Fresh Approach

Samuel Adams Shandy

2006-07-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

Samuel Adams Shandy
Originally uploaded by FreshApproach.

Branston Pickle (Ploughman's Lunch)

2006-01-04T06:15:00.000-08:00

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My juicy peach of a cousin, the indomitable Va-Voom, who is residing in London these days (oh what a glam life that chicky leads!) is constantly reminding me of the dramatic differences between their comfort foods and ours (ours meaning us kids residing in the US of A, theirs being England). And even going past comfort foods, just to every day staples, the variations can be astonishing culture by culture.

Which leads me to that British favorite (I tried to add the extra "u" in there, but I can't seem to figure out where it would go. My English teachers would be so proud), Branston Pickle. I've mentioned it before of course, and I would hardly say it's something the Brits claim as a national dish, or even particularly indicative of their culture, but I doubt any of them would deny that along with HP sauce (another ubiquitous brown condiment) it is so ingrained in the fabric of their lives, that they hardly know it's there, until they leave the comfort of their shores and end up someplace it is not...and that my friends, is where cravings originate. Wanting that foodstuff you may not be able to find. It can bring a tear to your eye.

When I was living deep in the heart of the West Midlands, (an area in the UK) this past summer (Why? Simple. I'm a silly girl) I had the great fortune to eat a lot of Branston Pickle and Cheddar Cheese sandwiches. I ate so many in fact, I had to start going to the gym twice a day just to combat any negative affects. (Well, that and the excessive drinking those Brits led me to, what with every night ending up in a pub and all) I came to love the combination of sharp, crumbly local cheddar, and the tangy-sweet-crunchy, thick taste of this combination of fruit and vegetables, vinegar and sugar.

In my quest to find this stuff, to make this sandwich, in ex-pat heavy Santa Monica, I still had to visit three stores (though, in fairness, it was sold out at the first spot) and plunk down $6.00 for a jar of this delight. And it is, in fact, a delight. I havent actually found any other things to do with it other than this, but as this is so sublime, I figure I'll stick with it. And of course, I strongly suggest you seek out a jar of it out in your town. It will be a pantry staple for sure. Try it, and enjoy.

1 small roll (I used cibatta)
Branston Pickle
Cheddar Cheese

Compose as you would any sandwich. Serve with gerkins (small pickles) and a beer. British delight will ensue.

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Check out this excellently angry tirade and slew of responses regarding a Ploughmans Lunch recipe at Epicurious.

A ploughman's lunch is a midday meal often served in an English pub. The first citation in the Oxford English Dictionary of this phrase dates from 1837. The OED's next citation is from 1970, indicating a long period of time when the meal was virtually unknown. It is this long disuse and recent rediscovery that has lead some people to portray the dish as being a recent invention dressed up as a traditional meal. A ploughman's lunch usually consists of a lump of cheese (usually Cheddar or Stilton), pickle (often Branston Pickle) and salad, accompanied by crusty bread and butter. - Wikipedia

900 new restaurants open each year in Los Angeles. 60% of them go out of business within 5 years. In the next five years, 60% of the remaining restaurants go under.

In Orange County, CA more than two dozen Japanese American farming families will be honored Sunday for their contributions to California's $1.3-billion strawberry industry. Japanese farmers started strawberry farming the early 1900s along the entire West Coast, and came to dominate strawberry farming since. Now, Latinos have replaced Japanese Americans as the industry's dominant players. They now make up more than 56% of the state's 518 strawberry growers, compared with 14% for Japanese Americans. - Los Angeles Times

Devilish Cake

2006-01-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

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I'm on vacation but I wrote a recipe before I dashed off to this tropical paradise. I hear it's raining like crazy back home, so I am happy as a lark I'm not there. Until I return, enjoy!

This is a slice of chocolate cake. The give away I'd say is that it's brown. See? Brown. The only thing is, its not just a chocolate cake, it's a devil's food cake, and that means it's supposed to be red. Red? Yes kids, red. Or at least, reddish! I'm not all down with the science, but my basic (unresearched) understanding is that the chemical reaction between the buttermilk, cocoa and vinegar turns the cake red. Or, you know, it's supposed to.

So the question then becomes...is this still devil's food cake if it's not red? I don't know. I know that I went with a classic concept (minus using mayo as an ingredient. While it has a certain logic to it, I just couldn't go there) and came up with a very decadent, sophisticated, adult dessert without resorting to the use of food dye. Devilish indeed. Red? Not so much.

Try it, and enjoy. (Oh, and serve with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa. Mmmm.)

1 cup white flour
1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs

Heat your oven to 350F

Butter and flour a 9 inch cake pan.

Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside

In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and vinegar.

With your mixer cream the butter and sugar for at least four minutes (as I always say, don't skip this. Take the time, it makes all the difference) then add the eggs one at a time, blending completely before adding the next.

Pour the batter into your cake pan and bake on the middle rack for 35 minutes. Check to see if it is done by inserting a cake tester or a toothpick. The cake tester should come out dry.

Add the flour mixture and alternate with the buttermilk, ending with the dry.

When the cake is baked, turn off the oven, open the door and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool another 10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack.

To serve, add whipped cream and a light dusting of cocoa powder.

Makes eight servings.

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Drakes brand Devil Dogs snacks cakes (two oblong pieces of devils food cake with a cream filling) are available in stores in the Northeast of the United States, or for online purchase, here

"The reaction of acidic vinegar and buttermilk tends to turn cocoa a reddish brown color. Furthermore, before more alkaline "Dutch Processed" cocoa was widely available, the red color in these cakes would have been more pronounced. This natural tinting may have been the source for the name "Devil's Food" These days red dye is used to get the desired color. This was probably started after the introduction of the darker cocoa in order to reproduce the earlier color. It is also notable that while foods were rationed during World War II , some bakers used boiled beets to enhance the color of their cakes." - Baking 911.com

In 1902, the recipe for Devil's Food Cake first appeared in an American cookbook called Mrs. Rorer's New Cook Book by Sarah Tyson Rorer.

One in six British children think that broccoli is a baby tree

Friday Stew

2005-12-16T06:48:00.000-08:00

Hola! I hope you are all having an extraordinary day so far. It being Friday and all, I thought I would do some housekeeping and remind everyone about a few things (boring, but true) before sharing a recipe.

First off, I am super excited to see how popular the Menu of Hope raffle raising money for the Kashmir region earthquake relief effort has become. Quite a bit of money (more than $5,000 so far) has been raised. If you haven't had a chance to donate there is still time. I am offering a box of Jin Patisserie chocolates and a brand new 3.5 inch Wuhstof Classic Paring Knife. Simply go here, make a donation of at least $5.00 and write in the comment section what gift you would like to receive.

The second thing on my itty bitty nudge list is that today is the final day to put in your nominations for the 2005 Food Blog Awards. This site was a finalist in the Best Recipe category last year and it was a total thrill for me. Really did change things in my little world and for that I will be forever grateful.

And now, for the recipe of the day. It is for happiness. Look around you, see the world and all it has to offer. Close your eyes and picture your loved ones. Go outside and listen for the birds singing and feel the sunshine on your face. Know that each and every day is a gift. Laugh at me for being so sentimental and then go cook something.

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The Silver Spoon is the seventh most popular book on internet bookstore giant Amazon.com's sales list.

Additional Amazon oddness: the number one book on Amazon is The Chronicles of Narinia. With one less letter and one different one you get my last name. The number two book is 365 No Repeats by some overly perky Food Network Chef that I share a first name with. Fun, huh?

Banana-Date Bread

2005-12-15T20:19:00.000-08:00

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Many, many years ago in a not so far away land there were some maidens who wanted to earn some extra cash to fund their leisurely lifestyles. They were clever and crafty young things and oh yes, they had the drive to succeed. All that held them back from their riches was the perfect idea. They had the will, the skills, the determination and let's just say it, the deadication to really do something outstanding when they got down to it.

For a short while they dabbled in hand-made custom order apron-dresses, (Kinda like this. Actually, exactly like that. Hmm. I must have issues because I still think they look sort of cute. Yikes.) but that proved to be excessively time consuming. Next up, they thought they could break into the fimo dough bead market, but alas, that was well covered. Then one starry night as they lay in a field somewhere in the middle of nowhere Indiana, staring up at the stars with the strains of music lingering in their ears it came to them like a bolt from the blue. The way to their financial freedom was as simple as whipping up that tasty tropical treat, banana bread.

You see kids, in those days there was a fantastically popular band who roamed the globe with a merry band of followers, and if nothing else, that lot tended to be hungry. Very, very hungry. They pretty much seemed to subsist on a diet of burritos and grilled cheese, cookies and stir fry, popcorn balls and something a little more tricky called goo-balls. They ate tofu-jerky and quesadillas, and as our young heroines learned, they also craved banana bread, and could eat lots of it. So with that solid information, all our puerile misses had to do was hawk it at 1 slice for $3.00 or 2 for $5.00 from sweet little ribbon festooned wicker baskets in parking lots all over the nation and watch the money roll in.

Tweaking a recipe from the outstanding and infallible Joy of Cooking, they brought their banana bread forth, (six varieties in all) and it was good. Oh heavens was it good. So good in fact, they ended up making a tidy bundle of cash, and one of them (your narrator, I fear) ate so many gosh darned 'nanas she developed an allergy to them that persists to this day. Happily, that does not stop the former little chicky from baking her cosmically delicious bread from time to time, the scent of which brings her back to a long forgotten place, where "everybody's dancing in a ring around the sun."

Try this, and enjoy.

1 1/2 cups white flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter (or shortening)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3 large, completely ripe (brown) bananas, mashed
1/4 cup dates, diced

Preheat your oven to 350F

In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, wheat germ, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Cream throughly (when you think you are done, keep beating for another minute) then add the eggs and bananas. Beat together completely. Fold in the dates.

Pour your batter into a well buttered loaf pan. Bake 45 minutes to one hour, or until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

Cool in the pan. Slice and serve.

Makes one loaf or about 10 slices

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A Short List of Bands/Singers with Food Names:
Meatloaf, Bread, Moby Grape, Jelly Roll Morton, Ice-T, Spice Girls, Cream, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Salt 'n' Pepa, String Cheese Incident, Smashing Pumpkins, Leftover Salmon, The Cranberries, Black Eyed Peas, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Phish, Skankin' Pickle, Vanilla Fudge, Hot Chocolate, Blue Oyster Cult, Cake, Korn, The Lemonheads, Flying Burrito Brothers, Electric Prunes and Ray Anton and the Peppermint Men

Remember the Chiquita Banana Song?

"I'm Chiquita banana and I've come to say - Bananas have to ripen in a certain way- When they are fleck'd with brown and have a golden hue - Bananas taste the best and are best for you - You can put them in a salad - You can put them in a pie-aye - Any way you want to eat them - It's impossible to beat them - But, bananas like the climate of the very, very tropical equator - So you should never put bananas in the refrigerator." Music © 1945 Shawnee Press Inc.

Dried Plum Financiers

2005-12-15T20:17:00.000-08:00

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Mr. David Lebovitz, (a man who's work I simply adore) of food writing and blogging fame, has challenged the world to create a dish with dried plums, AKA, prunes. As a matter of fact, he seems to have already completed his round-up! (Foiled by time zones again...drat!)

Well, I happen to have quite a bit of knowledge regarding said fruit, having slaved deep in the heart of the California Dried Plum Board publicity machine for what seemed like eons, but may really have been one single, life altering year.

That's right kiddies, The CDPB (then known as the Prune Board) has on retainer a top flight food marketing agency to spread the word, build the faith and keep their festive purple banner raised through good times and bad. Happily it was a snap, since not only are those dried drupe fanatics the nicest of people, but they also are all about promoting something that is tasty, nutritious, eco-friendly, an excellent fat substitute (its true!) and an amazingly versatile ingredient. (You'd think I was still on the company bandwagon with this banter, and yet...) I just love me those dried plums I tell ya!

Sure, sure, some of you feel towards dried plums the way I feel about cilantro, (In other words, "no thanks") and I am not going to try to sway you to my way of thinking, since taste is taste and whatnot. What I will tell you is pretty darned fab are these financiers. A quick to make, breathy, crumbly French cookie/cake/bite that has the heady sweet nuttiness of almonds and sugar that opens your mind and palate. The addition of rich and chewy, dense and sweet dried plums only adds to the delight, but if you are so inclined, I think dried apricots are classic, and dried cherries would be a welcome burst of tang. Any which way, this takes less than six minutes to pull off (minus baking) and are a fanciful addition to anyone's repitoire. Super-fab-a-licious.

(I have been making these beauties for years, and follow my own hand written notes, though I am compelled to say the original recipe was created by Drew Nieporent. I think.)

2 Tablespoons of butter
1 cup ground almonds
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
pinch of table salt
5 large egg whites
2/3 cups butter, melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (optional)
prunes
powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat your oven to 400F

Liberally butter (or much better yet, spray with bakers spray, these guys stick like mad) 12 non-stick small tart molds, (such as barquettes), or a mini-muffin pan. Put the molds on a sheet pan, and set aside until ready to fill.

In a large bowl, stir to combine the almonds, sugar, pinch of salt, flour and if using, the orange zest. Add the melted butter to the almond mixture and combine completely. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites until they hold a soft peak (this means they are whipped until just past frothy, and when mounded with a spoon, a small, soft tip will hold)

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold half the egg whites into the almonds. Add the rest, doing your best not to deflate the whites, while mixing throughly.

Spoon batter into the molds/pan, leaving some room to rise. Top with a small dried plum.

Bake for 7 minutes at 400F. Reduce the heat to 375F and let bake another 10 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the financiers cool in the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove and let cool. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Makes 12
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Plum is the common name for a tree of any of many species of the genus Prunus of the family Rosaceae and for its fruit, a drupe. Of the plum’s more than 100 species 30 are native to North America. It has been cultivated since prehistoric times, longer perhaps than any other fruit except the apple. Alexander the Great is said to have introduced it into Greece from Syria or Persia, where the damson plum had long been grown. - Bartleby.com

California supplies 70 percent of the world’s supply of dried plums

The European Union's senior court yesterday granted Greece exclusive rights to produce "feta" over the protests of cheese makers from Denmark, Germany and Britain. The Court of Justice ended a legal battle stretching back over a decade and upheld Greek demands that the name "feta" should be reserved for salty, crumbly white cheese made in Greece. All non-Greek producers will have to remove all references to the word feta and will not even be permitted to spell it differently." -Telegraph.co.uk

I am flattered as a girl can be over this post at Yogurtland. What a delightful blog!

In 2001 the FDA granted the California Prune Board (CPB) permission to use "dried plums" as an alternative name to "prunes." The CPB requested the name change after research showed that the name "dried plum" offers a more positive connotation than "prune."

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Lemon-Verbena Syrup

2005-12-15T20:16:00.000-08:00

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It's highly likely that, should nothing go awry, someday I will be an old woman, and when that happens, I want to know in my heart I have lived life to the fullest. I will hold my head up high and say "Why yes, I did once make Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Lemon-Verbena Syrup, thanks for playing." Because even when I am old, I will still be sassy. (I'd also like to be able to say that and that I once made out with Tom Ford, but since he is not playing strictly on my team, I'll just have to stick with the panna cotta comment. For now.)

This may seem silly (the pannacotta part, I'm perfectly aware the Tom Ford part is) but it's really just symbolic of all of those recipes that I have thought about for ages and never actually followed through with. (Interestingly, in my world, most of those un-made recipes include Lemon Verbena. I wonder why.)

For instance, with this one, I was hesitant. Full of trepidation. It actually intimidated me. But I rose to the challenge (the challenge being that I was sort of convinced it wouldn't taste all that pleasant) and made things happen. I was rewarded with a silky-smooth, creamy-tangy, food-porn-a-licious dessert that will have your taste buds reeling for days. It is the perfect foil for a rich dinner. Sweet and silky, bold and divine. And kids, let me stress that a glass of port or some icy limoncello as a bev along side this will make it soar. Try it, and enjoy!

2 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons powdered gelatin
1 vanilla pod, cut lengthwise
1 cup full cream
4 tablespoons white sugar
2 cups buttermilk
For the syrup: (Not shown)
1/4 cup white sugar
Zest of one lemon, cut into thick-ish strips
2 tablespoons orange juice
A few leaves of Lemon Verbena, 1/2 of it chiffonade

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the hot water and let melt.

In a medium sauce pan, gently simmer the cream with the vanilla bean and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Take off the heat and stir in the gelatin. Set aside and let cool completely, about an hour. Do not put in the fridge, it will set.

When totally cooled, add in the buttermilk. Stir and strain into six ramekins that are placed on a sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about six hours.

1 hour prior to serving make the syrup, by combining the sugar, water, lemon zest and orange juice in a sauce pan over low heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

To remove the panna cottas from their molds, run a thin knife around the edge and invert each over a small dessert plate. Garnish with s few spoonfuls of the syrup and some of the lemon verbena.

Makes six

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My, my do I have a soft spot for English boys with guitars. Add in "who cook," and voila my new rock and roll crush, Dennis. Check out his blog, and help encourge his new habit.

Buttermilk has no butter in it and is lower in fat than milk. Authentic buttermilk is the slightly sour, residual liquid which remains after butter is churned, ie. milk from the butter.

Lemon Verbena, a South American herb, was brought to Europe in the late 17th century. According to "The Meaning of Herbs" it symbolizes delicate feelings. Mint stands for for wisdom.

Gravlax

2005-12-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

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A few days ago, while riffling through the icebox looking for something salty (its all about the salt with me kids. All about it. I swear, if I cut salt out of my diet, I would instantly be two sizes smaller) to nibble on, I spied a tragically lonely, single serving of wild caught Coho salmon calling out for some attention. Not being in the mood for sashimi, I cut short my quest for a nosh, and proceeded to pull together one of the worlds oldest preserved food recipes: gravlax. Sure, sure, it takes a few days to cure, but I have patience, and it is so very well worth the wait.

Now, as a long-time reader (ha ha) I'm sure you recall me saying this past summer I had found a recipe for Snapper Vera Cruz, the single most popular recipe taught at my cooking school. Turns out, I may have to revise that statement, since in the 18 months I spent at that fine academic institution we pretty much made gravlax once a week. That my peaches, is a heck of a lot of cured fish. Maybe they have an agenda I wasn't aware of...

Being obsessed (along with many other things - Pickles and cocktails come to mind) with Scandinavian food (My mother is partly Swedish after all. More on that some other time. It's fascinating stuff.) and what all, the consumption of vast quantities of this ambrosial (can you apply ambrosial to a savory food?) goodness has never been a problem for me. And the beauty is, you don't need much fish to feed quite a few people, you most likely have all the ingredients on hand, and it can be made in a heartbeat.

To serve it to the glitterati in your life in the most fab-ulicious kind of way, I suggest a slice of rye or pumpernickel bread, a thin layer of a 50/50 cream cheese-butter mixture, capers and pickled red onion. It is just the most beautiful combination of nearly translucent fish that has a hint of juniper, with the shockingly pink, crunchy onions and the creamy mouthfeel of the cheese. A mouthful of Valhalla. Try it, and enjoy

1 Salmon filet, skin on, bones removed, cut into 2 equal sized pieces
Equal parts white sugar and brown sugar
Salt equalling the sugar amount
Clear Spirits (I used gin. Aquavit or vodka are classic choices too)
Minced herbs (Dill is most traditional. I used Lemon Verbena because I had it)
Spices (I used cardamom. Try black pepper or cumin)
Freshly ground pepper

The recipe for this is pretty simple. Moisten the flesh of the fish with some of the spirit. (Wow, did that sound religious or what!) Top with minced herbs.

