tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36764051860483628302024-03-21T06:55:57.577-04:00Diaries of a cookGreetings!
I cook professionally, photograph food, and write about food. These blogs are the stories and experiences that I encounter finding odd ingredients, preparing them, and my times working for a fine dining restaurant.
More foodies with interesting foods and stories come hither!Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-29685660191819766112008-07-19T12:28:00.002-04:002008-07-19T14:26:39.189-04:00Sometimes it's extremely hard to understand why we do things. Like taking a job we know is going to be tough. Months pass and you keep asking youself why you did it. But then something comes along to reassure you that you did the right thing.<br /><br />I recently experienced this. After months of break out in pimples stressed from work, a long commute, bad diets, and lack of exersize, something finally came my way. Another job offer will soon change my lifestyle so drastically it will feel as though working in restaurants was a oh so very crazy and stupid idea.<br /><br />I wonder if i'll miss it. I wonder if the crazyness of it all will haunt me while i'm strolling though a grcery store. No more plates under the lamps getting ready to be delicatly plated with a steady hand. No more calling back orders or sweating perfusly under the watchful eyes of a famous chef and his sous chef.<br /><br />While stepping out of one's comfort zone is nessessary for growth, it's also pretty scary.<br /><br />But in the end it's always about the food and what you want people to know about your food. and this time around i'm pumped i took that horrific job.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-72122639089210601342008-04-16T12:39:00.000-04:002008-04-16T13:19:12.623-04:00Fine dining goes localI thought I would be taking a hit when I went to cook at a fine dining restaurant. I thought that since I was taking this leap into this line of work, that the amount of local, organic, and heirloom produce would be slim, if any at all. Fine dining is about the exotic, the unknown, the aw and the showmanship of ingredients. It’s about lobster, fois gras, oysters, caviar, and exotic fruits. <br /><br />And while yes, the restaurant I work for does import 1,000 dollars of caviar a week, 55 lobsters every 6 days, and 14 pounds of fois gras a week, we make the effort to buy from local farmers whenever we can.<br /><br />Just the other day farmers, or I should say “foragers”, came into the restaurant’s back door selling us fresh picked morel mushrooms. I will never forget the amount of morels we had to clean and sort through that week. For the four weeks that morel mushrooms are in season, middle Virginia becomes a beacon for these fungi and mushroom foragers. A belt with a mesh net attached, the forager sets up into the forest looking near trees and cool dark areas for large honeycombed triangular mushrooms that sell at Dean & Deluca for 35 dollars a pound. Here, we offer the foragers 28 bucks a pound and they pocket all of it. We write them a check and give it right to them for the time and skill they spent getting these priceless, exotic mushrooms that will be served on the breakfast and dinner menu in omelets and in napoleons.<br /><br />You won’t see fresh local morels at Citronelle or Cityzen. And if you do, chances are they are imported or dried. Who knew fine dining could impress a locavore.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-30186976238651357462008-04-10T10:19:00.003-04:002008-04-10T10:26:31.511-04:00A note from the world of fine diningIt's truly amazing the length cooks and chefs will go to make things "perfect".<br /><br />A baby carrot grown in Ohio is peeled and then scrubbed with sand paper and thrown through a pencil sharpener to remove any impurities and scratches or dents. <br /><br />These little touches are what make the difference between a restaurant with three stars and one with four. It's looking at food with a different and more abstract eye. And to tell you the truth, it's both impressive and crazy that these people for who have created these well known restaurants around the country are dissecting a basic ingredient. <br /><br />Learning to think outside the box is proving to be harder than I thought.