Discovery Health - A Lyon in the Kitchen

Cooking Essentials

2007-08-13T11:35:05-04:00

I love cool stuff. Preferably, things that look both fast and ergonomically correct just sitting on the shelves of my kitchen. But more times than not the excitement and romance of my new purchases are fleeting. Most of my space-age machines are not independently useful, so other items must come into play, like a cutting board and knife, so that the food actually fits in said container so as to be quickly pulverized, whipped, fried, folded, or my personal favorite … thinly sliced. Yet in the end what works best are some basic “no frills” items.

A good chef’s knife must fit your hand properly. The handle should not be too big or small, with your index finger and thumb on either side of the blade, for ultimate control. Don’t hold the handle like you would a hammer or tennis racket; rather, wrap the handle into your fingers (post any questions on this one). My favorite knife (eight-inch chef’s knife) cost me $38. Plus, a nice paring knife is good to have on hand too. A big knife for your big jobs, a small one for smaller jobs. Nice. A timer? Absolutely. Measuring spoons, cups, a nice rubber spatula, and a vegetable peeler are a must. A pot, some sauté pans, and a saucepan. I’m not big into purchasing a massive 17-item “set” if I only use four. Same with knives. Next, a food processor and professional mixer are two items built to cut time spent in the kitchen. There are smaller versions of both machines that can be just as useful, if not more versatile, than the larger versions for single people like me. Also, if space is an issue (like in my kitchen), a hand-wand with attachments that double, or triple as other helpful tools is a great investment. A blender, whipper, chopper, slicer, and puréer all in one. Useful and cool, who knew? Is “puréer” even a word?

Sure, shiny things are always a lot of fun to have around the kitchen. I feel faster somehow, as if my moves are more efficient and smooth like the lines of the machines themselves, but too many machines usually makes me slower, not faster. In the end, great food comes from skill, passion, and love … plus I only have one outlet in my kitchen, clearly not enough for all my gadgets.

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Living in California

2007-07-06T09:33:16-04:00

I specifically recall, at the age nine, walking home after delivering newspapers with my daschund in tow. It was wintertime and my fingers and toes were frozen from the sleet-covered air. When I finally reached home, my Dad was reading the paper: the forecast for Washington DC was 34 degrees while southern California read 74. How was that possible? Did those tanned people in southern California eat canned beets, beans, and whatever else they could shove into a can during the winter months back in the 70’s? I used to dream of delivering papers in 74-degree winters. A simple dream, sure, but what a luxury that would have been.

Fast-forward 27 years and here I live in southern California, loving the warmth and lack of allergens that would plague my youth back in Virginia. But there is always compromise. Humidity? Traffic? Foliage? Clean air? Working at Farmer’s Markets gives me first pick of fresh produce in the area, which as a chef, is heaven. I have also learned just about everything I know about organic and sustainable farming while living here in California, however at an ironic cost, as I rent an apartment with no yard. When I go back east to visit my parents I see loads of incredible produce, in both markets and stores, a far cry from the lack of variety I would see as a child. But I also see trees, yards, and gardens too.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is the simple fact that every state has something to offer. Some states are warmer than others, but it’s those colder states that offer the best cherries, apples, wine varieties, and incredible seafood.

Los Angeles is an amazing place to live, if only for nine years thus far. The traffic, air quality, and real estate prices are certainly of concern but it’s nice to open a newspaper in December and know that I live where the high temperature might just break 74 degrees … at least for now.

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The Sweet Life

2007-06-14T09:12:50-04:00

I sell fruit. Fancy huh? Of all the things I enjoy most, selling fruit is … well, second. I mean come on, I love educating my customers about farm-fresh produce, but it’s hosting A Lyon in the Kitchen that makes me giggle as I turn off the lights every evening. I have arrived to a place that feels as natural, and as nurturing, as being back home with my friends and family, and it feels mighty good, I’ll tell you what.

I don’t know what else I would love doing more than hosting a healthy cooking show. Looking back on my dysfunctional flow chart called life, the conscious decisions that I made along the way seem to have come together in perfect fruition. From washing dishes, to bussing tables, to waitering, bartending, catering, and even driving cross-country with my buddy Jason without working lights or a functioning speedometer. Okay fine, scratch the last one, but travel does play an important role in the show too, so let’s keep it on the list. Everything happens for a reason.

I love being a part of a community: my immediate neighborhood, the Farmer’s Markets, Discovery Health, and also those who take the time to e-mail in their comments after watching. We all can benefit from a little loving constructive criticism, and I most certainly appreciate people taking time out of their lives to share their thoughts with me. Life is funny like that. Like an old comics clipping from Gary Larson’s “The Far Side,” crazy as it seems, through my comedy of errors called life, to host a healthy cooking show does make sense. I’ll tell you, I do love selling fruit at the Farmer’s Market, but nothing’s as sweet as finding one’s calling in life.

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