Combine the salt, sugars and pepper in a bowl.

In a non-reactive (meaning, glass or ceramic) dish, make a layer of the mix. Add the fish, skin down, coat heavily with more of the mixture. Top with another piece of fish skin side up, then pour the remaining mixture over it and pack down. Cover the container with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two to six days, turning once a day and draining any extra liquid. The time you leave it depends on how thick the filet is. To check it is done the fish will have turned completely opaque.

When done, brush off the sugar/salt mix. Slice as thin as can be and eat. Will keep up to a week.

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The Food and Drug Administration sent letters last week to 29 cherry growers and packagers warning them that declarations such as Amon Orchards claim on its Web site that "cherries prevent cancer." Or Brownwood Acres Foods Inc., saying cherries "knock out gout," are "serious violations" of federal food labeling laws. - Washington Post.com

60 percent of the world's marine stocks are either fully fished, over-exploited, depleted or recovering at a slow rate. With seafood growing in demand, it is critical that sustainable fishing practices are followed. - Whole Foods.com

A Swedish specialty, gravlax is raw salmon, cured in a salt-sugar-dill mixture. It's sliced paper thin and served on dark bread as an appetiser, often accompanied by dill-mustard sauce. Lox can refer either to cold smoked salmon, or to salmon cured in a brine solution (also called gravlax).

2005-12-15T20:11:00.000-08:00

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Tiffany. AKA The Mermaid, since she is sexy, beachy, (yet intellectual) and has a Siren-like ability to coerce even the most even keeled people (not that I count myself in with that group) to do things with just a flash of a smile and a bat of her impossibly long eyelashes.

It seems that just like our dearest peach Ms. LaRue, my Mermaid-like friend has a fixation with pumpkin, and recently wondered aloud on her extra-fab site Breakfast At Tiffany's (so chic!) if I may be able to provide some culinary relief by challenging me to make a vegan pie. (She isn't vegan, she is just a level headed and healthy girl) That's right. A vegan pumpkin pie. And seriously kids, how could I resist her request? I am nothing if not a girl who will rise to a challenge. (That's actually not true at all, but whatever)

With that I looked, I searched, I scrambled, I fretted (over a course of six to eight minutes) and in the end, with options including pureeing silken tofu, using $25 worth of maple syrup instead of sugar or adding prune puree for body and texture, I said no thanks. While I think being vegan is super fantastic, I also know enough about my limitations as a baker to not want to try to mess with a American classic. Ergo, the pumpkin pie you see right here on this page.

So for you, sweet Tiffany, here is a completely vegetarian virtual pumpkin pie. It was silken, and creamy (due to cream, I'm thinking) very spicy and had a strong and comforting pumpkin flavor. I would offer you a slice, but much to the joy of several people, every last crumb of it has been consumed. It took less than five minutes to pull together, and the scent of pie wafting through the house made the hour it was baking pure heaven. (And torture, knowing it had to cool before I could take a taste!) Try it, and enjoy.

3/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
4 tablespoons flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1 1/2 tablespoons molasses
4 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 9-inch pie crust, par-baked

(I made my own pie crust, but I am just not in the mood to write out my recipe. Maybe next week.)

Preheat your oven to 450F

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, flour, salt and spices. Place baking sheet in oven and preheat to 450°F. Whisk first 8 ingredients together in large bowl to blend. Whisk in pumpkin, molasses and eggs, then cream. Pour mixture into the crust.

Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 325F and bake until the center is just set, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven, and cool completely.

Serves 8

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In an excellent example of solipsism, please do visit Breakfast at Tiffany's today (and tomorrow, since it was so durned long) for my extra cheeky shopping tips

Mexicans are Latin America's largest per-capita consumers of instant ramen. Diners consumed 1 billion servings last year. The Chinese ate nearly 30.5 billion servings last year. Outside that region, only the United States, Russia and Brazil gobbled more instant ramen than Mexico. Its consumers ate an average of 9.4 servings in 2004, according to the Japan-based International Ramen Manufacturers Assn.- LA Times.com

It takes approximately 40 gallons of maple sap to produce one gallon of syrup

Research has found that men find "pumpkin pie" to be the sexiest scent

2005-12-15T20:09:00.000-08:00

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Scarcity leads to desire. Well, I'm not entirely sure that's true, but in the case of truffles (the mycological kind, not the chocolate ones) it must be. They are rare and coveted, mysterious and magical, and I love them. The tantalizing smell of dark rich soil and heavy muskiness fills every corner of your head and lingers like wood smoke. The pungent aroma gives most people a swooning feeling and a fullness of your senses.

What drives me to the brink (the brink!) is that this is something that is so elusive that we have to limit ourselves to special occasions to indulge. Or do we.

Fresh white Italian and black French truffles are only available in autumn and early winter, but with the proliferation of truffle peels, lower quality truffles and some that are harvested in Oregon, an ever widening availability is upon us. While I am leery of most of the so-called truffle-by-products (they are usually chemically enhanced) such as truffle butter or truffle oil, there are some that drive me to distraction. Like truffle cheese. It makes my head swim, my senses perk up and my eyes dance. I love it. While I have seen a few (maybe four) available around town, the most easily obtained is the truffle studded, soft cows-milk Sottocenere.

Because there is a chill in the air (ok, it's not that cold, but you know it's gloomy-wintery) I wanted some warming soup and this cheese, so I made the logical jump to roasted cauliflower and potato soup, and then topped it with the cheese. It was smooth, redolent of the roasted cauliflower sweetness and had just enough essence of truffle to send me into orbit. I was utterly blissed out, rising upward into the empyrean. You will be too. Try it and enjoy.

1 medium head of cauliflower
Olive oil
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 leek, white part only, sliced thin
1 large potato, peeled and rough chopped
Salt
Truffled cheese to taste
Chives and black pepper for garnish

Preheat your oven to 400F

Slice the cauliflower and toss with some olive oil. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, season with some salt and roast for 35-45 minutes, stirring a few times, until golden browned.

In a large sauce pan, sweat, (cook over low heat until softened but not browned) the leeks in some olive oil. Add the chicken stock, potatoes and a good dash of salt. Simmer over medium heat until the potatoes are softened, about 10 minutes depending on the size you cut the potatoes. Add 3/4 of the cooked cauliflower and simmer for another few minutes. Using an emersion blender or (in small batches) your jar blender puree until smooth.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, garnish with some of the remaining cauliflower, some chives and top with a few crumbles of the cheese.

Makes four to six servings

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Someone, somewhere, once told me Italians call white truffles angels and black truffles nuns, but I can't seem to clarify that anywhere online

The Italian white truffle is considered to be superior in smell and taste to the French black truffle

North Americans consume about 140 pounds of potatoes per person/year. Europeans, 290 lbs per person/year

Cauliflower is a variety of cabbage, with an edible head of condensed flowers and flower stems called curds

2005-12-15T20:08:00.001-08:00

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Those deliriously perfect, outrageously cheerful red cascabel peppers drive me to distraction. I am constantly buying them, without plans for what on earth I can do with them. They normally end up mixed with some eggplant, or minced into any number of rice and pasta dishes. But that always seems so UNFAIR. How can something so whimsical not earn a starring role?

That, coupled with an article in The New York Times Style Magazine on the Spanish affinity towards filadefia cheese (that's what they call any cream cheese) led me to a transatlantic culinary pow-wow with Maria-Jose, my resource for all things Spanish (and beloved sister-in-law). Could I make something with these peppers AND some cheese?

One thing instantly came to mind for her, and she was all about me trying it. With her Andalusian lisp (yes, she lisps, yet, hasn't got a lisp.) meshed into her dead-sexy English, she instructed me "Oh Ray-schell! You thake de filadelfia, and you, how is it you say? Give it mince up with thelery, and you take thee limon, and deth-herb-thes..." well, you get the idea. I could listen to her talk all day all lilting and joyful. The recipe she did end up giving me was delectable, but for my taste, I added some goat cheese just for the tang, but other than that, it is indeed her creation. And exactly like her, they are stop traffic glamour, super model beautiful, internationally spicy (oh, you know what I mean) and a vision indeed.

The other night, to get ourselves (more) excited for the annual Warren Miller movie, Higher Ground (which I highly recommend!) I had some friends over and offered the resulting peppers with some extra smooth sipping tequila and put out the extra filling as a spread for crackers. The crowd seem to have enjoyed them immensely. Thank goodness I set one aside for myself, because otherwise, I would have been shut out. I suggest doing the same if you are offering these as a cocktail nibble. I cut down on the anchovies called for in this recipe, but if you like them the way I do, go ahead and use three instead of one. Either which way, I urge you to try this...and enjoy!

26 cascabel peppers
olive oil
1/2 cup goat cheese
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cream cheese
zest of one small lemon
a few teaspoons minced chives
1 small anchovy, minced
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 large pinch Spanish paprika
Chives for garnish

Preheat your oven to 300F

Pull off the stems of the peppers and fish out the seeds. When you have them all done, put them in a nice oven proof pan (I used my loaf pan, lined with foil for easy clean up) and cover with olive oil. Roast for about 25 minutes or until they are just starting to soften. Remove from the oven and let cool in the oil.

Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl. Season to taste. The butter is in there for a few reasons, one to add a smoothness and pleasant mouth feel, but also it cuts the taste of the stronger goat cheese, and potentially too recognizable cream cheese. It also makes it just taste yummier.

When the peppers are cooled, use a slotted spoon to remove them and do your best to wipe off the residual oil. The oil left in the pan is a keeper. It will taste slightly sweet.

Fill the peppers with the cheese mixture. The best way to do this is to wet your hands (slightly) and roll small balls, then drop them into the peppers. Garnish with sliced chives and serve.

Makes about 26

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Cascabel peppers are moderately hot (4 on a scale of 10) and the name means "jingle bell" in Spanish.

"Over breakfast in San Sebastia¡n, Spain, a friend I was visiting volunteered a list of the five things the Spanish could not live without: 'coffee, cigarettes, jamon, freshly squeezed orange juice and filadelfia.' - Peter Meehan, NYTimes.com

Cream cheese originated in the United States in 1872 when a dairyman in Chester, NY, developed a "richer cheese than ever before," made from cream as well as whole milk. In 1880, a New York cheese distributor, A. L. Reynolds, first began distributing cream cheese wrapped in tin-foil wrappers, calling it Philadelphia Brand. - Kraft.com

Please don't forget about A Menu For Hope! Donate $5.00 for the Kashmir region earthquake relief and win some great prizes.

2005-12-15T20:08:00.000-08:00

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I once worked (slaved?) at a restaurant with a pastry chef who's baking made my mind swirl. She was not only hilarious, lovely, smart and kind, but this woman, this BAKER, was named (prophetically?) Baker. She earned bonus points in my world by being nice to me when I was not exactly excelling (may have had something to do with the fact that at the time, my cooking was slow as molasses on ice. That and I could never really reconcile myself to wearing those hideous checked pants) at the gig. She took me under her wing, and inspired me with her endlessly creative recipes.

This recipe is a cheap knock off of something she used to make, and while it could in no way emulate the fantasticness that she produced, it is still totally yummy and worth the effort.

I may still not be much of a baker, but I am still always willing to give it a go, and I hope you will too. The components are gingerbread cake, cranberry coulis, and cranberry-cinnamon poached pears.This is not so much about the recipe (you could poach the pears any way you like, and use any gingerbread recipe that strikes your fancy) as it is about the composition and building of flavors and textures.

The cake will have a spicy warmth to it, the pears a tart coolness, the coulis adds color and a fruity sweetness and the whole thing together equals heaven on a plate. While you are baking the cake, go ahead and poach the pears. Everything needs to be cool when you start to assemble anyway. A lovely addition would be some cinnamon whipped creme fraiche, but alas, I did not have any. Try it, and enjoy.

4 whole firm pears, peeled
1 cup cranberry juice
1 cup water (and more if needed)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon ground

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water

1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
3 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon warm water
2 cups white flour
1 cup water, boiling

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Butter and flour a 9- by 2-inch square baking pan. Line the bottom with buttered parchment paper.

Melt butter in a small pan over low heat and then set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, molasses, spices, and salt then and add the melted butter and whisk to incorporate.

In a cup dissolve baking soda in warm water and whisk into the batter.

Sift the flour over the mixed batter and whisk until combined well. Add boiling water in a slow stream, whisking, and pour batter into baking pan.

Bake gingerbread in middle of oven 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool gingerbread in pan on a rack. When cooled, turn the cake over, peel off the paper.

Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, combine your cranberry juice, water, sugar, orange zest and cinnamon and heat over a low flame to melt the sugar. Add your pears and place a small round (heat proof) plate directly on top of them to keep them submerged. Cook at a very low simmer for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove from the heat and cool the pears in the liquid. When cooled, remove the pears with a slotted spoon. If you are making the dessert later, store the pears in the liquid.

While the pears are poaching and the gingerbread is baking, combine your coulis ingredients (cranberries, water and sugar) in a small saucepan and simmer over a low flame for 30-45 minutes. Strain the cranberries out using a fine mesh strainer and set the liquid aside. fish out a few of the cranberries and add back to the sauce to use for garnish.

To assemble the dessert, you will first need to slice the pears in half through the stem. Remove the seeds with a melon baller or a sharp knife. Then to create the fan effect, lay the pear half down on your cutting board and slice from just below the stem down to the bottom, repeat four of five times moving across the pear. When sliced, push down slightly with your hand and it will fan out. Voila.

Next up you will need a round cutter. (or, a tuna can with both ends cut off, that has been scrubbed) Cut out four circles of cake, then slice them in half through the middle. (Equator) Brush with some of the cranberry coulis to moisten. Layer with half a poached pear fan, top with the second circle of gingerbread then dust with some powdered sugar and a few of the reserved cranberries. Make all four of your cakes, then pour the remaining coulis on four chilled dessert plates. Add the cakes and put the other half of the pear on the plates and serve.

Makes four

Oh, and those cake scraps? Keep them, gingerbread only gets better the next day. Mmmm.

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Coulis. A mixture—often a fruit puree—that has been strained of tiny seeds or pieces of peel so it is perfectly smooth.

In Medieval England gingerbread meant simply "preserved ginger" and was a corruption of the Old French gingebras, derived from the Latin name of the spice, Zingebar. It was only in the fifteenth century that the term came to be applied to a kind of cake made with treacle and flavored with ginger. - Ginnys Gingerbread House.com

California produces 60% of the nation's total Bartlett pear crop

I am adding another item for the Menu for Hope. If you haven't made a donation yet, perhaps a brand new 3.5 inch Wusthof paring knife will tempt you. Just go to First Giving and make a $5 donation (or really, any amount more than that you care to) and specify in the comments section what item you would like to win. (A full list of items, minus this new addition is here). All money will go to Unicef, to help with the Kashmir region earthquake relief effort.

2005-12-15T20:05:00.000-08:00

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Why hello you sweet things! How are you today? Let's dish. Have you ever gone into a restaurant and ordered something off of the menu with a full mental picture of what you were going to receive, but when the food is set down, it is unfamiliar or maybe just a little bit off? You know, maybe you asked for a wienershnitzle and got veal instead of a hot dog? That kinda thing.

Of course, with a zillion possible variations on any one theme, is there really any absolute version? Even with classics - something tried and true, we almost always tweak it to our tastes, to what is available or to what we are able to pull off. And if you have never even seen the original version, who is to say your version is off? Right? Right. And for me, it's exciting to see how someone else interprets a dish I think I know so well.

All that said, I made pot stickers last night. At least, what I consider pot stickers. Tasty bites of pan fried and steamed stuffed noodles. I could eat them all day. I have had pot stickers in restaurants in North America, but never in Shanghi, (where I guess they originated) so I only know this style, and I can honestly say they meet and exceed my own expectations for yumminess.

They are tricky to serve as a cocktail snack because they require utensils to dip them into the salty, tart and gingery sauce, so I suggest serving them as a starter to a meal, or just for yourself as an indulgent morsel. (Though, if you are going that route, cut the recipe by 3/4, ya?)

The method, one you have tried it, it quite simple really. Authentic, of course not, but scrumptious none the less. The best type of food.

The basic idea is that your ingredients need to be minced fine and cooked, then the potstickers built and cooked. The ingredients themselves can vary any which way you like, so long as you end up with about 2 cups of filling for 24 wontons. At that point you can keep them for a few days (no more than three I would say) and make them to be served hot. The beauty here is that unlike with pastry type turnovers, the noodles and the filling will stay the same size when cooked, so you can stuff them as full as you like, so long as they seal shut. Try them, and enjoy.

24 wonton wrappers
2 pounds mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
1/2 small onion
2 tablespoons ginger
A few scallions
Vegetable oil
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine or black vinegar
Sesame seeds
1 cup water, chicken or vegetable stock
Chives for garnish

Optional additions:
Minced chicken or pork, water chestnuts, celery, cabbage, carrots, chiles, peanuts or cilantro

Finely mince the mushrooms, garlic, onion, ginger and scallions. (And any other ingredients you want to add.) In a large saute pan over medium heat, saute the minced ingredients until they are fully cooked. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

Mix together your dipping sauce. It should be to your taste (obviously) but to get you started, go with three tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the wine/vinegar, a few drops of sesame oil and a teaspoon of minced ginger. Whisk that together and then add a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Taste and adjust.

Pour a little bit of water into a small container.

Place about a teaspoons worth of the filling onto the lower half of each of the wontons. Lightly moisten the top edge of each noodle, fold over to create half moons and press down to seal. (Ideally you would create a few decorative folds at this point, but you know, who has the time...)

In a large pan with a lid, heat a few teaspoons of your vegetable oil until it is rippling. Carefully add the potstickers in a single layer. Do not move them. Let cook for three minutes. Peek under one and see if it has browned. When they are browned add enough stock/water to just cover the bottom of the pan. Slap on the lid and let steam three minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spatula onto a cutting board. Blot with a towel if they are super wet.

Garnish with sesame seeds and chives and serve

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Black Vinegar: A dark complex vinegar made of glutinous rice and malt somewhat similar to a balsamic used in Chinese stir-frys, braises and sauces. Substitutions: Red rice vinegar - Gourmet Sleuth.com

Japan’s two-year-old ban on American beef was lifted and Colorado ranchers sent their first shipment out Wednesday. Japan is putting limitations on types of cattle that will be accepted, "all animals must be 20 months or younger." - KRDOTV.com Cattle are Colorado's top commodity - there are approx. 2.5 million head, valued at $2.5 billion statewide - Denver Post

Dumplings have been made in China for more than four centuries. They are still a favorite in Shanghai and Beijing, where hundreds of specialty stalls make nothing else. They should be eaten with a dip of vinegar and shredded fresh ginger. Dumplings are called "pot stickers" because the base of the dumpling is crisped and browned in oil before steaming. - Do Dumplings.com

There is still time to take part in Menu for Hope. If you haven't made a donation yet, perhaps a brand new 3.5 inch Wusthof Classis paring knife will tempt you, or a box of Jin Chocolates. Just go to First Giving and make a $5 donation and specify in the comments section what item you would like to win. (A full list of items is here). All money will go to Unicef, to help with the Kashmir region earthquake relief effort.

