Iron Chef Cat Cora has a Bun in the Oven

 photo by j-rod89

Celibrichef Cat Cora is one of our favorite Iron Chefs.  There was one battle in particular that she lost and I almost wrote a letter to Food Network because I thought she was robbed.  I've done it before.  I wrote them when they moved Good Eats out of the 11:30pm slot, thus ruining my "Hour of Power" of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11pm and following it with Alton Brown.  I didn't get a response.

Back to the subject at hand.  Cat Cora and her partner Jennifer are both pregnant, Cat is due three months later.  They have 2 children together, and according to Fox News, they are all from the same anonymous sperm donor and thus biologically related. 

To make things even more fun... Cat is carrying Jennifer's egg! Both women's embryos were implanted with Jennifer's current pregnancy so they don't know who the biological mother is, and they don't have plans to take a DNA test.  Cat tells OK! Magazine [via Cat's blog]  "[Jennifer] carried my embryo amd [sic] I carried hers. It’s like surrogating, but obviously all of our kids are equal.”

Well, "Good on ya Cat" - as they would say in Australia

Chicken Salad with Grapes

This got whipped up the other night after a long, stressful week.  Neither of us wanted to cook anything so we picked up some rolls and a pre-roasted whole chicken from the supermarket.  I went straight for the Dutch Crunch - she got the Ciabatta.

It got put together in a jiffy; it's healthy, scrumptious, and satisfying.  This is all we had for dinner and we were both satiated.  The grapes add a coolness, a novel texture, and some acidity.  The tiniest touch of curry powder is barley noticeable but brings a depth that would be lacking without it. 

Chicken Salad with Grapes - Recipe by Amy Koch

Filling

• 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (or pull them off a pre-roasted bird)
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped fine
• 4 green onions, sliced thin
• 1 cup of red grapes, quartered
• 2 Tablespoons chopped flat-leafed parsley

Dressing

• 1/2 cup sour cream, we used low-fat
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, we used low-fat
• 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• Salt & pepper to taste

Bring the filling together in one bowl.  Combine the ingredients for the dressing in another.  Fold the dressing into the dry filling.  Lightly toast some rolls, like Ciabatta or Dutch Crunch, add some mixed greens.  Enjoy.  

Is it Unhealthy to be a Supertaster?

It has been determined that a person's ability to detect either of two distinct chemicals phenylthiocarbamide (PTC), and propylthiouracil (PROP) - makes that person a "Supertaster."

I remember taking the test in Junior High School but I couldn't remember my results.  It was science class and we were discussing genetics.  The ability to taste these are the result of having a specific gene.

According to the Wiki:

"The bitter taste receptor gene TAS2R38 has been associated with the ability to taste PROP, and PTC, however it cannot completely explain the supertasting phenomenon.  Most estimates suggest 25% of the population are nontasters, 50% are medium tasters, and 25% are supertasters."

In their Introduction to their book, Genetic Variation in Taste Sensitivity (by John Prescott and Beverly J. Tepper) they tell the story how DuPont chemist A. L. Fox was synthesizing some PTC and some of it flew into the air.  A colleague commented in its bitter taste, which Fox had not noticed.  So it began... research into how genetics effect taste.

It is now pretty clear that Supertasters perceive bitterness (not just PTC and PROP) as much more bitter than the rest of us.  Specifically in foods like broccoli, grapefruit juice, coffee, and dark chocolate.  Also, other non-bitter flavors seem more intense, like alcohol, hot peppers, and ginger (via the NY Times).

When I first heard of Supertasters, I immediately thought I could be one.  I can taste cilantro in what are probably microscopic quantities.  I can taste my wife's face lotion if she takes a sip of my coffee.  I can taste other people's conditioner in the water if they are surfing near me (I know, it's gross).

I had to know.

It didn't take long to find supertastertest.com which is selling 2 Supertaster test strips for $4.95.  I ordered a pair.  They arrived within a few days in a little baggie (photo at top) and my wife and I put them on our tongues.  

They were bad, but not appalling.  From the description, I suppose we would be called "medium tasters."  Besides, I love coffee, dark chocolate, grapefruit, hot peppers, and ginger.  I would never make it as a Supertaster, I would be distraught.

More recent information; however, has revealed that being a Supertaster may not only take away the pleasure of many foods - but it might even be deleterious to your health.  It is theorized by a group at Yale Medical that because many of the foods that are aversive to Supertasters are nutrient-rich, they are not taking in as many cancer-fighting compounds.

Their research found a correlation between colon polyps and the ability to taste PROP.  The Abstract concludes with, "In the subset reporting vegetable intake, men who tasted PROP as more bitter consumed fewer vegetables. These preliminary findings suggest that taste genetics may influence colon cancer risk, possibly through intake of vegetables."