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-76086359821919067422008-03-27T13:40:00.001-04:002008-03-27T14:02:29.999-04:00Praise for ChipotleThis week the Chipotle Company, known for serving fast burritos, has made even bigger news for continuing to source and serve local ingredients. Their largest effort thus far, and most recent, has been to ensure that one small farm will supply most of the pork for its Virginia and D.C. restaurants. <br /><br />Recently, with the massive exposure that “greening” methods have received, companies across the United States are finally working to ensure that their consumers get a better product. This may mean getting seasonal, local, and even organically grown produce and other supplies. This wave of “green” business, if just to save the companies money, is a huge stride in getting consumers to realize the purpose of eating locally; IT TASTES BETTER! <br /><br />To read more about the ethical direction Chipotle and other companies are going read this article:<br /><br /><br />http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/25/AR2008032500813.htmlAllisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-32159339226000259602008-03-17T09:27:00.003-04:002008-03-17T09:33:01.105-04:00Along came a Pom PomEvery week I go to the farmer’s market on Sunday morning in Takoma Park knowing I will be learning something new. Each week I see a new vegetable, fruit, or grain I can learn about and make into a new recipe. One rainy morning in March I walked through the market to find a long table of assorted mushrooms. There were green cardboard boxes of 7-inch wide portabellas, shittakes, chanterelles, button mushrooms, and even yellow oysters. <br /><br />A wired headphone set wrapped around the vendor’s head leaving her to conduct a very important phone call while we all vied for her attention on these odd mushroom varieties. The woman sneered and shouted into her phone while both taking and ringing up customers without having compassion to answer any of our questions. After asking her about every mushroom she was selling and how they grew and where they came from (her wooded farm in Pennsylvania of course), I took away a bag of gorgeous but very odd “pom pom” mushrooms (and I am sure she was not happy to take the time to explain o me all of them). The skin on the “pom poms”, which is exactly what they look like, are soft with a dirty white appearance. These, I thought, would be great on a menu. Too bad more chefs aren’t using them. But you can. She seems to have them every time I go. <br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Buttered Pom Poms with creamy angel hair and bay scallops<br /><br /><br /><br />Ingredients<br /><br />Handful of pom poms, sliced length wise<br />Salt/pepper<br />Parmesan cheese<br />Cream<br />Angel hair<br />Handful of bay (small) scallops<br />1c White wine <br />Butter<br /><br />Instructions<br /><br />DON'T WASH THE POM POMS!!<br />Sauté mushrooms in butter<br />Cook angel hair drizzle with little olive oil to keep it from sticking<br />In a pan with 1 tbs of butter, on medium heat, cook scallops to little color on each side till just tender on the inside. Open one to check if the inside is cooked.<br />Deglaze the same pan with white wine . Cook on low heat. After about 5 minutes add a little cream.<br />Remove scallops when done and reduce the wine/cream sauce more. (Sauce should be semi thick, but thin enough to soak up that pasta.)<br />Combine mushrooms, scallops, angel hair and season with salt or Parmesan cheese if you have<br />Serve in a bowl with some garlic bread!Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-1716274665553190262008-02-24T10:55:00.003-05:002008-02-24T11:04:02.545-05:00How to eat a cactusOn a recent trip to Phoenix, Arizona, I was walking through a Mexican market and saw the pads from cactus wrapped in plastic next to the other greens. Wondering how it was cooked and served I inquired with the locals. Apparently cooking cactus, an often bitter plant, you must first sweat it first. Often prepared into salsas, the cactus is chopped finely and then sweated down in a fat to extract any sweetness that may exist inside. From there you can grind it, blend it, or just serve it along with your main dish. I would attempt the salsa, adding in some finely diced red onions, and tomatoes. Serve with some blue corn chips and you're set for eating as the South westerners do.