Menu of Hope II

2005-12-12T06:54:00.000-08:00

Oh my dear, sweet loyal readers. How I wish I could reach right through this screen and give you all a warm hug today. Why today? Because today, I have to ask something of you. It's not a big something, but it is a something that MEANS something.

There was a horrifically devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake on October 8th in the Kashmir region of India and Pakistan. The people who live in the area are still fighting for their lives. Shelter is scarce, the weather is extreme and aid has been slow in coming. While we are here (where ever your "here" may be) millions go without. I know I sound dramatic, but it IS dramatic and needs our attention.

In an effort to do something, food bloggers around the world have gotten together for an event called Menu of Hope II. We are offering items in a virtual raffle and the cost to you my dears, is $5.00 a ticket. That's right my peaches, five smackeroos and you can win a fab prize from your favorite food blogger AND do something good for humanity. Does that not sound like a deal?

So what do you do? Thats easy my loves. Click here, and donate. Specify in the comments section of your donation form which item you want and then on New Years Day, check back to see if you are the winner.

The first item I am donating is something that is near and dear to my heart. A $25.00 box of the outrageously sinful Jin Patisserie chocolates. Made in Venice, California by Kristy Joo (a graduate of my alma mater, The California Culinary Academy), these exquisite delights are beyond compare.

The 12 piece, 2 pound box of chocolates includes: The de Concubine, Passion fruit, The du Hammum, Mango Kalamansi, Caramel Clove, Cinnamon, Pandan, Chrysanthemum, Lavender, Ginger, Café Rhum, Black Roasted Sesame.

It is a treat worth having.

And now, for the small print: Menu of Hope II, via Just Giving, is raising money for Unicef with funds earmarked for the earthquake victims in the Kashmir region. Each $5 donated gives you one chance to win a prize of your choosing. Just state which on in the 'comment' section of your donation form. You can donate more than $5 of course, each $5 will give you one chance at one prize. (Yes, you are allowed to specify more than one gifts if you donate more than $5.) Menu of Hope II will not be collecting any money, Just Giving will forward all the money raised directly to Unicef.

I will be adding more donation items in the days to come. Please do take the time and open your hearts and pockets for this worthy cause. Thank you all so much, you are all shining stars in my universe.

And lastly, please visit some of the other fantastic food blogs participating in this important event. Chez Pim, Becks and Posh, Chocolate and Zucchini In Praise of Sardines Gluten Free Girl and many more. They are all offering incredible items and I hope you will take the time to check them out.

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Unicef was created by the UN General Assembly on December 11, 1946 to respond to the suffering of children in European countries devastated by World War II. In 1953, UNICEF was made a permanent arm of the UN to address the plight of children in world wide. UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965.

Every day, more than 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every five seconds

Most of the affected areas are in mountainous regions and access is impeded by landslides that have blocked the roads. An estimated 3.3 million were left homeless in Pakistan. The UN reported that more than 4 million people are directly affected, as winter snows start. Many of them are at risk of dying from cold and the spread of disease. It has been estimated that damages incurred are well over 5 billion US dollars. - Wikipedia

Flying Solo/Warm Mixed Nuts

2005-11-21T05:41:00.000-08:00

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The flight from Los Angeles International Airport to John F. Kennedy Airport in NYC is approximately five hours and 22 minutes. Tack on the hour given to through traffic to the airport, the two-hour-in-advance security (what a joke) check, plus the thirty minutes to get my bag at the other end, a 25 minute cab ride then a two hour Jitney ride (the worlds most silent form of transportation. It's beyond odd. The coach is packed, and yet no one breathes a word. Then, the ticket girls pass out chips and water. And you stare at the chips, and might even want the chips, but NO. That would break the eerie silence. It is pure torture.) and ten minutes to Auntie Shesh's house, and let's just say that by the time I am there, I am ready to lay my little head down and pass out until I have to turn around and go back.

If that sounds like I'm complaining I am not. It's all worth it to be somewhere wintery for a fun holiday with my family who I so adore. I could have stayed home and gone to Auntie O's house, but this year I wanted to go east. So back to my flight. I get my seat assignment. The flight is sold out/over-booked. The woman behind the counter, giddily tells me the man I will be sitting next to is cute, and she "thinks" might be a celebrity of some sort, but she isn't sure. I blush, thank her, and retreat.

The next two hours I sit wondering what celebrity she meant. If it is going to be someone super good, I may have to struggle to maintain my composure. Then again, anyone that good would be on a private jet, right?

My flight is called and at the last possible minute I climb aboard and scan for my seat and for who I will be sitting next to. My eyes land on him, thankfully he is looking the other way. My heart skips a beat, and not in a good way. I panic. I look around wildly for another seat. I contemplate swapping out for a middle seat in coach. This is awful! 5 hours and 22 minutes next to this man? This man is no celebrity! (Infamous maybe, but thats about it) This man is my ex-boyfriend. I retreat to the galley, explain everything to a very sympathetic flight attendant, who graciously agrees that is not who I want to be next to for the next chunk of my day, so she discreetly starts asking other passengers if they will swap with me, deviously explaining I am a touch ill and need to be nearer to the front of the plane. (Bless her heart) Finally a deal is stuck, a woman casually relocates and I sink into my seat, buckle in and pray he doesn't notice me. I am so not in the mood for his charms. He does of course, and comes over after the meal to say hello, I was able to smile bravely and it was over in no time.

Now, none of that has anything to do with the spirit of the holiday, or even food. So as a consolation, here is my recipe for warm, spiced nuts. Not at all like what they serve on the plane...in fact, much better. Sweet, hot, salty and delicious (Not just a recipe for cocktail snacks, it's the recipe for my ideal boy! Ta-dum!) try this quick recipe, and enjoy.

2 cups mixed nuts (any type you like)
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons powdered (confectioners) sugar
1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary and thyme
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper

Add the nuts to a large saute pan over high heat. Shake vigorously to lightly toast. After 2 minutes, reduce the heat to low. Add the butter, let melt and stir to coat the nuts. When coated, add the rest of the ingredients, stirring constantly for another 2 minutes.

Pour the hot mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper or a cool non-stick baking sheet. Stir as it cools. The sugar-butter mixture will harden, don't worry, just break it up.

Serve immediately or can be kept in a sealed container for up to three days.

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California walnuts account for 99 percent of the commercial US supply and two-thirds of world supply. The first commercial plantings in California began in 1867 when Joseph Sexton, an orchardist and nurseryman in Goleta, planted English walnuts. - Walnuts.org

Airline crews are advised to drink four glasses of water per hour of in-flight time

Goat meat imports to the U.S. jumped about 140% over a seven-year period ending in 2003. Now some California farmers see gold in goat. They are expanding their herds, hoping to cash in on consumers' broadening tastes. 40% of the goat meat consumed in the U.S. is imported from Australia and New Zealand. The remainder is produced by farmers with herds ranging from 15 to 8,000 animals. In California and across the nation, the fast-growing Muslim, Latino and Asian communities are pushing up the demand for one of the most widely consumed meats in the world. California — with more than 100,000 goats — trails only Texas and Tennessee in the size of its herd. -Los Angeles Times

2005-08-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

French

The Cola Challenge

2005-06-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

I am always giddy when I hear about new products in the market. Yesterday, for instance as I was making a beeline for the dried pasta section to read the ingredients on the recently launched Multi-Grain Pasta from Barilla, when I was diverted (actually, I stopped dead in my tracks) when I spotted the new, exciting and enticing Coca-Cola Zero. (No, I haven't been in a hole and missed the gigantic launch campaign. I was in England. Which is not exactly a hole, since there is a little more sunlight) That's right kids. Coke with no sugar in it. Not exactly a new concept, but I was intrigued. I just had to know what the difference between Diet Coke (or as everyone else in the world calls it, Coke Light.) a sugar free cola beverage and Coke Zero, a sugar free cola beverage by the same manufacturer was. I bought a few bottles for a side by side tasting, (a la the Pepsi Challenge) and label comparison. I also went to the Coke website, (which is hilarious. There are recipes, FAQs, history and my favorite, the rumor page.) and basically found out the difference is who they are marketing it to. Seems that mostly ladies drink DC, even though research suggests boys want a calorie free option too...according to their press release "Coca-Cola Zero will be sweetened with a blend of aspartame and acesulfame potassium (ace-k) Brand name: Sunett" and will be marketed primarily to men and boys.

As for the soda itself, I'm not the biggest fan of cola in general, (my father calls it belly-wash or gullet-rot. Charming, eh?) but I do like the occasional tipple and thought it would be fun (and hyper active) to see if these products are noteably different in taste and most importantly, aftertaste.

So now, for you Coca-Cola addicts (and those of you with fear-of-splenda) here is the Fresh Approach Coke Product breakdown:

Coca-Cola Classic - Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup and/or sucrose, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors (vegetable source), caffeine

Diet Coke - Carbonated water, caramel color, phosphoric acid, sodium saccharin, potassium benzoate (to protect taste), natural flavors (vegetable source), citric acid, caffeine, potassium citrate, aspartame, dimethylpolysiloxane. Phenylketonurics: Aspartame contains phenylalanine.

C2 - Water, high fructose corn syrup and/or sucrose, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors, potassium benzoate (to protect taste), potassium citrate, caffeine, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose

Coca-Cola Zero - Carbonated water, caramel color, phosphoric acid, aspartame, potassium benzoate, natural flavors, potassium citrate, acesulfame potassium and caffeine

My personal blind tasting (cold soda, no ice) of these four products had Diet Coke as the clear winner, Coke Classic next, Coke Zero then C2. I was amazed at how easy it was for me to pick out the ones I was familiar with. The Coke Zero left almost no aftertaste (the way I find Diet Coke does) and was much spicier. (It is my understanding that Cola is predominantly flavored with a synthetic reproduction of kola nuts and cloves. Nutmeg and vanilla are secondary flavors. ) C2 was like drinking chemicals...the sweetener was overwhelming and the flavors were over pronounced. And Coke Classic, well, it tasted just like it should. Sweet and spicy with a great effervesense and just a slightly sweet aftertaste.

I was surprised to see a second diet product from Coke, but with all of the artificial sweetener choices out there, it is no surprise to me that they are trying new things. I hope this was of interest. Tomorrow, back to food, I promise.

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Coca-Cola makes more than 400 products that are available in 200 countries

Diet Coke with Lime was the number one selling flavored cola of 2004

The kola nut is the edible seed of several species of tropical tree. Many soft drink manufacturers now use synthetic chemicals that resemble the flavor of kola nuts.

Coca-Cola Zero - Photo

2005-06-20T06:18:00.000-07:00

lg_cocacola_zero_can
Originally uploaded by chefrachael.

Coca-Cola Zero - Photo

2005-04-25T10:21:00.000-07:00

Words can make a meal sound so much better than it ever really was. I know because I once read a review of an “ethereal” chocolate soufflé that turned out to be a gritty mound of inedible chalkiness. None of that applies to meals at the incomparable Hotel Bel Air. Descriptions that just scratch the surface are more along the lines of delectable, ambrosial, bewitching, nectareous, and divine. And let us not forget sumptuous and just plain delicious.

The Rock Goddess and I went to this heavenly spot last week and indulged our innermost gluttons. And believe me, we were more than satisfied. If you are not familiar with the Hotel Bel Air, it is an extraordinary (and fantastically posh) spot that makes you feel as if you are living in another city. It is quiet and tranquil, lush and sedate and the perfect place to have an elegant meal away from the spotlight.

It is a testament to them that the very first thing that happens when you pull in is that enough valets come over to open every door. A small gesture, but one that makes an impression. Once inside we were offered indoor or outdoor (under the jasmine and bougainvillea ladened trellises, near the fireplace) seating, and opted for indoor, thinking it was too quiet outside to really feel comfortable. Later in the summer it will be busier, but that night, it wasn’t.

To start we ordered Kir Royales. Some people (who aren’t French, I suppose) find it to be a little much, I call it the nectar of the Gods. And of course, they brought by the bread basket with a choice of focaccia, sourdough rolls, cheese sticks, flat bread or olive bread, all of which were perfect.

As an amuse bouche, the chef sent out a demitasse of impressively smooth and warm asparagus soup with black truffles. No more than three sips were offered in that tiny porcelain cup, but what was there was palate-awakening decadence. There was not a speck of pepper, yet a touch of spiciness, not a hint of fiber, only a deep rich springtime burst of asparagus and several large shavings of lusty truffle. Being the outrageous women we are, the Rock Goddess and I opted to have three appetizers and split an entrée. It would have been obscene to order more, though it still verged on the sinful to do even that. The three appetizers were: Foie Gras “Trois Facon” – Smoked Torchon, Seared BLT and Crème Brulee ($28), Wild Mushroom Risotto Oregon Truffles and Porcini Essence ($28), Ahi Tuna tartare with Avocado and melon (Can you tell I didn’t write that one down the way I did with the others? It sounds so much less interesting, but trust me, it was incandescent.)

Allow me to start by talking about the risotto. There is no denying it’s really a bowl of rice, but somehow with a little kitchen magic is was a feast. Rich and impressive, perfectly cooked (a tricky thing with risotto, I think.) redolent with truffle slices, buttery and saporous.

The tuna tower was amazing to behold. The fish was bright and sparkling and in perfect cubes with a hint of something spicy, (Radish seeds I think) the avocado was creamy and the lusciously orange and juicy melon set it all off perfectly. Topped with a salad of frissee, radish sprouts and batons of rainbow radish, the entire thing came together as spicy, sweet, fresh, lux and superbly balanced.

I can’t tell you about the Fois Gras. I’m sorry. It was just too, too much. Too swank, too heady, too masterful to describe. On a long platter they served two large bites of culinary bliss and a cup of lasciviously decadent crème brulee. If you are in Los Angeles, and you are willing and hungry, go to the Bel Air and order this. Savor it. Relish it. Worship it. It deserves no less.

For the entrée we split the truly remarkable Fennel Crusted Filet of West Coast Striped Bass with Bronze Fennel, Basil Whipped Celery Root and Niçoise Relish ($42) that they kindly put on two plates for us. I wish I hadn’t burnt out my thesaurus writing the last few descriptions, because this, well, it took the prize. The fish was cooked to be soft and white, but with an outrageous crispy crust of flavorful fennel. It sat on a bed of perfectly seasoned, Kelly green (due to the subtle basil) whipped celery root, which was just light enough to work like magic with the burst of flavor that came from the nicoise relish quenelles.

What did we drink to cleanse our palates during this decadent meal? A bottle of 1996 Iron Horse Brut Rose Sparkling Wine. The review of which will have to wait.

Desert was the last thing on our minds at that point, but they did send out a few little chocolate truffles (smooth and creamy, luscious and lovely) and a chocolate dipped strawberry. After this soul satisfying meal, we went to their clubby bar and had a glass of Eau De Vie. A perfect ending to a perfect meal.

I forgot to tell you the occasion for this big night out! Absolutely nothing. That’s right. We are just girls who think life is short and eating well is the best thing ever. I hope you live that way too, because it makes everything else a touch more fantastic.

Overall – Dreamlike
Food – Exquisite yet approachable
Ambiance – Evenings are quiet, brunch is more festive
Service – Refined and kind
Prices – How can you put a price on perfection?
Will I return? – Is there a sun in the sky? ___________________________________________________________ Information on Oregon Truffles

Review of The Hotel Bel Air from Zagats: Supplying a “civil oasis in Gomorrah”, this “ultimate romantic hideaway” in the Bel-Air Hotel is renowned for its “gorgeous”, “blue-blood” decor (No. 1 in this Survey) and “breathtaking” grounds replete with “soothing swans” sailing by; “beautifully presented”, “superb” Cal-French fare and “fine wines” are “perfectly” served by the “top-notch” staff, and though it’s “pricey”, it’s “unbeatable for any occasion”, especially if you reserve the private Table One; N.B. jacket required during fall and winter.