Life must be rough for a Supertaster, thank goodness I'm not one of them.

What We've Been Reading... 3/7/2009

• IngentaConnect Association Between 6-n-Propylthiouracil (PROP) Bitterness and Co...
• The Brooklyn Kitchen - Calendar Of Classes And Events
• Reali-Tea :: Food :: Philadelphia City Paper :: Philadelphia Arts, Restaurants, Music, Movies, Jobs, Classifieds, Blogs
• Eat Dessert, Save! | Wise Bread
• Chilled Mint Pea Soup - Recipe by Chef Erika Heinemann - Savvy Wine Food
• pccuisine.blogspot: Food Trends of '09
• Bulleit Bourbon Review | Liquor Snob - LiquorSnob.com
• Recipe: Beef tamale pie - Great Tastes - The Grand Rapids Press - MLive.com
• Spinach Salad with Dried Cranberries, Walnuts and Pomegranate Vinaigrette Recipe : Review : Robin Miller : Food Network
• How to Serve Chicken Cacciatore: Chicken Cacciatore Recipe | eHow.com
• Homemade Vinegar: Mother May I? | Sippity Sup
• The best apples for making pie | Baking Bites
• Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp Recipe : Ina Garten : Food Network
• Spork or Foon?: Broccoli and Arugula Soup
• Anti-Bitters (aka Bitter Blockers)

Guilty Pleasures

photo by dugglesworth

I was reading the Saveur Forums and someone posted the question, "Guilty Pleasures?  I was wondering what other people's secret and possibly scary food indulgences might be."

Intrigued, I read on... some I can relate with, others are disguising.  Nearly all of them are foods they had as children.  Here are some excerpts:

• "Peanut butter and Miracle Whip sandwich—on super soft white bread." 
• "I love to sip on the brine from a jar of capers." 
• "I love sliced cucumbers that have been soaked in a vinegar salt and onion brine on open faced peanut butter sandwiches.  I also love butter on slathered on saltine crackers and hot chocolate." 
• "Chocolate covered coffee beans dipped in Nutella" 
• "BUGLES.  Cheezos (only the crunchy kind).  Stinkin' Chef Boyardee pizza from a box." 
• "Spaghetti-O's with meatballs (no franks, please)" 
• "the hostess cupcake. You know the one with the white squiggle on it?" 
• "I get a ridiculous craving for a Big Mac once a year." 
• "A hostess twinkie, a small bag of cheetos (someone else said this one already) or an Entemann's honeybun (which has more fat grams than two big Macs by the way)." 
• "Bread (mostly Homemade) With Horseradish Mustard With Syrup To Top" 
• "noodles... Stir in some Campbell's tomato soup and top with Kraft parmesan (shaker cheese we used to call it)" 
• "When I was a kid, my sister and I used to enjoy sipping capfuls of vinegar. Malt vinegar was our favorite... We did the same with A-1 steak sauce. As an adult, my guilty pleasure is definitely circus peanuts... my oddly spongy treats." 
• "Guilty pleasure = Nutella off a spoon. Unusual childhood dish = Ricotta and Jelly on Toast." 
• "I was raised on this sandwich. At least twice a week for 18 years! Now I have gone all "classy" and have PB and Mayo. I still love it and it is fun to gross out your friends." 
• "I crave a peanutbutter sandwich with dill pickles. Or sometimes bread and butter pickles.  Or once a year or so I have to have Spaghetti-O's out of the can. I cannot abide them cooked, they smell like vomit and are too squishy." 
• "I have been known to take corn flakes and dip then in soft butter" 
• "Guys regular potato chips (not the waffle type), crushed, then placed between two pieces of squishy, insipid, white bread, which have been slathered with plain yellow mustard." 
• "Thinly sliced radishes, heavily salted, on buttered white bread."

My guilty pleasure?  An avocado, peanut butter and Vegemite sandwich.  Oh Lord!  My wife can barely even watch me eat one - but they're so good!  What are your guilty pleasures?

Bulleit Bourbon

I was recently introduced to a new bourbon (new to me) that had a little more kick to it than I'm used to... and I liked it.  That zing is attributed to the unusually high rye content, being around 30%.  I checked out their website and read their "Legend."

"In the 1830s, as a tavern keeper in Louisville, Kentucky, Augustus Bulleit set himself on a mission: to create a bourbon unique in flavor.  After countless small-batch trials, he came upon a bourbon with the character he had been seeking.  

