0iebvamgGcCHrKm7q1RJpkjHEJNeVOYZE3ItOkMyN9Ql7mVe/s320/cover.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-17023939381149345152012-02-19T13:03:00.000-08:002012-02-19T13:03:30.233-08:00Messing with Mushrooms<div style="text-align: center;">
Portabello mushrooms are one of my favorite vegetables. They can be stuffed, grilled, roasted, sauteed, you name it. They are incredibly versatile. I happen to love them in practically anything but they are particularly great as a meat substitute because of their uniquely robust umami flavor. Unfortunately I find that many people say they hate mushrooms. My theory on this is that they have never had them prepared properly. The biggest complaint tends to be texture and when they are treated with care, this mushy quality can easily be avoided. </div>
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First, take the mushroom and remove the stem. This is where most of the dirt resides and they are hard and woody anyway. If you happen to be making soup, clean them well with a damp cloth and you can use them in the stock for the soup. Otherwise, I simply discard them. </div>
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Next, peel the mushroom. As you can see there is a flap on the inside of the mushroom cap after the stem is removed that you can easily grab onto and pull the skin away. This step provides a double whammy. One, it removes the outer layer where there may be dirt and residue. Two, it helps to eliminate one layer of mush and leaves the mostly meaty layer of just the flesh of the mushroom. If you are still concerned about any remaining dirt, you can wipe the mushroom with a slightly damp cloth but DO NOT submerge the mushroom in water. Mushrooms become water logged very easily and then you really have mushy mushrooms. Note: This procedure applies to any mushroom. I always peel them. </div>
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Third step, scoop out the gills of the mushroom. This is mostly unique to portabellos and some larger mushrooms that have very pronounced gills. To me they have a distinct dirty taste and I just prefer them to be removed. I use a teaspoon and gently scoop away until most of the gills are gone and you have a clean surface to work with. I find this step particularly important when you are stuffing the mushrooms. The gills muddle the flavor of the stuffing you use and again, make the final product rather mushy.</div>
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That's it! You now have a clean, great textured mushroom to work with. From this point, grill, roast, saute, stuff, soup or whatever you'd like away! What I did with it this weekend was to grill it for a Vegetable Napoleon with Garlic Aioli, Capicola Crisp and Parmesan Tuile. Here's the Recipe:</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While a Napoleon is historically a pastry filled with custard,
I developed this recipe as a play on words. The grilled vegetables act as the
pastry layers and the aioli as the custard. It is a wonderful salad course that
you can use as an alternative to a caprese salad in the fall or winter when
tomatoes aren’t exactly ripe. It also has spectacular stage presence. Just a
lovely presentation that always impresses guests. </span><b><u><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></o:p></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yields: 4 Servings</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">4 Portabella Mushrooms, stems removed, peeled and gills cleaned out</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 Large Red Bell Pepper, Seeds Removed and Cut Into 4 Slices</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 Small Red Onion, Cut into 4-1/4” thick slices</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 Small Eggplant, Cut into 4-1/2” thick slices</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 tbl extra virgin olive oil, for grilling</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">4 Slices Capicola or Sopressata</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 Head Garlic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 Tbl extra virgin Olive Oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ cup Hellmann’s Mayonnaise</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 Tbl Whole Milk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pinch Salt and Pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ cup Balsamic Vinegar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup shredded parmesan cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the balsamic reduction: Place balsamic vinegar in a
small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered until the vinegar has
reduced by 2/3. Cool. </span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the Capicola or Sopressata Crisps: Place on a baking sheet and bake in
a 350 degree oven approx. 10 mins or until crispy like bacon. Cool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the Parmesan Tuiles: Divide parmesan into 4 equal
piles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in a 350 degree oven
for approx. 10-15 mins or until the parmesan has melted and become crispy.
Cool.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the Roasted Garlic Aioli: Remove any of the outside
paper of the garlic as possible. Place on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle
liberally with olive oil. Seal foil tightly and place on a baking sheet. Bake
in a 350 degree oven for approx. 1 hr. Cool. Squeeze all the roasted garlic out
of the head into a bowl and combine with the mayonnaise, milk and a pinch of
salt and pepper. Chill. </span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the veggies: Brush liberally with olive oil and place on either indoor or outdoor grill until grill marks form and the veggies are cooked just al dente. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To assemble napoleon: Place eggplant on the bottom, red
onion next, portabella mushroom next and top with the grilled bell peppers. Top
each napoleon with about a Tablespoon of the garlic aioli. Drizzle the balsamic
reduction around the napoleon and garnish with one sopressata crisp and one
parmesan tuile. Serve immediately.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162001163575318508.post-39839058022038028502012-01-27T14:57:00.000-08:002012-01-27T14:57:41.077-08:00Vacuums SuckI say that with utmost respect for what they do assuming they are utilized in the proper fashion, but there have been numerous occasions where they simply did not do what they were supposed to. And did you know that while they may suck up dirt, they can also blow it around? I found that out the hard way.
My first discovery of the dysfunction of the vacuum was on the occasion where 20 lbs of rice toppled onto the floor. Initially I tried the broom but found that there was so much of it that I just wasn’t getting anywhere. So, I decided to try the vacuum. Needless to say, all it did was push the rice around in circles and eventually just clogged the machine up. So much for that. Back to square one with the broom and dust pan.
One would have thought that I learned my lesson regarding small grains the first time around, but when I dumped an entire bag of quinoa on the floor I decided to try the vacuum again. I have only one thing to say about that. Quinoa in its raw form is a lot like Styrofoam. It flies everywhere, sticks to everything and is so small you can’t see it half the time. In this particular case the dust pan wasn’t helping me much either so I had to resort to the mop. Once the little grains were wet, they stuck to the floor and then I could wipe them up with a damp cloth. This is a very major inconvenience when one is attempting to get dinner on the table by a specific time. I was only 15 minutes late that evening. I guess it could have been worse.
With that in mind, you would have suspected I would have learned the lesson from the second time around, but no, third time is the charm. The culprit? Sugar. I curse sugar. I was baking scones one morning for breakfast and somehow knocked the bag over. Before I noticed the waterfall of sugar granules slowly filling into a pool on the floor, about half the bag had dumped out. This time expletives were uttered and I quickly ran for, you guessed it, the vacuum. Jeff, who is the usual duster and vacuumer in the house, happened to be out for the morning so I decided to tackle it myself. I poised the vacuum over the pool of sugar and turned it on. What happened next was like something out of a horror movie made for chefs. The sugar blew everywhere. When I say everywhere, I don’t just mean all over the floor. It was on every counter top, in the burners on the stove, in every cabinet, EVERYWHERE. The more I tried to suck up the sugar, the more it blew around until finally there was sugar in the butler’s pantry, the basement, the entryway and making its way into the dining room. I literally stopped and plopped myself down on the floor practically in tears. I didn’t know how to stop the spreading and settle the dust. Right about that time Jeff walked in the door and started laughing at me uncontrollably. He found my sugar debacle quite amusing. I didn’t think it was particularly funny so I told him to clean it up. We ended up mopping again and wiping the wet sugar up and off every surface of the kitchen. I think the floor was sticky for about a week, even with repeated mopping.
So, like I say, vacuums suck. Use them wisely. For if they are used incorrectly, you may find yourself with a bigger mess on your hands than the one you were trying to clean up.
Courtesy of the Bureau County RepublicanAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04899657723970436716noreply@blogger.com0