2004-10-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Mexican Seviche with Cumin-Chili Chips
It is still really warm here in Los Angeles, so I thought I would make ceviche. As with most traditional dishes, there are thousands of possible variations, but for me, simple works best. Why re-invent the wheel, right? Do try to find Mexican limes if you can, if not, regular limes will do. This recipe makes four generous servings. Seviche, sadly, does not hold well, so it is best to eat the day it is made . Enjoy!2 pounds highest quality mixed cubed white fish, squid, bay scallops, and de-shelled shrimp: RAW4 red jalapeno chilies cut into rings (more if you like)1 red bell pepper, diced1 green bell pepper, diced1/2 small red onion, diced 1 bunch cilantro minced1 tsp brown sugar1 1/2 cups Mexican lime juice zest of two limes¼ cup vegetable oilSalt and pepper to taste1 avocado, diced1 English cucumber, peeled and dicedCombine everything except the avocado and cucumber, in a large non-reactive bowl and allow to marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for two hours. In this time, the seafood should turn opaque (the acid in the lime juice will have chemically “cooked” it).When the fish is cooked, add the avocado and cucumber and serve on a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce, in martini glasses. (If you have them!) Traditionally seviche is served with popcorn and corn nuts, I like these baked tortilla chips as a garnish:2 (10-inch) flour tortillas2 tablespoons fresh lime juice1 teaspoon chili powder1/2 teaspoon ground cumin1/4 coarse kosher saltPreheat oven to 400 degrees F.Brush each flour tortilla on one side with lime juice. In a small bowl mix chili powder, cumin, and coarse salt; sprinkle mixture over lime moistened side of tortillas (may not use all of mixture - use to taste). Cut tortillas into quarters or eights; arrange in a single layer, seasoning side up, on a baking sheet. Bake approximately 10 minutes or until chips are crisp and lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, September 10, 2004
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Cold Pea Soup with Buttermilk
It was 101 degrees yesterday in the Hollywood Hills. (That's about 36 for you Celsius people) Much too hot to eat a big dinner, so I pureed a batch of this cold soup. You can substitute any herb you like for the mint, if that isn't to your taste, and if you are feeling really wild, add some butterleaf, romaine or bibb lettuce leaves to the peas when you are cooking them. I cooked the peas and broth in the microwave. I just couldn't bring myself to turn on the stove. 1 box frozen petite pois peas1 1/2 cups chicken broth4 tablespoons mint leaves1 cup buttermilk Salt and white pepper to tasteGarnish: Sour cream and mint leavesSimmer the peas and broth for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Remove and reserve some of the peas to use as garnish.In a blender, add the peas and broth, mint and buttermilk and puree until very smooth. Add more or less liquid to reach your desired consistency. Strain if you want the soup even smoother. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.Refrigerate until cold. Serve with additional peas, a dollop of sour cream and a mint sprig.Serves four____________________________________The Microwave was invented after a researcherwalked by a radar tube and a chocolate barmelted in his pocket.
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Simple Salad: Greens and Chickpeas
It has been really warm here the last few days -- perfect weather for a simple, crisp salad3 tablespoons champagne vinegar4 tablespoons best quality olive oilsalt and pepper4 cups butterleaf lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces1 cup mixed herbs (tarragon, basil, oregano and chervil would all be good), leaves only3 large carrots, shaved into long strips with a peeler1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shavedIn a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, and a pinch of salt.Toss remaining ingredients with vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper.Serves four
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Saturday, September 04, 2004
Hibiscus Cooler
I love cooking with edible flowers. Here is a quick and easy drink made with dried Hibiscus, a great source of vitamin C, that is available at most health food stores, and -- much less expensively--at Latino markets, where it is sometimes called Jamaica.4 green tea bags (I use two regular and two decaffeinated) 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers Zest of one large orange1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced5 tablespoons sweetener (I use sugar. Honey or whatever else you like works fine too)1 quart waterCombine all in a large pot and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and allow to steep for four minutes. Strain, chill and enjoy. Green tea has been shown in studies to reduce the likelihood of breast cancer in women.------------------------------------------------------------------The intention of this blog is to share recipes I am developing with everyone, so you can try them and enjoy them. This blog is not really much about my life, or thoughts or politics. But sometimes, life and thoughts and politics need to be addressed. In that light, here is a link to an article that I read today that really had an impact on me. It calmed me down for a few minutes, and helped me reflect on all the good in the world. Food nourishes our bodies, life nourishes our souls. I'm off to my yoga class...http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2004/09/03/notes090304.DTL
# posted by Rachael @ Saturday, September 04, 2004
Friday, September 03, 2004
Orange Punch
This is a great drink to serve your friends and keep cool and mellow over this hot weekend. If you are planning a BBQ, this would be a great addtition, along with our Asian Coleslaw, Guacamole and Jamaican Burgers. Have a fun and safe holiday weekend!Zest of 3 large juice oranges Juice squeezed from the same oranges, strained1/2 cup sugar1 1/2 cups water1 cup best quality bourbonJuice of one small lemon1 bottle cold, dry sparkling wineIn a saucepan over medium heat, combine the orange zest, sugar and water. Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occastionally. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool.Strain the cooled syrup into a large pitcher and add the bourbon, orange juice and lemon juice. Refrigerate until cold. Then pour in sparkling wine. Enjoy in champagne flutes garnished with an orange slice.
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, September 03, 2004
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Watermelon Soup with Crab
I made this soup last night, and let me tell you, it was Fan-Tas-Tic-Outta-sight-Dee-lish-us!! Trust me on this one, you will LOVE it! I left out the cilantro and used mint instead, try it with either...another thing I did which is a touch complicated to explain is that I did half the recipe with yellow melon and half with pink, then I poured it in the bowl with two ladles simultaneously and made a sort of ying-yang pattern. If that makes sense, and you can find yellow watermelon, give it a whirl...6 cups coarsely chopped, seeded watermelon (without the rind)1 small shallot, finely chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 small Thai red chile finely chopped (with seeds)Juice and zest of one large limeSalt (Sea salt, if you have it) 2 cups lump crabmeat ¼ cup finely minced fresh cilantro2 tablespoons vegetable oil Garnish with lime wedges and black sesame seedsPurée watermelon in a blender until smooth and transfer to a bowl.In a 2-quart heavy saucepan cook the shallot, ginger, and garlic in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until pale golden, about 4 minutes. Add about one third of watermelon purée and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, 4 minutes.Remove watermelon mixture from heat, then in two batches, transfer to blender along with chile, lime juice and zest, and salt and blend until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids, never fill the blender more than half way).Add remaining watermelon purée as another batch and blend briefly. Combine all and season soup with more chile, lime juice, and salt as desired, blending more if necessary.Pour soup through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding any solids. This step can be skipped, but I don't think you should, it makes it so much more elegant. Chill soup, uncovered, about 2 hours.To prepare the crabmeat simply toss it with the cilantro, oil, and salt.Divide crab among 4 soup plates, mounding in center, and pour chilled soup around it.Soup can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Cover after 2 hours of chilling.Serves four___________________________________Watermelon is really a vegetable. Cousin to thecucumber and kin to the gourd, watermelonscan range in size from 7 to 100 pounds. The world record for the largest watermelonis 255 pounds, grown by Vernon Conrad of Oklahoma.
# posted by Rachael @ Thursday, September 02, 2004
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Ban on imported caviar imposed by UN
There are twenty nine species and subspecies of sturgeon and almost all of them are threatened or endangered. Many are nearing extinction. Why? Caviar. A once abundant food stuff that has become a coveted status symbol. (And is really delicious to eat!)Caviar is technically the unfertilized eggs of female sturgeons. Beluga Sturgeon, for instance, the grande dame of these fish, can reach a length of 20 feet, a weight of almost 2 and a half tons and live for 150 years. One Beluga female may produce up to 12 per cent of her body weight in caviar. But with the high cost of caviar, there are less and less of these fish in the world, and we need to work to preserve them.The Caspian Sea, the world's largest inland water body, is the center of an increasingly lawless sturgeon catch and caviar trade, one characterized by poaching, illegal production and smuggling on a massive scale, predominantly by Russians. (Please refer to current economic conditions of Russia before passing judgment.)Even though Iran, one of the countries bordering the Caspian is doing a great job protecting the species, their neighbors, the Russians, are not. So, in an effort to save the species, yesterday, The United Nations agency that controls trade in endangered species announced they have halted exports of caviar until all of the countries where it is produced comply with an agreement to protect sturgeon.So like in the days leading up to Prohibition, enjoy your Beluga, Sevruga and Osetra caviar while you can! (Or start to appreciated California farmed caviar, an environmentally positive alternative) The ban goes into effect in January 2005. Hopefully the ban will help raise levels of this great fish, and prevent extinction.The shelf life of caviar is about 18 months, so if you still want to try some, contact www.paramountcaviar.com, an excellent (law-abiding) purveyor of Iranian caviar, and then eat.Caviar is best served simply, very cold, and preferably in a non-metallic bowl nested inside a larger bowl filled with ice. (Silver and metal bowls and utensils should be avoided due to oxidation, which may impart a metallic taste to the caviar.) with toast points or bland, unsalted crackers. Nothing should interfere with the flavor, but if you must, common accompaniments include lemon wedges, sour cream, créme frâiche, hard-cooked egg (yolks and whites chopped separately), and minced onion. Follow each bite with a sigh and a sip of ice-cold vodka or champagne. Enjoy until you are satiated, until you are broke (Quality caviar runs about $100 an oz.) or until the ban goes into effect.
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Caviar (Photo From NYTimes.com)
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Baked Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes
I had a great class last night with some familiar faces and some new ones. We made a plum galette, peach turnovers and pizza margarita. (The class was all about dough!) I also told a friend I would post a simple recipe here for him to try...so this is it:2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise2 teaspoons (10 ml) olive oil1 teaspoon fresh thyme or rosemary, minced1 lb pasta shells or rotini (something short, and hollow to catch the sauce)1 ¼ cup mascarpone cheese (if unavailable try ricotta cheese) 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated1/4 cup minced fresh chivespinch of cayenne peppercoarse salt and pepper to tastePreheat oven to 400 F/200 CLine a large shallow sheet pan with aluminum foil. Butter the foil lightly.Arrange tomatoes in a single layer, cut sides up, on the sheet pan, drizzle the olive oil over them and sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper and thyme. Roast until slightly plumped, about 15 to 20 minutes.Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1 ½ cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain pasta well and transfer to a large bowl.Add the mascarpone cheese to the pasta and stir until melted. Add back the reserved cooking water, tomatoes, half the parmesan, 3 tablespoons chives, cayenne, salt and pepper and toss well, then allow the mixture to cool to until warm.Butter a 3-quart (13- by 9-inch) shallow baking dish and add the pasta mixture. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over top. Bake uncovered until golden and bubbly, 18 to 20 minutes. Garnish with remaining tablespoon of chives. Serves sixThe pasta can be prepared, but not baked, 3 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature. It can also be eaten right from the pan, and not baked.ADDITIONS: 1 oz soft goat cheese, 4 oz. chopped ham, 2 tablespoons chopped basil, or 4 oz. sautéed baby shrimp.
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Monday, August 30, 2004
Dirty Bloody Mary
I really love Dirty Bloody Mary's with a lot of lemon4 cups ounces tomato juice (V-8 works too) 1 1/2 cups best quality vodka (I use Skyy. For a much spicier drink, use Absolut Pepper)4 dashes Tabasco sauce1 teaspoon grated horseradish 2 dashes Worcestershire sauceJuice of two small lemons1 oz. pickle juice or (green) olive juicePinch of celery salt Pinch of black pepper Ice Celery spears, pickles or large green, stuffed olives, for garnishCombine all (non-garnish) ingredients in a pitcher.Run a lemon wedge around the rims of 4 large glasses. Fill the glasses with ice, then pour in your Bloody Mary, garnish and enjoy.Drink, enjoy, repeatMakes four drinks
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, August 30, 2004
Bloody Mary
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, August 30, 2004
Sunday, August 29, 2004
Basic Guacamole
Today I need to make guacamole for a party. It's an easy enough recipe, but one that a lot of people don't make. As a matter of fact, there is a commerical running these days that has a sad looking man tearing an avocado in half and putting it, pit, seed and all into a blender, before proclaiming "Guacamole, it's harder than you think." Funny though the ad is (which, BTW, is an ad for a fast food guacamole bacon burger) it sure is wrong! Guacamole is as simple a recipe as there is! Try this and see.BASIC GUACAMOLE 2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and mashed with a fork ¼ cup finely minced onion1 fresh chile including seeds, minced 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or to taste1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste1 small tomato, diced Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Makes about two cupsHere is more information on avocados from the California Avocado Commission “The best way to tell if an avocado is ready for use is to gently squeeze. Ripe, ready-to-eat fruit will be firm yet will yield to gentle pressure.To ripen an avocado, place it in a plain brown paper bag and store at room temperature until ready to eat (usually two to five days). Including an apple or banana in the bag accelerates the process because these fruits give off ethylene gas, a ripening agent.To Peel An Avocado:Start with a ripe avocado and cut it lengthwise around the seed. Rotate the halves to separate.Remove the seed by sliding the tip of a spoon gently underneath and lifting out. The other common seed-extraction method - striking the seed with a knife - is dangerous and not recommended.Peel the fruit by placing the cut side down and removing the skin with a knife or your fingers, starting at the small end. Or simply scoop out the avocado meat with a spoon.” For more information on avocados, visit www.avocado.org
# posted by Rachael @ Sunday, August 29, 2004
Saturday, August 28, 2004
Orange Ricotta Pancakes
Serve these with maple syrup and a large glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. Mmmm. 2 cups ricotta cheese1/3 cup white sugar2 eggsZest of one large orange½ cup flour3 tablespoons vegetable oilPowdered sugar for dustingWhisk together the ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, and the orange zest until combined. Stir in the flour until just combined. It is ok if the batter is lumpy. Do not overmix. If batter seems too thick, add up to ¼ cup of cold water.Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Working in batches (and adding more oil to skillet as needed), add batter, using a scant 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side.Serve hot, dusted with powdered sugar
# posted by Rachael @ Saturday, August 28, 2004
Friday, August 27, 2004
Roasted Feta With Mixed Peppers
In honor of the Olympics in Greece, I thought I should include a recipe that uses one of Greece's great exports. Feta cheese. This is super simple, and open to tons of variations:
ROASTED FETA WITH MIXED PEPPERS4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil4 thin rings of red bell pepper4 thin rings of green or yellow bell pepper3/4 pounds Greek feta, cut about 3/4 inch thick1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepperPinch hot red pepper flakesPreheat the oven to 375º.Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over moderately low heat. Add the bell pepper rings and saute, turning occasionally, until they soften but still hold their shape.Put half of the peppers in the center of a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Top with the feta, in one layer. Season the feta with oregano, pepper and pepper flakes. Top with the remaining bell peppers and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Fold the foil loosely around the feta, sealing well.Bake until the cheese is quivery, 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully transfer the cheese and peppers to a serving plate and pour the juices over. Serve immediately with crusty bread.Serves 6
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, August 27, 2004
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Greek Feta Cheese (Photo From SFGate.com)
# posted by Rachael @ Thursday, August 26, 2004
Heirloom Tomato, Celery and Basil Salad
Americans love tomatoes. Americans buy tomatoes. Most of the recipes I post include tomatoes!In the final glory days of summer, wet, wild, luscious tomatoes -- tomatoes as they used to be -- are splashing a rainbow of colors across farmers' markets and grocery stores. If you can, smell tomatoes when you buy them. They should be faintly aromatic. If they smell of nothing they will probably taste of nothing. The stalk leaves should be fresh and green and the fruit should be firm with a bright, unflawed skin. Never store tomatoes in the fridge as this impairs natural ripening and flavor, instead store them at room temperature. Over-ripe tomatoes will deteriorate even more quickly if chilled. Take them out of plastic packaging as soon as you get them home and leave them to "breathe" in a bowl.
Heirloom Tomato, Celery and Basil Salad4 heirloom tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/2 sweet onion sliced crosswise (Vadalia or Maui would be best)4 stalks celery with leaves, thinly sliced crosswise, leaves tornSmall handful fresh basil, torn1/4 cup olive oil3 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar3 tablespoons heavy creamSalt and pepper to tasteIn a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, celery, celery leaves and basil; set aside.In another bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and cream; to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss to coat; serve immediately.
# posted by Rachael @ Thursday, August 26, 2004
Tomatoes
# posted by Rachael @ Thursday, August 26, 2004
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Aquavit Spiced Salmon
I love the herbs and spices used in this dish. It's almost refreshing. If you can't find aquavit, season the sour cream with 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon ground dill seeds, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon vodka.1 pound salmon fillet, skin on, bones removed2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed2 teaspoons cumin seeds2 teaspoons dill seeds2 teaspoons fennel seeds1 teaspoon salt1/4 cup fresh lemon juice1/4 cup sour cream1 tablespoon aquavit (Scandinavian alcohol)1 teaspoon caraway seeds1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chervil or parsley2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, or to tasteRinse the fish under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.In a small skillet, over low heat, toast the coriander, cumin, dill, and fennel seeds for about 2 minutes, until they start to release their fragrance. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl, add the salt, and combine.Rub the fish with the spice mixture and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.To prepare the aquavit sour cream, in a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, aquavit, caraway seeds, and chervil. Add vinegar to taste. Cover and refrigerate.Preheat the oven to 350°F.Place the baking dish with the fish on the middle oven rack and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until it flakes nicely with a fork.Serve the fish topped with the sour cream and accompanied by the fennel.
Recipe adapted from Andreas Viestad, author of the incredible book KITCHEN OF LIGHT: New Scandinavian Cooking
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Sunday, August 22, 2004
Owning a restaurant
People ask me if I would open a restaurant. I always answer (emphatically) no. For one thing I love meeting people the way I do, getting to give personal service and without the enormous pressure a restaurant brings. I have thought about opening a tiny retail space to have classes, but in the end, I think that is just as stressful (with the rent I would be obliged to someone, something I don’t want.) I read a great article in the San Francisco Chronicle today that explains a little better than I can why opening is a restaurant is so tough. Its super long, so here are some excerpts. For the full story go tohttp://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/08/22/BUGCL8BS221.DTL"A love of food and beverage is not enough," said Hudson Riehle, a spokesman at the National Restaurant Association in Washington. "A restaurant operator has to focus on managing the expenses side of the equation."Consider Gayle Pirie, 40, and John Clark, 44, the husband-and-wife chef team who revitalized Mission District restaurant Foreign Cinema when they took over the kitchen three years ago.Although it's clear their real love is creating culinary art, they, like most modern chefs, are forced to keep an eye on the bottom line. It's a constant juggling act to provide customers with a bountiful experience while keeping close tabs on the costs of food, labor and a horde of incidentals, from the candle tax to the courtyard heaters to site repairs.The 220-seat restaurant serves about 1,300 to 1,400 diners a week, with an average per-person check of about $40. After adding in revenues from private parties and people who just have drinks in the bar, it had 2003 sales of $3.2 million and is on track to do $4 million this year.Foreign Cinema is cash-flow positive, but it won't realize a genuine profit for at least five years, because it carries $2 million in debt. Its earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization were $86,000 last year. With higher sales and a tight grip on operating expenses this year, they may hit $400,000.Their food and beverage costs average about $21,000 a week, or 30 percent of their weekly revenue of $70,000.Of every dollar a full-service restaurant brings in, it spends roughly a third on food and alcohol; another third on salaries, wages and benefits; up to 10 cents on rent; and up to 20 cents on other costs such as marketing, according to studies by restaurant associations.That leaves about 4 cents of pretax profit. As with all restaurants, alcohol is far more profitable than food. "We pay $25 for a bottle of booze and sell it for $100," McDonald said. (Beer and wine have slightly lower markups.) "Many people who start out in the restaurant business end up owning bars or in real estate."----------- Now you see why I think a restaurant isnt the way to go for me! :-)
# posted by Rachael @ Sunday, August 22, 2004
Friday, August 20, 2004
Jamaican Jerk Burgers
I made a huge dinner for twenty-five people on Wednesday, with the help of my favorite assistant Gila. It was so nice to spend a day just making a TON of food. I did get a little stressed out towards the end, but overall it was worth it. Here is a recipe for Jamaican Jerk Burgers that I made:In a blender puree:1 bunch green onions, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)1 tablespoon fresh thyme1/4 cup parsley2 medium jalapeño chili, seeded, chopped1 garlic clove, peeled 1 tablespoon fresh chopped gingerzest of one small orange, and the juice1/2 cup brown sugar1/2 cup vegetable oil1/2 cup soy sauce1 teaspoon ground allspicePour mixture into 3 pounds of ground beef and combine well. Make into patties and grill as normal.
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, August 20, 2004
Monday, August 16, 2004
Peach Barbeque Sauce