While transporting barrels of his bourbon from Kentucky to New Orleans, Augustus Bulleit vanished. What happened to him is still unknown, and his creation could have passed into history as well.

But after more than a century, in 1987, his great-great -grandson Tom Bulleit stepped in. A lawyer by profession, Tom's lifelong dream had been to revive the family’s bourbon legacy, started more than 150 years ago."

I love stories like this.  It reminds me much of the history of Samuel Adams Lager and how Jim Koch dug up his great-great-grandfather's recipe for "Louis Koch Lager" -  developed in the 1860's.

There is a review for Bulleit on Liquor Snob that filled me in on some of the gaps in my bourbon knowledge:

"Although a common misconception is that all bourbon must come from Kentucky, actually bourbon can legally be made anywhere in America. However, it must be at least 51% corn and the rest of it wheat, rye or barley, plus it must be aged in new charred oak barrels."

My friend Colin Cook manages Bulleit for Southern Wine and Spirits who tells me:

"Bulleit Bourbon has really taken off in the city of San Francisco.  More cases of Bulleit are sold here than in LA and San Diego combined, due in large part by the “grass-roots”backing of the brand by the SF Bartenders Guild.  The now nationally famous “Bulleit Revolver” cocktail (conceived at Bourbon and Branch) helped put Bulleit Bourbon on the map too!"

Bulleit Revolver

                2 oz. Bulleit Bourbon

                ½ oz. of Tia Maria

                2 dashes of orange bitters

Cocktail is stirred over ice (not shaken!) then strained and served up with a flaming orange peel.

Update on 2009-03-28 20:28 by Dave Koch

 In their March 2009 issue (page 96), Food and Wine Magazine named Bulleit "Best Value Bourbon" at $36

Mario's Potty Mouth

At the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival last weekend Celebrichef Mario Batali dropped a couple of F'bombs into the crowd and made a minor stink.  Of course I wasn't there, with plates going for $1,000+, but I read about it on the NY Post.  The juiciest part of the whole scene?  

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain were there - and supposedly within earshot.

Presented by Food & Wine, hosted by Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida and Florida International University (FIU), "the festival benefits the Teaching Restaurant and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center, both located at FIU."

According to the same article Mario told The Post, "Well, I say the word 'mother[bleep]er' a lot."

Who cares?  Just because you're a King or a Queen, doesn't mean you don't drop your own F'bombs.  I know plenty of Queens who drop F'bombs...

Apples and Yogurt

Celebrichef Joanne Weir served this up to my wife for breakfast the other day and she whipped up some for me.  It is delicious and light, and at the same time satiating.  It only takes minutes to prepare and can keep you energized for hours.

Apples and Yogurt

• 1 apple per person
• 1 cup of plain yogurt (Greek-style is tasty)
• 1/4 cup of slivered almonds
• dusting of cinnamon to taste

Cut apples into bite sized pieces - preferably Pink Lady Apples which I describe as firm but not hard, and tart but not sour.  Add the yogurt and slivered almonds on top.  Dust with cinnamon.  Enjoy.

Interestingly enough the term "Pink Lady" is a registered Trademark of Apple and Pear Australia Limited.  The cultivar is the result of hybridizing the Golden Delicious and the Lady Williams and is experiencing a boom of sorts.   It was developed by John Cripps in the 1970's and read below how complicated the fruit industry has become... (from Wikipedia)

"The Cripps Pink variety is owned and licensed by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA), which has Plant Breeders' Rights in multiple countries.

The peak industry body for Australian apple and pear growers - Apple and Pear Australia Limted [sic] (APAL) - owns and manages globally the intellectual property in the trade mark PINK LADY^TM, which is registered in more than 70 countries.

Only the highest quality grade of apple can be sold under the trademark of PINK LADY^TM."

When they mention how only the highest quality grade can be sold as "Pink Lady" - according to Orange Pippin, 65% of annual production does not meet the standards and are then sold under the name Cripps Pink.  They are the same variety.

Clara's Depression Meals

If you haven't heard of Clara Cannucciari yet, you will, and likely in the near future.  She is a 93 year YOUNG great-grandmother from upstate New York.  Thanks to her grandson/filmmaker, Clara is a You Tube phenomenon and is completely en fuego right now.  With 10 videos, she has more than 800,000 views.

Maybe it's the economy that's driving her popularity.  She tells us:

"The winters, they were terrible.  And that's another thing.  We didn't have a refrigerator, so we used to put everything, bury it in the snow outside, that was our freezer.  Then we'd say, 'go get the meat, out near the fence, OK?' [she chuckles] That's sad.  I'm laughing, but it was sad... Everything was terrible, but we had good food."