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-63763677843091776702008-02-11T12:57:00.000-05:002008-02-11T13:08:43.272-05:00Personal Chef does not a chef makeI recently just got certified as a personal chef. It allows me to start up a business designed to cook meals for people in their own homes and get compensated for it. The only aspect, aside from the loneliness, is that I could be packaging these meals for about two people for a week or up to two weeks. Everything is placed in a container so that when the person gets home they can place it on a plate and reheat it. <br /><br />Now, as a classically trained chef, I immediately felt some kind of well "sell out" sensation. I felt that all the stress and hard work I had gone through was now being dumb downed so that any home maker can throw on a chef jacket and toque and call themselves a chef. Years of experience and you still aren’t a chef. You have to earn that title and it doesn’t come by passing a two-day course. It comes with knowledge and discipline. I digress. But yes, I was left with an odd feeling of guilt. Hell, this job wouldn’t even let me be creative with plating dishes.... because I can't plate in a tupperware. <br /><br />I spent the money and got certified. I learned a lot. And while I understand the need for personal chefs, we have to remember that back in the 1800s and 1900s personal chefs were the ones living in the homes of royalty, politicians, and the wealthy. They had one role and they were held with the highest regard to perform grand, elegant, food; not, to place them in zip locks.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-8334220344551776632008-02-04T13:13:00.000-05:002008-02-04T13:33:26.302-05:00Food for Thought"In the Unites States, the Leopold Center pointed out that the typical American prepared meal contains ingredients from at least 5 countries. It found that the average total distance for three meals who ingredients were sourced and eaten in iowa was about 1,200 miles, compared with almost 12,600 miles if those ingredients were brought in from outside the state from conventional sources. Suddenly, the incredible journeys being undertaken by food were becoming clear, highlighting the worrying fact that the global food supply relies heavily on fossil fuels." <br /><br />from the book Moveable Feasts.<br /><br />We can make an effort to eat more local foods. They will taste better. That alone is a reason to support local farmers.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-51379458170000288902008-01-02T19:31:00.001-05:002008-01-02T19:31:25.526-05:00new year traditionsI never make New Year's resolutions and I never had any kind of tradition to accompany it. I am, however, always trying to think ahead; make things better; do more things. I never stop to smell the roses. And when I do, they aren't to lose 5 more pounds. <br /><br />This new years day I went over to a local friend’s house for supper. My friend's mom used to make her chicken and dumplings on the day of the new year and thus was the theme for the evening.<br /><br />Chicken and dumplings sounds kind of southern (it is) and almost way to filling to even think about. But it's not bad. Paired with some salad greens, you’re not shy of a full meal and a food coma. <br /><br />It may have been in this coma when I returned to the idea of resolutions. Maybe, just maybe, it would be ok to make one this year. One that involved spending more time with friends around the table.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-52442526290232708462007-12-07T13:21:00.000-05:002007-12-07T13:22:11.368-05:00The precision of the pinchI had been throwing flour since I was a child. Holding a fistful of all-purpose flour, I threw the stuff down with the imagination that I was wizard casting a spell. By my side, my mother would roll out dough on the spattered surface I had just created. I laid the foundation for her quiches and tarts she made on most weekends when we had off from school. But little did I know that just shy of ten years later, when I enrolled in culinary school, I would learn how to throw flour. Whether it’s on marble, granite, or a metal surface, there lies a technique to throwing flour that most master chefs use till this day. <br /><br />Creating a large pinch, combine all five fingertips and pick up the flour. Bring your arm back in an awkward 90-degree angle so that your elbow comes into your chest and your hand moves away from your side. Then, fling the flour down on an angle so that it runs across the table. The whole idea is to not create lumps of flour on the table. If you look like your casting a spell then your probably doing it right. At the time I laughed when the chef told us he was going to teach us how to throw flour. But in the culinary arts there is always a reason for everything we do. Looked like I was on the right track to becoming a wizard ten years ago.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-6254791502986482142007-11-14T17:29:00.000-05:002007-11-14T17:36:33.909-05:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjf5Iw-ObPslrjWERKnt2Kp6nIlT17Y64UcPWuTFECAx9oisTLr-w-mFCcxzpuj1WsCrl1yzhb4OGnAeaMrg9__gtjif3uww7r2v6ipnHWnTufMHvTCpDHcCGh_Z3odm6jSWn5EtsxKc/s1600-h/IMG_0746.