I don't think anyone doesn't enjoy a really ripe, juicy peach. At this point in the summer though, some people are looking for more things to do with peaches (and all stone fruits) than just eating out of hand, which is why I started making this simple and amazing BBQ sauce...Easy Peach Barbeque Sauce. My new addiction.4 large, ripe peaches (or any stone fruit. If the peaches are not really juicy, add a few teaspoons of orange juice)1/4 cup rice wine vinegar OR white vinegar1/4 cup tomato paste1 small chili pepper (I use a Thai birds-eye, but you can use any you like), seeds removed2 tablespoons brown sugar1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce1 teaspoon minced garlic1 teaspoon orange zest (bright orange rind of the orange. Do not include the bitter, white pith just under the zest.)Slice peaches. In a blender or food processor, blend until smooth with vinegar, tomato paste, chili, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and zest. Remove about 1/3 cup sauce to baste over flank steak or chicken for last few minutes barbecuing. Pass the reserved sauce at the table._____________________________________Wanna be my favorite person EVER?Tell Daily Candy about Fresh Catering Cooking Classes!Go tohttp://www.dailycandy.com/contribute.jsp?city=2and direct them to our website www.LA-SpecialtyFoods.comTHANKS!
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, August 16, 2004
Stone Fruits
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, August 16, 2004
Thoughts on Spam.
Did you know Spam is a low-carb food?SPAM®. Before it was an annoying email, it was a food made by Hormel - Spiced-Ham. I am thinking about Spam for two reasons, one because I am making a Luau themed dinner with a client on Wednesday, and two, because I sent an email to a lot of people last night! LOL. Here is some interesting info on this spiced ham product. I have never tried it...have you? It is one of those things that really challenges my mantra, "Don't yuck someone's yum." SPAM luncheon meat was first introduced in 1937 in Austin, Minn. "No single product in human history is better known for its heroics during wartime, its accomplishments during peacetime and its popularity during mealtime than SPAM Classic." (Or so the Hormel website tells us.) "Spam, the lovable spiced ham in a can, rounds out any true Hawaiian's diet. After being introduced to Spam by the military during World War II, islanders quickly incorporated the food into their cooking. Despite mainland conceptions of Spam as pedestrian and unappealing, islanders are addicted. Hawaii now boasts the highest Spam consumption in the world (11,000 cans daily), and local cooking contests such as the SPAMARAMA in Honolulu and Maui's SPAM cook-off are more popular than ever." In case you are inspired to try some Spam yourself, here is a recipe I found online at www.hormel.com. 1 (12-ounce) can SPAMwhole cloves1/3 cup firmly-packed brown sugar1 teaspoon water1 teaspoon prepared mustard1/2 teaspoon vinegar Place SPAM on rack in shallow baking pan. Score surface; stud with cloves. Combine sugar, water, mustard, and vinegar, stirring until smooth. Brush over SPAM. Bake in 375°F oven 20 minutes basting often. Slice to serve. Serves Six.Mmmmmmmm. Spammy.
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, August 16, 2004
Sunday, August 15, 2004
Spam!
# posted by Rachael @ Sunday, August 15, 2004
Saturday, August 14, 2004
Julia Child
Julia Child, cookbook author and television chef (among other things) passed away.She loved food and loved the camaraderie that came with it. "Dining with one's friends and beloved family is certainly one of life's primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal," she said in the introduction to her seventh book, "The Way to Cook." "In spite of food fads, fitness programs, and health concerns, we must never lose sight of a beautifully conceived meal.""You have to eat to cook. You can't be a good cook and be a noneater. I think eating is the secret to good cooking."(From CNN.com)
# posted by Rachael @ Saturday, August 14, 2004
Friday, August 13, 2004
Julia Child 1912 - 2004
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, August 13, 2004
Thursday, August 12, 2004
A note on formatting. This site is great because I can post my recipes pretty much with the touch of a button. What isn't so great is that it kind of has a mind of it's own when it comes to formatting what I write. It also sort of makes me batty how BUSY this page gets, with all the links and colors and whatnot. Oh well, at least the information is there, right? Right.Animal crackers, and cocoa to drinkThat is the finest of suppers, I thinkWhen I'm grown up and can have what I please,I think I shall always insist upon these.-Christopher Morley
# posted by Rachael @ Thursday, August 12, 2004
NannyCuisine (TM)
YOU DON’T LIVE ON PIZZA & CHICKEN NUGGETS, & YOUR CHILD SHOULDN’T EITHERIntroducing your children to a wide variety of foods at an early age is a great way to encourage a lifetime of smart, healthy and sophisticated culinary choices.Unfortunately, with today’s busy schedules, very few parents have the time to prepare or supervise all the meals their children eat. That is why Fresh Catering, LA offers NannyCuisine™: the perfect way to introduce your childcare worker to recipes and food preparation techniques based on the foods you want your child to eat.Good habits begin early and NannyCuisine is an ideal way to start your children down the path of good eating habits. It is also a great solution if you child has dietary restrictions your nanny may not be familiar with - Kosher, Vegetarian, Sugar Free, or Wheat or Dairy Allergies, for example; or if you will be traveling abroad and want to accustom your child to the foods they might encounter while away from home. Even something as simple as wanting new recipes to try is a perfect reason to sign up for NannyCuisine classes. The reasons are endless, and so are the menus Fresh Catering, LA offers.Fresh Catering, LA’s chef instructors are very friendly and extremely knowledgeable, with years of experience.We teach all of the classes in your home, during the day, (so none if your nannies time is spent away from the children) and come with the recipes, ingredients and equipment to teach your nanny how to create delicious meals your children will love to eat – as well as offer instruction in basic sanitation and nutrition. Children are encouraged to watch and learn too – a fantastic way to get them interested in the foods they eat.Each class runs two hours and is taught based on your family’s approach to food. After the lesson, the Fresh Chef does all the clean up related to the class.Classes May Include:Organic Baby FoodsSchool LunchesAfter School SnacksMake Ahead Dinner for KidsSpecial Diet Meals (Wheat Free, Low Fat, Kosher, Milk Allergy, Picky Eaters, etc.) You can choose to have just one class ($110) or opt for a series of six informative lessons ($600).We can be reached at 310-801-8252, or at http://www.laspecialtyfoods.com/Please call if you have any questions. We are here to help!
# posted by Rachael @ Thursday, August 12, 2004
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Fig and Prosciutto Sandwiches
Figs are in season!
Figs are one of the most delicious, sensuous fruits. Usually they are eaten just as a fruit, but there are many recipes that incorporate their distinct, sweet flavor. Everything from Fish and Grilled Meats to Tarts and Blue Cheese tastes amazing with a fresh fig.
There are several hundred varieties of figs, ranging in color from pale yellow to green to purplish black, with flesh that can be cream-colored but most often is a vivid pink and studded with edible seeds. Fresh figs are generally available here for a brief time in late spring and again from late July into October. Here is a recipe for Fig and Prosciutto Sandwiches.
1 loaf rosemary focaccia
3 figs, cut in thin rounds 1 slice prosciutto One handful arugula, washed Extra-virgin olive oil Freshly ground pepper Thinly slice 4 pieces of focaccia vertically. Place layer of figs on one piece of focaccia. Add a slice of prosciutto and a handful of arugula. Sprinkle arugula with olive oil. Season with pepper to taste. Top with another slice of bread, and press firmly on sandwich to flatten. Cut in half. Repeat from step 2 with 2 more slices bread. Makes two sandwiches.
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Black Mission Figs
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Turophiles
Turophiles. Cheese LoversHave you ever tried to make your own fresh cheese? I have, and it didn't exactly work (8 hours of work ended with a blob of "mozzarella" that we ended up using as a Super Ball)...SO, I buy cheese (like most people) from a wide array of places...The Cheese Shop of Beverly Hills and the Cheese Shop of Silverlake, (knowledgeable owners, and they offer a taste before you commit. I think most food should be sold that way...)Whole Foods of course has a great selection, but your cheese should not be wrapped in plastic, it's dying in there...unwrap it and put it in butchers paper or waxed paper, then keep it someplace cool and dark...
(For more on that go to http://www.cheesesociety.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=5)A good online source is The Ideal Cheese Shop (http://www.idealcheese.com/).Smart and Final in West LA has a good selection, but the one in West Hollywood, oddly, does not.For other fun information, visit the American Cheese Society at www.cheesesociety.org
and make sure to read the article they have posted on Noella Marcellino, AKA The Cheese Nun.Other helpful sites:
http://www.fromages.com/,
http://www.artisanalcheese.com/
and www.marinfrenchcheese.comSo the cheeses that I eat are pretty varied, and cover most of the ones everyone likes, but here are some you may not have tried, that I recommend:Ribafria (Portugal) - Aged Goats Milk CheeseSaint Nectaire (France) - Cows Milk Cheese, soft with nutty flavorAfuega'l Pitu (Spain) - Semi-Soft Cow's Milk cheesePecorino Folige Noce (Italy) Semi Firm Sheeps Milk CheeseHumboldt Fog (USA) - Creamy Goats Milk Cheese with a thin layer and coat of vegetable ashShropshire Blue (England) - Sharp, aged, blue veined cows milk cheeseWhy not try a new cheese today! (Just not anything by Kraft, ok?)
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Cheese!
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Monday, August 09, 2004
Fresh Pasta with Prosciutto and English Peas
I'm getting feedback from people saying I don't write enough on this site...that it's just recipes...well, that was sort of the idea, but also, I should point out, I don't really like writing! I don't know, its just not my thing...So, on that note, I had a TERRIFIC class last night...and in the interest of writing I will say that it came about because I donated one class to a silent auction for a charity event a month or so ago...the winner(s) were absolutely the sweetest people...its incredible to me how many awesome people I meet doing this! It was the first time I've ever actually written the menu without having them have input, so that was fun too. We made: Fresh Mission Figs with Humboldt Fog Cheese, Classic Adalusian Gazpacho (they liked it, I thought it came out much too oniony...), Fresh Pasta with Prosciutto and English Peas (that was a winner!) and a Mixed Fruit Crisp with Boulder brand French Vanilla Ice Cream (I really like Boulder brand, try some if you ever see it!) Here is the pasta recipe...NOT low fat! 1 pound wide spaghetti1/3 cup whipping cream2 teaspoons unsalted butter 1 cup shelled fresh peas, blanched4 ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto, chopped Zest of one lemon, plus juice of half the lemon¼ cup ricotta salata cheese, gratedGrated Parmesan for toppingCook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain; reserve 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid.Simmer cream, butter and lemon peel (not the juice, the juice will make it curdle) in heavy large skillet over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.Stir in Prosciutto and let heat through, about 1 minute. Add pasta and cheese and toss to coat, adding enough pasta cooking liquid to moisten if needed.Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.Garnish with peas.Serves two
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, August 09, 2004
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Anchovy and Potato Pintxos
Pintxos. It's a Spanish word that basically means tapas or canape. There are hundreds of variations, but most are just served as a small bite to be enjoyed with a drink. This recipe is for Anchovies, Roasted Peppers, Potato and Egg. The recipe is pretty much just assembly, and its really easy to do that! Try it and see. Anchovies aren't quite as loved here as in Spain, but they are really delicious and this is a great way to have them.1 large green bell pepper, halved lengthwise, cored and seeded1 large, ripe red bell pepper, halved lengthwise, cored and seeded1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing the peppers1 tablespoon sherry vinegar8 ( 1/4 -inch thick) diagonal slices from a thick baguette (slices should be about 2 inches by 4 or 5 inches) lightly toasted1 to 2 tablespoons mayonnaise2 hard-cooked eggs, cut into thin crosswise slices 1 medium red potato, boiled, peeled and cut into thin slices8 white anchovies (packed in vinegar), drained8 brown, oil-packed anchovies, drainedMinced flat-leaf parsley, for garnishHeat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and oil it lightly. Press the peppers gently to flatten them and place them on the cookie sheet skin side up. Brush with a little oil and roast until the peppers are tender and lightly charred, about 35 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 15 minutes. Peel the peppers, return them to the bowl, and toss with the oil and vinegar.To assemble the canapés, cut the peppers into 1-inch thick strips. Spread each toast lightly with mayonnaise and place a slice of egg and a slice of potato side by side slightly overlapping on each toast. Place a strip of green pepper and a strip of red pepper side by side along the length of the toast, trimming as necessary to fit. Top the red pepper strip with a white anchovy and the green with the brown anchovy. Repeat with the rest of the bread slices. Sprinkle the canapés with parsley and serve.Serves 8
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Pintxos: White Anchovies, Roasted Bell Pepper, Potato and Egg
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Friday, July 23, 2004
Eggplant Curry
I really love Indian food, and the amazing spice mixtures they use, but am sometimes not in the mood to go through ALL of the steps the truly authentic recipes require. That is why I get so excited to find a recipe like this, for Eggplant Curry. I sometimes add a garnish of fresh mint, but that's up to you! Enjoy!3 lb Asian eggplants (about 6), cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick rounds1 teaspoon salt1 clove garlic, chopped1 tablespoon fresh ginger peeled and chopped2 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeño chile1 teaspoon mustard seeds1 teaspoon cumin seeds1/2 teaspoon turmeric3 tablespoons vegetable oil1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced lengthwisetiny pinch cinnamon½ cup water1 tablespoon packed brown sugar1/4 cup roasted cashews, choppedAccompaniment: steamed riceMash garlic, ginger, and jalapeño to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt with a large heavy knife, then stir in mustard and cumin seeds and turmeric.Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat until hot, add the onion, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden. Add spice paste and cinnamon, then reduce heat to moderate and cook, stirring, 1 minute.Add eggplant and cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in water, brown sugar, and remaining salt and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is tender but not falling apart, 20 to 25 minutes. Season eggplant with additional salt. Serve eggplant sprinkled with cashews.
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, July 23, 2004
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Bananas Foster
My last class, had a distinct sizzle to it! We made stuffed chicken breasts, pureed vegetable soup and banana' s foster.
In the 1950's, New Orleans was the major port of entry for bananas shipped from Central and South America. Owen Edward Brennan challenged Paul Blangé, the chef of his eponymous restaurant Brennans, to create a banana dish that would promote the fruit. The dessert was named for Richard Foster, owner of the Foster Awning Company, a frequent customer and a very good friend of Owen.
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 ripe bananas, peeled, sliced lengthwise and halved
1/4 cup rum
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pint vanilla ice cream
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar completely dissolves, about 2 minutes. Lay the bananas in the pan and cook on both sides until they become slightly soft and begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the rum and cinnamon.Tip the pan slightly and carefully ignite the alcohol with a long kitchen match or kitchen lighter to flambe. Put the pan back on the heat and shake it back and forth, until the flame dies out.Divide the ice cream among dessert bowls. Gently lift the bananas from the pan and place on the ice cream. Spoon the sauce over the ice cream and serve immediately.
____________________________________________
Alexander the Great discovered bananas in his conquest of India in 327.
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Friday, July 16, 2004
Leek Wrapped Trout
I have been fascinated with the ongoing changes to British food for awhile. In the last 15 years England has become a real culinary destination. The greater availability of fresher, higher-quality products at, in effect, lower prices has triggered more competition among individual chefs, each one trying to excel the other. I love reading about what they are doing over there and adapting it. I'll write more about British food later, but in the mean time, check out the BBC's food page. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/ Or whip up this recipe for trout that I made last night. Very basic, but very tasty. Try it and see!1 large leek2 trout, filleted and skinnedzest of 1 lemon2 sprigs fresh marjoramSalt and freshly ground black pepper12, boiled new potatoes, to serveSauce:1 very large bunch of watercress, washed and rough chopped4 tablespoons butter½ cup heavy cream1 tsp capers, drained and rinsed (always rinse your capers!)salt and freshly ground black pepperTiny pinch of freshly grated nutmegPreheat the oven to 350°FWash the leek, trim the green ends off and cut in half. Cut each half, length ways. Steam until tender and then place under cold water to keep the nice bright green color. Put half the lemon zest and marjoram in eachside trout and season with salt and pepper.Wrap the trout in the leek strips and place in a buttered ovenproof dish, cover with foil and bake for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.While the fish is in the oven, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saute pan and add watercress. Cook until it wilted and some of the liquid released has evaporated. Add cream, capers, salt and freshly ground pepper and nutmeg. Serve hot over the trout.
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, July 16, 2004
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Tuesday Night Dinner Club
Last night I went out to Calabasas (wow is that ever far!) and taught a class to a group of friends who hold a Tuesday Night Dinner Club. They were all really sweet and enthusiastic about learning (which, you know, I love!) and are all great cooks! We made some pretty simple dishes...Ahi Tuna with Grapefruit and Mint, Chicken Chermoula, Israeli Couscous Salad with Pistachios and (yes, again...) Broiled Pineapple with Honey Creme Fraiche. They all seemed to love the food. I hope they call me again, because having clients like that makes it totally all worth while!Maybe you will be inspired by them, and start your own dinner club!
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Client Pictures
Last Night's Cooking Class
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Friday, July 09, 2004
Some Spanish Food
Below is a picture of some of the food we ate in Spain. It was the most amazing trip. Clockwise from the left: Bombon de Foie from the restaurant Az-Zait in Seville (amazing place, cannot recommend it highly enough.), typical Spanish salad: Iceberg lettuce, olives, eggs, white asparagus, tomatoes and tuna, with local olive oil on the side; also from Az-Zait: Salteado de Vieiras y Esparragos Verdes con Salsa Cafe de Paris (Crab and Scallops with Asparagus and a coffee sauce.) and from my brothers wedding: Ensalada de langostinos Sobre Timbal de Frutos Tropicales y Salmon (Shrimp and Salmon on top of Mango-Kiwi salad.
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, July 09, 2004
Photos From My Trip To Spain
Spanish Food
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, July 09, 2004
Monday, June 28, 2004
Gazpacho
I have a new couple I am teaching and they are super. Really interested, and ask a lot of great questions. Tests my knowledge, which I love. They wanted to start by learning really traditional sauce making, so (can you believe?) we made Hollandaise and Bearnaise Sauce! (Over poached salmon and a pan seared steak). After all that whisking, they decided for the next class to try something more, well, useful for everyday cooking. It was a trip to make Hollandaise again...I hadn't done that since cooking school! In honor of my trip to Spain (I leave tomorrow! SO excited!) here is a recipe for Gazpacho:4 large red tomatoes, very ripe1 slice white bread, crust removed OR 1/2 cup skinless almonds1/2 red onion roughly chopped1 cucumber, seeded and roughly chopped1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped4 tablespoons olive oil2 cloves garlic1 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegarPuree all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Add tomato juice if the mixture is too thick.
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, June 28, 2004
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Gin Bramble Cocktail
This is a drink called a Gin Bramble. I doubt anyone has Creme De Mure, but if you do, try this, you will LOVE it. If you don't, go buy some!2 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin1 teaspoon simple sugar (equal parts sugar and water, heated to dissolve, then cooled. Make about 2 cups, it keeps forever in the fridge)1 teaspoon lemon juice1 oz. crème de mure (blackberry liquor)Shake gin, sugar solution, lemon juice and liquor vigorously with ice, strain into a glass and garnish with blackberries (if desired.)Recipe from Bombay Gin
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Thursday, June 17, 2004
Rick Bayless
Everyone has a favorite chef, (well, not everyone, but some people.) and I am no exception. The trouble is, I change my allegiances pretty often. One week I will go on and on about how incredible I think James Peterson is, or how Alton Brown is so cool, then turn right around and lament that Jan Birnbaum closed Catahoula. But this week, I am fixated on Rick Bayless. He owns several very authentic Mexican restaurants in Chicago, (Frontera Grill and Topolobampo ) has a few cookbooks out, (Authentic Mexican, Salsas that Cook, etc.) a show on PBS (Mexico, One Plate At A Time) and a website (that I have a link to, to the left). What makes him so interesting to me is that his passion for food is so encompassing, and for all the right reasons. Since I cannot possibly start to wax on about him in a way that does him justice, I will just encourage you to buy his book or check out his show and see for yourself what happens.Today’s horoscope for me. I’m an Aries. "You're almost there. At last you have the right crowd's attention. Keep your message simple and your comments positive."
# posted by Rachael @ Thursday, June 17, 2004
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Grapefruit and Mint Tuna Tartare
I know it's silly, but I just realized WHY (scientifically) when you are making tuna tartare, the tuna is dressed with the oil before adding the grapefruit juice...it's so the fish is coated with the oil to protect it from getting "cooked" by the acidin the citrus. (The citrus cannot penetrate the fat. Remember that oil and water don't mix? Same principle.) If you don't want to the tuna to turn opaque (cook.) make sure to coat it really well with oil before adding any acid. Every tuna tartare recipe I've ever used does that, but I never though about why until last night. Here is the recipe I developed:4 Tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice (if not sweet, add 1 teaspoon sugar or sweetener)4 Tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chiffonade1 Tablespoon pickled ginger, minced1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar1 tablespoon sugar1 medium red jalapeno, seeded and mincedOne small cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced6 oz sushi grade tuna6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oilPinch of saltPepper to tasteCombine first six ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.Toss together cucumber, tuna, oil and salt. Dress with vinaigrette and serve immediately.Serves four as an appetizerAdditions: Diced Avocado, Grapefruit Segments, Chives, Bell Pepper, Sesame Seeds or Toasted Cashew Pieces. _____________________________Wanna be my favorite person EVER?Tell Daily Candy about Fresh Catering Cooking Classes!Click on http://www.dailycandy.com/contribute.jsp?city=2and direct them to our website atwww.LA-SpecialtyFoods.comTHANKS!
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Tiramisu