She is so adorable:

"I've never used a cutting board.  We didn't have all the conveniences of a cutting board and stuff."

Here is one of her recipes; from Episodes 4 and 4.5:

Peppers & Eggs - "You can't have peppers and eggs without bread"

3 Bell Peppers, she uses yellow and red
4 eggs 

The recipe comes from her mother.  Clara says that, in high school, she once traded her 'Peppers and Eggs Sandwich' with a girl who handed her a Spaghetti Sandwich.  She says, "I was so disappointed.  Never again.  I'm not trading with anybody."

She continues:

"The bag would get all full of oil but everybody wanted our sandwiches.  Everybody would have a dry sandwich with salami or ham.  We had peppers and eggs.  'Wanna trade sandwiches?' - 'No' she would say, 'we don't want to trade.'"

First you clean out the peppers, take out the seeds, and you slice them long and relatively thin.  She says you should keep the seeds, dry them, and plant them so that you have peppers for next year (obviously).  Fry the strips in a shallow pan with some oil, with some salt, until they start to brown.

Beat the 4 eggs together with a fork.  Pour them over the cooked peppers in the pan. "Then you mix them in until they settle.  and then, they're done."

Fresh bread

Flour
Warm water
Yeast

In a large bowl, make a well out of the flour, and crumble the yeast into the middle of the well.  Dissolve the yeast  by adding water, and knead.  Continue adding water and mixing with your hands until it comes to a dry-clay consistency.  Cover with a towel and allow for it to rise.

Once the first rise is done, divide the mass into loaves and put into loaf pans.  Cover, and allow to rise again. With a knife, make some slits across the top.  Bake at 350 until they're golden. 

Kombucha Failure

GT Dave's is not the failure, mine is

Kombucha is so hot right now.  With the popularity of Kombucha syrocketing, I tried making some from scratch (note: do not try this at home, I am a professional, and an idiot, and I can eat damn-near anything without getting sick).  

I've been brewing beer for almost 15 years, I make my own vinegar; the former is yeast, the latter is acetobacter - kombucha, however, is both... 

When I tell you that Kombucha is "so hot right now" I'm not joking.  According to the NY Post, Lindsay Lohan and Kirsten Dunst are drinking it (they postulate for it's supposed detoxifying properties) and Marie Claire UK says Halle Berry, Madonna, and Meg Ryan have been drinking it too.

So hot.

One of the most popular brands (seen here) is GT Dave's.  It is 'sprouting' up at more than just health food stores; I've seen it at deli's and corner stores.  There are now 13 flavors and if you are a novice, I suggest the Gingerade or one of the Synergy flavors first (they have fruit juice added).

Let's back up.  Kombucha dates back more than 2000 years and it is a symbiotic relationship between a yeast culture and a bacteria culture (mostly acetobacters) simultaneously fermenting sweetened black or green tea.  This culture takes shape as a rubbery-gelatinous disk that hovers in the tea as it goes through fermentation.  

The disk is referred to as a SCOBY, a 'Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast'.  As the yeast is consuming the sugars and turning them into carbon dioxide and ethanol - the bacteria is turning the ethanol into acetic acid (vinegar).  The result?  Kombucha is a sweet, tangy, carbonated, iced tea.  How sweet, tangy, and carbonated it ends up varies from batch to batch.

People sell Scoby's online and I read about several people starting their own culture from a bottle GT Dave's - my hubris takes over and  I decided to experiment.  I make two batches, I try to cultivate one from the store bought kombucha, the other I try to Frankenstein. 

I start by making tea using 'good ole' Lipton's black with 7 tea bags.  I add a cup of plain white sugar, dissolve it, and divide it into two.

I add one 15g packet of Coopers Brewers' Yeast and one 16oz. bottle of Bragg's Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (unfiltered, unpasteurized) to the brew and label it #2.
 

To batch #1, I add a 16oz. bottle of GT Dave's Original.

I wait.

After one week, there is action in #2 (The Frankenstein); there is a film beginning to cover the surface and a distinct vinegar aroma taking over the kitchen.  There is nothing going on in #1.  Frankenstein is far cloudier than #1, far more pungent, and there are obvious signs of fermentation going on - effervescence, things floating around, and its appearance changes with every glance...

I'm making something here, but at this point I'm not sure what.

Weeks two, three, and four go by.  The action in Frankenstein plateaus at about week 5.  Meanwhile, there is still nothing much going on in #1.  Maybe some bigger lumps, or maybe not; maybe those were there before... I'm bored with #1.  Frankenstein however, is alive.  It's alive!  Week six comes and I contemplate botteling when...

Mold!