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjf5Iw-ObPslrjWERKnt2Kp6nIlT17Y64UcPWuTFECAx9oisTLr-w-mFCcxzpuj1WsCrl1yzhb4OGnAeaMrg9__gtjif3uww7r2v6ipnHWnTufMHvTCpDHcCGh_Z3odm6jSWn5EtsxKc/s320/IMG_0746.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132827878424442930" /></a><br /><br />I got this book really cheap from a Border's book store. And it's actually really funny! pick it up. It's about a lady who finds herself again after stumbling upon a Julia Child book. She pledges to do all the recipes within a year.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-48474424213484389792007-11-12T18:29:00.000-05:002007-11-12T18:35:42.353-05:00The cook thinks about gardeningRecently I have become very interested in the beginning of a food's life. And where does a food begin its life? In the garden! This book is about an average Joe who wants a garden and the ridiculous events that happen on the way to do so. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ0l1gWu9i_qxvjjAyz0RrmsYAI-0sZ9uuKxoQckVYr0Wx5Epht0kSPsAEhWcTDgwUDcaajs1jYbR_sqjh5LESkE53c21E0Vd_irkM19eCPG99qTEzB1DUlEYqTLqNseXg7yS5-YHwBs/s1600-h/IMG_0745.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ0l1gWu9i_qxvjjAyz0RrmsYAI-0sZ9uuKxoQckVYr0Wx5Epht0kSPsAEhWcTDgwUDcaajs1jYbR_sqjh5LESkE53c21E0Vd_irkM19eCPG99qTEzB1DUlEYqTLqNseXg7yS5-YHwBs/s320/IMG_0745.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132100968606569506" /></a>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-17882900597697667182007-11-09T16:38:00.000-05:002007-11-10T17:27:29.812-05:00Burrata: Leek wrapped lusciousnessI found it. I finally found it. <br /><br />A few weeks ago the Washington Post had done an article in their food section about the demand and emergence of a cheese. A cheese called burrata was apparently in high demand in the metropolitan area from chefs, cheese makers, and snobby foodies. Its name is burrata. <br /><br />A fresh Italian cheese, the name comes from the Italian word for butter, is made from mozzarella. Burrata was first made in the town of Andria where its milk had been taken from the water buffalo (a gift from Asia in the 1400s). The outer layer is solid mozzarella while the inside contains cream. For preservation it is then wrapped in leek leaves to retain freshness. If the leaves go bad then the cheese is bad. <br /><br />I was off with friends at a restaurant just outside of D.C. when I came across it on the metro. Ecstatic I explained to everyone that they would be having burrata as appetizers. Luckily they trusted me and a plate of burrata with oven roasted cherry tomatoes, olive oil, fennel shavings, and chopped red onions were scattered around it like backup dancers to a star. The first cut gave way to a creamy inside so luscious I could taste it in my mouth. I could eat burrata all day long. And you would have too since it's only good for two days.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-90155518175811986842007-11-09T16:26:00.000-05:002007-11-09T16:37:13.361-05:00Perfectly SeasonedIf there is one thing I am really proud of in my culinary journey thus far it is my palate's growth in tolerating sodium. <br /><br />Salt and pepper. Two little ground up ingredients are imperative to bringing out the best taste of a food. Salt in particulate has been used on food to preserve it and increase its flavor since the days of, well, a long time ago. Its place in the culinary world is just as important as knives are for cutting. <br /><br />Both chefs I have worked for in restaurants and in my culinary school, stressed the importance of adding salt, adding salt, and adding more salt. The more I learn about food the more I know that salt will always be needed; and a lot of it. And now, a little more than two years later, I think I am finally getting to a level of understanding that limit of sodium. Understating just how much and how little, the perfect balance, it takes to make food it’s very best.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-8848742336702802802007-11-05T17:09:00.000-05:002007-11-05T17:28:50.385-05:00The other white truffle: snailsWhite truffles and black truffles are a delicacy for most people in the world. But there is another delicacy whose existence has been ignored as the new wave of chefdom occurs. Snails.