I have had so much on my mind lately, I thought cooking last night with the Magnificent Seven would be a chore, instead, for a few brief hours, it really took my mind off of my worries. Just goes to show. It was our last class, and we made a heavy menu! Sangria, Ahi Tuna with Grapefruit and Mint, Butternut Squash and Parsnip Soup, Wild Mushroom and Polenta Stuffed Peppers and Turkey Meatloaf Roulade with Sundried Tomatoes. Altogther an inexpensive, easy meal! I was so happy when they all thanked me for the lessons, and said they feel a lot more comfortable in the kitchen. To me, that was the best compliment ever. Here is a recipe for Tiramisu they had requested.3 large eggs, separated½ cup sugar1 cup mascarpone cheese½ cup chilled heavy whipping cream2 cups very strong brewed coffee or espresso, cooled to room temperature3 tablespoons Kahlua or Baileys Irish Cream18 Italian ladyfingers or pre-made pound-cake cut into strips2 tablespoons cocoa powderBeat together yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Beat in mascarpone until just combined.Beat whites with a pinch of salt in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating, then continue to beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat cream in another bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks. Fold cream into mascarpone mixture gently but thoroughly, then fold in whites.Stir together coffee and liquor in a shallow bowl. Dip 1 ladyfinger in coffee mixture, soaking it briefly on each side, and transfer to an 8-inch glass baking dish (2-quart capacity). Repeat with 8 more ladyfingers and arrange in bottom of dish, trimming as needed to fit snugly. Spread half of mascarpone mixture evenly over ladyfingers. Make another layer in same manner with remaining ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture.Chill tiramisu, covered, at least 6 hours.Just before serving, sprinkle with chocolate.
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Rhubarb Ketchup
The Magnificent Seven were ON FIRE last night (figuratively speaking.) We made some fun things, most of which I've done with other clients. Asian Coleslaw, Red Snapper with Tomatoes and Olives, Coconut Shrimp with Spinach and Mixed Berry Cobbler. (YUM!) We only have one more class, I'll be sad when it's over! One thing I learned is that lite coconut milk (the only type available at my local Trader Joe's) is not really good for cooking with. Oh well. Here is a recipe for Rhubarb Ketchup. Rhubarb is so under appreciated!1 pound rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2-inch dice1/4 cup ruby port1/8 cup red wine vinegar1/2 cup sugarZest of 1 small orange, peeled in wide stripsPinch of SaltPinch of Cayenne pepperIn a medium saucepan, combine the rhubarb with the port, vinegar, sugar and orange zest and bring to a boil.Remove the pan from the heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring often, until the rhubarb is just tender, about 5 minutes. Discard the orange zest.Transfer to a blender and puree. Season with salt and cayenne.Makes about 2 cupsServe with roast chicken, pork, game or add a little to balsamic salad dressing
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Something I took from Rick Bayless..."It’s important for everyone to know how to cook— kids, teenagers, adults—everyone. Not only does it make all of us more independent and better able to take care of ourselves, but it helps us better appreciate the world through flavor and the satisfaction of mastering a simple craft. And it helps us make more knowledgeable choices about our own nutrition, as well as about political, cultural and environmental food issues. Food is, after all, one aspect of life we all have to share in."Is he brilliant or what.Today is my brother's birthday...happy birthday to him! Here is a recipe I think he would like:PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE2 cans pineapple rings in juice3/4 stick unsalted butter3/4 cup packed light brown sugarFor batter:1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened1 cup granulated sugar2 large eggs1 teaspoon vanilla1 tablespoon dark rum1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice2 tablespoons dark rum, for sprinkling over cakePreheat oven to 350 degrees F.Melt butter in a well seasons cast iron skillet. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Arrange pineapple on top of sugar mixture, overlapping pieces slightly.Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in granulated sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and rum. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until blended. Beat in pineapple juice, then add remaining flour mixture, beating just until blended. (Batter may appear slightly curdled.)Spoon batter over pineapple topping and spread evenly. Bake cake in middle of oven until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cake stand in skillet 5 minutes.Invert a plate over skillet and invert cake onto plate (keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together). Replace any pineapple stuck to bottom of skillet. Sprinkle rum over cake and cool on plate on a rack.Serve cake just warm or at room temperature.Special equipment: a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Steak With Diablo BBQ Sauce
Oh wow am I worn out from my marathon of cooking! At this point, all I can hope is that I came in first. We made so much food! It started with a typical beef stew, then coucous salad, roast chicken with olives, capers and artichoke hearts over pasta, (that last one is based on my favorite thing to order at the late Charlies Crab on St. Armands Key in Florida. Mmm. Mmm.) mixed greens with raspberries and candied pecans, honey glazed salmon steaks, potato gratin, lasagna verde and ended with strawberry bread pudding. I can honestly say, that was a lot of food to make, and it took five hours, plus two hours of shopping for ingredients. Phew...Happy Memorial Day!Porterhouse Steak With Diablo BBQ SauceServes 4Diablo BBQ Sauce3 tablespoons olive oil1 Spanish onion, finely chopped4 cloves garlic, finely chopped1 tablespoon red pepper flakes3 cups canned plum tomatoes, pureed2 tablespoons tomato paste1 cup dark brown sugar2 tablespoons honey1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley2 tablespoons chopped fresh basilsalt and freshly ground pepper2 porterhouse steaks, about 1 1/2-inches thickHeat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until thickened, about 35 to 40 minutes.Heat grill to high. Season steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill, on one side, until crusty and slightly charred, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn steaks over, close the hood and continue grilling for 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare doneness. Baste with the sauce during the last few minutes. Remove from the grill and brush with more of the sauce. Let meat rest for 5 minutes, then slice into 1/4-inch thick slices and serve.
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Monday, May 24, 2004
Cookbooks
Cookbooks. There sure are a lot of them out there (and hopefully, one day, mine will be too!)and picking which ones work for you can be tricky. But don't worry; there are some basic books that can really inspire you! I know people like pictures to help them along, and that makes a lot of sense, but not every good book has them (only one of the following do.)These are my top five favorite basic cookbooks, all of which can be found on www.ecookbooks.com.The Joy Of Cooking-There really isn't much this book doesn't cover.The Fanny Farmer Cookbook-Another classic. If you only want to have just have one book, this should be it.The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook-The SF Chronicle has the best food section in America (Sorry NY Times!), and this book proves it. Eclectic recipes, leaning towards Asian, that are well written and easy to make.Classic Home Desserts By Richard Sax-A book that really does what it claims. Provide a lot of simple recipes for home style desserts.Fish And Shellfish by James Peterson-James Peterson is the best cookbook author out there, and this book (and his others, Soups, Sauces and Vegetables) covers everything you would ever need to know about fish cookery.I know I didn't include any ethnic cookbooks, of which there are many good ones, but this list was for basics, and I have plenty of room on this blog for more thoughts later...so until then, Happy Cooking!
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, May 24, 2004
Sunday, May 23, 2004
Polenta Stuffed Peppers
This morning we made some fantastic food. The client I was working with had never had polenta, and I think we can now count her as a convert! We made quite a few things, including; Orange, Olive and Red Onion Salad, Baked Fish with Tomatoes and Lemon Tea Cakes. We also made Polenta Stuffed Peppers. Here is that recipe...3 large red bell peppers2 teaspoons butter (or margarine)½ lb. Assorted mushrooms, sliced1 large shallot, mincedPinch of dried thymeBlack pepper to taste1 cups instant polenta1 ¾ cups water1 large egg½ cup mascarpone cheese6 tablespoons parmesan cheesePreheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.Slice the red peppers lengthwise, remove core. Place in a single layer in an oven proof dish.In a large sauté pan, heat the butter. When melted, add the shallot and mushrooms, in a single layer. Do not stir for a few moments, allowing the mushrooms to brown. Remove from heat and add the thyme and pepperIn a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil, salt liberally and add the polenta, stirring until soft, about 4 – 6 minutes. (Follow directions on the package.)Remove from heat and stir in the egg, and cheese, when incorporated, mix in the mushroom mixture.Using a large spoon, scoop the polenta mixture into the peppers. Top with the parmesan.Bake, covered for 20 minutes, uncover and continue to bake until the tops are browned and the peppers are soft to the touch, about 15 more minutes.Makes six peppers.
# posted by Rachael @ Sunday, May 23, 2004
Saturday, May 22, 2004
Vodka Spiked Watermelon
I don't know how I got roped into this, but my friend Claire has been saying for month's that it seemed like a good time for me to host another party...so tonight I am hosting a Hillbilly Party -- we keep saying White Trash, but that's not so nice. The menu has been a challenge, since, well, I don't normally make food like this, and I didn't want to end up with a lot of leftovers (for instance, Pork Rinds. Funny though they are, I would have just thrown them out)...So this is what we ended up with:Sandwich Platter:Fluffernutter (That's peanut butter and marshmallow fluff on white bread, a DELICIOUS concoction that teenaged dope fiends and trailer vixens everywhere feed on.)Bologna and Cheese (B-O-L-O-G-N-A. Except not Oscar Meyer brand, so it's not quite as upscale.)Pigs In A Blanket (My concession. Typically this seems to be hotdogs wrapped in biscuit mix, or some variation. OUR variation is Adiells Chicken and Artichoke Sausage wrapped in Puff Pastry.)Cheese Puffs (Mmm. Cheesy. I had a choice of these or Cheese in a can, but that was $4.00, so obviously, I went with the puffs -- at half the price)BBQ Chips (People like their BBQ sauce, so this is my homage)Chips with Clam Dip (Clam Dip! Clam Dip! Clams-From-A-Can-Dip! YUMMY! YUMMY!I couldn't bring myself to buy French Onion Soup Mix for this.)Jello Shots (Green apple, like the Appletinis that went out about 3 years ago -- IE: Perfect.)Beer (Tall boys galore! No bottles! I have two classes to teach tomorrow, and a brunch, so I guess the drinking will be kept to a minimum...)Moon Pies and Twinkies (Lard and Sugar all in one! BONUS!) www.moonpies.comSpiked Watermelon (Well, I just like watermelon, what can I say...)The soundtrack, of course, is heavy on Lynard Skynard, Drive By Truckers and the ilk.Here is a recipe for Spiked Watermelon: Start this the day before you want to eat it. All you do is make a hole in a watermelon (with seeds!) about as big as the opening on your bottle. Use a small knife and take out some of the melon, enough to make room for a pint of vodka. Save the plug (rind) that you cut out. If your melon takes the vodka fairly fast before your cookout, push the plug back in. Turn the bottle (carefully and slow) upside down and stick it in the melon. Push it down tight. Let it drain in. If not eaten in 2 days will become very mushy.
# posted by Rachael @ Saturday, May 22, 2004
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Client Praise
I got an email today from one of my clients. She told me that she had gone on the very popular website Chowhound and posted a nice review of our class, that was immediatly taken down by the moderator. When she emailed the moderator, asking why that had happened, in light of the fact there are many reviews of cooking classes on that site, she got a really rude email back, that actually called her names, and was quite upset. I have posted on Chowhound for some time, and have always noticed that the people who run the site have a little bit of a chip on their shoulders, but I figure, it's their site, let them do as they please...until now. Insulting my clients (anyone really) is uncalled for. So I say shame on them. I will post what was so nicely written about our class at a later time, but for now, I hope you will all stand by my client (I won't give her name) and myself and avoid Chowhound from now on. Thank you! Rachael
# posted by Rachael @ Thursday, May 20, 2004
Monday, May 17, 2004
Asian Style Cole Slaw
My latest class was a super success. We were grilling, which is really nice this time of year, and nothing could have been better than the basic kebobs, steak, corn and nectarines we threw on there. On the side we made a simple Asian coleslaw, and here is the recipe:Dressing:5 tablespoons rice vinegar3 tablespoons oil1 ½ teaspoon sesame oil1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger1 teaspoon jalapeno chile, chopped1 tablespoon sesame seeds1 teaspoon sugarSalt, as needed½ Napa cabbage thinly sliced¼ cup thinly sliced green onions1 small red bell pepper, sliced4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped½ cup marinated tofu, cubed¼ cup peanuts, choppedIn a small bowl, whisk together the dressing. (This dressing can be used as a marinade also)Combine the rest of the ingredients, add the dressing, and toss to coat. Let marinate up to 3 hours. Serve cold or at room temperature. Can be made two days ahead, but will wilt.Serves four
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, May 17, 2004
Friday, May 14, 2004
Healthy Eating
I have pretty strong thoughts on weight loss and why it is Americans struggle to lose weight. As someone who is constantly around food, I understand how much of a struggle it can be to maintain your ideal weight, so I thought I would share my thoughts on the subject.1. Eat real food. Stop eating strange, processed, diet,low-cal,low-carb,low-fat foods. Your body needs real food, not substitutes. Buy fruit, vegetables, meats and legumes and grains. Like your friends (ha ha) at Breyers say, if you can't pronounce the ingredients on the label, you shouldn't be eating it. Nothing in your cupboard should have a shelf life longer than your life expectancy.2. No more soda -- drink water. Even diet soda is bad. Cut it out of your life. Try green tea. 3. Stop eating junk. Just stop. Don't buy it, don't have it in the house, avoid it at the office. There is no middle ground. Do not buy junk substitutes, just don't eat junk. Period.4. Stop and eat. When you are eating, just do that. Sit down, at a table, and eat, slowly. It takes your brain up to 30 minutes to realize your stomach is full, so you could eat almost 4 times what you really need in the time it takes your stomach to feel full. So slow down. Chew. Savor. Enjoy.5. When you buy groceries, take the extra ten minutes to chop everything up. Mince those onions, put them in a baggie and have them on hand. Peel some carrots and store them for snacks. It makes cooking easier and snacking healthier.6. Taking carbs completely out of your diet is not a healthy way to lose weight. Sure, cutting back on them makes a difference, but cutting back and cutting out are two different things. Try portion control and go from there. Bread is good, a lot of bread isn't. Also, there is a risk with low-carb eating -- you don't get fiber. Fiber is important to your health.7. Eat seasonally. Vegetables have seasons. Find out what they are, and eat accordingly. You know peaches won't be any good in the middle of winter, but potatoes will...so choose accordingly.8. Exercise. Walk, run, hop, skip, lunge, leap...whatever it takes.I don't know if that sounds easy or hard to you, but if you change the way you deal with food, you can change the way food affects your life. We have such abundance, it can be overwhelming, but it shouldn't be. You are in charge of your weight.
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, May 14, 2004
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Mixed Fruit Crisp
Yesterday we made a lot of fun things, including couscous salad, pasta salad with peppers and olives and a really nice fruit crisp. Here is the fruit crisp recipe. Easy, peasy.1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter3/4 cup all-purpose flour3/4 cup packed light brown sugar3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats3/4 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon salt¼ cup water2 teaspoons cornstarch3 pounds assorted fruit1/2 cup sugar (or more if needed)Preheat oven to 375°F.In a food processor blend flour, brown sugar, 1/2 cup oats, cinnamon, salt, and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. In a bowl stir together flour mixture, and remaining 1/4 cup oats.In a small bowl stir water and cornstarch until combined. Toss with fruit and sugar as needed. Transfer mixture to a 15 x 9-inch (3-quart) baking dish.Sprinkle topping over fruit. Bake mixture in middle of oven 40 to 45 minutes, or until topping is crisp and golden, and cool on a rack 10 minutes.Serve dessert warm.
# posted by Rachael @ Thursday, May 13, 2004
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Hummus
Let's see...last night I made a middle eastern feast as a demonstration...I don't know why, but the eggplant for the baba ghanouj took more than 1.5 hours to soften in a 400 degree oven...next time, I will start earlier, I guess. It turned out fantastic though. Really smooth and smokey. We also made Spinach, Mushroom Phyllo Pie, Tabbouli and Hummus. I subsituted yogurt for some of the tahini in the hummus recipe, and I think it came out great. Here it is:1 teaspoon minced garlic1 can chickpeas, drained2 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt1 tablespoon olive oil1 tablespoon tahini4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice2 tablespoons waterSalt to tasteAdd ingredients to blender; blend until coarse puree forms, occasionally scraping down sides.Season hummus to taste with salt.Transfer to small bowl.Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving. Serve with pita chips.
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Sunday, May 09, 2004
Earl Grey Tea Chocolate Truffles
After a wonderful Mothers Day Brunch with my fam, I headed up to Malibu to teach a class for a woman and her mother, grandmother, aunt and cousins. They wanted something fun, so I demonstrated how to make quick fudge, and then got everyone's hands in to make mocha and raspberry truffles. It was the perfect,quick class and they seemed to enjoy it. Of course, who doesnt love chocolate, right?2/3 cup heavy cream2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces1 ½ teaspoons loose Earl Grey tea leaves or any liquor* of your choice (optional)6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate1 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder or powdered sugar½ cup cornstarch (for dusting hands)Bring cream and butter to a boil in a small, but heavy saucepan and stir in tea leaves. Remove from heat and let steep 5 –10 minutes.Meanwhile, chop the chocolate and transfer to a bowl. Pour cream through a fine-mesh sieve onto chocolate, pressing on and discarding tea leaves, then whisk until smooth. Chill mixture, covered, until firm, about 2 hours.Put cocoa in a bowl. Using a spoon, scoop up the ganache in one teaspoon sized chunks and place on a baking sheet, then dust your palms lightly in the cornstarch or cocoa and roll each piece of ganache into a ball (wash your hands in cold water and redust about every 3-4 truffles). Drop several balls at a time into bowl of cocoa and turn to coat using a fork. If the ganache gets too warm, return to the refrigerator for 5 minutes.Transfer as coated to an airtight container, separating layers with wax paper. Chill until firm. Can be kept refrigerated up to 2 weeks.
# posted by Rachael @ Sunday, May 09, 2004
Sunday, May 02, 2004
Caprese Salad
Today I went to the Hollywood Farmers market to get some ingredients for my classes this week. The tomatoes I got are so perfect, I might end up eating them myself! Cherries have just appeared, and they are delicious too, so I bought a pint to see if I can make a nice tart later this week. Here is a recipe for a basic caprese salad to use some of those amazing tomatoes2 medium, ripe tomatoes, red or gold or both, in thick slices6 oz. fresh mozarella cheese. Sliced thick12 leaves basil, torn up.1 oz. best quality olive oilA sprinkle of the best quality salt you haveLayer the tomatoes, cheese and basil on a platter, drizzle with oil and salt. Enjoy!_____________________________Wanna be my favorite person EVER?Tell Daily Candy about Fresh Catering Cooking Classes!Click on http://www.dailycandy.com/contribute.jsp?city=2and direct them to our website atwww.LA-SpecialtyFoods.comTHANKS!
# posted by Rachael @ Sunday, May 02, 2004
Saturday, May 01, 2004
Shamless Request To Buy My T-Shirts
The menu for yesterday's class went over really well. We made a cold honeydew melon and mint soup which was light and refreshing. I also had a bunch of t-shirts created, that are for sale at www.zazzle.com When you get to the home page, just put Fresh Catering in the product search and you can see them all. (And vote if you like them! Hint. Hint. Wink. Wink.) I hope you are having a great day too!
# posted by Rachael @ Saturday, May 01, 2004
Friday, April 30, 2004
Thai Inspired Bean Sprout and Mint Salad
Well, in the world of Kosher food cooking, things are going smoothly. I have learned that one needs seperate OVENS for milk and meat products. Who knew! So our fritatta, which had cheese in it, couldn't go under the broiler, since the turkey meatloaf was in there earlier. The meatloaf, which was my sister Pamela's recipe, was really quite good. Meatloaf sure is easy to make, no wonder it's such a standard. I decided I need to start including more "ethnic" foods in my classes, since everyone notes my cuisine is very Cal-med and uses very light/fresh flavors. (I guess calling my company Fresh wasn't so silly!) I think in the spring and summer eating lighter food is better, so I tend to make foods with less oil or strong flavors this time of year. Here is a recipe for a salad I made the other day, for me.Dressing:Juice of one limeTablespoon of veg oil½ teaspoon sugar½ teaspoon saltDash of chile powderCombine and pour overSalad:½ cup bean sprouts1 stalk celery, sliced½ cup mixed mint and parsley leaved, torn¼ cup water chestnuts, sliced¼ cup chile spiced peanuts, chopped½ cup cooked white rice, warmCombine all. Eat. Yum.
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, April 30, 2004
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Last night was my lesson with the Magnificent Seven as I call them. Seven really cool Hollywood player women who make me LAUGH. We made a LOT of food. Mojitos, Hearts of Palm and Avocado Salad, Spinach Feta Quiche, Caribbean Jerk Pork Chops, Filet Mignon with Cognac (when I flambed that though, I forgot to turn off the vent so the fire was HUGE, I totally thought the house was going to go up in flames. How I kept my cool, and didn't scorch my eyebrows off, I don't know. Note to self: No more flambe.) and Ginger Pear Sorbet. I was stoked to learn one of the women actually went home after our last lesson and made the Shaved Artichoke and Parmesan salad recipe from our last class!
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Friday, April 23, 2004
Well, things are going well at Fresh. I've learned a lot about Kosher cooking these last few weeks! But the best recipe I've done lately is for Sangria. Here it is!2 gallons Zinfandel (yup, the dreaded pink stuff. Use Chardonnay if that really offends you)½ cup Triple Sec½ cup brandy1 cup sugar2 liters 7-UP or Sprite3 cups orange juice3 oranges, thinly sliced or cut into wedges1 pint fresh raspberries1 bunch green grapes, halved(Other fruit can include, lemons or limes sliced thin, peaches, nectarines, blackberries or kiwi peeled and sliced)ICE (approx. 40 cubes)Thoroughly chill all ingredients. Pour wine, Triple Sec and brandy into a large punch bowl. Stir in the sugar until it has dissolved. Add ice cubes, orange juice and soda and garnish with fruit. Serve in 4-ounce punch glasses or wineglasses.Make about 100 drinks. Can be halved. Or doubled.
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, April 23, 2004
Monday, April 19, 2004
Hi. I'm Rachael. I've never "blogged" before today, but I saw this site and thought it might be an interesting way to get the word out about Fresh Catering, LA, and what we do. We offer private cooking classes, in your home, here in Los Angeles. Every class is catered to you. we bring all the equiptment, food and recipes, then we teach/cook, and do all the clean up. You watch, learn, ask questions, chop a few things and then eat. It's a great way to learn new things, improve on what you already know and just have fun. We do group lessons too. People who take our classes come from all walks of life, (Moms with newborns, Dads with new grills, girls looking for something fun to do, guys who want to impress their girlfriends, people who are looking for new low carb recipes...) and kitchens of every size.Some of our more popular classes are Grilling, NannyCuisine, Weeknight Dinners, Low Carb and Romantic Dinner for Two.My website is www.LA-SpecialtyFoods.com, check it out and learn to cook with a FRESH approach!
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, April 19, 2004