"The Literature" suggests this is a result of the Ph not dropping quickly enough (becoming acidic) and thus allowing spores to propagate.  I also read that although the acetobacters in the Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar may be similar to a Kombucha scoby, the yeast strains are quite different.  

I won't get into technicalities here (because I'd likely be called out by a real Biologist) but the resulting brew got poured down the drain.  I will write more with the results of the other later.

"You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been." - Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

Open That Bottle Night

photo by Loren Tama

Open That Bottle Night (OTBN) was created by Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, wine-loving husband-wife authors of the Wall Street Journal Tastings column. OTBN is the one night each year when wine lovers around the world open that bottle they are afraid to open. It is the bottle people cherish, the one that is most special to us. Maybe we received it from a past loved one, a special winery visit, or maybe it’s a bottle we bought but couldn’t afford. Ultimately it is the bottle that, if we hold it for too long, will result in disappointment. OTBN encourages you to open that bottle.



People around the world celebrate OTBN on the last Saturday of February with food, family, friends, or sometimes in the comfort of solitude. Dottie and John highlight some of the more notable experiences in their Tastings column. 



This year for Open That Bottle Night I surprised my girlfriend by taking her to Vinopolis, a wine tasting and education experience in London (www.vinopolis.co.uk). While we found the atmosphere cheesy and the “experience” to be catered to wine neophytes, the opportunity to taste new and obscure wines made the event pleasurable. 



Of the 22 wines we tasted (we each had 11 small pours, which we shared), our favorite by far was a Mavrud from Bulgaria. We found the Mavrud laid-back and pleasing; it tasted predominantly of berries, with just enough black cherry and tobacco to add nice depth to every sip. The wine felt young, but not over-simplified or abrasive. At £6.99 this wine was a steal by UK standards, so we came home with a case. Neither of us had ever tasted Bulgarian wine before.



After Vinopolis, the special part of the evening really began. A little tipsy and laden with a case of wine, we cancelled our restaurant plans to come home and make linguine from scratch. We found it ironic to celebrate OTBN with an “everyday” wine, but our pasta was perfect and it tasted even better with a newly-acquired bottle of Mavrud. 

Limoncello Variations

Two years ago when Danny DeVito was on Jimmy Kimmel Live drinking his Limoncello and cooking with Mario Batali, I wonder how many people he introduced the liqueur to with his shenanigans.  (I wonder how many people were introduced to Mario and his funky orange footwear too...) but back to drinks.

Lemoncello is an Italian digestivo which is drunk following a meal and supposed to aid in digestion.  Digestivos are not very popular in the US; although Fernet Branca is having a renaissance of sorts (a "ginger back" anyone) - though I think they're becoming more commonplace.

Supposedly limoncello easy to make (according to what I've read, although I have never attempted to make any) - all you need is sugar, water, lemons, alcohol, and time.  Start with the highest proof alcohol you can find, this ensures a more complete extraction of lemony goodness.  Essentially, you peel the lemons and allow them to soak in the booze; add sugar.

Limoncelllo Quest is a wonderful website devoted to making your own lemoncello and one day I will follow it to the T.  "A Personal Pilgrimage to Create the Perfect Lemoncello" - Limoncelllo Quest begins, "Step One: Cut a hole in the box. (Just kidding.)"  Hilarious, I like it already.

"Kumquatcello" Photo courtesy of Sippity Sup

Our friend Greg at Sippity Sup is working on a lemoncello variant made with kumquats.  Brilliant!  He's inviting suggestions for names because "Kumquatcello" sounds a bit awkward, and I agree.  I suggested "Fortuncello" because the kumquat's genus is Fortuna and I think it has a nice ring to it.  It sounds intriguing and I hope it works.

Aperol
Along the same theme as lemoncello is Mandarino (made with Mandarin oranges), Zenzerino (made with ginger), Raspicello (made with raspberries), and Peachcello (made with peaches).  An interesting liqueur I was recently introduced to is Aperol - which is made with oranges and, strangely enough, rhubarb.  Here is the sparkling cocktail we made with it:

Orange Aperol Sun (adapted from Joanne Weir)

2 jiggers of Aperol
2 jiggers of fresh orange juice (we used blood oranges)
1 750ml bottle Prosecco
Thin orange slices (for garnish)
Ice cubes

Combine --> Consume.

2009 Food Trends So Far

It is March already and I'm wondering how the expert's predictions are panning out.  Here is a list of several food trends that were going to be HUGE in 2009 from Gourmet, Bon Appetit, News Wire Today, The Appetizer, Epicurious, and NPR.  To keep things interesting, those trends that appeared in more than one article I put in bold.  