<br /><br />Considered a delicacy in France, Africa, and other countries, this slithery, slow moving creature is abundant in supermarkets everywhere from northern Africa to countries all along the Mediterranean. <br /><br />A popular dish for almost 6,000 years, there are now three main types of snails that are farmed and captured for consumption. Though only these three are eaten, the preparations from country to country vary. The most popular way to prepare the "escargot" is to boil them for 4 minutes, drain them and then serve them in a sauce of butter, shallots, parsley, and sometimes white wine, and lemon; this is the French preparation method. Other countries like Portugal prepare them as the main ingredient in a stew while those from Greece fry them and serve with lemon. <br /><br />Whichever way you prepare them make sure you boil them before cooking. If not, you may give yourself a rare form of meningitis. <br /><br />And with Portugal consuming about 4,000 tones of snails each year it looks like the U.S. has a lot of catching up to do.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-42327938895379325342007-10-31T17:38:00.000-04:002007-10-31T18:46:48.054-04:00Lards to be happy about<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDN6Njoxawx-UZvIut9FshIP3IqmkiVJart81v4CxubW_MZh8DWtV3NjqbA8SZURamJ_LoXNvTVEkAKWrp-_Axd-t1da5461ZSw4JVjtIvZlh-0TVMnsjzgk43NEolquDQyBCWDnkRQA/s1600-h/IMG_0734.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDN6Njoxawx-UZvIut9FshIP3IqmkiVJart81v4CxubW_MZh8DWtV3NjqbA8SZURamJ_LoXNvTVEkAKWrp-_Axd-t1da5461ZSw4JVjtIvZlh-0TVMnsjzgk43NEolquDQyBCWDnkRQA/s320/IMG_0734.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127636019301019010" /></a><br /><br /><br />I recently went on a trip to a Virginia Bed and Breakfast for my anniversary. The inn was a farm that specialized in free-range beef and chicken (we heard about them via the farmer's market and friends). <br /><br />As we spent time walking around the farm with the turkeys (literally), checking out the chickens, and even stopping by the inn’s pasta making basement, I realized we shouldn't go home empty handed. Right before we left I asked our friend Ruth for some goodies to take home. Eager to please, Ruth led us to the "store", a small one roomed house with rocking chairs and two white refrigerators, and a fireplace. As she opened the first door and asked us which pastas we wanted, I saw a stack of 8 oz round plastic containers of lard. <br /><br />"OH, look at the lard" I said out loud and intentionally. And with that, Ruth handed over two home-hand made pastas and a container of lard and told us it was on the house. I was giddy with excitement.<br /><br />You might be thinking: "Why is she so excited about lard? I could see the homemade pastas but the lard? Really?" <br /><br />Ya. Really. Lard is an amazing thing when you know how to use it. Lard is rendered and clarified pork fat. My lard was processed which means it's firmer, milder, and has a long shelf life. The unprocessed is firmer and has a stronger taste.<br /><br />Because of lard's richness in fats, it basically is nothing but fat, it makes a great ingredient for making tender flaky pastries and also to insert into meat, making it more tender and juicy. You can substitute it for butter too. But if you do, make sure you reduce the amount by about 25%. You can store your lard in the refrigerator or at room temp but it depends on how it is processed. Your pastries will be fabulous and your guests will love it! <br /><br />Bring on the lard!Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-49331433931168742132007-10-28T13:53:00.000-04:002007-10-28T14:15:18.507-04:00"Coming Home to Eat"A weekend free of writing assignments, recipe making and practicing, laundry, and grocery shopping had suddenly come upon me. My girlfriend was out of town and the house would be lonely this weekend. So with a swift change of plans (so unlike me), I jumped out of work early on that Friday and headed north on 95 to my home away from home; New Jersey.<br /><br />It's nice to go home a lone sometimes. I quickly remembered the comforts and distresses that made my body relax as soon as I walked in the door. My dad's special dish of the day; whatever room my parents were remodeling; and my brother's obnoxiously large black and sticker full truck in the drive way, and of course,the dog....Coby!<br /><br />The pleasures of coming home to eat are, much like author Gary Paul Nabhan says, rewarding and heartfelt. I can't remember the time I had Swedish meatballs with a nice Robert Mondavi or went out to dinner with my parents...alone.<br /><br />Between giving Coby a run and driving to pick up farm fresh eggs I realized I couldn't wait to be back home for Thanksgiving.<br /><br />Cheers.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-4157769529897656082007-10-21T10:00:00.000-04:002007-10-21T10:08:21.550-04:00Beautiful Bouquet<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZh87rkT7PWCCrHCvgSphlfAREQkfzAwL3CnqLSLXaNBK2x0RbtcaHB75CpYqY6v9u1zOZWTbILcz_kzSFH1eOzIC2ajSigRVPXfOIrlxK0n2Kv8z8S-hZEhWK7m86p99egs6U93CG6w/s1600-h/Bouquet+garni.