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2004-10-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Fattoush - Lebanese Salad
We eat a lot of basil and oregano in this county, but in other countries (or regions) they eat different herbs and spices (Can you imagine? Are you shocked by this information?). For instance in the Middle East (mostly Turkey and Syria I would say) Sumac (the C is not pronounced) is a popular spice, used the way we use salt and pepper or even lemon juice or vinegar. It has a sour taste that became popular prior to the introduction of citrus to the area. You may have come across it sometime in a salad such as this, but never known what it was you were tasting. It is available online from Penzeys. When mixed with sesame seeds, salt and thyme it becomes Za'atar. (Which is tasty sprinkled over plain yogurt and used as a dip!)4 pita bread rounds, 2 teaspoons olive oil4 plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped½ cup kalamata olives, without pits, chopped1 head of romaine lettuce leaves, chopped1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped1/2 cup fresh mint chopped3 spring onions, chopped1 Persian cucumber, peeled, chopped (Persian cucumbers have very few seeds. If you can’t get them, just remove the seeds of the cucumber you do use)1 red bell pepper, chopped¼ cup olive oil4 tablespoons lemon juice1 clove of garlic, mincedZa’atar:1 tablespoons minced fresh thyme1 tablespoons toasted seasame seeds1 teaspoons ground sumacpinch of saltPreheat oven to 400F.Lightly brush the pita with some of the olive oil, cut into medium-small pieces and arrange on a cookie sheet. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.Mix tomatoes, olives, lettuce, parsley, mint, green onions, cucumber, red bell pepper and toasted pita bread in large bowl.Whisk the oil, lemon juice, garlic clove and sumac in small bowl to blend. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.As with all bread salads, this does not hold well.Serves four generously Additions: Red Onion, Feta Cheese, Hot Peppers or Grilled Chicken, Lamb or Shrimp_________________________________________The average American consumes about 50 to 60 pounds of bread per year.7 percent of all Americans eat at McDonald's each day.In 2002, total meat consumption (red meat, poultry, and fish)amounted to 200 pounds per person,23 pounds above the level in 1970. Americans consumed, on average,18 pounds less red meat (mostly less beef) than in 1970, 37 poundsmore poultry, and 4 pounds more fish. (Source, USDA)
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Whole Pumpkins Stuffed With Wild Rice
Have you seen those little sugar pumpkins for sale at the market? Yum. They are inexpensive (it being autumn now...can you feel it in the air) and (what do I always say?) simple to prepare! Try this and enjoy! 5 small sugar pumpkins6 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons butter1 large onion minced3 cloves garlic, minced¼ cup chicken stock4 cups cooked brown and wild rice4 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chiffonade½ cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese2 eggs beatenSalt and pepper, to taste¼ cup whole wheat bread crumbsPreheat the oven to 400F.Four of the pumpkins should treated as normalremove the top and the seeds, cut the stringy stuff (very technical term there, beware) from the top and make sure it fits back on as a lid.The fifth pumpkin should be peeled, deseeded and chopped into small pieces.Heat the oil and the butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the onion then garlic and sauté until translucent. Add the pumpkin and stock and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add to the rest of the ingredients.Loosely fill the pumpkins with the filling and replace the lids. Place the pumpkins in a large roasting pan and add 1 cup of water to the pan, (should come up about ½ inch). Roast in the oven until the pumpkins can be pierced with a knife. Should take about 1 hour.When cooked, remove the roasting pan carefully from the oven, and take out the pumpkins. Allow to cool for a few minutes then serve.Serves four as a main course.Additions: Chopped roast chicken, toasted pecans, cranberries, minced rosemary. You can also just forgo the presentation and mix all that up for a casserole.________________________________________Pumpkins are fruit that originated in Central America.In the United States 97% of the pumpkins grown are used for Halloween decorations.The "pumpkin capital" of the world is Morton, Illinois, home of the Libby corporation.
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Monday, October 11, 2004
Pastel de Nata - Portuguese Custard
Well kids, it's been a few days since I posted anything because I have been busy changing the name of Fresh Catering to FRESH APPROACH COOKING. When I first started Fresh it was all about catering and I had a lot of help from friends in creating the logo and website and business cards. Of course time moves on, the focus of the company changed to cooking classes (I did my last catering gig ever this past weekend--more on that later) and those people are all either gone or busy, so I have been trying to build a new website myself (which I seem to have done and I'm pretty proud of it. I just got sick of someone charging me $20 everytime I wanted one little thing changed. I have a new respect for my original web designer now too. Phew.) and get it to post online (here the frustration began, and continues.) I feel like I have read every tutorial known to human kind and still can't master this! (And the idea that 15 year olds can do it in their sleep isn't as encouraging as it should be!) So with that eating up my every waking moment, it's been hard to get to this and tell you all what I've been up to! Like I said, I catered a party for 25, that had a theme (Cheese. How much do you love THAT?) and with my awesome assistant Lisa, we made some super tasty food. Smoked Chicken, Brie and Mango Quesedilla's With Tropical Fruit Salsa, Individual Servings of Pasta with Bayonne Ham, Fresh Herbs and Cheese Sauce with Toasted Panko Topping; Bluefin Crab, Water Spinach and Parmesan Dip; Marinated Roasted Chile Salad with Queso Fresco and Nacho Napoleons. Now, if you know anything about Dreamweaver and you want to see my new site (sometime in this decade) which (now that I know how to USE Dreamweaver) will be updated much more oftenemail me and maybe we can swap programming lessons for cooking lessons! Thanks! -RachaelIndividual Portuguese Coconut Custards 2 T. cornstarch1 cup milk1 cup sweetened finely shredded coconut3 large eggs1 cup sugar2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted1/4 teaspoon lemon extract or Malibu rumPreheat the oven to 375°F.Adjust the rack to middle position. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the milk, stir to dissolve. Set aside.In a large mixing bowl, stir the eggs and sugar together. One by one, add the cornstarch mixture, remaining milk, coconut, melted butter and lemon extract, stirring well after each addition.Ladle the custard into the paper cups, filling to 1/4 inch from the top. (Make sure to stir frequently to keep the coconut well distributed.)Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the coconut is nicely toasted.Cool before serving.Makes ten. _________________________________________Swiss steak isn't Swiss, Russian dressing isn't Russian, English muffins aren't English,and Chop Suey is not Chinese; they're all American, and French fries are really Belgian.
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, October 11, 2004
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Lamb Tagine with Apricots
One of my all time favorite ingredients has to be lemon, and one of the most intriguing ways of adding that flavor is with preserved lemons, a north African pickle. You can buy preserved lemons online from one of my favorite websites Kalustyans or you can make them yourself. It takes about five minutes. I will include more recipes that use preserved lemon in the future, but for now, try this tagine, it is SO simple, and heavenly. A tagine, by the way, is a typical Moroccan earthenware cooking vessel, that is also the name of the dish prepared in it. Enjoy!2 pounds diced lamb, trimmed of most of its fat1 tsp each: pepper, ground cumin, cinnamon, coriander and ginger pinch of tumeric or saffron1 teaspoon kosher salt2 cups beef stock2 large brown onions, peeled and sliced2 large carrots, peels and chopped into large pieces1 can chick peas, drained1 preserved lemon, chopped10 dried apricots, halved10 prunes, halved (optional) 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced2 tbsp olive oil Cilantro, mint and toasted almonds for garnishPut the lamb into a bowl. Add the onions, pepper, ground cumin, cinnamon, coriander ginger saffron and salt. Stir to coat the meat well. Cover and leave to marinade in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight.Preheat oven to 325 FHeat a large, heavy frying pan. Add the lamb in batches and brown evenly. Transfer to a heavy casserole along with the rest of the ingredients, seal the lid with foil, and cook for 2 ½ hours.
Serve over steamed couscous with mint, cilantro and almonds as garnishServes six* * *PRESERVED LEMONS
8 lemons1/2 cup kosher saltFresh lemon juice Scrub the lemons well. Cut into quarters from the top to within 1/2 inch of the bottom, taking care to leave the 4 pieces joined at the stem end. Sprinkle the insides of the lemon with some of the salt.Place 1 tablespoon of salt on the bottom of a 1-quart jar and loosely pack in the lemons, layering with salt as you go. Add extra lemon juice almost to the top of the jar. Seal the jar and let the lemons sit at room temperature for 1 month, turning the jar upside down periodically to distribute the salt and juices.To use the lemons, remove from the brine and discard the pulp. Wash the peel before using. Some white crystals will form on the top of the lemons in the jar, which is normal. They can be stored at room temperature or refrigerated for up to 1 year.Adapted from Joanne Weir "Weir Cooking in the City"
__________________________________________________________________Supperclub is a restaurant/art gallery/space to check out if you are looking for something TOTALLY out there, and are going to (or already are in) Holland!
Read more about it here http://observer.guardian.co.uk/foodmonthly/story/0,9950,1299998,00.html
or visit them online at http://www.supperclub.nl
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Shaved Apple and Fennel Salad
So now that fall is upon us (sort of) and apples are in season, you might like to try this light, crisp salad. If you have a mandolin slicer it makes the preparation a snap. If you don't, just try to slice the apple and fennel as thin as possible.¼ cup apple juice4 tablespoons walnut oil2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar1 teaspoon honey1 large apple thinly sliced (I use Granny Smith) 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced2 stalks celery, sliced thin2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped (optional)2 cups watercress1/4 cup toasted walnutsIn a large bowl, whisk together the first the first four ingredients to blend; adding salt as needed. Toss with the rest of the ingredients and serve.Ideas for additions/substitutions: Crumbled bacon, blue cheese, pecans, pinch of curry powder, arugula, mandarin orange segments, green onion or a splash of calvados._______________________________________Looking for something to do this weekend?Why not check out the Old World Village Oktoberfestin Huntington Beach,now through October 30th. Visit http://www.oldworld.ws/ for more information, or click here if you are going to Germany!http://www.pilot.co.uk/festivals/Oktoberfest.html
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Monday, October 04, 2004
Cucumber, Chile and Lime
I know I haven't been writing too much about the classes I teach lately, mostly because a lot of the time the (awesome) people I teach want the same recipes (who knew certain things would be so popular!) as everyone else. Last night, my class was great, yet another fantastic couple who had a beautiful kitchen and were very eager to learn. It just gets me so excited when people who don't cook, want to get in there and try. Of course, cooking your own food is always healthier and always a better alternative to fast food. Speaking of which, I watched the movie Super Size Me this weekend, and really encourage all of you to see it. This is my favorite snack, maybe you'll like it too!1 large cucumber, peeled, deseeded and sliced into spears1 large mango, sliced into spearsjuice of one large limepinch of cayenne pepperpinch of saltSprinkle the lime, cayenne and salt over the cucumber and mango spears and enjoy.
(Jicama is a traditional addition to this snack.)_____________________________________________On Sept. 22, Interstate Bakeries the company that makes Wonder Bread and Hostessproducts filed for bankruptcy -- leaving the future of Twinkies, Fruit Pies and Ho Hos in doubt.A science teacher in Blue Hills, Maine, has kept a Twinkie on top of his blackboard for more than 30 years, and told the Associated Press last month, "It's rather brittle, but if you dustedit off, it's probably still edible. It never spoiled."
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, October 04, 2004
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Duck Legs with Tangerine
As I mentioned earlier, I made a picnic the other night, with these duck legs as the centerpiece. I keep thinking about how good this came out and wanted to share. Try and enjoy!4 duck legs, trimmed of all of the skin but one large piece on top, which you score1 small leek, white part only sliced thin½ cup hot water or chicken stock if you have it1 large tangerine, zest cut into long thing strips, juice reserved (Tangelo would be good too)¼ cup whiskySalt to tastePreheat oven to 350F.In a large, heavy bottomed sauté pan over medium heat, sear the duck legs, frequently draining the accumulating fat. Add the leeks and tangerine zest when they are almost completely browned.When the duck legs are quite browned, remove from the pan, and deglaze with the water, tangerine juice, some salt and the whisky. Stir to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the legs and sauce to an oven proof dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes or until the duck legs are cooked through.Allow to cool slightly, and serve with a mixture of wild and brown rice with cranberries and pecans.Serves two_____________________________________________________The duck goes perfectly with a smooth glass of Scotch. But why not try something new? Why not buy some Single Malt Whisky from the beautiful Isles of Scotland? Check out thesewebsites and be transported. Just don't ask me the difference between Whisky and Whiskey. Bowmore Isle of Jura Bruichladdich Laphroaig Ardbeg
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower
I love cauliflower. Pickled, baked, pureed, curried, broiled, you name it, I love it. Pretty much the only good thing to come from the Low Carb craze is that more and more people are trying recipes with this tasty vegetable. This Southern Italian style dish is simple and satisfying on a chilly autumn night. Enjoy!1 head cauliflower, cored, cut into florets 1/4 cup olive oil6 cloves garlic, finely sliced1 small onion, sliced1 tablespoon pine nuts, lightly toasted1 pound ziti pasta, cookedSmall pinch of red pepper flakes¼ cup pitted black olives (I use Moroccan dry-cured but Kalamata are fine)Large pinch of saffron, crumbled in 4 tablespoons hot waterParmesan cheese, to tasteSalt and pepperPreheat oven to 400F.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the cauliflower and boil until half-cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain well.In a large roasting pan, toss the cauliflower with the olive oil, onion and garlic. Roast, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until browned.When the cauliflower is browned, remove from the oven and toss with the cooked pasta, red pepper flakes, olives, saffron water and cheese. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.Additions: Capers, Anchovies, Roasted Tomatoes and Golden RaisinsServes four_______________________________________________________“Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.” - Mark TwainThis member of the cabbage family takes its name from the Latin words caulis, meaning stalk, and floris, meaning flower.Cauliflower was first grown in North America in the late 1600s.It is an excellent source of Vitamin C, a good source of folacin and a source of potassium.
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Monday, September 27, 2004
Chai Spiced Mini Bundt Cakes
Chai tea is one of my favorites. I love how sweet and spicy it is. So when I saw this recipe in Gourmet Magazine last month, I really wanted to try it. I made a lot of changes and thought I would post what I did end up with, which was fantastic and got even better the next day. My version of this cake is more like a simple gingerbread than the original. I went with a friend to the Hollywood Bowl last night to see a concert and since they let you bring a picnic we went all out, and had an incredible cheese studded with truffles on sliced bread, watermelon gazpacho with baby shrimp, (perhaps the most delicious soup I have ever made. I was impressed with myself!) chanterelle mushroom and leek whole wheat quiche, mixed field greens with tangerine-savory dressing, cognac braised duck legs, wild rice with cranberries and pecans and this. It was a smash success. You do need a mini-bundt cake pan, which are about $30.00 and can be found at Sur La Table, though large muffin pans might work too. This will do double duty as my post for today, since it is also my fathers 72nd birthday and he has a sweet tooth like nobody else, ever. It's really cute. Happy Birthday to him --- and to you, enjoy!2 1/2 cups all purpose flour1/8 teaspoon each cinnamon, cardamom and ground ginger1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar2 teaspoons baking soda1/2 teaspoon saltFive chai teabags steeped in 1 ½ cups hot water1/4 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted¼ cup honey¼ cup molasses ¼ cup Crisco1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature3 large eggs Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 2 nonstick mini Bundt pans (6 cakes per pan). Sift flour, spices, sugar, baking soda, and salt into large bowl.In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, honey, molasses, Crisco, buttermilk and the eggs into tea to blend.Stir chai mixture into flour mixture until just blended. Divide batter among prepared Bundt pans (about 1/2 cup per pan). Bake cakes until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm. To keep, wrap in plastic and leave at room temperature. __________________________________________Chai means tea in many languages. The word chai comes fromChina, where it is called chà (pronounced as chah). In India, chai is a spiced tea that is an example of Ayurveda, an ancientsystem of holistic healing. Traditional Indian Chai combines black teathat is boiled in milk and flavored with cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and occasionally black pepper, ginger and chiles, and sweetenedwith sugar. The health benefits in tea include polyphenols that aid digestion; fluoride, a mineral that preventing tooth decay; and significant amounts of vitamin C. Evidence also suggests that (green) tea may reducedrisk of some types of cancer. Seems like Ayurvedic healing was on to something!
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, September 27, 2004
Saturday, September 25, 2004
Halibut with Pumpkin Seed Crust
Pumpkin seeds are really versitle, taste great, are high in protien and low in carbs. You can bake with them, sprinkle them on salads, or use them in a simple dish like this. I made this last night with a charred corn and roasted bell pepper salad, wilted spinach and for dessert a Mexican chocolate creme brulee. The fish can also be grilled, if you still have your bbq out. ¾ cup coarsely ground toasted pumpkin seeds1 tablespoon smoked chili powder½ teaspoon dried oregano½ cup plain bread crumbs (panko crumbs work best if you have them)3 tablespoons vegetable oil1 teaspoon salt4 halibut steaks, about 1/4 pound eachMix together the first 6 ingredients. Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry. Roll fish in the mixture to coat them completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat, add the filets and cook about 3 –4 minutes per side. Makes 4 servings__________________________________________There are only 10 days left to register to vote in most states.You ARE registered, right? You WILL vote, right?In California http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/votereg1.htmlNew York http://www.vote.nyc.ny.us/index.jsp
# posted by Rachael @ Saturday, September 25, 2004
Friday, September 24, 2004
Cod with Orange Cardamom Sauce