Some themes appear with regularity; 1) the economy of dining out and eating, 2) food becoming more healthy and sustainable, and 3) a lean towards more rustic and comforting dishes.  Some are quite specific (like Pisco Sours), others are pretty vague (like Health).  

Which do you think are going to have the biggest impact on what we eat this year?

Gourmet (12/8/2008)
Home cooking - Comforting recipes - Cooking classes - Prix Fixe menus - Big beans - Goat's and sheep's milk ice cream - Neutrceuticals - Probiotics - Yogurt - "Bitter blockers" for cocktails - Small distillers - Made in the USA labels - Pre-amuse amuse-bouche - Salvadoran - Dominican - Korean - Indian - Ecologically responsible

Bon Appetit via the Huffinton Post (12/9/2008)
"Dinner Party of the Year -- Luxury for Less," "Dessert of the Year -- Peanut Butter Desserts," "Restaurant Trend of the Year -- Breakfast," "Destination of the Year -- Lima, Peru," "Ingredient of the Year -- Ricotta," "Cuisine of the Year -- New Southern," "Wine Trend of the Year -- Great Bargain Bottles"

News Wire Today (12/11/2008)
Comfort food - Scratch cooking and home baking - British - Less protein - Head to tail - Sustainable meat and fish - Changing drinking habits - Thirst for food skills and knowledge - Restaurant and farm alliances - More miniaturisation - More customisation - Health

The Appetizer (12/11/2008)
Eating local - Probiotics - The Cocktail - Acai - Sweet Potato Fries - Fast Food - Charcuterie - Molecular Gastronomy - Small Portions - Cheap Cuisine

Epicurious (12/1/2008) by James Oliver Cury
"Value" is the new "Sustainable" - The Compost Pile is the new Flower Garden - Peruvian is the new Thai - Noodle Bars are the new Sushi Joints - Ginger is the new Mint - Smoking is the new Frying - Regional Roasters are the new Starbucks - Portland (Maine) is the new Portland (Oregon) - Rustic Food is the new Molecular Gastronomy - "Top-Rated" is the new "Critic's Pick"

NPR FOOD (1/11/2009) interview with Bonny Wolf
Dining on the cheap - lower prices - bar menus - fixed-price meals - more a la carte options - flexible hours - dishes that can be shared - breakfast-all-day - cooking classes - [comfort foods] mashed potatoes - meat loaf spaghetti and meatballs - sophisticated twists - bring back the the family dinner - kitchens will become "greener" - charcuterie platters - bite-sized desserts - Peruvian cuisine - Pisco sours - noodle bars - anything with an egg on - bargain wines

Rachael Ray Defends Her Sexy FHM Photo Shoot

In an interview with ABC's Nightline airing tonight, 'Celebrichef' Rachael Ray defends some PR moves that she has made in the past, including a sexy layout with men's magazine FHM.  It was 2003, she was 35, and her career was just beginning to skyrocket.  From the interview and quoted by US Magazine: 

"And I thought about [FHM] for a while, and I said, 'You know what? This magazine has as young as 17-, 18-year-olds in hottie bikinis, and these are all actresses, models, pin-up girls. I don't belong to any even remote club of theirs...

I thought, 'If I'm gutsy enough to do this, this is a good thing for everybody. This is the everywoman, here she is,'" she adds. "And I did it, and it was the most scared I've ever been, and I wouldn't change a thing. I'd do it again tomorrow."

Ray's Empire now consists of the TV shows "The Rachael Ray Show," "Tasty Travels,” “$40 A Day,” “Inside Dish,” and “30 Minute Meals," (with which she won a Day Time Emmy for).  There is the magazine, Every Day With Rachael Ray, that was launched in 2005.

I also counted more than 20 books on Amazon that list her as the author including the 365: No Repeats - A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners - where a family followed the recipes in the book, in order, from cover to cover and wrote about them.  Hilarious.

She has a line of products including everything from a 10-Piece Hard-Anodized Cookware Set to a Lazy Spoon and Ladle Set named after her - to Nutrish, her own dog food label.  What is next?  Public office?

Well good on ya, Rache.  I'm a fan.  Some people complain about her being overexposed but the fact remains, too much of anything will cause a belly ache.

The McNuggetini

When I saw this I couldn't stop laughing.  Yes, laughing out-loud, and to myself.  It epitomizes everything gluttonous and outrageous that America still has left to stand on.  It is so unapologetically both panache and bas-cuisine.

Imagine Vodka meets Ronald McDonald; first they try to make small talk, then they go out to dinner.  Drinks ensue.  In the end, Ronald's red Afro gets caught on fire as he goes running down Sunset Boulevard screaming something about how the Filet-O-Fish was for Catholics.