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZh87rkT7PWCCrHCvgSphlfAREQkfzAwL3CnqLSLXaNBK2x0RbtcaHB75CpYqY6v9u1zOZWTbILcz_kzSFH1eOzIC2ajSigRVPXfOIrlxK0n2Kv8z8S-hZEhWK7m86p99egs6U93CG6w/s320/Bouquet+garni.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123789698128285490" /></a><br /><br /><br />The bouquet garni is a bundle of importance for chefs. It's a cheese clothed and string wrapped flavor basket that is submerged in stocks, soups, sauces, and even reductions. The beauty of this simple tool is to add flavor to what ever dish you are making. Once the dish is finished the bouquet is removed and thrown away. Traditionally, the bouquets have parsley leaves, thyme leaves, and a bay leaf. It may include any other herbs like basil or rosemary depending on what flavors you want in your dish.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-49938042706212211692007-10-17T17:07:00.000-04:002007-10-17T17:17:17.064-04:00Fall into pumpkins: a warm soup for the season<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkr6DD05_1bStoMCHuCJ0AKQClU2xoALkR10aC8Muixbkwba1UPcUhuCUb3ccgjPwYf53bg9xMma6m4f4q83ZRwd7MlUklXFKowOdupYdMFUO-aNqc_nSrqDqHrs2a1eSdszStC82ThA/s1600-h/pump+soup.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkr6DD05_1bStoMCHuCJ0AKQClU2xoALkR10aC8Muixbkwba1UPcUhuCUb3ccgjPwYf53bg9xMma6m4f4q83ZRwd7MlUklXFKowOdupYdMFUO-aNqc_nSrqDqHrs2a1eSdszStC82ThA/s320/pump+soup.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122417645055774466" /></a><br /><br /><br />Pumpkins go through the season so easily with Halloween and all that we don't have time to taste them. Here's a great recipe for pumpkin soup that will warm you up!<br /><br />WHAT YA NEED:<br />1 five lb. pumpkin (if smaller or larger, adjust the amount of liquid) <br />Cut a lid off the top, scoop out the seeds and stringy parts, and rub the inside <br />flesh with salt. Set the pumpkin on a large roasting pan. Save the seeds.<br /> <br />3/4 quart chicken or vegetable stock <br />3/4 quart milk<br />3 tbsp chopped garlic <br />2 tsp. sea salt <br />Pepper to taste <br />Pumpkin seeds<br />Parsley<br />Bay leaf<br /><br />THE HOW TO:<br />Combine garlic, liquids, and bay leaf in a large pot, heating the milk slowly, as not to burn it.<br />When the pumpkin is ready, fill with liquid and replace the lid, putting a sheet of foil between the pumpkin and its top so it doesn’t fall in. Bake the filled pumpkin at 375° for 1-2 hours, depending on <br />the thickness of your pumpkin. Occasionally open lid and check with a spoon, <br />carefully scraping some inside flesh into the hot liquid.<br /><br />On a baking tray, scatter pumpkin seeds and sprinkle with salt. Place in oven with pumpkin. Remove after 10 minutes or whenever the seeds are toasted.<br /><br />After the allotted time, remove the pumpkin and pour the liquid into a large bowl. Cut the pumpkin in sections and carefully remove the skin of the pumpkin. Discard the skin and cut the pumpkin’s flesh into small pieces. <br /><br />Place liquid and pumpkin in blender in small amounts (this may take a lot of times to puree with a large pumpkin but be patient!) Puree till thick and smooth. Add salt to taste. Serve hot and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and parsleyAllisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-61256040471601556492007-10-17T16:53:00.000-04:002007-10-17T17:07:18.715-04:00The "cure" to brining: the difference between the twoBack before refrigerators existed, fish and meats were preserved using dry aging. Though there are a few types of dry aging, (smoking, brining, curing, confit-ing) two of them are very similar; brining and curing. <br /><br />Curing food can be done a few ways. One is smoke curing where cold smoke smokes the food between 70-90 degrees. The other is hot smoking. This cooks the food by treating it at temperatures from 100-190 degrees. <br /><br />A brine is a type of cure. It involves preserving the item with a solution of water and salt. For example, pickled foods are soaked in acid based (usually vinegar) brines. Popular cured foods are smoked ham and pickled herring.<br /><br />So if you were confused between the two, I first used to think they were synonymous, then there you have it!<br /><br />Now go be ambitious and cure something!Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-48977297514110774122007-10-08T18:07:00.000-04:002007-10-08T18:17:04.511-04:00For a good time....go cake tastingI recently had to review a popular bakery in my town. The owner also happens to be famous; he has his own show on the food network. So I jumped to try and share the experience with anyone who loves cake. I gathered six of my closest friends and invited them over for a cake tasting.<br /><br />Tasting should be fun and serious. They should have an audience with decent palates and a keen eye for good food. I think 40% of my panel met the requirements. <br /><br />But all aside, we sat down at our table with glasses of milk and water and one by one reviewed the slice of cake laid in front of us. At first it was going well. They thought about their answers and wrote them down on the scorecard. But slice-by-slice the high viscosity of the cake began to alter their personalities in such a way that...well...their opinions were no longer just on the scorecard. Mty favorite comments were " Frosting yay; cake boooo", "kill who ever made this", and " I think it was actually alright but I already feel like vomiting" <br /><br />Over all the cakes were not positively viewed and needless to say, these six people will not be returning to this bakery ever again. Who thought cake could be so bad?Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-760968686524607512007-09-30T15:31:00.000-04:002007-09-30T15:34:07.928-04:00Current Read: In the Devil's Garden<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXridyyI3RB3KjfQsqglm9gGVl9Ct-WgUyl2blp0wIayZb0U2ge3qVv7dMvunVzP8oVmY5ISX-sh3jgcOuQM5YH05Csq3SEKugWzqi6-iTmSrwWpvV7q4_1A8AppUBlI_cGj34q6LZrY/s1600-h/IMG_3106.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXridyyI3RB3KjfQsqglm9gGVl9Ct-WgUyl2blp0wIayZb0U2ge3qVv7dMvunVzP8oVmY5ISX-sh3jgcOuQM5YH05Csq3SEKugWzqi6-iTmSrwWpvV7q4_1A8AppUBlI_cGj34q6LZrY/s320/IMG_3106.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116082710028095218" /></a><br /><br /><br />This book is an interesting account of the history of foods believed to be forbidden!Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-33000005069724428742007-09-29T10:02:00.000-04:002007-09-29T10:14:55.869-04:00Japan's pumpkinI recently encountered an odd looking squash called the Kabocha. It looks like a flattened acorn squash or a green pumpkin. Known as the "Japanese pumpkin", the word kabocha may refer to the squash or a western style pumpkin. Originally discovered in American, the squash was taken back to Europe by Christopher Columbus and then made its way to Japan where the word stuck.<br /><br />It's like many squashes, hard and orange colored on the inside with seeds you need to scoop out. It grows all year round but end of summer, early fall is when they are at their pinnacle taste. But to get that great taste there is something you need to know... that is.... that "...when kabocha is just harvested, it is STILL GORWING! So, unlike other vegetables and fruits, freshness isn't as important. It should be fully matured first, in order to become flavorful. First, kabocha is ripened in a warm place (77°F for 13 days, during which some of the starch converts to carbohydrate content). Then it's transferred to a cool place (50°F and stored for about a month in order to increase its carbohydrate content). In this way the just-harvested, dry, bland-tasting kabocha is transformed into smooth, sweet kabocha. Fully ripened, succulent kabocha will have reddish-yellow flesh and a hard skin with a dry, corky stem. It is heavier than it looks. It reaches the peak of ripeness about 1.5~3 months after it's harvested." (Information of ripening from Wikipedia)<br /><br />Containing beta-carotene, iron, calcium, and vitamin C, the squash is a great nutritional ingredient. I love to make soups or just simply roast them in the oven with molasses, brown sugar, or just honey. Yummmmmmm.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-88310263396047354402007-09-24T10:59:00.000-04:002007-09-24T13:02:47.176-04:00Budd Light=Clarified Butter<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QuXfUVk9tHMVOH8tQs1VEVFJEiWzMJ6y0k8Fo9ht6_ioJOqhsklT16g40uCJIfd3ERBze85l7NY9RQgVGNFJIOlExy4W3ietDdzXhU6oGHXVyrmILcUe2Thkl8sEJHIeSss_4IZ1xSw/s1600-h/clar.butter.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QuXfUVk9tHMVOH8tQs1VEVFJEiWzMJ6y0k8Fo9ht6_ioJOqhsklT16g40uCJIfd3ERBze85l7NY9RQgVGNFJIOlExy4W3ietDdzXhU6oGHXVyrmILcUe2Thkl8sEJHIeSss_4IZ1xSw/s320/clar.butter.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113817174908997346" /></a><br /><br />(above picture is a bowl of clarrified butter and its original form in a stick of butter)<br /><br /><br />Most people have heard of clarified butter but don't really know how to make it. Here i'm going to break it down for you and make it a little less intimidating.