I must have still been thinking of curry when I made this dish, it comes out a beautiful color and is really delicious. If I were dressing it up, I would add orange segements as a garnish, but the wedges work well too. Try it and enjoy!1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice2 cups chicken stock3 whole cardamom pods1 shallot, minced5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoons champagne vinegar1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into pats1/4 teaspoon turmericpinch of ground gingersalt and pepper, to taste2 tablespoons vegetable oil6 portions fresh cod (about 5 oz. each)Lemon and orange wedges for garnishIn a medium-size saucepan, combine the juice with the chicken stock, cardamom pods, shallot and all but one tablespoon of the Champagne vinegar. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the mixture until only 1/4 cup remains, and it is a deep brown color, about 30 minutes.Preheat oven to 400 F.When the sauce is reduced, use a slotted spoon to remove the cardamom pods. Turn down the heat to very low and whisk in 2 or 3 pats of butter. Keep whisking in the butter, 1 or 2 chunks at a time, until the sauce begins to lighten in color and thicken. Add the turmeric, ginger and the remaining teaspoon of vinegar and whisk to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.Season the cod with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in an ovenproof saute pan set over high heat, and sear the fish on each side until golden, about two minutes. Place the pan in the oven for 3 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.Spoon the sauce over the fish and garnish with lemon and orange wedges. Serves six________________________________________________________When you purchase hard cider in the United States, it has less carbonationthen in other countries so brewers can avoid a "sparkling wine" tax.
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, September 24, 2004
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Splenda
Here is some information on the sugar substitute Splenda. From my standpoint, I am more concerned about how it works in baking than if you should put it in your coffee or not. The answer seems to be that its fine for drinks, but for baking you may want to avoid it.Splenda is a no-calorie, no-carbohydrate sweetener whose sweetness doesn't change when it's heated. It can be used in cooking and baking and the manufacturer claims it is made from sucrose, a natural sugar. How is that?Chlorine is added to the sucrose, and a chemical reaction changes the sucrose molecule to replace some of the hydrogen-oxygen groups with chlorine. That prevents the body from metabolizing it in the same way as it does sugar. This also allows Splenda to state on the label that it's "made from sugar," suggesting that it's natural. Which it is not.The addition of chlorine also has provoked critics to call it a chlorocarbon, sometimes found in pesticides. Splenda is neither natural nor a pesticide. It's a new chemical. Studies have shown that it causes no immediate health problems, but most of these studies have been done by the manufacturer, and no one yet knows what long-term ingestion of large amounts might do over a lifetime. Sweeteners substitute a non-nutritive food for one that has vitamins and other nutrients -- for example, a Splenda muffin might have the same number of carbs as an apple, but the apple is better for you.But how does it taste? Well, it seems the sweetness seems block other flavors and linger in the mouth long -- even hours -- after the food is gone.And in baking? Splenda brownies come out flat, dense as a board, incredibly dry and tasteless, but with a sweet aftertaste. It makes ice cream so hard it brakes into shards when scooped, and custard that looks like scrambled eggs. Overall it just doesn't perform as well, and it doesn't have the taste or the texture of sugar, and the trade-off in pleasure delivered by a sweet treat isn't worth it. ____________________________________The most popular pizza topping in Australia is eggs. In Chile the most popular topping is mussels and clams,in the United States, pepperoni andin Japan, squid.
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Singapore Noodles
After making that Chicken Curry, I started thinking about what else I make with curry powder...and I make this simple noodle stir fry all the time; it’s fast and I always seem to have the ingredients on hand. You can switch the chicken for shrimp, scallops or duck if you like. Just adjust the cooking time. Have all of your ingredients ready by the wok, as this recipe is very quick. Interestingly this dish doesn't really exist in Singapore. 1/4 cup chicken stock2 Tablespoons oyster sauce2 Tablespoons soy sauce1 Tablespoon white sugar1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil1 Tablespoon Chinese rice wine (or sherry)2 tsp corn starch 1 lb Rice vermicelli noodles3 Tablespoons vegetable oil4 cloves garlic, minced1 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced1 Tablespoons curry powder1 medium onion, sliced into half moons1 carrot, shredded1/2 cup broccoli florets¼ cup sliced water chestnuts1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced2 teaspoons red chile sauce, such as sambal oelek or red pepper flakes2 green onions, chopped2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces1/2 cup snow peas1 egg Chopped peanuts and cilantro for garnishIn a bowl, mix together the first seven ingredients.
Submerge the rice noodles in enough lukewarm water to cover. Let soak until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
Heat a wok over very high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to cover the bottom. Add the the garlic and ginger and stir fry about 10 seconds. Add the curry powder, onion, carrot, broccoli, water chestnuts, red pepper and chile sauce. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, until the onions become translucent.Add the chicken stir-frying for about 30 seconds. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil. Stir the ingredients and shake the pan to keep everything moving, for about 3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked. Add the snow peas and green onion. Toss to combine. Continue cooking on high for about 2 minutes, occasionally tossing the ingredients, until everything is heated through.
Make a well in the bottom of the wok. Pour 1 tablespoon vegetable oil into center of the well. Add egg. Allow to set slightly, then scramble, and incorporate into the other ingredients.
Add soaked (drained) noodles to wok. Mix thoroughly to combine.
Immediatly transfer to a platter and garnish with cilantro and chopped peanuts.Serves four to six______________________________________________________SINGAPORE (Reuters) - McDonald's lost a legal battle in Singapore Monday to stop a food company from distributing "MacNoodles." The fast-food company said Singapore-based Future Enterprises Pte Ltd. had copied McDonald's trademarkswhen registering in 1995. Lawyers for Future Enterprises had argued that "MacNoodles" bore no similarity to those of McDonald's. The Singapore products are packaged withan eagle logo and distributed in supermarkets and convenience stores. "There can be no likelihood of confusion or deception. The marks are different in appearance, sound and concept,"said thecompany's lawyer, Tan Tee Jim.
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Monday, September 20, 2004
Chicken Curry Salad
This weekend, I catered a small baby shower luncheon in Malibu. Nothing too fancy, just simple and elegant. Overall the party was lovely, and the guests seemed very pleased. They all asked for this recipe, which I had made specifically per the clients request, as I had never had it (or even heard of it!) before. Turns out, its pretty tasty. Enjoy!4 skinless chicken breasts and thighs, poached, cooled and chopped1/2 cup mayonnaise3 tablespoons curry powderPinch of turmeric (optional)1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney (or any other brand of mango chutney)2 green onions, slicedsalt and pepper to taste1/4 cup golden raisins (sultanas)2 stalks celery, sliced1/2 cup walnuts and red grapes for garnishCombine the mayo, curry, ginger, chutney and onions in a large bowl. Adjust seasoning to your taste. Add the raisins, celery and chicken and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.Garnish with walnuts and grapes and serve.Serves four - six___________________________________Today is National Rum Punch Day.My favorite rum is Pyrat XO Reserve - Planters Gold,but I wouldn't put it in punch. For punch I would recommend St. James Royal Amber. There is a lot more to rum than Bacardi!Check out www.rumshop.net for more info.
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, September 20, 2004
Friday, September 17, 2004
Artichoke Dip
This is my favorite dip. Spread it on crackers, use it on sandwiches, add it to cold pasta, or toss in some mayo and use it as a crudite dip. Any which way, it is delicious. Just be aware, the garlic flavor will become more pronounced the longer it sits.16-ounce can whole artichoke hearts drained1/4 cup olive oil1 small garlic clove, minced 1/2 cup brine-cured green olives pitted and sliced (Israeli olives taste best in this recipe)3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leavesIn a food processor purée artichoke hearts with oil until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add more oil if needed. Transfer purée to a bowl and stir in garlic paste, olives, and salt and pepper to taste.Chill dip, covered, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.Just before serving, stir chopped parsley into dip.Makes about 1 1/2 cups______________________________________________________________Denmark has the highest per capita consumption of candy in the world at 29.5 pounds.The University of California estimates that a healthy acre of prime land can grow 40,000 pounds of potatoes, or 250 pounds of beef.In 1928, Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented a machine that could both slice and wrap bread, spawning the phrase “the greatest thing since sliced bread.”
# posted by Rachael @ Friday, September 17, 2004
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Lamb Chops With Guinness Beer
I love cooking with beer. Guinness especially. (Funny, because I don't actually like to drink the stuff.) Like wine, beer adds complexity to a dish. This recipe is simple, elegant and hearty. Try it and see. You can leave out the cream and butter for a lower fat dish.2 tablespoons vegetable oil8 lamb chops1 onion, minced1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped, plus 4 sprigs for garnish1 cup Guinness beer1 cup beef stock1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard1/4 cup heavy cream1 teaspoon white sugar2 tablespoons unsalted butterPreheat oven to 400 F.Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over high heat. Add lamb chops and sear, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the chops from the pan, (do not clean the pan) and place in an oven proof dish and cook at 400 (in the oven) until done to your preference, about 7 minutes for medium, 10 minutes for well-done. Remove from oven when done and allow to rest 4 minutes before saucing and serving.Reduce the stove heat to low. Add the onion to to pan and saute until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the rosemary, beer, broth, mustard, heavy cream and sugar. Using a wooden spoon, make sure to scrape up the fond (brown bits cooked onto the pan) and incorporate into the sauce.Turn up the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil, whisking, until reduced by 2/3, about 10 to 12 minutes. You want the sauce to have a little body and thickness to it.When sauce is reduced, add the butter and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste.Place 2 chops on each plate; spoon sauce on top.Garnish with rosemary sprigsMakes four servings_____________________________________________Looking for a recipe for seaweed pudding or stuffed fish heads? Visithttp://www.globalguide.org/scotland/articles/3.htmlFor those and more traditional Scottish (Isle of Lewis) recipes! Haggis anyone?
# posted by Rachael @ Thursday, September 16, 2004
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Carrot Soup
Tonight at sundown, Rosh Hashana begins. Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Year, and the first of the two High Holy days. There are many food traditions associated with this holiday, including the eating of round Challah, to symbolize a smooth new year, and eating apples and honey for sweetness. Here is a recipe for Carrot Soup to help you usher in the year 5765. L'Shana Tova!6 tablespoons oil1 cup thinly sliced leeks (white parts only)8 cups (or more) chicken or vegetable stock4 cups thinly sliced peeled carrots1 16-ounce can canellini beans, drained2 cups coarsely chopped peeled pear2 teaspoons chopped fresh or dried rosemaryHeat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.Add the stock, carrots, beans and pear and bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.Purée soup in 2 batches in blender until smooth. Return to saucepan; mix in the rosemary.Season soup with salt and pepper.Serves eight__________________________________________________________Martha Stewart said today she has decided to surrender for prison as soon as possible, citing the need to ``put this nightmare behind me and get on with my life.''The businesswoman was sentenced in July to five months in prison and five months of house arrest after she was convicted of lying about a stock sale. The 63-year-old Stewart will do five months in a federal prison -- likely getting out early next year -- followed by five months of house arrest.``I must reclaim my good life,'' she said.She ended her 10-minute appearance with a joke, saying she was walking through Manhattan when a man spotted her and said, ``Oh, she's out already.''``I hope that my time goes as fast as that,'' said Stewart, who grew weepy at the end. ``I'll see you next year.'' -- NYTimes.com
# posted by Rachael @ Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Sweet and Hot Mixed Nuts
I love making these nuts for parties, but also just to have on hand for snacking. The recipe makes a large amount, so be aware. You can absolutely cut it in half if you want. The alternate method for these nuts is to just coat them with melted butter and then the spices and sugar and bake as directed. The coating will be different, but still tasty. Enjoy!2 teaspoons thyme 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crumbled2 teaspoons coarse salt¼ teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon chile powder or a large pinch of cayenne 2 large egg whites2 cups pecan halves2 cups walnut halves and pieces2 cups raw cashews½ cup brown sugar Preheat oven to 250 F.Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in center of oven. Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with foil. Stir first 5 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Whisk egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Whisk the spice mixture into the frothy egg whites. Add the nuts and toss to coat completely. Sprinkle sugar over and toss to coat. Divide the nuts between the two baking sheets; spreading in a single layer. Bake until nuts are toasted and coating is dry, stirring every 20 minutes, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle nuts with salt to taste, if desired. Transfer nuts to large bowl. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last about one week.
________________________________________________________
Get Excited! Today is the first day of the 113th annual
McClure Bean Soup Celebration in McClure, Pennsyvania
http://www.mcclurebeansoup.com/
# posted by Rachael @ Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Monday, September 13, 2004
Lavender Scented Lemon Syllabub
Keeping up with my recent sweets theme, here is an updated version of the classic British syllabub, which is a thick, creamy dessert. It is very similar to sabayon, but much easier to make. The funny sounding name originated during Elizabethan times and is a combination of the words Sille (a French wine that was in the original recipe) and bub (Old-English slang for "bubbling drink"). It is outrageously delicious on its own or served over fresh fruit or poundcake. You can skip steeping the herbs in the cream if you want to make this dish in less than ten minutes. Just omit the herbs and honey and start from “…whip the cream…”1 ½ cups heavy cream2 tablespoons honey1 tablespoon dried lavender (Lemon-thyme or rosemary would also be perfect here)2 large lemons, zest and juice8 tablespoons mascarpone cheese8 tablespoons lemon curd (available in most markets in the Jelly/Jam section)6 tablespoons powdered sugar4 sprigs fresh lavender, to garnishIn a small saucepan over low heat, gently warm the cream, honey and lavender for no more than five minutes. You do not want the cream to simmer or boil. Remove from heat, stir and let steep for another five minutes. Strain and cool completely.When cold, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.In a large bowl using a hand held mixer, beat the lemon zest and juice, mascarpone, lemon curd and sugar together until smooth.Fold the whipped cream into the mixture until thoroughly combined.Spoon into individual dessert glasses and decorate each with a sprig of lavender.Serves four to six_____________________________Wanna be my favorite person EVER?Tell Daily Candy about Fresh Catering Cooking Classes!Click on http://www.dailycandy.com/contribute.jsp?city=2and direct them to our website athttp://www.la-specialtyfoods.com/THANKS!
# posted by Rachael @ Monday, September 13, 2004
Sunday, September 12, 2004
Lemony Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting
3 large eggs, room temperature1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract2 teaspoon grated lemon peel1 1/2 cups cake flour (must use cake flour, all purpose will make tough cupcakes)3/4 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt1 1/4 cups sugar3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) plus two tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature1/3 cup buttermilkPreheat oven to 325 F.Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.Whisk eggs, vanilla, and lemon peel in medium bowl to blend. Mix cake flour, baking powder, and salt in another medium bowl.Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Gradually beat in egg mixture. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions each.Divide batter among cups. Bake until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan on rack 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely.Traditional Buttercream Frosting: (From The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook)1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft8 cups confectioners sugar½ cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractPlace the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add four cups of the sugar, and then the milk and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time until the frosting is thick enough to spread (you may not use all of the sugar).If desired add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly.Use and store at room temperature. Frosting will set if chilled. Can be stored in an air tight container for up to three days._______________________________________Recent research suggests that up to 90 percent of the calciumin some fortified soy and rice milks may remain in the containeras sludge, even after shaking.SOURCE: Prevention magazine September 2004
# posted by Rachael @ Sunday, September 12, 2004
Saturday, September 11, 2004
Big Apple Muffins
According to a website I was just looking at, "The apple muffin shall be the official muffin of the state of New York." Apples are also the state fruit. Milk is the official state beverage, which would be a great accompaniment to this recipe:1 large egg 1/4 cup crisco, melted4 tablespoons applesauce 1/4 cup white sugar1/4 cup brown sugar2 1/2 cups apples, peeled and chopped2 cups flour4 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamonpinch of nutmeg1 cup milk 1 tablespoon granulated sugar1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground Preheat oven to 375 degreesIn a large bowl, combine egg, melted shortening, applesauce and the brown and white sugar, stirring well. Add chopped apples and mix well. In smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Add to the egg mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Spoon into greased muffin tins, filling two-thirds full. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over the muffins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 1 dozen muffins___________________________________________________Today is the Eleventh of September. I am thinking (as are most Americans) about New York and Washington D.C. today. There is a lot I could say about that, but instead I will assume you feel the same way and just provide this link to The Friendship Cup, raising money for some of the families affected by the tragedies of this day. I chose this charity because Ted Maloney and I went to high school together. http://thefriendshipcup.com/ I also thought this was worth including. It is a quote from an article in the SF Chronicle about the lessons teachers plan about Sept 11th. "Later, Gwendolyn Samson, 15, said she found the lesson valuable because she hadn't known that Iraq was not responsible for Sept. 11. " Somebody please find little Gwendolyns parents and look at them with disbelief. Thanks.
# posted by Rachael @ Saturday, September 11, 2004