When Vodka and Mr. McDonald cross paths again, (at a casting call for Celebrity Fit Club 4, no less) several weeks later, referring to the moment as "awkward" would be like calling Chernobyl a "wardrobe malfunction." They decide to never enter the same state together again, but they do; however, agree on one thing.  The subtle nuance behind a well-made McNuggettini.

The McNuggetini is the result of months of hard work. 

(via thisrecording.com) - by Georgia Hardstark

"McNuggitini

Recipe by Alie and Georgia

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 McNuggz (plus more for snacking)
1 tub McDonalds Brand Barbeque Sauce (plus more for licking off pinky finger)
1 lg. Mcdonalds Brand Chocolate Milkshake (plus more for bringing all the boys to the yard)
1 bottle Vanilla Vodka (recommended brand: Absolut)

Open the McDonalds bag. Eat one McNugg each, followed by two bites of the Filet-o-Fish (make sure you don’t tell anyone that you eat Filet-o-Fishes).

Mix three or four shots of vanilla vodka in the McDonalds Brand Chocolate Milkshake, followed by one shot each directly into your mouth.

Rim each martini glass with McDonalds Brand Barbeque Sauce, and pour milkshake/vodka mixture into the glass. Garnish with a McNugg (which is to be swiped along barbeque sauce rimmed glass after the milkshake has been finished, and consumed with pure, unadulterated glee)."

What We've Been Reading... 3/1/2009

• Lovin' from the Oven: My Favorite Bread...so far!
• Creamy Chipotle Brownies - Recipes - Foodbuzz
• http://ricocoffeeshop.blogspot.com/2009/01/meat-balls-in-creamy-coriander-sauce.html
• The Beancounter: T-Bone Bistek (Beef with Onions Filipino Style)
• Meat+Potatoes+Beer = Real Good | Dinner, steak | Enjoy the Delicious
• Herb Cheese Cookie Balls ~ Angie's Recipes . Taste Of Home
• Welcome To Shirley's Luxury Haven!: Recipe: Steamed Dory Roll
• This Week's Tasty 10 | Serious Eats
• J & D's - Everything Should Taste Like Bacon: Our Story
• Columbus Foodie » Blog Archive » Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread
• Trying to Heal
• The Food Monkey » Riding the Tryptophan Dragon — Lies? - The Boston Food Blog That Will Eat No Evil!
• Mashed Potato Pizza
• GourmetSleuth - Guide To Beef Cuts
• The Big Apple: Tetrazzini (Chicken Tetrazzini; Turkey Tetrazzini; Spaghetti Tetrazzini)
• The 2nd Annual NorCal Regional Grilled Cheese Invitational™!

Chicken Tetrazzini

What a great meal for a dark and stormy night.  The mushrooms and the peas add a wholesome goodness to the body of the pasta and the chicken.  We lightened up the cream sauce a little from the original and it was still plenty umptious.  The Parmesan and the breadcrumbs add a little crunchy topping for that extra touch of texture.  

This is adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' Chicken Tetrazzini: Giada's Family Dinners.

Ingredients

• 9 Tbs butter
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 4 chicken breasts on the bone with the skin
• 2 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound sliced white mushrooms
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 5 cloves garlic, minced well
• 1 Tbs chopped thyme leaves, fresh
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk at room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream at room temperature
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, freshly ground is best
• 12 ounces linguine
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and olive oil and roast for about 35 minutes.  Allow to cool a bit and shred with your fingers or two forks.  Put the chicken into a bowl and set aside.

Butter the inside of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. 

Add 1 Tbs each of butter and oil to a pan.  Add the mushrooms and sauté over high heat until the mushrooms soften and start to become golden, about 10 minutes. Then add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and sauté until the onion is translucent, another 8 minutes or so. Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Melt 3 more Tbs butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes to make a light roux. Whisk in the milk, cream, chicken broth, nutmeg, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil - then simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly.  Whisk often (about 10 minutes).

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but but not mushy, about 9 minutes. Drain water. Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken and mushroom mixture. Toss until the sauce coats everything well..

Transfer the chicken and pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Mix the cheese and breadcrumbs and sprinkle the over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake uncovered until golden brown on top and the sauce begins to bubble, about 25 minutes. 

Can Baconaise Save Your Life?

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

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Political Humor
Joke of the Day

Jon Stewart on his Daily Show poked fun of Baconaise the other night and I was compelled to learn more.  Not only is the product Kosher! - but there is a Baconaise Lite, which packs in only 3g of fat per serving, AND they have a chart that explains how using Original Baconaise instead of 3 slices of real bacon - can cut the fat content of a Turkey Club by 50%.  Using Baconaise Lite will cut the fat content by more than 85%!