<br /><br />Clarrified butter is a must have for many high end restaurants for their dishes. With clarrified butter you are essentially melting the butter and seperating the fat, milk, and water (the three components of butter). By heating it up and melting it slowly, a white yellowish thickness appears on top of the butter. This is what pure buttermilk is. Slowly strain the buttermilk off the top with a ladel. You can discard it or save it in a seperate container. <br /> <br />After you have removed all of the milky viscous on top, most of the water should have evaporated from the butter. What you have left is clarrifed butter. As the sous chef told me: "You want it to look like Budd Light. If it looks like Samual Adams you have done it wrong."<br /><br />The advantages of clarified butter is its long keeping quality (several months refrigerated) and its high smoke point (can be used in frying and sautéing without burning). The disadvantage is that it doesn't have that same rich flavor of regular butter since the milk solid (the butter) has been removed, but it does have a more buttery taste than other oils.(provided by Wikipedia)<br /><br />The process is used all over the world:<br /><br /> In England, clarified butter is used in the process of potting, whereby foods such as shrimp and hare are conserved in pots of butter.<br />In Brazil, it is known as "manteiga de garrafa" (bottle butter) and is featured mostly in cuisine from the Northeast.<br />In Iran, it is known as "yellow oil" and is used in place of other oils.<br />In India, it is known as "ghee".<br />In Egypt, it is known as "samnah". It replaces oil in frying and sautéing due to a perceived superior flavor. (wikipedia source)<br /><br />It's easier than you think! Good luck!Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676405186048362830.post-39685189409976151842007-09-24T08:59:00.000-04:002007-09-24T10:55:55.241-04:00The mucho mucho caliente picante: the tasting of the chocolate javanero<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht24c-0RvGGEpbrtPG0D4-SkxbCdbLfaC8v76RdY33F9jML6gm3CzT-e-lkCB_-Nt4sLR5YLqIfvnwjYIkg8zLmD8HpHeExnBGA1d3JQkKQ5TGrnXNgw1yQUMidAWh6tYCt7FZkAPJMIA/s1600-h/choclate+halepino.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht24c-0RvGGEpbrtPG0D4-SkxbCdbLfaC8v76RdY33F9jML6gm3CzT-e-lkCB_-Nt4sLR5YLqIfvnwjYIkg8zLmD8HpHeExnBGA1d3JQkKQ5TGrnXNgw1yQUMidAWh6tYCt7FZkAPJMIA/s320/choclate+halepino.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113755305905098450" /></a><br /><br /><br />“These are the second hottest pepper in the world”, the farmer said as he handed me a pint size container of Chocolate Javaneros (pronounced ha-ben-air-os). <br /><br />Wow was all I could think of as I took them from him and placed them in the walk-in refrigerator at the restaurant. The second hottest pepper in the world.<br /><br />The mucho mucho caliente picantes, as Sandra like to call them, were one inch by one inch with thin green stems. The javanero is one of the spiciest chili peppers in the world. Most of them hail from the Amazon basin in South America but today most are grown in Mexico and Belize with some grown in U.S. regions like Texas, Idaho, California, and in my case, Virginia. <br /><br />My “wow-ness” with the fact that it was the second hottest pepper in the world made me so curious that I borrowed one from the pint that was delivered. I had to try it. <br /><br />I brought it home and sliced it open. There were a lot less seeds inside compared to that of a Bell pepper. Armed with milk (as it helps to sooth burning hot feelings in the mouth) and some chocolate raisins for chasers, my roommate (who is from Arizona and knows a few things about hot peppers) and I were arm and arm as we placed a pinch of the pepper in our mouth. Immediately we were not fazed but at the 30-second mark an intense burning occurs on your tongue, lips, and surrounding mouth. So much that you begin to have numb lips. I reached for the milk and waved my hand around in a fan like motion toward my mouth. I am sure I looked ridiculous. My roommate had a tear drop from her left eye and we both winced. Then we grabbed some blue jell-o but that didn’t work too well.<br /><br />The hot, intense, it wont leave my mouth feeling, lingered for about two hours. We washed our hands 4 times but that proved to be insufficient. If you ever handle these peppers be sure to have milk and gloves around for a quick recovery.<br /><br />As for those who have confirmed the hottest pepper in the world, the naga jolokia, I’ll just take their word for it.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16974566438194213794noreply@blogger.com1