So I suppose the question becomes, "Can Baconaise Save You Life?"

These miracle spreads (dare I call them?) are made by a company called JD Foods.  So what else is going on in the heads of these people?  

Enter Bacon Salt, "a low sodium, zero calorie, zero fat, vegetarian and kosher seasoning that makes everything taste like bacon."  Interestingly, their mission was to bring the joy of bacon to vegetarians and those who adhere to kosher law.

Is this altruism? Unadulterated genius?

I'll have to try some before I make that call.  What makes their story even more bizarre is that their first set of funding came from winning $5,000 on America's Funniest Home Videos.

The salt amazingly comes in 9 flavors: Original, Hickory, Peppered, Natural, Applewood, Maple, Cheddar, Jalapeno, and Mesquite.  

 (from video) "Bacon needs to pace himself!" - man in bacon suit.

Fuzzy’s Grub

photo by Loren Tama

I had worked on Fleet Street (London) before; in fact I spent four months working there last year.  I am, therefore, well-acquainted with the food options.  Somehow during my recent stint, however, I had thus far neglected my old Fleet Street favorite.  Here’s how I rediscovered it:



It was 12:35PM on a work day, and I was borderline hangry from not eating since breakfast four hours prior.  Lost in the frantic tasks of my day job, I donned my coat and absent-mindedly stepped onto the sidewalk, lacking an intended destination.  It was cold outside, and my fight-or-flight instincts drove my body to override conscious thought.  Steered by my stomach, my feet moved, one in front of the other, and pointed me west up Fleet Street.  Minutes later, my mind caught up with my body as I stood before my epicurean destiny of the day: Fuzzy’s Grub.



For you neophytes, Fuzzy’s is an English eating establishment whose bovine emblem attracts droves of hungry people (men, mostly) to its eight London locations.  The location I prefer has two or three measly stools in the window, but it is primarily a place to grab some lunch before hurrying back to the office to beat time and temperature.  Fuzzy’s is an eatery of choices.  Customers choose a type of roast meat, a vessel (dish or sandwich), and a variety of toppings.  On this glorious afternoon, my stomach said something like this: “roast turkey on ciabatta with stuffing, mashed potatoes, roast carrots, peas, cranberry sauce, gravy, and Yorkshire pudding.”



Upon arriving back at the office, I sat at my work table flanked at the elbows by two co-workers.  As I unwrapped my meal (not sandwich; MEAL), comments and questions abounded about the size and contents.  My male colleague understood when I simply relayed the famous namesake of the meal’s origin.  He proceeded to explain the allure to my female colleague, allowing me to focus on carefully unwrapping and devouring the wonderfulness.  About halfway through my tasty task, the male colleague glanced at the slop of turkey, peas, and carrots that had fallen to the wrapper.



“You’re never going to finish that,” he said.

“Uhuh,” I protested with a mouthful.



And I did.  I ate every last scrap of turkey, every drop of gravy, and every single pea that fell to the paper.  And that – that commitment, that desire, that satisfaction – that is Fuzzy’s Grub.

Pot Roast Tacos

These were amazing!  The meat was flavorful, and had just the right texture; tender, but not without a slight chew to it.  You could taste the cumin and chili, and though it wasn't distinct, the bay leaves added another earthy note.  The recipe made plenty and we reheated it two days later and I think it may have been even better.

Adapted from the recipe Mexican Pot Roast Tacos in Tyler Florence: Dinner at My Place.

• 2 pounds beef chuck roast
• Kosher salt to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tbs ancho chile powder
• 1 Tbs cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbs ground cumin
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 fresh corn tortillas
• 3 cups shredded iceburg lettuce
• 2 cups queso fresco, crumbled

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Season all sides of the beef with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, or other heavy pot on moderately high heat put 2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown all sides of the meat.

Add the onions and saute until soft,  add smashed garlic and saute for an additional minute. Then add the crushed tomatoes and all spices.  Fill the pot with water until it just covers the meat and bring to a simmer.  

Cover and place in a 300 degree oven for about 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Let the meat cool in the liquid. Once it is cool, shred meat with two forks.  Set aside.

Assemble the tacos:

Lay some shredded beef as a base inside the corn tortilla. Top with queso fresco, salsa (homemade or the stuff from the deli section beats jarred hands-down), and shredded lettuce. If you like additional heat try some hot sauce like Castillo's Salsa Habenera Orange (careful, it's extremely HOT).  Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, unless like my father-in-law, you're a member of the I Hate Cilantro Community...